Broken Spirit: The Next Avatar

Chapter Twelve: Nadia

                  

It has been a day or so since we realized Serefina must have been captured. I've been staying in this tree practically the entire time. I have had a lot to think about. It must have been my fault that Serefina got captured. She wouldn't have had to come in the first place if I would have been stronger or more prepared for an attack. And now, maybe if I hadn't entered the Avatar State she wouldn't have been captured. I sigh and continue looking at the tops of trees.

"Nadia? I know you are up there," Levi calls. I don't bother responding to his calls. "Nadia, you have to come down. You haven't really eaten much or slept in the past few days. I'm worried about you," Levi calls up to me.

"I am not the one you should be worried about," I say quietly.

"What was that?" Levi calls.

I hop down from the tree so that I am face to face with him.

"I am not the one that matters! Serefina is captured and it is all my fault!" I shout at him.

"Don't you dare say that you don't matter. Without you, there wouldn't be an Avatar. It is not your fault that Serefina got captured, just like it isn't your fault you got captured in the Earth Kingdom. The Red Lotus are everywhere, we know that now," Levi tells me, gripping onto my shoulders.

"You don't have to tell me they are everywhere," I tell him, turning around and folding my arms.

"What do you mean? What did you find out? What happened while you were in the Red Lotus headquarters?" Levi asks me.

"My parents! My own parents are members of the Red Lotus! They have probably known forever. What was a lie and what was the truth! Are my brothers members too?" I ask him.

"Oh Nadia," Levi says. At that point I can't help it. I dive into him and he wraps his arms protectively around me while I cry. "No matter what your family has done or who else might, I want you to know I will never leave your side if you wish." I look up after a minute of processing what he said.

"What?" I ask him. He moves his hands to my cheeks and wipes away my tears.

"I've been wanting to tell you for a while, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. And not that this is ideal timing, I think you needed to hear something along these lines," Levi tells me.

"Nadia, I really care about you. You are special and not just because you are part of the Avatar. You are kind, beautiful, talented, and strong. I don't want you seeing yourself as second best to Serefina or anyone else like I know you do," Levi tells me, a blush coming to his face.

"Levi, thank you. I like you a lot too," I say. I don't know what else to say so I just look at him. But that's when I lean in quickly and kiss him. He puts his hands around my waist then kisses me again deepening the kiss. I put my arms around his neck. "What am I doing?" I ask breaking the kiss. Levi gives me a confused look. "We should be working out a plan to free Serefina and get her back. Whether or not she is the better of us two or if we get along all the time, we need each other for the Avatar State and Spirit connections."

"Then what is our move?" Levi asks, a smile still on his face from our kiss.

"We need a plan."

Levi and I walk back to the camp site. I grab some food and use my healing abilities to get rid of the bruise on my cheek from the Red Lotus leader.

"So what are we going to do about Serefina being captured?" Terra asks me as we sit around the camp fire.

"We need a plan to rescue her. She came to get me so it is only right I go to get her," I tell them.