Burning wreckage cleared with a surging blast of wind. Flames and debris swept away like a cyclone, revealing Korra at the center of the maelstrom. Her eyes glowed bright white, empowered by the Avatar State. A smaller bubble of whirling air surrounded her and the rest of her team. Kuvira, Anraq, and Azula, all lying motionless at her feet. With any luck, her last second reaction would have dampened the brunt of the explosion, but there was no telling how much damage any of them had sustained. Either way, she knew one thing for certain.
They had to get out of there.
Korra thrust her arms outward, causing the spinning dome of air to erupt. Surrounding imperial troops, who had been scrambling to regain their bearings after the explosion, lifted clear off their feet and flew airborne. Korra lifted skyward atop a whirling cyclone of wind, bombarding the troops below with empowered blasts of fire. Soldiers ran for cover, scattering throughout the camp. No matter their numbers, they could not stand against the full might of an enraged Avatar.
Several squads attempted a counter attack. Korra swept them aside with hurricane level winds, redirecting any attacks straight back from where they came. They were as ants trying to fight a lion turtle. Even so, she couldn't keep this up forever, Avatar State or not. She couldn't defeat an entire army. Didn't need to. She only needed to clear a path.
Another battalion took formation behind her, launching a combined assault of fire and earth. Incoming boulders and flames exploded harmlessly before reaching their target, as Korra increased the ferocity of her cyclone. The entire camp began to shudder and ripple beneath the force of those winds. Helpless soldiers lifted from their feet, thrown airborne without any way to hold themselves down. Others braced themselves, rooting to the ground with earth or by finding something to hold onto.
The wind at her feet expanded, surrounding her body in a whirling sphere. A blast of flames erupted from her throat, adding a ring of fire into the air. Small rocks tore free from the ground below, orbiting her in the form of another ring. Finally, the water from Anraq's flask sprang free and whirled into a third ring around her body. All four elements surged around her, and her eyes glowed brighter.
The nearby imperial forces watched in awe, slowly backing away in retreat. No mistaking that look in their eyes. Fear, hesitation. The perfect opportunity to strike. All four elements erupted at once. Wind howled through the soldiers, flames swept across the ground, stones pelted into their ranks like tiny missiles, and sweeping whips of water lashed at anyone in range. The soldiers who weren't caught in the initial attack turned and ran. Just a little more, and she'd have the clear path she needed.
That's when the tanks began moving. An entire platoon rumbled forward, which the Zaofu security force hadn't managed to disable. Cannons aimed towards her, charged with glowing energy, and fired crackling blue lasers at her. Korra turned her head with a glare empowered by the Avatar's fury. With a simple raise of her hand, she lifted a sheer wall of stone ten feet thick in front of her. Bits of earth and stone exploded as the lasers impacted, but the wall held firm. Korra's glare narrowed, and she pushed the wall forward. The entire ground ruptured in its wake, pulling the destructive vehicles into the growing crevice.
Korra's attention shifted towards the dozen remaining bombardier airships parked in the valley. Her eyes glowed brighter. She raised her arms, causing twelve enormous boulders to tear away from the ground and circle her in orbit. With a firm thrust, each boulder launched at a separate airship. The massive projectiles punctured clean through the sides of the vessels. Explosions followed, ripping all twelve airships into pieces.
"Korra!" The voice came from above. "Over here!"
She looked upwards to see Zuko swooping towards her on the back of his dragon. There was the opportunity she'd been waiting for. With a deep breath, she let the twister beneath her feet dissipate, and plummeted back towards the ground. She landed in a crouch and smashed her fist against the earth, causing the ground to ripple outward in all directions like a rocky tidal wave. Any lingering troops nearby tumbled away.
Druk landed behind her, poised above their three unconscious friends. Zuko jumped down, not bothering to wait for the dragon to lower himself. "Help me get them on!"
Still empowered by the Avatar State, Korra raced over and lifted both Kuvira and Anraq, one in either arm. Zuko carried Azula, and together they returned to the dragon.
"Go, Druk!" Zuko shouted, once everyone was secured atop the dragon's back. "Fly!"
Druk took to the skies, soaring into the clouds towards the mountains behind Zaofu.
They traveled several miles beyond Zaofu, into a small grassy basin between two mountains. Druk landed next to a small collection of trees at the shore of a lake, and lowered himself so Zuko and Korra could dismount. Now well out of the Avatar State, Korra helped each of her unconscious friends off the dragon and laid them gently on the grass.
"Are they going to be alright?" Zuko asked.
