One reviewer to thank, and that's Somariel. So, this is pretty much the end of the line for this story. I'm happy that even though I didn't get a lot of reviews, everything turned out well. I learned a lot from this experience, and hopefully I can apply some new techniques successful here into my future work. Here's to finishing it off with the last chapter of the main character of the show.

Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

Aang's POV

"So, this is it, huh?" I asked as my three best friends approached. After what had been several sleepless nights, we finally reached the day of the invasion. Hakoda wasn't kidding when he told us he gathered most of our allies from around the Earth Kingdom to take part, as people we had seen since the beginning of our journey were all here. Haru and his father, Teo and the Mechanist, the swamp benders, even members of the Earth Rumble tournament where we first found Toph, they all wanted to be a part of history. I was truly touched that they all decided to help us, and thanked them all for their support of our group.

But for me, I had the biggest task ever, as I had to face the Fire Lord. The plan was that my group would arrive on the shores of the Fire Nation without me, taking on their troops and creating the distraction while I flew into the capital city to find the Fire Lord. Once I defeated the Fire Lord, the group would then take the capital city and dealt with things from there. Now, before the last move, Katara, Sokka and Toph gave me final words of encouragement.

Sokka and I shook hands before the rest of the group pulled in for a big hug. "I hope you kick some serious Fire Nation butt, Twinkle Toes," Toph commented before letting go. As Sokka and Toph went off to prepare the submarines, an invention designed by Sokka but put together by Teo and the Mechanist, I was left alone with Katara. She had been through so much just to see me in this spot, and I had so much I wanted to say to her.

"You're not that goofy little kid I found in the iceberg anymore," Katara commented, referring to how much she felt I grew up since we first met, "I guess what I'm trying to say is, I'm really proud of you." She concluded with a shy smile. That serene and gentle look usually made me happy, but today, it made my face flush with heat.

"Everything's going to be different after today, isn't it?" I responded, referring to how the balance of the world would be restored. Even though I knew it was my duty to see this through, I still felt there was a chance things wouldn't work out. "What if I don't come back?" I asked, still worried about failure. Even if it didn't work out for the world, the very least I could do was make sure it worked out for Katara. I had to leave it on the line for her right now, showing her just how much she meant to me. If I didn't make it back, she would be alone in this world, so at very least she ought to know that even if I wasn't there with her, I would still love her.

"Aang, don't say that, of course you'll..." Katara tried to respond, but I wouldn't have any of that. Before time ran out for us both, I leaned in and kissed her on the lips, holding on for as long as possible. My heart raced, my body twitched, and my mind flustered all at once as I showed Katara how I felt about her. There wouldn't be time for her to respond, as the second I broke off, I flipped my glider open and took to the skies. The Mechanist was kind enough to make me a new glider, and now I would fly this straight into the capital city. But for now, Katara ought to know I would always care for her, no matter what happened to me.

My mind was pretty much a blank as I flew towards the caldera where the capital city was located in. My only concern was to keep my head clear and stayed mentally tough as I faced the Fire Lord. My whole group told me I was ready for this, and that all my training would pay off in the end. But for me, even though I had their full support, I couldn't help but think that if any mishap happened, I would be letting them all down. To claim there was no pressure on me would be a lie, as everything in our future would be affected by what happened today. Flipping open the snack compartment that the Mechanist added into the rod, I dropped a few peanuts into my mouth. "What do you know, it did come in handy," I commented.

I finally reached the edge of the caldera, stopping at a higher rock and looking down at the city. All the Fire Nation nobles, ministers, and military commanders were living here, and I was about to infiltrate into their territory. All this would bring me closer to the Fire Lord, where the final battle would take place. Part of me wondered if Zuko would be there, given how he betrayed us back in Ba Sing Se. I doubted he would jump back to our side, so I might have to worry about him, assuming he would help his father out. Taking a deep breath, I opened the glider again and dove into the city, aiming straight for the palace.

But surprisingly, the city was deathly silent, with not a single soul up and about. It was like the whole place was deserted as I peeked through open doors and into empty homes, with no one occupying any of these residences. "That's strange," I muttered to myself, landing onto the ground and racing to the palace. There were no guards at the front halls either, unlike the time we infiltrated the Earth Kingdom palace at Ba Sing Se. We were under siege from the frontlines when Appa flew in, and that was before they were aware there was a war going on outside. So how could the Fire Nation palace be so unguarded in the middle of a war?

With one shot, I blasted the front doors open with an air slice. "The Avatar is back!" I exclaimed, announcing to the Fire Nation that I was indeed alive. But instead of hearing people react, I heard absolutely nothing at all. My voice echoed through the wide chamber and into the darkness, creating an eerie atmosphere as I slowly stepped in. "Hello? Anyone home?" I called, hoping someone would respond to me. I had a really bad feeling about what was going on.

I lumbered through the empty halls, the line of rooms, and even the portraits gallery, where the paintings of every Fire Lord were hung. There was absolutely no one here, and I couldn't figure out why. Why would the Fire Lord and all his advisors and attendants just disappear like that? Where could they have possibly gone to? And would I still find them in time for the eclipse? Somehow, some way, this was starting to look bad.

I finally arrived at the throne room, the last chamber in which I would imagine the Fire Lord being located in. Every ounce of my being hoped for the fact that someone would be in there, but when I blasted the door open, my heart sank. It was, just like every other chamber, completely empty. Not even the torches on the walls were on as the only sounds that could be heard were my footsteps. It was official, there was nobody here at all.

My body dropped to the ground like a sack of rocks, my mind overcome with emotion as I wondered what went wrong. Had I come all this way for nothing? Did I do all that preparation work just to fail because I didn't consider the possibility that the palace would be empty? There was no way that I came all the way from my failure in Ba Sing Se, learning my mistakes and training extra hard, just to fail the world again, right?

But the dim room and the eerie silence continued to mock me, almost like the Fire Lord was purposely playing hide-and-seek with me. While I would be one for games in the Southern Air Temple, this was no time for that. Now, with every second bringing me closer to the actual eclipse, my time was running out. What if I couldn't find the Fire Lord in time? Would our good opportunity to attack be completely wasted here? My heart raced, my body trembled, and tears threatened to spill out my eyes as I shouted, "Fire Lord Ozai, where are you?"

Aang's POV

"Where is he? Where is the Fire Lord?" I demanded at the snickering individual seated on the lone chair in this wide chamber that oddly resembled the throne room back at the palace. I went back to my team and reported to them that the Fire Lord was missing, and instantly they figured that the Fire Nation knew about our invasion from the beginning. I was seriously kicking myself for not considering that, as we left Katara alone with the fake Kyoshi Warriors, played by none other than Princess Azula and her two friends. Now, we were running out of time to find the Fire Lord in this underground metallic bunker.

And guess who was there to stall for time? Azula. She obviously took great pride in ensuring that we weren't going anywhere, as she sat nonchalantly in the chair before us. Even though Katara was concerned that going after the Fire Lord with so little time left would leave us vulnerable, I was intent on trying anyway. We came too far to back out now, so at least we ought to go in to take a look. So while Katara took care of her father, who was injured in the original march up to the capital, Sokka, Toph, and I located the underground bunker where we believed the Fire Lord would be. We managed to get some directions to the Fire Lord from a minister who was hiding down here, but little did we know they were the wrong one.

"You mean I'm not good enough for you? You're hurting my feelings," Azula responded tauntingly, gesturing melodramatically at us as we demanded answers from her. It wasn't the first time we faced the Fire Nation princess, and we all knew how cunning and manipulative she could be. It was really a stroke of bad luck that we ended up being in the same room as her, as she was bound to do anything possible to hinder our search for the Fire Lord.

Unfortunately, even in her powerless state, Azula refused to cooperate. Even with Toph claiming to sense her lies, Azula showed that she could make up stories so well that it rendered Toph's special ability useless. And the scariest part was that even without fire bending, Azula had what we never would have expected her to have. "When I left Ba Sing Se, I brought home some souvenirs," she explained, dusting her uniform off. Just as she did that, two individuals wearing dark robes dropped from the rocky ceiling. "Dai Li agents," she introduced them to us.

The second they hit the ground, I knew it was bad news. The Dai Li was known for its stealth, precision, and unpredictability. Even without making a move, I knew we were in for a long fight. Whipping an air slice, I tried to get the first blow in, only to have the two agents calmly create a rock wall to block it cleanly. Even when I managed to leap over the wall, I was immediately greeted with shot after shot of rock, all of which I had to kick or swat down. All the while, Azula was standing right behind them, completely untouched by our attacks. If we could not penetrate through the Dai Li, then our battle was pretty much lost.

Luckily, Toph was there to help, sending the two agents out of the way with simultaneous rock pillars while aiming a third one straight at Azula. It was a close call to say the least, as the Fire Nation princess was propelled into the air, but managed to flip her body around and landed back on her chair. That was when I pursued, aiming straight for Azula while keeping my eye on the Dai Li agents. There was one speeding along on my left, and I knew he would go on the attack any moment. Timing it just right, I waited until he created his rock wall, jumping high into the air and unleashing a huge kick. While in the same set of motions, I stomped the ground hard and pinned the Dai Li agent, leaving Azula straight in my sight.

