Still standing by door of the tavern, the group watched as June kicked an empty seat away from an intact table and sat down, sipping her tea calmly.

"I remember she helped you attack us!" Sokka said, glancing at Zuko accusingly.

"Yup. Back in the good old days." Zuko deadpanned and began walking forward.

"You mean the days you kept getting your butt kicked by us?" Xiaodan quipped, easily keeping step with Zuko as they approached the table June was sitting at, the rest of the group following them.

"Oh great," June drawled sarcastically as she refilled her cup, glancing at the teens as they came to a stop beside her and refilling her cup. "It's Prince Pouty. Where's your creepy grandpa?"

"He's my Uncle." Zuko corrected her sharply. "And he's not here."

June glanced between the former prince and the two girls standing on either of him and smirk. "I see you worked things out with your girlfriends."

"I'm not his girlfriend!" Katara protested, blushing brightly.

"She's not my girlfriend." Zuko snapped at the same then he gestured towards Xiaodan, "She is."

June glanced at the dualbender with a quirked brow. "Huh, didn't expect that, all things considered. Seemed pretty keen on getting away from you last time."

Xiaodan smiled in vaguely sheepish manner and shrugged one shoulder, "Yeah, well, he kinda grew on me."

Zuko growled and June waved her hand dismissively at him. "Okay, okay, sheesh. I was just teasing. So what do you want."

"I need your help finding the Avatar."

"Hmph." June scoffed and raised her cup to her mouth, "Doesn't sound too fun."

Scowling, Zuko stepped forward and demanded harshly, "Does the end of the world sound like more fun?"

June paused and stared at him. Her brow furrowed at the serious expression on his face and she glanced at the other teens standing behind him, taking in the equally serious and grim expressions. Xiaodan moved around Zuko and stared at the older woman earnestly.

"Please, it's really important that we find him."

"Fine." The bounty hunter sighed in a put-upon manner and, after setting her cup down on the table, got to her feet. She sniffed and looked between the younger woman and the former prince before commenting mildly. "Why are you with him again? You could do better."

Sokka, Suki, and Toph, and even Katara, nickered behind their hands at the expression on Zuko's face. If looks could kill, June would be nothing but a pile of ash at the moment. Xiaodan merely smiled and shrugged as she replied, "He grows on you. C'mon, we have something for your shirshu to smell. His name's Nyla, right?"

"Yeah." June replied as she walked with the younger woman towards the bar in the back. "Give me a second, I need to grab a treat for him."

Zuko growled and threw his hands to the side, fire arcing from them before stalking after the bounty hunter and his girlfriend.

Katara, Suki, and Sokka exchanged amused looks while Toph sniggered, shaking her head and pretending to wipe a tear of laughter from her eye. She stated gleefully, "I really, really like this lady."

Chuckling to themselves, the foursome followed after Xiaodan, June, and Zuko to the bar.

Outside, Nyla and Appa growled at each other before the sky bison licked the shirshu's face. Nyla made a purring noise and together the two large animals laid down, their noses touching. They stood a few moments later when June, followed by six teens walked out of the tavern.

"Nyla." June cooed as she walked towards the shirshu and sky bison, holding a piece of meat in the air and shaking it enticingly. June tossed the meat to him and Nyla caught it with an eager noise, chewing it quickly. Smiling, June walked up to the shirshu and petted his head lovingly, "Who's my little, hmm, Snuffly-Wuffly."

Nyla grunted and jerked his head up, his toxin-coated tongue lashing out and forcing June to step back.

"Whoa!" The bounty hunter gasped, quickly and gently pressing on Nyla's nose to close his mouth. She rubbed his snout, "Careful there." Keeping her hand on the shirshu's head, she looked over at the group and gestured with her hand, "Okay, who's got something with the Avatar's scent on it?"

Xiaodan nimbly leapt into Appa's saddle and picked up Aang's glider, tossing it down to Katara. The Waterbender caught the staff and held it up, "Here's Aang's staff."

"That'll work." June said, taking the staff from Katara and holding it in front of Nyla's nose. The shirshu sniffed up and down the glider for a few minutes then lifted his head and sniffed the air. She sniffed the group, paying particular attention to Xiaodan before moving away and beginning to walk a circle around the teens and the bounty hunter.

Nyla made one last circuit around the group then walked back in front of June, lowering himself to the ground. He whined and covered his snout with his paws, rubbing it gently. Zuko and Xiaodan exchanged confused looks, Katara and Toph looking at the shirshu in puzzlement behind them.

Zuko crossed his arms. "Well what does that mean?"

"It means your friend's gone." June replied matter-of-factly, kneeling beside her distressed mount and rubbing his head soothingly.

"We know he's gone." Toph drawled drily, holding her arms out then placing them on her hips. "That's why we're trying to find him."

"No, I mean he's gone gone." June clarified as she stood and turned to face the teens. "He doesn't exist."

The six teens looked puzzled then worry darkened their features.

Aang frowned, walking through the dense trees that made up the forest he'd woken up in. Above him, Momo pounced on a branch, frightening a squirrel that had been trying to crack open a night. The squirrel dropped the nut and darted down the branch, Momo giving chase eagerly.

"Where are we, Momo?" Aang muttered as he looked around then up at the sun shining through the canopy above his head. A thought suddenly struck him and he spoke aloud. "Maybe I'm in the Spirit World... But wait," He ducked under a log and glanced over his shoulder at Momo as the lemur crawled onto the log. "You can see me. We could both be in the Spirit World."

Deciding to test his theory, he swung his arm around and airbended a huge gust of air from his palms. He straightened and looked at his hands. "Huh, guess not. My bending works."

"Maybe if we climb to the top of the island, we can figure out where we are." Aang suggested as Momo landed on his shoulder and he pointed to the top of the hill he was standing at the bottom of. The lemur chittered and Aang rubbed his head quickly before beginning to trudge up the hill.

"What do you mean Aang doesn't exist?" Sokka asked, flinging his arms out in exasperation. He hesitated and asked tentatively, "Do you mean he's...you know, dead?"

"He's not dead, Sokka." Xiaodan stated sharply, putting her hands on her hips and frowning. "I would know if he was dead."

"No, we could find him if he was dead. It's a real head-scratcher." June said, shrugging and flicked her hand out to the side flippantly. She turned and mounted Nyla, "Well, see ya."

"Helpful." Toph scowled and crossed her arms over her chest. She wasn't so sure she liked this lady anymore. "Real helpful."

"Wait." Zuko called out, walking to the front of the group then turning to face them. "I have another idea. There's only one other person in this world who can help us face the Fire Lord." He faced June and held his hand out for her to wait, "I'll be right back with a smell sample."

