The chapter opens beneath the water, the camera gliding upward through shimmering currents until it breaches the icy surface. Higher and higher the view climbs until the great city of the Northern Water Tribe dominates the horizon, its glittering spires and towering walls standing proud against the pale sky.
Inside the sparring grounds, Katara squared off against a boy named Sangok. Her eyes were sharp with determination, his wide with nerves. He managed to summon a small globule of water, froze it into a crude ball of ice, and flung it toward her. Katara melted it with ease, then spun on her heel, pulling a wave from behind her. In a seamless motion, she froze the torrent and left Sangok suspended helplessly in a prison of ice. Pakku's voice carried across the ring, displeased as ever. "Nice try, pupil Sangok. A few more years and you might be ready to fight a sea sponge." He snapped his fingers, the ice dissolving. Sangok fell hard to the ground. Pakku turned to the circle. "Would anyone else care for a rematch with Katara?" The other students sat slumped, drained and disinterested. Pakku's frown deepened. "Katara, you've advanced faster than any pupil I've trained—save one." His eyes flicked toward a mound of snow at the edge of the ring where Jinx lay fast asleep, wrapped in his own blanket of frost. "But that boy's talent is beyond normal standards, wasted by his… laziness." Katara smiled, proud of her progress, but Pakku quickly turned his irritation on Aang, who was lounging nearby, using an airball to spin Momo lazily overhead. "Raw talent alone is not enough. Pupil Aang!" Aang flinched, grinning sheepishly.
"Care to step into the sparring circle?" Pakku asked, sarcasm dripping from his tone. "Since you've found time to play with house pets, surely you've mastered waterbending." Aang bounced up with airbending, puffing out his chest. "I wouldn't say mastered, but check this out." He gathered snow into a crude snowman shaped like himself. Momo scampered over and gleefully toppled it. Katara pinched the bridge of her nose. Pakku groaned.
Elsewhere, Sokka walked along the bridges with Yue, balancing carelessly on the rail. She asked with amusement, "So they don't have palaces in the Southern Tribe?" Sokka plopped down, shrugging. "Palaces? I grew up in a block of ice. Not exactly a cultural hub." Yue laughed and touched his shoulder, but her smile faltered, her eyes turning solemn. "Sokka, this is wrong." He blinked. "What's wrong? We're just taking a walk!" Her voice trembled. "I'm engaged. It just feels…" Sokka brightened suddenly. "I know what you need—you need to meet my good friend, Appa."
In the stables, Sokka spread his arms wide. "Appa and I go way back, don't we, buddy?" The bison rumbled, then promptly rolled onto him, licking his face. "Ah! Down boy! No, up!" Yue's laughter rang out bright and unrestrained. Soon, the two sat in Appa's saddle. Yue's eyes sparkled with excitement. "So, how does this work?" Sokka smirked. "You holding on tight?" At her nod, he called out, "Yip… yip." With a thunderous bellow, Appa took to the skies. Yue gasped in wonder as the city fell away beneath them. "Oh my goodness… you do this every day?" "Pretty much," Sokka said casually. Yue shivered slightly, moving closer. "Is it always this cold up here?" He grinned. "Not when you're with someone." Their eyes met, faces inching closer until—snow, blackened with soot, began to fall.
"What's happening?" Yue whispered. Sokka caught a flake, his stomach dropping. "Soot. I've seen this before—right before my village was attacked. It's the Fire Nation. And from the looks of it…" He gazed at the horizon as the camera pulled wide, revealing the enormity of the black snowfall. "…there's a lot of them."
Far away, Zhao's lead ship carved through the ice, dozens of Fire Navy warships stretching behind it, their furnaces belching smoke. Zhao stood proudly on the deck beside Iroh. "This will be one for the history books, General. Imagine it—Admiral Zhao, destroyer of the last Water Tribe. Centuries from now, they'll still speak my name." Iroh's eyes narrowed. "Be careful what you wish for, Admiral. History is not always kind to its subjects." Zhao sneered. "This will be nothing like your legendary failure at Ba Sing Se." He strode away, barking orders.
Below deck, Zuko adjusted the mask of his Fire Nation disguise, his face still lined with cuts. Iroh passed him, whispering, "We'll be landing soon. Do you have a plan?" Zuko's eyes burned. "I'm working on it."
Back in Agna Qel'a, drums pounded through the city. Citizens rushed to the town hall as the alarms echoed. Sokka and Yue climbed the steps of the citadel, but Yue froze, pulling her hand from his. "What's wrong? We have to go!" Sokka urged. Yue's eyes brimmed with sorrow. "No, Sokka. I can't see you anymore. Not at all." He stared, bewildered. "What? We're just friends!" She shook her head. "I wish we could be, but I like you too much, and it's too confusing. I'm marrying someone else." She revealed her necklace. Sokka's voice cracked. "You don't love him. You don't even like him." Yue's reply was steady, even as her lip trembled. "I love my people. I have duties to my father, to my tribe. I have to do this. Goodbye." She tore herself away and fled up the stairs, leaving Sokka frozen in place, his heart sinking as the palace loomed above, the shadow of war closing in.
