Zuko grabbed his hair as he gasped. "I can't believe it!" he exclaimed. "You're sun warriors! There are still sun warrior!" he exclaimed. "This is incredible! I have so many questions!" he beamed. "Do you know the true stories of the spirits?" he asked. "And fire bending. It's not supposed to be rage right? How do you guys do it? I mean… I assume some of you are fire benders. I'm sorry if I am mistaken I.."
The sun warriors blinked clearly a bit taken back by Zukos reaction. Then finally the man Zuko could only assume was the chief stepped forward.
"You will state your names and your business. Now." He demanded.
Zuko swallowed… Clearly they weren't welcomed but still. These guys had to know so many things! So many precious traditions and legends Zuko up until right this moment thought was lost. Things that could help his nation back on the right track.
"Erhm. Listen." Aang stepped forward. "I usually don't like playing this card but… I'm the Avatar." he presented himself. "And we were told by a friend that… The last true fire bending master was at this island. Is… Is that you?" he asked.
The Chief narrowed his eyes. "No." he said. "What do you intend to do with the last true fire bending master?"
"We want to learn." Zuko said as he stepped next to Aang. "Please… I know that… The fire nation has distorted and corrupted the nature of fire bending." he said. "I… My name is Zuko." he said. "Prince Zuko and I…" he swallowed. "I want to bring fire nation back to what it used to be. What it is meant to be." he said. "Right now all of the young fire benders are being taught that they need to use rage… hatred… unbridled ambition to fuel their fire. I used that kind of fire myself and I now know… It destroys you. From within. And it destroys everything around you. It's not right. Fire is so much more thant that! Fire is warmth, light… Life." he said. "Right?" he questioned.
The Chief looked at Zuko. "That is our philosophy." he said.
"I knew it…" Zuko breathed "I KNEW IT!" he reached his hands up in the air. "Yes! I knew it!"
The Chief looked at Zuko then he couldn't help but smile. "It is pleasant to see an outsider already understanding our philisophy." he admitted. "And who are you?" he asked the last three.
"Oh this is Sokka and Katara from the southern Water tribe." Aang presented. "Katara is my water bending master. Sokka is the one making sure we don't die. And this is Toph. She's my earth bending master! Zuko is my fire bending master." Aang grinned.
The Chief looked at Aang then at Zuko. "So you're all ready a fire bending master?" he asked Zuko. "Then what do you need another fire bending master for?"
"Sir. There is always more to learn." Zuko gasped. "And especially now when I see all of this. There is so much to learn!" he stated. "And I…" he looked down. "I have to learn as much as I can." he said. "Our plan is to make me fire lord. So I can stop the war… But that wont be enough. The fire nation and the world has to be rebuild. There is though… So much. The philosophy and the ways of the fire nation has become poisoned. Corrupted… I need to know… Learn. How to make it right." he said as he looked up. "Please." he asked. "Teach us." he asked.
The chief looked at Zuko then waved his hand. "Come with us." he asked. "The city we actually live in is this way."
And Aang gasped as he sprung up. Zuko as well beamed as he walked with the rest soon followed by the rest of the group.
"Heh." Sokka smirked as he walked behind Zuko. "Have you noticed these guys has the same hair style you used to have?! Some of them are even shaved like you were." he snickered.
"I told you it was an old traditional style." Zuko replied back in a sniff.
"It looks less stupid on these guys though." Sokka commented in a smirk.
"Hey!" Zuko huffed.
"I thought he carried it very well." Aang said. "Made him look all evil and threatening and like a demon."
"Aang!" Zuko huffed.
"Wasn't that… The intention behind it?" Aang asked.
"Well yes but.." Zuko groaned. "Shut up."
Finally they entered a part of the city that was obviously lived in. Torches was turned on lightning up the streets as both women and children walked out the streets to have a curious look at the newcomers.
"This is incredible." Aang breathed and Zuko could only nod and then he turned his head to see a couple of people taking stances and.
"They are fire benders" Zuko grinned grabbing his face as the group were all doing their fire bending. But it wasn't the punches from the fire nation. It was breathing and flowing elegant movements.
"Heh." Sokka smirked. "Looks like you didn't invent anything. You just re-discovered it." he stated.
Zuko just smiled.
"You don't mind?" Aang asked.
