A long time ago, Avatar Kalkin disappeared without a trace, and with the absence of any successor, the world was gradually thrown into chaos. Governments became unbalanced, spiritual and natural disasters spread, and war sprang everywhere.

In the face of this unprecedented crisis, Fire Lord Kuni declared that he would assemble a party to search for this Avatar, but the Earth Kingdom feared this as a prelude to more aggressive actions, and moved to subdue this threat. Amidst the chaos, two young women managed to escape, and with their allies, embarked on a long journey that would hopefully lead them to the new Avatar, the only one who could restore order to the world…

AVATAR

The Celestial Sailors

BOOK ONE: CHAOS

18: The Point of No Return

The sun was just barely rising when Sifu Kinsei, his daughter, and her friends finally arrived at the gate to Queen Beryl's palace. The moon was still out, hazy in her fullness, the sky alight with gold and lavender. Most of Kinsei's air-benders and their bisons were told to stand by and give the palace a considerable berth so as not to give the wrong impression. Kinsei may have been aggressively fired up earlier, but even he knew when to cool his head and approach situations with caution. As much as he wanted to fight against the people who had wrongfully imprisoned his daughter, violence was not the way of his people, nor was retribution. His prudence was rewarded when the gate opened and a very elaborately-dressed man approached him, flanked by four honor guards. This was Beryl's emissary, her representation. Kinsei bowed politely, and his daughter did too.

"I thank you for your attendance this morning, honored emissary. My name is Kinsei Aino, Sifu of the Western Air Temple. I have come to you and your queen bearing a grievance which I trust can be settled peacefully."

"And I welcome you, Sifu Kinsei. My name is Wu Yung, chief of foreign diplomacy for Ba Sing Se." Kinsei couldn't help but smirk.

"You've been given a fine name, my friend."

"Thank you. I do my best to live up to it, though I am in no way as revered as he was."

"(Hey,)" Usagi hissed, "(what are they talking about?)"

"(You really don't know?)" Rei balked. "(That's basic history! Even kids know who Wu Yung was.)"

"(So I fell asleep during history class, so sue me.)" Minako shushed them; she was intently listening to the conversation.

"May I ask what your grievance with her highness is?" Wu Yung resumed. For all his previous fury, Kinsei's report was quite civil and courteous. He made sure to only state the facts, and admitted to only understanding part of the situation. He placed no blame on Beryl, Zoicite, or even Kunzite, though tactfully left out the riots he and his benders had caused (among many other unflattering details). When he concluded, Wu Yung took a moment to consider all that he had heard, and bowed.

"I understand. I will request an audience with her highness regarding this matter. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but could you please wait outside here? I will not be long."

"My people and I feel more comfortable with the wind in our face," Kinsei said. "Besides, the dawn is cool and pleasant. We will pass our time well." Wu Yung smiled and dismissed himself; Kinsei let out a half-grumble half-sigh once he was gone.

"That went well," Minako said.

"Your daddy can be smart when he needs to," Kinsei answered coldly.

…...

Kunzite had a devil of a time putting things in order once he was freed from the canyon (which in itself was a tribulation for all involved). His fortress was in complete shambles, and anyone who wasn't injured or incapacitated was panicking. Zoicite had been summoned away by Beryl, which gave Kunzite a bad feeling in his stomach, and there was no sign at all of Yuniro. What saved him was his experiences spent reclaiming the Earth Kingdom alongside Beryl; the two had stared down enough madness to make any further crucible seem petty. Kunzite deputized three trusted aides to help him reorganize things at the fortress and spent the rest of the day restoring order. Late that evening, he received word that Nephrite was in charge of locating and returning the escaped prisoners; the following morning, he decided to venture to Beryl's palace and reunite with Zoicite—if possible.

"No, don't be absurd," he muttered to himself as his carriage drove him there. "Beryl has no reason to blame this on Zoicite. Even she could not have foreseen this, and I doubt she would have done better under the circumstances. If necessary, I'll assume total responsibility. Zoicite is the best officer...the best man I have ever known. Beryl would be a fool to..."

He didn't want to say it. Punish? Reprimand? Demote? Expel? None of these were outside the realm of possibility. At worst, Beryl would bring them all to bear on Zoicite, but would leave him with his life—and that was good enough for Kunzite. He had sworn he would love Zoicite as long as they lived, so as long as that condition was fulfilled, all would be well.

Kunzite still couldn't settle the sour knot in his stomach. He knew that Beryl could be merciful, but he also knew that she could be brutal, and she wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty. He had seen it.

