Part V: Different yet Equal
Through the pitch black tunnel, Aang and Momo could feel the temperature rising as they reached closer to the end. The smell of sulfur became stronger. They started hear the sloshing and bubbling of molten magma up ahead. Momo already started sweating. But it wasn't really from the rising temperature; he started to get nervous. Fear started tingling in the back of his mind. It wasn't fear for his own sake, it was fear that the situation may not go as planned. He blinked stiffly, "It's going to work," he convinced himself. He glanced at Aang. It was Aang who had told him what was happening, and what could happen. Momo had full confidence and trust in his friend, "If Aang said it's going to work, it'll work." Bringing that point into thought, he easily shrugged off any bits of doubt.
Finally, the two reached the end of the tunnel. Walking out they quickly scanned the area. They were standing on a ledge inside the volcano. A hundred feet above was the summit. Looking down from the edge, Momo and Aang were forced to squint there eyes from the stinging heat pouring up from the round lava lake fifty feet below. The air was worst than the hottest and steamiest jungle. Just before the two started wondered where to go, the volcano shook and a large geyser of lava erupted from the center of the fiery lake.
The geyser began twisting and wobbled upward moving more like a giant serpent. The massive tentacle of lava went straight toward a distant wall horizontally. It's collision fractured the surface of the wall, breaking away large boulders. The two watched in awe, confused of what was happening. They noticed when the lava tentacle smashed into the wall, it slithered about gathering the massive debris from its impact, the boulders stuck onto the winding current. Then another serpent of lava swerved high in the air from below, firing at another direction. It too smashed into the wall and collected the large debris. When both of the large tentacles mixed with stone and magma, they both darted straight toward Momo and Aang. The two braced themselves; Aang shifted into his battle stance while Momo was ready to dash back into the tunnel. But they weren't the target. The two tentacles actually merged into one and its approach decelerated. Eventually the tentacle reached to the edge of the ridge and stopped. In just another moment's time, the tentacle condensed the attached debris. Sizzling loudly it slowly hardened. The giant tentacle of lava was now a stable bridge.
The two looked at each other briefly, both thinking the same thing. Aang was the first to step forward and lead the way over the black and steamy bridge. Making it near the center of the lava lake, they stopped at the bridge's suddenly decline. Momo looked around agitatedly and crossed his arms, "Okay, I'm starting to get annoyed by these games. Where the hell is-" Momo quickly widened his stance to keep balance volcano began to rumble once more. Momo peered to his hands and arms as he started giving off a whitish glowing aura.
A figure emerged from the lava below. Gaining altitude fast the figure's faceless head looked down at Momo and Aang. Its shape, made entirely of molten rock was hominid from the torso up about ten times larger than the average man. The lava on the monster's skin continuously circulated in all different direction, flames lashed about over its shoulder and head.
It faced directly at Momo, "So…you have decided lemur…" a low voice called out with and echoing rumble, "…to surrender yourself to me…how noble." The faceless figure then turned its senses toward the Aang. "The Avatar…I'm so humbled of your presence once more…You will be the first to witness my pinnacle…"
"Alright already!" Momo yelled out to the golem, "Your going to be all evil and take over the world menacingly, we've heard the story before. But you going to have to go through me first!"
Those the golem and no eyes, Momo felt its intense stare, "Go through you?…gladly."
Momo's aura glowed even brighter, and even Ozai started emitting a white luminosity. This was it. This was going to be the end. Momo gave a soft glance to Aang. Aang only watched with hidden anticipation, listening to Momo's last words, "Good-bye Aang."
Their was a high pitched wind that suddenly swept through the area like a giant vacuum. Aang shielded his eyes as Momo's body was lost in the blinding light. The golem's body too became lost in the white radiance. Momentarily the surrounding temperature had dropped significantly. The white light and strong winds lasted for over a minute. Aang kept his eyes shut and face covered until he felt the winds die down and the volcanic heat return.
The monk slowly uncovered his face, scanning his surroundings. The Fire Golem had completely vanished, and Momo was sitting on his knees. "…Momo!" Aang cried out as he approached his friend. Aang reached out for his shoulder, but Momo didn't respond. He just sat there with his head down. "Something's not right," the Avatar pondered to himself, "This wasn't suppose to happen." He called out his name again, "Momo!"
Finally Momo raised his head and turned to make eye contact with the monk. Aang stepped back with a blank expression. Momo smirked. The Avatar quickly ran down the bridge at airbender's speed, telling himself, "I gotta lead him out of here! Only if I want to stand a-" Aang stopped at his tracks when a massive surge of lava burst high in the air, engulfing the tunnel and the other end of the bridge. There was no way out. Not unless he did some quick maneuvering to earthbend out from the summit. Aang turned around. A hand came at him by surprise and grabbed him by his throat. "Where do you think you're going, Avatar?" It was Momo. Aang grabbed the wrist that rung him, but he couldn't break loose. "No." Aang thought, "It's only his body. But it's not Momo."
