Chapter 5:
The Winter Solstice, Part 2: Avatar Roku
Neo trudged up the mountain, his mind focused on the task at hand. "I must face my fears," he reminded himself as he followed Master Clouse's guidance. With each step, the Force pulsed stronger around him, filling him with a sense of reverence that he couldn't quite explain.
As he drew closer to the summit, the sight of the dark cave made his heart race. Neo's apprehension was palpable, and his mind flooded with doubts. "What if I can't face my demons?" he thought. "What if I'm not strong enough?"
As he approached the mouth of the cave, the darkness consumed him, and he could only make out faint outlines of jagged rocks and a cold, damp floor. The air grew thick with the scent of earth and the sounds of water droplets echoed in the cave. The fear that had been gnawing at Neo grew stronger, but he steeled himself and took a step into the unknown.
"Let's go, Appa! Come on, boy!" Aang pleaded, tugging on Appa's reins only for the large sky bison to roar in protest and Aang looked down sadly, "Look, I'm sorry but Katara, Sokka, Katara, and Eli aren't coming to the Fire Nation with us. If they got hurt, I'd never forgive myself."
"So get your big butt off the ground and let's go!" Aang shouted and yanked on the reins again only to fall backwards.
"I think his big butt is trying to tell you something." Sokka drawled from behind Appa, where Katara and an irritated-looking Eli were standing with some of the villagers.
"Please don't go Aang." Katara begged desperately, "The world can't afford to lose you to Fire Nation. Neither can I."
Aang looked abashedly away from his sister's stern gaze, but an image of the comet appeared in his mind and he jumped to his feet, "But I have to talk to Avatar Roku to find out what my vision means! I need to get to the Fire Temple before the sun sets on the solstice! That's today!"
"We're not letting you go into the Fire Nation, Aang," Katara stated firmly. Aang looked at her, surprised.
"At least, not without your friends. We've got your back." Sokka said with a grin. Appa then licked the Water Tribe boy, causing him to cringe. "EW!"
"It's a long journey to Crescent Island." The village leader said, stepping towards the gang, and handing the bundle he carried to Katara. "You'll have to fly fast to have any chance of making it before sundown. Good luck."
"Thank you for your—" Aang began.
"Go!" The village leader cut the boy off, pointing towards the ocean.
"Appa, yip-yip!" Aang shouted and with a growl, Appa leaped into the air.
The village leader sighed quietly and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he couldn't help but gasp at what he- a young man with a terrible scar that covered almost half of his face.
"Having trouble sleeping?" Zuko asked rhetorically before shoving the elder to the ground. Zuko then approached the elder's fallen form. "Seen the Avatar lately?"
Neo cautiously made his way through the dark and ominous cave, wondering why he had sent him there in the first place.
"Master Clouse, why would you send me here if there is nothing for me to face?" he muttered to himself, feeling a sense of unease.
"Why indeed," a voice replied, echoing throughout the cavern.
Startled, Neo spun around, searching for the source of the voice. But there was nothing and no one to be seen.
"Who goes there? Show yourself!" Neo demanded, his hand moving instinctively to the hilt of his own lightsaber.
Suddenly, a figure materialized before him, dropping down to stand in front of him. The figure was tall, with broad shoulders, wearing a hooded cloak and a mask that concealed their identity.
"Who are you supposed to be?" Neo questioned, eyeing the stranger warily.
"I am your reckoning," the figure replied in a deep, menacing voice. Then, he slowly pulled out his lightsaber and ignited it, casting an eerie blue glow over the walls of the cave.
Neo rolled his eyes. "Of course you are," he said as he pulled out his own lightsaber.
"Sailing into Fire Nation waters…" Iroh grumbled from behind his nephew. "Of all the foolish things you've done in your sixteen years, Prince Zuko, this is the most foolish!"
"I have no choice, Uncle."
"Have you completely forgotten that the Fire Lord banished you!?" Iroh demanded angrily before his tone turned fearful. "What if you are caught?"
"I'm chasing the Avatar!" Zuko snarled as he whirled away from the telescope to look at his uncle. "My father will understand why I am returning home!"
"You give him too much credit," Iroh sighed as he crossed his arms over his chest. "My brother is not the understanding type."
Zuko scowled and turned back to the telescope, catching sight of the Avatar's sky bison in mid-flight. "There they are. Helmsman! Full steam ahead!"
