Blazing Crystal (Revised Version)

Chapter 57: Into the Pit

Chapter 57: Into the Pit

Third Person POV

Sitting against the side of Appa's saddle in silence, Sokka was cross-legged with his eyes shut tight while he held his head in his hands with dismay. Katara frowned deeply sitting against the side of the saddle as well, hugging her knees to her chest for comfort as she stared out towards the west horizon with agony. Toph rubbed her shoulder to ease the pain she still felt from when she crashed into Zuko a few hours before; but she also remained silent, not sure what to say to cheer up the melancholic group. Aang stayed quiet and concerned as he guided Appa, while Momo whined on his shoulder with his large ears dropped.

The group was heartbroken that they'd failed to protect Crystal from the man they'd sworn to keep her safe from. None of them had spoken much since they'd arrived back at camp after parting ways with Zuko and packing up their stuff. As Aang guided the group towards their rendezvous destination, all of them worried for the young waterbender being taken to the Fire Lord.

Finally, Sokka couldn't handle keeping his thoughts to himself any longer. "I should've gone too... it's my duty to protect my sister."

Aang sighed. "I know you both are worried. We all are. But Zuko will get her back. And Crystal is strong. She'll be okay..." The young Avatar tried to convince himself of this as he spoke. However, he heard his voice waver. He didn't believe his own words.

Katara pressed her face into her red pants as more tears soaked into the fabric. "This just feels like deja-vu. I feel like she's being ripped from us by the Fire Nation all over again. Only this time she is being taken straight to the Fire Lord. Who knows what that monster will do to her... I... I can't think of it... what... what if this time we don't see her again... What if he kills her?"

The young Avatar shut his eyes in pain. He recalled the day that Zuko came to the Southern Water Tribe. His memory took him back to the moment he tore the Water Tribe family apart.

Katara grabbed onto Aang and pulled him towards Appa as Sokka beat at the ice around his feet with his boomerang. "Come on Sokka!"

Sokka muttered to himself, while Aang and Katara started to rush up Appa's tail. As this commenced, a guard was helping Prince Zuko back onboard after the young man had almost been thrown off. Meanwhile, Crystal was struggling from the guard in full armor that restrained her.

Breaking from the ice, Sokka raced to the tail and up onto the saddle behind Katara and Aang. He quickly realized though that Crystal hadn't followed, and he looked back towards the deck of the Fire Nation ship to see another guard hit Crystal on the side of her head with his fist knocking her out cold.

"Crys!" Sokka went to jump back off the saddle, but by this point Aang had found the reins and shouted for Appa to go. The giant flying sky bison took off, causing Sokka to grab the side of the saddle so he wouldn't fall. As they left the ship deck, he cried back to Aang, "Stop! Crystal is still back there!"

Katara had been so focused on escaping, she was horrified by her brother's cry. She quickly looked over at Aang from where she knelt in the saddle. "Turn around! We have to go back for her!"

Aang listened to the frantic shouts of the kids behind him, and his eyes glanced back down at the ship below. He debated what he should do, knowing if he turned around there was a chance they all would be apprehended. As he glanced back at the ship for the waterbender they were leaving behind, he was horrified to see Prince Zuko run forward and shoot a powerful blast of fire up towards them. Aang gasped and grabbed his staff, then released the reins and rushed to the back of Appa's saddle. Using his staff as support, he swung the ancient stick towards the blast headed their way and hit it with an unbelievable force of wind. The blast redirected and hit a glacier they were flying past, and the snow broke off, landing on the ship below.