"Many times I've imagined myself here, at the threshold of the palace," Iroh said as we stepped out of the carriage in front of the palace. "But I always thought I'd be here as a conqueror. Instead, we are the king's personal guests, here to serve him tea. Destiny is a funny thing."
"It sure is, uncle." Zuko replied. While we moved on, I kept straightening my dress. For some reason I felt very nervous. We sat down in the palace and placed the tea on the table. We were left alone and there was no one to be seen. "What's taking so long?" Zuko asked irritated. "Maybe he overslept." Iroh replied. A few men walked in, they looked like soldiers. It was the Dai Li. "Something's not right." Zuko whispered.
"Well, well, it's tea time." I looked up and my mouth just fell open. "Azula!" Zuko said shocked and he stood up.
"Have you met the Dai Li? They are earth benders, but they have a killer instinct that's so Fire Nation." She said and she smirked. "I just love it."
Iroh and I exchanged looks and we stood up. "Dd you know how I gained my nickname the dragon of the west?" Iroh asked and he grabbed one of the cups of tea. "I'm not interested in a lengthy anecdote, uncle." Azula replied. "It's more of a demonstration, really." Iroh replied and he took a sip of the tea. The three of us stood back to back and Iroh demonstrated his dragon's breath of fire. Zuko and I shot waves of fire around and we managed to break out of the room. We ran through the hallway, followed by the Dai Li.
There was a wall that led to the outside. Iroh and I shot lightning towards it, and we broke free. It was only one-story drop that could have ended badly if it wasn't for the bushes. With a thud I landed in one of them, grunting loudly. "come on, you'll be fine!" Iroh yelled to Zuko, who was still standing on the first floor. "No, I'm tired of running. It's time I faced Azula." Zuko said and he turned around. "Come back, you idiot!" I shouted, but I didn't get any response.
I helped Iroh up and anxiously I looked around. "What do we do?!" I asked panicky. "Well, we are in the Upper Ring, maybe it's time we paid your friends a visit."Iroh said calmly. I nodded and we sneaked out of the palace. But before we did, we brought a friend. A very young and naïve guard.
"I have no idea where he lives though," I said when we were walking through the street. "Maybe we can ask someone." Iroh replied. I looked around and gasped out of relief. "No need for that." I said when I pointed to the window of one of the houses. It was Momo, enjoying a peach in the windowsill.
We ran up to the house and knocked on the door. Toph opened it. "Glad to see you are okay," She said with a smile, "hey, Istari!" She said and she ran up to me, hugging me. "Istari!" Aang said happily and he hugged me as well. "What are you still doing with him?" Sokka asked suspiciously while he hugged me. "We need your help." I said seriously.
"Wait," Aang said, "Toph, how do you know Iroh?"
"I met him in the woods once and I knocked him down. Then I gave him some tea and some very good advice." Toph said. "May I come in?" He asked. Momo flew up to me with my necklace. "Thanks." I said and I petted him. "How long have you been here?" Sokka asked. "Couple of weeks." I replied.
"Took you long enough to signal you were here." Sokka said angrily. "Well, I'm sorry, Sokka, but unlike you we were stuck in a dirty apartment in the Lower Ring!" I replied offended when putting my necklace back on.
"Sokka, she's here now," Aang said and he turned back to me and Iroh, "What are you two doing here?"
"Azula is here in Ba Sing Se," Iroh started.
"- Then she must have Katara!" Aang interrupted breathlessly. "Katara is missing?" I asked shocked. Sokka nodded. "She has captured my nephew, as well."
"Then we will work together to fight Azula and save Katara and Zuko." Aang said determined. "Whoa there," Sokka said, "you lost me at 'Zuko'."
"I know how you must feel about my nephew, but please believe when I tell you there's good inside him."
"It's true, Sokka." I agreed. Sokka didn't say anything. "Katara is in trouble," Aang said, "all of Ba Sing Se is in trouble. Working together is our best chance."
"Okay." Sokka said.
"We brought a friend who might help." Iroh said. We walked outside and Toph immediately started earth bending, making sure the guard wouldn't go anywhere. Iroh walked up to him and removed the bandage that covered his mouth. "Azula and Long Feng are plotting a coup to overthrow the Earth King." The guard said immediately. "My sister, where are they keeping Katara?!" Sokka asked angrily. "In the crystal catacombs of old Ba Sing Se, deep beneath the palace." The guard replied.
"I'll take that, thank you." I said, grabbing the small knife the guard had attached to his belt. We exchanged looks and we flew off towards the palace grounds on Appa.
"Well, what do you know? There is an ancient city down there, but it's deep." Toph said when she stood up as she earth bent a tunnel. "We should split up." Sokka suggested. "Aang, you go with Iroh and Iz to look for Katara and the angry jerk," Sokka said, "no offense." He added. "None taken." Iroh replied. "And I'll go with Toph to warn the earth king about Azula's coup."
"Sounds like a plan." I said with a faint smile.
"Oh, by the way, I had to give you this." Sokka said and he gave me a sealed piece of parchment. "What is it?" I asked.
"It's best if you read it later." Sokka said seriously. I listened to what he said and I put it deep into the pocket of my dress.
We parted ways and Iroh, Aang and I walked into the tunnel. Iroh and I were both holding a flame, while Aang was earth bending a pathway. "Aang, that's amazing! I'm so proud of you." I said happily. "Thanks!" He replied, blushing slightly. Most of the road we walked in silence.
Aang started to walk next to Iroh, forcing me to start walking about them. "So, Toph thinks you give pretty good advice and great tea." Aang said.
"Good advice, great tea?" I said and scoffed. "He gives the best!"
