Zuko didn't move.

"What's wrong?" Little creases appeared on Ursa's brow and the corners of her mouth drooped. "Won't you hug your mother?"

It felt like his heart was a stone sinking down, down, down. "You're not my mother."

"How could you say such a thing? Of course I am. Look at my face, listen to my voice."

His hands balled into fists.

"Come, my son, this is not the time to—"

"Don't," he gritted through clenched teeth.

She raised her eyebrows. "Excuse me?"

"Don't!" Flames burst from his fists in a hot flare. "You think I don't see what you've done? Give her back! Give my mother back now!"

Ursa smiled, though it wasn't his mother's smile at all. It was sly and didn't reach her eyes. "Oh, you're no fun."

"What's going on?" Katara asked, glancing between the two.

"The woman you see before you is indeed Ursa," Shizue responded, "but not in the way it counts. The spirit has possessed her body."

Katara made a small sound of horror. "What?"

"I like to move around sometimes," the spirit explained. "My form is, shall we say, rather limited. But you humans, you can walk and speak and feel so many sensations. It's wonderful. Possessing your bodies helps me to experience all of that. It's also gifted me with a whole new understanding of your kind." The amber eyes flickered to Zuko. "Take this woman, for example. If she could speak, she'd tell you to run. She loves you so much; she'd rather stay here forever than let you risk yourself for her, but we both know you're not going to run, are you?"

He gritted his teeth so hard it felt like they'd snap. "No."

The spirit's smile widened. "Of course not, because you still think you can save her."

"We will save her!" Aang declared.

"Oh? And how do you plan to do that? You can't even access your Avatar abilities."

"I—we'll figure out something!"

A soft laugh. "I have a better idea. Surrender to me now and I'll let your friends on the ship go. I'm not so greedy; I don't need all of them. But you six shall stay here with me. Poor Ursa has been so lonely. She's especially missed you, Zuko. All these years she's been thinking about you and—"

He lunged at the spirit with a growl, only to have strong hands pull him back.

"Calm down, son," Hakoda said firmly. "You'll only give her what she wants if you give in to her taunts."

"How can you expect me to—"

"I know, I know. I can't imagine how hard this is for you, but think. What will happen if you attack the spirit?"

Zuko's heartbeat stuttered in its rhythm. He'd hurt his mother.

"Spoilsport," the spirit said, shooting a mock frown at Hakoda.

Hakoda did not back down. "What is your name, spirit? Will you at least tell us that?"

"A name? Such things have little meaning to me. I am what I am." She tapped her finger to her chin. "Though I suppose you can call me Wu Yao. The humans who once lived here called me that."

Aang stepped forward. His cheeks were a bit pale but he held his head high. "Why are you doing this? What have humans ever done to you?"

"Done to me?" She blinked and seemed genuinely puzzled.

"Hei Bai went wild and attacked those villagers because his forests got burnt. Did something like that happen here? Did—"

A tinkling laugh escaped her. "Oh, you really are so human in this form, aren't you? What makes you think I need a special reason to do any of the things I have done?"

"B-but—"

"Spirits are spirits. We have always done as we pleased."

"But what you're doing is wrong!"

"According to what? Your little codes of morality? I existed before humans could even make thought."

Aang actually stamped his foot. "But it's cruel! It's cruel and it hurts people and—" He made a frustrated sound. "You have to see it's wrong to go around using humans as you like! We're not puppets, we're people!"

"Do you think the Ocean Spirit is cruel?"

"I—what?"

She spread her hands. "The ocean will carry a traveller safely one day, but it will drown and snatch away breath the next. Does that make him cruel? Do you feel you must stop him?"

Aang's brow furrowed. "Well, I mean … I, er …" His face reddened. "We're not talking about the Ocean Spirit!"

Wu Yao laughed. "Convincing."

Sokka stepped in, placing his hand on Aang's shoulder. "The point is that the Ocean Spirit doesn't go around stealing people's mothers so he can play walk about. What you're doing is plain evil."

