Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Summary: Koh the Face Stealer threatens to return and finish what he started centuries ago. New alliances will be formed, friendships will be tested, and characters will be challenged like never before.

Providence

Chapter Fourteen: Promises

- - - - -

As a prince Shing had been afforded all the comforts of life. A palace full of servants shifted to his every request and he had garnered the respect of his people simply through birth. But what started as a carefree childhood quickly dissolved into an adolescence filled with merciless competition. The King of Ba-Sing-Sei had dozens of heirs to chose from and winning his favor was the goal of every wife and child. The rivalry was infamous. Shing was witness to many of the questionable tactics of his peers in their pursuit of the crown. His own mother had fought tooth and nail to earn the right of becoming a wife of the King and even harder to push her son to the top. But even with all her efforts and Shing's own talent the spotlight had passed over him. It wasn't until the appearance of his spirit guide that the throne was within sight again.

But never in his wildest dreams had he imagined where this path would lead him.

He suspected danger – he'd be a fool not to – but perhaps it was his overconfident nature that kept him from seeing just how far this would go. Or how far Yori would take it. He mentally cursed himself for his lack of foresight.

The earth prince made his way swiftly through the forest despite the weight he carried. The rise and fall of her chest told him that she was still alive, if only barely. "Hang on," he pleaded.

Yori made a painful groan. "I'm only weighing you down. Go on without me or you'll be caught before you reach the temple."

Kozue had been specific in his directions to the temple where the last Houshu was hidden. They were close. "Don't you dare talk that that. I'm not leaving you behind!"

A selfless sacrifice. The words ran over and over in his mind, but he refused to accept it as truth. Yori was going to live; he'd make sure of it. The water that surrounded Nu-gua had healing properties. It was said that drinking it would cure any illness. "I'm not throwing you away. Just hang on a little longer."

She spoke slowly. "Don't lose sight of our goal. Many things had to be sacrificed to get us this far and only one more is needed for victory. Remember our promise."

Even inside the temple Shing could not find peace. The dark circles around his eyes clearly showed his recent bout of insomnia. Everyone in the royal family had taken notice of Shing's strange behavior since he returned from the coming of age ritual, especially his closest ally.

Yori carefully made her way inside the temple to see her master sitting cross-legged on the wooden floor. Outwardly, he seemed to be meditating, but Yori sensed his inner turmoil. "You can't ignore it forever."

Tired eyes opened and turned to lock on his retainer. "It's not just in my dreams anymore. Even during the day his voice assaults me."

"The elders tell us that the spirit guide is our lifelong mentor. They helped your ancestors find their paths. It's not natural for you to deny yours."

"I haven't denied anything," he got to his feet. "This plan of mine is lunacy. Only a fool would actually attempt it and yet the temptation of the rewards is enough to risk being labeled a suicidal moron."

"Then you're going through with it?"

Shing met her gaze. It was one thing to resign himself to the danger, but quite another to risk the life of someone else. He didn't doubt Yori's loyalty, intelligence, or skill. But there were a lot of risks involved and he wasn't about to live with the guilt of dragging along someone that wasn't completely devoted to the task.

"I'm giving you an opportunity to walk away. You aren't obliged to join me on this mission." He was torn between hope and fear that she would say no.

"It's my responsibility to protect you," she was unyielding.

"You'll follow my lead?"

"Yes."

He sighed. How was he going to explain the danger of this path so that she understood the risk to her own life without being blinded by loyalty? "How long do you plan on following me?"

She was slightly flustered that he dared to question her dedication. "Until my last dying breath."

"Even if the path is narrow? Even if no one has ever walked it before and the risk of injury is great?"

"As long as you keep walking, I'll follow."

"Even if the rain and sleet obscure your view of me at times? Even if you can't see me or what's at the end of the path?"

Yori hesitated. She searched his green eyes looking for the right answer. "It's my duty and my privilege to serve you."

