5 4. Consequences

The village was up in arms when Aaron arrived. The leader and a small group of villagers stood at the gate in a barely recognizable military formation. Most were armed with farming tools, but a few older men clutched spears and swords, most likely their service weapons from their time in the Earth Kingdom Military.

Lulled by the peace and monotony of the village, it was easy to forget there was a war going on.

"Lee, is that you?" the leader said, breaking the line. He held one of the finest blades Aaron had seen in the rural Earth Kingdom and held up his fighting stance, though he was clearly panicked.

Aaron stood there, almost not recognizing the fake name he'd given the Village leader when he arrived, adrenaline still pumping through him from the run-up.

"It's me. Lower your sword. I've got Igi with me."

He stood at the bottom of a slope and could barely see the man's face, but from the visible shiver, Aaron knew he was even more on edge.

"Is that blood?"

"It…is, but none is mine," Aaron said. "The Firebenders are not coming. I took care of them."

"You took care of them?"

The village head frowned as he scanned the forest behind them.

"They were a small group," Aaron explained.

The leader turned back to him, then suddenly turned white. His sword clattered to the ground.

"Igi?" the man's lips quivered, and Aaron held his breath.

"I'm fine, Papa," Igi wheezed in Aaron's hands. His voice came out weak and wispy. The bloody smile he flashed his father did nothing to reassure the man.

"Get him up here, now!" an Older woman with a gnarled walking stick said. "Hurry!"

Aaron did as commanded, not sparing any Chi as he pumped up the hill with the boy in his hand. He tried to be gentle, but Aaron was sure he'd undid some of his first aid.

The lower half of his garment was soaked in red as he handed him off to a group waiting with a stretcher, and they all stared at him with a mix of shock, awe, and fear.

The older woman, however, paid him no mind. She rattled off orders to fetch boiling water and rags. And under the guidance of one of the older men, a small scouting force formed, and they charged into the forest, leaving Aaron alone with the village head.

"What happened?" he demanded in a quiet yet forceful voice.

With a sigh, Aaron came clean.

Mostly.

He told him of the bounty on his head but didn't tell him of anything else— like the fact that he was an Airbender. His precocious student learning of his secret was already bad enough.

"You knew there was a possibility they'd find you and you stayed?" he roared.

Aaron raised his hands in defence. "I had very few options. I couldn't keep running forever, and I planned to leave sooner rather than later. I was waiting on a message, you see. And it was coming any day now. I wasn't planning on taking Igi as a student either," Aaron explained, but he knew they all sounded like excuses. He sighed. "You know your son wouldn't have taken no for an answer. I couldn't very well let him train himself without guidance."

He felt even worse as he spoke the words.

If looks could burn, Aaron would've been set on fire with the withering stare the Village Elder directed at him. "All the while, you benefited by collecting tuition and taking advantage of my hospitality."

"I couldn't very well work for free." Aaron's words came out small and weak.

The village leader shook his head and balled his hand as he shivered. "Pack your things," he said. "I want you gone by tonight. You will double back to make sure no one followed you, and finally, you will never visit Senlin, nor will you see my son again."

Aaron nodded and intended to take his punishment without protest, but then he remembered who was hunting him.

"I know you hate me, justifiably so, but you can't be here when they send more people to look for me. You've been at war. They won't accept ignorance as an excuse."

The man shot him an icy glare. "I may have given you the benefit of the doubt, but I am no fool. No one will be left in Senlin by the end of the week."

"Where will you go?" Aaron asked.

"Somewhere you or the Fire Nation won't hopefully find us," he said. "It's almost sunset, Lee. I suggest you start packing."

As Aaron watched the Elder walk towards the healing tent, he couldn't fight the knots of guilt he felt churning on his insides.

He knew the people of Senlin would be fine in time, but he'd doomed them to months, if not years, of hardship. The Fire Nation would've come for them eventually, and a cynical side of him argued that he'd only hastened the process by a bit, but there were life-changing consequences to his actions.

Some people might die on their way to the next Earth Nation stronghold. Others might lose everything they had to bandits. The people of Senlin might never recover.

Igi might never recover.

However, what weighed heaviest on him was that he could not travel with them to help them.

If the bounty didn't keep him away, his mission would.

And so, as he packed his bags and cleared his room, he muttered words his Grandfather lived by.

'Never forget.'

He would make it up to them, somehow-- Igi and the Villagers both-- he would not abandon his responsibilities. After the Fire Nation was done and most of the Royal line was well and truly dead, he'd find a way.

The message was due any day now, and the hurt would be worth it.

—

Aaron didn't see Igi before he left Senlin an hour before midnight. Igi's father had posted a guard outside the town and given specific instructions to keep Aaron out, just in case he got any ideas.

Aaron could've sped around the lanky boy teenager playing guard but chose to respect the Village head's wishes instead and leave a letter with the healers.

His note wished Igi good health and gave solid advice on improving his bending and martial arts. Omashu was where he needed to go if he wanted to build up respectable skill at his bending.

