Book Two: Earth
Chapter Twenty: Crossroads of Destinies
Xena cuddled Momo to her chest and stood next to the window overlooking the garden. Era watched her with concern. She was natural a very quiet person, but this silence was different. It was like she was beating herself up for not knowing that Azula was in Ba Sing Se. She hadn't even asked him how he found out about it. Not that he was able to tell her that the warning came from Mist and Ty Lee anyways. He sighed and leaned back to stare at the ceiling.
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"The Earth King and the Council of Five do not trust the Dai Li. They imprisoned your leader, Long Feng. Soon they will turn on all of you and eliminate you. Seizing power today is a matter of life and death. This coup must be swift and decisive. The Earth King and each of the five generals must be taken out simultaneously. Long Feng has placed you in my command while we overthrow the government."
Mist watched Azula give her speech to the gathered Dai Li agents. She had her mask and hood on to hide her face. Ty Lee was clinging to her, acting like the ditsy airheaded girl that everyone thought she was, while secretly whispering in Mist's ear.
"Azula believes the waterbender about the others not being in Ba Sing Se, but she's sure that they'll come for her."
"If I sense any disloyalty, any hesitation, any weaknesses at all, I will snuff it out."
"The Guardian should move quickly then while she still has the element of surprise," Mist whispers back.
"That is all." Azula turns away from the agents to face the three of them.
Ty Lee lets go of Mist and flounces up to Azula with a cheerful smile.
"Nice speech, Azula. It was pretty and poetic, but also scary in a good way."
"Yeah," Mai agreed monotonely. "I thought you were going to make that one guy pee his pants."
"There are still a few loose ends," Azula commented with a faint scowl. "The Avatar, and my brother and uncle."
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Zuko smiled and helped Iroh step out of the carriage before facing the palace.
"Many times I imagined myself here, at the threshold of the palace," Iroh commented, holding his tea supplies close. "But I always thought I'd be here as the conqueror. Instead, we are the Earth King's personal guests, here to serve him tea. Destiny is a funny thing."
"It sure is, Uncle," Zuko agreed happily.
He decided to keep the fact that Xena had been at the tea shop a secret from his uncle, so as to not spoil his happy mood.
S-S
"What's taking so long?" Zuko asked warily.
"Maybe the Earth King overslept," Iroh suggested.
Several Dai Li agents filed into the room, creating a circle around them. Zuko's brow furrowed.
"Something's not right," He murmured quietly.
Had Xena turned them in?
Azula stepped into the room, stopping outside the ring of Dai Li agents. "Its tea time."
"Azula!" Zuko jumped to his feet quickly.
"Have you met the Dai Li?" Azula asked lightly. "They're earthbenders, but they have a killer instinct that's so firebender. I just love it."
Iroh calmly picked up his cup of tea. "Did I ever tell you how I got the nickname 'the Dragon of the West'?"
"I'm not interested in a lengthy anecdote, Uncle."
"It's more of a demonstration, really." He stated before taking a sip of his tea.
Zuko glanced at his uncle and smirked before stepping behind him. Iroh jumped to his feet and breathed a hot stream of fire at the Dai Li agents, who jumped out of the way. Zuko jumped forward and kicked a fire blast at the wall, blasting a hole in the wall. They ran into the hallway. Iroh blasted another hole with lightning before jumping out to land in the bushes below.
"Come on," He shouted up at Zuko when he stopped. "You'll be fine."
"No I'm tired of running." He turned to glare down the hallway. "It's time I faced Azula."
He turned and walked back down the hall. Azula stopped in front of him with several Dai Li agents."
"You're so dramatic," She sighed. "What? Are you going to challenge me to an Agni Kai?"
"Yes," Zuko snapped back, taking a firebending stance. "I challenge you."
"No, thanks," Azula brushed him off with a cruel smile.
Zuko shot a blast of fire at her, but two Dai Li agents blocked it with a rock wall. They pulled down the rock wall and trapped his feet with rock gloves causing him to stumble forward. His left hand was trapped to the ground when he tried to stop his fall.
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"You've got company."
Zuko winced as the Dai Li agent threw him down the hole he'd just opened. He rolled across the ground before coming to a stop.
"Zuko!"
He looked up at the shocked and angry waterbender that was glaring at him. The Dai Li agent resealed the entrance.
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"They're here," Xena spoke suddenly, releasing Momo as he flew to the door.
"Momo," Aang gasped in surprise when the lemur clung to his neck after he came running in.
He looked up at Xena and Era, noticing that Era was dressed in some kind of armor.
"Azula is in Ba Sing Se," Era told him. "She fought the Kyoshi Warriors and stole their armor as a disguise."
