Hello once again, my loyal fans. :) Sorry it took me nearly a week to write up this chapter and to upload it. But I do hope you enjoy this next thrilling installment in my epic story. I've got a great character making an appearance in this chapter, but I'll leave you to find out who it is. ;) I did really well in the beginning and towards the middle, but I felt that I rushed a bit at the end. Let me know what you think. Enjoy reading and please review!
Note: It might be another week or so until Chapter Ten is up so please bear with me. But you're always free to look back through my work and leave reviews wherever you see fit. Thanks to all those who support me! They make me feel appreciated because of my work. :')
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I do own Gregor, Dreo, Meigui, Sun Tzu, and all OC's associated with the Dark Legion.
Chapter Nine: The Dark Avatar State
"Are you sure you want to do this, Aang?" asked Katara as her husband made preparations for his mediation. She knew that he needed answers about what had happened to him at the Dark Legion fortress with the black glow that had occurred during his Avatar State. But she was also afraid for him because of what he might find out. She knew of the raw power and anger that resulted from that black glow, and she also knew that it truly did scare Aang. Her husband was a peaceful man, restoring to violence in only his most extreme times of need.
"I have to do this, Katara," he replied as he laid out his meditation mat at the foot of their bed. As he stood up, he turned to Katara and said, "I need to know what the black glow was, so that's why I'm consulting with Avatar Roku. He's been my Avatar guide ever since you freed me from the iceberg. I need to be prepared in case this happens again when we find the Dai Li or face the Dark Legion in battle…" he faltered as he walked up to Katara and took her hands in his. A look of sadness came into his eyes as he said, "I don't want to risk the possibility of you getting hurt or…or killed by my hands when I'm in such turmoil and rage."
"Aang…" whispered Katara as she drew him close in a hug. "I know you could never bring yourself to hurt me, even when you're in that state. You didn't hurt me in the slightest when Azula was wielding that knife, for your attacks only hit her." They detached from their hug, but she kept him at arm's length with her hands on his shoulders. "I know you were slightly upset when I told you that I didn't go with Sokka when things got dangerous here, but you need to know something." She smiled kindly at him and said, "I feel like I'm beating this phrase to death, but I can still take care of myself. We're both concerned about the baby and we really won't be at ease until it's born. But you don't need to be so overprotective of me all the time. You're like how Sokka was when we first got together, only about three times worse." Aang rolled his eyes at that thought, but he smiled as his gaze returned to Katara's face. "You don't need to overreact every time I trip slightly or have to catch my breath," continued Katara. She smiled mischievously as she said, "I'm still the same Waterbending Master you've known all these years. You don't think I can look after myself?"
Aang laughed slightly and replied, "Oh, I have no doubt that you can handle yourself. It's one of things that attracted me to you." He put on a big, toothy grin and winked at his wife, who smiled and blushed at him. "It's just that I worry about you sometimes." He put on a mischievous grin and said mysteriously, "After all, you're walking around the city with Gregor today." Katara blush reddened as embarrassment washed over her face. Aang began laughing at the look on her face, which caused Katara's face to become scrunched with annoyance. She eyed a water jug on a table next to the bed. Making sure her husband didn't see, she discretely bent the water in the jug up and out. She slowly twirled her free hand until the water was hanging in a ball over her laughing husband. Aang peeked out of one of his eyes during his laughing fit and saw the mischievous gleam in Katara's eyes. He abruptly stopped laughing and slowly rolled his eyes up just in time for the water to splash on his head and freeze solid, encasing his cranium in a ball of ice. He looked down, with difficulty, at Katara and tried to scrunch his eyebrows at her but couldn't. Gathering what breath he still had left in him, he exhaled steam through his nose and melted the ice. As the water melted off of his head, Katara used her hand to send the water back into the jug. Aang shook the remaining water droplets off his bald head and shot an accusing look at his wife, who put an innocent smile on her face. "Why did you do that?" he asked grumpily.
Katara chuckled at Aang's pouting face and replied, "First off, never tease me about spending time with my other male friends. You're the only man I need in my life, for my heart belongs to you alone." At this she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek, and Aang's pout melted into a smile and a blush. After the kiss, she leaned back and said, "Secondly, this is Gregor we're talking about. His sense of honor and respect towards women would keep him from even considering trying anything with me, since after all I'm married and expecting my first child." She held her head up high and said in an overly formal tone, "He's a gentleman of the Fire Nation and would never force me to do anything to compromise my honor or dignity." She chuckled as if to show how ridiculous Gregor could be sometimes with his notions of honor and pride, but she was glad to have such a noble man for a friend. "Besides," she said in her normal voice, "I'm helping him to find a woman within the city. Think of me as a matchmaker of sorts." She winked at Aang, showing him that he wasn't the only romantic one. She gave him one last hug and kiss, saying "I'll see you later. Good luck with Roku." Both of them smiled, and Aang watched as she walked out of the room. Before she closed the door, she peeked her head back in and said, "Oh, and tell him I said 'Hi'." Aang smiled and nodded, and Katara left again.
