Chapter 1

In a town far, far away. There lived a girl named Moonjira Fang; an orphan child found on the side of the road of Riverband. A town for its caring character and people. She grew up in this town, with its wonderful people and light. She was happy... She was safe...

But then, war broke out and everyone in town, of Riverband, was never the same. Their realm, ruined with blood of loved ones... Now, she's grown with a destiny like no other.

Here is her story, on how she became, the brave warrior...

I walk the lands of ruins, the land of lost and loneliness. I stared at the gravestone of my adopted father, resting flowers he uses to gather every day when he was alive just to make me smile. I kneel down and patted the gravestone head, with nothing but pure sorrow "Father... it's been another forgotten day without you... Riverband, is suffering greatly. The war made us suffer great losses... Village leaders we'll never get back... I feel so lost, Father. I wish you were here to tell me what to do..." I silently waited. For a sign—for anything.

But nothing showed itself. It was just the pure silence and the nightly moon gleaming above the once beautiful land.

I got up, quietly dusting the dirt off my clothes, hearing footsteps softly makes its way to me "I see your back here again." I turned around to see Mal. I could only stare at him, but his presence didn't make what I was thinking any less different. 'He is a coward' that couldn't protect his land. He was my friend, yes. But he was no warrior...

"Do you find it amusing to cut tail and run-in middle of battle, when my father was in dire need of your assistance?" he sighs "I wasn't running away... I was mourning our loved ones... our people—" I cut him off "Most people that mourn stays with their loved ones and fight— to cry for the ones lost—not leave a friend in need who counted on you." I walked pasted him, but he catches my arm "I'm here now... Doesn't that count for something?" shaking my head, I pulled my arm away "Too little, too late. You've proven your savage ways to be just as cutthroat, as those barbarians that attacked us. You were better off dead in his place then being here to make up for a mistake that cost—not only my father's life but a good man's life."

"Moonjira—" I put my hand up, to signal him to stop talking "Don't." I gathered my basket of berries and herbs that I have collected before my visit. The war may have settled down for a time, but there were many villagers left injured in its mist.

"I don't have time to waste. I have to hurry back to the village." He blocks my path. His determination to make up for his cowardice, was rather annoying. I stared at him for a moment, just waiting for his next attempt of redemption.

"You act like you wouldn't have done what I did. It was a moment of self-preservation—a moment of dire weakness—YOU KNOW I WAS NEVER A WARRIOR." the moment died. I've only watched the boy I've known for probably more than a millennium grows into a man of such shame... His talk of honor was probably all talk as well. I used to admire and feed off his tales of great Kings in battle and how each and every one of them would win tremendously. I always thought of him as those Kings—a man of honor and absolute mercy. But I could've never been so wrong.

My hand glide up, into the thin and dusty air that could choke and poison just anyone that stood in it; and passed it across his face. The moment stood still as it's night sky, as the slap settled into the left side of his cheek.

"Your right, your no warrior—but I believed in you. You told wonderful, unforgettable tales of great lives lost and even greater ones gained. But I never framed you as cowardice. At your dire need of self-preservation, it cost me everything—my OWN father—" he cuts in demandingly "And you think I wanted that! For all the gore and hate I could have traded for this world, your happiness nor his death was not one I traded lightly..."

"But yet, it was one you took. I trusted you to the Gods—prayed for your strength! But the Gods showed me your true colors. You were a snake among our mist—WHAT you did was treason." He counters back, furiously "Now wait a moment. I was no traitor. I may have run from war, but I've never killed one of our own—Matter a fact, I did what any sane person would have done. If that is treason. May all the villagers, in Riverband, be struck down by lightning and may my point be proven so. I was never a traitor... Surely, you must trust in that if nothing else." I rolled my eyes in content "I do not tend to believe any more of your foolish lies. A man to run is no man at all. You may have not killed your own—but the treason you've committed is far greater." He eyes me, feeling the weight on his chest weigh him "And what treason would that be?"

I carefully chose my words with grace and elegance. My father always said a lady is the truth to a man's armor. And I'll make sure to keep my father's knowledge in this moment.

"Your treason is treason of oneself. You've traded your soul to darker forces by leaving your fellow men to die." and with passion in my heart and anger burning at its full glory, I chose the words that could never be taken back "Death would be too good for you—you deserve far worst. Let my father's death weigh on you and the people of our village, hate you. May my love for you no longer exist. From now on, your nothing to us. You cease to exist." I walked around him with everything I said in mind.

I will not regret. I will not shed tears. I'll be better—I'll be the better.

I entered the village, where villagers gathered at houses that weren't fully burnt or broken. Houses that looked like groundwork, terribly beaten and battered. The sight was very sad, enough to make me tighten my grip on my basket, everything that our little town use to be known for were burned all in the attack. Our markets, our gardens, and even our churches. All whipped out like they never existed. We were almost desperate... With not enough food and water to go around, we'd all probably die soon. Children weren't grown enough to learn self-control, so most of our food rations went to them—even the elderly weren't going to make it through this without proper medical attention... They were sick and weak. The herbs I'd collected would only keep us afloat for two days... That's only if we manage to not consume it every five hours... Which I highly doubted. We had to many injured, to many young, and to many old. At this rate, we'll have nothing to ration if we didn't pace ourselves.

My face crescent with worry.