I unleashed another set of air blasts, with one shattering her chair. But for some reason, Azula didn't do anything to attack back. Even though she was out of fire bending, I was certain that Azula would do something else to fight us, but she was in complete defensive mode, opting to deflect our attacks and refusing to retaliate at all. And unfortunately for us, there was still one other Dai Li agent that was around doing the distracting work while Azula escaped through the original wall, nearly knocking over Sokka in the process. I really hated to make this comparison, but Azula had the agility and evasiveness of an air bender right now.

By the time we raced out of the chamber, Sokka had an idea. Shouting over the sounds of Toph bending metal to trap the remaining Dai Li agent in, Sokka insisted that we stopped our chase. Claiming that Azula wasn't trying to win the fight, Sokka suggested we ought to forget about dealing with her. "We just have to get out of here and find the Fire Lord on our own somehow," he described, grabbing me by the elbow and pulling me away from Azula.

But then, Azula did the unthinkable. Calling out to Sokka, she claimed she had in her possession her favourite prisoner, someone Sokka cared deeply for. "She was convinced you were going to come rescue her. Of course, you never came, and she gave up on you!" Azula ended with a sneer. I didn't even need to look to know Sokka was boiling mad.

Before Toph and I could even grab him, Sokka pounced on Azula, pinning her against the rock wall. "Where is Suki? Answer me!" Sokka demanded, "Where are you keeping her?" Even when I told Sokka to stop, it wasn't working, as my friend was in a raging frenzy. This was an absolute low blow for Azula, hitting Sokka where he was weakest and preying on his emotions like that. Even though I believed in peaceful resolution, opting to use the least amount of force possible to take out my enemies, this was truly testing my patience too.

Then without any warning, Azula kicked up a leg and sent a fire blast from her foot at Sokka. Had it not been for Toph tackling the water tribe warrior, he would be roasted alive. I could only watch in horror as Azula broke free from the wall and hustled off, purposely telling us her father's location just to taunt us. "I fell for it. I used up all our time, and now it's too late," Sokka lamented, looking more helpless than ever before. Now, with the eclipse over, fire benders would have their strength back, making them that much harder to take down.

Determined not to let yet another chance slip past, I insisted that I could still face the Fire Lord. I trained all this time just to do this, so I couldn't back out now. But Sokka was adamant that we got out of here as soon as possible. Heck, even Toph was insisting we left, claiming it just wasn't our day. Usually, running away would mean getting a tongue lashing from Toph. But instead of calling me every name under the sun, Toph was telling me to bail. Heh, funny how our priorities changed the second things went sour.

But we had no time to argue, as we must get everyone back to safety. As we emerged from the darkness, boarding Appa and flying back to the capital where the troops were located, a series of gigantic warships lifted off into the air. Dropping Sokka and Toph off with Hakoda, I flipped my glider open, offering to help our team by slowing down the airship fleet. Luckily, Katara hoped onto Appa, giving me extra reinforcement.

I dodged a hail of fire as I aimed for the first war balloon, turning my glider back into a staff and piercing the red fabric with the Fire Nation insignia on it. While that balloon floated helplessly to the ground, I aimed for the larger airships. I could tell that they were metallic and mechanical in nature, conventional bending would be almost useless against them. And with their formation and how there were fire benders perched at each platform that extended out from the control cab of each airship, there was no way I could even get close. As I spun and dodged each shot, I could only look at Appa, who was being bombarded as well. Had it not been for the fancy armour Sokka made, Appa would have suffered immense bruising right now.

Turning to Katara, I suggested that we joined the others. Hopefully this gave them enough time to get down the mountain and back to the subs, where they could make a quick escape. Searching for the group, we found them on the side of the mountain, still snaking their way down from the top. My gut rumbled uncomfortably, indicating my bad feeling about this. With the fleet's speed compared to ours, they could catch up in no time.

We landed just in time for the airships to hover over us, letting loose a barrage of bombs that rocked the entire mountainside. Luckily for us, Toph was nearby, and could bend enough rock to give us all cover. But judging from the ferocity of the explosions above, I could tell even Toph was meeting her match. The Fire Nation was shooting to kill, no doubt about that.

Then, as suddenly as the bombing began, it halted, leaving us to stand in silence. I looked out to the coast and saw the airships hovering right above our submarines. That's when I knew it was all over, as the Fire Nation was intent on taking us all prisoner. With our only transportation source at risk, there was no escape. While Sokka insisted we should take a stand, his father made an even more shocking statement. "You kids have to leave," he ordered, struggling to stand up straight with his wound, "you have to escape on Appa together."

Immediately, my gut fell to my knees as Hakoda insisted I took the youngest of our group somewhere safe as a way to keep hope alive. The adults would stay behind and surrendered to the Fire Nation. My knees nearly buckled as I thought of how I failed the world yet again, the memories of Ba Sing Se returning once more. Why did more people have to sacrifice themselves just because of a mess I created? As the younger fighters like Teo, Haru, and The Duke boarded Appa, I felt tears spilling from my eyes. The burden on my back just increased its weight by that much more as the window to defeating the Fire Nation shrunk yet again.

Katara placed a comforting hand on my shoulder, willing me to get up to face the brave group of warriors that participated in this battle with me. I might have let them down today, but I would rectify this mistake the first chance I got. "Thank you all for being so brave and so strong, and I'm going to make this up to you." I promised, determined never to let them down again.

Appa let out a mournful groan as he took off into the skies, leaving behind this great group of human beings who were now at the mercy of the Fire Nation. I had no choice but to leave them, but I felt guilty about it nonetheless. But for now, my priority was to settle this new group down and hopefully come up with a new plan. There was only one place close enough to the Fire Nation but secret enough for us to hide: the Western Air Temple. With a heavy heart, I steered Appa in that direction, with only the goal of righting today's wrong in my mind.

Aang's POV

"Look, I admit I've done some awful things," our visitor stuttered. After our defeat at the invasion, we ended up coming to the Western Air Temple. Haru, Teo and The Duke were just fascinated by this place and went exploring the area, all the while our team remained to deal with the next step. Originally, Sokka suggested we went back to the old plan, where I was to learn fire bending before fighting the Fire Lord. But the problem was, we had no fire bender accessible here. We didn't know where Jeong Jeong was, Iroh was most likely in jail, and there wasn't a soul in the Fire Nation that we could trust. How could we even execute this plan?

But suddenly, a fire bender came into our camp in the form of this visitor. The long shaggy hair did nothing to hide the ugly scar on the left side of his face as Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation decided to pay us a visit. Oh, so after his people humiliated us, captured all the adults in our group, and put us on the run, he had to come rub it in? This was too much! And now he let it slip that sending the Combustion Man after us was his idea too, so when would the madness end? I wasn't exactly in the mood to discuss anything involving fighting the Fire Lord right now, so Zuko's words were clearly grating on my nerves.

Surprisingly, Zuko turned to me, asking me to speak up. "You once thought we could be friends," he pointed out, taking me back to the incident at Zhao's fortress, "you know I have good in me." Those simple words I said in the forest now came back to haunt me, as I indeed told him we could have been friends. Now, with this awkward situation, would I have to take back my words? This was getting more confusing by the minute.

But still, Zuko did do a lot of bad things, and I was witness to many of them. Burning down Kyoshi Island, stealing Katara's necklace and taking her hostage, the incident at Roku's Temple, all those images flashed through my mind. I had to be crazy if I would invite Zuko into my group without considering that. "There's no way we could trust you after everything you've done," I stated, refusing to let Zuko join us. Hopefully, this would end the argument, and the Fire Prince would just be on his way out.

Boy, talk about desperate. Now Zuko was intent on letting us take him prisoner, as a way to join our group? Luckily, Katara was there to save us from the embarrassment as she blasted Zuko with a jet of water, warning him not to show his face to us again. That seemed to have gotten through to Zuko, who trudged out with his tail between his legs.

But even with Zuko gone, I kept getting recurring flashbacks to that event at Zhao's fortress. When I told Zuko about Kuzon, and hoped we could be friends, I truly meant it. There was something about what Zuko did on that day that really struck me, as he came all the way to that fortress just to take me out. Maybe I was being naive to think that he was actually letting me out, when really he wanted to capture me for himself. But whatever the case, that was one thing that would never leave my mind. Was there good in him, or was there none?

Toph seemed to be convinced that there was good in him, as she confronted the three of us. "I'm just saying considering is messed up family and how he was raised, he could have turned out a lot worse," she described, "all I know is that while he was talking to us, he was sincere. Maybe you're all just letting your hurt feelings keep you from thinking clearly."

What? Toph was going too far, as there was no way she could tell what nasty things Zuko did to us in the past. Even though she was right in the sense that I still must find a fire bending teacher, and Zuko was a master fire bender, I wasn't willing to entrust my future battle in the hands of the enemy. "I'm not having Zuko as my teacher," I retorted, moving away from Toph. Before long, Katara and Sokka joined me, leaving Toph to stand alone at the open entrance of the temple. With the sunlight dimming as we neared dusk, Toph's face descended into silhouette.

