Dinner was ready and the sun had set but Karkat was nowhere to be found. Terezi and Rose had begun to worry. Dave said something about not needing to worry because the stubborn boy could just be brooding in the forest again but even Dirk felt uneasy for some reason. The four ended up heading into the forest to call out to the young Avatar. No response was given. He wasn't at the flower field or any other spots he was found at before. He couldn't have possibly gone deeper could he?

Terezi had enough of wandering around aimlessly in the dark and took off her shoes to see if the earth could tell her where he was. She closed her eyes and stood quietly. Unfortunately there were no signs of any other people nearby aside from them, but she did find some odd footprints somewhere. The group followed her and saw signs of battle in a small area. Slashed trees and a few burn marks were found on the ground. It looked like Karkat was attacked while he was heading back. The burns marks were cold so the battle had happened a while ago already. Terezi cursed to herself for not sensing anything. She was too preoccupied with chatting with the Striders as soon as she got back.

"But who would even attack him? Wasn't he secluded in the North Pole all this time? No one should know who he is right?" Dave questioned.

"He may have more enemies than I thought. I was just joking around when I said that," Terezi stated as they continued walking deeper into the forest.

Rose frowned as she thought to herself, "There shouldn't be anyone. We've barely told anyone we know ourselves of Karkat's situation."

"Shouldn't we call those White Lotus guards for this?" Dirk suggested, "If he's really in trouble they should take over right."

"Karkat wouldn't like that. If they know he's in danger they would never leave him alone for training. He could be lost after running away from whoever attacked him."

"But why would fire benders attack him?" Dave wondered.

"I don't think fire benders attacked him. I think he was the one doing fire bending," the special ops commander pointed out, "Rose does Karkat know how to suck water out of plants or something like that yet? I know he didn't have any water on him."

"No he does not. We lived surrounded by water and ice so there was never any need to learn that until now."

"That's what I thought. He was attacked by water benders then because there were a couple of dead trees and flowers randomly at that area."

"It's probably best to say they aren't tourists then," the group continued to look with more determination. After a couple more minutes Dirk stopped Dave as he was looking towards the mountain.

"Hey remember the legend?"

"That crap about the witch?"

"Yeah remember how it turned out it was just some crazy old water bending lady who could blood bend and had a thing against fire nation citizens way back and hid them under the mountain?"

Dave looked at his brother then at the mountain in realization, "Now if I was some evil water bender and I wanted to kidnap the Avatar that is definitely a place I would go."

"Girls I think I know where he was taken!" Dirk called out to them as the brothers began to run ahead.

The girls swiftly followed.

They soon reached the mountain side and Dirk placed a hand on the large wall of rock. After concentrating a bit he ran to the side and pushed aside some bushes where he found an entrance. The group looked at each other for a second before they all filed in.

"Are you sure it's him?"

A whisper stirred the boy.

"Yes we have been watching him for the past few days. Although he doesn't know all the elements yet. We have confirmed he can bend water and fire even if he hasn't mastered them yet."

Karkat stayed still and tried to make sense of his surroundings.

"So he just began to learn the useless element."

He was lying down probably on a bed. It wasn't uncomfortable. He shifted ever so slightly so that it would go unnoticed. He wasn't bound in any way so that meant he could get up and run freely.

"It's no matter. We will talk sense into him and he will see our ways. His joining of us shall aid us greatly."

Slowly he opened his eyes just a crack to see if he could scan the area. Right in front of him a person sat and stared at his face at a very close distance. It startled him making him open his eyes open wide and sit up quickly.

"He's awake!" the masked person in front of him called out. Karkat immediately jumped up and took a ready stance for fire bending. The masked person immediately held their hands up in defense, "Whoa there. Don't worry we're not gonna hurt you or anything. We didn't even tie you up or anything man."

The Avatar kept his defensive position as more of those dark clothed people entered the room. Quickly scanning around it looked like where they entered was the only entrance and the room looked like it was made out of a cave. If only he had learned earth bending first.

"Hello Avatar. There is no need to worry," a woman walked up near his bed and he pressed his back against the wall still holding his stance, "We only wish to speak with you."

"Oh sure you do. Let's knock me out and drag me away to some dark ass place. That's not suspicious at all. I'm just some fire nation resident where the hell do you get off on calling me the Avatar," no one should have known.

"We've been watching you for a little while now and we have seen you bend more than one element."

"Yeah that's definitely helping you get me to trust you sick as fuck stalkers. Your outfits don't exactly scream safe outstanding citizens either."

The woman let out a light chuckle. The one who had sat in the chair staring at him got up and let the woman sit down, "Let me explain from the beginning and introduce ourselves. We are the Sovereignty."

"That's all I need to hear. You guys are a fucking cult aren't you? I want no part in this so fuck off and let me go before I have to force my way out," Karkat pulled his arm back ready for a fire punch and the rest of the people in the room held their hands up in defense and stepped back.

"Please just hear us out first at least before you make your decision," the woman calmly attempted to reason with him, "I can have them leave the room if you'd like as well."

"But M'Lady-" one of her grunts spoke out but she stopped him and then shooed the rest out of the room. They reluctantly obeyed.

"Is that better?"

Karkat lowered his stance and slowly sat back down onto the bed but made sure to stay on guard, "You know decent people would have just walked up and asked for a chat instead of kidnapping."