Katara's eyes widened when she saw the familiar Fire Nation warship.
"Uh, Aang?" She called back to the young Airbender sitting atop Appa's head. "We've got trouble."
"Yeah!" Sokka squawked looking over his sister's shoulder in panic, "And it's gaining… Fast!"
Zuko watched as the catapult was raised onto the deck and some nasty-smelling tar was poured over the projectile.
"Ugh, really Prince Zuko, couldn't you shoot them down with something more fragrant?" Iroh complained, whipping his fan out of his robe's sleeve and waving it at his face.
Zuko ignored his uncle and lit the stinking ball with a fire blast. "On my mark!" He waited a moment then slashed his hand down. "Fire!"
The soldier cut the rope and the flaming projectile was catapulted toward the sky bison.
"Fireball!" Katara screamed, looking back at Aang.
"I'm on it!" Aang called back, steering Appa to the side to avoid the ball of fire.
"By the force!" Eli gagged, pinching his nose along with his three friends as the stench of the passing fireball assaulted their noses. "That is awful!"
"We have to get out of his range before he shoots another hot stinker at us!" Katara shouted, covering her nose with her arm as she tried to block the smell.
"Can't you make Appa go any faster?" Sokka demanded and gagged at the smell.
"Yeah," Aang said then cringed slightly, "There's just one little problem…"
"Oh, man…" Eli mumbled, staring wide-eyed at what was in front of them.
Zuko's good eye widened. "A blockade…"
"Technically you are still in Earth Kingdom waters," Iroh stated, wincing slightly when he noticed the two rows of Fire Nation ships begin to ready their catapults. "Turn back now and they cannot arrest you!"
"If we fly north, we can go around the Fire Nation ships and avoid the blockade," Aang called back to the three sitting fearfully in the saddle. "It's the only way!"
"There's no time!" Katara protested, crawling to lean against the front of the saddle.
"This is exactly why didn't want you guys to come!" Aang snapped, looking over his shoulder at his friends. "It's too dangerous!"
"And that's exactly why we're here." Katara snapped back sternly.
"Let's run this blockade!" Sokka cheered boldly and he, Katara, and Eli grinned at Aang confidently.
Aang's expression became determined and he turned to face the incoming blockade, "Appa, yip-yip!"
Appa roared and slapped his tail, picking up speed as he sailed through the air rapidly.
"He's not turning around!" Zuko exclaimed in surprise as he watched the sky bison soar even faster towards the blockade.
"Please, Prince Zuko!" Iroh begged his nephew, "If the Fire Nation captures you, there's nothing I can do! Do not follow the Avatar."
"I'm sorry, Uncle." Zuko said softly and bowed his head before turning to face his men, pointing to the blockade, "Run the blockade!"
"The Avatar…" Commander Zhao mused as he lowered his telescope to the small warship. "And the banished prince. This must be my lucky day."
"Commander Zhao, what are your orders?" A soldier asked from behind the smirking commander.
"Shoot the bison down, captain."
"But there's a Fire Nation ship out there, sir!" the captain exclaimed in surprise, "One of our own! What if it's hit?"
"So be it," Zhao stated coldly. "It belongs to a traitor." Zhao then stepped over to the ship's catapults.
"Ignite," he ordered. The projectiles were lit on fire. "Launch!"
The group of teenagers let out a collective scream as more fireballs erupted from the clouds, hurtling towards them. Aang yanked on Appa's reins, attempting to dodge the projectiles. Sokka, Katara, and Eli gripped the saddle tightly and shut their eyes against the smoke.
Appa dodged as many fireballs as possible, but two collided in front of him, causing smoke to sting his eyes and making him roar in discomfort. The sudden movement threw Sokka off the saddle. Katara screamed and tried to reach for him, but Eli reacted quickly and lunged forward to grab Sokka's hand. Sokka reached out to grab Eli's hand but missed by mere inches. Sokka let out a piercing scream as he fell through the clouds and plummeted towards the ocean below, his arm still outstretched from his attempt to grab Eli's hand.
"Nooo!" Katara cried out.
"Sokka!" Aang yelled.
Thinking quickly, Eli grabbed a grappling hook and wrapped it around Appa's saddle before jumping off after Sokka. He free-fell for a few moments before catching up to Sokka and wrapping his arm around Sokka's waist.
As the grapple straightened out and jerked, Eli and Sokka started flying along with Appa. Sokka was screaming for help, and Eli was doing his best to keep them both alive.
