To safeguard the unique expression of my creative endeavor, I must emphasize that this short story, which serves as fan fiction inspired by the Avatar: The Last Airbender series, is my intellectual property and is protected under copyright law. Any unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or utilization of this fan fiction, in whole or in part, without my explicit consent, is strictly prohibited. This encompasses actions such as copying, sharing, adapting, or exploiting the story for commercial or non-commercial purposes. Legal recourse may be pursued against individuals or organizations found to be in violation of these terms. Your understanding and respect for the rights of creators and their original works are greatly appreciated.

Ban’s Duty

A young soldier must decide to do the right thing by betraying his country to save a young boy from execution.

A geyser of lava erupted from the volcano, casting a menacing orange hue over the ash-filled sky. Settlers aboard the boats, now drifting from their island home, gazed with a mix of fear and despair. Among them, a woman, Jihye, cradled her four-year-old son, who seemed more intrigued than frightened by nature's spectacle.

Panic-stricken shouts echoed across the boats as they rocked from the impact of molten earth fragments hitting the water. Seeing another barrage heading their way, Jihye handed her son to her husband, Meiyo.

“Quick! Take Ban!”

He took the boy into his arms as his wife stomped the floor of the boat and braced herself into a low stance before swinging her arms above her head in a crescent motion which jolted the incoming molten rocks away from them in midair. 

Jihye turned to her husband to find the other passengers thanking her for protecting them. Except one, who was still staring at the island, as if in a trance.

“Ta Min?” Jihye put her hand on her shoulder. “Are you okay?”

“Roku,” Ta Min said while she continued her gaze. “Please be careful.”

When the volcano erupted, Avatar Roku stayed on the island to hold back it’s cataclysmic effects so everyone could escape onto the boats. With the island successfully evacuated, Ta Min, his wife, hoped to see him return by that time. Jihye looked back at the island and found herself feeling a great sadness. Meiyo and her were planning on raising their family and growing old on that island. Ban was born there. Would the island even be livable after all of this? 

Ban was too young and distracted to think of such things. He was too busy staring at a large blue dragon serpentining towards the island. 

The ocean began churning with bigger waves rocking all of the boats. “What’s going on?!” he shouted. Another eruption from another nearby volcano caused a thick wall of smoke to form and blasted through the settlement. 

“It’s coming right at us!” shouted Meiyo. “Everybody get down!”

Two boys emerged into a clearing within the dense forest, where tents dotted the perimeter amid the towering trees. Within the serene scene, Fire Nation soldiers engaged in drills, their movements crisp against the backdrop of nature. Making their way past iron cages at the camp's heart, the boys approached Captain Rin, overseeing the exercises with a stern eye.

"Captain Rin?" asked one of the boys.

The man turned, his presence as cold and imposing as the iron cages behind him. His gaze scrutinized the boys' appearance as they dropped their haversacks and stood at attention.

"Ban reporting for duty, sir," sadi the one that got the captain’s attention. 

"Zhong reporting for duty, sir," added the other.

"More children," Rin remarked with a sigh, accepting the scroll verifying their assignment. As he perused the document, Ban observed the drills nearby—a group competing to jump the farthest with blasts of fire from their feet, while another tested how long they could remain airborne.

Rolling up the scroll, Rin circled the boys, his demeanor predatory like a wolf. He paused in front of Ban, tugging at his armor. "Sturdy," Rin admitted. "Probably the sturdiest here."

Ban's smiled with pride. "Thank you, sir," he replied, relishing the chance for a fresh start away from the training camps.

Inspecting Zhong's armor, Rin noted its similar sturdiness. "What knots are these?" he inquired, examining Ban's cords. "Quarry knots," Ban proudly declared.

"Quarry knots?" Rin repeated, a hint of annoyance creeping into his tone. "That's not Fire Nation protocol."

Ban's smile faded away. "But regulations don't specify Fire Nation knots," he said, recalling his thorough review of the rules.

Rin's grip tightened, and Ban struggled to maintain his balance. "Are you challenging my authority?" Rin demanded, drawing attention from nearby soldiers.

"No, sir, I—" 

"Fire Nation uniforms demand Fire Nation knots," Rin interrupted. He inspected Zhong’s cords to find them tied with the same knot. “Quarry…” he said as if trying to decipher a riddle. “Where are you boys from?”

"Yu Dao, sir," said Ban.

"A colony in the Earth Kingdom," Rin muttered with disdain, prompting snickers from some nearby soldiers. If Ban could earthbend, he would have made a hole in the ground to hide in.

“Zura!” Rin shouted over his shoulder. The soldiers jumped back into their drills as one of them hurried over.

