The Chaos War
Chapter One: A Warning Too Late
Special Thanks to my Beta Reader Tetsu Deinonychus
Aang walked through the empty halls of the Southern Air Temple. He didn't know why but he felt drawn to the room of the statues of his past lives. When he entered the room he moved straight to the statue of Avatar Roku. As he stared into the statues eyes they began to glow and soon the whole statue was glowing as Avatar Roku's spirit stepped away from his statue and stood before Aang with a smile on his face, "Hello Aang" greeted Roku "I am very proud of you"
"Avatar Roku!" Aang yelled as he gave the man a hug which Roku returned.
"It is good to see you again Aang, but I have come with some troubling news" Roku stated and stepped back from Aang folding his hands across his chest and into his sleeves, "While you have begun to bring balance to the mortal world the spirit world is in great danger"
"Why is that Roku?" Aang asked with a puzzled expression on his face.
Roku let out a deep sigh and began, "As you know Aang one hundred years ago Sozin approached me and told me of how the Fire Nation should share its prosperity with the world by conquering it" Aang nodded his head after having watched Roku's memories he knew what Roku was talking about, "I have spent many years puzzling over my friend's rapid change and I have finally discovered the answer, Chaos"
"Chaos what's that?" Aang asked even more confused than he had been a second ago.
"Not a what Aang, but who" Roku replied calmly, however his eyes betrayed a deep fear which made Aang nervous, "There is a spirit deep in the heart of the spirit world who exists only to spread chaos and destruction, hence the name Chaos" Roku then turned his gaze skyward and seemed to be trying to find a place to begin finally after a few moments he looked back down to Aang and began, "Chaos has no need for a name but others have bestowed it upon him for convince, Chaos takes a twisted pleasure in what he does and his nearly unstoppable because he is one of the natural spirits that makes up existence, like Tui and La. It was Chaos who whispered in Sozin's dreams that started the war and with the end of the war should have been the end of his enjoyment I fear that it is not."
"Wait a minute if there is Chaos then there is Order too, wouldn't he balance out Chaos and with the end of the war be more powerful?" asked Aang.
"You are right Aang," Roku began with a smile, "however, something is wrong Order has become powerless I fear that this war is far from over and if it is not ended the world as you know it will be reduced to ash."
"What but how can I stop this I don't know what to do everything seems to be going well." Aang asked a note of panic in his voice.
Avatar Roku steeped forward drawing Aang to him in a fatherly hug saying, "I know you can do it Aang and I will be here to help you. Now while it would be inadvisable to destroy Chaos not to mention impossible it would be possible to weaken him thus allowing Order to regain his power and help you restore the balance."
"You can count on me Roku I won't let you down," Aang declared with pride turning to leave.
"Wait Aang" Roku called after him, "there is more I must tell you, first from here on out you must make your own decisions I have tried to see your path but all I have seen is darkness. Second trust no one but those you find with an unbroken or unburdened spirit. Third and final should you ever need me do not come to the spirit world, but meditate and call upon me and I shall come to you."
"Roku what do you mean unbroken or unburden spirit and how will I be able to tell?" Aang asked his confusion written all over his face.
"As the lion-turtle taught you the art of energy bending, it has also taught you how to search for the energy subconsciously. I expect that he too sensed that the balance was being destroyed and that you would need it." With that Avatar Roku reached out to Aang and made the same gestures that Aang had used when he used energy bending on Ozai. Aang then felt a surge of energy rush through him and when he opened his eyes he saw the world in shades of gray with small amounts of color such as, red, blue, green, yellow, black, and white. "Close your eyes Aang and think about seeing the world as you did before" he heard Roku's voice as if from a great distance.
When Aang opened his eyes again the color was back to normal. "What was that Roku?" Aang asked weakly realizing that he was lying on the floor and Roku was kneeling next to him.
"That Aang was the art of the energy benders a way to search for someone based upon their energy signature, unique to every person, no two are alike not even to twins." Roku stated, "The colors represent both alignment to each one of the four nations which is the dominant color and the secondary color represent their personality while the black and white represent yin and yang. Now obviously the two colors may be dominate but every person is also filled with subtler hues and to truly know the person you must make an effort to get to know them, however this will help you decide if you should get to know them or not."
"So I could tell who a person is really like and if they are loyal to their cause or another, because this lets me see into their hearts." Aang asked feeling his energy slowly being restored from his rest.
