Chapter One: Divergence, Part Two
This can't be happening, Aang thought, fighting an unnatural difficulty to breathe. This wasn't real, it was all just some horrible, horrible nightmare and he would wake up in Appa's saddle, feeling the biting cold of the polar air as they flew away to freedom. This simply wasn't possible.
The blood sky rained ash and flame all around him as his people- old, young, it didn't matter to the Fire Nation soldiers- were brutally attacked without warning. Sky bison fell out of the sky like great flaming boulders as all four sacred Air Temples were reduced to serving as his people's funeral pyres.
Aang had no idea how long he stood there witnessing the holocaust, but it felt as if he were locked in some twisted eternity where there was nothing but death and destruction everywhere he turned. Screams of the living and the dying resounded in his ears and echoed in his soul, and the everlasting roar of fire wasn't enough to drown them out even as it devoured the young monk's entire culture in one day. He gripped the sides of his head and squeezed his eyes shut, trying desperately to block out the vision, but it was all in vain as the scenes before him grew in intensity.
Stop, please stop...Stop it! STOP!
"STOP!"
With Aang's anguished scream, the vision surrounding him dissipated like it was nothing more than smoke being sucked out an open window. The screams and burning and death faded away as he fell to his knees, curling into himself and shaking violently as ragged sobs tore from his throat. No, no, no, no...
After a long time, Roku placed a gentle hand on his head, sorrow lacing his words. "I'm so sorry you had to see this, Aang."
Through the haze of grief, bile rose in the young monk's throat and an unfamiliar anger took root in his heart as the fresh memory of those graphic images replayed over and over in his mind. How dare Roku act like this was his sorrow? These were his people, his nation! "Are you?" He asked bitterly in a tear roughened voice, looking up sharply at the previous Avatar. "Are you really? This was your people who did this! The monks warned me of a war, but I never thought it would be like this! I would have tried to- I could have...c-could have...' His voice a near shout until he choked on the last sentence, his tone dwindling and dying as fresh tears pricked his eyes and constricted his throat with shame.
I could have saved them.
"No, you could not have, even if you had never ran away at all." A deep sigh escaped the old man. "He was looking to destroy you. As the Avatar you were the only one who could possibly stop him, and he had no way of knowing who you were. All he knew was you had been born an Airbender."
A tormented moan escaped the boy at the revelation, but before Aang could pull away further into himself Roku forced him to meet his gaze. "What you witnessed was not your fault, Aang. It was mine, and I will never be free of that burden. As the Avatar, I had the duty to protect the world, no matter where I had come from or who I was friends with. By being merciful to Sozin, I opened up the door for him to unleash the single most devastating war that the world has ever seen. I had no idea what ramifications my actions had on the world until it was too late. Because of me, the world is still suffering under the war's effects, even now."
As he continued to stare hopelessly at his knees, the young monk honestly didn't know what to think or say in reply. His mind was drowning in a sea of grief, horror, and now immense guilt from what he'd seen. Understandably, he was not in much of a position to do much other than try to gulp back tears and ask the obvious questions. "S-so what do w-we do now?" He wavered, swallowing thickly, "I j-just died, and my people are gone..."
"That is so," Roku agreed, "And the world has suffered for nearly ninety years with the absence of the Avatar."
Aang recoiled, aghast. "I've been frozen for ninety years?!"
"Exactly eighty five years have passed since that storm." Roku confirmed.
Aang could hardly fathom it- eighty five years of war, death, and destruction. Eighty five years of oblivion for himself underwater while the world cried out for it's Avatar. Eighty five years of the world waiting for salvation, only to have to wait even longer now that he had died.
...If he wasn't going to be eternally punished for this, he was going to be incredibly surprised.
The surrounding pale mist had been subtly dissipating during the conversation that followed the vision, slowly thinning out until it was nearly gone, merely lapping at Roku's ankles and at Aang's knees. Scrubbing at his face with his sleeve, he stood to his feet, too emotionally exhausted to be surprised to find assembled before him the vast crowd of people he'd met when he had first arrived. My past lives, Aang now realized numbly. He didn't dare meet their gazes, and he simply couldn't bear to look at the hundreds of past Avatars from his own nation. He was too disgusted with how monumental his failure had been.
"Now that you have been shown what you have missed, it is time to discuss your future."
Roku's pronouncement seemed to somehow be the cue for all the mist to disappear, allowing Aang to notice for the first time the surroundings were actually substantial and not just made up of empty space and fog as he first thought. Everything was bathed in warm light, as if it were a clear, cloudless sunny day, though there was no sun to be seen. There were strange looking banyan trees dotted here and there, and if he took the time to look down he would have seen that the ground was made up of something transparent. It looked as if they were a long, long ways into the heavens, as stars and other celestial objects could be spotted if one tried hard enough. Aang didn't have the time to take it all in, however. His first and foremost concern lay within the vaguely ominous sounding pronouncement that Roku had made. A childish but very real fear gripped him- however much he thought he deserved it, the idea of eternal damnation was terrifying, and he couldn't help the desperate thought of how it was so unfair.
