Note to readers: Once again, apologies for the delays! I had to take some time for my mental and physical health at the end of this year, so my hopes of finishing this story by the New Year were dashed. However, I managed to end the year on multiple good notes and found some new inspiration, so thank you for bearing with me.
If parts of this chapter seem like they were written in a rush, they were. I had another small scene to add (which initially was going to be divided between the next two chapters, but has now become Chapter 24, since it didn't work for me to put it anywhere else at the time), but I knew if I didn't publish it by New Years' Eve, I'd never finish it. Bear with me a little longer; I have just one more chapter and the epilogue to write, after this. It's another long one, but I'm already working on it; It will be complete as soon as possible.
If you've taken the time to read "Shadow Factions", thank you so much for your patience and any reviews. In the meantime, enjoy!
Grand Lotus Sungwoo had Earthbent the ceiling portal open, and light spilled down into the cavern again. Blinking to adjust her eyes to the glare, Mai surveyed the scene. Over half of Takeo's troops had fallen or been captured. The remainder had rallied to Shingen (who had managed to blast open one of the sealed gates) and retreated into the mountain tunnels, caving in their exit behind them. The White Lotus's handful of Earthbenders had already cleared away the debris, but it was too late to pursue. Takeo's smoldering corpse had been moved to the arena, Azula's knife still fused to his fist. A strangely fitting end for a dying breed; perhaps his war-hungry soul would even go content, to the Spirit World.
Mai's eyes followed her husband and daughter. Zuko was making his way, slowly and painfully, up the steps to where the body of General Shinu lay. Izumi followed silently at his side, her shoulders rigid, her eyes aimed anywhere but her father. Every few feet, Zuko glanced at her, his expression full of pain and guilt. After an initial embrace with each of them, he'd barely said a word. He'd aged two years in the last two months, Mai mused. Such was the price of the throne, on their family; perhaps Aang and Katara had chosen a better path, after all.
Speaking of which... she glanced in the latter's direction. Katara was speaking with Pian Dao, Zuko and Sokka's former sword instructor. Mai couldn't make out their words, but the tension in the Waterbender's shoulders was obvious. Neither of them had missed Zuko's reaction to Takeo's last words, and Zuko hadn't asked her to heal his injuries yet. As compassionate as Katara was, there were old wounds between her, Aang and Zuko, and she could hold a formidable grudge when provoked. That was something they had in common, Mai thought ruefully.
Pian Dao caught sight of her approaching and bowed; Mai inclined her head in return, laying her hand tentatively on Katara's shoulder. "I... want to thank you, Katara. For everything you've said, and done. I know it was mainly for Izumi, but... well, Zuko and I are already forever in your debt." The corner of Katara's mouth twitched, and the fear and suspicion in her eyes faded slightly. "Is there any word from Aang yet?"
"None." Katara glanced around, her brow furrowed. "And the Dai Li shouldn't have kept him this long." Her eyes moved past Mai, and hardened again. "You don't think..."
Mai followed her gaze, and her own tension returned immediately. "I wouldn't put it past her." She felt, rather than heard, herself mutter.
Across the ruined arena, Azula was crouched over the scorched raven-eagle's carcass. Her hands stretched toward the broken body for a moment, then stiffened, palms pressing to the ground. Her jaw was clenched; there were no tears left on her face. But her expression wasn't cold indifference, or petulant wild rage. This was... loss. The last time she'd shown even a hint of that emotion, had been at the bonfire on Ember Island, all those years ago...
Ty Lee had moved to stand silently behind Azula. Her hand rested tentatively on the Firebender's back... then, slid over her left shoulder and down her arm, intertwining their fingers. Mai blinked, surprised. She'd been worried about the Kiyoshi Warrior returning to her 'friend' as if nothing had happened, that they would return to the ugly pattern before the Boiling Rock. But even then, the two hadn't been that close. And one thing she always remembered, from their childhood sparring matches: Azula never let anyone get near, let alone touch her left shoulder. What had Izumi meant, when she'd said Ty Lee had 'some things to say' to Azula?
After a long pause, the Princess reached back and folded her right hand over Ty Lee's. Her left let go and stretched forward; her pointed nails stroked the raptor's head, closed its' eyes. Then she plucked two quills, black and white, from its' wing. Her lips moved slightly, and Ty Lee nodded. Tearing a narrow strip of fabric from her sleeve, she gathered the back of Azula's hair into a simple topknot. Azula reached up, wound and tied the strip around it, and inserted the feathers. When Ty Lee let go, she leaned forward and tore a cloak from a fallen New Ozai agent, carefully wrapping the bird's corpse in it.
Glancing back at Katara, Mai saw a mixture of bafflement, suspicion and hostility on her face- probably a mirror of her own expression. She was shaken out of her confusion by the appearance of Lady Tomoe at her elbow. "Fire Lady. I had heard of Ukano's passing, at the Battle of Omori. You, Michi and Tomoru have my condolences."
Mai's pain over her father's death throbbed faintly, then she felt a stab of anger. "A passing that you contributed to, by backing Takeo and Azula for the last twenty years. Unlike your brother, who retained his honor from the beginning. Helping us bring down this conspiracy does not excuse you from justice."
"I will not apologize for paying a debt that was owed, on my sister's behalf. Nor can I deny that I must pay my price, now that the Mandate of Heaven has shifted." Tomoe replied smoothly. "That does not change the fact that, among the Warrior Clans and nobility, belief in the Mandate by Agni Kai is still as strong as their personal code of honor. Even for those who refused, to join Takeo's revolt... My brother might not be willing to betray a sovereign he's formally knelt to. But if the Fire Lord's life had been taken, who do you think Tianze and the rest would have backed then? You, Zuko and your daughter would do well to remember that... among other things." She turned and hobbled away.
Mai felt the breath hiss slowly out her nose as she closed her eyes. The old woman wasn't wrong; the differences between belief and truth, were what had made Zuko's throne unstable in the first place. But Zuko wasn't wrong either, in his attempts to teach the Warrior Clans that power was not always the same thing as strength. Unfortunately, that same philosophy had made him reluctant to respond forcefully when they resisted. For all the successes of his reign, he'd only removed a few of them from power, usually when she recommended it. Hence, this entire fiasco...
She felt a delicate touch on her shoulder, and opened her eyes, expecting Ty Lee- only to find Azula a foot from her face. Mai resisted the impulse to recoil backwards, but her hand, concealed under her sleeve, twitched. Another shuriken slid silently into her palm.
"You'll never hunt them all down, from a throne." Azula's tone was blunt, yet the emotions that had contorted her face moments earlier, were gone. Her gaze wasn't on Mai, but slightly to her left. "Whether in the Mortal Realm or Spirit, another challenge will come. You can spend every waking or dreaming moment anticipating, and it will never be foolproof. You simply meet them as they come... and ensure your heir, is ready for those that will follow after you're gone."