"Yes, but you will not be able to tell if they are lying you must be the judge of that also you will be able to tell who is a willing and unwilling slave to Chaos by how Chaos's and the persons energy signatures move together." Avatar Roku said as he helped Aang stand up and continued, "If it moves with theirs they are willing and if it overshadows theirs they are slaves, there is also a chance to find an agent of order as well both aware and unaware."
"The aware and unaware agents of order are they similar to the slaves of Chaos?" Aang wondered.
"Yes, and no Aang," Roku said understanding Aang's point of view, "There are people who try to better the lives of those around them who are the aware ones. Those that seek balance for reasons they can't discern but have made up their own reasons are unaware of their gift. They serve order like there are those who serve Chaos. For example my granddaughter Azula is one of the unaware agents of order."
Aang just stared at him as if Roku had just told him that Monk Clause(1) and the Summer Rabbit-Chicken(2) did not exist. "But, how is that possible if Azula represented anyone she should be a willing participant with Chaos, ah, no offense of course" Aang mumble poking his index fingers together remembering who Azula's great-grandfather was.
Avatar Roku just smiled down at Aang, "none taken Aang I know my granddaughter may not seem like the best person but she has always believed in control, perhaps because having a great deal of control makes her seem strong but I believe that she just needs someone she can be her true self around a kind and caring person."
Aang would have laughed if he thought that Avatar Roku was joking but judging by his expression he truly believed that his granddaughter was a truly good person, "Ah, Avatar Roku how do you know that she is as good as you say?" Aang asked and immediately wished he hadn't as Roku shot him an incredibly angry look and roared,
"You would judge yourself and me a liar, well?" Aang at first flinched back but remembering all that Azula had done he straightened his back and looked Roku straight in his eyes as he said with steel in his voice,
"Yes I do I've seen what she's capable of what makes you think I can trust her?"
"I am glad to hear that Aang, never forget to question yourself whenever you are at an impasse after all sometimes your greatest enemy is yourself. As for trusting Azula I will leave that up to you," Roku said a smile widening his face, he was proud of Aang for standing up for his beliefs, "Now the sun shall soon rise on the mortal world and you must rise up to meet this latest challenge and before you go a bit of good news to brighten your day. If they are not bound to one of the four elements a person can choose to bind themselves to one, but, remember children are easier to teach than adults and the element must be in their heart."
"Thank you Roku this means a lot to me," Aang said as he embraced the man which Avatar Roku returned. Just then there came a loud boom and chips of masonry fell away revealing an endless sea of darkness. Then there came a second boom and chunks of the temple fell away revealing more of the darkness. "Avatar Roku what's going on?" Aang cried out dodging the falling chunks.
Roku stood there a look of great sadness in his eyes, "it seems my warning came to late Chaos is on the move stay safe Aang." He called out as he faded away.
"Roku" Aang called out as a third boom sounded shattering the temple leaving a sea of nothing in every direction and to Aang's horror. The statues of the Avatar's began to fall like dominoes and the last thing she saw was Avatar Roku's statue falling towards him with tears pouring down its face. Aang shot up in bed as a loud resounding "crack" tore through his room at the Fire Nation Palace and the Imperial Guard rushed in to surround and immobilize him. As he lay there bound and surrounded, the Imperial Guard not holding him formed into two lines extending from the door to him as Zuko, Mai, Katara, Toph, Ty Lee, Sokka, Suki, and Iroh walked up to him their faces were grim and resolute none meeting his gaze. As they stopped in front of him Zuko stepped forward and stated,
"Avatar Aang you are hereby placed under arrest for the murder of the prisoner Ozai you are to be taken to Boiling Rock and placed in a maximum security cell until your trial." Aang's stared in Shock as the Imperial Guard rushed him out of the room unable to believe what had just happened.
Please Review, Reviews make me happy.
1 Monk Claus is the Avatar equivalent of Santa Clause. He lived many years ago and still does as a spirit and on the winter solstice rides through the air on his sky bison Randolph with his lemur helpers giving gifts and treats to all the good boys and girls.
2 Summer Rabbit-Chicken is the Avatar equivalent of the Easter Bunny. Since he is a big chicken he takes great care to never be seen and hides all the treats and gifts he leaves. He does this every summer solstice.