"I'm not here to hurt you." He spoke to her slowly, as if he were trying to tame a wild polar bear dog.

His hair was longer than before. Instead of loose Earth Kingdom robes, he was wearing nondescript red pants and a gold-trimmed black shirt. He was underdressed for the polar weather but the color in his face was proof enough that he was far from freezing.

Golden eyes peered at her, lacking the unkindness she'd grown used to finding there. He kept his hands splayed in front of him even as the cold winds pushed a few raven strands onto his face.

Her mind raced as her gaze darted from the combustion bender on the glacier then to the rapidly approaching airships before returning to Zuko. Whatever game this was, she didn't have time to figure it out. Nearby, water sizzled and spat in the superheated crater left by the explosion. She needed a plan. A way out.

Before she could think to respond, she felt her ears popping. Then the air grew hotter, vibrating with energy as the pressure became unbearable. She thrust her arms up to beckon a wall of ice, only to be thrown back from the explosion. Chunks of ice rained down on her as she hit the ground hard, landing flat on her back. The force of the impact pushed the air out of her lungs. Zuko had been thrown in the opposite direction and was already responding with a barrage of flames. Katara watched him blearily as she struggled to find her breath.

From his perch, the combustion bender dodged Zuko's attacks with little effort. Katara sucked in a breath, forcing herself up to her elbows. Fighting like this wasn't a viable option.

"The deal is off, Jiang!" Zuko shouted, coming to stand between her and him.

Deal…?

"You… You know him." Not a question. An accusation. "You hired him!"

Zuko's shoulders stiffened.

"I'll pay you double," he continued severely, all but confirming it. Katara picked herself off the ground, wincing as the muscles running along her spine spasmed in protest.

In response, the combustion bender, Jiang, dropped from the glacier effortlessly, bracing himself with the metallic prosthesis she'd grown to dread. He had relentlessly hunted them down across three nations. Three elements and a boomerang had barely touched him. Katara frowned. She couldn't stop him; not with all the time in the world and certainly not with those warships seconds away from decimating her village.

A smug smile was plastered on his face as he calmly plodded toward them. He was enjoying the thought of enacting whatever torment he had planned in that thick skull. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction. Behind him, the ocean's froth-laced waves crashed onto the shore. She had her plan.

"This is your last chance," Zuko warned, raising his hands once more.

Zuko was already within range. She held her breath as she watched the combustion step closer. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the disgraced prince half turn towards her.

Three…

His brows furrowed, his mouth twisting into a confused frown.

Two…

His eyes widened.

One…

"Wait—"

It was the same look she had given him before she froze him to the wall of the spirit oasis. Exertion melded with raw strength, the look of a master waterbender who'd honed her craft. It was scary away from water. In the middle of a frozen tundra, it was downright terrifying.

The snow at their feet quivered and rose into the air. Zuko had no time to marvel at it before the three of them were plunged into an opaque mist. He heard Katara's strained grunt cut through the silence. In response, somewhere beyond the cloud cover came the roar of moving water. Blinded by the mist, he could only brace himself for impact.

A large wave slammed into his body, carrying him a few feet before freezing him in place. As the mist dissipated, he craned his neck as much as he could and spotted her retreating figure. She was running towards the outer walls of the village, where the warning calls had stopped and were replaced by distant cries. The warships had reduced their altitude in preparation for the assault.

It was no use calling out to her. She wouldn't turn around, not when her people were at risk and definitely not for him. He wriggled his fingertips, the only part of him besides his head that wasn't completely enclosed in solid ice.

A few meters away, Jiang had faced a similar fate, but only half of him was stuck in the frozen swell of the wave. He was already using his metal arm to chip away at the ice. Zuko let out a frustrated grunt. Luck had never been on his side.