Mai shifted her shoulder, shrugging off the Firebender's hand. "Interesting words... from someone who spent her only day as Fire Lord, banishing most of her court on suspicion of treason." She nodded at the bundle hanging from Azula's right shoulder. "Your pet teach you that, while you were roaming in exile?"
The Princess' eyes glinted, and a condescending smirk touched her mouth as she finally met the Fire Lady's gaze. "From watching Earth Citizens, actually... and, from you. You might have always been impatient for action, when we hunted together. But you never struck a hair before the right moment... Except, perhaps, at the Boiling Rock. So, what's made you slip, since then?"
Mai returned the smile briefly, testing her thumb on the throwing star's edge. She'd been wondering when the Boiling Rock would come up. "I don't need more motivation, if you're inviting me to do it here. Zuko can preach forgiveness, he's the Fire Lord. I don't have the same scruples."
Azula chuckled humorlessly. "Which you already proved, by turning on me. Unlike Zuzu, you can do whatever it takes."
"Not quite." Mai's conversations with Katara and Long Feng flashed through her head. She kept the scorn in her tone minimal, kept her expression blank. "I don't stoop to the Dai Li's level... or yours."
The golden eyes bored into her face, as if they could read her mind. Azula cocked an eyebrow. "You say that, to convince yourself Izumi's safe. This conspiracy has proven otherwise. If the Warrior Clans didn't consider an Agni Kai the deciding factor for claiming the Divine Right... you would have been Fire Lord long ago, and your daughter would be ready for what awaits her. But you held yourself back, let her grow as complacent and feeble as Zuzu and Iroh-"
Mai's arm whipped forward, her blade flashing. A dark-garbed hand intercepted it, turning the weapon aside at the last second. Mai turned her head slowly, until her gaze met Ty Lee's. The Kiyoshi Warrior's expression was full of pain and frustration, but not guilt; her grey eyes were hard. Slowly, she shifted her body forward, without releasing Mai's hand, until she was standing between them- rather than behind Azula, as she had at the Boiling Rock.
"Let her go, Ty." Azula's gaze didn't leave Mai's face. "She knows I'm only telling the truth. That's why she didn't have more children. Because she knows that would endanger Izumi's succession, too."
The shuriken dropped from Mai's fingers as Ty Lee released her wrist. She felt a knot of hard, cold anger building in her chest. All the vile-tasting contraceptive brews Dr. Haruyama had prepared after her difficult pregnancy, telling Zuko it would be too difficult and dangerous to conceive again. Despite his reassurances, putting up with all the murmurs at court about her 'delicate' health ...Yet, overtime she had felt relief, mingled with the pain and loss.
For once, the Fire Lady let the mask fall away, let her emotions rise to fuel her voice, low but deadly. "And why would you be surprised by that, given your family's history of backstabbing? Sozin and Zeisan, Iroh and Ozai. You, and Zuko. Every time, their parents were just as divided, taking sides." Though granted, mine weren't much better. "I simply made sure we wouldn't inflict their mistakes on Izumi- I saw what your mother corrected with Kiyi, managed what she couldn't with you."
Azula's face darkened, and a flame sparked in her fingers. Before Ty Lee could grab her wrist, however, the Firebender's gaze flicked to the left again. An angry, impatient, hiss of breath left her mouth, and the fire in her hand vanished as quickly as it appeared. "And yet, for all you claim to have moved beyond me... you mimic me, to some extent. You always have." Her eyes flicked to the long tresses that framed Mai's face, and the smirk returned, briefly. "Is that why you avoid her? Because you see me in the mirror, and you can't have that hissing in your precious brat's ear? No matter how much she might want to hear what we have to say? The next time they come for her-"
Ty Lee planted her palm on the taller woman's curasse, pressing her back, her expression hard. "Azula, that's enough."
"No, let her finish." Mai glared at the Firebender. "Is that why you made sure Iroh was mortally injured, in the Caldera Cavern? So we're left with no choice but you, as Izumi's mentor?" She caught the briefest flicker of uncertainty in Azula's gaze, but dismissed it. "I'm not teaching her to fight a war, that's long over. But if it was the only way to protect her, Zuko and I would burn down the Fire Nation singlehanded-"
"Then prove it. Now." Azula's tone sharpened. "You think I'm offended by your suspicions, your lack of trust? That's the one thing I respect you for. I've done you and Zuko the courtesy, of gathering those who would unseat our family, in one place. Crush them or divide them, but end it... and make sure Izumi sees, how it's done." Slowly, she turned away.
Mai stared after her for a moment, then whirled around and strode across to where the White Lotus and surviving New Ozais were gathering prisoners. She heard Ty Lee's voice behind her, but ignored it. Especially after what had just happened, she had too much to think about, to talk with the Kiyoshi Warrior now.
Most of Takeo's veterans sat cross-legged and upright, despite injuries and the manacles encasing their hands and ankles. With Shingen gone, and Shinu and Takeo dead, Captain Maru was the highest-ranking prisoner; the look on his face was a mixture of fear, defiance and resentment. Mai felt the knot of anger fill her chest again, as she gazed down at them. Whatever her feelings for her father, these Warriors had made him pay his life, for redemption. And they would threaten Izumi again at the first opportunity, if they lived.
"Crush them or divide them, but end it, and make sure Izumi sees how it's done."
Her eyes moved back to her daughter, just as she thought those words. Zuko wasn't the only one who had visibly aged, from his ordeal. The Princess' face was bruised and flecked with ash, faint hollows under her golden eyes. Her arms stayed at her sides, but her hands kept flexing and unflexing, though nothing ignited over her fingers.
Mai recognized the gestures right away; she had taught them to Izumi herself. It was a movement intented to slide shuriken from holster to hand, as quickly as possible under her sleeve. How many hours of her youth had she spent, designing her weapons and perfecting how to use them? She'd had nothing but time... always tucked away on her family's estate, shunned by most of the Academy's students for her lack of Bending. She honed her skills even more vigorously, during her naive father's stint as governor of Omashu; having to go everywhere under protective escort, fueled her frustration further. No wonder she'd jumped at the chance to go hunting with Azula and Ty Lee...
Her years of self-training had culminated in her first kill, an Omashu Resistance fighter who'd attacked the governor's procession. Ukano had lionized her afterwards as "the city's one true defender", claimed she had finally honored their Clan. Apparently he hadn't noticed Mai's discomfort, her lack of appetite, her inability to sleep for several weeks. Her mother Michi, meanwhile, had been busy with her newborn brother. By the time they asked what was wrong, she'd perfected the silence they had always taught her. When the assassin came twelve years later, death didn't even make her bat an eye... until she went into her infant daughter's room, and wondered what to tell her when she was older.
