Avatar: The Last Airbender: Legend

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Two days later, a land mage arrived at the Viceroy's estate. Standing in front of Yui, he folded his hands behind his back and slowly swayed from heel to toe. His small glasses glistened in the light of the morning sun. His thick grey hair fluttered in the wind, and his neat white beard kept its shape even when particularly strong gusts of air overtook them. A spacious green dressing gown was tied carelessly at the waist, and sandals were worn on his feet. Even underneath the clothes, it was obvious how well-developed this man was. The broad chest and powerful shoulders couldn't be hidden under the dressing gown if he wanted to.

Teacher Gai only waved his hand in the direction of the conqueror and left to go about his business. He would have to teach his students for another year, so the old man was not in the best of spirits.

The boy took a few steps forward and stood frozen, not knowing where to begin the conversation. Noticing his confusion, the mage himself moved towards him. He had a slight smile on his face that was not repulsive.

-Greetings, my young friend. It is a pleasure to see another earth mage in the service of our great country.

The soothing voice was soothing to the soul. A slight hoarseness mixed with kind notes. Like a loving grandfather, the conqueror smiled at his pupil.

-Hello, sir...

-You can just call me Kai. There's no need for us to shout, I'm just a simple man like you.

-But you're an earth mage... -But you're an earth mage...

-Magic raises your status in society, but you should never forget your roots. Remember, my young apprentice, as soon as you turn up your nose a lot, someone from above will flick you on it.

-Em...,' Yuu bowed, deciding not to take any chances and continued speaking respectfully, 'Thank you for the teaching, Master Kai.

-Ho-ho, how polite the children are nowadays, it's good to know that the future is not lost. It's like with socks, sometimes you find them where they shouldn't be.

The unconnected words of the wizard had the boy in a stupor. Putting on a polite smile, he nodded gently, agreeing with everything the strange old man said.

-Master Kai, I...

-Oh, right, time to get to class. So, what do you know about earth magic?

Clenching his fists and furrowing his brows, the orphan breathed heavily, trying to calm himself down.

-Not much.

-Hmm, I can tell a lot from your reaction,' the old man adjusted his glasses and glinted at the light, 'Maybe I came here for nothing.

Imagining what Huang Gai and the Viceroy would do to him after such a thing, Yu waved his head negatively.

-No, I'm sorry. Please, let's get started.

-With this attitude, we won't succeed. Come with me.

With his hands still behind his back, Kai turned around and walked towards the centre of the sand arena. As he moved, stone steps grew beneath his feet, with the appearance of each new one, Yuu flinched painfully. At the top of the constructed staircase, a small patch of stairs awaited them. Seating himself in the centre of this structure, the teacher motioned with his hand for the boy to sit down opposite.

-The magic of earth will not tolerate one who fears it. To command this element, you must be as hard as stone.

-Only these stones are easily broken by hand.

-Ha-ha, that's true! It's just that those who launch them aren't hard of heart, I'm telling you honestly!

Putting his index finger in front of Yui's face, Kai smiled slyly at the child's upturned eyebrow. Sitting down in a meditation pose, he waited for his disciple to repeat after him.

-In order for you to master magic at a decent level, we're going to need some rest. Take a breath of fresh air, relax. Don't fall asleep, it's the first time for everyone, but still.

Following the instruction, Yu covered his eyes, sinking into himself. He had heard and read a lot about meditation, inner peace, and all that clever stuff. Immersing himself in his thoughts, the child felt the darkness engulf him, until a small pebble landed on his forehead.

-Ha-ha, I told you so. Pull yourself together!

-Teacher Kai, maybe we should go to a harsher environment. It's too warm and pleasant here to stay awake.

-Well, that's the point, my young friend. It's easy for a warrior to pull himself together when there's danger around, but can you relax completely, let go of the tension that's holding you back until the end. Try it, we're in no hurry.

Day after day, Teacher Cai had Guan Yu climb up the stone stairs and meditate in the midday sun. The warm rays and the pleasant breeze that carried the scents of the forest and the river calmed and put him to sleep, no matter how hard he tried. At some point the boy even began to like this atmosphere of tranquility. Without constant movement and exercise, his body resisted. He was more often angry and nervous, wanting to vent his energy outside. Only on the stone platform, next to Master Kai, could he let go of that nasty feeling and relax.

For long weeks they sat without further ado, occasionally bantering with each other. Sometimes it seemed to Yui that it all lasted no longer than a couple of hours, but as he woke up on the rock, he realised that this was reality. Reflecting on the meditations, the boy drifted deeper and deeper into himself, thinking about the past and the future. Until Master Kai's voice interrupted him.

-"Tell me about your father.

-Dad? But why, Master?

-Honestly, I'm just wondering who raised you, that's all.

