"Aang, let's head back. We're not allowed to be around here."

Katara stared uneasily at the ship. Ever since she was a kid, it had been a symbol of fear. The flag was the same as the one on the ship that took her mother away. In all truth, all she wanted to do was riddle it with holes and bury it under the South Pole.

Aang caught onto Katara's tone but wasn't willing to let his curiosity die just because of old people rules. After all, those annoying old monks had tried to send him away from Gyatso, so he didn't have the best opinion of their judgment.

"Come on, let's go. It'll be a quick in and out. And what's a Fire Nation ship doing here?"

Katara was about to protest, but his last words stopped her in her tracks.

"What do you mean, 'what's it doing here'? It's been here since the start of the war..." She looked at him worriedly. Did that iceberg affect his mind that badly? It couldn't have, right?

Aang almost laughed but caught himself. Katara was uneasy just from looking at the ship, and their tribe had forbidden them from going near it. He glanced at the rusted hulk. It definitely looked stranded, abandoned for a long time. The Fire Nation couldn't have made it here overnight—especially not from where they lived. They were even further away than the Southern Air Temple.

So old stories, maybe?

He shrugged. "Come on, there is no war. I just left the Southern Air Temple, and I don't remember the monks mentioning anything about a war." He smiled at her. "It won't take long—just a quick look inside, and we leave."

He was insistent, and despite her unease, Katara had to admit she was curious. She hated the people who made the ship and used it to hurt her tribe, but she'd be lying if she said she wasn't at least a little interested in seeing it up close.

"I don't know, Aang. What if there are booby traps?"

Aang shrugged again. "It looks like an old ship. I doubt they work anymore."

Katara hesitated. That was true... The ship was at least sixty years old, frozen in the South Pole's harshest conditions. It would be a wonder if anything inside wasn't rusted beyond belief. Giving in to both Aang's excitement and her own curiosity, she sighed.

Aang's grin widened as he saw her shoulders relax. That was basically a yes.

"It's just a quick peek, and we'll keep it between us."

Katara nodded, more to convince herself than anything else, and followed Aang as they boarded the ship.

Inside the Ship

Katara glanced around, noting the patches where the original color still clung to the metal. Or at least, what she thought was the original color—most of it was coated in thick rust. As she walked across the deck, she ran her fingers over the railings, thinking.

Maybe they could repurpose all this metal for something useful. The Southern Water Tribe had no natural iron deposits, so it wasn't a bad idea.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she turned to see Aang struggling with a door.

Despite his best efforts—pulling, yanking, even planting his feet against the sides for leverage—it wouldn't budge. It was amusing, but if she didn't step in soon, he'd probably get impatient and blast it open.

She walked up beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Stop. I'll handle it."

Forming ice from the surrounding frost, she slid it into the gaps of the door, shaping hooks to latch onto the edges. With a firm pull, the ice wrenched the door open, its hinges creaking under the force.

"Neat," Aang commented absentmindedly. His focus was already on what lay inside.

Without hesitation, he ran in, opening other doors along the way. The deeper they went, the less rusted everything seemed. The cold must have preserved most of the interior.

Katara peeked into the first room. Weapons. Halberds, swords, polearms—even armor. The Fire Nation had left everything behind.

Aang's voice echoed from another room. "It looks like they left in a rush. They even left frozen rations."

"Well, yeah," Katara said, stepping inside. "We didn't give them much of a choice. They had to abandon ship before they got taken as prisoners. And the cold isn't exactly welcoming to Firebenders."

Aang's ears perked up. "What happened to cause this?"

Katara exhaled, already tired of answering the same question. "The war."

Aang turned to her, his face scrunched in confusion. "What war? You've mentioned it before, but it's only been a day since I left the Air Temple. There was no war."

Katara couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"How could there be no word of a war that's been going on for a hundred years?" She raised an eyebrow at him. He looked genuinely lost, but how wouldn't he know? The war was why the Airbenders had disappeared, wasn't it?

She didn't know much about how the war started, but she did know one thing—when it began, the Air Nomads vanished overnight.

Aang shook his head. "I think I would've known about a hundred-year war. I've been to a lot of places, and there was no war." He said it like it was fact.

Katara felt a chill, but it wasn't from the cold.

"Aang... how long do you think you were in that iceberg?"

Aang answered almost immediately. "I don't know? A day?"

"Were you conscious?"

"Not really. To be honest, I don't even remember getting in the iceberg. I just left the temple, and the next thing I knew, I woke up in your arms." His voice softened, and his cheeks turned pink.

Katara didn't notice. Her mind was racing.

He was frozen in ice for Spirits knew how long... and he was still alive? That shouldn't be possible. Hypothermia would've set in within the first hour, especially in solid ice. He should have died.

She swallowed and forced herself to ask, "Aang, how was the Fire Nation before you got trapped?"

