[Plot Topic] The Death of a King, the Rebirth of a God (Raiden and Owlan)

Owlan sat there, cross-legged in the murky darkness of death. He noticed that with each visitation from his ancestors the time he spent unconscious lessened significantly each time. Now he was blacked out for barely the length of a blink. Things were coming to Owlan; knowledge and realization. It was the knowledge of centuries, millennia. Knowledge and memories since time immemorial. From people he did not know, did not recognize. These were the combined memories and knowledge of his predecessors.

Owlan's, Raijin's, Kagutsuchi's, Susano'o's and....the first Spirit King. He had a name though...a life...memories. His father...brother, Katsu...Avatar Katsu, the first Avatar. Emperor Katsu, the first Emperor. From Nippon. Kumoji; that was his name. Kumoji. Interesting he--Owlan was not able to finish the scanning of his memories. He looked up and saw Honno-ji, the ancient Fire Lord, and second longest ruling. He was well into his 100s before he passed on. The Fire Lord ruled for 81 years, surpassed only by his father who ruled for 90 and originally preceded by his grandfather who ruled for 80 years.

Both men had children incredibly young; though not Honno-ji, for he had children young--well, younger than his predecessors at least. It was his grandchild who eventually succeeded the throne. Kouzai I. Honno-ji was old but not too old. Again, as he appeared in his prime. He looked down at Owlan, who gave a respectful bow and stood up with a new grace and ethereal manner than before. The powers of the Spirit King were slowly starting to cling to him. Owlan was slipping deeper into the point between the worlds. The plain of existence between both, the veil. The Spirit King existed in both realities at once, and that is what made him so powerful.

"Honno-ji," said Owlan respectfully as he bowed. Honno-ji returned the bow. "O Great Spirit King," he replied, "An honour to meet you...I had heard only legends in my day. The worlds were not yet one; it was my grandson." Owlan responded, not alone, but perhaps guided by the voices of the former Spirit Kings. "He was wise, and by bringing the Spirit World and myself closer to the Physical World, has helped it more than he knows," responded Owlan.

Honno-ji smiled with pride. Honno-ji had purportedly always been close with his grandson. Owlan was touched to see it was true. "What advice have you for me, Fire Lord?" asked Owlan calmly. Honno-ji nodded and returned to his staunch, level-headed gaze. "I warn you, nay, I beseech you. Do not take for granted everything you cherish. Do not wait too long to realize that you have everything you could ever need. Family, friends. It matter not. Companionship is all you really need. Cherish those around you while they live, and when they go they will never leave. Do not wait until you are as old as me to realize how much people should really have meant to you."

Owlan bowed. Respectfully thanking the Fire Lord for his time. These meetings were short; very short. To the point of being unbelievably so, but such was the way the Gods had willed it, and so Owlan would not complain. Honno-ji returned one last bow before disappearing back into the darkness and the fog, and Owlan returned to his seated meditation and rumination. He was becoming one with his new identity. The World Soul was opening to him.

More and more, the memories of past lives filled Owlan. Memories and feelings and thoughts. Owlan's personality was becoming altered by the World Soul that resided within his chest. More and more was he becoming the Spirit King, and less and less the original Owlan. Parts of him, the important parts, were still there, but his staunch nationalism, his express care for his country became muted. Replaced by a desire to protect all the world. Not just a single nation or people.

Owlan's demeanor upon meeting Fire Lord's calmed. He became more aware of his status, and thus greeted each Fire Lord like an old friend, not like one subservient to them. Each ancestor recognized this in Owlan, and approved. They bowed to each other, Owlan and the Fire Lords, and would begin their brief conversation before moving on. It had become normal.

Between conversations, Owlan meditated, and realized he existed between all planes of existence and worlds at once. Physical, Spiritual, Living and Dead. Owlan was in all of them at once. His eyes could see all. Both eyes saw Spiritual Energy in all its forms, but his right eye could see the Physical World for what it was, while the left eye saw the Spirit World at all times. Owlan learned what the Spirit World truly was.

It was not a separate plane of existence, but it was the Physical World. Or at least, the Physical World as it would be without the influence of humanity. The Physical World if all Spirits had remained in control. It was the world as it was supposed to be. How Spirits preferred it, and why they preferred to remain there primarily. It made sense when Owlan thought about it.

Owlan's meditations were interrupted by the arrival of another Fire Lord. This time, perhaps one of the most influential Fire Lords until the arrival of the Kouzais. Fire Lord Zuko himself, scar and all, stood before Owlan in his prime, in his youth, as he would've appeared to Aang and others who knew him when he was helping them defeat Ozai. "Spirit King," bowed Zuko respectfully.

"Fire Lord," returned Owlan with a low bow. The two straightened and looked at one another, examining each other. Before the time of Kouzai I, the Spirit King was but a myth, a legend no one was sure was real, only because the Shadow Lands had not yet existed. While the Spirit King was an accepted fact in Owlan's day, in Zuko's, it would be the equivalent of meeting a god or spirit. Zuko was honoured, but not so long as to forget his purpose.

"I bring knowledge and wisdom," he said finally with a small smile, "It is simple information, but invaluable nonetheless. Do not let your lineage, your predecessors define you. Do not seek others approval of yourself; simply be who you are. And above all, remember that your family does not define who you are, or will be. That works both ways though...as I'm sure you've seen with our lineage."

Owlan nodded. He knew full well what Zuko meant. The two bowed once more, bid farewell, and Zuko faded away as Owlan returned to his meditation and self-exploration into his new after-life.