Avatar: The Search for Aang
Chapter 1 – The Secret
Water.
Earth.
Fire.
Air.
After one hundred years of war, the world is finally at peace. With the Avatar's return, the Fire Nation was defeated and balance was restored. It's been twenty years since then, and while old hatreds are hard to forget, the war is quickly becoming just a memory. Or so we thought.
My friends and I discovered something we shouldn't have. Now we're on the run, away from our home and with few to trust. All three of us wish that it hadn't happened, that our lives hadn't been turned upside down. But we can't give up, because if we fail, the Avatar will fall.
And without Avatar Aang, the war will return.
The clouds outside were lovely. Gentle shapes drifted without a care across the sapphire sky, carried by a gentle breeze that made the warm day all the more pleasant. The streets of Shin Duan were busy, as the citizens made the best of the day. Children ran past adults as they played another game, laughing as they carelessly weaved their way through the crowds. The adults smiled tolerantly and continued their conversations, too far away to be understood. The bustling sounds of the marketplace drifted on the breeze, as merchants peddled their wares and haggled with customers. All in all, it was a wonderful day.
Then why, Nuan wondered as he sighed again, am I stuck in here?
"Nuan! Pay attention!" a nasal voice shrieked, accompanied by the sound of a hand slamming against wood. The sudden noise made the fourteen year old jump in his seat, and he tore his gaze from the window back inside.
"You will get nowhere unless you change your attitude, young man!" his teacher continued, terse with anger. "Knowledge is a privilege, not a gift! It is your duty to learn!"
The boy fixed his teacher with the most bored look he could muster. The man was impossible. As far as teachers went, Master Li was as bad as they came, in Nuan's opinion. Slim and sickly, with a thin grey moustache that drooped down to his chest, he looked like a relic from centuries past. He rarely even moved from his seat at the head of the class, except for discipline. He acted like a relic too, always going on about the importance of history and the lessons to be learned from it. It was as if the man lived for the past, because it seemed as if the history lessons lasted three times as long as any others. It wouldn't have been so bad if the man's voice weren't so aggravating. It made every student in class wince every time he opened his mouth, and wish they were anywhere but in class.
Of course, the class itself didn't help. With twenty desks, lined up in four rows, and the teacher's seat at the head of the room, it would have been comfortable if the room had been designed to hold that many people.
"Now," the teacher continued as he shifted in his seat, red robes moving to accommodate, "what can you tell me about the Hundred Year War?"
Nuan rolled his eyes. "It lasted a hundred years?"
The elder's moustache twitched and his gaze became even more hostile. "Besides that."
"It began with the Fire Lord Sozin, who had built up his military in secret, then wiped out the Airbenders in order to kill the new Avatar. His successors then went on to conquer a good chunk of the Earth Kingdom, and by the time Ozai came to power, the world was nearly his. Then, the Avatar returned, defeated him, and everyone lived happily ever after."
"Commentary aside," Master Li said, disdain dripping from his words, "that is a decent, if brief, summary. Would anyone like to add to it?"
A hand shot up from the back rows, and he nodded. "Yes, Zhu?"
A girl dressed in red garments stood, golden eyes framed by brown hair. "Most people forget that it wasn't the Avatar alone who ended the war. Though he did defeat Ozai, others helped him in order to make it possible. One example would be Fire Lord Zuko."
Nuan smirked. Typical Zhu, he thought. Though the war had ended twenty years ago, people from the Fire Nation were still unpopular. Old hatreds were hard to forget, especially after a hundred years of war. Yet Zhu always tried to show that not every Fire Nation citizen had supported Ozai, nor resented their defeat. She still had to deal with the usual taunts and jeers that any other Fire citizen received, but she always seemed to brush it off without a scratch.
"Yes, that is true. Anyone else?" Master Li asked, eyes scanning the room. "Yong, what do you think?"
Everyone in the class turned to look at the boy, including Nuan. This ought to be good, he thought, snickering inside. If quiet had a name, it would be Yong. He rarely spoke, mostly keeping to himself. His green eyes, matching his simple clothes, often stared off into space, lost in thought. What he thought about, no one knew, but there was one thing everyone could agree on. The kid was weird.
Looking up from his doodles, the sandy-haired youth shook his head.
Li's eyes narrowed. "I asked you a question young man."
Yong shrugged, then returned to his creation, adding another stroke of the brush.
The teacher shook his head as everyone returned their attention to the front. "Fine, play dumb if you so wish. It will get you nowhere, in the end."
Nuan glanced back and saw the smirk that played across Yong's lips.
"Alright, children, one last question. What did Avatar Aang accomplish after the defeat of Ozai?"
One of Nuan's classmates raised his hand. "The rebuilding of the Air Temples?" he said, uncertain.
Master Li nodded. "Yes, what else?"
"The council of elements, which was made to help avoid future wars between the nations?" Another added.
"Yes, and lastly?"
"The founding of Shin Duan," a quiet voice answered.
The elder glared at Yong, who smiled back.
"Correct. I will see you all tomorrow, then," the old man said. He rose from his seat and gave a slight bow to his students. "You are dismissed."
Nuan sighed in relief and rose from his seat.
"Nuan, come forward please."
The youth froze. He glanced over at Zhu and Yong, both looking at him questioningly.
"Wait up, okay?" he said to them.
She nodded, shooting a concerned look at teacher before heading out the door. Yong gave him a smirk before he followed suit.
Nuan cautiously approached the front of the class. "Yes, Master Li?"
"This is the fourth time I've caught you daydreaming, young man," the elder said, mustache twitching. "How can you expect to do well if you do not focus on your studies?"
He shrugged. "I don't. This stuff is boring."
The youth could have sworn he saw the teacher's eyes blaze before settling into a cold stare. "The past is something to learn from, Nuan, and we retell it for that reason. The war was a tragedy. The Air Nomads were wiped out, the Water Tribes were decimated and tens of thousands of lives both from the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation were lost thanks to one man's dream of glory."
"Yeah, well, it's over, and everything's pretty much back to the way it was," Nuan countered.
"Not everything," Li said with a shake of his head. "One hundred years of death and destruction are not soon forgotten, and it will take twice that time before harmony returns to our world."
Nuan looked away, exhaling. "Whatever. Can I go yet?"
Master Li's stare became colder, but he nodded. "You had better learn that it is your duty to remember the past, Nuan, or you will make the same mistakes. You may go now."
He bowed, then walked out of class. The moment he disappeared from sight, he rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, you and your 'duty' are driving me nuts," he muttered to himself as he gathered his things.
By the time Nuan had gotten his belongings together and left the school, he found Zhu and Yong waiting for him by the gates. Zhu was idly snapping her fingers, causing a small flame to erupt each time. Yong was sitting on the ground, painting as always.
