Chap. 20

The Loves and Secrets of Air, Fire, Water, and Earth

The cell was deathly quiet, as the prisoners waited for word of Sokka. Katara stared at the cell door with a fearful patience, wanting to see even the slightest sign of her brother. Iroh held the girl's hand in his, trying to comfort her with his presence if not his words. The Knights were discussing a plan to escape, but it wasn't having much success. Toph added her own comments from time to time, while Tierra continued to reflect on the situation and Aang hung unconscious on the wall. As for Zuko was attempting to divert his worry through meditation, as he tried to reinvigorate his gas-ridden body.

But his body was too weak to focus, and his mind was too conflicted to concentrate. Zuko might not have liked Sokka at first, but when he'd started to trust him, Zuko started to feel like he really belonged in the group. Now Sokka was suffering because of Zuko's family. Even though it wasn't his fault, Zuko felt the guilt flow through him, as he finally gave up on meditating.

Dammit Azula, do you have to destroy everything I care about? He thought to himself as he looked at Katara's worried face. My family and I have caused her nothing but grief. I have got to make this right. Unfortunately, he had no idea how he was going to do that. Looking at Katara, Zuko started to say something, but then shut his mouth. No words could ease the girl's pain now, and Zuko had never been a good speaker.

But words were spoken anyway, as a garbled mess came from the mouth of the captured Avatar. Everyone turned to see as Aang shook the cobwebs and brought his head up. The young boy looked around for a moment, trying to understand his surroundings, then turned to look at the group.

"Fire Nation troops came after us." Trueno said, answering the boy's unspoken question. "They used some kind of gas on us that screwed with our powers. They gassed you too while you were asleep. I wouldn't try to Airbend."

"Do you remember what happened in the market?" Iroh asked.

Aang nodded. "I remember finding the merchant that had Appa."

"You did? Did he have him?" Aire asked.

"No. He sold him to some Fire Nation troops outside the city. He should be halfway to the Fire Nation by now." Aang said sadly, as he dropped his head.

"Oh Aang, I'm so sorry." Katara said, her concern for Sokka now replaced by concern for the young Airbender. But while Katara's words would've comforted him once, now they only reminded him of what he had seen. His face darkening, Aang glared at her and turned his head away.

"Aang, please don't do this now." Katara pleaded, instantly knowing what was wrong. "What happened before…."

"It's fine." Aang said coldly. "You and Zuko should make a good couple."

"It didn't happen like that." Katara said. "It was an accident."

"Sure."

"She's telling the truth." Zuko said. "I knocked her into me and it happened. That's all it was and all it will be. I swear to you on my honor, nothing more happened Aang."

At that, everyone turned to face the former prince, even Aang. "Zuko did you just call him by his right name?" Iroh asked.

"Aren't I supposed to address friends by their names Uncle?" Zuko asked. Turning back to the boy, Zuko said, "I spent the last year chasing you, Aang, for the respect of a madman that I could never have. I've been more at peace with this group then I have in the time I spent at sea. I owe you for that and I couldn't dishonor myself by making you feel that I was changing your family; only you could do that."

For a moment, the two of them stared at each other, each waiting for the other to respond. Aang thought about what Zuko had said. He knew that Zuko was extremely honorable, and he would never go back on it. But could something like that really be accident? And what did Zuko mean by how Aang changed his family? As the young Airbender looked at the former prince, he wondered for a second if Zuko knew….. no it was impossible, no one knew about how he felt about Katara. Thinking of that, Aang remembered the words of wisdom and compassion from Gyatso, and finally said, "I believe you Zuko. I'm sorry I ran off like that."

"Anyone would have Aang." Luz said. "But for now, we have a bigger problem. We have to figure out how to get out of her and find Sokka."

"Sokka's gone?" Aang said, just now noticing. "I thought it was quiet in here. What happened?"

"Azula took him to the torture room." Katara said with venom. "She apparently heard we found something in the desert and she wants to find out what it is."

"But Sokka would never tell that." Aang said.

"Then Azula will torture him until he dies." Desierto said bluntly. "She's got no patience for anything."

But the wolf was wrong. A moment later, the door swung open as the silhouettes of two guards filled the doorway. With a grunt, they hurled a figure onto the floor of the cell.

"Sokka!" Katara yelled, as she saw her brother, his body wrapped in bloody bandages, was dragged to an empty set of chains and imprisoned. Another shadow filled the room then, one that the group recognized instantly.

"What did you do to him!" Katara cried out as Azula entered the cell.

