He still had a little over two hours to find Toph, stop Azula, and put an end to this madness.
No pressure.
Still, Aang's limbs refused to budge. They felt like lead, heavy and unyielding, an impossible force that threatened to take him down. After a deep breath, he finally pushed himself out of the car. With his heart racing, it was as if it believed he would not survive this encounter, no matter if Toph is saved or not.
But he refused to back down.
Thinking on the events that had led him here, to this moment, all the good and the bad, it made him realize something. He was stronger that Azula thought. He was the one who strove to be better; he was the one who found love and friendship; he was the one who started to believe in himself.
Azula tried to beat that strength out of him, but Aang now realized that it was within himself all along. She could torment his body, but his heart, his very essence...she couldn't touch it. The only reason she tried to was because...
She was unsure about herself.
In that moment, he felt pity for the woman. She had been most likely forced to become what she was, because she didn't know better. Her father had practically kidnapped her, separated her from Ursa and Zuko, two people who had clearly loved her, and turned her against most, if not all, people who would try to save her.
With this new knowledge, Aang walked closer to the water, intent on finding the entrance and getting Toph out of there. The decline was easy, as there were some stones he could use to climb down. Once he did, he looked around. The bay was beautiful, the water a glittering mass of blue that reflected the sky and wispy clouds. The was just heading downwards, casting its bright rays on everything.
It was then he noticed the grate. It was in a slight depression to his left. Heart now throbbing in his throat, he walked over to it. Inspecting the metal, it was clear it was fairly old, the weather and water beating against the bars. But when he opened it, it made no sound, as if recently oiled. The fear, which had hid when he made his realizations, came back full force, reminding Aang of his aqua-phobia. But he had to do this. Toph was down there, and according to his phone, she had a little over two hours to live.
Pulse throbbing, he entered the darkness, turning the phone's flashlight on. It was dank in there, the water a little above the soles of his shoes. Splashing could be heard as he traversed the tunnel, eyes straining to see. Photographic memory he may have, but owl vision in the dark he did not. Sighing, he wandered deeper into the abyss. The near silence was deafening, and the stench down here was wretched, but he blocked that from his mind, focusing on what needed to be done.
After about ten minutes, he came to the first marker. A glow in the dark stick, small enough to fit in his hand but pretty wide. It looked eerie, hanging on the wall like that, as if it were a specter. The tunnel became a three-way, one on the left, the right, and back the way he came from. Judging from the marker, the way to Toph was to the left, and looking father down while blocking the flashlight, he could see the barest green glow of another stick.
Mouth dry, he kept the beam of light to the floor, following the path that led to the green glow like a star in a night sky. That was when he heard something fall. Jumping in fear, he twirled around and aimed the beamed on bars that had not been there before. A chill went down his spine as he realized that there was no going back the way he had come from.
Shivering in dread, he slowly turned back around, forcing himself to go further in, following that small green beacon. Aang shivered in the cool dampness of the tunnel, turning corners and finding those glow sticks. Azula must be watching him, as she was wont to do, because that feeling of eyes on him didn't abate. If anything, the heavy weight of that gaze made his heart thump just a little harder. It wasn't long before he found himself where he feared. There was a small pool in the ground, going down a gentle slope. It had been years since he swam and the idea made his gut clench painfully.
But Toph was down here somewhere, tied and helpless, and that gave him the courage to turn off the flashlight, revealing the green glow that was below the surface, and waded in. Air burst from his lips at the coldness of the liquid. Down he went until his feet left the ground, sending a spike of panic through him, urging Aang to go back. Reaching down, he once more pulled the phone out and turned on the light. It was a good thing his phone was waterproof or it would short circuit right then.
However, when he aimed the beam upwards, that fear turned to stone-cold terror. There was a wall in front of him, a tiny arch at the bottom that said the tunnel continued on. Swallowing hard, his mind raced. He didn't think he could swim under, and he had no idea how long he would have to be without air until he reached the other side. But if he stayed there, the water would freeze him to death, and then Toph would drown after him. He moaned in despair, wishing now more than ever that his friends were with him.
Why hadn't he even tried to contact them? Was his fear of Azula really that powerful? Treading in the dark water, the flashlight tiny in this claustrophobic space, he imagined their faces, their smiles, their hugs when something went wrong.
He thought about Sokka's love for bad jokes, his smarts, and sarcasm.
He thought of Suki, his beloved sister by circumstance, who was fierce, loyal, and cunning.
He thought of Katara, the girl who had suffered much, yet found a way to continue her life through crafting and healing.
