Discovery in one self.

The reddish gold sphere of sky fire was beginning to travel stealthily over the mountains and break up the first light mist. The bison were yawning and stretching as the light of fiery orb of the sky warm them up. As the stars left the dark sky as their nightly play had come to a conclusion the lemurs took up the call for take part in monkey business.

In a high solitary room gazing on at this lovely landscape was a youthful female in a warm ginger and golden ceremonial dress. Around her neckline was a choker of a master Airbender. She was incredibly young at the same time as being extremely attractive. She was it appeared a master due the choker and the tattoos on her body. Her warm gray eyes shimmered as she began to hum tenderly. Her extensive dark brunette locks shimmer so brilliantly in the crisp autumn rays with a faint mild breeze blowing at her tresses.

"Sleep my little wind rider and you shall be carried up to the heavens on the wings flutter on the wind of dreams. Sleep little one and chase sun and the moon till your heart is pure as gold of the sun and your smile is as wide the silver of moon. Laugh and play be a little boy sleep and dream and fly higher then all the rest my little wind rider flies high as your dream chase through the eternal skies. Your loves know no bounds and you make the world smile so much. You are what most precious to me as you grant the wish of my dream heart my little wind rider my young Avatar." singed the voice as the vocalist who voice was like bells of crystal, gold, and silver ringing when it sang embraced a small bundle warped in red and gold blankets.

"Aang? Aang? Wake up!" said a different voice from the young woman rose-pink lips

"Huh? Aww" yawned Aang as he came around near the beginning hours of twilight.

He shook himself till he was conscious and looked keen on the strong-willed ocher eyes of Zara as she grinned affectionately at him.

"How you're feeling?" she said respectfully

"Like I got smack on the skull by a meteoroid and all the liveliness in my body was drained like a blown dam. How long have I been out of it?" he asked as he tried to stand up only to fall down on top of an inactive Momo. Momo screeched like crazy at him and scuttled after a dragonfly.

Laughing lightly she answered him. "You have been conked out for four days."

"FOUR DAYS?" He screamed in shock as all the birds flew away cause of the sudden noise.

"Shush! Calm down Aang. We all took turns watching over you. Here you must be famished. I brought you some leftover rice and sushi as well as some of Uncle ginseng tea. Now eat. But not too fast or you'll make your self sick." As he commenced to devouring his rations like a rabid beast.

"You are so fortunate you got to slumber. You had to have had a number of real pleasant imaginings. I am envious of you for that."

Swabbing his lips he inquired, "You're having horrific imaginings all over again? Make me pleased by telling me about them. Maybe I can help you again, like I did previous to this one. It can't hurt to make an effort." He said as he turned her head so that she had to face him.

"Remember how we had to put in the ground someone in the Valley of the Lost Ones a few nights back?" she said to jog his memory as she looked into the gray pools of his eyes as if trying to distinguish something concealed within them.

"Well before I went to sleep I saw Anto and he visit me in my dreams and he been telling me that he growing very impatient. Pardon? Don't tell me you don't recognize who Anto is? One and all know who he is!" she said in disbelief at Aang who was licking his chopsticks spotless and shaking his head.

"Well I recognize the name, it is familiar, but I can't put a face to match the name, but I have heard that name somewhere previous to your mentioning it. So could you acquaint with me for a second time who is Anto?" asked Aang blushing furiously

"Anto is the Black Spirit, the Messenger of Death. He until the end of time comes to shepherd newly deceased essence to their fated place of everlastingly rest. He takes countless kind of forms. But he is always black with intense piercing red eyes and a jewel on his chest. He materializes from a black cloud after a thunder crash and black lighting. He is neither good nor evil. He just comes to deliver the ultimate fairness to each of us. He came the night of the funeral to gather the soul of that boy. And every night since then he has come to me in my imaginings and said to me the unchanged message over and over again."

"Tell me what did this Spirit want to tell you?" asked Aang hanging on her every word.

"THE HORNS HAVE BEEN SOUNDED, THE SONG HAS BEEN SUNG, AND THE DAY OF RECKONING IS COMING, A POWERFUL SOUL MUST BE OFFERED TO ME, TO PERFORM SUCH A PHENOMENONAL DEED. TO SEAL THE DEAL THE AVATAR MUST PERFORM AN OUTSTANDING FEAT. BUT BE FORWARNNED CHILD OF FIRE THE SOUL OFFERED TO ME MIGHT NOT BE WHO YOU THINK IT IS GOING TO BE. SO THAT IS MY WARNING AND HEED IT WELL I COME FOR ONE AND ALL NO ONE IS UNABLE TO ESCAPE MY GRASP SO HEED THE CALL GIVE ME MY SOUL SOON, OR THE CONSEQUNCE WILL BE DIRE."

Aang eyes were huge and he shrived with fright for the first time Zara had know him.

"Aang we need not fear him. Don' t be concerned it is Ozai he wishes for, not you or anyone. I'm in no doubt of it. Now acquaint with me what on your mind?" she inquired sympathetically

"Its nothing, nothing at all." He replied dejectedly as he looked at the low burning candles around them. He had a far-off wandering gaze on his insightful features.

"Aang you can't lie at all can you? Your face has be disloyal too you. You are dwelling on something. Something you just can't let go. Tell me. I can help. I've spent the previous eight years learning and mastering the art of dream interpretation. Allow me at least make the effort. It just hurts more if you don't talk about it. Please?" she said as she finished cleaning his mug off. She made at least turned his frown upside-down

"I've learned this lesson hard over time when I been faced with a enormous predicament that I can't solve by myself. But I learned on my own that there is no instinct like that of the heart." (Lord Byron) Aang enlighten to her as he lay on his back and looked at the constellations glittering high above.

"Very wise words. You seemed to have a good sense of intuition so tell me what is it that troubling you so much?"

"When I was a very very small child during certain autumn nights I dreamed of someone. I'd dreamed of a woman. The most gorgeous lady I had ever seen. Her hair was long and wavy as the wind and smelled like fresh mountains flowers. Her voice was so beautiful and kind. Like a bell and with each word she spoke a gem would fall from her beautiful lips in a sweet smile. I've have never actually seen her face. Though I never met such a woman I've felt like I've know her all my life. I don't know what do think. I used to tell Gyasto about the dream but when he didn't tell me anything I stopped asking. I desire to be acquainted with who this lady is. You once said everything happens for a reason." He said as began to outline something in the cold dirt with a scorched stick

"Yeah I was trained to accept as true that our fate is already determined that our destiny is already decide but I believe we can control the conclusion and interpretation our destiny in our own way. Just because one thing said is going to happen do necessarily mean it's going to happen the way we expect. Life, and the things in it never happen a particularly way. Who would have thought the Avatar would fall in love with the Fire Nation Princess? You assumed you and Katara would tie the knot didn't you?" she question him with an eyebrow cocked

"Are you capable of helping me experience the whole dream and finding out whom this woman is? I've got to be acquainted with the answer." He said, as he was over and done with drawing a sketch in the dirt of an Airbender woman with no face. Sighing he set the stick on fire and pitched it through the atmosphere by means of an air discharge.

"You are a excellent artist you know. Very well I'll be of assistance to you. Take my hand and lay your hands right against mine. Now breath in and out. Steady your breathing and let go your consciences mind and let your subconscious come to the surface and dream the dream. Gaze into the flame and witness before you the dream."

He focused his intense gray eye upon the flame of the solitary candle between them as it danced back and forth and then it consumed his pupil with a blink of his eyes they were no longer in ruins sleeping quarters they were still in a bedroom but they were someplace else.

He looked all around at his surrounding and it looked like his old room almost. But there were a few differences. Like a wooden wind chime by the window blowing in the morning breeze gently. There was also a bouquet of flowers made up of snowdrop, jonquil, hawthorn, larkspur, gladiolus, morning glory and calendula in a beautiful handmade urn. As well as stone bassinette in the center of the room in a spotlight of sunshine.

"Cozy. This room is very calm and uncomplicated and pleasant. I approve." Said Zara walking up to him as she walked through the wall.

"How did you do that? Are we in the Spirit World? What going on?" asked Aang as tried to get his heart to slow down

"Aang stay alert. Pay attention and listen carefully. We're within your dream, more accurately your subconscious. We are shadows in your dream. We are simply at this point to observe what is going on. But you have to figure out for yourself what the significance of this vision is. Please keep in mind that a dream is nothing more then a manifestation of what we recognize of the waking world. Everything in dreams is sustained by something we summon up from our lives. Dreams are as far way as tomorrow but as close as yesterday. So what this place? Do you recognize it?" Zara explained as she took his hand a helped him cross the threshold.

"It looks like my room but in a few ways different. But its like I've been here before. Look! I know those mountains anywhere. We are at the Southern Air Temple. Looks like it's the first day of autumn too." He said as he ran his hand down the smooth stonewall and along the windowsill.

"How are able to you tell what time of year it is? Remember even the most minuscule detail could be valuable in solving the conundrum."

"The foliage is similar in colors which we used as for our garments. Air season is autumn like summer is yours. You can feel the chill in the air it sweet and crisp."

Just then a shadow detached itself from the far wall and walked over to them. It glided right over to the windowpane and sat down on the window chair. The brightness of the sun raised a sufficient amount for Aang to see the woman features for the first time.

She was youthful, fresh, and full. She had long wavy flowing brunette locks. Her face was tender and kind. Her smile was irresistible. She was holding a bundle close to her breast and embraced it closely.

Aang just gawked at the woman with a great deal inquisitiveness. He slowly freed his hand from Zara grasp and walk over to the lady and then casually took a seat next her.

"Hungry, my little wind rider? Come eat your fill." She spoke in a sweet tone of voice just above a whisper.

He jumped thinking she was talking to him. He quickly realized she was referring to the newborn in carroty and burgundy blanket. She began to feed the newborn child while looking sadly at sun. Aang sense she was in high spirits but in addition heartbroken.

"Look at the beautiful daybreak my wind rider. Remember eternally that as long as the sunrise there is cause to hope. By no means lose your hope or faith my son. Learn by heart that." She said as she kissed her child forehead and tickled him till he laughed.

Smiling at him as they both watch the bison and lemurs engage in recreation and frolic outside in the midst of the rocks and foliage gaily.

"You have enormous potential my son, with it you shall achieve many unforeseen miracles. You're in for countless breathtaking adventures." She whispered as she rocked him back and forth while humming to him.

Aang was finding himself close to being sound asleep when all of a sudden the wooden entrance opened with an earsplitting bang! Zara and him jump practically out of their skins.

"That was enough to give anybody a heart attack! That is so unexpected! Aang you look like you seen a ghost? What wrong? Why are you pointing?" asked Zara as she tried to catch her breath.

Aang's eyes were huge and his fair skinned face was so colorless. He couldn't speak. He just point to the entryway and she intake of breath. It was Gyasto! But he was younger. What was going on?

"Gyasto, when you are about to enter someone private chambers, you should really knock first. I was just about to get him to sleep," spoke the woman as she put the babe in the cradle and turned to face him.

