Chapter 15: The Past and the Future

"So, you gonna tell me who you are?" Kaze thought it best to at the very least learn the name of the spirit who was so hellbent of taking control of his body.

But once again, silence. It honestly hurt. So much dedication to him and he wasn't even graced with a name. Pretty messed up if he had to say.

His very devoted spirit was just staring at him, pure black orbs burning a hole through his skull. But it was different than last time. He didn't feel the ever-powerful grip on his soul as it had the last time they had met. He was just… staring.

"…Something changed between last time."

Woah, it finally spoke! Its voice was coarse and deep, single handedly creating a tremor in his eardrums. Fitting, all things considered.

"Well, um… I guess? I'm not too sure what you mean." He was honestly more confused now.

"You've grown stronger since last time we met… how exactly?" His voice was monotone, but, in a way, it betrayed a very subtle disappointment. "If only my fool of a sister hadn't interfered, you would have already been fulfilling the debt your father owed to me."

Father? Bargains? He barely knew his own father, how would he ever know of any bargains?! He had more questions than he cared to admit. He could only hope that evil spirit guy could get to his point quickly.

"Listen, I don't know who you are. I don't know what you want. And I'm pretty sure whatever 'deal' you had with my father doesn't involve me." Everything he knew about him was through his mom, who even then, rarely spoke about him for how much pain it brought her…

"All I know is that he died the day after I was born, and that he gave me my waterbending. That's it. So what exactly is it that you want from me?" He was starting to feel frustrated, maybe it would've been better for his soul to be quickly absorbed rather than whatever it is that was happening right now.

"I see… perhaps it might be best that I show you exactly why your life belongs to me…"

"What does that even mean-" But it was too late, his vision had turned white. Nausea overtook his body while his head made his best impression of a raging whirlpool. It felt like an eternity, but he would eventually be dropped in some tropical looking place…

It was a village surrounded by a lush green jungle, while the sun was beating relentlessly on the many houses and vendor stalls around him. It was beautiful to say the least.

But why would the spirit send him to a place like this.

And that's when he saw why.

It was his mom, in a small house on one of the edges right by the large trees. And she was holding something… someone…

It had to be him in that bundle, which could have only meant that-

"Umi!" He heard a voice call out from behind him.

He had an inkling at who that voice would belong to but… he was honestly scared of looking. But his curiosity was too much, so he did anyway.

Running right towards him and the house, a dark-skinned man with blue eyes and brown hair was making his way to his mom. His face looked sharp and tested. Like he'd been through countless struggles throughout his life.

He could see it now. He could see now why his mom sometimes got a sad look on her face when she looked at him. His affinity for waterbending has allowed him to look at his own reflection since forever, and he could honestly say that he was the spitting image of the man in front of him, albeit a little younger.

It was his dad.

It had been a particularly chilly morning, the day after his son was born.

Hakku tried his best to ignore his feelings of impending doom he had suffered since the previous night, but it was useless. Something was coming, he didn't know when, but it was. Regardless, he still had his own responsibilities to fulfill, so he made his way towards the greenhouse. Seeing as Umi had just given birth, his work now required that he pulled double, or even triple, his usual weight.

And that's where the first sign of danger appeared. The place was empty, the plants were not watered, and Ursa was nowhere to be found. For her to suddenly neglect the tasks that she had diligently taken care of for the few years he's known her, something must have happened.

He had to find Ikem, if anyone knew anything, it would be him.

With panic slowly rising, he ran through the village in search of him, but his fears would come true… He was gone, and so was Ursa. In one simple night, the two friends who supported him and Umi for all these years had simply… disappeared… and he couldn't stop the guilt quickly crawling into his chest. This had to be connected to what he had felt, there was no other explanation.

"Hakku" Someone called out to him. "So, you found out then…" It was Ursa's father, Jinsuk, who looked terrible. He had bags in his eyes and was disheveled unlike he's seen him before. And his eyes were bloodshot, like a tragedy just occurred.

