The Avatar's Master

24. The Southern Air Temple

Long ago, before the 100 Year War, when the Four Nations lived together in harmony, the Southern Air Temple was known for its beauty and home to generations of legendary airbenders. Then, everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked and wiped out nearly all of the airbenders, except for one – Avatar Aang.

Nearly 180 years later, The Southern Air Temple finally re-settled with airbenders and acolytes, and the Future Industries Airship sailed south toward it.

Asami stood in the cockpit of the flying ship and Korra, Kuvira, and Bae lounged around, looking outward at the thick clouds and jagged mountain rage appearing ahead.

"My navigation tells me that's the Potola Mountains, which means we're close." Asami confirmed her coordinates.

"Thank the spirits! I need my feet to touch land. I never rode in an airship before, and this Earth Nation gal is already missin' good 'ol earth," Bae said.

"Hate to break it to ya," Korra said. "But where we're going, there's a lot more air than Earth."

Kuvira and Bae gave each other a look. Neither had been to the Southern Air Temple, and neither knew what to expect.

"Use to be the only way to get there was a flying skybison." Korra crossed her arms leisurely.

"That was then baby," Asami said. She smirked and flipped a switch and gripped the steering wheel. "Hold onto your butts."

"What do you m–" Bae started to ask, but then found herself gripping a nearby rail with all her might as the airship angled sharply upward.

The ship soared up, up, up, past the clouds along the immense Potolas until they evened out again and came upon a temple with tall white and blue spires carved into a mountain.

As they approached, they saw families of skybison and flying lemur monkeys circling about the area. Below were tiny figures – humans and air animals and spirits aplenty going about their business.

They landed on an open plot of land to Kai and Bumi waiting to greet them.

Jinora and Opal watched from atop a spire and out of general sight of the arriving party. The young airbending master had given Opal a day quest to procure an herb from a nearby valley.

Though surprised, both of the young women were excited to see the airship pull in. Because the temple was remote, it took awhile for information to reach them and Korrasami could not phone or send a telegram before arriving on such short notice.

"Master Jinora, I'll say hello to Korra and Asami and whoever is with them before I head to the valley," Opal said.

"Sounds good to me. And how many times do I have to tell you to call me Jinora when it's just me and you?"

Jinora, wise in her youth, was petite in shoulder-length hair and sky-blue airbending tattoos encircling her body and pointing down her forehead. They both wore form-fitted modern airbender jumpsuits, though Jinora's was decorated with a sash to signify her status as not only a master airbender but Headmaster of the Southern Air Temple.

They watched the ship land. The door opened slowly and Asami followed by Korra walked out and greeted Bumi and Kai with mutual bowing before the Avatar scooped the men up in a tight embrace, their feet dangling in the air. Bumjun, Bumi's flying bunny spirit companion, hovered around them.

Moments later another figure strode out. Opal did a double-take, squinting because the figure's gait was familiar. Her chest tightened – she recognized that swagger, but then again, this person was different. She couldn't quite make out the face, as it was obscured by a hat. Not until the figure lifted it briefly to comb her fingers through her hair.