Chapter 153: Avatar Diary: A Link Established
"So I did see that dragon!" Sokka chimed with a grin as he began to chuckle, "I'm all spiritual... more than you benders... hehe!"
Rena gave her boyfriend a sidelong glance before scoffing, "But you still can't bend..."
"Who said that?! Didn't I bend someone two nights ago?" He waggled his brows but forgot who was the one who caught him in this relationship and who was the real 'deal' as instead of being infuriated by his joke, Rena winked, "I guess, I need to make you understand later that I can even bend you~!" That flirtatious smile earned her a pitched tent as Sun looked away.
"Ugh... both of you are disgusting."
"What's going— ughhhhhhh! Yuck!" Aang hurriedly looked ahead while sitting on Appa's head as Sokka clicked his tongue and covered his crotch with his bag, "Hey, it's not yuck. It's a healthy male body part. Ain't that right?"
"That's right~!" Rena leaned in on Sokka, hugging him and pecking his jaw as she spoke up, "You know, both of you would just make your girls sad if you keep acting so childishly."
Tom-Tom yawned and opened his eyes this time, finally awakening from his nap.
"But I am a child," Aang retorted.
And then it hit Rena... she looked around. Momo, Tom-Tom, Aang, and Sun...
She and Sokka looked at one another before quickly breaking off the contact and clearing their throats.
"Exactly... ehm, Sun, I want to know what your intentions are with that young girl Meng," Sokka stated firmly as Sun rolled his eyes, "Screw the two of you."
"That is no way to speak to your elder, Sun," Rena reproached with a serious expression as Tom-Tom mumbled, "What's going on?... Why are you two acting like mom and dad?"
"Go back to sleep. They're just a dirty pair," Sun looked at Tom-Tom and closed his eyes.
"Hah," Sokka gasped, "I can't believe he would say this about us, honey..."
"Me, too... maybe we should have thought twice before getting a family this early."
Their antics only got on Sun's nerves but if he lashes out... they win and they knew it.
Still, Rena chose to steer the conversation elsewhere and finally question Aang, "So, if that Dragon is real, as Sokka kept trying to make us believe, then what did it want with you?"
"It's... Avatar Roku," Aang revealed. This earned him gazes from everyone while he continued, "Avatar Roku wants me to meet him right during the Winter Solstice which is today. I think this has to do something with why Avatar Roku suddenly disappeared and probably why all of this started."
"But..." Aang continued, "I don't know if the temple priests where I'm supposed to meet him will accept me. After all, that temple is situated on an island closer to the Fire Nation's Archipelago..."
"Wouldn't be our first encounter with the Fire Nation," Sun snorted through his nostrils.
"And wouldn't be the last," Sokka added with a wicked grin.
After saving the prisoners on the Northern Air Temple, they had stayed for a little over a week to help things out while bringing Hara and his troops to the base of the mountain where the temple was carved and allowing them to go. Sun felt quite complicated, but Meng was there to help him. She was still there, alongside other Makapu Villagers.
Returning to Makapu Village was dangerous right now and the group had come to understand the Tinkerer's genius who developed the temple... Aang only helped him with the development of the temple on a less revolting path.
Sun helped with the renovation extensively while Sokka stayed with the man and racked his brain to understand more about the mechanical wonders. Even now, his pouch was filled with many incomprehensible scribbles. But it was clear to everyone that Sokka had taken a shine to this and constantly lamented the lack of Nik in that temple. Had he been there, Sokka could have gotten a few amazing toys for himself... one of them being a giant floating hot-air balloon that could transport people.
They had seen this before but Sokka easily helped the Tinkerer adjust some things so that the constant influx of heat doesn't burn away the large air-filled balloon... truly, all they had to do was add a lid... that's all!
What confused them was why would Roku only call for Aang now when he has been awake for months? The only thing Aang could reason it was by thinking that the Winter Solstice was closer right now.
