Explore the room

Thanks to Onyx for encouragement to continue plot-wards! And also dealing with my demands in stealing the beginning of his story and completely changing the direction further on, I don't have the guts to try to make a mother-brought-to-life-sex-scene sound realistic.

Then again the amount of philosophy I inject into the dialogue probably isn't much more realistic for the characters...hopefully that doesn't ruin it for anyone, let me know if it does!

Zuko ran his eyes along the dimly lit walls, trying to make out where the priestess went or where they might be able to squeeze through to daylight. The room had many sub-chambers which meant (with so little light) a long time spent covering every inch and every crevice to make sure nothing was missed.

"So...why did we come down to this temple in the first place? We could have just flown past..I can't understand why I suggested landing." Katara walked close behind Zuko as they explored.

He shook his head, "we didn't..at least not entirely. I don't fully understand it but there's certainly more to this place than nude portraits and the odd necromancer. I know I wouldn't have come down if it weren't for some pull..and I don't think that pull is simple adventuresome drive. Still, let's hope we're not stuck in here long enough to find out." He drew back a few curtains to find nothing but brick walls as he spoke.

Katara nodded. "What else did you see in those scrolls? You never mentioned them before."

"I don't remember everything," he said, pausing in his relentless search for an exit amongst the many paintings. He couldn't help but feel aroused and he was frustrated he couldn't keep his mind focused because of that. "but I do remember an overarching theme...the people are considered 'profane' to the initiates to the mystery schools. So much so, that controlling them meant nothing to the initiates. They (the profane) weren't even people, just slaves to be used however they desired since they chose to remain ignorant of everything around them. I don't know how much of it was true either...maybe it was all placed there to test me, that priestess' reaction to me knowing seems to indicate otherwise though."

"What is this place?" Katara got a little closer, the comfort of knowledge mixing with the startling realization of her previous ignorance.

Zuko looked around as he answered. "It's a layered pyramid, that much we know. I haven't seen any serpents so I doubt it has anything to do with Kundalini..at least not raising it. Perhaps it's original intent was twisted to summon the dead, as she suggested with the whole 'disrobing' business."

"I'd-hang on what's that?" Katara pointed to the ceiling.

Zuko sent a little burst of fire upwards and the light revealed a hole in the ceiling, probably collapsed from the age of the stone roof. "That's a relief, come on, I'll help you up!"

With that he jumped and pulled himself up through the hole, reaching down to help Katara do the same. As she jumps, the floor beneath her collapsed into a deep pit.

"WhoAAaAAH!!" She screamed and grabed Zuko's arm, holding on with all her might.

Zuko gasped, unprepared for all her weight, and tried to hold on, but her hand quickly began to slip. Katara quickly sent water flowing from her pack to their hands and froze it so they couldn't separate. Zuko lifted with all the strength he had, pulling her out with a sigh of relief. They both lay side by side, panting. Hands still frozen together.

"Too close," Zuko said, lifting their frozen hands and pulling himself up, his hand pulled her up and they accidentally pressed their bodies together, just for a moment. In that moment Katara looked up into his eyes, and he looked down into her's, neither sure what to do. Then Katara melted the water and bent it back into her container.

"S-sorry"

"No! My fault."

"It really wasn't-"

They looked at one another again for a moment and laughed. Laughed a laugh at the madness of the nudity on the walls and the fact that they were all slaves to some ancient societies without even knowing it. Laughing at having nearly died a moment before and then feeling embarrassed at running into one another.

Once the laughter came to a halt and the faint echoes stopped also, Zuko pondered aloud, "Isn't it strange what we've become, so conditioned beyond even the most fundamental human emotions for the sake of acceptance? I have to wonder if there's even a point to the different nations or if the real difference lies in those who are free and the so-called 'profane'."

"You're right. Education has become some great..indoctrination process in which people learn to forget themselves so they can memorize meaningless facts about their respective owners and their psychopathic tendencies." Katara chuckled for a moment as she said this.

Zuko looked deep into her eyes then, the room around them disappearing into the subconsciousness of peripheral vision. "Ty Lee never understood that...Azula knew it but wanted to use it to her own advantage. I did too...taught to pass **** from generation to generation so the cycle never stops...for the sake of 'strength' as they called it. Mai knew of the issues and never felt the need to exploit them to her own gain, but then she never felt the world was worth fighting for. She felt it was hopeless, nothing could be done, ultimately. You're the first person who sees through everything, and all in an instant..."

Katara blushed, and for once she felt as though it were her own cheeks turning red...the curse seemed to have left. Perhaps they laughed it into nonexistence, or maybe Zuko's "No" was enough to destroy it's power.

"You're a really special girl, Katara." Zuko felt himself say, and suddenly looked away to hide his own blush, which he came to a similar realization for.

"T-thanks...I think you're a really special guy as well. Having gone through all you have and fighting off the generational ****...that takes true strength."

Zuko looked back at Katara, his cheeks still (metaphorically) ablaze.

Hope you enjoyed! Sorry it took me like a whole week to write this, kinda got busy with life. I'll try to continue before too long! Comment if you have any suggestions because I'm not sure where to take it from here yet, and have a great day!