Chapter 66: Mountain of the Guardians

Ash looked around. Where am I? 
The mountain Ash was on rose very high above the ground. The sun was setting, casting blood-red stains throughout the sky. Ash looked around for Spirittiger, and saw him laying down next to Ash, looking off into the distance. "Do you know where we are, Ash?" Spirittiger asked calmly.
Ash shook his head.
"This is the Mountain of the Guardians," Spirittiger replied. "You know what a Guardian is, right?"
Ash nodded; a Guardian was the spirit that looked over you while you lived on Earth. When an animal died, its Guardian joined them which accepted it into the Peacebenders. However, evil animals' Guardians go to the Darkbenders, and that's what makes the evil animals join the Darkbenders instead.
"Yes. I want you to watch what happens here...secrets will be revealed to you," Spirittiger said, sitting up.
What secrets? Ash wondered. His stomach then lurched; perhaps he was going to learn about this past, where he came from. Ash looked around, expecting something to happen, but all that happened was a breeze swept by, ruffling Ash's pelt. Spirittiger still sat there quietly.
"Um--" Ash began, but suddenly he jumped as Airia appeared next to him, followed by an old-looking winged wolf. "Airia?" Ash looked at her, but she didn't respond.
"She does not know you are here," Spirittiger answered.
"You know the Firebenders are after you, Airia," said the winged wolf.
"Majaka, I know," Airia muttered. "Just because you're my great, great--"
"Not for that reason," Majaka shook his head. "I was a living Guardian, Airia. I walked on the land as a Guardian. They called me the 'Earth Guardian'; I was to protect the Earth while the Spirit Guardians guarded from the skies. If the Earth Guardian dies, the land can go out of balance from not being watched over."
Ash grew wide-eyed. What did this mean?
"The Firebenders want you," Majaka went on, "told hold you hostage. And that way, all the animals will surrender. They'll threaten to use you to destroy the world. Because of this, Goldwing and Airwing watch you very closely."
Ash turned to Spirittiger. "Is that why--?"
"Yes," Spirittiger nodded. "You were told to guard Airia with your life because of this. If she dies...the world goes with it."
"B-But why is that?" Ash asked. "I don't want her to die..."
"I know you don't," Spirittiger responded. "You must guard her. Protect her. Keep Firebenders away from her."
"But the Firebenders were after Goldwing and Airwing, too," Ash pointed out. "Are they also--?"
"They used to be. But the youngest descendant of Majaka becomes the Earth Guardian; this is so they are not too old to be an Earth Guardian," Spirittiger explained. "That's why Majaka found it important to have a mate; this was so the Earth Guardian could live on."
"You are to be with Ash, Airia," said Majaka calmly.
Ash's heart began pounding. What?
"What?" Airia said.
"The Earth Guardian must live on," Majaka murmured. "And he'll look after you well."
"But--" Airia began.
"Are there any other choices?" Majaka asked.
"Guess you're right," Airia sighed.
"You are reluctant about this?" Majaka questioned.
"No. It's fine," Airia gave a weak smile. "Thanks, Majaka."
"The Peacebenders watch over you, Airia," Majaka whispered.
With that, the world began to fade.
Ash woke up on the ground of the Alpha Ruins. Windfur was busy chasing her own tail, obviously she had gotten bored. Ash's eyes darted to Airia first thing; she was just waking up, her eyes opening slowly.
"You're--You're--" Ash began.
Airia gave Ash a look. "Excuse me?"
"You're the Earth Guardian?" Ash managed.
"You were watching?" Airia cocked her head.
"Yeah, I was," Ash nodded.
"Hey! No talking!" Windfur exclaimed, but quickly put her tail over her mouth.
"It is fine," said a voice; Ash jumped in alarm but saw it was only Spirittiger, he was laying on the Mother Stones. "Your meetings are over, you may talk as you please now and are free to leave the Alpha Ruins whenever you want."
"Thanks Spirittiger," Ash nodded.
The three of them then left the room.
"So you saw the whole meeting?" Airia looked at Ash.
"What whole meeting?" Windfur asked, although she was ignored.
Ash nodded. "Yes; from the minute Majaka said the Firebenders were after you."
"And the ending--"
"Mm-hm," Ash said.
Airia sighed. "At least it's you, though. I mean, I wouldn't want it to be Dust or someone else..."
"Yeah," Ash laughed.
"What are we talking about?" Windfur demanded.
Ash glanced at some hieroglyphics on the wall.
"Ooh, these are interesting!" Windfur bounded forward. "Here, I'll read them..."

After the magic of teaching Bending to anyone wore off, it is thought that only family members of the Benders could learn Bending. Each apprentice who finds one of the Bending places is related to a Bender. Non-Benders cannot find the Bending places. 

