AN: Ouch, been a while! I really need to get better with my updating speed! I have set up a sort of schedule, it's just finding the time to stick to it! But anyway, hope you all enjoy it, and please do let me know what you think. NEgative reviews are welcome so long as you're consturcitve, and explain why you think it's mid/got issues/is crap! :D

Thanks for reading and please do leave a review, or feel free to PM, I am usually much better at answering those!

Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson or Avatar the Last Airbender.

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( - )

(Last Time)

"North," Suki shrugged. "I don't think there is a particular destination in mind. We were just told to go north and try and find somewhere else to take refuge. And if we should run across a Fire Nation patrol… well they just told us to surrender and hope for the best."

He closed his eyes and took a breath.

"How many?" He asked.

"I don't know," Suki said softly. "This is just one of several dozen convoys."

"Well shit," Percy muttered, heart sinking. Looking down at the water in his hand, he took another drink.

The sooner he was back on his feet and recovered, the better.

( - )

Chapter 21

( - )

(With Percy)

The atmosphere was unpleasant.

The air was damp and humid.

It was stifling and had already caused sweat to bead his brow and stain his shirt.

Flies, drawn in by the sweat and braying animal, flitted around his face, fraying his already frayed nerves as he swiped his hand through the air irritably, driving them away, or at least trying to.

Looking around, he could see that he wasn't the only one suffering from the climate.

It had been a week and a half, and their convoy was still heading north.

The city of Omashu was far off in the distance. Not even a smudge. The mountains surrounding the city had likewise faded into nothing as the land became more verdant and greener, even as the air became heavier and wetter.

It reminded him of the documentaries he'd seen on the Amazon Rainforest. The flora was lush and green and completely out of control, and the fauna was equal parts dangerous and irritating.

Wiping the sweat out of his eyes, he looked back down the line of caravans as they trundled along the poorly maintained dirt road that cut through the vast, unending sea of trees.

The mood for the most part had picked up the further they got from Omashu and the Fire Nation's advance.

Aside from a few bandit raids and some aggressive wildlife, things had been mostly peaceful. So much so that they had settled into a comfortable routine as they travelled for most of the day, and camped out at night in a defensive formation, with the wagons on the outside and the tents in the middle.

Every now and then a few wagons would peel off when they entered or bypassed one of the larger settlements as some of the fleeing citizens decided to find refuge behind the safety of the settlement's walls.

But just as often, others would join their convoy as they continued their journey north.

A large swathe of the Earth Kingdom's population, it appeared, was quite transient, and had been for the past hundred years. Ever since the war started. For all the talk of earthbenders being sturdy, stubborn, and immovable, it seemed they were quite adaptive and averse to putting down roots. Or at least a lot of the citizenry was. It was probably generational, with the last few having been born during the war and having been scarred by the Fire Nation's aggression and their own constant displacement.

Noticeably, many of those he was travelling with were looking to eventually head east and then south down toward Ba Sing Se, the Earth Kingdom's impregnable capital. A veritable fortress protected by three, giant, one hundred feet walls of stone, and an army of seasoned veterans.

Others, meanwhile, were just moving on to greener pastures as the influx of refugees from the south caused economic instability as they settled into their new homes. The newcomers were probably initially willing to work for bed, board and a bit of pocket change and easily undercutting the locals when it came to wages. Additionally, they also brought other concerns to the locals such as increased food and housing demand, along with social issues as they brought with them different traditions and cultural ideals from their homeland, some of which didn't always sit well with the locals.

Add to that rampant overcrowding and the incompetence of the corrupt ruling nobles, and it was essentially a ticking time bomb just waiting to explode into an orgy of pointless violence and simmering discontent. All of which, unsurprisingly, drove those who had already settled and started naturally wanting for more – including those who had once been refugees themselves – out, and into other areas.

Ironically, their actions would likely just cause a knock-on effect as they left the frontier and countryside for the cities, offering cheaper labour which would likely undercut the locals of whatever place they were planning to settle. Which in turn would annoy the natives. Not that any of them seemed to realise or at least acknowledge that fact. It was all cyclical and driven by the desperation of those fleeing violence and hardship, and humanity's natural propensity for selfishness.

