The Spirit World

How is it that even though it is the Avatar spirit that is reincarnated, we can always find every past avatar in the Spirit World? This fic examines how this can be.

Disclaimer:  Avatar: the Last Airbender or Avatar: the Legend of Aang and all things related are property of Nickelodeon, a division of Viacom International.  I am not making any profit off of this work in any way, shape or form.

Katara walked into the room very quietly, knowing that her husband, Aang, was meditating.  When she entered, she saw that his tattoos and eyes were glowing…

 

Aang had just entered into the Spirit World in search of his past life:  Avatar Roku.  He had a question that was intriguing and bothering him.  It kept attacking him while he was off completing his duties as the Avatar.  It was time to find out the answer to this annoying question.

 

Aang entered the realm of Hei Bai.  There he saw his past life conversing with his animal guide:  Fang.   The tattooed man approached the wiser, more ancient being who had reigned before him in the physical world.

 

“Roku!” Aang called out.

 

The Fire Nation Avatar looked up and saw his successor standing before him and smiled.  It had been a long time since Avatar Aang had sought out his advice and wisdom.  Truth be told, Roku was the most proud being that could have ever lived right now as he looked upon his successor and saw the history he faced in his eyes and being.

 

“Aang!  It is good to see you again.  Ten years is a long time to not visit your mentor,” Roku replied with a smile.

 

Aang returned the smile and bowed respectfully.  “Roku, I have a question that has been bothering me for a while.”

 

Roku motioned for him to continue.

 

“Every single being that has ever existed knows that the Avatar is the spirit of the world incarnate in human form.  If that is the case, then how is it that every Avatar that has ever existed is in the Spirit World?  If the spirit of the Avatar is constantly reincarnated, then how can each past Avatar be found in the Spirit World?”

 

Roku appeared thoughtful as he pondered over his successor’s question.  He had to admit that Aang had grown extremely wise since he had last seen him.  Even he, during the height of his power, had never thought about this confusing occurrence.

 

The Fire Avatar spoke slowly, “I do not know for sure Aang.  However, I do believe that the answer lies in the difference between spirit and soul.  The right person to ask of this would be Avatar Yangchen.  As you know, she is often considered one of the greatest Avatars to ever live; her wisdom and power have never been matched.  Come, let us seek her out.”

 

After he finished, Roku mounted on Fang and motioned for Aang to get on behind him.  Aang obeyed without question.  After some time, the two Avatars found themselves in view of Avatar Yangchen’s abode atop Mount Hansai.  As they neared, they could see the past female Avatar feeding the birds that sat next to her.  She looked up as two of her successors approached on a red dragon and smiled.  It had been a while since either Roku or Aang had come to seek her out.

 

As they landed, Avatar Yangchen approached them.  Roku and Aang bowed before her in their traditional way:  the Fire nation bow for Roku and Air Nomad bow for Aang.

 

“Welcome to my humble abode Avatar Roku…  Avatar Aang…  What brings you here?”

 

Roku responded, “We apologize for interrupting your peace and quiet Avatar Yangchen but Aang here has just asked me a question that I felt you could provide a more accurate response for.”

 

Yangchen raised her eyebrow, “Is that so, then what is this question Avatar Aang?”

 

Aang asked the same question that he had asked Roku upon his entrance into the Spirit World.

 

Yangchen sat down in her previous position and pondered the question that had been posed to her.  “That is a very important question Avatar Aang.  However, the answer is very complex.  I suppose that we should begin with the very first Avatar:  Prathama.

 

“In the beginning, Prathama was the only thing that ever existed, and then he created the universe and the worlds.  He designed the mortal world to reflect the Spirit World.  Eventually, he would create the other spirits and humans.  At first, there were no human benders.  However, the laws of the universe would not allow this.  Soon, humans began to learn how to command their elements.  The earth benders learned from badger-moles, the fire benders learned from the dragons, the airbenders learned from the sky bison, and the water benders would eventually learn from the Ocean and Moon spirits themselves.

