Author's Note: Hoo boy, the wonders of free time brought about by quarantine are limitless. I've had more than enough free time to make this chapter as long as I liked it to be. It took a while to get out but with all the nonsense going on in the world, that was to be expected. But rain snow, sleet, or toilet paper shortage, I'll get my chapters out.

We got an action packed one this time. So I hope you're all ready to hold onto your seats. But what's this? I also have a little bit of information for the next chapter, all because I had enough free time to plan it out beforehand! It's not a lot, don't wanna spoil anything, but I'm just gonna say, you'll get to see more of Zuko's missing past, and plenty of fluff.

But for now, I hope you all have fun reading this chapter, I myself had some fun writing it. I always enjoy reading your feedback, so leave a review telling me what you thought, and have a good day! See you next time!


The Blue Spirit, Part Two.


The Pohuai Stronghold, true to its name, was a fortress in every aspect of the word, and the prisons housed beneath it were no exception to this. For any poor soul unfortunate enough to end up within the cold steel walls of the fortified confinement, escape was a practical impossibility.

These cells were not a place for wrongdoers to be dealt justice, there was nothing just about this forsaken place. Once thrown below the stronghold, there were only one of three ways out; being shipped off to a work camp, getting transferred to another prison, one just as likely to be worse than Pohuai, and of course, execution.

This place was an actual nightmare, a hole in the ground where prisoners of war had their spirits and bodies broken, and the young Avatar was seeing it all firsthand.

Having heard the wails and moans of agony while dragged to his cell. With the tyrannical admiral Zhao no longer acting as Aang's "company," the young airbender was left with nobody but his own thoughts. His head hung as low as his bound shoulders would allow, his brows furrowed with frustration.

And to make everything worse, his frogs had gotten away.

" ...How could I let this happen...Sokka...Without me he'll… "

That wasn't something he'd prefer to think about, the possibility of his friend succumbing to the fever that had stricken him down. If that had happened, then Aang would be all alone, having nothing but his bison and lemur.

Katara had been missing for around two weeks now, no doubt in some horrid prison, just as Aang was now.

Katara

Just thinking about how they had left her, how they'd abandoned her to her fate, it ate the young Avatar up on the inside. He'd been so close to grabbing her and escaping, they'd have hopped onto Appa and gotten out of there as fast as the giant bison could carry them, not even bothering to look back.

" ...But that's not how things happened...Katara...I hope you're Ok… "

If only Aang could move his hands. He'd managed to retrieve Katara's necklace from a prior encounter with Zhao, one that ended with the brief activation of the Avatar state, and since then he'd kept it on his person, holding it close any time his doubts started to crop up.

Well now would have been a perfect time. Since the moment those archers had netted him like he was wild game, he'd felt his doubts sprouting up far faster than he could handle. What if he'd never get out? What would happen to Sokka? What would become of Katara? What would-

The sound of the steel door creaking open caught the boys attention, half expecting it to be Zhao again, who'd no doubt mock him once more. But to the airbender's surprise, it was a different soldier, one he'd never seen till now.

He wore no face plate or helmet as other soldiers did, his armor was more along the line of Zhaos. Was he an officer? Most likely, but what stood out to Aang the most were the two scars that ran down the right side of his face, made from what was more than likely two very sharp objects. He carried himself similar to Zhao did, with a sense of authority, but he lacked the maniacal malice that Zhao wore, no, this man carried a cold air with him, as cold as the steel that made up the prison cell.

Aang put on the bravest face he could, meeting the cold eyes of the scarred officer.

" Wh-who are you..? "

The man smiled, but not the smile you would give a close friend or family member. This smile sent a chill down the Avatar's back. Something wasn't right about this man, and whether he wanted to or not, Aang couldn't put a finger on just what about him wasn't right.

" There's no need to be afraid, young Avatar. I am Captain Roh, a soldier serving under Zhao. And now that I've answered the question of "who I am" I'll go ahead and answer the upcoming question of "why am I here" and to which I reply with; I was just curious to see the great Avatar that Admiral Zhao has been obsessing over. "

The way the soldier spoke, the way he moved, it was far different from Zhao. There was no mocking to his voice, no arrogance in his stance, his words held much seriousness to them, but the way he was using them, the way he was eyeing Aang down, it was as if he were talking to a toddler.

" ...Just what do you want? " Aang spat out.

Roh arched an eyebrow. " Did I not just tell you my reasoning for being here? I was just curious, and now that I've seen you, I must say this about Zhao. He's pathetic, throwing himself down a spiraling path that ends in a pit, all over some little brat. "

Roh turned his back to Aang, proceeding to slowly make his way to the door.

" They say you're the last airbender. The last of your kind in the whole world, and you wind up here, trapped by an incompetant fool! Perhaps the next Avatar will have more to offer for the world...If there's even a next Avatar. "

This got Aang mad, just as mad as Zhao's previous taunting. So this soldier wanted to treat him the same way Zhao had, then Aang would do the same thing he did to Zhao. Sucking in air, Aang focused his bending on what was held in his lungs, and readied to blast Roh, just as he did Zhao.

But Roh wasn't Zhao, he wasn't so easily lulled into a false sense of security just because the boy couldn't move. Pivoting himself with blinding speed, his fist thrusted forward, letting loose a stream of fire towards the airbender boy, but before they could make contact, he curved them upwards, letting only the smallest of cinders graze the boy's face.

" If we're done here, which I assume we are, then I must be going...I'm expecting company soon, and it's rude to be unprepared for your company. Until next time young Avatar...If that is, there is a next time. "

Aang's eyes were wide with fear, his mouth agape, and the air he'd stored up to attack was gone with the rest of his breath. Left hanging there, he could only watch as the young officer silently strode from the room, leaving the Avatar alone once more.

