War of Change | Book 3

9: Her Heaven His Hell

Art: Adventurous Sheep byParkurtommo

Our flight was long, and it gave me plenty of time to tell the others everything they wanted to know. It was difficult, but I had even managed to admit to what had happened in the crystal catacombs of Ba Sing Se. As much as I wished not to even think about that day again, I knew how they would react if they somehow found out some other way.

After telling them, however, I wasn't entirely convinced it had been the right decision. I hoped that explaining everything would keep them from being so afraid of me. It didn't seem to work. None of them would speak more than a few words to me, and they each tried to avoid my direct gaze.

I could tell they were conscious of these actions and tried very hard not to do them, but the bottom line was that they were afraid. My siblings were afraid of me. It was quite honestly my worst nightmare.

It wasn't as if I could even be angry with them about it. I was already aware that Katara wasn't the biggest fan of the Avatar state. She hated seeing Aang be so destructive and violent, especially when it was so against his regular nature. This wasn't against mine. Violence was always a possible answer for me if I got angry enough, and now they all knew just how violent I could become.

I could control people with my bending. If Sokka hadn't stopped me, I likely would have killed Hama. If they met anyone else in the world who was anything like me, then I'd be begging them to get away from them. Never once did I expect myself to become the danger I told them to run away from.

I wish I could simply promise not to be that way, and we could go back to normal. That wasn't the case, though. We had a battle coming, and I would use everything at my disposal if it meant we could win.

After a day of flying, we arrived at the official rendezvous point for the invasion force.  It would only be a few more days until it was time to go into battle. This knowledge twisted in the air. Everyone could feel it, especially the Avatar.

"I'm worried about him," Katara voiced. We had just watched Aang go speeding off on an air scooter.

"He's about to face the Fire Lord," I reminded. "He wouldn't be human if he wasn't at least a little nervous." She didn't respond, only giving a small, nearly imperceptible nod. I went on, "He has the right idea, though. These next few days aren't a vacation. We should be training."

"Training?" she repeated. She looked up at me out of the corner of her eye. The glint of fear in her eye made my chest clench. What kind of training did she expect me to do?

Of everyone, Katara was taking the information I had given them the hardest. I wasn't all that surprised. She was the one who flat out told me that I was beginning to scare her. I had thought she realized that I would never hurt her - or any member of our family - but she was looking less convinced by the second.

"Kat," I spoke softly, feeling that if I spoke too loudly that she might run off. "Can we talk?"

Her eyes widened before flickering to Sokka nearby. Our brother glanced between the two of us, lingering on me the longest. A flicker of relief turned on inside me when I saw the soft smile on his face. That was a good sign. At least he trusted me with our sister still.

Katara agreed, and we began to walk. We walked down to the cove in complete silence. Thankfully the crashing waves and heavy wind made some substitute for a conversation.