"Sokka, shut up, or I'll drop you!" Eli yelled over the wind and Sokka's cries.
"Appa, go down!" Aang commanded, and the bison obeyed, starting to descend towards the ground.
Eli let go of the grappling hook, and he and Sokka free-fell through the sky before landing back on Appa's saddle. Sokka immediately grabbed Eli and started hugging him tightly.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Sokka repeated, over and over again, relieved to be alive.
Eli smiled. "It was nothing."
"Ready…" Zhao called out to his soldiers, holding his hand up and waiting to give the signal.
Aang flew closer to the blockade with a look of obstinate determination on his face while Sokka, Katara, and Eli clutched the saddle tightly, their heads ducked down.
Zhao's eyes narrowed and he slashed his hand downward. "Fire!"
The catapult behind him launched the fireball directly at the sky bison.
Aang closed his eyes and then snapped them open, unafraid as he leaped from Appa's head and Airbended himself towards the fireball. The young Airbender spun himself around to gather momentum then kicked his foot out, sending a powerful blast of air towards the flaming projectile causing it to explode in a large smoky blast.
Eli lunged forward and grabbed Aang's arms along with Sokka and Katara when he flew back into Appa's head with a grunt. Down below, the Fire Nation soldiers watched, stunned, from their ships.
"We made it!" Aang exclaimed ecstatically, punching his fist in the air. Eli gave a cheer and the Water Tribe siblings grimaced in terror.
"We got into the Fire Nation," Sokka stated meekly. "Great."
"Where do you think the Avatar is headed, sir?" the captain asked Commander Zhao curiously.
"I'm not sure," The man replied and turned to look at Zuko's smoking ship. "But I bet a certain banished prince will know."
"We're on a collision course!" Iroh exclaimed as he watched two much large Fire Nation warships sail towards each other, about to cut off Zuko's ship's path.
"We can make it," Zuko stated confidently as he watched the gap between the two ships grow smaller.
Zhao's captain stood in front of a small squad of nine Firebenders behind Commander Zhao.
"The boarding party is ready to apprehend Prince Zuko, sir." The captain reported calmly.
"Wait!" Zhao ordered quickly, holding his hand up to stop the men. "Cut the engines and let them pass."
"Sir?" the captain questioned.
Zuko watched through narrowed eyes as each ship in the blockade ground to a halt, allowing his ship to pass untouched. Gold eyes met cold brown as Zuko glared up at Zhao from the top deck of his ship.
Iroh stroked his beard curiously as he and his nephew look behind them at the Fire Nation ships in silence as they sail safely through.
The cave was dimly lit, the flickering light of the lightsabers illuminating the rocky walls. Neo and the mysterious fighter circled each other, their movements fluid and graceful. Neo's hair whipped around his face as he focused on his opponent, determination etched on his features.
Their lightsabers clashed again and again, the sound reverberating throughout the cave. Sparks flew as they parried and thrust, each move calculated and precise. Neo was impressed by the fighter's skill, but he refused to let his guard down.
Neo and the fighter continued to clash their lightsabers, sparks flying in all directions. As they fought, the fighter gradually gained the upper hand, his attacks growing more and more aggressive.
Neo found himself slowly being pushed back towards the wall, his opponent's blade inching closer and closer to his face. He could feel the heat emanating from its blue blade, and could hear the fighter's taunting words as he urged him to give up.
"You're no match for me, Neo," the fighter sneered. "You might as well surrender now before I finish you off."
Neo gritted his teeth, determined not to give up. "I'll never surrender," he replied, his voice low and steady. "I'll fight to the end."
The fighter laughed, a cruel sound that echoed off the walls. "You're a fool," he said. "You'll die trying to prove yourself."
But Neo refused to submit. With a surge of energy, he managed to push the fighter back and launch a new attack. Their lightsabers clashed once again, each strike ringing out like a bell.
Neo's movements were quick and agile. He spun and twisted, always keeping one step ahead of his opponent. But just when he thought he had the upper hand, the fighter managed to dodge his attack and deliver a swift blow. Neo stumbled back, but he quickly regained his footing.
The two combatants continued to fight, their breathing ragged and labored. Neo knew that he had to keep his focus if he wanted to come out on top. With renewed determination, he launched himself at the fighter, his lightsaber flashing in the dim light.
