So the forest will grow back!" Katara said cheerfully after finding several acorns. "These are everywhere, it'll take a while but eventually there will be a ton of life here! Big, green and brown trees along with birds and animals!"
"Thanks Katara." Aang smiled softly at her as he looked around at the wasteland around him, her words inspiring new hope within him.
"Yeah, well...who the hell is that?" Harry asked upon seeing someone from a distance walking up towards them. The gang all stood up and stayed ready in case this man was intending to attack them, it didn't seem likely given that he was old and looked quite weak and was walking with a cane but they stayed on guard just in case, after all King Bumi had looked pretty weak at first. "Can we help you?" Harry asked once the old man was close enough.
"When I saw the flying bison, I thought it was impossible!" The old wanderer said as he stopped in front of Aang. "But, those markings... on your body...are you the Avatar, child?" He asked, sounding hopeful. Aang glanced at the others before nodding in response to the old man's question. "My village desperately needs your help!" He said.
"Well..." Harry said as they arrived in the village of Senlin just as the sun had set. "...this looks lovely." He said in a dry voice, looking around at the partially destroyed village. Most of the buildings were undamaged, while others looked like they had just been crashed into by a wrecking ball.
"Do you think now's really the time for jokes?" Katara whispered to Harry.
"Well...my coping mechanisms are limited to joking and burning, I prefer to use the former but I can always go back to the second one if you like." He said with mock sincerity. Katara rolled her eyes and lightly huffed but did not say anything else.
"This young person is the Avatar!" The old man had said after they had all entered the biggest building in the centre of the village, inside there were many people of various ages.
"So, the rumours of your return are true! It is the greatest honour of a lifetime to be in your presence." The Senlin Village leader said as he walked up to them, giving Aang a small but respectful bow. He smiled at Aang before he skipped past the other two and looked at Harry, his smile dimming slightly. "I...I had heard..." The man coughed and took a step back. "...that the 'Emerald Dragon' had been travelling with the Avatar, would I be correct in guessing that's you?" He asked, his voice shaking slightly.
"Nah, it's her." Harry said sarcastically as he gestured to her Katara.
"W...what? Really?" The man blinked, staring at Katara with evident disbelief.
"No, you clotpole." Harry said rolling his eyes. "Let's try this again, I am Harry, also known as the 'Emerald Dragon', bringer of burning, green death, now start talking before I bring some burning, green death." Harry said.
"I...ah...of course." The man quickly nodded.
"I'm sorry about my friend, he can be a bit grumpy sometimes." Aang said with a cheeky grin. "So...anything I can help you guys with?"
"Hmm...maybe..." The man hummed thoughtfully.
"Our village is under attack," The old man said, shaking his head slightly. "For the last few days at sunset, a spirit monster comes and attacks our village. He is Hei Bai, the black and white spirit."
"And you're sure it's a spirit that's causing all of this?" Harry asked.
"Very." The old man nodded firmly.
"Okay...well...why is it attacking you?" Sokka asked.
"We do not know, but each of the last three nights, he has abducted one of our own. We are especially fearful because the winter solstice draws near." The leader replied.
"What happens then?" Katara asked, looking like she wasn't sure if she really wanted to know.
"As the solstice approaches, the natural world and the Spirit World grow closer and closer until the line between them is blurred completely." The old man answered.
"Hei Bai is already causing devastation and destruction. Once the solstice is here, there's no telling what will happen." The leader replied.
"So...what do you guys want us to do?" Sokka asked.
"The three of you can assist however you like, but it is the Avatar's help we are hoping for." The leader replied.
"Me?" Aang blinked. "What do you want me to do to help?" He asked.
"Who better to resolve a crisis between our world and the Spirit World than the Avatar himself? You are the great bridge between man and spirits." The old man said in a way that made it clear he thought this was common knowledge that everyone knows.
"Right..." Aang paused. "...that's me...the great bridge..."
"Hey great bridge guy, could I talk to you over here for a second?" Katara asked before leading Aang away to a window while Sokka and Harry followed. "Aang, you seem a little unsure about all of this." Katara said.
"Yeah, that might be because I don't know anything at all about the Spirit World. It's not like there's someone to teach me this stuff!" Aang said, running a hand over his bald head.
"Fair enough." Harry nodded. "What do you want to do now?" Harry asked.
"I'm not totally sure if I can help these guys," Aang admitted. "but...I'm going to try at least. Maybe whatever I have to do will just ... come to me." He finished with a shrug, looking quite hopeful.
"I believe in you, Aang." Katara said with a kind, reassuring smile.
"Yeah..." Sokka said before pausing. "...we're all going to get eaten by a spirit monster."
"Hmm, you might." Harry said. "I fully intend to let it eat you so I have more time to escape."
"You're an asshole."
"Hmm, yeah."
Near sunset. Aang steps outside the centre building and walks to the entrance of the village before he stops, he takes a deep breath before he begins waiting for the Hei Bai spirit.
"Hello, Spirit? Can you hear me? This is the Avatar speaking. I'm here to try to help stuff." He called out loudly.
"This is bullshit." Harry said as he and the others were waiting in the centre building. "We should be helping him, not leaving him to face a monster on his own."
"It seems to be happening an increasing number of times but I agree with the fire jerk over here." Sokka said.
"If anyone can save us then it's the Avatar." The old man replied
"You mean the twelve year old? Powerful as all hell but still twelve?" Harry asked, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.
"The sun has set." Aang spoke after what he felt was a very long time of waiting. "Where are you, Hei Bai? Well ... spirit ... uhhh ... I hereby ask you to please leave this village in peace." He said before he spins his staff and sticks it down with as much authority as he can muster. "Okay ... well ... I guess that's settled, then." He said happily before turning and walking away.
