Dao and the Freedom Fighters

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟔 - 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞

Third Person POV:

Aang landed at the front of the palace, carefully releasing Dao, who had his mask and hood on, before snapping his glider shut. He shot a blast of air at the palace doors, opening to what he was expecting to be soldiers. However, the moment the dust settled, there wasn't a person in sight. 

Dao ran in ahead of Aang, almost as if he knew where he was going. Aang followed closely behind, not wanting to lose track of the youngest Freedom Fighter- he really didn't need Jet coming after him once they stopped the Firelord. Dao continued leading Aang through the empty halls of the palace.

It was kinda eerie with just how empty and quiet it was. Aang had expected to at least see one or two people lingering somewhere in the palace, but there wasn't even that. It was almost like everyone had vanished.

Eventually, they came around to an odd corner with an uneven patch sticking out of the wall. Dao stabbed one of his swords into the wall beside that odd panel and popped it open revealing a secret tunnel below the palace.

Dao turned back to him. "Follow me, I think I know where the Firelord's hiding."

Before Aang could even answer, Dao took off down the staircase with a small flame in hand. Aang ignited his own flame to chase after the young Freedom Fighter. 

Once they reached the bottom of the staircase, Dao continued leading the way through the dimly lit tunnels. Aang ran beside him, feeling through the earth for wherever the Firelord could be hiding. He could feel so many heartbeats around him, and so many of them were so afraid. They were afraid of him and what he could do to them.

In Aang's moment of distraction, Dao had nearly gotten around the next corner. Aang sped up and followed Dao around the corner. Dao had a sword pointed at some older, official looking guy, who pointed down the neighboring hall with a trembling hand. Dao took off before Aang even reached them.

"Sorry," Aang shouted as he ran past the terrified official guy and followed after Dao.

They ran down a secluded hall towards another almost hidden door. Aang could feel three people in the room. One of them had to be the Firelord! Aang turned to Dao, who was very much ready for the fight that was about to go down, and while Aang was sure that he'd be fine, he couldn't risk the young boy getting hurt just because he let him fight the Firelord .

"Dao," Aang said, putting a hand on his shoulder to get the older boy's attention, "I need you to stay out here." 

"I can help you!"

"I know, but I promised Jet you wouldn't get hurt and I think fighting the Firelord is pretty dangerous."

"But you're gonna fight the Firelord, why can't I?"

Dao had a point. Aang really wasn't that much older than Dao and he was expected to defeat this all powerful firebender. But still, Aang had to do this, Dao had a choice. He didn't have to risk his life for the world. Aang wasn't going to let him.

So he came up with a good distraction to convince Dao to not go fight the Firelord.

"Because I need a lookout. I can't be getting interrupted while having this super important meeting with the Firelord."

Luckily that seemed to be enough to convince Dao to stay. He drew his swords and shimmied his way into a gap in the wall, right next to the door. Once he was hidden away from any prying eyes, Aang took a deep before blasting the door open.

Inside sat a man on a raised portion of the ground. The curtain to the left of him was swinging as if someone had just run out. Hadn't there been three people in here? The man sat with his eyes closed, almost in a meditative sort of way. But Aang suspected differently. He could feel the nervousness in the man's heartbeat.

Could he be the Firelord? But that didn't make any sense; he was pretty sure that the Firelord was a woman, so he honestly had no idea who this guy was. However, he was probably the best bet for actually finding the real Firelord.

"Um, hello?" The man's eyes glared at Aang the moment they opened, "I'm looking for the Firelord. If you could just point me in her direction, I promise I'll leave you alone."

"I'm not letting you anywhere near her," the man said, his voice almost like ice. Aang was positive this guy was ready for a fight, but really, if he could get through this without actually fighting anyone, that's what he'd want to do.

"I don't want to fight. I just want to talk to her."

"You invaded our home, I believe we're well past the point of discussion." Without another word the man moved to attack.

Aang had to give himself an extra blast of air in order to avoid the man's sword. He tried to trip the man up with his staff or by bending the earth around his feet, but he was too fast. He managed to dodge all of Aang's obstacles. He had to admit, this guy was quite the opponent and at any other time Aang would draw out their battle to see what would happen.

Aang had to work quicker. He needed to find the Firelord before the eclipse was over and right now he was wasting time fighting someone who he really didn't even know if they had any connections to the Firelord. 

Finally he saw an opportunity; with a rapid succession of air, earth, and water, Aang finally managed to trip up the man. He had his glider pressed against the man's throat less than a second after.

"Please, just tell me where the Firelord is. I don't want to hurt you, but I will if I have to."

The man was back to glaring at Aang. "I'm not letting you anywhere near my wife."

Before Aang knew it, he was tripping back further and further towards the door he'd come through as the man stuck again and again. With a slash of his sword that narrowly missed Aang, he fell backwards onto the ground. Then the man's hand came alight with flames.

The eclipse was over. They'd lost.

Before the man could land the killing blow, he was stopped by a small flurry of blades. The man lifted his own sword to defend himself from Dao's attack. However, Dao's defensiveness fell the second he actually got a look at the man. His swords dropped to the ground in favor of staring at the man.

"Dad?"

The man stared at Dao in confusion for only a moment, but then something seemed to click. His sword lowered immediately.

"Zuko?"