Tales of the South Pole
The tale of Katara & Toph
"Okay, you can do this," the young Earthbender whispered to herself. She was leaning against the outside wall of Katara's room, and carefully tried to make her way to the center of the icy palace, which was a public meeting space. Using her hands to feel the wall, she took little steps sideways in the right direction. She was a little afraid, as she could not 'see' anything at all. Her Bending was worthless on the South Pole. She took a deep breath and used her foot to feel if the place where she was about to set it down wasn't some kind of pool of icy cold water. Feeling solid ice, she took her next step.
"Toph, what are doing?" came Katara's sudden voice, causing the Earthbender to startle. Toph let out a scream as she fell into the pool that was right next to her, and in which she would have fallen if she'd taken another step.
"Toph!" Katara dropped her bag and hurried towards her blind friend, helping her out of the water. Once she was out, Katara used her Bending to get Toph dry.
"Why did you startle me?" Toph asked in utter annoyance because of her unexpected water dip.
"You're the one who scared me first. Toph, you can't swim or see. What were you thinking going off on your own like that? What if I wasn't here when you fell in the water?" Katara asked, turning on her protective motherly mode.
"I wouldn't have fallen if you hadn't startled me like that," Toph replied, holding on to the fact that she would have made it on her own.
Katara let out a sigh, not really feeling like getting into an argument with Toph. "Let's go gather supplies for the journey." She picked up her bag, took Toph's hand, and together they made their way to collect the supplies that they would need.
ooooo
After having gathered enough food for the entire team for at least a few days, Katara and Toph returned to the room.
"So, what else are we taking to Middle-Earth?" Toph asked as Katara helped her sit down.
"Just sleeping bags and a couple of blankets," Katara answered. "And of course, everyone should take their own weapons with them if they need any."
"What about the tents? And spark rocks to make a fire? Extra clothes for cold weather? Don't you guys need more things for setting up camp? And for cooking and cleaning?" Toph asked.
Katara eyed Toph suspiciously. Toph normally wasn't the one to ever worry about what they'd need and what not. "I thought it was better to travel as light as possible. If Aang is really going to leave Appa and Momo behind like he said this morning, we all have to carry our own weight. Besides, what do we need tents for when we have two Earthbenders who can make tents wherever we camp… Or spark rocks when we have two Firebenders on the team? And cleaning should also be easy with two Waterbenders around," she replied.
Toph smiled. "I like the way you're thinking," she said. "But what do we do if we get split up in the middle of nowhere?"
Katara frowned. "Split up? What are you talking about?" she asked. "We never really split up before. The only time we did was during the final battle against the Fire Nation. And that was only for a little while."
"You never know…" Toph said.
"Is everything alright, Toph?" Katara asked, thinking that something was worrying the Earthbender.
"Everything's fine. Why would something be wrong?"
"Toph, something like what the group will need for the journey or getting split up from the group for whatever reason isn't something you would ever worry about. You've been on your own before and you've always managed to take care of yourself. So why is it worrying you now?" Katara asked.
"My blindness has never been a problem for me before, Katara," Toph started. "I've always been able to see and take care of everything."
"Just not here," Katara added softly, realizing what was bugging her friend.
"I always hated being considered a helpless girl while I wasn't. But having spent a few days here, I realize that I hate being actually helpless more. I can't do anything on my own here, and I can't stand having to need help with everything," Toph explained. "And this is just the South Pole of our own world! We don't know anything about this Middle-Earth. What am I going to do if I end up alone there in a place where I can't see or bend? How will I protect myself?"
Katara took in everything Toph explained, and realized why Toph was afraid. She had every reason to be afraid.
"It'll be okay, Toph," Katara started to console.
"You don't understand, Katara. I have never been scared before in my life. This is the first time I am, and there's nothing I can do about it!"
Katara sat down next to Toph and put her hand on her shoulder. "We're all a bit concerned about what to expect once we get to Middle-Earth. But remember, we're going together, as a team. We'll always stick together and look after each other. That's what friends are for," Katara explained. "I know you, Toph. You're smart and you're strong. You'll be fine. It's going to be those Orcs who will have to worry about having you as an enemy."
Toph smiled, a bit more assured of everything after having talked to her friend. "Thanks, Katara," she said. "Just don't tell anyone about this!"
Katara laughed. "I won't." She got up to pack the sleeping bags and blankets.
"I wanted to ask you something else," Toph then started.
Katara turned around. "What is it?"
"Can you help me write a letter to my parents? I want them to know where we're going and that they don't have to worry about me," she explained.
