A Fate Worse Than Death: Isolation I
"You guys will love it here!" Aang shouts as he pulls Appa's reigns towards an empty sky bison platform.
Sokka and Katara look at each other...
"You know Aang... It's been over a hundred years since the last time air bender has been seen... Maybe..." Katara trails off...
"Yeah, maybe they've moved on or something... That war was pretty bad after all..." Sokka says while looking away...
"I know it's been a while, but the air temples are the safest place in all the air nation. And the only way to get here without bending is with a sky bison. And last I checked, the fire nation doesn't have any of those." Aang says with a smile.
"Yeah... I just don't want you to get your hopes up in case they aren't here..." Katara says looking off into the distance.
"Don't worry Katara, I know things can change in a hundred years... Man, I haven't cleaned my room in over a hundred years..." Aang says with a look of concern as he brings Appa in to land.
The Aang gang disembarks Appa and is welcomed by a deserted temple... Years of neglect and no maintenance showing in the once meticulously laid stones of the sky bison stables.
"Huh, no one's here... Maybe they're further in? Come on guys, I'll show you around. If you're lucky we might get to try some delicious fruit tarts. It's our temple's specialty after all." Aang says with a smile as he leads the group deeper into the temple.
After walking for a few minutes they enter a large chamber filled with hundreds and hundreds of stone statues...
"Aang, what is this place? Who are these people?" Katara stares on in wonder.
"I think... These are all the avatars before me..." Aang says looking at the last statue in the series.
"Who's this guy?" Sokka says pointing at the last statue with his boomerang.
"That's Avatar Roku, the avatar before me," Aang says while looking deeply into its eyes.
"How did you know that?" Katara says, staring at Aang.
"I don't know... It just sort of came to me..." Aang says, looking down at his feet.
"No wonder I didn't like you when we first met. You were a fire bender in your last life." Sokka jokes as they hear a noise coming from the hall behind them...
"Quick, take cover!" Sokka whispers intensely to the group. As everyone hides behind the nearby statues.
A shadow rises slowly across the statues as Sokka prepares his boomerang...
When a small chattering noise is heard.
"I know that sound! It's a flying lemur!" Aang shouts as he dashes out toward the small creature.
"Mmm, I wonder how it tastes? Come here little meat snack, I promise I only want a nibble!" Sokka shouts as he follows after the fleeing lemur.
Aang and Sokka stumble and wrestle over one another chasing after the lemur. Until finally Aang pulls ahead and disappears into the depths of the temple...
"Aang? Aang! Where did you go? Come out! If it means so much to you I promise I won't eat the little guy... Come on out! I was just jo-" Sokka calls out... Stopping once he sees Aang kneeling near what looks like some rags on pale dead wood branches covered in layers of snow.
"There you are! I've been looking all over for y-" Sokka begins to say before Aang interrupts...
"They're dead... My people... My masters... My friends... They're all dead..." Aang mumbles listlessly... Staring at a jumble of bones... With a wooden pendant with an inscription of the air bending symbol on it...
"Aang... I'm so sorry you had to find out this way..." Sokka says, quietly approaching Aang.
"Find... Out... You... Knew?!" Aang begins to shout as the wind begins to pick up and the snow is blown off the piles of thousands of bones.
"Aang! Calm down! I'm sorry I didn't say anything sooner, but I know how you feel! I lost my mother to the fire nation!" Sokka begins to shout over the almost gale-force winds as Katara arrives.
"What's going on?!" Katara shouts at Sokka.
"Aang's gone crazy! We have to get out of here before the temple collapses on top of us!" Sokka shouts as he rushes to Katara.
"But, we can't just leave him! He's in too much pain! We have to help him!" Katara shouts as Sokka begins to pull her away.
"We'll be the ones in too much pain if we don't get out of this temple! Come on!" Sokka shouts as he begins to drag Katara...
When an unsettling crack is heard above their heads...
And the temple roof caves in...
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At temples across the world... All idols and Avatar shrines begin to shine with a bright blue glow... And countless priests fall to the floor in awe... After several heart-stopping moments, this miraculous phenomenon ends... And all the priests announce to the world in a united voice...
"The Avatar... Has returned..."
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In a far-off village in the Earth kingdom, a young man is gathering firewood. His long, jet-black hair swept across the scar on the left side of his face...
"Little Lee, Mom says dinner's almost ready. Uncle Mu-shi has brewed a pot of tea for you to have once you get back. Need any help with carrying back the firewood?" A young woman with a slight limp approaches Lee.
"Nah, no need to exert yourself Saen. I got it, I just hope Dad hasn't been 'foraging' for tea ingredients again." The young man chuckles as he begins to bundle up the firewood he's collected.
"Come on, I'm only a few months along. It won't hurt the little girl for me to carry a few sticks." Saen says with a huff.
"Girl? Don't tell Boa, he's certain you two are having a boy." Lee says hefting the bundle onto his back.
"I know, I know, but what does that dunce know? I'm certain she's going to be a beautiful little girl. Just like her mom." Saen says while rolling her eyes and laughing.