Avatar the Last Airbender - Book 4: Air (The Master of the Lion Turtles)

Chapter Sixteen: Charred Rugs, Broken Crowns

The building become hotter and Sokka felt the need to remove his coat - though he didn't move out of the fear of being discovered. The paintings on the walls were blackened and the furs below his feat charred. The torches that usually hung from the walls were gone or empty, forcing the corridors into almost darkness.

Clink

His foot his something on the floor and he beckoned Nalo over to lend him some light. 

He suddenly wished she hadn't.

There, on the remains of a destroyed polar bear pelt, lay the golden crown of the Fire Lord. The edge of it was bent and there was the faintest sign of blood at the very crest. Sokka felt fear rise in his chest. 

How? 

How? 

How? 

How? 

How? 

How? 

Nalo pulled him upright, scooping the crown into the folds of her trousers as she did. She held Sokka's face with two hands and forced him to hold eye contact. 

FOCUS. 

Sokka nodded. They forced on into the increasing heat.

The floor creaked slightly under Sokka's feet and he cursed himself in every way he knew how. The door up ahead had to be the right one - the burnt handle and the light seeping out from under the door - and any noise could give them away. Sokka pushed his face up against the gap between the door and the frame, Nalo squeezing herself in below him.

He could just make out the figure of a man pacing around the room, dragging what looked like a sword behind him by scraping it along the floor. He was speaking to someone. Sokka swapped to put his ear to the gap - Nalo the eyes and he the ears. 

"I won't wait much longer! The Avatar gives me what I want or I level your puny village!" There was the sound of a boot hitting something and a groan before it was cut off by a muffled yell, muffled screaming came from somewhere else in the room.

Dad. Katara. 

"No! Stop, leave him. Please." Sokka's chest tightened. The voice was hoarse and it sounded like their mouth had something in it - but it was Zuko. Footsteps. His fathers groans became softer as the first man spoke again. 

"You think because you wear that crown and you've got the Avatar at your side, you're better than him. You're not. The Fire Nation used to be powerful, the other nations would crumble at the very thought of us, but now," he paused and Sokka heard Zuko gasp - where the hell was Aang? "Now, we're poor, our economy is crumbling and you don't seem to be able to do anything about it. You sit on your thrown and leave us to suffer. You're no Fire Lord. You're no great leader. You're no son of Ozai." There was a thud and Zuko started coughing. The man laughed. "Good job we pulled that retched crown from your head - you don't deserve it. Once the Avatar gives me what I want. I'll kill you and return the crown to the rightful ruler - Fire Lord Ozai!" 

Sokka stepped back, dragging Nalo with him. He looked back down the corridor but saw no sign of Aang or Toph. He couldn't wait for them - Zuko, Katara and his father were in there and they didn't appear to be winning the battle. 

His strapped his club to his back again and motioned to Nalo to get behind him. She tightened her scarf and readied her hands to fight. Sokka gripped his boomerang and ran straight at the door, jumping at the last second to kick it down. It hit the floor with a crack and Sokka threw his boomerang straight at the Raider in front of him.