"Mind?" Zuko asked. "Why would I mind? This is amazing! I was right! This is what fire bending is supposed to be!" he stated.
Aang grinned. "I have also yet to see anyone just absorb fire into their body. That's still all you."
That made the chief halt and he turned around to face Zuko. "You can absorb fire?" he asked.
"Well erhm… It's more lie re-directing honestly." Zuko said. "Ones I have it I also have to dispose of it again."
"He absorbed the fire of five attacking fire benders and then just spat it back out right at them." Aang grinned.
Zuko sighed. "Also when I took the heat from all that molten metal it was too much and I had to jump into the lake." he reminded Aang. "And when I spat back out all that fire I almost destroyed my throat." he sighed deeply. "While fire isn't rage. It still needs to be deeply respected Aang. I thought you had gotten that by now."
The Chiefs eyes remained at Zuko and then finally he nodded thoughtfully as he turned and lead the group further into the city.
They were finally lead to a table in the middle of the city and were invited to sit down as people brought them teas and fruits.
"So erhm…" Aang hesitated. "Can we meet the last true fire bending master?" he asked.
The chief looked at Aang. "You can." he said. "How-ever I must warn you. If you intend to meet them there will be a test. Fail this test and your life will be forfeit."
Aangs eyes widened. "What?" he asked.
"Sorry… Them?" Zuko asked.
The Chief held up two fingers. "There are two." he said. "Two true fire bending masters left. They are not far from here. Remember though… Ones you lay eyes upon them. That test will be held. And if you don't succeed you die."
"What kind of test?" Aang asked.
"That is up for them to decide." The Chief said. "Will you take it."
Zuko looked down and he swallowed. "We've all ready been through so much." he whispered.
"And we've overcome it all." Aang reminded Zuko. "I think what-ever this test is. We can handle it. The two of us." he smiled and Zuko looked up a small smile on his lips.
"Yeah." he replied then looked up. "We'll do it. Aang and I together."
The Chief smirked. "I thought you might say that." he said. "Very well. You will meet me here half an hour before sunrise. You will meet the true fire bending masters as the sun first rises and then they will test you. Be ready." he said. "Oh and You may call me Chief Lau." he said. "Chief if the Sun warriors."
"Thank you Chief Lau." Aang pressed his hands together as he bowed his head. "We're grateful."
Zuko mirrored Aangs greeting as he bowed his head. And finally the Chief nodded and walked away.
"So erhm." Sokka hesitated. "If you guys are going through some test tomorrow. You better get some sleep." he pointed out. "It would be kind of bad if both our Avatar and our royal hope for the fire nations future died tomorrow."
"Thank you for the concern Sokka." Zuko replied in a dry tone.
"It's going to be so hard to sleep though!" Aang complained. "How long do you think this place have been here?! How did they manage to keep it a secret?! I didn't even hear anything about it a hundred years ago!"
"Which is most likely for the better!" Zuko said. "If they had been known a hundred years ago. Sozin would have wiped them out too. These guys have been smart to keep their existence a secret."
"Do you think maybe…" Aang whispered. "If these guys managed to keep themselves a secret for over a hundred years. Perhaps… There are still air benders out there who could do the same? I mean the world is a large place right."
Zuko looked at Aang then sighed. "Look Aang it erhm… It's not impossible. Obviously but… It's very improbable and.. My uncle always told me to never get my hopes up needlessly. Because he knew how crushing it would be each time my hopes were smashed."
"Oh… Right." Aang lowered his head. "You're right. This is already a miracle. I shouldn't hope too much."
"Sorry." Zukoe whispered.
"It's okay." Aang replied. "Let's find somewhere to sleep. I wonder what those fire bending masters are going to be like."
"Terrifying. Probably." Zuko stated.
"It's going to be really hard to sleep isn't it?" Aang asked.
"Yeah." Zuko replied in a short sigh.
Surprisingly both Zuko and Aang fell a sleep much quicker than either of them thought they would. Apparently it had been a much longer and much more overwhelming day than either realized.
Thankfully Zukos inner flame clock lacked nothing and he woke half an hour before sunrise shaking Aang awake who yawned deeply.
Together they made their way to the central plaza where a sun warrior was waiting for them. The rest of the gaang game to and the sun warrior gestured.
"Come with me."
Zuko and Aang nodded and willingly followed the sun warrior outside of the city. To a huge open plaza. A massive set of stairs that seemed to go all the way up to the top of the two mountains it was lodged between.
