I'm back once again to bring you more of my epic fanfic. :) This time around, however, things will be a different story. While reading FrodoTheHutt's Book 4 fanfic, I came upon his Aang/Katara engamement story. I thought it was so beautiful that I decided to adapt it to suit my own needs. Credit goes to FrodoTheHutt for giving me the idea of using this. This chapter is just over 10,000 words, one of my longest chapters so far. Lots of action and suspense to be had, as well as a few surprise twists. Enjoy the read and please review so I know what you think of this chapter. This chapter was a lot of fun to write, full of love and happiness as well as anger and sadness. Again, please share your thoughts with me. I love to hear feedback from all of you. :)
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I do own Gregor, Dreo, Sun Tzu, and all OC's associated with the Dark Legion.
Chapter Five: The Rescue
The South Pole: Two Years Ago
Sitting at the edge of a glacier, the Avatar allowed himself to simply enjoy the frozen scenery laid out before him. Despite the slightly chilling winds, he was happy to just sit there and enjoy being alive. He felt at home in the South Pole. He actually could call the South Pole his home, for he had decided to settle there and live with Katara, Sokka, Suki, and the rest of the village. But this place was much more than just home to Aang. The cold, harsh land seemed to isolate him from the rest of the world, giving him a chance to catch his breath and to relax for a while. The last few years had been quite stressful indeed because of efforts to capture rogue Fire Nation generals still on the run and also to establish and maintain diplomatic relations between the different nations. But Aang had decided that he needed some time away from all of that, and his friend Zuko understood his intentions and allowed him to do so.
Today, however, was going to be very different than most other days. Aang could feel the subtle change in the cold air that he breathed in. Today, everything was going to change. He knew exactly what this change would bring, and he allowed himself a smile.
"Hey Aang, can I ask you a question?" called out a voice from behind him. Following the voice were quick footsteps that crunched heavily into the snow. Looking behind him, Aang could see Katara running towards him. Today was a slightly warmer day than usual, and Katara had on her light blue fur coat and heavy boots. The hood of her coat was down, allowing her gorgeous hair and braided hair loops to blow freely in the gentle breeze. Aang pushed himself up with a gentle gust of air and landed softly on his feet.
"What is it, Katara?" asked Aang. He knew that something was wrong just by looking at his girlfriend. Not only did her physical being indicate that she was upset, but Aang could also feel her distress on an emotional level. Katara stopped a few steps before him, a look of frustration in her eyes.
"It's my mother's necklace….I just can't find it!" she said in an annoyed tone, and she stamped her foot in angry frustration. A small clod of snow burst out of the ground under her feet and landed in the water behind Aang, shattering the tranquil surface with violent ripples. "When I woke up this morning, I realized that I wasn't wearing it. I tore through my whole house at least three times looking for it, and it wasn't there. I came out here to ask if you had seen it. I know that I was wearing it at the party last night, and I still had it on when I went over to your house afterwards." She blushed as she looked down at the ground, bewildered and embarrassed by her situation.
"No, I can't say that I have seen it," earnestly replied the Avatar. "But there was a lot going on last night. After all, it was your birthday." He smiled at the Waterbender, who managed a nervous smile back at him. He chuckled and said, "Remember when Sokka dressed up like a polar leopard and tried to steal all the seal blubber jerky for himself? I mistook him for an actual polar leopard and blasted him out of your house so fast that he went spinning in the snow for almost a mile." He chuckled again at the ridiculousness of that situation. Katara could only manage a slight chuckle, for she was still distracted by her own plight.
"So you haven't seen it…Well, I guess I'll just have Sokka help me find it. I already told him it was missing." Still blushing, she looked up at Aang and said, "Thanks anyway. I guess I should be getting back now." She turned and began to walk back in the direction of the village.
"Wait a minute!" Aang called after her as he ran up behind her and put a firm hand on her shoulder, which caused the Waterbender to turn and look at him. "I know how much that necklace means to you," he said, "and I want to help you find it. If the two of us work together, we'll find it twice as fast!" Katara's blush reddened even more and she began rubbing her arm hesitantly.
"No Aang," she half-heartedly retorted, "I don't want to waste your entire day. You have much better things to do than to help me find my necklace." Her blue eyes stared deep into his gray eyes, trying to silently convince him.
"Katara, a day spent with you isn't wasted. I would love to help you find something that means so much to you. After all, how hard can it be to find a necklace?" He smiled confidently at her, causing her to blush even more. Stepping back from her, he conjured up an air scooter and sped away. "Race you to my place!" he called behind him as he flew over the ice and snow.
Katara laughed happily and shouted after him, "Oh no you don't! You're on!" Leaping up into the air, a sheet of flowing ice appeared below her feet. She landed and sped off on an ice slide after the Avatar, who was just a speck in the distance now.
Dark Legion Fortress: Present Day
Aang and Zuko were hiding in the bushes just outside of the fortress gates. The fortifications were massive, at least fifty feet high with battlements everywhere. The gates themselves were large and imposing, and it seemed that they would be impossible to break through without using brute force or overwhelming firepower. Zuko looked and Aang and said, "It's time to begin the attack. I'll bring down the gate. You fly overhead and hit them from above when I open the gate." Aang nodded, but there was a look of uncertainty in his eyes. Noticing this, the Fire Lord said, "Don't worry Aang. Katara's going to be fine. It'll take a lot more than some low-life kidnappers to take her down. Now get going; we've got work to do." Aang changed his staff into glider mode and soared into the air like an eagle.
Zuko stepped out of the bushes and positioned himself in front of the fortress walls, allowing himself to be seen by the enemy and draw attention away from Aang. He closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath to channel his energy. Snapping his eyes open, he thrust forward with his right hand and a straight line of mini-explosions rippled out of it as he superheated the air. Suddenly, a massive explosion engulfed the gates, the flames reaching up to the parapets above. With a great crashing fall, the gates were blown apart and debris rained down everywhere. The Fire Lord rushed through the destroyed gates on jets of flame which spewed out of his hands and feet.
