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Chapter 71 - Push Past

Aang

Aang was dreaming; he had to be. He felt himself slowly suspended in a void. His skin glimmered with an ethereal purple that reminded him of his travels in the spirit world, but the light within him waned. He was clad in his garb, but it was all tattered and worn.

He felt tired, oh so very tired, and for a moment, he wondered if it had all been a dream—this journey. From meeting Katara and Sokka to stumbling upon Ben and all the rest. It was an adventure worthy of books, but the hero never died in the stories he read.

He was atop an ocean. The roaring currents swayed beneath him as he hovered over it, and a great moon glared down at him.

"Yue…," Aang murmured slowly, his mind coursing with the memory of the final toll the princess of the North had paid. She appeared, an ethereal afterimage, not quite human, but not quite a spirit—something less, but also something more.

"Why am I here…did I," Aang nearly choked on his words.

Yue shook her head. "The damage from Azula's lightning might have left its mark, but Katara was always an excellent healer," Yue spoke with a gentle smile.

Aang's eyes widened, and a small smirk appeared. "Do you mean I am still alive?" he asked, tapping his chest.

Yue was silent for a moment. "You are going to have to find your way back home, young Avatar."

Yue and the moon began to fade away, and then a great vessel came into view, sporting Fire Nation colors. Aang screamed and rushed to brace himself against the great hull of the approaching vessel. He phased through it, his scream still echoing in the void.

He awkwardly steadied himself as he found himself outside a door. "Med bay," he read along the side of the dark red-black metal. He phased through it and saw a room full of people, many he recognized.

"It's Bato and Katara's dad," he muttered aimlessly with a smile, but then he realized the gravity of the situation as he passed through another person. He realized, with widened eyes, that it was someone he had never met before.

The newcomer had a receding hairline despite being probably only eighteen. Spotty facial hair adorned his face, and he wore a leather jacket and worker pants. However, what caught Aang's eyes was the lightsaber hanging from the young man's hip. Did they find another Jedi?

"So, is this just it?" the young man's harsh voice cut through the room as he wrapped his arms around himself. He raised his hand and started pacing around the crowd. He pointed towards Ben. "You told me that you were rebuilding the Jedi Order and that you were on the path to save the world," he declared.

The room fell silent, the tension thick and palpable. Aang watched, hovering invisibly among them, feeling the weight of their despair and confusion. This was no ordinary gathering. They were all here for a purpose, united by a common cause, yet fractured by their own uncertainties and fears.

Aang felt an urgency, a need to return, to be with them, to help. He tried to focus, to push through the void, but it was like moving through thick syrup. His spirit strained, reaching out to the familiar faces, to the warmth of the world he knew, and to the mission that still lay ahead.

"Find your way back," Yue's words echoed in his mind.

Ben's eyes widened as he pointed at him. "This is not the time or place to be losing it," he declared.

"Time or place?" Thomas scoffed, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "The Avatar is in a freaking coma."

Toph's face remained blank, her gaze fixated on the table. Katara was gently pulling a blanket over Aang as her father and Bato watched from overhead. Haru stood off to the side, watching the exchange between Ben and Thomas, feeling the mounting tension.

"Things happen," Ben declared, trying to keep his voice steady. "No journey is without peril. What we have to do is maintain hope and complete the job that Aang would've wanted us to do."

"…and what is that, Grandmaster?" Thomas dragged out the title with disdain.

Ben felt his heart thumping in his ears, the servos of his false arm whirring. Exhaustion tugged at him, sleep a distant memory. Now Thomas was pushing him, testing his patience.

Ben leveled his breath, locking eyes with Thomas. "We are going to put an end to this war."

Thomas looked around incredulously. "How are you going to do that without the Avatar?" he declared, his voice loud and astonished.

"Where does it say that we NEED the Avatar to put an end to this war, huh, wizard?" snapped Toph, aiming her insult squarely at Thomas.

Thomas whirled on her. "Quiet, blind girl." The insult hung heavy in the air, causing Ben to bristle.

"Hey!" Ben's yell echoed within the dull metal vessel.

Thomas leveled himself, turning away and heading toward the door. "I need to repair my lightsaber anyway," he declared, slamming the door behind him.