Zuko closed his eyes as he focused on channeling the sun's warmth into his body. Uncle's techniques always became useful in the most unlikely situations. This was no exception. He took in slow breaths, sensing the smooth flow of chi coax his inner flame. Steam roiled between his lips, turned into small flames that dispersed onto the ice. He felt water run down the side of his icy prison as one of his hands freed itself.

A loud huff broke him out of his momentary trance. Zuko opened his eyes in time to see Jiang breaking free. He watched as the combustion bender began trudging through the snow. He was going straight for the village.

"Hey!"

Zuko focused the chi into his hand, flicking it to release a ball of flames in his direction. In the blink of an eye, Jiang had turned sharply onto his heel. He used his arm to disperse the fire into the cold air. His eyes narrowed on Zuko as he changed course, approaching him instead. Zuko sneered as the giant circled him, visibly entertained as he took his time to observe his ensnared target.

"Walk away," Zuko said, grimacing when he came to a stop in front of him. He could see it on his face; Jiang's mind was already made up. Behind him, fire lit up the skies as the airships began their merciless attack.

"Walk away and maybe I'll let you live."

Jiang raised a brow, pretending to consider it. As the tattooed eye on his forehead took aim, Zuko could feel adrenaline pour into his blood. His heart thumped hard, his chest straining against the ice. Luck had never been on his side. But he didn't need it. He didn't want it. He grit his teeth, preparing for the inevitable.

So be it.

He's here.

Katara used her bending to propel her through the snow, pushing off it with her fur-lined boots. She was half a mile from the village, spurred on by the looming threat of the ships. She shouldn't be surprised. He had been the one chasing them relentlessly for the past ten months. He was no stranger to traveling the globe if it meant getting to them, to Aang. He had played them from every angle, had given her every reason to hate him…

'I'm not here to hurt you.'

His expression had been so earnest, his voice convincing. Either he had taken some lessons in deception from his sister or—

She cut the thought short, scoffing. No. No way.

There was a single blast behind her, indication that at least one of them had escaped. Whatever arrangement they had had fallen through the cracks; the fallout would keep them occupied with each other for now. Her gaze was trained ahead as she approached the outer walls. They could both burn back there for all she cared.

"Quickly now!"

As she walked past the unoccupied guard towers, she caught sight of Shema whisking one of the village elders toward the docks. More followed, some faster, some slower; all were trying to make it out before the attack. Some cried or murmured nervously while others stayed silent, fear plastered on their faces.

"Do we have everyone?" Katara asked no one in particular. "Have the huts been cleared?"

A woman she didn't recognize turned to her. "I can check!"

Gray eyes with short dark hair, a slight nose, and delicate features. She had light skin, lighter than what she was used to seeing in her village. She couldn't be from the south. But she was here, willing to do this for her. In silent acquiescence, Katara nodded to this stranger. She could use all the help she could get.

As she watched the woman leave, she noticed a growing group of people gathered among a cluster of nearby tents. Katara cursed under her breath as she jogged toward them.

"...have to!" One person had been yelling.

"Come on!" said another.

As she approached, Katara craned her neck, catching a glimpse of someone sitting in the center of the crowd.

"No, no!" a familiar voice yowled.

"Move—" Katara growled, squirming between the body of furs and skins.

"But you must—"

"I said I'm not going! I don't want to run! I don't want to hide!"

Katara finally pushed her way through. She frowned at the squat woman sitting in her hand-carved chair. A wolf pelt was draped over her lap, and every time someone reached out to take her arm, she swatted them away with her wooden cane. At ninety-nine years old, Atta was plenty alive, by the looks of it, still kicking, and as stubborn as ever. Her wrinkled face was glowering from behind her fur-lined hood.

"The Fire Nation can have me! I'll haunt their souls for eternity!"

"Atta," Katara greeted coolly. The austere woman looked up at her, her cataracts glinting in the sun. A toothless grin spread across her face, none too kindly.

"Katara." She made a face. "Where's my gift, eh? All that worldly traveling made you lose respect for your elders."

"We've tried everything," a voice whispered in her ear. "She won't budge."

