"Aang get back! AANG COME BACK HERE! WE SHOULDNT BE HERE! Aang..." yelled Katara, begging for him to come back to the gang.

"No, there's something... something about this portal, just, you know, something special. Like it's calling to me..." Aang murmured, staring into the cave which held a portal inside. "I have to go through... plus I know all my bending skills. Just trust me! Come on!"

He slowly stumbled into the rising portal, curious to what may be revealed.

"What is he doing? He's going to kill himself!" cried Zuko. The gang all shouted after Aang but gave up after a while.

"Well he stuck by us when we were in trouble, so I think we should let him go," Toph muttered. "And he knows what he's doing – he's the Avatar!"

"Fine!" Katara moaned, although she was really dying to go inside the cave.

"You can go in next, Zuko," said Sokka nervously, nudging Zuko. "I insist."

"Ok, seeing as you are all wimps," Zuko retorted. He entered the cave without a hint of fright and was prepared if anything were to jump up on him.

"Well then, I think it's my turn to go," Sokka gulped, "Unless... u-unless you want to go through, first, Katara."

"No we're fine, you can go," replied Katara, pushing her brother. Sokka slowly walked into the portal, holding up his weapon ready.

"I think we should go together, Toph... because you might hurt yourself in there," Katara said quietly. Toph looked up at her and blew a strand of hair out of her eyes.

"Oh, it's okay. Just because I'm blind doesn't mean that I can't see anything," Toph reminded her, "And I'm not really scared either. C'mon, Katara!" They slowly walked through. Toph went first, and then, although pretty brave usually, she grabbed Katara's arm and clung to her like wet clothes.

"Oh my... what is this?" asked Zuko, scrutinizing the portal.

"It's the place for the dead and long forgotten benders... a place I've never encountered before. I've heard it been talked about by the monks... but... no-one's ever found it."

"So you mean my mother's in there?" Sokka asked Aang with a hopeful face.

"Yeah," Aang replied, still staring into the portal. "I'm not that sure though."

"Well, still, it's worth a chance, isn't it?" replied Sokka, slowly taking steps forward into the portal. "I'll meet you all later, I'm going to find my mother."

"No you can't!" yelled Aang, trying to hold Sokka back. "If you interact with spirits the peace will be broken and mayhem will be set loose... they're hostile!"

"Oh, don't be stubborn, Aang!" Sokka insisted, taking more steps forward. "I'll just say who I am and be on my way. I'm sure you'd do it for Gyatso."

"No, listen to me Sokka!" Aang shouted. "It's not safe! Please wait until we've done looking around. I swear, they'll attack us!" But Sokka had already walked through the force field that led inside the portal.

"Hello, everyone," Sokka said quite loudly to the spirits, "Does anyone know of my mother, Kya?" The spirits' eyes flew open and about a thousand transparent and glowing eyes were staring down at him from all directions.

"Ah you must be Sokka, the famous warrior from the Southern Water Tribe," a spirit water bender called down to him.

"Yeah!" Sokka said, sticking out his chest and feeling proud of himself because he was 'famous'. "How did you know?"

"Because your mother told us," said another spirit from the Water Tribe, "You know, Kya."

"So she's here?" Sokka said quietly, staring down at his feet. He suddenly burst out with tears. "Please tell me where she is; please tell me that she's ok! I want to see her now!" Sokka continued crying and fell down onto his knees. He was crying because he was happy and because he was sad. But the spirits continued staring at him... and after a while their faces were no longer friendly...