"Well, we have the parts on Appa," Katara said after a moment, her arms crossed.

"Come on," Ben urged, not letting the silence settle upon them. He knew that silence would lead to doubt, and doubt would lead to despair, just as it had with Thomas. Aang watched, unseen, as Ben herded them out of the room.

Katara lingered behind, her eyes still on Aang. Ty Lee also lingered by the doorway, her expression one of longing, before she too made her way out.

Ben's golden eyes scanned the room, lingering on Aang's still form for a moment. The tension in the air was thick, almost suffocating. "Hello," Aang said, his voice barely a whisper, but Ben didn't respond. Instead, his eyes narrowed slightly before he shook his head, as if dispelling a fog, and turned his attention to Katara, who was sitting beside Aang's bed. Strands of hair had already started to grow on Aang's shaved head, a small sign of life amidst the stillness.

"Katara, I need you to come…I need everyone to come," Ben declared, his voice steady but tired.

Katara's silence was heavy. "Aang needs me," she said softly, her eyes never leaving Aang's face.

"You're part of our vanguard…a heavy hitter," Ben insisted, ignoring the annoyance that crept into Katara's expression. "When the final battle comes, you are going to be needed."

"Why are you speaking like you're a general now?" Katara snapped, her voice tinged with anger. "Who put you in charge?"

Ben's features hardened, his frustration visible. The mechanical servos of his arm ground as he formed a fist. "Because who else could handle the responsibility?" he nearly shouted, then hesitated, pressing a finger to the bridge of his nose. "Katara, I am exhausted. I need to deliver this speech…"

"Ben, why do you…," Katara started.

"Because they need hope," Ben interrupted. "Because the Avatar…their savior, the men and women on this vessel, everyone else with us, they need something to fight for. They need hope."

"Hope," Katara echoed, almost scoffing. Her eyes drifted to Aang's limp form. "Before, I dreamed and hoped that the Avatar would save us, and here is Aang. Broken and gone." Tears welled in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks.

Aang tried to reach out to her, but his hand passed through Ben. Frustration and helplessness gnawed at him.

"Aang is not gone," Ben stated flatly.

"Jet was first, Sokka was second, and I…" Katara's voice broke, and she didn't realize that Ty Lee was listening through the crack of the door from the hallway. "I can't lose anyone else, Ben. I still haven't even told my dad…"

"By the force," Ben muttered. "Go tell your father," he urged. "He has to know…and Katara, I will keep you updated."

Katara nodded reluctantly, wiping her tears away. She stood up, casting one last look at Aang before leaving the room. Ty Lee slipped away silently, leaving Ben alone with Aang.

As the door closed behind Katara, Ben sighed deeply, the weight of leadership pressing down on him. He placed a hand on Aang's shoulder, feeling the warmth of his skin. "Hang in there, Aang," he whispered. "We need you more than ever."

Katara rose and stared at Aang's still form. "Is he going to be okay without me here?" she asked tenderly.

Ben sighed, the weight of responsibility heavy on his shoulders. "You said before that he's steady. We'll have someone keep a rotating watch on him," he declared, his tone resolute.

Katara smiled in appreciation, a faint glimmer of hope in her eyes. As she rose, everything around her seemed to fade away like the flicker of candlelight. Aang, afraid and confused, could only watch as the metal of the ship transformed, everything dissolving around him. He was wrenched away, now hovering, observing Katara and her father in a distant yet intimate moment.

Hakoda, clad in the ceremonial Water Tribe wolf warrior armor, stood before her. His sword rested in a scabbard along his back, and for the first time since her mother's death, he was crying. Tremors coursed through his body as he gripped the railing for support.

"What happened?" he asked, his voice breaking.

Katara, now crying as well, rushed to her father and wrapped him in a tight embrace. "Azula and The Sith…they got him when he was just trying to help. They executed him, Dad," she sobbed.

Hakoda's body went rigid, anger and grief warring on his face. "We're going to make them pay," he declared. Through the tears, something fierce was born in Katara, a resolve that Aang could see clearly.

Aang's gaze shifted, noticing Ben standing in the corner of the hallway, eavesdropping on the conversation. Wordlessly, Ben turned away, and Aang followed, stumbling upon a new scene.

