The Forgotten Valley
It was twilight by the time the gang ultimately approached the Forgotten Valley. It was apparently identified by a giant wooden sign informing them this was the spot along with a surprisingly ample warning regarding how those who walked in don't walk out. There were also numerous other ungainly marks and other graffiti from years of villagers who either had added advice or else confirmed their death signatures.
"Forgotten Valley? Charming name, really and look what it says here, Aang. "All who enter take heed, for their memory will be forgotten forevermore indeed. Peril awaits all who enter this valley who have no respect so you best trek back. You have been warned." Sokka read aloud the huge old weather-worn sign. He gulped down a lot of trepidation after seeing that.
"Sokka stop being a scared chicken-cat! We have got a job to do! We are still in a serious time crunch. So buck up already!" his sister told him firmly.
"Katara in case this somehow got obliterated from your short term memory we have got the Spirit of Death after us! Furthermore, we are about to waltz right into a place we're plainly told people to go in to DIE. Forgive me for thinking this isn't the best idea!" he shot back at her furiously.
"Hey, will you two knock it off! Please? You're not a bunch of babies anymore! Geez! You did help end a war you know!" snapped Toph irritated with them squabbling so much. Man, what bee had flown up their butts? Sheesh!
'Guys, can we all stop arguing, please? I think we can all acknowledge if we give in to despair or start exhibiting negative energy that it will draw in Anto. At least that's what I believe we can gather from the chapter on him and Alanna from the Encylopedia. Plus the reason why Healer Yang felt it was extremely necessary she left us with the tools to do a spiritual cleansing to better protect ourselves," Aang pointed out reasonably.
"Okay, Aang got a good point. We unquestionably want to keep our energy positive and clean moreover most unquestionably not to give into fear. Hopefully, that's blinding his senses for now and he can't track us. At least let hope that how it works.
Given none of us primarily myself personally understood how any of this spirit mumbo jumbo magical gobbledygook ever worked. Although if this what Healer Yang and Aang's Avatar senses are saying will work then I say let's go with the flow and hope it works out!" Sokka summed up for everyone winsomely.
Taking several deep calming breaths before everyone took their first footsteps into Forgotten Valley. The second you traversed the threshold into the Valley you could feel this area was positively alive. This place had so much energy that was in twofold. It wasn't just the traditional energy that you find from everything growing this place was most unmistakably a spiritual hot spot. This place was prospering with a power that was similar to the Spirit Oasis of the North Pole or the Swamp.
As they were leisurely hiking into the shadowy, twisting pathways shrouded in strangeness and obscurity. The place was positively creepy, magnificent and commanding all at once.
Katara was the first one to speak as a foreign sensation overwhelmed her after they walked for about half an hour. She put her hand on one of the trunks of the ancient trees and an odd expression expanded across her face and she exclaimed: "Oh the Ocean and Moon!"
"Katara! Katara what it is?!" everyone abruptly turned around to look at her and the alien face she was making. They couldn't accurately put into words that would best describe what the expression she was wearing was about.
"It's so strange it's a feeling, but it's more than a feeling," she began to vocalize what she seeking to explain but couldn't quite word. "I've forever been able to bend water but this is different."
"How? Is it different Katara?" everyone was not quite figuring out what she was talking about. None of what happened to them so far on this adventure had made a lick of sense, to be honest.
"I feel it. Not feel it like I sense it. I feel it in my heart and soul. Like it's a person. Like I'm one with its spirit. As if I AM THE WATER. ALL WATER IN THE WORLD. Like I can suddenly talk to water as again it has a soul and I'm one it's speaking too."
"What are you trying to say, Katara? You the Spirit of Water or something?" Aang questioned with his eyebrows scrunched in confounding as was honestly everyone else faces in confusion.
"I can't put it into any other words except I just feel as if the essence of water itself Aang has presently flowed into my body and I'm now one with it. Like it was lurking here for some reason and now we are bonded," and then they took a look at the face Katara was making and looked at the tree she had touched.
