An Dung was waiting for them in the temple. There were no warriors, no other sages. He sat stooped on his cushion like frail rice paper while incense smoke curled all around. Zuko didn't like it.

"I wondered when you would come," An Dung said with a smile.

No one knew how to respond. It was only Zuko, Aang, Taiyo and Yuzo who had gone in search of the Head Sage. (The others had stayed with Ursa and Shizue since escaped prisoners couldn't exactly go wandering around.) For Zuko, this was not how he had expected the "interrogation" to go, but then he hadn't expected Shūrin to assist Aang to get his Avatar abilities back either.

"Where is she?" Taiyo asked. "Where is the Unnamed One? We know you've been communicating with her through the bond you share."

"Can't you guess?"

Unease stirred in Zuko's stomach.

An Dung's smile widened. "No? Well, perhaps I can give you a hint. Where is the one place you must eventually go? Where in the world can she be and know all she has to do is wait?"

The unease became a pool of dread. "The Fire Nation," Zuko whispered.

"Correct."

No way. There was no way she had gone to him.

"Why would she do that?" Taiyo demanded. "Does she want to expose us all? Does she forget what happened the last time she interfered with the Fire Nation?"

"Secrecy was only ever meant to be maintained for as long as it was needed." An Dung looked them each in the eye, yet his stare was as ancient and powerful as if it were Shūrin herself sitting in front of them. "This will be the end—of hiding, of fear." A beat. "Or it will be the end of her."

The fine hairs on the back of Zuko's neck and arms prickled. After all these centuries, she was willing to put herself in such a win or die situation? Had she got desperate or did she have a plan?

"Then she's at the Fire Nation palace?" Aang asked grimly. "She's waiting for us there?"

"Indeed."

Aang rushed to head out of the temple, but Zuko didn't move. He stared at the withered sage as if seeing him for the first time. "You're not being controlled by her," he observed.

An Dung's sly smile crept back. "No."

Disgust twisted its way through his gut. "How can you follow her? How can you even want to help her? You know what she does. You know how she possesses people."

"Of course I know. For many years, I was even her vessel."

"What?" the four exclaimed.

"Why should that come as a shock? I was honoured to serve her."

Aang pulled a face. "Is that why you're all …" Apparently, he was too polite to say An Dung looked as if he was about to crumble to dust, so Aang settled for making a vague hand gesture.

"My body was not quite suited for the takeover," An Dung admitted, "but I did not mind. Some sacrifices are necessary for the greater good."

"And what about those who do mind?" Yuzo demanded. "What about Shen?"

"Ah, Shen. Such a skilled young man. He really would have made a great sage."

Horror and rage glinted in Yuzo's eyes. "You don't even care, do you?"

"Like I said, some sacrifices must be made."

"I can't believe this. Shen looked up to you." Yuzo's voice grew thicker. "I remember. I remember how he wanted to become a sage, but you helped that thing get inside him. She must have left you and switched to him."

"Actually, we tried Chimon first."

All the colour drained from Yuzo's face. "What?"

"Who's Chimon?" Aang dared to ask.

"Yuzo and Shen's father," An Dung answered. "He had this rare gift, you see, for sensing energy over distances. He didn't even need to be linked with the island. Shūrin fused with him and left the tribe to expand her search." A shrug. "But it turned out his body wasn't compatible. The bonds corrupted him too quickly."

"So you told her about my brother," Yuzo surmised, though he looked as if he was about to be sick. His fists were also trembling, little sparks flickering from his knuckles.

An Dung's smile was a slit across his face. "Shen had shown so much promise during his training, and when I learnt he had inherited your father's gift, of course I had to let her know …"

Now Zuko felt like he was going to be sick. An Dung had helped destroy the lives of two people—a father and son—and he smiled about it. He actually smiled.

"You're a monster," Taiyo said in wide-eyed revulsion.

"I prefer pragmatist."

"No." Yuzo advanced to the dais, his voice low and tremoring with emotion. "You and that thing you obey are definitely monsters, and now you're going to pay for all you've done to my family."

Zuko didn't look away fast enough. Neither did Aang, who flinched as blood splattered on red robes and sharpened metal. Of course Yuzo had chosen a knife. Fire was too loud. Fire meant screams. But a knife could slice through all that. A knife could silence everything into choked gasps and gurgles.

When it was over, Yuzo turned to them with an expression that was like stone. Blood had splattered on his face and clothes.

"You killed him," Aang whispered.

"He deserved it."

Zuko didn't deny this. Neither did Taiyo, though he did point out that Shūrin's other followers would be bound to stir the tribe up into retaliating. Killing the Head Sage wasn't something that could be overlooked. Plus, now there was no way to force An Dung to talk and expose the truth.

