Thanks to Kimjuni2 for reviewing last chapter, and BRAIN-and-HEART for reviewing a few older chapters. Now, we get to one of the most major characters in the series, and one of my personal favourites. It's Prince Zuko, the banished Fire Prince who went through so much internal turmoil throughout the show. Because there is so much to talk about with Zuko, I decided to give him 4 chapters. What you're seeing here is just a taste of more to come.
Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.
Iroh's POV
I could only stare on in stunned silence as Ozai approached Zuko, hovering ominously above him as my nephew got onto his knees. "Please, Father. I only have the Fire Nation's best interests at heart. I'm sorry I spoke out of turn!" He called, his frightened teenage voice echoing through the arena. Even though I tried not to show it, I was very frightened by this scene, as my younger brother Ozai wasn't exactly a lenient man. Knowing what Zuko did earlier, I seriously doubted he would leave with just a slap on the wrist.
And the incident in question was? Zuko insisted that I allowed him into a war meeting with his father, just to learn all he could for managing the Fire Nation should he take over the throne one day. I was very proud of my nephew taking the initiative to learn, but I wasn't too keen on letting him sit around the veteran generals alone. Those old folks could get sensitive about the younger generation questioning their decisions, and that would create a serious political situation in front of Ozai. How much worse could it get if Zuko offended one of them and made them lose face, especially before the Fire Lord?
Unfortunately, my nephew's tongue got the better of him, as he spoke out against a general's plan to sacrifice a battalion of young fighters for baiting purposes. The general suggested that the new recruits would distract the Earth Kingdom forces for long enough so that the actual Fire Nation army mounted a rear attack, leaving the rookies defenceless along the way. While Zuko was right in looking out for the younger soldiers, claiming that they had to leave their families behind just to fight for our country, it was not his place to speak. Even as I agreed with Zuko that our generals ought not to betray the soldiers' patriotism, the way Zuko came across made him sound like he was openly defying an elder. And for that, Ozai, Zuko's father, ordered him to fight an Agni Kai the very next day.
"You will fight for your honour," Ozai remarked, now overshadowing the kowtowing Zuko. When I tried to convince my nephew to just apologize to everyone, he initially refused, claiming he would rather fight the general he insulted than retract his statement. In a usual situation, I would have agreed with him. But the second I entered the arena seeing the very general he insulted sitting in the stands, I knew something was wrong. And true enough, Ozai took it upon himself to fight Zuko, claiming by disrespecting someone in Ozai's war chamber, Zuko ultimately disrespected his own father.
"I won't fight you!" Zuko insisted, his head so far down to the ground that I could barely see his face anymore. For the past few years, Zuko really went through a lot, to the point where he could almost maintain his composure and manage himself in even the toughest of situations. I recalled leaving for my biggest battle at Ba Sing Se with my father, Fire Lord Azulon, in charge of the throne. Ozai was still a prince then, and Zuko's mother, Ursa, took care of Zuko and his sister Azula. But by the time I returned, I realized Azulon died under mysterious circumstances, Ursa disappeared, and Ozai became Fire Lord, focusing all his energy training Azula to be his heir while leaving Zuko by the wayside. Of course, I was too tired to compete for the throne, so I merely let things be, spending my time in relaxation while keeping an eye on Zuko.
But even without Ursa, to whom Zuko was very attached to, Zuko still managed to live fairly comfortably. He did well in school, progressed rather efficiently in his fire bending lessons, and even knew his history and geography well. Based on my observations of Zuko's growing years, I knew his impulsiveness might get him in trouble sometimes, but never in my life had I seen Zuko in a mess so large that even I couldn't get him out of. And unfortunately, that mess had to occur today, as Ozai's patience was really running thin. "You will learn respect, and suffering will be your teacher!" He declared venomously.
Then, the unthinkable happened as Ozai reached back with one fist, the hand lighting up in a fiery orange glow. Ozai didn't plan on burning his own son in the face, did he? Couldn't he at least realize that Zuko perhaps wasn't trying to insult the general, but was merely offering some advice? Zuko was in his teens now, so maybe Ozai ought to let Zuko have some freedom in expressing himself, at least to the point where he felt he was listened to? I knew if I were Fire Lord, I wouldn't mind letting either Lu Ten or Zuko challenge my decisions, no matter how strongly I supported those decisions. Surely Ozai wasn't claiming that was wrong, right? Right now, it seemed like Ozai was the one being quite disrespectful here.
I could only look on in horror as Ozai's fire fist came forward, launching the flames straight into Zuko's face. I felt so helpless, almost like I should have done something to stop it, but ultimately didn't. I had no intention of seeing the one I treated like my own son tortured like that, but at the same time I also realized what it would mean should I get involved. I was not the Fire Lord, and definitely not Zuko's father. I had very little power in controlling what ought to happen in this Agni Kai, one that Zuko himself had agreed to before. By the time I plucked up enough courage to turn to Zuko, the sight wasn't pretty.
But before I could even get to the arena, Ozai's cruel voice filled the air. "By refusing to fight, Zuko has shown shameful weakness, and for that, he will be banished from the Fire Nation. The only way he will be allowed to return is if he does what no Fire Lord has been able to do so far: capture the long-lost air bending Avatar." Without another glance at the boy howling in pain near him, Ozai swiftly turned and marched off the arena. Not another word was spoken, leaving the arena in a strange and uncomfortable silence.
As the crowd behind me shuffled away, I hurried down to the arena, grabbing the now-injured Zuko and pulling him to the side. The smell of charred flesh penetrated my nostrils, the skin and muscles around Zuko's left eye now charred beyond recognition. I wasn't sure if Zuko could still see out of his left eye, but I doubted his vision would ever be the same again. "Zuko, my nephew, are you alright?" I asked, gently lifting his back off the ground and into a sitting position. I felt around his neck and his nostrils, hoping to get at least a pulse and some breathing. As long as there was some sign of life, maybe he could still leave intact.
There was no response from Zuko, who only mumbled incoherently while his face scrunched up in pain. I could not imagine how any father did that to his son, especially one that showed so much potential for success. Seeing how Zuko was unlikely to regain his birthright, his honour, his anything, from Ozai until he completed this improbable task, I realized it was now my task to guide my nephew through these trying few years. It wouldn't be easy, as Zuko's personality (and additional tragedy) would make it difficult for me to get through to him, but for the sake for our futures, I must take this task.
Zuko's POV
"You're just a child!" I exclaimed, facing off against the air bending Avatar. It had been three years since the Agni Kai in which I was banished, and every day I searched long and hard for the one thing that could regain my honour: the Avatar. Even though Uncle Iroh accompanied me on this journey, he was anything but helpful, opting to relax and soak in the sights rather than helping me find the Avatar. Even though it had been a hundred years since anyone last heard of the Avatar, I was determined to seek him out. And given he would probably be an old man by now, I assumed he would have mastered all the elements already, making him a formidable foe.
