Crossing Paths

[Katara]

The rising din of screams and weeping increased in volume as a wave of flame continued to engulf the small earth kingdom town. The song of devastation and despair rising to a reverberating crescendo. It was the perfect point for justice to be sentenced on the very creature who’d brought about the soul wrenching slaughter.

All of Katara’s senses were reeling from the overwhelming emotions raging within and she continued her downward motion driven in part by the morbid music of distruction. For a brief second, she saw Aang’s sorrow filled eyes flicker through her consciousness but it was hastily pushed away as the desire for revenge surged to burn his image from her mind.

"The Fire Nation took my mother too..." Zuko let a tear roll down his cheek.

Orange crimson fames flickered off the shimmering metal of the scimitar as it sliced a small shock of obsidian hair before halting a mere inch from her enemy’s neck. Katara inhaled sharply at his whispered words and she staggered backward. ’He lost his mother? To his own nation? How? Why? ’ “I don’t understand…“ The brunette started, her head shaking back and forth in denial as she tried to make sense of his comment. A war of her own took light once more within. ” …your own people killed your mother?” ’Is it a trick? But if so..why didn’t he kill me before? He had the chance. Why ..why why?' 'There were hundreds of questions his simple statement brought forth yet she held her silence waiting for his reply.

[Zuko]

Zuko stopped and watched Katara's reaction to his words. She question the legitimacy of his statement.

"My Father did away with my mother when he ascended to the throne. I don't know what he did, but it wasn't good." Zuko said as the alley span more and more. He looked into Katara's eyes his eyes now letting loose tears he had held inside for years.

"It was not my intention to destroy... or even harm the town." Zuko said as he started to fall into slumber.

[Katara]

Katara’s eye’s widened in shock at the fire prince’s revelation. ‘His own father killed his mother? Then why? Why would he do anything to help the barabarian especially hunt down Aang?’ she struggled to make sense of all that she‘d just been told as the sword sank slowly to her side.

The water bender knew what had happened to her mother…but this young man before her had been left to wonder the fate of his own in silence. The very thought sent shivers down her back. Much as the young girl wanted to take her anger out on Zuko, hearing his story and seeing the tears slip unchecked down his face stayed her hand. Katara would never, in her entire life, have believed what was transpiring before her. He’d come after them with a vengeance…anger blazing from his golden eyes…eyes now filled with soul piercing tears.

Slowly scanning the area around them, the brunette was about to make a sarcastic reply about his true intentions when the sacred prince sank to the ground

The brunette stood for a few moments struggling with the diverse choices presented. She could simply walk away and leave their nemisis to die amidst the devastation his nation had wrought or..or she could heal his wounds. Thousands of warring thoughts poked at the girl. ‘He’ll just come after Aang again..I just know it!! But …he could have killed me but he didn’t and…”'her azure eyes softened. '…maybe he'll stop listening to his father and somehow help Aang. .. ' she shook her head as the sword grasped in her hands slipped to land atop it’s twin: the sound of metal hitting metal ringing through the alleyway.

With a disgusted shake of her head, Katara rushed to Zuko’s side and laid him face up on the ground. She scanned his body and noted the cut to his head and puncture wounds on his chest. The bender hastily plucked the top from her water pouch, and had the water rise upward and over the first of his many wounds. After a few minutes, the bleeding stopped and the water stimulated the pierced skin to close as well as the bumps and bruises to fade.

Katara laid her hand on his chest and was pleased to find his heart beat growing steadily stronger. Rising quickly to her feet, she spun about and took a few steps in the direction she’d come but paused for a sort moment to take a final look at the fallen Prince. “Leave us in peace, Zuko or next time….” She didn’t finish but instead raced off, the water now revolving about her body, to make certain Aang and the rest of her friends were alright.

[Iroh]

The gray-haired individual stood calmly amidst the chaos and fighting that had broken out since his arrival to the 'front' as he would've called it back in his older days. By no means was he wanting to start a fight, however they were Prince Zuko's orders. He was only an adviser to the troubled Prince, nothing more. Soldiers lined up in unison unleashing a barrage of fiery streams into the streets. The crackle of fire brushed past Iroh as he took another long sip from his clay glass of tea that he held in his hands. A few of the men glanced at the old man for a moment before resuming their tasks, not wanting to bother the man.

