I'll Follow You Home, A Zutara Story

by Meeoko

Sequel to EAI. After being captured by a group of Fire Nation radicals and uncovering a plot to destroy the Avatar Cycle, Zuko and Katara must work together to stop the Sila Vatra before Sozin's Comet arrives. But are they ready to face the Spirit World?

25. The Trials and The Trickster

I'll Follow You Home – A Zutara Story.

Meeoko

Summary : Sequel to 'Eventualities Are Inevitable'. After being captured by a group of Fire Nation radicals and uncovering a secret plot to destroy the Avatar Cycle, Zuko and Katara must work together to find a way to stop the Sila Vatra before Sozin's Comet arrives.

Spoilers : Puppet Master, Day Of Black Sun part 1 and 2, Western Air Temple, Fire Bending Masters and Boiling Rock part 1 and 2.

Author's Note : Hey guys. Here's part two of the Spirit World excursions. This entire chapter is really gritty, and will probably leave you scratching your head in certain parts of the story. But every question is answered eventually, I promise.

Okay, massively sorry about two things:

That this took me so unbelievably long to upload/write.

And that this isn't going to be the final chapter as I promised. There's just too much to cover. So, there's going to be another chapter after this. Then it's just the additional epilogue and we're done!

Anyway – on with the story!

---

They hurried along the mountain path, which seemed to have levelled out a lot more now that they were reaching its peak. They had gotten a head start on Azula, after the White Dragon had flown them to the top of the mountain, but Zuko didn't doubt his sister's determination to catch up. She would be behind them soon enough.

His heart seemed to have sunk down into the pit of his stomach, and he couldn't pull it back up again. He felt numb and lost.

"What do you mean, Fate?" he asked, hoping that the sorrow in his voice couldn't be heard over his panting breath.

The unexpected visit of the White Dragon hadn't shaken him, as he had expected it to. If anything, the dragon's presence had calmed him somehow. Although, the message that he had given him had caused Zuko more pain than anything he could imagine.

"You know – Fate!" Katara replied, running along beside him. "Controller of the future, the weaver of events – fate!"

Zuko frowned. Why would Fate be a gigantic, translucent dragon?
Of course there were spirits, but nobody believed in the Fates anymore! And even if the great White Dragon was fate, why would it come to them?
And why was he dreaming about it?

"I know what Fate is, Katara!" he huffed, forcing himself not to look at her. "But I don't understand it."

Katara looked at him sceptically, as if the answer was completely obvious.

"What? He...she...it didn't talk to you?"

Zuko frowned. The White Dragon (or was it Fate?) had spoken to him, but he was still unsure whether to believe it or not. The whole thing had been like some sort of faraway dream and the details had seemed to slip away from his mind the moment the dragon disappeared. He wished that none of it had been true, and that it was all some sort of horrible nightmare.

The second meaning of Fate's words still haunted him, though he wouldn't voice his concerns to Katara.

"You seek peace, young human, and you shall soon find it."

Zuko had looked up into the dragon's beautiful green eyes, feeling emptiness creep over him. Of course he would find peace here. Once they had done everything they could, Zuko would make sure Katara got back home. But he wouldn't be coming back with her.
Two go in, one comes out – that was the rule. That was what he was going to have to do to protect Katara.

But the dragon had just shook its head and spoke again.

"It is not as it seems, human. It shall not pass to you, but to one you love.

Someone he loved. It could only be Katara! Katara was going to die!

In his head, Zuko refused to believe it, but in his heart, he was breaking in two.

They can't take her away from me! Not Katara! I won't let them take her! I'll fight the Spirits themselves if I have to! Just not her! Please, not her....

"No." he replied simply, keeping his eyes down on the path that they followed. "No. It didn't talk to me."

He didn't even think to ask Katara what Fate had told her.

They carried on running, their feet making no noise as they slapped against the hard surface of the mountain rock. Zuko could feel the heat of his sisters fury on his back and kept on looking behind him, expecting to see her emerge from behind a boulder with that terrifying, murderous smile.

He hadn't wanted Katara to come with him to the Spirit World. It wasn't what he had planned to do, at all. At the time, there had been so much happening, that he just hadn't thought to stop her and jump through the rift himself. Now, she was stuck here with him, his angry sister and crazy animal spirits that were going to-.

He couldn't bring himself to think the last few words.
A life without Katara just wouldn't be a life at all. If there was nothing he could do to stop the Spirits from taking her – then he wouldn't come back through the door, either. He would stay here forever, hoping to search for her beautiful face, whether it belonged to Koh or not.

Not her. Not her. Not her. Not her.

His thoughts timed in rhythm with his feet pounding against the rock. His mind was beyond rational thought now. All he felt was a growing numbness in his chest. He had been preparing himself to be taken, but he hadn't even begin to imagine what life would be like if Katara was taken.

Zuko made up his mind, right then and there. If Katara had to.......die to help save the world, then so would he. But he wouldn't be doing it for the world, nor for the Avatar. He would be doing it for her, for Katara. Even if he spent the rest of eternity locked away with her in the Spirit World without a face.

"Zuko."

He barely managed to look at her, as she ran beside him. Who knew if it was the last time he would see her beautiful face?

She looked at him the same way she had when they had been imprisoned together by the Sila Vatra, when he had finally told her how he had gotten his scar. It almost killed him to see her looking at him like that, but he physically forced himself to smile at her. She didn't smile back.

"Yeah, Katara?" he asked, trying for her sake to sound as normal as he could.

But then again, Zuko's original perceptions of 'normal' were far from changed these days.

She kept her gaze on him for a moment, but had to turn her attention back towards the ground. Zuko loved Katara, but he had to admit, she was still as clumsy as the day he had met her.

"The dra-....Fate told me something."

Zuko kept his face neutral. If something terrible was going to happen to Katara, then he didn't want her to know that he knew it. He also didn't want her to know that he would give his own life just to stop it.

"It said that there are some sort of....trails we have to face." Katara continued, he hair swinging wildly behind her in a breeze that just wasn't there. "Something to test us, before we can get to the top of the mountain."

Bring it on.

Zuko nodded, unable to get his mouth to form words. Even if the dragon was Fate, he was sure that it would offer no positive news.

"It also said 'Beware the trickster'."

Barely giving it a second thought, Zuko continued on running. He had no idea what kind of trials awaited them, and he didn't much care. Not any more.

How cruel it all was. He had been prepared to die to protect her, he had already died once and technically, whilst he was in the Spirit World, he was dead. But even if he died another thousand times over, it still wouldn't help save her.

You should have just given in before the comet brought you back.

"Hey Zuko, you never did tell me about what happened to you."

This piqued his interest and Zuko frowned in confusion when he looked at her.

"You might want to be specific. A lot of things have happened to me."

Katara managed to smile at this and Zuko's heart managed to beat a little faster for a moment. He smiled back, though it was weak. He remembered her words, echoing around in his head, posing as his own.

"I always want to be able to make you smile."

"The fire, Zuko?" she probed, the smile still lingering. "What happened to your bending? Why was it....white?"

Zuko fought the urge to swear, the small smile dropping instantly from his face. He had hoped to avoid this subject. Katara was certain to not like the answer. He felt like slapping himself when he saw Katara's smile drop, along with his own. Her mouth was open a little, and Zuko knew it wasn't from exhaustion.

You can't hide these things from her forever, you know. Has she ever lied to you before? Don't you remember your promise? You said that you'd at least try! No more, remember? No more!

"I thought that blue fire was the most powerful you could get." Katara continued, hoping to get him to reply. She sounded small and alone. "That's why Azula is so strong, isn't it?"

Despite himself, Zuko sighed. He didn't want to answer her question, but there was really no way around it. The little voice inside his head was right. Katara had never lied to him before, or kept things hidden away. And he had made a promise. Before either of them died, he intended to honour it!

"Blue fire is strong." he mumbled, hoping that his voice might blow away with an imaginary wind that he knew wouldn't come. "But white fire is the most powerful a Fire Bender can ever obtain. White fire hasn't been heard of since the days of Agni, so almost nobody believes it exists anymore. But, I guess it is true..."

Katara looked at him with a mixture of confusion and sadness. He couldn't place it, but it looked to him as if she knew something that he didn't.

Don't be stupid. Katara doesn't keep things hidden.

"But why did it happen?" she asked, still looking a little bewildered by his answer. "Not even your father or your Uncle can make white fire! Can they?"

Zuko tried not to flinch when Katara spoke.

"your father."

He never wanted anyone to know Ozai that way again. The man held no place in his life any more. The old Fire Lord Ozai had died a long time ago. He could remember their trips to Ember Island, where his father would laugh and play with him and smile. But those days were gone now. They would never return. Ozai was not his father! He had died on that beach, a long time ago, as far as he was concerned.

Zuko only called one man 'father' now.

"No." he replied, letting a trace of emptiness slip through his voice. "I don't think that anybody can. Not even the Avatar has been recorded creating white fire."

"Is that why Azula looked so....mad, when it happened?"

Zuko could only manage a nod. He could hear long-forgotten laughter in his ears. And the new, sweeter, purer laughter of the woman he loved.

"But why, Zuko?" Katara asked, sounding a little irked. "Why can you do it, if no one else can?"

They were climbing higher and higher up the mountain trail. Soon, they would face what lay beyond. Maybe the trials, maybe spirits. Maybe Koh...

"Because....because there's only a certain way you can obtain it, according to the legends." Zuko's voice wavered, and he offered nothing more to Katara. He didn't want to tell her.

"Which is?"

Zuko could hear the irritation building behind her voice. He knew it was justified. She was just worried about him, though Agni knew why! They had a few more important matters to worry about than why his bending had suddenly grown more powerful and changed colour!

But she won't see it that way..

"I don't know..." he lied, hating himself for doing it. The voice inside his head tutted, like he had misbehaved.