At the moment the gates were blown apart, Aang descended rapidly and landed into the courtyard to assess the situation. Looking around, he could see about twenty men, various benders and warriors, who were training just before the explosion. They all wore their standard black and purple colors, although each bender and warrior was dressed in the style of their home nation. Aang could see that there were Firebenders and Waterbenders as well as warriors from the Water Tribes and the Fire Nation. One of the Dark Legion Firebenders pointed at Aang and shouted, "It's the Avatar! Kill him!" He shot a fireball at Aang, but it was intercepted by another fireball before it even got close to him. Aang didn't have to look behind him to see Zuko rushing to his aid. He knew it was Zuko who had stopped the enemy fireball. Now the Avatar and the Fire Lord stood side-by-side, the two men facing down the Dark Legion.
Four Firebenders jumped forward and shot long streams of flames at them. Suddenly, a rock wall erected itself in front of the two and blocked the deadly flames. All at once, a massive gust of wind swept the four Firebenders off their feet and threw them to the far side of the courtyard. Aang and Zuko looked to their left just in time to see Toph and Dreo descend into the courtyard. When they landed, they both took up their fighting stances. "Hey Twinkle Toes," Toph shouted, "trying to start the party without us?" Directing her attention to the enemy, she said bluntly, "All right, which one of Dark Legion scumbags wants a butt kicking first? I'll take you all on at once!"
One of the Waterbenders stepped forward and conjured up water tendrils with water from the reservoir in the middle of the courtyard. At the tips of the tendrils, the water was frozen to create slashing ice tips. As he began to lash at Toph and Dreo, a black blur zoomed in from above and knocked the Waterbender out in one shot. He fell to ground and the water tendrils disintegrated. "Oh yeah! Score one for Space Boomerang!" shouted Sokka from above. He was being carried down by Gregor who was descending with flame jets coming out of his feet. Sokka caught his boomerang in mid-air, a look of pride on his face. When they landed, Gregor took his fighting stance and Sokka drew his new Space Sword. "Now the party really starts!" shouted Sokka excitedly.
Aang stepped forward and said to the Dark Legion troops, "Stand down, you vile men. You cannot defeat us. We are Team Avatar, the most powerful group of benders and warriors on the planet. If you surrender, you will be spared the pain that will undoubtedly come to you. Now where are the prisoners you took from the Fire Nation Royal Palace?" But much to his surprise, the Dark Legion troops began to laugh at him as if he had said something utterly ridiculous. The members of Team Avatar looked on at their enemy in confusion. Why would they be laughing at a time like this?
One of the Waterbenders, who had a diagonal scar across his face, stepped forward and said, "My name is Jiliu, and I am the Dark Legion's most powerful Waterbender. I am in command of the men in this courtyard. I was also there to kidnap the women and the Fire Nation Prince from the palace." As he said this, Aang's eyes widened. "The reason why we're laughing," he said with a sneer, "is because we will never surrender to the scum who led to the Fire Nation's defeat at the end of The War. The Fire Nation wanted to spread their wealth and prosperity to the whole world, but you and Fire Lord Zuko decided to interfere and end that glorious dream. Now we will take the world back, but this time in the name of the Dark Legion! Our Emperor of Darkness will rule the world with an iron fist! All hail the Emperor!" He and his men began cheering and shouting praise to their master. Aang had never seen anything like this in his life.
Aang was growing impatient. Every second they wasted here was another second that the others were still in mortal danger. He stomped his foot, which sent out a shockwave that knocked over the Dark Legion troops, and shouted angrily, "ENOUGH! Tell me where my wife is!" But Jiliu began laughing grimly as he stood back up, a laugh that sent chills down Aang's spine.
"Oh yes," he mused, "the pregnant Waterbender. Our master has something special in mind for her. Princess Azula and Captain Kongju will soon begin a procedure to ensure that your spawn does not infest the world of our master. There is nothing you can do to save her." He began laughing manically as Aang's blood turned to stone. Aang's rage began building, and suddenly he Earthbended a rock in front of him and launched it at Jiliu with all his strength. It hit the evil Waterbender in the chest and shattered, the force of the impact sending him flying across the courtyard. He landed hard on the ground, but he jumped back up as if nothing had happened.
He spat a spittle of blood out of his mouth and laughed. "Yes, Avatar! Let your rage consume you! Our master feeds off of your negative emotions! Every time you grow angry or spiteful, his power increases!" He signaled to his men and yelled, "Attack, soldiers of darkness! Leave no survivors!" The Dark Legion troops split off into three groups of ten, each composed of five benders and five warriors, and went after each duo from Team Avatar.
The first group reached Sokka and Gregor, and the three Firebenders in the group shot fireballs at them. But Gregor easily deflected two of the burning spheres and smoothly redirected the third one at a Fire Nation warrior, which caused him to become incapacitated immediately. Sokka engaged the rest of the warriors while Gregor fought against the remaining benders. Gregor assumed the stance of the Octopus Fighting Form and instead of tentacles of water surrounding him, tendrils of fire sprouted and took form. The Dark Legion benders faltered at the sight of this flaming beast, but their hesitation was all the time Gregor needed. Sweeping his arms in front of him, the two most front tendrils swept away the benders in a single stroke. The Waterbenders recovered their footing and conjured up water tendrils with the icicle edges to combat Gregor. They lashed out in an attempt to cut the Fire Nation general with their deadly weapons.
Gregor raised up his arms and his fiery tendrils clashed with their water tendrils, causing steam to rise after they collided. By this time, the Firebenders had recovered and shot long streams of flame at Gregor. But he noticed their attack and raised up his hands as if he were drawing up water, and his fiery creature transformed into a wave of flame. The enemy attack was blocked, and Gregor countered by stepping forward with his right foot and brought his hands down in a pushing motion. The wave surged forward towards the Dark Legion benders, looks of terror on their evil faces. They retreated from the approaching waves, and Gregor allowed himself a confident smile.
Sokka was holding his own against the warriors, parrying his foes again and again as they continually rushed at him. Sokka smiled to himself; his training with Master Piandao was paying off for him. The warriors were excellent fighters, but Sokka was even better than all of them combined. Out of the five that had first attacked him, only two were still conscious.
Another group of benders and warriors, this time three Waterbenders and two Firebenders, attacked Dreo and Toph. Dreo stepped forward to attack, but Toph threw an arm in front of him to stop him. "Wait," she said, "I need to be able to feel where they are." Dreo blushed slightly as he took a step back and allowed Toph to do her work. Toph extended her seismic senses throughout the ground in front of her, and she could feel the Dark Legion troops approaching. She smiled grimly and said proudly, "They're mine." She stomped her foot and four rocks shot up out of the ground in front of her. In a flurry of quick punches, she sent them flying at the enemy.
