"Like a glimpse, her beauty wept, petals upon tombstones wrought laughing men- graveyards of moss blessed; they left her." Monk Gyemtsen, writing on the destruction of the Western Air Temple.
-3-
Aang stared at the key for a long time. Longer than that-
It felt like an eternity. The silence of the ship was eerie. Aside from Appa's infrequent and muted howls, the only sound was the subtle defeat of crumbling ice cutting against fire nation metals.
His cell seemed to increase in size around shivering shoulders, growing colder as fear began to settle in.
I have no choice now- gotta move. No time to be scared- need to hurry before anyone comes back!
Aang rose forward on a cushion of air to silence his steps. He lightly gripped freezing cell bars, peering ahead, left to right.
The hall was empty. Each direction held a large metal door, strange fire nation calligraphy marking them.
Aang inhaled deeply-
It was now or never.
He opened a shaking palm, swiping the key into his other hand. In a flourish he zipped to the lock of his cell, angling the key inside the tumbler.
With a satisfying click, the lock was undone, falling to the floor.
Aang gasped, then used air to catch the lock before it fell. He goaded it back to a waiting hand while gingerly opening the cell's gate.
The gate's metals squeaked in protest, but it was silent enough that Aang was confident its sound didn't leave the iron doors of the hall.
Now, to keep going.
But where?
Aang closed his eyes, choosing the left with a zip of swirling chi that sang the boy aloft. Aang deftly moved upon a sphere of nothing at all, slight glimmers of it reflecting particles of dust within its swirl.
He flew upon the large door. Surprisingly, it slid. The gentle force of Aang's bending eased the iron door open with a much louder screech.
Aang heard voices.
"What was that?" One of them said amongst a riddle of sounds and noises.
Aang began to sweat-
He hadn't touched the door yet, but he could feel his air being pushed backwards.
This isn't good-
"It's probably the Nanyo-Mizhio again. She's been rather violent since we stopped giving her water." Another voice called, it was further away.
Aang inhaled deeply-
He dispelled the sphere upwards, then propelled from the cold ship floor to its dripping ceiling.
As he did so, the door fully opened.
"Tam Ling and I will go check on her."
"Nominating others again, Shi?" A deeper voice retorted just as the sound of clinking armors met Aang's ears.
Two Fire Nation passed underneath him, oblivious to the young airbender just a glance above.
"Blame yourself. You were already at the door." The lighter voice replied.
They can lead me to Katara! Aang realized suddenly.
All the same however-
He would have to be even more cautious no-
"Wait! The Kukigaku-!" One of the men, Shi, entered the cell, pacing within it as he spoke barely above a whisper..
"What is it?" The other, Tam Ling, rushed back as Aang tried to push himself further away from their hushed conversation.
I'm an idiot.
I forgot that they'd see my cell-
"He's.. he's gone." Shi said. The Fire Nation now stood before Aang's empty cell, a bowl of soup turned over within it.
"How could he have es-" Tam began, before Shi cut him off.
"Enough. The last watch was thirty minutes ago, he couldn't have gone far. It's a ship, after all." Shi said.
The man looked from left to right, then back to his comrade.
"I'd prefer the Hi Nöh Ohji not hear of this. At least no-"
"But Prince Zuko will need to be apprais-" Tam said, interrupting Shi.
"I know." Shi hissed back.
Shi seemed to be thinking.
Finally, he said "You go alert the others, but tell them not to inform officer Dao Saiken for fifteen minutes… if you all can find the Kukigaku in the west wing, good. No doubt, he's going to try to free his waterbender friends. So I'll go to her in the east cells." Shi nodded as he spoke.
Tam joined the motion, before scurrying back to the previous room with an opening screech of the iron door and a violent slamming shut.
Aang had to keep from laughing at the sound of the unseen soldiers' sudden uproar. They sounded scared.
Was this "Prince Zuko" that powerful? Aang contextually figured it was the boy who fought Katara and the one who had visited him-
But for someone so young to lead a ship filled with dangerous warriors.. he didn't seem older than Aang's own thirteen years.
Aang narrowed brown eyes, inadvertently hearing the determination of Prince Zuko's voice within a memory's vision, scarred face alight with a new flame.
Who are you.. Prince Zuko? Who are you really?
Aang knew that for all intents and purposes, they were enemies. But he couldn't help but wonder what drove Zuko.
Aang's thoughts silenced.
Finally Shi began to move away from the cell. Aang couldn't slide himself across the ceiling to follow-
I'll have to jump down and rush behind him, get the door before it closes, then somehow close the door, and I guess.. get back on the ceiling?
Aang wasn't sure of his plan- but he didn't have time to think of any alternatives. Doubly so now that it was known he had escaped.
Shi marched down the hall, boots clanging loudly against the floor. The man's sharp pauldrons bounced with the kick of his steps. He was silent, but Aang could tell Shi was close to a panic.