"You know, one of these days, you'll drive that man crazy," Zhu warned as Nuan walked past the two, exiting the school grounds. She pushed off of the wall and caught up with him, matching his slow stride. Yong followed suit a moment later, when he realized that his friends were already on their way home.
"Yeah, well, I'm just returning the favour," he replied.
"He's not that boring."
Nuan rolled his eyes. "What do you think, Yong?" he asked.
Yong looked up from the ground and shrugged.
Zhu sighed. "Would it kill you to talk more?"
"It might," he replied with a slight smile.
"So, what're we going to do today?" Nuan asked, eyes alight.
"Sorry," Zhu replied. "I have my firebending lessons today."
Nuan looked at Yong, who grimaced. "Apprenticeship."
"How's that coming, anyway?" Nuan asked.
"What? Oh. Good."
"I honestly can't believe you're taking after your father. A merchant, of all things," Zhu said, her voice betraying a hint of disgust.
"Well, it's not like he can bend anything, right?" Nuan replied. Poor guy, he thought as he walked, can't even…
Suddenly, Nuan found himself being tossed onto the ground, hard. He landed flat on his back, which didn't like this abuse one bit. He looked up, only to find Zhu glaring down at him.
"What?" he asked.
"That was uncalled for!" she shouted, her voice making the boy cringe.
"What'd I say?"
"Guys," Yong interrupted, silencing Zhu before she could further berate Nuan, "it's alright. We've been over this. It's no big deal."
Nuan sat up, his right hand rubbing his sore back. "Actually, it is kind of a big deal."
"Are you sure you can't bend?" Zhu asked, sending a glare to the waterbender. "I mean, what if you just need more time?"
"If I haven't by now, I never will," Yong replied, stating it like a fact.
Zhu gave him a smile and put her hand on his shoulder. "That's okay. You're fine the way you are."
Yong shrugged, but a faint grin broke across his face nonetheless. "Thanks."
"But don't you ever wish you could? Even just a little?"
"What, so he can doodle on everything that's made of rock?" Nuan said as he stood up, brushing the dirt off of his clothes. "He'd probably tear up half of Shin Duan by the end of the day."
Zhu was about to throw him to the ground again, but a chuckle from Yong made her stop. "He's right," he said.
They paused at a fountain in a smaller town square, surrounded by small shops and eateries. Nuan eased into his stance, and took a breath. With a quick gesture, a handful of water slowly floated out of the basin and into his palm. "I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't bend. It's amazing when you think of all the things you can do." To emphasize his point, he moved his arms in a circular motion, and the water froze, forming a sphere. He then tossed the ball of ice to Zhu, who caught it with ease.
"I know what you mean," she said as she walked over to the fountain and held the sphere over the water. A small flame erupted from her hand and enveloped it. The ball of ice quickly melted out of her palm and returned to its home.
"Well, guess this is where we part ways," Nuan said, looking down a narrow street to the west. "Hey Zhu, you want me to walk you to your house? I know how rough things can get in the Fire Quarter these days."
"You're a real gentleman," Zhu replied, rolling her eyes, "but I think little old me can manage just fine. Besides, you'd just start fights and I have to be on time, or my master will use me as a practice dummy."
Nuan laughed. "Take care, Zhu."
She smirked. "See you guys tomorrow," she said as she turned and began to walk down the narrow street.
Nuan watched her go and sighed to himself. He heard Yong chuckle.
"It's not what you think," he said, eyes narrowing as he glared at the sandy-haired boy.
His friend gave him a look.
Nuan held his glare for a few seconds before looking away and sighing again. "Okay, maybe it is what you think."
Yong broke into a grin, then tried to suppress it.
"Shut up," Nuan replied, making a face. Then, a thought occurred to him. "Hey, do you know if...?"
His friend shook his head.
"No as in 'She doesn't' or no as in 'I don't know'?"
Yong merely laid a hand on Nuan's shoulder, then walked off down a wide street that led east.
Nuan's eyes bore into his shrinking form before he lost sight of him. He glanced about, watching as shopkeepers began to close their businesses and the steady rush of people began to wane. With a third and final sigh, he turned north and walked along the cobblestone road, wondering what Yong knew that he didn't.
The next day was an ugly day. A grey sky had moved in, shading the city and dulling everything within sight. It seemed to Nuan like every ounce of liveliness and warmth had been sucked out by the hideous weather. His walk to school had seemed empty without the usual bustle in the streets. It was as though everyone were too discouraged by the weather to venture outside. By the time he had arrived at the school and found his way to his classroom, he felt uneasy. Something was wrong. He couldn't shake the feeling, even though it had no basis in fact. He knew he was superstitious, but he also knew that such feelings were usually unfounded. Still, his mind refused to let it go.
He fidgeted and drummed his fingers on his desk's wooden surface. It had been ten minutes since he had assumed his seat at his desk and there was no sign of Master Li. Nuan looked around at his fellow students, who had taken the opportunity to talk to their friends as they waited for their tardy teacher. Everyone he knew to be in his class was there.
The boy frowned and his sense of unease grew. So I'm not early, he thought, his fingers tapping his desk in anxiety.
A man walked in, and Nuan recognized him as one of the administrators of the school. He made his way to the head of the class, adjusted his plain brown robes and cleared his throat.
"Master Li has fallen ill today," he said. "It's been decided that you'll have the day off for yourselves. Just be here all the earlier tomorrow."
His announcement was met by cheers and murmured thanks to the spirits. Nuan pumped his fist and smiled. A day to spend as he wished definitely qualified as an excellent day. His superstitions proved again that they were nothing more than a passing feeling.
He followed the students as they made their way out of the school, their chatter echoing through the halls.
As he exited, Nuan noticed Yong fall into step beside him, grinning.
"Great way to start the day," the sandy-haired boy remarked.
"Yeah, you've got to love free days."
A moment later, Zhu caught up to them as they exited the school grounds. Her eyes sparkled with glee. "So, what's the plan?" she asked.
Nuan thought for a moment, then grinned. "Jasmine Dragon?"
"As long as you're paying," she replied with a smile of her own.
His grin turned into a scowl. "Fine," he muttered.
The walk there was uneventful and short, though their chatter made it seem all the shorter. In only a few moments, they arrived at the small tea shop, only a stone's throw from the market. It wasn't hard to miss. Its ornate tiled roof and open window made it stand out against the simple wooden shops around it. The enticing scent of a variety of exotic spices and teas only became more pronounced as they entered. The shop itself was simple enough, the stone floor absorbing the light from the wall-mounted candles. There were a few patrons scattered across the couple dozen tables and a few servers trying to look busy, but the place was almost empty. Even the kitchen at the back of the shop seemed to be abandoned, as little noise filtered through the solitary door.
