The room around her was silent but her heart was racing loudly in her ears. Master Katara had just left the room and she was sure there was talking going on in the other room, but here in this room, there was only silence and the rapid beating of her heart. Her mind was oddly blank. There wasn't anything to think about really, she knew what she needed to do.
The world couldn't afford to have a crippled avatar.
The avatar was balance, the avatar was equality. And spirits knew-she knew- the world needed equality now more than ever.
She could no longer supply that equality. She could no longer be that balance. She could no longer be the avatar.
She could try; she knew that. She could train her air bending to its fullest, she could learn martial arts, chi blocking, learn to use weapons. She could go back to republic city and do everything in her power to restore it to Avatar Aang and Firelord Zuko's vision. But she would never be able to restore the equilibrium to the world when she couldn't even do it for herself. She would be cheating the world; her people out of the Avatar they deserved. She would be cheating those who she was born to, and swore to protect at any cost.
She might succeed. She might be able to do it, still be able to save the world. To restore the balance somehow. It might not be as fast, it might be more sloppy. More people might have to pay the price, but she could do it. Save the world, keep it moving, live out her days with Bolin, Mako, and Asami, traveling the world, each of them helping to make up for the parts of her she now lacks. They could do it, together. With them, she might be able to do it.
But she might not. And that was not a risk she was willing to take.
'At any cost '
She could not go back on her promise and her duty.
She would not go back on her promise and her duty.
Her mind was oddly blank.
