The Secret Avatar

Chapter Thirty-Three

"I'm sorry, but I can't let go of Katara." Aang said. Katara was the best thing that ever happened to him, he wasn't just going to let her go.

"Aang, to master the Avatar State, you must open all the chakras. Surrender yourself." Pathik replied

Aang frowned, "Okay, I'll try."

"Now think of your attachments and let them go. Let the pure cosmic energy flow."

Aang sees an image of him letting Katara go, and a bridge that will lead him to Avatar State mastery. His image looks down, smiles at the bridge, and walks up to the Avatar Spirit, which is an enlarged image of himself in the Avatar State. The Avatar Spirit is holding a ball of energy, and Aang walks directly inside of it. As he does so, his tatooes glow, and he closes his eyes. Right before he is able to completely open the final chakra and master the Avatar State.

But he hears a shriek from Katara. He looks up and sees a vision of her in chains, "Get me out of here Azula! Aang's not going to fall for this!"

At this, he jumps out of the energy sphere and runs away from the Avatar Spirit. The energy bridge that lead him there slowly vanishes behind him until it catches up and falls from underneath him, causing his image to plummet toward Earth. This cuts his connection to the Avatar State, which forces him back to reality.

Aang jumps up, "Katara's in danger! I have to go!"

"No, Aang!" Pathik says, "By choosing attachment, you have locked the chakra! If you leave now, you won't be able to go into the Avatar State at all!" Aang hesitates but leaves anyway, leaving Pathik concerned and disappointed. 

Appa lands outside the house and Aang immediately jumps off. He runs to the front door and slams it open, seeing four of his friends there.

"Aang-" Zuko starts

"Katara's in trouble, we have to help her!" Aang said, "Let's go!" He turns to leave but Zuko grabs his arm.

"Aang." Zuko starts again, "My sister captured Katara to lure you to my father. It's a trap. If they get you, they're going to replace Raava with Vaatu. If they do, you're going to become-"

"A killer! I know I've heard all this before!" Aang ripped his arm out of Zuko's grasp, "I'll become heartless and a symbol of fear instead of hope! I'll become the very thing I fear of becoming! Darkness will cover land and the earth will go into chaos!" Tears began to run down his face, "Do you know how many times I've gotten that lecture!? I've not been able to sleep since I was twelve years old! I've been on the run all my life! And now the girl I love is in danger because I wanted to have something normal in my life! I was told not to make attachments but I did it anyways! Everyone expects be to be the Avatar! I never even wanted to be the Avatar!"

Sokka pulled his friend into a hug and let him cry in his shoulder, tears running down his own face. He gently rubbed his back to calm him down.

Toph wiped away the tears that were falling down her own face, "If it makes you feel better, Aang. I don't expect you to be the Avatar, I expect you to be yourself." Aang looks at Toph over Sokka's shoulders and she gives him a small smile

"None of us expect you to be the Avatar." Mai said

"We just don't want anything to happen to you." Zuko added

"You're our friend Aang." Sokka said, "You're my best friend."

Aang smiled and pulled away from the hug and wiped his tears away, "Sorry for snapping..."

"Being that you're the Avatar and have the weight of the world on your shoulders, I think you're allowed to vent." Zuko says with a smile

"So how are we going to save Katara?" Aang asked, "Without me getting captured."