Chapter 41:

A shiver shot up Freya's spine and she quickly jumped backwards as a blast of fire came flying down and exploded between Azula and Aang, fire flying everywhere. The four all turned to see Zuko, his fist raised and his hand ready as he took a stance. He stepped forwards and they all watched him, Freya with worry as she stared at Azula who's expression was fierce in return.

Zuko however turned to look at Aang who gasped surprised before Freya zipped forwards. She stopped the fire Zuko sent as she rose a wall of water between the two. With the fire stopped, the water swirled and then dispersed, allowing the prince to turn to Freya. He stared at her and she stared at the ground for a moment. When she looked up at the boy, her eyes were fierce, hard, but her eyebrows were furrowed and there was a frown upon her lips. She looked seriously disappointed. Zuko's expression faltered as he stared at her, the look on her face which was directed at him. He stared at her before gritting his teeth, pulling on the expression he felt on his face which turned hard. Freya took a deep breath, pain moved through her, shooting through her chest, gripping and squeezing and making her eyes prick. She'd had faith in him regardless of whether she was unsure of what decision he'd make. He had every opportunity to do the right thing…

Zuko stared and watched as she closed her eyes for a moment, she bit her lip before straightening up and staring at him. She raised her arms, took her stance, and faced him. He grit his teeth and simply stared at her for a minute and then she saw the anger move into his face as Azula smiled and turned to strike at Aang. The anger Zuko suddenly held, made Freya furious, what right did he have to feel such an emotion toward her? He was the one breaking her hopes.

"What are you doing?" she said, her voice low.

"What I'm meant to!" he responded

"Who decided what that was?" Freya questioned. "I thought—" she bit her lip as she looked at him and shook her head. "I guess I was foolish." she whispered and Zuko watched her. She had almost expected him to wow them, to do what she and his uncle knew he could do, to do right the thing, to help the world and try to fix it…

Was it wishful thinking?

Freya spun and dodged all the blasts Zuko sent at her before he was knocked off his feet with a shot of water from his side. He got back up quickly and Freya continued to move and dodge before his feet were iced to the ground. He broke them quickly but when he looked up Freya was closer and he was sent flying through the cave.

"Are you seriously that desperate?" she demanded of him as he got back up and she ducked and turned as more fire passed her. "You realise love isn't something you earn from your family! Family loves unconditionally regardless of everything!" Freya snapped "This wont make your father love you!" Zuko cried out as he went smashing through the crystal, Freya having thrown him.

Freya turned with a cry, angry, to where Azula was battling Katara and Aang, slamming her hands down for Azula to go flying off her feet as Freya bashed her as well in her frustration.

Zuko stood back up, glared at Freya before shooting forwards and Freya jumped, spun to then slam her foot onto the ground for white fire to spray out everywhere and block Zuko's red. She looked at him and he raised his hands before fire whips moved out from his hands. Freya shook her arms and water drew over them to have the same and she blocked every whip Zuko sent at her.

"Stop Freya!" Zuko said

"And why would I ever think that an option!?" she asked

"Come with me Freya." Zuko said as his fire whips stopped as he looked her in the eye. Freya was momentarily surprised by the request and she stopped, gapping slightly. It took her mind a moment to process as Zuko had only a softness in his face. He almost looked pleading.

"Come with you?" Freya asked

"You can come back, back to the Fire Nation, back to your country. We could…" Zuko glanced at Azula who was fighting Aang and Katara. "You and I…we'd—"

"And how would I do that?" she responded, already knowing the answer as she cut him off and she looked at him fiercely.

"Stop fighting." Zuko said obviously.

"Zuko, if I stop fighting, I betray my friends, my family, my Nations, and even worse, I betray the world." Freya hissed back "I will not stop just so you can lock Aang up in a cell." she shook her head looking at him appalled now, the idea just not something she'd ever even consider. "Zuko did you never hear me when I said I would protect him. I care about him, she's the only connection I have left to my parents besides my bending. He's my oldest friend." her expression turned fierce again and Zuko looked at her with hurt. "I will not hurt and betray my friend, any more that you will apparently do so to your father!" Zuko whipped his fire whip forwards to counteract Freya's water. "The only difference being, my friends actually care about me!"

