𝑨𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒎𝒆𝒆𝒕

𝒎𝒓 𝒗𝒆𝒈𝒈𝒊𝒆

                 Chapter Eighteen
Elora

We soared above a vast expanse of verdant swamp, its lush canopy stretching endlessly below us. Towering trees adorned with vines and moss reached towards the sky, creating a mesmerizing tapestry of greenery.

As we drifted closer, I felt an inexplicable pull, as if the swamp itself was beckoning me to explore its depths. Time seemed to warp, each moment elongating as we descended towards the mysterious terrain.

"Hey, Sunshine, any reason we're heading down there?" Sokka's voice broke through my trance, his face a canvas of confusion painted with concern.

"Huh? Oh, I didn't even realize," I muttered, torn between the enchantment of the swamp and Sokka's bewildered expression.

"Now you notice?" Aang chimed in, his tone laced with curiosity as he glanced towards the looming swamp.

"Is everything alright?" Katara's furrowed brow mirrored her concern as she observed my distracted state.

"It sounds bizarre, but I feel like the swamp is...calling to me," I confessed, my gaze fixated on the murky landscape below.

"Is it giving directions to the nearest snack bar?" Sokka quipped, his practicality cutting through the mystique.

Typical Sokka, always thinking about his stomach.

"No, I... I think it wants us to land," I replied, my attention drifting back to the captivating allure of the swamp.

"With all due respect to the swamp, I don't see any land ground to land on," Sokka remarked, his eyes scanning the swampy terrain below.

"I know it sounds strange, but Bumi mentioned listening to the earth to learn earthbending. Maybe this is what he meant," Aang suggested, turning his gaze towards the swamp before shooting a questioning look my way.

"Do we really want to ignore it?" he asked, his expression a mix of curiosity and caution.

"Yes!" Sokka exclaimed adamantly, clearly unenthused about the prospect of descending into the murky unknown.

"I don't know... There's something ominous about that place," Katara voices her unease, her eyes fixed on the murky expanse below. Appa groans in agreement, and even Momo seems unsettled, chattering nervously.

"See? Even Appa and Momo don't like it here," Sokka adds, his discomfort evident in his tone.

"Alright, since everyone's on the same page... bye, swamp. Yip yip!" I declare, urging Appa to ascend as we veer away from the foreboding landscape.

Confusion clouds my mind as a deafening roar echoes behind us. Whipping around, my eyes widen in horror as I spot a colossal tornado hurtling towards us.

"Oh, we're in trouble!" Sokka's voice rings out, urgency lacing his words as we scramble to evade the impending disaster.

"You better throw in an extra 'yip'! We need to move!" Sokka shouts over the howling winds, our hearts racing as we fight against the vortex's pull.

Aang and I summon a shield of air around us, desperately attempting to withstand the tornado's force. But despite our efforts, the tempest proves too mighty, tearing through our defenses and engulfing us in its swirling chaos.

Amidst our cries of panic, the tornado hurls us mercilessly towards the swamp below, our bodies colliding with gnarled branches and murky waters, leaving us drenched and disoriented in its unforgiving embrace.

"Where's Appa and Momo?" Aang's voice cuts through the tense air as he scrambles to his feet, his eyes scanning the murky expanse below, but our trusty bison and lemur are nowhere in sight.