Please Read/Author Note - End of Hiatus
Hello, it's been a while. I won't take up your time, but I AM BACK, BABY, and I think I am ready to start working on this story. I've retconned all of Book 3 (3-4) chapters, so not much there, but they still might appear later and revised. Listen, the last time I updated this story truly was 1-2 years ago. I've grown greatly as a writer, and the same mistakes that you saw before in my old chapters have been pounded out and fixed or in the process of. I know people are going to have a lot to say about this chapter.
But I know the direction and I want to take my own spin on it. I think people are going to really like it. I want to say thank you to the many people that have followed, favorited, and even reviewed this story during my long hiatus. Thank you, and I appreciate all of you. Drop a review after you read this chapter. It's the final for Book 2. I know, I already uploaded a prior one.
This one, this "New" one has undergone revisions. The last one was eight pages; this one was 22. With that, thanks for reading this author note. Best regards and thank you for joining me on this journey. Remember to follow, favorite, and review!
PS: All of book 1 has practicully been reedited. Now, I fixed the issues with grammar, punctuation, etc. So, now it's a smoother read. I hope you guys enjoy!
Chapter 66: The Crossroads of Destiny - Part II
Deep beneath the Earth Kingdom palace sprawled an ancient labyrinth of pathways and catacombs, centuries-old passages shrouded in darkness, untouched by human footfall save for the rarest of occasions. Some corridors remained bereft of any flicker of light, devoid of torches or natural lanterns to pierce the gloom.
Yet, there they were, what remained of Team Avatar—Ben, Aang, and Sokka, accompanied by the venerable Iroh—venturing deeper into the abyss. Guided by the unspoken connection between Ben and Ty Lee, they had unearthed this hidden realm, aided further by a map and the earthbending prowess of their companions.
"Ben, mind if I ask you something?" Aang's voice broke through the oppressive silence, his words a beacon in the darkness.
Ben nodded, his torch casting eerie shadows against the ancient stone walls as he awaited Aang's query. "Go ahead," he encouraged.
Aang drew a deep breath, the weight of his words palpable in the still air. "Do you remember the guru? He taught me so much," he began, his voice tinged with a mixture of reverence and uncertainty. "About opening my chakras, facing my guilt, confronting my past…"
Listening intently, Ben absorbed Aang's revelations, his brow furrowing with concern. "And what happened?" he prompted gently, his gaze fixed on the young Avatar.
Aang sighed, his steps faltering momentarily as he wrestled with his thoughts. "He told me I must let go of my attachments. That I must learn to release Katara…" he confessed, his voice heavy with emotion.
Ben's hand instinctively moved to the nape of his neck, a gesture of discomfort as he grappled with Aang's revelation. "So, he wanted you to relinquish Katara, or simply to free yourself from attachment?" he mused aloud.
"Is there a distinction?" Aang retorted, his tone edged with frustration.
"There is," Ben replied, his voice measured yet firm. "Learning to let go is not the same as giving up. It's about accepting that life is transient, that we must adapt and evolve."
"But Katara is not lost to me," Aang protested, his voice rising with defiance. "She's still here, she's my friend, my love…"
"I understand, Aang, believe me," Ben interjected, his tone soothing yet resolute. "But perhaps the guru's lesson was not about forsaking your feelings, but rather about preparing for the inevitable uncertainties of life."
Aang turned away, his expression conflicted, but Ben's hand halted his retreat. "During your battle with Ozai, there will be no room for hesitation or doubt," Ben asserted, his grip firm yet gentle. "Perhaps the guru sought to prepare you for the sacrifices demanded by destiny."
Aang swallowed hard, his resolve faltering beneath the weight of Ben's words, yet his gaze remained fixed on the uncertain path ahead.
Ben empathized deeply with Aang's turmoil, his frustration simmering beneath a veneer of understanding. He couldn't help but harbor a pang of resentment toward the Monk, his failure to elucidate the nuances of his teachings leaving both Aang and Ben adrift in a sea of confusion and doubt.
As they navigated the labyrinthine corridors, Ben grappled with his own inner conflict, acutely aware of the weight resting on Aang's young shoulders. While he had endured his own share of trials and tribulations, slowly reconciling with his past, Aang still wrestled with the weight of his destiny, its purpose eluding his grasp like a slippery specter.
Perhaps, Ben mused, there would come a moment when Aang would be forced to confront an impossible choice, torn between his loyalty to Katara and the inexorable march toward his destiny. Was this the lesson the Guru sought to impart—to instill in Aang a sense of trust, of faith, to empower him to let go when necessary?
The echo of Aang's voice cut through the silence, a plaintive cry for reassurance amidst the shadows. "What if Katara needs us? What then?"
Ben's response was measured, his tone laced with conviction born of hard-won experience. "You must place your trust in our collective strength, Aang," he counseled, drawing on the lessons gleaned from his own trials within the Sith Temple. "Katara is resilient, capable. You cannot allow fear to cloud your judgment, to distract you from the path ahead."
Aang's next question pierced the stillness like a blade, its sincerity disarming. "And what of Ty Lee? Have you learned to let go?"
Ben's breath caught in his throat, the weight of Aang's inquiry bearing down upon him. He recalled Ty Lee's laughter, her infectious smile, and the ache of inevitability settled in his heart. "Not yet," he admitted, his voice tinged with regret. "But one day, I will. For the sake of our mission, I must."
Silence enveloped them, a heavy shroud draped over their conversation until Aang's voice shattered the stillness once more, his uncertainty palpable. "So, attachments are wrong, then?"
Ben shook his head slowly, his expression tinged with a hint of exasperation. "You misunderstand, Aang," he sighed, grappling with the daunting task of imparting wisdom to one so young. "Love, attachment—they are not inherently wrong. It is the unchecked passions they ignite that pose a danger. But love, true love…it is a beacon of light in the darkest of times. It will guide you, save you."
Aang absorbed Ben's words, a flicker of understanding igniting within his eyes as he nodded slowly, the weight of his burden eased ever so slightly by the promise of love's enduring embrace.
"I reckon I get it now," Aang murmured, his gaze fixed on the path ahead, the weight of his words hanging heavy in the air. "There ain't nothin' wrong with how I feel 'bout Katara. But as the Avatar, reckon I gotta learn to loosen my grip. Not let her slip away entirely, but when the reckonin' comes…gotta reckon with separatin' myself from the tangible, doin' what must be done."
