Intro Thing:
Well that took a long time to write! Sorry about that. Between school and generally being depressed about the state of the world I have not been nearly as productive as any of us would've liked. It didn't help that this opening contained two things, fight scenes and character death, that take a lot out of me as a writer. (Why did I add them then? Your guess is as good as mine.)
Luckily, I should have the next chapter out relatively soon and hopefully the one after that by the end of the month. Honestly if you guys want to yell politely me to write faster that would be pretty helpful. At least this one time.
Unfortunately for those of you who are just in this for lemony bits, I'm going to have to disappoint you. This chapter and the next do/will not include any sexy times, because… well… it would feel rather inappropriate given the other subject matter.
On another note, I'm thinking of making a Discord server for the story. Where you could ask me questions, I could give updates and we could all generally have a fun time discussing Avatar, fanfiction and other nerdy things. Let me know if any of you are interested in that.
Sorry for rambling so much. I'll shut the fuck up now. Onward, to the story!
(Hopefully it was worth the wait...)
Prologue: The End
"They're this way!" Toph shouted, pointing deeper into the forest of stone pillars. Without a second thought Sokka charged forward, Suki and Toph following close behind. So much adrenaline was pumping through his veins that he barely felt the wound in his side or the throbbing pain in his leg. His friend was in danger and that's all that mattered. Through the stone pillars he could see the shapes of two benders locked in combat, Aang and the Firelord. The air was swelteringly hot as they approached the inferno.
Aang was clearly flagging and on the defensive, doing his best to hold off the world ending fire blasts that erupted from Ozai's hands, feet and mouth. Ozai's intent to kill was clear, as well as Aang's apprehension to do the very same thing. Aang just kept running, dodging, evading, but he could only do that for so long. With Aang running and the Firelord coming close behind the combatants were moving away from Sokka, Suki and Toph faster than the three of them could run and they were losing ground.
"Toph," Sokka said, grabbing her arm and pointing upwards at the sky in the direction of the fight. A flash of brief confusion washed over Toph's face before she gave a small nod of understanding.
"There!" Sokka shouted.
A wall of stone erupted up from below, sending them flying into the air for the second time that day. They soared in an arch through the air straight towards the top of one of the stone pillars near where Aang and Ozai were engaged in fatal combat. Right on target. Sokka rolled when he hit the stone, tumbling with all the grace he could muster despite his injured leg. He heard Suki land next to him and turned around just in time to pluck a falling Toph out of the air before she flew over the other side of the pillar and to the ground. He was always surprised by how light she was.
Before the trio was a terrifying and beautiful display of bending. Dancing flames of red, yellow and orange sprouted from Ozai and shot towards Aang, collalessing into the visage of a dragon. With a few small movements, Aang raised a wall of earth to block it. When the dragon collided with the shield Ozai's dragon unraveled, only to reform into a two headed beast that attacked Aang from both sides. Aang jumped ten feet straight up into the air, avoiding the fiery explosion caused by the two heads smashing together. While in the air, Aang fired a barrage of counter attacks with his airbending. Ozai threw up a shield of fire but the precise blades of air cut through it easily, hitting him on the arms and sending the firebender wheeling backwards. Aang pushed his advantage, running towards Ozai who had just barely managed to regain his footing on the pillar.
Recovering from the shock of seeing the two most powerful benders in the world clash, Sokka reached for his boomerang only to find the pouch empty. He cursed.
"Toph can you get us closer? Suki and I can't do anything from here!" Sokka shouted.
"You got it," Toph said, stomping twice so hard it shook the pillar beneath them as she thrust the heels of her hands out in front of her. A cheeky "hold on" was all the warning Sokka and Suki got before the stone below them broke from the rest of the pillar and lurched forward, flying straight toward Ozai's exposed back.
