We had been able to leave the airspace above the capital quite quickly, now we were flying westward, heading towards the Western Air Temple, where we would hide for the time being.
The boiling anger in my body was only cooling down fairly slow again, the renewed defeat, even though it wasn't as bad as it had been in Ba Sing Se, was really gnawing on my mind, I couldn't and didn't want to believe that I, no, we, had failed once again. Azula had escaped me once more and the Fire Lord had also skillfully dodged danger.
It was not quite clear to me how many more defeats it would take before I would lose my mind and start wandering through the world on an uncontrollable killing spree. No! I couldn't let things get that far, I had to stay focused, for the sake of my honor and most importantly my future, Ty Lee and our child were more important than anything else, I would not let this happiness be taken away from me by anyone!
After a few hours, Appa slowly began to get tired, as he had to transport quite the good amount of people at the same time. Aang decided to give his bison a break, they would continue on foot for the time being. Pagan still had enough energy reserves, therefore the two of us were able to stay in the air, keeping an eye on our friends walking on the ground.
Our journey eventually led us to the edge of a large and misty chasm. Pagan landed, I asked: ''And where exactly is the temple supposed to be now?''
''We're already there!'', Toph said.
We all looked around, but there was nothing to see except for the extensive grassy landscape and the chasm.
An idea came to my mind. I said to the others: ''Wait here, we'll be right back.''
Pagan rose to the air again and headed for the chasm, into which we eventually descended a little bit. After a few meters, my assumption proved to be correct: Many old and dilapidated temple buildings were hanging upside down from under the cliff. We rose back out of the chasm and shared our discovery with the others.
Shortly after, everyone was sitting on Appa again. We flew into the chasm together, only to land in a larger courtyard between the upside down buildings a few seconds later.
I dismounted Pagan lividly, angrily kicked a little stone into the chasm with full force, then sat down on the ground.
With a voice that was seething with rage I said: ''I can't believe it! We lost again! This just can't be true!''
Aang approached me and said: ''Yulizan, stay calm, it's...''
''No, Aang! Nothing is! We have planned this invasion for so long and so extensively and what did it do for us? Nothing! Absolutely nothing! We only were humiliated once more! I don't know what kind of philosophy you want to use this time, but I also don't care, because it won't do anything to help us! There is nothing positive about this battle! We are just as smart as we were before!''
Aang shrank back a few steps with a start, he had never seen me so angry before.
It was this reaction by the young Avatar that made me realize how I had behaved, I dropped back down to the ground again, as I had jumped to my feet during my phase of rage.
''I'm sorry, Aang, I didn't mean to yell at you. It's just ... I've experienced so many defeats over the last while and they were all so severe for my body and soul, it really made me feel low. But I promise that it won't happen again.''
The Avatar approached me again, a smile on his face, he put his hand on my shoulder and said: ''Don't worry, everything is alright. I can understand you, but don't forget: If you hold on to past defeats for too long, they will also negatively affect the future.''
The young air bender was right. I briefly thought about his words and eventually came to the conclusion that I really shouldn't spend too many negative thoughts on the failed invasion, otherwise I really would become mentally unstable eventually, which would certainly not help me with the continuation of my mission.
I reorganized my mind and then stood up again, my confident and determined look back on my face.
''So, what is our new plan?''
Sokka made a proposition: ''I think there's only one fairly plausible plan now: Aang has to learn fire bending and face the Fire Lord before the comet appears.''
Aang was visibly unsettled by this proposition, I felt that the events that had taken place back when we had visited Master Jeong Jeong were still weighing quite heavily on him.
He said: ''But where should I find a fire bending teacher? The only one we knew is Jeong Jeong, and I'm pretty sure that he doesn't want to see me again.''
I originally wanted to say something about this matter, but eventually decided not to, since I noticed that Aang really didn't want to be taught by Jeong Jeong again. Where should we find a suitable teacher for the fire bending then? I really couldn't think of any suitable options, the only other peaceful fire benders I knew were all Assassins, and as I had told my friends shortly after I had met them, Assassins were not suitable as bending teachers, because of the many special forms and abilities that our style of bending involved.
As the others continued to talk, I sat down on the ground again and thought about other things, mainly about Ty Lee and our child of course. I thought about how I would be able to reconcile my Assassin affiliation and my new family life. The most sensible option would probably be that I gave up my position as an active fighter and only act passively in the future. But to be honest, I didn't really want to give up this life, the freedom, the excitement, the adventure, I was just so familiar with all this already.
