Chapter 8: Avatar Wan

When the guards told Commander Zhao about the information gathered from the interrogation of Zuko's crew Zuko knew his plans were ruined and soon enough everyone would know that the Avatar is still alive.

[Now… Remind me Prince Zuko, who exactly damaged your ship again?]: zhao

Zuko didn't want to speak as he was feeling quite sour as he didn't think Zhao would be sneaky enough to have his men interrogate his men while they had some drinks, and in the end Zuko looked towards Zhao with a glare and began to speak.

[I told you… An Earthbender who could bend metal destroyed my ship, I just left out the part about the Avatar for personal reasons]: zuko

[And why would you leave out such an important detail, Prince Zuko?... Don't you know that this could be considered treason to your nation… The Avatar is the only person in the entire world who could and would ruin our win in this war, and you messed up big time with this new development]: zhao

[Don't worry about it… I'll get him next time]: zuko

[No… No, you wont get that chance… You are officially off this mission, and I will be taking over from here on out]: zhao

When Zuko heard Zhao tell him that he would be removed from the only mission that could redeem him in his father's eyes he felt anger and hatred well up from inside as he felt it was his destiny to capture the Avatar and return to the Fire Nation as a hero.

[No!... You can't do that! I have been hunting the Avatar for 2 years, and now you want to take my credit for yourself]: zuko

[Hahahaha!... Your credit?... You are just some banished and forgotten son of the Fire Lord… Nobody would ever believe you, and you're lucky that you have brought me this news, and as thanks, I won't mark you as a traitor for letting the Avatar escape… Hahahahaha!... Men! Hold Prince Zuko, and General Iroh here for a while while I get my men prepared for departure… Oh! And have Prince Zuko's men pack their things, I'll be taking them along with me… I don't want this information spreading too quickly now]: zhao

Zhao then began walking out of the room while laughing, but before he could leave Zuko shouted and caught his attention.

[No! You can't do this!... I will be the one to capture the Avatar and return home to my father with honor]: zuko

[Honor?... Hahaha! You are just a banished prince now, if your father really wanted you back home, he would have taken you back Avatar, or no Avatar… As I said moments before… A forgotten son of the Fire Lord, and you even have the scar to prove it]: zhao

[Oh yea!?... Well maybe you'd like one to match!]: zuko

[Prince Zuko! Calm down and relax]: iroh

Iroh tried to calm Zuko down as he was releasing his anger out through the candles and lanterns surrounding the inside of the tent as the flames grew bigger, and Zuko's anger only got worse as Zhao antagonised him by plucking on the one nerve that hurt Zuko the most.

[Are you challenging me?]: zhao

[Yes! An Agni Kai… At sunset]: zuko

[Very well… It's a shame your father won't be there to watch me humiliate you… I guess your uncle will do just fine]: zhao

Zhao then turned around and left the tent as Zuko starred as his departing back with a fire in his eye, soon the guards followed suit leaving Zuko and Iroh alone in the tent to discuss between themselves.

[Prince Zuko… Have you forgotten what happened last time you duled a Master?]: iroh

[I will never forget Uncle]: zuko

... Elsewhere with Soren ...

I was getting dark as Soren, Aang, Katara, and Sokka were now standing before a gigantic door with what appeared to be ancient pipes curling around each other and looking like a puzzle with 3 Blue spirals depicting air currents, and as Sokka's hunger got the best of him hoping that there was food on the other side of the door, he tried to barge in, but was met with complete resistance as the gigantic doors refused to open.

[They're locked!... Aang, how do you open them]: sokka

[Hahaha… They require Airbending to open them… Sokka, stand back]: aang

Aang then took in a deep breath as he then spread his arms out and made some movements and hand motions to gather all the air around them and pushed his hands forwards to create a gigantic gust of wind that began filling the big horns on the side of the door connecting to the maze of pipes lining the door, and soon the 3 Blue spirals began to turn as the color changed to Purple and the air was being blown out of a spout. Soon one of the pipes mechanically pushed out and turned as if unlocking the gigantic door, and the remaining air pushed both doors open with the force for the leftover air revealing a dark open space that had the 4 of them looking in awe.

[Hello?... Anyone home?]: aang

Aang was the first to enter followed by Katara, then by Soren leaving Sokka a bit hesitant, but soon he followed after as well, and when they saw the hundreds if not thousands of stone statues filling the room in what appeared to be a pattern signifying the people of the 4 nations, Aang, Soren, and Katara began looking around while Sokka was distraught that there was no food in sight.

'Woah… So these are the Avatars of Aang's past lives?... The look to be in perfect condition… The Airbenders were truly a remarkable group of people, they even kept the place free from decay, or maybe that was the leftover spiritual presence from all of Aang's past lives?': soren

Soon Soren watched as Sokka was alarmed by some movement from outside and quickly gathered both Aang and Katara to hide thinking it was a Firebender. Soren quickly went his own way to make himself scarce as he still wanted to look around without being troubled, and soon after he saw both Sokka and Aang running out the doors after some little flying monkey looking thing. Katara was left in the room to continue looking at the statues and when she saw Soren doing the same she decided to spark up a conversation.

