Groups of guards and prisoners stood at the collapsed entrance. A cloud of dust could be seen for miles which had been kicked up when the land over the mine collapsed, creating a large hole in the landscape. "Prisoners, move that rubble!" shouted the Warden as he entered the yard, "Guards, save who you can!"
He looked around at the chaos. Some prisoners were half-buried by the rubble while others had managed to escape but barely. He looked around at the ones who had been hit by falling rocks. Those with serious injuries would be lucky to survive the night. His men pulled out those who were still alive from the rubble while the Earthbending prisoners lifted the rocks. He looked away when a woman was dragged out, her legs crushed to a pulp.
He had seen war, killed countless enemy combatants in his youth, but even he went ghostly white at the sight of so many mangled and bloody bodies. In his hand was a scrunched up note. It had come directly from the homeland via messenger hawk just moments ago. He was ordered to await Earth Kingdom troops so he could turn his mine over to them in the coming days. They had managed to keep the mine running for over a year since the war ended. Commander Zhao had been explicit in his orders that the mine stay active until the Fire Lord said otherwise.
Now it was nothing but a bloody hole with dozens of prisoners buried in it. "Agni," he said under his breath, "The Fire Lord will have my head for this." He had heard one of his men screaming about the child, Mole, killing a guard. Had she brought the whole place down in a fit of insanity? With the way they'd treated her, could he blame her?
All he could do now was try and help these savages. Maybe if he was seen doing so the Fire Lord wouldn't be so hard on him or his men? He looked over at the pile of rubble and wondered if anyone was alive inside. Not a chance, not even an army of Earthbenders could hold up that much earth and rock.
Suddenly he heard more rumbling. He looked around with his mouth hanging open in shock. Surely there was nothing left that could collapse. Just as he backed away he saw a small hand force a large rock out of the way. The Warden watched as Mole slid out of the mine, covered in dirt and blood from her wounds. She fell out and onto her back, breathing heavily.
"That's impossible, how did you survive?" the Warden asked her, "Did anyone else make it?" he peered into the hole she had dug herself but saw no one. Mole looked at him with guilt written all over her young face.
"It was an accident," Mole said weakly. The Warden looked around before quickly silencing her with a kick to the side of the head. He was happy Mole had lived. Now he could just blame the whole thing on her...
In the two weeks after the collapse and Toph had been left to die in the Hot Box, once again stripped of her clothes so that the heat of the metal stopped her from even sleeping. They hadn't given her food in days now and what little water she had barely kept her alive. The Warden wanted her to admit she had collapsed the mine on purpose. He wanted her to break, to seem to be nothing more than a gibbering mess so that his lie would be believed when the Earth Kingdom soldiers arrived.
She was lying on her back now. The heat on her bare skin, the tiredness, the thirst and the hunger wore her down. These conditions played on her already weakened mental state. His plan was working. Hunger gnawed at her sanity and what little sleep she got was filled with nightmares. Toph could feel herself slipping away more and more with every passing day. This terrified her but she was too weak to cry.
"Who am I?"
"Where am I?"
"What am I doing here?"
"What's my name," the blind girl leaned against the wall of her metal prison, her ragged clothing barely fit her deathly thin body now and her face was gaunt and sunken. In her mind, she heard Tau's voice as if he was answering her question.
You know exactly who you are!
"Mole," she said through dry, parched lips, "My name is Mole."
And don't you forget it!
Eventually, she began to fade in and out of consciousness. Suffering through vivid fever dreams. The mine. Her family estate in Gaoling. Shu dying beside her. Killing Tau and the others. So many had died because of her. Because she could Earthbend.
Her Earthbending got people killed.
She shouldn't Earthbend.
Death was close, Mole could feel herself fading away but even though she was dying but it didn't frighten her. This was for the best. If she was dead she couldn't hurt anyone else. Mole closed her eyes and let herself succumb, no longer feeling the hunger, thirst or pain. She would see her family again. She would see Shu again. The Spirit World beckoned her.
But death never came.
In the hazy fog of her mind, she heard the sound of metal against metal as the door to her cell was opened. At first, Mole thought they were giving her food but then a female voice spoke in shock. "By Agni," it said. Next, she felt hands lifting her head off the floor. "Open your eyes!" Mole opened her eyes but saw nothing. She was so weak she couldn't even see with her feet. The girl seemed relieved when her eyes fluttered open though.
