Book 4

Chapter 2

Love Over Loyalty

Katara awoke from her sleep and went outside; she hadn't had dreams like that, even after her mother died. She was 25 now and had grown up a lot since the last time she saw Aang, except she still had the child-like face that men liked in her. Katara walked to the water's edge, were Zuko had landed 10 years ago. He was just a banished prince back than, now he was Firelord for 10 years and hasn't seen him for so long. Zuko broke her heart, though, and she couldn't be bothered to think of him.

Katara stared into the water, the cool, South Pole; breeze blew her waist long hair towards the west. There was a superstition that if you looked into the water at night you would see a demon, still the clear water looked beautiful. She looked deeper and deeper, still no demon, she heard a crunching noise, like somebody was walking in the snow. It was a week till winter solstice, so the spirits might start coming back anytime soon, this time the crunching noise got louder she turned to look, nobody was there. She looked back into the water and this time saw a face, it belonged to a young woman, probably in her early thirties, her eyes opened, they were white as the snow.

"Come with me" she lifted a bloody stump out of the water as her face started to fill with blood.

"Nooo!!!!" said a voice as somebody pulled Katara away

Katara looked at her savior, it was Princess Yue "How…"

"The borders between the spirit world and the human world are starting to disappear" she replied " There is something I must show you."

Katara, still surprised, followed Yue across the ice cap. She was cold, still in her night gown, she was shivering, hopefully this place was warm. They walked until they reached a cavern, which went deeper into the glacier.

"Wait Gran Gran told me that we aren't supposed to go in here, she said "it's cursed" said Katara

"I don't know about going in either, but my master told me that I must reveal this place" answered Yue "this is as far as I go for my master forbids me from entering"

"Your Master?" said Katara, but Yue had disappeared into thin air

Katara looked into the cavern, she swallowed and went in. The cavern was warm, surprisingly, Katara proceeded inside, the walls were adorned with mysterious carvings, of a battle. As the cave went deeper and deeper, the carvings started to glow and the scene came more to life. It was almost like a map leading her somewhere, she remembered something like this, 10 years ago when she was trying to get to Omashu with Aang after they had been separated from Sokka.

She was awestruck by two, giant, ice sculptures of men, with strange curved swords looking down on an alter, with a box in the middle. The sculptures were in a position, as if to look over the strange box, which she heard a thumping sound from.

"You have already seen too much my master won't allow this any longer"

But before Katara could respond to Yue she woke up, breathing heavily. She streched and got out of her bed, and exited the room into one of the hallways of the new palace that Sokka had commisioned. Katara made her way to the end of the hall, were Sokka's room was, the door being slightly adjar she could see him and Suki sleeping. She went down te stairs and found Gran-Gran's room, inside she saw her drinking her morning tea with Pakku, who she was married to for 10 years.

"Gran Gran I need to ask you something" said Katara

"Come in dear, Pakku why don't you bring some more tea" said Gran Gran

Pakku got up and went out the door, smiling at his former pupil, Katara entered the room and took a seat.

"So what troubles you"

"I had this dream of the fire palace being attacked and somebody taken from it, I also saw a man with scaly blue skin and yellow snake eyes, after that I had a dream that the moon spirit lead me to this cavern near our village, and inside was a kind of tomb"

"Well sometimes dreams can let us come into contact with the spirits, or can grant foresight, I can tell you now that these dreams meant something, my advice is to travel to the fire nation for the royal family might be in grave danger"

"And this cavern?"

"I don't know, still it might become usefull later"

Katara left the room after thanking Gran Gran, just as Pakku brought fresh tea, Katara returned to her room and began to prepare for her long journey to the fire nation.

On The Cliffs Overlooking The Fire Nation Harbor....

Rin and her firebending master looked at each other as they began the new lesson. Rin was a firebending prodigy, at only nine years of age, which was discomforting for her father, Fire Lord Zuko. Her master, Amir, was the only firebender that rivaled Iroh. He was also Zuko's most trusted bodyguard, who had come to his service after a 15 year journey, in which he met the original firebenders. Amir always wore a mask over his face, which didn't make a difference to his firebendingas Rin's numerous lessons have prooved.

"So what now master?"

"Today I will teach you about the weak points in your body that you must always protect during battle" said Amir as he pointed to his forehead, the center of his chest and his stomach "these points are were bending is at is weakest, there are two more on your back, right between the shoulder blades and on the lower back, for women the lower back is the weakest point, for men the upper back, we will learn how to effectivly protect these points"

"When am I gonna lear the good stuff?"

"Godd question I've been trying that for years" said a voice from the side of the arena, it was Rin's uncle Tom-Tom, who had discovered his firebending powers when he was three, some people say that firebending had skipped the generations before him, an even worse theory is that he had somehow recieved Ozai's energy, which found his body after it was released.

"And they ask why Zuko even made you a body guard Tom-Tom, experience is what brings these skills Rin" said Iroh who was drinking a cup of Tea next to Tom-Tom. Iroh had moved back to the fire nation since Ba Sing Sae was left impovrised after the war and he coudn't find any buisness, still he dreamt of returning one day.

"I tell you what Rin I give you a good example of why this is important, Tom Tom come into the arena" said Amir

"Me...no...why????"

"What you insist on learning better firebending techniques so how about now"

Tom Tom, reluctantly, stepped into the arena. This would happen every other day, in Amir's mind he was just a test dummy and comic relief, still they were like brothers.

"Make a screen of fire" said Amir as Tom Tom conjered a huge wall of fire around himself "now Rin observe"

Amir Propelled himself, with his feet, and shot a ball of fire, it penetrated the wall of fire and hit Tom Toms chest, sending him flying. As he tried to propel himself with his feet, Amir came behind and hit Tom Tom's achiles tendons with his shin, Tom Tom collapsed on the floor Amir standing over him.

