A/N. I don't know what exactly happed these last few days with the site, but I believe there were some technical issues. If the previous chapter has gone unread, can someone send a message to say so? I'll contact FanFiction to resolve the issue then! Thanks!
I don't own Avatar the Last Airbender.
Watching the lion turtle's body sink back into the water, until only its back was visible, with the trees and moss growing on it, Aang could help but feel even more lost than before…
The true mind can weather all the lies and illusions without being lost. The true heart can tough the poison of hatred without being harmed… Since beginningless time, darkness thrives in the void…. But always yield to purifying light…
Yes, the creature had told him everything he hoped for… But Aang also knew that he didn't possess the qualities that were required for what the lion turtle had called energybending. His mind had been lost several times… But not due to lies and illusions people had told him. No… Due to the illusion of responsibility. He had told himself it was his fault that his people had died, and that it was his responsibility to punish himself for it.
Luckily, Katara had pulled him out of that lie.
Then, that line about how the true heart could resist the poison of hatred…
He had hated. He still hated. Aang wasn't perfect, he wasn't all forgiving. He tried to be, but some people were just… unforgivable. Sozin. Azula… maybe he even blamed Roku a bit for his role in the demise of the Air Nomads… But Ozai, he didn't exactly hate. Yes, he hated the actions of the man, the killing and the destruction. But the airbender also knew one thing. Ozai was the product of the war, not its instigator. Azula, in a way, was too… But his hate for the princess went deeper. With her, it was more personal. She had killed him, and for that he didn't blame her.
He blamed her for causing Katara so much heartache… for hurting innocent people… For threatening horrible things.
So, no. His heart wasn't pure like the lion turtle had told him it needed to be. But perhaps… And darkness thriving in the void? Until he had opened up, that had been exactly how he felt. Lost in the darkness, without purpose or goal… Until he had seen the purifying light.
If anyone could do this energybending, it would be Katara… Not him. He wasn't pure, he wasn't the light anyone looked at in a difficult situation. In times of crisis, their group had always rallied around Katara or Sokka… Not him. Aang had never considered himself worthy of any power… And he didn't want to be.
Turning to the rocky beach on which he stood with Momo on his shoulder, the airbender looked up at the sky. Judging by the position of the sun, he guessed it was late in the afternoon, but the sky had turned a dark orange hue. And he didn't need to be told what that meant. It was the day of the comet… A hundred years ago… The sun had come up on the last day of the Air Nomads.
Had Gyatso looked out of his small window, questioning the colour of the sky? Had Jinora gently closed the door of her classroom to shut out the sickening light? And then?
Had soldiers stomped their way over mountains and valleys, knowing that at the end of the day and during the night that was to come, they would participate in the destruction of a people who had never hurt anyone? Had Kuzon's father asked forgiveness for what he was going to do?
Inhaling deeply to calm his rapidly beating heart, he turned to the sky once more.
"Why?" Aang asked aloud.
Why had the Fire Nation needed to attack the Air Nomads? They could just have waited to find out who the Avatar was… He had been supposed to be announced to the world after learning waterbending… They could have easily killed him then, quietly and discreetly, without losing a single other life…
And to be honest, he would have preferred it.
Avatar Aang… What had that ever done for him? He had been the cause his people had been massacred. He was the reason the world had gone up in flames. Because after learning the fate of his people, he had turned to Katara to ask what had happened after… After that crime.
He knew, thanks to her, that the Earth Kingdom had sworn vengeance against the Fire Nation for their vile deed… But even though he could appreciate the fact they had protested the act, Aang couldn't help but feel pain at what that act of friendship had caused.
Most of the Earth Kingdom was occupied, after a hundred years of war… He had even let Ba Sing Se fall…
So, how could his heart be true enough to be able to do what the lion turtle had shown him? Aang didn't know… He only knew that the only way to end the war in a peaceful way had been shown to him… And he didn't feel worthy of it.
"Momo… You need to get out of here. Fly south, home… Or at least get as far away as possible from here. It will not be safe for you." He whispered to the lemur on his shoulder. The animal crept slowly down his arm, looking at him with those big eyes.
Aang couldn't help but smile sadly at his pet. Were these the last friendly eyes he was going to see? Spirits, he hoped not… He wanted to see laughing green eyes… ember eyes… grey ones… and blue. Spirits he yearned to see dark blue eyes.
The lemur blinked twice, before licking his palm once and fly off. The airbender watched the animal fly away southwards. It seemed to be a safe option to him, for Ozai and whatever he would bring to these shores would be coming from the west. As Momo began to disappear into the distance, Aang sighed once more. It was time.
