Earth...Fire...Water...Air... This is the age of the new Avatar, and after many years of chaos, the world is poised to enter into a time of prosperity and peace. But every light casts a shadow, and in the days to come, the very balance of the universe will be in danger, and the true purpose of the Avatar will be revealed. The Avatar's name is Usagi, a warrior of love and justice, and despite all the great deeds she has accomplished, her story is not over yet!
AVATAR
The Celestial Sailors
BOOK THREE: DEATH
16: The Spirit World Trembles
Kissing was a rapture, a thrill, electric pleasure and soothing warmth and joy and beauty and everything the poets had claimed it would be. Kissing was a thing eternal condensed in a moment, a song ingrained in primordial memory blossomed out of the darkness and into the waking world, made manifest by the embrace of lovers. It was sweetness, it was spectacle, it was magisterial, it was sublimity, it was...it was...
It tasted like mud and marsh water. Hotaru and Shingo jerked apart, retching and hacking and spitting.
"Ugh, gross!"
"That's...uhhh, disgusting!"
"Ptoo! Ptoo! Ptoo!"
"Nasty!" Their faces darkened in humiliation when they realized what they were saying.
"Sorry, sorry, it's not you! I got some..."
"I didn't mean it like that, it was just..."
"I really enjoyed it but I hated the nasty part—I mean, not that you're nasty..."
"I promise I—ugh, khuh, kuuhhh, I think I swallowed some!"
They coughed and rubbed their mouths, winced as their eyes met, and finally laughed. Hotaru beamed beatifically.
"Do you want to...try again?"
"Yeah, definitely!" Shingo grinned. He then realized that they were still knee-deep in a mire, surrounded by all manner of foul animals, reeking and bruised and completely filthy. He winced. "But...maybe we should get cleaned up first. Do you think it's safe to head back to the city?" Hotaru nodded.
"I haven't seen any more pillars of light coming down. The Sentinels definitely spawn from those."
"I hope my sensei's okay," Shingo muttered. He carefully stomped his way through the marsh, Hotaru by his side. As they trudged through the murk, Shingo asked Hotaru to tell him about herself, about the Sentinels, about where exactly her powers came from. She hesitated, still reluctant to divulge such delicate information—but felt like she could trust Shingo, at least a little. After all, he had seen her at her most frightening, and had called her Beautiful.
"I'm a Death-Bender," she began. "That means that I have the power over destruction. I was...I think I was given these powers by Yenluo, the Primordial of Birth and Death. I call upon that dark power to aid me."
"That is so awesome," Shingo gasped, more intrigued than before. "What all can you do?" Hotaru couldn't help but giggle at his enthusiasm.
"I can break or destroy most objects with a touch. I can dispel fire, air, and water, and I can resist most attacks or injuries. I rarely need to sleep or eat; I can travel long distances quickly by phasing into shadows... I can even use darkness itself as a weapon." To demonstrate, she plunged her hand into the shade of a nearby willow, bending the darkness until it enveloped her arm. It slithered across her shoulders and manifested into a shape, solidifying enough to strike the tree.
"I see," Shingo said. "Is that how you formed that shield around me?" She nodded.
"As for those beings of light," she began, but stopped herself, as they were now passing the gate. They were quickly accosted by the guards, but were given a wide berth due to their...condition. Keya came limping up to them before matters could escalate, still fatigued from the battle, and after making sure they were okay, requested to take custody of the duo. She had enough of a good reputation to secure the guards' favor; Shingo thanked his teacher but apologized for losing her sword.
"What do you mean, you lost it?" she demanded. "I thought you understood the responsibility I had given you."
"I know, sensei, and I did! It's just...the sword melted when I fought those shining creatures. There was hardly anything left. If you really want me to go back for the hilt..." Her stern face softened, and she placed a sympathetic hand on his shoulder.