The Firelord turned to face them at the last possible second. The hate contained in Ozai's eyes could've razed a city to the ground as he thrust his fist towards the trio. A blast of light and heat flared toward them so powerful that it sent Ozai spiraling into the air. Without batting an eye Toph maneuvered the massive flying stone disc beneath them to block the blast. This had the unfortunate effect of sending Toph, Sokka and Suki flying out into the open air. "Toph," Sokka screamed as they plummeted to the earth below, the stone shield exploding above them. "Got it!" she shouted, colliding with another stone pillar and digging her feet in the rock before quickly bending two small ledges that caught Sokka and Suki before they could fall too far.
Sokka hit the stone with an audible 'oof'. He sprang to his feet without a second thought and returned his gaze to the enemy. Their little stunt had distracted Ozai enough to allow Aang to get the upper hand and he was now on the attack. Barrage after barrage of water, earth, fire and air sailed towards Ozai as he desperately tried to dodge and maintain altitude. Slowly but surely Aang was gaining ground on him. Sokka felt the platform below him rise until he was back on top of the pillar and he looked to see Toph and Suki on pillars to his right and left.
Sokka was about to tell Toph to keep chasing only to see that the dueling benders were already circling back towards them. Ozai seemed to have regained some of his vigor and was returning fire towards Aang, but the Avatar effortlessly blocked every blast. Sokka watched as Ozai, unable to injure his opponent, started looking for a way out, his eyes darting wildly. Though he was high above and flying through the air, the Firelord made the briefest eye contact with Sokka. Suddenly, Ozai's trajectory changed so he was barreling directly towards Sokka.
Aang quickly realized what was happening and shifted his flight path to match. "Toph, be ready to shoot on my command!" Sokka shouted as he unsheathed the stolen Fire Nation sword slung across his back and shifted into a defensive stance. Ozai drew closer and closer and time seemed to slow as he Sokka prepared to meet him.
"Fire!"
Spears of stone and rock shot through the air between Ozai and Sokka, and Ozai who had all the energy of an exploding volcano behind him had no chance of slowing down in time to dodge them. The spears ripped through skin and flesh as a deafening roar of wind caught Ozai from behind, sending him sailing over Sokka's head. Taking his opportunity, Sokka lashed out with his blade, slicing through tough, sinewy muscle. The Firelord screamed in agony as the blade caught his leg and sent him careening towards the ground. But in another display of his firebending prowess Ozai sustained his flaming jets just long enough to fall, rolling onto one of the pillar tops.
Smoothly sheathing the sword though it was wet with royal blood, Sokka turned to face his enemy just as Aang shot past him, landing on a pillar between the Firelord and his friends. Ozai, bloodied and bruised, forced himself up onto one knee and glared at the four of them, his silky black hair falling into his eyes.
"You dare!? Dare to touch my sacred body!? I am the Phoenix King!" He shouted as he struggled to his feet.
"And I'm the Avatar. What's your point?" Aang said, his voice calm but powerful, and Sokka was sure that Aang had truly become who he was always meant to be.
"Well let's see how you like this airbender!" Ozai hissed. The tips of the Firelord's fingertips began to burn bright blue as he went into a firebending form and then suddenly the blue was all around him. Streaks of lightning that crackled in the air.
"Die!"
Electricity erupted from Ozai's fingers, forming into an ever elongating spear of azure as it flew towards Aang.
"Run Aang!" Sokka shouted. But the Avatar stood his ground.
Sokka heard Aang take an audible breath, so deep that the wind patterns changed around him, and moved into a waterbending stance just as the bolt of lightning collided with him. Sokka watched as electricity coursed through Aang's body, but it was clear that he had control over it as he shifted through the form and pointed his finger back at Ozai. Suddenly, Sokka realized the power Aang held. The power of life and death.
"Do it Aang! Finish him!" He screamed, pleading with Aang, hoping more than anything else that his friend would have the strength to do his duty.
Sokka couldn't make out the expression on Aangs's face from where he was standing but he could see Ozai, who had recovered quickly from the shock of his lightning being redirected and was preparing to fire another attack. Sokka watched Ozai's dismay turn to delight as Aang's fingertips moved from Ozai's naked chest to a stone wall beyond him. And just as Aang released the electrical energy from his body, sparing the Firelord's life, a shock of lightning burst from Ozai's outstretched hand. Overextended, Aang had no time to move back into his redirecting stance, allowing the bolt to slip through his defenses and strike him in the chest.
