CHAPTER 56: Old flame
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Only light can."
As the caravan finally started leaving behind the prison, Zuko thought about the spy.
It could not be someone outside his inner circle.
The information Azula had about him and Katara was too specific, too intimate.
It meant that the spy had to be someone close to him, someone with access to his private affairs.
His thoughts turned to his advisors and confidants - his most trusted allies.
But the more he considered each of them, the less certain he became.
How could he accuse any of them without solid evidence?
And even if he could identify the spy, what would he do then?
Zuko wished that he could speak to Aang.
As he looked out the small window in the caravan, he wondered whether his dear friend, Nii and Toph had made it to the Eastern Air Temple by now.
He exhaled deeply, the feeling of guilt washing over him.
If Katara had stayed with Aang way back then, she would probably be happy over there somewhere, singing along with songs of peace or something in this very moment.
Zuko pushed the image out of his head.
He knew he needed to tread even more carefully now.
To gather more information.
And he knew that he could not afford to let Katara's safety be compromised.
She was the love of his life, Zuko was sure of it, and he would do whatever it took to protect her.
And her image.
He would have to send her away.
She would be much more safe around Aang.
Zuko thought about their relationship.
He loved her with all of his heart.
But the risk of her staying with him here was simply too great, he realized that now.
He could not bear the thought of anything happening to Katara because of his love for her.
He knew it would not be easy to convince her to leave, but he believed that it was the only way.
He refused to let this be any different.
Suddenly, Zuko noticed a flicker of movement that caught his eye through the small window of the caravan.
Instinctively, he turned to look, but before he could fully process what he saw, a sharp crack split the air, and a metal arrow slammed into the window beside him, shattering the glass and sending a spray of shards cascading through the air.
Zuko coiled back, narrowly avoiding the deadly projectile as it embedded itself in the wooden frame just inches from his face.
The realization hit him like a physical blow.
They were under attack.
Panic surged through his entire body.
Zuko tried to think quickly and decisively, while outside, the sound of shouting filled the air as his loyal soldiers sprang into action, soon fighting valiantly against the unseen assailants.
His heart pounded violently in his chest and adrenaline coursed through his veins.
It had to be the loyalists.
He prepared himself to leave the caravan and face the battle outside.
But just in that split second, Zuko felt as though time itself suddenly slowed to a crawl.
In an instant, every heartbeat echoed in his ears, and every breath felt heavy and labored.
His senses sharpened, and out of the blue, every detail around him became painfully vivid.
The air itself seemed to thicken, charged with anticipation and foreboding.
Zuko's heart pounded in his chest, each beat reverberating through his body like a drum. In a flash, he felt the weight of his own mortality press down on him.
And all of a sudden, there was a moment of eerie silence.
A brief, suspended pause in the chaos of battle.
It was as if the world held its breath, waiting with bated breath for the inevitable eruption of violence.
And then it came - a familiar sharp crackling, like the breaking of a dam, followed by a rushing sound of something ferocious blasting through the air like thunder mixed with another crackle of the oncoming explosion.
Zuko's heart lurched in his chest as he recognized the sound for what it was - a combustion bender firing off a blast in a, to him, unknown direction - the prelude to a deadly onslaught, the harbinger of destruction.
The caravan shuddered violently as the blast hit, sending shockwaves rippling through the air, and Zuko felt the impact reverberate through the wooden structure around him.
With a deafening roar, the explosion striked the animals pulling the caravan, a cacophony of sound reverberating through the air like a thunderclap, and the caravan lurched to the side, tilting dangerously.
Zuko felt his instincts kick in, and he braced himself against the side of the caravan, his hands gripping the edges with white-knuckled intensity.
The world seemed to spin around him as the caravan teetered, the ground rushing up to meet them, and then, with a sickening thud, the caravan toppled over onto its side, sending Zuko sprawling to the floor.
He grunted in pain as he hit the hard wooden surface, his head swimming with dizziness.
Outside, the chaos continued.
Zuko could hear the shouts of his soldiers, the clash of weapons, the crackling of flames as they consumed everything in their path.
But inside the overturned caravan, everything was eerily quiet, the air thick with dust and smoke.
With a groan, Zuko pushed himself upright, his muscles screaming in protest.
He cast a wary glance around the interior of the caravan, and through the haze of dust and smoke, he suddenly saw the door of the caravan being opened above him, before a slim figure slid down - a figure he never expected to see again.
Zuko's heart skipped a beat as he recognized the familiar silhouette of Mai, his former girlfriend, stepping forward through the haze of dust with a determined expression on her face.
"Mai?" Zuko breathed, surprise and genuine disbelief washing over him.
He could hardly believe his eyes.
What was she doing here, in the midst of this chaos?
But there was no time for questions.
Without hesitation, Mai rushed forward, her movements swift and purposeful.
She reached out a hand and pulled Zuko to his feet, her grip firm and steady.
"Come on," she said, her voice urgent but strangely calm. "We need to get out of here."
Zuko furrowed his brows at her, but he nodded, his mind reeling with confusion.
