Book I: Water

Chapter IV: The Rescue

Guest Room

The Redeemer

New chapter!

Let me know what y'all think!

Kuzon grunted as he woke up the next morning. As his vision began to slowly unblur..he took quick note of his surroundings. Noting that he could move his arms and legs somewhat, he tried to stand up. That was when Iroh put a hand on his chest. "Easy there Kuzon. You have a rough journey."

The old man picked up the tea tray. "Would you like some jin seng tea? It's all natural. Helps calm the mind."

Kuzon took one look at the retired general and then at the tea tray. "Your eyes. You are of the Fire Nation."

Iroh gave the young boy a small smile. "Your perception skills are good. I am. My name is Iroh."

Kuzon then glared at the bearded man, nodding. "What is all this? Are you offering me my last meal?"

Iroh shook his head sadly. "No. Prince Zuko thought that you awoke to his presence…it would disturb you. For obvious reasons…we want you as comfortable as possible while you are in our care."

Kuzon's face then soured. "Of course you do. You know what I'm capable of."

Iroh nodded sadly. "I have tried…in vain to dissuade my nephew from his fruitless crusade against you. My efforts have not borne fruit."

Kuzon then eyed the old man curiously. "The Prince is your nephew?"

Iroh nodded with a hint of sadness in his eyes. "Yes. He is my only nephew. The current Fire Lord…Ozai…is my younger brother."

Kuzon nodded, this time curious, "You are a member of the Royal Family? Why would you want to stop him from kidnapping me then?" Iroh sighed sadly. "Long ago…I was like him. I hunted the enemies of the Fire Nation in the name of glory and nation. I laid siege after siege…" The old man stopped in his words, wiping a tear from his eye. "Then at the Siege of Ba Sing Se…Lu Ten…my only son…died in the fighting." Kuzon nodded along. "You…lost your son."

Iroh gave the young firebender a nod. "Yes...he died in the fighting." The old man then shook his head. "All my medals, my glory then meant nothing. I had just lost the one thing that truly mattered to me. I abandoned the siege, abandoned my command, resigned from the Fire Nation Army and abdicated my right to the Burning Throne."

Kuzon went silent, just listening to the older man. "And it seems you've been trying to get the Prince to do the same."

Iroh nodded in agreement. "Please. His name is Zuko."

Kuzon blinked. "O-Okay. Z-Zuko." He then took one of the cups of tea and took a sip of it. "Wow. That really is jin seng tea! It reminds of home!"

Iroh smiled and put a hand on the younger boy's shoulder. "Remember this Kuzon. We cannot always go home but we can always carry home with us."

Kuzon faintly smiled back. Something about the aged firebender strangely put him at ease. "T-Thanks. That helps."

Iroh nodded.

Kuzon then nervously asked. "I-I'm sorry to ask a personal question but I need to know…"

Iroh then smiled at him. "What is it, young man?"

Kuzon sighed. "Why does he need to hunt me? I don't understand what makes me so valuable."

Iroh then sighed, sitting down on the bed. "You know you are the Avatar correct?"

Kuzon nodded. "Yeah. That I know but I don't know why that matters. What makes the Avatar so important?"

Iroh sighed and shook his head. The boy knows nothing of his destiny. I can't say I blame him. Poor child. "The Avatar is the one being born in this universe that is meant to be the balance of this world. He is the one being who can control the Four Elements. Water…Fire…and Earth."

Kuzon nodded, listening intently. "Okay. Why would the Fire Nation find me an enemy? I was born there. I'm no foreigner."

Iroh sighed. "I see your late family never fully explained it to you then. My grandfather…the late Fire Lord Sozin…saw your existence as a threat child. He knew that if you were given time to fully realize your potential as the Avatar…he would never be able to start the Hundred-Years-War. That is why he hunted you and your family down. You were the only one with the power to stop him."

Kuzon gasped with widened eyes. Suddenly, the memories of the deaths of his loved ones flooded his mind. His eyes filled up with tears. "I...no..that can't be true. I was just a kid."

Iroh shook his head. "It is the truth."

He then stared at his hands. "My…family is dead..because of me. Because of my destiny. I'm…" He then wiped away the tears falling from his eyes. "I..need time to process this." He then sunk in his bedding.

