Castilian

Author note: Well I managed to get this done over two weeks so yay I stuck to a target I made ^_^ whoop! Now this is the end of episode 3 season 1. Not all chapters will follow every episode and some chapters may not even be an episode from the series just the setting but that'll come later ^_^

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar The Legend Of Aang/The Last Airbender (whichever you decide to call it because technically the first and second box sets had The Legend Of Aang but I'm just being pedantic :P)

However Castilian is a character created by me and characters around her (i.e. Balthazar) are mine muhahaha

Without further ado here's Castilian Chapter 2.

We move towards the entrance of the Air Temple although Aang runs out in front while we lag behind him. Sokka and Katara are looking at each other gravely but I walk alongside them. I don't make eye contact with them though I instead stare in front, keeping an eye on Aang. He'll need us…

"Katara, firebenders were here. You can't pretend they weren't." Sokka insists, making his voice low just in case Aang overhears.

Katara begins to walk away from him, not wanting to believe what he has to say. "I can for Aang's sake."

I give out an angry breath, it doesn't matter whether you try or not. Aang has to grow up. Sokka speeds up to walk beside her again, I continue to walk behind. I already told them my argument but that won't matter soon.

"If he finds out the Fire Nation invaded his home, he'll be devastated." Katara argues, the motherly instincts of protecting the young boy they just met clearly clouding her judgement.

Ahead of us Aang calls us three. "Hey guys!"

He's pointing to a large statue as we approach, my eyes begin to water as I realise who the figure is. It's an airbender monk. I stay behind them and hastily wipe my eyes with the back of my sleeve.

"I want you to meet someone." Aang says with a smile.

"Who's that?" Sokka asks, voicing his and Katara's question with interest.

"Monk Gyatso." He replied proudly. "The greatest airbender in the world. He taught me everything I know."

We watch him bow to the statue and I remember the part where Monk Gyatso made pies and Aang was doubting the fact he was the Avatar. Oh Aang… So much responsibly for a twelve year old. But if they hadn't of told him Aang would be… I turned away, clenching my fists to stop myself from crying. The tears were welling up but I couldn't, not now.

"Elie are you alright?" Sokka asks, seeing I had turned from the group.

I didn't answer just nodded before turning back around and looking ahead at Aang. Sokka didn't push the matter further and I was glad. I didn't exactly want to crack and tell everyone what was going to happen. The timeline had to remain how it was.

Katara approached Aang putting one hand onto his shoulder. "You must miss him." She said quietly.

He answers with one word. "Yeah." Somewhere I hear the disappointment and sadness of not seeing anyone else here as he moves further into the temple.

As Aang moved further into the temple, his demeanour still saddened from the memories of his old mentor, I watched. I couldn't begin to imagine the feelings that coursed through him right now. I had never met Monk Gyatso though I wish I could have. I knew loss but this was different. Everyone dealt with loss in other ways. I knew only too soon would we see Aang's sudden change but he was strong, I could see that clearly underneath his childish behaviour. I knew he would learn to deal with grief as do us all.

"Where are you going?" Katara asked as Aang began to climb the steps up further into the temple.

"The Air Temple Sanctuary." He replied, carrying on his ascent without stopping. "There's someone I'm ready to meet."

At that Katara looked over at her brother who just shrugged in response. We walked off to follow Aang up the steps and then down a long corridor that brings us to a huge wooden door. On the door three blue coloured swirls are mounted on the door in a triangle pattern. Almost woven around them are hollow tubes that twist back and forth. In the dead centre are three red and gold tubes, the middle is horizontal whilst the other two are vertical. The hollow tubes come around to the bottom of the large swirl pattern that opens up to horns, one each side. I look in awe of the design and the quality of it. For it to last this long it was well made.

"But Aang." Katara starts, doubt in her voice. "No one could have survived in there for a hundred years."

"It's not impossible." Aang contradicts with ease in an offhanded way. "I survived in the iceberg for that long."

"As did Appa." I added with a shrug as Katara turns to look at me.

She waits a moment before realising her mistake. "Good point."

"Katara, whoever's in there might help me figure out this Avatar thing!" Aang exclaimed with large hopefulness.

After a hundred years most of what the Avatar did would have been lost. Only the Avatar himself can access the Avatar state and know more than anyone else about it. He needed Roku's help. Sokka popped out from behind Aang with an eager expression planted on his face. Oh I knew what he wanted.

"And whoever's in there might have a medley of delicious, cured meats!" He said, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

I could just see the drool. Disgusting. He rushed forward, running straight at the door with full force. Obviously he expected the door to open with ease but as his body slams into it with a thunk, I wince imagining the pain he just endured. He strains against the door, putting all of his weight in hopes that it will open. It does not. We just stand and watch until he slides down in defeat. It's so comical I have to suppress a giggle.

