Nightfall had fallen over the Air Temple. There was a calm coming over the temple as the air acolytes all retreated to their rooms. The only sound that could be heard was the sound of doors closing and locking shut. Suki and Sokka had stayed in their rooms after dinner, only soft giggling could be heard from the room that everyone wanted to avoid. Aang, who was still upset from earlier, was dragged to bed by Toph and said nothing would change if Aang threw a tantrum. Of course, that was just Toph covering for Zuko and Katara as they snuck out of their room. Both were wearing the black robes they always kept since confronting Yon Rha, the masks already raised.
"Zuko, are you sure about this?" Katara asked again. "What if Monk Yang-wu is just a regular monk?"
"A monk that knew Toph is our human lie detector?" Zuko raised a brow as they hurried down the hall.
Zuko was point, nodding to Katara as they ran along the shadows. His golden eyes looked everywhere, trying to find something that could at least pique his interest and suspicion. But, Zuko had no idea what he was really looking for.
"Do you even know what you're looking for?" Katara asked, as if reading his thoughts right before him.
"I'll know when I find it," Zuko mumbled, leading Katara to another wing of the temple. This one was different, lacking any sources of light that caused the Fire Lord to smirk. "And I think I found it."
Katara rolled her eyes as the two walked down the wing. Zuko formed a small flame in his palm, holding it out in front of them as their only light source. Both pairs of eyes looked around, none of them paying any mind as their hands interlaced, Katara blushing once she saw it but refused to pull away.
"These doors are locked," Zuko stated, trying to pull open a couple doors.
"This entire wing is empty, Zuko. What did you expect?"
He shrugged. "But why locked? This wing seems abandoned and like no one ever comes down here. What reason to lock them?"
"For people like you?" Katara snorted.
Zuko turned, narrowing his eyes as Katara only smiled widely at the firebender underneath her mask. He walked away from the door, still holding her hand as they began walking through a maze of halls. Their eyes kept wandering everywhere, only noticing how dusty and unruly this wing was.
"I don't think we're going to find anything," Katara said. "We've been at this for an hour already."
"Not yet," Zuko replied. "I know that we're going to find something."
Katara stopped, lowering her mask and crossing her arms over her chest. Zuko paused as well, turning back and lifting his flame lit hand higher to stare at her. He raised a brow at the discontent look on her face, also lowering his mask to expose his mouth.
"What?"
"I don't like this," Katara said. "The way you are."
"What does that mean?" Zuko snapped.
"You remind me of the old Zuko," Katara said, a saddened look coming on her face. "Not my Zuko."
Zuko frowned, coming closer to Katara and snuffing the flame out as he wrapped his arms around the waterbender. She was blind in the dark now, but she could feel the soft pressure of his lips on her forehead, then her nose, and then her lips. Katara couldn't help but smile before Zuko ignited the flame once more.
"I'm sorry," Zuko whispered.
Katara opened her mouth to speak, but something from the corner of her eye caught her attention. Zuko noticed it too. There was a door there that wasn't locked, but opened slightly. The pair exchanged looks before Zuko stepped forward, softly pushing the door open. He expanded the flame, his eyes coming to rest on a wall that was covered in intricate drawings and designs.
"What is this?" Katara asked.
"I don't know," Zuko said, leading Katara to the wall.
He waved his hand across, seeing that the designs were actually drawings of people. Each of them was different, and splashed in an array of colors. The first one was a mix of green and yellow. The second one was red and gold, colors that Zuko found very familiar. The next was a flurry of blues that seemed to draw Katara. The last was orange and yellow, identical to the color of Aang's robes.
"Are these people?" Katara asked. "Why would an air temple have paintings of people other than airbenders?"
"And why are they in the colors of each nation?" Zuko prompted.
At this, Katara grabbed Zuko's flame lit hand and led him over to the first section that was dabbed in Earth Kingdom colors. They both stared at the drawing of a man, depicted in robes and armor. He looked regal and powerful, his brown beard giving life to the painting.
"I know who this is," Katara admitted.
"What?"
"Do you remember when the Rough Rhinos were sent after Aang?"
Zuko nodded slowly.
"Well, we had to deal with some people who blamed Avatar Kyoshi for killing the ruler of their land," Katara explained. "His name was Chin the Conqueror."
"Conqueror?"
Zuko's good eye widened, moving his flame over to the next section. The robes of a Fire Lord stood out to him. He stared at the long white beard of the man, seeing those golden eyes that he remembered all too well from paintings in his palace. It sent a chill down his spine that would make even Ozai cringe.
"This is Fire Lord Sozin," Zuko declared.
"Zuko… are you think what I'm thinking?"
The Fire Lord nodded, moving back to the one of Chin.
"These are the Four Harbingers," Zuko snapped. "Chin the Conqueror. He has to be the one of Conquest and of earth."
"And Fire Lord Sozin must be—"
"—War," Zuko finished her sentenced. "My great-grandfather is the harbinger of fire and of War."
"Okay, now why would a hidden air temple of a mural of the harbingers?" Katara prompted. "None of this makes sense."