Apparently it had been the wrong answer. He turned in frustration, "This isn't about duty! I don't doubt your loyalty!"

"Then what is it that you doubt?" She wasn't a mind reader after all. "What do you want me to say?"

"Say that you want to come. Not as my bodyguard, not even as my friend, but as Yori. You're following me because that's what you want to do."

So it was her willingness he wasn't sure of. "I want to come with you."

"You're sure?"

She nodded, "On one condition."

That raised a brow.

Yori continued on, "I want you to promise me that you'll let me do my job. We're in this together and the burden is for us both to bear, but as your bodyguard I will do whatever it takes to keep you alive."

She was stubborn to a fault and Shing knew arguing would be useless, "I promise."

If only he had known the price he was going to pay for uttering those words.

- - - - -

"Yue…" Sokka couldn't believe the sight before his eyes. The spirit of Yue was floating in all her celestial glory, lighting up the night. He shook his head and looked again. She was still there. This wasn't a hallucination. He was looking at an apparition.

He gaped and stared at the young woman he had never expected to lay eyes on again. She seemed even more beautiful than the face in his memory. Was he losing his mind or was he really seeing the moon goddess? Considering the events that led up to his encounter he wasn't so quick to dismiss the former.

"Sokka," her voice was just as he had remembered it. Her presence drew closer towards the boy kneeling on the ground.

He clumsily stood to his feet. "What are you doing here?" Apparently even her ghost caused him the same inelegance with words.

A wistful smile appeared on her lips. "I promised I would always be with you."

Sokka remembered the moonlight and its suspiciously convenient timing. So it hadn't been coincidence.

Images of the battle replayed in his mind, but instead of any pride he might have felt from his victory he felt only shame at his willingness to take the life of another human being, no matter how notorious that human being may be. His principles had been abandoned by a combination of fear and anger at himself and at the situation. To think that he had actually been prepared to lower himself to barbarism – to Chen's standards – was enough to turn his stomach.

Yue sensed the despair within his soul and could not help but sympathize. "Sokka, your hands have not been stained with blood. They are strong and noble; you have no reason to feel shame."

"I could have killed him," he argued. "I would have killed him…"

"But you didn't," she interrupted. "You spared his life."

"Only because you chose to interfere when you did. Who's to say that I wouldn't have lost control and killed him if you hadn't?" In some respect he had been no different than Chen. Blinded by his own anger he had been willing to ignore morality to save his skin.

"Sokka, there comes a time in the life of every warrior when he must walk the razor's edge of life and death. When you fought Chen your control may have faltered, but you regained it in the end. You chose life."

He wanted so much to believe she was speaking the truth, but doubts still racked his soul. "And next time?"

Her translucent hand came to stroke the side of his face. Sokka could almost feel the warmth of her skin against his. If only it wasn't his imagination!

"Next time, you'll make the right decision again. Believe in yourself, Sokka, as I believe in you."

He could hardly believe it. To have the absolute faith of Yue, a woman who sacrificed her own life for the sake of her people, made him feel as though a heavy burden had been lifted. She did not come to him in anger or misery. She didn't blame him for his inability to protect her, as he had secretly berated himself since they left the North Pole. Yue came to give him hope again.

The urge to embrace her was overwhelming and the realization that he could never touch her again renewed his grief. The ache in his heart told him that his love for her had yet to fade.

"Sokka, your friends need your help."

The reality of her statement brought him back to his senses and fear gripped his heart. Aang and Katara were still out there. Were they okay?

"Yue," he pleaded to the goddess. "Where are they?"

"I'll show you the way," her image vanished in an instant. The clouds parted and the moonlight created a path, leading him in the right direction.

For the first time in what seemed like an eternity, Sokka looked at the moon and smiled.

- - - - -

Once, when Katara was a child, she had been walking across the snowy tundra of the South Pole and accidentally fell into a small crevasse. The snow had covered the gorge's existence and with a surprised yelp Katara fell through the white powder. It had taken hours for her to eventually climb back to the top. The experience had been frightening, making her anxious to venture out on her own for several months.

