Chapter 11: The Second Journey
Upon the night of Claire's departure from the North Pole, Talos too plotted out his own journey, packing a sack of supplies as the Crescent moon hung in the sky.
"Claire... Your existence as the Avatar is something I will not accept!" Talos spoke to himself as envy toiled within him, slinging the sack over his shoulder as he set out into the world, but a heavy pawed Polar Bear Dog gently swiped at the back of his leg, stopping him in his tracks.
Talos turned his attention to the Polar Bear Dog as it pawed at him, lowly whining.
"I'm leaving, Kazel. I'm beginning my journey as..." Talos spoke as his head hung, but Kazel persisted, nudging Talos with his head, warming Talos' chilled heart.
"Alright, you can tag along. You'll certainly make the journey easier!" Talos replied as he hopped on Kazel's back.
The two set off into the world, Kazel's heavy pawed thuds alerted Unalaq, rousing the Northern Chief from his slumber.
"Oh, no..." Unalaq told himself as he leapt from his bed, running outside to see Kazel and Talos charging off into the distance, pressing his hand to his head as a nervous chill ran down his spine.
Talos first ventured to the Earth Kingdom, going from village to village in search of an Earth-bending Master. Talos strolled through the streets of Omashu atop Kazel. The city had changed little since the end of the one hundred year war.
Many people gazed at Talos and Kazel as they wandered the streets, and a travelling tourist of the city halted them.
"Excuse me, are you the Avatar?" The tourist asked, making Talos freeze until a thought came to his mind.
"Perhaps they may know where to find an Earth-bending Teacher... if I tell them I am the Avatar... hmm," Talos thought as the Tourist stared at him.
"Yes, I am the Avatar. And this is my Animal guide, Kazel. He's friendly!" Talos confidently lied.
"I suppose you're looking for an Earth-bending teacher then? You may not find one in Omashu, but there's a big city made of metal to the south not too far from here!" the Tourist informed him.
"A metal city? Does it have a name in case I get lost on the way?" Talos curiously asked.
"It's called Zaofu! I hear they train the Metal-bending police force of Republic City. Their leader is a woman called Kuvira. You'll know it when you see it!" The Tourist informed him.
"Thank you for the information kind stranger!" Talos told him as he patted Kazel's head.
"Kazel, we're heading south for a... metal city..." Talos told him, trying to wrap his head around a metal city.
Kazel let out a positive bark as he swung around, galloping towards the exit of Omashu, riding south towards Zaofu.
The two journeyed for half a day, arriving atop a Cliffside, looking down upon a large city of metal.
The buildings stood tall within metal flower petals, and a stream of water ran down the mountains in between the flowering buildings.
"That tourist wasn't kidding when he said it was a city made of metal..." Talos softly spoke as he observed Zaofu.
He patted Kazel on his head, making the Polar Bear Dog sprint down the cliff-side, leaping down and landing beside the stream, leading the charge towards the metal city.
"If I was a leader, I'd pick the biggest metal flower to have my throne room situated in..." Talos spoke as he observed the buildings, commanding Kazel to leap across the stream and towards the largest metal flower.
The two circled around, discovering the entrance, but two metal-benders guarded the city, preventing Talos and his fluffy companion entry into the city.
"State your business stranger!" One of the Metal-benders demanded.
"I am the Avatar, and I come seeking an Earth-bending teacher!" Talos informed them as the metal-benders sceptically looked to each other before returning their attention to Talos.
"You're the Avatar? Prove it!" The other metal-bender demanded, making Talos freeze up.
"I'm afraid I can't, you see I've only just begun my journey and I'm only an expert in Water-Bending," Talos informed them as he bent a ring of water out from the nearby stream, letting it hover and swirl around his hand as the metal-benders looked to each other once more.
"Do you think we should let him in?" One of the metal-benders asked.
"It's not every day a Water-Bender comes parading around on a Polar bear Dog... I think he might be the real deal!" The other Metal-bender replied.
"Gullible fools!" Talos thought to himself with a smirk.
"We will allow you entry Avatar, if you're searching for a master, I recommend our leader Kuvira!" one of the Metal-benders suggested as they pulled open the metal gates, allowing Talos to move in.
Talos and Kazel rode through the streets of Zaofu, although he expected streets of cold metal and solid earth, he, found it to be rather vibrant, metal mostly encapsulated his vision, but colours of green and gold also caught his eye as well as areas where nature could thrive within, still keeping to the aesthetics of other earth kingdom cities.
The two marched towards the largest building in the city, a giant Spire with a wide building at its base.
