Katara finished her prayer to Ethna, her patron goddess, and lifted her head. She looked at the lifeless face of the goddess' statue. The goddess smiled back at her as if giving Katara encouragement. Ethna was dressed in a gown of white with a small bag at her waist. Legends said that she was the goddess of assassins and mercenaries, often posing as a human to kill evil people.

When Katara had chosen her patron at the age of 5, which every child was required to do on their birthday, she had no idea she had picked the most deadly of the goddesses. She had chosen her because of the kind smile and the secrets hidden behind the eyes. Once she had chosen her patron, she'd been called aside by the Elders.

"You have chosen a patron that no one has selected in centuries," one of the old men said.
Katara sat on the pillow in front of them and said, "Why? She looks so pretty and nice."

"Because Goddess Ethna is the most dangerous goddess out of any of the beings," a woman answered. "We don't put her with the others being chosen for patrons because of that fact. I don't know how she appeared with the others, but if you wish to choose another-"

"No," Katara said. "I like Ethna. I'm keeping her." She said it as if she were talking about a cute kitten she'd found. The Elders had nodded and then trained her for 13 years to steal, lie, and kill. Now, they gave her her first solo mission as she had come of age.

Katara stood up and looked at the dagger in her hand. The hilt was red with black binding and the butt of the weapon was adorned with the emblem of the Fire Nation. Her name was etched into the blade. Usually, a person would receive this type of knife when they became of age. But, in the Water village, the hilt would be blue and silver with the Water emblem at the end. She carried this knife, though, for her mission.

Katara closed her hand around the dagger. She bowed and said, "Ethna, my patron goddess, I ask that you protect and watch over me on this mission I am about to undertake." They were words she had uttered efore, bu she hoped Ethna was listening closely to this one.

With the prayer sent, Katara turned and left the small niche and waited by the large front doors for the elders to finish their prayers to the other gods. It always made her curious as to why the most dangerous of the gods would have the smallest area in the entire temple. Then again, Katara was the only one who had her as a patron, so the goddess didn't need that much room.

She didn't have to wait long. The doors opened and the Elders walked out of their prayer room. Katara knelt and bowed her head in respect. The men and women surrounded her.

"Katara of the Southern Water Tribe and daughter of Hakoda," a man said. "Your mission, that will mark your transition into womanhood, is to go to the Fire Nation and secure a position in the Royal guard. Your goal; to kill the Fire Lord Zuko, the enemy of our kind."

"You must succeed," said a woman, "In any way possible. Even if that means you must seducing him and kill him in bed."

Katara bowed her head even farther so her face was obscured by her hair. "I accept this mission and will succeed in the name of the Southern Water Tribe."