[EDIT: 10/11/2022] Well, I did it. I made this chapter make more sense! LOL, the editing won't stop! But no, seriously, this time, I think got it all planned out! I made this chapter go smoothly with the rest of the story! Check it out and see the differences! :)
(OLD NOTE) Man, sorry for the edits everyone, I just realized I could make this chapter sound a lot better with some character development and include some other interesting elements in the story. I think I got it all planned out from here though, so here's hoping there won't be any more editing from hereon in. ^^;
But yeah, you can all read this chapter again to see what has changed! ;) The whole "Otherworld"(Nightmare World) concept in this story will still be the same and it will be explained at the end of the chapter still. I'm not saying this is how the "Otherworld" really works or anything, I'm just taking creative license on it. Believe it or not, the game series is still trying to figure that out as well. XP
12:00 PM
There was a meeting at the Silent Shrine about a few miles away from the northern part of the lake.
The Silent Shrine, once built to respect the spirits, was now a gathering place for the town's few residents. Candles were lit all around them as the outside was pitch black out there, the town shrouded by the thick blanket of perpetual darkness. An older woman stood behind a podium as she faced everyone that arrived at the shrine. The lower members of The Order were on their knees, bowing to their leader. The few and only members of The Order consisted of Maikera and his daughter Kura, as well as the older woman's two sons, Vucen and Waten. The four were all in a row as they bowed before her. The older woman who stood before them, also known as Mother Daria, looked down at her followers, pleased to see that they had all come to this important gathering. However…
"Maikera," Mother Daria spoke out.
"Yes, Mother Daria?" Maikera said with his head down.
"May I ask...where was she this morning? She never came to her lesson..."
None can see it, but Maikera expressed an irritated scowl that wasn't meant for Daria, but rather, at the person she was mentioning. Daria even held out a sneer when mentioning her.
"...I sincerely apologize, Mother Daria," Maikera said to her, his voice and tone even. "She...must've either slept in or...she'd forgotten."
Their leader sniffed at the statement. "Hm...do remind her whenever you stop by her home. After all, this day could very well be our...final meeting here, as well as this being her final lesson that she missed."
"...I will," Maikera said, his voice sounding dark but shamed-filled.
Kura, Vucen, and Waten said nothing, all three doing their best not to show pity towards the outcast of the group. They did, however, frown while they were bowing.
"Good," Mother said. "With that being said, thank you all for coming to this gathering."
"Of course, Mother Daria," Kura says.
"Hm. You may all rise on your knees." The eldest member of their order commanded.
All four did as they rose from their positions onto their knees.
"Now, we are here to commemorate this day. The day God will be born from the womb into the material world. To be born from the chosen bearer of God." Daria turned her attention to Kura.
Kura smiled at Mother Daria, feeling privileged to be chosen. Next to her, Vucen grabbed her hand in a tender way as they both looked at each other with warmth and love.
"And as for the thirteen that are chosen to be sacrificed...they are all here as well. Three have been killed during the start of the day during the first hour of the morning and one has recently just killed himself, on the town's 'birthday'. Now only two remain in the first part of the ritual, meaning there are nine in total." Daria smiled at them all. "Progress is certainly coming along."
Waten raised his hand to announce that he wanted to speak. Mother glanced at her son and nodded. "You may speak, child."
The youngest son lowered his hand, and asked, "What of the Phoenix King's daughter, Azula?"
"Hmm, yes. Her appearance is rather...peculiar." Mother said rather mysteriously.
"What would her appearance mean, Mother?" Vucen asked. "Could she somehow have a role in this as well as Phoenix King Ozai?"
Daria stood at the altar, appearing to be thinking. "...God has not yet revealed that to me. However, God may have a plan for her in due time."
"Really?" Asked a surprised Kura. "What role could she play? Certainly she is not to be sacrificed, and her father Ozai, as God told you, said that he would pave the road to Paradise."
"Yes, I am well aware of that, Kura. And, well..." Daria smiled somewhat curiously, "We just have to wait and see. Either way, we mustn't doubt God, as God could be preparing something...extraordinary within her."
"Actually, if I may ask once more, Mother," Vucen spoke up in slight confusion, "While there are supposed to be thirteen sacrifices within this sacred ground for God to be born, we have a total of eighteen people here. What would happen to the others that aren't sacrificed?"
"Yes, my son, this I am aware of as well," Daria told him. "Do not worry, for if there are thirteen sacrifices on this holy ground, it will please God. The others will just simply have to see God's splendor." She smiled once more. "However, in order to bear God, you and Kura must act quickly after the sixth death occurs. And after you both give yourselves to each other, seven more deaths will come in order to birth God into our world."
Vucen and Kura both looked at each other affectionately, with Vucen blushing a slight red, while Kura smiled and softly giggled.
"And I reiterate, there must be six deaths before the 'union', and seven deaths for when the selected has died on this sacred ground. Nothing can surpass these numbers until God is born." Mother reminded them.
Waten nodded. "That is right. And it could be anyone. Even the Avatar, as you said he'll be on this island as well, Mother."
"Yes...the Avatar." Mother Daria glowered. "He failed to bring harmony into this world, as God had told me. He ran from his duties like a coward many years ago, and yet he dares to return to this world as if he still had the right and authority to do so." She then smiled crookedly. "Well, no longer shall the host of Raava interfere with God's work. Soon, his pathetic life shall be used to appease God's will."
"Indeed." Maikera nodded. "It would also be interesting to see how God will use the Avatar's emotions in this event."
"It would even be more interesting to see how God will use everyone, whoever they may be," Kura added.
"Yes. They will all play a key part in all of this. Even the ones that aren't chosen to be sacrificed, they will see the magnificence of it all...the magnificence of God." Mother said, her eyes radiating with excitement and desire. She looked back to her subjects, returning her expression to a solemn one. "Although the Phoenix King tried to burn down the Earth Kingdom as God told me, it gave God a plan for us. God has told me to bring the Phoenix King to this island so that he can be God's fiery sword to cleave down this rotten world."