Two of the rocks hit Water Tribe warriors while a third hit a Waterbender. The last rock was also flying towards a Waterbender, however he was ready for it. He had bended water around his arms and froze them to create ice claws. With a single slashing motion, he demolished the incoming projectile with ease. He then threw his frozen gauntlets at Toph in order to impale her. But she stomped her foot and raised her arms in front of her, and a stone wall erected itself in front of the blind Earthbender, halting the flying projectiles of death as they shattered against the hard stone.
Dreo then jumped over the wall and blasted streams of air from his palms, blowing the enemy back fifteen feet. Toph crashed through her wall and took her place beside Dreo, ready to fend off the Dark Legion troops. The Airbender looked at her and confidently said, "I can hold my own in a fight. Step aside and watch a pro at work." It took him a moment to realize how stupid his comment had sounded and he blushed, although Toph didn't seem to notice this. "Umm," he stammered nervously, "just…let me, uh, show you…what I can do." He regained his composure and began spinning his arms around so a ball of air formed in his hands. He waited for the attacking enemy to come close enough before unleashing it, and when they did he knocked out the remaining three Fire Nation warriors. He stood up and smiled confidently. He looked at Toph and said cockily, "Beat that, Blind Bandit." But Toph stepped forward and cracked her knuckles, ready to fight.
She stomped with her right foot and moved her hands apart as if she were ripping something apart. Instantly the ground beneath the remaining four benders opened up like a menacing maw of doom, causing them to fall into it. Toph then curled up her right arm and punched upward, catapulting the Dark Legion troops across the courtyard and landing in a great heap of arms and legs. She turned to a dumbfounded Dreo and said, "Beat you, Air Boy." She rushed off to assist Gregor and Sokka, leaving an awestruck Airbender behind.
Dreo could only stand there and watch the blind Earthbender as she went. "That's some woman," he quietly mused to himself. He had never seen a girl quite like Toph in his whole life. She was an incredible person who could be as hard and unmovable as a rock and yet still have feelings underneath her rocky exterior. He found it somewhat attractive, but he finally shook off his numbness and sprinted off to join her.
The final group of Dark Legion troops, again five warriors as well two Waterbenders and three Firebenders, attacked Aang and Zuko. But it was Fire Lord who struck the first blow as he shot fireballs at the warriors, knocking out three of them. The Waterbenders, one of whom was Jiliu, struck out with their ice-tipped whips, but Aang smoothly dissolved them and redirected the new stream of water at the remaining warriors, taking them out of the fight. A heated battle was raging between Zuko and the enemy Firebenders, fireballs and streams of flame being fired furiously from both sides. Zuko launched a powerful kick at one of the Dark Legion Firebenders, knocking the dark soldier back several feet. But the enemy soldier recovered and launched a long stream of flame at the Fire Lord, who blocked it with ease.
The enemy Waterbenders struck at Aang with jets of water, which the Avatar blocked with a mound of raised earth. He began punching and kicking the rocky mass in front of him, launching rocks from his defensive position at the Dark Legion Waterbenders. Jiliu easily dodged and cut through several flying rocks with a water whip, but his comrade was hit and went down like a sack of bricks. Aang pushed his arms out to the side and the rock formation split in two, circling into Jiliu's blind spot. Bringing his arms back together, Aang sent the two halves racing towards Jiliu. The rocks collided against Jiliu and formed a rocky shell that trapped the evil Waterbender. No matter how hard he struggled he could not break free. Aang strode up to the helpless man and pointed his staff at him, rage filling his gray eyes. "I will only ask you this one time," said the Avatar in a threatening voice. "Where…is…my…wife?" He continued to stare at Jiliu in an attempt to intimidate him, but the evil man only laughed contemptuously at his captor. Zuko appeared by Aang's side, having just finished off the remaining two Firebenders.
"Have you truly not figured it out yet?" laughed Jiliu. "You cannot save her in time, not before the procedure is complete. But if you hurry, you might just get a chance to see her die in front of you and watch as the life leaves her eyes forever!" He began laughing manically as Aang's fear overtook his rage and anger.
"I refuse to let that happen!" shouted the Avatar. "I will save her, and I will bring down your dark organization piece by corrupted piece!" He looked at the fortress and shouted, "Katara! I'm coming for you! Just hang on a bit longer!" He then took off in a burst of air, his Airbending as well as his fear fueling his mad dash as he raced towards the entrance of the fortress.
Sokka, Gregor, Toph, and Dreo appeared by Zuko's side, having dispatched the remaining enemy forces. They began to run after the Avatar when Toph suddenly yelled, "Wait!" She then dropped to ground and put her hand to the ground. Her eyes widened as she said, "Enemy reinforcements are inbound. I'm counting maybe two, no, three times the amount of troops that we fought here, and they're closing in fast!" Everyone in the group looked at Zuko, waiting for him to issue a command.
"Gregor and Dreo," said the Fire Lord with authority, "you two should stay behind and fend off the enemy reinforcements while Sokka, Toph, and I go to rescue the others. I have a feeling that we'll need Toph's metalbending skills. Make sure none of them get through to us. Is that understood?" He looked at the two brothers for a response. There was a look of certainty and strength in their fierce eyes.
Gregor bowed to Zuko and said steadfastly, "There is no need to worry, my lord. We're two master benders; no one will interrupt your rescue. We will guard this courtyard with our lives." Dreo nodded in affirmation of what his brother had said.
Zuko walked up to Gregor and put a hand on his general's shoulder. "Let us hope it does not come to that, my old friend." He looked to Sokka and Toph and shouted, "Let's go!" The three of them took off toward the fortress as Gregor and Dreo turned to face the incoming assault that was pouring through the destroyed gate. The thundering steps of an approaching army echoed through the courtyard, but the two brothers were not afraid.
The two brothers took up their fighting stances and smiled at one another, relishing the moment. "I think we should see who gets the most, a little competition if you will. What do you say, Dreo?" said Gregor.
They both laughed, their brotherly bond growing even stronger and giving each other strength. Dreo was still laughing as he said, "You're on, Hot Head. I bet I'll get at least twenty of them." And with that they launched themselves into the fray.
