I don't own Avatar.
Again, I want to thank my awesome anonymous reviewers: avatar4ever, mistery personbig fan!!!!Anomounys, anomonys, avatargirl4eva, and any other awesome anonymous reviewers thanks so much!! Love you all, along with my fellow authors!!
And I was wondering if there were any Castle in the Sky fans out there? Well, if there are, I hope you caught my CitS reference in the last chapter.
Alright, on with the story.
The morning the group reached the Fire Nation's upper rink was colder for a summer day. It was muggy and hot, but yet, still very, very cold.
The group of travelers along with their several rebels walked through the vast forest that surrounded the Fire Nation Kingdom.
It surprised Katara that she had seen the Blue Spirit lately. She didn't know where he could be. She hadn't seen or heard from him since they had left the second town on the way to the Fire Nation.
At lunch time, the army stopped and rested under the canopies of shade the treetops provided.
They ate the berries that that were in the bushes around were they sat, just picking them off the branches and popping them into their mouths.
Suki spoke first, "How much longer until till we reach the Fire Nation palace," she asked, sipping a bit of water from her canteen.
"In just about a day of walking," Sokka replied nervously. "I can't believe we're this close to the Fire Nation. After everything we've been through, it's hard to believe we actually made it."
The rest of the group nodded in reply and looked down at the ground, their nerves tingling too. Everything that they had been through was all coming down tomorrow, when they reached the Fire Nation.
Everything counted on that day. They were going to face the Fire Navy, Princess Azula, Prince Zuko, and the Fire Lord.
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Zuko sat in his campsite, his hands together, looking down at the fire that he had built just a few minutes before.
Thoughts raced through his mind. What was he going to do?
Tomorrow was the day that Katara had said they were going to attack the Fire Nation. He was the Fire Nation Prince; he had to protect his Nation. But, in a way he had to protect the girl that he had formed an odd sort of relationship with that Water Tribe girl. And lately he couldn't stop thinking of her.
He had to have the Blue Spirit help her somehow. She was something to the Blue Spirit now….Something that Zuko couldn't quite explain.
But…he couldn't. He had to go home, think of an excuse, and tell Azula that excuse to get back to his family that he had lost.
Enough of these pitiful games. They were only making everything inside him harder. He saved his uncle, that's what he wanted to do…nothing else. So, it was time that the Blue Spirit left the Water Tribe…peasant…behind and do what he was born to do.
And that meant that the Blue Spirit could no longer see or talk or write the Water Tribe peasant anymore.
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"Father," Azula said, knelt in front of her father's throne early that evening. "My men have come back from their search for the Avatar. They said that he, along with over seven hundred rebels are just outside the palace about five miles."
"That means that the battle will start soon," the Fire Lord stated. "Then, we will have to get the troops ready for battle. Make an announcement to the army that they will report here tomorrow for special training. Despite the Avatar's age," he went on. "He is a very smart boy. He knows that in just a short day the Solar Eclipse is coming and we will lose all of our bending powers."
"Yes father," Azula said, rising slightly. She stood up fully and walked over to the large door that led out of the palace.
Just as she was about to exit her father said, "Azula?" She turned around and stiffened at what he said next: "Don't screw up this time. You wouldn't want to join your uncle and your brother in exile now would you, my favorite daughter?"
He grinned evilly and she gulped. She then held her head higher and replied, "Don't worry, Father, I'll be sure that everything goes according to your plan."
And she exited the room.
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The next morning the group finally reached the edge of the forest and to civilization; but they stayed in that edge of the forest.
The Solar eclipse wasn't until late afternoon, so they sat there going over battle strategies, Suki walking around to the rebels, giving them pointers on swordsmanship and whatever else they had questions about, while Katara, Aang, Toph, Iroh, Ling, Jet, Haru, Song, and Au sat around a small campfire listening to Sokka give them the last of their plans.
"We'll just find the higher people of status," he was telling Katara, Aang, Toph, and Iroh. "We'll be the ones fighting Azula, Ty Lee, Mai, and Zuko."
