Avatar Rylon
Book 1 Trust
Chapter 5 – The Spirits
"Oh…I've never liked air travel." Sy said shaking his head. "I prefer trains they're quicker and closer to the ground." He continued looking a little queasy.
"We've been up here for a few minute's tops and you're already going to be sick?" Zuri said shaking her head in disbelief. "At least try and wait till we land."
As the air bison travelled closer to Air Temple Island Rylon looked up into the sky where now that there were far enough away from the blinding lights of the city he could start to make out some of the stars in the sky.
"So who exactly are we going to meet? That lady on the phone? It would be good to ask her a few questions." Zuri nodded turning to Rylon.
"No my old air bending Master Akar the leader of the Air Nation is going to meet us look there he is waiting for us." Rylon said looking down at the Island where a middle aged man with short white hair and a long beard stood waiting for them outside at the temple steps.
Siren landed gently the ground where Rylon quickly jumped off and walked over to Akar.
"Master is it great to see you again."
"It has been to long Avatar but I believe that is not your fault." He paused. "Which is good because I was starting to think you didn't like me!" He grinned before turning to look at Zuri who jumped off the Bison and Sy who slowly slid down the side. "Friends of yours?"
"Officer Zuri of the Republic City Police Force, it is an honour to meet you Master Akar." Zuri said walking forward and bowing slightly.
"I didn't realize the police forces were accompanying you Rylon?" Akar asked slightly confused.
"The President had ordered them to not allow me to speak to Sy or for me to go the Spirit Portal Exclusion Zone." Rylon said quickly. "Zuri is here because she wants to prove that The President is corrupting the force and the city for his own needs."
"Yes the safety of Republic City citizens comes first and after today's events I believe that their lives may be in danger." Zuri nodded.
Sy slowly walked over to them still looking ill.
"Ah yes Sy Ember from the prestigious Ember family line and an expert in spirit classification, it saddens me that you never accepted my offers to join us here at Air Temple Island." Akar said turning to Sy who looked a little guilty.
"I did think about it!" Sy said quickly.
"Last I heard though Sy was imprisoned and the test site completely blocked off." Akar started as the four began to walk up the stairs towards the temple.
"The President had ordered that no one was to talk to him but I thought if I did and found out where he got that spirit warning from I would be able to talk about it in tomorrow's meeting. They didn't let me speak to him so I snuck around the back but then we were caught by Zuri." Rylon said looking to Zuri.
"Breaking the law and disobeying the President?" Akar said looking to Rylon. "About time you started taking matters in to your own hand Avatar." Rylon frowned a little.
"I did not intend to kidnap Sy, I just wanted to talk to him before I met with the President tomorrow to discuss what we're going to tell the spirits and public as well ask the spirits about the trouble I am having meditating into the spirit world."
"This is very serious Avatar if you cannot meditate into the spirit world but in regards to the public from what I have seen and heard from them they believe the President but the spirits do not…" As Akar trailed off they reached the top of the stairs where just before the temple entrance was at least 20 or more spirits all chattering amongst themselves. Once the spirits saw the Avatar they all quietened and turned to him before they all instantly ran or flew over to him and once again began chattering away so quickly he couldn't make out what they were saying.
"Sorry, can everyone please just err go one at a time?" Rylon said as the spirits all kept talking with some even pulling on his clothes to get his attention.
"Everyone quiet!" Zuri suddenly yelled causing everyone to instantly be quiet before she turned to Rylon and nodded.
"All of you others be quiet and let me speak." One of the spirits that looked like a flower bulb with a pink flower springing up from his head said and stepped forward on his two little feet. "We blame you completely for this Avatar!" The spirit instantly accused pointing at Rylon.
"We didn't know about that spirit barrier." Rylon said quickly.
"Liar! Shanto had spoken to your Representatives years ago and told you humans not to meddle with the upper atmosphere and what lies beyond."
"I haven't seen Shanto for many many years. The Representatives of the Four Nations and the President of Republic city conduct regular meetings whilst I was in training but they always informed me if they need me to help them and the spirits to sort out any issues, they never mentioned this to me." The meetings between the representatives always a few times every year somewhere in Republic City or the Earth Empire but Rylon had only ever attended them when he was mastering metal bending in Zaofu, once he left to learn water bending he had always been advised by the President of what took place and if his advice was needed he would meet with the Nation Representative and the spirit that needed it.
