Chapter Text
“Water.”
Relief. A hiss passed through his lips as he melted into the water’s lapping embrace on his heart.
Everything was dark. He could barely process the fact that shadows moved around him. They were familiar, but they were too dark to make out who they were.
And he was too tired.
“Earth.”
“Careful!” A voice called out from the distance, “You’re going to hurt him!”
A grunt came from another voice, this time closer to him as he felt water press against his chest again. However, the water burned slightly. He wanted to call out, wanted to cry.
But everything hurt too much.
And he was so tired.
“Fire.”
“Fire Nation!” another voice screeched.
A light flew by his field of vision. The thing that he was on, which he now only realized was alive and moving, swerved to dodge the light.
“Yes, Tilly!” Another one. How many people were here? “Keep going, girl! You’re almost there!”
“We’re almost there.” Another. This voice was different. He recognized it.
But his name was fading in and out.
“Don’t you dare fall asleep,” The voice growled.
“Air.”
He was fading. And quick. A light was falling towards him and a sense of calm was blossoming in his heart.
“This is all my fault,” A voice sobbed, “I should’ve… I could’ve…”
“Pearl.” A stern voice said. The person crying was… Pearl.
Pearl…
He knew her.
That’s his-
Boom.
“Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony.”
“Water…” he groaned.
Water quickly flew into his mouth. He still was parched. He felt like every liquid in the world couldn’t make him hydrated again.
“Hurts…” He said, “Everything…”
“I know, Gri, I know,” the concerned voice spoke softly, as a hand brushed his hair against his ear, “You’re doing great.”
He caught the hand, examining it. His vision was bad right now, but he could spot little things on his hand.
Scars riddled his fingers and wrist.
“Then, everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked.”
“Light…”
“No!” The stern voice turned to one of desperation, “No… not yet! Stay here. The darkness is safe…”
“T-tired…”
“Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could stop them…”
“Let him go! He’s good as gone!”
“Joel!”
“What?! We have Pearl. She can save the world.”
“I know that you’re mad that Lizzie’s…”
“What? Captured! Dead! It’s…” the voice had a certain poison in it that deflated into sadness, “I lost her…”
“...But when the world needed him most.”
“Heavy…” He croaked, “Eyes… tired…”
“No, nonononono, no!”
“Gem-”
“Get off me, Pearl!”
“Gem.”
Water evaporated from his heart as he felt warm liquid pour out of his chest. Sobs broke out.
“He vanished.”
“Gri…”
It was funny. He was so calm now.
“Six years later, my brother and I found him.”
He knew his name. The one he couldn’t remember. The one that faded in and out.
“The avatar.”
“Hey…” he started, coughing as he broke off his first word.
“An airbender…”
He started again, reaching out for that scarred hand. He found it and squeezed it.
“Hey, Scar.”
“Named Grian.”
Everything was dark.