The Burning Truth-Harmony

Part 26~Fire Lord

Sokka led the fight. Explosions echoed around him, the invasions forcing their way forward. He turned, looking across the field as he spotted Katara and Hakoda walking over. 2dad! You're on your feet again."

Hakoda smiled weakly, sitting down. "Thanks to your sister. I'm in no shape to fight, but maybe there's some way I can help."

"Everything's going smoothly, and the eclipse hasn't even kicked in yet."

"Let's hope our luck holds out." Hakoda stopped, glancing at Katara. "Katara, you seem distracted. Is something wrong?"

"Yeah. Is that Isu?"

"What?" Sokka and the rest turned as Isu flew down with her glider, avoiding the fireballs as Zuko and Hachi followed her. "Please tell me you're here because the Fire Lord turned out to be a big wimp, and you didn't even need the eclipse to take him down."

Zuko frowned, lowering his head as Isu landed. "He wasn't home. No one was. The entire palace city is abandoned."

Sokka gasped, the realisation dawning on him. "They knew."

~~~

The group gathered, sitting in a circle. Zuko dug his fingers into the dirt, staring at the dust he moved around. "It's over. The Fire Lord is probably long gone. Far away on some remote island where he'll be safe during the eclipse."

Sokka frowned thoughtfully. "No. My instincts tell me he wouldn't go too far. He would have a secret bunker somewhere he could go and be safe during the siege but still be close enough to lead his nation."

Toph grinned, standing up. "If it's an underground secret bunker we're looking for. I'm just the girl to find it."

Hachi smiled, holding Zuko's hand. 2We can still do this. We can still win the day."

"Wait," Katara interrupted. "If they knew we were coming, it could all be a trap. Maybe we should use the time we have left to make sure we all get out of here safely."

"Everyone who's here today came prepared to risk everything for this mission. They know what's at stake. If there's still a chance and there's still hope, I think they would want Zuko to go for it." Hakoda glanced at Zuko as Sokka nodded, turning to him, too.

"What do you think? You're the one that has to face the Fire Lord. Whatever you decide, I'm with you."

Hachi pulled Zuko up, holding his hands in support. "It's your choice, Zuko."

"I've gotta try."

~~~

"Do you feel anything down there?" Zuko glanced at Toph as she felt the ground with her hand.

"Yep. There are natural tunnels criss-crossing through the inside of the volcano."

"Anything else? Is there a structure somewhere?" Sokka glanced at her as she dug her fingers into the dirt.

"There is something big, dense and made of metal deep in the heart of the volcano."

Isu grinned, leaning close. "Oh, sounds like a secret bunker to me."

Toph stood up, bending a hole into the volcano as she walked in. Hachi glanced back, looking at Pickle and Hajime. "Look after him."

"We will." Hajime watched them leave. "So, your owner is going to die." He let out a startled sound as the bison whacked him and turned around.

~~~

"This way. That one's a dead end," Toph ordered as she walked down a path.

Sokka smiled, following her energetically. "What would we do without you?"

"Perish in burning hot magma."

"Yeah, pretty much."

Toph stopped, walking into a giant chamber. The chamber erupted with spots of magma, the hot liquid bubbling from the ground.

"The tunnel continues on the other side, and it leads right to the bunker."

"We'll have to be fast but careful." Sokka walked forward when he let out a startled sound, almost being hit by a geyser of magma that burst from the ground.

"How is that careful?" Isu laughed as Sokka chuckled nervously.

"I was wrong. We need to be fast, careful and lucky."

The group began to move through the camber, barely avoiding the magma spouts as they jumped to the rock ledge surrounded by molten lava.

"There's no floor. It's just a river of lava."

Isu grinned, glancing at Hachi. "Everyone grab an airbender." Isu grabbed Katara and Toph, and Hachi grabbed Zuko and Sokka, both whipping out the new gliders and taking them to the sky.

Isu easily got to the other side while Hachi struggled to keep a hand on the boys and stop them from falling into the lava. The group landed in front of the metal dome, staring at the huge door that towered over them.

"That's some door," Sokka muttered as Toph grinned.

"Not a problem." She jammed her elbows into the door, cracking the metal. She stepped back, holding out her fingertips as she split the door wide open.

The group walked into the bunker, looking around the empty inside. Toph pointed down a passage as Sokka grinned. "I am so glad we added you to the group."

~~~

"Retreat! Everyone moves to the secondary defensive position. Retreat." The Fire Nation Captain ran off as the moon began to overshadow the sun.

"The eclipse is only minutes away. We should make it up to the hill by the time it starts and secure the entire palace by the time it's finished." Bato stood on the ground bending tank as the troops cheered them on.

"We can wait here if you want," Iroh stated as he glanced at Hakoda.

"No. I wanna press forward with the others."

Iroh nodded, helping Hakoda join the rest of the army.

~~~

Isu, Hachi, Zuko, Toph, Sokka and Katara were running down the tunnels when they spotted Qin running down the same hallway. The team got ready, preparing to attack as Qin squeaked in fear. "The Fire Lord's chamber is that way, down the hall, to the left and up the stairs. You can't miss it."

Isu grinned, happily waving to him. "Thanks."

The group ran off as Sokka pulled out his watch. "Only thirty seconds until the total eclipse."

The group stopped before the large doors. Zuko took a deep breath. "I'm ready. I'm ready to face the Fire Lord." He burst down the doors, stopping when he was Azula.

"So, you are alive after all. I had a hunch that you survived. But it doesn't matter. We've known about the invasion for months." Azula motioned to Shiko as he glanced over his children.

"Isu."

Isu glanced at her dad. "Bitch."