We didn't talk to Toph for the rest of the night, my mind too tired and flustered to do any arguing. Not only was I still very much ashamed of my yet another failure, I was also trying to figure out some clues given to me by Roku himself. I thought I realized what he meant when he told me the Avatar and the Fire Lord would cross paths again, but I had no idea why he felt there was a way to make us friends again. Perhaps he was telling me to spare the Fire Lord's life, if the situation called for it? While I didn't plan on taking Fire Lord Ozai's life, hence attacking him when he was powerless, I doubted that was what Roku meant. What was he trying to tell me? As darkness smothered the temple, I got to sleep without figuring out the mystery.

But by the time we woke up, it was not good news. Toph crawled through a tunnel, waving us over while hollering in pain. "My feet got burned," she groaned, showing us the red scorch marks while moving forward via the belly crawl. She claimed she went to see Zuko, and somehow she ended up getting scorched by him. As Sokka and I lifted Toph off the ground, placing her feet into a nearby fountain, we realized that Zuko was now too dangerous to be left alone. We had to go after him to ensure he couldn't harm any more people.

However, we couldn't even make a move, as a series of small but concentrated fire blasts came hurtling down at us. It didn't take another look for us to realize it was the distinct shots of the Combustion Man, the same assassin Zuko sent to stalk us throughout the Fire Nation. We fought with him twice before, once when he took Katara and Toph prisoner. It wouldn't surprise me that this was another one of Zuko's traps, where he would get the Combustion Man for help to capture us should his plan to infiltrate us yesterday fail. With the strange fire shots smashing through the rocky pillars holding up the temple, we could do nothing more than hide.

Strangely enough, Zuko's voice could be heard calling the Combustion Man to stop, ordering him off the mission and telling him he didn't want to hunt me down anymore. Was this another one of Zuko's tricks, where he would try to gain my trust by stopping his own assassin? Even though I still felt unsure of Zuko's motives, I did get a glance at his actions. The fact that he was waving at the assassin, who merely shoved him aside like a ragdoll, seemed too real to be faked. Believe it or not, I actually felt he looked like he was trying to defend us.

But no time to worry about that, as the Combustion Man was intent on blowing us right off the cliff. The Western Air Temple was built into a canyon, meaning all these structures were part of a cliff hanging over the gorge. If this place any more hits, it could literally be blasted off the bedrock and into the canyon below. In a desperate move, Sokka marched to the front of the pillar and, getting an angle from the shots, hurled his boomerang into the direction of the Combustion Man. My heart raced and cold beads developed on my head as I wondered what would happen next. Could Sokka's crazy plan work at all?

An eerie silence rolled over us as we edged out from our hiding spot. The Combustion Man was on the higher platform away from us, shaking his head and looking dazed. As he aimed to shoot at us again, I knew something was really wrong. Before we knew it, the shot backfired, and completely destroyed that part of the temple. I didn't know where Zuko was, but at least I was relieved that the Combustion Man would no longer be threatening us.

Finally, Zuko reappeared into view, hanging onto an old branch while dragging himself back onto solid ground. As he approached us, I couldn't believe what I was thinking. Whatever doubts I had in the past about him trying to save me just to bring me back to the Fire Nation were gone. "Thanks, Zuko," I murmured, knowing that this time, he did save us for real.

Zuko then explained to us all why he was truly here. "I thought I had lost my honour, and that somehow my father could return it to me," he began, going through parts of his life history. Instead of cutting him off, I suddenly wanted to hear more, urging myself to do whatever I could to understand this individual. Toph was right when she told us he had been through a lot, and that it was with Iroh's guidance that Zuko didn't stray too far from the wrong path. "But I know now that no one can give you your honour, as it's something you earn for yourself by choosing to do what's right." Zuko concluded, his voice neither tense nor assertive.

Turning to Toph, Zuko apologized for burning her feet, claiming that fire was a dangerous element, and he had to exert more control in his bending so he wouldn't hurt anyone around him. Suddenly, I realized what Roku was trying to say. The Fire Lord he mentioned was not the current one, but the future one. With Zuko being the only male heir produced by the Fire Nation, it was likely he would become Fire Lord one day. Moreover, with his comment about the need to be careful with fire, it was a complete reversal back to my situation. When I first learned fire bending with Jeong Jeong, I was so intent on showing off that I ended up burning Katara. From that moment on, I swore to never fire bend again. Now, knowing that Zuko realized the dangers of the element, and offered to teach me the same, I knew I had to cooperate with him.

Stepping up to Zuko and ignoring the shocked looks on Katara and Sokka, I gave Zuko a Fire Nation bow. "I know you understand how easy it is to hurt the people you love," I stated, "I'd like you to teach me." With that, I knew my training was about to be completed.

Turning to my group, I asked for their consensus. Toph agreed, jokingly claiming it would give her a chance to get Zuko back for burning her feet. Sokka also joined in, saying he would respect my every decision as long as it ended the war. Lastly, I turned to Katara, the very person Zuko betrayed back in Ba Sing Se. I knew Katara wouldn't take it well, given how that incident nearly led to my death. How would she feel about having Zuko with her?

The fume on Katara's face seemed to last on forever before she relented, finally willing to go along with my decision. I knew it would be an awkward situation, to have our former enemy now join our camp. But in the grand scheme of things, I knew Zuko would not let us down. My words at Zhao's fortress were still good, even though my trust in him waned in the days following that incident. But hopefully, we could finally begin to form some bonds that would change us from fierce rivals to good friends. And together, we had what it took to restore the honour of the Fire Nation and the balance of the world.

Aang's POV

"If you're going to see the masters, you must bring them a piece of the eternal flame," the tall, heavyset man explained, gesturing at a huge bonfire burning in this altar. Zuko and I barely began my fire bending lessons when disaster struck. For whatever reason, Zuko no longer had the ability to fire bend. He guessed that it might be because he changed sides, therefore losing his drive to control fire. I wasn't so sure about that, because based on my observations, fire bending seemed to be driven by rage. Maybe Zuko just wasn't angry enough right now to fire bend?

Zuko told me he didn't want to rely on anger anymore, so we decided to go to the first civilization to learn fire bending from, just to see what they had to offer. The Sun Warriors were the first people to receive training from the original fire benders, the dragons. Unfortunately, the Fire Nation, led by then-Fire Lord Sozin, started a tradition of hunting dragons as a way to gain honour, which pretty much made that species go extinct in the world. Now, our fate with fire now lied in the hands of this group of people many thought disappeared for centuries.

But seeing the huge fire flaring before me really gave me cause for concern. The last time I handled fire, I held a piece much smaller than this one, and even then I lost control of it. I was too intent on showing off to Katara, and in the process burned her. Even though I realized I could not stick true to my vow of never fire bending again, I was still hesitant on carrying it. As the Sun Warrior chief pulled out two blobs of fire, placing one in each hand, I meekly asked, "I'm not a fire bender yet. Couldn't my friend here carry my fire for me?" I gestured at Zuko.

The very blunt response from the chief indicated I was out of luck. Offering the fire to us, the chief explained that the essence of fire bending was all about balance. If the fire were too small, then it would be extinguished. But if it were too big, then it would spiral out of control. Zuko soon took his flame from the heavyset man, and now it was my turn. My stomach churned and twisted as the flames licked the air in front of me, heating up the entire front of my body. Why did things always have to end up like this?

I hesitantly stuck my hands out, trying to form a cup the way Zuko did. The chief placed the flame into my hands, and backed away. I was half-expecting that things would go crazy with the fire in my hands, but surprisingly it didn't. In fact, there was warmth and liveliness, almost like the fire had a life of its own. "It's like a little heartbeat," I commented.

The chief apparently agreed, claiming fire represented life, not destruction. Pointing at a strange mountain in the distance, he instructed us to bring the flame up to the centre of the two peaks. Right at the split between the two jagged towers was an entrance to the masters, who would judge us accordingly. According to the chief, the masters would destroy Zuko and me on the spot if they judged us negatively. Well, just more pressure into my stressed-out life, yes?

As the Sun Warriors around us dispersed, going up to the mountain to meet us there, it left Zuko and me alone. We had to walk through the plains up the forests at the mountain slope, and into the crack between peaks. As we descended the steps of the altar to begin our journey, it gave me a chance to think about how I related to Zuko. To say things got off on the wrong foot between us was an understatement, as he had been on the opposite side of me from the day we first met. Hunting me down, trying to capture me, holding my friends hostage, all these things were prominent in my mind. So to have Zuko suddenly join our team to defeat the Fire Lord, I couldn't help but feel uneasy about it. After all, how could anyone trust a person who was there watching while his sister shot you through with lightning?

Yet at the same time, spending my first day with him on fire bending, I realized he wasn't that bad of a person. He obviously was knowledgeable in his element, and when we were at the entrance of the original chamber we arrived at, Zuko showed great ingenuity by using his sword to reflect the sunlight so that it hit the gemstone to open the door. I knew there were quite a lot of misunderstandings between him and us, and hopefully we could get that all sorted out. But one thing I knew for certain was that Toph was right when she said Zuko being influenced by Iroh was a good thing. At least, with the old general's help, Zuko was put back on the right path.

"Hurry up!" Zuko's call pushed me back to reality. We were now out of the woods and at the final stage of our journey, navigating up the rocky mountainside while holding our fires. For the entire journey, I walked at a pace much slower than I usually did. What if I went too fast and picked up a breeze, leading to the fire being blown out? "You're too timid, give it more juice," Zuko continued, "you can do it, I know you can. You're a talented kid."