Do I.. really mean that much to Prince Zuko?
Aang knew that he was an Airbender- he remembered Appa of course, his friends from the temple. Bumi-
But a lot of other things were a complete blur. Aside from Katara and Sokka finding him weeks ago, Aang couldn't remember much else about his life.
Katara and Sokka seemed surprised that Aang was an Airbender.. but that was because, at least to Aang, he was uncommon in this region. But somehow..
Things felt.. different, from memories of days he couldn't truly understand.
The realization that Shi was nearly upon the door brought Aang out of his musings. This door too, created and awful screech when moved-
But it was that very same sound that covered the kiss of Aang's chi upon the floor. With perfect timing, Aang propelled ahead, catching the door just before it closed.
Aang paused; he could hear Shi's footsteps do the same beyond.
I can't let the door close.. opening it is too loud! But if I wait too long-
However, Shi's footsteps continued. Further, it seemed they were stomping downwards.
Stairs? Aang thought.
He nimbly slipped through the door's closing space, then hastened it shut with a brush of chi.
Sure enough, instead of the hallway Aang was expecting, a stairway that seemed to lead further into the ship was found. Here, Appa's cries were much louder.
Wait.. it doesn't make sense. How could they have thought it was Katara making that noise if she's all the way dow-
Darkness was suddenly illuminated from beyond- a ball of fire raced above the stairwell, shooting for Aang with deadly accuracy.
Aang leapt above it, the fire crashing against metals with a deadly hiss.
Did that guy-
Did he know I was following him?!
Aang landed again on the floor, the cold of it seeping through cloth wrapped boots and into skin unaccustomed to the freeze of the South Pole.
In the very next moment, Shi emerged from the darkness below, face contorted in a vengeful smile.
"Ah.. Kukigaku.." Shi's grin deepened.
"I'm not sure how you escaped, but Prince Zuko will do well to.. conjure much cruler holdings for you, boy." Shi climbed forward- Aang could already feel the heat coming from the man.
This Vishina is strong-
Aang thought, intrusively using Katara's word. Thoughts of her evaporated along with the ice that thinly lined treacherous stairs.
More fire was coming from Shi.
Aang moved- leaping as high as the cramped bowels of the stairwell allowed. Fire passed across his face while the sound of Shi's advance drummed along with instant, searing pain.
Aang goaded his chi to call air, the element following along circling arms, orange sleeves blackened by soot.
The boy grimaced, Shi's laugh beckoning another rally of fire. Aang darted to the left, slipping past Shi while embracing himself with chi. Shi's fire narrowly glanced off of Aang, still burning his clothing- but not causing him any direct harm.
Shi turned upon the stairwell, snarling with a leaping pursuit.
Appa's cries grew louder the further Aang ran-
"Appa! I can hear you! Don't worry!" The airbender forced a smile-
Just as he felt the air shift behind his head.
Aang dropped to the floor, spinning into a dizzying blur-
Before rising to his full height with a small tornado. Shi was halted mid sprint- now pulled into the force of Aang's chi- sliding across the already slippery floor. Aang somersaulted back to his feet with nimble grace, continuing ahead in the darkness.
This isn't good- I can't really rescue Appa first-
Aang turned, bracing a frown while watching Shi rise with a spout of angry flame.
"You're clever, Kukigaku. But you're too late. The ship knows of your escape. No doubt, the Prince is already on his way here." Shi smiled further, advancing upon Aang with a jet of sparking flame that illuminated the hallway behind shining red armor.
Aang spun on heels that rode soft currents, pressing against the metal walls of the ship as Shi launched successive orbs of fire-
The man's attacks exploded into spiteful conflagrations of hissing pain- It was then Aang could tell the Vishina was weakening his fire, so as not to kill him.
Aang spun away from the wall, a torrent of fire chasing him. Shi brazenly marched forward, casually launching attacks with bored choreography.
"Is this all?" Shi's soft voice gave a humored chuckle.
"The fabled Heisi kama Hēioho." Shi finished with a spat of fire that howled down steel, cavernous halls.
Aang paused-
That word-
Memories flashed into him. They were seconds long- glimpses if anything- but they were of people. Lives.
Defeat, triumph. Love and loss-
Before all of that.. somehow, Aang knew that Heisi Kama Hēioho was the Fire Nation name..
For Airbender.
Anger welled up within Aang. His eyes darkened at the sphere of flame that raced only seconds away.
The Airbender pressed both hands together, interlocking each finger before throwing them apart in the next sweeping movement.
Shi's attack was suddenly bisected, flame dissipating harmlessly around Aang. Shi paused for a moment.
In the next however, his cold confidence returned.
"I have to say, this is an honor. I never thought I'd have the opportunity to face the Avatar." Shi spoke, circling Aang as two spouts of fire churned above curled fists.
