"The wind will carry you. It supports something inside you, something even lighter than you. And that something takes over when you fly."
They were standing at the edge of one of the temple's balconies. Katara wanted to try gliding like the others in this temple, but right now, as she listened Teo's instructions and stared at the clouds below, the courage seemed to leave her.
"I've changed my mind. I think I was born without that something." she said hurriedly as she put down the glider she was holding back on the ground.
But Teo laughed in response "Impossible! Everybody has it."
"Spirit. That's the something you're talking about." Aang stated, and Katara bit her lip in thought.
"Yeah. I suppose it is." the kid agreed with a smile. He turned around and asked "Are you sure you don't want to try?"
Zuko looked at him with his arms folded "Hard pass."
He stood a little further from the edge as he watched the girl struggle with the glider. The boy's instructions were rather unclear to him, and he wouldn't bet his own life on it, but he would watch attently when it was done by someone else.
Another moment of anticipation, and he saw Katara jump off the edge with a glider. There was a second when he thought that Aang will have to rush to save her, but then suddenly she soared up into the sky with a cry of joy.
The airbender smiled widely as he saw her enjoying the flight, and he quickly jumped on his glider to join her. Momo was happy to follow them in the air.
"I can't believe I'm flying!" she called with excitement as she noticed him.
"Just make sure you keep your mouth closed so you don't swallow a bug!" Aang advised with a smile, as he noticed his pet catching a fresh snack in the air.
She chuckled a little "You know, Teo was right about the air. All I had to do was trust it, and let it carry me."
The boy smiled thoughtfully "Even though Teo is not an airbender, he really does have a spirit of one."
Meanwhile on the temple balcony, Zuko kept watching the movements of flying girl, as he assumed the Avatar could be boosting his flight with airbending. Suddenly he heard the wheelchair rolling closer to him, and he looked down.
"You're missing out." Teo said with a smirk.
The prince moved his eyes back to the sky "Too bad."
"So... What were you doing here a few years ago?"
It didn't surprise Zuko that the boy wanted to resume the subject. But he wasn't happy about it either.
"I was looking for someone. Your father took it upon himself to help me, but that person wasn't here, so I left."
This made Teo curious "Who were you looking for?"
The prince wasn't sure if the people here were informed about what was happening around the world. If what Mechanist said was true, they were inhabiting this temple for about ten years, and access to news from the world was rather limited here. However, they also needed food and other goods they couldn't produce this high in the mountains, so they had to have some contact with the outside world. In the end, he decided that telling the truth shouldn't be a problem here.
"I was looking for the Avatar."
The boy smiled "So you found him after all. But why-"
"Hey, Teo." Aang suddenly landed next to them "I've been thinking about it. If you want to see what's in that room, I'd be happy to open the door for you."
"Oh, that's great!"
However, Zuko froze. "Are you sure? You'd be opening the sanctuary for them."
The airbender gave him a hesitant look before answering "I know... But come to think about it, they have already made this temple their home. These aren't typical air nomads values, but they kinda keep the temple alive in that way. The other temples you saw just fell into ruin, didn't they?"
He already figured that the Avatar wasn't in all Air Temples, but it felt odd to tell him about them "Well... Pretty much, but-"
"Then it's decided." Aang smiled "Let's go."
The kid moved to the entrance, and both boys started to follow, when they heard a scream:
"Wait! How do I land this thing?!"
They looked up and noticed Katara, who was still in the air, clutching her glider, and waving her feet hopelessly.
"You need to fly parallel to the ground, lowering gradually until your feet will touch the ground!" Teo shouted back with a smile.
"What if I crash?" she called anxiously, still not approaching the landing.
Aang decided to walk her through this from the air, leaving them alone for a moment. However they were both focused on watching the girl land, and soon she joined them with Aang, with cheeks still red from the freezing wind.
"It was amazing! You should try it too, Zuko!" she said smiling as she approached them.
"I'm good here on the ground." he said, averting his eyes.
Teo turned his wheelchair toward the entrance "Maybe you'll change your mind later. Let's go!"
His excitement was clear, and soon they have reached the sanctuary door. There Aang asked them to keep a little distance, while he skillfully pumped the air into the lock, which gave in with a humming sound of horn. Then the doors opened and they gasped at the sight.