"Wait a minute..." Ash whispered. "This means one of my parents were Benders."

"Really?" Airia said. "Well, you know a bit about your parents, then!"
"But...supposedly...my parents were both loners..." Ash murmured.

"Maybe one of them left to become a loner?" Airia suggested.

"Or it could be your grandfather or grandmother or someone," shrugged Windfur.

Ash was puzzled; because of this news, he barely noticed where his paws were taking him and didn't say farewell to Spirittiger as he opened the tomb for them. Who in my family was a Bender? Ash asked himself over and over, trotting through the Forest of Spirits and ignoring the spirits zipping by.

They then exited the Forest of Spirits; The Bending Tower and Earth Kingdom were waiting for them outside.

"Well?" Rusty asked, trotting forward.

"Meeting!" Ash called, preparing himself to tell everyone the news.

Everyone gathered around in front of Ash; Rusty stood by his side, Windfur on Ash's other side, and Quake and Raven sat nearby, though not at the front.

"We went into the Alpha Ruins," Ash began, "and I talked to the Peacebenders."
With this, a few murmurs came from The Bending Tower section.

"They told me we need to prepare," Ash went on, as the animals talking her hushed by others nearby, "I was told that before we do face the Fire Nation, we need to train and prepare. We also need the Water Tribe to help us."
"Where is the Water Tribe?" called Slice.

"The Peacebenders said we'd meet them outside the Forest," Ash said, confused.

"Did someone call the Water Tribe?"
Ash looked; just then, a blue tiger came from the small woods nearby, followed by a black hawk. Some other animals followed, and Ash's heart leapt as he recognized the tiger. "Bluefall!" he exclaimed.

All the animals turned around; Dust looked at the tiger. "Hey, it is Bluefall!"
"Hi!" Rusty called, grinning.

Back when Ash and the others travelled to the Water Tribe, Bluefall was among the first Waterbenders they met; Ash always admired her for her strength and how loyal she was.

"But where's Waterstreak?" Slice blurted out.

Ash scanned the animals. Where was Waterstreak?

Bluefall sighed. "I have bad news. Waterstreak died...he was killed from starvation, as he was refusing to eat. He was going slightly insane from grief...he had lost his sister-in-law, Feather, and his own nephew almost killed him...his only family left is Swiftwing." She nodded at the hawk next to her, "who is now my second in command."

Silence followed this. Ash's heart sank. He had grown close to Waterstreak, and had known him as a very happy leader, one who could master any situation and was very wise; it was Waterstreak who told Ash he had to defeat Ironfang. 

"We're sorry for your loss," was all Ash could manage.

"Thank you, but this doesn't mean the Water Tribe is weak," Bluefall insisted. "We're still as strong as ever."

"What are we doing now?" Swiftwing asked.

"We're going to train for a few days before facing the Fire Nation," Ash replied. "We should be safe here. The Peacebenders told me to have us train everyone - even the full Benders, elders and the young - before facing the Fire Nation. Everyone must be prepared."

"How will we do this?" Quake asked.

Ash thought for a bit, and then an idea arrived to him. "We'll set up stations," he said, recalling the last day of Kabu training everyone really hard back when Ash was an apprentice, "each Bending place will have their own stations. For The Bending Tower, our first station will be the Bending station...Rusty, Dust and Charlotte can run that. You three, find a spot."
With that, Rusty, Dust and Charlotte trotted off.

"Next will be an herb station. It may be useful to learn about a few herbs just in case," Ash said, "although not all of them. Eclipse and Nightgale can run that station."
Eclipse and Nightgale - Nightgale looking very excited - both walked off to prepare.

"Fighting station will be next," Ash continued. "That will be run by..." he scanned the animals, trying to find who he thought were some of the best fighters. "Stone, Darner and River."

Stone, Darner and River nodded and set off to find a spot for the station.

"Next we'll do a hiding and spying station," Ash decided. He looked at everyone, trying to find some animals good at that. "Raoul, Firefly and Spots." He made a long journey; Spots will probably know a lot about fighting, Ash told himself.

The three of them then trotted off.

"Any other suggestions?" Ash asked, believing he probably got it all down.

No one replied.

"Alright," Ash said. "Everyone is participating. Break up, Bending Tower, and choose which station you want to go to first, but if it's too packed go to a different station. Everyone will be taking turns. And apprentices, same group as your mentors."

With that, The Bending Tower headed for their stations.

"Oh, Quake, it's you're turn," Ash nodded, trotting off to watch the groups.

Author's Note:
Fun chapter. :3

I deleted my two stories - sorry about that. D: If you want to own them, though, go here: [link]

And I plan on making two new stories to replace them, so check my profile often. ;)