My grandmother used to tell me stories about the old days. A time of peace, when the Avatar kept peace between the Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads. But that all changed when the Fire Nation attacked.

Only the Avatar, master of all four elements… Only the Avatar could stop the ruthless Firebenders. But when the world needed him most, he vanished.

A hundred years have passed, and the Fire Nation is nearing victory in the war.

Two years ago, my father and the men of my tribe journeyed to the Earth Nation to help fight in the war, leaving my brother and I to look after the tribe.

Some people believe that the Avatar was never reborn into the Air Nomads, and the Cycle was broken. But I haven't lost hope. I still believe that the Avatar will somehow return to save the world.

Book 1:

Water

Chapter 1:

The Boy in the Iceberg

Two pairs of footprints decorated the snow on the ice. Icebergs towered high, blocking the sun from the narrow canal in the sea. Ice floats scattered the icy water, and a lone canoe floated in the middle of it all.

A boy of 15 watched the water excitedly, impatient and tense. His spear was raised, poised for strike. His hair was back in a pony tail, untidy and short. A young girl gazed at a fish, thinking. She had little loops of hair over her face, kept in place by round white loops. Both were garbed in blue and gray snow suits, fringed with white fur, and boots.

"It's not getting away from me this time." The boy said determinedly. "Watch and learn, Katara. This is how you catch a fish." He said, throwing a smug look at Katara. She rolled her eyes and continued looking at a fish.

Katara took off a glove, nervous. She breathed in, out, nervously looking at the fish. Waving her hand, she lifted a ball of water, containing the fish, from the sea. Her hands continued to move, rolling the ball without touching it, keeping it airborne.

"Sokka, look!" She called excitedly. "Shh! Katara, you'll scare it away!" Sokka whispered. "Mmmm, I can already smell it cookin'" he said while looking hungrily at the fish.

"But Sokka, I caught one!" Katara yelled excitedly. She moved the ball of water over the canoe, but lost it. The water splashed Sokka just when he almost speared a fish. "Hey!" Katara yelled. "Augh!" Sokka said in disgust. He turned angrily at her. "Why is it, that whenever you play with magic water, I get soaked?" he said, annoyed.

"It's not magic, it's Waterbending." Katara said, annoyed. "And it's--" "Yeah, yeah, and ancient art unique to our culture, blah, blah, blah." Sokka said sarcastically. "Look, I'm just saying that if I had weird powers, I'd keep my weirdness to myself."

"You're calling me weird?" Katara said incredulously. She smiled, amused. "I'm not the one who makes muscles every time I see my reflection in the water." Sokka scowled and rolled his shirt sleeve down again.

"Ah!" Katara and Sokka said, as their canoe hit an ice float. The small boat got sucked into a swift current, and Sokka paddled hard to avoid the ice, and crashing. "Watch out! Go left! Go left!" Katara shouted. More ice floats crashed, and Katara and Sokka were flung out the canoe as it smashed to pieces against the ice.

"You call that left?" Katara said, shaking her head and glaring at Sokka. They had landed on an ice float, in front of a huge iceberg. "You don't like my steering? Well, maybe you should have Waterbended us out of the ice." Sokka said sarcastically.

"So, it's my fault?"

"I knew I should have left you home. Leave it to a girl to screw things up."

Katara glared at her brother. "You are such a sexist, immature, nut-brained, ugh! I'm embarrassed to be related to you!" she yelled, flinging her arms backwards, creating waves. Sokka looked at her guiltily, but stared at her anger and the iceberg she cracked.

"Ever since Mom died, I've done all the work around camp while you've been off playing 'soldier'!" Katara flung her arms back, creating a jagged crack through the iceberg. "Uhh, Katara!" Sokka said, scared, cowering from the iceberg.

"I even wash all the clothes!" Katara yelled, pointing at Sokka. "Have you ever smelled your dirty socks? Well, let me tell you, not, pleasant!" Katara flung her arms back, splitting the iceberg. "Katara, settle down!" Sokka yelled, terrified.

