Previously on Prince Zuko: Shanghaied…

Pronounced dead by the Earth Army, Prince Zuko infiltrated Ba Sing Se in search of the Avatar. Making it back to the Earth Kingdom camp, Sen-Su finds that he has an enemy in Lang who he has revealed to be a Di Lai agent. Meeting up with the Gaang, Iroh becomes allies with them and takes them to Lake Laogia in search of Appa. After the death of the former General at the hands of Prince Zuko, Princess Azula now leads the Fire Nation Army on a collision course with the Earth Kingdom…

Warning: Character Death

The Battle Under Lake Laogia

Chapter 18

Zuko kept silent as he moved through the passageways, under which he discovered to be Lake Laogia. After persuading a surprisingly helpful Di Lai agent into revealing the location of the Avatar's bison, that it would be better to help him than end up like the dismembered manikin, the banished prince had fooled him with. The agent was willing to give the Blue Spirit any information he asked for, including how to break into the under water fortress.

Moving through the corridors and dodging the various Di Lai agents that swarmed Lake Laogia. Zuko wondered around for quite awhile, getting lost in the maze. He reached dead ends and had a few close calls with a few patrolling Di Lai, but still no bison.

Suddenly Zuko turned the corner of one of the many hallways, only to quickly duck back, as a charge of Di Lai came running down the hallway.

"Hurry!" Zuko heard one of them shout, "We are being attacked!"

"It's the Avatar!" Another shouted, in the confusion.

The Avatar… Zuko's mind rushed with the possibilities, The Avatar is here, now?

As the majority of the agents passed, Zuko stepped out into the hall. Then, just as the banished prince was about to follow the crowd, he spotted a stone glove out of the corner of his eye. Reacting with the lightning fast reflexes of his swinging sword, he saved his life by causing the glove to shatter, instead of piercing his body, as was the intention of the attacker.

"What are you doing here?" A lone Di Lai agent sneered.

Zuko however found no need to answer. Instead, he rushed forward; dodging the second glove and then using the wall, he launched himself into the air and finished the Di Lai agent with one clean stroke. Nothing was going to get in his way in his quest to restore his honor. Nothing

ATLAB

"So, Avatar." Long Feng said his voice was in the usual calm manor. "You thought you could disrupt the order of my city?"

"Where is Appa?" Aang shouted he knew he had Katara, Sokka and Toph behind him. He even had a new ally, General Iroh of the Fire Nation, but he was not sure that they would be enough against the hundreds of Di Lai agents that poured into the room under Lake Laogia.

"Leave now and I will return your lost pet."

"No, the corruption in Ba Sing Se ends now!" Iroh said, taking a Fire bending stance.

"Ah, yes." Long Feng smiled, "General Iroh, 'The Dragon of the West', we meet again. I guess one failure at Ba Sing Se was not enough."

"That chapter of my life is behind me," Iroh said, shaking his head. "I now know my destiny is to help the Avatar, who is the only one capable of saving your city and the world. The Fire Nation is no doubt sitting at your doorstep! You only care about your own power and that will be your destruction. But you can end that now; just listen to what the boy has to say."

The secretariat paused considering his options. The old man had a point; the Avatar would be a great asset to the Earth Kingdom and would make defeating the Fire Nation easier. Even if he were just a little boy, at the very least he would help with morale. It would be good for the soldiers to know the Avatar was behind them.

However, he had no doubt the foolish young man would turn complete control over to the Earth King, who in Long Feng's opinion was not fit to run a tea shop, much less an entire city. Losing the power he had worked so hard to achieve was not an option, O well he would just need to find another asset, to help him win the war.

Long Feng had his answer.

"I think I'll consider other options," he said, and then turned to his agents. "Arrest the traitors in the name of the Earth King."

ATLAB

"Captain," Sen, said opening the flap that led to his fellow Captain's tent. "We need to talk."

"About what?" It was late, but Loam was still up. He had been going over the recent Fire Nation activity in the last week. The enemy's actions had become much more, well… aggressive to say the least and their tactics were incredible. No doubt, the Fire Lords daughter had more to offer than just looks.