"Don't worry about it, then. It sounds like you fought well, and protected your friend. No blade could ask for a better parting. Anyway, I lost my own sword in a similar fashion, so I can't be too upset." She smirked bashfully, and Shingo relaxed a little. Keya wanted to know what was going on, but agreed they needed to clean up first, so she led them to the dojo showers, giving them both towels, soap, and a training gi to replace their tattered clothes. Shingo insisted that Hotaru clean up first; she insisted that he should wash before her; in the end they had to draw lots, with Hotaru losing. She waited patiently while he went in, but couldn't resist a little peek. Hotaru gave a start and turned deep magenta as she stole the glimpse, jerking herself back before Shingo noticed. She couldn't help but smile foolishly as she waited, stock-still, preserving what she had seen.
The Darkness offered no comment.
Shingo stepped out wearing the gi, scrubbing his hair and looking ten times better. He ushered Hotaru in and promised he wouldn't peek (although Hotaru might have forgiven a little glimpse). Unlike his companion, though, Shino was a gentleman, preferring to dry and comb out his hair. As Hotaru stood under the cool water, scrubbing the filth and gunk away (wincing as her injuries slowly stitched themselves together), her mind cleared, flushing out every concern, every sensation, every thought until it was pure once more. Neither the past nor the future concerned her, not her duties or obligations: no wishes, desires, or feelings of any kind.
Indeed, she was truly left with Nothing—and Nothing spoke to her.
Do you know why the Lightbringers attacked you?
"They seek to rid the world of darkness," she answered. "I am darkness incarnate. I also seek to extinguish their light. It's only natural that we're enemies."
Yes, but why here, of all places, and now, of all times?
Hotaru couldn't answer. The Light had had numerous opportunities to strike, many while her guard had been dropped. She hadn't exactly kept her identity or her presence a secret, nor her purpose. They clearly hadn't been after anyone else today, so then why...
It's because I drew them to you. I called them.
"You did what?!" she shouted, causing Shingo to jump. "Why would you put all those people in danger? Why would you force me into a needless battle? Shingo was hurt today because of that!"
I know, and I apologize for that. But you gave me no other choice.
"What do you mean?" Hotaru demanded.
You've been neglecting your mission ever since you met that boy. I was perfectly fine with you taking a break to...discover yourself, to see the world through a different set of eyes, but as soon as you saw HIM, you've been acting foolishly. You've forgotten yourself and your purpose. I tried to be reasonable, but you were ignoring me, so more drastic measures were required.
"But I," she began, but before she could say another word, the screaming and wailing of hundreds of souls in torment cried out to her: help me, save me, there's so much evil in the world, why doesn't somebody do something, I demand justice. The wicked were growing in strength and numbers, while those who fought against them diminished. Many cowered and lost hope. The balance was tipping; soon it would tilt out of control, and then the Light would be unstoppable, all-consuming and everlasting. As more and more voices called out to her, Hotaru squeezed her eyes shut, gritting her teeth, begging them to stop.
The Silence reached out to her in mercy, and comforted her, but only temporarily.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, trembling as the water spilled over her hair, her shoulders, her face. It felt like the blood of innocents. "You're right. I've...failed."
There is still time to make things right. You know what you must do.
Shakily, Hotaru stood erect, closing her eyes. Something still held her back, a happiness that the Death-Bender could never know. She knew that once she fully accepted her destiny, she could not have it again.
If you truly care for him, then return to your mission. It is the only way you can save him.
She shut the water off. She reached for the towel and gi, but stayed her hand. The Death-Bender had no need for such trappings. The water tended to itself and she was swathed in darkness once more. As the last droplets drained away, she looked into the reflected face of Hotaru Tomoe one last time, and left the shower.
Shingo grinned at her. She averted her gaze.
"Um...are you okay? I heard you shouting."
"I'm sorry, Shingo," the Death-Bender spoke, her voice hollow and ghostly. "I can't be with you anymore. I have...duties I must uphold."
"What do you mean?" he said innocently. "Like a job or something?"
