An Abyss of Secrets [M] (Sorrow & Ashen)

[DragonOfSorrows]

Braxxon could definitively tell this guy was a dreamer. He didn't enjoy being around people like that. They were never real about anything. They would always hope for the best, even while hope was never around. His sister was like. It irritated him whenever she was all too cheery. He lived for what he saw, not for what he dreamed. He knew this adventure could be boring, or interesting. It all depended on how well he played his cards. "We're only here because of our parents." He said, adjusting a strap on his shoulder.

"You see, our parents own a house in Ba Sing Se. We lived there for years until the talk of this town spread around. Gold, gold gold.....That's all anyone heard. Amalia is too young to remember, but our parents sent us here with our Gramma. They said since we're young, we need to be here with her. I didn't want to leave, but mother and father forced me." He glanced up at a few cloud overhead, then shook his head. "What fools they were. The only thing here are desperate fools trying to get these 'riches'." He muttered something else, but it was too silent for anyone to hear it.

"My family was never part of the war. If we were, it was hidden from us. Mother and father ventured all over these lands, living with many people. The learned peace. That is, until the power of money corrupted them while they bought a house in Ba Sing Se. I resent them for it, but they sent us here for what they felt were good reasons."

"Braxxon always dreamed about leaving and relocating, but there's no places we can afford." Amalia said, interrupting her brother yet again. He shot her another glare, only to have her laugh in response. "Much like our parents, Braxxon wants to get out and explore the world for what it is. Now that things aren't as insane anymore, we can adventure about in peace."

"There you go again, telling him something he didn't ask. Amalia, when are you going to learn?" She stuck her tongue out at him. "And when are you going to learn to open up. You won't make friends that way." She did have a point there.

She turned her gaze up to Cai. "If I may ask, where's your brother now? Did something happen to him?"

[Ashen]

Ba Sing Se... Cai was surprised to hear their parents were in a city he had been to a few times. The capital of the Earth Kingdom was quite a journey away from his Omashu, and the journey was made even longer due to Cai's phobia of water. He and his brother had had to find bridges connecting the lands instead of simply taking a boat. It brought a smile to Cai's face, remembering the way he would inconvenience his brother. In that regard, this trip, while not completely leveling their dues, did make them a little more even.

He watched the way the two bickered and softly chuckled with nostalgia. At her question, though, he seemed to sober and shrug his shoulders. "I don't really know," he admitted. It wasn't a lie, not really, but he was talking about a different where than she was. "He's pretty far away though, at least I know that much. I haven't seen him in a year. Hope he's okay though." His voice trailed as he thought on it, but he soon shook his head. He was smiling again almost immediately, and staring back at Amalia with bright brown eyes.

"So about your mom and pop," he went on, dismissing the subject of his brother. "They're from Ba Sing Se? You ever been? It's a really nice place, we used to head out there for business sometimes. I'm from Omashu, but the trip was always a fun one. Maybe some day I could take you both." An innocent suggestion. He glanced at Braxxon, trying to catch his reaction. "It's the least I could do since you guys are taking me to the middle of nowhere. I'd be happy to show you around Ba Sing Se, Omashu, wherever you want to go. I haven't been very traveled before this, but now I can officially say I've visited two nations. That has to count for something, right? We could make a trip out of it together. That is, once I save up some money. You're right, trips are expensive. Just saving for this one was enough to make me exhausted."

The way he walked with a bounce in his step, spoke with such a friendly voice, smiled as if he were the happiest man in the world; no one would be able to guess what the overgrown kid had been through. He was talking about his lost brother, his lack of financial security, and yet he spoke with the lightness of a friendly conversation between friends. There was a comforting air about him, a certain charm that might have seemed all too suspicious to a stranger, but Cai was too oblivious to even notice. He wasn't acting any differently than he normally did, and the idea that they might think otherwise did not cross his mind.

