Zuko sat in a windowless room, two Dai Li agents guarding him, he sat there and in his mind, berated himself for letting such a small slip up cost him victory."

The door opened and Mai walked in, "leave us." She said to the agents, they swiftly walked out, closing the door.

"If you're here to question me, I have nothing to say." He said.

"Nothing to say? You're working against you're nation, aiding the avatar, and you have nothing to say?" she asked angrily.

"Nope.' He said, "If that's all, you can go."

"No, I want to know why? What made Zuko, the loyal crown prince, turn against his people."

"I'm not turning against my people." He said, "if anything, my father turned against his people, sending them like pigs to a slaughter, oppressing the people of the other nations, for what cause?"

Mai turned from him, "you really are a traitor." She muttered spitefully.

"Traitor to you, hero to them." He said. Noticing his Dao blades on her shoulders.

'Zuko…if you tell us everything we need to know…like where the scroll is…you could save yourself from being executed."

"Looks like your going to have to kill Me." he said, "Because I'm not betraying the avatar."

She glared at him, "don't you have any loyalty? Loyalty to the fire nation, loyalty to your family…loyalty to me…"

Zuko felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up, "we were never together Mai." He said.

"But we could have been, and now you're throwing it all away, and for what?"

"For my new family." He said strongly, "for the people who gave me a second chance after what I did. And for the woman who loved me enough to take me despite my past."

Mai stiffened, "what?" she asked, narrowing her eyes, "what woman?"

"My wife." He said evenly, not looking away from her, he had nothing to feel guilty about.

She stepped back, "so, you actually went and married an earth kingdom whore."

"Don't call her that." He growled.

Mai turned around, "guess you'll be executed, your precious whore won't have you around anymore, might have some fun with her."

Quick as a flash, Zuko had jumped up, quickly pulling his Dao blades off her back and putting the blades to her neck, "Don't. Call. Her that." He snarled.

Almost instantly the floor beneath him fell away, sending him sliding down an earthen tunnel as the Dai Li ran in, Mai looked downright murderous as she tossed the sheath for his Dao blade down the tunnel after him.

Zuko tumbled down the tunnel until he came to a stop in a room filled with green crystals, "Ow…" he groaned, and then grunted again as his sheath hit him in the back of the head.

"Smooth entrance spirit." Katara said, making Zuko sit up, Katara was leaning against one of the crystals, her arms crossed.

"How long have you been here?" he asked.

"A few hours…how'd you get your Dao blades back?"

"Stole them back from Mai, would've made it out, if it weren't for Dai Li agents who sent me down the rock slide of hell." He put his swords in the sheath and the sheath on his back, "now, how do we get out of here

UUUUUUUUUUUUUu

Uncle kicked back the second Dai Li agent for what seemed like the hundredth time, his entire tea shop was a battle zone, Dai Li agents were fighting a few earth bending peacekeepers, and were trying to gain custody of him, "Jin! Are you alright?" he shouted to the back."

"I'm fine!" Jin said, slamming a pan down on top of a Dai Li agent.

"We need to get out of here, find Zuko and the others!"

A blast of air filled the room, sending several Dai Li agents flying, Aang ran in, Toph and Sokka beside him, "Uncle!" Aang exclaimed.

"Avatar, it is good you came, we were almost overrun." Iroh said.

"Do you know where Katara and Zuko are?" Aang asked urgently, "Longshot's injured."

"No…last we heard they were going to the earth kings palace, it is possible they are there."

"That's bad." Sokka said, "The palace is overrun."

"Oh no…" Jin whispered, covering her mouth.

'Bring Longshot in here." Iroh said, "and I'll see what I can do."

Sokka ran outside and back onto Appa, hoisting the injured Longshot out of the saddle and down into the teashop, as he laid him down, Iroh stepped forward, "It would benefit you to find Lady Katara, he is very injured," he put two fingers to the wound on his leg, cauterizing it with a quick, white hot flame, making Longshot scream in pain, the peacekeepers turned to Iroh, ready to throw boulders at him in a moments notice.

"He's a friend." Aang said shortly to the peacekeepers, "let him help."

"Thank you." Iroh said to Aang and continued to cauterize the wounds, "if they are indeed captured, we need to find out where they're being kept.

"Easy." Toph said, turning to a Dai Li agent trying to crawl away, catching him in-between two pillars of earth, "where do they take the prisoners?" she asked, 'and I can tell if you're lying so don't try."

He hesitated, "t-they might be in the crystal catacombs, in the ruins of old Ba Sing Se."

"What about the earth king?" Sokka asked.

"He's being held hostage in his room.'

Aang looked at his two companions, "Iroh…can you come with us?" he asked.