"Evil?" Her eyes glinted. "Tell me, is it evil for humans to use the flora and fauna of the world as you please? Is it not snatching lives for your own comfort and pleasure?"

"The Air Nomads believe in the sanctity of all life," Aang defended. "We don't—"

"So you've never picked a flower before its time?"

"I … well …"

"It's not the same," Sokka argued, quickly coming to Aang's rescue. "Humans are different."

"Are you? Why? What makes you so special?" She looked him up and down. "What makes you think you are worth anything more to me than a flower is to you?"

Sokka opened and closed his mouth, finger raised. "That's … that's just …" He turned to the others. "Guys? A little help here."

"There's no point," Zuko said.

Everyone glanced at him.

"I'm not going to debate philosophy with you, Wu Yao," he said. "I don't care if you view humans as puppets you can play with. I don't even care if you think what you're doing is justified." He raised his chin, fire simmering in his eyes. "You have my mother. You've had her for three years, and now I've come to take her back."

Wu Yao's lips curved upwards. "Such a passionate declaration. But I think you're forgetting something." She clicked her fingers and suddenly rock heaved up from the ground and encased Hakoda from head to foot.

"Dad!"

Katara and Sokka rushed to their father and pounded on the rock shell. Aang tried earthbending, but the rock didn't budge.

"Let him go!" Katara snarled, rounding on Wu Yao. Water surged to her fingers, swelling with vicious intent.

"Go ahead, little girl. Attack me. Rip this body to shreds if you like. Let's see how Prince Zuko feels about you then."

Blotches of colour stained her cheeks and her form faltered a little, water splashing to the ground. Wu Yao just laughed.

"Stop this!" Aang yelled, even as he struggled and failed to earthbend. Only little bits of rock crumbled off. "He's going to suffocate!"

"Eventually, yes. You humans are such funny, fragile things. Can't even survive without air for too long."

Sokka let out a wild cry and threw his boomerang. She caught it inches from her face, lips curving even wider. Then she crushed the boomerang with a single squeeze. Bits of the weapon crumbled and fell from her closed fist like raining dust. An odd, stuttering sound escaped Sokka.

"You should have surrendered to me when you had the chance." Her eyes glinted with otherworldly power. "Now you will all be trapped here."

"Sokka, move!" Shizue ordered.

Too late. He'd barely taken a step before rock swallowed him up like the snapping jaws of a monster.

"Sokka!"

The cry came from all of them, raw and desperate. Zuko's heart pounded and pounded and pounded. He glanced at the broken boomerang and then back to the mounds of rock that now entrapped Sokka and Hakoda. Fire hummed to life under his skin. So much anger, so much fear.

But it was water that latched onto Wu Yao's wrists like chains.

"Let my family go!" Katara shouted.

"Or you'll do what?" Wu Yao broke through the water as if it was nothing. "This human form I have taken is filled with my power. You are no match for me, girl."

The earth rose up, but Katara flipped back to avoid the trap. She bared her teeth, eyes bright with unshed tears. "You won't get me with the same trick!" Then she stretched her arm out as if to seize the water from the pool. It didn't move. "Wh-what? Why won't it—"

Wu Yao's laughter ran out like tinkling chimes. "Oh, little girl, that water won't listen to you." Her voice became silk and the smothering darkness of night. "It is a part of me."

Wu Yao moved her arms swiftly and the pool weaved up like a dragon, lunging for Katara with a gurgling rush.

"No!" Zuko tackled her out of the way. Fresh grazes scratched his back as they skidded to a stop.

"Look out!" Aang cried.

The water had looped back. Katara scrambled to her feet, even as Zuko flipped into a flaming kick that should have sliced a path for them to run through. The flames barely made a dent. Steam hissed and the water kept coming. His eyes widened in panic.