"Aang!" Sokka, Toph and Suki screamed in unison as the bright blue electricity burned through the Avatar's stomach, sending him staggering back.
Aang coughed, teetered for a second, and collapsed.
Without them even having to ask, Toph earthbending the platforms under the three of them so they were next to Aang within seconds. Sokka and Suki knelt next to the fallen Avatar while Toph stood staring sightlessly at the Firelord. "Aang. Aang! Please, please." Sokka shouted, gently shaking his friend as his girlfriend examined the bloody mess of Aang's stomach. Not getting a response, Sokka moved his shaking hands to Aang's neck, searching for a pulse. 'Please, please, please be alive.' Then Sokka felt a beat. Subtle, but definitely there. 'He's still alive.'
"He's going to make it," Sokka said, to himself more than anyone else.
"Sokka." Suki said, laying her hand on his shoulder. Sokka caught her eye and followed her gaze to the smoking hole in Aang's torso. The burns had turned Aang's skin as black and hard as charcoal.
"I don't th-" Suki was caught off by a sudden peel of malevolent laughter, from where the Firelord stood. With pure hatred in his heart, Sokka shifted his gaze over to Ozai, eager to see what was so funny.
Fingers still smoking with the evidence of murder, Ozai was doubled over in a fit of wild mirth. Sokka's fist clenched around the hilt of his sword as he listened to the Firelord's joy, until he couldn't take it anymore. Shaking Suki's hand from his shoulder, he stood, stepping over Aang to stand next to Toph at the edge of the pillar. The two of them stared at the Firelord, cold with hate, as he began to get control of himself again.
"Were going to kill him, right," Toph said, more as a statement than a question.
"Yeah," Sokka replied, his voice flat.
"It seems that the Avatar's friends want to die as well. Can't stand to live without your leader? How touching." Ozai said, chuckling to himself all the while.
"Toph, I want you to send a barrage at Ozai, get him off balance, then launch me and I'll do the rest. We need to take the fight to the ground, where we have the advantage."
"Understood," Toph said and immediately began to fire slabs and spears of stone across the divide. Trusting Toph to do her job, Sokka turned to Suki.
"Suki, take Aang somewhere and hide. We'll finish this," Sokka said.
"Yes sir- I mean, Sokka." Suki said, gathering up Aang's limp form and slinging him across her back. As Suki began to climb down the pillar, Sokka turned back to face Ozai who was busy deflecting and dodging Toph's attacks. Sokka could see he was tiring, Toph had taken out so many chunks out of the side of the pillar that it had begun to wobble ever so slightly. Ozai didn't seem to be able to fly anymore, perhaps he was too exhausted or maybe… The comet's power is waning, Sokka realized, as he looked up at the sky to see the ball of fire, that had once been directly overhead, was now at the far edge of the horizon.
"Get me in there, Toph!"
She nodded and with a single stomp and a stroke of her fists, she sent Sokka careering towards Ozai. As he arched through the air and began to fall, Sokka reached to unsheathe his sword. No, it'll just get in the way, Sokka thought. The platform would be much too small for the blade's reach to be useful and fighting with it at close range would be cumbersome.
Sokka hit the platform hard, rolling to reduce the impact, a flying bullet of stone giving him cover as he sprang up to engage Ozai. He lashed up with a wild kick, hitting Ozai directly in the solar plexus. Ozai coughed as he staggered back and Sokka took his chance. Plowing straight into the Firelord and sending them both flying off the pillar.
The two grappled in the open air as they plummeted to the ground. Sokka fought to restrain the Firelord's wrists but Ozai's muscles were like steel covered in skin.
"Get off me, peasant!" Ozai shouted, throwing Sokka off him and into the rock pillar.