Zuko had always brought Izumi out of her shell, just as he did with Mai whenever she withdrew. But if Izumi no longer trusted either of them, after what she had just seen and experienced... the Fire Lady clenched her hand into a fist, beneath the flowing sleeve of her robe. The three of them needed to speak together, before any state decisions were made. Azula hadn't been entirely wrong. But neither had Katara.
She glanced at Tomoe, who was standing beside Master Xai Bau. The old White Lotus gave her a curt nod. He had helped them as much as Katara and Aang, but his behavior indicated that any feelings of gratitude were not mutual. Unsurprising, given their differing backgrounds.
"We... should take Takeo's body with us." Mai finally found her voice. "The rebels may try to claim he's still alive, in exile; we need to prove otherwise. Although if Shingen remains free, they might rally under his banner instead."
"Pah." Tomoe scoffed. "Shingen's not a threat, on his own. He has Takeo's charisma and Bending prowess, but none of the vision- or, the cunning. Besides, the Dai Li may strike at any moment, Fire Lord Azula always said they were plotting-"
Mai's hand went to the sai in her sash. "Princess Azula. And you'll forgive me, if I don't fully trust your assessment of the enemy."
"My apologies, Fire Lady." Tomoe bowed low, her expression rueful as she straightened. "Shingen may have escaped, but even with his military training, he won't get far in these mountains, especially if there are Earth Kingdom troops on the way."
"Those Earthbenders are what concerns me." Mai shook her head. "They're from Puyo, not Ba Sing Se. If General Fong captures Shingen and the surviving Warriors, he might execute them on sight. That won't help us reduce tensions in the Fire Nation, let alone make peace with Kuei and Ariq. We should hunt them down and bring them to trial ourselves-"
"Captures Shingen?" Xai Bau spoke for the first time, his tone incredulous. "If we don't withdraw soon, Fong might try to capture you again, present your family as tokens of loyalty to Kuei. That is, if he isn't collaborating with the Dai Li. Most of our Order's Earthbenders are in Ba Sing Se; we need the Avatar, to help us get everyone out of here-"
He broke off, frowning, his eyes going to the ground. Mai noticed it, too; a faint vibration under her feet, growing stronger with each moment-
There was a sudden rumble of cracking stone, from all sides. The ground split apart beneath them as earthen furrows and rock projections erupted from the walls and around their feet, rising around them to form barriers. Without thinking, Mai bent her knees and sprang, thrusting her wrist upward as shards of crystal flew past her face. The dart-tipped cable whistled from her holster, anchoring to the wall of the balcony and reeling her toward Zuko and Izumi. Below, she could hear cries of pain and sharply exhaled breath, cut off by the thud of stone against body.
She extended the grapnel claws on her boots just as she hit the stone wall, knocking the wind out of her. As she caught her breath, another barrier slammed across the overhead opening. Once more, the chamber was plunged into darkness, but almost immediately, flames ignited above her. She heard several cries of shock below, one of which sounded like Ty Lee. Digging her claws into the wall, she forced herself upward-
"I'm afraid the Avatar won't be joining us." A familiar, oily voice drawled from the other side of the cavern. "But, I'm sure we can settle our business in his absence."
Nothing had been forgotten.
Long Feng shifted aside a Firebender's corpse with his foot, as he stepped onto the shattered balcony, his hands clasped behind his back. His troops were fully accustomed to the near-total darkness, after years of nightly patrols and underground operations; what disoriented his enemies, only brought them greater clarity. The uncertainties he had considered beforehand, the ones Takeo would have scoffed at as ludicrous, were accounted for.
They had been able to enter in complete silence, thanks to Sungwoo re-opening the arena's gates. The sudden strike took most of the enemy by surprise; the White Lotus and New Ozai agents were preoccupied with their captives, and were quickly stunned or immobilized. The remaining threats were gathered on the tier across from his, having staved off or evaded the attack. Zuko and his family, Katara, two of the White Lotus masters. And of course, Azula.
A swell of primal satisfaction filled the old man's chest, as he gazed down on his trapped opponents. With General Fong's forces approaching, the United Republic in dissaray, the Earth King, Zuko and Ariq far from their Capitols, and Takeo and Azula having dealt with each other, all the moves were his to make. As always, patience was a virtue.
"Fire Lord Zuko." He inclined his head slightly, to the scarred figure across from him. "It is an honor to finally meet you formally, after all these years. We have much to discuss."
Zuko's golden eyes glared back through the gloom, his left hand protectively on his daughter's shoulder. The right held a Dao broadsword, its' curved blade ignited. "Your agents attacked my family, and abducted my heir. Whatever you have to say, I'm not interested."
"I respectfully disagree." Zuko's defiant attitude was hardly surprising, given his history, but the Grand Secretariat knew a bluff when he saw one. He didn't need Genpei's ability to sense bodily vibrations for that. "The terms I'm offering, will guarantee you and your family's safe return home, and the security of both our nations. I have no desire for unnecessary bloodshed. And your wife and comrade, have already seen the merit of diplomatic... exchange." His gaze flicked from Mai, who had scrambled up the wall to join her family, to Katara, encircled by a ring of liquid tentacles, further globules of water hovering over her hands.
"What 'terms?' Azula's voice rang out. She was standing to their right, her arms dropped loosely to her sides. No blue flames ignited over her hands, but both index and middle fingers were extended. Her expression was wary, not the belligerent mask she'd first shown him in Ba Sing Se. "You have no authority to dictate terms for anyone; you've been a wanted man, ever since Sozin's Comet."
"Which is why I will be meeting with the Earth King, very soon. Both to ensure his heir's safe return, and to help him see the merits of restoring my former office." The Earthbender deliberately looked away from her, keeping his eyes on Zuko. "Of course, it wouldn't hurt to have your testimony in my favor, Fire Lord. That I and General Fong, aided your defeat of the traitor Takeo and his rebels, as well as the rescue of your daughter... I imagine that might help reduce the tensions between your family, and King Kuei's."
"Once again, claiming something that isn't yours." The Fire Princess sneered, her arm moving across her chest. "Seems when you're both a Mudslinger and a turncoat, you're just incapable of learning-"
"On the contrary, Ashmaker, I've learned a great deal." Long Feng finally met her gaze. "And I wouldn't recommend trying anything with that Lightning of yours. You, or the White Lotus agents behind you."
He snapped his fingers. Azula's gaze moved past him, and her pupils dilated. Eight more Dai Li agents stepped out of the shadows behind their master, arms outstretched. Dangling in the air in front of them were the White Lotus swordmaster Pian Dao, and Ty Lee. Thick bands of stone and earth encircled their throats, suspending them off the ground. Yuesheng gestured, and the bands constricted, causing both of them to gasp for air. They'd had to strike from every side at once, just to catch these two, but now it paid off.
