Chapter 51

Kyoshi pulled Isra to a stop, the shirshu giving a small snort of displeasure at the tugging. The village, once bustling with activity, appeared all but deserted as she drew closer, with only a few people and some strays to greet her. The villagers that she could see appeared worried, disheartened, as if the Avatar's arrival was now an omen of bad news.

Given all that has happened, I cannot blame them.

"They haven't done much to fix the flame damage," Mai-Lin said as she and Kyoshi dismounted.

"I thought they had…" Kyoshi mused. "I visited early last week, and they said everything was going well…" the two women stood in silence for several moments, looking over the dying village.

"I could have done more…" Mai-Lin started. "If it wasn't for my family, I could have saved so much more…"

"We cannot blame ourselves for what happened." Kyoshi said, looking back at Mai-Lin. "Chin and your father did this, not us. To take responsibility for their crime is to deny true justice." Mai-Lin said nothing, but Kyoshi could sense the Water Tribe woman understood. "Come, let's see if there is anything we can do now." Taking Isra's reins, Kyoshi led the way into town, looking about for a place to tie the shirshu off. Mai-Lin was not wrong in her assertions about slow repairs; many of the buildings still bore scorch marks and, and those that had been repaired appeared neglected, with boards and patches slipping off into the dirt.

Kyoshi found a small patch of grass to settle Isra on, the shirshu startling a small group of foraging Chicken Pigs. As her mount settled, Kyoshi spotted a few villagers approaching, still as sullen as when she had first arrived. "You have come to us in an ill time, Avatar." The older man leading the group said.

"I am sorry that I could not come sooner." She replied. "But I heard things were going well here. Why this dark mood?"

"Men of Chin have been seen more and more frequently." Kyoshi stiffened as the man continued. "Travelers from another village said that one of their great leaders, Cheng He, is marching east with a great and merciless army. They might pass us by, but there are some that were not so convinced." The man sighed. "They have fled to Ba Sing Se, thinking that perhaps the Earth King's walls may provide some safety for them."

Kyoshi hung her head. Her training was important, but the world would not wait for her. "I wish there was more I could do right now." She said, looking up to meet the gaze of the villagers. "I am the Avatar. I'm supposed to be helping you all, but…"

"These things will pass. They always have." The man and his companions turned to leave. "But then… will there still be anything left for us when that day comes?" Kyoshi had no answer for this, watching as the villagers retreated back to their homes. Isra gave a small growl, bumping her nose against Kyoshi's side in concern.

"It's nothing," Kyoshi said, gently stroking Isra's head. The shirshu did not seem convinced, pushing against Kyoshi again. "Sun has been tending to you more, hasn't he?" Isra made no notion of this. "I am doing what I can… but Chin is moving faster than I am, and too many people are suffering for it." Isra gave a small growl of sympathy, brushing her head against Kyoshi's leg again.

"I know… in time, girl." She said. "Stay here for now. I will see if there is anything more I can do." Isra gave another snort and settled down, allowing Kyoshi to head towards one of the nearby houses, where one of Mai-Lin's bags rested in front of. The other woman was inside, inspecting a young boy as the child's mother fidgeted behind a long table.

"It doesn't appear to be anything serious." She said, drawing her hands away from the boy. "Just a light fever. It will pass in a few days, but make sure that he gets plenty of rest and water until the fever breaks."

"Thank you so much, miss." The other woman said, a smile spreading across her face. "After all that has happened this last month, I couldn't imagine what would happen if I lost him…"

"You won't have to worry anymore." Mai-Lin grabbed a nearby bowl and filled it with water from her bottle. "I will do a little healing just to accelerate the process, if that is alright with you."

"Oh yes, please, go ahead." The woman said, quickly nodding as Mai-Lin turned back to the boy. "I wish that more healers from the Northern Water Tribe would come south. You have been so helpful." Kyoshi noticed that Mai-Lin had hesitated at this, but not enough to throw off her focus entirely.

"I am sure that in due time they will come." She said finally. "Perhaps with the Avatar's help, the Water Tribes might open up a little more to the outside world."

"Yes, perhaps…" the woman looked up and spotted Kyoshi. "Oh, I am so sorry, I did not realize the Avatar was here."

"Apologies are all mine. I should have made my presence more apparent," Kyoshi said quickly. "Is there anything more my friend and I can do for you?"

"No. You have already done so much, I don't know if I can ever thank you enough." The woman sighed again. "I… I am sure you've heard about those fleeing to Ba Sing Se?"

"I have." Kyoshi said after a brief pause. "I cannot say that their fears are unfounded."

"I know you are doing your best…" the woman said. "My husband and I have talked about it, but this is our home. Our family has lived here for generations. Even the worst tyrants could not drive us from this place, and you are still here to help us." Kyoshi said nothing, but could feel a smile growing on her lips.

"There, that should help," Mai-Lin said, interrupting the conversation as she drew away from the boy. "Still follow what I said, but it should be easier on him. I need to move on for now."