Talos hopped off of Kazel before venturing inside the vibrant green interior with stained glass windows all around, but Talos grimaced at the overuse of green.
"You'd think they'd pick a different colour..." Talos muttered as he and Kazel continued forward, but two more metal-benders and a tall woman stopped them. The woman had black hair braided into a bun at the back of her head. Dark green robes covered her torso, whilst shiny metal Pauldrons covered her shoulders and protected her neck. Dark brown baggy pants and black boots covered her lower body.
"Who are you?" The woman asked.
"My name is Talos, and I am the Avatar. I hail from the Northern Water Tribe. Son to Chief Unalaq and this is my animal guide, Kazel!" Talos confidently spoke whilst petting Kazel on the head, but the woman became sceptical.
"And what is the 'Avatar' doing here of all places?" the woman asked
"I am in search of an Earth-bending teacher, I've been told to find a person by the name of Kuvira," Talos informed her as he looked her up and down.
"Might you be she?" Talos asked, to which the woman smirked.
"You're observant, Avatar!" Kuvira replied as she sneakily bent a piece of metal behind her back before slinging it towards.
The projectile closed in on Talos as he bent water out from a satchel on his back, turning it into ice then launching it up into the air, deflecting the metal whilst Kazel snarled at Kuvira's hostility, intending to strike down Kuvira, but Talos put his hand on Kazel's back.
"Calm down, Kazel. I'm sure that was just a test," Talos reassured him as he looked towards Kuvira, to which she nodded.
"You're already thinking like an Earth-bender," Kuvira commented as she approached Talos, standing tall as if she were a military leader.
"I'll train you in the ways of Earth-bending, and perhaps you'll even pick up some Metal-bending along the way," Kuvira told him.
Talos and Kuvira smiled at each other, beginning his road to learn Earth-bending.
Talos adorned himself in robes and armour similar to that of Kuvira's, she would train Talos for the next two years and four-months, performing similar exercises to the ones Claire would endure, but Kuvira became suspicious of Talos, seeing him make tremendous progress in learning the style of earth-bending, but make no progress in bending the earth.
Night dawned on Zaofu as a Police officer in training ventured to the quarters they granted Talos whilst he stayed in Zaofu.
"Mistress Kuvira desires your presence, Avatar!" The Police Officer told him as Talos and Kazel's heads perked up at his message.
"What could she want at this late hour? I'm done with my training for today!" Talos dismissively replied.
"She didn't say, but I'm afraid if you resist I must take you up there by force!" The Police Officer informed him as Talos raised an eyebrow to his attempt at a threat whilst Kazel snarled. But Talos raised his hand to Kazel, signalling him to calm down.
"I'm not resisting, I was only curious," Talos told him as he stood up from his bed, Kazel followed him, but Talos raised his hand.
"Stay here, Kazel. I'll be back shortly," Talos told him, to which Kazel let out a low whine before laying down and placing his snout between his paws.
Talos smiled at him as he left, journeying to Kuvira's quarters, getting lost on the way a handful of times.
Talos finally entered Kuvira's Chambers, dimly lit by the light of the moon coming in from the window as Kuvira sat upon a metal chair with her back to Talos, a glass of water sat atop her desk.
"Talos. You took your time," Kuvira told him in a haughty tone as she turned her attention to him.
"It's Avatar, Kuvira. And I only took so long because this place is so large!" Talos retorted.
"Is it really 'Avatar', Talos?" Kuvira replied, taking a jab at his claim as Talos' heart skipped a beat.
"Don't tell me she's worked it out..." Talos thought to himself.
"Of course it is! As you've said, I've been making progress in Earth-bending!" Talos tried to reassure her as Kuvira remained seated.
"You have... but you've bent no earth to your will," Kuvira told him as she made three pebbles float to her hand, slowly spiralling them in her palm.
"Earth is not your natural opposite, so why you're not bending earth is something I find most intriguing..." Kuvira added as she dropped the pebbles into her hand, crushing them into dust as she stood up, beginning to walk around to Talos, but not making eye contact.
"Could it be that you are not the Avatar, and you're simply a liar who has wasted my time?" Kuvira asked as Talos froze up, but that freeze-up was all Kuvira needed to confirm her suspicions, outstretching her arms and bending the metal shoulder pads on Talos, crushing them around his neck as Talos tried to remain calm, struggling to breathe.
"You're just a pathetic child trying to play Avatar, you're a waste of time! Just a mere Water-Bender with too much of an ego!" Kuvira told him as she clenched the metal around his throat harder, making Talos drop to his knees as he tried to pry off the metal.