"Akanke, please you really shouldn't get so attach to the boy. I will have to take him by sunset tonight and you will be going back to your home at the Eastern Air Temple tonight after you have regain your strength. I will admit you were stronger then the rest of the women who gave birth these past few days. It was not the easies of birth you know." Spoke Gyasto kindly to the young woman as he walked over to admire the child sleeping so peacefully

"Childbirth is never easy. There are no words to accurately describe it. And you become attached to a child the moment it becomes part of you. From the moment of it conception to the day of its birth, you are attached. I love my son and I always will no matter what happens." She replied to him sternly as she fooled around with her locks apprehensively.

"He seems so happy and content. So innocent and without a care in the world." He murmured quietly under his breath as he warmheartedly fondle the hairless child head soothingly

"IF only he could remain cheerful and happy-go-lucky, Gyasto. But you know as well as I do that is not his destiny. He will be up against obstacles so great he won't even imagine that he could ever expect to prevail over them. He will face numerous hardship and burdens. He won't have a chance to be a normal little boy for very long. You and I have feared this ever since we conceive him into existence." Akanke told him in a melancholic tone of voice as she hung her head very low her eyes sealed shut by the moisture of her tears of sorrowfulness. Heartbroken already on the day of her son birth and he was no more than a few hours old when she should've been in high spirits but all that filled her heart was grief and sorrow.

"How do you know what is intended for our son? What tells you these things?" asked Gyasto apprehensively as raised her head so she had to look into his azure eyes. He gently began to brush away the tears and warmed her face with a smile of hope.

"My intuition. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you'll discover will be wonderful, what you'll discover will be yourself." (Alan Alda) she said as she went back to the window and gazed out as if looking to the sunrise as if it would tell her, her future or her child own fate.

"Your intuition makes you very wise my beloved. But you are acquainted with the reality that no one can know the truth. That I'm the boy's father. If anyone learned the truth I don't want to think of the consequences." Gyasto said dejectedly as he embraced her and stroked her hair.

"Rules, laws, customs, traditions. They have been the unchanged forever from the dawn of time. I hate it! But we have genuine love, an ageless love. Whoever made the rules we follow in the present day has to have changed the ones that came previous to today's regulations." Akanke voiced irritably as she reached within her ceremonial dress and pulled out a flute and began to play a little song.

Aang and Zara were frozen as a result of these events. What did this all signify? As Aang watched more of the dreams unfold his heart began to beat more and more quickly. It was so loud it could deafen the waves of the sea. But only he could hear it. Zara held his hand and stroked his brow.

"Do not be frightened of this. Watch and all will be revealed Aang. Look around and listen with your heart. This is truly a most precious moment in time indeed. Look Akanke is going to speak once more. "Akanke" what an attractive name. I wonder what it means? To you think it has any significant to her being?" she inquired softly him as they observed from the darkness. She was in awe by the whole thing in this dream. This was a beyond doubt out of the ordinary vision.

"Her name means "To meet her is to love her." Gyasto would call out her name in his sleep many times. I'd used to ask him who she was but he never told me. He always said her name with such love and compassion I figure he was very hung up on whoever she was. I never knew he had a son though or that he was this in love before." Aang said in a tone of voice that was a combination of bewildered, irritated and heartbreaking.

"Is it against your culture beliefs to love somebody like the way you love me?" question Zara trying to identify with Aang feelings that were beginning to overwhelm her own.

"As monks we… we … we are not permitted to get married nor raise our own children. Girls and boys were raised at separate temples. Boys live in the Northern and Southern temples girls at the Eastern temple. It is our way. That is how it been done and I guess it would remain unchanged forever if circumstances wouln't be as they are. We get together collectively a small number of times a year and when children were born they were taken from their mothers to a certain temple and assigned a guardian who was to educate them in the ways of Airbending. Each temple had had a group of about five Master Airbender Monks who are in charge of the community. Come let's not dwell on my culture ways for now lets see the end of this dream." He said hurriedly as he tried to change the subject as he failed to mask his increasing feelings of bewilderment and discomfited and the overpowering fear growing in the pit of his soul.

Gyasto bowed down and picked up a miniature lemur doll off the ground and took a seat beside her and placed the doll in her lap.

"I know you fear for his future but you can't be sure he the one…" he started before he was cut off by her hand.

She pocketed her flute and clutched in her trembling delicate hands the doll.

"Gyasto, the is no doubt in my mind he is the one. You need not test him with the ancient relics. From the moment he came to be in my womb I felt a power like no other. He was born exactly one week down to the very second of Roku's death. You were there when he was born you seen him born with his eyes wide open and glowing. I know that our way of life states I can't raise him. But I don't want to be complete absent from his existence. We both know he in for a difficult life ahead of him. It is easier said then done when you have this particularly fate in store for you. You know that I'm right. Can you make me this promise and keep it." She said looking deeply into his blue eyes.

"I will promise you anything my love anything. Name it and I will do it." He said with one hand on her face and his blue eyes gazing into her attractive gray eyes with long lashes batting at him sadly.

"First I want you to become his guardian and teach him Airbending." She instructed him

"I will go to any length to grant you your wish. What else do you want me to do?" he said holding her hands. He stroked her face lovingly knowing that he couldn't deny her anything.

"Next I want you to write me letters of our son development and when you tell him the truth of his identity I want you to give him this letter. I wrote it last night. It's only for him to read. So can you give your word that you'll give it to him? You must promise me that one day we all are together again and we'll be a real family. Mother, Father, and Son. Make certain that he is in high spirits and hale and hearty and that he gets to be a boy for as long as he be able to. I love you Gyasto and our son," wept Akanke as she got the babe from the crib and brought him to bench by the windowpane.

"I give you my word on my life I will fulfill this vow I promise you this. Look at him, he so cute. He will turn out to be a extraordinarily charming young man when he grows up." He said as he took him from her and slowly began to rock him back and forth.

"He has your mischievous spirit and youthful soul my beloved wind walker. I have the courage to even say I be right to presume he will grow up to be just like his father." She confided to him.

"Well I see that he has his mother's eyes and ears and her compassionate heart of gold and possess the ability to see good where others don't and will light the torch of hope for millions of lives."

"The only thing I want for him his never to be alone. I want him to have numerous excellent friends and find love as beautiful as ours." Kissing both her love and child.

"You have neglected to tell me what you named our son. If I'm the wind walker and he is wind rider are you naming him after me?" he asked optimistically

Shaking her head she smiled a good-looking modest grin and whispered to him. "His name will be Aang. And he will be the greatest Avatar there ever was or will ever be."

Aang looked like he just had his internal organs twisted inside out he fell to the ground and just had a look of indescribable written on his face. He looked at the affectionate scene one more time, before forcing himself conscious.

"That isn't feasible. Gyasto my father? My mom? This has to be a dream I made up to fill my longing for a mom growing up it can't be real!" he said as he stared hard at the medallion Gyasto had given him.

"Aang that wasn't a dream but a recollection. Your memory, your first memory." Zara soothed him gently as she draped a blanket over him.

"I don't understand I thought you be please finding out you commit to memory the memory of your mother. I'm always so delighted that I can remember my mother. Since she was stolen from me when I was a little girl. What's wrong?" she asked confused.

"Its like I don't know who I am anymore. Gyasto never told me I was his son. Now my feelings about his death hurt even worse for the reason that I wasn't there to save my father. And now I will never know my mother. Now at least I understand why my father was always writing letters to this lady "Akanke." He said bitterly as he picked up a dirt clod and threw it twenty feet.

"Letters? Tell me more please," she pressed gently

"Ever had nights were you just couldn't sleep? Well I would go to Gyasto room and he allow me lie down on his bed till I fell asleep but sometimes he be writing letters and sketching or he be filling up his journal by the moonlight. Save for the ink was scented and he always looked so in high spirits and comfortable. He had this small box, a keep safe box; I guess you could call it. He kept hidden. But I saw it once. I'm guessing they wrote love letters to each other and letters about me."

"They must have really cherished each other. And he raised you so well. He was so nice when I met him up above. You are just like him; if your mom was of Fire I say she was a clairvoyant like me. But she really was very intuitively. It must really broke her heart to force apart from you." Said Zara as she tended the fire in front of them.

Aang eyes gazed at the blaze for a split second, a single bead of moisture rolled down his scrunched up features then his eyes and tattoos began to glow blue brightly. The wind began to howl, the ground shook, and waves hammered the island shores and the flame flared up. He ascended into the atmosphere till he was on top of the heart of the isle and the pandemonium could only get worse.

Elsewhere on the island the residents were in for an enormous and lethal bolt from the blue. A revelation that would test them each and every one in ways that no operation could ever hope to test them.

"Oh no, not this not now!" cried Katara who had been teaching the ways of Waterbending to several adolescent girls and saw the commotion and havoc about to be unleashed!

"Sokka! Sokka! Get the kids to safe haven! Have Suki and Haru help you! I've got to go help Aang! Hurry!" she yelled so loud her voice almost went horses from the endeavor to be heard over the confusion as she darted to find Aang.

"Suki! Haru! We are going to need to work swiftly to get everybody to safety!" Sokka screamed at his girlfriend and comrade as he started to round up the frighten children.

"All my warriors to me! Each girl gets two kids! Hurry!" Suki cried. They girls with Sokka help soon had all the children and were trying their hardest to get to Haru who was closest to the beaches border.

Haru created a large barricade for people to get behind. "I can't keep this up for long! Here tie yourself tightly to the wall spikes with these ropes. Make sure you're latched on tightly. Anyone who is an Earthbender can be of assistance to the others!" Haru then signed to Rocco to form a second wall so all the inhabitants on coastline could get to behind the wall that blocked out most of the storm.

Using their weapons as picks they used them as anchors as they latched the last child to the wall.

"I believe that the very last of them! I got to go up front and help protect the young ones do a quick headcount Sokka! We ought to have exactly fifty two!" cried Suki as used her fan to deflect an incoming tree branch.

Sokka did as he was told and did it twice to be with out doubt. He looked taken aback. "We're missing one! It's Ryba! I got to go find her!" he yelled over the blustery weather that made verbal communication just about unable to hear.

"I'll be of assistance!" Suki said before he stopped her with a kiss.

"No you're needed to get the people to the shelter. I've got to do this. Don't be concerned I'll be fine!" he said as he raced back into the chaos.

"Please stay out of harm's way Sokka!" she spoke softly as he disappeared from view. She dashed to Haru and got to the woodland where Luke helped get everyone to the nearest underground shelter. Crimson went to be of help to Sokka.

"Luke! Please tell me what's going on? You told me tonight weather conditions would be really heavenly. What going on? They are anything but heavenly. I say they are the exact opposite they are really hellish! I had to dispatch Iroh and Zuko to two other locations to protect our people! What in name of the Great Dragons is going on? Well you better have a good explanation for all this pandemonium and mayhem we got on our hands. So make it fast!" cried Akiko in a half angry half scared tone of voice as she attempted to calm down the terrified kids.

"This is what called the Avatar's fury! When the full power of the Avatar is used in state of pure distress. The first time it happened is when Aang found the corpse of his mentor amongst the remains of savage Fire Nations soldiers. Now it has happened again. Why I have no idea." Luke surmised to her in the best details he could offer her at the moment.

"Are we all accounted for?" she replied exhausted and with apprehension in her voice

"No! Sokka went look for a young Waterbender Ryba the one who is voiceless! We sent Crimson to go lend him a hand. God knows he gonna needed it." Said Suki giving her the details, she looked like an absolute mess but the concern in her vivid jade eyes was iron locked on her attractive features.

