DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER. BRIAN KONIETSCO AND MICHEAL DE MARTINO OWN THE RIGHTS TO AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER. ALONG WITH NICKELODEON TO MY KNOWLEDGE.

Author: taker (the name I use at and ficwad)

Authors E-Mail:

Rating: PG

Warnings: Scenes of a martial arts nature and action/adventure elements.

Story Title: Avatar & The Night of Games

Avatar & The Night of Games
Chapter One: Let The Games BEGIN!
APRIL 04 2008

THE FOLLOWING STORY TAKES PLACE SOMETIME BEFORE THE FALL OF BA-SING SE...

The night is warm; four young adults have begun making camp in a clearing inside a forest near some mountains for the evening. They have set up a campfire near a giant white creature with six legs, horns, a beaver-esq tail and a saddle. A flying monkey, complete with large bat like ears, who was flying along side the great beast, landed on top of him and hid itself in its massive fur. A young boy around the age of twelve comes near the great beast, which has put some distance between him and the fire. The boy is unique as he has a blue arrow on his bald head, wearing brown boots with a yellow shirt, pants and orange cloak wrapped around his shoulders, the arrows also extend down onto his hands. He laughs and hops onto the beast.

"Easy Momo. Tired eh Appa?" The boy laughs as Appa moans in agreement.

"Well, he has had a long day Aang." A female walks up behind him pats on his shoulder.

He turns his head towards the young lady around the age of fourteen; who patted on his shoulder moments earlier. Her brown skin glows from the light of the fire. Her long black hair that was tied tightly in a weaving pattern down her back, with two hair loops connecting her bangs to the back of her head. She wore a light blue robe extending down her arms and legs; Aang knew that it would signal her as a Water Tribe Woman. She slowly sat next him patting on Appas dense fur. He let out a low groan, enjoying the affection his human friends are giving him.

"Katara, do you we have any Seal Jerky left?" A loud boy with walks to Aang and Katara eating some cooked meat.

"No Sokka; YOU ATE IT ALL… just now." Katara looked some what angrily back at Sokka.

The boy just stared at his Seal Jerky. Shrugged his shoulders and continued eating near the other two. He too wore a blue robe, also from the same Water Tribe as Katara. However his did not extend fully to his ankles, instead he also wore black pants with matching boots. His hair tied back into an honor knot.

"Sibling rivalry already you two? This will make for a FUN NIGHT!" A young girl around twelve chimed in with her two cents.

"It's friendly sibling rivalry Toph. Sorry that not all of us were born as the only child." Katara shot back.

Toph grinned widely at Katara knowing she was hitting a nerve softly. Her clothing was different from the others, she wore a green shirt with matching shorts, with a lose piece of yellow cloth almost vestment like. A black sash around her waist complete with black wrist bands and a yellow hair tie holding back her hair. She wore nothing on her feet, as this would stop her from seeing, as she was born blind but able to see with the aid of Earth Bending.

"What's so funny Toph?" Katara looked back to their Earth Bending friend.

"Just your reaction, that's all Katara." Toph threw her hands down towards the ground; a large stone came underneath to give her a chair.
Appa, nearly asleep sudden rose to his feet. He growled sensing something. The creature, once hiding in it's fur took flight onto Kataras' Shoulder. Toph stood up from her chair, got to her feet and pressed her hand against the ground. Aang, Katara, and Sokka could only wonder what was going on at such a late hour.

"Whoa! Whoa! Calm down Appa!" Aang grabbed Appas tethers trying to calm him down, but he growled, bearing his teeth at the darkness.

"Aang, something's wrong." Katara looked around and assumed a fighting stance.

"What's going on Toph?!" Sokka reached onto his back and pulled out a large metal boomerang.

"Something's coming… something big… something very powerful… something dangerous." Toph chose her words carefully, sensing a danger looming closer and closer.

"Is it Fire Nation?" Katara reached into a canteen she has strapped to her side, uncorking it quickly, she summoned the water out and wrapped it tightly into a whip like state.

"No, it's something different." Toph stomped on the ground once more, two large boulder few out.

