Chapter 1

Zuko was frustrated. For the last half year, ever since his… mission, he went to every corner of the world to search for clues about the Avatar. And every time he was met with a dead end. Now he was in the southern air temple with a dozen or so men of his crew. This is the last air temple for them to visit, if there will be no breakthrough after this then he will have to wonder aimlessly across the world until the Avatar will grace him with his presence. No matter, he will make his father proud even if he has to turn every rock in existence.

"Did you find something?"

Two of his soldiers ran up to him from the ruined temple.

"Nothing but skeletons your highness."

"Nothing from my side as well."

"Then whatever clues this place has will be behind that door."

And indeed behind Zuko was a massive door with an air bending lock. A remnant of the wondrous temple.

Bypassing the lock wasn't as hard as one would think, fire bending is very similar to air bending for a stone After the door was opened Zuko and his soldiers went inside. Greetings them was a cylindrical room with status.

"Again with the status…"

"I know right? The first time it was something, the second time it was still impressive but less. After that? Mhe…"

Zuko ignored his two companions and continued to walk up the room. After half an hour of aimless walk Zuko finally had enough.

"Argh! Where is he! It's the last temple, he has to leave clues somewhere!"

In his tantrum the young prince knocked a stone to a point in the wall. The wall however made a hollow sound when the stone hit it.

"Blast that wall apart!"

A few seconds later the fire blasts blew the wall away, giving way to a narrow corridor. The corridor itself was dimly lit and presented demonized drawings of all kinds of metal constructions in a flaming background. Some were standing on piles of ashen bones. Combined with the light omitted from the fire bending trio the corridor gave an unsettling feeling to say the list.

"I – I think we should turn back your highness…"

"A - agreed, this doesn't feel right."

"Come on! It's the most breakthrough we had since I started this quest!"

"I will not let this chance to regained my honor to slip by! And if we have to go through some dusty old corridor than so be it!"

"Your highness! Wait!" the two soldiers followed the banished prince as he stormed through the corridor. On their way, the walls began to show more and more disturbing scenes. The constructions became more and more bizarre and all kinds of monstrosities began to appear along the wall.

At long last they reached a room at the end of the corridor. The room was decorated with the worst paintings so far, machinery and corrupted flesh were mashed together, giving a feeling that the room was alive in some way. And in the center stood the main attraction. A lone black helmet of foreign design. It was a full masked helmet save for a diagonal slit that went up to the eyes and splinted there to two leaf shaped slits that made the eye holes. The helmet was fused to the rock it stood upon, as if someone tried to melt it but failed.

"Your highness, you had your fun but now it really is time to go!"

"What are you talking about? We just got here, now we need to find clues about the Avatar."

"There are no clues in this place, the entire thing reeks of wrongness."

"It's just a helmet in an empty room. It's just you two, me and that skeleton in the corner."

And as the prince said, there was a skeleton of some air nomad in the far corner in the room, it's pose gave the feeling that it was staring them with it's dead hollow eyeholes. The skeleton was probably one of the victims of the genocide nearly a century ago.

All three gave a collective shudder.

"I'll tell you the truth, I thought it was part of the decorations" soldier number one said.

"Anyway, the entire time I felt as if the spirits were telling me to leave this place be. I suggested we listened to them."

"No! It's the only thing we have from all this stupid search across the world! I will not return empty handed! This helmet is all we must show for our search. I refuse to journey across the world for nothing!"

The desperation in his voice was clear to hear and truthfully? The men sympathies. They all had to leave their life behind to accompany the banished prince in his task to hunt down a fairy tale in all but name and they were sick of it. While no one talked about it they all knew that they were also banished with the prince and any progress in this hunt will be welcomed.

"I suppose that some old helmet isn't that dangerous."

"Will make a good story for the folks home I guess. How are we going to get the helmet thou? It's molten to the rock."

"No, it's the rock that is molten."

Both soldiers looked oddly at the prince, something he clearly saw and explained.

"The helmet itself looks to be in a pick condition, not a piece out of place. It's only the rock that seems to be molten. So I thought that if we completely melt the rock it will free the helmet."

"But wouldn't it destroy the helmet as well?"

This time it's the other soldier who answered.

"Don't be stupid, look at it! If the helmet was so easy to destroy it would have melted with the rock! In fact, I think that this is exactly what they tried to do it but settled for the next best thing."

..."Are we sure it's still a good idea to bring it with us?"

"Come on! It's to late to back now!" the prince said as he fired his fire blast directly to the helmet. With little other choice, his two companions followed his suit. Together the three, fueled by resolve and desperation for results melted the rock in minutes.

"Huf… huf… let's not do it again."

"Agreed."

Both soldiers were tired after the melting. The element of fire depended on breathing and passion. Fire bending itself is stamina consuming and is perfect for brief overwhelming power, so it came to no surprise that the long fire stream felt like a marathon to the average fire bender.

Zuko however looked at the helmet, seemingly not tired after the ordeal. Also to be fair the young prince had his fair share of sweet, contributing most of the heat among the three. The sheer amount of the desperation he felt fueled his fire to a different level from his companions, and set a new personal record.