But instead of a wise old man, I got this goofy kid sliding in on a penguin standing in my way. My search brought me to the Southern Water Tribe, where a strange beam of light was spotted among the icebergs. These peasants living in this slummy, rundown village were no match for me. It took me maybe two hits to take down their only capable warrior, but this boy thought he could take me on. Realizing he had the arrow tattoos of an air bender, I figured he was the Avatar, but I totally miscalculated on his age. How could someone who was supposed to be over a century old still be a youngster? It made absolutely no sense to me!
"You're just a teenager," the boy responded, sounding almost clueless. It made my blood boil to the max as his fake ignorance almost sounded like a taunt. Whipping up fires from my arms, I hurled them at my opponent in every way possible. Despite his young age, I didn't want to take the Avatar lightly, as someone who supposedly held the knowledge of all four elements was bound to have a huge arsenal of moves in his repertoire. So far, there hadn't been much reaction to my attacks, as all this baldy did was twirl his staff and deflect my shots. He probably found me so weak that he didn't need to go on the offensive. Now why didn't Uncle teach me the advanced set of fire bending moves before we invaded the village? Oh yeah, that's right, he wanted to finish his roast duck! Maybe he should knock the Avatar out with his drumstick then!
As fire continued to rain down on him, I could tell the Avatar had other priorities on hand. He kept glancing back to the crowd of blue-clad villagers behind him, like he was their only saviour or something. My stronger blasts managed to seep over his staff and threatened the group, causing him to call a stop to the fighting. "If I go with you, will you promise to leave everyone alone?" He pleaded, his eyes wavering but still confident.
Well, why didn't you just take that approach in the first place? Had you not just surrendered yourself to me, you think I had to take this crazy journey to this slummy village where I had to associate with these southern lowlifes? Nodding my head, I had my guards escort the Avatar on board while I confiscated his staff. Meeting my uncle on the deck, I handed the plump man the boy's staff, ordering that it be placed in my room. "Take the Avatar to the prison hold!" I barked, marching away from the guards.
After a quick chat with the helmsman of my ship, ordering that we changed course for the Fire Nation, I returned to my room, thinking how I would be received. For three years, I was the exiled prince, doomed to search the world for something that most people thought didn't even existed. While the Fire Nation waged the war for a hundred years, conquering land after land, the Avatar never appeared at all. While his absence meant the Fire Nation went pretty much unopposed, there was no denying the threat the Avatar would pose should he be rediscovered. We also had to keep in mind that we couldn't kill him, as that would just create a reincarnation into a different nation, making the search more difficult. With so many factors hindering me, accomplishing something no one had done for a century felt pretty good.
But in the midst of this was an even more important factor: being able to return home. For all these years, my main priority was regaining my father's love. Since my mom disappeared, I really had no one to turn to for support. Azula pretty much monopolized my father's attention, and I had close to nothing. While Uncle Iroh took me under his wing, I absolutely could not stand hearing him tell stories of how he brewed tea or how he bought some weird relic for a bargain. There was more to being Fire Lord than useless topics like that, and I couldn't help but feel he was a real burden on my journey. But then again, it meant I had to do everything on my own, which might score more points with my father. Hey, I had to grow up somehow, right? Why not prove it by doing what no Fire Lord did in a century?
"My staff!" A young voice snapped me to attention, just as a figure clad in air bender's robes invaded my room. I was in complete shock as the Avatar not only escaped his prison hold, but eluded the guards as well. I didn't know if it was my crew's incompetence or the Avatar's skill, but whatever the case, here was my big prize, standing in my room. With his evasiveness, I couldn't take a chance to let him escape. So, while the boy focused on his weapon, I slammed my door shut and locked it tight, facing this confounding kid head-on.
The kid had total fear in his eyes as I backed him into a corner with my fire fists, keeping him rolling back and forth just to get out of the way. Despite the limited space, I found it very difficult to keep him in one spot, as he soon found and opening and slipped through, positioning himself right behind me as I furiously shot away. This blasted kid seemed to be toying me as he created an air ball to ride on, zipping around my room while I burned it to bits. I wasn't going to slow him down this way, not if he was still rumbling up and down my walls on that air ball. If only I could knock him off that thing...
Oops, big miscalculation on my part, as that placed him precariously close to the Fire Nation banner I had above my bed. I never would have thought that flag would be used against me as that bald kid tore it off the wall and wrapped it around me. I struggled to break free, unleashing all the flames I could, only to be met by a blast of air. I landed face-first on my bed, in which the Avatar continued his mockery of me by sending it to the ceiling with another air blast. In a span of a few seconds, I swore I saw more stars than I had ever seen in my three years in exile. Right now, my perfect day seemed to be slipping through my grasp.
I raced after the boy in probably the only exit left: the control room at the tower of the ship. I arrived just in time to see the Avatar flip his staff open, turning it into a glider and ready to take off. I didn't know how gliders really worked, but I sure knew it wouldn't if I created enough of an obstacle for him. Leaping off the tower after him, I didn't even think about how crazy this move was, or the injuries I would get should I miss grabbing the boy. I had been through enough pain in my life to let some fall deter me from my goal, which was slipping away by the second. Stretching out, I lunged at the Avatar.
Luckily, I caught him in mid-flight, slowing him just enough to drop his altitude. I could feel my hope being restored as we tumbled to the ground, giving me enough time to keep the Avatar on this boat. Launching a few more fire punches at him, I had the Avatar teetering on the edge, before tumbling into the frozen water. Well, at least that stopped his motion for the moment, right? Now if only I could find a way to fish him back onto the boat. Where was Uncle when we needed him the most? Please don't be napping during my most important fight ever!
But I was completely paralyzed by the sight before me. The Avatar not only got himself out of the water, he managed to bring the water to us. Riding the largest waterspout I had ever seen, towering over the height of my ship, he landed on the deck, his eyes and tattoos glowing ominously. I didn't know whether I should attack or defend, but I barely got time to find out as he spun the water around him in indescribable speeds before launching it at my crew and me. Many crew members, me included, were sent overboard, getting a dip in the cold water. As the icy seas wrapped around my body, I truly thought I was going to die.
Things went from bad to worse as the Avatar's friends arrived to the rescue. The male water tribe warrior, the same one I dispatched of with relative ease when I invaded their tribe earlier, ended up using the Avatar's staff to poke me straight in the face. I was kept hanging onto the anchor, struggling to climb up while his sister froze a bunch of my crew solid. By the time I managed to climb back up, they already boarded a large, white, furry animal which surprisingly knew how to fly. I had no idea how something that heavy could take off, but I had to find some way of slowing them down. Seeing my uncle finally drag his lazy bum onto the deck, I called to him to help me shoot down that thing.