"Yes, something like that," she nodded, fighting the urge to smile at his sweetness. "I must go out into the world and...fulfill my destiny. You cannot...you must not follow me."
"Why not?" She trembled. Death and destruction she could face; treachery and malice she could stand against; solitude and despair she could live with. Not this, though, not this wrenching sensation, this ripping shattering dejection. Not this heartbreak.
"Because death itself follows me in my wake, and I must court it alone. I am one who must strike down the Light, who must usher in the night and the silence, she who sews destruction..."
"But why?" he insisted softly, reaching for her. She drew back, fighting tears.
"It is my duty. It is...for the balance. I must kill so that many others may live—so that you may live. Don't follow me, Shingo. Don't look for me, don't even think about me if you can help it. I was nothing more than a dream to you, an impermeable shadow you cannot...you must not grasp at."
"But I like you. I can't just forget about you." She didn't dare look at him, for fear of the heartache on his face, so she simply closed her eyes and held her ground.
"You are good, Shingo. Other people will be drawn to that goodness, and in time, you will forget the dream you had and awaken to something better, something...real. And I..."
She finally opened her eyes. The Hotaru inside of her still fought for her own desires, so the Death-Bender decided to allow her one last glimpse of the boy. She trembled out of pure grief.
"I was...very happy with you. I will treasure that brief moment for all my days. It will give me strength when..."
It was too painful now, even for her, she who could walk through fire and ice unharmed.
"Well," she gasped, struggling to compose herself, "that is all. Goodbye, Shingo. I...I love..."
The shadows consumed her completely, before she could finish, before she could hear Shingo's reply. Alone, he slumped over, disconsolate, calling out to her, hearing only Silence.
The Death-Bender stood alone, far away from any living soul, with only the wind and the Void as company. It whispered to her, showing unusual sympathy. A tear fell down her face, but she wiped it off dismissively, bracing herself for the task at hand.
"Your solace is appreciated, but unnecessary. You're right: the world needs the Death-Bender."
…...
Breathe in...and breathe out. Breathe in...hold it...breathe out. Now: stretch up, slowly...and stretch down. Reach up, stretch left, breathe. Turn, stretch right... Usagi winced as a dull agony stabbed her. She waited for it to subside before resuming her exercises. Stretch right, breathe. Slowly squat down, exhale, touch the ground, breathe. She grit her teeth as she stood, slowly rotating her body as the pain throbbed. A week and more had passed since Ami had taken Usagi into her care: a week of slow recovery, of well-earned rest, of indolence and caretakers and well-wishers, of mending bones and bruises, cold water and hot steam, silence, quiet, reflection.
Sheer relentless soul-sucking boredom. Even Usagi got tired of languishing in bed after awhile.
She continued the exercises Ami had prescribed to her, performing them with route deliberation, remembering to keep her breathing steady, to stop if she needed to, to not push herself too much. All well and good, but as the second week of being bedridden approached, Usagi felt restless. Normally she had her friends to distract her, but her condition had improved to the point where she could be left alone at long intervals. Ami and Rei had went out shopping together, partially because they needed to restock their supplies, and partially to get away from Usagi. Between her neediness and her restlessness, it was no wonder they wanted a break, something that Usagi couldn't help but resent. At least she still had Luna for company.
"Just a few more," she said to her cat, who stood transfixed as the girl bent, stretched, and twisted. One of her long pigtails dipped within reach of Luna's paws, so she batted it playfully. Usagi hung her head and let her cat play for a few moments before shooing her away. She worked her entropied muscles until the spasms became unbearable, then sat down on her bed, drank some water, and idly stared out the window. The day dragged on, time meandered, a single moment was stretched out immeasurably. Usagi sighed. She looked at her cup, raised a finger, and bent a few droplets out. She playfully flicked them at Luna, chuckling as the poor cat shook herself dry.