Neo finally managed to land a hit, his lightsaber slicing through the fighter's cloak with a satisfying hiss. The fighter let out a cry of anger and frustration, tearing off the torn garment to reveal a set of striking black and gold robes underneath.
Neo's eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the intricate garments, which reminded him of the ceremonial robes worn by the Jedi Order. He had never seen anything quite like them before, and the sight was almost enough to distract him from the fighter's next move.
But then he saw the fighter's mask, the silver surface glinting menacingly in the dim light. The rectangular eyeholes were the only distinguishable feature on the featureless mask, and they seemed to bore into Neo's very soul.
"What are you?" Neo demanded, his voice quavering slightly.
The fighter only growled in response.
Aang beamed at Appa as they landed at the base of a stone bridge that led up the side of the volcanic mountain and ended at the elegant, multi-story Fire Temple. "You did it buddy!" he exclaimed happily as he hugged Appa's face. "Nice flying."
Appa bellowed in satisfaction and rolled onto his side, waving three of his legs into the air lazily as his tongue lolled out. Katara rubbed his belly. "Aww, you must be tired," she cooed.
"No! I'm good!" Sokka called out happily as he stretched behind the two girls, "Refreshed and ready to fight some Firebenders!"
"I was talking to Appa," Katara retorted.
"Well... I was talking to Eli!" Sokka shot back.
"Huh? Oh, sorry, Sokka. I wasn't listening," Eli replied, recalling what Sokka had done to him in the village.
Katara and Eli walked side by side, making their way towards the ancient temple nestled in the heart of the forest. Katara's brow was furrowed with worry, and she couldn't help but voice her concerns.
"I'm worried about Neo," she said, her voice tinged with anxiety. "He's still in the spirit world. What if he doesn't make it back?"
Eli put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry," he said, his voice calm and steady. "Neo is strong. He'll find a way back to us."
"But what if he doesn't?" Katara pressed, her worry mounting.
Eli sighed. "We can't control everything," he said. "All we can do is focus on the task at hand. We need to find the temple and retrieve the artifact before it's too late. Neo will be fine, I promise."
Katara nodded, but her worry was still etched on her face.
"I don't see any guards," Sokka observed as the four teens peered over a small wall below the steps leading into the temple. "The Fire Nation must have abandoned the temple when Avatar Roku died."
"It's almost sundown." Eli pointed out quietly, gesturing to the setting sun.
Aang leaped to his feet. "We better hurry!" He exclaimed as he rushed up the steps and towards the front door with Katara, Sokka, and Eli.
The four tip-toe through the enormous entrance chamber with fire-décor columns.
"Wait," Sokka whispered as he paused. "I think I heard something."
The four turned around and froze when they saw several Fire Nation men dressed in red and wearing tall hats standing in the hallway.
"We are the Fire Sages," the leader of the men said. "Guardians of the temple of the Avatar."
"Great!" Aang exclaimed happily as he walked forward. "I'm the Avatar!"
"We know." The lead Fire Sage said then inhaled briskly and punched a blast of fire at the four teens.
"Whoa!" Eli yelped as he dodged a fireball.
As the battle waged on, Neo began to notice something odd about his opponent's fighting style. It was almost as if he was toying with him, holding back his full power. Neo couldn't understand why someone would do that in the midst of a life-or-death fight.
But he didn't have time to ponder the fighter's motives for long. In an instant, the fighter's attacks became faster and more furious, forcing Neo to scramble to keep up. Neo could feel his arms beginning to tire, his movements becoming more sluggish.
The fighter seized on Neo's momentary weakness and landed a blow to his shoulder, sending Neo reeling. Neo gritted his teeth and fought through the pain, determined not to let the fighter get the better of him.
Katara, Sokka, and Eli raced through the hallways, pausing when Aang suddenly skidded in front of them and darted in the direction the three teens had been originally heading in.
"Follow me!" the young Airbender shouted over his shoulder.
"Do you know where you're going?!" Sokka demanded as he, Katara, and Eli raced after Aang.
"Nope!" Aang shouted back, turning a corner only to come skidding back and run back down the hallway. "Wrong way!"
"Ack!" Eli squeaked and darted after Aang along with Katara and Sokka when they saw one of the Fire Sages appear around the corner.
"Come back!" the Fire Sage called out before running after them.
The four turned another corner and charged down the hallway, with Aang leading the other three only to skid to a stop when they noticed the hallway lead to a dead end. The four spin around to face the Fire Sage. Eli took a defensive position in front of the others.