It was probably the final act of humiliation in a string of acts of humiliation when the Avatar met our dual fire blast head on, deflecting it onto the icebergs around us and causing an avalanche. I could only holler as the ice and snow buried our ship, trapping us as the Avatar's team mockingly waved at us. I could feel my blood boil as they disappeared into the horizon, not just at the Avatar laughing at my misfortune, but also at how I underestimated this boy. The Avatar might just be a youngster, but by no means was he a weakling. The fact that he defeated me while fighting almost nonchalantly only showed how weak I still was. From now on, I vowed to train twice as hard, mastering fire techniques using every means necessary. Given my honour depended on the Avatar's capture, failure wasn't an option.
Zuko's POV
The setting sun withdrew its warmth from the land, bringing a chill up and down my body as I crouched to the end of this open arena. I still recalled vividly what happened when I was last in this position, waiting to fight my first ever Agni Kai. The result was this permanent mark surrounding my left eye, and complete banishment from my country, an exile that lasted well into its third year now. But now, with a different set of circumstances on the line, I was fighting for much greater stakes this time.
"Remember your fire bending basics, Prince Zuko," Uncle's voice sliced into my mind, "they are your greatest weapons." I could only smirk as Uncle reminded me how poorly he felt my development in fire bending was. There was no doubt in my mind that I was going against a fire bending master here, and that meant I had to be very careful.
I dropped the cloth draping my shoulders, leaving me bare-chested as my opponent did the same. "This will be over quickly," Commander Zhao sneered. Even though he was a military leader, meaning my superior (now that my birthright was stripped), I refused to let him win. My journey through the world allowed my patience to be tested beyond belief, meaning I could take quite a lot of insults hurled my way before I got mad. But Zhao had to take it one step further by making personal attacks against me, questioning my skill and resolve to capture the Avatar and mocking my banishment. If he dared question my honour, then he better back up his words.
I started at Zhao with a series of fire fists, remembering my breathing and footsteps as I unleashed punch after punch. Originally, things didn't start off this bad, as I merely docked at this port to get repairs done after the Avatar buried my ship in snow. I instructed my uncle and the crew not to mention the Avatar to Zhao, in case he started hunting the Avatar for his own personal glory. But then Uncle accepted the commander's invite for tea, which gave Zhao time to send his men into my ship. After interrogating my crew, the secret was out that I was indeed in contact with the Avatar. And the worst thing was, Zhao realized I let the Avatar escape.
But Zhao shifted and dodged my every shot with ease, barely moving his feet at all. The smirk on Zhao's face only grew wider as I unleashed several fire kicks, all of which he handled effortlessly. This wasn't the first taunt Zhao hurled my way, as he made several nasty comments when we were in his tent earlier. Claiming I couldn't handle such an important task like catching the Avatar, he ordered that I relinquished the task to him. While Uncle and I were held prisoner in the tent, Zhao mobilized his troops all the while keeping my crew stranded inside our ship. To rub more salt on the wound, Zhao returned to humiliate me further, describing how my father saw me as a failure. If my father truly loved me he would have allowed me to return home now, Avatar or no Avatar. I just couldn't leave that comment alone, hence the challenge to a duel.
"Basics, Zuko!" Uncle shouted from the sidelines. I could feel the pressure gaining on me, to the point where I was ready to abandon my form and just went with fast and furious. Zhao was now on the offensive, jetting fire blast after fire blast, each larger than the one preceding it as I took several steps back, blocking the shots with my arms. It felt like Zhao was trying to beat me back with sheer power, and I had an awfully tough time defending against such ferocity.
Then a two-handed blast came right at me, the flames rising to my height as I lifted both arms to block. It came way quicker than expected, and burned much hotter than anticipated too. Before long, I felt myself getting thrown back several metres, landing flat on my back and taking deep breaths. I knew taking on Zhao would be difficult, but never in my mind had I imagined this type of power. Now, I could only wonder if another scar across my face would appear, just to match the one I already had. Two black eyes on the same face, what would I look like?
Oops, too late to figure that out, as Zhao leaped into the air and landed right before me. His front foot tapped around a few times before he prepared to launch the biggest blast at my face. But it was also right there that I found something to my advantage: Zhao put so much power into his blasts that it would actually launch his body forward more than it was required to maintain balance. With his body always on a slight teeter, thanks to the shift from basic balance form, maybe I could trip him up just to hold him off while I regrouped?
A-ha! I landed a perfect hit as I kicked out my foot, hooking it around Zhao's front ankle and flipping him around. As the commander's body hit the ground, I spun back onto my feet, giving me back the advantage. Now, not only was I out of danger, I found the perfect weak point to hit. Aiming at Zhao's feet, I sent low kick after low kick at him, the fire scorching the earth and sending dust all around as Zhao danced back. The frustrated look on his face was just fine by me, as I showed him just who he was messing with. With one final move, I lifted my kicks high, aiming the fire right at his torso as Zhao's footsteps soon lost rhythm. With two blasts near his face, the commander was right where he belonged: rolling around in the dirt.
Now the most ironic twist happened, as he was on the ground while I hovered above him. This was the best time for me to give him a scar that matched mine, just like how I promised him when we were in that tent. All those remarks about my birthright being taken, about how I was unworthy of leading an expedition to capture the Avatar, and even little things like keeping me trapped in that tent, I wanted to let it all out of Zhao right now. Fuelling the flame in my fist, I let it loose in his direction, aiming right at the level of his head.
But I didn't leave that mark on his face. As much as I hated Zhao, I didn't feel the need to scar him for life. While I was in that tent, Zhao hurled putdowns at me that my uncle could have clearly handled, but instead he chose to remain silent. Initially I was quite frustrated with Uncle's inaction, but I realized that silence was the best weapon at the time. Letting Zhao trip up like he did now was the best medicine, as Zhao himself just showed the whole battalion what a total fool he was. As the burnt earth sizzled beside Zhao's ear, the arrogant man taunted me again, saying how my father raised a cowardly son. "Next time you get in my way, I promise I won't hold back," I retorted, not even bothering to answer his critique.
As I turned away from Zhao, I thought about all my actions. Even though my uncle could be an eccentric character, I felt part of his strength was the fact that he never lost his composure even in the face of great pressure. I admitted that I wasn't strong in that department with Zhao, but at least I tried to give the man a chance. There was no need for me to nail his face to the wall; rather, I would let justice handle itself. Even if Zhao didn't learn his lesson, I doubted his men would see him the same way, especially when he was defeated by a supposed outcast.
Just then, I heard a loud roar, followed by scorching heat approaching my back. I turned around just in time to see Uncle step before Zhao, who was now standing. His leg was high in the air, with heat sizzling from it. So not only was Zhao unable to accept defeat, he had to go so low and resort to a sneak attack? Zhao was really grating on my nerves today, behaving way less honourable than anyone I had ever seen. Maybe I shouldn't have held back against him, huh?