Long Feng kept his face impassive, even as the beast in his chest was crowing with satisfaction. The Fire Princess' gaze had moved from her lover back to him, her face already shifted to an expression of indifference, her fingers still extended. Once again, he saw through the bluff. "Restrain them all, except the Fire Lord and his wife and daughter."
More Dai Li agents slid across the stone walls, their gauntlets launching forwards to seize wrists and ankles. The two old men- one an Earthbender, the other holding some sort of flail weapon- had already lowered their hands in submission. Of course, the Order of the White Lotus would resort to Neutral Jing at the first opportunity, he mused. That was what they had done the entire war, biding their time instead of coming to the Earth Kingdom's aid when it really needed them. No matter. Their reckoning would come soon enough.
Zuko pointed his blade at the black-and-green robed figures around him. "Let them go." His voice was made even more gruff, by the grinding of his broken ribs. It was impressive that he was still standing, after the twin beatings he had taken.
"Really, Fire Lord? Release Azula, given what she's inflicted on everyone here?"
"Whatever the history between us, she's still my sister; my family will decide her fate." Zuko replied curtly. "We haven't determined exactly what her intent was-"
"Oh, I can enlighten you on that." Long Feng scoffed. "Takeo always thought of her as his puppet, but he never knew her as we did, before her mind fractured. She was always the true leader of this conspiracy, not that delusional warlord. She was in contact with him, long before you discovered his crimes against the Fire Nation. At best, she put your heir and your country in terrible danger, on a whim. Then she spared you after her victory, just to prove your claim to the throne is unstable, to make you look weak." As she did to me. "At this point, finishing her- or, letting someone else deliver that sentence- would be a mercy to you both, not to mention the stability of your Nation." He glanced at the Kiyoshi Warrior hanging next to him, her hands scrabbling at the stone noose around her neck, color rising to her face. "And in the long run, to her as well."
The Fire Lord's expression stayed hard, but his mismatched eyes glanced away; so did his wife's. Azula was staring daggers at Long Feng, though she made no attempt to remove her manacles. Time to turn the knife a bit further. "You would really wave away every crime Azula's committed, welcome her back, after she crippled your beloved uncle? After she finally killed your dear friend, Avatar Aang?"
Zuko flinched. The Waterbender's ice-blue gaze leaped from him, to Azula. "What... is he talking about, Zuko?" Her voice was quiet but deadly, each word shaking. The ice around her feet liquified, despite the stones encircling her hands.
"My agents observed their battle. Those that survived the resulting avalanche, reported back to me." Long Feng shrugged. "Whatever differences I had with the Avatar in the past, I can assure you I never wished him such a fate; left to bleed out, on the frozen slopes-"
"Liar." Katara swept her foot sideways, and a blade of pressurized water leaped upwards from the floor, splitting her bonds in two. Her left arm rotated in a semicircle, the right pulling back sharply at the elbow, her hands molding into knives; the water around her feet lifted into the air. Her eyes were shining with pain and wrath, but no tears fell. Yet.
The two nearest Dai Li agents hastily turned to bend stones from the walls, but their legs and feet were already encased in ice. The other Earthbenders raised their hands for combat, but a gesture from Captain Yuesheng halted them. "I'm afraid Azula admitted it herself, to the entire assembly. Just ask any of Takeo's rebels, the New Ozai Society, or your so-called friend, the Fire Lord. Perhaps, given your Healing powers and the Avatar State, she felt a knife was more foolproof than Lightning-"
Another pressurized blade, in the shape of a crescent wave, sprang from the frozen ground and surged towards Azula, who dove sideways just in time to avoid being cut in half. Unable to retaliate with stones encasing her hands, she kept rolling, evading the whiplashes that came snaking after her, then boosted herself with a burst of flame from her heels. But as she shot forward, an ice wall rose in front of her. Her impact shattered through it, but it liquified in mid-air, enveloping her entire body in a suffocating cocoon-
A sheet of flame rolled over the watery barrier, evaporating half of it and dropping the Princess to the ground. Katara's gaze snapped back to Zuko, his sword-arm outstretched, his face a twisted mess of emotions. The water circling her hand molded into a rotating crescent blade, but earthen projections suddenly leaped from the ground, encasing her ankles. She swept her blade downwards and shattered them apart, but six more Dai Li agents dropped from the ceiling and landed around her, their gauntlets raised at point-blank range. More barriers erupted around them, cutting her off from her companions.
"Lady Katara. The losses she's inflicted on all of us, will be avenged." Long Feng's tone hardened. "But I must insist, that you not raise your hand to the Fire Lord." At least, until we've settled matters.
Katara slowly turned her face upward towards Long Feng, her eyes raw, her jaw set. The guards encircling her kept the walls around her up; even underground, she was still the most dangerous Bender. Long Feng held her gaze for a moment, then turned back to Zuko. "As you know, Fire Lord, diplomacy is a means to many ends... regardless of whether those ends will converge, in the long term." He spread his hands wide, a disarming gesture. "My arrangements with Takeo and Azula were hardly personal, and never meant to be binding." His gaze moved briefly to the General's scorched corpse. "Whatever Takeo claimed about his Warrior's code of honor, we both know his designs on the world were barely different from your father's. Our cities and lands would still have been burned to the ground, just over a more prolonged period. And your sister is too dangerous, to be put in command of anything, let alone left at liberty. But I know your commitment to peace with the Earth Kingdom, has always been genuine. Unlike the Fire Nation troops who landed on our shores as conquerors, you first came as an exile, lived among us. You saw how we suffered, under your people's occupation-"
"I saw how the people of the Earth Kingdom suffered, everywhere." Zuko growled. "I saw what my father's generals did, to settlements that resisted their rule. And when my uncle and I came to Ba Sing Se, I saw how the vulnerable were treated there, too. Your agents abandoned the Earth King's vassals to hide behind a wall, manipulated your citizens' desperation and fear to silence any protest. Kept everyone, including your King, ignorant, while the Council of Five did nothing to stop you-"
"Because they were fighting the same desperate battle alongside us. They knew we were the only thing keeping order, preventing riots behind our last defensive line, while the Fire Army launched endless attacks on the Outer Wall." A knot of irritation built in Long Feng's temple, but he kept it in check. "I am not here to justify or re-ignite the Hundred Year War, Fire Lord. Only to extinguish the last of its' embers, as you have always tried and failed to do. The quickest path to that, is for you to extract yourself from the Earth Kingdom's affairs, and Kuei and I from the Fire Nation's. Hence, my removing the New Ozai guards from your daughter's cell, and directing your wife and Katara straight to her. Had they escaped as soon as she was rescued- as I advised them to- this situation would be considerably less complicated." His eyes moved to Mai, her expression blank and cold. "What is most important to you: maintaining peace and keeping your family safe, or reconciling with those who tried to steal your throne?"
