One year later. Ba Sing Se Two. Memorial Day.
The people and society as a whole had not yet fully recovered from the cataclysms that occurred a year ago. Some still woke up in the middle of the night with racing hearts. In their terrifying nightmares, it seemed as though the elements had finally consumed them.
According to scientists' calculations, the planet had grown by approximately thirty percent. New mountains and islands had emerged, but dozens of cities and thousands of villages had also vanished from the face of the earth. For example, the Fire Nation's islands lost all their cultivated territories. Catastrophic volcanic eruptions covered the entire archipelago in lava, forming one massive island comparable in size to Australia.
Unfortunately, due to rising water levels, Tienhai City and many other coastal cities were submerged under tons of water. The other half of the settlements not destroyed by natural forces were also in poor condition. During the earth's movement, Ba Sing Se split into two unequal parts. The smaller portion of the city came to rest a thousand kilometers from its original location.
Shaya was one of the fortunate mothers whose children had safely returned home. Even though her son was already twenty-two, she would never stop seeing him as her little boy. For an entire week on the flying island, she focused her chi, praying to every god and ancestor she knew, begging for her child's safe return. Perhaps someone above heard her sincere prayers, for she could once again hear her son's grumbling voice when she addressed him too affectionately.
The worst was long past, but memories of those times still visited her. Like many others, she had anxiously awaited the changes promised by the authorities. And they did not take long to arrive…
Through the small windows, which the residents took turns approaching, a true apocalypse was visible. Monumental buildings crumbled, massive holes appeared in the ground, and strong winds began to rock their island. No one could sleep on the first night of the elemental chaos. Looking at their beds, it felt as though they were voluntarily lying in their graves. Of course, after some time, nervous tension and physical exhaustion forced them to rest. According to her friends from other cities, she had been lucky; some smaller islands had fallen victim to massive tornadoes and hurricanes. Fortunately, such outcomes had been anticipated, allowing them to avoid the worst. Healers standing by had handled the rest.
After a hearty breakfast, she and her sullen son stepped outside. She did not press him with unnecessary questions, knowing full well that not all his friends had returned. Vast streams of people solemnly marched toward the Memorial Park—a new complex where the names of all the brave heroes who had sacrificed their lives for a brighter future were etched into massive stone slabs.
The families who had lost relatives during the destruction of the Spirit Realm mourned the most. Exhausted from days of conflict, not all benders and chi blockers could cope with the new calamity. Many found themselves at great heights in the middle of the ocean; the unluckiest ended up near active volcanoes. Those who could not be found within the year were presumed dead, and their names were also carved in stone.
Among the people, a few spirits could be seen, their curiosity drawing them closer to humanity. Most were higher spirits capable of free conversation. Such enthusiasts were not many; spirits were far more comfortable dwelling in nature. Conversely, some humans became deeply interested in spirits and moved to live in their settlements.
After the battle, many—if not all—began to treat spirits more amicably. This was especially true after learning that the souls of the deceased became new spirits. Yes, they lost their memories, but it did not stop people from believing that a part of their loved ones was still nearby.
Occasionally, new lower spirits appeared in human cities, but this was extremely rare. It turned out that human energy hindered the emergence of spirits. Still, about once a month, dark spirits were born in sewers and similar places. Usually, these unwelcome guests were swiftly dealt with by passing benders; after all, nearly half the population possessed the necessary abilities to handle some pathetic lower spirit.
Surviving dark spirits caused some inconvenience, but without the influence of Vaatu, they had become noticeably calmer. Citizens were warned not to enter the red zones on maps—areas where large numbers of dark spirits were concentrated.
After the mayor's solemn speech, the crowd began to move forward. Some wanted to touch the stone and find the name of their relative; others lit candles in honor of the fallen. The procession lasted all day, with the last people leaving the park only when the moon appeared.
As the sun finally dipped below the horizon, near the gray celestial body, a second satellite seemed to appear. People had grown accustomed to seeing the beautiful—and in some ways mesmerizing—spectacle of light and darkness clashing in the night sky. The more informed knew that with the destruction of the spirit realm, Vaatu and Raava were trapped in some isolated space, their projection overlapping with their world. An entire department monitored this image through telescopes, ensuring people would quickly know if something went wrong.
*
The Flying Island. Yuki-Wan-Roku-Yo.
