Chapter Eighteen: Onward
The lavender sky was streaked with clouds, and with the wind came the smell of distant rain. Riding on Appa's back, the seaside village was nothing more than a speck in the distance now. The air bison went north, where the mountains gave way to deep valleys and meadows filled with yellowing grass and still blooming flowers.
A river, deep and blue, carved its way through the landscape, carrying waters from the sea into the heart of the Earth Kingdom. If they kept following it, they would reach the sea, and beyond it, the Northern Water Tribe.
Katara stared out towards that horizon, and felt as though a voice within was calling her north.
Come with me, the voice whispered.
Katara shivered. She remembered that dream, standing in that white nothingness with the Moon Spirit.
Why did all of this happen? Why was she chosen?
Come with me, the voice persisted.
"Where?" Katara whispered out loud.
"Did you say something, Sugar Queen?"
Katara glanced at Toph, who was leaning back against the panel of the airship. The earthbender opted the ship over the bison, since she was now able to metalbend, and "see" while they were in the air.
She also saw Zuko glance her way out of the corner of her eye, and knew he was eavesdropping while he flew them behind Appa.
"It's nothing," Katara said, looking away.
"Liar," Toph replied, lifting a brow.
Katara glared, but sighed. "I… have a feeling I should go north, to the Water Tribe."
"Because of that Spirit Oasis?" Toph asked.
"I don't know. It's just a feeling." Katara sat next to the earthbender, shifting her knees to her chest.
"But it would make sense, wouldn't it? Isn't the Moon Spirit there, in one of her forms?"
"Yes," Katara said quietly.
Toph made a face before driving her elbow into Katara's side, albeit gently. "You're not doubting yourself now, are you, Sweetness? I mean, if the Moon Spirit chose you.."
"But why?" Katara balled her hands into fists. "Why?"
"I don't know the answer to that. But the moon does. If something is telling you go north, then why wouldn't you go?"
"We have to find-,"
"Aren't you paying attention?" Toph asked, interrupted her with an incredulous tone. "The moon chose you for this grand plan that her and the sun cooked up. If you ask me, that's more important than helping us find those psychopaths. No offense, Lord Hotman."
Zuko, who had quietly been listening to their exchange, resisted the urge to scowl. "None taken, Toph." Then he looked at Katara. "What do you want to do?"
Katara lowered her gaze to the mark on her wrist. What do I do?
Come with me, the voice insisted.
Come with me, Katara thought to herself. Not come to me. With me.
I have to know why.
Without thinking, Katara stood and looked over the edge of the airship down to the river below. She turned, noticing how Zuko was watching her intently.
"I have to go," she said. "I have to know why."
Running on instinct, she strode over to him, before pulling him close and kissing him deeply. Her thumb brushed over his scarred cheek when she pulled back.
"I'll find my way back to you," she told him.
Zuko, who seemed to understand, lowered his forehead to hers. "Be safe."
Katara kissed him briefly, before turning and vaulting over the edge of the ship, allowing herself to fall.
"Did she just jump?" Toph exclaimed, her hands pressed flat to the base of the ship, eyes wide.
Zuko watched her fall, and how she summoned the river to rise to meet her before she sank into its depths.
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The water was cold and deep, dark and blue, as she sank into its depths. Fish swam around her and when she looked up, she could see the distorted image of the airship flying past. Wrapping herself in a funnel of water, she urged it to take her to the surface.
When she broke into the air, her gaze still skyward, she could see Zuko watching her from above. Then the ship passed in front of the sun, blocking it out briefly, before it kept going onward.
Katara breathed in deep, allowing the cool embrace of her element to soothe her. The water was pushing her south with the current, so she summoned a ship of her own, a water model of a Water Tribe canoe before she pushed it against the current.
When she looked up again, the airship was nearly out of sight. She closed her eyes briefly, praying to the sun, the moon, to allow her to find the answers she sought.
And when the voice came again, Katara followed it.
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He moved away from her, since it was her time to rise. The day was over and it was time for him to rest.
She reached for him, when they shared those few minutes in the lavender sky.
"She's coming," she told him. "When will you call on yours?"
