This is it...the third and final part of my finale. This is the end of the journey, my friends. Everything has lead up to his glorious moment in my epic fanfic story. I want to personally thank all those who have read and supported my work. Without my loyal readers, my dream of being a fan fiction writer for this awesome show would not have come true. It's been an incredible journey, and I have enjoyed every single moment of it. As always...enjoy, read, and review!

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, Qiufeng, and all OC's associated with the Dark Legion.

Chapter Twenty: Dawn of a New Age

Silence…silence…all Aang could hear…was silence…the sound of nothing moving, breathing, or living…nothing. Looking around, all he saw was white, a blank canvas of eternity. He stood on what seemed to be solid ground, but looking down he saw nothing still. Looking back up, he began walking. He had no destination in mind, but his legs seemed to carry him with a purpose in mind. Strangely, he was not afraid of the nothingness around him…rather, he was completely at peace. He was still bare except for his black pants, his bare feet not making a sound as he walked on.

He jumped as a gravelly voice behind him said, "Hello, Aang." The Avatar whipped around to see Roku standing there, having appeared out of nowhere. Roku chuckled and said, "It's good to see you again…though I didn't expect our next meeting to be under these circumstances." Aang thought of the events that had occurred: his fight with Ryu, Katara being blown away by Ryu's lightning, entering the Dark Avatar State and fighting Ryu…seeing Katara alive and his Energybending battle with Ryu.

The realization slowly came to him as he asked, "I'm dead…aren't I?" Roku simply nodded, his bright amber eyes focused on Aang. The young monk looked down, letting the fact that he was no longer alive sink into his mind. Suddenly remembering his opponent, Aang looked up and asked, "Where's Ryu? Is he dead too?"

Roku nodded grimly and replied, "Yes, although his body and spirit underwent a far greater destruction than your own. The negative energy of the Dark Draconus backfired on Ryu during your Energybending battle, obliterating him completely. Ryu is gone forever, never to return to either the mortal world or the Spirit World. You have defeated the Emperor of Darkness and saved the world from the threatening shadow of the Dark Legion…though at a very high cost." Aang's eyes widened as he realized his terrible mistake, and panic set into his soul.

"Oh monkey-feathers!" he exclaimed fearfully, gripping the sides of his head with frantic hands. "I died when I was in the Avatar State!" he shouted, the arrows on his hands and head pointing to the culprit of his fatal error. He began furiously pacing back and forth, muttering, "No no no no no no no! The Avatar Cycle ended because of me! This can't be happening…this can't be happening…this can't be happening!"

Roku chuckled at Aang's panic and gently said, "Aang, calm down-"

Aang spun to face Roku, flinging his arms out to the side as he yelled, "How can I calm down?" Putting a hand on his chest, he added, "The line of Avatars has ended because of me! I'm the reason why I've doomed the world to be without the Avatar!" Putting his hands back on his head, he resumed his pacing and said, "This is bad…this is really bad!"

"Aang," said Roku firmly, causing the frantic monk to stop and look at him. "The only way that I can communicate with you at all is if the Avatar Cycle has not been broken." Gesturing to himself, he added, "Since I am clearly here, it should be quite obvious to you that the Cycle is very much intact." Motioning with a hand towards Aang, he said, "What I meant by a very high cost was that you gave your life to stop Ryu."

"Oh," said Aang, understanding what Roku was saying. A confused look came over his face as he dropped his arms by his side and he asked, "Wait…then how is the Avatar Cycle not ended even though I died while I was in the Avatar State?"

Roku chuckled and replied, "That is something someone much wiser than I must answer. Actually, it is a past life of yours who's been waiting to meet you for a long time. He has something to say to you." Roku looked behind Aang, as if there were someone standing behind him. Aang looked behind and jumped when he saw a man standing there, staring at the young monk with green eyes. The man had a helmet on, which was shaped to look like a Badger-mole. He had metal plates that covered his arms, giving them the impression of the arms of a Badger-mole. The plates ended in claws that rested on his knuckles, sharp steel devices were engraved with the symbol of Earthbending. He had a large brown beard, which extended down to his chest, and large sideburns that connected to the beard. His armor was gold and green in color, the symbol of the Earth Kingdom on his chest plate. He was at least six feet tall, towering over Aang like a giant.