Zura stood at attention next to Rin. “Yes, sir?” 

Rin kept his eyes on the two colonists. “What’s a good knot to use for your uniform?”

“Most soldiers use a ferrier’s knot, sir,” said Zura.

“That’s a Fire Nation knot in case you didn’t know,” Rin turned to the rest of the soldiers. “That’s enough for today, everyone.” He turned back to Ban and Zhong. "As for you two, Have your tents ready by nightfall. You're on night watch tonight. That’ll be a good time for you to fix your uniforms."

"Yes, sir," they responded in unison.

"Dismissed," Rin concluded, striding off toward a large tent at the camp's edge.

“Wow, that was rough,” said Zura. “What’d you guys do to tick off the captain like that?” His stature hinted at being slightly older than them, his amber eyes more pronounced than Ban's, often described as copper or bronze.

Ban remained silent, too embarrassed to speak up.

"We used the wrong knots on our uniforms," Zhong said to avoid an awkward silence.

"Ah, that makes sense," Zura nodded. "I'm Zura, by the way. You probably heard the captain shout me over."

"I'm Ban."

"Zhong."

"So, where are you guys from?" Zura inquired.

"We're from Yu Dao," Zhong replied.

"No way!" Zura called out to another soldier passing by. "Hey, Jujun, come here!"

Jujun approached, attempting to match Zura's height. "What's up?" he asked.

"These guys are from a Fire Nation colony!" Zura exclaimed.

"Really? Is that why the captain was so riled up?"

“Kind of. They used the wrong knots on their uniforms," Zura explained.

Ban cleared his throat. "So, where are you guys from?"

"We're from the capital," Zura said with a puffed out chest.

"Wow, really?" Zhong exclaimed.

"Yup. Born and raised," said Zura.

"Yeah, from the actual Fire Nation," Jujun added with a smirk.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ban asked.

"Aw, give 'em a break, Jujun. They already got assigned the night watch. Although I’m surprised Captain Rin didn’t say anything about you wearing your cuirass backwards.” Zura poked Ban’s chest.

Ban looked down. “What real-” 

A small trail of fire followed Zura’s finger as he flicked up right in front of Ban’s face which caused him to stumble to the ground.

"Ha! Gotcha!" Jujun laughed.

Zhong helped Ban up, concern in his eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Ban grumbled, shooting a glare at the two soldiers as they walked away, laughing.

"Relax, it's just a little homeland humor," Zura called back.

"Yeah, can't you take a joke in the colonies?" Jujun added.

Ban clenched his fists, feeling the weight of their words. They shouldn't have to endure this stigma, especially as aspiring soldiers. How much more did they have to prove to be accepted? Being a firebender should have been enough to be considered "actual Fire Nation."

"Let's set up our tents far away from theirs," Ban suggested to Zhong.

The forest canopy danced with the flickering orange light of their lanterns as Ban and Zhong trekked down the trail. They reached a grassy clearing atop the hill, devoid of trees, resembling a bald spot amidst the dense forest. Settling down in a comfortable spot, Ban extinguished his lantern, noticing Zhong adjusting with his uniform.

"What are you doing?" asked Ban.

"Retying the knots on my uniform like Captain Rin told us to," Zhong replied, focused on his task.

"Right," Ban nodded, recalling the reason for their nocturnal excursion. He fiddled with the knot on his boot, expressing his frustration. "I don’t understand why we're punished for using a more effective knot that happens to not be from the Fire Nation."

"Well, like Captain Rin said," Zhong continued tying his cords, "it makes sense not to have to specify the knot for a Fire Nation uniform."

"But eventually, the Earth Kingdom will be part of the Fire Nation," Ban argued, the knot on his boot unraveling. "It just doesn’t make sense to me. As prosperous as our nation is, there are so many things the Earth Kingdom is better at. Like farming, mining, and knots. Why not apply their knowledge of those things to make our nation even better? Isn’t that the point of the Fire Colonies?"

"What do you mean?" Zhong asked.

"Look at how Yu Dao has prospered," Ban pointed out. "It's a result of combining Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom knowledge. Yet, we're not considered true Fire Nation. I bet the Air Nomads don’t argue about which temple has the ‘real’ nomads or worry about how to wear their uniforms."

Zhong paused in his knot-tying, pondering Ban's words. "Do they even have armor? I've only seen them in robes."

Ban's finger slipped as he tied the ferrier’s knot. "I still don’t understand why they're assembling an army."

"I heard it's related to the next Avatar being an air nomad," Zhong said, finishing his knots.

"But the avatar is meant to keep balance between the four nations and the air nomads…well they kind of try to do the same right?"

