The One Who Collects

Kelama was in front of the Eternal Flame and repeating the dancing. As she did it, she controlled her breathing to match her movement. She had on a red dhoti and a red sleeveless top blouse, with gold neck trimming, that revealed her six-pack. She had no shoes and her hair was held in a top-knots by a metal ring with small, flame-shaped decorations.

Adan was sitting, with his elbow resting on his knee, meters in front of her, watching her. He had on a red dhoti with no top which revealed his well-developed muscles. He now has multiple scares running through his body with a big one coming from his left waist to his right shoulder. His Spiky scarlet silver-red hair laid loosely on his shoulder.

"Why do you keep repeating that dance?" Adan asked looking at her up and down.

"It helps my flow of chi and helps me learn how to control my fire easier and efficiently." Kelama said while still dancing.

"I know that, why don't you try the one I created? It also helps your flow of chi and helps you learn how to control your fire easier and efficiently better than that dance." Adan asked standing up and stretching, "I will teach you."

"No, I don't want to learn yours." Kelama said, finishing her dance and looked at Adan.

"Why?" Adan asked confused, "It helps you control your fire easier and efficiently better than the dancing dragon."

"I like fierce, quick, and very strong martial arts and this one is it." Kelama said, walking past him and walking down the ancient pyramid stairs.

"Mine is more fierce. It also focuses on quick killing and destruction." Adan asked walking next to her, down the pyramid.

"Yours will take so long to learn." Kelama said, putting her hand behind her head and looking at Adan. "We still have two years before we leave. We should get stronger by then. If those people come back, I will show them what I can do. Especially that strong one that punched you. How is your hand feeling?"

"Good." Adan said, flexing his hand. He noticed Kelama turned away, blushing when he flexed. "Hohoho, what you like muscles?"

"No, I don't. Why would you say that." Kelama said, walking faster.

"Hehe, don't worry. If you like muscles, I don't care. If you like muscles, you should meet my brother Aaron. That guy is a monster." Adam said, walking after Kelama.

Kelama stopped and looked at him, "Why do you always talk about your brothers? Especially that Adam guy. What so special about him? Whenever I say you are strong you always say, 'You should meet Adam' then tell me some of his stories. I even know his birthday and most of his history. Even that Aerin guy. Why are you always saying he would treasure me?" Kelama said angrily. "I know more about them than I do for you and I have not met them while I have known you for one year. I want to get to know you more."

"Oh... Soooo, I should tell you about myself and stop talking about my brothers? You never seem interested when I talk about myself." Adan said, confused.

"Yeah, that because I don't want to seem too into you." Kalama whispered to herself, with her head down.

"Huh, what?" Adam asked, leaning closer to Kalama.

"Nothing." Kalama said, touching her eyes.

'Was she crying? What for?' Adan thought. He looked up and said, "What's up with that bird? It was flying in a circle on top of us."

The bird was the size of a large size raptor and its feathers are primarily buff-colored on the belly and the underside of the wings and tail, but burgundy on its back and top. Its wings are relatively broad and about twice the length of its body. The flight-feathers are a shade of brown in between those of the body. The tail is broad and fan-shaped with two long tail. Its head is reddish-brown with two sets of ear-tufts: the bottom is the prevailing color of the head and sticks out with several angular plumes, while the top is lighter and creates the appearance of horns. Its beak is goldish, triangular, and hooked, and has mustache-like plumes that descend from it. It had a canister tied to its back with a red-colored ribbon.

"That's father messenger eagle." Kelama raised her arm and the bird landed on it. She then opened the canister and took out a message. After reading it, she burned it and took out another paper from inside and a brush with dried ink on it. With little heat from the bright sun, the ink began to melting slowly. Before all of it melt, she used the brush to write on the paper. After writing on it, she burned the brush and put the paper she wrote on back in the canister and the bird flew away.

"What did it say?" Adan asked leaning closer to Kelama.

"It said I should come home that when I get home I will be told why I am called back. I will be leaving today, I will go and tell master why I am leaving early." Kelama said as she started running down the stairs.

Adan ran beside her and said, "I will follow you, I always wanted to meet your father, the fire lord. I want to see how strong he is. Can I come with you?" Adan asked pleasingly.

"I don't care if you come." Kelama said, running faster down the stairs.

"Why are you mad, tell me." Adan said, effortlessly keeping up with her.

"I am not mad, I am just thinking what father may have called me for." Kelama said running more faster.

