The clouds swirled slowly across the lower slopes, obscuring the morning sun with their snowfall. Xai Bau, buried up to his waist, didn't mind much; the glare reflected off the mountainside was hard on his old eyes. He'd been moving about only during snowfall to camouflage his footsteps, relying on his breathing to control his body temperature when still. If any of the Dai Li shared his seismic sense, he was finished.
Xai Bau's gaze was on the small glacier, it's edge just a few yards from his hiding place. It rose between the two highest ridges, on the east slope of the mountain. He'd been studying it for days, trying to find a way around it that didn't involve Benders. It presented the Dai Li with an easy defense for the back-door to their fortress; the ice itself was almost impossible to scale, and the slope above it was a vertical wall of rock. The Dai Li's continuous use of the rock to Earthbend lifting platforms or stairs, as well as constantly clearing snow and ice, had left it near-perfectly smooth. No human or animal could scale such an obstacle, without aid from Earthbending or machines- and those would surely give them away. And very few of the White Lotus's Earthbenders or engineers had answered the Kāihuā.
He felt a sudden vibration on the other side of the hill, and reached for his baton. How had they managed to get so close without his noticing... Then, he realized the footsteps were muffled by an unfamiliar movement. Like the lapping of water in a mountain stream. As he raised his head a fraction, peering through the snow-covered bracken, he saw a figure in hooded blue furs passing through the cedars.
Relieved, Xai Bau ducked through the shrubs, making sure to announce his presence so he didn't startle the Waterbender. As he did so, he heard a scrape of feet on tree bark, and instinctively rolled to the left. Behind him, several projectiles thudded into the snow. Rising into a crouch, flail extended, he saw another figure drop from a tree, a shuriken between each of her fingers.
"Easy." Xai Bau hissed, raising his hands hastily. He turned his left wrist, and a white-and-copper tile glinted between his fingers. "I'm here to help you get into the mountain."
The second woman stared at him a moment, then slid the blades back into the sleeves of her robes. "Forgive me. Zuko was already targeted once, as we started through the forest. So you can understand my wariness-"
"Of course." Xai Bau nodded impatiently. He pulled his hood down, glancing at the Waterbender as she drew level with them. "Master Katara, it's been a while. I think the last time we met was in Ba Sing Se?"
Katara also lowered her hood, her blue eyes sweeping over his face briefly. "Master Xai Bau. Where do we go from here?"
Xai Bau felt a spark of approval at her directness. He gestured through the trees with his baton, toward the foot of the glacier. "I've been watching Zamyn Togsgol and searching for entrances to the fortress, since I got here. As far as I've seen, this is the least-used side of the mountain; there's only one entrance, halfway up the sheer slope beyond the ice. We don't have much in the way of Earthbenders at our encampment, but a Waterbending Master like you could make short work of that glacier."
Katara's eyes gleamed at the prospect of the challenge. "No question. And you haven't seen any Dai Li on the upper slopes, that might spot our approach?"
"Not in some time." Xai Bau glanced around. "They usually move around the lower levels, where they have more access to earth for tunneling... and, more of a sure footing. But they've been eerily quiet, for the last two days. No Firebenders, either. Although, as I told Aang earlier, I don't know if they've seen the White Lotus encampment to the north of the mountain. If they do-"
"All the better." Mai cut him off. "Hopefully, it will divert their attention from us, as we intended."
Xai Bau glanced at the Fire Lady. Her personality was as cold as he remembered, but then again, she was entering the mountain, no matter what awaited her. Though, whether she would have even come if her child wasn't on the line... "And in the meantime, I can provide you with warning if any do approach us. I may not be a Bender, but I'm highly attuned to vibrations, like your friend Toph Beifong."
Katara smiled. "That's the first good news we've had since arriving in these mountains. Alright, show me this glacier."
They picked their way through the evergreens until the wall of ice towered in front of them. Katara extended her hand, her brow furrowed with concentration. A large patch of the glacier's surface began to vibrate, liquifying and running to the ground.
"How far does this glacier extend, until it reaches the slope?" Katara molded her fingers into a crescent. "I can feel a lot of rock, mixed into the ice. This may take a few minutes."
"About two hundred feet inward, but only about fifty feet high against the mountain. The tunnel entrance is just a few yards above-" Xai Bau cut himself off mid-sentence. On the slopes below them, he could feel the faint impact of stone shoes on the snow and earth. "...You took care not to make any noise, on the way here?"
"I used the trees, and Katara covered her tracks with Waterbending." Mai's expression tensed. "But Zuko was attacked by a Combustionbender, as he split off from us. Their battle probably alerted the Dai Li..."
Xai Bau gritted his teeth in impatience. "There are Dai Li approaching from below. Get through the glacier, as fast as you can, and seal it up behind you. I'll try to draw them off." Before they could reply, he was racing away, his light feet barely touching the ground. Snowflakes whipped against his weathered face.
He was upon the two Earthbenders well before they were near the glacier, thank the Spirits. Extending the chain of his flail, Xai Bau whipped it around a tree branch, kicked off the ground and swung directly over their heads. As he hoped, they both gave shouts of alarm and rushed after him. Stone projectiles came whistling past as fast as Mai's knives, clipping branches off the cedars. At the end of one swing, Xai Bau rapidly retracted the flail and swung it before him, deflecting the stones as he fell in front of them. He lashed it toward the first Earthbender, who tried to raise a barrier, but the snow impeded him; the studded head of the baton clipped him across the jaw before his stone wall could deflect it. Xai Bau hoped the blow would knock him flat, but his opponent merely doubled over, anchoring his fists to the ground. His reaction was groggy, but his stance didn't break.
An earthen gauntlet caught Xai Bau's ankle just as his shoes touched the snow, yanking him off his feet. The breath was knocked from Xai Bau's lungs as his body slammed against the ground, cutting him off mid-curse, dragging him toward the other Dai Li agent. Twisting around and sucking in a gasp of air, he caught sight of the man, molding his other gauntlet into a stone blade. His lips were curved into a contemptuous smile, his eyes merciless under the broad rim of his tasseled hat.