Inside the chief's Royal Palace, the atmosphere was heavy with anticipation and dread. Torches burned low, their light flickering against the carved ice walls as Chief Arnook stood tall at the dais, his solemn expression casting a shadow over the gathered assembly. His voice carried with both authority and sorrow, echoing through the chamber like the steady beat of a war drum.
"The day we have feared for so long has arrived," Arnook declared, his words cutting through the silence like a blade. "The Fire Nation is on our doorstep. It is with great sadness that I call my family here before me, knowing well that some of these faces are about to vanish from our tribe." His gaze swept slowly across the hall, lingering on Yue, then on Master Pakku, and finally on Hahn, who stiffened with a soldier's pride. "But they will never vanish from our hearts. Now, as we approach the battle for our very existence, I call upon the great spirits. Spirit of the Ocean! Spirit of the Moon! Be with us in this hour of need."
The warriors seated among the council shifted, unease rippling through them. Arnook's eyes hardened, and his tone grew sharper. "I am going to need volunteers for a dangerous mission. Be warned—many of you will not return."
The hall was silent for a heartbeat, until Sokka rose with sudden fire in his chest. His voice rang out, boyish yet unwavering. "Count me in!"
Katara flinched, grabbing his wrist in alarm. "Sokka…" she whispered, her eyes pleading with him. But Sokka's jaw was set; there was no fear, only the stubborn resolve of someone determined to prove himself.
One by one, men began to stand, the sound of boots echoing against the icy floor. They moved toward Arnook, and the chief met them with ritual solemnity. Dipping his fingers into crimson paint, he pressed three red lines onto each warrior's forehead. It was a mark of courage, but also of sacrifice. Those marked men walked away with heavy hearts, each step a reminder of the death that likely awaited them.
When Sokka knelt, Arnook traced the same three lines across his brow. The boy rose slowly, his face pale but determined. As he turned, his eyes met Yue's. The silence between them was deafening—longing and sorrow tangled in a glance. Yue's lips trembled, her hands tightening in her lap, but she averted her gaze, unable to bear it. Tears welled in her eyes as Sokka walked away, his shoulders squared even as his heart ached.
The scene shifted beyond the palace, where the icy winds carried the weight of war. Outside Agna Qel'a, Aang stood alone atop a snow mound, his staff planted firmly in the ground beside him. The boy's youthful features were shadowed by a look of grim determination. Arnook approached him with slow, deliberate steps, his robes whispering against the snow.
"The stillness before battle is unbearable," Arnook said, his voice lower now, tinged with dread. "Such a quiet… such a dreadful calm." His eyes scanned the horizon, where the first glow of fire against the sky threatened to appear.
Katara joined them, her breath visible in the icy air. She placed a hand on Aang's shoulder, her eyes burning with conviction.
Aang lowered his head, his voice quiet but heavy with the burden he carried. "I wasn't there when the Fire Nation attacked my people. I wasn't there to protect them. But I will not fail again. Not this time." He gripped his staff and rose, his body falling naturally into a stance of balance and readiness. For a brief moment, he looked like more than a boy; he looked like the Avatar.
The camera panned upward, past the frozen walls and toward the gray sky above, heavy with soot and storm.
At the walls of Agna Qel'a, warriors lined the battlements, their armor gleaming beneath the wan moonlight. Appa stood ready, his massive frame shuffling against the snow. Katara, Sokka, and Aang gathered at his side, the chill wind biting at their faces. The city seemed to hold its breath.
Then, from the horizon, something moved—small at first, like sparks against the endless night. But as it grew closer, the truth became clear. A blazing fireball screamed across the sky, trailing smoke and flame. Aang's eyes widened, the reflection of fire glimmering against the white of his pupils. Katara clutched her brother's arm.
The fireball slammed into the wall with an ear-splitting roar. Ice shattered, snow erupted, and the force of the explosion sent warriors tumbling into the air. Team Avatar was thrown back, crashing into the snow. The walls groaned under the strain, chunks of ice breaking away.
Another fireball soared high, smashing into one of the city's bridges. Screams rang out as civilians fled, the bridge collapsing into the water below. Trebuchets on the enemy ships roared like thunder, hurling more flaming boulders into the night.
"Yip-yip!" Aang shouted, leaping onto Appa's saddle. The bison bellowed and took to the sky, dodging debris as another fireball streaked toward them. Below, Sokka clawed his way out of the snow and pulled Katara to her feet. "Katara!" he shouted, relief mixing with urgency. She freed herself with a quick wave of waterbending, and the two exchanged a grim nod before looking skyward.
Aang and Appa surged forward, cutting through the smoke-filled sky. Fireballs chased them, one colliding against a cliffside and exploding in a storm of sparks. The boy's face hardened; he leapt from Appa's back, glider unfolding like wings. With a rush of air, he swept across the deck of a Fire Navy ship, scattering soldiers and smashing trebuchets with powerful gusts. Chains snapped, wood splintered, and machinery toppled into the sea.
