Callan Stone and the Akashic Records

A surprise non-Saturday chapter, just because.

There's only one more chapter in this volume, when Callan returns to the Akashic Records.

Also, just so you guys are aware, I'm planning on Callan's power set to revolve around Chi, Spirit Energy, Magic (via magic cores), and Aura. One thing that's always been something of a pet peeve of mine for multiverse world-hopping stories, is the fact that they have these different power systems, but I don't see as much interaction or combinations between them. One of the main goals I wanted for this fanfic was to explore interesting interactions between power systems, so I don't want them to be stand alone powers that he has, but powers that work together and complement each other.

So if you have a cool idea, and feel like sharing, I'd love to hear them!

For example, Chi and Spirit Energy. I've already alluded to something being "spiritual," like the dirt from the spirit oasis in the Northern Water Tribe, makes it easier to bend, or transmit Chi into it.

(Word Count: 2,422)

When we met back up together by Appa, they told me all about how it went down inside the drill. Just as in the series, Sokka easily figured out the supporting struts were the "weak points" and they went to take those down. Since they had Toph along who could metalbend already, they easily tore through them.

When Azula's team discovered them, it was too late. Too many support beams were already destroyed to safely drill through the wall.

There wasn't anything else for us at the walls, so we flew on Appa directly to the Earth King's Palace. General Sung tried to make us wait so we could get an escort, but none of us wanted that. Appa couldn't fit inside a carriage after all. I did wonder how that would affect the timeline, since the Dai Li didn't have anything to blackmail the team with.

It would take us some time to get there, so I used this time to give the Gaang a warning.

"Before we go into the palace, there are some things that you should all know," I started.

They all looked at me curiously. "The Earth King is merely a puppet."

They looked confused. "What? He's not a real person?" Aang asked.

"Er, no. What I mean is, that the Earth King doesn't have any direct control over the Earth Kingdom. It only looks like he's the one making all of the decisions, but in reality, it's the Dai Li that controls things. Presumably, the Dai Li are only for protecting the 'culture' of the city, but they're actually a police force that takes in anyone that even hints at dissenting against the norm, or against what the Dai Li want. One of the things that the Dai Li insist upon, is that there is no war outside the walls of Ba Sing Se," I explained.

They all looked shocked at the sheer stupidity of it. "That's… How can they deny the war going on for more than a hundred years?" Katara was too shocked to be angry.

"Especially with all of the refugees making their way into the city?" Sokka added.

"Oh, don't get me wrong. I don't doubt that everyone knows about the war. It's impossible not to with all of the refugees entering the city. However, anyone mentioning the war will be taken by the Dai Li and brainwashed until they can't go against them. The only ones that might not know about the war would likely be the nobility in the city, since they live so far removed from the struggles of the common people. The Earth King for sure doesn't know about the war, since I doubt he's ever actually left the palace grounds. The Dai Li will have kept him as ignorant of it as they can."

"But… why? Why do that?" Aang asked sadly.

I shrugged. I didn't know the reasons. "I don't know. It helps them somehow, but I can't tell you how exactly. My best guess is population control, letting them believe that nothing can touch them inside the walls. However, you should all be prepared for when they try to deny you entrance to see the king. Telling him about the war is the last thing they will want you to do."

"Then we'll just have to bust the doors down!" Toph said angrily.

"Even if you can tell him, it's likely that he won't believe you. He'll want to trust his advisors that he grew up listening to more than you. Especially if you've fought your way to see him."

Sokka brightened up at a sudden idea. "Wait! If the king won't believe us, we can show him! The drill will still be there! It will take too long for anyone to move it, so we can take the Earth King to see the drill!"

I thought about it. In the series, the Gaang had stayed at Ba Sing Se for around a month before they got around to showing the Earth King. I didn't know how fast they could clean up the drill, but it did sound reasonable for teams of earthbenders to get it all cleaned up in that time frame. Here and now, I wasn't so sure they'd have the time.