"Oh, no," Sokka gasped.
"I'm sorry," Xena spoke quietly. "I didn't know, if I had I would have gone with her."
"Why didn't you?" Sokka demanded in sudden anger.
"I … I was keeping an eye on-"
"Someone's at the door," Toph suddenly cut her off. "Actually, I know who it is. It's an old friend of mine."
Xena tensed sensing the same thing as Toph. Iroh was waiting on the other side of the door with a captured Dai Li agent.
"Glad to see you're okay," Toph told him on opening the door.
"I need your help."
Aang and Sokka quickly got into fighting stance followed by Era. Xena stared down at the floor silently.
"You guys know each other?" Aang demanded warily.
"I met him in the woods that one time I left. I knocked him down," Toph explained. "Then he gave me some tea and some very good advice."
"May I come in?" Iroh asked politely. "Princess Azula is here in Ba Sing Se."
"We know," Era straightened. "She took Katara."
"She has captured my nephew as well."
Xena's hands clenched into fists. This was her fault as well. Iroh was the only one to notice how the water in the air froze around her before melting.
"We'll have to work together to fight Azula, and save Katara and Zuko," Aang decided after a few seconds.
"Whoa, there!" Sokka protested. "You lost me at 'Zuko'."
"I know how you must feel about my nephew." Iroh placed a hand on Sokka's shoulder, causing the warrior to tense. "But believe me when I tell you that there is good inside him."
Sokka pushed his hand away. "Good inside him isn't enough. Why don't you come back when it's outside him to?"
"The enemy of my enemy is a friend," Xena said, forcing her guilt away; she couldn't let it consume her. "Or in this case an ally."
"What?" Sokka asked in confusion, turning to face her.
"Azula is as much as Zuko's and Iroh's enemy as she is ours," She explained seriously. "Do you remember the abandoned village when we all faced Azula, she ran because she couldn't win when her enemies united against her. Working together now is our best chance."
Sokka hesitated briefly before nodding in understanding. Xena stepped up behind Aang and faced Iroh.
"Let's have a talk with that Dai Li agent you brought?"
Iroh smiled warmly and led the way out of the house. Toph forced the Dai Li agent to his feet with stone pillars. The man began talking as soon as the gag was removed.
"Azula and Long Feng are plotting a coup! They're going to overthrow the Earth King."
"My sister," Sokka demanded. "Where are they keeping Katara?"
"Their keeping her in the Crystal Catacombs of Old Ba Sing Se, deep beneath the palace."
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"Why did they throw you in here? Oh wait, let me guess. It's a trap, so that when Aang shows up to help me you can finally have him in your little Fire Nation clutches."
Zuko glared at the pacing waterbender over his shoulder before returning to glaring at the ground.
"You're a terrible person! You know that? Always following us! Hunting the Avatar! Trying to capture the world's last hope for peace! But what do you care! You're the Fire Lord's son. Spreading war and violence and hatred is in your blood!"
Zuko tensed and turned slightly. "You don't know what you're talking about!"
"I don't? How dare you!" Katara shouted even angrier than before. "You have no idea what this war has put me through. Me personally. The Fire Nation took my mother away from me."
Zuko turned around and stared at the waterbender's back. Her hand rested against the pendant on her necklace.
"I'm sorry," He apologized and looked down. "That's something we have in common."
S-S
"Well, what'd ya know?" Toph pressed her palm against the ground, "There is an ancient city down there, but it's deep."
She stood up and thrust her hands forward to start the tunnel that would take them underground.
"We should split up," Sokka suggested. "Aang, Xena you go with Iroh to look for Katara and the angry jerk, no offense."
"None taken," Iroh reassured him.
"And I'll go with Toph and Era to warn the Earth King of Azula's coup."
"Be careful," Xena told them while Aang nodded.
The airbender stepped into the tunnel first in order to carve out a path; Xena followed him with a flame in one hand and a sword in the other, leaving Iroh to bring up the rear.
After a moment Aang asked Iroh for advice. Xena respectfully remained quiet, knowing that if he wanted her input he would ask for it.
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"Thank goodness, we're in time."
Mist tensed as the three teens ran into the throne room.
"In time for what?" The king asked in confusion.
"Yeah. What are you in time for cutie?" Ty Lee asked, cartwheeling up to Sokka.
Mist rolled her eyes, sometimes Ty Lee took acting like an airhead too seriously.
"They're not the real Kyoshi Warriors," The blind earthbender declared, knocking Ty Lee away from Sokka.
She took a bending stance and shot her left hand forward. Mist pressed off the rock that suddenly jutted up behind her, rolling back to her feet when she hit the ground.