Aang looked back at his meditation mat and took a deep breath. Here goes nothing, he thought. He sat down on the mat and assumed the Lotus position for meditation, his hands clenched in fists and put together so that the arrows on his hands faced each other. His legs crossed over each other, the soles of his feet pointing to the ceiling. Aang closed his eyes and steadied his breathing, implementing the training he had received from the monks of so long ago. He had to concentrate on his connection with the Spirit World and the Avatar Spirit. Soon his body had fallen into the regular rhythm of his calm breathing. Aang felt a familiar feeling awaken inside of him, and his tattoos began to glow white as he achieved his connection to the Spirit World. Aang could feel himself being pulled away from his body, and he opened his eyes to see what was happening. His spirit form shot up rapidly out of the room and, as he flew high above the city, the Earth Kingdom shrank in size until it was nothing but a speck from his view high in the clouds. He could feel the universe flowing around him, and the view of the Earth Kingdom began to change. The land melted away until he saw nothing but stars as they raced by him in a blur as he traveled beyond the borders of the mortal world.
Aang closed his eyes once more as a light enveloped him, and when he opened them he knew that his journey was successful. Looking around him, he could see that he was in a peaceful meadow. He was still in his sitting position, and he slowly got up so he could view his surroundings. As far as he could see, there was nothing but a sea of grass that stretched up and over scattered hills throughout the landscape. Flowers grew in bunches and pockets in the grass, splotching the green canvas with hues of red, blue, yellow, purple, and orange. A soft breeze drifted through the meadow, giving the verdant land the appearance of waves of swells in the ocean. Aang felt the warm heat of the sun, and he breathed in deeply and exhaled the sweet air. This place was so full of life and peace, he was almost tempted to stay and gaze at its beauty. But he knew he was there for a reason, and it wasn't sightseeing. He drew in a huge gulp of air and shouted, "Avatar Roku! Are you here?" His voice echoed across the field, but there was no response to his call.
Aang prepared to draw in another breath to try again when suddenly a massive blaze appeared five feet in front of him. He jumped back and automatically tried to counter with his Firebending, but he remembered that he couldn't bend in the Spirit World. He hoped that this conflagration was a friendly spirit, but as he gazed at the fireball in front of him he noticed something strange. The fire was blazing, but instead of being overwhelmingly hot and consuming the plants around it, it was warm and did not burn up the plants. The flame was about six feet high and three feet wide, about the size of a normal person. The flames suddenly died out, leaving a lone figure behind. The male figure was dressed in the clothes of Fire Nation Royalty, which was a deep shade of red. His long hair and beard were as white as the snow that falls on the North and South Poles, and his face was weathered and ancient. His arms were folded inside of his robes, giving him the look of a wise master. Atop his head sat a crown in the shape of a flame, the symbol of the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation. Aang instantly knew who the man was, and he smiled.
"Hello, Aang," said Avatar Roku in his signature gravelly voice. "It's good to see you again, my old friend," he continued, and the two Avatars bowed respectfully to one another. As always whenever he was in the presence of one of his past lives, Aang was in awe of Roku. Even after his own journey and experiences throughout his life, it still set a sense of wonder in him that his story was only one of thousands. He knew that each and every Avatar before him had experienced many of the same things he had in his life: growing up in their home nations, learning their birth element, discovering their identity as the Avatar, traveling around the world learning the other elements as well as the Avatar State, dealing with their own personal struggles as well as the conflicts of the world, even falling in love, getting married, and starting and raising a family.
As they came out of their bow, Aang smiled and said, "It's good to see you again too, Roku." Suddenly remembering something his wife told him, he added, "Oh, and Katara says 'Hi'." He sheepishly grinned at the mention of his wife, and Avatar Roku began chuckling. Aang's predecessor knew all about Katara, ever since the day Aang had first contacted Roku during the Winter Solstice ten years ago.
"Ah, yes," mused Roku, "I remember your Waterbender friend well." He smiled and asked, "Am I right to assume that she is your wife now?" He chuckled at Aang's surprised expression. Aang had never told Roku about his marriage, so he had no idea how the Fire Nation Avatar could have known. Roku hummed softly and said, "If I'm not mistaken, she is also expecting your first child…soon I might add." Roku chuckled again as Aang's jaw dropped in complete astonishment.
"How…how could you possibly have known that?" asked Aang through his confused stupor. "The last time I contacted you was almost six months before I proposed to Katara, around the time I was helping Zuko fight a group of rebels somewhere in the Earth Kingdom." As he said this, he thought he saw a gleam of recognition flash briefly in Roku's amber eyes. Aang didn't pay much attention to this, however. "Wait," he said, "is it because you're one of my past lives as the Avatar that you know this? I mean, all the Avatars share some of the same experiences but still-" Roku held up his hand to politely indicate Aang to be silent, which the Air Nomad did.
