The wind whipped wildly in the evening air as Zuko sat on Appa's saddle. His hair billowed viciously, further obscuring his vision in the waning light as night descended upon the lands of his kingdom. The six legs of the sky bison moved steadily ahead through the evening sky, powerful muscles tearing through the growing turbulence with practiced ease.

The lord of the fire nation looked ahead to his companion whom sat on the round head of the large animal. Even though Zuko knew that conversation was not a necessary part of their relationship, the fire lord still became worried as the Avatar had barely spoken at all since they had left the palace. It was almost unsettling to the fire bender to see his normally carefree friend in such a contemplative state of mind.

"Aang?" He said over the sound of rushing wind. Quickly the airbender looked back to Zuko, his dark eyebrows rising in question. Zuko studied that look with care, picking it apart to discern clues to the Avatar's obviously troubled thoughts. "Is everything okay?" He asked. The question did not come easy to the stoic fire lord.

He didn't get his answer though, as his eyes fell upon their destination. "We're here." Aang said. The Avatar began bringing the bison down in slow circles as to not cause a panic to the people below. Zuko looked over the left edge of the saddle. The sun warrior city sat silently below. As Zuko looked at it he felt a sense of unease run its course through him. The last time Aang and himself visited the sun warriors he had been confident in the reasons they were here. This time Aang was calling the shots and Zuko wished that the flighty airbender would include him in these plans.

Appa sat down on the ground, his landing silent as a breeze. As the bisons toes touched down Zuko planted his right hand down on the side of the saddle and jumped over the side, making the short descent to the ground with disciplined movements. As his feet touched down his hand was grasping the hilt of his broadswords whom still sat in there sheath on his back. He quickly scanned the area they had landed and saw no sign of a greeting whatsoever.

Looking back to Appa's head he saw the orange and yellow robed Avatar had yet to dismount. He instead began staring toward the twin peaked mountain they had met the fire bending masters. Slowly Aang's eyes closed and Zuko noticed the glint of the moon on his pale bald head. It would have been a slightly amusing sight were it not for the serious air Aang had cast around him like a blanket. Zuko noted in passing that he was wearing a robe similar to the one that he had worn on Zuko's coronation as fire lord. The only thing missing was the large wooden necklace that he wore before.

Zuko slowly stood to his feet and lowered his guard as he stepped toward the place Aang still sat. His feet were almost silent on the stone paths that the sun warriors favored. Despite walking being natural to all martial artists, the stone floor was had to navigate as the ages had made the stones uneven and some of their tips were raised, making tripping an easy thing to do for the person who didn't pay attention.

"So you going to tell me why we are here or gonna leave me in the undying grips of suspense?" Zuko asked as seriously as his voice would allow. He saw Aang open his eyes and look back at him. He noticed that the monks voice was unusually quite.

"We need to speak to the sun warriors. Something has happened." Aang said. The wind coalesced around him and moved into the folds of his robe before lifting him off Appa's and lowering him to the ground. The whole movement was a blatant testimony to his hard fought abilities and Zuko found himself in awe that Aang did such things without thinking about it.

He began noticing more of Aangs features. What drew his attention first was the fact that the Avatar's eyes looked weary, as if it he had not slept in some time. The monk had obviously grown up a lot since the war. His jaw had filled out, squaring as had his shoulders. He was now almost out of puberty and he was almost as tall as Zuko.

"What's wrong," Zuko asked at last. Aang looked back toward the mountain as if trying to confirm something before he spoke.

"You remember the dragons that taught us firebending when we came here last?" Aang asked, looking back at Zuko even though the answer was obvious.

"Of course." Came the reply. Aang nodded and moved away from Appa, his steps moving gracefully across the rocky ground. Zuko began to follow in step just behind him as they moved through the silent ruins. Neither had their guard down but were confident in their ability to detect trouble.

"I don't think they were regular dragons." The monk said slowly. Zuko was about to question but it wasn't needed. "Think about it, dragons are supposed to be extinct and the two we happen to find cannot only show us the true meaning of fire bending but also test our worthiness and know our bloodlines." He sighed as if he was exasperated. "Zuko those dragons were spirits, I know they were." He said with finality.

"What?" Zuko said, his voice skeptical. "How do you know?" He said, looking sidelong at Aang. The monk lowered his head and shook it carefully.

"Last time we were here I sensed so much spiritual energy. I thought it was the eternal fire or the ancient spirits of the old sun warriors." Zuko nodded at this explanation, agreeing that it made sense. "You see I thought so too, but when we met the dragons I had my suspicions. Now I know they had to be the spirits that I sensed."

"Why the sudden change?"

"Because the dragons have left Zuko. This place has lost all of its spiritual light." Zuko took in those words and weighed them carefully.

"What could have driven them away?" He said quietly.

