Chapter 18

My ears began to ring, deafening me. How could Yena be the Dark Avatar? She was so light, happy, while I was, well not. I was so sure that I was the Avatar Twin that carried the Spirit of Darkness and Chaos inside me. I had felt that pulsing cold... right? Or was that just a dream?

I looked up into the giant projection of my twin sister's face. I searched for that gentle silver flame that always seemed to burn in the depths of her eyes. What I found was much more terrifying. Her moonlit eyes blazed with a crazed inferno, scorching me. Whatever sisterly love that she had for me had burned away when Vaatu took her over.

Hot tears fell down my cheeks as she spoke again.

"My lovely Raava, again we shall battle for the fate of the world. At sunset we shall find out who will be the true Avatar. And if you decide not to face me, well," she said, turning the camera away from herself.

The past Avatar families were tied up, gagged and blindfolded. Metal coils were attached to the cuffs around their wrists and every few seconds, they would receive a jolt of electricity.

"And I also have your dear Air Acolyte and dragon," she added, smiling viciously.

The camera went to Lee and Selene, both of them convulsing as electricity ran through their bodies. My tears ran faster. How could my dear twin sister turn into such a monster?

"If you do not show by sunset, I will turn the electricity so it will stop every one of their hearts," she sang, her hand suddenly cupping blue tendrils of lightning.

Then she laughed. "But either way I'll come after you!"

The screen went blank. Ducking my head, I slowly made my way through the crowd. The crowd was murmuring, the sound reminding me of the shushing of waves hitting sand. Then it increased, their voices shooting up into the air. I tried to block them out but their fearful voices wormed into my ears, into my mind. I hurried through, not bothering to be polite. One man I actually shoved. He tripped over a ledge of earth that accidentally rose up behind him. He tumbled onto the cobblestones.

He jolted up to his feet, eyes hard with anger. His hand cupped a ball of fire. He threw it at me, but I ducked, the little fireball leaking at some poor woman's hair. She extinguished it with waterbending and then shot out her hands. A wave of water hit the man I tripped, carrying him up into the air, holding him there when she froze the water.

A mob fight ensued, people hurling elements, fists and feet. I tucked my hands into my pockets, leaving the fight behind me. Some vessel of peace and light I was.

I gathered some water in front of me, swirling my hands. Then I glided the rest of the way home, speeding my way greatly. I hopped off my water glider when I reached my door. The door slammed behind me when I entered.

I plopped down on my bed, head in my hands.

"I don't understand Raava. Why am I the Light Avatar? I'm so..." I couldn't finish the phrase.

I felt her spirit stir inside me. I closed my eyes, letting my mind open up.

Tiana. It was fate that you are the Light Avatar. Your personality does not dictate your true essence. Your sister always had a potential heart of darkness, even if she never hosted Vaatu. I know you, Tiana. You are the true vessel of light and peace. You just do not know your full potential.

Then Raava went silent.

"Yena," I whispered to myself. I tried to imagine her the way she was before, smiles and laughs, our little adventures as little kids, our investigations. Those times sneaking around Neo Equalist meetings. It may have been once but I had felt so whole, so close to her then.

But all I saw were those silver eyes burning with evil and the orange-red glow of the Dark Avatar State.

Was I really going to have to kill her?

The only way to make Raava whole was to take Yena's half of her. And that would kill her.

I knew that Yena would do the same to me. By getting my half of the Avatar Spirit, she would become a fully realized Avatar. She would have the full power of the Avatar Spirit, and have the spirit of Vaatu. She would be unstoppable.

That meant I had to fight her, and win. Or else the world would end.

A thump outside made my head jerk up. Without even thinking, one of my whips shot out, wrapping around the doorknob, and slamming the door wide open. Wind blew some wayward leaves into the house. But the steps outside were empty except for one thing, a box wrapped in brown paper, tied up with some white string. My whip curled around the string and pulled it into the hallway. I closed the door using metalbending.

I ripped open the package, finding a folded pile of clothes inside. They were white and blue, the colours of Raava. Yena must have sent them. She must have wanted it to be theatrical in that way, her in Vaatu's colours and I in Raava's.

Shedding my clothes, I pulled on the new ones; white leggings and a white jacket, with blue piping around the cuffs. Flaps of white fabric were at my hips, and on my chest were the Raava's patterns in blue. I also dug out a mask, identical to Yena's, except in Raava's colour scheme.

"You always loved a little pizzazz," I said, smiling a little.

I pulled the mask on, securing the ties. I discarded my whips from my arms, taking the metal cables with the sleeves instead, underneath the flowy sleeves of the jacket. I strapped the dispenser to my back.

By the time I was completely ready, my alarm rang. It would be sunset soon.

I walked out of the house and onto the streets. The sky was starting to lighten in preparation for the sun's final salute before night fell.

I reached for the twin bond.

I'm coming sister, I'm coming for you, I said to her.

I cannot wait, she replied.