"There ya go," she said, bending a little air to help Luna dry off. The cat didn't appreciate her tricks and wandered off. Usagi smiled but soon withdrew into melancholy again. The long days of recovery had afforded her time to ponder everything that had happened to her, and lately her mind had wandered to the Spirit Realm. That shadowy creature they had encountered had been fleeing from something, and when Usagi had investigated, she soon found herself repulsed. She hadn't made a serious attempt to get back, but now she had nothing else to do, and her curiosity had mounted to the point where she could no longer ignore it. She smoothed out the wrinkles of her bed and sat cross-legged, closing her eyes as she concentrated. Breathe in...breathe out. In...out; in...out...
She caught herself before she could fall asleep and tried again. This time she felt herself leaving the physical plane behind, but there was something preventing her from crossing over completely, almost as if a spiritual barrier had been put in her way. Her face contorted as she tried again, using more brute force than before. This time the barrier repelled her, giving her a nasty shock that activated all of her bruises at once. The pain was severe enough to pull her out of her trance, and she sat on the bed, grimacing.
Maybe some other time, she thought to herself. The strain took much longer to quell, and she feared she'd do more harm to herself if she tried again. Usagi reached for the pitcher of water Ami had left and poured herself a drink, then washed her face. Obviously something was trying to keep her from entering the Spirit World, but what, and why? Maybe tomorrow, after some more healing and physical therapy, she'd have the strength to pierce through. Although she felt less restless than before, Usagi hated the thought of wasting the entire day indoors, so with some effort, she stood up and limped through the door, determined to go for a walk. After all, it was a lovely day—
The blow struck her like nothing she had felt before: not from Beryl, Suen, Hotaru, or any number of attacks she had suffered. It was as if a mountain had collapsed on her, focusing all of its weight squarely on her body, knocking the wind out of her and sending her crumbling to the floor. A howl of unimaginable despair and agony cried out, the lamentation not of a city or country or even a continent, but an entire world wounded and frightened. Usagi keened, clutching her head, barely crawling back to her room where she laid on her bed. Gradually, the howling died down, the crushing weight was released, and she found herself shaking from the ordeal.
She looked up at a mirror, seeing a pathetic, helpless young woman staring back in shock. Disgusted, Usagi's eyes narrowed, sapphire twins burning with righteous fury. She assumed a meditative position and tried again, pouring all of her focus in breaching the barrier. It resisted her at first, but she knocked it down with the conviction of a fanatic and crossed over, determined to unearth this mystery once and for all. She was not prepared for what awaited her.
…...
Everywhere she looked, spirits were being hunted, chased, surrounded, slaughtered. A large serpentine dragon-wolf flailed wildly in the sky, groaning as it was assailed by an unknown force. A seven-headed dog scrambled away as something flitted after it, too fast to be seen. Packs of long-legged shapes stampeded, herded away by a creature that burned like the sun. Countless swarms of little black puffballs squealed helplessly, arms the size of redwoods clutched uselessly for help, a living mass of eyeballs wriggled and was extinguished. Everywhere Usagi looked, spirits were panicking, in pain, fearing for their lives, fleeing, dying... A few fought back, dispelling the monstrosities, but they were all overwhelmed in the end. Usagi jerked aside as a large pack of assorted creatures surged past her, and felt all the hairs on her body stand on end as she watched an enormous centipede wriggling and writhing as it battled the creatures. For every one it banished, three more took its place.
The Lightbringers.
Her paralysis broke as fifteen of them surrounded the giant centipede. Usagi had never liked centipedes, but even disgusting creatures deserved a better fate than this, so she jumped into the fray, calling out fire—and froze, hands outstretched impotently. She called out to earth, water, wind: nothing. The centipede noticed her, the face of a bearded middle-aged man warping into one of an elderly, clear-eyed woman.
