Avatar: Nemesis Rising

[Etherion Fenix]

As you you both peer through the port holes, an Engineer once more steps into the room. Through the usual bowing he looks grim as he reports. First Jia Lin, then Vaan spots it on the horizon.
"The Captain reports black cloud stretching across the sky like vast pinions. Lightning is constantly flashing as well and so the Captain expects our journey to get significantly bumpy." Now if his face was visible, doubt would cloud the engineers face. "Also, the keen sighted navigator says that their is a giant hawk shaped bird at the head of the cloud."

[Calarion Sapherior]

"I am no airbender, but flying in a storm sounds like a bad idea! Especially if that storm is out to get us!" Jia Lin said.

[Eldacar]

"This is no ordinary storm," Vaan said, shaking his head at the engineer and at Jia. It was all falling into place now - the feeling, and now the description, confirmed to him the identity of the spirit. "It's a spirit being, from the spirit world. The one I sensed," he explained. "A hawk-shaped bird, the thunder, the storm clouds..." his mouth twisted slightly. "It is Lei Shen, the Thunder God. It is what brings storms, the cause of the thunder and lightning. But why it would be angry... I don't know. It just is." His brow furrowed worriedly.

[Calarion Sapherior]

"Right now, that doesn't matter. Right now, what matters is finding shelter before it decides to use us as a lightning rod!" Jia Lin replied.

[Eldacar]

"Agreed. Can we land?" Vaan directed his query towards the engineer. Landing would get them out of the skies and hopefully towards shelter. "I would rather not risk the wrath of an angry sky-spirit in its natural element."

[Luna Guardian]

Loosening the strings on his bag of earth, Zhuàng thrust his hand into it, clenching a fistful of dirt and rocks. Looking at the stormclouds, Zhuàng spoke up "Could be that it's not interested in us" he said hopefully.

[Eldacar]

"It's coming in our direction," Vaan pointed out. "It might not be interested in us, but I doubt it, really."

[Etherion Fenix]

The engineer looked exasperated, if he wasn't wearing a full face mask. "Land where? We're still at least a half hour from land!"
For the first time Li-Aang spoke. "Tie down anything and everything that's loose. Tell the Captain to climb as high as possible over it. Everyone else, prepare for a very bumpy ride."
The ministers and officials looked terribly worriedly at each other while the engineer rapidly bowed and departed.

[Eldacar]

I hadn't thought we were still that far, Vaan thought. This will get worse before it gets better. "If there were airbenders on the ship," he mused, more to himself than to anybody else, "it might be possible to work with them and lessen the effect of the storm. But that leaves the lightning still. And I don't think I can do it alone, especially against the Thunder God." He had to do something. Why was the spirit so angry? If it was coming for them, what had compelled it to do so? He moved towards a viewing deck, trying to think of a reason why. Did it have something to do with their mission?

[Luna Guardian]

"Isn't lightning more in the firebenders' domain anyways?" Zhuàng asked Vaan. Turning to Li-Aang he spoke "If the sky-spirit attacks us, we're going to have to fight it. If it comes to that, can your engineers bring me coal to use against it? I've heard that you use it to make these airships fly"

[Etherion Fenix]

"There are no Airbenders aboard, they returned back to the Avatar."
He turned to Zhuang. "Fighting a god?" Li-Aang spoke almost distractedly. "I don't think father did anything quite like that." He looked rather bemused now. "If you wish for coal, then you will have to head back to the engine room. Should be easy enough to find."

[Luna Guardian]

Bowing to Li-Aang, Zhuàng spoke caught up in his own thoughts of fighting the thunder god "Thank you your Highness. I'd also need an outdoor platform in order to use my earthbending, unless the sky-spirit enters the airship. Do you think it'd do that?" Zhuàng asked Vaan as an afterthought. "That'd give us an edge, maybe"

[Eldacar]

"It's a spirit," Vaan said patiently, "a part of the balance of this world. We can't fight it - attempting to hurt or kill it could damage the entire world, and I won't do that. Neither will you, if you understand the importance of the balance. What we should do is find out why Lei Shen is so angry, and calm it down. Not everything needs to be met with force."

[Luna Guardian]

"I agree, everything shouldn't be met with force, but when something charges at me angry and is fully capable of causing harm to me or those around me, I'll pick up the challenge" Zhuàng replied

[Eldacar]

"You would only damage the balance if you were to try and kill it," Vaan tried to explain again, patiently. "You would hurt not only yourself, but everybody else in the world. Have you ever heard the tale of when Zhao of the Fire Nation killed the Moon Spirit? Were it not for the sacrifice of Yue, the balance could have been irreparably damaged. We will do better to avoid or placate Lei Shen, not to be foolish enough to attack him."

[Calarion Sapherior]

Jia Lin rolled her eyes with exasperation as Zhuang spoke. If his foolishness was an act, it was a very good act...

"Vaan, you can sense spirits? Can you communicate with them as well? Or do we talk to it normally?" Jia Lin asked.