Iroh wondered where the fiery Prince was at the time, however it didn't seem he was appearing back to their lines any time soon. This made the gray-haired man slightly concerned for the boy's well-being. Perhaps he would wander into the chaos to find the troubled boy. It was quite often that he faltered from his own path. It was actually something he couldn't make his mind up on. Iroh brushed his gray beard for a moment before gracefully drinking the last of the tea he had in his cup. Placing the small clay cup back into a pocket of his top, Iroh slowly sauntered into the chaos as if nothing was going on. Fire Nation soldiers simply gawked for a moment as Iroh made no attempt to fight anyone, let alone get out of the way of a fight.

[Lei Ahn]

[[OOC:This post follows the thread Dai and I are having since it happened on the same day.]]

The pretty young earth bender grinned at Dai’s total focus on the brutality which seemed quite entertaining to the fire bender. Giving a sigh of boredom, she moved to hang over the granite railing her feet swinging out behind. After nearly a half hour of the training session, the merchant decided that she’d best return to her duties for she was loosing far too much money remaining below in the coliseum.

Lei’s feet dropped back onto the ground and she’d just begun to say her farewell to the dark haired boy when the whole monolithic cavern shook sending pieces of gravel and dirt reigning down upon them. Shortly after, frightened screams and children’s cries could be heard surging down the ramp toward the center staging area. “Avatar Kyoshi!“ Lei whispered, her frightened eyes meeting Dai’s gold before spinning on the balls of her feet and racing as fast as possible upward. The young girl was forced to weave her way through panicked individuals toward the surface. “What’s wrong?“ she asked a passing woman but she was met with silence as the elder lady hastily led her children to safety.

Like a fish swimming up stream, Lei was bounced around as she fought her way uphill. Her frantic gaze finally spotted Tsen waving the fear filled civilians toward the underground cavern as the rumbling grew louder and the smoky air became visible to the secret earth bender. Anxious now, she pushed harder until she made it to her friend’s side. “Tsen!! What’s happening?“ she huffed while touching his arm.

Her scrawny friend frowned at seeing her. “You need to go back down Lei. It’s best if only earth benders deal with these fire murderers. “

A chill instantly ran down Lei’s back and her head shook back and forth in denial. “ What about Reinie and Somosa ? Have you seen them come inside?” She didn’t need to wait for an answer for the man’s face spoke far louder than the sharpest scream heard above the panicked din. Her face paled and she rushed back toward the street.

“NO! Lei stay here!! They only want benders…” His words were ignored as she slipped out of the cave opening and into total devastation. She watched in horror as fire balls were crashing into buildings and the nearby wood. Dark black smoke mixed with gray as it rose in plumes above the now burning forest. For a moment, she stood in confusion and watched as hatred scourged the small non consequential town and heard her mother’s voice in her ear.

“Oh sweetheart..” her mother touched the twelve year old‘s cheek. “…you’ll know when it is necessary to use this gift you’ve been given. The seed will touch your heart and in it you will be as the earth…strong.. resolute and ever the guardian of your people. ..guardian…guardian..” The last word echoed in her head like a chant as her eyes shifted to find a ball of flame soaring toward a small groups of townsfolk.

Without a hesitation, her arm jerked upward to form a large wall of stone on which the flame hit and scattered into sparks. Once she started, Lei continued her march. Her stride purposeful and focused. She sent boulders crushing any and all who were wreaking the destruction. She spun dirt upward to ensnare the flame and smother it’s ravenous devouring of the towns center.

The earth bender’s dark hair blew out behind her while her honey eyes honed on each and every target. It was then that she saw her cart smoldering in ash and beside it…beside it a small child’s leg poked out from beneath. Lei Ahn’s heart stopped…or it felt like it had as she raced toward the debris. Pushing the board away, the small child whom she’d held not so very long ago lay forever silent amidst the charred wood. It was as if her short life meant nothing to those who’d taken it. Garbage to be pushed aside for their supremacy. Lei’s hand gently wiped the little girl’s dirty face; the pain so deep that not even a single tear could work its way to the surface to be released.

Rising upward, the earth bender used her abilities to create a small walled tomb as if it would protect the small one from further desecration. Then with a demeanor of the coldest winds from the north, she walked once more with resolution; to cleanse the town of those who had attacked and killed the innocent.

Lei’s white houri was now grey from the ash fluttering through the air and the green she normally wore a dingy olive. ’Step…step…step..’ each movement focused as her hands and feet attacked with calm cold accuracy. Soon, the fire benders began fleeing back toward the port as the earth benders called to the soil for guidance and aide.