"Don't lie, Zuko." Katara huffed, frowning at him hard. They were still running. "I can see it in your eyes. Why won't you tell me? What happened to you back there?"

"Just some....Fire Bender stuff, okay?" he snapped, letting the guilt wash over him. "It doesn't matter anyway!"

They were gradually picking up speed, though neither of them noticed it. Their anger was driving them on, harder and faster up the mountain.

"Don't keep lying to me, Zuko!" Katara grumbled, waving her arms in the air as she ran for emphasis. "You promised you wouldn't!"

"I know that!" he snapped back, as little chips of rock fell away from the hard pounding of their feet.

"Then why won't you tell me?"

"Because!"

For Agni's sake, just tell her!

"That's not an answer, Zuko! Stop avoiding the question!"

"I'm not!"

Tell her!

"What was so special about you, Zuko? What changed?"

Zuko could feel a pressure building up behind his eyes. He remembered the same effects of Sozin's Comet. His head was splitting in two and his head was filled with more voices.

"Nothing!"

Liar! Liar!

"Why, Zuko?"

TELL HER!

The pressure began to spill over and Zuko felt his head hammering. They ran at breakneck speed through the winding path, neither backing down from the other. He couldn't take it anymore! He couldn't keep it all bottled up! The pressure was just too much!

"Zuko, tell me!"

"Because you have to die, OKAY?"

---

Katara stopped dead.

Zuko had gotten another thirty feet in front of her when his brain kicked into action, terrified of what he had said, and he stopped. For one long minute, he stood with his back to her, panting. The pressure inside his head faded and disappeared completely. It was as if it had never been there at all.

Zuko wondered at Kimochi's words, still unable to bring his mind up to the current moment.

"The Spirit World doesn't allow any outside influence."

Maybe he couldn't lie in the Spirit World.

Finally catching his breath (though he didn't need to), Zuko gathered up the courage left inside him and turned around to face Katara. She was looking at him, no emotion on her face, but her tell-tale wide eyes showed him all that he needed to know.

Her eyes always gave her away.

Why? Why, why, WHY? Why did you have to tell her that? Stupid, stupid, stupid!!!

Zuko forced himself to look at her eyes, never once averting his gaze as he walked the few yards that separated them. He would keep one promise, at least. He would look her in the eyes when he almost broke her heart.

He came to a stand still in front of Katara, still looking down into her beautiful eyes. Her lip quivered, but she did nothing except stare up at him. She looked so fragile, as if she were about to burst into a thousand tiny pieces and get swept away with the wind. Zuko wanted to hold her to him, and keep her safe. He never wanted her to drift away.

"You....you..."

Her voice sounded tiny and her eyes began to glass over with unshed tears. Zuko wasn't certain if people could cry in the Spirit World, but he really hoped not. It tore him apart whenever he saw Katara cry.

"What?" she trembled, her voice breaking as she looked up at him. "Am I talking to....to a spirit?"

Zuko opened his mouth to say something, but found he couldn't. Her teary eyes were almost too much for him to take!

Unable to stand it any longer, Zuko wrapped his arms around Katara and pulled her into a hug, clutching her to his chest like his life depended on it.

"Could a spirit do this, Katara?"

He could feel her tears warming his chest as her fragile body shook with stifled sobs. Zuko tried not to snap. It felt like everything was crumbling. He was going to lose her to Koh, and the last few minutes (or hours – he still wasn't sure) that he spent with her were going to be filled with grief. If it hadn't been for that pressure building up inside his head, he would have just let the subject hang. He never wanted to cause her pain.

"It's okay, Katara." he soothed, stroking her hair. His voice, however, betrayed him. He felt hollow and she knew it. "I'm still here. I promise."

Way to go, Zuko.

They stood there, locked together. Katara, dumbstruck and small in her grief and Zuko, numb and cold in his own. Neither of them seemed to care about Azula anymore. They didn't care about Koh, the trials, or Fate. For a moment, the whole world stopped.

But it still revolved around them both.

---

A pair of piercing, hardened eyes watched from above. The two were locked together, completely unaware of all the time they were losing, or the terrible fate that was about to befall them.

"How delicious." they muttered to themselves.

Soon, everything would work out and the two would be mere memories. Soon, they would be wiped clean from the world, and from history. It was something that the shadow did very well.

Death had always been a favoured hobby, and the Spirit World was the best place to do it.

"No need to clean up the mess." they smiled to themselves, an almost animal growl rising in their throat. "No need for explanations. Neat and tidy."

It would be three lives that were lost today. Whether they affected the flow of balance or not was none of their concern. They had a job to do and nothing was going to get in the way.

The same, glistening eyes roamed over the figure of the two lovers, seemingly moulded into one as they clutched together. The watcher had been more than surprised to learn that Zuko had been granted the White Fire, but that made the defeat all the more wondrous. This time, there would be no coming back.

"Not this time." the voice chanted to itself, seemingly lost in euphoric madness. "Not this time. No, no."

The two figures were perilously close to the trials, though they didn't know it. The doorway didn't lay far from them and the figure counted down the minutes, eager to see them go in. They wouldn't be coming out again.

"But I will."

When finally the young man and woman pulled apart, the figure slunk back into the shadows, chuckling to themselves. Soon, they would have their fun. The show was about to begin.

"Two go in, one comes out. But if neither can come out, then Koh shall have his fun."

---

"How? How could you...die?"

Katara's voice was tiny and muffled as she pressed herself harder into his chest. Zuko sighed, resting his chin on the top of her head. He might as well tell her. There was no lying in the Spirit World, after all.

"The calm before the storm." his voice was grave as he quoted her own words. "It was the comet. The pain just got too much."

"The Comet?" she sniffed. "But how?"

He held onto her as tightly as he could, though he was certain that Katara didn't want to move any more than he did. The tears soaked through his shirt and seemed surprisingly warm against his unnaturally cool skin.

"When it broke through the atmosphere and came closer, I just couldn't hold on." Zuko sighed. "It was in my head and I couldn't stop it. I tried, Katara, I really did. But it was just....too much."

Her slender fingers crept up to wrap themselves in the folds of his shirt, but she didn't look up. Zuko wasn't sure whether he wanted her to look up, either. It broke his heart in two whenever he saw her cry.

"But you're...you're still alive?" she whispered, not daring to say more in case she couldn't hold back the tears any longer.

Barely...

"Yes." Zuko soothed, letting out a breath. "It was Sozin's Comet that killed me, but it also brought me back. That's why....why my fire changed. Legend says that any Fire Bender whose....whose seen the other side and come back again is granted the White Fire by Agni. I never believed it, until today..."

Zuko remembered the experience well. He didn't think that he'd ever be able to forget it.

For a while, there had been nothing but darkness. He was no longer in pain, but everything seemed to be so vast and empty. It was as if he was floating, searching for something through the blackness. Small rays of light had slowly began to filter through the darkness, like pin pricks in a cushion, and slowly, things had began to fall into place.

He hadn't seen the Spirit World, as he had expected, but people.

Images and voices had flashed before him as he flew past, getting closer and closer to finally reaching the light that lay beyond them.

He had seen his mother, his uncle Iroh, Lu Ten, Aang and his friends. He had even seen his father and Azula, though they were both young and smiling. Each figure looked at him with sad faces and tears in their eyes. Some of them called after him, but he wasn't listening. All he cared about was the figure waiting for him at the very end of the tunnel, with tears in her eyes - Katara.

The silent gatekeeper had held out her hand as he flew past and he had grabbed for it. For the briefest moment, their fingers had touched and Zuko had felt the most incredible surge of power. The light beckoned to him and he wanted to move towards its gentle warmth and steady glow, but Katara's pleading eyes had held his, unblinking as their hands clasped together.

The power he had felt began to pull him backwards. The light had slowly began to filter away, to be replaced with blackness once again. Zuko could hear a slow, booming voice echo around him, speaking in a strange language. His body began to grow warm as he felt the renewed life bringing him back down to his body. Darkness surrounded him, but when he looked at his own skin, it seemed to be glowing.

But never once did Zuko take his eyes away from the brilliant blue of Katara's as she held onto his hand, until the moment he had woken back in the living.

When Katara remained silent, Zuko took a deep breath and continued.

"If it wasn't for the Comet, I don't know whether I'd still be here. It was like the power made my heart beat again. It wasn't until it passed over us that I felt it. Katara, I was.....already dead when The Warden went to...to stab me. But if it weren't for you, then even Sozin's Comet couldn't have saved me."

Placing a finger under her chin, Zuko lifted her face to look at him. Her eyes were red from crying and she shook like a tiny leaf in the wind. But Zuko smiled down at her – the first genuine smile since Fate had spoken to him.

"You saved me, Katara. Even if you don't realise it. You overcame your fear....for me. You used your Blood Bending to save me."

Moving down towards her and holding her cheek with his palm, he kissed her. It was soft and careful, but that single kiss meant more to either of them than all the gold and jewels in the world.

"You saved me." he repeated as he pulled away, still so close that their noses were touching. "Thank you, Katara."

She wrapped her arms around his neck suddenly and pulled him close, clutching onto him as if for dear life.

Zuko could hear her mumbling in his ear, though it was a little clouded by sniffs and suppressed sobs.

"I thought I'd lost you again."

Again...and I'm about to lose you.

Looking down at the trembling Water Bender in his arms, Zuko tried to smile, at least for her. He ran a thumb over her cheek, wiping away a tear that had slipped down her face.

He wold do anything he could to stop this! Anything!

"Katara, I-"

But Zuko never got to finish his words. Because a deep and furious, animal-like roar came from behind them. He froze, his hold instinctively tightening around Katara.

Please, please just be that stupid monkey.

But when Zuko looked up, it seemed as if a lead balloon was slowly sinking down through his heart and into his stomach.

"Brother!"

He clenched his jaw together.

Of course not. It's never as easy as a talking, spirit monkey!

