19 Chapter 19

Historically the actions they were credited for seemed suspiciously to Tanya like attempts to curtail humanities attempts to make industrial progress.

And why wouldn't they: after all her first world was evidence enough that as science and industry grew, the need to worship spirits or other such beings as gods plummeted.

...

Tanya considered herself smart enough to not buy into the majority of Fire Nation propaganda, but she had to admit that, from a purely logical standpoint, the Fire Nation's reasoning for starting this war as a means of 'sharing their prosperity with the world' wasn't inaccurate.

The Fire Nation was easily the most technologically advanced nation in the world, and were already spreading their technology into their colonised territories.

When they did win the war, the world would definitely enter a new era of scientific progress. It would have been preferable if this technology had been spread through diplomacy and trade rather than murder, but Tanya had been born a hundred years to late to do anything about that.

The war had gone on too long to end with anything but the Fire Nation's overwhelming victory of crushing defeat by now; peace was too distant a memory for all but a handful of the elderly to remember. In a world unified by the Fire Nation, the spirits would lose their grip on the faith of the masses in a couple of generations.

No wonder then that they would send The Avatar, their great champion, to oppose the Fire Nation. Send their cosmic-powered living superweapon into the fray, and if he managed to succeed not only would humanity be fractured into a handful of squabbling factions once again, but all nations would remember to fear the power of the spirits.

If Avatar Roku did have some sneaky trick up his sleeve that might help his new incarnation defeat Ozai, then it was a matter of national priority to stop their meeting from happening.

"Why come here? Where in this temple would The Avatar be able to contact Roku?" Tanya demanded.

"There is a statue of Roku in a hidden shrine deep within the temple: a place where the boundary between this world and the spirit world is thinner than usual.

In just a few minutes, the peak of the winter solstice will begin, and at that point the connection this temple shares to the spirit world will be at its strongest. If The Avatar enters the shrine it would be easier than ever for him to contact Roku." Rafike hurriedly explained.

Tanya's glare redoubled in intensity. "That's it? Then why haven't you set guards outside this shrine?"

"The shrine is protected by a great door. It would take a fully realised Avatar, or five master firebenders working together to open it."

"And what about the walls?" Tanya spat back, tapping her foot against the distinctly stone floor for emphasis. "We're in a volcano, which is made of earth, and the Avatar is capable of learning earthbending. What's to stop him from carving a tunnel around the door?"

"I... uhh…" Rafike began sweating profusely. "We hadn't considered that."

"Then pray for your sake that The Avatar hasn't either." Tanya snarled, striding forwards further into the temple. "Bring your strongest men and lead me to this shrine! You're all under my command now!"

...

The further down into the volcano they walked, the hotter the air became. Tanya shot wary glances at the streams of running lava they passed by, wondering how the plans for this building ever made it past health and safety, when suddenly a loud bang echoed out from up ahead. Without needing a command, Tanya and the sages raced forward.

Before long the huge doors of the shrine, locked by some complicated looking maze of pipes stylised to look like serpentine dragons, loomed before them, and Tanya was surprised to find a fire sage already waiting for them.

"Come quickly!" The sage called. "The Avatar has entered the sanctuary!"

Immediately the sages rushed forwards to investigate. "How did he get in?" Rafike asked.

"I don't know. But look at the scorch marks! And down there!"

Tanya cast a critical eye over the doors. There was indeed a fresh layer of blackened ash where fire had incinerated the coating of dust that lingered on the ancient doors. Not only that, but a shadow could be seen moving around underneath the doors. Something was moving around inside.

"The solstice hasn't reached us yet. There's still time." Tanya announced, striking a firebending stance. "With me! We'll open these doors and drag him out!"

The other sages formed ranks around her, and as one all punched forward, unleashing powerful yet controlled jets of flames into each of the pipes on the doors intricate locking mechanism. With a heavy rumble the locks began to turn and clang, ancient gears twisting for the first time in decades, as the door swung open…

To reveal a monkey-lemur.

For a second Tanya's brain whirled to a complete halt as she tried to process what she was seeing. Was it a coincidence? No, it couldn't be! How could she have been so blind?

Zuko had told her that The Avatar travelled with a pet monkey-lemur, and only a few days ago she'd received that report about a monkey-lemur seen earthbending! That could only mean one thing!

"The Avatar's lemur can earthbend!" She gasped, horrified at the implications of this discovery. "He must have used it to dig a tunnel around the door!"

"Umm… actually, I think it must have just crawled in through the pipes." One of the sages replied.

Oh. Yeah, that would make more sense actually. Wait… but that would mean… "We've been tricked! Ambush!"

Yet it was too late. Before the words had even left her lips, the unmistakable sound of a commotion stirred behind her. The fire sage who'd called them over was restraining Rafike, while young teenagers from the water tribe had emerged from behind the nearby pillars to restrain the other three.

Tanya's feet shifted into a new position, preparing to fire precise bolts of flames at the ambusher's faces, when a blur of white fur suddenly struck her directly in the face.

"GET OFF ME!" She yelled, her voice muffled by the body of the monkey-lemur that'd attached itself to her face. As she thrashed around, trying to break the lemur's unexpectedly strong grip on her hair, she heard a girl's voice shout.

"NOW AANG!" The Avatar was going to slip in through the doors she had opened for him! She couldn't let that happen, but neither could she see anything with this fucking lemur in her face!

Yet there was no gust of air whooshing by as The Avatar seized the opportunity. No hurried footsteps as he sprinted past. "Aang? Now's your chance!" The girl's voice called out again in confusion.

Then came another unexpected voice. A familiar, half raspy tone that Tanya wasn't sure if she was glad to hear right now.

"The Avatar is coming with me!"

Zuko! He'd caught up already?! Seemed that the prince had learned to work quickly under pressure. Finally able to get a grasp on the monkey-lemur's tail, Tanya ripped the filthy pest off her face and let it dangle in the air. Around her the other sages were able to turn the tables in their ambushers and twist them into holds of their own.

"Close the doors, quickly!"

The other sages froze, and looked to her for instructions as Zuko said those words. Tanya glanced over at the banished prince, who had indeed been able to grapple The Avatar into a double arm lock.

For a moment her fresh anger from earlier returned, causing spiteful thoughts to surface in her mind. It would be but the work of a moment to subdue Zuko, await Zhao's arrival and claim the glory of capturing The Avatar for themselves. Yet just as soon as they came Tanya banished those thoughts, determined not to let personal feelings get in the way of duty.

They had their victory: any infighting now would only create opportunities for The Avatar to slip away. Let Zuko take the credit for the capture and regain his birthright.

She would still receive some acclaim for assisting. Besides, she had the monkey-lemur. She was going to enjoy cooking the little pest after the humiliation it put her through.

"Very well" She replied, nodding to the sages. Close it.

One of the sages pulled a length of chain out from under his robes (and Tanya did not want to think about why he'd thought to keep those there) and began to fasten the two water tribe kids to a pillar, while another began to close the door.

Tanya, meanwhile, looked down at the monkey-lemur, and an evil grin spread across her face as she conjured a ball of fire above her other hand.

"Now then, let's find out what roast lemur tastes like."

...

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