Aang burst through the fortress entrance with a thunderous crash, the sound echoing throughout the sinister place. Silently Aang thought to himself, I'm here now, Katara. We'll be together soon, and I'll take you far away from this place of death. Stay strong, my dear. He continued forward as he doubled his speed, racing like a violent gust in a summer storm.
The South Pole: Two Years Ago
"It has to be around here somewhere," said Aang imperatively, "we just have to keep looking." Despite hours of searching throughout Aang's house, they were coming up empty-handed everywhere they looked. Aang's house was built into the side of an ice cliff just outside of the main village. He had brought in furniture from the Earth Kingdom so that he would have something dry in this frozen land of ice and snow. He and Katara were in the main room of his house, which had a couple of sofas, a small table, and many bookshelves. His staff rested in a corner and a comprehensive map of the world hung on the wall, a reminder of the Avatar's duty to the entire world. He had a stable built next to his house on the cliffside for Appa and Momo, which was where the two animals were now sleeping peacefully. Katara and Aang had already searched the other rooms of the house and had made their way into the main room.
Katara had just finished rummaging through a box when she looked up and sighed. "It's no use," she muttered, "my necklace isn't here." She stood up and shook her head in frustration. "How could I have been so stupid as to lose it?" she scolded herself. "I always have that necklace on me at all times. It doesn't seem possible that it's gone. It's like I'm losing my mother all over again." As she said this, she looked down sadly and tears began to appear in her eyes.
Aang noticed her tears and was quickly at her side. "Hey, don't cry," he said comfortingly, "we'll find it. I said I was going to help you find it, and I won't rest until it's found." He smiled at her as he wiped away her tears. Katara tried to manage a smile, but she couldn't bring herself to do so.
"Aang…it doesn't matter how many people we have looking for it," she said dejectedly. "I'm afraid this time that it's lost for good." Tears reappeared in her eyes as she hugged Aang for support. He hugged her back, concern welling up deep within his soul for his girlfriend. She was taking this loss very hard.
"What's lost for good?" came a familiar voice from the stairwell. The couple turned and saw Chief Hakoda walking into the main room. The hardened warrior had aged slightly over the years, with near indistinguishable streaks of gray running through his brown hair, but in his eyes was still the fierce blaze of battle. He was wearing a dark blue jacket similar to the style of the members of the Northern Water Tribe along with rugged hunting boots. He noticed his daughter's melancholy expression and asked, "What's wrong, Katara? Did something happen?" Katara inhaled an unsteady breath as she tried, rather unsuccessfully, to compose herself.
"I lost Mom's necklace," she said in a cracked voice. "I woke up this morning and it was gone. We don't know where it is." She closed her eyes and buried her face into Aang's chest, sobbing quietly into the Avatar's robes. Aang hugged Katara closer to him, letting his love and tranquility flow into her. Hakoda looked on at the scene thoughtfully, obviously concerned.
"Did you by chance tell Sokka that it was missing?" he asked. Katara brought her sad eyes into contact with her father and nodded. "I noticed that he and Suki were looking all over the village for something, but I wasn't sure what it was." He paused before continuing on, choosing his words carefully. "I know how hard this must be for you, Katara, but you don't have to blame yourself-" he had begun to say before she cut him off.
"It's completely my fault, Dad!" she shouted miserably, tears of intense sorrow streaming down her face as she tore herself away from Aang and faced her father. "I've been wearing that necklace every day since Mom died as a reminder of what she did for me. To lose it would be the ultimate disrespect to her memory! What kind of daughter would I be if I just forget everything that she has done for me? She gave her life to protect me, and this is how I repay her?" She couldn't bring herself to say anymore as she covered her face with her hands and buried her face deep into Aang's chest, sobbing uncontrollably as she poured out in her raging grief. Aang's face was full of worry for Katara as he embraced her, for he had never seen her overcome with this much grief before.
"Katara," said Hakoda firmly, "you are not a terrible daughter. You have made me so proud over the years with all you and your friends have accomplished. I know that your mother's death has affected you more than the rest of the family, but Sokka and I share your grief." He looked down somberly as he added, "Kya was a special woman. She was kind, compassionate, and full of love yet she could stand up for herself and was fiercely determined not to let anyone push her around." He looked back up at his daughter as he said, "You remind me a lot of her. I know she would also be proud as I am at the fine young woman you've become." Katara looked up from her boyfriend's chest, wet lines trailing down her face. She detached herself from Aang and faced her father, still shaking slightly from her sobbing.
"That necklace is only a part of her memory," he continued. "Your mother will always live on in here," he said as he pointed at Katara's heart, her eyes following his finger. "As long as she lives in your heart, her memory will never die. Understand?" Katara looked back up at her father, tears starting to form in her eyes again. He smiled and began to wipe away his daughter's tears, but before he could she fiercely hugged him. The Water Tribe Chief was surprised at first, but then he hugged his daughter back.
He looked at the Avatar, and an understanding seemed to pass between them. "You know," Hakoda said thoughtfully, "there is one place that you could check for the necklace: Glacier Point. The sun's about to go down and maybe the dim rays of light may glint off of it in the snow." He watched as his daughter looked up skeptically at him. "Who knows," he said innocently, "it may just be there. It wouldn't hurt to look right?" He looked again at Aang, trying to communicate wordlessly between the two of them.
Aang's face lit up with a big grin. "Oh yeah!" he exclaimed. "Why didn't I think to look there before? If the necklace isn't anywhere in the village or my house, it could be there. We were there last night after the party." Katara shot her boyfriend the same skeptical look that she had given her father.
"But I don't remember ever going to Glacier Point at all last night," countered the Waterbender. "And besides, how could it be there if I remember wearing it to your house?" She was beginning to feel that something strange was going on. There was something weird about how the two men were acting, but she couldn't put her finger on what exactly it was.
"Oh, well there was a lot happening last night," said Aang nonchalantly. "Your memory might just be a little bit jumbled up. You just probably don't remember going there because it wasn't important. Although while we were there, I saw some penguins swimming through the water. We were there for a little while just enjoying the view, nothing important." Katara dropped her skeptical look as she relaxed, for she trusted in him more than anything in the world.