Azula pelted at them, running full blast in their direction down the pathway, barely a hundred feet away. Her face was contorted into a mad half smile, with her hair flying wildly behind her and the glint of the Black Ice Blade clutched in her hands.

"Katara, move!"

Pulling himself away from Katara, Zuko clutched onto her hand and ran. He knew it was only a matter of time before she would catch up with them, and now she was hot on their heels!

Stupid, stupid, stupid! Why did you have to pick NOW of all times to open up and tell Katara about your stupid problems! Why couldn't you have just waited?

Katara's hold on his hand was firm as she ran beside him. Her tears fell behind her like falling crystals and she wiped at them as they tried desperately to expand the distance between themselves and the crazed Fire Princess.

But Zuko's attention was taken away from his sister when he spotted a large white figure dancing in between the rocks.

"Follow me, humans! Follow or perish!"

Kimochi squealed like an excited child as he jumped overhead from rock to rock, leaping and pointing at something ahead.

Zuko followed the Spirit Monkey's finger and spotted what he was pointing it. A large, dark cave loomed ahead, built into the face of the mountain.

Zuko had to act fast.
He didn't like the Spirit Monkey, and there was something about him that he didn't trust. But if he didn't, then Azula would catch them first!

Even though he had his dual swords with him, Zuko feared for Katara. Even though he was a better swordsman than his sister would ever be, he knew that she would use any opportunity she had.

And that meant an using unarmed, defenceless Water Bender as a human shield.

Damnit!

Grunting and ignoring the Spirit Monkey's high-pitched, manic calls, Zuko changed direction and pulled Katara behind him. What choice did he have?

"If we can just make it to those caves, we might be able to lose her!" he called back to Katara.

She wasn't nearly as fast as Zuko, though she had been spurred on by her anger not long ago. He didn't know if they were going to be able to out-run Azula for much longer!

"Zuko!" Katara called. "She's catching up!"

He could hear Azula behind them, calling his name and laughing like a woman possessed over the primal screams of the monkey!

He sounded almost....excited.

Run! Run! Run!

The caves loomed closer and they sped through the mountain path. Their breathing was coming in gasps and pants, though none of them felt any physical pain or exhaustion. Zuko held onto Katara as tightly as he could, not daring to look behind to see how much closer Azula had managed to close the gap!

"You can't run forever, Zuzu!" she called, sounding much closer than he had hoped. She laughed as she did so, as if this was the most fun she'd had in years!

"Faster, Katara!" Zuko tried to pick up his pace, but Katara was still too slow!

They ran faster, the looming shadow of the cave mouth throwing them into darkness. Their feet pounded against the rock, though they still made no noise. Zuko looked back, praying to Agni that Azula wouldn't be close behind.

"Scurry humans! Scurry like rats!"

Like rats? What the-

They passed under the mouth of the cave and into the darkness just as Zuko turned. A blood thirsty roar tore through the silence as he saw the glint of the Black Ice Blade through the darkness and the insanely angry golden eyes of his sister before she fell down on top of him.

The wind was knocked out of him as he hit the floor, the weight of the Fire Princess bearing down on him with extra momentum from her speed.

Zuko's fingers slipped away from Katara's and just as he caught his breath, he looked up to see the golden predatory eyes staring at him, and the silver glint of the Water Tribe blade raised above her head.

"Azula, no!"

---

Aang's head was almost exploding with pain and exhaustion. His vision was blurring and he could feel himself beginning to sway. The brilliant red tail of Sozin's Comet lingered overhead and he could see the red orb in the distance. How could he feel so terrible after only ten minutes with the Fire Lord?

"Come out, puny Avatar, and I shall spare you the pain you deserve!"

Ozai's voice boomed, even above the clashing and roaring below. Aang felt his limbs tremble as he took in another breath. His make-shift hiding place wasn't going to help him much longer and he was running out of idea's!

He was pretty sure that he could hear Sokka down below, calling out his name and waving his hands in the air. At least, when he wasn't parrying blows from enemy soldiers.

How much longer would the Fire Lord keep up their game of Cat and Mouse before he got tired and came after him? And no matter how hard he tried – the Avatar State just wasn't coming!

Shouldn't it be activated by now? He had finally let go of Katara and opened his seventh chakra – so why wasn't it working? Had he accidentally locked it for good? Did it mean that he had to let go of Toph now?

So many questions rang through his head, Aang was finding it difficult to think straight! The heat from outside the safety of his rock cocoon was beginning to make him feel claustrophobic and the Fire Lord was getting ever closer to losing his temper (if it hadn't already!)

"Come on." Aang prayed, closing his eyes and concentrating hard. "Avatar State. Avatar State. Come on, come on!"

A thundering crack came from outside. Aang tried to breathe and hope that Fire Lord Ozai hadn't spotted him. But it was difficult enough withstanding his suit of earth with all of the noise and smoke, and his concentration began to waver.

"Avatar State." he mumbled, feeling the sweat trickle down his temple. "Avatar State..."

---

Everything seemed to freeze.

Zuko looked up at the pair of golden eagle eyes bearing down on him and the glinting light in her hand. Her weight crushed down on him as her muscles moved, the point of the Black Ice Blade moving downwards towards his chest.

Suddenly, a blinding flash of light illuminated the cave, forcing them to close their eyes at the brightness. Azula threw her arms up over her eyes, drawing back the blade just before it could pierce Zuko's chest. He took the chance and shoved her off him, blindly blinking against the rush of light.

She fell back off him, still clutching the Black Ice Blade tightly in her hand. Zuko squinted and rubbed at his eyes, trying to get them to adjust to the new blinding source of light. He could make out the blue outline of Katara, shielding her own eyes from the immense light. It seemed to be everywhere!

"The darkness! The darkness! What fun!"

"Kimochi?" Katara's voice trembled in his ears, bouncing off the cavern walls.

"Two go in, one comes out! Two go in, one comes out!"

The Spirit Monkey's voice rang high and shrill all around them, but Zuko's couldn't see anything! His head span as the shrieking spirit's voice echoed inside the cavern.

Zuko felt his heart skip a beat when he remembered Katara's word in his head.

"He said 'Beware the Trickster'".

Zuko felt his heart clench into a ball. He had led them there! He had pointed them into this place and laughed as they ran. It was clear now. He was what Fate had warned them against. It was Kimochi - he was the trickster!

"Katara, it's a trap! It's the monkey!"

There was a deafening thud that shook the cavern walls.
Squinting against the brightness, Zuko searched for the source of the noise, or the light. But he froze when a dark, booming voice sounded around them, almost paralysing each of them with its ferocity.

"Three that enter my domain. Three born of blood and bone."

The air around them seemed to tremble. There was a pressure inside the cave that was almost stifling.

Zuko dared not open his eyes against the brilliance of the light, but darted his head around, still somehow hoping to find the source of the voice. Kimochi laughed and shrieked somewhere behind them, but Zuko couldn't see a thing.

"Who is that?" Azula sounded sharp and angry as she called out into the mouth of the cave. "Show yourself!"

"Three that wander foolishly among the darkness. Three that shall face the shadows to claim the prize."

"Come out, you coward!" Azula spat, her voice sounding shrill against the stone walls. Zuko wasn't sure, but he thought that she actually sounded.....scared.

"Continue on, for your lives. None of faint heart, nor weak mind shall pass."

"Zuko?" Katara's voice sounded small and meek against the bellowing presence of the cave. "Zuko, where are you?"

"The darkness is coming! Run from the darkness! Run mice, run!" the monkey's cheerful voice sounded almost manic with happiness!

"What is this trickery?" Zuko could hear Azula scrabbling round the cave floor, trying to right herself whilst blinded and clutching onto the blade in her hand. "Show yourself or receive the consequences!"

The darkness. The trials!

"Katara! It's the trials!" Zuko called blindly into the air. "Katara, where are you?"

He couldn't see. His eyes wouldn't adjust to the light, it was just too brilliant!

The voice sounded again, bounding off the cave walls in waves that seemed to circle round their heads.

"One born of Water."

Zuko heard Katara scream and he tried to open his eyes, desperate to search for her.

"Katara!"

"Two born of Fire."

Zuko fell to the floor, face down. There was something grabbing his leg!
The force of the thing pulled him backwards as swiftly as an Emu-horse through the dirt of the cave floor. He heard Azula screaming and the sound of the Black Ice Blade ringing against stone.
He was pulled back and back in one swift movement, certain that he was going to hit the cavern wall!

"Three faced as one. Face your demons, humans and complete the trials."

Zuko only managed to let out a short, blinded scream before he was dragged downwards, seemingly into the earth. He hit something solid beneath him and let out a breath he hadn't realised he was holding. The pressure around his leg released its hold and Zuko opened his eyes to darkness.

He couldn't hear the Spirit Monkey laughing anymore.

---

Zuko wasn't sure which was worse – blinding light, or total darkness.

He felt around in the dirt for something that would tell him where he was. But his fingers only found rock.

"Katara?" he called out, the echo in his voice surprisingly even himself.

Nobody answered.

For the first time since entering the Spirit World, Zuko felt tired. It wasn't quite as bad as he had expected, but there was a heavy, dull throbbing in his limbs. Even the usual pain behind his left eye had returned, though it was dulled.

Letting out a long breath, Zuko slowly pulled himself up from the dirt. He could feel the chill or the caverns around him and though he instinctively sent out the brainwaves through his body to activate his bending, though he knew that nothing would happen.

"I'm going to kill that damn monkey!"

It was cold, damp and dark. Very dark.

He could barely see an inch in front of his face! And with no Fire Bending to help him, he could only hope to Agni that he wasn't going to end up worse for wares as he fumbled in the darkness, slowly moving forward.

Trials....what kind of trials? If it's just to find our way back out in the dark, I guess it's not so bad.

But despite these comforting thoughts, Zuko couldn't help but worry. He didn't want to be left alone to think about what was to come. Or even if he would get out of the darkness in one piece!

