The First Deathbender (Deathbender Book 1)

Chapter 17

So there is a huge reason behind why this chapter is this late, and I was going to tell you, but it would have taken way too long. Here's a little for now, so sit tight, I'll post a huge chapter later this weekend, I promise. And a little good news, swim season is almost over so soon I'll be back to new chapters every week!

"Was the story realistic?" Katara asked after we finished listening to a story about air benders. "Was that how it was back then?"

"Sure!" Aang responded cheerfully. "I laugh at gravity all the time! Hahaha, gravity!" He walked up to the man telling the story. "Wow, it must have been a hundred years ago your grandfather saw the air benders!"

"What are you talking about kid?" The man demanded. "Grand pappy saw the air walkers just last week!"

~ ~ ~

And so we set off to find the not so secret group of air benders who survived the war. Over on Appa's head, Aang babbled to Sokka about how great the northern air temple was, I hardly paid attention. I was just as excited as Aang.

"Do you really think the sir benders are still around?" Katara asked.

"I hope so." I wasn't quite used to riding on Appa yet, and I really missed Maya and Kuzon. "But I can't be sure. It makes sense they would stay out of the war, but I also think they would hide themselves better then what those stories described."

"So you're skeptical." Katara noted. "Well, I guess that's why we're going then."

"That and the fact and me and Aang have a responsibility to find out if our people are still alive or not." I added casually.

Katara laughed. "That too."

"Hey guys look at this!" Aang yelled as the temple grew into our sight rang.

What we saw was the temple and- people, just normal people, gliding around it.

"They really are air benders!" Katara exclaimed.

"No, they're not." Aang muttered, leaning back and crossing his arms.

"What do you mean they're not?" Sokka asked. "Those guys are flying!"

"Gliding maybe., but not flying." Aang sighed. "You can tell by the way they move, they're not air benders." He sounded very disappointed. I was just the same. The air benders really were gone then.

"They have no spirit." I explained, which was difficult to two people who have never really met normal air benders.

"I don't know Kila, Aang, that guy looks pretty spirited!" Katara said as one of the kids flew over our heads.

Aang had had enough, and grabbed his glider. He opened it quickly and jumped off of Appa, silently challenging the kid to a match, ready to show off actual air bending. I jumped on Appa's head and took the reins, leading us down to land.

"Air benders are born with disconnected spirits." I tried to explain, at least to Katara. "We are born unattached to the earth, naturally in toned with the sky, feeling the balance of the world more forcefully then most. I haven't heard of a single air bender who hadn't gotten the hang of the element by age 3. Even our young reach for the sky, knowing through instinct that they don't belong on the earth.

"I guess it wouldn't be as obvious to you, but Aang and I know when someone is bound to the earth. There is always a certain point in the sky they don't dare pass, and always give a sigh of relief, no matter how small, when they touch ground. And unlike air benders, they will always eventually land. There are stories of an air bending master who didn't touch the earth for 36 years."

"Wow." Katara said. "I guess I can see that. Aang was right, air bending stories are the best."

"Maybe that's because no one hears them anymore." I shrugged. "And honestly, some of them are quite boring, but yeah, they are great."

"So if they aren't air benders, why are they here?" Sokka asked. I did t respond. I didn't know.