This is another one of my favorite chapters. I worked incredibly hard on this one.
(You can skip this part) I own only my characters.
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The Mirror of Knowing
Avaa looked around her in a confused frenzy. She had fallen asleep on the boat and got here. Wherever here is. Avaa stood in a swamp,up to her ankles in water. Mist curled around her and the gnarled trees around her.
"Zuko?," she called," Iroh? Anyone?" Nothing. A loon called in the distance,and bugs hummed in her ears. Avaa saw something from the corner of her eye and turned around quickly. She saw a wisp of mist glowing with the purest white she'd ever seen. The only thing that could compare with its brillance was the sun. "Do you know where I am?" she asked it. Normally she wouldn't speak to mist, but something made it seem intelligent, that it was looking back at her.
"What you seek lies beyond the glade. Behind the veil," the mist said in a voice that rang like a bell.
"What I seek? I'm not seeking anything. I don't even know where I am," Avaa told it. The mist faded and dimmed. "Hey! Wait! Where am I supposed to go?"
"Hope knows the way," it said before completely disappearing.
"What do you mean 'hope'?" Avaa frowned at the spot the mist was, hoping it would return. She sighed and kicked water up around her feet. What do I do now? Avaa paced in the murkey brown water. Hope, hope, hope. Was it a person? She had never heard of a person called Hope. Maybe it meant hope in the literal sense, but how could that lead the way? "Wait a mintue," She pulled her mother's pendant out of her robes. She gasped to see the character glow as brightly as the mist. Avaa turned to the left and saw the light dim. When she turned back to the direction the mist left, it glowed like the sun.
"I get it," she said smiling.
Avaa walked foreword keeping the pendant infront of her like a compass. Sloshing through the swamp water,and jumping at the occasional splash she walked foreword. Turning every once in a while to keep the pendant glowing. After what seemed like an eternity of walking Avaa stopped infront of a cave. Infront of it, rippling in a nonexsistent breeze was a veil.
Avaa glanced at the pendant. Hope glowed brighter than ever. She took a breath, pulled back the veil and stepped into the darkness. Her light gave her about three feet of visabilty in the cave. The farther in she walked the brighter the pendant glowed and the more she heard whispering. The whispers didn't frighten her, the cave had an aura of anicent knowlage. The voices whispered in a language she couldn't understand, even so she felt the wisdom that laced their words.
The pendant had started to glow so brightly she had to squint, but she kept walking. Something called her farther. The light, now shone with such a brillance she had to close her eyes. Then it went dark. Avaa opened her eyes to see a cavern covered in yellow roses, laced with deep orange around the petals. Early morning sunlight shone through a hole in the ceiling. In the center of the cavern's far wall stood a mirror. The rose vines had grown on it, wrapping their stems around the frame.
"What is this place?" Avaa asked no one.
"The Mirror of Knowing," the voice of the mist told her," You may know anything you wish,"
"I wish to know how Zuko got his scar," Avaa told the voice.
"You will only find suffering in the Fire Nation prince's past," Avaa frowned.
"I don't care, I'll understand him better this way," As soon as she said this, the roses on the mirror turned into gold metal flames. Decoartive ones, wtih ebony and ivory.
Where Avaa's reflection had once been, now stood Zuko in full Fire Nation armor, without a scar and with a ponytail. She never would have guessed it was Zuko, if she hadn't requested this memory.
Let me in! Zuko snapped to the guards. He had tried to enter a room that many older men were entering. Iroh entered the scene, also in Fire Nation attire.
Prince Zuko, what's wrong? Prince Zuko. The name was forgin to Avaa.
I want to go into the war chamber, but the guard won't let me pass! Zuko told his uncle. Avaa heard Zuko's voice break slightly at the end. Iroh lead Zuko a few steps away from the guards.
You're not missing anything, trust me. These meetings are dreadfully boring. Iroh said.
If I'm going to rule this nation one day, don't you think I should start learning as much as I can? Zuko asked Iroh. Zuko smiled, Avaa had rarely seen Zuko smile.
Very well. But you must promise not to speak. These old folks are a bit sensitive, you know.
Thank you uncle. Zuko said, bowing to Iroh. Iroh put his arm around Zuko's shoulder and lead him into the war chamber. The view followed Zuko and Iroh into the room, which was massive. Avaa's eyes widened at its splendor. But her attention was quickly grabbed by an old man standing beside a map of the world. The map was surrounded with many other older men, including Iroh. Zuko sat between Iroh and the general who was standing. Avaa gasped to see her brother,Hotaru,sitting among the most important men in the Fire Nation.
The Earth Kingdom defenses are concentrated here. The general said pointing to a spot on the map. A dangerous battalion of their strongest earthbenders and fiercest warriors, so I'm recommending the 41st divison.
But the 41st is entirely new recruits. How do you expect them them to defeat a powerful Earth Kingdom battalion? Another general asked the first. Avaa frowned. They were burtal to their own men.
I don't. They'll be used as a distraction as we mount an attack from the rear. What better to use as bait then fresh meat. Avaa's frown deepened.
You can't scarifice an entire divison like that! Zuko said, jumping up, Those soldiers love and defend our nation! How could you betray them? Avaa felt proud of Zuko for speaking out against this, but it didn't last long. The disapproving glares from the generals made Avaa bite her lip. He wasn't supposed to speak! The flames infront of Fire Lord Ozai grew, and Avaa could sense his anger through the years.
The scene changed to Zuko standing infront of his father, all of the generals had left, including Iroh.
