Chapter 20: 19. Fire and Compromise

Misha drank in the open air with her hands stretched wide as the wind whipped. Appa, the Air Bisen— yes, Air Bisen– was at the peak of his ascent, approaching the sea. It was the highest she'd ever been before.

So, much to the chagrin of the soldiers who struggled to remain professional and the stares from Katara and her brother— Saka, no Sokka– she drank it all in. It'd been years since she tasted the open air like this.

"You've been doing that for a while now?" Gengi, the soldier, said. He was a heavy-set man with a square jaw and a soft smile. "Don't airbenders know how to fly?"

"Glide," Misha and Aang said at the same time. She smiled and winked back at the boy, who blushed a bit. "They are very different things. It takes a great deal of effort to climb this high without help. Appa is a true treasure." She affectionately rubbed the side of the beast, and it seemed to chuff in appreciation.

"You might want to strap in and get started on the air bubble," Fu, their Far seer, said. He was a portly man with grey hair. His eyes were fixed on a spyglass. "The blockade is just a few miles away."

"Strap in," Rohin yelled. "And weapons out. I want you all ready when things go sideways." He was a scrawny man with a cleft chin and squinty eyes and looked nothing like a commander, yet according to Sokka, Bumi had said he was the most decorated earth bender in the army.

Sokka gripped the handle of the shortsword he must have looted from the King's barracks, and katara undid the cork to a small water bottle she had at her side.

She could see in everybody's eyes. They were counting on her, and she froze for only a moment before she called on her Chi to warm her. It reminded her what was at stake and gave her all the strength the needed to gather air.

She spun her staff slowly at first to create a small air curtain, then as she added layers and layers, she sped up. Finally, she fell into a small trance as muscle memory took over, and her memories returned.

Aang had brought them closer to the water when the nightmares came back. Visions of fire, Yara, her mother yelling, and scores of Earth and firebenders screaming as her will became undone and a storm whipped around her.

For a moment, her control slipped, and the giant airball unravelled, but she caught herself before they touched the water and dove deep and snapped it tight, tighter than ever.

When she opened her eyes, no one seemed to notice except Rohin and Aang. The latter look concerned, while the former's face was unreadable. Either way, no one complained as she wove and danced and kept them all breathing.

The going was quick, but it took a lot out of her. Appa relied on her air bubble to keep breathing and maintain his quick pace, and she felt her prodigious Chi reserve plummet further with each gulp from the mammoth creature.

They crossed the underbelly of the border ship, and they eclipsed the moonlight they'd relied on to navigate. She felt everybody's chi shudder except Gengi and Rohin. Several minutes later, when they broke to the surface, she almost collapsed from exhaustion.

The job would've been considerably easier if she was a waterbender or kept up her practice, but alas, she'd been cursed to be a Phantom. Once again, she lamented her luck at being born an Airbender.

"Are you okay?" Katara asked.

"That just took a lot out of me," she said between breaths. "I haven't done that in a while."

"You've snuck past a firebender blockade before?" she asked with some surprise.

"More times than I can count," Misha laughed.

"That was awesome," Aang said. "I don't think I could've kept that in one piece with the speed Appa was moving and that water pressure…"

Misha smiled politely. "I'm sure you could've given enough training, but thank you all the same. It's high praise coming from the Avatar."

Sokka, Genji, and Fu also complimented her skill, but she only got a grunt out of Rohin.

Day broke in a few hours, and they travelled mostly in silence. Misha fell back into her old habits of meditating to centre herself, only to break out to check and recheck her weapons.

"You know, I heard about you," Rohin said as he settled beside her. His voice was barely a whisper, and with the wind, no one else could barely hear them at the back of the saddle.

"I didn't believe it when I laid eyes on you, but after that stumble back there, I knew it had to be you."

Misha tensed up.

"You're a fucking legend. Second coming of Falcon himself, until you up and quit after a mission with that nutter, Wang." He looked her up and down. "And I can see why. You saw something, didn't you?"

She looked at him straight on, face even, body relaxed, like she'd been taught. Rohin was right, but the memories were not the only reason why she hated being away from home, away from her.

"You seem to have your mind all made up."

Rohin let out a low, scratchy laugh that drew some attention.

"I've seen things too, and I see you struggling. All I ask is that you stay back and let us handle things if it comes to it. I don't want to see my men die."

Misha swallowed, then nodded. It was a perfectly reasonable request. She'd not trust herself in battle, too, if she were Rohin.

"Glad we understand each other."

It was midafternoon before they came to the Island the Fire temple was built on. Appa swung around, and they came close enough to see the temple in its full glory. It stuck out of the side of an active volcano, a river of lava snaking around it. It looked fragile, yet stalwart, like it could disappear if the Volcano felt like it or could last another 100 years.

The sight gave her some pause; however, what had her absolutely trembling was the blobs of Chi she felt vibrating off the Island.

"Ambush!" she shrieked.

"Where!" Rohin jumped to his feet.

"Everywhere!"

As if the benders took the cue, a man emerged and pulled a rock-patterned tarp off a catapult, and it shot off, sending flaming chunks of rock directly at them.

"Genji, help me stop that stone!" Rohin yelled and leapt onto Appa's head with Genji, and both punched out simultaneously, shattering most of the flaming rock. His hand twisted in a viper's grip, and suddenly, the largest chunk of rock froze mid-flight.

"Return fire!" he yelled. Together, he and Genji benders punched out, sending the chunk straight at the catapult.