It was at that moment, that she spotted a man burning the Gaoling’s flag. Lei gave a focused stomp of her foot and the earth carried her upward to face her next enemy. She bound his feet within the stone while reaching into her long billowing sleeves. Using skills of the Dai Lee, Lei sent two stone gloves at the brazen golden eyed boy.

[Ignis]

Ignis surveyed his 'masterpiece'. Ignis' hate for all Earth Kingdom kind, caused him to completly not noticed any of the screaming children or mothers. He was just focused on destroying and conquering this village and defeating all Earth Kingdom troops in the area. Soon the flag was completly incinerated into ashes. Ignis used the flag pole as a wait support, as he leaned over the edge of the building he was on, looking down on anyone else. Ignis used a flame thrower technique on alleyways nearby in an effort to drive anyone out if there was anyone.

But during this flame thrower attack, he found his legs, bound by earth. Ignis tried to move but he couldn't. Ignis turned and saw a teenage girl, roughly his age. Ignis then saw her shoot two fists of earth at him. Ignis ducked to dodge one, but the other he catched in his hand. This hurt a lot due to it's speed, weight and force. Ignis then used his jet propulsion technique to blast out of the stone bindings.

Ignis hovered in the air for a while staring into his opponent's eyes. Ignis was determined now to defeat or even capture this earthbender for the Fire Nation now. Ignis said nothing and flew away from her into the distance and landed on a building on the edge of the city. Ignis breathed in then out and began flight again. Ignis flew to Lei's direction at high speeds. The whole time he shot concentrated and superheated cinders. The cinders appeared like the bullets of a gatling gun. Ignis came towards Lei, the 'bullets' coming out his hands.

[Lei Ahn]

Co cking her head slightly to the left, Lei’s face remained stoic as the skills she’d been taught her entire life reemerged …her actions instinctive. She watched in confusion as the fire bender sailed over to a nearby rooftop only to spin about and rapidly propell himself back toward the waiting Earth bender. Her right eyebrow rose as he sent glowing embers in her direction. The stone beneath her feet moved swiftly upward and covered the girl’s body from head to toe. Inside her stone cocoon, she heard the tat tat tat of the small flames hitting the rock wall before burning out and falling as ash to the ground.

With a thump of her left foot, stones the size of a man’s fist jumped up into the air. She then formed a stone wedge which she used to hit them at her opponent.

[Ignis]

Ignis growled at Lei when she formed the Earth Cocoon. "The only way your going to come out of this, is in chains!" Ignis said. Ignis generated a large superheated ball of heat and fire. The ball was so hot it didn't even appear like fire, just a large yellow and orange glow, spinning at high speeds. The ball floated in front of Ignis.

Ignis then lightly blew into the sphere. The sphere began to transform in to a tornado of fire and cinders, causing roofs to be destroyed or begin to rapidly burn away. But Ignis didn't aim it at Lei, he aimed at the innocent and fleeing civillians. Men, Women, The Elderly and even the Children. Ignis laughed insanely at the destruction he was causing, his long hair being blown back by the force of the superheated sphere, an large evil grin appearing across his face as he laughed. But most of all, his pupils appeared like flames in the glow of the destruction. "DIE!! DIE!!!" Ignis screamed. His grip on reality was slipping more and more as he came closer to madness.

[Mai]

Front step, right arm, back step, left arm, front step, side step, front and turn.

Cutting her hand through the air with incredible speed, then practicing the steps over and over again. Each step had been etched into her mind so much they seemed as if it were the only way she could move - before she started another practice anyway. Mai gave up practicing her fighting technique, moving lightly over to a small table against the dark wall, picking up the small cloth and dipping it in the bowl of the clear, cool liquid, moving it across her forehead and cheeks, feeling instant relief to her flaming cheeks. It was very hot in the room, and when you'd be practicing a new technique, one tends to get a little warm.

Setting down the now damp cloth and gently drying off her face with another cloth, Mai took a few long steps to the door, turning the brass knob gently to the left and opening in a crack, peeping through. Mai closed the door gently after she stepped out, stepping out onto the earth. a small pond, murky green, lay in front of her, surrounded by tall green trees, with a little waterfall heading out into a much larger lake, surrounded by willow trees and some more trees with orange-yellow leaves along with lots of other miscellaneous plants. The sky was white and it was quite chilly outside, making Mai shiver slightly. Mai opened the door carefully again, reaching inside to grab her heavy red coat, then pulling it over her arms and fastening it around her waist.