Either way, their convoy had stayed roughly the same size since they first left Omashu as they slowly wended their way through the mountains, over the barren lands that led away from the mountain citadel, and into the deep forests that covered gigantic swathes of the north of the continent.

Meeting Suki's gaze as he looked further along the train, he smiled. Currently, she was helping one of the caravaners push their wagon over a particularly thick root that partially covered the path. He could see others trying to assist.

His smile faded slightly.

Soon enough the two of them would need to break away from the convoy too. After all, they were still planning on heading further north with the intention of eventually leaving the Earth Kingdom and making their way to the Northern Water Tribe. Hopefully with several more preferably positive and opportunities for sightseeing and adventure along the way. The rest of the caravan meanwhile, would soon be turning east and heading in the direction of the capital.

It would be a bit of a shame in some ways as they'd settled in with the core group that led the convoy. Especially since, often, as some of the less crippled/ injured fighters in the group, they acted as the guards and hunters. They did their part, and in return, they had their own tent and got their food cooked for them. It wasn't all that profitable, but it came with a good feeling as they helped those in need.

But unfortunately, it was reaching a point where it was no longer sustainable. They both knew it and had already agreed to break off soon. Probably at the next settlement they passed.

Looking further down the caravan his gaze swept over the faces of those that had been with them since they left Omashu, and those that had joined later.

They all looked tired and uncomfortable. Yet despite that the further north they went, and the farther away from the Fire nation that they got, the happier people seemed to become. There was an underlying positivity that had started to suffuse the caravan of refugees, especially with many of them talking about the safety of Ba Sing Se and the opportunities that would be available to them once they reached the capital.

Their optimism was not only infectious it was also admirable, especially considering what little they had heard of what was happening further south.

His lips thinned and his eyes narrowed as he once again looked off in the direction where Omashu lay.

The city was still being besieged, and things weren't going well.

From what little he had heard the Fire Nation had reverted to their previous tactics and had been catapulting dead animals and flaming clay pots full of combustible fuel into the city, even as their raiders burned the surrounding fields. Disease was rampant behind the city walls, and with the Fire Nation forces having been further reinforced, the cities were on the cusp of falling.

Already, they'd started to hear rumours in the last town they had passed through, that the King, Bummi, had surrendered both himself and the city in return for a peaceful occupation.

Though whether the rumour had substance or not wasn't quite clear, as it was just one of the dozen or so rumours, he'd heard since leaving. Another popular rumour was that the Avatar had returned to the city and driven off the Fire Nation by conjuring a giant hurricane from nothing and slaughtering all in his path. Considering what he knew of Aang and his peaceful ways… well, some of the rumours were more plausible than others.

Taking a moment to unhook his waterskin from his hip and take a sip, Percy looked ahead once more. All he could see was dense undergrowth. But apparently, from what some traders they had passed on the road had said, they weren't too far from a small logging outpost which sat on the confluence between several man-made canals and natural rivers.

Exulting in the feeling of fresh water as he swirled about in his mouth, he once again used the back of his hand to wipe the newly formed sweat off his brow, even as he pushed forward through the underbrush, his eyes flicking back and forth, and his water-based sensory abilities flared as he searched for any sign of danger on the horizon.

The sooner they got out of the forest and back to the coast the better. For as much as he was enjoying the peace and quiet after the densely packed, fear-filled streets of Omashu, and the blood-soaked fields that lay beyond its gates. He wasn't as much of a fan of the climate, nor was he too keen on heading into another large city like Ba Sing Se, anytime soon. No, he'd much prefer a jaunt up to the cold frozen roof of the world where he could meet up with the famed waterbenders that called it home and see how he stacked up.

Fastening his waterskin back on his belt and resting his hand on the hilt of his newly scavenged sword – a cheap, single-edged broadsword. He took a moment to scan the surrounding trees cautiously before with a soft sigh he pushed on ahead through the sweltering jungle.

( - )

(Elsewhere in the Earth Kingdom)

The road ahead, like life, was long and winding.

It was filled with many twists and turns, and fraught with constant danger and hardship.

His mouth settled into a thin line as he turned and looked back the way he had come.

The sky was bathed in a glorious myriad of colours: oranges, pinks, and reds. But for all its beauty he felt nothing at the sight of it. Only the constant hollowness and emptiness that gnawed at him. Life had lost any lustre for him.