"The reason I know this," said Roku, "not only has to do with me being your past life, but also due to the fact that I can read the worry you carry for her on your face." He paused for a brief moment and said, "It was perfectly clear to me in our past conversations that you truly loved Katara, and the weight that you now carry comes not from maintaining the peace of the world…but rather from the concern you have for her well-being during this special and critical time in your life together. Katara is a strong woman, and I have no doubt that she will make a fine mother." He chuckled and added, "I was the same way you are now when my own wife, Ta Min, was pregnant with our first child." He paused briefly and raised an eyebrow, saying "Speaking of descendants…I'm assuming Fire Lord Zuko never told you about his own ancestors."
"Told me what, Roku?" asked Aang, who was clearly confused. "I mean, I know his great-grandfather on his father's side was Fire Lord Sozin, but…he never told me about his mother's side." He attempted to put the pieces together as he tried to figure out what Roku was hinting at. If Sozin was Ozai's grandfather, then who was Ursa's grandfather? Suddenly, the realization hit him like one of Sifu Toph's boulders. "Zuko is your great-grandson?" Roku simply nodded, and for a brief moment Aang was taken aback. "I had no idea…" he murmured. Regaining some sense, he chuckled and said in amazement, "Who would have thought that the great-grandson of my predecessor would be my Firebending teacher and one of my closest friends? Destiny is a funny thing, isn't it Roku?"
"It certainly is," agreed Roku. His demeanor turned grim as he said, "Aang, I know that you didn't contact me for an idle chat and to catch up on old times." Aang was surprised at how quickly Roku's attitude had changed. "You've come here for guidance from me, and I know of the events that have led you here," simply stated the Fire Nation Avatar. Aang's expression turned serious, for this was what he had come to the Spirit World for.
"I have," replied Aang honestly. "Since you already know that Katara and some of my other friends had been captured by the Dark Legion, surely you know about the black glow that occurred during my Avatar State at their fortress during the rescue mission." He saw Roku's bright eyes grow dark, as if a shadow had passed over him. The wind in the meadow stopped blowing, and the flowing sea of grass and flowers ceased their swaying. Aang heard the low rumble of thunder somewhere off in the distance, but there was not a storm cloud in sight. He nervously gulped and asked hesitantly, "What was the black glow, Roku?" He anxiously awaited an answer as he saw Roku's expression darken. Aang could see storm clouds gathering off in the distance behind Roku, and he began to feel afraid.
"Aang," said Roku gravely, "listen carefully to what I am about to say…what you experienced in your Avatar State at the Dark Legion fortress was something that has not happened in four thousand years." Aang's eyes widened as Roku said this, and he slowly started to realize just how dangerous the black glow was. "It is called…" Roku paused before continuing. He finished his sentence with four simple words: "The Dark Avatar State." Aang's heart sank at the true name of the black glow, and a louder rumble of thunder sounded off in the distance as the storm clouds drew closer. He could feel the darkness taking hold of the land much like how his own anger and rage had when he trigged the Dark Avatar State.
"The Dark Avatar State…" whispered Aang to himself distantly as he repeated the name. He knew all too well of the power that the normal Avatar State held, but this new Dark Avatar State held untold power that he had yet to truly experience. He had but a small taste of it, and the true power of this dark state was something he had come to fear even though he had not seen it yet. "What exactly is the Dark Avatar State?" asked Aang timidly. As the storm clouds began to pass over them, he could feel a chill settle upon the meadow. It was if the icy claws of death had taken hold, and Aang knew that this storm was caused by something otherworldly.
"The Dark Avatar State," Roku began, "is a force that resides deep within the Avatar Spirit, remaining dormant until it is awakened by feelings of extreme sadness, anger, hatred, or rage. While the normal Avatar State can be triggered by these same emotions, the Dark Avatar State draws its power from these emotions on a far deeper level. The last Avatar to trigger this state was from the Earth Kingdom, one by the name of Chi Fu, who lived over four thousand years ago. His wife and young son were killed by an assassin in their home in the mountains of the Earth Kingdom, and when he found their bloody and disfigured bodies his grief and rage triggered the activation of the Dark Avatar State. His Earthbending became out of control, and he flattened hundreds of miles of mountain range in a terrible earthquake. That was how the Si Wong Desert was formed." Aang's eyes shot wide open in complete shock. This Dark Avatar State had the power to destroy an entire mountain range to create the largest desert in the world! He remembered how powerful his own bending was under the influence of the Dark Avatar State, and he shuddered to think of how much more hidden power there was behind that black glow.
"That's incredible," said Aang in complete awe. His expression turned somber as he said sadly, "But it's tragic as well…Chi Fu lost his whole family, while I came close to losing mine." He sighed heavily and said, "When I found out what the Dark Legion was going to do to Katara by…by cutting out the baby, something snapped inside of me. I felt as if I had no control over her fate, but the anger I felt towards the Dark Legion forced me into action to stop it from coming true. I had to save her, otherwise I would lose myself in the process." He hung his head down and said, "I was willing to even take a life if it meant saving Katara…." He thought about how viciously he had attacked Azula, how battered and bloody he had left her with his rock assault. He wondered if he had really killed her. He hadn't thought much about that encounter, but now it dawned on him that Azula was possibly dead because of him. He felt his heart clutch inside of his throat, feeling like he had betrayed everything the monks had taught him about non-violence.