"Found out what? What happened, where's Ursa?" He had to find out, no matter what it meant.

"She was chosen to be married to Prince Ozai. And you must know exactly what that means…" His voice sounded dejected. "We'll probably never see her again after the wedding… And then, she'll never come back."

"But how?! Why?! Why would they choose someone from Hira'a to marry the prince?" It didn't make any sense. How would they have even found out about her in the first place?

"Because of her lineage…" His voice sounded tired, almost given up. "My wife… her father was none other than Avatar Roku, and they wanted her blood. The blood of the Avatar who many consider to be the strongest in history… And because of that, I just lost my only daughter."

No… It couldn't be. The terrible omen he felt last night wasn't an illusion…

"And what about Ikem? Why is he gone too?"

But Jinsuk simply sighed in sadness. "It would seem that he ran away… He tried to stop Ursa, but it was in vain… Although to where, nobody knows…"

He then approached him and put a hand to his shoulder.

"Everything has truly become a nightmare… But there's nothing to be done anymore. I can only ask you to please treasure the moments you have with your own family… You never know when it might be gone in an instant."

And with that, he was left alone once more. Alone with his thoughts and his guilt. He should've known that involving himself with others would only bring misfortune to those around him. But even then, the time he had spent in this village had been the happiest he's ever been. He wouldn't know if he'd be able to give it up, even now.

He was so caught up in his despair that he didn't even notice its presence slowly making its way towards him.

But the signs were there. His skin prickled, as his blood ran cold once again.

It was back. And he had nowhere to run off now, nowhere to pretend it didn't exist. He knew that everything that's happened to him was because of a curse, and he was sure that thing was somehow to blame. He would not run anymore. He had no choice but to acknowledge it and face it, once and for all.

So, he turned around until he was face to face with it. A figure of pure darkness with three white spots, two surrounding its eyes which showed nothing but a void of darkness.

"…So, you finally decided to face the truth."

"T-the truth? What does that even mean?!" His voice was loud enough to attract people outside their homes.

"I destroyed the prison! I killed all those people! What else do you want from me!"

"…The prison was but the beginning. Your true purpose hasn't been fulfilled. And that meant the destruction of those who have sent our world to the brink of ruin… And yet, look at you now. Warming up with the very people who would seek your own people's death."

"No! These people aren't like that!" He's seen nothing but kindness and acceptance from them. "They're just regular people trying to make something out of their lives in this war-ridden world! They're like any other, no matter the nation!"

"The Fire Nation has sent the world into a state of unbalance that not even the Avatar may be able to restore… And their sins are carried in every one of its people." Its voice was dark and hoarse, sending tremors down his body. "You made a vow. Your power belongs to me. And you were to use it to bring retribution for those sins."

"Why me?! When did I vow something like that?!"

"Hm… you're right. It wasn't you who sought my blessing but your own parents."

His parents… How is that possible?

His mind was spinning, but in his heart, he knew its words held the truth. Whatever had made his family run from the north was something they vehemently refused to ever tell him, or anyone for that matter.

"…W-What are you saying?"

"It was a certain night where the moon was hidden away from the sky, when I was brought a lifeless child into the sacred waters where me and my sister had danced since millennia. I thought wasting my powers on a lowly child would have been a waste, a disgrace to the ocean itself… But then I felt it. Your connection to the element that anchored the creation of life itself." Its face morphed into what looked like a smile that did nothing but fill him with panic.

"You were powerful. Even when lifeless, your connection to the ocean was still there… So, I granted their wish, in exchange for your strength. You were to become the one to avenge the water tribes, the World, from the death and destruction waged by the Fire Nation."

So, the baby from his visions was actually him… What was he saying? He already knew that. He's known that all this time.

"…But as you are now… You're nothing but a disappointment. I believed our quest for justice had started when you plunged your little prison into the depths of my ocean… But instead, you never once used your bending again. You married and had a child with the very people you were bound to destroy… And broken the vow that gave you the life you were born without."