Zuko's eyes flicked from his wife, to his daughter, to his sister... and finally, to the Earthbenders encircling them, the unspoken threat on their grim faces. The flames on his sword dimmed, and his voice seemed to stick in his throat as he spoke. "What are... your so-called 'terms?"
The breath released smoothly from Long Feng's nose, the beast in his chest purring, but he did not relax yet. Patience was a virtue, but so was vigillance. "The Council of Five will be... contacted, before the Earth King." That part of the plan was already underway, courtesy of his new sleeper agents from Puyo; the White Lotus in the Inner Ring would never see them coming. "Your signature and seal will reinforce my story: that the uprising against your rule was crushed with the Dai Li's assistance, and that you and your family were protected thanks to our intervention. You will dismiss any aggressive testimony from the so-called King Ariq of Omashu, as a known warmonger who tried to divide us all, who likely assisted Takeo in abducting both your daughter and Kuei's-"
"So-called King of Omashu?" The White Lotus with cropped hair interrupted, harshly. "So, that's your game!"
Long Feng ignored him. "Your recent tensions with Omashu, and your wife's wartime experience there, will convince His Majesty King Kuei who the real aggressors are; backed by my testimony and that of General Fong, I think he will be eager to accept your request for a ceasefire, and make sure your family is escorted safely home. Once my return to court is made official, we can more formally arrange affairs-"
"More reparations, no doubt?" Zuko's breath hissed from his mouth in a sigh. "I've gotten plently of ire, over the ones I've already paid-"
"Rest assured, there's no reason to drain your treasury further, Fire Lord. As I said, my terms are meant to reduce complications between our two Nations. I simply need you to make some... policy adjustments, particularly concerning the United Republic and Kiyoshi Island." Outright invasion of those territories would be unwise now; Omashu's elected monarchy was the first objective, and Long Feng and his allies had to isolate Ariq first. But Kuei had been the one who originally asserted the Earth Kingdom's claims to the 'colonies' at Yu Dao, after all; any new measures that enforced that claim would probably win both the King and Council's favor. Especially if the Fire Nation's sphere of influence could be whittled back, to its' original borders... "They will mostly be symbolic, the removal of certain Council representatives and trade agreements, that are unfavorable to Ba Sing Se."
Zuko gritted his teeth. "You think that will bring peace? Takeo's Triad allies have probably gone on a rampage through the United Republic, in his name! Expell all the Fire Nation's institutions, and we have no opportunity for reconciliation, for repairing the damage and divisions he's sown there!"
"You are welcome to make any offers of charity you wish. It's your influence within Republic City's government, that isn't necessary-"
"Influence? Aang, Toph and I practically built that city!" Zuko bristled angrily. "Breaking ties with the Fire Nation's greatest ally will not strengthen my 'faction', when Takeo's been howling to the Warrior Clans that I'm weak!"
"There's no need to inform them about such trivial matters beforehand, especially if you expect them to be reactionary." The Grand Secretariat shrugged. "You are the Sovereign; you do what is necessary, and tell the people whatever eases the transition."
"I do not use Ozai's methods! I've never justified his lying propaganda, and I won't repeat it-"
"Propaganda is not the same, as witholding information. And according to Takeo, you've kept some secrets before- in order to get things done, deal with real threats. Such as this entire conspiracy?" His lip curled into a smirk as Zuko looked away. "Takeo believed the Mandate of Heaven was maintained, merely by demonstrations of power; he forgot that control of knowledge, is just as much of a factor. Haven't you wondered, how I managed to re-gain my officers' loyalty after Sozin's Comet so quickly? How we've managed to stay hidden from both Omashu and Ba Sing Se, all these years?"
The short-haired White Lotus let out a harsh bark of laughter. "That's exactly what led the Dai Li down the path of corruption, in the first place! The tighter you try to control, enforce your order through fear and uncert-"
Another earthen gauntlet encased the old man's jaw, cutting off his speech. Long Feng nodded briefly to Captain Yuesheng, whose arm was outstretched.
Zuko's voice was gruff; he was starting to accept the situation, but still looking for an excuse to dodge or stall the deal. "You... don't hold any appointed office. And the Dai Li have been disbanded, therefore these negotiations have no bearing-"
"Oh, I don't think King Kuei will be hesitant in offering me my old position. Not after I deliver him the Fire Nation rebels, Azula and Princess Hou-Ting."
Tomoe glared up at him, the stones around her hands glowing red. "You will not harm the Fire Lord's sister."
"I have no intention of laying a finger on her." Long Feng scoffed. "That will be left to Kuei's judges, when they learn of the mountain villages she ordered you, Takeo and the rest of his rebels to massacre-"
"You ordered him to wipe out those settlements!" Princess Izumi interrupted, her tone indignant. "I overheard-"
"Be silent, child." Azula cut her off sharply. "He needs as many scapegoats as he can get, to make this believable." Her voice dripped contempt. "That's the only way an imposter's Mandate can function, since their power is built on lies."
"Oh, it was a lie that your ancestors launched an unprovoked war of conquest, against my country for a century?" Long Feng sneered, turning back to her. "It was a lie that you infiltrated and conquered Ba Sing Se, held a flame to my King's throat, overthrew him from his rightful throne? It was a lie that you recommended to your father, that our capitol be razed to the ground during Sozin's Comet?"
The Firebender's eyes glinted as she returned his sneer. "It was a lie, that I overthrew the Earth King alone."
Long Feng felt a slight chill on his spine again, but he ignored it, kept his face still as stone. He extended his arm, and Ty Lee and the swordmaster levitated forward beyond the balcony, until both were dangling high above the arena. "Then it is a lie you will repeat at your trial. I doubt re-education will even be necessary; I know you have a talent, for making deceit convincing."
Ignoring her murderous expression, he gestured to the agents behind him to move on the captives below, then turned back to Zuko. "In addition to Azula... I will take the Kiyoshi Warrior, the White Lotus agents and the New Ozai members as security. To ensure our business is conducted and concluded, without interference-"
"Security?" Zuko scoffed, his expression darkening again. "You mean hostages."
"That's if he doesn't brainwash them, as soon as they're out of the public eye." Mai cut in, her tone icy. Her eyes were fixed on Ty Lee, but one hand was on her daughter's shoulder, the other hidden behind her flowing sleeve.
It's not the only tool I could use. Long Feng felt the throb of irritation again, but he kept his temper. "As I said, Fire Lady, this is not personal. The choice of whether more lives are lost now, is entirely in your family's hands. Unlike Takeo, I have no desire for bloodshed... but I will enforce my terms, at all cost."