That had been a simple task compared to the chasm she was forced to climb out of now.

Her hands were bruised and bloody from the exhausting scramble to the top. Her emotions were just as raw. The sight of Yori had rattled her more than she cared to say. The bodyguard's condition was dire. If only Shing's anger, and its resulting attack, hadn't gotten in the way she could have healed her! It had taken so long to get as far up as she had that Katara figured they must be miles ahead by now.

The waterbender spotted a jutting rock close the lip of the crevasse. She was so close! Katara shifted carefully to her right, edging closer to the rock that would get her out. She stretched her arm to reach, but in doing so Katara lost her footing. She felt the air leave her lungs as gravity took hold, pulling her downward. Panic overcame her until a sharp tug at her arm stopped her decent. Katara looked to see what had stopped her. Her blue eyes went from the large hand clamped on her wrist and traveled up the muscles of the strong arm attached to it until she locked gazes with the amber eyes of the man to whom they belonged.

"Zuko." It was barely a whisper.

His muscles swelled slightly as he lifted the girl to the top with one sharp heave. Once she was level ground, Katara kneaded her shoulder with her fingers. It felt like he almost pulled her arm off! But considering the alternative she was grateful for his help. "Thank you."

Zuko answered her with a nod. His eyes had changed from before. They seemed duller from exhaustion. Or perhaps, thought Katara, from guilt.

"We need to get moving," he finally spoke. They would have to move quickly if they were going to catch up with Shing. He may have been weighed down, but he had a good head start.

"Which way do we go?" Katara asked. The only hope they had of reaching the temple had vanished. Momo was nowhere to be found.

Zuko gestured with a nod of his head. Katara looked to see the grass had been sprinkled with a few dark spots. Blood. Yori's blood.

"If we follow the trail it will lead us to them," he gazed intently into the forest. "And to the temple."

Katara didn't know how much time they had. Was Shing already at the temple? Where were Aang and Sokka?

Zuko could sense the worry in her eyes. "Are you just going to stay here or are you coming?"

Her gaze hardened. This was no time to fall to pieces. She knew what she had to do. Looking at Zuko she amended that previous thought. What they had to do. Katara may not completely trust the fire prince, but what she had observed so far convinced her to continue to rely on him. At least until this situation was over.

- - - - -

"No! No one is dying." Aang insisted despite Iroh's confidence in his deduction. "There has to be another way."

Iroh shared the Avatar's disgust of the conclusion he had reached, but there was no other information for them to draw from. His own experience in the spirit world was evidence that he was correct. Koh couldn't understand the love of a father or the risks that Iroh had taken to find his son. Selflessness was a power beyond the Face Stealer. It seemed that his broken, self-sacrificing spirit and the aid of Lei were the only things that saved him from the encounter.

"I don't see any other way."

Aang didn't want to believe that anyone would have to die for the sake of victory, but part of him told him that perhaps it was just his naiveté. He mentally scolded himself for letting the situation get this far.

Tang had been a fully realized Avatar and even he couldn't defeat Koh. That fact didn't help his odds.

He took a breath and tried to think rationally. Iroh and Lei were assuming that destiny dictated that Koh would return without a doubt. Aang wasn't so sure. If he could just prevent Shing was stealing the final Houshu then Koh couldn't return and all this talk about death was meaningless. All he had to do was protect his people's jewel and everything would be fine. Or so he convinced himself.

Aang saw Iroh narrow his eyes at the entrance of the temple. "What is it?" The Avatar asked.

The ex-general's body stiffened, "They're here."

Now Aang sensed it as well. The sound of footsteps – a single pair? – was getting louder as he approached. A battle-weary Shing paused at the doorway, a motionless Yori carried on his back. Iroh recognized the burns on the girl. So Zuko had caught up with them, but where was he now?

"We meet again," the earth prince spoke. His normally courteous tone was gone.