Iroh's eyes downcast at the sound of his nephew's name. He didn't want to fight the prince, even if he had betrayed him. He was still like a son to him whether he was on his side or not.
He suddenly felt a hand on his knee. He looked up to see Lien's comforting blue eyes. She smiled gently before saying, "Iroh, you don't have to do anything that you don't wish to do."
He nodded slightly before turning back to the warrior who had just finished talking and was off to find Suki and help her with the rebels.
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Katara walked through the woods that night looking for a stream of water. She brushed a tree branch out of her way reached a clearing in the woods.
She noticed something in the dirt and squatted down to read it. It said:
I need to talk to you. Just go to the river. It's right up ahead.
Katara smiled and started walking toward the river. When she reached it, the Blue Spirit was already there. He was sitting, very patiently, by the river.
She walked over to him and said aloud, "Hey, stranger."
He looked up and she knew that he smiled. She sat down next to him and he already had a stick ready. He wrote:
I need to tell you something.
She replied:
What is it?
My family is moving to a city in the Earth Kingdom.
Why is that so bad?
It means that I can't help you with your fight or talk to you again.
She laughed out loud, nervously and took the stick, writing:
You're not serious.
He could tell that she was upset. This was going to hurt her and himself. The friendship that they had developed was something that both of them wanted to have; Katara wanted someone to talk to while the Blue Spirit wanted that escape.
He wrote:
I'm sorry, but it's better this way.
But you can't.
Katara could feel tears choking her throat. If she was talking to this man she wouldn't be able to speak.
I have to go.
The Blue Spirit stood up about ready to leave. He felt someone grab his arm and he turned around staring into the deep blue depths of her eyes.
"Will we ever see each other again? Will ever get your voice or see your face?" she asked knowing that tears were threatening to pour any moment.
He bent down, picked up the stick and wrote before leaving her there, she standing in shock, slow tears running down her face:
No, no, and no. I'm sorry.
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Katara walked back into her camp and to her camp, her eyes very cold, and very sleepy. She walked over by the fire and sat down.
"Do you want to talk about it?" a voice said making her jump slightly. She looked deeper into the darkness and saw that Iroh was still up sipping tea. "I'm sorry if I scared you." He added chuckling.
"I don't want to talk about it," she said quietly pulling her knees up to her chin and burying her face into her knees.
The man nodded and said just loud enough for her to hear, "Don't let whatever it is get to you, Katara. You are a wonderful girl and an excellent bender. We need you tomorrow. If you need to talk, I'm here. You know that, right?"
She nodded and continued looking at the fire and didn't say a word the rest of the night.
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It rained that night, very hard and all night long. Zuko walked to the gates of the Fire Nation, with his small bag slung over his shoulder and his clothes and hair dripping wet.
He reached the guards and showed them that he was, indeed, the Fire Nation prince and he headed to the large door that led inside to his home that he had left three years before.
Two guards opened them and the familiar dreary corridor appeared into view, bringing the comfort of home that Zuko had left; no comfort at all.
He immediately went to the throne room, turning the corners of the Fire Nation palace like he had been here the whole time. Very few people passed him, maids most of the time that looked at him with wide eyes before quickly scurrying along to whatever it was that they had to do.
He reached the throne room and knocked several times before a low, irritated voice asked, "What is it now, Azula? Come in."
Zuko took a deep breath, pulled the hood off of the cloak that he had brought with him off and walked inside. He immediately felt the warmth of the fire in front of his father throne.
He walked all the way into the center of the room, knelt down, and covered his face from view. Too bad his father already knew who it was.
"Zuko?" he questioned clearly surprised. "What are you doing here?"
"Father," Zuko replied, "I came back from my search of Uncle Iroh. I left a note on my bed on the ship I was traveling on telling the head Dai Lee officer that I was off to find Iroh, who had escaped, and bring him back for executing."
The Fire Lord, very briefly, was at a loss for words. Regaining his voice the man said, "You left a note? There wasn't a note. We all assumed you had betrayed us for the Avatar and Iroh."