"Terms which ammount to little more than renewing Kuei's pipe dream, that 'Harmony Restoration Campaign?'" Azula scoffed. "I've spent almost a decade, crossing the Earth Kingdom time and again. Your people don't even recognize a single leader- though it's no surprise, given how unsuited both you and Kuei were. And for all the Earthbenders' supposed 'resilience', your officers were quick enough to turn to their 'Ashmaker' enemies, as soon as either of you failed to serve their purpose."
Long Feng glanced back at her; she had dropped into a cross-legged position, her bound hands in front of her, fingers tapping the ground restlessly. Her head was craned back, her eyes not on him, but on her Kiyoshi woman, hanging high above her.
His lip curled again, his hands dropping loosely to his sides. He was just waiting, for her to make a move... "You're one to talk, Princess. You killed the Avatar, then threw away the Divine Right that defines your barbaric social order."
"At least I had it, long enough to know whether I wanted it. You spent your entire life clawing up to it, only to lose to someone else twice."
Which is why I don't seek it, now... only to pass it, to one who shares my vision. He forced the smirk off his face; time to be done with this. "Feeble mockery changes nothing, now. Except for Katara, nearly all your Benders are Ashmakers, and it's the middle of winter. You've defeated yourself-"
"Have I, though?" Azula's fingers suddenly meshed together, pressing her knuckles to the ground. "The most important thing I learned, two decades ago... is to always have a contingency plan."
Oh, I agree-
A sudden rumbling cut his thought off. In the same instant, the ground under his feet began to vibrate, more and more vigorously. Alarmed, Long Feng peered around the stands and walls of the cavern. Virtually every surface of the vast chamber had begun to shake, even more violently than during the Dai Li's entrance. Fragments of glowing crystal jolted loose and rained from the ceiling; Dai Li agents fought to keep their balance, struggling to Earthbend themselves a sturdier position.
He hurriedly turned his gaze back to the figures below. All of them looked just as uncertain as he felt... except, of course, the Fire Princess. Her eyes had moved from her lover back to him; the tension had faded from her expression, leaving it calm and cold. A bigger chill went down his spine. Only one of his officers had returned with Azula from the mountains, dazed from a minor head injury-
"Since you're so obsessed with knowledge, Long Feng, let me share something else Natsu taught me." Azula's voice broke through his frantic thoughts, echoing through the cavern above the quaking. "When you're confirming a kill... get a second opinion you can trust."
There was a sudden explosion directly behind him, accompanied by several sharp impacts and gasps or grunts of pain... and, a gust of cold wind that could not be from the entrance tunnels. As the Grand Secretariat spun around, he instinctively raised one hand; a barrier leaped from the ground in front of him, deflecting multiple stone shards. His other arm contracted to his waist, drawing the two hostages back toward him.
The wall of the cavern had been blasted apart, and a whirlwind blocked the newly-made entrance, jagged fragments of stone and crystal whipping around it. At its' center hovered a bearded man in scorched and tattered saffron-yellow clothes. He gripped a staff in one hand; flames flickered in the other. Both his eyes, and the arrow-shaped tattoos on his forearms and shaved head were glowing white-blue. Despite visible burns on his exposed shoulder and neck, his expression was blank, almost serene. But as his gaze moved to the ruined balcony, his eyes narrowed, and the wind howled louder and harder.
It took every ounce of Long Feng's resolve, not to flee or swallow himself into the ground. To their credit, the agents flanking him held their stance as well; as he punched the upper half of his barrier forward, they all launched their gauntlets simultaneously. The Avatar's whirlwind shifted lazily to the left, and all the projectiles swept into its' slipstream, rotated around him, and hurled back at the Earthbenders. Yuesheng and two others managed to anchor themselves and halt the attack, but the rest were knocked off their feet. Long Feng thrust his hands backward, to grab his oncoming human shields-
Just as his hand closed on one of the stone collars, there was a snarling sound and a burst of heat; fragments of rock peppered the back of his robes. Spinning around, he caught sight of Azula dropping into the tier just below him, Ty Lee cradled against her shoulder. Both her manacles, and the earthen ring from the Kiyoshi Warrior's neck, lay on the ground in charred pieces.
Beyond her in the arena, Tomoe had blasted her own hands free, and several of the Ashmaker captives' manacles were already glowing. On the opposite side of the ampitheater, Katara rose into the air atop a whirling column of water, whips encasing her hands. Zuko's Dao sword was blazing again, and Mai had a pair of shuriken in each hand. Izumi's joined palms conjured an amber fireball, flickering lavender.
The Grand Secretariat's eyes darted back to Azula as she set Ty Lee down gently, then rose, her predatory gaze on him. He fought to keep his voice calm as his gauntlet molded into a blade, pressing to Pian Dao's throat. His other hand lifted defensively toward the Avatar. "I would advise both of you, to restrain yourselves-"
"'New growth cannot exist, without first the destruction of the old.' Let him die." Azula drew both arms in a circular arc across her torso, extended fingers crackling with energy. "I would advise you... to run."
The old fool reacted quicker than she expected. The barrier between himself and the Avatar curved outwards, encircling him on all sides. In the same instant, there was a sharp crack, and the overhanging section of the balcony split away, plummeting toward Azula and Ty Lee. The Firebender had already aligned her Manipura Chakra, and now she brought her hands to each side of her waist. Just as she'd done when facing the Avatar, outside.
Dividing a Lightning bolt in two diluted its' power enough that a strike wasn't fatal, but it could still split earth and stone... or, render a person unconscious. Between that, the blood of one of the Dai Li agents smeared across her blade and Aang's throat, and the remaining one having been stunned by her strike, the deception hadn't been hard. She'd doubled back as soon as possible, to fill the Airbender in; by then, he'd regained consciousness, his tattoos glowing faintly. Naturally, the hypocrite hadn't been pleased with her methods, but he'd had little choice in the matter. Apparently, whatever he'd experienced while unconscious had led him to accept that they had a common goal, however reluctantly. Probably something to do with the Spirit World. Of course, only he would have been naive enough to trust her; there had been no question of telling anyone else.
"Are you so sure-"
She cut Ursa off with a growl of impatience and thrust her arms out, launching the bolts one after the other. As the first blasted apart the oncoming slab, the second followed, splitting open the Earthbender's wall. Aiming her hands downward, Azula rocketed herself nearly as high as the cavern ceiling, then drew them back to strike again. The howling wind whipped her hair back from her face, the din of a newly-erupted battle rising from below. In the corner of her vision, she caught sight of the Avatar hovering at the center of his storm, directly above Ty Lee. She forced her eyes away, from the marks on the Kiyoshi Warrior's throat. Perhaps if she had trusted her, with the entire truth...
Focus.