Iroh just gave him a nod. "I'm sorry child. I thought you had known." He then stood up, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "I will give you time to process this. It's is only right." He then took the tray and walked out of the guest room.

Kuzon, meanwhile, said nothing else and just sat there glancing solemnly at the pai sho tile in his hand. They are dead…because of me.

Meanwhile, near the Redeemer

Moments beforehand

Katara and Sokka managed to convince at least some of their countrymen to help them in their plan to free the Avatar before he left.

The two had decided to order their ragtag group in a Solilken formation. A snatch and grab operation.

It was a Southern Fleet Battle Plan that Hakoda had left behind for safekeeping.

The plan called for four boats to row beside the Redeemer. The non-benders would throw their grappling hooks so they could hook them onto the railing of the ship and serve as a distraction. The benders would then provide battle support by using their bending to surprise the enemy, overtaking the ship. There was only one problem though. Katara was the only Southern waterbender left alive. This meant that the job of rescuing Kuzon would be left up to her. Luckily, she felt prepared for the task. The young waterbender had a steely look in her eyes. The waves of the Southern Ocean rocked the boat as she closed her eyes in order to take in a deep breath. "Kuzon…I'm coming for you. Stay alive…please." She then felt a hand on her shoulder. "You sure you are up for this sis? You aren't going to have backup once we get on the ship."

The young girl then turned to him with a serious look in her eyes. "I am Sokka. He's my friend. I'm not leaving him behind. I'll handle whatever and whoever gets in my path. You just make sure I get time to get him and his mother out of there."

Sokka chuckled with a half-grin. "Spoken like a true Water Tribesmen sis."

One of the soldiers shouted. "We're coming upon the ship! Grappling hooks at the ready and masks at the ready!"

Katara then put her mask on and shouted orders. "Distract the guards! I'll get the Avatar!" The other soldiers gave her a nod and saluted with a fist over their respective hearts. "You got it!"

The soldiers then threw up their grappling hooks. The hooks then sinched to the ends of the railings. Solokik then gave his a good pull and grinned. "We're good to go! Up we go!"

The soldiers then started pulling themselves up on and over the sides of the ship. They then ambushed the small group of Fire Nation soldiers. The sounds of battle roared in the air.

Katara, meanwhile, did her best not to engage with the soldiers. Her job was to get her friend out of here and onto the escape boat. She rushed into the tower station of the ship, quickly using her waterbending to take out as many of the soldiers as she could. She finally came to Zuko who had his hands behind his back staring at a pastel of his father on the wall.. He wore a special badge on the right front side of her chest. It was of a flame and made of bronze. "So…you've returned for the traitor after all? Have to say…I wasn't expecting this. I wouldn't have thought you were loyal to one of our own."

Katara scowled, narrowing her eyes at him. "Then I guess you don't know as much about my people as you realize..Prince Zuko." She then got into her waterbending stance. "I'll give you one chance to tell me where he is."

Zuko sighed and shook his head. "I'm afraid I can't. I admit…I'm impressed that he surrendered for the sake of your people's safety but I still have my mission. He is my ticket home. Without him…I cannot regain my status as the Prince. Father doesn't tolerate failure. I'm afraid you came here for nothing." He then turned to her scowling, getting into his firebending stance. "You think that he belongs with your tribe of savages? I know how your people treat mine snow peasant. I've read letters my men send to their families back home. My father lost friends in the First War. You and your kind have brought death and dishonor on my people. I have not forgotten this injustice."

Katara scowled. "Only because your ancestors brought to ours first. We defended ourselves. We defended our homeland. You have only yourselves to blame for whatever carnage has been inflicted on your people by ours." She then glared. "As for Kuzon…I've got news for you. He's nothing like you. He may share the eyes and the heritage…but he has more kindness and compassion in his heart than you will ever have!" She then howled. "I will not let you turn him into your personal trophy! He's my best friend! I'd give my life to save him!" She then rushed at the firebender attacking with her water. Zuko, caught off-guard, managed to match her strike for strike. Zuko grunted. "You are…well trained." I have to say something to throw her focus off.

