There were carvings of flames and dragons on the wooden beams, and a statue stood right in the center.
It was a stone figure of Avatar Roku, tall and proud, one arm lifted as if mid-bend. The ground around the statue was dark with burn marks — scorched circles and strange patterns that told stories of training long ago.
"Is that…" Zuko started.
"Roku," Alec confirmed. "This place must be his. Maybe ... made to avoid distractions"
Together, they moved toward the stone pavilion . Carefully, they walked along the edge of the path, each step measured and slow.
When they reached the pavilion, the stone beneath their feet shifted slightly from heat fatigue, but the platform itself held. Carvings lined the outer edge — spirals, waves, and squares that hinted at movement and form. At the center stood a tall statue — Avatar Roku, carved in solid black stone, standing with one knee bent and one hand extended forward.
The design was simple but powerful. Around the statue's base were worn etchings. Alec crouched to get a better look while Zuko sat on the floor, taking a moment to rest.
"These aren't just symbols," Alec muttered, brushing away ash. "They look like instructions — stances maybe, or some form of movement."
"Could be for training," Zuko added from behind. "But they're too fluid for regular firebending."
"They're not for firebending," Alec replied. "At least not exactly. I think they're part of some other form of bending."
Zuko shifted and looked around, clearly interested. "Lava maybe....But we can't lava bend, it earth right."
"I don't know . We're not here to try. But we might learn about it. Maybe we can use what we learn to get out of here."
Zuko nodded and leaned back, finally letting himself breathe a little. Alec joined him, sitting down on the hot stone with a grunt.
They stayed like that for a while, both resting, breathing more evenly now that they were away from the sulfur vents. Alec kept looking at the statue. Roku seemed calm. Like he belonged in the heat.
Alec didn't speak. He simply let the silence say the rest.
After they regained some strength, the two stood up and started exploring around the platform. The heat made every movement difficult. Even with some air-cooling techniques, their bodies were already fatigued. But they knew they couldn't stay. The cavern rumbled again — longer this time.
They checked behind the statue, around the pillars, and across the edges of the lava platform. Nothing stood out at first, but Alec's sharp ears picked up something strange — a soft bubbling sound that didn't match the rest of the lava.
He gestured to Zuko, and they moved carefully toward the side of the platform where a shallow pond sat — surprisingly calm compared to the rest of the lava. It was dark, more of a black-brown, and surrounded by smooth stone.
Alec crouched down. "This isn't lava," he said. "It's water."
Zuko knelt beside him. "It's hot. But not boiling."
"Which means it might lead somewhere."
Alec dipped his fingers in. The water was warm, but bearable. He leaned closer and noticed a current.
"There's a flow," he said. "Something's moving under the surface."
They checked the edge of the pond, moving clockwise around it. On the far side, behind a thick curtain of hanging steam, they found a crevice — an opening just large enough for someone to slip into. It was partly submerged.
"This has to be it," Alec said, his voice filled with a grim determination. "Some sort of runoff tunnel or emergency exit."
Zuko looked unsure, his face etched with apprehension. "You sure it doesn't just lead deeper into the mountain?" he questioned, his gaze fixed on the inky blackness within.
"No. Look," Alec pointed to the small, almost imperceptible airflow coming from the tunnel, a faint, cool breath against the oppressive heat. "That breeze is cool. It leads out."
"Then we take the risk," Zuko conceded, his shoulders slumping in resignation. There was no other choice.
Alec nodded. He knelt by the pond and splashed more water over his arms and face, the cool liquid a temporary balm against the lingering heat. Zuko did the same, both preparing for the unknown, bracing themselves for the ordeal ahead. Whatever came next, it wouldn't be easy.
"You go first," Zuko said, a hint of challenge in his voice.
Alec raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "Afraid I'll leave you behind?"
"Just making sure you don't faint on the way," Zuko retorted, a rare flash of humor in his eyes.
Alec smirked and slipped into the water. It was deeper than it looked, the murky depths swallowing him whole, but not too deep to swim, his body cutting through the warm liquid.
The moment he entered the tunnel, the temperature dropped noticeably, a sudden, chilling embrace that made his skin prickle. It was tight and dark, the rough-hewn walls pressing in on him, but manageable, a narrow passage into the unknown.
Zuko followed right behind, his own entry marked by a quiet splash.
The tunnel curved upward slightly, a claustrophobic ascent into the inky blackness, and became narrower, the rough-hewn rock scraping against Alec's shoulders. More than once, he had to hold his breath, the air thick with the suffocating embrace of steam pockets that billowed and swirled, momentarily blinding him.
The darkness was absolute, broken only by the faint, shimmering glow of the water disturbed by their passage. Each stroke was a battle against the current, a desperate push forward through the unseen. But soon, the current strengthened, pulling him with a relentless force, and with one final, arduous push, he saw light – a distant, ethereal glow that promised escape.
He emerged into a larger chamber, gasping for air, his lungs burning from the exertion. The roof had partially collapsed, a jagged wound in the earth, and daylight streamed in from a wide crack above, illuminating the cavern in a soft, dusty haze. Cool, fresh air, a welcome shock after the oppressive heat and steam, flooded the space, filling his lungs with a sweet, life-giving breath.
Zuko surfaced beside him seconds later, his own gasps for air echoing in the chamber, his face pale and drawn. They dragged themselves up onto the nearest rock ledge, their limbs heavy with exhaustion, soaking wet, their clothes clinging to their bodies like a second skin.
Coughing and shivering uncontrollably from the sudden, brutal temperature drop, they huddled together, seeking warmth in the cold, damp air.
They were out. The simple words hung in the air, heavy with relief and disbelief.
Alec lay on the cold stone, staring up at the jagged sky hole, the vast, indifferent expanse of the heavens. "We're alive," he whispered, the words a raw, fragile testament to their survival.
Zuko nodded beside him, his eyes closed, his voice hoarse. "Barely."
Above them, the wind howled through the cracked stone, a mournful lament, and faint voices, carried on the breeze, echoed in the distance – the distant, hopeful sound of rescue parties. But for now, the two of them just lay there, letting the cool air wash over them, a cleansing balm after their harrowing ordeal.
They had survived, against all odds, and in that moment, that was enough. Maybe, just maybe, that was enough for today.