Aang and Katara had returned feeling rather proud of themselves. And they had a right to be. Orzala had told them so. The moment she had set eyes on them, she had flashed the largest, most dazzling smile and embraced them, but the moment was short-lived.
The villagers gathered around them in the square, now looking to the avatar for direction. "We can still save the village if we act fast!" Aang reassured, earning an encouraging nod from the princess. "Sokka has a plan."
The Water Tribe boy wrung his hands as he stepped up, eyes darting amongst the crowd. He drew a deep breath. "Lava is going to flow downhill to this spot. If we dig a deep enough trench, we can channel the lava away from the village and into the river."
"If any of you are earthbenders, come with Aang and I," Orzala called, moving to stand by the avatar. A smile rose to her lips as one of the twins raised his hand, darting toward the two and looking to them expectantly.
"Everyone else grab a shovel!" The ground began to shake beneath them, and a startled cry rose from the crowd. "Come on, we have to hurry!" Sokka rushed to the pile of shovels, passing them around to the nonbenders as Orzala hurried by. She shot him an anxious smile before disappearing with the others.
They set to work with the townspeople immediately. Orzala led the earthbenders, helping to dig the trench and bend the rock away so that it protected the town. She found herself flinching every time the volcano released a boom, but it had yet to blow. They made quick work, along with the nonbenders, and the channel was completed just in time.
Another blast erupted above them, and Orzala's green eyes drifted to the sky. The girl was horrified to find that the volcano had finally erupted. Sokka's voice echoed behind her, ordering the others to evacuate as she watched the lava with wide eyes. He was by her side in an instant, following her gaze to the molten earth that was rushing toward them.
Katara and Aang joined them, and the four prepared themselves to run if they had to. Orzala did not budge as the lava sloshed into the trench below, green eyes watching the fiery substance as it rose. She shook her head, dropping into a crouch and reaching down to feel the earth beneath her.
"It's not going to work. It's too much," she informed, looking back to her friends with fear. The ground shook once more, and their eyes darted up to Mount Makapu. The volcano released another blast of lava, and Orzala quickly bent up a wall to protect them from the flying debris. The princess set her jaw, sharing a look with Aang as Katara and Sokka retreated further back into the village.
She took a deep breath, pulling her dark hair back and tying it into a messy, taut bun as she gathered all the strength she could muster. Aang shot her a nod as he built up his own energy, and Orzala began to bend a monstrous wall of earth to stall the overflow of lava. Her energy was leaving her fast as she rushed along the village edge, punching and kicking the air as she bent the earth up.
Once she was satisfied with her work, she joined Katara and Sokka in the town, promptly collasping from exhaustion as she watched Aang airbend ahead of them. The lava splashed dangerously against the rock wall Orzala had built, but as it rose, Aang sent out a giant burst of wind that turned the substance to stone.
"Man," Sokka muttered, dropping down beside Orzala and grasping her hand in his own. His eyes flickered to her momentarily, searching her for any sign of damage. Once he was satisfied with her condition, he allowed his eyes to flit back toward Aang. "Sometimes I forget what a powerful bender that kid is." The princess nodded along, sucking in a heavy breath.
Katara turned to the two, her blue eyes wide. "Wait, what did you just say?"
Sokka shrugged, turning his attention away from Aang to fully focus on Orzala. He sat beside her, prompting her to slump against him as she recovered. Her eyes fluttered shut and she breathed deeply, relaxing immediately as her head rested against his shoulder. "Nothing," he told Katara offhandedly, reaching up to brush a black strand of hair away from the princess's face, "Just that Aang is a really powerful bender."
Katara's eyes drifted back toward Aang's lone figure, regarding him carefully as her mind raced. "I supposed he is."
Aang joined the three only after the volcano had calmed down, his eyes darting worriedly toward Orzala. She waved him off, though, mumbling something under her breath about getting off of her case. Her friends each cracked a smile, looking around them proudly.
They had done it.
"Ok, so who's going to get everyone? Because I can tell you right now, it's not me." Everyone laughed, but Orzala only glanced at them blankly. "I'm completely serious. I'm not moving."
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The villagers had returned, and Orzala had worked up the strength to move again at last. Still, she leaned heavily against Sokka as they stood in front of the villagers, not minding the warm feeling she received from him. Aunt Wu approached them all with a bright smile.
Aang stepped up cautiously, extending her book out toward her. He shot her a sheepish smile. "We kind of borrowed this," he confessed, earning an appalled look from the fortune-teller. She snatched the parchment from his hand.
"So you messed with the clouds, did you?" Aang rubbed his neck anxiously, flashing her an apologetic smile. Behind him, Katara refused to look at her, while Orzala and Sokka pointed accusitory fingers toward the others. Aunt Wu began to laugh. "Very clever!"
"No offense, but I hope this has taught everyone a lesson about not relying too much on fortune-telling," Sokka exclaimed, and Orzala rolled her eyes beside him. She pushed off of him quickly, opting instead to lean against the golden post beside her.
"But Aunt Wu predicted the village wouldn't be destroyed, and it wasn't! She was right after all!" A man exclaimed, and Sokka marched down to him angrily. The boy stopped an inch away from the old man's face, glaring up at him intensely.
"I hate you," the warrior growled, making Orzala snort. Katara found it less funny, and she ran over quickly to pull her brother away.
"It's ok, Sokka. Everything is going to be alright," she told him, leading him away from the villagers and toward Appa. Aang and Orzala lingered, though. The avatar turned to the woman, fiddling with his fingers nervously.
"Can I ask you something?" He asked quietly, making the fortune-teller turn toward him.
"Of course, honey."
"You didn't really see love in my fortune, did you? You just told me what I wanted to hear."
"I'll tell you a little secret, young airbender," Aunt Wu began, resting a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Just as you reshaped the clouds, you have the power to shape your own destiny." Aang smiled up at her, giving a slight nod before going to join Katara and Sokka. The old woman turned to the princess.
Orzala approached her cautiously, arms crossed over her chest as she frowned. "I believe you have some answers for me."
Aunt Wu's smile faltered, and she released a small sigh. "I have sensed some things in you-- things that match up with an old legend, much like the avatar's. Your destiny is aligned with his." Orzala tried her best to keep a straight face. Her heart thumped rapidly against her chest as she listened.
"That doesn't explain how you knew me."
"It does. The legend speaks of a girl of royal descent." Orzala frowned, her eyes darting to the villagers around her. None of them seemed to be paying attention. She returned her attention to Aunt Wu.
"Then you know why no one can know of this? No one can know who I am or that I'm with them." The woman smiled sadly, sending her a small nod.
"I sense a great danger coming for you, Orzala. You must be vigilant." The princess's heart plummeted to her stomach.
"I still don't understand why," she whispered, her eyes darting to her friends. They were all looking to her, waiting expectantly for her to join them. How she longed to leave now-- to forget this new information and forget that she was a danger to them all. "Why am I so important? I'm not like Aang. I can't bend the elements like he can. I'm just an earthbender. What could I possibly do against the Fire Nation?"
Aunt Wu let out a loud belly laugh, making the girl jump in fright. She eyed her warily, green eyes bulging. "My dear, you are much more than a measly earthbender. And you're strong, Orzala. I feel it inside of you. And one day, it'll all come out at once. You'll understand then."
The princess could sense that the woman would not be providing her with any more answers, so she bowed slightly. As she did so, one more question bubble up in her chest. "Aunt Wu?" The woman hummed in response. "Am I a danger to them?"
"My dear... you are both their savior and their doom."