Zhao's ship edged closer to Pohuai and Koori stared, transfixed, at the massive structure. Leo laughed at her entranced expression.
"Pohuai is the first Command Tower that the Fire Nation ever built in the Earth Kingdom," Leo said with his hands on his hips. "It's quite impressive."
Paling at the sight of Pohuai's three menacing security walls, Koori nodded.
Zhao's ship stilled against a wooden dock and the Lieutenant and slave quickly walked down the gangplank. Once on land, Leo ushered Zhao's slave down a dirt path that lead directly to the main gate of Pohuai.
As they neared the Fire Nation fortress, Koori pulled her hood up and took a few deep breaths. Zhao had been promoted, she thought. He had the Yuyan Archers and was probably close to catching the Avatar, which would undoubtedly make him the happiest man in the world.
Pohuai's outermost gate was open. The massive steel gateway glistened in the sunlight and the slave couldn't help but glance skyward. The wall was at least four stories high and instantly, Koori's back shivered. Soldiers flanked the Lieutenant and slave the moment they entered the Stronghold. Peering beyond her hood, Koori could make out a few firebending soldiers practicing in the training field. On her other side, a few nonbenders were shoving swords into straw mannequins; yellow innards pooled on the dirt floor below the dummies.
The center and inner gates of the Stronghold were just as massive as the outermost one and suddenly, the slave felt trapped and claustrophobic. She could feel the eyes of soldiers staring at her cloaked frame and her breathing hastened. Noticing, Leo reached for her elbow.
"Calm down," he urged in a whisper.
Pitifully, Koori held her breath and a recognizable figure stepped out of the fortress's tower. Zhao looked unusually happy as he strutted across the dirt field. Leo bowed to his commanding officer and Koori released the breath she was holding.
"The Yuyan left late last night. I received word that they've picked up the Avatar's trail and it seems like he's not that far away," Zhao said. "How did Prince Zuko take the news?"
Leo glanced at Zhao's slave before responding. "Not too well, I think. He kicked us off his ship."
Zhao chuckled. "Perfect." The side-burned Admiral turned on his heel and walked back into the tower. Koori and Leo followed. "Colonel Shinu has been gracious enough to give me the guest quarters. Koori, I want you to stay there."
"Actually," Leo interrupted, "if you don't mind, can I watch her for a little while? After her attack last night, I don't feel comfortable leaving her alone."
Zhao stopped walking and turned to face his slave. In the deserted hallway, Zhao reached for Koori and pulled back her hood. "I had almost forgotten about that." With his calloused hand, he cupped Koori's chin and tilted her head from side to side. After a thorough inspection, Zhao released her face. "Can you describe your attacker? I will personally scour the earth for him."
Eyebrows furrowing, Koori opened her mouth, "It was a blue-headed man." Zhao looked confused. "And he had pair of Dao broadswords."
"A blue-headed man?" Zhao repeated. Hazel eyes glanced at the Lieutenant. Leo shrugged.
Irritated that the pair of men didn't believe her, Koori murmured, "I know what I saw."
"Perhaps you bumped your head too hard," Leo urged.
Koori smashed her lips together and put her hood up. Under the cloak, she crossed her arms and clenched her fists. "Believe what you want, but that's what I saw," she pouted.
Zhao chuckled and turned to continue down the hallway. While turning, he grasped his slave's cloaked shoulder and motioned for Leo to get back to his duties. "Koori, if you don't mind, you can tag along with me if that makes you feel more comfortable."
Unclenching her fists while walking, Koori nodded and stared at the back of her Master's head. With Leo out of earshot, Koori smiled, "Nothing would make me happier, Admiral Zhao."
Zhao paused to smile. White, wicked teeth were exposed under thin lips and he stared at his slave. After a moment, the pair continued down the hall.
The sun was setting in the distance as Prince Zuko's ship skirted along Admiral Zhao's watery boarder. Irritated, Zuko started throwing powerful blasts of crimson fire in all directions. He stopped to stare past the railing of his ship when he saw his uncle approach.
"Is everything okay?" Iroh asked gently. "It's been almost an hour and you haven't given the men an order."
Biting back his true frustrations, Zuko responded, "I don't care what they do."
"Don't give up hope yet. You can still find the Avatar before Zhao."