"I never asked for any of this! If I knew my life would only serve to bring death and suffering to others, I would've gladly remained dead!" Hakku's breath was ragged, the weight of the information pushing his mind to the brink of madness. "I will never use my power again! And you will never see me raise a hand against anyone ever again!"

"I'm not your puppet!"

"Trust me… your usefulness ran out the moment you set foot in this island. But no matter, perhaps there was a silver lining to your little bout of treachery…"

Something was changing. The sky was turning gray, and the spirit's voice was piercing his head from every angle.

He looked around. The beautiful shining village he has come to love was gone. The sun wasn't shining its usual rays, and the lush greenness was replaced by a desert of ashes. Houses were flaming, people were lying lifeless on the ground. It was hell, and he had brought it with him.

And at the center of everything, the dark shadow of the spirit who felt entitled to his life and his body stood with empty eyes and a chilling grin that did nothing but mock him for his powerlessness.

"Even from here… I can feel a strong connection to the ocean. It seems that your own child will serve as a suitable replacement… He's powerful. Even more so than you were... Only this time, I will not let it escape my grasp."

"NO! Not Kaze! I won't let you!" He couldn't. At the very least, he wanted to spare his own son from the suffering that he's lived with all his life.

"There's nothing you can do. As I said, your use for me has been exhausted. And for that, you shall pay with the life I granted you!"

As it said those words, the spirit rose a hand, as water materialized from nothing. An icicle of ice took shape, before it was launched with blinding speed with the intention of striking his heart.

But Hakku was still strong. He had to protect his son, even if one last time. A single spear of ice, regardless of who it came from, was nothing he couldn't handle.

He rose his own hands, grasping for control of the incoming water. And when he did, he sent it back with all his strength, directly at the spirit who had deemed his life to become a hell of misfortune.

He aimed at the heart, and he knew his aim was true.

But the spirit made no move to dodge. It just kept looking right at him with a mocking grin, as if saying that everything that's happened so far has been all according to his plan.

And that's when he realized he had lost, as the world around him turned back to normal. The burning houses were fully unscathed, and the jungle surrounding them was back to the overwhelming sea of green that he had grown used to.

And the people were back, as his outburst certainly didn't go unnoticed. All staring at him as if they were looking at a vile creature.

"H-H-He's a waterbender!"

"S-Someone alert the town guard!"

"He killed lady Kiri! He's a murderer!"

'Killed?' Hakku's mind slowly pieced what had happened. He had shot a spear of ice towards the spirit… right in front of him, aim trained at the heart. But the spirit was gone…

His eyes widened in horror, as the image of a person lying lifelessly on the ground with stake of ice impaled on her heart. Blood rushed from the wound to pool around her now breathless body, staining everything in crimson.

He was tricked. And he had killed once again.

Screams and shrieks of terror filled his ears, as some of the men rushed to detain him.

He was tackled and pinned to the ground, with nothing but verbal abuse along with kicks and punches to his body.

He knew he deserved it. All his sins had finally caught up to him, and he was going to pay for it with his life. He thought of everything that he's ever done. Got his family banished through the frozen fields of the south pole. Brought the wrath of the Fire Nation into his village and got people killed for his waterbending. He decimated an island along with both Fire Nation soldiers and other waterbenders, sending innocent people to the bottoms of the ocean.

And now, his madness had driven him to kill an innocent woman…

He deserved this punishment…

But even then! He still had a duty towards two people. His family.

He couldn't die just yet. Not until he could ensure their safety.

And so, gathering all his strength and courage for the final time, he bent the water from the grass below and created a burst around him that sent all of his assailants into the ground.

He had little time, he had to get Umi to take Kaze and run from the village. He ran as fast as his legs allowed him, until the small house by the edge of the jungle appeared in the distance.

His wife was holding their son by the small porch outside, looking as beautiful and radiant as the day he met her. Perhaps even more.

He knew this would be the last time he'd see them, so he forced his brain to relish at the sight for as long as it could.

But he couldn't waste any more time.

"Umi!" He was fully out of breath, but he pushed through.