A smirk tugged at the corners of Ben's lips. "Precisely," he affirmed, striding over to Aang and delivering a playful slap to the back of his shaven head. Aang winced, but a grin broke through the discomfort as Ben sauntered off, his laughter echoing through the cavern.
"You've come a long way, Benjamin," Aang called after him.
As Aang forged ahead, Ben paused for a moment, his thoughts swirling like leaves in a storm. Ty Lee, Katara, Sokka…even Aang himself had noted the change in him. Yet Ben knew better than to rest on his laurels. The ghosts of his past still whispered their warnings, a reminder that the shadows of his former self lurked just beneath the surface.
He cast his mind back to the illusions within Exar Kun's caverns, to the specter of the Dark Side that had nearly consumed him. It was his grief, his rage, his refusal to confront his past that had birthed such a malevolent force. He had to confront it, to heal from it, to ensure it never tainted his future or that of his fledgling Jedi Order.
"That was mighty wise of ya, Master Jedi," came a voice from behind.
Ben turned to find Iroh, the grizzled old man clad in the Earth Kingdom's robes, approaching with a knowing glint in his eye. For a moment, Ben was reminded of Bill, the old mentor who had guided him on this path of redemption.
"Just reckon I spoke from the heart," Ben replied, meeting Iroh's gaze with a mixture of curiosity and respect.
Iroh nodded, his gaze lingering on Ben with a hint of somberness. "You remind me of my nephew," he confessed.
"Zuko? Thought he was your boy," Ben ventured, his brow furrowing with confusion.
Iroh shook his head slowly. "Nephew he may be, but my own son passed during the sieges of Ba Sing Sai, many moons ago."
"First sieges," Ben muttered, the pieces of a dark puzzle slotting into place within his mind. Jet's venomous tirades against the Fire Nation, against the once-great General Iroh, now took on a chilling clarity.
"Is that why you ceased your assault on the Earth Kingdom?" Ben inquired, his voice measured, eyes probing for the truth buried beneath Iroh's weathered exterior.
For a moment, Iroh's response hung in the air like the breath before a storm, pregnant with unspoken truths. "Perhaps," he finally admitted, his tone weighted with the burden of memory. "It was a time of reckoning, a time when I was forced to confront the sins of my past. I've borne witness to the atrocities wrought by the Fire Nation and the Sith, seen the darkness festering within the hearts of men."
Ben's brow furrowed, a ripple of uncertainty coursing through him. He pondered the path his former self might have taken in this moment, the impulse to mete out justice tinged with vengeance. But he steeled himself against such base instincts, determined to rise above the shadows of his past.
"Am I truly akin to Zuko?" he queried, his voice laced with skepticism. "You hardly know me, with all due respect."
"None taken," Iroh replied, his gaze steady. "It's in the way you carry yourselves. Each burdened with a legacy that must be redeemed, a darkness to be vanquished. Zuko bears the scars of his father's cruelty, his heart twisted by the weight of his lineage. And you, young Jedi, carry the weight of restoring your Order to its former glory."
Ben's eyes widened in realization, the parallel between himself and Zuko casting a sobering light on their shared struggles. "His father…hurt him?" he murmured, the revelation striking a chord deep within him.
Iroh nodded solemnly. "The mark of his father's abuse is plain to see," he confirmed, his voice heavy with sorrow. "Just as your own scars bear witness to the trials you've endured."
As the weight of Iroh's words settled upon him, Ben's gaze fell to the ground, lost in the depths of his own thoughts. And so, beneath the cavern's oppressive silence, the tale of Zuko's tumultuous life unfolded, each word a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.
Meanwhile, on the far side of the cavern, a voice shattered the stillness, carrying with it a hint of familiarity that stirred something deep within Zuko's soul.
"Zuko!"
Ty Lee's voice rang out like a beacon in the darkness, pulling him from his reverie. As she enveloped him in an unexpected embrace, Zuko's world shifted on its axis. Here, in the depths of captivity, he found solace in the presence of a friend—a friend transformed, stronger, more resolute than he had ever known her to be.
"Ty Lee," Zuko repeated, his tone tinged with surprise, a far cry from the usual anger that would have ignited at the touch of one of Azula's lackeys. "What brings you here?"
Ty Lee's gaze drifted upward, settling on Katara's approaching figure, a flicker of frustration flashing across her features at the sight of Zuko. Yet, she brushed aside the tension, her voice calm as she began to unravel the tangled web of their journey.
"It's a tale as twisted as any," she started, recounting her capture by bandits, her daring escape, and the revelation of her hidden connection to the Force, all amidst the backdrop of Omashu's liberation and her apprenticeship as a Jedi under Ben's guidance. Zuko listened, his expression a mix of disbelief and wonder, struggling to absorb the deluge of information.
"Whoa, Ty Lee," he muttered, a hand absently reaching for his temple as he grappled with the magnitude of her revelations. "That's…quite the story."
Ty Lee's smirk hinted at a sense of pride as she rose from her seat, crossing the space to join Katara. "Ty Lee," Katara began, her voice heavy with concern. "What's going to happen to us?"
A sigh escaped Ty Lee's lips, her gaze dropping as she weighed the uncertainty of their fate. "I wish I knew," she admitted, her fingers tracing absent circles on her neck. "Azula's unpredictable. I know Arya's out for blood, but as for the rest of us…"
Katara's grimace mirrored the turmoil within her, her hands seeking solace in the cool touch of her temples. "What do we do, Ty Lee?" she implored.
But Ty Lee fell silent, her thoughts consumed by the uncertain future looming before them. Trapped within their cell, abandoned by Azula, they were at the mercy of fate's capricious hand.
Then, a thunderous crash shattered the stillness, rocks and earth erupting from the walls with explosive force. Their eyes widened in astonishment as Team Avatar burst into view, a beacon of hope in the darkness.
Ben rushed to Ty Lee's side, pulling her into a kiss, while Sokka's cry for Katara echoed through the chamber. Iroh approached Zuko, offering a guiding hand as they rose to meet their rescuers.
Turning to Aang, Katara, and Sokka, Ben's voice rang out with urgency. "We need to leave, now. Ba Sing Sai isn't safe anymore."
The trio nodded in solemn agreement, their resolve firm in the face of imminent danger. With a grimace, Ben brushed aside the lingering shadows of doubt—they had to flee, to regroup, to fight another day.
