ATLA:The Survivor (Water Book 1)

Chapter 6: Secrets

Ling's P.O.V

Nightmare
I ran round the corner and airbent myself up onto a rock as a ball of fire exploded where I had just been. A blank faced firebender ran towards me and shot a ball of flames towards me and I airbent a ball of air to disperce them before slipping and falling into a pool of water. I screamed as the water froze over my body, shrieking from the intence cold that burned my skin. My giant prison rose up from the water as Katara waterbent it up from the ice before a ball of flame engulfed her.

"KATARA!!!!!" I screamed as she cried out in pain. No. I shook and shoved against the ice every particle in my body filling with rage. Her screams where high and full of trauma and extreme suffering. No!

The ice shook and fell beneath the waves as Katara's screams echoed through my mind,"Katara!!!!" I shouted as the waves engulfed me. I closed my eyes and the blues from the waves mixed and merged with the blue from the flames, bubbled and foamed until me and my ice cube were splurted out into a new surroundings.

Instantly I searched for Katara but found my ice melting and that I was chained to a bed that was elevated above a battlefield. What? Where was I? Struggling against my restraints I watched the scene below me. The red earth and grey slabs of concrete that made up the court were littered with the dead and the living, and those in the middle of both as Firebenders shot balls of flame from their arms and the outnumbered Airbenders furosiously defended themselves.

I watched as Gyatso tripped up a Firebender before jumping to dodge another. I shuddered and fought against my restraints as the cries of death tormented me. The spirits of the lost rising up from their bodies to dance in my mind. Their eery calls haunting me,"Why weren't you there? Where were you?"

"NO! NO!!!!"I screamed as tears streamed down my cheeks. I had to help them. I was there. I was right there with them. I opened my eyes to Aang, Katara and Sokka chained to a poll with Zuko, Azula and the Fire Lord standing above them.

They laughed menacingly as my friends screamed for help. I tried to move but my body wouldn't repond. Chi blocking. I watched helplessly, tears streaming down my face as the face of Katara being burnt drilled into my mind. Closing my eyes I burst into tears as their screams filled my mind. They dug into my sould and pierced my heart.

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I awoke with a start, sweat dripping from my head, hot tears dried on my skin. Katara's haunted eyes and pained screams ringing in my mind, entertwined with the tormenting calls of the Airbenders and the howls of terror from my friends. I covered my ears and strangled a scream as I tried to shove the images from my mind.

"Ling?" Katara asked her hair a knotty mess and her blue eyes full of concern,"Are you okay?" Her burning screaming figure jumped into my mind and I pushed it away.

"Yeah, it was just a dream." I replied.

"You sure? It doesn't look like it." She asked.

"I'm sure." I lied.

"Well, you know I'm here if you need." She informed me.

I smiled, it was good to have a friend,"Yeah. Thanks for your concern Katara. Goodnight."

"Goodnight." I lied down and prepared for a sleepless night.

~~Time skip~~

Bolting up my eyes open and I jump out of my sleeping bag. I finally fell asleep after hours of lying awake on the earth, a welcome change after a couple of days of sleeping on Appa's saddle, only to be woken up by a strong sense of danger. My body went into alert and action mode and I went to reach for my staff when I realized it was in the possesion of Zuko and I was not ment to be an Airbender.