-Maya's Point of View-

After a few hours of continuous flight, we finally arrived at the island that Aang was talking about.

"There it is! The Island where Roku's dragon took me," he said. On the way there, Aang mentioned that the spirit who helped him calm Hei Bai down and the one who told him the way to contact Roku was Roku's animal guide which was a dragon. 

Then that would mean that we didn't meet the same spirit while we were in the spirit world. Wait, could it be that the spirit tying Aang with his past lives is that dragon? Is that even possible? Or Am I just talking nonsense? 

Anyway, what's important now is that we're here and that we are able to reach the temple before sunset. Actually, it's already the break of dusk. The sky has already turned pinkish due to the setting sun but we still have enough time before darkness comes. 

We landed on a rocky surface just a hundred meters away from the temple. We wanted to keep Appa here for we can't really take him with us inside. Besides, this was the only spot on the island where there was no lava flowing around and the ground is cool enough to stay in. 

Did I forget to mention that there's a very active volcano in the heart of this island? Yes, there is. The volcano was oozing with lava and it won't stop flowing. This is seriously the opposite of the south pole. I don't think I'd get used to any of this.

"You did it buddy... Nice flying." Aang said to Appa while hugging his big fluffy head. Appa then let out a growl while laying down on its back. Katara then went to him and rubbed the bison's belly. 

"Aww... you must be tired," Katara said while comforting the bison. He probably is tired. He did most of the work to get us here. Imagine being ridden on by four people and having to dodge fireballs... Geez, that's a tough job. 

"No! I'm good! refreshed and ready to fight some fire benders." Sokka suddenly said while doing a stretch and warming up his body. "I was talking to Appa..." Katara said to him. 

Sokka suddenly stopped moving and then he looked at Katara, "Well... I was talking to Maya and Momo." Sokka replied back while pointing at me and Momo. I looked at him with one brow raised. "Yeah right..." I said to him.

I looked away from Sokka and panned my vision to the temple. There was a long path all the way up there that we still have to take to get in. I'm not really that tired and it's a ramp anyways so I don't think we'll exhaust ourselves on the way up.

I continued looking at the temple, wondering about what was inside it. Suddenly I remembered what Ta Min told me. 

"If you went back to the fire nation, not only will you be able to help the Avatar save the lives of many, but you'll also be able to save your father."

How did she even know who my father is? Is that a thing between past lives? Are they aware of your life? Who is my father even and why does he need saving? 

Why do I need to leave Aang and the others so that I could help? Where would I even go? UGH! Everything is just so confusing! Who am I? Who was my mother before going to the south pole? Who is my father? 

"Is there a problem Maya?" Katara suddenly asked as she placed a hand on my shoulder. When I heard her, I suddenly realized that I was staring into thin air with my brows crossed. I quickly changed my expression and looked back at her. 

"You were so deep into your thoughts. What are you thinking about?" Katara asked once more. I looked at her for a few short seconds before finally answering, "Nothing I just... It just makes me feel uncomfortable knowing that I'm a fire nation native... I just..." I said but then I wasn't able to finish it because I don't know what to say anymore. I just let out a big sigh while looking away.

"Just remember Maya that you are not like them. We know you, you will never betray us nor leave us for them right?" Sokka suddenly said from behind us. 

I can't help but feel guilty and worried. Now I'll never really be able to tell them that I have to leave! This is so frustrating. 

I faked a smile and replied to Sokka, "Yeah... I won't." 

"Enough talk about me, let's get to that temple before the sun sets. We need to get you to Roku, Aang. Now let's go." I said filled with energy. 

I'm sorry but I think I'm gonna have to keep everything about me to myself. There's a lot of things going on with Aang and I want everyone to focus on that. I'll deal with my own problems alone. 

---------------------------------------------------------

-Zuko's Point of View-

"What's he up to uncle?! Why didn't Commander Zhao arrest me?!" I asked my uncle while clenching my fist on the ship's rails.

I just don't get it. We were so easy to be caught at that time. Our ship was already damaged after it got hit by a fireball, and we were actually on a collision course with his ship! But just as we got close enough, the ship's engines stopped and Zhao did nothing. He just let us pass while glaring down at us.