But before they could depart, Ty Lee's voice pierced the tension, a grim warning hanging heavy in the air. "Ben," she spoke, her words laden with dread. "Arya and Rowan, they're here."
A surge of anger coursed through Ben, his body tensing with the weight of his emotions. But he quelled the rising tide of vengeance, knowing that Jet wouldn't have wanted bloodshed in his name. They had to escape this place, leave it behind in their wake.
"Come on, let's get out of here," Ben urged, his voice a steely resolve cutting through the chaos around them.
With Ben's command, Team Avatar surged forward, their footsteps echoing through the labyrinthine tunnels of Ba Sing Sai. The air crackled with tension, the promise of escape hanging tantalizingly close.
But then, a bolt of lightning rent the air, sending them sprawling to the ground, their bodies battered by the force of the attack.
"Azula," Ty Lee murmured, her voice tinged with disbelief as she beheld the figure of the Fire Nation princess before her.
For a moment, Ty Lee was transported back to a time of torment and cruelty, the memories of Azula's abuse flooding her mind like a torrential downpour. She squeezed her eyes shut, a surge of pain and fear threatening to overwhelm her.
But then she felt Ben's reassuring presence beside her, his touch a lifeline in the darkness. When she opened her eyes, it was to find Ben standing firm, his defiance a silent challenge to Azula's tyranny.
With a deft motion, Ben drew his lightsaber, its bronze glow casting an otherworldly aura around them. Ty Lee watched in awe as Ben faced down Azula, a mere mortal confronting a force of nature.
In that moment, Ty Lee recalled the words of Jet, the prophecy of their inevitable clash. "Today is the day," she whispered to herself, her gaze fixed on Azula's seething form.
"Hello, Traitor," Azula spat, her voice dripping with venomous hatred. Ty Lee felt a shiver run down her spine, a sense of foreboding settling over her like a heavy cloak.
But Ty Lee refused to cower in the face of Azula's wrath. Drawing upon her connection to the Force, she met Azula's gaze with unyielding resolve.
"You've always terrified me," Ty Lee admitted, her voice steady despite the fear coursing through her veins. "But now I see you for what you truly are—a frightened child, desperate for love and validation."
Azula's rage erupted like a tempest, her lightning-fast attack aimed at Ty Lee. But Ty Lee was ready, her lightsaber leaping into her hands as she met the onslaught head-on. With a surge of power, she redirected Azula's fury, channeling it into the blade of her weapon.
In that moment, Ty Lee stood as a beacon of defiance, her courage and strength defying the darkness that threatened to consume them all.
Moving forward, Azula and Ty Lee, once allies, now adversaries, engaged in a fierce duel within the clandestine depths of the underground caverns beneath the royal palace.
Ben observed the Dai Lee agents emerging from the shadows as Katara and Aang sprang into action, Sokka brandishing a rusted sword as he joined the fray against the sinister agents of darkness. Bending and the Force clashed in a cacophony of combat as good and evil collided in a battle for supremacy.
"Where's Iroh?" Sokka called out amidst the chaos.
Katara, focused on bending a shield to protect Aang, replied, "He was here one moment, gone the next!"
"Typical," Sokka retorted, his boomerang finding its mark with deadly accuracy against a Dai Lee Agent.
Ben surged forward, his bronze blade cutting through the enemy ranks with precision. Katara and Aang, in tandem, unleashed a water squid, its watery tentacles ensnaring any who dared draw near. Meanwhile, Sokka's whereabouts remained a mystery.
"Thanks, babe!" Ty Lee cheered, dodging a fireball as she and Azula made their escape from the main fray.
As Ben dispatched another foe with a swift stroke of his lightsaber, he caught sight of Sokka disappearing into one of the pipes. A smirk played upon Ben's lips as he pondered Sokka's intentions, a mix of confidence and concern churning within him.
Azula unleashed a torrent of blue flame towards Ty Lee, who countered with a makeshift shield of earth. Despite the onslaught, Ty Lee stood her ground, her determination unwavering.
But Azula was relentless, her fury fueling her firebending as she shattered Ty Lee's defense. With Katara and Aang now fighting independently, the tide of battle shifted.
Ben remained at the forefront, his every move a deadly dance of death against the Dai Lee Agents. Ty Lee seized her opportunity, unleashing a powerful force push that caught Azula off guard.
In a burst of smoke and agony, Azula was hurled backward, crashing into a wall with a sickening thud. Blood dribbled from her lips, her arm twisted at an unnatural angle as she writhed in pain.
Blood spattered, Azula crumpled to the ground, her once-immaculate facade now a mask of pain and fury. Ty Lee advanced, relentless in her pursuit, inch by inch, step by step. Azula lay broken, her haughty demeanor shattered along with her body.
"What did you...what did you do!" Azula's scream reverberated with pain and fury, echoing through the cavernous depths.
Ty Lee gazed upon her fallen adversary, her mind momentarily drifting to days of childhood innocence, ducks, and the haunting mystery of Zuko's missing mother, Ursa. Yet, the bitter taste of Azula's cruelty brought her back to the harsh reality of their fractured bond.
With brown hair flowing and Ben's blade ablaze in her hands, Ty Lee confronted Azula. "We are not friends anymore," she declared, her words cutting through the air like a chilling wind. "Azula, whatever you believe between us is gone."
Azula, consumed by anger and tears from the pain, glared at Ty Lee. "You think you can be done with me?" she scoffed, a manic laughter bubbling from her lips. "For this, I am going to have your head!"
Undeterred, Ty Lee maintained her steely gaze. "You think you can scare me, Azula," she retorted, the burning blade in her hands casting an ominous glow. "I've killed people, Azula."
Azula, disregarding Ty Lee's words, fixated on the memory of the girl's childish face and the cruel joy of pushing her to the ground. A twisted laughter escaped Azula's lips as she envisioned her father's revenge.
"My father is going to hear this. That boy you care so deeply for...he'll have his head, he'll have all their heads," Azula proclaimed with manic delight. "That will show you what happens when you cross me, when you betray me!"
Unmoved, Ty Lee stared back. "You were a bully, Azula," she stated, her patience evident. With a sigh, she extinguished her lightsaber and reconnected it to her belt. "You always have and always will."
Turning away, Ty Lee began to walk, leaving Azula behind. The fallen princess spoke in surprise, "You're letting me go?"
With a heavy sigh, Ty Lee responded, "I am letting you go for the sake of our friendship. However, I won't let you go again. Goodbye, Azula."
