Blazing Crystal (Revised Version)

Chapter 62: Scars Run Deep

Chapter 62: Scars Run Deep

(Crystal POV)

There was definitely a sense of loss in the air. Standing on the balcony outside of the temple entrance, I watched as the bison flew closer. Zuko stood with me, and we both knew we were about to get some bad news.

Once Appa landed on the balcony a few yards in front of us, he immediately dropped to his belly in exhaustion. His dark red armor looked to be weighing him down heavily. Ty Lee hung back with uncertainty while Zuko and I rushed over to the group who were all clearly dismayed from what I could see in the distance. Aang was the first to jump off Appa's back and land in front of us. He had shaved his head in the time we had been apart, and his tattoo arrow was in full view. He looked exhausted and beaten. Momo landed on his shoulder looking worn out as well. I could immediately tell something awful had occurred. The fact they were here, and not celebrating victory at the Fire Nation was all I needed to convince me of that truth.

"Aang?"

Aang looked over at me with relief when he heard my voice. "Thankfully one good thing came out of today... We were hoping you'd be here, Crys." He smiled weakly. "I was so glad to hear from Iroh's message that Zuko got you out of that awful place."

His statement surprised me. "Iroh? He sent you a message?" I took another step with worry, seeing his heavily burdened state. "What happened to you all?"

Sokka slid from Appa's back next, landing in front of us wearing traditional Water Tribe warrior clothing. A hawk flew down and landed beside him, then started picking at its feathers. I looked at the hawk with question, and then back at my brother for an answer. His dark blue pelted outfit looked singed and covered in soot. "I'll tell you what happened," he began, not meeting any of our gaze. He looked ready to crumble from the defeat they had clearly experienced. "We failed! The mission failed! We were lucky to get out of there! The Fire Nation won again..."

The others got off of Appa then, going down his inclined tail. The group was smaller than I wished. Katara and Toph stepped off with ease. Behind them followed The Duke and two other boys I did not know. One was in a chair with wheels, with Earth Nation clothing and dark hair. His legs were bandaged together from some horrible accident he must've experienced when he was younger. Helping him down Appa's tail was a taller guy around Zuko's age with long black hair, a small mustache, and goatee. He looked strong, and I could immediately tell he was an earthbender. No adults followed...

Zuko stepped over to Sokka, while I hung back in horror at the defeated teens before me. Where was my father? Where were the other warriors? What happened?

Unfortunately, I knew the answer without needing to ask. Clearly they lost the advantage of the eclipse and were forced to retreat.

And I was not there to help. I failed my family again...

Zuko grabbed Sokka's shoulder with question, trying to get him to explain the events that unfolded. "What happened? Where are the others?"

Sokka shook his head with great despair. "At the Capital... The adults stayed behind to surrender so we could escape. Dad ordered us to get the youngest of the group away. The Fire Nation dropped bombs on our submarines, so Appa was our only way out and there was no chance he could carry the whole fleet. We had no choice but to leave the group behind." He hung his head and shut his eyes. Tears slid down his cheeks. "My father and the other warriors have been captured. They surrendered themselves so we could run."

Zuko frowned with dismay. I covered my mouth in horror. Dad... Dad was captured!

"Sokka..." Zuko squeezed his shoulder. He dropped his hand then and sighed with defeat. "I'm so sorry... I know we were all hoping for a different outcome."