The next morning we headed out to the ancient city.
"We've been riding for hours. I don't know why, but I thought this thing would be a lot faster."
Appa growled. "Appa's right, Zuko. In our group, typically we start out our missions with a more upbeat attitude," Aang said.
"I can't believe this," Zuko mumbled.
"Don't worry. You'll get the hang of it."
"Or you can just do what I do and pass out through most of the journey. Everything flies by."
Appa passed through a cloud. The city stood tall in front of us. "Whoa!" We landed in the ruins.
"Even though these buildings are ancient, there's something eerily familiar about them. I can tell the Fire Sages' temples are somehow descended from these," Zuko said. I looked around the ruins.
"Ok, we learned something about architecture. Hopefully, we'll learn something about firebending too. The past can be a great teacher," Aang said. As he stepped forward the ground in front of us opened up, revealing a pit of spikes. Aang jumped over it, using a gust of breath to propel himself forward. He landed on the other side. "I think the past is trying to kill me."
"I can't believe it. This booby trap must be centuries old, and it still works." Zuko inspected the wire.
"There's probably a lot more. Maybe this means we shouldn't be here."
Zuko took a running step and ran across the wall. I jumped across, using my naginata to propel myself forward as I passed over the pit. "Where's that upbeat attitude you were talking about? Besides, people don't make traps unless they've got something worth protecting." Zuko dusted himself off.
We continued through the city, and made it to a large building. "Look. This seems promising. Though I'm not sure what this tells us about the original source of firebending."
"They look pretty angry to me," Zuko said.
"I thought the dragons were friends with the Sun Warriors."
"They don't look like they're fighting to me..." I shrugged.
"Well, they had a funny way of showing it." Zuko turned away and began walking.
"Zuko, something happened to the dragons in the last 100 years. Something you're not telling me," Aang said, stopping him.
"My great-grandfather Sozin happened." We walked across a large stone bridge, with dragons decorating the side. "He started the tradition of hunting dragons for glory. They were the ultimate firebenders. And if you could conquer one, your firebending talents would become legendary, and you'd earn the honorary title 'dragon'." One of the dragons at the end of the bridge was missing its head. "The last great dragon was conquered long before I was born, by my Uncle."
"But I thought your Uncle was, I don't know, good?" Aang asked.
"Yea that doesn't sound like him," I said.
"He had a complicated past. Family tradition, I guess. Let's just move on."
We arrived at a set of yellow doors, a red stone embedded in it. Aang tried to open them up, but nothing happened. "It's locked up."
Zuko looked around the area. There was a red jewel sitting on a column, the sun shining through it. "Wait." He stepped to the side, the light from the jewel shining on the ground. "It's a celestial calendar. Just like the Fire Sages have in their temples. I bet that Sun Stone opens the door, but only when sunlight hits it at just the right angle, on the solstice."
"Monkey feathers! The solstice again? We can't wait here that long," Aang said.
"No we can't." He unsheathed his sword and laid it in the path of the light. "But we might be able to speed time up. Let's see if we can outsmart the Sun Stone." He adjusted the sword and the light slowly, and shakily, touched the stone on the door.
"Nothing's happening."
Suddenly the door began shaking, and slowly opened up to us. "You know, Zuko, I don't care what everyone else says about you," Aang nudged him, "you're pretty smart." Zuko smiled at him and we walked into the room.
There were various statues around the room, all in different poses. They were symmetrical to each other.
"It says this is something called The Dancing Dragon," Aang said, reading some words at the bottom of the statue. He mimicked one of the poses, and a plate sunk beneath his feet. He ran and grabbed Zuko, pulling him over. "Zuko, get over here I want you to dance with me." I snorted.
Zuko looked shocked and pulled his arm away. "What?"
"Just do it."
Him and Zuko began following along with the statues. "Don't you see? These aren't dance moves. These statues are giving us a lesson. I think this is some kind of Sun Warrior firebending form."
"Looks like dancing to me," I said watching them.
"This better teach us some really good firebending." They finished the dance, a golden sphere appearing out of the ground.
"Hurray! Wait." Aang scratched his head. "What exactly is that?"
"It's some kind of mystical gemstone." Zuko walked towards it.
"Or maybe it's an egg?" I suggested.
"Wait, don't touch it!" Aang yelled. Zuko stopped. "Remember what happened out there with those spikes. I'm just very suspicious of giant, glowing gems sitting on pedestals."
"I agree with Aang." I took a step back out the door. "I'm not trusting a possibly booby trapped room."
Zuko picked it up. "It feels almost alive." Green goo shot out from the pedestal, shooting him up to the ceiling. I backed up more but the goo just stopped at the door. I climbed up the building and went over to the grate at the top. Zuko and Aang were stuck there.
"Can you help us get out?"
I poked at the goo through the bars. "Yeah, no."
"Who is down there?" Someone asked behind me. I looked over to see a man.
"For trying to take our Sun Stone, you must be severely punished!" The warrior chief told them. They were getting the goo scraped off of them.
"We didn't come here to take your Sun Stone. We came here to find the ancient origin of all firebending."
"Yeah, right. They are obviously thieves, here to steal Sun Warrior treasures," the man holding the stone said.
