"So, did the Fire Nation build a tomb for an Airbender after everything they did?" After Aang had calmed down, Sokka approached him and asked that question.
"Shishui told me about the changes he tried to push for in that nation. He doesn't like war either. He told me that I didn't have to forgive them if I didn't want to. But I had to see past my pain to fulfill my duties as the Avatar," Aang replied after wiping away his tears.
"I don't know how he can live with them so easily. He doesn't want to interact with other Waterbenders or members of his tribe. But that's a good thing. At least it shows that people from different nations can live together." Katara approached Aang and gently placed one of her hands on his shoulder. He smiled at her touch.
"Speaking of which, I never thought I'd see an earthbender in your group. Hadn't the two nations had many conflicts? It's like living with your enemy!" exclaimed Sokka, remembering Petra, the girl who seemed quite comfortable among the Fire Nation nobles despite being an Earthbender.
"Shishui once asked me something like that. He asked if I would try to separate those people in the Fire Nation colonies who were used to living mixed together, having children, and being much more comfortable than when they were under the scattered control of some major city-states," Aang commented, making both Katara and Sokka fall silent.
They had never thought of that. The Earth Kingdom was notable for being an expanse of land with no apparent order. It had city kings and a supposed total king who barely acted. It was also dotted with villages that depended on no one but their enablers.
It's no wonder he found it relatively easy to gain territory. Who were those attacked villages going to ask for reinforcements from? Ba Sing Se? Or another city-state like the one where Bumi is the chief? They were on their own!
"Now that you mention it, we're also used to seeing people from other kingdoms, even the Fire Nation," Katara muttered, remembering daily life in her tribe.
Trade between countries had never been as prosperous as it was currently. People exchanged not only goods but also culture. Each merchant fleet trip to the South Pole brought a piece of other places with it, enriching the lands not only monetarily, but also culturally.
If it were not for these people, Katara might never have heard those songs that are now her favorites. She might never have read those novels that kept her up at night. Or worse, she might never have tasted that delicious food that makes her mouth water.
The war had its consequences; no one was unaware of them. Her scars would always be present. But it also made people long for peace and understanding.
Today, you might see an Earthbender wearing Water Tribe clothing, singing a new Fire Nation song, and enjoying fresh fruit from the Earth Kingdom while on vacation somewhere civilized.
Before, that would have been unthinkable! Even the Swamp Water Tribe became better known, something the other two tribes never expected. It seems that, as the saying goes, new things continually sprout from the ashes of the war.
"It looks like being the Avatar isn't just about bending the four elements. You still have a lot ahead of you." Sokka patted Aang's shoulder, trying to comfort him.
"Lucky you're my future brother-in-law! As hard as it is for me to accept, I'll give you all the help I can." This time, Katara decided not to squirt her older brother for joking around.
Avatar Aang may have lost his people a century ago, but he did not awaken alone because people were still waiting for him. He was never alone, and he never will be.
...
"Weren't we supposed to go to the North Pole? Why did we come down here?" Sokka asked, looking at the strange village in front of him.
The Earth Kingdom was the largest landmass on this side of the world. You would inevitably end up there if you traveled too far from the other nations or temples. They were undoubtedly in this vast realm.
"I felt a strange vibe around here, as if the spirit world was seeping in," replied Aang, who had his eyes closed and was concentrating on feeling the flow of the wind.
"No wonder it felt like home..." As a spiritually active place, the South Pole also had cracks that filtered the spirit world's atmosphere, something Katara felt in this location as well.
"I just feel weird," said Sokka, apparently calm, although the warrior already had his spear in hand because anything to do with the spiritual world was never simple.
Meanwhile, Aang's perception traveled with the wind, sensing the atmosphere of the nearby village and the surrounding forests. He ignored the people and animals he could sense, focusing more on tracking the spiritual energy dispersed in the air.
As an Airbender, sensing air currents was easy for him, especially with his shaved head. However, Aang took it further by combining it with his other senses. The wind was now his eyes, ears, and sense of smell, helping him explore.
He was inspired by this when he heard Toph talk about seismic perception and how Earthbenders could perceive things this way. He also heard Shishui talk about how he could do the same with water and Zuko talk about heat perception.
If three elements could expand your senses, why wouldn't Airbending be able to as well? Aang was trying out all his current learning and knowledge, and it was working wonders for him.
The wind blew him toward a part of the forest that looked burnt. Yet, sprouts were growing from the ashes, indicating that this desolate place was being reborn and revitalized.
'Even what was burned to ashes can rise again,' thought Aang. This perception not only made his future understanding of Firebending easier, but it also gave him an idea.
'If I am the last Airbender, shouldn't I raise my people from the ashes?' As he thought this, a certain person appeared in his mind, making him blush slightly.