Desperation spread over Zuko's face. "How, Uncle? With Zhao's resources, it's just a matter of time before he captures the Avatar." Zuko turned to look at the water, where beyond the horizon, was the Fire Nation and his home. "My honor, my throne, my country; I'm about to lose them all." Gripping the railing, Zuko grimaced. "It's bad enough that Zhao openly mocks me, but to see his slave do it…"
Confused, Iroh stepped forward and gripped his nephew's shoulder. "How did the girl mock you? She didn't say a word."
Shrinking from his uncle's touch, he placed his elbows against the railing and leaned all of his weight against the steel. Through gritted teeth, he grumbled, "She smiled at me."
Iroh chuckled. "After thirteen years of Zhao's cruelty, I'm sure that Koori has learned that the best way to stifle anger is through kindness."
Zuko's fists tightened. "Thirteen years?"
Realizing that he let a piece of important and unknown information slip, Iroh stared at the sea in silence. After a moment passed, he glanced at his nephew. "The world works in mysterious ways. Do not fall into a pit of despair, Prince Zuko."
Zuko bashed his fists against the railing and walked into the depths of his ship.
Walking swiftly, he entered his room and slammed the door. Zuko dug under his bed and withdrew a small metal box. Inside, the Blue Spirit mask was hidden under a black tunic. Rifling through the fabric, he found his breast pocket and pulled out the oil painting he stole from Zhao's desk. Zuko's small fingers unfolded the parchment and he stared at the young girl.
The little girl was so happy. Studying the image carefully, he noticed her black hair, alabaster skin, golden eyes, and pouty lips. This had to be her, Zuko concluded. And if she had been Zhao's slave for thirteen years, he suspected that this picture was drawn very close to when she had been enslaved. Folding the image and returning it to the box, Zuko curiously wondered how Koori was placed into Zhao's care.
Scoffing at himself, the exiled Fire Nation Prince took off his maroon outfit and donned the black tunic under his armor.
On the top floor of the Pohuai Stronghold, Koori looked out the windows and sighed at the view. She gazed at the lush green forest that was banked up against a sandy beach. Silently, she wished that she could walk across the beach and feel the warm sand between her toes. A grumble deeper in the room broke her thoughts. Behind her, Zhao was leaning over a detailed map of the western edge of the Earth Kingdom. He was discussing the positions of the Fire Nation's land-based forces with Colonel Shinu.
Koori turned to face the officers. Walking silently in her rubber-soled shoes, she stopped behind Zhao and peered at the map. Noticing something unusual, she tilted her head.
"You're going after Omashu?" she asked.
Colonel Shinu looked up at the girl. His gaze softened and hardened in an instant. "I thought that a respectable officer like Zhao would teach his slave to be silent in the presence of others."
Blushing, Koori pursed her lips and looked away from the Colonel's harsh gaze.
Without looking up from the map, Zhao responded to Shinu. "Koori sometimes forgets her place," he sneered. "But," he gestured to the map, "she is well versed in battle strategies."
Shinu's brown and merciless eyes studied the slave. After a while, he said, "Yes; right now, our goal is to overrun Omashu and we've been planning an assault for weeks." Shinu reached across the map and pulled small, metal figurines into an unusual position around the Earth Kingdom City. "In a few days, we will have more than enough troops for a small invasion, but we may face a problem when we encounter their ruler. King Bumi is supposedly a very powerful earthbender, which will undoubtedly make him a formidable foe."
Zhao smirked. "When you penetrate Omashu, might I suggest asking the Earth King to step down, nicely?"
Koori smiled under her cloak and Shinu recognized that he was not included in the joke. "There's nothing funny about this," he grumbled.
Zhao's eyes narrowed. "It's not a joke, Colonel Shinu. The Earth King is old; perhaps he will simply crumble when your troops enter his city."
"I very much doubt-"
"Admiral Zhao!" Leo screamed as he ran into the room. He stopped in front of his superior officer and grasped his knees. Panting, he took a deep breath to regain his composure. "They have him in a holding cell."
Smiling, Zhao started to walk out of the room. He turned when he realized that his slave wasn't following. After waiving his hand, Koori ran toward him and Leo followed closely behind. Together, the trio walked down the hall until they stopped at a metal gate. Zhao pressed a button and the gate opened to reveal a platform. Zhao, Koori, and Leo stepped onto the metal and instantly, the platform started to descend into the tower.