"Of course. I'd be happy to help you with that," Katara answered. Her face lit when she got an idea. "I have an idea. What do you think of having your own metal stick? You could always use it in a fight or as a seeing stick if we should ever get to a place where you can't see properly."
"That would be great, Katara. Thanks," Toph replied gratefully.
ooooo
The tale of Suki & Sokka
"Suki?" Sokka asked as he was searching for his girlfriend. "Suki!" he called again.
He walked to Katara's room and poked his head inside. "Is Suki here?" he asked to Katara and Toph who were the only ones there.
"Nope," Katara answered, packing a blanket she'd just folded. "Haven't seen her since this morning."
"Okay," Sokka said in reply, and continued his search for Suki.
He got to the public meeting space in the center of the palace. He found many people there, but not the person he was looking for.
He checked the alleys. The ones he'd already checked were all empty, except for one where he found Zuko training with his broadswords. "Hey, have you seen Suki around?"
Zuko paused his training and turned to face Sokka. He shook his head.
"Oh, okay. Thanks anyway," Sokka said and turned to leave. The young warrior could hear Zuko resume his training and he turned to watch him for a while. Zuko looked more than fierce and was really good with his swords, Sokka admitted to himself. He remembered his own Master telling him that he was pretty good with the ways of the sword himself, and that he had the capability of becoming a great Swords Master himself one day. Snapping out of his thoughts, he turned around and left the alley.
As he walked further, he took out his boomerang. He threw it in the air with his right hand, and caught it back with his left when it returned. Looking down at the weapon that he loved most, he put it back, and continued to look for his girlfriend.
ooooo
Suki was in another empty alley, a place that was perfect for her to practice. She was wearing her Kyoshi Warrior's costume, except for the face paint. She checked her appearance in the water of a nearby fountain, still trying to get used to wearing her outfit without the make up.
"Oh, there you are. I've been looking for you everywhere," Sokka, who'd finally found her, said, causing Suki to turn away from the fountain to look at him. "You're beautiful, Suki. You don't have to check your reflection to be sure," he said confidently.
Suki blushed at Sokka's comment. "Why were you looking for me?" she asked.
"I wanted to-," he started, but then noticed something. "Something's not right about your costume," he stated. "Why is your make up missing?"
"Oh, I was thinking of not wearing the face paint when we go to Middle-Earth. That's what I was checking. I was thinking that if the people there aren't familiar with this kind of make up, they might think of it as strange, or even get frightened because of it," she explained.
"Hmm, makes sense," Sokka replied.
"It does feel kind of weird wearing my dress without the face paint, but I guess I'll get used to it," she continued. "So, what did you want to say earlier?" Suki then asked.
"I actually wanted to spend some time with you before we leave tomorrow morning. Once we start the mission in Middle-Earth, I'm not sure if we can enjoy some quiet with just the two of us alone," Sokka said.
Suki smiled, and kissed her boyfriend on his cheek. "I would love to. Let me finish my training and then we'll meet up again."
"Alright!" Sokka exclaimed excitedly. "Meet me in my room after your training."
Suki nodded. She took out her sword, and started training. Sokka watched her for a little while, and then he left for his room.
He cleaned and prepared it for the date he'd planned with his girlfriend. He sat down and waited for her to come. As he waited, he took out his boomerang once more and examined it. His weapon had been his favorite forever, and he'd always been able to use it well. Though it was rather small compared to most weapons, it was handy and had been effective so far. Now he wondered whether his boomerang would be enough to fight with in Middle-Earth, especially after he'd seen Zuko and Suki practice with their swords. He would need another weapon. He needed his sword to fight with again. It was a shame that he had lost the sword he'd made himself in his last fight during the war, but he knew he needed a new one. There wasn't enough time to make a new sword before they left their world, so he got up and made his way to the armory room.
He checked out the several spears, swords and armors that were stored in the room, and pondered about which weapon to choose.
"Sokka?"
Sokka turned around to see his father entering the room. "Dad? I just came to find a weapon to use during the mission," he told his father.
"I thought so. That's why I came here looking for you. The armory would be just the place for my warrior to prepare for his journey." Hakoda then revealed his own sword that he was holding. He handed it to his son. "Here. I wanted you to have this," he said.
Sokka looked at it in awe. "You're giving me your own sword?"
"Yes, son. I won't be needing it anyway," Hakoda answered with a small, but proud, smile.
Sokka smiled. "Thanks, Dad. This means a lot to me."
