Deceiving the Spirits

Gawain, the earth avatar, has unleashed the anger of the spirits on the world. They are wreaking destruction over the world. In order to stop them before they destroy everything, he has to sacrifice himself. That means dying while he is in the avatar state. But airbender Rohan--Tenzin's son--proposed an idea that may allow the avatar cycle to continue while still making the spirits believe he has died.

Years later, Arit--unknowingly the new avatar--is living in a small village in what used to be the Fire Nation.

But is Gawain still alive? If he is, then how could two avatars coexist?

Please read and give me feedback.