"It's not glowing."

The two soldiers immediately looked at the helmet that indeed, in contrast to the glowing molten rock around it, wasn't showing any sign of trauma. The glow gave an evil look to the now free helmet.

"It ain't normal."

"Agreed. So, who's going to pick it up?"

"Not me…"

Zuko's gaze was fixed on the helmet. Subcutaneously he moved to the helmet, rocks now in a more sufferable temperature, and picked it. He immediately felt how right the weight of the helmet felt, how complete he felt with it. It's as if the helmet was waiting just for him to pick it.

"Ok, let's get out of here."

Zuko was pulled out of his trance as one of the soldiers spoke. Together the three of them quickly left the hideous room with their prize. On their way they started to talk about the helmet.

"So, what do you think all this deal with the helmet was about? I mean sure, we sow a few paintings and artwork in those temples, but it always was about some harmony deal or that Avatar or another."

"Don't know Lung, it was creepy thou. I mean what was this all about? There were machines there way more advanced than anything I have seen and it was how many years in the past? Can't be less than a century. How it's even possible?"

Zuko paid no mind to the two's discussion, once he get to the ship he will ask his uncle. If there is anyone who would know about old antiques, it must be his uncle. The old man has a knock of spurring boring old saying and useless riddles.

Together the trio went beck to the ship. Unknown to them, the helmet's eyes glowed slightly in green as it scanned the new person that held it.

"Ah prince Zuko! I hope your search was successful."

"Not as I would have liked uncle. There were no clues about the Avatar, but I believe I found something else of interest."

Zuko then proceeded to show his uncle the helmet. Now without the lighting and atmosphere of the room it lacked the dangerous aura it had when first discovered. For all purposes if looked like a regular, if unique designed helmet. Quite frankly Zuko's old blue ghost mask looked scarier.

"Do you know something about it uncle? Anything related to the Avatar maybe?"

"Can't say I have nephew, also to be fair I am no expert in military equipment from a century ago. This helmet seems like it was costume made, perhaps it belonged to a high ranking officer that died here In the genocide? "

"No uncle, it was here before."

Iroh raised an eyebrow at that.

"Oh? You must have quite a story to tell. Please nephew, don't spare the details."

And Zuko proceeded to tell about his little adventure. He told in details about the corridor and the room, about all the wall paintings he encountered and about how the helmet was melted to the rock. He how ever didn't tell about how he felt during the events, it wasn't relevant information for the helmet's identity and he didn't want his uncle, the only family he had that respected him, to think that he's a cowered or insane.

"I see, quite a mystery we have here. Tell me nephew, what do you think about it?"

"I don't know uncle! If I knew I wouldn't have to ask you, would I!?"

Iroh signed in disappointment.

"Price Zuko, I know that you're at loss about your search but it's not a reason to release your frustration at the people around you, especially if they are trying to help. Now I'll ask you again, what do you think is the story behind the helmet?"

"Sorry uncle… "

After apologizing Zuko tried to answer his uncle's question.

"I really don't know what to make of it uncle. It's clear that the helmet didn't belong to the air benders, even though I found it melted to the glass. The air benders also feared it, very much."

"But if they didn't want it so much then why did they keep it then nephew?"

"I don't know uncle, maybe it was like a spoil of war? But this doesn't make sense, air benders were nomads and against possessions like this."

"Good observation prince Zuko, but if it's unwanted but still kept there than why was it there in the first place?"

"I don't know, they obviously tried to destroy it and failed. It was also done by fire bending, which is something no air nomad can do."

"True, true, than who did try to destroy it than?"

"I don't think that the air nomads would bring a fire bender to their temple just for that, even before the war I can't picture it happening."

"True, in their own way air nomads were more stubborn than any earth bender if the texts are to be believed."

"Than it can only be the Avatar uncle, it's the only thing that makes sense."

"Oh, and why is that nephew?" pride was sipping in Iroh's voice.

Sensing his uncle's approval Zuko began to tell his theory in more confidence.

"The Avatar is the most powerful fire bender, if the air nomads thought that whoever owned this mask was such a threat they would have alerted the Avatar about it. They also wouldn't have given a regular fire bender access to their island, let alone temple. But they worship the Avatar, so he would be welcomed there. Therefore, the only thing that makes sense is that the Avatar is the one who melted the rock around the helmet."

"Well done Zuko! I couldn't have done so better myself."

Zuko beamed at his uncle's praise, but his then look soured.

"But we still don't know why the Avatar tried to destroy the helmet. I mean obviously it belonged to someone who apposed the Avatar, but why try to destroy it and leave a room and a corridor full of paintings of your dead enemy?"

"This is a very good question nephew. Why indeed go to such length just to leave a memorial for future generations? It is also strange that the Avatar would try to erase any trace of his enemy, perhaps the helmet's late owner wronged the Avatar very gravely and very personally? The tale of Kuruk and Koh comes in mind."

A fear of a terrible possibility came over to the young prince.