Xiaodan and the others watched him curiously as he climbed into Appa's saddle and rummaged around in his pack. When he climbed back down, he was holding a sandal and several flies were buzzing around it.

"You saved your uncle's sweaty sandal? Ugh." Sokka asked in disbelief, pinching his nose and cringing away from the smell. Xiaodan grimaced and leaned away from her boyfriend slightly, while Suki and Katara mimicked Sokka, pinching their noses in disgust. Zuko shrugged in mild embarrassment and didn't comment.

"I think it's kind of sweet." Toph quipped with smile.

June gasped slightly in surprise and clung to the reins when Nyla lunged forward, sniffing the sandal furiously when Zuko raised it up to his snout.

"Let's do this." June said determinedly and tugged on the shirshu's reins, Nyla rearing up on his hind-legs before running off into the forest.

"Hey! Wait up!" Zuko shouted in protest. He ran towards Appa, climbing onto the sky bison's head while the others hurried into the saddle. Appa growled and lifted his tail, smacking it against the ground and taking off into the air, flying after June and her shirshu.

Nyla ran through the night and on into the next morning with Appa soaring after him. There was almost no conversation between the six friends and they all took turns at the reins, while the others slept. By nightfall, Nyla had run all the way to the outer wall that seperated Ba Sing Se from the rest of the Earth Kingdom. The shirshu stopped in front of the hole in the wall, pawing furiously at the rubble that blocked it.

Zuko landed Appa few yards away from the rubble and called out to June from the bison's head. "We're going to Ba Sing Se?"

"You uncle's somewhere beyond the wall." June stated as the shirshu stopped scratching at the rubble and turned in an agitated circle. "Nyla's getting twitch so he can't be too far." She looked up at the teens seriously. "Good luck."

"You too." Xiaodan replied after and June nodded once, before pulling on the reins and urging Nyla away.

Zuko scowled at the retreating shirshu in annoyance before turning to look the others. "It's been a long day. Let's camp and start our search again at dawn."

The others nodded and began climbing out of the saddle. Jumping to the ground and landing in a crouch, Xiaodan straightened and stared up at the night sky, biting her lower lip worriedly. Even though she knew Aang was okay, not knowing where he was worried the daylights out of her.

She glanced over at Zuko when he walked up beside her, his hand touching her shoulder comfortingly. "We'll find him." He said softly, squeezing her shoulder in reassuringly. "Don't worry."

Xiaodan reached up and grabbed his hand, holding it tightly in hers. "He's my little brother. I can't help it."

Zuko slipped his arm around her shoulders and tugged her against his side, kissing her temple in silent reassurance. Xiaodan wrapped her arms around herself and leaned into him, silently praying that her brother truly was alright and that he was safe, wherever he was.

Aang stared in amazement as he walked between a pair of trees, stopping at the edge of a clearing in the shape of a hexagon that was sunken into the dirt. Transfixed, he walked closer and peered down at the intricate design embossed onto the flat surface.

"It's a hexagon." Aang stated as he stepped down onto the smooth surface. Momo jumped onto the ground, chittering curiously as he inspected the ground. Aang kneeled on one knee and brushed his hand over the ground. "It doesn't seem like normal rock..."

Standing, Aang attempted to earthbend the ground, but nothing happened and he let his arm drop in surprise. "It's not made of earth. This is so strange..." He sat down and slouched, holding his head in his hands in dismay, "I wish I had some help right now. I wish I had Xia or Roku to help." Aang perked up and he smiled in realization. "Wait, I do have Roku!"

The young Air Nomad quickly sat up straight and put his hands together, clearing his mind as he took a deep breath.

"You're right, Aang."

Aang opened his eyes at Roku's voice and sighed in relief when he saw his previous incarnation's spirit sitting before him in a wispy blue aura-like mist.

Roku smiled at Aang, "All the past Avatars, all their experience and wisdom is available to you, if you look deep inside yourself."

"So where am I, Roku?" Aang asked as he looked around then focused on the former Avatar. "What is this place?"

"I...do not know, Aang." Roku replied, puzzled. He glanced at the surrounding trees for a moment then looked back at Aang. "But, I see that you are lost in more ways than one right now."

"I am." Aang replied seriously. "I need to figure out what to do once I face the Fire Lord."

The spirit of the former Avatar inclined his head.

Xiaodan sighed in her sleep and rolled over, curling closer to Zuko as they laid on Appa's foreleg together. The former prince stirred slightly, wrapping his arm around her waist before settling deeper into slumber. Katara slept quietly on Appa's back leg, her back to the two older teens and with one hand on Aang's staff which was beside her.

Sprawled out on Appa's tail, Sokka snored loudly and Suki curled up on her side next to him, one hand tucked under her head while the other rested on her boyfriend's chest. Toph, the only one not sleeping on Appa, snored quietly in her earth tent on the ground.

"Huh?" Toph woke with a start, placing her palm flat on the ground and feeling the faint vibrations of people approaching. She quickly got to her feet and bended the rock walls of her tent back into the ground, startling Appa awake.

"Wake up, you guys!" The blind Earthbender called out, waking her friends just as stream of fire shot out from the opening in the wall. Toph hurried towards them as they jumped off Appa, the sky bison rising to his feet defensively as the fire formed a ring around the group. Toph pointed towards the opening, "There!"

Simultaneously, the other teens turned towards the rubble as four familiar men in blue and white robes appeared at the top of the rock pile. Piandao, Jeong Jeong, Pakku, and Bumi stared down at the six teens, the flames illuminating their faces

"Well, look who's here!" Bumi exclaimed as he threw his arms out from under his robe, snorting and laughing loudly.

Xiaodan's jaw dropped then she laughed in relief, exchanging excited smiles with Sokka and Katara while Suki, Toph, and Zuko stared at the other three perplexedly.

"Everyone expects me to take the Fire Lord's life." Aang ranted to Roku's spirit as they sat in the middle of the hexagon on the island, "But I just don't know if I can do that."

"In my life, I tried to be disciplined and show restraint." Roku said, closing his eyes as he remembered sparing his old friend's life. "But it backfired when Fire Lord Sozin took advantage of my restraint and mercy. If I had been more decisive and acted sooner, I could have stopped Sozin and stopped the war before it started." He opened his eyes and lifted one finger, "I offer you this wisdom, Aang. You must be decisive."

Aang watched in confusion as Roku's spirit dissipated into a cloud of blue mist. Bowing his head in disappointment, Aang closed his eyes. He needed to think.