The sight of Yori shocked the monk, "What happened?"

Shing lips twitched, but he chose to ignore the question. He had to act quickly. He moved his feet further apart and brought one arm up and out. A sharp cone of earth shot up from the ground in front of him and flew forward. Aang and Iroh quickly jumped out of the way.

"Give up Shing. You can't defeat all three of us!" Maybe if Aang appealed to his common sense they could avoid a meaningless fight.

"Don't you mean all two of you?" He retorted.

The monk turned to see that the target of Shing's attack hadn't been the two benders, but Lei. The earthen cone had pierced the temple keeper straight through her chest, splitting the wooden pendant of her necklace in half. With the source of her existence destroyed Aang and Iroh watched as Lei faded like mist disperses at dawn. The flute containing the Air Nomad's jewel fell to the floor with a thud.

Another motion from Shing and the earth swallowed the Houshu. It resurfaced at the prince's feet, but before he could pick it up a vacuum of air drew the flute into the Avatar's hand.

Aang felt his frustration rising. He wasn't even able to protect Lei! Shing was going to pay for the fiasco he had caused. Aang tucked the flute into his belt and took his stance only to be stopped by a look from Iroh.

"As you can see there's no point in you continuing this fight. You've sustained several injuries from my nephew and your retainer needs attention quickly. Abandon this plan and I can promise you leniency. If nothing else do it for Yori." He longed to ask the condition of Zuko and suppressed the morbid possibilities that threatened to usurp his mind. This needed to be ended quickly.

Iroh's words obviously hit a nerve. A pained expression passed on Shing's face, but it was swiftly replaced with a look of grim determination. "I've come too far to back down now. If you refuse to hand over the Houshu than you leave me no choice." His eyes closed in concentration and he began to chant. "Rin, rin, rin, rin…"

Iroh moved to an offensive stance and was about to unleash a fire attack when Shing moved to defend himself. One hand reached around to grab the young woman he carried and dragged her to the front. His arm locked around her throat, keeping her in place as his shield. Yori gave a strangled cry at the sudden pain that shot through her from his manhandling. He prayed to the spirits for Yori to forgive him once this was over.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. As you can see my bodyguard already has one foot in the grave. Just one attack is all that's needed to push the rest of her in."

"Even if the rain and sleet obscures your view of me at times? Even if you can't see me or what's at the end of the path?"

Yori hesitated. She searched his green eyes looking for the right answer. "It's my duty and my privilege to serve you."

They were so close. Just hang in a little longer, he silently pleaded. "Kyo, kyo, kyo, kyo…"

The ex-general eyed the earth prince. Yori was successfully shielding him from a direct attack, but his head was a clear shot. Iroh took careful aim. His attack would most likely kill the boy, but he was left with only one other alternative. And it wasn't pleasant.

"Stop," Aang grabbed his arm.

"You should have more faith in my aim, young Avatar."

"I said no one is going to die!"

Iroh relaxed his stance. There was no point in arguing when he was like this.

Aang tried to think of an answer quickly. He needed to separate them so he could fight Shing without hurting Yori.

That same ominous presence returned and the airbender was finding it hard to breathe. His heart was pounding in his chest. The earth was trembling beneath them.

He created a gale to divide the two, but it only managed to push them both back out the door. The effects of the Kuji Kiri were disturbing his concentration. In a last desperate attempt to stop Shing he tried to summon a blast of wind on both sides of the prince.

"Zai, zai, zai, zai…"

But he was a moment too late. Injured though he was, Shing was able to create an earthquake powerful enough to demolish the temple and cut deep into the earth. The shrine crumbled and Iroh moved quickly to avoid being buried in the rubble. The ex-general and Aang had no means to defend against the Kuji Kiri without the refuge of the trees like before.

The earth spilt open, swallowing all four, and carried them downward into its depths where Idzumo waited.

- - - - -

Author's Notes: And I said I was going to be nicer about my cliffhangers. I'm such a liar.