Morning greeted me with the familiar sight of half-naked beauties, some possessively embracing my body. The enormous—I'd even say gigantic—bed could comfortably fit all my wives, but more often than not, I was the one running between their private rooms at night…
It was comforting that they were all under one roof, and minor conflicts did not occur daily. Though without their arguments, the house would have been too quiet. There was no longer a need to hide or conceal our relationships; the people understood that I could somehow split into four individuals. Most likely, had it not been for the battle with Vaatu, some negative changes would have followed for me personally. But thanks to my past actions as the leader of various nations, I had a great deal of trust. Moreover, all my decisions had led only to the advancement of humanity as a whole. And the power I demonstrated in the battle against the spirit of darkness and chaos played no small role.
So, my persona became almost untouchable for many, something akin to the peak of the Avatar's popularity, when they were considered chosen and even semi-divine entities. I did not resist this state of affairs; I believe I deserve some bonuses for all my years of hard work.
Leaving the soft bed was the last thing I wanted. Finally, I could rest properly; after all, the past year had been chaotic. In addition to actively participating in the search for benders and conquerors scattered worldwide, I had to try to reclaim my other bodies as quickly as possible. I was lucky they could be recovered at all; I thought I had lost everything irrevocably.
Problems piled up one after another. Soon, food supplies on the flying islands began to run out, but there were tragically few settlements where some reserves might remain. On top of that, thousands of hectares of farmland had been devastated by nature, leaving a dire need for food. Benders were sorely missed. After the victory over Vaatu, they had been scattered far and wide, requiring time to return home.
Finally stopping my self-pity, I carefully got out of bed. Brewing a fragrant herbal tea, I climbed to the rooftop, where a cozy spot had been set up. The air was fresh, and a beautiful rainbow peeking out from behind the clouds subtly hinted at a recent rain. It was wonderful that in this world, the rainbow had not yet been claimed by a specific group…
Even without it, the view was breathtaking: islands of various sizes floating steadily in the air, oddly frozen rocks, and lush greenery. Still, one clear benefit of the worlds merging was that the entire world seemed to have transformed into the planet of the blue people—Pandora. It was a real pun: "Avatar moved to Avatar."
Soon, the chirping of birds was interrupted by the loud roar of a flying bison. On the back of the no-longer-rare creature sat Aang and his eldest daughter, Jinora. I had already realized that the world loved to "cast" different characters, so I was not too surprised when the grown-up Jinora truly became her prototype from the Korra animated series. And I am one hundred percent certain that his youngest will become a second copy of Ikki.
"Hi, Uncle Roku-Wan-Yo-Yuki!" the charming girl with chestnut hair and an arrow on her forehead greeted cheerfully. Jinora was a natural little whirlwind; wherever she was, everything immediately turned upside down.
"Hi, Tattooed One!" I waved, pulling the squealing Jinora toward me with a gust of airbending. For her constant jabs at me, her neatly styled hair definitely needed to suffer!
"Each time, your island finds more and more beautiful places," Aang remarked thoughtfully, looking around and successfully ignoring his daughter's plea for help.
"Alright, go to the girls," I relented, releasing Jinora. Sticking her tongue out at me, she quickly descended. "Seems like she's taken too much after you," I said with a laugh, inadvertently reminding Aang of his monastic childhood, during which he had more than once teased his mentors.
Despite Aang's cheerful mood, it was clear something was troubling him. As someone close to him, I knew the cause of his worries. Due to Raava's departure, Aang's chi could not withstand the power of the four elements. It was slowly and inevitably killing him. Together with Wan Shi Tong, we had managed to slow the process, giving him an additional five to seven years. The elements could be removed, but my intuition tells me that would only worsen the situation.
"Don't worry, Aang. We'll find a way to deal with your problem!"
"Even if nothing works out, I won't regret it… If not for our healers, I'd look like an old gray-haired man. I've already lived my life; I just ask that you look after my family in the future," he said softly at first, but by the end, he was truly himself. Clearly, he had thought a lot about it and made his decision.
"You didn't even need to say it; your family will be under the reliable protection of the 'Emperor of Humanity'!" I said the last two words with obvious self-irony. That title was given to me by the numerous members of my fan club. They, by the way, became one of the main reasons for my move to a separate island…
"I heard they're planning to write a book about you and aren't afraid to approach Wan Shi Tong to learn about your earlier years."
"You can go to the others; I'll be there soon!" I couldn't let them reach the spirit of knowledge; he'd definitely tell them about all the incidents that trouble me!
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