"I know this isn't the same as your special space sword, but it has served me well during the war. I hope it'll do the same for you."
"Are you kidding me? You've always been my example, Dad. Your sword is the perfect sword for me. It's the best I could ever wish for!" Sokka said, happier than ever.
"Look after your sister well. And always remember to protect your friends no matter what."
"I will, Dad. I promise."
Hakoda pulled his son in a hug. "I'm proud of you, son."
ooooo
After training and having taken a bath to get freshen up, Suki entered her boyfriend's room. Sokka had made a small fire in the center of the room, and he'd placed extra blankets to sit on. There was food. 'Of course there was,' Suki thought to herself. Sokka was sitting behind the fire and admiring the sword he was holding. Suki shook her head at that. Typically Sokka to get attached to his belongings, especially weapons.
"I see you got a new sword," Suki stated.
It was then that Sokka noticed his girlfriend had gotten there already. He jumped to his feet. "Oh, hey!" he said, still holding on to his sword. Then, holding his sword in front of him, "It's not new. It's my Dad's. He just gave it to me," he told her.
"That's great, Sokka. It must mean a lot to you."
"It does," he said with admiration for the sword.
"But are you really going to hold that throughout our date?" she asked.
"I just want to get used to it," he said, patting the sword as if it was his pet animal. He looked up at Suki. "You're right, today's supposed to be about us alone," he said. He put the sword away, and then went to stand in front of his girlfriend. He held her hands and kissed her gently. He smiled when they parted from the kiss. "Yes, today is just about the two of us."
ooooo
The tale of Aang & Zuko
Lemur chirps filled the air as Momo was trying to beat the Avatar in the game they were playing. It was a form of hide and seek that Aang had invented. The Avatar had made several snowmen in his own form. One of the snowmen was Aang himself covered in snow. It was up to Momo to find Aang. Appa was lying at the side of the field they were playing on, not really engaging with the game, but enjoying a short nap.
Momo screeched and jumped on another statue of Aang, causing the snow to collapse, as Aang wasn't inside the statue. Doing so, he revealed Zuko who had just gotten there. The sudden appearance of the Fire Lord startled the Lemur at first. He ran off behind another statue, coincidentally the one where Aang was hiding in. Aang removed the snow off of him with a laugh. "You found me! Good job, Momo!"
Aang's words caught Appa's attention for a brief time, and the Bison looked up at his friends. As nothing urgent was going on, he went back to his peaceful slumber.
"You're playing with your pets? Don't you have any preparations to take care of?" came Zuko's voice, catching Aang's attention.
"Nope. Katara and Toph are taking care of our supplies. I've packed some books and maps of Middle-Earth. Other than that, there is not much to prepare. I was just having a bit of fun with Appa and Momo," the Avatar answered.
"I can see that," was Zuko's response. "Have you told them about your decision?" he then asked, referring to Aang's decision he'd discussed with the team that morning.
Aang's expression went from cheerful to a little sad. "Not yet. I'll tell them later," he said, patting Momo who was now sitting on the Avatar's shoulder.
"I'm going to train for a while. Care to join me?" Zuko asked.
"Sure. You go ahead, I'll join you later," Aang replied.
Zuko replied with a nod, then left the area, leaving Aang alone with both his pets.
ooooo
Zuko had gotten to an empty alley, where he started training with his broadswords. He practiced a few routine moves, when he was suddenly interrupted by a question. "Hey, have you seen Suki around?"
Zuko turned to face Sokka. He shook his head in reply.
"Oh, okay. Thanks anyway."
Zuko resumed his training without any further talk to Sokka.
After having practiced with the swords for some time, he placed them on his back, deciding to practice his Firebending for a while.
Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, and shot a few fire blasts by punching and kicking in the air. He was careful not to shoot any fire too far, preventing anything from the giant ice palace to melt.
He thought of what to practice next, and decided to do some breathing exercises before continuing with Firebending. He sat down in a meditating position, and started to breathe by inhaling deeply, holding his breath, and exhaling. He continued this for several minutes until he felt completely calm after having practiced with the sword.
He got up again. Not wanting to hold in, he checked in what direction he was going to fire his next shot without causing any damage to his surroundings. He took his stance, followed by a deep breath and allowed the energy to stream out of his right hand in the form of fire. Only, to his biggest surprise, it wasn't fire that he shot. It was lightning that he released from his fingertips and that was shot in the air.