And in the middle of the stairs a huge furnace with a grand flame burning in it.
Around the furnace stood the sun warriors, some beating drums others creating fire in a dance and Zuko and Aang gasped as they stepped forward towards Chief Lau who stood in front of the furnace.
"Prince Zuko! Avatar Aang!" The Chief proclaimed. "Today you shall meet the masters Ren and Shaw and they will deem if you are worry or not." he said. "This… Is our eternal flame!" he pointed at the furnace. "Granted to us from the first and original fire bender! And we have kept this fire alive for millennias!" he stated.
Zuko and Aang both swallowed as Chief Lau put both his hands into the flames and pulled out two smaller flames to both Zuko and Aang. "Take these." he asked.
Both Zuko and Aang held out their hands and accepted.
"Keep these flames alive and offer them to the masters. Up there." Lau pointed at the top of the stairs… Far… far above them.
Zuko inhaled a breath. Endurance! It was an endurance test!
Aang gulped.
"It's going to be okay." Zuko whispered. "Remember all those things we practised. Concentrate on your breath. Feel that flame in your hands. Like the candles we practised with. It moves to your breath. So if we just walk calmly and keep our breath steady it will be all right."
"That is going to take a long. Time." Aang couldn't help but sigh.
Zuko smirked. "The way of Fire bending based on rage is to charge forward. The attacks are quick and you burn out easily. This is the opposite Aang. Let's take the time it takes. We can do it."
Aang nodded. "Yeah."
Katara stepped forward. "Good luck you two."
"Don't get killed." Toph smirked.
"That would be very very bad!" Sokka proclaimed.
"Thanks guys." Aang smirked. "Well… Come on Zuko." and Zuko nodded as they turned to the stairs and took the first step.
It was true it was a long… Looooong climb. But for all of this time Zuko focused solely on his breath and his little flame. He did feel how he was starting to run out of breath as they ascended the stairs and reached higher and higher. And he had to pace himself so he didn't wear himself out.
Aang had the advantage of being an airbender so he was used to the thin air at high places… But also he had shorter legs so it took a bit more out of him to keep walking upwards.
As they kept walking the sun rose higher and higher on the sky and finally… Finally as they reached the top the sun seemed to have reached its highest point right above them.
Then they stood up there. The wind howling around them and something that sounded like deep growling coming from the caves.
Wide-eyed Zuko looked in both directions and saw each side lead into a different cave.
"Errhm." Aang looked from one to the other. "Which one is it?"
"I don't know." Zuko said. "They said there are two masters. Maybe it's the both both of them?"
"Erhm… Hey!" Aang called. "We got your fire!" he said. "Brought it all the way up here and everything. What do we need to do with it?" he asked.
Suddenly the growling sound came again and the entire mountain seemed to shake, the stairs as well making both Zuko and Aang stumble back.
"What was that?" Aang asked.
"I… I don't know." Zuko swallowed. He turned to the cave in front of himself and bowed for it. "Master! I offer you a piece of the eternal flame!" he tried.
Aang turned to the other cave now with his back with Zuko and bowed as well. "I offer you a piece of the eternal flame!" he tried.
And then suddenly all the shaking stopped… There was silence.
Zuko gasped a deep breath. Just hoping they hadn't screwed up all ready and then. Two massive created zoomed out from each their cave.
Massive, long, scaly, coming charging at both Zuko and Aang who screamed in shock loosing their flame and bumped into each other. Only for the two massive creatures to turn the last second and started to circle around them in quick swishing motions.
Zuko gasped. "Those… Those are."
"DRAGONS!" Aang screamed. "The true fire bending masters of course!" he cried. "The original fire bending masters! They are dragons!"
Zuko gasped as he pressed a hand towards his mouth, a lump forming in his throat. They… They were amazing! They looked so powerful yet elegant. The scarles shining with the sun itself, their tails swishing in the air.
Also they were terrifying… They were really really terrifying.
"Zuko… What do we do now?" Aang asked in a whisper as the dragons kept circling them leaving them no escape.
Zukos mouth opened and closed. He really had no idea.
Then Aangs eyes widened. "Zuko I got it! The Dance! Let's Dance with them."
"What?" Zuko asked.
"Remember the statues!" Aang shouted as he grabbed Zukos arm and got him into position. "Let's do it! Let's syncronize."