"He is extremely courageous and his concern is admiral. He has proven to be a valiant warrior. I know he will came through. Be brave Suki. Pray that the spirits will bring them here safely!" said Akiko as fell in to her knees and began to pray.

Sokka was trudging through the unforgivable storm that was spewing sand all over the place but he refused to turn around and abandon the little girl. He looked and then thought he saw someone out a couple of feet from the tide pools. He raced over and found her half drowned by the raging water. She was just scarcely clinging onto a barnacle-covered rock sticking out about three to four feet out of the water. She was knocked out cold so she couldn't bend the water. He quickly waded through the water and sludge, and snatched her just as she was about to be swept out to the thundering ocean he quickly slung her over his backside. He trusted his knife into the wet and jagged rocks and began to pull them up to higher ground little by little.

"It going to be ok, Ryba. We're going to make it! The Ruhakana Tallulah seems like cake compared trying to get out of this storm in one piece. But trust me Ryba we will get out I promise you that!" he said in between spiting sand out of mouth. His grip slipped for a moment or two but he kept going. Bit by bit he climbed the 15-foot rock to get above chaotic waves pummeling him every second. He just gritted his teeth and stayed alert.

Nevertheless to say by the point in time that they got to the top of the slippery rocks the water by now was halfway to up the rock he was just barely standing on and was rising faster and faster by the minute. Soon it would be up to his waist in mere minutes. He looked around refusing to give up hope in what was spiraling into a desperate predicament then he heard faintly Crimson voice.

"Sokka! Throw your boomerang northeast ten feet and I will pull you in! Hurry!" She cried as she flickered her galvin blade to show where to throw.

"Please let my aim be true. Help me save this child life!" he screamed to a solitary star that had broke through the blacken skies. As he hurled the light blue blot to the faint red dot and began to feel both he and the young child being pulled to safety.

"Is she ok?" Crimson asked as they ran to the shelter together.

"A slight concussion other than that she will be all right. I've been all the way through this incident once before to this unpleasant incident, from beginning to and end, and believe me when I say we need to get to a place that is anchored to the ground and quick or we will be blown into sky forever!" he exclaimed as they just made to the shelter as a whole tree came hurling at them!

"Oh Sokka you were so heroic! Risking your life out there for this young child. Oh you could've been wounded or even killed!" bawled Suki as she hugged and kissed him closely. He laid Ryba on a mat and embraced his love in her warm arms and kissed her on the lips.

"I hope Katara is alright! I am very concerned about her." Said Haru as he sealed the door shut. He wiped his brow and let out a long breath as he fell to the floor with his long hair plastered to him by all the sweat. He began trying to recapture his breath.

"I guess now we wait out the storm and hope that Katara can do a miracle again." Whispered Sokka.

"Heaven help us all." Said Akiko as she lit a small fire and start to pass out tea and blankets.

Meanwhile clinging on top of a limestone tablet for dear life was Zara. She was screaming at the top of her voice but it was lost in all commotions.

"Aang! Please calm down! Remember the more you feel the more out of control this will develop into. Ahh!" she wailed as she went airborne. She was half up into the stratosphere at what time a water whip grasped her right wrist and pulled her in and then her feet became frozen to the ground.

"Katara! Oh thank god you're here! You have got to calm him down! I've tried and he won't listen to me! You have to get him to listen to you! If you don't calm him down in the next 20 minutes the human race won't survive not because of the Fire Nation but because of the Avatar and I would not like humanity to die because cruel irony!" she yelled as she blast a boulder with her powers.

"I will attempt it. But what first triggered this?" she yelled as she threw her body over Zara's in an effort to save her from harm.

"He just learned that Gyasto was his biological father and he saw his no more than a solitary recollection of his mother Akanke! I don't know but I sense a mess of confused and very strong feelings raging inside of him! Hurry!" exclaimed Zara

Katara began to slowly get closer to Aang. Rocks, dirt and anything and everything were being thrown in her way. She was totally disregarding her personal safety all she could think of was her friend was in trouble and need his friends to help him. As soon as she was in earshot she used her power to anchor herself to the ground.

"Aang! I know you're confused right now. And that nothing is making sense. But it is a good thing a very good thing that you have memories of your parents. You must realize you remember that they cherished you. As do all of us. I realize you have had a difficult existence. You have been burden with things that no one especially a kid should have to deal with. Growing up is about the adventures we embark on in order to find out whom we are and who we will become. Friends, family and even enemies help shape us into who we are. Please we can talk about this peacefully? Aang? Aang!" she pleaded to the boy who seemed to be incapable to perceive sound of her voice.

He could nether perceive sound or witness what was going on around him. Nor did he understand what was going on beyond the isle. All around the world the earth trembled. Water flooded the terrain. Currents of air shrieked and bellowed and tore apart everything. Fire flared out of control and worse no benders power over their element but the Avatar's was functioning! This was becoming apparent because Katara's ice that was holding her and Zara to the ground was melting fast as Aang could run!

While Katara had been calling his name, he had heard his name but he heard from another person.

"Come on Aang. One foot in front of the other. You can do this. Come on!" said Gyasto with an encouraging smile to a yearling Aang who was in his bedroom trying to get from the bed to Gyasto by the door.

He was to the middle of the floor where he stumbled and fell to the floor. He started to ball his eyes out and motioned for his caregiver to pick him up.

"No Aang. Get up. You are not hurt. So get up and try again. You have to learn to try for yourself and be a strong person. So stop crying and get up and try again. We all fall wind rider at times, but that is how learn. We learn from the mistakes of our failures. We continue trying till we get it right. So Aang get up and come to me now!" he commanded to him

Slowly he rose to his feet. He stumbled for a moment or two and then finish crossing to Gyasto. The little boy began to start to laugh with joy.

"Oh, frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!" He chortled in his joy at the accomplishment his secret son had made. (Lewis Carroll)

"Gyasto! Gyasto! Let me in please! The monster is back!" whimpered a six-year-old Aang who was in his nightclothes throwing air balls at Gyasto door.

"Come in Aang. You can sleep with me. Remember dreams can't hurt you. Its ok! Remember to think about being in a state of delight when these nightmares come around all right? Remember what I taught you?" said Gyasto as he made the bed and tucked him in.

"May your walls know joy. May every room hold laughter and every window open to great possibility." (Maryanne Radmacher-Hershey) Aang said sleepily. Before he fell asleep he saw his mentor writing letters with scent ink. He scarcely heard Gyasto whisper to himself.

"Oh Akanke. He dreams of a black shadow man breathing fire that consumes the world. He defiantly has your intuition. Though I'm not sure that a good thing." He said, as he looked up on the boy with the fresh blue arrow tattoos adorning his petite body.

He walked at a snail's pace out of the monk's private assembly room. He took a quick fleeting look once back at the five monks. Then the door shut quickly and deafeningly behind him. Him? He was the Avatar? The spiritual power of the planet in human skin? He was supposed to save to world? His voice hadn't even cracked yet! "Things are never going to be the same from now on are they Gyasto?" he asked the monk who was behind him with his back at him. Aang eyes were shut angrily and his fists trembled.

"No I'm afraid not. Come we can talk about this over some ginger tea if you want. Sound alright?" he asked hopefully as he rest his right hand on his shoulder.

Aang jerked away from his loving kindhearted caregiver for first time. "Sorry but I like to be alone if all the same to you." He said as he ran faster then the wind to his bedroom.

Gyasto went to his chambers and lifted his mattress and used some Airbending to open a secret compartment and pull out his keepsake box. With a little more Airbending he opened it and looked through it till he found the letter his beloved Akanke had written for this day. "I should let Aang read this now. But he in such turmoil I think I should wait till he been able to process this information. When he ready and can handle it. I will make sure by hook or crook he will get to read this letter. I won't break my promise my love. I won't."

Late that night by low burning candle he was writing a letter to Akanke when Aang came in. He looked horrible.

"Need a place to sleep my young pupil?" he guessed as he went over to him and picked him up and tucked him into bed.

"Gyasto. Today I as soon as I woke up I was just Aang. Now I'm this legendary immortal bender miracle worker called the "Avatar". I don't know who I'm anymore. Now everyone looks and treats me differently and its like I'm losing who I am. Like "Aang" don't existence any longer and only the "Avatar" does. If there is so much I must become does that mean I have to let go of who I am? I don't think trusting my heart is the answer here. I only know now I seem to existence as part of some big plan. Life has become hard and unbearable!" he whimpered to Gyasto throughout the teardrops.

Gyasto hugged him closely and began to hum a long just about forgotten melody called "Wind rider's song"

"A extraordinarily wise woman a long time ago told me something that I think you should to hear. She said "Life is not meant to be easy, my child; but take courage- it can be delightful" (George Bernard Shaw) he told the confused child.

"Remember this Aang. No matter what life throws at you, you don't have to face it alone. You have the love of the people who care about you always." He informed him.

"I love you, Gyasto."

"As I love you, Aang."

Then he saw a blinding white radiance and he saw his mother and father calling to him.

"Aang I know your distress and you have ever right but you can't act childish on the subject of it right at this moment. Know I love you my son and I would've done everything in my power to prevent them from transferring you away to the Eastern Air Temple." Said the spirit of Gyasto

"My little wind rider you have made so proud by what you have already completed. Please seize this fit of temper and sleep. I assure you we will meet and converse for a second time really in next to no time. My son. My Avatar." Soothed Akanke as she kissed him on the forehead.

"Thank you, Mother and Father. I will not fail you I give you my word on it. I will make you proud that you help give the Avatar life and that in turn he gave the world back its life. I love you both so much." He said with tears of joy in his gray eyes. With that white room vanished and all become soundless and peaceful as he fell to the earth.

"Aang! Aang! Is he alright?" asked Zara she emerged from a pile of rubble.

"He should be in good health after he sleeps. Come help me get him into bed." commanded Katara as she wrapped him up in her mother hand made blanket.

"He safe and ok. That what is important." Sighed Katara as collapse on the ground from exhaustion.

"You if truth be told shouldn't push yourself so hard my friend. Be more patience. My mom said, "Patience is the key to joy." (Mevlane Rumi) "Sure was right about one who is at peace can draw good from everything"(Gerhard Groote) offered Zara as she got Katara water skin from out underneath a rock and helped her gulp down some of it.

Groaning as she got her backside up alongside a decapitated marble statute and took Aang right hand into hers. She replied to the scarlet haired fire goddess. "I'm on familiar terms with a thing or two about the lesson on virtue of patience. I have learned with love and patience nothing is impossible. (Daisaku Ikeda) she then took four imperfect pebbles and began to shift them in her hand. "Not the hammer strokes, but the dance of water, she began to recite Zara as she bend water around her hand, "sings the pebbles into perfection."(Rabindranath Tagore) As she opened her hand to reveal four perfect pebbles.

"Zara! Katara! Zara! Katara! Are you ok? Answer us!" cried Zuko and Sokka as both girls older brothers came running up the path too them.

"Why are boys always a day late and a copper piece short?" smirked Zara as her brother ran up to her hugged her and began to examine ever inch of her for injury.

"Are you ok? I would have been out here faster except we just got the all clear to get out of the shelter ten minutes ago. Oh I'm so happy you safe!" said Zuko in a chocked up tone of voice as he hugged her closely

"Katara what occurred here a few moments ago? Why Aang go postal on us? What the deal?" inquired Sokka as he finished toweling his head off.