Time to face his duty.
Walking through the shingles of the beach, he arrived at a sandy dune, stretching a mile or so before the landscape changed once more. High pillars of rock stood proudly in the orange light, and Aang knew that that was where he needed to stop Ozai. He knew this place, for Gyatso and he had flown over it once. Just east of this place was a small city, nothing more than a market town in his days… He didn't know if it was still inhabited, or if it had grown into a real city… But one thing Aang knew for certain was that he couldn't let Ozai reach it.
Thousands could die… And then, after that first town, would come all the others.
No. No more.
Walking over the dune, the airbender glanced over his shoulder to the ocean behind him. Even the water seemed to darken, as if even the sea knew what was coming. Glancing up, he saw that there was not a cloud in the sky, but even saw, it looked like a mist was hanging above the world. An orange, sickly mist… And he knew what that meant.
The sand made place for rocks and shadows as he approached the pillars. He had to admit, it was a good place to fight. He was close to water, there was a rock that seemed easy to bend, clean air in his lungs… And for his firebending, he had doubted he would need the power of the sun…
Spirits, he hated that fact. That the comet was also going to fuel his own bending… But if he hoped to stand a chance against Ozai, Aang knew he would have to use the comet… And he could see the poetic justice in all of this. It was a horrible way to think, not at all Air Nomad like… Ozai as a person wasn't responsible for all the crimes committed throughout a century of war… But, in a broader term, it was justice.
Justice for all the lives that had been lost. Justice for all the knowledge lost. And justice for all the hopes and dreams that had been destroyed during a hundred years of hate and despair. And to be honest, that was one of the reasons Aang would fight. Not to take revenge on the Fire Nation, not make up for all his mistakes, for the shame of those failures could only be washed away by good acts… And this was not an act of selfless duty.
Yes, this fight was going to make sure that the Fire Nation couldn't do too much damage to the Earth Kingdom, and if he couldn't defeat Ozai… He could at least delay him as long as possible. But the real reason he fought? Because he knew that he wouldn't be able to live in peace as long as this war raged. It was because his friends would never be safe if Ozai was left in power.
It was because he had promised Katara to end this war, to make sure she would be able to live in a world at peace. No one fought only out of selfless desire. There was always a reason… Kyoshi had said so when he had talked to her. Chin the Conqueror had swepped over the Earth Kingdom, but she had stood up against him when her home had been threatened.
Kuruk had been very involved in the Spirit World in his time… but that had been because of the loss he had felt.
Even Roku had never stood up against Sozin, because of friendship… History books always talked of Avatars as selfless, dutiful people, and that was one of the reasons Aang had been afraid when they had announced him as the Avatar… Because he knew he would never live up to those people.
After meeting them, however… he saw the humans, and not the Avatars. And at least, he knew he wasn't as bad an Avatar as he had feared… But still, it would be nice to be remembered for something else than The Avatar who had failed his duty.
Aang stopped in front of one of the highest pillars, looking up. From the top, he would probably have a great view, seeing for miles and miles around… And he would be able to judge where the air fleet would try and go. Spirits… All those lives on board of those ships… And if only one of them escaped, they would wreak havoc on swaths of Earth Kingdom territory…
Inhaling deeply, he jumped upwards, pushing himself upwards with some airbending. As soon as a foot touched the pillar, he propelled himself even further up. When suddenly, a soft wind stroke over his face, Aang kne he had come to the top of the pillar. Softly landing on the moss that was growing on it, he began to look around him.
To his right, northeastwards stood the great forest of Wulong. From here, it didn't look inhabited, but the airbender knew that a hundred years ago, it had been a booming community of little forest villages in the clearings, inhabited by woodcutters, charcoal makers and hunters. He doubted it had changed much over the years, so there would be that… Hopefully, the Fire Nation soldiers wouldn't know about it and would try to make a beeline towards the town in the east. That way, he would stand between them and the destruction of that place…
To his left, the unusual pillar formation continued as far as the eye could see, towards the mountains in the distance. He knew that that mountain chain separated the forested northeastern part of the Earth kingdom from the fertile plains and valleys where the Fire Nation had started their colonies. There, Yu Dao, Xi Deong and West Heiatu were the core of the population… But if everything went as he hoped it would, the air ships would not even reach the mountains…
When he had been down there, it had not been that warm, for he had walked in the shadows of the pillars, but here, on one of them… Spirits, he had probably never been this warm. Aang felt his silken tunic stick to his lower back, on which sweat was streaming. And just as he watched the western horizon, he felt it.