That officer, that man, had been fast, so fast that he couldn't see the fire until it was right in front of him. It made Aang wonder, even if he were unbound, could he actually fight someone like that if it came to it? Was it really safer staying strung up like some fresh fish.

He'd spent a good handful of minutes mulling over the possibility of just how impossible his escape seemed. He could get out of his chains with enough time to plan something out, but fighting through the entirety of the fortress, facing Zhao, and this new person, Roh? It just didn't seem likely anymore.

Just as before, Aang was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of this door, but unlike the other times, this was no slow creak of the door opening. This was the loud slam of the metal door flying open, swinging back and hitting the wall.

And before Aang could say or do anything, if he could, a figure in black, adorned with a horrifying blue mask, and swords brandished, came rushing towards him. Ready to strike.

All Aang could think to do was scream.


Moments earlier, another individual present in the prison was deep in thoughts, thoughts drenched in doubt and frustration.

Of course for Zuko, doubt and frustration were things he was well acquainted with, and as for what he was doubting and frustrated about at that moment? Well it was the whole plan he had laid out.

Following the archers as they hauled the Avatar off was menial at best. Despite being master marksmen, the Yuyan archers seemed to lack in the category of stealth, at least compared to Zuko, as rather than taking some secret path back to the stronghold in an attempt to shake off anyone possibly trailing them, they took the main path, no doubt taking pride in the fact they'd just bagged the last living airbender.

Although, even without a clear trail to Pohuai, finding the fortress wouldn't have been all that difficult, what with it being the largest manmade structure for miles on end.

Still, finding where the Avatar had been taken, and actually getting inside were two very different stories.

Infiltration was a skill that Zuko had developed early into his "career" as a vigilante. Sneaking aboard Fire Nation supply ships, prison ships, encampments and even the occasional nobles home. It didn't matter to him what it was, if there was a Fire Nation banner anywhere within view of it, he could sneak into it.

But compared to the massive structure before the masked youth, those other places were practically nothing, just pebbles compared to the mountain his eyes were stuck on. But Zuko wasn't the type to give up at the first sign of difficulty.

His brain worked in an unusual manner, perhaps it was the numerous voices he had swirling about in it, maybe it was the supposed injury that rendered him memoryless. Whatever the reason, it allowed him to think in ways that most would laugh off as insane, or pointless to try.

One such idea was exactly how he had gotten through the walls in the first place. Wagons pulled by komodo rhinos came in and out of the fortresses frontal gate, transporting supplies in and out, which was obviously the best way in. However, Zuko knew from past experience with Fire Nation supply wagons that even in the smallest of camps, anything being taken in and out was inspected beforehand, so picking the right wagon was key.

Then again, there wasn't much of a choice in the matter. Zuko had to make do with whatever cart he sprinted towards, as he'd be climbing into it as it was being inspected.

The spirits truly enjoyed playing pranks on Zuko, or at least he chose to believe. The wagon he'd vaulted into was filled with food rations and barrels of water. He could hear the soldier's footsteps growing louder as he came close to the wagons rear. Zuko needed to make a decision on where to hide, and fast, and rather than covering himself with some of the many bags of flower present in the back, he chose to conceal himself within one of the water barrels, pulling the lid back over just as the guard's lantern lit the wagon's back.

" You're good. Move along. "

Even submerged Zuko could make out the watchman's words, and could feel the wagon lurch forward as movement resumed. He would've left the barrel right then, but he knew better, the Fire Nation were thorough when it came to inspections, just not thorough enough to open the contents of their cargo, thankfully.

The lack of air didn't seem to bother Zuko as much as it should have, he'd practiced holding his breath on a daily basis back in his forest, so hiding in the barrel wasn't the worst experience. Still, he was thankful that the last of the checkpoints had come and gone, he was inside the walls, behind enemy lines, and one step closer to the Avatar.

He'd managed to slip out of the wagon's back with relative ease, slinking away to the shadows. With the sun no longer up, and with the only light being casted from lanterns, torches, and the few large braziers dotted around the walls, staying out of sight was a simple task.

It seemed to only get easier from there, one after another, soldiers poured into the main yard of the inner walls, lining up for something. Zuko had no intentions of sticking around to find out, especially with that many individuals armed with weapons and firebending. Slipping in through one of the many doors would have been far too risky, they wouldn't leave the interior totally unprotected.

This left Zuko with one option, a drainage pipe. Although it wasn't the most sanitary of options, it was the safest, and the smell would eventually wash away, even if Zuko's nose would have to suffer till then.

" ...Wonderful idea Zuko...You've put up with a lot of crap in your life...But this is ridiculous… "

He spoke through gritted teeth, obviously not enjoying his "Safer" option.

He'd made it a good distance through the drain when he started hearing the thunderous cheering of the congregation of soldiers above. But between the roars and shouts, he could make out the sound of a much louder voice, one that just oozed with authority. Zuko didn't get along well with authority.

" This is the year that Sozin's comet returns! To grant its power! "

Well. That didn't sound good.

" This is the year the Fire Nation breaks through the walls of Ba Sing Se! And burns the city to the ground! "

That sounded even worse. Whatever that loud mouthed bastard was going on about, it shook Zuko to his core. Ba Sing Se was the last great stronghold for the Earth Kingdom, an enormous stretch of land, hidden behind walls that dwarfed Pohuai's at least a hundred times over. So if there was any merit behind what was being said, then that made getting the Avatar out a top priority.

So without a moment to spare, Zuko picked up his pace, trudging through the drainage pipe with haste. Thanks to the increase in speed, Zuko had reached the metal grate on the other end in no time at all, pushing against the heavy bars, lifting it just enough to slip through.

