Maya(Zuko X OC)

Chapter 28: the village of Chandra

Zuko headed northeast and came across a beautiful waterfall.

To quench his thirst, he cupped his hands and started to drink the cool water when he saw a settlement in the distance.

He soon reached the civilisation, it was the size of a small city, bustling with life in the middle of the forest.

Cozy huts were grouped into pairs, sharing a garden or a small farm.

Zuko saw a man of about 22 dancing to hymns being sung near a beautiful temple.

He was wearing saintly cloths with the symbol, similar to that of Chandra on his forehead.

A few other people were also dancing.

Zuko waited for them to finish before approaching the man.

"Welcome! Welcome!" The man smiled. "Myself Vijay. I welcome you to our humble village."

Vijay showed Zuko around as if an old friend showing his new house.

"Now, tell me traveller, what brings you here?" Vijay asked as the two sat in his house.

"I want to bring Maya back."

"Dwarkeshwari?" Vijay asked.

"Yes." Zuko nodded.

"You want to bring Chandra back to Earth?" 

"How did you-"

"I was told by Lord Shiva." Vijay informed the Firelord. "He even told me that you might stumble upon the village of Chandra."

"So can you help me?"

"As much as I can."

Time skip

"The first thing." Vijay said as they walked towards the temple of Chandra. "We have many problems, which don't allow Chandra to enter the village."

"WHAT?!"

"Let me finish." Vijay interrupted him. "But once we manage to get through with those, the task will be easy."

The two reached inside the temple as Zuko saw the beautiful statue of Chandra.

Her skin was made of pure white marble, with priceless blue sapphires as her eyes. Her hair was made of the darkest of obsidian with silver and gold jewellery decorating her form. A bluish-white quartz moon was behind her head, her signature symbol.

The statue seemed as if it would blink any second.

"This is the statue of Chandra." Vijay said. "It is believed that Lord Surya himself made it for her and she kept it here for safekeeping."

"So why did you bring me here?"

"This is what keeps her away." Vijay sighed. "Our Chandra is cursed. She can only visit this village after this statue is showered with the water from the Ganga river."

"Then why don't you just fill the water into a pot and shower her?" Zuko asked.

"Try it for yourself."

Time skip

Zuko held the pot full of the water from the river as Vijay walked next to him.

The second they stepped inside the temple, the water in the pot evaporated, leaving it empty.

"Do you understand now?"

Time skip

Zuko sat infront of the statue as he thought about what he could do. The temple had no visitors as it was believed that Chandra needed to focus on her job during the nights.

"If water can't come inside..." Zuko looked up hopefully at the statue. "But you can come outside."

He smiled at the statue as he could swear that it's lips twitched upwards a bit.

He talked about the idea with Vijay who seemed a little sceptical about lifting the six and a half foot statue which was made by the god of the Sun.

"Listen." Vijay spoke. "I'm sure the others won't mind but- just- please don't harm the statue."

"I promise I won't."

Time skip

The next day finally arrived as Zuko went near the statue.

He came a bit below her shoulder but he didn't care. He tightly gripped the base of the statue as he picked it up.

The crowd watched in suprise as the 18 year old who had came into the village two days ago, managed to lift the cursed, 100 kilo statue of Chandra.

The statue felt as light as a feather to Zuko who went outside the temple and placed Chandra outside.

Vijay handed him the pot of water as the Firelord poured it over her head.

The free hand of the statue, which was in an abhaya mudra slightly glowed as gold coins started appearing out of her palm.

Soon the coins stopped flowing out, leaving plenty for the village. Zuko picked up the soaked statue as he carried it back to its original place.

The statue seemed even more life like than before as the curse was lifted off the village.

"Now that the curse has been lifted, we can work on summoning Chandra." Vijay said.

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Abhaya mudra- The Abhayamudrā "gesture of fearlessness" is a mudrā that is the gesture of reassurance and safety, which dispels fear and accords divine protection and bliss in Buddhism and other Indian religions. The right hand is held upright, and the palm is facing outwards.