But before I could unleash anything, Uncle stopped me. Pushing Zhao backward, letting him roll in the sand again, Uncle warned me not to taint my victory by further attacking Zhao. Leaving me to look on, Uncle lumbered up to the fallen commander. "So this is how the great Commander Zhao acts in defeat? Disgraceful," he spat, his tone neither angry nor emotional, "even in exile my nephew is more honourable than you. Thanks again for the tea."
With that, Uncle brought me out of the arena, not bothering to look back at the fallen commander. While I had pretty much the same thoughts as uncle, I never would have expected him to say it out loud. During the whole time Zhao insulted us, Uncle was sipping tea and barely saying a word. So for him to now smack Zhao across the face with this honour statement, I was truly surprised. But more shocking was the amount of faith Uncle had in me even though I disagreed and argued with him throughout my journey. "Did you really mean that?" I asked.
Uncle didn't say much, but when he told me how he liked Zhao's ginseng tea, I knew what he was thinking. From now on, I had to work extra hard at my task. Not only was I trying to restore my own honour, but also the honour of my uncle. For too long the world saw him as a crazy, tea-obsessed, over-the-hill nutcase. But today, with just one act alone, I learned a lot about how I should steer the direction of my life. Hopefully I could apply them sometime in my future.
Zuko's POV
My shuttle boat slowly lowered into the water amidst a cloud of smoke emitting from the back of my ship. My journey in following the Avatar took a couple of strange turns, as Uncle was captured by earth benders while soaking in a hot spring. I had to rescue him from those dirt lovers, all the while fighting alongside a half-naked old man. I didn't know what made my stomach churn more: the battle against five elite earth benders, or the ride back to my ship on my Komodo Rhino with my half-naked uncle. Let's just hope that would never happen again.
But right now, there were more important matters at hand, as I had a sighting of the Avatar heading straight for the Fire Nation. Uncle and the crew objected my venture back home, claiming that my banishment meant I would be arrested the second I set foot in Fire Nation territory. But knowing the Avatar was getting deeper into my homeland, I had no choice but to follow. It meant breaking through a naval blockade coordinated by none other than Commander Zhao, who oddly enough stopped his ships for me to pass. It baffled me how he could have arrested me on the spot, but yet still allowed me to go through.
"Keep heading north," I instructed my now-clothed uncle, "Zhao will follow the smoke trail while I use it as a cover." I had a hunch that Zhao let me past not because he was a nice guy. That was confirmed when Uncle pointed out the smoke spewing from my ship, a result of Zhao's men launching fire projectiles at us. With such a visible trail, Zhao could easily follow the ship all the way to the Avatar and captured the boy himself. In that case, I wanted to take advantage of the smokescreen. Sneaking out on my shuttle, I followed the Avatar by myself while my uncle continued as a decoy. Hopefully, that would push Zhao away from my direction.
As my shuttle putted along the water, I had another hunch where the Avatar might be headed. Given that the Avatar before him was a fire bender, it was likely he would go to Roku's Temple on Crescent Island. I didn't know what possible advice Roku could give this boy, but knowing how powerful Roku was, I certainly didn't want that kid anywhere near that temple. I was already taking a big risk going into the temple, as the Fire Sages were all loyal to the Fire Lord. If they spotted me, they might just report me to the authorities. I was sure my father would let this go, given my mission was to get the Avatar, but I didn't want the sages to make a fuss.
Before long, Crescent Island came into view, the active volcano still displaying its fury as magma flowed from the top and down into the bedrock. I wasn't overly aware of this area, given how few people frequented here since it erupted. Yet something about this place gave me a sense of familiarity, almost like it was welcoming me in. I didn't know if it was because I hadn't gone back to the Fire Nation in three years, making any Fire Nation structure remind me of home, but something inside was calling to me, and only made me want to enter quicker.
But thinking back to who was possibly inside, I knew why I had to get in quickly. The Avatar most likely arrived before I did. He probably already reached the top chamber, where the Roku sanctuary was located. I didn't know too much about how a current Avatar contacted a past Avatar, but the sooner I got that baldy away from Roku, the better. Quickening my pace, I hustled up the steps, trotting up to the main entrance of the temple.
Again, I had no idea how I knew the route, but something kept bringing me into the right chambers and stairways, which ultimately led me higher and higher up. Maybe my luck was finally changing, given how rotten it had been since Mom died. I could almost taste victory as I marched back to the capital with the Avatar as my prisoner, the crowds cheering me on as my father welcomed me as a hero. My birthright would be restored, my honour would return, and no longer would I be subject to Azula's taunts. My sister was always my father's favourite, but I would love to see the look on her face when I claimed that role from her.
A huge explosion brought my attention to the final flight of stairs, which was just in the next hall. I pressed my back against the wall, getting a good listen as a young boy's frustrated voice echoed through the chambers. It was undoubtedly the Avatar, who was somehow still outside of the sanctuary. Ha, so the goofball didn't know how to reach Roku. That only gave me more time to plan how to capture him and make a quick escape. With Zhao still following the smoke and the Avatar stuck out here, it felt like the stars were aligning for me.
A Fire Sage rushed out from the stairs, causing me to duck for cover. I counted off at least five minutes before four more sages returned with the original one, each with a frantic look on their faces. I couldn't hear clearly what they were saying, but it was something along the lines of the Avatar being able to climb into the sanctuary. What? A minute ago, I clearly heard that crazy kid ranting about the doors not opening! What was going on? Sneaking to the mouth of the stairway, I craned my head upward and tried to stare in with my one good eye.
The five sages lined up before the door, each unleashing a fire blast at the lock. I looked around as they continued their work, and suddenly spotted what I was seeking. The Avatar was right there, hiding behind the pillar closest to the staircase, looking like he was ready to dash in! So we had a Fire Sage betraying the team, helping the Avatar enter the sanctuary, was that it? If I captured the Avatar, I would make sure that sage faced justice as well. "Aang, now's your chance," I heard that water bending girl call the Avatar just as she, her brother, their lemur, and the traitorous sage disabled the four fire benders. I had to time it perfectly as the Avatar prepared to make his move. I knew how slick he was in the past, and I couldn't mess up again. Just as the air bender got into position, I leaped in from the stairway.
The catch was right on schedule as I pulled the Avatar's arms behind his back. "The Avatar's coming with me," I retorted, just as the fire sages pulled a reversal and pinned the Avatar's team instead. Still struggling with the squirming air bender, I tried to push him toward the staircase. I admitted that I didn't have a plan to drag him all the way down quickly, but as long as he was in my grasp, I believed it would work out.