"We are all ears Katara. Please pray tell what cause the boy to all but be short of eradicating the human race?" questioned Akiko as she and the rest of the group got there.

Sighing she looked at Aang and then too Zara who nodded. "Aang had a tantrum." She started to explain when Akiko cut her off.

"The Avatar had a hissy fit? Katara this island was practically destroyed and you're telling me it was because someone got cranky?" she said in a voice of skepticism and a smidgen sarcastic

"Uh yes. That precisely what came to pass." She said.

"Katara I all but depart this life just moments ago trying to rescue a little girl and your telling me I was risking my neck because Aang was acting immature and threw a temper tantrum! This is unbelievable!" screamed Sokka at her.

"Enough!" screamed Akiko said as she thrust her flaming blade into the ground and yanked it out and put it way. "It doesn't matter why what happened happened, it's in the past. Nothing can be done about it now. Never the less we must pick up the pieces and find out how much damage was done to our home and the world because there is no way that much chaos went unnoticed. Crimson, Luke I want you to use any resources available to your disposable to find out what the outside world knows because this little episode alright?"

"It shall be done my lady." Said Crimson respectfully with a bow

"We shall not be unsuccessful my Spirit," said Luke with a swift bow as he and Crimson ran to his tent.

"Now Iroh you and Zuky take Roja and do an inventory on our supplies. Do it three times over to be sure. We can't afford a mistake this late in the game." She instructed her beau and his esteem uncle.

"Ok Akiko we'll carry out it. Zara come find me ASAP if there something you can't handle or your hurt ok?" he said as he kissed her on the cheek and Akiko on the lips.

"Haru, you and Suki go with your recruits and take Appa too and inspect the isle and find out how much damage we took. Then begin to reconstruct what you can. Momo! You help too!" She ordered and signed to the little winged lemur in case he couldn't comprehend anything other than an Airbender's tongue

"Katara I need you and your brother to go an tend the injured at the healing shelters. We'll need any who can you trained to make use Waterbending to restore to health. I know you just start to instruct them in the healing art. But no times like the present to learn. Sokka we'll need all that can offer to help with these. I'm with out a doubt that more than a few of our populace took a first-rate beaten. So hurry!" she said as she rubbed her temples.

"Zara I know you exhausted and weary but I must go make contact with the Dragons and Spirits and find out what I can. We need you to safeguard Aang can you do it?" she asked her desperately

"Akiko I can't lie. I was practically launched into orbit, I at the moment I am scarcely getting back my second wind. I would need help to safeguard him. That's the truth." She said as she held both her necklace and doll close to her heart.

"Who can trust him to? No one else is here? And I can't stay." She told the child

"I will look after the Avatar my esteem leader. No one will have the guts to undertake the means to harm him if they would like to continue to have his or her internal organs in their respected places! NO ONE HURTS THE AVATAR, NOT WHILE I'M AROUND!" said a voice from the darkness

"Huh? Who there?" cried the girls in apprehension

There was a crack of a whip and then come riding down it using her sais to take her then she flip in the air and landed in front of them.

"I will care for the child with my life my leader. Nothing shall harm him I guarantee it!" pledged Wyanet as she rise up. Her outfit had transformed to a one-piece sleeveless black v neckline body hugging attire in the company of double knotted buckskin knee high boots.

"Thank you Wyanet. I must go contact the Spirit World now. Good luck. Signal if you're in trouble." Said Akiko as she went to her mediation room.

Zara looked the wild young woman over. She didn't know what to think of this loose cannon.

"Ahh. Well we are in for a very long night. I'll get a fire going. I seemed to have my powers back now that he worked through it." She said as she went to a large metal basin filled with the braches and leave scattered about and snapped her fingers to light it.

"You really should learn how to make a fire from scratch like the rest of us. Depending too much on something makes you vulnerable when it's gone. Please rest you need it I can watch the boy myself." Offered Wyanet kindly

"I have a duty to him. As his friend and girlfriend to watch over him and care for him as he has done for me more times then I can count. I must do this. Its my responibitly." She said as she staggered to the stone bedside.

"You can't protect anyone my child in this conditions. You know what duty means. I admire that. Rest a couple of hours and I will wake you." She said as she put her the next bed over.

"You do understand the meaning duty too don't you?" she asked weakly

"This is the sum of duty: do naught unto others which would cause you pain if done to you. (Mahabharata) Do you understand young one?" she asked as she went to get a warm quilt from a straw storage bin and began to lay it over her.

"When I give to others, I give to myself (Karen McCown) that is single one of numerous teachings of Reciprocity. Do you know of anymore?" asked Zara as she rolled over hold Avatar close to her heart.

"I know of two more of great and equal importance. One he should hear is this. So divinely is the world organized that every one of us, in our place and time, is in balance with everything else. (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe) My caregiver taught me that. The other one who raised me taught me these words of insight. For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others." (Nelson Mandela)

"You aren't as horrific as people say you are. But I still don't know anything on the subject of you. Aw man I better sleep. I'm supposed to duel my brother in Ag nee Kai tomorrow at the crack of dawn. I have to have rest." Was the last thing Zara mumbled before she fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.

"Sleep peacefully children and awaken to a new day of possibilities." She said as she kissed them both and went outside and for filled her responsibility. Elsewhere all over the island people were full of activity with obligations of their own. They were going to be working into the long, long, long hours of darkness that night.

Half an hour to the crack of dawn Wyanet went to arouse Zara.

"My lady. My little princess of the flame you must wake up. You are set to duel in half an hour's time. Arise my lady." She whispered gentle to her as Zara began to stir.

"It is nearly dawn. I slept the whole night. I failed the Red Spirit. I didn't keep my word. I didn't watch over him." She said with her head hung low.

"Look before you child, you didn't fail. Your love and devotion for the boy is active and vigilant even while you slumber." She point out the ring of fire around Aang body.

"The mark upon your palm shows that even in sleep you won't dishonor your duties. Now go. Your brother awaits you to duel. I will watch over him." Explained Wyanet with her sword in her left and her bow and arrow in her right.

"Thank you." She said as she quickly changed and ran to where the duel was to be taking place.

"You are the source of a lot of trouble little boy. A lot of trouble for just one kid." Wyanet spoke in a queer tone of voice to him with her back turned.

At the semi-ruined stadium the people of the island had congregate to watch the exhibition. On the ground floor was Zuko prepared to take on both his sister and girlfriend.

"I've never seen an authentic Ag nee Kai, acquaint with us, Iroh, are they at all pleasurable?" inquired Katara with her head leaning against Haru's shoulder. Her long chocolate locks were plastered to her face from all the labor she had done through out the hours of darkness.

"They can be exhilarating however more often then not they are vindictive and horrifying. My nephew Zuko will never fail to commit to memory the last duel he had in Fire Nation. That was the one he got his scar. Though his next battle of fire he won victory against the cold blooded and disreputable Zhao and even nowadays since the Spirit of his beautiful kindhearted mother had his scar removed it still troubles him those visions of pure demonical evil. Still I've been training him for weeks. I'm no Jeong Jeong, but I'm a decent instructor nonetheless. Zuko is an exceptionally Firebender but Zara like a small number of other girls is a prodigy when comes to the art of Firebending. You saw Akiko when we original arrived on these shores we know beyond a shadow of a doubt a superior warrior. So we will see what happens." He said in a weary tone of voice as he swallowed the steaming tea from his scarlet teacup.

"Well at the very least it should be exciting." She commented with great anticipation in her voice

"Oh yeah like watching two people try to barbecue the other one is supposed to be entertaining. Then zip-a-dee-doo-dah for them, what a wonderful day this is going to be." Sokka uttered dryly

"Oh Sokka lighten up!" said annoyed Suki as she whacked him with her fan

"Stop that!" he said as he snatched her fan from her and she stole back form him with a silly laugh along with a kiss.

The sun graced the world with its presence and then the gong went off and the duel commenced.

A good number of the girls were cheering for as well as swooning over the Prince and his awesome body. But there was still many cheering on Zara even the boys gave her a wolf whistle or two.

"You sure have a lot of fans my brother, I sure hate to disappoint them. But I came to win." Zara said with a smile on her face.

"I'm the one who should apologize for its you who shall taste defeat this time. I forewarn you; you will find the taste most unpleasant. Lets begin shall we?" he challenged her, as did a roundhouse kick sending a huge fireball at her.

She ducked out of the way just barely, " You have become a tricky devil haven't you brother? Well no matter. Here see if you can handle this!" she said as she from a celestial fire ring and hurled at him.

Back and forth the battle went with both having a moment of triumph followed by the other one failing. Finally they both unleashed the powers of the Spirits that now dwelled within their souls. Dragon and Phoenix circled one another till the Dragon crushed the Firebird and the blow sent Zara flying ten feet and laying unconscious on the ground. A moment later she came to with her brother hovering over her.

"Go ahead! Finish me off! Claim your victory and mark me with my defeat! Do it now, get it over with and done. Make it quick and painless. For you have at last have become the victor, my brother." She said, as she lay helpless on the ground.

He raised his hands above his head and ignited them. She closed her eyes and trembled as everyone held their breaths. With a roar there was a blazing explosion in the sky then nothing.

"Huh? What?" she stammered in disbelief

"Its is not honorable to strike a helpless warrior, not when she is the most worthy opponent ever to have face. You have much courage and heart, Zara and you respect all that live. There is no need to finish off someone as great and just as you, not when there more honors in being friends with your opponent then there is killing them off. You have lost only the duel; there is no rhyme or reason that you should have to forfeit your life as well. Come let me help you up." He said as he helped her up and she hugged him tightly.

"Mother would be please to see you in this manner. Come you have less then 15 minutes to rest before you duel Akiko." She replied affectionately

Roja came and tend to each of the royal fire siblings. Showering them each with love and complements. It was very good.

Soon it was time for Zuko to duel his love Akiko. They both bowed in respect to one another and then had one of the most heated battles ever. Though Akiko was quick and agile, it was Zuko's fortitude and desire that won the battle in ten minuets flat.

As both were relaxing and toweling off the sweat of their bodies from battle their friends joined them.

"Excellent performances Prince Zuko! You have far succeeded my original expectations and went beyond your usually level of abilities. You have made me very proud" said Iroh as he hugged his nephew who for once didn't object to being touched by him.

"Thank you, Uncle. Coming from you that means a lot. Really." Replied Zuko as he fell in a heap on the straw covered floor.

"Here we brought you something to eat, and drink. You earned it Zuko." Said Crimson as she and Luke provide him with a bamboo basket chock-full of goodies.

"You did good man. Very well. You surprised me." Said Sokka offering his hand to the young prince

"Coming from your big mouth, Sokka that means something." He said as he grasped his forearm and shook it.

"I supposed now you will be like every other man on this earth and become a blustery bragging arrogant prideful son of a jackal. Thinking your so much better then everyone else in the world especially the woman. You men are all so much alike!" spat Suki as she and Katara with their arms folded across their chest in agreement.

"Yes you boys have a great tendency to let the smallest of victory go to your heads!" said Katara crossly.