"I suppose you're right," she mused. But then she looked up excitedly and said, "But let's go! We have to find my mother's necklace!" Aang nodded happily and conjured up an air scooter and swept up Katara in his arms. They sped out the front door, Katara calling out behind her, "We'll see you there Dad!" The Water Tribe Chief could hear his daughter's voice grow dimmer and dimmer as they got further and further away form Aang's house. Hakoda watched as the young couple disappeared into the distance, a smile on his knowing face.
Dark Legion Fortress: Present Day
Aang continued racing through the dark fortress, searching every door he came across for any signs of his captured friends and wife. With each empty room he came upon his fear became increasingly higher, threatening to consume him. He refused to be too late, to be unable to save his wife. She had to still be alive!
Deep within the fortress he came upon a prison cell with a sole occupant. As Aang looked in he recognized the small figure that was chained to the wall. "Sun Tzu? Is that you?" called Aang uncertainly. He saw two amber eyes glance up in the darkness as the young Fire Nation Prince heard his name being called. He looked very distraught and afraid, the result of being separated from his mother. "Do you recognize me?" Aang asked calmly. "I'm Avatar Aang. I'm a friend of your daddy." Sun Tzu's eyes widened as his father was mentioned. "We're here to rescue you, along with everyone else. I'll wait here with you until your daddy gets here, OK?" Sun Tzu nodded his head again, still choosing to stay quiet.
"Aang, what have you found?" called a voice from down the corridor. Aang looked back to see Zuko, Toph, and Sokka running towards him. He noticed that Gregor and Dreo were not with them, and he became worried about his friends. "Gregor and Dreo stayed behind to deal with enemy reinforcements," Zuko explained. "Now what is it that you've found?" But his question was answered as he looked into the cell and saw his son. "Sun Tzu!" he cried happily, tears of joy appearing in his eyes. The young Prince's eyes lit up with happiness at the sight of his father.
"Daddy!" exclaimed the young Prince. He tried to move forward as if to embrace his father, but his chains stopped him short. Sun Tzu looked back on his chains in confusion, and then looked to his father with sadness in his innocent eyes.
The Fire Lord tried to open the cell door, but it was locked. "Toph," he said quickly, "could you please get this door open?" Toph walked up to the door as Zuko stepped aside. She spit into the palms of her hands, rubbed them together, and made a series of quick jabs at the metal door. It began to crumple like paper, and she finished it off by ripping the door off of its hinges and throwing it off to the side. She walked into the cell and broke Sun Tzu's bonds, freeing him. The young Prince rushed up to his father and the two embraced, tears of elation running down their faces.
As much as Aang hated to break up this happy reunion, he knew they had to find the others as quickly as possible. "We have to keep moving," he said. "The others are still in danger, and once we find them we can get out of here." The others nodded in agreement and they continued on their way.
They continued down the corridor a bit further, checking every cell door they came across. In many of them were the bones of the unfortunate previous occupants while others housed individuals who had gone insane from their imprisonment in this dark place. Finally, Aang looked into one cell and gasped at what he saw. He could see two familiar figures hanging from the wall in their chains. One was dressed in the royal robes of the Fire Nation and the other was dressed like a Kyoshi warrior. Recognizing them immediately, he called out, "Suki! Mai! It's me, Aang! We're here to rescue you." The two women looked up as they heard their names being called, and relief came over their tired faces. Turning to the others, he shouted, "I found them! They're in here!" Toph immediately rushed over and took care of the metal door as well as the chains.
"Mommy!" cried out Sun Tzu as he ran to embrace his mother. Mai stooped down and picked up her son, hugging him fiercely. "Mommy, I was so scared," sniffled the young Prince, "and mean men were making fun of me, saying bad things about Daddy and the Avatar." He buried his little head into his mother's shoulder as she rocked him back and forth.
"Hush now, my little one," whispered Mai softly, "everything's going to be all right." Looking up, she saw her husband and she went over to embrace him as well. They shared a long kiss, and when they separated she said weakly, "Took you guys long enough to get here. I was starting to get a bit tired of just hanging around all day." But they both smiled as they kissed again.
"Suki!" bleated an elated Sokka as he ran over and hugged his girlfriend. They also kissed as well, and when they separated he said worriedly, "They didn't hurt you did they? No broken bones, no bruises, no cuts?" He began examining Suki as he was saying this. Suki laughed at how ridiculous her boyfriend when it came to him being overprotective.
"No Sokka," she said happily, "I'm fine. Besides, I knew you guys would come and rescue us. I never lost faith in you, Sokka." They both smiled and kissed again, glad to be reunited with one another.
Aang looked around and saw that Katara wasn't with them. He began to feel his fear and anxiety begin to grow. He turned to Suki and asked apprehensively, "Where's Katara? Why isn't she with you and Mai? Did something happen to her?" But Suki and Mai only looked down with sad expressions on their faces. Feeling his panic building, Aang shouted, "Where is she?" Everyone looked at Aang in shock at his outburst.
"She was with us earlier," stammered Suki, "but they took her out of our cell about an hour ago to perform a procedure." Aang's eyes widened with fear, remembering that Jiliu had mentioned something similar. But then Suki delivered the worst news of all: "They're…going to cut her baby out of her womb, and then they're going to kill her." Tears formed in the Kyoshi warrior's eyes, and she couldn't bring herself to say anymore.
Aang's horror and terror shot through his body like a deadly poison, shrouding his thoughts and emotions in a cloud of darkness. He could feel tears of sorrow and rage flowing freely down his face, which was contorted in pain. His mind became enshrouded in a black veil of intense anger and hatred, hatred towards those who were going to kill his wife and child. His eyes and tattoos began to glow as the Avatar Spirit inside of him was awakened. But instead of the pure white glow, it was replaced by a glow that was as black as death and tinged with red along the edges of his eyes and tattoos, representing the immense rage coursing through his mind. In a roar of anger, he bellowed, "NO! I REFUSE TO LET THAT HAPPEN TO KATARA! I'LL KILL ANYONE WHO STANDS IN MY WAY!" Looking at Suki through his dark glowing eyes, he shouted, "WHICH WAY DID THEY TAKE HER?"
The faces of his friends were all contorted in frightened astonishment at Aang's horrific transformation, and Suki's face was full of fear as she pointed behind him. Aang snapped his head to where she pointed, seeing that they had taken his wife straight down the corridor. In an inhuman roar of bloodlust, he launched himself with all of his might. He sprinted down the corridor using his Airbending, which was fueled by his wrath. He was determined to save his wife, no matter what the cost.
