The Avatar Strikes Back

by MegaBob452

A contaminated world, a menaced empire, brought together by mutual interference. A year has passed since the saiyans departed, their actions still leaving their mark on the galaxy at large and one little blue marble in particular. Earth is unprepared for the nightmares ahead, while the Empire finds wonders in an unexpected place.

48. Alternate Enlightenment

Chapter 48: Alternate Enlightenment

After everyone said their goodbyes, it was time to leave this frozen shelter.

Pakku left half of his waterbenders behind to assist the Southern Water Tribe, the rest escorting Iroh and the young folk across the tundra. Katara and Sokka weren't happy that they needed to leave their home, but they knew they were needed elsewhere. Suki couldn't wait to get out of the frozen wasteland, and Luke could share that sentiment. There was no trace of the route they had taken to reach the buried shelter, for snowdrifts had already moved far enough to cover everything. Although the blizzard had passed, strong winds remained in its wake, blowing the fresh snow across the tundra.

They took a route with a wide berth around the occupied settlement, keeping it just on the horizon, where they could see if the imperials were coming for them. There was some smoke rising into the sky, likely from the TIE Fighters that had crashed in the storm. But there weren't any fighters in the sky, or were they were too far away to be seen. With the moving snowdrifts for cover the group remained out of sight, waterbending the snow as needed for maximum concealment. It allowed them to reach the shore in good time, and from there they could head out to sea.

Strong winds were whipping up fierce waves on the sea, dangerous for any naval vessel that dared to sail in such weather. The plan was to leave the way they came, via underwater travel that could not be seen from the sky. It was tricky getting beneath the waves, but once the waterbenders made their underwater air bubble it was smooth sailing. The depths of the ocean didn't care about the weather above, though it was pitch black in the deep. That made navigation difficult, but as long as they kept to one direction it should direct them straight north.

After a few hours of travel and several surfaces for air, they crossed much of the southern seas. This time they surfaced in the middle of the night, and the waterbenders created a wide raft of ice, so that they could rest for a while. With only the stars and the moon for light, it was impossible to see land in any direction. But with the stars Iroh and Pakku could still navigate, comparing the constellations to what they knew from memory, using them to calculate their approximate position. They had some debate over the specifics, but Iroh's better knowledge of the southern hemisphere won out.

"We seem to have drifted off course," Iroh reported to everyone else. "We've gone too far west."

Pakku created a chair of ice to sit on. "Given that we could not see down there, we did pretty well."

Taking the moment to look to the south, Luke imagined the place he had spent the last year in. "You know… that place was starting to grow on me."

"It may be cold, but its home," Katara said, standing next to Luke. "Hoth was a lot worse."

Meanwhile Sokka had gone over to Suki, looking at the northern horizon. "So which part of the Earth Kingdom is your base in now? I assume you've had to move it several times since we left."

"Seven times at last count," Suki specified. "It's near Ba Sing Se this time."

"Isn't it dangerous close to the capital?" Sokka asked.

"Everywhere is dangerous now," Suki said. "It's only a matter of degree now."

"Just how bad is it?" Sokka asked.

"We've had to deal with collaborators for a few months now," Suki answered. "There are benders that have gotten desperate enough to work with the Empire."

"Well… it was going to happen sooner or later," Sokka grumbled

By then Pakku and Iroh had gotten their bearings and set a new course, heading directly for the southeastern corner of the Earth Kingdom. It was the shortest distance to reach land, and minimum risk of being detected by patrols beyond the South Pole. Travelling underwater again, it was back to pitch black, until the rising sun shed light on the shallow part of the sea. With the morning light they could see the continental shelf when it was close, and all the fish and plants that lived there, right up until they reached the shore.

Surfacing with a large wave, everyone set foot on a sandy shore, and they spent a moment to take in the view. At this time of year there was ice holding the sand together, being plenty cold this far south. There were mountains in the distance, surrounded by forests that almost reached the beach. A light coating of snow covered the land, nowhere near as bad as the South Pole, just a couple inches instead of several feet. This was where the group would split and part ways, Pakku and his remaining waterbenders returning to the sea, the rest travelling overland across the Earth Kingdom.

"It was good to see you again," Katara said, giving a respectful bow to her old teacher. "Safe travels."

"Same for you," Pakku said, returning the bow to his former student.

"Where are you going now?" Sokka asked.