"No! That's it, I'm done helping you! From now on, you're on your own!" Katara threw her arms back, cracking the iceberg and sending shards of ice through the air. "Uhhh…" Sokka moaned. Katara gasped. The iceberg split in two, sending a wave pushing the ice float they were on surging backwards.

Katara and Sokka hung on for dear life, and looked into the water when they had settled. Sokka glared at his sister. "Okay. You've gone from weird to freakish, Katara." Katara looked amazed. "You mean I did that?" "Yup. Congratulations." Sokka said sarcastically.

Suddenly, a glowing blue ball of ice began floating to the surface. The siblings gasped, and stumbled backwards on the ice. A huge glowing ball floated on the water, sending waves against the ice float. Katara slowly approached it. Looking closer, she thought she saw a boy in their. He was… glowing? She peered closer.

Suddenly, the boy's eyes opened, glowing blue, empty except for the glow. Katara and Sokka gasped. "He's alive! We have to help!" Katara grabbed Sokka's ice breaker, and jumped on ice to the glowing iceberg. "Katara, wait! Get back here!" Sokka yelled. "We don't know what that thing is!" Sokka followed Katara, bouncing on tiny ice floats.

Katara began hitting the iceberg, yelling with each hit. She made tiny dents in the ice. "Yah! Hah! Ah!" Suddenly, the iceberg burst open. "Augh!" Katara was flung backwards, and Sokka caught her, shielding her from the spray of snow and air. The snow cut a crack through the iceberg, and it burst open. Air shot out of it, and a brilliant beam of blue light shot into the sky. Katara and Sokka looked on anxiously, confused and startled by the discovery.

A Fire Nation vessel chugged through the icy sea, letting out a stream of black smoke. A young man of 16 paced the deck, and looked up, startled and amazed, at the blue light. His eyes widened. A ragged purple-and-pink scar surrounded one of his golden eyes, covering his ear. His hair was back in a long, neat pony tail, his scalp bare, and his black hair long out of a cloth band.

"Finally." He growled. "Uncle, do you realize what this means?" He yelled. His uncle, a rounded old man, sat in front of a card table. "I won't get to finish my game?" he answered, looking up. "It means my search… It's about to come to an end."

His uncle sighed. "That light came from an incredibly powerful source!" The man continued. "It has to be him!" His uncle replied, "Or it's just the celestial lights," swooping his hand through the air. "We've been down this road before, Prince Zuko. I don't want you to get too excited over nothing." He said, placing a card on the table. "Please, sit. Why don't you enjoy a cup of calming Jasmine tea?"

Zuko wheeled around. "I don't need any calming tea! I need to capture the Avatar!" He yelled angrily. Zuko looked upwards. "Helm's man! Head a course for the light!" He yelled pointing to wear the blue light was.

His uncle looking annoyed, and set down a card. A strong wind shook the table, clattering the cards around.

Katara and Sokka huddled together, shielding each other from the air blast. When the wind calmed down, it spiraled into rings above the glowing iceberg. They looked at the huge hole in the top, standing up. Sokka pointed his spear at the danger. A boy, about 12, pulled himself above the edge, his eyes and arrow tattoos glowing. Sokka yelled at him, thrusting his spear. "Stop!"

The boy stood, and the light faded. His eyes closed, and he began to fall down the ice. Katara gasped, and ran forward to catch him. She held him, wondering at the boy. Sokka poked his bald head with the butt of his spear. Boing, boing, boing… "Stop it!" Katara yelled. She looked back at the boy.

The boy opened his eyes, and gasped. He had never seen such a pretty girl… "I need to ask you something." He mumbled. "What?" Katara said. "Please… Come closer." The boy said. "What is it?" His eyes closed.

"Will you go penguin sledding with me?" He asked, full of energy, his eyes wide open and face alight with excitement. Katara backed away. "Uh, sure, I guess?" The boy lifted himself up… In the air! Sokka yelled, and struck a defensive pose.