As Roku left his side and merged back into the crowd, a figure emerged from the back. To Aang's mild surprise it was a young man, with shaggy dark hair and the beginnings of a beard on his pointed chin. Aang couldn't really tell at first if this Avatar too was Fire Nation or not, as his clothes seemed to be much simpler and have a mix between yellow, gray, and red; but it was his kind amber brown eyes that really gained his attention. There was warmth and just a spark of youth to them that made one think of an older brother, though now they regarded the young nomad with a rare solemness. As Aang would spend more time in and out of the Spirit World he would learn all of the Avatars by name, and he would eventually know this particular one as Avatar Wan, the very first Avatar to ever exist. "Avatar Aang," He began, not seeming to want to waste time with introductions at the moment, "We have gathered here to discuss you and the state of the world."
Aang was suddenly very nervous.
"As the Avatar, you have failed in your duty to keep balance in the world." Aang wilted, but the ancient Avatar surprised him by his next words. "But it was a burden that you weren't ready for. There is a reason those chosen by the Avatar Spirit are not told of their identity until they are sixteen. Many of us gathered here before you have underwent the burden before we were ready, and a number of us have failed before we had a chance. Some here have failed in the middle of their task. Others have beaten the odds and provided peace and stability before they ever turned sixteen at all." His eyes softened, and he laid a hand on Aang's shoulder, giving a small, compassionate squeeze meant to reassure him. "It has been decided that you are not to be judged for the state of the world, as it was not your fault."
As grateful as he was that he wasn't going to face horrific punishment, Aang still couldn't muster up even a shadow of a smile of gratitude. "It still doesn't change what happened," he whispered hollowly, his throat still tight. "I still ran away. My people... they're gone now."
The ancient Avatar straightened, nodding solemnly. "You're right, it doesn't change what happened. It doesn't mean that change can't happen now, however."
Aang blinked, confused. "What do you mean?"
"There is talk among us and Raava, the Avatar Spirit itself, of giving you a second chance."
A second chance? Was such a thing even possible? A seed of hope began to sprout in his heart, though he knew he shouldn't hope for something that sounded far too good to be true. But if I could somehow fix this...
"The Avatar Cycle is in danger of ceasing after the next three Avatars die, since you were the very last of the Air Nomads." Wan interrupted his thoughts, "Balance can't be kept if the next Avatar is unable to learn airbending, and balance will be completely destroyed if the Fire Nation uses the comet again."
"...Again?" Dread colored Aang's tone.
"It will come in fourteen year's time." He confirmed solemnly, "And if it is used again, the world will never recover from it. The new Avatar will have much to bear, and no airbending master to teach her what she needs to know."
Oh. OH... "You want me to teach the new Avatar airbending?" He asked hesitantly, not bothering to wonder about the ancient Avatar's curious referral of the new Avatar as a 'her'. Please, please let me do this. Please let me help fix my mistakes!
A small smile touched the young man's lips. "Yes, we do." Before Aang could smile and babble his thanks, he continued. "There is a catch, however."
All his enthusiasm crashed to a stuttering halt. Of course there was a catch.
"You will be in spirit form when you see her- unlike other spirits who cross over to the physical world, you don't have the danger of dying because you're already dead. As such, however, you cannot airbend." He ignored Aang's disappointed groan. "Handicap aside, you must teach the Avatar airbending, even if it's outside the traditional order. You must see to it she survives up to the point of the comet- this is very important! She will have to face the Fire Lord alone, but until then you are to be her guide. If she survives the war and defeats the Fire Lord before the comet arrives, you will be given a second chance at life to help rebuild you lost culture. During your time you will exist temporarily outside of the Avatar Cycle." The previous Avatar leveled his most serious look on him. "No one in all of history has ever been offered the gift you are about to receive, and it will never be offered again. The fate of the world is in your hands as well as hers."
The gravity of the situation and the preciousness of the offered second chance was not lost on him. He meant his next words with every fiber of his being. "I wasn't there when the Fire Nation attacked- I'm going to make a difference this time. I promise I'll keep her safe. I won't fail the world again!"
"Good." Avatar Wan's features and tone softened slightly. "Before you meet the new Avatar, I believe you have a friend still waiting for you." As she waved his hand towards their left, Aang was startled to see that a hole appeared in the space next to him- a portal, he realized. To his relief, Appa's sleeping form could be seen faintly on the other side. "After all, the new Avatar is going to need all the help she can get."
Hakoda was deeply troubled by the strange happenings of the day.
When they boy had collapsed, Hakoda had darted forward to catch him, intending on seeing if there was any chance of saving him. However, before he could even touch him the child became transparent and then faded away as if he had never existed. Needless to say, everyone was frightened out of their wits, and many of the men immediately cried aloud that it was a terrible sign of doom.
