Chapter 10: The Seer

Sen stood before the curtain to Hayao's chamber, contemplating his course.

Hayao was clearly not being straight with Sen or Miyani in regards to their training. They were both being manipulated somehow, but for what reason? Sen knew it wouldn't be as easy as walking in and asking. He might end up with more questions than answers if he tried.

Still, he didn't really have any other options. Miyani was uncooperative, and oddly enough, so were his friends. Sen recalled how Hayao had spoken to them privately months ago, during their first meeting. Had Hayao made Suda and Ada part of his scheme as well? He didn't like the idea that they would keep secrets from him. Ada still had a tool from Ko Rin's arsenal she was trying to hide from him.

Still, if Suda and Ada both agreed with it, then Hayao's plan was probably for the best. He'd just have to play along for a little while. Sen pulled the curtain aside and stepped forward.

Hayao was still sitting in the exact same place and position as Sen had last seen him. The only change in the room was the number of burning candles in the ring around Hayao. A few had gone out. The white skull-mask Hayao wore seemed slightly darker for the lost light of the candles.

"How goes your training, Avatar?"

Hayao's voice was as deep and resounding as ever. Sen had the feeling that if Hayao ever shouted, it would shake the very earth, but so far he had never raised his voice.

"I've been doing well," Sen said. "I think the worst is behind me."

"I agree," Hayao intoned. The flow of energy through the Avatar's body had mostly normalized. For most people, this would be enough, but the Avatar had to be more than normal. There were lessons still yet to be learned.

"Ma-, uh, Hayao, I had some questions. About Miyani."

"Those answers are not mine to give."

"But, Miyani hasn't been-"

"What Miyani is doing or saying is Miyani's concern," Hayao scolded. "I am not responsible for the way she acts. If you want answers, you may get them from her."

Sen had the feeling he wouldn't get those answers easily. Hayao changed the subject.

"Miyani will continue your training, but there is one thing I would teach you personally," Hayao began. "It is rare and valuable knowledge, and I believe it will be essential to your quest."

"Well, how can I refuse," Sen said. He sat cross-legged as Hayao began his lesson. He had come here to ask about Miyani, but the idea of learning a new technique appealed to him. Hopefully it would be something useful.

"You recall our first meeting, when I ascertained you were the Avatar through reading your body heat," Hayao asked. Sen nodded. "The ability to read heat can provide insight into your fellow man, and will be complimentary to your pre-existing ability to sense vibrations through the ground. You may have already noticed yourself using this talent subconsciously."

Sen had noticed strange sources of heat from people around him in recent weeks. He had assumed it was coincidence, though, not some technique he had accidentally learned. He also wondered how Hayao knew he'd been sensing these things. They hadn't spoken in months.

"Heat Reading is not difficult to master, but it is a rare ability to possess; it requires an intuitive ability to understand your fellow man, and the way energy flows through the body. I believe that your experience with the so-called 'Sozin Syndrome' has familiarized you with the way energy flows through your own body. The nexuses of personal energy are called Chakras."

Sen had a passing familiarity with the concept of chakra's, but no real knowledge. It was hardly a problem, as Hayao would undoubtedly be telling him soon.

"Chakras will become important for you later in your journey, as you master the Avatar State, but that is not your concern at this time. For now, we will only discuss the basest details. First, focus on the base of your spine."

Sen turned his newfound sense inwards, towards his waist. Without Sozin Syndrome filling his body with heat, it was surprisingly easy to feel the flow of energy through himself. It was particularly concentrated near his waist, just where Hayao had told him to look.

"This is the Earth chakra. It concerns survival, and is blocked by fear. In those who are courageous, this chakra flows with energy. In cowards, it is sluggish. It is also, naturally, the chakra of earthbenders, and flows stronger in them, as you can see. Now, look to your pelvis."

Sen shifted his focus. The next nexus of energy was dimmer, though not completely dark.

"The Water chakra deals with pleasure, and is blocked by guilt. Those who are joyful shine brightly, while those unable to enjoy life grow dark. This chakra is also associated with waterbenders."

Sen nodded. It made sense that this chakra was darker. While he'd overcome most of his negative emotions regarding Hanjo, there was still guilt clouding his heart. That would be something to be dealt with in time, though.