"What's going on here?" The boy asked, looking around and rubbing his head. "You tell us!" Sokka yelled. "How did you get in the ice?!" The boy looked confused. "And why aren't you frozen?" Sokka continued, poking him with his spear. "I'm not sure." The boy said. He had a yellow tunic, and a large, orange spread-out collar, covering his shoulders.

Suddenly, loud, thunderous snoring was heard. The boy gasped, and climbed back into the cavity in the iceberg. He slid down, and jumped miraculously onto the forehead onto a giant, furry beast. "Appa! Are you alright?" He flipped over, pulling on a huge eyelid. "Wake up, buddy." He jumped down, and tried to pull the beast's mouth open.

Sokka and Katara got to the hole, and Sokka gasped at the sight of the beast. Its fur was cream, with a darker arrow like the boy's down it's forehead. Shaggy, its long fur was thick, covering its entire body. A saddle was over its back, and rope was tied between its long horns.

The boy's efforts were rewarded. The beast opened its mouth, and lifted his master up with its tongue. "Hahaha! You're okay!" The boy yelled. The beast stood, towering over Sokka, Katara, and the boy.

"What is that thing?" Sokka asked, cautiously raising his spear. "This is Appa, my flying bison." The boy explained, patting "Appa".

"Right. And this is Katara, my flying sister." Sokka said sarcastically, pointing at Katara. The boy looked at her curiously. Appa sniffed, and growled. AA-SNOOF! The boy ducked, and the bison sneezed, spraying Sokka with green bison snot. Disgusted, Sokka started yelling, trying to rub the stuff onto the ice. Katara put her hand over her mouth, grossed out.

"Don't worry. It'll wash out." The boy said. Sokka pulled some snot, the green slime dripping and stringy. "Ugh."

"So, do you guys live around here?" The boy asked. "Don't answer that!" Sokka warned, pointing his spear at the boy. "Did you see that crazy bolt of light? He was pry trying to signal the Fire Navy." He continued, standing. "Yeah, I'm sure he's a spy for the Fire Navy." Katara said sarcastically. "You can tell from that evil look in his eye." She said, looking at the boy. He shot a kooky face at Sokka.

"The paranoid one is my brother, Sokka. You never told us your name." Katara said. "I'm ah-aaah-aahhhh-CHOOO!" The boy replied, sneezing, and shooting high into the air. He fell down, sliding down the iceberg's wall, and straightened. "I'm Aang." He said, sniffing, smiling.

"You just sneezed! And flew ten feet in the air!" Sokka exclaimed. "Really? It felt higher than that." Aang said, looking up. Katara gasped. "You're an Airbender!"

"Sure am." Aang said. "Giant light beams, flying bison, Airbending; I think I've got midnight sun madness." Sokka said, turning. "I'm going home to where stuff makes sense." He stopped. There were no more ice floats around the iceberg, leaving them stranded.

"Well, if you guys are stuck, Appa and I can give you a lift." Aang offered. He flipped onto Appa, and took the reins. "We'd love a ride. Thanks!" Katara said, running to Appa. "Oh no. I am not getting on that fluffy snot-monster." Sokka said.

"Are you hoping some other kind of monster will come along and give you a ride home?" Katara countered. "You know, before you freeze to death?" Sokka glared at her, tried to counter that, but grudgingly got on the flying bison.

When Katara and Sokka were seated in the saddle, Aang gave them instructions. "Okay! First time flyers, hold on tight!" "Appa, yip-yip!" Aang cried, cracking the reins. Appa thrashed his tail, and jumped into the air, then fell into the water. "Come on, Appa, yip-yip!" Aang said again.

"Wow. That was truly amazing." Sokka said, unimpressed. "Appa's just tired. A little rest and he'll be soaring through the sky!" Aang said. "You'll see!" Katara had crawled to the front, and was turning to go back, but stopped. Aang was smiling at her.

"Why are you smiling at me like that?" She asked, confused. Aang stopped smiling. "O-oh. I was smiling?" Aang stuttered. Sokka sighed. Appa continued through the iceberg canyons towards the Southern Water Tribe camp.

