Chapter 1 : THE SPIRIT OF BALANCE

Avatar Aang was at Fire nation Palace when he suddenly willingly went into the Avatar state.He woke up and saw an unusual mystical fog all around him ,confused of what awaits but still knows that he is in the spirit world but this side of this world was never explored by him , he sees that he is wearing the traditional clothes of Air nomads more like what Gyatso used to wear. He waited for something to happen meanwhile.

It had been a few months since the war had ended and peace was declared, it was difficult enacting it. There was no mass communication in this world and news traveled slowly. It wasn't until very recently that the Fire Nation soldiers at the far eastern tips of the Earth Kingdom learned that the war was over and they had become Allies to Earthbenders but to help them rebuild their homes will be a hard work. The policies had of course been put in place by the Avatar's close friend Fire Lord Zuko who had recently taken over rule from his father, former Fire lord Ozai.

As Aang waited patiently a tall figure wearing Fire nation clothing with white hair appeared standing before him. It was Avatar Avatar Roku, the Avatar who lived before Aang.

"Hello Aang" Avatar Roku greeted. This was the first time they had spoken since before Aang had dueled Ozai for victory in the war. In their previous conversation Avatar Roku had urged Aang, to enslave the Former Fire Lord, and to be decisive and do what he thought had to be done.

Aang bowed. "Hi Avatar Roku" he returned. When faced with the choice of whether or not to kill Ozai, Aang discovered the ability of Energybending, using it to remove his ability to bend to elements and effectively eliminating him as a threat.

Aang felt nervous as he was thinking Avatar Roku had called him to give a lecture he didn't deserve

Now or never. Aang thought

"I didn't kill Ozai, Avatar Roku and I never wanted to." he said.

"I know Aang" Avatar Roku replied as though it was silly to believe he didn't know. "I am proud of your decision Aang."

Aang sighed relieved. He had thought Avatar Roku had called him here, to the Spirit World, to scold him. "Are you?" Aang queried. "But you said I had to be decisive and act quickly."

"You were" Avatar Roku assured. "You just did so in a way no Avatar before you had." "Really?"

"Yes. As the cycle continues each Avatar is expected to be even better than the one before him, though you had a considerably tough act to follow."

Aang chuckled.

"Now come with me Aang. matter of business there are that needed to be attended to."

"What is it?"

"Follow and You shall know soon."

For a short walk, Avatar Roku led Aang through where there was a large stone plate on the ground. On that plate rested a strange, large beast. The beast stood up as it saw Aang and Avatar Roku. It was obviously a Spirit but it also closely resembled a normal tiger. It stood as it saw Aang and Avatar Roku approach.

"Young Avatar" a deep voice started. "I am Keno, the Spirit of Balance. It is an honor to meet you." The Spirit's mouth did not move as its voice rang.

Aang bowed to the Great Spirit.

"There is a very important reason I have brought you here Aang" Avatar Roku informed. "What is it?" Aang asked.

Keno let out a roar. "It is not the former Avatar's place to explain that to you!" the tiger boomed. He roared piercingly again. "It is mine!"

Aang jumped back as his heart missed a beat. He didn't see why the Spirit needed to be so intimidating.

"Okay" Aang acknowledged fearfully. "Why have I been brought here THATS all need me to know?"

Oddly, Keno's voice turned calm and gentle as the Spirit said, "Avatar Aang, you have a very important duty to perform that, without my help, could prove almost impossible."

"What's that?"

Keno let loose another vengeful roar. "RRROOOAAARRR!!! Do not interrupt! Anyway, it is my place in the universe to keep balance in the Physical World. I control all blessings and curses of your world. Every time someone dies or is born I have judged it to be in the name of keeping balance. Whenever someone even finds a coin lying on the ground I have determined that it will tip the scale of Yin and Yang into balance, the same for when someone happens to not notice that coin on the ground and never picks it up. All events that occur have the power to tip the scale, no matter how slightly, towards or away from balance. For example, I allowed the war to happen. I could have had Fire Lord Sozin struck by lightning or had him infected with a deadly disease but I did not. For without evil there will be no balance. "

"So what does that have to do with me?" Aang asked, perplexed and mesmerized that this Spirit held so much power.

"Avatar Aang you helped restore balance to the world greatly by ending the war; however the world will never again be in harmony unless the great Air Nation is restored. As the Last Airbender it is your obligation to see to it that this happens."