Zuko started to laugh lightly and said kindly to the girls. "I know the lesson of humility very well, don't worry about. For you must know that humility is the surest sign of strength, (Thomas Merton) small deeds done are better than great deeds planned, (Peter Marshall) isn't that right Uncle Iroh?" asked the young man to the wise old one.

"That is right Zuko. Outside show is a poor substitute for inner worth. (Aesop) What I hoped you learned from today battle is that you can win but be humble and respectable about it." Iroh said kindly

"We must have respect for everyone and everything in life, that includes ourselves. With our thought, we make the world. (Buddha)" Said Haru who surprised everyone with those words.

Continuing to give the considered necessary to hear lecture on respect he went on to say what he had learned on the subject. "My parents both taught me well on the subject of respect, my mom had ancient (Spanish) proverb that went "If you want to be respected, you must respect your self." That is something we all need to do every day of our lives. Also I've learn from my father that character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow, the shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing." (Abe Lincoln) so that what I have to say. Come I'm starving for some eggs and you make them so good, Katara."

"Well I guess I possibly could cook everybody an omelet. Provided everyone pitches in and does something to help." She replied thoughtfully

While everyone enjoy a hard earn and much appreciated breakfast, Akiko stared very gravelly and seriously at her people.

"I'm sure you'll enjoyed that hearty battle. It certainly took your minds off our troubles for a while at least. But nothing could ever make me forget last night. Not some sport or even if I lived to be a 103 I could never forsaken from my mind what occurred here and around the world. Now fill me in with the damage report." She said anxiously

"Well luckily our supplies only sustained minimum damage and we didn't lose anything valuable. The Dragon Star weathered the storm. So we got a lucky break there." Zuko informed her in a serious tone of voice gazing his amber eyes into her jade ones

"That is exceptionally good to hear. Luke, Crimson give me the pleasure in knowing that what news you have to tell me you have equally good news for me." She inquired her most honored guardians with much concern in her voice

"It is bittersweet at best, Akiko. I'm sorry to say it but it's the truth. Would care for good news first or the bad?" Asked Crimson with little emotion clinging to her words

"The bad new first. No matter what it is I can handle it." She responded

"Well the bad news in worse case scenario? The whole world was affected by Aang's fit of temper last night. The whole world knew that the Avatar was distress and was practically eradicate for that reason!" snapped Luke angrily with shaking his fist.

Sighing in disappointment she took a deep breath and then spoke. "So if that is the bad news what is the good, if anything about last night of living Hell had any good mix in it." She inquired gravely

"We witness the full power of the Avatar last night! All the power of the planet unleashed to in most potent form. He was so powerful he suppressed the energies of all other benders and spirits for a while and to top it all off the Fire Lord for a moment was feeling twinge of fear. He was scared my friend. He felt terror even though it was a sliver of a second it doesn't change the fact he know knows there is very real reason for him to fear for life and power." Crimson explained in a happy tone of voice

"That powerful? Well seems we have underestimated the power locked within the child. The boy is much more powerful then originally thought. Tell me Katara how many were injured last night?" Akiko asked with quiet laughter

"About 245 were injured. Many with broken and sprains. But no one died. We had a variety of other injures but its alright. No one is going to die. We just need a week to recuperate and regain our strengths." She reported

"Well then I say we came out on top. Please continue to process in your normal routine. We shall wait for the perfect moment to strike. But to fair I will tell you what the Dragons said. You given me your reports I should do the same." Said Akiko as she paused on for moment to smooth out her hair.

"What did those overgrown lizards say? I mean what did they "say" with their silly little whiskers?" mocked Sokka

"Sokka you have proven you can be a gentleman. Now I know about 36 methods to butcher you with just my bare hands. Don't tempt me to make a demonstrations." She threaten with her piercing jade chips glaring at him

"Ah right sorry!" he chuckled

"Please excuse my brother. He can really be a pain in the neck." Apologized Katara

"Makes me glad I'm an only child. Well anyway the Dragons were most unsatisfied with the Avatar's behavier last night. They said in actual verbal words that the flow had been disrupted." She began before she was cut off

"Flow? What do you mean milady?" asked Haru

"Flow. The natural course of things in nature. They said in unison "In flow every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one, like playing jazz. Your whole being is involved, and you're using your skills to the utmost." (Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi) they also spoke that "At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities." (Jean Houston) in plainest terms they were very upset with him at the same time they didn't blame him for feeling like he did. They only regret that he didn't act more mature about it. But you can no more make a child act as an adult then asking an adult act as a child. So though last night was traumatic for us all we learn what we are capable of handling when push comes to shove. See you at dinner I must go meditate on these matters." She said with a long sigh.

About half an hour to sunset Aang began to stir. Wyanet who had been busy make tea glanced back at him and back to her work.

"Finally! He should be very well rested now that he slept almost a week! Hope he thirsty and that he likes his supper." She said in a deadpan tone of voice as she filled the cups and bowls up and carried them over to Aang.

"Oh man! It feels worse then the last time I woke. Huh? What happened? Where Zara?" he asked confused

"Your little girlfriend is in solitary mediation for the next three hours. I've been assigned to protect you boy. You in actuality were the source of each and every one of the predicaments we experienced last night. Nearly bump off mankind and the planet along with it! You could do with learning self-control and discipline! Kid, every single one of us experience extreme emotions in our lives, but we must control them or something bad will happen. Here eat and drink." She snapped angrily at without look him in the eye

"I'm sorry if I cause any problems last night. I didn't mean too. Its not like I plan to get that out of control. It wasn't my fault… I just had…" he started to stammer before she pressed a sai to his throat.

"Not my fault? Hmm? Why is it always when we make a mistake we don't claim the responibitly for it? You may think like the rest of the human race that what feel is solely inflicted by the outside actions. BUT we chose what we feel and what we chose to do with those emotions. Take responibitly for yours actions and their consequences don't deny them or pass the blame onto another. Don't even start to whine about it boy! Just because you are destined to save mankind doesn't mean you are spared the responibitly that come with being a human being child. I'm not going to go soft on you or cut you any slake. Do you comprehend my boy what I'm saying?" she said as she withdrew her sai and left him staring into the grimy pea greenish gray broth she had prepared for him.

"You are right. No matter what I can and cannot do I'm still like everyone else, I'm responsible for my own actions. Its hard enough everyday knowing that my people died cause I ran away, though my friend Katara thinks it was fate funny way of getting me to the place and time I was need to be most in." he said slowly and sadly as he ate his bitter broth

"Young hero, you can't run or hide from who you are and what you're meant to do. Destiny and responibitly will always find you. I speak from personal experiences." She said as she began to sip her tea

He looked into his tea, which was an odd color but drank it slowly.

"Hmm it taste joyful, like no more than the good things in life are found, but after the flavor settles it taste well terrible like sorrowfulness and horrific memories can be found. All running down my throat and through my body and soul. How did you do that with just tea?" he question the young woman curiosity

"I wish I could tell you my secrets. It would be nice to tell someone the truth about me. But I can't not to you especially." She said dejectedly looking away from him like looking into his eyes would cause her harm in some way.

"You are frightened of me? Why? You can look into anyone eyes and see their very soul. Why is looking into my eyes so painful to you? You act one way to protect yourself but you care so much for your fellow men. You obviously have something on your shoulders that is burdening you. Please tell me what is the cause of you pain?" he asked as he got up and placed an arm over her.

She pushed him off as if he was a carrier a plague and she didn't want to catch it. She turned her back to him and removed her sword from its sheath and looked at her reflection.

"Tell me Avatar, for one who's spirit is immortal and never truly dies do you ever find yourself missing the ones you love? Because you never die apart of every Avatar before you excite as piece of you. Each vessel may be a different body but you have the same soul? So I'm asking does this soul ever wonder what happens after the body is turn to dust and ashes?" she questioned him peculiarly

"Before our mission to steal the Dragon Star I was having trouble contact my last incarnation, Avatar Roku. With Luke and Zara help we got to live through some of his most cherished memories of his youth. I couldn't help but notice that there were much simultaneity between him and me. So I think even though times goes on the important things in life like friends, family and true love are contented. Why do you ask?" asked the confused child to the wild young woman who's head was hung sadly he almost didn't catch the bead of moisture falling from her bone white face

"You want to hear my story Avatar well get comfortable. This is long and strange tale. Its starts with my Great- grandfather and his wife Delana. He was a Firebending legend and she was a storyteller/dancer. No one was quite as enchanting when it came to telling the stories of my people." She said as she poured more tea into his aged splintered wooden cup.

"You are of Fire Nation descendant?" he asked surprised by this bit of news.

Reaching into her pocket she pulled on a lengthy crimson chain a red flame amulet. "Its is the Scarlet Flame of Honor, the highest award to be given to a Firebender. Not easy to get mind you. My great grandparents were very much in love and lived in time before the war. They had a son, Adar, who become the most talented metal smith every to live. It was he who forged this sword. Shortly after my Grandfather Adar married beautiful martial arts instructresses who own these sais named Efrat his parents died and all hell broke loose. Sozen used the comet to start the war and anywho didn't swear featly and allegiance to his lunacy was charged with high treason and killed. He demanded my grandfather and his wife to build and train his men in weapons of great superiority. He refused and even threw hot cinders and spit in the maniacs face. He was imprisoned and sentence to die. But the guard who was watching him helped him to escape as payment to repay the debt of saving his daughter life two years before. My grandparents fled into the night and made a solemn vow. Never would they again would they wear red or walk on Fire Nation soil but they swore never ever to use Firebending again even if cost them their lives. Not till this insanity had come to pass would they go back to their country and their own self-inflicted exile. So they began to fight the evils of their former realm and had ultimately had my father Ehren who forged the sickles and married another run away Souzan who had a whip. They had me then. This is when my story really begins a new chapter."

"So for the durations of this war your family has had it rough to say the least. Because I was not around your family had to flee and live a life of constant fear. No wonder you can't look me in the eye." He said sadly to her.

"That isn't the reason I can't look at your eyes. I don't blame you for running away. Asking a child to become an adult over night is the worst thing ever to ask a child to do. Let children be innocent and free. Let them dream sweet dreams. I'm very grateful for my childhood. That I even had one at all is a miracle its self." She said with a smile

"I don't understand what you mean?"

"When I was about a year old my parents had set up a temporary shelter by river next to one the world oldest woodlands. My mother had devised a fireproof material and had wrapped their weapons and me in it. She laid them and me to rest in the refuge. Then in a moment of tranquility was shatter when they were massacred by Fire Nations solders. They had both been Firebenders like all who came before. But they refused to use it to save their lives then they burn everything in campsite. I survived thanks to my mother genius but as a baby I could survive long on my own. Three days past and I grew weak and sick then emerge from the forest came a great lion." She paused to sip her tea.

"A lion? I thought they went extinct centuries ago. How could one just appear out of nowhere?" asked Aang hung on her every word.

"He was no ordinary lion. His name was Anselm, the divan protector of the forest animals. He was far bigger then any normal lion and he had a glowing whitish blue aura around him. He found me among the smolder ashy remains of the encampment nothing but me and my family's weapons had survived the blaze. He slung the weapons over his back and picked me up in his mouth. I didn't cry or scream. I wasn't frighten I felt safe. He began to run though to forest till we came to a rim of large rocks and boulders with strange writing on them. He walked graceful through a stone archway and with that we crossed over in to the Valley of Spirits where he brought me to his friend who was the Sage of the Valley and his spirit brother, Hadwin who lived up to his name by being my most cherished friend in time of war. He asked the black mare, she-wolf and she-bear to give me their milk and from drink that all their strengthens and abilities were bestowed upon me. The blue falcon Acacia watched over me as well. I lived carefree and innocent. They trained me in the fighting styles and I also learned Firebending, I want to honor my family vow but I realized it was a part me and I at the very least need to learn how to control it. I was happy and content for many years."

