OH YEAH!
Finally, we're done with the Winter Solstice Arc! Sheesh, that was a difficult chapter to write!
More POVs than I usually use in this chapter (3 in total) and I hope that it works with this chapter, it seemed to in my brain anyway.
I was sooooo sad when I saw that we were only 3 REVIEWS AWAY FROM MAKING 200 for last chapter! I wanted to reach the 200 mark without having to update, but I guess this one will have to do it for us.
=D
Enjoy the chapter!
*Thank you guys so much for being awesome, and I love each and every one of you who read, favorite and/or alert this story, even if you don't review.
But on that note, if you want to make me extremely motivated and happy (and/or offer any suggestions or constructive criticism)...
PLEASE REVIEW!
Chapter 25: Winter Solstice Part 3
"Avatar Roku, I need–" Aang began, but Roku held up his hand in a placating gesture, his golden eyes serious as they gazed down at the young Airbender. Aang immediately fell silent, and listened as the silver-haired man began to speak, his voice holding the barest hint of an echo.
"Peace, my young friend, there is no need to explain or justify. I know why you are here, and I plan on giving you the information you need. I am you, after all, just in a different form. I am able to observe you from the other side, along with the past Avatars."
"From the Spirit World?"
Roku nodded, and Aang tried to keep his discomfort off of his face, but of course, true to his earlier statement, Roku discerned it immediately.
"Do not be afraid to speak your mind, Aang."
"It–" Aang cleared his throat to relieve the nervous pressure that had suddenly seized his throat. "It just seems a bit strange to have people watching me all the time, that's all."
To Aang's relief, Roku smiled and folded his weathered hands together in front of him, obviously amused at Aang's hesitant revelation. The air around the two continued to swirl, occasionally shifting to a pale shade of blue before returning to its original beige-white.
"I felt very much the same when Avatar Kyoshi relayed this information to me. All I can say is that someday, when your duty in the mortal world is passed to the next Avatar, you will understand."
Aang frowned, but sensed that that was all Roku was going to speak of the subject, and so he nodded respectfully. The Airbender straightened, and his previous incarnation's golden eyes lost all of their wistfulness, and became cool and determined.
"Aang, the reason I sent Fang to call you here is extremely important. You see, every hundred years, a comet enters the earth's atmosphere. This comet gives Firebenders impossible strength, more than anyone could have ever imagined. Fire Lord Sozin used this comet to start the war, and it gave his armies enough power to eliminate his first target."
Roku's eyes softened in silent sympathy, and Aang nodded sharply, willing himself to keep his emotions in check. Now was not the time to start thinking of the people he had lost, not when he and Roku had such a limited time in which to communicate directly.
The previous Avatar continued, "Sozin's comet is set to return at the end of next summer, and Fire Lord Ozai plans to use its power to crush all remaining resistance. Aang, if you do not defeat the Fire Lord by the end of the summer, the world will fall into such discord that not even the Avatar be able to restore the balance."
Aang's eyes widened, and his hands waved around as he sputtered, "But I haven't even started to master water, not to mention earth and fire! How am I supposed to master all three of them in less than a year?"
"Mastering the elements takes years of dedication and patience, but as all the Avatars did before you, you have the power to exceed all expectations. After all, you've mastered the four elements hundreds of times before, and that knowledge is yours to wield."
The sky above them began to flicker and dim, and both Avatars looked up, eyes – golden and gray – scanning the swaths of wind begin to pick up speed. Roku released his hands from their position in front of him, and closed his eyes briefly.
"My time has nearly run out, Aang. There is a great danger awaiting you outside the Sanctuary doors. I can–"
"But what if I need to talk to you again?" Aang interrupted frantically, and Roku smiled, and moved forward so that he and Aang were nearly touching.
"When you need to call on me, look deep inside of yourself, and you will find me. Now, are you ready to accept my assitance?" the previous Avatar asked, holding out a steady hand to Aang.
Aang nodded slowly, reaching forward to link hands with Roku. The immense rush of power was so intense that Aang was forced to close his eyes to better accustom himself to the feeling. It was like dipping into a pool of icy water, and yet oddly peaceful, not painful in the slightest. The energy pricked through his skin, and a flurry of emotions and memories filled his brain, pushing Aang's dominant identity aside as they flashed across his thoughts.
The rush of speed as he sped along the curve of a self-made tidal wave, a burst of elation when he saw Ummi waving to him from the shore, a glowing smile on her beautiful face – the paintbrush was slick against her skin, and reflected in the mirror was a fierce mask of white and red – wrenching agony as the toxic ash filled his lungs, bitter sadness as Sozin's form disappeared into the darkness – she swept her hands downward, ignoring their cries for mercy, ignoring her own pain in destroying a life, and watched as the daggers of air eliminated those who threatened the balance of the world – the magma was alive and bubbling, and with a deep exhalation he flicked his hands upward, creating a wall of fiery red – the rush of exhilaration as he soared above the sky, Gyatso's tongue sticking out as the two raced to the sky bison stables—
"I'm ready," the Avatar replied, eyelids lifting up to reveal glowing, electric blue eyes.