But the Fire Nation wasn't without its champions. A burly man armed with chained sledgehammers stepped forward, his sneer illuminated by firelight. He swung, the weapons whistling through the air, and Aang barely dodged, trapped against a beam as the chains coiled around it.
Before the soldier could strike, a blast of water slammed into him, followed by a chilling frost that spread across the chains. The metal cracked and shattered, freeing Aang. From the shadows, Jinx emerged, yawning as though this were nothing more than an inconvenience.
"Jinx!" Aang gasped in disbelief. "You're actually helping?"
The boy tilted his head, smirking faintly. "Hey, I may be lazy, and my father may be from the South Pole… actually—" He rubbed his chin in mock thought. "Why am I doing this?"
Aang blinked, flustered. "Umm… out of the goodness of your heart?"
"Maybe, young Avatar," Jinx muttered, his grin widening.
Another fireball screamed toward Appa, and Jinx's expression sharpened. He vaulted onto the sky bison's back, his hand pressing against Appa's fur. For a moment, something deep inside him shifted, a strange resonance like the unlocking of a sealed door. Ignoring it, he thrust two fingers toward the fireball, expecting lightning.
Instead, a powerful gust of icy wind tore from his hand, annihilating the fireball in a storm of black frost. Silence followed. Aang and Jinx both stared at his hand, shock mirrored in their expressions.
"Are you sure you're not the Avatar?" Aang stammered.
Jinx exhaled slowly, a shadow flickering in his eyes. "I'm pretty sure there's only one Avatar, kid. But…" He glanced skyward, murmuring, "I think there are others who might know what this is."
Before Aang could question him further, the ship rumbled violently. A monstrous spike of black ice erupted through the hull, ripping the vessel apart. Water Tribe warriors surged into battle, riding waves and freezing enemy decks. The Fire Nation ship groaned and collapsed, swallowed by the sea.
Appa leapt from the tilting deck, Aang clutching his reins while Jinx balanced with unnatural grace. Behind them, the horizon burned red—the vast armada of the Fire Nation fleet had arrived. Their ships stretched endlessly across the sea, smoke and flame staining the night sky.
Aang's heart dropped into his stomach. "You've got to be kidding me…" he whispered. The true battle for the North had only just begun.
Inside the icy heart of Agna Qel'a, Chief Arnook's voice reverberated like a drumbeat of fate. "Sokka, I want you to tell everything you know to Hahn. He's leading this mission." His tone was final, heavy with the gravity of command. He turned his eyes toward Hahn, then added, "Hahn, show Sokka your respect. I expect nothing less from my future son-in-law." With that, he began to walk away, robes trailing across the frozen floor.
The words struck like an arrow. Sokka froze, his mouth dropping open in disbelief. His wide eyes darted to Hahn, and then back to Yue, who shifted uneasily under the weight of it all. "Princess Yue's marrying you?" Sokka asked, pointing at Hahn with incredulous anger.
"Yeah," Hahn muttered with an irritated curl of his lip. "What of it?"
Sokka's jaw clenched as his shoulders sagged. His chest ached, but he forced a tight smile that carried no joy. "Nothing," he said bitterly, turning away. "Congratulations."
The scene shifted, fading into the red glow of sunset. Fireballs streaked across the sky, arcing down toward Agna Qel'a like meteors meant to shatter the heavens. From above, the Fire Nation fleet rained destruction, their trebuchets roaring as they hurled one boulder after another. Ice cracked, towers shook, and the Northern Water Tribe scrambled to respond.
"Stop those fireballs!" Master Pakku barked, his voice sharp as a whip.
Dozens of waterbenders leapt into motion, their hands slicing through the air. A column of water surged upward, captured in a perfect spiral, before freezing into a crystalline shield. A blazing boulder smashed against it, locked in place, hissing steam rising as water devoured fire.
The camera cut to Zhao's flagship. Inside, the admiral stood tall, hands behind his back, staring out at the burning horizon. Beside him, Iroh's golden eyes flicked to the moon, already lifting from the horizon, pale but brilliant.
"It's almost twilight, Admiral," Iroh said, his voice edged with caution. "As your military consultant, I must advise you to halt your attack. The waterbenders draw their strength from the moon, and tonight it is nearly full. Their power will be… formidable. Wait until daybreak. Strike then, when their strength wanes."
Zhao's lips curled into a thin smile, the kind that made the air feel heavier. "Oh, I'm well aware of the moon problem, General. And I am working on a solution." He leaned closer, lowering his voice. "But for now, daybreak it is. Still—" His hand tapped the map spread across the table. "I've been getting reports…"
The ships slowed, anchors dropping in unison. One by one, the massive iron beasts groaned to a halt, lining the horizon with their fiery silhouettes. The rain of fire ceased, leaving only smoke to billow from Agna Qel'a's wounded walls.
Back within the city, Yue stood at the ramparts, her silver hair shimmering in the firelit night. She stared out over the horizon, her heart pounding. "They've stopped firing," she whispered. Katara stood beside her, her fists clenched but her eyes distant with worry.