"You'd think with the weather like this, there would be more people," Zhu remarked as they sat at a secluded table in the far corner.
"Did you even notice how hideous it is outside?" Nuan said. "I'm surprised anyone at all decided to go anywhere."
They were interrupted by the soft sound of a thin stack of paper dropping onto the table. Nuan glanced at Yong, who had taken his drawing materials out of his pack and set his ink and brush out carefully in order.
"Honestly," Nuan asked, "do you ever stop?"
Yong shot him a look before dipping his brush into the dark liquid. He then applied a swift curved stroke to the page, followed by several others.
"What's got you so touchy?" Zhu asked the waterbender as Yong continued.
"Something just feels... wrong."
"What do you mean?"
"You remember two years ago, when I had a bad feeling for no apparent reason, and then my brother ran off? It's exactly like that."
Zhu sighed. "Nuan, that was a one time thing. Do you know how many times you said you had a bad feeling, and nothing happened?"
"There's bad feelings, and then there's the bad feeling."
"You've said that every other time too."
Nuan bit his lip and looked away. "Maybe you're right. Maybe I'm just overreacting."
Yong chuckled, as he let another serpentine stroke of ink adorn his developing picture. "Superstitious, more like it."
Nuan snorted. "Am not."
Zhu arched an eyebrow. "What about that time you thought you saw the cloud in the shape of a skull?"
"Hey, I was eight! And it was a flaming sword!"
"Made of evil cottony clouds," Yong replied between strokes.
"Let's just get some tea, okay?" Zhu said, one hand reaching out to push Nuan back into his seat as he tried to rise. "Speaking of which, no one's waited on us."
Nuan frowned. "That's weird. Usually, they're right on top of us, even on a busy day."
"I'm going to go try to get some service," she said, rising from her seat and making her way to one of the servers.
Nuan watched her go for a moment, then let his eyes drop to look at Yong's painting. An elegant dragon curled about in a loop, its wings flat against its back as it circled.
"Looks nice," he said, not knowing what else to say.
Yong nodded absently as he began to make small, quick strokes, adding scales to the surface his creation.
"You probably think I'm crazy for thinking something bad is going to happen, don't you?"
He got no response as his friend continued his work.
"You aren't even listening, are you?"
Silence.
"Figures. Too wrapped up in your imagination. I guess you won't mind if I keep talking, will you?"
Yong continued, focused on the strokes of his brush.
Nuan glanced at Zhu, who seemed to be having a discussion with the shop owner. "You think I have a chance with her?"
The sound of bristle on paper answered him.
"I mean, she's my friend, and I'm glad she is, but sometimes I think it'd be easier if she weren't. That way, things wouldn't get awkward or anything." He chuckled. "But then again, you wouldn't know the feeling, now would you?"
Another stroke added a bit of detail to one of the dragon's wings.
"It'd be nice to get some answers," he joked.
Yong suddenly raised one finger. He finished the other wing, set his brush down and sighed. "Yes, yes, no, maybe, and definitely yes. Did I answer everything?"
Nuan sat in shock for a few seconds before letting a small chuckle escape his throat. "Yeah. Thanks for listening, I guess."
Yong shrugged before picking up his brush again.
Nuan shook his head and smirked. Then something clicked. "Wait, 'definitely yes'? What's…"
"Finally!" Zhu said, sitting down and setting three cups on the table. "It's like these guys don't even know how to make tea!"
"What do you mean?" Nuan asked.
"It just took longer than it should. You'd think they'd be used to serving tea quickly, especially seeing how popular this place is."
Yong looked up from his creation. "Maybe they're new."
"Yeah, that makes sense. What better day to train the new guys than when business is slow?" Nuan said.
"Which one's mine?" Yong asked, putting his drawings aside.
Zhu wordlessly handed him one of the white china cups, which Yong took and sipped cautiously. He made a face.
"That bad, huh?" she asked.
"You're such a wuss," Nuan said, laughing as he raised his cup to his lips. He took one gulp and started to sputter. "Okay, maybe it is that bad," he muttered.
Zhu began to giggle, one hand clutching at her middle. "You should have seen your face!" she managed to get out between laughs. Yong soon followed suit after having tried to hold in his mirth.
But Nuan was no longer paying them any heed. The door of the teashop had opened, letting a cold draft seep in. A man dressed in plain green garments and ragged, yellowed bandana closed the door behind him. He hurried to the counter and waited until the shop owner approached. The nagging feeling at the back of his mind intensified. For some reason, the man looked familiar. While Zhu and Yong began to settle down from their laughter, Nuan strained his ears.
"Can I help you?" the owner asked, barely audible to the waterbender.
"I'm one of the new employees,' the newcomer said, "Here to help our business flourish."
Nuan froze. That voice was more than familiar to him.
It belonged to Master Li.
Nuan stared at the man. He didn't have the long, wispy moustache of his teacher, and a newly acquired slouch, but the voice left no doubt. It was Master Li, dressed as a common man on the street.
"Ah, yes, I remember you," the owner replied with a smile. "Head on back to the kitchen and go see the tea master."
"My thanks," Li said with a small bow. He then made his way to the kitchen door, opened it and disappeared as it closed behind him.
"Guys," Nuan whispered to the other two, "That guy who just came in? That was our teacher!"
"Right," Zhu replied with a roll of her eyes and a subtle smirk. "You're seeing things."
Yong glanced at the kitchen door, and frowned. "Isn't he sick?"
"I don't know! All I know is that he's now working in the kitchen, making tea!"
Zhu began to laugh again, until she caught sight of his glare. "You're not joking."
"Would I joke about something like this?"
Yong gave him a look.
"Come on! I'm telling you that it's him!"
"And how do you know?" Zhu asked.
"Do you know anyone else who talks like this?" he asked, imitating Li's voice as best as he could.
Zhu opened her mouth, then shut it. "Okay, so maybe it is him. What's your point?"
"He just said he worked here!"
Zhu made a face. "So what?"
"Look, something's weird, okay? Why would our teacher, an old relic who loves nothing more than to make people miserable, be working at the best tea shop in town?"
Zhu shrugged. "Maybe it's a hobby."
"Or maybe he's trying to pay off a debt," Yong added.
Nuan shook his head. "No, something's up."
"You're paranoid," Zhu said, facepalming. Suddenly, she frowned and looked over at one of the servers, who was cleaning a serving platter.
"What? What is it?" Nuan asked.
Zhu's eyes blinked, then widened. "That guy has a dagger!"
Yong gave her a look. "Okay, this isn't funny."
"No, really! And it's not a small one either!"