In a blur of orange, Aang planted himself in front of them and thrust out his hand. Wind blasted from his palm in a huge gust—strong enough to make every tree bend and the flowers shed their crowns in a flurry of white petals. Water splashed and scattered everywhere.

"Phew," Aang sighed. "That was close. I don't think we want to know what happens if the water gets you."

"No kidding," Zuko muttered. He hadn't forgotten the bones they'd seen at the bottom of the pool.

Wu Yao's laughter once more rang out. "Oh, well done, Avatar. It seems you do have a bit of fight in you. Too bad it won't be enough."

The earth lurched under their feet. Aang yelped and airbent the three of them away to land at Shizue's side. All four took up a fighting stance, though there was nothing but twisted resignation in Shizue's expression.

"You do realise that Wu Yao is right," Shizue said bluntly. "We can't beat her. She controls everything on the island. She's just toying with us."

"We have to beat her!" Katara retorted. "Who knows how much longer Dad and Sokka have? Plus, everyone on the ship is counting on us!"

Aang's voice was small with worry. "Do you think they're all okay out there? Wu Yao said she would only let them go if we surrendered, but …"

"Do not worry for your companions."

The voice was soft and had Zuko glancing around in surprise; it seemed to have come from within his mind, yet the others looked just as startled. Had they all heard it?

"Yue?" Katara breathed in wonder. "Is that you?"

Silvery light descended from the sky and formed a shield around them, blinding Wu Yao from view.

"There isn't much time. My light will protect your companions, but you must find a way to win your freedom. Destiny has chosen you to restore the balance. You cannot let yourselves be trapped here."

"But how?" Aang demanded. "How are we supposed to stop her when she's so powerful?"

"Do not be deceived by strength and miss what is in front of you."

"What?"

"Be swift. My power wanes with the night."

The shield of light vanished. Zuko blinked and found himself meeting Wu Yao's gaze. There was no smile on her lips now.

"It seems the Moon Spirit insists on interfering tonight," Wu Yao said coolly. "But even if she is shielding your companions from my nightmares, do not look for her assistance here. This is the heart of my power. In this place, you are at my mercy!"

She thrust her hands out and the earth moved in violent swells, threatening to enclose and crush and drag down into gaping maws. Zuko and the others did their best to avoid the traps. Every second was a blur. His heart was a wild drum in his chest and his lungs were already beginning to protest. He wouldn't be able to keep this up forever, and he doubted the other three would either.

"We have to figure out Wu Yao's weakness," Katara said, jumping onto a rock to avoid the pit that opened up under her feet. "We'll get nowhere like this!"

Aang blasted back the vines that came for his limbs. "Yeah, but how? We can't even—"

"The water!" Shizue cried.

They all scattered as a massive hand of water merged from the puddles and lunged at them. Zuko found himself hiding with Shizue behind a tree, though both hesitated to go for the attack.

"What's the matter?" Wu Yao taunted from where she still stood near the hanging vines. "I thought you were going to stop me? Or have you finally realised that surrendering is your best option?"

Something clenched in Zuko's heart. "Shizue," he said quietly, "I know her weakness."

"What?"

"You do too, right?"

Shizue looked down. "Your mother."

"I want to save Mum, but the spirit isn't going to let her go." He swallowed. "And I don't think we'll be saving anyone if we don't take her down now."

"Then what do you suggest?"

He looked at the spirit, or rather the woman who had given birth to him and sacrificed so much to keep him safe. "She's been using long-range attacks this whole time. Maybe that means she's not good at close combat."

"I'm not so sure about that. Remember what happened with the boomerang? Her strength is not that of an ordinary human."

"That doesn't mean she can fight in close range. All we have to do is make sure we don't get hit."

Shizue pursed her lips as if weighing the risk. "Fine, but that still leaves us with the problem of getting close to her."

"We can do it if we time our attacks right."

A pause. "You know your mother is the one who will get hurt."

His heart clenched again. "I know, but we can't keep holding back. I think this is the only way. Besides, you're a chi blocker. Maybe we can just disable her."