A familiar bellow cut through the night air. Both girls turned their eyes upward, and relief washed across Katara's face. "Aang!" she cried, as Appa soared over the horizon, wings beating against the smoke-filled sky.
The great bison landed with a heavy thud, kicking up frost and snow. Aang slid down, shoulders sagging, his staff nearly slipping from his hands. Jinx followed behind, his steps dragging, his violet eyes narrowed with exhaustion.
Katara rushed forward. "What happened?" she demanded, her voice trembling with urgency.
Aang buried his face in his hands. His voice was small, cracked with despair. "We must have taken out a dozen Fire Navy ships, but there are too many of them. We can't fight them all. I… I can't do it."
Before Katara could answer, Jinx lifted his head, his tone dry. "Bitch, I did most of the damage."
Aang shot him a glare, his hands dropping from his face. "Hey, I never said you didn't!"
"Oh," Jinx muttered, rubbing his eyes. "In that case… I'm tired. I'm going to sleep." Without ceremony, he dropped to the ground, snow curling up around him like a blanket as he bent it lazily into place.
Yue stepped forward, her voice pleading, almost breaking. "But you have to," she whispered, her eyes locked on Aang. "You're the Avatar."
Aang's chest heaved, his voice heavy with the weight of the world. "I'm just one kid." His shoulders trembled as he hid his face again, Katara kneeling beside him to comfort him. Yue's lips quivered as she watched—the fate of her people resting on a boy who suddenly looked so impossibly small.
Far from the city, aboard the Fire Nation's lead ship, the night deepened. In the dim glow of a cabin, Zuko tightened the knots on his small boat, preparing it for his daring attempt to slip into Agna Qel'a. His face was bruised, eyes sharp with determination. The door creaked open, and Iroh stepped inside.
"If you're fishing for an octopus, my nephew," Iroh said softly, "you'll need a tightly woven net, or it will slip through the tiniest gap and escape."
"I don't need your wisdom right now, Uncle," Zuko muttered, though his hands slowed.
Iroh's voice broke slightly, pain and love laced together. "I just nag you, because… ever since I lost my son…"
Zuko turned sharply. "Uncle, you don't have to say it."
But Iroh pressed on, eyes glistening. "…I think of you as my own."
Zuko's features softened. He paused, then whispered, "I know, Uncle." They embraced, silent but fierce. "We'll meet again—after I have the Avatar." Zuko broke away and lowered the boat into the water.
"Remember your breath of fire," Iroh called, his voice urgent. "It could save your life out there. And put your hood up—keep your ears warm!"
"I'll be fine," Zuko muttered, slipping into the shadows.
But Iroh's gaze lingered, his brow furrowing. He added in a low voice, almost to himself, "Also… Zhao shared reports with me. About a boy. One who bends water, ice, and fire."
Zuko froze, turning slowly. His eyes widened. "You can't mean… the kid from General Renzo's reports. I thought he was talking about the Avatar. How could it be someone else? Only the Avatar can bend multiple elements!"
Iroh exhaled, his face grim. "Your guess is as good as mine, Prince Zuko. But from what I've heard, this boy does not hesitate to take lives. And his flames… they say they burn hotter than even Azula's."
Zuko's blood ran cold. His sister's flames were legendary—brilliant blue and merciless. The thought of someone surpassing her, someone outside the royal line, twisted at his pride and gnawed at his fear. For the first time that night, he realized that the Avatar might not be his only rival.
Inside the Water Tribe's war base, the rhythmic rasp of grinding metal echoed through the hall. Sparks leapt from the spinning stones as warriors sharpened their axes, each preparing for the coming storm. The smell of oil, steel, and snow hung in the air. Among them sat Hahn and Sokka, their grinding wheels spinning side by side — though the silence between them was thick with tension.
Hahn smirked, admiring the gleam of his freshly sharpened blade. "Let me tell you something, Sokka," he drawled, his tone full of lazy arrogance. "I've courted a lot of girls before — but Yue? She's in a league of her own. The finest of them all. And she comes with the most perks."
Sokka paused mid-grind, his jaw tightening. "Perks?" he repeated, irritation sharpening his voice like the blade in his hand. "What does that mean?"
"Oh, don't get me wrong," Hahn said with a dismissive chuckle. "Yue's nice and all — beautiful, graceful, perfect princess material. But the points I'll gain with the chief aren't bad either." He flashed Sokka a smug grin, clearly proud of himself.
Sokka's grip on his axe handle trembled. His voice came out low at first, seething. "Princess Yue is wasted on a self-absorbed weasel like you."
"Whoa, hang on," Hahn said, raising his hands as though placating a child. The camera drew in close on his smirk. "What do you care? You're just a simple rube from the Southern Tribe. You wouldn't understand the political complexities of Northern courtship." His grin widened cruelly. "No offense."
That was the last straw.
Sokka's fury erupted. "You're just a jerk without a soul — no offense!" he shouted, lunging forward and tackling Hahn. The two tumbled across the icy floor, wrestling and trading blows, the grinding wheels forgotten. Warriors nearby turned in surprise as the pair rolled through the snow and crashed into a table, sending tools scattering. Both of them reached up, each grabbing the other's ponytail and pulling furiously.