"The key to both is proper aging." Iroh replied with a smile, "what's on your mind?"
Aang looked over his shoulder towards me and I nodded slowly. I stopped for a while and continued to walk after they were deeper in the tunnel. I was curious about what they were talking about, but I knew Aang could use some good advice in a bit more private setting. I was just staring to the ground, watching where I put my step. At one point, my fire went out and I saw that we had reached the catacombs.
We searched and searched until, finally, Aang gave the wall one last blow and we reached Katara and Zuko. "Aang!" Katara said happily and she hugged Aang. I ran up to Zuko and hugged him tightly, kissing him.
"What are you doing here?" Zuko asked. "I came to find you." I replied. "No, what are you doing with the Avatar?!"
"Rescue you, that's what." Aang replied. I let Zuko go and walked to Katara to give her a hug.
"Zuko, it's time we talked," Iroh started, "go and help your other friends, we'll catch up with you."
"Istari?" Katara asked. "I'll be right there." I replied and I turned to Zuko.
"Why?" Zuko asked us. "You're not the man you used to be, Zuko. You are stronger, wiser and freer than you have ever been! And now you have come to the crossroads of your destiny It is time for you to choose. It is time for you to choose good." I stepped up to Zuko and looked at him. "Please." I whispered genuinely. There was a big explosion and before I knew it, I was stuck in between crystals, just like Iroh. I could not move.
Two Dai Li agents and Azula appeared of a hole they just created. "I expected this kind of treachery from uncle and Izzie, but Zuko, Prince Zuko... You a are not a traitor, are you?" She asked. "Release them, immediately." Zuko said threatening.
"It's not too late for you, Zuko. You can still redeem yourself." Azula said.
"She's lying! Your father will never be able forgive or accept you!" I yelled. "She's right, the kind of redemption she's offering is not for you." Iroh said. "Why don't you let him decide, uncle?" Azula asked annoyed.
"I need you Zuko," Azula continued, "I've plotted every move to for this day, this glorious day in Fire Nation history, and the only way we win, is together. At the end of this day, you'll have your honor back, you will have your father's love."
"What about my love?" I asked. "Does that mean nothing to you?"
"He'll get plenty of love from Mai as I see it." Azula replied coolly.
"Oh please," I started angrily, "Zuko, listen to me, you will be nothing when you return. You come back empty handed, your father will never forgive you!"
"Zuko, I'm begging you," Iroh said with tears in his eyes, "look into your heart and see what it is you truly want." Zuko looked back to Iroh and me, and when he did, I saw it in his eyes. There was no way to convince him to stay. "I'll let you choose freely." Azula said and she made the Dai Li agents go away. She passed Zuko and walked away herself.
Zuko stood there for a while, looking down, before turning around, following the path Azula took. Leaving us behind. "HOW COULD YOU?!" I yelled at him. I started to cry and hyperventilate. Fire was coming out of my mouth, and it fired everywhere.
"ISTARI!" Iroh yelled. I stopped and panted loudly, crying. "Remember your training." Iroh said strict. I nodded slowly and started to breathe slowly. In through my nose, out through my mouth. I flexed my muscles and I was able to break free from the crystals. "Iroh," I started, but I got interrupted."- Go, I'll be right there!"
"No, uncle -,"
"GO!"
"Shoot!" I hissed and I ran into the tunnel, leaving Iroh behind. I came out and saw that Aang and Katara were surrounded by the Dai Li agents, Zuko and Azula. I jumped in between them, Aang on this side, Katara and the other. But there were too many to fight. Aang turned around and earth bent the crystals around him, locking himself inside. After a while, the crystals started to glow and there was a tiny bit of hope, knowing he got into the Avatar state. The crystals exploded, flying everywhere around him, and Aang rose up. His eyes and tattoo's glowing.
I watched him rising up behind me, until I heard a loud bang of lightning. Azula hit him in the back, and the light in his and and tattoo's went out. "NOOO!" I screamed and I ran up to him, trying to catch him. Katara rushed to him as well, on a wave of water, washing everyone away. Katara and I were just in time to catch him, he was still breathing, weakly. I looked behind me and saw that there was a waterfall, coming out of a hole.
I looked at Katara with tears in my eyes. "Go," I whispered, "you can make it."
"Istari," Katara whispered, shaking her head.
"I can hold them off, go!" I cried. I pushed myself off the ground and stood down in front of them, my fists on fire and causing a huge wave of fire. "I'll be right behind you." I said to Katara, but she looked into my eyes and knew that I wasn't going anywhere. "Thank you." She whispered and she ran up the waterfall, holding Aang tightly. I started to firebend, trying to avoid the incoming rocks of the Dai Li. I turned around and saw that they had disappeared.
I turned back to the Dai Li, Azula and Zuko and stopped.
"You are a disgrace to the Fire Nation," Azula started, "you will meet the same fate as your father, but not before we starve and lock you up for years, barely keeping you alive, solely to watch all your friends die." I looked down and tears started to swell into my eyes, my lip trembling. "But not before we get some information out of you," She continued, "one way or the other."
I have lost. I have lost my friend, my lover, my dignity. They can't catch me alive. I can't do this. It is not up to me. It is not my fight anymore. I have nothing to live for now.
I reached for the knife in my pocket and I grabbed it tightly. My hand was shaking terribly as I pulled it out.
"Forgive me." I whispered as I closed my eyes, drawing the knife towards my chest.
I widened my eyes as I felt a sharp pain, watching Zuko running towards me.
I tried to speak a word, but instead I exhaled while sinking through my knees before everything went dark.
END OF BOOK 2