Book 1: Earth

Chapter 10: The Spirit World

Luke pulled strands of grass from the soil; he was aimlessly trying to pass the time. He had decided to wait and call Arianna later. She was literally at the other side of the world and he didn't think that she felt the same about him. Luke breathed in the night time air, it was a full moon. He grinned, during the full moons in Misthallery, the Black Ravens would prance around the town as ghosts. They were merely joking, but the Specter was what actually caused the problems. The Specter was a spiritual being that haunted the tiny town, everyone could see it but only the Avatar could communicate with it. And upsettingly, Luke left before he had mastered the art of contacting and entering the Spirit World, but he thought for a second, maybe he had mastered it now.

Luke crossed his legs and breathed in; the little hill was a perfect place to focus. He clearly remembered what Crow had taught him, considering he was an airbender and knew most ways to become spiritually active.

"Okay Triton, just breathe in and out until you feel like your floating, in some respect." Crow had told him as Luke sat on the floor of the black market, "Good, I guess… do you see anything?"

"No, nothing," Luke had complained, "Crow, I don't think this is working."

Luke shut his eyes and did exactly what Crow had previously instructed him. He took large breaths and lengthened them as he breathed out. His mind became fuzzy for a second as he tried to continue breathing but he was thrown off again as he felt in a place much warmer and brighter.

"What…" he opened his eyes to surprisingly a large, beautiful garden. The air was clean and crisp and the plants grew in marvelous colors and sizes, strangely enough it was all underground. "Where am I…?" Luke stood up, looking down at himself. His skin was no longer tan and warm, but a pale blue, just like his trademark sweater.

"The Spirit World, or I like to call it the Golden Garden," Janice or at least woman who greatly resembled Janice stood behind him. Her hands were folded in front of her and she was rocking back and forth on her heels. She looked tired and sad, not like her usual perky self.

"Janice!" Luke shouted, examining her, "What are you doing here? How did you even get here, aren't I the only one who can access the Spirit World without…dying…?" His eyes widened, "Oh my goodness, did you just die?" Janice smiled and let out a light laugh.

"Oh goodness, no," she explained quickly, "But I am trapped here, like a ghost."

"How?" Luke walked towards her, "How is that possible, it's not you, you just… I'm deeply confused," he confessed.

"Listen Luke, you need to help me," she gripped his shoulders with wild force, "Please follow me, I have to tell you a few things." She let go of his crushed shoulders.

"Janice," Luke called, "How is it possible that you are here?"

"I'll put it in the simplest way possible," she explained to him, "The person you know as me, back in the physical world, she is not who she says she is."

"Is that person an evil spirit?"

"Oh goodness no," Janice laughed once again, "I used to know her very well, she was my best friend." An upsetting look appeared on her face as she looked up towards the dripped ceiling, "She died a year ago from some silly illness," she explained sadly, "And I can easily say both her father and I missed her terribly."

"Her father?"

"Mr. Whistler," Janice said, "You've been introduced to him, correct?"

"Yes, he is very talented." Luke remarked.

"One of the best there is," Janice smiled at the memory of Mr. Whistler playing the Detragan during her shows and operas, "He used to play for me and his daughter when we starred in operas together."

"Wait a second," Luke interrupted, "He already has a daughter, Melina... right? She's like seven." Janice's eyebrows crossed for a moment.

"No," she shook her head, "That is not his daughter, she's not related to him in any sense."

"What do you mean…?" Luke asked, puzzled at Janice's remark, "If he's not related to him why does he refer to her as his daughter."

"Luke, this news is slightly hard to take but please do not think of Mr. Whistler as any less of a good person," Janice stopped talking and sucked in the clean air, "He kidnapped that little girl," she admitted.

"What?" Luke stood surprised in every sense, "But she is so comfortable with him, she…"

"That brings me to why I'm here," Janice said to him, "Please make yourself comfortable, I have to show you a few things before you have to leave." He nodded and sat down in the grass.

"What exactly are you going to show me?" He asked.

"Just close your eyes, okay? The Spirit World should do the rest." He immediately understood and shut his eyes laying on his back. He had no clue where he was in the world, but he was sure that it was in no way real.

"Okay, I'm ready," he said relaxing his muscles. For a minute she didn't say anything, the news she was about to speak of would change Luke's destiny forever and she wasn't sure how to put it.

"About a year ago Mr. Whistler's only daughter died at the age of twenty-one, she was bed-ridden, frail, I was so frightened to see her in such a state, I didn't know what to think. Her name was Melina, she is the only Melina Whistler, I promise you." Janice paused for a minute, "After her death, Mr. Whistler went a little insane, he loved his daughter so much that he would do absolutely anything to get her back, and so with that drive he formulated a plan." Luke suddenly saw a scene flash in front of his eyes; Mr. Whistler was talking to a large man with a white mask hiding his eyes. "He developed a machine inside the Detragan that contains memories, Melina's memories. Before she passed away he put all of her memories into this mechanism so they would be, or make Melina alive forever. After she died, Mr. Whistler needed a woman or a young girl to take these memories and insert them into their own brain."

