The journey was dull, not even a single one of the lowlifes on board was willing to risk an escape attempt whip hundred of metres above open water. Which gave Azula all kinds of ideas about floating prisons, then floating fortresses...
She was almost beginning to regret coming, when finally they arrived.
The long abandoned city of the Sun Warriors was beautiful.
But then the traps had still been just as deadly as when they were first set, just ask that fool of a criminal who just walked right into it. Such lethal spikes. That had sparked her interest. People only laid traps when they wanted to catch something, or defend something. Given this was in the middle of the city, she doubted it was meant to catch food. Which meant there was something in the city worth killing outsiders at risk of their own forgetting where the traps were. As Zuko said, people don't make traps unless there is something protecting.
So they had left the criminals behind and explored the city together, springing traps as they went. They'd already lost at least one to the city and as hilarious as it was, it was a waste. Or so Zuko said. Mai and Ty Lee were up with the airships hovering over the ruins, waiting for their signal of blue fire to descend.
The city was built according to design, Azula noticed. No sprawl of growth, no uneven districts. Everything was laid out neatly. Not too unusual for a city of firebenders. Things tended to get burnt down several times. In the end a fresh start from stone and metal was the only logical thing for it.
Eventually they reached the middle of the city and faced a giant rock wall depicting two dragons breathing fire at a man. They mused on the symbolism and came up with several possibilities. The man was being burnt by dragons, maybe sacrificed to Agni or just plain killed. Or the man was being attacked and was defending himself with firebending, as shown by the flames not touching him, perhaps a sparring match? Or the man was being gifted with the fire all around him, like the legends of the first firebender. They continued on til they reached the top level of the city.
It was almost ridiculous how advanced they had been, even so long ago. A massive stone and metal door that only opened at the summer solstice? Sure, finding the solstice was easy, just wait for the longest day, but a mechanism opened by a specific light? A sunstone tuned to the mechanism? That was impressive. For so long ago. And it still worked, even centuries after it was last seen to.
The ground in front of the door was a celestial calendar, with a red beam of light from a specially wrought crystal marking the day.
One beam of light reflected off a sword later and they were inside. She'd noticed him take along the duel swords but never seen him draw them before. Perhaps those rumours of his training with Piandao weren't so wild, not with the way he casually handled them. Maybe she could arrange for a swordsman to attack him at some point so she could see how skilled he was. Just asking for a demonstration would be too simple, and her way was much more fun.
They walked around the room, examining statues locked in twinned poses and intricate inscriptions everywhere. The markings on the base of the statues called these movements the 'Dancing Dragons', a ritual dance of some sort? Or a firebending form.
Then she felt the floor sink slightly under her foot, and realised what it meant. "Zuko, come here. The floor is filled with tiles that sink when stood on in the right order, matching the statues. Dance with me, Zuzu."
"Don't call me that." But he moved to mimic the statue, and went through the dance with her. Tiles sank and clicked, activated with every stance, starting some ancient mechanism. Fists nearly met at the end of the dance and a pedestal rose to offer up its treasure. A golden orb, shaped like a dragon egg and decorated strangely rested on it. Zuko moved closer.
"Don't touch it!" He froze, and considered. Right. Trap.
They moved around the pedestal and inspected it, and everything around it. The walls and ceiling were too intricate to spot anything hidden. But there, on the sides on the base of the pedestal were two cleverly hidden openings just the right size for firelocks. A timed palmful of fire from each of them yielded a small click and satisfied them the trap was now deactivated.
So when the burst of green muck shot out they were both caught completely by surprise. If not off guard.
Thy sprang back in time to avoid the first pressurised blast, and then jumped on the statues to avoid the flow of it. The door had swung shut but there was an opening in the ceiling covered only by bars. Azula wasted no time in sending lightning towards it and leapt with jets of blue out the resulting hole. Zuko had tried burning the stuff away but there was too much of it coming too fast, it would not be enough. And it was rising quickly.
He jumped across statues to the one nearest the gap and launched himself upwards, feet leaving massive trails of blue as he rocketed up and just made it. Azula grabbed his arm as soon as it came within reach and yanked him out of the way, then they ran back and climbed up the staircase leading higher up the temple in case the stuff kept coming..
