430N/A: JkAlex is back, baby!
The science emperor: Thanks. I've taken Sun Wukong from Zuko's prequel novel, as well as some events from the last chapter and this one. But I've also added my own personal and original twist. Hope you like it.
Gamelover41592: If by good you mean problematic, then yes XD.
ImHellaUgly: Thanks! I'll do that!
raxon1221: Yeah, since I make the chapters really long, I don't notice some spelling mistakes. Sorry.
screwthefates1806: Well, with the things I have planned later, they'll be even better.
blyat: Minor errors when translating and editing. Sorry!
0x66 0x6f 0x63 0x6b 0x65 0x72: There will come a point where many believe that Percy is the Avatar, due to his great repertoire of abilities when it comes to controlling some elements. But let's just say that as far as his "waterbending" goes, Percy will be second to none.
Backpack Bandit: Thank you. I have a Beta writer, and he does his best to make the story as perfect as possible. This story is originally written in Spanish and then translated into English, so spelling mistakes and grammar might be present. Still, thanks for the advice.
Imheretolive08: Percy's reputation as a "Spirit Slayer" will be recognised by all of the Four Nations; don't doubt that. And as for his dynamic with Toph, it will be very interesting when they finally meet. Look forward to it.
Alexis: Your review is in French, but I will answer you in English. I am flattered that you like the story so much. The connection that Percy will have with the sea will become more and more to the point where he will even surpass Aang when he enters the Avatar State.
TurquoiseTeal: And they will be even more so from now on.
JoJo 'Perlia' Jesus: Minor translation errors, sorry. Luke was sent to the world of Avatar 100 years before the start of the war and met Roku. Right now, Zuko is having his downfall as a character, but it's part of his development. Percy will go to the library, since everything he discovers leads him there.
EliteDaemon: Thank you! And sorry for those translation errors. I'll do my best to prevent it from happening again.
fangs of death: That's right, Luke was sent to the world of Avatar 100 years before the start of the war. So wait to find out more about the things he did when he met Roku.
Death Fury: Thanks, buddy.
Bob for now: That's right, buddy, it's still an ongoing series. It's just that I have a very busy life, and the chapters don't come out as fast as I'd like. But I'll do my best to continue updating.
CRUDEN: That's right, Luke befriended Roku, and he also left a big impact on the world of Avatar. More on that later.
Guest: I don't see the need for you to insult me, man. If you don't want to read the reviews, just skip them. Because I will continue to do so.
Poseidon Olympus: And it's here! Enjoy, my friend.
And without further ado... Let's go!
Chapter 16
The dark spirits of the wind
Dear Azula, Ty Lee, and Mai:
How have you been? I know you can't respond to the letters I've sent you over the past few months since we don't stay in one place for long before continuing on our journey, but I keep imagining what you're doing.
Ty Lee, Mai, I know you are probably with Azula most of the time. Even skipping academy classes to follow her on her whims. And Azula, I know for a fact that you spend most of your time practicing your firebending. If I were there, I would tell you to relax a little.
A few weeks ago, Zuko and I passed a village that was having a festival, and I couldn't help but think of the festivals we all went to together. I hope we can do that again someday. On the other hand, our trip was interesting. For my part, I found out a thing or two about certain things I've always wanted to know. I've gotten much better at swordplay and have begun training in close combat under the tutelage of the soldiers on board.
I have learnt a lot, and I am having a good time. Iroh is good company; he reminds me a lot of my father.
Our trip to the Western Air Temple did us no good. It only made Zuko more frustrated.
I'm worried about him.
He's become more reckless, impatient, temperamental, and... I know you're rolling your eyes reading this, Azula. And yes, your brother has behaved even worse than I have.
Especially when we arrived at the North and East Air Temples.
It had been a few days since they had left the village where Commander Kanku's military headquarters was located. Most of the crew had remained on the ship, making necessary repairs and resupplying it for when the group that had gone to the Northern Air Temple returned.
Zuko was leading a small group of six soldiers to explore the temple, along with Iroh and Percy, who had decided to go along.
"Who in their right mind would choose to live up there?" Percy asked, looking up at the large temple that stood atop the mountain. "The Air Nomads chose the strangest places to live. First under a cliff, then on top of a mountain. What's next, living on a floating rock?"
"The Air Nomads chose where to live by trying to be as close to the air and as far away from earthly ties as possible," Iroh replied solemnly. "Their four temples reflect their deep connection to their element."
"So the capital of the Fire Nation was built on a volcano to be closer to their element?"
Iroh laughed with amusement.
"More or less."
"Let's stop wasting time and get going," Zuko said impatiently.
Fortunately, they had brought all the necessary tools to climb the mountain since there was no direct path to the top. Obviously, it had been built for the airbenders to reach.
"I never thought these climbing lessons would be any good," commented one soldier as he stuck a pickaxe into the mountain and used it to climb. "And I thought I was wasting my time."
"Every lesson they teach us at the academy is important, Tao," replied another soldier who had a woman's voice, though it was somewhat distorted by the faceplate helmet she was wearing.
"We are not all patriotic fanatics like you, Hui Ying."
"If you were a little more patriotic, you'd appreciate this important mission more."
"Enough, you two!" Lieutenant Jee reprimanded harshly. "You are embarrassing us in front of Prince Zuko and General Iroh!"
"Sorry, Lieutenant," the two soldiers apologised.
The group continued to climb the steep mountain. Fortunately for them, the path to the top was not completely vertical. There were times when they could walk up, although most of the time they had to climb. On more than one occasion, some of the soldiers slipped on their way up. Had it not been for the safety ropes, several would have fallen.
After what seemed like hours, they finally reached a flat area. As they climbed, they realised it was an open-air terrace overlooking an entrance to one of the temple's great towers. But what caught everyone's attention was that there were some children on the terrace playing with a ball. When they saw them go up to the terrace, one of the children in a wheelchair opened his eyes in surprise and panic. The boy dropped the ball, and it rolled to Percy's feet, who picked it up.
"They're here," the boy muttered before he began to push the wheels of his chair and slide toward the entrance of the temple. "The Fire Nation is here!"
The other children followed him into the temple, shouting that the Fire Nation had come to burn and conquer.
With an annoyed growl, Zuko began walking toward the entrance. Percy, Iroh, and the soldiers followed him through the entrance, which led them into a large hall wide enough to accommodate a Fire Nation battle cruiser. On the walls were weathered paintings of men who appeared to be standing on clouds, dressed in orange robes with arrows in their foreheads. Also visible in the painting was a creature that appeared to be flying through the sky. The creature appeared to have white fur, six legs, horns, a large flat tail, and an arrow on its head. There were statues of air nomads along the walls and a large fountain with the same animal painted on the walls.
But what caught Percy's attention were the numerous tents all over the room. There were about hundred people of all ages living in the tents.
"Um... Wasn't this an abandoned temple?" he asked aloud.
"It should be," Zuko said, squinting cautiously at the sight of so many people gathered.
"From what I can see, they seem to be refugees," Iroh commented, analysing the situation.
One of the people in the room approached them hesitantly. He was a tall, thin man wearing green clothes under a white apron. The top of his head was bald, though the sides of his hair pointed up, and his eyebrows were partially burnt, as if a firecracker had exploded right in his face. He had a bushy, unkempt beard and a strange red circle around his left eye.
Behind him, the same boy in the wheelchair approached with a wary, suspicious look.
"Is there... Is there something I can help you with, gentlemen?" the man asked in a scared and hesitant voice.
Zuko was the first to step forward and address the man.
"I have come to inspect this temple," he explained with authority. "What are you doing here?"
"We? We are simple refugees... sir. Our village was left homeless after a terrible flood washed away our homes. But we found this place abandoned and decided to settle here. I sincerely apologise if we have done anything to offend the Fire Nation, but we had nowhere else to go."
Percy looked at the large number of people in the place and felt sorry for them. They looked helpless and lost.
"Your apologises are not necessary," Iroh said diplomatically. "We are not here to harm you. We only wish to search this temple."
"And what are you looking for?" asked the boy in the wheelchair.
"Teo, don't be rude," the man scolded before bowing to Zuko and Iroh. "Please forgive my son. He has lost so much since the flood that left him in a wheelchair and... took his mother from him."
