Two weeks past. Lai worked as hard as she could to try and move through the gates freely, to mediate and put out the world. But no matter how she worked, she couldn't move the wind.

'It's just irritating!' Lai said to Akmei one day. 'I'm doing all I can, but nothing seems to help!' Lai hadn't gone down to us the internet, so she hadn't contacted anyone she knew. She was determined to get this sorted first.

'Hmm.' Akmei said, leaning back on her bed. 'Maybe that's the problem?'

'What?' Lai said. 'How is hard work a problem?'

'The problem might be that you've committed yourself to a single goal, and are now unbending from it. That attitudes great for earthbending, but might be awful for it's opposite.'

'Great.' Lai sighed. 'So I have to work less hard at mastering airbending?' That's going to help?'

'Not quite like that. Just accepting that it'll come in it's on time.' Akmei said, trying to sound encouraging.

'Huh.' Lai said, sounding exasperated. 'So, what have you been up to?'

'I've been exploring the area, and meeting the people here. It's really fascinating. It's such a different way of life to the Fire Nation.'

'There's only so much you can do of that in a few months surely? What else are you going to do?'

'Well, I'm trying to continue with my lavabending theory. It's hard, but I believe I'm making progress.'

'Actually, there's something I wanted to ask you about.' Lai said.

'Oh?' Akmei replied. 'What is it?'

'Tiku didn't teach me all the firebending techniques. As the Avatar, shouldn't I master all of them?'

'That is historically completely incorrect. Avatar Aang never learnt metalbending, though it was invented in his time. As far as we know, no Avatar has ever learnt lightening bending. There's no need to learn them.'

Lai wasn't happy with that. Let's try a different track. 'Look, I can't lightening bend, or sense chi, or transfer heat. But almost certainly Conduit can. Shouldn't I try to master what he knows so I can defeat him?'

Akmei looked at her tensely. 'Wouldn't learning airbending be more beneficial?'

'Weren't you just saying I need to not overly focus on airbending?'

Akmei sighed. 'Okay then. I'll try and teach you. But first I want you to do something.'

'Huh, sure?' What's this about?

'Alright then – it's this way.' Akmei lead Lai through a part of the Temple. Eventually they reach an area that looked out on a sheer cliff. Below them lay only the occasional plant upon an outcrop, before the valley floor below.

'This is the place. I'm sorry!' Akmei said.

'Huh? What are you sorry-' and then Lai was smashed off the cliff by a a force of air.

As she fell, she saw two people on gliders swoop below her. Panicking, she slowed herself with fire jets, before pulling a piece of earth out beneath her to land on. She looked up, and saw Tarmei hovering above her on an airscooter.

'What are you doing?' Lai shouted.

'We are trying a new way of testing. Earth and fire are useless for you. What will you do now?' Tarmei released a blast of air.

Lai blocked it with a wall of earth from the cliff. However, the force made her very unsteady. If I stay still I'll be knocked off! She responded by hurling the wall at Tarmei.

Two things happened in response. Firstly, Tarmei dodged out the way of the attack. Secondly, an airbender on a glider came in and pushed a huge gust of wind at it, causing the wall to go out towards the valley floor.

'Did I not say earth was useless? ' Tarmei cried. She released a billowing gale. Lai leaped of, latching herself onto the cliff with one hand, and then launched a fireball. However, as it was launched, it redirected, and explored in the distance. She looked up to see Akmei had blocked it.

'Arrgh!' I really should have got those metal cables! As more wind came her way, Lai launched herself upwards, and brought out another platform to balance on. She placed her hand on the rock, and started to heat it. A lava spiral was hurled up the cliff at Tarmei. She moved almost lazily to avoid it, while two airbenders released a huge blast of wind at the lava, cooling it.

Tarmei seemed half amused, half annoyed by the performance. She came in low, and blasted huge current of air at Lai. She dodged, aiming for a crack in the cliff, but the blast of wind seemed to curve round and follow her. In an attempt to dodge, she pivoted around her hand, pushing her whole body up.

As she did, she felt the air around her. She felt the flow of the battering wind, as she spiralled defying the weight of the earth. And as she did, Lai felt herself grasp the air, and push.

The air blast was pitiful – Tarmei pushed it away with a flick of her wrist. But it was enough. 'Everyone stop!' she called. Lai pulled a block of earth up, and pulled herself up.

'Avatar, would you care to repeat that?' Tarmei called.

Lai nodded. She moved her arms around, and then released her palms. A jet of wind rushed around her.

'Excellent.' Tarmei smiled for the first time. 'This training session is over. I'll see you in the morning, Avatar.' She started to move back up the cliff.

As Lai looked around her for the best way up, she saw Tenlo fly towards her. 'Need a hand?'

'Please.' Lai grabbed his hand, and Tenlo, with difficulty, get them up to the top of the cliff. Akmei was there.

'I'm really sorry Lai! They just said you were struggling and often –'

'It's fine, Akmei.' She turned to Tenlo. 'Was there everyone in the Temple there trying to stop me earthbending?'

'Something like that.' Said Gyotin, as he landed next to Tenlo. 'Not the best way to do it maybe, but still, you can airbend now, right? That makes up for it.'

'Sure.' Lai smiled. 'I'm an airbender.'