Episode 8: The Dragon and the Dissenters

 Dharma returns to Shimoni Dhato with Obi the mechant and some fighters, chief among them LAYI, a militia warrior whose mistakes cost the city of Taku ground and soldiers (in reality her unit was betrayed by a comrade working with the Fire Nation). Jayi believes she can return to Taku to forge stronger alliances (because of her affluent parents and her military background) and also clear some supply routes so Shizaku can continue work on his landspeeder project, stalled for resources.She recruits Jang Tae and the two head back east.

Meanwhile, Dharma and Shizaku follow Moshi and Yina into the mountain cave where the suspected distressed spirit dwells. They lose sight of Moshi but come to a vein or ore Shizaku could use to begin processing. Shizaku is tempted, but the dragon bones nearby give Dharma reason to pause, and the two argue about the best way forward. Dharma tries to insist Shizaku not rush in, but the engineer slowly convinces the Airbender that they can better move forward to defend themselves if they can begin excavation immediately.

In a strange world, Moshi and Yina encounter spirits (or echoes of spirits) amidst a starry ruined cityscape. Per Yina's guidance, they avoid aggression and manage to find and treat with the spirit of Horu. When Moshi explains their purpose, Horu mentions that he was attacked by General Yama and the two of them were trapped in part in this third realm in between the material and Spirit Worlds.

As a waterbender, Yina has been trained to pacify dark spirits, and says she can begin but they might get attacked by the other spirits, drawn to the ritual. Moshi asks Horu if they can find and bring their allies into this realm, and Horu reaches out to bring Shizaku and Dharma from the material cave into Moshi's sphere.

Dharma and Shizaku fend off spirits, trapped in some of their negative energy, but manage to help Moshi defend Yina during the spirit-bending ritual. With Horu pacified, the group is returned to the material plane, and Shizaku begins looking at his ore-veins, still against the better wishes of his comrades.

Out east, in Taku, Layi and Jang Tae manage to well avoid the Fire Nation patrols around the city, using a more-hidden passage that Layi recognizes. Major Harano explains the agreement with Dharma, so Layi decides to drum up support in the upper echelons of the city. Layi visits her parents, who are as surprised at her continued existence as they are disappointed in her continued failures. Layi's parents are of little help though, comparing her to her brother, Yoyi, but Jang Tae gets them to agree that they can be better off moving people to safety from the city. Layi returns to Harano and calls him out for not truly leading the people out to safety, but turtle-ducking in the besieged city. She gets him to agree to start moving people and supplies if she and Jang Tae can clear out a path. The two go out and engage the Fire Nation soldiers, even capturing a squad to bring back to Harano. They begin to fortify an escape path.

• The spirit of Horu, trapped in between the material and Spirit Worlds, is freed by Yina.
• Horu and General Yama fought and were both affected by this phased existence.
• An escape path is forged in Taku by Layi and Jang Tae (still in Taku).
  

Episode 7: Taku, Tech, Toys and T.P.

While Toji remains in Shimoni Dhato to coordinate logistics and supplies, Dharma recruits Jang Tae to go to Taku and see if they can rescue or recruit resistance members from the besieged city. Jang Tae agrees, if Dharma agrees to take any advantage to impede the Fire Nation encampment.

Moshi and Shizaku also remain in camp, awaiting assistance with their possible spirit problem....

In Taku:

Dharma and Jang Tae sneak through the Fire Nation camp, even taking advantage of a poorly-guarded weapon and armor stash. They take weapons they can carry to bring to the fighters in Taku.They meet Harano, the main commander of Taku's soldiers. Dharma negotiates that if he can bring help back to Shimoni Dhato, they can return to Taku to take on Captain Okuru's forces. Harano mentions a seedy merchant named Obi they could utilize to open some supply routes, as well as an information broker name Nupiq.   

Dharma overextends his reliance on others to plead with Obi that by joining Neila's camp, Obi can expand his supply chain and assist not just Taku, but others under the approaching boots of the Fire Nation. Obi agrees. Nupiq, however, doesn't want to immediately abandon Taku, and his hesitant to join.

While tracing their steps back to home, Dharma and Jang Tae are almost caught, but they escape.

In Camp:

Moshi, meanwhile, greets the arrival of his Misty Library comrade, a Waterbender named Yina. Moshi remembers training and going relic-hunting under Yina's guidance, and his elder chastises him for letting Jyoti's relics leave his care. Moshi stands his ground, defending the decision to not risk the Air Nomad's reliquary being discovered or taken while he and his comrades fled the Fire Nation Army. He is no longer afraid of his misstep in excavating the mountain, but understanding his agency in how he operates for the Misty Library.

Shizaku, in the meantime, begins work on his land-strider device, engaged in developing his "stolen" engine to assist in resistance movement. 

 Moshi, Yina, and Jyoti pore through the Air Nomad reliquary and uncover the root of the journals, belonging to the Air Nomad guru Tribhuvan. He spoke of three joined worlds (the Four Nations, the Spirit World, and a Third World) and learn that a dragon named Horu once occupied the area around Makapu. Horu was hunted by General Yama when Sozin began the Dragon Hunts out of pride and lust for power. Yina mentions it looks like there's a ritual wherein they could bond through the memories of Horu and treat with the dragon's spirit. Moshi agrees, but thinks it prudent to await the return of his comrades.

Once Dharma and Jang Tae return from Taku, Moshi informs of them of the dilemma, and he and Yina agree to look into Horu's troubled spirit. They descend into the cold maw of the mountain.