Avatar: Two Brothers

Trap Sprung

Ruthar was sweating throughout his body with his back against the wall. Although he managed to hold his ground against his opponent, it was only a matter of time before he would be overwhelmed.

“Is that all you got brother? How disappointing, to think that at one point, you were once considered to be stronger than me.”

Ruthar struggled to stand up so he decided to buy some time to recover his energy. “Why are you doing this? What do you want with the avatar?”

“You know what I’m after.” He relaxed from his stance to explain his motive.

“For decades the Air Nomads have remained quiet pacifist, refusing to assert their dominance over the other nations. Air benders have the potential to be the strongest warriors but because of our ancestors' passive nature, all the other nations only saw us as pacifist monks. You and I were going to change that. We trained everyday to surpass our limits and invented new air bending techniques that many of the experienced nomads, including our master, objected to. We were unstoppable and we could have ushered a new world. But when the time came to act, you sided with our master and betrayed me.”

After hearing enough, Ruthar spoke up, “What we were doing wasn’t right. It would have led to the destruction of the entire Air Nomads.”

Short tempered, the air bender hit Ruthar with an extremely swift air kick, knocking Ruthar down and silencing him. He then walked up and grabbed him by the head. “Traitors don’t have the privilege to speak out of turn.” He then dropped him back on the ground.

Refusing to quit, Ruthar struggled to get up, “I won’t let you get the avatar.” After the words reached the airbender’s ears, he stopped and bursted into laughter. “Haha! You think I am after the avatar? I have far greater ambition than capturing a useless infant.”

“Then what are you planning?”

“Like I said before, you know what I’m after.”

Ruthar surveyed the room of unconscious leaders and the slain earth general. It took him a while but it all began to make sense to him. “No, you wouldn’t!”

“Oh yes, and the best part is that you are going to help me accelerate my plan, brother.”

Suddenly, Ruthar pounced towards his opponent at incredible speed, hoping to catch him off guard, but his brother saw it coming, so he dodged the initial strike and then grabbed Ruthar by the throat. “My, you really have fallen. Consider this a reminder before we part ways.”

He raised his right hand, ready to deliver an attack to severely injure Ruthar but as he was about to strike, one of the guards that was outside of the room was sent smashing through the doors and landed near the air benders.

Both the airbenders turned their attention towards the entrance of the council room where an opening had been created. Popping out from the destroyed doors was Ruthar’s pupil, Da-Wei who had come to help his master.

“Let Master Ruthar go!” he commanded.

Ruthar's brother looked back to Ruthar, “Oh, so this is an apprentice of yours. Let’s put him to the test shall we?” Ruthar tried to stop him but he was casted aside. He then taunted Da-Wei by signaling him to charge at him with everything he had.

Da-Wei knew he was up against an extremely difficult opponent but he figured he had the advantage in speed. He used his airbending to enhance his speed and tried to confuse his opponent before striking his blind spot. When Da-Wei came flying in to strike his enemy, he barely even moved and counterattacked Da-Wei with ease.

Da-Wei was in disbelief that his opponent anticipated his move but he attempted the attack several more times, each ending with him slamming against the ground. Ruthar couldn’t stand watching his student take hit after hit but there wasn’t anything he could do. After Da-Wei was knocked down the fifth time, his opponent struck him right in the windpipes forcing the young air bender gasping for air.

“An absolute disgrace! You call yourself an airbender?”

Da-Wei managed to regulate his breathing but he still couldn’t understand how all his attacks were completely nullified. It was like his opponent knew all his attacks before he made them.

As Da-Wei was figuring things out, his opponent ran out of patience and conjured a tornado to end the fight. Da-Wei knew he was way too close to escape from the pull. The air around him also made it difficult to breathe, compounding his problems. This situation would cause even the most experienced benders to panic.

Instead of escaping from the pull of the tornado, Da-Wei launched himself into it. He forced his way into the eye, where the effects were at its weakest. He then waited for the perfect time to jump back into the tornado to create enough momentum to fling him towards his opponent.

Da-Wei was flying with extreme velocity, forcing Ruthar’s brother to react immediately. He had to use one of his strongest air blasts to repel Da-Wei in the opposite direction, sending him slamming against the gong at the end of room.