"Over to the Foggy Swamp," Pakku answered. "The waterbenders there have been trying to fight the Empire and have made a right mess of things. They've asked for help."

"While you're on the way there, can you check in on Kyoshi Island for me?" Suki asked. If she remembered her geography correctly, Pakku would have to pass by it before reaching the Foggy Swamp. "I haven't been able to go home in a long time."

"If we make good time, I might be able to do that," Pakku said. He gave a gentle nod to her, and then bowed to Iroh next. "Farewell."

Pakku and the other waterbenders returned to the shore, heading back into the water one more time. Everyone else started walking in the opposite direction, heading for the closest thing to a road in this remote part of the world. That would be a bare dirt path winding through the forest, grass and bushes growing on the sides and threatening to consume the dirt and rocks. But before they could even reach the forest's edge everyone heard a screeching sound from above, and they all looked at the sky to see what was coming.

"We've got patrols heading our way," Sokka warned, spotting a pair of ships coming over the western horizon. "We need to hide, now."

There wasn't much to work with for cover on the shore, so all they could do was run for the forest as fast as they could. The patrol ships were flying in fast, no doubt sent out in response to the madness at the South Pole, the imperial on high alert for further resistance activity. The group made it to the forest just in time, seeing the shadows move by as the patrol ships passed. The ships were low enough for the trees to shake in the wake of both, shedding some of the snow that clung to the branches. They were gone just as fast as they came, but more were sure to come.

"That's going to make things difficult," Suki said.

"We will need to be careful," Iroh said. "And avoid the main roads, once we get that far inland."

"Does anyone have a map?" Sokka asked. "I need to check something."

Suki had a rolled-up map on her, and she handed it over to Sokka. "Here."

"Thanks," Sokka said. He unrolled the map, figured out where they were on it, and which direction to go from here. "Does anyone mind if we stop at the Eastern Air Temple on the way north?"

"Why do you want to go there?" Suki asked.

"It's for me," Luke said. "Sokka mentioned there might be someone there that can help."

Katara nodded in understanding, and then turned to her brother. "You think that guru might still be there?"

"Maybe," Sokka said with a shrug. "It's been a few years, but he wasn't in any shape to travel. If that old man is still alive, there's a good chance he's still at the temple."

Curious about who they were talking about, Iroh put a hand to his beard. "Which guru would this be?"

"He said his name was Pathik," Sokka answered. "He helped Aang with mastering the Avatar State. Knows more about spiritual stuff than any of us do. If there's anyone on Earth that might help Luke solve his Force issue, it would be the guru."

Their new destination set, the group walked down the dirt path, keeping an eye on the sky for more patrols. They headed toward the mountains to the northeast, where the Eastern Air Temple awaited. The trip took a few days to travel by land, sticking to the forest whenever possible, going over the shallow slopes of the low mountains. They had to hide on more than one occasion, patrol ships from the south extending their reach further north with each passing day. But they made good time despite the hardships, and the remoteness of their destination helped deter investigation.

The Eastern Air Temple was built atop three low-lying mountains, with bridges spanning the valleys in between. Ornate buildings covered the slopes, with the most sacred structures at the three peaks. All of it was in disrepair, having been scorched by firebenders over a century ago and followed by no repairs or maintenance in all that time. Large chunks of the temple had collapsed, but enough remained to be somewhat habitable, if one were desperate or dedicated. It was just as Sokka remembered, the last time he had been here with Aang.

"Whelp, let's see if anyone's home," Sokka said.

The group crossed one of the few remaining bridges, heading to the central mountain holding the temple. Despite the damage inflicted over the century, the temple was an impressive work of architecture, and it truly would have been glorious back when it had been new. From the base of the temple the group climbed upward, using stairs where available, climbing up debris when necessary. They didn't see anyone living here, but the temple was big place, with plenty of empty space for anyone to be hiding.

"Hello!" Sokka called out, hands cupped at his mouth. "Guru Pathik! Are you there?! It's Sokka!"

There was no answer, but that didn't mean much here, with plenty of ground left for them to search through. They hadn't found a body yet, so no one could say for certain if the guru had died. So they kept going up, heading into the more important areas of the temple, checking every room they found along the way. They split up to cover more ground, but kept with earshot, speeding up the search somewhat. So when Luke spotted footprints in old dust on the floor, he could call over someone else to take a look.

"I've got something over here," Luke said. He saw Sokka running over to him. "These tracks look fresh."

