Chapter 7

We heard a big boom coming from the upper floors. We then heard many foot steps walking towards the explosion. Another 5 minutes later Azula showed up.

"Who are they? This wasn't part of the plan."

"Plans change. They were guards, we knocked them out."

"Well it doesn't matter. The entrance has been blocked. It would take them more than 6 hours to reach us so we have that much time on our hands."

"Ok stand aside for a second." After saying that I came in front of the door and started to blast fire in the heads of the dragons. The door then opened slowly reveling a earthy smell. We then quickly got to work.

The first grave that we came across was Sozins. We took out the scrolls stored there. There was a bending technique some family resister and finally his final words. In those words he revealed the relation and how he betrayed the previous avatar. He also wrote his motive for starting the war which was essentially world domination. And finally his regret of not finding the next avatar.

"Well well never thought my great grand dad was such a weakling. He resorted to betrayal and could not even find a kid what a shame." Although Azula said that her facial expressions say another thing. She was very much shocked to learn about her great grand pa that's for sure.

After we read that we proceeded to read many other scrolls of previous fire lords. Some them were great some were not. We also came across the bending styles that were popular before the war. I also learned how Sozin was able to wipe out every air bender. There was a traitor who revealed the location of the four air temple to the fire nation in order to survive. But he was burned in the end. There was however some survivers. They hid themselves but the fire nation eventually got most of them. They created ambushes and traps for them and eventually killed most of them. But there seems to be some survivors as later the fire nation was attacked by a powerful female air bender who caused heavy damages. They never caught her in the end.

After reading most of the knowledge stored here I can't say I learned much. Most of the knowledge I already knew but there was one thing that I learned. The pinnacle of fire bending was not actually lightning bending but plasma bending. Yes plasma bending was a thing apparently. Though only 2-3 people have ever even showed the skill to do it. And there wasn't any records on how to plasma bend.

After 5 hours we packed up every we needed and headed to outside the catacombs. We then got into the vents which was possible for our small size and then we made it outside. It was already morning and since I took a leave for 2 days so I went home. Mother was surprised to see me. After spending some time with her I went back to school. Something about Azula changed as she spaced out sometimes and looked at me weirdly.

We still continued our joint training, The reason I train with Azula and Tye Lee is, they both are geniuses. They come up with counters of my moves which inreturn make me stronger as I improve my fighting style. And so it has been 10 years since I came to this world. In my school I earned the nickname of the scholar because of my excellence everything other than bending but that still was not enough to convince my father to treat me better. If anything it has got even worse.

"Arima I have told you not to take the academic courses. Your wasting what little bending talent you have by studying those useless things!" My father who was giving me the stink eye said to me. He doesn't actually mean that his just angry because some people are questioning his older sons capability in anything other than bending. He wants me to chose some bending courses so that I could embarrass myself to make Lao more worthy in other peoples eyes.

"I think Arima should do what he likes." My mother said while she was eating her food.

"You are spoiling him! He needs to be a competent bender or else he wont be able to support Lao in the future." Father said that but what he actually meant was I was being a eyesore and stop doing what I was doing."If you make the same mistake this time Arima I will revoke you from the academy remember that."

"You cant do that Arima has the right to...." before mother could finish father said.

"My words are final, now stop interfering woman!" with that my dinner session ended. I didn't say much to that block head because theres no point in doing so. It was again vacation time so I decided to go to the ancient city of the sun worriers. I want to learn from the masters and also learn the dragon dance.

A knock on my door sounded as I was in thought."Come in."

My mother as usual came to talk to me.

"I am sorry Arima. Your father is just very focused on the families reputation so he doesn't really mean all that. You can pursue your studies as is I will talk to your father don't worry."

"It's ok mother I was planning on doing that anyway. If father doesn't want that then I will just get out of the family." I said with a bit of frustration.

"No! You can't do that. If you do that then you will be out lawed by the noble families. You will have a very hard time in the military if you do that. This is all my fault! If I wasn't....."

She stopped when I suddenly hugged her. "It's ok mom your son will be just fine."

She seemed to be surprised at first but then she took a deep breath to calm herself.

"I have something to tell you son. You must never tell anyone about this!"

"What is it ?"

"You see your not wholly a fire nation native."

"What do you mean?"

My mother then pushed her hand forward producing a gust of air. I was truly shocked it seems Aang wasn't actually the last airbender.