The man choked back a sob and looked over his shoulder at the people sheltering in the temple.
"We have lost so much, but in this abandoned temple we have found a second chance. A chance to start over," the man kneeled before them, bowing until his head touched the ground. "We are simple refugees. I beg you not to hurt us."
Zuko's eyes softened slightly as he saw the man's plea. One who had lost his home. Deep down, he could understand and sympathise with the man.
"As long as they stay out of my way, I won't hurt your people," he promised.
The man sighed in obvious relief.
"Thank you, sir."
"Tell me, how long have you lived in this temple?"
"Not long," the man replied, "just a few months."
"Then you must know this temple well."
"Yes, I have explored it thoroughly. Or as thoroughly as I could. There are places only airbenders can go."
"Show me," Zuko demanded, interested. He turned to the soldiers he had brought with him and spoke with authority. "Soldiers, search this place for what we came for. And remember, I gave my word that they would not be harmed unless they stood in my way. Your honour depends on this being kept. Is that clear?"
"Yes, sir!" the soldiers replied in unison.
Zuko nodded, pleased.
"Uncle, Percy, follow me. And you..." he turned to the thin man. "Lead the way."
Although it had been abandoned for nearly 100 years, the Northern Air Temple was quite well preserved. The ceilings had not fallen apart, and the walls showed no signs of cracking over the years. The whole place seemed intact.
As they walked through the temple's ancient corridors, Iroh marvelled at what he saw. On the walls of the corridors, the history of the people of the Air Nomads could be read, telling of the origins of a now extinct civilization. Since learning about them, Iroh had come to admire the philosophy of life of the Air Nomads, who detached themselves from worldly concerns to find peace and freedom. Peace and freedom he still struggles to find.
"This place is impressive," Percy commented, taking in the architecture of the place.
"Indeed it is," the man who was his guide nodded. "The temple has an extremely complex and intriguing design. It harmoniously integrates the natural environment into the structure. The large corridors harness the wind and allow the air to flow naturally through the building. The architects who built this temple were true geniuses! But it was not meant to be inhabited by non-airbenders. If I want my son and our people to fully live in this place, I will have to adapt it a bit. Maybe build some elevators or gliders! There were hundreds of them scattered around the temple."
Percy looked sideways at Teo, who had decided to accompany them.
"Your dad is something... weird," he commented.
Teo looked at him suspiciously; it was obvious that he didn't trust them.
"He's a bit eccentric, yes, but he's very brilliant," Teo looked down sadly. "He built my wheelchair. And the dam that held back our town's river until a storm washed it away... and destroyed everything."
Percy looked at the boy sadly. He had lost not only his home but also his mother and also the ability to walk.
Teo's father led them down a long corridor until they came to a pair of large closed doors with tubes forming the symbol of the Air Nomads.
Zuko approached the door and pushed it, trying to open it, but it didn't move an inch.
"What's wrong with this door?" He growled, "It won't budge an inch!"
"This door has a special lock to open it," Teo's father explained. "There are many of them in the temple. From what I've learnt, it can only be opened by controlling the flow of air and sending it through the pipes to unlock the hidden locks. Only an Airbender can open them."
Zuko frowned as he looked at the door and clenched his fists.
"We'll see about that."
Without hesitation, Zuko sent a huge fireball straight at the door, causing an explosion that shook the place and knocked Teo and his father to the ground. When the smoke cleared, everyone saw that the doors were slightly scorched but intact, causing Zuko to growl in frustration.
"Like I said, only an Airbender can open this door," Teo's father repeated, getting up and dusting off his apron.
Percy helped Teo, as the explosion had knocked him and his chair to the ground.
"Thanks..." Teo said reluctantly, dusting off his clothes before giving Zuko a frowning look. "A warning would be nice for next time."
Percy snorted in amusement.
"Don't expect that from Zuko."
"Nephew, I think we should try something a little more... subtle," Iroh suggested.
"If you have an idea on how to open this door without destroying it, then say so!" Zuko stuttered impatiently.
"I think I have one," Teo's father said, raising his hand hesitantly. "I've built something that can open doors with such locks. It took me a while to perfect it, and I had a few accidents in the process. But I think I have it finished now."
Intrigued, Zuko looked at the man.
"What have you built?" he asked.
"I'll go get it."
Teo's father ran down the hall, visibly excited. When he returned a few minutes later, he was dragging a wooden cart with a large iron container containing two large pipes.
"Dad, what's that?" Teo asked.
"Oh, I'm glad you asked, son!" said his father. "This is my latest invention. I call it... High Compressed Air Tank!"
"Wow. I wonder what it's good for?" commented Percy, rolling his eyes.
Ignoring Percy's sarcasm, Teo's father grabbed the tubes and carried them to the mechanism in the large doors.
"You see, there is a lot of hot air seeping through the temple," he explained, connecting the tubes from the container to the door mechanism. "So I forged this extra-thick iron container to store this air and then release it through these two pipes."
When Teo's father finished connecting the pipes, he walked over to the air tank and pointed to a small clock-like object in the centre of the tank.
"This small device measures the pressure inside the tank. It is now at maximum capacity. And if you turn this little crank, it will release the air inside..."
Teo's father turned a small crank, and there was the sound of high-pressure air being released. Everyone watched in amazement as the tubes of the machine shook from the large amount of hot air inside that flowed into the door mechanism. After a few seconds, the latches moved one by one until the door finally made a creaking sound before slowly opening.
"Taran!" exclaimed Teo's father. "Airbending!"
Once the doors were fully open, everyone approached and entered.
Zuko entered with great anticipation, hoping to find something, anything, that would lead to his goal of finding the Avatar. But when he entered the room, his disappointment was great when he found... nothing. It was just an empty room, barely lit by the sunlight filtering through a small hole in the ceiling.
"Nothing? Nothing?!" Teo's father asked, sounding disappointed.
"Were you expecting something?" Percy asked.
"Yes, I was! Unique artefacts from the Air Nomads, maybe some scrolls about how they built this temple. No, an empty room was not what I was hoping to find!"
"That was to be expected," Iroh thought, stroking his beard. "The Air Nomads detached themselves from worldly concerns in order to find peace and enlightenment. And that includes possessions. I assume this room was dedicated to meditation."
Zuko grunted in frustration before turning his back on the empty room.
"This was a waste of time. You, mechanist! Show us the other rooms with the same lock!"
"Mechanist?" Tao's father pointed at himself before putting his hand to his chin in thought. "Mmm... I like the sound of that. Very good, sir. Follow me. There's only one other door that has this mechanism to open it, but even this one is a little... different."
Teo's father led them to another part of the temple, where the other door he had mentioned was located. They were all a bit confused when they saw it.
The door was the same as the other one, and airbending was needed to open it, but what was disturbing was the writing carved on the door.
"The dark side of the wind lies behind these doors," Iroh read, running his fingers over the writing. "Mmm... it seems to be a warning."
"What could it be?" Teo asked, his voice sounding a bit scared.
"There is only one way to find out," Zuko said. "Mechanist, open the doors."
"Of course, sir," Teo's father said as he began to connect the pipes from the iron container to the door mechanism. "Oh, I've wanted to find out what's behind those doors ever since I first saw them. The whole temple is filled with fascinating things. The first day we were here, I found a room full of natural gas, and unfortunately I was carrying a torch at the time. I almost got blown to pieces."
"Mm... That explains the eyebrows," Percy commented. "They did get blown to pieces."
"Nephew, I think it would be wise to keep those doors closed," Iroh said. "The monks, though once highly spiritual people, were not superstitious. His warning was not to be taken lightly."
"And that door doesn't look very good," Percy added, looking suspiciously at the closed door.
It was an extremely strange feeling for him. His heart was pounding, and he could feel something stirring in his gut, as if his instincts were telling him to be alert. He didn't know what was behind that door, but he was sure it wasn't an empty room for meditation like the one before.
"I won't get anywhere being cautious," Zuko said truthfully, stepping closer and placing a hand on the sealed door. "If there is something behind these doors that the Air Nomads have kept sealed out of fear, I need to know what it is. Maybe it will help me find what I am looking for."
"What are you looking for?" asked Teo's father.