A quick sprint through the halls brought Zuko to exactly where he wanted to be, a long hallway with a single door at the very end, guarded by three soldiers.

" No problem at all… "

" I don't see why we have to babysit the little punk. He's restrained, there's not much he can do. We should be up there with the rest of them, not rotting away down here! If I see that Zhao again I'll thrash him! " One of the soldier's growled with much disdain.

" ...Hold your tongue. These walls have ears, so unless you want to join the boy down here in confinement I suggest you keep those thoughts of yours under wraps..I'll admit, Zhao is a mad dog, but we have no choice but to follow his order. "

" Tch! It's ridiculous! "

" You two talk too much...Zhao isn't the problem, not with that self destructive personality of his. I'm more worried about the one that just left...Roh, that's what he said his name was. "

Zuko watched intently as the three soldiers traded idle banter between one another. This was the distraction he needed.

The stealthy approach would have been the one best suited for the situation on hand, but Zuko was short for time, and with the guards attention on each other, he had the perfect opportunity to get it done fast.. He'd need to get the Avatar out, run back to the marsh, and get those frogs back to the village before it was too late.

So, rather than doing what he should have, Zuko did the exact opposite. Keeping his body in a low stance, he dashed around the corner, moving at fast enough that he was right on the guards before they could give a proper counter attack.

The first one managed to fire off a single blast, only to get the pommel of Zuko's blade rammed into his face, knocking him unconscious, while two clean slices to non-vital areas took care of the remaining guards.

Quick, clean, and silent. Just how Zuko needed it to be.

With nothing but a door between himself and the Avatar, Zuko rushed forward, booting the door open, and sprinting right for the Avatar. Just as he had done for Katara when he first saved her, Zuko used his momentum to cleanly slice through the bindings, rendering the boy free.

Aang stood frozen in terror, his arms held out in front of him in an attempt to shield his face. After a short moment of this he realized that he could move his arms! Whoever this masked person was, they had come to save him.

" Oh thank the spirits...I thought you were going to slice me into pieces… "

Zuko looked the boy over, scanning him for any injuries.

" It would be in my favor if you weren't sliced into pieces… "

The stranger's voice was young, but carried a sort of grit to it. It reminded Aang of Sokka, if Sokka could make himself sound cooler that is.

" Uh...H-hey! Who are you exactly? "

" ...That's not important now...What is important is that I get you out of here before the fact that you're missing reaches the person in charge...So hurry up, or I'll carry you out of here myself. "

" Uh...Uh yeah, OK, just give me a quick second, alright? "

Zuko went to grab the airbender, fully ready to drag him out of the fortress, when he saw the boy holding something close to his chest, something blue.

Clutched tightly between Aang's hands was the very same necklace that Katara had lost after their escape from the prison ship. Oh how Aang wished he knew where she was so he could help her escape again.

" ...Hey that's Katara's ne- "

The words slipped out of Zuko's mouth before he even realized what he was saying. And when he did, so had Aang.

The grey eyed boy was eyeing the masked swordsman, his eyes widened with surprise.

" You...You know Katara?! Where is she?! Is she safe?! Please! You have to tell me! "

This was the last thing Zuko needed! All he had to do was get the kid out and be on his way, but he went and got distracted, slipping up and getting him riled up in the process.

As his mouth opened to speak, he found a familiar chill running through his body, the world seemed to fade from around him as darkness blanketed over his body for the briefest of moments. He could feel it clawing its way to the surface, that sickeningly sweet voice, the one that spoke with such kindness, but held a thick layer of malice and deceit beneath it.

" Not another word...Say anything else and he'll take her away...And then you'll be all alone, just like you've always been… "

The voice faded as fast as it had arrived, leaving Zuko in a wide eyed stupor.

" H-hey! Are you listening?! You have to tell me where Katara is! Ple- "

" Just shut up! I'm not saying anything else! Not until we get you out of here! So quit asking me so many stupid questions, and get moving! "

Aang flinched as if he had been physically stricken. He knew he'd bombarded the stranger with many questions at once, but surely he could hear the concerns laced into his words. Was this person so lacking in compassion that he didn't care that there were people missing Katara? The only way he'd find out was if he followed him, he'd see Katara soon enough, of that he was sure.

If only Aang had known the truth though. As Zuko began the trek back with the young Airbender in tow, his mind was racing, running rampant as thoughts of Katara potentially leaving pushed their way past his rational thinking, clouding his current objective.

It was all that voice's fault, the way it's words seeped into his head, filling him with fears he never knew he possessed. He'd need to push past those fears, past the doubts they brought that began clouding his judgement.

Nothing else mattered at that moment, nothing but getting Aang out of the stronghold, and getting back to Katara with those damned frogs.

" Hey kid. I won't lie to you...We aren't getting out as easily as I got in, so if you've got any fight in you, get ready to use it. "

" A-alright. " Aang nodded, not expecting the heads up, or anything for that matter. He was sure that no more words would be exchanged after the way he'd been shouted at before. Whoever was behind that mask, they sure had some issues, Aang was sure of that much.

But bringing something like that up at a time like this would have only brought about more ire from the stranger, so for now, Aang would just follow him, readying himself as they proceeded.


Just as Zuko had stated, getting out would be an ordeal all it's own. Of course neither had expected it to be a simple matter, Aang was a top priority target, and only having three guards as a security measure would have been beneath the Fire Nation, even if Zhao was at the reigns of the operation.

Mere moments after Zuko and Aang had stepped foot into the stronghold's courtyard, they had been set upon by soldiers from every direction.

Reacting as fast as he could, Zuko pulled himself and Aang close to the ground, evading the torrent of flames that had been launched their way.

