Many nights we've prayed
With no proof, anyone could hear
In our hearts, a hopeful song
We barely understood
Now, we are not afraid
Although we know, there's much to fear
We were moving mountains
Long before we knew we could
Oh, yes
When Kelsey materialized from the blinding white light, she discovered herself inside a magnificent palace. Peeking out a nearby window, she could make out an outstanding peacock blue ocean. Then, glancing from a separate window, she witnessed a captivating enchanted garden.
Suddenly she knew precisely where she was. In Alanna's palace, known as Keaparaberu! She'd taken inspiration from the Chronicles of Narnia for Limbo Valley. In fact? Alanna's residence was the name of the Pensive children's castle. Only it was spelled in Japanese. However, the gardens outside were identical to the ones described in "The Magician's Nephew."
The river separating the Valley was the River Styx from Greek mythology. Once again, she'd just written the word in Japanese. The temple in the epicenter of the Valley? She'd based that on the stone table where Aslan sacrificed himself for Edmund.
On the other side of the Valley where Anto lived? That had been named after the White Witch Jadis's homeworld again only in Japanese. Thanks to one of the most cherished children's books series? She'd been able to construct Limbo Valley and Alanna and Anto's homes.
There can be miracles when you believe
Though hope is frail, it's hard to kill
Who knows what miracles you can achieve?
When you believe, somehow, you will
You will when you believe
However, she couldn't tell if she was here before the Battle of Keaparaberu or not. She knew she'd have to find out where in the narrative she was. She took a single step forward, only to lose her balance. Something was off, for it felt like the weight of her backpack. Yet her bag was back in her apartment. Even then, she shouldn't fall over.
Also, this weight felt slightly different, like instead of wearing something. This weight felt affixed to her. Because her back felt funny, she wasn't sure what she was feeling.
She attempted to take another step and felt movement from her back with each step. Finally, she glanced at a mirror on the wall, which rendered her speechless. On her back were human-sized butterfly wings! Like Alanna's luminous pink wings, only Kelsey's were in her favorite colors, green and turquoise!
Not sure if she was losing it, she tried to flap them. They responded to her thoughts. Gradually she reached up and brushed them. She felt their peculiar texture of them. She didn't have any words to describe what she felt. She couldn't get over the oddity of it all. She started to have an anxiety attack when she heard the sweetest voice speak.
"My dear, Storyteller, please do not panic. Everything will be explained in a few moments," Alanna fluttered down the corridor. The heavenly woman's tranquil smile helped calm down the young Storyteller.
"Take a few deep breaths, my Storyteller. It's alright," Alanna assured even as Kelsey failed at deep breathing. She'd never got it right and only ended up lightheaded.
In this time of fear
When prayer so often proves in vain
Hope seems like the summer birds
Too swiftly flown away
Yet now I'm standing here
My heart's so full, I can't explain
Seeking faith and speaking words
I never thought I'd say
Ultimately she calmed down and followed the saintly female to where everyone was assembled. She seemed to be between two chapters, each with the final battles coming up. Half the group would momentarily depart to face their tormentors in lethal duels, which would result in the heroes being forced to use their bending prohibited techniques to prevail.
Which, in turn, would leave their tormentors gradually dying agonizing deaths. Meanwhile, the other heroes would remain here to safeguard Alanna against the Phoenix King's military, where Zhao would attempt to commit the most significant mistake in the universe's history. The attempted murder of the creator of humans and the spirit of life!
She wasn't sure where she fits into this. But, she quickly noticed all the children were surprised to see her, even more so in the exquisite kimono and butterfly wings.
There can be miracles when you believe
Though hope is frail, it's hard to kill
Who knows what miracles you can achieve?
When you believe, somehow, you will
You will when you believe
Alanna took charge of the situation. "I'm confident you're all flabbergasted to notice my companion here. May I properly introduce one of the numerous Spirits of Storytelling, Kelsey."
"Wait, one of the spirits? What do you mean?" Zuko asked, given he'd known her the longest. He'd always felt something when he interacted with her. But, as he knew all along, she was far more then she appeared.
Kelsey decided to answer for herself. "As the Almighty Mother has stated, Prince Zuko, I'm but one of many storytellers. As there are countless different spirits in this Spirit World?
The domain I call home hosts various individuals as well; my realm has thousands of storytellers who dwell within its lands. Over a thousand gather together to tell infinite tales to each other. I've merely been given the blessing to witness how the stories I've helped tell come to life."
"Wait are you saying we're fictional?" demanded Sokka, to which Alanna took control.
