My fists were up and ready, Zian next to me.
"We have to get out of here," I hissed as another stream of guards came running at us.
"Good plan. And just how do we do that?" Zian rolled his eyes, taking a deep breath.
"By listening to the Idea Guy," a happy-go-lucky voice came from behind us. I whipped around to see a boy, Water Nation by the looks of it. His hair was up in a ponytail and he had this high pitched 'we can probably do this . . . I think' voice.
"Who's the Idea Guy?" I asked, taking a step towards him and away from the oncoming guards.
"Who do you think?" His face fell. "Katara, see the pipes above our heads? Make 'em go boom and go all waterbendy on them." He pointed at the guards. "Oh, and Toph, GET US OUT OF HERE!"
The small earthbender girl named Toph slammed her fee against the ground, bringing her hands up in a butterfly formation and pushing out. The wall in front of us pushed away as the earth crumbled, and at the same time the pipes burst overhead. Katara.
I'd heard that name before. I just couldn't remember where.
As water showered over us, drenching the guards, Katara squeezed her fists closed and everything froze into ice.
Still dazed, my arm was grabbed by Zian and he pulled me into the dark tunnel Toph had created.
And suddenly, darkness swallowed us whole.
"Somebody put the lights out," a voice hissed.
"Shut up, Sokka," a female voice commanded.
"You're not his mother," another girl said.
"Right now is not the time," a boyish voice came. "We need light."
I began to move to create fire, but Zian, I have no clue how he knew, grabbed my arm. "Something tells me they don't like firebenders," he whispered.
"Oh! I have a candle," Sokka said, and in a moment there was a small fire burning. Someone shuffled closer and the flame blew out. "Aang!" Sokka whined.
"I feel bad for you all," the small girl's voice came. "I'm glad I'm blind."
"Sorry Sokka," the boyish voice came again, "I breathed a little too hard."
Aang?
My heart thudded in my chest.
"Are you the Avatar?" I asked.
"Yup!" He said cheerfully. "That I am."
"Now is not the time," Katara said in her all-too-motherly-strict voice. "Let's get out of here first."
I couldn't believe it.
I'd made it.
🔥🔥🔥
By the time we got out, we were exhausted.
"Well that was a long trip," Toph said as we all sat there, rubbing our eyes.
"Tell me about it." Aang yawned. "Are we far from the palace?"
"Oh yeah, pretty far," Toph nodded.
Far? What about Zuko? Oh, I totally messed up.
Seeing the concern etched on my face, Zian leaned close to me, "I'm going back to get him. You do whatever you need to do, and don't worry, we'll find you."
I smiled gratefully. "Stay safe."
I watched him disappear behind trees and as I turned back towards the gang, something slammed into me, causing me to hit my head against a tree.
