Equivalent Exchange
Chapter 25: The Crescent Isle
Once they were on the other side of the blockade, the group could relax a little at least. But time was definitely of the essence with Commander Zhao, ever dogged, in pursuit and with sunset approaching fast.
"Thanks for your help, Zuko," Aang stated as soon as Appa put down in a small clearing surrounded by rock.
The bison would be hidden there and wait patiently for the group's return. He was tired anyway; the flying had been difficult and the extra weight of two people, however minimal, did make a difference.
"Um, yeah, you're welcome," Zuko replied and rubbed the back of his neck. "We won't have much time, not with Zhao."
"We know that," Katara stated. "Aang's in charge, not you."
"Hey, I thought that I was in charge, being the oldest and everything," Sokka objected. "Who put the little guy on top?"
"He's the Avatar; that trumps age," Katara said sagely.
Mai shook her head and began walking toward the temple. The bickering between brother and sister was already grating on her nerves. Maybe it was a good thing that her parents had never had another child. Zuko followed after Mai, forgetting about the others. When he caught up, he took hold of her hand and gave her a shrug and a smile.
"So what do you think?" he asked.
"About them?" Mai replied. "It's all I can do not to use my blades."
Zuko chuckled.
"Yeah, we're not used to a lot of, um….."
"Other young people," Mai supplied. "Or siblings."
"Right, that," Zuko agreed.
He looked around at the volcanic rock, took in the smell of sulphur and absorbed the heat. It felt like home. It was home. The Fire Nation was nothing but a string of volcanic islands with the capitol city even sitting right inside a volcanic crater. Everything was familiar and it made the prince nostalgic. He felt tears prick at his eyes.
"So we got home after all," Mai quipped, but there was a hint of sadness in her voice.
"We did," Zuko agreed.
He turned around and saw the Avatar and his friends quickly catching up.
"Be careful in there, okay," he said quietly and gave Mai's hand a squeeze.
Mai turned, looked directly at Katara and then turned back to Zuko, giving him a passionate kiss. She wound her arms around Zuko's neck and the prince, never able to resist any kind of physical contact with her, kissed back just as fervently. Sokka's eyes bugged out, Aang stared down at his feet and the waterbender muttered something that sounded like 'Can't they do that in private? Ugh that's disgusting.'
"You be careful too," Mai whispered in his ear.
Zuko could feel her smirk.
"You're bad," the prince replied as they untangled themselves.
"And you like it," Mai retorted with no hesitation.
Katara cleared her throat exaggeratedly. "We have a mission to accomplish and I don't think that kissing is part of it."
The group continued on its way. Roku's temple, built in traditional Fire Nation architectural style was perched on the top of a small mountain of craggy black rock. An active volcano, taller than the mountain, bubbled away busily behind. Red lava poured down its sides and ran directly underneath the raised stone pathway that led to the temple. The five walked abreast with Aang in the middle, a sort of peacekeeper.
"Remember what I said about the sages," Zuko urged. "They're powerful firebenders."
"Okay," Aang agreed. "Stop worrying so much."
"He does that," Mai remarked.
It looked deserted from the outside, but then again the environment wasn't conducive to outdoor activity. As they approached the shiny steps that led to the beautiful main door, framed by a decorative flame, the group ducked down behind some more rock and observed for a moment.
"Who's going in first?" Zuko asked.
"How about we just walk in together," Aang suggested. "Like a team."
"That sounds good, Aang," Katara replied supportively.
Zuko and Mai exchanged a look and stood up from behind the rock. Mai's hands went to her sleeves, ready to pluck a weapon out should she need one and she was almost certain that need would arise. Zuko reached a hand back over his shoulder and unsheathed his sword, splitting it into its two parts.
"Oooh, sword," Sokka remarked enviously.
He unhooked his boomerang and looked down at it. Beside Mai's arsenal and the prince's dao, it seemed feeble and plain. Still, it had served him well over the years and had proven effective enough in a fight.
"Don't worry, boomerang. I'll always love you, even if I get a shiny sword one day."
The boomerang didn't reply. Momo, the Avatar's recently acquired pet lemur did, however. He jumped up onto Sokka's shoulder and chattered happily in the boy's ear.
"Thanks buddy," Sokka said and gave the little creature a pat.