[DragonOfSorrows]

Braxxon glanced up at the man and a look of concern faded onto his face. To him, it was odd to see someone having that carefree nature without having something to hide. He wanted to press the subject of Cai's brother more, just to see what he could get out of the man. Even with as curious as Braxxon was, he knew it possibly could reach the point of a large argument, if not an all out brawl. He had his doubts about the man, but he pushed them aside. As time went on, he would learn more about him. He put his hands behind his head and cleared his throat, almost as if to get Cai's attention.

"She wouldn't remember Ba Sing Se. She was only a few years old when we left. I'm fortunately able to remember it with ease. I had a few friends there, and it was sad to leave them behind. I don't admit it very often, but they're the soul reason that I would even think about trusting an earth bender."

Amalia let out a small sigh and shook her head. She knew exactly where this was going. "Oh yes. Poor you. You were attacked by them when you were younger and it made you distrustful of them." She laughed a bit. "You're honestly so predictable, Braxxon."

Braxxon glared at his sister, but dismissed her comments and let out a heavy sigh of his own. "I may not have showed it earlier, but I'm glad you came around." He admitted. "If you hadn't, I would still be stuck at the port." Amalia laughed and walked a bit faster. She turned around and walked backward in front of her brother and looked up at him with playful eyes. She bounced from foot to foot as she did so. "Braxxon likes Cai. Braxxon likes Cai." She said teasingly.

"I have to like him since we're traveling together. If not, we'll all be miserable." He stated, pushing his way past her. His sister stumbled to regain her balance and took her place beside Cai once more.

She hadn't known the stranger for too long, but she was already warming up to him. She almost acted as close to him as she did with Braxxon, but then again, she was super friendly. Deep in her heart, she knew this trip would bound the three together for life. They would go through hardships, but make it past them in a way only they could. She closed her eyes to think. She was curious to know what the first conflict they would face together as a team. How would they overcome it? Would anyone get seriously hurt? She had millions of thought running through her mind. It was almost surprising that a girl so young would have thoughts like that.

[Ashen]

At the mention of trusting an earthbender, Cai chuckled softly. "We're pretty trustworthy as a general rule," he told him. "Sorry about those that attacked you. You got the bad parts of every nation, you know? We're not a bad people though, really. I prefer using my bending for fun things. Like..." Cai didn't stop walking as he pulled a piece of a nearby rock to his hands. He molded it for a minute, then looked down into his hands. There was a stone flower, its imperfections clear. It looked as if someone had chiseled a rose right from rock, but had chiseled too much in some places and not enough in others. Cai offered his creation to Amalia with a warm smile. "I'm not really an artsy one," he admitted, "but it's the thought that counts, right?"

He then turned back to her brother, the same smile on his face. "Well I'm happy I could help with something!" Amalia's taunting brought back a whole new level of nostalgia, and for a moment his eyes flashed with longing. How long had it been since he'd been the younger sibling? Since he'd used the same jingle to harass his brother about his crush? Too long, he decided, and he dismissed it, dismissing the sad look from his eyes as well.

He noticed Amalia getting lost in her thoughts but decided to not ask. He knew better than to ask a lady what she was thinking about when she had that look; he'd learned that from his friend Winnie ages ago. So instead he turned to Braxxon. "How long until the next checkpoint? I sure am loving the scenery around here. Is all of the Fire Nation this beautiful? Cai was enjoying the views, but he would have gladly gone without the smokey air, the raised temperatures. The taste of fire was intrusive on his tongue, and though he desperately wanted to complete his mission, and to enjoy this journey, he was very much looking forward to going home.

[DragonOfSorrows]

Amalia accept the flower and bowed to Cai. He face had flushed a slight crimson before she had tucked the flower away into her backpack. She returned the smile to Cai and thanked him, just like a child normally would. Braxxon wasn't all that approving. he shook his head and continued on. He knew he couldn't say anything. She was becoming of age of when she liked others of the opposite sex. Too bad that never happened to him. He chuckled at the thought. When Cai spoke, it interrupted his light chuckle and he snapped up. "Right.." He muttered.