"No, I can't fall here, there must be something I can do!" Talos thought to himself, observing his surroundings and spying the half-empty glass of water on Kuvira's desk, then looking to her neck.
"It's my only chance..." Talos thought, releasing his right hand from the pauldrons, bending the Water and pulling it from the glass, swiping it towards Kuvira's neck, the razor-sharp edge cut cleanly through Kuvira's metal neck protection and the flesh of her throat.
Her hold on Talos broke, allowing him to pry the Metal from his neck, breathing heavily, as he looked at Kuvira, blood drained from her throat as she clasped it with her hand, watching Talos stand to his feet, slowly getting his breath back.
"That explains the odd designs of your Pauldrons..." Talos told her.
But despite his attempts to talk to her, Kuvira couldn't make a word as her body slowly became cold, the life fading from her eyes.
Talos hurried from the room, returning to his quarters to see Kazel still there.
"Kazel, quickly we need to leave!" Talos told him as he hopped on his back.
Kazel let out an affirmative bark as the two charged out of the quarters. Talos slashed through the metal doors with water, eventually making it out onto the streets of Zaofu, and to their luck, the murder of Kuvira had not reached the ears of anyone else yet, allowing Talos and Kazel a peaceful escape.
As the two ventured away from the Earth Kingdom and into the Fire Nation, using Kazel's powerful swimming abilities to traverse the ocean, the report on Kuvira's death arrived on the desk of Lin Beifong.
"A black-haired man with purple eyes claiming to be the Avatar has slain Kuvira in the dead of night and made his escape, to where we don't know," Lin Beifong read aloud, her brother Hou stood in the room, overhearing everything she said.
"Do we know if it was self-defence or not?" Hou asked.
"From the sounds of it... possibly..." Lin replied in a disdained voice, Hou paced around in the room, unnerved by the news.
"Didn't Tenzin send a message saying the White Lotus already found the Avatar?" Hou asked as Lin's head perked up from the reports.
"If the Avatar is with the White Lotus... then who was this person claiming to be them?" Lin speculated as she looked to the report.
Talos and Kazel travelled across the nightly ocean away from the Earth Kingdom, coming across a fascinating sight: The White Lotus compound.
"A large rig with terrains of the four elements attached to it... this must be the White Lotus compound that Claire is in..." Talos spoke as he observed it, tempted to venture inwards, as he went to pat Kazel to give the order, but he quickly reconsidered.
"No... I could endanger myself and raise too many questions..." Talos told himself, patting Kazel.
"Towards the Fire Nation, Kazel. We need to find a Fire-bending teacher!" Talos commanded him.
Kazel let out a positive bark as they swam towards the Fire Nation, but his bark radiated throughout the area, awakening the slumbering Claire as she perked her head out of the window looking around the Compound.
"I could have sworn I just heard a... bark," Claire commented as she looked around before shrugging and falling back into bed.
"I guess I'm just homesick and hearing things," Claire told herself as she fell back asleep.
Talos and Kazel swam all night long to reach the shores of the Fire Nation, landing on one of the many small islands to the east. The two ventured across the hot lands of the Fire Nation in search of a Fire-bending Master.
Whilst travelling on the northern side of the nation, the two discovered a large village: small houses aligned near the perimeter with a much larger house to the far side, a Tea shop stood to the west of the village, and many store vendors littered the area.
Talos and Kazel ventured down into the village, scaring most of the villagers who had never seen a Polar Bear Dog.
"Relax, he's friendly!" Talos announced as Kazel let out a joyful bark while he followed. The two stood in the Tea house's archway, quickly approached by a server.
"Welcome to the Jade Lion Turtle, unfortunately, we have a policy against... pets..." The server informed them as he looked at Kazel, who towered over him with a friendly smile.
"Wait here!" Talos told Kazel with a pat on his chest, but Kazel pawed his back as he turned away, making Talos turn his attention back to Kazel.
"... would you like anything?" Talos asked as Kazel let out a positive bark, patting his paws on the ground as Talos smiled at him.
"I'll see what I can do" Talos replied as Kazel curled up and laid down outside the Tea House.
Talos entered, noticing several dozen patrons all drinking their tea and conversing amongst themselves, but one man caught his eye, a man adorned with sharp Noble robes. Talos approached the man with his head held high.
"Dare I ask what a man of your rank is doing in a place like this?" Talos asked the man, observing his attire.
"My rank?" The man asked as he placed his tea down.
