((Hello brilliant reader, thanks for taking the time to read this! Sorry for the length of this chapter but in visualising the scenes, it felt like an average episode of Korra so hopefully it isn't too difficult to power through. The start is always slow but events are starting to unfold and I've dropped some heavy hints as to where this is going so hope you enjoy!))
Confirming the Impossible:
A day had passed since the revelation that had changed the city and the life of one young man in particular. The news that the Avatar had been found travelled rapidly; by mid afternoon, Taku was buzzing with the gossip. Apparently, for the past two decades, it had not been common knowledge that Avatar Korra had passed. Jahn himself had only heard about his predecessor once in the last twenty years. The world was still very peaceful ever since the formation of the Earth Empire and the near-war started by the Great Uniter. King Wu had done his part in creating a fairer world for all of them, but it had been Kuvira who had truly started the ball rolling.
In the last twenty years, the spirits had truly moved back into the physical world. They filled the world from both spirit portals at the Poles and seemed intriguingly fascinated with the newer portal in Republic City. Even Taku had a few resident spirits; one of great importance was a spirit which the townsfolk called the Wise Seer. Taking the form of a transparent humanoid, it spent all its time at the peak of the nearby hill, on which an old herbalist used to reside over a hundred years ago. It had no apparent features except for faint outlines of a face and opaque eyes drawn on the back of its long, clawlike hands. It had the unnerving ability to answer questions correctly and so it was to this spirit that Jahn went.
He sat quietly outside the hut, waiting for the spirit to receive him. He'd already spent hours sat there but he knew the spirit did not liked to be rushed. Besides, getting away from the chattering townsfolk would be a blessing after the reaction Taku had shown.
A rustling alerted him to the spirit's approach. Pushing the weak wooden door aside, it stood in the doorway, barely visible other than a faint blue shadow. "What would you have of me?" it asked. Its voice was strangely gender neutral; nobody thought it polite to ask when it had arrived and had not gathered the courage since. Spirits were complex creatures.
Jahn did not move from where he sat. "I'm the Avatar", he said. The words felt strange in his mouth.
A pause. "I am aware."
"You knew?" Jahn asked incredulously.
"I know most things, human. You all call me the Wise Seer, a name I have clearly earned."
Jahn finally moved. Stretching his legs, he stood up and faced the spirit. "Then why did nobody tell me until now? The world needs the Avatar."
The spirit made a flippant motion with one translucent hand. "You are incorrect. The world is at peace. I have kept watch over your world on behalf of one who I owe a debt to. If you had been needed before now, you would have been told. Avatar Korra changed the world drastically, yet upon her death she had created an era of peace, the likes of which Avatars before her failed to do. So, Avatar, you are not needed. And you may not even be wanted by some."
Jahn's forehead creased in doubt. As he opened his mouth to speak once more, a light to his right distracted him. There was a flicker of blue light and after a second, a person appeared from thin air. She was tall, with long dark hair and she glowed an iridescent blue, signifying her presence as a spirit. Her airbender tattoos gave away her identity to the Wise Seer, who bowed its head slightly in her direction.
The woman bowed back as the Wise Seer retreated back into the dark of the hut. Turning to Jahn, she studied him briefly. "You're Jahn, right? My name is Jinora," said the woman, appraising him with a knowing smile. There was great wisdom in her eyes, mixed with sadness. "We've heard about you from the stories going round but we didn't know of your existence before now. We need you to come to Republic City to meet with me and some other masters who will be able to assist you in your training. If you need my help, simply find me in the spirit world. I'll see you in the city, Avatar." With that, the woman flickered and vanished.
Puzzled beyond belief, Jahn began back down the hill. "Republic City..." he mumbled to himself. It was so far away. It would take a while and it was always dangerous travelling alone. There was one more reason he could not possibly go. Not now.
Kuvu was waiting for him at the base of the hill. "Saraa has been asking for you", she said, mentioning his mother. "How did it go with the Wise Seer? Did it give you any spiritual advice?" she asked with a cautious smile.
"Not as such. It knew about my identity though. There's something else too", he said, before telling her about the woman Jinora and what she had to say.
There was silence for a while as they walked through the city towards Jahn's house. People had begun to bow to him as he walked past, a practice that annoyed him extremely. There was no way he could live here like he'd planned anymore. His whole life was no longer his own. So far, the only positive had been that Saall had been considerably frightened by Jahn's display of firebending and had almost run away at every opportunity they met. He'd also not spoken to Kuvu since, having received the threat loud and clear.
"So you're leaving Taku then," Kuvu said at last, breaking him from his thoughts. "It's awesome that you'll learn all the styles of bending. You're already a master earthbender so you've got a good start," she said with a smile. "I'll miss you though. And your mother will…"
Coughing loudly, Jahn skipped ahead. "Anyway I was thinking, maybe you and I should go visit the river tonight? Just the two of us…" he said before realising what he'd said. He'd finally asked Kuvu out on a date and it could not have been at a worse time. Idiot. Absolute idiot.
"Oh. Yes, ok, that sounds lovely."
"Really?" he blurted out in reply.
Kuvu laughed lightly. "I'd love to. Meet you around seven? I'll bring a picnic," she said, brushing her dark green dress with a spare hand.