Walking around the edges of the trees, she heard a faint noise in the distance. Mai turned her head to the noise, curious as to what it was. She saw a brief flash of orange also in the distance, where the sound came from. Mais golden eyes narrowed, and she made the quick decision in her mind. She felt her blades gain a thousand pounds in her kimono as she started off, increasing speed gradually to the horizon.

- later -

When Mai arrived at the small Earth Nation village, it was chaos. There were people screaming, children crying, and smoke blowing. Fires were raging, heat was amplified, and you couldn't tell right from left or up from down. Mai climbed up to the roof of a white building next to her and moved like a lizard along the rooftop, noting that everyone was running east, away from the west as if their lives depended on it. Mai jumped across a few gaps in between the buildings with extreme ease, steadying herself perfectly each time.

Suddenly, a few roofs ten or so buildings away from her started to be ripped off of their buildings, curling up into a fiery twister, throwing itself high above their heads, moving as if were being controlled. Mai could hear screams of the Earth Nation people, and felt a pang of guilt. She wanted to see what was happening, to maybe help stop it. Mai jumped a few more rooftops to the last remaining one that was closest to the scene and tornado - that was still attached to the original building, anyway. Mai jumped down quickly from the roof top, her legs carrying her over to the scene, where two blurred outlines where standing, eighty or so feet away from each other. Mai stood so there was an imaginary triangle between the three, and when the smoke cleared she spotted an Earth Nation girl and Ignis.

But it couldn't be.

This couldn't be the same Ignis that was sleeping so peacefully, looking so much younger and sweeter in his sleep. Not the same guy that was incredibly friendly and loved his sister more than his own life. Not the same guy that actually put up with having Mais physco path mother track them down with their soldiers. No. It couldn't be. This guy was standing there, looking even more completely insane than Mais mother - if that was possible. His lips were turned up, his teeth flashing a sick, twisted grin. His eyes were sparkling at the terror he inflicted, and he looked so menacing, so angry, so... not himself, Mai couldn't make herself believe that this was truly Ignis.

Instinctively, Mai twitched her hands ever so slightly, feeling if every blade was in it's place, ready to aim, throw, cut. Every thing was in it's place. She dearly hoped that she wouldn't have to use them today - because she wasn't sure if she could.

[Zuko]

Zuko awoke with a stir sometime later. He felt that his wounds were healed, but most importantly the fact that he wasn't dead. Katara was gone and his swords were on the floor. He climbed up from the ground into a sitting position and looked around. All he saw was hellfire. It seems as though the Army had caught up with them. He looked around. He saw a necklace on the ground. He thought back, it was Katara's necklace. She must of dropped it. 'I have to get it back to her' Zuko thought. He rose on to his feet. He still felt weak. His wounds were healed but he still needed to rest. He picked up the necklace and sheathed his swords. He donned his bandanna that covered his eye perfectly and found a discarded hat that was identical to the one he had before. He ran away from the battle like everyone else hoping Katara was doing the same. No one would be able to recognize him now. After a couple of minutes of running. He saw a young mother and her child. They were hidding in a house. He stopped and said to her.

"You need to leave. There coming this way," The girl was probably 20 years old and her husband was probably helping to defend the town. The mother nodded and picked up her child. Zuko ran with them to the underground arena and sent her down below. He went out to look for Katara; instead he found more and more people trapped or to scared to move. After an hour of searching/rescuing Zuko went down below with the others and sat down against a nearby wall. He stared at the necklace and fell asleep.

[Lei Ahn]

The earth bender’s lips tightened when the vicious fire bender ducked the rocks she’d sent in his direction. His threat of chains did not dissuade her in the least but his next course of action did have the young woman gasping aloud. With a heinous laugh, he sent a large plume of orange gold flame and cinders deliberately toward some fleeing villagers below which he followed with a maniacal scream for her compatriots’ death.

Lei rode the mountain of rock beneath her feet like a surfer toward the frightened group who were screaming in terror. They scrambled in desperation to get out of the flame's path. Using the rock beneath her feet, the obsidian haired girl made a pronounced curved motion with her hands and formed a massive tunnel above them. She was panting hard from the amount of energy she’d expended in creating huge structure as she focused her honey eyes on the people cowering within.

“RUN!! RUN!!!! “

[Katara]

Hastening to return to Aang's side, Katara was astounded to find the desolation which the fire nation had wrought upon the small earth kingdom town. She pondered the wisdom of leaving Zuko alive as she watched rising flames engulf the most populated area of Gaoling. Smudges of charcoal were scattered about her face and a smattering of ash lay atop her long chestnut hair like snowflakes from her homeland.

