"Well, well… I certainly didn't expect to find you here. Perhaps this is destiny."
Azula faced me fully, a devilish smile on her lips. Mai and Ty Lee slowly stood. My thoughts screamed for me to run, but my feet remained glued to where I stood.
"Where are the real Kyoshi warriors?" I said.
"Oh, their leader is on her way to somewhere special. It was kind of her to leave her armor behind for me," Azula said. "Is that all you have to say to me after all this time? No 'Hello, Azula'? No 'How are you doing'? That's not a nice way to treat an old friend."
"Since when were we ever considered friends?"
"Hm… True."
"What's that in your hand?" Mai said. My fingers tightened around the scroll, and I moved to hide it behind my back. Mai thrust her arm forward. The scroll was snatched from my hand from one of her knives and punctured the pillar nearby. "It's pointless to try and hide it."
"Where are your friends?" Ty Lee hovered a hand over her eyes and looked around like she was trying to find something in the far distance. "I don't see them anywhere."
"What a shame. Capturing the Avatar would have been a sweet appetizer before beginning our plan to conquer Ba Sing Se," Azula said. She covered her mouth in halfhearted shock. "Oops. Did I say that out loud?"
"You already tried to conquer Ba Sing Se. They're still cleaning up your failed attempt," I said.
"What's success without a little failure here and there?" Azula sighed. "Well, if I can't have the Avatar, I suppose you'll make a good substitution."
My eyes widened. I finally stepped back on my foot. Another knife shot out from Mai's sleeve. I lifted my arm diagonally in front of me, creating a slab of ice that caught the knife. It punctured through the ice and almost grazed the bridge of my nose. Ty Lee flipped over me, landing behind me. She swiped her arm to strike me. As she did, I twisted my body to try and dodge. Her hand stabbed my arm, followed by the block of ice knocking her aside. I winced at the sharp pain. My arm flopped against my side. Ty Lee hit the ground, soaked in the ice water that had melted almost instantaneously. Azula shoved her fist at me and sent a blue fireball in my direction. I leaped to the side. I ran to the pillar, wrenched the scroll from it, and ran to the doors.
A wall of blue flames consumed the doors. I skidded to a stop and jumped back before the flames licked me. I looked over my shoulder and watched the three girls sprint towards me. I twisted my body as I reached into my pocket and pulled out a shuriken- one of Mai's that I picked up during our visit to Omashu. I gritted my teeth and threw the shuriken.
Azula's eyes widened, and she twisted her body on a dime as the shuriken soared past her face. Mai reached out and caught it between her index and middle finger.
Azula stood motionless, her body still turned to the side. I watched a small trail of blood trickle from the cut in her cheek, created from the shuriken dancing over her skin, and taint her makeup. She slowly turned her face to me. A deep glower scarred her face. Her eyes were wild and furious; I could almost see flames spewing from the golden hue. My insides petrified.
A sharp force jabbed the back of my neck. My knees turned to jelly, and I immediately collapsed. My body was no longer capable of movement. Something wet seeped underneath me, and my blood ran cold. Unable to move my head, I moved my eyes to the floor. My other waterskin had broken open, and the water formed a puddle underneath me. A small rush of relief washed over my skin. It left quickly when three pairs of similarly dressed feet stood around me.
"Have the Dai Li take her away," Azula said. My eyes widened. The blood began to dry on her cheek. She didn't tilt her head to look at me. Her chin remained high; I almost couldn't see her golden irises. "The sooner, the better. I'm done looking at this disgusting cretin."
More pairs of feet fell from the ceiling, their landing briefly trembling the ground beneath me. Arms grabbed me and lifted me like a giant sack of rice. My head remained flopped against my chest, and I could only see the floor and feet. I could feel the Dai Li's rock hands digging into my skin. I was dragged past the three pairs of Kyoshi warrior boots. I could still feel Azula's eyes on me, trying to burn me with her deadly gaze.
A few hours passed as I laid on the earthy floor and stared at the ceiling. Unable to move, I examined the large, bright green crystals protruding from the ceiling and walls. My back and limbs stung with sharp tingles as the feeling returned to them. I slowly began to move again, starting with wiggling my toes and fingers. Soon, I could prop myself up, but my legs still refused to move. After several more minutes, I was able to stand. Holding my arms, I walked around.