"I heard that!"

Katara took in a deep breath, trying to keep the urgency from her voice, knowing full well Atta wouldn't respond to it. "Atta, you need to leave with us." She glanced at the skies, where the ships were getting closer, bigger.

"I told ya already!" she cried. "I'm. Not. Going!"

"But your village needs you." These words caught Atta's interest. Katara stifled a groan. "We need you, Atta."

The old woman chewed her gums in careful consideration. Then a final, "No!"

This was going nowhere fast. She'd had enough. "Leave," she ordered the crowd. "Everyone go, NOW!"

Atta sat where she was, leaning back in her chair as the crowd begrudgingly dispersed and made for the docks. Katara hadn't slept properly in a week. She hadn't eaten in three days. She was exhausted, mentally spent after the failure at the Fire Nation Capital. Another warning call went off, more urgently than before.

"Those people, your people, are much more forgiving than I am. If anything happens to them here today because of your foolishness, I will haunt you, Atta. From the spirit world and beyond. Now get up. You are leaving whether you like it or not."

Atta's eyes glinted again, her gums showing.

"Ah... You're just like Kya."

Zuko struggled to keep up his defensive posture as he took several shaky steps backward. His chest strained with every breath. The cold had numbed fingertips, his ears, and nose. Not even the flow of chi could return the life to his extremities. He watched the giant trudge after him, showing no signs of slowing down in the thick snow.

And his head… That blast had knocked him down hard enough to rattle his teeth; it knocked him out for a few seconds of blissful darkness. When he'd awakened, he realized he'd been thrown several feet away. The pain in his ribs—definitely bruised, maybe broken—dulled in comparison to the all-encompassing headache that wrapped around his skull like a crown of barbs.

He could feel it now, an intense throbbing that responded to the harsh whiteness of the snow, the screaming light of the mid morning sun, everything. Staying alert felt impossible, but it never mattered more than now. Zuko felt some of his attention renew as he took the first steps into the shadow of the stone pikes. Good. He was close.

Come on.

There was another rumor about Jiang: In the poor desert town he grew up in, crime was rampant and poverty was guaranteed for most. From a young age, Jiang learned that money was the root of corruption and greed. Those who lacked it wanted it, yet those who had it always wanted more. Money was a force so powerful that it drove two feuding noblemen, brothers, to want to kill each other for a greater stake of their birthright.

As enticing as it was, it wasn't money that motivated the "Eye of the Si Wong Desert" to kill those brothers.

The steep, precipitous peaks of stone glared down at them as they stepped onto the frozen lake. Jiang stopped at the mouth of the semicircle, blocking it.

It had always been about control. No matter how much they begged, no matter how much money they offered him, he had the ultimate say in whether they lived or died. A thrill only magnified by his unique gift, one that allowed him to erase his targets with little more than a glance.

By now, it should have been obvious that he was cornered, trapped like an animal. By the looks of it, Jiang believed it, too. His black eyes flickered with malice as Zuko came to a dead stop, his back directly facing the steep peaks.

Zuko was proving to be an exceptional case; not so easy to kill after all. Jiang was enjoying this too much to flesh out the finer details, to notice the obvious cracks that would unravel his plot. Zuko took in a slow breath and let it out.

That would be enough.

The waters were rough. As much as Katara tried to calm them, she was busy making sure the elders were boarding safely and the cargo was secure. Some of the boats were too heavy, weighed down by unnecessary cookware or personal belongings; their loads had to be redistributed or left behind. All of this was taking time, of which they had very little.

Gran Gran was one of the last to board the first boat. Few words were exchanged between them; they shared a brief hug and a mutual 'I love you' before parting. Katara let out the breath she'd been holding as the sail caught the winds and the boat began its journey north. She caught a glimpse of a very resigned Atta, squashed between her fellow tribesmen and women. She would have laughed had it not been for the sudden movement she caught out of the corner of her eye. Katara turned in time to see the canisters arcing through the sky, coming straight for them.