"Please, I don't normally play this card, but..." he placed a hand on his chest, "I'm the Avatar. Just hear us out."
"My name is Zuko, Crown Prince of the Fire Nation. Or at least, I used to be. I know my people have distorted the ways of firebending, to be fueled by anger and rage. But now I want to learn the true way, the original way. When we came here, I never imagined the Sun Warrior civilization was secretly alive. I am truly humbled to be in your presence. Please, teach us." He bowed down to them.
"If you wish to learn the ways of the Sun, you must learn them from the masters Ran and Shao."
"Ran and Shao? There are two of them?" Aang asked.
"When you present yourselves to them, they will examine you. They'll read your hearts, your souls, and your ancestry." The chief took a step towards Zuko. "If they deem you worthy, they'll teach you. If they don't, you'll be destroyed on the spot."
He took us to a large fire. "If you're going to see the masters, you must bring them a piece of the eternal flame. This fire is the very first one. It was given to Man by the dragons. We have kept it going for thousands of years."
"I don't believe it," Zuko said bewildered.
"You will each take a piece of it to the masters, to show your commitment to the sacred art of firebending," The chief said.
"Um, Mister Sun Chief, sir? Yeah... I'm not a firebender yet. Couldn't my friend here carry my fire for me?" Aang asked.
"No." He turned to the fire and pulled out a piece. "This ritual illustrates the essence of Sun Warrior philosophy." He split the flame into two parts. "You must maintain a constant heat. The flame will go out if you make it too small. Make it too big, and you might lose control." Zuko took his flame.
"I'm sorry. I'm just a little nervous." He took the fire, and stared at it in awe. "It's like a little heartbeat."
"Fire is life, not just destruction. You will take your flames up there." He pointed to the nearby mountain. "The cave of the masters is beneath that rock." He turned to me. "And you will follow us up there, I take it?" I nodded.
The two of them set off towards the mountain. And I followed the Chief and his people up. I stood by the Chief and his friend.
"Facing the judgment of the firebending masters will be very dangerous for you. Your ancestors are directly responsible for the dragons' disappearances." Zuko looked aside in shame. "The masters might not be so happy to see you."
Ham Gao placed his hands on his hips, trying to be intimidating. "I know I wouldn't be."
"But once they find out I'm the Avatar-"
"Have you forgotten that you vanished allowing the Fire Nation to wreak havoc on the world? The decline of the dragons is your burden too." Aang looked away. The Chief slammed his staff into the ground.
"Man everyone sure does use that 100 year thing over his head a lot," I mumbled.
The warriors around us began spreading a fire. And at the Chiefs call they began beating on drums. "Those who wish to meet the masters Ran and Shao will now present their fire," he yelled out to them, using a megaphone like object. "Sound the call."
One of the warriors blew through some horn, creating a loud sound. The cave began to rumble. Everyone began to bow.
"Oh, here it comes. Any moment now... dinner for the masters," Ham Gao said looking up at him.
"Quiet, Ham Gao."
"What? Everyone's thinking it."
Out shot two dragons. One red, and one blue. They circled around the two, in a sort of dance. I stood up and walked up the stairs.
"What are you doing?" Ham Gao asked me. I waved my hand dismissing him.
As I got up there, Zuko and Aang just finished the Dragon Dance. The dragons stopped on either side of the bridge. They both blew fire at us, it circled up into a vortex of color. The three of us stared up in awe.
"I understand," Zuko said.
The fire dissipated, and the dragons circle each other one last time, before springing back into their caves. We walked down the steps.
"Their fire was beautiful. I saw so many colors, colors I've never imagined."
"Like firebending harmony," Aang said.
"Yes. They judged you, and gave you visions of the meaning of firebending. Even you." He looked at me. I blushed and awkwardly scratched my neck.
"I can't believe there are still living dragons. My Uncle Iroh said he faced the last dragon and killed it," Zuko said.
"So, your Uncle lied."
"Actually," he smiled, "it wasn't a total lie. Iroh was the last outsider to face the masters. They deemed him worthy and passed the secret onto him as well."
Zuko's eyes widened in surprise. "He must have lied to protect them, so no one else would hunt them."
"All this time, I thought firebending was destruction. Since I hurt Katara, I've been too afraid and hesitant. But now I know what it really is... it's energy, and life."
"Yeah. It's like the Sun," his hand curled into a fist, "but inside of you. Do you guys realize this?"
"Well, our civilization is called the Sun Warriors... so yeah." I snorted.
"What about you Y/n?"
"I'm... happier with my bending, and where it comes from. I may have got it through unconventional means but... it still has an honorable origin."
"That's why my firebending was so weak before," Zuko began. "Because for so many years, hunting you," he turned towards Aang, "was my drive... it was my purpose. So when I joined you, I lost sight of my inner fire. But now, I have a new drive. I have to help you defeat my father and restore balance to the world." The two of them shot out a small flame.
"Are you going to join them?" The Chief asked me.
"Not, with this injury of mine." I patted my stomach, and paused instantly regretting it as pain spread. "I can't be bending or it worsens."
"Now that you three have learned the secrets, and you know about our tribe's existence, we have no choice but to imprison you here forever." Their jaws dropped in surprise. The Chief laughed. "Just kidding. But seriously, don't tell anyone."