Chapter 6

Aang struggled free from his captor, who didn't give chase. He turned and ran towards his friends. "Katara. Sakka. Are you guys okay?" asked Aang, as he easily beat their guards. "Yeah, we're fine. What about you? What's going on?" Katara yelled over the wind, as she rubbed her soar wrists from the ropes. "It's Avatar Roku. He's here to save us." Aang said excitedly.

"What? Why?" Sakka asked.

Aang thought for a moment, looking for the answer. "Do you remember at the Winter Solstice?" he began, and his two friends nodded. "Well, when I was talking to Avatar Roku, he told me what I need to do. I asked him how I would ever talk to him again, in case I needed him. He told me, that he is a part of me, and will be there when I need him."

"But why now? You have needed help before?" Sakka asked as he ducked under a rock flying around the ship.

"Well, I guess since he is a part of me, I must have summoned him or something. I guess, know was the time we needed him the most, and didn't have any hope of escape."

Sakka opened his mouth, to yell at Aang for not believing in himself. But then shut it, realizing he was right. "Well, can you stop this before everyone dies?"

Aang smiled. "Yes I can, but I am not sure that I want to quite yet." He turned his head to look at Prince Zuko panicking. As he looked around, the burn mark on the side of his head showed. "Aang," Katara gasped. "What happened?" Aang put his hand to the burn under his left ear, and winced. "Zuko," he muttered.

A hand went to Aang's shoulder. He spun around ready to fight and saw it was Prince Zuko. "Can't you stop this thing?" he demanded.

"Maybe," Aang replied smartly. For once in his life, Aang could see fear in the Prince's face.

Aang looked towards his friends, who just looked back, expectantly. "Why should I?" said Aang, standing his ground.

"Because," Zuko started. "If you don't, everyone will die." He looked stern. Aang bit his lip and looked around at all the fire benders. "But I hate the fire benders! I could just get away now, with Katara and Zuko. Zuko wouldn't chase me, and I could stop the Fire Lord." The sky was still dark, and the waves crashed against the boat, rocking it vigorously. The wind was howling, and dirt was flying up. Avatar Roku gave no sign of stopping. "Then again, they would die, and after all, fire benders are only human. Even if I save them, he is still going to bring me to the Fire Lord, but at least we will all be alive." Aang took a deep breath and leapt into the air, bouncing on the clouds to face Avatar Roku. Aang looked into his face. There was Avatar Roku, looking the same as he did during the Solstice. His long beard down to his knees, and his narrow eyes glowing with rage, he looked quite frightening. But Aang wasn't afraid.

"Avatar Roku!" he called. It was much noisier up there. "Avatar Roku!" he called again. "Please stop. You are hurting everyone! There is nothing you can do. The Fire Nation will not give up that easily." Aang tried to persuade him.

"Aang," Roku spoke to him in his head. "I am here to help you. Now is your chance to escape. You run, and I will destroy this ship."

"No!" cried Aang. "Please stop! Don't kill them!"

"But Aang," Roku sounded confused. "I am here to help you."

"Please," Aang begged. "Don't hurt these people." Roku wasn't listening, and Aang got angry. He used his air bending to push Avatar Roku back, stopping the storm below. Roku was angry, but did not dare injure Aang. The blue light faded, and in a gust of great wind, Roku disappeared.

"It stopped," said Sakka, who was clinging to his sister. All around them people were standing and looking into the sky, whispering. "Look," Katara pointed to what looked like a black dot falling from the sky. As it came down closer, they could see it was Aang. "Aang!" she screamed, as her friend fell into the water. The Prince ran past them and dove into the water to save him. Katara and Sakka raced to the edge to help. "Come on!" Katara screamed as she instructed Sakka to do the water bending move she taught him. Carefully, the two of them pushed the water away from the spot Zuko dove in, giving him less water to swim in. A few moments later, the Prince arose gasping for breath, dragging the young Avatar with him. The crew members lowered the rope to pull them back onboard. Just then, did Katara and Sakka realize how strange it was for Prince Zuko to save Aang. They looked at each other, trying to figure it out.