Like the eyes that Kaho had looked into, before hers were closed forever.
A sudden surge of energy filled Xai Bau's veins. Swinging the baton at his ankle, he smashed apart the stone hand gripping him, then propelled himself upright. His flail whistled outward, intercepting the next two projectiles as they shot toward him. Then his legs were pumping forward through the deep snow, ignoring the screaming pains of his age. The chain whirred left and right in a blur, smashing apart anything the Dai Li agent sent at him. He felt a jolt of savage satisfaction as the corrupt Earthbender's face changed from scorn to fear, his knees bending to retreat.
As the Dai Li conjured a pillar, launching himself into the air, the chain of Xai Bau's flail coiled around his ankle, dragging him back to the ground. Before he had time to rise, the old man was on top of him, feet planted on his chest, looping the chain around his throat. His gnarled hands started to yank the chain upwards...
"Perhaps you should remind yourself of that, when you come face-to-face with your apprentice's killers."
Xai Bau froze as the Face-Stealer's words came back to him. These two served the Dai Li, that was reason enough. But it was Kaho's killers alone, who he would consider breaking his vow for. And if he did, their end must be swift, just.
Releasing the chain, he dealt a swift kick to the Earthbender's jaw, knocking him out. Just as his comrade rose to his feet, Xai Bau was on him, his fingers blocking the chi paths of the wrists, then the ankles. The Dai Li collapsed back to his knees again, his limbs useless.
Xai Bau returned to the unconscious agent, removed the chain, and returned to the paralyzed one. He wrapped the chain loosely around his throat, then put a finger to his jugular. "In all your time serving the Dai Li, have you ever encountered a Firebender who wore robes like mine?" Though his voice was low, he was shaking with rage, rage he hadn't felt since his apprentice's death. "Her eyes were green-"
"No!" The Dai Li agent sputtered. "N-No, never! I was recruited after the Liberation, I'd never seen a White Lotus until two days ago!"
His pulse was already fast, but it didn't change. The man was telling the truth. Xai Bau took a deep breath, fighting to suppress the anger pulsing through his veins. Until he found the actual target, it was time to focus. "Where are the bulk of your forces?" He tightened the chain slightly. He was only bluffing; he would kill if there was no other choice, but he drew the line at torture. But, if this man could give him information to help Katara and Mai, or his Order...
The Dai Li didn't say a word, as they hustled him down the tunnel, the one in the lead enlarging it as they went. Zuko didn't make eye contact. It was all he could do, to contain the anxiety and rage rampaging through his mind. If Aang actually got him, Mai and Izumi out of this... the need to prevent war with Kuei, was the only thing that would save these Earthbenders from his wrath. As for the Firebenders...
Surprisingly, he wasn't that worried about Izumi, now that they were within sight of the mountain. Mai, Katara and Aang should be able to handle the Dai Li, backed by the White Lotus; it wasn't as if Team Avatar hadn't prevailed against great odds before. As for his own life, if Takeo did kill him, that was a small penance for his past crimes. An Agni Kai against Takeo was nothing; the old general was an extremely skilled Firebender, but he was well past his prime. So it was more likely that he'd groomed one of his younger warriors, or his son Shingen, to fight Zuko in his place. Either way, Zuko knew that most of the rebels would be distracted by the spectacle of his death, eager to witness his 'honorable' end.
Not that some of them didn't have a point. The code of vengeance, the one the Combustionbender had invoked when she confronted him... There was little doubt that some of Takeo's followers had joined him for that reason. Ironically, despite all the action he'd seen, Zuko had never personally killed a Fire National in combat- though he would have killed Zhao, if the Moon Spirit hadn't beaten him to the punch. But the end of the war had robbed some, of what they considered their right to defend their honor.
There was a sudden crack ahead of them, and light spilled into the passage. No icy wind blew into the tunnel; instead, as Zuko bent his head through the low entrance, he felt a bloom of heat on his face. And rather than the cold grey daylight of the Dragon's Back, two long ranks of fireballs stretched down a vast, darkened corridor- each one held by a warrior in black and bronze armor. As the Fire Lord straightened, the firelight illuminated his face, and the figure nearest to him let out a jeer. "Make way, comrades! Make way for our glorious sovereign, on-time for his own dethronement!"
Raucous laughter echoed through the tunnel, and several small projectiles- including a gob of saliva- struck Zuko's face. Rigidly ignoring his enemies, he kept moving, focusing his gaze ahead. The corridor ended in another chamber, and intermingled with the firelight, he could see a different kind of glow ahead: green-tinted and rippling, as if reflected by water. Like the Crystal Catacombs beneath Ba Sing Se.
A tall Firebender stepped into his path, lowering the visor of his helmet. Zuko snapped his gaze back to the man's face, then froze. He always made a point of remembering soldier's faces, in case he ever had to write a letter of condolence to their family members. This man's face wasn't one he remembered from any troop review, but the angular cheekbones and pointed chin were familiar...
A smirk curved across the man's mouth. "Not what you expected?" His eyes gleamed. "I believe you knew my father, General Bujing."
Zuko felt his jaw tighten. Now, he knew where he'd seen those features before. The drooping mustache and beard were in the same style, though the eyes were light brown rather than gray. He forced Iroh's doctrine through his head again: breath, not muscles. He couldn't lose his temper, but if an opportunity came, he wouldn't waste it. "I did. I nearly fought him in an Agni Kai, when I was thirteen. I should have challenged him to another one, when I returned from my exile."
"Yes, you should have." The young man's fireball expanded slightly. "Instead, you stole his honor, threw him to the Earth King's courts-"
"Not the Earth King's courts. Mine." Zuko replied firmly. "Bujing had no honor for me to steal, he sacrificed his own new recruits for a chance at victory. He deserved death, but my judges were merciful enough to throw him in prison instead."
The youth's expression darkened, but before he could raise his arm, a new voice rang out. "Put that away, Captain Maru." A short, grim-faced man with long, drooping sideburns and a jutting jaw pushed his way past Bujing's son, his helmet tucked under his arm. "Takeo gave us clear instructions: only the true Fire Lord is to touch him." He glanced at Zuko. "For those of us who follow the true Warrior's way, death after such a defeat is more merciful than imprisonment."