"I don't know but I believe that it has to do with this dark feeling in the pit of my stomach." When he said that they both came to a stop. Not twenty yards away from them stood another person. He wore the attire that the sun warriors favored but had covered himself with a black cloak that hung open from his shoulders. His face showed due to the hood being pulled back.

"You are no longer welcome here, Avatar Aang."

XxX

Iroh walked into the circled chamber slowly. He was followed by the soundless footsteps of the proclaimed air nomad. The room was not excessively large and sported a massive painting of the white lotus flower that took up the entire circumference of the marble floor. At four separate points of the single curved wall there was a symbol, one for each of the bending nations that made up their known world.

Above them, inlaid in gold and coming out of the ceiling, was a massive coiling dragon. The spikes of its back gleamed, revealing the artists craftsmanship by making them actually sharp. The huge maw was opened in a roar. If one stared at it long enough the roar could actually be heard by ones imagination. Its eyes had been set with gleaming rubies that now only showed brightly because Iroh had come in bearing a torch. He looked up at the massive dragon and raised his fist in a snapping motion. A jet of flame shot from his knuckles and into the dragons maw. Instantly the flames poured from the dragons mouth, bathing the room in a steady flame. Above them the ceiling opened up and revealed the night sky, allowing the heat to escape out the top.

Now sustained by the light and heat, Iroh turned to the young woman following him. She had yet to reveal her name or appearance and she had not spoken since they left the tea shop. He had led her to the mountain side outside the imperial city.

Iroh had of course sent a runner to his servant, telling them not to worry in his absence. They will worry anyway, but that did not matter now. This was a matter, if it was true, of epic proportion. To think the air nomads could actually be alive, it was nearly impossible to believe. He sized up the woman whom now stood across from him. She gave the ghost of a shuffle beneath his gaze. He allowed himself a small smile at that. Maybe she was not as disciplined as he once thought. That was good as his experience gave him more of an advantage over her mystery.

"Before our conversation moves any further, reveal yourself." He saw the ruby red lips smile beneath the cowl of the cloak. Iroh felt his muscles coil beneath his robes as he prepared himself for an attack. It never came though as the woman simply reached up to the edges of her cowl and threw back the hood, revealing long black hair and grey eyes.

"Of course, General Iroh. It is my intention to make our conversation a peaceful affair. I would not do anything to endanger that." Her voice was smooth and her sculpted face was the prime of beauty, she easily matched his niece in physical appearance. She even seemed to posses the same drive and will that Azula had. He prayed to Agni that she was not as crazy as his relative.

"Who do you take orders from?" Iroh asked, his voice gruff in his old age. Despite this, the girl gave him a steady smile. Her eyes betrayed nothing.

"I report to the five elder monks. May their wisdom continue to guide us." She said, though Iroh was not sure why she included the last part, but didn't ask. Instead he nodded and asked his next question, suspicion still heavily in his voice.

"In the Imperial city you said that the air nomads still lived, Are you one of them?" He knew she had to be an airbender after what she had done with the rice paper door, but he had to be sure.

She frowned for a moment and looked around the room, "I am." She said. He looked at the sudden movement. She seemed nervous about answering that, a fact he had easily picked up on. She was searching for listeners.

"I'm sorry, it is usually not my way to be so forward. I try to always be kind to a young lady." He stopped for a moment and allowed a smile to come to his face. "But you have given me a lot to be wary of today. Please understand that what you say is hard to believe." Her smile returned, showing a row of white teeth, before she nodded and seemed to relax.

"Maybe I could show you?" She said. He noted that her smile seemed to be almost sinister. Or maybe that was mischievous? He didn't know of any other way for her to prove it.

"Please, I would be honored to see a demonstration." Iroh said, and bowed slightly. She nodded and went completely still, her eyes darted around the room. She breathed heavily through her nose before her eyes fluttered and she raised her hands up to the dragon that still shot flames from its maw. She made a motion as if she were pulling two fighting people apart and like that the fire went out. Iroh's eyes widened. He knew many types of fire bending, but she didn't bend the fire. She...killed it. Through the openings in the ceilings Iroh saw the moon shine down on them.

"To think someone at your age could displace the air at such a level as to choke out the flames. You are very gifted." She chuckled.

"Thank you General Iroh, but any fire bender could do what I just did."

"They could imitate what you have done, but to remove air is beyond even myself." He lit a small fire in the palm of his hand and saw that her smile had not diminished. "So, how may I be of service to the Elder Monks?" Iroh said.

XxX

She sat in a dark cell. She had never gotten a visitor. She had never been spoken to, save for the guards occasional mumbles. Once, she had been a princess of the most powerful nation. Once, she had been a force to be reckoned with. She had been someone to fear. Now she sat in a lowly cell guarded over by the very same men she commanded. Oh the irony of life.

