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Haven - Chapter One Hundred-Twenty-One
A meeting was underway in the Spirit World between two Avatars, of past and present.
"Avatar Roku. I need your guidance about an important matter. What can you tell me about the Component?" Aang asked in an unusually serious voice as he sat gazing back at the older man's contemplative face.
While a concerned frown overtook the Fire Nation man's deeply troubled face.
"I see. I regret to say that there is not much that I can tell you Aang, as I did not personally encounter the Component in my time as Avatar." Roku replied with his grave amber brown eyes staring back at the younger man's apprehensive face.
"What! Isn't there anything that you can tell me?" The Avatar blurted out in a worry-stricken voice while he studied his predecessor's thoughtful countenance.
"There was once a sorceress by the name of Mava who I once clashed with early in my days as Avatar. She sought to bring about the return of this power to accomplish her goal of destroying the Avatar Cycle." The former Avatar stated as he held a hand under his chin while he sat staring seriously back at the monk's unsettled face.
"A sorceress by the name of Mava?" Aang repeated as he stared with unease in his gray eyes back at the older man's nodding face.
"Yes. Although to my knowledge the sorceress has not been seen since the beginning of my conflict with Fire Lord Sozin." Roku spoke in a voice of wisdom while a relieved look came over Aang's eyes.
"Well, I suppose that is good to know." The Avatar remarked as he breathed a sigh of relief while the older man still gazed on introspectively.
"However, be advised that her former accomplice Silah may still be alive and well." The former Avatar informed in a ruminative voice with his amber brown eyes staring back at the younger man's alarmed face with unrivaled graveness.
While the young Avatar's eyes now began to widen in an expression of fright.
"That…that name! It…feels familiar. I've heard it before! She's wanted for the destruction of many villages in both the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom." Aang exclaimed as he sat up with his eyes once again taking on a more troubled look while Roku frowned grimly.
"That wouldn't surprise me. But be aware that your most urgent concern is the Component herself. You may well be the first Avatar in over a thousand years to face the Component in battle." Roku advised with a profound look of concern still adorning his features while the young Avatar's stared back in rising worry.
While the young man swallowed nervously as he sat there in silence paying close attention to the older man's ever word.
All the while as the Fire Nation man stared back with his amber eyes conveying indescribable urgency.
"T-the first in over a thousand years?" The Avatar questioned in an unsettled voice as he gazed down with widened gray eyes.
"Indeed Aang. I urge you to be cautious. While I did not encounter the Component in my lifetime. I know that the Component is the single greatest danger to the continuation of the Avatar Cycle. Even more so than the Fire Lord." The former Avatar revealed with unfathomable weight to his foreboding words while the monk sunk back into a perturbed silence.
"Even…more dangerous…than the Fire Lord." Aang breathed as he gazed up from the ground with panic in his eyes.
Only to find himself gazing around as the Spirit World began to fade around them.
Just before he turned back to Roku's face as the older man too started to dissipate from view.
"Continue to seek guidance in your past lives and no matter what, do not allow yourself to be caught in the pathway of the Component's spirit negating energy." Roku cautioned in a deep in thought voice while Aang listened with a disconcerted expression in his eyes.
"Avatar Roku…what happens if I get caught in the way of her spirit negating energy?" The Avatar inquired in a distraught voice while the older man gazed back with worrying concern in his aged eyes.
"If you are not careful Aang. The Avatar Cycle could be destroyed and then it will be lost forever." The former Avatar called out in a highly alarming voice while the young man's eyes grew wide in dread.
And then before the Air Nomad could even so much as say another word.
He watched with an intensely unsettled look in his eyes as his predecessor finally faded away.
And not even a second after that he found himself awakening from his meditation aboard the airship.
While he sat in a disturbed state of silence on the deck of the hidden ship from where it rested in the expansive sea cave.
All the while as he gazed on with a vividly distressed expression in his eyes as he listened to the ocean's waves crash outside the mouth of the cavern.
