Fight09: Spirited Away
After leaving Jang Hui and flying through the night, Chenlian landed on the last stop before Crescent Island where the Fire Temple was. She raised a small camp near a river not far from the sea where she rested a little before setting out to buy a few things in the market. She saw many kids wearing uniforms, certainly because school was over for the day and it was time for them to play around, hang together, train, before going home to their parents where they would do homework such as playing the instrument of their choice or studying the Fire Nation history, learning about its greatness and that the war was just to share that greatness and all the usual propaganda...
Thinking about it, there had been a time like that for her too... a long time ago. Well, it was only a few years ago in fact but it felt like it was sometime in a past life. The Royal Academy for girls... It was not like she had any particularly good or bad memory of her time in school. Since it was for elite the girls were also educated in political and economical matters. They were trained to fight, to lead and control and be good ladies in the same time. She would always work hard and do her very best no matter the class, somehow managing to stay in the top five. Because she was a bright, conscientious student she was liked by the teachers. Because of her agreeable, understanding, and open (albeit a little conceited) personality, she was liked by her classmates. And partly because of those, partly because she had the skills and wits to rival hers, and because she actually dared to stand up to her, the princess seemed to have developed an intense dislike toward her. As a consequence, every friend Chenlian would make would end up fearfully avoiding her. But it was alright. She accepted it because she did not want to cause them trouble since that person's threats were certainly not empty words and her mere presence was enough to intimidate most people.
It resulted that Chenlian ended up having only three female 'companions': the princess who only wanted to have as many chances as possible to embarrass her, break her, or put her in trouble or danger; and the princess' only two 'friends'. Although whether they thought of each other as real friends was rather doubtful since she only knew how to control people by fear, and there was always some kind of retribution whenever someone did better than her. And those friends were no exceptions, despite the fact that she had chosen them herself for their respective skills at throwing stilettos and acrobatics. Chenlian kind of liked them, be it the quiet, well-mannered (albeit apparently emotionless) one or the cheerful and energetic (albeit frivolous) one. And she knew it was kind of reciprocated. But she also knew they could not really be friends. It was impossible for them to go up against the princess. However, that too was alright.
As long as she had her family who would stand up for her no matter what, she would be alright. As long as she could meet that pure and kind-hearted boy – so kind you would not believe he was her brother – she would be alright... Although at first she could only see him as a weak-kneed, slow-brained mommy's boy way too nice for his own good, who trusted and loved people – and especially his family – too much. Also because he would involve himself too much only made him too easy a prey for his sister's pranks and traps into which he would constantly fall. How stupid of him, really. That was called 'lacking the ability to learn lessons'. It was with time that she noticed his qualities, his contradictions, and complexity. Clever yet hot headed, letting his own impatience prevent him from thinking things through. Immensely proud, domineering, controlling, disdaining working with people he deemed as inferior, yet kind, compassionate, and absolutely refusing to think of people as expendable. Possessor of an iron-willed defiance and inflexible determination, and yet so easily swayed by his own emotions and certain people's words. While not very strong in martial arts or firebending himself, he still wanted to protect people. He was really an idiot. But a really good idiot, with qualities as rare as they were precious in the world they lived in, and especially in that palace... That was certainly why she had come to respect him, cherish him, and want to protect him... And then as long as she could become as strong as she could possibly be in mind, heart, and body she would be alright. As long as she had those, she didn't need or care about anything.
And then she had realized things were not just about herself. She would have never become who she was without the people around her. She owed them parts of herself. She must not seek power and enlightenment in themselves and for herself but the wisdom and power to protect and fight for what and those she believed in and who believed in her. There was nothing she could do for her parents but walk the path she believed in like they had taught her. She still had family left. And she still had him even if he had forgotten about her and was on a road that was not for him. They would certainly end up fighting, but when you really love someone and believe he's in the wrong, you do what you can to stop him. And she could make new friends. She was going to make new friends. She would protect them with her power and with them, set everything right again. The Winter Solstice was in four days.
The next day, Appa was flying over a lush river valley. It was a beautiful day with lazy, puffy white clouds and sunshine. Aang was in the driving seat, leaning back, enjoying himself with an ear of wheat in his mouth. Katara was stretched out on her stomach looking over Appa's side, while Sokka was whittling.