"Now, focus on your stomach. This is the fire chakra, the governing chakra of firebending. It is also the chakra of willpower, blocked by shame."

Hayao made sure to stress this lesson. Though Sen had grown stronger, he still lacked true willpower; the drive and desire to be master of his own destiny. If Hayao could not inspire that determination in him, then the world was lost.

When Sen focused on the Fire chakra, he found it surprisingly blocked. He had assumed Water, blocked by guilt, would be his worst, but the Fire chakra was even darker. He had been doing fairly well at firebending, even. It didn't make sense to him.

"Those who have the strength of will to decide their own fate, and persevere despite mistakes, have great power. Those who let their past errors weigh them down and allow outside forces to decide the course of their life will see this chakra blocked."

Sen hung his head and thought about Hayao's words. Everything he'd done so far had been decided for him by other people. He had made very few choices of his own volition, never taken charge of his own life. He'd thought that relying on his friends would be the wise thing to do, but at some point he'd forgotten to rely on himself as well.

It was hard for him to think of a way in which he could have made the right choice, though. He was still naïve in a lot of ways, inexperienced about the world. If he hadn't trusted Hanjo to guide him, they never would have found Ada or Suda, and Sen might never have learned proper earthbending. Even now, he was reliant on Miyani to learn firebending. Was it really so bad to count on other people?

The fire chakra in Sen's stomach stayed as dark as ever. Hayao noticed this, but was hardly surprised. Words alone would not change such a thing. It was a lesson Sen would have to learn the hard way.

"Now focus on your heart," Hayao said, pressing onwards. "This is the Air chakra. It concerns love, and is blocked by grief. Airbenders have great power in this chakra."

Sen was pleasantly surprised to find this chakra flowing fairly healthily. Miyani's lessons in holding onto the positive memories of Hanjo, and releasing the negative, had helped him deal with his grief.

"Those who acknowledge the flaws of their fellow man, and the world, and choose to love regardless have great power in this chakra. But there are those who have given in to despair, and allow the fear of darkness to rule their heart, and those people have a powerful coldness inside them."

There was something strange about Hayao's tone, as if he were speaking of someone specific. It didn't sound like he was describing Miyani, but if not her, who? Hayao quickly proceeded, giving Sen little time to contemplate it.

"The next chakra is located at the throat. The Sound chakra is the chakra of truth and lies. Those who are honest see great light, while the deceptive are lost in darkness. It is not associated with any element or bending art."

Sen focused on his throat and found it surprisingly bright. He had been deceiving Miyani about his identity, claiming to be someone other than the Avatar, for quite some time. Sen supposed it was the intent as much as the act that defined the lie. He didn't lie to Miyani out of malice or a desire to manipulate; it was necessary. Hayao had ordered him to, and keeping his identity secret kept the Energybender off of his trail.

"The Light chakra, located in the forehead, concerns insight, and is blocked by illusion. Those with great perception will have this chakra flow strongly, but those who are manipulated easily, or manipulate others, will see it blocked. This is also the chakra associated with advanced bending techniques. Metalbending, lightning generation, and other master disciplines require great insight, and thus those capable of them show great power in this chakra."

Sen found this chakra to be fairly average within himself. He still had a lot to learn about the world and himself; it was no surprise that he lacked insight. It also explained why he'd been unable to metalbend thus far, and why he'd failed so spectacularly at creating lightning.

"The Thought chakra is a complex chakra, dealing with cosmic energy and being blocked by earthly attachments. While it is essential to unlocking the Avatar State, it has no bearing to our lesson today. Thus, we are done."

Sen nodded and uncrossed his legs, standing up and stretching out. He felt oddly refreshed.

"Commit what I have said today to memory. So long as you remember this, you will be able to learn much. By seeing what chakras flow freely and which are blocked, you can discover many things about people."

Sen was suddenly overcome with curiosity. Hayao could see what was coming now and did nothing to stop it. Sen tried to read Hayao, and immediately regretted his decision. It was like staring into the sun. Sen suddenly had an extremely powerful headache.

"I would not do that again," Hayao said, without a hint of sarcasm.