"Don't be absurd," he repeated to himself. "Beryl wouldn't be that foolish. I'll see Zoicite again. I will care for him even if no one else will." He opened the carriage windows to get some air and noticed an odd procession of people carrying something on a bier. With a start he realized they were pallbearers, and he was witnessing a funeral. Out of morbid curiosity and some fear, he asked the driver to stop and got out to observe. He didn't need to stay for long before he wished he hadn't; his eyes flared and he instinctively covered his mouth as he recognized the body of Zoicite. At once he dashed towards the procession, startling them as he called out to the lifeless man.

"It's no use," said the soft voice of an old woman. Kunzite felt her gently tug at his sleeve, and turned to see a face contorted with the same grief he was feeling. "I'm sorry. This man was dead when we found him yesterday. Were you..." Recognition crossed her face, and she didn't need to ask any further. Kunzite caressed Zoicite's face and hands, noticing how distorted and broken the body was. The people here had dressed and ordered him to the best of their abilities, but there was no hiding the brutality of his demise.

"How did it happen?" Kunzite whispered. The old woman shook her head, keening, but didn't answer. Nobody did. "My lady," he insisted, "please, I beg of you. I must know."

"It is not my place to say," she warbled, out of complete terror. She was trembling, and he feared the worst.

You know how he died. ...No, it cannot be. It's impossible. It must have been something else—an enemy, or an accident, or...

You know how he died.

"My lady, I must insist! This man meant the world to me! He's the only person I have ever loved. In the name of..." His constitution finally gave in, and he felt himself breaking. Tears formed and fell. In that moment the General became a human. "Please. I need to know."

Even after all that, she still hesitated. Finally, after their eyes met and exchanged every horror and tragedy a body could bear, she relented in a quivering, dejected voice.

"Beryl. It was Queen Beryl. She killed him."

"Are you absolutely certain?" he pressed, grasping her shoulders. She nodded, unable to meet his gaze.

"I saw it happen. She threw him off the high tower of her palace. Most of the people here saw it, too. Please, you must not speak of this to anyone. I...I do not wish to speak ill of the queen, but..."

"No," he said, his words ghostly, "you did well. Your secret is safe with me." Numbly, he removed a golden clasp from his uniform, bearing the mark of the Northern Air Temple on it, and handed it to her. "This is for your service. If you or anyone you know is ever in need of anything, show this to the monks of the Northern Air Temple, and they will care for you. It is...the best I can do. Please, give Zoicite full rites and honors. I...I have an urgent matter to attend to, but I will join you in mourning once I am finished. Spirits be with you."

He didn't hear her response, or her thanks. Kunzite wiped the tears forming in his eyes and marched off to the palace. Nothing mattered to him anymore—not his fortress, not the Northern Air Temple, nor the kingdom or even his own life. He was consumed with only a single passion, and would not stop until he saw it come to fruition.

Queen Beryl must pay.

…...

"This is boring," Usagi grumbled as the minutes rolled by. "Why does diplomacy and politics have to take so long?"

"Just count yourself lucky they're only talking," Kinsei said, cautiously calm. "I doubt we'll have it this easy for long. Hope for the best, expect the worst, eh?" Minako nodded; meanwhile Usagi nudged Rei.

"So who was this Wu Yung guy? Someone famous?" Rei rolled her eyes.

"Only one of Avatar Sung Chiang's closest and most important friends. People called him 'the Great Intelligence'. Alongside King Lu Junyi and Gongsun Sheng, they made up the most powerful army this world has ever seen. They're legendary! You seriously slept through all that?"

"Hey, cut me some slack," Usagi groaned. "It's impossible to remember all those names and dates. History sucks."

"History doesn't suck, you just need more disci—"

"Ssh, something's happening," Makoto whispered. The palace gates were opening, and Wu Yung emerged again with his retinue. Kinsei grinned.

"Let no one say the Earth Kingdom's magistrates lack in expediency! What is the news, my friend?"

"Your grievance has been submitted to her highness," Wu Yung reported. "She has given me the task of issuing your expulsion from Ba Sing Se. If you do not comply within five minutes—"

"OH, HAS SHE NOW?!" Kinsei's bellow shocked Wu Yung, repulsing him backwards a few steps. His anger was finally made bare as he continued: "Expulsion indeed! Perhaps I should have added the attempted assassination of King Motoki to my list of grievances, or the attack on the Northern Water Tribe, or the continued assault on my daughter and her friends!"