Long Feng had abandoned his defensive position already, but not his hostage; he was backing toward one of the exits, his blade still at Pian Dao's throat. As Azula propelled herself toward him, blue flames in her hands, his mouth moved, barking commands she coudn't make out over the din of battle. Two more robed Earthbenders appeared on his flanks; one of them was his right-hand man Yuesheng, gauntlets already lunging forward. She released a Breath of Fire to deflect them, but suddenly an iron grip closed around her boot, pulling her down-
Only for it to crack apart, accompanied by a sharp impact on her ankle. Two steel-headed darts breezed past her arm, breaking apart another oncoming gauntlet. Cushioning her fall with a burst from the heel of her hand, the Fire Princess dropped in front of the Dai Li, the impact almost knocking the wind out of her. Her lip curled as she sucked a breath into her nose. It seemed Mai had gotten the message, in the end.
She spun as more stone projectiles whistled past her face, the flames of her roundhouse kick sending one of the agents flying. Yuesheng raised a waist-high barrier and hurled it forward, trying to break her legs from under her, but she vaulted over it with her free hand and rushed him, a fire-dagger lunging for his face. He retreated before it could strike, stone shoes scrabbling for contact with the wall, launching a hail of stone darts at her. Azula rotated her arms about herself, conjuring a whirling inferno, but several of the larger shards sailed through her flames, slicing her calf and her shoulder between the armor. Three battles in a row, had worn her down. She needed to finish this quickly.
Focus on what really matters. Go for the Dragon's head.
Drawing the flames back to her palms and concentrating them into a sphere, Azula whirled and kicked it at Yuesheng. Without waiting to see if she'd hit, she rounded on Long Feng, conjuring firepoints over each fist. As she rushed forward, he thrust his captive into her path, his stone blade slashing across Pian Dao's neck. She refused to let it distract her, shoving the wounded White Lotus aside, but the delay allowed him to hastily raise a crystal barrier, sealing the exit. With a snarl of frustration, she pummeled it with her blazing fists, searing the flimsy minerals apart. Pushing through the crumbling debris, she glimpsed her enemy sweeping down the passage, back to the main labarynth of Zamyn Togsgol. To escape, perhaps rendesvouz with Fong...
Go for the Dragon's head.
She dropped her arms to her sides, released her breath and circled her extended fingers across her stomach, sparks already leaping from them. Undercharged, but it would have to do. Her right hand jabbed forward, releasing the bolt just as Long Feng reached the tunnel's bend. The clap of thunder was overlapped by the roar of crumbling earth, as her Lightning split the tunnel roof apart. She dove sideways, as chunks of rock and crystal rained down-
A stone shelf sprouted from the wall, shielding her. Whirling around, she saw the Avatar standing on Takeo's balcony, arm raised, his tattoos and eyes no longer glowing. Several stunned Dai Li agents lay around him, their limbs encased in earth. The fight below was all but finished, then.
His grey eyes met her golden ones, and he gave her a curt nod; Azula returned it with a smirk. As she pulled herself upright, breathing hard, she heard a cry of shock and rage from behind, where Pian Dao had fallen. A shame; Zuko would miss his old instructor, and Izumi might have learned a bit as well. Time to avenge him.
The black-robed Grand Secretariat had just managed to pick himself up, when she reached him. Raising one hand defensively, he drew the other back, the heel of his hand aimed at the ground. Azula took a hasty step back, wary of projections that might trap her ankles to the ground, but she noticed that he was dragging his left leg slightly. Her cave-in had accomplished its' objective, then. She re-ignited her firepoints. "You took my advice, too late. No more running."
"Are you... so sure of that?" The Earthbender let out a gruff chuckle, but she wasn't fooled. His green eyes were darting around her over and over, searching everywhere for a way out. "My other allies will be here soon. Besides, you've got no room to maneuver." His gaze fell on her shoulder wound. "Even your Bending must be at its' low ebb, now. Otherwise, my officers wouldn't have been able to touch you. Then again... they didn't need to." A smirk curved under his moustache. "You think the Dai Li can't reach her, before the two of you escape the Earth Kingdom? Thanks to Takeo, I have sleeper agents nearly everywhere-"
Azula brought her arm forward, but a stone spike erupted from the floor between them, absorbing her attack and grazing her wrist. She threw herself sideways again as the projection hurtled toward her, barely missing her ribs. Splaying her hands outward, she released a torrent of flames from each palm, simultaneously propelling herself back upright and scorching the crystal growths that were reaching for her ankles. But her Bending was orange now, rather than azure; she was too tired to align her Manipura. Extending two fingers on her right hand, she conjured another firepoint and closed her left into a fist. Weariness would make less difference, at close quarters. As long as she was fast enough, focused enough, he would never threaten Ty Lee again...
But as she rasied her right arm, a short metal rod and chain coiled around her wrist, halting her attack. The White Lotus with cropped gray hair intercepted her other hand as she turned, his lined face hard. "This one is mine."
The Princess raised her other firepoint to strike him aside, when some signal from her brain made her nape-hair stand on end. The pressure and position of his fingers... it was nearly the same grip Ty Lee had used on her, when she'd gone for Takeo earlier. She met his gaze. There was something familiar about his expression: A facade of cold rage, just masking a boiling mass of emotions. Focused solely on filling a hole, for something stolen...
Azula felt a surprising twinge in her heart. She didn't regret killing Takeo, not in the slightest. But it hadn't relieved her pain, had not brought Natsu back. Better for this old fool to learn that now, especially while his wrath was directed at Long Feng rather than her. Either way, it would be interesting; she knew better than to underestimate Nonbenders.
Long Feng raised his hand toward the wall, opening an escape passage. Before he could enter it, however, the flame leaped from Azula's fingers and expanded into a barrier. It curled around his flanks, cutting him off. She shook the chain from her wrist, wrenching her hand from the old man's grip. "Be my guest."
The White Lotus tucked one of the rods of his flail- she saw now that it was double-ended- into his belt, and began spinning the chain at his side, in his left hand. He raised his right before him, fingers contorted into a crescent shape. "I have a few questions for you, 'Grand Secretariat.'"
Perhaps the use of his old title piqued Long Feng's curiosity, in spite of his circumstances. His hands went to his belt defensively, but he did not attack. "Do I... know you?"
"No, but we had a mutual acquaintance during Sozin's Comet." The old man growled. "Just after my Order liberated Ba Sing Se, we found one of our own dead, washed up on the shore of Lake Laogai. A young Firebender... with green eyes." Azula saw a flicker of recognition on Long Feng's face. "She broke off from Iroh's detatchment as we approached the palace, saying she wanted to liberate the prisoners from the dungeons. But when we arrived, only one cell, in a separate corridor from the others, was open ...and already empty. Other prisoners said, they'd seen you placed there by the occupiers. I found her body after two days of searching, mutilated."