Yong glanced over his shoulder, then made a face. "The guy's wearing robes."
"Wait, I see it too. See the slit down the side?" Nuan said, eyes narrowing. He watched as the man turned to set down the tray. A small glint of steel flashed through the small opening in his garment.
Zhu nodded, her eyes moving about the room in a subtle sweep. "Same thing with the other guys."
"Okay, seriously, this isn't funny anymore," Yong stated, his eyes hardening.
"Yong, just look at them!" Zhu hissed. "Do they look like they're tea servers?"
The sandy-haired boy turned his head and looked. "Not really."
"What do they look like then?"
Yong's eyes focused on the table as he thought. "Soldiers," he answered after a moment.
"What makes you say that?" Nuan asked, hunching over slightly.
Yong gave him a look. "Dad taught me how to 'size up a sale'."
Nuan blinked. "Meaning…?"
He sighed. "Soldiers act different from regular people," he said.
"How can you tell?" Zhu asked.
"They walk straighter. Plus, they usually have a look in their eye that says they run the place. Those guys don't look too friendly."
"See?" Nuan said in a hushed tone. "I told you something felt wrong!"
"Well, what do we do now?" Zhu replied.
Nuan didn't know. They could go to the city guard and report this, but something told him that would just end badly. The disguised soldiers would probably come up with some excuse that the guards would buy, and then he'd get in a bunch of trouble he didn't need. Then an idea crossed his mind. A very fun idea.
"We follow Li and see what he's up to!" he said, smirking.
His words were followed by a dumb silence, then simultaneous facepalming
"Hey, I don't care what you guys think, I'm going."
"Oh yeah? And how are you getting in without Muscles and his two friends spotting you first?" Zhu asked, jerking her head at a rather large server.
Nuan grinned. "How else?"
Zhu winced. "Oh no."
"Not again," Yong muttered.
"You know what to do," Nuan said.
Yong and Zhu looked at each other, then sighed. Yong rolled his eyes as he deliberately spilt Zhu's tea onto her lap.
"Augh!" she screamed, standing up and gesturing theatrically. "Look what you did, you klutz!"
"Klutz, am I?" Yong shouted back as he stood as well. "Well, maybe if you were a bit brighter, you would've known not to sit next to me!"
"Are you saying that I'm stupid?"
"You aren't? You could have fooled me!"
The commotion began to draw the attention of the few patrons there, as well as all the disguised soldiers. Two rushed over, both trying to calm the two down, the muscular one saying behind the counter, but this only made Yong and Zhu argue all the louder. Finally, after a good bit of shouting, the third guard walked over to try to solve the problem. Nuan smirked as he quietly snuck behind the three and made his way to the kitchen door. With a quick look over his shoulder to confirm that no one was looking, he opened it and stepped through.
The kitchen was larger than Nuan had thought it would be. It was cleaner as well. But what he noticed most was the fact that no one was within sight. He frowned. What kind of teashop has no one making tea? He thought as he began to look around. Stained tea cups and pristine tea pots lined the shelves, which sat above wood stoves that were without fuel. The island counter in the middle of the room was clean and empty of any signs of tea preparation. Obviously, this room hadn't seen much use today.
And then Nuan saw it. At first, he thought it was just a simple, if hideous rug, but upon closer inspection, it had been draped on top of something. Something square. He picked up a corner of the rug and tossed it aside. Underneath laid a wooden trap door.
He nodded to himself, smirking. "I'm definitely onto something," he said to himself as he opened it.
A narrow passage led down about fifteen feet, from what Nuan could see, with a single wooden ladder placed on one side. Smiling excitedly, Nuan climbed down onto it and shut the door above him. He slid down the ladder and landed quietly. He found himself in an elongated room, lined with all sorts of crates and barrels and light by simple, wall-mounted torches.
Great, he thought, I found their store room.
His ears, however, picked up the muffled sounds of voices. He glanced down at the end of the corridor, where an old wooden door stood. Light flicked through the cracks around its edges, and shadows passed to and fro, drawing Nuan closer.
"Impossible," he heard a deep male voice say. "We've been very precautious about this sort of thing."
"Even with the utmost care, there will always be those who feel less certain than we," Master Li's disapproving tone answered. "Second thoughts lead to fear, and fear leads to men betraying others for themselves."
"I'm surprised we managed to get this far without having to deal with espionage," a female voice added, her tone rich and eloquent. "Still, I suppose we would have had to deal with it sooner or later. It'll make things a little more interesting."
"Interesting?" the deep voice asked. "We are risking our very lives here, and failure would mean the end of years of hard work. We ought to find this traitor as soon as possible and have him dealt with."
Nuan edged up to the door and looked in through one of the larger cracks in the door. A large, square room met his sight, brilliantly lit and a bit tidier than the passageway he was in. A table sat in the center, a few papers neatly organized on its wooden surface. From his vantage point, Nuan could see three people. To the left sat a rather large bearded man, dressed in dark brown clothing that pegged him as Fire Nation. An average looking young man in green Earth Kingdom garments sat opposite to him, a deep scowl etched into his face. The third had his back to the door, but Nuan could see the vague outline of his teacher sitting in front of him. The woman, he assumed, was hidden behind Li's rigid form.
"We must keep an eye on all our new recruits," Li suggested, leaning forward. Nuan heard the shuffle of paper against the table. "Especially those who've joined us in the last few months."
"We can't assume those who've been with us for longer are any more loyal," the man in green said, his voice calm despite his features. "We should do a thorough investigation."
"That would take time we do not have, Kuai," the deep voiced man said as he shook his head. "We will do what we can to discover the traitor, but we must focus on our goal. Otherwise, we might miss the only opportunity we have to succeed."
Nuan frowned and his heart began to race with a mixture of excitement and fear. Goal?
"Speaking of which," Li said, "I assume we have the necessary resources?"
"You seem awfully interested in my affairs, Li," the bearded man replied.
"I am only checking to see if everything is proceeding as planned."
"Are you? Or is it something else, I wonder?"
"Mao, do not question him. He has proven to be quite loyal to the cause," said the woman. "I will deal with this matter. The rest of you continue to take care of your respective tasks. Then, when the day comes, we will strike."
"And the Avatar will fall," Li added, his tone heavy with malice.
Nuan felt his heart freeze. The Avatar? Are they… He took in a sharp breath as realization dawned upon him. They're planning to kill him!
The sudden noise made those in the room raise their heads. "What was that?" Mao said, looking towards the door.
Nuan swore that the man locked eyes with his. The fear inside him took over and he bolted, running for the exit. He heard muttered curses behind him as he reached the ladder and began to climb with frantic speed. He felt a large hand grab hold of one of his boots, but he jerked his foot and shook it off before climbing even faster. He slammed open the trapdoor, vaulting up onto the main floor and knocking the ladder loose in the process. We've got to get out of here! He thought to himself frantically as he opened the door to the rest of the tea shop.