They climbed the steps as a group and once they reached the top ran to the massive main door. It opened easily enough and the great hall on the other side was eerily quiet. It was shaped like an octagon and huge pillars lined its edges. The ceiling was high and the floors were so shiny that you could see your reflection as clearly as if through a mirror. It was almost like being in the Fire Nation palace. Zuko's breath hitched a bit as he looked around and memories flooded his mind. Mai's hand was on his arm immediately. He didn't need to tell her what he was thinking. She stroked his arm for just a moment but it was enough to bring him back. He sought out her eyes and thanked her silently, his anchor, his support through everything.
The glow of lantern light pooled softly on the walls and floors of the hallways as the group tiptoed forward, careful to be as silent as possible. Eager to see Roku, Aang skipped on ahead. Things were going too well, always a sign of something bad coming. Mai nudged Zuko a moment later and then peered over her shoulder. Five old men wearing the red robes of the Fire Sages stood a few feet behind them.
"We are the Fire Sages, guardians of the temple of the Avatar."
"Cool," Sokka replied. "We're just browsing."
Mai rolled her eyes and ran a hand through thick dark hair. This Sokka character was unreal.
"Hi," Aang said. "I'm the Avatar."
"We know," the head sage declared. "And we've been expecting you."
"Watch out!" Zuko shouted as the sages assumed firebending stances and began to pelt them with fireballs.
He easily dispersed the fire, swords in hand and waited for more. He wouldn't actually attack unless he had to. Mai's knives were in full view now and she was ready to throw.
"Go," Zuko shouted to the others. "Mai and I will hold them off."
"But Zuko," Aang protested.
The Fire Sages looked shocked at the sound of the 'dead 'prince's name. They examined him closely, took in the huge scar and the features so like those of the Fire Lord. Prince Zuko had returned from the dead and was an enemy of his nation, dressed in enemy clothes, a traitor who needed to be captured and brought to their lord. Zhao was mistaken about his death or perhaps he had lied. Zhao would be in trouble. And the prince's betrothed was with him too. That meant that Iroh might be skulking around the temple. Ozai must be told, as soon as the young pup was taken care of.
"Yeah, it's Prince Zuko," Mai called to the ancient sages. "He's very, very much alive."
"Your father will be displeased," the eldest sage called out. "But right now the Avatar is our bigger worry. If he contacts Roku, his power will be enormous. Now, get out of our way."
They tossed more fireballs and Zuko handled them elegantly.
"I can do this all day," he said smartly. "Keep them coming."
A barraged of fire flew at the pair in response.
"Why did you say that?" Mai asked irritably.
She looked at the group of five sages and then threw two blades, effectively pinning three of the men together, their wide sleeves hopelessly tangled. She pulled out two more shuriken and nailed the final two sages.
"Let's go while they're immobilized," she called to Zuko.
They turned and ran at full speed looking for the Avatar and his friends. When they finally caught up to the trio, they were talking with another sage. Zuko skidded to a stop with Mai beside him.
"What are you talking to him for?" the prince shouted. "Five of them just attacked us. I told you, the sages are loyal to the Fire Lord."
"This is Shyu, Zuko. He's not loyal to your father. He wants to help me get to Roku. He's been waiting for me to come."
Zuko and Mai eyed the sage warily. He looked sincere enough.
"Prince Zuko," Shyu said and bowed Fire Nation style. "I'm so glad that you are alive. When I heard of your death my hopes for a better Fire Nation died too. I know that you are not like your father and your sister. I know that you can change our proud nation and help end this war. You must become the next Fire Lord."
Zuko shifted from foot to foot looking embarrassed.
"I'll do my best, Shyu," he finally said and returned the bow. "Mai and I both will."
"Yes, good; I'm glad to see the prince's betrothed alive as well," the sage said with a smile. "I may be stationed here on this island, but I have my ways of obtaining information. You make a lovely couple. Now, we must get going to Roku's sanctum. The solstice is upon us."
Shyu opened a secret passageway to the sanctum and everyone followed.
Zhao and a twenty of his finest soldiers, wearing their intimidating skull shaped face plates, disembarked from his ship and began the climb to the Avatar's temple. The brats were trapped now, all of them. He fantasized about killing Zuko, setting him ablaze or putting a huge hole in his chest. He should have been dead for two years already. How had they survived that blast? Damnable bastard; he had a habit of surviving. And his betrothed was here too. He smiled then, a cruel smile, and imagined how much more beautiful Mai would be now that she was almost a woman. Oh, the things he could do. His mind drifted as they walked.
As the sage closed the door again, voices reached them. The other sages had extricated themselves from Mai's blades and were searching for their group.
"So, they don't know about this secret staircase," Sokka said to Shyu.
"No; when Avatar Roku called this temple home, he formed these stairs from the magma. They're magnificent, aren't they?"