The girl could see the pain and hurt in his face as he grit his teeth to hold it back and replace it with his anger. And yet despite being able to see it, all she could feel was an ache in her chest. She wanted to start crying.

"Why don't you stop?" she asked "Why don't you change! Why don't you come with me for once!?" Zuko stared at her, the attacks pausing. "I'm always with you, following you, checking on you, why don't for once, you do it and come with me?" she said as the fire and water whips diminished. Zuko stared at her. "Choose a different path!" she all but pleaded

"This is the only path there is!" Zuko believed and he swung his arm. Freya reached forwards and she jumped his arc of fire to land before him to produce another blast of white fire, which sent him skidding backwards. Freya hurrying after him.

"This path is a dead end! You're not going to achieve anything!" Freya believed as fire blasted within the close proximity of them both. "Did you really ever feel happy in the Fire Nation? Did your father ever give you the kindness your uncle did!?" Zuko said nothing. "None of this will fix anything! All you're going to do is hurt yourself!"

"Then you clearly know nothing!" Zuko demanded and a giant blast of fire left his hand. Freya grabbed his wrist spun around and the fire shot away from her and at nothing, breaking a column before she elbowed him in the stomach, causing him to gasp and then spun him around so she stood behind him.

"I know that you were happy here with your uncle and that you said you could grasp your own destiny! But all you're doing is falling back into the same routine and making the same mistakes! You're fighting for something that isn't here!" Zuko shot his leg backwards and Freya jumped, released his hand and landed on his other side. "What made you happy Zuko? Was it being in the Fire Nation?" she asked before she spun and faced him within the very close proximity that surprised him. "Or was it being with me?" he looked at her shocked and he stopped in his movements before she tripped him up pushed him down.

Zuko looked up to find himself iced to the floor.

"You had every opportunity to change, and yet you fell back on your past mistakes again." Freya said and she looked at him sadly. She grit her teeth as her eyes pricked and she looked down at him before shaking her head as if to clear it. Zuko watched her back away and then she turned for Azula who was battling both Aang and Katara. The younger waterbender had wrapped the princess in water on her arm and opposite leg and Aang sent her off balance as he slammed himself into the ground with a rock stalagmite from above, shaking everything.

The princess was released from Katara in a whirl of fire from her body to stabilise herself back on her feet. Azula shot at Aang as he climbed out of the hole he'd made with the stalagmite. Fire flared from her fists and feet, propelling Azula forwards and Aang covered himself in crystal before the girl stopped in her tracks, causing all the fire she'd been using to go flying at the air bender past her. Aang flew into the air and crashed with a cloud of dust into the wall.

Azula turned to Katara but Freya moved first. She however caught sight of fire from the side and her attack at Azula was redirected to counter Zuko's fire. She countered Azula's who followed and Katara used the princess' distraction on Freya to send her tumbling backwards.

Freya balled her fists and her eyes turned amber as Zuko readied himself.

"Fine then." she mumbled before she looked at Zuko and he stared at the anger in her eyes, she began to circle her hands and lightning shot around her.

Zuko's eyes widened before he jumped sideways as the lightning went flying at him and then dived again as the girl shot more.

The ground was exploded by the girl before Zuko stopped dodging and the lightning went straight into his finger and down his arm.

Freya watched as he closed his eyes in what seemed pain, but she knew the feeling of having all that energy coursing through her and she took a breath as Zuko turned to her and turned to point his hand back at her. She raised her's in waiting and he stared before he turned his hand and pointed it off in another direction.

Freya looked surprised and she stared at him as rocks fell from the ceiling where the lightning had been directed to. He hadn't aimed at her?

