Years Ago // South Pole
The cold bit at him, no matter how many months Gitso spent in the tundra, he couldn’t get used to it. The cold was burrowed deep, down to the bone. What little Firebending technique he knew was all he could do to stave off death, beyond leaving the South Pole. He was safe here though, while he was still closer to the Fire Islands now than he had been before in the Earth Kingdom the cold helped the nightmares, he couldn’t stand the heat. The fireplace flickered in its own corner of the hut as Gitso sat as far away as possible from the flickering flame, steam emanating from his nostrils as he breathed out, heating himself ever so slightly.
“It doesn’t have to be this way Gitso.” He rolled his eyes as the feminine voice came out of thin air. The Former Avatar, the famous Si Wong. She who brought an end to wars within the Earth Kingdom and tamed the desert of her namesake. She had helped him in ways he could never have believed, teaching him how to master the Avatar State from beyond the grave, allowing him to bend in ways he could never imagine. He had hoped that she’d leave him alone once he escaped, instead she constantly came back. Preaching about his duty, and responsibility to the world.
“It does Si Wong. I never asked for this, I don’t want this. If I’m anywhere but here, I need to be the Avatar. It may be cold, it may be lonely, but here? Here I can just be Gitso, I go into town with fish and bump into hunters in the tundra and help them find their way. It’s a simple life, but it’s mine-”
“This is so much-”
“-bigger than me? If the world was in such a dire situation then why didn’t you do more? You’re the great Si Wong. Surprised you didn’t unite the world as one nation.” He chuckled slightly, picking up his rough wooden spoon he dove it into his bowl. His entire body shivered with disgust as the cold stew touched his tongue, he had become too lost in thought. Still, unable to waste the food he swallowed, shuddering as he did so. “The Great Si Wong, master of the desert. She couldn’t even bring peace to the Fire Islands.”
“I felt that in the nature of balance it was best in keeping the Fire Islands as separate entities rather than one all-powerful fire nation.”
“Yes, warlord nations are great in the name of balance-”
“The unification of the Earth Kingdom is as responsible for just as many issues as the Fire Isles. The difference is should the Earth Kingdom actually succeed in uniting the various states, and the Fire Isles unite into a nation. Who do you think they will fight then? They could alter the balance of the very world in fact-”
Gitso slammed his spoon down. “Enough. You’re not dragging me into this debate again. You keep forgetting, that I don’t care. I was sold by my family to a ruthless warlord, I saw things and was made to do things that I can’t even begin to describe. When I close my eyes-” Tears began to stream down his face, warm paths left behind on his near-frozen cheeks. “-All I feel is the searing heat they used to burn me again and again until I did what they wanted from me. I agree with what you want for the world, really I do. It’s just not for me, I don’t want to be the Ava-”
Before he could finish the sentence the wall behind him exploded, Si Wong disappeared as he was thrown clear across the igloo and into the opposing wall.
Road to Si Wong City // Present Day
The Caravan of Toz moved through the wastes. The winds carrying the heat of the desert, it would only get hotter as they ventured deeper towards the city. The path they followed was rough, the road was worn down by the foot of man and beast. The carriages bumped and rocked as they traversed the uneven surfaces, several times they had to stop their progress in order to recover goods that had fallen off a cart. The first time Toz had been understanding, the second he had issued a warning. The third time the one whos cart forced the caravan to come to a halt had received five lashes, since then they had increased the pace and as of yet, nobody had called for them to stop. Such was the way it should be.
He turned his head as he heard one of the Komodo Rhinos come tearing up the line towards him. Nodding at the face of one of his most trusted generals. “General Shaó. How can I help you?”
“In no way Sir, I am merely here to inform you that the hawks have returned. We will be at Si Wong City by day break on the morn. Shall I send away a hawk to have them prepare for your arrival?”
Toz shook his head. “No. I want them to catch them unaware, the last thing I want is for them to steal my Avatar again and have them fight us. By this point, the Avatar may have mastered all four elements, we can’t give them time to prepare.”
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