"Aang!" Harry's voice called out. "Look behind you! Now!"
"Huh?" Aang blinked before he stopped turned back, only to gulp as he found himself facing Hei Bai, a very, very big six-legged, black-and-white monster. "You must be the Hei Bai spirit. My name is..." Aang began, only to be interrupted as the spirit roared and unleashed a blast of energy into the air before moving past him and starting to destroy building. "Hey! Wait!" Aang called out before he chased after it and began trying to talk to it. He'd have been given an 'A' for his efforts, but not for his results since the spirit seemed to be ignoring him. "Please, would you stop destroying things and listen? I'm trying to do my job as spirit bridge! Excuse me, would please turn around? I command you to turn around now!" Aang shouted. The command doesn't appear to work as a second later the spirit hits Aang and sends him flying to the roof of another building.
"Right, enough waiting." Harry said, Sokka nodded in agreement before the two of them rushed out of the building, ignoring the calls from the others.
"Back off, ugly!" Sokka called out.
"Guys! Go back!" Aang shouted.
"We'll fight him together!" Sokka replied as they stopped a short distance away from the spirit.
"Because it really looks like you need the help." Harry said, his fists lighting up with fire. In that moment it was almost as if a switch had been pressed, the Hei Bai spirit stopped destroying the village and narrowed its gaze as it focused on Harry, or more specifically the fire coming from his hands. It roared before charging towards them.
"Oh great, now it's pissed off!" Sokka said, tensing as he held his boomerang and club in his hands.
"I've fought worse." Harry said, taking a fighting stance.
"What could be worse than that?!" Sokka blurted out as he gestured to the charging spirit.
"I once fought a sixty foot snake with the most dangerous venom known to mankind and the ability to kill someone with just a single look." Harry replied. "And that was with just a sword." Harry added, ignoring the look he was getting from Sokka.
"Wait, stop!" Aang said, jumping in-between them and the spirit. "You don't need to do this!" He said to Hei Bai. "I..." Aang abandoned whatever he was about to say in favour of making an air shield which blocked an attack from the angry spirit but was not unable to stop him from being sent flying over another building.
"Bless his little heart for trying." Harry said as he fired a fire blast at the spirit who had simply brushed it off and kept charging. Once it was close enough it raised one of its giant limbs and attempted to squash them both, luckily Harry and Sokka were able to roll out of the way and avoid the attack. Harry quickly got back to his feet and sent an even stronger fire blast, the spirit let out a screech as this time it appeared to have actually suffered damage.
It roared and tried to swing at Harry who managed to dodge his attack before responding with another fireblast, meanwhile Sokka threw his boomerang at the creature, though he might as well have thrown it at a brick wall given how effective his attack was, the boomerang bounced off of the spirit and fell straight to the floor.
"Damn it." Sokka sighed before looking down at his club, he looked back up in time to see the spirit grab him and pick him up. Hei Bai turned his attention back to Harry and fired an energy blast at him. Harry jumped out of the way, using fire blasts from his feet to help push himself to safety, except he never quite reached saftey since the Hei Bai spirit had been smart enough to anticipate his move and grabbed him out of the air.
"Bitch!" Harry blurted out before he and Sokka found themselves holding on for dear life as the spirit ran as fast as it could away from the village, running at speeds that were especially impressive given how big it was. Harry had been able to see Aang flying after them using his glider but quickly reverted his attention back to the spirit that was carrying him. Harry was tempted to use one of his stronger attacks but knew that if he did then he would risk hurting himself or Sokka given how close they were to the spirit.
Harry quickly fired a decently strong fire blast at the spirit, it roared in pain but did not drop him or Sokka. Harry barely noticed the fact that they had just now exited the forest and were now back in the burnt down waste land from before. Harry was about to fire another blast when the spirit reached a bear-like statue, before Harry could do anything, he and Sokka felt the world around them shift.
"Crap baskets," Harry shook his head as he opened his eyes and saw that Sokka was lying with him, "thank god we're not in a bed." He said to himself before he sat up and shook Sokka awake. "Yo...dickhead...wake up."
"W...what happened?" Sokka blinked as he woke up. "where are we?"
"Well...I think we should have taken the left turn at Albuquerque." Harry said as he looked around.
"Huh?" Sokka asked intelligently.
"A joke, don't ask." Harry said as he looked around, they seemed to be in some sort of forest but there was something different about it. "Can you feel that?" Harry asked.
"Feel what?" Sokka replied as they both stood up.
"This forest is not normal, there's something weird about...well...all of this." Harry said as he gestured around.
"I don't know, maybe this is some bending thing but the weirdest thing that..." Sokka began, only to suddenly trail off. "..um...Harry, behind you." He said, shaking slightly. Harry looked behind himself and saw an animal approaching.
Harry found himself used to animal combinations such as mongoose-lizards, Koala-sheep and turtle ducks, he was also used to many magical creatures not born in this world. Despite that he was very surprised when he saw the creature that was walking towards them.
To many it had quite a disturbing appearance, so much so that it could be considered sinister and spooky. It had a big, bony figure and a dragon-like faced which bore white, glittering eyes that lacked both expression and pupils.
It had a horse's body but didn't look much like a horse. It possessed big, black, leathery wings that were more similar to those of bats. It was completely fleshless, its coat stuck to its body in a way that let you see every bone.
"What…what is that?" Sokka said, taking a step back.
"A thestral." Harry breathed out with disbelief.
"Harry Potter," The creature spoke loudly in clear human words. "it's a pleasure to see you here, welcome...to the spirit world."