THE OTHER AIRBENDER (Book 1)

(XXIX) Water

"Woah. How did you do that?" Katara asks and I genuinely have no idea.

"I don't know. It's just hot air," I reply. "Sweet dreams, Zuko."

I then blast him again and make him hit his head against a large boulder, effectively knocking him out. Katara and Sokka help Aang by untying him, and he walks toward me with a concerned look.

"Are you alright?"

"Me? What about you?" I ask worriedly. He shakes his head.

"We need to get to the oasis; the spirits are in trouble!" Aang says, and my eyes widen.

"The fish!" I say, and Aang nods. I immediately know that we're thinking about the same thing.

We quickly climb on Appa, but I immediately feel a twinge of guilt when I remember Zuko lying there. I groan, but slide back down and throw his arm over my shoulders, pulling him onto Appa with me.

Sokka seems completely taken aback by my actions. "Are you insane?"

"We can't leave him here," Aang agrees, helping me get Zuko onto the saddle.

"Sure we can. Let's go," Sokka replies.

"We're not like him, Sokka. We don't kill for fun," I tell him, as I climb onto Appa's neck myself and take the reins.

"Yeah, this makes a lot of sense. Let's bring the guy who's constantly trying to kill us."

***

Suddenly, the moon literally becomes red. I immediately feel flushed, and I notice Yue and Aang having the same reactions.

"Are you guys alright?" Katara asks, probably concerned that the three of us seem to be on the brink of fainting.

I shake my head. "Something's wrong. Like, seriously wrong."

"I feel faint," Yue says, while Sokka tends to her caringly.

"I feel it too," Aang agrees. "The Moon Spirit is in trouble."

"I owe the Moon Spirit my life," Yue suddenly says, surprising me.

"What?"

"When I was born I was very sick and very weak. Most babies cry when they're born, but I was born as if I was asleep, my eyes closed. Our healers did everything they could. They told my mother and father I was going to die. My father pleaded with the spirits to save me. That night, beneath the full moon, he brought me to the oasis and placed me in the pond. My dark hair turned white. I opened my eyes and began to cry, and they knew I would live. That's why my mother named me Yue. For the moon," Yue explains.

Soon after, we arrive at the oasis, just in time to find pesky Admiral Zhao already there, holding a bag in his hands. I don't need to see inside it to know that the Moon Spirit, Tui, is there, probably scared and hurting.

"I am... a legend, now! The Fire Nation will, for generations, tell stories about the great Zhao, who darkened the moon. They will call me, Zhao the Conqueror, Zhao the Moon Slayer, Zhao the Invincible!" Zhao declares, before Momo jumps onto his head and starts scratching fiercely at his face. "Ugh... Get it off! Get it off!"

"Good job, Momo," I say, as Momo flies back to us and rests on my shoulder.

"Don't bother," Zhao threatens, pulling the bag up and threatening to murder the spirit.

"Zhao, don't!" Aang pleads.

"It's my destiny, to destroy the moon and the Water Tribe."

"You're an idiot. The moon's powers don't just affect the Water Tribes. They affect the entire world," I retort.