Oh, how wrong I was! Not only did the Avatar escape my hold, he threw me down the stairs. As I peeled my battered body from the steps, with only my armour preventing any large-scale damage, I could only see the Avatar somersaulting through the now-closing doors of the sanctuary. Curse my rotten luck for not being able to stop him! Lining up the sages again, we prepared to blast more fire through the locks. The sooner I flushed him out, the better.
But to my surprise, the doors refused to open. "Avatar Roku doesn't want us inside," the head sage explained. I could only fume in anger, wondering just how in the world the Avatar outsmarted me again. Well, at least we had his friends from the Southern Water Tribe chained against the pillars. Where was that traitor sage? I had some serious interrogation to do.
The other sages brought the traitor before me, his hands tied behind his back. "Why did you help the Avatar?" I demanded. All sages were supposed to follow orders from the Fire Lord and anyone in the Fire Nation chain of command, so why the treachery?
As the old man explained how he felt it was the sages' duty to assist the Avatar, I heard sarcastic clapping coming from behind me. "I'm certain that the Fire Lord would understand when you explain why you betrayed him," that snarky, arrogant voice sneered. It didn't take a second look for me to realize that Zhao arrived to the temple. Turning to me, Zhao revealed that he caught on to my trick. "It was a noble effort, but your little smokescreen didn't work! Two traitors in one day, the Fire Lord will be pleased!" With that, I felt one of Zhao's men handcuff me, pulling me to an adjacent pillar and chaining me there with the traitor sage.
Before long, Zhao lined his troops up, waiting for the Avatar to come out. "When those doors open, unleash all your firepower," he ordered. I could only wonder what would happen if the Avatar did go down in Zhao's hands. All my efforts, all the glory, everything I spent so long fighting for would be lost in a second. How could I ever return home and be accepted by my father? Would any family member, save for Uncle Iroh, save me from this nasty fate?
A huge white light engulfed the entire room, its energy both astonishing and frightening. I could only turn away as Zhao commanded his men to launch their blasts at the figure standing ominously in the light. In mere seconds, the Avatar would be burned to a crisp, and I could kiss my dream of restoring my honour goodbye. The heat from several simultaneous fire blasts was so great that I could feel the embers resonating off my face, even from a distance away.
But surprisingly, the blasts soon halted, even though the fire was still present. I looked up just in time to see an apparition of Avatar Roku, spinning the flames around and launching them straight at the army. Several foot soldiers were blown back, the fire knocking people over and heading right for the pillars. I barely had time to react as it reached for me, the heat melting the metallic chains around my body. Despite the close proximity, I didn't feel it burn my body at all.
But no time to figure out why Avatar Roku spared me, as this place was getting more and more unstable by the second. With Zhao's men still confused and no signs of the current Avatar, I raced down the stairs and back to my boat, hoping to make an escape before this place blew up entirely. Even as I rushed through the same stairs I entered from, the foundation of the temple was shaking, almost like the magma located beneath us was bubbling despite not having a true eruption on this volcano since Roku died. Again, I had no idea how I remembered the way out. It almost seemed like a supernatural force was guiding me back to my shuttle.
By the time I did reach my small vessel, the temple had already tilted to one side. The magma rumbled so ferociously that even the bridge leading into the front entrance was on the verge of collapse. I gunned the engine and pulled out from there, occasionally looking back to see Zhao and his men still evacuating back to their ships. The white bison belonging to the current Avatar flew up to the tower, most likely to pick up the kid and his friends. I didn't know how he did it, but that bald guy kept lucking out again and again. But hey, he had his former reincarnation helping him escape, so why should I be surprised by him surviving?
As I took my boat back to sea, trying to rendezvous with my uncle, I kept trying to figure out why I felt so weird at the temple. I had never met any of the sages before, and Avatar Roku died way before I was born. In that case, there was no way I could feel any sense of familiarity to that temple. Added to the fact was that the Avatar was there, meaning any purpose for me to go there was for capturing him only, nothing more. With only my honour at stake, why would I even think there was something about this place that kept drawing me closer?
Whatever the case, this was the most dangerous stunt I ever pulled in capturing the Avatar. Not only had I risked getting arrested by Zhao, I nearly lost my life getting stuck in that explosion in Roku's Temple. The sheer power of Roku's fire bending was indescribable, to the point where even a master like Zhao seemed weak. Yet, comparing the way Roku used his fire, Zhao (and probably me as well) was undeniably different. Roku's flames were ferocious, but also had an aura of calmness about them. It almost felt like as the Avatar, he was using a whole new set of techniques than the one I was used to. Hopefully I could get a chance to sort things through with Uncle before we continued on, but for now, it was time to return to my ship.
Zuko's POV
My back bumped slightly along the rocky road as I held onto the bars at the bottom of this cart, heading straight for the Pohuai Stronghold. After my ship sailed through a violent storm, we were in complete damage-control mode, trying to regain our location and any hints of where the Avatar might have gone to. Just when I was discussing with my lieutenant, this Fire Nation navy ship pulled up and announced Commander Zhao had been promoted to an admiral. Declaring that catching the Avatar was now a top priority, they ordered any updates on Avatar information must be handed over to Zhao, who was now leading this mission. My blood boiled just listening to that, and I commanded those idiots off my ship, flatly refusing to give them anything. Was Zhao trying to ensure that I could never go home here? If this was his way of getting revenge against my victory over him in the Agni Kai, I would hurt Zhao for sure.
Whatever the case, I had been aware of Zhao's past few moves, mainly because I was spying on him under a disguise. I found a blue mask at a nearby theatre and decided to use that as my costume in sneaking into the fortress. When I heard that Zhao recruited the Yu Yan Archers, a highly skilled archery security team, into finding the Avatar, I realized I pretty much lost all my chances. The Yu Yan Archers were highly precise in their shooting, and I doubted even the Avatar's quickness could escape them for very long. My theory was soon confirmed when earlier in the day, I saw the Avatar being pulled into the fortress in a net. Realizing that if Zhao brought the boy to my father first, then I lose my honour, I had to take drastic action.
I slipped into the back compartment of the cart just as the guard inspected the bottom, making sure he didn't see me as the driver was allowed into the stronghold. The plan was very dangerous, but rewarding if it worked: I would free the Avatar from the fortress, bringing him outside and taking him to my ship myself. That way, Zhao wouldn't know who freed the Avatar, and I could still regain my honour. If only I could get to the chamber where they imprisoned that bald kid, and got out of here with him and without security seeing me, I would be home free.