Luke listened intently, slightly confused as the news he was hearing was strange and wildly inhumane, "So he began a search for girls with talents, talents that were equal to those of his late daughter. That little girl, along with many others are those talented girls. But there was a fault in his plan, just as Melina had many memories, those other girls did too and they're memories took up too much space, space that was needed for Melina's memories." She sighed.

"Along with those girls, Mr. Whistler tried to use me as someone who could hold Melina's memories," Luke gasped for a moment as he saw Janice lying on a reclining chair, a strange helmet was placed on her head with cords attached to it and lights flashed and things just suddenly happened, "I buried all of my memories to allow Melina's to enter into my mind." She breathed again, "And in that way, I am here and she is in the physical world." Luke could see everything, Melina welcoming them into the Crown Petone, giving them food, giving them a room to stay in, it was all fake. "That's another reason why that little girl is so comfortable with Mr. Whistler." She explained, "She had Melina's memories inside her brain."

"But ever so slowly, her memories are coming back to her and Melina's are vanishing." And all of a sudden everything faded away.

"Janice," Luke opened his eyes, Janice appeared to be white and frail, "Oh my goodness, are you alright?"

"As Melina continues to use my physical body, my spirit becomes weaker Luke," Janice looked up at him, she was crumbling on the ground, "Please tell her what's going on, please, please Luke," she fell backwards and shut her eyes.

"Janice!" He gasped as he suddenly felt weak as well. His knees caved in and he tumbled onto the grass. "Janice…"

Luke choked for air as he sat up, he was sitting on the hill back in the physical world, it was still extremely dark out and the silver moon glistened on the water. He took several minutes to regain all the information he had just learned, and then took off running towards the Crown Petone. He knew one thing for sure, he had to help Janice, that was what the Avatar did, right? He was there to help people.

…

He sprinted through the hallway of the top floor of the Crown Petone, Janice's… or rather Melina's apartment was at the very end, and he was sure she was there at this hour. Luke pounded on her door multiple times. She ran and opened it, frightened at being woken up at such a late hour.

"Luke, oh my goodness, you scared me," she sighed, "Is there a problem?"

"Yes…" Luke sighed, "Melina," her eyes widened, her mouth gaping open.

"How did you…?"

"I traveled to the Spirit World for the first time," he admitted, stepping into her room and shutting the door, "Janice was there Melina, she is dying." Melina stepped back and sat down; her head was shaking in her hands.

"I've been trying to get back for so long, but living… you'll never understand how much you'll miss it Luke." She smiled weakly.

"Listen," he stood in front of her, "I understand, in some respect, but Janice has limited time before her spirit is permanently locked in the Spirit World."

"I know," Melina said, "But there is a greater danger than that," she looked out her window and leaned on the railing, "Descole knows we're here…"

"What?" Fear suddenly dug holes into Luke like no other name could.

"My father… he worked with the man," Melina admitted sadly, "He was the one to design that terrible machine." She sighed, "I'm sure Janice didn't tell you that."

"No, she didn't," Luke replied, his knuckles white.

"Descole think this is all a game, Luke," she said to him, "He'll be here in the next few days, I guarantee it."

"What does he want?" Luke cried, "What could he possibly want with the Crown Petone and you and your father?"

"Money and power," she answered quickly, "I'm not of what else."

"And what about Melina… or whatever that little girl's name is? What about her, where is she?"

"Nina…" Melina said quickly, "She's coming back to her senses, slowly, very slowly, but she's getting there, I promise." Melina sighed again, "Luke, you have to promise me one thing." He nodded, "When Descole gets here get the hell out of this place, use anything, a life boat, the Professor's car, run away, just get out. Avatar Claire only knows what kind of danger you're in." Luke understood very well what kind of danger they were in, he had seen Descole in person take away someone's bending and he wasn't prepared to his lose his.

"You should get some rest Luke," Melina said to him after a few moments, "It's obviously been a long day for you."

"Yes," he replied quietly, "It's been a pretty long day." He tried to support a smile but it failed and he turn to exit the room without another word.

"Thank you Luke," Melina said calmly, 'And please do not tell a soul about this yet, about Janice and me, I need to do some things first."

"No problem, you can rely on me Melina," Luke smiled and exited the room, ready to sleep after a long stressful day. But what he didn't know what that the stress was just beginning.

Hey guys sorry for the shortness of this chapter (its short compared to the last one) but I don't think I needed much content for you to get the idea. Obviously Janice was Melina the whole time (just like the Eternal Diva) see, I told you that I would connect a few things with what actually happened. And if you have seen the latest Legend of Korra previews (well mostly the second episode) a strange spirit, aka the Specter, is haunting the Southern Water Tribe, aka Misthallery, little similar don't you think? Haha, thanks for reading and please review! -Lilliana