They have been closing in on Ba Sing Se from all sides. Seemingly unstoppable, only the main army and the Great Walls of Ba Sing Se stand in their way of total conquest.

"It's about Lang."

Loam looked up, "is there something wrong?"

"Yes," Sen said deciding just too just come out with it. "But you must understand that we need to keep it off the record," taking a deep breath he said, "Lang is a Di Lai agent."

"What?" Sen had captured Captain Loam's attention, "What is the cultural authority doing in the army?"

"Well…" Sen-Su, started, "Lang was not completely honest the other day."

"About what exactly?" Loam questioned, curious to what the soldier had lied about.

"Zuko is alive," Sen, explained. "And he on his way to Ba Sing Se to capture the Avatar…"

"Hold on, hold on," Loam stopped him there. "What does Prince Zuko have to do with anything?"

"That's just it!" Sen said, "Lee was really Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation. Lang's mission was to keep an eye on Lee."

In Sen-Su's opinion, the other Earth Captain was taking the news surprisingly well. Until Loam got up and moved towards the flap of his tent.

"Where are you going?" Sen asked, worried that the captain was going to do something that they would both regret.

"I need to report this to the General," Loam said, as he opened the flap.

"But you can't," Sen protested. "Have you heard nothing I've said? If a Di Lai agent is spying on the Earth Army, it clearly means the Di Lai is in control of Ba Sing Se, which means Long Feng is the true ruler, not the Earth King."

"I still think the Earth General, needs to know about this," Loam said sternly.

"But…" Sen was going to protest again.

"Look!" Loam snapped, "The Fire Nation is closing in on Ba Sing Se, with an incredible army, which at this point seems to be unstoppable. We already lost Omasu, our Northern Post, and Eastern Post. We are the last of the Earth Army and the only thing that stands between Ba Sing Se's freedom and its conquest is us."

After Loam's out burst, he stormed out of the tent. Sen had nothing else to say, he now knew he had started a very dangerous chain of events, which could be his end as well as the end of the Earth Army.

ATLAB

Long Feng had no sooner given the order, for the Avatar's arrest, before one of his own agents rushed forward, pushing himself through the army of Di Lai that now filled the room. The crazed agent launched himself off a boulder and landed in front of Long Feng himself.

"Back off!" He sneered, "The Avatar is mine."

The Secretariat's confusion gave away as he recognized the voice.

"Lee… or should I say Prince Zuko," Long Feng was slightly amused that someone so clever as to infiltrate his fortress, could be so foolish.

Zuko let out a powerful explosion of fire, which vaporized his Di Lai disguise. Taking a Fire Bending stance, he was ready for an attack from either side.

"Zuko?" A confused, but familiar voice reaches the Prince's ears.

"Uncle?" Zuko loosened his stance a bit. "What are you doing with the Avatar?"

"We will talk later," Iroh, said. "But I think a better question is what are you doing facing an army of Di Lai and the Avatar at the same time? Do you ever think these things through?"

Zuko had to admit, he had not thought this through. He knew his Uncle was right as the Di Lai attacked. A fierce battle raged on under Lake Laogia, the Avatar and friends were extremely out numbered, but with the skill of the blind earth bender and the determination of Water Tribe siblings, the battle seemed to turn in the Avatar's favor. Zuko ducked as a stone glove flew towards his head; he returned with a small but powerful pinpoint fire blast that dropped the agent where he stood.

Noticing an attack coming from his left, he was not surprised to see the Water Tribe girl launch a volley of attacks in his direction. The banished prince tumbled out of the way, as the water slammed in to the ground. When he stood up her brother awaited him with machete in hand, Zuko dropped to the ground as the blade passed over his head. The Water Tribe boy then followed through with a downward stroke, causing Zuko to roll out of the way.

He was ready to return the attack, but as the fire formed around his fist, a blast of air sent him sprawled across the floor. Zuko stood up as quickly as he could, ready for any attack. However, he was surprised to find himself face to face with Long Feng.

