Ch.18 Executing the Rebels
Author's note: Before we get started, I would just like to take this time to thank everyone who has read and reviewed this story. You have helped me achieve my goal of 100 reviews, and weather they are positive or negative, I appreciate every single one. Enough of this, On with the show!
Aang, Toph, Ty Lee and Iroh sat in the remains of the Jasmine Dragon. Most of the furniture had been destroyed in the fight, but a single table and four chairs managed to survive intact. "What's the plan, Aang?" Toph asked impatiently. The look on her face said it all. She wanted to bring this fight right to the council's doorstep. "What about a jailbreak?" Ty Lee asked, considering an approach that wouldn't end in a large battle. Aang shook his head. "The prison cells are underground and the Council building is too fortified," he answered.
"So we try the direct approach," Toph suggested with a grin. "We tear the entire building apart till Katara and the others are free," she finished. "Too dangerous," Iroh said. Aang nodded in agreement. "That would mean a huge battle in which a lot of innocent people could be hurt," Aang explained. "Innocent, shminnocent," Toph replied. Aang placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I realize you're angry at the council," he said softly. "I'm more than mad," Toph interrupted. "I'm gonna have their heads!" she exclaimed. "Look, the guards are innocent in this," Aang said. "They're just doing their jobs."
Aang remembered the guru's advice about letting go. It took him a long time to realize what he had meant. He had to look at this situation beyond trying to simply save his friends. If, through Long Feng's manipulation, the council were to succeed in executing the Fire Lord, his wife, and the Prince and Princess of the Southern Water Tribe, everyone would be right back at square one. The war this could spark was certain to be more devastating than the Hundred Year war that Fire Lord Sozin began. Aang realized it was his duty as the Avatar to stop this from happening.
Meanwhile, in the Council building, the council members were having the very same debate. "We cannot execute the Fire Lord, Fire Lady, and the Prince and Princess of the Southern Water Tribe," the female representative from the Earth Kingdom said. "She's right, this is madness," the male representative of the Water Tribe added. Zhang Chang thought otherwise. "We have to curb this rebellion before it gets out of control," he reasoned. "It could start another war, and we wouldn't want that." His female counterpart stood with her fellow council members. "If we go through with this, it will start another war," she spat.
"What are we to say then?" Chang demanded angrily. He glared at the rest of the council members. "That those of higher status are somehow not subject to the law, while the common people are?" Though Aang had helped design this council with no head or foot, Zhang Chang considered himself the leader. He saw the actions of the Avatar's friends as a slap in the face of everything the council stood for. It was unacceptable to him that some of them avoid punishment due to their status in their respective nations alone.
Unknown to the council, Long Feng had emerged from a secret passage known only to him. He'd had members of the Dai Li that were loyal to him create it before his attempt at power began. What he was hearing was not good. He saw a golden opportunity to eliminate some of his most powerful enemies before him, and he would not allow politics to stop it. He quietly uttered one simple sentence: "The Earth King invites you to serve him." At once the entire council replied with a monotonous "I am the Earth King's humble servant." He smiled as they became zombie-like. "The executions will happen as planned, then?" Zhang Chang asked robotically. The female member from the Water Tribe nodded. "The rebels will die in one hour," she said.
Katara, Zuko and Sokka paced around the cell silently, each trying to think of a way out of the predicament they were currently in. Mai stood quietly against a corner, with a fearful expression on her face. Suki lay unmoving on the bed, her own face wearing a similar look of fear. "We need a plan," Zuko said finally, breaking the ice. He had spent several minutes trying to break the chains of the manacles attached to his wrists. If he could get the chains off, he could get the gauntlets off of his hands that restrained his fire bending, then the door to their cell would be toast. But no matter how hard he tried, the only thing he succeeded in was hurting himself with the strain.
Unseen due to his clothing, he could feel cuts forming from his attempts. Finally he gave up. "They can't kill us," Sokka stated, but the tone in his voice suggested that he was not sure. "They'd be risking open war with the Fire Nation and the Water Tribes," Zuko replied. That however was not the most pressing concern. "I don't think the Kyoshi Warriors would appreciate it either," Katara said, sending Suki a grim smile. "All this is well and good, but we need to think of an escape plan," Mai said, bringing the discussion back to focus. Despite the fear etched on her face, her voice remained as emotionless as ever.
