Princess Kamui Leiheng

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Long ago, in the lands known as the Four Nations, there lived Benkei, a criminal and killer of no bending skill.  Once while out in the Fire Nation Capital, Benkei attempted to steal from an old man, and killed him, marking his 1000th kill.  Upon fleeing to his hideout on Ember Island, while he dreamt of his riches and victories, F'yr, the God of Fire, visited him, waking Benkei from his slumber.  Angered at Benkei's evil actions and murderous ways, F'yr told him to prove his piety and redeem himself, he must travel the Four Nations and battle 1000 different men, and return to the Fire Nation with all 1000 blades before his death, lest F'yr condemn him to purgatory and torture for all eternity.  Benkei then left behind his criminal ways in order to become a swordsman, taking only his father's sword, the one he used to kill a thousand men.  Benkei continually travelled each of the Nations for almost 40 years, and had collected 999 swords by the age of 70.  Old, but still strong, Benkei searched far and wide for someone who would battle him, but no one agreed, as they feared he was too old, or too strong to defeat.

Saddened by this, Benkei becomes a hermit outside of Ba Sing Se, disheartened and frustrated that he could not collect them all soon and awaited the day that F'yr would return to drag him to purgatory and torture, and resigned himself to fate.  However, Benkei is soon visited by a mysterious ronin, who arrived clad in crimson armour befitting a king.  The ronin tells Benkei that he challenges him to an Honour Duel.  Seeing this as his last chance for glory, Benkei battles the crimson soldier, but loses.  Upon defeat, the crimson ronin asks Benkei, "Why do you do this, old man? Why do you fight and collect these swords?  You are old, and you are frail, you should live, and marry, and have children and be happy."Benkei smiled sadly, and replied, "I am but a criminal, a murderer humbled by the mercy of F'yr.  You see, I was commanded by the great god to wash the blood from my hands by collecting one sword for every man I killed.  I was tasked to get 1000 swords before my death, and so I did as I was bid.  In 40 years I collected all swords but one, and by that time I had become too old or too strong in the eyes of my opponents to be battled.  So I exiled myself here waiting till my death, where I could face my fate at the hands of F'yr's punishment.  When you came to me. I saw my chance to redeem myself, but I suppose I am too old, and so I lost."

The ronin, saddened and touched by the man's story, granted him one wish, anything that Benkei desired the ronin would do for him in compensation for the swords.  The ronin revealed himself to be a rich noble, close to the king, and could pay him lots of money.  Benkei declined.  The ronin said that he could get an official pardon from the Fire Nation for his crimes, as he was the nephew of a Fire Nation official.  Again, Benkei declined.  The ronin, finally offered his sister, a beautiful young girl which Benkei could produce children with to carry on his family line.  Again, saddened, with tears, Benkei declined.  "What is it you want then?" asked the ronin, bewildered at Benkei's refusal of these generous offers.

Smiling, Benkei simply said, "I want my sword.  My first sword.  It belonged to my father, and it was the blade I used to commit my crimes, but also the blade I used to win my duels through all these years."  The ronin was confused, and asked Benkei why he wanted this sword more than a beautiful young bride, or all the wealth he could imagine, or even a political pardon.  Still smiling, Benkei said, "I wish to use this blade to start over, and regain another thousand blades before my death."

At that moment, the crimson ronin disappeared, and was replaced by the God F'yr.  Smiling, the God of Fire looked down at the old man, and said, "You are a virtuous man.  You repented your sins, and even after you failed, and were given all of these choices that could have saved you in life, you chose, instead, to head to my bidding and continue from the beginning, your quest.  You proved your piety and loyalty to me.  And so, I pardon you amongst the gods.  Take my hand, Benkei." In tears from his joy, Benkei took the god's hand, and upon touching his holy fingers, was transported to F'yr's Palace on the Sun, where Benkei was given a position of honour and pride as the Spirit of Swordsmen and Swordsmiths, and is still worshiped and respected to this day.