Thyra awoke with a jolt, gasping as she lifted herself up and looked around her, searching for Aang and Zuko. "Aang!" She yelled, leaping up to her feet as she ran to Katara who was only just waking up. "Katara, Katara wake up!"
"Thyra?" Katara murmured, blinking in confusion then looked around. "No! Zuko took Aang, I'm so sorry Thyra, I'm so sorry, I couldn't protect him."
"You did well, Katara. You have only just begun your training yet you held back a firebender of greater experience." Thyra said to her, taking her arm to help her stand. "But now we have to hurry." Just then Sokka appeared with Momo and Yue, racing forwards swiftly.
"Katara!"
"Sokka!" Katara ran to him and Sokka instantly embraced her tightly with a sigh of relief before looking down to her. "Yue told me Zuko was here, did he take Aang?"
"Yes, and now we must find him." Thyra answered, striding forwards. "Zuko will not waste time in getting Aang away from here, we have to move!" She ran towards Appa and leaped up onto his head, taking his reins and waiting for Katara, Sokka and Yue to follow.
"It's okay, you wait here Momo." Katara said to Momo as he flattened his ears and whimpered slightly. "Just in case Aang comes back." Thyra turned and looked upwards.
"Appa, yip yip!" The flying bison leaped up into the sky and Thyra directed him over the glacier, rising up until they were met with the full force of the blizzard. Thyra flinched as snow spat in her face hard enough to bruise the skin but she focused on the ground, desperately following a trail which led away from the city.
The snow raged powerfully, chilling her to the bones but Appa flew quickly, following Zuko's trail until it disappeared from sight, leaving them with no direct clue as to where Zuko had taken Aang. Thyra leaned over Appa's head, scouring the ground to try and see her brother but neither he nor the prince were in sight.
"Don't worry, Prince Zuko can't be getting too far in this weather." Princess Yue called optimistically but Katara seemed to be sharing similar worries to Thyra.
"I'm not worried they'll get away in the blizzard. I'm worried that they won't."
"They're not gonna die in this blizzard. If we know anything it's that Zuko never gives up. They'll survive and we'll find them!" He said positively so Thyra sighed and nodded her head, drawing back to Appa's head once more as he groaned up at her.
"I know boy, I want him back safe too." She murmured before flicking his reins. "Now let's find him!" Appa dropped through the air and soared low over the ground, all eyes turned to the blizzard to seek out their stolen friend.
Just when things were starting to feel more hopeless than before, Katara pointed to the sky as a ball of light shot through the dark sky and instantly Appa turned to follow it. Thyra bit her lip in anticipation, following after the shooting ball of bright light until it swallowed a cave, making its inside glow hotly before going dark. "Aang, I bet he's in there!" Sokka yelled, pointing so Thyra clicked her tongue.
"Come on buddy!" Appa dived down and they saw a shape wriggle like a caterpillar out of the cave however Zuko quickly pursued, grabbing Aang by the collar and hoisting him up. Appa growled angrily, landing on the ground before them as Zuko turned then blasted a bolt of fire which Katara easily deflected, turning the snow into water.
"Here for a rematch?" Zuko scoffed at Katara who glared at him.
"Trust me Zuko, it's not going to be much of a match." Thyra smirked as she suddenly swept a wave of ice and snow towards Zuko, forcing him up into the air then dropped him down with great force so that this time, he remained motionless on the ground.
Thyra was already running forwards as Sokka untied Aang and before he could take a breath, Thyra had flung her arms around him. "I'm so glad you're safe." She whispered to him, lifting him easily off the ground and Aang smiled, putting his arms around her as she continued to embrace him tightly.
"Hey! This is some quality rope." Sokka suddenly announced and Thyra shot him a stormy look as she put Aang down.
"We need to get to the oasis! The spirits are in trouble!" Nodding her head, smile falling from her face Thyra raced towards Appa, helping boost Sokka and Katara up first then went to climb up herself but stopped, turning to look back at Zuko. Aang looked back too, his face frowning slightly before he looked to Thyra who glanced to him then gave a tiny smile, nodding her head then climbed up onto the saddle.
"We can't just leave him here." Aang said aloud to everyone and Sokka frowned before looking at Zuko, still unconscious on the ground. He snorted then folded his arms.
"Sure we can. Let's go." Thyra shot him another dark look then smacked him with a large swing.
"Don't be so stupid. How about we leave you here instead?" She suggested then looked as Aang leaped down from Appa's head.
"If we leave him, he'll die." He went over to Zuko then lifted him up by the arms, pulling him out from the snow then dragged him over to Appa, springing up with a gust of air and Thyra lifted her arms up as she sat down, letting Aang drop Zuko into her arms so she could make sure he was still breathing and help keep him warm.
"Yeah this makes a lot of sense." Sokka scowled at the unconscious prince as Thyra smoothed a hand over his brow, then folded his arms to cup his hands underneath to keep them warmer. "Let's bring the guy who's constantly trying to kill us!"
