(A/N - The timeline of this story is set six years after Aang defeated the Fire Lord and ended the war.

Disclaimer: Avatar The Last Airbender does not belong to me. This Story is non-profit.

As Aang got ready to retire for the night, he can't stop thinking of how not just his life, but the world has changed. I hope it stays that way. Aang thought as he splashed water in his face. Now walking back to bed, he couldn't help but grin. Katara had already fallen asleep. She looks so beautiful when she sleeping. Aang let himself smile before lying down next to his wife. Aang was about to fall asleep when a faint blue glow shone in the dark bedroom. Blinking the sleep from his eyes, he saw his old mentor and friend, Roku standing at the foot of his bed.

"Avatar Roku…" Aang yawned, "Roku!" Aang realized his state of undress and closeness to Katara. He hastily pulled his shorts up and got from under the covers. Standing up, Aang's face was so red it could be seen in the dark. "It's not what it looks like!" Aang whispered, trying not to wake Katara up and reassure his mentor that nothing was happening prior to his arrival.

"Relax Aang, I apologize; I should've waited until morning." Roku apologized. "I hope wasn't interrupting anything?" Roku teased with a glint in his eye.

The question caused Aang to blush even more. "No, no, no!" Nothing was happening!" Aang told him, acting as if was caught in the act.

"I was only joking Aang." Roku chuckled at his friend's embarrassment. Remembering that he was here on a serious matter, his smile turned to a frown.

Seeing that Roku was frowning Aang realized that something else was the real reason for the visit.

"What's wrong, Roku?"

"Although I wish this was a happy visit after such a long time, sadly something has happened in the Spirit world."

"What happen? Is it Hei Bai again?" Aang asked anxiously. Anything that would make Roku visit with bad news couldn't be some easy feat. Now noticing Roku staring at Katara with concern, he mind raced even faster at what happened.

"Aang, I think it would be best to take this conversation in another room."

"Uh, right, of course." Aang agreed. "Let's go to the living room, I'll make some tea." Aang informed, signaling Roku to follow him.

"That would be nice." Roku nodded. Although, I can't really consume anything tangible in this form…

Now in the living room face to face on opposite chairs, and the older man declining the offer for tea, Roku gave Aang a thoughtful look. "Aang, before I ask for your help, I think I should tell you the story of Orion."

"Orion? Was he an Avatar? What does this have to do with-" Roku held up his hand.

"Let me begin, and then I will answer your many questions." Roku gave Aang a dull stare. "May I continue, Aang?"

Embarrassed, Aang nodded his head to continue.

"As you know, there are past Avatars that can help and guide you if you call upon them, that are residing in the Spirit World as we speak. The cycle of Avatar always falls to the next affinity. Air, Earth, Water, and Fire, the four Great Nations. Acting the role of Avatar, maintaining peace in the world. But, not all of the Avatars have fulfilled their destinies. There was one that sought to rule with his gifts, Orion.

"Born a Fire bender, Orion's control of his element alone could devastate anything that would stand in his path to spread his evil upon the world. Now with the power of Earth and Water could he not only dictate the Fire Nation, but all the other three Great Nations. There was only one element he could not master, Air-bending. Not seeing this as a gain to his power he skipped the teachings, boasting that Air-bending was a flimsy element to learn.

"As he continued to spread his evil across the lands, he discovered another power he had. With his Fire-bending, he could manipulate the lightning to discipline and instill fear into all that disobey him instantly. With Earth-bending, he threatened to cause the Earth to quake under the villages until his enemies surrendered. With Water-bending, he possessed the Resistance's armies. Forcing its men to attack their own allies and cause anarchy at their camps by bending the blood in their bodies like a twisted puppet-master.

"Finally with the world at his mercy, he started looking for a new challenge to conquer. He started hunting the source of his Fire-bending, dragons. Hoping to become even stronger, he slaughtered one by one endlessly. Realizing that he wasn't growing any stronger each kill, he grew furious. Now he only hunted them for sport and his entertainment. As headed for another nest, a dragon stopped him as he was leaving. Orion felt that this one was different, seeing that this dragon was bigger than the ones he usually hunted…"

"Finally a challenge!"Orionshouted as he got into his earth-bending stance. "I'll just move the ground from under him and crush the damned reptile. The beast won't even see it coming" Orion chuckled at his prey's foolish mistake of not running while it had a chance.

Stomping his foot to create a crater surrounding the dragon; he then raised both his arms. Heaving with great effort to bring the Earth from under the dragon. As a large boulder of Earth was floating intimidatingly with the dragon on top, Orion could have sworn that the dragon was smirking.

"How dare you smile! I am Orion, your Conqueror, and Supreme Ruler of all Nations!" Orion roared, seething. As he was yelling his concentration faltered and the focus needed to keep the boulder from crashing down slipped. In his rant, the boulder had gradually moved to now levitate over him.