Aang rapped the tree and realized it was hollow so he requested Toph to investigate. When Toph did she had the same reaction as Katara did as if she was abruptly now inhabited by the soul of the earth itself.
Toph revealed this "Forgotten Valley" was doing both the Spirit World and Earth a tremendous favor. Somehow beneath the whole valley buried subterrene, this valley had the capability to draw the world poisons to it. Then they're purified and then they sent into spiritual portals back out to various parts of the world.
"So I presume the valley and the creepiness would make sure no-one disturbs this place so it can keep the world Eco-system in balance if that a secret job of it. But if that's one "Forgotten" secret of this Valley then what's up with all these faces on the plants and animals?" Sokka asked as sure enough there was creepy kind of faces all over the place.
"Yeah, someone unmistakably loves faces, but this place is more than the secret keeper to stop the world from having contamination destroy the planet. This place has quite a few secrets, Sokka. Let's try and find the heart of the valley. That should give us the answers we seek." Aang recommended as they continued on the path.
They only walked about ten more feet before Sokka did something that might not have been the brightest of ideas. He took out his sword and made a slash mark on a tree trunk.
"Sokka! What are you do?!" cried Aang in shock at his friend who looked wholly unrepented from his action just now.
"Look, I'm not about to get lost and die here. I'm gonna make sure we don't get lost so I'm marking the path. Got a problem with it?"
"Yes, I do, Sokka! Didn't you learn anything back in the Swamp?! Or when Ha-Bai took you?! Spirit locations must be given the respect they deserve! They are sacred and the in-between our world and the Spirit World!
Showing disrespect only leads to trouble and upset the Spirits! Do you want some angry spirit to come after us? When we already got the Spirit of Death after us?!" Aang screamed at him emphatically.
"Yeah, Sokka you're supposed to be the smart one! Besides weren't you just listening to Toph and myself?! This palace is alive in ways you can't possibly conceive! It's got a heart and soul!
Plus there that warning there for a reason! We want to make it out alive we must show respect! So don't touch anything else with your sword! Or I will shatter it! I swear I'll shatter it!" vowed Katara to her brother who didn't like how scary she looked.
"Okay, okay, I won't do it again! But how can we make sure we don't get lost then?" he asked practically.
"I'll take care of leaving markers, Sokka! Just don't hurt the Valley in any way!" Toph answered as she went over to a rock and using her earthbending transformed it by inscribed it with symbols of the four nations.
"Okay at least will be able to backtrack now. So let's keep going now. So let's get going and pay attention to where we are going." Aang was glad there was some compromise between them.
They agreed that every 15 minutes that Toph would mark another rock to help them keep track of their movements. Sokka tried to lead the way by following the stars hoping it would lead the way.
Sokka was in the lead with his sword still at the ready for any danger, Katara and Toph were still undergoing some peculiar spiritual metamorphosis the deeper they went through the twisting path and as for Aang, his face muscles were hurting from the constant changing expressions he was going as they passed everything with a face.
Yet after two hours of traveling all, they'd got for their troubles was feet covered in blisters and a lot of twigs in their hair. It seemed like they'd been walking in circles given the fact to their disgust they had literally return to the beginning.
"How is this even possible? We should've been in the heart of the valley! How could we've walked for two hours only to end up back where started without moving any further at all?" Sokka wanted to know given he'd been trying to determine that for the past two hours.
"It's like the Valley knows we're seeking answers and is keeping us from finding them!" Katara admitted to what the problem seemed to be.
"How can the Valley be smart enough to know what we are seeking, Sugar Queen?"
"I don't know, Toph. How about you explain what you and I have been experiencing for the last two hours going on inside both of us? And don't deny you've been feeling it too!"
"Okay so maybe I've been feeling like there something inside me, Katara. Not that I like it. But still, spirits are so...ugh! I can't even say what I really think!" Toph pouted she couldn't scream the obscenities she wanted to say as she sensed whatever was now inside her wouldn't like it.
"Guys calm down, please!" Aang tried yet again to be the peacemaker. Why did it seem some days he felt somewhere between a camp counselor and a hostage negotiator? Especially when it came to his own friends?