"They must not have gotten it," Zuko said, looking up momentarily at his father before resuming his head down state.
"Mmm," his father said. "I see that you don't have Iroh in your possession. Where is he?"
"I couldn't reach him," Zuko replied. "But I do have all the Avatar's plans for infiltrating the city tomorrow during the solar eclipse."
"And how did you manage to get that?" the Fire Lord asked leaning over in his chair to get a better look at his son.
"I have my ways," Zuko replied looking up at him. For a moment it was liked their eyes locked and all time stopped.
Oazi leaned back in his chair. "You can brief me later. Now, you can get ready for a big day tomorrow, my son. Good night."
Zuko nodded and stood, walking toward the door. He smiled as he reached it and headed toward his room. He knew it. His father did love him again. He knew that he would.
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It was getting close. The solar solstice was almost there. Just a few more minutes, just a few more minutes, Aang thought gripping his staff tighter.
"Aang," Iroh whispered from beside him. Aang looked over to the man that had his arm outstretched at was handing something to him. Aang took it and unrolled the scroll. It was a map. Aang looked up at the retired general in confusion. "It's a map of the Fire Nation palace," the man explained. "It'll help you find my brother for your battle." Iroh looked away.
Aang nodded and rolled the map back up; he put it under his belt. "Iroh," Aang said quietly.
"Yes?" the man looked back over to him.
"Where will the Fire Lord be?" Aang asked nervously, glancing up at the sky. The solar eclipse was only minutes away.
"He'll most likely be in the Agni Kai arena," he replied. Aang immediately pulled out his map and looked at it blankly.
"This is it," Iroh said pointing to a large area on the map close to the center of the palace.
Aang nodded, thanking him.
He then turned around continued to stare at the army in Drop Bridge in front of them. There was sure to be an army on the other side, an army much bigger than their own. But nonetheless the rebels looked ahead with no fear.
Toph could feel the men on the other side of that bridge. There were thousands of them. She could only imagine what the other people around her would want to do if they could feel that army like Toph could. They would probably run away or be out of their mind scared. But not Toph, standing next to Twinkle Toes, she was ready to fight whatever may come their way.
Katara was breathing hard. After the whole incident with the Blue Spirit, that night, she had thought about it and decided that she really didn't care; she was just a little shocked that she was losing a friend forever. So, she told herself to get over it, be a big girl, and fight all her anger out here.
Sokka held his boomerang in his hand and a pair of swords in his belt. His breathing was rather difficult but he didn't let it get to him. They were finally here!! At last, the were fighting the Fire Nation!!
The next few moments were so quiet it was as if the entire world had stopped moving. And then, they sky went red and the solar eclipse had started.
They started running. Iroh immediately felt very small and very weak. Without his firebending, he felt as if he lost a part of himself. He took a deep breath and continued running.
Katara ran to the side of the moat and threw her arms up into the air shooting the water up. She then pushed it forward and to the army that was on the other side.
The rebels ran through the Fire Nation palace's open gates and hit the Fire Navy on the other side.
Once more the rebels drew their swords and threw their punches, kicks, and elements.
Katara ran through the army to find someone that she was supposed to fight. Zuko or Azula, Ty Lee or Mai. She ran through the people water whipping anyone who got in her way. She reached a clearing in the army, the battles raging on either side of her.
She looked around hoping to get a glimpse of someone that she had known as an enemy for the longest time.
And that's was when she saw it. On the ground not three feet away from a prince that she knew all to well was a mask.
A blue mask.
The mask that had left her the day before. Her immediately thought was he's here! He came back! But then she saw the prince in front of it. She walked over to it and picked it up running her fingers across the delicate details of it.
She then, ever so calmly, tapped on the man in front of it. He turned around and she saw his scar and she held up his mask.
Both of his eyes widened.
And she shook her head.
She pulled out all the water in her canteen and she went down into a fighting stance. She was ready. She knew that this man, Zuko, had betrayed her not only once but twice. She was going to show him what happened when you betrayed a waterbending master.
He crouched down, pulling out two duel swords. And then they went forward, swords meeting water.