"Certainly the Phoenix King will be enough to burn the whole world down when God is born. God can grant anything." Waten nodded in admiration.
"Indeed God will...indeed God will." Mother Daria repeated assuredly with a slight smirk. "As for what God has planned for Ozai's daughter...well, Waten, Vucen, Kura, I hereby put you three in charge of watching over her."
Vucen and Kura both looked quite confused, while Waten's eyes widened in shock.
"Um...us, Mother?" Vucen asked her curiously.
"Yes, my child. We may not know what plan God has for her, but I trust my most devoted sons and my most devoted daughter-in-law to carry out this task," Daria said to them with a smile.
Kura blinked at the mission that was handed to her, as well as her husband and his brother. "Um...Mother Daria, please excuse me for my questions, but...why us? Wouldn't we be safe here in the shrine from God's creations at this time? What if the sacrifices' torments will come into view in their minds and we are caught in the middle of them? Do you happen to know how much time God's cleansing will come to pass today on its founding day?"
"For the last question: I do know when God's 'cleansing' will come to pass as of this day. The cleansing will last only an hour this time today, longer than it usually is because of this special day. As of now, only fifty minutes remain. As for the first question: It is because all three of you are young and vibrant enough to do this task. For the final two: If you're all worried about your safety, then fear not, children. I will anoint you all with our sacred oil for protection against the creatures that God has made in the form of the sacrifices' torments. And once the cleansing has been completed and lifted, the sacrifices' torments will still be present within their very being. From that point on, they will be living in a perpetual nightmare, as the darkest parts of their minds will come to life. God will be able to do all of the rest." Mother Daria reassured.
All three of them stayed quiet, Waten nodding to his literal mother as he listened, while Vucen and Kura listened intently as well.
"Yes, of course. I understand, Mother." Kura assured her.
"Good." Mother Daria then dug into her robes, pulling out a small, ornate jar. Slowly twisting off the lid, she pulled it off to reveal the contents inside. "Now, apply this on your forehead. Not too much now. Just rub a few drops, and you shall be safe from God's servants."
As she handed her oldest son Vucen the jar, Vucen was a little hesitant to take it from her.
"...Is something wrong, my son?" Mother asked.
Vucen looked up at his mother. "Oh, um...no, I just…"
"Are you afraid of going out into God's sacred ground at this time?" Daria asked him in a slightly condescending tone. Vucen gulped as he felt all the males' eyes around him, Makera judging him, while Waten looked at him expectedly, with his literal Mother's being the most paralyzing.
"I...of course not, Mother, I just…"
"It is alright, my love," Kura reassured him as she held his hand. "If you are worried about me, then don't be. God will watch over us. We are going to birth God after all." She said with a sweet smile.
Vucen looked at his wife with pure warmth. "I do trust that God will watch over us. I just...get a little uncomfortable when we see God's servants."
"Hm." Mother hummed. "You must have faith in order for the oil to work. Do not interrupt the servants' duties, and they shall leave you be. Understood? Do not touch nor communicate with God's servants, and they should all leave you alone."
The eldest son looked back at his mother, this time his eyes filled with resolve. "I will, Mother. And…" Vucen turned to his wife. "I will watch over Kura. To make sure she is not harmed."
Kura smiled warmly and placed her hand on his face. Vucen smiled in the same manner as well to his wife.
"I will help you along the way as well, my brother and sister," Waten reassured them.
Vucen and Kura turned to Waten and smiled back at him.
"Thank you, Waten," Vucen said to him in gratitude.
Kura nodded back gratefully at Waten, whereas the younger male in turn smiled at them both.
"Then apply the oil." Mother commanded. "Apply it onto your minds and believe."
All three of them nodded, and this time Vucen accepted the jar. Pouring a small amount of oil on his fingers, he spread them onto his wife's forehead before his. Lastly, he put the rest of the liquid on his brother's forehead. As soon as that was done, Vucen gave it back to his mother, who in turn nodded at the young man.
"Now…" Mother Daria said to all three of them. "Go."
The three younger adults began to stand up and then turned to the exit of the shrine. Vucen grabbed his wife's hand, while Kura returned the gesture, affectionately giving his hand a squeeze. Waten placed a hand on Vucen's shoulder and both brothers looked at each other. They nodded, telling each other that they can do this.
They ignited a flame in their palms as they were ready to set foot in the unnatural darkness outside.
And with that, they walked out of the shrine, and into the unknown.
When they left, only Maikera and Daria remained.
Maikera narrowed his eyes at the leaving group. "Mother Daria, will my daughter be safe?" He asked her.
Daria smiled at him. "Indeed, she will." She glanced down at the jar in her hand. "...Do you need some of the oil as well?"
The man turned to look at the woman and then down at the jar...and suddenly felt a growing bitterness as he remembered her. "...Yes...I really apologize for...my other daughter's absence today."
"Do not be. It was her choice," Daria said as she also looked to recall something, her eyes narrowed in contempt as she murmured. "It was...their choice..." She looked back at Maikera. "Do make sure she knows that this could be our final time here on this island. She will have to learn that this is a grand occasion...one that she will not miss."
Maikera frowned as the shame came back on his face. Upon thinking of her, his expression then turned stoic as he answered, "I will. I'll make sure she knows how important this day is..."
= Aang =
12:20 PM
Aang's eyes shot open. Jumping to his feet with Airbending, he grabbed his staff from his back and frantically looked around, searching for the voice that just spoke to him. Seeing no one around him, he began to relax.
"Hooo...that's a relie-" He then blinked, before his body straightened back up. "Wait...no one's here."
Aang looked around once more. Matter of fact...where was he? He looked around, and he realized that he was in a wooden building. It was quite dark, save for the dirty windows that would allow some light inside of the dusty area.