"Your ancestor is actually an air bender who escaped from fire nation genocide. After the genocide your grandfather hid himself in the fire nation territory. He hid right under the enemies noses and the met your grand mother. If it weren't for my diluted blood you could have...." Before she could continue my hand swiped her tears with my sleeves making her stop.

"You don't have worry mother even if I didn't have bending I would still not blame you for it. There's masters like Piandao who even with out bending can defeat most of his enemies and I can still do better than him trust me."

My reasoning seems to get through her. She slowly stopped crying. She then takes a lotus tile from her sleeves and gives it to me.

"Although I can't give you much I will give you this. This was a lotus tile your grandfather gave me and now it's yours. Your already great in Pai Sho so you will eventually find the white lotus organization. They are a secret community who help thair members in need. Whenever you see a stray Pai Sho player play with him using this tile and play the lotus gambit, they will help you in anyway they can." After that she said many things about our family and how she grew up. We chatted for an hour or so until she left.

From mothers earlier conversation many things made sense to me. Although she didn't tell me directly it seems me and my big ol bro was only half brothers and that explains a lot. There was also the white lotus. I had forgotten about it, luckly she reminded me of them. It seems my memories of my past life are fading slowly as I grow older.

Finding out all these things didn't change anything in me, I was still Arima and I will become the strongest. My fire bending has reached the master level. My crimson flames are even hotter than before but by far the most progress I made was in lightning bending.

I was now in an uninhabited island. I had bought a tug boat with my money to travel last year. I first calm myself and to Let go of my emotions. Next I do hand motion in less than a second to separate the yin and yang nature of my chi which generates electrical arcs and finally I point my fingers to guid the lightning towards a coconut tree instantly obliterating it. When the smoke cleared everything around 5 meters of the tree was destroyed or lit on fire. Truly a beautiful art.

"You know if you improve so fast it really makes me feel like an average talent."

"You were stocking me? Don't you have like manners and stuff as the princess?." My sarcastic reply made her blush a little bit.

"I was just about to come to your house! Auntie invited me over. I saw you sneaking outside so I followed you and and hid in the boat." She said bashfully.

Before coming here I told mother that I was going to the island owned by Tye Lee's parents but in reality I was going to the sun warrior island. This time I was going alone. I can't take anyone because its too dangerous. The existence of living dragons need to be kept secret or they will be haunted down. but with Azula here that plan goes to the drain. She has likely already figured out I was going somewhere with all the supplies I was packing in the boat. The journey will probably be a weeks worth of time so I came prepared.

 And so with her as an extra I set sail again towards our destination. We stop occasionally and after two days of constant travel we finally made it to the island. We landed on the shore and proceeded to enter the inner part of the island. There were mostly ruins of ruined buildings and vegetation covering them.

"Remind me again why we're here again?"

An unamused Azula said from behind me.

"We are here to learn from the masters." I replied without looking back.

"What kind of master lives on an island that has been abandoned for a thousand year!"

"You'll see. But remember if you tell anybody about this place I will tell lady Ursa who taped Zuko on the back of a rhino for 'Fun'." That made Azula visibly stutter. Glad that she and Ursa are getting along well.

We walked for hours. Many traps were still functional causing Azula to curse. Eventually we came across a locked door with a red stone. I took out a mirror from my pocket a redirected the sun light to it causing it to open. Inside there were many stone statues in a circle depicting a dance move, jackpot.

"Azula imitate these moves as you step on to those stone slabs."

"Why do I have to do some silly dance?"

"It will be worth it trust me. I will do the dance with you too so don't worry. And also memorize them thoroughly."

We got into our positions and started imitating the statues as we steped on the stone pedestals. As soon as we finish the room begans to shake and a golden egg came out of the middle of the alter.

"What just happened?" Asked a bewildered Azula but I didn't answer the question.

"What ever you do don't touch that egg." Warning her I began to scan the outside area with my chi.

"Why?"

"Shhh!" I shushed her while placing my hand over her mouth which she was not a fan of.

"You can come out we mean no harm. We just came here to learn from the masters. Please guid us!" I shouted but I was only met with silence well if you ignore Azula of course. Seeing no other option I concentrated my chi and fired a flame burst towards a big rock causing it to explode revealing a man in tribal clothing who's face was also covered in red tattoos.

"Heh so you finally decide to come out." I slowly put my hands up as I was surround by more than a hundred sun warrior who were aiming various weapon towards my body.