Disclaimer: Avatar the Last Airbender is created by Michael DiMartino & Brian Konzieko and owned by Nickelodeon.
Based on "The Firebending Masters" originally by John O'Bryan.
"Previously on Avatar, Zuko rejoined the group at the Western Air Temple and admitted that he had trouble bending," said Avatar Roku.
"You can't bend?" said Aang.
"That's just great," said Sokka sarcastically.
"I can still bend. It's just weaker for some reason," said Zuko. "Maybe because I switched sides."
"That's ridiculous," said Katara.
"I don't know. Maybe it isn't. Maybe your firebending comes from rage, and you just don't have enough anger to fuel it the way you used to," said Aang.
"So, all we need to do is make Zuko angry... easy enough," said Sokka. He nudged Zuko in the waist and head with the hilt of his sword several times.
"Ok, cut it out!" Zuko bellowed. Sokka stopped and his sword fell on his head. "Look... even if you're right," he said as he rubbed the bridge of his nose, "I don't want to rely on hate and anger anymore. There has to be another way."
"You're gonna need to learn to draw your firebending," said Toph as Sokka rubbed his head, "from a different source. I recommend the original source."
"How's he supposed to do that? By jumping into a volcano?" Sokka asked.
"No. Zuko needs to go back to whatever the original source of firebending is," Toph replied.
"So is it jumping into a volcano?" Sokka asked.
"I don't know. For earthbending, the original benders were badgermoles," Toph answered. "One day, when I was little, I ran away and hid in a cave. That's where I met them. They were blind, just like me, so we understood each other. I was able to learn earthbending, not just as a martial art, but as an extension of my senses. For them, the original earthbenders, it wasn't just about fighting. It was their way of interacting with the world."
"That's amazing, Toph. I learned from the monks, but the original airbenders were the sky bison," said Aang. "Maybe you can give me a lesson sometime buddy."
Appa growled in acknowledgement.
"The moon was the original waterbender. They say our ancestors watched the moon as it pushed and pulled the tides and learned to do it themselves," said Katara.
"Well, this doesn't help me. The original firebenders were the dragons, and they're extinct," said Zuko.
"What do you mean? Roku had a dragon, and there were plenty of dragons when I was a kid," Aang replied.
"We saw their bones. The Fire Nation did something to them, didn't they?" Katara said.
Zuko hung his head down. "My great-grandfather, Fire Lord Sozin happened. He started the tradition of hunting dragons for glory. They were the ultimate firebenders. And if you could conquer one, your firebending talents would become legendary, and you'd earn the honorary title "Dragon". The last dragon great was conquered long before I was born by my uncle."
"I thought..." Katara said shocked. So were the others.
"He had a complicated past. Family tradition, I guess. But maybe there's another way," said Zuko as he walked toward the fountain. "The first people to learn from the dragons were the ancient Sun Warriors."
"Sun Warriors? Well, I know they weren't around when I was a kid," said Aang.
"No, they died off thousands of years ago, but their civilization wasn't too far from where we are now. Maybe we can learn something by poking around their ruins," said Zuko.
"It's like the monks used to tell me. Sometimes, the shadows of the past can be felt by the present," Aang said
"So, what?" Sokka asked. Zuko and Aang turned their head toward him. "Maybe you'll pick up some super old Sun Warrior energy just by standing," he made a fluttering motion with his hand, "where they stood thousands of years ago?"
"More or less. Either I find a new way to firebend, or the Avatar has to find a new teacher," said Zuko.
Aang looked worried.
"Well, we could always look for Jeong Jeong," said Katara hopefully.
Aang and Zuko traveled to the Sun Warriors Temple after dinner.
"So, you and Katara," said Aang.
"Katara is just a friend," said Zuko. Aang felt relieved.
Appa descended on to the ruins.
"Even though these buildings are ancient, there's something eerily familiar about them. I can tell the Fire Sages' temples are somehow descended from these," Zuko said as they walked the valley.