Sokka was really enjoying himself with the Mechanist. In these few hours he'd seen so many mind-blowing inventions that he wished he could just stay there and study them.
He had just helped the man find a way to deal with a gas leak they had, and a prototype model on the shelf was already giving him an idea, when suddenly there was a sound of a bell ringing. He didn't pay it much attention earlier, but there was a rope tied to it, which now caused the contraption to ring. It must have served as an alarm, because Mechanist jumped on his feet immediately and sprinted outside his room. It confused Sokka at first, but he quickly followed him.
It wasn't long before they reached a corridor that ended with big doors, which were now wide open. The inside caught Sokka's attention right away - big emblems of the Fire Nation were visible from afar.
Aang and the others were standing in the middle of the chamber, and Mechanist quickly caught up to them "Stop! You don't understand!" then he turned to Zuko, and added in a tone full of reproach "You said you won't tell him about it!"
The airbender immediately turned towards the boy as well "You knew?! And you just kept quiet about it this whole time?!"
"What was I supposed to tell you?" Zuko retorted angrily.
"Oh, I don't know, that there are Fire Nation weapons produced in here?" Sokka cut in, then he addressed Mechanist "How can you do such a thing?"
"Explain this, now!" Teo demanded, watching his father with mixed feelings.
The man looked resigned at the moment, knowing that he owed them explanations. Especially to his son. He told them everything, about the Fire Nation discovering the new inhabitants of the temple, and how he made a deal with them so they could continue to live there safely. In the end, he realized there was nothing else to say, and he retreated to his office to spare himself the judging eyes of the children. Even though he knew it was well deserved.
"I can't believe you actually knew about it all." Sokka said accusatorily, looking at Zuko with folded arms "But maybe I should have seen it coming."
The prince withstood his gaze however "Spare your breath. I told you that I won't act against my country. Not that I had any part in this arrangement, I just happened to find out about it during my search."
"Wait, so he's from the Fire Nation?" Teo asked with disbelief, and Katara sighed.
"It's a long story." she answered, with her eyes downcast. She was disappointed, but she didn't know if it was more the firebender or herself.
"It can't go on like that." Aang stated, leaving the room in rush. Teo followed him immediately, but the rest of the group looked at each other first with hesitation.
"Let's go see what he has in mind" Sokka said, giving Zuko a grim look.
The prince shook his head slightly, but followed the group. What surprised them, was that the door were suddenly shut before they could get in. Seeing that Sokka was about to call in protest, he caught his shoulder, gesturing to him to keep silent and listen.
The siblings looked at him distrustfully, but put their ear to the door as well. At first the voices were muffled, but then they heard clearly Aang arguing with some man. Judging by what he was saying, he was most likely some official from the Fire Nation.
Suddenly they heard the crack of a trapdoor hitting the floor, and after a while the door was opened by a terribly pale Mechanist.
"Who was that?" Sokka asked immediately.
The man sighed "War minister Qin... He came to collect the shipment, but Avatar stopped him." he paused, glancing pitifully at the airbender "They're gonna destroy this place."
"No if we stop them. We just need to figure out a way to defend ourselves." Aang stated confidently.
Teo moved closer to them. "Come on, dad. You came up with so many inventions. I'm sure you can help us come up with something that will help."
Mechanist looked at his son with a renewed hope "I... I'll try."
He turned thoughtfully until at some point his eyes fell on Sokka. "Perhaps you could lend me a hand? I've been thinking about something for a while, but I'm stuck."
"Some cool fire-jerks kicking invention? Count me in!" the teenager answered with a grin.
Mechanist smiled more confidently in response, motioning him closer to the worktable. The rest of the group understood it was best to leave them for now, and went out of the room. There Zuko finally decided to voice his thoughts.
"It's gonna be ugly. This place, the technology it provides - if the War Minister himself supervises it, then it must be really important strategically. They-"
"What, you're worried your folks will have to come up with new weapons on their own?" Teo cut in mockingly.
"You're not taking this seriously. Do you think life's just having fun, without a care what's happening around you?" the prince retorted angrily. "Have you ever fought before? You wouldn't be so keen to bring the fight to your home if you have."