 

“Now, understandably, this was not an easy task in and of itself.  One this that helped the new benders along was the fact that they know how to bend the energy in their body.  You yourself have done this Aang as you know when you took away Ozai’s and Azula’s bending.  However, as human nature is what it is, these new powers would eventually be abused by the people.

 

“Soon war ensued between the benders and the non-benders.  This was eventually reflected in the Spirit World.  The spirit of peace, Matra, was weakening, her powers were becoming weaker and weaker as the mortal world continued to war.  At this time, Prathama ruled over both the Spirit World and Mortal World with no opposition.  However, he had fallen in love with Matra and was torn apart by her passing.  If the war continued for any longer, she would be gone for good.  Finally, he made a decision:  He himself would go down to the mortal world and end the war once and for all.

 

“Prathama stripped himself of his mortality and went down to the physical world.  In a mortal body, he mastered the elements himself and eventually put an end to the war.  After he did this, he took on the duties of not only being the Spirit of the World, but the Spirit of Balance as well.  For without evil, there will never be good, but balance must be kept between these two forces if the world is to survive.

 

“Matra, the Spirit of Peace that he had fallen in love with eventually recovered after the war was put to an end.  She was heart-broken that Prathama had stripped himself of his immortality in order to protect her.  She decided that the only thing that least she could do to thank him was also go to the mortal world to at least live the life she had left with him in the fullest.

 

“She did so and eventually it had almost come the time when Prathama’s and Matra’s reign would end.  They both knew that after death, they would have to return to the Spirit World.  However, after stripping themselves of their immortality, they had cursed themselves so that their spirit could never return to its home eternally.

 

“Then Tao, the Spirit of Existence appeared before them and told them that while their spirits were to cursed to only enter the Spirit World for short periods of time, their souls could return to their home.  However, unless they, both Spirit and Soul, of both Matra and Prathama unite, Existence would always be cursed.

 

“Prathama and Matra were overjoyed to hear that at least their soul could return home.  They agreed that they should be reincarnated until humanity reached its ultimate potential.  And so the Avatar Cycle was created.”

 

Yangchen finished but Aang now had another question, “Wait, Yangchen, you said both Prathama and Matra are reincarnated.  Then who is Matra right now?”

 

Yangchen gave a sad smile as she replied, “Matra would be reincarnated always as the love of the Avatar, never once leaving his or her side.  It was Balance and Peace, constantly working together, always in eternal love.  Only once has an Avatar been denied their love and it is often considered that this reign is the most peaceful of all.”

 

Aang faced showed his confusion, “Who was it?”

 

Yangchen did not respond but her eyes betrayed her sad longing.

 

“It was you wasn’t it?”  Roku asked softly.

 

“Yes,” the past, wise Avatar responded, “it was I.  I asked why it was so.  The universe knew that eventually an Avatar would come who would live past the normal one lifetime.  And for that, I was denied the pleasure of true love.  But I do not regret anything that has happened.  I am happy to have lived the way I had.  And Aang, you should not regret anything you have done either.  You had done what was necessary in order for you to reach your destiny.”

 

Aang was taken aback as he heard this.  Then thinking back to his days at the Southern Air Temple, he did remember meeting a young girl his age once when the Air Council was in session.  He recalled that she was very pretty and looked somewhat similar to Ta Min and Katara.  He looked up to see his two past lives looking at him with caution in their eyes.

 

Aang bowed, “Thank you Avatar Yangchen, Avatar Roku.  You do not know what it means to me that you have given me this knowledge.  But I do not understand one thing.  What is the difference between Spirit and Soul?”

 

Yangchen replied, “I think you know Aang.”

 

After a pause Aang said slowly, “A Spirit is the ethereal form of a physical being or form.”

 

Yangchen nodded.  “Indeed, that is correct.”

 

“So, if that’s the case, then the soul is the heart and mind of the physical being.”

“That is quite close, not completely correct, but quite close.  It’s very difficult to convey what a ‘soul’ is in words.”

 

“Thank you Avatar Yangchen.”  Aang replied after a moment of contemplation.  Then the Avatar turned and vanished in a blue flash of light from the Spirit World

Author's Note

So what do you guys think? I appreciate review. :P