"We, the avatars, pick who we see fit for the next avatar. Many people believe we have picked at random, a baby born exactly at the time of the avatar's death. This, is in fact, very wrong. As the spirits of past avatars aided by Raava we float threw time and space when we leave our earthly body. In this time we see baby's being born and we read their hearts. We see what each one could do as the next avatar," The voices echoed through my body, the voices of all the avatars in the past, they all spoke as one as I meditated, "Avatar Korra was chosen for her fearlessness and her ability to go against tradition. In doing so she has begun to recover the lost air nation. But now she faces her greatest threat," I began to fill with worry as the voices grew more intense, "She is facing herself and her own demons along with a new and rising force. She needs us more than ever, but we have been severed from her. She needs a guide who can connect with us and who, as an individual, is already wise and helpful," The voices softened as they came to a conclusion, "Ila. She needs you."
"Ila, sweetheart. It's time to get up." I waved my arms in front of my face as I rolled over in my covers, "Five more minutes, mom." The word 'mom' stuck to my tongue and made me feel nauseas. I shot up quickly in bed my eyes peeled open to view my surroundings. The small hotel room was completely empty of anyone. The underground hotel smelled of manure and dirt, I'm almost positive it was created underneath the horrible sewer system of Ba Sing Se. No, my mother was not here to wake me up. She hadn't been in the last six years.
Making my bed slowly and gently I dreaded my trip to the spirit world. Whenever I dreamed of my mom Avatar Kyoshi knew and she worried about my mental state. I was needed to be in tip top shape if I was going to be any help for the avatar.
Getting on top of the small shikibuton, my hotel bed, I sat criss-crossed with my fists together. Closing my eyes I focused on my journey.
"So, you are suggesting I lie to get to Avatar Korra?" I said in almost disbelief as I stared at Aang, his ghostly blue form sitting in front of me as we shared a cup of "spiritual tea".
"It's only lying a little bit. You go to the temple she is currently residing at, claim you are a new airbender, and get trained at the same temple she currently lives at," He sipped a bit of his tea, "It's kind of true. You are a new airbender at least."
"Yeah, but I also can control earth. And with help from all of the past avatars I can basically control anything." I retorted with a scoff in my voice.
"Yes, but without our help you can only bend earth and air," He looked down at the floor and back up to me very quickly, "Hey! Wait! Don't change the subject. You know you need to meet Avatar Korra. It's been almost a year since we were separated from her. You have been trained in the way of spirits and contacting your," He paused to correct, "Her, past lives!"
It was midnight and I was miserably sick. My throat was scratched up from constantly coughing and my nose was going from being really runny to be completely congested. My mother always taught me to meditate when I felt sick because it would be like an out of body experience. You didn't think of wordly problems or needs and peace would overtake you.
So that's what I was doing, I sat outside on the roof of my small house in Ba Sing Se and meditated. The busy streets below of the lower ring held people who stayed out way past midnight, drinking away all their cares and the little money they had.
Nothing mattered to me though as I sat clearing my mind at the dark hours. Suddenly I felt like puking, and this kind of puking did not come from the illness. It was like my body suddenly was attacked by a great pressure and my eyes shot open from the impact.
No longer was I on top of my roof in Ba Sing Se. Now I was in a field of flowers that shined orange from the setting sun. Blue ghost like figures stood all around me and that's when they began to talk, "We, the avatars…"
My life changed after that day as I began to develop a second bending power, air. I had connected into the spirit world and the avatars of the past had latched onto my soul as they departed the real avatar, Korra. The air nation was to be rebuilt and I was to, not only, be a part of that but to also become something much bigger.
I am Ila. I am not an avatar. I am chosen to be the Avatar's guidance as she faces worldly threats and her own inner demons.