"Sorry to disappoint," Mai stated dryly before throwing knives at the blind earthbender.
Mist locked eyes with Era. He dipped his head slightly before attacking her. They shifted around each other in a silent dance neither actually hurting the other. It was a show and nothing else as was Ty Lee's attacks. If she was serious she would've already taken the water tribe boy out.
"This fight is over."
Azula held a flame next to the Earth King's face, daring them to keep fighting. Mist twisted Era's arm behind his back as the other two teens surrendered. Ty Lee chi-blocked them, eyes flashing guiltily.
"Get them out of my sight," Azula ordered, pushing the king away.
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"I'm sorry I yelled at you before," Katara apologized.
"It doesn't matter." Zuko looked off to the side.
"It's just that, for so long now, whenever I would imagine the face of the enemy it was your face."
"My face?" He repeated sadly, reaching up to touch his scar. "I see."
"No, no, that's not what I meant," Katara hurried to correct herself.
"It's okay," He thought about Xena's scar as he spoke. "I used to think this scar marked me. The mark of the banished prince, cursed to chase the Avatar forever. But lately, I've realized I'm free to determine my own destiny, even if I'll never be free of my mark."
"Maybe you could be free of it."
"What?"
"I have healing abilities." Katara placed her hand to her chest.
Zuko looked away from her. "It's a scar, it can't be healed."
"This is water from the Spirit Oasis at the North Pole." Katara pulled the tiny vial from around her neck. "It has special properties, so I've been saving it for something important," Katara explained as she showed him. "I know it's not strong enough to heal a mortal wound but it might be strong enough to get rid of the scar. Besides I think you deserve after what you did for Xena."
Zuko closed his eyes as she reached up to touch the scar. There was a loud crash before she could do so.
"Aang, Xena," Katara exclaimed happily, rushing forward to hug them.
Xena dropped into a kowtow before she reached them. Everyone looked at her in surprise.
"I'm sorry, Katara," She apologized. "I was supposed to protect you but in the end I…"
"It's okay, Xena." Katara place her hand on the kneeling girl's shoulder. "I understand."
Zuko glanced at his uncle in confusion and then back at Xena as she stood. Her face was solemn despite the forgiveness that she had just received.
"Uncle, I don't understand. What are you doing with the Avatar?"
"Saving you, that's what," Aang snapped back.
"Zuko, it's time we talked." Iroh stopped him from stepping towards Aang. "Go help your other friends, we'll catch up to you."
Xena glanced back at Zuko briefly before following Aang and Katara deeper into the catacombs.
"Why, Uncle?"
"You're not the man you used to be, Zuko. You are stronger and wiser and freer than you've ever been and now you have come to the crossroads of your destiny. It's time for you to choose. It's time for you to choose good."
He bowed his head about to agree with his uncle when crystals suddenly encased Iroh. He spun around to face Azula and her two Dai Li agents.
"I expected this kind of treachery from Uncle, but Zuko, Prince Zuko, you're a lot of things, but you're not a traitor are you?"
"Release him immediately," He snapped.
"It's not too late for you, Zuko," Azula continued. "You can still redeem yourself.
"The kind of redemption she offers is not for you," Iroh stated firmly.
"Why don't you let him decide, Uncle?" Azula barked, "I need you, Zuko. I've plotted every move of this day, this glorious day in Fire Nation history and the only way we win is together. At the end of this day, you will have your honor back. You will have Father's love. You will have everything you wanted."
"Zuko, I'm begging you. Look into your heart and see what it is that you truly want."
Azula gestured for the Dai Li agents to leave, "you are free to choose."
She left then, leaving him to consider. He did want everything that Azula had listed, but he also wanted one more thing, something he hadn't realized till now. He loved Xena and he wanted to be with her. But he would lose everything else if he chose her. His choice was harder than it appeared to be.
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"We've got to find Sokka and Toph," Katara told Aang as they ran through the cavern with a waterfall.
Xena suddenly spun around bending a wave of water to block the lightning strike delivered by Azula. She and Katara together pushed the wave at Azula. The firebender turned the water to mist. Xena drew her swords and blocked the attack that the others couldn't see due to the mist. The fire burned away most of the mist and she turned the rest back into water, effectively putting out Azula's next attack without even trying. Azula stood on a stone pillar a few feet away.
Aang earthbended the pillar into rubble. She jumped and landed a few feet away facing the three benders. A large blast of fire suddenly shot between all of them, stopping either side from attacking.
Zuko stood in a firebending position looking back and forth between the two. Xena realized who he was going to attack before anyone else did. Her eyes completely silvered as she bent water to block his attack. Azula smirked and fired a burst of lightning at them. Aang blocked the attack with a wall of earth, but the resulting rubble scattered them. Azula went after Katara while Zuko went after Aang.
