Book II: Earth

Chapter II: The Legacy of the Air Nomads Part II: Remembrances

HIDDEN AIR TEMPLE- EARTH KINGDOM

Monk Fushi, Aang, Kuzon, Sokka and Katara all walked to a large cave.

Katara's eyes opened in wonder. "Wow this cave is huge!" "Are we the first to come here?"

Fushi gave the young waterbender a sly smirk. He spoke, his tone hushed, "Of course. We had to make sure this Temple remained a secret."

"Fire Lord Ozai is still dead set on exterminating our people!"

He continued, "This temple has remained a secret in our people ever since Kuzon's arrival at the Southern Temple."

Kuzon stopped walking.

He raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"What does this Temple have to do with me?"

Aang sent him a pondering look.

Yeah that's what I want to know!

I knew about the existence of this place.

But not it's purpose.

Monk Fushi sent both of them a serious look.

He put a hand on Kuzon's shoulder.

"When your parents and grandfather informed us of the danger you were in, we all realized that it was possible that Fire Lord Sozin would come to the Southern Temple in search of you."

"If he didn't find you there, then he would search every Air Nation Temple in existence."

"That is why you were forced to leave the Temple that night."

"We had to keep you safe."

"We created this temple over the years in case the Air Nation needed to escape from the Temples in the event of an attack."

Aang began to grit his teeth.

Kuzon felt himself shiver uncontrollably.

So I am responsible for the Air Nation Genocide.

Kuzon shot Aang a regretful look. "A-Aang I-"

Aang was looking away from him. Aang's eyes suddenly showed a level of intensity that many of the Gaang hadn't seen before. Katara looked especially worried.

"Aang." She put a hand on his shoulder. He didn't seem to notice her presence.

Aang! What's with you?

Aang's eyes seemed to be intently focused on the ground.

Tears started rolling down his cheeks. Gusts of wind suddenly whirled furiously around the group.

Everyone had to steady themselves in order to maintain their balance. Sokka fell down to his side. "What the hell is happening!"

Monk Fushi looked at the young airbender in shock.

What has happened to you young one?

Kuzon was asking himself the same question.

Aang is usually not like this!

He's the most chill guy I've ever met!

What is going on?

Kuzon knew one thing though.

He is obviously upset about all this.

I need to calm him down.

Fighting the winds, he shouted at Aang "Aang you need to calm down!"

"You are going to blow us off this mountain!"

It was no use.

Aang was too transfixed in his anger.

Then, he saw Katara throw her arms around him.

What is she doing?

She held onto him tightly. "Aang listen to me!"

"I understand why you are angry!"

"I felt the same when the Fire Nation killed my mother!"

She cupped Aang's face and turned it to face hers.

"But you aren't alone!"

"Your people are still alive!"

"Sokka!"

"Kuzon!"

"Me!

" "We are still here!"

"Please!"

"Calm down!"

Katara's pleas seemed to work.

The gusts of wind seemed to calm down.

Eventually, the air around the group returned to normal.

Aang collapsed to his knees.

He was sobbing uncontrollably. "I-I'm so sorry!" "I just thought back to all I've lost and lost control!"

Katara tightened her arms around him.

Thank the spirits! "

"You have nothing to apologize for!"

"It's natural to feel angry!"

Kuzon kneeled beside him.

"Got you covered airhead!"

He put a hand on Aang's shoulder.

Aang then felt Sokka's arm around him.

"Yeah don't worry about it!"

"We're here for ya!"

Touched by the warmth of his friends, Aang wiped the tears from his eyes.

He got up to his feet. Bowing before Monk Fushi, Aang stated calmly, "I apologize for the outburst, Monk Fushi!"

Monk Fushi merely smiled at Aang and spoke in a calm manner, "No need for apologies, young one." "Our people have suffered greatly." "But we must always remember that the Air Nation has a new beginning ahead." "Our people have no need for revenge."

Aang nodded dutifully. He is right. I must find my inner calm.

Monk Fushi turned on his heel. "Now let me introduce you to the rest of the temple!" "I'm sure that the young ones will be awed when they see the Avatar for the first time."

Kuzon felt a knot in his stomach.

Not sure I like the sound of that.

Kuzon was aware that the Avatar holds a special status in the world.

