Water.

Earth.

Fire.

Air.

Growing up, my Gran Gran would tell my siblings and me various legends.

Two stuck out to me the most.

The Legend of the Avatar

And The Birth of the Southern Water Tribe.

"Kairi," an elderly female named Kanna, with hair as white as snow and eyes as blue as the sea, held her hand out to her eldest granddaughter.

A ten-year-old female named Kairi approached the elderly female. She had long brown hair in a ponytail and eyes that reminded Kanna of the sky, a mixture of blue and grey.

" Yes, Gran-Gran?" Kairi stopped walking and stood next to her paternal Grandmother.

Kanna grabbed Kairi's hand and tightly grasped it. She lifts her head and stares at the sky.

" Kairi. What do you see?" Kanna asked.

Kairi lifts her head and stares at the sky.

" I see the sky," Kairi responded.

" And do you know what element associates with the sky?" Kanna turns her gaze to Kairi, admiring the crescent moon-shaped birthmark on her Granddaughter's right cheek.

" Air," Kairi remembered.

" Yes. Like how the ground associates with Earth. The sea is associated with Water, and the volcano associates with Fire. The sky associates with Air," Kanna mysteriously speaks.

Kairi looked at Kanna with a confused expression. She looked back and saw her older twin brother, ten-year-old Sokka, chasing after their younger sister, eight-year-old Katara, since she threw a snowball at him earlier.

" Do not be afraid, my Dear," Kanna speaks, causing Kairi to look at her. " You possess the elements of water and air as well," She turns her gaze to her Granddaughter.

Kairi's blue-grey eyes widened since no one knew except for Sokka that she could manipulate Air. She kept her second-nature ability to herself for fear of getting shunned.

" Do you know why I am the only one with two elements in this tribe?" Kairi asked. " Mama, Papa, Sokka, and you can't bend," She glanced at Sokka, who tripped and fell on the snow.

" Uncle Hiro, Aunt Megumi, Uncle Jin, and Katara can only bend Water," Kairi watched Hiro, an adult water bender, melt the snow off of Sokka, causing her brother to smile.

" But why is it that I can bend Air?" Kairi looks back at Kanna.

Kanna gently placed her gloved hand on Kairi's head.

" You have my Father, Sora, to thank for blessing you to bend Air. He was very young when he stumbled upon the Southern Water Tribe," Kanna looked at the sky fondly.

" The Southern Water Tribe didn't exist at the moment. My Mother, Akua, and a few villagers fled the Northern Water Tribe because of hardships. They only wanted peace and sanctuary, and they found it in this very spot," Kanna looked at her surroundings.

" According to my Mother, my Father fell from the sky. He looked famished, as though he had been flying for days. She and the others nursed him back to health.

My Father told my Mother that he had to flee his home because of the Fire Nation. They slaughtered all his people because someone foretold the Fire Lord that the next Avatar was an Air bender," Kanna looked at Kairi.

" What happened to the Avatar? Did-Did the Fire Nation kill them?" Kairi asked.

" My Father said that the Avatar escaped the same day he escaped. He searched all over for him. However, the Avatar was nowhere to be found. My Father lost hope and believed he had perished of old age," Kanna frowned.

" So, I am the only Air bender left," Kairi whispered.

" Yes. That is why you must keep this element to yourself until it is safe to become one with the Air again," Kanna responded.

Kairi nodded, and her blue-grey eyes blinked when she saw black soot falling from the sky.

" What is that?" Kairi asked.

Kanna looked at her surroundings, and her blue eyes widened. Her face got paler than usual.

" The Fire Nation! Go. Get your Father. And warn him of the dangers that are arriving," Kanna ushered Kairi to get her son, Hakoda, the current Chief of the Southern Water Tribe.

Kairi begins to panic. She turns around and runs towards the others, warning everyone of the danger.

" Fire Nation! We are under attack!" Kairi cried out.

