Chapter 8

When Zuko awoke some time later, he could tell from the angle of the sun in the doorway that it was late afternoon. His mouth felt hot, gritty, and dry, and his leg felt as though it was on fire from the hip down.

Toph. Where was she? His heart leaped into his chest as he sat up and looked around the room for her, calling her name.

A pair of strong hands pressed his shoulders back into place on the low cot.

"Hey, Li," a dark-haired young man said easily, "calm down. She's okay. She's right here."

Zuko looked past the man to see Toph on a cot no more than four feet away. An older woman sat on the other side of her, painting her arms with a mixture that looked like split pea soup. At his quizzical look, the woman explained, "It'll draw out the heat. Don't look too pretty though."

He tried to move, but searing pain shot down his leg. He pushed back a light, loosely woven beige coverlet to see that his trouser had been split from the knee to mid-thigh and his leg was shiny red and swollen to nearly twice its size. A wet, green, leafy mass was loosely tied to the place where he'd been bitten. He guessed the creature had been venomous.

"How is she?" he asked hoarsely. "What's wrong with her?"

The older woman finished her painting and washed her hands in a shallow bowl. Then she poured a cup of water from a gourd jug and brought it to him. "She's got the swamp fever," the woman explained as she held the cup to Zuko's lips. He thought he'd never tasted anything so good as that cool water.

"She's pretty sick though," the woman continued. "I ain't seen many get this low and come out of it the same as they went in."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Zuko asked sharply. "Is she going to be okay?"

"She'll live," the woman replied. "They all live. But those that get the fever this bad turn funny. They just don't act right no more when they come out. It's like the fever does something to 'em."

Zuko wanted to ask more, but the rush of anxiety for Toph had made him lightheaded. Black spots began to swim before his eyes.

"You're the one to worry about right now, Mister Li," the woman said, bending down to check the wet pad of leaves on his leg. "If we don't draw off this poison, you could lose your leg. Them cottonmouth gar got a real nasty bite if you don't tend to 'em fast."

Then the woman turned to the young man next to Zuko's cot. "Jet, I'm going to gather more herbs for Li's poultice. You keep an eye on them for me. He's not to move." The she gave a little sad glance at the other cot where Toph lay. "She ain't going nowhere for a while."

The woman left the hut, leaving Zuko to look up at Jet. He'd grown up. He was no longer the brash young man who helped him rob a ferry captain. Then again, Zuko was not a refugee named Li any more either. He decided to come clean.

"I remember you, Jet," Zuko began. "And I want to say I'm sorry."

"About what?" Jet asked.

"I got you thrown into prison in Ba Sing Se. You nearly died there. If it wasn't for me and my uncle, it would never have happened," Zuko answered, then coughed a little. His throat was still a little dry.

Jet refilled the water cup and held it to his lips again. "Don't worry about it. Everything happens for a reason. Even the bad stuff," he replied evenly. Then he flashed Zuko a cocky grin. "Besides, I'd done enough wrong by that point to earn several trips to prison. My time was just up, I guess."

"I also ought to tell you my name isn't really Li," Zuko said, swallowing the last of the water. His voice was smoother, stronger now. "It's Zuko. My uncle is Fire Lord Iroh. I'm his heir."

Jet sat back, his eyes a little wider. Then he stood up, took Zuko's cup from his hand, and walked back to place it next to the water jug. "So Li the refugee was really Prince Zuko," he said in disbelief. Then he shook his head. "I guess I ought to be relieved. I was right. You two really were firebenders."

Zuko nodded, then waited to see what Jet would do next. He walked to the doorway and looked out across the green compound and into the distance, one hand resting on the hilt of his sword in what Zuko recognized as the customary pose of a warrior.

After a moment, Jet looked back at him, a little wry grin on his face. "Isn't this an interesting turn of events?" he asked. "After all these years, after all this time, to bring us both here." Then Zuko watched as Jet strode across the room to where Toph lay quietly.

He determined that if the young mercenary made so much as the hint of a threatening move in her direction, he'd incinerate him on the spot. Little tips of flame danced at the ends of his fingers in readiness.

But Jet just looked at her, his eyes searching her face. "And who is this?" he asked Zuko with a little laugh. "Your Fire Nation girlfriend?"

"No," Zuko replied slowly. He wanted to be certain Jet understood him. "That's my wife. Maybe you remember her—Toph Bei Fong. She traveled with Avatar Aang back in Ba Sing Se."

