It had been many years since the passing of Avatar Aang, and the period of peace that followed the Hundred Year War was dwindling, having been maintained by Avatar Korra of the Southern Water Tribe for two hundred and seven years until her death. The Avatar that followed her was Avatar Ochitu of the Earth Kingdom, a man who was thrust into a revolt of the former Fire Nation colonies as a child and, like Aang, ran from the responsibility. When he returned a dozen years later, however, he was unrecognizable. He had mastered all four elements but something was different. It wouldn't be much longer before he revealed this change, he had severed all connections with the Spirit World and was, for all intents and purposes, only Avatar in name and bending, but no longer the bridge between the two worlds or the one to maintain balance.
With this lack of balance in the world, a cross-national group began a revolution, trying to break away from the traditional separation of the four nations in an attempt to create a super nation. It was then that Monk Renshi and the Elders from all four Air Temples met to deliberate.
One man in attendance was not an elder, nor was he an airbender. The man's name was Jianfu, and he was an earthbender, the widower of an airbender that had remained on Air Temple Island following the death of his wife. He lived alone with his son Akio and Akio's liondragon, Ronin and was very worried about his summons to this meeting. Speaking of the meeting, it had been going on for quite a while before Jianfu realized it had even begun. He waited for a lull before posing a question.
"Pardon me, Monk Renshi, but could you please tell me why I have been asked to attend this meeting?" asked Jianfu.
"I take it you were not listening," replied Renshi merrily. "I shall repeat myself. In the time since the Great War, many children have been born to parents of different nations. Some of these children are able to bend the element of their father, some are able to bend the element of their mother, some are not able to bend any element, but a very rare few are able to bend the elements of both their father and mother."
"Like Akio," suggested Jianfu, but he was met with solemn head shaking from all members of the meeting.
"Not quite like Akio. Never before has a child been able to bend opposing elements, besides the Avatar, although parents who bend opposing elements seem to have no problems producing benders of either element," explained a woman with a partially shaved head revealing an arrow tattoo, Akio's maternal aunt.
"What does this mean? If Akio is special like you say he is, why is he not here?" asked Jianfu, searching the eyes of the monks before him, his own eyes pleading for an answer.
"We believe that something unprecedented has happened. Sixteen years ago, when Avatar Ochitu broke his connection with the Spirit World, the spirits of the past Avatars must have renounced him as Avatar and chose a new Avatar.
"We began looking for the new Avatar in the Fire Nation, but after a fruitless search, we turned to the Earth Kingdom. It was then that we realized that the new Avatar would need to be ready as soon as possible, so we looked for two-element benders who could bend earth. It was then that we came to Akio and his special situation. Through your bloodline, Akio is a descendant of Avatar Kiyoshi, and through your wife's bloodline, he is a descendant of Avatar Aang. This is why we believe he is able to bend both earth and air, and this is also why we believe Akio is the Avatar," Renshi said in an even-toned, calm voice.
Jianfu fainted.
"Is he okay?" asked Akio worriedly as he rushed into the healer's house after receiving word about his father.
"Yes, he will be fine, child," replied Akio's aunt as she laid a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"What happened to him, Aunt Meifeng?" Akio asked as he stepped forward and knelt down next to prone father, draping himself over Jianfu.
"Jianfu received some ... startling news during the meeting of the Elders this morning," said Monk Renshi. "Come child, we have much to talk about."
Akio looked bewildered at the prospect of speaking with Monk Renshi but nodded and followed the old man out of the healer's house, glancing at Meifeng, trying to will her to come as well, but she did not.
"Akio, you have become a very powerful airbender in the past few months," Renshi noted as the two began to walk along the edge of the Temple, overlooking the sea far below.
"Thank you, Monk Renshi," Akio said, bowing respectfully.
"This is not something we expected," Renshi told Akio, smirking mirthfully as Akio had to bite his tongue. "Understand that since the end of the Great War, many children have been born to parent who bend different elements. You are the first child to be able to bend opposing elements, not including the Avatar."
"What are you trying to say?" Akio asked, although his facial expression would make one believe that he wasn't sure he wanted to know.