Well, at least Zuko's words of encouragement were a breath of fresh air. I could see where he picked that up from, as Iroh was equally encouraging of me when he told me not to worry about the Avatar State. I really hoped Iroh was alright after our botched invasion, as Zuko told me somehow his uncle got out of jail despite not having any bending. Hopefully we would run across Iroh again in the future, because I had a lot to thank him for. As we made the final steps up to the meeting area, I was feeling much better than I did when I first left.

There was a staircase of indescribable heights, as high as most air temples I had been to. On the top of the stairs was a platform, with two bridges linking it to a cave of sorts on either side. I continued marvelling at the sight while the Sun Warrior chief approached us, taking some fire from Zuko and me and handing them off to people around us. They were in a circular formation, with those standing creating fire rings while some were seated before them. I wasn't sure what this ritual was, but it was unlike anything I had ever seen.

Then the chief had to suck all the positive and upbeat news away from me as he reminded how Zuko and I were directly responsible for the deaths of the dragons. Zuko's ancestor Sozin started the hunt, while I was locked in an iceberg for a hundred years, meaning I couldn't be there to stop the extermination. Swallowing hard as drums and other instruments were brought out to the formation, I turned to Zuko and suggested we turned back. We already learned more about fire than we expected, so let's quit while we were ahead, right?

But Zuko was adamant we should see this through, as he claimed the Fire Prince and the Avatar could take on whoever these great masters might be. My knees literally turned into jelly as the Sun Warrior chief invited us up the stairs as drums beat and chanters called out. Each step I took on the stairs I felt my feet getting heavier, almost like it had become part of the bedrock that made up these steps. I was rose to dizzying heights, the ground below the steps nothing but a blur as I took the final few steps. Usually I would have no problem with heights, given my skills on my glider. But knowing we would be burned to a crisp should we fail this mission, things were not looking pretty for Zuko and I.

The chief called from below again, telling us to present our flame to the masters. Zuko and I both took one cave, standing back-to-back as we bowed our heads and offered our fire. A horn soon sounded and bird fluttered into the air, a reaction to the strange rumbling coming from my cave. "What's happening?" I asked, turning to Zuko to see if the same was occurring at his cave. I couldn't see inside the dark tunnel, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to.

As I turned back to my cave, I realized I did something incredibly stupid. When I turned to Zuko, I let go of my fire, meaning it went out. Now, with nothing but hot air in front of me, I had nothing to give to the master should he come out. "Zuko, my fire went out," I whispered, turning back to the Fire Prince, "give me some of yours."

But Zuko was the stingiest man alive, as he refused to hand over anything. Claiming I ought to make my own, he fended me off with his right hand while holding the flame in his left. Come on, Zuko, this wasn't a game here! Our lives were at stake, and he had to take this time to make me look bad? Think about your priorities, man! "Stop cheating off me!" he shouted.

But then, disaster struck, as in our struggle for the flame (me in getting it from him, and he in preventing me from getting it), the fire went out. We could only look at each other in total horror, wondering what would happen next. Before long, that ominous rumbling I heard from my cave returned, this time from both tunnels. Things were about to get a lot worse!

Then surprisingly, the two masters that came out weren't humans, but dragons. I was in complete shock as the two circled the platform, causing Zuko and I to dodge and duck, edging closer and closer to the centre. Weren't the dragons supposed to be extinct? Zuko told me his uncle Iroh killed the last dragon and received his title, so what were these creatures doing here? Zuko and I could only stand back-to-back again as the two serpentine creatures did some sort of weird aerial flight around us, almost like they were in a simultaneous dance.

Wait, dance! When Zuko and I first entered the Sun Warriors' buildings, the first chamber we were in had a series of statues that looked like a dance of some sort. What if the statues were mirroring the dragons' flight, and leading to the essence of fire bending? As my eyes honed in on the dragons, I realized each dance step would fit the dragons' flight quite well. Leaning my head over to Zuko, I suggested we did that dance with the master.

Zuko originally refused, claiming I would be crazy to dance at a time like this. But with the masters now circling us ominously, was there any other choice? At least it beat standing on this platform looking like a couple of idiots! Taking a deep breath, Zuko and I took our stances and began our sequence. I focused hard on the statues, trying to remember their every pose and posture. I was too concentrated to see what was going on around me, but I knew there was a blue dragon flying parallel to me. I didn't know if it was mimicking me, or if I was mimicking it, but for the duration of the dance, it felt like we were one.

As Zuko and I finished our dance, we took a gander on our either side. All blood drained out of my face as the two dragons glared at us ominously, perching themselves underneath the platform and staring upward. Before we could even take warning, the dragons unleashed their fire at us, creating a twisting tornado spinning furiously upward. At that moment, there was no doubt in my mind that we were judged negatively, and that we were about to die.

But instead of burning us alive, the tornado merely surrounded us, reaching into the sky as a flurry of colours swirled with each other. There was no destruction or anger, but a beautiful blend of colours, each creating harmony within the tornado. None of the colours fought for more space, and each colour worked with others to make this magnificent scene. It reminded me of what the world ought to be like, as each bender, just like each colour, ought to be reaching out to the other benders to make a better world. From this incident alone, I knew that as the Avatar, it was my job to ensure this happened. And from this incident alone, I knew that fire benders, and in association, the Fire Nation, were capable of doing this as well.

The dragons soon flew back into their caves, leaving Zuko and I there. I was overcome with thoughts, so much so that I couldn't even speak. As we slowly descended the stairs, Zuko told me his analysis, which fitted quite well with mine. Just like me, Zuko realized that fire was not about destruction, but a celebration of life. The vision we saw today was what true fire bending was all about, and from now on, I knew both Zuko and I would not be using rage and anger to drive fire bending. There was more to life and fire than uncontrolled rage, and I was very thankful the Sun Warriors allowed us to witness this spectacle.

The Sun Warrior chief approached us again, helping us solve yet another mystery as he explained Iroh was the last outsider to face the dragons. Just like us, the dragons deemed him worthy and showed him the essence of fire bending as well. In gratitude, Iroh lied to the Fire Nation so he could keep the last dragons alive, and in the process gained his title. That was why, for the longest time, Iroh was able to use fire like no one else, even though he rarely, if ever, showed even a hint of anger. He knew about fire equalling life, and used it to his advantage.

That also brought a new revelation to Zuko, as he figured out why he could no longer fire bend after joining us. "Hunting you was my drive," he described, turning to face me, "so when I joined you, I lost sight of my inner fire. But now, I have a new drive," he stated determinedly, "I have to help you defeat my father and restore balance to the world." With that, he shot a fist into the air, letting loose one of the largest fire blasts I had ever seen him create. And unlike the ones he hurled at me in the past, this one was full of energy and life.

Mimicking Zuko, I tried to create my own fire. After I hurt Katara, I had always viewed fire as destructive, capable of only taking life away. But now, knowing fire was life, and that we could do whatever we wanted as long as we had that inner drive, I was no longer afraid. Taking a deep breath, I shot my hands forward, watching excitedly as a jet of flame burst into the air. There was no doubt about it: I could now fully control all four elements.

As we bid farewell to the Sun Warriors, I knew how to approach my problems now. There was still Sozin's Comet to deal with, and that would mean fire benders would have an advantage. While I would most likely benefit from that as well, given my newfound ability to fire bend, I was going to wait until after the comet left first. There was no way I could take on the Fire Lord with only one day of fire bending experience. Perhaps, once the threat was over, I would be able to face my destiny, and with Zuko's help, truly restored balance to the world.

Katara's POV

"Are you alright?" I asked Aang, who was standing outside alone and away from the group. We ended up leaving the Western Air Temple after Azula tracked us there. Zuko and Sokka went to a high-security prison to bust out my father and Suki, and told us that they fought Azula on the way out. Figuring that it was no longer safe, Zuko suggested we flew to Ember Island, where his family still owned a piece of property. Hopefully, we could hide out here until Aang decided to take on the Fire Lord, whenever that might be.

"No, I'm not! I hate this play!" Aang ranted, whipping off his hat and tossing it to the ground. For some strange reason, Sokka decided it would be real funny to take us to see a play based on our journey. We had seen two acts of the play, starting from the day I first broke Aang out of the ice to our defeat in Ba Sing Se. And like Aang, I had to admit that this was the lousiest play I had ever seen. Not only were the actors melodramatic, the facts twisted, and no one had a clue that those portraying us didn't get our accurate sides, it felt like the Fire Nation was magnifying our every defeat, rubbing it into our faces that they were somehow superior. It was quite upsetting, but it still wasn't something to stress over, right?

But for Aang, it wasn't about that. "If I hadn't blocked my charka, I would be in the Avatar State by now!" he ranted, referring to the incident in Ba Sing Se. Aang did go to the guru to master the Avatar State, but somehow didn't complete his training. He was about to enter into the Avatar State when Azula shot him through, blocking his energy and disabling the technique for the entire duration of our trip through the Fire Nation. "Did you really mean what you said in there?" Aang asked, cutting into my thoughts, "on stage, you said I was like a brother to you, and you didn't have feelings for me."

