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“Hey guys, I have to go and grab something real quick, but I'll meet you guys in the palace later on, okay?” I said. I needed to go grab all my stuff I didn't want to lose. I still had Telluris and the white lotus tile, but I needed to grab my Fire Nation Armor, my first sword, and my firebending scrolls.
“Ah, wait! Sokka exclaimed, “how did you even get here? And through the siege!”
“I'll answer that when I get back!” I said and ran off. I went back through the palace, and this time I passed a lot more official looking people.
“Hey you!” A man called. Because I didn't want to come off as suspicious and didn't want to piss off the guys in charge, I stopped and turned to look at who called me.
Grandmaster Pakku.
“You’re dressed like one of us, but I don't recognize you. Who are you! And where did you come from?” He demanded and dropped into a water bending stance, a whip of water sprung up from the ground around him.
Slowly, I raise my hands in surrender. “Grandmaster Pakku, my name is Callan Stone. I'm an earthbender, I'm not with the Fire Nation.”
“And what's an earthbender doing here? You think I'm an idiot? If you're not with the Fire Nation, then how did you slip past their siege?”
“I had some help sneaking in. I have a token here that can prove myself. Let me just reach into my pocket,” I said. Reluctantly, Pakku nodded.
I slowly pulled out the pouch with the White Lotus tile. I went to open it and show him the tile, but Pakku interrupted.
“Allow me,” he said, and held out his hand.
I tossed it over. He looked inside and he raised his eyebrows at me. “I'm not a full member yet, but I do come recommended. It was two of the actual members that helped me sneak in as a Fire Nation soldier to help the Northern Water Tribe in their time of need. You can verify this with the Avatar's party and Princess Yue. I was just with them at the Spiritual Oasis.”
Pakku nodded, dropping his guarded stance. “Very well then. Where were you running off to? Surely you weren't planning to leave right away? Stay until I verify your story.”
“I needed to grab some of the things I brought with me. I have obtained some firebending scrolls but I had to leave them hidden in an alley somewhere due to all the fighting. I didn't want to risk them being damaged.”
“Your things can wait. You two!” He motioned over to two waterbenders nearby. They had noticed the confrontation and had been waiting on standby in case things escalated. At Pakku's call, they came over.
“Yes, Master Pakku?” They asked.
“This is Callan Stone, a potential guest here. Watch over him while I confirm his story,” Pakku commanded. I sighed. Well, I suppose this was better than outright hostility. Patience. They had just gotten attacked, of course they're skittish to a stranger.
As Pakku walked off, one of the guys had his hand on his bone club. “Don't do anything funny now.”
“Easy man. I'm an ally. Grandmaster Pakku is just checking with the Avatar and Princess Yue to see if it's true.” Now that Pakku is gone, I wasn't really nervous about these two run-of-the-mill soldiers. I didn't think I could take on Pakku without my earthbending, but anyone else? Easy. I put my hands in my pocket and go sit down leaning against the wall with a comforting sigh. Today's been long. I wasn’t too exhausted thanks to my endurance, but my shoulder really started to hurt. With the adrenaline running off, it was obvious I had been hurt worse than I had thought.
“What are your names?” I asked. “My name's Callan Stone, an Earthbender. You?”
“Dakka, waterbender.” One the two said.
The other nudged Dakka, “Don't answer him, man! What if he's not telling the truth?”
Dakka scoffed. “Please. Just look at him. It's obvious he's not Fire Nation. In fact, look at his eyes. They're blue. That means he's got some Water Tribe blood in him, doesn't it?”
“Eh? What does that have to do with anything?”
Dakka looked at him like he was stupid. “Haven't you noticed? Everyone from the Water Tribe has blue eyes, Fire Nation has red or amber, and the Earth Kingdom has green or brown eyes. The Avatar has gray eyes. I think it's either because he's the avatar, which is a mixture of all bending, or because he's the last Air Nomad.”
The other soldier looked stunned. “huh, I guess you're right.” Then he looked more closely at me. “Sure, he's got blue eyes, but what about the rest of him? He's whiter than anyone I've ever seen! And his hair is golden, have you seen anyone with hair like that?”
“No man,” Dakka said.
“You know I can hear you, right?” I asked.
They both coughed awkwardly. “Well, where do you get your hair color?”
“From my parents,” I replied cheekily.
Pakku came back in tow with the Gaang and Princess Yue. ‘Thank the Spirits!’ I thought and stood up.