"Ah. Her." The Earthbender's eyebrows raised thoughtfully. "Xi did say she'd been a nousance, when he brought her to me-"
He brought his arm down, as the flail whistled forward. A cube of rock leaped from the ground, redirecting the oncoming rod; clearly he'd meant to provoke his opponent into error. But as the chain arced upward, its' bearer had already ducked under it and closed the distance. Spinning to evade a stone-shoed kick, his fingertips struck his opponent's shoulder with startling speed, cutting off the chi-paths, then caught his opposite wrist; the other hand released the flail and closed around Long Feng's throat.
"Who tortured her?!" The White Lotus snarled, his face alight with rage and pain. "Who took her life? Who gave the order?"
"No... one was tortured." The Grand Secretariat rasped around the fingers squeezing his neck. "We only-"
"Liar. I saw what was done to her hands, she'd been interrogated! Who did it, this Xi character?!"
"He's already dead. Though, if you ask the Fire Lady, she may be able to give you his bones-"
"You're wasting your breath." Azula interrupted, extinguishing her flames with a gesture. She knew what Long Feng was like, how he disposed of people himself as soon as they were useless. As he'd intended to do with her, and Ty. "He's already slain your friend the swordmaster. Finish him, and be done with it."
"Not until I have the truth." The old man swung his captive sideways, slamming him into the wall. He released Long Feng's throat, grasping a finger on his chi-blocked left hand. "Shall I go finger by finger, until you're ready to admit-"
"STOP!" A cold gust of wind ruffled Azula's topknot, nearly dislodging Natsu's feathers. Stone projections sprang from the floor, encasing the White Lotus' and Long Feng's limbs and forcing them apart.
The Avatar brushed past Azula, his expression somber. "Xai Bau, you don't need to do this-"
"It isn't for you to say what I need or don't, Aang!" Xai Bau snapped, straining against his restraints. "This has been eating away at me since the Liberation, as it has for his countless other victims!"
Aang stared at him for a moment, then nodded slowly. "I know. He took people from Katara and I, too. But the more Earth Citizens are harmed in the name of 'justice', the more difficult peace with Kuei, becomes. And the longer we fuel this conflict, the more our negative energy and the resulting destruction, upsets the Spirits. Especially around the coming of a New Year, when we should be calming them-"
"You're going to lecture me about ending this, about the Spirits?!" Xai Bau's face reddened. "You don't spend HALF the time with them, that I do; you saw how they reacted to your presence, yesterday! After I brought you Pathik and Koh's warnings, you're just sticking your head in the sand again-"
"I spoke to Avatar Roku in the Spirit World only an hour ago, while I was unconscious." Aang interrupted, his light grey eyes flicking in Azula's direction. "His words, not mine: 'The longer humanity's shadow factions continue their petty quarrels, trading lives like Pai Sho tiles, the more it fuels Vaatu, disrupts the balance in both realms.'" The White Lotus' eyes narrowed. "Don't lose your head, when we're so near to finishing this. Remember the oath you took, that you've held yourself to for half your life. Pathik told us before: 'The balance you seek, will come in the end.' That end is now-"
"I couldn't agree more." Xai Bau cut him off, jerking his chin in Long Feng's direction. "But if you think reaching that balance is just locking him away and waiting to see if he shows remorse, you're a bigger fool than I thought!"
"He's right." Azula moved forward, a wisp of smoke trailing upward from her nails. "Even discounting his... powers of persuasion, Long Feng has agents scattered across the Earth Kingdom. If you turn him over to the Earth King, neither his nor Zuko's Mandate will ever be truly secure. Before long, your so-called 'balance' will crumble and fall again. The only way to kill a Dragon, is to sever its' head." A smirk crossed her mouth. "If you need proof, go back to the Spirit World and ask my dear great-grandfather Roku how he passed-"
"I've known that for a long time." Aang shot her a glare. "And I've taken enough lives today." He took a slow, whistling breath, then turned back to the two men. The tattoo on his left forearm began to glow again. "But... you don't need to kill a Dragon, to stop it. You just remove its' fangs." He gestured, and Xai Bau's bonds split open. "I hoped... I'd never have to do this again. But I can promise you, Xai Bau: once I'm finished with Long Feng, he'll never be able to harm anyone else."
"Oh, and just what does 'finishing' with him, entail?" Azula snorted.
Aang didn't look at her. "The same thing I did to Ozai, after I defeated him."
The old warrior stared at him suspiciously, but Azula was suddenly intrigued. In her one conversation with her father since Sozin's Comet, only a few words had passed between them. Hard to manage more, with him in a cell and her in a straightjacket. But when she'd asked him about his battle with the Avatar, he'd immediately fallen silent. She'd been too afraid to ask more, especially with Ursa listening in the corner of her vision. Yet it had eaten away at her, all through the journey to Hira'a and afterward... She'd heard rumors, of course. But with Ozai's voice constantly muttering in her ear, invading her dreams, it was hard to believe them.
Long Feng's face went pale. Stomping his left foot, he split his restraints open, but coils of water enveloped his wrists and ankles, freezing on contact and lifting him off the ground. Katara stepped past Azula to join the Avatar, her hard gaze on the Earthbender.
Aang's tattoos and eyes began to glow more intensely as he reached out, pressing the fingers of one hand to Long Feng's collarbone, and the other to his forehead. The Grand Secretariat strained to break free, but light was already beginning to flare from his eyes as well- not the azure shade of the Avatar State, but a deep, angry orange. The glare became so intense Azula had to shield her eyes, as a rasping, agonized cry tore from the old man's throat...
As suddenly as the lights had come, they faded. Aang lowered his arms to his sides and staggered back. Katara released Long Feng, a glowing sphere of water leaping from her palm to the Airbender's injured shoulder. Long Feng slumped forward on his hands and knees. When he raised his head, his already-lined face looked a decade older. "What... did you..."
His still-functioning arm swung sideways, fingers contorted in a Bending gesture. Nothing happened. His green eyes widened. "No... she..."
"Your Earthbending... is gone." Aang exhaled heavily, looking exhausted. "Forever." He glanced at Xai Bau over Katara's shoulder. "It's over, Xai Bau."
The White Lotus still looked angry, but he collected his flail, collapsed the chain into the rods, and tucked it into his belt. A chill ran down Azula's spine, as she stared at Aang. So, this was what she'd narrowly avoided, when she'd struck him down in the Crystal Catacombs. No wonder Zuko had always followed the Avatar's good graces, after his coronation. Even Ozai had never stood a chance...
After her initial shock, she was surprised by how light she felt, how calm and still her mind had become. So, her father and Long Feng now shared the same fate... Ty Lee had been right, after all. She felt a surge of warmth in her chest, followed immediately by concern, the tension returning to her shoulders.
As if reading her mind, the acrobat rushed into the tunnel, breathing hard. The marks on her face and neck, were still visible. "Aang, Katara... Zuko needs you now."
"What's-"
"General Fong is here."