Rumbling sounded and they turned to the wall. Katara had been smashed into the crystals that stuck out from the floor and her hair had come out of its plat. Zuko and Azula readied their stances as Aang shot out of the wall and then smashed into the ground, unleveling it. A wave of rock rose up and then down and Aang, a furious look on his face, came rushing towards the two fire benders, riding atop of it.

Freya turned as the ground below her shook and she jumped backwards as suddenly a Dai Li agent threw a rock at her. Another jumped in front of Aang and he went flying as the earth bender stopped his rock wave.

Freya looked up surprised as Dai Li agents flooded into the room, Aang got to his knees and looked up hazily as Katara groaned and noticed the many bodies jumping down to join the Prince and Princess.

Freya surrounded herself in water that whirled into a tornado around her while Katara had a stream that tentacles rose from and created her octopus. Many lined up around before Aang as he got to his feet.

This isn't good… Freya bit her lip as she looked at them all surrounding them through her water. Azula and Zuko faced Aang as he got to his feet and raised his hands ready. The determined look on his face however began to fade as he looked at the numbers.

"There's too many." he believed.

Freya took a deep breath and with a draw of her hands the water in the lake began to rise. Her tornado levelled itself out and spilled everywhere. Everyone turned to her as it spilled out and ran over everyone's toes. Azula didn't bother with it but Zuko watched before his eyes widened and he looked at the girl.

An Earth bender moves mostly with their lower body. Freya began to wave her arms and move her hands. The Earth benders began to grunt as the water ran up their bodies and cuffed their hands together, encased them in water and then froze them in place. Several began to struggle and Zuko watched as the girl moved with her eyes shut, her stances flowed, her arms moved elegantly. The grace around her was as mesmerising as ever.

Zuko took one step and a slice of ice shot at him and he had to jump out of the way to avoid it.

Aang watched Freya before he frowned. He suddenly turned his back on everyone and with a thrust of his hands crystal shot up and surrounded him in a casing.

A minute later, the crystals began to glow as the Dai Li were encased and the girl opened her eyes to look at the glowing rocks. Zuko lowered his stance and the Dai Li that could still move began to back away before there was an explosion.

A wave washed out and a light shot up into the air. The top of the crystals exploded and Aang began to rise out of them, his eyes and tattoos were glowing with the avatar state. Katara smiled up at Aang impressed and Freya turned back to Zuko and Azula.

Except Azula wasn't there.

Freya looked around and spotted her behind Aang, swirling her hands and lightning sparked.

"NO!" her voice echoed through the cave, as if all the other sound had died, her hand stretched out, before Azula pointed her fingers.

Aang was struck with the lightning in the back. Freya felt the air leave her, pain encased her and she collapsed to her knees. The glowing disappeared from Aang and he began to fall towards the ground. Freya felt like she couldn't breath and her eyes stung with tears from the sudden pain, her body seemed to stop listening to her as it refused to move. Katara's eyes filled with tears and Freya tried to push against the pain, pain without a source. She forced her head to move and look up as Katara swirled her water around her and was then riding on top of a wave towards Aang. She moved over all the Dai Li agents staring and watching Aang fall and they and Zuko were washed away as she caught the boy and was lowered to the ground.

Aang was slumped in Katara's arms and she looked at him sadly. Freya watched, waiting for him to move, look at Katara, raise his head, but there was none. He stayed slumped in Katara's arms, all his limbs dangling.

Freya grit her teeth as her eyes filled with tears. She looked up and her eyes seemed to glow with a fire as she began to push against the seeming paralysis within turned to Azula, her hands digging into the ground as she balled her hands and suddenly fires were igniting all over the cave.

Azula and Zuko moved towards Katara and Aang, ready to start again before a yell sounded and both turned to see Freya. She was still crouched on the ground but her hands were digging into the dirt quickly and her eyes were squeezed shut as she screamed.

Suddenly flames ignited around the girl and rose up all around her, spinning like a tornado around her. The two siblings looked shocked as white fire paused momentarily and then exploded and blew everywhere. The fire smashed out from Freya and exploded through every rock it touched, Dai Li were thrown off their feet, steam rose from the water left around the ground.