"That is none of your business, Mechanist." Zuko lit his hand on fire and glared menacingly at Teo's father. "Don't forget our agreement. If you stand in my way, I will show no mercy. Now, open the door!"
Teo's father lowered his head in resignation and acceptance. He reconnected the hoses to the door mechanism and, after a few seconds of hesitation, opened the valve that released the highly compressed air inside the iron container. As the door locks were released, the huge doors swung open slowly with a creaking sound. Everyone looked expectantly behind the doors, where only total darkness could be seen. There was the howl of a cold wind blowing through the open doors, and then a deafening screech that chilled the bones of those present.
A winged figure emerged from the darkness and swooped down on the person closest to the door, in this case, Zuko.
The young prince froze as he saw a pair of claws heading straight for him, but before they could touch him, the winged figure was cut in half. Zuko blinked to see Percy holding his spirit-killing sword.
"Percy...?" Zuko muttered, stunned.
Even to this day, Zuko was amazed at Percy's reflexes. In the blink of an eye, his friend had stepped in front of him and sliced the thing that had come out of the darkness in half.
"What...? What is that?" Teo asked with a shaking voice.
Everyone looked back at the figure that had come out of the room. It had the body of a teenage girl, dressed only in rags that covered her emaciated, withered body. Her once youthful and beautiful face was disfigured by malnutrition. But what caught everyone's attention were the woman's arms and legs—they were those of a bird. Her arms had the wings of an eagle whose feathers had fallen off, and her legs were those of a bird with sharp talons.
Everyone watched, stunned, as the creature slowly disintegrated, as if made of sand, until nothing was left but a pile of dust that the wind swept away.
"That is..." Iroh began with a grim expression.
"A spirit," Percy finished.
Zuko looked at him curiously.
"How did you know it was a spirit?" he asked before pointing at Percy's sword. "You used your spirit-killing sword."
"I... I just felt it."
Percy didn't know the beast was a spirit, but when the doors opened, he felt a strange feeling in his stomach. It was as if something inside him was warning him that what lay beyond those doors was not of this world.
He looked at the open doors through which the half-woman, half-bird creature had exited, and the same feeling in his stomach grew more intense.
Percy tightened his grip on the hilt of Riptide.
"And apparently it's not the only one."
From inside the darkened room, everyone heard the same screeching sound, but it was not one, but dozens. The screeching filled the place, along with the flapping of wings, and suddenly dozens of the same female-bodied, bird-limbed creatures emerged from the room, shouting:
"Free!"
"Finally, free!"
"Imprisoned for centuries, we harpies are free!"
The birdwomen flapped their wings and soared into the sky. Percy found it incredible that they could fly, considering not only their deformed appearance but the withered state of their bodies.
"Hungry! We harpies are hungry!"
"The harpies smell it... There's food nearby!"
"Food!"
The birdwomen flapped their wings and flew down the corridor faster than any bird Percy had ever seen. However, one of them stopped as she sniffed the air.
"That smell... The harpy smells something else..." she said, looking around as she continued to sniff until her gaze landed on Percy. "Demigod... Demigod!"
She flapped her wings, changing direction and heading straight for Percy, spreading her claws and screeching a single word.
"Demigod! Demigod!"
Percy drew Riptide and sliced through the birdwoman's legs in a single motion, causing her to scream in pain and collapse, sliding to the ground.
"It hurts! It hurts!" she cried as she crawled on the ground. "Celestial Bronze... Hurts!"
"Oh, really? Let me help you," Percy said, stomping hard on the birdwoman's chest, causing her to groan in pain. "Are you more comfortable now? Because you and I are going to have a nice chat. Though it won't be so pleasant for you," he said, pointing his sword at her. "Now tell me, who... What are you?"
"Harpies... We are harpies..." the birdwoman whimpered, squirming under Percy's boot and looking fearfully at the blade of his sword. "Wind spirits and cutting gusts..."
"Why were you imprisoned in this room?" Zuko asked this time.
"Orange-clad humans imprisoned the harpies. They imprisoned them for centuries!"
"The Air Nomads must have had a good reason for this," Iroh said. "Why did they imprison the harpies?"
"B-because..."
The harpy looked away with a grimace, unwilling to answer.
"Answer!" Percy demanded, pressing the tip of his sword against her neck.
"Argh!" the harpy screamed in pain, as if the mere contact of the sword burnt her skin. "Harpies eat humans! That's why the orange men locked them up!"
Everyone was horrified to hear her, especially Teo and his father, who gasped in fear.
"Dad! Those... things will go after the others!" Teo deduced, with increasing panic. "We have to warn them!"
Without waiting for his father to answer, Teo started to push the wheelchair towards the place where the refugees had settled.
"Teo, don't go!" His father shouted, "It's too dangerous!"
But his son didn't stop; he turned a corner and disappeared down the corridors.
The man turned his head to look at Iroh, Zuko, and Percy with a pleading expression on his face.
"I beg you. Please help us."
"Why should we?" Zuko asked, frowning.
"Are you forgetting that it was you who insisted on opening the door in the first place?" Percy replied.
Zuko looked away, a flash of guilt in his eyes.
"He is right, nephew," Iroh agreed, trying to appeal to Zuko's mercy. "These people are innocent. They have done nothing to deserve this fate."
Zuko frowned and closed his eyes, showing the conflict on his face.
"Argh! Fine!" He stormed. "We'll help them."
Percy smiled, happy that Zuko had decided to do the right thing. He looked down at the harpy beneath his feet, and all traces of joy vanished from his face, replaced by a grim seriousness.
"Now tell me," he said slowly, thrusting his sword menacingly, "What is a demigod? Why did you call me that?"
The crone was breathing heavily, looking paler and paler, her eyes unfocused.
"Enemy of our races..." the crone gasped. "Enemy... of the monsters. Filthy half-blood... You must die!"
The harpy jerked and tried to use the claws on her arms to attack Percy, but he dodged and swung his sword, slashing the harpy's arm before stabbing her in the chest. The wind ghost vanished in a cloud of dust swept away by the strong wind.
"Half-blood...?" Percy asked, confused. "What the hell did she mean?"
"Percy, I know you have questions," Iroh admitted. "But if these... harpies... are spirits, then we're going to need your help."
Percy looked at the spot where the harpy had disappeared and frowned in frustration. Once again, the information he wanted was slipping through his fingers. He shook his head. Iroh was right; this was not time to dwell on it. Not when innocent people were in danger.
When they reached the refugee camp, none of them were prepared for what they saw.
"Oh, by Agni..." Iroh muttered in horror.
Many tents were in flames, people fleeing in terror as the harpies attacked them. Percy watched as a harpy grabbed a man by the shoulders and lifted him to the ceiling to begin devouring him. Blood splattered across the floor as the victim screamed in pain and agony as he was devoured. Other harpies crowded around the man's body, tearing him apart so they could eat him.
"This... this is my fault," Teo's father moaned, falling to his knees. "My eagerness to uncover the secrets of this temple caused this."
Zuko looked away, feeling the same way. In his fervent desire to finally find answers that would lead him to his goal, he had unleashed evil upon innocent people.
"Your Highness! General Iroh!" Lieutenant Jee called as he approached them. "I'm glad you're safe."
"Lieutenant, what is the situation?" Iroh asked.
"Sir, these creatures came out of nowhere and started attacking us. We tried to fight them off, but... fire doesn't affect them! They're immune to it!"
Zuko's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Immune to fire?!"
Everyone turned their eyes to a soldier facing a trio of harpies with controlled fire. The soldier sent out bursts of fire with the intention of burning them, but the flames didn't seem to have any effect on the wind spirits, who flapped their wings and extinguished the flames. Their bodies didn't even show any signs of being burnt.
"Your Highness, what should we do?" Lieutenant Jee asked in alarm.
Zuko looked at the soldiers trying to fight off the harpies and the people fleeing in terror. He didn't know what to do. He could lead a battle against another army using the battle tactics he had studied, but... how... how could he face a group of flying, flesh-eating evil spirits that were immune to fire?
"We will evacuate the civilians," Iroh ordered, stepping forward. "Our priority now is the safety of the people."
"Yes, General," Lieutenant Jee nodded. "But what do we do with these creatures?"
Iroh turned to Percy.
