Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender and Legend of Korra, or any of the related characters. The Avatar universe is created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko and owned by Nickelodeon. This fanfiction is intended for entertainment only.

Book 1: Dark

Chapter 4: Guardian of the Water Tribe

Mona's screams didn't sound like she was in pain, just afraid.

Gyila felt nauseous. He was doing everything in his power to calm himself down. Mona was missing, and Kairo was inflicted with his own fears. He had to stay strong and sane for them. Gyila wanted to lose his mind that Mona had gone missing; he told her not to worry and that he was very familiar with the spirit world. He told her that he would be able to guide them. He failed. He miserably failed.

Kairo was silent and gave the time Gyila desperately needed to think. Because of him, because he couldn't control his anxiety and fears, they lost Mona. "Great job," he thought to himself.

Gyila took deep breaths. Worrying and blaming himself wasn't going to save Mona. He could apologize to her when they save her.

While Gyila and Kairo struggled with their thoughts, Mona was surprised by where the trees took her. She was no longer in the forest but on a grass-field valley. The sky was much brighter and clearer. She saw happy and cute-looking spirits all over the place. She rushed to one of the very cute-looking spirits and asked, "I lost my friends; one of them is the Avatar. Do you know where they are?"

The spirit was a pink cat with green glowing wings. "I don't know, sorry," it responded. It sounded sad that it couldn't help her.

Mona figured she should at least get moving. She was not happy that she had to travel around the spirit world alone, but the place she was at at the moment seemed peaceful enough. Mona walked for half an hour. As she walked around the beautiful plains of the spirit world, she couldn't help but worry about her friends. She was doing just fine, which surprised her. But the place the three of them were in was scary, and she knew that Kairo was going through his fears. She knew they were probably more worried about her, but she would tell them not to if she could've somehow contacted them right now.

Mona snapped out of her thoughts at the mesmerizing view before her. In the center of this breathtaking view was a majestic waterfall. Mona could feel the little droplets and sprinkles of water coming from the waterfall with the help of the breeze cooling her skin. The water flowed gracefully. The sound of the waterfall was like a symphony composed by the spirits themselves.

As Mona approached the mesmerizing waterfall, she noticed the presence of a graceful spirit standing at the water's edge. The spirit was the most beautiful woman Mona had ever seen. Her dark, wavy, and partly braided hair touched the grass she stood on. She had piercing sky-blue eyes, which created a perfect contrast with her tan skin. She looked as if she was from the water tribes, but Mona knew, almost felt, that she was a spirit. She was wearing flowing robes with different shades of blue. Mona almost felt to be drawn to her.

As Mona approached with slow steps, the spirit turned, and a warm, motherly smile graced her face. It was a smile that made Mona forget about all her troubles. She felt connected to her as if the spirit was her ancestor.

"Welcome, daughter of the Southern Water Tribe," the spirit's voice echoed like the soothing melody of the waterfall. Her voice was so gentle, and Mona thought she was about to fall asleep. "I am Aisu, the Guardian of the Water Tribes."

Mona, still captivated by the beauty of not only her surroundings but also Aisu, managed to greet her, "Hello, Aisu. I am Mona; it is a great honor to meet you," and bowed in front of this magnificent spirit.

Aisu gestured toward the waterfall, inviting Mona to sit on the moss-covered rocks nearby. As her arm moved, so did her sleeves, which swept the grass floor.

"I am surprised you managed to find my home; this place is not exactly easy to stumble upon," Aisu said while sitting beside Mona.

"That is… exactly what happened, actually," confessed Mona, scared that Aisu would think that she was lying. "I lost my friends; do you know where they are?"

The spirit thought momentarily, "I do not," she said sadly. "But I am feeling you have other questions for me,"

Mona's eyes widened. She was the Guardian of the Water Tribes; she sure did know why the tribes got separated! "Yes!" exclaimed Mona. Aisu seemed to be content with this young woman's enthusiasm. She gestured her head to indicate that she was ready to answer the young woman's questions.

Mona thought she was in a dream. The possibility of the things she could ask her, the possibility of the amount of knowledge overwhelmed her. Aisu felt her heart rate going fast, "You should calm down and choose your questions wisely, as I will answer only one at each encounter," she warned her.

Mona could not help but feel disappointed, but still couldn't believe she stumbled upon Aisu! She had never known there was a spirit who was the Guardian of the Water Tribes. Mona prepared to ask her the very thing for which she and the brothers entered the spirit world. "Can you please tell me the story of why the water tribes got separated?" asked Mona, with eyes shining like the Moon and the kindest voice Aisu had ever heard.