"Ty Lee, we are going to be fine," Ben tried to reassure her, his voice steady but soft.

Aang phased through the wall into a small room with a cot and a desk. Ben and Ty Lee were out of their robes and in their normal clothes. Ty Lee sat on the bed, her gaze fixed on the floor, while Ben's mechanical arm reflected the soft light of a candle.

"That's what we kept telling ourselves through every bad encounter," Ty Lee murmured, her voice trembling. "Benjamin, people died…what would have happened if it was me that day?"

Ben's eyes narrowed with determination. "That is not going to happen," he declared firmly.

"Really?" Ty Lee scoffed. "How are you going to protect all of us? You aren't invincible, Ben, and I know what loss can do to you…"

Her words trailed off into a poignant silence. Ben saw the change in her, the fear and sadness. "Ty Lee," he said softly, taking a seat next to her on the bed. Faint tears traced down her cheeks, and he gently wiped them away, his touch tender and reassuring.

"We're in this together," Ben continued, his voice a soothing balm. "We'll get through this, I promise. We won't lose anyone else."

"Ben, I am so sorry," Ty Lee began, her voice trembling.

"Ty Lee, you have nothing to feel sorry about," Ben replied, though his concern deepened. He could feel her trembling, and his hands instinctively clamped onto her shoulders as she stared into his eyes, her gaze intense and pained.

"B-Ben, I am so sorry," she repeated, her eyes falling to his lap.

"Ty Lee, everything is fine," he said, taking a deep breath. "Is there something you need to tell me?"

She was silent for a moment, but then she nodded slowly. "Benjamin, I love you," she said. Ben felt a surge of hope and was about to smile, but then she climbed onto his lap, her eyes locking with his. She kissed him squarely, and as their lips connected, he felt a profound sense of rightness, a connection to all that was good in the universe.

"Ty Lee, I love..." he began, but she cut him off.

"I can't marry you, Benjamin." The confession was clear, like pure water flowing down a stream.

Ben's features contorted with hurt. "What?" he blurted out. "Ty Lee, what do you mean?"

Ty Lee's hands cupped Ben's cheeks, her touch gentle yet firm. "Ben, you lost your friends, your family. This journey is real... you may be able to survive, but I don't want to make you a widower at sixteen."

Ben's eyes widened. "I'll protect you, Ty Lee. I'll always be able to..."

"But you also have your responsibility as Grandmaster of The Jedi Order," Ty Lee interrupted. "We're so young, Ben. When I agreed to it, when you announced it, we were both lost and grieving."

She sighed, seeing the faint tears leaking from the corners of Ben's eyes. "B-but I love you, Ty Lee."

Ty Lee shook her head, her own tears threatening to fall. "Ben, you're sixteen or seventeen. Before, I lost my family, and I was lost. I know I said yes... and one day, when we're older, I will say yes again. But we're too young to be committing like this..."

She giggled through her tears, trying to lighten the mood. "By the Force, Ben, I'm the girl here," she chuckled, wiping away her tears with a smile. "One day, after this war is long gone, and when we're both ready..."

She paused and kissed his forehead tenderly. "One day, we'll be together, and happy... and this war will just be a distant memory."

Ben's hands curled around Ty Lee's frame, holding her close. Even though he felt rejected, the embrace offered a fleeting comfort. Yet, deep within him, a storm raged—frustration, grief over Sokka and Jet's deaths, and the heavy burden of Aang's predicament all weighed on his spirit.

Aang, still caught in his ethereal state, felt a strange and powerful energy emanating from Ben. It was familiar yet unsettlingly new, a mix of light and shadow.

"What in the world…" Aang murmured, his voice a mere echo in the void.

Suddenly, Aang was pulled away, rising higher and higher into the sky. He phased through the metal confines of the ship, ascending rapidly until he found himself hurtling toward the moon. "Y-Yue!" Aang's fragmented voice called out.

As he neared the moon's bright allure, a brief and heart-wrenching sound reached him—Sokka's contagious laughter. The sound brought a fleeting moment of joy, a reminder of the bonds he cherished. But then, just as quickly, there was darkness, a vast emptiness that enveloped everything.

