Okay... So it's been *sigh* two years since I've uploaded ANY new chapters... I cannot express how sorry I am that I let this story hang for so long. Many things have changed in my life and, hopefully, I've improved in my story writing. I'll let you be the judge of that.
Most likely you don't even remember what this story was about (that is, if you were one of the people who read the first three chapters a year or two ago). It's probably a good idea for you to re-read the first three, if that is the case. Thanks to all who read this. I promise, I'm going to finished this story soon!!
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Aang drank his 8th cup of jasmine tea, trying in vain to get the horrible taste out of his mouth.
"Ugh, it's like I ate copper for dinner or something!" He took another long sip.
It was around 8:45pm, almost an hour since dinner had ended. Sokka, Katara and Suki had all gone to bed, as tomorrow there would be a festival in honor of Zuko's birthday and they all were going to arrive at the palace early to eat and enjoy the festivities with Zuko and Mai. Toph was going to miss the festival; she was still with her parents and would be there for a few more days.
Aang yawned. Today had been so long; every day was long now. It took so much work to restore balance to the world after being at war for a hundred years. Aang walked slowly down the hall past Sokka's door and into his own room, dragging his feet slightly, something that would have woken Toph up, had she been home. Once he crawled into bed, MoMo jumped onto his chest, making all kinds of angry lemur sounds; bouncing up and down with air bender-like speed.
"What's wrong little buddy?" Aang stroked his head, trying to calm him down. MoMo pawed at Aang's mouth, pulling on his lips. Normally this type of behavior meant that MoMo was hungry, but he was acting so panicky that Aang suspected MoMo was afraid of something; though he couldn't imagine what.
"Calm down, it's okay. You're safe. We've gotta get some sleep, the festival is tomorrow! You'll get to eat as many fire-nuts as you want. I know you'll like that." MoMo chirred half-heartedly and burrowed down next to his ribs. Aang missed sleeping on Appa, but Appa couldn't really fit anywhere in town and Aang really couldn't sleep outside of the city's borders. He had to be close in case something important came up. MoMo would have to do for now. Aang closed his eyes and whispered toward MoMo's lump.
"G'night MoMo. We'll have fun tomorrow, you'll see."
Soon Aang fell fast asleep, dreaming of many things, but one dream stood out. It was more real than the others and it caused him to stir in his sleep.
Aang walked casually through the garden at the Southern Air Temple. He was very young; he had no arrow, nor had he picked Appa as his sky bison yet. Suddenly he spotted a small, grayish colored snake, coiled at the base of a fruit tree. He smiled.
"Hello little guy! I've never seen one of you before; what are you?" Aang sat down a few feet away and watched it as it basked in the morning sunlight.
"Aang, do you know what that is?" Aang jumped.
"Oh, hi Gyatso!It's a snake, but I don't know what kind. It's beautiful."
"Very beautiful, but you must not touch it. It is called a Metalit viper. It carries a powerful venom in it's fangs; if it were to bite you, you would be in much pain and could even die."
"Wow," Aang looked at the tiny snake with a new awe. "It looks so fragile and friendly..."
"It does, doesn't it? Remember, Aang, things are not always what they seem. Sometimes something looks and acts harmless, but is actually quite deadly. You must look beyond what you first perceive to see the truth."
"What would happen if somebody was bitten by it? Is there anyway to save them?"
"Oh yes, Airbenders and Metalit vipers have shared the temple for ages. We have made a remedy that will save anyone who is bitten, as long as they take it in time."
Aang awoke in a cold sweat. Odd, he though, considering the dream was just a memory from his childhood, one of the many talks with Gyatso that he valued greatly. He lay in bed, thinking about the conversation. Funny that this memory should come to his mind. He took several deep breaths, trying to calm down. His heart raced; it felt like it would burst out of his chest. He placed his hand on his neck, feeling his pulse. Was the dream really that adrenaline-inducing?
"What's wrong with me?" Aang moaned. MoMo screamed angrily as if to say "See! I told you!". Slowly he rose and sat at the edge of his bed, hands holding his head. His vision was blurring and he felt horribly dizzy, like he might throw up. Grabbing his staff he rose, only to fall to the floor as his muscles seized up, twitching and jerking wildly. Suddenly panic racked his mind as a missing piece of the puzzle slid into place.
