Note: So after this chapter there will only be about two more and a after thought- I'm so excited! Also since I'm so close to the end I wanna say thank you for all the reviews and I hope this story has lived up to as many exspectations as possible!

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: Last Airbender, nor do I own the storyline.

Chapter Seventeen

The woman who held Katara from running jerked her in the direction of Caine who in turn tied her to a post on the very edge of the lava infested mountain, while the men that held Zuko remained where they were.

"Laia," Cained barked as two blonde women released her and Jade from the chains that bound them.

"I wont Caine," her words were small as loose ivory hair strands blew in the air, "The curse was never ment to be broken this way and you know that."

Jerking the trembling Jade from her arms, the spirit growled holding the squirming child above the glowing lava, "Now Laia, I'm not asking."

Seeing the child being handle in such a manner Zuko went forward before even realizing what he was doing, "Let him go!"

Turning toward the captured prince Caine made as if he had drop the young child only to catch him a the last minute, Zuko felt the one of the guards who had been assigned to him, punch him in his stomach making him fall to his knees.

"Laia," Caine said again his eyes ready to kill, "Now."

Laia turned so that she could see both Zuko and Katara, a single tear falling down her cheek and into the burning substance below.

What was that?

Zuko leaned into the mouth of what he assumed to be his death to see in an second's instance light from where her tear had fallen, looking up at the distraught mother he allowed his question to remain unanswered, it wasn't important.

What was important was that he was about to die and this time no one was going to save him or her.

He wants to marry her and he wants me dead.

"Stop it!" Katara screamed at Caine who was still dangling Jade over the deadly lava, "Your hurting him!"

How does he expect her to marry him when he is doing this to her?

Throwing the boy to the opposite side of the mouth he said, "Get on with it Laia, dawn is almost here."

Walking by Zuko she whispered softly, "I'm so sorry it wasn't suppose to be broken like this."

Taking her place on the right side of Katara she pulled out a small sheathed dagger and spoke, "As many of you are aware, long ago before the first avatar was ever created a man named Miruko made a deal with the great and cruel demon lord Faer. Miruko told Faer that if he gave the power over fire to him that he would in turn give the demon his beautiful daughter Shi, the demon had already been seeking out a maiden to bare his child so he agreed to the man's deal. The man became a very powerful and rich lord due to the demon's gift, but when it came time to hold his end of their deal he slayed the demon. As Faer was dieing vowed to take his revenge, so he stole the man's daughter as he slipped into hell, bringing Shi with him. But neither Shi's father nor the demon knew that she was in love so when she was stolen and sent to hell she was separated from true love breaking not only her heart but also his. Their pain was so intense from loosing their love one that his tears created a small island and hers created the ocean to protect their island thus through their separation this island was born."

Unsheathing the dagger to reveal a blade not made of iron but of emerld and jade she contuined, "Their pain was so great that it sealed all those killed by the Shi's father never allowing anyone of the spirits to rest in peace; the only way to break this curse through true love of two enemies."

She placed the blade on Katara's neck her eyes having a foggy distance in them as she pushed herself on, "Fire Prince Zuko, eldest child and only son of Lord Ozai and Princess Ursa will you die for this young woman?"

His mind was racing as his body began to tremble, would he die for her?

He didn't allow the others to see his fear, he couldn't, he stood up straight and with out quiver or doubt in his voice he replied, "Yes I would."

Laia gave him a soft smile as Caine left out an annoyed huff.

"And Katara of the Southern Waterbending Tribe, youngest child and only daughter to Hakoda would you die for that young man?"

Glancing at Zuko she gave him a faint smile that he knew she was forcing, he looked up at the sky with little hope of seeing the large bison that the avatar traveled on, and saw nothing; he knew no help would come and there was no running now.

Her voice was small but she allowed no weakness as she replied, "Yes I would."

Hearing her say those words made his heart leap for joy, he looked at her to find she was recieving a displeased look from Caine, but to his amusement she was shooting him an even nastier look.

Did she mean that or is it just to get at him?

He questioned her reply for only a few moments, but decided to let it go, she had to have meant what she said otherwise she wouldn't of said it.

Nodding her head Laia said, "Then young prince if your words are true..."

He noticed that she had tears streaking across her cheeks as she struggled for words, "If your words are true then keep your oath and jump into the mouth of the volcano otherwise I will take her life right here and now."

"No, don't," he could barely hear Katara's pleads, a roaring in his ears was nearly blocking them out.

Caine, aggitated that the ceremony was going so slow, stormed over to Laia snatching the blade out of her hands, and pressing it roughly to the waterbender's throat, "Jump or she dies."

Taking a running start at Caine, Zuko, knocked both the spirit and the gemed blade in the volcano with him; he could hear the screams of Katara and uproar the other spirits created from him knocking their leader into the volcano's mouth with him. The heat of the lava was unbareable as he fell deeper and deeper.

He saw Caine falling just a few feet above him, how ironic, he thought as he closed his eyes due to the increasing intensity of heat, that hes already dead.