Chapter Fifteen
"You did it Aang!" Sokka jumped up, shouting in excitement.
"Well done my young friend." The old man said as he picked himself up off the ground. "You have learned all of the bending skills. And you have beaten all of our finest benders. Including me and that is quite an accomplishment if I do say so myself." He smiled and watched as Sokka dance around Aang.
Aang had been training for several weeks now and had finally learned all four bending skills. It had been most hard on him to try and learn fire but he had finally figured it out and while he was far from being a master, the village people felt that he was ready to take on the fire nation. There was nothing more they could teach him and he had beaten their best benders in every fight.
"There is one more thing you must remember, however." The old man, whose name was Ojhon and was the wisest of all the village elders and also an earth bender, said quietly. He walked over and placed a hand on Aang's shoulder. "No matter what happens, follow your heart. It will be your greatest weapon against the fire nation, for their hearts are cold and speak so softly they cannot hear them. Best of luck my young friend."
"Thank you Ojhon. For everything." Aang dropped his head in a gesture of thanks that was customary to these people. Ojhon smiled, then turned and quietly walked away. They had decided to make Aang's departure as soon as possible and with as few people knowing as possible. With fire nation soldiers occasionally marching past the village, they didn't want to take a chance on them finding out where he was or that he now knew bending.
"Come on Sokka." Aang climbed onto Aang's back with Sokka right behind him.
"This is it Aang." Sokka said quietly.
"Yeah. I'm ready. Let's show those fire nation creeps what their up against. Yip yip!"
Appa took off and they flew purposely in the direction of the fire nation. It was almost the end of the summer and it was time for the battle of the century to unfold. Aang only hoped that he had what it would take to save the world.