"OW! Let go of my hair, you savage!" Hahn hissed.
"Not until you stop talking!" Sokka yelled back.
Their fight came to an abrupt halt as a commanding voice boomed through the hall.
"That's enough!" Chief Arnook strode forward, cloak sweeping behind him, his expression carved in ice. He separated the two with a firm shove. "Sokka, you're off the mission!"
Sokka froze, eyes wide in disbelief, his hair now loose and hanging in uneven strands. His mouth opened as if to protest, but he shut it tight, crossing his arms instead with a bitter glare. Hahn, on the other hand, straightened and puffed out his chest.
"All right, fall in, men!" Hahn barked, waving his arm with the exaggerated authority of someone who'd never been in real combat. "Everyone follow my lead and we'll take down this Admiral Chō in no time!"
Sokka threw his arms up in exasperation. "It's Admiral Zhao!" he shouted, but Hahn didn't even glance his way.
Outside, the battle's lull had settled into a false calm. The sea was a black mirror beneath the northern lights, reflecting the shadows of frozen wrecks and the faint glow of the Fire Nation fleet anchored beyond the ice.
Among the jagged spires of ice, a small canoe slipped silently through the cracks. Zuko's breath fogged in the cold as he rowed, the paddle cutting quietly through the dark water. His face was calm, eyes focused and alert, every movement deliberate.
He glided past towering shards of blue ice that loomed like ancient sentinels. The camera panned upward to reveal a Water Tribe guard patrolling the high wall above, pausing to glance out at the frozen expanse — just as Zuko's canoe vanished behind a spike of ice. The guard frowned, saw nothing, and continued his rounds.
Zuko pulled the canoe onto a sheet of ice and crouched behind it, peering toward the towering wall of Agna Qel'a. His sharp gaze caught sight of several guards marching above, their spears glinting in the moonlight. Then, a faint sound drew his attention — a soft splash. He turned.
Not far away, a cluster of turtle seals rested beside a hole in the ice, their breath misting in the frigid air. One of them suddenly dove into the hole and disappeared beneath the surface.
Zuko's eyes narrowed. "Where are they going?" he muttered.
He leaned over the hole, watching the dark water ripple. The reflection of his face stared back at him, pale and determined. "They're coming up for air somewhere…"
He pulled down the mask covering his mouth, took a deep breath, and plunged into the icy water. The camera followed his descent, his figure vanishing into the cold blue depths as the moonlight filtered faintly from above.
The scene shifted upward — the waxing moon glowing brighter, fuller.
"The legends say the moon was the first waterbender," Yue's gentle voice carried over the image. The camera panned down to reveal her, Katara, and Aang standing on a balcony overlooking the city, the aurora shimmering faintly behind them.
"Our ancestors saw how it pushed and pulled the tides," Yue continued, "and they learned how to do it themselves."
Katara's expression softened with wonder. "I've always noticed my waterbending is stronger at night," she said thoughtfully.
Yue nodded. "Our strength comes from the spirit of the moon. Our life comes from the spirit of the ocean. Together, they maintain balance."
Aang looked up, eyes suddenly bright with inspiration. "The spirits!" he exclaimed, startling Momo. "Maybe I can find them and get their help!"
Yue blinked, curious. "How could you do that?"
Katara smiled knowingly. "The Avatar is the bridge between our world and the Spirit World. Aang can talk to them."
"Maybe they'll give you the wisdom to win this battle," Yue said hopefully.
"Or maybe," Aang grinned, waving his arms dramatically, "they'll unleash a crazy-amazing spirit attack on the Fire Nation!"
Both girls gave him a flat look. Aang coughed, straightening up. "Or, uh… wisdom. Wisdom's good too."
Katara crossed her arms. "The only problem is, last time you got into the Spirit World by accident. How are you going to get there this time?"
Yue smiled faintly, turning away. "I have an idea. Follow me."
The camera followed her through the winding corridors of the palace, past flickering lanterns and ancient carvings of moon and ocean spirits. They reached a small, round wooden door set into the ice.
"So," Aang said, curiosity gleaming in his eyes, "is this the way to the Spirit World?"
Yue chuckled softly. "No, you'll have to reach that on your own. But I can take you to the most spiritual place in the entire North Pole." She opened the door slowly. "Trust me — it's sacred."
Before Aang could step forward, a familiar, lazy voice called from behind them.
"Trust me," Jinx said, leaning casually against the wall, his violet eyes half-lidded, "it's a very nice place to think."
Inside, the warm glow of the oasis bathed them in golden light. The air shimmered with heat, and steam drifted gently over a small waterfall that spilled into a pond of impossibly clear water. Aang gasped and immediately ran ahead, rolling across the grass. "I never thought I'd miss grass this much!"
Katara removed her coat, feeling the warmth seep into her skin. "It's so warm here," she murmured. "How is that possible?"
"It's the center of all spiritual energy in our land," Yue explained softly.