Zuko stood at the edge of the ship's balcony, staring into the distance. The sky was darkening, now a deep purple and black. His uncle came from behind him.

"I'm going to bed now." He said, stretching. With a yawn, he said, "Yup. A man needs his rest." He looked at Zuko, annoyingly. "Prince Zuko, you need some sleep. And even if you're right, and the Avatar is alive, you won't find him." He said, shaking his head. "Your father, grandfather, and great-grandfather all tried and failed."

"Because their honor didn't hinge on the Avatar's capture." Zuko said, still staring. "Mine does." He gave a backwards glance to his uncle. "This coward's hundred years of hiding are over."

Katara, Sokka, and Aang still floated on Appa, passing between huge glaciers. Sokka relaxed against the saddle, still annoyed at his position. Aang laid a cross Appa's huge head, looking at the Water tribe members. Katara crawled toward the front of the saddle, leaning against the edge.

"Hey." She said to Aang. "Hey." Aang replied tiredly, but still excitedly. "Whatcha thinkin' about?" He questioned. "I guess I was wandering, you being an Airbender and all, if you had any idea what happened to the Avatar." Katara answered.

Aang looked surprised, and uneasy. "N-no. I didn't know him." He said, sitting up. "I mean, I knew people that knew him, but I didn't. Sorry." Aang said, smiling at Katara. "That's okay. Just curious." She said. Katara turned to lie down in the saddle. "Good night! See you in the morning!" She called. "Sleep tight!" Aang called back, turning uneasily, a nervous expression on his face. Appa continued floating through the frigid sea, toward the Southern Water Tribe.

Aang slept on Appa's back, soaring through the sky towards the Water Tribe. Lightning flashed, thunder crashed. Aang woke, confused. He looked around, standing, holding his staff.

"AAAAAAAAHHH!" He yelled, crashing through the air. Appa hit the water, getting pushed around by the high, dangerous ways. Appa moaned, and Aang yelled. The two were pulled underwater, sure to drown in the storm.

Suddenly, Aang's eyes and tattoos glowed, a blank, blue glow. He snapped into a meditation pose, freezing the water around an air pocket, securing Appa and him together. His eyes continued glowing, while Aang maintained his position, forever entombing him and his friend…

"Aang! Aang, wake up!" Aang woke, startled, breathing heavily. It was just a dream… Of that night he and Appa had flown over the sea.

"It's okay." Katara was sitting near him, smiling. "You're in the village now. Come on, get ready. Everyone's ready to meet you." The Waterbender seemed very enthusiastic. An Airbender!

Aang turned to find his shirt. Katara stopped and stared. The blue arrow tattoos were on his feet, arms, and head. She gasped. Aang stopped to stretch, but Katara grabbed his arm and towed him to the middle of the village. Aang yelped at the sudden pressure. Sokka was polishing his boomerang as he watched Katara drag Aang out of the tent.

"Aang, this is the entire village." Katara said, waving to a small group of women and young children, and a few dogs. "Entire village, Aang." Aang bowed to the village, putting his knuckles together like an Air Nomad monk. Some of the women gasped and took a few steps backwards. The kids stared at Aang, a little scared.

"Uh, why are they all looking at me like that?" Aang asked Katara. "Did Appa sneeze on me?" An old woman stepped out of the crowd. Her white hair was done like Katara's, and there was some resemblance.

"Well, no one has seen an Airbender in over a hundred years. We thought they were extinct, until my granddaughter and grandson found you." Aang's eyes widened with shock. "Extinct?" He said, bewildered.

"Aang, this is my grandmother." Katara said. "Call me Gran-gran." The old lady said, not a single expression shown on her face. Sokka came over to Aang, and grabbed his staff. "What's this, a weapon? You can't stab anything with this." Sokka looked at the object annoyingly. "It's not for stabbing, it's for Airbending." Aang said, Airbending the staff back into his hands. He snapped it open with a twirl. Red wing-like material spread out from the sides of the staff like a bird. Sokka jumped back; the village children giggled and clapped. "Magic! Do it again." One little girl called.

