Chapter Text
The baby's cry filled the air. Women rushed to wrap them in cloth, cleaning them gently and cooing softly. The bundle was placed in the arms of the woman lying on the bed. As the child quieted during feeding, the room relaxed. As they went about tidying, they spoke.
"What will you name him?"
"Zerdan." The woman's response caused mild surprise amongst her attendants, but she paid them no mind and cuddled him closer. Once the two were settled, the women exited the room to announce the newest member of the air temple.
~~~
Excitement buzzed in the air. All six bald heads were turned upward. They held their breath in anticipation and a moment later, low growls were heard. The clouds broke apart as figures descended from the sky. The adults stayed hovering as the young sky bison landed in front of the children. They cheered and hurriedly joined Monk Lihai, who allowed them to pick an apple from her basket. The other monks chuckled as they watched. The children mingled. Some were chosen right away. Others approached a couple bison before receiving a partner.
The monks kept an eye on one in particular. As Zerdan moved among the bison, they looked at him cautiously. Even at such a young age, the boy had an unusual intensity in his eyes for an airbender. It seemed the animals noticed it as well as his teachers. It didn't faze him, though. He didn't want to hide from his partner and if none of these felt comfortable enough around him, he wouldn't force anything. In the end, there was none who suited one another. Monk Lihai offered him a ride on her own while the class went out, but he shook his head and politely turned her down. He waved as his friends flew off with their new companions.
Once they were out of sight, he turned to the other monks and gave them a bow before grabbing his glider, an apple, and flying over the edge of the temple. It'd be a lie to say he wasn't disappointed, but he wouldn't be discouraged. Surely there had to be a bison he could connect with as well? And if not, then perhaps another animal would suit him. There were a couple spots where wild bison liked to graze. He would try them.
While these more wild ones weren't as weary of the boy, he didn't particularly connect with any. Still, he took to playing with them since he did travel all that way. As the sun began to set, he pulled his staff to him and bid them farewell. He received a few licks before flying off. On his way, he paused as sounds of distress reached his ears. Feeling investigative, he followed and happened upon a fallen pillar. Trapped under was a lone juvenile bison. It blinked up at him as he descended.
"Hey there, fella." It let out another groan. "I wonder how you got stuck under all that, hm?" He carefully circled the rubble. Most of the weight was on the bison's back half. It didn't appear to have any trouble breathing. A good sign. Zerdan started by shifting the smaller and medium rocks to try to take some pressure off. Carefully, he dismantled the rock tower. The bison was quiet and seemed pleased when it was free at last. It gave him a lick and started sniffing his shirt. "Haha. You're welcome, I think. Unless," he pulled the apple and waved it in front of its face teasingly, "was this all you were after? Hm?" Still, he gave the food to it and pat its head gently. "How are you feeling? Think you can fly home now?" It butted against him. "Alrighty then. Safe travels." He gave it one more pat before flying off.
As he landed back at the temple, the monks surrounded him. He received scolding and anxious questions on his health and whereabouts. Waving a hand, he started explaining when they suddenly cut off and stepped back from him. Curious, he started to turn when a weight pressed into him, forcing him to the ground. "Oof." A shiver went down his spine as wetness coated his back and head. Reaching a hand awkwardly behind him, he felt fluff and a groan sounded from above him. "Well hello again. I thought I told you to go home." The bison ignored his words and nuzzled him before letting him stand. He gave it a couple pats. "Wanna stay with me then?" It butted its head against his stomach and he chuckled. "Okay."
The monks ran their hands over the bison's fur before leading the way to the stables. As they walked, Zerdan explained what happened.
~~~
Visitors at the air temple were a rarity. Having traveled such a long way for the sake of speaking with them, the monks allowed the newcomers to rest and voice their request. It didn't surprise any of them that the group of refugees requested support in the fighting that drove them out of their village. The group was brought to the inner towers to further discuss it. Zerdan gave his friend a look when they bumped into him. They mumbled a sorry and the kids settled to listen in, balancing easily on the wall's outer ledge.
"I understand your troubles-"
"If you understand, then why don't you help us?" One of the men demanded, taking a step forward. "We are being driven out of our home. No matter where we go, it's always something. The water tribe pirates to the south. The fire nation to the west. Bandits everywhere else. The southern air temple-" An elder raised an eyebrow.
"If you've already visited our sister temple to the south, why travel all this way to ask for our assistance? Our philosophy is the same everywhere. We are not a violent people." His voice was quiet, but firm.
"You tell 'em Monk Kunphel." A voice spoke by Zerdan's ear.
"Shut up, Norbu." Fern hissed at their friend from his other side.
"I apologize that your trip here was wasted, but-"
"So you don't plan to do anything?" A woman this time cried. There was more despair in her voice than anger, Zerdan noted. "You don't care about the state of the rest of the world? All you airbenders do is stay hidden up here, away from it all. But the rest of us don't have any choice!" She broke into a sob and one of her companions placed a hand on her shoulder and pat it gently.
"What would you have us do?" Monk Lihai inquired softly. "We will not enter a conflict that is not ours to step into. You asked for our help, but to what end? Do you wish for us to protect you indefinitely? At the cost of our own freedom, which is the basis of our spirituality and our center. We could ask for volunteers, but I will not guilt anyone into settling somewhere, fighting some fight, for the sake of anybody. Conflicts should be settled between the nations involved, should they not?" The man who spoke first trembled in anger, but said nothing. She sighed. "We can...escort your group to a safer place, since you did come all this way. But I'm afraid that is all we can offer you at this time." With nothing left to say, the refugees were led away to guest rooms for the night.