"Thank you again." Mai-Lin made to leave, stopping as she came face to face with Kyoshi.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"No, nothing at this time." Kyoshi said. "Shall we move on?" Mai-Lin nodded, stepping around Kyoshi as the two walked back into the street.

"It's about everyone leaving, isn't it?" Mai-Lin asked once they were outside.

"Well, yes." Kyoshi said, frowning. "What does it say of my tenure as Avatar if people are fleeing from a danger I haven't even had a chance to face properly?"

"That you are still training and will act when the time is right?" Mai-Lin offered. "Isn't that what you've always said about Earthbending? That it's all about waiting for the right opportunity to act?"

"Yes, I know. But perhaps I have been waiting too long. Perhaps I need to start acting or the world will fall too far out of balance for me to do anything?"

"Well… It's a long way to the Southern Water Tribe." Mai-Lin offered. "Perhaps you will have a chance then."

"Perhaps…" Kyoshi paused, turning towards the southern end of the village. There appeared to be some sort of commotion, a number of farmers and other townspeople hurrying to see what was going on. "Another raid?"

"I certainly hope not." Mai-Lin said. "These people are in no condition to weather another attack, even with you to help them."

"You're still here." Kyoshi looked to Mai-Lin. "Or have you just been admiring those drawings on that scroll Master Samten gave you?"

"I haven't had time to practice like you have." Mai-Lin shot back. "Go see what you can do. I'll be here if you need anything."

"Are you sure? I mean, after the business with your father…" Mai-Lin hesitated, but was quick to recover.

"I'll be fine, Kyoshi. I can't just jump at every shadow thinking it's my father, now can I?" Mai-Lin did not seem convinced of her own words, but Kyoshi was not willing to speak on that. "Go, help these people." Kyoshi nodded, trotting off to join the now growing crowd.

The object of interest was a soldier, mounted atop a panting Ostrich Horse. He was not dressed in the green and white of Chin, but in darker colors marked with a golden circle. He wore light armor and carried only a short sword for defense, and a large pouch hung over his left hip as he dismounted.

"I am a messenger from Ba Sing Se," he said as he drew towards the crowd. "I must speak with your magistrate and arrange a meeting with the elders of the Northern Air Temple."

"The Airbenders are not that easily summoned, even in times of distress," one of the men from earlier said. "Why do you seek their counsel?"

"That is official business of the Earth King's court. I must speak with them alone." There was murmuring among the crowd, Kyoshi's eyes darting back and forth before she decided to act.

"I can take you there," she said, stepping forward out of the crowd. "I am the Avatar, and I know the way through the mountains to the Northern Air Temple."

"You're the Avatar?" the man grew pale as he stammered. "B-but of course! Who could mistake you?" Kyoshi said nothing as the soldier trotted forward, pulling a scroll from his pouch. "This actually makes my job easier. I was sent to deliver a message to you from the Earth King." Kyoshi took the message, giving the messenger a raised eyebrow. "Don't ask me. My orders are to deliver messages, not read them."

"I see." Kyoshi firmed up her grasp. "I thank you for the message. May you travel in safety for the rest of your mission."

"Thank you. With all that's happened, I need any help I can get." With that the man drew his mount back, snapping the Ostrich Horse's reins as the beast started off again. Some of the villagers dispersed now that the excitement had passed, while others had directed their focus to Kyoshi. She shied away, tucking the message close to her chest as she drew back.

"If you don't mind, I would like to keep this message to myself." she said. The villagers seemed to accept that, turning away as Kyoshi looked down at the scroll. The thing was marked with a gold seal, a round disc similar to the insignia worn by the messenger. She slipped the message into her belt and headed back towards the village, eyes darting around for anyone who sought her counsel.

The message could wait until she returned to the Air Temple. That, at least, was something that did not require her immediate attention.

…

They had returned to the Air Temple by dusk, Kyoshi and Mai-Lin hurrying back to their quarters to find Sun. The nomad had taken a moment to inspect the scroll, occasionally looking up at Kyoshi before returning to the message.

"That does look like the seal of the Earth King," Sun said, handing the message back to Kyoshi. "Why didn't you open it sooner?"

"I had other matters to deal with." Kyoshi replied. "And I just wanted to make sure it truly was from the Earth King, and you know more about the Earth Kingdom than I do."

"True…" Sun replied. There was a pause before Mai-Lin spoke up.

"Are you going to open it?" she asked. "I know it probably doesn't have anything to do with all of us, but I am curious as to why the Earth King is seeking you out now instead of earlier."

"It does concern all of us, though," Kyoshi countered. "You have been travelling with me for years now, so whatever affects me affects you." Mai-Lin nodded as Kyoshi continued. "Though you do have a point in it being odd for the Earth King to seek me out now instead of sooner. I would have thought he would want to meet the new Avatar."

"In your defense you've been moving around the world training. It's not like you could simply walk into Ba Sing Se at your leisure." Sun said. Kyoshi did not reply, carefully slipping her fingers under the parchment to break the seal. That task complete, Kyoshi rolled the scroll open, taking a moment to look over its contents before reading.