As Ty Lee walked away, a voice echoed in the halls, freezing the ongoing battle. The hum of lightsabers continued, but a bead of cold horror settled upon Benjamin, Katara, Sokka, and Ty Lee as they regrouped with the others.
They had Sokka...
He returned, beaten and battered, a testament to the merciless grasp of Rowan and Arya. His water tribe shirt hung in tatters, adorned with bruises and marks that told a brief tale of the brutality he endured. Fabric tightly wrapped around his wrist, he knelt, a defeated figure in the cold, unforgiving underground.
A guttural growl surged from Ben, a primal response to the sight before him. He pressed through the crowd, eyes fixated on the malevolent duo.
"Hell, Benji," Rowan sneered, his orange eyes glinting with the dark side's malevolence. Arya's piercing blue gaze met Ben's hazel. "How are you doing today?"
"What do you want, Rowan?" Ben inquired, the air thick with tension.
Rowan approached, sinister and menacing. "His arm, Ben," Arya exclaimed, her eyes wide with disbelief. Katara, unable to contain her worry, whispered the question, "What is wrong with it?"
"False flesh and whatever they cooked up in the Sith Academy," Ben explained. His grip tightened on his lightsaber, a visual declaration of the shadows that danced within him. Now, they were not on Dantooine's sunlit plains. The memories summoned were of Jet's cold, lifeless body cradled in his hands.
"Let...him...go," Each word that escaped Ben's lips carried a vow of violence, a promise that blood would be spilled if Sokka suffered another blow.
Rowan laughed, a mocking sound that clawed at the cavern's walls. He held Sokka firmly. "Really, what are you going to do if I don't?" he taunted, his tone playing on the edge of cruelty.
Katara pleaded for action. "Ben, we've got to do something."
"I know," Ben admitted, his mind racing for a plan. "He isn't in the best of places for me to reach him, Katara."
Aang, a witness to the impending storm, turned and surveyed the scene. Thirty Dai Lee Agents lingered, a squadron of firebenders had just arrived, and now, Rowan and Arya, formidable Dark Jedi, held Sokka captive. They were at a considerable distance, visible only through the length of a cavernous room.
Ben advanced, taunting Rowan. "Do you want your duel now, Rowan?" he challenged, raising both hands with a wry smile. "I'll gladly give it to you."
Rowan's twisted grin widened, a visage of Sith corruption. Even in the dim light of the cavern, his skin appeared mottled, his eyes blazing with an orange hue that overpowered any remnants of white.
"Maybe, before I would've entertained the idea," Rowan replied, savoring the impending violence. "Sadly, you've all got to die here and now, so I'll relish in my fun."
With a click of his lightsaber, Rowan signaled the impending chaos. Sokka turned toward Ben and the others, desperation in his eyes. "Rush him!" he screamed, his plea echoing through the cold underground expanse.
Ben's mind snapped and he glared ahead, grappling with the chaos unfolding before them. Katara made a dash forward, but Ben's grip tightened around her arm.
"What are you doing?" she snapped, her voice a mix of urgency and frustration. "My brother is out there with that psycho!"
"Katara, they have the height advantage and your brother," Ben interjected, his gaze flickering toward their adversaries with grim determination. "We rush up there, Arya and Rowan will throw whatever they've got at us and more..." His words hung heavy in the air, punctuated by the sight of fallen enemies strewn around them and the enduring threat posed by Azula, still writhing in pain.
Aang stepped forward, his staff poised, a glimmer of strategy in his eyes. "Maybe I can use my staff to glide and execute long-range bending attacks at them," he suggested.
Ben considered the plan for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea," he conceded. Despite the tension, a nervous chuckle escaped him, a thin veil over the anxiety that gripped them all. He adjusted his grip on his blade, eyes fixed on their adversaries. "Katara, Ty Lee, our job is to rush in and pound into them. Be mindful of your lightsaber blades, we don't want any friendly fire," he instructed sternly.
Katara nodded, determination etched on her face as she armed herself with her water whip.
"Got it, babe," Ty Lee replied, her smirk betraying the gravity of the situation as she steadied her lightsaber with both hands.
Their plans were suddenly thrown astray as a streak of silvery flame erupted, cleaving the space between the two groups. A figure landed before them, a silhouette wreathed in fire.
"Zuko..." Aang's voice trailed off, recognition and uncertainty mingling in the air.
The banished prince stood between them, torn between loyalty to his sister and the newfound truths he had encountered in the Earth Kingdom. His scarred face bore the weight of his internal conflict as he raised his fist in a defensive firebending stance, his eyes darting between his injured sister and the assembled forces.
"Good brother," Azula hissed, her voice echoing through the cavern, her words dripping with desperation. "Join me, remember your place...we can end this here and now!" Her plea hung in the air, a desperate attempt to sway Zuko to her side.
Zuko's gaze flickered to Azula, his mind a battleground of conflicting loyalties and newfound convictions. In that tense moment, a voice pierced through the chaos, unfamiliar yet commanding.
"No, Zuko!"
The cavern fell silent, all eyes turning toward the source of the authoritative voice. Zuko's gaze locked with that of the Jedi Exile turned Grandmaster, his features softened by concern, a stark contrast to the anger and resentment of their previous encounters.
As both boys stood facing each other, Benjamin was struck by a profound epiphany, a revelation so vast it threatened to engulf him where he stood. Ben and Zuko, hailing from disparate worlds and galaxies, found themselves strangely akin.
Zuko, the banished prince of the Fire Nation, bore the weight of his lineage like a crown of thorns. Son of Ozai and Ursa, destined for greatness yet marred by the scars of abuse and abandonment. His mother's sacrifice haunted him, a life traded for his own.
Benjamin, Grandmaster of The Jedi Order, bore his own burdens, the last sentinel of a crumbling legacy. Born of Madelil Wilum and a Mandalorian slaver, he too knew the sting of trauma, the indelible marks left by a father's cruelty. His scars were hidden, but no less searing than Zuko's branded visage.
Perhaps it was this shared pain that forged an unlikely camaraderie between them, a bond strengthened by the revelations shared by Iroh. And perhaps it was this bond that stayed Ben's hand, preventing him from unleashing the wrath of the old Ben upon Zuko.
"Zuko," Ben repeated softly as he approached, his demeanor earnest and resolute. "Do not heed your sister's words. Whatever she offers you is a mirage, a fleeting illusion that will only lead to damnation. I may be a stranger to you, but I know you."