The water bender stopped numerous times during her flight to assist men, women and children to safety. Katara’s sandaled feet sent dirt and residue puffing upward from the ground as she franticly searched for Aang and the rest of their small group. “Aang!!..Sokka!!” she screamed while tucking a strand of hair behind her ear; Anxiety revealed with every step she took.

Having used a great deal of her energy healing Zuko's wound, she struggled against fatigue. The water bender had been kneeling on the ground and healing a young child’s broken leg when her eyes widened in shock. From high atop a rooftop, she heard Ignis scream, “Die!! Die!!“ She was astounded to find the cheerful young man she’d met mere hours ago, sending a huge blast of flame toward innocent bystanders who were stumbling toward safety.

Rising to her feet, Katara screamed, “Ignis!! NO!! PLEASE DON'T!!!”

The plea had just passed her lips when a young woman with long dark hair rode on a pile of stone toward the frightened townsfolk. Katara took a deep breath and raced to help.

[Ignis]

Ignis continued to induce chaos through Gaoling using his fire vortex to sweep away buildings with it's power, force and heat. Roofs were sucked up and then incinerated as they fell into the eye of the storm. Ignis then threw his fire vortex out of control, in a random direction. The massive and mobile fire began to make it's way steering itself through the city. Several soldiers were sucked into the monsterous vortex, swallowed whole. There flesh was soon incinerated to the point that only a skeleton was left and then the charred skeleton was burnt to ash.

Ignis heard Katara scream but only glanced at her, caught in his own madness, hatred and revenge. People screamed as the twister stormed through the down. No one could get close enough to throw water on it, because they would be sucked in. Another threat was also growing...spreading would be the better word. The gas which had been slowly making it's way from the forest was entering the city, sniffing out victims to swallow. Several people were caught in the massive yellow clouds. They coughed and went red, then died, falling to the ground with their bloodshot eyes, staring at the sky.

Ignis then gently lowered himself down to the ground with his propulsion jets. Ignis landed not too far from Katara. His goal now was to capture and defeat, the girl who had attacked him, while she was distracted. The alleyway where she was creating the collosal structure. Ignis saw civillians running into this tunnel. Guarding Ignis' path were at least four Earth Kingdom soldiers. The soldiers tossed several large stones at them. Ignis dodged the one from the first soldier, before blasting him with a fire ball.

Ignis was hit by the second soldiers and was brusied. Ignis quickly blasted him. He was then hit by the third soldier, this time knocking Ignis offbalance but nether the less, he was soon blasted. Ignis grabbed the last soldiers arm and quickly broke it before he could attack. The soldier screamed. Ignis was bleeding and bruised. Ignis pushed the soldier against the wall before grabbing his cheeks roughly. Ignis looked at him with a serious and menacing look in the eye. His face looking serious and insane. "Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii...." Ignis said making a long word. The soldier was frightened and wimpering, and there would be no regret to what Ignis would do next.

The soldier began to sweat and wimper like a coward. Ignis slammed him against the wall again. "Why did you do it?" Ignis questioned. "I don't understand..." The soldier wimpered. Ignis quickly replied in loud anger. "YES YOU DO!!! AWNSER!!!" Ignis yelled in his face. The soldier wimpered more. In Ignis' eyes, this innocent soldier became his parent's killer. "Why?...Why!!!" Ignis asked shouting. The soldier whimpered again, afraid of the young firebender. "Why did you have to leave two little children..a eight year old boy and a six year old girl, alone and starving on a piece of driftwood in the middle of nowhere for FOUR DAYS!?" Ignis asked recalling the day where everything was taken from him by the Earth Kingdom.

"Those little children were thrown into five long years of poverty and abuse..." Ignis said. The man just stared at him this time in shock. "Well I'm going to liberate you...from this guilt..." Ignis said before creating a deadly though small flame with his two index figures, with his free hand. Ignis was about to quickly dash this fire across the soldiers throat, killing him instantly but before he did so, the face of Ignis' sister Serenity appeared in his mind. Her innocent, sweet and young face smiling and giggling at him. The times when Ignis protected her from bullies or gave her half of his own food.