"Remember the achiles tendons are like columns that support your body, just like in a building make these columns colapse and the building goes with it, now you understand the importance"

Rin looked confused and changed the subject "so what are we waiting for"

"A very old friend of Zuko is coming back home and he wants to give him a royal welcome"

"Who is this friend" said Tom Tom as he got up

"His name is Zhin'shi, they were friends until his banishment"

"Can he be trusted?" asked Amir

Somewhere At The Harbor....

Zuko was preparing to see his old friend after 13 years, he was ready, his hair had been redone to the old pony tail he had before his banishment, and his squire was putting on his best armor, still when he looked at Mai his hope faded. Mai had warned him to be careful, 13 years was a long time, Zhin'shi was a powerful bender, trained by Ozai himself, and even worse, before his time in the earth kingdom he had learned that his friend had an affair with Azula.

Mai had something else planned for his arrival, once he was settled in she would have her brother and Amir watch his every move.

"Okay Mai, how do I look"

"Like a king"

"Mai don't be so pecimistic all the time, he's been my friend since childhood"

Mai ordered the squire away on some unimportant mission "in case you haven't noticed Zuko you don't have alot of firends"

"Mai please my my sake at least give him a chance"

"I just hope this doesn't turn out like it usually does"

At Sea...

"Sir we are almost at port"

"Give me a minute"

Zhin'shi looked at the wall for a minute, at an image of admiral Zhao, he thought about comming home after 11 years at sea, still he thought about all of the dishonor that his so called "childhood friend" had brought, he imprisoned his only love, killed his father, and betrayed Ozai.

He took one last look at the paiting and said "your death will be avenged father"

Back On The Harbor...

Zuko stood before the dock, looking at the large, iron clad vessel approaching. On his left side stood Mai and Rin and Iroh to his right, his two bodygurads stood at the back. Amir was still, as usual, while Tom Tom either fidgeted or was scratching something. Zuko remained calm, but couldn't stop thinking about the thing that Mai had said. Iroh felt the same about Zhin'shi, he reminded Zuko that he was dealing with Admiral Zhao's son.

Finally the ship reached the dock, and after much aticipation the nose of the ship dropped down, and out came Zhin'shi with the other sailors. He was a tall man, well built, he had a bandana covering his shaved head, and he was dressed in typical fire nation armor. Zuko closed the distance and embraced his friend "It's been so long"

"Yea I never thought that I would get off that cursed ship"

"Zhin this is..."

"I remember Mai and Iroh, whos the little one though"

"Rin, my daughter, she can firebend past her years"

Amir looked at the new stranger and realsed that he was no stranger, the only quetion was were had he seen him before. The man's energy level was unusualy hight for a normal fire bender, the energy created by a firebender was based on emotion, the energy was consuming this man's body so he sensed that this man was looking for vengance.

"So Zuko what are the affairs of the fire nation now"

Zuko's expression changed "there is a new threat, a new cult that bases itself on an old prophecy of an apocalypse, so far all we hear about is animal sacrificing, still they scare the balls of me"

"I see"

Somewere In The Earth Kingdom...

Marduk and his soldiers were preparing to restart their journey to the fire nation. Three days ago they had crossed the portal and would need another four to reach the fire nation capital, were the target was. Mami's words kept ringing in his head "don't harm her," if the two were related than he would need to inquire about that back home in Nibiru, right now there was another issue, Ea had taken off 2 days ago and none of them knew his wereabouts.

"I still think that we should interrogate your brother once we find him" said Ashur "he's been speaking with Anu too much, and you know his secret wishes about ruling Nibiru"

"Ea hasn't let me down yet, he is probably doing something of equal importance" replied Marduk

"Still I can't help the feeling that he's leading us to our demise, and don't forget Isra is in this world, and he was more than a match for you"

"Isra" said Marduk as he remember the days when his human friend was training with the Enlilites in Nibiru, the last thing he told him was "we will see each other again if destiny wills it" Isra was also one of the best firebenders that was ever trained, he could easily take down Marduk if he wanted to. Isra also took a vow of silence about Nibiru's exhistance on leaving, and he promised to Mami that he would keep her wereabouts a secret.

"Let's move out" ordered Marduk as his soldiers returned to their sun disks and went due west.

Fire Nation Palace...

Mai stood in front of the council room waiting for Amir and Tom Tom to come out. Today she heard a rumor that the cultists were readying themselves, thinking that Zhin'shi's return was supposed to be a sign that events were going to start to unfold.

"Anything wrong my lady" said Amir suddenly as he passed by

"Come with me"replied Mai as she took him to the back of the hall "I don't trust Zuko's friend"

"That makes two of us, his energy is too high almost like he's readying himself for a fight" replied Amir

"Look I need you and my brother to do some spying, I heard that he was leaving for an island in three days, unfortunatley on that island one of the fire nation's most dangerous prisoners is living there"

"Name?"

"His old lover and Zuko's sister Azula"

"Nothing I can't handle"

"Be careful, she has improved over the year, but her mental condition is still questionable, in other words she is insane"

"Good"

Amir left and found Tom Tom sleeping on the floor, he woke him up with a nudge to the head and took him to a room, probably were he was going to brief him on their new mission. Mai just hoped that her theory wasn't true, how Zhin'shi was going to get Azula in an attempt to kill Zuko.

"WAIT SHE WANTS US TO TAKE ON AZULA" yelled Tom Tom

"No, just to observe, trust me I've fought more dangerous things"

"Like what?"

"In time I will tell you, now let's get started"