"That's not how you tie the ferrier’s knot," Zhong corrected. "But you're right. They always seemed peaceful whenever they passed through Yu Dao."

"Bah, I'll redo my uniform later," Ban decided, reclining onto the grass. "What was the name of that lady nomad who visited our town? Starts with a ‘T’. Tushi?"

"Tashi!" Zhong corrected him. "She always gave us fire flakes that were actually from the the Fire Nation whenever she passed by during her pilgrimage."

Ban chuckled at the memory. "Remember when my sister ate a handful of those?"

Zhong laughed. "She couldn't stop panting and fanning her tongue!"

"Even after dunking her head in the river," Ban reminisced. "I'm surprised she didn't breathe fire."

"An earthbender breathing fire would be a first,"

“Unless you’re the avatar.”

They laughed together until Ban's thoughts drifted to when Avatar Roku sacrificed himself to save the island. As he gazed at the starry sky, thinking about the blue dragon he saw in the sky that day, he noticed a strange patch of darkness gliding through the sky while a faint sound of rustling trees crept into his ears. He sat up and focused on the patch that was heading in their direction. It was too fast and low to be a cloud. The rustling grew louder. A faint breeze wafted across Ban’s face which made him realize what it actually was. He sprang up into a fighting stance.

Zhong gave him a funny look. “What are you doing?”

Ban released a stream of fire toward the oncoming figure. A flash of orange and red light revealed a large, furry, six legged creature with horns and a flat beaver-like tail which let out a guttural cry of pain

Zhong looked at what Ban hit with wide eyes. “A sky bison!?” The bison plummeted towards them. “Watch out!” he shouted as he tackled Ban before it crashed where they were standing and skidded across the grass. 

"Are you okay?" Zhong asked, extending his hand to help Ban up.

"Yeah, thanks," Ban replied as he rose to his feet, another faint breeze passing from where the bison fell.

"How did you-" Zhong began, but Ban quickly covered his mouth, signaling for silence.

"Shiso! Are you okay?!" shouted a young voice.

Ban conjured a small ball of fire over his hand, its dull orange light revealing two figures in orange and yellow robes wielding staffs. One was an older, sinewy man with a shaved head and arrow tattoos marking him as an airbending master, while the other was a young boy, who also had a shaved head, was nursing the enormous, furry sky bison that was recovering from the fall. 

"Stop!" Ban commanded. "By order of our great Firelord Sozin, you are under arrest for trespassing!"

The older nomad responded with a burst of wind that knocked the young soldiers down, extinguishing Ban's flame. Zhong, still on the ground, retaliated with a ball of fire before the area plunged into darkness again. As Ban relit his lantern, he saw the older nomad push the boy up with a cushion of air, who shot up a few feet higher than the bison’s saddle, and faced the incoming projectile to twirl his arms in front of him in a circular motion. A vortex of air formed in front of him to disperse the projectile just in time. The boy floated down into the bison’s saddle. While this happened, he noticed the older nomad’s bandaged arm. 

"Dropa, are you okay?" the older nomad inquired, keeping his eyes on the firebenders.

The younger nomad poked his head up from the bison's saddle. "Get as far away as you can from here!"

"But Dhondup-" Dropa protested.

Dhondup patted the bison's leg. "Shiso! Yip! Yip!" The bison grunted in pain but took off into the air.

Ban and Zhong launched fireballs at the bison, but Dhondup deflected their attacks with a sweep of his staff. Zhong charged at Dhondup, who retaliated with a blast of air, knocking Zhong to the ground. Meanwhile, Ban attempted a flying kick, but Dhondup countered with a motion that sent Ban tumbling backward. As Dhondup reached for his staff, he sensed the heat of an incoming attack and narrowly avoided Zhong's fiery strike.

"Zhong! Get in position," Ban called out, regrouping for their next move.

Zhong nodded, positioning himself between the nomad and Ban in a pincer formation. As Ban observed, he noticed the bandage on the nomad's arm was beginning to unravel.

Dhondup shifted his stance, facing neither of the firebenders directly. "You're teenagers!" he exclaimed.

"We're soldiers," Ban asserted, "with full authority to detain you."

"We didn't do anything wrong!"

"Says the nomad trespassing in Fire Nation territory under cover of night," Zhong retorted.

"We're not going into the Fire Nation, we're trying to leave it!"

"Regardless, we have orders to detain nomads," Ban declared. "Maneuver five!"

Dhondup adjusted his position as Zhong launched a roundhouse kick and Ban aimed a low sweep. But the nomad expertly countered, evading Zhong's kick and causing Ban to miss entirely. The young soldiers continued with their rehearsed maneuvers, but Dhondup blocked and dodged every attack with ease. Eventually, he managed to counter both of them with a powerful burst of air, sending them flying.

