Hi, I would just like a minute to make a few points before I start to help any readers to better understand the story I am trying to create.
Firstly, The story takes place At the BEGINNING of the final episode, Avatar Aang. With Sokka and Toph on the roof of the airship. Also Even though there is no way to see if Aang's reconnection with the Avatar state from the rock hitting his scar happened at the same time as this, I have decided that for the sake of drama in the opening of this story, it has : I have gone a very dramatic path with this story which is a change for me, however I decided I wanted to try and stir up some emotions.
Secondly, I have nothing against Katara + Aang, I just felt that I liked Toph + Aang a whole lot more, more appropriate, opposites attract, whatever it is, Its going to be Taang insinuating in this story, a lot. I am also aware of their ages but if the creators of the show can try and pair Katara with Aang and Toph with romantic feelings towards Sokka, I can get away with this. ;)
Thirdly, if you see any of the horizontal lines breaking apart paragraphs, this generally means a switch in character perspective, or focusing on a different character's events. Just something to help both you and I keep on track of what is happening with who :P
I have kept the story as M rated because I do not want to be limited to anything during my writing, if I have an idea, I want to be able to write it, whether it is an extravagant scene or some little detail which I need the M rating for to continue my story.
Finally, I do not own Avatar or any of it's characters etc. etc. etc., and this is my very first fanfic, so I am open to criticism by all means, just no troll criticism :P. Let's get started. Hope you enjoy.
Chapter One: Sinking Stone
She could feel the immense vibrations rippled through the core of the airship's hull beneath them from every airship they collided with on their arcing sweep.
She could feel the flames licking and scorching the loose strands of hair that flailed behind her as she was dragged away from the aggravated source.
She could feel him leap with her in tow as he drove his sword into the hull in a desperate attempt to halt their fall, and she could feel herself plummeting when his sword lost it's hook in the metal and slipped out.
The only thing she couldn't feel, was his fingers reaching for hers as she fell.
and fell, and fell.
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
Through the slight crack of the mound of earth holding him down, Aang could see his enemy, the same as before, but this time, the Avatar held no fear in his eyes, his glowing sky eyes. His hand shot out with deadly precision and latched onto the man's hanging beard, pulling himself up with it's support from beneath the rocks. A look of panic shimmered across the aged man's face in front of him, before his mindless fury took control again, sending a palm arcing for the flesh of his neck.
The focus of the young boys eyes did not shift even an inch, for he had no need to panic any more, it was as if the Fire Lord was fighting in slow motion, and as his hand brushed aside the incoming hand as if he were swatting a light breeze on the air. As the corner of his focus caught the glare of a pillar of flames to his left, the newly reinvigorated Avatar focused on bending the air currents surrounding the pillar down to him, and unleashed it chaotically into the chest of the shocked Fire Lord, sending him barrelling with such force that he instantly collapsed for breath, after leaving a man-sized imprint in the rock he had smashed into.
As the most powerful being in the world looked down at the coughing frame in the distance before him, he felt his fists tighten as if they no longer belonged to his, he willed them to stop, this was not the way he had wanted it to end, but the hatred in his hands said otherwise, as each muscle contracted out of mourning for every soul this monster in front of him had removed from existence. His fingers darted out suddenly and he felt his arm being lifted above his head, fingers extended, feeling the coursing wind whipping into a thin, substantial layer, which came down with the descent of it's wielders scythed fingers, hunting for it's target, gladly willing to end it's disgraceful life, the arrows patterned across his body glowing with an unworldly demand for vengeance.
...And then flared in shock as the ears of their host perked up, and what they heard left a look of worry and panic across his illuminated face.
A panic-stricken "AAAHHHHHH" screamed somewhere above him, the blind girl's tone of voice unmistakable from her mouth as she plummeted to the ground, her arms flailing wildly in front of her, desperately trying to discover how to cease her descent. The onslaught of wind ripping the shrill cries from her and carrying it across the wind, to the still alert ears and turning head of the shirtless monk in the valley below.
Hearing the voice of the blind earthbender triggered enough of his conscience to restore a portion of control to the glowing boy, As his own voice howled against the wind whipping everywhere around him
"Toph, NO!"
He moved his foot to the left, and felt a vast and unnatural resistance, as if a wall were blocking him from moving his stance further. His body frozen and shaking against itself, a drop of sweat rolling down the side of his cheek, and time seemed to slow to a halt around him, his gaze locked onto the empty space between the despicable Fire Lord, and the falling earthbender.
"I need to save her, I can't let her die!" He screamed at the void around him, needing to put an identity to the forces stopping him.