Just to make sure, Zuko called out into the darkness once more. When he received no reply, he even dared to call for his sister.

But still, there was silence.

Holding his arms out in front of him like a helpless child, Zuko begrudgingly walked into the darkness. He tried to limit his breathing and concentrate. He could feel panic slowly rising inside him and tried to keep it under control. He'd never been so alienated like this before – without Katara.
He tried to keep himself calm as he walked.

"You'll find her. You will. Just keep walking. Katara always comes back."

Zuko continued to finger his way through the darkness, occasionally bumping into the cold, damp cave walls at his side. He wasn't sure, but it felt as if he was walking down one long, winding tunnel. At least he couldn't get lost. He was only going one way – wasn't he?

Sometimes he would jump and immediately freeze, certain that he had heard a noise. A shuffling behind him, or the dripping of water. Zuko could feel his breath coming shorter as his paranoia slowly began to grow and grow. He was sure that someone was watching him from somewhere!

Zuko wondered exactly what had gone wrong. Of course, if it hadn't been for that stupid monkey, they wouldn't have been separated. But if it hadn't been for his stupidity, he and Katara wouldn't have stopped in the middle of the path and let Azula catch up! But even if they hadn't, would they have come into the cave anyway?

What is this place?

After a while, Zuko began to wonder about his Uncle. The traitorous monkey had spoken about him. What if the same thing had happened to his Uncle and the spirit had tricked him? Had he come into this very same place too? What had happened here?

Zuko made a vow that if, by some miracle he knew wouldn't happen, both he and Katara ever got out of the Spirit World alive, then he would force his Uncle to tell him everything about the Spirit World!

"Seventy-five turtleduck, seventy-six turtleduck, seventy-seven turtleduck..."

After a while, Zuko found that judging time was almost impossible! He wasn't even sure where he was going anymore!

Zuko desperately tried to keep busy and think of something else, to distract him from the darkness. But it was proving difficult.

Every now and then, he would whirl around to look behind him, certain that he had felt hot breathing on his neck, or the low grumble of an animal. But whenever he turned around, all he could see was darkness.

"Just keep moving." he muttered to himself, hoping to drown out the alien sounds that seemed to follow him. "You'll find her if you just keep moving."

But as time wore on and Zuko didn't reach the end of the tunnel, he began to question himself. By this time, he had already counted enough turtleducks to make up the entire city of Ba Sing Se! Panic was slowly beginning to sink into his veins and rational thought was quickly replaced with terror.

Sweat slowly poured down his face and his limbs throbbed with exhaustion. It seemed that when he was in the trials, all the pains of his own world returned ten-fold!

Zuko reached up a hand to touch his face, certain that the haunting scar had returned alongside his pain and terror. But his fingers traced over smooth skin instead.

"This can't be happening." he chanted to himself, slowly giving in under the panic. "This isn't real. This is just a nightmare. Just a nightmare."

A very realistic nightmare....

His patience soon wore down and Zuko felt himself shivering with both cold and terror. He couldn't breathe like this. It felt like the darkness was closing in around him!

"Zuko..."

He stopped, frozen in place by the eerie voice. Darting his head around in the darkness, Zuko looked for a face he knew he just wouldn't find.

"Who's there?" he demanded, both terrified and insanely angry at the same time.

The empty darkness was beginning to take its toll on him and he clutched at his head, almost certain that what he was hearing was just his mind playing tricks on him. Or at least, he hoped it was.

"Zuko...."

"Come out!" he roared, infuriated by the call of the darkness. It seemed to be getting deeper and darker, if that was even possible. And it scared him. "Show yourself!"

Nothing stirred.

Zuko clenched his fists and bit into his lip, barely aware of the pain at all. It was just the cold that he felt, piercing through his clothing and biting at his skin. He hated the cold. It was unnatural to him, having always been able to keep himself warm with his bending.
But here, there was nothing that he could do. Nothing to keep the cold and the darkness out.

"There's nothing there." he whispered to himself, trying desperately to block out the fear. "There's nothing there. It's just your imagination. You're just going crazy."

"Zuzu....."

Closing his eyes and taking in a deep breath, Zuko bit down harder into his lip. He knew he shouldn't be sucked in by the lull of the voice. It would lead him to destruction, if he let it. But the small wispy voice sounded almost child-like and it sent chills through his spine. What if somebody really did need his help?

Something warm trickled down his chin and Zuko opened his eyes. He tasted blood on his tongue.

"Why won't you help me, Zuzu? Why?"

Zuko could feel himself trembling as the whimpering voice echoed around the cavern. He recognised it, but refused to let himself believe it.

Placing his hands over his ears, he took a deep breath and began to walk back down into the darkness ahead of him. He didn't even bother to open his eyes, it was so dark. All he wanted to do was block out the voice. That tiny, sad little voice.

"It's not real. It's not real." he chanted, shaking his head as he walked. "It's not really her. Just an illusion. Just Spirits."

"Why is he so angry, Zuzu? Why is father angry at me? Did I do something bad?"

The voice followed after him down the passageway and pierced through his ears like a sting. Zuko grit his teeth together, trying to block it out. His footsteps began to grow louder as he picked up his pace.

"Not real, not real. Don't listen. Not real, just crazy."

The cries made him catch his breath as he fought to suppress the memories. He hadn't thought about that memory for a long time, having spent years trying to block it out.

Zuko spat the blood out of his mouth as he stumbled through the dark, ploughing through the endless tunnel with fear at his heels.

Images and voices seemed to follow him as Zuko ran through the tunnel, not even realising where he was going. He could see his mother crying. His father, engulfed in flame and howling. And Azula cowering in a corner, holding onto Zuko's clothes for dear life.

"Make him stop, Zuzu! It hurts! It hurts! What did I do wrong, Zuzu? Why won't he stop?"

"Shut up, shut up, shut up."

Zuko kept his eyes shut, bumping into the damp walls of the cave as he ran. His limbs ached and his head throbbed as he fought for control over the memories he had kept hidden away for so many years. He punched at the walls as he ran, as if the pain would make the voices go away.

"You're not real! This is a lie! It's a lie!"

Images flashed inside his head and Zuko opened his eyes, hoping that the darkness would block them out. He tripped, catching his foot on a rock underneath him and fell. Skidding against the dirt, he put his head in his hands, ignoring the pain from the fall. The little voice was raw with pain, screaming and crying, filling the dark and empty tunnel with anguish.

"Father, I'm sorry! I'll do better! I'll get it right! I'll be the bestest Fire Bender in the world! Please, father. PLEASE...."

A flickering light caught Zuko's eye and he looked up from his hands. His eyes ached, as if he'd been standing in a furnace all day. But the image he saw in front of him was as clear as day.

"Katara!"

Zuko's heart seemed to soar as he stumbled up, running towards the blue robe and dark skin, so evident, even in the darkness of the cave. She was facing away from him, standing completely still.

"Katara, are you okay?"

He reached out a hand and placed it on her shoulder. She was as cold as ice!

Something's wrong.

Wiping away the sweat from his eyes, Zuko squeezed her shoulder. But when he got no response, he turned her around to face him.

"No, no, no!"

Katara stared back at him with empty, emotionless eyes. The left side of her face was completely distorted by an ugly, angry scar. His scar!

"Look what you've done, Zuko."

Her voice was completely emotionless as she spoke. She looked at him with clouded eyes, unblinking as she raised her hand and pointed at him.

"Look what you've done to me."

Zuko couldn't breathe.
It felt like there were hands of fire clasped around his throat! His flesh seemed to burn and crack and the same, disgusting smell wafted into his face.

"No!" he choked, clasping at his throat. "It's not real! Not real!"

Katara remained motionless, her finger still pointing at him accusingly. Her beautiful blue eyes were gone, replaced with the same golden colour as his own.

"I can never love you." she slurred her words, as if she were underwater. "I can't love you, Ozai."

Zuko felt his heart icing over. He struggled for breath, slamming himself into the damp walls of the cave, trying to dislodge the invisible, burning hands of his father. He slumped to the floor, the stench of burning flesh stinging his eyes.

"What? No!" he gasped, looking up at the scarred Katara. "Not Ozai! Never Ozai!"

The same whimpering voice echoed around him, playing back the same words his sister had screamed, all those years ago.

"I hate you, Zuko! You promised! You let him burn me! Why did you let him burn me?"

He could feel his eyes beginning to blur.
The same familiar feeling of dread began to creep over him. The same feeling that he had fallen to in the volcano. The darkness was coming.

"Shut up!"

Zuko could feel himself choking and burning, as if his father's hands were wrapped around his throat all over again. He slammed himself against the walls of the cave, desperate to dislodge the hold.

"You aren't my brother anymore! I hate you! And I hate mom! You let him burn me! You LIED!"

"Not...real! Not real!"

Katara looked down at him as he fell to the floor, her face still blank.

"I can never love someone who burnt me. How could you do this to me, Ozai?"

Tears sprang to Zuko's eyes, from pain or anguish, he didn't know. They fell down his face as he doubled up, clutching at his throat and gasping. The steam was blinding him, and he could feel the burning welts underneath his fingers.

"Not...Ozai. I'm...not Ozai. Z-zuko. Zuko."

He tried to remind himself what Katara had said. That she loved him and always would. Zuko tried to remember her voice, but the terrified screaming of his sister kept him from concentrating. He tried to tell himself that none of it was true.

"I hate you! Father never burnt you! I don't want to be the best! I don't want to!"

Zuko felt cold. There was something wet seeping across the floor. He forced himself to look up, trembling and choking against both cold and heat. His vision was beginning to blur, but his heart stopped when he looked up at Katara. Her face was lopsided, the scar sinking down into her face slowly, as if she was melting!

"K-katara, no!"

She waved as she began to melt, looking down on him as he struggled to breathe.

"Goodbye, Ozai. I hope we never meet again."

Zuko watched with wide, terrified eyes as she sank to the floor, pooling around him like water. Only it wasn't water – it was the woman he loved!

