Forward In Time

Aang woke with a start. He took in his surroundings and realized he was back at the air temple. He sat up and the memories flooded back. He and Bolin escaped from Wulong Forest. Bolin. He needed to see if he was okay. He slipped out of bed and fell to the ground. He was still a little weak. Aang stood again and used the wall for support as he walked.

He walked outside and covered his eyes from the sudden brightness of the sun. Aang started walking again towards the temple. He heard chatter coming from the dining room and realized it was probably breakfast time. Aang came to the door and saw everyone sitting around the table, including Bolin. He sighed in relief to see he was okay.

Tenzin stopped eating once he noticed Aang there. Everyone else did the same. Katara looked back and instantly stood up and rushed to him.

"I'm so glad you're okay." Katara said as she hugged her boyfriend. When she pulled away, she led him to the table and helped him sit down.

"What happened at Wulong Forest?" Jinora asked

"Jinora!" Pema scolded, "Let him rest first."

"Sorry..."

"No, it's okay." Aang said. He took a deep breath before continuing, "We arrived at Wulong Forest..."

Appa landed on the beach boardering Wulong Forest. Aang, Bolin and Sokka dismounted the bison and looked at the masked men standing at the edge of the forest.

Aang turned to his friends, "You two stay here, I'll go talk to them." Sokka and Bolin nodded before Aang walked over to the men.

"We told you to come alone Avatar." The leader said. His voice sounded familiar, but Aang couldn't place it.

"My friends wouldn't let me." Aang replied, "What do you want?"

"Simple. Control over the world."

"You know I can't let you do that."

The man laughed, "You're still just as naive as when I met you." Aang looked confused so he continued on, "Tell me Avatar, how's your moon spirit friend?"

Realization hit Aang like a train, "Zhao. But you were trapped in the Spirit World."

"And I was! For many years!" Zhao replied, "Until recently I was freed from my prison. I wandered around the Spirit World until I came upon the Tree of Time, and inside the tree I see a fellow prisoner named Vaatu. He helped me find the lion turtle of time." He chuckled, "It was easy to trick the creature."

"You can't trust Vaatu!" Aang said, "He's the spirit of darkness! He'll bring darkness to the world if he's let out!"

"I know... and that's exactly what the Black Lotus wants."

"Why?"

"Because the world needs order. It's filled with people more powerful than others, making the lesser afraid, and the more powerful able to take over. But if there was only one who was more powerful... everyone would be afraid. Everyone would behave."

"What do you want?"

"Vaatu needs a powerful vessel. We want you Aang."

Aang's eyes went wide before some Black Lotus members grabbed him. He struggled against their grip, until a familiar boomerang came and hit one of them in the head, freeing Aang's arm.

Aang waterbended the water from the ocean and water whipped them off of him. As more Black Lotus members came to grab him, Bolin earthbended rocks to knock them back. An Earthbender began fighting Bolin, which surprised everyone.