I froze as Aang asked me that question, referring back to a scene in the show. It was the same one where Zuko and I were stuck in Ba Sing Se, and I had a heart-to-heart talk with him about the similarities between us. The actress playing me told the actor playing Zuko that Aang was like my brother, and then the two characters embraced. I tried so hard not to gag at that scene, and I knew Zuko was thinking the same thing. Seriously, had I been in charge of this play, I would have fired the actress playing me. What was with these overly flamboyant speeches about hope and bursting into tears every second scene?

Shaking my head, I tried to reassure Aang that none of that were real, claiming that it was just bad acting and even worse scriptwriting. But somehow, Aang wasn't in the mood to believe anything I said. "We kissed at the invasion, and I thought we were going to be together," Aang continued, his eyes downcast and his tone sombre, "but we're not."

My heart skipped a beat as Aang unleashed the bombshell on me. I hadn't spoken to Aang about that event at the invasion at all, too confused by what happened to give him my judgment. Unlike the play's portrayal of me, I didn't treat Aang like a little brother. From the very first day, I saw something more in this individual than a goofy little kid, even though he always acted like one. I saw an individual who was kind to others, protective of the ones he cared about, and definitely used his ingenuity more for winning battles than to prank people. Sokka and I basically made it our duty to protect him at all costs, and provided physical and emotional support for him whenever possible. So to me, what was in the play was certainly not true.

But was I ready for a relationship with Aang, the way he just claimed to me? I really wasn't sure. I admitted that Aang had grown a lot since the day I freed him from the ice, and I realized that as things went on, his feelings for me might have started to develop. I still couldn't forget the day we kissed in the cave under Omashu, where he said some rather unusual things to me before actually commencing on that. It was a moment that made me so nervous, but for a second, also so comfortable. It was almost like I had always wanted to do that.

And when I became overly angry and bitter with Zuko's appearance in our group, claiming it was his people who killed my mother, Aang was the first to convince me not to seek revenge. Even though I did go on the trip to find my mother's killer, I didn't kill him. I felt so weak, but also so strong. Maybe it was Aang's speech to me about coming to terms and letting go of my past, the same way he did with the Air Nomad Genocide, that made me stop. So perhaps I was returning the feelings too, but just not in the way he expected me to.

"Aang, I don't know," I sighed, glancing out at the ocean. The waves lapping at the sand did little to clam my nerves, which were more mangled than ever before. Part of me wanted to accept that, and make myself a part of his life for good. But at the same time, I knew with the battle against the Fire Lord eminent, I would have to face another situation where I might lose him again. It was something that I shuddered to go through after what happened at the invasion. "This isn't the right time," I insisted, claiming the war should take priority over this talk.

Aang was getting more and more impatient by the second, demanding to know when the right time was. It pained me so much to see him like this, but I just didn't know if I ought to commit to him yet. He was the Avatar, meaning his duty was to the world. Even if we did enter into a relationship, he would still have to serve the world. And in the postwar era, there might still be other dangers, meaning he would have to get into the line of battle quite a few times. So if I ever became a part of his life, I would still have to risk losing him. Was this something I was willing to get myself into, losing the one I loved due to some freak incident happening while he was attending to world affairs? "I'm sorry, but right now, I'm just a little confused," I trailed off.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts. I couldn't possibly break Aang's heart, after all I had been through with him. Deep down, I knew there was more between us than what was let on. The play was certainly not correct in claiming I felt nothing for Aang, but right now I just didn't know what to think. This was our future we were talking about, and I wasn't ready to just embrace it without knowing there was more I could do for Aang to ensure we would be together. I lost him once in Ba Sing Se, I didn't want to lose him again.

Suddenly, I felt a set of lips latch onto mine. My eyes shot open as Aang leaned his face straight in, pressing hard against mine. Last time he did that, I wholeheartedly accepted, but this time, I wasn't so sure. Immediately, I backed away, too shocked to say anything. Repeating to him that I was confused, I raced back into the theatre, leaving Aang alone on the porch. It was probably a dumb move on my part, as that would break Aang's heart more. But for the first time in a long time, I had to think about myself first, namely my own heart and head first. I didn't want to commit to something without thinking it through, and for this, I had to think it through.

I didn't really take in any more of this ridiculous play. The actress portraying me had to rub it in my face further during the Day of Black Sun invasion, claiming I loved Aang like a brother or whatever. But the most disturbing part was at the end, when we had to face the Fire Lord one more time. It was the day of the comet, and only Zuko and Aang were shown. Zuko took on Azula who roasted him alive, while the Fire Lord overwhelmed Aang with excessive fire bending. I was shaken and upset by that, as the play truly made us believe that we would lose on that final battle. It was a feeling that I couldn't quite get out of my head.

As we left the theatre dejected and disappointed as such a play, Aang's words and actions kept swirling in my head. There was no doubt that he truly cared about all of us, but there would be no stopping him from reaching his destiny of fighting the Fire Lord. And despite my confused state, I still had a job to do to support him the best I could. I made a mental note to sort out this love issue with Aang after the battle, but for now, we had a bigger job to do.

Aang's POV

"This goes against everything I learned from the monks," I explained, pacing nervously in front of my friends. This morning, I found out something horrifying from Zuko, who told us all that if we didn't defeat the Fire Lord before the comet came, there wouldn't be a world to save. Fire Lord Ozai planned to use a fleet of airships to scorch the land from the Fire Nation all the way to Ba Sing Se, using comet-enhanced fire bending to cut down everything in sight. I admitted that I was still shaking even after dinner just thinking about what that would look like.

But Zuko's revelation to me was even more shocking, as he taught me a new technique that required knowing fire bending and water bending. Recalling lightning as the more advanced form of fire bending, he showed me a way to get around that by redirecting it back to the shooter. It was a technique his uncle Iroh picked up from water benders, and adapted it for fire bender use. I still remembered what it was like when Azula shot me through with lightning, and even though Zuko now showed me a technique I could use to defend myself, I still didn't feel good.

"I can't just going around wiping out people I don't like," I continued, refusing to go along with this plan. Everyone on my team had been telling me I had to take the Fire Lord's life before he took mine, but I couldn't just do that, not with what the monks taught me. All life was sacred, and all steps ought to be taken to avoid taking a life. I might be the Avatar, but I was also an Air Nomad. My job after finishing the war was to repopulate the world with air benders, and that included their culture. What leader would I be if I violated the first rule of my people?

Unfortunately, no one understood my condition. Sokka even joked around, claiming as the Avatar, I had the right to do that, and the universe would just forgive me. Usually I would laugh along, but this was downright insensitive. Insulting my people after getting wiped out was one thing, but now another race was about to be exterminated and Sokka wouldn't even care? I couldn't take this anymore. I had to get out of here before this group of morons make me crazier. "When you figure out a way for me to beat the Fire Lord without taking his, I'd love to hear it!" I shouted at the team before storming back to my room.

I didn't come out for the rest of the night, my mind too flustered and too upset to meet with them anymore. I couldn't believe even Katara wouldn't side with me, as she was the one I trusted the most. Back at the theatre a couple nights back, I told her how much I loved her, and that I wanted us to be together for eternity. But she had to respond with how confused she was, and that the war ought to be our top priority, not our feelings for each other. I wouldn't be shocked if she sided with those guys just to get me back for that. But whatever the case, she was right to the extent that the Fire Lord should be the only thing in my mind right now. With so much riding on this, what could I possibly do here?

I lit a few candles and set up a miniature altar, hoping some meditation here would clear my mind. I was soon joined by Momo, who curled up by my feet as I sat stoically, clearing myself of all external thoughts as I breathed deeply. When I was still at the Southern Air Temple, there would usually be some other monks with me as we went through this exercise. Gyatso was one such example, and I always managed to talk things out with him whenever I had problems. But now, I was totally on my own, being forced to do something that I doubted Gyatso would approve of. Why was it that I had to sacrifice my Air Nomad values for the world? Couldn't the two ever be merged? I was the Avatar, but I was also an air bender. Those facts could never change. Why was it I had to give one up in order to be the other?

I soon found myself drifting off the sleep, the entire beach house silent behind me as night descended onto Ember Island. I was too tired to think about more, and just wanted to get some sleep. But somehow, there was this really strange murmuring sound that kept echoing in my head. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but it replayed itself again and again, making it very difficult to sleep. Before long, I had to pop up from the ground, looking around the area just to locate the source of the sound. Who was mumbling incoherently in the middle of the night?

I glanced out from the balcony to the ocean, its waves lapping against the sand almost like it was beckoning me. I couldn't see what was out there except for a big dark blur, but yet I couldn't stop myself from climbing over the balcony and shuffling towards the sea. There was something about this thing that I couldn't turn down, and I had to see it for myself. I could barely hear Momo scurrying along behind, knowing that he would be the only individual with me the entire time. I doubted it was the right thing to do to run off in the middle of the night, away from my group, on a date so close to my final battle. But I had an irritating day where even the smallest spark could make me explode. So perhaps whatever this thing was could help me out.

I soon waded into the ocean, swimming closer and closer to the object in question. At first glance, it didn't look so big, but now I realized it was huge. Somehow, someway, an island showed up right at the shore, coming out of nowhere and now floated right before me. I didn't know where it came from, nor did I know what was on it, but I was drawn to it nonetheless. It was like the Fire Lord's crazy plan was nothing but a distant memory as I climbed into the thick woods, hoping whatever was in there could ease my mind.