"By command of his most serene majesty, the 46th Earth King Fai Gong, the Avatar is hereby summed to a special ceremony to be held at the end of the month. The Avatar is to arrive at the royal palace of Ba Sing Se within a week of the proceedings, and will be advised of proper proceedings from there."

"… That's it?" Kyoshi asked, looking on the other side of the scroll as if expecting another section to magically appear. "I expected a formal summons to be more…"

"Formal?" Sun offered. "I guess it's a bit different from the time you spent with the Fire Lord, but maybe the Earth King didn't want to say too much yet. With Chin's army about, there's no point in risking big plans getting stolen."

"There's probably no 'big plans'." Mai-Lin said, frowning. "Nobles like to hide their true intentions behind a veneer of urgency. The Earth King probably just wants to show off your presence to the other nobles in the city, so they follow him instead of Chin."

"But that is a good thing, right?" Kyoshi asked, looking towards the Waterbender. "The Earth King opposes Chin, as do I, and wouldn't that present a united figure which the Earth Kingdom can stand with?"

"If he truly wanted to show the Avatar stood with him against Chin, would he not have contacted you when these problems first started?" Kyoshi did not have an answer for this, drawing away as she looked at the Earth King's message.

"In the Earth King's defense," Sun started. "There is never enough time to search for one person, much less when there's a war going on. I'm sure he meant to reach out to you sooner before Chin really got on the move."

"We won't know for sure until we meet him," Mai-Lin replied. "But if he is anything like the nobles I have met during my travels, I would not get our hopes up." Kyoshi had remained silent, rereading the message while her friends spoke. The Earth King had summoned her, sure enough, but the presentation felt… hollow, as if it were a passing thought with little true consequence. But then, how much of my own actions have caused great impacts from just "passing thought"? She paused again before rising, tucking the message into her robe.

"I'm going to meditate for a little bit," she said. "I'll be outside if you two need anything." Kyoshi did not wait for Sun or Mai-Lin's response, though she could briefly hear Mai-Lin asking Sun about living conditions in Ba Sing Se before the door closed behind her. Now alone, Kyoshi made her way through the temple, heading towards one of the closer training fields.

"You seem so troubled by a simple summons." Kyoshi did not even stop as Kuruk appeared alongside her.

"Summons that reveal my general inadequacy as an Avatar?" Kyoshi countered, finding a place on the edge of the field to sit down while Kuruk rematerialized before her. "Perhaps it has taken the Earth King so long to find me because I have done nothing of note as Avatar."

"You unveiled a conspiracy against the Fire Nation and toppled a rising warlord," Kuruk countered. "That has to count for something in your 'general inadequacy'."

"Please," Kyoshi looked away. "I know that what I did was… beneficial, if nothing else, but I would rather not think of that at this time."

"Master Samten did tell you to let go of your failures, not forget them entirely." Kuruk frowned. "But that does not matter now. What does matter is that you have a chance to step forward, and you are scared."

"Scared?" Kyoshi replied. "I would not say scared-"

"You cannot hide yourself from me, Kyoshi; I am a part of you, after all." Kyoshi's jaw tightened to prevent her from conceding that Kuruk made a point. "You are scared that you have somehow failed to live up to the expectations of the Avatar, and that showing yourself now will only bring scorn from those that you desire to help."

"Well… yes…"

"As one who was more open about his position as Avatar than you are, I can say that most people will hold their judgments until they see what you can do, what you will do as the Avatar." Kyoshi quirked an eyebrow at this as Kuruk continued. "Think of back to when you were a child. Did you just back down after failing to plow a field with your Earthbending, or when your brother and his friends excluded you or picked on you?"

"That is completely different." Kyoshi countered.

"How so? You faced the fear of being ridiculed, of failing to live up to what others saw you as, and proved your skill and your desire to be known as Kyoshi, as an Earthbender. Look where you are now. You faced down the Fire Lord, undid a rebellion, and spited one of the greatest threats to the world in your generation. To say you have done nothing to forward the cause of balance is to discredit everything from your defense of your village to your defeat of Jian Feng." Kyoshi said nothing, but she did notice her posture straighten ever so slightly.

"I have no intention of allowing my past to be in vain," Kyoshi said.

"And it is not for others to decide your fate," Kuruk said as he began to fade away. "Remember, Kyoshi: It is up to you to actively shape your destiny, and shape the destiny of the world." Kyoshi nodded, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath as her past life departed. The path ahead still felt clouded, unfocused, but for the briefest of instances it felt as if a small light had been cast ahead.

She was the master of her own destiny. Regardless of what the world thought of her, she was the Avatar, and she would bring balance.

Well, this took far longer than I expected. I had most of this chapter done, but getting stuck in a dead-end job took up more of my time than I anticipated and I could not motivate myself to getting this done and out. For that, I apologize, but I have a better idea of where the story will be going from here and might be able to get more chapters out more readily.

For those of you that have stuck with me for this long, thank you so much for your patience.