Avatar The Last Airbender Fan Fiction ❯ Ritual ❯ Fire ( Chapter 2 )

Fire

 

The altar was built of a beautiful wood. It was almost black, but not quite, carved perfectly with symbols and runes. Across it was draped a gold and red blanket, the Fire Nation symbol embroidered largely across. There was nothing else on the altar, except one thing: a body.

 

Two children stood in the darkness of night, wide eyed and fearful as they watched the altar. They were quiet and still, as if afraid to disturb any part of the rite.

 

A man stood in front of them, their brother. His eyes were harsh and sad, giving off no comfort. The body on the altar was his mother, and he was the last adult in the family. His father had already been killed in the war, and all he had left were his siblings, too small to do any harm or good.

 

The man raised his fist above the altar, shedding no tears as fire spilt onto it. The body began to crackle and burn, and the children whimpered as they smelt it, hiding back in the darkness. The man turned away, but waited, waited until all that was left was ash.

 

He had a long wait.