Later on, that day.
The Dragon of the West set down his teacup while he gazed on with his lone eye gazing on in indescribable dread.
"You…say that you encountered Azula and this girl in the Spirit World?" Iroh questioned in a horrified voice with a pale expression overcoming his aghast face while the young Avatar numbly nodded his head.
While Zuko stared on with mutual unease in his widened eyes.
"They were. She's…she's learning how to master her power." Aang responded with anxiety in his voice while he stared back at the former general's unnerved face.
"I knew that it wouldn't take Azula long to begin to deduce that girl's power! At this rate Azula will have the girl's power completely mastered before we can devise a way to counter it!" Zuko exclaimed with fear in his voice as he clenched his left fist while a sense of unease consumed the air.
"You may well be right Prince Zuko. We must get through to that girl before it is too late." The Dragon of the West commented with urgency in his sage voice while he gazed down into his teacup.
All the while as the prince stared on with a look of doubt in his angered golden eyes.
Such a task was easier said than done.
Given that there was no going near that girl without Azula right by her side!
"I…I tried to speak to her once again. But she won't listen to a word that I have to say! It's almost impossible to approach her when she is with your sister!" The Avatar stated with frustration lining his voice while his enemy turned friend grimaced as he sunk back in his seat.
All the while as the former general stared on with his lips entrenched in a profoundly bothered frown.
"It may well be that Azula's claws may well be in too deep for us to remove." Iroh remarked in a reflective voice while he gazed up back at his two younger companions unsettled faces.
While Aang turned to gaze away as he pondered if the former general might be right.
All the while as Zuko gazed on with brooding golden eyes as he sat scowling in his seat.
And shortly after that the Avatar and the prince left the room.
While Pakku now stood in the doorway gazing back at Iroh with a scowl on his lips.
"It is not wise for us to remain here for much longer." The Dragon of the West began in a disconcerted voice while he met his old friend's worried gaze.
"Where do you suggest that we go?" Pakku asked with a frown on his lips while Iroh let out a heavy sigh.
"Well…it isn't safe for us to return to the Misty Palms Oasis. It likely never will be. Not now that Azula knows the location of our old base." Iroh spoke in a factual voice while the waterbender gazed down at the floor of the ship.
"Iroh…forgive me. Had I not submitted under their torture…then Azula wouldn't have discovered our base of operations." The waterbending master confessed with great shame in his voice as he gritted his teeth while he glared down at the floor.
While Iroh gazed back with a sympathetic expression in his amber eye as he reassuringly shook his head.
"Pakku…please do not torture yourself any further." The Dragon of the west began in a calm voice while the other man balled up his fists at his hips.
"That…monster threatened to light Katara on fire and launch her over the walls of Agna Qel'a in a trebuchet!" Pakku snapped with rage lacing his voice as he trembled in fury while Iroh stared on in revulsion.
"You have no need to apologize my old friend. Anyone else would have done the same to save their family." Iroh consoled in a softened voice with a shake of his head.
While Pakku still scowled as he gazed back at his friend with an uncertain expression in his eyes.
"In any event…our next destination is Shu Jing. Where we will lay low in Piandao's castle for a while." The Dragon of the West declared in a contemplative voice while Pakku glanced up with surprise in his eyes.
"Shu Jing? But that it is situated in the heart of a Fire Nation town." The waterbending master commented with a raised brow while he gazed back at his old friend's thoughtful visage.
"While that is true Pakku. It is a secluded village. And sometimes the least suspected hiding places are the ones that are in plain sight." Iroh explained as he smiled slyly back at Pakku's pondering face while the waterbender nodded his head slowly.
Katara stood on the deck of the ship once more as she stared on with a determined expression in her furious blue eyes.
While she swung her arms through the air in an elegant motion with the aid of her waterbending.