Hakoda and Kya looked at each other worriedly when they heard Kairi's cries.

" Protect the children," Hakoda firmly speaks while grabbing his weapons, ready to protect his family and the Village.

" Be careful," Kya whispered, watching Hakoda leave their tent.

" Papa! Fire Nation," Kairi hugs Hakoda.

" Thank you for the warning, Kairi. Very much appreciate," Hakoda hugs Kairi. " Men! Let's fight to protect our family and Village," He turns his gaze to the various warriors of the tribe.

The Southern Water Tribe warriors cheered and chanted. Hakoda lets go of Kairi and looks at her.

" Go with your brother and sister to the tent. Your Mother is inside," Hakoda ushered Kairi to the tent.

" Be careful!" Kairi shouts. She turns and runs towards Sokka and Katara, who look scared.

" Sokka! Katara! Let's go! Papa said we need to be in the tent with Mama," Kairi ushered Sokka and Katara to the tent.

" What about Dad?" Sokka watched the Warriors run past them, seeing the determination on their faces. He couldn't help but admire the men of his tribe.

" Papa will be fine. He wants us to be in the tent with Mama. Sokka, since Papa is gone. You are our Protector. But, don't worry, I will have your back," Kairi smiled.

Sokka smiled and nodded. He turns and runs with Kairi and Katara to the tent where Kya awaits them.

" Mama! Mama! We're here," Kairi, Sokka, and Katara entered the tent.

Kya looked relieved to see her three children.

" Come closer," Kya motioned the three children to her.

Kairi, Sokka, and Katara walked toward Kya, and she hugged them tightly.

" Kairi. Katara. Whatever you do, do not bend Water for the time being," Kya firmly speaks.

" What? Why?" Kairi leans back and looks at Kya while Katara looks at her Mother and older sister with a confused expression.

Kya looked at Kairi and Katara with mixed emotions. She opened her mouth to say something but stopped when she saw a shadowy figure outside their tent.

" Get behind me," Kya firmly speaks, pushing the three children behind her.

Sokka grabbed Kairi and Katara's hands and tightly grasped them. He is trying his best to look brave in front of his sisters, but internally he is scared.

The tent opens, revealing an intimidating Fire Nation soldier named Yon Rha.

Kya's blue eyes stared intently at Yon Rha's golden-colored eyes.

" Who in this tent are Water Benders?" Yon Rha firmly asked.

Kairi and Katara looked at each other with tears welling up in their eyes, feeling scared.

Sokka warily stared at Yon Rha, wishing Hakoda was here to kick the scary Fire Nation soldier's butt.

Kya puts her hand on her chest.

" It's me. I am a Water Bender. Take me as your Prisoner. Let the children leave this tent safely," Kya firmly speaks.

Kairi and Katara's eyes widened in disbelief when they heard that Kya told Yon Rha she was a Water Bender.

Yon Rha looked at Kya with mixed emotions. He looked past her to the three children.

Kairi's blue-grey eyes intently stared at Yon Rha's golden-colored eyes.

" I shall allow the children to leave," Yon Rha firmly speaks.

Kya looked relieved, and she turned to look at the three children.

" Go to your Father. I'll be okay," Kya softly smiled.

The three children looked at Kya with mixed emotions, feeling scared.

" Go! Or I'll change my mind!" Yon Rha shouts.

Sokka tightly grasped Kairi and Katara's hands, and he ran, causing his sisters to follow him.

" Mama! No!" Katara cried out, wanting to water bend with her other hand, causing Kya to look at her with mixed emotions.

Kairi lets go of Sokka's hand and decides to grab Katara's other hand in hers, and she runs out of the tent with her siblings. Tears were falling from her blue-grey eyes.

" Let go! Mama! Mama!" Katara shouts.

Kairi and Sokka ran out of the tent and froze when they saw various dead bodies on the snowy ground.

Katara couldn't see what was happening since Kairi and Sokka's bodies blocked her view.