Aang floated in the void, surrounded by nothingness. Yet, in that emptiness, he felt the weight of the world and the threads of destiny pulling him in all directions. He wasn't just a part of the world; he was its core, its heartbeat.

In the darkness, voices whispered around him. Fragments of conversations, memories of laughter and tears, promises made and broken. They swirled around him, forming a tapestry of his life and the lives of those he loved.

"Aang," a gentle voice called out. Yue's ethereal form appeared before him, her presence glowing softly in the dark.

"Yue, I'm so lost," Aang confessed, his voice trembling. "I don't know what to do."

Yue reached out, her hand brushing against his cheek. "You are the Avatar, Aang. You are never truly lost. Even in the darkest times, you carry the light within you."

"But everyone's counting on me," Aang replied, his voice heavy with doubt. "And I'm afraid I'll fail them."

Yue smiled, her eyes filled with infinite wisdom and compassion. "Failure is a part of the journey, Aang. It is through our failures that we learn and grow stronger. Remember, you are not alone. You have friends who love you, who will fight for you. Trust in them, and trust in yourself."

Aang nodded, feeling a renewed sense of purpose. The darkness around him began to fade, replaced by a growing light. He could feel the strength of his friends, their love and hope guiding him back.

As the vision faded, Aang found himself hovering above the ship once more. The weight of his responsibilities still pressed upon him, but now there was a glimmer of hope. He knew that, no matter what, he had to keep moving forward.

Aang felt as if something was swaying him, a groggy sensation pulling him from the depths of unconsciousness. Slowly, he began to part his eyes, the broken glimpses revealing a scene that filled him with unease. He lay on a large bed, his entire body feeling unbearably heavy. The room around him, once a normal bedroom, had been hastily converted into a makeshift medical station.

Bandages lay strewn across the floor, trailing like loose toilet paper, and puddles of water gathered in the corners, creating a murky mess. "Woah," Aang murmured, his eyes widening in surprise. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, but as his feet touched the ground, a jolt of pain shot through his body, betraying him. He collapsed into the water with a splash, the cold liquid shocking him into full awareness.

Turning to his side, he spotted his staff lying nearby. With a grunt, he seized it and used it as a makeshift walking stick, leveraging its sturdy frame to pull himself upright. Just then, a pipe burst above him, sending a cascade of water splashing down. Aang quickly sat back down on the bed, the weight of fatigue pressing heavily on him.

"Was it all just a dream?" Aang questioned aloud, his mind drifting back to the vivid images of Yue, Katara, and the rest of his friends. He had experienced something like this before in the spirit world, but this felt far more prolonged and intimate.

He remembered Katara speaking to her father about the loss of Sokka, the heartbreak in her voice still echoing in his ears. He recalled Ty Lee ending their marriage plans, the sorrow and determination in her eyes as clear as day. The loss of hope among the crew weighed on him, and he also remembered the faces of new allies—a strange boy with a lightsaber at his belt, and Zuko.

"Zuko," Aang repeated softly, the name slipping from his lips like a whisper. As he spoke, the door creaked open.

"A-Aang," came a familiar voice, one that he cherished deeply.

He turned around and saw Katara, her hair disheveled and wild. She was dressed in her Water Tribe garb, and for a moment, she froze in place as if she'd seen a ghost. Then she ran toward him, the vessel they were on shaking violently. Aang's eyes widened as he realized they were beneath a Fire Nation flag.

"Katara," he mumbled, his gaze fixed on the banner. But the sound of rapid footsteps pounded toward them, drawing his attention.

"Aang!" Ben's voice cut through the chaos as he emerged beside Katara. Both were cloaked in thick, weather-beaten garments.

"Ben, what's happening?" Aang questioned, his mind hazy and disoriented.

Ben glanced at Katara for a fleeting moment before shaking his head. "No time, Aang. Our ship has been intercepted while we were trying to breach Fire Nation territory. We need to hop on Appa and go."

Aang groaned from the pain, too tired, too weak, too injured to argue. "Katara, get his staff," Ben ordered. Katara quickly draped the sash of the staff over her chest. Ben removed his cloak and wrapped it around Aang, lifting him up in both arms. "We need to go."

Katara's eyes widened with concern. "Is Aang...?"