Stop running so fast, you may fall." Adan said from beside her.

She looked angrily at Adan, "No I won't..." As she said that, she tripped. Before she fell, Adan caught her and carry, with one arm under her legs and the other supporting her back.

"Be happy I caught you. If you had fallen from hearing, you could have gotten a lot of injuries." Adan said.

After running to the pyramid bottom, he put her down and started walking. "Master Judoso some of the other is next to the Lair of master Ran and Shaw. We should go."

They walked silently to the dragon master's layer. When they reached the place, they saw Master Judoso, the Sun Warrior chief and Ham Ghao, sitting in the middle of Ran and Shaw both who were laying on the bridge in front of their cave. Since they were so long to lay on the bridge, half their body was inside the cave. Ghao and Judoso were facing Shaw. Ran seems to be sleeping while Shaw seems to be talking to them.

Adan grinned seeing this. He bent down tensed his leg muscles and after some time, he ran as fast as he can, using fire to boost him. After reaching the bottom of the large stairs, he jumped toward Ran and while in the air, he condensed three balls of red fire, so small the n.a.k.e.d eyes couldn't see it, then threw it at the Ran, which exploded after getting close to him. Adan landed on the platform in front of Ran while he s.u.c.k.e.d in the flames.

"What is it?" Ran said while yawning with his eyes still closed, opening his wide maw that was able to swallow Adan whole. He then put his head down.

"What of that explosion, why did you reduce the damage the explosion gave out? If you didn't temper with my explosion, it could have blown you away." Adan said proudly.

"It wouldn't have blown me away, but it could have killed those two." Ran said.

Adan looked at Judoso and Ghao and said, "Sorry, I didn't notice both of you, I only saw Ran and Shaw."

"Why did you come and disturb our conversation? Do you not have any respect?" Shaw said, looking at Adan. She didn't move her mouth but the sound came out.

"Sorry, I just wanted to injure Ran. Damn, even when he was sleeping, he could still detect my fire that I tried my hardest to conceal."Adam said confused.

"Don't curse next to me. How many times will I tell you?" Shaw said, glaring at Adan, which made him tremble.

"Even if something is hard to see that doesn't mean it hard to sense. Shaw and I could sense any fire in a three-mile radius so that was " Ran said, opening one eye to look at Shaw.

"That's true, but I could conceal my fire and Ran can't sense it." Shaw said, smirking.

"I could also conceal mine and you won't be able to sense it." Ran said.

"What are you guys talking about?" Kelama said, walking to the top of the stairs.

"Just stupidity." Adan said.

"It was not a stupid conversation." Ran said.

Kelama looked at Ran but said nothing about his speech. "Ok, I came here to say that I will have to leave today. My father just sent a message to me, saying I should come home. Adan said he want to come with me, please can he come too." Kelama said, looking sorry.

"OK bye" Ran said, lazily.

"That easy?" Kelama said surprised.

"Your father already knows you are here. He sent us a messenger hawk to us telling us to please allow you to come home. The hawk was tasty." Ran said. He raised his head and then jumped. He then spread his wide wings looped in the air then glided into his cave. "Wait, I have a departure gift for you." His voice echoed out the cave.

After some time, Ran flew out of the cave with a significantly smaller green dragon beside it. The dragon is a large, four-horned, two big long one and two small ones, reptile with a long, green scaly body that ends in a thin tail. Its head is large compared to the rest of its body, and its bearded face is dominated by a wide, flat nose and golden, cat-like eyes. The dragon has four short legs and two large wings with an extra, smaller set of wings beneath its other wings. The dragon was smaller than Ran and Shaw but still big enough to easily carry six people.

"I know you have already met her and got to know her, so I will be gifting her to you. She will be your companion, I hope you treat her well. Her name is Gina." Ran said while flying in a circle above them.

Gina the green dragon flew down toward Kelama and when it was close to the bridge, Kelama jumped and landed on the dragon's neck, and held its horn. The dragon then flew up around in the sky.

"Where is my dragon?" Adam said anticipatingly.

"You don't need one, you are fast and efficient in flying with fire. If you get a dragon, you will lose that." Shaw said flying up. They both started flying in a circle around them.

"My gift for you is this red stone." Ran said and threw a red stone at Adan. Adan caught it and was shocked. The stone was small enough to fit in his hand but was heavy enough to make him almost drop it. "As time goes by, you will learn how the full the stone is."

The green dragon landed and Kelama jumped off it and landed next to Adan. It then flew next to Ran.