The man bowed to Aang and said in a bold voice, "Greetings, Avatar Aang. I am Avatar Chi Fu, the first Avatar who first encountered the Dark Avatar State four thousand years ago." As he came out of his bow, he said, "You are the second in the long line of Avatars who has experienced this dark and terrible power firsthand." Raising an eyebrow, he added, "I'm rather surprised that we are the only two Avatars to have gone into the Dark Avatar State, even though we are four thousand years apart." Lowering his eyebrow, he said, "I'm sure Roku has told you all about how I created the Si Wong Desert when I went into the Dark Avatar State after my wife and young son were killed by an assassin."

"Yes, he has," replied Aang, staring up at Chi Fu with awe and amazement in his gray eyes. "I felt the power and ferocity of the Dark Avatar State as I fought Ryu…it was incredible…I did things that I never even thought possible. I even picked up a mountain that was two miles high and threw it down from almost a mile up in the air!"

Chi Fu's eyes briefly widened as he said, "That is certainly impressive indeed." His eyes returned to normal and he said, "But I do know the reason why you entered the Dark Avatar State. You thought your wife, Katara, had died while she fought to protect you from Ryu." Aang looked down at his feet as he remembered Katara, knowing that he could never be with her again. Chi Fu kindly smiled and said, "I can feel the love you have for Katara, and I know that this must be hard for you."

"It's very hard…" whispered Aang sadly as he looked back at up at Chi Fu, sorrow in his gray eyes. "I love Katara with my whole heart…but I knew that I had to do my duty as the Avatar to protect the world…even if it meant giving my life for the ones I love."

Chi Fu nodded sagely and said, "That is very wise of you, Aang. You have wisdom and knowledge that reaches beyond your young years, for you became very mature due to the Hundred Years' War." He paused and said, "But I haven't come to talk about our experiences with the Dark Avatar State, though what I have to say does concern it."

"What are you talking about, Chi Fu?" asked Aang, clearly confused by what the Earth Kingdom Avatar was saying.

"Both of us know that the Dark Avatar State is triggered by feelings of extreme grief, sadness, and anger, as well as a lust for revenge," said Chi Fu. "When something so traumatic happens that causes their powerful negative emotions to develop, the Dark Avatar State is triggered. Because you had thought Katara had died, you went into the Dark Avatar State and sought to kill Ryu for what you thought he had done." He paused and said, "However, something happened when you saw that Katara was alive. Describe to me what happened when you saw her…what did you feel?"

Aang was silent for a few moments as he thought hard, thinking of what had happened when the sight of Katara had been brought out of the Dark Avatar State. He said, "It felt like…like the darkness inside of me just broke, shattered beyond all repair…I felt a light shine bright within me, driving the shadow of the Dark Avatar State out of my soul…completely chased it away, never to return to my body or...or even the Avatar Spirit." Aang gasped as he realized what had happened; the sight of Katara had brought a light to his soul that had gotten rid of the Dark Avatar State, but he felt there was more to it. He looked up at Chi Fu and asked, "Do you know what happened?"

"I do," said Chi Fu happily, a smile on his hard face. "When you saw Katara, it brought hope to your soul. That hope is what drove away the Dark Avatar State, which feeds off grief and despair. Because you were able to grab onto that hope and bring light back into your soul, you destroyed the hold the Dark Avatar State had on the Avatar Spirit. When you destroyed the Dark Avatar State's power, the Avatar Spirit was reborn, preventing the Cycle from being broken when you died in the Avatar State." With a proud smile on his face, he said, "Not only have you saved the world from the tyranny of Ryu and his Dark Legion, but you also saved the Avatar Spirit from the corrupt and terrible power of the Dark Avatar State, freeing every future life of the Avatar from its dark power. " Aang couldn't help but beam with pride at the ancient Avatar, a large smile plastered on his young face. Through his actions, he had destroyed the Dark Avatar State, a fact that he would be forever proud of.