"Percy, I know it's dangerous and irresponsible of me to ask you this. But you're the only one who has a weapon that can hurt these spirits."
Percy looked at the harpies tormenting the humans. Instead of feeling fear of being devoured by these creatures, he felt an almost unbearable heat burning in his stomach. His being longed to kill these creatures.
He unsheathed his sword and gripped its hilt.
"I'll take it," he declared. "You take these people to safety."
Without waiting for Iroh to answer, Percy ran straight at one of the harpies, which was lunging at a boy who had stumbled and covered his face in fear. The spirit didn't even know what had happened, as he was completely cut in half. The boy opened his eyes when he realised he was unharmed and looked up to see Percy holding his sword, which was glowing faintly.
"Get out of here!" Percy shouted. "Now!"
The boy was stunned for a second before he blinked and realised the situation he was in. Quickly, he stood up and ran to where the Fire Nation soldiers were beginning to gather the refugees and lead them into one of the temple's corridors.
Without wasting any time, Percy began running in the direction of the people being attacked by the harpies. As he passed them, he shouted at them to run and get to safety while he killed the wind spirits.
When the harpies saw that the people were beginning to crowd the exit, they began to chase them. One of them quickly stepped forward, but Percy got in its way and cut it in half with his sword, causing all the other harpies to cautiously stop.
"All right, you vulture rats," Percy growled, taking up his Fire Stance. "Come any closer, and I'll pluck you like a Komodo chicken."
The harpies screeched and pounced on Percy, who also ran toward them, ready to face them. Seeing that they were no longer being chased by the harpies, the people made their way to the exit guarded by the Fire Nation soldiers.
"Quick, get out of here!" Lieutenant Jee shouted.
The soldier watched as a woman carrying a baby ran from a harpy chasing after her. The woman tripped over a small rock and fell to her knees, still holding the baby. She turned and screamed in terror as the harpy pounced on her.
Lieutenant Jee looked at her in alarm, but before he could go to help her, he saw two soldiers act first. One of them stepped between the woman and the harpy, sending out a large ball of fire. The flames didn't incinerate the spirit, but they stunned her long enough for the second soldier to strike her in the head with surprising force. The spirit didn't die, but she collapsed to the ground and fell unconscious.
"Nice hit," Hui Ying praised.
"Thanks," Tao replied, flexing his biceps and slapping them. "I guess the training at the academy wasn't completely useless."
"Show off."
Hui Ying extended a helping hand to the woman, who took it after a second of hesitation.
"I... thank you," the woman murmured. "You saved my life and my daughter's."
"No need, ma'am," Hui Ying said. "I may serve another nation, but my honour lies in helping those in need. Now go. See yourself and your daughter to safety."
With a final nod of thanks, the woman walked over to the other refugees who were evacuating the room.
"Who would have thought that we would end up helping refugees from the Earth Kingdom escape a swarm of evil spirits in the form of bird women?" Tao commented.
"Certainly not me," Hui Ying said. "Much less would I see a child swordsman face those evil spirits alone."
They both glanced back at Percy, who was facing an entire horde of harpies with only his sword. His moves were fast, precise, and deadly. His sword was nothing more than a glowing blur as he sliced and slashed at the wind spirits, who exploded into a cloud of golden dust.
"He really is the son of the legendary Piandao, the sword master," Tao said, sounding impressed.
Soon, all the harpies were reduced to dust, except for two who flapped their wings as they backed away from Percy with fearful expressions on their faces.
"All right, you two will tell me what I want to know," Percy growled, stepping forward and holding his sword threateningly. "Tell me, what is a demigod?"
"Demigod... demigod..." one of the harpies muttered. "A half-blood..."
"Half-blood," the other repeated. "Son of a mortal and a god..."
"A god?" Percy raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What's a god?"
It was the first time he had heard the word. Was it some kind of bender? A master? A profession? Or perhaps the title of a social position? Percy didn't know. But just hearing it, just saying it out loud, made his stomach tingle.
"A powerful being..." the first harpy murmured, looking around in fear.
"Very powerful," the other added.
"Scary..."
"Dangerous..."
"Higher beings!"
"Enough with the riddles and give me a damn straight answer!" Percy shouted impatiently.
The harpies jumped in fright, flapping their wings vigorously, soaring high and then swooping down. Percy assumed they were going to attack him, so he adopted his fire stance and waited until they were in range to finish off the spirits in one fell swoop. But when the harpies were within a few feet of him, they manoeuvred in the air and avoided him, heading straight for the hallway where the humans had evacuated.
"No!" Percy shouted, running after the harpies.
The hallway was empty, but Percy could hear the echo of people screaming in fear. The hallway opened into a long open-air bridge that led to another tower where people were taking shelter. When he reached the doors, he saw Iroh, Zuko, Lieutenant Jee, the fire soldiers, Teo, and his father making sure that everyone got into the tower.
"Close the doors!" Percy yelled. "Close them!"
Lieutenant Jee and the soldiers quickly began closing the doors as Teo and his father entered, while Iroh stood in the way of the wind spirits, taking a stance Percy had never seen before. Iroh began to slowly rotate his arms in front of him with his index and middle fingers outstretched, sparking with... electricity.
Everyone watched in utter bewilderment as the sparks on Iroh's fingers grew stronger until he extended his fingers forward, pointing at the harpies, and unleashed a powerful bolt of lightning in a brilliant flash that echoed throughout the temple. The bolt struck both harpies, electrocuting them and causing their bodies to shake erratically until they fell to the ground in a pile of golden ash and slowly turned into a cloud of golden dust.
Iroh sighed and relaxed.
"U-Uncle..." Zuko mumbled, looking at his uncle with wide eyes. "That was..."
"One day, when you are ready, I will teach you," Iroh promised.
Zuko just nodded, still in awe of seeing his uncle create lightning, the most powerful technique in firebending.
"Iroh..." Percy said, walking over and looking at the old general in utter amazement. "That was... impressive."
Iroh just smiled.
"Thank you, my boy. You were too, taking on a whole horde of spirits."
"That was truly amazing," Lieutenant Jee added. "Now I understand why they call you 'Spirit Killer.'"
"Is that what they call you?" Teo asked, approaching them as he pushed his chair forward.
Behind him was his father and all the refugees. They all looked at Percy with amazement, gratitude, and even admiration.
"Well... something like that," Percy said, a little uncomfortable being the centre of so much attention.
"Cool," Teo gasped, looking at Percy with different eyes. Gone were the suspicion and slight contempt, replaced by complete admiration.
Teo's father approached Percy hesitantly. His face reflected guilt and remorse.
"I... am immensely grateful for the help you and your people gave us today," he said. "It was my mistake that brought this tragedy upon us."
"Dad, it wasn't your fault," Teo said, trying to comfort him. "You didn't know what was behind that door. You couldn't have known this would happen."
His father shook his head, a dejected look in his eyes.
"It was my ambition that caused all this. It blinded me and made me lose sight of the most important thing: you. Our people. I brought you here to find a new life, a better life. But so far I have only caused the loss of life."
The man wiped away the tears that had fallen from his eyes and looked at the Fire Nation soldiers, Iroh, Zuko, and most of all, Percy.
"If you had not come here today, it would have been the end of us. For this, we will be forever grateful to you."
The man bowed his head in respect and gratitude. Soon, all the other refugees followed suit, bowing to the Fire Nation people.
When we left the temple, the refugees waved at us as if we were saviours, not conquerors like everyone thought the Fire Nation was.
They all thought we were heroes.
We didn't get any useful information for our mission. But I like to think it wasn't a completely wasted trip. After all, we did save dozens of lives. I just wish Zuko felt the same way. His frustration has only grown. It's made him do things he once thought he was incapable of. Cruel... things.
Weeks had passed since the events at the Northern Air Temple. Autumn had finally given way to winter. A blanket of snow covered the trees and the ground. A cold wind blew, chilling the bones.
Percy shivered in his cloak. The Fire Nation had always enjoyed a warm and pleasant climate, so this was the first time in his life that he had experienced the cold. And he didn't like it at all.
"I think I hate winter," he said in a shaky voice before sneezing loudly. "Man, I miss the warm beaches of Ember Island. Remember the last time we were there, Zuko?"