His pace slowed down as he brought his backpack off of his shoulders to search for something. He finally stopped when he managed to pull out a large piece of paper that had been rolled up. He threw his backpack back on his shoulders and continued to walk. He opened the map and studied it carefully. He struggled a bit at first. After all, walking with a staff in one hand, and using the same hand to keep the map open wasn't easy. "It'll take a few days, but our next stop will be Haven. It's a small town in the mountains." he said, nodding. He stopped and shot one last glance at the map before rolling it up and storing it away in his pocket. He turned a bit towards the left and snapped his finger while pointing. A gray wisp flickered at the end of his finger. "That's the way we need to head now. If not, they next town wont be for weeks."

It was strange. Most fire benders had a bright, red-ish orange-ish flame, but the Braxxon's was different. His fire was a pale gray color. it still functioned like normal fire. It could easily illuminate any dark area. Amalia had shrugged and adjusted her backpack. "There you go again with the bending. Haven't you learned that bending is dangerous?" She said, almost as if she were the older sibling trying to warn the younger one.

Braxxon laughed and the fire flickered away. "I know, but it's so rare that I get to bend anymore..." He complained, rolling his eyes in annoyance. "I know, but it's for protection. Not to play with." Amalia scolded, crossing her arms.

Braxxon crossed his eyes and mocked her in response. He knew she was right, but he hated it when she was. It meant that he was wrong, and that damaged his pride easily. He was very prideful, despite everything that had happened to him. One of these days, it was bound to get him in a little too much trouble.

[Ashen]

"A town in the mountains, eh? Now that's something more like home." He was glad to hear they were going to the mountains. The elevation might make for slightly cooler temperatures, and his own homeland was bursting with mountains. Cai tried to squint against the horizon, tried to make out this Haven they were heading towards. He had never heard the name before. Was it possible it wasn't just an ordinary mountain, but a volcano? He'd never seen a live one before, had never really wanted to, but he figured he'd have to get over that. The Boiling Rock, their very destination, was named so because of the volcanic activity all around. He was marching straight into his fears.

He looked up in surprise at the boy's odd flame. So, they were benders after all, and there was something different about it. His flame was grey. Cai had never heard of such a thing, and he wondered just what that meant. He averted his gaze to hide his fear. It was no secret; anyone who knew Cai knew he was afraid of fire, afraid of the force that had stripped his parents and his home away from him. That hellish flame had sent Cai and his brother to live on the streets, to question where their next meal or shelter would from. It was pretty clear the flame was making him uncomfortable, but he tried to hide it as best he could.

"That's a neat little talent, there." Cai motioned towards the place where the fire had been. "Never seen one that color before. Is that a common thing?" He looked over to Amalia, watched the way she scolded her brother. "I don't think bending should be just for protecting. I've made plenty of friends with it before. Some of the kids, we used to have sculpting contests. All the non-benders would judge whose was best. But bending can be used for a whole lot of things, and it can be used for fun, too. You just have to get creative." He didn't understand it. Having the ability to bend and not wanting to? Cai tried to imagine giving up his bending. All the memories came to his mind, memories that revolved around his rocks. He'd never give it up, and he didn't understand why they'd want to.

[DragonOfSorrows]

"Bending is normal, but the color is not." Braxxon replied. "My bending has always been different, no matter how far I look back, it's always been this dull color. It's strange, and one day I hope it means something. I've always felt so unimportant in this world. My bending makes me feel special, but I feel dangerous with it. Our grandmother raised us to not use it unless we had to. The one time I used bending for fun, I had seriously injured Gramma. I never forgave myself, so I use it only when needed." He explained. As he walked, he had a slight bounce in his step. His staff made a light tapping sound with each step. If someone only heard him approach, they would assume him to be an old man.