"Bumi!" Xiaodan blurted out with a laugh, rushing towards her old friend and throwing her arms around him a hug after Jeong Jeong had dispersed the fire ring and the four men had joined the teens on the ground. Bumi cackled loudly and picked the young woman, who was actually even older than him up, and swung her arm exuberantly.

"It's good to see you again, Xia!" The crazy king chortled after setting the dualbender down and Xiaodan beamed up at him.

"Uh... What's going on?" Toph asked in confusion, "We're surrounded by old people."

"Not just any old people. These are great masters and friends of ours." Katara said excitedly as she walked towards the four men and stopped in front of Pakku, bowing respectfully. "Pakku."

"It is respectful to bow to an old master," Pakku said, bowing in return before straightening and holding his arms out. "But how about a hug for your new grandfather?"

"Whaaa-!?" Sokka squawked, throwing his arms up then grabbing his head in dumbfounded disbelief.

Katara, who had been equally as surprised as her brother, smiled brightly with happiness, throwing her arms in the air excitedly. "That's so exciting!" She exclaimed, embracing Pakku happily before pulling away. "You and Gran-Gran must be so happy to have found each other again."

"I made her a new betrothal necklace and everything." Pakku stated, touching his chest proudly.

"Welcome to the family Gramp-Gramp." Sokka said, enthusiastically throwing his arms around Pakku's neck.

"You can still just call me," Pakku grimaced in slight annoyance and pushed Sokka away from him, "Pakku."

Undeterred, Sokka grinned at him goofily. "How about Grand Pakku?"

"No." Sokka's pleased expression fell with disappointment at the old man's flat reply.

Katara stepped over to Jeong Jeong and introduced him to Zuko, "And this was Aang's first firebending teacher.

"Jeong Jeong." The former Fire Nation admiral intoned, bowing slightly to Zuko with a small smile.

Scurrying around his sister and Zuko, Sokka made his way over to Piando, who was standing with Bumi and Xiaodan and bowed when he was standing in front of him. "Master Piandao."

Piandao bowed in return, "Hello, Sokka."

"Guys," Xiaodan called her friends attention to herself before taking a step away from Bumi. She waved her hand at the crazy king with fond smile. "This is Bumi, king of Omashu and one of mine and Aang's oldest friends."

"So wait, how do you all know each other?" Suki asked, pointing at the four men in confusion.

"All old people know each other." Bumi quipped and Piandao smiled at him. The old king snorted and laughed as he asked. "Don't you know that?"

"We're all part of the same ancient secret society." Piandao explained when his friend didn't continue. "A group that transcends the division of the four nations."

Zuko and Xiaodan exchanged knowing looks, the former prince smiling in amazement as he said, "The Order of the White Lotus."

Bumi comically bounced in front of the other three masters and raised his finger in the air, "That's the one!"

"The White Lotus has always been about philosophy, and beauty, and truth." Jeong Jeong stated after Bumi had retaken his place beside Piandao. "About a month ago, a call went out that we were needed for something important."

"It came from a Grand Lotus." Pakku said, taking over from Jeong Jeong. He looked over at Zuko, "Your uncle, Iroh of the Fire Nation."

"Well that's who we're looking for." Toph said excitedly from behind Zuko, placing her hands on her hips with a grin.

"Then we will take you to him." Piandao said with a small inclination of his head.

"Wait! Someone's missing from your group. Someone very important." Bumi declared as he abruptly shoved Piandao and Jeong Jeong apart and walked forward. "Where's Momo!?"

"Uh..." Sokka cleared his throat, leaning as far back as he could when Bumi pressed his face against his, "He's gone. And so is Aang."

"Oh well, so long as they have each other, I'm sure we have nothing to worry about." Bumi stated, stepped back and patting Sokka's shoulder with enough force to unbalance the teen. "Let's go!"

Cackling maniacally, he slammed his fist against the ground, earthbending a tall column of rock up from the dirt and propelling himself over the gap in the wall. The other three masters sighed and shared exasperated expressions while the teens, with the exception of Xiaodan, stared after the old king strangely.

Xiaodan merely laughed and clapped her hands together, "You heard the old guy, let's go!"

Furrowing his brow as he sat in the lotus position in the middle of the hexagon, Aang took a deep breath and spoke clearly, "Avatar Kyoshi, I need your wisdom."

Momo, perched behind Aang, chittered in fright as a blue wisp of smoke extended out of Aang. The lemur scurried away quickly as the blue smoke solidified into Kyoshi's spirit.

"In my day, Chin the Conqueror threatened to throw the world out of balance." The spirit of Avatar Kyoshi intoned without preamble. "I stopped him. And the world entered a great era of peace."

"But you didn't kill him." Aang said as Kyoshi's memories played in his mind. He opened his eyes and stared at her after the memory of Chin the Conqueror falling to his death after Kyoshi separated the land. "Technically, he fell to his own doom because he was too stubborn to get out of the way."

"Personally, I don't really see the difference." Kyoshi stated flippantly. Her green eyes flashed and she said coolly, "But I assure you, I would have done whatever it took to stop Chin. I offer you this wisdom, Aang." She began to shrink into a white cloud of smoke. "Only justice will bring peace."

Aang groaned and tossed his head back as the female Avatar vanished completely. Huffing, he rubbed his forehead and muttered drily, "I knew I shouldn't have asked Kyoshi."

"So, Bumi," Sokka began as he walked carefully behind the old king down a rocky path with Xiaodan, Zuko, and Suki. "How did you end up escaping your imprisonment in Omashu?"

"Escape? I didn't escape. Everybody else escaped!" Bumi exclaimed indignantly before throwing his arms into the air. "There I was, back in Omashu, waiting forjust the right moment. I didn't know what or when but I knew I'd know it when I knew it."

"You did it during the eclipse, didn't you?" Xiaodan drawled in amusement.

Bumi cackled and nodded rapidly, a maniacally grin on his face as he remembered.

'Trapped in the metal coffin and suspended in the air in front of the finished statue of the Fire Lord, Bumi peered up at the sky as the sun was eclipsed by the moon. He grinned, "An eclipse! That'll do it."

Bumi took a deep breath and jerked his head, struggling and straining. The roof of the buildings below him began to crumble and break, the stone shingles flying and bricks flying towards his metal cage, breaking open the door when they all connected.

The crazy king leapt out of his prison and landed in crouch, straightening just as five Fire Nation soldiers ran towards him, taking bending positions.

"What do you think you're doing?" The lead soldier asked sharply before thrusting his fist out. When nothing happened, the soldier looked at his hand curiously then looked at his fellow soldiers. As one, they all thrust their fists out, attempting to firebending, but once again, nothing happened.