"Don't leave so soon," Ozai spoke under Momo's voice. He then twisted around and threw Aang down onto the bridge. Aang held himself up, coughing. Suddenly Aang gave out a painful cry as a blast of flame was fired upon his back, singeing away the back of his shirt. His burned skin exposed. Aang looked back at Momo, fire dancing off the palm of his hand. Ozai then said, "There's just so much I want to tell you before I kill you. For one, I want to thank you for all that you've done. I never thought that this could turn out like this." He looked at his arms and hands, examining himself, "I did not know the extent of the Gemini's potential. Not until after I have learned how to handle its power." He returned his gaze back to the Avatar, "But I had figured out that my soul would waste away without power of the second sphere."
Aang was still on his knees, breathing heavily, trying to erasing the intense pain of his burn. But he listened well to Ozai. He managed to respond to Ozai, "So you did know that you would have died soon. That's why you threatened to blow up the planet." Aang looked up to Momo, "So you can take the world down with you." Momo's face smiled, "Well of course Avatar. Very thoughtful of me, wouldn't you agree. I wouldn't leave this world tainted without my rule." He paced closer to Aang, "And now I have fresh young body to begin my mission. But would it end here? Would my reign of enlightenment end with this mortal body? No!" He bent over, now face to face with the monk, "You know the Aether's Gemini holds a part of you, it has your essence. When this body dies, I will then reincarnate into another. And the cycle will continue and ensure my legacy will live on till the end of time. I'm just as immortal as you are, Avatar. Only you do not hold the power of fire anymore. I do. I am fire. And I'll prove my authority over the Sun itself. I now hold the complete force of the Aether's Gemini." He sighed in content.
"And that's where you're wrong Ozai." Aang replied. As gently got to his feet. "You don't hold the total power of the Aether's Gemini. You share it with another." Momo's eyes pierced a gaze onto the monk and replied, "Oh you mean the lemur. Haha. You don't honestly believe that a monkey's soul will be of any adversary."
"The two spheres may have its differences, you may have woven together their powers but their strengths are equal amongst each other. You have just as much power over him as he does over you."
"You dare compare my power over a flying rat. I should be insulted by those words." But the monk didn't listen. For a brief moment he had tuned out his voice and the other sounds around him. Then the arrow tattoo on his forehead began to glow. Aang was entering the Avatar State. Ozai remembered well the glowing tattoos and eyes. He watched as Aang opened his now radiating eyes. Ozai gasped as he was caught off guard; Aang had dashed right towards him and grabbed onto his shoulders. Aang closed his eyes and called out loud, "Momo, don't be intimidated by his presence. Take control of yourself. Fight back. You can-"
Aang was flown back in the air by a sudden blast of fire. Landing on his back he cringed aloud as the rough, jagged surface of the bridge scraped across his tender burned skin. The glow of his tattoos quickly subsided. Aang struggled to lift himself onto his elbows. He saw Momo's body pace toward him with flames at hand. "Enough of this Avatar, I'll kill you now. Then afterwards, I'll seek out every waterbender for your reincarnation. And I'll make sure the Avatar's cycle is broken, then…then…what, what's-" Ozai paused as his body halted and started twitching." His eyes gazed to his hands, he couldn't control his hands. "This…can't be…I'm the…god of fire! Argh!!" Suddenly his body ignited into flames as he fell to his knees. Hands to his head, he screamed, not of pain but of realization of the truth. The body emitted a pasty aura but instead of brightening, the body dissipated within the white mist.
Aang slowly got to his feet, clenching his teeth. He kept slouched as blood oozed down his back. Quietly he stared where Momo was once standing, now gone. Aang just murmured to himself, "Good-bye Momo."
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The Aether's Gemini is made up two spheres, each containing slightly different and complex properties, but each have an equal amount of power. Each individual sphere has a general focus in its ability. To simplify the explanation: one sphere provides near limitless strength through ones soul and/or element while the other provides the shell and stability needed to house and sustain such power. In order to utilize the full potential of the Aether's Gemini, not only is the unity of both stones required, but the cooperation of the wills behind each stone.
The individual spheres had fused entirely with Momo and Ozai. In turn when both spheres united, their souls shared the same body. If both souls do not share the same motivation or desire, the Aether's Gemini will overload and ultimately self-destruct. The spheres and its power would forever vanish and the souls attached will drift into the spirit world.