Avatar The Last Airbender Fan Fiction ❯ Aether's Gemini ❯ Part I: Last Sight of the Sky ( Chapter 1 )

[ A - All Readers ]

I

The sun shined down on the clouds floating high in the light blue sky. A large six-legged creature surfed over the fluffy white cloudscape. The wide tail of the flying sky bison gently paddled up and down, propelling itself through the air. Only its beating tail and the surrounding winds gave off a rhythmic and soothing sound. Though it may seem this airborne giant would be lumbering through the sky aimlessly, it flew straight to a vital destination. Settled on top of the creature was a large brown saddle which encompassed most of its back.

On the saddle were five individuals each seated apart from each other in a circle. Despite the vast and breath-taking environment around them, their was an ominous and dismal atmosphere lingering within the group. Of the group there was one young man wearing an orange tinted robe and a fat beaded necklace who appeared to be the most calm in the group. The young man sat upright, facing the center with his legs crossed, resting his arms over his knees, palms up. Eyes closed, he breathed steadily. A sheen of sunlight shimmered off his bald head; the arrow tattoo that ran from his forehead to his spine couldn’t possibly stand out more.

To his right sat a petite young woman. She wore a green shirt and baggy pants with a beige vest it. She also had fabric bracelets over her each of her wrists and thick brown belt each with the emblem of the Earth Kingdom - a circle with a square in the center. She seemed to be about the same age as her arrowhead companion. Facing the group, she too was sitting with her legs crossed, but her posture was much more loose. She slouched forward and rested her elbows on her knees, her hands folded. Her short hair was very dark. Her dull blue eyes stared in a daze past through her long drooping bangs swaying in the wind. But her gaze was empty and unfocused like always, considering she was blind. She centered to her attention to the sounds around her. The consistent blow of the passing breeze sang a sweet melody in her ears. Unfortunately, it was difficult to enjoy the wind’s harmonious tune as it was interrupted by the soft sobs whimpering about to her right.

At the rear end of the saddle a young woman leaned over the edge, her crossed arms laid on the railing of the saddle. Her face was buried in her arms. Her long brown hair twisted into a ponytail. Her clothes were similar to that of her blind friend, though her pants weren’t so baggy. The green clothes had always seemed foreign to her compared to the red-based colors of her home nation, not that she was picky. Though it was anything but her wardrobe that was on her mind at the moment. Coughing up several snivels, her sleeves appeared wet of her tears. All she could think of was how her worst nightmare was slowly becoming a reality. A gentle hand massaged her back, in attempt to calm her down.

Another woman sat right beside the distressed girl. She had on an aqua blue outfit, along with a dark necklace bearing a blue pendent. She also had a long ponytail, along with two narrow bangs of hair that looped from the front to the back of her head. A skinny strap wrapped over her shoulder, attached to a brown waterskin. Her deep blue eyes tried to hold back her sadness, though she had a strong and sincere smile. She had to stay strong, especially for her friend. Rubbing her friend’s back once more, she said lightly, “Hey…Ty lee.” She had hoped that Ty lee would at least turn to her face to her, but she still kept her face hidden.

There was one person there who wanted to comfort Ty lee more than anyone else. But the problem was that it was he who she was deeply upset at. This person sat to the left of the mediating monk with his right leg crossed and his left knee hugged near to his chest. He rested his left elbow on his knee. He wore long brown pants and a small open vest. Within the group, this young man had the most unique traits. Despite his dashing youth, his hair was all white. Even more atypical was his skin tone; he had two. At first one would see his fair skin. But then at a double take one would notice his skin was dark on his palms and under his arms. His skin from his collarbone to the top of his neck was all dark. He also had steaks of dark skin on his face. One on each side of the top of his cheek and another running across his forehead. Public bystanders would usually pass it off in their mind as tattoos, considering he was always seen with his companion and best friend, the Avatar. If only he could be as composed as him at the moment. His face was so plain, his expression so dull, it made bright emerald eyes lose its luster. At that moment, he wanted nothing more than to be at Ty lee’s side, but she couldn’t even look at him, let alone bear to be next to him. If it wasn’t for Katara’s shrewd persuasion, Ty lee wouldn’t have even come along. It hurt him so much that he couldn’t be next to the one he truly loved, but he had to do what he had to do no matter how much she disapproved. In his head, Ty lee’s small snivels where amplified as sobbing bellows. It was enough to actually make him question if he was doing the right thing. But he tried best to ignore it. He glance out to the clouds. The beautiful white clouds, the warm rays of the sun, this would be the last time he would see it all. He suddenly blinked as he noticed the clouds were quixkly rising. The sky bison was descending. They were getting closer.

There was a sixth individual, sitting right on the head of the sky bison, holding the reins tied to its horns. Though he also a young adult, he was the oldest amongst the group. He had long dark hair, with a wolf tail which sprouted from the back of his head. He had a small beard. His eyes were an intense blue. He wore blue pants tucked under his high skin boots and a blue shirt. A necklace of teeth hung around his neck. His face determined and certain, he steered the sky bison through the thick white.

The bison soon made its way out from under the clouds. Below laid a vast ocean blue. The party all grabbed a whiff of the high salty breeze. It was soothing but it didn’t last for long. Soon the ocean gusts became mixed with a bitter smell of what some initial thought as rotten eggs. The sulfurous gases became more potent as they came closer to their destination. Finally out in the horizon a cloud of black smoke emerged, then its source; a towering volcano came into view. The fiery mountain stood high over the cerulean surroundings. Belching red and black from its crater peak. It was that very volcano that the group was heading to. At that volcano awaited Ozai himself.

***

The Aether’s Gemini is one of the most miraculous treasures on the face of the planet. One of the most powerful fabrications created by the Gods, its existences was lost in ancient legends of mortals. Though it hasn’t been completely forgotten.

The Aether’s Gemini takes a physical form as two hand-sized spheres. They glow and constantly change color, a color always opposite one another. They hover and spin around each other endlessly. Each sphere, containing slightly different properties, houses within the only traces Aether left in the world of the living. Aether is the raw substance that make up the essence of all four elements.

Anyone in possession of the Aether’s Gemini is able to call forth an immense power, a strength that can evenly match that of the Avatar. As a matter of fact it existence relates to Avatar. The Gods had created the Aether’s Gemini as a surrogate, a backup. Should the Avatar ever die in the avatar state, terminating the reincarnation cycle, the Aether’s Gemini will react instinctively to revive the avatar, choosing another mortal. But the Aether’s Gemini is merely a windfall, for it will give all its power to revive the avatar once and only once.

Unfortunately the Aether’s Gemini had been tampered with. But even more peculiar, the twin spheres had been separated before they were activated, therefore reacted upon two different individuals…