"I can't say for sure. Some of their injuries look pretty bad." Korra focused especially on Anraq, whose shirt had been shredded to reveal dark bruising and deep lacerations along his chest. "They're breathing at least, which is a good sign."
Zuko sighed. "When I saw the Dragon's Wing explode, I feared the worst. I'm just glad you're all in one piece."
"For the moment, anyway." Korra plopped herself onto the ground and reached out to hold Kuvira's hand. She sighed, and hung her head. "We failed. Yula knew we were coming, and we walked right into her trap."
"Don't dwell on it," Zuko said. "We have to remain vigilant."
"Yeah, I know." Raising one of her hands, Korra called a bubble of water from the lake towards her, and knelt beside Anraq, whose injuries appeared the worst of the three. "I should start healing them."
As soon as she pressed her glowing hand to his chest, Anraq groaned. He recoiled away from her touch and sat upright, holding his own arm around his chest. "Ugh, feels like I got kicked by an ostrich horse..."
"Anraq, easy," Korra said, trying to ease him back to the ground. "You're injured."
He resisted her touch and remained upright. "What happened?"
"There was an explosion," she said. "I protected us as best I could, but..."
Anraq's gaze shifted, noticing Azula lying next to him. When he saw her, he lurched forward in panic. "Azula!" He made it halfway to her before crumpling forward with his arms wrapped across his chest, face cringing with pain. "Urk... Need to... heal her..."
"No, you need to lie down," Korra said, with insistent sternness.
He ignored her, instead calling water from the lake to bubble around his hands. Forcing himself forward, he held his hands to Azula. The water glowed bright, beginning to heal her. "Don't worry about me. I'll get to myself after she's taken care of. You just concentrate on Kuvira, alright?"
Korra sighed, and moved herself to Kuvira's side. Arguing would be pointless. She knew Anraq well enough to know he wouldn't change his mind. "Do what you can for her, and then please heal yourself, alright? I don't like the look of that bruising."
"Oh, this?" He looked down at the deep black and blue splotches across his chest. "S'nothing... Nothing at all."
Determining their injuries didn't take long. Kuvira had suffered mild head trauma and a few shallow shrapnel lacerations, while Azula had suffered severe smoke inhalation and a broken leg. Significant injuries under normal circumstances, but nothing a couple of master healers couldn't fix soon enough. While Anraq and Korra concentrated on healing the other two, Zuko took time to gather wood from the nearby trees. When he had enough, he returned to the group and set up a small campfire. A single shot of flames from his fingers ignited the kindling, providing them with a bubble of warmth.
Azula stirred with a quiet groan. She blinked her eyes open and leaned upright, focusing on the blurred images gradually clearing in her vision. Her gaze found a familiar man poised over her. "Annie? What happened?"
"Yula blew us up, that's what happened," he muttered. "Sacrificed her own damn airship to take us out."
"But we got away?"
He nodded. "Yeah, we're fine."
Azula paused, glancing down to notice Anraq holding a glowing bubble of water to her leg. "Am I hurt?"
"Only a little. I already cleaned the smoke out of your lungs, just finishing up your leg now. Healed the break, but there's still some bruising—" His words cut out with a hacking, violent cough. Crimson droplets sprayed from his lips, misting the air.
Azula's eyes flared. She leaned closer, trying to get a better look. "What was that?"
"Nothing," he said, turning his head away from her. "Really."
As if he could hide anything from her. Reaching forward, she grabbed his chin and forcibly turned his face towards her. When she saw the blood flecking his lips, she scowled at him. "You're hurt! Forget my leg and heal yourself."
"It's fine... I'll be fine," he muttered, pulling himself away from her grasp. "I'm almost... almost done."
"Don't be stupid! You're coughing blood. That means you have internal bleeding. Would you quit worrying about me for five minutes and just heal yourself?"
Anraq heaved a deep sigh, reluctantly pulling his hands away from her leg. He paused, staring back at her for a brief moment before pressing the glowing water to his own chest. His pained expression immediately relaxed. "There, happy?"
"Yes, I am." Azula's scowl softened with a relaxed smile, as she scooted behind him. She crossed her legs, and eased him backwards so he could lie in her lap. "Now come here, you big dummy."
An hour later, Anraq had fallen fast asleep in Azula's arms. He had healed most of his bruising, although several patches of dull yellow and blue still blotched his chest. Korra had since finished healing Kuvira, and had fallen asleep next to her. Zuko was gone, taken off on Druk to meet up with Captain Hong Li some time ago to ensure the security force was safe after the failed mission.