Hours passed like days and Azula of the fire nation sat unmoving in her dark lit cell. Its iron walls were void of any life save for the vibrations and sounds of others moving about. They had kept her in solitary confinement at the behest of the fire lord. Dear Zuzu didn't want her to gather followers. So here she sat, getting three square meals a day and hating the world.

So much time had passed since the war. Years even, as she had forced herself to keep track of the days. An easy task considering the meal schedule. It had been four years since she had seen day light. She had wondered in passing why she hadn't been banished as Zuzu had, although she knew it was for the same reasons she had been in isolation for four years. Were she free to roam the rest of the world, would she have built an opposition and taken back her rightful place? Probably. Even now all she thought of was sitting bathed in flames on her black throne.

She did not have a thought for some time. She simply gazed into the fire light that shined through the small opening in her iron door. She dare not escape as bending was out of her reach. Although, she could still feel that power there. She could feel the fire on the tips of her fingers, yet it stayed just out of her reach.

It was infuriating. No matter how much she sought after it, her meditations were for not. How could the avatar do this to her? Hadn't she done as her country had asked of her? Served loyally to a Father whom sought to unite the nations under one banner? Why did she have to pay such an ultimate price for the acts of an entire nation? Her entire existence has become shameful.

Just outside of her cell there was a cry of alarm. With slowness Azula raised her eyes to the door, believing that one of the other inmates must have caused a problem. She raised a single eyebrow though, when the cry of alarm was cut off abruptly and she heard the sound of roaring flames. Had someone just died? Did she care? She found that no, she did not. Her head lowered again when the sound of running feet passed by her front door.

"I need back up now!" Came a male voice. The words rung clearly through the steel of her cell door. It was testimony to the volume the man was yelling. Azula felt the muscles in her legs tense at all the commotion. As she did the cot below her conformed to the new position as she sat cross legged upon it.

More flames roared outside of her door and Azula found herself becoming more interested by the moment. The usual prison uprising was easily dealt with seconds after it happened. This was different though, as she was hearing the muted cries of the guard's lives ending. The guards were prohibited to kill the inmates. It was to keep the inmates with a death wish from getting out of their sentence.

"Stay back!" Came the same voice from earlier. It was suddenly much quieter, no other voices spoke. Azula found that odd. If there had been a riot then the inmates would have been loudly gloating about this victory. But the silence was deafening. "Stay awa-" The voice was abruptly cut off and was replaced by dead silence. Azula slowly made to stand up from the cot that had been her bed forever.

As her feet touched the floor, her eyes noticed that something was blocking the vent in her door, obscuring the light. Someone was just outside. Had some assassin finally come for her? Someone whom believed she deserved the death wish? Even without bending she could fight and she would not die easily.

The deadbolt was pulled back and the door slowly swung inward. Azula tensed and her chin raised slightly in defiance. She inhaled deeply, remembering her old firebending teachings despite them being useless to her now. Her feet settled into her first form when a black boot stepped through the opened portal.

It was followed by the long flowing black robes of two cloaked figures. Their faces would have been obscured by shadows but they had taken it further and wore masks the color of blood. The masks had two small black eye slits and black flames had been embroidered around the eyes, leading up to their temples.

"Who are you?" Azula said, her words held their composure despite her being cornered by two obviously powerful people. She looked them over. One was towering over the other and it was obviously male from what she could see of his form. He was breathing heavily behind his armored mask, the breath muffled and menacing. The smaller one stepped around. This one was about her height and carried the same build as Azula.

It was with undeniable surprise when the smaller one fell to one knee and bowed to her, the mask almost touching the steel floors. Then the large man stooped as well. He dropped to one knee, his bow blocking the doorway.

"Milady Azula, we have come for you." Said the hulking man. Azula looked at him, unable to find her voice.

"You were once a force to be reckoned with, but your abilities were wrongfully taken from you." Said the smaller one. Her voice was that of a females.

"Allow us to help you attain your goals." They said at the same time. Azula shivered as a cold wind blew through the cell when they both spoke. "Let us take you to our master." They said together, once more.

As Azula processed this offer she found a small yet sinister smile cross her beautiful face. "Please, lead on."

XxX

Tension was heavy as Aang and Zuko stood across from the apparently angry sun warrior. The man had not spoken again, yet simply stood in their path. Aang sighed and stepped forward in an attempt to negotiate with the man.

"Why are we no longer welcome?" Asked Aang, maintaining a calm demeanor. The man did not speak for a long time but simply held his ground. Aang was about to repeat his question thinking the man had not heard him.

"We have come under the power of a new ruler whom does not welcome outsiders." Said the man at last. Aang noted that he said ruler as if in reverence.

"Well, maybe Zuko and myself could speak to your new leader and come to an agreement." Aang said and Zuko nodded his assent.

"No. You are to leave now!" The sun warrior said, his voice becoming harsh and violent. Aang was about to turn and leave when Zuko suddenly found his hot head.

