The Cycle of Life
This is my first Fanfiction and I'm excited for it.
Prelude: Katara dies and must choose where her soul will reside. Will she see Aang again?
Sadly I do not own any rights to Avatar the Last Airbender or the original characters in it. This story is meant for entertainment for all!
Chapter 1: Aranyani
Katara was reaching the end. The end of her long life of 90 years. She had experienced so much in her lifetime, more than she could have ever asked for... Falling in love, meeting the Avatar, falling in love with the Avatar, having three kids with the Avatar, meeting five lifelong friends, becoming a water bending master and the most regarded healer in the world, and leading a rebellion that prospered into peace.
Now after two weeks of being severely ill (From what we would now call Pneumonia) she is on her death bed in Republic City. The room consists of her three kids: Kya, Tenzin, Bumi, and Bumi's girlfriend Asha. Asha whom is a firebender and now is expecting twins. They broke the news to Katara just three weeks ago. Kya constantly teased him, saying that this was all of his fault because he was in love with a firebender, but everyone knew it was just a harmless joke. Katara's grandkids had already said their peace and goodbyes to her just hours before because Tenzin refused to allow them to see their Grandmother in that state.
Now the room was utterly silent as Katara had already fell unconscious. The only way they knew that she was still alive was because of Tenzin and Bumi monitoring the air flow and Kya who was assisting her heart pumping blood with bloodbending. "How much... longer... do you-", Kya started warily before being interrupted by Tenzin.
"-Stop it Kya. This is our Mother.", Tenzin responded coldly. Kya's face grimaced, "I only meant..."
The truth is everyone in the room was thinking the unthinkable, Kya was the one who had the courage to speak it. Kya was always this way due to being a healer and taking your emotions out of diagnosis was something healers must be able to do. Bumi starts to weep after hearing them bicker and seeks comfort from Asha.
...Inside Katara's conscience...
"Katara... Katara... Katara.", a harmonic, soft voice relayed until Katara was awakened.
"Hello?", Katara asked unaware of where she is and what had happened. Instinctively she tries to gather her surroundings, however there is nothing. She sees only darkness; next she looks down to view her feet and what she is standing on. She then discovers that she doesn't see them so she uses her hands to attempt to touch her face but fails to 'feel' anything. To her horror she discovers that she has no body. She starts to panic when the sweet voice begins again.
"Do not worry my child, all is okay. I am one whom all recognize, but none know. I have been given many names, nature, earth, mother, but you can call me Aranyani. I am the spirit of the Earth and as such the spirit world itself."
"Oh I guess that means I have passed on then.", Katara responded. At least I'll see Aang now and Sokka. Right?
"No my dear you have not passed. You see there are two realms: the spirit realm which is parallel to Earth's realm and the realm of space and time. Certain beings have a choice to become an Atman or an Arhat. An atman is a person's essence of life, but most crucially it is an incomplete life. Atman undergo the cycle of life in which reincarnation occurs through the six classes of life. Generally it goes through types of animals back to human. Whilst Arhat are complete atman who have a strong connection to the spirit realm and which you have Katara. You see you are being given a choice to choose.", the voice tells her informatively. Katara tries to digest this and ponders on her choices.
"Assuming you know who passes through here, you wouldn't happen to know if someone else is an Arhat or an Atman?", Katara asks. There is no way Sokka was complete, but he did have a connection to the spirit realm, right? Even so Aang would definitely be in the spirit realm with the rest of the Arhat.
"Katara I cannot tell you such things. These things are not for you to ponder. Your fate is determined by you yourself not others.", the voice says sympathetically. Katara saddens at the thought of this, already knowing her decision is made.
"I will join the spirit realm and become an Arhat", Katara says with the strongest voice she could muster. She felt horrible that she may never get to see Sokka again, but tried to soothe herself in that Suki would be wherever he was.
"Okay my child.", the voice says. Suddenly Katara feels as if all of her bones are being pulled from her skin and like she is liquefying into pure energy.
...Inside Katara's Waiting Room...
The room is silent again as everyone feels it. Katara is no longer breathing on her own nor is her heart pumping itself. All her present family begin to weep and howl.
"She's gone...", Kya says before out bursting in a mental breakdown.