Chapter 11
The Power of Love
The source of the Kakorla was traced all the way back to the fire nation. The gang arrived in no time at the speed they were flying. Appa almost collapsed by the time they landed in the palace grounds. The fire nation was in shambles. The Kakorla had already started its destruction. People who had already contracted the sickness and were wreaking havoc on the people who didn't.
Zuko eyed the area to get bearings on what to do. "Katara, you go and find Aang, it's your battle to save him. Sokka, Toph and I, will keep the minions back and protect the others."
Katara nodded. Zuko was right; Katara was the only one who could free Aang from the dark prison of the Kakorla. Making a plan to meet somewhere at a certain time, the gang split up and went to fulfill destiny. Katara made her way into the Fire Lord's palace and searched the area. It was decorated exactly like the Primer Temple was. And Katara knew that Aang had to be somewhere here. She proceeded with caution as she made her way to the throne room.
Barging open the doors, she took a fighting stance and came face to face with the Kakorla. It sat on the Fire Lord's pedestal and its body took almost all the room. It glared down at Katara with hatred.
"Peasant, when will you ever learn? Do I have to rip your flesh to pieces to get the message through your head? If that's what it takes, then I shall.
Katara showed no fear at the demon's words and simply stood her ground. "I'm going to send you away forever, so you can never harm another soul again. And I know how to do so."
The Kakorla laughed and the palace began to shake violently. Katara fought to stand still but the rumble was too strong. The roof flew off in a heartbeat and a large gust of wind overtook her. When she opened her eyes, she saw the Kakorla even taller and more menacing then ever. It reached its shadowy arms to the sky and twirled the clouds pitch black.
Rain began to pour downward and lightning streamed across the sky. As much as I'd love to kill you myself, I think having your boyfriend kill you would be much more fun.
Katara gasped as she saw Aang hover down from the dark clouds and onto what was left of the throne room.
"Hello again, Katara," he said. "This time, I'm going to finish you. I'm going to put you through so much pain; the buzzards won't know what to eat when I'm done."
He grabbed Katara's hair and pulled it towards his face. Katara let out a small yelp and tried to fight away the fear. She grew stern as she faced Aang. "Bring on everything you have," she said. Aang's eyes lit up. "With pleasure,"
He flung himself at Katara, trying to slice her eyes with an ice whip. Katara moved swiftly from side to side, avoiding his blows. The Avatar reared back, and threw himself on top of Katara pinning her to the floor. Katara felt his nails dig into her throat, spraying blood into the air. She stretched her arm out to her pouch and bended water whip in his eyes. Aang scrambled to the other side of the room, looking half stun. Katara couldn't tell how bad she'd hurt him, only that his rage was building. She pressed water to her throat to seize the pain of the wound she had received. Aang meanwhile, flamed his hands and lanched at Katara with full force.
Katara's feet skidded in the concrete and she lost her balance. Aang gripped her robe and pulled her up to him. His eyes blazing like the fire in his hands.
"I'll slice you to pieces, Katara; I've waited a long time for this."
Katara fought with all the energy she had in her to talk. "Aang, think about what you're doing. Do you really want to kill the woman you love?"
Aang smacked her upside the head and pulled Katara closer. "I love no one," the Kakorla is the only one to follow. Now Fight!"
Throwing Katara to the side, Aang took another stance and bended a large rock in the air. Katara summoned every scrap of skill and strength she possessed. Aang could kill her, in spite of who he truly was inside. She threw a lash of water at his throat, but Aang swung his head to one side and Katara's water blast scrapped harmlessly across his skin. But the blow had loosened his balance.
Katara turned away narrowly avoiding a boulder to her head. Aang summoned the winds to pick up faster and his body was lifted into the air. Katara flashed out a shield of ice and held it around her. With luck it might protect her and maybe baffle Aang.
Aang darted forward with a full air blast surrounding his body. Katara hardened the ice more with her breath and prayed Aang wouldn't break through. However, Aang wasn't planning to smash through the ice wall. He slammed down as hard as he could onto the floor, creating a fissure to destroy ground and sink Katara into it.
Unfortunately, his plan worked, Katara didn't see the fissure coming and was knocked hard to the floor. She tried to get up, but her feet slipped on the blood that had spilled from her head. She crashed back down with another hard blow. Aang saw his victory, and walked over to Katara and knelt down. The waterbender was severely wounded. Her throat was gushing with blood and dirt had sunken in. In addition, the rock smash had fractured her skull when she hit the ground. With all her strength gone, she simply stared at Aang.
"I told you there was no use in fighting me," he said. The Kakorla has blessed me with powers beyond the Avatar State. I am more powerful than any being alive! No mere mortal bending can cause harm to me. I am all that is!"
Katara sobbed as she fought for words to say. She tried pleading with him before, but maybe she should try a different approach. Tell him something she hadn't told him ever before. Something that could reach inside him and bring the real Aang back.
"Aang, would you really kill the woman who's carrying your own child?
At this shocking revelation, Aang's attitude altered, but he wasn't hesitant to question. "What do you mean?
Katara spit a small tooth from her mouth and faced him with teary eyes. "I'm two months pregnant, Aang. I wanted to tell you before we went on the mission, but you were too persistent to listen."
Aang's eyes and tattoos stopped glowing. He looked at the waterbender with steady eyes. Katara continued;
"I love you, Aang. No matter what you might have done, or what you've become, I'll always love you. I know deep down there's that precious, kindhearted boy I found in the iceberg. You're not like the Kakorla, you're stronger. You have the power to defeat him. You have the power of love in you. I know because I know you love me."
"You once told me, that you could take all the stars and match each one with a reason why you love me. But you'd never get finished because you would run out of stars."