"I don't get it! What is he planning to do?!" I yelled as I pound the steel railing. "Maybe it's because he wants to follow you. He knows you'll lead him to the prize you're both after— the Avatar." Uncle suddenly said. 

I see... So capturing the Avatar is given much more importance than apprehending the banished prince. 

I looked back at the damaged engine of the ship that was releasing a cloud of thick black smoke. "If Zhao wants to follow our trail of smoke, then that's exactly what I'll let him do," I said and then I faced my uncle. 

"I'm gonna have to go and catch up on the Avatar alone. I want you to stay here on the ship and lead Zhao to a different location." I told him. Uncle looked at me with his eyes filled with worry. "Alright, but promise me you'll be safe," he said and then he patted my back. I smiled back at him and then I went down to the ship's storage.

"Guards! Ready the boat. I'm heading out!" I yelled. "Yes, Prince Zuko." one of the guards replied.

After a few minutes of preparing, we placed the boat on the ship's ramp and went a different path from the main ship.

"Uncle, keep heading north. Zhao will follow the smoke trail while I use it as a cover. And also, try to find a repair dock that could help fix the ship. This way everyone would be assured of safety." I said and then I left.

Zhao will never take my prize away. I won't let him or anyone else catch the Avatar. He's mine to capture.

---------------------------------------------------------

-Maya's Point of View-

We arrived at the temple's entrance and it seemed like it's been abandoned. 

"I don't see any guards," Sokka said. "They probably abandoned it when Avatar Roku died" I replied.

"It's almost sundown, we better hurry!" Aang exclaimed and then he ran towards the temple's door. 

We entered the temple and slowly and quietly we tried to sneak our way up to Roku's room, when suddenly, "Wait! I think I heard something." Sokka suddenly said making us stop. 

We all looked behind us and there we saw five old men in fire nation outfits. "We are the fire sages. Guardians of the temple of the Avatar." the one in the middle said. 

Aang walked three steps forward and said, "Great! I am the Avatar." The old man then replied, "We know..." and then he blasted fire toward us.

Aang quickly defended it with his air bending and then yelled, "I'll hold them off! Run!" 

Sokka, Katara, Momo, and I hurriedly ran towards the temple's halls trying to find a way to get away from them. 

"WAIT GUYS! WHERE ARE WE GOING?!" I asked while running. "JUST RUN!" Sokka replied. We then met up with Aang at an intersection and then he said, "Follow me!" Sokka then asked him, "Do you know where you're going?" to which Aang confidently replied, "Nope!"

We saw him turn to a corner and hurried to follow him when he suddenly came back and shouted, "Wrong way!" and ran in a different direction, we suddenly heard footsteps from where Aang came from and it was one of the old sages. We hurriedly ran away from him and followed Aang once more. 

"Come back!" The old sage shouted. 

We followed Aang through the hallways only for us to end up at a dead end. "GREAT! We're toast! Literally." I said. 

The old sage has caught up on us and he stood in front of us. We looked at him filled with fear as we all took a step back. 

"I don't want to fight you. I am a friend." he calmly said. Well, that was unexpected...

"Fire nation aren't our friends!" Sokka contradicted. "Hey!" I shouted. "Well... Not all," he added. 

The old sage suddenly knelt down in front of Aang and said, "I know why you're here Avatar." to which Aang replied with a question, "You do?"

"Yes. You wish to speak to Avatar Roku. I can take you to him." the old sage answered. "How?" Aang asked once more. 

The old sage suddenly turned the fire lamp attached to the wall, revealing a small hole. He fire bent onto it and suddenly a secret door opened. 

"This way," he said. All of us were looking at him filled with disbelief when we suddenly heard the other sages getting closer. 

"Time is running out! Quickly!" the old sage pleaded. Aang looked at Katara as if asking for permission and then they both nodded their heads. The two looked at me and Sokka and then we followed the sage into the secret path. 

Once we all got inside, the old sage hurriedly closed the door. "Follow me," he said and so we did.

To break the silence between all of us, the sage suddenly said, "I am Xia Yu, one of the sages here in Avatar Roku's temple."

Nobody replied to what he said so he continued talking.

"Avatar Roku once called this temple home. He formed these secret passages out of the magma." Xia Yu explained as we walk through the secret passages. 