"Yup," Sokka said. "It could be our guy."

They followed the tracks down a half-collapsed hallway, and were led to a small room at the end. It was barely furnished, having a bedroll and little else. On that bedroll was an old man sitting cross-legged, with both hands held apart, head turned upward. This old man was practically nothing but skin and bones, any muscle he might have had being lost to time. His long beard was a lot thinner than Sokka remembered, and he thought he saw a few strands of hair fall out before his eyes. He was clearly deep in meditation, and Sokka figured this was how the guru planned to spend his final days.

"Hello," Sokka said, keeping his voice calm and respectful. "Guru Pathik, it's me, Sokka."

Slowly, Pathik opened one eye, and then the other. "Ah, Sokka, it warms the heart to see you visit this old soul again. And you brought a friend."

Sokka nodded. "It looks like we got here just in time."

Pathik leaned forward to bow, but was overcome by a coughing fit, eventually clearing his throat and breathing properly again. "Yes, I do not have much time left."

"I'm sorry to interrupt your peaceful end," Sokka said. "But we need your help."

"I have already taught the Avatar everything he needed to know," Pathik said. "The purpose that I have lived so long for has been fulfilled."

"Aang isn't here," Sokka said. He tilted his head toward Luke. "I was hoping you could do for Luke what you did for Aang."

Pathik took a moment to look at Luke, examining the young man for himself, and his gaze seemed to look deeper than the physical level. "You have lost something most dear, and it has left your soul out of balance. You hope that if you return to balance, what you lost will return."

"Yes," Luke admitted. He sat down in front of the guru, matching the old man's pose. "Anything I need to do, I will do it."

"Turn around please. Let me get a good look at you," Pathik asked. He watched Luke turn and pull up his shirt, revealing the scar from the lightning strike. "Hmm… let's see just how bad it is…"

He put two fingers on Luke's back, and started tracing the edges of the scar, ignoring Luke's wince at the touch. Pathik muttered something to himself, inspecting the physical and spiritual damage, getting a feel for Luke's condition. Then he traced a spiral inward across the scar, eventually reaching the center and leaving his fingers there. Pathik pulled his fingers away, narrowed his eyes, and then jabbed his fingers into the scar. A sharp jolt of pain shot through Luke, though he could not let out a scream, seemingly paralyzed by the sudden strike.

Sokka couldn't help but stare. "What are you doing?"

Before he could get an answer, Sokka felt a whole lot lighter. He saw dust and pebbles rising upward, like they had lost all weight. Everything around Luke was rising, Sokka soon lost contact with the floor, and Pathik had to hold onto Luke to avoid floating away from him. Pathik was surprised by this reaction, not knowing the nature of this power, just that it was disrupted by the damaged body. He pulled his finger away from Luke, the pain he felt dropped to an intense throbbing, and everything floating fell back to the floor.

Breathing heavily, and having feeling the part of his back that had been numb for so long, Luke rested with both hands on the floor. "How… how did you do that?"

"That is where your power is blocked," Pathik answered. "The pathways within you are damaged. Once we create new pathways, you will have control over it again."

It seemed that this little outburst of the Force had drawn attention, for Suki and Katara came into this room together. "What were you- oh you found him."

Hearing his sister's voice, Sokka stood and turned toward her. "Yeah, sorry we didn't come get you."

"It's alright I suppose," Suki said. She noticed that Luke had his shirt pulled up for examination, and quickly averted her eyes. "I'm going to take first watch. Do whatever it is you need to do so we can go."

"I don't think we will be too long," Sokka said, walking over to them. "It had taken about a day for Aang to go through this stuff. I can see Luke getting through it faster."

"Well I'm going to go get Iroh and let him know you've found this guy," Katara said. She glanced at the old man struggling to stand. "Let me know if you need any help with him."

"I'm sure we'll be fine," Sokka said.

Rising to his feet, but with wobbly knees, Pathik found the will to walk despite his whittled old bones. "Then let us begin."

Pathik led Luke and Sokka out of this room, heading to another part of the temple. The old man's steps were slow and careful, giving off the sense that he rarely walked anymore due to his advanced age. Luke took care to not get ahead of him, choosing to treat the slow pace as a test of patience. More than once Pathik stumbled and coughed, and Luke and Sokka were there to help him recover. Pathik brought them to a small creek that flowed down the side of the temple, where the slope was staggered and the water pooled on each level before flowing to the next.