Jahn nodded. Bidding her farewell, he turned and made his way home. "That went surprisingly well," he chuckled to himself, hopeful about the future again. He'd even have time for a nap beforehand if he managed to get all his chores done. Maybe the day wasn't so totally ruined after all.
His mother was fast asleep when he returned home. The young Avatar was thankful for it; he did not want to deal with another outburst today. She was so ill and he did not know how to heal her. Nobody did. His only hope was that she would find some peace in her dreams and he planned to do the same as he lay down on his bed and closed his eyes.
"You haven't left yet. Too much time has already been spent, you need to start training." It was the spirit woman again. Jinora.
Jahn opened his eyes. Sitting in the midst of a grassy field, he was surrounded by spirits of all shapes and sizes, all gazing at him in awe. Jinora sat opposite, still blue and transparent. "Where are we? Am I dreaming?" he asked in confusion.
The airbender shook her head. "No Jahn. Welcome to the spirit world."
Jahn stared. "How do I get back?" he asked, uncaring about the spirits around him. All he wanted was to get back to the physical world and see Kuvu.
"Just meditate and you will return. But you haven't answered my question Jahn. Why haven't you set off yet? My father is eager to meet you".
The truth had to come out eventually. May as well be now. "I don't want to go. I can't. I have to look after my mother and there's my friend…she's important to me…" he said somewhat quietly. He kept his eyes down, worried as to how she'd reply for some reason.
"I know how you must feel about this girl; I felt the same about Kai then and now. But I'm sorry Jahn, staying is just not possible. We can get care for your mother if necessary but you need to come to Republic City", Jinora insisted.
"No", Jahn said stubbornly. "You can't make me either, you're just a spirit projection", he taunted.
Jinora sighed. "Typical Earthbender. You're right though, I can't force you via my astral projection. But the Order of the White Lotus has a member stationed in every town. A Grand Master was on his way to Taku the moment we received word of your identity. He might already be there."
Eyes widening, Jahn recoiled. Scrunching his eyes shut, he tried to clear his mind but his thoughts were too turbulent. Focusing on Kuvu, he pictured her face, every exquisite detail…
Sitting up sharply, Jahn looked around in a panic. The sight of his mother resting comforted him, his heartbeat slowing to a more regular pace. The sun was setting already, prompting him to leap from his bed and dress in a hurried manner. The trip to the spirit world was already fading from his mind as he considered the date that was yet to come.
They sat, both of them, later that evening with their feet in the water. The picnic had been delightful and Kuvu's company even more so. The river was slow and the miniature elephant koi swam downstream in a lazy manner. The night sky twinkled with the light of a thousand stars or more and Jahn felt relaxed for the first time in a long time, even before his great secret had been revealed.
"Kuvu, I've wanted to tell you for a while. I-I love you. Like, not just as a friend, but that weird kind of love when I can't stop thinking about you and want to be with you but I'm happy kicking your butt on the training field because it's fun and you—" he said, covering his rare display of emotion by rambling onwards.
A light kiss, the briefest of sweet sensation. Her lips brushed his tentatively before retreating. Jahn held his breath in shock, his brain in complete meltdown. She liked him too. She kissed him. She made the move. Do it back. Seriously, do it. Work body, work!
As he leant forward, a voice sounded from behind them. "Avatar Jahn! I hate to disturb you and your-ah, companion, but the lady Jinora sent us to confirm your identity." The owner of the voice was a tall gentleman with messy black hair wearing dark blue robes fringed with a white patterned collar. "My name is Zukoh, son of Firelord Iroh and Grand Master of the Order of the White Lotus. We've come to escort you to Republic City."
Standing, Jahn pointed an angry finger at the man, who was stood with a small group of individuals wearing the same robes. "No! I told the airbender that I wasn't leaving my mother and Kuvu! I have to stay and look after them!" he shouted angrily.
Zukoh stepped forward, hands in the air peacefully. "With respect Avatar, your past lives have been friends with my father and great-grandfather both. They would not force you to do something you did not wish to do. I, however, know how stubborn the Earth Empire can be. As a result, earlier tonight, we removed your mother from Taku and we have taken her to-"
"WHAT!?" Jahn screamed, furious. Kuvu backed away in shock, her face distraught. "You….took her?" Jahn whispered, shaking with rage.
The newcomer nodded. "Yes, we had to so that you would come with us. I'm sorry Avatar, but Saraa is fine and—" he explained but was quickly cut off.
Jahn's eyes flickered suddenly before glowing with a frightful intensity. A wind picked up out of nowhere as the ground began to splinter and crack where Jahn stood. Gazing ahead without seeing, the young Avatar's continued to glow as the wind howled around him. The riverbank began to crumble as the ground around his feet bubbled and popped, lava rushing to the surface. Huge chunks of lava soaked rock began to float in the air and the river built into a huge wave that threatened to crash down on them all. A pillar of earth rose under Jahn's feet slowly, pushing him into the air, where he stood in dreadful reckoning of them all. The surrounding pool of lava only grew larger, the earth splintering where it touched. The all-consuming power of the Avatar State was unleashed for the first time in twenty years, but he could not control it.
There was a sharp sudden pain at the back of Jahn's head and the world turned dark.