He didn't expect to collide with what felt like a wall of muscle. The force of the impact knocked Nuan to the floor. He tried to rise, but he felt two hands grip his arms and raise him off the floor. He gazed deep into the eyes of one of the soldiers in disguise. "Well well," he said with a vicious sneer. "What do we have here?"
"Uh… Garbage boy?" Nuan replied, giving a weak smile.
"Nice try," his captor replied.
"What happened?" one of the other guards asked, dragging Yong and Zhu by their collars with him. The latter gave Nuan a none-too-friendly glare, while the former was rigid with fright.
"This kid must've snuck in while his pals here distracted us," he said, chuckling. "Too bad he blew it."
The third guard approached. "I managed to shoo everyone out of here," he said to the first, jerking his thumb over his shoulder.
"Good. Close up shop, then bring the kids to the boss. I'm sure she'll want to talk with them."
Nuan frantically tried to wriggle out of the man's grip, but to no avail. Mind racing, his eyes glanced around, looking for anything that could help him escape. The counter was bare of anything useful, and there wasn't any water nearby for him to bend. Panicking, he glanced again at his two friends. Yong had his head bowed, taking a great interest in the floorboards, and Zhu shook her head as she tried to squeeze out some of the tea from her still damp robes.
Damp robes. They had a chance.
Nuan shot Zhu a glance. "We need to go. Now."
"A little late, genius," she replied, rolling her eyes.
"No, I mean now!" Nuan said, shouting the last word as he swung his leg at his captor's midsection. The pain of his foot connecting with a stomach of pure muscle made Nuan wince, but the guard doubled over and let go of the boy. The moment his feet hit the ground, he raised his hands and drew them close. In an instant, the water from the tea stain seeped out from Zhu's clothing, collecting onto Nuan's hands. As the other two guards began to react, he charged forward at Zhu and Yong's captor. The man dropped the two teens and reached for his dagger, but as his hand met the hilt, Nuan drove both his hands into the man's face. Nuan smirked as his victim instinctively closed his eyes. With a quick gesture, he removed his hands and froze the water, leaving two patches of ice over the man's eyes.
Nuan then heard the metallic ring of a weapon being drawn. Kicking the legs out from under the blinded soldier, he spun around and saw the second guard approaching at a run, dagger held expertly in his forward hand. That is, until a gout of flame shot out and lit a large corner of his robes on fire. Panicking, the man immediately dropped his weapon and ran out of the shop, screaming for water.
He glanced at Zhu, who sent another stream of flame over the fleeing man's shoulder. "I guess I owe you one?" he asked.
She merely smirked.
The sound of a scuffle, however, soon caught their attention. They turned and found the muscular guard with one arm wrapped around Yong's neck, the other pointing his dagger to his captive's throat.
"I don't think so," he said, a slight wheeze behind his chuckle. "Now play nice. Or I won't."
Before Nuan or Zhu could act, Yong sprang backwards, catching his assailant by surprise. The soldier took a step back, then one of his feet made an awkward turn. His balance lost, he fell backwards, dragging his captive with him. His head hit the stone with a sickening thud, the dagger clattering to the floor on one side and Yong falling onto the other.
Nuan ran over to his friend and picked him up. "Come on!" he shouted as ran out of the shop, dragging Yong along with him and Zhu not far behind.
"What did you do?" Zhu shouted as she caught up to him, giving him a look of disbelief.
"I'll explain later, just run!" Nuan replied, letting go of Yong as his friend began to match his stride.
The trio continued to run down the streets of Shin Duan, making turns as needed. Nuan didn't exactly know what he was going to do, but he knew that there was one place safe where he could think things out.
It took them ten minutes to reach his home. The simple building wasn't much to look at, but it's white wooden walls, simple red columns and green tiling made Nuan feel secure. When the door wouldn't open, he looked around. He found a small rock and smirked. He turned it over and withdrew a spare key from the hollow spot underneath. He looked at his friends, then grimaced. "You didn't see that, okay?" he said to them as he unlocked the front door and slid it open. When they were all inside, he made sure the door was shut and locked before leaning against it and sliding to the floor.
"Too close," he said to himself, fixing his gaze on the ceiling.
In an instant, Zhu was before of him, arms crossed and clearly angry. "Okay, it's later. Now, what did you do?" she asked, as Yong took a seat on the floor as well.
"Those guys," Nuan managed to get out between gasps for air, "they want to kill the Avatar!"
A shocked silence hung for a second. "That's insane!" Zhu said, her tone fierce. "How do you know that?"
"I snuck down and overheard them talking about it. It's like they're some secret society or something. Anyways, I heard Li say 'And then the Avatar will fall'."
Zhu's eyes widened. "You've got to be kidding!"
"Would I joke about something like this?"
"So, Master Li and a bunch of his friends are trying to kill the Avatar?" Yong asked, his face incredulous.
"It's insane, I know, but I'm serious!"
"So what should we do?" Zhu asked after taking a quick glance out one of the few windows.
Yong shrugged. "Tell the city guard."
"Are you kidding?" Nuan replied. "They wouldn't believe us, especially me!"
"He's got a point," Zhu said, biting her thumb. "I doubt they'd trust the city's number one troublemaker."
Nuan shot Zhu a glare.
"What, it's true, isn't it?"
"So what should we do?" Yong asked, frowning.
Nuan rubbed the back of his neck and took a deep breath. "We'll wait until my Dad gets home. I'll explain things to him. He'll know what to do."
Yong shook his head. "He'll just tell you what I just did."
"Still, it's a good idea," Zhu said. "Just to be sure."
Yong made a face, but held from saying anything else.
"So, what do we do until your dad comes home?" Zhu asked.
The sounds of Yong rummaging through his pack made Nuan groan. "You mean besides Yong, right?" he said as his friend took out his art supplies.
She smirked, her glaze leaving Yong and focusing on Nuan. "Any ideas?" she asked.
"I could show you the forge out back," he replied.
"That sounds really boring," she said, her smirk widening into a grin. "But alright."
Nuan got to his feet and left Yong to his painting, Zhu following a second later. Following the hallway the entrance opened into, he reached the door at the end and slid it open. He walked through and shut it as soon as Zhu exited as well. He looked around the forge and sighed.
The place was, in his opinion, a mess. Of the three workbenches on the opposite wall, only one was decently clear of forgotten tools and raw materials. Hammers, chisels, moulds and iron bars lay scattered in some semblance of order, though the borders between them were too jumbled to distinguish. To the right, he saw that there was no fire burning in the furnace. Nuan doubted it would be soon, what with the meagre pile of coal sitting in a wooden pail beside it. He made a note to himself to remind his father to buy some more.