"Shit!"

She commanded the waters with her hands, thrusting the departing boat out of range before bringing a large wave up to block the bombs careening toward them. The ensuing blast tore through the water, sending Katara to the ground. Behind her, the remaining villagers scrambled back, watching in terror. The four airships were advancing quickly, preparing to overrun them.

"Get back! Now!" she cried, retreating further into the village with the others.

Her head was still pounding from the last volley when the next one came. Just as she'd done a hundred times before, she erected a wall of ice, angling it over herself and those huddled near her. Children screamed while their terror-stricken mothers held them close. As the ground shuddered beneath them, the surrounding snow blazed orange. The ice wall began to crumble and melt from the heat of the blasts. Before it could topple on top of them, she used an arm to quickly erect supporting beams. They, too, shook precipitously until the firing suddenly stopped.

Katara hurled their broken cover at the airships, watching dismayed as they burst upon impact and left little more than a smear of frost behind. During the barrage, the airships had passed over them completely. Katara watched their rudders turn sharply as they began circling back for more. Around them, the once standing huts had been completely leveled. Tents were in flames, curing racks splintered in heaps. The barrage had left the pier ruined, along with the moorings holding the ships in place. Some of the vessels floated out of reach, while others had been destroyed completely, turned into nothing more than driftwood. Another passby would decimate the rest of the boats, erasing any chance at escape. From her place on the ground, Katara wouldn't be able to keep this up for long.

She searched the nervous faces. There was no sign of the strange woman, but she did spot a friend in the crowd.

"Shema!" She caught the woman's eye. "I need you to gather everyone to the shoreline outside the walls. Those airships are targeting the village. You'll all be safer there."

"What about you?"

Katara turned to the nearest airship, noticing the cargo bay doors swing open as the second wave began on the other end of the village.

"I'm going to stop them."

She had a working theory, but she'd have to take to the skies in order to test it. She rummaged through her pockets, thanking the spirits when she felt the smooth porcelain of Appa's whistle. Aang had given it to her the morning of the eclipse, 'just in case.' She had to remember to thank him later, too, when she had escaped this hell once and for all.

Taking it between her fingers she held it up to her lips and blew.

The ice was already compromised from his crash landing. He felt it shudder beneath him as Jiang took his first step onto the frozen lake. The combustion bender didn't seem to notice. Maybe vibrations didn't travel well through the steel-toed boots he wore. That, or maybe he was too thrilled at the idea of killing the prince of the Fire Nation, disgraced or not, to notice.

"My sister sent you, didn't she?" he said slowly. His joints groaned as he discretely loosened his stance, bending at the knees, lowering his head, and bracing his arms. He was coiled up like a spring, ready to burst.

When they were kids, he would often race Azula along their private beach at Ember Island. Zuko was never the best fighter, nor was he the best bender, but he'd always been fast on his feet. They used to mark the finish line with shells and pebbles, and after he beat her one too many times, Azula planted an especially sharp shell on his side of the line. He still had the scar, on the bottom of his foot, where it had punctured his flesh.

Punishment for flying too close to the sun.

Jiang's response was the same as always: a smug grin on an otherwise serious face. He took in a deep breath as he prepared to generate what he thought would be the killing blow.

"Yeah," Zuko breathed, answering for him.

As he charged his shot, Zuko bolted toward him, pushing off the slick snow with all his strength. When he was within range, he collapsed onto one haunch so he could slide on the ice towards Jiang. As he glided closer, the pressure in the air became unbearable. He watched Jiang's eyes widen as he realized too late what was about to happen. Zuko smirked. All that ability and yet he was powerless to stop it.

The blast, a million degrees of pure energy, ripped past his head and struck the ice behind him. As it shattered into a thousand pieces, shards of ice bit into his skin. The pain was soon numbed by freezing water as they were plunged into the blackness of the pond.