Azula sat in front of the campfire, absently stroking her fingers through Anraq's hair. He really could be such a dense fool sometimes, caring far more about her than himself. His injuries could have been a lot more severe if he'd held off on healing them any longer. Stupid Annie. Stupid, sweet Annie. Maybe a fool, but he was her fool.
Azula stared into the flames, entranced by their steady, flickering glow. What a volatile substance, fire. Volatile, destructive, and fascinating. One of her hands instinctively raised, fingers waving as if trying to call the fire towards herself. Perhaps this time...
"What are you doing?"
She yanked her hand away from the campfire, turning to the sound of the voice. Zuko stood there, with Druk sitting behind him near the edge of the lake. "Oh, Zuzu... I didn't hear you."
Zuko raised an eyebrow. "You didn't hear the giant dragon land ten feet away from you?"
"Well, I was distracted." She sighed, gazing back into the fire. "I don't know. I keep thinking that maybe one of these times I try to firebend, it'll just work how it should. Never does."
"Not entirely true," Zuko said, as he seated himself next to his sister. "You can make smoke."
"Oh, how effective." Azula punched her hand forward, expelling a puff of white smoke from her knuckles. She scoffed. "Yes, Zuzu, I'll slowly choke my opponents to death."
"What I mean is that I don't believe your inability to bend is a physical problem."
She stared at him, scrunching her eyebrows together. "What are you talking about?"
"Something I've been thinking about quite a bit over the past couple weeks," he explained. "I believe your inability to bend stems from the conflict within yourself."
"What conflict? I'm fine."
"The conflict between the person you used to be, and the person you're becoming," Zuko explained. "Cold, heartless, and alone, versus caring, calm, and at peace. Your mind is uncertain which path to follow. Love, compassion, friends, family—your desire to have these things in your life is putting your very spirit at odds with itself. You've never had these things before, because you've always felt you never needed them."
He turned his gaze from the fire and stared at her, deep into her eyes. "You're changing, but your spirit is having trouble agreeing with that change. This emotional and spiritual imbalance within yourself could be creating a block in your body, preventing you from properly harnessing your chi. If that is the case, overcoming this block could allow you to bend again."
Azula frowned. "That's ridiculous. There's nothing changing in me. I'm still me. I just have... some things in my life now that I never had before. That doesn't mean it would prevent me from bending." She folded her arms, staring again at the fire. "Do you realize how stupid that sounds? Firebending is a physical skill used to destroy and burn. It can't simply fizzle out because I feel different. What would you know about it anyway?"
Zuko let his gaze wander towards the flames. "A similar thing happened to me when I left the Fire Nation to join Avatar Aang. Because I so drastically changed my way of thinking, and what I wanted to be, my bending became much weaker. I couldn't figure out how to harness my chi the way I used to, because I had lost the source of my power—my anger. I had to learn to draw from another source."
He leaned closer to her, setting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I believe the same thing could work for you. You believe that firebending is physical, that it only destroys, and burns. There is so much more to it than that. There are other aspects to fire, greater ones. I think learning about these aspects could help you better understand what firebending is, and could help you find the peace and harmony within yourself needed to put your spirit back into balance. It could help you bend again."
Azula slowly glanced at her brother, fighting against her rising intrigue. After what had happened with the Avatar's failed attempt at giving her back her bending, she knew better than to get her hopes up. Still, she couldn't say she wasn't curious at the possibility. "So what, I read a book or listen to one of your lectures and suddenly I'll be all better? You'll excuse me if I find that hard to believe."
"No," Zuko said, with a firm shake of his head. "This is something that can only be learned from true firebending masters."
"Hmph, well I already knew you weren't a real master. No surprise there."
"I mean, you have to learn from the same ones who taught me: the ancient masters, in the city of the Sun Warriors."
"What?!" Azula recoiled, eyes flying open wide. Memories of sun masks and paranoia crept into her mind with a nauseous wave, shifting her breaths into rapid, frantic gasping.
"Not those Sun Warriors," Zuko assured, with a calming raise of his hands. "The real Sun Warriors."
The cold claws gripping her mind slowly released, allowing Azula to calm her breathing with deep, steady inhales. "You mean the extinct civilization?"
"Believed to be extinct. They're still around. Their masters possess the true secret of firebending, now lost from the world over time."
"And you're saying if I learn from these firebending masters, I'll be able to bend again?"
"In theory, yes."
Azula straightened herself with an eager glare. "Well then what are we waiting for? We should leave as soon as possible!"
