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Yang Chong Year of the Crab-Rabbit, Tenth Month

849 years before the Air Nomad Genocide

949 years before the defeat of Fire Lord Ozai

—

There were sounds.

The silent waterbender wasn't quite sure what he had expected to hear, or if he had expected to hear anything at all. Alone in the deep night, enclosed in a ring of light that reflected off his shivering skin and his heavy white breaths, he'd waited with gnawing terror for something to break his solitude.

And then there were the sounds.

The crunching of snow approached him, barely audible over a cold wind. Yet it was distinct, unmistakable. Something large that neared with even steps, invisible outside the boundaries of his feeble bone lamp. His breaths became ragged, the white misty puffs irregular, but his hands never left their place along his naked knees, his fingers curled into his palms.

With maddening patience, the crunching drew closer.

It was then that he heard the whispers, creeping above the wind as if an audience of hundreds watched him. They swirled with the snow drifts, dancing along the meager flame, unintelligible and haunting. As he was alone in the tundra, he knew no living person made those whispers—no living creature stalked the darkness. This was how he was sure that his summons had been answered.

How he knew the spirit had come.

The steps ceased just outside the firelight, and he thought that if he strained, he might make out the feet of his new companion. But hours in the cold, stripped of his clothing and all warmth except the oil lamp, had left his muscles frozen and uncooperative. So he sat quietly, his breaths following his teeth, chattering from a chill that wasn't completely due to the snow.

"You have called me." The voice was little more than the wind, but it gurgled and hissed, like water thrown on a hot stone. Something inhuman yet somehow forming human words, and he swallowed hard to staunch the tremor that crawled along his spine—to work spit back into his mouth.

"Yes. I have called you." He lifted his arm in jerks, showing that invisible spirit the thin, blood-encrusted line along the inside of his elbow. "I have requests."

"Need I ask what your request is?" Its voice distorted loudly, and he realized it was laughing. The wind picked up in response, yanking at his flame, and it was as if the darkness laughed at him, as well.

"There is someone who I cannot touch. Someone who stands in the way of something I want."

"I am no ordinary vengeance spirit, child. You would be wise to consider to whom you speak."

"I know exactly who I've summoned, and my request is not ordinary." It was with effort that he kept his voice strong, the tremble in his shoulders threatening his words. "I don't ask for vengeance."

The spirit was intrigued, though nothing in the darkness changed to indicate it. He could simply feel its curiosity. "Power, then? You seek to gain through another's downfall."

"It's for love."

The spirit's laughter bubbled through the night like froth, echoed by a hundred others. "For love. That's a rare request, indeed. Hardly any of my acts may be considered out of 'love.'"

"An ordinary spirit could accomplish what I want, but it'd be easily discovered." His body was numb, but his face felt on fire. Any slip—any sign of weakness—and he would certainly die. "I can't have anyone knowing what I've done. So I call on you. A great spirit such as yourself would never draw suspicion."

"Because they would never suspect one as weak as you could summon me?" He felt his stomach clench at the spirit's words, and his breath caught. "To be sure, I know just how weak you are, waterbender. My presence here is one of curiosity."

He had known it would come down to a battle of wills, but suddenly he didn't feel nearly so confident—so convinced of his success. Before this moment, there was the certainty that his need was strong enough to conquer any barriers. Now, he suspected that even with the most just cause behind him, he would have never dominated the spirit. Still, there was no turning back. He would have to coerce it into helping or risk its anger.

"I am simply a petitioner, great spirit, requesting your aid. It is your decision as to whether or not you will help."

"Give me the name of the one who impedes your 'love' and I will decide then."

He was prepared, lifting a small leather bag from the snow by its thong. This, he held over the flame, watching as the pelt smoldered and burned, the air filling with its acrid smoke. The wind sighed as the spirit breathed deep, and it gave a soft hum like shifting snow.

"The one you seek to harm is protected. He cannot be touched by any spirit."

"Perhaps no ordinary spirit," he said, making sure to keep his tone humble as he bowed his head. "But as you said, you are no mere vengeance spirit. You are one of retribution."

"And has this man done something for which he deserves such?"

"That is for you to judge."

The spirit's laugh was chilling. "Very well. At your request, I will bring 'judgment' to him." A hesitation. "That is, after I attend to more…immediate…matters."

He felt as if ice had slivered down his throat; the situation was quickly slipping out of his control. "I did not command you to—"

"You do not command me at all," the spirit interrupted sharply, its hissing voice filled with wrath. In response, the wind bit into his already numb flesh and stung his eyes. "As I said, you are too weak to control me. What I offer you is in payment for summoning me. And what you have now is a choice. Accept my offer," he could hear its derision, "or tempt my disappointment."

"Then it's not much of a choice at all." The contest was over even before it began. "Do what you will, as long as he is no longer in my way."

"Trust in me, waterbender." The spirit's voice abruptly grew hollow, as if disappearing into a cave. "You will have what you ask."

The wind howled around him and snuffed his candle out.

A/N: A few things: first, this is an OC story, if you can't tell from the timeline. There are a few canon characters, and certainly, all of the places are canonical themselves (if just a bit different due to a millenium of change). But the main characters are OCs, based on an offhanded reference to a previous Avatar made in the show.

Second, I have a beta! I'm delighted to announce that Inazuma Akai has so kindly agreed to beta this fic. She'll be a huge asset in making sure the plot doesn't meander, and that my characters don't suck. Betaing takes a lot of time and commitment, and frequently the story is just as good as the beta. So if you like this story, definitely check out hers.