"Who does your ruler think he is! The avatar and the fire lord are at your doorstep and you deny us entry!" Yelled Zuko, whom now stood in front of Aang. The sun warrior simply maintained his stance of defiance at Zuko's words.

Aang looked along the tops of the ancient ruins, hearing movement on top of the roofs. He looked back to Zuko. "Come on Zuko. I have a bad feeling, we need to leave." Zuko looked back at him and grimaced before shaking his head.

"I do too, but I'm going to put this guy in his place." He said. Aang looked behind them then, and his eyes widened. There were more of them. He couldn't make out their appearances as these ones were completely shrouded by their cloaks. It seemed the sun warrior only showed himself so that they could identify him.

Aang looked along the roofs and saw even more there now. They were surrounded. Zuko seemed to notice this too as Aang saw his eyes shift around them and he tensed. Aang noted the glint of a red mask in the moonlight. It was nearly invisible because their faces were shrouded in darkness.

"Zuko, I think we should leave now." Aang said, dropping into a fighting stance and preparing for an attack.

"Any ideas on which way to leave?" Zuko asked. Aang shook his head to the negative when the sun warrior finally spoke again.

"I warned you to leave. You did not so now my master has decreed your death." From his robes he produced a blood red mask with eye slits. The slits were bathed in a torrent of painted flames.

Before either Zuko or Aang could reply, their world exploded into flames. They both acted quickly. Zuko shot his own bout of flames in the sun warriors direction just before Aang brought a bunker of stone over their heads. They were effectively protected from the flames until Zuko noted a slight change in the shield.

"Is it just me or is it getting really hot in here?" Aang nodded before blasting the rock wall outwards, sending stones in dozens of directions. Zuko moved quickly, deflecting the stray bolts of flames with his firebending. They quickly ran forward. Aang spun and sent out a wave of air behind them, bringing several pursuers to the ground.

Zuko pulled his broadsword from his sheath when they came across an armored warrior. He was not wearing a cloak like the others, yet he wore a mask similar to the rest minus the flames. In his hands he held a spear poised in their direction. Zuko ran forward, passing Aang. He fell forward into a dive, rolling as he fell. He closed in on the warrior who followed Zuko with the edge of his spear. The spear's blade was met with a flurry of swords strikes. Three consecutive strikes and the tip was knocked high, too high for the man to recover a guard. As Zuko came fully to his feet he was face to face with the man. The fire lord heard his ally running up behind him and the ruler side stepped just as the avatar blasted the man with a massive gout of air, lifting the warrior into the air and throwing him to the ground.

The two didn't slow as fire bolts pelted the ground around their feet. Aang felt the hair on the back of his neck raise in anticipation as more troops seemed to pour in from all around them. Aang noted that many seemed to be warriors while there were not as many benders.

Suddenly walls made of stone rose from the ground around the duo. Aang felt his heart sink at the sight of earth bending. This made things difficult. Fire benders were good at a chase but with earth benders they could become trapped. Zuko pulled him to the right as a blast of fire scorched the place that he was a moment before. They ran between two stone structures. They were surrounded with benders from behind and above as they ran across the rooftops. When the two buildings ended Aang inhaled heavily, prepared to enter the avatar state. Across a stone courtyard was the eternal flame, roaring far more powerfully then it had the last time they had been there. The flames were an angry red color and casted everything in a bloody light. They were surrounded now, the only thing not obscured was the eternal flame. It was at this second Aang grasped his past lives and called on their power.

The power flew in and as the spirits came together Aang felt something become unraveled within him. He cried out as pain shot through his head. His tattoos blinked furiously as he went in and out of the avatar state. Darkness rimmed around the edges of his sight and he felt himself fall to his knees. He didn't realize that Zuko was next to him, blocking blasts of flames and destroying boulder sized rocks that were being hurled at them. He knew Zuko was calling his name but he could not bring himself to respond. The sharp uneven stones cut into his knees as he writhed around, trying to regain control of himself.

Aang franticly looked around for what could do this to him. It wasn't until his eyes landed on the eternal flame that he received his answer. Within the flames stood a figure. Its features were completely shrouded in flames and it did not move within the fire but Aang knew that their gazes were now locked. Aang realized that whatever stood in the flames was what was keeping him from going into the avatar state.

It wasn't until moments after that he felt Zuko lifting him to his feet, guiding them both up the tail of a battling Appa whom was roaring and dishing out as much damage as he took. He felt himself dropped into the saddle as Appa lifted into the air.

As he tried desperately to recover himself, Aang realized that whatever was in the eternal flame had forced the dragons to leave and now ruled the sun warriors and probably many others. There were hundreds of benders and warriors after them.

As darkness overtook him the only thought that went through his head was that the world was about to be thrown into another war.

XxX

A/N: TO BE CONTINUED.