"Those clouds look so soft, don't they? Like you could just jump down and you'd land in a big, soft cottony heap." Katara daydreamed.
"Maybe you should give it a try." Her brother cracked one of his usual jokes.
"You're hilarious." The waterbender retorted sarcastically, her tone slightly aggravated. Aang suddenly grinned widely, saying he would try it, and jumped down with his staff, laughing, plunging right through the clouds. The siblings looked down but he reappeared right behind them, closing his glider upon landing on the saddle with them, sitting down. He was soaking wet.
"Turns out clouds are made of water!" He airbended himself dry. Sokka and Katara eyed him strangely. Suddenly, the girl turned and looked ahead.
"Hey, what is that?" She asked apprehensively. Below them, a black mar was spanned on a side of the river, following it far to the mountains where it would spread painfully wide.
"It's like a scar." Sokka noticed, no longer in the mood for jokes. They landed on the floor of the valley in the damaged area. Burnt tree stumps were dotting the barren land. The three dismounted and walked around. It was frighteningly quiet, with no life anywhere. Katara asked Aang if he were ok. Then the water tribesman noticed footprints on the burnt ground, marking the passage of komodo rhinos and firebenders... "Fire Nation! Those evil savages make me sick! They have no respect for-" He started ranting before his sister hushed him. "What? I'm not allowed to be angry?" Sokka justified himself in a whisper, still angry. Ahead of them, Aang sank to his knees in the dust, sighing heavily. He ran his hand through the burnt earth before taking a handful of ashes that slipped through his fingers. He could not understand why anyone would do that. Katara tried to reassure him, that it was not his fault. But that did not stop the airbender from feeling guilty and blaming himself as it was the Avatar's duty to protect nature. The thing was: he did not know how to do his job.
"That's why we're going to the North Pole to find you a teacher." The waterbender attempted to help him.
"Yeah, a waterbending teacher, but there's no one who can teach me how to be the Avatar. Monk Gyatso said that Avatar Roku would help me." Aang said, the image of the mahogany-haired girl and her dragon flashing through his mind.
"The Avatar before you? He died over a hundred years ago, how are you supposed to talk to him?" Sokka questioned.
"I don't know." The child replied, his vision of the mysterious girl flashing again. Momo, feeling the depressed state of his owner and friend, jumped onto his lap where he lay down so the boy could pet him.
"Uncle! It's time to leave! Where are you? Uncle Iroh!" Prince Zuko yelled, coming out of a dense bamboo forest. His uncle's fire soldier uniform was hanging from the low branches of a pine tree.
"Over here." The old man told his nephew.
"Uncle? We need to move on, we're closing in on the Avatar's trail and I don't want to lose him!"
"You look tired, Prince Zuko. Why don't you join me in these hot springs and soak away your troubles." Iroh suggested, looking blissfully happy in the natural hot springs formed by a cascading rock formation.
"My troubles cannot be soaked away. It's time to go!" The teen shouted again, looking like a raging Deva King.
"You should take your teacher's advice and relax a little. The temperature's just right. I heated it myself." The retired general went on, impervious to the prince's wrath, as it was nothing more to him than one of his usual tantrums. The old man put his hands together and breathed steam from his nostrils to heat the water a little more.
"Enough! We need to leave now! Get out of the water!" Zuko ordered and swatted the steam away, annoyed.
"Very well." Iroh sighed and rose resignedly, exposing himself. The young man immediately put his hand up to shield himself.
"On second thought, why don't you take another few minutes, but be back at the ship in half an hour or I'm leaving without you." Zuko left, careful not to even glimpse at his uncle. And Iroh delightfully soaked back in...
"Hey Aang, are you ready to be cheered up?" Katara asked her friend.
"No." The boy was still sitting slumped down on the burnt ground when an acorn flew at him and hit him hard on the side of his head.
"Ow! Hey, how was that cheering me up?"
"Hehe, cheered me up." Sokka laughed before getting whacked on the side of his head by the other acorn Katara had been playing with. "Ow! Yeah, I probably deserved that..."