"Shanto may be our official to the world of politics in your silly little world system but you're the real voice of the spirits! I do not believe for one moment that you the Avatar did not know about this warning." The spirit bulb said crossing its tiny arms.
"Akar, had Nena ever told you anything about this?" Rylon said turning to Akar who stroked his beard and thought for a moment before shaking his head.
"No she had not…she has always informed me of all their decisions the representatives make but never has she has ever mentioned this barrier nor this warning from Shanto whom I also have not seen in a long time."
"The Representatives are supposed to be the voices of the Four Nations, they are obliged to discuss everything with their nations leaders and to always have their Nations best interests at heart, why would they lie to their leaders?" Zuri questioned. "They're also always supposed to report to the Avatar especially on spiritual matters."
"Shanto would not lie to us!" The bulb spirit said as all the other spirits nodded in agreement. "If he said he had told these Representatives about this and they said they had told you then we believe him."
"We're not saying he lied." Rylon quickly reassured.
"The real question here is why I was ever involved!" Sy said butting into the conversation. "How did you spirits not know about this test going on and try and stop it yourselves? You can go everywhere you please and yet somehow you managed to not notice the huge rocket at the side of Republic City."
"We trusted the humans would take our warning seriously and we thought the Avatar would listen to us, the spirit that came to you non-bender we do not know who they were." A green dolphin like spirit said floating forwards. "Avatar Korra never lied to us and never went behind our back to side with the humans."
"You have to believe me that I didn't know." Rylon said not understanding why the spirits seemed to have pinpointed the blame solely on him when he had had no idea.
"That doesn't explain why you didn't notice a huge rocket at the airport!" Sy said quickly.
"We take no interest in you humans or your silly little inventions, we saw but did not believe it was something that was going to deceive us." The bulb spirit said before pausing. "Now the rest of you humans leave, we need to speak to the Avatar alone." The bulb looked to Zuri, Sy and Akar who nodded before they began to walk back down the steps towards the air bison.
"Spirits you have to believe me that if I had known of this warning I would never have allowed this test to happen." Rylon looked down at the spirits who didn't look very convinced.
"Whether or not you meant to deceive us you have and it has put the world in incredible danger." The Dolphin spirit said sadly as the rest of the spirits began whispering amongst themselves.
"I don't understand. What danger? No one was hurt and no spirits were affected."
"You must have seen that that barrier was spiritual and you must have by know assumed that it was obviously put there for a reason." The bulb spirited said in a low voice. "It is there to keep out the ancient spirit of Juan Dai." Rylon's eyes instantly widened thinking back to that dream he had had but he didn't say anything. "He is an ancient spirit and much of his story has been lost among eons of time. All we spirits know was that he was banished by the ancients."
"Why was this spirit banished, was he like Vaatu?" Rylon asked thinking back to Avatar Korra and Harmonic Convergence.
"Only the most ancient of spirits know of his story, we only know that he was banished to this realm above your planet and that a spiritual barrier was created to stop him ever returning. To make sure he never returned the ancient ones bestowed a stark reminder to all spirits who ever thought if anyone was ever foolish enough to try and free him." The dolphin spirit said looking up at the sky.
"That pain I felt when the rocket hit the barrier." Rylon said as he looked to the spirits who all nodded.
"Every single spirit that resides in this world and the spirit world felt that pain as a reminder to leave the ancient spirit alone in his dark prison." The spirit bulb said. "Now you humans are trying to free him!"
"Why has this spirit never been mentioned to anyone or any other Avatar before?" Rylon asked.
"We never thought you humans would ever evolve to the point of leaving your planet and we spirits don't' know the full story only the ancient ones do and they rarely speak of him." The bulb said.
"If this is a spiritual barrier then why couldn't that rocket simply pass through if it was man-made?" Rylon asked slightly confused.
"The barrier detects anything that touches whether it be spiritual in nature or not." The dolphin spirit replied.