Without missing a beat, Wu Yung said, "If you do not comply within five minutes, her highness will be forced to take more immediate action. Either vacate of your own free will or she will retaliate with deadly force."

"I see," Kinsei grumbled bitterly, calming down a degree. "You have been most fair and courteous, Wu Yung, and though I have only known you an instant, I can tell you have the bearings of your namesake. Under any other circumstance, I would gladly take your council and bother you no more." Kinsei suddenly smiled viciously, and gestured. At once, the force of air-benders and air bisons that had been hiding away soared into view, every one of them burning with righteous indignation. Kinsei bared his teeth like a demon.

"But these are no ordinary circumstances, are they my friend? So I must proposition you, master emissary, to do your worst!" Wu Yung stood petrified, staring at the seventy benders and their master, all ready to bring holy judgment down upon the palace and its queen. To his credit, he kept his composure to the end.

"I see. Well, in that case...good-bye!"

Then he intelligently ran off as fast as his legs could carry him.

"Wise move," Kinsei remarked. He then glared at the four honor guards. "Well, what about you lads? Would you care to follow your friend and live for another day, or will ye be fools and fight?" The four men hesitated for a moment, then looked at each other.

"We...cannot abandon our post under any circumsta—"

"BWAAH!" The combined roar of Kinsei and thirty-some air bisons was enough to change their minds. The passage was cleared...for the moment.

"Well, the calm has passed," Ami whispered. "Now we enter the storm. I hope your father has a plan, Minako."

"Oh, he does. We didn't spend all of yesterday just sitting on our hands. And...you can call me Mina." She winked, which eased Ami's nerves a little. The palace gates swung open—all the way open—and scores of battle-hardened earth-benders and warriors, the finest in the realm, marched out, projectiles already flying. Kinsei swatted the volley away with a wave of his hand and shouted:

"All right, Beryl, if that's the way you want it! First wave...DIVE!" Twenty air-benders swooped down, blasting the palace and the enemy with explosive gusts that flattened or scattered them. Arrows, javelins, and stone projectiles were returned in full force, shooting many of them out of the sky. Some careened more safely than others, but a few fell to their deaths, either onto hard pavement or in the company of spearmen. More of Beryl's forces marched out.

"Second wave...DIVE!" Twenty more air-benders picked up where their brave predecessors left off, sending shockwaves of air to cleave into the enemy ranks. Dozens of soldiers were slashed, knocked over, or crushed, but they continued their assault relentlessly; it was a stalemate. Kinsei's seventy air-benders would have been a force to be reckoned with under any circumstance, but Beryl's forces matched and exceeded theirs. Soon over a hundred soldiers had emerged from the palace, and more were being culled from nearby outposts—even from the fortress everyone had escaped from not long ago. In very little time, the group was outnumbered three to one. Ami, Rei, and Makoto had already leaped into the fray to even the odds, but it was still very one-sided.

"What now, pops?" Minako called as Artemis flattened four archers.

"That's Sifu Daddy to you!"

"Whatever, just give the order!" Kinsei grinned, undeterred by the grim battle.

"All monks clear a path to the palace! Once there's an opening, I want you girls to infiltrate it and capture the Queen! If you have friends in there, set them loose! We'll hold them off here as best we can!"

"That's your master plan?!" Kinsei responded by blowing a huge swath of air into the thick of the fight, bowling over at least twenty soldiers (laughing all the while).

"Don't worry, we still have the skies! I don't care how powerful Beryl is, she can't take that from us! We'll be fine on our own, but leave Artemis here!"

"All right," Minako muttered, "I hope you know what you're doing." Usagi hopped off first, anxiously looking around for some way to help. As Minako was bidding farewell to her bison, she saw a large group of earth-benders overtake Blie Zhu. At that moment, it didn't matter if she was the Avatar or just another ordinary girl: she had to act, and she had to do it now.

"Bless You's been hit! I'm going to help!" Yelling at the top of her lungs, Usagi charged, tackling her way into the thick of the fight. Kinsei gawked at her.

"Impetuous girl! Get back here and focus!" He looked around and noticed that all the other air-benders were staring at him, wondering what he would do next. He sighed. "Oh, well. Who wants to live forever, eh?" With a burly laugh, he goaded the air-bender army to Usagi's side; they swept the enemies aside with reckless abandon, pulling Usagi and Blie away. The latter was badly injured, so Kinsei had her escorted away from the field. Then he turned his attention to Usagi.