Zuko looked around him. It was like being in the heart of a volcano without the boiling lava. The area was cavernous, rich shades of red and orange everywhere, pillars of magma joining ceiling and floor.
"My great grandfather made this," he whispered to Mai.
"I heard," she replied.
At the end of Roku's passageway there was a huge spiral flight of stairs, coiled like a snail's shell.
"The sanctum is at the top of these stairs," Shyu said.
They walked quickly, going around and around until they reached the top where the sage pushed open a sort of trap door. The sanctum itself was incredible. There was an anteroom of sorts and in that room were five magnificently carved dragons, perched upon pillars that reached higher than two people stacked on top of each other. The dragons, with their front legs reaching to the sky, looked like they were holding the ceiling up. Their tails curved round and round the pillars, finally ending at the floor. They were fierce looking and beautiful. Zuko felt a stab of sadness at the dragon's extinction. That was yet something else his nation needed to answer for.
"No," Shyu exclaimed dramatically. "The sanctum door is shut. We need five firebenders to open it; five simultaneous blasts of fire, or a fully realized avatar."
"Oh," Aang said sadly. "What do we do now?"
"We'll think of something," Katara said kindly and placed her hand on Aang's back.
Zuko and Mai examined the door, the prince running his hands over the thick carving that represented dragon tails. There were five dragon heads, each requiring a blast of fire to be shot inside it. Things seemed hopeless now.
"Wait a minute," Sokka said as he stroked his chin. "I just had a great idea."
The group turned to look at him expectantly.
"I'll bet," Mai said quietly.
But when she actually heard the idea, she was surprised by its ingenuity.
Zhao and his men reached the main door, pulling it open roughly and stepping inside.
"We need to find Avatar Roku's sanctum," Zhao ordered. "Go!"
The soldiers ran, peering down hallways as they went. Their boots made loud, clomping sounds that echoed through the chamber. The commander followed behind, looking and listening. He could hear others up ahead shouting amongst each other. They sounded like old men not children. The sages must be after the Avatar too.
"I learned this from my father," Sokka began.
He reached up and pulled a lantern off the wall, then knelt down and dug in his bag for something.
"See, I seal the lamp oil inside these handy animal skin casings. Shyu or Zuko lights the oil soaked twine that I tie around them and there, fake firebending."
"That's actually very inventive," Mai remarked.
"I know, huh?" Sokka replied enthusiastically. "When you're not a bender, you need to use your brain."
Mai smirked. He was right up to a point. The Water Tribe warrior stuffed the bags into the dragon's mouths and stepped back.
"The other sages will hear the explosion and come running," Shyu warned them. "As soon as the door opens, Avatar, you must rush inside. Remember, when the light hits Roku's statue, you will be able to communicate with him."
Shyu lit the five pieces of twine with a long stream of fire. The mini bombs exploded, filling the chamber with smoke as everyone ducked behind pillars. Momo, ever curious, climbed up the door and slipped inside a small opening at the top.
"Go, Aang," Shyu shouted.
The Avatar ran headlong at the doors and yanked on the handles with all his might. Nothing happened. The doors were still locked. Visibly upset now, Aang turned to the rest of the group with imploring eyes.
"I'll never get in," he said mournfully.
"Wait a minute," Sokka said as the group converged on the door. "It may not be open, but it looks as though it is."
They could hear people rushing toward the chamber.
"So we hide," Mai continued. "And the sages will think that we're all inside the sanctum and open the door themselves."
"And then Aang can rush in and lock the door again." Sokka finished smugly.
He and Mai shared a triumphant look.
"That might work," Zuko conceded. "We'd better hide now."
The sound of footsteps was louder now and behind that noise was something different, thunderous, almost ominous sounding. Everyone cowered behind the huge pillars again and waited, breaths held, for the sages to arrive. And arrive they did, angry, determined looks on their faces. The group of five stopped in front of the massive door and examined the five openings.
"Look," one of them cried and pointed at the blackened holes. "They're already inside. We must remove the Avatar before the light hits Roku's statue."
Together, all five blasting flames at the same time, they opened the sanctum door. It moved slowly, inching itself ajar and as the crack widened, a blinding light emerged. The sages blinked reflexively and then looked inside the sanctum. There was no Avatar inside, only Momo.
"We've been fooled," the oldest sage growled.
