Chapter Twenty Two

"Aaahh!" Sokka screamed a battle cry and took out the nearest soldier. He dodged as a fire ball came flying his way. Katara knocked the fire bender unconscious with a water whip to his head.

"Katara! Up there!"

Katara knocked another guard into the water and glanced where Sokka was pointing. A group of fire benders were racing towards the group. No one was stopping them, everyone else was fighting else where. Katara turned and ran towards them. Before long they noticed her and fire began raining down around her. She dived behind a group of rocks and hurled a large wave of water at them from behind it. It fell short of the nearest guard. I'm to far away from the water! She realized with a jolt. What am I going to do! She couldn't turn back, she was sure to be hit. Soon they would be upon her. I can't lose the battle like this!

"Here! Take this!"

Katara looked up in surprise to find Ojhon standing in front of her with two of his soldiers. He was handing her a weapon. It looked a bit like Sokka's only it was heavier and Katara suspected it was stronger. She nodded her thanks to Ojhon. He held up three fingers and pointed to the approaching fire benders. She nodded again. He put one finger down. Two, One. Katara hurled herself out from behind the rocks. Ojhon and his men were right behind her. They charged the group of fire benders. A fire ball whizzed past Katara's head and she could smell the stench of burnt hair. She ignored it and raised her weapon against the nearest guard. She dropped to the ground as he fired at her and she quickly knocked him off his feet. He rose up but she brought her weapon down on his head, knocking him out cold.

A cry rang out and Katara spun to see one of Ojhon's men drop to the ground. A stream of blood trickled down his face and a grinning guard stood above him holding a sword that was stained red. Katara felt blind fury erupt inside her and, screaming, she threw herself at the guard, hitting him with everything she had. She realized suddenly that they were closer to the water. Just close enough. She swept her hands in a slashing motion and a giant wave swept the guard into the river in a whirlwind of screaming.

Aang hurled a rock at the guard that was shooting at him and scanned the land. There was still no sign of Commander Zhao. Aang felt uneasy at this but there was no time to stop and think about it. He had spotted Prince Zuko who had just taken out three of Ojhon's men and he knew what he had to do.

"Sokka! Cover for me here!"

Sokka dealt two guards a vicious blow to the head which sent them sailing into the river. "Ok!" he panted.

Aang turned, raised his arms, and flew through the air. He landed in front of Prince Zuko and raised his arms in a fighter's stance.

Zuko smirked at him and raised his hands. "So. I shall finally win my honor back. Are you ready to lose Avatar?"

"After you."

Aang suddenly hurled a rock at Prince Zuko. He dodged, rolled, and kicked out, sending a flame shooting at Aang's foot. Aang shot into the air and flipped over, landing on his feet. He hurled a gust of air at Prince Zuko. Zuko was knocked backwards but regained his balance and shot three fireballs at Aang's head. He blocked two but the third clipped his arm as it went past. Aang cried out and then smiled grimly. Time to fight fire with fire. It was not one of his strongest skills but Aang had learned the basics of fire bending and he knew he was ready to take on Prince Zuko. It was time to give him a taste of his own medicine.

With a cry Aang hurled a fireball at Zuko's head. Zuko's mouth dropped in surprise. It hadn't occurred to him that the Avatar would know fire bending. Of course he would you idiot! He thought as he dodged and sent a blast back in retaliation. He's the Avatar! Suddenly another fire ball shot out of nowhere and brushed his leg. Zuko stumbled, pain searing through his foot.

"You'll pay for that!" he hissed and gave a shout of triumph as his next blast hit the Avatar's arm full on.

Aang cried out and quickly put out the flames with a blast of water from the river. The pain was almost unbearable, however. His skin was red and raw and his sleeve hung in taters. I will not give up! He thought, and gritted his teeth in pure determination. The world is counting on me! With his good arm he hurled the nearest rock at Prince Zuko and it hit him in the head. He picked himself up from the ground, a trickle of blood running from his slashed eyebrow. Aang tried to raise his injured arm but had to drop it as another stab of pain ran through it. I will not lose.

Katara didn't know how long she'd been fighting. Everything seemed to be a whirlwind of anger. She and Ojhon were the only two left. Both soldiers that had been fighting with them had been killed. Katara had taken out more soldiers than she could count but she didn't care. She would make them pay, for everything, for everyone they had ever hurt. The last soldier went flying into the river with a cry. The group they had ambushed was gone. They had all been defeated. Katara was breathing heavily. She started to run towards the closest group of soldiers but a hand on her shoulder stopped her. She was about to attack when she realized it was Ojhon.

