THE MOON WAS shining, and Aang was trying to pry Appa from his spot. Yuen and Aang had decided to leave together to find Roku, without Sokka & Katara. Yuen watched, guilt eating her alive. Aang had some how convinced her, but she didn't wanna leave her cousins behind. That wasn't the right thing to do.
"Let's go, Appa. Come on, boy." Appa let out a roar, indicating that he didn't want to leave. "Look, I'm sorry, but Katara and Sokka aren't coming to the Fire Nation with us. If they got hurt, I'd never forgive myself." Aang told his animal companion.
"So get your big butt off the ground and let's go!" He shouted. He tried pulling him once more, but tripped and fell on his own butt.
"I think his big butt is trying to tell you something." Sokka startled Yuen and Aang. The two immediately spun around, to see practically the whole village. "Please don't go, guys. The world can't afford to lose any of you to the Fire Nation. Neither can I." Katara said, her eyes holding back tears.
"Well, then... Yuen will stay and I'll go." Aang gently pushed her over to them.
"What? No! I'm not letting you go down there by yourself." Yuen shook her head. "But—I have to go talk to Avatar Roku to find out what my vision means." Aang retorted. "Our vision." Yuen mumbled.
"I need to get to the Fire Temple before the sun sets on the solstice. That's today!" He jumped on Appa. He tried to fly away, but the three ran in front of them. "We're not letting you go into the Fire Nation, Aang." Katara said. "Yeah, at least not without us!" Yuen grinned. "We've got your back." Sokka nodded.
Momo landed on Aang's shoulder. And Appa give Sokka a big lick, making Yuen giggle.
"It's a long journey to the Crescent Island. You'll have to fly fast to have any chance of making it before sundown. Good luck." The man told them.
"Thank you, sir, for your—" "Go!"
AFTER PASSING a fire navy blockade, Yuen's blood pressure was back to normal. Her heart rate calmed down and she stopped breathing so intensely. "Are you alright, Yuen?" Katara asked her. Yuen jumped off Appa, slightly shocked. "Yeah. Besides the fact that we were almost killed by Fire Nation, I think I'm fine." Yuen replied. Katara gave her a hug.
"You did it, buddy." Aang hugged Appa. "Yeah, nice flying, Appa." Yuen pet the bison. He rolled on his back. "Awe, you must be tired." Katara rubbed his stomach. "No," Sokka stretched. "I'm good. Refreshed and ready to fight some firebenders."
"I was talking to Appa." Katara replied with sass. Sokka paused. "Well, I-I was talking to Momo." He pointed to. Yuen just rolled her eyes.
"I DON'T SEE ANY GUARDS." Sokka said. "The Fire Nation must have abandoned the Temple when Avatar Roku died." Katara said.
"I doubt it. Aren't they supposed to worship Roku?" Yuen whispered. "It's almost sundown. We'd better hurry." They all rushed to the entrance. Suddenly, the air became a lot more dense and hotter. "Wait," Sokka stopped them. "I think I heard something."
They turned around to see... "We are the fire sages, guardians of the Temple of the Avatar." The old man said. Aang grinned and pulled Yuen with him as he said: "Great! We are the Avatars." He said. Yuen had an off feeling about the men.
"We know." And they began attacking them. Aang created a wind to stop the fire. "I'll hold them off! Run!" Aang shouted.
As they ran, Aang just... appeared out of nowhere. "Follow me!" He yelled. "Do you even know where you're going?" Yuen asked. "Nope!" She sighed and was met with the body of Aang, who was trying to run. He apologised for bumping into her.
"Wrong way!" He started running again, a fire sage standing there. "Come back!" He pleaded. Yuen almost did but was forced to continue their little run And they were met with a dead end. "I don't want to fight you. I am a friend." The fire sage yold them. "Firebenders aren't our friends."
"That's discrimination, but... whatever." Yuen mumbled. Not all firebender could be that bad. She hoped... But the fire sage got on his knees, bowing. "I know why you're here, Avatars."
"You do? The two replied in unison. "Yes," he got back up. "You two wish to speak to Avatar Roku. I can take you to him." He said. "How?" Aang sounded suspicious of the man. With good reason. He moved a lamp and pressed on something to open a door.
"This way." He said, and Yuen began walking but was held back by Aang. "Find them." They heard. "Time is running out, guys! Come on!" She pulled away from his grasp. And they followed Yuen in.
