Chapter 7: Heaven

Disclaimer: Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra are property of Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko and Nickelodeon. As much as we would like to, we cannot and do not claim any sort of authorship, ownership, or "melon lordship" over the original characters, plot, etc.


"Chaos in an angel who fell in love with a demon." – Christopher Poindexter


They lay side by side, finger tips barely touching, upon the grass-covered edge of the caldera, their eyes focused on the night sky.

"Sokka once had a sword made from a meteor. He lost it in the battle, though."

"Is that the 'space sword' thing he's always going on about?"

"Yeah, he keeps asking me to find it for him."

"Where is it?"

"In the ocean. He wants me to dive down to the bottom of the ocean and find his space sword."

"He's a couple turtleducks short of a flock, isn't he?"

She snorted. He turned to her, a grin spreading across his face and reaching his eyes.

"Oh, shut up."

"I didn't say anything," he laughed.

"So when is this thing supposed to happen anyway?" she asked.

"Any time now."

"How do you know?"

"I'm a firebender. I can feel it."

"Oh."

She paused for a moment, contemplative, her bottom lip pulled slightly inward.

"What are you thinking about?" he wondered.

"Did you know some cultures think meteors are messengers from the spirits?

"Aang said his people regard them as souls that are passing into the spirit world."

"That's a lot of souls at one time."

"There are a lot of people in the world."

"True… What do you think they are?"

"It doesn't matter."

She shifted just slightly so that she could see his face.

"Sure it does. Tell me. I want to know."

"My father once told me they foretell the fall of kings."

"Fall as in death?"

"Most likely."

"That's ridiculous." She challenged. "The fall of kings."

"Kings have fallen throughout history."

"But not you."

She stared at him, her eyes full of sadness.

"It could happen. I'm not going to live forever, you know."

"Don't talk like that," she demanded, grabbing his hand in hers and squeezing tightly. "You can't say things like that."

"Sorry."

"I forgive you."

"It's nice to be forgiven."

"Oh, be quiet."

She turned back to the sky, waiting.

"Hey."

"Hmm?"

"You never really told me what you think they are," she reminded.

"Uncle and I think they're dragon spirits."

"See, that's beautiful. Even though they're gone, you can still picture them there."

"Just because you can't actually see something doesn't mean it doesn't exist."

"I remember telling you that once."

He rolled over so their eyes met.

"Maybe I finally understand."

"I'm glad."

"Yeah, me, too."

"Well, whatever they are, they're beautiful," she sighed as the first harbingers of sky fire streaked across the night.

"Yeah, they are," he smiled.

And the heavens rained down and the stars became falling embers.

End.


Mythian's Author's Note: I'm actually rather pleased with how this one turned out. I can picture it so clearly in my head, too. Now if only I had awesome people-drawing skills so I could bring it to life in a picture. Ah well. Sometimes the imagination is the best canvas of all.

Side Note. In Shakespeare's King Richard II, a Welsh captain warns the Earl of Salisbury about King Richard's death: "And meteors fright the fixed star of heaven […] These signs forerun the death or fall of kings." I thought that was a rather neat idea, so I borrowed it here.

Thank you for reading!