After waking up, Team Avatar sat for breakfast, and the teens began discussing their plans, and Aang revealed he could walk. But before they could get any further, they were interrupted by a knock on the door. "I'll get it," Katara said as she stood up and opened it to find the same agent from the previous day.

"I am sorry to disturb you, but Long Feng has requested that one of you remain here for the time being. I will let you decide amongst yourselves. Once you have, a carriage is waiting to take that person to the palace," he began as the rest of the group tuned in to the conversation.

Katara, shocked by the news, quickly tried to recover her composure. "What happens if we don't?" she asked, concerned.

The man shook his head. "You would be considered criminals, and our military will not support you," he stated calmly. "Now, I shall leave you to your meal," he concluded before walking away as Katara closed the door and turned to the others.

"That didn't sound good," Aang said as she walked over and sighed.

"Long Feng wants one of us to remain here," she stated bluntly.

"So he's back to blackmailing us?" Toph said as she blew one of her bangs and crossed her arms. "Figures."

Sokka put a hand to his brow as he began to think. "Okay, then which one of us will stay?" Sokka said, looking at Katara and Toph. After all, Aang needed to get to the Eastern Air Temple, and Long Feng only wanted one of them to stay.

Toph shook her head. "I'm sorry, guys. But I want to see my Mom," she said as Sokka turned to Katara with pleading eyes.

His sister nodded as she gave him a look of compassion. "It's okay. I can stay," she said as he got up and hugged her tight as tears fell down his cheeks.

"You're the best sister a guy could ask for!" he shouted, breaking the embrace and wiping away his tears.

In response, she also smiled. "I am, aren't I?" she said jokingly before hugging Sokka. "Say hello to Dad for me," the young man nodded, and the two separated before returning to their seats at the table and finishing their breakfast.

When their plates were empty, the group packed their supplies, and Katara, with Momo perched on her shoulder, stood by the door as Aang, Sokka, and Toph got on Appa's back. Due to his lack of a saddle, they placed a large blanket on his back for comfort, which they tied under his belly and neck to ensure it didn't fall off while in flight, and attached bedrolls and other necessities to the connections. With everything ready, the members of Team Avatar took their places, with Aang on his shoulder while the others were further back. "Appa! Yip, yip!" the boy commanded, and the beast kicked off the ground with his tail and flew into the air.

"So, I see you're the one left behind," the agent said as he materialized beside her, causing her momentary shock as the man had seemingly appeared from nowhere. "Now, come," he said before stepping toward the carriage and gesturing for her to follow. She wanted to say something, but the words died on her lips, so she resigned and heeded him. Unknowing what would befall her, she only hoped Aang would finish his training soon and return.

As a young man was walking back to the teashop he and his uncle worked at with the supplies he'd sent for, he stopped dead in his tracks and turned toward the sky when he heard an audible, familiar growl echo through the air. Of course, he wasn't the only one, but while everyone else in the street wore faces brimming with amazement and awe, his was that of masked anger as his gold-amber eyes narrowed at the sight of his prey. At least, they were until he heaved a sigh and put on a forced smile once they passed, as he didn't want to appear suspicious. No, Zuko, or "Lee," knew he had no chance in a place like this, and he didn't wish to ruin the life he and his uncle had built during their short stay. "Hey, did you see that!? I think that was the Avatar!" a young man shouted at him in excitement.

"Uh, yeah," Zuko attempted to hide his frustration at the man's question, as he'd dealt with Aang enough to lose any wonder he may have held for the Avatar. He was a prize to be taken and given to his father to redeem his honour, nothing more. But, as he turned and began walking, his thoughts wandered to his current predicament. His father didn't want him. He made that clear when he burned half his face for speaking out of turn, then exiled him, and again when Azula tried to trick him and their uncle into returning to the Fire Nation, only for her captain to reveal her true motives were to take them as prisoners.

When he entered the teashop, he found his uncle preparing tea and serving guests. "Ah, Nephew, it is good to see you got our ingredients," Iroh greeted as he set a tray at one of the tables before gesturing for Zuko to follow him to the back. Upon arriving, he emptied the contents from the basket Zuko brought and sorted the plants and flowers he used for tea into their designated spots. After all, the teahouse they worked at was already beginning to catch the attention of many people throughout the city, thanks to his uncle's legendary teamaking abilities. So, they needed to be as organized as possible. "Thank you, nephew," Zuko nodded before adorning his apron and getting to work serving tables.