"I'm...all alone...all alone in this spooky, rotting building," Aang spoke to himself. Suddenly feeling cold, despite how humid it was, he began to hug himself. It's been only two minutes since he woke up, and he was already feeling lonely. Already, he missed Appa, Momo, Iroh, Zuko, Sokka, Suki, Toph, and Katara. Especially Katara.
The boy Avatar sighed. "I hope they're doing alright. Or at least, I hope that they're not alone."
Suddenly he began to think about Zuko and Katara being alone together. His grip on his airbender staff began to tighten in anger. He only began to notice this when the wind began to blow all around him, causing dust and debris to surround him as well.
"ACK!" He coughed up some of the dust that was in his lungs. "Ugh! Okay, that sucked." Aang wheezed. "Alright, time to get some fresh air."
He quickly walked out of the tiny building and opened the wooden door.
CRASH!
Aang leaped back in surprise as the door fell the moment he grabbed the knob. He squinted from the sudden invasion of light. Blinking spots out of his eyes, he realized that the wood around the door has long been eaten away by termite-ants and time.
"Well, I'm not a prisoner this time, so that's a step up," Aang muttered as he shrugged before he headed outside.
His eyes widened at what he saw. "Whoa!"
Aang gasped at the moon in the sky. To put it into simple terms...it was huge. And when he says huge, he meant that it looked like it was way too close to the planet to be safe. Looming over the island, the moon hung in the sky, perhaps about four times bigger than it should be. Aang had to quickly check to see if the island wasn't being drowned by the ocean due to how close the moon was. To his relief and confusion, everything looked fine.
"Wow, that's odd." Aang looked around the area he was in once more.
There was another peculiar thing that he noticed in his surroundings: It was pitch black. Of course, the large moon above illuminated everything, but even on the darkest of nights, it wasn't this dark. Of course, he was usually around other people in villages or cities, where outdoor lighting was always in a surplus. Even the lower ring of Ba Sing Se had adequate lightning, but when he looked down at the village over at a cliffside, there wasn't a single lantern lit to be seen.
Aang began to feel a little more uneasy at the idea that he was completely alone. Upon realizing that he was getting nervous, he sat down in a lotus position and began to meditate.
In...out...in...out...in...out...in-
"Ah, excellent. Looks like you haven't forgotten our meditation technique." A very familiar voice suddenly called out to him. Aang yelped in surprise as he leaped to his feet, pointing his staff at the sudden visitor in front of him.
Aang's eyes widened at the sudden company in front of him. Hands trembling, his breath turned shaky as disbelief, grief, and wonder began to overwhelm the avatar.
"Gyatso?" Aang said in a breathless tone.
He couldn't believe his eyes. Monk Gyatso stood there in front of Aang, monk robes and all, smiling at him. Trembling, he quickly checked to see if it was an imposter by slowly poking his staff at the necklace he was wearing around his neck. When he did and saw that it moved naturally, Aang gasped. Everything about him was real. His voice, his faint herbal smell, his mustache, and even his necklace was authentic.
Aang couldn't hold it in anymore. Tears welled up in his eyes as he hugged his old friend, mentor, and father figure.
"How?" Was all Aang could say as he choked up. Even his soft, firm robes felt the same as they did all those years ago, which made his eyes tear up even further.
Gyatso chuckled warmly. "Aang, you sure have grown."
"Is...is this real?" Aang let go of the hug and backed away, a faint smile on his lips.
Chuckling once more, Gyatso said to him. "Indeed, Aang. It's all real. I'm real."
Aang's smile widened as the tears kept pouring down on his face.
"Come now Aang, there's no need for waterworks. We got all the time in the world to catch up." Gyatso walked over to a rusty bench, which was reduced to nothing more than its skeletal frame. Aang eagerly followed him there and sat down next to him. Ignoring the uncomfortable feeling that arose from sitting on the ruined bench, Aang began to tell his mentor all about his adventures.
12:40 PM
"...and that's how I defeated Ozai and helped put Zuko on the throne!" Aang finished eagerly, panting and out of breath. He realized that he was forgetting to breathe, and had to stop to inhale some air. Gyatso smiled at this.
"Sounds like you've done some good work." He said with a nod.
"Yeah…" Aang seemed rather unsure about that statement, which made Gyatso raise an eyebrow.
"Is everything alright, Aang?" His mentor asked. "And before you deny it, remember, I know you Aang. I know when you're lying as well, so you might as well save yourself the trouble of denying it."
Aang remained silent at this, before he let out a slow, steady sigh, creating a slight breeze in front of them.
"...No, everything's not alright." Aang finally admitted. "Sure, I took away Ozai's bending, but he still has his loyal followers, and they just broke him out of prison! That's why we're here, to help bring him and Azula back where they belong. To make matters worse, Zuko sent his men to go get them, but now they could either be missing or all dead. One of them even killed himself in front of us!" Aang whitened and trembled at that part, that memory still haunting him. "And some part of me wonders if it's all my fault."
Gyatso looked at him, his smile still oddly in place. "Well, was it your fault?"
"Huh?" Aang said in slight confusion. "What?"
"I said...was it your fault?"
Aang sat there next to his mentor, pondering the words that he has spoken. Looking down at the ground, he thought about everything that led up to this.
"Um…" Aang pondered about it some more.
He then felt a calm hand on his shoulder. Looking up at Gyatso, Aang gazed at him, hoping for some reassurance.
His look of hope quickly turned to confusion as he gazed at Gyatso's look of excitement and desire. It made Aang uncomfortable since Gyatso had never made this face before.
"Come on, Avatar, think. Think way back to that moment. Tell me, what led up to this moment?"
His grip tightened on Aang's shoulder, making him wince in pain.
"G-Gyatso, that kind of hurts." He whined, but Gyatso just put another hand on his shoulder.
"Come on, Avatar, think! Think way back to that moment. Tell me, what led up to this moment, and tell me this: Was it all your fault?"