Zuko felt a second jolt of surprise. This man's face was even more familiar. "General Shinu?" He felt a flicker of anger in his chest; this betrayal was completely unprovoked. "I assumed, your retirement suited you well enough-"
"It did. Until I learned of your banning of the Agni Kai, of denying the Warrior Clans their means of settling disputes with honor." Shinu's face was somber. "You've used them yourself, in the past. Yet now, you steal them away."
Zuko glared at him. "I've never denied anything I've done, during the war. But there are better ways of settling disputes in peacetime, ones that won't lead to future blood feuds."
Shinu snorted contemptuously. "I wouldn't expect you to understand, Zuko. You weren't born into the Warrior Clans." He raised an eyebrow. "You've had to fight just as hard as any of them, which is more than your father ever did. But you've trampled all our traditions into the dust, banished us from your court entirely, ignored our petitions in favor of the civilians, when we're the only ones who recognize the hatred the other Nations have for us. When we're the only ones, who will always be vigilant and ready. By doing so, you've spat on the graves of the soldiers who campaigned for your family for decades. I won't ignore that, and neither will Takeo." He gestured beyond, toward the cavern entrance. "Come, he's waiting for you. Get rid of his manacles."
After a moment of hesitation, one of the Dai Li rotated his wrist, and the stone restraints broke off Zuko's hands. Several of the rebels made angry noises, and Maru raised his fireball again.
"Settle down, comrades." An even more familiar voice, gravelly yet confident, echoed through the chamber. "He's not going anywhere. Besides, if I mean to restore the way of our clans, the least I can do is show Zuko the same courtesy. After all, I'm an honest man."
Zuko's gaze snapped across to the far end of the passage. Two figures stood illuminated in the torchlight. The taller one, a sleek man in jade-trimmed black robes, wore a long moustache and greying braid in the style of some of the Earth King's court. His cold, pale green eyes passed over Zuko briefly, then moved on. The other, shorter and stockier, wore ornate bronze and black armor over a fine maroon tunic, bearing a gold kirin insignia on his breast. His silver side-whiskers and beard flared from his jaw, in contrast to the small, neat topknot at the back of his head. He limped toward them, his amber eyes gleaming from the hollows of his wizened, scarred face.
"General Takeo." Zuko addressed him, but refused to bow. "If you're prepared for the Agni Kai, I'm ready to face you."
Several of the Fire Nationals around them snickered, but Takeo didn't. He peered closely at Zuko's face, studying his expression. "Amazing... the resolve that can come to you, when everything you hold dear is put in jeopardy." Finally, he smiled, and to Zuko's surprise, reached out and clapped him on the shoulder. "This will truly make it clear, then. Whether the Mandate of Heaven has actually deserted you or not. Excellent." He glanced back at the man in Dai Li robes. "We won't need you any further, Long Feng, thank you for your assistance. Of course, you're welcome to attend the Agni Kai..."
"I will pass, thank you." Long Feng's tone was as cold as his eyes, even as he bowed low. "My agents and I have our own operations to prepare for-"
"Yes, yes." Takeo waved him away condescendingly, already limping past down the passage. "This way, Zuko."
Confused, Zuko followed him. He glanced hastily at Long Feng, but the Dai Li's leader had already disappeared into a side-passage. He'd been hoping the Dai Li would be distracted by their showdown, but apparently that hope had been feeble. If the Earthbenders were heading elsewhere, and Mai, Aang and Katara weren't aware of them...
He forced himself to put the thought out of his mind. Takeo clearly wanted a show, and the more Zuko gave him one, the better the chance of Izumi being saved.
Finally, the passage ended. They had entered a massive, dome-shaped chamber, nearly as large as his palace. The edges were ringed with rising seats, forming an amphitheater; most of them were packed with more armored Firebenders. A single ray of daylight streamed down from a circular hole at the center of the roof, illuminating the arena below. The light from dozens of torches and lamps reflected off massive, translucent green crystal formations, jutting from parts of the ceiling and walls. Again, it all reminded Zuko vividly of the Ba Sing Se catacombs.
He followed Takeo across the amphitheater, moving toward a high balcony on the far wall of the chamber. As they passed through the arena, there was an outburst of both cheering and insults; clearly, the former for Takeo, and the latter for himself.
As they passed up a high stone staircase, Zuko noticed Takeo's son Shingen standing guard at the entrance to the balcony. When he saw Zuko following his father unrestrained, he stiffened.
Takeo raised his hand. "Relax, Shingen. He's not stupid enough to try anything now." He limped past his son to a small firepit between stone seats; a kettle hung over it. "Pour us tea, will you? We have much to discuss, but so little time."
Zuko's eyes flicked to a dais holding a Pai Sho board. "I'm not interested in playing games, Takeo. Let's get this over with." He knew Takeo wouldn't kill him yet, of course; in fact, his plan with Aang relied on it.
Takeo followed his gaze to the board and chuckled. "Oh, you thought I was saving that for you? Nonsense. The true Fire Lord is my only worthy opponent; I promised her a game, once the Agni Kai is complete."
"The 'true Fire Lord'? I thought you were more direct than that, Takeo." Zuko scoffed. "Whoever your second for this Agni Kai is, they won't be the true ruler- just a puppet for you to manipulate."
"Which is exactly why my family's crest, is so appropriate. Because I don't intend to replace you, merely to herald your successor." Takeo smirked. "When a dragon becomes too feeble and toothless to rule, it's the appearance of a Kirin that heralds a new one- and a new age."
Breaking down the last of the ice, Katara sucked in a deep breath as she felt mountain air wash over her face again. The passage through the glacier hadn't been that cold (as a Waterbender, cold was nothing to her) but the need to seal off the rear entrance of the tunnel had left her fumbling in the dark for a bit. Even though she could feel the pathway through the ice and avoid its' chunks of rock, the claustrophobic, dark environment had been extremely uncomfortable, to say the least.
She glanced at Mai as they climbed out, onto the surface of the glacier. The noblewoman had remained silent throughout their journey, neither complaining nor encouraging. "You okay?"