Zuko's gaze bore into Ben's, searching for truth amidst the turmoil within him. "What are you saying?" he demanded, his weapons poised as the battle raged within his conflicted soul.
"Iroh revealed everything to me," Ben continued, gesturing towards Azula. "I understand the temptation she presents, but you must see through it. Your sister's promises are hollow, her gifts poisoned."
Taking a deep breath, Ben confronted the painful truth head-on. "Zuko, my father hurt me just as yours hurt you. Emotional, mental, physical scars," he confessed, his voice heavy with the weight of shared suffering. "Our fathers were monsters, but mine did not mark me as yours did you."
Ty Lee watched in stunned silence, the realization dawning upon her like a bolt from the blue.
Zuko's scarred eye twitched, a phantom agony clawing at his soul. His gaze flickered between Azula, Aang, and Benjamin, grappling with the gravity of his decision.
"We are our fathers' sons, Zuko," Ben asserted, his voice unwavering. "But we need not remain shackled to their legacy. We have a choice—to remain in their shadow or to break free."
Zuko's eyes widened as the weight of Benjamin's words settled upon him, the truth cutting through the haze of doubt and confusion.
"You'll never truly be his son," Ben declared, his gaze piercing. "He'll only ever see you as a pawn, a tool to serve his twisted desires."
Those words, imbued with a terrible clarity, echoed in Zuko's mind, driving home the gravity of his decision. As he looked upon Benjamin, he saw not just an adversary but a kindred spirit—a fellow traveler on the path to redemption.
"Does this sit right with you, Zuko?" Ben's words sliced through the charged air, his glare fixed on the conflicted young man. "We're striving to restore balance and peace, yet you stand in our way. Zuko, this is the threshold—you decide."
However, decisions have a way of making themselves, and Rowan seized the reins of fate.
He clicked his lips, sneering with malevolence. "Enough of this," Rowan snapped, his eyes glaring at the assembled group. "Our duty remains to extinguish them all!" His words, dripping with elastic delight, sent shivers through the cavern.
"Rowan," Arya intervened with narrowed eyes, a palpable unease about the darkness that had consumed him. Rowan, now a vessel of shadows, snapped his lightsaber to life once more. He poised it over Sokka's fallen form, and Katara felt the knot of sickness tighten in her stomach.
Sokka lay on the cold stone, one eye open, the other sealed shut by a blackened bruise. His chest rose and fell, breathing his last with a determined smile. Ben and Aang rushed forward, but Sokka's gaze held only them, a final gift before the impending doom.
Rowan's lightsaber arced in a menacing swing, a deadly dance. The blade, drawn with malicious glee, should have effortlessly cleaved through flesh, but Rowan denied Sokka that mercy. With a one-handed flourish behind his back, he executed a sweeping arch, and Sokka's head was severed. Nose, mouth, and body remained, a grisly tableau that silenced all in horrified shock.
"Rowan, he was our prisoner!" Arya snapped, aghast. She shot a glare at Rowan. "We could've used him, and...and!"
Ben's lightsaber crashed down, a ferocious two-handed cleave. It bisected two Dai Lee agents before meeting the combined strength of Arya and Rowan. Their knees momentarily buckled beneath the Jedi's relentless fury.
"Aang, deal with the Dai Lee agents!" Ben ordered, breaking free from the sword lock with his former comrades. With narrowed eyes, he declared, "They're all mine."
Aang, torn between mourning Sokka and honoring his earlier lessons, drew himself away from the lifeless form. Tears welled in his eyes as he redirected his focus to the battle. "Sorry, Sokka," he whispered sorrowfully, grounding himself in the fight ahead.
Katara knelt beside Sokka's shattered form, her grief palpable as she cradled what remained of her brother. Ty Lee watched, aghast, her gaze flickering between the broken scene before her and the whirlwind of fury that consumed Ben. Each swing of his lightsaber painted the air with arcs of bronze, met with screams of agony from the two dark Jedi.
"They... they killed Sokka," Katara's proclamation echoed through the cavern, her voice strained with disbelief and anguish. Ty Lee saw tears cascade down her face, her features contorted in agony as she clung to her fallen sibling.
"My mother... our mother made me promise to take care of him," Katara's voice trembled, her words punctuated by sobs. "I failed Sokka and my mom..." Her confession hung heavy in the air as Ty Lee approached, her heart heavy with sorrow.
"You didn't fail anyone, Katara," Ty Lee reassured her, gently grasping her face in her hands. Their eyes met, and for a fleeting moment, Ty Lee allowed herself to glance at Sokka's lifeless form.
As Katara collapsed to the ground, Ty Lee felt a wave of nausea wash over her, her earlier meal decorating the cavern floor. The ground shuddered beneath them, threatening to send them sprawling.
"What's happening?" Ty Lee gasped, her stomach churning with unease. "Did you feel that too? Was it an earthquake?" She turned to Katara for answers, but before she could respond, Zuko appeared, his face a mask of urgency.
"It's not an earthquake, Ty Lee," Zuko's voice was strained as he surveyed the scene. His gaze lingered on Sokka's body, a pained expression flickering across his features. "The structure down here could collapse any second. We need to get out."
"We..." Katara's voice dripped with bitterness, her gaze fiery. "You're not going..."
"Please, Katara," Ty Lee interjected softly, her eyes drifting towards Ben. She watched as he clashed with Arya and Rowan upon one of the islands, determination etched into every line of his face.
"Please, win, my Benjamin," she whispered.
Arya, struggling to keep up with Ben's relentless assault, grappled with her own limitations. Rowan barked orders, his voice laced with urgency. With a mighty force push, he sent Ben hurtling through the air, his robes tattered and bruised from the ferocious duel.
Ben swiftly recovered from the forceful blow, his movements a testament to his resilience and determination. Despite his battered appearance, he refused to yield, his hazel eyes ablaze with resolve. Arya, her lightsaber reignited, and Rowan, his demeanor oozing with dark intent, resumed their assault on Ben.
Their dance of combat unfolded with breathtaking speed and ferocity, the clash of lightsabers echoing in the eerie silence of the island. Arya's nimble footwork sought to outmaneuver Ben while Rowan, fueled by fury, launched relentless attacks. But Ben, drawing upon his inner strength, met their onslaught with skill and precision.