"Hakku! Goodness what happened?!" He was filled with bruises and cuts, and his eyes were flooded with the fear he felt for his family's safety.

"Umi! You need to get out of the village! Right now!" His heart was breaking. He could never forgive himself for dragging the two most important people in his life with him, so he had to get them away from him, no matter what.

"I'm sorry! It's all my fault!" Tears were flowing through his face, as his grief was too much to contain.

"What do you mean?! Hakku, what happened?" Her concern spiked, as tears of her own started flowing just from seeing her husband in such a state. "Please, tell me what's wrong!" She begged, as the baby in her arms started wailing, as he absorbed the emotions seeping from both his parents.

Hakku gathered his thoughts through his rushing mind. "Ursa is gone! She was taken as the Fire Prince's wife… And Ikem most likely ran away in heartbreak…"

"What?! But how is that possible?! I-I just saw them yesterday, they were here together. They looked so happy!" Umi's voice was now filled with her own grief. "But why are you asking us to run away? What happened?"

"Those nightmares, those times I feel myself lost in my head… They finally caught up to me." Hakku's voice was now dripping with despair. "Everything I've done, everyone I've killed! My sins finally caught up to me!"

"I don't understand… Hakku! What are you talking about?!" She pleaded, but as her words left her mouth, a raging group of soldiers and men could be heard in the distance. Their faces reflected pure fury, and they were coming directly for them.

"I'm sorry, Umi… But you need to leave. Now!" His eyes took as much determination as he could muster, willing all the love and care he had for his remaining family. "I'll buy you as much time as possible, so please take Kaze and get away as far as you can… It's the only way."

"Hakku- I-I-" But words eluded her, as the gravity of the situations finally settled within her mind. Their lives were in danger. Their son's life was in danger.

"Please, trust me one last time, Umi." Hakku pleaded, as he stood up and turned to face the incoming wave of soldiers.

"Know that I will always love you two!"

Umi's mind went blank at his words. This was the last time they'd ever see each other, and their son would never meet his father. Her life had been reduced to ashes within seconds.

But she had no choice. She had to protect Kaze.

And so, she took him as she ran through the jungle that led straight to the beach. The one beach where her life had changed forever. The only way out of the island was with her father's old boat, and it was sitting there untouched for years…

As Hakku heard his wife quickly escape the rampage, he readied all the water around him. He would have to fight again, once more. One last time. He had let his mistakes lead him and his family to the path of ruin, and he vowed to at the very least use his curse one last time to bring a chance of life for his son.

"He's going to attack! We must kill him before he gets us!" He heard being shouted by one of the soldiers. Once they reached him, he did everything he could to impede their progress.

Water whips, ice shields, torrents, and explosions, all in an attempt to drive them away from the jungle. He didn't know how long he actually kept his attack going, but as the sun was settling right on the apex of the sky, he knew that he had done enough.

And so, he let go. All the water flowed back to the ground, as he fell to his knees. He could go out knowing he had fought for the sake of the people he loved, even after everything else he had done. He did everything he could, and now, he only waited for what he deserved.

One spear penetrated his chest into his heart, as another struck right in his stomach. Then his lower back, his arms, his legs, his neck, until the last thing he would ever see was the sun, shining just like the pair of amber eyes he had fallen in love with.

Kaze was on his knees, breath escaping him. He couldn't believe what he just saw.

He knew his father had died the day after his birth but… But this was too much to take in. He knew now why his mom never tried to explain to him what happened. From the looks of it, it seemed like even she didn't know what exactly led to them running away.

His father died protecting them, for sins that he had committed. But he wasn't a monster. Something beckoned him to do all that he did.

In the end, everything was brought about because of the spirit who had taken the liberty to haunt him after deeming his father a failure.

He knew what it wanted now. And he had an inkling towards its real identity. He had heard about the spirits that reside in a perpetual dance somewhere in the North Pole. The spirits of the moon and the ocean, who had apparently been one of the first spirits to leave their home into the mortal world for the sake of keeping balance.

