I'm sorry for such a late delay…Hope this chapter makes up for it! Don't forget to review!
Music Playing: Requiem for a Dream Soundtrack - Theme Song
Book 5 Water
Chapter 8 The Half Killed
The wind seeped through the small leafless branches as Toph stepped along the stone floor covered with moss. The young woman walked up to the object beaming in the sunlight. Looking down, the sightful earthbender tilted her head as she looked down. It was a piece of stained glass. Bending downward, the girl picked the smooth surface dyed with a sepia tint. It looked like it used to be a type of hanging lamp.
Looking above her, Toph didn't see any window along the temple walls nor opening. So then where did this broken glass come from?
Suddenly her feet felt fast vibrations pacing up the side of the mountain. Toph kept her ground as she tried to make sense of the movements. The vibrations were hard to read as every footstep she could feel was barely touching the earth's surface. Almost like they were gentle caresses of a feather sweeping against the rocks. The distance of each step indicated this figure was leaping at inhuman jumps and bounds. Was it Aang? No…He was still inside the temple. Were they other air benders still alive?
Toph started to panic as she felt more of these quick movements build up in numbers. 'Three? No six! Wait…There was even more than I can count!' Toph thought as she felt the figures grow into groups as they drew closer up the mountain towards the entrance of stone path.
Taking a step back Toph realized she was surrounded, yet she couldn't see anyone around her.
Toph called out trying to mask her fear, "Is anyone there? Are you air benders? I mean you no harm." Toph said honestly as she then felt the familiar footsteps of the Avatar walk up to her.
"Aang! Stay there!" Toph cried out as the young man stopped in his tracks. "Uh? What is it Toph?" Aang asked confused yet concerned as he saw an odd expression of seriousness and fear expressed across the earthbender's face.
"We're surrounded…" Toph whispered as Aang's eyes widen. "What are you talking about?" Aang asked as he took a step closer to the girl.
"Stay there!" Toph hushed out at the airbender.
Aang remained still as he tried to decide what to do. Noticing Toph stiffen, Aang figured he entered into his seismic senses as he focused his earthbending into the soil. Soon the numbers of solid figures appeared in his sixth sense, groups of people hiding among the flora and boulders. Noticing Toph's uneasiness increase, Aang finally spoke out, demanding to know who these people were.
"I know you are there!" Aang shouted as Toph looked at the young man with surprised before showing a tensed expression.
"Come out. We mean you no harm. I am the Avatar." Aang said more calmly as Toph then felt the figures move forward.
Toph braced herself for what the figures would look like once seen. Then the earthbender's eyes widen in shock.
The forms were standing a few feet away from her and Aang. Yet Toph's eyes saw nothing.
"Aang…" Toph whispered as the fear inside her surface with an uneven tone in her voice.
Aang tensed as he felt Toph's knees tremble. She was afraid…Aang began to worry. There were only a few things that could ever frighten Toph. The fact that she is afraid now troubled the young man.
Looking around the airbender tried to make sense of what he was feeling compared to what his eyes were telling him. Was this some sort of trick? As the couple stood in shock a light breeze flowed pass them when they heard a soft whisper almost lost in the wind chimes that tinkled in the distance.
"…Ta xiao…" a low yet soft voice spoke as Toph tried to recognize the words.
"L-Little one?" Toph repeated out loud as Aang looked back at the earthbender.
Another breeze flowed by surrounding the area with an unusual sensation of warmth as the two teens inhaled slowly from the somehow mystical force that was comforting them.
"Please…Tell us who you are." Toph asked as another breeze flow pass them. There was no answer. The couple tried to listen closely hoping to catch something in the howling wind.
"Relax, Avatar Aang." A voice said behind the two teens as the two teens jumped from the sudden voice. Aang then gasped recognizing the person.
"Guru Pathik!?" Aang called out in surprised as he spun around seeing the spiritual man sitting on a stone wall.
"Guru who?" Toph said as she turned and looked at the man questioningly.
Aang smiled as he reminded the earthbender, "Guru Pathik was the one who taught how to open my chakras." The airbender said as Toph nodded her head in understanding before crossing her arms.