The camera tilted downward — two koi, one black and one white, circled each other in perfect harmony. Their scales glimmered faintly in the light.
Momo leaned over and dipped a paw in the water, trying to grab them, but the fish slipped past him effortlessly. Katara and Yue both sighed, giving him the same look.
Meanwhile, Jinx stepped forward and knelt beside the pond. "You weren't kidding," he said quietly. Then, without hesitation, he placed his hand into the water.
"Jinx, what are you doing?!" Yue cried out, alarmed.
But before anyone could react, the koi turned sharply in unison. Their serene dance shifted, their glimmering bodies swimming directly toward his hand. Jinx didn't flinch. His expression softened as he gently brushed his fingers against their backs. The koi didn't flee — they moved closer, swirling around his palm like a greeting.
Then, something changed.
Jinx's other hand entered the water, touching both fish at once. Instantly, his eyes blazed bright magenta — a color foreign to this sacred place. The glow reflected across the walls and rippled through the pond, which began to shimmer with unnatural light. The koi froze, circling faster as though caught in an unseen current.
"Jinx!" Katara gasped, stepping forward. "What's happening?!"
Before Yue could answer, Jinx's body went rigid. He collapsed backward, eyes still glowing faintly as his hand remained submerged. The water beneath him pulsed with energy, sending ripples across the pond that shimmered in alternating hues of black and white.
Yue stared in disbelief. "I… I don't know," she whispered, fear creeping into her voice. "But whatever he's done — the spirits have noticed."
Aang sat perfectly still, the air around him quiet save for the gentle rustle of the Spirit Oasis waterfall. Yue and Katara watched him in silence as the faint glow of the moonlight shimmered on the surface of the pond. "You're right, Yue," Aang whispered, eyes closed. "I can feel… something. It's so tranquil." His breath deepened, and he began to meditate, the energy of the oasis wrapping around him.
Just beside him, Jinx's body lay half-submerged in the grass near the edge of the pond, his hand still dipped into the glowing water. His eyes were open—but they burned with a faint magenta light that reflected the moon's glow. He was no longer in the same world as them.
When Jinx opened his eyes, everything was still. Not just silent—still. The air did not move, and even his breath seemed to echo faintly, as if the world itself had stopped breathing. He stood barefoot upon a perfectly smooth ocean of glass, its surface so calm it mirrored the heavens without flaw. Above him stretched a vast night sky of ink and silver, dominated by a colossal moon—majestic, radiant, and impossibly near. Its light shimmered across the water, forming the illusion of twin moons gazing into eternity.
Then the silence broke.
A ripple spread beneath his feet, expanding outward in slow motion. From the depths below, a great black koi fish burst forth, enormous and elegant. Its scales shimmered with streaks of silver, and a white mark adorned its head like a celestial crown. The sea settled instantly after its rise, perfectly still once more.
Jinx's gaze was drawn upward when the stars themselves began to move. A glowing white koi fish glided downward from the moon, its scales luminous as starlight and a black dot marking its forehead. The two koi circled him, one dark and one light, weaving through the air in a perfect spiral until they merged into a burst of radiant light.
When the brilliance faded, two figures stood before him—divine and otherworldly.
Tui's form was ethereal, her long white hair cascading like moonlit water, her silver eyes glowing with calm compassion. She wore robes the color of frozen dawn. Beside her stood Li, tall and regal, his long dark hair shifting like smoke, his amber eyes alive with the glint of a thousand suns sinking into the sea.
Tui approached him first. Her steps left ripples of silver light across the glassy surface. She cupped Jinx's cheek with a gentle hand, her touch cool and comforting. "Our darling little brother has returned," she said softly.
Jinx blinked, his voice quiet, uncertain. "Little… brother?" He swallowed. "How can I be a spirit in a human body?"
Li stepped closer, his deep voice echoing through the empty night. "Because you are both," he said. "Half human, half spirit—a bridge between the mortal world and the eternal. Your human vessel was born of fire and water, but your soul… your soul is older than the moonlight that guides us."
Tui's gaze softened. "Every thousand years, you awaken fully, Jinx. In those times, when you were known as Yuki, you grew restless—bored of silence, of peace, of the long winters of stillness. And in that boredom… you brought forth the Great Blizzard."
The stars seemed to flicker at her words.
"The Great Blizzard?" Jinx repeated.
Tui nodded. "A storm so vast it blanketed the world for fifty years. The snow buried kingdoms, silenced oceans, and froze mountains. It was your art—beautiful, tragic, and eternal. But mortals saw only death. Infants, even Avatars, perished in those storms. One such blizzard was so immense it carved the poles into being—the North and South, born from your endless frost."
Jinx's voice broke into a whisper. "So I caused… that?"
Li nodded solemnly. "You are the spirit of Absence, Imagination, Winter, Death, and Jinxes. You are what exists between—what follows creation and precedes rebirth. You are not evil, Jinx. But your curiosity often becomes catastrophe."
Tui placed her hand on his chest. "A little over a hundred years ago, during your last awakening, the Avatar found you. He tracked you to your hiding place—an island between the Fire Nation and the South Pole. For five days and five nights, the two of you fought. You froze the skies; he burned the sea. The ocean boiled, and the island sank beneath the waves."
