Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar or its characters.

Chapter 2:

Steps in the Dark

"Tommy we shouldn't be doing this, it's forbidden," Lo'mi said as she looked around the deserted broken area that was before her. She was normally very spirited and kind, she was the one child in the clan that never judged Tommy for his differences. While most poked fun and even ostracized him for the color of his braid, Lo'mi, who was going to start training to become the new Tsahik after Natyri, saw the difference as a sign from Eywa that Tommy was meant for something great. So when he asked her to accompany him to the dead zone after a lot of sleepless nights, she couldn't refuse.

"It's okay, there's nothing here that can hurt us," Tommy said with a smile, trying to ease her fear.

"There's nothing here at all," She said looking around the barren wasteland. The forest glowed behind them as they walked towards the darkness, they knew they had to hurry, their parents would be awake at first light and wonder where they were. They began to run when they saw a towering gray rock with what seemed like stagnant clear ponds on the side. When they reached the structure they saw the alien letters RDA painted on the side, captivated by the scale Tommy reached out his hand and touched the rock. "This was their home, they lived here," Lo'mi said in wonderment.

Everyone knew the story, but for the younger generations, it was just that, a story. "What is this," Tommy said still touching the structure.

"A building," She said unsure, "they make them with rocks like the mountain dwellers."

He put his hand on the glass and his mind stopped, he was expecting it to be water, "it's hard…and cold."

"Rey'lu found something like that, your dad said it was glass, it's what happens when sand catches on fire I think." She said also touching the glass.

Tommy put his face up to the window and looked inside, "How do we get in?" Lo'mi shrugged.

They circled the building until they saw a two large doors that opened when they stepped too close, they both jumped back and watched the doors close. "oeng kehe tok fìtseng," Lo'mi said again.

He took a step towards the door once more and watched it open again, then took a step away and the doors closed again. He did this twice more until he fully realized what it was doing, then while it was open he placed one foot inside the door and felt the cold stone floor underneath him, "Wait!" Lo'mi yelled, "The light is coming, we have to get home Tommy," she waited behind, looking at him, but he didn't budge. She grabbed his arm and pulled him back, "Tommy, come on."

They ran back home and climbed back into their family hammocks without rousing either of their parents. The day that followed was excruciating for Tommy, he was too exhausted and too curious. His mind raced with the possibilities the building held, it felt like nothing he had ever experienced before.

Jake on the other hand was dreading his day, he had to go back and see how Norm was doing, which was never easy. Norm was being held in a small hut outside of hometree, he was only lucid for small times during the day and when he wasn't he was prone to fits of screaming and rambling. Jake made his way into the hut and looked around for his friend; Norm was sitting quite normally on his makeshift cot with his head in his hands. "Everything alright man," he said.

"Yeah, I just had a bad night last night, I couldn't sleep a wink." Jake noticed Norm was sweating profusely.

"What happened," Jake asked.

"I wasn't here…I mean I was here, but not really here. I was in a desert, only it wasn't a desert, it was just nothing, like the after math of a great fire. In the middle of it there was this…"

"Tree," Jake finished Norm's sentence, "The tree was okay right, perfect and alive…"

"Yeah," Norm said confused, "it was like the nothingness just went around it, like the tree was protected." Jake nodded starry eyed, "how did you know that Jake?"

"I've dreamt that same dream every night since Tommy's been born." Jake said taking a seat next to his friend.

"It wasn't a dream Jake I was there, and it wasn't here. I think I was back on earth." Norm said, "When will this end, Jake…I can't handle it."

"I talked to Natyri…" But he couldn't finish, he couldn't tell him the truth.

"Not good," Norm said as a tear fell from his eye. Jake shook his head and Norm began to sob, "I can't….Jake…I don't know what I'm doing anymore. I see things that aren't there, I fear for my life every second, my heart feels like it constantly pumping out of my chest. I dream horrible things, murder, drought, starvation, chaos, I remember everything, and everything hurts."

Jake put a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder, "I know buddy, I know."

Later that night Tommy was waiting for his parents to fall asleep so that he could sneak out once more. He went to Lo'mi's family hammock and gently stroked her nose with his finger; when her eyes opened they quickly showed her anger. "Kehe, not tonight Tommy. I'm exhausted and I'm supposed to follow your mother tomorrow."

"This is important, I felt something in there Lo'mi. This could change me, make me better, I sense it." Tommy was too eager; Lo'mi was scared he had gotten to curious. This was not good.

She put a soft hand on his face, "Not tonight, go back to sleep Tommy. We can go tomorrow night, I promise."