Katara assured Aang that the forest would grow back thanks to the profusion of acorns scattered around and all animals will come back. Momo was digging furiously in the scorched earth, emerging with his cheeks and hands full of acorns. Katara placed one in the palm of the airbender's hand and closed it. The boy thanked her with a smile. Then the group was startled by the arrival of an old man in green walking with the aid of a cane. He had seen the flying bison and come to request the Avatar's help for his village.
They entered the small walled up village of Senlin nestled in the forest as the sun was getting lower and the shadows longer, and a soft golden light was gently enveloping the world. Several houses were damaged or destroyed. At the main building, the old man introduced Aang to the village chief who greeted him politely and deferentially. The boy's reply was less formal but still friendly. He then asked what he could help them with. The leader was still unsure but the old man insisted: the Avatar was their only hope to solve the crisis the village was in. They proceeded to explain that for the last few days at sunset, Hei-Bai, the Black and White spirit monster had been attacking their village for an unknown reason, and each time, he would abduct one of their people. And they were especially fearful because the winter solstice was drawing near. As the solstice was approaching, the natural world and the spirit world would grow closer and closer until the line between them was blurred completely. Hei-Bai was already wreaking destruction, there was no telling what would happen on the solstice. Aang asked what they wanted him to do exactly.
"Who better to resolve a crisis between our world and the spirit world than the Avatar himself? You are the great bridge between man and spirits." The old man replied without giving any precise answer.
"Right... that's me..." The boy trailed off, obviously lacking confidence. Then, at Katara's request, Aang and the siblings walked away so they could have their private talk. She had noticed how unsure her friend seemed about this situation. The airbender answered a little exasperated that it might be because he didn't know anything about the Spirit World as he never had anyone to teach him this stuff. But he still had to try and help them nonetheless. Maybe whatever he had to do would naturally come to him. Momo comfortingly jumped on his shoulder and chattered. Aang smiled hopefully. The siblings also reassured him. He could do it.
Chenlian landed on Crescent Island. Like the vast majority of the Fire Nation islands, it was volcanic. Except that the volcano here was active and rivers of lava were constantly flowing from the crater. Then she ate and rested. A long time ago, the Fire Sages were solely loyal to the Avatar, but after Roku's death, Sozin forced them to work under him. She now had to thread carefully, hoping both that she would not meet any enemy and that there were still sages who had not forgotten their pride and true duty and were still faithful to the Avatar. A large and long bridge was winding up from a pier, above the lava flows, up to the pagoda-like temple that was standing on a crest. And that bridge was the only way.
The girl entered the building at night. The yard and hallways were dimly lit by torches and naturally fluorescent red stones set in lamps. It was sad... for an ally of the Avatar having to hide and conceal their presence in a temple where the disciples were meant to serve and revere the Avatar and only the Avatar.
A long time ago, a council of Sages was leading the Nation with a strong sense of spirituality held to the highest degree, similar to the spiritual Air Nomads. They were also responsible for identifying the Avatar's incarnation when he or she was born into the Fire Nation and conducting weddings and funerals for the Royal Family and were expected to provide their help to those who sought it. However, after Roku's death the Sages lost their power to the Fire Lord's lineage and currently directed their energy on serving merely as counsel to their ruler. It was sad.
She walked through the corridors and stopped suddenly, listening to the quick and light tapping of feet running in her direction from behind. It was only one person. She and her partner contemplated their options: remain hidden and keep walking through this maze... or instill back the fear of the Spirit World into him, remind him who it is he should be serving, and have him guide them where they wanted...? But then what to do with him? Keeping him around would be troublesome, but letting him free to alert the others was just as troublesome. And she did not believe in ruling people through fear. She did not want to. And she had no intention of killing anyone. However, the person was gaining on her. She turned into a dead end, took out one of her daggers and hid there. The light of the Sage's lamp was fast approaching. She waited, tense, her hand gripping the hilt of her dagger. He turned around her corner and barely had enough time to see her, his eyes widening in surprise, that the girl had pinned him against the wall, her blade at his neck.
"Speak louder than a whisper and you're dead." Chenlian warned harshly in a low voice.
"Are you Chenlian?" The old man asked with a trace of fear but nonetheless trying to sound reassuring.
"How do you know it's me?"