"Yes, I will go with you, Jin," he turned to his Niece-in-law, "take care of Longshot, we will return as soon as we can."

"Of course." Jin said, walking over to Longshot with gauze to wrap his wounds, she looked at Aang, 'please avatar…bring Zuko back to me."

"I'll do my best Jin Jin," he said with a smile, then looked at the peacekeepers, "get to the barracks, help the Generals."

"Of course avatar!" the lead peacekeeper shouted, and soon the small contingent of guards ran off, two staying behind to guard Jin.

JJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJ

Jet slammed his hook swords into a Dai Li agents back, kicking him away, the grounds around the barracks was a battle zone, Earth kingdom soldiers, against the Dai Li elite, the two were fighting ferociously, inflicting terrible casualties against each other. Jet and his team could barely keep up. "Smellerbee!" Jet shouted, "I want you to grab the duke and Pipsqueak and get out of here!"

"But what about you?" she asked, ducking as a boulder flew over his head.

"I'll be fine, just get out of here!" Jet ran into the thick of it again, swinging his hook swords left and right, ducking and dodging boulders, at one point he was beside General How.

"You should leave boy!" How shouted, "this is getting rough, go find your friends.'

"I already sent them off!" Jet said, "I won't leave til the avatar tells me to go."

How smirked, "courageous lad aren't you? if we weren't in war I'd try and recruit you as an officer."

Jet grinned, "Maybe after this hell hole General." He said, suddenly, the general was thrown across the field, "General How!" he shouted, dodging at the last second as Groop brought his hammer down where he was mere seconds before.

Groop had never been a smart man, even before he had received a head injury he had struggled to comprehend what many people said to him, that's why when Stryker had picked him up Groop was happy, because the rag tag group of Mercenaries didn't care that he couldn't talk, or that he couldn't understand their more complicated plans. Reever and Gin had even tried to help him with his problems, for once in his life Groop was happy, but it had changed when that archer had killed Reever, and the boy had smashed Gin's head in, now Groop could only think of one thing as he continued to attack the boy was Revenge.

"You kill Reev and Gin!" he snarled, slamming his Hammer into the ground where jet had jumped away from, "I'll smash you dead!"

"Great, does anyone like me today?" Jet shouted angrily, jumping away again as Groop threw his hammer.

How got up off the ground, "I hate that man." He growled, encasing his hands in stone, he ran forward and punched Groop down, "Fight me you brute from hell!"

"Fight not with earthman." Groop growled, swinging his fist at How, who met it with his own, "Fight with boy who killed friends!"

"This is war boy." How snarled in his face, "if you weren't prepared to lose friends then you will lose!" kicking Groop in the chest and sending the hulking brute tumbling down the slope, How in pursuit, "boy! Leave!" he shouted at Jet, "I'll handle this man!"

"For once I'm not going to disagree general." Jet said, making a break for the city, where his team had gone.

Groop stood up, anger evident in his scarred face, he looked around and grabbed broken chains from the ground and wrapped them around his knuckles, he glared at How as the man stopped in front of him, "No magic earth moving." He growled, "fight with fists!"

How grinned, "come face me then!"

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Stryker lounged on the earth kings throne, watching Azula pace angrily.

"They still can't find the damn scroll." She muttered, "That has vital information…"

'Not so vital if the earth kingdom falls." Stryker drawled, "Without the Earth Kings armies, they won't be able to do much against Caldera."

"I know…but it irks me that my own brother has thwarted me again."

"He's got determination, I'll give him that." Stryker said, jumping out of the seat, "he was out of practice, and yet he still managed to keep up with me for over 45 minutes, longer then most."

"Determination's all he has." She said.

"Don't be so sure." He said, "he's also got stubbornness and a cause, according to your friend Mai he has a wife."

"Hmmph, don't remind me." she muttered, "out of all the things he could've done while in banishment, he gets a wife, why? Why does he get to play house with some earth kingdom peasant like he has no responsibilities, no war to win no-"

"Sounds to me like you're jealous." Stryker said with a smirk, leaning against the wall.

"Pfft, what? Me? Jealous of him? As if." She said, trying to brush it off.

"Normally you're pretty good at lying, but that was just pathetic." He said, earning him a punch to the shoulder.

"Shut up." She grumbled.

""Relax princess, if you want to play house, I'm sure I can play the part pretty well." He said, throwing an arm around her.

"Hmmph, like I'd want someone who reeks like alcohol and cigarettes." She said, pushing his arm off her.

"I do not smell like alcohol." He said defensively, "cigarettes maybe, but not alcohol."

Azula shook her head. "Why don't you go do something productive, like finding that scroll!"

He shrugged, "alright princess, whatever you wish." He said.