As Toph predicted, a large figure began making it's way toward them. At first they could see his eyes clear as day through the dark night. As he came closer they could tell the figure indeed was big. As he came closer to them, the light fell onto him. He stood around eight feet tall, large stocky build, covered in pitch black plate mail. Heavy Iron Boots making a loud clang each time the figure came closer. Every thing on his body is covered with a pitch black Plate mail. His hands were the only part of his body not covered, instead he work black leather gloves over his hands. His face hid behind a full Helm with exception of his eyes, which were red and as visible as day. He stepped close enough that all could see him.

"Avatar… I want to play a game." A deep demonic male voice came forth from the figure.

He shot two large fire balls out from his fists in two quick strikes. Toph threw a bolder at him. The heat of the fire instantly melted the boulder into magma and splashed on the ground before becoming rock once again. A strong air current flew past, but he didn’t move an inch from his spot. Katara tried to toss several frozen disks at him, but each shattered harmlessly on his armor.

Appa charged forth, Sokka grabbed one of his reigns, even Momo latched on to give his hand. Appa tackled his opponent with all the force he could. But the villain held his ground and threw Appa away as if he was a small child. Sokka jumped off Appa before it was too late and began striking away at his armor. His attacks barely made a dent. Momo would latch onto his face and try scratching at his eyes, but he would send the Lemur on his way with the Flying Bison.

"Nice try!" The enemy kicked one of his massive feet at them and a small pillar of fire came forth.

Aang and Katara countered using a combination of Air and Water to stop his attack, then sent frozen shards ice at him. He raised one of his gauntlets to block and the ice shatters. Sokka seeing his opening threw his boomerang at him. It successfully landed hitting his chest. He stumbles back; Toph tosses two more boulder sized stones at him. Both break against his armor, however neither the stones or Sokkas' Boomerang could damage him.

Appa took this opportunity it get airborne, and not so airborne as he crashed their assailant. Appa bellowed as he tried to stand back up onto his feet, but the enemy underneath just kicked Appa off him as if he was a piece of trash. Appa landed hardly behind Aang and the others. He groaned in pain as he packed a kick.

“How can you do that to Appa?” Aang ran over with his bow staff ready to strike the enemy.

“How can I not? I’m Ni Ryuuakai!” Oku ran forward to meet the young Avatar.

Both exchanged fists, only to find a large amount of stone crushing Oku. He stopped moving long enough for Katara to bring an assault of Freezing Waves against him. Aang took this moment to create gale force winds to crush him into the stone. After several minutes of this intense assault, the children let up. Ni fell off the stone, but the moment he hit the stone, he was back on his feet with a pillar of fire surrounding him.

“Better luck next time!” He rose above the pillar and tossed several fireballs down.

Aang created an air scooter and tried moving Toph, Katara and Sokka away from the blats, however they were to fast and too destructive. They would find themselves weightless for several moments, then in a world of hurt as gravity took back over. The children were spread out over the immediate are, some further than others. Ni looked around and growled

“Soon young avatar…” His dark and evil voice died down as he would look around from the height to see where the avatar is.

-O-

Sokka was the first to recover from getting the wind knocked out of him. Ni was bent on destroying the avatar… if he could find him. His fireball assault had ceased.

“Katara… were are you?” Sokka would say as he wondered around looking for her.

He walked through the once lively forest, as it was scorched from the recent fire storm. His arm feeling as if was on fire. Sokka thought the fire had burnt him, but his arm was broken from the fall. He grounded his teeth trying to cope with the pain. He tore part of his shirt and created a make shift sling for his arm. The pain was so intense, several tears escaped from his eyes as he walked around looking for everyone. He would find Toph first. She lays unmoving as he saw her. He shook her arm several times.

“Wake up Toph.” He said trying to gently wake her.

Toph groaned as she woke up. Her she grabbed her head, almost crying. She didn’t want to show weakness to Sokka. She stood up slowly, holding her head as if it would fall apart without her hands.

“My head hurts so much.” Tophs’ eyes began letting droplets through.

“I know, but we got to find Aang and the others. We have to get out of here. If three people and a giant flying Bison can crush him, only to make him send out more fireballs, he has to be stronger than her looks. Let us get out of here.”