Ignis during this realised this soldier was innocent and not the Colonel responsible for the murder of his parents. Ignis let go of the soldier. "I'm sorry..." Ignis said to him. Ignis then punched the soldier to knock him out. Ignis felt tears coming to his eyes now. Ignis then concentrated on Lei. Ignis slowly moved towards her before injecting the paralyzing fluid into her body. Ignis then tied her hands and legs up so and left her for Fire Nation soldiers to find her. Ignis turned away and looked at Katara in the eyes, tears starting to emerge. Ignis turned away and ran down into an empty ally and lied against the wall and cried.

[Mai]

Mai managed to avoid the attacks Ignis had used on the numerous buildings and soldiers, running quickly away to dodge the attacks or jumping from roof to roof, or running up the walls and darting away quickly. On a few occasions, Mai had managed to forget, even though it was hard, that she actually loved this young man. Well... the other man in his body. The cheerful, kind man she'd met before, that she loved no matter how much it seemed unlikely. She had thrown her blades to pin him to a wall or distract him, but the fiery attacks had spun by and reduced them to ashes. Between her failing attacks, she watched the events unfold in front of her golden eyes.

She saw the dark haired girl create the large stone tunnel by twisting her hands and feet, she watched Ignis create yet more havoc, and the young brunette water bender scream her plea to Ignis, who seemed not to by listening. Her eyes followed the water bender curiously, and that was her mistake. One of the fiery attacks aimed at the innocent people and the two young female benders came too close to her.

Mai jumped backwards, but not before it could burn the whole right side of her body up to her ribs and some of her left leg. As soon as she got away from the attack, her hand flew out the the remains of a stone building for support, bending slightly with the pain and the tingling sensation of the burn. Mai cursed loudly, though most of the words were drowned out by the burning of the wood and the screams of the victims.

When Mai looked up again, she saw Ignis punch the soldier and then run into the alley. A almost curious look came across her face for half a second, then disappeared. Her eyes still held the curious look, only faded slightly, as she walked out of the street and into the little place where Ignis and the two female benders were, and the young women still were. Mai looked to the earth bender and her eyes lingered there still for a few more moments, before she turned her head slightly. Her golden eyes met that of the young water benders, and she held her gaze for a few long, silent seconds. Mais eyes held pure curiosity. How did she know Ignis' name? Did they already meet? What was a water bender doing in the Earth Nation? These questions ran across her mind, some showed in her forever golden topaz eyes.

Looking for a moment longer, she broke the gaze and half walked, half jogged to the alley where she saw Ignis disappear. Suddenly she saw the young man she knew again, and walked slowly towards him. "Ignis." Mai said quietly, her voice lacking any emotion where one should be. Concern? Worry? Sadness? Anger, maybe? Whatever is was, it wasn't there. Mai was just standing there, and empty shell of a woman once knew. Mai continued to walk closer, her footsteps slow when she stopped a few feet away, hesitant to approach him. She wasn't afraid, and she wish she could say she'd seen worse, though the Fire Nation destruction was probably close. Mai was only a little afraid, and not because of Ignis. It was because she hadn't jumped in time to dodge the fire. More practice was obviously needed.

Mai kept her eyes to his face, a strange sensation like a hole burning in the bottom of her stomach coming and causing Mai to wrap her arms around loosely her stomach. She walked a little closer, sinking down slowly to her knees and tucking on of her long sections of hair back around her shoulder, and tucking a few stray strands of her long raven colored hair behind her ear where it came loose. Mai reached out to his shoulder, then pulled back after reaching a few inches, unsure of how he'd react.

[Ignis]

Ignis thought about his parents, sister and destruction he had unleashed upon this Earth Kingdom city. Ignis watched the fire twister begin to stick on the edge of the city where the massive and expansive estates were located. By now everyone living, had evacuated the premises and were in the Earth Rumble arena where they were safe...for now. More Earth Kingdom soldiers made their last stand as they fell to the ground, burnt, beaten and crumpled.

Fire Nation soldiers walked over the dead bodies of soldiers and threw fire at building that weren't burning...they're wasn't alot of those. Ignis didn't even notice Mai coming towards him. He was too confused, angry and frankly emotionally drained of all feelings. Ignis heard Mai say his name and he looked up to her for a few seconds then turned away, ashamed that he had done this infront of the girl Ignis loved. Mai then saw her try to put her arm around him but she recoiled it in fear. Ignis saw her burn and gently put his hand on it. Ignis then used the heat absorbtion abillity to take away most of the pain from her burns. Ignis gasped loudly at the pain. "Just like old times..." Ignis said reffering to the heat absorbtion. "I'm a monster...are you afraid of me Mai?" Ignis said to her looking her in the eyes, his tears had stopped.