Aang smiled at the earthbender's pose before introducing the two to one another. Aang then looked back up at the guru.
"Pathik, why are you here in the Southern Air Temple?" Aang asked before a sudden shriek cried out. Aang turned to see Toph running up to him and wrapping herself around his arm. "Wah! Something touched me! What's going on here?!" Toph exclaimed with fear.
The guru simply chuckled as he leaped off the stone wall and neatly landed on his feet. "That is why I have come here to the temple. A great source of energy has been manifesting itself in this area. I have been studying them for sometime now." Pathik said with a pause as the two teens anxiously waited for his conclusion.
The guru spoke with a hint of empathy as he continue on, "They are the lost souls of your people." Pathik said as he looked at Aang.
The young man's eyes contacted with shock as he quickly asked, "What does that mean?! How can that be?" Aang asked as the spiritual man as Pathik gave a sad expression.
"After they were killed…Sadly they are unable to cross over. Their souls are trapped…Torn between worlds." Pathik said as Aang recalled in the past when he tried to reach Roku. During his journey into the spirit world, he ended up in a different realm. Far more beautiful than the previous swamp-like realm dominated from the Great Spirit Koh. Could that be the same for the lost souls? Aang thought as the guru then spoke.
"Their spiritual energy flows in this world while their souls remain in another realm. It seems impossible to reconnect the two energies together. I believe there are many others throughout the world." Pathik said answering Aang's thoughts.
The two teens then nodded their heads as they started to be aware of the mysterious forces.
"Come now, I made something for you both to eat." Pathik said as he soon walked up the path to the temple. Aang and Toph both looked back then at each other before following the guru.
Kya turned her attention away from the fire place as she saw her mother entered the nursery. The woman walked over to the crib where her little brother laid. Kya noticed a sad expression across her mother's face. Concerned, Kya stood up and shuffled to the woman's side.
"Mommy?" the girl cried out as the woman looked down at her daughter. Katara smiled faintly before leaning over and hugging her daughter.
"I'll be going away for a while…I promise I'll be back." Katara said in a poignant tone laced with her melodic voice.
Kya hugged her mother back, burying her face in the woman's hair. "Okay, mommy." The girl responded as she pulled away before curiously asking where her mother was going.
Katara's faint smile widen slightly as she spoke softly, "I'll be going to a far off place…Hopefully one day you'll take a trip there when you'll older." Katara said as simple as she could for the child to understand.
Deep in Katara's heart she wanted her children to know her homeland. It was a part of their family background after all. But due to the councils' regulation, the heirs of the Fire Nation were not to be permit outside of the kingdom. It was safety measure to ensure the children's wellbeing. Rumors through the Fire Nation Territories spoke of people wanting to depose the Lord and his family.
So every precaution was taken to make sure the royal family was heavily protected. Even the journey for the Fire Lady was a dangerous task.
Thankfully, Katara kept her people's tribe alive in the hearts of her children. She would tell them tales of a magical place covered in snow. Where the heavens would display beautiful lights in the skies and how the sun would sleep for months at a time covering the land in darkness.
A soft cry was heard in the crib as Katara then turned her attention to the waking infant. "Ah, There…There…my little Lee..." Katara said in a lovingly tone as she patted the baby on the back while rocking him.
Kya watched her mother comforting the baby as a saddened knock came at the door.
"Milady, everyone is waiting." A servant said as Katara turned to the woman and nodded her head.
"Yes…" Katara said softly before kissing Lee on the forehead then placed the infant lightly back into the crib.
Katara then turned and noticed someone missing in the room. "Fae, where's Kuzon?" Katara asked as the nanny stepped into the second room.
"I believe he went with Fire Lord Zuko to the docks, My Lady." The nanny said as she bowed.
Katara nodded her head as she then looked down at her daughter and smiled warmly.
"Mommy is leaving now, Kya. Be a good girl while I am gone." Katara said as the little girl beamed a smile.
"Uh-huh!" the child said with innocence as Katara gave her daughter another hug before leaving the royal nursery.