"I don't want to fight you!" The Fire Sage said softly, holding out his hands. "I am a friend."
"Firebenders aren't our friends," Sokka said.
"Hold on," Eli said, walking in front of everyone.
"Eli, what are you doing?"
"Do you notice anyone… or rather, anyone missing?"
The group thought about that for a little bit, then Katara realized it.
"He's alone," she said.
The sage, who revealed his name to be Shyu, then bowed before Aang.
"I know why you're here, Avatar," he said.
"You do?" Aang asked.
"Yes, you wish to speak to Avatar Roku. I can take you to him."
"How?"
The sage then lifted a lamp, revealing a hole. He placed his hand on it and released a blast of fire into it. A door then revealed itself in the wall.
"This way, time is running out."
The group was still hesitant, but Eli started pushing them toward the door. "Let's go, guys," he said.
The group then walked through the door, and the wall closed behind them.
Shyu led them into a cave that was beneath the temple. "Avatar Roku once called this temple his home," he explained. "He formed these secret passages out of the magma."
"Did you know Avatar Roku?" Aang asked.
"Dude... Roku died over a hundred years ago, and this guy is clearly in his fifties," Eli said.
"Oh, yeah."
"No, but my grandfather knew him," Shyu answered. "Many generations of fire sages guarded this temple long before me. We all have a strong spiritual connection to this place."
"Is that how you knew I was coming?"
"A few weeks ago, an amazing thing occurred. The statue of Avatar Roku... its eyes began to glow."
"That's when we were at the air temple. Avatar Roku's eyes were glowing there too."
"At that moment, we knew you had returned to the world."
"If this is the Avatar's temple, why did the sages attack Aang?" Eli asked.
"Things have changed. In the past, the sages were loyal only to the Avatar. When Roku died, the sages eagerly awaited for the next Avatar to return, but he never came."
"They were waiting for me," Aang said, realizing the truth.
"Hey, don't feel bad," Sokka said. "You're only 100 years late."
"Not helping," Eli said, slapping Sokka on the back of the head.
"They lost hope that the Avatar would ever return. When Fire Lord Sozin began the war, my grandfather and the other sages were forced to follow him. I never wanted to serve the Fire Lord. When I learned you were coming, I knew I would have to betray the other sages."
"Thank you for helping me," Aang said with a bow.
Shyu smiled. "We'll follow the stairs to the sanctuary. Once you're inside, wait for the light to hit Avatar Roku's statue. Only then will you be able to speak with him."
Eli, Aang, Katara, and Sokka continued to ascend the winding staircase, each step taking them closer to their goal. As they climbed, the air grew colder and the sounds of their footsteps echoed off the stone walls. Suddenly, they found themselves at a dead end, with no apparent way forward.
"Now what?" Eli asked, frustration evident in his voice.
But before anyone could answer, Shyu stepped forward and examined the wall before them. After a moment, he pushed a tile, revealing a hidden passage. The group followed him through the opening, and they soon found themselves in a massive room filled with towering columns adorned with carved dragon statues.
In the center of the room stood an enormous door, adorned with a device featuring five open-mouthed dragon heads that glowed with an otherworldly light. The air hummed with energy, and the group could feel a sense of foreboding emanating from the door. Suddenly, Shyu gasped.
"No," he said, running toward the door.
"Shyu, what's wrong?" Aang asked.
"The sanctuary doors... they're closed."
"Can't you just open them with firebending like you opened that other door?" Katara asked as Aang tried to pull the door open.
"No, only a fully realized avatar is powerful enough to open this door alone. Otherwise, the sages must open the doors together, with five simultaneous fire blasts."
"Eli, can't you use your 'thing'?"
"I left it with Appa," Eli replied. Katara looked at him incredulously.
"I never thought we'd have to deal with a bunch of fire monks trying to kill us," he exclaimed indignantly. "And to top it all off, look at this door. The architecture, the age, the sheer fullness of it all. Who in their right mind would want to put a big hole right in the middle?"
"I would!" Aang exclaimed. "No offense, Shyu."
"None taken," Shyu replied.
"Fire blasts, huh?" Sokka said to himself.
"What?" Eli said.
"I think I can help you out."
"Should we be worried?" Katara asked.
A little while later, Sokka was filling up animal skins with oil while explaining his plan.
