Zuko and the guards left the Sage with the boat, and set off into the darkness of an empty tube. That meant there probably weren't any more active lava tubes ahead. Zuko half-expected them to bind him again, but they didn't bother. They didn't need to. It wasn't as if Zuko had a clue how to get out, and despite his taunting of Qin, he didn't actually want to die.
They sat and rested a few tunnel forks later. The air was fresher here, and it was cooler too. Hikari had a water skin, which they all shared. Then they went on again. The heavy darkness was barely held back by the others' palm flames. Zuko could barely feel the sun at all. He shivered despite the heat.
Finally, they came to a door that was clearly man-made. It bore an image of an erupting volcano in gold on the black basalt, as well as some archaic-looking writing. Zuko recognized the character for Huang, the spirit of the volcano east of the capital. It was a temple. A volcano-spirit temple, deep underground, most likely in the heart of the volcano itself. Zuko didn't remember being told that such a thing existed, though it made sense.
The others firebent at the lock, which clicked open. The door swung inwards. Inside was a large domed room, lit by a single flame on a pillar in the center. The flame gleamed off the round pool surrounding the pillar, and more dimly off carved basalt walls inlaid with gold. With all the dust, it looked like people hardly ever came here. And it felt sad, somehow.
"Well, here we are," said Denji.
Mai marched up the steps to the Fire Temple. The young acolyte standing by the open doors eyed her state disapprovingly. "Dawnlight meditations started half an hour ago," he said.
"I am Lady Mai, daughter of Councillor Ukano, and friend of Fire Lord Zuko. I need to speak to High Sage Kenji urgently. It's about the Fire Lord, and about the Avatar. As for my state of dress," she gestured at her artistically dirt-spattered clothing, "I was accosted by General Iroh and the miniature earthbender. The Avatar is in the city, and the High Sage needs to know what's going on."
"The Avatar?" The acolyte paled a little. "I – I still can't get hold of the High Sage for at least the next half hour. He's presiding over the service. Is there anyone else I can get for you?"
"I'll speak to the High Sage as soon as he is available, but for now Fire Sage Shyu will do," said Mai.
Mai waited in the small antechamber, sitting on a cushion in approved-by-her-mother perfect stillness. Which was boring, but not exactly hard. When the door creaked open, she stood and bowed. "Fire Sage Shyu?"
He bowed in turn."Indeed I am. You must be Lady Mai. Glad to meet you. How can I help?"
"The Avatar is here looking for Zuko, but Qin moved him this morning, and Aang can't find him. I saw Zuko yesterday, after his attempted escape. Qin had barred the windows, and had him drugged by force. Do you know where he's been moved to now?"
"It was escape? He wasn't trying to kill himself?" Shyu looked relieved.
Mai nodded. "I think he may have been drugged before that, because it didn't stand a chance of working. But he wasn't trying to kill himself."
"Oh. Good. But I don't know where he is. I'm the last Fire Sage the Regent would tell something like that to. I will help in any way I can."
Did that mean without the agreement of the other Fire Sages? Judging by Shyu's past actions, almost certainly.
Shyu's eyes were very earnest. "If the Avatar can find and rescue Zuko, I'm sure the Fire Sages will support him against Qin."
"I am very glad to hear that Zuko has both your personal support and that of the Fire Sages," said Mai.
"I can't formally speak for the Fire Sages," said Shyu. "You need the High Sage for that. But Qin threatened Kenji with death by torture yesterday if he kept trying to take the Fire Lord away from him, and Kenji is furious. I have little doubt that he will support measures to remove Qin from power."
Mai's eyebrows skyrocketed. "Qin threatened the High Sage?" That was extreme.
"Yes. Even Ozai didn't dare – there were riots when Azulon had High Sage Lu Li executed, despite Lu Li's crimes."
"Qin would be a fool to try that," said Mai.
"Desperate people do desperate things. We'll need some kind of assurance of protection from the Fire Lord and the Avatar if Qin attacks us."
Mai nodded. "True. They will give you as much protection as they can. As to yourself, the Avatar will need a Sage with him when he finds Zuko. General Iroh hopes that may prevent stupidity all around."
Shyu nodded. "How do I meet up with him?"
"Go into the rockfields and put out a large piece of red cloth," she told him. "They'll see it from the sky bison."
The door opened, and in walked High Sage Kenji. "Shyu," he said, nodding. "And you are Mai, the Fire Lord's ladyfriend?"
Mai nodded. She got that reaction a lot these days.
When she'd given him the news, Kenji stood quietly, thinking. "Tell the Avatar that if he can free Zuko and bring him here, we will support him against Qin."
"They need a Fire Sage on detached duty with them, for when they find Zuko," said Mai. "To reassure the people they're not kidnapping him."