Shizue let out a breath. "It's worth a try."

"Then I'll provide a distraction."

"Zuko." She grabbed his arm.

"What?"

"Your mother would be proud of you. I just thought you should know in case…"

A lump formed in his throat. "When you see your chance, go for it."

She nodded and released him.

Zuko dashed out from behind the tree, punching and kicking flames in a rapid string of blows. Wu Yao's eyes widened and she quickly raised a barrier of earth. Not fast enough. Her sharp cry told him that one of the fireballs had made contact. Zuko gritted his teeth even as something wet stung his eyes. "Aang, Katara, help me!" he yelled.

"But that's your—"

"Just do it!"

Now there were blasts of wind and lashing water whips joining with his flames. The three of them worked together, coming from all sides as they dodged counterattacks, moving closer and closer.

Wu Yao laughed. "You surprise me, Prince Zuko. I did not think you had it in you to hurt your mother. Do you not love her after all?"

"Shut up!"

He swept into a triple kick that sent arcs of flames at Wu Yao. She met his gaze and her lips curved, lightning-quick. No shield of earth rose to deflect, no barrier of any kind.

Horror stabbed his heart.

He frantically tried to seize hold of the fire, but it was too late. He knew that even as he began to divert the wild streams of heat. Water rushed to meet the fire that slipped his grasp. Steam hissed and the flames and liquid dissipated to nothing. Katara glanced at him, hands still raised in a bending stance.

"I knew it." Wu Yao's smile widened. "You just can't bring yourselves to kill this puppet."

Zuko growled and charged for her, flames trailing from his fingertips. That was when Shizue dropped down from the vines behind Wu Yao. In a flash, the spirit spun and grabbed Shizue's wrist before her fist could make contact, then punched her hard in the chest. It all happened so fast, a mere heartbeat. Bones cracked and a scream tore from Shizue's lips as she was flung back like a ragdoll. Her body struck the wall, crumpling in a heap.

"No!" Zuko cried.

Wu Yao turned back to face them. "Did you really think I would fall for such a trick? I am the island, and the island is me. I can sense your every movement like insects crawling on my skin. It is futile to resist!" She extended her hand. "Now, come!"

Rock closed around Zuko's legs like fingers and dragged him forward, even as Katara and Aang screamed his name. He struggled and twisted, but the rock just kept crawling its way up his body, pinning his arms in place. All the breath caught in his throat as he found himself inches from his mother's face. Blood thundered in his ears. Dimly, he was aware of Aang and Katara fighting a mass of vines to get close.

"I can taste your despair," Wu Yao cooed, trailing her finger along his cheek. "How delicious it is."

He swallowed against the lump in his throat.

"But don't worry, little prince. You can be with Mother every day now. And soon Azula will be here as well. You'll all be together again." She took his chin in a bruising grip, teeth flashing in a smile. "Won't that be nice?"

"Let him go!"

They both turned their heads to see Katara standing beneath the light of the full moon, her eyes narrowed. Aang blasted the last of the vines away with a gust of wind.

Wu Yao arched one eyebrow. "Little girl, I grow weary of your useless demands. What do you even hope to achieve now? You've run out of water and—"

Katara raised her arms in a sharp motion, fingers curling into claws. A choked sound escaped Wu Yao and her amber eyes bulged with an emotion that might have been shock.

"I said," Katara gritted out, every word sharp like a blade and perfectly enunciated, "let him go!"

She wrenched her hand back and Wu Yao's hand came away from Zuko's chin. A second sharp motion had Wu Yao lurching back from him completely, movements stiff and unnatural, almost grotesque.

"Wh-what is this?" Wu Yao hissed.

Katara's expression was colder than ice. Her hands continued to weave around her in a way that Zuko had never seen before: a twisted sort of fluidity with fingers that tugged and curled as if pulling on invisible strings. There was not even a hint of water. Then she brought her hands down and the spirit's spine curved with the motion, forcing Wu Yao into a mockery of a bow.

