Chapter 7: The Final Farewell
"What do you want, Avatar?" Xantico asked.
It was well past midnight, but yet she was still up. She stood by an Agni Kunda, staring deep into the flame. Across from her stood a young woman with flowers in her hair, just as focused on the fire as she was.
"I came to talk to you," Aang said.
"You can't talk yourself out of punishment," Xantico told him with a hint of amusement. "Many better than you have tried."
"That's not what I wanted to talk about. I wanted to talk about the shadow spirits."
The gleam in the young woman's eyes changed, and he knew he had gotten her attention at least. Xantico, however, remained unmoved, still staring into the fire and pretending that Aang didn't even exist.
Aang huffed and marched up to the Agni Kunda with them. The young woman eyed him curiously as he approached. He flashed a smile at her, and he could've sworn that she smiled back.
"I know how to handle the spirits now and I know why they're here," Aang told her.
"They've always been here. They live amongst us, as spirits and humans used to do in ancient times. They won't attack you so long as you don't attack them," Xantico said.
"That's not true," Aang said. "You yourself have said that you can't even look at them or acknowledge them at all without them getting violent. There's something there you don't know! Admit it!"
Xantico finally looked at Aang. She looked him up and down for a moment, considering him, before turning to the young woman. "Leave us, Mentari," Xantico said.
Mentari placed her open palm on her fist, bowed, and left the two of them standing there.
"Alright," Xantico said. "You have my attention, Avatar. What's the great mystery behind these spirits?"
"It wasn't until Ty Lee and Azula made up that I finally realized it, but I understand perfectly now. They're attracted to negative emotions, but more than that. They're the embodiment of negativity; it feeds them, it attracts them, and it creates them. When shadow spirits appear it's only when a person is putting off major negative vibes into the world," Aang said.
"So the shadow spirits are spirits of darkness?" Xantico said. "Shocking."
"Don't patronize me," Aang told her. "You didn't know this. If you did, you would've known that the way to help them is to confront those negative emotions. When Ty Lee was attacked, it was because the spirit was attracted to the hatred between her and Azula. She almost died because of it! But when the two forgave each other, it was gone. Not just run off for another day; it completely disappeared!"
Xantico looked back into the fire, considering his words.
A long moment of silence stretched between the two of them as Aang waited for her to say something—anything. Finally, he got fed up waiting for her; it was late and he was exhausted and she was about as stubborn as a mule hog.
"Fire Sage Xantico, I offer you this wisdom," Aang said, "if you want to get rid of the shadow spirits, you must get rid of your anguish." Without another word, he bowed to her just as Mentari had done and left the temple.
Xantico thought long and hard about what he said. As she thought back to all those times she felt the chill of the shadows surrounding her and when they eventually disappeared, she realized the truth in his words. Almost all those times she had been thinking of her younger sister, Xoco, and about whether or not she was still alive, or if she hated her, or if she was safe and happy.
And as she thought about Xoco then, she felt the chill of the shadow spirit approaching her. Just as the Avatar had predicted. She closed her eyes to the fire, feeling the shadow's approach, the cold on her back contrasting with the heat of the fire on her face.
"If what the Avatar says is true, then I know why you are here," Xantico said. She opened her eyes and turned to face the spirit. It stood at the threshold between two temple pillars, its glowing white eyes focused on her. "You're here because of my love-hate relationship with my sister. There were times I wondered if I did the right thing, banishing her from our island, and missing her every night when I went to bed and every morning when I woke up.
"I hated her, and I hated myself too. But I did what I felt was right. She faced death if she stayed on our island! She broke the most sacred of our laws. I risked everything to banish her, to give her a chance to live. She nearly cost me my own life and my own position here. And I resented her for putting me in that position!
"But I'm willing to forgive her. And I'm willing to forgive myself. I know now that Xoco is alive. I will make amends with her. I promise," Xantico said.
Without a sound, the shadow closed its glowing eyes and condensated, raining down onto the temple stones with a sigh of relief.
