The Lunar Warrior [ATLA FF]

Book 1: Water | 34 | Allies? II

Doodles by me! You can consider it a quote from a future chap!

In the following days, many things happened. For one, Hala managed to convince most villagers of their plan. Though, they all agreed that timing was key; they had to wait. More information and strength were needed. They had to gather more allies than they currently had.

A few youths, elders, and mothers wouldn't be enough to take back their home and keep it thereafter. This would have to be a combined effort for all of the mining villages in the area. Getting the message out would take time and stealth.

It wasn't uncommon for villagers to travel between the small towns, however, so while slow, everything was still coming together nicely. That part of the plan would be carried out by a traveling merchant who was well known in these parts.

Only those who were trusted explicitly knew what was going on. In shifts during the night, Ayaan gave them tips on the art of hunting and traps. Thanks to his experience training the three gremlins, he'd become a much better teacher than he had been before.

"You have the basics down. I'm surprised how quickly you all learn." The young men and women preened under the praise. They had been participating in the training since Hala had given the news, eager to learn to fight for their home.

"Thank you, Lord Ayaan!"

"Um. Yes. You're welcome." He still needed to get used to them calling him that. "We will be going into more practical things now."

"Huh?" They noticed that glint in his eyes. Everyone came to know that as an instructor he was absolutely ruthless. He didn't cut corners. What the hell was mercy? Endurance, technique, speed, even fear, he trained them in all of these.

How did he train them in fear? Simple.

"For the next ten minutes, I will be the enemy. If you get hit by me, you may count it as dying."

"Oh, no." It was this that sent shivers down their spines. That look in his vibrantly sea blue eyes beneath the moonlight... There was a dangerous gleam in those usually kind eyes. When they first started, they didn't believe he'd put them through the wringer as he had. While they were thankful he was putting in such effort to drill the knowledge into their minds properly...

"Brace yourselves."

A demon. He truly was a demonic instructor.

These ten-minute rounds went on for a few hours, each group of villagers taking their turns to attempt to land a hit on Ayaan. All of them failed, obviously, though some managed to come close. Their naturally strong bodies proved useful in this training. The mothers, who were adamant about receiving the training for self-defense, flourished here.

Ayaan made his point clear. When he said any and everyone could learn to hit and be hit, he was not joking.

When everything was over and they dropped to the ground in exhaustion, Ayaan deemed it enough for today. "Good job, everyone."

"But no one even came close to you! Again!" Haru spoke up, still a heap in the dirt. He was allowed to join in the training, Hala hoping he found another outlet besides his earthbending, which he needed to keep secret.

But still, "You can't even go a little easier on us?"

"This is going easy on you," Ayaan answered, a bit confused by the question.

"Like hell it is!" Every single villager protested.

They understood why he was drilling these practices into their bones. They were grateful, they were regaining hope and strength, confidence in themselves again. Of course, not everyone was willing to join them in this, and there were others that they didn't tell at all due to a lack of trust. But they were glad that they were there.