An Echo of Legends: An ATLA Mystery Story (on hiatus)

Chapter 8: Izumi

Ember Island had long since disappeared from view, but Izumi still kept glancing in its direction, hoping that maybe, just maybe, it would reappear.

"For the last time, I wasn't responsible for the attack," Azula was saying to Bumi, "The flames must have been blue because someone framed me." 

"And who might that be?"

"I have my suspicions," she said curtly, "Now be quiet. We're almost there." 

"Izumi had tried to suppress the writhing pit in her stomach for the past few hours, but to no avail. 

"We didn't think this through," she muttered miserably. Azula scoffed.

"Please," she said, "You two are what? 17, 18? You're practically adults, you're old enough to join the army. If you want to steal a bison and fly off with your parents' sworn enemy, I don't see why they should stop you." 

 "Maybe because you're their sworn enemy?" Bumi offered. 

"That's fair. Either way, there's no turning back now," Azula turned to Izumi, "Are you ready to meet the fire sages?" Throughout the past hour or so, Oogie had been flying over scattered small islands. Now the bison dove towards the largest of the bunch, with green trees and fields giving way to delicate white sands, giving way to the blue green sea surrounding it.

"I'm not sure," Izumi said nervously, "How do I know I can trust you?"

"If it makes you feel better, I'm not exactly... friends, with the fire sages," Azula said, "It's safe to say I've made quite a few enemies in my reckless youth, so the two of you will go to the temple alone." 

"That doesn't make me feel better." Before Izumi could react, Azula grabbed her ornamental hairpiece, shaped like a fire nation emblem.

"They can't know who you are," she said, "There's a path on the beach that you can follow. I'll wait here for you." Oogie landed in a shaded grove of trees, shielded from view by craggy rocks, "Go on," she said impatiently. Izumi frowned, and hopped off of Oogie, Bumi following suit. She glanced back at the bison. Azula was gingerly holding her hairpiece, staring at it like she had known it from years before.

~~~

"Our parents are probably looking for us," Bumi said, while fiddling with the wooden flute that Sokka had given him. 

"Probably," Izumi agreed, thinking of Ty Lee's terrified face, "I know Azula did some terrible things, but... I don't know, maybe," she sighed, "Maybe she just wants a fresh start."

"We could just tell the fire sages who we are," Bumi said quietly, "We could put an end to all this." 

Izumi only hesitated for a moment before saying, "No. We've come this far. There's something wrong with me. I have to fix it." She saw Bumi's hands clench into fists for a moment, but then they relaxed, and she wondered if she had imagined it. 

"Okay," he said, "So the fire sages help you, Azula takes us home before leaving again, we face the wrath of our parents, and in 20 or so years, you pardon Azula when you're the firelord. That's your plan?!"

"I guess," Izumi said. It all sounded preposterous when Bumi said it like that, but she squared her shoulders and started walking faster down the path. 

Eventually they reached a group of stone pagodas. Standing and talking by the steps were two people in uniforms not unlike the fire sages at the Fire Nation Capital, who noticed them immediately.

"Um,  Hi," She said, approaching them, "I'm Izu-"

"Sora," Bumi cut in, "She's Sora, I'm Lee."

"R-right," Izumi stammered, composing herself, "My firebending has always been weak, and I recently heard that you specialized in spiritually healing. Do you think-" 

"We would be happy to help you," said one of the sages. I can show you to Zhi Ruo. She can help you."

"And why are you here?" The other sage asked Bumi.

"Oh! Well, I'm here to see the architecture of course," Bumi said quickly, "I heard that the temple is over a thousand years old."'

"8000," the sage said, as Izumi groaned inwardly, "It is more than 8000 years old. I'd be happy to show you around." Bumi gave her an apologetic smile as he followed the sage towards one of the pagodas. Izumi followed the other sage, a woman who seemed only a few years older than her up the steps to the main temple. 

"It isn't often we get visitors," she said, "Most people know we prefer to be left alone." Izumi didn't know how to respond to that, so she stayed quiet. They entered an open, but dimly lit room. Standing by a gold statue was a woman who seemed a little older than her parents, although her eyes looked ancient. 

"Zhi Ruo," the fire sage said, "This girl, Sora, came to this island for help with her firebending-"

"I'm not just going to help anyone who comes barging in here," the woman replied, "This isn't a tourist attraction."

"Please," Izumi begged, "We've come this far. I won't tell anyone about this island." Zhi Ruo raised one eyebrow.

"And how exactly did you get here?"

"On a... flying bison," Izumi said confusedly. Zhi Ruo seemed to think for a moment before saying,

"Fine. Come with me." Izumi shrugged and followed her down a long hallway, their footsteps echoing on the cold stone. Soon, she realized that the hallway was slanted. They were going down, underground. The walls kept getting closer and closer together. It got darker, and Zhi Ruo had to use firebending to illuminate the hallway. But eventually it opened into a massive cavern, lit up not by fire, but by water, for in the center of the cavern was a massive subterranean pool. 

"Spirit water," Zhi Ruo explained, "We assume that's why it glows. It has special healing properties. Only it remedies spiritual wounds, not physical." Then Izumi noticed a pulley system of ropes and wheels to the side of the pool. Zhi Ruo gestured to a large net. Izumi hesitated, but she gingerly stepped onto the net and managed to situate herself so she was laying directly above the water. As two of the fire sages began to work the pulley system, she realized just how far below the pool was. Light from the water seemed to dance as she reached the surface. Then, as the water touched her skin, she was plunged into her own memories. 

~~~

Thanks for Reading! I'm going to be updating An Echo of Legends on Mondays now. 

Also, these are the same fire sages that were seen in season two of Legend of Korra.