Chapter 7
Searching For Answers
The gang arrived at the Southern Air Temple just before dawn. Exhausted, confused and hungry, they ignored the bad feelings in their hearts as the climbed the mountain side to the temple. Katara didn't say a word about Aang, when they arrived.
Sokka was thinking of the time they first came here with him and how eager he was to show them around. Now he wasn't here and it wasn't the same. Tears streamed down Katara's face as she walked upward. Zuko walked to her side and placed a hand on her shoulder. "We'll get him back the way he was, I promise." Katara pushed Zuko's hand off gently and walked faster. She wanted to find the information within the temple and move on. This place reminded her too much of Aang.
When they reached the top, Sokka searched the main halls for some secret door they didn't enter the last time they were here. He found nothing and joined his crew back at the entrance to where the Avatar statues were. Katara sat in front of the statues. No longer crying but thinking of where info on supernatural beings might be. Zuko called everyone to talk.
"Listen; there is no point in searching this entire temple, for answers. I suggest we leave now and search elsewhere."
"But we don't know where else to look, Sokka said. "Aang said this place held information on the Kakorla! And I believe its somewhere here."
Zuko looked frustrated. He tried to hold in his temper but his couldn't.
"Look, Sokka, Aang's not here now! So stop talking about him and what he would do. We can defeat the Kakorla without his help."
The bickering between the water-tribe warrior and the fire lord continued for five minutes. Suddenly Toph jumped in and silence them both.
"Shut up you two, I can feel something beneath my feet."
"What is it?" Zuko asked. Toph placed a hand on the ground and shook her head. "There's some kind of room underneath. Hold on, I'll make a pathway down in a jiff."
She took a stance and lifted the stone from the ground and crumbled a tunnel downward. The gang all looked down. There was nothing to supply a safe trip downward. And there was no light to guide them. But it didn't worry Zuko; he lit a fireball in his hand and hopped into the hole. A few seconds later a load thump was heard. "I'm ok, come on down I see something up ahead."
Katara was next to jump down and Sokka and Toph followed. The landing wasn't pleasant but the room beneath the temple entrance was massive. Containing man made walls holding papers.
"It's an airbender library," Sokka said.
Katara put a hand to her head thinking. Of the time when the visited Wan-She-Tong's library and learned of the solar eclipse. Only this time, they were seeking info on how to defeat a supernatural entity, hell bent on destruction. As they moved through the library, they couldn't help but have a feeling of accomplishment. Maybe here they could learn the information they needed on the Kakorla. And with it, they could trap it forever and renew Aang.
They spent hours looking through the scrolls contained within the walls. Most of which were on the history of the four nations and other airbender tales. Katara and Zuko had just about given up and sat down against the wall waiting for Sokka to finish looking.
"Sokka, I've searched that entire isle already, there's nothing there we need," Zuko said. Sokka ignored his statement and reached his hand to the back of the wall. Fiddling around he felt a ragged piece of parchment in the back. "I've got something,"
He gave it a tug and pulled out a bundle of scrolls tied together and covered with dust. "These have been here a long time," he said. Untying the knot around the scrolls, he discverd a smaller note attached to them. It said:
Of many creatures in this world, none are more deadly than these.
This was it! this was the guide book on the supernatural creatures Aang had mentioned about. He opened the scrolls and flipped through the pages. It contained info on creatures Sokka had never heard of before. It told how the creature came to be, what is was known for and the location where it's at. Sokka called his friends over to look at the notes. Zuko swiped it from his hands and flipped faster through the pages.
"Find anything? Toph asked. Not yet, but this is sure to tell us something."
Zuko stopped at one page and showed it to everyone. There at the top of the scroll for everyone to see (Except Toph) was the word KAKORLA. "That's it! Sokka you've found it," Cried Katara. She gave her brother a hug and then turned back to Zuko. "Read what it has to say."
"Of many fearsome beasts of the world, none can compare to the power of the Kakorla. A deadly entity with immense power and a startling history. Many years ago, a man was banned from Ba-Sing-Se for practices of evil entity worship. He told people, that they had blessed him with horrific powers and could do anything. The people became frightened of the man, and banished him out of the city. Furious and confused, the man sought shelter in Primer Temple where he continued his practices. However, he underestimated the power of these spirits and was damned to a life of hell. Cursed for what he had unleashed, the man spent the next five years tormented by supernatural forces, following him. Finally he could take it no longer; he slit his throat and ended his life. But it was a mistake he would soon regret. By taking his life, he had unknowingly created another soul for himself. The entities, consumed his body, and combined themselves together to form an ultimate demon. The Kakorla!
As the man named himself. With his new body and new powers, he went out on a quest to destroy the world that shunned him. He set horrible things to the four nations; creating supernatural forces to terrorize and purge them into a living hell. When all hope had seemed to be lost, a brave earthbender by the name of Tako challenged the Kakorla. The Kakorla was very powerful and agreed to face the boy in battle. With only his bending to defend himself, the Kakorla would easily win. But he underestimated what Tako had within him. The power of love!
The Kakorla could only hate, therefore was weak to love. The power of love gave Tako his own supernatural powers. With these, he trapped the Kakorla into the Primer temple where the forces all began. After the battle was over, Tako removed the powers from his body and placed them in a amulet made of sliver glass. He kept the amulet locked away in a tower of Primer temple. Where it could be safe, if ever the Kakorla shall rise again."
Zuko finished reading and looked to his friends. "So this amulet of love is what can defeat the Kakorla."
Sokka looked skeptical. "Oh, come on, how is love going to defeat a supernatural being?" "We might as well, kill him with kindness."
Katara took the papers from Zuko's hand and looked them over for herself.
"It didn't mention everything I was hoping for. But it gave us enough background to learn what it is and how we can defeat it."
She placed the scrolls in her poach and walked out of the hole. The rest of the gang followed shortly. Staying the night, everyone felt a small sense of reprieve. They knew what the Kakorla was and how to stop it. And even more, they could free Aang from his possession.
But Katara was still worried. She knew the Kakorla was using him to its advantage. And now that they left him alone, he was free to do whatever damage it wanted him to do. She decided they had to go back to find him before he could hurt anyone.
Aang sat on the shore still tangled in his nature prison. He didn't bother to get up. Believing that this was probably what was best, for the monster he had become. Suddenly a gushing wind overtook him. Sand flew in his face blinding him to what was happening. Opening his eyes slowly, he saw the silhouette of the Kakorla glaring at him.
"Avatar, you are not completing your quest. You did not kill your friends."
Aang looked at him, "I know master but they overpowered me, plus I think we can complete our mission without them dead."
The Kakorla grabbed Aang's neck and yanked him to his feet. "Listen, I want you to do something for me. And I need it done; it is the key to our downfall if you don't. I need you to travel to Primer temple. There is a amulet at the top of the tower. Find it and destroy it."
"Why?" Asked Aang, holding a hand to stop his bleeding head.
The Kakorla shouted to him. "Because I said so! Don't ask questions!"
"Now go, after you do this, we shall spread the sickness to Ba-Sing-Se." We're almost close to reaching our goal."
Aang picked up his glider and began to fly upward. The Kakorla's final laughter echoed and then slowly faded into the night.
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