Chapter 65: Into the Alpha Ruins

As soon as Ash stepped into the Alpha Ruins, a chill ran up his spine. Airia followed, looking nervous, and Windfur bounced in after them. They were in a circular room; ahead there lay two paths.
"Which do we take?" Ash asked, walking up to the one on the left; immediately he felt a rush of hatred and anger and jumped back. "Oh, that must be the Darkbender side..." he muttered. He then turned to the right and began to enter it; Ash felt calmness and happiness. "Here, this is the Peacebender side."
Airia followed Ash in. "Are you nervous at all?" she asked.
"Um...a little bit," Ash muttered.
The room magically lit up and it wasn't so dark anymore. Ash looked at the wall - there were weird symbols and drawings written on it and Ash couldn't understand what it meant. "What are these things?" Ash asked.
"They're hieroglyphics!" exclaimed Windfur, bounding forward in front of them. "Here, this is what it says...

Bending was given to four animals - a cougar, who looked like fire; a winged wolf, the only survivor the the Zambu Tribe, who looked like water; a cat, who looked like earth; and the final, an owl, who looked like the air. They found the Alpha Ruins and sat at the Mother Stones. Spirittiger, leader of the Spirits, granted them their Bending powers and enabled them to be able to teach animals of the land Bending, whoever they wanted to teach they could teach. The ones they taught would be called apprentices. The apprentices would be allowed to choose the power they desired. However, if they chose a Bending style they were not destined for, they would still have to seek what Bending they were meant to have. 

Ash looked at Windfur. "You can read that?"
"Yeah! Part of my training at the Air Temples," Windfur boasted.

I wish I could read hieroglyphics, thought Ash regretfully, looking at the markings on the wall. "And what's the Zambu Tribe?"
"Right here," Windfur nodded at some hieroglyphics next to the tale of how Bending began. "I'll read it..."

The Zambu Tribe was a Tribe of winged wolves. Winged wolves ruled the land before the Benders came along, but were all wiped out. Only one survived, as he was destined to help with Bending. All winged wolves today are descendant from the first Waterbender, Majaka. Majaka's mate, Peril, was a female wolf without wings, although their child inherited Majaka's wings.

"Airia!" Ash turned to her. "You're descendant from Majaka?"
"Yes," Airia nodded.

"That's awesome!" Windfur beamed.

"What else is on the walls here?" Ash asked.

"Prophecies," Windfur replied.  "Ooh, here's one..."

The moon is full. An animal lurks. The animal, pure evil himself, is out to strike. The fallen fire will rise and defeat the evil.

"Is that your prophecy?" Airia whispered to Ash.

"Uh...yeah," Ash nodded.

"Oh! We should get to the Mother Stones," Windfur said.

"We're going to the Mother Stones?" Airia asked, wide-eyed.

"Duh, how else is Ash supposed to talk with the Peacebenders?" Windfur snorted.

Airia sighed. "Okay...are we going or not?"
Windfur puffed her chest out. "Follow me," she said, walking down the tunnel. Ash followed, and Airia walked alongside Ash, looking scared.

"What are you scared about?" Ash asked Airia.

"N-Nothing," Airia replied; Ash could tell she was lying.

"You know you're lying to your leader," Ash pointed out.

"I have a right to not say what I don't want to say," Airia insisted.

Ash sighed and shook his head. I'll get it out of her sooner or later.

"The Mother Stones are in here," Windfur nodded sideways to a hole in the cave wall. "Follow me. Oh, and by the way, no talking when we get inside there. Considered rude."
Ash sighed. This is it. He stepped into the room, where a sudden chill washed over him. He looked in front of him and saw four big stones. That was them, the Mother Stones. Ash opened his mouth to ask a question, but quickly shut it, staring at the Stones. He turned to Windfur and made a meaningful look: What do we do?

Windfur then walked in place, and sat down and stared off.

What the--? Ash thought, but Airia bumped him and nodded at the Stones. Ash then tried doing what Windfur was demonstrating, he sat down at the biggest Stone and stared at it.

Apparently, Windfur was right, because just then, the room faded around Ash and revealed Peacebender territory.

This time, Spirittiger was there, along with Goldwing, Airwing, Feather, Cloudsky, Susan, and a cougar who looked like fire. That's the first Firebender? Ash thought, looking at the cougar round-eyed.

"Yes, I am the first Firebender," the cougar confirmed. "You are Ash? I am Synor."

"But...Firebenders are evil," Ash said, puzzled.

"Synor wasn't evil," Goldwing shook his head. "His grandson became evil."
Ash sighed. "Why am I to be at the Mother Stones when you can just visit me in my dreams?"
"Because the Alpha Ruins has a lot you can discover, Ash," replied Airwing. "You will find some useful things in these Ruins. You know, the prophecy saying you'd defeat Ironfang was written hundreds of moons ago. You just weren't going to be born  for a while."

"Anyway," Feather stepped forward. "Ash, before you enter the Fire Nation, you all need training."
"Why's that?" Ash asked.

"First off, you had Streak, Nzuri and Patch apprenticed and they haven't done any learning. Secondly, you need to be prepared. The Firebenders could do anything to win. They're very ambitious," Cloudsky explained.

"I should know," Synor muttered. "Summoning the Dragon of Time, who does that?"
"Excuse me?" Ash gave Synor a look..

"Ironfang has the Dragon of Time," Synor replied, narrowing his eyes. 

"The what?" Ash cocked his head.

Synor sighed. "You really know nothing, do you? The Dragon of Time helps to guard Yin and Yang--"
"What's Yin and Yang?" Ash asked.

"You'll find out later," Susan interrupted. "Can we cut to the chase or what?"

Feather gave Susan a look before turning to Ash. "You are supposed to defeat Ironfang."
"Um, I kind of know that already," Ash said.

"But you still need the Water Tribe," Feather said. 

"I can't go all the way back--" 

"They'll meet you outside the Forest of Spirits," Feather went on. "But you also need to find the Tribe of Flying Birds, Ash."

"But!...I can't go all the way back there. Besides, no one told me I needed help from them!" Ash protested.

"You don't just need Benders. Besides," Cloudsky said, "the Tribe of Flying Birds have a bone to pick with the Firebenders too."
"I cannot go all the way back to their territory, Cloudsky. We're close to the Fire Nation!" Ash exclaimed.

"Don't worry. You won't have to," Cloudsky replied.
"What do you--"

"Now, you need to know how you're supposed to defeat Ironfang," Goldwing said.

Ash nodded.

Spirittiger stepped forward. "When the strongest metal delivers its final blow it will be sheathed in darkness. Sparks will ignite an unlikely fire who will burn the metal."
Ash looked at Spirittiger, round-eyed. "Excuse me?"
The world suddenly began fading around Ash.

"There's got to be more!" Ash protested. "Why am I here if that's all you're--"
Ash then woke up beside the Mother Stones.

Windfur nodded sideways towards the exit.

As Ash turned to leave, Spirittiger suddenly came through the walls. "Airia? The Peacebenders would like a word with you. Come to the Mother Stones, child."
Airia looked from Spirittiger to Ash, and then walked to the Mother Stones, looking reluctant. She stared at it and then her eyes closed and she lay down.

"You, come with me," Spirittiger ran at Ash and ran in circles around him, faster and faster, until Ash awoke on top of a mountain.

Author's Note:
Supsensssse.

Who can decipher that prophecy? .3.