Katara just nodded. "Glad you noticed." She then sent a fierce water whip striking him hard in the chest sending him back hard a few feet. He then came at her fiercer with a series of fire fists and kicks. Katara tried to defend against him but she was no master waterbender yet. She had learned from scrolls left by the waterbenders of past generations. While she knew the water whip and water wall, she had no advanced knowledge of advanced techniques such as the Octopus form. While this made her a competent fighter and bender against non-benders. It was also true that her lack of formal training and lack of experience fighting firebenders made her out to be the weaker opponent.

Zuko, by stark contrast, had at least six months of firebender training through his uncle. He had also been training with his men in order to harden his skills. He then rushed at her with a flurry of attacks meant to destabilize her balance.

Katara was managing to hold her ground but barely, using the water to defend herself. Okay. This isn't good. He's obviously aggressive in his firebending…I'm not skilled enough to fight him in an offensive manner. My water whip is helping and my water wall is helping me defend myself…but if I continue…he is going to win. I need more water. I can't bend it from here. Let me look around. She kept up her defense while looking around for more water sources. She then noticed three steam pipes popping out of the corners in the upper section of the room. A smirk came to her face. Perfect. She then kept up one arm keeping up her defense while using the other to slowly bring out the water.

Zuko grew more and more frustrated as she did this. He kept attacking recklessly. "What are you doing Katara? Scared to fight?"

Katara just smirked and continued on with her strategy. Soon, she could feel the pipes about to burst with water. It was then that she smirked at Zuko. "No. Just needed to hold you off until I could do…this." With one last exert of force, she finally forced the water out of the pipes. Using her mastery of the water, she then twirled the mass of water around herself with the twirl a finger.

Zuko gasped. "How did you find so much? There's no water here." Katara laughed with a sly grin. "Even your people need water to survive Zuko. I used the steam pumped throughout the ship and brought it to me using my own bending." Before Zuko could react, Katara had overwhelmed him with a huge wave of water slamming him against the wall of the tower. He grunted in pain and slid against the wall down to the floor.

Katara then took a deep breath, blowing on him until he was literally encased in a thick block of ice.

Zuko, for his part, tried to move, but found the temperature of the ice so cold he was shivering. "N-No! This can't be my end! I have a destiny. I have a destiny! The Avatar will be mine! It is fate!"

Katara then smiled. Have to admit that was close. I really need to find a proper teacher. The Massive Wave technique is really only meant for emergencies. I got lucky! She then marched up to Zuko glaring. "I'm only going to ask one more time Zuko. Where is Kuzon? Tell me or I will leave you here to drown."

Zuko grunted. He knew he had been beat. It hurt him to admit it but the snow peasant had taken advantage of his superiority complex and gotten the better of him. He had two choices. Either he tell her where he was keeping the Avatar or he died by drowning. Grunting softly, he silently swore to himself that he'd never let himself get bested ever again and glanced at Katara. "He's…down in the cellar. Go down the stairs and to the right. There is a door with a wheel lock. Turn it three times and open it. He'll be there."

The young waterbender then stared him down with a dangerous look in her eyes, grabbing him roughly by the collar before letting him go. "He better be...for your sake". She then began to walk off without another word down the stairs.

Zuko then grunted, trying to break his way out of his ice prison. "I won't forget this Katara! You've made an enemy on this day!"

The waterbender turned to glance back at him with an equally cold look in her eyes. "As have you..Zuko." She then continued to walk.

Cellar Hallway, The Redeemer,

As Katara dutifully followed the instructions the former Prince of the Fire Nation had given her, she could feel her heart pounding and her mind began to race. She had hidden such worries from the Prince but privately she feared she had come too late. Her movements suddenly became more frantic and she began to shout. "Kuzon! Kuzon! Are you here! Shout if you can hear me!" She finally came to the door Zuko had mentioned.

She then sighed and took a deep breath. "Okay you've got to be in here." She then grabbed the hand and, with all her strength, turned it three times. She then grunted, and with all the strength she could muster, forced it open. The door then opened with a very loud creaking noise.

Katara took a moment to catch her breath. "Finally!" She then slowly walked in. "Kuzon? Are you in here? Shout if you can hear me." That was she met eyes with her friend. He appeared to be unconscious and lying in a cot with a warm blanket over him. His mother was in another one of the beds.

An empty cup of tea on the nightstand next to him.