They stopped at the highest part of the stepped slope, and sat down at the first of the pools of water. "Thank you boys, this place will do."

"Is there anything you need?" Sokka asked.

"No, I will be good from here," Pathik said.

"Okay," Sokka said. He pointed a thumb back at the path they took to get here. "I'll be right out there if you change your mind."

Pathik watched Sokka until he was out of sight, and turned his attention to Luke. "Tell me, Luke, what do you know of chakras?"

"I'm not familiar with the term," Luke admitted. He looked at the creek flowing through the pools, parts of it plugged with moss and sticks that slowed the current, figuring that this was meant to be a metaphor. "Would I be right to assume it has to do with how energy flows through the body?"

"Yes you would," Pathik said, glad that Luke has some spiritual understanding already. "Chakras are the points where that energy pools together. Each deals with an aspect of life, and each can be blocked by a negative emotion. To create new pathways and restore the flow within you, we will need to open all of your chakras."

To demonstrate what he meant, Pathik picked up a long stick and prodded the first pool. He left the clogged part of the stream alone, instead poking at one of the rocks along the edge, pushing out one of them. Water flowed through the new gap, going into the next pool below, which overflowed into the next, and so on and so forth. The old paths for the stream remained clogged with debris, but it didn't matter now that the water had a different route to take. The small fish in the creek were pleased, swimming downstream in a healthy-looking creek.

"I see," Luke said. He heard footsteps approaching, and he looked up to see Katara coming towards them from behind Pathik. "Hey Katara, did you need something?"

"I just wanted to see what you were doing," Katara answered. "I heard part of it coming up here. It sounds interesting. Mind if I stick around for a bit?"

"Please, join us," Pathik said, gesturing to a spot nearby. "Even if you do not require your chakras opened, doing so can be an enlightening experience."

Katara shrugged before sitting down. "Okay, sure, why not?"

Luke nodded to her and then looked at Pathik. "Where do we begin?"

"We begin with the Earth chakra," Pathik said. "It deals with survival, the desire to live in spite of all dangers. It is blocked by fear, which leads to inaction in the face of threats. What are you most afraid of? Bring your fears to the surface, and let them go."

Of all the things there were to be afraid of in the galaxy, one thing in particular came to mind. It was a vision Luke experienced, back in that cave on Dagobah, during another spiritual exercise. There he had fought an apparition of Darth Vader, but while that man was terrifying in his own right, he had not been the greatest fear. During the vision Luke had vanquished his foe, cut off its head even, and saw the face of the helmet explode. Within the helmet Luke had seen his own face, which had been a warning of what he might become if he strayed too far.

"I am not Vader," Luke said, casting aside the fear that he might become just like him. "I will not fall down that dark path."

Meanwhile Katara was thinking of a different kind of fear, one that she hadn't wanted to face, a fear for someone else. She had suppressed her worry about Aang all this time, having no idea where he could be or if he was even alive. There had been no information about his whereabouts, like he had fallen off the face of the Earth, which may very well have happened for all she knew. He might very well be dead, and she wouldn't know until a reincarnation started bending multiple elements. The idea that she might never see Aang again was gnawing at her, though she wanted to hope that he was still alive somewhere.

"Aang might be gone for good," Katara said. She let out a long sigh. "But there's nothing I can do about that. Worrying about him isn't going to help anyone."

Pathik nodded, seeing them let go of those fears. "Excellent, you have opened your Earth chakras."

Feeling better about his future, Luke nodded in understanding. "What's next?"

"The Water chakra," Pathik answered.

"Sounds like something I should be good with," Katara said.

"Perhaps," Pakku said. He would have liked to go to a nearby waterfall, but felt the need to conserve his limited stamina. "This chakra deals with pleasure, and is blocked by guilt. Look at all the guilt that burdens you so. What do you blame yourself for?"

That was an easy one for Luke to answer. "I screwed up big time. I was blinded by my belief that I was doing the right thing, and I wouldn't listen when others told me I was wrong. I was certain that I knew what I was doing, but all I accomplished was giving Vader what he wanted."

"Such mistakes are the curse of youth," Pathik said. "It is all too easy to believe that you can do no wrong, especially when you bear a great responsibility. Do not let such mistakes cloud and poison your energy, learn to forgive yourself, and strive to do better."

"I have been," Luke said. "And I will do better."