While we were all engrossed in our respective activities, we didn't notice that someone was approaching us. It was only when I perceived a nervous and accelerated breathing a few meters behind me that I suddenly jumped to my feet and turned around.
But what I saw was worse than anything I had imagined! The others, who also had become aware of the new situation because of my sudden jump-up, saw it as well! There, just a few meters away from us, stood Prince Zuko!
If my anger had only vanished a few minutes ago, it now had returned with almost the same intensity!
Zuko raised his hand and opened his mouth to say something, but he wasn't able to utter a single word! I charged forward, fast as an arrow, until I stood right in front of him. Before he could react, my right hand shot forward and closed tightly around his neck. I was almost one head taller than the prince and therefore now looked down on him, right into his terror-stricken scarred face.
With bright flames of anger in my eyes and a knife-sharp voice I said: ''Give me one good reason not to squeeze!''
Zuko was already noticeably gasping for air, but my grip remained as firm as it was!
He croaked out: ''I'm not here to fight!''
Although I of course didn't believe him, I still loosened my grip a little bit so that we were able to understand him better.
''What do you want? Why are you here?'', I asked, still with the same sharp voice.
''I have changed my life, I have realized my mistakes. I'm here to teach the Avatar fire bending.''
''And why should we believe you?''
''I didn't immediately attack you, isn't that proof enough?''
Instead of an answer, I lifted the prince, even though he was only two years younger than me, a little higher up in the air by the throat and then hurled him backwards several meters! He landed hard in the dust, grabbed his throat and gasped for air. But he wasn't able to do this for long, because only seconds later one of my steel arrows hit the ground, right next to his head!
He stared towards me horrified, with a furious face I called: ''If you show your face again, I'll aim better the next time!''
Thereupon the prince jumped to his feet and ran away, I gazed after him, still with the same furious face.
I returned to my friends and said:
''He won't come back anytime soon!
The others were already discussing the events:
''What did he say? He has changed himself and wants to help Aang? Why should we trust him even in the slightest?'', Sokka asked.
Aang, as usual, tried to remain objective, recalling how Zuko once had freed him from the prison, disguised as the Blue Spirit.
Katara interjected: ''He only did that because he wanted to hand you over to the Fire Lord by himself, not for any noble reasons.''
That became clear to Aang too after a few moments of thinking.
Toph, who had remained remarkably quiet and calm the entire time, eventually said: ''He appeared to be very confident all the time and seemed to have said the truth. Your prejudices against him obscure your possible insight.''
After this statement, another heated altercation arose, Katara accused Toph that she knew nothing about Zuko, as she hadn't been hunted by him the entire time. In the end, Toph was in the sulks once again and marched away frustrated.
I also had spent some thoughts on this matter the whole time. Sure, Zuko had always wanted our death or at least our defeat, but nevertheless, he was still a son of the Fire Nation, we had a undying sense of honor. Was it actually possible that the mists of corruption in his mind had lifted and that he had found his true honor again?
I also remembered the words of my father, the words he had whispered to me at the Northern Water Tribe, where I had already had the chance to kill Zuko: ''He will turn his back on the path of chaos.''
Was all what was happening now what my father had meant? I decided to sleep on it for one night and then make my final decision the following day.
The next morning, I was awakened by the sudden sound of a large wave of rubble rushing through the temple. I raised my head and saw Toph coming towards us, crawling on all fours and with a disturbed look in her eyes.
I immediately jumped to my feet and ran over to her: ''Toph! What happened?''
''I was searching for Zuko during the night and also found him eventually, but then he did this.''
She sat down and showed me her feet. They were completely covered with big and bloody blisters!
I immediately called: ''Katara! Quick! We need healing!''
The water bender came rushing up at once and started to treat Toph's injuries.
While she was working she said: ''Well, now it's definitely evident that Zuko is posing a great danger! We have to stop him before more like this happens!''
I momentarily forgot my thoughts from the previous evening and determinedly agreed with Katara!
But just as Katara had finished the healing of Toph's feet, we heard a loud explosion above our heads, followed by an equally loud shout, I immediately recognized the voice as Zuko's:
''Watch out! Danger from above!''
At first I didn't know what to think of this, but then Pagan appeared from out of the chasm. I immediately jumped onto his neck, together we flew up to the top of the cliff. There I discovered the reason for the explosion: It was the colossal combustion bender with the eye-shaped tattoo on his forehead! He was just shooting another beam of highly concentrated fire directly at a loose piece of rock.