He followed Mai's lead, as she led him through the wreckage of the overturned caravan, her steps sure and steady despite the chaos around them.
As they emerged into the open air, Zuko was helped by a couple of strong hands that belonged to some guy, who was apparently here on mission with Mai.
The guy was tall and muscular, with a rugged, determined look in his brown eyes.
Zuko did not recognize him, but there was something about him that felt familiar, as if they had met before.
The guy gave Zuko a curt nod, his expression grim.
"Name's Kei Lo," he said, his voice rough but steady. "Here to help."
Suddenly, another crackle pierced the air, louder and more ominous than before, causing Zuko's heart to sink as he recognized yet again the telltale sound of another combustion blast being unleashed.
"Move!" Kei Lo shouted, and with a sense of urgency, all three of them jumped down from the caravan before their footsteps pounded against the ground as they raced away from the danger behind them.
The air crackled with energy as the combustion blast hurtled towards them, and as the explosion hit the caravan, Zuko felt the heat on his back, the sound of it roaring in his ears like a vengeful beast.
"Keep going!" Mai urged, her voice strained but determined, her eyes were fixed on the horizon ahead.
With every ounce of strength they possessed, they pressed on, driven by the desperate need to escape the destructive path of the explosion.
Behind them, the caravan shattered in a fury of flames and wooden projectiles that flew off in every direction, and the three of them ran for their lives, further and further into the forest.
They did not stop, not even when their muscles ached and their lungs burned with exertion.
They pushed themselves onward, driven by a relentless determination to seemingly put as much distance as possible between themselves and the danger they left behind.
Finally, when they could run no more, they came to a halt, their chests heaving with exertion.
They stood in silence for a moment, hands on their knees as they caught their breaths, the sound of their heartbeats echoing loudly in the air.
They exchanged weary glances, their eyes reflecting a mix of exhaustion and relief.
Zuko felt gratitude well up within him, mingling with a sense of disbelief at the unexpected turn of events.
He looked at them, his former flame and this stranger who had both risked their lives to save him.
"Thank you," he said, his voice hoarse with emotion.
The words felt inadequate, insufficient to express the depth of his gratitude, but they were all he had in that moment.
Mai met his gaze with a solemn nod, her expression unreadable.
There was a hint of something in her eyes, but Zuko could not bring himself to dwell on it.
And then, there was Kei Lo, the stranger who had appeared out of nowhere to lend a helping hand.
Zuko did not know much about him, but there was something about the set of his jaw, the determination in his eyes, that spoke about his character. Zuko found himself grateful for his presence, grateful for the unexpected ally he had found in the midst of chaos.
Together, they stood in silence for a moment, the weight of their shared experience hanging heavy in the air.
Zuko felt like there was some sort of tension between the two of them, some unspoken questions or doubts that lingered beneath the surface.
But right now, in this moment, none of that really mattered to him.
"I need to get back to the palace," he stated as he straightened his composure.
His mind traveled to Katara and he hoped for everything in the world that she was safe.
"We've got komodo rhinos a bit further up North," Mai breathed dryly, seemingly totally unfazed by what was going on around her. "It'll take us about twenty minutes, I think. Then, we'll take you home."
They soon started walking North.
They walked together in silence for a while.
Zuko's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts as he walked, his gaze fixed in the path ahead but his thoughts drifting back to the past.
He thought about Katara.
And their relationship.
He thought about his sister and the New Ozai Society.
And the spy within his inner circle.
But as Mai walked beside him, Zuko could not help but to also think about his earlier relationship with her, the memories of their time together flooding back to him with startling clarity.
It was strange, seeing her again after all this time.
She looked beautiful as always.
There was such a timeless quality to her, a quiet strength that had always seemed to captivate him a little.
Zuko and Mai had parted ways on less-than-ideal terms, their relationship ending in heartache and bitterness.
And yet, here she was, by his side once more.
Zuko found his gaze shifting casually to Kei Lo.
Mai and Kei Lo seemed to share some sort of bond, a familiarity in the way they moved together that seemed to go beyond mere friendship.
Zuko could not help but to wonder about the nature of their relationship.
He stole a glance at Mai, but her expression remained inscrutable, her thoughts and emotions hidden behind a mask of stoicism like always.
And Kei Lo, too, seemed lost in his own thoughts, his gaze fixed on the thick shrubbery ahead.
Zuko found himself unable to shake the curiosity that gnawed at him, and as the silence between them became almost palpable, he felt prompted to finally break it.
"So, how do you two know each other?" Zuko heard himself ask as they made their way through the forest.
There was a brief pause, an awkward silence that stretched between them as Mai hesitated, her expression guarded.
Finally, Mai clears her throat, her voice steady but tinged with a hint of reluctance.
"We met through my father," she said, her tone clipped and formal.
Zuko raised an eyebrow at her, his curiosity piqued.
He took a look at Kei Lo and wondered what he could possibly be doing with Mai's father. He seemed far too young to just be a random friend.
"Your father?" Zuko repeated, his voice tinged with surprise.