Katara had taken more time in thought about this, and there was one thing she blamed herself for more than anything else. "When I was very little, my mother was killed in a Fire Nation raid. They were after the last southern waterbender, and she told them that was her."

"She gave up her life to protect yours," Pathik surmised.

"Yeah," Katara said. "It's just… I always lashed out at anyone who brought up my mother. I wanted to blame everyone else, but deep down I was blaming myself."

"The only one to blame is the person that took her from you," Pathik said. "Do not lessen the memory of her by punishing yourself for her choice. She wanted you to live, but not in sorrow."

"I know," Katara said. She stood up and turned away. "I think… I want to be alone right now. Okay?"

"Yes, of course," Pathik said. "Opening the chakras can be a taxing experience. I understand if you do not want to continue."

That was a good spot to stop anyway, and the ideal place for the next step was in a more convenient location. Pathik led Luke through the temple again, heading up to a higher part on the central mountain. There was a room that was missing a wall, which gave it a great view of the mountains nearby. They sat down on a ledge where that wall should have been, and spent a moment admiring the view. Pathik did need to rest for a bit after the climb up here, but soon was ready to continue with his teachings.

They were joined by Sokka, who sat down next to Luke and faced the guru. "Do you mind having more company? I'm kind of curious about this whole chakra thing."

"You were here when I instructed Aang," Pathik said.

"Yeah, but I dozed off through half of it," Sokka admitted. "When you had us meditate, I couldn't help but take quick naps instead."

"I see," Pathik said. "Very well, a refresher is clearly due for you."

"Definitely," Sokka said.

"Okay," Luke said. "Where were we?"

"Third is the Fire chakra," Pathik said. "This chakra deals with willpower, and is blocked by shame. What are your biggest disappointments in yourself?"

"I never got back to Dagobah," Luke said. He wished he could be there now, back with the other old master that taught him spiritual lessons. "I promised Yoda I would return soon, and I never did. My training still isn't finished, and I can't finish it while I'm stuck here."

"I'm sure he would understand why you haven't returned yet," Pathik said. "Responsibility and convenience rarely coexist. You have a purpose, and sometimes it must be fulfilled before you can be fully prepared for the task at hand."

"Aang told me about how he had to deal with that reality," Luke said. "He said he didn't have the time to master firebending, but had to confront the Fire Lord anyway."

Pathik nodded. "Such is life, it does not obey our wishes for when events happen, but expects us to manage regardless of whether we are ready or not."

"So I've seen," Luke said. Still, he felt better for admitting it. "I think I understand that."

Meanwhile Sokka had something that he wished he hadn't failed at. "Back when aliens arrived the first time, I had a chance to explore one of their ships. But I didn't get to learn everything I wanted before that ship was completely destroyed."

"I'm sure you were pressed for time," Luke said.

"Thing is, I spent some of that time taking a long nap," Sokka admitted. "I thought I had all the time in the world. I didn't realize that ship and all its secrets could be taken away so easily."

"Such is the curse of hindsight," Pathik said. "We realize the things we could have done, but cannot do anything to change our choices. We can only learn from them and do better, should similar situations happen to cross our path."

"I was trying to learn about the Rebellion's tech, whenever I have the chance," Sokka said. "Granted, I'm nowhere near good enough at it yet, but I was getting better before coming home."

"Better than I would have expected," Luke said. "I mean, you're going from pre-industrial to interstellar level. I'd expect a severe learning curve."

"I must admit that I do not know what you two are talking about," Pathik said.

"Sorry," Sokka said, patting the back of his head. "I'll just be quiet now."

Luke turned back to the guru. "What's next?"

"Next is the Air chakra," Pathik said. He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, feeling a little winded already. "It deals with love and is blocked by grief. Lay all your grief out in front of you."

Luke closed his eyes, and went to a place he didn't want to go. He remembered the last time he spoke to Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru, when a petty argument had soured the mood, and he hadn't apologized to his uncle before they died. Then there was Old Ben, his one-time teacher, who had perished aboard the Death Star prior to its destruction. There were things he wanted to say to all of them, but for his aunt and uncle there was no way for him to do so. He wished he could bring them all back, but doubted there was any means in the galaxy to do so.

"You have felt the pain of loss," Pathik said, seeing the tears starting to well up in Luke. "But love is a form of energy, it swirls all around us. It is still inside your heart, and is reborn in new love of others."