All the while as she forced herself to ignore the stabbing pain that was shooting through her arm as she pushed herself to continue.
And not even seconds after that a large wave of waterbending impacted with the wall of the sea cave.
All the while as she stood panting lightly with her hair sticking to her forehead.
While she glared on with a prideful stare in her angered eyes.
Before she paused when she heard the sound of soft footsteps behind her.
All the while as she turned around only to find her expression of rage softening when she found herself face to face with her lover.
While Aang stared back at her with gentle concern in his eyes as Momo sat faithfully on his shoulder.
"Your arm is getting better." Aang greeted in a relieved voice while Katara nodded her head as he moved to stand beside her.
"Not fast enough Aang." Katara replied with a scowl pursed onto her lips while she gazed down over the railing of the airship.
Only to find herself turning to glance back at her boyfriend when she felt him gently take hold of her good hand.
And with that the two began to relax as they stood side by side with one another.
All the while as Appa rested behind them with his snores flowing loudly into the air.
"Avatar Roku…says that I am the first Avatar in over a thousand years to face the Component." The Avatar admitted in a soft-spoken voice as he stared out into the distance while his girlfriend listened in unease beside him.
While he found himself frowning in deepening concern.
All the while as the Water Tribe woman pondered her lover's words with a disconcerted look in her eyes.
Before she turned to face her lover with a supportive expression taking over her blue eyes.
"You'll figure it out Aang. I know you will. You're the Avatar. If anyone can do it is you." The healer insisted in a loving voice while she squeezed her lover's hand.
While the Air Nomad turned to smile back at the woman's momentarily tender face.
"Thank you for believing in me Katara." Aang stated with affection in his voice as he held onto his lover's hand while Katara nodded her head.
All the while as a spark of anger flashed in Katara's eyes as she stared resolutely back into her boyfriend's kind gray eyes.
"Mark my words Aang. We'll defeat this girl and Azula both. No matter what it takes the Fire Nation will be stopped." Katara declared in a firmly determined voice while Aang stared back with a taken aback look in his eyes.
While the Air Nomad found himself pleased to see that his lover was regaining some of her usual spirit.
Only for the Avatar to find himself nodding with a resolved expression overcoming his face.
"Yes! We will." The Avatar agreed in a purposeful voice as he frowned all the while.
On the morning of the following day.
Ling and Ruolo stood on the deck of the airship while they gazed back at the faces of Team Avatar and the White Lotus.
All the while as Katara stared curiously back at Ling as the princess gazed back at them.
She hadn't had much chance to so much as even say a word to the woman due to the wound that she received thanks to those monstrous firebenders.
"The time has come for us to part ways General Iroh. We feel that it is best if we travel separately rather than as one force. However, be assured we will meet again in the near future." Ruolo stated in a diplomatic voice with his hands folded behind his back.
While the White Lotus leaders and Team Avatar gazed back with pensive expressions in their eyes.
All the while as the young Avatar swallowed as he held onto his staff with a worried hand.
It was more than apparent that the old adviser was concerned that if they were to fall in battle.
That Princess Ling would suffer the same fate and by extension so would her entire kingdom.
"We understand Ruolo. We wish you the best of good fortune with your travels." The Dragon of the West responded in an amiable voice as he smiled back at the two while the other man nodded in response.
All the while as the Earth Princess stared on with a calm expression in her light green eyes as she gazed back at Team Avatar.
"The same to you." The adviser answered in a slightly kinder voice than he used when he first met the group.
While Zuko stood beside his uncle as he exchanged looks with his friends.
All the while as the swordmaster made his way forward as the princess turned to calmly meet his gaze.
"Ling. Take what I have taught you…and use it wisely." Piandao spoke in a stoic voice with his eyes staring back at the young woman's composed face.
"I promise you that I will Master Piandao." Ling assured in a proud voice as she bent over to bow to her teacher in respect.
And then the man bowed in response as he offered the Earth Princess a slight smile.
