I Do Not Own Avatar or Miraculous.
Chapter Sixty-Seven: The Eclipse.
Sokka was horrified to hear the words that came out of Aang's mouth.
"He wasn't home. No one was." Aang said, "The entire city is abandoned." Sokka felt like someone had just punched him in the gut.
"Gabriel was… he was… right. They knew we were coming." Sokka stammered, "Our luck… it's run out."
"It's over. The Fire Lord is probably long gone. Far away on some remote island where he'll be safe during the eclipse." Aang said mournfully. Sokka scowled at that statement.
"No. My instincts tell me he wouldn't go too far. He would have a secret bunker. Somewhere he could go so it'll be safe during a siege but still be close enough to lead his nation." Sokka said thoughtfully.
"If it's an underground secret bunker we're looking for, I'm just the girl to find it." Toph said helpfully. Sokka looked down at the clock that told him how close the eclipse was. It wasn't far. Ten minutes at least.
"The Mechanist gave me this timing device. It looks like we've got about 10 minutes until the full eclipse. 10 minutes to find the Fire Lord." Sokka explained, showing Aang the clock.
"We can still do this. We can still win the day."
"Wait." Gabriel said, looking a bit concerned by the change in plans, "If they knew we were coming, it could all be a trap. Maybe we should use the time we have left to make sure all of us get out of here safely. You should know by now that my warnings concerning the Miraculous powers of good and bad luck are true. If there is even the slimiest chance of victory left, chances are that you will not succeed." Hakoda frowned at Gabriel's words.
"Everyone who's here today came prepared to risk everything for this mission. They know what's at stake. If there's still a chance and there's still hope, I think they would want Aang to go for it." Hakoda argued. Sokka's shoulders dropped. Both Gabriel and Hakoda were valid in their arguments. It all came down the the question of whether or not it was worth the risk. He looked over at the young Avatar.
"What do you think? You're the one who has to face the Fire Lord. Whatever you decide, I'm with you." Sokka said to Aang. The Avatar frowned examining the troops who would follow them to death if it meant ending the war.
"I've got to try." Aang replied, "Get Marinette and Adrien. We'll need all the help we can get. Hakoda, Gabriel? You get the troops to the city and capture it. Katara, go with them. Hokada will need a healer. The rest of Team Avatar will look for Ozai." Everyone immediately scrambled to obey the Avatar's words. It didn't take long for Aang, Sokka, Marinette, Toph, and Adrien to get to the the top of the volcano protecting the Fire Nation Capital on Appa. Once higher up, Toph felt for the bunkers below.
"Yep. There are natural tunnels criss-crossing through the inside of the volcano." Toph said. Next to him, Adrien squinted in confusion.
"Wait. Why are we searching for lava tunnels when our focus should be on the Fire Nation Capital like the rest of the invasion force?" He asked.
"It's not just lava tunnels, Adrien." Toph continued, "There's something big, dense, and metal deep in the heart of the volcano." Adrien's expression darkened.
"Sokka, what is going on?"
"Adrien… Marinette, the Fire Nation was warned about the attack. Likely by Zuko and Azula." Aang explained, "Most of the nation has taken refuge here in the tunnels, including the Fire Lord." Adrien looked like he'd been smacked upside the head at that news.
"...They… they knew? But… I swear I never told Zuko about any of this! How would they know?"
"Azula must've found out when she was disguised as a Kyoshi Warrior." Sokka assured Adrien, "This isn't your fault. But what matters now is taking down the Fire Lord, we still have time, but we have to hurry." As if on cue, Toph bended open a hole into the tunnels. Adrien backed up.
"No. I'm not going." He decided firmly. They all stopped what they were doing.
"What?"
"Plan M." Adrien explained, "If it turns out that I'm the cause of all our bad luck, then I should walk away from the fight for a little while to insure we do win."
"It isn't that bad yet, Adrien." Marinette argued, "We still have a chance. We need us all to win this."
"But Mari…. Is that a chance we are actually willing to take? We need to be careful. Luck isn't on our side anymore."
"Maybe, Adrien, but that never stopped us, did it?" Marinette asked. Adrien huffed.
"Fine. We should hurry." Toph nodded and began leading the group into the tunnels. Part of the way through, Adrien and Marinette wound up switching to their Fire Cat and Fire Bug uniforms. They all wound up relying on Toph's senses, seeing as she was the only one who could tell where they were going.
"That tunnel continues on the other side and it leads right to the bunker." Toph instructed.