"If you were so content and free of Ozai's malevolence why did you come back to the real world? I don't understand." Asked the confused Avatar

"You remember how this tea is able to make you feel both positive and negative emotions at the same time? The two key ingredients are the nectar of a special spirit blossom called the crystal blooms. It a silver crystal flower that only blooms in light of the moon. It can grant much happiness. The other ingredient is the leaf from laurel tree. It has nothing but bitterness inside. I put one drop of nectar and a pinch of leaf powder. I was brought up on this tea. It was a reminder that life is bittersweet. Good and bad times. But if there new was sorrow we never know joy. Like rejection he who has not looked on sorrow will never see joy. (Kahlil Gibran) your friends Akiko and the Fire Prince and Princess can clue you into more lessons on that. What I want to tell you is something more important that I realized as I reached womanhood."

"What was the lesson you learned?" asked Aang

"I learned that there is a time and a place for you to be self-interested and when you need to be self-sacrificing. When your duty to your heart must come second to the duty you have to world. When what must be done for befit of humanity is more important than what you want for yourself. I told you couldn't run or hide from responibitly. I was contented but the rest of the world was in pain. It was my obligation to be of assistance. I couldn't go on being self-centered. That would be dishonoring my great grandfather memory and all he had stood for when he lived. I promised I would return after I help save the world. You see my tattoos they do have meaning like your own. The ones on my face mean I'm the chosen child of a powerful spirit, the ones on my arms and legs mean I have be touched and under the protection of the spirits of animals." She explained.

"What about the ones on your back what do they signify?" he asked as he gazed at his own tattoos.

Sighing she turned around and pulled her hair back to show three tattoos on her back. On her right shoulder blade was an angel on the left one was a devil and in middle covering her whole backside was a man riding a dragon.

"I had this done when I turned 13 as a constant remind me of my heritage. How there is good and evil in all living things but like you my great grandfather brought hope to the whole world. That is why I had him and his dragon inscribed on my back." She said as her hair fall back over it.

"He looks familiar. Wait a minute your great grandfather was… was… Ava… Avatar…." He couldn't say it

"Yes Avatar my great grandfather was your last incarnation, you're last past life. He was Avatar Roku." She said as she looked into his eyes for the first time.

"I understand now why is so hard to look at me when I was him in my last life. I can tell you he was a great man and he has helped me a lot. But I now know what he meant when he said that even the Avatar isn't immune to ways of love. That they can and do love as much as everyone else in the world is capable of that emotion. I wonder if I could ever live up to being that great a man as well as a being the hero to the world." He said as he took her hands in his and kissed them

She cried a moment and hugged the child. All the while this had been going on there had been another emotion revelation.

"Luke will you calm down and just tell me why you acting like a whirlwind? Please what the matter? Why are you so fluster? You act like the world already ended. Luke! Hey!" Crimson yelled at the boy who snatched her by her wrist

"Crimson please! I've matters I must attend too. Matters that are my business only. Things that don't concern you! Now go I must pack for my journey," he said as he released her

"Don't you dare shut me out Luke! You and I have been through too much for you just to cut and run without explaining to me what the matter is. Listen I understand your frustrated but nothing can bring you peace but yourself! (Ralph Waldo Emerson) You're fuming and distress that much I understand. But anger is a signal, and one worth listening to. (Harriet Lerner) Anger as soon as fed is dead; tis starving make it fat. (Emily Dickinson) now for the last time Luke tell me what is troubling you. Please tell me." She said as she took his hands and helped him sit on a cold stone stool.

"Crimson please I must go! Time is running out. I must go post haste or all we'll be lost forever. Please let me leave." He said as he tried to get up.

"Cut the dramatics and tell me what is going on. Please Luke you can tell me anything. So let hear it and don't lie!" she said

Sighing, "My powers are disappearing. I can no longer hear the voices of the trees and other plants, not even the rocks can I hear. It is becoming harder and harder to do my mysticisms. I can't even restore life to a daisy! The fire won't tell me what's going on. I looked at my life jewel and it is losing its light fast." He said pointing to his earring. Its brilliant jade color was undeniably vanishing rapidly.

"Luke, do you know of what is causing you to lose your powers? There must be an explanation. If we find out what it is we can fix it and things will be normal. Think what could it be?" she asked with reassurances in her voice

"I already know what is happening and it's because of this reason I must leave immediately." He said as he finished packing his knapsack.

"What is the origin of this predicament and how can I be of assistance?" She questioned him

"I've been away from my homeland for far too long and the forest is becoming extinct. I must go gather samples to transplant here on this island, and then maybe the island can for a second time grow to be abundant and thriving once more. Now let me pass this is something I must do this on my own." He said as he head out of his tent but she blocked the entrance with arms spread wide.

"You aren't leaving devoid of me! It's too dangerous to go by yourself. You know as well as I do that you and I both have huge bounties on our heads. You cannot go alone. I won't let! Let me come!" she pleaded with him as she grabbed her galvin and held his hand.

He quickly broke the hold and took her in his arms and stroked her short fox orange hair. "No I will not put you in danger. You are an amazing young woman, Crimson. You have brought me much happiness and love that I thought I never experience for a second time after my parents death. I love your strength of character and sense of integrity and justices and code of honor. I love your imperfections of your reckless, stubbornness and your going into battle without a plan. But I need to do this alone. I will come back I promise." He said as he crossed his heart.

"You have given me so much love too. You helped through my darkest hours and showed me I could be me not a powerless damsel. You are kind and tender and care so deeply. But you are shy and quite and a little too passive at times but when push comes to shove you will fight to protect all that you love. Is that the reason you gave me your mother medallion?" she asked tearfully

"I gave it to you because I love you Crimson. I know you feel the same way I do. That is why I can't let you come. I die if you die because I fail to protect you." He said as they kissed quickly.

"If you love me then why shut me out now? Please let me come with." She begged him once more

"I must go alone. I will see you in a few days. My lovely angel." He said as he kissed her once more and he left. She watched him disappear in the foggy night.

"Luke my guiding star, come back to me safe and sound please." She whispered before tears burst from her eyes and she fled into the darkness till she came to a glen in amongst the ruins she fell to the ground with endless tears pouring down her face. She then noticed by some broken stones some honeydew melons. She began to devour the fruit as if to hope it would fill her empty heart. She eventual fell asleep on the soft blanket of grass.

The warm copper sun came up and warmed Crimson body waking her gentle. She slowly got up and shook herself fully awake. She then scratched her hands and head off to the outdoors bathing pools to clean up. But her stomach didn't feel so excellent so she walked slowly.

"Ah this is truly living. The water is so soothing and relaxing. It like soaking away your troubles." Comment Zara as the steam rose around her body.

"It is nice to let everything go. To forgot your dilemmas for moment and just be happy. To so to speak let our hair down." Said Suki as she finished removing her uniform and step a foot into the water and sighed.

"Never at home did we have the luxury of hot tubs. I'm so happy to be here right now. After the past few days we deserver a chance to just be alone and happy. Ahh." Sighed Katara as she flouted on top of the water

"Yes but I do wonder where is Crimson. She is always present when I bath as my bodyguard and friend. Hmm I suppose she be here soon enough. Pass the lavender oil please." Said Akiko as she finished warping a towel around her ebony silk locks.

Little did the women suspect that the boys were enjoying the "show" a little too much from undergrowth.

"Listen Sokka, Zuko, Haru, I really don't believe what were doing is right so let go. Please they'll be fuming as a rhino if we are caught! Please lets go now!" pleaded Aang as yanked furiously at the teenagers' garments.

"You want to bail now! Are you crazy! The best part is coming up so shut up and sit a squat!" hissed Sokka angrily at the hairless youngster.

"Yeah come on Aang don't you ever wonder what the girls gossip about when the boys are gone?" asked Haru as pushed a thin thorny branch out his way.

"NO! This isn't right. Spying is never right. So let go please!" he pleaded

"You monks always want to bail when there fun around. Now zip the lip and be quite and if you can't just leave, but we are staying. So make up your mind and fast!" Zuko informed him

"I'm leaving and quickly… uh guys… guys… Guys!" Aang hissed to his friends.

"SHUSH!" they all hissed then glanced back and saw Crimson with her galvin point at them.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here? You, little disreputable perverts! Come on! The "show" is much better when you're seated front and center. Come on now!" she ordered them as she forced them forward and the girls gasped while at the same time grabbing towels.

"What the! You, you, you bastards! Seize them!" ordered Akiko angrily

"This is all a big misunderstanding." Sokka tried to explain away

"Oh I think it's perfectly clear what you boys were up to. How could you Sokka! You and the rest of you ought be ashamed of yourself setting such a poor behavier example for Aang! You testosterone-pumping idiots are all same at times! You really think you are superior to woman. Ha! That is something to laugh at! What should be there punishment?" asked Katara crossly

"Make them suffer!" said Zara

"Yes let them know what it feels like to be violate!" screamed Suki furiously

"I've a most wicked idea. First strip them of their clothing this instant!" instructed Crimson as an insane smirk etched across her scarlet features.

"What! No way. Run!" screamed Haru as the boys all cut and run, but they only got 20 feet before the girls tackled them to the ground and strip them of their clothing.

Then they put their clothes in an old sack and hung up 25 feet in to a large tree with many over lapping roots. Then they froze all the boys but Aang to the giant tree and laughed at them. "Well that ice should be thawed out by the time the moon reaches the center of the sky tonight. Hopefully by then you will have learned your lesson. And those infernal hormones will have stop running ramped in your body! See yah!" laughed the girls as they left still giggling their attractive heads off.

"So can you melt the ice Zuko?" asked Sokka hopefully

"This ice is about as thick as your brainless fat head! It would take a week to melt this ice. We better just sit tight." He replied angrily to Sokka

"Perfect! Just perfect" Sokka said sarcastically

"So who up for singing?" asked Haru as the boys just glared at him

"What? Its not like we got anything else to do with our time!"

"I can't believe my brother would be so immature! And spy on us while we bathed! I so want to kill him now!" growled Katara

"Men are pigs more often then not. I wouldn't be surprised if Uncle Iroh had been there but he is asleep right. Such jerks are what they are!" spat Zara

"No honor among men. So typical!" said Suki

"You know we're just going to forgive them tomorrow and forget about this episode." Akiko spoke up with.

"Yeah!" they all agreed laughing

Crimson laugh soon turned into a groan. As she hugged her stomach and began to scratch insanely over her entire body

"Crimson my friend are you all right? You look terrible," noted Akiko

"I don't feel so good… oh no.," she said as she began to vomit all over the place

"Eww" said Zara and Aang

"Your stomach upset and your skin irritated?" asked Katara

"Yeah… here comes again." She said as it started up again

"Come help me get her to the medical tents. Maybe I'll be capable of healing her." Said Katara as the carried Crimson to the medical tent. Then they slowly and gently laid her on top of a makeshift bed and started onto removing her body armor. They gasped when they saw that from her head to her feet was covered in a bright red hives.