Azula rose a wall of blue fire for protection but was sent flying backwards when it wasn't substantial, while Zuko ran to a heap of crystals and jumped behind it. He ducked his head as the rocks at his head were blown off, his hands covering his hair as the fire fanned out and surrounded everything within the room. The temperature increased ten fold and he glanced out to see Freya. She was rising, the duo bender got to her feet, stumbling ever so slightly as tears were pouring down her cheeks and she had her teeth so tightly together her jaw was ridged. Her hair was blowing around her from the heat and ferocity of the fire and her eyes were clamped as tightly shut as her jaw was. Tears were flowing down her face.

Freya's anger and pain manifested into such intense flames that everything within proximity of her was disintegrating from the heat. Fires caught and burned through the crystals, the ground blackened and steam rose from the water as it was scolded, bubbling in the heat. The fire burned white hot and Katara stared at Freya shocked, her cheeks were red from the heat but she couldn't raise her hand to block the heat or light from her face and eyes.

"Freya!"

Iroh was standing on a ledge above and he jumped down to move towards her, the only one brave enough to do so. He stood before her and hesitated before he grabbed her arm.

"Do not let it control you!" he warned strongly as he stared at her, shaking her slightly.

Freya turned to him, her eyes opening to look at who dared tried to tell her off. But as she saw the warning and worried eyes looking at the anger that clouded her vision, that anger wavered. Her consciousness began to seep through as a voice spoke. It wasn't anyone's voice, it wasn't outside or calling her. It was the conscious within her mind.

You're loosing it. and she could feel so, so much power building within her and escaping, running, seeping, exploding.

You can't help like this!

Aang needs you!

Rein it back in.

Don't let the fire control you!

You're better than this.

Tears poured down Freya's face and the glowing of her amber irises dampened as the heat subsided and Freya took a few deep breaths, most came out as sobs. She stared at Iroh and as the anger and fire subsided, the pain raining all through her body returned. It was in her back which seemed to move through her body like veins as well as in her chest. She felt like her chest was missing, it was throbbing and burning, different from that caused by the fire. The girl grabbed a fistful of her clothes at her chest, trying to grab at the pain as if to remove it. She gasped several times, trying to breath, to catch a breath, but struggling to do so. Her eyes winced up in pain as Iroh grabbed her shoulders when she stumbled, beginning to fall back to her knees.

"You need to get out of here." Iroh said and Freya looked at Katara who was kneeling on the ground with Aang in her arms.

"A-Aang." Freya whispered, her voice breaking. He needs help… she looked at Iroh who nodded. Freya winced, beginning to stand, but her legs failed several times before she managed to make her legs work and stand. Freya began to walk towards the two benders, stumbling as her balance was also shaky. Katara watched her, worried not just for Aang but for Freya as well.

"We need to get him out of here." Freya managed to say, her voice was low and there was an air of exhaustion waving in around her.

Katara looked at Aang sadly and then nodded.

Zuko watched the three and he jumped out from behind the rock as Azula was getting back to her feet. Iroh moved to stand before the three benders and in the way of his niece and nephew. He took a bending stance before them as the Dai Li agents were getting to their feet as well.

"You've got to get out of here! I'll hold them off as long as I can!" Iroh promised.

Fire went blasting out of the old General's fists and Freya helped Katara move Aang as they made for the water fall. Freya winced as both girls moved in unison and circled water from the water fall around them and Aang before they were lifted up and began to move up the water fall, away from the nightmare.

"Iroh!" Freya called and he didn't even glance at her.

"Go!" he shouted at her and she flinched from the strength in his voice, but did as she was told. She turned to glance at Zuko who stared at her and all she felt was utter pain. Her tears cascaded down her cheeks as she was too drained to keep such pain from her face, so she turned away from him. She was unable to see his scarred face, unable to look at it without feeling like she was going to fall apart, before they disappeared from the room and up the water fall away from the chaos.

As soon as they were gone. Iroh surrendered.