"I've been poisoned." Aang had to summon every ounce of strength he had to reach the window of his room and throw it open. He had to get to the palace! No... he needed to go to a healer; maybe they would have herbs that would reverse the poison. What kind of poison was it anyway? Aang sighed. So many different poisons could have been used. How would they know what kind it was, or how to remedy it? They didn't have the time to test all the different cures. He laid still on the widow's edge; there was no way he'd make it in time. It was full onset already. Gyatso's words rang in his mind.
"Oh yes, Airbenders and Metalit vipers have shared the temple for ages, we have made a remedy that will save anyone who is bitten, as long as they take it in time."
Aang gasped. Could it be Metalit poison? He searched his mind for the long forgotten symptoms of Metalit venom. His eyes widened as he remembered what Monk Gyatso had told him on that same day from his dream.
"What would it feel like to be bitten by it?" asked Aang, ever curious about this tiny, mysterious creature.
"Those who have been bitten before said that the first symptom was a metal taste in the mouth, followed by a racing heart and muscle spasms. But none of these really mattered to them, the pain of the bite is quit terrible."
But, if you drank the venom, you wouldn't know about it until the symptoms kicked in. Aang felt his hopes soar and sink at once. He remembered all the ingredients you needed in order to make the remedy, yet most of them were herbs only found in the Air Nation. A tear slid down his cheek. Was Katara going to find him dead on the floor just one month before their wedding day? No! He couldn't let that happen; he had to at least try and make the cure. His time was running out; he could barely move his body. He didn't dare enter the Avatar state. If he died in the Avatar state then the Avatar spirit would no longer exist. He closed his eyes. His strength was drained, only weak dregs of life were left. It took all he had just to air bend open the wings of his glider.
"I have to do this - for Katara." He grabbed the hand holds and let gravity pull him from the open window. Their house was on the edge of a large hill. There were nearly three stories of open air outside his window. He had never been so grateful of that fact. He sped head-first toward the earth.
"Common! You've got to make it!" He urged himself to air bend; the healer's hut was three blocks away, the longest three blocks of his life. He would never make it if he couldn't glide. It was fastest way and he was short on time.
Finally he managed to gain control of the glider. His face brushed the grass. He barely made it in time. Pushing for altitude, he only managed to get five feet or so above ground. It would have to do. He sped along the street. No one was out; they all slept peacefully, unaware of the life and death struggle just outside their doors.
The healer's hut was in view. Aang knew she wouldn't be there, but it didn't really matter. He didn't think he was capable of telling her what he needed. He was only a foot away from the ground now. He was barely making it, he just didn't have the strength. His face plowed into the dirt at the door of the hut. Crawling on his elbows, he reached up to turn the knob - the door swung open. The door was never locked; this way anyone in need was able to reach the special herbs even when the healer was gone. Dragging himself through the door, he used the table to pull himself to his knees. The table took most of his weight. He worked his way along the table until the cabinets were within reach. His vision was swimming; he couldn't make out the words on each small bottle.
"NO! I did not come this far just to fail because I can't see the labels!" He twisted open each container and sniffed it, throwing down the useless ones. Soon he had a small collection of herbs which might, when mixed with water and boiled, make a proper antidote, though he had to substitute nearly all of the ingredients. But he didn't have the time for that now. His vision was gone. He saw nothing but black. He shoved pinches of each herb into his mouth and chewed forcefully. It was so dry he couldn't swallow. Remembering seeing a bowl of grapes on the counter in front of him, he reached blindly toward it. His hand found a grape. He tossed it into his mouth and bit down, trying to swallow the mixture, but he couldn't breath. Trying to inhale, he was unable to fill his empty lungs.
His head hit the floor as all awareness vanished. One lingering thought echoed in his mind:
"Don't let Katara find me like this."
***
Okay, you're mad now, aren't you? You waited nearly two years for the next chapter and this is what I give you.. Calm down!! This is not the last chapter! There will be at least one more, probably two. Review and Favorite, I know you want to see what happens next! :)