Li's eyes dimmed. "You were powerful beyond measure, but not immortal. To shape blizzards upon the mortal world, you had to walk it as flesh and blood. When the Avatar struck the final blow, your mortal shell was destroyed. You died, and yet… death refused to hold you."
Tui lowered her gaze. "Your soul wandered for a century, too proud to ascend, too wounded to return to us. And then one night, you found a dying boy—a child with one breath left to give. His spirit cried out for life, and yours… for meaning. You merged, your essence becoming one."
Jinx looked up, realization dawning slowly. "That boy… who was he?"
Tui's expression was bittersweet. "The irony is not lost on us. The child you saved was a descendant of the very Avatar who struck you down—Avatar Roku."
Jinx froze, eyes widening. "Roku?"
Tui nodded. "Yes. But your battle was no simple victory for him. Though he sealed you beneath the sea, your power wounded him deeply. His spirit cracked under your frost, and though he lived, it weakened him. That wound took him two years later."
The world fell silent again, and the reflection of the moon trembled beneath them.
Jinx's voice was barely audible. "So I was Yuki… the Nine-Tailed Snow Fox. I froze the world, fought an Avatar… and now I'm trapped in the body of his descendant."
Li placed a steady hand on his shoulder. "You are both, little brother—spirit and man, creator and destroyer, the calm and the storm."
Tui smiled faintly, her silver eyes shimmering. "Even the longest winter yields to spring. It is not your past that defines you, but what you choose now that you walk among mortals once again."
As she spoke, the sky began to glow brighter. Their bodies shimmered, dissolving into streams of moonlight and starlit water.
"Wait!" Jinx called out, his voice desperate. "If all that's true, then what am I meant to do now?"
Tui's voice echoed softly as her form faded into silver mist.
"Remember who you are, Jinx," she whispered. "And this time… choose your own season."
The moonlight enveloped him completely, and everything faded to white.
Back in the physical world, the faint magenta glow in Jinx's eyes slowly dimmed. His breathing steadied, though his hand remained in the water. The koi swam calmly once again.
A few feet away, Aang still meditated, his expression peaceful and his spirit wandering the same realm—though on a different path. Yue and Katara watched over them, unaware that Jinx's journey had been far deeper than anyone could imagine.
Meanwhile, beneath the frozen city, a faint light flickered.
Zuko burst from the freezing water through a jagged hole in the ice, gasping violently. He rolled onto his back, shivering, his breath steaming in the cold. "Be quiet," he hissed to a group of barking turtle seals that surrounded him. They fell silent, watching curiously as he pushed himself up and stumbled forward. His body trembled as he pressed a hand against the wall and exhaled fire to keep himself from freezing solid.
Above, the moonlight shimmered over the city. Inside the warrior's base, Sokka sharpened his boomerang with a distant look until Chief Arnook approached him quietly.
"Is something wrong, Sokka?" the chief asked.
Sokka didn't look up. "Oh no," he said sarcastically. "Hahn's out there on some top-secret mission while I'm here sharpening my boomerang. Everything's great."
Arnook sighed. "I removed you from the mission for selfish reasons," he admitted. "I have another task for you—one far more important."
Sokka frowned. "What? You want me to scrub the barracks?"
Arnook smiled faintly. "I want you to protect my daughter, Princess Yue."
Sokka blinked, momentarily speechless. Then, straightening, he forced a confident grin. "Oh… sure. That shouldn't be too hard."
As Arnook departed, Sokka's face fell, his false bravado fading into uncertainty.
Far beneath the city, Zuko continued crawling through narrow tunnels of ice, his breath ragged. At last, he found a channel leading upward. He swam desperately, but when he reached the surface, he found it frozen solid. His lungs screamed for air. He pressed his burning palms against the ice, melting a hole just wide enough to break through.
The tunnel above steamed as he emerged, gasping. He leaned against the icy wall, catching his breath. The faint glow of moonlight filtered down through cracks above.
Yue tilted her head slightly, her voice quiet but curious. "Why is he sitting like that?"
Katara, keeping her tone gentle, answered without taking her eyes off the still figure before them. "He's meditating, trying to cross over into the Spirit World. It takes all his concentration." Aang's brows furrowed deeply, his small body rigid with focus as the rippling energy of the oasis hummed faintly around him.
"Is there any way we can help?" Yue asked softly, glancing from Katara to Aang's still form.
Before Katara could answer, Aang's voice came out sharp and strained, his eyes still closed. "How about some quiet? Come on, guys! I can hear every word you're saying!"
Both girls exchanged guilty looks, and silence returned to the oasis.
The camera of the moment seemed to shift—downward, into the pond itself. The two koi, black and white, circled each other gracefully in perfect balance, their movements forming an eternal dance. Beneath the water, their tails nearly touched, creating the symbol of yin and yang, light and dark intertwined. Aang's glowing eyes reflected the image, and his tattoos began to pulse with a soft blue light, spreading from his fingertips to the arrow on his forehead.