" Listen! If you don't wanna get burned to a crisp, then do exactly what I say! Got it?! "

" But I- "

" Darnit! Why can't anyone just give me a yes! "

" O-okay! I'll do what you say! "

Zuko's eyes zoned in on the nearest soldiers, who were already in the middle of letting loose another barrage of flames. With little time to react, he grabbed the back of Aang's collar, pulling the boy out of the way, rolling the both of them under the circle of soldiers, using his blades to deflect a blast fired last minute in an attempt to stop them.

" You're an airbender right? Then use your bending to keep that fire from cooking our backs! I can handle anything from the front. "

" But without my staff I can't- "

And is on cue, a soldier brandishing a spear came rushing from the side, with the intent of skewering the blue spirit. A quick slice and a boot to the chest put an end to that attempt, letting Zuko pick up the now pointless spear, shoving it into Aang's hands.

" There, a staff! "

Now wasn't the time for banter, so rather than continuing to tell the young Avatar what he could be doing to help, Zuko started on a full sprint, hoping the kid was smart enough to follow his lead.

Sprinting through a courtyard packed to the brim with armed soldiers and benders wasn't something simple though. Polearm swipes and bursts of fire coming from each direction was nothing new to Zuko, but never to this scale.

Using his blades, Zuko deflected strike after strike, blast after blast, but in the midst of it all, a large fireball came from out of the crowd, headed right for his blind spot.

FWOOSH!

Before the ball of fire could even reach the masked swordsman, a wave of air shot from behind Zuko, intercepting and dispersing the attack.

" Don't worry! I got your back! "

Aang ran forward, placing himself at the Blue Spirit's side, his makeshift staff readied in his hands.

The look of determination on the boy's face was enough to leave an impressed smirk on Zuko's concealed face. The kid had guts, he'd amit that, to himself at least. But getting out of the bind they were in would take more than guts.

" Hey, Avatar! We need to get past that wall, and the one behind it, got any ideas? "

Conversing wasn't exactly something that Zuko condoned with so many attacks coming from so many directions, but they'd need a plan to get out. Pushing through would only get them so far, so formulating some idea to get out was their only plan.

Aang's grey eyes swiftly swiveled back and forth, looking the courtyard over for anything. When he didn't see anything, an idea seemed to form from out of nowhere. His masked savior was certainly nimble, he could tell from the way he evaded and rolled away from so many fire blasts.

" Hopefully he doesn't mind being airborne for a few moments! "

" I have an idea! "

Aang shouted out, slamming the broken spear on the ground, letting loose a large blast of air, clearing a path towards the courtyard's main walls. Both he and the Blue Spirit dashed towards it, and once they had reached it, Aang planted one end of the pole firmly into the ground, slanting the other end towards him.

" So what's the plan?! "

" Step onto the end of the pole and brace yourself! Just trust me on this! "

Zuko had no reason to not trust the kid, mostly because he had no actual ideas, so whatever the Avatar had in store, was better than just fighting till they were overwhelmed.

Doing as instructed, Zuko balanced himself on the pole's end, and before he could ask the boy what would come next, he was airborne. Launched into the air with Aang's airbending, Zuko soared up to the wall's peak, grabbing hold of the wall's ledge, hefting himself up, while also throwing a charging soldier over his back in the process.

Following the masked swordsman's lead, albeit without being launched like a rock in a catapult, Aang propelled himself up, landing on the wall's top, fully ready to fight, only to see that any opposition had already been dealt with.

" Wow...You really don't mess around do you? "

" Messing around will get you killed, so no. "


Watching the events unfold from atop the wall of the stronghold's main gate, with rage in his eyes, was Admiral Zhao. He'd managed to do what no other person in the Fire Nation could do, not even the past Fire Lords. He'd captured the Avatar, the only threat to their nation's grand expansion, the only thing that stood between them and total victory.

And it was all being torn away from him by some freak in a mask; A faceless nobody that decided to stick his nose where it didn't belong.

With fury flooding through his body, Zhao stepped forward, slamming his fist onto the stone that made up the walls tips. Fire poured off his fist, scorching the stone beneath, his teeth bared like some kind of feral animal.

" It seems like your run-of-the-mill soldier won't work for a situation like this. An officer should be down there. "

Zhao turned himself, his scowl meeting the ever-so calm eyes of the new captain that served under him.

" Roh... I thought I told you to stay out of this! I captured the Avatar, so I will be the one who stops this pitiful attempt! "

With a sideway glance, Roh eyed the masked intruder intently from afar. He'd longed for the Blue Spirit to cross paths with him again, hoping to repay him for the kindness he had shown him on their last encounter. It seemed that at that moment, the spirits chose to smile upon him, granting the one wish he had. Now if only the impudent fool that was Zhao, would push his pride aside, and let him handle things.

" I wouldn't exactly call that pitiful. " Roh remarked, watching as the Avatar started flying, using a combination of his bending, and spinning the broken spear to stay aloft. Although when he saw the Blue Spirit hanging from the airbender's legs, his fist tightened.

" If they escape now then I may never get another chance! Not with this fool as my 'superior officer' "

And a fool Zhao was, he had the Yuyan archers, the greatest marksmen in the Fire Nation's army, at his disposal, and what was he doing with them at this moment, nothing!

" Admiral Zhao, might I give a suggestion? "

" You might, and I might scorch you for it! So choose your next words carefully! "

Undeterred by the Admiral's threat, Roh turned his focus to the archer stationed just next to them.