"Now for my gift." Ran and Shaw stopped flying and shaw faced them. She opened her maw and breathed a bright orange flame at them. The flame spun around them. This time, the interior of the flame was white, not rainbow-colored. After some time, the flame went out Adan grinned while Kelama smiled. "I gave you higher comprehension in fire-bending. It will give you a better understanding of fire and you will gain less damage from fire."

"Goodbye." Ran and Shaw said at the same time.

"Bye to you too." Adan said grinning, "O, farewell Judoso

and Ghao. Tell the rest bye."

"Goodbye both of you, I hope you visit sometime." Judoso said.

"Yeah yeah, bye. Don't come back." Ghao said.

"Bye-bye." Kelama said, jumping on Gina and she flew toward the direction of the fire-nation.

"Wait for me, let me ride the dragon. I always wished to ride on one." Adan shouted, flying after Kelama.

"Catch us if you can." Kelama shouted back at Adan. "Gina lets go faster."

Gina spread her wings and flew faster. Seeing this, Adan, who was only flying with the help from fire coming from his foot, brought out fire from his palm, boasting himself.

____________________________________________________________

"Today is the Agni Kai, Ignatius are you ready." Adam said.

He was laying down comfortably in a king-sized bed Inside a large bedroom, with the wall painted red with a black wall trimming. The bed was on the east side of the room and the door was on the north-west side of the room. On the wall above the bed was a red banner with the Fire Nation symbol on it. The floor had a black carpet with a red dragon, biting its own tale, on it. The only thing lighting the room was four candles, each of them in the four corners of the room. The room had no window and only had one furniture, which was the bed.

"I am more than ready, I know I will win." Ignatius said. He was sitting in the middle of the room in a Lotus position with his eyes closed.

"If you say so." Adam asked, turning his eyes toward Ignatius.

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

"I guess it's time." Ignatius stood up and opened the door and he saw Adua. "Oh, it is you they sent to call me."

"Yeah. The head maid sent me to call you. She said that you have to the courtyard, a carriage is prepared to take you to the arena that Roseze specifically built for both of your fights." Adua said, "Why don't you just escape? Run from here and you don't have to fight the king. You know that if you fight him, you may die."

"Escaping will mean I am not a man. With the training I have gone through, there is no way I will lose. Let us go. Also, you can now leave since Adam has learned the basics of healing. He will improve on his own." Ignatius said looking down at Adua.

"Finally, I can go back home. Bye Ignatius, if you win and become King, make sure you call me so I can live in this palace, not as a servant." Adua said, happily walking away from Ignatius's room.

"Why didn't he say bye to me? We have known each other for one month." Adam said aloud, "Also, carry me to the throne room."

"You can fly, can't you? Everyone in the palace already knows you as 'The Air-bending master.' No one knows you can use any other element except Me, kelama and Adua. Why don't you want others knowing about your bendings?" Ignatius said while walking out of his room.

"That true. I wonder how that rumor spread. I don't care if they know. But if many people know, it will spoil my plan." Adam said flying off the bed with a book and a cloak on his hand, following behind Ignatius.

"Haven't your legs healed? Adua and some healers that followed us have been healing if for a month." Ignatius said, looking at the flying Adam. He looked like he was laying on the air and was also reading a book, with the cloak on his c.h.e.s.t.

"Yes. I can feel my legs and can even move it. I am surprised that it was able to be healed so quickly. I just thing you carrying me or flying is better. I don't want to walk anymore. Flying has become some sort of walking for me." Adam said, then thought, 'If it was back on earth, I don't think this will be possible, even with the technological advancement it has on this world. I wonder what is happening back home.'

"Just walk." Ignatius said slapping Adam down to the floor.

"Stop slapping me so hard." Adam said standing up, picking up the book, and dusting the cloak. "Standing makes me feel... Inferior."

"Why?" Ignatius said, looking at adam like he is mad.

"I am so short and the people taller than me looks down at me, literally and figuratively." Adam said, walking around Ignatius, "And I also have to look up to people."

"At least you are growing taller, look, you are now about 5'4". We will celebrate when I win this battle. What book it that and how did you get it?" Ignatius said as he started walking again.

"It is a book about weapons, Military strategy, terrain advantages and many more things about wars." Adam said as he sat crossed legs and floated up to be next to Ignatius's shoulders.

"You keep reading books about wars, what is the point of learning about war if there is no war going on? Now we are about to reach the courtyard, you said you won't watch me fight, where are you going?"

