Chapter Eleven

I didn't stay with Zuko and Iroh long. While it was nice to see them both after the last years they had spent away, I was somewhat disappointed with who my grandson had become. The teen was angry and hotheaded. And, while I understood why, he seemed to only cause chaos and destruction wherever the Avatar's trail led him. I got off his ship at a small port and bought a mongoose lizard, continuing to follow the spiritual pull I had to Aang on the animal.

Now, I watched as the Avatar and his friends played in a stream, and I was once again disappointed with their childishness. I tried hard to keep my eyes on Aang, instead of Sokka, but it was hard and I found my mind going back to our moment in the woods on Kyoshi.

Aang seemed to practice water bending routinely, but only for short stints. Like today, night was already falling and he'd only practiced for two hours today, the rest was spent playing and goofing off. Maybe it was time for me to step in and remind him of the severity of his job.

– Aang's Point of View

I woke up to a warm feeling above me. It was nice but soon it became hot, too hot. I opened my eyes and was surprised to find a small fiery dragon floating above me. Immediately it made me think of Ren, and the creations she would make with her flames. I missed her, she always seemed to know what to do.

The little fire dragon circled my head and then flew away into the night. I stood up and called out to it, "Hey! Wait for me!" I left Katara and Sokka sleeping and sprinted after the little ball of flames.

As I got farther and farther away from our campsite I realized this may be a bad idea. I was alone, it was dark, and I was following something made by a firebender. But I let the concern fly out of my mind when the little dragon headed into a cave up ahead. "Got'cha!" I cheered.

When I sped into the cave the dragon was gone and it was pitch black. "Little dragon?" I whispered looking around for it in the dark.

"That was stupid." A voice came from behind me, I spun but still couldn't see anything. "You have no idea who could have made that. You could be dead right now." The voice said, I recognized it. "You've been acting like a child, Aang."

"But, I am a kid."

"You don't have that luxury anymore. In fact you never really did." The voice said, it sounded eerily like Ren. "You need to move faster, Aang. You must train harder. You must not waste anymore time."

"Who are you?" I asked, beginning to get dizzy from spinning in circles trying to find the voice.

"You know who I am, Aang."

"Ren?" I asked hopefully. There was a snap and suddenly the cave was alight, she had lit a fire pit between us. And I saw my friend. I went to jump over the flames to give her a hug but she made the fire explode all the way up to the cave's roof and I had to halt. "How are you here?" I questioned, maybe others had survived too.

"Don't you remember that little ceremony we did back before you knew who you were?" She questioned, her eyes were narrowed, she looked angry. I hadn't seen Ren angry before.

"The spirit-bonding ceremony for the air nomads and fire nation?" I said, remembering it vividly.

"Yes, but that's not what it actually was. They lied to you." She explained, the fire between us flickered. I didn't like this, Ren was scary like this.

"What?" I questioned. Monk Gyatso wouldn't do that.

"We knew you were the Avatar, and to make sure you could complete your destiny the Monks and the Sages decided it would be best to give you a Spirit Vessel. Someone to sacrifice their life for yours if you ever died. That person was me." I stared at Ren, her angry eyes and her shaking fist told me the story wasn't over.

"When you ran away, everyone died. Everyone except me. Because I can't die unless you do. I've been killed a handful of times and yet never have I been able to stay dead. Do you know what it's like, Aang? To watch everyone you grow close to, everyone you love, grow old and die, while you stay young?" I frowned, I had no idea that she had been linked to me, or that it would have caused her to suffer.

"I'm sorry, Ren! I had no idea!" Tears were coming to my eyes.

"You ran away, Aang." She hissed at me. "I have suffered year after year watching as everyone and everything I loved has been ripped away from me." The flames turned blue as she continued to speak. "When I first realized you were back." She snarled, her golden eyes boring into mine. "I was planning on killing you." I took a shocked step backwards. "But, I've since realized I shouldn't be so hasty." She took a few steps towards me, walking right through the burning campfire, unharmed. "You are the world's last hope, Aang. And so, I will put aside my hatred for the greater good, for now at least." I swallowed hard and took another step backwards. "Sozin's comet will be here by mid-summer. If you don't master the elements by then and defeat the Fire Lord I will organize training for the next Avatar, one who is hopefully much less of a coward! And then, I will kill you myself." I swallowed hard.

"I'm trying! I really am! But, learning to bend is hard without a master!" I defended myself.

"Are you trying? Really?" She scoffed, "I've been watching you, Aang. And most of your day is spent trying to make the waterbender blush. You need to work harder. Practice for hours everyday, not just a couple minutes." I looked down, maybe I wasn't working as hard as I could be. "You must do better. Your life and the lives of the world depend on it." Suddenly Ren raised her arm and a rush of flames came at me, I blacked out.

–

I woke up with a start, the sun was shining and Katara was making breakfast. "How'd you sleep, Aang?" She asked, but I didn't answer, instead I was up on my feet and speed running back to the cave from last night. "Aang?" She called after me, I didn't listen.

When I arrived at the cave it was empty and I deflated a bit. Was it a dream? But then I saw the scorch marks on the walls and the still smouldering coals in the firepit. It wasn't a dream.

Ren was alive. And she was mad.

I had to do better.

:)