Bumi canted his head to the side in a puzzled manner before grinned broadly in realization. The eclipse was keeping them from firebending. Bumi cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders, his grin gaining a sharp edge as he stared at the stunned soldiers.

"I'm taking back my city. You've got no firepower." He said, making a slashing motion with his arm. "And it's payback time!"

Throwing his arms out to the side, Bumi bending the ground beneath him and rushed towards the soldiers on a small wave of earth. The soldiers cried out and scattered to avoid being crushed by the rock-wave, Bumi cackling madly as he propelled him off the edge of the statue's platform, landing in the city.

He stomped his foot raised his arms up, earthbending a column of rock up behind him. The column shot through the air, destroying the metal pipes that connected a Fire Nation building to one of the city's original buildings. Grinning madly, Bumi slid into a drop stance and moved the building away with the rock pillar.

"Ahahahaha!" Bumi cackled, running around and earthbending more buildings away from his city's tiers and sending them flying while Fire Nation soldiers ran away. Turning, Bumi looked up at the statue of Fire Lord Ozai and narrowed his eyes. Several soldiers who hadn't fled the city, ran to apprehend him, but he merely earthbending the ground beneath their feet up and catapulted them into the air. And with a smirk, the Omashu king launched the columns into the air and at the statue.

Two blocks slammed into the statues eyes, two more went into the nostrils, and the last four slammed into the statues cheeks and mouth. Shifting into a low horse-stance, Bumi strained and grunted with effort as he slowly rose up with his arms raised as if he was pushing against a great weight. At the top of Omashu, the statue teetered forward then tipped over the edge, careening down the city's tiers head first.

The remaining Fire Nation soldiers quickly evacuated as the statue crashed through the wall that had been built around it, then the bridge before finally falling into the canyon that surrounded the city. Watching the statue disappear into the canyon, Bumi cackled and snorted madly...'

"Wow." Suki stared at the crazy king in amazement after Bumi had finished speaking. "You took back your whole city all by yourself!"

Bumi grinned proudly then glanced over his shoudler at the teenagers, "So what about you guys? Did you do anything interesting on the day of the eclipse?"

Zuko, Xiaodan, and Sokka all glanced at each other.

"Nah." Sokka replied nonchalantly.

"Nope." The dualbender shrugged casually, resisting the urge to rub her right shoulder where the scar Azula had given her during the eclipse was hidden beneath her tunic.

"No, not really." Zuko added just as nonchalantly as Sokka, sharing a brief glance with Xiaodan.

"Okay." Aang muttered in mild irritation, hunching over and grasping his head as he thought deeply. He opened his eyes and pursed his lips. "I need to look deep inside myself."

He straightened and returned the lotus position, closing his eyes as he concentrated. Like the previous two times, wispy blue smoke extended out of him and slid across from him, solidifying into a man from one of the Water Tribes.

"I am Avatar Kuruk." The former Avatar stated as Aang opened his eyes. "When I was young, I was always a go-with-the-glow kind of Avatar. People seemed ot work out their own problems and there was peace and good times in the world."

In Aang's mind, he could see his past life's memories playing out in front of him as he spoke.

'Kuruk smirked as he rode on a wooden surfboard, bending the waves easily...The scene changed to another memory, this one of Kuruk sitting on the edge of an iceberg with a young woman...'

"But then, I lost the woman I loved to Koh, the Face Stealer. It was my fault. If I had been more attentive and active, I could have saved her." Kuruk closed his eyes and Aang felt a faint pain in his chest, an echo of his past life's heartache at losing the love of his life. Kuruk opened his eyes and fixed his gaze on his reincarnation. "Aang, you must actively shape your own destiny and the destiny of the world."

Avatar Kuruk's spirit disappeared and Aang groaned in disappointment, covering his face with his hands. He'd asked three of his past lives for advice, but none of them had given him anything that could help him come to a solution that didn't involve him taking the Fire Lord's life.

He wished Xiaodan was here. She may not be able to offer him tell him what to do, but her presence would comfort him. Aang let his hands fall from his face and lifted his head, closing his eyes and clearing his mind. Instead of trying to connect with one of his past lives, he sought out the connection that bound his spirit to his sister's.

While Xiaodan had always been better had find the spiritual thread that kept them linked, Aang could do it if he concentrated hard enough. After several minutes of intense meditation, he found the thread. Where his sister saw a thin cord of golden energy, Aang saw a wispy stream of white energy that flickered like a candle flame.

Aang visualized himself touching the stream of energy. Warmth bloomed in his chest and he smiled, his sister's affection and tenderness surrounding him like a soothing balm. He pulled that warmth around him like a blanket and opened his eyes, his determination to find a different way to defeat the Fire Lord renewed.

Xiaodan jerked to an abrupt halt as her heart skipped a beat. She turned around, her brow furrowing as he eyes flickered around searchingly. For an instant, she could have sworn she felt Aang's presence, as if he was standing right behind her.

Touching her chest, she smiled in understanding. She closed her eyes and focused on the love and affection she felt for her brother. "I'm here for you, little brother."

"Xia?" She opened her eyes and looked at Zuko as he walked up to her, his expression concerned. He stopped beside her, "You alright?"

Xiaodan noticed the others had stopped as well and were looking at her in concern and curiosity, so she smiled at all of them reassuringly. "I'm fine. Are we almost there?"

"Yup!" Bumi exclaimed as he continued down the rocky path. He stopped in front of a wall of rock and bended a section of it away, waving his hand towards the tents that were scattered around. "Here we are. Welcome to Old People Camp."

Toph, Katara, Sokka, and Suki followed Bumi further into the camp while Zuko, Xiaodan, and the other three masters brought up the rear with Appa. Zuko hesitated and looked around, Xiaodan stopping beside him along with Piandao while Jeong Jeong and Pakku continued on.

"Where...Where is he?"

"You're uncle is in there, Prince Zuko." Piandao replied, pointing to a large tent at the end of the campsite.

Zuko closed his eyes, looking down in in shame. The sword-master stared at him then walked away, leaving Zuko and Xiaodan with Appa at the entrance to the camp. The dualbender gently took Zuko's hand in hers, lacing their fingers together. She stood beside him, waiting patiently for him to preparing himself.

Taking a deep breath, Zuko opened his eyes and, after squeezing Xiaodan's hand then releasing it, began walking towards his uncle's tent. She watched him go with sadness and sympathy, before turning to Appa. She touched the sky bison's cheek, "C'mon boy, let's see if there's something around here for you to eat."

Appa grunted and lumbered after her as she walked towards the center of the camp.