"Fool! Your bending won't work here! You're in the way!" Acute terror gripped Usagi; she foolishly tried again, to no avail. The Lightbringers closed in on the duo, forcing them back. The shape-shifting centipede grunted. "Just get out of here! This is my domain and I'll protect it! If you dare come here again, I'll rip your face off!" Frightened, Usagi took a reluctant step back, just as the Lightbringers charged. Unwilling to leave without making some account of herself, she reached down and grabbed what looked like a large rock with golden spots and hurled it at the Sentinels. They darted out of the way, but as the rock crashed, it released a cloud of noxious yellow gas, offering the perfect cover. The centipede chose this moment to flee, and plucked Usagi up with it.
Hanging on for dear life—they were moving at speeds far greater than any donkeydillo could match—Usagi could do little more than shriek as she was carried across the landscape. The centipede (roaring for her to stop screaming) brought her over a surging river, across a gaping chasm, down a few hills and through a forest with bulbous trees before stopping at the foot of a large mountain. It shook Usagi off, where she sat dazed and breathless. A cleft yawned ominously before them, which the centipede slithered into. Its face shifted to that of an air-bison.
"We're even now, Avatar. You offered me escape and I offered you refuge. Whatever business you have here in the Spirit Realm, be done with it and leave."
"But I don't understand!" she exclaimed. "What's going on? Why are those things attacking you?"
"How in Vaatu's name should I know?" it roared indignantly. "They just came here one day and started slaughtering everyone. No, that's not right," it grumbled in reconsideration, "they only go after certain spirits. Spirits of decay, of shadows and dark places, spirits of the night and loss and forgetfulness. Even some of the cloud spirits were targeted!"
"Do you know where they come from?"
"I know nothing," the centipede moaned, retreating further into the cave. "They're like spirits, but...they burn with a fire that has no heat, and glow with a light that is fatal. They can be killed in a sense, but they multiply rapidly, and are relentless and cruel. They speak with a voice like thunder, and can grow to the size of trees. Merely brushing up against them is painful, and a direct attack burns. Using weapons drains the strength, until you're nothing more than a helpless husk."
Usagi nodded coldly. "I've seen them in my world, too. They don't normally go after people, just spirits. I came here to find out why."
"If you can unravel this mystery," the centipede said, exhausted and hopeless, "then the entire Spirit Realm will be indebted to you. But you can't even fight them. You can only run, and hide, and delay the inevitable." Its face changed one more time, that to a mournful child's, before retreating completely into the cave. Usagi was left alone to ponder this alarming turn of events. She didn't even hear the Lightbringers surrounding her until it was too late.
"Do not stand in our way, Avatar of Raava," they spoke, their combined brilliance staggering her. Of course, this only made her want to do just that, and even though she was only a helpless astral projection of herself, Usagi stood her ground.
"Or else what?" she challenged. One of them took a step closer, igniting a burning blade.
"Why do you defy the very light which you serve? Why do you protect the child of Vaatu?"
"I dunno, because I feel like it!" she spat.
"Foolish!" they thundered, closing in like a noose. "Do you know how many lives that creature has stolen, and how many more it has ruined? What we do is for peace and harmony."
"Oh, really?" she sneered, remembering the helpless expressions of all those other spirits. Even the tiny, harmless, strangely adorable shade-creatures hadn't been spared. "You coulda fooled me!"
"This exchange is pointless," they spoke, drawing so close that she could see nothing else but light, light, burning light. "Stand aside or be cut down."
"How about a third option?!" she shouted, launching her fist blindly. It plunged into the fiery body, rippling in torturous agony. The Lightbringer knocked Usagi to the ground, its faceless features twisting in disgust.
"Very well. Raava will have to find a host that understands our mission." With her eyes forced shut by the searing luminescence, Usagi could only grope around for something to defend herself. She found a pile of stones—real ones this time—which she hurled uselessly. The Lightbringers brought their flaming indignation down upon her, cleaving the mountain's opening wider. Deep inside, the centipede creature roared, thrashing and trembling until the whole mountain was brought down. The rockslide crushed many of the Lightbringers, giving Usagi a chance to run for it. She stumbled around blindly for as long as she could, tripping and smashing into everything until she fell into a river. The water healed her eyes but did little to deter her enemies. As she splashed her way to the opposite bank, several river spirits emerged, watching passively as the Lightbringers gave chase.