"Sokka, it is not right to let him die from the cold." Thyra said diplomatically, still holding Zuko in her arms to share her body heat with him. "He may be our enemy, but even enemies must show one another respect." They hadn't got far when suddenly the entire sky and land was cast in red, the moon turning the colour of blood and Thyra suddenly felt a pain in her head, making her slump slightly as she inhaled sharply, unable to focus as the disturbance in spiritual energy overcame her.
"Ugh…" Yue grasped her head in pain and Sokka came to her side, putting his arms around her with concern.
"Are you alright?"
"I feel faint…" She whispered and Aang groaned softly.
"I do too. The spirits are in trouble." Thyra picked herself up, forcing herself to concentrate as she looked to her brother.
"Hurry Aang, we have to protect the Ocean and Moon Spirits." He nodded his head and flicked Appa's reins, encouraging him to fly faster.
"I owe my life to the Moon Spirit." Yue murmured and they all looked to her in surprise and confusion.
"How do you mean?" Sokka asked, rubbing his head as Thyra shifted closer to hear the story, Zuko's head resting against her shoulder as he remained unconscious still.
"When I was born I was very sick and weak. Most babies cry when they're born." She answered then looked down, looking pensive as she recanted her tale. "But I was born as if I were asleep. My eyes closed. Our healers did everything they could. They told my mother and father I was going to die. My father pleaded with the spirits to save me and that night, beneath the full moon, he brought me to the oasis and placed me in the pond. My dark hair turned white, I opened my eyes and began to cry and they knew I would live." Thyra smiled softly, imaging as Yue spoke. To be blessed by the Moon Spirit, she was very lucky. "That's why my mother named me Yue. For the moon."
The cold wind continued to swirl around the group so Thyra pulled Zuko closer, for her own warmth as much as his. Resting a hand upon his forehead she noticed the several cuts and bruises on his face, wondering how he had received them before her fingers gently traced down to the scar that covered his left eye, again wondering how he could have sustained such a wound. Perhaps it had been a training accident.
Appa flew straight back to the spirit pond, where Thyra instantly saw how Admiral Zhou stood with a damp bag in one hand, a victorious and dark expression on his face as he lifted it up proudly and held a knife to it. The moon spirit, he had it captured. "No!" A sharp gasp escaped her but then Zuko stirred, causing her to glance down at him.
Golden eyes flickered open, looking up in confusion as Thyra blinked once, wondering of what to do but then Zuko slipped back into darkness once more, his eyes sliding shut of their own accord as she sighed with relief then put him down as Sokka tied him up just for precaution.
Momo had flown down to Zhou and distracted him long enough to land as Aang leaped off his head, standing with a glare as Thyra joined his side. Their pet lemur flew to Aang and settled on his shoulder as Zhou smirked darkly. "Don't bother." He told them all and pulled back his arm which wielded the knife.
"Zhou don't!" Aang suddenly pleaded, losing all tension as he tried to reason with the admiral, but the man seemed to have lost all sense as he growled in reply.
"It is my destiny to destroy the moon…and the water tribe." He informed them all as Yue gasped and gripped onto Sokka in fear, watching as the bag jerked with the innocent koi trapped inside, flailing uselessly to try and escape.
"Destroying the moon won't just hurt the Water Tribe. It will hurt everyone, including you. Without the moon, everything would fall out of balance. You have no idea what kind of chaos that would unleash on the world." Aang tried to explain but the admiral continued to ignore him.
"He's right Zhou!" Turning her head Thyra was surprised to see General Iroh standing on the opposite side of the pond, both Aang and he facing Zhou whose lips curved into a grim scowl before speaking in a sardonic tone.
"General Iroh, why am I not surprised to discover your treachery?" Thyra turned to look at Iroh, who lowered his hood with a stony face, glaring with flickering flames in his eyes.
"I'm no traitor Zhou. The Fire Nation needs the moon too. We all depend on the balance." He informed Zhou, trying to reason with him.
"Please." Thyra requested quietly, taking a step forwards, her eyes fixing on the defenceless spirit before turning her electrifying gaze to the admiral. "This will not bring you victory, admiral, it will destroy everyone in this world. Including you." Thyra breathed deeply, trying to remain calm but the moment she took another step closer, the guards around Zhou drew their weapons and she froze in place.
"Whatever you do to that spirit, I will release on you tenfold. Let it go now!" Iroh thundered and Thyra glanced his way, registering how in tune with the spirits he seemed to be. The two warlords locked fiery glares for a moment before Zhou crumbled beneath Iroh and exhaled, kneeling down to then release the moon spirit back into the water, where it instantly began to circle again.
Thyra turned her head up to the sky where the blood red stain disappeared, returning the silvery grace of the moon to the world and she felt her heart give a tremor of relief. Without warning, however, Zhou gave a manic roar and before anyone could stop him, he had unleashed a powerful blast at the moon spirit and Thyra screamed in horror.