The place was just inches away from a flowing river of magma, and to tell you the truth, it's not very cool down here. 

"Do you know Avatar Roku?" Aang asked. "No, but my grandfather knew him." Xia Yu answered. "Many generations of fire sages guarded this temple long before me. We all have a strong spiritual connection to this place," he added. 

"Is that how you knew I was coming?" Aang asked. "A few weeks ago, an amazing thing occurred. The statue of Avatar Roku, its eyes began to glow." Xia Yu replied. "That's when we were at the air temple! Avatar Roku's eyes were glowing there too!" Katara interrupted. "At that moment, we knew you had returned to the world." Xia Yu continued. 

"If this is the Avatar's temple, why did the sages attack me?" Aang asked another question. "Things have changed. In the past, the sages were loyal only to the Avatar. When Roku died, the sages eagerly awaited for the next Avatar to return, but he never came." Xia Yu answered. 

"They were waiting for me..." Aang sadly said as he stopped in his tracks. Sokka placed a hand on his shoulder and said, "Hey don't feel bad. You're only a hundred years late!" 

I then gave him a knock on the head after saying so. It wasn't a good joke big guy. 

"They lost hope about the Avatar's return. When Fire Lord Sozin began the war, my grandfather and the other sages were forced to follow him. I never wanted to serve the Fire Lord. When I learned you were coming, I knew I would have to betray the other sages." Xia Yu continued. 

This... I never really knew a fire bender is capable of having such a warm heart. Quite confusing I know, but... maybe there is hope for the fire nation. Maybe, we weren't as bad as what the world thinks... well, except the Fire Lord of course, that guy's just pure evil. 

"Thank you for helping me," Aang said to Xia Yu. 

We then continued on with our walk to where Roku's statue is located, "We'll follow these stairs to the sanctuary." Xia Yu directed. 

"That's a lot of steps," I said. "Then we better get marching," Aang said and then he proceeded to go up. 

All of us followed to where the stairs will lead us, on the way, Xia Yu told Aang, "Once you're inside, wait for the light to hit Avatar Roku's statue, only then will you be able to speak with him."

Once we reached the end of the stairs, Xia Yu opened up a cover and it revealed the glorious hall outside Roku's sanctuary. We all walked towards this massive door which I guess leads to where Roku is. 

Xia Yu suddenly let out a loud gasp as he approached the door and exclaimed, "No!"

"Xia Yu, what's wrong?" Aang asked. "The sanctuary doors... They're closed!" he answered. Aang tried to push the door open but it won't budge. 

"Can't you just open them with fire bending? Like you opened that other door?" Katara asked. "No... Only a fully realized Avatar is powerful enough to open this door alone. Otherwise, the sages must open the doors together with five simultaneous fire blasts." Xia Yu explained. 

"Five fire blasts huh? I think I can help you out." Sokka suddenly said. "And how exactly are you gonna help genius?" I asked. 

"Quick Maya, help me out," Sokka said as he magically took out some stuff from his sling bag. "What are you doing?" I asked. 

He started pouring some oil inside the animal skin casing and then explained, "This is a little trick I picked up from my father. I seal a lamp oil inside an animal skin casing, Xia Yu lits the oil-soaked twine, and TADA!!! Fake fire bending." he proudly presented. 

"You've really outdone yourself this time Sokka," Katara said. Quite not used to seeing her amused at her brother but she is right. Sokka's little trick might actually work.

"This might actually work." Xia Yu said. Wow, talk about reading minds.

I helped out with Sokka on the fake firebending bags and then we one by one placed them into the five dragon mouths (which are the keyhole for this massive door). 

"The sages will hear the explosion, so as soon as they got up, you rush in." Xia Yu said to Aang. 

Once Sokka and I were done placing the bags, we hurriedly hid behind the huge room columns. Sokka and Katara on one column, then Aang and I on the other. 

"It's almost sunset, are you ready?" Katara asked Aang. "Definitely." Aang firmly answered. 

Xia Yu lit up the twines in one shot and hid with us. In just a few seconds, the whole place went BOOM! CRASH!