Roku sensed Aang's grief and said, "I understand. We all do things we normally would never consider doing for the ones we love. It is all part of being human." Aang looked up at Roku with tears in his eyes, and the past Avatar smiled at the Air Nomad. Aang wiped away his tears and smiled back at Roku, feeling better after Roku's words of comfort. Roku's expression turned serious again as he said, "There is something you need to know about the Dark Avatar State…a hidden danger you are not yet aware of." Aang piped up at Roku's foreboding statement, and his fear began to rise up once more.
Making their way through Ba Sing Se, Katara and Gregor strolled leisurely into the Lower Ring as they began the 'match-making' process. The Waterbender rather enjoyed walking around the city, for it gave her a chance to be herself despite her heavy pregnancy. Being indoors all day relaxing and taking care not to overexert herself for the baby's sake was driving her crazy. She had plenty of knowledge and advice from her Gran Gran on how to care for herself when she was walking around during her pregnancy. Katara also had plenty of her own experience helping dozens of other pregnant women at her home between the time of her mother's death and her discovery of Aang.
She smiled as she remembered the years she had spent with her own mother, how little Katara wanted to be a mommy someday just like her mother, and how Kya would hug her close and tell her that she would be the best mommy in the whole world. However, Katara had her own concerns about parenting: Would her child love her and Aang? Were she and Aang ready for this immense responsibility of raising a child, this combination of their flesh and blood? How would she know what to do as her little baby grew up and learned about the world? Would she be able to keep her child safe? For the time being, Katara had to put these concerns aside and focus on the task at hand. "So, Gregor," she said, "how has Dreo's eye been doing since I healed it yesterday?"
Gregor looked to his right, where Katara was walking next to him, and replied, "The bruise hasn't come back, if that's what you mean." He chuckled and said, "I knew Toph was a tough fighter, but she certainly gave Dreo a run for his money." Katara smiled and nodded her head in agreement. Gregor smiled and said, "But I'm glad everything turned out well for them. They certainly look very happy together." Gregor couldn't help but feel proud of his brother for finding such a wonderful woman, and now he was getting ready to do the same.
"Yeah," agreed Katara, and the two continued walking in silence for a while as they looked around for potential clients for Gregor. As they continued walking, Katara couldn't help but notice that the way Gregor looked. His armor was spit-shined and polished, the sunlight gleaming off the highly reflective surface of the red metal. His hair was combed perfectly, his top knot in peak condition. His head was held high, a confident smile on his face. His eyes were alight with a flame that had never burned in them before. Katara knew that Gregor was a proud man, but he never sought to show himself off like this before. "Are you OK, Gregor?" she asked, concerned that he may be letting what was going on get to his head.
Gregor looked down at Katara and proudly replied, "Am I OK? By Agni's fire, I feel fantastic!" He shouted this last part, earning him strange looks from the people walking in the street around them. Gregor ignored them and said excitedly, "I've never felt so alive in my whole life!" He looked down in a brief moment of sadness and said, "I had given up hope on finding a girl of my own a long time ago." Looking back at Katara, he happily smiled and said, "But you brought it back, Katara. You've helped to rekindle my inner fire, making it burn brighter than ever before." Katara smiled kindly back at Gregor, and she could feel her cheeks burning up at Gregor's praise. She had always been the one who gave people hope, no matter what their situation was.
"Well," muttered Katara, "I am the Overemotional Queen of Hope, as everyone likes to call me." Gregor began laughing loudly, his deep voice echoing throughout the crowded streets of the Lower Ring. Katara was surprised how easy it was to forget how underneath Gregor's formal and noble appearance was the fun-loving and gregarious Gregor. Ever since the war had ended, Katara had seen a different side of the once-hated Fire Nation. There were good and honorable people in the Fire Nation, such as Zuko, Iroh, Ty Lee, Mai, Gregor, and (by extension) Dreo. The people of the Fire Nation were full of life, their inner fires driving them to accomplish anything they set their minds to. It was this side of the Fire Nation that helped Katara to change her views on the country she had once hated for the murder of her mother, and it also helped her to accept her own mother's passing. After several years of peace-work after the war, she saw a bright future for the Fire Nation and was glad that Zuko was leading them into that future. She also saw a bright future for Gregor as well, and she smiled at the thought.
"You!" cried out a female voice from behind them. Gregor stopped laughing, and the two stopped walking and looked behind them to see a red-haired woman storming angrily towards them. Katara had never seen this woman before, but by the angry look on her face the Waterbender could tell that she was clearly upset with Gregor. The woman was about five and a half feet tall, putting her well below Gregor's height of six foot four, and she looked to be in her mid-twenties. Her skin was flawless, and her eyes were a deep shade of green. Her loose red hair billowed down to her shoulders, and she wore the outfit of a commoner of the city. She walked up to the two and stopped a couple feet away, pointing a finger at Gregor and saying, "You're that Firebender who so rudely knocked me over yesterday and didn't even bother to apologize!" Katara looked at Gregor with a raised eyebrow, while he was looking at the accusing finger in front of him with confusion.