"It's messier than I thought it would be," Zhu remarked as she approached the workbench and hefted an iron bar in her hand.
"Yeah, my dad's not exactly what you would call organized," Nuan replied. A glint to his left caught his eye. He saw the table that his father used to display finished pieces and approached it. It was mostly adorned with farming tools, as well as the occasional saw and hammer. There were a few exceptions, though, and the most notable of these, Nuan picked up.
The bracelet was, to his eyes, ugly. The simple iron band was just that. It lacked the typical styling and decorative patterns that most others boasted. It's smooth surface gave a distorted reflection, making it seem as though Nuan's image were being stretched to oblivion. Nuan shook his head and began to set it back down. His hand stopped, however, and after a moment's thought, he put it into his pocket. I'll just get rid of it, he thought. Or sell it to some sap.
"You know, it's funny. I've been your friend for years and yet I don't know anything about your family," he heard Zhu say, accompanied by the sounds of what he assumed to be curious exploration.
"I don't talk about family," he stated, glad his back was turned to her so she didn't see him grimace.
"So he's a smith?" she asked.
"Yeah, but not a very good one," Nuan admitted, turning to watch as Zhu picked up a rather odd looking tool.
"That's not a nice thing to say," she chided.
"Still, it's the truth. Most of the things he makes get scrapped, and he just smelts them down to make something else."
"Why doesn't he just get another job?"
Nuan sighed. "Look, it's not that easy. My dad may not be the best, but it's what he knows. I don't expect you to understand."
She bristled. "And what's that supposed to mean?" she asked in a flat tone.
"Well, it's not like your father works very hard," he replied, crossing his arms.
"Of course he works hard! He's an advisor to the governor!"
"Oh yeah, I'm sure signing all those papers and attending those parties really takes it out of you."
Zhu balled her fists. "You think everything's easy for us? Well, it's not! We're Fire Nation, in case you forgot, and people still hate us! My dad's lucky to be where he is! He had to start from the bottom and work his way to where he is now, so don't even think for a second that it's easy!"
Nuan grit his teeth, then sighed. "Yeah, I guess not. And if it helps any, I'm sorry I said anything."
Zhu nodded, looking away. "Me too. I guess this whole 'Kill the Avatar' thing has just got me on edge. He's done so much for the world, and now these people want to kill him? What for?"
Nuan shrugged. "Maybe he did something to them, and they're holding a grudge. Maybe they're planning something big. Or maybe they're just crazy. I don't know."
"You think your dad will be here soon?" she asked.
"I don't know. I thought he'd be here by now, but I guess he must've lost track of time," he replied, rubbing his chin. "He does that every once in a while."
"Should we go look for him, then?"
"Yeah. The quicker he tells us what to do, the better." Nuan said, heading towards the door. He slid it open and closed it when Zhu had followed suit.
He saw her freeze. "Uh, where's Yong?" she asked.
Nuan frowned and looked by the entrance. His friend wasn't there. "Maybe he's in another room," he said, sliding open one of the hallway doors. Together, they searched the entire house in a matter of minutes. No sign of Yong.
"Okay, Yong, if this is some kind of joke, it isn't funny anymore!" Nuan said in a raised voice, looking about.
When silence answered, Zhu shook her head. "He wouldn't do something like that," she told him, biting her thumb.
Nuan snorted. "You don't know him like I do."
Suddenly, Zhu eyes widened. "I know where he went," she said, an exasperated groan following her words.
Nuan came to the same realization instantly. "The City Guard. He's gone to tell them."
"What do we do?"
"It's not like we have a choice now. We catch up with him, and then do it his way. But I still think it's a bad idea."
"You're just saying that because of your history with them."
Nuan made a face. "Hey, I can't help it if my idea of fun happens to cause a little chaos. And maybe a bit of destruction."
"I can already tell that this is going to be 'fun'…"
Nuan rolled his eyes as he opened the front door and stepped out. He looked around, hoping that Yong had painted a bit before deciding to go his own way. Only a few passing strangers caught his eye, and he let a growl of frustration escape his throat.
"He must've waited until we were outside before taking off," he heard Zhu say after sliding the door shut behind them.
"Remember that bad feeling?"
"Is it back?"
"More than ever."
"We better catch up to him, then, and make sure he's okay. I really hope you're wrong."
Nuan nodded as he broke into a quick jog, with Zhu following suit a second later. Down the wide city streets they ran, eyes searching for any sign of their friend. Once, they thought they caught sight of him, only to discover that Yong had a near twin.
"I guess he's already there," Nuan said as they neared the guardhouse. The building was unremarkable, to say the least. But it was big. Nuan knew that it was home to over a hundred guardsmen, and was the central headquarters for all policing matters. That and the cells smelt really gross.
They opened the door and glanced about as they entered. The interior was brightly lit by wall-mounted lamps, the candles burning away merrily inside their glass covers. Besides them, however, the wooden walls were bare, with the exception of a section which was covered in wanted posters. On the far side, a long hallway with several doors to each side led up to an ugly iron door. A thick oak counter sectioned off a large corner of the room and a very bored looking guard sat behind it, sorting through a thick stack of papers. He grunted in acknowledgement when the two approached him.
"State your business," he said as he picked up another document, his eyes lazily scanning it.
Nuan nudged Zhu and raised his eyebrows in the guard's direction. Shooting him a look, Zhu cleared her throat. "Hello, we're looking for someone."
"Everyone's looking for someone, it seems," he replied, still reading. "When did you last see the person?"
"Oh, no, he's not lost. Actually, we think he came here. A boy about my age, light brown hair, looks distracted?"
The guard's eyes flitted up from its study of the document and looked at her, then at Nuan. A second later, he set the paper down and rose. "Why yes, I do believe he's with the inspector right now. Would you like to see him?"
"Yes, please," Zhu replied with a smile. "And thank you."
The guard smirked. "My pleasure, miss," he said, stepping out from behind the counter and walking down the hallway. Zhu and Nuan followed his lead. He came to a stop at the second door on the right. He opened it and gestured into it. "Right this way," he said.
Nuan fell in step behind Zhu as she walked inside. He glanced at the guard as he passed him. The guard's smile didn't falter, but for some reason, something told Nuan that it wasn't at all real. Or friendly.
But he came to this realization a second after the door closed behind him with a click. A rough hand grabbed him and shoved him forward, making him plough into Zhu. The two tumbled to the ground and Zhu cried out in surprise as she fell onto the bare wooden floor. Nuan immediately rolled off of her and got back to his feet.