Why was being the Avatar so troublesome? Why was keeping the balance so difficult when just being a kid was tough enough? Keeping relationships together was difficult, keeping your family together was tough. Just normal life was difficult enough! Throw in the fact you had to keep the balance of the world? Seriously?
How does one find balance in themselves? Isn't life hard enough without adding to it? Family, friends, love, work, and so many other things? Really? This is exactly why he didn't want to be the avatar at first and he had long ago suspect many other avatars felt the same way.
That just being normal was hard enough without having to add to it. Still, right now Aang once again had to accept he was the Avatar and he had to keep his family together and still accomplish the mission he was given all for the sake of keeping the world in balance.
But still, seriously why did a 14-year-old kid have to do this? Normal teenagers? All they had to fret about was acne, clothes, friends and if they got caught sneaking out late at night to go out see their crushes!
Normal kids aren't asked by the leaders of countries to find their missing families and find themselves in a spiritual location with the spirit of death swearing to kill them because it felt cheated!
At that moment Aang just sank to the ground and spread his arms wide and said out loud, "I wish we all could be normal."
That got everyone to stop fighting and look at their friend sprawled out on the ground. "Aang? Are you okay?" Katara asked him softly as he lay out on the ground. He stared at the heaven above for a long time and then answered to the sky but not looking up to her face.
"No, Katara, I'm not totally alright. We've been through thick and thin and we are family. I wouldn't change that. However, I can't help but still long for a sense of normalcy. Like right now I wish we weren't here.
Like we could just be normal kids. I'm kind of exhausted of being the Avatar and all of this fighting and arguing. Wouldn't it be great if you could just pretend to be someone else and no one ever knew who you were?
That you could become someone else and then you wouldn't be burden with the responsibility of your old life? Just be someone else and live the life you desired? That must be great to have a second life and start over!"
"Well, how would anyone do that, Twinkle Toes? How could anyone completely vanish without a trance and get a brand new life? You get a new life when you reincarnated into the next nation in the cycle."
"I don't mean that, but I think I'm sort of feeling what the royal family must have been thinking eight years ago. They came here thinking of starting over. They wanted to forget a painful and abusive past.
Wouldn't that be wonderful if they got their wish? A second chance to start over as brand new people and live the kind of life they always dreamed of? Not have to be the royal family?"
"But Aang even you were told and had to accept you can't run away from who you are. That we must accept who we are. You are the Avatar and the Royal Family must be accepted they are who they are." Katara told him as he finally sat up.
"But still Katara, haven't you ever wished you could be someone else? I mean we heard how messed up their lives were and we heard how bad the Legion was. Who wouldn't give up anything to be given a do-over? A second chance?"
"But Aang that's still not even possible. There just no way to get a second chance like that. It's just not possible. Nothing can make that happen." Sokka told him seriously.
"Maybe, Sokka, maybe not. I think there only one way to know for sure. But we still have to find the one who can give us those answers and I think I know a way to get them."
'How that, Twinkle Toes? Your past lives got the answers?"
"No, but it never hurts to ask politely."
"What?!" everyone exclaimed in shock as Aang walked forward about 15 feet and then bowed in Airbender style and spoke in the most well-mannered way you could imagine.
"Spirits of the Forgotten Valley, I Avatar Aang, humbly asks for your guidance and help. I promise myself and my friends mean you and this land no harm and we shall not defile this sacred place and pay you and all within this Valley proper respect.
We merely respectfully ask for your assistance to aid us in our quest. So if you would please send us a guide to take us where we need to be we'd be ever so grateful. Thank you very much."
For a few moments nothing happened and then suddenly instead of moonlight breaking through the treetops it was the radiant golden sparkling sunlight. A beautiful song that was filled with love and life resonating throughout the Valley and once it enters their hearts it filled them up with such life they felt as if they'd just been born.
As if the sunlight was a spotlight was a most magnificent and beautiful bird any of them had ever seen. The size of a swan with a long luxurious tail and large plumage on its head and singing like a voice out of a dream with eloquent azure blue eyes and they swore it could smile.
