Charred //ZUTARA

Chapter 40 - ''I think you came back for me.''

A group of Fire Sages bowed as they dissembled from the saddle. A mighty roar from Appa sounded through them but neither backed away as the Avatar waved his hand. Katara kept to herself, a short distance behind him as he greeted the firebenders. 

She was truly amazed by how this group, replaced long ago by Zuko himself, truly shared Shyu's values. She remembered the Great Sage, how we helped the Team Avatar to find Roku. As he shook Aang's hand, she knew his loyalty back then and now was never feigned. 

The Fire Sages would always serve the Avatar first. 

However unfair that was to the current Fire Lord, considering the kindness and generosity he ruled with, it made her chest tumble with warmness. 

''Avatar Aang, we are truly delighted we can share this astonishing moment with you,'' Shyu said with a wide smile on his face. He pointed to the high Temple behind him. ''All our resources are yours. Please, make yourself feel at home.''

Katara looked up at the sky reaching building. It has many windows, all tainted with various mosaics on them. The ruby bricks reflected wonderfully in the Sunlight, even if the hard rocks around it made it seem harsh. The Fire Nation's emblem at the very top swayed to the strong wind. 

The waterbender stepped in, on Aang's left side. She grabbed his hand and he glared at her. Neither said a word but they both grinned as the promise of better tomorrow stretched in the air. 

''Thank you, Shyu,'' the Avatar tilted his head. ''I'd like to start by reading the journals first. Perhaps we'd be able to find something that you missed.''

''No offence,'' Katara chuckled lightly. The firebender seemed anything but that as he nodded his head, leading the way into the Temple. She watched Aang's face as they entered it, the lanterns lit throughout long corridors, the painting of other Sages hang on the scarlet walls. She put her voice down to a whisper. ''Where is Sokka?''

''He is probably still with the Earth King, overseeing the army that he's brought with him,'' the airbender shrugged.

She halted to a stop. ''What?''

He turned to her, Shyu a healthy distance in front of them. His brow rose. ''You didn't think I'd be leading this mission unprepared, did you?''

''Why would you need a whole army of the earthbenders to find few Air Nomads?'' Katara questioned. It didn't make sense to her to go to such lengths considering not many of the airbenders would've survived over the past hundred years. Even if they were forced to multiply. ''Aang, that does not sound reasonable...''

''It's just a precaution,'' the Avatar resumed his walk. ''In case something goes wrong.''

She's wanted to ask more, gather more information. If the whole army was here, then surely they'd be noticed at some point by the Fire Nation's own guards. They could take it as an offence, entering their nation without the permission. An act of war, even.

But she was silenced before she could ever voice her concerns as Shyu opened the door to his right. She would never even guess it was the entrance as it was made out of bricks, only a small handle barely visible. 

The room they came into was small. It had a wooden desk next to a wall and various scrolls scattered across it. Some papers laid on the stone floor, many quills around them. The smell of dust was overwhelming, as if the chamber hasn't been opened for a long time. 

It had to be it. The secret room that the Sages discovered by accident.

''As you can see,'' Shyu spoke quietly. ''We went through everything already. We could not find anything on where the Air Nomads are being kept.''