Chapter One

It was a peaceful night.  Snow was lightly falling, as it always seemed to do in the Land of Water, but this time it seemed as if it took almost an hour before it just barely kissed the ground, giving the land around a silver coating.  One, by one Haku watched the snow drift down as his mother was in the kitchen preparing dinner. 

There was no reason as to believe this would be a life-changing night.  No dark omens had appeared, no dark shadow overcastting the home, in fact it was the opposite.  Haku was feeling calm and cheerful.

Getting up from kneeling down by the window he ran to see his mother who looked like she was almost done.  “Can I help you?” he asked with a smile

His mother gave a small laugh then a hug of appreciation, “Of course you can, here start to set the table.”  She handed him two bowls and continued dinner.

As Haku went to begin setting the table he noticed something outside, a group of people.  Getting closer to the window, he saw they all were fully equipped with only the finest of weapons.  In a panic, Haku ran to his mother.

“Mother, there are people outside,” he shouted

His mother set the food she was about to place on the table down, and then walked over to the window, seeing exactly as her son had seen only moments ago. 

Looking at his mother, waiting for instructions, he saw her eyes widen in panic.  “Haku, get to the back of the house and do not come out until I say it’s clear.”

Nodding, the boy ran to a storage room in the back of their house and took refuge under a shelf, carefully paying attention to his surroundings.  He could hear his mother walking around the house, pausing, and then starting to walk again.  It wasn’t until she reached the storage room and turned off the lighting he noticed what she was doing.  “Are we under attack?” Haku asked himself as his mother walked off again, “If so, for what?”

Before he had time to answer the question himself, he heard the door open violently, then a crash.  Standing completely still he heard voices, but couldn’t quite make it out.  Straining to listen, he was interrupted by the sound of many foot steps.  One set was going towards the back, going straight to the room he was in.

Just as he was sure that the person was about to open the door he heard a large thump followed by a loud voice, “There she is!” 

All of a sudden it seemed that there must have been at least a hundred people in the house, all running towards the person he knew to be his mother. 

Covering his ears and shutting his eyes, Haku tried to convince himself that it was all just a dream and that no one was really coming after him.  That he had merely fallen asleep next to the window and his mother would soon wake him for dinner, but the effort was futile, bodies were dropping, shuriken being thrown.  There was no point in pretending this wasn’t real.

In only a few minutes he heard another body drop then the fighting cease.  Immediately he felt relieved, sure of who had come out victorious.  Feeling no fear as the door slid open he expected to see his mother smiling at him, but instead saw a completely different face.

“Fa-father?” Haku backed up as his father among at least five other people walked into the room.

“Yes, now come out so we can kill you.” he said without emotion, “If you do not fight your death will be painless.”

Continuing backing up, Haku felt himself now against the cold, rough wall. “Why?” he felt himself start to cry, “What did I do?”

His father laughed.  “It’s not what you did,” he said darkly, “It’s what your mother did.  You should have known this would happen.  What you have is dangerous, Haku.  Better you and your mother dead then more people.”

Just as he ended the sentence ended his father advanced with full intent to kill.  Haku closed his eyes and heard something rise from the ground.