" Perhaps you can put the archers to use, knock them out of the sky perhaps? "

" Don't be a fool captain! " Another officer spoke up. " What if the Archer misses and hits the Avatar! The boy would die and we'd have to resume the search! The only problem is he'd be reborn in the Water Tribe! And I don't think the Admiral wants to take a gamble on the boy being reborn in the South, because raiding the North is out of the question! "

It made sense. Killing the Avatar would only be counterproductive to the Fire Nations goal. The idea of ending his life was a foolish one that no sane soldier would have, that no sane soldier should have.

But Zhao saw things different.

" Prepare to fire at the Avatar. "

" S-sir?! Didn't you just hear me?! Killing the Avatar will only- "

" I heard you, and what I heard was nothing of importance to me! "

Not only was Zhao not exactly a sane individual, but he was an individual that preferred thinking far bigger than even the Fire Lord. A wicked smile crept to the man's face as his mind went back to something quite interesting he'd read in a particular library hidden away in the most inhospitable part of the Earth Kingdom. An interesting tidbit of information concerning spirits sacred to the Water Tribe, spirits that he fully intended of getting rid of.

" Killing him now won't have any effect on what I have in store. "

He'd kill two birds with one stone; destroy the source of all waterbending, and the newborn Avatar in one quick stroke.

With no reason not to comply, the Yuyan archer nearest to Zhao readied his bow, taking aim at the airbending boy.

" Do you have the shot? "

The archer nodded, pulling back on his arrow as hard as he could without breaking the bowstring. Unbeknownst to anyone present, Roh chose that moment to leave, making his way down towards the front gate. Whether the archer did his job or not didn't matter, all that mattered was that the Blue Spirit would have to pass him to escape, with or without the Avatar.


How the Avatar had talked Zuko into this crazy idea of flying to freedom, he'd never know, but despite the insanity behind their method of escape, it was working. All they'd need to do was keep this up till they reached the last wall, then they'd just vault over and make a run for it. That was simple enough wasn't it?

Of course not. As Zuko had learned relatively early into his vigilante career, when things seemed the simplest was when they took a turn for the worst.

And that's just what was happening. Zuko's eyes widened when he saw the steel tip of the arrow soaring through the air at top speed, aimed right for the young monk.

" Not good! Even if I tell him to evade he'll still get hit! Come on Zuko! THINK! No! Thinking won't work! Change of plans! Don't think, just do! "

Don't think, just do. Words to live by at that exact moment, and so that's what Zuko did. Without even thinking, he swung his legs up, wrapping them around Aang, before quickly twisting his body downwards, pulling the boy out of the arrow's path, while also having it miss his own body.

Unfortunately, this last second decision had interrupted Aang's flight, causing both him and Zuko to go careening towards the ground. While the young airbender had no problem softening his fall, Zuko was a different story, with nothing but the air between him the ground, he was certain that this would be lights out for good.

But there were others who had more important plans for the falling Blue Spirit.

From out of nowhere, a large ball of fire came flying towards Zuko, hitting him just as he was about to crash into the ground. The force of the impact alone was enough to knock him off course, resulting in him tumbling across the stone floor beneath, and while it was certain to leave him sore, it was better than slamming into the ground, likely breaking multiple bones if it didn't kill him.

Zuko's side was on fire, not literally, at least not anymore. The better half of his tunic had been seared away by the flames, and a good bit of his skin had been burnt, nothing to the degree of his face, but a burn as a burn.

" HEY! Are you alright?! " Aang came running forward, using his airbending to blitz past any who even thought of getting in his way.

Just as the Avatar had reached his unlikely ally, a wall of fire came up, cutting him off from the downed form of the Blue Spirit.

" Sorry, but you aren't a part of this, Avatar. "

Both youths turned their eyes to the owner of the voice, one more easily than the other.

" ...It's...It's you. " They spoke simultaneously, both recognizing the officer who strode their way.

Captain Roh was nothing if not honorable, to a degree at least. Sure the blindsiding blast to the Blue Spirit's ribs might have been uncalled for, but it had saved his life. All he was focused on now was a fight between himself and his quarry, the masked kid who had left his face eternally scarred from their first encounter.

And in general Fire Nation tradition, he wanted this fight to be a one-on-one fight where neither held back. He could care less for the Avatar, just as long as he stayed out of the way.

Although Aang had no intentions of doing that. With a swipe of his temporary staff, he extinguished the wall of flames, putting himself between his new "friend" and Roh.

" If you want him, then you'll have to go through me! "

" N-no...Aang, go! "

Zuko could barely pull himself up, the pain in his scorched side being too much to not focus on. But he wouldn't give up, he'd never give up, not without a fight.

" No! I'm the Avatar, it's my job to help people, and just cause you were kind of a jerk, doesn't mean you don't need help! "

Violence had never been something that Aang cared much for, what with being raised as a monk and all, but he knew that he'd never be able to go his life without fighting. Conflict just seemed to find him, or at least find its way around him, and as the Avatar it was his job to put a stop to it, one way or another.

With his resolve strengthened, Aang took his stance, glaring daggers into the captain's calm eyes. Sweat dripped down the monk's bald head, the strange serenity in his foe's eye was off putting, unnatural almost. But now wasn't the time to be unnerved, if the captain wasn't taken care of immediately, they'd be overwhelmed by the remaining soldiers, and that was something the boy didn't want to think about.

Without warning, Aang swung the staff in an upward motion, sending a powerful gust of wind in Roh's direction. His intention had been to knock Roh out by slamming him into the stone wall behind him, giving him another opportunity to get himself and Masky as he had silently dubbed his rescuer turned rescuee.

But Roh wasn't some footsoldier that would be blown away with a little wind, no, he was stalwart, taking a low stance and thuristing both his fist forward, pushing out another large ball of fire, stopping the gust with ease.