"We'll have to be careful." Sokka agreed with a nod as he ran down the tunnel Toph pointed out. They had to stop him from running into a column of lava that erupted in front of him. Thankfully, Aang's airbending cooled it down well enough.
"How was that careful?" Aang asked.
"I was wrong. We need to be fast, careful and lucky." Sokka corrected, giving Marinette a grin. Adrien scowled.
"I just said we don't have that, didn't I?" He grumbled. They carefully made their way through that room until they found themselves at the edge of a river of lava. Adrien peered over it.
"Huh, takes a whole new meaning to The Floor is Lava doesn't it?" He decided, he extended his staff, plugging the end of it into the lava.
"The floor is lava?" Toph asked.
"A kids game people play in Paris. You wouldn't like it because when you play, you're feet aren't supposed to touch the ground." Marinette explained, "He's making a joke. A really, really bad joke." Adrien pulled his staff out. It was completely undamaged.
"Well, the Fire Potion worked, our weapons are safe to use for crossing here. Aang, you take your glider, Mari, swing across with Toph that way. I've got Sokka." Adrien decided. Hesitantly, Sokka allowed the older boy to carry him across. Once on the other side, the group began running to get into the bunker. The eclipse was about to start and the group needed to be inside. They came to a large metal door and Toph grinned upon 'seeing' it. She rammed her fists into the door, then elbowed it. The door creaked, groaned, and wrinkled at her influence until there was a gaping hole where the door used to be.
"I am so glad we added you to the group." Sokka voiced, always awed by her metal bending abilities. The group raced through the tunnels until they came across a war minster who'd been walking down the halls. They cornered him and he immediately told them where to go.
"The Fire Lord's chamber is that way, down the hall, to the left, and up the stairs. You can't miss it!"
"Thanks!" Aang cheerfully thanked the man and ran to follow the directions. Sokka kept his timer in his hand, repeatedly looking down at it.
"30 seconds until total eclipse!" He called.
"Wait!" Marinette stopped running, looking around frantically, "Where's Adrien?" Sokka stopped to see Marinette spoke truly, the cat boy was nowhere to be seen.
"Oh, no. He must've given us the slip when we stopped for directions." Aang realised, "Toph, can you sense which way Adrien went?"
"There's no time, Aang." Toph growled, "The eclipse is about to begin. We'll worry about Mr. Bad-Luck-and-Blame-Myself-for-Everything later!" Aang and Marinette looked down, knowing she was right before continuing their push towards the Fire Lord's chambers without Cat Noir. They came to the doors of his chamber, which Aang promptly blew open just as the Eclipse began. They all rushed in, but they were horrified with who they saw on the throne inside.
"So, you are alive after all." Azula said, lounging back on the throne, "I had a hunch that you survived. It doesn't matter, I've known about the invasion for months." Team Avatar faltered staring at the Fire Nation Princess in disbelief. Aang spoke first.
"Where is he? Where is the Fire Lord?" Aang demanded.
"Hm, you mean I'm not good enough for you? You're hurting my feelings!" Azula replied sarcastically, stand to face the group. Sokka growled, drawing his space sword.
"Stop wasting our time and give us the information. You're powerless right now so you're in no position to refuse." He pointed out.
"And stick to the truth. I'll be able to tell if you're lying." Toph agreed.
"Are you sure? I'm a pretty good liar." Azula said with an emotionless expression, "I am a 400 foot tall purple platypus bear with pink horns and silver wings."
"Okay you're good, I admit it." Toph decided.
"Man, she's worse than Lila." Marinette agreed, "But you really ought to consider telling the truth anyway."
"Oh, did your kitty run away, Ladybug?" Azula noticed, "I always thought he was more stubborn than that… but then again, he is a bit too much like Zuzu."
"Shut up." Marinette growled.
"Shut up, talk? Make up your mind!" Azula chuckled, "Hey, Ladybug, I wanted to actually show your little boyfriend something when he did come. I thought he'd be with you. Shame I was wrong. See, I brought him a little souvenir from Ba Sing Se I thought he'd enjoy." Toph gasped as if she sensed something and several Dai Li agents fell from the ceiling. Sokka looked around in panic. Azula hadn't been defensiless after all, even without her firebending. She had a backup plan all along. Marinette snarled and attacked Azula, obviously hungry for a rematch after being defeated by Azula and her friends in Ba Sing Se. The group reacted with her, attacking the Dai Li agents that came from all directions in the room.