The South Pole: Two Years Ago
"There it is!" Aang cried joyfully as he and Katara neared Glacier Point, which was a slab of ice that jutted out over the ocean. As Aang and Katara dismounted the air scooter, they could see the evening sun starting to set. They both started looking around for the necklace, although Katara still seemed to be skeptical.
"Are you sure we were here last night?" she asked. "I don't remember any of this." She looked over at her boyfriend, who was trying to keep himself from fidgeting.
"I'm positive," he said confidently. He waited until she looked away to keep searching, and when she did he flicked his right hand. Two soft impressions appeared at the edge of the frozen point. "See?" he pointed out to her. "This is where we were sitting last night. I was on the right and you were on the left." He made molded the impressions to their exact body types, making the deception believable. As Katara looked at the impressions, her face began to relax.
With another flick of his wrist, Aang created smaller impressions a few steps behind him. Pretending to have just discovered it, he called out, "Hey Katara! I think I found where your necklace was." As she hurried over, he said, "I found a slight impression in the shape of it, but it looks like someone found it and took it." He pointed to the other impressions, which were in the shapes of feet.
Katara said thoughtfully, "I guess either someone found it and was going to return it, or they just stole it for themselves." But she looked down desolately and said, "But it's still gone. I don't think we'll ever see it again." She closed her eyes as Aang put a hand on her shoulder.
"Hey, there's my favorite little sister and bald guy in the whole world!" cried out a familiar voice. Aang and Katara looked up to see Hakoda, Sokka, and Suki walking towards them. Hakoda and Sokka were dressed in their Water Tribe attire, while Suki preferred wearing her Kyoshi warrior garb. "What are you two doing way out here?" he asked. He noticed Katara's expression and said solemnly, "Oh, I'm guessing you haven't found your necklace yet." His sister sadly shook her head to confirm what Sokka had said.
Suki stepped forward and said, "We searched the entire village, but we couldn't find it. I'm sorry Katara. We did our best." She smiled at her friend to try and cheer her up, but it was no use.
Katara looked up and said, "Thank you all for trying so hard to find it. I appreciate your help as well as the time you gave up to look for it." She looked at Aang and said, "I'm sorry for wasting your whole day for nothing, Aang." She looked sadly into Aang's eyes, which were full of sympathy.
"Well," said Aang timidly, "I wouldn't say the day was an entire waste." He reached into his robes and pulled out the necklace, the polished surface gleaming in the setting sunlight. Sokka and Suki looked at the necklace with unbelieving looks on their faces.
Katara's eyes widened with shock. "My mother's necklace!" she exclaimed as she reached out for it, but Aang pulled it away from her. Her expression was one of confusion, then of anger. "Have you had that with you all day?" she asked accusingly. She gasped and shouted, "You made those impressions in the snow! We were never here last night! I knew you were lying! How did you get my necklace anyway?" She glared at the Avatar, who was trying very hard not to flinch under her threatening gaze.
"Last night," he said, "I waited until you were asleep and then I took your necklace off of your neck." But before he could say anymore Katara cut him off.
"You did what?" she yelled angrily. "Why would you do such a horrible thing? You know how much that necklace means to me!" She pointed an angry finger at Aang and said, "You better start explaining yourself or I'm never speaking to you again! I swear on my mother's spirit I'll break up with you for this, Aang! How could you do something so-" Her father cut her off before she had a chance to say anything else.
"Katara," said Hakoda calmly, and his daughter shot an angry look at him, her hands clenched into fists. "Aang does have a reason for doing what he did. Just listen to what he has to say." He looked to Aang and nodded, as if giving him approval for something.
"He's right," Aang stated. "I do have a reason." He bent down on one knee and held up the necklace reverently towards Katara. A look of confusion came across the faces of Katara, Sokka, and Suki. Only Hakoda seemed to know what was going on, but he didn't let his face betray what his mind was thinking.
"Aang, what are you doing?" asked Katara suspiciously. Her voice had changed from a tone of anger and bitterness to one of wonder and excitement, her eyes full of curiosity and fascination.
"Katara," began the Avatar, "I love you. We have been together for so many years, and I have come to love you for everything that you are. You are my soul mate, the other half of my eternal spirit, the woman who makes me whole. Words alone cannot describe the spiritual connection that is between us. I wanted to give you something that showed my love for you, but whatever I thought of didn't seem appropriate. I didn't want to make a new necklace for you because that would mean you would have to stop wearing the one your mother gave you. I know how much this necklace means to you because of your mother…but today I want it to mean something else to you as well. I'm sorry for taking your necklace and I hope you'll forgive me, but I'm returning it to you with just one question: Katara, will you marry me?" He kept his head down for fear of looking up, and there was a long silence. All he could hear was the sound of his own breathing, rising and falling within him like the ocean tides that the moon spirit bended every night. When he finally summoned the courage to look up, he could see that Katara's eyes were full of tears….and that she was smiling.
"Aang…" she whispered quietly. She tenderly took the necklace out of Aang's hands and replaced it on her neck. She drew in a steady breath, all of her energy going towards maintaining her composure. "Yes…" she whispered soundlessly, then she blurted out, "Of course I'll marry you!" as she tackled Aang to the ground and kissed him fiercely. The two of them lay embracing in the snow as Sokka began cheering and hugging his father and Suki. But the two lovers were in their own world, isolated from what was going on around them. When they separated, Katara's wondrous sapphire eyes were full of joy and happiness, tears of gladness flowing down her face. "I love you so much!" she whispered, and they kissed again. At this Sokka's cheering redoubled, Suki's smile widened, and Hakoda's face beamed with pride. Aang could have remained where he was with Katara forever, but in the end they finally separated. Katara's eyes were full of unbridled love, bringing bliss into Aang's heart. He knew that deep within Katara, she felt the same love and bliss he was feeling at that moment. The Waterbender looked up at her father and said, "You were in on this, weren't you Dad?" Hakoda laughed merrily as his daughter saw through his ruse.