They moved on to the next section, Katara studying the wide spectrum of blue colors. Her blue eyes studied the old woman that was in the painting. She raised her fingers, tracing the indentations slowly as she scanned the painting for some kind of clue. But when she came to the eyes, she gasped and stepped back. A chill ran down her spine as the memories flooded her mind. Zuko saw this, turning on his heel and standing in front of her, a worried look on his face.
"What? What is it?" Zuko asked.
"That's Hama."
"Who?"
"Hama," Katara snapped. "She's this old bitch that forced me to learn bloodbending. Why is she on here?"
Zuko turned back to the painting. "Something bad got her on this."
"When we met Hama," Katara continued. "We didn't know that she was taking Fire Nation civilians captive and hiding them underground. She was slowly stealing their lives, just like she could steal water from everything."
"She's Famine," Zuko declared. "This Hama witch is the harbinger of water and Famine."
Zuko moved his flame to the last one, which was depicting the harbinger of air and death. Unfortunately, there was no way to define who it was. The mural only showed the airbender in the classic orange and yellow robes, their head shaved with the arrow tattoos all over his body. It was similar to just like any airbender they would meet. They both frowned, looking at each other.
"That doesn't help," Zuko drawled.
"Now what?"
The Fire Lord's ears perked up as the sound of the door creaking echoed in his head. He snuffed the flame, quickly grabbing Katara and leading her towards one of darkest shadows in the room. He pinned her body against his chest, covering her mouth with his hand as they watched the door open.
In came Monk Yang-wu with one of his acolytes, who was holding a small torch for light. Zuko narrowed his eyes, doing his best to keep the two hidden in the shadows as they watched the monk and his servant approach the wall.
"Master, do you think your plan will work?" The acolyte asked.
"I am unsure," the monk spoke. "Avatar Aang is a righteous soul indeed. I'm beginning to believe that there is no way for him to be corrupted."
"If I may speak freely, it wasn't a smart plan."
The monk rounded on the acolyte with such speed, the air around him swirling and whistling as he loomed over his servant.
"Your insolence does not go unnoticed, Mitu," Yang-wu snapped. "You're lucky Jenami is an obedient little whore, or else she would have to suffer watching her dear brother die at her master's hands."
They said nothing else, turning back to the wall. Zuko watched the monk trace his fingers across the wall, a smile creeping to his face. The Fire Lord looked down at Katara, who was staring with wide eyes and anticipation, wanting to know what was going to happen next.
"If not the Avatar, then who will be the fourth harbinger?" Mitu prompted, standing beside the monk now.
"I will."
"Master Kaval, I must detest—"
Zuko blocked everything else out, hearing the name Kaval; the man they were all looking for. And now, it was Katara who was holding Zuko back against the wall, peeking up at him and shaking her head. Zuko let out an inaudible growl, turning back to stare at Kaval and Mitu.
"Why, if you are planning to be the fourth harbinger, did you continue to impersonate your old master?" Mitu asked.
"Because Monk Yang-wu would've wanted this," Kaval hissed. "He despised what the Fire Nation did and he found the old scrolls that told of his prophecy. Monk Yang-wu would've wanted me to help cleanse the world and start anew."
"You know what happens if you do take on this burden, right?" Mitu asked, stepping in front of Kaval now.
"All three were unwillingly sacrificing their spirits for the Dark Spirit. No, I am aware of the repercussions, and I will take them head on. I will usher in the chaos and the darkness into this world and see that the Avatar is no more. After all, all of this strife was on his fault."
"If that is the case, then we have word that Nero and the others freed our vessel," Mitu said. "They are on the way to the Northern Spirit Portal to meet with Princess Azula."
Vessel?
Zuko furrowed his brow, watching as Kaval only nodded and the two turned and walked out of the room. He heard the door shut, waiting a few minutes before finally releasing Katara and walking out of the shadows. They both approached the wall, Zuko lighting his hand again and raising it to the mural.
"So that's Kaval… and he already has Azula at this Spirit Portal," Katara said. "Do you think he means the Spirit Oasis at the Northern Water Tribe?"
Zuko shook his head, staring at the images again. "No, I think he might journey out into the Tundra. It wouldn't make sense to go to the Northern Tribe."
"And who do you think the vessel is?" Katara asked.
"My father," Zuko quickly said, a look of fear and anger mixing in his eyes.
"But then why break Azula out of the Boiling Rock?"
"My guess is they made Ozai and her promise them something," Zuko shrugged. "You heard them saying they want to 'cleanse' this world. Maybe they want Ozai and Azula to rule and then they would be spared from this Dark Spirit."
"Zuko, what do we do?"
The firebender turned to the waterbender, snuffing the flames out before he reached up and cupper her face. She shivered at his touch, one hand warm and the other cold. But when their lips met, both felt at ease now. Zuko pulled away, resting his forehead against hers as they stood there in the darkness.
"We do what we do best," Zuko snickered. "Save the world."
"Right," Katara smiled.
"We'll tell Aang and everyone else in the morning," Zuko said. "For now, I think we should sneak back to our room."
"Yeah, or else Sokka might throw you off this mountain," Katara giggled.
"Don't remind me," Zuko said as they began walking back.