"Then find someone else to speak," Yuzo gritted out. "There are others, aren't there?"

Taiyo frowned and glanced at the body. "I suppose it doesn't make too much of a difference. If he'd lived, he would have used his influence to take us all out anyway. Perhaps this is for the best."

Aang still looked pale. "Not much of a difference? He's dead."

"And he deserved it," Yuzo repeated. "He deserved to die."

The stone was cracking. All the harshness in Yuzo's features had turned brittle and now his jaw was clenched too tight, his eyes too bright. The bloody knife quivered in his hand.

"Here," Taiyo said, gently removing the knife from his clasp. "Let me take that. You don't need to hold it anymore."

Aang opened his mouth to speak, but Zuko placed a hand on his shoulder and shook his head. "Not now, Aang."

"But—"

"Leave it."

Aang bit his lip, still looking shaken, but for once he took the hint. It was a quiet group who left the temple.

oOo

With An Dung's death, there was even more need to get off the island before they were dragged into another trial. Yuzo had offered to stay to face whatever consequences came from his actions, but Taiyo insisted that he leave. As Taiyo had put it, he had failed Yuzo and his family by not realising sooner what was going on. This was his way of trying to make it better.

"You have your whole life ahead of you," Taiyo had said. "Live it. Live it with this boy who loves you"—he nodded at Atsuo—"and let us handle things here."

Yuzo had got a bit teary-eyed then, but he'd also relented. So it was that goodbyes were made and the original nine, Momo included, gathered in the open field that led up to the cliffs where the bison herd had made their home.

Zuko looked up at the sky. Morning had arrived. It was in the energy that hummed through his body, in the light that illuminated enough to require no torches, but the clouds were still a darkened cloak shedding rain. Aang found his sleeve and tugged. Zuko glanced down at him, but Aang was looking at the warriors who had just emerged from the trees.

"What now?" Azula grumbled. "Don't these people know when to quit?"

Yuzo stiffened. Atsuo moved protectively in front of him, perhaps worried this was about An Dung.

"Aang." Katara stepped in front of all of them. "Go ahead and use that whistle. I've got this."

Then she stopped the rain.

Zuko's eyes widened as he watched the drops merge and sharpen. Her control was perfect, her determination unwavering as she turned her arsenal on the warriors, holding them back with a threatening wall of blades. Go ahead, every razor-sharp tip said. See if you can get closer.

"That's some girlfriend you've got there," Shizue muttered.

Atsuo nodded.

Zuko didn't bother to correct that she wasn't technically his girlfriend. He was in far too much awe, and he wasn't the only one. She had just stopped the rain and turned it into her weapon. She was amazing.

"Aang, the whistle!" Ursa reminded.

"R-right." Aang picked his jaw up from the ground and tugged the whistle free from his tunic. He blew on it hard, though it made no sound.

Chiyo removed her mask and threw it on the ground. "Enough of this!" She cut through the ice with her sword. "Burn or hack your way through if you have to, but don't let them escape!"

"Wait!"

Everyone turned as one to see Eun and more warriors come out from the trees. Some of the people with her were not wearing masks, but Shizue's small hiss of "Silencers" soon answered who they were supposed to be. Of course Appa chose this moment to descend from the clouds with a wary rumble.

"Quick!" Chiyo pointed her sword at the would-be escapees. "They're going to get away on the bison!"

"I said wait!" Eun continued to hold her hand up in a halting gesture. "I'm quite sure you can't have forgotten your orders, Chiyo. The Avatar is not to be detained."

"It is not only the Avatar who is trying to leave!" Chiyo hissed.

"So what? Let them go."

Chiyo looked as if she'd been slapped. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me." Eun stared at her coolly. "I said let them go. A fight now would only result in too much bloodshed."

The two women had a brief but intense standoff before Chiyo sheathed her sword. "Fine, if that is what the sages wish."

"It is."

Displeasure carved into her face, Chiyo waved a hand at her regiment to stand down. Katara waited to make sure no one else had any intention of attacking before she allowed the ice to shift back into rain and drop harmlessly. Appa took that as his cue to draw closer.

"Let's get out of here," Zuko muttered.

No one argued and quickly piled onto the saddle. Atsuo was the last to approach, but he paused when Chiyo's harsh gaze fixed on him. Her hands moved in silent words.

"What's she saying?" Aang asked.

"She's calling him a coward," Yuzo answered in a strained voice. "She says he's hiding behind us and that, by running, he's only confirming himself a traitor. She says if he had any sense of honour in him, he would stay. He would try to prove himself worthy in her eyes again."

Aang and Katara looked horrified. Zuko tensed, wondering if Atsuo would be swayed. It had always seemed like Atsuo had a lot of mixed feelings for his mother, much in the way Zuko had used to struggle with his own need to earn his father's love.