Momo's POV

"It's not made of earth," Aang exclaimed. I really had no idea why or how we got onto this weird island in the middle of nowhere. Following around a sleepwalking air bender was no fun, but someone had to keep an eye on Aang before he lost it. In the last battle with the Fire Nation, he was a few plums short of a fruit pie, so why shouldn't someone watch him.

Now Aang was in even more stress, as here he was in this mysterious island, about to face the Fire Lord again, and had no idea what to do. He meditated for quite a while last night, and I was with him the whole way. I didn't know what would happen next, but if he couldn't figure out a solution, then I doubted he could face the Fire Lord with any success. I wondered if there was anything I could do to help him?

Suddenly, Aang got back into a meditative stance, crossing his legs and placing his hands across his lap. I scurried away, knowing some spiritual being was about to show up. Even though I couldn't see spirits, I could feel their presence. And based on what Aang said to them, I could somewhat judge what the conversation was about. As I climbed a tree behind Aang, hoping to find a juicy bug to eat while listening in on Aang, I could tell things were not well.

"Everyone expects me to take the Fire Lord's life, but I just don't know if I can do that," Aang's voice echoed off the trees. I paused as I reached a high branch, listening on intently as Aang described his situation. I could see his back was straight and his body wound tight as he struggled for words. Could whoever he was talking to help him?

Before long, the spiritual energy floated away, leaving Aang limp and slouched. Seeing he was in trouble, I quickly flew back down to him. "That was Roku," Aang mumbled to me as I landed on his shoulder, "he told me I had to be decisive. The reason this war started was because he showed too much restraint and couldn't prevent it from starting. He didn't take down Fire Lord Sozin, and now he's hinting at me to take down Fire Lord Ozai." Oh boy, asking Aang to take a life? Wasn't that against his entire belief as an Air Nomad?

Undeterred, Aang returned to a meditative state. I scurried around his body, climbing onto his shoulder as he called, "Avatar Kyoshi, I want your wisdom." Yikes! Avatar Kyoshi? I saw her statue on Kyoshi Island and in the Southern Air Temple, and she seriously freaked me out. She was supposed to have this larger than life personality, and I doubted she was the type to tolerate any nonsense. Why would Aang get advice from her?

I raced off again, hoping Kyoshi couldn't see me if she appeared. I was back into the woods when the spiritual energy returned, this time with Aang saying, "You didn't really kill Chin. Technically he fell to his own doom because he was too stubborn to get out of the way." I knew Aang was talking about the Avatar Day incident, where we visited this village with a crazy mayor who accused Aang of murdering their past leader Chin the Conqueror. Somehow, given what the group said about the incident, I doubted Aang would get what he wanted here.

My fears were soon confirmed when the spiritual energy went away. Aang whipped his head in disgust as I climbed back down. "I knew I shouldn't have asked Kyoshi," he spat. Uh, no duh! What did you expect from someone like that? If Suki wasn't stubborn enough for Sokka and the rest of your team, you think Kyoshi would be any nicer? Given Kyoshi mindset, it would not surprise me if Kyoshi told Aang he had to kill the Fire Lord as an act of justice to the world!

Aang was now more stressed out than ever, his hands wrapped around his temples as his eyelids were squeezed shut. "I have to look deep inside myself," he barely whispered. Right now, I wasn't sure if there was anyone who could help him. I knew Aang always consulted Roku, and I heard about Kyoshi from the island and at Chin Village. So what other Avatar would be available for Aang to turn to? How far back in history would Aang have to look?

The spiritual energy returned once more, but this time Aang didn't say a single word. I could only look on from the top of a tree as Aang went from hopeful to downcast again. Waiting for things to settle, I slowly edged up to Aang once more. "That was Avatar Kuruk, a water bender," he stuttered, "he told me he lost his wife to Koh the Face Stealer during his lifetime, and blamed himself for not being attentive enough. He might as well say I wasn't attentive enough to the world, and that the only way to rectify the problem is to kill the Fire Lord."

I shuddered at those words, wondering just how on earth Aang would get himself out of this mess. Three Avatars in a row, three suggestions to kill in a row as I leaned up against Aang's knee, pushing my face upward as he ranted, "All these past Avatars, they keep telling me I'm going to have to do it. They don't get it!" I truly felt bad for him, knowing this would go against all Air Nomad philosophy. Wonder what an air bending Avatar would think in this case?

"You're right! Maybe an Air Nomad Avatar would understand where I'm coming from!" Aang exclaimed, his eyes lighting up in the darkness. Uh, what? I didn't exactly say anything, so how did he guess what I was thinking? "I know you can't really talk. Pretending you can just help me think," he continued, getting back into his meditation pose. Um, was it just me, or was Aang losing his mind quicker than ever? "I'm going to pretend that I didn't pretend to hear that," he continued his incoherent rambling. Alright, this was getting scarier by the second!

I sat intently beside Aang as another blast of spiritual energy appeared. "Avatar Yang Chen, the monks always taught me that all life is scared, even the tiniest Spider Fly caught in its own web," Aang explained. So the air bender Avatar before Aang was named Yang Chen? I learned something new today. I also learned that Air Nomads wouldn't even harm the tiniest Spider Fly. Well, not sure if I agree with that, given I usually ate those things. Either way, Aang was entitled to his belief, and I was entitled to my appetite. Now let's hear what happened next.

"I've always been trying to solve my problems by being quick or clever, and I've only had to use violence for necessary defence, and I've certainly never used it to take a life." Well, I wouldn't so sure about that. When I was captured by a Buzzard Wasp in the desert, Aang was pretty violent on that thing. Even though I was certain that Buzzard Wasp survived the air blast, I believed Aang was shooting to kill. Was it smart for him to lie to Yang Chen like that? "The monks taught me to detach myself from the world so my spirit could be free!" Aang added.

And again, Aang and the spiritual energy departed in bitter ways, leaving my friend down and dejected. "I guess I don't have a choice, Momo. I'm going to have to kill the Fire Lord." He told me that Yang Chen agreed that Air Nomad philosophy involved removing oneself from the world, but the Avatar could never do that. The Avatar was part of the world and represented the world, meaning Aang had a duty to protect it at all costs. Oh boy! With even an Air Nomad hinting to Aang that he had to kill Fire Lord Ozai, Aang was in for the long haul now.

What was a pretty sleepless night soon turned to day as Aang pointed out some land in front of us, claiming the hills were getting bigger. I would have thought it was fatigue kicking in for Aang, but somehow I agreed with him. Scaling up the tallest tree together, we held on to the branch and glanced out. Believe it or not, the land wasn't getting bigger, but closer! The whole island was moving by itself! How could this be possible?

We raced down the hillside of this mobile island, with Aang leaping off and diving into the ocean while I perched on a nearby branch, hoping to figure out what was going on. My eyes honed into the water, trying to get any signs of Aang or what was propelling this island. Flying closer to the bottom of the island, I landed just in time to see Aang resurface. "It's amazing, Momo! It's the biggest animal in the world! I've got to swim around and find its face!" What was that? This wasn't an island, but an animal? No wonder Aang couldn't bend here!

I flew after Aang, who swam an entire lap around this moving island. For something as large and heavy as this, this animal was pretty mobile. I could tell Aang was having trouble catching up as he had to pause for air multiple times while I kept peering into the trees, trying to find its face. I was so concentrated on each detail that I didn't even realize the island moving up, nearly shoving me back into the woods. Dodging the trees, I shot towards the direction where the hills were, hoping Aang was around. The sooner we figured this out, the better.

"A Lion Turtle," Aang whispered just as I arrived, giving the large creature a bow. I turned around and saw the animal for the first time. It was humungous, as Aang was barely the size of one of its fingers. It had a dirt-brown face, rough with wrinkles while curls and whiskers came out from its cheeks and chin. "Maybe you can help me. Everyone, even my own past lives, is expecting me to end someone's life. But I don't know if I can do it."

The Lion Turtle suddenly glowed in a strange way, illuminating the area over the rays of the sun. I couldn't hear it speak, except for a deep murmur. I squinted through the green lights given off by the Lion Turtle, only to see it place a hand on Aang, one digit at Aang's forehead while the other at Aang's heart. Just what was going on here?

Then, as quickly as that blinding light came, it disappeared, leaving Aang somewhat muted and quiet. The Lion Turtle quickly took us to the land, telling Aang to wait for the Fire Lord, who was about to come. Of all the crazy things I had gone through, that had to be the craziest one. A sleepwalking air bender, a moving island that turned out to be an ancient animal, and a blinding green flash going through Aang? This was too much!

But still, seeing Aang feel a bit more at ease was rewarding, as my friend bowed to the Lion Turtle again before it swam away. Whatever was about to happen, it was all in Aang's hands now. The Fire Lord would be here, blazing a trail through the Earth Kingdom all the way to Ba Sing Se. As for what Aang had in mind to stop him, I could only wish him the best. He came too far to give up now, and I would love to be here to support him for the rest of the way.

Aang's POV

I stood silent as the stones making up this rocky pillar, staring down my opponent on the rocky pillar across from me. Sozin's Comet had illuminated our world into this orange aura, making everything around me looking like it had been lit on fire. Luckily, I stopped the first burst of flames, or else that resemblance might turn out to be reality. Now, in this muggy and heated atmosphere, my true test was about to begin.