Aang could suddenly smell smoke, and he realized that it was coming from in front of him. He looked down at Gyatso's feet, and he realized that the edges of his robes are smoking.
"G-Gyatso! Your robes are smoking!" He warned him, but Gyatso paid no heed. Instead, his smile morphed into a grin, showing off his yellow teeth. Then he started to chuckle.
"TELL ME, AANG! WAS IT ALL YOUR FAULT?!" He roared, as he began to shake Aang.
FWOOOM!
Gyatso's robes suddenly caught on fire, making Aang yell in fear. He immediately tried to pull away, but Gyatso just tightened his grip. Aang began to yell in pain and fear as his fingers began to dig into his flesh.
"Gyatso, please!" Aang pleaded, but the man in front of him ignored his cries.
Something began to smell, and Aang had to force himself not to throw up. To his horror, he realized that it was the smell of Gyatso's flesh burning, and it smelled just like cooked meat, but just...wrong.
"WAS IT ALL YOUR FAULT?!" Gyatso's face was now one of a madman's grin, even as the flames began to lick his face. His flesh immediately began to burn, red turning into brown, then into charred black. His eyeballs began to melt, the gooey liquid running down his body along with blood.
"AAH!" Aang screamed as blood began to seep out of his shoulders.
WOOOSH!
Gyatso was blasted back by Aang's airbending sending him flying into the rotten cabin. Aang fell onto his rear, clutching his wounded shoulders as he tried to make sense of what was going on.
CLACK. CLACK. CLACK.
Aang looked up to see that the cabin was now ablaze, no doubt from Gyatso's-or whatever that thing was-burning body was touching it. But what really horrified Aang was that he realized that he wasn't alone anymore.
As he turned to his left, there suddenly stood an army of Airbenders. Just like Gyatso, they were all on fire as well, their flesh cooking and burning as it fell off of them. Despite some of them having nothing left to burn, their bones remained on fire, and despite having no eyes, he could feel their glare on him.
"Why did you leave us, Aang?" One of the little ones asked, and he realized to his despair and horror that it was a young Airbender, a child no doubt.
"You abandoned us, Avatar," One of the elder ones groaned. "You left us to die, Aang. You left us to burn, while you were running away from your responsibilities."
"You're nothing but a selfish brat, Aang," Gyatso stepped out of the burning cabin. His flesh was all gone, eaten away by the raging inferno, but his robes and his necklace remained. "You left because you're just a brat who refused to listen to others. I trusted you, Aang. We all did, and look what happened."
"No, no!" Aang closed his eyes, and placed his hands over his ears, trying to block out their voices.
"And now you're going to run away from your friends." A young girl moaned. "You're going to abandon them too when they needed you most. After all, that's what you do best."
"NO! I won't!" Aang shouted, tears running down his face.
"It's okay, Aang," Gyatso said calmly. "We're here now. We can stay here together, and you can keep playing your games with us. Come, Aang, join us."
"Yes, Aang. Join us." The burning skeletons groaned in unison. "Join us. Join us. Join us. JOIN US."
Aang couldn't take it anymore. He turned around, and he ran away from the mob of dead-looking airbenders and Gyatso, his weak legs suddenly roaring to life.
"Come back Aang!" Gyatso groaned. "Don't leave us again!"
"Noooo! Don't leave us, Aang!" The other airbenders shrieked. "Don't leave us!"
Aang could only shut his eyes as he kept on running, tears running down his face. Somehow those words hurt a lot more than his shoulders did.
'What'shappeningwhat'shappeningwhat'shappeningwhat'shappening?!' Aang's mind went blind with panic, unsure of anything anymore. Who was that? What were they? How were they here? What did they want? And did he want to know the answer?
Everything became a blur as he ran as fast as the wind. The trees warped and began to cave in as he ran down the dusty path. The world turned blurry and dark as the undead continued calling out to him. Aang kept running as he went down the path that led him to the town. He didn't really even know where he was going, but he hoped they were far behind him.
So he ran, ran, and ran. Just like that fateful day, when he last saw his people. Just exactly like that fateful day, when he abandoned the Air Nation.
However, what Aang didn't know, was that the path he was taking, this path towards this town of 'Silent Hills'...would be the beginning of his downward spiral...
In the midst of his running, he felt his foot tripping over something, and fell, letting himself skid and roll on the ground, hitting his head as he was tossed around like a ragdoll...
He was out like a light.
1:00 PM
...Aang's eyes fluttered open.
His head hurts...
His stamina was depleted as he lay there on the hard ground.
"Ugh..." He got up sluggishly and wobbled a bit to stand.
"Ooooough...oh, man."
After easing his head from the ground impact, Aang shook his head to clear his mind...
Once his mind calmed down enough to finally register his current surroundings, Aang finally realized that he was standing in front of an empty fountain, which looked old, rotted, and broken.
"What...?" Aang mumbled. "...Oh!" his eyes suddenly went wide in surprise, "I...I'm in the town?"
He looked around the area and saw...
...Fog...
And it was daylight outside.
Aang blinked, turning around to see if he had gained some distance between...
When he reached for his back, he realized...
"Huh?" Stuttered Aang as he looked behind him.
His airbending staff wasn't on him.
"Hey!" He twirled around, seeing if he had misplaced it somewhere. Seeing that he doesn't have it, he looked around the foggy area he was in.
"Where...?" Aang then realized something...
...He was alone...
...Gulping in anxiety, Aang then began to walk to the fountain.
Upon looking at it, it looked like it was destroyed by time and use, but it could have been abused. Maybe even blown up...
By a fire...
Thinking about fire made Aang remember the things he had just encountered back there...when it was...nighttime?
'Wait...how long was I out?' Aang wondered.
...Actually...was it all a dream?
'No...it felt real...'
Aang stood there in front of the fountain...and felt a somber feeling in his heart...