"Let me simplify what our precious Storyteller is attempting to say, young Sokka. There are countless worlds more then stars in the evening skies. Some individuals have a spiritual connection to domains not of their own.
It's these remarkable individuals who tell our stories to their worlds. Consequently, our memories and tales can live on. Storyteller Kelsey originates from a distant realm where she's spiritually linked to this one. Only she's been bestowed a gift from yet another storyteller's domain to live the story she's connected to herself."
"Wow!" everyone was dumbfounded, then Zephyr asked through sign language if that meant she knew what lay in store for them. Thanks to the enchantment of the portal potion, she still knew ASL.
Therefore, she signed and spoke at the same time. "I'm aware of some aspects of this story, yes, children. However, stories are continuously transforming, so nothing is set in stone. Also, I cannot convey to you your future, for you'd behave differently. So we must let the story unfold even if it is different from how I told it in my realm."
"So you can't give us any hints? Nothing?" Toph demanded to which Kelsey shook her head.
"No, I cannot. I've done my most suitable to blend into the background of what I've experienced so far. I've only intervened when I felt it was required. However, I cannot tell you how this story concludes."
They don't always happen when you ask
And it's easy to give in to your fears
But when your pain blinds you
Can't see your way clear through the rain
A small but still resilient voice says, "Help is very near!"
"So what is to become of us? Why do you need us?" Katara couldn't help but ask.
Kelsey gazed into Alanna's captivating soulful azure eyes, and she nodded. "With the permission of the Almighty Mother, I shall explain a small part. You're all knowledgeable of the war raging even now between the Human and Spirit worlds that the ex-Prince Ozai and Anto have integrated into one entity known as the Phoenix King.
To vanquish them and the army coming to claim Keaparaberu? It would be best if you all stepped up and were willing to sacrifice more than you imagined. Because right now, only one of several sacrifices shall save these worlds. However, that's all I'm permitted to divulge. I'll allow your patron spirits to inform you of the rest."
She witnessed several of the characters become quasi-avatars. She felt herself drift halfway between each world, witnessing both sides of the hellish battle and seeing it play out as she'd written it. It was heartbreaking witnessing half the heroes being forced to bring Anto's disciples to death. Only to know they'd die slowly and painfully.
It pained her to see the out-of-control battle within Alanna's palace as the hallowed grounds were burned to a crisp. To witness firsthand the slaying of Anto's daughter and how Akiko pleaded for mercy on her ex-father.
Some people may've questioned why Kelsey had written Akiko to plead for mercy. It had to do with the person Kelsey was herself. Despite her toxic and abusive family, she'd never wish them dead.
Even if they committed unforgivable acts that she was unwilling to forgive? She didn't wish death on anyone. Instead, she wished people stopped acting like demons and embraced their humanity once more.
And while not a super religious individual? She did believe people need to be given an opportunity for redemption. Plus, she thought you reaped what you sowed, and karma got you.
But having Akiko plead for Zhao demonstrated Kelsey's own great empathy for others. While so many of her world had become dehumanized? She still embraced her humanity, and she hoped others would through her writing. She wasn't sure what was left in this story for her before she returned home. But she would see it through to the end.
There can be miracles when you believe
Though hope is frail, it's hard to kill
Who knows what miracles you can achieve?
When you believe, somehow, you will
Now, you will, you will when you believe
You will when you believe, just believe
Just believe, you will when you believe
"Sacrifice is a part of life. It's supposed to be. It's not something to regret. It's something to aspire to."
― Mitch Albom, 'The Five People You Meet In Heaven.'
"A man who was completely innocent, offered himself as a sacrifice for the good of others, including his enemies, and became the ransom of the world. It was a perfect act." Mahatma Gandhi
"The ultimate test of man's conscience may be his willingness to sacrifice something today for future generations whose words of thanks will not be heard."
Gaylord Nelson.
"To attain eternal happiness one must suffer. He who has reached the state of self-sacrifice has true joy. Temporal joy will vanish."
Abdu'l-Bahá.
"Peace demands the most heroic labor and the most difficult sacrifice."
Thomas Merton.
"Love is willing self-sacrifice for the good of another that does not require reciprocation or that the person being loved is deserving."
Paul David Tripp.
"Love always involves responsibility, and love always involves sacrifice. And we do not really love Christ unless we are prepared to face His task and to take up His Cross."
William Barclay.
"When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle."
Edmund Burke.
"The only honorable, desirable kind of fear that shouldn't be feared is the fear of harm on a loved one. It's the kind of fear that leads to self-sacrifice and the kind of fear where you would truly jump in front of a bus to save another."
- Criss Jami.