The two guards flanking the door chuckled in an unfriendly way. "Looks like we got your friends, kid," one of them said, a scarred man of medium height with rugged stubble.
Nuan then realized that Yong was also there, sitting on a simple wooden bench, his head bowed. "Are you okay?" the waterbender asked him, helping Zhu pick herself up off the ground.
He nodded.
"What's going on?" Zhu asked as she picked splinters out of her clothing. "Did you tell them everything?"
Yong nodded again, his head sinking even lower.
"So what's wrong?"
"Nuan was right," he answered, clenching his hands.
Nuan began to reply, but the door suddenly unlocked and opened. A large, portly man walked in, his uniform marking him as the captain of the guard. He had one hand idly tapping his bearded chin with two fingers, the other held behind his back.
"So, he said, his voice rumbling, "it seems you three have a bit of a problem."
"Yes. There are people in this city planning to kill the Avatar!" Zhu replied.
Nuan, however, caught the unfriendly look in the captain's eye. "I don't think that's what he meant, Zhu."
"Oh, we know about them," the captain said, leering. "In fact, one of the first things they did was to seek me out. It's amazing how much people will pay to keep the city watch out of their business."
Zhu's eyes widened. "You're with them?"
"Of course not. I'm just being paid to look the other way. And when they offered to double what I'm already receiving if I caught a few brats that had gotten their noses into the plans, well, I couldn't help but hold your friend here. Of course, the agent they're sending to deal with you three will probably do a little more than keep you captive."
"You can't do this!" Nuan shouted, balling his fists. "You're supposed to protect people!"
"Oh, but I am," the captain said with an ugly laugh. "I'm protecting them from you. You'll be staying here until their representative gets here. After that, you're no longer my problem." He leaned forward. "Especially you, Nuan."
Nuan glared at the officer. "Glad I'll be out of your hair?"
The captain chuckled. "You wouldn't believe how much. You should've angered them earlier. Imagine all the paperwork that would have not needed to be done."
"You're a sick man."
"Not really, just practical," he replied as he made his way to the door. "It's too bad you had to drag your friends into this, Nuan. After all, if you hadn't told them, they wouldn't be in this mess with you."
Nuan glanced at his friends, who exchanged worried glances with him.
"He should be arriving in a few moments," the captain said over his shoulder as he unlocked the door and stepped out. He turned and shrugged. "Until then, enjoy your stay." The sound of the door slamming shut seemed to seal their fate, and the click of the lock only confirmed it.
"Great," Nuan said, walking up to the door and resting his forehead against it. "Just great."
"I don't believe this," Zhu said, taking a seat next to Yong and rubbing her temples. "I'm going to die because my teacher is planning to kill the Avatar. Didn't think that this would be how I'd go."
"What do you mean?" he asked. He turned and fixed them a look of disbelief. "We're not going to die! Not if I have anything to do with it!"
"Come on, Nuan! Look around! We're stuck in a cell, in jail, with guards all around us! You've got no water to bend, and I can't do anything without burning ourselves to a crisp! And we're waiting for what sounds like an assassin to come and deal with us! Of course we're going to die!"
Nuan grit his teeth. He knew she was right, but it was something he refused to accept. "So that's it? You're just going to sit pretty and wait?"
"I'm going to enjoy the last few minutes I have with my friends!" she shouted back, her arms crossed. "But seeing as how all we're doing is yelling at each other, I guess I'll just skip to that part!"
The waterbender looked away, eyes dark. After a moment, he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Look, I'm sorry I got you guys dragged into this. I guess I should've just listened to you and just stayed out of it."
Zhu hesitated before bowing her head. "It's alright. Better together than all alone, huh?" she said, a sad smirk lifting one corner of her mouth.
Nuan mirrored her smile. "You know it."
Yong merely nodded his head, refusing to look up.
A long silence stretched as they sat waiting. Nuan looked around, his mind racing. We need to get out of here, he thought to himself. His eyes took in his surroundings, which, he concluded, were pitifully bare. Besides the lone bench that Yong and Zhu were sitting on, there was nothing else in the room. Nuan shut his eyes. "There's always a way out," an all-too-familiar voice stated, and Nuan could just picture the roguish smile accompanying those words. "You just need to look in the right places."
"Not this time, brother," he muttered to himself, lightly kicking the door in disgust. "Not this time."
The sounds of footsteps behind the door caught his attention. He took a few steps away from the door, not wanting to be struck when it opened. Zhu got to her feet, her fists clenched and her face pale. Yong kept still. Nuan wondered if he was even aware of what was going on.
The footsteps stopped. Nuan heard the sound of keys being withdrawn and inserted into the lock. It clicked, and the door then swung open.
The familiar form of Master Li walked into the room, flanked by the captain. From what Nuan could see, two of the men from the tea shop stood outside, waiting.
"I thought the fleeing spy looked familiar," Li said as he chuckled. "I'd recognise my least favourite student anywhere. I didn't think, however, that two of my best pupils would also be dragged into this." He sighed. "Such a pity." He looked over his shoulder, and the men outside shuffled in, and began to force the three teens out of their cell.
"About the reward?" Nuan heard the captain say.
"Always with the money, my good captain," Li replied. Nuan heard the sound of a heavy coin purse being traded as he was herded towards the door. "Spend it well."
One of Li's men pulled a rope out of his robes and wrenched Nuan's hands behind him, wrapping them in the thick cord before tying a solid knot. Zhu received the same treatment, and Yong as well. They were soon led out of the guardhouse and down a narrow backalley. Nuan felt a sense of familiarity wash over him. He'd been this way before. Then panic gripped him. The shadowy street led to the harbour.
"Why are you doing this, Li?" he said called out behind him, hoping the fear he felt wouldn't crack his voice. "You of all people would know better."
Li merely leered. "You should've known better too. Eavesdroppers never prosper."
"People will find out about this, you know! Three kids going missing on the same day? People will notice!"
Li shook his head and his smirk widened, but he didn't reply.
It took them twenty minutes to reach the harbour. The salty air made Nuan wince, and the dull grey clouds that refused to clear seemed to taunt him. They made their way past several merchant ships and various dock workers who took little notice of the group. They neared a stout wooden sailing ship, and Nuan felt dread fill his heart. He could see the crew aboard it bustling about, readying the sails. When they stopped before it, a thick gangplank was extended. The men forced the three up the plank, with Master Li following at a steady pace.
Panic filled Nuan's mind. He glanced about frantically, trying to find any means to escape. In his fright, however, he failed to notice that the gangplank ended, and stumbled, falling onto the deck.
He fought back tears. We are so dead, he thought to himself.