Sighing despondently, he turned and continued plodding along, his straggly, unkempt grey hair whipping about in the breeze, and his threadbare clothes chaffing as he adjusted the canvas sack on his back.

The feeling of hopelessness was not a new one to him. He had felt the same way many years ago when his son had died.

Back then, he had initially been filled with fiery anger and an all-encompassing rage at those who had taken his dear son from him.

But his anger had soon faded, and in its place despair and guilt had grasped at his heart.

He grimaced as old memories assailed him.

There had been so much guilt and regret, so much that he had nearly drowned in it. After all, he had been the one who had first filled his son's head with glorious tales of war and national pride. It had been him who had crafted a mighty name for himself as he fought his father's and grandfather's war. It was him, Iroh, the Dragon of the West, that had inspired an entire generation of Fire Nation youths to charge into glorious battle against the legendary unassailable walls of Ba Sing Se.

How many of them had died in that fruitless and ultimately pointless campaign?

An entire generation had been scarred by his hubris and his ego. Families had been shattered on both sides of the conflict. As had his heart and what little remained of his pride.

He closed his eyes wearily.

Back then it had all seemed so easy. The Fire Nation had been the rightful inheritors of the world. The Fire Nation's technology was unmatched, their economy was booming, and their culture beyond compare. Therefore, surely it was only right that they share their greatness with the rest of the world and bring them kicking and screaming into a new golden age, one of unity and prosperity for all.

It was all a lie, a lie based on greed, ambition, and unrivalled arrogance.

A lie he had once swallowed without a second thought and trumpeted for all to hear.

How many would thank him for it?

Tens of thousands of men and women had gladly followed him on his decade-long campaign, and of them, how many were still alive today. Of those that had survived, how many still bore the scars from that brutal, and ultimately pointless siege.

In the end, his brother's cult of personality didn't even need to do much to humiliate and denigrate his reputation and standing. By the time he had returned to the Fire Nation to bury his son, his name and reputation had been tarnished beyond recognition, and his standing was all but non-existent.

Not that any of that had mattered to him, or at least not then. Not when he had personally learned the true cost of this meaningless war and had seen for himself the devastation it was causing.

He'd had his eyes opened for the first time and had seen the true evil that lay at the heart of the Fire Nation.

The people weren't the problem.

Nor was the culture, not really.

It was the royal family and the nobles. They were the ones pushing the war forward. It was his own family and their countries that were the ones indoctrinating the young and twisting the Fire Nations' once rich and noble culture into something warped and broken.

His grandfather, Sozin, his father, Azulon, his brother, Ozai, and himself, as the former Crown Prince. They were the true cause of all the hardship the world was currently facing. They were the proverbial head of the snake. Cut them off and the Fire Nation war machine would be rudderless. Its many ambitious generals, admirals and nobles would succumb to in-fighting, the war would stall, and eventually, cooler heads would likely prevail as the Fire Nation splintered and the other nations took advantage of the disorder and forced them back.

It would be messy, and many would still die, but it would be a first step on the path to peace.

Only he couldn't do it.

To cut the head off the snake would mean killing his own kin and forever damning himself. More than that, it would mean endangering his niece and nephew, the only two people in this world he still cared about – because after he and his brother were dead the Fire Nation court would tear the two to pieces with their games and manipulations.

In the end, he'd been too cowardly to do what he should have. Instead, he had chosen a different route. He had decided to change the Royal Family from within. Not as the Fire Lord as his loss at Ba Sing Se and his brother's control at Court made that impossible. He would help Zuko, the Crown Prince become a better man and a better leader for the Fire Nation. All in the hopes that one day, Zuko would inherit the mantle of Fire Lord and end the pointless war before it led to the destruction of them all.

A single tear trickled down the side of his face as he clenched his eyes shut.

Only he had failed again.

Zuko had become like a son to him in the years since Lu Ten's passing, and yet like his son, he had led him to his death. Or rather, he had seen the path Zuko was walking. Had seen his deep-seated anger following his exile. He'd watched as his once good-natured heart had been crushed and twisted by his father's cruelty. He had seen it, and he had done nothing but offer meaningless platitudes.

He should have done more.

He should have been more vocal and forceful.