The first of the group to depart was Toph, as Aang set Appa down amid the lower ring near the location her mother set as a meeting place. "Alright, I'm off, guys," she said once she slid off and landed on the ground. "Just don't forget to pick me up when you get back. Okay?" The boys nodded as Aang repeated the command, and Appa departed into the clear sky. Not long after, she arrived at the location specified in the letter, or at least, according to how her friends described it. It was a large and spacious building, though she couldn't feel anyone standing inside. "Hello? Mom?" she asked as she opened the door. After walking a few steps, she heard something shift above her, followed by the rapid clattering of chains as something descended from above, and she found herself encased in a metal box. "HEY, WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA!? DON'T YOU KNOW WHO I AM!?" she shouted as she began pounding on the box.

"Oh, we know who you are, Blind-Bandit," she heard the voice of her former employer say as a hefty fist tapped the cage from the outside. "And save your breath. You're not getting out of here."

"XIN FU!?" she screamed as she punched the cage. "LET ME OUT OF HERE SO I CAN BEAT YOU TO A PULP, COWARD!"

"Unfortunately, Miss Toph, Mr. Fu has informed me that would be a poor idea," said another familiar voice. One that she'd had to bear with for years.

"YU?! YOU'RE WORKING WITH HIM?!" she responded.

"As much as it is regrettable, your parents were adamant we return you to them, young lady-" he lectured, though, in her mind, she'd already tuned him out, just as she did when she pretended to follow his instruction. Only this time, her heart was beating out of control, her thoughts whirling like a sandstorm. She couldn't accept that Long Feng had been right, yet the evidence was clear: If they wanted the others, they wouldn't have made something so specific, which meant they could only be working on her parents' orders. Even still, Toph would not give up. Not when she knew greater freedom than at any time in her life. No, she would find a way out, no matter what, even if she had to bend the very walls which bound her.

As the thousands of men, carts, tractors, and over one hundred six-inch siege guns began to arrive en mass, Nikolai watched from the wall of the Bulwark as they started deploying for the coming siege. He'd already moved most of his forces to the captured fortress and set up his headquarters inside while his army set up camp around it. It was an easy choice, as the lake provided his troops with fresh water, and the wall provided a better line of sight. The artillery had begun arriving early that morning, and he'd guided them toward the Bulwark to prepare for the inevitable battle as he sent Ivan to visit with Azula to conceal his movements. He knew he didn't have time for a drawn-out siege, as the Stavka expected the campaign to be over in one week at least, so the Grand Duke opted to have the artillery centred in a single grand battery to flatten the wall before him, hopefully shocking the Earth Army into surrender much as General Alexeev had done to the very fort upon which he stood.

His thoughts were interrupted as he heard footsteps and turned to find Major Shostakovich approaching him. "Sir," he began with a sharp salute. "The commandant requests to know what you plan on doing with the civilians?"

Nikolai stopped and pondered his answer before he came to a consensus. "Allow them to leave the bunker. I'm sure they would appreciate some fresh air-" he said before being interrupted as a roar sounded over the plain, originating in the city. In response, he drew out his spyglass to see more clearly, only for his expression to grow perplexed as he spotted a giant white beast flying away from the city: A beast with no wings to speak of. "What on Earth?" he stated, confused as the Major pulled out his own, and the two watched the creature continue its course.

As Aang steered Appa higher into the open sky, he looked to see what he presumed to be the fortress Long Feng had spoken about during their meeting with him the day prior. He could even faintly see the familiar flag on the flying machine's tail waving over its walls. "Hey, aren't those the guys who hit you!?" he heard Sokka yell from behind him as Appa growled in anger.

"Yeah!" he shouted back as he lowered to lay prone on Appa's head. "Hey, buddy. Could you fly faster? I know you're mad, but we need to get to the Eastern Air Temple," he said, and the bison relented, kicking his legs to pick up speed as he flew higher, turning further east.