"I saw Avatar Roku in a dream. He told me you were coming tonight and asked me to lead you to him. I know a secret passage."
"How can I know you're not leading me into a trap?"
"I am a Fire Sage and it is our duty to help the Avatar." He said gravely. Under the dim red light, her piercing eyes bore into his and what she saw was his iron conviction and unshakeable faith. He was completely sincere. She could really kill him for all he knew and yet there was not a single trace of doubt. She let go of him and backed a few steps.
"But it's not like you don't know what happens to those who help the Avatar..." She trailed off, unsure and concerned, as much for her own safety as for his if he was really telling the truth like she believed he was.
"My grandfather was Avatar Roku's master during his Avatar training, and later the first person to deny the next Avatar had been killed during the first assault on the Air Nomads. He passed his conviction to my father who was branded a traitor because of his support to the Avatar and critic of the Fire Lord's ambitions... and he was executed." At this Chenlian's eyes widened. "Left an orphan, I was taken in and raised by the Fire Sages, though I never felt close to any of them."
"Then-!" She tried again. If his father died because of his loyalty then all the more reason not to help her; and later, Aang. And yet, she was still worried about him.
"I am a Fire Sage, and no matter what, I will accomplish my duty toward the Avatar." He declared again with pride, strength, and confidence. The girl sighed and sheathed her weapon.
"I am very sorry for having menaced you and I cannot thank you enough for your help." She bowed low, glad and sad in the same time, and hoping that he would not pay too high a price for his actions. They were alike: their family had been killed for having spoken against the Fire Lord and yet both had decided to follow into their family's footsteps and uphold their convictions by helping the Avatar in any way they could regardless of the risks. But she could not deny that a part of herself was acting out of revenge against the Fire Lord. However this person moved out of pure devotion, and she felt the utmost respect for him.
They entered the secret passage that Roku had created from the magma when he was alive. It first went down the mountain where they passed rivers of lava before going up again. They climbed up snail stairs to the top of the tower. They opened a trapdoor on the ceiling which was in fact part of the room's floor. It was a large room supported by pillars around which were coiled dragon statues. Behind them were a few windows from with the light of the moon and stars were streaming. And before was a huge double door – the door leading to the inner sanctuary – with in the background the yellow Fire Nation symbol and on the foreground a device holding five open-mouthed dragons, coiled in a way it was impossible to open the door without performing the necessary 'trick'. There was a ruby in the center. And these doors were closed... Shyu (he had introduced himself) told her that these could only be open by a fully realized Avatar or by five Fire Sages with five simultaneous fire blasts.
"Five simultaneous fire blasts... huh?"
"Can you do it?"
"Together we can, yes... but it'll be hard on you..."
"I'm strong. I'll be alright."
"Then..."
"If it's five simultaneous fire blasts it's not something I can't do. I have a partner who's stronger and more reliable than any human Firebending Master you could find. More like he'll be the one to open the door... and I only am his humble host and help." And with that, red markings appeared on her body, crawling down her limbs, up her neck and face, her amber eyes glowed gold, blending white, iris and pupil, and after a few forms, released five blasts of fire, one from her mouth and two from each of her open palms. The dragon mouths and flames pivoted and the door opened to the inside.
"How is it possible?" Shyu asked in awe as the marks and the glow receded to disappear completely.
"I have special circumstances... I once cursed the Fire Lord for it but now I came to peace with it, although I will never forgive him for the reason and the way it came to be... never... Although the Fire Sages from the Capital also have their part of responsibility..." Her tone was categorical and her strange and complicated smile was tinted with sadness, derision, gentle sincerity, and deep seated and smoldering resentment. A spark of recognition and guilt for his order flashed through his features. She stepped forward and smiled kindly at him. "Shyu, this is also a request from us: please help the Avatar, help Aang. We are relying on you." And the doors closed on her and the device switched back into place.
At sunset, Iroh was still soaking in his bath and snoring peacefully when a noise startled him awake. It was just a meadow vole that moved onto his outstretched hand where it stayed for a time before he released it.