Zuko blinked but finally did what he was being told to do… It wasn't like he had any other ideas honestly and then. They began.
And the Dragons followed them. Zukos eyes widened as he realized the red dragon was following all of his movements as the blue dragon followed Aangs.
This was… This was beyond incredible! Zuko gasped as he made move after move. Now completely by the dragon next to him and Aang did the same and then finally they met in the middle. Fists towards each other and the two dragons flew upwards.
Aang who had his eyes squinted slowly looked up to see the Dragons flying up, only for the dragons to fly down again at each their side and then flew right at them.
Aangs and Zukos eyes widened as they stood with their backs pressed against each other and then both dragons opened their mouths and out came their amazing fire.
Both Aang and Zuko screamed in fright how-ever… The fire never hit them. Instead the two fires brought together formed and amazing cocoon and Aang and Zuko was now inside a cocoon of fire showcasing numourous colors.
Aang gasped. "Zuko…" he gasped.
"It… It's beautiful." Zuko gasped then he smiled and then he laughed. "Aang its life! Look!" he pointed. "All the facets of life! Hahahahaha!" he laughed. "The burning rage of hate, the warm sensation of love. The cold burn of sadness, the gentle glow of being content." he pointed at all the colours. "And it starts from our inner flame! All of it!" he cried as the fire stopped and then a massive red dragon landed on the ground…. Right in front of Zuko.
Zuko gasped as he looked up at the big red dragon right in front of him. "I…" he tried. "Thank you." he whispered. "And… I'm so sorry about what my family did to your kind. I really am."
The dragon lowered its head and suddenly Zuko was face to face with a pair of yellow burning eyes that seemed to be looking directly into his soul making Zuko shiver.
Then slowly… Slowly he reached out a shaking hand. He barely even dared but finally, he touched the dragons snout. Feeling the warm scales under his hand.
"Wooow." Aang gasped then turned to the blue dragon standing on the other side. This one wasn't lowering its head though. Instead it was snorting, looking like it was just making sure its friend wasn't getting hurt.
Zuko smiled as he reached out both hands and the red dragon willingly allowed him to touch and Zuko ran his fingers over the dragons head as tears appeared in his own eyes. "I'm so glad your kind aren't gone. I really thought you were." he breathed.
Somehow the dragon seemed to smile at Zuko and it raised its head, turning its head towards its own cave.
Zuko blinked. "You want me to… Go in there?" he asked.
The Red dragon put its head on Zukos back and started to push him.
"Oh… Okay." Zuko said. "Can my friend come too?" he asked.
The Blue dragon huffed a warning and Aang grinned. "Zuko… I think I have been found worthy to learn true fire bending but I have not been found worthy to see what-ever is in there."
"Then… Why me?" Zuko asked.
"Cause… You truly understand fire bending." Aang smiled amused. "Master." he admitted.
"Oh… okay." Zuko swallowed and allowed the red dragon to guide him all the way to the cave. Inside it was hot… Stupidly hot. Was this actually a volcano? And then Zuko saw it.
A nest in the centre and Zuko gasped. "You're a Mom!" he shouted at the red dragon who stood behind him and then Zuko ran forward to look down and he smiled. "Three. Three whole eggs." he looked up at the red dragon. "That's incredible."
Then the dragon bowed her head inviting Zuko to touch again and Zuko swallowed as he touched her forehead… he was silent for a while and then nodded. "I see." he said. "It wont be long now I promise." he said.
As Zuko returned outside Aang was waiting and then Aang gasped. "What was it. What did you see?"
Zuko swallowed. "Eggs." he he informed then dried his eyes. "They have eggs. Three of them."
"Are you serious?" Aang asked. "That's incredible!"
Zuko nodded and he swallowed. "Dragons… They decide themselves when the eggs are going to hatch. They need to incubate for at least three years. But then the dragons hatch them by breathing their dragon fire on them." he said. "Here's the thing though… These two. They will not hatch their eggs as long as a world exist where people hunt dragons for glory." he said. "So… When balance has been restored. And people wont hunt dragons for glory any more. They will hatch their eggs….. She asked me to make that world."
Aang beamed happily. "This world will have dragons again Zuko. Isn't that amazing?"
Zuko nodded as he dried away his tears. "Yeah." he said. "It really is."