While Azula sat with Ivan, Mai, Ty Lee, Petr, and that other officer who seemed to have a thing for Mai, she couldn't help but think it strange that he had approached her to ask if they could spend some time together. Of course, to the uninitiated, everything appeared normal, yet after the display yesterday and that Ivan seemed to resent his ordeal on the parade ground, she presumed he did not want to be there. Yet, as she tried to figure out why he was there, she couldn't crack it, so she gave up and opted to enjoy his company instead. Or at least she was until one of her guards barged into the headquarters. "Your Highness," he began with a curt bow. "Our scouts have spotted the Avatar's bison leaving Ba Sing Se."

The Ruskians seemed confused by his urgency while Azula put on a thinking face. If the Avatar was gone and the Ruskians attacked early enough, there was no doubt in her mind they would likely gain an easy victory, much as they had when taking the Bulwark on the shore of Fullmoon Bay. "Very well, thank you for your report," she replied with a wave, and the man inclined his head before taking leave of them.

"Hey, didn't we see the bison a few days before Ivan showed up?" Ty Lee asked as she leaned on Petr and scratched her chin, much to his evident pleasure.

"Yeah, I remember," Mai replied. "It was when we defeated those warriors and took their outfits," she finished, her voice never leaving its monotone as Antonov stared at her in stunned silence as he sipped from his teacup.

Azula largely ignored them but nodded all the same. "Indeed, girls. And considering we've already come into contact with the Avatar, it means he's most likely on board," the Princess added as Ivan gave her a questioning look.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness, but who are you talking about?" She tried to keep herself from giggling like Ty Lee did when boys said something she liked as he addressed her. She hadn't noticed it before, but she really did enjoy how he worded her title, even with his thick accent. However, when Azula realized what he'd said after, the Princess couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at him in confusion. What did he mean he didn't know what she was talking about? She knew he was from a different world, but surely he knew what the Avatar was, right? As her thoughts continued to run, Ty Lee and Mai stopped to listen to the conversation.

"Do you really not know?" she asked, to which all three Ruskians shook their heads. But, she supposed she shouldn't be too hard on them, considering they didn't even know what bending was until she demonstrated hers. "Well, the Avatar is the only person in the world who can bend all four elements and supposedly is the bridge between our world and the spirit world."

The Ruskians, or at least Ivan and the other officer from his unit, seemed confused. Or was it concerned? "Wait, are you saying this "Avatar" is some kind of deity?" the Grand Duke asked with a raised brow.

Azula stroked her chin for a moment before shrugging. "I suppose you could say that. Not that I believe he is. However, I've also heard that the Avatar reincarnates when they die. So make of it what you will," while she knew the Ruskians at least made an effort to appear religious, she didn't fully understand their beliefs, but she hoped they might take offence-

"Do you mean to say that his body can't die?" the other officer asked, his apparent concern growing as Ivan turned to his colleague.

Azula shook her head. "No, not like that," she began. "The legend goes that the Avatar does die, but a new one will be born into one of the Four Nations every time they do. More specifically, the next element in the cycle: Water, Earth, Fire, Air," she explained as the two Ruskians watched her with rapt attention. "There are also tales of the Avatar being able to speak to their predecessors through meditation, as supposedly the Avatar is one continuous spirit that has inhabited the world since time immemorial, being the keeper of "balance" and "peace," though I prefer to see it as stagnation," the Ruskian's expressions seemed even more concerned the further she went on, though she continued regardless. "My Great-grandfather, Fire Lord Sozin, was among the first to realize the spirits control the world, not humanity, as they have compelled man to worship them by threat of violence, and the Avatar was at the center of this. So he sought to destroy the Avatar, end the cycle, and the reign of the spirits," of course, that wasn't the only reason for the war, but it was always one of its crucial justifications, no matter how perceptions have changed over the years.

"I see..." Ivan replied, his brow furrowed as he stroked his chin before turning to his subordinate. "Lieutenant, wouldn't this Avatar then be considered blasphemy?"

"Indeed it would be, Grand Duke," he replied before addressing Azula: "As our scriptures read, it is the height of arrogance to consider a man or other being higher than God, whether he gains his power from himself or more... sinister forces," he explained as his superior nodded in approval.

"I see..." Azula began as she considered what they had told her. Even though she didn't understand what they meant by their scripture, it certainly seemed they opposed him regardless. So, she acted quickly and asked a question, the repercussions of which would echo long past their lifetimes: "In that case, can we count on you to help us defeat him?"

