A messenger cloaked in burning red armour strapped to his person rushed through the dark, dimly lit corridors of the castle. In his hand was a scroll. A messenger hawk just arrived from their spies in the Earth Kingdom with some telling news. He burst through the towering double doors of the throne room, back walls alit in massive orange flames. Thick columns braced either side of the red, gold embroidered carpet that led to the centre pedestal where Lord of the Fire Kingdom sat, alone on his menacing throne of blackened dragon bones. A large rib cage served as the back, calcium prongs encircling the formidable ruler, long onyx hair tied back from his hardened face and illustrious amber eyes.

"My lord!" The messenger, nothing but a young boy profusely sweating because of the heat of the chamber, cried, waving the parchment that threatened to catch fire and burn. He ran to the centre pedestal, falling on his tired knees just before it.

Fire Lord Kasai addressed him with nothing but a flare of nostrils and uninterested eyes. Cheek in palm, he waved at the boy to continue.

"What is it, boy?" His voice was a low crawl, carrying with it iron grit like the roar of the once terrifying dragons that protected their lands. "Has my younger brother given birth yet?"

"No!" The boy gulped, head shaking vehemently. He was visibly shaking, fearing how the fire lord would reaction to the news. "Our men at the Earth Kingdom sent word!"

Where disinterest once ravaged, Fire Lord Kasai's eyes widened, dark anticipation growing with the flickers of shadows on his striking face. "Spit it out, boy!" He demanded, slamming a fist on the armrest. the throne rattled.

The boy fell back on his rear, hands trembling as he read directly off the scroll. "Fire Lord Kasai, we are pleased to inform you the Avatar is dead."

Hellfire in the room exploded, the boy shrieking and cowering under his arms. Fire Lord Kasai stood from the throne, descending in a mad hurry down the shallow steps of the platform and ripped the scroll from the messenger's hands. Wild gaze, he read the scribbles. Once amber, his orbs erupted to manic red, and he howled in laughter deep from the gut. Deep from the origins of his inner wildfire.

"Boy, send hawks to all my generals." He stomped back up the steps, structure triumphant as if he had just a war. he might as well had. "Let them know the Avatar is dead."

"Yes, Fire Lord Kasai!" Scrambling back on his feet, albeit unsteady, The boy saluted. He turned to leave, but the Fire Lord wasn't finished.

"And!" His voice boomed, stopping the boy dead in his tracks. The messenger turned slowly, fear spreading on his pale face. The Fire Lord collapsed back on his throne, façade sinister like the king of the underworld himself. "Tell them to bring all the fire nation children born this year to me."

"I..." The boy gulped. "I beg your pardon?"

"Bring the children to me! Any parent who disobeys, kill them." The Fire Lord's eyes flickered a shade hotter. "Kill them all."

 

 

 

 

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     Terrified, blood-curling shrieks haunted the small village. There were tales of the underworld being a place of all-consuming, raging flames that reached beyond the skies, and Somin thought her village was every bit of the hell elders told to scare children to behave. Wooden beams crumbled and thatched roofs caved in on houses before all structures disintegrated to the ground. People were running in terror, running for their lives as men in red arm and helmets with ox horns slashed through, tearing babies from the arms of wailing mothers. Somin watched in horror, trying to avoid the destruction of what she once called home.

She ran, holding a sleeping Seulgi against her chest. Tears streamed her face smothered in black ash. She couldn't breathe, but she had to get out of there; she had to hide her daughter before anyone could see and take her.

What used to be a market was nothing but a stall of lashing, furious flames, burning all it touched. Her skin was searing as she avoided the flickers of rampaging fire while her eyes stung, throat felt like it was scraped raw as she inhaled only smoke. But she refused to stop even though her limbs were begging her to—even though her neighbours were pleading for help. She just couldn't afford risking Seulgi's life, and she was apologetic, letting out more tears as she ran through the streets, blind.

She made a sharp turn, black and red world spinning when she tumbled over something soft. At her feet was a body. One half was crisp and black like charcoal, and Somin couldn't bite back the shrill scream. The old man that once sold her goat milk for Seulgi was dead, fried and staring at her with one lifeless eye.

Seulgi woke up, startled by the scream and began to hysterically wail. Somin pressed the baby to her chest. She was scared to smother her, but they'd attract too much attention if the cry of an infant fell on the wrong ears.

A horse whinnied, dressed in suitable crimson armour. It wasn't affected by the melting heat, mane of orange crackling and dancing like a phantom ghost.

"Give me your child," the rider demanded from the mount. he wasn't wearing the demonic helmet, so Somin could see the grime of ash smeared on his face. He had the blackest eyes she'd ever seen. More soulless than the dead merchant she was next to.

She shook her head, coddling Seulgi tighter. "No! get away from us!"

The man dropped to his feet, the ground shaking under him. His footsteps crunched on the dirt, one hand removing a plate of armour from the other. She'd seen this sight too many times within the hour, so she braced herself and turned her back towards him, protecting Seulgi from a gust of flames.

But it never came.

The man grabbed her by the back of her collar, lifting her effortlessly off the ground. Her limbs flailed as she fought, but she was too weak, too tired. Her legs perished against his armour.

"Let go! Don't take my child from me!" She was screaming, shouting with everything in her, hoping it'd work, but Somin knew, deep down, nothing would stop the man. And that was the most awful feeling in the entire world, watching someone take her baby from her. No matter how hard she tried to hit, Seulgi was plucked from her arms.

The baby's cries erupted, and the man threw Somin away, not caring at all where she landed as he remounted his hell horse. On her hands and knees, she struggled after them, bruised and battered.

The last thing she heard was Seulgi crying for her.

And the last thing she saw was the man's ungloved hand jutted her way. Then an explosion of scorching red.