Fort Eusef was once a proud town enclosed in a wooden fort, just due south of Full Moon Bay. It was originally a military fort for a platoon of Earth Kingdom Soldiers, but in it's immense safety, the families of the soldiers, and eventually other immigrants, moved in, creating a small town within the walls. The platoon was still active, until late in the War when it was taken by Firebending soldiers. During the eclipse, the Fort was taken back by all the Earthbenders who submitted to Fire Nation Rule and helped the soldiers, in an effort to live until they could attack. In the fin al battle of the war, during Sozin's Comet's Pass, the soldiers returned and burnt the City to cinders.
THe only survivors were a small group of young boys who were spending the summer in the desert to learn advanced Sandbending from the tribes, who were more than eager to oblige once the kids proved they could drive a Sand Sailor. When they saw the smoke, they quickly returned home, to find a pile of cinders.
Athens returned to the site of the old fort. He kneeled at the wooden monument he and his friends made for the many, many dead people who died in the great fire. He said a quick prayer for them to the Fort's patron spirit, Iki Suro, and his eyes began to well up with tears.