"I will be once we find Izumi."
Katara put her hand on Mai's shoulder, wanting to kick herself. She gestured up the sheer rock wall, at the cave entrance above their heads. "Got any ideas about getting up there, or do you want me to boost you with my Bending?
In answer, Mai thrust her arm out, and another dart fired from the spring-loaded holster on her forearm- this one trailing a sturdy length of cable. The barbed missile thudded solidly into the stone.
Katara felt a smile touch her lips. "Nice trick. Let me know if you need support on the way up."
Mai didn't meet her eye, but the rigid corners of her mouth relaxed slightly. "Thanks, but no thanks. Useful though Benders may be, you tend to make noise, even when you're trying not to- that's why Azula always partnered me with Ty Lee." She flexed her ankles, and a pair of climbing claws extended from the toes of her boots. Planting her feet against the ledge, she began to sway her body back and forth, then leaped upwards to the right. Her right hand released the cable as she rose; a blade gleamed between her fingers, piercing into a tiny crack in the wall. At the same time, her claws dug into the smooth stone, somehow finding purchase, yet barely making a sound. She swung and hopped again, her hands alternating between gripping the cable and stabbing or grabbing at every crevice in the wall. Her eyes kept glancing up, but the rock around the dart wasn't cracking under her weight.
Katara shook her head. Now she knew how Suki and Mai had become fast friends; she knew Sokka would have been impressed, if he'd been here. She drew her splayed hands upward, rising past the Fire Lady on a pillar of condensed snow and ice. "Really? She was always such a chatterbox during the war."
"Azula relied on me, to shut her up- or, for her to distract our target." Mai smirked slightly. "But I enjoyed her company too much, to put a damper on it. It was joining the Kiyoshi Warriors that taught her discipline-" She froze, as her blade dug in between two stones. "Get to the top."
Katara swept her hand rapidly, transforming the top of her ice-pillar into an extension of the ledge. She used it to raise herself silently upward, until she was level with the cave, but just to the left of its' entrance. Glancing down at Mai, she pointed at it. The noblewoman nodded; her free hand went briefly to her lips, then drew another shuriken. She bunched her knees against the wall, preparing to spring.
The instant Katara heard the scrape of stone shoes on the tunnel floor, she thrust her arm sideways. The ice under her feet liquified, sweeping her onto the entrance ledge and forming a ring of tentacles around her feet.
Three Dai Li agents stared back at her. Evidently they hadn't expected such a bold entrance; instead of launching earthen projectiles or trying to immobilize her feet, the tallest one threw up a stone barrier, while the other two slid upward on to the walls, anchoring their feet on less icy ground. Cautious, but redundant; they were already surrounded by their element.
Katara lashed two of her tentacles forward, pressurizing the tips into blades. They sliced through the barrier like paper, then congealed into a more liquid form, reaching for the big Earthbender's ankles. He sprang backward, further down the tunnel, as the other two agents swept toward Katara from either side, their gauntlets extended. Raising another tentacle, Katara parried a barrage of stone darts. At the same time, she shifted her left leg; the ring of water around her feet froze away the stone projections that tried to grab at her ankles. Her two attacking tentacles retracted, looping around the Earthbender's waists before they could retreat and slamming them against the walls. Propelling herself on a current Katara thrust her arm forward again, lunging yet another tendril after the leader, but he bent a cloud of dust and earth from the ceiling, congealing her water into mud and disrupting the attack. She felt her frustration surge as she saw his hand shift upwards, to raise another barrier and close the tunnel off. If the rest of the Dai Li and Takeo were alerted, before they got well inside the mountain-
There was a whistling sound, and a blur of polished metal whipped past Katara's face. The Earthbender's hand jerked back against the wall as the shuriken pierced it; his barrier, halfway across the tunnel, faltered and crumbled. Without pausing to think, Katara swept herself forward, her tentacle coiling around his other wrist; she froze two more around his ankles, immobilizing him.
She glanced back at Mai, who was standing at the tunnel entrance, her hand upraised. "Nice shot. I shouldn't have let him get that far, but I was trying to give you the element of surprise-"
"Surprise is a tactic, not a strategy." Mai cut her off. "To catch your enemy off-guard, you need speed, above all else." She glanced at the other two motionless Dai Li. "Did you kill them?"
Katara shook her head, feeling faintly defensive. "Just knocked them out. They're Earth Citizens; I don't want to give the Earth King another grievance, against the United Republic or the Fire Nation."
Mai paused, then shrugged. "Your decision. As for that one..." She approached the third Earthbender, a huge man with a thick brown beard. He hadn't made a sound when her throwing star impaled his palm, though his teeth were gritted in pain. His copper eyes widened as they fell on Mai's face. "Genpei, was it? As I recall, I gave you a fair offer, in the Capital. You refused it."
"Fire Lady Mai." Genpei's voice shook, though his tone sounded more ashamed than frightened. His eyes fell away from her face. "I... I didn't think-"
"That I'd come in person, after you took my child from me?" Mai's voice was as taut as a bowstring. Her right hand disappeared into her sleeve as she drew closer. "That I'd come halfway across the world to get her back?"
The Earthbender let out a derisive snort. "...I didn't doubt that. Not after the Caldera Cavern. You butchered my mentor, just for the sake of keeping your word-"
"Oh, that's your justification for starting a war?" The noblewoman's jaw tightened. "Your officers signed up for this madness; my daughter didn't. If anything has happened to her-"
"I told you the truth, in the Caldera Cavern. No one here wants her harmed. If we did, trust me, Azula would kill us all for it-"
Mai's hand extended suddenly, her tri-pronged sai against the Dai Li's throat. He fell silent immediately. Katara felt her blood run cold.
"Do... not tell me, she's involved." Mai's voice shook. Her eyes were very bright, fixed on her victim's face, her lips a hair-thin line. The sai dug into his throat. "Do NOT tell me, you gave Izumi to that monster-"
"Azula wants her safe." Genpei was stumbling over his words, trying to get them out fast enough. "She's in charge of Takeo, she keeps him under control. I mean, he keeps her under control..." He swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing around the edge of the sai. "She was furious with us when we knocked Izumi out, during an escape attempt. Believe me, she wants Izumi unharmed even more than Takeo does-"
"Why?" Katara interrupted, her tone harsh. "So they can use her as a figurehead, the same way Long Feng did with the Earth King?"