"Ehh, seems I've dozed off and missed my nephew's deadline, but it was a very sweet nap." The old man happily and lazily leant back against the rock again, closing his eyes once more, not the least bit worried or regretful about Zuko's reaction. The vole started hopping up and down on the lip of the bath and making chittering noises. Suddenly it stopped and the ground started shaking from deeper in the forest. It flipped around to see dust clouds rising from the forest and then hopped away. The tremors soon reached Iroh's bath and two other shock waves approached the bath from left and right. The old general was been caught by surprise and when the shockwaves reached his 'tub' three triangular stones rose up between his legs and on his sides, keeping him imprisoned. A second later, three earthbenders appeared and had him surrounded. Another took Iroh's uniform and showed it to his officer.
"He's a Fire Nation soldier."
"He's no ordinary soldier. This is the Fire Lord's brother, the Dragon of the West, the once great General Iroh, but now, he's our prisoner."
At sunset, Aang goes out alone to face the monster. He nervously called it and asked it to leave the village alone while in the main building Sokka wanted to help saying he should not face this alone but was stopped by the old man. This continued until the sun completely disappeared behind the mountains. He reached the gate, and as there was still no response, the boy twirled his staff and planted it on the ground resolutely saying this was over before taking it back and turning to go back to the building, his guard down.
Suddenly a massive shape as big as a house, with six legs and black and white orca-like markings all over his body, emerged from the forest. Aang was still walking up the village street, unaware that Hei-Bai was following right behind him. The spirit was vaguely mammalian and had razor sharp teeth. The child realized something was amiss and stopped, turning to look up at the monster. He smiled and greeted it politely, but before he could finish the creature shot a blast of air and blue energy at him from its mouth, blowing the boy's staff to the ground. The spirit reared on its hind-most legs and bellowed, releasing another jet of blue energy from its mouth, and charged into the village, ignoring Aang and leaving him behind. The Avatar desperately tried to turn the spirit's attention to him, so they could hope to solve things peacefully. It was useless, however, and Hei Bai kept destroying buildings in rapid succession with its brute strength and shots of blue energy. Katara and the old man reassured Sokka that Aang was going to be alright. The airbender climbed onto a rooftop. As his timid attempts did not seem to work, he changed tactics and used a more forceful tone, but that only served to anger the spirit that swatted him backward. Aang crashed his back against a roof, slid off it and collapsed on the ground. Sokka could no longer take it and ran outside despite the old man's warnings who only managed to stop Katara from following her brother. Sokka threw his boomerang at Hei Bai to no effect. He ran to the Avatar who was yelling at him to go back and replied that they would fight together.
"I don't wanna fight him unless I- huh?!" In a flash, the spirit had grabbed the young warrior and was now running in the forest. Aang opened his glider and took off after them. The waterbender came running but had to stop at the gate. There was no way she could possibly catch up.
Further away, Zuko returned at last to the place where his uncle had been bathing. Despite his harsh disposition, he was a kind and caring person. He called but no answer came. A soldier suggested that he thought they had left without him. But then the prince noticed the unnatural setting of the rocks inside the stone tub. Another soldier evoked a landslide, however, as the teen remarked, land did not slide uphill. Iroh had been captured by earthbenders.
Aang was gliding at breakneck speed through the forest in pursuit of Hei-Bai, trying to save his fearful friend from the grip of the monster. They were even until the airbender hit a branch and was slowed down. The boy was catching up again when the creature entered the burnt wasteland, Aang close behind. Sokka cried for help. The Avatar told him to hang on and glided in closer, stretching his hand to his comrade who was able to grab it. But just as Aang began to pull his friend free, both he and the monster vanished. The boy fell from the sky in surprise at the base of the stone statue of a bear. When he woke up with a start and bolted upright, the moon shining over him.
"Sokka!" He looked around to see he was all alone. "I failed."
In a bamboo forest earthbenders on ostrich-horses were marching on in the middle of the night. The lead one had a lamp while another had a chained – and basically naked – Iroh behind his back. The old man was asking where he was being taken.
"We're taking you to face justice." The captain answered.
"Right. But where, specifically?"
"A place you're quite familiar with, actually. You once laid siege to it for 600 days, but it would not yield to you."
"Ah! The great city of Ba-Sing-Se." Iroh said wistfully.
"It was greater than you were, apparently." The captain smirked.