"You are by far the most reckless, brash, and audacious girl I have ever clapped eyes on!" He laughed proudly and added, "Exactly the kind of person I like! Now fly, brave Usagi, and woe to those who stand in your way!" He gave her an encouraging pat on the back (which was more of a shove), and she rejoined her friends. Inspired by Usagi's actions, the monks blew a torrential storm at the palace, causing the entire structure to tremble, knocking away any and all resistance. The girls hesitated for a moment, looking back at the grand battle behind them, worried for Kinsei and his dwindling forces. It was Usagi who led the charge into the palace, eyes lit with determination as she ran. The girls watched her, nodded, and followed her inside.

…...

Kenji Tsukino wouldn't have minded being imprisoned so much if he had been allowed to keep his ink and papers. Going for such a long time without any word of his daughter's safety and whereabouts was excruciating, but he could bear it a little since he still had his wife and son with him. Writing was normally how he dealt with stress and kept sane during trying times, but being denied that for so long was weighing on him, and he felt his mind fraying. To help him cope, Ikuko got into the habit of memorizing and reciting everything her husband wished to put down on paper, and their son Shingo filled in the gaps. Soon this ritual became the best way to spend the time, and they became very good at recalling entire weeks of detail. But enough was enough: Kenji wanted out; he wanted to see his daughter again; he wanted to record everything and present it to the world. What a time to be without his ink and papers!

He was in the middle of going over what occurred to his family shortly after the attack at the tournament—how they were all captured together and brought over land and sea to Queen Beryl's palace, thrown into the dungeon as accessories or conspirators or some nonsense, and kept there to rot and slowly lose their minds—he was going over everything while doing sit-ups, because exercise helped refresh his memory, when Shingo, who was on lookout duty, waved at him. Kenji stopped what he was doing and sat up. Somebody was walking down the long hallway, all right, but their footsteps were different from the guards that brought them food. They were much lighter, elegant, and they sounded regal—but there was no way Beryl ever strolled down these halls.

Kenji peered as far out from the bars as he could, and noticed a tall figure approaching. It was a woman—really more like a lady, for she carried herself with dignity and poise, a true noblewoman. She had very long hair, an olive complexion, and as she drew nearer, Kenji noticed that her eyes were red, and deeply magnetic. She appeared distant, even aloof, but not cold at all, and nobody could say if she was old or young. When she spoke, it sounded like a voice from another world, or another age.

"Ah, you are the Tsukino family: Kenji, Ikuko, and Shingo."

"And Luna," Shingo blurted sheepishly, before anyone could ask how she knew them. The lady looked down at him.

"Luna?"

"O-our cat...ma'am. Sh-she was separated from us, when we..."

"Oh, I see. Is she a black cat, with a little white spot on her forehead that looks like a crescent moon?"

"You've seen her?!" he exclaimed, throwing himself against the bars. The lady smiled.

"Yes, very recently. She was safely ensconced in a corner somewhere, nibbling away at a duck-mouse. That was a day or so ago, though, so I couldn't tell you where she is now. Oh, pardon me, I've been very rude. I should have let you out before speaking with you." And then, just like that, she put what looked like a key in the lock and opened the door, releasing the Tsukino family after weeks of confinement! The three of them could hardly believe it; Kenji immediately rushed out, whooped, and gave his laughing wife a tight hug. Shingo was much more hesitant to leave, and his mother sensed his distrust.

"Why are you helping us, may I ask?" Ikuko said, still holding her husband.

"Helping?" the lady repeated, as if she didn't understand the concept. She contemplated for a moment before saying, "Hmm, yes, I suppose I have helped you, too. But it would really be more convenient if I let you out now. Just pay no mind to the third floor for a bit—oh, and help yourself to the kitchen on the second, since it's usually empty this time of day." Now the Tsukinos looked confused. The identity of this strange woman suddenly became far more important than their freedom.

"Just who are you, Miss?" Ikuko said. The lady smiled mysteriously.

"There are times I wonder myself. But for the moment, you may refer to me as 'Persephone'. Now, if you will excuse me, I have a meeting with an old friend of mine—oh, but don't mind me in the slightest, I have quite a lot on my mind these days. Yes, just do try to avoid the entire third floor—there's a large lift at the end of this hall that will circumvent that—and the kitchen's always open. Good luck finding Luna!" The lady bowed graciously and left as mysteriously as she came in. As soon as she rounded a nearby corner, Kenji followed her. The corner led into a dead end—with the lady nowhere in sight.