"Soon," he answered. "It's not his time yet."
"The others are getting close," she observed.
"We will watch over them, as we did before."
She smiled at him. "Rest now, my love. Until the dawn."
"I'll find my way back to you."
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"She did what?"
Zuko smothered a wince at Sokka's volume. "She went north," he said again.
"Alone? But why?" Suki asked, placing a hand on her husband's arm with the hope of calming him down.
"The moon told her to go," Toph interjected. "So did we."
Aang glanced at Toph. "Without talking to the rest of us?"
Toph huffed, blowing her bangs from her eyes. "Is no one else paying attention to what is happening? The spirits are involved now. If one says 'hey, Sugar Queen, come north', she'd be stupid not to go."
Suki exchanged a quiet look with Zuko. "It's her choice," the warrior stated. "Katara was alone for a year. She knows how to take care of herself."
"But we just agreed that she may be Ozai and Azula's next target," Sokka argued. "With the eclipse coming-,"
"The spirits will protect her."
Sokka paused, looking at Aang.
The Avatar was looking north, with a distant look in his gray eyes. "They will protect her," he repeated softly.
The others chose not to question him, because unknown to them, the spirit of Roku was standing a few yards away from the young Avatar, assuring him as he had his friends.
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The sea brewed as an oncoming storm began to stir the waves, causing the wind to howl and rain to fall, like needles of ice.
Deep beneath the waves, Katara kept a pocket of air around her as she tried to navigate the stirring sea. The voice was her only guide, and without it, she would have been lost days ago.
Instinct told her when she was close to the Northern Water Tribe, when the sea began to freeze and the voice became louder, more persistent.
She continued onward, ignoring how tired her body was from fighting the stormy sea, and kept going. When she saw the familiar borders of the Northern tribe, she arose from the sea. Bending the water into another canoe, she approached the large ice gates.
The warriors on guard saw her and immediately dropped a shelf of ice, allowing her passage through. A horn was sounded, and when Katara reached the shore, a large gathering of people were waiting for her.
A familiar face broke from the crowd and approached her. "Master Katara."
Katara bowed respectfully. "Chief Arnook. I apologize for not sending word of my arrival, but there is a matter I need to attend to here."
Arnook nodded. "Come with me," he said, gesturing her to follow him. "You must have journeyed far, for the last reports told me you were in the Earth Kingdom."
Katara kept by his side, giving him an update on their journey through the Earth Kingdom. Arnook listened quietly, frowning at the news of Ozai and Azula's escape.
"And what brought you here?" Arnook asked, leading her into his home.
Katara hesitated. It was one thing talking to her friends and Sokka about her visions of the Moon Spirit, who was not Tui, but here, in the Northern Water Tribe, she knew it may not be received well that the spirit was not who she said she was.
"It is a private matter, one that the Avatar is aware of," she explained, hoping he would not press her for details.
"Very well," Arnook said. "You are welcome here for as long as you need. I will be dining shortly with my wife, if you wish to join us."
Katara bowed again. "Thank you, Chief. I do want to rest for some time."
"I'll have some servants show you to our spare quarters," he told her. "And one of them will fetch you when dinner is ready."
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After a quiet dinner with the Chief and his wife, Katara slipped back into her quarters to change. The Earth Kingdom clothing she had been wearing was sufficient enough, but she longed for the clothes of her tribe. Donning the dark blue and violet hued clothes of the Northern tribe, Katara made her way out of the Chief's home, towards the Spirit Oasis.
Come with me, the voice said.
Katara glanced upwards, to the moon.
"Hello, Katara."
Nearly flinching at the familiar voice, Katara looked at the spirit who was in front of her with wide eyes.
Yue laughed at her expression. "It is nice to see you again."
"Yue," Katara breathed. "Did she call you here too?"
"No," Yue said, smiling. "My spirit will always be linked here, linked with Tui. I came because I knew she was calling you."
Katara reached out, nearly gasping as her hand passed through Yue's hand. A cool sensation brushed along her fingertips, as if she was touching a very dense fog.
Steadying herself, Katara took a deep breath, and smiled in return. "It is good to see you again, Yue."