The Di Lai, were too busy with his Uncle and the Avatar's friends to notice that their leader was relatively unprotected. Zuko got into his Fire bending stance, and with out saying a word he launched a fireball at the secretariat. Long Feng raised a wall of rock, to protect himself, but his Earth bending was not powerful enough to absorb the anger and hatred Zuko poured into the blast.

So he is a bender Zuko thought to himself, he enjoyed his superiority over someone so powerful, despite all his wealth and power, Long Feng would be no match for the banished prince. Zuko rushed up to the recovering Long Feng, who in return launched a half-hearted attack at the banished prince. Zuko easily kicked the small boulder out of the way, then reaching down he grabbed the man by the collar.

Drawing one of his swords, he placed it at Long Feng's neck. "The battle ends now!"

No one seemed to hear him, but as Zuko's anger raged. He shouted again. "This Battle is over!" This time flames roared out of his mouth.

Long Feng, previously a proud man quivered at the blade pressed against his throat and the monster like roar his captor unleased. The battle around them ceased, as the Di Lai noticed their leader was being held captive. The Avatar, Uncle, and the Avatar's friends stared at Zuko.

"Zuko what…?" Iroh began to ask, but silenced himself, for lack of words.

"Zuko don't ," Aang said, as he dropped his staff.

"You are going to defend him?" Zuko asked stunned that the Avatar was standing up for the man who made his life miserable. "After all he's done? Why shouldn't I just end him now?"

"Because all life is sacred, but no matter how horrible you think he's been," Aang said calmly. "You will become just like him, maybe worse if you kill him like this. I know you have good in you Zuko. I've seen it before."

"Listen to the boy," Iroh said, backing up the Avatar. Some how, the Avatar's words meant nothing until his uncle interfered. "You've been traveling down the road of hatred, Zuko. You need to let it all go; it is time for a fresh start. The Avatar and his friends are willing to forgive you."

At this Sokka and Katara shrugged, Aang nodded and Toph remained neutral. Iroh continued, "you must have seen the destruction this war has reaped on the world. It's time for the death and devastation to end."

Zuko closed his eyes taking it all in. They were right, he knew. So many had died pointlessly in this war and now was the time for it to end. A single tear rolled down from his good eye. Zuko's hunger and fatigue was finnaly catching up to him as his anger began to fade.

"Where is the Avatar's bision?" He whispered into the secretariat's ear. The onlookers, including the Di Lai watched silently. Each person unsure of what the outcome might be.

"Cell…45" He answered, quietly. "Please just let me go, you could… help me… control Ba Sing Se. Yes that's it."

Zuko ignored, all but the cell number the bison was located. The rest was just the rambling of a coward begging for his life.

"Did you hear that?" Zuko asked the Avatar, who nodded. "Go get your bison and help defend this city."

As the Avatar and friends exited the room, he turned to the remaining Di Lai agents. "Leave now, all of you!"

"Do as he says!" Long Feng reinforced Zuko's words.

The Di Lai poured out of the room, none of them exactly sure what to do next. They were to obey orders, at all times and Long Feng had told them to leave. Therefore, they left.

When only Zuko, Iroh and Long Feng remained, the banished prince tossed Long Feng aside. Iroh ran up and embraced Zuko, "I'm so proud of you." He said as Zuko returned the hug.

"I'm so sorry," Zuko was more heart felt than he had been in a long time. "I'm ashamed of how I treated you. Uncle, you have stood by me, as a real father should. Thank you."

Long Feng interrupted their hug. Iroh, who was always more aware of his surroundings than he often let on, noticed the secretariat, had raised a stone out of the ground and had Zuko in his sights. Before he was able to follow through with his surprise attack, The Dragon of the West, unleased a lightning strike, which ripped through Long Feng's chest and stopped his heart where he stood.

The Secretariat of Ba Sing Se fell, dead.

Author's Note: Thank you all for reading, I have been in a dry spell for quite sometime, but I think it has just ended. So, my last two chapters will be coming soon!