Gregor looked hard upon the woman's face as she crossed her arms and scowled at him, for he was trying to remember just who exactly this woman was. His eyes were narrowed as his mind went hard to work. He remembered running into someone after he ran out of the bar, but he couldn't quite recall who it was. His eyes suddenly shot open as he remembered, and he said frantically, "Oh…oh I am so, SO sorry about that! I-I didn't mean to knock you over…I was just, uh, in a hurry to attend to some, um, urgent…personal business." Sweat began to appear on Gregor's forehead, showing how nervous he was as he rubbed the back of his head. Katara knew that Gregor wasn't about to reveal that his brother had been brainwashed by the Dai Li to some woman he accidentally knocked over on the street.
"Right…" said the woman incredulously, "I assume this 'urgent personal business' had something to do with your pregnant wife here." As she said this, she pointed a finger at Katara. The Waterbender's face instantly reddened at the woman's thinking that she was Gregor's spouse, while the Firebender's face did the same thing.
Both of them had looks of embarrassed shock on their faces as they quickly looked at each other in surprise, but they quickly broke off the awkward contact and looked back at the woman. Both of them hastily said, "He/She is not my husband/wife! We're just friends!" The woman blinked at them in surprise at their simultaneous outbursts. Gregor composed himself and said, "I suppose we should introduce ourselves." He bowed respectfully to the woman and said, "My name is Gregor and, as you have already guessed, I'm a Firebender as well as Fire Lord Zuko's top general." Gesturing towards his Waterbending companion, he added "This here is my good friend Katara, the wife of Avatar Aang." Katara, being unable to bow in her current condition, simply smiled and nodded in acknowledgement to the woman.
The red-haired woman's expression changed from irritated anger at Gregor to complete awe at Katara as she looked upon the Waterbender. "Oh my goodness…Lady Katara!" quickly said the woman as she bowed respectfully to her. "Forgive me for my rudeness…and for not recognizing you sooner." Coming out of her bow, she added, "You look absolutely radiant, even in the midst of your heavy pregnancy with Avatar Aang's child." Katara smiled sweetly at the woman, glad to receive such praise from a fellow member of her gender. "I'm Meigui," said the woman in introduction, smiling the whole time.
"Hello, Meigui," replied Katara, "it's very nice to meet you. But you don't have to use such formalities with me. Just call me Katara." She smiled at Meigui, who nodded affirmatively at Katara's request. "Thank you for your kind words," continued Katara. "This pregnancy hasn't been the easiest thing in the world to get used to, but I've adjusted over time." She winced and gasped slightly as the baby kicked again, and both Gregor and Meigui made a move to help her but were blocked by a raised hand from Katara. "I'm fine," said Katara breathlessly. Seeing the concerned looks on their faces, she said, "Really, you two. I'm fine." She smiled at their concern, despite how much she disliked people harping on her all of the time.
Resuming their conversation, Gregor said nervously, "So…Meigui…I must say you have the prettiest green eyes of anyone I've ever seen. Your eyes are like the verdant fields of the Earth Kingdom in the spring, so full of life and energy yet vast and mysterious beyond all comprehension." As he continued speaking, his voice became more confident in his poetic praise of Meigui's eyes. Meigui began giggling as her face began to blush, and Katara could hardly believe what she was hearing. Gregor was trying to flirt with Meigui! She couldn't help but smile at her friend's new found confidence in talking to girls. "If I'm correct," continued Gregor, "your name means 'Rose'." Meigui giggled again and nodded, still blushing at Gregor's compliments. Gregor chuckled and said, "It is an appropriate name for one as beautiful as you, and your hair matches the luster of the brightest rose in the Fire Nation." Meigui's breathing began to quicken, and she started to fan herself with her hand to cool off.
By the Spirits, thought Katara in amazement, he's a natural at this! He practically has Meigui in the palm of his hand, and he just adds more fuel to the fire with his words of praise. I just hope he doesn't take advantage of this poor girl. She pondered this thought for a brief second, then immediately shoved it out. No…Gregor would never do something like that. He's waited a long time for a chance like this, and he wouldn't want to do anything to mess up his chances with this woman. She smiled to herself and thought, If only Aang could see me now, helping our friend to find love in the most unlikely of places. Her smile turned into a slight frown as she thought, I wonder how he's doing with Roku? I hope he's OK. But she knew that Aang was safe in Roku's capable hands, and she turned her attention back to Gregor and Meigui.
"I have something for you," said Gregor mysteriously, and Meigui's gaze became fixed on the Firebender. He drew in a deep breath through his nose, and he held out his hand in front of him. A flame suddenly produced itself in his palm, causing Meigui to jump slightly. The soft flames reflected in Meigui's verdant eyes, giving her eyes new life that burned bright within them. Gregor closed his hand quickly, and suddenly a Fire Lily appeared in between his fingers. Both Meigui and Katara gasped at the sight of the flower. Katara knew that Firebenders were renowned for their mastery of flames, but she had never seen one create a flower out of nothing but fire. Gregor was pulling out all the stops, and Katara wondered if he had been planning this for a while. Gregor presented the flower to Meigui with a flourish, saying, "For you, my dear."