"What are you," Sen asked. He felt like he'd jammed a hot poker into his forehead. What he'd seen in Hayao wasn't even roughly comparable to the energy he'd felt within himself. He wondered if Hayao was even human. The robed master being some kind of spirit might explain why he never needed to move.

"I am a man," Hayao assured him. Sen peered curiously at the ancient Fire Nation mask that covered Hayao's face, trying to catch a glimpse of humanity beneath it. "Beyond that, you don't need to concern yourself with me."

Hayao knew that in the grand scheme of things, he was nothing impressive. Sen was still in his formative years, but in time, Sen would outshine Hayao and all other things in existence. A fully realized Avatar was the single most powerful entity, human or spirit, in all existence.

"Now, as you're still barred from returning the mainland, this talent may not be immediately useful." Hayao said that, but he absolutely knew that Sen was making occasional visits to the mainland. "I urge you to practice it regardless. Focus on yourself whenever possible."

"And what if I focused on, say, Miyani?"

The Avatar was trying to make it sound casual, but Hayao could tell that Miyani had been occupying his thoughts. That was good. The two of them would need to work together to achieve their mutual goal. Miyani was not likely to begin the partnership, so Sen taking the initiative was a good sign.

"Or, wait, would that be the wrong thing to do," Sen said. The second-guessing surprised Hayao. He had not really been expecting Sen to contemplate the morality of it. "Isn't it a violation of privacy, really? I mean, you asked permission before you did it to me."

Hayao supposed it was good that Sen was concerned about the morality of his actions. While Hayao wanted to teach the Avatar to be proactive, responsibility was a crucial lesson as well. Finding the balance between your concern for yourself and your concern for others was important.

"That was a formality," Hayao told him. "Consider the Sound chakra. If it is blocked, you know the individual is a liar. You do not, however, know what they are lying about. Their privacy is intact."

Sen nodded. That explanation satisfied him. He was excited to try out his new ability, and began to bid goodbye to Hayao. Hayao interrupted him, as he had one final thing to say.

"Sen. Do not underestimate what I have taught you. Heat Reading is yet another way for you to gain insight into the world around you. You will need this and more to achieve your destiny."

"I can see how," Sen said. "All the knowledge of the chakras should be useful against the Energybender. Thank you."

"There is more than that," Hayao said. "The Energybender is the foremost challenge you must face, but you have a long life ahead of you, and it will be filled with challenges. The skills you learn now will decide how you approach them all. Talents such as heat reading will define the kind of Avatar you become."

"I don't understand," Sen said. "The Avatar is the Avatar. I have to maintain balance. Is there more to it?"

"The Avatar is not 'the Avatar'," Hayao scolded. "The Avatar is you."

Sen didn't understand. Hayao didn't expect him to, not yet. But by hearing those words, he would begin to contemplate them, and by that contemplation he would eventually come to understand.

Sen asked Hayao what he meant, and received no answer. He didn't bother asking twice. He'd heard from Miyani that when Hayao didn't want to talk to you, he just flat out stopped talking. If Hayao was shutting up now, it meant they were done for the day. Sen bowed and stepped outside the chamber, climbing out into the fog-shrouded coast. Miyani was waiting by the entrance to the cave. Sen took a seat next to her, without calling for her attention. It was time to put the days lessons into practice.

Sen was surprised at how cold Miyani felt. Energy flowed through her at a sluggish pace. While most of her chakras were obviously blocked, the heart of the matter seemed to be the Light chakra. It felt to Sen like energy was trying to flow, but it was being restrained by some outside force. By feeling his way through the network of chi that ran through Miyani's body, he assumed that resolving the blockage of the Light chakra would repair the broken flow of energy through Miyani's body.

Hayao had said the Light chakra was blocked by illusions or manipulation. Sen nodded his head. At last he finally had some direction for helping Miyani. Hopefully he would be able to find out what was causing her problems and put an end to it, for Miyani's sake.

"Afternoon, Miyani," He said. Miyani finally acknowledged his presence. She had a habit of not realizing Sen was there until he spoke, as she got wrapped up in her own meditations.

"Hello, Sen."

"You eaten lunch yet?"

"Not yet," She said.

"Well, the rice is looking particularly delicious today," Sen joked. "It'd be even better with company. Want to join me?"

