Ablaze || Aang x Reader

3: A New Start

I felt the feeling on each of my limbs slowly return to me. I tried to look around myself but only saw darkness. That was to be expected, since I was in a big, windowless, insulated room with no light sources.

I felt the position I was in. I was sitting against the door when I first came in, but somewhere along the century I was in there I ended up on my side.

I pushed myself up, feeling every bone in my body crackle and pop at being moved for the first time in a long while. Standing up straight, I rolled my shoulders and twisted my back and neck — squeezing out every last satisfying pop. I did the same to the rest of my body, and monkey feathers that felt good. I felt so springy afterwards.

I dusted myself off, and then my hands as well. As I moved my hands to remove dirt and dust, I felt the tender, young skin on my right hand clash with the rough, burnt skin on my left hand. At least I know my burn healed. It definitely left a scar, though.

I needed to get out of there. Did the doors to the Air Temple Sanctuary open from the inside? Probably not. But I still need to get out somehow.

I felt around the floor and found my glider. There were clearly no latches or handles to open the door which sucked but made sense because no experienced airbender would be able to open the door and then be dumb enough to somehow get stuck inside. Unless you're me, in which case I was screwed.

Instead, I turned around and started walking blindly into unknown territory. I bumped into several hard structures before I finally found the back wall. I decided to make a hole to the outside just big enough for me to fit through and escape.

Yeah, it wad a stupid idea and I'm causing damage to a sacred building, but just because I won't age here doesn't mean I won't get hungry and die. Besides, I knew this Temple inside-out, so I could easily find my way around no matter where I was.

I started creating air slices, cutting and weakening a small area. It eventually started crumbling as it got thinner and I was able to slip through and into the light.

I stood up carefully, eyes squeezed shut. My body hadn't been in contact with light for a couple decades so my eyes were having a hard time adjusting to the bright morning sun. Being outside again, it was something that felt incredible.

I stood there for a good three minutes before I felt safe opening my eyes. As I looked around myself, I found that I was on a ledge overlooking a small, unknown courtyard that Aang and I used to play in all day long before... you know.

But I had no use being here. I knew everyone was dead, and there wasn't much I could salvage from here.

First order of business would be getting to the runways. There are four runways in each Temple, obviously at the north, south, east, and west wings. They're located strategically so that beginner airbenders with places to be could take off where the air currents are the best.

I finally reached the east runways. It was sad, seeing my home so lifeless, but I had to put that behind me. If I know Aang, he'll visit the Temple to see if everything is okay, then go try to learn waterbending. But then again, he's never been one to know how a map works so he'll just follow the water until he finds where he's going.

I checked my glider to make sure everything was still intact, and readied myself for takeoff. I stepped back a bit, took a few momentum steps, and jumped. Normally, I wouldn't need this, but I'm a little rusty.

It felt awesome to be in the air again. After a good three or so hours, I was starting to get tired, so I started lowering myself closer to the ocean and onto a piece of driftwood. I held onto it while I caught my breath. A brilliant idea came to mind.