Aang stood on a small hill over looking the very edge of the Fire Nation. He had woken just two short hours ago in Katara's tight embrace. The wound dealt him by Azula was blistered, taking up most of his upper back. It ached terribly but Aang ignored it. After all, he was no stranger to pain, no Air Bender was. They weren't born with the blue arrows after all.
A dull throb in his heart and a stinging behind his eyes alerted him to the fact that he still hadn't got over the fact that he was the only Air Nomad left. The great nation was gone forever. There would be no more Air Ball, special Fruit Pies, or getting tromped in Pai Sho.
No more monks or hidden temples. The world was short an element and as the Avatar was supposed to keep balance, he didn't know how to keep it now.
The wind sung in a harmony only a true Child of Air could hear, the blades of grass danced in a intricate web that only he could now decipher, and after him, a whirlwind would be considered nothing more than an annoyance and brushed aside, rather than be given a new life in the hands of its son or daughter.
Aang looked to the sky, hoping for some kind of guidance in the last clouds of the afternoon, but all he was given was the red and orange glow of the fading sunset. He sighed and looked over his shoulder behind him. He could hear Appa's gruff groans and his companions voices, the kind owner of the house they were now staying in warning them of Fire Troops just over the next few hills.
Through the windows, that would have to be closed before dark, he saw Toph sat in the corner, dressed in a sleeveless red shirt and calf length shorts. Her puffs were now replaced by metal stokes of lightning.
Sokka was leaning against the doorframe, obviously tired of the woman's tireless warnings. His cloths were that of a young soldier, obviously that of fire.
Katara however was looking in his direction, concern obvious in her eyes. She stood and made her way towards the door, bypassing Sokka and the woman.
She was dressed in a simple knee length dress, with no sleeves and black leggings worn by all young girls of Fire. Her hair was down and a small portion was held in a bun near the top of her head. A metal ring painted gold was concealing her necklace. Aang closed his eyes turning back to stare at the last rays of sunlight.
He no longer held the same feelings for Katara as he had. He still loved her dearly, but as an older sister figure. And he had realized that even before he had let her go to reach the Avatar State, his crush had disappeared and his love for her had developed into a longing for family. A sister he never had, nor had the opportunity to have. He just hadn't noticed the change; after all it was his first crush.
She came to a stop several feet behind him. "Aang? Are you ok?" She asked.
Aang sighed, desperately wishing he could answer 'yes' to the question truthfully. Instead he shrugged and switched his gaze to the mountains, far into the distance; shadowed by the setting sun.
Behind him, Katara hesitated before walking forward and laying her hand on his small shoulder. He wanted nothing more to lean into the warmth, and fling himself into her arms, to cry out in all the pain and sadness he had trapped inside. But he couldn't. Instead he stood, still, unmoving.
Katara sighed gently, and gave a small smile, "we're all here for you Aang." She then turned and began walking back towards the house. She turned back towards him. "Come inside soon, ok?"
He nodded, not trusting his voice, listening to her retreating steps.
He didn't know if she liked him the same as he had or not, but even if he still did love her, he wouldn't do anything about it until after he defeated the Fire Lord.
'Hah!' An almost bitter laugh echoed through his mind. If he defeated the Fire Lord was more like it. He was 12, yes technically 112, but he only was active for 12 years out of the rest. Right now he would much rather be playing Air Ball with his friends or traveling with Appa, than be the Avatar. But the world needed him, and he was the reason that this war had been going on this long in the first place. That was what was the last nail in the coffin for his choice.
He was planning on going on alone to the capital. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if one of them was hurt. Just getting to the capital would be hard alone; together on Appa, it would be impossible.
No one would notice another little Fire Nation boy. Four young kids fitting the ages of the Avatar and his companions would be. With his hair grown out to about an inch, his arrow was hidden. Though he would have to wear long sleeves at all times.
At dawn, when everyone was asleep he would slip away. His first stop would be the Western Air Temple. His glider, though damaged would last until he reached it.