Atsuo removed the scabbard from his back and threw it, jian sword and all, on the ground. His expression was grim as he signed his response. Then he clambered on Appa and all but fell into Yuzo's arms. The boys held each other close.

"I wonder what he said," Katara murmured.

"He said she can disown him if she wants because he doesn't need her approval," Shizue answered. "He said he knows he's doing the right thing, and that's good enough for him."

Zuko found himself catching Azula's gaze. Her expression was unreadable, yet he knew she had been listening.

"Yip, yip!" Aang cried.

Appa took off and the Ito Islands were left far behind.

oOo

They travelled for hours over a stretch of endless blue. So much needed to be discussed and worked through, but there seemed to be a mutual agreement to not broach any heavy topics while they were all crammed in the saddle together. Or maybe everyone was too exhausted. A lot had happened.

Zuko was on steering duty when they finally found a spit of land for Appa to get some rest. There was no source of food or fresh water on the tiny blip of rock, but that was okay since they'd packed their own supplies to last them the return trip. Anyway, the main thing was for Appa to have a break from flying.

Bison snores filled the air as tents were set up and a campfire started. Once everyone was settled around the fire, Katara reminded Zuko and Aang that they still owed her an explanation for what they'd discussed with the lion turtle. There had been a lot of stuff about risks that she hadn't liked.

Zuko glanced at Aang to see if he wanted to speak first, but Aang was too busy staring at his knees. Alright then.

"I wanted to confirm if there's a way to free Shen," Zuko said quietly.

Yuzo sat up straighter. "Is there?"

"Yeah. I should be able to bend Shūrin out of him."

"But?" Ursa said, catching onto his unspoken words.

"To do it, I'll have to open my energy to her. I'll be completely vulnerable."

Katara gripped his knee, her eyes tight with worry. She didn't have to speak for him to hear her question.

"I know it sounds dangerous," he said, "but I want to try. I … I felt Shen in there. He's been trapped and suffering all this time. We're talking years. But now I know there's a real chance to free him."

"You're really willing to take that risk?" Yuzo asked.

Zuko nodded.

"Why? You don't even know him. You've never met the real him. Why would you risk all that for someone you don't know?"

"Does it matter?"

"Of course it matters!" Yuzo seemed torn, like he wanted to be relieved but felt obligated to point out the strangeness of such a decision. "Look, much as I want my brother back, I don't think even he would expect this from you."

Zuko sighed. "Like I said, I know it's dangerous. I just … I want to do this. I can't ignore the fact there's still a chance to save him."

Azula let out a soft snort. "You never change, Zuzu."

His brow creased.

"You can't just leave it, can you? You always have to put your hero foot in."

"I'm not trying to be a hero," he said flatly. "I'm only trying to do what feels right."

"Oh, I know. Just like when you were thirteen and spoke up for the 41st Division." Her voice was ice-tipped steel. "You remember what happened then? You got burned and banished, and all those recruits still died."

He flinched and averted his gaze. "This is different."

"Is it?"

"Azula," Ursa said warningly. "That's enough."

Her eyes flashed. "Why? I'm only saying what you're all thinking. He can't save everyone. That's just a fact of life. Maybe it's about time he realises that as well."

Zuko curled his fingers into his palms. "I know I can't save everyone. I know not everything can work out the way I want."

"Then why do you want to take this risk?" Azula asked.

"Because it's the right thing to do!"

"Wrong! The right thing would be to work together to kill Shen because that's the guaranteed way to get rid of Shūrin! The right thing would be to end the threat before it gets bigger! Or have you forgotten that she wants to make you her vessel?"

Somehow, they were both on their feet. Zuko didn't remember standing. He met his sister's eyes, his breathing harsh, yet when he spoke his voice was soft.

"What if it were you?"

"What?"

"What if it were you? What if Shūrin was controlling your body? Would you still want me to kill you? Would you want to die trapped with that monster?"

Emotions slipped through the cracks of her steel-crafted mask.

He placed his hands on her shoulders. "Shen is still in there, Azula. He's alive. I can't leave him like this. I have to try."

She shook her head and took a step back, breaking from his touch. "Father was right. You really are a fool."

"I don't think so."

"It's just one man."

She said it like the words needed no further explanation. One man to be the sacrifice, one man to guarantee Shūrin's defeat.

But that was the thing she and Father had never understood.

"It's still one man who can be saved."

Their eyes met. Her jaw tightened—no doubt from all the sharp, frustrated words she was holding back. They would never agree on this. They were too different, and perhaps they always would be.

"Mother," Azula said coolly, not breaking eye contact with him. "You don't support this, do you?"