No! NO!

"What did I do wrong? What did I do?"

His eyes began to roll back in his head as the final waves of pain washed over him. But Zuko stopped fighting. What was there to live for if there was no Katara? Maybe if he just let the darkness take him, his sister would get her wish and he could forget about the guilt.

I'm going to die....

Though his body fought for the last tiny wisps of air leaving his lungs, Zuko closed his eyes and took his hands away from his throat. Little Azula's voice reduced itself to a whimper as the cold stone walls drew away his last few breaths.

"He burnt me, Zuko. He burnt me inside out....and you let him."

Zuko's last thoughts were of Aang and how he was sorry before his heart finally stopped beating and he gave into the darkness.

---

PART TWO

Katara's fingers felt icy as she clawed at the damp stone walls. She wiped away a tear from her cheek, trying to keep herself calm. She didn't know where she was!
One minute, she had been in the freezing tundra of the South Pole, watching both Zuko and her mother sinking down into the snow.
And now, she was in darkness.

"H-hello?" she called out into the darkness,shivering violently.

She heard the same booming voice that had pulled them all deep down into the trials in the first place as it answered her call.

"Daughter, born of Water. Acceptance has been your teacher. You may pass."

Katara winced as a sudden flash of light illuminated her. She kept her eyes closed until the light slowly began to get dimmer. Her body trembled with cold and she could feel icy water pooling around her hands and feet.

Though fear and raw pain gripped at her heart, Katara forced herself to open her eyes. She was in some sort of cave, with a long tunnel leading away from her. But she caught her breath and scurried away as she realised that there was something there with her.

"W-what d-do you want?"

But slowly, Katara's breathing began to slow down as she realised what she was looking at. The small little orb of light hummed and bobbed about in the air, as if it was looking at her. It's large, inquisitive eyes blinked and it made a small chirping noise in its throat.

Is that....

Katara frowned, disbelieving as she looked at the giant firefly bobbing about in front of her. The creature illuminated the cave, showing her the way down the lengthy dark tunnel. It stayed where it was, bobbing around lightly in the air. As if it was waiting for her to do something.

Tentatively, Katara got up from where she was sitting on the floor. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to do. Part of her was just tempted to give up and die. Her body was wracked with shivers and ice fell from her hair and clothes each time she moved.

Although she felt a little foolish talking to a bug, Katara didn't know if there was much else she could do. After all, she'd already spoken to several spirits. Why should a giant glowing...bug be any different?

"Uhm...excuse me, S-spirit? Have I...have I p-passed the trials?"

The creature made a loud clicking noise and bobbed about in the air with vigour, happy to see that she had finally spoken. Obviously, Katara wasn't going to receive an answer. She wasn't even sure if it was a spirit!

Of course. Only I would think that talking to a bug would get me an answer!

Absentmindedly, the large firefly reminded her of the big bugs that the Swamp Benders ate. She hoped that they weren't connected, as the inquisitive creature did actually look quite....cute.

Katara took in a breath, trying to figure out what had happened. There were so many things reeling around in her mind that she couldn't get them to all focus as one. There was still ice on her boots and in her hair, as if she'd really been where she thought she was.

It had all seemed so real. So horrifyingly real. Maybe it had been. She could see the ice chips on her fingers!

As soon as Katara had been dragged away from the brilliant light and opened her eyes, she had found herself in the only place she hadn't ever expected to be. The frozen tundra of the South Pole whipped around her ankles and through her hair, chilling her to the bone. For hours she had seemed to walk through the blizzard, cradling herself against the cold and shivering. But everywhere she looked, all she could see was endless white.

There had been....voices. She knew that much. Horrible, manipulative voices telling her to just lie down and close her eyes. They surrounded her like people in a crowd, but she could never see where they came from. It was if they blew past her on the wind!

But despite the terror and the chill, Katara had continued on. She had been told, growing up as a child that if you ever got stuck out in a snowstorm, you must never stop moving. If you did, you would end up falling to the chill of the winds. It would seem as if you were just falling into a deep sleep, but really, you would just be dying of hypothermia.

So, on she had walked.
Eventually, even the panic was taken away and replaced instead by unbelievable cold. It was as if it was flowing through her veins like blood and she shivered violently against it.

When she had spotted two shadows against the expanse of white, Katara hadn't let herself believe it at first. It was probably just a hallucination. But as she got closer, she realised what she was looking at - Zuko!

She had run towards him as fast as her frozen bones would let her, calling out his name. He had just stood there, looking out at her. When she got closer, Katara's heart seemed to freeze over completely. Standing beside Zuko was her mother.

"Mom? Mom!"

Katara had run even faster then, with both arms outstretched and tears freezing on her cheeks. Both Zuko and her mother were her, with her! They were safe!

But slowly, Katara began to realise that no matter how fast she ran, she never got any closer to them. At first, she just thought she had gotten it wrong and ran faster. But the more she ran and the further away they seemed to be, the more terror gripped at her. It was if neither her mom or Zuko could see her! In fact, they didn't do anything. Just stood there in the blinding winds like statues.

She had called and called to them, feeling her throat growing hoarse with both the effort and the cold. Eventually, her calls had turned to sobs. Why wouldn't they look at her? Why wouldn't they come to get her?

Just as the voices began to whisper in her ears again, Katara's eyes had gone wide and she called out over and over again in terror. Zuko and her mother were sinking! The snow around them was stained a dark crimson and they slowly sank down deeper into it, not even once blinking their empty eyes.

"No! NO! Zuko! Mom! Zuko, move! Get out, please, get out!"

Her lungs burnt like fire and the cold tremors ripped her energy away from her as Katara sprinted towards them, the hysterical tears freezing on her face. But they continued to sink, as she continued to run. She was losing him! She was losing Zuko all over again! First to his dreams, then Sozin's Comet - and now to this!

When she realised there was nothing she could do, Katara fell to her knees, sobbing. She snapped at the voices and screamed, though her own voice was lost to the wind before she could even hear it herself.

As she watched Zuko's beautiful golden eyes sink finally underneath the bloodied snow along with her mother's, Katara stopped screaming. Instead, she reached for the pendant at her throat, hearing Zuko's promises circle around her head.

"Goodbye Zuko. I'll always love you."

She repeated the words to her mother as the top of her head was lost underneath the bloody snow, never once taking her eyes away from either of them.

"We'll be together again soon."

So, she sat and waited to be taken by hypothermia. The next thing she knew, she had opened her eyes to this place.

"Acceptance has been your teacher." she repeated to herself, still completely bewildered.

Why would I have passed the trials if I just gave up? Why would I want to carry on without Zuko?

Slowly, Katara's body temperature began to return to normal and she stopped shaking. She didn't want to be in a world without Zuko. Her mother had already been taken from her. How much more pain was she supposed to endure?

But what if there was something more to it all? Had she passed for some other reason?

Taking a breath to steady her nerves, Katara decided to try again. Even if the large bug couldn't understand her, at least then it wouldn't be able to laugh at her for trying. She at least had to try. Even if the answer she received wasn't what she wanted, she at least had to try.

"Is...is he still here?" she asked quietly. "Is he still alive?"

The firefly chirped and darted around in the air, flickering back and forth between the cavern walls.
Katara leant back warily when it flew right up to her face, looking at her with excitable, beady eyes. It seemed to be excited about something, like it knew exactly what she was talking about. Did that mean she was right? Did that mean Zuko was still alive?

"Where?" she asked the firefly, urgency and happiness breaking through her voice. "Can you take me to him?"

The firefly danced and span rapidly in the air, darting in front of her face like it was on fire. It chirped and cooed loudly, almost in triumph. Katara hadn't even known that bugs could make noises. Or maybe it was just spirit ones.

"Uhm....please?"

With a click of its little legs, the firefly darted off ahead of her as it flew away down the tunnel, stopping in mid air and turning around again to check if she was coming.

Unable to remove the perplexed expression from her face, Katara started off after the creature down the tunnel as its glowing tail lit the way, laughing to herself as fresh tears fell down her cheeks.

"Great. Even the bug listens to me more than Zuko..."

---

Katara felt her pulse quicken. She had heard something.

"Zuko?"

The firefly bobbed up and down excitedly, chirping and squealing in song. It seemed as if it had heard something too.

"Zuko? Are you there?"

She received no answer. But Katara was almost certain that she had heard something.
They hadn't been walking for long, but she was still glad for the company of the firefly. The tunnels were long and winding, with crossroads and turns that surely would have had her lost. Katara only hoped that the firefly wasn't just leading her astray, like that stupid monkey.

How could I have fallen for it? How could I have trusted him?

Hope burnt in her chest, but Katara still harboured the painful promise in her mind. If Zuko wasn't alive and the firefly really was leading her astray, then so be it. She would die inside these dark caves, waiting and hoping to see him again on the other side.

It had already happened once. She didn't know if she could take it again.

He's....died before. I should have asked him sooner! Why would he keep something like that from me? What would I do without him?

Katara had felt as if the entire world had crashed around her when Zuko had finally told her. It was if her heart and flown away into the light along with him. Even though he had reassured her, she was still terrified to the core that Zuko was still lying. What if he was a spirit already? How could she possibly tell the difference when they were in the Spirit World? Did Zuko even know the difference?

But she knew that if she had to wander the damp and winding caves for all eternity before she found him again, then she would. She would do anything to save him.

"Is he here?" she asked the firefly again, wishing more than anything that it would reply. "Was that him?"

But the firefly only continued to buzz around excitedly and chatter to itself. Katara sighed and slapped her head as she followed again after the glowing bug.

Stupid bug....

It really wasn't very easy to know if that was a yes or a no – the creature seemed to be excited all the time!

"Katara!"

She stopped, gasping. It was his voice. It was Zuko's voice!

"Zuko! Zuko, where are you?!"

"Katara!"