"After generations of Fire Lords failed to find you, now the universe delivers you to me as an act of providence," Fire Lord Ozai exclaimed, all the while his airship crashed into the rocks in the background. I managed to disable their engines, causing them to fishtail and sail into the rocks. I made sure the damage wasn't big enough to cause any deaths, as the airship merely balanced onto the rock pillars. With that out of the way, I could put my concentration onto the man before me, a ruthless man who wasn't about to end his quest for world domination.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to reason with him one more time. "Please listen to me," I slowly began, stating out my words in the clearest terms, "we don't have to fight. You have the power to end it here and stop what you're doing." I pointed to the fire damage all around us. Did he realize what madness this was, and how wrong it would be if he continued?

But that quickly backfired on me, as the Fire Lord declared that he had all the power in the world. Just like my vision with the guru when I opened my first chakra, the Fire Lord shot flames out from both hands and his mouth, created an almost star-shape in the air. With that, I knew whatever chance I had left to negotiate with him just went out the door. Striking a fighter stance, I prepared to face the barrage of flames about to head my way.

I began with a large rock block, using air bending to push myself into the air while planting a large piece of stone to my feet. Lifting the rock up and away from its pillar, I twisted around and shot it at the Fire Lord, avoiding his fiery leg sweep while blocking his aerial shot. With that out of the way, I returned a fire kick of my own, meeting the Fire Lord's own fire shot and creating a huge fire dome between us. With things getting more and more intense, there was no way to tell who had the upper hand here.

Thinking back to my time in Omashu, where my old friend Bumi told me to think like a mad genius when I fought the Fire Lord, I tried to use all the elements around me. I matched his fire blasts, all the while using the rocky terrain around to block further shots. I even spotted a waterfall in the distance, and used that water to put out some of the flames as well. As we went off the cliff side, I could see the pillars around me getting shredded by immensely powerful fire. There was no doubt about it, as the Fire Lord was shooting to kill.

"Ugh!" I uttered, losing my concentration at the last possible second. I had Fire Lord Ozai surrounded by rock pillars, only for him to escape and blasted me with fire. I landed hard on my back, the scar tissue from Azula's shot aching through my body as I tried to get up. The heat near me was astronomical, and I could only create an earthen suit to prevent indescribable burning that would take place if I allowed that to get too close. Waiting for the right time, I threw the rocks at the Fire Lord, distracting his shot while I leaped into the air and countered with an air blast. Even though fatigue was starting to set in, I urged myself to carry on.

Then, without warning, lightning sizzled from the Fire Lord's fingers. My heart nearly skipped a beat as I was reminded of what happened the last time I faced lightning. With nowhere to go, I could only form a tornado and whisked myself from pillar to pillar. The hissing and cracking of the electricity was immense, striking down block after block as I tried to get out of the way. They were getting closer and closer, and I had to get level ground before I could turn to face the Fire Lord's attacks. There was a larger pillar with a wider platform nearby, so maybe that was a better option than leapfrogging back and forth?

Apparently, it was a bad idea! I landed just a second too late, as the lightning already arrived. With my body about to be run through again, I could only do what Zuko told me and absorbed it. I wasn't intent on using this move, given how risky Zuko told me it would be. But with my life on the line, I had no choice. Placing a hand up just as the lightning arrived, I allowed it to course through my body. "Argh!" I screamed, the pain reaching unspeakable levels.

But as I prepared to unleash it back at the Fire Lord, my customs as an Air Nomad kicked in again. No matter what anyone said, I couldn't just take a life. Even though I had the power to end it all here, I wouldn't do it. Lifting my hand to the sky, I shot the electricity upward. As all the power surged out of me, I grew weak and limp, dropping onto my knees and threatening to go into unconsciousness. There had to be another way to end this battle.

Before I could even react, a huge wall of fire barrelled down at me. I barely raised a rock wall to defend myself, but it was too weak. I was sent flying into the air, off the pillar, and straight for the water below. I tried my hardest to shake the stars out of my eyes, regaining my coordination just in time to create a water spout below me, softening my impact as I submerged hard into the water. It just created another tremor of pain rippling through my body, leaving me breathless and motionless as the lapping waves carried my body back to the coast.

But the Fire Lord was relentless, driven by comet-enhanced fire bending and his thirst to conquer the Earth Kingdom as he hurtled down at me once more. I felt like nothing more than a ragdoll being tossed around at his mercy, being forced to flee while this madman chased after me. Could the Ember Island play be true, that the battle occurred too late, and that I would be roasted alive? As my legs collapsed beneath me, I could only create an earthen ball around my body, hoping to block off all possible fire attacks coming my way.

Suddenly, things got hotter and hotter, the fire burning so fiercely that it threatened to seep through the ball. The Fire Lord had to go further by rubbing it in my face, claiming my people were weak, and that his ancestor did the right thing by wiping them out. As I dealt with the barrage of fire and insults, dark thoughts brooded in my head. Was I going to fail my people and the world a third time? Was I just simply too weak to battle the Fire Lord, despite learning all those skills from everyone? Or maybe it wasn't the case that I was too weak, but the fact I clung too stubbornly to Air Nomad ideas, forcing myself not to take his life even though it was the only thing I could do. How come nothing could ever go my way?

Then, without warning, the earth around me shattered, the force of this fire blast so great that I was knocked out of my shell and thrown backwards. My body helplessly flopped against the rocks, before a sharp piercing sensation originating from my scar shot through me. I didn't know what happened, but I could feel this jagged piece ram right against the area where Azula shot me. Katara told me a lot of energy was blocked in there, to the point where my body wasn't getting the flow. But now, for whatever reason, that seemed to have done the trick, as I saw visions of all the past Avatars coursing through me again. Each Avatar had their eyes glowing, and I soon saw that strange statue of me floating in space relight itself. There was no doubt about it, as the Avatar State was back, and was about to take over my body.

Involuntarily, my hand shot out and grabbed the Fire Lord by his beard, brushing aside his next fire attack before sending him back with the biggest air blast I could muster. I broke out of the rocks and soon surrounded myself in a floating sphere of the four elements. I could barely see the Fire Lord in the distance, a frightened expression plastered onto his face as he used fire blasts from his feet to jet away. The chase after him was on!

It was like I was no longer in control of myself as a combination of elements shot from my sphere at the Fire Lord, destroying everything in the way as I pursued him blindly. I had seen my past destruction in the Avatar State before, with the incidents at the Southern Air Temple, the Earth Kingdom army base, and in the desert, but none of those were as intense as this. It was like I was on a violent rampage as I threw Fire Lord Ozai about, letting the elements do the work as he was now the one being battered and bruised. At the expense of the rock pillars around me, I crashed through the closest formation, barely missing the Fire Lord as I tried to slam him into the ground. Even though I had no control of what was going on, I shuddered to think what would happen if I truly caught up to him. It was something I didn't dare to think about.

Oops, too late, as I reached out with a water tendril and wrapped it around the Fire Lord's body. The Fire Lord was thrown through the air before being slammed onto the platform of a larger, higher pillar. Hovering above him, I trapped his limbs with rocks and floated above his body. His face was filled with fright as his chest heaved up and down, dreading the inevitable. "Fire Lord Ozai, you and your forefathers have devastated the balance of this world. And now, you shall pay the ultimate price," I snarled, ready to do the unthinkable.

Wait, the unthinkable? I wasn't really about to kill him, was I? As my hand whipped around, create a spiralling spear of the four elements combined, I reached deep into my Avatar State, hoping to pull myself back out. Mad scramble or not, what I did earlier wasn't right, and there was no way I could call myself an Air Nomad after all the destruction I did. Even though I couldn't undo the damage from earlier, I could still redeem myself. If I could just get through my Avatar State, maybe I could still spare the Fire Lord...

I felt my entire body go limp as I reached into my mind just in time, releasing the elements so that they harmlessly landed on the Fire Lord. It gave him a drenching, but nothing more as my sphere slowly landed onto the ground. I hung my head in shame as I released Fire Lord Ozai from the shackles, deeply remorseful of what I did. "I'm not going to end it like this," I stammered, tears threatening to spill out my eyes. Roku spared Sozin in the past, and that led to a disaster. But if Fire Lord Ozai could learn his lesson and repented, maybe all would be well?

But that was nothing more than my ever-persistent naivety talking, as the Fire Lord was still intent on exterminating me. Luckily, Toph's technique of feeling for movements through the earth paid off. Even though my back was to him, I picked up sensations from the pillar that the Fire Lord was on the move. Kicking up a rock column, I stopped his right-handed fire blast before it reached me. I tiptoed around his left-handed blast to create another rock column, trapping both his hands. There was no compromise left, as I had to do the one thing I feared to do. No, I wasn't going to kill him, but I was going to do what that Lion Turtle showed me when Momo and I were stranded on it. I heard the Lion Turtle tell me that in the past, bending didn't involve the elements, but the energy within ourselves. Before long, the Lion Turtle placed a paw with one finger on my heart and another on my forehead, giving me a new technique.