Ben shook his head. "It doesn't matter. If Azula gets her hands on him again, then we..."

A powerful tremor rocked the vessel, forcing Ben to steady himself and Aang. Aang's ears pricked up as he heard more footsteps approaching, but Ben had already started to lead him and Katara out of the room. Water sloshed around their feet, swiftly rising, as two figures dressed in Fire Nation armor ran toward them.

"B-Ben," Aang grunted painfully, a bead of shame piercing through him. He was the Avatar, and yet here he was, weak and helpless, being carried like a child by his best friend. The same friend he should be protecting.

Ben turned, his features softening as the pair removed their helmets. Katara's lips twisted into a sneer.

"Ben!" shouted Haru.

And Zuko was with him too. Aang shot Ben a look, but Ben didn't react with any hostility. However, Katara's glare could have melted ice.

Zuko's breath was heavy. "The soldiers are starting to fall back and retreat to the lifeboats," he stated flatly.

Ben nodded. "Good, this storm is going to mask not only them but us," he sneered. "I thought the Fire Nation wasn't foolish enough to send airships into the thick of this storm."

Zuko shook his head. "You underestimate how much my father and my sister want you dead."

Haru interjected, shaking his head. "But they think Aang is dead?" he asked.

"They think I'm dead," Aang croaked out.

Haru was about to say something, but Ben shook his head, halting him. Multiple different glares and exchanges passed through in silent understanding as Aang could only watch, fury bubbling within him.

Zuko steeled his gaze on Ben. "You're the last light, Benjamin Wilum. When you die… hope is lost, and I imagine my father is going to keep throwing whatever manpower or anything he has at you."

Ben bit his lip, shaking his head, and Aang saw the toll on Ben's features. His golden eyes were heavy with exhaustion, a vein bulging along his forehead, and he trembled from the strain. But he took a deep breath and turned down the hallway.

"Ty Lee, Toph, and Thomas," Ben croaked out, eyes wide. "Where the hell are they?"

"Waiting for us," Haru began. "On the deck, with Appa. But the only landmass we're close to…"

"Doesn't matter, we need to leave," Ben declared. Another racking blast nearly sent them off their feet. The air, once clear, now reeked thick with smoke.

"No time," urged Katara. "We need to run."

Ben nodded, and they all started to run through the sunken halls of the craft. Yet, questions swirled in Aang's mind. How long had he been asleep? Why did the whole world think he was dead? And his mind flashed to Sokka on his knees, Rowan, dashing his blade and cleaving through...

"No, it can't be true," Aang whispered through bitter tears.

The mess hall wasn't flooded, but the battle had turned it into a chaotic ruin. Tables and chairs lay scattered, pots, plates, and cups strewn haphazardly.

Haru and Ben clutched their heads, wincing with such intensity that Ben had to hand Aang over to Katara.

"Are you guys okay?" Zuko asked, his voice tinged with worry.

Ben and Haru were silent for a moment, still holding their heads. Then, in unison, they ripped their gazes toward the opposing shut door. Without a word, both drew their lightsabers and ignited their blades. Zuko, sensing the tension, assumed a combat stance.

"What's happening?" Katara asked, her voice trembling.

Haru murmured, "A darkness… a great darkness."

Ben sneered, "We don't have time for this," and with a flick of his wrist, the Force wrenched the doors apart, squeezing them into twisted metal slags that clattered to the floor.

As they stepped forward, Bato's urgent shout echoed, "Get out of here! Go... go!" But his words were cut short as a crimson lightsaber blade lopped off his head. His head fell into the water and rolled toward them.

"BATO!" Katara screamed, horrified as she saw his frozen eyes, the false nerves of his eyelids quivering as they stared blankly.

"Oh my god," Haru muttered, leveling his blue lightsaber in front of himself. Ben followed suit, assuming a combat stance.

"Hello… Benji," a guttural, almost robotic voice called out.

Ben gazed up to see one orange, sulfuric eye glaring at him, the other three-quarters of the face hidden behind a metallic mask. Bits of hair poked free, and the figure wore a complex suit of armor and robes, but they did nothing to hide the talons where normal arms should've been. Grey, mottled skin, and the ends of his robes dragging slack in the water.

"Rowan," Ben began.