Pushing the firefly aside with her hand, Katara ran full pelt through the tunnel they were following, feeling both happiness and dread running through her mind. He sounded so far away. It was as if he was in pain.

She had to find him! She refused to lose him again! So much had happened in so little time, Katara was sure that she could feel a little of her sanity slipping away! Her mind hadn't had enough time to catch up with everything! She was still in shock.

The firefly flew behind her, keeping the source of light to guide her way. Her feet pounded against the stone and she almost slipped against the damp floor as she hurried. She continued to call his name as she ran, hearing Fate's words inside her head.

"Beware the darkness. You must be his light, child, as he must be yours..."

Skidding to a halt, Katara heard Zuko's voice echoing around inside her head. She darted her head around, searching for him. She was in a large domed cavern, almost as wide as one of the courtrooms of Ba Sing Se.

"Katara..."

Spirits, no!

Fear tore at her heart when she spotted him.

He was lying, crumpled on the floor, in the corner of the cavern. He didn't stir or speak, though she could hear his voice clearly inside her head. There was something pooling around his body and Katara cried out, hoping against all hope that it wasn't blood.

"Zuko! No!"

Katara ran straight towards him, the firefly bobbing behind her. As she got closer, the light followed her and she could see him clearly. He looked half dead!

Falling to her knees, Katara cradled his head in her lap. His eyes were closed, his face was wet with dirt and tears. There was a small trail of blood falling down his temple and scratches all over his hands and arms.

No! It's just like the nightmare all over again!

"Zuko. Zuko, wake up!"

Although she was relieved to see that the pool he was lying in wasn't blood, but water, when Katara touched him, he was as cold as death. She tapped his face and shook him, pleading with him to wake up.

"Wake up! Wake up, Zuko!"

Her eyes filled with fresh tears and she sobbed when she noticed his neck. The burn marks, fresh as the day he had been given him had returned. She could see Ozai's handprint wrapped around his neck, blistered and boiling. The same smell she had been terrified of only a few days ago returned, hitting her square in the face. The smell of burning flesh.

"Zuko, wake up! Wake up! Get up, damn you! Please Zuko!"

Katara could barely see for all the tears that fell down her face. How could she lose him? How could she lose him again and not go with him? Why couldn't she save him? Without her bending, she couldn't heal him!

"No, no! Zuko! Zuko please. Please! Get up!"

She brought her fist down and hit him, over and over again, fury and grief overcoming her. He didn't stir, but the hollow sound of her fist against his chest echoed through the cavern.

"Not again. Please, not again." she sobbed, almost silently. "Don't leave me here, Zuko. Don't leave me!"

Zuko didn't move. His battered, stone-cold body was limp in her hands and she pressed him to her, holding his face against her chest as the sobs wracked her body.

No, no, no, no, no.

Katara heard a chattering behind her. The firefly bobbed slowly towards her, bringing the light along with it. She hadn't even noticed that it had fallen behind.

"Zuko. Please." Katara stroked his hair as she let the tears fall down. "Please come back to me. Wake up, Zuko, please. Don't leave me here."

The firefly moved closer, the light illuminating Zuko's face. Katara traced his face with her fingertips as the cold began to overcome her. She missed his scar, though she didn't know why. The tears fell from her face and onto his chest as she silently mourned for the prince whose life she would never share.

"Don't leave me, Zuko. Please. I love you. I love you."

A small weight landed on her shoulder and the light brightened. She turned her head to see the firefly sitting on her shoulder, its brilliant glowing wings now still. Katara didn't even have the energy to shoo it away.

"Don't go, Zuko. Don't go."

Closing her eyes against the light and his motionless body, Katara let the final tears run down her cheeks. He was gone. They had lost.

"Son, born of fire. Hope has been your teacher. You may pass."

Katara's heart stopped as the booming voice echoed through the cavern. The same voice that had brought them here.
She dared not even believe it herself. She didn't even dare to breathe.

She only hoped.

"K-katara?"

She opened her eyes.
Wiping away the tears that blurred her vision, Katara looked down. He was looking up at her, squinting against the light and smiling.

"Am I dead?" he asked, sounding hoarse.

The firefly chirped loudly as Katara let a sob pass between her lips and she pressed him closer to her. Fresh tears began to fall away from her eyes as she remembered the White Dragon's words.

"Darkness has consumed him for so long, it will take a light to allow him to climb back into the sun."

Katara felt herself smiling as she buried her face in his chest. The firefly chirped loudly and she laughed, wiping away the tears from her eyes.

"You're no sun, little spirit, but you're better."

---

The battle for Ba Sing Se had been won.

Iroh stood at the gates of the upper ring, looking out over the burning city. The smell of the burning Fire Nation insignia wafted over him with the wind. The other Masters were swapping coins over their bets – unsurprisingly, Jeong Jeong had come away with the victory.

Bumi was sulking and had refused to join them. He was instead, chasing away the very last ranks of Fire Nation soldiers on a wave of earth, herding them like cattle.

Iroh sighed. He could see his old tea shop, The Jasmine Dragon from where he stood. It was in flames and completely caved-in.
That would take some rebuilding. If he even got the chance to.

After all, there was still the matter of the Avatar. Sozin's Comet hadn't yet passed out of the atmosphere and Ozai would still be at his peak. Who knew if the battle hadn't already been won?

"Iroh, my friend, come join us." Pakku smiled gently, placing a hand on his shoulder. "There's no need to be sorrowful. The battle has been won."

"Has it?" Iroh sighed. "I fear that there is much still left to do."

"You can still smell it, can't you?"

Iroh turned to his friend, a little taken aback.
He hadn't realised that Pakku could smell the divide between the rifts. The Spirit World was still open and it troubled him.

"We clearly do not know one another as well we might, Pakku." Iroh replied. "I was unaware that you knew."

Pakku's smile dropped. His squared shoulders seemed to tense ever so slightly and he let out a long breath.

"I know more than you think, Iroh. I can smell it too. I was often asked to guard the Spirit Oasis when the North Pole was under siege. It is a long story for another time."

Iroh nodded and again turned to look out at the burning city. Master Pakku came to stand beside him.

"You fear for your nephew?"

As much as Iroh wanted to shake his head and deny it, he found he couldn't. In his heart of hearts, he knew that Katara and Zuko wouldn't be returning together. The Spirit World would always claim one, no matter how much they fought against it. He only hoped that, if the Spirit World was open, then it meant that someone was in there with them. No doubt, it was either Azula or that pompous Warden. Maybe there would be a way of balancing out the numbers. Maybe Katara and Zuko could return home.

"For my nephew. For my niece. And for the world."

The sound of Bumi's cackle drifted through the air as row after row of Fire Nation tanks flew up into the sky.

"I do not believe that the battle has yet been won." Iroh sighed, rubbing his eyes. "I fear the Avatar has yet to defeat my brother."

For a moment, they simply stood there. Two old friends, side by side. The crackling of burning wood and the scraping of metal echoed in the distance. Bumi would howl and laugh as the very last of the Fire Nation soldiers scrambled to avoid him. Pakku's shoulders slumped as he sighed.

"There is a hot-air balloon waiting for you in the courtyard." Pakku spoke, though he didn't move. "It won't be fast enough to get you there before the battle's end, but you can still make it before the end of the world."

Iroh felt himself straighten. Pakku knew him better than he himself. How could such opposites know each other so well? Or at least, Pakku seemed to know him well. Iroh made a mental note to treat his old friend to a grand feast at the Jasmine Dragon - if he ever got the chance.

Turning to the Water Bending Master, he clasped his hand and stared directly at him.

"Thank you, my friend. If the Avatar does not succeed, I will face my brother myself."

Pakku nodded, gravely, gripping Iroh's hand tightly.

"Good luck, Master Iroh."

Without another word, Iroh released his friend and turned to walk down the marble stairway, wiping a tear out of his eye.

---

After explaining to Zuko several times that he wasn't dead and physically forcing herself to stop kissing him, Katara again began to follow the fireflies trail.

Her eyes were aching and so was her throat. She wondered if she'd ever cried or screamed so much in one day before now. At least, it felt like a day. Who knew how much time had passed in her own world?

Katara had been both amazed and relieved when she realised that Zuko's injuries had disappeared. She had been so terrified that he would remain that way – forever branded by his father. But although he was exhausted and a little jumpy, Zuko seemed perfectly fine.

As soon as he had opened his eyes, Katara had pooled over him, letting her tears run free. She cried and sniffed, until the terror and sadness seemed to abate a little. When he realised what was going on and began to warm up a little, Zuko had held her close, sharing in the hug that she had been denied before. Azula couldn't interrupt them now.

Zuko hadn't needed to say a word. He clung to her, wiping the tears away from her face as they fell, until she could shed no more.

And when finally, they rose again, he had smiled and touched her cheek, as if to say that it was alright. The smile didn't reach his eyes, but it was enough. For a time, Katara did stop worrying, but it was shortlived.

Soon, they would have to begin again.

Though it pained her, Katara couldn't quite bring herself to ask him what had happened. Neither did he ask her, though she noticed he would occasionally look over at the ice in her hair that hadn't quite melted yet.

"Katara?"

She stopped, turning around to face him. Katara didn't like to be more than a few feet away from him at any time. She wouldn't lose him again.

"Yeah, Zuko?"

He seemed a little awkward as he took her hand in his. Katara fought the urge to check his pulse. He was so cold. She couldn't get used to a lukewarm Zuko, never mind a freezing one!

"I just wanted to say...thank you."

His eyes were sincere and a little sad. Katara had to stop herself from kissing him again. Even in despair or agony, he was still handsome.

"Why? You don't need to thank me."

Truthfully, Katara thought that the fact he was still breathing was thanks enough! She wasn't really sure why he was thanking her. Didn't he know by now that she would always save him? No matter how many times it took.

And it usually takes a lot.

Zuko took her face in his hands and looked down at her. A small smile flickered across his face.

"Yes I do. You brought me back. Just like you always do."