"Until we meet again Princess Ling." The swordmaster concluded in a sophisticated voice while the princess rose from her bow.
All the while as the rest of the allied forces gazed back at the princess and her devoted adviser.
Just as the two turned to walk across the walkway to their smaller vessel.
Only for the princess to pause as she turned to gaze over her shoulder at the blind earthbender leaning against the wall of the ship.
"Toph Beifong…for what you gave me. I am in your debt." The princess commented with her light green eyes staring back at the younger woman's grinning face.
While the rest of Team Avatar gazed between the two women in fascination that their unruly companion seemed to have made a friend.
"Don't worry about it, princess." The blind bandit replied with an easy-going shrug while she grinned in the older female's direction.
"Perhaps…the next time we meet we will be able to spar again." Ling remarked with her lips cracking into a small smile while Toph smirked back at her.
"Of course. That is if you think that you can handle me with both arms." Toph boasted with a cocky smirk on her lips.
While Ling smirked in return back at the younger woman's face.
Before she developed an emotionless expression once more as she offered the other woman a final parting glance.
"Farewell Toph Beifong." The princess spoke in a composed voice as she turned to walk away with her adviser following after her.
While Toph attempted to gaze in the general direction of the departing woman with a grin still adorning her lips.
All the while as the elder members of the White Lotus and the rest of Team Avatar watched the two's departure.
"See you around princess." The blind bandit called out as the wind lightly blew through her hair while her friends observed from alongside her.
While the princess now walked away with her light green eyes now taking on a much more hardened gleam.
And with that the princess and her adviser stepped aboard their stealthy vessel that had been designed for them by the great mechanist himself.
And soon after that the Earth Princess's ship departed to sail out of the sea cavern.
All the while as the White Lotus and Team Avatar stared out onto the horizon as they watched their new allies sail away.
Later on, that same day.
Iroh and the others sat in relative calm until they spun around towards the door when a sentry came rushing through with his eyes agape in terrible panic.
"General Iroh! General Iroh! We received a letter addressed to Aang from one of our sources!" The sentry cried out in an unsettled voice while the group tensed up as they exchanged looks with one another.
"A letter addressed to me?" Aang asked with his gray eyes gazing on in concern as he sprang to his feet in worry while the man stopped before the former general.
"Calm yourself and take a deep breath. I will have a look at this notice." Iroh remarked in a sagely voice as he accepted the rolled-up scroll from the frightened sentry.
Just before the man turned to stumble off while the former general began to hesitantly open it.
Only for his expression to pale as he held onto the paper with a trembling hand.
All the while as Team Avatar gazed on with concern in their eyes.
"What does it say Uncle?" The prince pondered as he stood behind his uncle as he moved to gaze down at the letter.
Only for his golden eyes to widen in horror as he read the contents of the letter.
While the rest of Team Avatar except for Toph leaned forward to read the scroll.
Only for their eyes to grow wide in shock as they struggled to maintain their composure.
The letter was written by an unnamed sender and it was addressed to Aang.
It was utterly ruthless and to the point, and it read as follows.
Dear Avatar Aang,
Your struggle is meaningless. You will never defeat us. And your traitor prince will never defeat our majestic Princess Azula.
For the Fire Nation is indomitable, and Her Highness and the Fire Lord are vast.
While you are small, and your numbers dwindling even smaller.
For you and your filthy Water Tribe friends were born to be ruled. Ruled by the Fire Nation because you are lesser.
But we are not without mercy, which is why we are going to make you an offer.
Turn yourself in immediately for execution to Fire Nation authorities, and we will spare the lives of all of your worthless friends.
If you do not, we will begin executing your imprisoned friends one by one.
Starting with the disgraced former leader of the Kyoshi Warriors.
You have ten days from the date of this notice to turn yourself in.
Should you refuse, then Suki will die.
Sincerely,
Your Friend
PS.