"I acknowledged my defeat at Ba-Sing-Se!" The firebender retorted defensively. "After 600 days away from home, my men were tired and I was tired," He yawned and put his face in the back of the soldier he was riding with. "And I'm still tired." He fell off the ostrich and the soldier stopped to look. The prisoner was lying on the road, chained up tight, but a smile on his face. They dismounted and picked him up to carry him back to and on the animal, without noticing the sandal that he had left behind or the smirk on his lips.
"I'm sure they'll be back." The old man joined Katara who was sitting at the village gate.
"I know." She replied. The elder advised her to get some rest and put his shawl on the girl's shoulders. "Everything's gonna be okay." She said, holding on to her brother's boomerang and trying to sound hopeful.
"Your brother is in good hands. I would be shocked if the Avatar returned without him."
In the midst of the old man's comforting words, Aang appeared along the forest trail leading up to the gate and faced Katara's downcast form.
"Katara, Katara I lost him." He admitted, having summoned all his courage. But neither of them reacted to his voice or presence. The old man said that the sun had risen. Maybe he would come back soon. Angry, the boy growled: he was right here! How could they act like he was not there?! He violently waved his hand in front of his face but to no avail. And then seeing the sun shining through his transparent hand, he realized he was in the spirit world. Or more exactly, his spirit had left his body and was wandering through this world.
Time passed, and on a certain trail, Zuko picked up the sandal his uncle had left at his intention. He sniffed it and recoiled, disgusted. No doubt that it was his uncle's.
At the village gate, Aang was sitting cross-legged and trying to cheer himself – and Katara – up (even though she could not see or hear him). After all, he was the bridge between the two worlds. All he had to do was to figure out what he had to do and it would be a walk in the park. It was then that Appa came in and grunted, putting his nose to Katara. Aang tried to call him but his 'buddy' could not see or hear him either. Appa grunted again and the girl woke up. She petted him and reassured him and both went inside the village but Aang stayed where he was.
"Avatar Roku, how can I talk to you?" The boy shouted to the sky, hoping for a sign. When none came, he looked down in despair. Then, he noticed something and looked back down the path, his face showing elation. He thought it was Sokka. But as the light grew stronger and closer, he saw with alarm that it was the spirit of a dragon flying toward him, and definitely not Sokka. He tried to fly away but failed. He could not airbend. The dragon spirit was bearing down on him when he saw another one coming at him from another side, except that this one was mounted. The first one landed in front of a cowering Aang. "You don't know where Sokka is, do you?" He asked fearfully and hopefully. In response, the dragon bended down and touched the boy's head with one of its whiskers. And in his mind, he saw an old man in Fire Nation cloths riding a red dragon. The spirit broke the contact. "You're Avatar Roku's animal guide! Like Appa is to me. I need to save my friend and I don't know how. Is there some way for me to talk to Roku?"
"Yes, there is." It was the person riding the other dragon who had answered.
"You're the girl from my vision!" Aang recognised her now that he could see her from up close. "But you are...?" He said now unsure.
"My name is Chenlian. And I can help you. Come." Her dragon took off again. Fang – Roku's dragon – coiled around the boy who said goodbye to Katara before jumping on its neck and they followed after the others.
The two dragons and their riders flew past a winding mountain path where four ostrich-horses were plodding along. Two pairs of eyes widened in shock at the familiar face they could see whizzing past. They turned their heads and stared at each other for the few seconds it took for the other to disappear out of sight. Just like Chenlian had been shocked to see Iroh – NAKED (or almost) – captured by earthbenders so close to the village where Aang's comrades were... (since that meant that Zuko wasn't far), Iroh had been shocked to see her, in spirit form, riding her dragon spirit, accompanied by the Avatar child who was riding another dragon. Although it was not the first time he had seen her in this form over these past three years, he had not expected to see her in such circumstances. He had been caught in a shameful position... But if she was free that would certainly be a good thing. And it seemed she was helping the Avatar. If that was the case, his nephew was certainly not going to be happy. But again, even if she had joined him instead of the Avatar he would have still been confused, and torn between what he thought was his duty, and his feelings for her that were conflicting enough as they were. Oh well, no use thinking about such haphazard groundless conjectures now. The dragons passed right over their heads, although he had been the only one to see them. Due to his strange startled expression, the captain asked what the problem was.