It made sense. The spirit that saved him last time was most likely this guy's counterpart. And yet, he couldn't come to terms that the spirit that took on a mortal body for the sake for the world, would advocate for something as awful as the eradication of a whole nation of people.

No matter how terrible the sins of the fire Nation were, he was sure that the only result from something like that wouldn't bring balance, it would only set on further chaos and suffering.

He had to get answers, and quickly.

"W-What exactly is it that you hope to achieve?" He said through ragged breathes, nerves dialed up to a peak.

"…It is simple. What I want is retribution. The Fire Nation took to imprisoning as many waterbenders as they could. They sullied the oceans with their ships, destroyed the ice structures that gave life to the poles along with its people. And, they dared attack the sacred spirit of the moon, my sister, dooming the world to its death! They are plague that this world needs to be rid of. And with you, my goals will finally be achieved."

"But that won't bring peace, you'll only bring about more pain and hatred to the world!" His voice started to pick up in volume. "The real culprits of the war are gone, with only their descendants picking up the reins of the conflict! Even now, those are only a handful of people! The rest have been fighting for the sake of making a life out of what those people brought on to them!" His voice was picking up steam. He couldn't let this be the end of everything. He had to keep it up somehow.

"The only way to bring peace is through the Avatar. He's the only one who can bring the conflict to a stop as a true advocate for the world and its people!"

"The Avatar is a naïve child who took it in himself to disappear for a hundred years while the Fire Nation decimated the world into ashes!"

"Even then! You cannot just give up on him to make things right! He's powerful, he has a lot of strength inside his heart! And he's not alone, he has his friends, and he will have us to support him!"

"Silence! I have witnessed humanity's incompetence for the last hundred years. It is clear that no human, no matter how powerful, is enough to bring about change!" He wasn't convinced, as the spirit's face contorted into complete fury.

"But you don't know that! You yourself took on a mortal form because you sought to maintain balance in our world! Because you trusted in us to make a world worth living in!" Why else would a spirit purposely leave a place like the Spirit World for the sake of humanity.

"And it is obvious now that I was gravely mistaken in said belief… But no matter. Once I've taken control of your soul, there will be nothing that will impede my duty to bring justice. And there's nothing you can do about it."

Kaze's soul felt that tugging grip once more. It was trying to overtake him, to remove his willpower and make it its own. Like a strong hand digging its claws into his heart, threatening to rip it out.

But he had to resist. He had no other choice-!

"It's useless! Your body has belonged to me ever since your father decided to forsake his own duty!" The spirit's tone was commanding and powerful, but Kaze could see his features straining.

He was struggling to take control.

Even through the pain that was ripping apart his body, Kaze was still determined.

"No! My father didn't belong to you!" Because he didn't, everything he was given was against his will. He was given no chance to live a life of his own… Until he met his mother.

"And I don't belong to you! My life is mine to do what I want! To fight for what I believe in!" He lived for the people he loved, and he wasn't going to fail them just yet.

"Your struggle is pathetic. Sooner or later your body will give out, there's no point fighting it!"

Water started trailing through his limbs before being promptly frozen in place, all in hopes of pinning him to the ground to stop his struggle for survival.

The ice bit into his skin, the pain shooting up his body as he screamed in agony. Slowly but surely, he felt his grip on his soul waver, as the spirit of the ocean got ever closer on achieving his goal.

Kaze could feel despair and hopelessness fill his mind.

He didn't see a way out. He would be forced into a puppet for a spirit who had deemed humanity unfit to live in our world.

He would be forced to kill thousands, wage war on a world that couldn't afford any more, and there was nothing he could do.

Until his mind clicked.

The ice was real. The grass below him felt real. Everything that was happening felt undoubtedly real.

His father's confrontation with the spirit led to him killing an innocent woman as he was tricked by an illusion. The world looked reduced to ashes and flames, but in reality, nothing had changed. The only real thing… was the water.

That's right… the ocean's spirit gave up his spiritual body in exchange for a mortal one. He didn't have anymore influence over the world than he did.