He wasn't finished though, giving an opponent a chance to counter wasn't how he had been trained. With the tenacity of a true firebender, Roh went on the attack, firing blast after blast from his fists, pushing closer and closer to Aang, who's only option for defense was to spin the pole, using it and his airbending to disperse any of his attacks.

" Using wood to deflect fire is a poor strategy! "

Thrusting his fist forward, Roh released a continuous stream of fire, hitting Aang's wall of air. Just as he had said, wood would be burnt away in a matter of seconds, the only thing keeping that pole safe was the boy's airbending, and not even the Avatar could keep defending forever, eventually that air would give out, the pole would burn, and the Avatar would be vulnerable.

Staring helplessly as Aang did his best to keep Roh from advancing was all Zuko could do. His pain had yet to cease, in fact it only seemed to get worse, leaving him unable to move, and helpless, the thing he hated feeling the most.

" Come on...Move! You've never let a little pain stop you in the past...It's not like this is the first time you've been burnt either...So why won't you move?! "

In all honesty, he wasn't sure why he couldn't move, with the pain flooding his senses, and the situation on hand, he should've been overcome with an adrenaline rush. He should've been moving faster than ever, but here he was, unable to move at all, the only thing between him and some vengeful Fire Nation officer was the Avatar, a twelve year-old boy.

" Dammit! Move! You're the Blue Spirit! You protect people! Getting protected isn't how you do things...That kid...Aang, the Avatar! Whatever we wanna call him, he's going to get hurt, or worse, but only if we don't move! "

He clenched his eyes tightly, trying his hardest to find the will to stand, some shred of resolve that would force him to his feet. And as he racked his mind for something to motivate him, the faint echo of a voice could be heard, reaching out to him.

Unable to resist, Zuko zoned everything else, solely focusing on the voice, just long enough to hear it out. If he was lucky, which he generally wasn't, it'd be just what he needed.

The spirits smiled down on him, if only for just this once, because what he got wasn't just some disembodied voice he more than likely made himself, it was a full memory.

" I won't lie to you little cousin, it can be scary being on the battlefield, but there are moments where I feel like I just need to be there. "

" But...why? " Zuko heard his younger self ask.

" Because, there are people there that need me too...People who need my help, and if there's someone who needs my help and I can do something about it, friend or foe, I'll do everything I can to help them. "

"But...But what if you get hurt...or… "

His cousin smiled down on him, giving an expression that even the sun couldn;t rival in terms of brightness.

" If I'm hurt...Then well, I'll just let my body do all the work for me. "

That had confused younger Zuko. What exactly did his cousin mean by letting his body "do all the work" ?

" I can tell by the look on your face that you don't understand a thing of what I mean. Well, let me explain it as easily as I can, cause if we're being one hundred percent honest, I kinda have a hard time understanding it myself. But think about it this way, If there's someone depending on you, and they're in danger, and you can't do anything, can't move, fight back, anything, then you just let go. "

" Let go? "

" Yeah. Don't focus on anything, tune everything out, and let your body do the rest...You'll find out someday, that when someones in danger, and you feel like you can't do a thing, your body will act on its own. I don't really know why it happens, but, I'd rather my body do something on it's own than live with the knowledge that someone got hurt, or worse because I couldn't do anything. Don't you agree, Zuko? "

Zuko remembered looking up at his cousin with a big smile of his own.

" You bet! You're the best cousin ever Lu Ten! "

That snapped Zuko out of his daze, bringing him back to reality. He'd not only remembered more of his cousin's words, but his name as well. And something about that had stirred a feeling up inside of Zuko, one he hadn't felt since he rescued Katara from the Fire Nation.

It was more like an urge, an urge to help someone, only this time it wasn't just Katara who needed Zuko's help. The person who needed him now, was the Avatar, the kid who was destined to save the world, so to that extent, the world needed Zuko's help.

Saving was exactly what Aang needed at that moment. Even if his bending would hold out, his body couldn't, after all, a twelve year old monk could only do so much. A sharp pain shot through his wrists as he continued spinning the staff, and in the smallest moment he had cringed from the pain, his barrier of air gave way enough for the flames he'd been keeping at bay to push forward, making contact with the wooden staff.

It took mere moments for the pole to combust, leaving Aang defenseless as he let it drop to the floor.

But before the flames could even reach the boy, he felt his body go down and slide up under the stream of fire. He'd clenched his eyes shut in fearful anticipation, so opening them to see that not only was he not burnt to a crisp, but the Blue Spirit had him in his arms, was definitely a surprise.

" MASKY! " Aang cheered boisterously, not even caring that he had let his secret nickname slip.

Despite the verbal slip up, Zuko didn't react. He'd acted without thinking, just as his cousin had told him about, and it had been just what he needed.

" Aang...I'll handle this guy...You just find us a way out… "

" B-but you're- "

" Just do it! If not… "

He didn't need to finish, Aang knew what was at stake here, at least to a certain degree, and for that, Zuko was grateful. Wordlessly the boy dashed off, boosting himself over the rest of the soldier's who'd until this moment, had been watching as their captain overpowered the Avatar.

Gone was the calm that could once be found in Roh's eyes. In its place was something akin to childlike joy, joy brought about by Roh being given the one thing he wanted the most, a chance to destroy the Blue Spirit, uninterrupted.

Roh eyed the Blue Spirit like a predator would eye it's prey, a malicious smirk pulling at his mouth as the masked warrior readied to fight.

" Don't think, Zuko! Just do! "

Zuko's head lowered, his arms dropping to his side as images of Katara made their way to the surface. He was going to survive this, he needed to; She needed him.

Using all the strength he could push into his hands, Zuko gripped his blades so tight he felt like his hands would start to bleed. Raising his head, his gold eyes met Roh's, a sharp glint shining from within them.

