The Firelord's Honor

Chapter 3

A/N This chapter introduces an OC. Also, in the show it is known that Appa often flies at the speed of plot. Like Zuko and Katara making it all the way to the Fire Nation capital from BSS in one day. No, sorry. I have travel times more realistic however I still have magically plot speed messenger hawks. It would be a pain in the butt to add days for them to fly all over so please ignore this glaring silliness. Thank you!

Chapter 3

Yun Sui had been a Fire Sage for the last 50 years. Since Sozin, most of his brethren had forsaken their vows to honor and aid the Avatar and Agni in favor of serving the Fire Lord. While Yun Sui had never taken this path because he still believed that one day the Avatar would return, he had taken a second oath. He was secretly pledged to the Order of the White Lotus.

After witnessing Prince Zuko defeat his sister, he had hoped that a just and good man would finally take up the mantle of Fire Lord and put a stop to this never ending war. With the news he carried now however, the future had never seemed so uncertain.

It was from the White Lotus that his news had come. General Iroh and the rest of the order had retaken Ba Sing Se. All of their other allies had met with success as well. All except the Avatar.

Now, scroll in hand, Yun Sui was hurrying with this information as fast as his arthritic knees would allow. He had to inform Master Katara at once. She would have to take the Prince and flee before Fire Lord Ozai could return with his navy to lick his wounds and plan his next move. Thinking of what their fates would be if they were caught now spurred him on through the long maze of lacquered halls.

Then there was the raving Princess. She had finally lost all sense of reality and needed help; more than that she needed to stay out of her father's clutches. Ozai would only damage her further. Yun Sui would personally see that Princess Azula was taken to the care facility on Ember Island under a false name.

As he neared the courtyard where she had been defeated, he suddenly heard screaming. Rounding the corner he was surprised to find master Katara. She was standing next to the Sky Bison letting out a high pitched and mournful wail.

Momentarily forgetting his mission he raced to the distraught waterbender's side, reaching her just in time to catch her as she collapsed. He tried her name several times before she seemed to come back to herself enough to see him. Her face was a mask of panic and she clung to his arms, begging him to tell her she was wrong and that the Avatar was alive.

Closing his eyes, he steeled himself to tell her the truth.

"I am sorry Master Katara. I am not sure how you could know so already, but I have received word from General Iroh's forces. The Avatar was killed by Fire Lord Ozai. It seems your brother, Sokka, was near enough to witness the end of the fight. I am afraid.."

At her brother's name, Katara gasped, holding up a hand to interrupt.

"My brother's alive? Is he ok? Where is he now?"

Yun Sui handed her the now slightly crushed scroll he had received not 20 minutes ago. Ripping it from his hands she unrolled it and scanned it quickly. Tears formed and fell as she read.

Once she was finished she squeezed her eyes shut, taking several shaky breaths as she willed away the panic. When she opened her eyes again they were full and red rimmed but determined. Scrubbing her hands across her face and standing, she tucked the missive into her belt.

"We need to get out of the Capital, out of the Fire Nation. How long do you think we have until the Fire Lord returns?"

Unsure, Yun Sui thought for a moment. From what he could gather thanks to Sokka's information, the Fire Lord had likely been gravely injured himself, only just beating the Avatar to the kill. His air fleet had been destroyed as well, meaning he would have to return with his navy.