Suddenly two Dai Li agents ran in, "Princess Azula! Two of the avatars companions have rescued the earth king!" one shouted.

"We have word that the Avatar is currently burrowing down to the crystal catacombs!" the other shouted.

"Well, never a dull moment here huh?" Stryker said with a grin, taking a coin out, "heads or tails, heads you go get the earth king and I go fight the avatar, tails you go fight the avatar I go get the earth king."

As he flipped it, Azula caught it in mid air, "or our third option, we both go after the avatar, he's the more pressing matter."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Aang looked around the crystal catacombs in awe, "wow…" he breathed.

"Yes, it is a marvelous sight." Iroh agreed with a smile, "Now, lets go find my nephew!"

Just as he said this, he heard an explosion, 'what the…" Aang started looking over at a wall where Zuko had tried to use lightning to destroy it, resulting in an explosive failure.

"Ow…" Zuko groaned, Katara watching him in concern.

"Katara!" Aang shouted happily, running over to her.

"Aang!" Katara said, throwing her arms around him.

"Hey uncle." Zuko mumbled as Iroh helped him up, "did it work?"

"Kinda…but I think you need more practice." Iroh said, "Now, we need to get out of here."

"You aren't going anywhere." Azula's voice growled, suddenly, fire spewed out of the opening Zuko had created, forcing them to jump away, Azula walked in, Stryker beside her, his hands on his swords, two Dai li agents jumped out and threw their hands up, catching uncle in crystal restraints.

"Uncle!" Zuko shouted, running towards him, only to be driven back by Stryker.

"Sorry your airness." He said, "to get to him you have to get to me, and I'm not going to let you off easy this time."

Zuko glared at him and pulled his swords out, "fine by me!" he snarled, charging forward.

Aang dodged fireballs from Azula, throwing boulders and streams of water back at her, "you're not getting away this time!" Azula snarled.

Katara battled the Dai Li, doing her best to keep them away from Aang and Zuko.

Zuko kicked Stryker back into the crystals, keeping him on the Defensive as much as he could.

"Huh, you're far more chatty this time." Stryker said, dodging his attacks, "not even letting me get a word in edge wise."

"Last time I did I lost." Zuko muttered, stabbing at Strykers chest, the young swordsman ducked and swung both swords towards Zuko's waist, Zuko jumped up and hit the swords out of Strykers hands, "you lost." He said.

"Did I now?" Stryker asked, drawing the Odachi on his back and attacking again, this time Zuko grunted under the force of the large two handed weapon, Strykers reach had basically doubled and his attacks more powerful. "Dao Blades are great for close quarters, but on the field, when your enemy has a long sword, you're basically fucked!" Stryker shouted, bringing the Odachi down and cutting Zuko across the chest, Zuko fell with a scream, his blades clattering on the ground.

"ZUKO!" Katara shouted, running towards him.

Aang looked over, "No…Zuko…" he whispered. He looked around and saw more Dai Li agents coming in, he took a deep breath and brought crystals around him to protect himself, he meditated, trying to let go of all his attachments to achieve the avatar state, just as the Guru taught him, soon his eyes flung open and he rose into the air, the avatar state achieved. It was short lived as Azula shot him down with lightning.

"NO!" Katara screamed, looking between Zuko and Aang, Stryker creeping towards her.

Her choice was made for her when Zuko jumped on his back and threw him to the ground, "Go grab Aang!" Zuko shouted, picking up his Dao Blades again, this time allowing fire to creep onto the blades, he drove Stryker back. Azula took aim and threw more lightning, this time at her brother; Zuko caught it in one sword and shot it out the other, catching Stryker in the chest.

"Stryker!" Azula screamed, running over to him, Zuko staggered back and ran over to where Katara held Aang, Uncle was holding off the Dai Li, "all of you need to go! I'll hold them off as long as I can!"

GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG

Sokka watched as his sister attempted to heal Aang, he looked over at Zuko, who was bandaged up and currently resting his head in Jin's lap, "where's the freedom fighters?" Sokka asked.

"Jet said he and the others will meet us at Chameleon bay." Katara said softly, "General How and General Sung escaped Ba Sing Se…the city's still in civil war…"

"It's gonna be like that for a while." Sokka said, "Until Azula brings those walls down…"

"We lost today…" Toph mumbled, 'Zuko's injured, Aang's unconscious, and we're scattered…"

"Things could be worse." Sokka said, "The fire nation could no about our attack, Zuko made sure that they wouldn't know."

"He hid the scroll, they'll find it sooner or later." Toph muttered.

"No…he burned it."

Katara nodded, "he was so high up, they didn't see the flare." She said, "so we still have surprise on our side."