"Rowan?" Katara repeated in a haze, her eyes darting between the Sith and Ben. She glared at the Sith. "H-he's still alive!" she shouted.

Rowan's laughter was a twisted, metallic rasp. "You thought you'd seen the last of me, didn't you?" His voice dripped with venomous delight. "But you underestimated the power of the Dark Side."

Ben nodded slowly. "H-Haru!" he called out to his apprentice, but Rowan did not waste a beat. They hadn't even noticed the number of corpses now filling the dining room.

"Time to die, Benji!" Rowan hurtled downwards with terrifying strength. The dark side had granted him immense power, unhindered by any light. Ben and Haru leaped upward, narrowly dodging the crimson slash. Landing on opposite sides of Rowan, Ben aimed a quick chop, only to be blocked.

Rowan followed with a parry, but Ben dodged it by a hair's width. "Benjamin, I feel his darkness!" Haru shouted. "It's suffocating!"

Katara's eyes darted to the water beneath them, her lips forming a smirk as a plan began to take shape.

Haru's lightsaber tried to cleave Rowan at his midsection, but Rowan dodged at the last moment. Both apprentice and master rushed the dark Jedi, each blast and clang of their lightsabers growing faster and more frantic, yet Rowan blocked each one.

"You were always a fool, Benjamin," Rowan snarked. "There is great power in the dark side, even the power to avoid death itself." He chuckled darkly.

"This is a perversion!" Ben shouted. Rowan attempted a quick slash as they moved to the middle of the room. Both bronze and blue blades clashed in a powerful saber lock against Rowan's long crimson blade. "I-I killed you in that tunnel. What are you?!"

Rowan felt it—Ben's fear. He was less than human now, but also something far more. For now, he could be on the same footing. Rowan gripped his blade tighter with both hands, talons curling along the lightsaber as Ben and Haru both felt immense pressure, darkness seeping into their minds.

"Hate," Rowan simply blurted out.

Haru's eyes widened. "Gotcha!" he shouted. Haru filled his legs with Force energy, sliding and skimming water along his boots, splashing it onto Rowan's faceplate. He appeared behind him, flourishing his lightsaber blade in his wrist, the blue beam about to strike.

Rowan sparked a smile, kicking Ben in the midsection, sending him tumbling into a roll. In the next moment, as Haru was about to pierce Rowan's back, Rowan gripped his lightsaber with both hands. The long blade had an unexpected end, extending from the emitter instead of a pommel.

A second red blade emerged as Rowan pulled on his lightsaber, resulting in a swift click, and the blade was disconnected in two. In his left hand, a shoto blocked Haru's blue beam.

"W-What!" Haru shouted, his voice tinged with surprise and fear as Rowan chuckled.

Before Rowan could bring another slash, Zuko appeared, slamming his fist forward. A blazing red fireball streaked towards Rowan, forcing both Rowan and Haru to throw themselves away from each other.

"Ah, so the banished, shameful prince returns," Rowan taunted, the hum of his two blades filling the air with a menacing thrum. Zuko stood his ground, wordless, as he leveled himself into his stance.

Rowan chuckled louder, raising the longer blade in his right hand, poised at Zuko's chest. "You know, your sister really misses you. I've got special orders to take you alive," Rowan laughed harder. "Yet, she said pieces of you would be alright."

Zuko sneered, slamming his leg downward into a kick, sending a wave of fire streaking around the room. Haru and Ben hit the deck as Rowan leaped and dodged, his eyes scanning the room for threats. Zuko's fireballs were relentless, firing one after another.

"Good job, Zuko!" Ben shouted as he rose and started to wade through the water.

"Benjamin," Katara spoke, walking towards him with determination. "We're ending him, this, now."

Ben nodded in agreement, and Haru ran towards them. Rowan, now in the corner, lashed out at his surroundings. "No good," he muttered. "You're a coward, Benji, utilizing your bending friends and your apprentice… fight me like a man and—" But Zuko charged up a great fireball and hurled it straight at Rowan.

Rowan sneered, eyeing the metal tables and chairs scattered around. He took a heavy breath and lashed his arms outwards, feeling the Force trickle from his fingertips. The chairs and tables clicked and tapped hard against the metal, rapidly wrapping around him like a makeshift shield. Bits of flame burned into Rowan's skin, but the young Sith had endured far worse.