Aang frowned upon this "Zuko, stop. It's-"
"No, I'm not done." the firebender glared at him, then brought his eyes back on Teo. "Yes, I am from the Fire Nation. And I've seen some of these inventions put into use. They are giving our armies tremendous advantage, and that's why I know that War Minister will throw an attack at you with such force, that either you'll surrender back into submission, or you'll be destroyed. So I wouldn't be so pleased with myself if I were you."
The outburst shocked them again. The prince decided not to wait for them to process it, and stormed out to the nearest exit.
Teo was the first one to speak "Is he telling the truth? Is it gonna be so bad...?"
"I don't know." Aang admitted "But even if so, we're still going to face it. I'm sure we can find a way to win."
"That's right. Your father is a brilliant scientist, I'm sure he and Sokka will come up with something." Katara added, smiling.
Meanwhile Zuko went back outside on the balcony. He watched some gliding youths idly, while his thoughts were racing.
"It can turn into a massacre... They have no idea yet. But aside from these people here who don't even know how to fight, it'll be our soldiers as well... I can already imagine the Avatar throwing them around like ragdolls. He didn't hold back in the stronghold, and here surely he won't either. To be thrown off the temple, off the mountain would be a sure death. What to do..."
Then one couple landed, and he watched them set their gliders aside. He glanced at the sky once more in thought. One look around let him locate Appa, and he started to walk slowly in bison's direction, careful not to draw anyone's attention.
"So, how many gliders do you have?" Aang asked. Teo was strolling next to him, also deep in thought, as he tried to recall all the resources they had on hand.
"About fourteen, including mine. There are more people capable of using them, but we usually shared them. Maybe we could try to make a few more..."
"But what good would do flying alone? If you can't bend, then..." Katara started sceptically, but suddenly Sokka joined their conversation:
"Bombs. A lot of bombs."
"Sokka! Did you come up with something?" she asked enthusiastically, as she turned around.
The warrior noticed the grimace that appeared on Aang's face when he heard the word 'bombs' , but he decided to ignore it for now.
"Yeah, we actually have an idea. Can you call everyone to Mechanist's office?"
"Why didn't anyone warn that flying through the clouds is so freezing?"
It was one of the many thoughts that Zuko had as he darted through the air in direction of the secret entrance that he knew from the few years ago. Or at least that's what he was aiming for when he took off of the temple, but as soon as he flew into the clouds, he completely lost any visibility. The damp air was seeping through his coat, and a short stubble of hair he had grown for the last days didn't do anything to protect his head either.
His panicked grip on the glider was so tight that he couldn't feel his fingers anymore - then again it could be the matter of temperature too. A part of him felt guilty for leaving without saying a word to anyone.
"But what would I even tell them? That I'm going to the Fire Nation camp to stop the attack? They would just slow me down. Or stop me from going at all. But they don't care what happens to these soldiers... They only think of those people from the temple. To them we're just an enemy."
His train of thoughts was getting bitter, and his teeth were chattering slightly from the cold, but he focused on keeping the course as straight as he could.
"Maybe that's the truth. Mechanist and his technology is surely a valuable resource, but... Attacking a temple full of civilians for insubordination, burning it to the ground... It's not honorable. I wonder if father knows about this."
At last he managed to break through the layer of clouds. He emerged near a mountain pass, so at least he didn't have to look far to notice a troop gathering nearby.
He narrowed his eyes to get a better look, but he still wasn't sure what he was seeing. In addition to groups of soldiers, there were some kind of armored vehicles. Something in their design looked familiar, and Zuko briefly recalled seeing a wheel like theirs in the Mechanist's workshop. He couldn't miss the cruel irony in using the man's own invention against him.
He quickly steered his glider back into the clouds and waited a moment to make sure he was unnoticed. Judging by the lack of fire shot in his direction, no one has seen him yet. He stayed on the edge of the cloud, just close enough to see the area below. A closer look allowed him to tell that the troop wasn't moving yet, and the soldiers were gathered in one place. It could mean they were receiving direct orders, or going through the plan of attack. Zuko didn't care which was it, as long as it kept them occupied long enough for him to land.