Genpei looked at her for the first time, his brow furrowing. "How did you know that..." His vision cleared as he stared at her face. "Of course. You're part of 'Team Avatar'. You were there, when the coup happened-"
He jerked his head back suddenly, an agonized groan ripping from his throat, as Mai grabbed the shuriken through his palm and twisted it. His opposite wrist strained and broke free of its' icy coil, but Mai thrust her sai outward, trapping his hand between its' prong-like blades.
"There are thousands upon thousands of nerve ends, in the human hand." Mai's voice had gone flat, colder than Katara had ever heard before. Her eyes were no longer bright; they had turned the dull grey shade of fog, emotionless. "It's the reason most Benders use them as conduits for their element, the reason infants and children use them, instinctively, to explore the world. It also makes them excellent conduits for pain, without putting the victim's life in danger. And I'm very creative, with these." She let go of the shuriken and gestured at her sash, where several other ornate knives hung in sheaths. "So, I'd advise you to focus, on the next words you say. They won't be your last."
Katara stared at her, feeling sick. She'd always known Mai was ruthless, when she deemed it necessary. But this... this went too far.
She raised her hand, ready to melt Genpei's icy restraints, but the Dai Li agent spoke first. "If you torture me... my screams may alert the others to your presence." His voice was surprisingly steady. "Yes, I've hurt you and your daughter. I've hurt a lot of others along the way, for the Earth Kingdom's cause, because I was taught that it was worth more than any one life. Turns out... I was taught wrong, in more ways than one." He took a deep breath. "Most of the Dai Li are gathered in the mountain's central cavern complex, about two miles above us. They're preparing to ambush the Fire Nation rebels once Azula's completed her Agni Kai against Zuko. Takeo's gathered most of his forces, and Zuko, in an underground amphitheater, to the north of the mountain."
Katara felt a glimmer of hope. If Zuko was being taken north of the mountain, he wasn't far from the White Lotus encampment, which would make rescuing him a bit easier. But that was if the White Lotus could overcome the Dai Li and Takeo's rebels. Although, if Aang had been able to make his diversion in the west side of the mountain... Either way, all the factions were being spread thin. And as long as their enemy had the advantage of the tunnels for movement...
If Mai felt shock or suspicion over Genpei's words, she didn't show it. "And Izumi?"
"She's being kept in a cell, in the lower levels where the Firebenders were garrisoned." Genpei bit his lip as Mai put her hand on the shuriken again. "None of the Dai Li have been allowed near there. But if you follow this passage down, around the barracks and arsenal, you can get there without much interferance." He gave her a wry smile. "I swear on my life, I'm telling the truth. But since I know that my word means nothing to you, feel free to use me as a guide, or a hostage."
"What about Princess Hou-Ting?" Katara realized they'd almost forgotten about the Earth Kingdom heir. "How heavily is Hou-Ting guarded?"
"Less so than Izumi. Long Feng wants to win her over; he needs her to mediate his transition of power over the Earth King, when the Dai Li enter Ba Sing Se. She's on the floor just above the Fire Nation's barracks."
Mai paused for a moment, then pulled her sai free and gestured at Katara. "Keep one of your pressurized water blades against his throat for me. I'll cover the path ahead while we go for Izumi." She wrenched her shuriken from Genpei's palm, causing him to gasp in pain again, then swept down the tunnel.
Forgetting to release the Earthbender from his restraints, Katara started after Mai, grabbing her shoulder. "What was that back there?! I know your fighting style is lethal, I get that, against Benders! But torture-"
"Gets us what we need." Mai replied, her voice still flat. She shook Katara's hand loose. "Go set him loose, we need his eyes for the mountain labyrinth. And a weapon at his neck, in case he decides to betray us-"
"That kind of paranoia is exactly why you and Zuko outlawed torture, against the voices of most of the Warrior clans!" Katara snapped. "You said the two of you were ending an era of repression, and fear. And now you're falling back on it-"
She suddenly stopped talking, because the triple points of Mai's sai were pressed against her throat. The Fire Lady's narrow grey eyes bored into her face.
"You know, Zuko and I tell each other almost everything." Mai's voice was deathly quiet. "For example, he told me about your little adventure together, after he joined Aang's group. How he helped you hunt down and confront your mother's killer. He also told me what happened, along the way. You used Bloodbending to torture a member of the Southern Raiders- and that was before you even found the guilty man."
Katara felt her jaw go taut. In a flash, she was back on the bridge of the frigate, Zuko next to her. The armored officer writhing on the ground in front of her, in agony.
She molded her fingers together, feeling the water coiling through the air, ready to counterattack. It was a matter of whether she could throw her head backward, before her throat was cut. "I didn't torture him for information, or out of revenge. I only did it to subdue him-"
Mai pressed the sai against her neck, harder. "Keep telling yourself that. Maybe one day, you'll almost believe it. You knew what Bloodbending feels like, you'd already experienced it firsthand. You used it at age fourteen, on behalf of a mother you already knew, you would never see again." She paused. "You have children of your own, now. What would- or wouldn't- you do, if they were gone, and you couldn't be certain if you would get them back?"
Mai stepped back, slowly lowering the crimson-stained dagger. "Don't pretend you have the moral high ground on me, Katara. I know what you are." In one fluid motion, she wiped the blade clean and slid it back into her sleeve. "I haven't forgotten your words on the way here. But actions, speak louder. If you're not helping me find Izumi, you should leave."
Katara gritted her teeth, the water still coiling and writhing over her shoulder as her hand flexed into a fist. She knew Mai's justification was shortsighted, wrong. She also knew, that she'd felt the same wordless desperation the Fire Lady had just described, when she faced Yon Rha. And though she'd hated that part of herself ever since, she could not deny it.
She rotated her wrist, and the restraints on Genpei's ankles liquified. Some of the water congealed around his injured hand, glowing white-blue as it closed the wound. "I'm keeping him under guard, not you."