Katara immediately went into panic mode. Oh no! They poisoned him and his mother! She then rushed over and pressed two fingers to his pulse. To her relief, she felt a rather strong pulse. Okay. He's alive. His pulse is normal. Then the sound of Kuzon's loud snoring made her jump. He then turned on his side. At first, she was shocked but soon that shock turned into laughter. The girl felt an immediate sense of relief overcome her. Happy tears flowed from her azulean eyes. "Oh…oh you jerk! You made me think you were dead!" She then giggled. "You're just sleeping!" She then gently picked him up out of the bed carrying him bridal-style, careful to keep the blanket wrapped around him. She then smiled down at him. Something about the way was sleeping so soundly in her arms made her smirk. "You know something..if you take away the whole Avatar burden and the Fire Nation heritage…you and I really aren't so different. We've both lost our mothers and we both are outcasts in some ways. We're both scared…trying to find our way through this insane war and…trying to heal from the damage it has caused to both of us." She then sighed and looked him in the eyes."When I look at you…my heart soars. My senses are heightened and I feel this..desire to protect you from everyone…even my own people." She then blushed and gently brushed some stray hairs from his face. "I..I think I'm in love with you."

Immediately, however, she forced herself to look away from him, her face heating up in embarrassment. "Oh! What the Tui am I saying? In love? I'm just worried about him. He's a friend. My best friend. I'm just looking out for his well-being." She then started to walk out of the room. "I need to focus on getting him home. That was when she came face to face with her brother. Sokka grinned at her. "Mission accomplished. Nodoliq and I handled the men. Let's get out of here before reinforcements show up."

Katara gave her brother a serious nod. "Agreed." She then turned to glance over at Ling's corpse. "You get his mother. We're getting out of here."

Sokka gave her a nod. "You got it." He then rushed over and slung Ling over his shoulders.

Moments later

As the siblings rushed out onto the deck, they saw some of the men lying unconscious or dead on both sides.

Katara turned to her brother. "We have to get to the boats! Let's move!"

Sokka gave her a nod. "Right." The two then rushed until Iroh got in their path.

Katara cursed to herself. Damn it. There's no way I'll be able to fight this man. I'd be abandoning Kuzon. To her surprise though,

Iroh, instead of getting into his fighting stance, just smiled sagely at her. He then stepped to the side and gestured with his hands. "You may go."

Katara blinked at him. "What?"

Iroh smiled again. "You may go."

Katara blinked at him and then glared. "What's your game here? The rest of the men fought us all the way through. Why aren't you?"

Iroh smiled at her. "Because I am too old to be fighting young waterbender. The second reason….is because I believe it would serve the world best that the Avatar remained in your hands." He then stared down and grunted. "There is no doubt in my mind that he awaits a far grimier fate if he returns home with us. My brother is not one to be hospitable to those he deems traitors to our beloved Nation."

Katara and Sokka glanced at one another flabbergasted. Besides Kuzon, no other firebender had been cordial with them. The fact that Iroh was just letting them go truly befuddled them.

Iroh then spoke urgently. "If you will forgive me…I must ask. Is Zuko still alive? There is no doubt in my mind he tried to stop you." Sokka then turned to Katara. "We didn't fight him. Did you?"

She nodded. "He lives. I hate to say it but…it's because of him that I found Kuzon. I decided to spare him from death in return."

Iroh let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you..for your mercy. I've already lost my son…Lu Ten…in this terrible war. My heart couldn't bear another loss." Katara eyed the older man quizzically. Who is this man and why is he so…serene and calm?

Katara eyed the man nervously but gave him a small smile. "You're…welcome I guess." She then turned to Sokka. "We don't have much time! Let's go!"

Iroh just smiled as he watched the siblings jump off the raling into their boat. The rest of the remaining men followed them.

The groups then rushed off as fast as they could.

Iroh then rushed off to find Zuko. He later found him steaming with anger in the control room. "Grr! She got the best of me! This is dishonorable!"

Iroh put a hand on the Prince's shoulder. speaking sadly. "Perhaps this is a sigh nephew! Let us go home!"

Zuko shook his head frustratingly. "No…I will not go home! I will avenge my lost honor...somehow!" He then walked off into his room, slamming the door.

Iroh just sighed and shook his head with closed eyes.

Let me know what y'all think!

More coming soon!

Read and review!