"AVATAR ROKU once called this temple his home. He formed these secret passages out of the magma." The fire sage explained. "Hey—why do firebenders always live surrounded by water? And... why do they live on water if they can't even swim? It's ironic they hate water but always live around it... and swim on it! Always those stupid boats..." Yuen rambled on.
"Yuen." Katara whispered. They all stared at her. "Oh, sorry." She looked away. "Did you know Avatar Roku?" Aang asked the man. "No, but my grandfather knew him. Many generations of Fire Sages guarded this temple long before me,"
"We all have a strong spiritual connection to this place." The man responded. "Is that how you knew me and Aang were coming?" Yuen exclaimed.
"A few weeks ago, an amazing thing occured. The statue of Avatar Roku. It's eyes began to glow." He said. "That's when we were at the Air Temple!" Yuen told the others. "We know." Katara replied.
"The statue's eyes kept switching on and off, which was intriguing. And at that moment, we knew you had returned to the world. We never knew there would be two, though." The fire sage told them.
"If this is the Avatar's temple, why did the sages attack us?" Aang asked.
"Things have changed. In the past, the sages were loyal only to the Avatar. When Roku died, the sages eagerly awaited for the next Avatar to return... but they never came." He said. Yuen's heart started to ache. "They were waiting... for me?"
"Hey, Yuen, don't feel bad. You're only like... a decade late." Sokka reassured her. Aang shoved him off. "They lost hope the Avatar would ever return. When Fire Lord Sozin began the war, my grandfather and the other saves were forced to follow him,"
"I never wanted to serve the Fire Lord. When I learned you were coming, I knew I would have to betray the other sages."
"Thank you for helping us." Yuen smiled. He smiled back. But the tears in Yuen's eyes still stayed in her eyes, trembling. Holding back from dropping onto the rocky floors. "We'll follow these stairs to the sanctuary. Once you're inside, wait for the light to hit Avatar Roku's statue,"
"Only then will you be able to speak with him." He said. "Yeah... um, Aang?" She whispered. "What?" He whispered back. "I think you should talk to Avatar Roku... by yourself." She told him. "What?" He whisper-shouted. "It makes the most sense. You're his new life. I'd probably telepathically hear everything because of you anyway." Yuen told him.
"No!" The fire sage gasped. "Shyu, what's wrong?" Aang asked. Right... that's his name. "The sanctuary doors. They're closed."
"Well, then... open them?" Yuen shrugged. "Only a full realised Avatar is powerful enough to open this door alone. Otherwise, the sages must open the doors together with five simultaneous fire blasts." Shyu explained to everybody.
"Five fire blasts, huh?" Sokka repeated. "I think I can help you out." He grinned.
"THIS IS A LITTLE trick I picked up from my father. I seal the lamp oil inside an animal skin casing. Shyu lights the oil-soaked twine and... ta-da! Fake firebending." Sokka explained. "You've really outdone yourself, this time, Sokka." Katara pointed out. "This might actually work." Shyu nodded.
And so Sokka placed them into the holes. "The sages will hear the explosion, so as soon as they go off, you two rush in." They glanced at each other. Aang had a look of stubborness. A new look Yuen hadn't seen before. He seemed a little upset at her.
"It's almost sunset. Are you guys ready?" Katara asked. Aang looked over at Yuen. His eyes were wide and bright. Yuen couldn't look away. "Um... yeah." She nodded, finally looking away.
Shyu set the strings on fire and they exploded. Yuen flinched, her arms reaching out for Aang almost immediately. He grabbed her arm and they ran to the door. Only, the door wouldn't budge. It was still sealed shut. Great! She rolled her eyes.
"These doors are still shut!" Yuen yelled in frustration. "It didn't work."
"Why won't it open?!" Aang began hitting the door with airbending. "Aang, calm down!" Yuen stopped his aggressive behaviour.
"I'm sorry I forced you to come with me for nothing." He looked down at his feet. Yuen placed her hand on his shoulder, a sincere smile on her face.
"I don't get it... that blast looked as strong as any firebending I've ever seen." Sokka. Yuen grinned. "Wait—Sokka! You're a genius!" She exclaimed. "Wait, how is Sokka a genius? His plan didn't even work." Aang sounded grumpy. "Come on, Aang, let her dream." Sokka crossed his arms.
"You're right. Sokka's plan didn't work, but it does seem like it did." Yuen's smile widened, if that wad even possible. "Did the definition of genius change in the last one hundred years I've been gone?"