Anyway, they soon came across the volcanic, crescent-shaped island with a lone tower erected on the peak of the island. Appa landed close to the entrance of the temple as the group got down alongside Momo and Tom-Tom questioned, "Is this it? There aren't any soldiers..."
"Ssh, don't jinx it," Rena muttered and the boy nodded quickly.
Aang looked around. The location was... destitute. Even now, the temperature of the island made them uncomfortable but the sight of streams of lava at the base of the Island was even more startling. Nothing grew here and aside from this Fire Temple, there was nothing of note but still, many things could be understood.
"Hey, if there are people inside then they must have contact from the other islands for supplies and such," Sokka frowned, losing all his carefree mannerism, "The Fire Nation has set traps for us many times by now..."
The group fell silent. Indeed, they have been ambushed many times now and it would prove worthwhile to replace their curiosity and sense of adventure with caution and readiness, at least, when it was a necessity.
Just when they mused about who would be the one to open the entrance of the temple, the gates parted with a resounding and sharp creak to reveal a man wearing red and dark brown clothes with a red hat covering his head. The old man gazed at the group and his eyes landed on Aang. A kind smile made its way over the man's dry lips as he commented, "Avatar... welcome."
He walked out of the entrance, four other old men followed after him, and then bowed down deeply, "It is our honor to meet the Avatar of this generation."
---
"Huff! Honor, my ass!" Sokka shouted as they ran. They ran and ran without looking back.
Even Sun was running since he couldn't lavabend and bring this place down, not without Aang completing his objectives.
"Stay right there!" The decrepit old men hissed, shooting out jets of flames at the group while riding pitch-black dogs that had scaled hides and let out barks of fire. Their sharp maws indicated that nothing good will happen if Aang and his group agreed to stop.
"You guys are crazy!" Aang shouted, pushing the narrow hallway behind him with the furious gust that slowed down the 'Sages' of the Fire Temple and rushed deeper into the temple, not knowing where to go but up.
Just as they were about to follow, Sun raised the earthen walls, multiple ones to stop them temporarily. Tom-Tom and Rena, however, didn't attack just yet. Tom-Tom already had limited supplies while Rena couldn't just waste the water in the pouch over her waist. So, they bolted for the flight of stairs.
They searched the various rooms while rushing up, constantly running into the sages and realizing that there were probably secret paths... which finally made Sun just raise them through an earthen platform and tear through the successive floors while beginning to lay traps of lava in the corner of each floor. It was exhausting, but this was only something Sun could do and revealed just how useful Lavabending could be and how much Aang stood to gain by learning this ability.
Alas... he hadn't even mastered moving a pebble, like Nik, much less bend lava.
Although they heard pained howls soon enough, Aang, Sun, and others only looked at the only gate on the highest floor of the temple. Aang instantly realized that, like the Air Temples, the fire temple must need firebenders to bend fire into the serpent-shaped openings that acted as the locks for the gate.
But... these locks were technically outdated.
The Avatar Room in the Northern Air Temple had been breached by the Tinkerer without any form of bending but just digging a tunnel underneath. Similarly, Sun pulled out a block of the wall before looking at Aang, "What are you waiting for?"
"Yeah... nothing. Thanks." The boy nodded and hurriedly entered the room. As he did so, others looked at Sun, genuinely grateful.
"What do we do next?" Sun looked at Sokka.
Although he knew that Lavabending was been pivotal for their safety, Sun had to admit that Sokka was way better when it came to making decisions. And even if wrong, the young Chieftain never shrugged off their responsibility and hummed thoughtfully, "First of all, why don't you see if there are any secret entrances on this floor, too?"
Sun nodded. Checking every corner would be too much of a hassle so the walls instantly heated until the first drop of lava began to form and then he solidified the lava once again, closing off metal doors, too, effectively sealing themselves within the temple's highest floor.
"That work?"
"It does," Sokka whistled in amazement and then looked around before pointing at the multiple, dragon-carved pillars and smiled, "Just in case they barge their way in, why not prepare something for those old bastards and their dogs... damn, those dogs are scary..."