"Well, if you stopped trying to die on me, I wouldn't have to." Katara smiled, squeezing one of his hands gently. "Plus, it was that little guy over there that saved you."

She pointed to the firefly, which chirped and bobbed in response. Zuko frowned, as if he was a little confused.

"The light." she explained. "The light brought you back."

"No, Katara." Zuko's voice was soft, though the screaming he had undoubtedly been doing made him sound a little hoarse. "It was you. I heard you calling me in the dark. Your voice....it was like hope. I knew if I followed it, I'd find you."

Sniffing, Katara tried to hold back another wave of tears. She had cried too much today.

I think I've cried enough for a lifetime.

"I thought hope was my thing." Katara laughed gently, trying to keep another sob from her voice.

"It's catching on." Zuko smiled before leaning in to kiss her.

Katara closed her eyes and smiled into his kiss. Even if he was unnaturally cold, she relished in his touch. If she were to die right here and now, with his soft lips pressed against hers, then Katara wouldn't have complained.

She almost protested when Zuko pulled away, the smell of burnt Juniper still wafting over her. He smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes. It seemed like there was something he wasn't telling her.

He's probably thinking about what's to come. Maybe we'll get lucky and Azula won't have passed the trials....

Katara was getting a little worried. They hadn't heard or seen anything from the Fire Princess since she had tried to stab Zuko. Perhaps she had already finished the trials? What if she'd already found Aang's Chi Flow?

"So, I guess we just follow the bug, right?" Zuko asked as they started walking again.

The firefly seemed a little miffed at being referred to as a 'bug' and sped on ahead down the tunnel.

"Actually, he has a name." Katara smiled, enjoying the relatively normal time that they had together. It was rare that anything normal happened to her these days. She felt light, as if she's temporarily cried away all of her sadness. But who knew how much longer it would last?

"You named the bug?" Zuko raised an eyebrow. "And gave it a gender?"

Well, he did save your life!

"I think he deserves one by now." she smirked, adamantly defending her Spirit Bug.

Zuko sighed and rubbed at the back of his neck. Though there was a smile on his face when he looked up at her.

"What's it's – I mean his - name, then?"

Toph would love this!

"Sparky."

Katara couldn't help but laugh at Zuko's scowling face as they walked through the tunnel.

---

They were almost blinded by light when they finally stepped out of the cave mouth. Sparky the firefly twittered and chirped at them from the mouth of the cave, unwilling to go any further.

When their vision finally adjusted to the light again, both Katara and Zuko felt their pulses quicken. Towering above them was the tip of the mountain, with a winding trail that led all the way to the top. They could make out a dim glow at the very top, slightly hidden among the clouds.

They had reached it – the Chi Flows.

Their cheerful attitudes instantly disappeared as they realised that they were back to where they had began – fighting for the fate of the world.

"Katara, will you promise me something?"

She looked over at Zuko, whose head was bowed low. He looked like he was in mourning and it scared her.

"Anything."

He lifted his head slowly, as if it took him a lot of effort, and rubbed the back of his neck.

Never a good sign.

"Promise me you'll stay here."

"No."

Zuko frowned and sighed.

"You said anything!"

"Anything but that, Zuko. I'm not staying here and letting you go up there by yourself against your sister! Do you think I want you to end up dead for the third time today?"

Or ever again!

"Will you at least promise me not to do anything.....stupid?"

Katara could help but cock an eyebrow at him. Had he not witnessed anything that had happened in the past twentyfour hours?

Instead, she sighed. She would just let him have this victory, so that he wouldn't worry. Katara felt a little hypocritical. If the situations were reversed, then Zuko would do exactly what she would do – whatever it took to keep him safe.

He probably already realises that anyway...

"Fine, Zuko, fine. I won't do anything dangerous or stupid in the Spirit World."

Zuko obviously missed the sarcasm in her voice as he took a deep breath and started up the path. Hearing the chirp of the large firefly behind her, Katara quickly darted back into the shadows. She had almost forgotten about him!

"Thanks Sparky." she said, letting the bug rest on her hand and giving it a quick kiss. "If it weren't for you, he wouldn't be here - whether he admits it or not."

Flicking the creature back into the air, Katara ran back up the path towards Zuko, who was waiting for her. He had a look of shocked disgust on his face.

"Did you just kiss the bug?"

Katara sighed a little sadly before they both started to run towards the mountains peak. It wouldn't be long now. Not long until the end of the world, or the end of them both.

"His name is Sparky."

"Okay, sure. Sparky.

Ignoring Zuko's scoffing, Katara took a deep breath and began to run up the path. It was strange how similar Zuko had sounded to her brother then, though she was sure that if she told him that, he would only scowl at her and deny it.

On they ran, filled once again by the endless energy given to them by the Spirit World. Rocks and grass flew past underneath them, with barely a second glance. The only thing that either Katara or Zuko had eyes for was the winding path that led them ever closer to the glowing light.

Zuko had remained in silence since they had left the mouth of the cave, either deep in thought or plagued by something else.
Katara had considered asking him what was wrong, but decided against it. She suspected that he wouldn't tell her anyway, despite his promise back at the Earth Kingdom town. If it was important, then he would tell her.

He's probably just worried....like me.

If Katara was truthful to herself, she realised that until this very moment, when danger, death and the end of the world was staring her in the face, she hadn't thought about what lay over that ridge at all.

But even if she had, she doubted that it would have helped. They were in the Spirit World, after all.

Instead, Katara had been thinking about lots of other things to try and keep her mind from worrying about something that she couldn't control.

Why haven't we seen Azula yet? Is she ahead of us? What if she's already there! Did she even make it through the trials at all? Did we come here for nothing?

She thought back to her father and her brother, worried and proud at the same time. They were probably smashing some Fire Nation heads right now! Katara only hoped that for once, they would listen to her and be careful. She had almost lost her brother once and she never wanted to do it again. If they got hurt whilst she wasn't there to heal them, who would?

And Aang – what was happening? Had he already defeated the Fire Lord? Had he even started to fight him? Or even worse......had he lost?

Not to mention Toph, Suki and Chit Sang. What had happened to them after she and Zuko had jumped through the doorway? Was the doorway still open? Had they tried to follow them in? Or had the Dai Lee overpowered them?

After a while, Katara found that she didn't like to ask herself any of these questions, for fear of the answers. If she made it back to her own world, then she would find out. But one thing that did catch her attention was the scenery. The Spirit World had been spoken about in legends, songs and myths for thousands of years by her people, but she couldn't understand why the Spirit World had no spirits! The only things that they had encountered so far had all been animals, without a single person in sight.

Perhaps when we die, we come back to the land. That's why we haven't seen any spirits. Maybe these rocks and plants are all....people.

The thought unnerved her a bit. It was a little disconcerting to think that once she died she would spend eternity as a talking animal or a blade of grass! She was still a bit edgy from her visions in the trials – if they even were visions!

"Katara, look!"

Zuko's voice brought her back from her own trance and for a moment, she stared open-mouthed at the looming path ahead of her. They had reached the spiralling peak of the path and they each stopped running, unable to take it all in.

"Wow..."

It felt like the entire world was shining.

Barely a hundred feet further, the path ended. It was on a verge, but although they couldn't yet see over the top of the hill, what lay before it was impressive enough.

Beside the paths entrance, stood two looming towers of shining marble, glowing in parts so brilliantly, it looks as if a thousand fireflies were trapped inside. The lights moved about inside the stone, almost as if they were alive and the elegant stone towers shot up above the clouds. Beyond the pillars was the most incredibly light Katara had ever seen in her entire life. It was so brilliant, but dim at the same time, nothing like the blinding flash of light in the cave of trials. It seemed to radiate around the mountain top like an incredible halo. There were so many different shades of colour, Katara could barely pick one out from the other.

"It's beautiful." she gasped "It's just like the Northern Lights."

In truth, it was nothing like the dancing sky lights that Master Pakku had taken her to see – it was even more intricate and beautiful!

The Chi Flows of the world...

Instinctively, Katara felt herself reaching for Zuko's hand. His fingers wound around hers and clutched them tightly, as if he feared she would blow away. Neither of them could take their eyes away from the shining brilliance in front of them, only wonder and take it all in.

"Nice view." Zuko's voice was quiet, almost a whisper.

Katara managed to nod her head, though her mouth was still slightly open.

"Nice view." she repeated.

Without another word, they began to walk towards the stone pillars hand in hand. Though they didn't say it, their silence spoke for them. They each thought of how incredibly beautiful the swirling, shimmering lights were.
But they also thought that it was likely to be the last thing they ever saw.

---

Without looking back over their shoulders, Katara and Zuko took the final step over the ridge, still hand in hand.

"I don't believe it..."

Katara felt herself smiling.
Even if it was the end of the world, the undoing of the Avatar and of everything – it was simply incredible. Below them was a large dip into the mountain, almost like a crater, and inside the basin shone more lights than there were stars in the sky!

She had been completely wrong. Not even the Northern Lights could compare to something this beautiful and mesmerising.

The lights weren't nearly what she had imagined them to be. They were smaller than the palm of her hand and had flickering tails that fell behind them as they floated gently through the air. It was almost as if she were looking at millions upon millions of tiny Sozin's Comet's. And it was easy to see, looking down, how the differences between the four nations, benders and non-bender's could be completely forgotten. Each orb was entirely identical, except for its colour. There they were, the four colours of the nations : red, green, blue and yellow.

But not all of them were the same.
Katara could see now that for each colour, there were two variations. Some orbs were a blend of two colours, where their parents had come from different nations. Many glowed, whilst some did not, almost as if the person they belonged to was using the energy inside them.

They must be orbs for benders and non-benders.

But what truly captivated Katara the most, was her happiness. They were fewer in number, but Katara could see quite clearly the hundred or so yellow that floated gently through the air. Her grip tightened on Zuko's hand and for the first time in almost ten minutes, she managed to wrench her eyes away from the glistening colour inside the crater.