Zuko's eyes widened in surprise and he gasped. "Wow!" He got out of his stance immediately, and tried to digest what had just happened. He had shot lightning. He had done it! After having tried for so long without any luck, it had worked this time while he hadn't even tried to create lightning on purpose. Zuko couldn't believe it. He sat down, excited and amazed at the same time.
He remembered what his uncle had told him about lightning. "Lightning is a pure expression of Firebending… To perform the technique requires peace of mind."
A smile formed on Zuko's lips. It had worked. He had done it! His uncle would be so proud.
He was brought back to reality when he heard someone running towards him. When he looked up, it was Aang who had just gotten there.
"Did you just shoot lightning?" the Avatar asked him.
Zuko nodded with a proud smile. "It took me so long to master this," he said softly. "Uncle will be so happy when he learns that I finally learned it."
"It was amazing!" Aang exclaimed. "Can you do it again?"
Zuko stood up. He signaled Aang to step back. Thinking back about when his uncle explained him the method of lightning, he took his stance. He held his right hand to his side with two fingers extended, and then he began to create lightning by rotating his arm in a circular motion.
Aang watched his Firebending Master in awe as the lightning emerged from Zuko's fingertips.
Zuko mimicked the motion with his left arm. Bringing his two hands together, he lunged forward and extended his right hand, shooting lightning into the air. Standing up straight and lowering his arms, the Firebender looked down at both his hands. "This is wonderful. I still can't believe I mastered this."
Aang smiled at Zuko, still amazed by his Firebending teacher's new unlocked skill. "It could come in handy in a fight."
Zuko nodded at his former pupil.
"You should tell your uncle about this. Pakku will visit him anyway. You could write to him," Aang suggested.
"I will," Zuko replied. "Let's finish training first."
ooooo
Zuko sat on the floor in Katara's room. In front him were a sheet of paper, an ink jar and a brush. Dipping the bristles in the ink, he started writing to his uncle.
Dear Uncle,
It's been a long time since we last met, and here I am writing to you about leaving. Mother and I were supposed to meet you in your Tea Shop next week. I'm sorry to say that I won't be there. The Avatar needs me on his next quest. It might sound a little weird, but for this quest we're going to another world… or another dimension of the Earth the way Aang explained it. It's called Middle-Earth. I don't suppose you've heard of this place before? We have another war to end there. I had to think back of when you told me what my destiny is, to restore balance in the world. I just got another chance of doing that with the Avatar.
You might be thinking that I'm leaving behind my nation. Master Pakku will talk to you about this, but I was hoping for you to take my place as Fire Lord for as long as I am gone. I will instruct master Pakku with the status of several projects that are currently going on, so he can give you an update. You can also access my agenda at the palace. You can ask Mom about that.
I have some other great news. I created lightning for the first time in my life. I'm both excited and grateful. I couldn't have done it without your guidance. You told me that I would only be able to master lightning after dealing with the turmoil inside me. I had to get rid of my feelings of shame and anger. Now I understand why. You were right, you always were. I owe you a big thank you. I can't really describe how it feels when creating lightning, but mastering it yourself, you probably know what I'm talking about. All I can say is that I really experience my mind being at peace. And it is an amazing feeling.
I apologize for the inconvenience of having to take my place for as long as I'm gone. But with you in the Fire Nation, I know I don't have to worry about anything. I'll be forever grateful to you, Uncle. I'll tell you everything about this quest when we get back.
Thank you for everything, Uncle. I will miss you.
Until our next meeting.
Your nephew,
Zuko
After writing a letter to his uncle, Zuko wrote two more for his mother and Mai. When he finished, he left the room to deliver the letters to Master Pakku.
ooooo
A loud growl escaped from Appa's mouth and the Bison lay down disappointedly when he heard the news. Momo, agreeing with Appa, screeched in protest.
"Try to understand, guys! I'm doing this for your own protection!" Aang tried to reason.
The animals wouldn't listen. Aang sighed deeply. "Look, I had a hard time reaching this decision. I will miss you two a lot. But I really, really don't want to risk taking you to Middle-Earth. It will be more dangerous than you can even imagine. And I can't lose you guys."
Momo went to sit on Aang's shoulder, rubbing his head against Aang's face. Aang patted the Lemur, and then he went to hug Appa. "I'm sorry, guys. I really am. But I have no other choice," he said, still hugging Appa tightly.
"I will look after them," came Pakku's voice from behind. The Master approached the Avatar and his pets. "You don't have to worry about a single thing while you're gone. The Order will look after everything, and I'll take responsibility for your pets."
"Thank you, Master. If you ever need to travel long distances, you can take Appa."