Especially after Zuko was exiled from the Court for daring to question one of his father's generals' callous disregard for life. There had been an opportunity there for him to encourage Zuko to question the Fire Nation and the doctrine he had grown up in, and a chance for him to help his nephew grow into a better and more rounded person. He'd had the spark of goodness in him, inherited from his mother, and not yet crushed by his father.

Only once again he had been useless.

He had offered him training and tried to guide him with words of wisdom and soft encouragement and counsel. But Zuko had been too stubborn to ever accept being told what to do, and any attempt to do so would have had him pushing back and doing the opposite out of ego-fuelled anger. He might've even stormed away on his own if he'd been pushed too hard.

That said, his slower approach had been working. His nephew's anger at his father and his exile had begun to cool, and he'd started to open himself up to learning new things about both the world and himself. It had taken two years to get through his hard outer shell and it had still been very early days. But he had seen a glimpse of the kind boy he had once been, and the great ruler he could one day become.

But it had all been for nought.

In his heart of hearts, he hadn't truly believed that Zuko would ever find the Avatar. Men had been searching for the Avatar for over a century, and none had ever caught even a glimpse of him. He'd expected him to search fruitlessly for a few years while his father's temper cooled – giving him the opportunity he needed to teach him and help him become the great ruler he knew he could one day become – before eventually rejoining the fold once Ozai had relented. Yet, his nephew had defied expectations and discovered the Avatar. Zuko's single minded dedication had allowed him to succeed where all others failed, and yet instead of bringing him peace, it had only led him to his death.

He sighed softly, his hands clenching into fists.

The attack of Kyoshi had been ill-thought-out. He should have stepped in and offered Zuko stronger counsel instead of allowing him to make mistakes and learn from them at his own pace. But instead, he had sat back and merely offered his support and a gentle rebuke.

His inaction had led Zuko to his doom.

He hadn't expected a small, insignificant island like Kyoshi to be home to such an immensely powerful waterbender.

Nor had he expected that waterbender to be so ruthless and cruel.

Zuko had been a boy, a child.

He hadn't deserved death.

Yet that was what had happened.

He had been brought low, disarmed, and then murdered by that green-eyed waterbender.

A blast of steam left his lips and he tried to master his anger.

All that potential, all his hopes, was destroyed in an instant. Ended by a single swing of a sword.

His heart sank, as the hollowness that consumed his very being became ever more prevalent.

Some days he questioned why he even continued.

His son and nephew were dead, his brother was a monster, and his niece was fast becoming one.

Everything seemed pointless, the world that he and his old friends had once dreamed of felt further away than ever.

But as the darkness clawed at his soul there was still one small flicker of light. A last hope to bring the war to an end and usher in a new age of peace. The Avatar. That young airbender's existence was enough to keep him going.

He looked up at the sky for a moment before looking ahead once more.

The northern coast of the Earth Kingdom was just up ahead, and those who had imprisoned him were far behind him now.

He smiled at the memory of his escape. It hadn't taken him long to get away from his captors. Not when they had written him off as just an old man. Thankfully, he didn't even need to take any lives after affecting his escape. And now the northern ocean lay ahead of him, and beyond the horizon sat the Northern Water tribe.

Pushing his hair out of his eyes he looked down at the distant port. He would need to buy some furs and barter with one of the merchant ships for transportation. But it shouldn't be too difficult. He was quite familiar with the Northern Tribe and their culture.

Readjusting his bag, he started down the road and toward the port.

There was only one path forward for him now. Only one path that would not only redeem him but also lay the foundations for the eventual redemption of the Fire Nation as well.

( - )

(Elsewhere)

Sitting at a pitted and worn table she couldn't help but scowl as she looked over the rim of her drink and glowered at the obnoxiously loud locals. Her gaze was made all the more menacing by the black kohl she used to accentuate her dark eyes.

The other accounts of the taverns were mostly men and big, burly unwashed men at that. Some of them sported scruffy beards. But most kept their faces shorn due to the humidity. The very same humidity that made them sweat like pigs as they drank beer, roared with laughter, and broke out into the occasional shanty. It made the tavern reek.

Her red-painted lips curled in disgust as she downed her beer.

"Another!" She shouted, slamming the wooden tankard on the bar.

