"Let go of me!"

Aang fruitlessly punched the arm of the man who dragged him as they turned a corner, away from the sounds of extreme violence that had suddenly erupted. He had seen the arrival of Yuyan archers, which meant that backup was here- indeed, he was pretty sure that he had seen Zuko, although the Firelord was wearing a mask. However, no sooner had this happened than he had been grabbed and dragged away, the knockout liquid still coursing through him preventing him from entering the Avatar State or even bending at the moment. Katara had been able to, so why couldn't he?

Aang just put it down to higher dosages and got on with the important business of trying to get free.

"I'm sorry, we can't do that," the man replied. "You're too valuable. Don't worry, we'll be finished with you soon enough though."

Aang did not like the sound of that.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

His captor chuckled. "You'll see."

Aang was dragged around another couple of corners before a door was kicked open in front of him; he was dragged into a dark room where several men looked up in alarm.

"What's going on? It's too soon!" One of them demanded.

"I'm afraid it's now or never," the man who had a hold of Aang replied. "The Avatar's companions are here, and they've brought Yuyan Archers."

"So?"

"So, we're losing. We have to get out of here."

One of the men, who looked to be the oldest, frowned at that. He was dressed in black robes, which were trimmed in

"So what do we do with him?"

"We can't just kill him, Xai Bau," the man holding Aang said. "We need him at full strength and he's not."

Aang suddenly started at the name.

"We could just do it and go after his successor," another piped up.

"Who said anything about killing him?" A third shouted. "I've told you, he's more useful to us alive!"

"Oh shut up," another retorted. "I'm beginning to question your devotion to the cause with talk like that."

This offended the man who had advocated mercy, and he got up in the other man's face and began shouting at him something about ideological purity.

"Wait, Xai Bau?" Aang questioned. "I know that name. You're in the White Lotus, aren't you?"

The man scowled. "I was. Until they decided their mission was less important than acting like bodyguards. I have different priorities."

"Such as what?"

"We aren't your lackeys like the bootlickers in the White Lotus, what makes you think I'll just tell you our evil plans?" The man said, making sure to sound as sarcastic as possible.

"By the sounds of it you're about to kill me, it'll never leave this room," Aang tried.

Xai Bau made a show of considering, but shook his head.

"Perhaps, but you are the Avatar. You'll just tell your successor from the Spirit Realm. All you need to know is that the world is about to become a better place. A fairer place."

Aang had no intention of letting things get that far quite yet, but decided to just wait for his moment.

"I take it that means we're just killing him now?"

"Fine," Xai Bau decided. "I just hope his successor proves more pliable."

Aang decided that he had heard enough of these men discussing his fate like he wasn't there. Just as Xai Bau pulled his fist back, he waited until the opportune moment and then yanked his arm hard to the left. The man holding him was surprised and yelped as he stumbled just in front of Aang- just in time to eat the boulder that had been meant for the airbender. Suddenly freed, Aang turned and dashed out of the door.

There was a shout behind him, and he heard footsteps and a rush of heat behind him; Aang dropped and rolled, and a blast of flame went over his head. As soon as it had subsided, Aang was up again and running, turning another corner and moving towards the sound of violence, where he assumed his friends were. He glanced over his shoulder, and started as he realised that one of the men was right behind him. He moved with startling speed for a man of his size, and Aang did not have his airbending to help propel him forwards.

A further burst of speed took Aang around another corner, but he felt a hand on his wrist and he was yanked to a sudden stop.

"You bastard!" The man roared. Aang saw that he had a knife in his hand. "If they can't kill you, I'll do it!"

There was a flash of steel, and then a yell, and a rush of water; a long blue tendril knocked the knife aside and a huge blob of water hit the man square in the face; he wobbled, and collapsed.

By some miracle none of it hit Aang, and he turned around to find Katara, flanked by several Yuyan archers poised with arrows and still in a waterbending pose. Around her were Sokka, Suki, Ty Lee, Zuko and Mai.

There was silence for a moment, and then Katara flung herself at Aang and embraced him in a deep and relieved hug, which Aang returned.

"Should we leave them to it?" Sokka asked behind them.