Pakku nodded.
It was then that Zuko arrived with his letters. "Master Pakku, I have written letters to my uncle, mother and my girlfriend. Can I ask you to take these with you when you visit my uncle?"
"I'll travel to Ba Sing Se to visit Iroh after you all leave for Middle-Earth tomorrow morning. I'll deliver the letters and take him to the Fire Nation. Then I'll inform the other members of the Order of our new job during the Avatar's absence."
"Thank you," both Aang and Zuko said.
"It's getting late. I suggest you both go to sleep. You'll have a tough time ahead of you and you could use all the rest you can get," Pakku then said. With that, he left.
Aang patted Appa and Momo one last time. "You guys go to sleep. We'll see each other again in the morning."
ooooo
As Aang and Zuko headed towards the room, Zuko couldn't help but bring up something he'd been thinking about for some time. Ever since Aang had mentioned that what he had envisioned was a lot worse than the war they'd been through, the young Fire Lord couldn't stop thinking about the severity of Middle-Earth's situation. Having experienced the war in many cruel ways, and knowing the damage the Fire Nation had caused like no other, he thought nothing else could be worse than the war their world had been through. The fact that this was according to Aang worried him.
"Aang, there's something I wanted to talk to you about," he started.
"What is it, Zuko?" Aang asked in return.
"When you were telling us about Middle-Earth and the war that is about to start there, you told us that it's a lot worse than the war we've been through," Zuko started to explain.
"Yes," Aang replied.
"I don't understand how that is even possible," Zuko stated. "My great-grandfather had every Air Nomad killed, you being the exception. Zhao tried to destroy the moon, and with that almost the entire world. Then my father tried to wipe out the entire Earth Kingdom of Ba Sing Se," he said. "The Fire Nation had destroyed so much and taken so many lives. How can any other war be worse than this?"
"I agree that the Fire Nation had done many evil things during the war. But I was serious about the war of Middle-Earth being worse than the one we ended," the Avatar started. "The Fire Nation armies consisted of human beings, and not every person from the Fire Nation was a ruthless monster. Sauron's armies consist only of monsters, and all of them are dark and evil. I've seen them torture innocent people and actually feed on human flesh. They're terrifying, bloodthirsty creatures. They serve the Dark Lord and know nothing other than killing others," Aang explained.
"I can't even imagine something like that," Zuko admitted. "You really saw them feed on human flesh?"
He nodded. "They're savages and they're horrible," Aang continued. "During the many fights I fought here, I never had to kill a Fire Nation soldier. I had other ways of teaching them a lesson, or of getting away from them. I didn't even have to kill Ozai to end the war. But this won't work in Middle-Earth, because those creatures won't stop until everyone is dead. And some of them are very powerful. Sauron's armies were a lot bigger than any army I've ever seen. If Sauron wins the war and the people of Middle-Earth lose their freedom, they will suffer a lot at the hands of Sauron's minions. They'll be tortured in many ways and die terrible deaths. The world will be covered in a complete darkness. And we have to stop that from happening," he explained.
"Is that why you're leaving Appa and Momo behind?" Zuko asked. "Because of the dark creatures?"
"Yes," Aang answered. "It's a place we're all unfamiliar with, and if there is so much evil that we have to fight against, it's safer for them to stay here. I don't want to take any risks when it comes to their safety."
"I think I'd do the same if I were in your place," Zuko said. "You're doing the right thing."
ooooo
Leaving the World
The members of Team Avatar were more than ready to leave for Middle-Earth. They had said their goodbyes, packed their belongings and they were all set to leave. Toph wore her regular Earthbending outfit, along with a pair of sole-less shoes. She was holding a metal stick that Katara had helped her arrange. Suki was wearing her Kyoshi outfit, though without the face paint. Closing her fans, she put them in her belt along with her sword. Zuko had his broadswords that he carried on his back. Katara had her water pouch, and Aang had his glider along with a water pouch of his own that Katara had given him. Sokka had his boomerang and the sword that he'd received from his Father. They all carried bags with their own belongings.
"Isn't that Dad's sword?" Katara asked her brother when she noticed the sword.
"As a matter of fact, it is," Sokka answered.
Katara giggled. "Does this one mark your identity good enough?" she asked teasingly.
"As a matter of fact, it does," he answered in a similar tone as his earlier comment, holding his sword protectively.
Katara noticed that Aang looked somewhat down. She put her hand on his shoulder in a reassuring manner. "They'll be fine, Aang. Don't worry too much about them. Leaving Appa and Momo behind for their safety and to assist the Order of the White Lotus was the right decision."