Orion, now realizing of his blunder, tried to stop the massive chunk of Earth from crashing down on him. But it was too late, his fate was sealed. His own ignorance was his death.

The dragon then hopped off the terrain funeral, it walked over to a nearby cave where its family was hiding from the murdering invader.

Under all the Earth, Orion lay crushed and bleeding out the wounds on his arms. Bones crushed and limbs bending in ungodly ways, Orion had the strength to swear "This is not the end of Orion, I will come again. And I will not stop until I have "control" of everything!" Blood was now flooding his lungs. After several moments, Orion had left the mortal world.

"…And Orion was no more." With that, Roku finished the story of Avatar Orion.

"Whoa, I thought Fire lord Sozin was evil... but this guy... he's a monster." Aang commented at the end of Roku's recollection.

"I'm afraid that not all, Aang." Roku frowned, clenching his fists. I could have saved him, but I wasn't strong enough. Roku thought with a saddened expression.

Aang saw that Roku had tears in his eyes.

"Roku, is Orion in the Spirit World? Aang asked. The nomad wanted nothing more than to help, but he needed more information to write in his letter to get everyone's support in the upcoming mission.

"Of course Orion is in the Spirit World! Wouldn't you have noticed him wreaking havoc in this realm?" Roku snapped at Aang, his voice heavy with emotion. Aang recoiled from the uncharacteristic outburst. Roku winced at Aang's reaction. It's not his fault, its mine. Roku reminded himself with a level-head.

"Aang, forgive me. The destruction Orion has wrought caused me to act ungracefully…" With Roku's voice wavering, Aang unwound himself to see what was causing him Roku to tremble.

Aang waved it off and relaxed back into his seat. Then, with an apprehensive expression he asked, "What... what did Orion do to you?"

Roku sighed sadly. "He came to my home and demanded my cooperation in taking over the Spirit World, but I declined; telling him that his aspirations were ludicrous. He grew angered and lashed out at me with fire-bending. I was so shocked at the display of bending in the Spirit World that I couldn't have evaded in time, but Zion, my dragon protected me at the cost of his life. I could do nothing but try and put out the flames that consumed my companion. But it was for naught. As I mourned, Orion left me with a task to warn the other Avatar incarnations; pledge allegiance to him or perish. That day, I never felt so powerless." Roku finished his tale, tears flowing freely down his ghostly pale face. "When I was a mortal, I had all the power in the world but didn't dare misuse my gifts… Why would I deserve to be punished like this for an eternity?"

Aang laid a hand on Roku's shoulder and gave the man a look of understanding, knowing his pain. It was like how he felt when Appa was taken from him, almost giving up hope when he couldn't find him. It was wrong to try and sympathize with Roku with that outlook though. Aang eventually found Appa and his companion died of old age, not murdered in front of him.

"Thank you Aang, you were always the kindest of Avatars." Roku replied sincerely.

"No problem, old friend." Aang gave Roku a few moments to mourn the memory of Zion, his hand still resting on Roku's astral shoulder.

"I hope this isn't selfish of me..." Roku began sheepishly. "But not only do I need your help, but the rest of the Spirit World as well. I fear my defeat has caused the others to give up hope."

"Of course, what can I do to help?" asked Aang, eagerly wanting to stop Orion.

"We need to go to the Spirit World and face him together, along with the other Avatars."

"Uh Roku, no offense for me asking but, why didn't you ask them for help first?"

"Because, although it would be in everyone's best interest to stop that menace, not all of them are willing to."

"But every one of us should have the ability to use all the elements-"

Roku interrupted him. "Aang, there is no bending in the Spirit World. The Avatar's ability to use all four affinities does not apply in that realm." Roku said simply.

"Then how are we supposed to beat him? If Orion managed to defeat you and your dragon, what hope do I have? Without bending, to boot." Aang was gradually becoming less and less confident about the situation at hand.

"Steady yourself, Aang. I have a theory. But before that, you might wake up your wife."

"Okay, what is it" Aang inquired, calming down and breathing normally.

"Yes, like you said, 'how could Orion defeat me', for reasons unknown, Orion can bend freely. My theory is that it has something to do with the Harmonic Convergence… Aang, has your bending been acting strange lately?"

"No, not really."

"Good, then my theory is correct. If your bending had been off, then something would've happened at the portal between our worlds…" Roku trailed off, thinking over the implications of this discovery.

"What?" Aang asked, bemused. Now I'm confused, how does my bending acting up relate to Orion's power? But before Aang could what the Harmonic Convergence was, Roku's form started to dissipate into the air.

"Aang, my time is running out, I have to take my leave. But I will be back tomorrow in the afternoon. Good bye, Aang.

"Roku, wait!" Aang yelled to no avail. Roku had left this world. No, I still don't get it...

What have I gotten myself into?