His heart stuttered. Katara was bending the spirit.

"Ka-Katara?" Aang said, looking at her with round eyes.

She kept her gaze fixed on Wu Yao and her fingers curled even more. A split-second later, the three rock cages shattered. Hakoda and Sokka collapsed on the ground, unmoving.

"Aang, check that they're okay!" Katara ordered.

He obeyed her without question, informing that both were breathing but unconscious. Shizue was in much worse condition, as Zuko discovered when he crouched to examine her. Her face was bloodless and her breathing sounded wrong, all rattles and sharp wheezes. A few gentle touches told him that several of her ribs had been broken. He'd bet every piece of gold back in the royal vaults that she'd punctured something.

"Stay with me," he murmured, grabbing her hand. He glanced over his shoulder. "Katara, whatever you plan on doing, do it fast! I can't heal Shizue on my own!"

"Understood." Katara approached Wu Yao, still pinning her down with that strange, waterless form of bending. "Give us back Zuko's mum. Do it now!"

An ugly smile split Wu Yao's lips. "Or you'll do what? Stop this puppet's heart? Go ahead. It makes no difference to me."

Katara forced her down even lower until she was in full kowtow. "I think it will. I think all these taunts have been a way to throw us off from the truth: that you're completely vulnerable in that body."

A soft laugh. "Yet you still hesitate."

"Oh, I'm not hesitating." She wrenched Wu Yao back to her feet. "Your life and your power are tied to this island. I wonder what will happen if we take Zuko's mum away from it…"

"I am an eternal spirit. You cannot defeat me."

"Maybe not, but then I've seen a spirit die before, and right now your so-called puppet is in my control. Are you sure you want to risk it?"

They glared at each other for a tense moment. Zuko could only watch, heart thudding against his ribs. This was all on Katara now.

Suddenly, Wu Yao let out laugh. "The Moon Spirit chooses her warriors well, I see. I admit I never anticipated that she could gift you such strength."

Katara remained firm, not releasing her hold.

"Very well, human. I will allow you to have this woman back." A flicker of a smile. "But that doesn't mean any of you will leave."

Ursa's eyes rolled up into her head and her body collapsed like a puppet whose strings had been cut. Katara caught her with a grunt.

A hush of silence, a fluttering stutter of heartbeats.

"Katara," Aang said, staring at her with wide eyes, "how in the world did you—"

"Not now, Aang." Katara's mouth twisted and she turned her face the other way. "Let's just—"

There was a deep rumbling and the ground began to tremble and shake.

"Uh-oh," Aang said in alarm. "We better get out of here."

Katara staggered and stumbled to her knees, dragging Ursa with her. "How? We can't carry everyone!" She yelped as a huge crack formed in the ground near her foot.

Zuko scooped Shizue into his arms. Moving her was far from the best option with her injuries, but better that than to be swallowed by the juddering earth. "We don't have a choice! Wu Yao will trap us all here if we don't hurry!"

"I can barely stand! The earthquake is too strong!"

Katara had a point. The violent jolts and sways threatened to sweep Zuko off his feet with every second, and it was only getting worse. Rocks split from the high walls and crashed to the ground as if wrenched by invisible hands. Trees groaned and swayed, threatening to topple. The little group of six would have been crushed like insects were it not for Aang's air blasts and shields.

"Wait!" Aang reached into his tunic. "We can get Appa to fly us back to the ship!"

He'd barely touched the whistle when everything went still. The earth stopped rumbling, the ground and trees stopped swaying. There was only a whisper of air like a sigh.

"Huh?" Aang blinked a few times. "What's going on?"

A man with rather bland features walked through the entrance to the clearing, flanked by Ty Lee and a tall woman. Azula was also there, though Zuko's eyes narrowed when he noticed her hands were cuffed. The sight caused a strange mixture of relief and guilt to stir within him. She hadn't been lying about Shen.

