ATLA: The Lost Airbender

Chapter Thirty Four

Zuko and his group had been scouring the spirit forest for a couple of days but to no good, finding the sacred pools where the Mother of Faces made her appearance was hard enough but they were able to locate them in the central corners of the forest. All they had to do now was figure out at which pool the grand spirit would make her appearance in, Zuko suggested to split up but they all knew that was a bad idea.

"We've been in this forest for a week now". Suki spoke up,"You guys sure we didn't miss the spirit's arrival?".

"No, I would have sensed her leaving this plane of existence". Aang said.

"Well, use that to track her at the pool she will make an appearance in". Azula said, visibly annoyed.

Aang launched a look at her,"Its not that simple, Azula. Tracking a grand spirit is near to almost impossible".

"Didn't Noren mention something about a giant wolf or something?". Katara spoke up.

"She makes an appearance at the pool from where the giant wolf drinks from". Zuko said.

"Well, let's find him then". Toph said,"Can't be hard to miss a giant wolf".

"Easier said than done". Aang said,"But maybe I can try something else?".

"Like what?".

"I could meditate into the spirit world and call her to our location".

Toph sighed,"And you couldn't have told us this before we wasted a week's worth of time".

"This is only a theory, Toph. I don't know if it will work". Aang shrugged.

"Fine, you do what you have to do". Zuko said,"We'll look after your body while you're gone".

Aang turned to his girlfriend and placed a hand on her hip and drew her close, she smiled and caressed his cheek.

"Wish me luck".

"Good luck". Katara smiled before kissing his cheek softly.

"Just go already". Azula snapped.

And for the first time, Katara actually ignored her and continued to only stare into her boyfriend's eyes.

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The road out of Omashu was more harder than the road toward it, the young veteran airbender had to leave his dying friend to return to the Fire Nation and possibly ask Ursa the cure to the poison, if his friends have found her at all. Sen hesitated to leave his friend's side because anything could happen while he was gone but he had to leave to find the woman who possibly knew how to make the cure, he had never abandoned anyone before so this was making him feel guilty for a larger reason.

"I just hope she knows how to make a cure for that poison concoction". He said to himself as he walked.

Then, he felt the air shift around him and he turned in time to block an arrow with his staff. He looked around but saw no one, he evaded another arrow shot his way. He felt the earth beneath him shifting and it caused him to lose his footing and that gave an arrow a good opportunity to land in his thigh.

"Argh!!!". He screamdd as he felt the arrow hit his thigh.

Two more arrows landed in his back and he fell forward with an agonizing yell, he struggled onto all fours and started to crawl and he took the time to pull the arrow out of his thigh. Blood immediately started to soak his hands and clothing, something that rarely happened to him.

"Looks like we got him". A voice said from in front.

Sen stopped his struggling and looked up to see a group of archers walking up toward him. He immediately recognized them, they were rogue archers that were once part of the Yu Yan archers from the Fire Nation but they were banished because of their loose morals and aggression.

"Rogue Yu Yan". Sen spat.

"Ah, he actually recognizes us". One said,"Glad to see you haven't forgotten us, Great Liaison".

"What do you want?". Sen growled.

"We don't want anything". Another archer spoke up,"It's what he wants".

They all gestured to their left and Sen followed the direction that they were pointing at, a man walked toward him and looked down at his bloodied form.

"Zhu". Sen seethed in rage.

"Hello, Master Sen". Zhu smirked coldly,"You look like you need help".

"So, you're the one responsible for all this". Sen said," You poisoned the king to lure me out".

"Yes, that servant poisoned the king for 300 gold pieces". Zhu said,"Giving him the chance to get extra money while benefiting me to get to you".

"What do you want, Zhu?". Sen asked.

Zhu crouched down to his level and grabbed him by the face and forced him to look him in the eyes.

"I want to watch you suffer severely for what you did to me". Zhu seethed.

"You were tampering with Princess Azula's medication and used her as your test subject". Sen said,"You had to be stopped".

"But at the same time you ended my career". Zhu said,"My work was stopped and I was relieved from my position in the institution because of you".

"You were using experimental drugs and chemicals on patients". Sen said,"You reap what you sow".

"Well, it doesn't matter anymore". Zhu said,"Since you ruined me, you will make up for it by becoming my test subject for my experiments".

Sen dug his toes into the ground and pushed himself into the air and released a powerful torrent of air at the group, they all fell back and Sen launched himself into the nearest forest and fled the scene.

Zhu and his men got to their feet and looked toward the forest.

"He's wounded". An archer said,"He won't get far".

"Exactly". Zhu smirked coldly,"Happy hunting, boys and remember to bring him back alive".

The archers acknowledged the orders before taking to the trees.

"You may be the most powerful airbender, Sen but even legends can be broken". Zhu smiled in sadistic glee.

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Aang found himself in the exact copy of the forest which he just occupied in the physical world, he looked around and saw a bright glow coming from a pool of spirit water. As Aang got closer, he noticed a tall figure of a spirit in the middle of the pool.

"The Mother of Faces". He whispered.

"Yes, that is the name that the mortals know me by". The spirit said,"Now explain who gives you the right to trespass my pools in such a manner".

"I'm so sorry for intruding like this". Aang spoke up,"But I'm the Avatar and I came to ask you to come to the pool that points to the East, you are needed for an important task".

"I am well aware of who you are, young avatar". The Mother of Faces said,"But tell me this, why should I steer away from the wolf's directions? Are you doing this for personal gain".

"No, I'm not doing this for personal gain but I'm doing it to reunite three people together who have been separated for too long". Aang said,"You could be the answer to their reunion. Please do this request for me".

The Mother of Faces was silent for a moment before acknowledging the airbender.

"Very well".