Mole turned her head and fought to speak. "Let me die," she said weakly, "Please, I can't stand the pain anymore."
"No, stay with me," the woman said worriedly, "C'mon, sit up." Mole felt herself be lifted into a sitting position and a flask of water was held to her lips. "Drink it, please." Whoever this woman was, she was desperate for Mole to stay alive. When the water touched her dry lips Mole instinctively began to drink. It was warm but it was nothing short of heavenly. Her lips began to hurt as the sudden hydration loosened the previously dry and taut skin. She ended up drinking too fast and began coughing heavily. "Easy," the girl said soothingly, "Small sips, it's not going anywhere."
"I'm going to take care of you, I promise."
Who had saved her?
Was she even worth saving?
Three Weeks Ago
Katara had been waiting for nearly an hour when she was finally allowed to enter the audience chamber. Upon entering she bowed low to The King of Omashu. King Bumi was a crazy-eyed and frail-looking man and he studied the Waterbender before him with great curiosity. She knew from his reputation that the old king was anything but frail and was widely considered the greatest Earthbender alive.
"So," the old man finally said, his voice was oddly high pitched, "Why does the storied Lady Katara seek an audience with me?"
Katara raised her head, showing him her ocean blue eyes. "Esteemed King Bumi," Katara began, using all the pomp and compliments Azula had taught her to use when dealing with royalty, "Recently something wonderful has-"
"Stop," King Bumi raised a hand, his left eye was twitching and he had an annoyed look on his face, "You won't get anywhere speaking like that, brief and to the point, I won't live forever."
Katara smirked before speaking again. "Alright King Bumi," she said, bowing her head again slightly, "The Avatar has returned." King Bumi's eyes widened with shock and he looked like he was about to speak. "Stop!" Katara raised a hand at him this time, "Let me finish." The old king leaned back down in his chair, cackling and snorting with amusement at her.
"He says that he knows you, King Bumi," Katara went on, "That you used to be close friends over one hundred years ago, he says you're a mad genius."
"You can't mean Aang?" Bumi said in shock, "Why, he must be as decrepit as I am!"
"Not so," Katara went on to explain, "He was frozen in ice around the South Pole from just before the war began and we only found him six months ago."
"So he's still the same?" Bumi asked and Katara nodded, "Too think he escaped the genocide, oh this is wonderful news!" Bumi leapt to his feet and hopped over to Katara using a ledge pulled out from underneath his feet. "Is he here, oh please say he is?"
"No King Bumi, I'm sorry," Katara shook her head solemnly, stepping back from Bumi, "He's currently studying Waterbending in the North under the...esteemed...Master Pakku." Katara didn't much care for Master Pakku. She had hoped to learn Waterbending with Aang but the North didn't allow females to learn anything other than healing. And they called the Southern Water Tribe backwards.
"Ah yes of course," King Bumi cleared his throat and seemed to compose himself if that was possible, "But I doubt you're here just to reunite me with an old friend?"
"No, I'm here because you're considered the greatest Earthbender alive," Katara said to him, "I've come on behalf of Avatar Aang to ask you to be his Earthbending teacher when he's ready."
"Ah," King Bumi gave Katara an apologetic look. "I can't do that I'm afraid," he scratched the back of his neck as he spoke, "Y'see, Omashu was occupied by the Fire Nation during the war for a brief period and the destruction caused during the liberation was extensive," Bumi suddenly looked guilty. "I simply can't devote months of my time to train Aang when my city is on the brink."
Katara smiled at the old king. "I understand King Bumi," Katara placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, "I'll tell Aang you remember him, I'm sure he'll visit as soon as he can." Bumi smiled and clasped her hand tightly.
"This is the best news I've gotten in decades, it was truly a pleasure to meet you Lady Katara," Bumi spoke softly now, "People all over the world know your story, your wisdom and endurance will only benefit Aang so I'm sure you'll find him a wonderful teacher."