Aang made his move then, leaping over their heads, actually using the sages like stepping stones, and forced himself through the small opening. The door closed behind him and the locks grinded back into place. Momo, in the foyer once again, jumped on one sage, covering his entire face. The old man tried to rip the lemur off, but Momo clung on, digging sharp claws into vulnerable skin. Zuko, Mai, Katara and Sokka went after the other sages, the Water Tribe siblings pulling robes up over two old heads, effectively blinding them. The men stumbled about the foyer, bumping into columns and eventually falling down. Zuko and Mai meanwhile, subdued the other three. Sokka tossed them some rope from his bag and the couple tied the old men up tightly.
Zhao's voice penetrated the sudden quiet of the room.
"Well, well, well," the commander began contemptuously. "What do we have here?"
Zhao's twenty men moved forward, flanking their leader. The four young people along with Shyu watched all this with a mixture of curiosity and trepidation.
"Why don't you tell us?" Mai replied. "I think you can manage that."
"Tough words from such a pretty mouth," Zhao replied with a lecherous leer.
He moved ahead, walking until he was within touching distance of Mai. Without thinking, Zuko stepped between the two.
"Never," he snarled through clenched teeth.
"We'll see," Zhao replied smugly. "Men, capture these traitors and their new friends. Hmm, royalty and peasants….interesting allies; you've really sunk low, haven't you Zuko? What's next? Are you going to wallow in the mud with some earthbenders?"
"You can't even kill people properly," Zuko retorted. "I wonder how my father will react when he learns that I'm alive."
"He won't know, because I'll make sure that you're dead this time."
"I have no intention of dying," the prince stated confidently. "And if I were you, I'd be worried about the Avatar. He's talking to Roku right now. "
"Five of you, over to the sanctum door; open it," Zhao bellowed.
Five soldiers obeyed dutifully. The door wouldn't open.
"It's not working," one of them called frantically.
"Move aside," Zhao said curtly, pushing one of his men forcefully out of the way.
He walked to the door and took the place of the middle soldier.
"Again," he ordered.
Even with Zhao's flames, the door remained sealed.
"It's Roku," Zuko stated triumphantly. "He's protecting Aang."
"You shut up," the commander roared.
He shot a burst of flame at Zuko, one the prince easily deflected.
"Take out your chains men, tie the traitors up, and their little friends too. I need to think of an appropriate death for them all."
Twenty soldiers swarmed them and they were encircled, surrounded by hideous emotionless masks. The armored men unwrapped chains from around their waists, conveniently carried there in anticipation of capturing prisoners. There was no use fighting. Zhao had untied the five sages, so that made twenty-six on the commander's side. And they were only five, including Shyu.
Subtly, Mai removed a blade from her sleeve and closed her hand around it. Zhao watched contentedly as his prisoners were tied up to the pillars, chains wrapped around and around their middles. Zuko and Mai were beside each other on one, while Katara, Sokka and Shyu were on another. The waterbender glared at Zuko as if the whole thing were his fault. For his part, the prince desperately tried to think of a way to escape their situation.
"That's better," Zhao declared as he approached Mai and Zuko. "Perhaps I'll take you up to the volcano and toss you in…when I'm finished with you. Mai, you've grown since we last saw each other. You're lovelier than ever."
He touched Mai's cheek with the backs of his fingers then ran them across her mouth. Out of pure instinct, she bit down, hard, . Zhao removed his hand and sucked on the cut finger. Drops of blood pattered down on to the floor.
"How dare you?" he shrieked.
Zhao swung back his arm and smacked Mai, palm open, across her left cheek. Her head hit the pillar behind it, making a sickening sound as it impacted. Tears pricked her eyes, but out of pride and with stubborn will, she forced them back.
"I'll teach you a lesson and then I'll kill you too."
Zuko was enraged. He struggled against his binds, the chains digging into his flesh the more he moved.
"Don't you ever touch her again," he threatened, but he was helpless to stop it.
"What? Like this?" Zhao asked smugly.
He trailed fingers down Mai's chest, settling them on her breasts for a moment before continuing downward.
"Damn you, Zhao. You'll pay for everything one day," Zuko cursed. "You're despicable, a miserable excuse for a man."
"Hmm," Zhao replied with a smile. "I'd like to show Mai just how much of a man I am."
That was it. Mai had had enough. Their situation was precarious at best, and escape seemed impossible. So she rejected caution and reached out as far as she could with her bound arms, hidden blade still in her hand, and slashed. Zhao bellowed loudly as blood oozed from a deep gash on his upper thigh. He dropped to the floor dramatically, clutching his wounded leg and rolling about in agony. His men crowded around him, trying to help. It was at that moment, thankfully, that Roku chose to make an appearance.