"Hold on," Zuko said, in attempts to quell his sister's enthusiasm. "There are certain risks you must know about first."
Renewed skepticism found its way into her gaze. Of course this wouldn't be simple. "What kind of risks?"
"When you meet the masters, they will look into your heart, into your very soul. They can see who you are, everything that makes you you. If they judge you worthy, they will teach you. If not, they will destroy you."
Azula rolled her eyes. "Please, is there anyone more worthy than me?"
A dire sternness hardened across Zuko's expression. He glared at her, unflinching. "Not that kind of worthiness. They will judge your intentions, your desires, your goals, and your feelings. You must be humble, and truly possess the will to change and open your mind. Those are qualities only you can know if you have. I can't tell you whether you should or shouldn't do this. I can only let you know it's an option. If this is what you want, I will go with you. I only ask that you're absolutely sure. If they don't find you worthy..." He eased a heavy sigh, and turned his gaze to the fire. "I just got you back, Azula. I don't want to lose you again."
Azula's stare softened with understanding, as she too looked to the fire. She lost herself once more in that flickering, dancing glow. "You worry too much, Zuzu." Her voice was quiet, passive. She let a long silence linger between them, breathing deeply with careful thought. "I'm sure. To be able to bend again... It's what I want, more than anything. However I have to do it."
A tired voice responded to her, preceded by a gentle cough. "Oh, so we're going on a field trip, huh? Count me in."
Azula blinked down at her lap, where she noticed Anraq staring up at her. "Annie, you're awake?"
"For the moment..." A weak groan rumbled from his throat, as he attempted to sit upright. He didn't make it far, instead falling back against Azula's chest. "I've been drifting in and out."
Azula frowned. "You should be resting."
"I have been. Just want you to know, wherever you go, I'll follow. Ancient city of an extinct civilization to meet mysterious firebending masters so you can get your mojo back?" He smirked, raising a hand to give her a thumbs-up. "Count me in."
"You sweet, stupid man..." A smile crept across Azula's face. She leaned over him and pressed their lips together, holding the kiss for as long as her breath lasted.
Another voice interrupted them, from the other side of the fire. "We'll need to make a plan first."
Zuko straightened, looking beyond the flames to see Kuvira sitting there. Korra sat next to her, both now awake. "How long have you two been listening?"
"Long enough," Korra replied, with a shrug.
Kuvira nodded, and exhaled a deep sigh. "We've all but lost Zaofu at this point, and Republic City needs to be warned of the imminent threat of the Dragon Empire. We need to reunite with Captain Hong Li and the security force as soon as possible. The only way we're getting them out of here is on an airship."
"I met with him a short time ago," Zuko stated. "They're safe, and awaiting new orders. They've been keeping a watch on the empire's troops, for now. From the looks of it, Yula hasn't issued orders yet to take the city. They're too busy cleaning up and recovering after the mayhem. We have the Avatar to thank for that."
Korra uttered a nervous chuckle. "Yeah, well... I did what I could. I may have gone a little overboard, but at least they're out of tanks. And airships."
"We need to get back to Zaofu and set everyone up on an airship so they can get out of here." Kuvira heaved an exhausted breath as she pushed her way to her feet. She struggled momentarily, legs buckling before she could steady herself. "Captain Hong Li can bring the news to Republic City in my stead. We'll be going with you."
"Are you sure?" Anraq questioned, with a raised brow. "Wouldn't it make sense for you to head to Republic City? I mean, you are a world leader."
"With no nation left to lead," she muttered, glaring into the dying embers of the campfire. She steadied herself with another deep breath, and looked to Anraq. "We're Team Avatar, right? We stick together."
"We'll catch up soon enough anyway, long before Yula's forces get there," Korra added. After a moment's pause, she settled her attention on Azula. "Besides, we all need a little support sometimes."
Azula crossed her arms over her chest and looked away. "I don't need your support."
Korra maintained her focus. "You know, I've come to learn over the years that the times we least want the support of others are usually the times we need it most."
"Whatever," Azula muttered, still not meeting the Avatar's eyes. "It's not like I can stop you from coming if you really want to."
"How long will it take to reach this city?" Kuvira said.
"With Druk carrying five passengers?" Zuko glanced over his shoulder at the dragon, who met his gaze with an annoyed grumble. "A few days, maybe. He'll need to stop for rest more frequently than usual."
"Still, not too bad." Kuvira nodded, and bent a clump of dirt over the last of the dimming embers to extinguish the fire. "Let's get moving. We need to get the security force on those airships, and we need to do it now."