---
Meanwhile, as Aang entered the Avatar Chamber of the temple, he hadn't expected only to see Avatar Roku's statue.
But that didn't stop him from observing the statue in great detail. Somber and sharp, these were the first qualities that came to Aang but there was more. Roku looked well-mannered and disciplined. Then again, the Avatar cannot be considered anything but that, right?
A wry smile appeared on Aang's lips as he thought of it. He had been a mess more recently than ever.
Yes, he now understood that things could turn for the better. He didn't have to shoulder it all alone. He's had friends and he has met avatars even before Roku. But those were under special circumstances. Something within Aang told him that the right way was by first meeting Roku.
There is a step and method to all things.
He needed to make a connection with Roku.
He needed to understand... what the previous Avatar expected him to do.
For a second, Avatar envied Nik... he could bend all the elements AND be free of the responsibilities of the world. Sure, Nik stayed around, but Aang and Sokka knew that he was but a guest to this world.
Many may argue that Nik wasn't helping others because he was good... but then again, who was?
Aang considered Hara a good person despite his acts of imprisoning the villagers. There were many more examples. For instance, Aang still couldn't really patch-up with the Tinkerer even if all he did was look out for his people.
Was he good?
Just because he was helping others?
What else was he supposed to do?
The recollections of the first Avatar, Mokshi, and Nik came to his mind.
Beyond the concepts such as good and evil that differed for each person... was his mind even free?
Some may say that he wasn't free...
As he mulled, Aang failed to see the last ray of sunlight hitting Roku's eyes from the smallest opening within the room while Aang's tattoo began to glow.
"Freedom is an illusion," An aged but cheery voice filled Aang's senses as he looked up. Surprisingly, he wasn't in the room but in a world of mist where Avatar Roku stood in front of him with a smile, "You have confused freedom of the mind with the freedom of concepts.
Mokshi is a paradox because it provides the latter, not the former. In this world, any being who can think can never be free. And those who become free from the confines of the mind... their tales will forever be unknown."
Aang blinked and pondered silently.
"But I still envy the thought of it... am I a bad person to not want to shoulder this responsibility?"
"You are not, Aang. Not in my eyes," Roku smiled, "But would you stop helping those who you come across as in need?"
"No," Aang replied firmly.
"Are you doing anything different right now?" Roku chuckled and Aang's eyes widened for a brief moment before he bowed, "It is nice to meet you, Avatar Roku."
"The pleasure is likewise, Avatar Aang," Roku bowed, "Seeing me now, you understand that that correct way of connecting with the past spirit is starting with the most recent incarnation, right?"
"Yes," Aang nodded, "But Roku... I... I don't know what to do. How can I stop this war?"
"Isn't the war ended?" Roku questioned as the scene began to shift, "From what I can see... the war should be ended. But he doesn't want to stop. After conquering the world, he wants to create more conflicts to conquer as any man addicted to pleasures would do.
Aang, what I can provide you is insight into the past. Where it all began."
Aang found himself and Roku standing within a courtyard where two youths trained, "It all began with an innocent friendship between me and the one who started the war back then... Sozin."
Aang could feel the fondness in Roku's voice as he regarded the other youth of the two, one with his short hair tied up while Roku wore his shoulder-length hair freely.
From the spars to their daily lives, Aang witnessed the friendship between the future Crown Prince of the Fire Nation and the Future Avatar Roku.
When the day of the coronation came, it was revealed that Roku was the Avatar and he must leave the fire nation to train with other sages and spiritual masters to fulfill his destiny of mastering all the elements.
Aang saw Roku's crush, the heartfelt farewell between the friends who were more brothers to anyone around them.
Aang's eyes turned gentle as he saw Roku in the Southern Air Temple with a young Airbender named Gyatso...
Roku learning waterbending and earthbending eventually.