Taking a deep breath, I mimicked the Lion Turtle's technique, focusing on the energy inside the Fire Lord as I proceeded. I must first feel for the energy within the Fire Lord, finding the source of his fire bending before trying to pull it out. I could feel it swirl within him, a large dose of fiery energy churning around as I struggled to maintain control. The Lion Turtle told me that to bend another's energy, my own spirit must be unbendable, or I would be dead on the spot. Slowly lifting my head, I felt the energy shoot out my eyes and mouth, creating a set of blue lights while the same happened with the Fire Lord, except his was orange. The energy coming out from him was enormous, a sign of his great skill in fire bending. This was going to be hard.

I could feel him overwhelming me, his energy pushing into mine and threatening to crush my spirit. I could feel a squeezing sensation as the weight of the energy nearly collapsed into me, slamming my spirit down and shaking me to the core. I couldn't possibly give up now, not with the entire world counting on this. I might be destroyed in the process, but if this worked, then the ending would be one that everyone could accept.

Then, in what I thought would be my last breath, a final blast of energy emerged from me, this time overwhelming that of the Fire Lord's. I saw images of every individual that meant so much to me flash through my head: Gyatso, Katara, Sokka, Suki, Toph, Zuko, Appa, Momo, and even those who I had little chances interacting with, like Bumi. I had to do this for them, so that they could live a better life in this world. With the thoughts of all these people supporting me, I willed myself forward, pushing myself to the limits to finish this final task.

The entire sky brightened in a huge flash, smothering the comet's own orange aura as I feel the energy leave our world. By the time I finished, I could barely stand, my legs turning into jelly as I staggered a couple of steps. The task was done, and I knew for better or for worse, the threat was gone. Regaining my balance and vision, I stared down at the Fire Lord, who flailed his arms helplessly as he demanded what just happened. "I took away your fire bending," I replied, "You can't use it to hurt or threaten anyone else ever again."

I turned to the ocean, watching the waves lap the shores once more. There was still a fire to put out in the forest below, and I knew just the technique to do that. With the Avatar State fully functional, I activated it and focused hard on my water bending. Pulling the water up the shoreline, I made sure each burning area was smothered, putting out all the flames. It would take a while before the forest would regenerate itself, but like I showed Hei Bai with the acorn, everything could grow back. Hopefully, with time, the forest wouldn't be the only thing to go back to the way it was before. I still had a world to bring together, and there was a lot more rebuilding to do in the Earth Kingdom. But for now, I was happy that I won the day.

Aang's POV

I was completely silent as I waited just steps from the front courtyard of the Fire Nation palace, dressed in my Air Nomad robes and wearing the same pendant that I made for Gyatso all those years ago. It was a few days since I defeated Fire Lord Ozai by stripping his bending, and today a new Fire Lord was about to take over. I hadn't spoken much to anyone since my defeat of Ozai, my mind still too overwhelmed by what happened. I was just happy that I managed to escape unscathed after that battle, and that most of my friends were still in good shape. I heard Zuko nearly got run through by Azula's lightning after she aimed at Katara, and he tried to protect her by redirecting it. Unfortunately, he didn't do so completely, leading to some severe burning on his body. Well, at least we could say we had matching scars!

Speaking of Zuko, here he came, dressed in his royal robes. He was now reinstated as the Fire Nation ruling family, but his role was going to be really different. "I can't believe a year ago, my purpose in life was hunting you down," he commented, bringing me back to the days when we were on opposite sides. I told him before that I thought we were capable of becoming friends, and right now it seemed like that prediction was coming true.

"I can't believe a year ago I was still frozen in a block of ice," I replied, "the world's so different now." Katara's words back on the Day of Black Sun returned to me as she told me how much she saw me grow. I was a goofy kid who wanted to ride penguins and sea serpents then, but today I was a fully-realized Avatar set to reunite the peoples of the world. I had only a few chances to speak to her, given my duties to help the Fire Nation pull back its troops. But for what it's worth, I was going to reach out to her again, thanking her for all that she did.

"And it's going to be even more different," Zuko stated, "We'll rebuild it together." With that, he pulled me into a hug, which I wholeheartedly returned. Together, we marched out to the courtyard to the sound of a gong, watching the cheering crowd as Zuko insisted that I was the true hero of the day. I never expected myself to be in this position, being given this wonderful opportunity to see all people come together, and I wouldn't miss it for anything.

To even louder cheers, Zuko declared that the war was over. "The road ahead of us is challenging. A hundred years of fighting has left the world scarred and divided. But with the Avatar's help, we can get it back on the right path, and begin a new era of love, peace, and hope." With that, Zuko got onto his knees, allowing the head Fire Sage to place the royal headpiece into his hair. From this moment on, he was now Fire Lord Zuko.

I had to wait a few more days before our team's reunion, to be held at the Jasmine Dragon in Ba Sing Se. General Iroh and his team, the Order of the White Lotus, managed to take back the city in the name of the Earth Kingdom. Apparently, many individuals I had met along the way were part of this group, including Jeong Jeong, Pakku, Sokka's swords teacher Piandao, and my old friend Bumi. I got a kick out of hearing him tell me that he stacked the Fire Nation tanks up after blocking their shots. Even in the fiercest battle, Bumi was still sharp as a tack.

And right now, the only sounds that could be heard were the notes coming out of Iroh's horn as he played a song for us at his re-conquered tea shop. Zuko's girlfriend Mai, who used to be on Azula's side, was playing Pai Sho with Suki. Apparently, when Zuko went with Sokka on that fishing trip, it was actually to break Sokka's father out of prison. They added Suki to the list of prisoners pulled out, and it was with Mai's help that they left unscathed. Now, from what Zuko told me, him and Mai had patched things up since his defection from the Fire Nation, and they were now a loving couple. Suki had a new addition to her Kyoshi Warriors too, as Ty Lee, Mai's acrobatic friend, was allowed to join her team. Ty Lee didn't join us on this party, as she wanted to bond further with her future teammates, hence they already left for the island.

"Zuko, stop moving!" Sokka snapped from his table in the far end. My water tribe friend met up with Piandao after the battle and promised his master he would continue to advance the ways of the sword. Part of that was to be observational and used his skills whenever possible, even if it meant doing something like painting. Right now, he was supposedly painting a picture of us so we could all remember the good times we had together. Zuko's movement was a result of the Fire Lord serving us some of his uncle's tea, and that touched a nerve with Sokka.

As for Zuko, he was here in Ba Sing Se for a very special reason. In the upcoming days, he was to have the first bilateral meeting between the Earth King and the Fire Lord in nearly a century. After the battle was over at Ba Sing Se, the former Earth King Kuei, the man with the bear, returned to the capital a changed individual. After seeing the world and understanding the commoners, he gained a new appreciation of what it meant to rule, and promised to meet with Zuko for peace talks. While I wasn't asked to attend with them, Zuko did mention that he would appreciate having me nearby, just to lend them both support. They were both new rulers with new ideas, and would love to have me give input into that.

Before long, everyone took shots at Sokka's drawings, claiming he didn't draw their likeness in. Even Toph took a dig at Sokka, claiming she thought everyone looked great. While Toph still hadn't really reconciled with her parents, she said she would consider going back to them in the near future, hoping they would understand her lifestyle choices. I didn't pretend to know what was going on inside her parents' minds, but I realized I couldn't control that. It was up to her to face her past, just like I had to face mine. If things worked out for me, then maybe they could work out for her, whenever she chose to go back.

As everyone laughed at Sokka's artwork, I slowly stepped out of the teashop. I let the cool air of this summer evening whisk by me as I approached the front balcony, leaning against the rails and watching the setting sun. This was what it was all about, that sense of kinship and friendship that I couldn't get anywhere else. It was true that I was the Avatar, and that I had a duty to the world. But it was also true that the Avatar had to be part of the world, and that meant interacting with the people of the world. All these wonderful individuals, they all became a part of my life, and showed me experiences that I would cherish forever.

Soft footsteps caused me to turn my head, seeing the beautiful figure of Katara march up to me. Last time we were alone, there was an unfortunate incident where I tried to show my love for her, leading her to become more confused and ran off. I really wanted to make up for that error, but Katara apparently put that behind her. Seeing the look in her eyes, I knew whatever confusion she had was no longer there. In the few times I managed to speak to my friends between the final battle and today, I recalled Katara telling me that she was, once again, very proud of me. But for her, this was also a step forward in our relationship. We were friends, but we were also something more. And that was when I knew of her choice for her future.

We quickly embraced before turning to face each other, getting a look at each other's faces amidst the setting sun. I was the one who originally told her to let go of fear, and she was the one who kept me grounded when I ran amok. It was ironically opposite, but also totally appropriate as we realized we were truly meant to be. I was more than happy to spend the rest of my life with her, and I knew she felt the same. With that, we leaned our faces in, with no hesitation or confusion whatsoever as our lips attached themselves onto each other. This was our love, and this was our lives. I would take my duties as the Avatar with honour and courage, and I knew Katara would be there to support me the whole way. As I prepared to enter the next stage of my life, I could only think of one thing...

My name is Aang. That was my story. Those were my rites of passage.

Once again, I thank all those that took part in this story. I really learned a lot from all the helpful advice and tips you gave me, and hopefully I'll return to the Avatar franchise again soon. Right now, I'm going to work on some other work, but after Avatar: Legend of Korra is donw, I may come back here with some new ideas. Until then, good luck writing and have fun reading!