Tommy let out a scoff and turned his back on her, he was determined. He made his way through the forest and back to the RDA building by himself. He stepped close and watched the doors open once again, and once again he felt the lifeless cold on his feet. He took a couple of steps inside the darkness and suddenly light came from overhead, now illuminated he could see everything, yet what he recognized nothing. His father being at least part alien knew their language and, he could read a little here and there. He walked around the desks and looked for something, anything he recognized, then he spotted something he knew very well. There was a Na'vi floating in a transparent tunnel of water, he didn't look right though, he had too many fingers, and his face reminded Tommy of his father's face. He walked up to the glass and looked around at the contraption, nothing made sense to him, his father never explained how any of this worked, he never liked to talk about the past, about where he came from. Instead of finding answers he only found more questions, at the base of the tube, lying on the floor, was a large black thing with a handle on it. Tommy picked it up apprehensively and looked at it closer, he saw a hole at the end of it, and another tiny handle in the middle. He touched the tiny handle and fire shot from the hole with such force he few back and fell down.

The far wall now had a large hole and smoke was coming from it. His heart raced, but he wasn't scared, he felt excited, liberated, powerful. He could be a hunter like his father, a warrior even, with this weapon he could live up to his father's sparkling reputation. He put his finger back on the trigger, stood up, braced himself, and fired again; the recoil didn't take him off guard this time, and he let himself enjoy the destruction he was causing.

He practiced until first light then made his way back to hometree, he was too late however, by the time he reached his hammock, both Natyri and Jake were standing by it, arms crossed, ready for an explanation. "lumpe nga kehe kelku Tommy?" Natyri said.

"Just running," Tommy lied, "After what happened with dad I figured I needed to be more agile…more silent."

Natyri nodded in approval, she bought it, "I understand, and I agree with you. But you must not go out at night, while training it's too dangerous at night."

Tommy nodded and looked at his father, who was not convinced, but Jake waited till his mate left before turning on his son, "where were you?"

"I told you, I was running," Tommy lied again.

"The truth Tommy…" Jake demanded, but Tommy remained silent, "You went to the dead zone didn't you?" Tommy nodded, "what did I tell you?"

"Not to," Tommy said with his head down.

"Why?" Jake asked, Tommy shrugged, "Never again," Tommy nodded. "Now come with me, you're not leaving my side for the rest of the day."

Jake took Tommy to the hut where Norm was, but Tommy knew what was in there and it scared him. The kids said that Norm was connected with bad spirits, that when he went through his uniltaron he connected with something evil, and Eywa was keeping him under the effects of the poison to keep his energy from spreading. Tommy knew it wasn't true, but he couldn't help but feel apprehensive, "fpxäkìm," Jake said holding the leaf door open for his son who obeyed and looked upon Norm; who was laying down with his eyes open, not moving. Jake followed in after and looked at his friend then at his son, "He's sleeping," Jake said wiping the sweat off of Norm's forehead with a piece of cloth.

Tommy looked at him and felt pained, he wasn't scared after he saw Norm's frozen face, he felt sad for him, "Some of the kids say he's possessed sempul," Tommy said looking at Norm's eyes which were moving around rapidly, searching for something within his dream land.

"Not possessed 'eveng, the uniltaron takes your mind on a journey to find not only your spirit animal, but also your fate in this world, your destiny amongst the people. Norm remains on his journey; he must stay this course until Eywa provides him with a purpose." Jake explained to his child.

"How long will he be like this?" Tommy asked still keeping his distance.

Jake shrugged, "Watch him for a minute, I must get his medicine. If he wakes up, just give him some water and don't be alarmed if he starts to scream, there's nothing you can do for him, it's something he has to work out on his own." With that Jake left his son alone with Norm, who still wasn't moving.

Tommy took a step closer and suddenly Norm's eyes shot over to his direction, there was no life in them, but they were staring straight at Tommy. He felt his own heart start to race, Norm's eyes did not waver, and Tommy felt compelled to step closer. As he got up to the cot he felt his braid move, an odd feeling for Tommy who had always regarded his braid as his one true weakness. It didn't just move though, it came from behind him and pulled for Norm, and Norm's did the same. Not knowing what would happen, Tommy immediately took a step back and pulled his braid away from Norm's, but as soon as he did so Norm's hand jetted out and grabbed Tommy's arm, pulling him closer until finally their braids touched and a tsahaylu was made. Tommy felt a cold rush over him and Norm's pupils got so big it took up his entire eye. Immediately Tommy wasn't in the hut anymore, he looked around at something that reminded him of the dead zone, there was no life, no anything, except dead center there was an enormous tree. It was green and glowing from every point, as he walked closer to the tree he noticed it was not a tree he had ever seen before, he outstretched his hand to touch it, but before he could the entire tree went up in a massive inferno. Tommy jumped and fell on his back, making all the air from his lungs come out all at once forcing his eyes to close. When he opened them he was back in the hut and Norm was sitting on the cot, awake, staring at him…

Translations: TsahikSpiritual Leader; oeng kehe tok fìtsengwe should not be here; KeheNo; lumpe nga kehe kelkuWhy were you not home; uniltaronDream Hunt; fpxäkìmEnter; sempulFather; 'evengChild; tsahayluBond

Thanks to everyone who is reading this, and thank you for the reviews I received. Please let me know what you think of this chapter, I know it's lame to say, but it really does motivate me to get chapters out faster. Things are about to get very interesting so stay tuned…