"This is a little trick I picked up from my father," he said. "I seal the lamp oil inside an animal skin casing, Shyu lights the oil-soaked twine, and... ta-da, fake firebending!"
"You really outdid yourself this time, Sokka," Katara complimented.
"This might actually work," Shyu said.
Sokka placed each sack in the holes and then ran over to hide behind Katara and placed his fingers in his ears.
"The sages will hear the explosion," Shyu explained. "So as soon as they go off, you rush in."
"It's almost sunset. Are you ready?" Katara asked Aang.
"Definitely," he replied.
Shyu then lit the sacks and hid behind another pulled next to Eli and Aang. The sacks exploded, and Aang ran toward the doors and tried to open them, but they wouldn't.
"They're still locked!" he announced.
Everyone came out of their hiding places filled with dread.
"It didn't work," Shyu stated.
Aang, in frustration, began to airbend the doors.
"Why... won't... it... open!" Aang yelled in frustration.
He would have done it again if Katara hadn't stopped him.
"Aang, stop," she said. "There's nothing else we can do."
"I'm sorry I put us through all this for nothing."
"Well, it's like they say," Eli began. "It's not the journey, it's the destination... No, wait, that came out wrong."
"I don't get it," Sokka said, as he inspected the door and began rubbing soot off of it. "That blast looked as strong as any firebending I've seen."
"Sokka, you're a genius!" exclaimed Katara, beaming with excitement.
"He is?" Eli asked, unable to believe it.
"Wait, how is Sokka a genius?" Aang asked, puzzled.
"His plan didn't work," said Eli.
"Come on, guys, let her dream," Sokka said.
"You're right, Sokka's plan didn't work, but it looks like it did," Katara began.
"Did the definition of genius change in the last 100 years?" Aang joked.
"Or in the last few weeks since Neo and I crashed here?" Eli added, shaking his head.
Suddenly, Shyu came running with the other fire sages toward the sanctuary doors. "Come, quickly!" he said. "The Avatar has entered the sanctuary!"
"How did he get in?" the sage leader demanded to know.
"I don't know, but look at the scorch marks and down there," Shyu replied.
The sages saw a shadow from underneath the door. "He's inside! Open the doors immediately before he contacts Avatar Roku!" ordered the sage leader.
The sages got into a single line and fired at the same time, causing the doors to open and reveal... Momo.
"It's the Avatar's lemur!" one of the sages exclaimed. "He must have crawled through the pipes. We've been tricked."
Then, Katara and Sokka appeared out of nowhere and assaulted some of the sages, while Shyu attacked the leader. "Now, Aang!" Katara said, but Aang didn't come out of his hiding place.
"Aang, now's your chance!" Sokka shouted.
To their shock, Prince Zuko came out with Aang bound. "The Avatar's coming with me," he said, as he started to drag Aang away.
"Close the doors quickly!" the sages shouted.
But as he and Aang started going down the stairs, Eli came out of nowhere and tackled Zuko to the ground. "Go Aang!" he shouted, and Aang took off toward the doors.
He ran all the way to the doors, jumping over the sages, and managed to get inside the sanctuary before they closed.
"He made it!" Katara said. Eli was then thrown to the ground in front of them as Zuko had gotten the upper hand on him.
Inside the sanctuary, Aang looked up at the statue of Roku from his vision and waited for something to happen. "The light hits the statue, and I talk to Roku," Aang said to himself. "So why isn't anything happening?"
Back outside the doors, Zuko and the other sages tried to open the doors, but they would not budge. "Why isn't it working?" Zuko asked.
"It's sealed shut," Shyu stated.
"It must have been the light," the sage leader added. "Avatar Roku doesn't want us inside."
Aang was puzzled as to why Roku had not yet started to communicate with him.
"Why isn't anything happening?" he muttered to himself.
"I don't know what I'm supposed to do. All I know is airbending. Please, Avatar Roku, talk to me."
Suddenly, the red light from the ceiling illuminated Roku's face, and a gust of wind began to blow. Aang found himself transported to a mountainous area, and before him stood Avatar Roku himself.
"It's good to see you, Aang," he said. "What took you so long?"
Aang bowed respectfully to his predecessor.
"Why did you help the Avatar?" Zuko questioned the bound Fire Sage in front of him firmly.
"Because it was once the Sages' duty." Shyu stated sadly but with pride as he looked at the prince, "It is still our duty."
