The Eclipse was drawing near. Several fireballs launched into the air, one landing near Sokka, Zira, Shai and a few troops huddled together behind an Earth Kingdom tank, studying a map lying on the ground.
They all cringed at the explosion.
"Sokka, look" Shai nudged him, pointing to something in the distance.
Sokka looked up and saw Katara helping their father through the plaza's large doorways.
"Dad!" He grinned, rushing over with Shai and Zira following.
" You're on your feet again"
"Thanks to your sister" Hakoda smiled, sitting down as Toph joined them "I'm in no shape to fight, but maybe there's some way I can help."
" Everything's going smoothly and the eclipse hasn't even kicked in yet," Sokka explained
" Let's hope our luck holds out."
Katara spotted something in the distance and moved away slightly.
"Katara, you seem distracted. Is something wrong?" Hakoda asked his daughter
"Yeah...Is that-- is that Aang?" She pointed up at the sky.
"What?"
They all looked up and spotted Aang gliding towards them, dodging the numerous fireballs.
" That was fast" Shai muttered as the Avatar landed, closing his glider and knelt beside his friends.
"Aang, what happened?" Zira asked, looking puzzled
"Please tell me you're here because the Fire Lord turned out to be a big wimp, and you even didn't need the eclipse to take him down?" Sokka added
"He wasn't home. No one was. The entire palace city is abandoned" Aang explained
"They knew" Sokka gasped in realisation.
"It's over. The Fire Lord is probably long gone; far away on some remote island where he'll be safe during the eclipse." Aang looked down in dismay.
"No" Zira shook her head "He wouldn't go too far. He would have a secret bunker; somewhere he could go and be safe during the siege but still be close enough to lead the nation. The only problem is that I have no idea where! I've explored the palace about 100 times as a kid. I know all the little secret rooms and pathways but I've never come across one."
"Don't worry, Sparky. If it's an underground secret bunker we're looking for, I'm just the girl to find it." Toph smirked
"The Mechanist gave me this timing device. It looks like we've got about 10 minutes until the full eclipse. 10 minutes to find the Fire Lord." Sokka pulled out a small device resembling a pocket watch. There was a dial and notch on one section of it
"We can still do this. We can still win the day." Aang smiled determinedly.
"Wait, if they knew we were coming, it could be all be a trap" Shai resorted
"Maybe we should use the time we have left to make sure we all get out of here safely" Katara suggested
"Everyone who's here today came prepared to risk everything for this mission. They know what's at stake. If there's still a chance and there's still hope, I think they would want Aang to go for it" Hakoda said
"What do you think? You're the one that has to face the Fire Lord" Sokka turned to Aang "Whatever you decide, I'm with you."
Aang stood up and faced toward the battlefield.
YOU ARE READING
Inner Fire - ATLA fanfic
Fanfiction. The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all Disclaimer- I do NOT own Avatar the Last Airbender. It is not mine. I only own my original charact...
