Chapter Text
Chapter 1
The Weight of Stillness
The swamp was quiet tonight, in that strange - heavy way, like the air itself was holding it’s breath.
Toph sat with her back against the roots of an old tree, her legs stretched out, palms resting on the cool soil. She could still feel the faint vibrations of the world moving but now they were soft, fading like ripples of river stones that die out before they reach shore.
Her chest hurt with each breath, and not the kind of hurt you could push through.
She’d fought injuries before, through exhaustion, but this was different. She knew.
A smirk tugged at her lips. I always thought I’d go out in some big fight,not sitting here like some…old rock in the dirt. But that is who I am at the end of the day.
She titled her head back and just breathed in a long breath.
Her body ached in ways even earthbending couldn’t fix anymore. She had fought battles well past her prime, trained knuckle headed kids, and lived long enough to see the Avatar cycle twice. Now? Now it was just her and the swamp. And that was fine, she never needed a crowd.
Her feelings right now are confusing, she’ not quite scared, so this wasn’t fear she was feeling, fear was when Yakone bloodbended her - taking away her real sight, fear was when she couldn’t feel Sokka’s heartbeat anymore, so no this wasn’t fear.
It was almost peaceful, painful but somehow peaceful.
Her fingers dug into the dirt one last time, she focused, for the first time in so long she had to focus to feel, then she felt them - her Lin and Suyin, her next breath was smoother - it easier to inhale now that she knows that they are alright.
Feeling the pulse of the earth, steady, endless, unmoved by her leaving.
It has always been there for her, stronger and more constant than any person could be.
Guess I was never really alone, huh? The whole world has been under my feet the whole time.
The vibrations slipped away.
The world went still.
Toph Beifong, daughter, friend, mother, lawmaker, teacher, rebel, the greatest earthbender of all time, became part of the earth she loved.