I slipped off the cart and into a nearby watchtower just as Zhao addressed his troops. "Only one thing stood in our victory: the Avatar!" Zhao declared from his tower, that oh-so-arrogant pose flaunting in the sole set of torches lighting his figure, "I am here to tell you that he is now my prisoner!" He continued ranting about how he believed this was our victory year, with the return of Sozin's Comet giving fire benders more power, and that we would burn the Earth Kingdom capital of Ba Sing Se to the ground. And believe it or not, his men ate that garbage up like it was nothing. I could only roll my eyes as Zhao boasted of his achievement. Zhao, if you only knew what I had in mind, you wouldn't be celebrating right now.
I slid into the sewers and up another gate, trying to find the centre tower, where most prisoners ought to be located. I knew the Avatar was great with air, meaning he most likely had to be isolated from any sources, and was certainly to have his limbs bound. Climbing the final ladder leading up the tower , I rushed at the last passageway, hoping to enact the next step of my plan. Hiding my identity meant the guards couldn't possibly know I was a fire bender, meaning only physical attacks and defensive manoeuvres worked here. I made quick work of the first guard, who was unfortunate enough to strafe into my path. Tying him up with some chain, I threw his disabled body into a nearby closet, and tossed his helmet into the next path. This was most likely the last area before reaching the Avatar, so I had to use the element of surprise.
Luckily, the final guards were just as clueless as their friend, as they wandered right into my trap. I brought a large collection of old chains from both my ship and in old fortresses that I visited prior, meaning I had ample weapons to tie these guys up. After jumping at them from the ceiling, I turned the corner and rushed the final guard, blocking his fire by dousing it with water, before knocking him out with the bucket. I had to admit that it was one of the most unorthodox ways of knocking out a person, but at least it achieved my goal, right? Snatching his keys from his belt, I proceeded to opening this final door.
And to no one's surprise, there was my big prize: the Avatar was chained by the hands and feet, stretched in a standing pose and screaming in fright as I brandished my swords at him. Don't worry, baldy, I wasn't about to let you die. You were way too important to my honour, and I was sure to keep you alive until I reached the Fire Nation capital. Chopping off his chains, I freed the boy and motioned him to follow me. He had to be the most clueless individual in the world as he kept calling to me, asking me if I was helping him escape or something like that. Uh, the point of an escape was to make sure no one knew about it. Why in the names of all things sacred were you shouting at me at the top of your lungs?
Just to make it worse, that crazy kid ran off from me, chasing a bunch of half-frozen frogs that slipped out of his shirt. "My friends need to suck on those frogs!" He yelled just as I grabbed him by the collar and pulled him away. I had no idea what prompted the Avatar to collect such unusual stuff; while I could attribute my uncle collecting weird things to his notion of buying stuff at a bargain, I couldn't possibly explain why the saviour of the world did it. Did his immaturity know no bounds? At this rate, the Fire Nation would have won the war before he even realized what happened. Have fun collecting frozen frogs, you brat!
We re-entered the sewers heading back to the entrance just as I thought about what this meant to me. Surely Uncle wouldn't approve such a crazy mission; heck, he was against me going to Avatar Roku's temple just to pursue this boy, so he certainly would not allow me to infiltrate Zhao's fortress just to snatch the Avatar from under the now-admiral's nose. But at the same time, I also realized that the Avatar was my responsibility, and that success or failure in bringing him to the Fire Nation was complete on my shoulders. Failure was certainly not an option for me, as that meant I could never go home. Given that I could truly succeed this time, shouldn't Uncle at least give me some credit? If I was re-accepted by my father and became known as a great hero, Uncle could be rewarded as well. Didn't he want to redeem himself?
"The Avatar has escaped! Close all the gates immediately!" Zhao's voice blared through the night sky just as we found an exit door. The Avatar hustled past me for the open door just as I was intercepted by several guards pointing their spears in my face. Well, alongside fire bending, I did have the advantage of practicing with several different types of weapons during my exile, so what better chance than to show off my skills right here?
I slashed and hacked away at the spears near me, all the while keeping my feet in motion and avoiding their hits altogether. I never would have thought Uncle's lessons on footwork in fire bending would come in handy in a non-bending battle, as the guards certainly had their hands full trying to take me out. That being said, I still couldn't quite reach the doors, which were probably closed by now. There were just too many guards around me, and I didn't have the time to take them all out and make a run for it. As I continued swinging away at the guards, hoping reinforcements didn't arrive soon, I could only hope the Avatar didn't run off on me. What would Uncle think if he knew I botched another dangerous mission?
Luckily, the boy was still around, using his air bending to blow the guards surrounding me away. We then catapulted onto the top of the fortress wall, thanks to more air bending, and had to face off against another set of guards. This time, we weren't just attacked from our either side, but also from below, as reinforcements arrived with sets of ladders, trying to climb up to us. While I handled those on the wall, the Avatar used air blasts to keep the guards below us from erecting the ladders. I admitted that we had a pretty good rhythm going, until the Avatar grabbed two ladders and handed them to me. "Jump on my back," he instructed as he hoped onto another erected ladder with fire benders still underneath. Was he crazy to even try that?
Nonetheless, it was our only way out, and even though we could very well burn to a crisp here, we had to at least try. Using the ladders as crutches, we swung forward towards the outer gate. We were on our last ladder just when the guards lit it on fire, burning up whatever was left of our crutch. I could only hiss in disappointment as we missed the outer gate by inches, crashing into the doors and flopping to the ground. The only saving grace was that the fall wasn't that steep, meaning there were no injuries as we slammed into the ground. Great, now we had to take on more guards! Let's just hope Zhao didn't get his ugly face down here.
Oops, spoke too soon, as there was the scum of the earth, strolling almost leisurely towards us. It was sickening seeing him think victory was his when he ordered his troops not to attack the Avatar. "The Avatar must be captured alive," he ordered, making all the guards hold their fire against us. Oh, how I wanted to rub it in his face when I brought the Avatar back to the palace while he had to sit there and watched me get all the glory.
Wait, bringing him back alive? That gave me an idea, as Zhao was unlikely to hurt me if I threatened the Avatar's life. Bringing my blades out, I placed one on either side of the Avatar's head, threatening to decapitate him as all the guards around us froze in horror. Glaring Zhao in the eyes, I dared him to make a move. If Zhao even thought about advancing in on me, I would kill the Avatar on the spot. Even if my father inquired, it was so easy just to blame it on Zhao, claiming his security forces were incompetent. How would Zhao work his way out of this now?
"Open the gates," Zhao hissed through clenched teeth. I could feel his temper boiling over as the doors rumbled and creaked open. I knew I got the best of him this time as I slowly exited, stepping backwards slowly as Zhao continued to fume at us. This was the face I had been waiting for the entire time, the one of defeat as Zhao's prize slowly slipped away from him. Once I could get away from this fortress, it was smooth sailing all the way to my ship.
