Daughter of the Moon - Book Three: Fire

Chapter 2: Avatar Roku

- Elara -

As Aang and I traversed the dangerous terrain of the Spirit World, we quickly learned a few important lessons about our peculiar predicament. For one, just because our spirits were shattered to the point that we couldn't touch each other didn't mean that running full force into a spirit tree wouldn't hurt. And second, we had no idea where we were, where we were going, or how we were supposed to find Avatar Roku. Needless to say, things were going just great. My only source of relief seemed to be that Aang was with me, although he seemed to be just as frustrated as I was.

"Alright, so you've talked to Roku before," I commented as I stumbled over yet another spirit vine. "What did you learn?"

"Like I said, I didn't learn anything," Aang answered for what felt like the hundredth time. "I've only talked to him twice, once at the Fire Sage's temple, and once at General Fong's base, and all he cared to share with me was Sozin's Comet and the Avatar State. What else do you want me to say?"

"I was just hoping that if I got you to talk about it you might remember something. I guess I was wrong," I said with a disappointed sigh. "Seriously, how does Yue expect us to do this?"

"I'm not sure," Aang replied with a shrug. "I wish there was some kind of a sign..."

Aang's thought was cut short as a shadow passed over us, drawing his attention to the sky. I thought nothing of it, continuing on my imaginary path and electing to perceive the creature as an enemy (Koh had supposedly sent an army of Dark Spirits to find us, after all), but when I found Aang ogling upwards instead of following after me, I knew that something was up.

"Aang, what is it?" I asked as I approached him, looking up at the sky only to see a menacing, red dragon.

Aang studied the creature, his brows furrowing as if he were trying to reach for some long-forgotten memory. "I think I know that dragon..." he eventually muttered to me before his eyes widened in surprise. "That's Roku's animal guide!"

"Really?" I cheered. "Do you think he can lead us to him?"

Before I could receive an answer, we were interrupted by an eerie cackle coming from the forest behind us. I turned just in time to see a dark spirit as it charged towards me, wrapping me in its cold embrace before I even had the chance to react. I made an attempt to bend my way out of my predicament, but I quickly found that not a single drop of water would yield to me. I had left my bending back with my body, meaning that I was completely powerless in the Spirit World.

I struggled against my restraints as the dark spirit began to drag me into the depths of the forest, the reassuring flicker of skylight dissolving behind the clouds of the foliage as I went. I could hear a series of uncomfortable grunts coming from somewhere beside me, and I knew that could only mean that Aang had found himself struggling against a similar problem, and that was absolutely unacceptable. It was one thing if I was stuck in the Spirit World forever, but Aang couldn't afford that same fate. He had to get back to the real world no matter what, but there was little either of us could do to change our current state.

Just as I was about to give up hope, the woods were illuminated by an explosion of color, the sheer force of the blast forcing me and Aang to the ground as our captors evaporated on contact. The flames swirled around us as we scrambled to our feet, the ring closing in until we were completely enveloped in light.

Up to that point, fire had brought me so much pain and suffering that I was sure I would feel nothing but pure dread by this encounter. However, I was surprised that none of those emotions were in these flames. This fire wasn't a product of violence and destruction. It was a product of life, and I could feel the rhythm of a beating heart as my spirit was filled with its warmth.