“Looks like you were telling the truth,” Pakku said. He bowed. “The Northern Water Tribe owes you a great debt, Callan Stone. I will inform Chief Arnook about your service. I'm sure he will like to meet with you later today.”
I shot a smug look at the soldier that didn't introduce himself. He looked away with a cough.
“I will be happy to meet with him. But once I fetch my things, and after meeting Chief Arnook, is there anywhere I can rest? It's been a long couple of days and I could use some sleep.” The fighting had lasted a full day and night, and it was already the morning of the second day. Even with super endurance, staying awake for so long can be taxing. I pity Chief Arnook and the other leaders who had to stay awake longer to make sure cleanup was starting.
Pakku nodded. “Of course. You can have the guest house next to the Avatar.”
Aang looked excited about that. I smiled at his child-like energy.
~ CatAR ~
“Master Stone?” I heard a voice knocking at my door. Blearily, I roll myself out of bed, putting on my boots to not freeze my feet, and answer the door.
“Yes?” I asked, rubbing the sleepiness out of my eyes. After fetching all of my things with the quick help of the Gaang, we had all returned to the guest house and I took the next one over, which was fully furnished with thick blankets and furs and additional clothing. I had promptly fallen asleep in the bed before anything else could happen.
At the door was a young woman. “Chief Arnook is calling for your presence.”
Ah. “Right. I'll make my way over immediately.” I was still in the heavy water tribe coat that I had stolen, so I just stepped out with her. I didn't bother going back in to fetch my sword though. You don't meet with the ruler of the land with weapons. I wasn't some foreign king or lord, so to do so would be presumptuous. Of course, I had power and could ignore social rules somewhat, but why lord it over everyone?
I look at the young woman who came to fetch me. “Will you be escorting me there or were you just the messenger?”
“I'll escort you there.”
“Let's go.”
We made our way back to the palace. Amazingly, most of the damage throughout the city had already been repaired. That's the advantage of having waterbenders in a city of ice.
When we entered the palace. I found I. The great hall a lot of the officials were sitting up on the bleachers-like seating at the front. Chief Arnook sat at the top with Princess Yue to his right and Pakku to his left. Behind them was a beautiful waterfall. Before them were Aang, Sokka, and Katara.
The young woman that escorted me here bowed and left.
I approached everyone, stopping beside Sokka. I bowed. “Greetings, Chief Arnook, elders of the Water Tribe.”
“Callan Stone. I've heard about your deeds from my daughter, but there is still much to know. I would like to hear your story from yourself. Tell me, how did you come here, and why?” Chief Arnook said.
“I'm a traveler from the Earth Kingdom. I’m an earthbender, but I like to draw wisdom from other cultures. I've learned from a Guru about some of the Air nomad ways, and even pretended to be a merchant to enter the Fire Nation and learn their ways. It was there that I heard of the recruitment for more soldiers to lay siege to your city. I knew I had to help you, so I snuck aboard one of their ships in disguise as a common soldier. With luck, I ended up on General Zhao's ship. While on his ship, I learned of his plans about the Moon Spirit and his need to find the spiritual oasis of your people. I couldn't let him kill the Moon Spirit, so I chased after him. I did have to pause in the middle of the battle to try and change out of the firebender armor, so I was only able to come in at the last second. I'm just glad there was earth in there, or I would have failed to block Zhao's fire in time.”
Arnook nodded, grateful. “I owe you a great debt. Not only as chief, but as a father. In saving the Moon Spirit, you have also saved my daughter. Tell me, Callan, what do you wish for in return?”
“Just two things, Chief Arnook. First: Your daughter has just been freed from her duties towards the Moon Spirit, I would like her to be free from her duties in marriage as well. Let her be free to choose the man she loves.” I say, glancing pointedly towards Sokka. Arnook looked to Yue and to Sokka. Both were now blushing up a storm.
Arnook smiled. “If that is one of the things you wish for, I cannot deny the wish of our savior. My daughter will be free to marry who she wishes.”
Yue cried happily, hugging her father. “Oh thank you! Thank you!”
Sokka meanwhile was hugging me. “You're the best, Callan!”
I pushed him off me. “Yeah, yeah, I know.”
When they calmed down, now embarrassed about their outburst, I continued. “Second: I would like to learn the ways of the waterbenders, including your healing arts. I know I'm not a waterbender, but I love learning about the cultures of the different nations, and I seek to bring in the wisdom I learn into my own bending style.”