Katara nodded her head and said goodbye. As she turned to leave Bumi called out to her one last time. "Y'know, I've received word of a Fire Nation labour camp near Gaoling," the old king said, "The reports say it was kept active by them even after the peace signings. It's filled with Earthbenders from all around Gaoling and they're well known for their powerful benders down there." He offered her a knowing smile. "Perhaps you'll find a teacher among the prisoners if you see fit to aid my men in the liberation?"
Azula hated Omashu. It wasn't that it was a dry and dusty city or that the heat was stifling even for her. It was because the people treated any Fire Nation citizens who came here like criminals, soldiers or not. Shops and entire districts were closed to her people and that only made her angrier. To make matters worse she had been forbidden from entering the palace to talk with King Bumi despite being on official Avatar business.
Even after a year and a half, the Fire Nation was still considered an enemy in some places. She knew it was justified but the world couldn't hate her people forever. After all, Katara's people had welcomed her despite her nationality, heritage and romantic relationship with Katara and they had suffered more than most during the war.
She yearned to be back in the south. She no longer minded the cold or the long winter and was quite content living that life. It was hard work but it was also very fulfilling. She still missed Zuko and Uncle dearly though but they were both very busy what with Zuko being Fire Lord and Uncle doing his best to guide her brother.
A warm gust of wind yanked her mercilessly from her pleasant thoughts and she was back in dusty old Omashu. The pike wielding guards at the palace entrance hadn't taken their eyes off of her the entire time she stood nearby. Eventually, she became irritated.
"For Agni's sake stop staring at me like I'm liable to set something on fire!" Azula demanded of them.
The guards exchanged sideways glances before one spoke. "Isn't that what you Ashmakers do?"
Azula scowled but knew better than to start a fight with them. Her mind was just as powerful as her fire. "Just because you're Earthbenders doesn't mean you'll suddenly cause an earthquake does it?" One guard shook his pike at her with an amused smile. "Oh my, you're not Earthbenders?" They both shook their heads, "Tough luck I suppose." Her jibe earned Azula more glares.
Just then Katara finally left the palace. "Oh, spirits be praised," Azula approached Katara and took her hand, "Please tell me we can leave Omashu, this place is horrible and the people are just awful." The guards both gave her annoyed looks. "Yes, I'm talking about you!" Azula snapped at them which only made them more annoyed.
"Please don't get yourself arrested," Katara cautioned her lover, "Also I have bad news." Her apologetic look made Azula's heart sink. "Sorry," Katara placed her hands on her shoulders, "But it won't be much longer."
"What are we waiting for, King Bumi said yes right?" Azula asked almost pleadingly, "Now we head back to Agne Qel'a, give them the good news then we go back south while I wait my turn to train Aang, right?"
"King Bumi can't train Aang," Katara told Azula, "Look around, he wants to be completely devoted to his people, not one just one person." Azula did look around. Homes had been destroyed, businesses remained shut and vagrants roamed the streets. So many had lost everything because of her people. If her heart was hurting for them then she knew Katara was likely a hair-trigger away from trying to help everyone.
"So what now?" Azula folded her arms and sighed, "Any other Earthbenders who can train the Avatar in this 'wonderful' city?"
"You know we can still hear you right?" A guard cut in.
"Good!" Azula snapped.
Katara rubbed her forehead with a small sigh. "King Bumi did give me a hint," Katara explained, turning Azula back to face her, "But I need you to do something for me," Azula asked what so Katara said. "There's a labour camp near Gaoling that hasn't stopped operating, according to King Bumi it's filled with the Earthbenders from the town."
"Zhao," Azula hissed out, "He was in charge of Gaoling, no doubt he's ordered the men to keep the camp operational." Azula looked back at Katara. "And what do you need me to do love?"
"Send a messenger hawk to Zuko," she told her girlfriend, "He can make them surrender to the Earth Kingdom." Azula nodded her understanding...
Katara was riding behind Azula on their way to the labour camp. The people of Gaoling said it was called the Iron Pit and they had begged the army to find it and release their loved ones. The Earth Kingdom was a vast continent so it wasn't a surprise that the camp had remained hidden, not even the locals knew where it was and Zhao had abandoned Gaoling so asking him wasn't an option.
It took them almost a month to finally find it. A scout had come back saying it was a full day away on foot. A sense of foreboding filled Katara as she approached the deep hole in the earth. A contingent of soldiers had come with them and even they looked shocked at what they saw. The reports had said the Iron Pit was a mine but from the looks of it, the mine had been collapsed.