'Gyatso…' Aang frowned. He soon fell onto his knees, trembling with sadness and fear. He wanted to meditate, but he was afraid that Gyatso and his army would return back to haunt him in his mind, maybe his dreams. Unsure of what to do, he sat on the ground and hugged his knees as he began to rock back and forth, the feeling of loneliness suffocating his chest.
Is he okay? Did his eyes deceive him? Had what he encountered was even real?
Was everything around him even…
'Stop it! You're not going crazy! It was just a bad nightmare! That's all!'
Aang nodded at that, resolving that issue.
"Yeah...I mean, there's no way Gyatso and the others would've been-"
"Are you okay, young man?" Something grabbed his shoulder as a voice came from behind him.
"AAAHHH!"
Aang sprang upward with his airbending about five feet into the air, frightened by the sudden sound and touch. When he landed on his two feet, he quickly turned around, alert and afraid of who might have snuck up on him. He got into an airbending stance.
"Woah there, my bad." The man said, raising his hands in surrender. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. You just seemed a little lost, so I thought I would try to help you."
After everything Aang just went through, he couldn't help but feel a little on edge.
The man stood only a few inches taller than Aang, which didn't help him with his sense of unease. But soon, he began to relax when he noticed the man's dark skin color, which did remind him of the Water Tribe people, save for his odd uniform. Although, his attire was also blue, which already made him look like he was from the Water Tribe.
Narrowing his eyes, he jerked his head forward and asked, "What's in the bag?"
The man let out a small chuckle, "Well, if you're looking for gold, young man, then sorry to say, but you'll be sorely disappointed." To prove his point, the man opened his large bag and revealed a bunch of scrolls and letters. "I'm just a simple mail carrier here. Again, I'm not looking for any trouble. I just wanted to know if you're doing alright."
Aang blinked before he blushed at the silent accusation.
"O-oh no, I'm not a thief! I just...well…" Aang's embarrassed mood quickly soured back into his darker ones. "Well, you wouldn't believe me anyways."
"Hm, I see." The man stroked his bearded chin, which was noticeably greying out. "Look, I won't pry, since it's none of my business, but I'm assuming that you've seen some...pretty bad stuff around here, yes?"
Aang froze, now alert and bracing himself to either fight or run, in case this man exploded into flames as well.
Either way, he nodded and answered, "Yes," unsure of where this line of conversation was going.
"Hmm," The man hummed as he nodded and mumbled. "Well, I don't blame ya," He went over to the broken fountain and sat on the circular ledge of it. "This town..." the man sighed solemnly, "...used to be a place to relax and cheer up. Not that different from Ember Island, from what little we hear. Families, friends, politicians, everybody would visit this little island to have fun. Unfortunately, time takes away everything, and this place turned from an island of paradise to an island of sin."
Aang stood there in silence as he relaxed his stance, staring at the mail carrier. "...What happened?"
"It got too popular. Many deviants decided to do terrible deeds, prostitutes began infesting this town, and even illegal dealers came here to do business." The man frowned, remembering the times.
Aang frowned as well upon hearing that. "I'm...sorry."
The man shook his head with a slight chuckle. "You didn't do anything to cause it, young man. It's just how life is sometimes."
'Life…' Even though he heard that last part, Aang couldn't help but disagree with the man on him not causing anything. While he wasn't the cause of this island's declining tourism, he did let a lot of things happen while he was sleeping in that iceberg...like his whole people being annihilated.
Images of undead rotting corpses of his airbending people came back to his mind. Aang shook his head to rid himself of those horrid thoughts.
The man then got up from his seat. "Well, break time's over. I need to deliver some mail. A mailman's work is never done." He smiled at Aang. "You be good now, okay?"
Aang looked at him peculiarly. "Wait...you're a mailman, right?"
The said mailman chuckled. "Didn't I just say that I was? At least I thought I did. I hope my old age isn't making me forget things so easily now. That wouldn't be good for my job."
"Oh, uh, no, you said you were a mailman. I'm just...confused as to why you're delivering mail in an abandoned town?" Aang explained.
"Oh, well, there are still some people here. You just haven't seen them yet." The man said nonchalantly.
"Haven't seen them?" Aang asked, raising a brow.
"Mm-hmm. Now if you'll excuse me, I have work to do." The mailman began to walk away from the fountain and Aang.
Aang called out to him. "Wait! What's your name?"
The man stopped. "Oh, that's right! We haven't introduced ourselves, have we? Heh, I am getting old." He turned to the airbender with a smile. "I apologize. The name's Zhong, kid. Zhōng Xìng Xiān, but everybody just calls me Zhong. And you are?"
"Um...Aang."
"Well then, Aang, I'll see you around." Zhong nodded at him with the same kind smile and turned around to walk back into the foggy town. The fog enveloped him, his figure nothing but a black silhouette as he went further into the mist.
Aang watched the mailman disappear until he was alone once more.
"Huh...that was strange," Aang muttered.
Strapping his staff on his back, he looked around his area again, his eyes lingering on the buildings, which, while abandoned and decrepit, didn't look like it was burnt from the inside out like the cabin in his dream.
"Hm?" Aang looked back at the fountain, and to his confusion, found it to be full of water. He walked up to the fountain and stared down at the water that was inside it. He sees his reflection in it, and he is suddenly reminded of...
'You abandoned us, Avatar!' The image of Gyatso in the water roared back at him, his eyes full of hatred.
Aang blanched as he closed his eyes and shook his head to clear the voice and image in his mind. He looked down at the water once more.
He can only see his reflection in the fountain.
Deciding not to think about that memory any further, he began to look around to see where he was at.
As he observed his surroundings, he saw that he was back in town, in some sort of a gathering area with a dead fountain in the middle of it.
Aang frowned, "Well...I could see if my friends are around here at least..." he said to himself.
'And you're going to turn away from your friends. You're going to abandon them when they need you the most. After all, that's what you do best.'