'Concentrate! I'll think about that later. Now...' Aang's attention was drawn to a wooden statue shaped like a bear standing on two legs.
As strange as this seemed to Aang, he could feel a strong spiritual presence coming from the statue. Coincidentally, the statue was positioned directly above what Aang identified as a natural rift between the earthly and spirit worlds.
Then, as if sensing Aang's intrusion, the bear statue's eyes glowed white, blurring Aang's vision and snapping him out of his trance.
"Ouch," Aang complained, narrowing his eyes as Katara approached the young man, concerned.
"Are you all right?" she asked. Aang nodded slightly.
"Yes, just... I found a nearby spirit, and it's quite powerful," the Avatar said, tensing the atmosphere.
"Right, no peaceful moments next to the Avatar?" Sokka grumbled, subtly stepping in front of his sister and the Avatar to protect them.
Momo, the newest member of the team, stood over Aang's shoulder and used her small hands to pat the Avatar's bald head as if to soothe him.
"He doesn't seem to be a bad spirit. He's more like a protector of this village. I saw a statue that seems to be a totem in his honor," Aang explained before looking up at the sky.
Although it was a few hours before nightfall, black clouds covered the sky, mitigating the sunlight and giving the place a strange, grayish appearance.
"Let's go see it," said the Airbender. With his guide, he entered the forest near the village.
Sokka examined some scattered tracks. Although he was a hunter at the South Pole, his knowledge of hunting made him notice the tracks despite the geographical difference.
From what he could tell, the spirit inhabiting this place was particularly large and heavy. He tightened his grip on his spear and remained alert. He didn't like that Aang had them searching for a potentially dangerous spirit, but he didn't complain like he would have before.
Deep down, he trusted the Avatar's power, so he kept his thoughts to himself. Katara, on the other hand, was very interested in spiritual subjects. Although her closest encounter with a spirit had been negative, she had certain expectations of these beings.
She had heard many stories from her grandmother about spirits, especially Tu and La, who were found at the North Pole. Furthermore, it was said that the spirits had guided the founders of the Southern Water Tribe to find a suitable place to live. Thus, these beings had a significant influence on their culture.
Aang just wanted to meet this enigmatic spirit and believed that he was the 'bridge' between the two worlds. Moreover, when his senses were expelled, he felt as if this being wanted to meet him in person.
When the trio and a lemur came to a clearing littered with ashes, stumps, and charred trees, they stood still. Sokka and Katara had hardly seen so many trees in their lives, either traveling through forests or flying over expanses of land. Seeing this scene saddened them.
They could surmise that the war driven by the Fire Nation was the cause of this situation, but except for a few mild attacks they had suffered as children, they had never witnessed the real damage it could cause to the environment.
"Don't focus on the ashes. Katara and Sokka, look closely," Aang said, pointing to the ground. He bent down himself to clear the ashes covering a small sapling that was trying its hardest to grow.
"Life still thrives," Katara murmured, crouching down next to Aang and looking intently at the fledgling plant. She felt a pang of respect for her Waterbending.
She drew some water from a canteen at her waist and carefully applied it to the sapling, trying to get it to the roots to nourish the plant.
"It grows well, little one," Katara said with a smile, feeling the plant absorb the water she had given it. For a moment, she felt a subtle connection with the plant, but it was fleeting.
"Guys, I think you'd better look ahead," said Sokka in a distinctly serious tone. All because of the huge being standing in front of the trio:
It was a huge black-and-white furred bear, a panda. The spiritual atmosphere it exuded indicated its true nature. However, in its tiny eyes, there was no uncontrolled look, as Sokka had expected. Instead, there was a tender gaze, especially when it looked at Katara.
Sokka visibly relaxed because he didn't sense the evil he had felt from the spirit that had attacked him long ago. He simply brought his spear to his shoulder.
"Hello! Are you the guardian of this forest? We don't mean any trouble," Aang greeted him with a big smile, and the bear roared slightly at him.
"Looks like he's happy," said Katara, who felt the urge to stroke the spirit bear's lush fur because it looked fluffy.
The panda slowly approached Katara. With each step, the ground shook, but no one panicked. They watched as the huge spirit lowered his head to her level and rubbed it on her outstretched hand.
"Now you have a super-powerful pet. Don't let it get to you," Sokka joked. This time, instead of dodging a jet of water from Katara, he had to evade a jet of pure energy thrown by the panda.
"We would get along well, but I don't think you can come with me." Although Katara laughed at the spirit's actions, she felt sad knowing the panda couldn't accompany them because it was the protector of these lands.
Still, she would try to learn how the bear threw energy; it seemed interesting.