Fire Lily
Chapter 1
Fighting Hate
The day started normally.
We awoke in a dingy hole, crawling with bugs and other creatures of an odd sort. Sokka and Toph, slept beside each other, Aang was curled up into a little ball off to the side and Katara was sleeping nuzzled against me. She was snoring slightly and a tentative hand ventures forward to trace a lock of hair out of her face before I stand up and stretch.
The morning was bright. The sun had risen well before I had and was covering the world in light. The barren earth a sign that Sozin's Comet had long since passed. No trees lived in the once luscious forest, only burnt stumps of mighty pines remained. Cracks in the earth were evident and it seemed as if the world was falling apart at the seams.
Oddly enough, that is a pretty accurate description. The Fire Nation had decimated the Earth Kingdom in one fell swoop. It was only a matter of time until the Northern Water Tribe fell, then only leaving the 'superior' race alone in a world with no one to rule.
"Zuko?" a groggy voice asks from behind me. Katara is rubbing her eyes, propped up on one elbow. "You're up."
"Yeah…just…worrying." I mumble, staring off into the horizon. Against the desolate landscape rests the Fire Lord's Palace, crumbling from the constant attacks but still standing. This was the day. The day the Avatar and company attacks the Fire Lord and ends the war. Or hopefully at least, this could be the day it all goes wrong.
She stands up and stretching walks to stand beside me. She's beautiful, really. Her skin darker and more exotic than anyone in the Fire Nation could have. And her eyes. Those beautiful eyes, pure sapphire, nothing like the piercing amber or dull brown of the Sun Nation. "Don't worry. It's going to work. We are going to end this." She grabs my hand. "I promise."
We turn back to the camp. I glance over to the flying bison and see Aang's grey eyes staring, accusingly, at me.
The lightning flashes through the room, illuminating the burnt floor and countless bodies. I ran around the corner just in time to see Aang, his tattoos glowing strike my sister down with one, well placed, blade of wind. The Crown Princess arches back, the sword thrust though her heart. Blood spurts from the wound as she hits the ground, coming to lay beside my father.
That was the end. Aang had done it, freed the world, and killed my father and sister. He was a hero. "Aang! Yes! You did it! Yes! It's over!" The enthusiasm of my own voice surprised me. It had been a very long time since I had cheered.
I expect the tattoos to stop shining. I expect Aang to float down back to the ground. I expect Aang to grace us with his smile and a cheer of his own.
A wall of earth explodes behind me and I pivot, staring at it. What is he playing at? Toph is unconscious and if he faints from exhaustion we're stuck here.
I turn to face him, just in time to duck as a sheet of flame soars towards me. I cover my head with my heads and feel a few hairs burned by the fire. Nothing too bad. I tilt my head forwards. "Aang?! What the hell was that for?" I'm not really angry but I can still feel my short temper rise.
But I realize talking isn't going to do much. He's still in the Avatar State, towering above my crouched figure. His mouth opens wide. And thousands of voice scream. I cover my ears, anything to block the disturbingly beautiful noise. The scream carries ever pain Aang has been through, the message is driven into my brain as the scream continues. His people were killed. His only friends have been hurt, destroyed by the war. The land has been ravaged. I stole the only person who loved him.
"Aang! Zuko!" The screaming fades as a voice call through the earthen wall. It's Katara. "What's going on in there?" There she is, the reason, the reason for the hate.
I can't answer because I don't know.
I spare a glance at the Avatar and see that he's returned to the ground, but his tattoos are still glowing vibrantly. The fathomless eyes regard me and he shifts into a firebending stance.
It clicks.
He's challenging me to Agni Kai. For a moment I just stare at him. Fire burns all around us and Katara's frightened cries blur into the crackling flames. Aang…no this isn't Aang. Aang's Hate beckons me with a slight nod of his head. My foot slides back, my thumb tucks into the meat of my palm as I raise my hand, accepting the duel. Hate attacks first, a flurry of fire needles sent towards my head.
I have to admit. He's good, but he's not thinking straight, he's just power. You can outsmart him Zuko, I think to myself. It gives me a slight boost as I raise a wall of fire to absorb the spines.