Shaking his head, he rejected those hurtful words in his mind that came out of that dead airbender's mouth. No matter how much he tries to shrug it off, the words still stung. Aang stood there, fists clenched in frustration as he stared at the ground, his eyes filled with grief. Tears almost started to form in them, but he held back the waterworks.
"No...crying about it won't solve anything...and...I won't leave, nor will I turn away from my friends…especially Katara." Aang consoled himself.
He looked up and stared at the fountain, the structure filled with water.
'Maybe I can get my mind off of it with a little bit of waterbending,' Aang thought. He then took a deep, steady breath, before going into a stance. Closing his eyes, he slowly lifted his arms, feeling his chi flow through his veins.
Aang heard the familiar sound of the water bending to his will, a stream of water rising from the fountain. He guided his arms through his hands to move slowly and elegantly, feeling the power rush through every blood vessel in his body.
In...out...in...out.
"Aang."
A vision of another dead Airbender suddenly popped into his mind, and he froze. The tendrils of water orbiting him began to collapse, and he shook his head.
'No! No, no, I can't, I won't think about that!' Aang pleaded to himself. He decided to try and think of something more pleasant, something beautiful, something...comforting.
Something...tantalizing…
'Katara…'
He thought about how she moved her body around when she bends. It was a sight to behold, one that he never noticed until now. How she gracefully moved her body as she bent the water to her will…
He tried to mimic that as he thought about her. He closed his eyes and lifted his arms again, the chi coming back to him as it flowed through his body. Using his arms and moving them around like Katara does, he guided his arm movements as he can hear the soft sounds of water being manipulated. The peaceful movements soon relaxed him…
'Katara...she really is beautiful. And the way she moves when she bends. It's...I can't describe it. It's...gorgeous? Yeah...gorgeous. The way she moves is gorgeous. She's gorgeous. Her face, her skin...her body. It's all...mine.'
"Hello?"
Aang's eyes snapped open in surprise, and all focus was lost, his grace and form destroyed as the water fell from the air with a splash.
"Huh?"
What he saw in the distant fog was another silhouette, this one being a woman's. She was walking towards him through cautious steps, which made Aang relax a bit, seeing that she doesn't appear to be hostile.
He was, however, still on edge, given the entire episode that he just went through.
The woman came in closer and made herself present in front of Aang.
She looked beautiful to begin with, looking to be in her early twenties. Her long raven hair was down and her face had pretty feminine angular features, as well as having lush lips. She was wearing a red tunic and brown pants, and loafer shoes. She also has a delicate frame, making her look like she could easily fall over if she was ever knocked over harshly.
"Oh! H-Hello! You're...you're a young man," The woman said in slight shock.
"Uh...yes?" Aang answered, quite confused by her reaction. "Who are you?"
The woman's eyes widened. "I... " She looked around the area they were in, almost as if trying to find someone. "I'm...I'm sorry, but I can't tell you that."
Aang looked at her quizzically. "Huh? Why's that?"
"Well...someone is looking for me…" She shook her head. "I-I'm sorry, ar-are you lost?"
"Uh...I guess I am." Aang looked down as he rubbed the back of his head in uncertainty. He then suddenly looked up. "Oh, actually, I'm trying to find my friends! Do you know who or where they are? Two of them are from the Southern Water Tribes. Their names are Sokka and Katara! Then there's a little blind, earthbending girl named Toph, who wears green like the older girl with warrior make-up named Suki. Then there's the two guys from the Fire Nation, the first one being an old guy named Iroh, while the other guy with a scar on his face is named...wait," Aang paused a second to think about it for a moment. "Actually, you know who my friends are, right? And...you know who I am, right? I'm the Avatar! My name's Aang! You must've heard of us! Oh! I totally forgot! The one with the scar is named Zuko, and he's now the new Fire Lord!"
The woman looked at him as if he just grew another head. "Uh...I'm sorry. Aang, is it? While I'm glad you didn't come here alone, I...don't know anything about what you were talking about."
Aang froze as he blinked. "What?"
"I mean...well...on giving you information, I've lived on this island ever since I can remember." The woman uttered. "I never once left, and we don't really get a lot of visitors, so we're pretty isolated out here."
"Really?" Aang raised a curious brow. "Wait, so...you never, like, left the island at all at one point?"
The woman shook her head. "No…"
"Oh...huh..." Aang found that a little bizarre. "...and you don't know who I'm talking about?"
The woman gave him a forlorn expression, "No, young man, I really don't."
"Oh..." Aang frowned, "Well...Have you seen anybody anywhere lately that looked like what I described?"
The woman shook her head, giving him the same sad expression. "I'm sorry, young man, I haven't seen any of them."
"Oh…" Aang lowered his head in disappointment.
The woman felt pity for him and thought about it for a moment. "Well…maybe I can tell you my name. That way, if you're looking for me, you'll know it."
Aang looked up at her with a smile. "Okay. That works."
Smiling at that, the woman said, "In that case, my name is Risa."
"Okay! Hi, Risa!" Aang said with a grin, "It's good to know somebody else is nice around here in this town."
Risa's smile dropped. "Somebody else?"
"Well, yeah! The mailman around here! I think his name is...Zhong? Either way, he told me what happened here long ago. How it used to be an island resort..." Aang then frowned, "I'm sorry to hear that it turned into such a bad place, though."
Risa blinked at what Aang said, "The...mailman?"
"Yeah, the mailman..." Aang looked at her oddly as he raised a brow in curiosity, "Zhong? He's your mailman."
The woman just looked at Aang as if he just told her that there was such a thing as an actual 'bear'. Then she said, "Oh...I...didn't know we have a mailman in town."
Aang blinked in confusion, "Wait...you didn't?"
"Well, maybe that's because I never had any mail coming over my way...actually, I don't think any of us has ever received any mail around here, even outside of the island."
The boy Avatar still looked confused, almost at a loss at what he just heard, "Oh...well, I-I did meet him a while ago."
Risa stood silent for a couple of seconds to process this until she said, "Okay..." she looked as if she was bothered by that info...