"Yes, I was," he replied happily. "Last night at the party, Aang talked with me in private. He told me that he wanted to propose to you, but he wanted to get my blessing first before doing so. I gave him my blessing, and he told me what his plan was. I agreed to go along with it." He chuckled as he said, "Aang can come up with some truly ingenious ideas." A smile of pride appeared on his face as Aang and Katara rose up out of the snow. "I am once again the proudest father in the entire world. My own daughter, my little Katara, marrying the Avatar." His daughter blushed at his doting, but she was happy that he approved of their marriage. "It is truly an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," he continued, "and a great honor to our family." With this, he bowed in respect to Aang, who bowed back in the same fashion.
Sokka, on the other hand, could hardly contain his excitement. "Woo yeah!" he shouted. He went over and hugged his sister, picking her up and spinning her around ecstatically. After he put Katara down, he then turned to Aang and clasped him on the back in a very manly way. "Oh man, this is awesome! Aang's going to be my brother-in-law!" He sank to his knees and held up his fists triumphantly in the air, shouting "This is the greatest day ever!" He then stood up and regained his composure and cheerily said, "Seriously, you two, congratulations. You'll have a great life together." His face was filled with so much pride that it seemed fit to burst.
Suki, laughing with joy, went up and excitedly hugged Aang and Katara, saying "Oh, I'm so happy for you two! You both must be so thrilled!" Aang and Katara blushed, and they reached over and took each other's hand. No words were needed between them, for their connection to one another went beyond the fathoming of mere mortal men.
Sokka gasped suddenly as he realized something. "We have to tell Gran Gran and Pakku! Suki, you pick up Katara. I've got a hold of Aang." Despite Aang and Katara's protests, they were brought up onto their friends' shoulders. However, Sokka and Suki kept them close enough so that they could still hold hands. Both Aang and Katara were happily laughing as their warrior escorts carried them off back to the village. The soon-to-be-newlyweds shared another kiss, pure love emanating from their souls as their spiritual connection grew even stronger than before.
Hakoda looked on at the spectacle in silent pride, a smile on his hardened warrior face. "There she goes, Kya," he said to the open air. "Our daughter is finally getting married to the man she loves more than life itself. I only wish that you were here to see it." He looked out to sea at the setting sun and said, "But I know that you would be proud of her too." He stood there for a little while, then started off in the direction of the village.
Dark Legion Fortress: Present Day
Tearing through the corridor, Aang didn't even bother to glance up at the scenes of death on the walls around him. There was only one thought in his darkened mind: save Katara. With each footstep the floor underneath him cracked and fractured, the immense power of the Avatar State flowing through his whole body. Anger was his breath, rage was his heart, hatred was his hands, and wrath was his body. He had become an embodiment of uncontrolled fury, a truly terrifying creature of destruction and chaos. At the end of the corridor he came upon a metal door underneath a picture of an evil man standing over a dead Airbender. He pounded on the door with all his might and called out, "KATARA!"
Almost immediately, there was a response. "Aang!" came Katara's frightened voice from within. "Help me!" Yelling with all his might, Aang began smashing away at the door with his fists and feet. With each blow, the metal became more and more dented and concave. Drawing his hand back, a small ball of intense flame flickered forth. Bringing his hand forward, the small fire bomb hit the door and exploded violently. When the smoke cleared, the door had been blown apart and Aang could see two figures within. He could see Katara lying on a table, thankfully unharmed.
But standing over her was a nightmare from the past; Princess Azula. She stood there wielding a knife with a jagged blade as black as the abyss of death and an ornate handle with a large ruby at the end of it. Katara could see that Aang was in the Avatar State, but she could sense that something was wrong with him. His usual white glow had been replaced with black and red tinged the edges of his eyes and tattoos. It was if she could see his anger and hatred pouring out of him, and she was terrified of what he would do in his current state.
Azula didn't even seem fazed by Aang's spectacular entrance or even by his appearance. She began laughing manically, enraging Aang even more. "The Avatar has finally arrived!" she madly proclaimed. "Just in time to see his precious little wife DIE!" She began to bring the knife blade down on Katara, who was screaming with fear. In that instant, time seemed to slow down. Aang could only see the cruel knife and the face of his Katara contorted in fear. Something snapped inside the already-broken Avatar; a primal instinct to protect the one he loves sprung forth, but now fueled by his murderous intent at thwarting Azula.
"NO!" bellowed Aang angrily as he swept his staff in front of him, producing a gust of wind that knocked Azula against the far wall. The knife clattered out of her reach, and Aang went on the offensive. He shot several rocks at the evil Fire Nation Princess, hitting her multiple times in the midsection. Each time she was hit, she let out a sharp gasp of pain, blood pouring out of her mouth. He finished his onslaught by launching her on a pillar of rock through the roof, and she disappeared from sight through a gaping hole. The Avatar stood there panting raggedly for a while before he exited the Avatar State. He staggered from exhaustion, but he shook it off and quickly looked at his wife.
"Katara!" he called out. He went over and began working on unclasping the metal restraints. Focusing his energy, he bent the metal until he broke it. He finally managed to undo all of them and he helped Katara up. They embraced each other fiercely, tears of relief and joy flowing down their faces as they passionately kissed. No distance could separate them anymore, their two souls merging into one. When they separated from their kiss, he said unsteadily, "Are you all right? They didn't hurt you or the baby, did they?" Tears were still streaming down his face as he gazed at woman who was the center of his life, of his entire world.
"No Aang, I'm fine," choked Katara, her face wet with tears. As if to reassure him, she placed his hand on her stomach and sure enough, the baby was fine as well. But she looked nervously at her husband and said, "You didn't…kill Azula, did you? You were pretty savage with her. I've never seen you use such raw power in that way before." Aang looked down at the ground, ashamed at himself for losing control of his emotions.
"I don't know," admitted the Avatar, "but I would be surprised to see her walk away after something like that." Looking back at his wife, he said, "I was so worried about you. I was afraid I wasn't going to make it in time." He ran his hand through Katara's hair, and she held his hand close to her head and smiled. They stood looking at each other for a long time, love binding together the wounds that had been rendered in their hearts. Reaching down into his robe, he pulled out Katara's necklace. "I believe this belongs to you, my love," he said as he offered it to her. "It was broken at first, but I was able to fix it." Katara's face lit up with delight at the sight of the familiar trinket.