"Can the Avatar do this? Is he going to do it to the fire nation? We did kill all the air nomads after all."

" Oh don't fear prince Zuko, as much as the Avatar may be angry about the fire nation his duty to balance and his past lives wouldn't allow him to do something so drastic. And I will be here to protect you even from the Avatar nephew, don't worry. I may be old but there is still fire in those old bones!"

"Thanks uncle… I mean it."

"Think nothing of it nephew, it's why I'm here. But this raised another concern."

"What do you mean uncle?"

"Whoever created this helmet created it in a way that even the Avatar couldn't even scratch it. It raises the question of how can someone built something that even the Avatar couldn't destroy and what does this means to us?"

"You think that there is someone out there that can build armor that even the Avatar can't match? Do you think that if we find them they will help us?"

"No no no, I honestly hope that the way to forge something like this helmet is long gone and forgotten."

"But why uncle? Isn't it good to have an ally?"

"If we are sure that they are ally then yes, but the enemy of your enemy isn't always your friend. What would stop them from turning on you after you capture the Avatar? Assuming of course that they will agree to help you at all."

"You're right uncle, I can't trust strangers. Especially when the Avatar is involved."

"Now the question is prince Zuko what to do? Both with the helmet and your search."

Zuko stood dumbfounded at the question, he feared this exact same question because he didn't know what to do now. His search for the Avatar relied on the fact that the air temples had some clue about the Avatar if not hide the Avatar itself. Now he didn't know what to do except for drifting from one hole to another until the Avatar decided to show up. His distress was apparently showing up because his uncle spoke after some time.

"Prince Zuko, take the day off, meditate on it. The answer will come to you in due time."

At his uncle's words Zuko sulked back to his room. Thoughts on his uncertain future filled his mind.

Zuko tried, he really tried to relax and meditate. But the fact that your entire life probably will be spent on jumping from one backwater corner of the world to another never to return home is not an easy one to swallow.

"ARGH!"

Crash sounds and screaming could be heard from the Prince's cabin as he trashed the place in a tantrum.

"what did I do to deserve this! All this effort for nothing! And what do I have to show for it? Some stupid mask!"

Zuko proceeded to throw said mask across the room, creating more mess and noise in the process. He than walked to the helmet. Not surprisingly it had no sign of abuse from all the throwing. Zuko then lifted it to his hands and looked at it.

"All I have to show for over six months is a stupid helmet. How much time will this stupid mission take?"

Perhaps the stress of the journey was finally showing up, maybe it was the enmity with the crew, he knows what those dirty peasants were calling him behind his back. The bottom-line is that Zuko was finally in a low enough point in his life that he started to talk to objects.

"I imagine father wouldn't be happy with my progress, not that it's something new." The last part was said quietly.

"You know now that I get a good look at you, you are one strange helmet. I can't say I have seen anything that looks like you either in the royal palace or in my banishment."

Then a thought came to him, if the helmet is indestructible from what he could see. If he sends the helmet back home for study, or better yet find himself the source or the instructions on how to create such things his father may be impressed enough to lift his banishment. After all indestructible soldiers and machines would be a game changer in the war, maybe even put an end to it.

The thought of returning home and his father's approval, as far fetched and delusional as they may be, putted the innocent prince at relative ease.

He looked at the helmet. It may be the last time he will see it before he will ship it to his father. He looked at the mirror and back to the helmet.

"Why not, may as well see how it looks on me…"

Zuko then putted the helmet on his head.

The feeling of wearing the helmet was… different. First and foremost was the fact that the helmet seemed to fit his head perfectly. The regular helmets he was forced to wear were always to big for him, which to be fair was to be expected seeing that they were designed for full grown man and not a young teenager.

The second was that Zuko could see anything. It was as if he didn't wear a helmet at all. It didn't make any sense since the helmet was a full faced one and those types of helmets didn't allow full sight.

The third was that the helmet had perfect balance, no side pulled his head down. The only discomfort he felt was from his phinex tail and even that was a minor annoyance.

When he turned to look at the mirror he yelped and took a step back in a fighting stance. Before him stood in the same stance someone in Zuko's height and armor. But what spooked the banished price was the face, or rather lack of. Were Zuko expected to see his skin and eyes he saw complete darkness, it looked like whoever designed the helmet did it so from every angle shadows covered any spot of skin that was exposed.

But what really terrified him was the eyes, or whatever demented version the helmet showed. Where he expected to see his eyes he saw glowing amber colored orbs illuminating the blackness of the eyeholes without giving any detail about what said blackness obscured. The reflection's glowing orbs, right slightly smaller then left, were slowly growing and shrinking at random times, reminding more torch fire then regular eyes.

All in all, the thing in the mirror looked more like a spirit possessed armor then a person. Because of that Zuko have to take a few moments to regain his bearing.

"I knew that this helmet was going to look creepy, but this is something else."

After Zuko regained his bearing he moved a little to the mirror and made a few poses.

"Not bad, the peasants will surely respect me with this…"

"I personally think the armor clashes a little with all the grey. Not exactly complements the black helmet."