"That's odd," he murmured. He didn't feel frightened so much as perplexed. Whoever that lady was, she gave off a very warm feeling—warm, but distant, like a character out of a legend, or someone who is friendly but never familiar. In any case, he had more urgent matters to attend to, and with the mention of a kitchen, found that a good, solid meal was one of them (prison food had been marginally better than slop). They found the lift easily, taking extra precaution not to stop on the third floor as they made their way to the larder. On the way, rapture of raptures, was a study, where stacks of papers and pots full of ink were there for anyone to claim.

…...

Fire Lord Kuni was glad that he had been patient in gathering his fleet. Organizing all of the freed citizens had taken longer than he thought it would, and he was eager to get going: the sooner he arrived at Ba Sing Se and settled things with Beryl, the sooner he could regain control of his nation, redress every wrong, and hopefully, find the Avatar. He knew, though, that setting off prematurely would destroy all of that, and taking council with his wife and Oboro cemented this belief. Expeditions were sent out to every corner of the Fire Nation to free more citizens and rally them to his cause; boats were borrowed, bought, and even made for the journey, and sailors were conscripted rapidly (many of them volunteering). This all took three and a half days; the journey itself took another half day, but now the fleet was immense, its crew fully prepared, their every move planned...and better still, they were entering Ba Sing Se's eastern shores under cover of darkness.

As soon as the faintest glimmer of light could be seen from the city's torches, Kuni ordered every flame to be extinguished; nobody must know they were coming. Ba Sing Se was well-regarded as an impenetrable city, and this was what had stymied Kuni the most during their preparations. Going in through the front gate was a one-way ticket back to prison—or the execution block—and armies many times larger than Kuni's fleet had tried to assail the city before, and had failed miserably. One of Kuni's messengers had gone to the Western Air Temple to beg for aid, but there was no word from them yet. Kuni was undeterred, though. He had, as the Pai Sho players called it, an ace up his sleeve.

During their final conversation, Jaedite had confided to his king that he would contrive of an excuse to visit Ba Sing Se—perhaps make some report to Beryl or to request for more aid—and while he was there, would secretly open a hidden emergency entrance. Kuni had laughed at the "back door policy" and asked how his General came about such vital information. Jaedite politely refused, stating the matter was "personal", but assured his King that it would be available to him, if he ever made it there. Well, no excuse was needed, and Jaedite used his requested vacation time to open the entrance and clear the way for his King. With instructions on where to look, and a final oath of fidelity, Jaedite left to enact his scheme.

It was much harder to find the place in the evening, especially with no torches to help them see. Kuni actually passed it once before sharper eyes than his pointed it out. The hidden emergency entrance was shielded by imposing cliffs and a relentless surf. There was a tiny quay just barely visible (it would have been hidden even in broad daylight), and a treacherous passage up a slippery stone slope to a thin crevasse carved into the rock. It was obvious this was a path reserved for people of importance or rank, to only be used when all other options for flight had failed. None of their bigger ships could approach it without getting swept up by the current, so Kuni and Suo took a boat over to investigate. Kuni had to risk some light in order for Suo to moor properly, and silently wished there was an earth-bender present to make the ascent easier. They got to the crevasse with some difficulty and quietly signaled that all was well. As it would be impossible for everybody to paddle over there and squeeze through the entrance, a small force was hand-picked to sneak in and find some easier passage. Meanwhile, the main fleet would dock where it could, wait for the vanguard to open the main gates, and storm in.

Fire Lady Iku came along without a word being said from either side. Oboro, Salamander, and Kartti also volunteered, and while Ku Sheng hung back shyly, as soon as she was asked if she wanted to join them, no force in the world could stop her. Iku briefly considered leaving her children to the safety of the fleet, but she had seen how capable they were—and furthermore, she vowed to never be parted from them until all this was over. Of course, where Ittou went, Lark followed; the two had become inseparable.

"Very well," Kuni said, looking over the team of nine. "From this moment on, we are venturing into unknown dangers. We will opt for peace and compromise where we can, and we shall never strike unless in defense. Beryl wanted a war; we will not give her that pleasure. What she will get, though, is a reckoning. Remember the suffering and injustice our people have suffered! May it be a fire you bear in your heart and a light to pierce the darkness!" The group cheered—

"Ssssh!"

They cheered very quietly and followed the King and Queen into the black void of the deep earth, past the point of no return.

The end of "The Point of No Return"

Next time: "Beryl's Reckoning"