"In a time long forgotten, the now two water tribes were one. Mortals who took shelter under the protection of the lion turtles with the element of water became one over time after the first Avatar, Wan, as people started to leave the lion turtles. The people of the water element observed how the Moon moved the water and the motion of the tides and eventually learned how to waterbend. The new waterbenders and the people of water were very much new to this spirit-free physical world. They wanted to find a water-filled place and welcomed all waterbenders. Eventually, they discovered the North Pole and were mesmerized by the amount of water and ice around them. The people with the power of water reached fulfillment, as they were able to express themselves everywhere."

Mona carefully listened to the spirit before her, not wanting to miss anything that came out of her mouth.

"They created houses, fortresses, and a place for all the water people to live in harmony. The North Pole was the heart of all waterbenders. The tales of greatness were told even in the children's tales of other elements. Their greatness was used to scare young firebenders who did not behave; their mothers told them that if they didn't finish their plate, great waterbenders of the North Pole would kidnap them during the Full Moon."

Mona didn't want to disrespect the mighty spirit, but she couldn't help but chuckle slightly. She continued to listen to Aisu.

"They selected a chief to guide them and who would make tough decisions when necessary, who would lead his people in times of danger to his people. But by no means would he command people with fear, although some tried countless times in the past," she added with sadness in her eyes. It seemed as if the great spirit was troubled by the struggles her people felt in the past.

"The first of those countless times was when the harmony and balance of the Northern Water Tribe was threatened for the first time. The first-ever chief of the Water Tribe was a great man named Hoanaq. Hoanaq was the first chief, and he was selected by his people. The chiefs following him were from his direct bloodline." Mona sensed that the sadness in Aisu's eyes and voice raise with every word.

"One day, thousands of years ago, a chief named Nakidan had two sons: Uqittuq and Taaqtuq. Uqittuq was the older brother and was next in line to become chief. He was a great man, like his father. He believed not in bloodline but in the judgment and decisions of his people. When he became chief after his father's death, he promised his people that they would be free to choose the chief after him, and his first-born son would not become chief just because he was Uqittuq's son."

"Taaqtuq, on the other hand, did not like his brother's innovations. He believed in the sanctity of their bloodline. To him, no other man could lead the people of water. Indeed, when Uqittuq's son grew up, even though his father raised him well to become a great chief, there was a better suitor named Qutqa. Uqittuq kept his promise, and Qutqa became the first chief of the North Pole who did not share Hoanaq's blood. Taaqtuq kept warning his brother, saying he was making a great mistake. When Uqittuq ignored his brother's warnings, Taaqtuq started to share his ideas with the people of the North Pole, and many agreed with him. Qutqa was a great man; his time could've been a time of great prosperity for the people of water, until he was killed in his sleep, alongside his wife and newborn daughter," The great spirit was now crying, but somehow her voice never cracked. Her tears just flew down her face as if her eyes were clouds. The tears became little snowflakes when they met with the ground.

"Uqittuq knew that his brother was responsible for the young chief's death, and the first great war, perhaps the greatest, occurred. Thousands died… Great men and women, innocent children were slaughtered from both sides. After twenty years of miserable war, the ones who shared Uqittuq's ideals decided to leave the North Pole as they were losing the war. They believed in the sanctity of people's decisions and wanted to live in a place where they could choose their own rulers. Taaqtuq's son became the new chief, and the bloodline of Hoanaq is still protected in the North Pole today."

Mona couldn't believe what she was hearing. She was learning about the things she had never imagined she would know about. She couldn't wait to write these valuable stories down.

"Eventually, people of water who left the North Pole found the South Pole, made it their home, and established the second water tribe. Some men left their group as they stumbled upon a swamp and preferred the warm weather over the harsh conditions of the poles. Unfortunately, the Swamp Water Tribe lost contact with their sisters and brothers."

"The Northern and Southern Water Tribes, hundreds of years later, forgot the past and pain they had gone through, and the water tribes, most of the time, were able to keep their peace. I, Aisu, was the wife of Qutqa, and after my death, I was tasked by the great spirits Tui and La to guard the memories of this separation. I shall become the Guardian of not only the Southern Tribe but also the North's. I was tasked with keeping the water tribes separate, but by no means with resentment or in hopes of revenge, but with peace. The water tribes needed to be separate but also in peace. People had the right to have their own separate ideas, and it should not always result in war. Like the four nations, Northern and Southern Water Tribes had to live in harmony despite being separate."

"I am sensing that, as many before tried countless times, there are people trying to unite the water tribes again. Now that you know the truth, you must prevent this from happening, child. When people with different ideals are forced to live together, right next to each other, war is inevitable."

Aisu extended her hand to touch Mona's forehead, and with a glowing light blue gleam, she fell asleep.