Oh, Spirits! This can't be possible!

"Zuko, can you believe this? They're here! They're really here!"

"Well, what were you expecting when you saw the glowing mountain?" he replied, a little sarcastically.

She nudged him slightly with her free hand, but was too excited to let his mood spoil it.

"No, not that. The yellow orbs, Zuko! There's one for each nation, right? Just like the elements? So that means if there's still yellow orbs floating around here, then that means that there's still-"

"Air Benders!" he finished, finally understanding her excitement. "Then that means...Aang isn't the only one left!"

"I can't believe this." Katara breathed, turning back towards the glimmering lights. "All these years and they're still here. Where have they been hiding all this time?"

I can't wait to tell Aang!

"Maybe they haven't been hiding." Zuko frowned, thinking. "Maybe they just don't know."

"Don't know?" Katara turned to look at him, frowning. "How could somebody not know that they're an Air Bender?"

"I don't know." Zuko shrugged. "Maybe their ancestors didn't tell them. They might not have told them at all, so that they could protect them. Their entire culture was wiped out, after all. They might be too scared to come out of hiding."

"A life of not knowing who you are..." Katara felt a little sad, picturing all of the Air Bending children who had grown up never knowing about their gifts.

Zuko sighed and rubbed at his eyes. He sounded incredibly uncomfortable, or guilty.

"I don't like it. There's so many red orbs down there, and hardly anything else. Especially now. People are dying, even while we stand here."

Following his gaze, Katara was horror-stricken to see that Zuko was right. If she looked very closely, Katara would see small puffs of light falling to the floor as dust, the life of the person snuffed out as easily as a candle flame. The battle was beginning to take its toll. People were dying right this minute!

All those people! We have to stop this before anyone else can get hurt!

Trying not to let tears well up in her eyes, Katara yanked on Zuko's hand and began to quickly walk down the path.

"Come on, Zuko! We have to stop this! If we can find Aang's chi flow before Azula does then we can stop her from hurting him!"

Deep inside her gut, Katara was already worrying. Why hadn't they seen Azula already? What if something had happened to Aang because they had fallen behind? What if he was already.....dead?

Swallowing a lump in her throat and picking up her pace, Katara began to make her way off the path and downwards into the crater. Zuko's fingers clasped tightly around her own as they strode carefully into the field of swirling lights.

"For the love of La, don't fall into any of them!"

Katara remembered the legend that Zuko had told her about Agni and how he had accidentally killed his best friend Pai by knocking into his chi flow and it chilled her to her very core, thinking of the power someone could have over another's life.

It was just like her Blood Bending and Katara had already decided that she never wanted to be given the chance to wield that kind of power over anyone.

"Which one is Aang's?" Katara asked, warily avoiding a green orb that floated past her. "They all look the same!"

"Didn't Agni say that it was on a pedestal?" he replied, though he didn't sound very confident. "And that monkey....he said it was supposed to be the biggest one of them all."

So, slowly and carefully, they began to make their way through the crater of bobbing lights, incredibly wary that they could accidentally snuff out someone's life, just by taking a wrong step! It was difficult, as the lights often floated of their own accord, bobbing around in the air with their tails drifting behind them. Luckily, the orbs did tend to avoid coming close to them, but Katara was still tense as she passed through the glowing orbs.

Katara found it incredibly difficult not to get distracted. Each orb that they passed seemed to have some sort of identity somehow printed into it, and the closer Katara looked, the more she realised. Each orb had a face reflected in the surface.
They could actually see the owners of the chi flows, Fire Nation, Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe alike!

Katara desperately tried to get a closer look at some of the yellow orbs that floated past them. Every one of them glowed – the sign of a bender – as all the Air Nomads were supposed to be born benders. But what she saw when she looked inside them surprised her. They just didn't look like Air Nomads!

None of them had the shaven heads, or the arrow tattoo's that she had grown so accustomed to seeing on Aang. They were dressed in drab, dank clothing and their skin was too pale and clammy.
But the worst part was – they didn't smile. None of them did.

Behind every pair of sad and tired eyes, Katara saw nothing but loneliness and contempt.

It was as if they had lost the will to live, not knowing who they were or where they came from. When the other coloured spheres lit up, it showed that the benders were using their inner chi flow to manipulate that element, but in all the time they spent navigating in the chi field, Katara didn't see even one glowing yellow orb.

It's like they've been trapped in these bodies and given these gifts that they can't understand. It's just so sad.

It was almost twenty minutes before they reached the centre of the chi field. Progress was slow, and they had to be cautious of where they stood. But it was then something caught their attention.

"Zuko, I think that's it! Over there!"

Katara didn't know how they hadn't spotted it sooner. At the opposite end of the crater, where the slanted wall met with the mountain, there was a small incline, separating the rest of the chi flows from it. It looked almost like a podium, and there, sat on top of it was what they had been looking for!

"That's his chi flow?" Zuko asked, sounding a little surprised. "It looks just like the fire that Ren and Chaw showed us at the Sun Warrior Temple!"

"Aang's chi flow looks like dragon flames?" Katara had to blink twice to take it all in. "I had no idea it was so beautiful. I always thought that it was just like....normal fire."

"So did I." Zuko sighed. "But in case you haven't noticed, 'normal' isn't usually a word that applies to us much these days."

As Zuko led her through the bobbing chi flows towards the Avatar's, Katara couldn't help but agree a little sadly. The last normal thing that had happened to her was going spear fishing with her brother right before they had found Aang in the iceberg. It made her wonder if things would ever return to normal again.

Katara tightened her grip on Zuko's unnaturally cold hand, still not really used to the sensation.

He was quiet. Even more quiet than he usually was. It was a little worrying. It was as if there was something he wasn't telling her about, like he was worried she would just slip away from him at any minute.

What isn't he telling me?

But Katara found it difficult to think as they neared the podium, with the beautiful dancing chi flow of Avatar Aang sitting before them. There was no sign of Azula, at least that was good. All they had to do now was wait for her to turn up – and stop her.

"The humans! The humans have returned!"

Zuko froze in place, gripping onto her hand even tighter. His upper lip curled into a snarl and Katara's heart froze in place as she looked up towards the shrieking voice. There, stood beside the podium with grinning white teeth, stood Kimochi, the Spirit Monkey. But that wasn't what was terrifying her.

Oh Spirit's no. No that. Not now!

Slinking back and forth along the crater's edge, with hundreds of pairs of eyes flicking over them was the black, towering shape of Koh, the Face Stealer.

---

"Hello, Avatar."

Aang's eyes flew open. Thrusting himself backwards, he flew out the other side of the stone pillar, away from the prying eyes of the Fire Lord.

"You can't hide forever, boy!"

The Fire Lord was right – Aang couldn't hide forever! Sozin's Comet was still in the atmosphere, but Ozai was showing no signs of backing down. And Aang was running out of energy!

Jumping through the air over helmets and spears, the Avatar desperately tried to search out Sokka among the crowds. He needed help and he didn't know how much longer he could keep this up!

"Sokka! Sokka, where are you?"

"Aang!"

Sokka's voice rang through the crowd, sounding shrill in his panic. Aang's head darted over the crowd, skimming over faces and fire in search of his friend. The Fire Lord's bellowing call sounded over the deafening noise as a group of Water Tribe warriors blasted the new burning jelly at him. Hakoda's bloodied and battered arm flew up into the air, sounding the call to attack. He shot Aang a look and nodded as he charged.

There was only so much time that Hakoda could buy him. He needed to use it – now!

Feeling gratitude overwhelm him, Aang continued to jump over the crowds, calling for Sokka as he went. Sweat poured down his body and he was caked in dirt. Eventually, Aang spotted him, locked together with a Fire Nation soldier, sword to sword.

Landing beside Sokka, Aang threw the soldier away with a sweep of earth.

"Sokka, I can't do this! He's too strong!"

Sokka himself didn't look too good either. Circling Aang protectively, he continued to swipe away at spears and swords. He was caked in dirt and what looked like dry blood. His wolf helmet was cracked and he seemed to have a limp

"Aang, you have to!" he panted. "Go into the Avatar State! It's fixed now, right?"

Aang could see the Fire Lord, swiping away the blasts of burning jelly that the Water Tribe threw at him as easily as flies. Hakoda wouldn't be able to keep him busy for long.

"I don't know! I thought it was, but I just can't do it!"

"Well you better do something, or else we're all toast!"

Aang's blood ran clod in his veins as the bellowing scream of the Fire Lord rose over the noise. The Water Tribers all fell back into the dirt, Hakoda lying motionless on the floor.

"Dad, no!"

Aang's eyes went wide as he watched Sokka run through the battle towards his father – and the Fire Lord coming even closer!

"Oh, Monkey feathers!"

---

Author's Note : Dun dun dun! You all knew that Koh would be making an appearance soon! Now it's just up to Katara and Zuko!

Hopefully this chapter wasn't too confusing – there was a lot to fit in, with only a certain amount of time and words to do it in. You also got to see a little into Zuko and Azula's past. I know she's the bad guy, but I like Azula. It's not her fault she's so messed up, and I wanted to try and write a little bit about that too. It will make a lot more sense next chapter, but basically – any Azula haters aren't going to be pleased with the ending I have planned for her. Thawn, however, will love me lol. It's touch and go, but we'll see what you all think when we get there.

As I said, I'm afraid there's going to have to be another chapter after this one before the fic is finished. Sorry guys, I know 26 chapters is a lot to take, but if the chapters were all this long, you'd get pretty bored, pretty fast!

Sorry if this chapter was too fast-paced. I tried not to rush it, but there was so much to get through in so little time. This chapter itself is 20,000 words long (and that's after I cut a load of stuff out). Just think of it as going into shock - because that's how I picture them dealing with it.

Again, I'm SO sorry about the wait! Real life just got in the way. I've been into A&E 3 times this month and my job is working me overtime.