Steam Will Rise

9. Universal

Katara wasn't sure if what she was seeing was real. Perhaps this was a trick of her traumatized mind or something to do with the strange steam like substance she couldn't bend. Or maybe she was having one intense fever dream. None of that mattered to her however if seeing was believing then she was a believer. She rushed forward with her arms out stretched to embrace her grandfather not knowing if she'd ever get the opportunity again, but ended up with an arm full of air for all of her effort. She whirled around to see her grandfather swirling in the air like dust motes interrupted and then formed into an incorporeal image.

Zuko stared bug eyed. "Are you ghosts or Spirits?"

"Neither. We are collective memories so to speak. We are able to exist here because we still remain in the hearts and minds of those who love us." Roku answered

"Did you bring us here?" Katara wanted to know."

Zuko looked back and forth between the two men. "How could they when we didn't even know we'd be here?"

"The universe brought you here. It knew long ago that your paths would entwined. In the imbalance of the hundred year war the world lost much, but in the balance of your unity more will be gained." Roku explained.

Katara's scalp prickled at the strangeness of the situation. She looked at Zuko who was looking at her in askance. She stretched her eyes and mouth as she shrugged.

"Why would the universe choose us?" Zuko asked. "Why would the universe need us for anything?"

"Like humans and Spirits the universe has a survival instinct, and it is stronger than all else, and it's because of that survival instinct the Universe chose another couple to unite the ununited, Oma and Shu. Much was lost in that war, but more was gained through the founding of Omashu. You two were brought together for the same reason. What is happening now was always going to happen. The will of the universe brings about the change it needs to survive. This has been the rule of nature long before the two of you were born and will be long after you've departed."

"Then the universe should've chosen one of Oma and Shu's children to bend all four elements." Katara said.

"The world had never been in a universal war before, and now that it's on the brink of another which it can scarcely survive, an Avatar is needed."

Zuko shook his head. "I still don't understand."

Katara didn't understand either. What was an Avatar and why did the world need one?

Natsilane seeing his granddaughter's distress stepped closer to her. "As the Avatar your child will be a conduit to help keep balance between this world and the Spirit world and thusly keeping balance in the universe."

Katara chewed on her bottom lip. Maintaining balance between their world and the Spirit world seemed like an impossible task. Why burden one person that way?

"I thought you two would be happy, but I can tell this news has upset you." Roku said.

"Can you blame us?" Zuko asked.

Roku laughed and Natsilane laughed along with him. "I suppose not, yet upset or not you must come to terms with your future because you cannot repudiate the will of the Universe."

"You talk about the universe like it's sentient." Katara said.

"It is."

"So, we have no choice in the matter?" Zuko snapped.

"Did I say that?"

Katara put her hands on her hips. "You might as well have."

"Sentient or not the world doesn't need us." Zuko protested. "Why care about us when the world could keep going on without us."