Zuko stopped just outside the tent and swallowed thickly, shame and regret keeping him from entering the tent. He sat down heavily in front in front of it and bowed his head.

Katara approached and stood beside him with concern. "Are you okay?

"No," Zuko muttered, turning his head away from her to stare despondently at the ground. "I'm not okay. My uncle hates me, I know it." He closed his eyes as Katara sat down beside him. "He loved and supported me in every way he could and I still turned against him. How can I even face him?"

"Zuko, you're sorry for what you did, right?" Katara asked gently.

"More sorry that I've ever been about anything in my entire life."

"Then he'll forgive you." She stated, raising her shoulder slightly and smiling when he looked at her. "He will."

Zuko looked back at the tent and thought about what she said before getting to his feet, Katara watching him with soft expression. He paused in front of the tent flaps and closed his eyes as he took a deep, fortifying breath then with his head bowed in repentance, he pushed the tent flaps aside and stepped in.

"Uncle..."

Loud snoring greeted him and Zuko opened his eyes and looked up. At the other end of the tent, Iroh slept soundly, snoring loudly. Zuko smiled affectionately and walked further into the tent, sitting down on the rug beside his uncle's sleeping mat to wait.

Holding a bowl of rice, Xiaodan brushed aside the tent flaps and stepped inside Iroh's tent. Zuko lifted his head up as she sat beside him on the mat, tucking her legs underneath her.

"I saved you some dinner, in case you were hungry." She said, keeping her voice soft to avoid waking Iroh. She held out the bowl of rice to him. "Here."

Zuko took the bowl from her wordless, picking up the chopsticks that were sticking up out of the rice and taking a small bite. Xiaodan folded her hands in her lap and looked over at Iroh's back, smiling gently as he snored obnoxiously.

"He'll forgive you." She said quietly after several minutes of silence had passed. She didn't turn her gaze away from Iroh's back, watching his shoulders rise and fall with each breath he took. Zuko paused with his chopsticks halfway to his mouth then carefully lowered them back into the bowl.

"How can he?" He whispered, closing his eyes and turning his head to the side in shame.

"For the same reason I was able to forgive you." Xiaodan replied. She placed her hand on his shoulder as she stood up, bending down to murmur, "Because he loves you."

She press her lips to his scarred cheek for a brief moment then straightened and exited the tent as quietly as she entered. Conflicted, Zuko stared down at his bowl and mulled over her words.

Xiaodan...

Xiaodan stopped walking through the camp towards the tent that she was going to share with Suki and Katara and whirled around, searching for whoever had called her name. She frowned when she saw that she was alone, the tents around her dark as their inhabitants slumbered. She scanned the tents one more time before continuing down the path to her tent. She tightened her grip on her staff, which she'd brought with her when she'd brought Zuko dinner,

Xiaodan...

Xiaodan swiveled around once more, holding her staff tightly as she looked around. She was alone. Xiaodan stepped forward and called out softly, "Hello? Who's there?"

There was no answer and Xiaodan relaxed her grip on her staff, her expression perplexed. She started walking again, but instead of heading towards the tent she was sharing with Katara and Suki, her feet took her to edge of camp. She stared up at the rock wall that protected the camp with a frown, puzzling over why she'd gone there. Something urged her forward, so she leapt over the wall, landing on the other side in a crouch. She made her way up the rocky slope behind the camp.

Xiaodan...

The dualbender stopped on a large boulder as the soft voice brushed against her like a warm breeze. The voice called her name again and, with a start, Xiaodan realized that it sounded familiar, but she couldn't place where she'd heard it before.

A warm breeze blew by her, wrapping around her and Xiaodan could have sworn she caught a whiff of smoke on the gentle wind. Closing her eyes, Xiaodan inhaled deeply and furrowed her brows in concentration, focusing on where she'd heard the soft voice before.

Xiaodan...Young one...

"Sonal!" Xiaodan exclaimed, her eyes snapping wide open with comprehension. She sat down heavily on the boulder and rubbed her forehead, scrunching up her nose confusedly as she placed her staff across her lap. She wasn't sure how Sonal was contacting her when she wasn't meditating or sleeping. Or maybe she was?

Xiaodan pinched her arm, hissing at the sting. Well, that answered that question. Now to figure out why and how her spirit guide was contacting her. Settling into the lotus-position, Xiaodan put her fists together and closed her eyes, inhaling deeply and focusing on finding her connection to Sonal. She had only ever done this once before, shortly after her and Zuko's visit to the Sun Warriors' ruins, and while she'd managed to see Sonal in her mind, they hadn't really been able to talk. She had only received faint impressions instead of actual words.

Gradually the world around her began to fade, the noises dulling into silence, Xiaodan felt as if a warm blanket was being settled around her shoulders. A breeze ruffled her hair and she caught another whiff of smoke, just before an image flashed across her mind.

'An island covered heavily in trees sat in the middle of the ocean. The water lapped at the island, giving it the appearance that it was moving through the ocean...The sun'

Xiaodan's eyes popped open, the image branded into her mind and she rose to her feet, the urge to gorushing through her. She snapped her glider open and prepared to take to the sky, but faltered before she took off. Xiaodan glanced down at the Order of the White Lotus' camp over her shoulder, biting her lip as hesitancy filled her. Could she really leave her friends at this time, when the comet was a less than two days away? She felt the familiar push and she closed her eyes, turning away from the camp.

Steeling herself, she leapt into the air and flew off, using her airbending to propel herself faster. She didn't have much time before the comet arrived and a sense of urgency filled her, urging her to fly faster.

Yuyan archers patrolled along the tops of the Pohuai Stronghold, their keen eyes searching the ground and the skies for intruders. Dawn was approaching rapidly and one of patrolling archers caught sight of a speck in the distance, outlined by the sun's rays.

Narrowing his eyes, the archer studied the speck intently, his keen eyes tracking its movements as it drew closer. His eyes widened infinitesimally in surprise and he quickly drew an arrow from the quiver on his back, notching it. He dipped the arrow tip into the brazier placed on the wall in front of him then drew back the bowstring back to his cheek. Taking careful aim at the encroaching figure, he waited patiently for the figure to fly closer before loosing the arrow, quickly notching another one and loosing it within seconds of the first.

The flaming arrows flew through the air and hit their mark in quick succession, and the figure spiraled down to the ground. The Yuyan archer lowered his bow and climbed down from the ramparts, signalling for silently for the other guards who patrolled the grounds and two of his fellow archers to follow him as he exited the stronghold, heading in the direction of his quarry at a quick pace.

