Avatar Katara

The Day of the Black Sun

Earthbenders leaned out of the caterpillar tanks and fired rocks at the Fire Nation tanks, destroying them.

Sokka smirked when he saw that as he and Jinora studied a map. "Everything's going pretty smoothly, and the eclipse hasn't even started yet."

Jinora smiled. "Let's not test our luck."

The ground rumbled and a tunnel opened up beneath them. An earthwave rose out of the ground, Zuko and Katara on it.

"Please tell me you're here because the Fire Lord turned out to be such a big wimp that you didn't even need the eclipse to take him down," Sokka begged.

"No such luck," Zuko said. "The entire palace was abandoned.

Katara shook her head. "He's probably long gone, away on some island where he'll be safe until after the eclipse."

Sokka shook his head. "No. He wouldn't go too far. He would have a secret bunker. Somewhere he could go so he'd be safe during the siege but still be close enough to lead his nation."

Toph tapped her foot. "If it's a secret bunker you're looking for, I'm your girl."

Sokka checked his pocket watch, given to him by the Mechanist. "It looks like we've got ten minutes until the eclipse starts. Ten minutes to find the Fire Lord."

Zuko nodded. "We can still do this. We can still win the day."

Katara shook her head. "Wait. If they knew we were coming, it could all be a trap. Maybe we should use the time we have left to make sure all of us get out safely."

"Everyone here today came prepared to risk everything for the mission," Jinora said quietly. "We all know what's at stake. If there's a chance and there's still hope, I'm sure they'd all agree with me when I say Katara should go for it."

"What do you think?" Sokka asked. "You're the one who has to face the Fire Lord. Whatever you decide, I'm with you."

Katara took one last look at the battlefield. "We've got to try."

---

Rina steered Sang towards the edge of the volcano. "I'm going to go rejoin the other airbenders," she called as the others dismounted. "Good luck with the Fire Lord." She waved and Sang flew away.

"Do you feel anything?" Katara asked.

Toph put her hand on the ground. "Yep. There are natural tunnels criss-crossing inside the volcano."

"Anything else?" Zuko asked.

"There's something big, dense, and made of metal deep inside the heart of the volcano."

"Sounds like a secret bunker to me," Sokka said. Toph bent a tunnel into the ground and the four entered.

Zuko shook his head. "I don't think it's that way."

"What do you mean?"

"It feels too obvious. It's a trap. It's got to be. Combustion Man knew about Toph's metalbending, so maybe they know about her seismic sense."

Toph shook her head. "I don't feel any other bunkers."

Sokka frowned. "Zuko, do you have any idea where the bunker could be?"

"I have a pretty good idea."

"Then let's split up."

"What?" Katara asked, unable to hide her surprise. "We're not splitting up!"

"If we're both right about where the bunker is, then we'll meet up in the same place, and we can take down the Fire Lord together."

"And if we're not?"