"Yeah... I remember," Zuko murmured, his gaze drifting far away as he watched the forest as the boat moved down a large river. "It was during Azula's fourteenth birthday."
"We were playing a volleyball tournament on the beach."
A small smile played on Zuko's lips as he remembered.
"Yeah... Azula got so excited that she ended up burning the ball in the final game."
"But we won the tournament because our opponents freaked out. Azula said she did it on purpose to break their spirit." Percy chuckled slightly, a nostalgic look on his face. "I miss her."
Zuko looked at him and raised an eyebrow.
"Uh... I mean, I miss them. All of them," Percy quickly clarified. "My dad, Fat, Mai, Ty Lee... Hell, I even miss that idiot Qiang. I know it's only been a few months, but no, I still... I miss them."
Percy constantly wondered what they were up to. He sent them letters once a week, but he couldn't get an answer from them because they were always on the move. The messenger hawks couldn't track them all over the world.
"Yeah... me too," Zuko agreed. His voice and his expression reflected a longing that was almost palpable.
Trying to ease his mind, if only a little, Percy placed a hand on his shoulder to show that he was there for him.
"Your Highness," Lieutenant Jee said, approaching them and bowing to Zuko. "Ye Niu Bay is in sight. We will be in port soon."
"Good, prepare to disembark, Lieutenant," Zuko ordered.
Lieutenant Jee bowed once more to Zuko before leaving to brief the crew on their next mission.
When they landed at Ye Niu Bay, the soldiers quickly set up camp. They pitched tents to protect themselves from the cold and built fires to keep warm. Zuko, Iroh, Percy, and Lieutenant Jee gathered around a map placed on a wooden board on top of some barrels that served as a makeshift table.
"There is a path that leads from Ye Niu Bay to the hills," Zuko explained, pointing to his location on the map. "Once there, I'll have to go through the bamboo forest until I reach the mountains of the Eastern Air Temple. Half of the crew will stay here; the rest will come with me."
"I will inform the crew," said Lieutenant Jee.
"I'll come with you," Iroh said. "These passages are known for their beauty. And there are some plants that only bloom in winter and make a delicious tea."
"Fine," Zuko agreed as he rolled up the map. "But I won't wait if you stay and pick some plants."
After gathering half of the crew, they all immediately set out for the Eastern Air Temple. The path was winding and treacherous. The snow was ankle deep and made progress slower and more difficult, but that didn't stop them. Zuko led the way with a firm determination on his face, though that determination wavered with the impatience he felt as he watched his uncle stop to look at every unusual plant they found along the way.
"If you keep stopping to look at every plant on the mountain, we'll be here all winter!" Zuko snapped in exasperation.
"But nephew, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," Iroh protested, grabbing one of the plants and bringing it to his nose for a deep breath. "These jasmine plants only bloom in this region during the winter. They make an exquisite tea!"
Zuko just rolled his eyes as he walked on.
When they finally reached the other side of the hills, the bamboo forest stretched out in front of them. They had to go through this forest to get to the mountains where the Eastern Air Temple was located.
"Hey, Zuko," Percy said, falling in beside him as he made his way through the bamboo forest.
"What?" he growled impatiently.
"What's the scariest plant?"
Zuko didn't answer, just stared at him.
"The bam-boo."
An uncomfortable silence fell between them, broken by the snort of one of the soldiers, who had been punched by another.
"What? It was funny."
Zuko rolled his eyes again. Even though he didn't want to admit it, a part of him was glad that his uncle and Percy were with him, slowing him down, because he feared that once they reached the Eastern Air Temple, what they would find there would be the same as the previous temples: nothing.
As they made their way through the bamboo canes, Zuko began to breathe harder and harder. The air was too thin to catch his breath. Every joint and muscle ached from the intense exertion, but he didn't give up.
One of the soldiers stopped to catch his breath. He removed his visor for a few seconds to breathe better and raised his head, panting heavily. But as he did so, he saw something that made him open his eyes and scream in terror.
Everyone turned just in time to see the soldier leap aside and dodge a falling bamboo pole. Had he not stepped aside, the pole would have impaled him.
Lieutenant Jee quickly approached his comrade and saw that he was wounded in the leg, with a deep cut on his thigh that was bleeding profusely.
"Xing! What happened?" asked Lieutenant Jee.
The wounded soldier, Xing, looked up and pointed with his shaking finger. Everyone looked up to where Xing was pointing and stood frozen, perplexed, and somewhat frightened by what they saw.
Above the top of the bamboo trees, everyone could see the huge body of a spider. Its eight legs were as long as the bamboo trees and perfectly camouflaged. Its belly was as big as a boat, and its head was as big as a platypus bear. Even in the distance, they could see the enormous pair of protruding fangs, capable of tearing a grown man in half.
"Oh, mommy..." Tao muttered in a trembling, high-pitched voice.
The massive spider's eight eyes locked on them, a growl escaping its mouth as it raised its legs and began to bring them down brutally, intending to impale them.
"Move!" Zuko ordered, dodging one of the spider's legs just in time.
Everyone began to dodge the spider's legs with great difficulty, as it was not only incredibly fast but also difficult to see between the bamboo trees of the surrounding landscape.
Zuko sent a fireball into the massive spider's body and managed to hit it, causing the massive beast to scream in pain, but the flames also began to burn the trees and leaves.
"Don't use your firebending, or you'll burn down the whole forest!" Iroh warned.
"Sir! Then how do we deal with this thing?" Lieutenant Jee asked.
Zuko looked at the huge creature looming over them, shaking violently from the fireball it had received. He had to dodge several of its long legs to avoid being impaled.
At that moment, he had an idea.
"The legs! Cut them off!" he ordered. "Cut off the legs!"
The soldiers obeyed their lord's command, and those who were non-benders used their spears to cut off the spider's legs. But due to the length of their weapons and the fact that they were in a forest, it was difficult for them to incapacitate the beast.
One of the soldiers managed to dodge a leg that was about to pierce him and took the opportunity to cut it off. The giant spider screamed in pain but hit him with its severed leg and sent him crashing into some rocks.
"Shun!" Tao shouted worriedly and ran to help his companion, but a sticky substance fell on him and lifted him up.
When the soldier looked up, he saw that the giant spider had caught him in its web and was slowly climbing up his body.
"Ah, no! No, no, no, no, no, no!" Tao shouted in increasing panic as he saw the spider's head getting closer and closer, especially its huge fangs. "Guys, help me! Help!"
The soldiers tried their best to cut off the spider's legs, but it struggled desperately to impale itself. Even Percy had a hard time, as the legs blended perfectly with the motionless bamboo.
Percy stopped, and his eyes widened as an idea came to him. A very dangerous and stupid idea, but it was an idea.
As the soldiers dodged the spider's legs, Percy stopped and stood still.
"What are you doing, Percy?!" Zuko shouted, dodging the massive spider's legs. "Move!"
But he didn't. He stood still until one of the spider's legs came straight at him, intent on impaling him. Percy responded by deflecting the long, bamboo-like leg with his sword, then slicing it cleanly off. The massive spider staggered as it lost another leg, but it didn't let go of Tao and continued to climb him, using the claws on its left side to pull him into its jaws.
The soldier, in his state of panic at seeing the beast so close, became desperate and sent a fireball straight at its head, incinerating the creature and the web holding it in place.
Tao abruptly fell to the ground, stunned, and everyone took advantage of the spider's momentary blindness to begin cutting off its legs. Percy used his sword, the soldiers used their spears, and Zuko wrapped his fists in fire to strike at the spider's legs, shattering them into pieces.
Soon, the massive beast staggered and began to fall directly onto the stunned Tao.
"I've got you!" Hui Ying shouted, grabbing Tao by the straps of his armour and dragging him away.
The massive beast fell with a loud thud where Tao had fallen, but it was not dead. The beast howled in pain as it tried in vain to get up, but all of its legs had been cut off.
"Poor creature..." Iroh muttered sadly as he looked at the fallen beast.
"This 'poor creature' attacked my men," Zuko snapped, looking sternly at the massive spider.
Without hesitation, he sent a large fireball at the spider, which began to shake violently as the flames began to eat away at its body. Zuko did not even blink at the sight of the beast's suffering. Iroh looked away in fear and grief. And Percy looked uneasily at Zuko. He knew the creature had attacked them, but it did not deserve to be burnt alive.