The masked swordsman took a low stance, his blades held away from one another. That was when he started to spin them, twirling the swords in his hands, moving them so fast that what was once a visible blade was practically a solid circle of steel. He continued to spin his blades moving them around his body in rapid circular motions, moving from hand to hand repeatedly, but never once making contact.

Tired of the "demonstration" that the Spirit was putting on, Roh made the first move, thrusting his fists forward in rapid succession, firing a barrage of fire at his target, who had yet to move.

But this was exactly what Zuko wanted.

In a single fluid motion, Zuko lunged forward, using the extreme speed of his spinning blades to bat each ball of fire away, pushing closer with each deflected flame. The barrage of fire grew in size, becoming far too large to simply be deflected, but Zuko was ready for this too.

Just as the first of the blazing onslaught reached him, he pivoted his body, pushed down and springing backwards, flipping over the first ball. This was followed with a well timed side flip, with one of the blasts soaring harmlessly between his legs mid flip, and the rest passing by as he weaved through them.

" Why won't you just stay still! " Roh was livid, he'd spent every day since he'd last seen the spirit preparing to take the vigilante down, but now he found that he couldn't even land a hit on him.

" This can be salvaged. He's too close to perform any more of those dodges! Let's see you evade this! "

With zero intent of holding back, Roh stamped his foot down, rearing his arm back as far as it could go.

" BURN! "

With a punch filled with his rage, Roh let out a large stream of fire, dwarfing the one he'd attacked the Avatar with. The Blue Spirit would burn, even if he had to burn the fortress down in the process.

But not even Roh could foresee the action Zuko took against his wrathful attack. The jet of fire was seconds from engulfing Zuko, only for the masked youth to drop to the ground, slipping beneath the blaze and sliding for Roh's legs.

Roh jumped, just barely avoiding having his legs taken out from underneath him. " Damn you! " With the Blue Spirit beneath him, Roh drove his foot down, slamming his flame-engulfed foot onto the defending blades of his enemy.

Aang couldn't help but watch the two in combat, even if he should've been finding a way out. It was like watching a dance of sort, although lacking the elegance of an actual dance, the two combatants moved with incomparable fluidity. One would attack, the other would evade, the other would attack, and the first would defend, it was entrancing in a way, and the fact it was a battle being waged between a firebender and a swordsman made it all the more interesting.

But Aang needed to snap out of his daze. Delivering two could slaps to the sides of his face, Aang pushed his focus away from the deathmatch, and back towards the biggest matter on hand. Escape.

" Alright! Need an exit...Need an exit! C'mon exit! "

The airbender's head swiveled left, then right, and back to the left again, all while getting as much distance between himself and the soldier's that remained in the courtyard. There just didn't seem to be any other way out besides the big wooden door that acted as the strongholds entrance. The only problem with this? The door was sealed shut, and he highly doubted anyone would open it for them.

Just as the young monk was close to losing hope, his eyes found their way to a doorway which held a stairwell within. Well, it was certainly better than nothing. All that left the bald monk with was getting "Masky" away from that officer, a feat easier said than done, but a feat he'd have to pull off regardless.

" Okay...Here goes nothing! " With a sharp inhale, Aang readied himself to sprint, hoping that what he was about to do would work. " Here we go! Feet fail me not! This might be the only opportunity I got! "

Using his bending, Aang boosted himself forward, crossing the courtyard in a matter of seconds, but instead of running right into Roh, Aang took it a step further. Springing himself forward and covering his body with a veil of wind, turning himself into a projectile, flying forward, crashing his body into Roh's with enough force to send the captain flying.

" Hey Masky! We gotta go! I have a way out for us! "

Well that was sudden. Zuko blinked, unprepared for the young Avatar to intervene so abruptly. This stupor was short-lived though, with a shake of his head followed with a nod, Zuko took off, sprinting with Aang to the last minute exit.

Nothing would stop the unlikely duo now, not even the guards in the stairwell, who were quickly taken care of with an over the shoulder throw from Zuko.

It was that moment that Zuko tried searching his head for an expression he heard once, one for when something bad gets worse.

Oh, that's what it was.

" Out of the frying pan and into the fire. "

An expression that was being taken a little too literal right now. As the two escapees reached the top of the stairs, another ball of fire flew overhead, missing only thanks to Zuko's reflexes.

The originator of the attack? An incredibly furious Admiral Zhao.

" AVATAR! You won't get away! "

Like a feral beast Zhao charged, throwing blasts of fire, letting flame whips loose, and finally his very own stream of fire. To make things worse, soldiers were pushing their way up the stairwell, effectively trapping them.

" This isn't good! We're boxed in...And my side is starting to hurt again...Gotta be a way ou-"

" AAAAHH! "

Zuko had quite literally been pulled from his thoughts and over the ledge of the wall, and the culprit responsible? Avatar Aang, who in a spur of the moment decision, opted for throwing himself and his masked friend to safety, intending to use his airbending to soften any sort of landing they'd make.

But Zhao wouldn't let them go, not if he had a say in it.

" You! Archer! Shoot them out of the air! " He barked out.

And so the Yuyan archer complied, letting another arrow fly, cutting it's way through the air at top speeds.

The glint of the arrowhead could be seen in the corner of Zuko's eye, and he knew exactly where the arrow was headed. Somewhere in the middle of everything, the maniacal Zhao decided that Aang being offed was just a minor setback, and what easier way to take someone out than when they were suspended in the air, unable to dodge or effectively defend themselves.

" Aang! Close your eyes! "

" Close my ey- "

" Just do it! "

Seriously, why couldn't anyone just do what he says the first time? Was it absolutely necessary for them to echo his words with disbelief?