"A ghost!"
"What does it mean?"
"We're going to die, that's what! Why else would we see a ghost in the first place?"
"There's no such thing as ghosts, you chicken goose! It's a trick of the Spirits, I'm sure of it."
"Chief Hakoda, what do we do?"
"We're cursed men! How are we to know we won't carry it home with us?"
The clamor rose until Hakoda couldn't take it any more. "ENOUGH!" He bellowed, finally turning from the empty spot at his feet and glaring impatiently at his warriors. He straightened to his full height, his own confusion and fear falling away as he fell into 'chief mode' and addressed the men. "It's certain that we've just witnessed the work of the Spirits. I'm not sure what it was all about, but... I believe we just saw the Avatar."
"What makes you think so?" Bato queried after a silent moment, "The Avatar disappeared nearly a century ago."
"Yes, he did. He must have been stuck in the ice all this time- there's no other reasonable explanation for his appearance and the glowing light." Hakoda reasoned, "We will need to ask our elders what it all means."
Nukka, the youngest warrior, gulped apprehensively as he fidgeted with the hem of his whaling anorak. "So what should we do, Chief Hakoda? Do we... do we just go home now?"
The question gave him pause- he had no idea what to do at all. It seemed almost ludicrous to go home right this second, though he didn't blame Nukka for suggesting what everyone wanted to do. However, it seemed a little pointless (not to mention dangerous) to stick around on what could very well be a cursed iceberg. The chief's sharp gaze darted up to blasted out top of the iceberg, and then to the portion of the side that was also gone, just visible from his line of vision. After a long moment of indecision, he finally spoke. "I suggest we take a look and make sure there's nothing else here. Once we do that, we'll head home early. We aren't too far away from our villages, and we ought to be able to arrive at them both before the sun sets."
As frightened as everyone was, they all agreed it was the most logical thing to do, and they followed Hakoda's lead as he warily made his way into the interior. It was a fortunate thing that he had decided to look after all, for it turned out that the boy hadn't been the only thing trapped inside.
It was a great, furry beast- what it was however was anyone's guess, though it was apparently the boy's pack animal, judging by the saddle. It seemed to be sleeping, great puffs of slow breathing causing the closest men's parkas, fur trim, and hair to sway in time as if it were making a light but surprisingly substantial breeze. It probably is, Hakoda surmised as he studied it for a moment in silence, If the nomad child was real, than this thing- whatever it is- might also bend air. He was deeply regretting blowing his mother off so often during story time in his childhood- she would know more about airbenders and their culture than most. As it is, we'll find out sooner or later. It can't stay here, otherwise we'll be cursed by the spirit of that boy for abandoning his animal.
As it slowly stirred awake, a random thought prompted him to smile in spite of his caution: It seemed that today's hunt had turned up a ten ton beast after all.
Unseen by the chief and his men, Aang had crossed over into the physical world and was now standing next to Appa's head and finding himself mildly amused at the men and their cautious curiosity as they studied Appa and (thanks to one nimble warrior) the contents of his saddle. He smiled up at his old friend, raising a slightly transparent, glowing hand and rubbing Appa's nose gently to rouse him. "Come on, buddy." He murmured as Appa blearily blinked down at him, "It's time to go home."
Author's Note: Before anyone else asks this again (you know who you are), I will make myself clear: this is NOT a Zutara fan fiction! The summery says 'Canon Pairings'. This will have Kataang, Yukka, Sukka, and a smattering of Tokka. This will have Maiko. This will be like the canon series was written; full of adventure, action, drama, and friendship! Don't worry so much over whether or not I put this in the right category, because I know what I'm doing. Katara and Aang are the two main characters, and yes, they will end up in a romantic relationship, but it's not the absolute main focus. It's the deep bond of friendship forged by their mutual journey that is the main focus, and that's the first step to a great romantic relationship down the road.
To recap: Zutara, Ty Zula, Taang, and all other non-canon pairings are not to be had here. Look elsewhere if you want them.
On to other things...
Anorak: A man's parka, but strictly speaking it's a type of parka. It often has ties around all the openings, is more plain (devoid of unnecessary trim that can get wet), and is water resistant.
I chose to make Appa able to see Aang because they are/were spiritually bonded. Appa and Katara will be the only ones to see Aang on a regular basis. (And speaking of her, she will make her grand appearance in the next chapter!)
Sorry this chapter was so speech driven. :( I'm afraid there was no way to avoid that.
Please note that I will be absent for a few weeks, I'm in the middle of the Jewish High Holy Days, and I'm also in the middle of trying to move to a new place. Things will get busy, but don't worry! I'm going to write out bits and pieces of the next few chapters as I can. :)
EDIT: Thanks to Korra Book Two, there are things that will appear and things that will not (since there was so much that made no sense). However, Avatar Wan and most of his back story with Raava, the spirit of light and purity, is really quite neat, so I made some edits and added him in.
