Chapter 34: Earthly Attachments - 98 AG

High atop the temple's peak, Sozim and Guru Pathik sat. The thin air, frigid and unforgiving, sent a shiver down the boy's spine, but he steeled himself, breathing steadily. Before him, the venerable old man sat, eyes closed, as though he melded with the world itself.

"Now, it has come to this," the old man intoned with a hum. "The final chakra – the thought chakra – resides at the crown of your head. It's the gateway to pure cosmic energy, obstructed by our earthly attachments. To open it, you must sever those bonds that tether you to this material realm. Meditate on the things that bind you... and then, let them go."

Sozim raised a quizzical brow. "Let them go?"

The old man nodded. "Indeed. Whatever it may be, you must release it. Only by detaching yourself from the physical world can you unlock the thought chakra."

Sozim sighed and, finally, closed his eyes, assuming a meditative posture. With an empty mind, he pondered what tied him to this world. Was it his obligations to others, his duty to the Southern Water Tribe, or the mission of spreading the knowledge of Chi-Blocking?

"I have a multitude of promises to fulfill," Sozim confessed. "Promises to reunite with people, fulfill duties, serve the tribe, even explore this world I've been reborn into... I'm not sure if I can let it all go."

The old man smiled. "Very well. Let's take it one step at a time. First, let's delve into your promises. What are these commitments you've made?"

Sozim continued, "Promises to meet again, to bear duties, and some are mutual agreements."

"Then, untether yourself from those promises," the old man advised. "Many of the things you've spoken of will unfold naturally in due course. Don't let them shackle you; instead, let the world guide you towards these goals. Do this, and you'll be one step closer to letting go."

Sozim nodded, inhaling deeply before exhaling a misty breath.

"Now, your duty to the Water Tribe," Guru Pathik inquired. "What is it, exactly? What does this duty mean to you? Is it about the war against the Fire Nation, or being one of the last waterbenders, even if you can't bend water? Define your duty."

Sozim sighed. "I've been questioning that too. If I return, what can I offer the tribe? I can't bend water, and my knowledge of herbalism is of little use in the desolate Southern Pole."

"Once again, we must trust that the world will reveal the answer to you," Guru Pathik reassured. "Don't let it chain you; let it go. When the time is right, your duty will unveil itself. You can't impose duty upon yourself; it will find you."

Sozim nodded again, inhaling and exhaling, releasing another misty breath.

The old man continued, "Lastly, your attachment to exploration..."

Sozim interjected, "I understand. I shouldn't let it bind me, but trust that the world will guide me to my destination."

"Very good," the old man said with a smile.

Clearing his mind, Sozim relinquished all his attachments to the world, releasing the chains binding him to the Earth. He let go of promises, duties, desires, trusting that they would fulfill themselves in due time. As he did, he felt a weight lift from within, his body becoming more vivid.

In an instant, a vision appeared, transporting him to another world within his mind. This time, the void shimmered with a violet hue.

Within this void, a colossal figure materialized, an apparition of his spirit, purple and blankly awaiting Sozim's direction. In a split second, the apparition illuminated, revealing the chi pathways he had unlocked throughout his journey.

Sozim witnessed the glowing spine, sacrum, stomach, heart, throat, forehead, and the crown of his head, all connected by a radiant white chi that coursed through his body. But he also noticed a blemish on the apparition – a corruption near the sacrum, a blood-red malignancy slowly absorbing the chi, marring the violet glow. It was small but unmistakable. And with this view, he had a revelation – the spirit's hiding place, the reason he couldn't waterbend.

Sozim clenched his fist, and the apparition responded, not as a threat but with a violet energy enveloping him, gradually absorbed through his crown. With that, Sozim woke, his body seemingly steaming.

"Congratulations, young one," Guru Pathik acknowledged. "You've mastered your body. You've unlocked all seven chakras."

Sozim asked calmly, touching his chest and feeling different, lighter. "What do I do now?"

"That's for you to decide," the old man replied with a smile. "You already know the two paths before you. I can't guide you any further; only you can complete your journey."

Sozim hummed, rising from his position, and respectfully bowed to Guru Pathik. "Thank you. For everything."

"I must caution you, young one," the old man continued, his voice a gentle whisper that seemed to echo through the ancient temple. "Spirits aren't easily killed. Should you successfully expel one from your being, you face a choice: release it, and it will roam the physical world, seeking its own path, perhaps vengeance, or absorb its essence, but at the risk of your own spirit being tainted again. The latter, however, can be averted with a strong will."

Sozim nodded. "I understand. I'll do what's best for me."

"Very well," the old man chuckled. "No need to search for me once you're through. I have preparations to make for the next young one who'll seek my guidance."

"The next one?" Sozim arched an eyebrow.

The old man rose from his seat, slowly descending from the peak, with Sozim following closely behind. "I foresee a day when I shall aid the Avatar, and that day seems to be drawing near."

Sozim nodded and halted in his tracks, watching as Guru Pathik disappeared from view, seemingly swallowed by the very clouds. With a sigh, the boy turned, searching for a suitable spot to complete his task.

—

After some contemplation, Sozim determined that the peak of the temple was the ideal location. The sun was setting, casting a warm, orange glow over the entire area. Sozim settled into a meditative posture once more, inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly, his breath forming a misty cloud in the cooling air.

In the emptiness of his mind, the spirit's apparition reappeared, its glowing chi pathways and the sinister cancer still visible. This time, Sozim decided to take charge.

He moved, and the spirit followed. With deliberate grace, Sozim moved through a calming dance, attuned to all his senses. He had grown accustomed to this practice and wasted no time. Swiftly, he directed the apparition to grasp the cancer on the chi pathways. Throughout this ethereal struggle, he heard cries and curses reverberate in the void, but he focused solely on his task.

Finally, the apparition's hand breached his own body, gripping the cancer. Slowly, it pulled the malignant growth from its original position, and as it exited the apparition, the cancer transformed. It changed from a parasitic mass into a tall, emaciated bat, struggling to break free. With a suddenness, Sozim's eyes snapped open, and he witnessed the parasite being thrust out of his body, flung to the edge of the peak.

The spirit, Chio, had been expelled from Sozim's body.

Chio lay there, exhausted and emaciated, wheezing as though in pain. "D-Damned brat," the spirit sneered weakly. "You actually did it."

Sozim shrugged, still seated calmly in his meditative posture. "You ceased disturbing me. One might say it's your own doing."

"N-No," the spirit chuckled through strained breaths. "Y-You… you're capable and fortunate... w-who could have imagined you'd discover a Guru in this abandoned temple?"