"Aang," said Roku, causing the young monk to look at him. "Through your selfless sacrifice, you have demonstrated the qualities of a true Avatar. For that reason, and for destroying the Dark Avatar State, all of your past lives will grant you rebirth into the mortal world."

A confused look came over Aang's face as he said, "But if I'm reincarnated as the next Avatar, I'll just be born into the Water Tribes. I won't be the same person I was before…the Cycle will just continue, with water being next in line.

Roku smiled and said, "Not reincarnation, Aang…rebirth. You will be brought back into the mortal world exactly the way you were when you died, and you will still have all your memories. It will be as if you came back from the dead, and your friends will instantly recognize you."

"The world still needs you, kid," said a gruff voice to Aang's right. Aang looked over to see Avatar Kuruk standing there. "I'm proud of you for your decisive actions in the world's greatest time of need. You've shown an initiative that I could have only dreamed of when I was the Avatar." He chuckled and added, "But we're only human. No Avatar is perfect, for we are the manifestation of the mortal world, flaws and all."

"You must never forget who you are and what your duty to the world is," said a serious female voice on Aang's left. He looked over to see Avatar Kyoshi standing there. "You can never lose sight of that, for it makes us who we are. You must always do what is right to protect the four nations. Just as the four elements balance out the Avatar, so must the Avatar bring balance to the whole world."

"Live life to the fullest," said a soothing voice from in front of Aang. He looked to see Avatar Yangchen standing by Roku. "Live for the good times and the bad times, for happiness and sadness go hand-in-hand just as Yin and Yang do. Keep close to you those you hold dear and love with all your heart. Love is one of the greatest treasures in the life of the Avatar, for it completes us by showing us the true emotions of humans. Keep Katara in your heart for as long as you live, and never let your love for her, and your love for the children you will have with her, fade away." Soon, tens of thousands of people began appearing around Aang, encircling him as they continued to materialize. Aang realized that these people were all his past lives, showing their support for him and preparing to send him back.

"We are all proud of you, Aang," said Roku, a smile on his weathered face. "You are truly the greatest Avatar out of all of us. There has never been an Avatar like you in the history of the world, nor will there ever be again. You are the purest manifestation of the Avatar Spirit, and all of your past lives are honored that you inherited the legacy of the Avatar." Aang felt tears in his eyes as he listened to Roku's heart-felt praise, pride welling up in his soul as he smiled. Roku and Yangchen parted in front of him, as did the Avatars behind them. When they all cleared away, a path ran in between them, stretching on into the great white yonder. "Keep running until you reach the end of your past lives, and when you step out of the circle of your past lives, you will be reborn into the mortal world and your life will be restored," instructed Roku, happiness burning in his bright amber eyes.

Aang looked around with tear-filled eyes at his past lives and joyfully said, "Thank you…all of you. This is the greatest gift you could have ever given me." He wiped away his tears, determined not to cry in front of his past lives. Many of them chuckled, much to his embarrassment. Aang looked at Roku and said, "Thank you, Roku. I honestly can't thank you enough for this."

Roku chuckled and said, "Go in peace, Avatar Aang. May your life be full of happiness and peace, and may your love for Katara grow ever stronger throughout the years." He paused and added, "You may not know it yet, but you will do something that will bring the four nations even closer than you have now." Seeing the questioning look on Aang's face, he said, "But you will know what it is when the time comes." Gesturing to the road to rebirth, he said, "Now go. The world is awaiting your return."

Aang looked down the long road and took in a deep breath, ready to be reborn. "I'm coming, Katara," he said happily, a smile on his face as he ran past Roku and Yangchen. He ran for several minutes, his past lives staring at him as he ran on. Soon, he came to the end of the Avatars, and his vision went blank.

