Aang's Guide

Dreams of Regret: Kyra

I have been awake for almost 2 days straight, when I look left and right all I see are clouds. I've always wondered what it would be like to live in a cloud, when I was younger I let myself fall through them. As I'm looking at the cloud a small bird emerges, it caws and goes back down. I smile, and look down to see nothing but Fire Nation grounds. I am only a few hours away until I reach the Western Air Temples, hidden underneath the grounds. I look over to see my mother, I lean up from the side rubbing my eyes but she is still standing on the cloud. Her pale skin made her blue arrow on her forehead stick out even more. Her grey eyes glistened as she opened her arms, "Mom?" I reach out to touch her. She starts to plead to me, "Why didn't you save your brother, Ling? Why didn't you save us from the fire nation raid?" She was crying as I tried to reach her stretching as far as I could, "Mom, I'm sorry..." She turned a bit I could only see the side of her face, "You are a disgrace to the air bending nation. You are no Avatar guide, you are a failure!" I let the tears flow as I reach for her almost touching, "Mother you don't mean that please just take my hand..." I then watch as she disappears and I fall out of the twine craft.

I awaken sweating and heavy breathing, only to see that the aircraft was fine. I stood looking around to see a red canvas not far from me. It was the aircraft Iroh had told me Zuko had crashed right before the edge of the temples. I quickly air bended the air out of the balloon and started to let the air balloon crash land. I went to the side and put my pack on then held onto the side. The aircraft was finally out of the clouds and a couple of yards from the ground. I saw that the craft was heading towards a pile of rocks. I held on even tighter, as it hit the pile of rocks it then shook me back a few feet. I waited for the aircraft to finally come to a complete stop and I climbed out. From standing on the tall pile of rocks I could tell I was about 2 miles from Zuko's craft. I put down my pack and opened it, I grabbed the mask once again. I put it on as I slid my hair back into the cloak that I was wearing. It would be dark soon, and that's when I'll introduce myself. I headed towards his camp, I stopped a few times to drink from the river. Many years ago I once traveled these lands with my old friend Mi, she trained me when my mentor was gone traveling to other temple matters. I sat near the river's edge and crossed my legs putting my fists together. I inhaled a long breath and exhaled as I closed my eyes. I felt the energy of the earth underneath me, then the water flowing in front of me, then the wind that flowed around me, and the fire that grows within me. I opened to see my world had changed and before me was an old friend, "Avatar Roku."

He smiled, "My dear Kyra, it is nice to see you." I let my body relax, "I thought I couldn't come to the spirit world?" He chuckled, "No, you will not be able to achieve the Avatar state. The lives that once lived before the Avatar resides in Aangs side of Ravaa." I sighed, "But why am I here?" Roku looked around, "Well first why don't you tell me where we are?" I looked around and I recognized the room, "It's my old room at the Northern Water Tribe?" Roku smiled, "So it is.." I looked at him confused, "But why are we here?" Roku looked to me, "Kyra, you brought us here, I didn't do anything." I looked down at my hands, "I just keep thinking about my friends Roku, the mistakes I made. I should have stayed behind and fought at their sides and died alongside them." Roku sighed, "Kyra, what you did was not cowardly. But I understand the pain you must be feeling, you haven't had time to mourn their deaths. The oath you gave means you have to sacrifice many things, even the ones you love." I sighed, "The Northern Water tribe was like my home, the air-benders only saw me as a tool. At the Northern Tribe, I had grown so close to the people they were like my family." Roku gave a smile, "You are not alone, there are people who have lost so much during this war. But through you with your strength, you can stop the destruction of the fire nation." I smiled as I closed my eyes, "Thank you, Avatar Roku."

I opened my eyes to see I was back near the river, the sun had started to set. I dusted the gravel off my cloak and traveled on. I got into the thicker brush when I heard mumbling and movement in front of me. I took a few more steps and saw that there was an opening in the bush. I peered through it and I looked around at his camp. The aircraft was now turned into a tent and the fire was dimly lit. The sun was almost hidden and that is when I saw him. The young innocent boy that I had known long ago was no longer there. He was crouched cooking a fish he caught from the river near here. He stood wiping off his pants and rubbing his hands together. As he turned I saw the scar Iroh had warned me about, I gave a small gasp. I always remembered Zuko as a happy kid, smiling and running around with laughter. Bringing me fire flowers to put into my hair, letting me tell stories I made up, for him to believe. But now that he is older I can tell that he is no longer full of that same joy anymore. I am frozen at the sight of him, his long hair in his eyes as he pulls the fish off the stake and eats the fish. The sun disappears as he finishes his meal and sits mumbling to himself.

"Oh Zuko, what have they done to you?" The night takes over as he lays down and goes to sleep. I give him about an hour to sleep before I decide to make my move, but before I'm about to get up from my hiding spot I can feel a disturbance in the earth. I close my eyes feeling for what is beyond the night, I hear a young girl from the trees. I stomp my foot and let the earth shake underneath me, I can see her. She an earth bender but something was off about her I couldn't figure it out. I open my eyes to see Zuko get up abruptly, "Who's there?" The girl gets closer not realizing he knows she is there, then Zuko bends out a wave of fire from his heel. The young girl earth bends a wall protecting herself from his wave, but she was too slow to block it all from her. I hear her yell, I then feel her earth bend a tunnel escaping from Zuko's fire. Zuko stands "Wait Toph!! I'm sorry come back!!" But it's too late Toph left and Zuko just stands there holding his hair. That's when I emerge from the thick brush and stand staring at his back.