Ban quickly recovered and initiated maneuver four, launching a wave of fire at Dhondup's upper body. Zhong followed suit, sending a wave of fire along the ground. However, the nomad elegantly evaded both attacks which caused both firebenders to stumble out of the way to avoid each other’s attacks. 

This didn’t make sense. It took them weeks to learn those maneuvers. Taught at the training camp to specifically neutralize an airbender. According to what they were told, those maneuvers were only a few months old. 

Driven by frustration, Zhong unleashed a barrage of fire and charged at Dhondup. Ban, noticing the burn scars on Dhondup's arms, realized why their attacks weren't working. Zhong was knocked back down, prompting Ban to devise a new plan.

“None of the maneuvers are going to work,” said Ban. “This isn’t his first time dealing with firebenders.”

“Then what can we do?”

"It's a long shot, but I have an idea," Ban said, beginning to untie his boots. Zhong, understanding his friend's plan, engaged Dhondup to keep him occupied.

Ban was able to get the first boot off with ease but he struggled with the one that he retied earlier. Zhong skidded back next to him. “Aren’t you done yet?!”

“Almost. This is why quarry knots would work better!”

Zhong let out a groan before running back to the nomad.

A few picks and pinches later, Ban was able to get the other boot off. He looked over just in time to duck from Zhong who was flying towards him. 

“All yours,” Zhong said as he laid sprawled on the ground.

“Thanks,” Ban replied sheepishly.

The grass felt soft and cool under Ban’s feet who couldn’t help but wiggle his toes against. “Ahh that feels nice,” he said before he ran towards the nomad who readied himself in a defensive stance. Ban gave him another attack pattern he learned during training which, as expected, the nomad knew how to evade and block. However, Ban changed his last attack to something he didn’t learn in fire bending training, a punch thrown to the solar plexus from a lower, more rigid stance. With the wind knocked out of the nomad, Ban stomped forward and unleashed a hard kick to the nomad’s chest, sending him back a few steps. 

Ban charged forward to throw another punch when the young nomad from earlier landed right between Ban and the older nomad. The boy’s feet were firmly planted to the ground, his staff out in a defensive position. Ban continued his attack until he noticed the boy’s arms were shaking. He glimpsed down to see bandages wrapped around the boy’s chest, under his robe, causing Ban to halt just a few steps away from them. The older nomad took advantage with a gale of wind that knocked Ban away from them. 

Dropa helped his companion up. “Are you okay?” Dropa asked.

“I told you to get as far away from here as you can,” gasped Dhondup.

“I couldn’t just leave you!”

While nursing where he was hit, he looked back at Ban and noticed his stance. “That’s…that’s an Earthbending stance. What’s a firebender doing using earthbending forms?”

A ball of fire hit the ground next to the nomads’ feet and exploded, sending them flying in different directions. Dropa managed to get up with minor scrapes and bruises but the older nomad appeared to have taken the brunt of the explosion who struggled to get on his hands and knees. 

“Dhondup!” shouted Dropa.

“Well this is a surprise,” came a familiar voice.

Captain Rin stepped into the lantern light behind Zhong. "I must admit I wasn’t actually expecting to encounter any air nomads at this location.”

Dropa rushed to protect Dhondup, brandishing his staff. "Even your children," Rin sneered.

Rin snapped his fingers, and Fire Nation soldiers surrounded the nomads, flaming fists at the ready. Dropa's grip tightened on his staff until Dhondup intervened. "Lower your staff," he urged.

Dropa hesitated before releasing his grip, dropping the staff to the ground. Soldiers bound the nomads' hands with rope as Rin commended Ban and Zhong. "Good work," he acknowledged.

"Thank you, sir!" Ban exclaimed. Apprehending nomads might change perceptions of them and their Earth Kingdom upbringing.

"Why are you barefoot?" Rin questioned. Maybe not completely.

They returned to camp, escorting the nomads into Rin's tent. It was spacious enough for Rin to pace while the nomads knelt nearby. Ban and Zhong searched the nomads' packs at a table that was closeby.

"What were you doing trespassing?" Rin demanded once more.

Dhondup remained calm. "We were trying to leave."

Zhong found bandages and salve. "Anything?" he asked Ban, who was preoccupied staring at the bound boy avoiding Rin's gaze.

“Just general traveling essentials.” He looked back at their captives whispered to Zhong, “Nothing that would suggest any kind of secret army.” The next thing he pulled was a bamboo whistle with 3 finger holes. Out of curiosity, he blew the instrument and tried different finger placements on the holes but no musical notes came from it. “Must have broken from the crash.”