Meigui blushed and smiled as she took the flower delicately from Gregor's strong hand. She smelt its sweet, fiery fragrance and let out a sigh of pleasure. "I must say, Gregor, I've never met anyone from the Fire Nation quite like you before." Her blush reddened as she added, "I would like to spend some time with you…now, if you prefer." Katara could see a sparkle in Meigui's eyes, and the Waterbender knew that Gregor's performance had completely pulled her in.
"Of course," replied Gregor, "but first, I would like to take Katara back to her husband." Katara smiles at the mention of her Aang, although Meigui seemed slightly disappointed. "He is deep in meditation consulting with one of his past lives on a serious matter that has come up recently. We're staying at the Jasmine Dragon, the tea shop in the Upper Ring owned by Iroh." Meigui's blush vanished and her eyes widened in surprise.
"The Jasmine Dragon? That's where I work at!" Gregor and Katara eyes widened in the same surprised look that Meigui had. "I thought the tea shop closed a couple of days ago?" she said in a confused voice. "There was a sign on the side of the entrance that said 'Closed for Reservations'." Meigui looked to Gregor and Katara for answers.
"Well…" Katara said, "Iroh must have closed the tea shop when we got here a couple of days ago, although none of us saw him put the sign out. We've got important business to attend to in Ba Sing Se, but we're not sure how much longer we'll be staying." She could see Gregor eyeing her cautiously, hoping that she wouldn't reveal anything about the Dark Legion or the Dai Li. She glanced at Gregor, giving him a look that indicated that she would not divulge any sensitive information to Meigui. Gregor slightly nodded in affirmation, and she returned her attention to Meigui. "We're sorry that our being here is causing you to not be paid for your job."
"Don't worry about it, Katara," said Meigui assuredly. "The other employees and I had a talk with him about our financial compensation for us not being able to work, and he said he would pay us double whatever we would have earned during the time we would have been working." She smiled and said, "Besides, he gets enough business from the Earth Kingdom nobles here in the city that he is not at risk of losing the Jasmine Dragon."
Gregor sighed and said, "That's Iroh for you. Always willing to put aside his own business to help out those he considers his family. There's not another man quite like him in our world today." Both Meigui and Katara nodded in agreement with Gregor's statement, for they all knew Iroh's nature by heart. Gregor put on a big smile and said, "But let's make our way back to the tea shop. We'll drop off Katara and continue on from there." Meigui smiled and nodded, and the three began making their way back to the Jasmine Dragon. Katara couldn't help but smile as she saw Gregor and Meigui engage in lively conversation, and she knew that those two would become very close friends, if not something more than that.
The dark storm clouds continued swirling high above the two Avatars as they stood in the darkened meadow. A sense of apprehension had overcome Aang, and he feared what he would find out next from Roku about the Dark Avatar State. "W-What's the hidden danger, Roku?" he nervously stammered. The darkness around them grew stronger with each passing moment, and lightning had begun streaking through the sky. An ominous wind had begun blowing through the still meadow, cold and unforgiving in its malice as it coursed around Aang.
Roku looked at Aang with a grave seriousness in his eyes and said solemnly, "You know well enough that in the normal Avatar State, you draw power from the bending skills of all the past Avatars into your body. But in the Dark Avatar State, those powers are tripled in their strength and ferocity." Aang's eyes widened in shock. He had no idea that his bending was that much more powerful in the Dark Avatar State.
"Why would an Avatar not want to access such power?" asked Aang. "Better yet, why haven't more of the past Avatars done so?" He raised his hands defensively and said, "I don't want to ever have to use this power again. I just need to understand what it is so that it doesn't happen again." Aang could feel the weather changing again in its power. The wind grew stronger, and the lightning began dancing more quickly through the clouds. The loud rumble of thunder was heard from all directions, as if the very ground itself were growling at Aang.
Roku's eyes shone again as he said, "All the Avatars are not aware of this power until one of two things happens: the first is that they actually trigger the Dark Avatar State, and the second is that most of us do not learn about it until we pass on into the Spirit World. It is the duty of every past Avatar to watch over their successor in case this dark power is triggered again, and when it does give the current Avatar all the information about the Dark Avatar State." Gesturing to Aang with his hand, he said "In your case, I am teaching you the dangers of this power because you have activated it already." Putting his arm back into the folds of his robe, his bright eyes began to darken once more. "I have told you that the Dark Avatar State is triggered by intense feelings of anger, sadness, and loss…and I know that at the time you feared that you would lose Katara to death. Now you must guard her and ensure that she is not killed by your enemies." A lightning bolt streaked out from the heavens and struck somewhere over the horizon behind Roku, illuminating the Fire Nation Avatar and making him appear as a dark silhouette.
"What would happen if Katara died?" asked Aang with difficulty, almost unable to bring himself to say that dreaded last word. He couldn't imagine his life if Katara died, for it would completely destroy him. Something changed in the atmosphere around him after he had asked his question. The darkness began to press down upon him, slightly constricting his breathing. The wind was blowing furiously through the meadow, sending the plants on the ground into a swaying frenzy. Lightning began striking dangerously close around them, shaking the ground with violent and deafening explosions of electricity and fire. Aang didn't know if he could die in the Spirit World, but he was desperately hoping that he wouldn't have to find out. Roku didn't seem afraid of what was going on around them, so Aang began to relax a little. "Roku, what would happen?" asked Aang again, desperate for the Fire Nation Avatar to say something.