"COME QUICKLY! The Avatars have entered the sanctuary!" A sage shouted. "How did they get in?" Another asked. "I don't know, but look at the scorch marks and down there." A shadow creeped underneath the door. "They're inside! Open the doors immediately, before they contact Avatar Roku!"
Yuen and Aang tightly held hands, as they quietly creeped around a pillar. The sages took a deep breath breath before using their bending to open the door.
A bright light flashed and Momo stood there. "It's the Avatar's lemur. He must've crawled through the pipes!" A sage yelled. "We've been tricked!" Momo jumped on him. Sokka and Katara went in action. And Shyu stopped the last sage. "Now, guys!"
"Aang, Yuen! Now's your chance!" Katara shouted. But instead Zuko came out holding the two.
"The Avatar's are coming with me!" Zuko yelled. "Close the doors. Quickly!" He ordered. But Yuen wasn't about to let this happen. She slammed her head against his face, making him stumble back, letting go of the two. Aang pushed him down the stairs with his airbending, making him groan.
And the two rushed to the doors. And barely, they made it through. The doors flashed blue. The two stared at the statue with amazement.
"The light hits the statue and we talk to Roku. So why isn't anything happening?" Aang asked. Yuen shrugged. "Why isn't anything happening?" He whined. "I don't know what I'm doing. All I know is airbending. Please, Avatar Roku, talk to us!"
His eyes flashed white and smoke filled the room. "It's good to see you, Aang & Yuen. What took you two so long?" He asked. The two glanced at each other before bowing to Roku.
"I HAVE SOMETHING very important to tell you, Aang." Roku said. "Wait—so does that mean I don't have to be here?" Yuen asked. Silence. "That is why when you two were down in the Spirit World I sent my dragon to find you."
"Is it about that vision? The one of the comet?" Aang eagerly questioned. "Yes." He answered. "What does it mean?" Yuen asked. "One hundred years ago, Fire Lord Sozin used that comet to begin the war. He and his firebending army harnessed its incredible power and dealt a deadly first strike against the other nations." Roku thoroughly explained.
"So the comet had made them even stronger?" Aang repeated. "Yes, stronger than you could ever imagine." Roku said. Yuen looked down.
"But that happened a hundred years ago. What does the comet have to do with the war now?" Aang asked. "Listen carefully. Sozin's Comet will return by the end of the summer, and Fire Lord Ozai will use its power to finish the war once and for all."
Yuen winced softly. The panic in her rose to her heart. "If he succeeds, even the Avatar won't be able to restore balance to the world. Aang, you and Yuen must defeat the Fire Lord before that comet arrives." Roku told him. "But I haven't even started learning waterbending yet, not to mention earth and fire."
"Mastering the elements takes years of discipline and practice, but if the world is to survive, you must do it by summer's end."
"What if we can't master all the elements in time? What if we fail?!" Yuen exclaims. "I know you two can do it, Yuen. For you have done it before. The solstice is ending. We must go our separate ways... for now." Roku said. "But we won't be able to come back to the temple. What if we have questions, how will we communicate with you?"
"I am a part of you. And you. When either of you ever need to talk to me again... you will find a way."
They all shut their own eyes. "A great danger awaits you all at the temple. I can help you two face the threat, but only if you are both ready."
Their eyes opened and flashed. "We're ready." They simultaneously said. The door began to burn bright. It started to open and Roku appeared to them. "Avatar Roku." Shyu said in disbelief.
He bended the fire back at the warriors. "Avatar Roku is going to destroy the temple! We have to get out of here!" Shyu shouted.
"Not without them!" Katara retorted. When Roku finally stopped, the smoke cleared and the two children fell down. "We've got your backs."
"Thanks, guys. But—uh... where's Shyu?" Yuen asked as Sokka helped her walk. "We don't know."
But of course, there was a problem. Lava was beginning to rise. They started running. That's when they spotted Momo and Appa. The four slid off the roof and onto Appa, and flew away.
The sky began to turn dark, and Yuen was almost dead asleep. "That was seriously the worst day of my life. And I had to stay in the same tent as Sokka for an entire day." Yuen finally spoke. "Hey!"
notes.
heya!! i'm on time this time! I think... but tysm for 400+ read yall i am SUPER DUPER grateful. I love you all with all my heart and hopefully you liked this chapter as much as I did!! <3