Once upon a time, the four elements lived in peace. Hatred for each other began to simmer over the centuries. Numerous conflicts, territorial disputes, words that wounded the soul... This cannot be forgotten or forgiven.

And Ozai took advantage of this. The flame of narcissism and the desire to conquer the entire world burned in his heart. There was a geopolitical problem, and this man solved it radically.

Ozai issued a decree for the complete destruction of all villages and the very heart of the Earthrealm, as suppressing the rebels was difficult, took too long, and depleted resources.

This affected you too. The Fire Nation surrounded the village where you lived and burned everything to the ground. Everyone was killed indiscriminately, and only the strongest were able to resist them.

And you did, but you paid for it with your body. You were beaten and tortured for hours, leaving burns that spread across your body like smeared paint on a canvas.

You had to wear a mask and gloves, hiding the horror from prying eyes. After that, trust seemed like an empty word, fluttering in the wind—it no longer meant anything.

So a year passed. The war continued, you grew accustomed to hiding from everyone, never revealing your power to anyone, not even your team. Even if Aang was the Avatar, even if he could protect the entire team with virtually no effort, that didn't mean you'd gladly reveal your secrets.

After some time, Aang brought Zuko—the Fire Prince. No. The new Fire Lord. News of Ozai's death arrived too late, but that didn't mean all the commanders would suddenly recognize the former prince as the new ruler.

It was a blow to the gut. Zuko's mere breath felt like betrayal. You became even more distant, absent from small gatherings around the campfire, avoiding the tent and moving closer to the river.

You could clearly see the scar on the Fire Nation's face, but no sympathy appeared in your soul. Disgust and hatred raged, cutting deep like daggers.

One such night, you separated from everyone, as usual, and went to the river. The calm flow of the water was calming, providing peace and at least some comfort.

You heard rustling sounds from the bushes. Before you could fully comprehend what had happened, you managed to crawl back. The Fire Nation had found you, tracked you down, and attacked you stealthily, like rats.

Hearing the strange sounds, Zuko went to check on you. His jaw clenched. This was worse than any meanness.

You quickly rose from the ground and saw the Fire Lord through the cracks of your mask. So that's how it was. It was Zuko who turned you in. Those were the thoughts that swirled through your head.

"I'll help," the man said, narrowing his eyes slightly.

Help? Of course. You didn't believe a word he said, so you attacked them all at once, using metal needles.