Avatar Katara

The Avatar State

The wind and waves whipped around Katara as her eyes glowed a pure, blinding white. Sokka and Rina screamed as they stumbled away from her. Rannae, Amu, and Zaluq watched helplessly as the charred remains of their home were blown away.

The door to the Western Air Temple was blown open. Katara roared and fire errupted from her mouth. Sokka, Rina, and Zuko scrambled away, shielding themselves from the flame.

Fire Nation soldiers, some of them only a little older than Sokka, screamed and ran as the giant koi spirit washed them into the sea.

---

"Katara?" Sokka asked, shaking his sister awkae. "You were screaming in your sleep."

Katara gasped and shot up in her hammock. She quickly bent a mirror of ice in front of her and examined herself. Tangled hair. Healing wounds. Wild, un-glowing eyes. She breathed a sigh of relief and dropped the water back into the basin. "Just a nightmare."

---

The ship docked at the Earth Kingdom port. The three friends stood on deck, joined by Anuri and Pakku.

"This contains scrolls for mastering air and water," Anuri said as she gave Rina an intricately carved box. 

Pakku also handed Katara a necklace with a vial of some sort. "This contains water from the Spirit Oasis. It has special properties. Use it wisely." Katara nodded and looped it around her neck.

"I've contacted General Fong," Anuri continued. "His base is east of here. He will provide you with an escort to Omashu, and Katara can begin her earthbending training with Bumi."

"What about you?" Sokka asked. "What will you do?"

"The same thing I've always done. An alliance with the Northern Water Tribe has been secured, but there are many others I must rally. If Katara will ever lead an invasion into the heart of the Fire Nation, we will need numbers. Now go. The clock is ticking."

"Bye! Say hi to Rannae for me!" Katara called as she boarded Sang.

"And Zaluq!"

"Fly, Sang!" Rina yelled, and they were off.

---

"Ahh, this is what I've been missing," Iroh sighed as two attendants gave him a massage. "Who knew floating in a piece of driftwood for three weeks with no food or water and sea vultures waiting to pluck out your liver could make you so tense?"

Iroh and Zuko, after the destruction of their ship and pretty much every other ship that had attacked the Northern Water Tribe, had fled south, to a resort in the northern part of the Earth Kingdom.

Then Iroh glanced at his nephew, who seemed even more glum than usual. "It's the anniversary, isn't it?"

"Three years ago today, I was banished," Zuko said numbly. "I lost it all. I want it back. I want the Avatar, I want my honor, I want my throne. I want my father not to think I'm worthless."

"I'm sure he doesn't! Why would he banish you if he didn't care?" Iroh winced as he said it. That came out wrong.

Then again, there were much worse punishments for people who disappointed the Fire Lord, and Zuko knew it.

---

Two lines of ornately armored soldiers fell to their knees as the doors of the elaborate cabin opened. Four servants carried a palanquin out of the cabin and ceremoniously opened the curtains, revealing Princess Azula.

Azula was beautiful in the way a bloodied blade is beautiful, radiating danger to everyone who dared gaze upon her. The soldiers rose as she walked between them.