Avatar the Last Airbender: Jedi Outcast - Book 1 - Prodigal Butcher

Chapter 12 - A Jedi's Weapon

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Chapter 12 - Edit

"So, this is the place," Benjamin's voice rang out, and the rest of Team Avatar turned their heads toward the left side of Appa. The enormous bison had carried them on a grueling two-day journey, and at long last, their odyssey had reached its conclusion.

Benjamin and his companions had endured the hardships of the trip, but they had finally arrived at their destination—the hidden Jedi enclave. Their journey had taken them to the very edge of Water Tribe territory, where the icy chill of the region was palpable, with a vast ocean stretching before them, dotted with imposing icebergs.

The wind bit into them, and fresh snowfall dusted their surroundings as Appa began his gradual descent. Sokka clutched the saddle handles, his keen eyes scanning the landscape. "I don't understand," he puzzled, gesturing to the icy mounds around them. "Where's the temple? I don't see anything here."

Katara, her teeth chattering from the cold, replied with a touch of sarcasm, "Yeah, Sokka, it's almost as if he keeps calling it the hidden enclave for a reason."

Benjamin, still looking out from the saddle, watched the snowflakes fall like delicate teardrops, the biting cold gnawing at him. Even Aang, usually resistant to such conditions, had donned a thick Water Tribe coat as Appa brought them lower.

Benjamin's gaze followed the coordinates they had followed to this desolate place. He noted a small patch of land, mostly obscured by snow, that offered a relatively flat surface for them to land on.

"Aang, land there," he instructed, pointing toward the clearing. Aang followed his command, steering Appa toward the area. Appa let out a low growl as his furry paws sank into the fresh snow.

As Team Avatar disembarked, Benjamin continued to survey their surroundings. All he could see were towering ice mountains stretching in every direction, with no sign of the enclave they sought.

"Benjamin!" Katara's shout drew his attention, and he turned to see the Water Tribe bender pointing at the clearing. "I think this is it!"

Aang joined Katara, rubbing his chin thoughtfully as he regarded what she was indicating. "It's a dock!"

Benjamin examined it more closely. The way the snow had settled made it resemble a sort of dock or a place to disembark. Perhaps they were getting closer. They trudged through the heavy snow, their footsteps echoing in the silence.

It was Aang who spotted it first. "Guys!" he exclaimed, and Benjamin and the rest hurried over, coming to a stop before the numerous jagged ice formations jutting from the ground.

"What are you on, Aang?" Sokka quipped, his hand reaching for the wall. Benjamin followed suit, his own hand resting on the peculiar ice surface. "It's just a wall of ice!" Sokka knocked on it.

"Yeah, it is," Benjamin affirmed.

Sokka grinned, his admiration for Benjamin evident. "See, I told you, Aang. Even Benji agrees with me. Come on, let's go and look around some more."

Benjamin's eyes subtly narrowed as he rested his right hand on the wall. There was something, something not quite right about this wall, something beyond the ice. He took a few steps backward, his feet sinking into the snow beneath.

He inhaled deeply; the frigid air turned his breath visible. His right hand moved forward, fingers clenching and tightening as the force gathered around the ice wall.