Conveniently, the Western Air Temple was located on an Island just on the edge of the Fire Nation waters. The Island was naturally hard to get to. Whirlpools surrounded the shoreline, ready to swallow any passing ship. The temple its self stood on a high plateau surrounded by steep mountains.
As the last rays of sunlight disappeared behind the dark and distant mountains, Aang swore that he wouldn't allow any harm to come to the last people he truly cared about. "…Even if it kills me." His voice faded into the distance as the sky finally darkened, and he turned back towards the house. He wouldn't forget this moment, not until his last breath.
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Two months later, on the eve of the comet fall, Aang stood over the smoking body of the Fire Lord. He, along with the 'GAang', and what was left of the Water Tribe, and Earth Kingdoms Army's had attacked in a last ditch effort to end the war.
And it had worked.
Katara, Sokka, and Toph had met up with him a month ago. They had been in an Earth Army, just inside the Fire Nation Borders camp, when Aang had arrived just ahead of a troop of Fire Soldiers. Together they had been able to ambush the soldiers, knocking them out with out from behind with out them noticing who they were. They then hurriedly packed up and left.
After Katara and even Sokka were done yelling at him about his 'noble, but incredibly stupid' act they had began planning their attack. The Generals of the Earth Kingdom had been all for it. On the way they had met up with the Water Tribe, who had been planning the same thing. Together they traveled on foot to the Fire Nation Capital. Appa was in the Eastern Air Temple along with Momo for they're own safety, along with the fact that anyone would recognize a Ten-Ton Flying Bison.
During the attack he and Katara had been on the front lines. Aang was destroying as many catapults as he could, as Katara fought the fires back and healed wounds.
Sokka was helping his Father and Earth Generals direct the soldiers, while later he jumped into the fighting to confront the soldiers with his recently acquired Broad Sword.
Toph, on the other hand was with the other Earth Benders. She pushed the Fire Benders back by shaking the Earth under the wall to knock both the Soldiers back and eventually crumble the wall.
As they continued to fight, Aang eventually made it past the walls and into the city center where the devil waited. On the way he met a bloodstained Zuko, sobbing over the limp body of Mai. As Aang stopped before him, he looked up and said in a shaky but determined voice. "Defeat him Aang. You're the only one that can." Aang then left the boy, now almost man, to continue his grief.
They fought, for what seemed like hours, and as the Comet drew closer the fire of the Fire Benders grew in power. The Earth, and Water troops were beginning to be overpowered and it was only a matter of time before the Fire Benders won.
And it wasn't just the soldiers that were suffering. The innocent citizens of the city were being caught in the crossfire. Deciding enough was enough Aang decided to finally end it.
As the Fire Lord launched a great ball of white fire, Aang easily leapt over it. He landed on the very edge of a roof that had yet to catch fire. He evoked the power of the Avatar, which now came easy to him.
His eyes and Arrows glowed white. A great tunnel of blue light exploded out from him, stopping all fighting, for all who could see it. As thousands of years of power engulfed his small body Ozai desperately tried to keep him from completing the power transfer. He flung fireball after fireball at him, but now, none seemed to affect him.
As the Lord fired one last desperate ball of fire toward the young Avatar, Aang simply bated it away with out a thought. The lord drew back in both surprise and horror as his strongest attack was flung away and exploded in a great ball of heat over his head. His attention diverted he never noticed when a single stroke of lightning white lightning hit his chest. He never felt his heart stop and he was dead before he ever noticed.
Now, Aang stood on a lone rooftop spared from the heat of the flames. There was one lone shuddering moment of silence before cries of victory flew from the Water and Earth while a lone cry of desperation and anger flew from behind him.
Aang never had time to turn around, before he was struck by lightning in the exact same place as he was back in the Old City, by the same person.
Just a one-shot I did to get the idea out of my head. If anyone wants I'll do a second for a different character view of the time between the beginning and the end of this. Only 2 more though. And an epilogue I guess.