A sickening, dark presence… No, not dark. Too powerful to exist. It seemed to fill every fibre of his body, his heart began to pound slightly harder and the airbender could feel the pressure behind his eyes… And it was as if he was pulled to that power. As if there was a need to look at it…
Turning around, letting go of his watch towards the west, Aang looked eastwards… And saw it. It was far away, high in the sky, but it looked like the orange mist in the sky parted for what was coming. And in the distance, a second sun was glowing. Sighing, he knew what that meant.
It had begun.
Trying to calm his rapidly beating heart, he quickly turned his back to the comet. As terrifying as it looked, it had a certain beauty… And he didn't want to think like that. To the west, where the real sun was blazing, lowering to the horizon, he could see a dark spot in the air. Biting his lip, he also knew what that was.
The lion turtle had said Ozai would come here… Zuko had said his father would start the burning of the Earth Kingdom by attacking at Wulong… So, Aang swallowed, looking at the dark spot.
Please, let it just be a bird, or a cloud casting a strange shadow… Please Spirits…
The small spot was growing ever large, and the airbender knew his prayer had not been answered. No… those were the air ships approaching the Earth Kingdom coast. Slowly kneeling, he knew what he needed to do before going into battle… One last thing he could do as an Air Nomad. He would go into the battle as an Air Nomad, having no other choice than come to violence in the name of peace.
But could he come out as an Air Nomad… or as an outcast who had just killed a man… Or maybe heh wouldn't even come out of the fight alive.
So now, he knelt and spoke softly in the language of his youth.
"Please Great Spirits, give me the strength to do what is right, to defend the people I love and the people I could love… Please don't let evil win… And for your sake… protect those I love. I don't know where they are, but if I hear one hair has been harmed on their heads… And for my sake, protect Katara. I would gladly trade my life if it means she is safe… Just let me see her one more time."
It wasn't much… But he couldn't think of much else to say. Standing up, it felt… strange. Strange to have done a prayer to the spirits in case he died… Aang knew that dying was a possibility, he had already done so once. But to stare hid death coming straight at him, the dark shadows in the sky in front of him growing larger by the minute…
Now, he could see that, in the light of the setting sun the shadow was actually thirteen smaller spots. Thirteen ships… All flying high in the sky, protected from any attack. No Earth Kingdom city or bender had the strength to hurl projectiles towards targets that high… Well, all except him that was…
As the ships flew towards the coast, Aang inhaled deeply, exhaling a few moments later. He felt the power of the comet behind him course through his veins, a dark deep power present inside of him. It didn't feel like the Avatar Spirit, which was also powerful and with hidden depths… But the Avatar Spirit was light and good intention. The power from the comet felt so much more malevolent...
How many soldiers were on those ships? Hundreds? Thousands? Too many. And how was he supposed to stop them? It was not as if he could just blow them out of the sky. As Aang watched the ship's approach, he couldn't help but feel sorry Ozai. Who, in their right mind, would think that this was the way to end a war? By more destruction, more killing and even more division… No. This had to end today, otherwise, as Roku had said all those months ago, the balance in the world would be forever broken. If he could manage everything… Stop the ships, stop Ozai without killing him, and all his friends survived, wherever they were…
Balance could be restored. And he was going to do everything in his power to do so.
The air ships were approaching fast now, and even from this distance, Aang could see the middle one was larger and more ornate than the others. Twelve air ships were all the same type as he had seen during the invasion, probably being the same that had bombed their forces into oblivion during that fight… But the thirteenth… It was larger, too large. Too large to be able to fly properly in Aang's own opinion. Flying was about freedom and changing directions… This monstrosity wasn't able to do that.
But the ornate golden front, the dark burgundy balloon and the golden flames on the sides were enough to make him pause. This had to be the Royal Airship, it looked like the one Sokka and Zuko had stolen from Azula. And there were two engines on either side.
Engines to make movement easier… They too had seen the problem of mobility due to its size!
If he could take them out… The airship could only fly in a straight line! Right towards him! It wouldn't change the course of the other twelve… but he could at least make sure Ozai was coming right towards him.
As he was trying to figure out how to do it, there was a flicker of light just at the front of the royal airship. Squinting his eyes, Aang suddenly realized what that was. The beginning of someone firebending! Quickly closing his eyes, he could see the light, even through closed eyelids.
And feel the heat…
It was intense. Even from this distance, he could feel the power of the comet and the fire it had fuelled. The sizzling sound from the ocean made him think whoever had done that had targeted the water to see the power of the comet. And it was… overwhelming.