Xiaodan rolled over and pushed herself to her hands and knees, groaning as pain burned through the shoulder she had landed on. She didn't know what had happened, one minute she was flying and the next she was falling from the sky, a burning hole in the left wing of her glider. Luckily, Xiaodan had managed to slow her descent with airbending, but she'd still ended up hitting a tree branch on the way down.

The dualbender looked to her right and winced when she saw the state of her glider, the main wings torn and the left bottom one broken. An arrow hit the ground in front of her and Xiaodan jerked back, scooting back across the ground as more arrows pierced the dirt around her. Somersaulting backwards and to her feet to avoid three more arrows the bit the ground where she had been sprawled out.

"Whoa!" She gasped, twirling away and blasting a volley of arrows away from her, looking up fearfully at the Fire Nation soldiers charging towards her, three men with bows in the lead. They loosed more arrows, forcing Xiaodan to jump and twist away to avoid been hit. She leaned back quickly as an arrow flew in front of her face, the sharp tip slicing some of her hair before it embedded itself in the tree behind her.

"Surrender!"

Xiaodan whipped around to face her attackers, shifting into a defensive stance as the Fire Nation soldiers and the three archers cornered her against the tree. Grimly, she prepared to defend herself.

Aang exhaled softly and looked down at Momo sitting beside him, his little paw on his knee. "All these past Avatars, they keep telling me I'm gonna have to do it." He sighed and rubbed his forehead dispargingly. "They just don't get it."

Momo climbed onto his lap and stood up, chittering at the young Avatar. Aang smiled and rubbed the lemur's head affectionately.

"You're right, maybe an Air Nomad Avatar would understand what I'm coming from." Momo blinked in a puzzled manner then purred before jumping down from his lap to sit on the ground. Aang rolled his eyes as the lemur peered up at him and stated, "I know you can't really talk. Pretending you can just helps me think."

Aang settled into the lotus position. Momo chittered at him and Aang cracked one eye open to glance down at the lemur in irritation. "I'm going to pretend I didn't pretend to hear that."

He closed his eyes once more and took a deep breath. Momo's ears shot up as another white-blue cloud of smoke emerged from Aang and moved to hover a foot away from him. The smoke solidified into the spirit of a female Air Nomad. Momo chittered quietly and darted away, hiding behind a tree fearfully as the female Avatar began to speak.

"I am Avatar Yangchen, young airbender."

"Avatar Yangchen, the monks always," Aang paused and raised his shoulders in a little shrug, "They taught me that all life is sacred. Even the life of the tiniest spider-fly caught in its own web."

"Yes." Yangchen agreed with some reluctance, inclining her head. "Yes, all life is sacred."

"I know!" Aang said, eagerly pointing to himself, "I'm even a vegetarian. I've always tried to solve my problems by being quick or clever and I've only ever had to use violence for necessary defense and I've certainly never used it to take a life."

"Avatar Aang," Yangchen began gently, her wise old eyes soft as she regarded her incarnation. "I know that you are a gentle spirit, and the monks have taught you well, but this isn't about you." Aang stared at her in shocked disbelief. Her expression softened further. "This is about the world."

"But the monks taught me that I had to detach myself from the world so my spirit could be free."

Yangchen inclined her head slightly, "Yes, many great and wise Air Nomads have detached themselves and achieved enlightenment, but the Avatar is can never do that because your sole duty is to the world." Closing her eyes, Yangchen intoned quietly as she began to fade, "Here is my wisdom for you, selfless duty calls you to sacrifice your own spiritual needs and do whatever it takes to protect the world."

Momo poked his head around trunk of the tree he was hiding behind before crawling back to Aang as he dropped his head in his hands. Aang sighed and let his hands fall into his lap, looking down at the lemur sorrowfully.

"I guess I don't have a choice, Momo." He closed his eyes then looked up at the sky as it began to lighten with dawn. He swallowed thickly. "I have to kill the Fire Lord."

He opened his eyes and took a shuddering breath before looking down tiredly at Momo. He petted the lemur's ears, "Let's get some sleep, buddy."

Zuko dozed quietly beside his uncle's sleeping form, listening to his snores with his head bowed. He raised his head slightly when his uncle's snores stopped and swallowed thickly, his breath hitching in his throat as his emotions threatened to overwhelm him.

Iroh blinked awake and sat up, yawning widely as he stretched. Sensing a presence behind him, he turned his head a fraction and caught sight of a familiar face sitting behind him. He closed his eyes and straightened his head, remaining silent.

Zuko swallowed again, struggling to control his emotions as he voiced himself to speak. "Uncle...I know you must have mixed feelings about seeing me. But, I..." He stopped and closed his eyes, tears brimming beneath his lashes. He continued, his voice cracking with emotion. "I want you to know, I'm so, so sorry and ashamed of what I did." Zuko shook his head and the tears overflowed, sliding down his cheeks and dripping onto his shirt. "I don't know how I can ever make it up to you, but I'll-"

Iroh cut him off by grabbing his sleeve and yanking in forward into his arms, hugging him tightly and comfortingly. Tears sliding down his own cheeks, Iroh smiled as he held his nephew.

"How can you forgive me so easily?" Zuko asked weakly as he returned his uncle's embrace, shocked and confused by Iroh's reaction. "I thought you would be furious with me."

"I was never angry with you. I was sad." Iroh explained gently, bringing his hand up to the back of Zuko's head and hugged him tighter. "I was afraid you'd lost your way."

Zuko closed his eyes and pressed his face against Iroh's shoulder as he murmured, "I did lose my way."

"But you found it again." Iroh praised him, smiling as he released Zuko and held him by his shoulders. "And you did it by yourself. I am so happy you found your way here."

Iroh hugged him again and Zuko gave a watery chuckle, "It wasn't that hard, Uncle. You have a pretty strong scent."

On the island, a squirrel scurried across a tree branch, pausing and peering down at the sleeping boy and lemur in the middle of the hexagonal rock formation. The squirrel chattered then darted away as several birds flew overhead.

Aang stirred and opened his eyes, yawning widely before pushing himself up into a sitting position. Bleary-eyed he looked between several trees and did a double take, his eyes widening a small amount.

"Wait," He muttered, slightly startled as the mountains he saw between the trees steadily increase in size, "Is it just me or are those mountains getting bigger?"

Momo leapt onto his shoulder and purred, rubbing his head against the side of his head. Patting the lemur's head, he stood up then jumped into the trees, rapidly scaling to the top with Momo clinging to his head. He breached the canopy after a powerful jumping, landing atop the tallest tree on the island. Aang looked all around him, turning around gawking at the water churning behind what he had assumed was an island.