"Ok, we learned something about architecture. Hopefully, we'll learn something about firebending too. The past can be a great teacher," said Aang.
Aang tripped a black wire. He yelled in surprise. The ground in front of them dropped to reveal a bed of black, deadly spikes. Aang exhaled a huge gust of air from his mouth and prevented himself from falling into the trap and propelled himself across it, and landed rather shakily to the other side. He struggled to control his balance, as he flailed his arms about. Aang pushed himself forward and regained control. Aang said frightened, "Zuko, I think the past is trying to kill me."
Zuko knelt down and inspected the wire, "I can't believe it. This booby trap must be centuries old, and it still works."
"There's probably a lot more. Maybe this means we shouldn't be here," said Aang.
Zuko took a step back and ran on a wall and landed in front of Aang.
Zuko dusted himself, "People don't make traps unless they've got something worth protecting."
They continued on and reached a column with a red jewel embedded in the center. The column was positioned in front of a structure with 2 yellow doors. Zuko and Aang walked toward the doors. Aang walked towards them, dropped his staff and attempted to open them with his bare hands to no avail.
"It's locked up," said Aang.
Zuko touched his head, looked behind and steps aside to reveal the red jewel from the column beaming light on his head.
"Wait," said Zuko. He stepped aside to reveal the beam of red light resting on a circle on the ground. "It's a celestial calendar. Just like the Fire Sages have in their temples. I bet that Sun Stone opens the door, but only when sunlight hits it at just the right angle, on the solstice."
"Monkey feathers! The solstice again? We can't wait here that long," exasperated Aang said.
"No we can't," said Zuko, as he unsheathed his broadsword and laid it in the path of the red beam. "But we might be able to speed time up. Let's see if we can outsmart the Sun Stone."
He adjusted his sword until the beam hit the Sun Stone, which caused it to glow brightly. After a few moments the door opened.
Aang picked up his staff. "You know, Zuko, I don't care," Aang said as Zuko sheathed his sword, "what everyone else says about you," Aang nudged him, "you're pretty smart."
Zuko smiled. Aang walked in and came face to face with a statue with an angry face. Aang who gasped in surprise.
"Relax. They're just statues," said Zuko.
Aang scratched his head and read the description at the foot of the statue, "It says this is something called The Dancing Dragon."
He put his staff against the statue, took a step-back and imitated the crane-posture of the statue. A plate sunk under his feet as he did so. Aang took a step off the plate and observed it and the plate moved back into position. He looked around at the remaining statues.
Aang ran and grabbed Zuko by his elbow. "Zuko, get over here. I want you to dance with me."
He tried to pull Zuko along; Zuko pulled back his arm in shock. "What?"
"Just do it," said Aang as he grabbed Zuko and dragged him away. Zuko groaned.
"Let's follow the steps of the statues," said Aang.
Both of them stepped on the first plate and moved on to the next. Zuko was surprised.
"Don't you see? These aren't dance moves. These statues are giving us a lesson," said Aang as both of them moved in synchronization. "I think this is some kind of Sun Warrior firebending form."
Zuko moved into punching position and then into another position with his arms spread in a low arc above his shoulders. "This better teach us some really good firebending."
They continued mimicking the statues until they faced each other creating a circle with their fists. A sound echoed in the room and a hole appeared in the center of the room. They turned and saw a pedestal with a golden egg that ascended from the hole and glinted in the light.
Aang raised both arms in victory. "Hurray! Wait," he said as he rubbed his head. "What exactly is that?"
"It's some kind of mystical gem stone," said Zuko as he ran toward the pedestal.
"Well, don't touch it!" Aang announce and raised his arms as a warning. Zuko stopped.
"Why not?" Zuko asked.
"Remember what happened out there with those spikes," Aang reminded Zuko as he looked at the side and raised his arms. "I'm just very suspicious of giant, glowing gems sitting on pedestals."
Zuko ignored him and removed the gem stone off the pedestal. Aang's eyebrow twitched.
