The Black Lotus

The Return

Seetherk

Chapter 1

Creak...Bang...Crash...Ozai the former Fire Lord listened to the curious sounds outside his cell. He heard the body of the guard being dragged somewhere outside the heavy door. An average person wouldn't have heard. but he had always been able to hear better than normal.

The door opened and a black cloaked figure entered, he dropped hood and bowed. "My Lord, the preparations are done." He said. Ozai smiled. "We are ready."

"Good." Ozai`s voice was rough and course, but it did not cover the erie nostagic evilon his lips. "Carry them out tonight"

"Yes, Fire Lord."

…

Suki yawned, she was tired. She didn`t particularly enjoy being a guard, but protecting Zuko was important. As the new Fire Lord after a one hundred year war, meant that he held the pressures of the whole world on his shoulders.

He had to cleanse the sins of the Fire Nation, but at the same time protect his people from the world. Everyone though the Fire Nation owed them, but really, it was a complicated mess between do what they believed in, and following orders. How wrong were they? For a hundred years their culture had been changed into what it was, it was assured with the deletion of their history. Sozin had become a God to them. They were serving their God.

Everyone thought they deserved a piece of the Fire nation, but they didn`t. Zuko fought for his people, and he fought for peace. It was difficult to find the balance, because when he fought for his people the world expected more war. Then when he fought for peace his own people's loyalty dwindled, because to them that very fact made him weak and unworthy. Sozian and Ozai left one big mess for Zuko to clean up. He was much too young for this. They all were.

Protecting Zuko was not boring at all. It had only been a couple of years, but the number of attempts on his life were almost countless. It took a while for him to fully trust her and her warriors, he could sense them coming. Suki swore he had superhuman hearing, and instincts. He often knew the assassins were there before she did. It keep him awake many nights at first, until she proved again and again that they had him covered.

This night was just like any other, but something was off. She left guards at his door and made her rounds quickly. Quickly, but too slow. When she reentered the hallway to Zuko's room her warriors were unconscious by the door.

She ran, threw open his door, and found him awake, and fighting off three cloaked figures. After a brief moment of admiration of his skill, she joined him.

The first one she struck dodged with a flip and struck back with a chain. Together they exchanged blows always missing each other. They were a perfect match. Zuko held his own too, but the mysterious figure had something they didn`t.

Zuko`s partner went after Suki. He yelled, "No!" but the girl was too fast. She had captured her easily once before and this time she didn't have her warriors helping her. Azula pined her and held a blade at her neck. Threatening, her life, or Zuko`s surrender.

Suki felt ashamed for getting into this situation. "What`ll it be, Brother!" Azula spat, and held tighter , the knife cut into her throat slightly. Zuko paused, no longer fighting and looked at Suki.

It wasn't the situation he was looking at, he wasn't angry with her, it simply looked deep into her. This he has done before, when he wanted her to do something, but couldn`t say it out loud. Just like she did then, she understood now, and she nodded slightly confirming to him that she did.

Zuko raise his hands unarmed, "I'm all yours, Azula." they other two figures wasted no time in detaining him, pinning his arms behind his back. Suki heard the sound of rock cuffs locking in place. "Suki, make sure everyone else stands down." He ordered, "We lost this one." again he staired deep into her.

I understand. "I`ll make sure no one else gets hurt tonight."

That was when Zuko`s captors covered his mouth and nose with cloth. The cloriphorm worked quickly and he fell limp in their arms. One of them took over and carry him over their shoulder That left one to fight and defend if he had to.

Azula keep Suki close still and together the group marched out together, through a less used part of the palace. They met no one one their way their, the captors did a thoughout job in taking out guards. Suki wondered if her warriors were alright. FInally, they got to the edge, Azula threw Suki to the ground, she made a move to stand, but the last thing she saw was a rock and the she only saw darkness for a while.

"Suki!...Suki!" She was being gently shaken awake. The blazing lights caused her great grief just trying to open her eyes, and focus. Her vision was fuzy, and on top of a bad headache, she had loud buzzing in her ears making it all worse. She bit back a moan and looked at Ursa, who knelt over her. "Suki, where is my son?"

Her son, Zuko, the Firelord, he was gone! How long had she been out? How far had they gotten? "What time is it?" she asked.

"It's mid morning." Ursa responded.