"Wow! Wasn't expecting this. Ok. First I'm going to need everyone help in giving her a sponge bath. Then we'll apply lightly some of my seaweed lotion that should stop some of the irritation at least a bit. Someone needs to get a bucket and some fresh water and something that not going to irritate her stomach even more. So hop to it!" she said as rubbed a washcloth on Crimson head.

After an hour they seemed to have it somewhat under control but she was still throwing up a lot.

"I thank you for your help Master Katara but I can't see what good it will do if we can't find the source of the problem." Said Crimson as she stuck her head in the pail again.

"She speaks the truth young Waterbender, we need to find out what is ailing her and if it is contagious or not. We cannot afford our people to get sick now." Replied Akiko seriously

"Ok, lets think about this. Crimson what did you do yesterday that might have affected your health. Think carefully." Asked the young teenage girl

"Well last night Luke went on his own to do a dangerous mission and I plead with him to let me go with, but he refused. Saying he couldn't willing put me in any danger. Then after a moment of passion he left. I ran till I came to the glen near the ruins of the old drying house. I cried and cried then drown my sorrow with these honeydew melons I found growing nearby then I fell asleep. Then I caught the boys and I was starting to feel sick. That all that happen last night." She conclude for the Katara

"Wait a minute, wait a minute! You said you ate honeydew melons last night? For the reason that you were heartbroken?" exclaimed Katara

"Yes what does that have to do with me being sick?" asked Crimson weakly

"Everything! How many did you eat?" asked Katara with insane look on her face

"About 4 melons. I ate them for about two and half hours. I was very depressed. Why?" she replied

"Have you ever eaten honeydew melons previous to last night?"

Shaking her head "No, no I've not. I don't understand what you're getting at."

"You have an allergy. You've an allergic reaction to honeydew melons. We will need to flush your systems and I will formulate a serum to give to you that will reverse the reaction to the melons. But till then you need to rest. Now sleep."

"Sleep! How can I snooze when my true love is in imperil? I know he needs me and I must go to him now." She said as she started get up before she found herself strapped down to the bed. Soon against much protest she fell asleep.

Night once again took its claim over the heavens above the world. With the sunset came one day closer to the end of the world. After the past few days on the island, the people had become aware of how strong they were. If they stood as one race of people and not four individual nations, they could defeat the reign of tyranny that for a century had nearly entrapped the world in its talons of malevolence and despair.

Crimson was in a restless slumber, still restrained to the bed. She was still thrashing and kicking wildly. The allergy that had lessened with Katara's serum, however, her dreams were being plagued by horrendous and morbid visions of Luke in pain. He was screaming the cry of ultimate suffering, pleading for her to come to his aid.

"LUKE! LUKE! NO! AHHH!" She screamed as she awoke in a cold sweat, that only made her irritated skin itch even more.

"Crimson! Crimson! Calm down please you'll hurt yourself. Please let me loosen the restrains. Shush it's ok, it's ok." Katara spoke in a soothing voice as she placed the candlestick down on an old three-leg table and begin to loosen the restraints on Crimson bed.

Crimson was breathing very hard as she looked at Katara and said softly, "Thanks. But these restraints are totally unnecessary. Let me go and take a walk."

"Hold on a minute. Crimson, you are still weak and sick from eating all those honeydew melons. Here open up and take some more of the serum. Please try to understand that the restraints are for your own good. Now please try to sleep," she said as she poured a teaspoon of yellow green serum.

"Please Katara! Luke is in trouble. I need to go and help him. Please let me go," she begged.

"Crimson. I know you love him and I know you are a great warrior but you can't save him if you can't get yourself healthy again. Do you understand that you need to be able to help yourself first? He's fine. Now sleep. I will see you in the morning. Here sip a little water and eat these crackers."

"I'm sorry Katara. I know you are only obeying Akiko's orders, but I know my guiding star is in trouble and he needs me. I will go to him!" she said as she used her delicate wrist to slip out of the restraints. In about ten minutes she was free. Quickly she dressed in her body armor and filled a knapsack with supplies. She then grabbed some of Katara's seaweed lotion and a hip flask filled with her serum. She picked up her galvin and ran into the night as quiet as a ninja. When she came to a secluded spot she used the portal disks to go to where her beloved Luke was calling her.

Akiko was having a hard time sleeping. She was worried about her friend. Not having many friends growing up alone and neglected made her worry even more about these people who had come to be her family. Getting out of her bed she began to dress. The noise aroused Zuko, who was not frozen naked to a tree anymore. He sat up in the bed he shared with his girlfriend and said quietly, "Akiko? Akiko my Fire Lily, what's wrong? Its two hours past midnight. You really should sleep. I apologize again for the guys and me for spying on you and the girls at the bathing pools," he said as he started throwing on his own clothes.

"I just have a feeling Zuky. Luke and Crimson were the first friends I made after we were forced apart. Luke would not leave in such haste if he didn't have a good reason. It really must have been serious for him not to take Crimson. They are best friends and lovers. They have been through thick and thin. She saved his life and he saved hers. I hate myself to lose either of them. They are more then my most honored guardians they are apart of my family like everyone else on this ancient isle. Come let's go check on her." She said as she lit up her first and grabbed the Dragon Scale Blade and buckled it to her waist before leaving the room.

They took one of the less traveled paths to the medical tent. After five minutes they reached the thin and over-patched tent. The enter the first door and found Katara passed out on a spare cot, her water skin dripping water steadily on to the dirty floor.

"Katara, Katara." Zuko said gently as he shook her to get her up.

"Sokka? Is that you and Aang?" she yawned as her eyes focused in the dark light.

"No Daughter of the Waves. It is Zuko and I Akiko. We came check on Crimson. If that is alright." Said the raven haired goddess

"She was up about an hour ago. So come on. She ought to be asleep. She stopped throwing up that good, but she still having trouble keeping anything down. The lotion seems to be helping her skin a lot." She said as she bended that had escaped the water back into her water skin. The walked into Crimson private room and let out a gasp.

"She is gone! This is unbelievable!" exclaimed Katara with her arm flailing

I thought that it was impossible? We had her strapped to a bed! The only way out of this huge tent is through door which we had come through that door past Katara. They would have to go right by her and then would have either slipped on the water or left tracks!" Zuko said bewildered

"Don't underestimate Crimson. She is as cunning as fox. Once she gets an idea in her head nothing can stop her from achieving it. Go wake the others now!" said Akiko exasperated as she fell into a chair rubbing her temples

Everyone was very upset to be woken up so late in the night. But they knew better then to defy Akiko orders. Soon they were all assembled in the conference room. Everyone was yelling in overlapping voices while gnashing their teeth out at each other.

"May I have your attention please? People? Hello? Friends?" said an annoyed Akiko as she entered the room unnoticed by the argumentative group. After the racket continued for a few more minutes she lost her patience and stabbed her sword in the center of the ancient stone table cracking it in two. "Silence!" Everyone stopped wagging their tongues and was quiet.

"Thank you. Now I hope you realize in the past week alone we have been through hell and back again. From stealing the Fire Lord prized war ship, the Dragon Star and then having to bury a little boy. Four days later we had to deal with the Avatar little tantrum. Now two of my best warriors and friends are gone. The rest of you are aware that they both are in serious danger and we know that in their current states they are very vulnerable. We all can sense that they're both in trouble. My plan of actions is this; Aang, you take Katara, Sokka, and Zuko and go find them." said Akiko looking the child straight in the eye.

"How can we go find them? They are the only ones who know how to use the portal disks. They have them. We can't leave this island without those disks. So how is your plan going to work?" asked Aang

"I know the incantation for the disks. There is a small charm that was found with them. It's a one shot deal, one trip to and from its place of origin. So you will use it. Now go and may the great dragons and spirits protect you all," she informed him.

They quickly left and she turned to the remainder of the group. "The assignment I have for the rest of you is this. Suki? You, Haru and Iroh with the help of Zuky crew will watch and keep from harm the inhabitants of this isle while me, Zara, and Wyanet go on a special assignment. I have faith that you'll do fine. Now go!" she ordered them as she yanked free her sword and walked swiftly out of the room.

Aang group had arrived at their point of departure. The all took deep breaths and held their hands in a circle. Aang pulled out of his shirt the small charm that Akiko had given him. It was a miniature multicolor precious stone star on an extensive golden beaded chain. He quickly donned it around his neck and commenced to recite the incantation. The incantation translated as this.

"Powers of thy planet come to my aid. Escort me now away from this place I am, across land and sea to a new place were I seek to find a new adventure to claim as mine. Do not return me homeward wend till I call upon you again."

They felt the rush wind and colors swirl around them as they instantly taken from the isle of Nuriel to the spirit thriving Forest of Atwood, Luke 's gypsy band homeland.

"Wow I forgot what a trip that is. Everyone ok?" asked Aang as he helped Katara up off the ground

"Nothing that can't be work out with a nice hot bath." giggled Katara as she pulled a large twig out of her long brunette tresses

"How do you feel Sokka? Last time you were sick to your stomach because of the portal." asked Aang looking at Sokka

"To my surprise I feel incredible! Really great! Guess I'm getting used to it? Now what are strategy for this mission?" asked Sokka as he got his boomerang out its sheath

"Well I really don't know. I'm just winging it. You know making it up as I go." admitted the child feeling embarrassed

"Well don't look now, Aang, but that crystal seems to be homing in on its corresponding item. So I suggest we follow it. But we must be ready for any kind of attack. So Sokka and I'll take point and you and Katara cover the rear," suggested Zuko wisely as he got in front

"I wish we could have brought Appa and Momo. They are always very helpful in a tight stitch." complained Aang as he gripped his glider staff tightly in his right hand

"You know perfect well that charm only has enough power to transport a fixed number of people from the island and back. So bringing them along would do the plan no good." Katara remind him as the walk slowly through the dim forest.

"We better pick up the pace people. IF they are capture by the Fire Nation then the whole rebellion will go up in smoke! No pun intended" Sokka said as used his weapon to chop a low hanging branch out his face.

"None taken. Sokka give that branch you just sliced and break it to four even pieces." request Zuko with a quick flick of the wrist he lit them each a mini torchlight so they could see in the dark forest.

"We have been traveling through these woods for almost an hour and all I found in that time is six different mosquitoes bits on my body! Now I'm tired, hungry, and itchy!" whined Sokka as started to scratch behind his neck and butt.

"Will you please quit whining? Gezze you are unbelievable sometimes, Sokka. You think you're some big shot warrior but whine like a little baby so much. Would you please for one day give it a rest! For one day!" yelled Katara at her brother as buried her beautiful face in her hands in disgust

"Maybe we should rest. I mean we don't know what trouble they are in. We only have a gut feeling and it could be wrong. If that is the cause then we just waste an emergency charm for nothing! Its your call, Aang, you're the Avatar, only you can decide what we do." Said Zuko as help him over a fallen tree.

"My intuition says we keep going. When you have formed as close a friendship as we have all build over the past month and half when you feel in your gut that something not right you're with out a doubt correct. Beside friends are they for each other for life because we are a family. Family does everything it can to stick together. So lets keep marching on! Keep in mind everyone back on the isle is depending on us so we can't be unsuccessful." Aang as began to really move.

