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Chapter 44

They had stayed there for what felt like forever…the hum of Ben's words still reeling along their heads as they struggled to bear with it. The minutes clocked past as they sat down on that coarse earth. Their heads meddling with the information as Ben aimlessly walked away…

Yet, it all hammered deep within them. Benjamin was once Sith…a warrior of the dark side of the force. One that hungered for the blood of Jedi, and in his old galaxy was merely an assassin and grand warrior.

Still, this wasn't simply just it. They rose from their seats, but their minds were simply clouded. All of them did not know what to do with such information. Realizing that their world is bigger than they thought, the history of Ben, and what he had become wrecked them in a way that they didn't expect.

Jet, his eyes wavering as his heart was in his throat. His friend, his brother, his…master. The one that awakened him to the force, the one that had warned him and tried to train him to let go of his hate and anger. With Ben he thought he could become a Jedi, he thought that he could learn to master his emotions. But…his lips formed into a sneer, his fingers combing through his messy locks of dark brown hair. This situation had simply grown far more complicated than they all could understand. Even he, the one that Ben confided in could not shake this feeling…

Katara, her heart thumped along her chest. Remembering both speech and that one time they spoke during the beginning of their journey. How he had spoken with a fierce clawing, like a desperate animal trying to strike out and survive in this world. Yet, she had not realized how horrifically the universe has treated Ben. She knew that Ben's past was his past, but there was still a part of her, horrified of what he had done but still…glad that they learned the truth.

Sokka, his mind was a haze. Picking through the remnants of the speech as he let out a heavy breath. The whirling of the mess surrounding him. Yet, he found solace after a couple of minutes. He was still…Ben. The warrior that saved them, sure he did bad things in the past, but the situation was much more difficult than that.

Aang was going through similar thoughts. Reeling first at what he had just heard but slowly coming to the realization of what had occurred in Ben's life. Sure, he did some terrible stuff but that also excluded the circumstances of his past, and his age.

Ty Lee and Toph were realizing it now. Benjamin at the age of sixteen, was a child soldier. He was groomed for battle at a young age at the time they were still reading and playing with dirt. His father's abuse and the situation surrounding his birth destroyed him, and the feelings of guilt that circulated with his mother's death messed him up.

Couple that with the loneliness of the Jedi Order and his already deteriorating mental state made a dangerous combination. The Mandalorian wars and the Jedi's inaction gave him a reason to fight and to become the warrior his mother envisioned him to become. Yet, the consequences of the war were far too much to bear and he fell. He was presented with no other option, either exile or losing the blessing of the force. So, he was groomed and indoctrinated into the Sith and in his teenage years was a mighty assassin.

The thoughts made them want to hurl, it was disgusting. Ben had done these actions, but he felt that there was no other choice…there was no other way for him to figure out if this was the road his life was going to go down. He was a child soldier, forced into wars that weren't his own to fight.

Yet, in the end he rejected the Sith's desires and decided to make his own way. Throughout their journey there were road bumps, but he had tried to become both a Jedi and a better man. Now, it was his friends turn.

They knew what they were going to say and do when he would come back. He was Ben, the one that protected the avatar. The one that would rebuild the jedi order…and likewise he was a part of this big groups of misfits that formed a sturdy family.

So, they all settled into their sleeping rolls. Waiting for Ben to come back from his walk so they can all speak. Yet, in the end…Ben never did come back.

Katara dropped a mound of sticks along the fire. Taking a knee as she began to stoke the flames. Her hair out of her braids as the long flowing deep brown tendrils soared across her face. Her brother laid along Appa's saddle, peering at the maps as he begrudgingly began to stake their next plans.

Aang was practicing waterbending along the stream, the whirl of the currents beckoning at his command as Ty Lee observed him. Doing her acrobatics to pass the time as Toph simply laid underneath the mid-afternoon sun.

Jet rose from his meditation. Slowly cracking his neck as his hand went along the sore muscles. He watched the young waterbending prodigy restoke the fire for dinner as he walked over towards her.

"Have you made contact with him yet?" Katara asked.

Jet raising his gaze towards her but slowly shaking his head in response. They had been camped out here for the last couple of days, hoping that Ben was going to return. Yet, he had been gone for so long…

"I can't even feel his presence anymore. The bond within the force we have…it feels like it's been stretched by a large distance." Jet explained. Katara lightly nodding along with his words as she raised her own gaze.

"What does that mean?"