"This isn't good." Suki said as she stood, stumbling a little, Ursa supported her enough to catch herself and regain her sence of balance. "Where are my warriors?"

"Looking for him and looking for you."

"They won`t find him here." Suki took a breath, "Azula and a couple of Di Lei agents took him last night."

Ursa lose her composure at that news. "No...no." She fell to her knees sobbing. Suki took a moment to comfort her, placing a hand upon her shoulder. Zuko's mother returned an inhuman grip, facing into her. "You must get him back!"

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

…

Aang was looking for some excuse not to have dinner with the Southern Water Tribe. Vegetarian or not that food was not his cup of tea. He got out of the first few nights, but he was running out of excuses. It was getting to the point where he was going to either have o suck it up, or just tell Katara.

He was mulling it over when he got his savior in the form of a messenger hawk. He pulled the rolled message off and cover the bird with part of its robes to keep the Fire Nation creature warm, while he read the message. It was short.

Avatar Aang, my son has been kidnapped. Please help! Ursa.

He send the hawk off with a quick reply and ran to find Katara. She was in her grandmother`s home, helping to prepare dinner there, in the company of her grandmothers new husband, Master Pakku. Those two were inseparable.

"Katara!"

"What is it Aang?" He handed her the message. "Zuko`s been kidnapped!" Everyone eyes widened in surprise.

"Oh no," Pakku spoke, "This is bad."

"All say." Aang replied.

"No, you don't understand." Pakku began, "The end of the war is still fresh, the smallest spark can set it off again. With the New Fire Lord gone, it's only a matter of time before the Fire Nation People begin placing blaim and thirsting for blood."

"Do you really think they would do that?" Katara asked.

"Wouldn't you?" Pakku was met with a moment of silence.

"I have to go." Aang broke it.

"I`m going with you." Katara said.

"Not this time." Anag explained, "Who knows how much time has already been lost. I need to get there fast and Appa flys faster with less weight."

"I understand." Katara replied, "I follow after by boat."

"Thank you." He kissed her goodbye.

….

Iroh was sipping his tea in silent meditation on a cool night when a messenger hawk perched at the window of his tea shop. The message it carried made his heart drop. He always worried about his Nephew, things have always been tough for him. He said himself that as the new Fire Lord things would be harder than ever, and even as te Fire Lord Zuko still hid things from him. Like all the assassination attempts on his life. It had never been this bad for his brother, or his father, why Zuko? Who would do this? Something about this didn`t sit well with him at all.

He just completed his preparations for travel back home when he got another message, through White Lotus means. They have a network to which information gets passed, this time it was a young man, handing him a letter while passing by. Iroh read it carefully.

Grand Master, I was in the avatar`s presence when I heard about your nephew`s unfortunate circumstance. I offer my help. Pakku.

Maybe the White Lotus was needed here.

…

"What makes you think they were Di Lei agents." The General asked.

"I fought them enough to know the signs." Suki explained. "The way they move, their earth bending technique, it`s a lot like that of Avatar Kyoshi`s."

"Could they be one of your warrior`s?" He asked.

Suki shook her head, "No, they were men, and my warriors can`t earthbend."

The General sighed, "Well, that's enough proof for me."

A young man hurried into the room."Excuse me for interrupting, but the Avatar is here."

"Who sent for him!"

"I did." Ursa, who sat quiet up til now finally spoke.

The General sighed deeply and rubbed at his temple.

"General if I may?" She requested.

"Yes."

"Avatar Aang considers Zuko a dear friend." She began, "I saw their friendship grow with my own eyes, and I know that because of this Aang will be most helpful in this matter."

The general watched her as she spoke, "Send him in."

The young man left and the Avatar entered. It was always a shock to Suki everytime she saw him. He had always grown up a little more, and now he was almost as tall as she.

After some quick introductions, they caught him up. Then he asked, "Do we have any idea where they could have taken him?"

"Depending." The General replied, "On who exactly was responsible."

"Well, last I delt with the Di Lei they had a secret base underneath Lake Logai."

"They are a fan of secret bases." Suki contributed, "That, and the earth nation is stil angry about that colony."

"And we've dealt with them accordingly, but I`m still willing to bet in was the New Ozai Society." The General said.

"Are they still in operation?" Aang asked.

"Not that we know of." The General replied, "But Ozai is missing from his cell."

Shocked Aang spoke. "This just keeps getting worse and worse."