Chapter Eleven: The Descent
An Unknown Village, The Earth Kingdom
The darkness was slowly burning away as the dawn approached, leaving the world in a quiet, still place where those sleeping were slowly emerging from their dreams.
Far away, in a village that was unnamed and unknown to most, a pair of pale golden eyes watched the sun break over the horizon. He only felt anger as the dawn came.
Never again would he feel the sun's power awake in his veins. Never again would he draw in that first breath of a new day to renew his inner fire.
It all had been taken from him- his bending, his throne, his nation.
Ozai had spent the first year in prison feeling like a caged animal. He had paced across the floor of his cell, snarling everytime he tried to tap into the power he had once possessed, only to be left with ashes. He had been weak like a newborn babe, utterly useless without his bending.
It would take another year for Ozai to realize that although his bending had been taken from him, the one thing that had not been taken away was his follower's loyalty. So he kept his mind sharp and his body honed, and slowly began to devise his plan.
A blessing had come in the form of the prison's warden, who had been his father's most loyal advisor, and had been sent to the prison near the end of Azulon's reign. The warden had passed messages from Ozai to Azula, who he knew was being kept on an island.
When it had come time for Ozai to escape, it had been the warden who had cleared the path, providing him with weapons and a boat for his journey. The timing had been perfect, with Zuko distracted with the treaty meetings, and with the Avatar and his friends scattered across the world.
Bringing Azula into his plans had been a gamble on his part. He knew his daughter's mind was lost, having not been strong enough to handle her role as Fire Lord. He had sneered at the news of her being locked up and medicated, but he needed her cunning, mad or not.
Even now, Azula was sitting by the window of the decimated hut they shared, soaking in the sun like a poisonous flower.
"Hello, Father," she said, obviously sensing his gaze. She looked over her shoulder at him.
Ozai studied her. She had his eyes- pale gold, like the winter moon. They were sharp and focused today, unlike when he had walked into her cell and had beheld the madness in those pale depths. It had swam there, like a shark under the water.
"We need to keep moving," Ozai told her, folding his hands behind his back.
"Where? I'm tired of going from one village to the next. It's so boring here. There's nothing to play with."
Or no one, Ozai thought with a frown. Azula had always been somewhat of a sadist, but it was even more pronounced now after years of captivity.
"Do not draw any unwanted attention to us, Azula," he commanded.
"But Father, no one would dare cross us," Azula said, standing, flicking her hair from her eyes. "Not even you without your bending."
"Silence," Ozai snarled. "Or I will cut out your tongue for your insolence, daughter. You will do as I say."
Something dark crossed across Azula's features, before she straightened and bowed. "Of course, Father."
Ooo0ooO
The Fire Nation Palace
When they returned safely to the Palace, the group gathered together in the room where Zuko held his meetings with his advisors.
Aang told them that he had descended into the depths of the prison, looking for possible escape routes. He found one located near the warden's quarters, which lead out onto a path that eventually went down to the ocean.
Suki and Sokka then went on to say how they searched the warden's office, then his private quarters and found evidence that he was one of Ozai's loyalists. The warden had been sloppy and had left behind a few letters that indicated he had had a hand in Ozai's escape, since the warden was receiving intel from other spies on the comings and goings of Zuko, Aang and the others, as well as the schedules for the guards on Lone Island.
Zuko's expression went cold when Sokka and Suki relayed this information. He showed the others the scrolls they had found hidden in Azula's cell.
"Where would they go?" Suki murmured, reading one of the letters. "Everyone in the world knows who they are."
"Not everyone," Katara corrected. "When I was… gone, I found remote villages in the Earth Kingdom where I was not recognized. Some places the war never truly touched because they were hidden or difficult to get to, unless you were on foot."
Aang glanced at her. "Do you think that's where they can be?"
Katara shrugged. "There are very few villages like them. Most are up north, by the ocean, or deep in the mountains."
"Can we get an airship there?" Zuko asked.
"We could always use Appa," Aang offered.
Katara frowned, looking at the world map in front of them. "The ones near the ocean are the ones I am more familiar with," she admitted. "They can be accessed more easily. I think if we flew Appa overhead, we could see if an airship could land there. Otherwise, we'll be going on foot."
"Hang on, how could there be villages where no one would recognize us?" Sokka asked, brow furrowed.
"They're mostly older, half-abandoned villages," Katara said. "Refugees move in and out of them. It didn't seem like anyone actually lived there."
"We should get some help," Suki said. "Ty Lee can leave in the morning to get the other Kyoshi Warriors. Are members of the White Lotus aware of what's happening?"
Zuko and Katara nodded. "My uncle has kept them informed," the former said. "They are going to arrive in the Fire Nation within a week."
"That doesn't seem like enough," Toph pointed out. "What about Haru and the other earthbenders? The Freedom Fighters?"
"I can send a hawk to Haru," Aang said, nodding. "Toph and I ran into him in Omashu briefly."
"The Freedom Fighters disbanded," Katara said quietly, lowering her eyes. "After Jet… They could be anywhere."