Sudden clapping interrupts the interrogation and the Sages looked behind the banished prince, staring as Commander Zhao and six Firebender guards approached.
"What a moving and heartfelt performance." The haughty man mocked, "I'm certain the Fire Lord will understand when you explain why you betrayed him."
The Great Fire Sage stepped forward and placed his palms together, bowing over them, "Commander Zhao."
"And Prince Zuko," Zhao stated, ignoring the Great Fire Sage as one of his Firebenders came up behind the prince, "It was a noble effort, but your little smokescreen didn't work. To traitors in one day, the Fire Lord will be pleased."
Zuko scowled darkly at the older man and jerked forward when one of Zhao's Firebenders grabbed his arms, pinning them behind his back.
"You're too late, Zhao!" Zuko snapped as he strained against his captor, "The Avatar's inside, and the doors are sealed."
"No matter." Zhao replied confidently as he cast a sidelong glance at the sealed doors, "Sooner or later, he has to come out."
As Neo's opponent continued to taunt him, Neo's heart raced with determination. With every strike, he felt more connected to the Force, drawing strength and guidance from it. He knew he had to protect Eli, no matter the cost.
The opponent was quick and skilled, but Neo refused to back down. His mind was focused solely on the battle, analyzing every move his opponent made and counteracting it with a swift motion of his lightsaber.
As the fight raged on, Neo found himself pushed up against the cold stone wall, his lightsaber suddenly shutting off. He felt a wave of panic surge through him, but he quickly suppressed it. He couldn't let his opponent win. He would fight him with his bare hands if he had to.
"You are beaten," the opponent declared, triumphantly raising his blade in the air.
But Neo refused to give up. He looked straight into his opponent's eyes and said with conviction, "No, I'm not. I have something to fight for now. His name is Eli, and I won't let you or anyone else stop me from protecting him."
Suddenly, the opponent dropped his weapon and removed his helmet, revealing himself to be Neo's master, Clouse. Neo was stunned. "Master Clouse?" he exclaimed.
Clouse smiled warmly at Neo. "I am so proud of you, my Padawan," he said. "You have faced your fears and admitted your weaknesses. That is the first step to becoming a true Jedi."
Neo was too confused to speak. As he looked up at his master, Clouse continued. "The Force brought you here for a reason, Neo. And now that you have faced your fears, it's time for me to tell you and Eli why you are here."
Neo felt a shiver run down his spine. He had a feeling that this was not going to be a simple explanation.
"I have something very important to tell you, Aang," Roku began.
"That is why I sent my dragon to find you while you were in the spirit world."
"Is it about my vision?" Aang asked, eager to find out more.
"The one of the comet?"
"Yes."
"What does it mean?"
"100 years ago, fire lord Sozin used an incredibly powerful comet to begin the war," Caesar began.
"He and his army of firebenders harnessed its incredible power and dealt a deadly first strike to the four nations, and wiped out the airbenders."
"This comet… it made them stronger?" Neo asked.
"Yes," Roku answered, "Stronger than you could even imagine."
"But that happened 100 years ago," Aang stated, "What does the comet have to do with the war now?"
"Listen carefully, my young padawan," Caesar continued. "Sozin's Comet will return by the end of the summer, and Fire Lord Ozai will use its power to finish the war once and for all."
"If he succeeds, even the Avatar won't be able to restore balance to the world," Roku stated. "Aang, you must defeat the Fire Lord before the comet arrives."
"But I haven't even started learning waterbending," Aang argued, "not to mention earth and fire.
"Mastering the elements takes years of discipline and practice, but if the world is to survive, you must do it by summer's end."
"What if I can't master all the elements in time? What if I fail?"
"I know you can do it, Aang, for you have done it before. The solstice is ending, we must go our separate ways... for now."
"But I won't be able to come back to the temple! What if I have questions? How will I talk to you?"
"I am a part of you. When you need to talk to me again, you will find a way. Also, I'm sure friends Neo and Eli will help in any way they can."
Roku then closed his eyes and began to communicate with Aang telepathically. "A great danger awaits you at the temple," he said. "I can help you face the threat, but only if you are ready."
Aang then started to glow and entered the Avatar state. "I'm ready," he said in multiple voices.
"Our time is almost up," Caesar stated. "Do you have any more questions?"
"You told me that when I came to this mountain, I would face both my past and my future. I faced my past, but what about my future?" Neo asked.