His thoughts drifted away from those he had lost, turning to those he had met along his journey. Luke pictured the princess without a kingdom, wondering if anyone still addressed Leia by that title. There was Han and Chewbacca, two comrades that always denied their better nature while doing the right thing. And then there were the friends from this planet, Katara, Sokka, Aang, a trio of locals that had become so much more. He never would have met any of them if he had stayed on Tatooine, and he could be grateful to have them in his life.

"Let the pain flow away," Pathik instructed. He saw Luke wipe away tears and smile. "Very good."

Meanwhile Sokka had been thinking about the people he had lost in his life, first and foremost being his mother in that raid years ago. Then there were the people of the tribe that had perished in the war, and all the people that had sacrificed so much in fighting the Fire Nation and then the Empire. But then he thought about the people he had met along the way, from Aang to Zuko and everyone in between. He wouldn't trade them for anyone in the world or the galaxy, even if they weren't here with him right now.

"I think I've had enough," Sokka said. He stood up leave Pathik and Luke alone. "This sort of thing really isn't for me."

"If that is your wish," Pathik said.

That was enough for now, the emotional toll requiring a brief respite from these lessons. Pathik led Luke through the temple again, heading up the central mountain, stopping at a room near the peak. This room had statues of Air Nomad nuns along one wall, though most of the statues were damaged, only one being completely intact. Pathik sat down in the center of the room, putting his back toward the intact statue, and Luke sat in front of him. Luke looked up at the statue, wondering if it was based on any particular person, though he figured he would never know.

"So who was she?"

Both Pathik and Luke turned to see Suki entering the room, looking at the statue nearby. Pathik simply smile at her. "I honestly don't know. I never asked Aang if he knew when he was here."

"I thought you knew a lot about this place?" Luke asked.

"I merely live here," Pathik said. "And I arrived long after the Air Nomads were gone."

Suki walked over to them and sat down. "Katara and Sokka said you guys were doing some spiritual stuff. And I was wondering-"

"Yes, you can join us," Luke interrupted.

"Please do," Pathik said. "I have been enjoying the company."

"Okay," Suki said. "So where were you guys?"

"Fifth is the Sound chakra," Pathik said. "It deals with truth and is blocked by lies, the ones we tell ourselves."

Luke thought long and hard about that, working up the will to admit something he had convinced himself was right when he knew it was wrong. "I thought I could rely on the Force for everything. If I just took action in the way it guided me, everything would turn out right in the end."

"What part of that do you realize is wrong?" Pathik asked.

"Vader has the Force too," Luke answered. "It helps him just as much as it helps me, if not more. The Force is not benign, but neutral. Both good and evil can use it, and be guided by it. And in this case, it helped him more than it was helping me, and I paid the price for it."

"Sounds a lot like destiny," Pathik said. "It can lead to very dark places, but if you persevere, and choose the right path, you will reach your desired goal."

"Yes," Luke said. "I just need to think things through better going forward."

"That is a lesson many need to learn," Pathik said.

Suki held up her hand, palm facing up, and a small orb of light appeared in it. "I have a confession to make."

Luke glanced at the light, curious about what it was. "Is it about this ability of yours?"

"Yes," Suki said. She let the light fade and closed her hand, then let out a long sigh. "I haven't been training other people how to do it. After my fellow Kyoshi Warriors were killed by the Empire, I chose not to share this with other people."

"I'm sure you have your reasons," Luke said.

"I tried to convince myself it was to prevent the Empire from figuring it out," Suki said. "They've captured a lot of our people, some have even betrayed us. It seemed like too much of a risk. But really… really I was just being selfish. Being able to do this, it made me feel special."

"That is a powerful desire," Pathik said. "We all wish to be unique in some fashion, whether it be in talent or skill or class. Admitting that others can do something you can does not diminish your ability."

"At this point, I really can't keep it to myself anymore," Suki admitted. "When we get back to base, I'll have to get started with people I can trust."

"Good," Luke said. He turned back to Pathik. "What's next?"

"Next is the Light chakra. It deals with insight and is blocked by illusion. The greatest illusion is that of separation. Things you think are separate and different are actually one in the same."

"Everything is connected," Luke said, remembering when someone else used that phrase. "Aang told me that once, long ago. It still reminds me of what Ben told me about the Force, that it binds everything together throughout the universe."

"All things are merely different aspects of reality," Pathik said. "The air, the water, the rocks, flames, from the earth to the heavens and everything in between, it is all a part of the world we live in."