Unable to listen to the spider's cries of pain any longer, Percy raised his sword and stabbed it in the head, ending its suffering. Whether Zuko approved or disapproved of such an action, he did not show; he simply turned and walked away, continuing his way toward the temple.
"Your Highness," Lieutenant Jee called. "We have several wounded. We must return to camp so they can be treated."
Zuko looked over his shoulder at the soldiers. Many of them were wounded and leaning on a comrade to stay upright. Xing's leg was wrapped in bandages, but he was bleeding heavily. Shun had been knocked unconscious by the blow and was being carried by one of his comrades, as was Tao, who was being carried by Hui Ying.
"We're halfway there," he said. "If we return to camp, we'll have wasted the sunlight."
"But, sir..."
"Let those who can walk take the wounded back to camp. From now on, I will go alone."
"Are you sure, Your Highness? If we meet this creature on our way to the temple, there may be more danger ahead."
"It's an order, Lieutenant."
Lieutenant Jee looked a little wary but finally accepted Zuko's words with a nod and a military salute.
"Relax, Lieutenant; Zuko will not go alone," Iroh said. "Just make sure the wounded are taken care of. When I return, I will prepare some hot tea to help you recover more quickly."
"Thank you, General."
Lieutenant Jee ordered the soldiers to load the wounded and return.
Zuko prepared to continue on his way, but saw that Percy had not left with the soldiers.
"What?" he said. "You didn't think I was going to let you go alone, did you? You could open another door with evil spirits in it. Or you could run into a 400-foot-tall purple platypus bear with pink horns and silver wings."
Zuko rolled his eyes at Percy's antics and kept walking.
After almost an hour of walking, the forest finally opened up, and the three of them could see the tall mountains of the Eastern Ranges. The mountains stretched across the horizon as far as the eye could see. And on top of the three tallest mountains, three glorious and magnificent temples stood imposingly, their spires yearning to reach the sky.
The wind that blew was cold and so strong that it could be heard howling, as if it had a voice of its own.
"Do we have to climb back up to the temple?" Percy asked, remembering how they had to climb to reach the Northern Air Temple. "Why couldn't the Air Nomads build an easy way up to their temple? Are they allergic to stairs?"
Or maybe to being on land. That's why they built their temples in places where no sane person would want to live. These were Percy's thoughts as he, Zuko, and Iroh began to walk down the long, winding path that would take them to the top of the mountain, and thus to the temple.
But when they finally arrived, Zuko was disappointed to find the temple abandoned. There were no refugees living there, and no evil spirits hungry for human flesh. The only signs of life they found were the nests and webs of spider bats.
"There's... nothing," Percy said. "This place is more deserted than Azula's desire to learn the flute."
Zuko turned to look at Percy.
"Azula wanted to learn the flute?" he asked.
Percy shrugged.
"She said she could do it better than I could. She tried for a few days, but then she gave up and blamed me for not being a good enough teacher."
"Wait, you taught her?"
"Yep. She said I was a terrible teacher. She threw a tantrum and said that the ability to play the flute was something that should be done by someone who just wanted to entertain and was not worthy of a princess like her."
That's something her sister would do, Zuko thought.
They searched the temple for hours, but their search was fruitless. The East Air Temple was empty. But Zuko did not give up.
He kept searching, and as they entered a large room with no roof, he noticed the huge statue in the center. It was a statue of an Air Nomad, but not just any Air Nomad, but Avatar Yangchen herself. The statue was over 40 feet tall, made entirely of stone, and depicted Avatar Yangchen in a meditative pose with her legs crossed and her fists clenched. Although it was a statue, the sculptor managed to capture the serene and harmonious expression of the Avatar, who seemed to be meditating on the mysteries of the universe itself. The sunlight filtering through the open roof fell directly on the great statue, giving it a dreamlike quality, as if inviting one to meditate with her and attain enlightenment.
On the walls were dozens of smaller statues, all of Air Nomads. Zuko didn't recognise any of them, so he assumed they were men and women who were important historical figures in Air Nomad culture.
When he saw the statue of the last known Avatar among the Air Nomads, Zuko had an idea.
"We're going to Avatar Yangchen's hermitage," he said.
"What's a hermitage?" Percy asked.
"It's a small chapel or shrine where those who have chosen to live in solitude for the rest of their days live," Iroh explained. "When the Air Nomads felt they were nearing the end of their lives, they chose to withdraw and meditate in solitude to seek enlightenment. Many of them left behind scrolls that contained the wisdom they had gained in their lives. This was their way of living on in history."
Percy thought about it. Secluding himself in the last days of his life seemed like a sad and lonely idea. If there was one thing he knew for sure, it was that he would want to spend his last moments with the people he loved.
"How do you know Avatar Yangchen spent her last days in a hermitage?" Percy asked Zuko.
"I read it in one of the scrolls at the Fire Temple on Crescent Island," Zuko explained. "Yangchen spent the last years of her life in a hermitage. Kuruk spent the last years of his life being hunted by Koh the Face Stealer. Kyoshi's death was the most mysterious, as it is not known exactly how it happened—only that she died on the island she herself created, Kyoshi Island. And Roku died stopping the eruption of a volcano that devastated his entire island."
Percy whistled, impressed.
"Wow, you really did your homework. You'll probably get an A on your next 'Avatar History' test."
"Shut up," Zuko snapped, glaring at him. "Anyway, I've come too far not to search every inch of this temple. So we're going to the Yangchen hermitage."
The hermitage was in a more secluded area of the temple, so it didn't take them long to reach it. The sun had begun its descent over the horizon much earlier than expected due to the harsh winter that was sweeping across the Earth Kingdom.
"Wait... wait a second, nephew," Iroh said between gasps as he sat down on a rock. "Let me catch my breath. I am not what I once was. The fire of my youth has long been extinguished."
"Maybe it went out because you drowned it in tea and komodo chicken," Percy commented, looking at Iroh's protruding belly.
Zuko rolled his eyes at his uncle's lack of physical endurance.
"You'd better stay here and keep watch," he said.
Zuko and Percy entered the shrine, which was abandoned and just big enough for one person to live in. Inside, they saw that the place was falling apart. The ceiling was cracked, and there was a huge hole in the wall. On one of the walls was a picture of Avatar Yangchen in a meditative posture.
"I don't see how anyone could live in this horrible place," Percy commented, kicking a small rock. "It's in ruins. It's worse than a garbage dump."
"It's pretty rude to call someone's home a ruin and a dump."
Zuko and Percy immediately turned, ready to fight. Percy unsheathed his Dragon Sword, and Zuko adopted a firebending stance, but they were both surprised to see that the person who had spoken to them was an old man. He was dressed in simple, worn-out clothes. His body was extremely thin and tanned, as if he hadn't eaten for months while spending hours in the sun. His head was completely bald, with bushy eyebrows and a long, unkempt white beard.
The old man sat cross-legged in a corner of the room, in front of a burning candle, as if meditating.
"Relax; there is no need for violence, young ones," the old man said in a calm tone. "I am no threat to you."
Percy relaxed his stance and sheathed his sword, not feeling that the old man was a threat. Zuko, followed suit but still fixed the seated man with a suspicious gaze.
"It's been a generation since the last pilgrim came to this place," the old man said. "I never imagined that a firebender and a swordsman would be my first visitors after 27 years."
"27 years?" Percy asked, blinking in surprise. "You've lived in this place for 27 years?"
The old man laughed jovially.
"Oh, boy. I've lived here much, much longer."
"What are you doing here?" Zuko demanded to know.
"The Air Nomads and I were once spiritual siblings; we've always shared a close bond."
Zuko's eyes widened in surprise.
"The Air Nomads? Do you know them?"
"Of course I do. And I know that they are still here. Your ancestors may have taken their bodies from this world, but their spirits remain. Memories of what happened echo within these walls."
At that moment, everything made sense to Zuko. The old man was the right age, living in the ruins of an Airbender shrine in a land the rest of the world had forgotten. He could have hidden in that forgotten place for a century without anyone finding him.
Looking at him, Zuko didn't see an old man; he saw a chance to return home and regain everything he had lost.
"My name is Pathik," the old man introduced himself. "I am..."