Their forces had held out against the Fire Nation for so long for a reason. He figured he could use his father's coin to buy instruction from a retired Earth Soldier or instructor.

Other large cities would also do just fine too. Any good master would give him the base to improve and grow further.

However, when he mastered bending and was ready to strike out on his own, Aaron begged him not to join the war.

If things went well, it'd be over sooner than later, but he'd seen how quickly Igi picked up things. He could join the fight in a few short years if he really tried, but he'd die before he could make any real difference.

The fire Nation chewed through recruits faster than ever with their tanks, machinery, and ruthless tactics.

Surviving war with them was a matter of luck, not talent. And considering how Igi's first contact with the Fire nation went, he didn't consider the boy very lucky.

If Aaron had his way, the boy would never set out in the first place, but considering how much blood he lost on the run-up to Senlin, he might get his wish.

Aaron's stride broke as his heart hitched.

'Too soon', he thought. He'd been egging himself on, but all he wanted was to go back and check on the boy. He wouldn't forgive himself if the last memory Igi had of him was him leaving him in the moment of need.

It was amid his inner turmoil that the world went white as his fledgling senses overloaded.

A geyser of spiritual energy and Chi surged from deep in the South sea.

It burned bright and pure like the desert sun and was the most Chi he'd ever felt. It vibrated with a natural richness that stirred a hunger in him that he never knew he had. It seemed almost infinite until it winked out of existence.

It was the Avatar, he realized. It was THE SIGN he'd been waiting for.

For a moment, he stood there, paralyzed as a deluge of emotion swept through him. Aaron had been waiting on the sign for more than three years now, but he'd been waiting on the Avatar's return for even longer.

Even as a kid, he worshipped him. A veritable figure out of legend. Someone powerful enough to shape destinies and end wars--something that he thought, at the time, he'd never be.

Now things were different. He was different.

Breaking into a half-sprint, Aaron shot off toward the shipping town a few miles south of Senlin. He couldn't see Igi anymore, but this was beyond them both.

If he was lucky, he could catch a boat to the South pole tonight and could meet the Avatar before the Earth Nation or Fire Nation got to him.

He had a speech his Grandfather had prepared, and he was confident if he recited at just the right

time, maybe after possibly saving the Avatar or demonstrating his prowess, he could rope him in!

If he was to be the lynch—

Suddenly, a second geyser of Chi rose from the West towards the mainlands of the Fire Nation.

It was half the size of the Avatar's presence, yet it was wilder and more chilling.

Its taste nearly sent him tumbling over and gripped his spirit with such force he wondered if it was natural.

It had an aura that reminded him of the stories his Grandfather told.

Spiritual energy, but warped and wrong.

Aaron shivered.

There were no other obvious answers, but if the stories were true, the dark spirit could corrupt other spirits, possess people, and gain power over time. Left to roam, it could be as big a threat as a Fire Nation Army.

Was it after the Avatar?

Sweat beaded on Aaron's forehead. If it was, then their entire mission was in jeopardy. It was times like these he wished he could meditate into the spirit world at will. Grandfather would–

Before he could finish the thought, a third burst surged and finally sent him spilling to the ground.

It was brighter, fiercer, and more powerful than the presence from the West, but that could've been because of the proximity. It felt like a tangle of bright taste and warm colours, but ill-made and twisted nonetheless.

Aaron's mind felt frayed and raw like he'd been standing a few feet in front of a blast furnace.

He closed in on himself and didn't realize he was screaming until the energy winked out.

For Spirits knows how long, Aaron just laid there, breathing.

The pain did subside eventually, and his spirit healed. And to anyone but Phantoms, the world was the same. Bleek, unfair, but beautiful, but Aaron had felt their presence.

Whatever these spirits were, they were powerful and dangerous.

Almost as dangerous as an untrained Avatar-- and Aaron's first instinct was to investigate and kill them if they had a tangible body and were weakened after their spiritual discharge.

The Air Nation and the rest of the world had been waiting for over 100 years for the Avatar. There was no room for last-minute complications.

Yet, Aaron reminded himself that his first priority was to protect and advise the Avatar, but nearly a century of preparation might go to waste if he did nothing.

'Never forget', Aaron muttered and bit his lips.

If his Grandfather were here, what would he do?

—

The village was deathly quiet as he approached it, blades drawn.

There'd been no decision. His Grandfather would've looked to the future like he'd always done. The spirits had to be investigated, at least. The Avatar had hidden away from the world for a hundred years; he could hide for one more day...he hoped.

Besides, he owed the people a debt, and Igi was in danger.

Aaron breathed in deeply as he entered the village and tasted the air. There was firewood, wood bark, and a pungent smell of farm animals past due wash, but he smelled no blood and heard no screams, which was a good sign.

The village was safe. Igi was safe...for now.

Aaron wove around lounging young boys playing guards as he moved from alleyway to alleyway. All the while, he tried to use One With The World constantly. He failed more often than not, but when he did succeed, the reams of spiritual energy and Chi pointed him towards the centre of the village.