"Follow me," the young spirit said. "She's waiting."
The Spirit Oasis was just as Katara had remembered it - all damage from Zhao's attack healed and gone. The air was somehow cool and warm, and Katara felt a shiver go down her spine as she approached the pool that sat in its center.
The moon's reflection danced along the water's surface, and along the scales of the koi that swam together inside. Katara's eyes went to the white koi, which paused its dance with the black koi for only a moment.
Yue, who was beside Katara, whispered, "The spirits of Tui and La welcome you here, Katara of the Southern Water Tribe."
Katara knelt and bowed. "Thank you, spirits of the Moon and Ocean."
Yue floated above the pool, bathed in moonlight, as she faced Katara. "She is coming." Yue reached out, touching Katara's forehead.
Katara gasped as her vision went completely white.
"You have come a long way, my child."
Katara blinked, and saw that in Yue's place, was the Moon Spirit, just as she had appeared in her dreams. The Spirit Oasis remained the same, with the koi still dancing together in the pool.
"I don't understand," Katara said.
"I am here with you," the old spirit told her. "In one of my forms."
"Why did you bring me here?"
"The Spirit Oasis is one of the strongest links to the spirit worlds, as you friend the Avatar could tell her," the Moon said, a smile touching her lips.
"Worlds?" Katara repeated. "So it's true, there are other worlds and forms in which you and Agni take?"
"In a way, yes. There are things mortals are not meant to understand, my child. The spirit worlds are a vast and tricky plane, and few journey here and back with the understanding of their existence."
"Iroh does," Katara realized.
The Moon Spirit nodded. "As a child of Agni, General Iroh was granted the knowledge, for the spirits knew he would not use it for his own gain."
"Then why am I here? Why did you call me? Why did you chose me?"
"So many questions," the spirit chuckled. "Rightfully so."
As Yue has, the Moon Spirit touched Katara's forehead. Her disembodied voice continued.
"There is much unrest in the spirit worlds, my child. The balance between the spirit world and you world is threatened by those who wish to tear the veil, to conquer them all. Long ago, the spirits would call upon the Avatar to be their champion, for who better for this challenge than the bridge between worlds?
But the Avatar is a being who is strong and yet so vulnerable. The links between the former lives is a breakable, tangible thing, which would throw the cosmos into chaos if broken. So the old spirits chose others to fight by the Avatar's side, to be his manifested links to the elements, to be there if he should fall. Children of the spirits, the chosen were amongst the strongest benders apart from the Avatar. Now, as milennia passed, their descendents are born should there ever be a need for them to rise to their full potential. You may have guessed your role in this, and the young Fire Lord's."
"I am the moon's descendent, he is the sun's," Katara said.
"Yes, my child. As one of my physical forms is a koi, the old spirits too had many physical forms they once walked the earth as. Your friend, the Avatar, has encountered the lion turtle, one of our forms. The first Avatar met us all, while yours met one of Agni's forms."
"Because he was fighting the fire lord," Katara said, knowledge burning through her veins like fire. "And the spirits called upon Agni to share his knowledge to the Avatar in order to defeat him."
"Just as we call upon you now, for there is a need for a child of Agni and a child of Tui to fight together against what is to come."
"Why me?" Katara repeated, trying to sort her thoughts from the spirit's.
"Because it is going to take more than the power of one to defeat the ones who threaten the balance. You will need each other, and the young Avatar's help."
"What's coming for us? What do Ozai and Azula have planned?"
"Continue on the path, and the answers will come."
Katara looked up, and saw she was back in the Spirit Oasis, and the Moon Spirit floated next to Yue. Katara saw the moonlight glinting off the golden betrothal necklace the spirit wore.
Do I only have these feelings for Zuko because of the moon and the sun?
The Moon Spirit looked at her, as if she had heard Katara's doubts. "Do not fear your feelings for the young Fire Lord, nor doubt them. They will guide you on your journey."
As the Moon faded away, Yue met Katara's gaze. "I will be here if you need me," the young spirit said, her voice blending with the Moon's.
Then Katara was alone, with nothing but the koi and her thoughts.
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Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA or any of its characters.
Author's Note: Happy Holidays!
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