"Well done my young friend. You truly have the heart of a fighter. However, I would have you remember, though cruel they may be, the fire nation are people too. We fight because they attack first, but to take out rage on them simply because they are fire benders is to become like them." He spoke softly then turned and headed away to join Sokka who was rapidly being outnumbered by soldiers.

Katara stood, staring after him in surprise. Then she looked out over the river where the bodies of fire nation soldiers floated down the river and were lost around the bend. She felt the anger seep out of her as she realized that Ojhon was right. Fire nation or not, they were people too. She sighed. I just want this to be over. She turned and ran to help Ojhon and Sokka fight the soldiers.

Aang felt his vision grow blurry and he blinked rapidly to clear it. He ducked, barely missing another fireball. He had been hit twice since his arm and he felt his strength leaving him. He hurled a fire ball at Prince Zuko but his aim was off and it sailed by. He heard Prince Zuko laughing. "Not so tough anymore are you Avatar?"

Why did you do this to me? Aang thought in desperation, as he dodged yet again and hit Zuko with a blast of air that knocked him off his feet, Avatar Roku, why did you leave? I'm just a kid! I can't save the world! Didn't you want to help your people? Why did you disappear? Why?

'Aang.'

"What?" Aang spun around in surprise. Suddenly everything was black. He could no longer hear the cries of fighting soldiers or Prince Zuko's haunting laughter. He looked down and realized that his entire body had become transparent. "The spirit world!" He gasped in shock. He had been here once before yet he couldn't believe this. Why would he come here in the middle of the most important battle ever?

'Aang.' The voice came again. It was low and echoed inside Aang's head. Yet at the same time it was soothing and flowed like the river.

"Who's there?" Aang asked uncertainly.

'You have done well my friend.'

Aang gasped in surprise as a figure appeared before him. "A-avatar Roku!"

'Yes. It has been many months since I spoke to you last and look how much you have changed. You are truly the Avatar now. You are fulfilling the prophecies. You will truly save the world.'

"But… I'm losing! I'm losing the fight."

'Things are not always as they appear. Sometimes the worst things can turn out to be the best. Be brave and do not lose hope and all will turn out right.'

"But…" Aang hesitated. If I don't ask now I may never find out, he told himself and looked up at Avatar Roku in confusion. "Why did you leave? A hundred years ago? Why didn't you save your people?"

Avatar Roku smiled gently at him. 'A hundred years. Yes, it is true. I disappeared. When the world needed me most, I vanished with out a trace. But you see, I knew something that no one else did. There is a great evil coming. Before this day is over, before this battle is over, you will see it appear. Once it comes it will be unstoppable. No one can defeat it, not even the Avatar.'

"Then…this has all been for nothing." Aang said quietly.

'No. No it has not. A hundred years ago, I had a vision of this coming evil. I realized what was going to happen but no one believed me. There is only one way to stop this evil. There is a force, a powerful force. This force, this power, can stop the evil but no mortal can possess it. I realized this. There was only one way to save the world. An immortal had to harness this power and when the time was right, turn it over to the new Avatar, to destroy the evil forever.'

"So you killed yourself." Aang said quietly.

'Yes.'

"But why didn't you stay? You could have told the people what was going to happen and waited until you died a natural death to harness this...this power."

'I wished I could have. But it would take a hundred years to harness it to use against the evil one. And by the time I realized it, it was almost too late. I realized just in time and I have spent the last hundred years preparing for this day. Your friend Katara's faith in the return of the Avatar was what led her to you in the iceberg. There are things that have happened these last few months that she has kept hidden from you. But because of this, you will find an unlikely ally just when you think all is lost.'

His image started to fade and Aang began to hear the cries of the battle returning.

"Wait!" Aang cried, panic over taking him, "Don't leave me! I don't understand! What is this power? What do you want me to do?"

'Just have faith, my young friend. Do not be afraid, it will all turn out in the end. No time has passed while you were talking to me. You will appear at the exact moment you left. Do not be afraid. I will be with you.'

With that he faded and Aang felt the world spinning. Then he opened his eyes and found himself back on the battle field. Do not be afraid. I will be with you. Aang felt a new sense of hope fill him. Whatever was to come, he was ready.