Jet burst into laughter, then looked down at her again. "That's Toph? The mean little earthbender? She used to scare the hell out of me," he stated in disbelief. "She certainly grew up, though, didn't she?"

If the tone in Jet's voice had been anything less than respectful, Zuko would have let him have it. But as it was, he simply replied, "Sometimes she scares me, too."

"So what are you guys doing here?" Jet asked curiously, taking a seat next to Zuko again.

"Looking for you, actually," Zuko began. When he informed Jet that Aang was somewhere about with Appa, Katara, and Mai, Jet smiled in relief.

"Ever since my guide threw his back out on the way here, I've been stuck in this village. You just don't go wandering around the swamp without an escort," Jet explained. "I'll be glad to get back to Omashu in one piece."

"I just hope Aang can find us," Zuko sighed. "This place is really weird. It was like it wanted Toph. I had to threaten it to find her."

Jet looked at him in disbelief. "And just how do you threaten a swamp?" he asked dryly.

Jet's laughter rang out across the village as Zuko explained.

Miles away, Aang pointed at the gigantic tree that both stood at the center of the swamp and was its source. "I sure hope Hu is home," he called back to the girls.

Within a few moments, they'd landed in as close a place as they could to where they'd met Hu before.

"Hu!" Aang called. "We need to talk to you!"

He'd just prepared to kneel and search for him as he'd done before, when a deep voice answered from above. "Avatar Aang! What a pleasant surprise!"

Soon they'd been ushered into Hu's simple dwelling, formed out of the trunk of the giant tree. To Katara it smelled a little like mushrooms. To Mai it was a little too damp. Hu gestured toward some large woody knobs that poked out of the walls like chairs and they all took a seat.

"So how have y'all been? It's been a spell since I've seen you and Katara. Mai, how is everything in Omashu?" Hu began, apparently glad of the company.

"We've all been fine," Aang began. "But we're missing some of our group. Do remember Toph Bei Fong and Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation?"

"Of course I do," Hu replied magnanimously, then offered them something suspiciously squishy- looking to eat. Aang wished Sokka had been there to accept as he cautiously took the driest looking bit of greeny-yellow mushiness. He dropped it into his mouth with a little smile and nod at Hu and tried not to gag as it slid down his throat.

Hu held out the wooden platter hopefully to Mai and Katara only to have Mai shake her head politely.

"I just ate," Katara said regretfully, only to have her stomach growl noisily. "Well, maybe one," she stated in resignation, taking the smallest morsel and choking it down. "Mmmmm, chewy," she managed.

"Toph and Zuko went missing into the swamp last night," Aang explained, passing up seconds. "It was like the swamp wanted them or something. One minute I could sense them there, and the next they were gone."

"Hmmmm," Hu thought out loud. "The swamp hasn't sought out anyone for a long time—and it is rare indeed that it seeks to speak with anyone from the outside."

"You mean the swamp is actually talking to them?" Katara asked incredulously.

"Quite possibly," Hu stated, then reached down both hands to the floor and closed his eyes in concentration. Aang slipped into the avatar state in order to have a better awareness of what Hu was asking.

His eyes still closed, Hu murmured, "They are in Ha Zha Du village, on the edge of the swamp. Well, one of them is. The young lady, Toph, is physically in the village, but spiritually far away. She's in the spirit world with the spirit of the swamp." Then Hu looked up with a bemused grin. "The swamp hasn't spoke to an earthbender since Bumi. I'd say that's a good sign, wouldn't you?"

"A good sign of what?" Mai asked suspiciously.

Hu looked at their confused faces in surprise. "Bumi is looking for the next king of Omashu. I'd say he and the swamp have picked Toph," he explained brightly.

At their continued looks of confusion, Hu patiently continued, "The king of Omashu is also the swamp's guardian. He keeps the rest of the Earth Kingdom from interfering in our affairs." Then he gave them an amused look, "Not that anybody on the outside is interested in what happens to the swamp."

"So the swamp has picked Toph?" Aang asked. "Why?"

"Who knows? The swamp is connected to the entire world. Not much gets past her. She's full of good stories," Hu laughed. "I'm sure Toph is having a great time visiting in the spirit world, but it's still not a good idea for her to be there for very long. The longer you stay in there, the more tetched you are when you come out."

