Chapter Twenty-One

The Horrible Truth

It was still dark. Khundes stood out on the balcony of Lo and Li's small beach house. Their first day there had been slow and very uneventful, but enjoyable. Khundes and Azula had gotten some more time alone together since they had been apart for a while, and it had been a long time since Azula, Zuko, Mai, Ty Lee, and he had had fun together. The last time he could remember is when they were still children and they all played in the palace garden.

"Why do you always sneak off by yourself?" came Azula's voice.

Khundes turned and faced Azula. "It usually helps me think. I've had a lot on my mind lately," he told her.

"Apparently," Azula said, walking to him and putting her hand on his chest. "Don't worry. You are in your right place now," she said.

Khundes took her other hand in his. "I know. I have you to thank for that," he said.

"And what of your other friends?" Azula asked.

"The Avatar and his friends?" Khundes said.

Azula nodded.

Khundes smiled at Azula and put his arm around her waist. "They probably think I'm dead," he said casually and gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek.

"And if they come looking for you?" Azula asked.

"Then they'll regret that choice," Khundes said.

-------

Katara and Toph landed in the cover of a small grouping of trees. The Prison Tower didn't have Khundes but a guard they found near the palace know where Khundes was. "You're sure he's here?" Katara asked the guard, who was encased in stone, with only his head sticking out.

"Yeah. He was coming here with Princess Azula and Prince Zuko," said the guard, clearly frightened.

"What house are they at?" Toph demanded.

"It's not too far from here. It has a long boat dock in front of it. You can't miss it. It's probably the smallest beach house on Ember Island," the guard said.

"Alright. We'll find the house in the morning. Let's get some sleep. Make sure he can't go anywhere Toph," Katara said.

"You got it," Toph said, and with a quick movement from her feet, the stone encasing the guard became rooted to the ground.

"You're really going to make me sleep upright all night?" asked the guard.

"Yep. Now shut up and go to sleep," said Toph, forcing a rock gag over the guards mouth.

-------

The next morning, Khundes stood up out of bed and walked into the living area of the house. On the table there was a note.

"Didn't want to bore you with going shopping. Hope you had a good rest.

Azula."

Khundes smiled and walked to the balcony of the house. The morning breeze felt good against his face. The ocean was peaceful and calming. Khundes closed his eyes and let the calmness of the ocean waves fill him.

Suddenly, from behind him, there came a loud crash. Something had blown in the door. Khundes turned and assumed a fighting stance and waited.

The cloth covering the entrance to the living area was torn down and Khundes saw Katara and Toph standing there. Toph had a very large rock floating next to her.

"Khundes!" Katara ran to Khundes and wrapped her arms around him. "I knew you weren't dead!"

"Yeah no thanks to you," Khundes said bitterly.

Katara pulled away and looked at him. "What?" she said.

"You guys left me in that prison for a week. I was starved and beaten with a whip," Khundes said.

Tears brimmed in Katara's eyes. "I tried and tried to get Aang to go after you! I really did!" she pleaded.

"She really did! She has been so upset since you've been gone," Toph said.

"Well you didn't try hard enough!" Khundes said, shoving Katara away from him and shooting a fire stream at Toph.

Toph's rock took the form of a large wall, which effectively shielded her from the stream of fire. After the fire had dispersed Toph shoved the rock wall at Khundes.

Khundes' eyes widened. He managed to, at the last second, duck and roll out of the way. He made to shoot another fire stream at Toph but was stopped when his hand became frozen to the floor. He looked up at Katara and smiled. "Come on. You know that isn't enough," Khundes said, spinning his legs out from under him, sending a ring of fire through the room towards Katara.

Katara removed the ice from Khundes' hand and made a water wall in front of her. The fire sizzled and went out.

Khundes stood up and fired three fireballs at Katara.

Katara made the water cover her arms so it looked like she had tentacles for arms. One by one she swatted the fireballs down, then flung a stream of water at Khundes.

Khundes made to move out of the way but he was stopped by a large stone wall. Toph had recovered her rock. Khundes was hit hard by the water. He was now on his knees, his breathing heavily, and his heart beating in his ears. He looked up at Katara. "What are you looking at?"

"I thought you were different. I thought you wanted to the war end!" Katara yelled at him.