Jet let out a sigh. Crumpling on the floor as the harsh winds tore along his face. His eyes slowly narrowed as he took in the heat of the stoked flames. "It means that Ben is so far away that I can hardly feel him. I don't know where he went or even if something bad has happened to him…"

Katara grimaced at the words. They had come to terms with what happened, but she could not forget that gaze Ben held after his confession…did he honestly believe that they were just going to up and abandon him like that?

Aang slowly rose, his pants drenched in water as he took a seat along the fire. "No luck?" He turned to Jet raising the question.

Only to be awarded with a quick shake. Aang slowly losing hope…only for a quick smile to shine across his face. "Guys, I got an idea!"

Katara and Jet slowly turning to the young airbender. Their lips raised in forced smiles. Sure, Aang was the avatar, but he wasn't the brightest tool in the shed.

"Remember that time in the spirit world? I found people during that time, what happens if we go back to that place, I made contact in and maybe I can find Ben!"

His words were laced with enthusiasm and bliss, almost like a child finding the answer to the riddle. But even Jet and Katara were taken aback by such a plan because honestly it could possibly work. Yet…

The crunching of fallen leaves and branches quickly overtook them. Sokka's voice already filling their ears. "Are you talking about that one village that me and Ben got kidnapped by that enraged spirit?"

Aang slowly nodded as Sokka let out a stifled sigh.

"Listen, guys. I get that we need to find Ben…but come on is this seriously the right choice?"

The question rose along their ears as they were taken aback. This was Benjamin they were talking about. An important member of team avatar, sure he had his moments, but he was still their friend.

Sokka seeing the look on his friends and sisters faces instantly reeled back. "That's not what I mean…of course I want to find Ben." He reassured, but his eyes lit back up with fiery resolve. "But we can't forget our mission. Ben has been gone for what, three days now. We don't know what he is doing or what he has gotten himself involved in, but Ben has been through far worse. For all we know we could leave this place and advance Aang's earth bending training and maybe even run into Ben again. All I am just saying is, are we really going to travel and lose a whole week of our journey because we don't know where Ben is?"

His words rosed his comrades. Sokka cared for Ben, but he had saw him in action. He was the Jedi on this mission and saw his skills within battle and the force. He doubted that Ben was in any serious peril and was probably just in the woods sulking until he gained the strength to face them, but they didn't have the time for that right now.

Likewise, there was truth in Sokka's words. They were on a deadline. Aang and Toph had still not done a formal earth bending lesson due to the tribulations and the confession they had to go through. Maybe this was…

"I don't think that's a good idea…" Ty Lee's voice emerged. The beautiful fire nation noble girl breaking from her stance as she approached the campfire. Her grey brownish eyes dazzling under the orange flames.

"What are you talking about?" Sokka questioned. Lightly tossing his hand along the crowd. "Listen, I know that you have not been here as long as we have. But we've been with Ben for the majority of this journey. Trust me when I say…"

"I've been having dreams."

Ty Lee's words were sudden. The proclamation stopping Sokka as he stared at her with his mouth agape. He was expecting something…kind of more realistic? Like facts, or something more aligned with reason but a dream?

"A dream?" Katara hesitantly repeated. Ty Lee slowly bobbing her head as Sokka let out another exasperated sigh.

Ty Lee slowly pouted, letting out a sigh of her own. "That's not funny Sokka. I'm just saying that I had this dream last night about Ben…" She took a deep breath, her arms coming together as they rested along her chest. A strange timid response for the normally upbeat girl. "He felt alone…in this dark place that was moving. I don't really know how to explain it. He wasn't really wearing anything, only his pants but his shirt was…"

"Oh, I don't want to hear about this kind of dream…" Toph chattered from behind. Lightly rolling over so she wouldn't hear Ty Lee's explanation.

The fire nation girls face slowly registering the words as they were quickly flushed with a crimson red. Slowly realizing the meaning behind the words. "No, it wasn't like that!" She yelled as her cheeks were still flushed.

Yet, Jet quickly snapped her out of it. "Wait…a dream about him floating away?" He slowly rose from his seat. His eyes directed at the fire nation noble as she quickly regained back her composure. "Like a boat…"

Ty Lee slowly nodded her head. "Yeah, it was like he was being rocked away. It felt strange, I am sorry for not telling you guys this. Honestly, I just thought it was just some stupid dream. We've all been thinking about him lately and…"

Katara slowly shook her head. "No one is blaming you, Ty Lee. We all understand." She spoke. Letting a small reassuring smile spark along her lips to ease the girl's troubles.

