A/N -- So this is my first avatar fanfiction. I'm aware that there are, infact, only 7 real chakras. Please keep in mind this is a fanfiction and not, you know, an encyclopedic definition. It's an idea I've had for a while now, and one I hope to finish.
Anyways, enjoy! xD

Part one: the 8th chakra

Prologue

"Oh dear."

Guru Pathik combed his fingers through his beard with worry. Slowly pacing in thought, he paused, making his way back to the center of the circled platform. Swiftly sitting down, the Guru placed his hands together and closed his eyes and began to meditate. He entered a trance and, like a spirit, wound his way throughout the world in search of confirmation. Finding his answer, he sighed deeply. Pathik looked into the dark sky, as the cosmos winked and swirled throughout the night. He smiled.

"The Avatar lives."

--

A dark silence surrounded Aang as he woke to gloomy darkness. He looked at his body, say no harm, and quickly came to one conclusion -- he was in the spirit world. Slowly standing up, Aang peered around from the mound he was on, looking for anyone or anything other than himself.

"Hello?" Whispering noises surrounded him as he jerked his head around, trying to follow where they were coming from.

"I- is anyone there?" Sighing, he turned back around and jumped as he faced a floating figure before him.

"Hello, young Avatar," the man said.

"Who are you?" Through the shading his black hooded face provided, the man smiled.

"I am a past life of yours… I was the Avatar in a time of confusion and mass executions… the world was plagued with deception and fuelled by fear."
"Why was the world like that?"

"People of that time were told many things from Oracles and those of witchcraft. Leaders lost power over their own citizens because of the people's drive to rid the world of those trying to control them. 'Demons' they called the leaders.."

Aang lowered his head. "Must've been hard for you to keep the peace throughout the world." The past Avatar nodded.

"But that's not why I'm here. Aang, there's a power available to you that you do not know of yet."
"A power?" Aang asked, intrigued.

"Yes – Stronger than the avatar state."
"Stronger?!"
"Quite so.. And considering your troubles with the avatar state, it's easier to use as well." The young avatar's naïve eyes opened wide as a smile crept along his face.

"What's the power? And how do I use it?"
"In time you will know, but I'm afraid you must go before your friends become worried. Deal with them and insure their happiness before running off to new, untold of powers. Remember what I've told you." As the man smiled warmly, the world around Aang began to blacken as he left the spirits for the land he was trying so hard to save.

--

"He's still alive, I can feel his heart beating faintly," Toph confirmed quietly.

The young avatar lay under a large, old tree along with his friends who watched on with sad expressions. The world's only hope suffered from the excruciating pain Azula had brought upon him. A teary-eyed Katara fell to her knees, carefully leaned Aang over onto his stomach, and tried again to heal the large gash in the center of his back. Yet again he remained frozen, and Katara lowered him onto a blanket Sokka had placed there for him. Only the thunder from a billowing storm could be heard throughout the area, because no one knew what else to say. Countless strike after strike lit up the woods in a fury, as if trying to paint everything in its span either white or black.

"We're far enough away from Ba Sing Se to be safe… for now," Sokka said, breaking the silence. "Let's make camp and take turns watching over Aang incase he wakes up."

Everyone nodded as plans were made. Sokka and the earth king left in search of anything still dry enough to be used for firewood before the storm began to shower them with cold rain. Toph stomped down with one foot and raised her hands, causing large slates of earth to rise up and create a large earth tent. Katara carried Aang to the center of the tent, being aware of his injuries as she laid him down in the comforts of many blankets.

"I'm going to make sure Sokka and the earth king are ok," Toph said, leaving Katara, Momo and Appa alone with Aang. Appa laid his head near Aang, allowing the warm air from his nose to keep his companion warm, as Momo cuddled up beside Aang. Katara covered him up, making sure he would not become sick from having so many large tears in his clothing.

"Aang, please wake up..." Katara whispered. "The world needs you.. We need you.." She lowered her head as more tears flowed down her cheeks. The sky flashed brilliantly as Aang's hand rose up, shaking, and lowered on Katara's. She lifted her head as his eyes opened, stopping on Katara's smiling, tear-stained face.