Aang felt a little uncomfortable about how this conversation was going and decided to ask her. "So...you really don't know what's going on out in the world? Like, at all? Not even through mail, news scrolls, or anything?"
That seemed to snap her back into it, "Oh, well...Mother Daria said we shouldn't really be associated with the outside world as it's filled with sin and evil."
The boy frowned at that statement. "Oh..." Aang blinked, "Wait, Mother Daria? Who's she?"
"Oh, she's our high priestess. Only she knows what's going on in the outside world."
"She does?" Aang asked as he scratched his bald head in puzzlement, "Wait, so...there are more people here? And this 'Mother Daria' tells you and everyone else what goes on in the world? How would she be able to do that when you said that you and everyone else are isolated here?"
"Well, yes. My sister, her husband, his brother, and-" Risa's eyes widened as she seems to remember something. However, she shook her head and quickly said, "A-Anyway, Mother Daria knows what goes on in the outside world because she has a gift placed upon her by God."
Aang noticed that she stopped naming people a little too abruptly. He also took note of something else "...Um...God?" he asked curiously.
"Oh! It's who we worship! God is an all-powerful being that can save us all from our sins and lead us to Paradise! We serve God here on the island, as God spoke to Mother Daria of what goes on in the world."
"Oh...um..." Aang looked a little uneasy all of a sudden, "Okay...so...God is...an all-powerful being? Like a, um...really strong spirit?"
Risa paused for a second on that, "...I...think so?" she looked down at the ground in deep thought.
Aang raised a brow, "What do you mean?"
Risa looked up with an unsure expression, "Well...to tell you the truth, I don't know much about God myself. I just know that Mother Daria tells us everything that happens around the world and that she only tells her trusted followers what God has planned for us...I mean, except for me," she said with a frown.
Blinking, Aang asked, "Except for you? Why's that?"
"...I really don't know," Risa said as her frown then turned resolute, "But I'm going to earn her respect the best I can. I want her to tell me what God has planned for all of us. I want to know if there's any way I could help...she often teaches me things, and at times, she tells me that 'God has a plan in store'...I...don't know what that is, but my sister knows. Mother Daria had told my sister beforehand, and I would think she might have told my brother-in-law and his brother as well at some point...I don't know, maybe..." she shook her head to clear her thoughts, "Either way, I'm really close to them, my sister, her husband, as well as his brother...I just...don't know why Mother Daria and my sister..." her words died there, her eyes shifting around in alertness as she suddenly looked uneasy. She glanced around the area again, "I'm sorry, I, um, I have to go."
"You do?" Aang asked her in confusion, "Why?"
Risa turned to the boy, "I-I'm trying to-" she paused, wondering if she could say what she was about to say. She looked around her once more, and whispered to him, "I'm...I'm trying to evade someone."
"You are?" Aang frowned at that, "What happened? You're not like in trouble or anything, are you?"
Risa looked at the boy with wide eyes. "Uh...I, um..." She looked nervous all over again.
Now Aang looked concerned. "...Are you?"
"...I...well, I just...I missed another lesson with Mother Daria is all. Today, this morning, was my session with her during this week."
"Oh...well, you must've had a good reason that you've forgotten this time?"
"...Well...I didn't, really...I just...stayed up late and read...story scrolls."
"Oh...well, would she understand your reasoning?"
"...I..." Risa sighed, "...Aang, look, I just...l-listen, if you see someone, and his name is...Maikera, then...don't tell him that you saw me."
Aang frowned again. "Who is he?"
Risa remained silent...until she said, "My father."
"Oh..." Aang felt a little uncomfortable hearing that.
"He...follows Mother Daria. He's very devoted to her, and...I try not to embarrass him..."
"...Well...do you...want me to help explain to your father your side of the story?"
She shook her head. "No...this is my problem. I can't get you involved with any of it."
"But...I'm the Avatar," Aang reasoned, "I can help anybody!"
Risa shook her head again with a sad smile. "No…I don't think you can help me...or perhaps I should say that you can't help the relationship I have with my father."
"What? Your relationship with your father?" Aang questioned in wide-eyed concern.
The woman started to grow uncomfortable. "Uh...Aang, look, I really do have to go. It was, um, nice meeting you," Risa then began walking past Aang.
"Wait!" Aang grabbed her arm to stop her. "Maybe I can talk to him! Just tell me what's wrong."
"Aang…" Risa muttered as she shook her head. "You're sweet, but...it is what it is."
Not letting that slide, Aang tried to reason with her. "Look, maybe I can go with-"
"No, Aang, this is my problem!" She said sternly, surprising the boy. She frowned, feeling guilty for snapping at him. "I…" She gave a sigh. "...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. Really. This...This is all my fault, honestly. I did this to myself," she looked at him with pleading eyes. "Please...don't be involved in my affairs. Just go find your friends..." When seeing Aang's sad look on his face, Risa looked uncertain for a moment. At the last second, she decided to say, "But...if you do want someone to talk to…" She thought about what to say next. Seeing as she came this far in saying it, she nodded and said to him, "Then come look for me in the Beru District. My house is there. It's past the river on the north side of the town," Risa then gave him a concerned look. "Also...be careful around here. This place can be...it can be dangerous at...at times."
Aang looked at her for a moment, conflicted. But upon hearing that caution, he said, "I know...I've, uh...ran into some scary stuff myself."
Risa frowned, "Well, whatever you do, if you see or hear something...wh-whether it may be, just...well, if you don't like what you're experiencing, then just run away from it as far as you can. Even if something is off, you just run away from it, okay?" Risa told him.
He winced at the word run. Aang knew she didn't mean it like that, but the word almost stung. It made him think back about...he shook his head and said to her, "Um...okay. I'll try...but what about you?"
She then smiled. "I only have one thing to worry about and avoid…" She looked around a bit more. "Well, I have to go now. It's very nice meeting you, Aang."
