Daughter of the Moon - Book Three: Fire

Chapter 5: Avatar Yangchen

- Elara -

After a long and excruciatingly painful trip across the expanse of the Spirit World, Aang and I found ourselves atop the highest mountain, the clouds scattered down below only being disrupted by the majesty of solid earth. By this point, Aang and I were about to reach our limit physically, our bodies aching from the wounds of our mortal bodies and the ache of a perilous journey. Our time in the Spirit World was well spent, and we were long overdue to return to our mortal bodies. At least, that was the case for Aang. I still wasn't too sure about myself.

"Hello? Avatar Yangchen? Anyone here?" Aang hollered as he slid off Hei Bai, turning around almost immediately to help me as I tumbled down.

Almost the exact instant my feet hit the ground, the air around us swirled until the particles materialized into a stoic-looking woman, her tattoos revealing her identity without her having to say a word.

"It's an honor to meet you Aang," Avatar Yangchen said with a bow. "As well as you, young Moon Warrior."

Aang and I struggled to return the greeting with a bow of our own, the two of us relying heavily on each other to stay upright. In the end, it was more of a nod, but it would have to be good enough for Avatar Yangchen. I was fairly certain she would understand given our situation, and if she didn't, I was more than willing to make her understand.

Aang then made an attempt to stand a little taller as he went to speak. "It's been such an amazing experience to meet my past lives."

"And what did you learn by meeting them?" Yangchen asked.

"Well..." Aang began as he looked towards the ground. "I realized that no Avatar is perfect. They all struggled and made mistakes like me."

"Very wise," the Avatar nodded in approval.

Aang then shifted uncomfortably beside me, his face scrunching up as he did some serious thinking. "But it made me wonder," he continued. "Why is the Avatar Spirit a human in every life? Wouldn't it be better if the Avatar was an all-powerful spirit that never died?"

"I don't think so," Avatar Yangchen answered as I noticed more figures materializing behind her.

And my heart dropped.

Right there, just a few paces in front of me, were my friends—appearing one by one as Avatar Yangchen spoke. First, I saw Katara as she practiced a waterbending form, and she was quickly followed by Sokka as he wielded his trusty boomerang. And as I watched them appear, I couldn't help but miss them. I missed them so much it hurt. I wanted nothing more than to go back to the days where it was just the four of us—Aang, Katara, Sokka, and I—but I knew that it was too late. I had made my decision, so I had to live with the consequences.

"The Avatar must be compassionate towards all people, and the only way to do that is to live with them," Yangchen continued as Aang's earthbending teacher—Toph—appeared next to Sokka, and I was surprised to find that she was almost immediately followed by Iroh and...

Him.

Everything seemed to melt away as he materialized next to his uncle, his clothes tattered and torn just like they had been in the catacombs. Just the sight of him sent a chill through my body (not to mention the memory of what he had done to me), and I had to force myself to look away. That boy had caused me so much pain, and I couldn't fathom how Yangchen expected Aang to be compassionate to him—how she expected me to be compassionate to him. He was evil, and vile, and corrupt in any and every way imaginable, and I knew he deserved all the hate and destruction that was coming his way.

So then, why did I still feel the way I did?

Even after everything I had been through, I wanted to believe that it was all just a misunderstanding—that he still cared for me and that he would take me back in an instant. I wanted nothing more than for him to take me into his arms to tell me that everything was going to be okay—that it was all just a bad dream and that he still loved me. I wanted nothing more than to be with him again so we could have our silly little conversations that left the both of us feeling giddy and flustered because we cared about each other so much. I wanted nothing more than to feel my heart skip a beat as his lips brushed past mine. I wanted nothing more than to have him...

But I knew I couldn't have that. Not after what he had done.

"The Avatar must experience sadness, anger, joy, and happiness," Yangchen continued, which did little to deter my thoughts away from that sad excuse for a boy. "By feeling all these emotions, it helps you understand how precious human life is so you will do anything to protect it. If you were an all-powerful spirit living on the top of some mountain, you wouldn't have much in common with an ordinary person. So, the Avatar continues to take human rebirth. And with each life, learns what it means to be a human."

I finally risked opening my eyes to see Avatar Roku, Avatar Kyoshi, and Avatar Kuruk all standing behind Avatar Yangchen as she approached Aang and placed a hand on his forehead, their energy converging as they restored the final piece to Aang's Avatar Spirit. I was thankful that I didn't have to look at him anymore now that the past Avatars had taken his place, but the way that Aang seemed to collapse under his own weight after his transformation left an uncomfortable feeling in my chest (and it wasn't my suspected broken rib).

I was afraid. I didn't want to feel the pain, and I didn't want to go back to whatever was awaiting me in the mortal world. I wasn't strong enough, no matter what the spirits had told me. I mean, what would they know? They didn't even have bodies! How could I trust anything they told me?!

"Now that I've reconnected with all of you," Aang managed to spit out through gasps of pain. "Does that mean the Avatar Spirit is okay?"

"Yes," Yangchen answered sadly. "But your physical body is still injured. You need time to heal. And unfortunately, it seems you ability to enter the Avatar State has been disrupted. You won't be able to rely on your past lives to help you. You must rely on your friends."

As Yangchen concluded her thought, she turned to me, and my blood ran cold. I couldn't do it. I wasn't ready. I didn't want it...

But I didn't have a choice.

Avatar Yangchen placed a cool hand on my forehead , the very action igniting a fire throughout my entire body. I was fortunate enough to have Aang to support me as well as the help of the previous Avatar to stay upright, but I knew that I wouldn't last long. Even with their help. I was on the brink of insanity, and the darkness only seemed to begin its descent into my entire being.

But when I looked up to curse her—to curse the woman who had brought me this pain—I was met with compassion. She actually knew what I was feeling. She could see it. She could feel it. And I could tell that she hated that I had to go through this alone. But that didn't make the pain go away. No amount of pity could do that. And there she was just watching me suffer (was this hate unnecessary? Probably, but the mind does crazy things when you're falling off the edge).

"When you wake up, neither of you will remember this journey to the Spirit World," Avatar Yangchen said as she dissolved into the landscape, her words serving as some kind of a send off for us to return to the mortal world. "Until we meet again..."

And then she was gone. But, for some reason, we remained.

Something had just gone very, very wrong, and Aang and I were the only ones around to see it...

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A/N: So...I don't know what kind of demon or *insomnia fairy* has possessed me, but I suddenly was hit with a burst of inspiration and wrote another chapter in one sitting...yay...

Anyway...what's gonna happen next? Nobody knows! Unless you know, but hey, you know that I know, and it is only important for me to know what I know so that you may eventually know what I know...if that makes sense 😂😂😂

See you in the next part!!! (and no, it'll take a little longer than a couple hours this time because I'm going to bed, and y'all should too if you haven't already 🤦‍♀️). Good Night (or day, depending on the time zone 😂😂😂).

(P.S. I love it when y'all comment 'HERE' at the beginning of every chapter!! It makes me feel happy 🥰🥰🥰)

Published: 21 February 2021