“It’s too bad we weren’t able to capture their bison. Maybe we could have flown around on it.” Zhong gave Ban a playful nudge who tensed up.

“I don’t know any other way to assure you of the absence of an army than the actual absence of one,” said Dhondup. “We are a peaceful people.”

“You two!” Rin barked at Ban and Zhong. “Come here!”

Ban slipped the whistle into his pocket before they hurried over to the captain’s side and stood at attention.

“Sir!” They said in unison.

“You said this airbender knew our maneuvers?” Rin inquired.

“Yes, sir,” said Zhong. “He countered them effortlessly.”

“It was like he predicted our moves,” Ban added.

Rin glanced at the captives. “Surprising for a ‘peaceful’ people.”

“We were just defending ourselves!” said Dropa.

“What’s your name?” Rin demanded of the trembling boy.

“D-dropa.”

“How does he know those maneuvers?”

“Please,” Dhondup intervened. “We were trying to esca—” A blast of fire cut him off, sending him to the ground.

“Dhondup!” shouted Dropa.

“I want him to answer!” Rin barked, his fiery hand looming in front of Dropa’s.

“He learned from our escapes,” Dropa confessed while recoiling away from Rin’s hand.

“Was he teaching you?” Rin asked.

“Yes.”

“Which air temple?”

Dhondup shook his head. Dropa remained silent.

“Well?!” Rin thrust his fiery hand closer.

Ban could see glimmers of sweat sliding down Dropa’s head as he continued to look at Dhondup. Not as an enemy of the nation but as a scared little boy looking for comfort and assurance. These two were nothing like the scheming, loathsome enemies they were told about at the training camp.

Rin also recognized the look the boy was giving. “I was really hoping we could do this the easy way,” he said as he let go of Dropa. “Ban. Zhong. Step out of the tent for a moment.”

Zura and Jujun were waiting outside. “What’s going on in there?” asked Zura.

“Did they talk? Are they going to invade from the north or south?” asked Jujun.

“No,” said Ban. “They’re just trying to escape the Fire Nation to-”

The tent erupted with a small explosion, and a young boy's piercing cry sliced through the air, igniting a sense of dread in Ban as he dashed back inside. Everything after that felt like a blur: the motionless body of the elder nomad, marked by a large charred spot; Captain Rin's smoldering fist; the young boy's incomprehensible wails; Zura and Jujun bustling past him. Suddenly, Ban felt a hand shaking his shoulder, someone shouting at him.

All eyes fixated on the lifeless figure until Rin rekindled his fist, directing it towards the terrified young nomad, tears streaming down his face. The room froze momentarily until Rin extinguished his hand, pointing at the body. "Zura. Jujun. Remove this from my tent."

"Yes, sir!"

"You two," Rin beckoned to Ban and Zhong. "Detain him in one of the cells, then come back here."

"Yes, sir," Zhong hastened to the boy, still transfixed by the scene. Grabbing his bound hands, Zhong struggled to hoist him up. "Ban!" he hissed.

Ban snapped out of his shock, joining Zhong to lift the boy, heels dragging against the ground, as they escorted him out of the tent.

The boy slumped into the iron cage. Another soldier slammed the door shut and locked it. Zhong turned to head back, only to find Ban lingering near the cage, staring at the boy.

"B...Ban?"

"He's just a kid," Ban murmured, "around my sister's age."

Zhong gave Ban a puzzled look, then grasped his shoulder, guiding him away from the cage. They returned to the captain's tent, where Zura and Jujun were removing the body. The nomad's face appeared peaceful, as though he might awaken from a deep slumber at any moment.

As the soldiers departed, Zhong started toward the entrance, only to notice Ban once more lagging behind.

"He... he killed that nomad right before him!" Ban muttered.

Zhong shook his friend by the shoulders. "Ban, Rin ordered us back," he said with urgency.

Ban gave a reluctant nod, and they returned to the tent, finding Rin pouring tea before seating himself. They stood at attention, Ban's hands trembling behind his back.

"I’m sorry  you had to witness that," Rin began, taking a sip of tea. "But this is a lot more serious than we expected."

"What do you mean, sir?" Zhong inquired.

"I couldn’t risk leaving that nomad alive any longer. The consequences would have been to great if they somehow managed to escape back to teach everyone in their temples our maneuvers."

“What’s going to happen to the kid, sir?” asked Ban.

"We’re going to leave him in that cage to let him think about his situation. It took some coercing but he was more willing to cooperate. Unlike the other one. We'll revisit the matter in the morning to see what other information we can get from him"

Sadness and guilt filled Ban as he looked over to see a charred stain on the floor. "Will he be transferred to a prison after that?" 