"Oh... Right," Caesar replied and showed him the Fire Nation helmet. "Neo... This won't be the last time you see this helmet, and when you do, I'm sorry, but you will not be ready for it."
"I don't understand," Neo said, puzzled.
"When the time comes, you will," Caesar said, his voice heavy with emotion. Neo thought he saw a tear in his Master's eye.
"Now go. Your friends need you," Caesar said, pointing in the direction of their current position. "Walk in that direction, and you will arrive at their location."
"Will I ever see you again?" Neo asked.
"I hope so. Now go," Caesar said, and Neo bowed to his Master before taking off in the direction Caesar had pointed.
"May the Force be with you," Caesar said as Neo ran as fast as he could. The cave shook as he made his way toward an opening. When he emerged, he found himself on a crescent island with lava flowing from it and a body of water in front of him. He heard a groan and saw Appa lying on his belly.
"That was weird..." Neo said to himself as he made his way to Appa.
Meanwhile, the Fire Nation troops were in position, ready to attack Aang as they lined up in a straight line. "Ready!" Zhao bellowed while Katara cried out in worry for Aang. Suddenly, the doors started to open, and glowing eyes were revealed. "Fire!" the troops shouted as they began to shoot at the doors. However, the flames were bent away by the spirit of Avatar Roku.
Shyu exclaimed in shock, "Avatar Roku!"
Roku fired a massive blast, which caused the troops and Zhao to be forced back. The chains holding the gang, Shyu, and Zuko melted, and Zuko ran and leaped out of the window. Meanwhile, the others knelt next to the pillars.
"Avatar Roku is going to destroy the temple," Shyu warned. "We have to get out of here."
Katara protested, "Not without Aang."
As she said this, Roku caused the floor to separate, and lava came up and started to bring down the temple as the troops began to escape along with Shyu. Finally, Roku's spirit ceased its attack and calmed down as the solstice ended, and his spirit vanished, leaving Aang standing in his place.
Before he fell, Katara, Eli, and Sokka caught him, and he started to come.
"We got your back," Sokka reassured him.
"Thanks," Aang replied, worn out. "Where's Shyu?" he asked.
Eli answered, "He managed to get out." The group started to make their escape, and they came to the staircase, which was overflowing with lava. "We can't go that way," Eli said. They took off to the higher ground, and when they came to an opening, they found there was no way down. "What now?" Sokka asked.
Suddenly, they heard a roar and looked up to see Momo and Appa coming in fast. But that wasn't the only thing that caught their attention. Sitting at Appa's reins was Neo, leading Appa towards the others.
"Jump!" Neo's voice boomed as he flew past them. Without hesitation, the group leaped and landed safely on Appa's saddle, and they flew away from the rubble of the destroyed temple. As they settled into the saddle, Neo came over Appa's head.
"You guys look terrible," he observed.
"Neo!" they all exclaimed, rushing toward him.
Katara was the first to reach him, throwing her arms around his neck in a tight hug that almost suffocated him.
"Katara, it's good to see you too, but I can't breathe," he managed to choke out. She quickly released him, blushing in embarrassment. Neo noticed her reaction and gave her a sly smile, but she pushed him away playfully.
Aang picked up on the interaction and looked downcast. Eli leaned in and whispered to him, "Don't worry, he's still hung up on a girl back home." Aang nodded, understanding.
"How did you escape the Spirit World?" Sokka asked, breaking the awkward silence.
"It's a long story," Neo replied cryptically. He turned to Aang and Eli with a serious expression. "But I know what we need to do. We have to go to the North Pole so you can start mastering waterbending and the other elements before summer ends."
Aang's expression became solemn, realizing the weight of his responsibility as the Avatar. Neo knelt down and placed a hand on Aang's shoulder, while Eli put his hand on the other. Katara interlaced her fingers with Aang's, and Sokka placed a hand on her shoulder. Together, they flew off into the night on Appa, ready for whatever lay ahead.
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has taken the time to read and review my story. Your kind words and support have been an immense source of motivation for me, and I am delighted to announce that we have now reached 10 followers!
As much as I would love to continue writing and sharing my story with you all, I regret announce that I will be taking a short break from writing. Don't worry- I'm not abandoning the story. My quarter-finals are coming up, and I need to focus all my attention and energy on preparing for them.
However, I promise that I will be back after Easter to continue the story.
Take care, and I'll see you all then!
This is RabbiSlimThot, signing off.