Book One
Air
Chapter One
Airbenders
It wasn't the time, although I can't tell when would be better. I know Aang and Zuko have been trying to establish the idea of Republic City with the new coming peace, but I can still feel Aang's struggle. All of his blood racing and worries solid on his shoulders.
I have never met Aang in this life but I find myself connected to him somehow. Removing Fire Lord Ozai's bending, ending the 100 year war and restoring the long forgotten air temples in the western, eastern and southern areas.
I was born on one of the islands of the southern air nomads, north of the temple. During the war, as everyone had told Aang, all of the airbenders had been wiped out by the fire nation. I was saved but I cannot tell you how. I woke up in an empty air village and went to the southern air temple hoping to find the old masters. Anyone. Everyone was gone.
It's something so strange to see, as if the avatar himself had put his arms over the entire country and took everyone all at once but I know it wasn't the case.
I was only 7 years old at the time, 2 years younger than Aang. From that point on I was alone. I meditated, trained in my Bagua. I dreamt of Aang and I wished to met him. To met someone like me, maybe someone who can make home feel like home again. But everytime I meditated it all lead back to Aang. I see Sokkas face, feel Toph's punches, I even know how stubborn Katara is when Aang wants to take Appa out of their city just for a ride. What does this all mean though? I see them with clarity and it even pains me to watch without being able to understand. I'm not even able to completely understand why I see no other airbenders. Meditating, calling on the ansectors, nothing works. I flew on my glider for days scouting the southern temple, I've been up to the northern western and eastern temples but they remain all the same. Hollow, empty, not even winds blowing from the trees nearby. I saw no airbenders, I feel no airbenders other than Aang.
Are Aang and I the only ones left?
I shivered at the thought. Cross-legged I sat in the middle trigram painted on the floor, chipped and faded by time and benders scuffling feet. I felt a heaviness in my thoat and my face grew hot. My eyes closed tight, my mind wondered,
"Aang, I know you're upset, and I know how hard it is to lose the people you love! I went through the same thing when I lost my mom! Monk Gyatso and the other airbenders may be gone, but you still have a family! Sokka and I, we're your family now!"
My eyes still closed, I took a sharp breath. I could see bright blue arrows and Aang's eyes, strained with hot blue stretching out and I see Katara's hand reaching for him.
"I'm sorry." It was Aangs voice. The heat that I felt faded and Aang's state melted along with it. "But you were right. And if firebenders found this temple, that means they found the other ones too...I really am the last airbender..."
My eyes shot open. My head still throbbing as I can see Katara holding Aang in her arms. I could see Sokka behind them. His family, ensuring his safety, his sanity. I burst out in tears. 'The last airbender' My legs remained crossed, my chest tight, thick tears running down my face and onto my robes. Aang felt just as alone as I do.
"So I really am alone." I said outloud to myself, "I've got to find Aang." I looked down at my wet pants, the scuffed paint on the trigram and I thought, "It's not the time." Tears continued to fall and I did nothing to stop them.