The Dai Li had thrown me in here after dragging me away. These crystal catacombs appeared to rest underneath the Earth King's palace, accessed via earthbending. I approached a cluster of crystals and ran my hand over one. It was smooth like glass, with all sides rising to meet at a single point.
I could feel my heart involuntarily begin to beat faster. I closed my eyes and swallowed slow, deep breaths and gripped my arms tightly to act as a comforting hug. I could feel the sweat secreting from my palms.
The air rumbled, and my skin jumped. I heard a grunt as something tumbled and hit the ground behind me. I whirled around and looked to the ground. My eyes widened.
"Zuko?" I said.
The Fire Prince lifted his eyes to me. "Ashe!" He stood.
"What are you doing here? Why did you come here?" I said.
"You were gone for a while… I got worried, so I came to see if everything was okay," Zuko said. "I was captured by Dai Li agents and thrown in here before I even reached the steps."
My fingers tightened around my arms. "Azula's here."
Zuko's eyes widened. "…What? When? How…?"
Zuko paused his rapid-fire questions to examine me. He looked around the catacombs, fully realizing our surroundings.
"Hey," he said, "are you okay?"
I leaned forward and rested my head against his chest. I let out a slow, ragged breath. He smelled like tea leaves.
Zuko wrapped his arms around me. "It's okay. We'll get out of here." Zuko's chin brushed against the top of my head as he searched the area once more. "If we keep walking, we might find a way out of here."
Zuko released me and took my hand. I stared at the back of Zuko's head as he led. He remained faced forward, walking as if he knew exactly where to go, despite the path looking the same as a few feet before. His hand was warm, and it made me realize how cold my fingers were. My thumb twitched, and he squeezed my hand tighter. The warmth rushed up my arm and spread through the rest of my body. He was so confident and determined, but it was from a positive aspect instead of his old thirst for trying to capture Aang. It was… awe-inspiring. My heart quivered with glee.
The stone wall in front of us exploded open. Zuko stopped immediately and stepped back as a shield. My body pressed against his back. My wide eyes trembled. I didn't even know if the source was a friend or a foe, but… I felt embarrassed by the joy I felt. I looked over Zuko's shoulder.
"These look like catacombs to me," a voice said. Iroh and Aang stepped out of the large, newly crafted tunnel.
"Aang?!" I stepped out from behind Zuko and to his side.
Aang turned to us, and his eyes immediately flocked to our interlocked hands. He raised his eyes and glared at Zuko. Zuko glared back.
"What are you doing here?! You were supposed to meet that guru!" I said.
Aang looked at me. "I was. I met him, and we started my training… but I had to stop," he said.
"Uncle, what are you doing with the Avatar?" Zuko said.
"We don't have time to do this," Aang said impatiently. "This is all a coup set up by Azula. She joined up with Long Feng and the Dai Li to overthrow the Earth King and conquer Ba Sing Se."
My eyes widened, and I clenched my free hand. "We can't let her get away with this."
"I agree," Aang said. "I sent the others to go and warn the Earth King."
"Azula and her friends stand in their way… They might have not gone very far…"
Iroh approached us and rested a hand on my shoulder. "Then they may need your help. You two go and assist them. I need to have a word with Zuko."
I nodded and slowly pulled my hand out of Zuko's grip. My fingers chilled from being exposed. I hurried to Aang's side. I looked back.
"I'll… be back soon?" I said.
Iroh turned and gave me a gentle, warm smile. Zuko refused to meet my gaze.
"Come on," Aang said.
I faced forward, and we started to jog into the tunnel Aang created.
"We'll have to be careful," Aang said, "the palace is probably crawling with Dai Li-"
There was another explosion over my shoulder. My feet immediately stopped. Aang stopped as well and looked at me. I looked down the path back into the catacombs. The end glowed green from the crystals. I gulped.
"Go," Aang said. I looked back at him. "This opens up to a large room, where the exit I created is. I'll wait for you there."
I nodded, turned on my heel, and sprinted away. As I reached the end of the tunnel, I heard voices. I slowed near the end and stepped behind a large bushel of crystals. I peeked between the tops of two. My eyes widened.
Azula stood before Zuko and Iroh. Two Dai Li agents stood behind Azula, who had immobilized Iroh in crystals.
"I said release him! Now!" Zuko cried.