"While I do think that we'd have bigger chances of survival with Appa, I too think that you did the right thing," Sokka stated.
Aang gave a small smile to his friends. "I'm glad you guys agree with me. Now let's get to Middle-Earth."
"One question," Suki started. "How are we all going to get there exactly?" she asked.
"I am not really sure…" Aang answered with a sheepish grin.
"You're not sure?" Sokka asked.
"How can you not be sure about this?" Zuko then asked.
"Great," Toph started. "If we can't get there at all, all the preparations and the anticipation have been for nothing."
"Well, Roku told me a way. But it has never been tried before, so this is going to be a first. It will be difficult though to get us all both mentally and physically to Middle-Earth," the Avatar explained.
"What are we gonna do if it doesn't work?" Suki asked.
"We'll see about that afterwards. Let's give it a try first," Aang said. "We have to meditate together. And then wait until something happens," he continued. "Let's all sit in a circle and hold hands," he then instructed.
They all did as Aang told them.
"Now close your eyes, and try to focus on the energy flowing through us," Aang said. "Don't be distracted by anything around us, just concentrate while I try to make sure that we get transported to Middle-Earth," he said calmly.
ooooo
"So, how much longer is it going to take for us to finally get there?" Toph asked, interrupting the silence. It felt like they had been meditating like that for hours, but nothing had happened yet.
"Hey! I never said that this was going to be easy. It's a first time for me to travel to another world like this and to bring other people with me there!" Aang said, somewhat frustrated that it hadn't worked yet.
"It's okay, Aang," Katara said. "Maybe you can tell us more about the different peoples of Middle-Earth so we'll know what to expect from them when we get there," she then suggested to get his mind on something else. She was also interested in knowing about them. And perhaps, knowing more about them would help them focus more properly on the world they were trying to get to.
Aang sighed and lay down on his back. "There are the Elves, they are wise and immortal. Plus, they have very sharp eyes and pointy ears. Their preferred weapon is a bow," he started.
"Pointy ears," Sokka said with a chuckle. "I'd love to see that," he added sarcastically.
"Shut up, Ponytail!" Katara quipped to her brother, then wondered, "How can it be that they're immortal? Don't they ever grow old, and die eventually?"
"They don't age, and can't die from disease or illness the way I understood it," Aang answered. "They can only die from too much grief or if they are killed."
He went on to the next race. "Then there are the Dwarfs. They're known as great miners and craftsmen. They're very stubborn, and they're also known for their love of meat and beer. Their preferred weapon is the axe," Aang went on. "Oh, and they hate the Elves."
"Now them I would love to meet," Sokka mumbled under his breath.
"Why would anyone hate the Elves? They sound like wonderful people to me," Katara stated.
Aang shrugged his shoulders. "Dunno. Maybe we'll find out in Middle-Earth if we ever get there." He continued, "Furthermore, we have Men. They're just mortal and like normal people, I suppose. The book also said that they're easily corrupted and most of them desire power."
Zuko scoffed. "Tell me something new."
"Lastly, there are Hobbits. They're also called Halflings, because they're about half the size of Men. They mostly love things that grow, anything concerning plants and earth," Aang explained. "They have large, hairy feet and they walk barefoot," he added.
"I think we would get along greatly," Toph said, thinking that they probably had a lot in common.
"It was one of those I turned into in my visions," Aang said, sitting up. "I think I must be connected to that particular Hobbit somehow."
"You also mentioned Wizards?" Suki asked.
"Oh, right," Aang remembered. "They can do magic," he said.
"What about the Orcs?" Sokka asked. "If we will have to fight them, it'd be good to know about them too."
Zuko looked at Aang, recalling what they had talked about the evening before.
"Well, there's more than just Orcs. There are many dark creatures and they're capable of many cruel things," he said. "The armies consisted mostly of Orcs though. What I read about them is really strange," Aang stated. "The book said that they were Elves once, but they were taken by the first Dark Lord named Morgoth. They were tortured and brainwashed, then turned into monsters."
"That's just awful," Katara said.
"That's about all I know."
"Okay. Why don't we try concentrating again, and see if we can get there this time?" Katara then suggested.
"Good idea," Aang said. With that they reformed the circle and held hands again.
As they meditated, Aang's air symbols started to glow as he concentrated on the place he was trying to get them all to. It didn't take long this time for it to work, because shortly after, a bluish portal appeared above the members of Team Avatar.
ooooo
To be continued…