Chapter 4: Lesson of the sea.
I looked out over the sea. A new spirit had talked to me but I don't know who. I couldn't see who it was and all I know is that he or she lives in the sea. But the sea was hard to reach because of the ships so I need to think of another way around them and to the sea.
"Katara!" I jumped high and looked down behind the fabric from the hat. It was Zuko who had called my name and he smiled big to me. "What are you doing?"
"Trying to find a way around your ships." He frowned with a questioning look.
"Why do you want that?" He asked.
"Because you're new teacher is living in the sea. He or she came to me this morning. We need to be there before sunset today." He nods.
"I know a place where land meets the sea. I'm there all the time and no one have found it." I smiled and jumped down from the tree.
"Well then, let's do this right away while the soldiers are busy with waiting in your uncle." He nods and starts to walk in a direction so I walked behind him and always looked around. Even if he said that it was a safe rout I didn't really trust that those soldiers didn't guarded him at all. But we came safe to the place he had mentioned. I looked out over the sea and smiled. This was my first time seeing the sea so close.
I backed, as Zuko, when the earth shacked. I looked out over the sea once more and my eyes widened when I saw a huge snake-dragon made of water stared back at us.
"Did I take you with surprise, dear Painted lady?" I nod and I could see a small smile at his lips, according to his voice it was a male. He looked at Zuko and bowed his head and Zuko bowed back as he had with the other spirits.
"Welcome, prince Zuko. Welcome to the sea and us." He said. Zuko formed a Thank you with his lips; he was probably in just as much in chock as me for the moment. He looked at me again.
"I will need your help to teach him. I cannot teach him in this form, so I need to use you as a bridge. I know you only have done it a few times before so I will help you." I nod and bit my lip. There was one thing I hadn't told Zuko jet but it seems that I will need to tell him now.
I sat down, closed my eyes and started to meditate. I know how I did it before so I will do the same now. Avatar Yangchen appeared in front of me as always and meditated with me in order to help me being a bridge between the spirit world and the living world. I felt when I feel in to the Avatar State and when the spirit, Gu Zheng, entered my body in order to help me. When I opened my eyes again I could see Zuko's chock but I couldn't talk to him right now. Gu Zheng raised and looked at Zuko.
"My lesson to you, young crown prince, is the lesson of the sea." Both my voice and his got mixed when he talked. He bended up some water from the sea and formed it to a big wave in his hand. "Do you know anything about water benders, prince?" He shocked his head.
"Not more than that they bends water around them." He nods.
"Water is the elements of Change. Water benders have an ability to adapt too many things around them. They have a deep sense of community and love that holds them together through anything. Water benders take use of energy streams inside them and around them. A water bender makes his or she's defense into an attack and turns their opponent's energy against them." He nods and listens carefully. "At night water benders is as strongest because they are blessed by the Moon Spirit and she allows them to get energy from the moon just like fire benders get energy and power from the sun." He nods again.
"The lesson of the sea is a simple lesson." He stared to bend around the water around us in a soft circle. "You need to do as the water benders: Feel the energy around them and in them, use defense and make it to an attack. Like this." A water shield came up in front of my body and then, just like that, it forms to a line and attack the cliff.
"But I'm a fire bender, not a water bender." Zuko said.
"I know that, dear prince. But you can still take wisdom from the sea and its tactic. The sea is hard to predict: Either you are allowed to pass or it turns against you. Take the sea and water with respect and it will show you respect back and take care of the sea and the world. We only have one world to live in, don't waste it. My lesson to you is: Don't always be in attack mode. One day you will have that turned against you. Feel the energy around you and work with it in order to create a new era. And one last thing: I would catch Katara when I step outside from her." The last think I saw was Zuko who nods and rose. Then everything became black and Gu Zheng stepped out from me. Someone catches me, probably Zuko, and held me against his body. After a while I opened my eyes. Gu Zheng was gone but Zuko still held me in his arm.
Carefully I looked up at Zuko who placed his forehead at mine and looked me in my eyes.
"Why didn't you tell me you where the avatar, Katara?" I looked away.
"Because I haven't told anyone. Only the shaman in our tribe is aware of it." He looked surprised at me but then smiled.
"You knew I would be showed your secret but still you let me see it." I nods and looked at him.
"I guess I have big trust in you." He smiled bigger and gave me a soft hug. I laid down my head at his chest and looked out over the sea. "What did Gu Zheng said before he disappeared?"
"The teacher?" I nod. "Just that I should learn more from how you do things. You are a great example for what he teaches me: Use your opponent's energy against him or her. That's how you always beat us, right?" I smiled and nod.
"Its. Fire benders bending are very aggressive so to turn their aggression against them is like fire bending back with the same power." He nods and looked out over the sea.
"Can't we sit like this for a while?" I nod with a smile.
"With pleasure."