The Rider Redux

Chapter 1: The Deal

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: the Last Airbender or Ghost Rider

A/N: This story was adopted form Farm7455, with permission.

A racking cough, heavy with the foam of spit, could be heard throughout the halls of the Fire Nation Imperial Palace. The cough was quickly followed by the murmur of worried voices as various doctors and priests argued softly about the best course of action to take. The source of the cough originated from the young six year old crown princess, Azula.

Azula was a bending genius; she had been the new light of the entire nation, over shadowing even her older brother Prince Zuko and was quickly catching up to her older cousin Prince Lu Ten, who was severing in the Fire Nation Army. Talented, strong-willed, it had seemed she was on the path to being invincible.

That is, until the day she was stricken with a deadly fever. The fever was such that it had left her bedridden and unable to even speak properly. It was greatly feared that she would pass away and darken the spirits of the nation in the process.

Ursa, Zuko and Azula's mother, had tried everything to help her daughter. Every conceivable doctor and priest had been brought to the palace. All of the blessings on healing had been said and still nothing. It was greatly worrisome for her brother Zuko, even through he was slightly jealous, okay fairly jealous of his sister's abilities in bending, but she was still his sister; his little sister someone who he had to protect. But now, he could do nothing but watch as she wasted away.

"Damn it to-" Zuko cut himself off as he punched at the wall in frustration. His anger at himself for being so helpless was almost visible in the air.

"Prince Zuko?" Asked a soft voice; from the doorway. Zuko turned, and smiled as General Iroh, known to Zuko and Azula as Uncle Iroh, walked in, carrying a platter with a tea set on it.

"How is she?" Asked Zuko; dreading the answer.

"Not good. Azula is strong willed, but this fever seems to be something else. There is speculation that she might not last the night."

Zuko bit his lips to stop the impending explosion from within himself. Why did things happen to him? He was not as good at fire bending as his father had hoped and now his sister was possibly going to vanish from his life, in the dawn of her own life.

Gritting his teeth Zuko forced himself to speak, "Uncle, if you don't mind…"

Iroh nodded saying, "Come…"

Iroh led him through a maze-like twisting path of corridors and halls until they reached a door that was guarded by two massive soldiers dressed in the traditional crimson armor of the Imperial Firebenders. They didn't look at either one of them as they walked inside.

Azula asleep on the bed was pale, even for a person of the Fire Nation, and sweating in her unconscious state. Standing by her bed was Ursa, who looked up at Zuko and Iroh.

"You came." She said.

Zuko nodded and said, "Yes, is there anything we can…"

Ursa shook her head at her son's question. "No, we might lose…" Ursa began, but lost her voice.

Zuko stared at Azula for a second, before turning and briskly walking out, not allowing himself to cry.

Iroh patted Ursa on her shoulder, "Zuko will be fine. I doubt he will do anything stupid."

Zuko walked back to his quarters and slammed the door shut. Angry at everything right now, he sat down on the edge of his over-sized bed and glared at the floor.

"If only there was a way to cure her…I would pay it…if only…"

Then a voice than spoke from seemingly everywhere, "Would you truly pay it, Prince?"

Zuko almost jumped out of his skin. He leapt to his feet, forcing flames to encircle his hands and shouted, "Who's there? Show yourself!"

Then, out of the corner of his eye, Zuko spotted a figure. Turning, he faced the man. Dressed in quite exquisite dark red, near black, clothing, the man held a single cane in his hands, its long black shaft running to the floor. His hands covered the top of it. His face was shrouded in darkness, aside from hue of his red eyes. He spoke again, "What would you pay, Prince Zuko, to have your sister returned to perfect health?"

Zuko narrowed both eyes and replied evenly, "She's family, she's my sister…"

The man seemed to smile at this. "What if, I said I could cure her? Bring her back to prefect health? Would you be willing to pay the price?"

Zuko's eyes hardened. "What price?" He asked the stranger.

"Your soul…"

Zuko was taken aback by the price and said, "My soul? You're kidding me right?"

The man shook his head, and stepped into the light. His face was well defined, with lines from age. He removed one of his hands from his cane, and reached inside his clothing for something. Then Zuko noticed his cane had a silver miniature human skull with rubies in the sockets on the top. Turning his attention back to the chest of the man, he watched as the stranger removed a scroll from the inner folds of his clothing. The man spoke again, "A trade Zuko, your soul and a service. And in return your sister will no longer be plagued by that fever."

Zuko stared at the scroll and then back at the man, "Do you have a pen?"

The man, smiling, dug out a pen from his clothing and tossed both the scroll and pen to Zuko.

Catching both, Zuko opened the scroll, and in typical youthful arrogance didn't read the thing, as he looked for the final line. Picking up the pen, he gasped in sudden pain. A single red drop of blood fell from his finger and touched the paper. The man smiled, quickly walking over and taking both the pen and scroll.

"That will do nicely Prince. Thank you for making this deal. Upon the rise of the sun tomorrow, your sister will be cured of her fever."

Zuko suddenly felt tired, "What's…going… on?"

The figure smiled as Zuko's eyes started to lose focus.

"No worries; young Prince. Now rest, you have a big life ahead of you."

Zuko then fell back against his bed and passed out.

The sun was shining through the window as Zuko awoke. Instantly leaping up, he looked around his room, but there was no sign of the man in dark red.

"Must have just been a bad dream. I wonder…" Zuko turned and walked out the door, and saw several people run past. Reaching out, he stopped a soldier, "What's happening?"

The man turned, obviously excited, "You have not heard Prince Zuko? Your sister has made a miraculous recovery! She is going to be alright!" Then the man continued by him.

Zuko stared into empty space. Was it possible? Had the man that had visited him actually done it?

The prince walked around a corner and found one of the many guards. Walking up to him, Zuko asked, "Guard, has a man dressed in dark red and carrying a black cane come through here?"

The guard turned, and professionally said, "No your highness. No one has entered your quarters since you entered them last night."

Zuko, now confused, decided to go see if these sayings about his sister were true.

Walking through the same set of doors, Zuko was openly astonished to see Azula up and walking about.

"For the hundredth time, I am ALL RIGHT!" Bellowed the six year old at the various peoples trying to tell her to get back in bed, she must still have some lingering effects of that fever. Her amber eyes flicked around and then settled on Zuko.

"Well Zuzu, come to see if my recovery is true or not?" She asked as she smirked at him, which caused his near characteristic scowl to appear as he turned and walked away.

'What the hell? She's back to normal, no question about it,' Zuko thought to himself as calmly walked back out of the doors of his sister's room and deeper into the Fire Nation Palace.

Far away from the palace, a single being watched Zuko walk away from his sister's room.

"I was right; in time he will evolve and become the perfect weapon. My rider has arrived once again…"

Next Chapter: Awaking of the Rider

I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. Please leave a review.