As he slumps down he looks up at Aang expectantly. "I don't suppose you have a key?"

"The key Sokka." Aang replies. "Is airbending."

I watch intently as he begins to airbend. It's so incredible to watch up close and a smaller side of me thinks bitterly that I do not possess such a power. To feel the wind like a second nature and interact with the breeze. It would be… just amazing. He takes a breath, raising both arms into the air before pushing them forward. His right leg goes forward within the movement as two jets of air from each arm fly into the two horns. My breath catches. I know I saw him airbend earlier with Sokka but being so close and such a simple movement. It's beautiful. We watch as the air travels through the tubes and each spiral flips one by one. As it flips the back is revealed to be of maroon colour, unlocking the mechanism behind. The door begins to open slowly as we peer in. It's dark and cavernous, so much so that none of us can see far inside. The sun outside the temple only giving us a short amount of light into the newly opened chamber.

"Hello?" Aang calls hesitantly. "Anyone home?" He starts to walk inside with myself and the water tribe siblings following behind.

As we walk further inside we begin to see clearer what's inside the sanctuary. Statues. They're aligned into a swirl pattern towards the centre. The other three head to the centre of the room while I hang back, instead going towards one of the outer statues. All of them are beautifully carved and not one damaged but then again that door hadn't been open for a hundred years, maybe even longer.

"Statues?!" I hear Sokka exclaim to which I sigh quietly to myself in annoyance. "That's it? Where's the meat?"

I notice Aang and Katara begin their own conversation, ignoring Sokka. I look back at the statue I'm touching. The only one in the group that truly shows it's age. It seems to be made from wood unlike the others and his arms are missing but behind him a great spirit looks over. Raava… I sigh and glance back at Aang. I wonder when we will he learn about the spirit of light residing in him. I remove my hand from the statue and nod my head in recognition and appreciation.

"Past lives?" Sokka speaks up with scepticism in his voice, knocking my out of my own thoughts. "Katara, you really believe in that stuff?"

"It's true." She protests. "When the Avatar dies he's reincarnated into the next nation in the cycle."

"That's why the statues go in a specific order." I add, crossing my arms and looking at him. "It keeps the balance with each nation having an Avatar originating from their group."

Sokka shuts up at that and instead we glance over at Aang who is staring at the statue at the end of the spiral. From where I'm standing I can see the male statue though I don't need to be up close to know who it is or what he exactly looks like. The long beard and robes with a metal hair piece pulling part of him hair back into a short bun at the top. The hair style surprisingly is still the same if I remember correctly but I look at the hair piece with sadness. Aang however continues to stare blankly at the statue until Katara goes over and begins to shake his shoulders.

"Aang, snap out of it!" Katara says loudly, still shaking the young airbender.

It seems to do the trick as he suddenly blinks back to reality, glancing over at Katara with confusion. "Huh?"

"Who is that?" She asks, looking over at the statue Aang had been so interested in.

"That's Avatar Roku, the Avatar before me." Aang replied without hesitation and I frown as the previous Avatar's fate comes to the forefront of my mind unwillingly.

"You were a firebender?" Sokka exclaims, noting the firebender clothing adorning the statue. "No wonder I didn't trust you when we first met."

"Sokka." I say in a monotonous voice. "I literally just said about the cycle in which the Avatar is born. Besides every Avatar learns all four elements. They're all firebenders."

Katara I realise just chooses to ignore him, similar to my brother and I. "There's no writing. How do you know his name?" She realises, looking everywhere one the statue with confusion.

"I'm not sure…" Aang replies in thought. "I just know it somehow."

Sokka growls in frustration. "You just couldn't get any weirder!"

I roll my eyes. Sokka is way too sceptic. I feel someone or something behind me and I notice the other three do also as we turn around simultaneously towards the door. The three freeze as we spot a long shadow advancing towards us. I leant against the sanctuary wall as the others hide behind statues. Sokka in front of me stands behind one whilst Katara and Aang further to my left huddle behind another.

"Firebender." I hear Sokka whisper as I face palm at his stupidity. If it were a real firebender they'd have heard him a mile off and we'd all be in dire trouble. "Nobody make a sound."

"You're making a sound!" Katara points out in exasperation.

Both Aang and Sokka face her and give her a short shhh. I cross my arms and watch the scene unfold.

"That firebender won't know what hit him." Sokka whispers as he raises his weapon, a blue club type thing.