Sokka began walking away. He stopped after several steps as he heard someone falling down. He turned to see Toph on the ground,

‘What’s wrong Toph?” Sokka walked back over.

“I can’t see!” Toph began to pound on the ground.

“I’m aware you’re blind.” Sokka grabbed her hand with his one good arm.

“No, I can’t see ever with Earth bending! Are standing on sand or something?”

She reached around trying to feel if it was sand. However she would only grab ash, scorched earth and stones. Sokka tugged on her arm, she had no choice but to go on with him. Sokka would periodically look over to see if Ni was busy. Any time he would be to face their direction; he would duck down with her behind anything he could, a stone or the remains of a tree.

“Toph, how are you holding up?” Sokka asked taking some time to look at her head.

“I have a really bad head ache and I can’t see… how do you think I feel?” Toph blankly looked at Sokkas general direction.

“Better days huh? It could be worst as they say.” Sokka looked behind them once more.

“How can it be worst?” Toph blankly and emotionlessly said.

“I could be here.” Ni’s voice was heard.
Sokka looked behind to see Ni standing behind them, his armor barely dented by Appa and the boomerang. Sokkas face fell blue with fear. Toph stood up trying to earth bend anything she could, but the fire had scorched everything so bad, she couldn’t make even a pebble become her weapon. Sokka reached for his trusty boomerang… only to find it was MISSING!

“Drop something?” Ni chuckled as he thought about the boomerangs strikes.

He landed and quickly ran up to Sokka and with one head butt knocked him out. Sokkas body would land hard on the ground, unconscious. Toph stuck her fists up ready to attack at a moments notice.

“Are you afraid little girl?” Ni would walk around her, his heavy foot steps making noise.

“Not at all little boy.” She shot back with a grin on her face.

“You’re as blind as a bat child.” Ni quickly swiped at her hair.
She turned to figure out how he moved so quickly. She didn’t under stand, he was five feet away, making heavy stomps in front of her; yet he was able to sneak up behind her and swipe at her hair? It didn’t make any sense.

“You smell like a sweaty dead foot wrapped in pig bear bacon, but I’m not complaining.” She held her grin on tightly.

He swiped at her face, because she didn’t have the ability of sight, her other senses got stronger. Her ability to hear is one sense that is affected by the weakness of her sight. She ducked around his heavy fists with easy, and struck away at his chest, each hit sending vibrations through his body, every hit allowing her to see the enemy. The metal began to give in the area she was striking. Ni backed away before the army could become more hindered.

“Metal bending huh? I didn’t think a child like you would know such a advanced technique.” Ni began to pound away at the damaged area of his chest.

“A child? You’re one to talk! I’m not the one beating on his chest because he’s losing to a girl!” Toph spat at him; knowing he’d find that the act of disrespect.

“I’m not throwing a tempter a tempter tantrum. I’m beating the armor back into it’s original state!” Ni slammed his first once more, a loud crunched echoed.

As he finished, Toph could only wait as the scorched earth gave her no support to earth bend. His feet were came at her, but she found her self on the ground. The back of her head hit with a stiff fist. She could sense the vibrations of the fist. It didn’t belong to Ni…

-O-

Katara woke finding herself laying against some soft marshland. She checked herself for injuries, only a few minor cuts and bruises. She knew that she had to save her water incase someone else was seriously hurt. She got up and looked around, seeing in the distance the pillar of fire that Ni created. She chose to head towards it. She hoped she could find her brother and friends.

Slowly into the star lit night she walked. In her mind, she kept hoping to find any trace of her friends and family. Luck would be on her side as she found Momo, the Lemur that Ni threw away literally, cowering in some trees.

“Momo! It’s me! Katara! Come down here!” She waved her hand at him.
He cautiously looked out to see that she was alone. He wasn’t in no rush to come down. As he slowly climbed down the tree, she could tell he was very much frightened. She made several innocent calls at him, and it would help him come down and settle on her shoulder. He was shaking very much. She would keep a hand on him, to help keep him calm as they walked through the night. What seemed like hours of walking, she would hear something come from behind her.

“Are you lost girl?” She turned around to see that Ni somehow got behind her.