Xena moved to get between Zuko and Aang, but was quickly intercepted by two Dai Li agents. One of them punched her in the stomach with a rock glove sending her flying back into the river.
"Shit," She cussed, rolling back to her feet.
She dodged another rock glove and ran at the Dai Li agents. They kept pushing her back so she couldn't get close enough to attack with her swords and deflected her bending with their own. Growling angrily, she leapt back and slid the hilts of her swords against each other. The water trapped within swirled around them in a thick mist. She ran sideways around them, so they couldn't see her coming. With a quick spin kick, she knocked one flying into a crystal. The other spun to attack, but she ducked under the blow and punched the butt of her hilt into the man's face. The mist turned back into water, clinging to her already wet clothes and hair.
More Dai Li agents appeared around her, blocking her from getting to Aang. A growl built in her throat. She began fighting in the air style, relying on its speed to lead her through the battle. A rock suddenly flew at her from an agent that she had cut down. With not enough time to block it she twisted her left hand sword to cut it out of the air. There was a sharp crack as the sword broke into three separate pieces. Her breath caught in her throat as the pieces clattered against the ground. Water from the river answered her anger and swirled in a circle, blasting Dai Li agents away from her and creating an icy dome. Knowing that if she didn't retrieve the pieces now they would be lost she quickly removed the sheaths from her back and slid the broken pieces into them. When she reemerged from the dome, the sheaths were on her back again, but so the hilts would be over her shoulder instead of at her hips. The broken sword was held in place with the leather straps meant to keep the sword in place when the sheaths were upside down. She hadn't had to use them till now.
The Dai Li agents were a little more wary of her, sensing the anger radiating from her. She noticed when Aang sealed himself in a crystal tent and couldn't help feeling happy when she realized he was going into the Avatar State. The crystal tent began to glow and suddenly the crystal exploded. Aang began to float into the air. She shouldn't have been happy about him going into it. The flash of lightning rang in her ears and her sword was forgotten. For the first time in the battle, she used firebending.
White flames danced down her sword and spun around her body. She ran forward and came to a stop in front of Katara as she caught Aang in her arms. Pain flashed through her mind, announcing the presence of the quickly weakening bond. With a roar of anger, she sent out a ring of superheated flames.
Zuko stared in surprise and didn't have time to protect himself from the flames. They were unbearable hot, but as they wrapped around him turned silver. Even angry, Xena was still unwilling to scar him. Azula was a little more aware of the danger though and was able to make a fire shield of blue flames to block the white fire. She was still pushed back several feet by the force and power of the flames. The flames dissolved as quickly as they came.
Azula recovered quickly from her shock of the strange colored flames and launched a ball of fire at Xena. A burst of orange flames blocked the blue fire. Iroh landed in front of the three teens.
"You've got to get out of here," He ordered. "I'll hold them off for as long as I can."
The two girls didn't hesitate, they ran towards the waterfall after a brief passing off of Aang's body. Xena glanced back as she rode the water up to the top of the waterfall. Her gaze fell on Zuko, who was sitting up staring after her. A feeling of betrayal and disappoint shot threw her to mingle with the slowly fading anger and the overpowering despair.
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Aang was dying from a wound that there was no chance of healing. She had failed so much today. It was her responsibility to protect Aang and here he was dying. It was all her fault and there was only one way to fix it.
Her hand rested against the burn on his back as tears formed in her eyes. Everyone watched silently as the strong warrior that they had never seen cry, broke down. Sokka had once joked about her never crying. There was no joking now. Her eyes closed and her head bowed. Silver flames suddenly spun around her hand where it rested on his back. The pain that ran through her body from the bond suddenly intensified and her breaths grew quicker.
Katara watched as the dark grey crescent moon on her brow glowed silver. Xena pulled her hand from Aang's back after several long agonizing seconds. Aang's eyes flickered open briefly before closing again.
Xena smiled softly and passed him to Katara so she could use the water from the oasis to heal more of the burn and keep him from being lost again. Sokka watched Xena carefully and was the first to notice when she swayed. He caught her before her head struck the side of the saddle.
"Xena," He gasped in surprise and then lifted his head to stare at the moon.
This couldn't end in the same way Yue's healing of the moon spirit had. Xena's eyes slid closed, but not before Sokka noticed that they were as blue as his own. Her breathing slowed until it stopped entirely.
The end of Book 2: Torn Between. As of today this story has 87 favorites, 67 follows, 65 reviews, and 86,585 words. Thank you all for supporting this story and I hope you will read Book 3: Love and Duty. Please leave a review.