"It feels almost alive," said Zuko. He tried to put back the gem stone and yelled in surprise as a jet of green goo spurted out from the pedestal and pushed Zuko toward the grating in the ceiling, which stuck him there.
Aang looked at the door as it closed. "Oh, no, it's another trap!"
More green goo flowed from the pedestal and Aang backed away cautiously. Zuko remained stuck to the grating and struggled to break free but he and the gemstone were held tight by the goo.
"Ugh, I can't pull free. It's like some kind of glue," said Zuko as he struggled.
Aang jumped across the goo to grab his staff on the other side of the room. He jumped up on the statue's head and airbent a strong gust of wind toward Zuko to free him. The force from the wind only moved Zuko from his back to his front. The goo continued to rise rapidly and Aang tried to pull his staff out of the goo to no avail. He jumped up toward the grating as the goo rapidly engulfed the room.
"I can't move. Zuko, do something!" Aang said as he tried to budge the metal bars.
"Me? I can't move either," Zuko replied.
The goo neared both boys. They groaned in discomfort as the pressure of the goo pushed them against the grating. The goo suddenly stopped pressing against them.
"It stopped," said Aang.
"At least we have air. Maybe if we stay calm we can figure a way out of this," Zuko suggested.
Meanwhile at the Western Air Temple, everyone was going to bed, but Katara remained by the fountain.
"You're not going to bed?" Sokka asked. He yawned.
"I think I'll practice my bending for a while," said Katara.
"It's probably going to be a while before they return said Sokka.
"I know," said Katara. She looked at the water in deep thought.
That night...
"You had to pick up the glowing egg, didn't you?" Aang remarked.
"At least I made something happen. If it were up to you, we'd never have made it pass the courtyard," Zuko replied.
"Help!" Aang yelled.
"Who are you yelling to? Nobody's lived here for centuries," Zuko said.
"Well, what do you think we should do?" Aang asked.
"Think about our place in the Universe?" Zuko suggested.
Aang sighed. The Sun Warrior Chief entered.
"Who is down there?" Sun Warrior Chief asked.
The boys see a man in tribal gear wearing a Chieftian's hat and warpaint on his face. They were shocked by a presence of a person in the supposedly abandoned ruins. Zuko and Aang were freed but covered in goo. Anteater sloths sat on either side of them and licked the goo off. They were surrounded by concentric semi-circles of men and women who wore gear identical to the Chief's. Four warriors were holding a small flame in their hands.
"For trying to take our Sun Stone, you must be severely punished!" Sun Warrior Chief announced.
"We didn't come here to take your Sun Stone. We came here to find the ancient origin of all firebending," said Zuko, who still had a bit of goo on his chin.
"Yeah, right. They are obviously thieves, here to steal Sun Warrior treasures," said Ham Gao as he helds the Sun Stone tightly in his arms.
"Please, I don't normally play this card, but..." said Aang confidently and placed a hand on his chest, "I'm the Avatar."
Ham Gao looked at the Chief, puzzled. Aang stood up and gave a weak smile.
"Just hear us out," said Aang.
"My name is Zuko, Crown Prince of the Fire Nation. Or at least, I used to be. I know my people have distorted the ways of firebending, to be fueled by anger and rage. But now I want to learn the true way," said remorseful Zuko, "the original way. When we came here, I never imagined the Sun Warrior civilization was secretly alive. I am truly humbled to be in your presence. Please, teach us."
He and Aang bowed their heads down in respect.
"If you wish to learn the ways of the Sun, you must learn them from the masters Ran and Shao," said the chief.
"Ran and Shao? There are two of them?" Aang asked.
Sun Warrior Chief stepped in front of them. "When you present yourselves to them, they will examine you. They'll read your hearts, your souls, and your ancestry." The chief took a step toward Zuko and towers over him, "If they deem you worthy," Zuko looked extremely worried, "they'll teach you. If they don't, you'll be destroyed on the spot."
The Chief stepped back after finishing his lecture. Aang and Zuko looked at each other.
To Be Continued...