"The spirit sleeps, Avatar," Shen said calmly.

"Wait, you did this?" Aang exclaimed. "How?"

"Once the ancient one is separated from her human host, it is not so difficult to soothe her by tapping into the energy that connects us all. It certainly should have been easy for you." His eyes scanned Aang up and down. "Though it seems you are not quite the Avatar you should be."

Aang lowered his head.

"I could teach you how to regain what you have lost," Shen offered.

"Wh-what? You mean there's still a—"

"But my assistance comes at a price." His gaze shifted to Zuko. "What do you say, young prince? Will you surrender yourself to me to help the Avatar fulfil his destiny?"

Zuko's jaw clenched.

Katara shifted into a bending stance. "Like we'd trust you!"

Azula made an odd sound. Katara's movement had exposed Ursa's face to full view. Prostrate and thin as their mother was, not to mention dressed in a hole-ridden, rotting cloak with bits of twigs and leaves stuck all over her, Ursa looked more like a corpse they'd found than a living person.

"Mother!"

Azula cried.

"Stay back!" Hina shoved Azula hard. "You are not to move or speak unless we say so."

Zuko met Azula's eyes. It was like looking into the face of the sister he had known as a child, the one who had curled up with him during thunderstorms before she'd erased any trace of vulnerability in herself. She looked young and shaken, even though he could see how hard she was trying to plaster composure onto her face.

He swallowed. "Mum's okay, Azula."

Her eyes widened.

"She's okay," he repeated. "She's alive."

"Touching," Shen said before Azula could respond. "But I'm still waiting for your answer, Prince Zuko. Will you surrender? Or do we have to do this the hard way?" Flames flickered to life above his palm. "Keep in mind that you are already exhausted and four of your companions cannot defend themselves, including your mother." He glanced at the broken woman in Zuko's arms. "Shizue needs to be healed fast as well. I could help with that."

Zuko's pulse throbbed uncomfortably in his throat.

"Don't do it!" Katara burst out. "This guy tried to kill his own brother, and for what? Because Yuzo ran away with Atsuo?"

"Yuzo didn't know when to back down," Shen said with a slight shrug of his shoulders. "He didn't give me a choice. Don't make the same mistake as him. No more lives have to be lost this night."

"Listen to him," Hina urged. "You cannot win this fight."

Zuko glanced at the people gathered—the ones left standing and those who had fallen. His gaze drifted to Shizue. She coughed blood and her eyes were a haze of unawareness. If they didn't start healing her soon, she would die.

"You must think I'm an idiot," he muttered. "Shizue told me that Silencers were created to protect fire healers and maintain secrecy. But if a fire healer puts that secrecy at risk, you'll kill them and anyone else who has been exposed to the truth." He looked up at Shen. "It doesn't matter what I do. You weren't planning to let any of us go anyway."

"Now that's where you're wrong. I have no intention of killing you." Shen allowed his flames to expand. "But I will prise you from the corpses of all those who stand in my way if I have to."

Katara moved to stand more guardedly over Ursa. Aang did the same for Hakoda and Sokka.

"One last chance," Shen said. "Surrender and I will assist the Avatar and help to heal Shizue just as promised. Or you can fight me and watch everyone you care about die."

"You think we'll be that easy to beat?" Katara retorted. "There's a full moon tonight! You know what that means for a waterbender?"

"Child, you're scraping at every last drop of energy you have just to stand on your feet."

She stiffened and tried to look unaffected, but Zuko knew it was true. Whatever she had done to force Wu Yao out of his mother's body, it had also taken its toll on her. Never mind all the fighting and evading they'd all put up with while Wu Yao had toyed with them. Even Aang looked ready to collapse.

"Why?" Zuko found himself asking. "Why me? Why do any of this if you don't even care about maintaining secrecy?"