“Unfortunately, no. That’s also too great of a risk. We’ll have to neutralize him like I did with the other one.” Rin said, blowing on his tea before taking another sip.

"But he's just a—" Ban began.

Zhong gave him a sharp nudge to Ban’s side. 

Rin fixed Ban with a stern gaze. "Just a... what, Ban?"

Ban's hands tensed. "...a... a kid, sir."

"He's a soldier," Rin retorted. "Just as you're expected to be."

Ban and Zhong straightened their posture an attempt to meet Rin’s expectation.

The captain drew a deep breath, setting aside his tea as he rose to his feet before them. "This is why I didn’t want soldiers from the colonies. Especially young ones." He began pacing around them, his words heavy with implication. "Where the ideals of our great nation become tainted by the Earth Kingdom."

Ban winced at the word "tainted," a word he was all too familiar hearing.

Rin pressed on. "In the homeland, we were instilled with the paramount importance of placing duty to our nation above all else. Something the colonies clearly haven’t been as diligent in teaching. Firelord Sozin envisioned sharing the prosperity of the Fire Nation with the world, a vision obstructed by Avatar Roku's allegiance to the other nations. His years spent amongst them led him to neglect his duty to his own people. And now we stand on the brink of war, facing a nation harboring the next Avatar."

Gesturing towards the stain on the ground, he added, "Do you think I wanted to resort to that?" The young soldiers remained silent, unable to find words adequate for the moment. "Of course not! But duty demands that I take whatever measures necessary to safeguard our nation. I did not involve that boy in this affair. They did!"

The image of the lifeless nomad flashed through Ban's mind.

"This is the price I," Rin declared, pointing to himself, "must pay for the prosperity of our nation. For the world!" He turned his gaze to Ban. "So where does your duty lie? With the Fire Nation or the Earth Kingdom?"

Ban reflected on the Fire Nation's decision to lower the age restriction for firebending soldiers, a move that he and Zhong eagerly embraced to feel closer to their homeland. "T-the Fire Nation, sir."

"Can you prioritize that duty above all else?"

"Yes, sir."

Rin returned to the table, taking another sip of his tea. "Get some rest," he instructed. "You'll need to be well-rested for the interrogation in the morning."

As they passed by the cage, they found the boy seated, appearing calm yet betrayed by his quiet, stuttered breaths and sniffles. They parted ways into their tents.

All Ban wanted to do was get his uniform off. He lit his lantern and started to untie his boots when he noticed they were tied with quarry knots. He was in such a hurry to tie them back on after Captain Rin saw him not wearing them that he forgot to tie them in the ferrier’s knot. While attempting to untie it, his ears caught the faint sound of Dropa’s crying. A faint ambient sound at first, but filled his ears to the point where it eclipsed his focus on the knot. 

With a resigned sigh, he extinguished his lamp and left his tent, drawn towards the source of the distant cry.

"Hey," Ban addressed the guard. "I'm here to relieve you."

The soldier looked surprised. "What? Really?"

"Yeah... captain’s orders."

A yawn escaped the soldier’s mouth. “Well, I’m not one to look a gift horse deer in the mouth.” He handed the key to Ban and gestured towards the boy, who sat on his knees with his eyes closed. “He probably won’t be much trouble. He’s been like that since you put him in there. But if something happens, just ring this.” The soldier motioned to a bell post near the cage.

Ban waited a few minutes after the soldier left to ensure nobody was around before approaching the cage. “Hey…” The crying stopped, but Dropa didn’t respond. “Dropa, right?” Still no response. “I’m... I’m sorry about your friend. I had no idea our captain was going to…” Ban swallowed the rest of his sentence.

Dropa remained silent.

Ban glanced at a lantern near the cage. “When my firebending first manifested, my father stressed the importance of discipline and control. Fire is the element of energy and life, like a sun inside the body.” The image of Dhondup’s peaceful face flashed in Ban’s mind. “But unchecked, it can easily be used for destruction and pain. Even the smallest spark can lead to a roaring fire.”

He leaned against the bell post, rolling a small rock on the ground with his foot. “You kind of remind me of my sister. She has this habit of being the calmest one in stressful situations. ‘Calm as a rock,’ my mom would always say to her. I guess it’s kind of funny because you bend air and she bends the opposing element, earth.”

“Does your sister have something to do with you knowing the earthbending style?” Dropa asked, giving him a probing look.

Ban was surprised at Dropa’s sudden interest before he answered. “Yeah. Before we knew which bending I was going to inherit, my parents had me learn both earth and firebending styles. The same happened with my sister, except she inherited earth. I guess as a form of sibling bonding, my parents continued to train us in both elements.”