Several hours after passing to the East of the Bulwark, they came across a wide bay which led directly to the Eastern Ocean. "Okay, according to the report, they said our navy set up on the Western coast, but it doesn't say where!" Sokka shouted over the blowing wind as Aang nodded and steered Appa along the shoreline for the next few hours until Sokka spotted the unmistakable blue sails and tall masts of Southern Water Tribe warships moored in a U-shaped natural harbour with tents set up around the vessels. "Look, down there!" he shouted as he pointed toward them, with Aang taking notice and setting Appa down in the camp. As they landed, they saw all the warriors cease their actions as they made room and watched in awe as the bison landed.

As the young aspiring warrior gathered his supplies before preparing to slide down Appa's sides, Aang turned to him and waved. "See you soon, Sokka! Say hi to your Dad for me!" he shouted as the teen nodded before sliding off as Appa took to the skies.

"Sokka?" he heard a familiar voice ask, one he'd not heard in months, and he turned to see his father's 2nd in command.

"Bato!" Sokka greeted as he ran up and embraced the man. "Do you know where Dad is?" he asked as they separated.

The man cocked a smile. "He's in there," he said, pointing to a large tent.

Sokka nodded in thanks before taking a deep breath and walking toward the tent as his mind whirled with thoughts and doubts. Would his father be proud of him and the man he'd become? Would he be angry with him for failing to protect the Tribe like he'd asked all those years ago? These thoughts consumed him as he walked up to the flap and pushed it aside to find the man who could only be his father, still sporting the same shaggy hair and short beard he remembered from childhood. As soon as he entered, the man raised his gaze from the map displayed on the table, and when their eyes met, Sokka saw his father's eyes widen in recognition. The youth could swear he saw water in his eyes as he wordlessly stood up, walked over to him and embraced him. "Sokka," he said in his familiar gravelly voice as he hugged tightly and patted him on the back. "I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks, Dad," he said as they broke the hug. "So, I guess Bato told you what happened?"

His father nodded in affirmation. "That he did," he answered with a smile before looking around. "Now, where's your sister and the Avatar?"

The youth sighed. "Katara is back in Ba Sing Se. The head of the Dai Lee ordered one of us to remain in the city, so she volunteered," he began, his father frowning at hearing what happened. "And Aang is going to the Eastern Air Temple to learn how to control the Avatar State from some guy who left him a note on Appa."

Hakoda stroked his chin in thought. "I see," he said before shaking his head. "I wish she was here. But, hopefully, I will get to see you both next time," he ruffled Sokka's hair before walking past him and opening the tent flap. "Come on, Son."

The sun had already begun its descent when Aang finally spotted the rising spires of the Eastern Air Temple on the horizon, standing proudly above the clouds. Appa immediately headed for the base of the central tower, built atop the tallest peak. "Here we go, buddy. Let's hope the trip was worth it," Aang said as his bison murmured in agreement.

Not long after, the duo spotted a dark man dressed in a short yellow robe sitting in a lotus pose on a platform built specifically for meditation. Setting down, Aang leapt off, using Airbending to land safely before slowly walking up to the man, who hadn't moved from his form. "Ah, Avatar Aang, you received my message," he said, not even opening his eyes, though his white eyebrows furrowed slightly as his long, rounded beard billowed gently in the breeze.

"Uh, how did you know it was me?" he asked, confused as the ancient man finally looked at him.

"The pure energy which flows around you, Aang. I can sense it," he began. "But, I know also know you. As I was a spiritual brother of your people and a personal friend to Monk Gyatso."

Knowing Aang's beloved mentor and given the man's appearance, it was little surprise he knew of him. "Really?" Aang asked, just to be sure he spoke the truth.

"Yes," the elderly man confirmed before he picked up a wooden bowl of thick yellow liquid and drank from it. "Now, why don't you try some? You'll need to be ready to face the challenges ahead to unlock the power inside you, and this will help you focus."

Well guys, here we are, the 2nd to last chapter before everything changes. I know I say this almost every chapter, but it is for you that I even bother writing this story, and I wish to send my thanks to every one of you. Now, the next one is likely going to be fairly short, but we shall see, as it deals with internal situation between Ruskia and her allies, and the finishing stages of planning for the siege of Ba Sing Se, which shall begin two chapters from this one.