Jet nodded with the girl's answers as Sokka saw the cogs in Jet's brains work, likewise Aang did too. Taking a minute or two to formulate an answer as he finally parted his lips to speak. "I think Ben was captured by those two Sith…Arya and Rowan."

His answer touched upon their ears. Their eyes widening in horror as Katara twisted her head towards Jet. "What? How can you be so…"?

"Force sensitives can feel things, Katara. From what Haru and Ben taught me, a Jedi can experience visions just like I did before the second time we went to omashu. Ty Lee who is already strong within the force, it was bound to happen."

Jet's words were blunt, but it was another reminder of what Ty Lee truly was. Not only did Ben tell her how strong she was but a long dead Sith Lord did too…reinforcing the fact that she would fall to the dark side and become a Sith Apprentice.

She was hesitant, and she was grappling with her own desires. She wanted to help people, but she had a family and if she walked the path of the Jedi then…

"Alright, then." Sokka clapped his hands. Slowly winding the map and stuffing it into his pocket. Team avatar following in his movements. Time was against them right now and the fire nation and the Sith had them by two days.

Now, it was merely a race against the clock to get Aang into the spirit world and use his avatar connections to locate Ben. Then, they would intercept and rescue him. Once again team avatar was now on the side of the rescuer, not defending or running away but now striking back with righteous furry.

It had been a brief rush of nearly constant flying that soaked through the group. The wind riding along Appa's saddle as they strained along it. Bored out of their minds as they huddled along the saddle.

The first couple of days were ripe with conversation. Talking about what they were all going to do when they were reunited. Yet, it was quickly shifted away due to how long the trip was taking them and the fear that they would be too late. Yet, someone raised a question.

"You know, I have been wondering…why did Ben not change when he came to this world?" Sokka rose, his head resting along the leather of the saddle.

The question went through his friend's minds. The question rocking within them like a pin ball machine that would constantly hit along the other. Yet, the answer slowly came to them.

Jet feeling more connected than before. "I guess, the war never did end for Ben…" He glossed down at his hands. His ears reverberating back to the sounds of that jungle, the heeds of his old comrades as they blamed him for their deaths, his own guilt that he carried within his actions.

"Ben never did get over his issues. His childhood, his Jedi training, and the wars messed him up badly. I hate to say it, but we've had to put Ben in some bad situations." Katara announced. Her own eyes directing towards the leather of the saddle as her own heart hurt along her chest.

"I just don't understand why he got so angry…why he lashed out or went over too far to the dark side." Aang questioned. Turning around to his friends as Katara slowly met his gaze.

"I think he was afraid…of being too weak to save us."

The answer roused them. Toph and Ty Lee breaking from there bubble as they gazed at the conversation taking place. Katara slowly parting her lips again. "We are the closest thing that Ben has had to family. We've all been put in bad situations and some of us nearly died. Ben lashed out, mingled with darker forces because of us…"

Katara huddled herself deeper within herself. Her brother, Aang, and Jet following in her movements as shame began to entrance them. How long had they witnessed Ben silently suffering with his commitment to them? He had lost his arm, sacrificed his psyche, and worse. Yet, they didn't attend to his needs, they looked up to him, put their hopes onto him and because he was the Jedi, he believed it was merely his duty to carry them alone.

Yet…

"Alright, that's enough!" Toph's voice rode along the clouds. Breaking through team avatars somber disposition. Toph latching up, her gaze directed towards Katara as she stuck her finger at the girl.

"Are you kidding me right now!" She strained her hand and gaze towards the proximity of team avatar. "I can understand you feeling bad for Ben, you coming to terms with his past, and even wanting to help him more. But don't you dare blame yourself for Ben's own actions!"

Aang slowly turned around. "But…"

"No buts…Twinkle toes!" Toph snapped back. Her chest heavy as she rose with a mighty breath. "Ben went through some stuff, some truly horrible stuff but that doesn't excuse him. He needs to learn to control himself, to be a better man, a better person…having a bad past doesn't excuse him to be mean to everyone around him and to do everything on his own!"

Tophs breath was heavy, silencing team avatar as they watched the earth bending master. Yet, she slowly began to speak once again. "Ben did some messed up stuff and I can understand the reasoning behind it. But that does not excuse his actions right now. He needs to get better and learn that he cannot do everything on his own and keep on trying to coddle you guys. He needs to learn to put his faith and trust in those he cares for, or he will never get better. Even me, I know I am tough but holding such a weight on myself would be suffocating."

"He needs to let go of his anger, his hatred, his guilt to begin again. That is the only way Benjamin can heal and become the man he needs to become to save the world."