It wasn't always peaceful. Humans always had a way to screw things up and Roku tried to handle things as much as he could. When he mastered the four elements, Roku returned to the Fire Nation in time to witness his brother, Sozin, being crowned as the Fire Lord.
Yet... everything changed when Sozin brought Roku to private quarters.
"Think about it, Roku. Alongside the Avatar, the Fire Nation can color the world under one banner. We can share our growth with everyone!"
"I was young Aang," Roku finally began and whispered, "I had seen too much filth of the world that I forgot to see within Sozin. You see, at this moment, the one talking wasn't the would-be Tyrant, but a friend and a passionate king who believed that he could make the world a better place. But I had seen the results of such ambitions.
Power corrupts man. There was someone corrupt in that room but it wasn't Sozin. I shut his ambitions down before he could even begin. Later on, I married the woman I loved and settled... I would leave to adventure and see if I can solve any problems.
It was then I came across the first colony of the fire nation.
I was right... power did corrupt Sozin, but I always wondered... if I was there by his side, if I had just guided my friend well enough... would things be different?"
"But the time for peaceful negotiations was skipped. I stormed into his castle and lay ruin to it before forcefully making Sozin recall his troops..."
The scene shifted. Roku was now old and living a peaceful life with his family until the island they stayed on suddenly erupted in a volcanic disaster.
It was none other than this Crescent Island.
As Roku stayed back to give enough time for the villagers and his wife and children to seek safety, he was supported by the surprising visit of his lost brother— Sozin.
Two dragons, Red and Blue, and two men capable of taming such dragons, the Avatar and the Fire Lord began to tackle the lava.
Aang saw Sozin's smoke bending. A form of Firebending learned from airbenders that allowed them to transfer and move the air based on the heat and the pollutants within the smoke.
Roku directly bent lava, air, earth, and smoke. Even if old, the avatar was strong until...
*Pssh*
A toxin-filled jet of fumes suddenly erupted from his feet and saturated Roku's senses with sulfur, causing him to fall to the ground.
They'd been close. The villagers were almost away and all they needed to do was leave the island.
"Sozin... help me," Roku called out weakly to his brother but the man stopped dead in his tracks. And there they witnessed it.
The corruption of power flickered in Sozin's eyes as he muttered, "Roku... with you gone, all my ambitions could be fulfilled. I don't have the heart to harm you... brother. This is goodbye."
With that, Sozin jumped on his dragon and left as the temporary measures left on the mouth of the volcano melted away and it erupted with even greater fury.
Roku's knees were burnt by now. His flesh stuck on the ground itself as he gazed at the shortening back of his brother.
Regret filled his eyes then.
Regret filled his eyes now.
The vision came to an end when his dragon coiled around him to save him from the tide of lava. Entering the eternal slumber with his master.
---
"I... don't know what to say."
"Say that you will learn from our mistakes as much as you can. Making mistakes is common to humans and every Avatar is a human. We learn and we grow, Aang. Do that."
Roku patted the boy's head as Aang nodded.
"And I can see that the outsider isn't like others before... for some reason, outsiders would either try to kill us, the avatar, or the greatest trouble of our life. That friend of yours has shown to not try the former and has managed to get into Kyoshi's favor, too... Sigh, be well, Aang. Whenever you need us... call us. Our experience is within you for that very purpose."
"Thank you, Avatar Roku," Aang smiled and he bowed once again, to which, the old Avatar bowed, too, until his figure turned into a phantom and he disappeared.
Aang then opened the doors from the inside, which was rather easy, and found Sokka and others diligently laying traps upon traps.
"I'm done," Aang called out as others blinked and looked at how the pillars were turned into the deadly spikes...
The boy's lips twitched.
"Oh, good, then help up. I'm not leaving until making these old bastards regret!" Sokka grinned.
"Yeah," Sun nodded darkly.
"It was my idea for large needles," Tom-Tom laughed proudly while Rena shrugged, "I tried to stop them... but the idea is good."
Aang eventually shrugged. They still needed to leave the temple, after all.
***
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