"Fire Nation nobility, I'd assume someone like you would have your own tea maker," Talos theorised whilst gesturing to his robes, to which the man finally grasped what he was saying.
"Ah! I do, but the tea here is much better!" The man informed him as he looked at Talos' attire.
"Are you from the Earth Kingdom? Your attire would suggest so," The man asked as he sipped his tea, but Talos quizzically stared at him.
"Earth Kingdom? What would give you..." Talos began asking as he looked to his clothes, realising he was still wearing the clothes given to him in Zaofu.
"Oh, these..." Talos nervously spoke whilst the man watched his demeanour change.
"Something wrong?" The man curiously asked him.
"No, these are the clothes I wore when I was studying the styles of earth-bending, and I haven't had the opportunity to change," Talos replied as he continued looking at his clothing.
"Ah, I see. Perhaps Water Tribe, then? Judging by your... rather big dog," The man continued theorising.
"You would be correct, sir. The North Pole, to be exact," Talos confirmed his suspicions as the man gestured to the seat beside him, inviting Talos to sit down with him.
"Are you by chance the Avatar then? If memory serves: The Next Avatar is to be of the Water Tribe... heavens forbid it's one of the Foggy Swamp tribe. We may as well have another Avatar in an Iceberg then!" The man spoke with a laugh, as Talos gritted his teeth.
"Remember what happened last time you lied Talos. Be honest this time," Talos thought to himself.
"I'm... not the Avatar, but I was friends with her back in the North Pole!" Talos informed him, to which the man perplexingly stared.
"And now you're all the way out here in the Fire Nation wearing Earth Kingdom clothing?" The man asked as he observed Talos.
"I take it... you wanted to be the Avatar, and out of... jealousy? You're doing your own Avatar journey?" The man quickly theorised.
"A blunt way of putting it... but yes..." Talos replied, partially embarrassed as the man finished his tea before setting it down on the table.
"And You've become an expert with the styles of Earth-bending and now you wish to learn the styles of Fire-bending?" The man quickly added to his theory.
"Yes... You're quite inquisitive, aren't you?" Talos asked as he slanted his eyes at the man.
"Well, my boy, you're in luck. For the Great Zin Bu shall be your Fire-bending... style... teacher!" Zin Bu proclaimed to him, but Zin Bu's sudden proclamation took aback Talos.
"But you've only just met me?" Talos sceptically replied.
"You seem like a nice man, so I won't mind teaching you a thing or two about Fire-bending, and you won't be shooting out any flames... I hope," Zin Bu told him as the two stood up from their table, venturing out of the teahouse and towards Kazel, the giant dog perking up from his curled position to look at Zin Bu.
"Oh my, he's bigger than expected!" Zin Bu commented as Kazel sniffed him, giving Zin Bu a lick with his giant tongue, near enough lifting him off the ground.
"Oof, friendly too!" Zin Bu added as Talos patted Kazel on his neck, making him stop before the three ventured towards the largest building in the village.
"This is your house?" Talos curiously asked as they approached.
"Of course, I'm the mayor here!" Zin Bu told him as the three entered his house.
Zin Bu escorted Talos to a large open area behind his house surrounded by monolithic rocks.
"I never got your name now that I think about it," Zin Bu told him as Talos froze up before clearing his throat.
"My name is Talos!" He confidently replied.
"Well, Talos. Your Fire-bending Style training begins now!" Zin Bu proclaimed as he pointed his finger to the sun.
Zin Bu would train Talos for the next two years and four months in the style of Fire-bending until he became an expert in the style, Zin Bu's personal chefs also kept Kazel well-fed, albeit unintentionally.
A full moon hung in the sky over the Village as Zin Bu stood atop his balcony looking out over the moon-lit village.
Talos approached him, standing by his side as he too gazed upon the village.
"Water Tribe copper for your thoughts?" Talos asked as he pulled out a copper piece, making Zin Bu chuckle.
"How long have you been waiting to use that one?" Zin Bu spoke through his chuckle.
"A while. You just appeared to be deep in thought when I approached," Talos replied as Zin Bu let out a heavy sigh.
"I was..." Zin Bu told him as he continued looking out to the tea house before turning his attention to Talos.
"I wonder, Talos. This Avatar friend, you mentioned they were a woman, yes?" Zin Bu asked him.
"Yes... what of it?" Talos curiously asked.
"Did you two ever have a thing for each other, because I must say you seem like you'd be quite a catch with the ladies!" Zin Bu commented, making Talos freeze up as his cheeks flushed red.
