CHAPTER 4: THE SPIRIT WORLD

The shaman stared the two of them down for a few more moments until Zuko could bear no more. "We know what we've done", said Zuko. He felt a mixture of irritation and guilt. "But we can't change it now". He looked at Katara and she nodded as if she read his thoughts. "And we wouldn't change it anyway", he added. "Boastful sinners", said the shaman with an amused chuckle. "No matter. I see that the two of you were once destined for one another. You have a bond like the lovers of old who created the caves in the Earth Kingdom to meet in secret. I don't think I have ever seen anything like it". "I love her", said Zuko simply. "More than I love life itself". Katara felt like her heart was bursting at the seams with love for him. "And I him". The shaman made her face impassive once again. "I know. I can feel it. I do not know what happened to you that changed your destiny, but I can only assume that this is why you wish to seek out Coujue. You wish to see what your life could have been if you had not wed elsewhere". They nodded. The shaman scrutinized them. "I sensed a great deal of sacrifice and anguish in the two of you. Perhaps that is why you could betray the light without incurring darkness within yourselves". "We both love Aang", said Katara plaintively. "We never wanted to hurt him. We just…we couldn't help ourselves. Zuko and I were so deep in love. We still are". The shaman nodded. "I can take you to the portal. I assume you already know the dangers of visiting Coujue…and you know where to find her?". Zuko nodded. "I have a map. And we know that she'll try to convince us to stay in the dream world". She nodded again. "Yes, she will. Well since you know I assume you have prepared yourselves to withstand her enticements. Follow me".

Zuko and Katara followed the shaman out of her little healing house and through the village. There was a temple-like structure in the middle that closely resembled the temple that Avatar Roku had constructed. She led them inside to and through an ornately carved door embellished with golden dragons and onward into a large nearly empty chamber. In the center there was an extremely large mirror which was made of gold but was otherwise very plain. "Is this the portal?", asked Zuko. The shaman nodded. "How does it work?", asked Katara. "Just walk through it", said the shaman as if it were the most obvious choice. Zuko walked forward and placed his hand gingerly on the glass. "But it's solid". The shaman shrugged. "I have told you what you will have to do". Katara stepped forward and put her hand on Zuko's arm. "Come on Zuko. She said walk through it. Let's just pretend that it isn't solid. What's the worst that can happen?". "I guess", said Zuko wearily. Katara squeezed his hand affectionately and smiled up at him. "I'll wait for you on the other side". She took a breath and stepped into the mirror. At once she felt an icy cold sensation all over her body, like falling through thin ice in the South Pole. Behind her she could see the room she had come from but it was very blurry. Now she was in something like a jungle. The air was warm and sultry. Seconds later Zuko was beside her.

Zuko smiled and took Katara's hand. "Which way do we go?", she asked. "According to the map, there should be a river around here somewhere. We need to follow it going west". Katara nodded. After a few moments of silence she spoke. "What do you think our dream will be like?". Zuko shrugged. "I guess it should embody everything we ever wanted. The life we wanted with each other". "I'm excited to live it", said Katara. "I know I was hesitant at first, but I'm happy we're taking this chance". "I'm glad you agreed", said Zuko smiling. They cut through a dirt path in the trees. "The Spirit World isn't like what I thought it'd be", said Katara looking around. "We'll have to be careful too", said Zuko. "Aang always said you can't bend here". "Do you really think some spirits might attack us?", asked Katara. Zuko smirked and waited. Katara thought about it and remembered when Hei Bai attacked Senlin Village…and when a giant spirit wolf attacked them…and when spirit moth-wasps attacked them. And Aang had told her about Koh, the face-stealing spirit. "Okay, okay you're right. Spirits can be hostile. Let's just keep to ourselves and try to stay out of everyone's way". Zuko nodded his agreement. Some birds flew overhead singing cheerfully. Katara shook her head. "It's almost like we haven't left the physical world. It isn't much diff-", she cut off when she saw a spirit that looked like a giant carrot walking only a few feet from them. "Nevermind". Zuko chuckled softly.