Opening his eyes cautiously, Aang had to resist letting his mouth fall open wide. Was this just one person? That was… not normal. The flame coming from the airship fanned out for at least half a mile, hitting the water and the dunes in front of him. Aang could see the steam coming from the ocean, and how the blackened sand quickly changed into glass due to the heat… It was awe inspiring, but at the same time, terrifying. How could one person do all that?
No wonder the Air Nomads stood no chance…
No.
That was not true. His people had resisted and stopped many firebenders that day, a hundred years ago. Gyatso had stopped dozens of those who had invaded their home. And Aang knew that today, all spirits and gods and souls were watching him… And hopefully quietly encouraging him. He knew that at least some people would be watching. The Avatars, and they would be on his side. And Kya… Spirits, he wanted to let Katara know who had met… And a small part of his heart hoped that if she could look… So could Gyatso… So could Jinora.
Breathing in, he knew what to do.
Kicking his feet towards the royal air ship, he searched for the pillar in front of him with his earthbending senses. The cracking sound in front of him sounded loudly above the inferno of the fire, and a large part of the pillar was hurled towards the air ship. Watching as it hit the engine, Aang was nearly astonished by the power of his bending. He and hoped for a smaller part of the rock, but this… Spirits.
The engine began to smoke, and the ship began to slowly descend towards the dunes. He realized those engines had probably also kept the air ship floating… Well, at least there were no explosions or cries of wounded… Yet. But it was falling towards the fire that was raging underneath them. Aang concentrated on the air ship. He knew he could not save those people… He only hoped that there were enough firebenders to keep the soldiers safe from the flames.
The fire streaming from the front stopped, and Aang saw a lone figure bending himself into the air, propelled by flames from his hands and feet…
And he knew who that had to be.
The person landed on one of the pillars westwards, still too far to see any details, but the airbender saw how the man threw away whatever he had been wearing on his head, and then pulled off his upper robes, revealing his naked torso. Even from a distance, Aang could see that the man was all except weak… Spirits, have mercy…
The man whom he suspected of being Ozai began to propel himself from pillar to pillar, approaching him. As the man arrived at the pillar in front of him, a good ten yards away, Aang could see him and finally know who was his enemy.
He had seen portraits in the school, and all over the Fire Nation. The airbender had observed the great statue in Fire Fountain City. But to see him in person… His thoughts were battling with themselves. On the one hand, yes, Ozai seemed to be every bit the great firebender people said he was. The muscles on his arms and torso were developed into what was normal for a firebender, and he had ease and confidence that Aang knew he could never have.
But on the other hand… He seemed so… normal.
A man, around forty years old, perhaps a little bit older, in the prime of his life. There was a small scar on his arm that looked suspiciously like the burned and twisted flesh of his own back, so perhaps an accident with lightning? Otherwise… Well, there was the fact that Ozai was clearly Zuko's father. The same jet black hair, the same nose and chin, and face in general. But what scared him the most were the eyes of this man. They were exactly like Zuko's. At least, Zuko before he joined them. They had the same angry, twisted intelligence in them as his friend and teacher had sported all those months he had chased them over the world.
Then, he spoke.
"After generations of Fire Lords failed to find you, now the universe delivers you to me as an act of providence." The same voice as Zuko… It was frightening.
Aang sighed. It was clear Ozai didn't seem to be inclined to surrender. It seemed rather that he was talking so that his words could be inscribed into the history books… No one talked like that in their everyday life, right?
"Fire Lord Ozai, please listen to me! We don't have to fight! You can stop all this now, and stand down your armies. If you do so, I'll make sure you are treated honourably!" Well… As honourably as possible. Aang didn't mind justice being served… But it had to be a just and fair trial. But a trial, there was going to be.
The man in front of him looked at him for a few seconds, then a sly smile came to his face.
"Well… The famous cowardness of the Air Degenerates… You won't fight me. You are afraid." Ah. There it was, the normal way of speaking. And Aang understood what Zuko had meant when he had said that Ozai was always talking to you down.
"You have the power to end it here! And stop what you are doing! If you won't, I'll have to fight you." Aang shouted back, hoping that that threat would be enough… But he doubted it.
From the corner of his eyes, he saw that the air ships was still approaching steadily towards the coast. The royal air ship had clearly flown in front of the rest… But there was one that seemed to steer off course, the one on the right of the line.
His friends…. His friends were there.
He didn't need to worry about the air ships destroying the countryside… Because his friends were there… doing that.
They would also see the fight… Spirits, please keep Katara away from this place… And the others too.
"You are right… I do have the power. I have all the power in the world." Ozai shouted, and Aang bend his knees just in time to see a wave of fire, hotter than anything he had ever felt before coming directly at him.
And so it began…