Back in the mortal world, a week had passed since the deaths of Aang and Ryu. The Dark Legion had surrendered when they saw Mount Yami lift into the air and then come crashing down, fearing that the Avatar would turn his power on them after he had defeated their leader. Those who refused to surrender and fought on were killed on the spot, while the rest were taken prisoner by the Fellowship of Nations. The casualties were heavy on both sides: The Fellowship of Nations lost twenty-five thousand warriors, fifteen thousand benders, three thousand tanks and cavalry, and seven hundred Sky Bison and their Air Nomad pilots, while the Dark Legion lost almost thirty-eight thousand warriors and thirty thousand benders out of their force of a hundred and twenty thousand.

The bodies were collected over the next week and given a proper burial, while efforts were made to search for the Avatar…though their searches were always in vain, but hope had driven them on. After a week, the Fellowship of Nations had torn down their tents and were preparing to depart, but at first light on the seventh day a ceremony for the dead was held on the same hill that had been the site of their command tent. The leaders of the four nations stood on top of the hill, along with all the members of the Order of the White Lotus as well as Team Avatar (Hakoda had brought Mai, Sun Tzu, Ursa, and Tenzin back after they got word that the battle was over). They all stood looking out at what was left of their massive army, all four nations gathered to pay their respects to the fallen. A somber and mournful mood was heavy over the crowd, not a single smile in the massive crowd.

Sokka stood holding Suki's hand, the two warriors looking sadly down at the crowd. Toph and Dreo were doing the same thing, tears in the blind Earthbender's pale eyes. Mai was holding Sun Tzu, the young Prince quiet in her arms as she held him. Ursa was over by Gregor and Meigui, sad looks on all their faces. Gregor and Meigui were holding hands, trying to comfort one another. Meigui's scar had gone pale after the bleeding had stop, leaving a permanent white 'X' on her face. Zuko stood at the precipice of the hill, ready to deliver his speech to the crowd below. Katara stood holding Tenzin in her arms, the tears already flowing down her face as she quietly cried. She was taking Aang's death the hardest, for she had gone into a depressive state after he died. She tried to stay strong for her baby boy, but not even the bubbly Tenzin could bring a smile to her face. It felt as if someone had torn a hole in her heart, taking a piece of Aang with it.

Zuko looked sadly over the crowd and said in a loud voice, "My friends…today, we are gathered here to pay our final respects to all of our brothers and sisters who fell fighting the Dark Legion just a week ago. We lost many of our brave soldiers on the field of battle, but their memory will forever live on in our hearts." He paused and said, "But there is someone who I think we should pay the most tribute to. In the final battle with the Emperor of Darkness, Avatar Aang gave his life to protect the world from the evil of the Dark Legion. Many of you already knew who Aang was because of what he has done for the world for the past ten years…but to those who were his closest friends, such as myself, the loss is even larger than anyone else can imagine."

"Aang was a true friend to us all," continued Zuko. "He was the most kind-hearted and honest man that I knew, and I am proud to have been his friend…we all are honored to have known Aang…he was always cheerful, never got angry or spiteful on a whim, goofy, happy, funny, loving, loyal…the most perfect friend that any of you can imagine. He has gone through many hardships in his lifetime, from the loss of his nation to saving the world from the Hundred Years' War…but there was also happiness in his life, from his loving friends to the restoration of his people…and his marriage to Katara of the Southern Water Tribe." Katara let out a choked sob, and Zuko felt his heart twinge with pain for her. "I'm afraid I'm not very good at speeches, despite my public office as the Fire Lord, and I would like to wrap up by asking Aang's wife to come up and say a few final words about him." Zuko looked back at Katara, his amber eyes asking for her permission. Her gaze met his and she nodded, walking over towards Sokka.

The baby whined softly as he was handed over into his uncle's arms, and Katara whispered, "Shh. Mommy will be right back." She kissed Tenzin on the head, calming him instantly. She looked at her brother, his love and support for her shining in his eyes. With a final glance at Sokka, Katara turned and walked up to Zuko.

When she got up to Zuko, he stopped her briefly and softly said, "I…I have something that I think you might want..." As he brought the object out of his robe, he said, "Our search parties found this when they were searching for Aang…I thought you might like to have it." He put the object in her hands, and her tears fell when she saw that the object was Aang's wooden medallion with the symbol of Airbending carved on it.