Do let Sokka know that she still screams for him to save her.
Team Avatar stood there in a state of disbelief.
While their enraged eyes now gazed on in a state of speechlessness.
All the while as even Iroh stared down at the letter with a look of shock in his eyes.
"What? Is anyone going to tell me what it says?" The blind bandit inquired with a raised brow while she listened to the rising heartbeats of her friends.
While Sokka now stood with his teeth ground together in unrivaled fury.
All the while as Katara trembled in vengeance with her hair shadowing her eyes as she placed a comforting hand on her distraught older brother's shoulder.
While Zuko stared on with his jaw dropping as he pondered who could have possibly sent such a horrifying letter.
It wasn't something that he would put past his sister.
But it didn't sound like it was written from her perspective.
So, if not Azula…then who?
"I have to do something to save them!" The Avatar shouted in a highly emotional voice as he moved to run off.
Only to find his wrist was swiftly seized by Iroh.
"Do not do anything rash Aang! The purpose of this letter is to provoke you into exposing yourself! And then once you do our imprisoned comrades will have no hope!" The Dragon of the West cautioned in an imploring voice while the young Avatar shook in outrage in his grip.
Only for everyone to turn to Sokka not a moment later when the young man released a heart wrenching cry.
"Suki! How dare they!" Sokka bellowed in an anguished voice with his fists clenched in his rage as he took off sprinting out the door.
"Sokka!" The healer called out with shared rage in her worried voice while she moved to follow her brother.
Only to find herself gazing on in surprise when the prince ran after him.
While the rest of the group remained behind in a stunned silence.
The Water Tribe warrior punched the metal hallway while his blue eyes brimmed with unfathomable rage.
Just when he felt a hand cautiously touch his shoulder as he turned to himself facing the sympathetic face of the prince.
"Sokka. I promise you that I will help you rescue you them! We are not going to let them die!" Zuko exclaimed in a determined voice while the other man just glowered back at the wall.
And then Sokka sunk forward with Zuko's palm still on his shoulder while he punched the wall once more.
Meanwhile.
A small island sat in the middle of the ocean shrouded by a dense fog.
A foreboding citadel loomed over the rocky landscape at the center of the island.
The citadel had five jagged spires that rose into the air with the middle spire towering high above all of the others.
A mechanical badgermole rested before the outside of the fortress with its lifeless eyes gazing soullessly ahead.
And on the inside the hallways of the citadel were decorated with countless puppets and mannequins that stood in their respective places as if frozen in time.
While their master now strode down the hall with her callous dark green eyes gazing ahead through her broken mask.
Just before the puppeteer stepped through the door of her inner chamber.
Only for the killer to pause in her tracks when she sensed a presence in her domain.
While her merciless dark green eyes widened an ever so slight fraction as she turned to glance around her.
Only for her gaze to spin around when she saw shadows spiraling forth into being from her citadel wall.
While she watched in fascination when the shadows took the shape of many ghostly hands.
All the while as she stared on with a narrowed stare when a dark-haired woman in crimson robes emerged from the shadows.
And not a moment after that her dark green eyes formed a murderous glare as she lightly bent the fingers on both of her hands.
And just like that a wide array of humanoid puppets sprang forth from the ceiling to drop down beside their master.
While the mysterious woman's lips curved into a wicked smile as she unflinchingly met the puppeteer's bloodthirsty gaze.
All the while as the former Earth King now stood behind his master with his expressionless light green eyes gazing on ahead over her shoulder.
"You must be Silah." Vega spoke in a soft voice with her monstrous golden eyes staring back at the puppeteer's partially covered face while the other woman glared back at her.
"I am. Who are you? And how did you get in here?" Silah responded in a cool-headed voice as she curled her fingers while her many puppets stood defensively behind her.
While she never once took her predatory eyes off the seeming Fire Nation woman's deviously grinning face.