Mai gave him a terse nod, her gaze flickering away cryptically.
Zuko could sense that there was more to the story than Mai was letting on, so he kept quiet, waiting for her to indulge him even further.
"There's something you need to know," she began, her voice quiet but resolute.
Zuko took a deep breath.
"My father," she said slowly, as Zuko turned to look at her. "He's part of the New Ozai Society."
The words hit Zuko like a punch to the stomach, and he felt his heart skip a beat.
He had suspected that the society had deep connections, but hearing it confirmed from Mai, of all people, was jarring.
He struggled to process the revelation.
Zuko could not believe that Ukano, his former father in law, was fighting to throw him off the throne.
"And Kei Lo," Mai continued, glancing at the guy beside her. "He was an early member of the society. But he switched sides. That's why we came to rescue you. We knew about the attack and rushed to stop them from killing you."
Zuko exhaled in a deep sigh, not quite knowing how to take all of this new information in.
His gaze turned to Kei Lo.
"It's true," Kei Lo said, as he stepped forward, his expression earnest. "I joined the New Society when I thought they were just loyalists wanting to preserve the golden traditions of the Fire Nation. But I soon realized how coldhearted and dangerous they are. I'm not a killer, and I can't just stand by and let them harm innocent people. Not even you, Fire Lord."
Zuko's mind reeled with this new information.
The New Ozai Society, a group dedicated to his downfall, and Mai's father, one of its members. His and Katara's secret was out. And then there was this stranger, Kei Lo, once part of their ranks, now standing by his side.
The complexity of the situation felt almost overwhelming to him.
"Mai," Zuko breathed hoarsely, his voice laden with emotion. "Thank you for telling me. And Kei Lo? Thank you for your help. I... I don't know what to say."
Mai looked at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of regret and resolve.
"I know it's a lot to take in, Zuko. But we're here to help you," she said before she stepped forward, lifting her hand to rest it gently on his shoulder. "We don't agree with my father. You're doing the right thing as Fire Lord, and I believe in you."
Zuko blinked at Mai, feeling his heart flow warm and heavy with a renewed sense of gratitude.
He nodded at her, still not knowing what to say.
The three of them soon reached the area where the komodo rhinos were tethered, and Zuko felt a wave of relief wash over him.
He would soon be back at the palace.
Back with Katara.
The powerful, armored creatures stood patiently, and Zuko, Mai and Kei Lo quickly mounted the beasts, their movements swift and practiced despite the tension hanging in the air.
They urged the rhinos forward, the massive animals moving with surprising grace and speed through the forest.
The rhythmic pounding of their hooves against the ground provided a steady backdrop for the thoughts that kept racing through Zuko's mind.
As they made their way back towards the royal palace, the silence between them was eventually broken by Mai.
Her voice was quiet but urgent, carrying a weight of seriousness that commanded Zuko's full attention.
"Zuko," she began, her eyes fixed ahead as they rode. "There's something else you need to know. I've been hearing whispers about a plan. Something big."
Zuko glanced at her.
"What kind of plan?"
Mai took a deep breath, her expression troubled.
"I've heard they might try to break Azula and Ozai out of the capital prison. I don't know if it's true, but the rumors are persistent. If they manage to free them..."
She trailed off, the implications of such an event hanging heavily in the air.
Zuko felt a chill run down his spine at the thought of his father and sister free again, their combined power and cunning a dire threat to the stability of the Fire Nation.
Even without Ozai's bending.
"We need to increase the security at the prison immediately," Zuko stated decisively. "We can't let them succeed."
Mai nods in agreement.
"I thought you'd say that," she breathed, a slight twinkle barely perceptible in her eyes. "We'll need the best guards. Perhaps a few trusted allies from outside the Fire Nation, to ensure that the prison is secure."
Zuko narrowed his eyes at her.
"Kyoshi warriors?" he wondered out loud.
Mai's lips curled into a smile and she nodded swiftly.
And as they continued their journey back to the palace, Zuko's mind raced with plans and contingencies.
Asking the Kyoshi warriors for their help to protect the prison was a great idea.
The imposing silhouette of the royal palace soon came into view, and Zuko felt a mixture of relief and having to hurry even more, as the familiar sight of his home towered before them.
The komodo rhinos' steady pace slowed as they neared the palace courtyard, and Zuko, Mai and Kei Lo soon dismounted the beasts in swift movements.
The palace guards snapped to attention, their expressions a mix of surprise and urgency, as they rushed to meet the trio.
One of the guards, a captain Zuko recognized, stepped forward, his face pale and drawn with worry.
"Fire Lord Zuko," he begins, his voice trembling slightly. "There's been an incident at the capital prison."
Zuko's heart sank in his chest, a cold dread settling in immediately.
He exchanged a quick, apprehensive glance with Mai before addressing the captain.
"What happened?" he asked, his voice steadier than he felt.
The captain took a deep breath, visibly struggling to maintain his composure.
"Azula has escaped," he stated, the words hitting Zuko like a punch to the face. "A large group of people managed to break in, and she... She's gone."