She took the necklace and placed it back around her neck. She touched her hand to it, remembering the feel of it. She looked up at Aang and said, "Thank you so much for bringing this back to me." They smiled at one another, letting love flow between them like a river. She brought them back to reality by saying, "We should get out of here. We'll talk when we're safe." Aang nodded in agreement, but before they left he picked up the knife Azula had been wielding and put it in his robes. He then pulled out the bison whistle and blew into it, signaling Appa. After that he conjured up his air scooter and carried Katara along in his arms. When they had passed the spot where he had left the others, he could see that they were gone. But he knew that they would be waiting in the courtyard along with Gregor and Dreo.
Indeed, when they came upon courtyard, they could see that Gregor and Dreo were still fighting the enemy reinforcements, although their numbers had dwindled slightly. Gregor and Zuko were fighting a group of Firebenders while Dreo and Sokka were fighting a group of Waterbenders and warriors. Toph stayed behind to guard Mai, Sun Tzu, and Suki. She sensed them coming before anyone else saw them. She turned in their direction and shouted, "Hey, Twinkle Toes, you found Sugar Queen after all! And from what I can feel, the baby's fine as well!" Suki, Mai, and Sun Tzu looked in the direction of Aang and Katara with smiles on their faces. Suddenly, a massive roar ripped through the sky. Everyone in the courtyard looked up as Appa descended and landed in the courtyard with a massive thud, sweeping away entire squads of Dark Legion troops with air blasts from his massive tail. Momo was in the saddle, throwing Leechi nuts at the enemy troops and chattering what sounded like taunts.
Sokka jumped on top of Appa's head and took the reins. "All aboard the Bison Express!" he called. "Next stop: Anywhere but here!" Team Avatar wasted no time in climbing onboard Appa, while Aang picked up Katara and jumped onto Appa. Once everyone was on, Sokka frantically yelled "Yip yip!" and the great bison lifted into the sky. As they ascended, they were assaulted by fireballs and flying ice shards, but none of them hit the bison. The fortress began growing smaller and smaller in the distance until it was just a black speck on the horizon.
Sokka looked back and called, "You guys can stop cowering now. We're safe." He smiled cheerily and said, "I must say that was quite an impressive rescue if I do say so myself." But he noticed that everyone wasn't looking back at the fortress, but rather they were huddling next to one another. Zuko sat close to Mai and Sun Tzu on either side of him, Toph holding Dreo's arm for support, and Aang and Katara holding each other in their arms. Momo was sitting on top of Dreo's head. Suki crawled up next to Sokka and took his arm. They looked at each other affectionately, relieved that this rescue mission was finally over.
"Where are we going? We need a safe place to hide out from the Dark Legion." She looked to her boyfriend for an answer. Sokka thought of all the possible places in the Earth Kingdom that they could hide. One place in particular stuck out at the forefront of his mind.
"We're going to Ba Sing Se," announced the Water Tribe warrior to Team Avatar. "I figured we could hide out at Iroh's tea shop and rest for a while after this ordeal. We could also talk with the Earth King about this Dark Legion and see what he can do to help us." They all nodded in agreement with him, and Appa flew off into the night sky towards the Earth Kingdom Capital and safety.
Captain Kongju entered the dark throne room to deliver his report to the Emperor of Darkness. He knew that his master would not be pleased with the results of their most recent operation. But Kongju was not afraid; he was fear himself. Why should he be afraid of anything? The throne room itself was as black as night with veins of purple spread throughout the area, scenes of death and destruction everywhere on the walls. Torches with black flames were lined up throughout the room to provide light. The throne itself was made out a black stone and was covered in purple jewels and crystals. But it was the man sitting on the throne that completed the horrifying picture. The Emperor of Darkness was dressed in nightmarish armor in the shape of a dragon, and he had a pointed crown of darkness upon his head. But it was his eyes that were truly out of place, for they were purple. These purple eyes watched as the Captain walked into the room and prostrated himself before his master. "What is your report on the recent operation, Captain?" said the Emperor in a voice as dark as his surroundings.
"O my Emperor," began the Captain, "it brings me great shame to inform you that all the prisoners were rescued by the Avatar and his allies. We were not able to kill any of them, and Princess Azula was severely wounded by the Avatar. Our healers are doing everything they can, but it will take time for her to heal completely. All of the troops stationed there as well as most of the reinforcements were also wounded, although none of them were killed during the attack." He waited for his master's reaction, for he expected it to be one of anger and rage. But strangely, the Emperor began laughing. "I'm afraid I don't understand what is so funny, my lord," said a confused Kongju as he looked up at the Emperor. "The operation was a complete failure." He had thought his master would have been furious that their operation had failed so miserably.
"Actually, Captain," mused the Emperor, "it was rather the opposite. The point of this operation was to prove to the Avatar, the Fire Lord, and his allies that they are not invincible, that they can be touched. There will be more to come as our darkness spreads across the world. Contact our allies in Ba Sing Se and the Wu Long Forest at once and tell them to await further orders." Kongju bowed to his master and left to carry out the order. The Emperor was left alone in his throne room.
"Yes, soon the world will be ours!" he said coldly. "Soon our darkness will cover all of the nations of the world." He opened his hand, and a black and purple flame flickered to life. "The Avatar will be in for the fight of his life, and I will be the one to finally bring him down! With this dark power I have acquired, no one will be able to stop our great march on civilization. Soon the world will be engulfed in the fires of war and destruction. We will be everywhere at once, fighting our enemies in the heart of their homelands. Water Tribe, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, or Air Nomads, it doesn't matter who our foe is! All will feel our wrath!" The dark fire in his hand died away. "But this power is not enough to fulfill my master plan. My agents will soon find the true power of darkness that I desire. Once I learn all of its dark secrets, not even the Avatar will be able to stop me!" He paused briefly before continuing his monologue. "I once had a dream of taking the world back in the name of the Fire Nation, but I have seen that my homeland has become weak under the new Fire Lord. No, I will take back the world in MY name, Ryu of the Fire Nation! Ryu the Emperor of Darkness! Ryu, Master of the Black Flame! RYU THE AVATAR SLAYER!" As his voice became increasingly louder, the torches began to glow brighter and brighter with black light as Ryu extended his Firebending to their flames. Dark flames also began growing around the base of the evil throne, but Ryu was not afraid for he was in total control. The Emperor began laughing manically and the flames died away.