"I apologize for the barbaric actions we had to take but it was the only way. We don't want other people hearing that you're the Avatar. You're keeping that a secret for now right? If we had suddenly gone up to you knowing that you were the Avatar you would have found us suspicious anyways. Plus you look the type to not wait for an explanation before resorting to violent methods like you almost did just now."

"Just make your explanation quick. The longer you keep dodging things the more you're pissing me off. Don't tell me you're the witch of the mountain."

"Witch of the mountain," a small smile appeared on her face when she realized, "Oh no. I have nothing to do with that old folk tale. It was just a coincidence."

Karkat gave her an unbelieving glare.

"Well anyways onto the point. I said that we are the Sovereignty. A group of people who wish to put the right to this world. We have two objectives and once we accomplish them the world will be as it should be."

The Avatar was beginning to feel uneasy. He could practically tell where this was going, "And what are these two objectives?"

"I'll tell you the second one first. It is to rekindle this world's connection with the spirit world. Bending is dwindling. Our only connection to the spirit world is our bending and if that disappears then we would be lost from the spirits forever and our world would fall to ruin. So we are also looking for children as well with potential to help them become masters of their elements."

"And what's the first objective?"

"To rid the world of fire benders," her smile grew a fraction, "You see, fire is the only unnatural element in this world. There is no reason for us to have it. It only causes destruction. It gives us no connection with the spirit world either. If there were no fire benders then the war where the fire nation almost took over wouldn't have happened. We won't kill them of course. We'll only take their powers. You see I have a special skill unlike the others. I can take bending away from those not worthy and that is how I will eradicate the dangerous fire benders."

"You're insane," Karkat stood up again and hopped off of the bed, "I've heard enough I'm out of here."

"No please understand Avatar. You would be of great assist to us," the woman stood up in front of him, "Don't you see? The world is collapsing. Those cursed foreigners are breaking our connection with the spirit world as well and with fire benders around there is bound to be more wars in the future. We are trying to make the world a better place."

He took a step back when she stepped forward, "Are you saying you should get rid of the foreigners too?"

"We will only try to halt their advances in the technology that is destroying our world but if they resist that is what we may have to resort to. It is only a small sacrifice we would have to make to bring the world back to what it should be."

"Fire is just as needed as the other elements. Getting rid of it would upset the balance are you nuts? Fire Nation people aren't the only ones that like to take over the world. There just happens to be a bad apple from time to time in each nation. And the foreigners aren't doing anything wrong. We're just adapting together in our lifestyles and there's nothing wrong with that!" Karkat countered.

"I think you should stay young Avatar. You are still inexperienced, too naïve, the world is not as simple as you believe. It will take work but we will fix this world. There is no need for you to learn that dangerous element either. We will help you understand," she reached out a hand towards him and he smacked it away.

"Fuck that you psychopath! Don't touch me!"

"We've already begun our purge of the fire benders. We rid of them from this island and a few others in the past year. We are making the world a better place."

Karkat stepped back and leaned against the wall. This lady was definitely insane. She stayed calm with him and continued to smile which just creeped him out even more.

"My Lady!" a member of her group entered the room in a hurry, "We have been found! There are four attacking us. Two are powerful benders and the other two are very experienced swordsmen!"

A figure flew into the informant and knocked him into the room. Dave walked in with his sword in his hand gripped tight. He wasn't calm as Karkat expected him to be. The boy looked angry as he immediately ran in and swung at the woman.

"GIVE IT BACK!" Dave shouted.

"Oh my you must have been one of the residents we swept from our visit a year ago," the woman chuckled as she easily dodged. Karkat blinked in confusion before the wall behind him suddenly disappeared. Terezi was there instead to catch him.

"Dave! I got him! Time to go!"

"No! Not until she returns what she stole!" Dave swung furiously at her.

The woman giggled as she continued to dodge and began to water bend to halt his sword, "Child I have already told you that you have no need for it. Look how well you already fight without it. It would just cause more destruction if you had it."

"SHUT UP AND RETURN IT!"

The woman just shook her head.

"Dave! My men are on their way right now! See if you can capture her!"

"Oh now that won't do. I still have so much I need to do," the woman looked at Karkat, "Unfortunately it appears that I must go now and leave you behind but I hope you will think over what I have said. We will come back for you later and have you join us."

The ground suddenly opened under her and she fell through before the earth quickly moved back closing the hole. Dave stabbed at the area with his sword just as it closed. Terezi dashed over and tried to reopen it but the hole was already completely gone.

"Dammit her group is full of earth and water benders. I'll go and see if I can get her," Terezi ran towards the tunnel she had created into the room and left. Karkat stood there looking at the distraught and frustrated boy who held onto the handle of his blade with rage.

"Dave," Karkat slowly approached him and the boy appeared to relax a little. Karkat decided to ask the question that had been on his mind for a while now. He wanted to know the reason why he hadn't seen Dave bend fire at all since his arrival, why the boy wouldn't show him an example when asked, why the boy desperately fought against that woman. He had expected his character to be quite the show off yet he had never him create any flames before. The fire nation boy appeared to expect the question and waited, "Dave is your fire bending gone?"

"Yeah," he answered casually as he pulled his sword out of the ground and sheathed it, "That woman, the second in command of the Sovereignty, Raine. She took my bending away last year. She took it away from all the fire benders from this island."