Toph frowned, but she was cut off by Zuko. "How do you know that?"
"I ran into Longshot while travelling through the Earth Kingdom. He hadn't seen Smellerbee and the Duke in months. The others… after Jet nearly destroyed that village with the dam, they joined the army." Her eyes were distant when they met Zuko's. "Longshot said a lot didn't come home after the war ended."
Zuko's fists clenched as he looked away. "I see. Let's start with the Kyoshi Warriors and as many earthbenders as Haru can gather. I'll ask Uncle if he or other members of the White Lotus know of anyone else who can help us."
Ooo0ooO
An Unknown Village, The Earth Kingdom
Just as the sun had risen and burned in its golden glory at dawn, when the moon rose, it casted blue and black shadows upon the earth as its cold face shined down on the decrepit village. An unsettling chill swept through the night, which was filled with the screeches of bat-owls as they emerged from nearby caves.
The village sat still and hidden within the mountain pass, overrun by trees and shrubs that half-buried the huts and structures into their surroundings.
"This is charming," Azula mused, treading through the darkness with ease. "It's even more disgusting than the one we left this morning."
Ozai's features looked like they were carved from stone underneath his deep hood. "We will regain our Palace soon. For now, we have to be smart, and keep ourselves hidden. Too many people are looking for us."
"Staying hidden is what cowards do," Azula hissed. "Like Zuzu and Uncle."
The moonlight caught the blade of a sword before it was pressed into Azula's throat. The tip dug into the hollow, and a drop of blood trickled down her pale skin. Her eyes met her father's, not showing fear or pain, but that suppressed madness, which was echoed in her bared smile.
"Going to kill me after all, Father?" she taunted.
Ozai gritted his teeth. "Know this, daughter… I will cut you open if you so much as think of betraying me, and I will take great pleasure in doing so."
Azula's smile widened, and her eyes gleamed like a cat's. "Consider me warned, Father."
Narrowing his eyes, Ozai lowered his sword before continuing forward.
Azula touched her fingertips to her throat, studying the smeared blood. Her gaze refocused on Ozai's back she stalked after him, like a predator after its prey.
"Oh, Father," she tutted, clenching her fistss until her nails dug into her palms. "You blood will feel so much better on my hands."
Ooo0ooO
The Fire Nation Palace
The darkness seemed alive around him. It breathed and watched him, and surrounded him until he thought he would suffocate.
The more he moved, the darker it became, until it was absolute- and he wondered if he would ever be able to escape it.
He called out, hoping, praying, that someone would brave the darkness to find him.
And then, in the distance…
The darkness took on substance, and it swirled and lightened, and then it parted to reveal a blue light. He pressed forward, reaching for that light, hand stretching…
The light burned like a beacon, but it was still distant, blue and cold like the moon…
The moon…
Then she was there, standing both in the darkness and moonlight. He reached for her again, his hand glowing gold in her presence- and there she was, reflecting his light, calling for him in turn-
Zuko opened his eyes.
Images of the sun and the moon, of darkness and light still danced across his vision, so he sat up and moved to splash his face with water from the basin next to his bed.
He sighed, running a hand through his hair, letting it fall in his eyes.
A soft knock came from the door, before it cracked open to reveal Katara. He gestured for her to come in and he stood, moving to stand by his balcony doors.
"It's not raining today," Katara observed, smiling at him.
Zuko reached for her, pulling her into his arms, then kissed her deeply. He lingered for a moment, perhaps more, before he pulled away. "Good morning."
Katara sighed, resting her hands on his chest. "Good morning."
"What brought you to my room?" Zuko asked, playing with the ends of her hair.
"I had a strange dream…" Katara shook her head. "And I wanted to see you."
"I had a strange dream too," Zuko said, frowning. "Do you want to talk about it?"
Katara turned, leaning on the balcony railing, her brow furrowed. "I was… alone. Lost, I think. It was all white, like I was trapped in a snowstorm. But it was different, it wasn't cold… but it was still isolating.
"No matter how much I moved, I got nowhere. Then I could feel the sun's warmth, and it… it guided me from the light. I was somewhere else, where the sun was burning, but it was soothing and I could sense something else- someone else. Then I saw them, and I reached out… Then I woke up."
Zuko stared at her, only blinking when she laughed quietly. "It was nothing, I guess," she said, touching the necklace nestled in the hollow of her throat. She glanced at him. "What was yours?"
Zuko hesitated before telling her. When he was done, she was staring at him like he had been a moment ago.
"What do you think it means?" she asked.
"I don't know," he admitted, leaning on the railing next to her.
Katara studied his profile- his strong jaw, amber-gold eyes. She shifted closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder. "How are you feeling?"
Zuko turned, pressing a kiss into her hair. "I want this to be over," he whispered. "I want…" He trailed off, taking her hand in his, locking his fingers with hers.
"I know," Katara said in an equally soft voice. "I know."
Ooo0ooO
Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA or any of its characters.
Author's Note: This chapter was inspired by: "The descent into Hell is easy." - Virgil
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