The Secret Avatar

Chapter Thirty

The end of Piandao's sword's scabbard strikes the red carpeted floor. Piandao stands before Sokka, sword firmly planted before him, "I will train you." A huge smile spreads across Sokka's face.

Sokka and Piandao stand in a sword fighting ring in front of the building they were in earlier. Sokka is wearing an almost identical outfit to Piandao's. Toph stands on the sidelines to 'watch'.

"The first thing you must learn is that your weapon is an extension of yourself." Piandao says as he unsheathes his sword and begins performing a sword form, "You must think of it as another part of your own body."

"Like a second head." Sokka says

"Well, more like an extra-long, really sharp arm." Piandao replies, "The sword is a simple tool, but in the hands of a master it becomes the most versatile of weapons, and just as the imagination is limitless, so too are the possibilities of the sword." Sokka nods his head in understanding.

Back at the Eastern Air Temple, Aang and Pathik sits behind a waterfall, "Next is the...

"Water Chakra?" Aang finishes

"Brilliant! Maybe one day you will be a guru too!" Pathik says impressed, "This chakra deals with pleasure and is blocked by guilt. Now, look at all the guilt with burdens you so. What do you blame yourself for?"

Aang thinks of his friends, "I lied to my friends." He thinks of all the Airbenders at his parents dig site, "I survived while all my people died."

"Accept the reality that these things happened, but do not let them cloud and poison your energy." Pathik says, "If you are to be a positive influence on the world, you need to forgive yourself." Aang takes a deep, focused breath, opening his Water Chakra.

Zuko and Mai walked up to the giant gates of Four Nations Academy. They looked at each other before entering. Thankfully, it was class time so there wasn't people roaming the campus. The couple walked to the main building and entered it, heading into the office.

"Zuko! You're all right!" Ursa said rushing up to her son and giving him a hug.

Zuko hugged her back, "I'm fine mom." They pulled away and a determined look replaced his smile, "I need to talk to uncle."

Ursa nodded, "He's in his office." Zuko walked over to the door as Mai gave Ursa a genuine smile.

Zuko opened the door and Iroh looked up, "Nephew! I'm glad you're okay!" Iroh said as he got up and gave his nephew a hug.

Zuko smiled as he embraced the hug, then turned serious again once they pulled away, "We need to talk to uncle, it's urgent."

Iroh invited them to sit down and gave the couple tea, "What is it you need to tell me?" He asked

Mai and Zuko looked at each other, "We found Gyatso dead at the Southern Air Temple." Mai replied, "The Red Lotus knew he was there."

"Oh Gyatso." Iroh said sorrowfully and hung his head, "He was a dear friend of mine." He lifted his head, "And how about Aang, is he alright?"

"He's at the Eastern Air Temple mastering his Avatar state with a guru." Zuko replied

Iroh sighed in relief, "We need the Avatar more than ever, we can't let anything happen to him." He said, "I hate to put so much pressure on a boy, but my brother is ruthless. When Sozin's Comet comes, he'll take over the world and ruin the peace Roku worked hard for years to bring back."

"Uncle... what would happen if my father gets Aang?" Zuko asked, "What would happen if this Raava spirit is replaced with Vaatu?"

Iroh gave him a solemn look, "Darkness will spread all over. The world would be sent into chaos. The Avatar would no longer be a symbol of hope... but a symbol of fear. Aang would have no love in his heart, and he would be the way he wasn't raised to be. A killer." Zuko and Mai's eyes went wide.

Piandao and Sokka stand in front of a table inside the building. On the table is calligraphy stationary, "The warrior practices a variety of arts to keep his mind sharp and fluid." Piandao explained and flattens out a piece of paper on the table, "The first you will learn is calligraphy." Piandao delicately hands a brush to Sokka, who takes it, messing the bristles up with his thumb, "Write your name."

"Writing my name will make me a better swordsman‌?" Sokka asks a little skeptical

Piandao takes the brush and positions it correctly in Sokka's hand, "When you write your name, you stamp the paper with your identity. You must learn to use your sword to stamp your identity on a battlefield."

Sokka holds his sleeve back and dips the brush in the ink. He readies himself to paint as Piandao looks on, "Remember, you cannot take back a stroke of the brush, or a stroke of the sword." Sokka's hand quivers and he sweats nervously, the brush barely an inch above the paper. He scratches his head and places the tip of the brush on his chin, thinking hard about what to do.

Piandao moves forward, "You are getting ink on your face."

"I am?" Sokka asks then looks at the brush, "I am! So this is about putting my identity on the page, right?" Piandao nods. Sokka smiles as he proceeds to brush the ink over his face. He presses his face onto the paper and rolls his head around.

Sokka picks up the paper and shows it to Piandao, smiling cheerfully. On the paper is a large inkblot which vaguely resembles a face. Piandao simply closes his eyes in response.