Sure, he was powerful and held a lot of spirit magic, but he wasn't beyond what he could take on. He wasn't unbeatable. Whatever attempt at his own soul, he was sure he could resist it. Azula had said it. He was the strongest, and he had to live up to it.

He had to do it. For his friends. For his family. And for her.

Kaze focused through the pain, as he pushed his body to grab onto his icy restraints. It was excruciating and took a painstakingly long time, but he eventually felt the water fall under his control. With all the energy he could muster, he willed the ice to melt. His legs were heavy, and his head was still spinning, but even then, he managed to make his way back to his feet.

"W-What?! How is this possible… How are you resisting?!" The spirit's face didn't attempt to hide his shock. "How?! What did you do?!"

"I realized something… You're a mortal, just like I am…" He was struggling just keeping himself upright, but he would power through. "You gave up most of your power for the sake keeping the world in balance."

"That's irrelevant! I am La! The spirit of the ocean! I represent the power and unwavering of the tides, how could someone like you even stand up to me!"

"Honestly, I'm sure any other person would've been easily overcome by your power… Even now, I can still feel your hold on my soul. But your only mistake, was that the person you chose to go after would just happen to become the strongest waterbender in the world." Kaze couldn't help the smile overtaking his face. It seems like even now, Azula had somehow managed to get him out of trouble.

He'd have to make sure to make it up to her once he gets out of this place.

"No… I am the ocean. I'm supposed to be peerless. How could a lowly human compare…" His words were smaller now, as its dark figure started shrinking and shrinking. It seemed his control over the space they were at was slowly wavering as well.

"Right… but you forgot that humans do nothing if not grow stronger as time goes on. We simply caught up to you!" His smile was now the bright one he had given Azula all those years ago. "You said my father was powerful, and that I was even more so. It was only natural you would've met your match eventually."

"I heard what you did in the North pole a few months ago… That giant water monster that took down most of the Navy… That was you, wasn't it?"

"That's right… I fought and defeated the army that brought the death of my sister… But it wasn't my power. I simply borrowed what the Avatar deigned to grant me through his own anger. Alone, I had no strength to do anything…" The spirit looked resigned, like he had come to terms with his own weaknesses.

He couldn't help but feel bad for him. In the end, all he wanted was to rid the world of the pain caused by the Fire Nation… But his methods were wrong, and he had to make sure that he'd see that.

"I'll make your wish come true… I'll make a world where you can be proud of the people living in it. But we'll do it my way."

"Don't worry! I'll make sure the Fire Lord gets his dues." He started making his way towards the now tiny form of the spirit. "After all, we are still on the same side you know!"

"Very well. You bested me in my own game, so I shall concede… It seems you were right sister. Humanity is still as full of surprises as they were so long ago." And with that, the spirit's form dissipated into the air, leaving Kaze alone.

He cleared his mind. He didn't know what would await him outside this little space.

But he was ready.

He knew that whatever was coming, he would have to fight his way through.

"I'll come visit you in the north someday!" He bid a final goodbye into the air, as his vision turned white.

When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was a metal door.

It seemed like he was put in a holding cell all throughout his meeting with the ocean's spirit. He could only imagine how that looked like from this side of the world…

He stood up. He had to get out of here and reach Azula, and he had to do it fast.

Looking outside through the little grate on the door, he could make out what seemed like a bunch of the same people that captured him running around. From what little he could tell with their massive hats, he had a feeling that something big was happening outside. They looked anxious, on edge about something.

He needed information. Thankfully, the air down here was humid. He sensed what felt like a series of water channels that spanned an entire series of chambers and hallways. All they were all underground.

He took a deep breath, as he began feeling for the particles in the air. Once he did, he sent as many as he could into the hinges of the door. After making sure he had covered enough surface, he froze them with as quickly as possible, allowing the metal to crack.

'Gotcha!' Now all that was left was a well-placed kick, and the door was no more.

He couldn't waste any more time than he already had.

"I'm coming, Azula."