"All the better." Mai had already turned away from her. "But if he leads us into a trap, his will be the first life I take. And I keep my word."
"Oh, and how many of your promises have you actually kept..." Zuko trailed off as Takeo's words hit him. "The... true Fire Lord? Unless you intend to invoke the Mandate of Heaven on yourself, you need someone with a legitimate blood claim..." He felt the blood drain from his face. "You... you're going to force Izumi to fight me?"
"Don't be ridiculous." Takeo snorted. "This isn't revenge on your cowardly father's behalf; I'd never lift a finger, in his service. Besides, if I did crown Izumi, her first act as Fire Lord would be my execution. And I'm not going to risk fighting you, even with your daughter as my hostage; if you win, the Mandate of Heaven would shift again in your favor, and my cause would be doomed even if I killed Izumi."
"Why would I actually try to win, when you've got everything I care about in the palm of your hand?"
"Because I believe you deserve a legitimate chance." Takeo glanced at him, his amber eyes fierce. "You're a more worthy opponent than your father, Zuko. A thousand times, I'll give you that. And, in the unlikely event that the Spirits still favor you, I'll abide by their desires, even if it means my head. Either way, I don't intend to carry the title "Usurper" behind my back, the way you have for years. The Agni Kai will proceed, and if the true Fire Lord is victorious- as I expect- Shingen will marry her afterwards. When my grandchildren rule the Fire Nation, they will restore the warrior's code."
Zuko felt his chest tighten with barely-controlled horror, and rage. "I will never allow your son to touch my child-"
"Haven't you been listening, you stubborn idiot?!" Takeo sneered suddenly. "I'm not talking about your daughter! She couldn't defeat you in an Agni Kai yet, even if she wanted to. I could, twenty years ago, but even I'll admit that I'm past my prime." He snatched a cup from the tray Shingen offered him and took a swig of tea. "That's why I found the one Firebender who can, the only one who has a blood claim that precedes yours..."
Zuko stared down at the ring, then across it to the doorway where his opponent would emerge. "There's no Firebender with a claim that precedes mine, unless..." His voice trailed off, and he slumped into his seat. He knew the answer, should have guessed it as soon as he learned about the Dai Li's involvement. But he didn't want to say her name.
He hadn't seen Azula since the Kemurikage incident, years before; even with Mai's spies following every lead, he hadn't even been sure if she was still alive. Either way, he didn't want to acknowledge her. Not just because of his conflicting emotions, the years of hatred that had given way to pity. But also, because the last advice his sister had given him, hadn't been entirely wrong. If it had, he wouldn't be in this position now.
"Unless you take into account a decree that Ozai issued, after you deserted the Fire Nation." Takeo's voice oozed smugness. "The only wise thing he ever did during his reign, if you ask me. He declared that, for your repeated treachery against both the Fire Nation's war effort and the Royal Family, you forfeited your claim to the throne, and could only win it back by Agni Kai... if the current Fire Lord allowed it." He raised a shaved grey eyebrow. "There was... some dispute, over who was Fire Lord before your own coronation, wasn't there? Your father declared himself Phoenix King, technically a senior position to the Fire Lord, but he gave that title to Azula, though she never actually had a coronation-"
"Because I defeated her, in an Agni Kai. Therefore, even by Ozai's worthless decree, I won my throne back." Zuko knew those words were hollow at best, a lie at worst. This was why he had outlawed Agni Kais. "I didn't even challenge her; she offered me the chance to win the crown." Again, he glanced toward the opposite doorway. Was Azula waiting for him now, just beyond the range of his vision?
Takeo shook his head. "Your duel was interrupted when she drew that Waterbender into it. Admittedly, that was her decision, but it was the Waterbender who actually defeated her, not you, according to the Fire Sages." He grinned as Zuko raised an eyebrow. "Don't act so surprised; you know I have friends in many parts of the Fire Nation. And you never dueled Ozai at all, before the Avatar stripped him of his bending. Therefore, regardless of whether Azula or Ozai was Fire Lord during Sozin's Comet, you never legally restored your claim to the Throne. After the White Lotus drove our armies out of Ba Sing Se, our soldiers were left leaderless, stretched thin, and surrounded by enemies; our Capital was in your hands. Of course we chose surrender. But we didn't forget."
Zuko gritted his teeth. "By 'we' I assume you mean the rest of your friends in the nobility and the Warrior Clans? The ones who terrorized their own people as much as the Earth Citizens and the Water Tribes?"
Shingen, kneeling next to the kettle, looked up with a glare, but Takeo waved his hand casually. "Those, and others. My kinsfolk in the colonies persuaded me to give your reforms a chance, when you stood up for your people at the Battle of Yu Dao."
"Your kinsfolk..." Zuko trailed off, then closed his eyes. Of course. The insignia on all their legal merchandise, the tattoos of their thugs patrolling Republic City's streets. "The Agni Kai Triad is hand in glove with you, aren't they?"
"You should be glad they are. If they hadn't suggested it, my other allies might have acted even sooner."
Zuko barked a bitter laugh. "So you sent me support during the Kemurikage crisis, but helped Azula's cronies and the New Ozai Society escape at the same time?"
Takeo shrugged. "I wanted them to have a chance to, as well-"
"Horseshit! You kept them in Omori as your own private army!"
"It's thanks to the training I gave them, and their vigilance within Omori, that you've never been troubled by pirates or rogue Earth Kingdom ships along the Fire Nation's east coast for the last twenty years. But I wasn't the only one that trained them." He tapped the kirin crest on his armor. "The Agni Kais have been helping us improve our intelligence gathering, both across the Fire Nation and the United Republic. They've been setting up booby traps at rail lines and magazines, to cripple the response time of the Home Guard and the Metalbending Police, when we make our move. Meanwhile, the ironclads under my command- which that fool Long Feng thinks will go to him- have been raiding, up and down the Earth Kingdom's west coast. Since the Earth Navy is too slow and weak to catch them, they don't know my ships aren't part of your fleet."