Each strike reverberated through the rocky terrain, a symphony of violence and power. Ben's inner turmoil manifested in the intensity of his strikes, a reflection of the conflict raging within him. Sensing his vulnerability, Arya hesitated briefly, a momentary lapse that Ben exploited with ruthless efficiency.
Rowan, witnessing Arya's stumble, unleashed a barrage of strikes, his aggression unyielding. The two adversaries clashed in a storm of steel and fury, each vying for dominance. Ben, tapping into the darker aspects of the Force, unleashed a surge of energy, momentarily gaining the upper hand.
But Arya, with her keen intuition, intervened, disrupting Ben's concentration with a display of sorcery that caught him off guard. Seizing the opportunity, Rowan delivered a devastating blow that sent Ben sprawling to the ground.
Gasping for air, Ben struggled to rise, his determination unbroken despite the odds stacked against him. Arya and Rowan, their weapons poised for the final blow, stood ready to deliver the killing strike.
Yet, as Ben rose to his feet amidst the chaos and devastation, his gaze burning with righteous anger, he confronted his adversaries with a fierce resolve.
"You killed... Sokka," Ben's voice was a growl, filled with accusation and fury. "You murdered him."
Rowan's laughter cut through the tense silence, his mocking tone laced with malice. Arya, her expression a mixture of regret and defiance, attempted to reason with him.
"Benjamin," she spoke softly, her words tinged with sorrow. "There's still a chance for you to join us. We don't have to..."
"Quiet, Arya," Rowan sneered. "No more talk of conversion. We are Sith. He will die as his weakling apprentice and friend did."
Ben's eyes widened, a feral sneer twisting his lips. Gripping his bronze blade, he aimed it at them, rejecting any semblance of negotiation.
In response, Ben's scream metamorphosed into a powerful roar. Charging with an overwhelming surge of force energy, he discarded the chains that once bound him. His mind flickered between Dantooine and this world, his world. He would not allow Rowan and Arya, corrupted remnants of noble Jedi, to claim more lives. This time, he vowed, he would put an end to them, refusing to let darkness reign unchecked.
His mind drifted back to Sokka and Jet, their laughter echoing in the recesses of his memory. A weight he'd carry forever. Then, a recent image flickered—Sokka's knowing smile. What did it signify? A final jest, a self-assured smirk anticipating their rescue, or a hint of disbelief? Sokka smiled before he died, leaving Ben with questions that would never find answers.
Sokka and Jet were taken from him, casualties of their relentless violence. Enough was enough. Ben's resolve hardened, devoid of fear or anger. He'd do what was necessary, and they witnessed it in his composed ferocity.
"He's too quick," Arya's voice, laced with sweat and desperation, reached his ears. Her crimson blade clashed against his bronze lightsaber, the weapons humming and sparking in their frenzied dance. She rushed to deflect every strike, but Rowan, already in the fray, found their combined strength lacking. Benjamin surpassed them, just as he had back in the academy. Arya, confronting the dark side's twisted perversion of the Force, met Rowan's bloodlust and hate with a realization—it wasn't true power, but a corrupting force.
"Ben, I..." Arya attempted to speak, but Ben's movement was swift. Dodging Rowan's lethal blow, he slashed at Arya's knee joint. Though he didn't sever it completely, she screamed in pain, falling to her other knee. Ben, relentless, hammered her with blows.
"Ben!" Arya's desperate cries were met with deaf ears. "Ben!"
"Leave her be!" Rowan snapped, attempting a cleaving blow. In a breathtaking move, Ben blocked it with one hand and channeled the Force to push Rowan into a shallow pond, leaving him gasping for air.
Returning to Arya, Ben resumed his assault. "Ben, I!" she dodged a blow aimed at her midsection. "B-Ben…please!" The final scream escaped her lips as Ben's lightsaber sliced into her shoulder. "Ben…I…I…I!"
"Benjamin, I've always loved you," Arya's words pierced the air, her confession hanging heavy with sincerity. Her eyes, once ablaze with love, now stared at him with a vulnerability that struck Ben to the core. He remembered the shy girl she used to be, back in the temple, her voice now a poignant echo of that past innocence. But now, those words carried a weight too heavy to bear.
With a heavy heart, Ben plunged his bronze lightsaber deep into Arya's chest. The blade, powered by the enigmatic 'Heart of The Guardian' Crystal, seared through her flesh, the heat of its passage scorching her from within. As life faded from her eyes, Arya crumpled to the ground, her reddish hair fanned out around her like a macabre halo.
Memories flooded Ben's mind—childhood moments shared with Arya, the camaraderie of their training days on Danottoine, even the time she helped him build his first lightsaber. But the bitter reality of his duty drowned out any sentimentality. There was no room for nostalgia now, not when faced with the growling, feral figure of Rowan.
Rowan's eyes blazed with rage, his visage twisted by corruption. "You…killed her," he growled, the words dripping with venom.
"I did," Ben admitted, his voice heavy with resignation.
Rowan's grip tightened on Arya's fallen lightsaber. "That's it? That's all you've got to say?" he spat, the force of his anger reverberating in the air.
"Arya was my friend, but she chose the path of darkness," Ben countered, his gaze unwavering. "She needed to be stopped."
Rowan's breath came in ragged bursts as he processed Ben's words. "Should've been me," he muttered to himself, his gaze lingering on Arya's lifeless form. Then, with a bitter smirk, he turned his attention back to Ben. "I never understood why she cared for you, Benjamin. Now, you stand as the self-made grandmaster of your own academy of ronins, vagabonds, and corpses!"
Ben's sneer mirrored Rowan's bitterness. "But I am the one you want, right?" he retorted.
Their lightsabers clashed with a resounding clang, the sound reverberating across the desolate landscape like a thunderous echo of their inner turmoil. Each strike carried the weight of years of friendship tainted by betrayal and unresolved conflict. Ben moved with the precision of a seasoned warrior, his every movement calculated and deadly. In contrast, Rowan fought with a reckless abandon, his grief and guilt fueling his every swing.
As the duel intensified, sparks flew, painting the air with an electric frenzy. Ben's anger burned hot within him, fueled by memories of Arya and their shared past. Rowan, driven by desperation and sorrow, fought with a ferocity born of his inner torment.
With each clash, the ground beneath them trembled, as if unable to bear the weight of their emotional turmoil. Sensing Ben's inner turmoil, Rowan pressed his advantage, driving him back with relentless attacks.