"Not magic. Airbending." Aang said. "It lets me control the air currents around my glider and fly." Aang moved the glider around him like it was flying. "Last time I checked, humans can't fly!" Sokka said defiantly. "Check again!" Aang said rebelliously, grabbing the top handle on the glider, and jumping into the air.

Aang soared through the air in a pattern of loops and swerves. The children giggled, and the adults of the village watched in awe. Aang smiled, speeding through the village. Katara gazed up at him, her eyes hopeful and happy. Aang went onto his side, smiling, still flying. He crashed into a tall watchtower.

Struggling, Aang pulled himself out of the snowy tower, and fell to the ground, snow piling onto him. Sokka gasped. "My watchtower!" He said. Katara ran forward to help pull Aang up from the snow. "That was amazing!" She exclaimed, pulling Aang up. Sokka inspected the tower, but a pile of snow fell on him.

"Great. You're an Airbender, Katara's a Waterbender; together you two can just waste time all day long." Sokka stalked away from the ruined tower. "You're a Waterbender!" Aang said excitedly to Katara. "Well, sort of." Katara said quietly. "Not yet."

"Alright. Play time's over." Gran-gran came over to the scene, still not an expression on her face. "Come on Katara. You have chores." Gran-gran took Katara's hand and walked her away from Aang.

"I told you, he's the real thing, Gran-gran!" Katara said excitedly. "I finally found a bender to teach me!" She said, turning to her grandmother.

"Katara, try not to put all your hopes in this boy." Her grandmother warned. "But he's special, I can tell1" Katara continued. "I sense he is filled with much wisdom." She said devotedly, looking at Aang.

"See? Now my tongue is stuck to my staff!" Aang said, demonstrating. One of the village children tugged on the staff, making Aang stumble forwards, smiling goofily. The children laughed.

The sunset darkened the sky over the Fire Nation ship. Glaciers towered over the scene on deck. Prince Zuko stood at the top of a triangle formation, going over a Firebending set with two soldiers. His uncle sat nearby, the watching teacher. "Again." He said.

Zuko sent two fireballs away from him, jumping out of the way of the soldiers' attacks, and turning to send two more fireballs at the Fire Nation men, finishing holding his arms straight ahead of him.

"No! Power and Firebending comes from the breath!" Zuko's uncle said yet

again. "Not the muscle. The breath becomes energy in the body. The energy extends past your limbs and becomes fire." He said this while shooting flames out of his fist. "Get it right this time."

"Enough." Zuko said, looking at his uncle. He walked toward him. "I've been drilling the sequence all day. Teach me the next set; I'm more than ready." Zuko growled.

"No, you are impatient." His uncle explained. "You have yet to master your basics. Drill it again!" He said, sitting again. Zuko whirled and sent a fireball at a soldier, knocking him off his feet. He turned to his uncle. "The sages tell us that the Avatar is the last Airbender." Zuko said. "He must be over a hundred years old by now. He's had a century to master the four elements. I'll need more than basic Firebending to defeat him." Zuko leaned in closer. "You will teach me the advanced set!" He ordered.

His uncle stared angrily at him. "Very well." He agreed. "But first, I must finish my roast duck." He said, taking a bowl out from under the bench. Zuko backed away nervously. His uncle munched on the bowl of duck, murmuring while doing so.

Sokka marched back and forth in front of the class. His face was strict and determined with his speech. "Now men, it's important that you show no fear when facing a Firebender." He raised his club up, still pacing.

"We are the Water Tribe. We fight to the last man standing. For without courage, how can we call ourselves men?" Sokka raised his hand up high, finishing his speech to the group of six and seven-year-old boys. One raised his hand. "I gotta pee!"

"Listen!" Sokka said, annoyed. "Until your fathers return from the war, they're counting on you to be the men of this Tribe! And that means no potty breaks!" Sokka gestured behind him, trying to back up his words.