Thinking of them, and of those he had met before, of his old friends as well as his rediscovered parents, the passion for them burned right then and there. Azula was going to be hard pressed to dispose of him, because of the strong urge to protect those he cared about, keeping them out of her talons.
And so, with a fire in his heart, Aang took a few deep breaths, then plunged under.
(***)
Sokka parked frantically before he, Suki, and Katara jumped out of the truck, and the latter felt her heart drop when she saw Aang's car not far from theirs. Even though she believed he had come here, it still made her upset just thinking that he had left without telling them. But she also knew that he was strong, that he would fight until the very end, but the thought terrified her. Aang, she knew, wanted to keep them safe, as much as he could.
But now he was in greater danger than before, and they had to help him.
Suki groaned in despair when she saw the car as well, seeming to sense Katara's distraught thoughts. "Aang, what were you thinking?" she muttered, more to herself than the siblings.
The trio raced to the bank, down the slight incline, and came to rest on the slightly muddy ground. Sokka looked down before kneeling, and it was then Katara noticed tracks, footprints that marked a trail. He traced one with a frown. "Definitely Aang's," he muttered, standing up again and looking in the direction they headed. He pointed down the way. "There's a grate over there."
Katara clasped one of her hands to her blue purse strap, staring hard in that direction. "Then let's go."
They ran over to the grate, pulling it away from the tunnel entrance, and heading inside. Taking out her phone, she turned on the light, looking around. The tunnel was circular shaped, wide enough for the three teenagers to traverse side by side. Their footsteps echoed, splashing sound ricocheting all around them. Katara could feel the chill in the air, but the heat in her heart made it bearable. Aang was down here, somewhere, and she prayed to her mother that they would find him and Toph in one piece.
But it wasn't long before they came to the gate. Dread pooled in her stomach, seeing the bars block their path. There can only be one reason something like this would be there...
Suki hurried over to the bars, grasping them tightly. Her voice sounded choked when she said, "Not again."
Sokka grasped her shoulder, pulling her away from the sight and hugging her to his chest. "I'm sure he's fine. Aang is tougher than Azula; he will make it out." But doubt seeped through his voice, unsure.
Katara came over to join the hug, not saying anything, but there was no need. Despite knowing that Aang was strong, there was no telling what horrors he was going through while they were stuck there. Her heart yearned to be with him, to keep him safe, but the thought from before came to mind. 'You can't keep him safe forever.'
Sighing, she broke the hug, looking at the bars again sadly. "I guess there's nothing to do but wait."
Sokka walker closer to the bars at her statement, flashlight on. He felt around the circumference, digging into the stonework. His brow furrowed as his hand paused, kneeling on the ground. "Hold on, there's something there..."
The girls knelt with him, and he showed them a wire on the other side of the gate. Attached was some kind of mechanism, just out of reach. Katara frowned. "It looks like it's attached to the gate."
Sokka nodded. "If we could reach it, the bars might raise up."
Suki pressed up on said bars and forced an arm through, but the space was too narrow for more that her wrist. She grunted in frustration, pulling back her arm and glaring. "How can we get the switch?"
Katara bit her lip, feeling that same emotion. Grasping once more at her strap, a thought came to her. Frantic, she removed her bag form her shoulder and opened the flap, reaching inside to pull out some materials. Sokka looked over and grimaced. "Katara, now is not the time to make jewelry."
She rolled her eyes. "I'm not making that; I have an idea." Quickly she put together a few wires, looking up to see how far the switch was, before grimacing. "Sokka, aim your flashlight at the switch. Suki, yours on my hands."
Sokka shook his head but did as he was ordered, following Suki's lead. Now that she could see better, it was much easier to gauge the distance. Taking out a large crystal bead, she looped the thick metal through the hole, looping and bending until the ends touched before using a small pliers to pull and twist the bead. It formed a kind of wand. About a foot long, it should reach the switch.
Moving over to Sokka, she said, "Keep your light on it."
"On what? The switch or the wand?" he asked sarcastically, which only made her temper spike. She glared at him heatedly, and that shut him up. He focused the beam on the switch, a circular button that was lighter in color that the stone around it. Holding her breath and praying that this worked, Katara pushed the wand through and touched the button. It gave way easily, the mechanism turned, and the gate slowly opened upwards.
Katara jerked the wand out before it could be bent. It might come in handy later.
"Huh," Sokka said, impressed. "I guess your craft isn't as useless as I thought." He smiled at her to take the bite away, and she nudged his shoulder with hers, enjoying the fleeting moment humor.
As the gate disappeared through the ceiling, a sudden chill went through the group. It occurred to her that this should be harder to get through, and yet it was a piece of cake. Suki said what everyone thought. "Uh, is it just me, or did that feel a little too easy?"