After another hour of trudging through the thick mud light began to emerge on the eastern horizon.

"We should rest a moment, Aang. We can't rescue anyone if we fighting just to breath the air. Lets take a five-minute break. That alright?" asked Zuko as he blew out his torch.

"Ok five minutes but then we got to move. I just know that they can't be far." Sighed Aang as he slumped down into a pile of cold wet leaves.

"We must have walk halfway through these stupid woods already! We walk any farther we be walking out of the bloody woods. Ah! How many more mosquitoes have to bit me before I run out of blood?" whined Sokka nosily as he applied Katara's ointment on himself.

"Honestly, Sokka! You couldn't go five minutes with out being annoyinggg...Ahh! said Katara as she fell over a log.

"Katara!" they all cried as they rush to her aid.

"Sis are you alright?" asked Sokka as he helped her up

"I'm fine excepted for my right hip. I land on something hard. Look!" She said as she showed them where her flawless tan skin was already beginning to bruise.

"That definitely going to be there for at least a week or so. What did you land on anyway?" ask Aang with cat like curiosity

"I don't know. I land right about here." She said pointing to a large mound of packed dirt covered by red moss and large clumps of leaves.

"Hmm. That mound was not made naturally. Wait I think I see something." Exclaimed Zuko as he began to rip apart the surrounding derbies.

Sokka joined him soon followed by Aang after he had bended an enough water to make a packet of ice for Katara.

In a matter of minuets they began to choke on a most rancid odor and took a sudden intake of breath. Inside the mound was a semi rotten corpse of a woman. The little bit of flesh stilling clinging to her bones was burnt so bad it still smelled fresh.

"Oh my!" said Katara with a hand to her mouth in shock.

"That is one ripe stench! Man that smells horrible!" gagged Sokka as got up and vomited.

"She must have been one of Luke's people. It's so heartbreaking and to think this is what my country has been built on. The burned and bloodstained bodies of millions of innocent people who were turned into corpse with just snap of the fingers. This is the legacy we are giving our children. We are nothing but savages." Said Zuko in a melancholic tone of voice as hung his head, his eyes full of disgust.

Aang looked around and then felt his feelings flow through his body as his Avatar spirit was activated. He used his power to form a diamond coffin sheltered in exceptional flowers and a large scarlet and gold fern in the center.

"Come we must keep going. We are burning daylight. We'll never speak of this matter to anyone alright?" he said as he opened his glider and flew in front of him or her.

"He has grown greatly since we found him in that iceberg. He has truly become the Avatar of legend. I believe he can save the world from Ozai." Whispered Katara to her brother

"Yeah he an amazing kid. One in a million that for sure." He replied back.

"Zuko?" Aang down from the air to the young prince below "Yes what is Aang?" he yelled back up to his best friend "There something shining about 3 feet to your left from your position check out what it is." He request of his former enemy as weaved through the tightly knitted treetops

He ran and quickly found red hip flask with a gold top lying on the ground.

"Aang we are closing in on them and that not all!" he shout to the boy who landed on a large boulder in front of him.

"This looks like one of ours flasks. Katara to you recognize it? Is it Crimson's?" question the child hero

"Hmm there was one on a nearby table back at the med tent of this color. Let me see," she opened it and bended the contents out revealing a yellow green liquid. "This is Crimson's allergy's serum. If she doesn't get this every six hours her allergy is going to get worse or she could die!" Katara said panicky as she fastened the flask to her waist.

"That not all we have to worry about, Katara, look at what your standing in.," pointed Sokka nervously

She looked down and jumped back. It was a huge footprint and large tuffs of ginger and brown fur around them.

"She was taking a quick cat nap probably getting ready to take her medicine then was ambushed fast and hard by something very large. What I don't know. But these tracks are only about two to three hours old tops." Sokka said as he traced the footprints with his hand

"I can only think of one thing big enough to do that much damage and leave those prints. It has to be a bounty hunter and one of their foul beastly creature." Zuko replied, as they got moving again.

"Wow this crystal trying to yank my head off! We must be close! Ahh!" shouted Aang as they finally reached the edge of a valley and spotted below what appeared to be the campsite of the bounty huntress Jun and her abominable creature. She was eating her breakfast with her back turned towards. Tied to a cold metal pole was Luke and Crimson both badly wounded. About ten feet from them was their weapons and a large bulging sack.

"Ok we are going to need to formulate a plan to get past that thing! Any suggestions?" asked Sokka

"Well we know that this can't "see" if there are too many smells around. That is can paralyze people with its tongue. It is powerful physical too. That Xurthuze is powerful enough to take on Appa! You never want to get Appa angry." Aang said as he went over what they knew about this creature

"We need something to mess up it smell. It is totally blind if it can't smell. But what can we find that so rancid that it upset that thing! Just look at it! It almost as big as a house!" exclaimed Sokka

"Well I'm never going to be able to forget the odor of that body we found 2 miles back. That had to be the worst thing you can smell in the universe!" Katara said as she shivered

"Hmm that might be a good thing. Sokka I need you do use your knife and cut some flesh and hair from each of and I will burn it. Then we'll scatter them around the perimeter and Aang can use Airbending to blow it from all directions. That will disable its sight for sure but we still need get rid of that cursed tongue! Aang? Katara? Got any ideas?" Zuko asked as he finished explaining his plan

"Well your plan is a good one. But I don't know how to get rid of that tongue. Aang?" asked Katara as Sokka cut a chunk out of her left hand along with a tuff her chocolate locks. She winced in pain and quickly used some water from her skin and healed her hand and as well as everyone else's.

"Well I don't have an id… Sokka your boomerang that the answer!" he exclaimed

"Come again? What about my boomerang?" he said as he clutched the cherished item close to him.

"Well it was razor-sharp enough to chop that branch clean in half and into four smaller pieces, so maybe just maybe it's razor-sharp enough to cut the tongue out of the Xurthuze vile mouth! If Zuko were to heat it up a sufficient amount to give it an edge, I mean." Said Aang excitingly

"Well it's the best plan we got. I got another one. Will make a giant crater for the beast to fall in then while Sokka keeps Jun busy, Katara and I will go help Luke and Crimson and Aang can make frozen quicksand that will keep them both stuck for days!" cried Zuko

The plan went off flawlessly. They scatter the smoldering bits of skin and hair and it was enough to make anybody sick. While Jun went to investigate Aang used Earthbending to create a giant hole then used Firebending to slowly back the creature towards. He leaped out the way just as the tongue came lashing out and just like they hoped the heated up boomerang cut the tongue clear off! Hearing her animal in trouble Jun came rushing back but was defeated in two minute by Sokka who warrior skills had grown immensely over time.

He threw Jun in with oversized pet and Aang made thick runny sand and mud then froze them up to their heads.

"You stupid little boy! You ruined my Xurthuze! I will get you and I will kill you for this! Just wait till I get out!" she ranted and raved

"Yeah I' m so terrified of you! Not so tough are you?" come on lets go home." Said Aang as help everyone up and over the ridge

"Thanks, Aang, the forest and I owe you are lives. I hope I can repay you somehow." He said as he tightly gripped the sack.

"Yes we owe you are lives. Thank you, Avatar." Said Crimson weakly

"Here Crimson you should take your medicine. Here open there that good. When we get back you are going to be on bed rest for the rest of the week. I don't want to hear any complaints you hear?" said Katara angrily as they final reached their point of departure.

Aang repeated the incantation and they were home again. A huge feast was waiting for them but first they all helped Luke plant the transplants in the island fertile soil. Then instinctively Aang's spirit was once more activated and laid his hands on the ground and waves of rippling blue light went through the land making it once again lush, green, and prospers.

At dinner near dessert time Zara, Akiko and Wyanet stood up and walked over to Aang. They each had their hands behind their back.

"Ok you're in my personal space what is that you want?" he asked

"While you were saving the lives of two members of our family me and the girls went on a quest." Zara start to explain with a mysterious smile on her face

"A quest? A quest for what exactly?" he asked

"Well, Avatar Aang we went in search of something that is most cherished in life something we all need. Memories and not just the memories of our hearts but something for your torn soul, you deserve it sweet boy." Said Wyanet

"What? What! Is it?"

Please remember they were not very easy to find. But it was worth the frustration." Said Akiko as she and Zara place before him two medium sized beautiful decorative boxes.

"To open them all you need to do is use a little Airbending. Go ahead" said Zara

He quickly opened them and inside he found lost memories. In boxes were letters from his parents to each other, sketches of each one of them, perfume bottles, a flute and a lemur doll. Then underneath everything was a letter address to him. It still smelled even a hundred years later like a meadow of mountain flowers in first bloom.

"Aang aren't you going to open it?" asked Katara with her hand on his shoulder

"We'll all be here with you go ahead open it." Said Sokka

"Yeah none of us our getting any younger and that letter a century overdue to be opened!" said Zuko

Taking a deep breath he slowly open the envelope and pulled out the letter. Opening his eyes he began to read out load for everyone in his family to hear this.

"Dear, Aang, my little wind rider,

You have never known me, but I know you. I'm your mother, Akanke. I know at this very moment when you are reading this letter that you have been informed about whom you really are. The Avatar. But you are still first and foremost your father Gyasto and mine son. Our little wind rider. Your father has kept me up to date with your progress and I'm glad that as long as you could've been you were a happy carefree innocent child. I know that life from this point on will be difficult and hard but you are strong my son. Your true strength doesn't lie in your bending talents but inside your heart. Love and friendship are the only two true sources of power on the earth. When you have both inside of you nothing is impossible to achieve.

I know that while you read this I've been dead for a hundred years along with the others of our kind. But my last thoughts were not of myself it was of you and I knew you were safe until the world truly needs you the most. People think children are helpless but they couldn't be farther from the truth if given the proper chance children can accomplish miracles. Your friends both old and new will be key part in helping you defeat Fire Lord Ozai. You'll need each of their strengths to help. Katara's spirit, Sokka's instincts, Suki's grace, Haru's fighting soul, Akiko's wisdom, Zuko's determination, Crimson's passion, Luke's mysticism, Iroh' tranquility Wyanet's honorable ways and Zara's loving heart. Everyone around you will help you save the world, my son. Just because you're the Avatar does not mean you have to fight alone. I'm in your very skin always with you and caring. I promise we'll meet before you die. Know now and eternity that your father and I love you and that won't change even when we are gone.Look inside your heart and you will find all the answer you needs.

Love your mother, Akanke"

"That spooky how she knew what would happen? Our names already in there? That just creepy!" said Sokka

"But she was right. When we face the Fire Nation and Fire Lord Ozai we'll do it together. That a promise." Said Zara

Aang folded the letter back up and stuff in his shirt next to his heart. Then picked up the flute and began to play the melody his mother had written just for him. He never had played the flute before but his hands knew just what to do. After dinner he took the boxes back with him to his sleeping quarters and then pulled out the old lemur doll and smiled. He laid to sleep and said quietly "Thank you Mother, I'm sure Aiko will be as a beloved comforted to me as she was to you. I will see you and Father later. Good night." He fell into a peaceful dreamful sleep. He still felt it when someone kissed him on his head and said quietly "Good night my son, my little wind rider. You shall be the greatest Avatar ever. I love you Aang," whispered his mom as her spirit tucked him to bed and disappeared.