In Error's Darkest Hour

Disclaimer: Avatar:the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews.

NOTE: Well, here it is. I hope you like how it begins. This story was conceived at around the same time as "By Tempests Never Shaken" but I decided to write that story first because it was a lot lighter. So you can more or less form some expectations of this one.

This story is set before the "Day of Black Sun" with some altered circumstances (to be elaborated as we go on). This particular scene takes place before the events in "A Flicker of Light", my preview one-shot.

Please do not expect an update too soon though since I barely managed to come up with this in the midst of school hell weeks, not to mention a typhoon that ravaged my country.

Give me two weeks or so for the next update, please just be patient. Thank you

No ancient poem but a dream-like vision again. I am working under pressure but I hope this does not disappoint. I won't attempt to explain what goes on. You will find out eventually. Hope it isn't depressing or anything although it may seem very confusing. But dreams usually are.

PROLOGUE

"In those days,

after the tribulation

the sun will be darkened,

and the moon will not give its light,

and the stars will be falling from the sky,

and the powers of heaven will be shaken."

- Mk. 13:24-25

Utter darkness.

A cold, hard silence.

And in the thick fabric of this sombre realm, a chilly wind blew across an empty, desolate world.

But in the stillness, there soon was a flash of movement. At first almost indiscernible, the figures gradually materialized, as if illuminated by their own natural glow.

Long, slender, scaly bodies floating across the void in their graceful way, slinking through the darkness in measured paces, majestic and mysterious.

It was impossible to see them clearly, or fully, for they were creatures which were greater than a mortal mind, beings that transcended human comprehension and imagination.

Nevertheless, they were there, traversing the darkness without fear or concern, gently and resolutely following an ancient and unbroken rhythm.

Small, flickering sparks of light followed in their wake and the silence seemed to be momentarily shattered by solemn chants in a tongue no longer spoken by those who lived, a language now only known to the spirits and great creatures of old.

But if only that song could be heard by those who lived, by those embroiled in the chaos of the world.

For even as the dragons danced, a story was being told, a tale that had begun at the very emergence of all things, and had transpired through the ages, and whose conclusion had yet to unfold.

The two ancient firebenders flew gracefully and gradually, following the steps of their eternal dance, going around each other in intricate patterns they knew so well, and unleashing small jets of colored flames, slowly weaving a tapestry of their story, and that of the whole world, with all its sorrows and exultations.

The grave voices proclaimed ancient and undeniable truths in glorious movements and also whispered warnings, cautious and cryptic.

Soon, the void was not only filled by the two dragons, scarlet and blue, but by the wispy, unsubstantiated forms of the spirits, following an eternal procession, revealing everything at once and yet not in terms understandable to the mere mortal.

The dragons continued their dance, this time twisting around each other with ease, bodies entwining and becoming as one, in tune with the sombre but hopeful chants of the spirits.

For they knew what was to come, and the future was not as desolate as it now seemed to those who could not see beyond the current darkness.

Their wisdom echoed in the wondrous tones and in the sublime vision of dragons and flame, now banishing all the shadows, the cold, and the cruel silence that had once reigned.

Here was a glimpse of the future, a pre-ordained fate that would surely come, if one followed the path that was lit for this purpose alone.

Hope was not lost.

But before this grand and liberating redemption, there would be trials and sufferings, hardships that must be endured, for the world to be reborn from the ashes of a destruction it brought upon itself.

There were tasks still to be accomplished, heavy burdens to be borne by those who would rebuild the broken lands, heal the wounded nations.

And it was for this reason that the dragons appeared tonight, to illuminate, to enlighten.

For there were those who continued to wander in the darkness, blinded by fear and their own limited perceptions. It was high time for them to shed their inhibitions, for they were called for something beyond themselves.

One needed to be prodded, no, led out of the darkness he built around himself, for him to be free to achieve the great things he was destined to. Although he had not always been aware of it, his people depended on him to bring about the change and redemption they needed.

Another needed to be lifted from the darkness which she allowed herself to succumb to, in order for her to be rid of her shadows and bask in light once more. She was the only one who could bring life back to a dying world, if she could only let go of her hatred.

Together, they would aid another one in his own, unique, and crucial quest to bring the light of hope back to a world torn by shadows.

And suddenly, the singing ceased and new voices were heard.

No mouths were moving, no lips parting, but the source of the words could not be denied.

It was one of those very rare occasions that the great dragons deigned to speak in the human tongue. It was necessary in this case, for their message to be rightly understood.

Knowing which of the two firebending masters was speaking did not matter, for they both offered the same counsel, each completing the sentences of the other, as if they were but halves of the same whole.

This is your test, my child, one that will decide the course of history.

You must fulfill your destiny.

A heavy weight, to be sure, but a necessary one.

Every path you have taken, misguided though you may have been, has led you to this and you cannot deny it any longer.

Too long you've wandered in doubt and confusion. It is time for you to shed all these shackles aside, as they have been holding you back from your true purpose.

Allow yourself to be bound by a stronger, more lasting, and more powerful bond, one that will last through a lifetime or beyond.

Do not let the darkness cloud your pure and gentle heart. Painful though they must be, you must bear these trials. You must be strong, not just for yourself, but for everyone else as well.

The dragons, still entwined, now began to unleash a kaleidoscope of flames, a wondrous spectacle never before witnessed in the history of the world. For these are the words of the ancients, the stories interwoven with the present, taking us forward to a future of uncertainty.

Heed our words, well, child, this is the wisdom of the ages. Let us guide you.

Do not think that this road will be any easier than those you have trodden in the past. If anything, it will be the most challenging path of all.

Perilous journeys you will take, great sacrifices you will have to make.

For there is so much to atone for, so much still to be repaired.

And heavy crimes all come with a dearer price. Payment shall be taken, of that you can be certain, and for that you must be prepared.

Pain you will endure, misery you shall face, and blood and tears you will shed ere you reach the end.

Steel yourself for these trials, you are given them because only you can see them through with fortitude.

But console yourself with the knowledge that you are not doing this only for yourself.

But also remember that you are not alone in this fight, that you have never been alone. You have but to look around you to see this truth.

The appointed time draws near. The hour has come.

Slowly, the vision began to fade, the details blur, the colors dissolve into millions of tiny grains, being blown about by the wind.

But before all had vanished, there remained the echo of the dragons' final words.

And most importantly, always trust in hope, for it has never forsaken you.