Rylon thought for a moment about whether or not to tell the spirits about the dream he had had about Juan Dai but decided he still didn't know whether it was simply a dream or not and so decided that he needed more information about Juan first but he had more urgent matters to discuss with the spirits first.
"Ever since this event I have not been able to enter the spirit world through meditation." Rylon said looking to the spirits who all looked shocked.
"Close your eyes Avatar." The dolphin spirit said as it flew closer in front of Rylon who closed his eyes before she also closed her eyes as the two glowed brightly for a moment before she reopened her eyes. "Physically you are fine Avatar but I sense something affecting your spirituality, it is only just there but it is enough that I can feel it and I assume enough to stop you meditating into the spirit world."
"I can still enter the Avatar state though for now...will this affect my connection with Raava?" Rylon immediately after the barrier has been affected went into the Avatar state but was now concerned if that is this side effect was affecting his spirituality than it might also be affecting Raava.
"This must be an after effect of the spirit barrier being disturbed, if this spiritual darkness I sense inside you continues to grow it will certainty affect you connection with her." The dolphin spirit said calmly as the bulb spirit grumbled angrily.
"Perhaps this is a good lesson to learn to listen to the spirits before only thinking of your human friends next." The spirit bulb scorned.
"This is a very serious complication Avatar is there anything else you need to tell us?" The dolphin spirit looked at Rylon who shook his head. "If this is indeed an effect caused by this barrier than the ancient spirits are the only ones who will be able to help you, we spirits here don't know enough to guide you."
"Who should I seek out in the spirit world for answers?' Rylon asked as a whisper erupted between the spirits.
"You must seek out the ancient one known as Koh who is old enough to know the story of Juan Dai and what happened to him. He is one of the most knowledgeable spirits but is also one with an uneasy past with the Avatar and one who doesn't necessarily like humans." The dolphin spirit said in a low voice.
"The face stealer…" Rylon said to himself. "I have read the accounts of Avatar Aang and his encounter with this spirit."
"Take Avatar Aang's warnings in them to heed young Avatar because although Koh will give you the information you seek he will do anything in his power to steal your face, to add the face of an Avatar to his collection would be his greatest wish." The dolphin spirit warned.
"Better you going to meet him then me." The bulb spirit said shuddering.
Looking out into the distance knowing that morning was coming soon Rylon knew he had to get to the Spirit Portal Exclusion Zone soon before the sun rose and the police force would find him there and tell the President.
"I appreciate your help and knowledge spirits but I must go before the sun rises." Rylon said as he turned around but before he took a step the little blub spirit quickly walked in front of him.
"Use the information you get from Koh to speak the nothing but truth Avatar to your people, we spirits will not take kindly to being deceived by human kind or the Avatar again." After he had finished the bulb spirit walked away. Rylon looked after him for a moment still unsure why the spirits seemed to deem the entire problem was because of him and him alone when the real culprit was the President and the 4 Nation Representatives, Rylon seemed to be nothing more than their scapegoat.
Turning back around Rylon began to walk down the stairs and when he reached the bottom he saw Akar, Zuri and Sy waiting for him beside the bison.
"What did the spirits say Avatar?' Akar asked stepping forward.
"That barrier we saw yesterday that the rocket hit was an ancient spiritual barrier put up by the ancient spirits to keep out Juan Dai who the spirits say only the ancients know about. They believe that me not being able to meditate into the spirit world is because of an unforseen after effect of any spirit trying to release him back into the world, almost like a dark poison effecting my spirituality and possibly future connection with Raava." He paused. "Do either of you know anything about an ancient spirit called Juan Dai?" Rylon asked looking to Akar and Sy who both shook their heads. "The spirits want me to go to the spirit world right away and seek out an ancient spirit to answer my questions about him."
"Not to put an end to this conversation so soon but we must get moving now if we are to make it to the Spirit Exclusion Zone before sunrise." Zuri said quickly.
"Go Avatar and speak to the ancient spirits within the Spirit World, whilst you are gone I will consult our acolytes and library for any mention of this spirit and I will personally see if I can understand more about this barrier and how it is effecting you and your spirituality." Akar said with a nod but before he tuned to walk away he smiled and used his air bending to throw Rylon an air bender glider which had been resting nearby which he caught. "You left this here last time Avatar, take care of her better this time alright." With that Akar quickly began to walk back up the stairs to the temple.
