First off, I've got some news for you all:
1) I'm putting "A Lifetime of Love" and "The River of Hatred Flows Deep in the Heart" on hiatus for now. Writer's block is majorly killing me on those two, so I'll come back to those when I can find my focus again.
2) I'm starting a new story...and it's a Zutara fic. *Collective gasp from my readers*
That's right; I, a huge Kataanger, am going to try my hand at Zutara. I came up with the idea for this story just yesterday, and I decided to try it and see what I can do when I go outside of my comfort zone (and that's saying a lot when it comes to Zutara). This story will contain what I think the Zutarian relationship SHOULD be like, but I'm not going to give anything away right now. :P
For now, you have this neat little prologue to get you interested in my newest work. It features no Zutara, but I can assure you that it will appear in later chapters. And for any Zutarians out there, if you have any useful suggestions for me, be sure to let me know. Please enjoy and review! :D
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it.
Prologue: Death of a Legend
Blue and orange light filled the crimson heavens, reflecting each other as Yin and Yang do, as two figures stood atop an earthen pillar, locked in the ultimate clash of good and evil. One figure, a regal man of great stature, was enveloped with an orange light, brandishing the color of his devastating element. The other figure, a young boy with blue arrow tattoos, stood over the kneeling man, his hands on the man's forehead and chest. The boy was enveloped in a blue light, a soothing color that clashed with the harshness of the man's being.
This boy was no ordinary boy; he was Avatar Aang, the last Airbender and master of all four elements, hero of the free world.
His opponent: the diabolical monster known as Phoenix King Ozai, former ruler of the ruthless Fire Nation, instigator of the Hundred Years' War.
Aang could feel his energy intermingling with Ozai's, his entire soul becoming one with the madman. The power was both indescribable and terrifying, a tug-of-war of ultimate supremacy and dominance.
In Aang's mind echoed the sage wisdom of the Lion-Turtle: The true mind can weather all the lies and illusions without being lost. The true heart can touch the poison of hatred without being harmed. Since beginning-less time, darkness thrives in the void, but always yields to purifying light.
Their energies went back and forth, coloring parts of their skin both orange and blue. Endlessly did the struggle rage on as the each combatant vied for control over the other.
Aang knew that this battle was taking far too long; something should have happened by now.
Suddenly something broke, an ethereal cataclysm deep inside his Avatar Spirit. He could hear his past lives crying out in pain, mercilessly begging him to stop what he was doing.
He couldn't stop; it was impossible to break this contact. His life energy began to fuse with the Phoenix King's, and he knew that something had indeed gone horribly wrong.
Aang! bellowed the ancient voice of Avatar Roku in his head. You must stop this now!
I can't! helplessly exclaimed Aang. Ozai and I are merging, and I can't break off the contact!
There is only one way that I know of that can stop this, grimly said Roku, but…it comes with a high price.
What is it? desperately asked Aang, feeling his entity being sucked into Ozai.
You must end your own life energy. When you kill yourself, Ozai's life energy will die as well, and he too will perish along with you.
No...no, there has to be another way! I can't die! I can't leave all my friends behind! I can't…leave Katara behind…
Roku solemnly sighed. I am afraid that there is no other way, Aang. You must give fully of yourself to protect the world, even if it means dying to do so.
Glistening tears rolled down Aang's semi-corrupted cheeks.
Will…will it hurt, Roku?
That I cannot say for sure, Aang, but I will be here to guide you to the Spirit World when your time comes.
…I'm scared.
Do not be afraid, brave Avatar. You will be safe soon, I promise.
Aang took a deep mental breath, preparing himself for what was to come.
When he was ready, he found his life energy hidden deep inside of his being…and destroyed it.
He instantly felt Ozai groan in animalistic pain, and the colored lights around them began to waver and shake. The lights vanished as the two fell back from each other, falling to their backs on the hard ground beneath them. As their skins cleared, Aang felt his vision became a mixture of blurry-black. Using his faint Earthbending senses, he felt no signs of life from Ozai.
The Phoenix King was dead.
Endless tears streamed down Aang's grimy face, his sporadic breaths collapsing in his heaving chest as he thought of the journey he had taken with all of his friends.
"I'm sorry, guys," he whispered to the sky, remembering all the people he was leaving behind in this world: Sokka, his brother-in-arms; Toph, his Earthbending Sifu; Suki, the brave Kyoshi Warrior; Appa and Momo, his faithful animal companions; Zuko, the redeemed Fire Prince…
And Katara.
How could he bring himself to leave behind Katara, the girl who meant more to him than even life itself? How could his life be complete without her?
The sad truth was that, without her, life meant nothing…an endless void of despair and misery that assailed his young mind day after day.
He knew that he loved her with all of his heart.
It had always been that way.
She, on the other hand, had not reciprocated those feelings of affection, and even rejected his romantic advances.
In his dying heart, he knew that she would live on, bringing the world back to the way it once was.
"I'm sorry, Katara," he whispered through his choked breathing, his eyes fading as they began to slowly close.
Without her, he was falling…
Without her, he was slipping…
Without her, he was dying…
And she would not be there to catch him.
Not this time.
As his eyes closed for the last time, he quietly, softly, deathly whispered his final words…
"I love you…Katara…"
He died with her name on his lips, his words falling on the deaf ears of a silent wind.