"That does sound like a good plan. However, whatever you do, make sure you're not taken by the Dai Li. You may not return the same," I cautioned.

"Wait, why does it sound like you won't be there?" Toph asked.

I sighed. "Because I won't be. I think it's time that I say goodbye. I'll be heading beneath the palace to investigate some of the crystal caves. After that, I'll be leaving for the next world. I will come back, but I can't promise when that will be. It could be years before I come back."

"But what about the eclipse!?" Sokka asked angrily. "You have to help us with the invasion!"

"You should be able to secure the help of the Earth Kingdom, and the Water Tribes. You won't need my help. I believe you can all succeed in taking down the Fire Lord without me."

Sokka looked incredibly disappointed. My heart hurt for these young children being placed in this situation, but the best way I can be at least relatively sure that they'll turn out okay is if things go close to canon, keeping my changes minimal. If I continued making changes, I would have to take responsibility and stay to see things through to the end, but I couldn't afford spending too long in this world.

No one said anything as I gathered my pack and strapped my sword onto my back. Katara and Sokka looked angry and trying not to cry at the same time, Aang and Toph seemed to be more okay with me leaving.

"Well," Toph said, "I still want to see what other worlds look like, so you better be coming back." She punched me in the arm. It was how she shows she cares. 

I gave her a light shove back. "So long, Toph." Despite only having traveled together less than a week, Toph was probably the one I was closest to. Sokka being a close second. Our near-daily spars were the best moments here in this world.

Aang bowed respectfully, far more formal than he usually is. He was an excited young boy, but he had his moments of maturity. "Thank you for all of your help, Master Stone."

I gave a small Air Nomad bow in return. "Avatar Aang. It was my pleasure to know you. When you do face the Fire Lord, trust in yourself. You'll find the answer."

I turned to face Sokka and Katara. They were avoiding looking at me. "Sokka, Katara…" I tried thinking of what to say, but my mind blanked. I knew me leaving was probably reminding them of being left behind by their father when he went to war. Sokka was the closest thing I have to an apprentice. 

I sighed. "Sokka, if you're ever in the Fire Nation, there's a sword master by the name of Piandao. He's not a supporter of the Fire Lord, and he'd be willing to teach you. Probably better than I could. Give him this, and tell him I sent you." I took out the small pouch with the White Lotus tile. He finally looked at me, and accepted the pouch.

"Thank you, M-Master Stone," Sokka said. His voice cracked, and he started tearing up. He rushed forward and hugged me. I hugged him back.

"I just know you'll make everyone proud," I said.

Lastly, was Katara. She was probably the one I was most distant towards, given that I didn't want to do anything that might lead her on somehow. I really didn't know how to handle her. "Good luck, Katara," I said.

She opened her mouth to say something, but decided against it. Instead, she said "Goodbye, Callan."

I gave everyone one last look, then jumped off the back of Appa, falling backwards to stay facing them.

"Aaaah!" They all screamed, except Toph, and rushed to look over the side. I waved farewell and turned to face the ground.

As I was falling, I looked around. By now, we were already in the central walls. We were still a ways away from the Earth King's Palace, but we weren't above the busy city. The land here was just sparse manors and prestigious shops. To the right, I could see the large University of Ba Sing Se, and straight ahead in the distance was the Palace. I aimed towards a spacious bit of lawn in one of the manors.

When I hit the ground, I sank straight through deep into the ground as if I was diving into water. I used the ground to gradually bleed off my speed, until I eased to a stop about 30 feet below the surface, making sure to take a bubble of air down with me.

I don't know how long that bubble would last me, but there was no time to waste. I kept myself pointed towards the palace, angled slightly down to reach the caverns below, then began burrowing.

Less than 20 minutes later, the earth opened up to reveal a large cavernous room. shimmering in light from the crystals. This cavern was a beautiful mixture of nature and man made constructs. There was a large waterfall coming out from one of the cavern walls, and the river was diverted into several aqueducts, distributing the river around the entire place. It eventually all flowed back into one hole on the opposite side. Where that underground river went, who knew. Several large pillars acted as supports to the cavern room, though if it weren't for the fact that they were all in rows, I would have assumed they were natural. The walls were filled with dilapidated stone houses that had long been abandoned. Tunnels acted as roads to other caverns and housings.

