Bella [AANGXOC]

Chapter 57: The Cave Of Two Lovers

"Duck!" Aang yelled to us, Appa was swaying back and forth trying to dodge the fire blasts being shot our way. One huge hot one flew right over our heads. "Ok ok I'm done with this, we're going back!" I yelled and judging by the ear bleeding screams coming from all of us they agreed. Appa turned around so we could go back to the nice lake surrounded by trees, and Chong.

It became clear once we landed back at the lake that we had ash covering our faces and clothes.

We walked over to where Chong and his friends were hanging out, "Secret love cave. Let's go." Sokka mumbled to them. They sprang up, strummed their instruments and led us towards the mountain that seperated Omashu from us.

The sun was hot and it was beating down on my black hair. That and my pack kept sliding down my back due to the sweat were both making me uncomfortable. "How close are we to the tunnel?" I asked Chong.

"Actually, it's not just one tunnel. The lovers didn't want anyone to find out about their love, so they built a whole labyrinth." Chong replied loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Labyrinth!?" Sokka scream asked.

"I'm sure we'll figure it out." Chong replied in the same calm tone he had been using the whole time.

We continued walking, "All you need to do is trust in love, according to the curse." Lily said.

"Curse!?" Sokka scream asked again.

The walk didn't last long after that, we walked towards an opening in the mountain, it had vines growing down the top of it and it was about 20 people high.

"Hey, hey we're here!" Chong yelled into the cave and it echoed.

Maybe this isn't safe.

"What exactly is this curse...?" Sokka asked Chong carefully.

"The curse says that only those who trust in love can make it through the caves. Otherwise, you'll be trapped in them forever." Chong explained, again, very calmly.

"And die." His wife added.

"Oh yeah, and die. Hey I just remembered the rest of the song. And dieeeee." Chong sang for us again.

"That's it!" There's no way we're going in some cursed hole!" Sokka yelled.

"Sokka we already tried our other option." I reminded him.

A moment of silence.

"Hey look someones building a campfire!" One of Chong's friends pointed cheerfully to the smoke coming from over the hill

"That's no campfire Moku." Katara corrected him.

I guess everyone knows names but me.

"That's fire nation, they're tracking us." Sokka finished her thought.

Another moment of silent contemplation.

The smoke was thick and dark and moving in this direction. "So all you need is to trust in love to get through these caves." Aang asked Chong but my eyes were frozen to the smoke. We aren't gonna have enough time to keep deciding on this. We have to choose something or we're toast. "We can make it." Aang spoke.

The smoke was getting closer, just right around the corner.

"Everyone into the hole!" Sokka yelled at us and we gladly followed him.

Once we made our way in I turned around to check the smoke again, and to my horror I saw tanks shooting chains up at the tunnel gate, they were closing us in. "Guys look!" I yelled but they didn't look in time to stop them and the gate closed in.