The words took time to register but they ran true. They can understand, they can sympathize, but they cannot blame themselves for the way Ben has acted. They didn't know what was going on and there were countless times they had tried to get Ben to open up.

Yet, it was always his choice and actions to push more of the burden onto himself. They can understand and sympathize, but they cannot coddle him anymore.

Now, it was merely their job to get him the help he needed to recover and to come to terms with his past. Because they all knew that one can't live in the past for their whole life. It was a heavy burden to bear but Ben to reach the height of his power and to become the Jedi he needed to become would have to reach that summit.

With those closing words they had arrived. It was the same village that they had saved the spirit from…yet no one was here. Team avatar dismounted from the bison as they began to peer at their surroundings.

"It's a ghost town." Sokka said. His eyes zoning in on the vacant buildings and such. Some of them were destroyed, the walls and foundations showing that they have not been maintained well. The houses enveloping in on themselves.

Sokka began to get worried again. What would happen if the same spirit or more spirts ended up destroying the town and the people simply fled? He already dealt with one and he could hardly remember his time in the spirit world, but it wasn't a pleasant journey.

Yet, Jet walked over to his side. "Yeah, it seems that the war came, and everyone choose to evacuate. I don't sense anything out of the ordinary here."

With those parting words a sigh rolled off Sokka's tongue. Aang took seat in front of the forest. Imbuing himself with energy as he began to focus, sinking himself within the mediation as he felt his body slowly lighten.

After a minute…he stood there, but he felt his consciousness untether and before he knew it. He was looking upon himself as the whole world began to burn a bright azure.

Aang awoke. Craning his eyes in all directions as he began to zone in on the unique equilibrium within the spirit world. Every time he has been here made him feel completely strange. The croaks of the foreign animals, the overhead green clouds, or his overall surroundings.

The Spirit World to Aang was strange. A place that wasn't of matter or earth but strangely he didn't feel tense or alert in this place. He figured that it was his avatar status that caused spirits to hold him in high regard.

Yet, his head snapped back. His eyes chambering forward as he…

It was a woman. Heavy brown robes draped over her, likewise her underrobes were a light beige. Neck length shoulder brown hair with a pair dazzling blue eyes that peered at the avatar. She was slightly taller than him, but even here…he could feel her power.

Not the power of a bendor or such, but the lightsaber along her belt quickly told him what she truly was. "Hello, what is your name?" Aang asked. Honestly, he was expecting Avatar Roku to come aid him in finding Ben but maybe…

"Master Meetra Surik. I was Ben's informal master during the Mandalorian Wars and the one that has been training him after he joined your team." She spoke.

Aang instantly reeled back to the conversation they had almost a full week ago. It was true…he could remember how Ben spoke that name.

"Listen, I need some help. Benjamin, he's been gone for days, and we need to know what happened to him."

Meetra soaked in the words, but Aang wasn't expecting her response. Meetra slowly slinked her back, her fingers going along her chin as her eyes began to zone in on the ground below her. Aang could almost read her thoughts, like she was whirling with this decision.

"Listen…" She slowly spoke, bringing her steel gaze towards Aang's own. "I know where Benjamin is, but you and your friends have to decide if it is truly worth it to rescue him?"

"What!" Aang screamed. His eyes widening at the words. Wasn't this meant to be his master…his teacher and she was willingly making his choose.

Meetra slowly raised her hand up silencing him. "That's enough, Avatar. Benjamin for the longest time has walked a dark path, but now he is at a point in which I fear for him. The ball is in his court now, whether it be light side or dark side he is going to be forced to choose."

Aang slowly shook his head. "We're his friends and he needs us. Just tell me where he is…"

"Yes, I know you are his friends and comrades. But Benjamin is caught within the Sith's web. You must decide if it is truly worth to risk your safety for him. Did you forget your mission?" She took a deep breath, rolling her back straight up as she combed her fingers around herself. "Master the disciplines and deal with the Fire Lord. I've known Ben for years and trust me it saddens me to say this as well…but Ben needs to come to terms with the consequences of his actions."

"Still, that doesn't change anything. I'm not going to abandon my friend that needs me. I have time left and I will use that time to defeat the fire lord." Aang affirmed.

The Jedi slowly nodded, letting a stifled sigh erupt from her being as she simply raised her hand. "Take my hand and I will take you to Ben."

Aang rose, taking her hand as they zipped. His vision deteriorating as it was like a spree of images being broadcasted like a presentation. Snapping through the spirit vines as…

They were in a hallway now. There blue afterimages contorting as Aang steeled himself, his breath cold as he could see it. His hands colliding along the fabric as the brunt of the dark side collided with his movements. "It feels…cold."

