There's nothing but white around him when he opens his eyes.
There is no fear, no pain or sadness. No distress, remorse, or guilt. There is peace, something he finds both comforting and confusing at the same time. In the distance, he spots a small opening, a fleck of color in the vast expanse of stark white.
It's the pull of the water that draws him closer. He isn't sure where he is, or how he had gotten to where he was either, but as he made his way closer towards whatever the fleck of color was, he knows that water is close by, singing in his veins, calling out to him by name.
He falters in his stride, coming up just short of the small pool of water in front of him. Confusion knits his brows together, causes him to bite his lower lip with uncertainty. His name… what was it? It was just on the tip of his tongue…
"Hello, Noatak."
He whips his head up, startled by the sudden guest. She blends in with the surrounding, hair and robes as white as freshly fallen snow. It was her darkened skin and blue eyes, much like his own, that gave her away as being of Water Tribe descent. She stood next to him, smiling down as such a mother would with a child. Though he knew not her name, the older man felt as if they had known each other their entire lives. He stood, slightly towering over her smaller frame.
"It has been far too long, Noatak." She said, her smile bittersweet. Noatak… that was his name, was it? It had been too long since he had heard it spoken out loud, it sounded alien to his ears.
"Am I—"
"Dead? No, just asleep, child. It seems to be the only way I am able to communicate with you." She sighed softly, turning on her heel and walking towards the pool. He frowned as she called him child. He was twice her senior, maybe older, but said nothing.
"You have been gone for far too long, neglecting and turning your back on your gift. Are you ashamed of it? Afraid?" She asked, coming to a rest by the waters edge, looking over at him. Hesitantly, he followed her suit, drifting closer to the water. He was met by his reflection, staring back at him with the same childish confusion. Dark hair that hung over in his troubled eyes was brushed back as he lifted his head to look at the young woman.
"We are born from the element of change, always adapting to new environments to overcome obstacles. However, your change is for the worst, child. You have lost your way." Kneeling down, her fingers barely grazed the reflective surface of the pool, distorting their images. No longer did he see the face of a troubled and tired man, but a frightening mask, marked with the deepest red imaginable Whichever way the man turned his head, the mask followed, two black hollowed eyes staring up at him. He felt a sense of fear for the first time since waking in this bizarre place. Tearing his gaze away from the waters surface, he looked at the woman and frowned.
"How have I lost my path?"
"By ignoring your birthright as a bender, Noatak. By turning your back on your brothers and sisters, bringing harm instead of balancing the chaos in this world with your talents. By lying to those who trust you with their lives about your true nature. You have strayed too far from the path, child." She whispered softly, standing and reaching to cup his cheek. Her touch was cool, almost like ice. "I do not know if you can come back."
Looking back down into the water, his reflection was blurred. One half wavered into the mask, whereas the other was the tired man with too many troubles on his shoulders. Her words struck a chord within his chest, one that brought up bitter memories of a long forgotten past. He watched as the face of the man he was slowly vanish, taken over by the white and red of the mask he had come to no longer fear, but admire. Without looking away from the pool, he spoke again, this time with more conviction as he made his decision.
"Perhaps I do not wish to."
—-
Sunlight streamed in through the thin curtains of his room that morning, reflecting off the mirror hanging on the wall. It was silent as usual in the small apartment, yet instead of its one occupant lying in bed, deep in slumber, he sat on the edge of his mattress, staring down at the mask in his hands.
"Perhaps this is the path that was meant for me after all."
((BONUS))
He had dreamt of her again.
Hair as white as the snow around them, eyes as blue as the deepest sapphires that held the deepest of love and wisdom in them. He watched in awe as the scenery around them changed from the familiar snowy wasteland he had come to call home once to a vast ocean, darkened by the midnight backdrop of the night sky. Stars glistened on the waters surface along with the greens, pinks, and purples of the ribbons in the air, dancing gracefully with one another. The faint colors bounced off the mirrored glass waters beneath them, tinting her stark white robes lightly.
"Hello again, my child." She smiled, reaching out with open arms. He moved slowly, each step he took towards her causing the serene water to ripple underneath him. Her touch was cool as she embraced him, though it had left him feeling warm.
"I… I've missed you. I've missed the water—" He started, but was cut off from a soft chuckle.
"No, my child. You've missed more than that." He looked down at her, confusion etched on his features. Gently, the Spirit stood on her toes and kissed him. Confusion turned to surprise, yet he found himself wrapping his arms around her middle, holding her close even as she pulled back from him. Dark blue eyes shone brightly with unshed tears.
"You miss home."