The men around her roared with enthusiasm.

Rolling her eyes, she shook her head.

The locals in this shit-hole village were a far cry from the elegant nobles she used to rub shoulders with back in Ba Sing Se. But also, a vast improvement. They might be sweaty, loud, obnoxious bumkins. But at least they were honest about what they felt and who they were. Their hygiene and manners might be questionable, but their characters, for better or worse, mostly worse, were at least sincere. They were who they appeared to be on the surface.

The barkeep slid another beer over to her.

Not even glancing at him, she dug in her pocket and dropped a coin on the table. Her gaze instead continued to rove over those around her.

This little settlement in the middle of bumfuck nowhere really wasn't her style. It was boring. But even so, the pay for protection duty – mostly merchant caravans – in these parts wasn't too bad if you didn't mind a bit of travel and the unpleasant climate.

Unfortunately, it was not exactly an enjoyable job and as much as she liked a steady income and smacking around bandit filth, excitement was far more important. She missed the thrill of travelling around the Earth Kingdom kicking ass and taking names. It was far better than stagnating in this dead-end settlement like she had been doing for the last month.

She took another drink her eye twitching as those around her broke into another rousing chorus as they sang about working a hard day and coming home to a good fuck.

Rolling her eyes and desperately looking for a distraction – preferably something interesting – she glanced over to the entrance as the door to the tavern opened.

Clicking her tongue at the thought of yet more sweaty locals traipsing in, she was about to turn away and return to her drink. As she did so, however, she noticed that the conversation within the tavern had stopped.

Returning her attention to the open doorway her eyes narrowed as she saw a group of strangers enter the bar.

There was a half a dozen of them. But she could see far more people were massing about behind the newcomers through the now open door.

Her eyes narrowed at the sight of them.

From an initial glance, they didn't look all that impressive. They were wearing an assortment of the usual plain green, beige, and brown garments that Earth Kingdom bumkins wore. However, some of the styling of the clothing did stand out a bit from what the locals wore. More than that, she could see that some of them wore armour pieces and had weapons at the sides.

A mercenary band that was down on their luck then maybe?

The door closed behind the group as they entered.

Glancing around, she could see that many of the locals were looking suspicious and on edge. It didn't surprise her. The settlement was a small one and was quite far off the beaten trail. The only visitors they received were the occasional merchant caravan or passing band of refugees. And even then, none of them tended to stick around for long considering the lack of amenities and the brusque nature of the village's residents. The locals didn't like strangers. It had been over three weeks, and they still barely tolerated her presence, and even then, that was more due to a combination of greed, desire, and fear than any degree of trust.

Observing the newcomers as they trooped in she quickly spotted the lingering injuries some of their group were sporting. Including one that was missing a good portion of his arm.

Probably refugees then considering their ragged condition and visible injuries, or a very incompetent group of mercenaries.

Sighing, she felt her interest begin to wane even as the noise around her began to pick up once more. Refugees while not common, did stop by every now and then to resupply, or to barter for transport on the barges that used one of the many rivers that crisscrossed through the area.

Considering their poor quality of weapons and armour, and the fact that they had come to the tavern, if they were refugees, they were likely looking for some mercenaries to do some protection details.

Looking to the side she could see some of the other mercenaries she occasionally worked had also perked up after coming to the same realisation as herself.

She shook her head.

She'd leave them to it. Escorting refugees wasn't really her thing. Both because it was time-consuming and didn't pay well. But also, because it left a bad taste in her mouth as it always felt like she was taking advantage of desperate people in a desperate situation. Not that it would stop her from charging for her services if she did take such a job, a girl had to eat after all. But even so, it didn't make her feel great.

She took another drink and continued to observe as four members of the group seemed to offer their goodbyes to the other two. With them shaking hands and patting shoulders before with a few backward glances they approached one of the more overtly 'mercenary' looking groups in the room.

Eyeing the table, she quickly spotted that it was Shin and his little band of morons. Not exactly the best. But they were at least cheap and reliable. They were all local lads and good enough leg breakers who could scare off the occasional group of roving bandits. But put them up against some trained fighters and they would be slaughtered. Still, the newcomers could have done worse, Shin at least had some semblance of honour and integrity, even if he was lacking in the brains department.