"My name is Vega of the shadows…and just as my name goes. There is no fortress that I cannot enter." The herald declared with a smirk on her lips as she folded her arms over her breasts while she stared back into the puppeteer's marginally widening dark green eyes.
Only for the killer to regain her composure not even a second later as she stared icily back at the shadow woman.
"So, you are Vega. Then you must be its herald." The puppeteer remarked in a frigid voice while she stared calmly back at the enigmatic woman's smirking face.
"You know of us…" Vega trailed off in a suggestive voice with her bleak golden eyes staring back at the other woman's half masked face.
"There are many things that I know. Creating artwork from people that I find interesting is one of them." Silah stated in turn in a callous voice as her lips curved into a ruthless smile while her puppets moved forward ever so slightly behind her.
While she gazed out of the corner of her frigid dark green eyes as she watched more shadowed hands phase through the wall behind the strange woman.
"Then you also know that you are in our way." The herald announced with as sadistic undertone to her voice while she gazed back at the puppeteer's smirking lips.
"And what exactly are you going to do about it?" The puppeteer sneered in a mocking voice as she stared fearlessly back at the shadow woman's darkly smiling face.
And not a moment after that the mysterious woman began to exude an incredibly powerful dark chi from her body.
While she stared wickedly in the puppeteer's direction.
Only for Silah to let out a malicious laugh as she too began to flare her own mighty aura as her energies began to seep into the air around them.
And just like that the two powerful women gazed back into one another's eyes as their auras began to consume the very chamber itself.
All the while as Vega's shadow hands swirled around her poised body with a savage smirk making its way onto her lips.
While Silah stared back with defiant dark green eyes as her predatory smile grew even lager.
While she ran her tongue along her lips with her favorite puppet sink into combat formation behind her.
And then not an instant afterward the two immensely mighty women's auras impacted in a stunning clash of energy.
Just before countless shadow hands spiraled forth into the air to pierce their target.
While a fleet of corpse puppets sprang forward to slaughter the invader.
And not even seconds later an explosion of chi erupted from the core of the citadel chamber.
AN:
The update was late because I haven't been feeling well lately.
Anyhow, I realize it has been awhile since we have last seen Team Avatar.
With that said, while it may seem like huge amounts of time are passing between their chapters. Each time that we have seen them, Traitors and Training (chapter 66), the Potential Within (chapter 89), and now Haven (chapter 121), it all happens back to back in the same close time frame.
The events with Team Avatar, when we do touch in on them, are all happening one after another.
In this chapter we saw how Team Avatar are coping with Azula having the upper hand over them, and we also saw that Katara is starting to make progress with her arm.
As for the letter, I will leave it up to you to make your guesses as to who sent that to Team Avatar.
And at the end of the chapter we got a glimpse of what Silah's home is like. It is basically a small island, with a tower citadel that she lives in and it is lined with hundreds of puppets that she keeps as trophies to remember her victims by.
And finally, Vega tracked down and is now confronting Silah.
Like I said previously, there is not much that I can reveal about Vega at this time as we will gradually learn more about her as she appears throughout the rest of book one.
One thing I would like to clarify, is what is the difference between Silah and Vega? Their is a huge difference between them that sets them apart from one another.
Vega is a servant to a dark power, which is why she was addressed by Silah as a herald as she has allegiance to another being.
Silah, is an independent neutral power with no allegiance to anyone but herself. Vega is trying to get Silah to fall in line so that she doesn't impede their plans in the future.
Anyway, this chapter is the last that we will see of Team Avatar until we get closer to the second battle between Team Avatar and Team Azula.
While I realize that we don't see Team Avatar often, it is important to keep in mind that it is because it is not their story, this is Azula and Elle's story. I try to touch on them here and there, to show how things are going for them. So, that way we know what is happening in between their encounters with Team Azula.
Next chapter, we will shift back to Team Azula.
Stay tuned for next time.
For chapter one-hundred-twenty-two! Deception!