Arnook looked towards Pakku, who spoke. “I would be honored to teach you. For the healing lessons, I'll introduce you to Healer Yagoda. I'm sure she'll be glad to teach you as well.”
I bowed. “That's all I want. Thank you, Chief Arnook, Master Pakku.”
“Very well. We will hold the funeral rites for those that passed away tomorrow, then then the day after will be the celebratory feast. Afterwards, your lessons can begin, until then, you are free to explore as you wish,” Chief Arnook said.
I bow and take my leave.
~ CatAR ~
The next day, the entire city gathered together at the front of the city. I went with Aang and Katara. Sokka went off early to go with Yue. We arrived to see that all of the dead were in canoes by the wall. Their families gathered around them. The canoes of the dead lined the entire front wall. There had to be more than 100 of them.
When everyone was gathered, a whole team of waterbenders lowered the entire wall, leaving the city open to the ocean.
Chief Arnook stood on a raised stage to speak. He raised his arms up in reverence. The quiet whispers of the crowd became full reverential silence to listen to the Chief. “Yesterday was the day of the greatest trial the Northern Water Tribe has faced in a long time. With it, came great tragedy.”
Arnook's continence fell as he turned to look at the canoes carrying the dead and the families around them. “We lost many family members and friends. Too many. Each one of them died to protect those that they loved! As we remember them, let us remember their noble spirits!”
Arnook raised his arms once again. “Spirit of the Ocean! Spirit of the Moon! We commend their bodies to your care! Watch over their spirits until they come back to us once again!” With that prayer, drums started playing and singers began a soulful song of mourning. The entire crowd joined in.
The families pushed the canoes out into the ocean, where the waterbenders created currents that carried them away. By the time the last canoe disappeared, the singing had stopped. The crowd slowly dispersed back to their homes.
By my side were Aang and Katara. Katara was somber, but Aang was looking troubled by something. My heart clenched. They were kids, but have already seen so much. Aang had too much responsibility pushed onto him. “Hey, Callan?” Aang asked.
“Yeah?” I answered quietly.
“Can I talk to you? Alone?”
“Yeah, come on.” We went back to my guest house.
Katara went to their own guest house. But stopped to look at Aang in concern. “I'll be here, Aang. If you want to talk, you know I'm here for you, right?”
“Yeah. Thanks, Katara.”
I brought Aang to sit in the kitchen, threw some more logs on the Fire, which never really goes out, and got a pot of tea going.
“What's bothering you, Aang?” I asked.
“So many people died yesterday,” Aang said.
I nodded.
“It's all my fault!” Aang cried, “I ran away!”
“None of this is your fault Aang. It was Zhao's greed for power and fame that caused this. Nothing else,” I said.
“But I could have ended the war before it even started, couldn't I? You saw how powerful the avatar state was! If I hadn't ran away 100 years ago, I could have stopped the Fire Nation from killing all of my people, and I could have stopped the war. Even now, I could go into the avatar state right now and end the war before anyone else dies,” Aang said.
“Hmmm… I think you're missing a key component here, Aang,” I said.
“What?”
“It was not the avatar state that ended this battle. It was the Moon Spirit. So your hands are still clean. But if you want to just be a weapon for someone to point towards their enemies for your avatar state to wipe them out, then your hands will be stained red with their blood. Is that what you want to become?”
“Of course not! But the longer we wait to end the war, the more people will die, right?” Aang asked.
I shook my head. “And what will happen if you manage to slay Fire Lord Ozai right now? The people of the Fire Nation will still hate and fear you, and the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe's will then begin to suppress the people of the Fire Nation and demand compensation. Many of the Fire Nation people are suffering under Fire Lord Ozai's rule, and they will continue to suffer under the suppression of the other nations. You see, your role as the Avatar isn't just to “defeat the Fire Nation” or even “defeat Fire Lord Ozai,” even if that has become a necessity. Your role is to unite the people. That includes the people of the Fire Nation. In order to do that, you must understand the hearts of the people.” I place my hand over his heart to emphasize. “And that is why it is so important for you to first learn the different cultures, values, and bending styles to become a fully realized Avatar. When you get to know the people, you get to know how to bring balance and harmony.”
Aang had a shocked look of realization, and he teared up. “I think I understand now. Thank you, Callan, I feel much better.”
I pulled him into a hug. “Anytime, Aang.”
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