The breath was brutally forced from Sokka's lungs. Something about the collision shocked cleared his head. Sliding down the stone face, the ground rising up to meet him, Sokka's arm moved on its own, unsheating the sword on his back and plunging it into a break in the rocks. As the blade pulled him to an abrupt stop, he felt something in his arm tear.
Fuck me. He thought, hanging there.
Below him Sokka could see the Firelord struggle to bend a fire blast to slow his fall. He did, but sloppily. The uneven propulsion sent him careening to the ground. Yet somehow he managed to land on his feet. It hurt though, Sokka could tell.
Fire, a concentrated, churning flame, grew in the Firelord's hand. So hot and all consuming that Sokka swore he could feel the air thin.
"I always hated you water tribe scum. You never know when you're beat. Just give up and die!" Ozai shouted, hair falling in his face. This is it. This is where I die, Sokka thought.
Suddenly, there was ground beneath Sokka's feet and a spray of rocky projectiles flying at Ozai. Caught off guard the Firelord was forced to turn his attack on the onslaught. Obliterating it, but giving Sokka enough time to move. And as he made his way to the ground, Toph moved in, striding forward fearlessly, her body armored in stone.
"Curse you! Burn you! DIE!" Ozai screamed, throwing another blazing inferno at Toph. Effortlessly she sank into the ground, shooting up again as the wave of fire flew overhead. She landed next to Ozai, too close for him to use another giant attack, and engaged him in close combat. He punched, she sidestepped. He shot a blast of flame, she blocked it with a wall of earth and sent it hurtling at him in a retaliation that he barely dodged. For every attack she had a counter. She was reading him like an open book.
"Damn you!" Ozai shouted, a whip of flame appearing in either hand. He brought them together. This finally caught Toph off guard, she scrambled to the ground just quick enough to avoid the worst of the fiery explosion that followed the whips' collision. But she had bought enough time.
Sokka tackled the Firelord from behind. (With his sword arm out-of-order it seemed like the best option.) The two of them fell to the ground in a tangled heap of violence as they punched and bit and kicked. Eventually, Ozai broke free of Sokka's one armed wrestling routine, throwing him bodily to the side and began to fire bend down to create propulsion. He was trying to fly away. But once again, Sokka had distracted the Firelord for just long enough.
As he flew, the iron bands around Ozai's arms contracted, biting into his skin. He cried out and the fire from his hands ceased. Sokka and the Firelord turned to see Toph standing, arms outstretched, a look of desperate concentration on her face as she metalbent from a distance. Ozai was speechless, Sokka was proud. Then in one fluid move, Toph tore the iron from Ozai's arms and slashed the jagged ends across his midsection like dual blades.
Ozai sank to his knees, breathing heavily as he clutched at the open wound across his stomach. As Sokka approached, he muttered like a madman until Sokka was standing over him. With the last of his strength the firebender screamed.
"I am the Phoenix, cough cough, King!"
In one fluid move, Sokka unsheathed his blade into an arching slash, slicing cleanly through the Firelord's sinewy neck and sheathed it once again.
Blood spurted from Ozai's severed neck as his head flew through the air, mouth open in dumbfounded surprise.
"And now, you're dead," Sokka said, his voice deathly cold as he watched the black haired head roll to a stop. Ozai's headless body tipped forward and collapsed to the ground at Sokka's feet, splashing his shoes with blood.
It was deafeningly quiet.
Sokka stared at the corpse, face blank. It wasn't right. Somehow, despite everything, despite his fulfilled revenge on this man who had taken so much, destroyed so much, killed so many, he felt nothing but unsatisfied, astringent rage. He needed more. He needed to kill Ozai a thousand times. No. A million. An infinite number of torturous deaths wouldn't be enough to repay what Ozai, his forefathers and his kin, had done to the world. To his people. To his family. To him.
Sokka felt a hand on his forearm and glanced down to see Toph. She was looking at the body with sightless eyes. Her face was unreadable, but he thought he detected a similar rage to his or maybe it was just sadness, grief perhaps.
"It wasn't enough. Was it? To kill him," she said, wrapping her arms around his.