That didn't matter though, and thankfully Aang did as he was told, shutting his eyes tight, giving Zuko the perfect opportunity to throw a sack similar to the one he'd used during his Katara rescue, having it graze the arrowhead, sending it off course.

Not even a second later there was a blinding flash, illuminating the darkened area, blinding anyone unfortunate enough to have been watching. And thankfully, Aang chose the moment just before they'd smack right into the ground to open his eyes, bending the Air around so they could touch down to the ground and sprint off into the night, getting as far away from the fortress as fast as they could.


They ran, and ran, going as fast as their legs could carry them, not caring to look back, until they were certain that not even the Yuyan archers with their eagle-like vision, could find them. This seemingly endless sprint took them to the heart of a forest, just on the border of the marshland they'd both been heading towards.

The first thing Aang did once they'd come to a stop was take in deep breath, followed with a hearty laugh. Despite the danger they'd been in, and the two arrows he'd nearly taken, they'd made it.

" Hoo boy! That was really close! Thanks so much Masky, I'd never have made it out of there if you hadn't come along! "

Zuko however, didn't share in the boy's enthusiasm, nor did he really care to try. His body ached too much, with the adrenaline wearing off, there was nothing keeping the searing pain in his side at bay. So instead of celebrating with the Avatar, he chose to just walk off, hoping to get the frogs and get back to the village as fast as he could in his condition.

" Yeah...Don't mention it… "

But not, that would've been far too easy, and the world made sure that nothing he did would be easy.

Aang's eyes sprung open, the thought of Katara had found its way back into his head, as well as the fact that his new friend supposedly knew where she was.

" H-hey wait! " He ran forward, grabbing the Blue Spirit's arm. " You said something about Katara! Then you know where she is! Please! You have to take me to her! "

It took more than a second for Zuko to process what the boy had said, his words still ringing in his ears, as if his mind refused to let them sink in.

" Please...I...Her brother! He's missed her so much! And...And we're both worried...We want her to come back...Please...Take me to her! "

He wanted Katara to go back with them, to be reunited with her brother. Katara had said multiple times that she wanted to see her brother, and that if she could she'd be the happiest girl in the world, and after all, Zuko only ever wanted to make Katara happy. So, maybe he should…

" Are you really going to do it? "

No!

The silky smooth feminine voice had returned, filling Zuko's turmoil ridden mind at the worst possible time.

" You know what's going to happen if you do it, don't you? She's going to go back with them, and you'll be all alone...Just like you were before. "

The breath in Zuko's throat hitched, his heart felt as if it was going to stop just from hearing those words. Katara would...leave him? Such a thought had only been an irrational fear, tucked away in the back of his head in hopes that it would vanish, but now it was more prominent than even the fear of death.

" I...I don't want her to go… "

His voice sounded so childlike, filled with so much pain, a pain that he had felt once before in the past, whether he remembered it or not. The swelling pain that came with loss, and the cold feeling of loneliness would soon follow behind it.

" Then you know what you need to do. You don't want to lose someone else that you care about, do you? "

No, he didn't. Loss and loneliness were two feelings that Zuko never wanted to feel again. He couldn't lose Katara, their bond had just begun to grow, they'd already been through so much, and no one had the right to seperate them. Not even the Avatar.

" Masky..? W-will you take me to Ka- "

Aang never got to finish, in an instant, Zuko swung around, cleaving his blade across the ground, swinging dirt into the airbender's eyes.

" Agh! H-hey!What do you think you're doi- gah! "

Zuko shoved the boy to the ground, grabbing the necklace he'd kept in his tunic before taking off into the night, trying his hardest to fight back the tears that had started swelling beneath his mask.

His head hurt so badly, and even with the voice gone for the moment he felt sick to his stomach. Despite this, despite any of the wounds he'd received tonight, he ran, sprinting as fast as he could until he reached the marshland. There he dropped to his knees, ripping the mask from his face as he hovered over the water's edge. His breath was heavy, and no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't seem to calm his breathing, resulting in a coughing fit, before finally vomiting.

Why? Why did doing what the voice said hurt, even if at the moment he knew it's what he wanted. He wanted Katara to stay with him and Yuko; he wanted her to keep traveling with them, to see the world with him. But at the same time he knew that Katara wanted so desperately to see her brother, to feel some semblance of her life back in the South Pole.

Tears streamed from his eyes as he stared into his rippling reflection, only for his gaze to gradually drift towards the hand that gripped Katara's necklace.

" ...Katara...I'm sorry… "

Zuko plunged his head into the marsh water, thrashing it about, trying however he could to calm himself. Katara needed him now, she was still sick, and could have been getting worse the whole time he was saving the Avatar.

The frigid dip was just what the emotional swordsman needed to clear his head, if only for the moment. There were others depending on him, and while blinding and shoving the Avatar would be something he'd pay for eventually, all that mattered to him now was getting the frogs and getting back to the village.

" ...I gotta get going… "

And without another word, Zuko went to work, rooting his hands through the murky water, grabbing hold of as many frozen frogs as he could, shoving them into his now scorched satchel. He grabbed as many as the pouch could carry, pulling himself from the waters, and making his way back to the path that led to the village, setting off before another figure arrived, unaware that anyone else had even been there.

As for Zuko, well he still had a long walk ahead of him, but it was a walk he'd make, even if he had to force himself to do it.

The night had been a long one filled with conflict and turmoil, the likes of which the masked youth had never experienced. And while he was sure it was far from the worst he'd ever have to handle, for now, he was just glad it was over.

Soon, he'd be back in the village with these stupid frogs, Katara and the kids would be all better, and he'd be able to put the events that had transpired behind him for good.

" Don't worry Zuzu, everything will be all better. "

If only things were ever that simple.