Chapter Ten
The Sacrifice
As Khundes and the others ran deeper into the cave the more concerned he got. What if they didn't make it? He couldn't his fears. If Aang didn't make it out of this, the world would be doomed. Khundes looked behind them and could see a blue glow. Azula was coming. They couldn't out run her for much longer.
"Aang..." Khundes said.
Aang turned to look back at Khundes. He was stopped. "What? Whats wrong?" he asked.
"Lead them out," Khundes said.
"What? What about you Khundes?" Katara asked.
"I'll delay Azula as long as I can," Khundes said.
"We can't just leave you here Khundes!" Katara said.
Khundes looked at her, then to Aang. "Aang, get them out," Khundes said. None of them moved. "NOW!" he yelled.
"Come on Katara," Aang said.
Katara didn't move. She didn't want to leave Khundes there alone. She couldn't.
"Katara there's no time to argue. You are going," Khundes said. He looked at Aang.
"Appa!" Aang said, bending air around Katara, restraining her, and boosted her up to Appa's back.
"NO! Let me go Aang! We can't leave him here alone!" Katara protested, struggling against the air that held her there.
Aang and Toph blasted a hole through the roof of the cave, climbed on Appa, and they took off through the hole. Khundes caught a last glimpse of Katara and saw the tears streaming down her cheeks. His eyes brimmed with tears, then he turned, wiped his eyes, assumed a fighting stance and waited.
Azula walked around the corner and saw Khundes standing there. "So... you really do want to die then," She said and her fist enveloped into bright blue flames.
As they flew along Aang moved slowly to Katara, who had her face buried in her knees. "Katara?" Aang said.
"Just leave me along Aang," Katara said.
"Katara..." Aang said.
Katara looked up at him, her face stained with tears. "What do you want Aang!? Do you want me to give you a hug and tell you everything is ok?!" Katara said, more tears pouring down her face.
"What Khundes just did was the most selfless thing I've seen for a long time. Its what he wanted," Aang said.
"How do you know that Aang? How!?" Katara said.
"Because... when he led Azula away from us and we flew to him to get him I heard him say to Azula, 'I've found where I belong. If you want the Avatar you're going to have one heck of a fight on your hands, '" Aang said.
Katara sat there in silence for a moment, the said, "Aang, just leave me alone..."
Aang felt his heart split in two at her words. Without another word to her, he moved away from her, not giving her a second glance.
They flew, in silence, towards the rising sun. It was as though there giving Khundes a final send off.