"But I really gotta go." The young boy said quickly. Sokka sighed. "Okay. Who else has to go?" He said, defeated. All of the boys raised their hands. Sokka groaned, slapping himself in the face. All of the boys got up to go to the igloo-bathroom.

"Have you seen Aang?" Katara said to Sokka. "Gran-gran said he disappeared over and hour ago!" She sounded more excited than worried.

The boys had gotten to the bathroom, when Aang emerged. "Wow. Everything freezes in there!" He said goofily. The Airbender and the kids laughed.

"Ugh! Katara, get him out of here!" Sokka said angrily. "This lesson is for warriors only!" Sokka marched away, grumbling. He stopped at the sound of a "Wheeee!" He and Katara walked to the source.

The young boys were taking turns climbing onto Appa's back and sliding down his tail into a pile of snow. Appa's long, plank-like tail was held up by poles and Sokka's spear. Katara laughed, but Sokka angrily ran over to the scene.

"Stop! Stop it right now!" He angrily grabbed his spear. "What's wrong with you? We don't have time for fun and games with a war going on!" Aang looked confused, and slid down Appa's side. "What war? What are you talking about?"

"You're kidding, right" Sokka asked incredulously. Aang's face contorted in excitement, and then he yelled with the power of Airbending. "PENGUIN!!!!!!" Sokka and Katara turned to the little creature. It squeaked and waddled down the snowy hill. Aang shot after it, using Airbending to speed him off, excited beyond belief.

"He's kidding, right?" Sokka asked, looking at Katara.

Hundreds of penguins decorated the icy hills. Icebergs in the water were full of black-and-white creatures, penguins. They squeaked and waddled, with whiskers and fish in their mouths.

Katara walked through the sea of penguins, looking for Aang. "Aang!" she called. Laughing made her turn her head. The boy was chasing four-armed penguins, trying to get one to let him slide on him.

"Hey, come on little guy. Wanna go sledding?" Aang abandoned one group of penguins to chase after another. He dove at it, but the penguin jumped away, and Aang dove right into the snow.

Katara walked over as Aang lifted himself up. "I have a way with animals." He said to her. He waddled after a penguin, yelling something, trying to imitate the penguin's noises.

Katara laughed. "Aang, I'll help you catch a penguin if you teach me Waterbending." Aang looked up from the penguin tail he'd latched onto. He was being dragged through the snow on his belly, not letting go of the tail. "You've got a deal." He got up, unsure. "There's just one little problem. I'm an Airbender, not a Waterbender. Isn't there someone in your tribe that can teach you?"

Katara turned away. "No. You're looking at the only Waterbender in the whole south pole."

"This isn't right. A Waterbender needs to master water." Aang was confused, and thought for a moment. "What about the north pole? There's another Water Tribe up there, right? Maybe they have Waterbenders who can teach you." Aang suggested.

"Maybe." Katara said doubtfully. "But we haven't had contact with our sister tribe in a long time. It's not exactly 'turn right at the second glacier'." Katara added sarcastically. "It's on the other side of the world!"

"You forget; I have a flying bison!" Aang said, pointing to himself. "Appa and I can personally fly you to the north pole! Katara, we're going to find you a master!"

"That's-I mean-I don't know." Katara said, unsure. "I've never left home before."

"Well, you think about it." Aang said optimistically. "But in the mean time, can you teach me to catch one of these penguins?" Aang clutched his hands in front of him excitedly.

Katara brightened up a little. "Okay. Listen closely my young pupil. Catching penguins is an ancient and sacred art." Katara pulled something out of a pocket, tossing the fish to Aang. "Observe."

Aang caught the fish, and was immediately swarmed by penguins. Laughing, he was at the bottom of a pile of hungry, squeaking penguins.

A cliff towered high over the snow. Aang and Katara came shooting over it on penguins, yelling happily. "Yeahhhhhhhhh!"

Soaring down the hill, Katara laughed at the fun she was having. Aang soared over a spike of ice out of the snow, shooting over Katara. They went over a ledge, soaring through the air, laughing all the way.