"No. It wasn't. I don't think it ever will be," he replied, eyes lingering on the broken, bleeding corpse that looked less like a body every second.
Everything came rushing in then. Sokka was a beach, battered by waves of emotion, feelings and smells. Rage, disappointment, hope, sweat and blood. Most of all he felt empty, cavernous, cold. Toph's warmth against him was like the sun. Almost unbearable but absolutely necessary. If she moved away he might shatter like ice. It was all too much. Far too much.
They stood there for a while in silence. Until Suki broke them out of their trance.
"Sokka! Toph! Aang is…" she called.
Aang. Sokka thought. How could he have forgotten?
Sokka turned and ran. Toph followed close behind him. She bent a swell of earth beneath their feet, propelling them forward and up to the top of the pillar where they had left him. Suki was kneeling besides the Avatar, a hand on his forehead. When she saw Sokka and Toph approach she simply shook her head. Sokka and Toph fell to their knees on either side of their fallen leader. Aang's glazed eyes fell onto Sokka's pale face. He was still there but just barely.
"Sokk- cough, Sokka is that you?" he asked, his voice so frail it was like he really was one hundred and twelve years old.
"Yes, it's me. I'm here." Sokka said, gripping his friend's hand with his fingers that weren't broken.
"And, Toph… sifu… is that…?"
"It's me... Twinkle Toes…" she trailed off.
Aang forced out a few wracking, agonizing, bouts of laughter. His whole body shook from the effort.
"I've never… never thought… why is that funny now...?" he said, grinning in a manner that looked more like a grimace. No one said anything. What could they say? Their friend was dying in front of them and there was nothing they could do.
"Sokka… please tell… Karata… tell her that I love her…" he said, through wheezing breaths.
Sokka gripped Aang's hand harder.
"Of course. And I know she… I know she loves you. The same way…" Sokka didn't know that but… what was he to say?
Aang nodded. His eyes slid from Sokka to Toph to Suki and back to Sokka.
"Look… look after the world for me…"
"We will. I promise…"
Aang nodded again. A faint, pitiful thing. Smiled one last time. And then, he was gone.
Only then, looking at the sickening stillness of Aang's body, did Sokka fully comprehend what had happened. Aang was dead. Gone. Forever. Sokka pulled his friend, his brother really, into his arms. Tears flooded his eyes. "You were so brave but..." But when it came down to it you were too weak. Sokka thought. Instantly, he felt bad for even thinking that. Here was his friend, dead and all Sokka could think was how he had failed. But he couldn't help it and he couldn't forgive Aang for what he had done, or more accurately, what he hadn't.
Still weeping, Sokka, felt the gentle touch of Suki's hands on his shoulders. He looked up and met her eyes. She saw grief there and worry, not for Aang, perhaps she hadn't known him long enough, but for him. And also so much love. Too much.
Gently, Sokka laid Aang's body down, rearranging his friend's splayed limbs into a more dignified bearing, one befitting of an Avatar. With equal gentleness, he covered the hole burned through Aang's stomach with a ragged cloth that had once been clothing. Finally, he closed Aang's eyes and stood. Saluted and bowed.
Aang looked almost peaceful laying there, Sokka thought. Almost as if he were asleep, though Aang had never slept with such deathly stillness.
Slowly, Sokka turned and looked into Suki's eyes. They were wet with tears and he figured his own must be too. She wrapped her arms around him and he followed suit, feeling her soft warmth fill his body. Louder this time and harder, he wept and wept into Suki's shoulder until the wide collar of her top was damp with tears, but she didn't move or complain, she just held him and caressed his hair while he grieved.
Sokka looked over at Toph to see that she was sitting on the ground with her knees pulled close to her chest. She looked more shocked than anything else and as she stared at Aang's body, her eyes empty. The reality of what had happened was still sinking in. He felt a sudden need to hold her. For his sake and for her's. Reaching over, he pulled her into his arms. She didn't even resist, just fell into him like a sack of rocks. She began to shake in a dry, silent cry and he stroked her hair softly. Suki wrapped them both in a hug and the three of them held each other.