One look at is the magnanimous creature and they knew this was their ticket to finding the answers they sought. The bird sang one long note and started to fly and they all ran as fast as they could to keep up with.
The bird was as graceful as she was beautiful and kept at a steady even pace as she flew. She kept checking to make sure they're keeping pace with her as she led them through the mysterious twisting paths.
What should've taken hours only took a few minutes as they seemed to reach the destination she had in mind but the bird seemed terrified by something unexpected? She had brought them to a large crystal blue pond.
But clearly, she hadn't expected to see a monstrosity fighting an old female waterbender who was defending a man wearing a strange wooden mask over his face. Team Avatar took a quick look at what was going on.
It was an enormous ophidian of some kind with golden eyes the size an Earthbending Fight Ring. Its iris glowed so intensely you think everything for the rest of your life is tinted gold. The monster's ridged forehead and tapered snout made it look an eel than a snake as his hide glistened with the patchwork of red and black. Even from where they stood they smelled his rancid breath and long perfect rows and rows of sharp teeth.
Yet they all saw the distinctive emblem on the chest of the beast and knew this was Anto! Despite they'd lost the two previous battles they went right into battles hearts blazing ready to take on the Spirit of Death again.
The old woman waterbender had been using the flowers like ice disks to defend herself and now stumbled to the ground and as Anto was about to swallow her whole Katara pulled off a move she never has done before.
She somehow caused it to rain down hail that began to bombarded Anto with hail that felt like repeated ice cannonballs hitting him. And if having ice cannonballs were bad so were iron ones as Toph used her seismic sense to sense the iron in the ground and gathered it into large cannonballs and kept smacking him with it.
Sokka had gone to protect the down old Water Tribe and managed to awake them enough and get them to cover while Toph and Katara continued on with the cannonball attack.
Aang had headed to the sky and was trying to force a storm to occur so natural lightning would occur. He'd never learned how to do the high-level rare technique of lightning, but he knew enough about storms how natural lightning was made.
So using his bending he quickly conjured up a thunderstorm and seeing how water doesn't mix with lightning and it hits the tallest thing first Anto had inadvertently put himself in the perfect place to be a target.
He let out his own bloody screech when the lightning bolt hit him as shrieked and flailed as Aang flew swiftly downward from the turbulent skies and joined his friends on the moistened terrain. Anto was still smoldering as he glared with pure hatred at them again as he seethed sinisterly, "Clever, Avatar, clever, this round goes to you. But I still have your soul in the end." as the stupendous ophidian escaped into the shadowy woodlands still smoldering like something that been on the campfire too long.
"Do you think he'll come back?" Katara asked in an apprehensive voice even as she used the increased energy in her to calm the storm overhead with a flick of her wrist.
"If he does we'll be waiting. Though we barely prevailed this time, Katara. Furthermore, that was only because we caught him by surprise. He wasn't expecting us at all. Plus I'm willing to bet those funny feelings inside you and me gave us an edge. Neither of us done bending like that before. Doubt we could do it outside this place again, Sugar Queen."
"Toph's right. He was caught off guard as he was entirely focused on who was previously here. Therefore his attention wasn't focused on us and I think your spirit magnified bending did greatly assist us as it did mine.
I don't think we would've stood a chance otherwise. Still, let's find out what's going on before he does come back." Aang advised everyone as they looked over their shoulders as Sokka was now leading over the old Water Tribe pair who had been the ones the Black Spirit been attacking.
"Thank you for saving us from that monstrosity. In all the time we've been hiding in this valley we've never encountered the likes of him before," spoke the old woman in a gracious voice. The man didn't say anything but merely nodded his head.
"You're welcome. But that was no ordinary monster, I'm afraid. It was Anto the Black Spirit of Death." Katara explained morosely as she shook the older waterbender hand.
"Anto?! Oh, I can't believe death is coming for me and my brother now! Not when we've waited so long and are so close for what we've sought so long and hard for!" the old woman looked outraged rather than worried about what just transpired so that raised a few eyebrows.