"The mountains aren't getting larger, they're getting closer!" Aang exclaimed with an amazed grin. He quickly climbed down, jumping from branch to branch until he reached the forest floor again, darting through the tree with Momo flying after him. "The whole island is moving!"

Aang broke the treeline and dove into the ocean, Momo landing on a branch and looking down at the water with a chitter that sounded almost annoyed. Aang swam deeper, staring in awe at the dark shape as he swam along it to the bottom. The water vibrated around him suddenly and he quickly shoved himself backwards just in time to avoid a gargantuan claw as it paddled through the water.

Aang stared at the claw, transfixed, before swimming to the surface. He surfaced with a gasp, rubbing his and turning towards Momo as the lemur landed on a tree root near the "island's" edge.

"It's amazing, Momo!" He flung his arms out to show how big the animal was, "The biggest animal in the world! I've got to swim around and find its face."

Momo chattered and began flying after Aang when he swam off, heading to the creature's front as it swam closer and closer to the cliffs Aang had noticed when he'd woken up.

Katara frowned as she stepped out of hers, Suki's, and Xiaodan's tent, fixing her gloves and looking around for her friends and brother. She spotted her brother and Suki sitting around a small cooking pot with Toph, but no Xiaodan. Frowning slightly, Katara made her way over to her friends and sat down on Suki's other side, accepting the bowl the older girl passed her.

"Have you guys seen Xia?" Katara asked after taking a bite of her food.

"Not since last night when she went to give Zuko some dinner." Suki replied, her brows furrowing in thought. "Actually, I don't think she came back to the tent."

"Maybe she decided to stay with Zuko in Iroh's tent." Sokka suggested with a dismissive shrug. "Y'know more moral support or something."

Toph tilted her head slightly to the right, "You can ask them yourselves, they're coming this way."

The other three turned in their seats, watching as both Zuko and his uncle Iroh, who was dressed in the same robes as the other masters, walked over to them.

"Good morning." Iroh greeted the teens warmly as he sat down beside Katara.

"Morning." Katara replied respectfully then looked over at Zuko curiously, "Hey Zuko, did Xia stay with you last night? She never came back to our tent."

Zuko frowned in confusion and shook his head. "No..."

"Wait!" Sokka suddenly exclaimed, perking up as an idea came to him and he held up a finger triumphantly, "Maybe she figured out where Aang was and went to get him!"

"Maybe..." Katara hedged unsurely.

Zuko and Iroh exchanged glances, the younger man grimacing in worry. Iroh frowned, also worried for hte young woman he had come to view as a daughter while they'd traveled together. Zuko had spoken to him about his and Xiaodan's relationship before they had left his tent and joined the Avatar's friends for breakfast, and Iroh had been excited to see the dualbender now that she and his nephew had patched up their relationship. But her sudden disappearance a day before the comet was set to arrive was worrisome.

Zuko took a deep breath, pushing his worry for his girlfriend aside for the moment and focusing on the more troublesome matter at hand. "We can deal with that later, right now we need to figure out what were going to do about the comet." He looked over at his uncle, "Uncle, you're the only person other than the Avatar who can possibly defeat the Father Lord."

Toph quirked a brow and pointed her chopsticks at the teen sitting next to her, "You mean the Fire Lord."

"That's what I just said." Zuko snapped and Toph smirked before starting to eat again.

"Hmm..." Iroh hummed thoughtfully, taking the bowl Katara had handed him.

"We need you to come with us."

"No, Zuko." Iroh replied with a small shake of his head and he put he lowered his chopsticks. "It won't turn out well.

"You can beat him." Zuko insisted, confused at his uncle's refusal. He looked at his friends and gestured towards them then himself. "And we'll be there to help."

Iroh sighed, "Even if I did defeat Ozai, and I don't know that I could." He raised his brow pointedly at his nephew's disbelieving face then continued, "It will be the wrong way to end the war. History would see it as just more senseless violence, a brother killing a brother to grab power." Iroh looked around at the teenagers sitting before him with a serious expression, "The only way for this war to end peacefully is for the Avatar to defeat the Fire Lord."

"And then..." Zuko hesitated and looked at his uncle with an unsure, but hopeful expression, "Then would you come and take your rightful place on the throne?"

"No." He shook his head then looked over his nephew with a soft expression, "Someone new must take the throne. An idealist with a pure heart and unquestionable honor." He smiled at Zuko's surprised expression and carried on easily, "It has to be you, Prince Zuko."

"Unquestionable honor?" Zuko asked in disbelief. He shook his head and raised his shoulders in a little shrug, "But I've made so many mistakes."

"Yes, you have." Iroh agreed lightly, "You struggled, you suffered but you have always followed your own path, you restored your own honor. And only you can restore the honor of the Fire Nation."

Zuko bowed his head in thought then looked up at his uncle with determination, "I'll try, Uncle."

"Well," Toph drawled out after the touchy-feely moment between Iroh and Zuko was over. "What if Aang doesn't come back? What if Xia doesn't either?"

"Sozin's comet is arriving and our destinies are upon us. Aang will face the Fire Lord." Iroh stated calmly, looking around at the young ones and meeting each of their eyes. "When I was a young boy, I had a vision that I would one day take Ba Sing Se. Only now do I see that my destiny is to take it back from the Fire nation so the Earth Kingdom can be free again."

"That's why you gathered the members of the White Lotus!" Suki realized, gesturing towards the other members of the White Lotus that were sitting around their own cooking pots.

"Yes." Iroh agreed with a nod then he addressed his nephew once more, "Zuko, you must return to the Fire Nation so that when the Fire Lord falls, you can assume the throne and restore peace and order. But," He frowned and said distastefully, "But Azula will be there, waiting for you."

Zuko frowned then said confidently, "I can handle Azula."

"Not alone. You will need help."

"You're right." Zuko sighed softly then looked over at Katara with a small smirk, "I know you and Xia both have a bone to pick with my sister, so, Katara, how would you like to help me put Azula in her place?"

Katara smiled, "It would be my pleasure."

"What about us?" Sokka suddenly asked, having remained mostly quite as the others talked, and he gestured towards himself, then Suki and Toph. "What's our destiny today?"

Iroh quirked a brow at Water Tribe teen in amusement, "What do you think it is?"

"I think that..." Sokka rubbed his chin thoughtfully then smirked and slammed his left fist into his right palm, "I think that even thought we don't know where Aang or Xia are, we need to do everything we can to stop the airship fleet."

"And that means when Aang does face the Fire Lord, we'll be right there if he needs us." Toph added with a saucy grin of anticipation and she punched her fists together. "And if Xia really is with Aang, then she'll be right there to help us."