"It is risky," Ursa admitted as she frowned at him. "If you fail and Shūrin makes you her vessel, there's no saying how her power will increase. She seems to think it will give her the edge she needs to carry out her plans." Her tone softened. "But, in truth, the thing I don't like is that we will have no way to free you."

"I know," he said.

"Yet you still wish to do this?"

Zuko glanced from his mum to his sister. "I'm not afraid of Shūrin. Even if I have to make myself vulnerable to her, I won't let her bend my spirit to her will."

"You can't guarantee that," Shizue pointed out.

"Maybe it doesn't seem that way to you, but I know what I feel. I won't fail."

Azula scoffed and walked away from the camp, muttering that he was useless and one day his too soft heart was going to be the death of him. Then she'd laugh over his corpse and say she told him so.

"She didn't mean that," Ursa said with a bit of awkwardness. "She's just—"

"I know, Mum."

He'd long since come to realise that such parting shots were Azula's twisted way of saying she was worried.

Ursa's frown crept back onto her lips. "Still, she's right this is maybe not your smartest decision." An apologetic look at Yuzo. "Sorry, I know he's your brother."

"It's okay," Yuzo said. "Besides, he's your son. Of course you don't want him to do this."

She didn't refute the point.

"Uncle said something once," Zuko said softly. "He said to be human is to not always be logical. We do things because our heart tells us it's right, because we want to believe in hope." He looked at each of them before his gaze came to rest on his mum. "Right now my heart is telling me that I should save Shen. It's telling me to have hope."

She stood up and took his face in her hands. "My son, I honestly want you to forget all about what the lion turtle told you. I would not have you put yourself in this kind of danger." Her lips curved into a sad smile. "But hearing you speak and seeing the conviction in your eyes, I can't help but be proud."

"Proud?"

"Despite how your father raised you, despite all the things you've suffered, you never lost your kindness. You never lost your desire to help those who could not help themselves."

His cheeks warmed. "I just want to do what feels right."

"I know, and for that I will trust your judgement here, even if I don't like what it involves."

"Then … you're okay with this?"

"Reluctantly, but yes. I will support your decision if you truly believe you can save Shen."

His eyes softened into a smile. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me. You'll still have to convince everyone else."

He nodded, but the important thing for him was that she had accepted his decision. Yuzo and Atsuo looked relieved as well, which was good. Part of the reason Zuko wanted to free Shen was because Yuzo had lost enough family members. If he could do this, maybe it would help. Maybe it would make up for the lost years Shen and Yuzo had been apart.

Zuko sat down and Katara's hand immediately found his and interlaced their fingers. The look in her eyes suggested she, like his mum, was not happy about the extra danger of his plan, but the warmth of her hand promised no objections. Not that he'd expected any from her. She never turned her back on those who needed help either.

"So, Aang," Katara said, shifting her attention to him. "Why did you want to learn about energybending?"

Aang bit his lip before his expression took on a more determined edge. "I wanted to find a different way."

"A different way for what?"

"To defeat the Fire Lord."

Shizue's brow creased. "What do you mean? Why would you need energybending to kill Fire Lord Ozai?"

"See, that's just it. I don't want to kill him."

Zuko's jaw dropped.

And that was when the arguments really started.

oOo

Aang had always run when he got upset. This time he stood his ground. He listened to their words and acknowledged what was at stake, but he also asked why justice had to mean death. If he stopped the Fire Lord from hurting any more people, wouldn't that be enough?

Shouldn't that be enough?

Zuko thought about those words for a long time afterwards. It had been easy to accept Yuzo's brand of justice. They'd all understood why he'd killed An Dung. Even if it was fuelled by revenge, a bad man had been killed who would have continued to do harm if left alive. No loss there.

Of course, it had been harder for people to accept Zuko's own wish to save Shen, and most still had reservations. But then he wasn't trying to spare Shūrin. He would kill her, no hesitation. He just wanted to save an innocent man while he was at it. People could at least appreciate the sentiment.

But what Aang wanted was different. Aang didn't want to kill if he could help it. Worse, it wasn't like Fire Lord Ozai had any reason not to harm Aang, as Shūrin did for Zuko. The whole idea was too dangerous, too risky, and could easily end in Aang's death.

Ozai never hesitated. He never held back. It was something they all knew.

"This is not the easy path. This will never be the easy path. You must ask yourself if the risk is worth it."

Zuko sighed and glanced at Aang, who was now curled up with Momo against Appa. No, he did not understand why Aang wanted to take such a risk, not for a man who wanted to burn the world. Except he couldn't bring himself to argue against him either. It wasn't like Aang was naively hoping for a miracle; he knew the stakes and the danger.

In the end, they were both only trying to do what they felt was right.