Holding onto the glider not realizing he had completely forgotten that he had left it here so long ago. Holding on to it he jumped up onto Siren before looking down at Zuri and Sy.
"You two can stay and help him if you like." Rylon said.
"You'll need me to help you get past the guards." Zuri said blasting herself up onto the Bison.
"I'm coming to." Rylon and Zuri both looked down at Sy slightly surprised. "I'll be safer with you two and besides if you get caught I still need you as my cover story to get out of trouble." Rylon helped him climb up with a quick burst of air.
"We are not going to get caught." Zuri assured. "You have me here."
"Siren yip yip." Rylon said as Siren began to head towards the Spirit Portal in the distance.
-x-
"How long are you going to be in there for?" Zuri asked turning to Rylon.
"I'm not sure, I need to seek out a spirit called Koh…" He didn't get to finish as Sy interrupted him.
"Koh!? You're joking right?" Rylon shook his head. "Koh is an incredibly dangerous spirit, even just by showing the tiniest amount of emotion and he will steal your face forever for his collection!"
"He is the only ancient spirit that has the information I need to find out more about this Juan Dai and the effect of the barrier created to stop him returning, I don't have a choice."
"I have heard scary bed time stories about this Koh that say if you're naughty he will leave the spirit world and steal your face in the middle of the night." Zuri said rolling her eyes. "I'm sure the Avatar can handle this spirit if he's only scary to little children in their bed time stories."
"The records of the life of Avatar Aang described his meeting with the ancient one Koh occurred as a sacred spirit tree within the spirit world." Sy said thinking to himself and taping the side of his head as he thought.
"Zuri where should we land?" Rylon asked as they began to draw closer to the Spirit Portal which shone like a beacon in the dark.
"Approach from the west side where the Air Bison tourists groups land, there is a designated zone there for tourists and during the evening there will be no one there to see us."
"What about the police patrolling the wall down surrounding the entire area?" Sy asked looking over the bison and pointing out towards the wall. "It's nearly a full moon we'll be seen easily when we get too close." As he finished Rylon looked around them for a way to get past unnoticed.
"Don't worry." Rylon said standing up and using his air bending to move a huge cluster of clouds gently across the sky till they sat in front of the moon darkening its light over the entire area.
"Will that be enough?" Sy asked biting his lip.
"We'll soon find out, now quick go now." Zuri said pointing down below.
Siren managed to quietly fly inside the exclusion zone land at the tour guide position.
"You know I've never actually been here before." Sy said sliding down the side of the Bison and looking over at a large poster on the wall explaining the story behind the portal.
"I've done a few shifts here before, all you need to do is walk over to the portal and jump the few small fences you'll encounter before you reach it. There should be no guards there now as they would never expect anyone to get this far in the middle of the night." Zuri said pointing towards the spirit portal which was only just a mere kilometre away from them. "I'll wait here and watch Sy." She said pointing back at Sy as he read all the posters and information cards around the landing zone.
Nodding Rylon began to walk over towards the portal where he hadn't been in at least 10 years. The portal still shone a brilliant green and gold colour and the entire exclusion zone around it before you hit the exclusion fence was covered in green grass, trees and flowers.
Rylon felt an instant calmness as he walked through the small forest to reach the portal but he also felt uneasy as this was a place usually over run with spirits from the spirt portal and yet there were none around, there were no other human world animals around either making the area deathly quiet.
Reaching the portal he could see it sitting on a small raised mound. Walking up to it he was about to step inside when he heard a deep voice in his head.
"Go ahead Avatar…"
Rylon recognized the voice being that of Juan from his dream earlier that night but as he looked around he saw no spirits or anything around him. The spirits at Air Temple Island had told him that he would still be able to enter the Spirit World and so he pushed his worries aside and put his hand up to the portal and as soon as he touched it he felt an instant pain in his head and the entire portal changed from green and gold to a dark purple in mere seconds. Rylon tried to pull his hand away from the portal but it was almost as though it was stuck and he couldn't move it, he desperately tried to move it until all of a sudden the world went black.