Sokka has just finished explaining how their newest invention worked. It filled him with pride that he was the one to come up with the solution to Mechanist's problem. The only thing that was spoiling his sense of accomplishment was that Aang seemed distracted during his speech.
Eventually the boy stopped him "It really sounds amazing, Sokka, but has anyone seen Zuko?"
"What again?" Sokka sighed in annoyance "He got lost or something?"
"Well, he kinda stormed off earlier, and I couldn't find him when we were calling everyone here. I thought maybe someone else had already stumbled upon him and he'd be here, but he's not..." Aang explained with a sheepish smile, but there was also a hint of concern in his voice.
Katara looked around unsettled as this made her realize that they hasn't seen him since that heated speech of his "Maybe he's with Appa...?"
Suddenly a young man spoke up hesitantly "I'm not sure if that's who you're talking about, but I think I saw someone taking off on a glider when I was getting here."
"He took our glider?!" Teo asked incredulously "And what, he just ran off to his people?"
"I don't think so..." Sokka said sceptically. "I mean, he's from the Fire Nation, but they actually want him dead now. He would have to be crazy to put himself under the nose of a whole squad of soldiers."
"Well..." Aang scratched his head "Zuko did already break into the Fire Nation stronghold once..."
Sokka froze as he looked at him "Come on... What would he even go there for?"
"Wait, we may be getting it wrong... Maybe he just wanted to blow off some steam?" Katara offered hopelessly "He looked pretty angry, but he said himself that he doesn't want to fight his own people. Right...?"
"I'm going to look for him" Aang stated firmly, but Sokka protested:
"Wait! We don't have time for this! We're still not done with the balloon, and we need to make as many bombs as possible!"
"Then you can start working on it. But Zuko might be in trouble." the kid insisted "I'll be back as soon as I can."
He left quickly, leaving the rest with mixed feelings.
"Where did you even get this guy from?" Teo asked with barely hidden disapproval "To just leave without a word, in the middle of this mess. I wouldn't trust him if I were you."
"It's not that simple..." Katara said thoughtfully "But he had already helped us a few times."
Sokka sighed "Aang will find him. Or maybe he'll just come back on his own, who knows. Let's get back to the plan."
The landing wasn't as easy as Aang made it sound earlier, and Zuko was glad he chose a place obscured from the view. He was now covered in snow, which quickly sticked to the damp coat. It occurred to him that it could actually help with camouflage, so he didn't shake it off completely, even though he was freezing. He spared another look at the glider that was now dug deep in snow; one of the beams seemed to be broken. It didn't seem like he could use it anymore to get back into the air on his own (not that there was even point in trying without airbending), so he decided to leave it there.
He started to climb the slope. Fortunately there was no one on the watch, because the prince had no doubt that even despite the snow on his coat, he would be easy to spot from afar.
Soon he has reached the tanks, and it surprised him how big they were. They were made out of metal, with big, spiked wheels and cabins which could probably fit at least two soldiers inside. Thick walls would keep them covered from damage and allow them to attack from safe position at the same time. In other circumstances he would have been proud that such an innovative vehicle has been added to their army. But if they reached the temple, they would be in trouble.
Zuko peeked from the tank's corner and noticed that the soldiers were still gathered in one place. It crossed his mind that it could be useful to listen in on their plan, but with these tanks the strategy probably wasn't complicated - which also meant he didn't have much time.
"Alright, if they're made to sustain attacks, then it'd be no use to try anything from the outside. But there has to be something on the inside. They have to be powered by engine, so if it's anything like the one on our ships..." he thought as he started to look for the entrance, and soon he noticed a hatch on the bottom. He opened it as quietly as he could and sneaked inside.
The light was dimmed, as it only came in through the windows at the front of vehicle. On the back there was an engine. It took Zuko a moment to recognise the parts, and he suddenly felt grateful for how frequent malfunctions were in a ship as old as Wani, because it allowed him to know the parts by heart. After all, he couldn't trust those lazy sailors to fix them on time.
"Alright, it would be best if they didn't break right away, because that would only delay the attack. If there was something to go wrong after they take up the speed... The pressure sounds best."
He searched for valves responsible for releasing steam. His fingers were numb from the cold, but he managed to tighten them to the point he was sure that the pressure in the engine would build up gradually, eventually leading to malfunction. Then he sneaked out and moved on to the next tank, repeating the action.