" Kids!" Kanna shouts, grabbing the three children's attention.

Kairi turned her gaze to Kanna and saw her inside a cave with various women and children.

" In here! In here!" Kanna looks at her Grandchildren.

" Go!" Kairi lets go of Katara and Sokka's hands and pushes them towards the cave, where she knows they will be safe.

Sokka and Katara begin to run toward the cave, thinking Kairi is following them.

Kairi turns around and stares at her family's tent with mixed emotions. She approached the tent, trying to think of a way to save Kya.

" Now that the children are gone. You can take me as your Prisoner," Kairi hears Kya.

" I'm afraid I'm not taking Prisoners today," Kairi hears Yon Rha.

Kairi's blue-grey eyes widened, realizing what Yon Rha was saying. She looked at her surroundings and noticed that all the bodies on the snowy ground were warriors and talented water benders.

' No!' Kairi internally shouts. ' I cannot let him kill Mom!' Tears started to fall from her blue-grey eyes.

Kairi opened her mouth to say something, but she stopped when she saw the inside of the tent briefly get brighter.

" I have finally killed the last water bender of this pathetic tribe. If only we could kill those filthy water benders in the North. But the Fire Lord cannot risk a massive war," Yon Rha sneered.

Kairi shakily opened the tent and stared at Kya's dead body with mixed emotions.

Yon Rha heard movement and turned to see Kairi.

" Mama," Kairi's voice cracked. " Mama!" She screams and runs towards Kya's body, hugging her Mother tightly.

Yon Rha blankly stared at Kairi and Kya.

" I might as well start disposing of all of your bodies. Cannot risk you lot rising from the dead," Yon Rha turns around and begins to burn the tent with his Fire, not caring that Kairi is inside.

Kairi watched Yon Rha leave with tears falling from her blue-grey eyes. She looked and saw that Fire surrounded her and Kya.

" Mama. Let's go," Kairi whispered. She shakily stands and uses all her strength to drag Kya out of the tent. " I-I can't leave you here," She stuttered.

" Kya! Kairi!" Hakoda's voice grabbed Kairi's attention.

" Papa! In here!" Kairi cries out. " Mama is hurt! They hurt Mama!" She informed Hakoda.

Hakoda's blue eyes widen when he hears that the Fire Nation has hurt Kya. He was about to run towards the tent, but it collapsed because of the heat, causing his wife and their eldest daughter to get trapped.

" Ahh!" Kairi's cries grabbed Hakoda's attention.

" Kairi!" Hakoda shouts. " Everyone! Grab the nearest cloth and ice and throw it at the Fire so it can become Water and melt the flames," He ordered.

The surviving Villagers helped Hakoda stop the flames, causing the tent to appear in ruins. Hakoda and his men removed all the heavy items and were relieved to see Kairi and Kya.

" Kairi! Kya!" Hakoda grabbed Kairi from the wreckage while his best friend, Bato, grabbed Kya and laid her on the snowy ground.

" Papa," Kairi murmured.

" Kairi. You're okay," Hakoda holds Kairi protectively. He glanced at Bato and frowned when his best friend shook his head while looking at Kya sadly.

" Mama. She's hurt," Kairi mumbled.

Hakoda laid Kairi's head against his chest so she wouldn't see her Mother's dead body.

" Are you hurt?" Hakoda softly asked Kairi while walking away from the wreckage.

Bato watched Hakoda leave with his Goddaughter. He looks away and orders nearby women and men to help him find a proper burial spot for Kya.

Kairi didn't respond to Hakoda. She looked down and saw that her right leg got burned.

" My leg," Kairi begins to tear up, causing Hakoda to look at her right leg with a worried gaze.

" Everything is going to be alright. Gran Gran will ensure that your injuries will get healed," Hakoda comforts Kairi while taking her to the cave where the women and children would reside until the Village is rebuilt.