But he has never been one for attention.

Plus given the new information, he wasn't sure he wanted to.

It was awkward enough when I had to introduce myself to Katara and Sokka's village.

Here it comes.

The group walked deeper in the cave.

They came to a large, wooden door.

There were no handles on the door.

Instead, there was a large Air Nation insignia in the middle.

Sokka gave Monk Fushi a confused look. "Where's the door?"

He raised an eyebrow at Monk Fushi.

The elder monk grinned at the young warrior.

"The key is airbending."

He gestured to Aang.

The young airbender nodded back dutifully.

"Stand back guys!"

"Monk Fushi and I got this!"

The gang held back.

Monk Fushi and Aang then went through a number of airbending motions, straightened their wrists and bended the air in the insignia.

The insignia slowly turned to its other side.

The bright blue of the insignia suddenly turned to a magenta red.

The pipes let out a sudden hiss.

The large wooden door began to creak open.

Katara and Sokka looked on in awe.

Wow we never had any doors like that at home.

Sokka put two fingers under his chin.

"I can see how you guys have been able to hide from the Fire Nation for so long!"

"They wouldn't have bothered to look inside an old cave! "

He continued, "Not to mention only an airbender would be able to open the door!"

Aang grinned at his warrior friend, "We Air Nomads are very skilled at the art of deception."

"Sometimes the best way is to hide in plain sight."

Monk Fushi sent the young master a small smile. "Indeed Aang."

The group then walked inside the Temple.

HIDDEN TEMPLE- TEMPLE GROUNDS

Kuzon, Aang, Katara and Sokka let Monk Fushi lead them through the entrance.

Aang's eyes blazed in wonder.

It looks just like home.

There were a number of Nomads both young and old gathered around one another.

They seemed to be enjoying each other's company.

Aang felt like he had gone back in time.

Home.

Kuzon, however, only felt a deep sense of anguish.

While I am happy to see the Air Nation has survived. I miss my grandfather.

Kuzon had a deep sense of love and respect for the Air Nomads.

However, it didn't feel like his true home without his grandfather with him.

The Air Nation will always be my second home.

But it isn't the same without Grandfather Mokari.

He felt a sense of guilt run over him.

I am the reason everything has happened.

The reason the Nomads had to flee their homes.

Tears began to fall down his cheeks.

He remembered for a moment the times he would train with Mokari in the courtyards of the Southern Temple.

The way the old man would pat him on the back and congratulate him on his progress.

He stared blankly at the ground.

I miss you Grandfather.

Monk Fushi, noticing the change in the Avatar's mood, decided to announce the group's arrival.

"My people, I bring great news!"

"The Avatar has returned!"

"He has returned with friends!"

Suddenly, Kuzon felt as if all the eyes in the room were on him.

He raised a hand.

Damn it! Did he have to point me out like that?

He could feel the sweat coursing down his brow.

"H-hi everyone!"

"My name is Kuzon!"

"I'm the Avatar!"

The Nomads around him stared at the scraggly-haired boy in wonder.

One of the younglings ran to him and began to tug on his red and gold robe.

"Wow I've never seen an Avatar before!"

One of the older boys stood up from his meditation pose.

He gave Kuzon a stern glare.

"Where have you been?"

"Our people needed your protection!"

"We have had to hide in this cave for years out of fear of being found out by those ashmakers!"

"You kept yourself hidden when the world needed your help!"

"But I guess that is to be expected from an Avatar nowadays!"

"Especially an ashmaker one!"

The older airbender boy spat in his direction.

"Coward!"

Monk Fushi gave the Nomad a stern look.

"Jin, calm yourself!"

"That is no way to treat our honored guest!"

Kuzon cringed at the ashmaker comment.

I understand his anger.

But there is no need to insult my lineage like that.

His temper started to flare up.

I've lost everything and he has the nerve to call me a coward.

His fists suddenly burst into flame.

He spoke, his tone enraged, "I was shot down by the Fire Nation over a hundred years ago!"

"I had no power to control that"

He pointed a finger accusingly at the boy.

"Do you think I don't feel regret from not stopping Sozin from burning down the Temples!"

He gestured to the walls of the temple.

"That is all this place is to me!"

"A symbol of my greatest failure as an Avatar!"