"Eat sand!" she cried, clawing a handful and tossing it. The granules sizzled into dust as they made contact with the living flames; Usagi flinched and scrambled to her feet. Although she could run without getting tired in the Spirit World, it offered no reprieve against creatures who could come and go at will, for whom space and matter meant nothing—and without her bending, she was as powerless as the creatures she was trying to save. No attack, trap, or trick she attempted proved effective (not even the hive with the orange-sized hornets she launched), and soon she was cut off as a pillar of light descended before her, issuing a crowd. Usagi was completely surrounded, with no way out and no way to defend herself. She tried breaking out of her meditation and returning to the physical plane, but the barrier that had kept her out now served to trap her inside. She panicked, and steeled herself for the worst.
"You have brought this upon yourself," the Lightbringers swore as they closed in. "Now you will share the same fate as all those who oppose—"
Before it could issue another word, a flaming serpent coiled around and consumed its body. The serpent grew nine heads, each devouring one of the Lightbringers. Fiery bolts rained down, scattering the remaining Sentinels, and a glowing hand reached for Usagi. She had just enough time to look into the face of an august, middle-aged woman dressed in Fire Nation finery, before taking the offer and literally running with it.
…...
Usagi and her unknown savior settled in a clearing, surrounded by a raging river with a nettle-forest one one side and a stern mountain chain on the other. She panted for breath, more out of relief than weariness, and stared at the older woman. She noticed the lady was glowing and transparent, perhaps another visitor to the spiritual plane, but upon closer inspection, saw that her clothes (regal though they were) were several centuries out of style. She wore a circlet with a red jewel, not unlike the one her own friends had given her (which had been recovered, thankfully, after her battle with Hotaru), and had her hair down, unadorned, causing it to sweep freely by her waist. Her eyes and lips were painted, but she had no eyebrows (those were painted as well), and there were tattoos on both her hands. She was about as tall as Makoto, stood straight as a poker, and bore a sad expression on her face, even when she smiled.
"Are you all right?" she spoke, her voice authoritative but kind. Usagi smiled, feeling the urge to bow.
"Uh, yeah, sure, just a little on edge, ya know?"
"That's understandable. One does not expect that sort of reception in the Spirit World."
"I know, right? What's up with that? Anyway, thanks for the help."
"It was my pleasure," the lady replied, performing the sort of curtsy that a queen might. "I'm afraid I only riled them, though. The Lightbringers are easily startled, but they always return, and in greater numbers. I fear no place will be safe from them for long."
"You may be right," Usagi admitted sheepishly. She had a hundred questions but the one most prominent in her thoughts was, "Wait, how can you bend in the Spirit World? I'm the Avatar and even I can't do that!"
"Well," said the woman slowly, "that's because you're the current Avatar. Being one of the previous ones has its perks." She winked and smiled proudly, hiding for a moment the grief that lined her features. Usagi gasped with delight, eyes sparkling and all troubles forgotten.
"Ohmygosh, you're an Avatar, too?! I mean, you were an Avatar? Wait, that means you were one of my past lives! Oooh, which one are you?! Um, sorry—were you? You're not Kalkin, and I don't think you're Sung Chiang. Um, um...uhh, were you, uh..."
"Kiyone," the lady laughed. "I was Avatar Kiyone, the fire-bender before you."
"Right, right, Kiyone." Usagi nodded her head, idly pounding her fist into her palm as she tried to recall who Kiyone was. Unfortunately, she was drawing a total blank. "Kiyone, Kiyone, uh...hmm, who was that, again?"
Avatar Kiyone deflated and sighed, losing her royal bearings. Both Kalkin and K'ung Ming, her successor, had been taught about her as children. Even the illiterate Bitasu had heard of her.
"We...really need to talk," she grumbled.
The End of "The Spirit World Trembles"
Next time: "Foreboding"