Chapter 105: An Invitation

Aang hugged Appa with everything he had, squeezing his eyes tight shut to hold back the tears. He found himself longing for those early days of friendship when Appa was small enough that Aang could wrap his arms all the way around him.

"I missed you so much, buddy." He whispered into the bison's fur.

Appa lowed, echoing the sentiment.

Aang opened his eyes and stared straight into one of Appa's large eyes.

Aang saw white. He felt a sensation akin to falling and was faintly aware of his friends calling out in alarm.

That was the last thing he knew.

Aang opened his eyes and felt at home.

He'd never been there before, but he recognised the feel of the place. It was like with music; Aang recognised the tune, but the words eluded him.

He was at an Air Temple. The Eastern one; it was the only one he'd never frequented, either before being frozen or since waking up.

The air was warm, and everything seemed to have an orange haze around it. His heart soared.

A voice said, "Ah, you must be Avatar Aang. You have found my message. Good, good. So good that you and your friend have been reunited. Good, yes."

Aang turned and saw an old man smiling at him. He found himself smiling back.

He asked, "I'm sorry, but who are you? And how am I here? Why am I here?"

"Ah, why, the greatest question of them all. I am Guru Pathik, young Avatar, a friend to your people. You know where we are, yes?"

Aang nodded. "The Eastern Air Temple."

Pathik nodded, still smiling. "Just so, just so. A place of importance to your people. A place of spirit. Yes, here you must come. Begin your training."

Aang frowned. "My training? I've been training in the elements already; well, Air, Water, and Earth, anyway. Apparently I'm not ready for Fire."

The last part was said with equal parts relief and sullenness.

Pathik replied, "The Elements, yes. Those are important in the Avatar's Journey. But there is another part. Yes, one that most forget. The fifth side to the square."

Aang found himself growing more and more confused. "Wait, squares have four sides."

Pathik's smile widened. He held up his right index finger. He began drawing it through the air; it left a bright yellow line as it went.

"One." He said, completing a line. "The Air that you were born into, your native Element. It allowed your spirit to soar and gave you an unquenchable thirst for freedom."

He drew a second line, going down from one end of the first line at a right angle.

"Two." He said. "The Water that you emerged from. Your second birth, you might say. Born into a new world. Water has allowed you to adapt to the challenges you have faced."

He drew a third glimmering line, parallel to the first.

"Three. The Earth you walk on. Your biggest challenge to date, yes? To accept and thrive within your opposite Element. Earth has given you the strength you need to endure great strife."

He then drew the final line, connecting up the square.

"Four. Fire. When you are ready, it will give you ambition and passion beyond what you know. You have the drive to finish this great conflict. You will become a light in the darkness."

Aang nodded. "See? Four sides. There is no fifth."

Guru Pathik grinned, almost mischievously. He placed his palm in the centre of the square, and it filled with a glowing, golden light.

"Five." He said. "The side most forget about. Spirit. The Avatar is the Bridge between Spirit and Matter. Both sides will come to you, both sides must be treated with fairness and respect. Your connection to the Spirits will be as useful to your Journey as any of the Elements have been. You will not be realised until you have mastered this side of yourself. I can teach you this."

Aang's eyes were wide. He said, "You can teach me the ways of the Spirits?"

Pathik nodded and he walked closer to Aang. "Come to the Eastern Air Temple, Avatar Aang."

The Guru placed his glowing forefinger against the Avatar's forehead and everything went white.

Aang woke up.

Aang sat up with a gasp, his forehead almost colliding with Katara's. She flinched back just in time from where she'd been leaned over Aang's prone form.

"Aang!" She yelled, relieved.

The Avatar's eyes darted around. He was in the garden, in Ba Sing Se. His head had been in Katara's lap before he shot awake. Zuko and Sokka were crouched at his left, while Toph was at his right. He looked up and saw that Iroh was stood towards his feet, stroking his beard and staring at the Avatar with a strange expression.

Appa was where Aang had left him, staring towards the Airbender with knowing eyes.

Zuko asked lowly, "What happened?"

Aang shook his head slowly. "I-I had a vision? I think."

Sokka said, "Your arrow didn't glow, though."

"Yeah, you just kind of froze and then fell over." Toph added.

"It was scary." Katara said quietly. "I tried to heal you with my bending, but there was nothing to heal. Your chi was fine, same as it always is."

"There was a—I don't know, a monk? But not an Air Nomad. He was at the Eastern Air Temple. He called himself a guru. Said that he could teach me about the spiritual side of being the Avatar. He told me I needed to go to him there, at the temple."

Sokka frowned and exchanged a look with Zuko. Sokka said, "I don't know, Aang. Sounds fishy. Zuko?"

Zuko frowned deeply. "Do you know what… prompted this vision? What caused it?"

Aang replied, "I just looked in Appa's eyes and it happened."

Iroh spoke up. "A message. Imprinted on the eyes of the one most connected to your spirit."

Zuko frowned at his Uncle. "You know about this, Uncle?"

Iroh continued to stroke his beard. "There are many milestones on the Avatar's Journey to realisation. Understanding the nature of himself spiritually is, perhaps, the most important."

Aang nodded, determination on his face. "I'm going to the Eastern Air Temple."