Zuko frowned "But... why the false flag? You've always taught your officers to favor the tactic of a preemptive attack, like my great-grandfather Sozin did against the Air Nomads."
Takeo nodded gravely. "Few understood that concept better than him. Sozin was the last truly great Fire Lord, of your family's line. But Fire Nation supremacy of the world through invasion alone, is impossible, and your father never understood that. He wasn't cunning enough to realize, that the Fire Nation can dominate through blood, without having to rule it all. Empires that overstretch themselves trying to take everything quickly, fall into discontent, and tear themselves apart fighting over the spoils. On the other hand, empires that rule most, that always have a foreign enemy to unite against..." He chuckled harshly. "Long Feng and the Dai Li have the same vision, for the Earth Kingdom; they just won't admit it out loud. They also have the luxury of waiting for the right moment. My time was running out after you found out about Omori, and... I needed Long Feng's help. So I had to make him think his time was running out, or he would have outlasted me and acted later, when the Fire Nation was even more vulnerable."
Zuko gritted his teeth angrily. "That's why I've been trying to cultivate friendship with the Earth Kingdom, for the last two decades! So we won't have to fight another war, kill hundreds of thousands more on each side-"
"And how well has that gone for you? A rivalry with Kuei over whose 'sphere of influence' the United Republic falls under, and various Earth Kingdom warlords itching for revenge against us, emboldened by both leaders' weakness. When someone challenges you, you put them in their place." Takeo glared at him. "If you'd been on the battlefield for years on end, or governed an enemy province, you'd understand that-"
"If you'd lived among the people you conquered, you'd know how futile 'putting them in their place' is!" Zuko slammed his fist down on the Pai Sho board. "I lived among Earth Citizens after Azula stripped me of my title. You know what most of them wanted? Food for their children, seeing their sons and fathers home from the war. They hated me when they learned who I was, but they still let me go; all they've ever wanted is peace, not revenge!"
"That may be true of the commoners, but their overlords are just as ambitious as me. They'll conscript their serfs into private armies, as they always have. The only difference between us is that they lack unity, or a professional army." Takeo scoffed. "I could care less about a few Earth Kingdom peasants. After what your dynasty has always done to mine..." He laughed at Zuko's incredulous expression. "Your father probably told you about that one? Then again, he was always planning to do away with me, after Sozin's Comet." His teeth were bared below his silver mustache. "First, your uncle led thousands to their deaths at the Outer Wall, including two of my siblings. Then, just because he lost his son, he retreated when he was on the cusp of leading our Nation to its' greatest victory. And finally, when I would have succeeded where Iroh failed... Ozai relieved me of my command, allowed a mere child to steal my moment of glory!" He took a sip of his tea and inhaled deeply through his nose, trying to calm himself. "Azula's conspiracy didn't end Earth Kingdom resistance, it inflamed it further, fired up rebellions across the Kingdom. If I had been in command, I would have lured the Dai Li and the Earth Army into one, decisive battle, and broken them both. That would have made the Earth Citizens lose hope, not burning perfectly good land to the ground the way your father and sister wanted to."
Shingen set a cup of tea in front of Zuko, but he didn't touch it. As angry as Takeo's words made him, he wasn't going to expose himself to poison or narcotics before a fight. Breath, not muscles.
"Your forefathers never understood good tactics either; the Comet put them in over their heads. If they'd fought one enemy at a time, rather than taking on the world at once, our campaign wouldn't have taken a century, wouldn't have cost us half as much blood. Most of the world would have been unified under the Fire Nation banner, enjoying the same technological and societal benefits that we do-"
"Earth is the element of substance." Zuko spat out. "That was the other thing I learned, in my travels and from my uncle. The people of the Earth Kingdom may be peaceful by nature, but they won't bow if they're threatened. Their pride will lead them to endure anything, no matter how many odds are stacked against them. You might have learned that, if you'd visited them as something other than a soldier or a conqueror. Some of them took our reforms, it's true, but they never forgot that we were invaders; their sovereignty meant more to them than any comfort we could give." He shook his head. "If you offer them reforms, they have a chance to grow; the United Republic has-"
"Has it?" Takeo cut him off, scornfully. "A corrupt, inefficient government, bowing to gangsters and plagued by in-fighting? Sounds no different from the Earth Kingdom. Spare me such feeble, naïve arguments, Zuko. The Fire Nation had everything, and you made us hand it back, just because a twelve-year-old rapped your knuckles."
Zuko glanced up. The confident, relaxed expression had faded from Takeo's face; his eyes were burning with resentment. "You never had to fight for your throne, like your predecessors. I mean against the Warrior Clans, not the feeble Mudslingers you faced on your travels. You're not a blooded warrior, your mettle proven through battle leadership. Your sister at least proved herself by taking Ba Sing Se, even if her tactics were foolish. But since I didn't know where she was for most of your reign, I couldn't leave the throne empty. I had to bide my time until a new heir appeared. And initially, I was willing to accept your rule... until you banned the Agni Kai. To the Warrior Clans, that was nothing less than a slap in the face for our years of service."
Zuko felt a flash of anger and fear. "Then... why haven't you killed Izumi, if you have Azula now?"
Takeo raised an eyebrow, looking thoughtful for the first time. "I have some respect for your wife's bloodline. Or at least I did, until Ukano proved himself a traitor to the cause. And Mai's proven that she has the resolve to fight for her family's position, even though she's not a Bender." He glanced down at the arena. "Her parents didn't marry for love, and neither did mine-"
"They married for power." Zuko shook his head. "That's yet another thing we're trying to change-"
"And another thing that would have weakened your family, if Mai's hadn't been senior nobility." Takeo rolled his eyes. "The Noble clans have understood the same thing as the Warrior clans: that they have a duty to the Fire Nation that's greater than themselves, and the more the Clans are united by blood, the more they can strengthen the Fire Nation. Diligent administration, is never enough on its' own." He glanced at Shingen, who was averting his gaze, and chuckled. "My son has never understood that, anymore than you do. But any children he has with Azula, will."