"I can't wait until they start putting elevators in the ships," Leo huffed as he continued to catch his breath. "These things are really nice."
Koori smiled under her hood and the elevator stopped. Exiting the platform, Zhao walked down the hall and paused in front of four heavily armored guards. After waiving the men away, Zhao and Koori entered the prison cell.
Koori's eyes widened at the boy in the middle of the large room. He was tethered by his wrists and ankles to two posts. The slave stopped walking after Zhao motioned for her to stop and Koori gaped at how young the Avatar looked; he couldn't have been older than twelve.
The sound of steel boots resonated off of the walls as Zhao walked closer to the boy. Hands behind his back, he circled the young Avatar.
"So this is the great Avatar: master of all the elements," Zhao mocked, "I don't know how you've managed to elude the Fire Nation for a hundred years, but your little game of hide and seek is over."
The airbender glared at the circling Admiral. "I've never hidden from you! Untie me and I'll fight you right now!"
Koori smiled at the airbender's spunk. Zhao glanced at his slave and smirked before turning to the boy.
"Ahhh," he replied, "no." Turning, Zhao faced the young Avatar head-on. "How does it feel to be the only airbender left?" Zhao leaned down to invade the boy's personal space but the airbender didn't budge. "Do you miss your people?"
Hurt shot through the boy's eyes and Koori couldn't help but feel pity for him. Like her, the Avatar's friends and family had all been viciously murdered and she felt a small connection to the airbender. The Avatar lowered his head and closed his eyes.
"Oh," Zhao tatted, "don't worry. You won't be killed like they were." Anger flickered over the Avatar's face. "You see, if you die, you'll just be reborn and the Fire Nation will have to begin its search for the Avatar all over again. So I'll keep you alive…but just barely."
Zhao started to walk away and Koori couldn't help but stare at the airbender with a pained expression. The boy glanced quickly at the teenage girl and confusion spread across his face. Refocusing on the Admiral, he took a deep breath and a spiral of air connected with Zhao's back. The Admiral went flying across the room until he was smashed on the opposite wall, upside-down. After falling on his head, Zhao knelt to rub loose strands of his brown hair out of his face. He turned, irate.
"Blow all of the wind that you want. Your situation is futile. There is no escaping this fortress. And no one is coming to rescue you."
Koori and Zhao both exited the prison cell and Zhao started grumbling about insolent youths.
In the empty hall, Koori tugged at the back of her Master's decorative sash. Zhao stopped at the tug. "You were unnecessarily cruel," she whispered.
Surprised, Zhao smirked. "Did a little piece of that upset you?" he asked.
The slave nodded. "He's a boy; he didn't need to be reminded that all of his people are dead. I'm sure he's realized that already."
Zhao laughed and Koori shrunk back at his behavior. "Does he remind you of yourself?"
Before the slave could respond, Leo entered the hallway and approached Zhao.
"All of the troops have been assembled in the courtyard. They're eagerly awaiting a speech."
Zhao's eyes flashed and the trio walked to the entrance of a balcony where Colonel Shinu and a few other officers joined them. Zhao leaned toward Leo and whispered, "Keep her in the tower."
"Of course," Leo muttered with a stiff bow.
Zhao stepped onto the balcony with the officers and a cheer erupted from below. Koori leaned against the wall inside the fortress. Folding her arms across her chest, she listened to Zhao's speech.
"We are the sons and daughters of fire: the superior element! Until today, only one thing stood in our path to victory: the Avatar! I am here to tell you that he is now my prisoner!" Below, the soldiers whooped for the Admiral. Zhao raised a clenched fist. "This is the year Sozin's Comet returns to grant us its power!" Zhao turned and caught the eye of his slave in the tower. Returning his attention to the troops below, he continued, "This is the year the Fire Nation breaks through the walls of Ba Sing Se and burns the city to the ground!"
The soldiers below chanted once more and Zhao retreated into the fortress.
"Inspiring," Leo muttered to his superior.
Zhao nodded. "I am going to check up on the Avatar and retire for the evening. You," he pointed to an old man who was clutching a notepad and a pen, "follow me."
"Oh!" the old scribe squeaked, "yes, Sir!"
Zhao, Koori, and the old man started to walk down the hall. Hands behind his back, Zhao started talking. "I want a full transcription of my speech sent to the Fire Lord, along with glowing testimonials from all of the ranking officers present." Zhao paused and Koori glanced at the intersecting hallway where three men were dangling from the ceiling. Eyes narrowing, Zhao sprinted down the remainder of the hall. He bypassed a bound guard struggling against his restraints, and barged into the prison cell.