It was a very loud explosion and a thick layer of smoke covered the sanctuary door. Aang hurriedly ran towards the door and tried to open it but it still won't budge. 

"They're still locked!" Aang shouted. Xia Yu let out a sigh of disappointment. "It didn't work." I sadly said.

Enraged— Aang suddenly started blasting air onto the door while yelling, "WHY WON'T IT OPEN! UGH!" he was about to throw another air bending but I grabbed onto his arm and stopped him. 

"Aang! Stop! Your anger still won't open that door!" I yelled. He looked at me sadly and said, "I'm sorry I put you all through this for nothing." 

I placed a hand on his shoulder and looked at the door. I saw Sokka standing in front of it as he slid his finger across the coaled surface. 

"I don't get it. That blast looked as strong as any fire bending I've seen." Sokka said. Suddenly Momo flew into one of the door's keyhole and he fits right inside. 

Momo can definitely go inside by crawling through the pipes. If only he can open it from the inside. 

Wait... Momo can go inside!!

"Sokka you're a genius!" I exclaimed. "Wait! How is Sokka a genius? His plan didn't even work." Katara interrupted. "Come on Katara, let her dream." Sokka countered. 

"You're right Katara, Sokka's plan didn't work, but it looks like it did." I continued. "Did the definition of genius change in the last 100 years?" Aang suddenly asked.  

"Guys! Listen! Momo can fit right through the pipes of the door's keyholes. If we can get Momo to crawl inside we can then make it seem like Aang had already got in. Xia Yu can call the fire sages and make them open it to stop Aang, and once they do, that's when Aang strikes!" I explained. 

"Now that's a genius." Katara approved. "They will 100 percent catch the bait— thanks to Sokka's fake firebending," I added. "You and I Maya, we're the brains of this team. The powerful non-benders." Sokka said. "Don't praise yourself too much. Now let's get on with the plan!" I exclaimed. 

Aang went to Momo and asked him to go inside while Xia Yu ran out to call the other sages. Katara, Sokka, and I hid behind the room columns as we wait for them. Aang joins us after Momo got inside the room. 

A few minutes later, Xia Yu is back with the other sages. Okay, now it's time for Xia Yu's play. he better be acting good!

"Come quickly! The Avatar has entered the sanctuary!" Xia Yu shouted. "How did he get in?" one of the sages asked. "I don't know! But look at the scorch marks, and down there!" he pointed at the bottom of the door and just as he did, Momo's shadow was seen walking.

"He's inside! Open the doors immediately! Before he contacts Avatar Roku." the leader sage shouted. 

YES!!! THEY FELL FOR IT! NOW IT'S AANG'S PART!

The five sages opened the door with their fire bending and as soon as it opened, it was Momo whom they saw inside. 

"It's the Avatar's Lemur! He must've crawled through the pipes! We've been tricked!" the leader sage shouted and as soon as he was done blabbering, I hurriedly grabbed him by the shoulders and pinned him down to the floor. Katara, Sokka, and Xia Yu did the same thing with the other sages. 

"NOW AANG!" I shouted, but he didn't come out from behind the column. 

"AANG! NOW'S YOUR CHANCE!" Katara shouted as well, and after that, Aang suddenly appeared but he was being held by Zuko. 

WHA- WHAT THE?! WHERE DID THAT GUY COME FROM?! 

"The Avatar's coming with me!" Zuko shouted and then he pushed Aang down the stairs. The other sages were able to apprehend us. Now we are the ones who are caught. 

"Close the doors! Quickly!" Zuko commanded. Two sages supervised on closing the door and the other two tied Sokka, Katara, Xia Yu, and me on one of the room columns using a chain. 

This spoiled prince is really getting on my nerve. He's seriously a nuisance to all!

"Let go!" I shouted. "No Maya stop! We can't do anything." Sokka said. Suddenly we heard Prince Zuko shout as he was thrown down the stairs by Aang. 

We then saw Aang running towards us but Katara told him to go inside instead. One of the sages tried to stop him but he just avoided them and went straight towards the closing door. 

Luckily enough, he was able to get in before the door closed on him. "He made it!" I shouted. and then afterward, a huge bright blue light shone from the sanctuary.

It was very bright. A blinding light. 

Well done Aang! Now make this chance worth it.