((To answer your question about Katara being to OCC. Well this is why I made her who she is now. If you were almost close to death, saw your own friend ,and the guy who was going to save the world, die...I would be pretty damn pissed off and chew the moron who killed him. Also in the Waterbending Scroll, Katara revealed a dark side of her...when she can be easily angered and not think of thepunishments ahead. So that's Katara in my point of view, so I hope you will understand...but I apologize if I made her to OCC. Sometimes I get caught in the moment...well anyway enjoy! Also I want to thank everyone for the reviews!))

Chapter 23: Released

Zuko's face bore a dark frown ever since he saw land up ahead. The guards were afraid to go near the angry fire bender, for they didn't want to risk losing their heads if he lost it. So close but yet so far away… Ciara hang in there, I'm coming.

Hours passed by slowly and Zuko neither moved away from his usual spot by the bow of the ship. He could now see the details on the shore, how the moss engulfed the lower parts of all the trees and ground and how there wasn't even the sound of wildlife that reached his ears.

A small dark ship rested on the mossy shore, already Zuko could see his Uncle coming out to meet them. Zuko sighed heavily and walked off the large war-ship with purpose and a sense of fear of what happened here. "Uncle, what the hell is going on?" Zuko hissed at his Uncle as he got near. Iroh looked away for a while before replying, "On one of the missions, Ciara got captured. We got a vague idea at where they are holding her at, but we just need reinforcements."

Zuko nodded and walked a couple of steps past Iroh, "I want someone to show me where she is…now." Iroh nodded with a grim expression on his face before walking up to his nephew, "I know she's going to be ok." Zuko sighed wearily, "I hope so, Uncle." Uncle Iroh placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and weakly smiled, "I'll show you the way. Go get the best warriors you got…then we will be off."

Ha. I knew it all along. Those morons were trying to break me, but for what? I really don't hold any valuable information or anything. Oh well…when will they ever realize. Ciara smiled to herself as she thought this over twenty times, somehow this morning she felt giddy. She couldn't help but smile happily at Katara and Sokka who came in to harass her verbally about something this morning, for she was half-listening.

They changed since the last time I saw them, which was inthe Fire Nation. They aren't as innocent as before when the Avatar was there with them. Must be hormones…I seen it happen before. Katara walked in angrily, her fists were clenched tightly, "Stupid Sokka." Ciara grinned at Katara before asking in an innocent voice, "Oh great Queen of the Splashes, why are you angry at your brother."

Katara spun around at Ciara and snapped back, "Shut up, it's none of your business. You're lucky we are letting you have a day off from questioning." Ciara just shrugged, the chains on the shackles rattled with her movements, "Just asking…and these questionings are more like beatings."

"If your stupid boyfriend never killed the Avatar, you wouldn't be here. So blame him not me, I'm just getting my revenge." Katara answered softly, her back now facing Ciara. Ciara rolled her eyes, but as she did that a wave of pain filled her head, more white dots filtered her eyes. Ciara tried to shake them away, but they stilled stayed in her vision, "Damn."

Katara sighed and sat down on a chair and faced Ciara, "Now as I think of it, you are right. Maybe this is all too much… I should have gone home back with Gran-Gran. I just thought that maybe Aang had a chance." Ciara's face was unreadable, she blinked her eyes a few times for the white dots to go away but they still were there. "Sokka still can't believe the Avatar is dead. He thinks Aang is alive and is with Appa and they are looking for us." Katara continued, her gaze now falling on the thick gray wall.

"What am I doing? Well I better go…enjoy your last day of peace." Katara tried to sound threatening, but Ciara could just tell that she was tired and weary. Katara opened the door and closed it behind her quietly, many thoughts raced through her head but the thoughts came to a stop when she realized someone was in her way.

"Shhh. You don't want to wake your brother up would you, Katara?" replied the dark figure that loomed in her way. Katara swallowed the last of her courage and felt herself be pushed aside for the figure to pass. "Wait!" she croaked out in defense, knowing that if he saw the state Ciara was in…she would pay dearly. What am I doing here? I need to get Sokka and me away from this place. Katara didn't even glance behind her back before running away from the soon-to-be-furious fire bender.

The door opened quickly, the hinges groaned with protest as it was slammed into the wall. Iroh walked past his angry nephew and went straight ahead to the notes that laid on the dinky wooden desk in the corner. Zuko's amber eyes searched desperately around the room and stopped when he saw a figure chained in the most distant corner in the room.

Zuko winced as he walked closer to the chained figure; her head was hanging down before her making her chin touch her chest, her hair was drenched and matted with blood. But the most haunting of these scenes was her exposed back. Her entire skin on her back was no longer smooth like a canvas but scratched up and torn apart in a mad array.

Uncle Iroh sighed with disbelief as he read the notes, "Lord Zuko…it's her. I'm going to get a healer; you might as well get her out of the chains." Iroh walked quickly away from the sight not bearing to accept that such monstrosity can be accomplished in three days.

Zuko looked down pitifully on Ciara and found himself occupied with the shackles. The strange device on her hands that prevented her from fire bending came off with ease, revealing the only part of her body that wasn't harmed by the rebels. In a few minuets Ciara was free of the cold and merciless metal that held her; he carefully picked her up, noticing that she wasn't even conscious to witness her rescue.

She felt very light in his arms and that worried him more; Zukostarted his wayout of the room, but before leaving he snagged the notes that laid on the desk. Zuko walked passed a couple of his guards who were busy searching the place for other rebels; the guards winced seeing Ciara and others couldn't realize that was Ciara.

Zuko felt the cool wind brush against his face as he walked out of the underground building. Iroh stood by an elderly woman, she wore the Fire Nation's color and her eyes were a piercing blue. "Bring her here." she called out, waving her hand to Zuko. Zuko silently obeyed her; Iroh motioned for him to set Ciara on the floor, "Zuko the healer, Mirna, will take care of her. But we have to leave her some space, so I propose we play a nice game of Pai Gow to ease are minds."

For once Zuko finally agreed to one of his meddling games that seemed to always frustrate him. Zuko gave a last glance at Ciara before following his uncle with unusual silence. Iroh fretted about his nephew but a voice in his head thought otherwise, that's war for him.