Although Ruthar’s brother escaped the attack untouched, Da-Wei got his attention. To be able to time such an attack and have the audacity to take those risks, it piqued his curiosity. “Not bad, perhaps I underestimated you, but regardless, there is no way you can win.”

“That’s okay, I don’t need to win.” Da-Wei spoke confidently. Ruthar’s brother was confused until he saw Da-Wei pointing at the gong. This particular gong was meant to signal that there is an emergency situation at the war council room. This meant a massive amount of Earth Kingdom soldiers were on their way.

Suddenly, the wall behind him came crumbling down. Sonoor and Ruvnia had appeared to bust their master out. “Master Laghima, the Earth Kingdom Forces are on their way.” Sonoor warned him. Laghima acknowledged the warning and turned his attention to Da-Wei and Ruthar to say his parting words.

“It's been fun brother but it appears our meeting has come to an end. Oh and young air bender, for that impressive stunt you just pulled off, let me reward you with a demonstration to show the difference between our power.” In one quick motion, he performed a gale slice with his fingers that Da-Wei barely dodged. However, Da-Wei felt the force of the attack and as he looked behind, the sturdy council table behind him was completely obliterated.

It was at that moment that Da-Wei saw the power gap between him and his opponent. Da-Wei watched as Laghima gave off a laugh before jumping out of the window along with Sonoor and Ruvnia. All three of them vanished without a trace.

After they left, Da-Wei immediately rushed to Ruthar’s side to assess his condition. Ruthar’s injuries weren’t minor but they weren’t life threatening either. Da-Wei was ready to carry his master out to get medical assistance but Ruthar declined as he had an urgent message for his student.

Ruthar revealed Laghima’s plan to Da-Wei. He initially attacked the Western Air Temple, targeting the avatar but his motive was never to abduct the avatar. With the events that occurred, Laghima knew that it would alert the four nations’ attention and force the leaders to gather. Everything that has happened, has gone according to his plan.

Ruthar wanted to continue further but suddenly he began coughing profusely. Da-Wei encouraged his master to save his energy and as he told him to get up, Isabelle came into the room. She was not alone as she had Chloe on her shoulder, and her other arm was carrying the avatar.

When Da-Wei saw Chloe’s condition, his heart sank as he asked Isabelle what happened. Isabelle explained everything that occured and now Chloe was poisoned by Sonoor. After hearing Isabelle’s story, Da-Wei slammed his fists on the ground. Everything that was happening couldn’t have been real, his master was severely injured and his best friend was poisoned. He felt completely powerless about the situation.

“Da-Wei.” Hearing his master’s weak voice, he moved over to hear him speak. “Some waterbenders have exceptional healing skills. Take Chloe to the Northern Water Tribe, I’m certain there is someone there who can help.”

His words gave Da-Wei new hope and direction. “What are we waiting for, let’s go!” But Master Ruthar declined.

“In my current condition I will only slow you down. Besides, these wounds won’t require any special water bender. I will heal with time.”

With time of the essence, Da-Wei didn’t have time to argue with his master’s reasoning.

“Take Mikayla, she should be in the stable with all the other animals.”

“Thank you Master Ruthar.”

Ruthar then turned to Isabelle, “So that’s what your voice really sounds like.”

“Yes, I apologize for disguising myself in our first encounter.”

“It's alright, I already knew you were a girl. These two are the benders I spoke of in our first meeting. Please, take care of them.”

“I will!” Isabelle confirmed.

Then he turned back to Da-Wei, “Keep the avatar safe.”

“I will Master Ruthar. Laghima and those two won’t lay a finger on the avatar!”

“It's not Laghima I’m worried about.” Da-wei was confused by Ruthar’s answer. “Out of fear others will seek to take the avatar for themselves. Keep him safe from them.”

With those words, Da-Wei put Chloe on his back and Isabelle carried the avatar in her arms. They both left the council room and made their way to the stable where they would find Mikalya, the sky bison.

Shortly after they left, the Earth Kingdom’s forces walked into the war council room, seeing many of the leaders unconscious and one of their generals dead. Near the general’s body was a symbol drawn out in blood that seemed eerily similar to the Air Nomads. Upon seeing Ruthar as the only conscious person, the Earth Kingdom Militia assumed he was responsible for the massacre. They apprehended him and put him in chains.