Meetra didn't raise any concern or her gaze towards the young avatar. Merely walking along the halls as her eyes fixated ahead. Aang quickly picking himself up as he went towards her side. His uncertain eyes zoning in on this dark place. The old ancient walls, eroded and cracked from years of lack of care. Yet, it still emanated with a strange feeling of power.

"What is this place?" Aang raised the question as Meetra walked.

Yet, she simply parted her lips. "The Sith Academy in the fire nation. After Ben left, he choose to give into the Sith. He believes that he can hide his light side presence within the force and infiltrate the dark side."

They zoned through a door. Meetra watching Ben overhead as Aang's eyes widened at his form. Raising his hand to try and shake Ben but he was once again reminded of himself being a spirit. Yet, Ben was distracted.

His lightsaber in front of him, tinkering with his blade as Meetra and Aang both watched as Ben pocketed his lightsaber focusing crystal. Still, Aang and Meetra, both could feel it…the taint of the dark side along Ben. It was sickening, and it was starting to show along his features.

The orange eyes of the true Sith felt more ingrained into his being, not like the short times it would appear when he would call heavily onto the dark side of the force. Yet, as they watched Ben finished his lightsaber blade. Mingling the crystals into other areas for max efficiency, then he…

The dark crimson blade illuminated from his hilt. Brightening up the area in a brilliant red gleam that blanketed Meetra and Aang. The Jedi giving a couple of practice swings as the rhythmic hum of his weapon filled the room.

"There have been no jedi that were able to do what Ben has done. He is doing a fool's errand in believing that he will learn to conquer the dark side and best the enemies from within." Meetra spoke, clicking her lips in frustration.

Ulic, her, and even he had read the Tales of The Jedi. He knew the stories; he knew the legends. Those that mingle with the dark side of the force in the way he was doing now was practically a ticking time bomb. He would fall…

Yet, it happened. Ben raising from his seat, the chair colliding to the floor as both Aang and Meetra were slowly disappearing. The young watchman's eyes tracing along the room as he fixated on the two of them. Reaching his hand out as Aang realized it a second too late…

"Aang…"

Yet, they were gone. Dispersed into the veil as everything around Aang began to circulate and change. Then, it all began to go black…

It had taken a whole thirty minutes to explain to team avatar what happened in the spirit world. The finding of Ben's old master, the traversing of the old Sith Academy, and finally actually locating Ben.

"Alright then, what are we going to do?" Sokka questioned. His gaze turning towards team avatar.

The rest of the group were dealing with the sudden influx of information. Yet their hearts and minds were already concluded. "We got to rescue Ben." Katara spoke.

Team avatar slowly letting out muddled signs of agreement. Yet, Jet and Sokka were taken aback. "Guys, I don't want to raise alarm, but don't you remember all the stories of Sith Academies that Ben has told us. We are willingly going to waltz into the Lord Ozai's capitol city and into a whole den of powerful dark jedi…"

Katara and Aang both nodded, there were truth within his words. They could firmly remember the time Ben warned them about the distinctive class of Sith and they even seen how dangerous one Dark Jedi could pose.

"We really need to think about this right now. If we even mess up one tiny bit then…" Jet's eyes waivered, his eyes widening as he turned towards the group. "What about Haru? Are there any resistance cells we can locate to try and help us liberate Ben?"

There eyes shone with hope but were simply just as disregarded a couple of seconds later. "We don't know where he is and to actually get to a message across could take weeks maybe even months…" Katara replied.

This was a gamble, a dangerous gamble of all things. To sneak into the fire nation capitol city and to infiltrate the Sith Academy. Hopefully to rescue the last of the jedi before his cover is blown.

"No, we can do it…" Ty Lee's soft voice affirmed through there disheartened ranks. Letting a deep breath of hot air funnel from her chest.

Deep brownish eyes that soared along her being as she had already concluded herself. "Because I will do it. I'm a noble and I grown up there for my whole life, it should be me…"

With those parting words they boarded along Appa's saddle. The bison roaring as he streaked across the air as team avatar went to the farthest corners of the world. They would save him, the Jedi Outcast that he tried so desperately to protect them. Yet, now things were changing, moments were fast approaching, and Ben would be presented with a choice.

To hold to the fragile light that was deep within him and put faith within his friends and comrades. Or to simply hold to the truth of the dark side and take that red hot malice and let it burn along a vibrant streak along his enemies. Yet, time will tell as the threating chains of destiny continuously overlapped.