Teeth clenched, Zhao glowered at the empty room and spun on his heels. Koori looked at the empty cell, smiled, and ran after her Master.
"Sir," the old scribe screamed, "should I hold off sending that speech to the Fire Lord?"
Silently, Zhao waved the old man off as he stalked down the hall. Somehow, Leo was still in the hallway and he paused to stare at Zhao. "Alert the fortress that the Avatar has escaped," Zhao sneered. "I want every man we have looking for him."
Leo looked surprised for a moment before responding, "Yes, Sir!" Instantaneously, he started sprinting down the hall.
After a few seconds, an ear-piercing alarm rang throughout the fortress. Grimacing at the sound, Koori fought the urge to hold her ears while Zhao ran to the balcony and grasped the railing as the alarm subsided.
"The Avatar has escaped!" Zhao screamed to whoever was listening below. "Close all of the gates immediately!"
Zhao returned to the fortress and started to run down the halls. Adrenalin pumping in her blood, Koori kept up with her Master as they neared the elevator. Zhao and Koori entered the elevator and the mechanism started descending after Zhao smashed a button. Impatiently, he stomped his foot until the gate opened. The pair once more started sprinting through the fortress.
At the exit of the fortress, Leo grabbed Koori.
"Go, Sir. I'll make sure she's safe," Leo said.
Without a reply, Zhao ran through the innermost gate, which was reopening.
"I could've kept up," Koori panted.
Smiling at her exhaustion, Leo whispered, "Sometimes the best part of a chase is viewing it from a safe spot."
After grabbing her hand, Leo pushed her through the halls until they came across a metal door. He opened it and rushed inside. Koori followed the Lieutenant diligently until they found themselves in the corridor of the outer gate. Leo started climbing a ladder until he reached the top; at once, he turned and extended his hand for the slave. Ignoring the gesture, Koori pushed past the Lieutenant and stared off the side of the wall.
"There he is!" Koori screamed, pointing to the Avatar.
Leo ran to Koori's side and watched the young boy and a blue-headed figure attack the guards on the central wall. Running his fingers through his hair, he muttered, "There's your blue-headed monster."
Koori's golden eyes glanced at the Lieutenant. "I told you!" She pointed an accusatory finger at the man and returned her attention to the fight.
Golden eyes eagerly watched the blue-headed man dispatch a few soldiers before jumping onto the Avatar's back. Realizing that the Avatar and his newfound friend were planning on crossing the span between the central and outer gates on ladders, Koori held her breath.
The Avatar screamed, "Give me the next one!" The blue-headed figure responded by handing spare ladders to the boy until a soldier managed to fire a line of flames up the bamboo poles. Frightened, the Avatar jumped from the flames and attempted to clutch onto the outer wall, mere feet from Leo and Koori.
The Avatar's grip failed immediately and the blue-headed man's hand caught the stone wall. The man attempted to pull up the airbender but after glancing sideways and seeing familiar golden eyes watching with determined interest, he released the wall. The pair fell down the wall and tried to recover quickly, but firebending troops took this opportunity to attack. The blue-headed man unsheathed his broadswords but the Avatar pushed him against the wall to block the flames with his airbending.
"Hold your fire!" Zhao screamed. Koori clung to the stone wall as her Master stepped forward. The firebenders stopped their attack. "The Avatar must be captured alive!"
Koori smacked the wall with an open hand when the blue-headed man jumped the Avatar and held his broadswords across his throat.
Glaring at the blue-headed man, Koori asked, "Why would he do that?"
Leo glanced at the slave and watched the silent battle. "Zhao has to let them go now," Leo whispered.
As if hearing the Lieutenant from four stories away, Zhao scowled at the masked man. "Open the gate," he ordered venomously.
"Admiral," Colonel Shinu argued, "what are you doing?"
"Let them out," Zhao screamed. "Now!"
Below, the outer gate opened and Koori watched the blue-headed man walk out with the Avatar between his blades.
"How could you let them go?" Colonel Shinu asked.
Still glaring, Zhao muttered, "A situation like this requires precision."
