The Sand Prince

Ch. 12 The Spirits

Team Avatar had decided to stop in an old abandoned temple for the night. Sokka and Katara had fallen ill after being out in the storm from the previous few days. Aang had found an old map that would lead him to an herbalist for a cure.

Aang: "I'm going to find some medicine."

Y/n: "I should go with you."

Aang: "No, I can travel faster on my own. You stay here and look after Katara and Sokka. They need you, Y/n."

Y/n: "Very well, stay safe, Aang."

Aang grabbed his staff and made to fly off, but the sudden strike of lightning made him change his mind. Aang ran off, running faster than the wind as he made his way to the herbalist.

On Zuko and Azula's ship, they stand next to a soldier as they look at a map.

Soldier: "We haven't been able to pick up the Avatar's trail since the storm, but if we continue heading northeast..."

The soldier is interrupted when another, larger Fire Navy ship sails next to the ship.

Zuko: "What do they want?"

Iroh: "Perhaps a sporting game of Pai Sho?"

The two ships dock and the commanding officer of the other ship informs Zuko and Azula that any information they have must be given to Admiral Zhao. The siblings quickly get angry and kick the other soldier off their ship and continue on their way. Later, Zuko and Azula are practicing their fire bending on the deck of the ship when Iroh comes up to them.

Iroh: "Is everything ok? It's been almost an hour and neither of you have given the men an order."

Zuko: "I dont care what they do."

Iroh: "Dont give up hope yet. You can still find the Avatar before Zhao."

Azula: "How uncle? With Zhao's resources, it's just a matter of time before he capture the Avatar. Our honor, our throne, our country, Y/n, we're about to lose them all."

Iroh: "Our throne?"

Zuko: "Azula and I decided a long time ago that we both will become the Fire Lord."

Iroh: "There has never been two Fire Lords at one time before."

Azula: "We were going to change that, but now it doesnt look like that will happen."

Aang had found the herbalist and was told to find frozen frogs down in the marsh, for Sokka and Katara to suck on. However, Aang is attacked by the legendary Yu Yan archers and captured by Admiral Zhao and the Fire Nation. That night, two people broke into the fortress that Aang is being held, both were wearing demon masks. One was blue and the other was purple. The two spirits snuck through the fortress as Admiral Zhao gave a speech to his soldiers. The intruders quickly found where Aang was being held and disposed of the guards. Inside Aang's cell, the blue spirit used a pair of duel swords to break Aang's chains, freeing him.

Aang: "Who are you? What's going on? Are you hear to rescue me?"

The purple spirit made a gesture for Aang to follow. As the three began to sneak out of the fortress, the alarm was triggered forcing them to fight their way out. The blue spirit brandished his swords whil the purple spirit pulled out a pair of daggers.

The three of them fought through wave after wave of Fire Nation soldiers until they reached the main gate, where Admiral Zhao appeared.

Zhao: "The Avatar must be captured alive!"

At that moment, the spirits each held a blade to Aang's throat, and stared down the admiral. Zhao gave the order for the gate to be opened, to the protest of his commander. When the gate was opened, the spirits slowly walked backwards out of the fortress with Aang. On top of the wall, Zhao had two Yu Yan archers fire two arrow at the spirits, hitting them in the heads. Zhao ordered for his men to capture the Avatar but Aang was already gone with the spirits.

In the forest, Aang had made two make shift beds from leaves that he put the spirits on. He removed their masks to discover that they were actually Zuko and Azula. In the morning, Zuko and Azula slowly began to wake.

Aang: "You know what the worst part about being born over a hundred years ago is? I miss all the friends i used to hang out with. Before the war started, I used to always visit my friend, Kuzon. The two of us, we'd get in and out of so much trouble together. He was one of the best friends I ever had, and he was from the Fire Nation, just like the both of you. If we knew each other back then, do you think we could have been friends, too?"

Zuko and Azula dont answer. Instead they attack Aang, but he quickly escapes in the tree tops. As they watch Aang leave, a thoughtful look comes across their faces.

Aang returns to his friends with some frozen frogs and the siblings return to their ship. After a very long day, all three settle down and fall asleep.