The sound of cord being cut and the sudden loosening of his bonds, however, made his head jerk up in surprise. He brought his hands to his face for inspection, and found that they were indeed free. Pushing himself up off the deck a bit, he looked up, and found Master Li standing over him, a hand outstretched. "Care for a hand?" he said, his smile losing its menace and becoming friendly instead.
Dazed, Nuan took it. The old man helped him up with surprising strength. Speechless, the teen looked over to his friends, and found them also free of their bonds. Yong was idly rubbing his wrists and Zhu was staring at Master Li, confused.
The elder noticed Zhu's look and chuckled. "Thought I was the bad guy, did you?"
"So," Zhu said slowly, coming to grasps with the situation, "you're not one of them?"
The man let a sound of disgust escape his throat. "I'd never associate with such thugs. Not by choice, anyway."
Something from the conversation he had overheard came back to Nuan's mind, and it clicked into place. "You're the spy!" he said in disbelief.
The old man smiled. "You catch on quick, Nuan. Now if you could only focus in class."
Nuan made a face. "You could have told me that instead of scaring me to death the whole way here!"
"What can I say?" Li said, spreading his hands helplessly. "You scare easy."
Nuan opened his mouth for a retort, but Zhu stepped in and cut him off. "We owe you our lives, Master Li," she said, bowing deeply before him. Nuan reluctantly followed her lead, with Yong doing the same a second afterwards.
"I wouldn't be thanking me yet," the old man said, shaking his head. "I have need of you, and it's not a light thing I'm asking."
Nuan rose, puzzled. "What're you talking about?"
Li sighed. "You three can't stay here."
"Why not?"
If you don't leave, you'd be endangering not only yourselves, but your families too."
"So we just get up and go? Right now?"
"We can't just leave!" Zhu protested. "I have to at least tell my family!"
"And it'd break my father's heart if I left," Nuan added.
Yong stepped forward, shaking his head. "No choice," he stated.
Li nodded. "Yong's right. The less they know, the safer they are. The best thing for you three right now is to leave the city, and try to stay hidden. I'm sure in a matter of days, wanted posters of you will begin showing up, courtesy of my 'friends'."
Nuan grit his teeth. "But we didn't do anything!"
"Even so, with the guard on their side, who'll question them? You'll be brought to justice for crimes you didn't commit, and then you'll be out of their way."
Zhu sighed. She opened her mouth, then hesitated. "No other options?" she asked after a slight pause.
Li shook his head. "Besides, it's an opportunity that I can't afford to pass over."
Nuan let out a breath. "What's this favour, then?"
"I need you three to bring a message to one of my cohorts. I was told to report every two weeks, but the others are hard to fool. They're not stupid and there are a lot more of them than I thought."
"But why? Why would anyone want to kill the Avatar?" Zhu asked.
"They have their reasons. Most are Fire Nation loyalists who think that the war should've ended in their favour, but there are a few others who feel wronged by him in some way or another. You can rest assured that we will do our best to see that they don't get their way."
"We?" Nuan repeated quizzically.
The old man faced him, narrowing his eyes. "It's enough to say that I'm part of an organization who wants everything to go back to the way they used to be. Anyway, I need you three to get this information to Ba Sing Se," he said, taking out a scroll from what Nuan guessed to be an inside pocket. He handed it to Zhu, then reached into another pocket and flipped something towards Nuan.
Nuan jerked back as he caught the small, round disc. He opened his palm and was greeted with an ordinary Pai Sho tile.
"The White Lotus," he said to no one, turning it over in his hand as he examined it. "Uh, thanks, but I don't play."
"No, no," Li said, shaking his head. "You need to present this to a man by the name of Haokan in the King's Bear tavern. Tell him that Li sent you."
"Anything else?"
"Ask him if he's gotten those twenty bronze pieces he owes me. That ought to convince him you really know me, if he starts getting cranky."
Nuan mentally repeated the information to himself, then nodded. "Once we're done, can we come home?"
The elder grimaced. "I'm afraid not. Not for a few months, anyway."
"Months?" Zhu nearly shouted. "That's insane!"
"Would you rather be in a jail cell? We can't simply just sweep in and stop these people. There are too many of them, and they're hard to track. We need to catch them all in one fell swoop, and for that, we need time. Which means, until they've been stopped, you three need to stay away from this city."
"Wouldn't they just chase us?" Nuan asked.
Li shook his head. "I don't think so. From what I know, they don't have the manpower to go hunting for you three. Besides, their base of power is right here. Beyond Shin Duan, they have little influence. But all the same, you must be careful and lay low. There's no telling what they might try to do."
Nuan swallowed, then gave a hesitant nod. "Okay, we'll do it."
"But please tell us when we can come home again," Zhu added.
"You have my word," Li replied. "Now, this boat will take you to Chameleon Bay. From there, you must head northeast. You'll see the walls of Ba Sing Se soon enough. They're kind of hard to miss."
Yong jerked his head upward. "Wait, by boat?"
His teacher nodded. "Quickest way there. Why?"
Yong looked towards the open water and blanched. "I don't like boats," he muttered.
"You'll get your sea legs after a few days," Li said, clapping a hand on the youth's shoulder. "Now, I must be off before the others wonder where I've been. I wish you all safe travels, and please, get that scroll to Haokan as soon as possible."
Nuan nodded and brought his hands together, bowing slightly. His friends imitated him.
The old man returned the gesture, then spoke with a large, bearded man. After a few curt words, he stepped onto the gangplank and walked down to the docks. Nuan watched him go, until his form disappeared down the alleyway from which they had come.
The bearded man, however, wasted no time. He bellowed orders to the other men on the ship, and they dashed about to obey his commands. The gangplank was pulled back onto the deck, the mooring ropes were untied, and the sail opened, billowing as the breeze caught it. Slowly, the ship pulled away from the docks, and the three youths could only watch as they sailed further and further away.
"So, Ba Sing Se, huh?" Nuan said, crossing his arms as he watched the city shrink in the distance.
"Ba Sing Se," Zhu repeated, her tone full of disbelief and resignation.
"I hear it's big."
"You have no idea."
"Nope."
She hesitated before bowing her head. "I've always wanted to see it," she said, "but not like this."
"If it makes you feel any better, I didn't want this either. But we'll be okay."
She looked at him, her eyes betraying her fright. "You think so?"
Nuan held her gaze for a second before nodding. "I know so."
A slight groan caught their attention, and they turned to see Yong hunched over the side of the ship. His face nearly matched his clothes, and the sweat beading about his brow made him seem deathly ill. "What? What is it?" Zhu asked, eyes wide in concern.
"I really don't like boats," the youth said. His eyes bugged and he leaned over, making a gagging noise.
"Except for Yong," Nuan muttered, facepalming.