A tear fell from the black eye of the Avatar. Memories poured into his mind. It was all starting to come back to him. He thought of all the times he spent with Katara and how much he loved her. The darkness inside him began to shiver. His body began to shake and he couldn't speak. Katara smiled and placed a hand onto his arrow. She took a deep breathed and said;
"In the holiest of spirits and the brightest of lights, I command you to flee evil spirit. Leave this man's body so he is no longer tormented by your wrath. And may all of our ancestors protect him from demons!"
Aang let out a loud scream into the air. Another rumble shook the palace and in seconds it came crashing down. Aang thrashed his head from side to side, and his eyes and tattoos glowed a bright blue. Katara's words were purifying his soul and setting him free.
When the power settled, Aang's body began to change back to normal. His black eyes were gray and his skin was white. His tattoos were blue and his voice was high pitched. Katara, still lying on the ground looked at him with passion. She had freed him.
Aang opened his eyes and gazed at his surroundings. He seemed to have realized what had just happened. Noticing Katara in the state she was in, he gasped and immediately started crying.
"Katara, oh my god what have I done. We have to get you to a healer now!
Katara grabbed his arm and pulled him closer. I'm fine Aang, I can heal myself."
"But what about the baby? Won't it be harmed?"
"The baby will be fine; I'm not worried about that. I'm just so glad I freed you." Katara said
Aang still wasn't convinced. He put his hands to his head and cried more. "Look what I did to you, I almost killed you."
Katara pushed her head up and kissed his cheek. "It wasn't your fault; you weren't in control of what you were doing. I forgive you."
Aang stuttered to say words in reply. "But… Katara I almost destroyed the world. And more importantly, I almost killed the woman I love."
"Don't worry about that, you are purified now. The power of love set you free."
She wrapped her arms around Aang and cried tears of happiness. "I'm just glad to have you back in my arms."
The reunion was cut short, when a huge gust of wind broke in and the ground rumbled. Aang picked up Katara and leaped away from the blast. When he turned he saw the Kakorla, harnessing a tornado and filled with rage.
"You traitor! I give you everything you could have ever wished for. And you threw it away!"
"Well, you'll just be destroyed along with the rest of the world once I'm done with it."
Aang jumped up and took a stance. "No, Kakorla, this has to stop!
With everything he had left in him, Aang leaped high in the sky to the Kakorla's height and threw out an air blast. The Kakorla laughed and swiped him away. "Like you said, Avatar, no mere mortal bending can hurt me."
Aang smiled and flashed a clever look at the entity. "But I'm not a mere mortal, I'm the Avatar."
Leaping from the ground again, Aang darted towards the Kakorla at full force. He then thought of all the reasons why he loved Katara, and why he saved the world for the fire nation for her, and why their love was more powerful than the Kakorla. His body was embraced in a light blue glow and he darted faster towards the Kakorla. Upon reaching, Aang sank into his shadowy skin and waited. The Kakorla laughed harder as it continued to harvest natural disasters.
Suddenly, it stopped laughing. The Kakorla looked to its stomach to see a blue light spreading across it. As it panicked, the glow began to spread more, until it covered its entire body. No! I am the Kakorla, the one with all the power. I have no weaknesses!
It then heard a voice from inside. "All except the power of true love," Aang said.
With those last words, the Kakorla exploded. A gigantic gust of wind shook the entire fire nation and spread to several other towns. Katara looked up in amazement as she saw her boyfriend defeat the entity.
After it was over, Aang glided to the ground and was joined by Zuko, Sokka and Toph. No time for talk, they quickly rushed Katara to the nearest healer as fast as they could. The wounds she received were too severe for even her to heal on her own. At the healers, Aang was at an emotional breakdown. He prayed to Avatar Roku to make sure she'd be alright. He never would forgive himself if she died. The healers urged the gang to leave so that she could rest. Aang looked uncertain, he did'nt want to leave Katara's side.
Four weeks later:
Katara stayed at the healers for two weeks, to mend her broken bones and wounds. When she returned to the gang, Aang had never been so excited to see her in his life. They ran up to each other and embraced in a big long kiss. Katara wrapped her arms around him and smiled.
"Aang, I've never wanted to harm you, but I had to do what I could to save you."
Aang looked up at the beautiful sunshine that showered upon them. "Katara, no pain in the entire world, could even come close to what I've been through without you."
"The whole time I descended to madness, and created chaos, I never once thought about losing you."
"You are my guiding light, the one who helped me defeat the Fire Lord and the Kakorla. "Now you are going to be my wife"
Aang reached into his monk robes and pulled out the air and water ring he made. Gazing at Katara's face, he could tell that this time she would accept. Katara closed her eyes and tears fell down her cheek.
"Oh, I love you" she said leaping into his arms. "I couldn't ask for a better father for our child."
The two stood there together for a long time, as the rest of the gang watched in happiness for them. Until now, they couldn't help feeling a strong sense of accomplishment. The Kakorla was trapped, this time forever, and The Avatar was back to the kind, powerful, goofy natured person he once was.
In spite of all this, the gang had learned something that day. For a long time after the war, it had seemed to them that life was about to begin-real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, and a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on them that these obstacles were their lives. Moreover, no matter what challenges come their way, no matter what dangers they might face, as long as the have each other, the can triumph over any evil. And the gang thought about the three strongest emotions they always had in their hearts: Faith, hope and love. But all they could agree that love was the strongest of all.
There it is finally finished. I'm so sorry I haven't uploaded in a week. I was on vacation like I said and I didn't have time to write. However, this is not the end. I shall write an epilogue sometime soon. We can't forget about Aang and Katara's wedding now can we?