"Do you think this was done by the guards, Princess Azula?" The Captain of the Earth Kingdom soldiers asked her.
Azula shook her head. "I don't see why they would risk it."
"Maybe it was just a cave in?" Katara suggested to them.
"We'll know more once we're down there," Azula dismounted her Komodo Rhino then pointed to the ramp leading into the camp. "Move in, subdue the guards but don't kill anyone if you can manage it." The soldiers all moved ahead of her while Azula stood stoically, hands behind her back. Katara admired her cool demeanour at that moment. All she felt was butterflies.
Katara waited with Azula until the soldiers were in the pit. The guards thankfully didn't fight and surrendered peacefully. The prisoners had been locked in the barracks from the moment Zuko's messenger hawk arrived weeks ago. Once the guards had been detained in a disused barracks the soldiers set about checking on the prisoners. Katara was one of the first to go in with the healers.
What she saw was a miserable sight. Men, women and children were corralled into small rooms with cots so close to one another there was barely any room to move around them. The stink was what got you first though. A fresh mix of sweat from the prisoners and filth from neglected chamber pots.
"I wish we had more healers," Katara said to herself as she walked through the first barracks, inspecting the prisoners for injuries. She knelt in front of a little girl who had long brown hair and brown eyes. "Hi," Katara said sweetly to the child, "You've got a nasty cut there, mind if I take a look?" The girl had been nursing a wound on her upper arm. It looked like it had been cleaned so it wasn't infected but she decided to heal it anyway. "I need clean water," she said to the soldier following her, "Lots of it, hurry."
Katara spent the better part of five hours healing the more serious injuries. Minor cuts and bruises were simply cleaned with the water she had requested but her bending was in high demand nonetheless. Even though she was tired she forced herself to keep going. These people had known nothing but cruelty for well over a year and she was determined to show them as much kindness as she could.
Her heart broke when she treated the children. Burns, cuts and poorly treated breaks were the most common injuries among all the prisoners but the children felt it the worst. When she had done all she could, meaning she was barely able to stand properly, she knew she had to rest. At least the prisoners were in better health than when she arrived, that was a small victory...
Azula was busy organising the distribution of food and water to the prisoners. Once the prisoners were fed she made sure her kinsmen got something to eat too even if looking at them made her sick to her stomach. It scared her to think that as a child she wouldn't have blinked twice at this kind of cruel treatment.
She drove the thoughts from her mind. There was so much to do and not nearly enough hands to do it. Lots of questions needed answering but the most pressing one was the collapse of the mine. For that, she turned to the Warden.
"Good evening Warden," Azula said to the man. She deliberately sat in his chair in his old office. A reminder that she was in charge while he was brought to her in shackles. "Please take a seat." The Warden looked at the simple wooden chair with clear disgust but sat down anyway, his chains clanging as he did.
"What can I do for you Princess Azula?" the man then asked. His voice was sweet but Azula knew how to play the game of politics. Smiles and politeness were a mask and rarely anything but.
"You have a lot to answer for Warden," she told him bluntly, "Why was this camp not surrendered to the Earth Kingdom when the war ended," she stood up and slammed her hands down on the desk to emphasise her next words, "Why weren't the prisoners returned to their families?"
"Commander Zhao told us to keep it active as long as possible," he explained quickly, almost like it was practised. "He said nothing short of the Fire Lord's orders could overrule him."
"Commander Zhao stopped being the governor of Gaoling long ago," she reminded him, "You should have surrendered when he did."
"Princess Azula," the man said, keeping his calm tone, "I merely followed orders."
"You're a coward who was more afraid of Zhao than your own Fire Lord," Azula snapped back. She wasn't playing his games and refused to even pretend to be considerate to this fat slob. "Rest assured you will be punished for this but first I want to know about the mine, why did it collapse?"
"A prisoner lost her mind and brought the whole thing down," he said and Azula laughed loudly.
"That's impossible, no Earthbender could do such a thing on their own," Azula glared at the man and asked again. "Tell me why you collapsed the mine!" Her hands were still flat on the desk and she made a show of igniting her blue flames under them, scorching the desk.