"I can do that," said Shyu.
"If things go badly wrong, we may have to disavow your actions for a while. Are you prepared for that?" asked Kenji.
"Yes, High Sage," said Shyu, bowing.
"I thought you'd say that," said Kenji, and sighed. "So be it. Help the Avatar to free our Fire Lord and get that miserable excuse for a regent out of power."
It was nearly mid-morning, and Aang was starting to lose patience. He was starving hungry, and staring at plates of food they didn't dare touch wasn't helping with that. Momo was sitting on Aang's lap and seemed fine, and they were making no progress in rescuing Zuko.
Qin and Iroh were talking, and talking, and as far as Aang could tell, Qin wasn't budging on anything to do with the War, the Earth Kingdom or Zuko. Aang looked at his friends. Toph had redone the earth chairs, and was now leaning back playing with her piece of meteorite.
Aang's stomach grumbled loudly.
Toph looked over and smirked, then mimed sleeping. Aang cracked a smile.
Katara still appeared to be paying attention, but Aang suspected she was actually bored out of her skull and imagining creative ways to decorate the palace with ice knives. Not that she'd admit it.
If they weren't stuck here, not-listening to arguments going round and round, they could do something useful. Like go looking for Zuko. Or find something to eat.
He tried to catch Iroh's eye, but he was too busy sparring with words to notice.
Aang stood up. Qin and and Iroh both looked up. "This is getting nowhere," said Aang. "Why don't we take a break?"
Iroh's eyebrows rose, but he rose to join them. "I do believe Avatar Aang has a point. An army marches on its stomach, and a diplomat's brain works better after eating. Given your worries over possible roachrat infestations, we'll not impose on my nephew's staff."
"I'm afraid there will be a problem with that..." said Qin, "given recent events, you need to remain to answer some questions about the Dai li. We don't know as much about the Dai li as we need to, and you have experience with them that we lack."
Aang blinked. "Why didn't you ask Mai and Ty Lee? They worked alongside the Dai li at the fall of Ba Sing Se and for weeks afterwards."
"Yeah," said Toph, "we never worked with the Dai li."
"Why are you asking us about this?" asked Katara.
Qin sighed. "I shall be blunt, then. There are many who suspect Prince Iroh or yourself in being complicit in mindbending the Fire Lord – either now, or previously during his time in the Earth Kingdom. Avatar, you agreed to stand trial in Chin Village on far flimsier charges. Surely you'd be willing for yourself and Prince Iroh to stay here and answer some questions while the investigation continues?"
"No!" said Toph and Katara loudly.
"The Chin Village Incident was a farce," said Katara. "Justice in name only. We're not doing something that stupid ever again."
Aang opened his mouth, but the ground poked his foot hard and he looked at Toph to find her glaring in his approximate direction.
"Given your roachrat issues," said Iroh. "I'm afraid we can't stay. We will return in the next few days, and I'm sure all your questions will be answered then."
Well, if all of them were against the idea... he'd rather go looking for Zuko than be stuck here.
"Perhaps I should come with you?" said the doctor, as Katara helped the new girl settle into place on Appa. "There could be something wrong with the lemur that hasn't shown up yet."
"No thanks, we're fine," said Katara, looking down from the saddle.
She was probably right – the man could easily be a spy.
Toph frowned, but Aang said 'yip, yip," and up Appa went – just in time to hear a faint buzz that Aang knew all too well. Aang bent a wild gust of wind – there was no time to get his gliderstaff – as Toph and Iroh yelled, and Aang's wind suddenly mixed with fire as Iroh bent.
Appa bellowed, and Aang yanked on the reins. "Appa, we've got to get out of here!" he yelled, bending again one-handed.
A second volley came, most of the darts flying off-course or slamming into the thin ice shield Katara had thrown up, shattering it. Fire darts flew from Iroh's hands at the source of the darts. Someone yelped.
They pulled higher, and there was no third volley.
Aang glared down at the palace for a long moment, feeling the Avatar state pulling at him.
But what good would flattening the palace do? Aang took a deep breath, then another and another. He felt a hand squeeze his. The pull receded, and he glanced over to see Katara looking at him with worry.
"Is anyone hurt?" he asked.
"I think Appa's hit, but the darts missed the rest of us," said Iroh. He tapped a dart buried in the saddle three inches from his hand. "It was close, though. There's a greasy substance on it too, so it's probably drugged or poisoned."
"Oh no," said Aang. "I'd better put Appa down as soon as we get somewhere safe. Katara, can you reach Appa where he's hit?"
"I'll work on the one near the top of his tail," said Katara. "I think one or more may have hit his legs, but I can't reach those in mid-air."