Then, a sudden jolt to the centre of my mask completely blindsided me. I felt a numbing pain as my head spun uncontrollably. I didn't know what hit me or where it came from, but I knew I was losing consciousness. My arms involuntarily released the Avatar from my grip as I felt my body going limp, falling backwards onto the rocky road. The last thing I had on my mind was what would happen now as I could no longer keep an eye on the Avatar. I could only hope he didn't run off on me again. He stuck around in the stronghold, so could he stay again?
By the time daylight returned to my vision, I found myself lying in the middle of a forest, with the Avatar crouched near a tree root just above me. I couldn't hear what he said, but it was something about meeting and missing his friends from a century back and one of them was from the Fire Nation. "If we knew each other back then, do you think we could have been friends too?" he asked, turning a smiling face towards me.
My blood boiled just hearing that. Was he trying to taunt me for my efforts last night? I had to bring him back to the capital to restore my honour, and risked life and limb just to pull him out from there. Now all he could say was we ought to be friends? Ignoring the stars in my vision while I shot up, I launched a fire blast right at this crazy kid.
To no one's surprise, the Avatar did what he did best and escaped the situation, hopping from tree to tree and away from the scene. I could only look on, not knowing what to think or feel as my prize eluded me once more. I had no idea why my plans always seem to fail, even though they should have worked in any given circumstance. Was I missing something? Did I miscalculate certain factors? Why was it that every time I had the Avatar in my grasp, I always ended up losing him? Why was he so hard to capture?
Whatever the case, I had to go back to the ship. Uncle was probably waiting for me, even though I knew he was more concerned with music night than anything else. It was time to rest up and thought up of another plan, as time was running out. Sozin's Comet would arrive in the summer, and that was when we planned to end the war. If I didn't catch the Avatar before that, then I was sure to never regain my honour, no matter how hard I tried.
Iroh's POV
"Prince Zuko, the crew wanted me to wish you safe travel," I stated, peeking into my nephew's room. As if hunting the Avatar wasn't a stressful enough task, now Zuko had to deal with Admiral Zhao, who was competing with him for the task. Zhao had to take the low route and recruited Zuko's entire crew, including the cook! That left only my nephew and me still loitering around on the ship, wondering what to do next.
"Good riddance to those traitors!" Zuko spat, lying firmly on his bed. While I understood the way this affected him, I didn't see the point in Zuko trying to get this angry. Even when we had no crew, we could still enact our plan of going to the North Pole in pursuit of the Avatar. Knowing the boy had to learn water bending, Zuko still had a chance to catch him in that giant ice fortress. Why should he get this upset over a small setback?
"It's a lovely night for a walk, so why don't you join me? It would clear your head," I suggested, opening his room's door wider just to let more light into the cold, dark chamber. The past few days had been very trying for Zuko, that's for sure, and I did everything to still make his life comfortable. Sometimes, Zuko didn't even join our crew for evening activities like music night, wandering off into town and disappearing for days at a time. I had some clue as to what was going on when Zhao inspected the swords Zuko kept in his room, asking if Zuko was an expert swordsman. It wouldn't put it past me that the so-called Blue Spirit, who I heard took the Avatar out of Zhao's stronghold, was actually Zuko in disguise.
I glanced at him for a couple more minutes, realizing that Zuko wasn't about the budge. In that case, there was nothing more I could do other than let him figure things out on his own. As I stepped off the ship, I thought about how this journey changed Zuko. In the past, Zuko had a very open personality, always eager to try new things and wasn't afraid of making mistakes. The fact that he kept striving to be better even when the odds were against him was one trait I really admired. But ever since his banishment, Zuko had been cold and distant. Part of my job was to get Zuko to see the world again, letting him absorb new knowledge and not be obsessed over just capturing the Avatar. But with Zhao's interference, even I had difficulty reaching to Zuko.
But at the same time, I realized what a challenge this would be for Zuko, provided he was willing to accept it rather than mope around in his room. In my view, my nephew had yet to truly figure things out for himself. Even in the past few attempts at getting the Avatar, he made many mistakes that he had yet to realize, let alone rectify. While a teen like him was bound to have some faults, it was evident that if Zuko didn't make an effort to make things better, he would have a lot of problems advancing his cause. I was still hopeful that Zuko had the strength to make it right, and rejoined me in planning our infiltration into the North Pole. But for now, he had to think this through on his own, whether he liked it or not.
I barely got a few steps into the town when a huge explosion nearly jolted me off my feet. I whipped my head around and was greeted by a horrific sight: our ship, still docked at the pier, was now a tower of flames. "Zuko," I exclaimed, hurrying my way back. I didn't know what caused the explosion, or if the ship was still sailable after the blast. There was only one thing in my mind after that hit, and that was my nephew's safety. He had been through too much and came too far to be shot down like this, and I could only hope he survived that attack.
The smoke and fire became almost too much for me to bear, despite my skills as a fire bender. Debris littered the harbour as our ship collapsed in on itself, leaving very little still intact. I kept scanning the waters, hoping Zuko was somewhere among the mess, still clinging onto life. After an agonizing few minutes, I saw a body still clad in a Fire Nation uniform, albeit a burned and ripped one. There was no doubt in my mind it was my nephew's body.
Ignoring the cold sting that overwhelmed my senses as I submerged into the water, I swam as quickly as I could, navigating through the debris field as I reached my nephew's body. "Prince Zuko, you can't give up yet," I uttered, grabbing onto his body and slowly dragging him to shore. Even though his body was battered and bloodied, I could still feel a pulse and breathing coming from him, meaning he could still be saved.
I pulled Zuko into a nearby lodge where I could analyze his wounds. There was no medic around at this late hour, meaning I had to take care of my injured nephew all by myself. As I pulled off the burned clothing and examined the wounds, I took the chance to reassure Zuko. "Nothing means more to me than you getting out of that ship alive," I stated. Ever since I lost Lu Ten back in the Ba Sing Se siege, and kind of took Zuko in as my own. So, for me to see Zuko still alive, I was both relieved and overjoyed.
Even in his state, Zuko told me something that I would never forget. As I tried to stop the bleeding in several areas, my nephew whispered to me, "If I had another chance to choose who could go on this redemption journey with me, I would make the same choice again. I wouldn't even hesitate in having you come along." He ended with a weak smile.
I was so overwhelmed by my happiness with that statement. I knew in the past Zuko had been rather harsh on me, claiming I was lazy and weak, to the point where he felt I wasn't trying hard enough to help him redeem himself. I kept trying to encourage Zuko to see things from a different perspective, but based on Zuko's words alone, it felt like I was just being a nuisance. But I knew deep down, Zuko didn't see me like that, and I was glad he chose to tell me firsthand. With tears in my eyes, I pulled my precious nephew into a tight embrace.