The operators fled before the stone hit, but two more were shot at them, along with several long grappling hooks that arced high into the air. Misha pulled herself together just in time to pirouette and send wind blades at the hooks, knocking them back.

Aang dealt with one fireball with the most potent air stream she'd ever seen, and the earth benders handled the second flaming ball the same way they dealt with the first.

"Get us out of here, Kid!" Rohin barked, and Aang whipped Appa's reign, spurring the great beast on. Misha barely heard the order over the kids screaming.

Below, she saw a teenager with a nobleman's uniform barking orders. Teams of firebenders gathered together to form great fireballs while the men with the grappling hooks kept firing.

Aaron and Misha were beating them back, one at a time, as Appa rose into the cloud, but suddenly behind them, they saw a gaggle of ships approaching on the horizon and what seemed to be air balloons floating above them.

Misha felt the blood in her veins turn to ice.  This was supposed to be a simple mission, yet she was about to lose everything. She didn't sign up for this

"What have you gotten me into, Aaron."

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Airbenders of various ages and sex sat in Grandfather's grove, the youngest sitting farthest from the tree and the oldest up close. Aaron counted 11 so far, which meant everybody was here except Misha.

They were a mix of skin tones, features, and proportions, and at the very front, three spots were reserved for them. Aaron took his seat, and Mark did the same, crossing his leg just like he was taught.

Aaron's father sat beside him. Grandfather Paku watched them with a soft, wizened smile. He seemed ethereal in his airbending robes.

"Welcome, children," he said. "I've been expecting you."

He looked from Aaron to Mark.

"Your fight with the Earth king was most illuminating, as was your rapid development since then. My Grandson has recruited a fierce warrior in the making."

"Uh, thank you," Mark stammered out, doing the exact opposite of what Aaron had instructed. 

Then his attention swivelled back to Aaron.

"Although I could only see you, I sensed your grief and watched you struggle. You've made the right decision bringing him here."

Mark looked completely lost. "How did you— Astral projection?"

"Sharp as a tack," Grandfather chucked.

"At my age, there's not much you can do but sit and watch. So, I spend most of it watching my children and my grandchildren and give advice should they need it."

"I can see how that could make you a very… astute leader," Mark said.

"You don't approve," Grandfather chuckled. "But it is important that I know. In an age of messenger birds and ships, a speedy communication line is our greatest advantage."

"When you put it that way…" Mark trailed off.

"Onto our alliance then," Grandfather said. "You've discussed some of it with my Grandson, and I think it's most amenable. Valuable information and resources for the same," Grandfather a hand and created a projection of a standard scale. "Equivalent exchange."

Mark blinked and tried to school his face, no doubt mimicking Aaron, but he failed to hide his surprise. Aaron smirked. The deal was going well so far.

"But," Grandfather gave a rare frown, "a lot has changed since this morning."

Or not, Aaron thought.

"What happened, Grandfather?"

"The other Traveler has been identified by our spies in the Fire Nation, and I am afraid the Fire lord has declared him the Avatar of Fire– the one and true Avatar. You and Aang have become priority targets, and they plan to come after you with everything they have."

"Fuck," Mark said, and Aaron concurred with the sentiment. 

"If we are to deal with you as a separate entity outside of our Nation, a simple contractor. Nothing you can offer us equals the life of an Airbender," Grandfather declared. "There are so few of us, and if what you say is true, you won't be here to help us pick up the pieces."

The floating scale turned Red one side tipped over, sending the other side tumbling in the air.

In a year, Mark would be gone, and the Fire Nation would be more powerful than ever. Offering any refuge would draw an even brighter spotlight on their operation. Airbenders were ghosts. Their greatest advantage was anonymity.

Their anonymity and mobility were their greatest assets. And tying themselves with Mark all but nullified it.  In fact, Aaron reasoned the only reason why grandfather was still taking to him was to either let him down gently or…he was doubling down.

Aaron's spirit visibly paled. He wouldn't let an outsider...

Grandfather vanished the scales.

"Here's my offer. Become one of us. Your fight becomes our fight, and vice versa and our secrets and techniques become yours too. We will spare no expense to train and prepare you, and we will help you kill the false Avatar who is a threat to us all while toppling the Fire Nation. Your responsibilities to us end when you leave this plane, but I hope you remember us fondly."

Aaron's mouth fell open, and a wave of whispers swept through the room. Grandfather had never offered anyone but born Airbenders the opportunity, even going so far as to pretend that the majority of bastards that roamed the water and earth nations did not exist. 

And yet, he would open his Nation to a stranger. A powerful stranger, but a wily stranger nonetheless.

His entire spirit shook with rage.

"What will it be?"

Mark swallowed, then scanned the room as he pretended to ponder for a long moment. All eyes were on him. "It's like a told your Grandson earlier today, I'd love to accept, but I don't know what I'd be agreeing to or giving up."

"You'd be gaining six of the foremost master in spycraft, war, weapons, bending, Chi-blocking, and of course, my personal repository of Chi techniques you've thirsted for since Aaron laid eyes on you. You'll be gaining an advantage no other Nation shares, as well as connections to the most powerful faction in the Earth and water Kingdoms. You will be gaining protection full-time time from your reluctant guardian turned friend and an information network that spans the globe."

Grandfather spread his hands.

"Tell me, is that not enough to satisfy you?"

Aaron bunched his hand into a knuckle and squeezed so tight his entire spirit flickered. He was nearly ripped back into his body. Grandfather was giving him everything.

"I think that about covers everything,"  Mark said quietly. "Sign me on board."

Grandfather's face was so wide it split his face in half. "Excellent."

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