Suki was the first to notice Appa. He swept down from the clouds with a swiftness that Sokka had never seen before. He already knows, Sokka realized. Katara was helming Appa and as they drew closer Sokka could see the fear on her face. Zuko was nowhere to be seen.
They landed right next to Aang. The ground shook as Appa's full weight hit the stone. Sokka and Suki rose to greet her. Toph stayed where she was. Katara sprang off Appa's back as he began to nuzzle Aang's body, searching for any sign of life in his life long companion.
"How long has he been like this?" Katara demanded.
"A couple minutes, maybe an hour I don't know…" Sokka said.
Katara bent down next to Aang, glowing water flowing from her pouch across his pale skin. She seemed to be searching for anything, a heartbeat, pulse, maybe even brain activity. She did it for a long time. Vainly looking for any sign of life in her fallen friend. Her fallen family. Eventually Sokka couldn't take it anymore.
"Katara, he's… de-"
"I KNOW HE'S DEAD!" Katara shouted. "HE'S DEAD! HE'S DEAD! HE'S FUCKING DEAD!" she continued, slashing at her brother with the useless water with every proclamation. Sokka fell to the ground, hands over his head. Toph stood then and halfheartedly bent the earth underneath Karata so it came up and caught both of her wrists. The hard stone against her skin seemed to shock her out of her fury. Suki helped Sokka to his feet and the two of them gazed at Katara as she calmed down.
Appa finally stopped his prodding of Aang and roared. A tortured, terrifying, pitiful roar. Suki went to comfort him but when she drew close he backed up and roared again. This time at her. Suki backed up. Appa's feet pounded on the pillar. His eyes were stormy, frightening. Sokka thought for a second that he might attack them, but Appa just hit the ground with all six legs and leaped into the air and took flight. Suki let out a loud breath. Sokka could've sworn he heard the sound of her heart pounding in her chest.
The earth restraining Katara fell away and without the support she collapsed back to her knees. All eyes turned back to her. Tentatively, Sokka went to her and pulled her into a hug. She didn't hug him back, just stared at Aang's corpse. She began to cry then. It was her time after all. Sokka cried along with her. After a time Suki and Toph joined and Momo flew down from seemingly nowhere to alight on Katara's shoulder, wrapping his little arms around her head. The Team Avatar group hug, minus two members. As the thought came to Sokka he suddenly remembered. Zuko.
"Where is Zuko?"
For the first time in minutes Katara looked up at him, her eyes blurry with tears.
"He's…" she began.
Before she could finish a deafening roar shook the air. The roar of a sky bison. All ten of their eyes looked to the sky. Even Toph's.
"There!" Suki shouted, pointing.
Sokka followed her finger to see an explosion of blue flame rip through the air. Appa was there too, a raging inferno across his back. He screamed again.
"No…" Katara whispered in disbelief or maybe shame.
"Is that Azula!?" Sokka shouted. "Why is she here? Katara!"
"Who cares why she's here?" Toph interjected. "She's going to kill Appa!"
She was right. Thoughts blazed through Sokka's head, before one clicked. He dropped down and started rummaging through Aang's clothing.
"What are you-?" Suki started.
"Toph as soon as Appa is close enough, fire something precise at Azula, try to knock her off. Suki direct her. Katara I need you to be ready with all the water you can get. Douse Appa as he comes by,"
"How are you going to-?" Toph began.
"This!" Sokka said, pulling the bison whistle from Aang's pocket.
He blew into the whistle with all the force he had. He emptied his lungs and still he kept on blowing. For a second Sokka worried that Appa was too embroiled in the flames to hear him, but Appa arched down and back towards them. Barreling back towards them at top speed.
"How has she not fallen off?" Toph asked.
Sokka peered at the oncoming bison and firebender. Azula's feet were stuck into the hand holds on the sides of the saddle and every time Appa dodged or rolled a blast of azure erupted from her mouth, sticking her to the bison's back with the resulting force. Sokka was about to relay the information but Suki stopped him.