Yue stepped back, alarmed. "Is he okay?"
Katara smiled faintly despite her worry. "He's crossing into the Spirit World. He'll be fine as long as we don't move his body. That's his way back."
Yue hesitated. "Maybe we should get some help."
Katara shook her head, her tone protective but confident. "No. He's my friend. I can protect him."
Before Yue could respond, a familiar, cold voice echoed from the shadows.
"Well, aren't you a big girl now."
Both girls turned sharply—Zuko stood at the edge of the oasis, dripping with melted ice, his golden eyes burning with resolve.
Katara's heart sank. "No…" she whispered.
Zuko stepped forward, fire crackling around his hands. "Yes. Hand him over, and I won't have to hurt you."
Yue gasped and fled toward the gate as Katara slid into a fighting stance, her eyes narrowing.
The battle began in an instant. Zuko lunged forward, his leg whipping upward as a plume of fire exploded toward her. Katara swept her arms, drawing the water from the pond to form a translucent barrier that hissed and steamed against the flames. Zuko pressed harder, firing blast after blast, forcing Katara to retreat toward Aang.
Then she retaliated. With a flick of her wrist, she drew a jet of water from behind her and lashed it forward. The stream struck Zuko squarely, knocking him backward through the snow.
He rose slowly, his expression darkening. "I see you've learned a new trick. But I didn't come this far to lose to you."
Katara didn't flinch. The air between them steamed, glowing with the contrast of fire and ice.
Zuko attacked again, sending another searing wave of fire. Katara spun gracefully, summoning a rolling sphere of water that engulfed the flames before crashing into him. The force sent him sprawling across the ground. Ice crawled up from beneath his boots, freezing him in place.
She extended her arms, and water coiled around Zuko like serpents, forming a shimmering orb that surrounded him completely. Her hands clenched, and the water froze solid.
Zuko was trapped, his furious glare visible through the ice. Katara smiled faintly, her breath misting in the cold air.
"You little peasant," Zuko growled, his voice muffled. "You've found a master, haven't you?"
The sphere of ice began to glow faintly orange. Cracks formed as heat rippled outward, steam bursting into the air. A moment later, the ice shattered in a fiery explosion.
Zuko burst free, flames swirling around his hands. Katara drew more water from the pond to defend, deflecting blast after blast, but he was faster now, his anger fueling him.
She retaliated with another powerful surge of water, but Zuko dodged, leaping past her. His hand reached out and grabbed Aang's limp collar.
"NO!" Katara shouted, whipping the water into a massive wave that slammed into him, sending him flying across the oasis. Zuko crashed hard against the rocky wall. Katara raised her arms again, summoning a tidal rush that engulfed him entirely. The water solidified into ice, pinning him upright and unconscious against the cliffside.
Breathing hard, Katara stood victorious, the moonlight glinting off the frozen surface.
Above the horizon, the first golden rays of dawn began to break.
Far away, aboard the lead Fire Navy ship, Zhao stood at the bow, the wind whipping through his armor as the sun crested over the horizon. "It's daybreak at last," he said with a grim smile. "Let's write history."
The fleet began to move again, fireballs lighting the sky.
Back at the oasis, sunlight streamed through the cracks in the icy ceiling. It struck Zuko's prison, melting it bit by bit. His eyelids fluttered open. He felt the warmth, his strength returning with it.
Steam hissed as he drew in a deep breath and exhaled fire through his nose, melting the last of the ice. He fell to the ground and rose slowly, glaring at Katara's turned back.
In a flash, he attacked.
Katara barely had time to turn. A blast of fire struck her side, throwing her backward into the Spirit Gate. The force shattered the stone, and she hit the ground, unconscious.
Smoke and dust drifted through the air as Zuko approached, stepping over the shattered gate. He bent down, grasping Aang by the collar.
"You rise with the moon…" he said coldly, lifting Aang's limp form. "I rise with the sun."
The firelight flared around them, swallowing the serene glow of the oasis.
Moments later, outside the city walls, Fire Nation ships rammed through the frozen barrier. Massive chunks of ice shattered as soldiers poured into Agna Qel'a, spears and fire igniting the dawn.
Zhao raised a hand, watching the flames spread. "The Water Tribe can resist all they like," he said. "But their city will fall today."
Back in the oasis, Katara stirred, her head pounding. Her eyes snapped open.
"Aang!" she gasped, crawling toward the pond. The space beside her was empty.
Sokka and Yue arrived atop Appa, leaping off the saddle.
"What happened?" Sokka demanded. "Where's Zuko?"
Katara's voice trembled. "He took Aang. He took him right out from under me."
Momo sat near the pond, his ears drooping, chittering softly.
Sokka looked around, snow falling heavier now. "Where did they go…?"
The answer came with the howling wind. High above the oasis, a blizzard raged. Through the storm, Zuko trudged forward, Aang slung over his shoulder, both of them vanishing into the white void.
The snow swallowed their figures as the camera lifted skyward, the flakes glinting like dying stars. The war for the North had begun.