The three moved from the catacombs before finally breaking through the caves and tunnels and out into the open. The sky was dark now and stars littered the deep blue as fresh air, chilly, washed over them.

Freya instantly collapsed to the ground, her legs giving way, her hands catching her before she face planted, before she started sobbing. Her body wouldn't move and the aches and pains racking through her were immense, she didn't even know where half of it came from. Some of it she knew was emotional pain, but the physical reaction of her body made no sense. It was like she was struck with lightning and not Aang. Except she wasn't unconscious like he was. Her mind was reeling too much, trying to remind her this wasn't the time and trying to remind her to get up, Aang was more important. It was trying to make sense of the pain, and how to deal with it. But it's source could not be extinguished, could not be healed, as it was back in the catacombs, back down with Zuko. He really had disappointed her, broken her.

Katara looked at Freya sadly as she looked over Aang. The boy wasn't moving.

"Katara!" she looked up and Appa landed beside them.

"Sokka! It's Aang!" Katara said instantly

Sokka looked at the boy with worry.

"Quick, we need to get him out of here!" Sokka decided and he helped Katara move Aang onto the bison's head. Toph was already on the bison's back and so was the Earth King and his bear Bosco with Momo.

"Freya!" Sokka demanded. The girl, hearing his urgency and understanding she had to move, pushed against everything and pried herself to her feet. She managed to climb up onto the bison, slipping a few times in the feat.

"Y-Yip-yip." she stuttered out and Appa launched up. "K-Katara… the Oasis W-Water." Freya managed to say as she shook her head and wiped her face, trying to remove her tears and ignore the message signals being sent all through her body. It felt like her water and fire were fighting one another within her.

Katara laid Aang down on Appa and removed the vial from around her neck. A small amount of glowing water rose from the vial as she unstoppered it and began to circle itself in her hand. It glowed a bright blue and Katara lifted Aang up to put the water to the fresh stab wound in the middle of his back.

Sokka watched frowning in anticipation as Momo did the same from Toph's head and the Earth King waited for the outcome. Freya closed her eyes.

Please. Please. Please. she whispered to herself.

The water glowed all over Aang's back and over his wound, disappearing into the boy's skin. Freya felt like air rushed in through her body and half of the pain subsided. The paralysis she'd been fighting against vanished, and now she felt drowsy, like she was about to pass out. She pushed against it like she had the paralysis and turned to the two beside her. Katara clutched at Aang hopelessly as he didn't move.

The boy's arrow suddenly glowed and after a minute it stopped and he groaned in the younger girl's arms. Katara gasped and lifted Aang smiling in relief as his eyes opened slightly and he looked at her. Aang smiled and Freya felt ease move over her amongst all of her raging emotions. She and Katara shared a look as the younger girl's expression lit up with joy.

She pulled him into a hug in relief.

Freya nodded, releasing a shaky breath, and some of the pressure within her chest eased up.

"The Earth Kingdom… has fallen." the Earth King expressed helplessly. Sokka glanced at the man as Katara and Freya shared a look. The older girl turned to watch as Ba Sing Se fell behind them and she frowned, wincing.

Freya turned away as they crossed the outer wall and headed away from the great city. Zuko had made his choice, he had chosen his family and his Nation, and in doing so he betrayed the entire world, including his uncle, who had loved him so much and always been by his side.

He betrayed you as well. Another shot of pain went through Freya's chest.

Zuko made his choice, and in response, Aang had almost been lost to them.

He let you down. Freya closed her eyes and bit her lip. You had faith in him, you believed in him. And he chose to be against you.

If he hadn't helped Azula, Aang wouldn't have…

If you hadn't been busy with Zuko…

Freya shook her head.

She had trusted her instincts, and in the mean time, she'd almost lost her oldest and closest friend.

And in the mean time, you lost someone else you cared about as well.

Poor Freya. I know I felt heartache when I wrote it.

The next book won't be up until Thursday, it's the next time I'm home and able to upload the chapters and create the story.

Hang in there till Thursday!

Thanks for reading!