She looked over to see him still at the top of the pillar. She turned back, only to find him up in her face. One of his mighty hands wrapped around her neck and lifted her off the ground. She tried desperately to get out of his grasp and breath. She tried to summon water from her container, only to find it was empty!

“That’s not going to work. All your water spilled out.” His grip loosened only slightly

“But you’re back there!” She tried kicking his head, which did not help.

“Birds of a feather flock tougher girl.” He threw her to the ground.

Katara tried getting her breath back, but before she could stop coughing, he raised his fist and within several moments, she was knocked out. Her body laid on the ground, Momo staring in fear at the monster. He stared back at Momo. He would grab her body and sling her over his shoulder. Momo would be powerless to do anything, he remained cowering knowing he couldn’t help save her.

-O-

Aang landed gently on the ground. Thanks to his Bow Staff doubling as a Air Glider. He looked around and could see the pillar of fire was still burning brightly he looked up at it. He had a feeling he know this person in one of his past lives. Why would this person be come after him now? Aang set his glider back into the staff form and headed towards the fire. He knew he had to confront whoever that was before his friends would be killed.
Because of his air scooter Aang would quickly arrive to the pillar. Around the pillar he could see Toph, Sokka, Appa and Katara. However as he came near, two men in pitch black plate mail appeared before him. Both of them on one knee with a fist touching the ground. They looked at him, as Aang took his staff ready to strike; his anger grew at every passing moment.

“What have you done to my friends?” His eyes began to turn white along with the arrows on his body.

Neither of them said a word. He cracked a smirk and lifted his staff ready to attack. But he stopped as a third man stepped through the fire. He wore a long black cape with matching vestments, shirt, pants, boots, and gloves. His face however looked different from anyone he has seen before. His skin very fine and delicate blue eyes like a sapphire with crimson red lips and long blonde hair. He held a black obsidian staff in his right hand, at the top sat a giant ruby.

“Greetings avatar Aang, my name is Krucifix. You may call me Pema. You have not earned the right to call me by my Avatar name.” He sneered at Aang.

“There’s only one Avatar in this world and I’m him!” The winds began to pick up and started to swirl around him.

“Correct. I’m not from this world; I’m from a different realm. I want to play a game with you.” He raised his left hand out.

“If you choose not to participate Aang, you will suffer server consequences.” Katara’s body suddenly stood up and walked to his hand, her eyes did not open.

“I don’t play games with my friends Pema!” Aang raises his hand a Fireball began to form on his finger tips.

“I wouldn’t do anything!” He took his staff up.
In one motion he stabbed the ruby into the camp fire. It instantly burnt out. He placed the ruby next to Kataras’ throat.

“NO! DON’T HURT HER!” Aang suddenly stopped the winds, their surroundings came to stifling halt.

“Good. I can see you love this young woman. This will make the game interesting. You previous life; Avatar Kyoshi in particular knows this game.” He laughed manically as he finished his sentence.

Aang looked at the ground. His avatar state powers began to fade away. He placed his bow staff on the ground and bowed before Pema.

“What do you want me to do?” Aang spoke low with melancholy in his voice.

“I have five games. Step into the pillar and you’ll arrive at the first game. Complete all five games within the course of the night, and I’ll make it that this was all one nightmare. Fail… lets not talk about the bad shall we? I’ll just say that you will NEVER see any of them ever again.” Pema slammed his staff down and his servants picked up Sokka, Toph and Katara.
Appa laid resting but unconscious. Aang looked up, tears filling his eyes. He wiped them away, he didn’t want Pema to see him crying. He laughed at Aangs weakness.

“Lets go Avatar!” Pema raised his staff to the sky, with a lightning crack him and his servants were gone.

Aang stood up, he grabbed his bow staff and looked at the fire. The fire disappeared but a large crystal ball remained. He walked to the ball. Taking a deep breath he reached out to grab the ball.

“Please… Avatar Kyoshi… Avatar Roku please help me.” He touched the ball and instantly he was whisked away…

TO BE CONTINUED…

AUTHORS NOTE: I Have 3 more chapters written, they'll be up tomorrow. Look for [email protected] on fanfiction.net if you cannot wait.