The flickering firelight cast long, dancing shadows across the faces gathered in Kanna's tent. Aang, still recovering from his century-long slumber, lay bundled in furs, occasionally stirring. Katara and Sokka sat opposite Alec, their expressions a mixture of awe and apprehension. Kanna, her wise eyes observing them all, broke the silence.
"The Avatar," Kanna began, her voice soft but resonant, "is the bridge between our world and the Spirit World. They are born into a cycle, mastering one element after another, destined to maintain balance. The cycle follows the seasons: Air, Water, Earth, Fire. The last Avatar, Avatar Roku, was a Firebender. This means the next Avatar would be an Airbender, then a Waterbender, then an Earthbender, and so on."
She paused, her gaze sweeping over Aang. "I heard him speak in his sleep. He mumbled his name, 'Aang.' And then, when Katara and Sokka helped him out of the ice, I saw the tattoos. The arrow on his head, the spirals on his arms and legs. These are the sacred markings of an Air Nomad master. There is no doubt. He is the Avatar, the Last Airbender."
A heavy silence descended upon the tent, punctuated only by the crackling fire. The weight of Kanna's words, the gravity of Aang's identity, settled upon them all. The world was at war, and its last hope was a child who had been asleep for a hundred years.
Kanna's gaze then shifted to Alec, her eyes piercing and knowing. "Alec," she said gently, her voice full of understanding. "You have told us much, but I sense there is more. Is there anything else you wish to share?"
Alec hesitated. The memories of Zuko, of Iroh, of the Fire Nation attack, still swirled in his mind, fragmented and confusing. He remembered the prejudice, the fear, the anger. He remembered the White Lotus token, he didn't know what is means but it was given by Iroh to him so it must be of some in future. But Kanna's eyes held no judgment, only a profound compassion. Her words, her presence, were a comforting balm to his troubled soul.
"Don't worry, child," Kanna said, sensing his internal struggle, her voice like a warm embrace. "Whatever it is, you are safe here. We are your family now."
Alec took a deep breath, the words tumbling out, hesitant at first, then gaining momentum. "I... I can bend more than just fire. I can bend water too."
Sokka gasped, nearly dropping his half-eaten fish jerky. "What?! You mean like Katara? You can waterbend?"
"Yes," Alec confirmed, a small, controlled stream of water appearing in his palm, swirling gently. He then extinguished it, and a small, vibrant flame danced in its place. "And fire. I can bend both."
Katara's eyes widened, a mixture of astonishment and a dawning understanding. The impossible sight she had witnessed earlier, the tears, the confusion – it all began to make a terrifying kind of sense. She had seen it with her own eyes, but now, seeing it again, consciously, was a different matter entirely.
"That's... that's impossible!" Sokka exclaimed, his jaw hanging open. "No one can bend two elements! Only the Avatar!"
"I know," Alec said, his voice heavy. "And I think... I think that's why the Fire Nation is after me. I think they saw me bending, and they believe I am the Avatar. The blue light, the power... they must have thought it was me. They probably don't even know about Aang yet."
He recounted, briefly, the confrontation at the Northern Air Temple, the Fire Nation attack, his dual bending display, and Zhao's accusations. He omitted the details of Zuko's internal conflict and Iroh's intervention, focusing on the Fire Nation's relentless pursuit and his own confusion.
Kanna listened intently, her expression thoughtful. "It is a dangerous burden you carry, Alec. To be mistaken for the Avatar, and to possess such unique abilities. But it also presents an opportunity. While they pursue you, Aang remains hidden."
She looked at Katara and Sokka, then back at Alec. "The world needs the Avatar, now more than ever. He is the only one who can end this war. But he is a child, and he has much to learn. He must master all four elements. And for that, he needs to travel. To the North Pole, to the Earth Kingdom, to the Fire Nation itself."
Katara, her eyes shining with determination, nodded. "We'll go with him. We'll protect him. I'll teach him waterbending."
"And I'll... I'll protect him too!" Sokka declared, brandishing his boomerang with renewed confidence. "And I'll make sure he doesn't get into too much trouble!"
Alec looked at the three of them – Katara, full of fierce resolve; Sokka, with his unwavering loyalty; and Aang, still sleeping peacefully, oblivious to the monumental task that awaited him. He thought of his own mission, given by a previous Avatar, to find the current one. He had found him. Now, his purpose was clear. He had to protect him, to guide him, to help him fulfill his destiny.
"I'll go too," Alec said, his voice firm. "My memories are still fragmented, but I know I have a connection to the Avatar. And I know the Fire Nation will stop at nothing to find him. I can help protect him. And perhaps, along the way, I can find the answers to my own past."
Kanna smiled, a gentle, knowing smile. "It is a long and perilous journey, children. But you are strong, and you have each other. The spirits will guide you. And katara take this necklace and bending scroll with you".
Just then, Aang stirred, his eyes fluttering open. He blinked, looking at the expectant faces gathered around him. "What... what have we agreed upon?" he asked, his voice still a little groggy, completely unaware that he had just become the centerpiece of a new, epic journey to save the world.