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Toph could feel the woman known as Princess Azula of the Fire Nation. She was just fifty feet away, standing up, and looking out to the army of fire benders.
She ran forward, through the crowds, and raging battles around her. She had to fight this Azula person. She had hurt her friends and mostly Aang. Toph would never forgive her for that.
The Fire Nation Princess thirty feet away.
Toph earthbent someone and the people in front of her, out of the way. And there was a perfect runway leading from Toph all the way to the princess.
Azula looked at the Blind Bandit and said, "So you are with the Avatar, huh?" Azula crouched down, as did Toph. "This ends now."
"Yes it does," Toph replied charging, her element under her grasp.
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"This is so old," Mai complained flipping a small dagger in her hand.
"Oh come on, Mai, it's actually pretty interesting," Ty Lee replied blocking yet another rebel's chi.
Another row of rebels dropped in front of the friends and two very familiar people appeared in front of them.
"Which one?" whispered the girl that didn't have any make up on or a green dress on any longer, but was the girl that they had fought such a long time ago.
"Which one what?" the boy asked who was dressed in Water Tribe clothing and had and his hair was down and slightly longer.
"Which one do you want to fight?" the girl rephrased drawing her fans.
"….Um….I'll fight…um…Mai," the boy finally answered, drawing his swords.
"Good," Suki said.
"Why?"
"Because I want to fight Ty Lee. I watched her give the fatal blow to my best Kyoshi warrior. I HAVE to fight her."
Sokka nodded and they blocked flying daggers and replied with his swords and her fans.
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Iroh and Lien fought as one. First with swords and then with water. Firebenders of all types were shocked that General Iroh was fighting against them. That distracted them enough so Lien water whipped them into unconsciousness.
Au pulled out her duel swords and blocked and then disarmed the men in front of her. She hit them with the hilt on the back of the neck or on a certain part of the head and they fell to the ground in blackness.
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The breaths came out short and raspy. Aang was sure that he had never been this frightened under any circumstance. Not when he had found out that he was the Avatar, not when he was told that he had been gone for a hundred years, not when he burnt Katara, and not when he woke up not knowing where he was.
He had never been more frightened than he was right now. The fear made him function to the right direction, it made him move.
He rounded another corner in the Fire Nation palace, Iroh's map tucked under his belt. He pulled it out and saw that the Agni Kai arena wasn't to far away from where he was running. In only seconds he would reach there, and he would find the Fire Lord waiting.
Two big, brass doors appeared in front of the young monk as he rounded another corner. He ran up against them and caught his breath. His body was shaking. His breath was heavy and he grip on the giant door handles was slippery. He was already sweating.
He hadn't even seen the Fire Lord yet!
"Well," he whispered to himself.
Aang couldn't remember anything from the time that Katara had went underground. That didn't mean he couldn't remember anything.
He remembered his duty as the Avatar and how he had run away. He remembered every one he had let down, the whole entire world, and his friends. He remembered how kind Toph had been (in her own special way) when she told him those stories. He remembered all the rebels that had risked their lives in Ba Sing Se and were right now to bring this terrible war to an end.
Aang remembered a lot of things.
And he knew enough to know that he had to go inside these doors and defeat the Fire Lord before the eclipse was over.
He had to do it for Toph, Katara, Sokka, Iroh, Suki, and Jet, all of his friends. He had to do it for Azula, Zuko, and all their other enemies. He had to do it for all the people in the world who were counting on him.
But mostly, Aang had to go inside for himself. Too prove himself to himself. To prove that even though he was a hundred years late, he could still be a great Avatar like all the ones that came before him.
And so, Aang, who had been through more than any more twelve year old kid had been through, opened the double doors with a cold shot of air and walked inside.
So that's it. I know big, big cliffy. I just wanted to get a set up chapter for the next one. So I hoped you liked it.
If you have any questions about what happened or what's going to happen just PM me and I'll try to answer them without giving away what happens.
See next time! Oh, and we only have two chapters and an epilogue left and this story is over!!