Unusual Circumstances

Chapter-8

Wisdom and Warning From Roku

Aang and Zuko walked until they reached what appeared to be a little pond in a beautiful arboretum surrounded by tall, red marble walls. Zuko gasped, "This is my mother's garden at the royal palace! I see what you mean about the spirit world looking like a place of safety and comfort in the real world."

"Roku," Aang called, "Are you here?" Avatar Roku's spirit appeared beside the pond in the same spot, Zuko noticed, where he used to sit and feed turtle-ducks with his mom. "Hello, Aang," Roku said in a gravelly, yet warm, voice that reminded Zuko of Uncle Iroh, "It's good to see you, and you have brought a guest."

Aang bowed and replied, "It's good to see you, too, Roku. This is Zuko, he's my friend, and…" "And my great-grandson," Roku completed the sentence and smiled at Zuko.

Until now, Zuko felt too flabbergasted to do anything but stare, but when he saw the spirit of Roku smiling down at him, he managed to pull it together. "Avatar Roku," Zuko said, bowing, "I am truly honored to be in your presence."

"It is an honor to meet you, Zuko," Roku said, "It pleases me that history has come full circle. This war began because an Avatar and a Fire-lord of the past failed to resolve their differences before it was too late. Now you, Aang, will restore balance and peace to the world; and you, Zuko, will restore the honor of the Fire-nation, and of our family. And you will do it together. The shadows of the past will be eliminated by the light that the two of you bring to the present and will carry with you into the future." Roku looked down at them and said knowingly, "You have my blessing." Aang and Zuko looked at each other, smiled, and then simultaneously turned and bowed to Roku. "Thank you, Avatar; no, Great-grandfather Roku," Zuko replied.

Roku took on a somber tone, "But now, I have a word of warning, Aang do you remember what I told you about the comet?" "Yes, Roku, it gave great power to Sozin's Fire-benders; He used that power begin the war by launching his assault on my people, he destroyed the Air-nomads," Aang said, with great sadness in his voice. Zuko felt a pang of sympathy as he heard Aang say this, and placed a comforting hand on Aang's shoulder.

Roku continued, "I believe that Ozai will use its power this time to bring an end to the war." Roku looked meaningfully at Zuko, "He's right, Aang," Zuko told him, "My father will use the comet's power, along with their airship fleet to destroy the Earth-kingdom."

Roku told them, "You must defeat the Fire-lord before he can achieve that objective." Aang asked, "What if I'm not strong enough, Roku? Since I got hurt in Ba-Sing Se, I haven't been able to access the Avatar State." Zuko looked at him, stunned by this information. "You will find a way, Aang," Roku assured him, "and you will have Zuko and all of your other companions to help you. We must go our separate ways for now, but we will see each other again. Farewell, Avatar Aang, you are the hope of the future; great-grandson Zuko, you are the redeemer of the past." The two of them bowed once again to Roku, and then clasped each other's hands.

They felt their spirits transition back to the physical world, Zuko took a deep breath and it dawned on him that the entire time he was in the spirit world; he had not actually drawn a breath. He and Aang looked at each other, smiled, and embraced just before they passed out from the exertion of traveling in tandem between worlds.