"Akio, you are the Avatar," spoke Renshi as he fell into an airbending stance, ready to catch Akio if he fainted.
Akio laughed.
"With all due respect, Monk Renshi, you're crazy," said Akio dismissively. "I can't be the Avatar. Avatar Ochitu is the Avatar."
"Ah, Ochitu iwas/i the Avatar. Sixteen years ago, he severed his connection with the Spirit World and in effect, is no longer the Avatar. We believe that the spirits of the past Avatars chose you as the new Avatar," explained Renshi with a soft smile.
"Why me? Shouldn't the new Avatar be someone from the Fire Nation?" asked Akio.
"We thought so, as well. Personally, choosing you as Avatar may have just been convenience. Spirits are all-knowing, of course. Look at your situation. You already bend two elements. Who are your closest friends, Akio?" asked Renshi.
"Yakedo, Shirokuma, and Kyoki," Akio answered, curious about the direction the conversation was taking.
"Ah, the triplets. Yakedo, he is a powerful and innovative firebender. Shirokuma, there is no greater waterbender than he. And Kyoki may be the best female weapons master this world has ever seen. Do you not see, Akio? You have unknowingly surrounded yourself with the best possible teachers for you to excel as the Avatar," said Renshi.
"How can you be sure?" Akio asked.
"I am sure because I believe in you. Follow me, Akio," Renshi said before walking to the sanctuary that housed the statues of all past Avatars. "It has been said that if an Avatar in true need of counsel were to meditate in front of the statue of Avatar Aang, Aang would speak to him."
Akio nodded uncertainly, bowed respectfully to Renshi as he left, and sat in front of Aang's statue and began to meditate. As soon as the familiar feeling of tranquility washed over Akio, the eyes of Aang's statue glowed brightly and the next thing Akio knew, he was sitting on a tree stump surrounded by past Avatars, all sitting on their own tree stumps. There was heavy fog around them, but not entering into the circle. Akio could not make out his surroundings.
"W-where am I?" asked Akio nervously.
"You are in the Spirit World, young Avatar," spoke Avatar Roku from his stump in between Avatar Kiyoshi and Avatar Aang.
"Are you sure you haven't made a mistake?" Akio suggested.
"We are quite certain," replied Avatar Kiyoshi.
"The world needs an Avatar, Akio," began Avatar Korra. "We chose you."
"How? Why?" Akio demanded, becoming more comfortable being with his past lives.
"You will find out why soon enough, but I can show you how," spoke Aang, before he reached out and touched Akio's forehead.
The faces of the other Avatars faded away and all that was left was Aang and Akio standing outside of the healer's house on Air Temple Island.
"Ochitu renounced the Spirit World just hours before your birth. We sought out your mother immediately and explained to her the situation and what we needed to do," Aang told Akio.
At this moment, Akio could see a woman he recognized from pictures around his house laying in a bed and crying as she spoke to Avatar Kiyoshi.
"Your father is a direct descendant of Avatar Kiyoshi and your mother is a direct descendant of mine. Normally a child born to parents of opposing elements would not be able to bend both, but we needed to give you that ability. To do this, your mother would have to sacrifice her bending to give it to you. Avatar Korra explained the necessity of this and also what would happen. Your mother sacrificed her life so you could be the Avatar, Akio," Aang explained.
Now Akio could see his mother nod her head resolutely and then her eyes and tattoos glowed white. The next thing Akio was exposed to was the sound of crying, his crying. His mother was gone and his father was a mess.
"It is up to you to bring balance to the world, Akio. You have all the resources at your disposal in order to complete your Avatar training. You will train first with your friend Shirokuma to master waterbending, then with Yakedo to master firebending, and finally, you will master weapons combat with Kyoki, to make you a well-rounded fighter. This training is absolutely necessary," said Avatar Roku and Akio realized he was back on his tree stump.
"Good luck, Avatar Akio," said Avatar Korra, and with that, Akio returned to his body in the air temple sanctuary.
Akio walked out of the temple with his head high and his jaw clenched in determination. His eyes narrowed as he looked across Yue Bay to Republic city.
"I am the Avatar."