"AANG!" Katara screams through the wall. I dare a look behind me and see she's made a tiny hole to see us. Her blue eye is leaking tears. "AANG! STOP IT!" The cries echo around the hall. Hate regards Katara with something close to pity before turning malevolent eyes to me.
I try to summon fire. But nothing bursts from my hands. I try again as the Avatar readies for another devastating attack. Nothing happens. I panic, my inner flame has died.
The earth rumbles and a large platform rises beneath me, creating a huge stage. I glance over the side, a five foot drop, but as I watch earthen spikes appear, ready to puncture every inch of my supple flesh. I stumbled away from the edge as the Avatar floats towards me and with a wave of his arm creates a huge circle of fire. A dueling ring.
He starts forwards. A fist is raised and strikes me in the stomach. The air whooshes from my lungs. Bile rises in my mouth. The fist is removed and I gasp for air. The glowing smile is the only thing I can see. The fist is raised again.
I try to fight.
I try to breath.
I try to live.
The fist cracks the side of my jaw, sending me flying to the side. I slide, pebbles implanting into my arm. A tooth flies from my mouth and blood bubbles at my lip. I cough, the red fluid splattering on the ground. My hand pulls across my lip, I gasp out in pain as the broken jaw bones grind. My vision blurs. This isn't going well. I get to all fours, blood still dripping from my mouth. The Avatar walks towards me. Calm, cool, a hunter advancing on fallen prey.
"Aang. Stop..." A plea, followed by a pained groan. The Avatar doesn't stop his path. I realize what this is.
I'm bowing, begging for mercy, tears streaming down my cheeks.
A man I once respected stands above me, ready to teach me a lesson.
My scar burns white-hot like the day it was carved. I clutch at it. Hate is now barely a foot from me. I look at him, my eyes still imploring that he stops. "Please Aang. Stop." I hate groveling. His foot reels back. I close my eyes, praying that an unknown god is watching this. Hoping something, anything will interfere.
My pleas fall on non-existent ears. My ribs crack as the foot is driven into my chest. I roll over and the foot pushes hard on my neck.
I still don't open my eyes. The foot pushes harder. Breaths become ragged. Summoning hidden strength I clutch the ankle strangling me. With as much force as life allows I push upwards, throwing the Avatar off balance. He stumbles back, I take the moment to stumble to a standing position. We face each other again. I'm bleeding, out of breath and completely exhausted.
He's still being driven by Hate. I clutch at my ribs as pain explodes with each feeble heartbeat. The Avatar State takes a step towards me. I take one back. The movement continues. He not advancing any further and me taking the steps backwards, trying to fiure out a plan while catching my breath.
"Aang! Listen to me! You're not thinking straight! This is me! Zuko! The Blue Spirit! Your friend! What have you become? What are you doing?" This is insanity.
He grins. It's not the grin I've come to expect from him. It's feral, predatory. Taking quick steps forwards he catches up with me. With a swift blade of fire he forces me to the ground.
I lay on my back. He stands over me. I watch him. Flames dance at his fingers. He draws his flaming fist back. I slows down. The crackling flames mix with Katara's sobs and my heartbeat. This must be what Toph feels, every vibration is amplified, absorbed into my body.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
I blink as the fist travels towards me. When it reaches the end of it's path a fireball explodes. The air shimmers around the blaze.
The pain is numbing. My body screams in pain, I can't focus on that though. Something is happening. Aang is staggering, clutching his head, screaming at the top of his lungs. The tattoos flicker and die. He falls behind be, still writhing in pain. That's all I see. His grey eyes look at me one last time. I smile.
My world is in flames.
Thump.
Thump.
Thum...
A/N
So...this is for SuperBleh11, he had four conditions in this story.
1. Must be first person
2. A fight scene
3. Lots of desription
4. A fight between Aang and Zuko.
He chose stuff that would challenge me. My worst skills, fighting scenes and description. So here it is.
I'm really proud of this. I wasn't expecting it to be this good (not to be egotistical or anything)
I hoped you like it.