Zuko was breathing heavily, but Katara, with great agility and bending mastery, ran along the meager surface of the water. She stomped her feet down, starting to freeze it. Rowan felt his breath grow cold and heavy as the water trickled and stuck the wall to the surface, even freezing his boots.

"Kriffing scutta!" Rowan bellowed, his voice echoing through the metal confines.

Katara didn't recognize the curse, but she took satisfaction in knowing she'd caused him pain. She fanned her arms outward, creating great disks of water that circulated around her. The arcs began to cleave through the metal defenses Rowan had hastily constructed. Each slice brought a new volley of curses from him as he realized his makeshift barrier wouldn't hold.

One of the arcs penetrated the metal, slashing deep into his shoulder blade. "Scutta!" he screamed, his voice imbued with the Force, sending a reverberating shockwave through the room.

Katara felt her concentration falter, her bending wavering. She clamped her hands over her ears, following the others who were similarly affected by the auditory assault. Rowan thrust his hands forward, and the metal shards flew in every direction.

"Hit the deck!" Ben shouted, urgency lacing his words.

He ran toward Aang, who, still struggling and injured, watched the chaos unfold. A jagged piece of metal hurtled toward Aang, but he felt a pressure envelop him like a protective embrace. Ben, standing at a distance, had his right arm outstretched, using the Force to shield Aang. The metal shard stopped inches from Aang and slammed into the wall with a resounding crash.

Aang grimaced and groaned. "S-So…useless," he muttered painfully to himself.

Rowan, now bleeding heavily, was breathing hard, each breath a laborious effort.

"Zuko, you're tired, but get Aang…we're going to finish this," Ben commanded. Zuko shot him a look, but Ben's stern expression left no room for argument. Zuko nodded, running to Aang and lifting him into his arms as Katara and Haru flanked Ben.

Rowan chuckled deliriously, a twisted grin spreading across his face. "Ah, Ben… Look at you and your friends. How's that Water Tribe girl at your side? Or the Fire Nation slut that clings to you like glue? Do they know what happens to girls who stay with you too long?"

Katara grimaced, her face hardening as she assumed a fighting stance.

Haru leveled his blade at Rowan. "Quiet, Fire Nation… Sith… trash!" he shouted. "You murdered Sokka; your life is forfeit!"

Rowan sneered, his eyes gleaming with malice. "Big words for a boy with a toy."

Rowan chuckled, his laughter low and sinister. "Ah, yes... I remember it well. I cut off his head, or what remained of it." Katara's face contorted with pure, primal rage, a growl escaping her lips as she prepared to charge. Ben's heavy bionic hand settled on her shoulder, grounding her.

"Katara, we need everyone in sync," Ben said, his voice heavy with the weight of their mission. "Rowan, you are not going to win this. This is for Sokka, for Jet, for Arya."

For a moment, silence hung in the air, thick and oppressive. Then Rowan burst into laughter, a harsh, grating sound.

"FOR ARYA!" he shouted, the darkness around him growing thicker, more menacing. He pointed at the trio, his laughter turning into a mocking cackle. "You're real rich, real karking funny, Benji! Katara, Haru, you think I'm bad? You should've seen the monster this guy was during the wars. We saw him on holo vids, and now he's here to lecture me about vengeance. You murdered the woman I loved!" Rowan's voice was raw, filled with bitter rage.

Katara sneered, her anger barely contained. "Enough of this. Let's kill him, Ben, let's kill him!"

Haru nodded, and Ben could feel the darkness seeping into his friend and apprentice. He knew Haru cared deeply for Katara, that he had been alone with her when captured. The path Haru was walking was perilously dark, and Katara, though not Force-sensitive, was teetering on the edge.

Just then, the ship began to groan and shudder. A strange sensation tickled the back of Ben's mind, a warning. "Everyone, grab something!" he shouted. Rowan, too lost in his battle lust, didn't notice the danger as the ship started to tear apart.

Beneath their feet, jagged edges appeared, one after another, ripping through the metal. The ship creaked and rended, the structure giving way. Rain and thunder burst through the widening gaps as Rowan's side of the ship began to descend.

