The Good and the Bad: Kainora

Chapter 11: A New Home

 As the new airbenders stepped off the airship, they couldn't help gawking at the temple, still trying to figure out how this place came to be. As far as Jinora was concerned, Tenzin was still prying through the old archives, looking for clues and answers. The library in the heart of the temple was surprisingly large, and the family had only fully explored a fraction of it. They had some pieces, but it wasn't enough to put a bigger picture together. Maybe the new airbenders could help.

Kai and Jinora were the last off the ship. They were greeted by a weathered stone bridge that led up to an archway into one of the main buildings. To their right were seemingly rudimentary structures with bales of hay stacked neatly. A wall rose up immediately behind it, built as tall as the mountainside itself.

"What's that for?" Kai indicated towards the large, wooden shed.

"That's where we keep the flying bison. Normally, they prefer to graze on their own, but if the weather isn't too great, at least they have a place to stay." Jinora pondered that thought for a moment.

Sooner or later, everyone's going to have a flying bison. Air traffic around here will get very, very busy.

"We're going to have to upgrade that though." Just then, Tenzin called for everyone's attention at the archway to the temple building.

Jinora gestured to Kai. "C'mon, something's up."

***

As the airbenders gathered around Tenzin, Jinora could feel the anticipation, excitement, and nervousness around her. They never gave a single thought to bending their whole lives, and suddenly they were now a part of a culture that had almost been lost nearly two hundred years ago. Understandably, the change was quite shocking. She stood next to her father and was joined by her siblings.

"Once again, thank you for your decision to join me here at the Northern Air Temple," Tenzin began. "There are three other temples like this, each with its own unique architecture and practices." Tenzin saw a hand go up. "Yes?"

"Where are these other temples?" Someone in the crowd asked.

"They are on the east, west, and south extremities of the world," Tenzin answered. "We will delve into that further later on. Traditionally, this temple and Southern Air Temple were exclusively male, while the Eastern and Western Air Temples were exclusively female—"

Kai shot Jinora an alarmed look, and she had to stifle a giggle.

"—but due to our small numbers, we will stay together." He turned around and walked into the atrium. Everyone else followed him behind, taking in the tall, circular structure that eventually gave way to the expanse of the sky. Statues ringed the ground floor of the atrium, while a small fountain gurgled happily, spewing a small stream of water into a basin.

"For the time being, the second floor will be assigned to females and the third floor is where the males will stay. Is that clear?" Tenzin looked around as they nodded in assent. "Good."

As the airbenders waited for his next announcement, Jinora could see her dad's mind moving at great speeds, trying to figure out their next moves. She could begin to see the weight of the task ahead beginning to settle on her dad's shoulders.

"Air Acolytes—non-airbenders immersed in our culture and way of life—once resided here," Tenzin began. "With the creation of Air Temple Island near Republic City, most of them now live there. Since this place has not been used extensively for many years, we will need to clean it as such. With a little bit of airbending, it shouldn't take very long. Jinora and Ikki, take the girls and show them how it works. Meelo, take the boys and clean the male quarters and the courtyard. If you need anything, I'll be in the office," Tenzin told his children, and they nodded to him. He turned and headed out of the atrium down another corridor.