Blinding white light poured from beneath the sanctuary doors. Everyone closed their eyes automatically.
"Hurry, you idiots; get the Avatar when he emerges!" Zhao ordered from his position on the floor.
Ten soldiers assumed firebending stances outside the door, waiting for the little boy to appear. When the door finally opened, all that could be seen were two large eyes, glowing ethereally, and curls of smoke emerging from the now dark chamber. Zhao's men shot blast after blast of fire toward the sanctum, but none of them entered. Instead, they were being gathered into a massive ball of swirling fire. The fire ball opened up to reveal Avatar Roku.
"Roku," Shyu cried.
"Roku," Zuko whispered and looked over at Mai.
"Aang," Katara shouted. "No!"
Roku took the huge fireball and thrust it outward, knocking all of Zhao's men down as easily as a child would toy soldiers in a game. The heat from the fire melted everyone's chains. Zuko, Mai, Sokka, Katara and Shyu wasted no time in moving away from the pillars. They huddled together in a group, Zuko putting his hand on Mai, touching her back, her arm, her hand, reassuring himself that she was fine. There was a blossoming bruise on her cheek however and Zuko placed a quick kiss there before turning his attention to other things.
Roku was like a living, breathing, monumental presence in the temple now and half of Zhao's men had already run away terrified. The previous Avatar, dead for more than one hundred years now stood in the sanctum doorway. He raised his arms and brought them down again, creating huge cracks in the temple floor. He brought his arms upward then, calling the magma to him. The temple was being destroyed from the inside out.
The fire sages cowered on the floor and when Roku turned his eyes on them they ran away, crawling like snakes low to the ground. Zuko looked at Roku, fascination in his eyes. That was his great grandfather standing there, in spirit form. He longed to talk to him, communicate somehow or at least get some reassurance that he was on the right path. As if he had heard, Roku looked at Zuko, holding his eyes for a full minute, and the prince knew. Zuko smiled.
"We need to go," he told everyone. "Roku's going to destroy the temple."
"We can't leave without Aang," Katara wailed.
Roku continued to bring the magma up from deep within the earth. It exploded throughout the temple, shooting as high as the ceiling and running along the floor. Deeper cracks opened up beneath the group and they began to move forward. Zhao's remaining men helped him to his feet and they left with him, heading out of the sanctum and toward the stairs. The commander took one last look back. His eyes sought out Mai and Zuko and his stare was filled with murderous rage.
"I think Zhao's ticked," Mai observed lightly.
"We haven't seen the last of him," Zuko replied, his voice thick with emotion. "Bastard."
The solstice came to an end and with that end, Roku's display of awesome power stopped too. He faded away back into the sanctum, leaving a glowy eyed Aang in his place. The boy collapsed to the ground and Katara and Sokka ran to his side.
"We need to go, Aang," Katara pleaded. "The temple is going to sink into the volcano."
"Okay," Aang replied. "Where are the others?"
"Zuko and Mai are there and Shyu is…. I don't see him," Sokka answered. "Look we don't have any more time."
They sprinted then, trying to keep ahead of the destruction. Pillars were being pulled from their mountings. Walls collapsed. As they neared the steps, the five young people saw the lava licking at them, eager to reach the top.
"We're trapped," Sokka shouted. "Now what do we do?"
"Over there," Zuko pointed.
Appa was approaching, Momo on his back. The lemur had gone for help as soon as it could. The bison flew as close to the top of the stairs as he was able and the group jumped one at a time on to his back.
"Whew," Sokka said exaggeratedly. "That was a little too close, if you know what I mean?"
They sat in the same arrangement as they had on the way to the temple. But this time, Sokka and Katara didn't glare at Mai and Zuko. Rather, the siblings looked at the lovers with thoughtful blue eyes, considerably less icy than they had been previously.
"How's your cheek?" Sokka asked Mai. "I think I felt that slap."
"It's fine," Mai replied. She added "thanks," as an afterthought.
"I wonder what happened to Shyu?" Aang called back to them. "I hope that he's okay."
"Of course he is, buddy," Sokka said reassuringly.
"Guys," Aang continued. "I've got some bad news. Roku told me lots of things."
"It's alright, Aang," Katara soothed. "Tell us."
"Well, see, there's this comet coming at the end of summer and the Fire Lord is going to use its power to end the war for good, in a bad way. So, I need to master all the elements in the next few months and defeat the Fire Lord before the comet comes."
Zuko and Mai exchanged a look.
"Tell us something we don't know," the blades master stated.