"What was that stuff?" It was scary. So much so fast, enough to smother an army. "I... don't know." But she wanted to know. Properly used it could be most effective, if damned messy. Installing several systems like these in conquered earth kingdom villages, where anyone could pull a lever and the town would be instantly lost but not destroyed... It would do wonders to quell resistance.
She turned back to Zuko once the green muck had stopped at the roofline. And saw him fiddle with the golden egg he had kept through it all. "What are you going to do, keep it and see if it hatches?"
He turned, mouth open for a quick retort than froze on his lips. What was he... People?
They were flanked on either side of the staircaseby thin, half clothed men wielding fire. Red tribal paints tattoos? and jewellery of pure gold decorated their skin and clothing; it was like walking into a scene from the ancient tales. Headbands adorned every other warrior, each with a different style and symbol. Signs of rank? Profession? Strange creatures with narrow snouts moved forward, ignoring everything but the green muck they quickly bent down and lapped up. Eww. So it was of natural origins, then.
The siblings slowly shifted their stance from the entirely aggressive form they had taken to a more subtle, defensive posture. No reason to antagonise them. Sun Warriors, alive? They were soon disturbed from their shock when a deep voice rumbled with a strange accent.
"Who are you that come to steal our treasures?" Apparently the leader, the chief, spoke. He certainly looked the part with a decorative headpiece and more red skin than the others. More meat on his bones as well, he certainly wasn't nearly as thin as most the others. Some sort of primitive pecking order, with those in power eating well and the others not? That might prove useful.
"We are not thieves. I am Azula, Princess of the Fire Nation. He is my brother, Prince Zuko. We were intrigued by the inscriptions and so explored your city; we certainly did not expect to find the legendary Sun Warriors still alive. We meant no harm, and will return what we stumbled upon." Zuko took the hint and held out the orb, bowing slightly. One of the thin warriors stalked forward and climbed the stairs with sharp, predatory movements and took it back, holding it carefully, possessively, and returned down to the chief's side. Right hand man?
"Hah! They are lying. They are obviously thieves, here to steal Sun Warrior treasures." Definitely right hand man. Or he wishes he was.
"We did not come here for your treasures, great as they are. We came to learn about your ancient culture, we would never have dreamed the Sun Warriors were still alive and strong, hidden amongst the ruins." Lies rolled from her tongue, and Zuko played along, nodding as if he had expected nothing less. Subtle flattery, gentle reminders that they were a shadow of what they had been, and perhaps could be again. A new source of firebenders, all of them from the lack of weapons and controlled stances, would please father greatly. And they could use fresh blood for the nation when they had so many widows from the bungled invasion of the north.
"You wish to learn Sun Warrior culture?"
Good grief, no. "We came wishing to learn your firebending forms and style, thinking to perhaps find some inscription or tablet. We copied your statues and the pedestal rose, and then your trap almost got us when curiosity overpowered my brother." Zuko stiffened a little but did not contradict her. Better to be refused firebending secrets, or perhaps hear them, then learn about tribal culture. She'd had enough of that at the Royal Academy. It was just so simple. Now political sciences, that was interesting.
oOo
The chief considered her words, the way she carefully didn't ask, obviously thinking she would be denied such secrets. The brother, still so silent, kept up his guard; ready to defend his sister even in the face of all his warriors. Bravery such as his, and hers for hiding her fear and speaking fair words, should be honoured. Even that of Sozin's blood.
He had no way to know Zuko was thinking of only the most effective ways to defeat them all, perfectly capable of following through, and that Azula showed no fear of them because she had none. They had the high ground, and her lightning would strike them down before they came close. Besides, she had been practicing her flight, and Zuko wasn't bad at it either.
He made his decision, and started climbing the stairs."If you wish to learn the Ways of the Sun, you must learn them from the Masters Ran and Shaw." He continued climbing until he was only steps away, two of his men followed not far behind.
"When you present yourselves to them, they will examine you. They'll read your hearts, your souls, and your ancestry. If they deem you worthy, they'll teach you. If they don't, you'll be destroyed on the spot."
He watched Azula's eyes widen for a moment, good. She feared them, that was wise. Wiser than she knew.
"Follow me." He turned and led them up to the top of the temple.
oOo
They had masters? The Sun Warriors hadn't been weak, who knew what kind of firebending they had. Might be useful. Azula held back her smirk, and followed. Zuko went allong with her, also eager to face these masters.
Destroy them? The Prince and Princess of the Fire Nation, wielders of the blue flame?
Not a chance.