Chapter 29 it ends where it began
Aang flew as fast as he could to the southern earth kingdom, where he knew the one location that he could find Toph no matter where she was. Soon he saw it, the swamp.
The mass of marshes, trees, vines, and other animal and plant life stretched on for miles, but he flew for the center tree… the crux of it all. He landed gracefully on one of the massive roots, and knelt on one knee… placing a hand on the ground.
He figured since the swamp gave him visions of meeting Toph in the not to distant future of the time, he could also use it to locate her and contact her as well.
"I hope this works." Aang said with a sigh and shaking his head. He took a deep breath before concentrating solely on Toph.
He knew that somehow they were both spiritually bonded… they were completely connected. In a few moments he succeeded, although he couldn't see her or her whereabouts, he thought clearly, "Toph, please, come to the swamp. I need to see you…" that was all he could get out before it wasted too much of his energy.
He sat down and began to meditate, waiting…
Toph felt it… the strange feeling in her head and heart. Toph, please, come to the swamp. I need to see you… She knew that was where Aang was… the final showdown would begin…
It was hours later until finally Aang heard someone approach behind him. Whether or not it was the person he wanted, he was unsure of. Instead he held out his staff parallel to the ground, facing the black hooded assassin.
"You still have the will to fight? I thought I crushed it."
"I am but one avatar; there are thousands of others behind me." He replied simply.
"Enough talk… it ends." She drew her sword and held it forward before attacking, engaging in a fierce duel.
She refused to lose, so she fought harder, her ears listening for every move he made… big and small. It wasn't long before the quickly exchanged blows and strikes that she kicked his staff out of his hands, took it, and with a swift motion knocked him to his feet with a broad swing of the staff.
She stuck her blade into a piece of his shirt… pinning him to the ground.
"I don't have to kill you." She said.
"To bad I might have to kill you!" he replied, and sent a blast of air to her, knocking her off her feet. He removed the sword and wielded it himself, as she stood up and used his staff.
They exchanged blows once more, neither gaining a clear advantage over the other in the flurry. It wasn't until Aang began to incorporate water and fire bending into the fight that he began to secure a foothold in the fight.
He got her to back up with a few slashes of fire from his sword and then took water from a vine and used it to snare her foot. But she broke the tendril by smashing the staff trough it and somersaulted over to strike him, which he began to block.
When she landed, however, she landed short and crouched to the ground and span around, kicking her leg out and sweeping him out from under his feet like she did before with his staff.
Except this time as he fell he kept himself stable and hovered, spinning backwards and landed again on his feet. He thought he made a good recovery, but she continued with several more relentless attacks until again, she forced him to the ground.
She crouched behind him and held the staff to his throat, pulling it against his windpipe. "Will you listen now?" she asked.
"No." he said breathlessly, and superheated himself against her touch, making her back away and he recovered and threw her away.
She landed hard on the ground, but she landed on something else. Quickly she stood and picked up the small object she landed on, a necklace.
She felt it with her fingers and Aang stopped, realizing that it was the necklace he made for Toph at Omashu. He must have dropped it during the fight.
She noticed that there was an inscription on the back. She had to trace it several times before finally understanding what was deeply carved into the necklace. On one side was the earth bending symbol and around it the airbending symbol. On the other side the inscription read: To my greatest friend and love, Toph Bei Fong… Will you marry me?
She couldn't believe what she held in her hands. It was a betrothal necklace… for her.
She took off her hood and mask. Aang saw her for the first time in months, and before he knew it, she had thrown herself against him, and kissed him.
His surprise left him and he held her tightly against him. When they broke from the kiss, she cried into him, "I'm sorry Aang." She wept, "I'm so, so sorry. Of course I loved you back… and I refused to accept it. I brought this upon myself and…" he silenced her with another kiss.
"I don't care what happened…" he said calmly with a few tears… not of sadness, remorse, or anger, but of joy. "All I care about it you."
They stayed like that for a while, before lying down with each other and relaying their stories, explanations, memories and more to each other so they could finally piece together the already confusing puzzle.
Aang learned why Toph had to leave, it was due to the large force of assassins that became a threat to both of them and their friends. She explained why she had to kill her master Tylan, Takal, the professor, and all the other assassins in the bureaus in the fire nation and earth kingdom. She also said that none of the leaders were dead, she faked all their deaths. She told him her plan to defeat Wan-Shu in the end when all her missions were complete and she had gained his total trust.
When she finished, Aang explained that he had begun to follow her traces at each of her assassination spots after not finding her at the estate. It wasn't long before he had to fake Zuko's death. He then said how he figured she might have been the assassin they were trailing thanks to Zuko's deductive work with the headband.
They both figured all of the memories and dreams they were having about each other and the pain they felt at each recollection and sometimes the pain they shared together was all because of their bond. Since they were separated, that caused it all to happen.
It was then that they agreed to work together to end the assassins which tore them away from each other.
Their love was stronger than anything that had ever come against them… and they were going to prove it.