She threw her arms around Zuko and whispered, "Thank you…" The Fire Lord hugged her back, and the two parted. Still holding the medallion in her hands, she stepped towards the precipice as Zuko took his spot just behind her. Katara looked up at the crowd and said, "My husband was the most courageous man I knew, and I am happy that he was the love of my life. I loved everything about him…and the road ahead will be hard without him by my side. I only wish that he were here to see the goodness that has come out of this horrible conflict, how the light of the four nations pushed away the shadow of the Dark Legion." She paused as she let out a choked sob and said, "I would like to sing a song that General Iroh of the Fire Nation taught me…he sings it in memory of his son, Lu Ten…I will now sing it in memory of all those who died fighting the Dark Legion…and in memory of Aang." She took in a shaky breath as she held the medallion closer to her, wanting to feel as close to Aang as she could now that he was gone. Soon, her melodic and angelic voice rang out over the crowd as she sang:

Leaves from the vine…

Falling so slow…

Like fragile, tiny shells…

Drifting in the foam…

Little, soldier boy…

Comes marching home…

Brave, soldier boy…

She couldn't say the last line as she began sobbing, her grief overwhelming her mind as she thought of Aang. He was gone forever, never to return to her arms. She would never see him again, and her heart became crushed as the reality crashed into her mind for the hundredth time that week. She closed her eyes and held her head down, sobbing uncontrollably as she mourned for the man she loved more than life itself.

Suddenly, a deeper voice cut through the air, singing:

Comes marching home…

Katara's eyes shot open as she looked up, realizing that it wasn't her who had sung that last line. The crowd below her looked around in confusion, trying to find out who the mysterious voice belonged to. Katara watched as they saw heads turning towards the horizon behind, where they saw a figure walking towards them. "Look!" cried a soldier in the back, causing everyone to look where he pointed. Katara squinted to get a better look at the figure, who was bare except for a pair of black pants. He was well-built, muscular from the bending powers that he had deep inside. Katara's eyes widened as she saw the figure come into view…

It was Aang.

He stood smiling on the edge of the crowd, and a soldier cried out, "It's the Avatar! He's alive!" The crowd cheered as one, their loud rejoicing echoing in the morning air. The leaders of the nations smiled at the sight of Aang, happiness in their eyes. The Order of the White Lotus clapped energetically while Team Avatar burst into cheers and cries of joy. The sadness that had fallen over the Fellowship of Nations was completely gone, replaced by sheer happiness and elation. Katara cried again, but not out of sadness…but out of the overpowering gladness that flooded into her soul. She realized that it was Aang who had sung the last line, and her heart filled with joyous laughter. All she could stare at was him, and she could see him staring back at her.

She saw him speak two words, the wind carrying his words towards her. The wind caressed her ears, saying, "Hi Katara." Just hearing his voice caused her to smile, pure love springing up in her soul.

The soldiers began to rush over to greet Aang, and Zuko happily exclaimed, "Soldiers! Hold for a moment!" As the crowd looked up at him, he added, "I think there is one among us who wishes to see him the most right now." The soldiers chuckled and nodded in understanding, and Zuko said, "Go, Katara." The Waterbender looked back in surprise, and the Fire Lord said, "Go to him."

She gasped and asked, "Really?" Zuko smiled, gesturing for her to rush to Aang. She smiled at him and breathlessly said, "Thank you." Looking over at Sokka, she happily said, "Come on, Sokka! Bring Tenzin with you!"

She began running down the hill as Sokka said, "What? Why do I have to carry Tenzin? He's a messy, snotty, drooling…" His voice faltered as he looked at Tenzin, the baby looking up at him with innocent gray eyes. Sokka chuckled as he smiled and said, "Ahh, who am I kidding? You're too cute to resist. Now let's go see Daddy!" Tenzin happily cooed, as if he knew that his Daddy had returned. Sokka followed Katara down the hill, though taking greater care due to the little bundle of joy in his arms.