Darkness enveloped Roku's eyes as he said clearly above the noise around them, "If Katara is killed, you will enter the Dark Avatar State and destroy whoever took her life. After the murderer is destroyed, you will be unable to exit the Dark Avatar State. Your grief, sadness, and anger at the loss of Katara will be so unbearable that you will lose control of your own powers. The Dark Avatar State will consume you, and all the bending powers of all the past Avatars will be unleashed upon the world with one thousand-fold strength and power." Aang's heart seemed to stop beating as Roku said these dark words of doom, and he could hardly breathe as the darkness around him began closing in on him. "Imagine the following, Aang: The archipelago of the Fire Nation swallowed up by a massive tornado so powerful it can rip the islands off of their earthen foundations and toss the floating islands around like a child's toy...the whole of the Earth Kingdom flooded by a massive tidal wave that submerges everything from the lowest valley to the highest mountain...the Air Temples and the mountains surrounding them completely obliterated by an earthquake so powerful that it rips the earth apart and can be felt thousands of miles away...and the Water Tribes and the Poles engulfed in a conflagration of fire so powerful that even the power bestowed upon all the Firebenders of world by a million Sozin's Comets would be nothing more than a lit match before a raging wildfire." At each example, Aang's heart grew heavier and heavier with dread and despair. He could see it all happening in his mind, the apocalypse of their world. He could feel the power and devastation that each element would bring upon the world, and he began shaking at the thought of such destructive power being unleashed all at once. Then Roku delivered the final blow; "It will be the end of the world, as you know it." Aang's confidence completely collapsed, and he staggered back a few steps.
Aang's heart was racing, pounding in his chest and threatening to burst out. How could this happen? thought Aang to himself fearfully. Now anytime Katara's near me, I have to make sure she stays alive or…or…or the world will be destroyed! Lightning continued to strike the ground around them, but the explosions sounded far-off and muted in Aang's ears. He was still trying to process all that Roku had said. Roku had just revealed the doomsday of the world to him, and it would be his entire fault if he lost control of the Dark Avatar State. There had to be some way to prevent this from coming true…there just had to be! "What can I do to prevent this?" asked Aang earnestly.
"You must swear upon your duty as the Avatar that you will not let Katara fight in the final battle," replied Roku, and Aang was taken aback for a second. "If she is not present when you face the Emperor of Darkness, he cannot use her against you. She must not fight by your side, otherwise she puts you and the world at risk of destruction. She may help you and your allies plan out your plan of attack against the Dark Legion, but she cannot take part in any fighting. But if she is killed, then all I have said will come to pass." He paused for a moment, but Aang was hesitant to swear his promise. What if she had given birth by then? Would she even be able to fight? How would she react if Aang sent her away even if she was in a condition to fight? "SWEAR IT!" Roku snapped angrily just as a lightning bolt exploded behind him, flames leaping high above him.
Aang jumped back and threw his arms up to protect himself, but lowered them once the danger had passed. He had never seen Roku angry before, and he knew that the Fire Nation Avatar was deadly serious. "I swear upon my eternal duty as the Avatar that my wife, Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, will not fight by my side when I face the Emperor of Darkness in final combat to maintain the balance of the world." Aang put as much force and confidence as he could behind his vow to show that he was serious.
After Aang had sworn his vow, the storm around them calmed completely. A ray of sunlight broke through the clouds, lifting the constricting darkness around them. The clouds above them began to dissipate, causing more shafts of light to break through the dark veil. The pressure around Aang's chest seemed to fade away, allowing him to breathe normally again. The dark clouds finally disappeared, and the two Avatars were left standing in the middle of the green meadow once more. Roku sighed heavily and said, "Thank you, Aang. I know you will do whatever you have to in order to defeat the Emperor of Darkness." He smiled kindly and added, "We are all very proud of what you have done for the world. You have truly become a fully-realized Avatar, worthy of recognition by the world for all your accomplishments." At Roku's kind words, Aang beamed with pride and was humbled by what the Fire Nation Avatar said.
"Thank you, Avatar Roku," said Aang sincerely. He smiled and said happily, "At least once this trouble with the Dark Legion is over with, I can get on with my life and raise my new family with Katara. I'm kind of nervous about our first child, but I want to spend the rest of my life with Katara. We're in this together until the very end." Roku's kind smile slowly turned into a frown, and a look of sadness entered his bright amber eyes. Aang noticed this, and he asked, "What's wrong, Roku? I know I said I'd keep Katara out of the fight but I still love her with all my heart." There was a look of pity in Roku's eyes, and a sense of apprehension came over Aang.