The Warden's true colours finally shone through and he began to grovel. "Please, Princess Azula, it wasn't done by me or my men I'm telling you the truth, please believe me!" Azula stared the man down. His fear was genuine and his words weren't lies. Whoever had done this had to be a powerful Earthbender. Just what they were looking for. "The one who did it is insane," he then added, "She killed dozens of people, ask the prisoners they'll say the same thing!"
The Warden hid his face. He couldn't let Azula see the triumphant smile he had when she said she would look into it. "Take him away," Azula said to one of the soldiers. "Bring me a prisoner who knows what happened."
Within ten minutes Azula was sat face to face with a haggard-looking young woman. Her clothes hung loosely on her thin body and her face was gaunt and sunken. "Hello, I'm Princess Azula of the Fire Nation," Azula said sweetly, noting the spark of fear on the woman's face when she said that. It wouldn't do to lie to these people, she needed their trust. "Please don't be afraid of me, I'm acting on behalf of King Bumi of Omashu and I have a few questions if you're willing to answer?"
"But you're Fire Nation?" the woman said in disgust, "What could I possibly have to say to you?" Azula had expected this. She clicked her fingers and a soldier approached with a tray in his hands. On it was two cups of jasmine tea and she offered one to the woman.
She stared at the cup for a few seconds before taking it. Her hands shook from either hunger or apprehension but it was a sorry sight nonetheless. When she drank some of the tea her tense shoulders fell to a relaxed position and a smile appeared on her dry lips. "Nice isn't it?" Azula said to her and the woman nodded,
"While I am Fire Nation I promise you that if the new Fire Lord had known what was still happening in this horrible place, he would have put a stop to it months ago," She gave the woman an apologetic look, "I understand it's a poor balm saying such things far too late but we're not like the men here, I only want to help and understand why the mine collapsed, if you think you can tell me?"
The woman winced at the mention of it. "It was that little monster," the woman looked angrily at Azula now, "I hope she's starved to death in the Hot Box."
"What's the Hot Box?"
"Too good for that little freak, that's what!" The woman became manic all of a sudden and her tea was knocked to the ground, the cup shattering. Thankfully the soldier who had served the tea had the good sense to leave it right now. "When we first came to this place I held her as she grieved over the deaths of her parents but then she goes and brings the mine down on my son!"
"Are you saying it was done on purpose?" The woman nodded, "And she survived the collapse?" She nodded again.
"Lady Beifong is a powerful, but dangerous, Earthbender," Azula was told, "You'd be better off killing her the moment you see her." Azula was skilled at hiding her emotions but she couldn't deny the shock at hearing the name Beifong.
"You called her 'Lady Beifong'?" Azula asked, "We were told that the Beifong family was wiped out when Gaoling was taken."
"That little rodent survived, as her type tend to do." the woman spat, "Can I go now?" Azula nodded and the woman was escorted back to the barracks. Azula leaned back in her chair and sighed. On one hand, this girl, this Lady Beifong, sounded like a powerful bender but on the other hand she had apparently killed dozens of people and both the guards and prisoners backed that accusation up. Azula sat forward again and decided she would make up her own mind.
"Send for Katara," she ordered her men, "We need to see Lady Beifong."
Katara sat in the horrible little box the guards and prisoners called the Hot Box. In her arms was a small child, naked, blind and unconscious who had struggled to drink the water from her flask moments before. Katara felt tears well up in her eyes. "This is horrible," she said to Azula, her voice shaking, "I don't care if she did what they said she did, how could they be so cruel as to leave her to die like this?"
"Zhao and his men are a special breed," Azula stood behind Katara, looking down at the girl with barely contained disgust. "He's charismatic and ruthless, his men both love and fear him and will follow his orders to the letter."
"That doesn't make them innocent." Katara raised the flask away from the girl's lip then picked her up. "Why is it that children have suffered the most from the war?" Katara asked her girlfriend sadly, "Katara asked her girlfriend sadly, "I was kidnapped after watching my mother die, you were an emotional wreck and now this girl was just left here to die. What if we were never told she was here?"
"Don't think like that love," Azula said adamantly, "We got to her and if anyone can save her life, it's you." Azula hugged Katara over the girl in her arms, kissing her on the cheek with as much love and support as she could convey. Katara smiled slightly but then she looked back down at the girl.
