Summary of the 1st Arc: Boyhood.
(Prologue 'Not All Heroes are Sung' ~ Chapter IV: A Love that Cannot Be)
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A woman attempts to flee the Gulf of Misra in the Caliphate of Camarilla with a child, an act that the Caliph himself has forbidden for 13 days. Yet she manages to put her baby in a basket and send him across the Middle Sea before she is captured. She named her son "Hadi" (means Leader / Guide) after the man who helped him escape. She left a necklace with his name written in her language.
Hadi has a strange connection with Spirits and they save him from drowning. They deliver him to the cares of the Duke and Duchess De Sforza, who had no children at that moment. "Verano" is the name that they give Hadi.
Verano is raised with the uptight Marzia and the lazy Arnaud Jr. Their father is rough and often uses physical threats to incentivize their children to mature and follow rules. As an upset for everyone in the Duchy, Verano discovers his capacity to bend Fire (unlikely for a boy with no physical traits of the land) as he defends his brother Arnaud from his father.
Years pass and King Heinrich of Aarchen, the ruler of the Kingdom of Aarchen to which the Duchy De Sforza belongs, is gathering an army to go defend the King of Alba from the vicious Northmen, waterbending Sea Raiders. King Heinrich hopes to conquer the vote from the King of Alba so he becomes Emperor of the Holy Flame someday and unites all Fire Kingdoms to expel the Caliphate of Camarilla off the continent.
Arnaud Jr and Verano show excitement with the idea of discovering new lands and adventuring but Marzia doesn't allow them to go. Verano discovers that they are her only friends and she even confesses to have deeper feelings for Verano than those of friendship. Yet a possible relationship is a taboo since they were both raised as siblings. Marzia gives Verano the sword MAV (Marzia-Arnaud-Verano) as his 17th birthday gift and asks him to promisse her that he'll come back by the first snow.
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As Verano and Arnaud depart to the north in search of adventure, the Duke sees his sons' naiveté with contempt:
"They are walking into hell with smiles on their faces."
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Summary of the 2nd Arc: Journey
(Chapter V: When the Heart Lies ~ Chapter VIII: The Avatar Awakens)
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Verano, Arnaud and King Heinrich's host's journey to the North begins as they save a village by befriending Candorra, an odd Airbending musician. They also befriend Giovanni: a young boy without any powers besides his talent as an engineer.
Candorra, being a passionate musician, starts an avalanche as she plays her instrument when the group is crossing a dangerous valley. Arnaud, Candorra and Verano fall into a precipice but are saved at the last moment by Johann Martel, a legendary blind Firebender capable of feeling the heat in people's hearts so that he knows their desires.
In the depths of the precipice, Verano discovers that a complex modern civilization existed before the Spirits took over the world.
The gang reaches Alba and are charged with the job of protecting King William of Alba during a trip. Yet Verano discovers that King William of Alba is actually a puppet king whose life is controlled by King Heinrich of Aachen. Verano feels cheated as he was promissed that this expedition would be to protect people, not to hold a King and his people as hostages. Verano plans to escape with Arnaud but the Northmen, dangerous waterbending Sea Raiders, arrive at Alba and a huge battle ensues.
Arnaud and Verano engage an extremely powerful Waterbender whose water heals his wounds far faster than the brothers are capable to inflict damage. The Waterbender is about to kill Arnaud and Verano recalls his memories from home. Rage fuels him and he taps on the power of the Avatar State for the first time. He beats the Waterbender and falls into the temptation of taking his enemy's life.
Verano passes out and soon discovers that he killed the brother of Queen Thyra, sovereign of the Western Tribe of the North Sea. She decides to bring him to the North and a new periculous journey begins.