His amber eyes flicked back to Zuko. "As for your daughter, I have no intention of killing her, provided you play your role. If you win, the Divine Right is yours; if Azula wins, Izumi will be considered her heir. That is, if she doesn't bear Shingen's child in the next decade or so; after that, it'll be too late. Either way, you can rest assured, I have no wish to kill your daughter. In fact, once Azula's killed you, I'm considering releasing Izumi to her mother; they can be our messengers to the world, about the outcome of the Agni Kai."
Zuko glanced down at the arena, then at Shingen. "You're probably hoping you can... remove Azula as soon as the succession is secure, aren't you? She may be unstable, but she's no fool; she won't be as easy for you to control as Shingen." Shingen bristled angrily, but Takeo looked thoughtful. "Ozai told me he was planning to do the same to you, for the same reason."
"Then clearly, he waited too long." Takeo shrugged. "It's true that the Agni Kai helps prove the Divine Right, but that of meritocracy should be extended to every opportunity. Bloodlines may be necessary, but they should be based on talent, not accumulated wealth. It's how we add fresh blood to our soldiery, and purge our officer corps, keep them from becoming corrupt and complacent. It's how I picked new recruits during my campaigns and occupations."
"It's also how you justify your cruelty on the battlefield." Zuko glared at him. Takeo's calm, hypocritical explanation for his genocides, was turning his stomach. "Burning people alive, razing villages to the ground, sending war prisoners to the front lines as vanguard decoys."
"Meritocracy isn't determined by decency. It's determined by results- and in most cases, mine spared the soldiers on my side, and put the enemy where they belonged." Takeo scoffed. "All you've filled your cabinet and High Command with, are undeserving family members and old friends. You brought in some talent when you married Mai, but it wasn't enough. Azula understands this... which, is why I trust her to restore the way of the Warrior Clans, better than you. And if she doesn't... if Izumi proves to be a better alternative, Heaven may one day provide a sign that Azula's no longer suitable, for the Mandate-"
"The Mandate." Zuko scoffed. "The Right of Conquest. I didn't gain my throne by those, and I haven't kept it with them either. And yet, Mai and I have had twenty years of peace, prosperity and support from most of the Fire Nation citizens. They won't be quiet about it if you rip all of that away, by overthrowing us." He didn't mention that his and Mai's emergency plan would do away with the throne entirely; he didn't trust the rogue General not to harm Izumi, if his temper was pushed too far.
"The Warrior Clans will still probably support me, though, and they're all I need, since they dominate the military hierarchy." Takeo conjured a flame over his hand, expanding and contracting it reflexively. " Even if it's only some of them, once the outcome of the Agni Kai becomes public knowledge, the rest will fold." He glanced at Zuko again. "You and Mai might have a contingency plan, but the fact that you've kept your little spat with me out of the press, works to my advantage: no one outside the military knows about our conflict yet. If I submit to Azula publicly after your death, many of the other commanders will follow suit. They know I'm a war hero, but one who's been pardoned for my 'crimes.' And it's not just my garrison who will provide me with boots on the ground. Nor my allies in the nobility, or my kinsmen in the Agni Kai Triad. Azula's Kemurikage allies have been faithful to her since the uprising. Not even Long Feng was fully aware of that." He closed his fist, snuffing out the flame. "If the people won't submit to the new Mandate of Heaven, I will reintroduce it to them. Battle by battle, province by province, just as I did in the Earth Kingdom." His eyes were hard, the light in them maniacal. "After all, the only fortress I've ever failed to take was Ba Sing Se... and now, I'm allied with the one who did."
"And yet, you haven't even made it back to the Fire Nation yet." The Fire Lord kept his tone scornful, but he felt real dread grip his heart. Clearly, Takeo had been planning this much longer than Zuko had first thought. In his head, he could see the Firebenders marching forward in formation, torching their own countrymen as mercilessly as they had during his own campaign to capture Aang. Because so many soldiers, didn't know when not to follow orders. "The other Nations won't sit still for this, either."
Takeo waved his hand dismissively. "Foreign attacks on the Fire Nation, will only unite its' people under Azula and my family; unlike you, we're natural war leaders. Even if the Water Tribes united, their combined population is barely half of ours, and they're divided by geography, politics and inefficient government. As for the Earth Kingdom, they'll be in the midst of their own civil war, courtesy of the Dai Li. By the time Long Feng has subjugated the last of Kuei's vassals, we'll have unified the Fire Nation. And the Earth Army can't touch us in our homeland, if we already have a beachhead on theirs. Which we will, courtesy of my allies in the United Republic." He spread his hands apart, in a disarming gesture. "The other Nations really have no more choice than you do, Zuko. Unlike your ancestors, I won't attack them all at once. But if they provoke me, I will prove my Mandate in battle, until the end. Unless you manage to win this coming Agni Kai." He glanced down at the entrance tunnel. "Azula should have dealt with your friend the Avatar by now. If the battle's tired her, the odds may be more evenly in your favor."
Zuko felt his blood run cold. Aang hadn't known about Azula either, and as powerful as he was, he'd had no idea what they were flying into... "You'll kill Izumi either way, in the end, won't you? Because she's got a good heart. She won't lose that, no matter what you and Azula subject her to. And you won't let me live, even if I do win the Agni Kai. Because you have no honor." Half-true, at any rate, he told himself. How much did Takeo believe his own blood-and-honor rhetoric, and how much was cynical opportunism?
Shingen glanced at him, looking both offended and perplexed. Takeo flushed angrily, but kept his temper. "You'd be surprised. I understand that you don't trust my word of honor, Zuko. So I'll remove the uncertainty for you." His voice hardened again. "I'll give you my word that, if you don't fight the Agni Kai against your sister now, I'll have Izumi's throat cut. And you'll see that my word is good. It's time for you to prove your divine right to rule, without any outside interference."
He gestured toward the arena again, and Zuko rose from his seat. A figure was emerging from the entrance tunnel, wearing light black and gold armor. On her head was an ornate helmet with a flaring neck guard, its' visor hiding her face-
Zuko's mouth went dry. Not a visor. Beautifully carved, lacquered blue, brass horns and fangs adorning its' grimacing face.
A Noh mask.
Even high above her, he could feel the predatory golden gaze staring through its' eyeholes.