I can't see much from my vantage point as I sneak behind one of the statues. Sokka jumps out of his hiding spot and charges before suddenly stopping in surprise. Katara and Aang look around carefully. I grin slightly as we all take in the small adorable animal sitting in the doorway. It's a winged creature covered in white fur with large eyes and long ears that droop slightly downwards on its back.

"Lemur!" Aang exclaims in delight.

"Dinner…" Sokka says instead as I see in disgust drool collecting around his mouth.

"Don't listen to him." Aang says gently to the creature, approaching it slowly. "You're going to be my new pet."

"Not if I get him first!" He declares as they both lunge at the same time.

The poor little lemur watches as both try to grab for it with their arms outstretched. He bristles like a cat with its fur standing on end and dashes away from the two with a scream. Aang and Sokka quickly recover from the lunge as they race out of the sanctuary after the lemur who is bolting it out of the temple.

"Wait!" I hear Aang call. "Come back!"

Despite the situation I begin to laugh, Katara shakes her head in disapproval but I catch a smile playing across her lips. Whilst the two kids run around after the distraught lemur we take a walk around the statues. With each I notice the changes in fashion and hair styles but the same determined face remains. With each new face I begin to wonder how the monks managed to keep this place so secure from anyone. I sigh and glance upwards to see the hundreds more in a spiral. So many Avatars, so many lifetimes. Each with different experiences and memories. Years of history between the nations lying with each individual Avatar. Their choices, regrets and loves. Friends and family. Enemy and comrade. For such a large gap without the Avatar to guide this world… Would this war have gone on for a hundred years if Aang hadn't have been in that iceberg? Or would he have been killed along with the other air nomads? I shook my head of such depressive thoughts and wiped my eyes hastily with my sleeve. The dust was getting to me.

I hear Katara gasp and I look up to see her standing in front of Roku but the eyes… the eyes are glowing. I swiftly look around to see the others glowing also in quick succession upwards.

"Aang!" Katara exclaims worriedly.

We begin to run. If the statues are lighting up then I know that he's entered the Avatar state. The Avatar's spirit has awoken and the other temples around the world know it too. The Avatar has finally returned.

Xoxoxoxoxoxox

Katara and I run towards the destruction as earth begins to fly everywhere and the wind whips up our hair. We see Sokka sheltering behind some rubble as we swiftly join him. I glance over to see Aang. His tattoos are aglow with blue light along with his eyes. A sphere of air encompasses him and remains of the building fly everywhere. We grip on for dear life. One wrong move and we're off the mountainside.

"What happened?" Katara shouts to Sokka over the noise and even I can barely hear her or her brother's response.

"He found out firebenders killed Gyatso." He explained and I curse quietly under my breath.

"Oh no, it's his Avatar spirit!" Katara replies in alarm. "He must have triggered it! I'm gonna try and calm him down."

The wind buffets us as we grip tighter to the somewhat safe rubble. I glance back at Aang before looking over at the two.

"Well, do it before he blows us off the mountain!" Sokka insists fearfully.

"Good luck!" I shout to Katara who nods in reply.

Sokka and I watch as Katara slowly approaches Aang. She has to stop for a moment as the wind intensifies to prevent her from being blown away. Aang and his sphere however begins to slowly rise into the air as she gets closer and takes hold of a rock for support.

"Aang!" Katara shouts in a strangely calm voice like a mother to a child. "I know you're upset and I know how hard it is to lose the people you love. I went through the same thing when I lost my mom. Monk Gyatso and the other airbenders may be gone, but you still have a family. Sokka, Elie and I, we're your family now."

I'm taken aback at her statement. Family… When I wake up I'll be home with my birth family but these guys I'd love to be family. To be there for Aang because I know how hard the death of someone close to you feels. To be there for Katara and Sokka. Katara the mother and Sokka the annoying but caring deep down kind of guy. They've been through hardships to. They're in a war. But I know, right now, I'd do anything for them.

"We're here for you Aang, always." I add with a smile.

We watch him descend and as his feet touch the ground the wind dies away. His glow still remains but all three of us approach, Katara and myself on one side and Sokka on the other.

"We aren't going to let anything happen to you. Promise." Sokka says gently.

Katara takes one of Aang's hands and I place a hand on his shoulder and the glow instantly fades. His legs collapse beneath him has he lowers to the ground in exhaustion. Sokka and I let Katara hold him by the shoulders as they both kneel.

"I'm sorry." Aang says tiredly to Katara.

"It's okay." She reassures. "It wasn't your fault.

"But you were right." Aang said sadly. "And if the firebenders found this temple that means they found the other ones too. I really am the last airbender."

Katara with no response holds onto him tighter instead. Sokka and I each put a hand on his shoulder. I glance over at Monk Gyatso's remains and blink back tears. I should have woken up by now. I don't want to see his corpse and the other air nomads. I want to wake up.