"I think I can hear the river up ahead", said Katara after a few more minutes of walking. "We're close". Zuko sniffed the air. It certainly smelled as if a river could be nearby. Soon they reached a clearing and there it was. "So we just go west from here?", asked Katara. Zuko nodded. "According to the map, yes". As they started to walk, they were suddenly encircled by a thick, cool mist. On instinct, both of them took up their bending stances but then realized that of course, their bending was gone in the Spirit World. Zuko took a protective step in front of Katara and drew his broadswords. A figure was coming at them through the mists. "I don't think we can fight spirits with swords, Zuko", whispered Katara. "I'll have to try if it comes to that", said Zuko levelly. "If anything, I want you to run while I distract them". "Never", said Katara in a flat voice, the voice Zuko knew meant she was utterly determined and there would be no arguing with her. The mist began to dissipate some, and Zuko readied himself as the figure stepped forward. It was a female spirit who wore a woven hat and had a crescent moon symbol in the middle of her head and had painted red stripes on her face. Zuko looked at her with curiosity for a moment. (Z) Could this be…"It's the Painted Lady", gasped Katara, confirming Zuko's notion. Katara bowed and Zuko followed suit. "It is good to see you again, Katara of the Water Tribe", she paused. "And you must be…", "Fire Lord Zuko", said Zuko. "It is an honor to meet you". The Painted Lady smiled benevolently. "I thank you Fire Lord Zuko, for keeping my river and my village safe and happy all of these years. Now, what brings you to the Spirit World?". "We seek Coujue, the Dream Giver", said Katara. The Painted Lady hesitated. "To visit Coujue is…a most dangerous aspiration". "We know, Painted Lady", said Zuko. "But we know the risks and we know how to thwart her temptations".

The Painted Lady regarded him seriously. "I hope you know indeed. Coujue is one who would offer a favorite meal to a starving man and warn him only once that it is poison. And she would not leave it there. If he despaired of the temptation, she would haunt him with the aroma until he was half mad". "We could never stay in the Dream World, Painted Lady", said Katara. "We have children waiting for us in the physical world. We can't just abandon them and we never would. Our love for our children is stronger than anything". The Painted Lady nodded. "If you are sure, I will take you to her". "You will?", asked Zuko, surprised. She nodded. "Yes". "Thank you, Painted Lady", said Katara solemnly. "Katara of the Water Tribe, you brought hope to my people in that village so many years ago. You healed them and you healed the river. I am forever grateful to you. Know that you will always have a friend in the Spirit World". Katara bowed. "I appreciate that Painted Lady". "And you, Fire Lord Zuko, have turned my little village into a thriving town. And for that you will always have my thanks. Should either of you ever have need of me while in this realm, I will come to your aid". "Thank you, Painted Lady". She nodded. "Remember to keep your wits about you when you visit the Dream Giver. Do not let your guard down for a moment". Zuko and Katara nodded. "I will send you now". The Painted Lady closed her eyes and placed her hands together in front of her as if she were praying. Suddenly, a little ball of light grew from within her interlaced fingers. She opened her eyes and the little ball of light floated towards them. "Take hold of that", said the Painted Lady. "It will take you wherever you need to go within the Spirit World". "We can't thank you enough, Painted Lady", said Katara gratefully. At once she and Zuko grabbed hold of the ball of light.

Zuko immediately felt himself…melt away? It was the strangest sensation he had ever felt in his life. The only way to describe it was like feeling your physical body melt away. He felt his own existence, but not his body. (Z) This must be what it's like to meditate into the Spirit World. Katara felt like she was floating down a river with a strong current. Only, she couldn't feel the river….or anything else for that matter. She could feel that she was alive though, and she could feel that Zuko was with her. Other than that she felt like…a disembodied consciousness. The sensation lasted for less than a minute and suddenly she and Zuko were on their feet in a new area, unlike the jungle they had come from. Here in front of them was a forest of sorts. But the trees were all spiraled fantastically in a way that couldn't be natural and it looked like they were littered with jewels. Here, it was twilight although she could clearly see that in the opposite direction, and everywhere else she looked, it was bright sunny daylight. Zuko pulled out the map. "This must be the Dream Forest". Certainly the forest looked completely unreal, beautiful of course, but a fabrication nonetheless. There was a paved path that wound through the woods. "I guess we just follow this".

As they followed the path, they took note of their surroundings. The forest was breathtakingly beautiful, but also quite haunting in its surrealism. Everything was enhanced and embellished far beyond the simple natural beauty of a real forest. Instead of bright chirping songs, the birds sung sweet, evocative, lullabies. The flowers emitted perfume-like fragrances that reminded Katara of that abbey she had gone to when Zuko had used a bounty hunter and her Shirshu to find Aang more than a decade ago. Even the insects buzzed around like little dancing fairies instead of being pests. "This place is strange", Zuko remarked in distaste. Katara nodded. There was something very off-putting about this romanticized version of a woodland. As they delved deeper there was a voice that said "Come". An angelic voice. The most beautiful voice Katara had ever heard. It lingered in the air caressing her ears. "Come". "Do you hear that?", asked Zuko quietly as they walked on. Katara nodded. "That voice. It sounds like an angel. I've never heard a more beautiful voice. The Painted Lady was right. We can't drop our guards for a minute. When I heard her, I was compelled beyond all reason to run up ahead". Zuko nodded. "Me too". To Zuko that voice sounded like the sweetest enticement and the saddest song all at once. It sounded like the promise of release at the moment of heartbreak. It sounded like light and love and sweetness. He took Katara's hand and held it tightly.