"Aang…" cautiously said Roku, as if he knew something Aang didn't. "There is something you need to know." He drew in a deep breath and said, "While you were frozen in your Avatar State in the iceberg, your human spirit aged well beyond that of your body due to the energy of the Avatar State. While your physical body is only 22, your spirit is actually 122 years old." A twinge of fear appeared in Aang's heart. Where was Roku going with this? "What I mean to say…is that your human spirit is slowly dying, much faster than that of your friends and wife. I am afraid you will not live to see your 70th year." Aang's heart froze solid as the truth of his demise hit home in his mind. He was going to die an early death, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. His legs gave out from under him and he collapsed to his knees, trembling the whole time. "I am sorry, Aang," said Roku sadly, and tears sprang to Aang's eyes.
"What?" whispered Aang in a deathly quiet voice. "Y-You mean I'm going to…to die before Katara?" Roku nodded somberly, and Aang's tears fell down his face. His heart was crushed beyond repair; how could he leave his eternal soul mate all alone in this world by dying earlier than her? He needed Katara in his life more than anything in the world, and he knew she felt the same way. "It's not fair!" cried Aang miserably as he stood back up, his sadness eating away at his soul. "Why should I die early when Kyoshi lived to be 230 years old?" he shouted through his tears. He buried his face in his hands and sobbed dejectedly at the thought that, years down the road, Katara would be looking down at him in his deathbed. The thought broke his heart, and he choked out the words, "I can't leave Katara…I just can't…" Roku took pity on the monk's plight, seeing that the thought of losing Katara devastated the young Avatar.
"Kyoshi lived a fortunate and blessed life," Roku said, "but that does not make you any less of a person than she was. Do not judge the quality of your life with Katara by the number of years you live, but rather by HOW you lived them. Live life to the fullest, raise your family with love and care, and look forward to the happy years you still have ahead of you. When the day of your death does finally come, when you are looking up from your deathbed at the tear-filled eyes of your elderly wife, you will not have any regrets in your heart. You will truly be at peace, for I can assure you that your love for each other will carry on after death. She, however, will live on long after you pass on and she will see the next Avatar revealed to the world. Then she will pass on and join you in the Spirit World, where you two will be forever." As Roku was consoling Aang, the monk slowly stopped sobbing and looked at Roku with tear-filled eyes. By the end of his monologue, the young Air Nomad Avatar was smiling and wiped away his tears, although he still felt a twinge of sadness inside his heart.
"Aang?" called out a voice behind Aang, a voice that sound like Katara's. He whipped his head around, but all he saw was a bright light off in the distance. Through the silhouette, he could see Katara standing in front of his meditating physical body. "Aang? It's me…Katara. Can you hear me?" Aang started to run off towards the light, but he stopped and turned back at Roku. The past Avatar smiled and nodded his approval for Aang's departure. Aang smiled back at Roku, quickly bowed to him, and ran off towards the light. As he got closer, the light blinded him and he felt a tugging sensation grab hold of him. He closed his eyes as he felt his body being dragged back to the mortal world. When he opened them again, he saw Katara standing in front of him with a big smile on her angelic face. "Welcome back," said Katara happily. As if reading Aang's mind, she said giddily, "Guess what? Gregor's gone off with Meigui, a young woman we met in the Lower Ring. Isn't that wonderful?" Aang smiled and nodded in agreement with his wife, for no words could find their way to his lips at the present moment. He was simply reveling in the presence of his wife, glad to finally be back within arm's reach of her. "So how did it go with Roku?" asked Katara. Aang's smile dropped off his face as his expression darkened, remembering the dangers of the Dark Avatar State and the news of his early death. Katara sensed the change within Aang, and she asked, "What's wrong, Aang?"
"Come here," said Aang somberly, and the two of them went and sat on the bed. He told Katara everything Roku had said about the Dark Avatar State; Avatar Chi Fu and his terrible Earthbending rage that created the Si Wong Desert, the enhanced bending powers in the Dark Avatar State, and the doomsday scenario that would occur should he lose control of the Dark Avatar State. However, he left out the parts about her being the cause of his entrance into the Dark Avatar State and his vow to Roku to keep her out of battle until the Dark Legion was defeated. As much as they trusted and loved each other, he couldn't burden his wife with the thought that her death would lead to the end of him and the rest of the world. Katara became horrified as Aang described all of this to her. Here was her Aang, the man she loved more than life itself, full of so much dark power that he could destroy the whole world.
As Aang began to sadly tell her the grim news of his early death, her heart felt crushed. He's going to die before me? He won't even live to be seventy! she thought sadly as tears came into her eyes. She wouldn't be able to handle him dying before her. He was her entire world, and fate thought it a cruel joke to take him from her long before she was destined to die. She was devastated by this news, and the tears she tried so hard to hold back flowed freely down her smooth face. "Oh, Aang…" she said, her voice cracking with sorrow. Husband and wife embraced each other in a hug of comfort and support, both letting their heart-felt sorrow pour out of their souls. They remained locked in each other's arms for five minutes, slowly rocking back and forth soothingly. As they separated, Katara looked Aang in the eyes and said, "We should tell the others…about everything." Aang nodded solemnly, and the two wiped away their tears. Both of them made their way into the tea shop and gathered everyone to tell them what Roku had told Aang.