She removed the top layer of her robe and covered the naked child with it. She was now in just her short sleeve tunic and trousers. Azula stood aside as Katara carried the child out and headed for a barracks. Azula suddenly stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.
"What is it?" Katara asked, her voice still croaky from crying.
"If you bring her to the barracks then the other prisoners will likely kill her when we leave," Azula said urgently, "There's a bed in the Warden's office, you can see to her there." Katara nodded her understanding and quickly turned towards the large metal building that once housed the Warden and his guards.
Katara laid the girl down on the Warden's shockingly comfortable bed. "How could he live so comfortably while the prisoners barely had anything?" she grumbled as she began to examine the child. In the darkness of the Hot Box, she hadn't seen the gravity of this girl's injuries. Bruises that were days, maybe even weeks, old dotted her body. She also had some broken ribs judging by the dark bruises over them. As well as the bruises there were lash marks that looked like they had been cauterised shut and judging by the smell a good few were infected.
But what really made her sick to her stomach were the perfect handprints all over her body. Her back, stomach, chest, legs, and arms had all been branded. One hand mark covered her left breast where it looked like it had been grabbed and squeezed and another was shockingly close to her privates.
Katara felt rage boiling in her. These animals had brutalised, tortured and branded this girl. They had defiled her! Why? There was just no excuse for this. A familiar hatred welled up in Katara. She had once felt this hatred for everyone in the Fire Nation after she was kidnapped by them back when she was eight years old. Uncle Iroh had always said she had a Firebender's temper.
Katara got up and pushed her way past the soldiers guarding the door. They quickly followed her but Katara yelled at them to guard the girl. She stormed into the open air and headed right for the barracks the guards had been held in. "Lady Katara?" one of the soldiers saw the anger in her eyes and moved to block her from entering.
"Back off," Katara said, staring him down with anger. The soldier looked at his comrade but he just shook his head. They both backed away and Katara moved to the door and burst through it, startling the men inside, before moving to stand at the end of the row of cots.
She didn't say anything. They had been given water to drink but now it was just a weapon. Though she hadn't learned to Waterbend from a master she had spent much of her time in the south becoming a master all of her own. She had invented this style herself.
The water in their cups suddenly began to rise as Katara lifted her hands in the air. The guards all backed away in fear, some igniting their hands with their bending, but Katara didn't give them the chance to fight back. Suddenly their hands were encased in ice. The men screamed in pain as the cold rendered their bending useless. Next, she used the water in her flask to form sharp daggers of ice. She cooled her hands so she could hold the blades without melting them and approached the guards. Just as she was about to cut the throat of the Warden she heard someone call to her.
"Katara stop!" It was Azula, "Don't kill them, they're not worth it!" Katara held the Warden by the collar as the coward whimpered for mercy. "Come to me love, please?"
"They butchered that little girl, Azula!" Katara shouted back, tears in her eyes again, "Do you know what they did to her? They've branded her all over her body with their filthy hands, marked her like a piece of meat at the market!" she turned back to the Warden and held her dagger to his throat, "You animals, she's just a little girl!" she shouted into his face, she felt like her eyes would have changed to amber and nobody would be surprised. "How could you be so cruel to any of the kids here?"
"W-We were just following orders," he pleaded pathetically.
"Don't bullshit me you disgusting pile of lard!" Katara raised the dagger again and brought it down only for Azula to catch her wrist. The dagger was inches away from the man's fat neck. Katara kept on trying to force the dagger down but Azula had always been stronger than her.
"Katara please," Azula said pleadingly, her voice more emotional than she had ever heard before, "Don't become like me, don't become a killer." Azula pulled Katara around and stared desperately into her ocean blue eyes. "I can't stand the thought of losing the gentle girl who I love, please don't let these men change you." Katara began to quiver and sob, tears running down her cheeks as Azula held both her hands to her side. "I know, I know that it's horrible love," Azula pleaded softly, "Please, don't do something you'll regret."
The icy daggers in Katara's hands suddenly turned back into water and she fell forward, crying loudly into Azula's shoulder. Azula wrapped her arms around Katara before finally leading her out. "Thaw out their hands then ready these bastards for transport," she said to the soldiers who had followed her here, "I want them all sent to the Boiling Rock."