Xoxoxoxoxoxox

We walked back to sanctuary together. Aang remained silent for the journey back and while Katara and Sokka packed he stood and looked at the statue. I sat by the door silently watching him. My backpack was on my lap and I was hugging it for comfort. I know how hard it was to lose someone so close and dear to you. I hoped Aang would be alright. I knew he was strong but even the strongest can start having cracks.

Katara entered the sanctuary and up behind Aang. "Everything's packed. You ready to go?"

Aang remained looking at the statue and didn't turn around. "How is Roku supposed to help me if I can't talk to him?"

"Maybe you'll find a way." Katara replied in a hopeful voice.

Both of them turned to see someone familiar. In the doorway once more was the pesky lemur. As I stand up and leave behind them we watch as the lemur runs to Sokka, depositing a bunch of fruits and nuts at his feet. Much to his delight of course as Sokka begins to eat hungrily while the lemur dashes away, probably scared he'll be mistaken for fruit. I laugh quietly to myself at his antics. Katara and Aang also adorn smiles which lifts my heart slightly.

"Looks like you made a new friend, Sokka." Aang notes happily.

"Can't talk." Sokka replies, his mouth stuffed with food that I look at with a raised eyebrow. "Must eat."

The lemur scurries towards Aang, up his chest and perches on his head like a bird. "Hey little guy."

Xoxoxoxoxoxox

Outside the temple I get my first glimpse of Appa. His gorgeous white and blue fur blows in the wind and his powerful legs stand waiting with his saddle ready. He glances over at the lemur before back to his friend Aang.

"You, me, and Appa." Aang says to the lemur. "We're all that's left of this place. We have to stick together. Katara, Sokka, Elie, say hello to the newest member of our family." He walks over to us with the lemur perched on his arm.

"What are you going to name him?" Katara asks curiously.

The lemur suddenly jumps off, surprising Aang before returning a second later with a fruit. "Momo." Aang decides at that moment.

I glance over at Sokka with a grin as he stops still with his mouth waiting to bite the fruit that is no longer in his grasp. Aang and Katara start to laugh and I join in quietly.

"What happens now?" I ask, cutting into the laughter.

They stop and stare at me confused before Aang asks. "What do you mean? You're our family now."

Katara smiles at me. "Would you like to come with us to the Northern Water Tribe?"

I gasp in delight. "Of course! I'd love to!" I rush forward and hug Katara then Aang and finally Sokka who hugs back awkwardly. An image of my own brother comes to mind although then I frown about this dream. It feels different but I can't place it.

Xoxoxoxoxoxox

During the twilight hours we fly off on Appa, the wind blowing my hair back and the feeling of being up high just makes me grin. Aang is on the back of the saddle as he watches the clouds begin to obscure the view of his home. We give him his privacy as I look inside my backpack. It surprises me I have this even though it isn't mine and I can't fathom where in my imagination it would come from. I rummage around to find spare clothes and a water bottle but right at the bottom I touch something hard. My fingers grasp around the object and retrieve it. It's a book with a metal binder. A pen is clipped to the side and I notice a picture sticking out the side. As I pull it out I nearly drop it, the wind almost carrying it away. It's a photo of me and my family on holiday. My Nan in the middle, Mother above her and Grandad to the side of her. I'm in front of him, next to Nan and my brother is in front of Mom, to the left of Nan. Why would a photo of my family be in here? Hesitantly I open the first page to see writing. It's not mine. I don't even recognise it but I find my eyes glued on every word.

Elie, first I would like to apologise for where you are but that is unavoidable. Secondly you must know this is not a dream. This is another dimension which I have taken you to. You will remain here until the Firelord is defeated. Only then can I return you home. You have already made friends with the Avatar and his companions. You will need to be with them. There is a darkness approaching, a darkness not of this land. I wish there was another way but it is out of my control. I shall see you when the time is right. Balthazar.

My breathing had stopped as I read and a sinking feeling entered my stomach. Was this real? Sokka cutting my skin, it felt like a real wound. I bled! Monk Gyatso's body, I saw it, clearly. It wasn't blocked from view nor did I wake up from seeing it even though it made me feel sick. Right now in a cold sweat as the realisation sinks in. I should be waking up from this. I feel sick. Oh god!

"No." I whisper.

Xoxoxoxoxoxox

Fun fact: The meeting of Team Avatar and Elie was going to completely different with her being found in a forest asleep.

Hope you enjoyed Chapter 2

Please review and favourite if you wish I enjoy feedback ^_^

Any ideas are also welcome as are questions or suspicions ^_^

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