The whole thing was overgrown with large glowing crystals.

It was beautiful.

This place used to be the old underground city of Ba Sing Se, before it had become what it was today. It was actually the glowing crystals that formed the city. These crystals were commonly used as light sources throughout the Earth Kingdom, making them valuable. The underground town was carved out by ancient earthbenders mining these crystals until the town grew into a large trading hub, then into the large Ba Sing Se.

Now, this place was used as a prison by the Dai Li and they gained the name of the Crystal Catacombs.

I walked down near the base of the waterfall, placed my pack against one of the stone pillars. I had come here to try out crystalbending. I didn't know whether or not this was its own official sub-style of bending, since it was only shown one time in the show. I didn't know what unique things I could do if crystalbending was its own thing, but I didn't want to leave without at least trying to get it.

I tried thinking of what set crystals apart from regular earth. So far from my understanding, I couldn't think of things from a "periodic table of elements" scientific point of view. It wasn't "Airbenders can bend Hydrogen, Helium, Oxygen, Nitrogen, etc. etc." Or "Earthbenders can bend silicates, oxides, Iron, Carbon, etc." 

None of that mattered. It was the spiritual perception of the elements that mattered. It was "earth is the supporting substance under our feet, the immovable mountains, etc." It's why earthbenders couldn't bend metal. Even my so-called metalbending wasn't bending the actual metal, it was bending the "earth" impurities inside of it. It's why metalbending didn't work on the industrial quality of the titanium machines seen in Legend of Korra.

Yes, metal came from the earth, but spiritually, it was seen as something different. Metal wasn't the "substance under our feet," it was the "tools used in farming, in killing, etc."

Sand was also just a bunch of tiny crystals, ground into the "sand" we know, but we don't really associate "sand" with "crystals" do we? Sandbending was its own thing.

So what set crystals apart, spiritually? It was valuable, for one. Gemstones, these glowing crystals, salts, etc. So it was opulent, and prestigious to have a lot.

I thought about how crystals were thought of back home. There were a lot of people that thought about healing crystals, or crystals that absorbed the "bad vibes" away from them, right? Some associated gemstones with the magical or mystical, maybe spiritual?

So maybe crystalbending, if it was indeed its own thing, represented the more spiritual aspects of earthbending.

Crystals were also formed by a uniform crystal lattice, so maybe it could also represent uniformity, unity, connection, or rigid order.

One way to find out. I faced the nearby cluster of crystals and tried to bend it. A chunk of it broke off and flew to my hand. I frowned in thought. It felt like when I was trying to bend the sand thinking like an earthbender. It worked, a bit, but I could tell I was missing something in the way I approached it. I would have to work on it.

I checked my system panel, and grinned. It was its own thing after all.

[Crystalbending LVL 1/100]

You can bend crystals to your will. A sub-bending style of the earthbenders.

Reduces Chi cost of crystalbending by 0.1%/LVL

Increases the control over crystals by 0.1%/LVL

Increases the amount of crystals you can move by 1%/LVL

With that, I had gotten all of the earth sub-bending styles that I could think of. Sand, metal, lava, and crystal.

I spent some time practicing the new bending style to familiarize myself with it. Falling in line with the healing crystal's and mysticism, crystalbending did better when I approached it with a spiritual mindset. It's probably why Aang did so well with it, he was raised with the spirituality of the Air Nomads.

Since crystals were "better" at spirituality, I assumed they would be better at Chi Healing, but it didn't work very well as a medium. The skin needed to absorb some of the minerals from the medium, allowing my Chi to enter into the patient's body.

As I was experimenting, I found that I could cause the crystals to ring loudly by passing through my chi like a current. Indirect soundbending through the crystals.

There's some potential there.