Sokka nodded. "Yeah, now that you mention it. You guys think Azula is watching?"
Katara glared in to the darkness, a green glow distant. "Yes, but we don't have a choice if we want to help Aang."
Suki bit her lip before taking a deep breath. "Well, if nothing else, at least she knows that we don't give up." Standing, she brushed her hands on her jeans knees. "We better get going."
The siblings stood with her and the trio went down the path, following what could now be seen as a glow-stick. But right after they crossed the thresh-hold, the sound of the gate closing made them turn. Suki jogged back, feeling the area where the button used to be, before cursing. "It's gone!" she announced in a panic.
Sokka growled low in his throat, fire in his eyes. "Definitely watching us. There's probably a hatch it comes out of."
"Then we're trapped down here," Katara stated in a low voice. Azula was playing with them, trying to scare the teens before most likely ending them.
Suki went back over to them, that same fire in her gaze as her boyfriend's. "Well, we're not going to let that scare us. What are we waiting for? Let's get my brother and find another way out of this hell."
With no option but to press forward, they continued on. After a while, they came upon the small pool, pausing. Shining their light, they could see that the tunnel continued, but only if they submerge. Sokka sighed. "Who knows how long it goes for?"
Katara felt a flash of fear, not for herself, but for Aang, whom hated the water because of his near drowning. Azula was sick to use his weakness like this. Taking a deep breath, she moved closer, but Sokka stopped her. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Diving in," she said simply, firmly.
He shook his head, throwing his arms out. "No way, Kat. I'll do it. You stay with Suki."
The girl in question crossed her arms. "I'm not about to be left behind, Sokka."
He paled a bit. "I...I'm only protecting you, Suki. You and Katara."
His sister raised a brow. "Sokka, you're not being manly, not right now. I have the best chance of making it the other side."
"She does swim better than we do," Suki admitted. "Not to mention how long she can hold her breath. Katara's our best bet."
Sokka sighed, his voice soft but thick when he spoke. "But if something happens to you, I'd never forgive myself. I-I can't lose you too."
Katara felt herself calm down, hearing the sorrow in his voice and knew he was thinking about their mother. Katara knew he wanted her safe, and she loved him for it, but...
Placing a hand on his shoulder, she made him look up from the ground. "Sokka, I know you want me to be okay. Me being safe matters to you. But Aang and Toph are down here. They need us. I'm the best swimmer, so let me do my part to help. Once I've established that it's safe on the other side, I'll come back get you two."
"But-" he started, but a squeeze from her hand stopped him.
"I can do this. You know I can."
The siblings stared at each other, before Sokka looked away, nodding. She dropped her hand and put her purse down, took a few deep breaths, then jumped in. The water was freezing, but that didn't stop her from gliding. She felt at home in the water, cutting through the liquid like a fish. After reaching the wall, she calmed her heart, took a couple more breaths, then dived.
Despite the darkness, the water was clear, and she could see the green of a glow-stick, leading her on. After only about a minute, the glow went upwards, and she followed. Breaking the surface, it came as a shock. She had honestly thought it would take longer than that. Releasing a breath, she looked around, finding herself in a circular room with a single metal door. Katara wanted to go over there immediately, to find Toph and Aang, but she remembered her promise.
After once more diving down, she followed the lights until she emerged where the older couple waited. Shaking the wet strands out of her face, she beckoned them. "It's clear on the other side, and it takes about a minute to get there."
Sokka and Suki looked at each other, nodded, and dove in together. Sokka shuddered after emerging. "Man, there goes my good shirt," he grumbled, shivering slightly.
Suki snorted, rolling her eyes, treading water. "I'm sure we can find another one."
Katara interrupted. "There are glow sticks down there, too. Just follow them and we'll be fine."
"Hopefully," Sokka muttered, then the three took deep breaths before diving, one after the another. As predicted, it didn't take long for the three to emerge on the other side. They climbed out, dripping wet, and stood in front of the metal door.
Suki muttered angily, "She better watch out now."
Sokka nodded in agreement, grasping her hand. "It's time."
Katara placed her hand on the handle, then looked at them. "Are we ready?" The other two gave the affirmative, Katara opened the door, and beheld...
Toph, tied to a chair, with Aang frantically trying to free her. Seeing him made her heart soar, which in turn made her want to run into his arms and never let go. Other than being soaking wet, he seemed unharmed. His eyes were wide with panic as they shot to the trio, relief coming to his face at realizing who it was. "Guys!" he exclaimed with a grin, but then the sound of pipes rattling made a look of horror wash away the previous look. "We have to get out! Azula-"
That was when the room began flooding.