Aang thought for a moment. "It was amazing. Always warm and tropical. The people were passionate about everything. Their dance festivals were fun, too—Kuzon and I always had a great time."

He trailed off, caught in a memory, but when he turned back to Katara, her face was frozen in shock and horror.

She took a deep breath, looking at him carefully. "Aang... you may have been in there longer than you thought."

Aang shrugged. "I guess so...? Maybe a week? I don't remember the Southern Water Tribe being so small."

That was all the confirmation she needed.

"You've been in there for a hundred years, Aang."

Aang blinked.

Katara continued, her voice softer now. "The tribe has been this small for sixty years, ever since the Fire Nation took away all the Waterbenders. And they started doing that at the beginning of the war."

Silence.

Aang stood still, the weight of her words sinking in. The ship around them suddenly felt even colder.

It couldn't be.

Aang had just seen Monk Gyatso before he ran away, and now Katara was telling him that was a hundred years ago? His nerves were shot at the thought. The Air Nomads... gone? What had happened to his people?

His emotions flared, panic settling deep in his chest. No. He had to see for himself. Katara must be mistaken—she had to be! Monk Gyatso was still there. His friends were still there.

They had to be.

Aang paced frantically, his heart pounding. His breathing was quick and shallow, and the weight of Katara's words pressed against his ribs. She said the Air Nomads had disappeared, but that didn't mean they were gone. Maybe they were in hiding. Maybe they were safe somewhere, waiting for him. He internally prayed, trying desperately to maintain a composed look, but the truth was obvious. He was spiraling.

Katara stepped forward, wrapping her arms around him. He stiffened at first, but slowly, he let himself sink into the embrace.

"Aang, relax," she whispered, holding him close. "They might be out there somewhere… safe."

She trailed off, realizing the painful truth—there hadn't been any Air Nomad sightings for decades. But she couldn't say that. Not now. Not when he was already falling apart.

"Listen, Aang," she continued, squeezing him gently, "the first thing we'll do is go back to the tribe and ask Kaya about your people. If anyone here knows world history, it's her. We can find answers."

Aang didn't respond. He wasn't sure he could.

Katara pulled him in tighter. "You're not alone. I'm here. Even Sokka won't leave you." She leaned back slightly, meeting his eyes. "Come on, let's go back to the tribe and sort this out."

Aang wasn't sure if he could completely believe her. He was literally sitting inside proof of her words. But he refused to entertain the idea of war.

Would he have to defend himself against Kuzon?

Wait… was Kuzon even alive?

His heart splintered at the thought. He reached out, gripping Katara's arm, trying to anchor himself. She was here. She'd help him. They'd find his people.

This had to be some kind of mistake. A misunderstanding. A joke the world was playing on him.

Katara slowly helped him to his feet. He looked on the verge of tears, but he had finally braced himself. She didn't expect him to answer her right now. He just needed someone to lean on, and she'd be there.

After all, she knew what it felt like to lose everything.

Her tribe had been reduced to this meager state because of the Fire Nation. They had stolen her history, taken her people, erased her culture. And now, Aang's people—his home—had likely suffered the same fate.

She could help him.

Katara hugged him again, whispering quiet reassurances in his ear. He took a shaky breath, trying to muster his strength—

Then he tripped.

Katara caught him immediately, but Aang didn't move. His face twisted in horror as he stared at his foot.

A click echoed through the ship.

The sound of metal grinding against metal.

Then—

A flare shot into the sky.

Aang's breath caught in his throat.

He had triggered a booby trap.

Red smoke trailed upward, stretching toward the clouds, sending out a signal to anyone who could see it.

A signal for the Fire Nation.

A sick feeling wormed its way into his chest. He couldn't catch a break. First, the storm. Then waking up in a foreign place. Then the possibility that his people were gone. And now—he had just called the enemy here.

Katara was already moving. "Aang! Let's go! And we were never here!"

She didn't wait for a response. She grabbed his arm, bending the ice beneath her feet into a slide, launching them from the deck of the ship down to the frozen tundra below. As soon as she landed, she melted the ice behind her, erasing their tracks.

She tugged on Aang's arm. "Come on!"

Aang snapped out of his daze, his instincts kicking in. He unfurled his glider and extended a hand to Katara. "I can fly faster than we can run. Hold on!"

Katara didn't hesitate. She grabbed onto him, and in seconds, they were soaring away from the ship, the wind whipping past them.

As they gained altitude, Katara's eyes darted toward the horizon.

A shadow.

A ship.

She tensed. Was it moving? Or was it a mirage from stress?

She prayed it was the latter.

Within minutes, they reached the village. Aang had been right—flying was incredibly fast. Katara had expected it, but not like this.

They landed in the village center, Aang gently setting them down.

"We keep quiet about this," Katara said firmly, locking eyes with him. "No one knows."

Aang nodded, his full attention on her. He understood. No one could find out.

Katara exhaled. "Come on. Let's go find Kaya. She'll explain everything."