"Tetched?" asked Katara doubtfully.

"Yeah, not right. You know--loony. Bumi was in there for days when the swamp picked him. I've never stayed more than a few hours at a time," Hu explained.

"But I've been in the spirit world a bunch of times and it's never affected me," Aang replied. Then he looked at Katara, a little bit of fear in his gray eyes and asked, "Has it?"

"Not at all," she assured him kindly.

"But it's different for you, Aang. You are the avatar," Hu stated firmly. "The spirit world is always a part of you. For the rest of us, venturing into the world of spirit can be tough indeed. Some come out completely insane--"

"Like Bumi," Mai muttered under her breath.

Hu graciously ignored her. "And some come out with a totally new perspective on things. I remember many years ago, Fire Lord Iroh spent time in the swamp. To my knowledge, he's the only firebender she's ever taken inside to meet," Hu remembered. "And some time later, he actually went back again on his own. I think he found it helpful."

"Helpful?" Mai scoffed.

"Iroh," Aang sighed. "That explains a lot."

Hu settled back to tell them more, but Aang held up a hand to stop him. "Hu, as much as I really would like to know more, I think we need to find Toph and Zuko. Toph doesn't want to be ruler of Omashu. She's married to Zuko and has already made a commitment to be Fire Lady some day. She can't exactly do both."

Hu looked downcast. "I guess not. But the swamp is looking for another protector. She'll search every earthbender that comes along until she finds one." Then Hu stood up and walked to the door. "We better go help out. She won't like having to let Toph go."

Meanwhile, in the spirit world, Toph was having the time of her life. When she'd lain down to sleep the night before--tired, wet, and scared out of her mind--she'd had no idea she'd wake up—if she was awake at all—somewhere so strange but so real.

By far, the strangest of the strange things was that in this place, she could see.

See.

Really see.

At first, she'd had no idea what was happening to her. It was like her earthbending sight had taken on a thousand additional dimensions. Rough shapes became clear and vibrant. Details sprang out at her. She got levels of information and clarity that she had no idea how to interpret.

After much wonderment, she came to one conclusion—color. She was seeing colors for the first time.

She wandered around for hours just looking at everything. Sometimes she had to call on her earthbending abilities to figure out what things were—but especially difficult were items that were not connected to the earth.

At one point she stood before a waterfall—she knew what it was by the sound—and watched the cascading droplets, the light sparkling off them in the same way that diamonds or granite sparkled to her earthbending sight.

As she roamed through the very leafy, very . . . green--she couldn't believe she was using the word and knew for once what it meant to be green—landscape, she couldn't stop grinning. Then she came across what appeared to be a dwelling of some kind, formed of natural materials like tree trunks and branches—almost as if it had grown in place. In front was a clay fire pit with a small fire in it.

"Zuko!" she sighed as she ran forward. "It's your element, Sparky!" She held her hands out toward the heat, but couldn't take her eyes off the dancing flames. They were so beautiful, ever changing, ever moving. Power—but contained. Like Zuko. She knelt down next to the fire pit with a sigh and watched it burn.

A little noise from the doorway of the dwelling alerted her and she turned to see a woman approach. At least she thought it was a woman. Her earthbending sight showed her that the woman had a hint of woodiness about her makeup, and she was almost certain that people usually weren't the color of the leaves on the trees around her.

"Hello, Toph Bei Fong," the woman said sweetly as she approached. She moved slowly and in a very stately, almost stiff manner as she approached the fire and knelt next to Toph.

"Hello," Toph replied with a polite bow. "How do you know my name?"

"I know many things," the woman replied, her voice smooth and deep. To the best of Toph's ability to tell these things, she was very young and beautiful, but she sounded much older or maybe just more mature than she looked.

"I know that you have come to my swamp for a reason. You seek answers to your destiny. I know your destiny, Toph Bei Fong," the woman said confidently, sweeping back her long silky hair with one hand.

"Oh, you do?" Toph asked. "And may I ask what my destiny is?"

"You will be ruler of Omashu," the spirit woman proclaimed in a steady voice as she tossed a small piece of coal onto the fire.

"And what if I refuse? What if I already have plans for another destiny?" Toph asked, watching the little piece of earth catch fire and burn with fascination.

"You will not refuse," the woman said easily, turning to look Toph squarely in the eye and giving her a smooth, confident smile. "You will rule Omashu or you will die."