Xantico approached cautiously, seeing a dark spot like water on the steps where the shadow had lingered. She wondered if the spirit was going to reform, but it was clear that it was gone for good. Blinking back tears, she straightened her back and looked out at the night sky.
"Thank you, Avatar," she said.
- x -
Everyone gathered in the plaza the next morning. Ty Lee, Zuko, and Aang stood before Xantico, awaiting their punishment for going to the volcanic temple.
"Traditionally, the punishment for breaking our laws would result in burning with spiced fire," Xantico told them all. "However, given the circumstances, and considering the Avatar has imparted on us all this new spiritual knowledge about the shadow spirits, we must change the punishment to suit the crime. None of you will be burned, but I cannot allow you to stay here with us. You are all banished from Bagaskoro Island. You have until sunset to leave this island and never come back."
She then turned to Azula. "You intend to leave with them. Know this: if you leave here now, you will never be allowed to return."
"I'm aware," Azula told her, "and I'm still leaving."
"Very well," Xantico said. "Dismissed."
The crowd dissipated and the four of them began walking towards Appa.
"Avatar Aang," Xantico called out.
They all stopped as Xantico walked up to Aang.
"Yes, what is it?" Aang asked.
"I want to thank you, Avatar Aang. Not just for helping us to deal with the shadow spirits, but also for inspiring me to rekindle my relationship with my sister," Xantico said. She pulled a scroll from out of her shawl and handed it to Aang. "Please, if you stop by the island again, give this to Xoco. I want her to know that I still care about her and that I miss her."
"We'll be sure to deliver this," Aang told her.
Xantico gave them a polite bow and then walked off, leaving the four of them to turn back around and continue their journey towards Appa.
Azula slung her bag over her shoulder, trailing behind the rest of them, every step she took making her more and more anxious. Bagaskoro Island had been her home for the past five years, and it had kept her safe from both the shame of her defeat and the wrath from the rest of the world. But now she was going back to face all of that and the dread curled up in her chest was gnawing at her.
As Azula stepped up to Appa, regarding the beast with a sense of dull curiosity, someone behind her shouted out, "Wait!"
They all turned to see Bangla running up behind them.
Azula walked towards Bangla and they joined hands as they met. Ty Lee swallowed her jealousy and went back to walking up Appa's tail and setting her stuff down on the back of his saddle. But still, she could help but look back at the two of them.
"I'm going to miss you," Bangla said. "This place just isn't going to be the same without you."
"I know. This place needs someone like me. Otherwise, who will everyone look up to?" Azula joked.
Bangla giggled at that. "I wish I could go with you…but I can't just forsake my home."
"I understand," Azula said. "I'll always remember you."
Ty Lee's jaw clenched and she crossed her arms, trying not to look at them but unable to tear her ears or eyes away.
"Here," Bangla said, taking off her golden dragon necklace and handing it to Azula. "Take this, and wear it everyday, so that I'll always be with you." She placed it in Azula's palm and closed her fingers around it.
"Bangla…" Azula said. Ty Lee thought she heard Azula's voice waver.
Azula leaned in close to Bangla's ear, whispering something to her. Ty Lee was practically dying to know what it was. She scooted closer to the edge of the saddle and listened as closely as she could. Azula leaned away from her and Bangla held her palm out, concentrating as hard as she could, and a small flame of blue fire appeared in her palm.
Ty Lee's breath caught in her throat. Azula had actually taught Bangla to bend blue fire…a secret she had kept so well guarded that she had never told anyone else about ever?!
Azula slipped on Bangla's golden dragon necklace and the two of them hugged tightly.
Ty Lee couldn't stand it anymore. She moved to the other side of the saddle, refusing to look at Azula as she made her way up Appa and chose her place on the saddle. It was only after they had taken off and were up in the clouds that Ty Lee could look at her again; Azula was leaning back on Appa's saddle, looking mournfully at Bagaskoro Island as it faded behind them, never to be seen again.
The End of Part 1
Part 2 coming soon!