Shifting her attention to the other two, she watched as they headed for the bar.

It was a man and a woman.

Young looking too from what she could see.

The man was probably in his early twenties and was not bad-looking either. He had the standard broad shoulders, tanned skin and green eyes that were so common throughout the Earth Kingdom. Though he was taller than most, and his green eyes at least had a slightly different shade to the usual forest green that she was used to. Instead, they were a slightly darker shade of green. They reminded her of the sea. He was also a cripple and missing a part of his arm.

The girl meanwhile looked a little younger than the man. Late teens probably with tanned skin, long brown hair, and silvery-blue eyes. She stood out a lot more than her companion. The only blue-eyed people she had met before were from the Water Tribes, or at least had some Water Tribe blood in their veins. Considering the greyish sheen they had, she suspected the girl was probably some bastard child of a Water Tribe merchant.

Continuing her observations, she watched as they made it to the bar and started talking to the barkeep – behind them, she saw the rest of the group they had come in with leave the building, with a few last waves and calls to the remaining two.

Turning her attention back to the two that remained, she smirked.

They both looked like fighters.

She wouldn't be too surprised if it turned out that they were mercenaries that had previously been attached to the bunch of refugees that had just left. Though why they'd call it quits on their contract in the arsehole of nowhere she wasn't sure.

"Do you have a room for the night?" The man asked.

The barkeep scowled and shook his head in the negative. "No room at the inn. But you can sleep in the stables if you want. Won't cost much either."

The woman grimaced at the offer.

"I've had worse," the man shrugged, before glancing at his companion. "It'll only be for one night."

"It's fine," the girl said squeezing his arm. It was a very familiar action. It made it clear to her that they were almost certainly lovers. "We'll stay the night and then head off early morning."

That got her attention.

It sounded like they already had a destination in mind.

Sitting a bit straighter she slowly spun on her stool. Her leather armour creaked as she leaned forward and crossed her legs with sensual slowness. Her dark eyes swept over them, and her red-painted lips curled into a grin. "And just where are you two lovebirds off to?"

The man frowned as he looked over at her. His posture was stiff, and his hand shifted to the hilt of his broadsword.

The action didn't worry her. He was on edge, and it was just an instinctive reaction to being surprised. Besides which he was crippled, and she'd fought bigger and stronger men than him before. Including trained soldiers and firebenders. A down-on-his-luck, crippled mercenary wielding a cheap, poor-quality sword was hardly a threat.

The girl, however, although flinching at first, forced a smile. "We're heading north."

"Oh?" She purred. "Do you already have a job lined up?"

"Job?" the girl asked with a smile, her head tilting cutely to one side.

She didn't buy it for a second.

"No, no job," the man shook his head. "We've had enough action for the moment. Right now, we're looking to take it easy for a bit."

"Oh really?" She smiled, her temporary boredom taking a back seat. It sounded like they had a story to tell. "Care to share about just what kind of action you've been up to?"

They shared a look.

"I'll buy you both a drink if it's a good one," she offered, adding to the bait. A couple of coppers was a small price to pay for a decent story. Additionally, it was a way to alleviate the tedium that came with staying in this settlement. "I'm June by the way."

The pair of newcomers glanced at each other again, before with a sigh the man nodded, and they both took seats at the bar.

"Percy," the man nodded, offering his name.

It was an unusual one too.

"Suki," the girl added.

That one wasn't as unusual.

"Two beers," she said, glancing at the grumpy barkeep, who grunted and did as requested.

Taking a sip of her drink, June smirked as she gestured for them to tell their tale.

She was hopeful that it was a good one.

( - )

AN: So kind of a calm down chapter after the last few. It's also setting up the next arc, which will see us heading north, where everyone will converge. NExt chapter will be a mix of Percy and co, and a bit of Azula! Not sure when the next chapter will come out, but hopefully it'll be sooner rather than later!

Thanks for reading. If you didn't like it, my bad. But it is what it is. If you spot any glaring typos, grammatical errors or continuity issues, let me know and I'll do some fixes. I've only proofread this and ran it through Grammarly, so it is more than possible that there are things I've missed.

Other than that, I hope you all have a great new year.

Thanks for reading and if you have any suggestions or questions feel free to PM me or find me on Discord.

Catch you later.

Greed720.