[Why did you lie to Aang?... You know if we stay here any longer he will eventually find out]: katara

[Why did I lie?... Think about it… Aang was raised here his whole life, they didn't display violence, and there were no such events as a war to take over the entire world. Aang left his people on a bad note and feels guilty, I can see it in his eyes, and all of a sudden 100 years later when he reemerges he is forced to know that his people were slaughtered due to his existence being a threat to some greedy person in power… What would happen if he did find out about that? Do you think he would be happy that his people sacrificed themselves to keep him safe, or do you think he would blame himself for not being there to stop the eradication of his only family… That's why, if and when he does find out, we need to be there for him… We will be his family, and he needs to be able to rely on us when he's down… That Katara is the reason I lied to him]: soren

Katara took in Soren's words as she felt that he was right, and that Aang would be upset to find out that his family died for him, and he would need someone there for him when he finds out the truth, and deep down she wanted to be that person there for him.

[I'm gonna go find Aang and Sokka]: katara

[Okay, I'll be there soon… I feel that something is calling to me here]: soren

[Calling to you?... Okay, do what you must, I'll see you later]: katara

Katara then ran out the door to go and find Sokka and Aang while Soren looked up to the roof of the temple and saw a faint glow, and that glow was the thing Soren felt he was being called towards. Soren then found the path spiraling up towards the top of the temple with statues of the past Avatars lining the way, and with that Soren began to climb the path, and after a few minutes Soren reached the top where the statues were no longer stone, and only one statue stood a decaying statue made of wood that depicted a man with long hair wearing a tunic and a scarf missing it's arms, with an undefinable face, but the thing that stood out the most about the statue was the depiction of a diamond shaped creature with long flowing tentacles that wrapped around the man and glowing Blue markings.

[Strange… Why is this statue glowing?]: soren

Just as Soren spoke, the other statues lit up and caught Soren's attention as he watched the others begin to light up as well as they spiraled down, and even the wooden mans statue lit up, with a Bluish White in its eyes, but the creature surrounding him still had a Blue glow.

[Oh no… Aang!]: soren

Soren's knowledge about the Avatar world has nothing much to do with the individual characters and their traits, but knowledge of the events such as Aang coming out of the Iceberg, traveling the world, the Earthbender known as Toph joining the team, and Zuko the Prince of the Fire Nation joining the team before Aang defeats Ozai and brings peace to that era of his time. Soren quickly tried to leave and go see what happened to Aang, but before he could leave the Blue glowing light surrounding the creature carved out around a man began to grow and absorb Soren sending him into a bright light blinding him and making him raise his hand to stop the light from burning his retinas.

[What the heck!?]: soren

[Hello!... My name is Raava, I am the Spirit that resides in all Avatars… I have felt the blessings of the Earth Lion Turtle on you and have called you to meet with me]: raava

Soren was standing in an open field with nothing but Earth around him and some rock formations, but as Soren took a further look around he noticed the sight of what appeared to be the aftermath of a great war with bodies laying around as well as weapons and spilled blood soaking the ground. Soren then looked back towards the one called Raava and saw the appearance of a ghastly White spirit like creature with Blue markings and a Diamond shaped eye at its center.

[Why do you want to meet with me?]: soren

Soren spoke while looking at the battlefield around him and saying a silent prayer for everyone present, and when Raava saw this she felt that her choice in bringing Soren here for what was to come next was the right choice and spoke.

[You have been blessed by something more powerful than even Vaatu and myself combined, and through that blessing you were granted the ability to house all 4 Elements, something that only the Avatar can do, but the thing you lack that makes the Avatar the Avatar is me… Though I can't give you that power, I can give you something that will help you bring balance to this world just like the Avatar's in the past… The current Avatar isn't powerful enough to win this war on his own and will need your help… Take this as my parting gift for you… Go talk to that man over there]: raava

Raava then turned her flat body and pointed towards a dying man with long Gray hair and a pointed Gray beard growing from his chin. He was leaning up against a piece of rock that was shaped like a bronze coin, wearing stone plated armor and a Black tunic with Red lining under it. The man was surrounded by a bunch of bodies and arrows lined the ground like a pin cushion as blood from the dead bodies flowed like a river and soaked the soil.

[*Cough Cough*... Eh, come here boy]: man

Soren then walked over to the man and knelt down to meet him face to face as the man placed his hand onto Soren's shoulder and began to speak.

[My name is *Cough*... Avatar Wan… I was the very first Avatar in this seemingly endless cycle of war before peace, and throughout my long life I have learned one thing, and that is peace can never be won without bloodshed… You might get peace for a short time, but without someone there to instill fear into the minds of those who seek power, there will always be a fight for the throne, and the Avatar is the one who was meant to bring peace and stop those power hungry people from vying for the throne in the first place…*Cough* Please, with this knowledge I pass onto you… Keep this world from falling into utter ruins if the Avatar fails to complete his duty… He seems like a good kid, but that's the thing, he's still just a kid *Cough Cough*... Come closer]: wan

Soren did as Wan asked and came even closer and let Wan place one of his hands on his face, placing his thumb on his forehead, and the other on the center of his chest right where his heart it, and with a flash of glowing Green light, Soren had the knowledge of Firebending taught from the dragons themselves, the ones rumored to be the very first Firebenders.

[Go!... Take this as payment for protecting the world… I know there is nothing free in this world… Hehe *Cough Cough*]: wan

Soren then watched as Wan's head went back and he watched as Raava's soul began leaving his body to find a new host for reincarnate into, and with that Soren was pushed out of the world with a bright light making him close his eyes before he reopened them only to see himself standing in front of the statue of Avatar Wan, and Raava was no longer glowing Blue, but the markings on the wood were painted Blue still.

[Don't worry Wan, I'll make sure to protect this world from danger]: soren