The History of Renko: Book 2 Voyager (Avatar, BoyxBoy)

Chapter 21: Ahmad

Ahmad woke up to sunlight coming in through the window. The warm rays shook him from his cold dreams that he was already starting to forget. He lifted his head and smacked it hard against the wooden beam above him. With a loud 'CRACK' he was instantly wide awake and regretting giving up the top bunk so easily. A window faced down and out into the backyard of Renko's grandma's house. Renko and a couple of other people were down there but Ahmad couldn't make out what they were doing.

He slid out of bed rubbing his head as he did so. Putting on his wingsuit he thought about last night when he planted a kiss right on Renko's lips. It was certainly not the way that he wanted to kiss the young Avatar. Shaking his head, he looked out the window again. Renko was sitting crisscross on the grass.

Ahmad made his way down and stood just within the doorway to the yard. The air was colder than it had been and most of the leaves on the trees were red and yellow. Now it was clear that Tiulo and Pāru stood by Renko as he sat there with his fists together. Was he meditating? The wind began to pick up and pull at the trees around them. The air turned colder and dryer. A sphere of rotating air slowly formed around the Avatar as he sat there meditating. Dust and grass spun around him making Ahmad's view of him hazy. The sphere of air was formless and distorted, like a raindrop falling from the sky. Then, Renko's eyes opened. Instead of the dark grays that Ahmad had grown to appreciate they were pure white and glowing. The sphere of air took a solid form and spun faster pulling leaves and small rocks along with it.

"I didn't tell him to do this!" Pāru found that she had to shout to be heard over the wind.

"Something must be trying to contact his Avatar spirit," Tiulo shouted back looking calm. "Maybe it's a past Avatar? Maybe he's having a vision."

"Can we snap him out of it?"

"I don't think it's a good idea to try."

But, as soon as it started it stopped. The vortex that swirled around Renko calmed down and the air became still. Renko closed his eyes. When he opened them, they were their regular gray color. He blinked and looked around confused.

Ahmad started to chuckle a little. Anytime Renko accidentally found himself in the Avatar State, he always would seem to wake up like he were in a trance. Ahmad thought it was cute.

"Well, well," Renko's grandma appeared at Ahmad's shoulder. "It is astonishing to see such a sight. And from my own grandson too!"

"Yeah," Ahmad replied. "It still surprises me too."

"Would you like any breakfast dear? I have sausages, steaks, eggs, already on the table."

"Oh, no thank you," Ahmad hurriedly said. "We Air Nomads are all vegetarian."

"Have some toast them," she replied. She started to poke his ribs and squeeze his arms. "You're too skinny to skip breakfast."

"I'd love some toast then."

She smiled and shuffled off into the kitchen.

Ahmad turned back to Renko and the others and saw them begin to chat with each other. Renko's uncle had walked out and was joining in. Apparently, President Ridhya was arriving that day ahead of the other world leaders. He and Renko were going to welcome them from the steps of the palace in the center of the city. I guess the Dark Hand is going to have to wait then, Ahmad thought to himself. Someone poked him to get his attention. Renko's grandma smiled and handed him a plate stacked high with buttered toast. He knew he was skinny but was he that skinny? Apparently, he thought to himself. Renko motioned him to come over. Ahmad gulped.