Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah, yeah...

So, now what?

Read the chapter?


Breakfast that morning was a simple affair, the leftovers from last night making a wonderful meal. It was mostly quiet, with Sokka asking Hama a little about what they would be doing that day.

It was Toph who noticed the absence, "Hey, where's Sparky?"

Everyone was silent.

Sokka ran through the hallways to Zuko's room. He looked around.

The blankets were lying off the bed. The small rucksack was open, it's contents strewn across the floor. The window was open.

He ran back to where the rest of the people were waiting, "ZUKO'S BEEN KIDNAPPED BY PIRATE-NINJAS!"

Silence.

"Pirate-ninjas? Really?" asked Toph. She stood up, "I'm going to check around outside. There may be some clues there."

She left.

Hama stood and quietly said, "I believe your friend Zuko has been taken by the spirit."

"How do you know?" asked Sokka.

"Well, last night was a full moon. I couldn't sleep, so I was reading in my room when I heard noises coming from his bedroom. I went to check on him, and he was halfway out his window. He said he heard screaming, coming from the mountain. I tried to warn him that it was too dangerous, but he left before I could stop him.

"Now, Katara, let's begin your training."

Katara smiled, "Alright, then, but I'm kind of worried about Zuko."

"He'll be OK, Katara. Spirits don't hurt people without a good reason."

Then they left. Sokka and Aang retrieved Toph on the way out, and they walked towards the village to find the reason to the attacks.


Last night

Zuko was deeper in the caverns than the other prisoners, with a single torch that the old woman took with her when she came.

He had walked into the caverns and chained himself to the wall before he had regained control. Then Hama had appeared, and a whole new hell had begun.

He had thought that the old woman was kind, and caring, but now he knew that she was completely insane. Senile, maybe.

No, not senile. She knew what she was doing then...

"So, Prince Zuko, are you comfortable? I don't have the accomadations you're probably used to at the palace, but it's nice. Kind of like the dungeons.

"Now, I'm going to make this a living hell for you. You destroyed my people. My art. My way of life. Now you will pay the price."

She raised her arms...and bent two fingers.

He felt something deep inside him bend and twist.

His screams died in the mountain tunnels.


"This place is beautiful. I don't see anything that would make any spirit angry."

"That's because it's not a spirit, Twinkletoes."

"What? Toph, it's gotta be a spirit. What else could it be?"

"Spirits don't hurt without reason. And they take people into the Spirit world. I heard screaming. It doesn't make sense."

Sokka ignored Toph and saw some men walking into town, "Hey, does anyone know anything about the attacks?"

"Try talking to Old Man Ding," said one of them, He knows a bit about them. He's the only one who survived an attack."

By then, the sun was setting. Whatever they were going to do, the had to do it fast.

"Right, then," said Sokka, "Let's visit Old Man Ding."

Aang inturrupted Sokka's plan, "I think it would be a better idea to investigate the mountain. Even if there's nothing to find, at least we'll know what's happening."

"Good idea," said Toph.

Sokka dramatically sighed and followed them, grumbling all the way.


Zuko hung inside the cavern, chained to the wall in the dark. It was cold, and he shivered. He could feel blood dripping out of his mouth, and his heart struggling like a pinned bird.

He quietly did inventory.

Breath coming short, internal organs are not in good shape, heart barely beating. Cuts and punture wounds all over from where the old woman had attacked. He was losing blood fast from his stomach, which had a huge gash in it, and his shin, which had been sliced through from the side. The bone was broken as well.

He faded in and out of consciousness. There was only one discernable difference-pain.

Most people would give up, but Zuko was not most people.

Besides, he still had to apologize to Uncle.


It was about ten minutes to nightfall, and Aang, Toph, and Sokka were only halfway to the mountain. Mosquitowasps buzzed lazily around, kept away by the occasional blast of air. It smelled like something had died nearby.

Then the stumbled on the dead koalasheep.

"What happened to it?" asked Sokka.

"It died, genius." Toph was there.

"We don't have long," said Aang, "Let's go."

They continued towards the mountain. Soon, they were there, and the full moon was rising. It was ten o'clock.

"Aang, I don't think this is safe."

"Relax, Sokka. I'm the Avatar, and Toph is the champion of Earth Rumble Six. I think we'll be alright.

They wandered around the base of the mountain, searching for any trace of a spirit or a person. They eventually found a cave, with many sets of footprints going in, but only one pair of feet going out.

"Toph?"

"There are at least fifty people in there. They're all chained to the walls. I think we found a secret lair."

"Let's go."

And as midnight drew nearer, the three kids walked into the cave.


Ok, so I almost killed Zuko. Big deal. It happens all the time, right? Right?

I'm really enjoying this, but, sadly, we're nearing the end. After this, there will be the end scene, then a conclusion, then it's goodbye for probably about 7 months.

INTERESTING FACTOID! I wrote this part all in one sit while ill with pneumonia.