I do not own PJO or A:TLA
Chapter 16
The door of the Fire Nation watchtower burst open in a blaze of flames. The door swung off it's hinges and slammed into one of the guards with a sickening crunch. He crumbled to the ground as the other guard was whipped around the head with a long strand of water, he flew back and knocked his head on the wall and collapsed next to his friend.
Katara straightened up and looked around the room heavily decorated with black and white and the Fire Nation insignia. She glanced at Zuko, who gracefully stepped nto the room and shrugged.
"This place was never heavily guarded. It was mostly just to keep it sacred and clean... all the tourists could get a little rowdy."
"If we split up and meet back at the entrance where the tours start, we'll get to back to Aang in no time." Sokka said. "Sound good?"
Katara and Zuko nodded.
They all split up at the door, Katara went right, Zuko went left and Sokka went up.
.../.../.../...
Inside the volcano, Toph, Percy and Aang crept swiftly along. Toph lead them deeper and deeper towards the center, avoiding groups of tourists and other people that might be around.
Aang lit the way with fire in his hands and Percy fiddled with Riptide in his pocket. He wanted to take it out and feel comfort in the weight of it in his hands but he didn't. Percy observed Toph and Aaang instead. He didn't want to believe that he had ever been that young, but he had been.
He knew that he had been, though. Probably smaller and more frightened than Aang or Toph ever felt. These kids were strong, not just physically but emotionally and morally. Always ready to fight for what they believed in.
Even Aang, who was obviously not very comfortable underground had no probably squaring his jaw and stepping forwards. The kid belonged in the sky, not underground.
It was getting hotter and hotter with every step they took. The warm glow from Aang's hands mixed in with the heat that was seeping in through the walls that Toph had bended back.
Percy wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. "It's getting really hot, we have to be close, right?"
His voice echoed and bounced strangely in tunnel, making the shadows themselves seem to flinch.
Toph halted and knelt down to touch the ground, her face blank and emotionless.
"What is it?" Aang asked, stopped beside her.
She pressed her hands deeper into the rock. Percy couldn't get over how cool it was that she could move solid rock like Play-Doh.
Her whole arm was submerged in the rock, then she wrenched it out, her arm broke free, along with an enormous jewel the size of a Bible. She caught it with both hands and held it out for the boys to see.
"Whoa..." Aang and Percy breathed.
The jewel was the size of Toph's head, it was semi-transparent and glittered even in the dimly lit cavern. It was flecked with beautiful shades of red and orange and yellow, giving off the impressed that there was a fire lit inside. At the center of the jewel, slightly morphed by the shell, was a large dab of purple. The whole tunnel got lighter when Toph had pulled it from the ground and, Percy thought his eyes were playing tricks on him because he could have sworn the purple bit was moving.
"Can I hold it?" Percy asked softly, sure that this was some sort of magical item.
Toph handed it over hesitantly.
Percy weighed it in his hands and found he could almost feel it breathing. It wasn't as heavy as it should have been either. He handed it carefully to Aang, who solemnly took it, his eyes wide and hopeful.
"Who cares?" Toph said suddenly, her voice was harsh and loud. "Can we keep going now?"
"What do you mean 'who care'?" Aang demanded. "Obviously this is... something special. I think it might be from the Spirit World."
"It's just a big, fancy rock! We have lots of those in the real world without your spiritual mumbo-jumbo."
"Why did you pull it up if you don't think it's special then?" Aang asked defensively, cradling the jewel in his arms. "You know that it is. You could feel it!"
"Whatever. I didn't know you guys were going to be so weird about. I can feel your hearts beating like butterflies."
Percy thought for a second. "I know you'd rather rely on your own strength, but maybe this jewel will help all of us somehow. I don't really understand what it is, but we need it."
"Fine." She roller her eyes. "But I still think it's dumb. I don't need any magic or spiritual weirdness. I can handle myself."
Aang sighed. "We know, Toph. Nobody said any differently."
Percy felt sad when he looked at Toph. She was angry. More angry than she was letting on and he didn't really understand why. He didn't know what to say to her so he took jewel from Aang and put in then bag Sokka had given him to wear. Percy had adjusted the straps so it looked more like a backpack than a purse.
"We'll get this figured out." Aang comforted Toph. "Don't even worry."
Toph turned and pushed the whole wall of earth away from them so they could continue on their way. "I never said I was worried."
SORRY IT'S SO SHORT AND IT TOOK SO LONG.
I'm gunna challenge myself to have the next chapter up by Sunday. CAN IT BE DONE? I don't know.