"Um...it was nice meeting you too," Aang said, a little sad that he has to leave this person to whatever she had to fight for. He'll also be alone again when she leaves...
When Aang's hand weakened his grip on her arm, Risa let it slip out of his reach. Smiling warmly, Risa said, "Don't worry. I'm certain we'll cross paths again. And I also hope you find your friends...just...don't let yourself get lost in this town."
"O...Okay."
Risa nodded, "Well...until we meet again. Goodbye, Aang."
Aang frowned, "Good-...Goodbye."
With that, the woman then turned around and walked back into the fog, her figure clouding inside the mist.
The Avatar watched her go, feeling quite empty somehow.
He shook his head and sighed forlornly, "Okay...I guess...I have to find my friends now on my own...by myself." He looked around the area he was in. "...In this really weird and scary town…"
Aang then walked in whatever direction he thinks he's going. He was thinking north, and he hoped he was going north…either way, he has to find them…
And especially Katara.
He shook his head. He then walked off into the fog…
...He really missed Katara…
...Her pretty face…
...Her long flowing hair...it was so beautiful when it framed her face...
...Her skin...her arms were...toned...he wished he could see her legs...
...And her curves. And her...chest...it wasn't big like Suki's, but he wanted it either way…
All of her.
The boy Avatar stopped...
...He needed to get rid of these thoughts.
...Now.
He glanced to his left and through the fog, he began to make out what look like an alley. He rushed a little closer and saw that it was, in fact, an alley...
Good. It was someplace for him to...
Spirits, he has to make this quick.
He went inside the alleyway...
Aang shakily exited the alley. He panted, feeling quite flushed as he washed his hands with what little water he could muster from the fog with waterbending, and soon with the same water, he washed his face. While he did relieve himself of his hunger for the moment, his feelings were now replaced by guilt and shame.
'I'm...I'm so sorry…'
As soon his hands were clean, he looked down at them - his left hand more particularly - for a moment, trying to decide whether to slap himself or to cut it off. Shaking his head, he swallowed as he tried to not think about it.
He needed to find his friends.
'That's right...my friends.'
Just...his friends.
With that, he continued on into the fog.
He kept venturing on into the fog as he walked where he would think north was.
He kept walking...and walking...and walking…
About five minutes later, he still kept walking.
'Please let me find them soon...or let me find anyone else, really. I just need some help.' Aang thought, hoping a deity will hear his desperate calls in his mind. 'I hope I'm not going around in circles...'
Just as he was about to feel like he was going around in circles, he felt like he should rest his legs for a bit...
Until he spotted someone in the distance.
He paused in his walking.
"Huh?" Aang squinted his eyes at the figure.
The figure just stood there, not moving.
"Hello?" Aang called out.
Cautiously, he began to step forward, his posture relaxed, yet ready for battle, should this next stranger be hostile.
As Aang got closer, the fog dematerialized just enough to see that he was near a railing barrier, and to the left was an entrance to a wooden bridge. Despite the fog, he could still see the outline of someone standing there in front of the railings.
When he got close enough to see the figure, her flowing brown hair instantly made him think of one person.
"Katara?!"
The person turned around…and Aang blushed.
This someone was, indeed, a girl, and at first glance, this girl looked a little bit like...
"Katara?" the girl said with a smirk. "Well, you're close. However, I don't know anyone that goes by that name."
Aang blinked.
This young woman really did look like Katara from the back thanks to her hair, but she was wearing a sleeveless water tribe shirt and dark blue pants that were cut off to the shins. She even had Katara's skin tone. However, upon closer inspection, this was definitely NOT who he thought it was.
For one, this Katara look-alike was at his height level, while Katara was only two inches taller. For the other, her eyes were strangely green, instead of the typical water tribe blue. And finally, she was...well, slightly curvier and a little plumper than Katara. His eyes couldn't help but gaze at her hips and legs, noticing that her legs in the dark blue pants she was wearing were filled in quite nicely, almost tight looking. Even her hair had no accents to it, no loops, no nothing. And her chest looked full, bigger than Katara's chest...maybe even Suki's size.
He blanched and shook his head. What was he doing?! That was really inappropriate! He can't look or think about a lady like that!
"See something you like?"
Aang stood straight in shock as he remembered there was a beautiful girl in front of him. He blushed profusely. "I-I-uh, I was, um, I-uh, I'm-I'm, I mean-"
The stranger giggled. "Aw, aren't you cute?"
Aang gulped and shivered. 'Gosh, even her voice almost sounded like Katara!' He wondered if they were related somehow.
He shook his head to clear any thoughts that would distract him and asked her. "U-Uh…w-who are you?"
The girl smirked once more. "The name's Kara. What's your name, handsome?"
End of Chapter 9
That cliffhanger was there for a reason! Believe me! It's so you can all ponder on who this supposed Kara person is! D:
But yeah, a few things to say:
Members of The Order and the prisoners will have some type of screen time, so this story will feature some scenes of these (somewhat) original characters, but not all the time. And if you haven't figured it out by now, these original characters are based on their Silent Hill counterparts, so they are kind of essential to the story, per se. Also, it wouldn't be Silent Hill without The Order being present...somewhere. XP But yeah, the Gaang will come in contact with these characters soon. ;)
About Zhong...tell me what modern Silent Hill game does he remind you of? ...No, really, do all of you even know? :/
And about Aang's...problem, well...that's part of being a growing boy, really. I mean...yeah. Thankfully, I didn't show you too much about how Aang got rid of his problem. ^^;
But yeah, the town basically 'decides' when the Otherworld comes and goes. Also, there are TWO stages of the Otherworld that you'll see soon enough. ;)
So how was the chapter? Was it interesting? Do tell me with a review! Or a fave and a follow! Everything works, really! Next chapter will be a look into Katara and Toph's situations! :)
Also, I have to give thanks to Lucius for helping me out with this! I appreciate it, man! :D Until then, keep on rocking everybody! ;)
-TSP