That was a complete act of disrespect! Ozai shouted at his son, who winced at the sound of his father's voice, Didn't Iroh tell you not to speak? Can you not follow simple directions? Zuko said nothing, but looked at the ground. Ozai scowled at him, Be ready for your Agni Kai at sunset.Zuko did nothing. Go! Zuko ran out of the room.
The war room wrapped itself into a Agni Kai arena. Large crowds sat on either side and waited for the battle. Zuko knelt at the left most side of the arena, facing away from his oppent. Avaa bit her lip again as both figures turned around. Both Avaa and Zuko reconized the other man and both froze in horror. Ozai stood at the opposite end ready to fight his son.
Please, father I only had the Fire Nation's best interests at heart! I'm sorry I spoke out of turn! Zuko begged.
You will fight for our honor, Ozai said coldly. Zuko abased himself by getting on his knees. Avaa's hand flew to her mouth.
I ment you no disrespect. I am your loyal son.
Rise and fight, Prince Zuko! Ozai walked toward Zuko who was still on the floor.
I won't fight you.
You will learn respect and suffering will be your teacher, Ozai told Zuko. He was only a few feet from him now. Zuko raised his tear streaked face to his father. Avaa's eyes widened.
"I don't want to see this, stop!" She yelled to the mirror. But it played on, Ozai blasted fire at Zuko's face. Zuko screamed in agony and the mirror filled with flames. When Avaa tore her gaze away from the mirror, the cavern was again covered with roses and her reflection was the only thing in the mirror. Her face was tear stained, like Zuko's had been. "I told you to stop!" She snapped.
"You wanted to see how he got his scar," the voice of the mist told her. It's calm tone made her angier.
"I didn't want to see him get hurt!"
"Then why did you ask for this?" Avaa scowled.
"Can you just tell me how to get back?" she asked.
"The Forest Spirit Hei Bai will be at the entrance of the cave, he'll take you back,"
"Thank you," Avaa told the voice and exited the cavern. She walked back out the cave, this time without Hope to light the way. The voices still murmured their secrets to her while she walked.
As the voice had said there was a spirit standing beside the cave. A giant panda bear waited for her.
"You're Hei Bai?" she asked. He nodded, but didn't speak. "Lead the way," The bear sat down in the water and waited for her to mount it, she did. Soon, they stopped in a familar spot of swamp. Avaa slid off and bowed to the bear. "Thank you, Hei Bai," It bowed back. He opened his mouth and a blue beam of light hit Avaa's forehead.
Iroh knelt above her when she woke up. The sun had barely emerged from the horizon.
"Youv'e been in the Spirit World," he told her," You're lucky no one pays any mind to anyone else,"
"I said things didn't I?" Avaa asked sitting up. Iroh nodded and Avaa swore quietly. "Where's Z- I mean Lee?" Iroh looked at the oppisite side of the deck,where Zuko was leaning against the railing. Avaa stood up and walked to his side. "I'm sorry," she told him quietly.
"For what?" Zuko snapped at her, "That my father did this to me?" Avaa said nothing,"I don't want any of your pity." Avaa's face hardened, but she still hurt.
"I won't give you any," she told him,"I'm sorry because you got hurt. You're my friend and I hate to think that someone has hurt you that way," Zuko's eyes softened, but he still didn't look at her,"But if you don't want any comfort, I won't give you any," Avaa said before walking away.
"How did it go?" Iroh asked Avaa. She sighed in reply and sat down beside him. "That bad? I didn't any raised voices,"
"He hates me," Avaa replied. Iroh looked at her questionly.
"I seriously doubt that. It's extremely easy to get Lee mad at you, but not to hate you,"
"Then, why is he mad at me?" she asked.
"He's not. He's mad that you've seen his weakest side. Being strong is one of the most important things to him since he got his scar."
"So being strong means that you don't accept people's help?" Avaa asked.
"No, it means that he doesn't get into the postion that he needs someone's help."
"Like if he's emotionally hurt, he won't show it because he thinks that it's weakness,"
"Exactly," Iroh said," His father called him weak for not fighting, and Lee's been like this ever since," Avaa looked out into the bay in thought.
"I don't think he's weak," she said simply. "I need to talk to him," Iroh nodded. Avaa stood up and looked for Zuko. She finally found him, standing with Jet.
"You know as soon as I saw your scar I knew who you were," Jet told Zuko. Zuko looked at Jet warily. "You're an outcast, like me. And us outcasts have to stick together. We have to watch each other's backs because no one else will." Avaa felt uneasy. Jet had good intentions, but way he went about fullfiling them worried her.
"I've realized lately, that being alone isn't always the best path," Zuko replied. Avaa took it as a good sign for her, maybe he wasn't mad at her. She stepped closer to the young men and cleared her throat.
Both turned around to face her.
"Do you mind if I talk with Lee alone, Jet?" Avaa asked.
"Not at all," Jet said. "Think about what I said, Lee," he said before leaving. Avaa turned to Zuko.
"Are you mad at me?" she asked.
"No," he told her.
"You seemed pretty mad at me back there," she told him. Zuko said nothing. Avaa sighed. "I really care about you. I don't think you're weak at all," Zuko met her eyes, "I'm not just saying this, I mean it," Zuko remained slient.
"Watch out for Jet," she told him," He has good intentions but," Avaa paused,"...he's a bit extreme. He almost killed me for being half Fire Nation. You're right, being alone isn;t always the best path, just watch who you're with,"
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Yup, Avaa's special thing is that she can enter the Spirit World. Have I mentioned that I love this chapter? Yes? Oh, well. I love this chapter.
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