Before anyone could discuss it further, they were interrupted by a large cadre of armed guards. "It's time," the lead guard said as he stepped up to the door. "You've all been invited to attend a bon fire in the city square," he said as he opened the door to the cell. Sokka defiantly tried to rush him, forgetting he was as restrained as everyone else, but was swatted as if he were a fly. As the group was lined up to take their final walk, the leader gave special instructions to the guards who would be supporting Suki. "Check her for weapons," he ordered. "She's already injured one council member."
There was a large crowd of people lined up from the Council Building to the City Square in anticipation of what was about to happen. Katara was first in line as the prisoners were led out. As the procession began, she took note of the Dai Li agents in and around the crowd. Extra security, no doubt, in case one of them should attempt to escape. It was hopeless. Her hands were chained behind her back, and there wasn't any water to be seen. And what was worse, she was about to die without saying goodbye to the person she loved most.
Sokka trudged behind his sister, forced forward by his guards. They took no chances, assigning three guards a person, including Suki, who wouldn't even be standing without their help. Behind him were Zuko and Mai, who walked with brave faces. It was clear they intended to face the inevitable with dignity. Suki brought up the rear, pain etched all over her face. Her proud Kyoshi uniform was tattered and torn. After what seemed to be an eternity, the square was in sight. Katara looked forward to see five stakes prepared, just waiting for their occupants. Zhang Chang was in the process of handing lit torches to the guards whose jobs it would be to light the pyres.
As they were restrained to their respective stakes, Katara noticed a young woman who she guessed was a Fire Nation priestess. She winced as rope was tightened at strategic areas around her body. Her ankles, so she could not kick the wood away once it was burning. Her knees, making her legs completely incapable of any movement whatsoever. Her arms were unchained long enough to be pulled behind her stake roughly, then once again chained behind her back. Rope was coiled several times around her waist, and if that wasn't enough, chains were criss-crossed across her upper chest, making even wiggling impossible. One final restraint, a guard wrapped a length of rope around her neck, not tightly enough to compromise her breathing, but enough so she could do nothing but stare forward at the crowd, erect during the entire ordeal. She didn't need to see to know that the rest of her friends were being restrained in the same manner. The guards work was finally finished, and the pyres were closed. No way in, no way out.
"Before we commence with the execution of these traitors to the Four Nations, we must observe a proper Fire Nation funeral custom, in honour of the soon to be departed Fire Lord and Lady," Zhang Chang said. 'Funeral', Katara thought. How ironic. It was Fire Nation tradition to cremate their dead on funeral pyres, and the Royal Family recieved nothing but the best treatment. He nodded to the woman. "As we commit these five souls to Agni, we pray that they be forgiven for any wrongdoing they may have committed in this life," the priestess began, before being interrupted by Sokka. "If you're gonna kill us, get it over with!" he spat with some difficulty due to the rope around his neck. The priestess glared at him, angry at the interruption. She was just trying to do her job. "Fine, then," she replied.
Zhang Chang nodded to the guards who held torches on the platform. "Let it be known, that this is the penalty for rebellion," Chang announced to murmurs of the crowd. Katara's eyes fearfully followed the flame as her guard lowered his torch. It was clear he did not want to do this as well as he met her stare. "I'm sorry," he whispered as he set her pyre alight. The guards acted as one, each lighting the pyres in multiple places. Katara herself could feel the warmth of three fires. One in front of her, and one on each side.
She felt a lump in her throat as a trail of smoke began to rise from her burning pyre. Before it could get uncomfortably hot, a great bellow was heard. Katara's eyes quickly darted up as much as they could to just make out Appa's enormous form flying overhead. He landed with a large thud, but Aang was already off. Ty Lee dismounted the sky bison impressively, disabling a few Dai Li agents before they could react. Toph went on a rampage, sending guards everywhere flying. Aang went immediately into the Avatar State at the sight of Katara about to be burned alive. He manipulated water from his own pouch, and doused the pyres simultaneously.
One gesture of the water whip, and the ropes restraining Katara to her stake fell uselessly to the ground. He and Toph worked in tandem, freeing each of their friends in a timely manner. "We gotta get Suki out of here," Sokka said. Aang nodded. "You and Ty Lee take care of it," he instructed. The acrobat heard her name, and was at Suki's side in one flip. "We'll cover you," Zuko said, as the gauntlets that restrained him hit the ground with a clang. Aang eyed Zhang Chang fleeing the scene, and immediately pursued him. The battle lines were drawn.