"I haven't done this since I was a kid!" Katara yelled.

"You still are a kid!"

Aang and Katara soared over the snowy hills, and into a tunnel. Dark, icy, the two penguin sledders slid back and forth, on the right, on the left, sticking to the smooth surface of the icy tunnel.

The circle of light came into view as they were slowing. After reaching the end, the penguins slid to a stop, and Aang and Katara dismounted. The penguins got up and waddled off.

"Whoa." Aang said. He and Katara had walked forward a few steps, into the shadow of something massive. "What is that?" The Fire Nation vessel was high above the ground, Waterbended from the sea with huge daggers of ice, forever imprisoning it.

"A Fire Navy ship," Katara growled. "And a very bad memory for my people." A ragged flag waved, in tatters from the years exposed to the icy elements.

Aang began walking towards the ship. "Aang, stop!" Katara called. "We're not allowed to go near it. The ship could be booby trapped!" Katara's face was anxious.

"If you're going to be a Bender, you have to let go of fear." Aang said. Katara looked unsure, but followed him to the ship. Aang helped her climb the ice into a hole, allowing them to get inside.

The two climbed through a ragged hole in the metal. Inside, the ship was dark, quiet, even spooky. One room was full of snow. Pipes running overhead looked unstable, willing to crash at any moment. Passing under a tunnel going up, two mice ran by, descendants from the rodents of the ship.

Aang stopped by a room with piles of snow and weapons. Different blades were on the ends of sticks; different spears were lined on the wall. "This ship has haunted my tribe since Gran-Gran was a little girl." Katara said. "It was part of the Fire Nation's first attacks."

Aang looked confusedly at the weapons. "Okay, back up." He walked around the room. "I have friends all over the world, even in the Fire Nation, and I've never seen any war." He picked up a spear, examining it.

"Aang, how long were you in that iceberg?" Katara asked. She looked worried.

"I don't know. A few days maybe."

"I think it was more like a hundred years." Katara realized, shocked and confused.

"What? That's impossible." Aang said incredulously, putting down the spear. "Do I look like a 112-year-old man to you?"

"Think about it." Katara reasoned. "The war is a century old. You don't know about it because somehow, you were in there that whole time. It's the only explanation"

Aang's disbelieving, shocked, and sorrowful face stopped her. He stepped backward, sitting against the wall. "A hundred years. I can't believe it."

Katara knelt beside him pityingly. "I'm sorry Aang. Maybe somehow there's a bright side to all of this."

"I did get to meet you." Aang agreed, smiling at Katara.

She smiled back. "Come on, let's get out of here." She said, helping Aang to his feet.

Later, near the top of the ship, Aang came to the control room. "Aang, let's head back. This place is creepy." Katara worried.

"Huh?" Aang said, looking around. His foot pulled a wire stretched across the floor. Immediately a bar gate fell through the entryway. The two kids gasped. "What's that you said about booby traps?" Aang said, looking at Katara.

Chains, pipes, and dials whirred, smoking. Katara gasped, looking at all of them with Aang. Tension built in the pipes, threatening to blow.

Suddenly, a signal flare flew high into the air, screaming. Exploding, the flare slowly fell to the ground, a bright signal. "Uh-oh." Aang said.

Aang looked at a hole in the ceiling. "Hold on tight!" He scooped up Katara, and jumped through the hole. Katara shrieked at the sudden jump. Aang jumped her down the ship to safety.

At the same time, Prince Zuko had heard the flare. Through a telescope he saw the flare, the ship, and a boy carrying a girl, jumping down the ship. "The last Airbender. Quite agile for his old age." Zuko said, narrowing his eyes.

"Wake my uncle!" He yelled to a crew member. "Tell him I found the Avatar." Zuko leaned back to look through the telescope. Looking, he saw the girl and boy running away from the old ship. Looking around, he saw the tribe town. "As well as his hiding place." He added.

Bringing his face from the telescope, Zuko narrowed his eyes, anticipating the coming day.

To Be Continued….