In a moment of miscalculation, Rowan aimed a fatal blow at Ben's neck, only to be met with a swift counterattack that left him vulnerable. With a swift riposte, Ben severed Rowan's fingers and part of his palm, a crimson spray of blood mingling with the dark waters below.
Rowan coughed black substance, his eyes widened in horror as his fingers and lightsaber slipped into the water. Despite his desperate attempts to defend, Ben's speed prevailed.
The pain seemed to fuel Rowan, his screams mixing with a twisted delight as the dark side surged through him, granting him newfound strength. But Ben was relentless, his speed and skill unmatched. With a final, decisive blow, Ben struck down his former friend, leaving him broken and defeated.
Rowan, now breathing blackened turmoil, rushed to retaliate, but Ben, always a step ahead, countered with a lethal efficiency. Rowan slashed at Ben's midsection, only to witness a moment of awe as Ben leaped into the air, evading the scarlet blade, and struck from above.
Rowan slashed at Ben's midsection with his talon, but Ben, swifter than the shadows, leaped into the air, striking down with his bronze blade. Rowan, momentarily blinded by the blaze of bronze, felt the cold emptiness engulf him before everything went dark.
The island lay strewn with the lifeless bodies of his once comrades. Arya, pierced and silent, rested on the shallow island. Rowan lay broken, mutated, and jawless, a twisted parody of his former self.
In a decisive arc, Ben's lightsaber swung down, severing Rowan's eye, the nose, and a large chunk of his mouth. Rowan lay amid the carnage, his fingers clutching Arya's lightsaber.
A moment of conflicting emotions enveloped Ben. For an instant, he contemplated a commemoration of their fallen lightsabers. Sith and Dark Jedi they may have been, but they were led astray—or so Ben wished to believe. The cavern shook violently, and Ben's eyes turned towards Aang, who valiantly held off the soldiers and Dai Lee Agents.
With a surge of urgency, Ben raced towards Team Avatar. "We've got to go, now!" he declared, his eyes scanning the chaos. Zuko, shouting to Aang, brought attention to the urgency. "Avatar, we need to leave! Where is my uncle?" he demanded.
"Knowing that you made the right answer," spoke Ben, shaking his head with a grim demeanor.
"Aang, we need you!" Ty Lee's shout pierced the chaotic air, and with a flick of his wrist, Aang tossed someone aside.
"I'm busy," he proclaimed with a dismissive tone.
"We need to get out of here!" Ben shouted urgently. "The foundations are crumbling around us. We need to leave..." He paused, a fleeting glance at Katara mourning over Sokka. "All of us do."
Aang witnessed the grief, the pain, and a sneer played on his lips. A desire to hurt, much like that fateful incident with Appa, burned within him. Sokka's lifeless form haunted his vision, urging him to unleash the fury within.
Backing away, Aang delved into his pocket, hurling his whistle at Ben, who caught it. He filled his throat with force energy, releasing a piercing yell that shook the surroundings. Ears rang, and some dropped to the ground from the sudden shock. The foundation trembled violently, cases of sunlight piercing through the Earth as Ben gazed upwards, rocks falling around them.
"Appa," Ty Lee whispered with a smile. The mighty creature roared, settling among them, and Mo Mo soared overhead. Rocks rained down, and Ben approached Katara, who still knelt beside her fallen brother.
" Aang, we need to go!" Ben's urgency filled the air, and he slowly approached Katara, who remained on her knees, clutching Sokka.
Even their enemies were captivated by the sunlight breaking through the Earth. Some were crushed beneath the rubble as Ben gently laid his hand upon Katara. His eyes, however, avoided Sokka's lifeless features, drifting instead towards his chest.
A rush of memories inundated Ben's mind. The first time he saw Sokka, his encouragement to embrace his Jedi heritage, the warnings against the darkness, the captured moments in the Spirit World. Sokka, who had taken up his own blade to save him.
Yet, Sokka now lay cold and dead, his sister's tears falling upon his lifeless form. In that moment, Ben reflected on all the times he had contemplated death, feeling a profound disgust with himself. Here, his friend lay dead—no honor in blood, no greatness in being a warrior. Bitter tears streamed down Ben's face.
"I will remember you, Sokka," he whispered.
Katara turned to face him in shock, her blue eyes meeting his own as her braids danced in the harsh winds, coming undone. She cried and sobbed.
"You were my brother... I'll take care of them. I promise," Ben declared, grabbing Katara and wrenching her up.
"Go to Appa, now!" he shouted, a large boulder shattering beside them.
He seized Sokka, hoisting him up as boulders flew and crashed around them, a chaotic symphony of destruction. Katara, helped by Ty Lee, spotted Zuko in the corner, a scornful gaze aimed his way—twice her family had been taken by his kin, a fact that burned like embers in her heart.
Ty Lee, heaving with effort, dashed towards Aang. "We've got to head somewhere," she said, her voice tinged with urgency.
"But where!" Aang practically screeched, his anxiety palpable.
"Can we meet up with Haru's battalion?" Ty Lee suggested, her eyes searching for a plan in the chaos.
Katara shook her head sternly. "Do you all think this is going to work?"
Amidst the turmoil, Ben ran hard, boulders crashing perilously close. The argument ceased. "Can we go now?" Zuko questioned.
With a leap powered by Force-infused legs, Ben landed squarely on Appa's saddle, gently laying Sokka down. The others turned away, a moment of silent reverence before Ben took the reins.
"We're leaving Ba Sin Saigh!" His voice boomed with authority, silencing them all. "We've been hounded by the Sith, crossed divides, killed ancient Sith Lords, and even breached Fire Nation borders. But look at what this has cost us!"
Ben's gaze lingered on Sokka's lifeless form. He had thought the Mandalorian wars had broken him, that the Jedi Civil War had corrupted him, but this journey had reshaped his understanding of loss.
Turning to Ty Lee, the woman he loved, he cupped her cheek, locking eyes with her. "I won't lose anyone I care about," he declared, a promise etched in his voice.
"We're going to leave here and regroup," he announced to the group, rising to face them with determination. "For a century, this world has been at war. Are you tired? I am sick of losing anyone…first Jet, now Sokka. This must end. I want vengeance for all the souls lost in this great war, retribution for Jet, Sokka, and countless others that have died."
As they gained altitude, ascending into the light, Katara wept, her tears mingling with the rain of stones. Ben's bright bronze gaze held a hint of madness, a necessary madness in the face of such darkness.
