Percy Jackson and that kid in the iceberg

Monks are unhelpful (Annabeth)

They reached the village at sunset. The entire time Annabeth thought about what Aang had said about talking to his past life. She didn't know much about avatars or past lives, but surely there was some way to do it. The monks wouldn't have told him otherwise. If this was peacetime, she could probably just find the right scroll in a library. But it wasn't and she couldn't, and nothing she had learned back in Kyoshi helped her with any of this.

The village was small, but still bigger then Kyoshi, with several houses that where nothing more then ruins now. The old man lead them to the main house, where the leader of the village was.

"This young person is the Avatar," the old man told him.

Aang smiled and bowed.

The leader did the same. "So, the rumors of your return are true! It is the greatest honor of a lifetime to be in your presence."

"Nice to meet you too!" Aang said. "So ... is there something I can help you with?"

The leader hesitated. "I'm not sure..."

"Our village is in crisis, he's our only hope," the old man turned to Aang. "For the last few days at sunset, a spirit monster comes and attacks our village. He is Hei Bai, the black and white spirit."

"What, you're being attack by a panda?" Percy laughed.

"This is no panda," the old man said. "This is a fearsome monster from the spirit world."

"Why is it attacking you?" Sokka asked.

"We do not know, but each of the last three nights, he has abducted one of our own. We are especially fearful because the winter solstice draws near." the leader said.

"What happens then?" Katara asked.

"As the solstice approaches, the natural world and the Spirit World grow closer and closer until the line between them is blurred completely," the old man said.

The village leader nodded. "As the solstice approaches, the natural world and the Spirit World grow closer and closer until the line between them is blurred completely. Senlin Village leader Hei Bai is already causing devastation and destruction. Once the solstice is here, there's no telling what will happen."

"So, what do you want me to do?" Aang asked.

"Who better to resolve a crisis between our world and the Spirit World than the Avatar himself? You are the great bridge between man and spirits."

"Right...that's me."

Katara frowned. "Hey great bridge guy, could I talk to you over here for a second?"

They moved away from the villagers by a small window.

"You seem a little unsure about all of this," Katara said.

"Yeah, that might be because I don't know anything at all about the Spirit World. It's not like there's someone to teach me this stuff."

"So ... can you help these people?" Katara asked.

"I have to try, don't I? Maybe whatever I have to do will just ... come to me."

Katara smiled. "I think you can do it Aang."

"Yeah," Sokka said with a smile of his own. "We're all gonna get eaten by a giant spirit."

Katara punched him.

"Didn't the monks tell you anything?" Annabeth asked Aang. "According to legends the air nomads were the most spiritual of the four nations."

"We were, but I was too young," Aang's shoulders slumped. "I didn't learn much about the spirit world."

Annabeth sighed. "I knew we should have stayed in Omashu. King Bumi could have given us some help, I know it."

"That crazy guy?" Sokka shook his head. "I don't think so."

"It doesn't matter," Katara said. "Aang is the avatar, it should just come to him."

Sure it will.

—————

"Hello, Spirit? Can you hear me? This is the Avatar speaking. I'm here to try to help stuff."

They all nervously watched Aang from the main house, but nothing happened.

"This isn't right. We can't sit here and cower while Aang waits for some monster to show up," Sokka said, agitated.

"If anyone can save us, he can."

"He still shouldn't have to face this alone."

"Sokka's right," Percy said, and that was a first. "He shouldn't have to face this alone."

Annabeth found herself desperately hoping that when a big spirit monster did show up the two boys didn't start attacking like idiots and run to help Aang only to get eaten in the process.

"The sun has set. Where are you, Hei Bai? Well ... spirit ... uhhh ... I hereby ask you to please leave this village in peace," Aang said. "Okay ... well ... I guess that's settled, then."

Just as he turned around the spirit came into view. It was definitely a spirit because it seemed to come into thin air, and slowly too. At first it seemed almost transparent, and it wasn't until Aang turned around that it was shown to be a real, solid being.

Aang was his usual polite self. "You must be the Hei Bai spirit. My name is–"

The spirit open its mouth and then out a stream of energy at him. Luckily, Aang managed to get out of the way. Unluckily, the spirit just walked right past him and began destroying buildings.

"My name's Aang! I'm the Avatar and I would like to help. Hey, wait up!"

Annabeth sighed. Aang clearly had no idea what he was doing. Curse those stupid monks, couldn't they give him some information about spirit monsters? She racked her head for every legend she had ever heard but she had never heard of anything like Hei Bai. Bad spirits, she knew ,were usually the result of damage done in the physical world, but this world was taking so much damage with war—

"I've got it!" Annabeth jumped up.

"What?" Katara asked.

"The forest! The spirit is connected to it, I bet. It was would make sense. Spirits, bad ones at least, are always connected to the physical world somehow. They go bad because something went wrong here. That's what the legends say, isn't it? I've got to tell Aang."

"Wait," Katara said. "You can't just run out there!"

But it was too late. Annabeth had ran out of the main house and out to where Aang was still trying to calm the spirit.

"I've got it," she shouted. "Aang, I've got it—"

The monster turned toward her, and Annabeth had just enough to realize how stupid she had been when it enveloped her in a wave of blue light.