Zuko stood up from his trône and approached the scared servant. He took the scroll from her hands and unrolled it. As he read it, noticed his eyes narrowing. After what felt like minutes the scroll burst into flames and the ashes fell to the floor.
"Zuko, what is it?" asked Katara standing up and walking to her friend, concerned.
Zuko ignored her and addressed a man a few seats down.
"Admiral Lee, get your men and ship ready to the Earth Kingdom. The Chikara Army has invaded the city of Gaoling."
"That's where Toph is!" exclaimed Sokka, horrified.
Zuko nodded and continued, "They've outnumbered the Earth Kingdom soldiers and Water Tribe warriors."
Lee bowed to Zuko and left the war room. There was silence until Zuko a dit quietly, "This meeting is over. Everyone except Katara, Sokka, and Suki.
"I hope Toph will be okay." a dit Suki, holding onto Sokka's arm.
"Let's not forget how tough Toph is, Suki." a dit Sokka, "I bet toi she's helping the Earth Kingdom soldiers fight."
"Why did Elvira tell toi that she took over Gaoling?" asked Katara.
"She's hoping that her taking over cities will make me step down." answered Zuko looking down at the ashes.
"If she thinks you're going to give up that easily, she must be a out of her mind, right Katara?" he added, looking at his sister.
She wasn't listening, she was looking at the expression on Zuko's face.
"You're not really thinking about it, are you?" Katara asked Zuko silently. Seeing him close his eyes and bowing his head, she gasped. "But toi can't!" she cried, "You can't give up. We'll think of something."
"I don't think there's anything we can do, Katara." a dit Zuko. He turned to the feu that surrounded the trône and stared into it. "No matter how hard we try, we're losing this war."
"When the feu Nation followed us all over the world, almost succeeding in capturing him, di Aang give up?" a dit Sokka. At the mention of Aang's name, Haruki closed his eyes and bowed his head. Katara's eyes brimmed with tears. "When the feu Nation tried to take over the Northern Water Tribe, did he give up? When the feu Nation took over Ba Sing Se, did he give up? When Sozin's Comet came, making your dad totally powerful, did Aang give up? No! He kept trying and trying. At first toi don't succeed, try, try, again. Aang wouldn't want toi to give up, either."
Zuko sighed, still looking into the flames.
"At least sleep on it, please?" Katara almost begged, her eyes still brimming with tears. Zuko looked at his Friends and nodded. He left the trône room, thinking about what Sokka said. Jin watched him leave with a worried look on her face.

Sanosuke practiced his waterbending outside his accueil that evening. He waterbended some water out of the snow, freezed them into icicles and pointed them at an old bateau in the water. He sent the icicles down on the bateau which went through the bateau and into the water, the bateau sinking with them. Sanosuke turned to Khalil, who was standing at the doorway, and bowed. Khalil smiled at his student. The suddenly heard a grunt and turned to the sidewalk to see some buffalo yak approaching their house.
"Khalil, look!" a dit Sanosuke, pointing at the animaux coming excitedly, "That has to be Dad!" He ran over to the animals.
"Sanosuke, wait." called out Khalil but it was too late, Sanosuke was already looking around at the riders, hoping to see his dad. He couldn't help but notice the warriors riding the buffalo yak were avoiding the boy's face. None of the riders were his father. He suddenly noticed one of the buffalo yak pulling a chariot, panier and saw something in the chariot, panier that was covered with a sheet. He understood.
"No." he whispered, shaking his head. When the chariot, panier passed him, he fell to his knees and cried softly