"That sounds good," Miyani said. Sen helped her to her feet and they proceeded into the caverns makeshift kitchen. Miyani's problems, whatever they were, would still be there after lunch. For now, Sen just wanted to eat with her.

The Harrier's loyalty to his cause was not in question. He absolutely believed in the Energybender's cause, and he was more than willing to give his life if it meant achieving that goal.

Yet the Imperfects found a way to make him question whether life was worth living at all.

"Is it a vegetable," Huel shouted.

"You idiot, I already asked if it was a metal and he said yes," The Eel scolded. "You just wasted a question!"

"I needed to be certain," Huel replied.

"Yeah, because so there's so many metal vegetables in the world!"

The four Imperfects were trying to play twenty questions in the back of the armored transport, and their circle of questions made Harrier legitimately considering putting his fingers to his head and making some lightning.

"It's my turn now," The Eel said. "I want to know, is it yellow?"

"No," Duga said.

"Does it conduct electricity," Paz asked.

"Yes it does," Duga said. Paz was enthusiastically congratulated by The Eel. They were the current pairing in Paz's circular romantic cycle. They only had a few days left before she jumped back to Duga, of course.

"Oh spirits, it's tungsten! He's thinking of tungsten," The Harrier said. They should have been able to figure that out seven questions ago. Not that he expected much from the Imperfects. They wouldn't know tungsten if you hit them in the face with it. The only reason Duga knew is because Harrier had mentioned it in a conversation about metalbending earlier. They had been talking about metalbending a lot, since learning of Sorikami's paranoia.

"You're really good at this, boss," Paz said. The Harrier sighed heavily. He picked up the radio and got in touch with some of the other search parties. They were significantly understaffed. The Fire Nation was the smallest of all six existing nations, but they just didn't have the resources in place to maintain a search. They had been at it for months now with almost nothing to show for it. It was as if the Avatar had dropped off the face of the earth.

Their only lead was his involvement with Sorikami, and she was just as hard to track. Sorikami's bitter personality made it so few people knew or cared where she had gone to. The only real clue they'd gathered about her was that she was afraid of metalbenders, and that didn't help their tracking much at all.

The Harrier finished his correspondence with his search parties and groaned again. Being stuck with the Imperfects was bad enough, but having nothing to show for it made it all the worse.

"Our search is not going well," Huel shouted.

"We're missing something," The Harrier sighed. "There has to be some piece of evidence we missed. Some kind of idea we haven't had."

"I have all kinds of ideas," Paz said. "Like, what if the Avatar has a dragon now, and he's just flying all around?"

"That's preposterous," The Harrier said. There were only a few dragons in the whole world; they would notice very quickly if one was travelling in a suspicious pattern. He pulled out a map of the Fire Nation and started looking it over.

"Yeah, and an Avatar with a dragon would attract even more attention than a normal Avatar," The Eel said.

"The Avatar is already barely attracting attention," Huel shouted. "We have seen no sign of him since Tahu Island."

The Harrier slowly looked up from the map.

"Huel. When you say you haven't seen him since Tahu Island, exactly what do you mean?"

"My squadron confirmed that he arrived on the island via the Kyanu port, travelling with Master Sorikami. We have seen no sign of him since then."

The Harrier calmly folded his map up and placed it in the glove compartment. He unbuckled his seatbelt and turned to face Huel.

"And why didn't you inform me of this specific detail?"

"There has been no further information," Huel continued. He was far too stupid to realize he was in trouble just yet. The Harrier made that trouble very apparent when he grabbed a small pen that was lying around and threw it into Huel's eye. His training had imbued the Harrier with an uncanny accuracy, with lightning and with thrown objects. Huel clutched at his wounded eye.

"And did it ever occur to you that we haven't seen any sign of the Avatar since then because that's where he stopped moving?"

Huel choked out a panicked excuse. Harrier didn't bother listening. He turned around in his seat and activated the radio.

"All units recall to Tahu Island," he said. The driver of the vehicle slowed and turned around. Doubtlessly dozens of other units across the Fire Nation would be doing the same. The Harrier retrieved his map and looked to Tahu Island. It was fairly sizable, with multiple small villages located on it, but only a few major cities, among them the bustling port of Gai Zhu.