"The Avatar!" Zuko accused.
"Wait, what?" Percy stammered, looking at Zuko in surprise, then at Pathik. "That old man is the Avatar? Are you sure?"
"Move, Percy!"
Zuko conjured up a huge ball of fire and sent it straight at the seated old man, who opened his eyes in surprise.
"Oh, holy bison..."
The shrine wall exploded in a loud blast of firebending. Iroh, who had been drinking tea that he had heated with firebending, nearly spilt it in surprise.
He got up from the rock he had been sitting on and saw an old man running out of the shattered wall in terror.
"Uncle, get him!" Zuko yelled, running after the old man. "It's the Avatar!"
"I'm sorry, but you seem to have me confused with someone else!" Pathik shouted, running away from the angry Zuko.
"What the...?" Iroh stammered.
"Help me or get out of my way!" Zuko snapped, sending a fireball at Pathik, who dodged it by jumping off the ledge and sliding down the mountain.
"Zuko, wait!" Iroh shouted, but Zuko didn't hear him and continued to chase after Pathik.
The old man slid quickly down the mountainside, dodging Zuko's fireworks with surprising agility. As he approached the forest, he was about to enter it, but the tip of a crimson sword pointed directly at his neck stopped him.
"Wow, you're really fast for someone so young," Pathik commented, raising his hands in surrender as he saw Percy's Dragon Sword just inches from his neck.
"And you're pretty slippery for an old bag of bones," Percy replied, not lowering his sword. "What's your routine? Meditate to failure."
"Percy, don't let him get away!" Zuko yelled. When he reached them, he grabbed Pathik's clothes with one arm while creating a fireball with the other. "Very well. Now you're going to do some airbending for me."
"I'm afraid that won't be possible, boy," Pathik said, not looking scared or uncomfortable with the fireball so close to his face. "I've learnt many things in my time in this world, but airbending isn't one of them."
"You're lying!"
"Zuko... I think he's telling the truth," Percy said, trying to reason with him. "If he really was an Airbender, wouldn't he... you know, make some airbending to escape? Fly away like the wind, I dont know."
"He's an Airbender!" Zuko exclaimed relentlessly. "I just have to push him hard enough to make him airbending!"
"And what are you going to do? Torture him?"
Zuko's features darkened as he looked at Pathik.
"If I must, so be it..."
Percy's eyes widened, horrified at the thought that his friend would do such a thing.
Without thinking, he pushed Zuko away from Pathik and stood in front of him.
"Zuko... no."
"How dare you stand in my way?!" Zuko shouted indignantly. "This old man could be the Avatar!"
"And you want to torture an old man on a hunch?"
Zuko narrowed his eyes grimly, gritted his teeth in anger, and assumed a firebending stance.
"Stay out of my way, Percy," he warned.
Undeterred by his friend's warning, Percy tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword as he narrowed his eyes.
"I won't do it," he declared firmly. "I won't stand by and watch you hurt an innocent. You're better than that."
Zuko raised his hand and created a fireball, but before he could throw it at Percy, Iroh grabbed his arm.
"Enough," Iroh said sternly. "There's no need to go this far."
"I just need to get the old man to do some airbending!" Zuko protested.
"You won't do that. You've done too much already."
"But, Uncle...!"
Iroh ignored his nephew's complaints and approached Pathik.
"I sincerely apologise," Iroh said, bowing to the man. "Please forgive the disrespect we have shown you."
"No apology is necessary, my friend," Pathik said with a gentle smile. "If your nephew is seeking the Avatar, he is travelling a difficult path, the end of which remains obscure even to me. He is fortunate to have you to guide him and such a loyal and honourable friend at his side."
Pathik bowed and walked away, entering the forest he had tried to escape from. Zuko watched him go, completely stunned.
"How could you let him go like that?" Zuko asked his uncle. "This man could be the Avatar who refuses to show his abilities! If we had captured him, we could have been home by spring...!"
"Enough!" Iroh scolded, glaring at Zuko. "Obviously, that man was not the Avatar, nor was he even an Airbender. All you did was harass and threaten an innocent man, disrespecting him and dishonouring yourself in the process. It is unbecoming and unworthy of a prince."
Zuko looked away, feeling his uncle's words cut deep into him, filling him with shame and guilt.
"But... if he didn't do it, then..." Zuko fell to his knees, feeling grief flood his heart and the weight of his mission begin to take its toll on him. "Uncle, I don't know where else to look. The world is so big, and I... I don't know what to do anymore. He knew about airbenders, and he couldn't even give me information about the Avatar."
"Oh, Zuko..." Iroh kneeled down to be level with his nephew and put his hands on his shoulders. "I understand that the last few months have been hard for you. You lost your family, your friends, your home... and you were given a mission that is almost impossible to accomplish. I don't blame you for feeling overwhelmed; I myself have felt the way you feel now."
Iroh looked at the tall buildings of the Eastern Air Temple rising above the three mountains and remembered a time in the past when he felt like his entire world was collapsing.
"When Lu Ten died, I felt like my life was over, too," he said in a distant voice. "I felt so... lost and desperate. If it weren't for the support of certain people, I wouldn't have been able to carry on. It took all the strength I had to get up every morning, get out of bed, and go into a world where my beloved son was no longer alive. To this day, I still feel the same weight on my body when I wake up every morning. A heaviness in my heart that I know will never go away." Iroh looked back at Zuko and smiled sadly and with great regret. "You are stronger than I ever was, Prince Zuko. You fought for every single thing you ever got, and you have people who love you by your side to support you. I fell into my pain, I drowned in it, and I pushed away all the people who cared about me. Please don't make the same stupid mistake I did."
Zuko looked up and watched Percy. In his frantic and desperate state, he had been on the verge of attacking his friend, who had stood in his way to prevent him from sullying what little honour he had left. Someone who, like him, had left his friends and family behind to complete this mission. Someone who had left everything behind to help him.
He looked away, unable to meet Percy's gaze because of the shame he felt for what he had been willing to do.
"Prince Zuko?" Iroh asked, worried.
"I... Uncle, what if they're right? What if the Avatar is gone? What if this quest really is pointless? What if..." Zuko's lips trembled, and he felt a lump form in his throat. "What if I really can't go home?"
Though he had thought about it at the time of his departure, Zuko had always kept that grim thought at the back of his mind. He had buried it beneath the fierce determination to complete the mission he had been given, to regain his honour and reclaim his rightful place. But after months of futile efforts and dead ends, his resolve began to waver, and his fears and insecurities began to surface, flooding his heart and weakening his spirit.
And it was those same fears and insecurities that guided his actions. Putting innocent people in danger, burning a beast alive even though it had attacked his men, threatening an innocent old man, and being willing to attack his best friend. His fears and insecurities had made him act in a manner unworthy of a prince.
Thinking about it only filled his heart with guilt, regret, and fear. Feelings that made him shudder and filled the corners of his eyes with unshed tears. Suddenly, warmth surrounded him, comforting not only his body but also his mind as he realised that it was his uncle who was hugging him tightly.
"A journey of self-discovery is never pointless, Prince Zuko," Iroh said firmly as he hugged him tightly but gently. "No matter how dark your path may seem and no matter how far you may wander, the most important thing is that you learn from your mistakes along the way and never forget who you are and what you aspire to be."
'Remember this, Zuko. No matter how much things change, never forget who you are.'
The echo of a memory echoed in Zuko's mind.
Between his uncle's warm arms and comforting words, Zuko allowed himself, just this once, to vent a little, to let the tears fall from his eyes, to wash away the anguish that flooded his heart and lighten the weight that weighed on his shoulders. Here, alone in the presence of the two people he trusted most, Zuko allowed himself to be vulnerable and let it all out.
After the sun finally set over the horizon, the three decided to camp in the forest before continuing their journey back to the crew camp. The journey through the bamboo forest was dangerous due to the beasts that inhabited it, so they would continue their journey the next day when the sun rose. Percy watched as Zuko cupped his palms and blew into them, creating a small flame that seeped through his fingers.
"That's a cool trick," Percy commented as he placed his palms on the small fire they had created. "I have to warm myself the non-firebender way."
"Uncle taught me," Zuko said, looking at his uncle, who was sleeping in a sleeping bag.