After all, no one knew why two Water Tribe people were in a Fire Nation Spirit Valley but then again they didn't know who they were or why they were there either.
"Excuse us perhaps we should back up some and introduce ourselves and explain how we all ended up here," suggested Sokka to which everyone nodded. That would be logical as well as the polite thing to do given the circumstances.
"That would be a beneficial idea, child. Why don't you four go first?"
"Well I'm Katara and that's my brother Sokka and we're from the Southern Water Tribe."
"I'm Toph Beifong and I'm the world greatest Earthbender!"
"And I'm Aang the Avatar."
'The Avatar? Here? Of all places? Maybe you could help us!" exclaimed the elder woman as if all her dreams had finally come true at last.
"How could I help you...?" asked Aang reaching for their names.
"Misu and this is my brother Rafa. We're from the Northern Water Tribe. Years ago in our youth, a tragedy happened. You see me and my brother were as different as night and day.
I was well-behaved, studious and followed the rules. My brother, on the other hand, was the exact opposite. He loved to misbehave, adventurous and break rules. He especially loved to take things just for the sheer fact he could.
One day his luck ran out and his face was horribly disfigured and I being who I was studying for hours on a way to fix it since our healers could not. I came across a powerful spirit who could grant a person a new face. She alone had the power to heal my brother."
"But she could only be found in the Fire Nation, couldn't she?" Aang guessed and Misu nodded solemnly. "I had to learn to use waterbending as a weapon in secret as our laws forbid women to learn it for combat.
"Formerly they don't do that anymore," Katara informed her which clearly shocked the older woman of what had changed from her youth.
"Well, they did during our time and then we snuck in during the war and have been here for years waiting for her to come to one of the three pools to grant Rafa him a new face. But alas no luck. Although we've noticed something peculiar in the last eight years. It's the strangest thing next to you showing up really you and Anto I mean."
"What have you notice that is 'peculiar'?" Aang asked anxiously hoping this would lead them in the directions of the answers they seek for their quest.
"Well, young Avatar, after living in this valley so long you get a feeling for things and notice things. We've never seen spirit we seek but oftentimes we've seen what appears to be small gatherings in different locations throughout the valley.
We never can get close enough to see or hear what actually going on distinctly. However, from what I've witnessed it seems two women and two small animals frequently meet and talk. Never in the same location and never for longer than an hour and a half."
"Two women? Two animals? Talking in a valley that people are too scared to enter?" repeated Sokka in skepticism. He was looking around everyone and thinking are these two people still sane after being in this place for so long?
"Who in the world could they be? Moreover, what are they talking about? Also, why would they change locations all the time? Do they always talk at the same time?" Katara asked curiously and strongly to Misu who answered the younger waterbender question the best she could.
"It's late at night. Never during the day always at night."
"You think one of them is the spirit you seek?" suggested Toph who thought that should've been the first thing they thought of.
"Possibly but the spirit we seek wasn't described as a woman in the book I read about her. From what I can tell the two women look quite human and the animals look very normal as well."
"Well, there only one way to get answers to all our questions. We need to call up the spirit who calls this valley home. Give me some room I'm going to try and contact her." Aang said as he got into a meditation position.
Everyone backed up as Aang took a few deep breaths and in few moments his arrows were glowing and Aang's spirit had left his body and was looking everywhere for the spirit of the Forgotten Valley.
He abruptly felt himself being beckoned underwater. He swam till he was deep underwater and heard a voice that seemed to be reverberating. "Who has the audacity to trespass on my home? Who is seeking to FORCE me to appear? Who is desecrating MY HOME?" she demanded furiously and Aang gulped.
"I'm Aang the Avatar. May I ask whom I'm speaking too?"
"I'm the Mother of Faces, Avatar Aang. AND YOUR NEXT FEW CHOICES AND THEIR ACTIONS THAT FOLLOW THEM COULD EITHER SAVE THE WORLD OR DOOM IT!"
Misu- Kirby Howell-Baptiste-Maya- A Dog's Purpose
Rafa- Pooch Hall- Al- A Dog Purpose