The young airbenders floated down from their spying place. Norbu let out a huff once they were farther away from the inner tower.
"Serves them right. How dare those people accuse us of being selfish when they want us to do the fighting for them. It's not like we were the ones attacking them. They should finish the fights they start."
"But they weren't exactly the ones to start the fighting either." Fern raised an eyebrow.
"So you want to be dragged into their mess?" She blushed and shook her head, rubbing her arm nervously.
"Well, no. But I feel bad we can't offer them anything more than a ride back to where they came from."
"We could've just sent them on their way without, you know." Norbu snorted.
"The monks would never be so cruel." Zerdan shook his head.
"Whatever. C'mon. Let's play some before dinner, yea?" The others chorused agreement, but Zerdan waved them off.
"Nah. I'll catch up with you all later." He separated from the group and headed for the guest rooms. Outside of the refugees' rooms, he paused and listened.
"I knew it was a lost cause asking them for any help." He recognized the angry voice of the man from earlier.
"We knew it was a long shot after the southern airbenders refused as well." The woman's. She sounded tired. "At least they said they'd give us a ride. Where should we go?" They discussed the pros and cons of various places, many of which Zerdan had never heard of. Groups and names passed by him. He left the group and returned to his friends for dinner.
~~~
Zerdan pushed open the door to the sanctuary and bowed to the monks seated before him. Lacking any sort of aggression, to call them intimidating wouldn't be exactly right. But he was nervous. He'd been summoned to a meeting before, multiple times after the pranks and games he and his friends got up to. But they weren't here this time. It was only him. His gaze flickered over their faces, but none gave anything away.
"Do you know why we called you in today, Zerdan?" Monk Lihai spoke first. He shook his head.
"No ma'am." His voice betrayed none of the nerves he felt.
"You are here for two reasons," Monk Kunphel stroked his beard slowly. "First and foremost, the elder council has discussed and agreed that you have achieved mastery of airbending." Zerdan's head snapped up and he stared at them in shock. Of course, he and his classmates had been taking their tests for mastery over the course of the last year. But none of they had formally taken the last one. When had the monks decided this? Reading the confusion on his face, Monk Kunphel chuckled. "It's admirable to want to receive your tattoos with your friends, but now is not the time to hide you skill." Zerdan felt his ears grow warm. So the presence he'd felt during his training had been someone watching. "Young man, what do you know of Avatar Wan?" The question caused him to tilt his head sideways.
Of course, the airbenders and the rest of the world knew of the legendary bender capable of utilizing all four elements. His efforts to unite the four nations into one cohesive group had been an uphill battle for his entire life. He'd achieved some success, there were places of safety for the innocent of the world where benders of the four elements and nonbenders alike lived in harmony. But those places could only maintain so many people. And after his disappearance following his supposed death over 16 years ago, many of them dissolved into corruption. During his time, the air nomads had lived a more integrated life with the rest of the world. They provided the most support to Wan as he tried to bring peace. Seeking enlightenment and tired of the violence of the world, many drifted from his side, though. The last known airbender to have been by Wan's side was believed to be dead as well.
To answer Monk Kunphel's question, Zerdan responded "Only what I've been told." And what he's read. The monk chuckled. Of course, his answer led to the question of what exactly he's been told. But that wasn't asked.
"Well, the avatar is believed to be a cycle. The same as anything else. The seasons, time, energy. Do you know what element Avatar Wan mastered after fire?" Zerdan nodded.
"Air."
"Yes. We believe, thus, that the next avatar is an airbender." Monk Lihai gazed at him steadily. Zerdan shifted uncomfortably. He could see where this conversation was heading now and he wasn't entirely sure he liked it.
"Correction," Monk Kunphel glanced at Monk Lihai. "We know the next avatar is an airbender." He paused and the silence seemed to stretch for an eternity. "The next avatar, Wan's successor, is you, Zerdan." He took a step back.
"Me?" His eyes widened. "How- How do you know?"
"Do you know the story of the west wing nursery?" He nodded. When he was a baby, the west wing had caught on fire. While no one was injured, there was a new rule in the temple that any flame larger than a candle was to be kept strictly to the kitchens. Babies were then kept warm with blankets until they were old enough to learn the airbending technique of regulating one's body temperature. "That fire was set off by you, Zerdan." He swallowed hard. "You cried when your favorite toy fell to the ground, out of your reach. All the fireplaces exploded. The curtains, blankets, cribs. It was a chain reaction. Everything set ablaze."
"We don't blame you, of course." Monk Lihai spoke quickly. "You were just a baby. And there was no real harm done. But we kept a close eye on you. We had no idea where your firebending heritage came from. But then you airbent and we knew you had to be the avatar."
"Following the tradition in which the light spirit Raava held the elements for Avatar Wan until he'd mastered them, we decided not to tell you until you'd achieved your own mastery. But, given the rate at which your peers are going..." Monk Kunphel trailed off so as not to insult any of Zerdan's peers. "We decided waiting until you chose to take the final test was a lost cause."
"Now that you know," Monk Lihai eyed him carefully. "Will you accept your mastery status and travel to the Northern Water Tribe to learn waterbending, Avatar Zerdan?"