Fall of the White Lotus [Zutara/Taang]

19 | Precious

Music: Forces of Destiny, Two Steps From Hell

                    The house Master Pakku, Katara, and Zuko entered appeared to be nothing more than that - a small Antarctic abode. It was empty but for a generic collection of furniture, which to Zuko felt like stage pieces, put in place to create the illusion of someone living there to unexpected visitors. Katara shifted next to him, looking around as well. She was clearly waiting for something to happen.

Master Pakku, having positioned himself in front of a white fur decorating the southern wall, didn't give the house another glance. Instead, he lifted his hands and a crack began to appear in the wall, quickly growing into the form of a door. Following a flick of Master Pakku's wrist, the door slowly opened. Katara's astonished gaze met Zuko's as the old man disappeared through the secret door, assuming that the young people would follow him.

Zuko held back a sigh and lowered the fur-trimmed hood of his parka. And yet another dark hole we go into, he thought as he took off one of his mittens and turned his palm upward. A small flame appeared, illuminating Katara's resigned smile. Zuko went in first.

The moment they'd both crossed the threshold, the solid door slammed shut behind them.

Darkness enveloped the three people around Zuko's modest flame and a heavy quiet suddenly pressed on their ears. For a moment, Zuko and Katara were disoriented, but when their eyes finally adjusted to the darkness, their mouths fell open in surprise. They were standing in a long, narrow corridor with a low, arched ceiling made of compacted snow. The corridor only allowed for single-file passage.

Master Pakku waited for his granddaughter and his grandmaster's nephew to catch up with him, the flickering fire in Zuko's hand bringing out the deep lines in his embittered face.

"This is a secret corridor which leads to an underground room belonging to the Order of the White Lotus." His voice sounded muffled in the narrow space. "When this city was built, members of the Order secretly added another layer to the outer walls, creating this corridor. If the city were to come under attack ever again, this corridor will collapse immediately."

For a moment, the old man's gaze held Zuko's, and the firebender winced slightly at his use of the word 'again.' By making the Fire Lord privy to what was probably the biggest of all Order secrets, Master Pakku was taking an enormous risk - and at the same time laying a huge responsibility on Zuko's shoulders to not betray the old man's trust in him.

Zuko slightly bowed his head, an expression of sorrow momentarily passing over his features.

Master Pakku's sharp gaze seemed to pick up on Zuko's distress because he gave the younger man an approving nod.

"Where does this corridor lead to, Gran Pakku?" Katara put her hand on the outer wall of the low corridor, feeling the construction behind it.

Master Pakku began to walk, motioning the young travelers to follow him. His reply was as reluctant as it was curt. "The heart of the Order."

                     For an hour they silently walked the long and narrow corridor, the snow crunching underneath their heavy boots as they proceeded. Sometimes a gust of wind would make Zuko's flame flicker in his hand, indicating that the construction held some ingenious system for air supply.

Katara noticed that there was a slight ascending slope to their path, and suddenly she realized that they were heading in the direction of the palace. She wondered a little grimly what her father would have to say if he knew that the Order of the White Lotus was using his home as a secret hiding place. She didn't have time to dwell on it though, because Master Pakku halted abruptly and turned around. Zuko and Katara could only barely avoid bumping into him.