-My father, Guan Li, was rarely involved in my upbringing, he was a captain in Lu Yang and often stayed on duty for months at a time. -My father, Guan Li.

-Would you like to see him more often? It's a bitter time when a child needs a father and he's not around.

-... Yes, - another pseudo philosophising of the master habitually knocked out of the rut, - I have dreamed since childhood to become like him....

-Is that so?

Not understanding the question, Yu looked into his teacher's eyes. He tilted his head slightly forward so that his glasses slid down his nose. The clear gaze of his grey-blue eyes stared intently, searching for something on the child's face.

-"Tell me about your mum, what was her name?

-Sipa, I always helped her as she helped me. In the fields, in the house or travelling to other villages. I tried never to leave her alone...

-I see. And how you became a wizard, do you remember that moment?

The story of the battle with the mousewolf was surprisingly long. From the conversation with my father and my parent's disappointment, to the spectacular victory with the help of an earthen stake.

The rest of the meditation took place in silence. Teacher Kai asked no questions, only silently reflected on the answers he had received.

For several more days they talked about Yui's parents. Each time the master got closer and closer to the day the bandits attacked Shu's village. It seemed like just one more question and he would ask about their deaths, but every time the man got too close to the invisible boundary, he backed away.

Stepping onto the stairs once more, Yu prepared to recount the few funny stories with his father that he remembered from his childhood. The boy was positively giddy, but instead of asking questions about his parents, Cai began to inquire about his guardian.

-Uncle Ping? He raised me after that day. He taught me how to fight with the Guan Dao. Although the basics were laid down by my father, my uncle showed me a lot of things. Speaking of Dad.

-Wait. I'd like to ask you something else about your uncle.

-Em...,' Yuu hesitated and lowered his eyes to the ground sadly, but in the next second the boy decided that he would tell his stories another time, 'Sure, ask, teacher.

-You said he taught you how to wield a glaive. -Could you show me? Could you demonstrate for me?

After hovering for a few seconds, Yuu nodded happily. Without waiting for permission, he quickly dashed towards his room, where a dusty halberd stood in the corner. When he returned, he stood in front of the stairs and waited impatiently for Kai to come down to him. Bouncing in place and twirling the shaft in his hands, the boy smiled happily, not understanding why he had stopped practising. The feeling of the heaviness of the weapon gave him confidence, and the tightness in his muscles as he made a couple of tentative lunges gave him a violent shiver of excitement.

-Ho-ho, I'm glad you're so active today, because the last few days I thought you were more into meditation.

-Teacher, but you yourself have suggested them every time-.

-No one has forbidden you to practise after or before, in the morning. -No one has forbidden you to practise after or before.

Yu opened his mouth to reply, but slammed it shut indignantly. After trying several times, he flapped his lips like a beached fish, unable to find a worthy argument to rebuke.

The demonstration of movements fascinated the child so much that he completely forgot about time. From the Fire Nation's basic stances to the style shown to him by the dreaded Ping, the boy moved swiftly across the small area, raising clouds of sand after particularly hard blows. Twirling his halberd, Yu felt his soul sing as he savoured this imitation of combat.

When the sun had already begun its set over the horizon, Teacher Cai clapped his hands, drawing the orphan's attention. Adjusting his glasses, he hid his hands in his wide sleeves.

-Great performance, I especially liked the last movements.

With a sly smile, the older man approached his student.

-These moves are from earth magic, my uncle taught it to me. He came up with the style himself when he fought in the war.

-That's it, that explains a lot. You so didn't want to do magic, but your best skills are grounded in land conquest. Ironic, don't you think?

Clenching his fists, the boy wanted to rant, but respect for his elders and instilled discipline took over.

-I tried to avoid it. My father didn't want me to conquer the earth. He put me in a merchant academy, and when he died, I even enrolled in a military school to become an infantryman!

Tearing up his voice, the child stood in front of his teacher with his head down. In Yu's eyes was the pain and sadness of the past that would not let go of the child.

-You have to name things correctly, Yui. To command the earth, you must learn to stand firm not only physically but also spiritually. Stop dodging or avoiding the truth. Say it straight out!

-I'm afraid! Do you understand? I'm afraid! Afraid of the magic of the earth! I'm afraid of hearing that terrible rumble again and seeing loved ones die under the rubble! I was afraid to learn it and ran away to the army! Are you satisfied?!

With a final shout, tears flowed from Yu's eyes. His voice was no longer trembling, it was filled with anger at himself and the pain of losing his loved ones. As the boy was about to break into a run, the old man's strong arms wrapped around his shoulders, pulling him into a hug. Not letting the child break free, the mage pressed his head against his shoulder, letting the tears and fears come out.

-When we choose a road to escape fate, that's where we meet it, Guan Yu. No matter how you escape, it's as if the world itself is pushing you to learn the magic of the land.