Azula skillfully dodged every attack on her. The Dai Li bended the room around them, causing it to be constantly shifting and changing to their disadvantage. Toph struggled to keep the fight on their side, but even the world's greatest Earthbender was having difficulty with so many Dai Li agents. Azula noticed Toph's struggle and switched from Marinette to Toph, allowing a Dai Li to block Marinette's path to Azula. Toph noticed and bended the Earth to attack Azula, forgetting the Dai Li around her entirely. Meanwhile, Aang was desperately knocking away the stones the Dai Li sent at him. He fluidly air bended, dodging and weaving his way through the battle in his attempts to reach Toph and Azula.
Sokka himself was struggling to parry with his sword. He, being unable to bend or yo-yo the rocks erupting in front of him decided to simply dodge and go straight for the Dai Li agents themselves. He slashed furiously with his blade, barely missing. Sokka, however, kept his focus. Dodging and striking the best he could with the room always shifting. Behind Sokka, Aang let out a growl, bending himself over the Dai Li distracting him and landing beside Toph, who still fought Azula. The agents Aang had been fighting landed in front of Azula, ready to protect the princess at all costs. One of Aang's air blast collided with a pillar of stone, sending a gust of wind through the entire room. Sokka lost his focus on the Dai Li when he realised exactly what it was Azula was doing. Ladybug, Toph, and Aang chased the mad princess throughout the throne room. The Dai Li interrupted them at every turn.
"She's toying with us." Sokka realised, checking his timer. The eclipse!
"I can't pin her down!" Aang growled in annoyance, "She's too quick!" Azula smirked at that, darting out of the throne room and into a hall. Sokka's eyes widened and he chased after his team.
"Wait! Aang, Toph, Marinette!" He cried, "Stop attacking!" They all hesitated but obeyed. Azula stopped running, smirking where she stood. The Dai Li showed no signs of following them, which confirmed Sokka's suspicion. It was a trap and distraction.
"Don't you see what she's doing? She's just playing with us! She's not even trying to win this fight!" Sokka explained, waving his timer in the air.
"That's not true, I'm giving it my all." Azula purred.
"You're trying to keep us here and waste all our time!" Toph realised. Azula rolled her eyes.
"Um, right. I think your friend just said that genius. And since you can't see, I should tell you I'm rolling my eyes." Azula taunted.
"I'll roll your whole head!" Toph growled. Sokka stopped her.
"She's just baiting you again." Sokka told Toph, who stopped trying to attack.
"Okay, so what do we do? Just ignore her?" Marinette asked.
"We don't have a choice. We just have to get out of here and find the Fire Lord on our own somehow." Sokka replied. The all nodded in agreement before Azula called after the four.
"It's a trap. Don't say I didn't warn you." She said helpfully as if Sokka didn't already know that. He kept walking away, even if the others heistated. He would not fall for her tricks. Not again.
"Ignoring!" He called back to the others. Azula frowned before smiling slyly.
"So, Sokka's your name right? My favorite prisoner used to mention you all the time." Azula said sweetly. Sokka stopped in his tracks. He knew she was baiting him. He knew it was a trap. He knew it... But he knew that for once she was being honest. The Kyoshi Warriors had to have been captured in order for Azula to disguise herself as one. That meant Azula knew something Sokka had been desperately wanting to know ever since Ba Sing Se. Slowly, Sokka turned around, his expression was completely unreadable.
"She was convinced that you were going to come rescue her. Of course, you never came and she gave up on you." Azula continued in a mocking voice. Her eyes taunted him, daring him to take her bait. To bite down on the one truth she had to offer. Sokka wanted to ignore it, he really did, but tears immediately began to sting in his eyes and he knew he couldn't. Azula smirked, knowing she'd won already.
"Come and get it." She purred. He let out a savage cry and attacked her, pinning her against the wall. His rage and hate was completely apparent now. She smirked and out of the corner of Sokka's eye, he saw a small dagger in her hand that she went to stab him with. Thankfully, Toph saved him from dying at the princess's hands right then and there. Toph Earth bended restraints onto the princess, forcing her to drop the weapon before it could ever touch Sokka. Sokka snarled.
"Where." He said in a dark, dangerous voice, "Is. Suki!?" Azula looked startled only for a moment before her expression curled into a cruel grin. Sokka might've had the upper hand now, but he knew she was the one winning the battle.
"Where's Suki!? Answer me!" He growled. Aang grabbed Sokka's shoulder.
"Sokka, she won't talk." The Avatar warned. Sokka shrugged the kid off and kept his focus on the princess.