Aang was shocked at this revelation. "But how can I do that? How can the Air Nation be rebuilt if I'm the only one left?" he asked.

Keno roared once again and immediately responded, "Life, death and luck are not all that I control! For you see it is I who decides who is born with the ability to bend the elements and who is not! It is I who decides who the Avatar is reincarnated as!"

"Are…" Aang stuttered. "Are you saying you can make more Airbenders be born?"

"RRROOOAAARRR!!! I can! And I will! And I shall do it again!" Keno boomed. His voice changed to become soft again. "I have done so before. Airbenders have been born in the Earth and Water, and even Fire Nations in the hopes that their skills may flourish. For you see my powers work like knocking over dominoes. I make one small thing happen hoping that it will make other things happen but the dominoes don't always hit the next one. The Airbenders born in the last 100 years have had no one to teach them and had little, if any impact. But now that you have returned there can be a teacher."

"Teacher?" Aang repeated. "I…I've never taught anyone before."

"I know." Keno roared again. "You may not yet be ready to lead the Air Nation but hear this; you may meet any of the already existing potential Airbenders and you may not, I haven't yet decided but in the name of restoring your culture and your race I hereby declare…" he freed a powerful roar and proclaimed, "…any children whom you sire no matter who the woman, shall be born as Airbenders!"

"Really?" Aang asked. This was unexpected and also shocking. But he also felt a little eager. He had missed seeing other Airbenders, and had missed his people achingly since he had lost them and now if he chose he could bring them back himself. But then…a different thought hit him.

"Uh…any children I had would be born as Airbenders?" he asked cautiously. Keno nodded. "Uh…even if I had like 10,000 kids they would all only be Airbenders?" Keno nodded.

"You seem troubled by this Aang?" Avatar Roku pointed out.

"Well sort of…" Aang replied. "Uh… you see Great Spirit…I have this…girlfriend who is a…Waterbender….and I think that if we ever…"Avatar Roku was smiling at Aang but

Keno interrupted, "I noticed you said 'girlfriend', and not 'wife'." Aang nodded. "There is no point at putting the future of your entire nation at risk because of a slim chance that you may one day have a wife who could want Waterbender children. My decision stands!"

"May I say something Great Spirit?" Avatar Roku inquired. "Of course Avatar Avatar Roku" Keno answered.

"The children of one man are not enough to replenish the population of an entire country."

"I am aware! So I offer this suggestion. There are many refugees from the war who are displaced and without homes. Offer them sanctuary at the Air Temples; teach them what plants to grow, how to live in the Temples, and show them your culture. And once your children master Airbending, allow them to help with this."

"How can I do all of this in just my lifetime?" Aang asked in a pleading manner. This seemed like an impossible task.

"The Earth King and Fire Lord will help you. Also I recommend marrying and having children early, though right now is a little too early."

"I…I don't know…"

"Do you not wish for your people to come back? Do you not want your culture to survive? Do you want to not be the Last Airbender?"

"I do but…" "But what?"

Aang sighed and took a deep breath. "I will do whatever it takes to restore the Air Nation and the Airbenders."

Avatar Roku and Keno smiled. "Thank you Aang" Avatar Roku said.

"Farewell and good luck AVATAR!" Keno roared and boomed as the Spirit released an earsplitting roar that blasted Aang back dozens of feet. Avatar Roku and Keno's forms faded further and further away until Aang found himself sitting in the Fire Lord's Palace, in the chamber right outside the throne room.

"Aang" a female voice called. Aang stood and saw Katara walking towards him holding a box. "What are you doing sitting around? Zuko's waiting for us" Katara scolded.

"Uh yeah sorry" Aang apologized dazed. "Uh Avatar Roku called me to the Spirit World for something really important."

Katara no longer seemed annoyed with him. "Really, what?" she asked.

Aang was about to answer but then he realized something. "I should tell you when we're with Zuko. He really has to know about this too."

"Ok then let's go" she insisted, grabbing his hand and moving him forward.

"Oh yeah and Katara…" Aang started, thinking about what Keno said about any children he would ever have.

"What? Is something wrong Aang?" Katara asked kindly.

"Well…uh…" he stuttered nervously. "I….uh…" he smiled goofily. "…I just hope Zuko is going to like the gift we got him."

Katara kissed Aang on the cheek. "There's no need to be so worried. Let's go."

I guess it probably is too soon. Aang thought.