The Origin of Roh-Shan

Abuse

It was one thing to force herself awake before sunrise and go up to the Air Embassy the first time, but doing it day after day truly forced Roh to stop staying up so late. Because apparently, falling asleep during meditation is not a thing that airbenders do. It's actually quite frowned upon, as she learned the hard way.

Just beyond the city to the right were large sand dunes, which protected the city from sandstorms and winds from the desert adjacent to it. Though it was a little longer than cutting through the city, Ennis could give her a ride most of the way without anyone seeing them. And yeah, she'd fallen asleep on him a few times, before she could get used to the schedule.

And although her airbending is really coming along, it hasn't left much alone time for her and Kota.

For the most part, it seemed the airbender nuns taught the more physical, bending styles classes, while the airbender monks taught the spiritual classes. Lunch was always light, and they usually wrapped up around mid-evening, and Roh was allowed to go home to "care for her disabled foster brother", although the airbenders really thought she would benefit from living there full time.

Roh was pretty sure Haider would hate it, not to mention any slip-ups could reveal she's not an orphan, or an airbender by birth, or an Earth Kingdom citizen. And there was no plausible explanation for the wolf. It was better she get back to the cave every day, although having a room of her own to share with Kota and specifically not Haider sounded really nice.

During lunch after about two weeks at the Air Embassy, Roh finally spotted Panuk alone, and decided to approach him about a question she'd been ruminating on.

"Master Panuk." She bowed politely before him, and he gestured for her to sit at the stone table across from him.

"Something on your mind, Shan?"

"Yes, um. You've mentioned the Spirit World several times in your classes, and I'm wondering... can only airbenders get to the Spirit World? Or can just anyone go there?"

He huffed a small laugh. "Well, certainly other people can try, through meditation, but the air nomad lifestyle is particularly spiritual-oriented, therefore training the mind and body to be open to entering the Spirit World. Of course, there are rumored to be Spirit Portals at the North and South poles, but they are in the most remote areas and are currently closed. Only the Avatar can open them, but yes, if a portal was opened, anyone could walk right in."

"Oh."

"Does that answer your question?"

"Well, no. Is it possible for someone to meditate into the Spirit World on accident? Like, if they were meditating but not thinking about the Spirit World. And not an airbender."

"It's highly unlikely. Most airbenders can't even access the Spirit World until they become masters, and even after that it takes time and patience."

"You mean the other students here can't get to the Spirt world whenever they want?"

He laughed. "Most certainly not. Many of them are trying. Few ever actually can, though. The Spirit World can be dangerous, so even if they could, going in without the proper knowledge and training can result in one's soul being lost forever. Like I said, time and patience."

Roh was a little bit disappointed to hear she herself probably couldn't go to the Spirit World anytime soon. Although, the Avatar is supposed to be the bridge between the two worlds. Well, Kota had told her that, based on Kenja's fangirling over Tyric, the previous Avatar. But she wasn't too sure how reliable Kota's memory is.

"Why do you ask, Shan? Have you been to the Spirit World?"

"No. No, but um," She proceeded carefully, so she didn't give anything away. "I have a friend who used to have dreams that sounded a lot like what you described about the Spirit World. She said she was trying to meditate when she had these dreams, but she was really young, and can't do it anymore."