Katara struggled against the chains, as did Sokka, but to no avail. The Water Tribe girl looked around the temple, willing some sort of item to come into existence, one that would help them defeat the Fire Nation jerk that was waiting for Aang to come out of the Sanctuary. What had Zuko called him…was it Dao? Maybe it was Pao…or was it Shao? Oh yeah, it was Zhao! Ugh, the name was as icky as he was, not to mention his sideburns were just plain ridiculous.
Uri was leaning against the pillar alongside Katara, and her black eyes remained locked onto the glowing doors. Katara looked to her pleadingly, not trusting herself to speak quietly enough to avoid being heard. Uri, seeming to sense the girl's gaze, gave a heavy sigh and shook her head.
"Like I said to the Avatar, spirits can't directly assist humans unless they have a direct bond to the human in question. I'm obviously not connected to either of you, so it's impossible for me to free you."
Sokka let out a hiss, "What about Hei Bei? He had no qualms against kidnapping me! And you took Katara earlier, what's up with that?"
Zuko, who was tied to the pillar opposite them, was looking at them like they had lost their minds. Katara deliberately turned her face away from the scarred teenager, and glanced to Zhao. The man hadn't spared Sokka a glance, and so Katara breathed a sigh of relief.
Uri let out a sigh of frustration. "If a spirit is in their natural domain, they are able to bend the–"
"Is that a pun?" Sokka asked in a hushed voice, and Katara gaped at her brother's gall. Uri's glare sent him cowering into the marble coolness of the pillar, and she brusquely continued speaking.
"With an attention span like that, it's a miracle you've managed to survive this long! Anyway, in their natural domains, spirits are able to bend the rules a bit. Hei Bei is a forest spirit, and you were in his territory, and so he was able to take you into the Spirit World with him. I was able to take Water-girl over here because this island is made up of a volcano, which is the only natural source of fire – besides dragons of course, but since they're animals it's a bit different."
Before anything more could be said, the doors suddenly began to open, and Zhao's face brightned in triumph. Panic flooded Katara's senses, and she struggled vainly against the metal keeping her immobile. The doors parted to reveal two glowing eyes, familiar only in shape.
"Run, Aang!" she shrieked, and over the hum of energy Zhao's voice could be heard.
"Now!"
The surrounding Firebenders released terrible streams of fire, and Katara turned her face, tears filling her eyes. She couldn't do anything, which was pathetic, because she should be able to do something!
Uri's smile widened, and her eyes sparkled wickedly in the light of the flames. She looked so natural, against the brightness of the fire, her hair floating and her sharp teeth golden and gleaming. It was a strangely beautiful sight, and the obvious joy in Uri's expression put a small spark of hope into Katara's heart. If Uri was smiling, all was not lost…right?
Uri let out a giggle, and without bothering to look back at Katara and Sokka, danced forward.
Katara turned to follow her movement, and gasped.
The glowing gaze no longer belonged to Aang. They belonged to a tall, bearded man garbed in robes of rich crimson, with long silver hair and an elegant topknot that was decorated with a gold Fire Nation hairpiece. His hands rose gracefully, shaping the fire to his will with no effort at all. Uri was running within the man's fire, coal-like eyes flashing and flickering faintly. With one last grin, she disappeared completely.
"Avatar Roku!" Shyu breathed, and Katara's body immediately tensed.
She had heard tales of the great Avatar Roku, but it was a completely different story to have the man himself standing before her. It was so odd, in her mind, Katara always imagined Roku's face to be harsh and unyielding, because when it came to the Fire Nation, that was all she knew.
But Roku's face was not harsh or cruel. It was weathered, but even in the Avatar State there was a pervading calmness, a strong sense of mercy and gentleness.
In Roku's smooth, wise face, Katara saw little pieces of Aang.
And with that simple realization, she ceased to be afraid.
The second the chains restraining Zuko were melted away, the Fire Nation prince bolted toward the exit. He needed to capture the Avatar, but he couldn't do that as Zhao's prisoner. His face contorted into a scowl as he sprinted down the stairs, jumping the last four or five, rolling to break his fall. Without taking a pause to evaluate his injuries – the annoying Airbender had sent him smashing into the wall earlier, and his upper back was extremely sore. Not to mention that Zhao's men had mercilessly dragged him across the floor, hurting the area even more. It was probably going to bruise, and Zuko grimaced at the thought.
The air was thick with raw power, and it sent chills down his spine. The power of a fully realized Avatar was more formidable than Zuko could have ever imagined. It made Zuko marvel at the fact that Fire Lord Sozin had even dared to go against the Avatar's wishes. How did anyone face off against that kind of power?
This was why Zuko needed to capture the Avatar soon, before he reached that level of power. At the moment, he was just an Airbender. He was relatively harmless at this stage…except for when he tapped into his past lives.
Zuko exited the temple just as it began to shudder dangerously, and he looked back to see that the entire structure was slowly falling to pieces. The heat from the magma residing underneath the temple was permeating the air, the smell of melting rock thick and stifling.