Iroh smiled at the blind girl, "Then let us prepare."

"Nothing runs faster over land or swims quicker than a giant eel-hound." Master Piando explained as he stood beside said creature, Toph and Suki already in the saddle while Sokka stood before him. The sword-master handed his former pupil a scroll, "The airship base is on a small island just off the Earth Kingdom shore. You should be able to intercept the fleet within a day's journey."

Sokka, who had opened the scroll and inspected it as his former master spoke, rerolled the scroll and inclined his head to Piandao. "Thank you, Master."

Piandao smiled and bowed, Sokka mimicking him before they both straightened. Sokka hesitated a moment then hugged his former master around the waist, surprising the older sword-master. Smiling slightly, Piandao lowered his arm to Sokka's shoulders reassuringly before the young man stepped away and climbed into the giant eel-hound's saddle in front of Toph.

Across the small clearing in the center of the camp, Zuko sat on Appa's head with Katara in the saddle, both of them looking down at Iroh, Bumi, Jeong Jeong, and Pakku.

"So, If I'm to be Fire Lord after the war is over, what are you going to do?" Zuko asked his uncle.

"After I re-conquer Ba Sing Se," Iroh replied with a smirk, pulling a white lotus Pai Sho tile from his belt and flipping it into the air then catching it, "I'm going to re-conquer my tea shop and I'm going to play Pai Sho everyday."

Zuko chuckled and smiled fondly at his uncle's answer, unsurprised. Iroh smiled in return and stepped forward, reaching his hand up to his nephew, who took his hand in his own. "And when all is said and done, I want you and Xia to join me for a cup of tea."

The prince blushed and ducked his head in embarrassment, "Yes, Uncle."

Iroh's smile widened and he squeezed Zuko's hand once then released him and stepped back. Katara and Zuko, looked across the clearing to their other three friends. Suki and Sokka, who were looking back at them, nodded once.

Katara and Zuko nodded back then Katara looked over at Iroh and bowed her head to him, "Goodbye, General Iroh."

"Goodbye everyone." Iroh replied as he looked at the teens then closed his eyes and bowed his head, "Today destiny is our friend." He opened his eyes once more, his expression determined and confident. "I know it."

After one more glance at his sister, Sokka grabbed the eel-hound's reigns and jerked them slightly, urging the creature to turn around before taking off. Appa grunted and slammed his tail against the ground, jumping into the air and flying off in the direction of the Fire Nation, the White Lotus members waving.

Aang glanced towards the cliffs, which had steadily grown closer as he swam around the massive creature, then he took a deep breath and dove beneath the waves, using both airbending and waterbending to propel him through the water, leaving a trail of bubbles behind him.

Aang noticed the circular, swirling patterns on the creature's body as he swam further down before he stopped, floating in the water and looking around warily. Behind him, the creature opened his eye and stared at Aang's back. Sensing the creature's gaze, Aang whirled around in the water and recoiled back in surprise.

Suddenly, the creature moved it's claw and lifted it upward underneath Aang, pushing him up to the surface as the young Avatar struggled against the water pressure. Aang gasped as surfaced, stumbling slightly as he tried to keep his foot on the creature's massive paw. He stared wide-eyed as the creature's head appeared above the water, rivulets of water sliding down his face.

"A lion turtle!" Aang whispered in awe before he bowed lowly in respect. He straightened and stared at the large creature seriously, "Maybe you can help me. Everyone, even my own past lives are expecting me to end someone's life. But I don't know if I can do it."

The lion turtle stared down at him for several seconds then opened his mouth and began to speak in a deep, rumbling voice that Aang felt all the way to his bones. "The true mind can weather all the lies and illusions without being lost. The true heart, can touch the poison of hatred without being harmed." Aang gazed up at the lion turtle intently, standing perfectly still and at ease as the creature slowly lifted its other hand out of the water and reached out to him, "Since the beginningless time, darkness thrives in teh voice, but always yields..." The lion turtle touched two of his claws to Aang's forehead and chest, "To purifying light."

Aang's mouth dropped open as green light burst from his two claws, blinding Aang and forcing him to close his eyes as the light surrounded him in it's brilliant glow. Slowly, the light faded and the lion turtle removed his claw, watching as Aang opened his eyes and stared up at him in understanding.

The lion turtle reached the cliffs and extended his paw towards a small cliff. Aang stepped off the claw and onto dry land, turning to look at the lion turtle as Momo flew over to him and landed on his shoulder.

"Wait for him." The lion turtle intoned deeply, "He will come."

Aang bowed and the lion turtle sank beneath the water. Straightening from his bow, Aang turned and looked at the area the lion turtle had taken him to.

"Princess Azula..."

Azula regarded the Dai Li agent bowing before her new throne over the blue flames, narrowing her eyes in annoyance. She had specifically stated to not be disturbed, wanting to revel in her new position as Fire Lord. "What do you want?"

The agent straightened, keeping his head bowed respectfully as he spoke. "There is a gift for you from the Pohuai Stronghold."

Her irritation was tapered by curiosity and she scrutinized the Dai Li agent, "And what is this gift?"

The Dai Li agent retreated to the throne room's entrance, holding the curtain aside as two more agents and several guards entered the room. Azula's curiosity peeked further and she leaned forward slightly, lowering the flames a small bit as she did so.

"Let go of me!"

Azula's eyes widened a minuscule amount then she sat back with a razor sharp smile of pleasure, observing with malicious glee as her guards and the Dai Li agents parted, revealing bound young woman with snow white hair and ember-colored eyes who was very familiar. So, the alert she had sent out to all the commanders of Fire Nation strongholds in the Earth Kingdom had worked after all. How wonderful. Her father would be pleased when he returned from destroying the Earth Kingdom.

"Well, well..." Azula drawled sinsterly as she sinuously rose to her feet, parting the wall of fire and walking down to stand before the restrained girl. She smiled darkly at the older girl as she glared up at her defiantly, "This truly is a wonderful gift..."

Xiaodan clenched her teeth and tried to keep the fear from her face as Azula continued to stare down at her with an evil smile.

"It is time for this world to end in fire," Ozai said with dark pleasure as he stood on the rim of the crater where his airship base was located on the edge of the Earth Kingdom. "And for a new world to be born from the ashes."

He stared out at the ocean, watching as the night sky blazed red as the comet approached.

Aang stood on a tall pillar of stone with Momo perched beside him, staring at the fiery sky then redirecting his gaze to the ocean where Ozai's fleet would be coming from. Behind him, the sky burned brighter, a great ball of fire burning across the sky.

Sozin's Comet had arrived...