As he looked at his sleeping uncle, he remembered the words he had said to him just a few hours ago.
"Percy, I..." Zuko mumbled, feeling very sad and wanting to apologise to his friend. "What happened today..."
"Don't worry," Percy interrupted with a small smile. "You don't have to apologise."
"But... I was about to attack you."
"Hey, I've been friends with the Fire Lord's children for years. Getting attacked with a fireball at any time is part of that friendship. Besides, no offence, but Azula is scarier."
Zuko couldn't deny his statement.
"Yeah... you're right," he admitted, feeling a chill as he remembered what his little sister was like when she got angry.
They both shared a small laugh that echoed through the dark forest.
Percy looked at Zuko and gave him a small smile.
"Xiōngdì, remember?"
Zuko looked at him and blinked in surprise. Zuko smiled back and nodded.
"Xiōngdì."
The wind blew, carrying the cold winter mountain air. Zuko cupped his palms again and concentrated on his breathing, remembering his uncle's words.
'Fire is a weapon, but it is also the life-giving heat of the sun. The heat that burns in every heart. By focusing on this inner fire, you can control it. Follow the flames and heat within, and drive away any chill from the wind... or the spirit.'
Despite the cold sweeping through the mountain, Zuko only felt a warmth spreading through his body. He didn't know if it was from the fire breath technique, the campfire, or the presence of his uncle and Percy. Regardless, he decided to bask in the warmth.
Just then, he heard the sound of a branch snapping and went on high alert. Beside him, Percy had heard it as well, so he stood up and immediately grabbed his sheathed sword, which he had left on the ground next to his sleeping bag, ready to draw it.
They both turned their eyes to where the sound had come from, waiting for whatever might emerge from the darkness of the forest.
They were surprised to see Pathik approaching.
"You... What are you doing here?" Zuko asked, confused.
"I have been in meditation for the past few hours," Pathik said solemnly. "I sensed that you had come to me for some reason, but I was unable to see what it was. I had hoped that the spirit of Avatar Yangchen would guide my own path before you were too far away."
Pathik stared at Zuko.
"I have come to realise that your destiny and that of the Avatar are closely intertwined," he revealed. "While I am not sure how it will turn out, it is not my place to stand in the way of destiny. The vision Yangchen gave me was only a shadow, as things often are, but the heart of that vision was very clear. I saw you and the Avatar, side by side, standing before the world."
Zuko opened his eyes uneasily, perplexed and disbelieving as he heard Pathik's words and what they implied. A future unimaginable and unthinkable to him.
"My uncle asked me to show you respect," he said through clenched teeth. "And out of respect for him, I won't hurt you. But I'm not going to stand here and be humiliated."
Pathik closed his eyes and nodded.
"As you wish, boy. If you choose to ignore the message the universe is trying to send you, perhaps your friend will be more receptive."
Pathik looked at Percy, who looked surprised.
"Me?"
"That's right, boy. Just as I am a humble herald of the cosmic energy of the universe, you are a herald." Pathik's expression turned grim. "A herald of a dark and uncertain future."
"Don't tell me," Percy rolled his eyes. "You had a vision of me as well. What did you see? Standing side by side with the Fire Lord?"
Because there was no way he was going to stand next to the Fire Lord. Percy would rather give up the sword forever than do that.
Pathik shook his head.
"Yangchen's spirit didn't give me visions of you, but I didn't need to. I knew the moment I saw you. The cosmic energy of the universe doesn't flow through you like it does through everyone and everything. It's like you are energy. Energy made flesh. Energy made mortal. Not even the Avatar, an ancient being through whom the purest cosmic energy of the universe flows, has this quality. You're not in tune with this world. You're not a part of it. And you never will be."
Percy was truly confused by the old man's comments.
"Old man... what the hell are you talking about?" he asked, confused. "What the hell do you mean, I'm energy? And what do you mean, I'm not part of the world?"
"In my long life, I've only felt one person like you. And even in him, I never felt the same intensity of energy that I feel in you. That was over a hundred years ago. A strange man who had accompanied Avatar Roku on his travels to cleanse this world of dark spirits and close the rift through which they had leaked."
Percy's eyes widened in surprise, remembering the letter Sage Shyu had given him at the Fire Temple on Crescent Island.
"Avatar Roku? By any chance... are you talking about a man named Luke Castellan?"
"I never met the man personally. But his presence in this world caused a fluctuation in the energy of the universe itself. His presence in this world was the sign of the dark times that plagued the Four Nations. And now you are here. Someone who is causing the same fluctuation in the energy of the world. Your arrival in this world heralds a dark future for the Four Nations."
Percy stood there, unable to believe what the old man was telling him. It sounded like the ramblings of a madman and made no sense. At least it made no sense to Percy, except for one thing.
Luke Castellan was just like him, and his presence had affected this world. Percy wondered if Luke's presence would affect this world as well.
"I think we've heard enough ramblings for tonight," Zuko said impatiently. "It's time for you to leave."
"I've said what I came to say," Pathik said, nodding goodbye. "I wish you both a prosperous future."
With those last words, the old man walked back into the forest the way he had come.
"Ignore him, Percy," Zuko said. "He doesn't know what he's talking about."
"I believe him," Iroh said, waking up and approaching them. "And you both should. The message he wants to convey is a very wise one."
"Uncle?" Zuko murmured, surprised to see him awake. "What message are you talking about?"
Iroh smiled.
"One of hope."
"Hope?" Percy asked, confused. "The crazy old man said that dark times were coming for the Four Nations."
"And it is in dark times that one must keep hope," Iroh said, placing his hands on Zuko and Percy's shoulders. "Hope is what makes us strong. What guides us. And it is why we are here. It is what we fight with when all else is lost. Never forget that."
'Hope...' Zuko mused.
Was his uncle right? Did it hope that drove him to accomplish this mission that everyone thought was impossible?
He didn't know.
We've been through a lot these past few months.
Mai, I've kept my promise so far. Zuko is fine. He's just as determined to complete his mission and come home.
Ty Lee, I sent you some things I bought at the last festival. I hope you like them.
And Azula, the sword and armour you gave me have been a great help, especially the sword. Every time I pick it up, it reminds me of you and makes me proud to wear it.
I miss you girls. I hope to see you again someday.
Love, Percy.
A few days after they set sail again, Zuko stood on the deck of the ship and looked out at the dark ocean that stretched as far as the eye could see. High in the night sky above, the moon shone brightly, casting a silvery glow that reflected off the calm waters of the sea.
Though his travels to three of the four Air Nomad temples had proved fruitless in his search for the Avatar, Zuko's spirit did not waver or falter. In fact, he felt more excited than ever.
"I will find you," was his promise, whispered to the wind with the moon as his only witness.
He knew the Avatar was out there. Somewhere in the far reaches of the vast world. And he didn't care how long it took him to find him; he would.
...
...
...
..
.
Months passed without Zuko dreaming of the Agni Kai or his father.
His life had begun to take a new direction. But then, suddenly, as it always did, everything changed.
As the ship sailed through the cold waters of the South Pole, in the distance, a bright beam of light rose on the horizon until it reached the sky.
Zuko watched it with open eyes and felt a fire begin to burn brightly in his heart, reviving his body and mind.
"Finally..." he whispered.
That light on the horizon meant that his long, relentless search was nearing its end. It was the light of hope at the end of the dark tunnel that had been his life for the past three years.
He had finally found the Avatar. His way home was within reach.
...
..
.
And that's all for now, my dear readers!
Next chapter... The appearance of the Avatar.
E/N: Alex is back. Lets go.. Slight filler before we get into the action, but that is besides the point; amazing chapter either way. Honestly, what I picked up on most from this chapter is how Percy's inclusion within the story is going to change the various different characters that he interacts with, mostly seen through his attitude when it comes to Zuko. I am oh so looking forward to when Percy first shows off his powers, as with what Pathik says that Percy is energy incarnate, I am hoping this translates into power for Percy. Along the strain of what Pathik said about the ripples that Luke created, arguably Percy is going to have a much larger effect than Luke, as he is the son of a major god while Luke is not, but we'll see, as all of this is just my speculation. The chapter was definitely worth the wait, thanks Alex.
Thats me signing off for this chapter. TeenGuy :)