PROLOGUE

Water. Earth. Fire. Air.

Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony. But then, everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked.

Only the Avatar- master of all four elements- could stop them. But when the world needed him most, he vanished.

One hundred years passed and Katara and Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe discovered the new Avatar- and air bender named Aang. And although his air bending skills are great, he has a lot to learn before he is ready to save anyone.

But Katara believes that Aang will save the world someday . . .

BOOK TWO

CHAPTER ONE: THE SPY FROM OMASHU

Jet sat on the top of the tree, staring into the horizon as the sun set. The harsh winter wind blew against him as he sat. Thinking. Thinking about everything that had happened. He had met Katara. She had loved him. He didn't care. Didn't care about Katara. Cared only about her bending.

With her and Aang's help, he could have destroyed all of the fire benders in the city. But Sokka interfered. The traitor ruined his plans. Katara turned on him, too. Froze him to a tree. Nearly left him for dead when the fire benders found him. If it hadn't been for Longshot and Pipsqueak . . .

Now he sat there.

"What do we do now, Jet?" Sneers had climbed up the tree.

Jet paused. "What can we do? Everyone in the village hates me. All the fire benders know where I am. We keep moving, but sooner or later, the Fire Nation is bound to find me. So what else is there left to do but run?" Jet let out a roar of anger. His calm attitude had now changed.

"This is all Sokka's fault! That stupid . . . If I ever get my hands on that weasel I'll . . ."

Sneers backed away a little. "Sorry . . ." he said.

Suddenly, Smellerbee called from the ground, "Jet! Fire bender!"

With a sigh, Jet leaped from the tree onto the ground. He didn't enjoy mugging Fire Nation soldiers anymore. It had grown boring. But it was his only method of getting food and water.

He aimed his sword at the enemy. It was a typical Fire Nation soldier. He had on the traditional outfit, the mask, the standard Fire Nation sword. Nothing special about him.

"Did you search him?" Jet asked.

"Yes," came the reply. "All I found was this." Smellerbee held up a small piece of parchment. Jet grabbed it and handed it back to the surprised fire bender.

"What does it say?" Jet demanded.

"Can't you read it yourself?" The soldier received a hard blow to the face. Not being able to read was a touchy subject for Jet. But his parents were killed before Jet had time to learn anything, really.

"Okay," the soldier answered the punch, "okay! It says, 'Admiral Zhao, I will grant you your request. You may invade the North Pole at will. I know you will not fail to bring me the Avatar. Signed, Fire Lord Ozai.'"

"I know who Ozai is," Jet said. "Who's this Zhao?" Jet didn't know very much about the war, either. All he really knew was that he was against the Fire Nation.

The soldier began the snicker about Jet's ignorance. He received another smack. "He's a powerful admiral who's about to capture the Avatar."

"So he's in pursuit of the Avatar, huh? Where's the Avatar now?"

"He's in the North Pole. I was just about to bring Zhao this message, and . . ."

"Shut up!" Smellerbee cut him off.

"Longshot, come with me," Jet ordered. "The rest of you, keep this guy your prisoner. A hostage may prove useful, especially one with such an important message."

"Where are you and Longshot headed?" the Duke asked.

"We can't take out the Fire Lord. But if we were to kill Zhao, it would apparently be a harsh strike against the Fire Nation. Besides," Jet said, "wherever Zhao is, Sokka and the Avatar are. I'm not going to the North Pole just to get rid of Admiral Zhao. My other purpose," Jet began, "is revenge."

Zuko walked down the halls of Zhao's ship, disguised in his fire soldier uniform, when a short boy, about twelve years old, stepped out of another hallway. "Hello!" he greeted Prince Zuko.

Zuko ignored him, but he couldn't stop wondering who this kid was.

The boy was walking to Zuko's left side now. "Listen," he said. He was serious now. "I know who you are, Prince Zuko."

Zuko instantly opened the door to one of the rooms of the ship, threw the boy in, stepped inside, and slammed the door. He began creating fire in one hand while keeping the boy pinned to the wall with another.

"Hey, what are you doing?" the boy cried.

"You know my secret," Zuko responded. "So I cannot allow you to live."

"No, I'm on your side!" he pleaded.

The fire grew smaller, but it was still there. Zuko was ready to strike if anything should happen. "You have five seconds to explain," Zuko spoke calmly.

"Well, my name is Tai Shone, and-"

"I don't care what your name is!" Zuko cut him off.

"I was born in the Earth Kingdom city of Omashu," Tai continued. "The Fire Nation started attacking us, so I decided to join them. I mean, why not? I knew that they would win the war."

Zuko grinned. "True. Okay, go on."

"So I began working as a spy. You know, to see what information I could get from the Earth Kingdom. If they were gonna attack, when they were gonna attack, how many soldiers, you know. But then I heard that you were looking for the Avatar. So I stowed away on your ship to help you."

"Okay," Zuko said. The fire was gone now, and Zuko seemed to be smiling. "But how does this interest me?"

"Well, I'm just here to help fight in the Fire army as you and Admiral Zhao capture the Avatar-"

"Me and Zhao fighting together? Where did you hear that he and I were allies?"

"Well, I just assumed that since the Avatar is the enemy . . ."

"The Avatar isn't the enemy. Zhao is the enemy. The Avatar is the key. The key to my honor. But I suppose there is one way you can help."

"How?" Tai asked, eagerly.

"Zhao is going to call a meeting right before we enter the North Pole. Are you a bender?"

"I know a little earth bending . . ." Tai answered.

"Just how much is, 'a little?'"

"Well, I can lift rocks and stuff, but that's about it."

Zuko sighed. "That's enough, I suppose. When he calls the meeting, you just find a rock in the water, lift it up, and attack a soldier with it. Zhao will turn his attention to you. Then I come up from behind and attack him. I'll jump off the ship, and you can escape in the confusion. I'll capture the Avatar."

"Great plan!" Tai commended Zuko. "But just one problem: How do we take the Avatar back to the Fire Nation?"

"Hmm . . ." Zuko thought.

"Maybe I can swim to some ship in the water. I'm . . . I'm an earth bender who was captured by the Fire Nation and I barely escaped! The people let me on board in pity . . ."

"And then I jump on with the Avatar, kick 'em off the ship, and we sail back to the Fire Nation!" Zuko finished.

"Yeah!" Tai exclaimed.