A finger twitched amidst the rubble, drawing upon the Force as the lightsaber slipped into a deformed talon, the gurgling of the beast silenced beneath the rocks.
"We shall be the bringers of peace, the knights…the avatars," Ben continued, taking Ty Lee's hands and gazing at each of them in turn. "We are the lightbringers, and the darkness shall fear our name."
Ty Lee stared at him, her mind flashing back to that time in the jungle, a figure once obscured now clear in her mind's eye.
Tall and broad-shouldered like his father, features traced along the lineage, from his nose to the deep black mullet that seemed an homage to his paternal legacy. The olive tone, the strong features—all reminiscent of the man who had come before. But it was his eyes, that deep-brownish greyish hue, that captured her every time she looked upon him in those robes.
Ben had shared stories before, tales from old parchments and holocrons. Storybooks were her favorites; she found solace in them, detesting the weight of history sections. He usually indulged her, and she figured he enjoyed it too. She'd sit curled up beside him, watching legends unfold, hearing tales of Ulic Qel Droma, Nomi Sunrider, and the dark chapters of Marko Ragnos. He spoke of his conversations with his master, Meetra Surik, and the kind of Jedi she had been.
Her son looked noble in his robes—grey and white, sturdy with the weight of the Force, the very same robes Jet had once worn. A fleeting thought crossed her mind, but she shook it away. Impossible, she scolded herself, and turned her attention to the purple light.
"Hit the deck!" Zuko's urgent shout jolted them toward the light.
"You think you can escape me, Ty Lee!" Azula's maniacal laughter echoed as she hurled fireballs with one hand and the other limp. "You think you can humiliate me like this!"
Dodging boulders, Ty Lee saw the purple sparks surround Azula. Another volt of lightning struck, slamming towards them. Appa roared in pain.
"Oh my God!" Ben's voice filled with panic as he seized the reins. "Aang, use your bending and…and..."
"Do what?" Aang shouted.
"Hurl something at her!" Ben ordered, veering them away from another lightning strike.
Aang struggled, utilizing his airbending to push a boulder mid-air, but it wasn't enough. Azula took another hit, and they spun hard.
"Aang…what the hell!" Ben shouted. "Hit the damn woman!"
"I'm trying!" Aang cried. "I can't get a good enough hit…I ain't good enough." Tears streamed down his face. "I ain't good enough, I ain't good enough…"
He sobbed, the others gazing upon him, but Katara rose and took him into her arms. "You're okay," she reassured him, wiping away his tears. "You are the Avatar. You can do anything."
Within those words, the earlier talk all melted away.
"Let go," Ben had said. "Hold on…but learn to let go."
Within her arms, within their shared tears, Aang closed his eyes, and when they opened, they appeared blue. The air around them crackled with electrified currents. Ben, bewildered, turned around. "What the heck!" he shouted, nearly tumbling off the damned bison but catching himself on his back.
The others cautiously backed up as Ben stared strangely at what Aang was attempting to do.
Aang leveled himself and took a stance. His hands moved in opposing motions, his blue eyes glaring with an ethereal blaze. Ben righted himself upon the bison, steadying Appa. "Don't worry, buddy. I'll give you a straight arch for your shot," proclaimed Ben.
Aang didn't respond. Instead, he leveled his hands. Bits of earth whirled towards them; Katara's water flask burst, and the water mixed with the rock, the air circulating around until it became one tight, cohesive ball.
Everything slowed for a moment, an instant only a Force-sensitive could appreciate. Ben and Ty Lee both witnessed how Aang, in this great spiritual-like state, had bent everything into a bullet. As Azula readied her strongest charge, Aang was quicker.
Azula didn't see it coming, that's how swift it was. Like a boom, it hurtled through the air, piercing boulder after boulder, aimed straight for Azula. It was her working arm, not the broken one, doing all the bending work.
Even now, Azula, broken and still fighting, was a prodigy, drawn into a 'Kill Frenzy' mania. Yet, no one expected this.
The beam pierced her arm from the elbow, and everything below was obliterated. Azula, frozen in her bending position, crashed face-first into the earth, blood seeping into the ground. Zuko watched with horrified eyes.
"Oh my god…" he spoke as they...
But Azula's lightning found its mark. As her arm was blown away, the still-releasing bending might struck Aang's chest. The boy sputtered, his eyes shifting from blue to brown to grey.
"No…no…no." Tears bit into Ben. It couldn't have happened again. They broke through and felt the fresh air enveloping them. Blanketed not by the sun but by the light of the stars, they soared high above Ba Sing Se, the cursed city.
Aang nearly fell, but Zuko grabbed him. Ben rushed and held him softly. Katara ran towards him, her healing balm traversing his body as everyone clustered around. For a moment, Ben turned, and he saw the city below.
Fire Nation trucks, Fire Nation banners, and he felt it—the darkness, ever-encroaching now. As Ben saw Aang lying there, Sokka as well, his mind flashed towards Jet. "Not again!" He shouted, seizing the reins.
They plummeted into the city, Ben's voice slicing through the chaos. "Katara, keep him stable!" He screamed, steering them towards the heart of the city.
"What are you going to do?" Timidly shouted Ty Lee.
Ben ignited his blade. Though the Fire Nation may have thrived in the light, he had long danced within the shadows. Never again, his resolve solid as steel. His mind flickered to his time with Team Avatar, a tapestry of love and happiness. They were his family, and he would defend them to his last breath.
They moved within the shadows, determined to save the Avatar on his deathbed.
Unbeknownst to them, Iroh navigated through the rubble, fire dancing beneath his hands and feet. He glided toward the bleeding Azula. She turned her head to meet his gaze. "U-uncle…" She sputtered out.
"Azula, niece," He regarded her bitterly, shaking his head. "I am sorry. I never wanted you to fight amongst yourselves. That is your father's teachings. Come now, away from this place."
He gathered Azula into his arms. "Maybe, this experience has shown you how horrible war is…"
As they lay amidst the crumbling ruins, a lone hand clutched a lightsaber tightly. Azula's gaze shifted from the light to her stub, her mind swirling with thoughts of vengeance upon Team Avatar, especially the pesky Ty Lee.
"Uncle…" She spoke.
"Yes, niece."
For a moment, her mind drifted to that day with the ducks, her mother, Zuko, and the mocking of Ty Lee. She closed her eyes, seeking solace in Iroh's shoulder.
"I'm cold."
End of Book 2