[Eldacar]

"I can sense them, yes," he replied. He didn't normally tell others this, but given their situation, it seemed prudent to do so. "It was how I realised that something was wrong, initially. But I am no Avatar, merely... sensitive, I suppose the word is, more in tune with the emanations of the spirit world. I do not know if I will be able to communicate with a spirit in the way that Avatar Aang could, or if we can simply speak with Lei Shen normally. I have never encountered the Thunder God before."

[Calarion Sapherior]

"Logically, I see two options. We can either try talk to the spirit to get out of this alive... or we can try pray to the spirits to get out of this alive. I prefer the former."

[Etherion Fenix]

As you moved through the craft it was a hive of activity, people tying down what they could as the Airship started climbing further into the sky. The next time the horizon was spotted the black roiling cloud seemed to fill the entire sky ahead. Lei Shen was now very visible, with lightning flash from its eyes and thunder breaking at every beat of its wings.

[Eldacar]

"This promises to be interesting," Vaan said under his breath as he started heading towards the top of the ship, searching for an open space where he could address the spirit. Perhaps not the best decision he had ever made, he thought, but they were out of options. They couldn't fight it, and they were unlikely to be able to ride it out if, as he suspected, it was coming for them.

[Luna Guardian]

Zhuàng realized that fighting a sky-spirit, especially in it's natural element, would be about as useful as a nonbender attacking a mountain with a pickaxe. However, if the sky-spirit would attack them, he'd be damned if he didn't go down fighting. Rushing our of the door, he shouted over his shoulder "I'll go get some coal, meet you at the top".

If Vaan could reason with the thing, good. But if he couldn't, maybe Zhuàng could "encourage" it to leave them alone. "And who knows, maybe Jia Lin would see that" he said to himself, smiling

[Etherion Fenix]

Vaan & Jia Lin:
As you move and climb through the structure to the top, the craft groans and lurches suddenly to the right before correcting itself once more. Everyone firmly gripping to the rails continues on. As you make it to the top and climb out, the great eagle shape of Lei Shen flaps before you. The wind buffets you down flat as towers of black cloud flash by. Clouds are pulled together by its wingbeats, the sound of thunder made by its wings clapping, sheet lightning the light flashing from its eyes when it blinks. It sees you and lets out a great cry that pierces the sky.

Zhuang:
Engineers and other quickly moved out of the way as the large Earthbender barreled down the ship to the engines. At one point the craft groans and lurches suddenly to the right before correcting itself once more. Even on metal your firm footing keeps you vertical. As you burst into the engine room, people are moving to secure the engines while coal lies scattered across the floor.

[Luna Guardian]

"I'll take this" Zhuàng said to no-one in particular as he bended a pile of coal into a large ball about as big as Zhuàng himself. "I hope you don't mind" he said, grinning to an astounded engineer as he left with his coalball and headed for the top.

[Etherion Fenix]

Zhuang:
As the coal ball forms a great cry pierces through the ship, several of the men slapping their hands to their ears against the noise.

[Eldacar]

Vaan twisted his face in pain as he clapped his hands to his ears. "Lei Shen!" he shouted, half desperately. "Thunder God, I would speak with you! Please!"

[Calarion Sapherior]

Jia Lin winced with pain and almost lost her balance. Wind tore at her long braid, flailing it about so that it almost struck Vaan in the face. Rain tore at her skin painfully. There was nothing she could do here - the temperature was so cold that she knew bending would be difficult. She was relying on Vaan, hoping that he could do something, because if he could not, then nothing that she or Zhuang could do would save them.

[Etherion Fenix]

Those fathomless eyes looked at them and through them. A voice spoke, though the sound passed no ears. "For that which was taken, claimed back when it should not. So we shall claim back in this world!" It's vast wings slapping together in a flash of lightning and boom of thunder. As sight and sound returned all that remained was a dozen balls of lightning, floating, then flying, taking the shape of that which had come before. Some making for the engines, others for the under side of the airship.

[Calarion Sapherior]

That which was taken... Taken from the spirits? No, not taken; taken back. Jia Lin's mind began working swiftly. She did not know if Lei Shan would respond now he had changed form, but in the hope that he would, she called out, "Lei Shan! Tell us what has been taken! Let us help restore it!"

[Eldacar]

"Let us help you!" Vaan added, desperately blinking rapidly to try and win back his sight as quickly as possible. He could barely hear Jia or indeed his own voice over the ringing noise in his ears, and it was a struggle to simply stand upright in the maelstrom. "Please! You do not have to do this!"

[Etherion Fenix]

Vaan & Jia Lin:
There was no reply, no feeling of Lei Shen before you. Simply the small ball lightning forms drifting away. Three of them hung around one of the engines, wings unfurling far, a light thrum in the air and then all three discharged a bolt of lightning at the rotating engine blades, it exploded.

Zhuang:
As Zhuang passed through the airship to head to the top, one of the ball lightning Lei Shen’s glided silently through the window. Wings unfurling far, a light thrum in the air and then it discharged a bolt of lightning at the ship, rupturing a steam pipe.