"To meet my friend, he is here in the fire nation." Adam said, "I will be leaving now."

"Wait, if you come to the arena later and the guard stops you, give them this." Ignatius stopped Adam before he could leave and gave him a coin-shaped object.

"Ok." Adam said, putting it in his pocket and flying away.

When Adam left Ignatius, he quickly snuck back into Ignatius's room. He entered the room, closed the door then raised the bed with air bending. He also used air bending to move the carpet and with a step, the earth under the bed opened, presented a pile of fire-nation gold coins.

"My new vault, even if this is not as much money I have in the other one, this is enough for my plan." Adam took some gold and put it inside a small pouch that he tied to his waist. He then closes the vault, put the carpet back on top, then put the bed back on top. After returning everything back to its old position, he went to the city.

As he was walking through the capital, he kept hearing people talking about the battle and who they think will win. Adam didn't care about this walked through many back alley, looking for something.

As Adam was walking through some alley, he entered an alley. with seventeen homeless children, sitting in a circle and talking. All of them looked younger than him. He grinned and cleared his throat.

"Listen up peasant, I have a job for you guys. If you completed it well, I will pay you guys handsomely." Adam said arrogantly, getting their attention,

"Who are you and why should we do it, a small boy." A girl said standing up from the group and walking close to Adam.

"Don't come close to me, stinky girl." Adam said, closing his nose and moving backward. "Wait, why can I still smell you? Damn, I shouldn't have come here, it stinks so bad" he said, moving his hand in front of his nose. He then thought, 'I see. So that is why.'

"Why should we listen to you? You keep saying we stink." The girl said, frowning.

"Shut up, don't talk to me. But isn't it the truth? You don't take a shower? Why do you guys smell so bad, even some homeless people I met don't smell half as bad as you guys." Adam said, using air-bending to filter the air entering his nose. 'Good thing I created something like this.'

"Then leave you rich boy. Why did you even come here in the first place? We won't be taking the job." The girl said, walking closer to Adam.

Adam looked at her and smiled, "You don't have any choice."

"Why do you think so?" The girl said, frowning more.

Adam felt the air around his moving against the normal flow, 'I was right.' he thought. "Because why will you disagree if I will give you all this?" Adam said, taking out the pouch of gold he has and opened it up, showing them what is inside.

"Wow." Random child 1 whispered.

"For us?" Random child 2 whispered.

"Hahaha, so many gold coins." Random child 3 whispered.

"Will you disagree?" Adam said looking at them pitifully. 'They are happy for such a small amount of gold?'

"Depending on the job." The girl said, eyeing the coins.

"The job is easy, all you have to do is spread rumors about Ignatius when he beat the current king and become the new king. The job will be off if he doesn't become the king so pray he wins. Don't spread overly bad rumors about him to the extent everyone will hate him. The rumors should make people support him and others should not support him but riot for the old king to come back to the throne." Adam said looking into the girl's eyes. "Will you accept, keep note, if you are caught, I have nothing to do with you guys and If you guys try to rat me out, I will make sure you guys are tortured. Not like you will be believed anyway."

"Why do you want this?" The girl asked.

"None of your business." Adam said, frowning.

"Ok, ok. Can you tell me an example of the rumor?"

"Hmmm, this should be a good example. 'The new king wants to spend all the kingdom wealth on the military, not the people.'" Adam said, tapping his jaw.

"Isn't that good?" One boy from the group said.

"Some people won't think that. Here is the down payment." Adam said, sticking his hand into the pouch and throwing them a handful of gold.

After giving them the coin, he walked away from the ally, toward the arena. After what he heard from walking around the city, he knew the arena was not in the Royal Caldera City where the Fire Nation Royal Palace was in, it was next to the Royal Plaza about 10 miles from where he currently is. Adam jumped on top of a building and started running and jumping from roof to roof, leaving the city.

[What was the point of that?]

'This is how I plan to start World War 1. I have a good plan, and when the war started, it will have a good justification and will possibly range for more than three hundred years.' Adam thought, smiling happily.

When Adam left the city, he increased his running speed to the limit of his physic. He saw it was not quick enough so he used air-bending to push himself. He moved so fast that he couldn't react to his own speed.

'Shit, I need to slow down.' He thought. He was moving so fast, his body rubs against the air which produces friction that causes a heating effect, producing fire around and making him look like a comet. 'No, I can break my legs again if I suddenly stop, moving at such speed.'

