Avatar - The Last Airbender (Storyteller Version)

Interlude X

Aang and the others continued traveling across the Fire Nation, occasionally stopping to set up camp, go shopping, or get food. Unfortunately for them, the assassin sent by Zuko was on their tail. He was a tall, bulky figure with a eye tattoo on his forehead. Aang and his friends first encountered this enemy late one night while they were camping at a hot springs. They also discovered he had a particularly dangerous attack—he could discharge powerful bolts of explosive energy from the eye tattoo! Not even Toph nor Katara could subdue his attacks with their bending.

Sokka was panicked. "How can we beat a guy who blows things up with his mind?"

"We can!" answered Aang, "Jump on Appa. I'll try to distract him."

Katara, Sokka, and Toph boarded Appa as Aang rushed off. The assassin chased him through a stony plain dotted with dozens of rock columns, blasting more and more energy bolts everywhere. Evading the attacks, Aang tried to crush his pursuer by breaking one of the rock columns and earthbending it toward the assassin—but it was no use. Finally, Aang escaped his attacker by camouflaging himself in an armor of rock and taking a flying leap off the assassin's head... propelling himself into the air. When he saw Appa approaching, Aang broke out of his armor and dropped toward his bison. Katara caught him in her arms.

The children were safe. But several days later when they stopped at a huge town, the assassin found them again. This time, he lured Aang into a trap, using Katara and Toph as bait. When Aang and Sokka came to rescue the girls, the assassin started chasing them, until he finally cornered Aang by a statue. Just when it looked like the end for Aang, Katara and Toph quickly freed themselves and rushed to their friend's rescue. With her waterbending, Katara encased the assassin's head in a block of ice. But as she grabbed Aang by the hand, the assassin shattered it! Toph earthbended a boulder. The assassin obliterated it—but a tiny piece of rock from the boulder struck him in the eye tattoo. As he staggered clumsily, the children made their escape.

"Hey, I got it—the perfect name for that guy: Combustion Man!" explained Sokka. And Combustion Man was the name that stuck.

Aang and the others didn't see the dangerous assassin again after that, but a few days later they found themselves in another predicament. While they were camping in a forest, an old woman named Hama appeared and graciously offered the travelers shelter. She took the children to her inn and gave them spiced tea. Hama later revealed that she had come from the Southern Water Tribe, too. Years ago the Fire Nation had raided the South Pole, capturing waterbenders. Hama was the last to be taken prisoner—as well as the only one to escape alive. Hearing this, Katara, who had become fond of the old innkeeper, felt sorry for Hama.

At the same, Sokka, Aang, and Toph discovered that several people had mysteriously disappeared from a nearby village on nights when the full moon was in the sky. Disturbed, they all decided to find out why. While investigating for clues, Toph heard the sound of screams echoing from a cave. Following the noise, the three of them found a hidden underground chamber — where several villagers were chained to the walls! One of the prisoners informed the children that Hama had captured them using a mysterious power.

"She seems like a normal old woman, but she controls people like some dark puppetmaster!"

Aang, Sokka, and Toph were horrified! It wasn't long before Katara, too, discovered Hama's true nature. The old woman had promised to teach her a new technique. When Hama escorted Katara into the forest that night, the old woman revealed a chilling secret. Drawing power from the full moon, Hama had developed a deadly skill that would lead to her escape from the Fire Nation.

"Bloodbending—controlling the water in another body, enforcing your own will over theirs. Once you perfect this technique, you can control anything... or anyone."

Frightened by Hama's story, Katara did not wish to bloodbend, but Hama refused to take "no" for an answer.

"It's your duty to use the gifts you've been given to win this war! Katara, you must carry on my work!"

When Aang and Sokka appeared, Hama saw a perfect opportunity. Cackling wickedly, she gestured at the two boys and sent them charging each other—with Sokka holding his sword at Aang! To save them, Katara had no choice but to subdue Hama with bloodbending—and that's exactly what she did! A moment later, Toph appeared, followed by the now freed villagers, who put Hama in chains. But as they led her away, the old woman glanced back at Katara wickedly.

"My work is done. Congratulations, Katara. You're a bloodbender."

Katara was so traumatized she burst into tears. It took quite a lot of effort for Aang and Sokka to comfort her. But as much as she hoped otherwise, it wouldn't be the last time Katara would ever bloodbend....

Following this frightful incident, the children resumed their journey, finally stopping at the Black Cliffs. "This is it—the official rendezvous point for the invasion force," explained Sokka. "Before we split up, my dad and I found this island on the map. It's uninhabited, and the harbors surrounded by the cliffs seemed like the perfect secluded place."

There were only four days left until the solar eclipse, and Aang was worried. Was he really ready to face the Fire Lord? That night, Aang he dreamed he had gone to confront Ozai — only to be instantly overpowered. This nightmare frightened Aang so much that he couldn't go back to sleep. Instead, he stayed awake for the next twenty-four hours, training vigorously. But instead of gaining confidence, Aang's exercises only made his anxieties worse. Concerned, Aang's friends tried everything they could to help, but it seemed as though they couldn't get through to him. Finally, Katara encouraged Aang to settle down.

"Aang, sleep. Please, for me."

Aang tried, but soon he had an even worse nightmare where he saw the whole world ablaze, and Ozai laughing contemptuously at him. After that, Aang decided not to go back to sleep after all. Instead, he would stay awake until the invasion. But in the morning, he was more exhausted than ever. So much so, in fact, that he started to daydream. This time he imagined himself confessing his love to Katara — and better still, kissing her. But when Katara woke him up, Aang didn't dare tell her what he had dreamed, for he did not wish to embarrass her. Ultimately, however, it was Katara's own faith in him that soothed his anguish.

"You've been training for this since the day we met. I've seen your progress. You're smart, brave, and strong enough."

Sokka agreed. "You can do this. You're ready."

"You're the man, twinkle toes!" added Toph.

Encouraged by their words, Aang finally fell fast asleep, and dreamed of victory.

Meanwhile, Zuko had had more than enough time to reflect on his choices and the consequences that had occurred as a result of them. After attending a secret meeting with his father and his generals, he knew it was time for him to make a new choice — one that would change his destiny forever.

At the prison, Iroh acted helpless and desperate in front of the guards. But when they weren't looking, the old general began doing vigorous exercises. He, too, had a plan—a plan to redeem himself and end the war for good.