"Where are you keeping her?" Azula just smiled wider. Marinette grabbed Sokka harshly.
"Sokka, you need to stop! Time is running out. She's baiting you. I know you love Suki, but if we don't hurry, then we can't stop the Fire Lord. If we don't stop the Fire Lord, we won't be able to help Suki." Marinette warned. Azula laughed.
"Oh, yes. Listen to the Ladybug, Sokka. You're girlfriend's life barely matters in the grand scheme of things. My father's the prize. Suki is just a bonus." Azula whispered. Sokka hesitated before letting out one last growl and letting go.
"Let's get out of here." He said to Marinette. Marinette nodded, but Aang stopped them.
"No. It's too late." He pointed at Sokka's timer. Ten seconds until the eclipse was over and everyone could Fire Bend again, "We failed. We need to get out of here, this place will be crawling with Dai Li and Fire Benders very soon. This was a trap." Azula smirked as the timer reached its mark.
"Sounds like the firebending is back on." She said with a grin. She jerked unexpectedly and blue fire erupted from her hands, freeing her from Toph's restaurants, "Dad's ail the way at the end of the hall and down the secret stairway on the left. I'm sure he'll be more than happy to see you now." She raced playfully down the tunnel to join her father, beckoning the group to follow. Sokka watched the crazy girl leave, he's expression one of disbelief.
"I fell for it! I used up all our time." He realised. He looked down in shame.
"It's not your fault, Sokka. Azula was ready for us. She had every move planned out." Marinette pointed out, "She knew you were looking for Suki. She knew exactly what to say to distract you. She knew you were our leader in this battle and knew to win, she'd have to distract you. That's not your fault."
"But now it's too late." Sokka said, motioning towards the hall Azula had vanished into.
"Maybe it's not too late. The eclipse is over but I can face the Fire Lord anyway." Aang pointed out.
"No. I don't think that's a good idea." Sokka disagreed, knowing that would be an even worse trap to fall into. Azula, Zuko, and the Fire Lord would be there for them. They could not win that fight. Not yet.
"The Fire Lord knew we were coming this time. We thought we had surprise on our side but we didn't. It just wasn't our day. What we need to do now is find out what happened to Adrien and go help our friends." Toph explained to Aang. Aang looked downcast.
"I guess you guys are right." He decided. Marinette put a hand on Aang's shoulder.
"You'll have another chance. I know you will." She assured him. They all nodded in agreement.
"Then let's get out of here." Aang decided.
"Not so fast." Sokka jerked his head up to see the Dai Li who'd been fighting with Azula in their path.
"Azula and Long Feng ordered that the Avatar and Miraculous holders never leave these tunnels." Their apparent leader voiced, "Your friend Adrien is already ours. You'll be next." Team Avatar went to fight, but before they could a column of hot blue flames slammed into the Dai Li, knocking them down. The group blinked in surprise. They only knew one person could bend blue fire. Sokka turned slowly around, but was surprised to not find Azula behind them. Instead, a boy in white fire nation robes and a porcelain mask with a red insignia over one eye was there. The strange figure approached the unconscious Dai Li and knelt over them, placing his hand on their foreheads. The dragons on his swords lit up as he did so.
"What are you doing?" Sokka asked. The boy looked back at them.
"Increasing my strength. I am Méprisé, Hawkmoth's champion. My bending grows stronger and easier to control the more I take from others. They will not be able to bend with such strength as before until after Hawkmoth realises me from my promise."
"Hawkmoth transformed a fire bender?" Aang said in disbelief. Méprisé smiled darkly at the Avatar.
"Hello, Aang. It's been awhile." He said with a nod, "Do not worry about your friend. He ran because he truly thought his presence would prevent you from winning, but… If I could have warned you, I would've. This battle was fixed to be lost from the start, even if Adrien had never come. Azula tricked the Earth King into revealing the eclipse to her while she was disguised as a Kyoshi Warrior. She knows many of your secrets. She knows many of your weaknesses. She even knows mine. But she is arrogant. One day she and father will fall. Until then, you'll need a firebending teacher, Aang." Méprisé straightened, "I will find and save your friend, Adrien. We will meet again. Now, find your father Sokka, your friends need you." And then as quickly as he'd come, Méprisé was gone. Marinette squinted at where he'd been standing.
"Wait." She said, "He called the Fire Lord his father."
"No way." Sokka breathed.
"That's impossible." Toph agreed.
"Zuko." Aang whispered.