Freedom

Chapter 58: The Fire Palace Tunnels

They had gone around the backside of the island, the walls of volcanic stone giving them coverage. There was barely enough shore for Appa to land, and even still, they landed into a foot of water. They silently slid down Appa, letting their feet dip into the water and land on the stone underneath.

Aang helped Toph land onto the ground, her sight muffled by the water around her feet. He patted Appa on the head gently, nodding and knowing he would know what to do next. Appa took off into the air, heading back towards the invasion fleet. Aang wished they could have stayed together but he knew where they were going was a place where Appa couldn't be. Zuko had described the tunnels as narrow passages, and Aang knew Appa wouldn't be able to follow them.

Zuko beckoned them forward, moving around a tall rock and tucked behind it was a small dock with an even smaller wooden boat tied to it.

"Does anyone even know this is here?" Aang whispered. Zuko shook his head, "Only the royal family... in case the Fire Lord needs to make a quick getaway"

Aang's eyes widened, "You don't think he would..." but Zuko had already begun to burn a hole into the base of the boat, letting water seep through.

"Now he doesn't have the option..." he kept moving, walking to the stone cliff and standing in front of it. The wall towered over them, making them look extremely insignificant next to it.

Zuko pressed a flaming hand into the stone. It moved to his will, a large piece of rock moving under his heat and then an entire entryway opened up to them. Aang and Toph couldn't help but be impressed, but there was no time. Zuko beckoned them once more, entering the belly of the beast. They were officially inside the Fire Nation palace, a place Zuko hadn't been in years.

But he took a deep breath and kept moving. That was all he could do.

Hakoda could see land from his periscope. He took a deep breath, "No turning back..." he whispered. Sokka looked at him, and nodded once, "Earth benders! Get ready for action!" He gave the command. The earth benders climbed into their tanks, holding onto the stone around them.

"30 seconds..." Katara whispered, looking over at her father. Hakoda took one last deep breath and gave a sharp nod.

"NOW!"

The subs rose from the surface, alarms sounding off as they did so.

The bottom of the subs opened up, letting the tanks roll out and onto the pavement.

It took mere seconds for the tanks were met with fire. They had everyone's attention from the moment the subs hit the shore. Both sides sprang into action.

Fire blasts whipped at the tanks, the eclipse still minutes away. But the earth benders were well protected. Sokka's invention was being put to the test but they deflected every blast, crushing everything in their path.

From inside the tunnels, the three heard the sounding of the alarms. Zuko turned to Aang behind him. They didn't speak a word but their faces told the story.

They needed to hurry. The eclipse was moments away.

Every element was being thrown in every direction. Every solider was fighting, knowing it could be their last.

Appa joined the fight, battling as valiantly as the rest of them. His armor deflected the blasts as he tossed helpless soldiers to the side.

But Hakoda knew they still had one obstacle. The battlements surrounding the city could shoot them from above. They had the advantage. And they had to be taken out if they had any hope of a victory.

"Sokka!" Hakoda yelled, "We have to take out those battlements! It's our only chance"

Sokka shoved the fire nation solider, taking off towards his father. Katara heard and followed behind.