Rowan was knocked off his feet, his talons scraping against the metal in a desperate attempt to hold on. He growled as he slid, fighting to stay upright. Meanwhile, Team Avatar ran for safety. Haru, Aang, and Zuko reached the staircase first, but Katara slipped.

"Ben!" Katara shouted, her voice filled with fear. She was slipping, barely holding onto the edge of the hallway they had entered from. The shortcut had failed. Ben lunged forward, grabbing the railing with one hand and Katara's tanned hand with the other. For a moment, she dangled precariously, the ship's creaks and groans filling the air. Wild rain and wind swept her hair across her face.

The ship continued to tear apart, the elements raging around them. Ben strained, his bionic hand's grip tightening as he pulled Katara up with all his might. The ship's structure buckled, and Rowan's enraged screams were lost in the chaos.

"Hold on, Katara," Ben grunted, his muscles straining against the weight and the pull of gravity.

Katara's eyes were wide with fear and determination. "I'm trying!"

"K-Katara, don't look down!" Ben shouted, but it was too late.

Katara's scream echoed through the chaos. "Don't let go, please, don't let me go!" She clung to Ben's wrist with her free hand, her knuckles white.

"Never," Ben said, his voice steady. Those simple words managed to calm her, even as her legs flailed, searching for a foothold. Ben's gaze darted downwards, his eyes wide with the horror unfolding beneath them.

The ship was a torn, battered carcass. Something had gone catastrophically wrong with the boiler, exacerbated by the relentless storm and the fire nation blimps attacking from above. Lightning cracked across the sky, illuminating the chaos in brief, stark flashes.

Bato's headless body slid down the slick metal grating and disappeared into the churning ocean below. Ben's heart clenched with guilt and sorrow. Another member of Sokka and Katara's family lost. But there was a sliver of solace knowing Bato had found peace in the ocean.

With gritted teeth, Ben heaved Katara upwards. She grasped the second bannister tightly, her lifeline in the storm. As Ben glanced down, he saw Rowan, struggling against the onslaught of waves.

"He's still there," Katara whispered, her voice a mix of hatred and disbelief. "We've cut him, buried him... what is he, the devil himself?"

"Devils and demons don't bleed, Katara," Ben replied darkly.

Katara's gaze locked onto Ben as she steadied herself on the bannister, both hands gripping tightly. Ben hung by his right hand, his legs dangling over the abyss. Rowan's form, half-submerged in the raging waters, fought to climb the descending metal. The waves threatened to drag him into the ocean's maw.

Ben took a deep breath. "Without hate… without anger," he murmured, closing his eyes. Katara watched in astonishment as lights appeared along his free hand. Purple, wild sparks of electric volts danced along his palm and wrist. He leveled his hand, and a stream of lightning arced out.

The lightning struck the water with a clean, stable arc, slamming into Rowan. The Sith's scream was near demonic, a sound that chilled the bones. Zuko, running with Aang towards the surface, paused and looked back. He saw the wild violet lights illuminating the walls, Rowan's body convulsing as the volts coursed through him.

Rowan's limbs splayed out, his body smoking. His lone orange eye, filled with malice and pain, locked onto Ben. The young Jedi Master stared back, his expression grim and resolute.

Katara's heart pounded as she watched the scene unfold, Ben's words echoing in her mind. "Without hate… without anger."

Yet, he didn't fail to see the Sith eyes glaring back at him, a smile curling on Rowan's lips as he slipped into the water and began to sink. Ben's breathing was heavy as the lightning ceased, sweat pouring down his face. He glared down at Rowan's sinking form, the words Katara had once told him echoing in his mind: "The bad ones never go away." He had maimed, cut, and tried to kill Rowan, but the Sith kept coming, stronger and angrier than before.

Ben's eyes shifted from Rowan to the great fleet hovering above. The ship was being torn apart, and the storm showed no signs of abating. They were near the Fire Nation landmass, and the urgency of the situation pressed down on him like a weight. The comet was coming, and if they played their cards right, with the newly awakened Aang, they could end this war before it engulfed the world entirely.

But could the members of Team Avatar truly withstand the grief and trauma that this journey had inflicted upon them?