"Nothing. Actually, there is a bit of a problem. My old joints are feeling sore and achy and these shackles are too loose."
"Too loose?"
"That's right. The cuffs are loose and they jangle around and bump my wrists. It would help me if you would tighten them so they wouldn't shake around so much." The old man asked hopefully.
"Very well. Corporal, tighten the prisoner's hand cuffs."
They stopped the animals. The ostrich-horse on which the corporal and his prisoner were riding crouched down and the earthbender jumped down to obey his officer. As his hand was approaching Iroh breathed on the handcuffs that became red hot and pushed the corporal's hand down on the metal. He screamed in pain. Iroh jumped free, launched himself into the air and blasted fire at the soldiers with his tied feet. He rolled off the path and down the hill during the ensuing uproar.
Aang and Chenlian swiftly approached a crescent-shaped volcanic island. They entered the beautiful Temple and flew straight towards the ceiling. Aang screamed thinking they were going to crash but they passed right through it harmlessly. They landed on the floor. They were in the top-most chamber of the temple. It was basically empty if not for a golden statue of Avatar Roku against a wall of golden flames... and Chenlian's body that was sitting there lotus-style at the base of the three little steps leading to the statue, her effects laying at her side.
"Chenlian, you-"
"What? You thought I was dead? I am alive and don't plan on dying before a long time. I'm a normal person. It's only thanks to him that I can also enter the spirit world." She petted Guang's head. She still had not dismounted.
"Oh, I see."
"But we don't have time for that story now."
Once more Fang touched Aang's forehead with his whisker, and the image of a comet appeared in his head.
"Is that what Roku wants to talk to me about? A comet? When can I talk to him?" The boy turned toward the statue of the Avatar before him.
"Look." The girl said as Fang moved his head to let a beam of light enter. The shaft hit the wall above the statue's left shoulder. Guang put his whisker on the child's head and a vision of time passing at the Fire Temple began. From the exterior of the temple sitting on its volcanic promontory, he could see clouds fly by at incredible speed overhead and the sun round its daily course in a matter of seconds. Thus the present day ended and two nights and two days passed, the shaft of sunlight hitting the back wall closer and closer to the statue's face as each day passed.
"In two days from now on, the Winter Solstice will begin. You must come here in this chamber before sunset. Only then will you be able to talk to Avatar Roku."
"The winter solstice?! But I can't wait that long! I need to save Sokka now!"
"That's what I thought you'd say." The female firebender smiled. "Okay, let's go back." The boy mounted Fang and both flew back toward the Earth Kingdom.
Iroh was rolling down the hillside, still chained. The earthbender soldiers watched him from over the lip. One earthbended a torrent of dirt and rock after him and then three slid down the hillside in pursuit. When they caught up to him, Iroh was almost buried. A soldier remarked that he was too dangerous. They could not just carry him to the capital. They had to do something now. The captain agreed that he must be dealt with immediately and severely. Iroh spat out a little rock and smirked slightly. It might have been foolish to have hoped for a successful escape at this moment, but it was the perfect opportunity to stall time.
Katara and Appa were flying on reconnaissance above the forest but as they could not find Aang or Sokka, decided to go back to the village and wait for them. They were seen by Prince Zuko who was following the trail of the ostrich-horses on his komodo-rhino. He yanked the reigns to turn the beast back, but then looked down the trail leading to his captured uncle. He looked back again in the direction he had seen the flying bison, indecision clear on his face.
"Leave as soon as you can. The pursuit is hot on your trail. Concerning Hei Bai... I'm sure you'll be able to understand his feelings, since the same things happened to you. Just be honest, with yourself and with him, and speak with your heart. As long as there is life, there is hope. And it can be found in the most unexpected of places. Don't worry. Everything will be alright. Good luck." Chenlian advised as they were flying through the burnt down forest. The bear statue in front of them was rapidly growing larger, with Aang's body sitting crossed legged atop it. The boy braced himself for impact, but he merely went back his own body as Roku's dragon disappeared into the statue and the girl and her own dragon flew right past it with the same incredible speed. The sun was already setting. He woke up, now back in the material world, jumped down off the statue and turned to stare in wonder at it. After a time, Aang opened his glider and flew back toward the village where Katara was anxiously waiting for him on the porch of the main building. He landed before her and she rushed to hug him and Momo flew to perch on his master's shoulder, both really glad he was back. The waterbender asked where Sokka was but the boy was not sure. The sun sank below the western horizon.