Iroh gave a bellowing roar and released multiple blasts at Zhou and his men, taking them all on with mastered precision and great power, however Thyra had already run to the pond and lifted the moon spirit out of the water, its side now bearing a burned gash that had taken its life. "No…" Thyra whispered as she trembled then hissed, feeling a ripping pain sear through her mind as the moon and sky once again turned red like blood.
"There is no hope now. It is over." Yue said in despair before turning her face against Sokka, who held her close.
"No. It's not." Thyra looked up to her brother in surprise, staring at his glowing eyes and tattoos as his voice changed to speak with that of the Avatar Spirit, voices of his past lives speaking through him. Aang walked into the warm water of the pond calmly, facing his back to us. Suddenly the ocean spirit's eyes and white mark glowed a similar luminous blue, before finally, Aang dropped into the water and disappeared completely.
Blue and white vein like patterns began to spread across the water, glowing brightly until a shape rose from the water. The ocean spirit took the form of a giant koi fish like creature, surging higher and higher as Aang lay at its heart, controlling its movements as they both moved out of the oasis, ready to strike back against the fire nation. "Aang…" Thyra whispered in awe, staring wide eyed at her little brother as pride rose up inside her, making her smile.
When Aang had disappeared with his new powers awakened, Thyra turned back to the moon spirit and her smile instantly faded as Iroh knelt beside her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder whilst Katara hung her head. "It's too late. It's dead." She murmured as Thyra continued to hold the moon spirit in her hands.
"You have been touched by the moon spirit!" Iroh suddenly realised, looking to Yue with wonder in his eyes. "Some of its life is in you." Her eyes widened also in realisation before her face fell once again.
"Yes, you're right. It gave me life, so perhaps I can give it back." Standing up, Thyra too rose, holding the spirit in her hands which she then passed to Iroh who turned to face the princess, however Sokka was not willing to allow Yue to sacrifice herself.
"No! You don't have to do that." He told her stubbornly as he reached out and gripped her hand to stop her from moving forwards. "There has to be another way."
"It's my duty, Sokka." She told him, unable to turn around.
"I won't let you. Your father told me to protect you." Thyra lowered her head, feeling tears prick at her eyes as she fought to hold them back. Yue took a deep breath, summoning her courage before lifting her head with a determined expression.
"I have to do this." She decided then pulled her hand free from Sokka. Yue walked up to Iroh then looked down at the moon spirit, keeping a tranquil expression on her features before reaching out with both hands and resting them upon its scaly skin. Instantly it began to glow and Yue gave a gasp as her hair also gave a luminous shine before she exhaled her breath and fell backwards straight into Sokka's waiting arms as he dropped to the ground with her.
"No!" His desperate cry tore at Thyra's heartstrings as she moved forwards. "She's gone. She's…gone." He whispered as he rocked the princess close to him, holding her close and Thyra rested her hand on his shoulder. Suddenly Yue's body disappeared, fading like rain drying in the sun and the moon spirit's body glowed once more, so Iroh placed it back in the water where instantly it began to swim around in circles again.
Instantly the moon returned to being bright and clear, the pain in Thyra's head disappearing as the pond gave off an ethereal glow and a figure began to rise from its depths. A girl dressed in flowing white, her hair rippling serenely as everyone stared in awe.
"Goodbye Sokka." Yue's voice is now echoic and other worldly, whispering gently as she reached towards him. "I will always be with you." She promised before touching her lips to his and Sokka touched her ghostly face before finally, Yue disappeared for a final time and the moon shone even brighter than before. Almost immediately, Sokka dropped to his knees.
"Sokka…" Thyra murmured gently as she too knelt down and placed her arm around him tenderly. "I am sorry." Nodding his head Sokka went lax against her, surrendering to his grief as tears strolled down his cheek and both Katara and Thyra held him, trying to comfort him as his shoulders were wracked with sobs.
Just then Thyra noticed Iroh slipping away, making her quickly glance to Appa where she then saw that Zuko had also escaped, so she let Katara take care of her brother before running after the general, who had pulled up his hood and was trying to escape down a small alley. "Wait!" Thyra called, skidding around the corner and stopped as Iroh turned to look at her. He gave a little smile then pressed a finger to his lips to quieten her, making her smile involuntarily. Nodding her head Thyra then glanced around. "You will not be noticed if you take a left and then cross the bridge to the lower quarter." She informed him before taking a step back and pressed her hand around a fist, giving a respectful bow to the general who returned the gesture.
"I hope that we meet again, young one." He told her in a warm, fatherly voice before disappearing from sight. Thyra waited a moment before turning to face the moon, which still shone brightly. With a gentle sigh she then turned and ran all the way to the wall, where Aang stood and watched the last of the Fire Nation ships disappear over the horizon as they escaped.
Thyra said nothing as she walked towards her brother, knowing that there was nothing to say and words were not needed. Aang turned and the moment Thyra was at his side, he flung his arms around her waist and held onto her tightly, trembling a little from the cold so Thyra pulled her warm coat to surround them both, keeping her brother warm as the two then turned and watched the ships leave together, wrapped up in one another's relieved embraces.