"Because you are the key." Shen stepped forward, making them all twitch like coiled springs put under too much tension. "You have no idea how long I've waited for another to be born. Even better, you're the rightful heir to the Fire Nation throne. You're perfect."

"What are you talking about?" Katara demanded. "The key to what?"

"The key to liberation. I will create a world where fire healers no longer have to hide."

All the breath caught in Zuko's throat. "That's your goal? That's what all this is about?"

Shen let the flames die out and extended his hand. "Help me, Prince Zuko. Help me restore balance and justice to this world. The time is right. This is your destiny!"

"Don't listen to him!" Katara swung to face Zuko. "Shen has to be lying! He's never cared about fire healers having freedom, otherwise why would he have hunted down Yuzo and Atsuo like that?"

"Yuzo is a fool," Shen said flatly. "He wanted to be free, yes, but he also wanted to expose the tribe to get revenge for what happened to his mother. Don't make the mistake of plastering good intentions on that boy. He is selfish and bitter and he would have ruined everything. Hina and I had no choice but stop him."

"It's true," Hina said. "Yuzo wanted to bring down the Silencers. He didn't care how he achieved it."

Zuko swallowed, chest tightening. That, unfortunately, did make a lot of sense. He remembered the deep anger he had often glimpsed whenever Yuzo spoke of Silencers or his dead mother. Yuzo had even sympathised with the Unnamed One, saying he thought it poetic how she had used her bending to enslave those who had first enslaved her.

"Dum-dum," Azula said out of the blue.

He blinked and glanced at his sister.

"Do you know why I hurt you so much when we were little?"

His brow creased.

"It's because you made it too easy. You always fell for my traps." Her eyes met his intently. "Sometimes you just have to run from the monster, you know."

Hina frowned. "What nonsense are you talking about, girl?"

Azula didn't break eye contact. Instead, she gestured with her head ever so subtly towards Aang. No, the whistle in his hand.

Zuko exhaled. "Aang! Whistle!"

Aang blew without question. At the same time, Azula sprang into action, kicking powerful blasts of fire that knocked Hina off her feet and burgeoned in massive waves of blue to engulf Shen. Golden fire glimmered in a shield, but she was already coming at him again, hammering over and over. It was a testament to her skill that, even without the use of her hands, she was still swift and dangerous.

"Ty Lee!" Azula yelled. "What are you just standing there for? This is our chance!"

Ty Lee continued to stand there, gaze darting from Azula to Shen, even as she worried her bottom lip between her teeth.

"Ty Lee!"

"I-I can't." Panic made Ty Lee's voice pitch higher. "I can't fight!"

Azula made a frustrated sound and continued to bend. Katara moved to help but collapsed to her knees next to Ursa. Her energy was spent. It was left to Aang to take on Hina while Zuko placed Shizue next to his mother and went to fight alongside Azula. He knew a warning when he heard one. If Azula thought running was the best option and was even willing to put herself at risk to provide an escape, he wasn't going to turn his back on her.

"Enough!" Shen yelled.

Both Zuko and Azula's flames were quenched to fading ripples. The siblings moved closer together, eyes narrowed in identical expressions of determination.

"I have waited too long to let this boy slip through my grasp!"

Shen thrust a fireball at Azula, though Zuko quickly shielded her—and got blasted several feet backwards, taking her with him. It felt like he'd just tried to block twenty fireballs at once.

"That furry beast better hurry up," Azula muttered, flipping back to her feet. "This guy hits harder than Dad."

Zuko groaned and got up from the ground much less gracefully. "How is he so strong?"

"I don't know, but we can't beat him like this. We have to get away from here."

He grunted in agreement and glanced up at the sky—still empty of flying bisons—then over to where Katara crouched by Ursa and Shizue. Aang was fighting not far from her, making sure Hina didn't get close to any of them, including Hakoda and Sokka. Aang suddenly let out a yelp and one of his arms went limp; Hina had managed to chi block it.

"We have to help Aang," Zuko said, turning to run.