"Is this really what you want? To join our foolish uncle in treachery against the Fire Nation? You're a lot of things, Zuko… but is a traitor among those things?" Azula said. "It's not too late, brother. You can still redeem yourself."
"Do not listen to her, Zuko!" Iroh cried. "She does not offer the redemption you need!"
"I don't recall speaking to you, Uncle," Azula hissed. She turned to Zuko again. "All the pieces are in place. We are so close to marking the history books. Ba Sing Se is at our feet. With your help, this great city will finally fall. Imagine how happy that will make Father, knowing his beloved children accomplish something that's the Fire Nation has been trying to accomplish for decades. You'll have your honor back. You'll have Father's love. Everything that you've lost will be restored."
My eyes widened.
"Zuko," Iroh spoke calmly, "look into your heart. What is it that you truly want?"
Zuko bowed his head and closed his eyes. I turned on my heel and ran into the tunnel. My breathing was heavy. My heart pounded.
Zuko… You can't listen to Azula! My thoughts calmed as I recalled his warm touch. Newfound energy coursed through my veins. No. He won't listen to her. I know he'll make the right decision.
I exited through the other side of the tunnel. The room Aang spoke of was indeed large. A waterfall cascaded from a hole in a corner of the room and spilled into a large, rectangular moat surrounding a platform of stone resting in the center of the room. Pillars sat at the corners of the platform, and crystals exploded from the bottoms.
"That was quick," Aang called. "Now, let's go find the others."
I nodded as I ran to greet him. Aang's eyes shifted to something behind me, and he gasped. The back of my neck suddenly felt incredibly hot. I looked over my shoulder as a large blast of blue fire raced towards me. A rock wall, created by Aang, rushed past me and collided with the fire. The wall exploded, and I was knocked off my feet. I fell next to the water. I looked and saw Azula in a freshly stricken attack pose.
Snapping into focus, I lifted my arms. A large wave erupted from the moat. I was lifted back onto my feet. I twisted my body in a spin, spiraling my arms as I did, and thrust the wave at Azula. Stomping her feet against the ground in a wide stance, Azula raised her arms above her head and created a wall of fire. The water and fire met and created a thick cloud of steam that heated the air. I peered through the steam to try and see.
Azula leaped through the steam and landed between me and Aang. She stood straight and aimed a hand at both of us, the index and middle fingers outstretched. She looked between us. Up close, I could see she had changed out of the Kyoshi warrior armor. Her face was clear of makeup, allowing me to see the coagulated cut etched across her cheekbone. It was anxiously silent.
A giant fireball hit the ground between Azula and Aang. We shielded from the attack as pebbles were ripped from the ground and pelted us. We looked and saw Zuko standing at the tunnel. The sleeves of his outfit were gone, allowing him better movement with his arms. His arms raised to attack, he slowly approached us.
I suppressed a smile. Three against one. I remembered to keep an eye on Azula. However, she was focused on Zuko. The four of us remained still. I glanced at Zuko, hoping to catch his eye. He, however, still wouldn't look at me. He kept looking between Aang and Azula.
Finally, Zuko looked at me. It happened for a second.
My stance faltered. My blood ran cold. I could no longer feel my heart's beating; it felt like it had stopped completely.
The message in his eyes was as clear as if he were speaking it aloud.
"I'm sorry."
Zuko pivoted his feet and thrust his fist towards Aang, shooting a fireball in his direction. Aang cried out and surrounded himself in a ball of air that choked the fire before it could reach him.
My knees shook, and I stumbled back a few steps. As I did, a blue fireball soared past my face. The baby hairs around my face singed. Azula looked at me with a smirk oozing with derision. She threw another fireball at me. I jumped out of the way.
"Zuko!" I cried as he shot multiple fireballs that trailed after Aang, who leaped through the air to dodge them. His shoulders tightened at my call. "Zuko!"
I ran towards him. Another blue fireball hit the ground in front of me, and I stumbled back.
"He's made his choice," Azula said. I peered through the flames and at Zuko, who paused momentarily in his attacks. I turned to Azula. "He's finally realized what's truly important. You were never anything more than a bug that needed to be squished."
Tears welled in my eyes. Azula's smile widened at my despair. She lifted her arms in a fighting stance.
"Ashe!" Aang called from the air.