As my thoughts wondered in its depths, Ms. Fayta approached me in kind "Why deary, why is your beautiful face so worn down?" I forced a smile "There is nothing to worry about Ms. Fayta." she point her cane at me "Now, now deary, that may work on the other villagers, but you can't fool me, my child. I helped your father rise you. Your practically my granddaughter." this time my smile was genuine. Her old womanly voice always had a cheer to it, even in dark times.

I shake my head, but even as my smile was real... my worries didn't subside. I look to my basket and show her "This was all I could gather before I visited Father... This isn't even enough to last us barely three days..." she saddened at the basket in my hands and look up at me with a sigh "Oh deary, these are sure desperate times. But you mustn't pay your father a visit anymore. Zuko's soldiers still wonder these parts." I grimace and lay my basket to rest "I knew you would suggest that." She takes my hands, guiding me to look at her "I know you miss him, dear... We all do. But you must know he'd want better for you. Your safety to him always came first." softening my gaze, I let go of her hands "That I know." I picked up the basket once more, not wasting anymore time "It's time we get back to the medicine house. Mr. Beck, is expecting these herbs in his hands since yesterday." she smiles "That man works very hard for this town." I giggled at her attempt to sound innocent "Only you would know. You did marry him." as we walked, she nodded her head, pleased "That I did."

As Ms. Fayta and I entered, Mr. Beck is helping a young man in the corner of the room. He turns to us quickly "It's about time, Moonjira. Did you gather enough?" I sadden, as Ms. Fayta made her way to help him with the young man "Mr. Beck, there was only so much in the forest. The plants are dying... The soil is drying... We won't survive here..." he looks to my basket as I handed it to him and he sighs "This will hardly last us, three days. At this rate, we'll die off."

"I could go to the King for help." I said, trying to see if they'll change their minds of me going but Ms. Fayta turned around quickly and shouted, "Absolutely not!" Mr. Beck sighs but I countered back "But I'm sure, he'll hear me out! It's just a day's trip. If I leave now, that'd give me a totally of six days before we run out of supplies. The longer we debate about this, the shorter our people have to live." I plead with her "Ms. Fayta, you have to let me do this..." Ms. Fayta stares at me "The King, won't care for a dying village. I won't have you risk your life just trying to get there." I argue back "My life is already at risk just staying here!" she looks at me stunned but she knew that I was right. Mr. Beck looks to his wife "She's right dear... With the injured and the sick... It won't be long until we were nothing more but a mere memory..." I nod in agreement. And went over to take her hand "The Gods are telling me to go and seek help. I wouldn't suggest this if I didn't feel it to be right. And if something is to happen to me, it'll be after the King has heard what I've got to say." I squeeze her hand "If I must die, it'll be after I've saved our people. Anything before that, I'll face and deal." she smiled at my bravery, putting her hand to my face in comfort "That fire in your eyes...it's just like your father's." I rest my hand on top of hers "Let's me do this... If not for the village—for my father. We owe him that. We owe him to at least try." She looks away from me to consider this fact. I wouldn't blame her if she turned around again to tell me no. I was like a granddaughter to her. To her, letting me go on this journey would mean letting me go—and I knew deep down that was impossible for her, but she surprised me when she said, "You can go."

My eyes bore into the side of her face "Can I really?" I asked questionably. Her letting me go on this trip would mean probably three whole days without me. She faced me with the same old smile and sighed "I obviously don't want you to go—but your father would be proud to see the young brave girl I see now." she takes my hands into hers in kindness "Who am I to stop such a thing."

I smiled to her, turning to Mr. Beck "Alright then, it's settled. I'll leave immediately. We don't have a moment to waste."

As I'm outside, getting ready to set out on the journey ahead; I began preparing the horse. Gathering little water and little food.

While I'm settling the horse up, I heard footsteps behind me and turned to face it, to see a smiling Ms. Fayta with something in her hand. She approached me carefully and handed it to me. I took it in hand and looked at the weird object but sadly didn't know it's value besides the fact that it looked really expensive. I look to her confused "What's this?" She sighs and looks up to the sky "The day your father found you. You were wrapped in the finest silk that even twelve silver pieces couldn't pay. Along with it, that brooch was in your hair." I stared at her shocked "But... that's impossible. This looks too expensive to be on a child that was left for dead—" she saddens "Your father thought it was best to tell you when he found it fit. But he died before he had the chance, I won't make that same mistake, dear—that brooch in your hand dear, belongs to royalty." I stared at her worried "What are you saying?" she looks at me serious "The reason I was so against you going is because of that brooch... We don't know what will be out there waiting for you... However, you ended up on the road of our town, that person didn't get to finish the job." She grabbed my hand and gave me a warning "Trust no one if not yourself. Stay valiant and keep your head down. And most importantly—" she points at the brooch in my hand "Keep that hidden until you know it's safe. It's time you find out who you really are and it's time I stepped out of your way to do so." She quickly turns away from me "Now hurry. You must set out as quickly as possible. We are all counting on you." I looked at her back one last time and nod my head in agreement.

I jumped on my horse and rode off into the night. It was time I saved my people and find out who I really was. As I rode the horse on the long trail to the Kingdom, I looked at the brooch in my hand, as the wind gentle blow through my hair. There was a moon crescent on it, that shined above its mountains. Whatever this brooch meant for me. I refuse to run from it. It was time, to face my demons and get my answers!

No more hiding from the truth.