"Braxxon sometimes fears to be a fire bender. We were once hated above all else. It's not a brand he likes too much." Amalia said, butting in. Braxxon was going to oppose, but he knew it would be futile. "That's why he doesn't bend often. He's ashamed to be a fire bender."

Braxxon had came to a full stop. Amalia stumbled into him and shot him a glare. "H-Hey!" She said. "Quiet." Braxxon replied back. His tone was serious. His gaze moved rapidly from left to right. He heard something. He knew it! Without another moment passing, four men stood before them. They all had clothing of the Fire Nation, and two of them carried large, two-handed swords. One of them stepped forward. It was assumed he was the leader of this band of people. "Well well well. What do we have here?"

"Look, we're passing through. We don't want-"

"Two kids and an earth bender? Ha! Why would you think we would let you pass?" The man said, laughing a bit.

"We're going to Haven. Now, let us through."

"Look kid, you must not know who we are. We are a band of mercenaries that makes sure no one except Fire Nation inhabits our island. Since you have an earth bender with you, I'm gonna assume you three are best pals. Hand him over and no one gets hurt."

Braxxon glanced over his shoulder and looked at Cai, then his sister. This was not what he wanted to start off his journey. He dropped his backpack and kicked it aside. He held his staff with both hands, almost as if he was going to attack. "It seems we have no choice. You will not lay a hand on anyone in my group." It was almost a bit refreshing to see Braxxon's anger directed towards someone else for a change.

Amalia wrapped her arms around Cai. She was terrified, and shaking quite a lot. This was the first time she would end up having to fight. The two mercenaries that weren't carrying weapons stepped back and fire crackled in their hands. The other two grinned a cheeky smile and readied their swords. "I'm not one for killing kids, but anyone who defends an earth bender are traitors to the Fire Nation." The leader said, bringing his hand close to his face. The fire danced in his palm and made his eyes glow. This was going to be fun.

[Ashen]

Suddenly, Cai understood. To be among the most hated group in the world, and to have such a dangerous power that one could inadvertently harm the ones they loved, it sounded dreadful. "I don't think you should be ashamed," Cai said softly. "You should never be ashamed of the things you can't control. Just look back at your mistakes and learn from them. Be more careful with your talents, and use them for good. Get better control. I can't tell you how many times I managed to hurt my brother with my bending. It was never on purpose, you know, and I eventually became less of a bumbling klutz. Hiding away your talents just allows that klutziness to continue." Poetic. He almost sounded like his brother.

But Cai was stopped as Braxxon spoke. Before he was able to question the sudden halt he heard them, heard footsteps behind them. Cai turned to find the four men looking less than friendly. Two of them even had swords. Cai remained firm as their assumed leader spoke to Braxxon. Traitors to the Fire Nation? Was Cai causing so much trouble just by association? He looked past them, at the port town they had just come from. Would Cai have time to run back and get help? No, of course he wouldn't, and what was worth, what if no one would be willing to help? Were such racist extremists commonplace in a land like this? The thought alone made his heart drop.

Cai shook his head. This was the situation they were placed in. This is what they would have to deal with. He took a battle stance and looked the four men over. He was bigger than all of them, and from the looks of things, he had more muscles, too. In a test of brawn, Cai, as usual, would probably take a victory. But this wasn't just brawn; they had swords. How easily could he fend off two swordmen? Just as he was trying to think things through he felt terrified arms around her. Amalia. She was shaking from fear. "It's okay," he whispered to her. "They ain't gonna lay a finger on you." He turned back to their assailants and wondered just how much faith he had in his own words.