It wasn't going as swiftly as he'd like, and there were still a couple of them left. He had just finished with another one when he noticed the soldiers starting to move. He realized if they found him by the tanks, it would be obvious he may have sabotaged them. He needed to move - now.
Thinking fast, he got outside. His teeth chattered uncontrollably as crouched behind a tundra tank he was in just a moment before. The situation was getting worse with each second - the voices of soldiers heading to take their place in formation were getting louder, their disciplined march a rhythmic drumming on the frozen ground. His mind raced. He should find a way around them and return to the temple, but a thought occurred to him; perhaps he could stop the attack here and now. If he got a chance to speak to the War Minister...
But then as he rose, a crunch of snow beneath his boot betrayed his presence. He froze, but it was too late. A pair of soldiers rounded the tank, their eyes widening as they noticed him.
"You there, stop!" one shouted, drawing his sword. Zuko's hand itched to go for his own weapon, but he hesitated. He couldn't fight his own people, not like this.
"I need to speak with War Minister Qin." he said loudly. The soldiers advanced, suspicion etched on their faces, as they recognised the scar.
"Why should we let you?" the second soldier demanded, with a bit of hesitation. There may have been orders to capture him, but if he came there on his own, perhaps something has changed. If they attacked the prince and it turned out they weren't supposed to, they would be in trouble.
Zuko's heart pounded. "Because I am Prince Zuko, and I believe there is a better way to end this conflict."
The soldiers exchanged a glance, uncertainty flickering in their eyes. After a tense moment, they lowered their weapons.
"Come with us." the first soldier said.
Zuko was escorted through the camp, his mind whirled with potential outcomes. Would Qin listen? Could he convince him to halt the attack? The fate of the Northern Air Temple, as well as these soldiers' rested on the words he was about to speak. The last time he tried to do something like that had ended in the worst possible way.
Other soldiers must have noticed there was something going on, and they stopped, unsure if there would be a change of orders.
Qin was inside the only tent there, and Zuko wondered if the man was actually going to lead the attack or stay there. One of the soldiers escorting him went inside to pass the information, and they both quickly emerged out of the tent.
"Prince Zuko, what an... unexpected surprise. To what do we owe the honor of your... visit?" the Minister asked, clearly confused.
Zuko took a deep breath and spoke "War Minister Qin, I must speak with you. This attack on the Northern Air Temple - it's wrong. There are innocent people there."
"It's not about the people." Qin huffed impatiently "If you knew what's the strategic significance of this temple-"
"I'm aware of the Mechanist's input in our technology development. And I'm here because I believe in the Fire Nation's cause. But this isn't the way. We're supposed to be spreading prosperity, not fear." Zuko said, trying to put as much authority in his voice as he could, but the minister just smirked.
"Prosperity, fear... they're two sides of the same coin, Prince Zuko. But tell me, why should I listen to a fugitive who's lost his way?"
It stung to be reminded of his current status, but the prince continued confidently "Because I know the Fire Lord's vision. And attacking civilians isn't part of it. We're better than that."
"Ah, the naivety of youth. You see, Zuko, the Fire Lord's vision is grander than you comprehend. It's about power, control. Civilians are but pawns in a larger game. Why do you think he appointed me as War Minister?"
"No." Zuko shook his head, though a shadow of doubt washed over him. "Our people are honorable! We don't harm the defenseless."
"Honor? A convenient word for the privileged. But in war, Prince Zuko, honor is just another weapon. And sometimes, it must be sheathed for the greater good."
"If that's what you believe, then you're not fitted to be in charge of the army. I won't stand by and watch the Fire Nation lose its way."
"Stand by? And what do you think you can do about it in your situation...?" Qin asked with a pretended curiosity, and Zuko lowered his eyes in powerless anger as he realized what the minister meant.
"Exactly." a mocking smile curled the man's lips "And as for the Fire Nation... it will continue on its path, with or without the approval of its wayward prince. But I must admit you've really done a great service to your country today."
Zuko looked up, giving him a confused look, but Qin continued with a smile "You spared us the effort of tracking you."
Is this cliffhanger too mean? I hope not ;)