Katara made it to the bottom of the hill and ran as fast as she could, the medallion swinging around in her left hand as she ran. Aang, on the other hand, took his time, just enjoying looking at her as he walked through the crowd. Katara ran with all her might, dying to be in Aang's arms again. After almost a minute, they drew near each other. Katara cried out with joy as she jumped into Aang's arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. He caught her by the waist, a big smile on his lips. The two of them closed their eyes and crashed their lips together, eliciting a huge cheer of approval from the crowd around them. Aang and Katara kissed passionately, only knowing each other in those precious moments.

After several long seconds, they parted lips and stared at each other, their foreheads intimately touching. Tears of joy fell down both of their faces, thrilled to be in each other's arms again as they smiled at one another. "I thought you were gone forever…" she whispered, her face overflowing with tears.

"I was gone…" he said softly, "…but now I'm back, and I promise that I will never leave you like that again."

Katara chuckled and said teasingly, "You better not or I'll- mmph!" She was cut off as Aang kissed her fully on lips again, but she smiled as she eagerly returned the kiss. The crowd cheered its approval again, their loud voices filling their ears. As they separated, Katara smiled and playfully said, "No fair."

"I always know how to make you smile," he happily replied with a wink. Katara chuckled as Aang set her down, unwrapping her vice-grips legs from his waist. He looked at her left hand and said, "My wooden medallion! I thought I lost it during my battle with Ryu."

As Katara placed the medallion around Aang's neck, she said, "The search parties found it when they were looking for. Zuko actually gave this to me before you showed up." She raised an eyebrow at him and asked, "Just how did you get back anyway?"

"I'll explain it to the whole crowd," he replied, and he saw a satisfied look come across her face. Looking behind her, he smiled and said, "Now look who's coming." Katara looked behind them to see Sokka quickly making his way towards them, little Tenzin still in his arms.

Sokka finally got to them and said, "Aang! Good to see you among the living again!" He gently handed Tenzin to Katara as he said with a wink, "Special delivery for Mr. and Mrs. Avatar." The two parents smiled and blushed as they looked down at their son, the baby babbling incessantly as his tiny fingers reached for Aang.

Aang chuckled and said softly, "Hey Tenzin. Daddy's back, and he's never going to leave you again." He rubbed his nose in Tenzin's hair, causing his son to giggle slightly. Katara beamed with joy at her husband, kissing the back of his head as he nuzzled Tenzin. After he was done nuzzling, Aang leaned back and said, "Now let's go see the others. I have a feeling they'll be wanting to see me." Katara and Sokka chuckled, and the three of them made their way back to the top of the hill. Once they made it to the top, Aang was caught in a huge group hug by the rest of Team Avatar, Katara and Sokka laughing the whole time. Everyone heartily welcomed Aang back, large smiles on all their faces.

Aang and Katara, along with Tenzin, turned to the crowd. In a loud voice, Aang said, "I know you're all happy to see me again." This elicited a huge cheer from the crowd, which Aang quieted down his hand. "The reason I've returned is because my past lives saw me as being worthy of rebirth into this world for my selfless sacrifice, and for aiding the Avatar Spirit in a grave matter. But it gives me pleasure to say that the Avatar Cycle will continue on, and I will still be here for years to come." He paused and added, "But this day doesn't belong to me…it belongs to all of you. Because of your valiant efforts, we have restored peace to the world once more. Now, for generations to come, the world will remember what we did here in our time. They will remember how four nations came together as one to fight against the ultimate shadow of evil. It is with great honor that I say that I am proud to be your Avatar…and now, let us build an everlasting peace together!"

The crowd cheered loudly, chanting "Aang! Aang! Aang! Aang!" over and over again. The leaders of the nations and the Order of the White Lotus clapped approvingly, while Team Avatar cheered joyfully. Aang and Katara faced each other and kissed deeply, holding Tenzin in between them. The Avatar and the Waterbender were forever united in their love, which had grown infinitely stronger after the climactic Battle of Mount Yami. The world was in peace and happiness again, and they would all face the future…together as one.