Aaron was white-knuckling the handles of both blades as he came to his destination—an alley just behind the healer's house and cursed under his breath at his rotten luck.

One wrong move could spell the end for both Igi and the old healer.

So, he sheathed his blades and drew all of his stealth training as he stalked towards the mouth of the alley and switched off One With the World. He didn't want to tip the creature off if it could sense Chi.

Aaron held his breath as he edged over the corner to steal a glance at the monster, the anomaly, the dark spirit, as he mentally prepared himself for what might be the hardest fight of his life.

Aaron couldn't contain his surprise when he laid eyes on the creature.

"I-Igi?" he sputtered, blinking. His mouth opened and shut several times before he finally managed to spit out. "How— What— What in the spirit's name is going on?"

"S'up teach," the boy casually waved. He had a barely translucent, incorporeal sheet of light floating in front of him that he seemed partially focused on. It shifted in and out of existence as Aaron looked at it.

"Oh, man. It sure saves me plenty of time tracking you down. Hasn't been an hour, and I have already completed my first mission. I got this reincarnation thing in the bag," he chuckled, and Aaron just gawked at him.

His brain fogged over as he numbly spoke, "Reincarnation?"

"Ah…maybe I shouldn't have said that last part out loud," Igi said, rubbing the back of his head.

Aaron's eyes widened as he made the connection. He gripped the handle of one of his blades.

"I need you to think carefully about the answers to the questions I'm about to ask. What's going on, Igi? You're talking gibberish, and for some reason, you have as much spiritual energy as the Avatar."

It would break his heart to do it, but if Igi had been possessed by a dark spirit, he'd put him down with no remorse. At least the fight would be quick because of his small body. If he was lucky, he could lead him away from the village.

Igi's hand shot up. "Hold up, Teach. It's still me, I swear. Well, mostly," he added. "I'm still Igi."

Aaron's heart skipped. "What do you mean by mostly?"

"Well, I kinda merged with him the moment I woke up," he said slowly. He looked hesitant to continue, but a firm look from Aaron got him talking again.

"Well, I lived a previous life before, and when I woke up, you could say I 'remembered.' But I am still Igi at heart. I remember you took out a full elite squad of bounty hunters this morning without breaking a sweat. That was badass, by the way. I also remember you using your busted energy bending martial arts to fell a tree. And I particularly remember you being stingy with them whenever I asked you to teach me," he said the last part with a pout.

Aaron released a breath he didn't know he'd been holding and loosened his grip on his blade somewhat, but not fully.

"So you're not a dark spirit then?"

"Heavens, no," Igi said. "I don't think I'd have the heart for it. You could say I'm with the good guys."

"So, you're some kind of...Avatar?" Aaron cringed at those words even as he spoke them. What was he thinking? There was only one Avatar. No, the boy standing before him was not an Avatar. He was clearly missing something. More importantly, though, how did he know about Chi-bending? Aaron always skated around the topic with Igi.

"Kinda, but not quite. It's complicated," he said. He opened his mouth to continue but paused as if he'd heard something. He was looking at the strange Spirit apparition floating in front of him again, and it suddenly disappeared, startling Aaron slightly.

"We need to move. The village guards are coming this way." In an instant, he disappeared into the back alley, moving faster than Aaron had ever seen him move before, and Aaron had no choice but to follow him, observing curiously. They slowed down by a section in the wall with a large crack, large enough to fit him.

"C'mon," he gestured as he widened the crack with a movement he recognized. It was the Airbending Kata but smoother. Aaron watched all this with a schooled face and a calculating mind.

So far, his story held up, but there was so much more that didn't make sense.

Was he some sort of bender in a previous life?

Or was this some elaborate ploy to fool him? Either way, Aaron would be ready. His Chi was full, and he was still limber enough after the fight earlier.

They were some distance into the forest before the boy suddenly stopped as another spirit apparition flashed in front of him, startling Aaron. One of his hands shot to his blade before he relaxed, but the boy noticed.

"You can see my status screens?" he said with a befuddled look.

Aaron nodded, not quite knowing what 'Status screen' meant, but he could guess. He only saw the outlines, though. Everything was almost illegible. Aaron was already beginning to feel a headache coming on, but he kept up his facade.

"Tell me everything, Igi, if it's still really you. As you can tell, I am no ordinary Airbender. I am a Phantom of the Air Nation sworn to protect the Avatar and help him restore balance, and whatever you are, you're not supposed to be here." Aaron circled him. "So, help me understand, Igi. Why are you and the second spirit here?"

The boy watched him for a long moment before he sighed. "And to think I'd wanted to hide my power and level up a bit before revealing everything… It's a long story, teach. You might want to sit down for this.."

"I prefer to stand," Aaron said.

The boy shrugged as he plopped himself on a comfortable bush and began.

"Have you ever heard of the God of Reincarnation, Truck Kun?"

"What!"