"I'm not the Avatar or Kukigaku or whatever you and your friends keep saying." Aang crouched, extending both legs while arching arms downward.
Shi offered a genuine, curt laugh at Aang's statement.
"It is you, boy. In ages gone there would be some dispute. But our records for the past seven hundred years are quite complete." Shi cocked his head as Aang's stance faltered.
"The Everyman cares not of the comings and goings. They care only for their children, their wives. And in times of war, the deaths of their sons and friends. But not of the Avatar." Shi's voice somehow seemed to fill the hallway as Appa's cries resumed. Aang's ears twitched-
He heard footsteps making their way down stairs.
Lots of them.
"But only the uneducated, amongst all classes, refute your existence. Perhaps some debate over your disappearance.. but it is known the Avatar after blessed Lord Roku.. was an Airbender. And when all of the Airbenders were killed during the Temple Pogoms... not one of them was...the Kukigaku!"
Aang paused.
Killed?
He opened his mouth to speak-
But no words could come out. The marching of boots grew closer as the hopelessness of Appa's howls reached a new crescendo.
Aang stepped backwards, tears streaming down his cheeks.
"So.. that's why. You don't remember, or you never knew." Shi stepped forward-
"Aang!"
The Airbender's eyes widened at the shrieking sound of Katara's voice. Appa's roars joined an orchestra of heavy boots as a platoon of Fire Nation emerged slowly from the dark, passing Shi.
Between them Katara and Sokka were shackled. Both siblings bore bruises across their faces- Katara bore heavy burns upon both of her hands. Aang's eyes couldn't flee from the sight of the blood dripping from torn palms.
"Let them go!" Aang bellowed- he inhaled deeply, anger burning within his eyes as chi filled expanding lungs. Four Vishina took formation before Aang-
Then, each of them kicked a funnel of fire for the boy.
Aang roared. He advanced towards the fire with a spin, slashing both arms diagonally as he did so.
His chi influenced the air into a rushing wave, catching the Vishina's combined fire with little effort.
They faltered-
But Aang continued. He leapt into the air, kicking downward. In the next moment the Vishina closest to him crumbled to the floor, staggered underneath an invisible weight spurred on by the boy's might. Aang crouched beside the wounded Vishina, clapping his hands together-
A shock of air belted from Aang, hurling the remaining Vishina into the wall behind them.
Aang heard more footsteps coming. He ros-
Despite the fact there was no fire, Aang suddenly felt an incredible heat. It stopped him in his tracks entirely- sweat instantly beaded down shaking brows.
What is this-
The pain, the heat was increasing. Aang fell to one knee, blood trailing from his nose.
Ahead, his vision blurred as the rows of Vishina parted.
Zuko walked between them, approaching slowly and calmly. The boy's eyes were a bright yellow now, nearly glowing in the towering shadows of his soldiers.
The heat.. it's coming from him!
"You're quite disarming, Kukigaku." Zuko said coolly.
Zuko separated from his soldiers. Then, he strode for Aang.
"Don't touch him!" Katara shouted, anger curling words into a snarl.
Zuko ignored her.
Aang curled on the floor.
"This is an ability only those with royal blood possess. I was not expecting to have to use it. But I cannot afford to lose you, Kukigaku. Not now." Zuko said, steel clanging from his stoic words.
"Let him go!" Katara yelled again. Aang heard Sokka try to calm her-
The Vishina began striking them.
Aang's brows furrowed into contortions of anger and pain- the sound of his friends suffering filling his ears. Above it all Appa howled, no doubt terrified by the sounds he heard from halls away.
This.. It was too much.
Aang's vision faded. He held himself up as his palms burned against steaming metal.
The Airbender's eyes turned bright blue.
Zuko stepped backwards in confusion. His eyes reverted back to their normal coloring as exhaustion threatened his posture.
Power seemed to well up from within the Kukigaku. The Airbender rigidly stood, mouth locked into a grimace as blue eyes glared forward.
Zuko melted into his soldiers.
"Attack!" He commanded.
The men charged.
The Airbender leapt halfways in the air, landing upon the chest of the closest soldier. Aang curled his fingers upward, then dragged them across the man's armor while pouncing away.
Air seemed to compress itself within the man's chest, closing his ribs into helpless lungs. Zuko gasped, the soldier silently falling to the floor.
The boy's blue eyes reverberated with blinking patterns- Zuko felt the boy's power increase.
Zuko's prisoner raised both hands, palms flat against the air, and thrust them forwards.
It was almost as if a wolfhorse led carriage had hit him. Zuko felt himself go flying backwards- the shouts of his men following suit. More screams were heard-
Zuko tried to lift himself, but the boy's chi, now like the wind, was too great. Zuko lost purchase on the sliding floor and flew backwards- slamming the back of his head against harsh iron.
Then, everything went black.