Luke smiled. "I guess that's why the Force can move just about anything. It's all a part of the Force in some way, shape or form."

"I never thought of it that way," Suki admitted. He put a hand to her chin and looked down, eyes narrowing as she contemplated the concept. "It's… intriguing."

Luke's response was a satisfactory revelation for the sixth chakra, and a change of scenery was required for the final one. Pathik led Luke up through the temple one more time, heading for the very peak of the central mountain. There was a flat plateau up there, once used for group meditation, where the monks and nuns would be surrounded by the wind. At night one could see all the stars in the heavens, if there were no clouds conspiring to block the view. On this night the view was perfect, with the moon hanging in the east and the band of the galaxy in the west, with stars sparkling to every horizon.

As he sat down Luke looked up at the stars. "This is the final one, isn't it?"

"Yes," Pathik answered. "Once you open this chakra, the energy within you will flow properly again. You will have all the power that was taken away restored to you."

Luke nodded. "Let's finish it."

"The Thought chakra deals with pure cosmic energy, and is blocked by earthly attachment," Pathik said. "Meditate on what attaches you to this world. Learn to let your attachments go."

"Wait," Luke said, holding up one hand. "Does this mean I'm not supposed to care about the people I care about? Am I supposed to ignore them when they're suffering? How is that a good thing?"

"I am not asking you to forget about them," Pathik corrected. "But you must understand that there may be times when you might be forced to choose between saving the world and saving just the people you care for. You must not let your personal attachment cloud your judgement."

"The greater good," Luke said. "So I'm supposed to be willing to sacrifice everything I hold dear, if it were necessary to bring peace to galaxy?"

"If that may be, then yes," Pathik said. "Caring for others is a good quality, but you must not let that hold you back. Otherwise the enemies you face will use it against you, and you will never be able to use your full potential to fulfil your responsibilities."

Luke let out a long sigh. "Fine. Let's do this."

He sat there and mediated, bringing up all the people he cared for, and convincing himself that he could let them go. Luke felt something strange when he did so, and it was a little unnerving. He opened his eyes, and found that he was in a different place. He was floating in what looked like the void of space, and he quickly realized he must be outside his body. Hovering over the planet, a path of light appeared beneath him, and he figured he might as well walk down that path. But then he stopped in his tracks, staring at what had just appeared before him.

It was a giant version of himself made of light, standing waist deep relative to the path, holding a ball of light in its hands. The path led into that ball of light, and the giant was looking down on him. He wondered if Aang had seen something similar when he went through this, but quickly put those thoughts out of his mind. Luke walked down the path all the way to the end, entering the ball of light and standing at the center. There he felt the Force once again, flowing through him as it used to, but better than ever before.

Returning to the material world, Luke opened his eyes, and felt weightless. He discovered he was floating in the air, about three meters off the floor, and he wasn't the only one. Pathik was floating too, and Luke realized he was the one doing it to the old man. Many large rocks from around the plateau were in the air as well, suspended by Luke's concentration on the Force. He made everything suspended slowly descend back down to earth, placing everything back where it belonged. There Luke stood up proper, and he walked over to Pathik, feeling better than ever.

"Thank you," Luke said, crouching in front of the old man and offering a hand to him. "I mean it, thank you for everything."

"You're welcome," Pathik said. He nodded to Luke, and remained in his meditative pose. "It has been a pleasure to share my knowledge one last time."

Luke could see the weariness overcome the old man, his will to keep going finally succumbing to the ravages of time. "I'm sorry I put you through this."

"It is alright," Pathik said, holding up a hand. "I did not have much time left. If this is when I must pass on, then it is as good an end as I could have hoped for."

And with that, Pathik's life came to an end. He collapsed and fell, but Luke held him by the shoulders to keep him upright. The guru's head rested on Luke's shoulder, letting out his last breath. But Luke didn't hold him for long, for the guru's body vanished before his eyes. Only his clothes were left behind, and they were blown away by the wind. Yet to Luke it was like the guru was still here, and would always be with him, in spirit if not in body. Luke stood up straight, nodded to where Pathik had last been, and turned around to leave.

That was when Iroh arrived, having noticed the display of the Force and come to investigate. "What happened to the guru?"

"He is one with the Force," Luke answered. He looked up at the night sky, where he imagined Pathik's spirit, and all the others he had lost, watching over him now. "And the Force is with me."