Chapter 1 – Returning To Earth
He looked around. It was the Temple of the Heart. He thought he saw something. He turned around but there was no one there. He breathed a sigh of relief.
It had been only four years since the great race. It felt like forever though since he had seen that sweet smile, hypnotising eyes and rebellious personality. He remembered seeing her go…
He shook his head.
'Jordan, concentrate! You're the Avatar! You have just finished your training and you came here to talk to the Creators. Quit thinking about her!' he scolded himself.
But she wouldn't leave his mind. He missed her so much. He wanted to see her so much.
There wasn't much point. She would look older than him anyway even though he was two years older than her. It was a curse of being the Avatar. You never looked older than you did when you became Avatar.
He touched the pyramid in the centre of the room. It glowed and out came the Creators. They surrounded Jordan.
'We did not summon for you,' one of them said.
'What do you want?' another asked.
Jordan sighed.
'I just want to be human again. It was so much easier. You've told me that I am not allowed to visit Earth again, why?' Jordan yelled.
'If you visit Earth, we fear you will grow too attached to Eva.'
'We fear you will forget what you are.'
'We fear you will refuse to come back to Oban.'
Jordan got very angry.
'Well maybe I don't want to come back to Oban! Maybe I have had enough of being Avatar! Just give someone else the job!' he shouted.
There was a short silence.
'We can give the position of Avatar to someone else.'
'But are you really sure?'
Jordan thought for a moment.
'You mean I can go back to being ordinary? Would I ever be able to return back to an Avatar?' Jordan asked.
'You could go back to being an Avatar and you would be normal.'
'We can only let you be an ordinary human for a week.'
'If you want to be normal for longer, you can.'
'But you will never be able to be an Avatar again.'
'It is your choice.'
'Eva is right now on Earth celebrating her 18th birthday.'
'Time has passed even slower than you thought.'
'It has been less than three years since the great race.'
Jordan groaned. He lost track of time very easily on Oban. It felt so long that he always felt it was years later.
'I'm going to become human. If this is what I'm like now, imagine what I'll be like in five years! I just want to see her before she changes and gets married and has kids. That's all,' he muttered.
The Creators swirled around Jordan at full speed now.
'We understand.'
'But remember any longer than a week and you will never be Avatar again!'
They swirled faster and faster around him. Jordan felt himself get weaker and weaker than before. He felt more unprotected, more human.
When the Creators stopped swirling around him he felt so powerless.
He saw he was in a field. The Creators were still around.
'We will find a replacement.'
'They will take your place.'
'We will erase their memory when you return.'
'We will return in one week.'
They disappeared. Jordan looked around. He saw some humans in the distance. He really was back home…
He needed to find her though. His trip would be wasted if he didn't search soon enough.
Someone walked past him. They were carrying a strange box like object.
'What's that?' he asked.
The person looked up. It was a boy around his age.
'You really don't know? It's the Detector. It can detect what race, power levels and age of anyone. Look, I'll try it on you,' he pointed it at Jordan.
Jordan almost cried out in protest but he remembered what the Creators had said. He was human. He just hoped they were right. A few minutes later, the boy talked to him again.
'You're a human. I know that was obvious. You are quite powerful though even though it says you are only 20,' he told Jordan.
Jordan smiled.
'That's right! Err, I'm not sure about the power part though,' he said quickly.
'That's ok. I'm Gary,' he said.
'Great! Do you know anyone called M-Eva?' he asked.
Gary nodded.
'Yeah, she's my girlfriend. I could take you to her. Is that ok?' Gary replied.
Jordan almost gasped. Molly has a boyfriend? He tried to hide it but Gary saw. He looked at Jordan.
'Did you used to know really well?' he asked.
'Yeah. Could you take me to her anyway?' Jordan asked.
Gary nodded.
'You're just in time. We are throwing a birthday party for her. She is 18 now. We are going to Nurasia tomorrow, but I'm sure I can get her to let you to come too. You must be a very good old friend,' Gary said.
Nurasia? Molly must be trying to visit Aikka! Jordan smiled. If he could get to Nurasia as well…that really would make this worthwhile.
They soon arrived at the Wei's house.
Stan and Koji were already there. Their mouths dropped open when they saw Jordan standing with Gary.
'I'm going inside to do the big plan,' Gary said.
He slipped in the house. Stan and Koji ran over to Jordan.
'What are you doing here?' Stan hissed at him.
'I thought Molly told me you were…' Koji whispered.
'Not right now! I'll explain later!' Jordan muttered back.
Inside they could hear voices.
'Hey Gary, are you the only one here?' Molly said.
'Well, your dad is out at work. I guess we should take a walk,' Gary replied.
'Don't you know it's…'
'I have a surprise outside. It just got bigger a few minutes before. Think back to anyone you miss.'
'There's a lot and most of them are too busy…'
'Not this one!'
Stan and Koji were still staring at Jordan.
'You are meant to be the Avatar,' Koji groaned.
'I've given that up for a while,' Jordan said.
They could hear Molly and Gary inside.
'It's a guy, 20 years old and completely human. I did test him and I do have the proof,' Gary told her.
Outside Stan gasped quietly.
'But you are not completely human! It would have said that! What has happened?' he said.
Molly heard him but Gary didn't.
'I heard someone outside. Who is it?' she asked.
'I actually forgot to ask him! I knew I had forgotten someone! I was on my way here when I saw a white light. I went up and I saw the guy and he said he knew you,' Gary explained.
There was a silence. Stan and Koji were still staring at Jordan.
'Look I'm going to go if this how you react to me. I don't want to see her reaction as well,' Jordan hissed at Stan and Koji.
He stood up and silently left and ran. He heard the door open.
'Is this some kind of joke?' Molly asked.
'He was here!' Gary yelled.
'He just left!' Koji muttered.
'I would have stopped him but he went without warning!' Stan said.
They were quiet but Molly was curious.
'Why who was it?' she asked.
'Jordan,' Stan said.
'Huh? But that can't be right!' she said.
Everyone was silent. Molly felt so stupid. She should have guessed. Now she could never see him again.
Then she saw him. He hadn't changed a bit. He smiled and spoke.
'Sorry I ran off. I made an excuse but I can't really turn up for your birthday without a present!'