''Looks like the wound I gave him back in that city has healed again by now.'', I thought. ''Looks like I have to take care of him again, and this time once and for all!''
Pagan flew back down for a brief moment so that I could warn my friends.
I called: ''It's the giant with the eye on his forehead! Get yourselves to safety, I take care of this!''
Thereupon Pagan flew back up again, stopping at the same height as both the cliff and the giant, we were now directly in front of him, only a few meters separated us! He immediately noticed Pagan and me, grinned broadly and prepared another attack.
But I was faster! I took a throwing knife and hurled it right into the giant's head, the blade hit him right in his tattoo! Even though this already did much more damage than the wound I had given him in our first fight, I was far from finished with him yet!
I gave Pagan the permission to attack, the dragon roared loudly, before he grabbed the giant's entire upper body with his strong jaws, shook him violently a few times and finally hurled him into the misty depths of the chasm!
''Well, now he definitely won't make us any more trouble!'', I said proudly to Pagan as we returned to the others.
When Pagan landed in the courtyard and I turned around towards my friends, I was as if struck by lightning! Zuko was indeed back! The anger inside me immediately started boiling up again, I reached for one of my katanas and marched towards Zuko, a furious look on my face!
But before I reached him, Aang hastily took a step forward and said:
''Yulizan, no! Don't do anything to him! He really has cleared his character! He has openly admitted his faults! I have agreed that he will become my fire bending teacher, but only if everyone else agrees as well. You're the only one yet to agree. So?''
I skeptically put the katana back in its scabbard and started thinking. On the one hand, I was not entitled to question the Avatar's decision; on the other hand, I had to think about the well-being of us all, since I still was not sure if I really could trust Zuko completely. Eventually, I made a decision.
I directly approached Zuko: ''You surely are familiar with the honor of a son of the Fire Nation?''
''Only too well.'', Zuko replied.
''Then I hereby give you the chance to prove that you really have found your honor again: You and me, Agni Kai! Right here, right now! If you win, I will accept you completely, if I win, you leave, and should I ever meet you again after that, I will kill you without warning! So?''
I held out my right hand to Zuko. I clearly saw the fear and the tension in the face of the prince, I was curious to see if he would make the right decision.
After a good minute, Zuko finally said: ''No! I don't want to fight you! I've been in enough pointless battles and I don't want to destroy my life any further with more of these.''
I grinned and said: ''Very good! You have made the right decision. You have proved that you were able to cut yourself off from your old and evil self. Aang, you have a fire bending teacher!''
The young Avatar was happy, and Zuko had to smile as well. He said: ''I won't disappoint you!''
Even a few minutes later, I still was not able to be completely convinced by these words...
Later in the evening, when I was just about to lie down to sleep, Katara came towards me and said: ''Yulizan, can I talk to you?''
''Sure, what is it?''
''I have noticed that you still don't trust Zuko completely, just like me, am I right?''
''To be honest: Yes, it's true. He was part of the Fire Nation leadership, which means that he also played a part in all the suffering that has happened in the world. I actually intended to kill him sooner or later. All the events of today might have given me new a perception of him, but that still doesn't mean that I completely trust him. I still see him as a risk, not just for Aang, but for all of us!''
''I feel the same way. Come, we should tell and show him once again what will happen to him if he's really just pretending.''
I nodded and followed Katara to Zuko's quarters. He was currently in the process of setting everything up, but when he turned around and spotted the two of us standing in the door, his mood changed noticeably.
I walked up to him, grabbed him by the collar, pressed him against the wall and placed my arm blade on his throat! Katara appeared next to me, looked the prince straight in the face with grim eyes and said:
''Listen carefully: If you try anything suspicious or try to harm Aang in any way, then...''
That was my cue, I slowly moved the broad part of my arm blade over the skin on Zuko's chin. Scared to death, the prince nodded as slightly as one could nod, I removed my blade and let him be, whereupon Katara and I left the room.
My next task was now clear to me: I would now permanently keep an eye on Zuko while he was teaching fire bending to Aang.
I also considered to make another trip to Ba Sing Se to visit Ty Lee, I wanted to spend as much time with her as possible, without neglecting my mission of course.
Oh yes, there was a lot of hard work lying ahead of me in the near future...
Next chapter: Explanations, promises and confessions