Iroh's arms were stretched over a large rock in the center of a large rock pit. The captain wanted to crush those dangerous hands that had burned his corporal's. He earthbended a huge boulder from the ground and dropped it over the former general's hands and arms. But just before they were crushed, Zuko kicked the boulder out of the way. He landed and broke the chains binding his uncle's wrists with a heel drop. Iroh rose with a smile.
"Excellent form, Prince Zuko." He praised his nephew.
"You taught me well." The teen replied as both firebenders took their fighting stance.
"Surrender yourselves, it's five against two. You're clearly outnumbered." The captain reasoned. Indeed, Iroh and Zuko were back to back, surrounded by their would-be captors.
"Uh, that's true." The older man admitted. "But you are clearly outmatched!"
All five earthbenders launched stones at the pair. Iroh swung his chains and shattered them in mid-flight, while Zuko blasted the two nearest soldiers away. Two others tried to shoot him down from behind. The young firebender was about to be hit when the huge boulder got wrapped in Iroh's chains who after making it twirl around him released it back at their capturers, knocking them both out. The captain launched several rocks at Zuko who dodged them and returned fire. The blast was blocked when the Captain lowered his head and the flame dissipated harmlessly over his armoured slightly conical helmet. The remaining earthbender raised two huge sheets of rock and the prince looked afraid, but then chains wrapped around the Captain's feet and he was pulled to the ground by Iroh, causing the rocks to fall on top of him and bury him in dirt. Iroh and Zuko looked at each other and smiled, the teen putting his hand on his uncle's shoulder.
"Now would you please put on some clothes?!"
Aang was once more standing at the village gate. Night had barely fallen. The wind was blowing. After a time he walked back into the village. As he approached a building, the monster appeared breaking through its roof. It roared in triumph, releasing blue energy from its mouth. Aang cried out and protected himself from the debris by bending the air around him into a fast spinning ball. Katara cried at him to run. The creature roared and rand toward the main building where his friends where hiding, but the airbender ran, jumped over it and put his hand onto its forehead. His hand glowed light blue, and Aang recognised the panda bear from the statue. The boy landed on the porch.
"You're the spirit of this forest. Now I understand. You're upset and angry because your home was burned down. When I saw the forest had burned I was sad and upset. But my friend gave me hope that the forest would grow back." With a smile, he showed Hei-Bai the acorn Katara had given him and placed it on the porch. The monster picked up the acorn and turned back into its real form: a gentle panda. The spirit turned and walked away and as it passed the gate, a thicket of bamboo grew to man height in seconds. A moment later, Sokka and a few villagers appeared from the thicket, looking confused. Katara ran to hug her brother as other villagers went to hug their loved ones. He had been trapped in the Spirit World for twenty-four hours. She asked how he was feeling.
"Like I seriously need to use the bathroom!" Sokka replied, as usual not reading, or caring, about the mood.
Some time later, the chief, flanked by a few villagers, thanked the Avatar and asked what they could do to repay him.
"You could give us some supplies and some money." Sokka answered, with practicality in mind as usual. His sister angrily elbowed him for his all too mundane comment. "What? We need stuff." He justified himself. The chief gladly complied.
"I'm so proud of you, Aang. You figured out what to do all on your own." Katara praised her friend.
"Actually, I did have a little help. And there's something else." The boy remembered the comet, and Chenlian and her dragon.
"What is it?" The Water Tribe warrior inquired.
"I need to talk to Roku and I think I've found a way to contact his spirit."
"That's great!"
"Creepy, but great."
"There's a temple on a crescent shaped island, and if I go there on the solstice I'll be able to speak with him. And I'll also be able to meet the girl from my vision, the one I told you about at the Southern Air Temple, with a dragon."
"But, the solstice is tomorrow."
"Yeah, and there's one more problem. The island is in the Fire Nation."