“That explains a lot.”

“What do you mean?”

Dropa glanced at the bandage on his chest. “You’re not like the other firebenders we…I encountered. You’re at least remorseful.”

“Does it hurt?”

“No. It’s been healed for a while. I don’t want to see how bad the scarring is.” Tears rolled down his cheeks. “He’s going to kill me tomorrow, isn’t he? Regardless of whether I tell him what he wants or not.”

Ban squeezed the cell key in his hand. He understood the importance of duty. He knew the possibilities of having to fight and even kill enemy soldiers. But what he saw in front of him was a helpless boy who had experienced the destruction and pain of fire, a pain he was mostly responsible for. “Not if I can help it,” he said as he unlocked and opened the cage.

Dropa looked at him in confusion.

“Everyone should be asleep by now, so you should be long gone before they find out,” Ban said as he untied Dropa’s restraints.

“You’re definitely not like the other firebenders, Mr...”

“Ban. Just Ban. I’m just a kid... like you.”

I need to get this uniform off, thought Zhong. He grasped one of the knots on his cuirass, attempting to untie it, but his fingers kept slipping between the knots. Ferrier’s knots were far too intricate. After several failed attempts, he moved to another knot, encountering the same frustrating results. With each futile effort, his agitation grew. "Stop shaking," he urged himself in a hushed whisper.

He stared at his trembling hands for a moment before dropping to his knees. Captain Rin’s words regarding duty reverberated in his mind, accompanied by haunting images of Dhondup’s lifeless form and the despair etched on Dropa’s face. The walls of the tent seemed to press in on him, the weight of the world bearing down upon his shoulders. His breathing became shallow, each inhalation feeling more constricted than the last. It was as if the air itself was abandoning him.

In a moment of desperation, his fingers brushed against one of the knots—a knot he had nearly retied before their encounter with the nomads. A quarry knot. I need to talk to Ban, he realized, a surge of urgency propelling him forward.

Ban began, "I’ll lead you out of the camp so you can-”

“Ban!” came a harsh whisper from behind, interrupting him. “What in the name of the great Firelord are you doing?!”

Ban turned to see Zhong standing by the alarm bell, looking at them in shock.

“Zhong!” Ban whispered back. “What are you doing out here?”

“What are YOU doing out here?”

Dropa stepped up behind Ban. “He’s just a kid, Zhong!”

“Ban, what you’re doing is treason! If anyone else saw this, you’d immediately be branded a traitor!” Zhong glanced around nervously. “You know what they do to traitors.”

“What about him?! You saw what he did to the other nomad!”

“It doesn’t matter how I feel about this,” Zhong replied. “This… this is our duty. Remember what Captain Rin said?”

“What should we do to him first?” came a familiar voice.

Ban, Zhong, and Dropa turned to find Zura and Jujun approaching.

“I want to see what he does when we heat up the bars to-” Zura stopped short, noticing the trio. “What in the name of the great Fire-” Zura barely dodged a fire projectile from Ban’s fist.

Zhong reached out to Ban. “Ban, stop! You don’t-” Before he could finish, a blast of air sent him colliding into the bell post, the sound echoing through the forest.

Ban turned to Dropa. “Run!”

“The air nomad’s trying to escape!” Jujun shouted.

Within moments, the camp stirred to life, soldiers emerging from their tents. One soldier stepped out while still rubbing the sleep from his eyes when Dropa knocked him back into his tent with a gust of wind. Ban and Dropa raced through the woods, with Zura and Jujun leading the camp in pursuit. Eventually, they reached the open hillside where their paths had first crossed.

“Too bad your bison isn’t here,” Ban said while looking over at the streak of soil where their bison crashed. 

“Shiso!” Dropa exclaimed, reaching for something in his pocket, only to recall the soldiers had confiscated his belongings. “If only I had my-”

A burst of fire erupted near their feet, Zura with a smoking fist aimed their way. Soldiers closed in around them. Ban motioned for Dropa to take cover behind him as he assumed a defensive stance.

“Get down,” Ban instructed, and Dropa complied without hesitation. Ban leaped into a butterfly kick, releasing a ring of fire that surged towards the soldiers. They either ducked or deflected the flames effortlessly. Before Ban could recover, Zura unleashed another blast, knocking him to the ground. The small bamboo whistle fell from Ban’s pocket, rolling towards Dropa, who seized it from the ground and blew into it. Though no sound emerged, he adjusted his fingers over the holes in a specific sequence. 

Struggling to rise, Ban pleaded, “Rin’s going to kill this boy! Is that the Fire Nation’s legacy you want?”