With Aang in tow, she made her way toward Kaya's igloo. As they approached, they could already hear voices from inside.

Someone was already there.

Katara didn't hesitate. She pushed the door open and stepped inside.

Aang cleared his throat. He needed answers.

The people in the room turned their attention to him, each wearing a different expression. From Kaya, he received a curious and attentive look; from Katara, a pensive one. And from Sokka… was that worry?

Why did he look worried?

Clearing his throat again, Aang realized he was completely on the spot. He needed to collect himself.

"Erhh, uh... Miss Kaya, may you tell me what happened to my people? Katara and I talked, and she has a theory that I was... gone for a hundred years."

Kaya sighed. "Sokka and I were just discussing something similar, and we've come to a conclusion."

Aang raised an eyebrow. A conclusion? But history was history—what was there to conclude? Unless… it was about what had happened to him.

Sokka turned toward Aang and Katara, exhaling deeply. "Take a seat. It's gonna be a lot of talking..." He slumped slightly. "I'd honestly wish things were normal. This is crazy."

Katara and Aang sat down, their attention shifting to Kaya.

"What made you come to the theory that you were gone for a hundred years?" Kaya asked.

Katara responded immediately. "He knows nothing about the Hundred Year War. His memories of the Southern Water Tribe describe it as it was before the war. And his thoughts on the Fire Nation..."

Kaya nodded, soaking it all in. She could already guess what that meant—he likely still held the Fire Nation in a positive light, which wasn't surprising. Before the war, many people did. He must have even had friends there.

She braced herself.

"Aang, I need you to be honest with me."

Aang nodded, eager to get to the truth as quickly as possible. If they could figure this out now, he could start searching for the Air Nomads sooner.

"I will," he responded curtly.

Kaya met his gaze. "Are you the Avatar?"

Aang froze.

Katara gasped, turning to him in shock. Sokka, however, didn't react—he just stared, his expression unreadable.

Aang had already promised to tell the truth… but had they already figured it out?

"I am," he admitted, almost in a whisper. Then, as if he needed to get the words out before they choked him, he added, "I swear, I never wanted to be, though!"

Kaya smiled warmly. "So that's that."

She turned to Katara and Sokka, her smile growing. "Congratulations, you two. You've found the missing Avatar—though a hundred years later than we would have hoped. But better late than never."

Aang's heart clenched.

A hundred years too late?

Did they need him when he was in the ice? Had they been waiting for him? His mind raced. Before he left, everything was peaceful. How could a hundred-year war have started just as soon as he disappeared?!

Katara was still trying to process the news. Of course, she was happy—they had found the Avatar—but it seemed the reason he disappeared wasn't some great mission or destiny.

He was just… stuck.

How were they supposed to explain this to the world?

She turned to her brother, expecting him to be just as stunned, but Sokka only sighed even deeper. He looked exhausted, troubled.

What was wrong with him? This was completely out of character. Did he have even more bad news?

"Aang," Kaya began carefully, "I would tell you about your people, but I can't exactly do that right now..."

Aang stiffened.

For the first time since they started talking, Kaya's expression changed. She looked genuinely… afraid.

Just like Sokka.

Something was wrong.

His mind spiraled into panic. What happened to his people? Was the truth so horrible that Kaya didn't even want to say it? Were they hurt? Were they—?

His thoughts grew faster, more erratic, his emotions clawing their way up his throat. His vision blurred, and his body trembled. He wasn't getting calmer—he was getting worse.

His eyes flickered—normal one moment, glowing blue-white the next.

Katara moved instantly. She pulled Aang into her arms, holding him tight, grounding him before he lost himself completely. He gripped onto her instinctively, as if she was the only thing keeping him from falling apart.

She didn't let go.

Kaya stood up and moved beside them, wrapping her arms around both of them in a comforting embrace.

"I want to tell you," she whispered, "but I don't want to hurt you. I'll tell you when you're ready. When you're in a better place to hear it."

Aang took a few shaky breaths, his body trembling. It took time, but he slowly calmed down. He wasn't sure if he was truly okay, but he accepted her answer.

And then, a thought struck him like a hammer.

Did this mean he had to accept his destiny?

Did he have to stop this war?

His breath hitched.

Even if he wasn't the Avatar, he couldn't let this happen. Whatever had happened to his people… it could happen to others.

What if it was already happening?

What if, at this very moment, people were suffering while he sat here, being comforted?

Katara pulled him in tighter. She must have felt his body tensing, must have seen the thoughts racing behind his eyes.

"Relax, Aang," she murmured. "You're going to hurt yourself. Breathe with me."

She guided him through slow, steady breaths. Inhale. Exhale. Just focus on breathing.

Focus on her.

Not the war.

Not his people.

Not the pain.

Just this moment.

Katara held onto him, grounding him in her warmth, her voice soft and steady, as he slowly—very slowly—began to let go of the chaos in his mind.

And for now, that was enough.