"I do. I want the war to end with the Fire Nation victorious!" Khundes said and with quick move his hands, he sent a wave of fire at Katara and Toph.

Toph moved her rock wall in front of her and Katara. When the fire wall collided with the wall of rock it send them sliding backwards and falling over.

"You two might as well give up. Everyone's going to be back soon," Khundes said, not on his feet looking down at them.

Katara jumped to her feet and reformed the water tentacles on her arms.

Khundes chuckled menacingly. "You want to keep fighting a hopeless battle Katara?"

Katara's face was streaked with tears. She had believed in this guy. He had given her hope that not everyone from the Fire Nation was evil.

"It's not a losing battle! Two versus one. You can't win," Toph said, sending a small piece of very sharp rock at Khundes.

Khundes had no time to dodge this attack. The rock hit Khundes in the cheek, splitting it wide open. He grimaced and put a hand over the gash on his face. When he pulled his hand away and looked at it, he saw blood. Khundes looked at Toph and Katara. He closed his eyes and drew a deep breath.

Khundes' eyes flew open and a large fireball formed in his hand. When he exhaled the fireball flew forward.

As if of one mind, Katara and Toph joined the water stone together, creating a more effective shield. The water evaporated and the rock wall exploded into pieces, but the fireball had dissipated.

There was a clap from behind Katara and Toph. "Bravo. Now what are you going to do now that its not just Khundes you have to fight?" said a voice.

Katara turned and saw Azula, Mai, Zuko, Ty Lee, Lo, and Li standing in the entrance. "Uh, Toph?"

But Toph was way ahead of Katara. Toph had reformed her rock wall and forced it to the doorway, blocking Azula and the others from the living area.

Katara turned and looked at Khundes. "If I ever see you again..." she paused and drew more water from her water pouch and shot it at Khundes, who became frozen to the wall. "It won't be pretty," she finished. Pulling out the bison whistle, she blew into it. Seconds later, Appa appeared at the balcony. "Good bye Khundes."

Toph and Katara climbed onto Appa and flew off, disappearing around the corner of the house.

The rock blocking the doorway was blown to pieces. Azula and the others walked into the living area and Ty Lee jumped down onto the balcony from the roof. Khundes heated his body up and the ice holding him in place melted away. When he got back to his feet, Azula walked over to him and moved her hand towards his cheek. "Your face..." she said.

Khundes pushed her hand away. "I'll be fine," he said, looking out the balcony window.

Ty Lee looked around the room. Dirt and rock was everywhere. The walls and furniture where wet and charred. "Wow... this place is a wreck."

"Yeah," Khundes said, looking to Lo and Li. "I'm sorry for the damage that has been done here," Khundes said and bowed respectfully to the two ancient ladies.

"It is alright," said Lo.

"Your life is far more valuable-" Li started.

"than any of our possessions," Lo finished.

Azula looked at Khundes. "We really should get that wound looked at by someone Khundes," she said, taking his hand.

The blood from the wound was now trailing down to his neck. Khundes looked at Azula. "Alright."

-------

Katara and Toph sat in the saddle on Appa's back. Katara was fighting back more tears and Toph was just plain angry.

"I can't believe this! Khundes betrayed us!" Toph said.

Katara said nothing for a long moment. She couldn't believe it either. "Maybe he was faking," she said finally.

"Katara I don't think he was. He wouldn't have hurt us. Well... I'm hurt at least... I can feel a burn on my arm," Toph said.

Katara looked at herself. She too had a burn on her. It was on her leg. "Here Toph," Katara said, bending some water over Toph's burn. "It should feel better in no time."

"Thanks. Are you hurt?" Toph asked.

"Not physically," Katara lied. "I'm going to go take the reins... You sit here and get some rest," Katara said, climbing over the saddle's edge, sitting down on Appa's head, and taking the reins.

After a moment of silence, Toph spoke. "Katara, for what its worth... I'm hurting too," she said.

Katara said nothing. She didn't know what to say anymore. Was she hurting because she may have been slightly attached to him or was she hurting because this was such a betrayal? The only thing she did know was that she was going to need Aang when she got back.

"Well... Whatever happens, Khundes and Azula are going down," said Toph.