Tears began flowing down the boy's eyes.

"You airheads aren't the only ones who lost everything with the Genocide!"

Kuzon stared dejectedly at his feet.

"I lost my Grandfather when he volunteered to fight off Sozin's army with the Southern Airbenders!"

"The last connection I had to my own family!"

"He is dead!"

"Gone!"

Aang, Sokka and Katara all gave Kuzon a shocked look.

Katara and Sokka gave him a sympathetic look

No wonder he wants to bring down the Fire Nation.

They took his family too.

By now, the Airbender was shaking in his boots.

There was a look of pure fear in his eyes.

Finally, Kuzon took a deep breath.

Kuzon looked towards Aang.

The airbending master was looking at him with nothing but sorrow in his eyes.

He spoke, his tone full of remorse, "Sorry Aang!" "I thought I could help here!" "But it seems I'm not wanted!"

Kuzon turned on his heels.

He quickly firejeted his way out of the cave entrance.

Katara and Sokka ran after him. "Kuzon wait!"

Aang and Monk Fushi merely glared at Jin.

Jin gave them an incredulous look.

"What?" "All I did was speak the truth!" "He's an ashmaker!" "He is not one of us!"

This time, Aang spoke, his tone harsh, "For your information Jin, that ashmaker saved my life a hundred years ago!"

"He was not of Nomad birth, but he dedicated his life to our ways in return for the shelter we gave him"

Aang continued, "That ashmaker is my brother!" "I trust him with my life!" "He was the one who saved me in that iceberg!"

"I owe him everything!" "The sacrifice his grandfather made is the only reason Kuzon and I escaped Sozin's destruction of the Southern Temple."

"Disrespect him and you spit the sacrifices that Monk Gyatso made to keep our people safe!"

With that said, Aang ran out of the Temple entrance. Kuzon. I'm coming. Jin stood there in slackjawed silence.

SOMEWHERE NEAR THE TEMPLE

Kuzon had been fireflying for what seems like forever.

He finally landed near a set of trees.

Exhausted, the boy fell to his knees.

He was breaking into sobs.

"Kuzon are you there?"

He looked to his right.

It was Katara and Sokka.

He mumbled, his voice barely hearable, "Go away." "I'm an ashmaker." "A monster." "I'm no different than that spoiled Princess or her genocidal father!"

He suddenly felt two arms wrap around him. Katara cupped his face with her hands. "No you are not!" B-But Katara!" "What about your mother?"

"If I had survived the attack, I could have-."

Katara shook her head. "No you couldn't have."

She looked away from him for a minute.

"You were shot down Kuzon."

"Considered dead in the ocean."

Kuzon dejectedly stared at the ground.

Katara then gave him a warm smile.

"It doesn't matter now."

"You defended my village and even helped us rebuild after the attack."

"You saved my home!"

She brushed a few stray strands of his hair with her fingers.

"I may hate the Fire Nation."

"But I don't hate you."

"You are like a brother to me."

Sokka chimed in and put a hand on Kuzon's shoulder.

He grinned widely at the young Avatar.

"Yeah Kuzon!"

"You came through for us when we needed help!"

"We're family now!"

"And we got your back!"

I'm lucky to have a family!

Kuzon felt a smile creep across his face.

"Thank you guys!"

Sokka then pulled both of them into a group hug.

"Group hug!"

Both the waterbender and firebender groaned in pain from his grasp.

"Kuzon where are you?"

The three of them looked and saw Aang running towards them.

Aang quickly came to a stop.

He pulled Kuzon into a tight hug.

"Thank goodness you're ok!"

Kuzon started, "A-Aang about what I said earlier-"

Aang shook his head. "Listen to me, I don't hold you responsible for what happened!" "War would have come to our shores eventually." "Sozin was a madman."

"It seems his grandson is no different!"

Aang then shot Kuzon with a determined look. "What matters now is that I need to help you learn the elements and defeat the Fire Lord!"

Kuzon smirked at Aang. "You're right!"

Katara's eyes were focused on Aang at the moment.

She had a concerned look on her face.

I can't bear to see him angry like that again.

I'll have to talk with him when I have the chance.

With that, the four of them walked back up to the temple.

Hope y'all enjoyed that!

Sorry for the long wait!

Part 2 coming soon!