Azula thrust two fingers at me. As fire spewed from her fingertips, I swiped my arm diagonally. A thin stream of water froze and slammed into Azula's wrist. It jerked upward, and the fireball hit the ceiling. Azula stared at me. Steam hung in the air from the collision. Tears finally spilled from my eyes, but they froze halfway down my cheeks and stuck against my skin. I swiped my hand, first across my body then out to the side. The steam formed into shards of ice and fell towards Azula. Azula tucked her arms inward and thrust them up, shooting fire at the shards to melt them. I lifted my arms and pulled water from the moat. With a cry, the water hardened to large shards of ice and launched towards Azula. Her eyes widened.
A wall of rock rose in front of Azula. Some of the ice shards shattered on impact, and some punctured the rock. Dai Li agents dropped from the ceiling and tunnels in the walls. Rows of them surrounded them. I lifted my arms. My fingers trembled. I looked across the way, to the platform, and saw Zuko standing there. Our eyes met. My chest tightened. My tears melted and streamed down my cheeks.
A bright light glowed behind him, and he turned away to look. A dome of crystals glowed with a bright, white light, further illuminating the room. A burst of energy pulsed through the room, sweeping through Dai Li agents and knocking them off their feet. It passed through me, crawling through my skin and palpitating my heart. A pillar of light busted the top of the crystal dome. Inside the pillar of light, Aang lifted off the ground and rose into the air. My eyes widened.
He did it… A smile, fragile yet hopeful, twitched at the corners of my lips.
Thunder rolled through the air. A flash of white consumed my vision and blinded me. Spots dotted my eyes, and I blinked frantically to see clearly. As they faded, I saw Aang… falling out of the sky. Smoke curled from Azula's fingertips; once again, while everyone was distracted, she delivered the final blow.
The moat exploded. Shards of ice shot through the air like bullets. Dai Li agents were brought down, pinned to the walls, pillars, and ground by ice. The moat was nearly empty, and it would be completely had it not been for the constantly flowing waterfall. I sprinted as hard as I could across the ground. I felt my body lift off the ground. Icy steps formed underneath me as I ran, slowly lifting me through the air to meet Aang. I pushed off the last step and lunged. Aang fell into my arms, and we both fell to the ground. My muscles tensed, and our fall ceased. My skin chilled against the rounded wall of ice. A large dome of ice wrapped around us.
Aang's clothes were tattered, exposing parts of his body. The back of his shirt was gone completely, and I could see the black scar embedded in his skin. He wasn't moving. He wasn't breathing. My hand covered my mouth.
Outside the dome, I heard the exchanging of fireballs. "Ashe!" a voice called. I lifted my gaze. The ice made it difficult to see, but I could make out a white and green silhouette standing in front of the ice. The muffled voice belonged to Iroh. "You've got to get out of here! I'll hold them off! Go!"
The bending noises and Iroh's grunts resumed. I looked at Aang, his face still and sagging. I gulped in a bubble of air and pulled him against my body.
The dome of ice melted nearly instantaneously. Cradling Aang in one arm, I swirled one arm above my head. The water churned beneath us. I thrust my arm up, and the water carried us across the room, to the waterfall, and up the stream.
From this view, I could see Zuko. He stood still, almost reverently, and stared.
~TPPOV~
Flying above the Earth King's palace on Appa's back, the other members of the Avatar gang, joined by the Earth King and Bosco, saw Ashe slowly emerge, dragging Aang in her arms.
"Ashe!" Appa landed, and the others scrambled off. Their eyes flew to Aang, hanging limp in Ashe's unbalanced grip.
"Aang…?" Katara said. Her eyes widened, and she pushed to the front of the group. "Aang?!"
She pulled Aang from Ashe's arms, and she almost lost her balance from the unexpected weight. Katara fell to her knees. Sokka gasped. Katara looked and saw the source of it- the scar etched in Aang's back. Her jaw dropped, and tears pooled in her eyes. She looked up at Ashe.
Ashe fell on her butt, her knees having failed her. Her hands clutched her mouth. Tears cascaded from her eyes like the waterfall within the Crystal Catacombs. She trembled violently. Loud, wild sobs escaped between the crevasses of her fingers.
"Zuko…" Ashe whispered repeatedly as she wept, the only word she could utter. "Zuko… Zuko…"
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
It took a while, but we've finally reached the end of Book Two. Thank you for your incredible patience and support. I'm really excited for what will happen from this point forward, and I hope you are, too.
Stay tuned!