Golden flames struck the ground near his feet. "You won't be going anywhere, boy."

Zuko glared at Shen.

"It's a pity it has to be this way," Shen said. "This would have been so much easier on you if you'd just cooperated. Now I'll have to break you piece by piece."

A low rumble came from the sky and a shadow passed overhead.

"Appa!" Aang cried joyously.

Shen's eyes glinted. Without warning, he raised his fist above his head and let flames burst forth.

Something heavy plummeted in Zuko's stomach. He reached up as if to grasp the flames, but there was too much and the blast was too powerful. Fire struck. The sound Appa made was all wrong—not a roar but a sharp, keening thing that pierced straight to the heart. Aang screamed something, and that was just another nail to the chest. There was so much raw distress in that cry. Then Appa's big body fell, crashing heavily against the ground.

"No," Zuko said, but where Aang had screamed, his voice was so, so soft, as if saying the word louder would only make this nightmare more real. His eyes prickled and burned. How could they have let this happen? How could they have let Appa get hurt?

"Move, idiot!"

Azula kicked him—just in time. He staggered back even as Shen surged to grab him. Then they were fighting again. Zuko did his best to focus, knowing his life depended on it, but it was hard when Appa had a huge, smoking wound on his belly, Aang had got fully chi blocked during his distraction, and Katara was back on her feet and already losing to Hina.

Wu Yao had been right. None of them were going to leave here. Not like this anyway.

"Alright, stop!" Zuko yelled.

Everyone paused, even Shen and Hina.

"Brother, what are you doing?" Azula hissed.

Zuko swallowed. His heart was pounding so fast it felt like it might burst through his ribs. "I surrender."

"What?" Azula rounded on him. "Did my warning mean nothing to you? This is what he wants! You're just walking into his trap!"

"I know, but—"

"You can't!" Katara shook her head, half slumped on her knees while Hina gripped her arms. Aang was crying not far from her. "Zuko, you can't go with him!"

"I have to. This is the only way."

"No!" Tears spilled down her cheeks. "Don't do this. Please, please don't. We can find another way!"

He wished he could have hugged her then and wiped her tears. He wished he could have hugged Aang as well and healed the wound right off Appa's belly, then flown them all away. He wished he could have spoken to his mother at least once, could have seen her smile and laugh without a malicious spirit possessing her. He wished for a thousand things.

Zuko turned to Shen. "I'm ready. I won't fight you anymore, but you have to let them go. You have to promise you won't hurt them."

"I always keep my word." Shen made a gesture to Hina.

She released Katara and moved to grab Zuko by the arms. "You made the right choice."

Zuko lowered his head.

"Avatar," Shen said, glancing down at Aang. "A deal is a deal. To regain what you have lost, you will need to heal what has been broken. Go to the Spirit World. There you will find the answers you seek."

Without another word, Shen turned and headed for the exit. Hina nudged Zuko into moving. He allowed her to steer him off, even as Katara and Aang called his name, pleading for him to stop, to not let them take him away. He didn't dare look back at them. His heart ached enough just listening. At the rear, Ty Lee trailed like a loyal pet, which was a surprise. Zuko didn't understand why she followed.

Azula suddenly let out a snarl and kicked a massive wave of flames at their backs. A blade of air sliced right through the fire, parting it into two fading walls of sapphire. Ty Lee now stood facing Azula with her palm outstretched.

"Wh-what?" Azula looked as if she'd been slapped in the face. "You … you just …"

Shen's hand came down on Ty Lee's shoulder. "Come, Little Rainbow. Take us back to the boat."

She nodded and told them to hold onto her. Then she weaved the wind around them and they were speeding far, far away.

Before you all get too upset, let me declare here and now that Appa is not dead. Badly injured? Yes. Dead? Big nope.

Buttttt, everything has kind of gone, well, crap to say the least. I'm sorry about that. I wish I could give you sunshine and happy reunions and all the fluff, but where we're at in the story calls for drama. All the drama.