"We... no... She was more like a sister. We were born on the same day, after all!" Talos replied.
"Ah, a shame. I'm sure she's a pleasant person," Zin Bu sombrely told him as Talos turned the question back on him.
"How about you? I'm sure you were quite the catch in your prime," Talos commented as Zin Bu let out a short laugh.
"The cheek! I still am!" Zin Bu replied confidently until a thought weighed down on him.
"There was one woman... Azumi, I thought we hit it off when we met," Zin Bu lamented.
"What happened to her?" Talos curiously asked as Zin Bu let out a heavy sigh.
"After a very... Ravishing night, she up and vanished. If it weren't for the broken bed, I would have thought it was all a wine-induced dream," Zin Bu replied with a nostalgic yet sombre tone.
"You... broke the bed?" Talos nervously replied.
"Yes... trust me, explaining a broken bed with only you in it to either of your parents is not easy!" Zin Bu spoke with a short laugh before letting out a nostalgic sigh.
"Did you ever try to find her?" Talos asked, curious to hear more.
"I did, but she vanished with barely any trace. But I'll tell you, not a single man or woman has ever shown the Great Zin Bu a better time than Azumi," Zin Bu told him as he picked up a glass of red wine sat before him.
"I hope she's at least living a happy life" Zin Bu added as he drank the wine, but Talos curiously gazed at him.
"I thought Sozin outlawed people of the same gender sharing in... romance?" Talos asked in curious wonder, to which Zin Bu looked at him in mild shock.
"What? No! That's just a bunch of Earth Kingdom lies and propaganda used to give the Fire Nation an evil reputation!" Zin Bu informed him with a mildly offended tone.
"Because apparently Genocide of pacifist monks didn't wound our reputation enough," Zin Bu added whilst Talos slouched in his posture.
"I... apologize, I didn't mean to offend!" Talos replied, seeking forgiveness. But Zin Bu simply gave him a light jab.
"Consider yourself enlightened!" Zin Bu jested as Talos smiled at him before letting out a heavy sigh as he looked to the horizon.
"Where would you recommend I head to next? I've become an expert in Fire and Earth... but there's no one out there to teach Air-bending..." Talos dismally asked, letting out a heavy sigh as his head hung low.
"As I see it, you've got three options. Either option one: You return home with the knowledge you've gained. Option two: You go out and find your Avatar friend and see what she can teach you. Or Option Three: Venture to the Air Temples, see what the monks and Sozin left behind," Zin Bu recommended whilst Talos thought to himself.
"How would I get up to the Air Temples?" Talos curiously asked.
"I'm fairly certain your Kazel could traverse the mountainous terrain well enough, Sozin's army could get up there, I'm sure you and your Polar Bear Dog can," Zin Bu told him as he finished his wine.
"You're also a Water-Bender, you could theoretically make your own pathway up the mountain with Ice!" Zin Bu added.
"Wouldn't that be dangerous?" Talos asked him, wincing at the thought of plummeting from the Air Temples.
"Not if you're smart about it and take it slow if you take your time and don't rush. Slipping off shouldn't be too much of a concern, I'd wager," Zin Bu explained.
"Which Air Temple do you think I should go to?" Talos asked, curious to hear his thoughts.
"Well... the closest one is the Eastern Air Temple, but I think getting to it may be more difficult..." Zin Bu replied as he thought to himself.
"The Southern Air Temple may be your best bet, it's not too far, and it's where Avatar Aang spent his younger years!" Zin Bu added.
"How long do you think it will take to get there?" Talos asked him as Zin Bu thought, plotting the route he would take.
"Possibly a month depending on how fast you travel," Zin Bu informed him.
"If you intend to set off tomorrow I'd advise resting then packing your things and whatever supplies you need in the morning, it'll be a long journey," Zin Bu added as Talos nodded.
"Thank you for the help, Zin Bu!" Talos replied with a brief bow, to which Zin Bu smiled with a chuckle.
"Oh, the formality's not needed, my boy. Rest for the night!" Zin Bu told him, as Talos left his side, returning to his and Kazel's quarters to rest.
The next Afternoon, Talos had packed all the supplies he needed to traverse towards the Southern Air Temple, hopping onto the bow elderly Kazel's back before looking down to Zin Bu.
"It's been nice having you around, Talos. Feel free to visit any time!" Zin Bu told him.
"Thank you for your hospitality. Farewell, Zin Bu!" Talos replied as he patted the side of Kazel's neck.
Kazel let out a gruff, joyful bark before charging off into the Fire Nation.