“You should worry about your own legacy,” Rin interjected, stepping forward with Zura.

“Yeah, traitor,” Zura added.

Rin turned to Dropa. “Any chance of cooperation, nomad?”

Dropa responded with a blast of wind, just missing Rin and striking Jujun behind him.

“Pity,” Rin remarked, signaling the other soldiers. “Ready…” The firebenders assumed their stances. “Aim…” Fists ignited with flames.

But before Rin could give the final command, a powerful gust of wind knocked him and half the soldiers to the ground. All eyes turned skyward to see a sky bison diving towards them. Despite their attempts to attack, the bison dodged every shot, then unleashed its tail at the remaining soldiers, sending them flying into the forest. With a light thud, the bison landed, and Dropa soared up in a stream of air, landing safely in the saddle.

Rin, the first to recover, hurled a fireball at them. Ban intercepted, projecting a barrier of fire that disintegrated under Rin’s attack, slamming his head against the bison's side. Seeing Ban fall, Dropa reached out, hauling him into the safety of the saddle.

“Shiso!” Dropa called out. The bison flicked its tail, lifting Ban into the saddle. Dropa seized the reins. “Yip yip!” They shot up into the air, soaring off to the other side of the mountain.

As the warmth of the morning sun enveloped him, Ban stirred awake. Opening his eyes, he beheld the amber sky streaked with occasional clouds rushing by. A dull ache throbbed in his chest and at the back of his head as he attempted to rise. “Argh!”

“You’re awake!” Dropa greeted from where he sat on Shiso's neck. “Thank goodness!” He hurried over to assist Ban. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m-” Ban's response was drowned out by a constant rush of wind pounding against his face, the rush of air overwhelming his senses as he peered over the saddle's wall. He quickly recoiled. “H-how high are we?”

“Not too high, just a few hundred feet.”

The color drained from Ban’s face. “I’m going to be sick.”

“Hey, not in the saddle!”

Shiso glided down towards the ocean just in time for Ban to lean over the side and vomit.

“First time on a sky bison?”

“Is it that obvious?”

Ban checked his uniform for any mess and noticed the burn marks from Zura and Captain Rin's attacks. Memories of the previous night flooded his mind.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this to a firebender, but thank you,” Dropa said. “If it weren’t for you, I’d be dead by now.”

Ban began removing his armor. “Yeah… I should thank you too. For bringing me along when I was knocked out.”

“You’re welcome. I know it’s what Dhondup would have done.”

“He… seemed like a good man.”

“He was a great man.”

They sat in silence for a moment, bobbing on the ocean waves.

Dropa wiped his eyes and flicked the reins to get Shiso's attention. “We need to reach the Southern Air Temple. They need to know about Dhondup and what’s happening with the Fire Nation.” Spotting Ban clinging to the saddle wall, he added, “I’ll have Shiso fly closer to the water. It's best to stay low to avoid being seen.”

“T-thanks.”

“Shiso, yip yip!”

Back at the camp, Zhong stepped into the captain’s tent to find him seated at a small wooden table, engrossed in writing on a piece of paper. Perched beside him was a messenger hawk, its gaze fixed on Zhong as he entered.

“You wanted to see me, sir?”

“Yes, have a seat,” Rin gestured to the chair opposite him, his focus still on the parchment.

Zhong settled into the chair, feeling uneasy under the hawk's watchful stare. Rin finished his report, rolling it up and placing it beside another scroll.

“Your friend, Ban, is a traitor.”

A weight settled in Zhong’s chest at the pronouncement.

“I was told you were seen with him when he freed the nomad from his cell.”

Color drained from Zhong’s face.

“Then the nomad attacked you when you tried to stop them,” Rin continued, absently petting the hawk, which leaned into his touch. “How well do you know Ban?”

“He’s…” Zhong hesitated, wary of his words' implications. “He’s my best friend, sir. We met during the occupation of Yu Dao.”

“Interesting. I appreciate your honesty, Zhong.” Rin examined the rolls of paper in his hands, as if weighing them. “So, I want to hear from you what you were doing with Ban when he freed that nomad.”

“I…” Zhong swallowed, feeling the weight of Rin and the hawk's scrutiny. “I was trying to stop him.”

The hawk cocked its head, observing Zhong alongside Rin, who remained silent, the tap of the rolled papers filling the tent.

“Okay,” Rin finally said. One paper ignited and vanished in a flash, while he secured the other in a tube tied to the hawk’s leg. “At least one Fire Colonist’s duty isn’t tainted.” Zhong stayed seated as Rin stepped outside to release the hawk. Upon his return, Rin fixed Zhong with a stern gaze. “Which is why you’ll be coming with us to bring that traitor back.”