"Hey now." Cai's eyes were warm as he looked at the four men before him. "I don't want no trouble either. The war's over now; there's no reason to fight. I have every right to be here, just like you. I'll just be getting to where I need to go, and I'll be heading right back to my apartment in Omashu. That sound good to you fellows?" But of course it didn't. Where was the point in trying to reason things? They looked like they weren't going to leave without some bloodshed. So Cai thought back to the years he'd spent on the streets, he and his brother defending each other from any who threatened them, and even play-fighting with the kids in the neighborhood. Would such practice amount to anything now? There was only one way to find out.

A piece of a rock broke off from a boulder some distance away. Cai called it to his hand, and a second soon filled the other one. "I don't want anyone getting hurt here," he said slowly, and he effortlessly hurled the stones towards the men. Each struck a hand, a hand of either swordsman. He hadn't thrown the rocks hard, hopefully just hard enough to loosen their grips on their swords. The two larger stones that followed he used to bend both blades. "So we won't be needing those, right guys?" Cai looked as collected as he could be, but inside he was shaking. What if these four were benders? What would he do when they used their flames against him? Would he have the same graveyard pyre as both his parents? But there was no time for panicking. He had to protect Amalia, and he had to get to the Boiling Rock. He held up the remaining stone from the side of the road, its jagged surface just centimeters from the palm of his upturned hand. Keeping it level, he kicked at the ground, bringing up a very short wall around the four. "Why don't you just head home? I'd really ​hate to use something like this."

[DragonOfSorrows]

Braxxon watched as the two swordsmen were easily disarmed. It brought a quick second of relief, but soon filled him with fear again. They could easily be benders, and could easily over power his small group. He had to think quickly. The wall bought him some time as well. Maybe not much, but it did. The men had little time to react as well. The two that were disarmed took fighting stances, with fire appearing in the hands.

Great. Braxxon's fear grew and his grip tightened around his staff. Now he had to be a lot more careful. He put a hand behind his back and made a small waving motion. Amalia let go of Cai and took a few steps back. It was times like these that it paid off to know each other so well. Two of the men shot out the flames towards Braxxon. With little time to react, he used his staff and dispelled them with ease. Sadly enough, that was only a distraction. The other two jumped over the wall a charged at Cai. Their fingertips were coated with the hot flames.

"Cai! Look out!" Amalia yelled, pointing towards them. Braxxon used his staff and hooked one of the mercenaries by his ankles and caused him to trip. "Two on one isn't very fair." He said in a cocky tone. He smacked the mercenary on the back of his head with his staff, knocking out the man. That's one down at least.

Amalia watched, waiting for something else to happen. In the past, she always warned her brother of what was happening, just in case he didn't catch it. It was how they watched each other's back late at night when they were attacked on their way home. She would love to assist her brother more effectively, but her bending always led to him getting burned.

[Ashen]

They were firebenders. They had the ability to control death itself, and several of them were holding it on their fingertips. Two of them were coming straight towards him. Cai took only a few seconds to gather himself, then used his hands to pull the earth in front of him. He did so at just the right time; the wall of rock and dirt was enough to stop the remaining firebender. Once Cai heard the man smack against his wall, he smiled and curled the raised earth downwards. His wall covered the firebender like a blanket, and soon he was encased in a rocky prison.

With that taken care of, Cai turned to Braxxon. "Thanks," he called to him, and used his bending to make another room for the other unconscious bender. He turned to the other two and saw just how angry they were. Now, at least, the fight was a little more even. He quickly surmised Amalia wouldn't be part of this fight, so now they were evenly matched. Just a little bit longer... He looked over Braxxon, saw that he was using just his staff, and an idea formed in his head. "Hey Brax," he said evenly. "Think you can handle them if I send them towards you?"

He didn't give Braxxon much a choice. Cai was already constructing another wall, one behind both the remaining enemies. He brought his hands to his chest, causing the wall to do the same. The wall jerked forward, sending both mercenaries towards Braxxon and himself. They were approaching quickly, so quickly Cai did not have the time to wonder if his companion would be able to handle them. He put his faith in the boy beside him, and he hoped the approaching earth would not result in his defeat.