The prince turned to face forward, and when he reached the stairs he let out a curse. But since the fall was much too far, even for someone of his training, Zuko began to hurry down the stairs. The rumble of the Avatar's power shook the entire island, and Zuko very nearly lost his balance. He reached the black sand, and thanked the spirits that his boat was still safely tethered. Over the ridge, he saw Zhao's ship, and glanced back at the temple once more before jumping over the edge of the boat.
The engine roared to life with little urging, and Zuko skillfully maneuvered the boat out of the shallows. He used Firebending to quicken the heating of the coal fuel, and flicked the wheel so that he was facing north. If he looked closely, he could see the blob that was his ship – Iroh had probably stopped the ship, seeing Zhao change course to follow Zuko to Crescent Island. The Fire Nation prince poured on the speed, intent on putting a considerable amount of space in between himself and the island.
A minute or so, a deafening boom resonated through the air, and Zuko whirled to see that the temple was slowly falling to its demise. The small figures of Zhao and his soldiers – along with the five Fire Sages – were seen running down to the eastern beach, their figures bright against the darkness of the sand. But Zuko's eyes passed over them, intent on finding the object of his obsession.
Almost immediately, the Avatar's sky bison appeared from the upper layers of clouds, and swooped down. Zuko watched as the Airbender, along with his two friends, jumped from the falling temple, and landed in the saddle of the flying beast. They quickly rose into the upper part of the sky, and Zuko's gaze followed them when they passed over him.
His golden eyes finally tore themselves away when the bison disappeared once more into the clouds, and his hands were jerky and furious as they provided fire for the engine. The boat cut through the water efficiently, and it was about an hour later that he reached the main ship.
The dock plank was lowered, and Zuko directed the boat into its range. With a creaking sound, the boat was lifted onto solid metal, and quickly pulled into the belly of the ship.
Zuko nodded curtly to the soldiers that greeted him, and stormed up the stairs that led to the main hallway. The air was warm – a welcome change from the cool air of the storage space – and smelled of fragrant tea. Zuko was tempted to stalk to his room and slam the door, but the smell was oddly comforting in its familiarity, and so he followed it to the source.
It led to Iroh's room. There was a familiar voice speaking from within, muted by the thick metal door. Zuko let out a tired sigh before slowly pushing the door open and stepping inside. Iroh's room was cozy and compact, with a padded futon in the far corner, and several racks full of scrolls beside it. In the opposite corner was a small table, at which Iroh now sat.
Iroh's eyes flashed to Zuko's face when he entered, but instead of stopping his reading, as Zuko expected, he simply smiled, and continued speaking into the silence. Zuko frowned, confused as to whom Iroh was reading to. But his question was answered a second later, when he heard the sound of soft breathing.
He looked to the left of Iroh, to the other side of the table, and saw that Dakota was leaning with her back against the wall, her head tipped back against the cool metal. She was fast asleep, her mouth slightly open as she slept. Her fingers were still slightly curved around her teacup, which confirmed Zuko speculations that she hadn't intended on falling asleep.
Without missing a beat, Iroh poured Zuko a cup of tea. It was jasmine, perfectly made, and Zuko felt some of his tension ease at the taste. He hesitated to sit – the only available spot was next to the girl – but after a moment of deliberation he shrugged, and seated himself. The teacup was warm and soothing in his hands, and he set it down on the table. Dakota's body was only inches away from his, and Zuko saw that Iroh had placed a blanket over her.
Zuko took another sip of his tea, and began to focus on Iroh's words.
"There was once a dragon whose scales were as golden as the sun. He was strong, fierce, and agile. Immediately after he hatched, he breathed fire that was more powerful than any of the other hatchlings in the nest. But there was one small problem; he didn't have any wings! The clan was horrified, and immediately…"
Ah, Zuko knew this story. It was a tale that he had greatly enjoyed hearing as a child. It was the story of a dragon named Shio that was born without wings, and because of his deformity, he was banished from the clan. He traveled the world, struggling to find someone who could cure him and make him acceptable to his kin. He was strong in all other aspects, but he couldn't see it. He was blind to the fact that his wings didn't define him. It was many years later that he came upon some of his kin. One of them was stuck in a gorge, and none of his friends could help him because their wings were too bulky and large. Shio realized that his curse wasn't really a curse after all, and quickly used his lack of wings to slide down into the gorge, pushing the trapped dragon out with his hind legs. It was that acceptance of his deformity that granted him the blessing of the Sun Spirit, who blessed him for his gained wisdom.
Zuko closed his eyes, leaning his head against the wall as Iroh's deep, soothing voice wove a tale of loss, honor, and restoration. He didn't even notice that he was drifting off until he felt a soft blanket being pulled over him. Something warm and clean smelling was settled in the crook of his neck, and Zuko was too befuddled to begin wondering what it was.
Iroh's wrinkled hand rested on his head for a moment, and that simple touch of tenderness was the last thing Zuko felt before unconsciousness sucked him under for good.