-x-
"Avatar? Avatar?" Rylon heard a voice say as he slowly opened his eyes and looked up to see Zuri and Sy looking down at him.
"Where are we?" He said sitting up his head pounding but before anyone answered he looked around him and noticed that the entire forest area around the portal had been completely destroyed as though a huge fire had completely burnt it out. Rylon quickly stood up looking all around him in shook. "What happened?" He spun around looking to Zuri and Sy.
"We have to explain later…" Zuri started.
"Yes the police are coming!" Sy said in a panic looking around him.
Before Rylon had a chance to say anything Siren landed beside them with a huge thud as the three quickly climbed on and Siren instantly jumped up and began his way back to Air Temple Island.
"The Spirit Portal changed to this purple colour and then there was this huge fireball that destroyed the entire forest before it returned back to green and gold." Zuri said turning to Rylon who was looking down at the destruction.
"It-it wouldn't let me in." Rylon said with a sigh still in shock.
"That's not possible anything can enter the spirit portal physically through his portal…unless that spiritual barrier after effecting if affecting you in a way the spirits didn't comprehend." Sy said turning to Rylon.
"I'm not expert on spirits by any means but you don't need to be spiritual to enter the spirit word through this portal. Before Avatar Korra closed in to the general public anyone and everyone could go in which means Sy is right and something is very wrong." Zuri said. "You should tell those spirits at Air Temple Island about this as soon as possible."
"I'm going to assume that the spirits would have seen the spirit portal radically change colour last night and if you felt that pain once again then it seems logical they would have to." Sy said thinking to himself.
"How is that possible though? We were nowhere near the spirt barrier in the sky and up until now I was able to physically pass into the spirit world." Rylon paused. "It also doesn't explain the destruction we saw…"
"Perhaps…" Sy started but was interrupted by Zuri.
"Not to be rude but Avatar you should be asking Master Akar and the spirits about this not us." Sy glared angrily at her. "Don't give me that look you didn't even want to come with us in the first place to Air Temple Island."
"I am an expert in all things spirit related I think I know a little of what I'm talking about." Sy argued back at Zuri as Rylon sighed.
"No you're both right but I have no time to discuss this with anyone at the moment because the sun is coming up and I need to get back to the hotel and get ready for my meeting with the President and Representatives."
"What exactly are you going to tell them?" Zuri asked as Rylon thought for a moment.
"Nothing of what has happened here tonight. I need more information before they'll believe me and believe that I'm not just simply taking the spirits side."
"Hang on what about me? I'm a fugitive now I can't go back to jail." Sy said quickly.
"Go back and help Master Akar find any information you can on about this spirit Juan and tell them about what happened."
"I'll go with him…"Zuri started but didn't get to finish.
"Don't you have to go to work?" Sy asked as Zuri grinned.
"I have quite a large accumulation of sick days."
"I'll take my way back to Air Temple Island this afternoon after this meeting with The President, the Four Nation Representatives and hopefully Shanto."
"Are you sure you're all right to go to this meeting after everything that has happened?" Zuri asked as Sy nodded.
"Yes and in my professional opinion…" Sy glared at Zuri who rolled her eyes, "You should speak with the spirits firstly."
"I have a duty to go to this meeting and a responsibility to discuss what happened yesterday with them, I will not cause any undue panic by neglecting my duties to our world." Rylon said with a sigh, he would want nothing more than to avoid the meeting where he knew The President was just going to continue to lie directly to his face but he had no choice.
When they reached the city and Rylon had directed Siren to the large hotel building Rylon used his glider and jumped off the bison before landing on the hotels roof where he quickly located the stairs and ran down a flight till he reached the floor his Presidential Suite was on.
Quickly opening the door to the suite Rylon stepped inside and closed the door behind him before turning around and coming face to face with Platinum glaring angrily at him as he hovered in the air.
"I'm very sorry Platinum but I didn't want to wake you up last night…" Platinum hissed angrily at him and looked away in a huff. "Oh here's an idea." Rylon ran over to the lounge where he a found a small brochure. "How about I order you as many chicken-duck eggs as you like for breakfast? Would that cheer you up?" Grinning Platinum flew over and landed on Rylon's shoulder licking his lips greedily. "Now let's just figure out how this phone works…"