At that, Koori ran to the other side of the wall, where she watched the Avatar and the blue-headed man walk out of the compound, backwards. Leo was quick to join her until Zhao entered the corridor of the outer wall with a Yuyan Archer and Colonel Shinu.
Koori's golden eyes flicked to the silent warrior as he drew back his bow.
Calmly, Zhao asked, "Do you have a clear shot?" The warrior closed his left eye. "Knock out the thief; I'll deliver him to the Fire Lord, along with the Avatar." The archer released the string and the arrow flew through the air.
The arrow struck the blue mask and the figure collapsed. Well, Koori thought, now that thing will know how unpleasant it is to be unconscious.
The Avatar extended his hands and a cloud of dust enveloped the pair.
"Quick!" Zhao screamed, "Recover the Avatar!"
A line of soldiers exited the compound and ran for the dust cloud. As they neared the dust, they slowed, realizing that the boy and the thief escaped.
Zhao stood, fingers clenched tightly together at his sides when he realized that the Avatar and the blue-headed man were gone. Snarling, he looked down to see a wet frog bounce to the stone railing and then plummet to its death.
"Well," Shinu said, breaking the silence, "that was a short-lived victory."
Zhao turned and Koori watched his fists uncurl. "A blue-headed man," Zhao pondered. Zhao's hazel eyes glanced to his slave and Leo pushed away from the wall.
"Even I didn't believe her, Admiral," Leo said while nervously rubbing the back of his neck.
"Excuse me?" Shinu interrupted.
Zhao grumbled and started walking toward his slave.
Leo turned to the Colonel. "We're pretty positive that the thief who rescued the Avatar is the same person who attacked Koori in the Admiral's quarters last night. She said something about a blue-headed man."
"This whole fiasco could have been avoided if we upped our security," Shinu sneered. "She warned you and you didn't listen, Zhao."
"Hold your tongue, Colonel," Zhao retorted.
Shinu scowled. "Get out of my fortress," he demanded.
"With pleasure," Zhao snarled. "Thanks to your inept soldiers, the Avatar was able to escape. I'll be sure to mention your failure to the Fire Lord."
The small Colonel's face reddened. "Don't you dare threaten me like that, Zhao."
Zhao grinned. "As a gesture of good faith, I want a single Yuyan Archer. A squadron of them was able to track and capture the Avatar in a day, I'm sure that a single one will prove very valuable."
"Fine."
Shinu stomped down the ladder, leaving Zhao, Koori, and Leo alone with the archer.
"Go pack, you're coming with me," Zhao ordered.
The Yuyan Archer nodded and ran down the ladder.
"Sir," Leo questioned, "do you want me to return Koori to the ship?"
"Yes, I'll be back after I collect the warrior."
Koori and Leo stepped down the ladder and soon found themselves walking past the outer gate. After walking for a while, Koori looked up and saw Zhao standing in the same spot, watching his Lieutenant and slave return to his ship. Hazel and golden eyes met in the darkness. After a moment, Zhao turned to climb down the ladder and Koori resumed walking alongside the Lieutenant.
"He's upset," Koori muttered.
"He'll be fine. This was his first real attempt to capture Aang. I'm sure that he will have plenty of opportunities."
"Aang?"
Leo's steely eyes glanced at the girl. "The boy's name is Aang. Zhao may have no interest in the boy behind the Avatar's title, but I do."
"You're a very odd man, Lieutenant."
Leo snickered. "I've been called many things, Koori, but odd has never been one of them."
Koori and Leo boarded Zhao's ship and the Lieutenant walked her directly to Zhao's quarters. He locked her inside and returned to his room, exhausted.
Across the bay, the sun was rising and Zuko tore the Blue Spirit mask from his face as he jumped onto his riverboat. He sailed directly to his ship and walked past his uncle on the deck.
"Where have you been, Prince Zuko?" Iroh asked with a tsungi horn wrapped around his shoulder. The teen continued walking. "You missed music night. Lieutenant Jee sang a stern love song."
Without turning, Zuko mumbled, "I'm going to bed." He rubbed the black and blue bruise on the back of his head. "No disturbances."
Finally in the safety of his room, the exiled Fire Nation Prince shed his armor and crawled into his bed. He reached under the steel platform that held his mattress aloft and withdrew the metal box. On his side, he once again examined the picture of the happy little girl with bright, golden eyes. Returning to lay on his back, he glanced at the insignia on the wall and sighed.