"Not enough to break him." Azula answered. "But it doesn't matter. I have a better plan for you."

"And what would that be? Crying to Daddy and having him make us talk?" Fuego snapped.

"Actually, it's far simpler. Tomorrow morning, I will call an assembly of the crew. You will be led out and asked to talk. If you refuse, I'll have a nice execution." Azula sneered.

She would have continued, but then Azula noticed something strange. Tierra, who had been deep in thought and looking down at the floor, was now staring at the Princess with a rather queer expression.

"What are you looking at?" Azula snapped.

The dog was quiet a moment, then said, almost thoughtfully, "I'm not sure."

Taking it as an insult, Azula's eyes narrowed, and she stomped out of the cell, the guards following. As the door slammed shut, Katara and the others turned their attention to Sokka, Tierra remained as he was, a strange, thoughtful expression on his face.

The reflection period he'd endured had brought the dog some insight on his closed minded nature. Being so immobile in his thinking had been part of the reason the group had been captured. It was a mistake Tierra wanted to redeem himself for. But now there was something else that the dog had to ponder. While the Knights were all gifted in obvious ways, there were other, less explosive enhancements they possessed. Due to their animal nature mixing with powerful magic, some of the Knights had enhanced senses. Oscuridad could hear a pin dropping from anywhere. Bosque was exceptionally agile. Agua and Aire could see for miles… literally. And Desierto, Luz, and Tierra could smell better then the Shirshu, Tierra best of all.

Being locked in such a small room with so many people had given Tierra a chance to observe many different scents. But there had been a few from the humans that had qualities the dog had found shocking. It had taken until Azula entered for him to realize them, and then her scent had only added to the confusion. However, Tierra now had a theory about how they all related. The question was, did that mean that…… If I need to be open-minded, this is a great place to start. Tierra thought. But I can't just say something like this without understanding of it. I need to make some calls.

However, in the mess surrounding Sokka, the dog didn't get a chance to call until late that night. As everyone had discussed plans, glared at him for not involving himself, and eventually falling asleep, Tierra had remained silent, as he developed his own plan. The dog had gotten a good view of the outside of the ship as he'd been led in. He knew that Azula or someone had kept some items onboard that had connection to the earth. Tierra could use that, but the opportunity would only be available to him if his information was correct. To find that out, he needed to make contact. In his weakened state, it would be dangerous, but he had to try, not just for his plan, but for his friends onboard; this concerned all of them, in a way that they never would have suspected.

Slowly, the dog closed his eyes and began to relax. As his breathing slowed, he began to call out in his mind, repeating a single name over and over….

Chiron.

Chiron.

Chiron.

His body began to relax even further, as Tierra felt his spirit being pulled from his body. But his body would not let go so easily. The weakening gas pulled at him from the pores of his body, dragging his spirit back. Nausea swept over him. But Tierra fought against his weakness, as his spirit reached for power hidden deep under the waters, the power of the rock of the ocean floor. In this metaphysical state, Tierra could draw strength from all earth, not just what he could touch. He felt the power flow into him, and the last of his earthly confines broke, as he was pulled into the realm……

There was a flash of white light, and then Tierra stood on a large blue platform, in the middle of a strange realm that looked like the inside of prism. Light twisted and spiraled from everywhere. But Tierra took no notice; he'd been her before. Instead, he looked in front of him, at the brown-robed hooded man that stood there. As Tierra looked on, the man reached up and pulled his hood down, revealing a face that was dark brown, and looked as chiseled as an ancient piece of stone. The man looked at Tierra, who knelt down and said, "Thank you, Father."

"I take it there is much to discuss if you called to come here." Chrion, the Architect of Earth, one of the gods of the world, said to his Knight.

"There is Father, but it is not you I must discuss it with." Tierra said.

"Who then?"

"I must speak with Darya and Ruta. There is a mystery only they could unravel upon the earth."

"And with your brothers weakened, you could not use their weapon-stones to speak with them." Chiron said, nodding in agreement. "Very well. I shall call them now."

Within seconds, a pillar of flame erupted to the left of Chron, while a spout of water appeared to his left. They vanished in seconds, leaving a red-robed man and a blue-robed woman in their place.

"What is it you need, Groundquake?" Darya, Architect of Fire asked.

"I need your knowledge, Master." Tierra said.

"Of what?" Ruta, Architect of Water asked. She pulled back her hood, revealing a smooth white face, with blond hair that flowed down to her shoulders.

"I need knowledge of your people. Specifically, four of them, the children the Avatar travels with, and the one trying to kill him…….."