"Lynn please send a message to the councils of my departure." Katara ordered to the servant by the door, as the woman bowed deeply to her highness.
"Yes, Lady Katara." The female servant said as she then left down the hall. Katara smiled briefly as she then made her way to the antechamber and then to the front doors of the palace.
Walking through the courtyard surrounded with rows of green hedges and white marble flooring, Katara gracefully entered pass the front gates where she was greeted by a coachman. The man bowed respectfully as he led Katara into a golden carriage with blood red curtains.
The man then stepped up into the built-in compartment seat with a footboard beneath him.
As the coachman set into his position, he then grabbed hold of the fine leather reins and set onward down the noble district.
Crossing through the smooth limestone path, the carriage came into view as the scene focused in through the window.
Peering out the window, Katara gazed at the housing and citizens. The sight of people was seen going about their daily lives, unaware of the arrangement set out from their Lady.
If such information was to be leaked out into the public, it could cause panic to the kingdom's security system. Thus Katara had to dress in casual attire, far less plain than her luxurious royal gowns.
At first she was surprised upon hearing the news before she left. But Katara was fully aware of the precautions that need to be taken in such a situation, though, once aboard the fleet, Katara knew she could change back into the warmer clothing and change into more appropriate clothing for her royal station as a queen.
As the solid gold wheels spun along the stone path, the scene backed out showing the open harbor of the Fire Nation's port.
The carriage door opened and Katara exited out slowly. Stepping across the title floors, it caused Katara momentary have a flashback of the first time she set floor on Fire Nation Territory.
'The day of back sun…'
Katara closed her eyes, pushing back that awful memory, the day when the invasion went terribly wrong.
Yet it was an experience she knew kept her strong. That day she became the leader of her family. Feeding the group, mending to their needs while trying to persuade the Avatar to continue his training and form a new plan. His childish actions led the group no where before out of the blue, the crowned prince, Zuko found them.
Katara's subconscious thoughts at that time still felt the bleeding pain of his betrayal. Yet as much as the waterbender hated to admit, after he fought the assassin and managed to survive. He proved to be given one more chance. Yet in the end, Katara had no idea has grateful when Zuko came at the time that he did. After he was welcomed into the group, the fire prince set out exactly what he said he was going to do. Help train Aang and fight in this war.
A soft breeze flowed through Katara's hair as she entered the docks breaking her away from her deep thoughts.
Looking ahead the port, Katara saw him. The tall, proud man she loathed in the past, and later fell in love with.
Tears whelmed in her eyes as she paced faster to the Fire Lord waiting for her at the end of the dock.
Katara wrapped her arms around Zuko's neck while he returned the loving embrace and sets his hands above her bottom and firmly around her waist. Resting her head on his shoulder, Katara's lips frowned slightly.
Looking up at the scene, Kuzon kept quiet as she watched his parents exchange their final goodbyes.
After Katara pulled away she looked down at her son and smiled warmly. "Take care of Kya while I'm gone." Katara said sweetly as she kneeled down to the child's height and gave him a warm hug and light kiss.
"I will, mother." Kuzon said as the woman pulled away.
Straightening her posture Katara then turned to Zuko as he tenderly caressed her cheek.
"I'll wait for you." Zuko said softly as Katara smiled. "I know."
Leaning in, she kissed her husband affectionately before being led into the ship.
As a horn blew into the area signaling all clear for the ship to set sail, Kuzon grabbed his father's hand. The scene drifted away revealing the back sides of the Fire Lord and his son staring at the slowly gliding fleet.
"When will mother come back, father?" Kuzon asked as the man was seen narrowing his eyes.
"Not for a while, Kuzon. We mustn't be impatient. Come, let us return home." Zuko said as he turned allowing his son to follow.
As guards surrounded the Fire Lord while two stepped in by the young prince's side. Kuzon couldn't help but look back at the drifting ship now leaving the harbor.
The boy's golden eyes glistened as he already started to miss his beloved mother.
Please review and comment!!!!
I know there wasn't much going on...There will be more action in the next few chapters.