Sea and Sky

Chapter 16: Atlas of the Heart

Sea and Sky
Chapter 16: Atlas of the Heart

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Disoriented, he pushed against the throngs of people, using his hands as guides, grabbing for anything to steady himself. It was as if the very core of his energy had been sapped from his body, his limbs felt heavy underneath the fabric of his cloaks. A strange mixture of desire and dread welled within him as weaved throughout the crowds, searching for her.

Eyes flickering with a ghostly energy, he swallowed hard as if to contain the energy that threatened to escape him. The tips of his fingers buzzed, small currents of air leaving his hands. As he pushed through the crowds, he collapsed onto his knees at Katara's feet.

"Whoa, Aang. Drink much?" Toph coughed sarcastically as she bent down to help Aang to his feet. Stumbling slightly under the weight of the Avatar, Katara was at her side to help.

As she helped Toph pulled Aang up, a strange energy washed over Katara. Since the very first time she'd witnessed him in the Avatar State, Katara could sense it's inevitable surge of energy with a preternatural sense. Something was wrong with Aang, and it wasn't copious consumption of alcohol.

Once on his feet, Aang's stomach turned upside and he felt like he would heave. Panic growing inside of her, Katara looped his arm over her shoulder and helped him from the room. Once safely outside, she and Toph guided him to a bench. Collapsing into the bench, Aang pulled at his clothing.

"Too hot, I need to take this off..." He breathed, unknotting the tie of his outer tunic. Panic registered on Toph's face as she heard the fabric rustle.

"Hey, keep your clothes on! Just because you're drunk doesn't mean you can strip down!"

Shaking her head, Katara would have waved Toph away if the Earth Bender could have seen her. "Toph, he's not drunk."

"Aang, you okay man?" Sokka questioned from just outside the hall, a look of semi-concern on his face.

Shaking his head wearily, Aang leaned back into the stone wall of the villa and close his eyes. Pain stung behind his eyes and shot down his limbs. It was like his body wasn't his own. His chest felt heavy and heart weak.

Just as quickly as the strength had left his body, with a deep intake of air, a surge of energy coursed through his veins. Jumping from the bench, Aang's eyes flashed for a moment as a torrent of fire was released from his palms. As the blast flared to life, Katara let out a blood-curdling scream as it flashed just inches from her face.

"Aang! What the hell?!"

Lunging into formation, Aang drew a deep breath to center himself, desperately trying to control any additional outbursts. "I'm sorry! I can't control it!"

Tattoos glowing, Aang let out a sound the seemed to echo from the mountains in the distance. The sound was guttural, and anguished. From deep inside his throat, the sound he made was one of agony and pain, tinged with anger and frustration as he tried to control himself.

As the glowing ceased, one last blast of air left his palms before he fell to his knees, hands firmly splayed on the wooden flooring of the veranda to steady himself. Behind him, Katara sat pressed to the wall, eyes wide with terror and body frozen with fear. For the first time in many years she'd been too terrified to approach him. The handful of times she'd pulled him out of the Avatar State seemed to pale in comparison to what she'd just seen.

What she'd see wasn't the true Avatar State, but rather the broken vestiges of Aang's attempts to control the energy that threatened to consume him.

Inching herself from the wall, Katara crept over to Aang and dropped down next to him. Balling the hem of her sleve into her hand, she drew the fabric over his forehead to remove from the sweat pouring down his face. Wrenching his eyes shut, Aang turned to face away from her. For the first time in what seemed to be an eternity, he'd been unable to control himself and the power he possessed.