[Yeah, keep moving fast, you are currently moving at 727 mph. Go faster and you may break the sound barrier. Maybe enter Mach one. Hahaha, go, go, goooo. Are you scared?]

'Are you taunting me?'

[No, I just think you can't go faster even if you try.]

'I will go, you dear me.'

[Yes go faster, I dare you.]

"I WILL GOO!" Adam shouted. He used the fire produced by the friction he has on the air to push himself faster. Combined with the air, his speed kept increasing.

[729 mph... 730 mph... 739... 742... Keep going.]

"AHHHHHH!" Adam shouted. He took his leg off the ground and started flying like a bullet so his legs won't cause more friction and it is easier to move faster. This caused his speed to drop then kept increasing again at a faster rate.

[712... 717... 727... 730... 745... 754... 766... Nice, soon. You are at the barrier.]

Adam grinned. He covered himself in a thin but dense layer of wind to protect himself. He then forced the air to push him more while keeping stability and using fire to boost himself.

[766.1... 766.5... 766.9... 766.99... 767]

[Hahaha, you did it.]

"Yes, I did it. Hahaha..."

[Now... can you stop?]

"Oh... Since I am not running, I can just stop."

Adam suddenly stopped *Boom*, and this was a bad idea. The air that he was using to push him, slapped him on his back while the fire also slapped him. Pushing him into Mach Speed.

[Mach Speed 1. 768 MPH.]

Adam kept flying at that speed, bouncing off the floor, slowing his speed. When he finally stopped, he frowned.

"That was dangerous. I will never do that again." Adam said, coughing out a mouth full of blood. "Good thing I made the shield around myself." He stood up and looked down at himself and saw he had no injuries on himself, only some small bruises.

[At least you know what your top speed is Mach 1, slow, but still good for this world. You can run continuously at 361 MPH, at least you can run on water.]

"I don't care. Wait have I pass the Royal Plaza?"

[Yes, 2 miles ago some time ago.]

"Haaa." Adam signed. He flew up to the clouds to look around. "I should stop flying to this altitude, the air here is so thin I can't even fly properly."

He saw the Royal Plaza with the arena close to it. The arena looked like the gladiator arena from Earth. He flew there and landed far away then walked toward the arena. When Adam was about to enter the gate to the arena, one of the two guards guarding the door walked up to him.

"Do you have an invitation?" The guard asked.

"No, but I have this." Adam said, bring out the stone from his pocket and showing him.

"This is an invitation, and a high one only those close to the current royal family gives out. You may enter sir." The guard said, stepping away from his way. As Adam was about to enter, he heard loud cheering and many people chanting Ignatius's name.

"Hahaha, Ignatius is our new king. I knew he was going to win, the look in his eyes told me he was determined to win." The man that stopped him said, laughing loudly.

"Shit, I could have bet on him." The other guard said,

"Why did you wanted Ignatius to win?" Adam asked, looking at the first guard.

"I don't like our old king. The fire nation was once had the strongest and largest military, which made us the most prestigious, but once he got on the throne, the Earth kingdom passed us in strength and might, becoming the most prestigious The WTA is getting close to us in might, but not strength. If he stays king, we will keep getting weaker and the WTA might pass us. At least I hope King Ignatius changes this." The man that stopped him said.

"What is the WTA?" Adam asked,

"The water Northern tribe, Southern tribe, and Swamp tribe creating the Water Tribe Alliance. Hehe, maybe if we are stronger, the Earth Kingdom will stop threatening us." The second man said.

"Shut up. How could you tell a civilian that?" The man that stopped him said.

"Well, if he has that invitation, then he has to be close to the old royal family. He may have already known about the war that is about to happen between us and the Earth Kingdom. Don't you know my man?" The second man said.

"Yeah, I already know." Adam said nodding. "I will be leaving now to congratulate my student." He said and walked through the gate into a tunnel with his hand behind his back and his head raised high.

"..."

"... Do... Do you hear what he just said?" The first man said.

"Yes, he said our new king is his student. Does that mean he will be higher-ups when King Ignatius is crowned?" The second man said.

"Yes stupid. When we talked to him we were disrespectful. I hope he won't send for our head." The first man said.

While Adam was walking through the tunnel that leads to the seating area of the arena, hearing what they were saying, he smirked.

'Everything is going so smooth, do I have plot armor? haha, As things are going, I could become king in no time and finally start hunting the ancient kings hahaha'.