After helping Zuko sit up, I explained to him my idea of what happened. Judging by the large amount of debris and general power of that explosion, I figured it was no accident. There was most likely a bomb or some other explosive planted on that ship, and Zuko merely escaped in the nick of time. "I know this bombing had something to do with Zhao, and I know he must be thinking that a weakling like you perished," I analyzed the events to Zuko. Earlier, Zhao invited me to be part of his invasion force to the North Pole, in which I flatly refused. But based on how Zhao eyed Zuko's swords, I knew he must have suspected Zuko to be the Blue Spirit. It wouldn't past me that Zhao would take this as an excuse to kill my nephew, which only made me angrier. I normally tried to be as easygoing about things as possible, but anyone who tried to harm Zuko would force me to retaliate, something I wouldn't normally try in any given situation.
But my nephew showed incredible courage and resiliency here, opting to forgo recovery period just to join me to the North Pole. I was extremely touched and proud of Zuko, showing that much dedication to his task even though he could have slowed down. Some people might call it crazy, and even I had doubts about it too, but I was certain that Zuko knew what he was getting into. Leaving him for a moment, I returned to the shipwreck to see what supplies we could still salvage before we left. There was a lot of prep work to be done, that's for sure.
By the time we got ready, Zuko was wearing a different set of Fire Nation clothes, one that blended him in with the regular soldiers instead. Zuko's wounds were all bandaged up, and aside from some minor aches and pains, he was pretty much good to go. Given that our ship was blown to smithereens, the only way we could go to the North Pole was with Zhao. "I will accept his offer to be his advisor, and you can pose as part of the crew. No one will know that you are smuggled to the North Pole with him, and you can capture the Avatar," I instructed Zuko. There was still considerable risk in this plan, but I was still hopeful that everything would work out.
But whatever the case, I felt it was all for the best. Since his banishment, I made it my mission to guide him along the way. No matter how much road was still ahead of us, and how many hardships along the way, this was something I had to do. For the betterment of my nephew, and hopefully the betterment of the Fire Nation, I was going to see him through to the end.
Zuko's POV
The full moon was the only light illuminating the water as I loaded my small raft with all the necessary supplies. Uncle's plan to smuggle me into Zhao's crew worked to perfection, as not once did the admiral realize that I was on board his ship. Now, after a full day of bombarding the Northern Water Tribe, I was ready to infiltrate the fortress myself. The Avatar was bound to be in there, trying in vain to defend the water benders. With the Fire Nation naval fleet keeping the main defences of the fortress at bay, it was the perfect time for me to strike.
"You'll need a tightly woven net, or he'll squeeze through the tiniest hole and escape," an old but sagely voice cut in from behind. I turned around to see my uncle there, a look of concern plastered onto his face. I understood that he was looking out for me, and didn't want anything bad to happen, but his confusing idioms weren't exactly called for right now.
"I don't need your wisdom right now, Uncle," I responded, concentrating on fitting my equipment onto the raft. With only the barest of essentials with me, I planned on making a quick dart in there, grabbed the Avatar, and charged out. Somehow, having Uncle in here mumbling his weird advice to me ended up breaking my concentration rather than strengthening it.
"I'm sorry," Uncle replied, his tone muted and melancholic, "I just nag you because, well, ever since I lost my son, I think of you as my own." Sobs followed his final words, making me take my mind off the raft and approached the balding man. For years, I had been harsh on Uncle, and perhaps most of the criticism was unjustified. But now, seeing this as my chance to succeed, I couldn't let him down. Placing a hand on his shoulder, I pulled him into a hug.
As I pulled away, I promised I would come back to him after I had the Avatar. It was my third such crazy plan, concocted entirely on my own as I lowered the raft into the frigid water. When Uncle helped get me onto Zhao's boat, it gave me enough time to think up of this idea. I was still unsure of where the Avatar would be located exactly, but I figured it was something I could work out once I got in there. As the raft touched down onto the ocean, I pulled out my oars and slowly paddled towards the fortress, with only one individual on my mind.
The row to the fortress was a slow and uneventful one, which gave me plenty of time to scout out this place. While there were walls of ice and snow surrounding the interior, I also realized there were potential cracks and holes in the ground. There were animals nearby that dove in and out, and most of them had to come up for air somewhere. Maybe some of them could lead me into the Northern Water Tribe? Parking the raft at a nearby ice shelf, I climbed onto the snow and followed the animals straight into a breathing hole.
I could only hiss as they dove headfirst through the hole, realizing how cold it must be. While a normal person would probably die by swimming through this water, I figured it was something I had to try. Uncle taught me a breath of fire technique that allowed me to stay warm even in cold climates, so maybe I ought to demonstrate it here, huh? Taking a deep breath, I pulled up my clothing as much as I could and threw myself into the hole.
The ice water was like having a hundred blades slicing into my body at once, my skin in numbing pain even through the layers of insulation. I concentrated on activating the breath of fire while trying to propel forward, making slow but steady progress. Uncle, if there was a time when your techniques came in real handy, now was it. Had it not been for him, I would turn into a human icicle right now. Maybe he could thaw me out with his hot tea once he found me?
One passage led to another as I surfaced right in the middle of a herd of Turtle Seals. "Be quiet!" I barked at the honking animals, coughing out two breaths of fire to warm my body up. I shivered uncontrollably as I rubbed my arms up and down, hoping to regain some feeling in my limbs as I limped to the next body of water. Judging by the way it was flowing, it most likely led into the city, which used lagoons or canals to travel, rather than roads. Taking another deep breath, I dove through this water, not nearly as cold as the one earlier, and kicked to the top.
Just when I thought I saw the light at the end of this tunnel, there had to be this blasted piece of ice blocking my way. I rapped my fingers against it, but it didn't seem to budge. I could feel my lungs starting to give way, my body running out of air as I tried to punch through. I didn't want to resort to this, as it would sap my energy, but I had to bring in my external fire bending right now. Pressing my palms against the ice, I slowly created flames from my hands, hoping to melt through this confounding plug in the tunnel.
A-ha! Finally, the stubborn ice gave way, turning into a soggy mush as I pushed through the barrier. I dragged my almost lifeless body through the hole, collapsing in this tube-like area and took in deep breaths. I had no idea just how hard it was to push through into the fortress, let alone finding the Avatar here. No wonder this place hadn't been successfully breached by the Fire Nation at all. Apparently, I made another miscalculation, as now I had to spend more time trying to find the Avatar and pulling him out than I originally anticipated. With another factor weighing on my mind, I could only wish things didn't turn out for the worse.
While it may seem a bit dry and boring, and almost repetitive, that I showed three different sequences of Zuko planning and failing to catch Aang, I felt it was a good way to showcase Zuko's main trait in Season 1. Iroh put it best when he said Zuko had a plan but never thought it through, leading to Zuko not knowing what to do even after catching Aang. Let's see if that can illuminate some of Zuko's growth as we move into Part 2. Thank you for reading!