"Don't worry about that right now. Just follow my aim," Suki instructed, placing a hand on Toph's shoulder. Begrudgingly, Toph nodded. Sokka looked to see that Katara had struggled to her feet. Water was winding its way up her arms. She seemed lost or at least not quite there, but Sokka had to trust her. His attention turned back to Appa just in time to hear Suki scream, "NOW!" Toph stomped and a lance of earth erupted from the ground. It sailed through the sky, right on target. It's going to…! Oh no. Sokka thought.
A fireball rose to meet Toph's attack, tearing it apart through sheer heat alone.
Well… Plan B then.
"Get ready!" Sokka shouted, seconds before Appa hit the ground, hard. It was a terrible landing, that caused to Appa to roar another ear shattering roar, but Azula seemed utterly unfazed. Even with hands chained behind her back, she somehow managed to stay on the bison as he collided with the ground. Kicking up to regain her feet in a fiery flourish. That's when Sokka got his fist good look at her. The new her anyway.
It had only been maybe three weeks since Sokka had last seen the Firelord's daughter, but it was like he was looking at a completely different person than the cold, calculating princess who had chased him and his friends across the Earth Kingdom. She moved like a wild animal, every muscle tense, straining against her constraints as she breathed gouts of flame into the air with no direction or precision. Mangled black hair fell across her face, framing her burning golden eyes, desperate to consume everything their gaze touched.
Ready to attack, Sokka unsheathed his sword, Toph lifted a small boulder, Suki raised her fists. Azula simply smirked.
But before anyone could move, a torrent water rushed over Appa's back, steaming as it hit the flames. Sokka expected it to stop at the first wave, but the water just kept coming, knocking Azula onto her ass. Katara was bending a whole stream up from the basin below them. Dousing the fire threatening to consume Appa and drowning Azula simultaneously. Abruptly the stream ended and was replaced by a wave of icy breath that rose and settled all across Appa's back. The frost pinned Azula down, freezing over her mouth even as she screamed. They all starred in silent amazement, before Suki let out a whispered "Woah."
"I left him," Katara said, letting her arms and the remaining water fall. "I didn't want to but I did. I left him there and took her instead!"
Katara fell to her knees once again, hugging herself and shaking. All of them were at her side in an instant. Returning to the positions they had held before Azula's rude and violent interruption.
"Katara what… what happened?" Sokka asked.
"He's hurt. Really, badly hurt. Azula… she shot him through with lightning and I barely fought her off and… well… I wanted to leave her there… chained, but Zuko said "no" that I should leave him and get Azula as far away from the Fire Nation as I could. He said he would only slow me down. And he… he said he would be fine… that the doctors there would help him… that there was nothing more I could do… and he was right… there wasn't. I-I hope he's still alive. He was so trusting, so sure that he would be fine but I don't know! I just can't… I can't imagine…"
Losing another friend. Sokka thought. "I know… I know," he said, holding his sister closer and fiercer than he had since their mother's death. Toph and Suki inched in, offering words of encouragement and warm embraces, resuming their group hug. They cried, wept really. Wept and wept. All except for Toph. Only when all the tears that could possibly be shed were, did the four turn back to their fallen leader.
Appa had shaken from his icy constraints and was laying next to Aang, licking his lost friend's tattooed forehead gently. As they all watched, Momo curled up on his master's chest, putting his little head next to Aang's silent heart. The Avatar looked at peace, surrounded by the last living remnants of the Southern Air Temple. Sokka could almost imagine him smiling. Words came to all of their lips then. Unsolicited, uncontrolled. Their final farewells.
"See you in the next life, Twinkle Toes."
"I'm gonna miss you man."
"Goodbye, Avatar Aang."
"Thank you for giving us the strength… the hope we needed to keep moving forward. To keep fighting. For that and so many other things, I will always love you..."
When they were done, the four bowed in unison. Opened hand over fist, the proper way. They bowed to a student, a master, a brother, a friend, a leader, an inspiration.
A thought that he was not entirely sure was his own, came to Sokka then. A whispered promise. We will meet again, old friend.