You are the Avatar young monk, and you must tend to the needs of the world, before the needs of the few. Finish your duty. The void replied, his mind hearing every word with crystal clarity. His head tilted awkwardly an inch towards the Fire Lord, still on his knees panting at the floor, he may never get another shot like this, he could easily just finish it right now and risk no chances, you can finally end all the suffering right here. It is your duty, it is the purpose of your training, it is your destiny, you MUST redeem me now Aang, deliver the fatal blow.
Drops of sweat now cascaded freely down from his crown, creating jagged lines of water as they fell, his shaking causing them to move more like lightning down his face than clear straightened trails.
"To hell with my duty, the world isn't worth living in if it is without the people I care about!" He roared defiantly, his back straightening, and his foot gaining a centimetre of ground further to his left.
You must learn to let her go Aang, to let go of all the people that bind you to this world.
His whole form shook with tremors, his mind's eye seeing two visions in the same sight, on one the Fire Lord vulnerable and defenceless in front of him. On the other...
His teeth clenched, a look of defiant anger seizing his features as the wind blade under his control dispersed, then renewed itself underneath him in a viscous spiral, then lashing out under the sole of his feet, rocketing him into the air towards the voice of the shrieking. The wind resistance bellowing against him, louder than the screams he desperately hoped would not suddenly end.
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
As a certain female warrior held onto the ropes of an airship, a gust of wind to the side of her made her twist her neck to left to right so quickly she winced from the pain, seeing only a cylinder of air trailing a blur shoot past her sight below, she audibly gasped at the spectacle before a monstrous thunderclap reached her ears, then faded alongside the blur leading it.
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
The glowing blur navigated the onslaught of rock pillars with supernatural precision, it was as if he had known the layout perfectly all his life. His senses went on overload when he heard a scream louder than the others, his gaze naturally focusing higher above him to pinpoint the location of it's source, his eyes widening when he saw the reason he could hear it so loud. Sheer determination enveloped his face as he redoubled the efforts of his airbending behind him, willing the air currents to push themselves faster still, His mind plotted the only course he could take to reach her in time, he drew a calm, but also urgent breath as he extended his palm in front of him, and crashed into the stone pillar in front of him.
A split second later reappearing on the other side, a perfect hole to fit his form remaining in the rock, he crashed through several in his path, no longer having the time to weave around them, even with his ferocious speed. He could now see the figure in front of him, roaring with the strain he bent his leg, then pushed with all the force he could muster at the young earthbender, never taking his sight off her as his gaze trailed downward.
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
Toph knew instantly what had happened, and what was going to happen, her body panicked for it's own survival, trying so hard to form an idea to remain unharmed as the rush of wind told her the earth, her beloved earth, was coming closer and closer to her. However her mind had already come to terms with what was going to happen, Sokka and Suki were on the airship above her, Katara and Zuko were miles from her, and even twinkletoes was most likely under pressure from the Fire Lord right now, he would never even realize she was about to leave them all.
Her mind wandered purposely through the memories of her life, praising and regretting the things she had done, the things she had not done, and the things she had planned to do after today. She regretted leaving her parents so forcefully, she had probably broke their hearts when she just suddenly got up and fled their care after so long. She regretted her fights with Katara when she was only trying to look out for everyone in the group, and Toph had no right to yell at her the way she did at someone who took on such a burdensome role. But mostly she regretted standing by and pretending to hear and sense nothing as Twinkletoes' heartbeat raced every time Katara was near him. She was the greatest earthbender of all time, the champion of Earth Rumble 6, and the only metalbender in the known world, and yet she couldn't even put up a fight for the attention of the monk who had saved her from her life, she just stayed hidden behind her rock and frowned into her knees. Hanging her head in shame of herself, of her cowardice to even just talk alone to the airbender. A tear formed at the edge of her emerald eye, before being ripped from her by the fierce wing coursing around her form. She screamed instinctively a final time, then forced herself to close her eyes, and leave the world with dignity and bravery, picturing the serene look Twinkletoes, Aang, had when he was meditating. And her mouth curled inwards as her face melded to match the vision in her mind.
Her highly tuned hearing was still attached to the physical world though, as her ears pricked up at the sound of rocks being shattered to her right, another, then another, then another. The cracking sound of rock being destroyed every split second, the feeling of dread reinstating itself when she realized that the sounds were directly horizontal to her, she was close to the ground. Her features grimaced as she steeled herself for the inevitable clash, no longer caring about the sounds. In this free-fall, she truly couldn't see or feel anything. Her eyes closed from the rush of air. And for once in her life, she was truly afraid of the constant darkness all around her.