At World's End
Summary: Once there was a boy named Aang. He was the last airbender, the avatar, and he was supposed to save the world; however, when the time came, he failed. This is his story.
Rating: Strong T (May change at a later date)
Parrings: ZukoxAang, past AzulaxAang
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, never have, never will.
Chapter 1
"Zuko," Aang said tiredly as he sat up on the bedroll that had been laid out on the rough ground hours before.
"What, Aang?" the fire bender replied from across the fire that separated them.
Aang hesitated because of the tiredness that was evident in Zuko's voice, but he had to ask. It was important. "When are we going back?"
Zuko sighed and turned away from the fire. "Not any time soon, Aang," he replied.
"Oh," Aang fell silent afterwards. He looked up at the starry night sky and sighed. He wanted to go back, but Zuko probably would never allow it; at least, he would not now, not when there was a very good chance that Aang would return on his own.
Aang rolled over and the chain around his ankle jingled. He could feel Zuko tense despite their distance.
"Go to sleep, Aang," Zuko commanded.
Aang sighed and closed his eyes.
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They had lost. Aang had failed. He had failed everyone because he had not learned firebending, because he could not have been bothered to find a teacher, because he was afraid and weak.
Aang shook as he faced the Fire Lord. He had failed. Aang, the last air bender, the Avatar, the boy who was supposed to save them, fell to his knees in defeat.
Fire Lord Ozai looked down upon the boy with a sadistic look. "You have lost, Avatar," he bragged.
Aang could not look at the man as he prepared to deal the final blow. The blow that would end Aangs life, the blow that would result in the next Avatar being born into this world of chaos and most likely be hunted down and killed, much like Aang himself.
"Father! Wait!"
Aang jumped at the sound of Zuko's voice and risked a look up at the angry Fire Lord. Ozai looked annoyed at his son for stopping his victory.
What, Zuko?" Ozai hissed.
"You cannot kill him, father," Zuko said as he climbed onto the rock.
"Do not test me, boy," Ozai replied.
"Father, listen," Zuko pleaded when his father turned back to Aang. "If you kill the Avatar, another will be born."
"Then we will hunt down that Avatar and kill it," Ozai replied easily.
"It will take years for us to find the next Avatar," Zuko rationalized. "The Avatar does not learn of his destiny until they have grown older and completed the tests."
"Then we will destroy every water bender in the Nations," Ozai said sounding surprisingly sane for such an incredulous statement.
"Will you then kill the Earth benders? And then the fire benders?" Zuko asked in shock. "Then there will be no one left to rule, father!"
Ozai narrowed his eyes at his son. "There will be the older generation of benders and those who cannot bend."
"Then will you kill every child, every new born and leave only those you know cannot possibly be the Avatar until the only ones left grow old and die resenting you? Until you die?" Zuko shot back, trying to make his father see reason.
Thunder roared in the sky during the few tense moments of silence as Ozai contemplated Zuko's words. Then, finally, Ozai grabbed the Avatar's shirt and roughly yanked him up.
"Very well, Zuko," Ozai said. "You shall be the Avatar's keeper."
Ozai pushed Aang roughly towards his son.
"Should anything happen to him," Ozai warned. "It is you who shall be punished."
"Yes, Father," Zuko said as he bowed respectfully.
Ozai turned and looked over the battlefield where he had finally defeated the Avatar.
"Take the Avatar to the Fire Nation and deliver him to your sister," Ozai commanded.
Aang's head shot up and he looked at the two fire benders in horror. Ozai's cold eyes met his fearful gray ones and the Fire Lord gave the air bender a cruel smile.
"He will be her slave," Ozai said.
"Yes, father," Zuko said. He was tense; this was not what he had expected. Then, Zuko yanked Aang up.
XxxxX
Aang woke to someone shaking him and whispering his name. Opening his eyes, he saw Zuko.
"What?" Aang said sleepily. The sky was still dark.
"We have to move," Zuko said urgently; then he was forced to move back as Aang sat up and looked around.
"I don't hear anyone," the Avatar protested wanting to return to bed.
Zuko shook his head. "There is someone here." Aang sighed; it seemed that Zuko would not be swayed. "Pack up," the fire bender added.
Aang rolled his eyes and removed himself from his sleeping bag. He quickly rolled it up as Zuko doused the fire and gathered up his own supplies.
"Come on," Zuko ordered as he threw his travel bag across his back.
Aang yawned and followed the teen, not that he had much of a choice considering the silver anklet whose chain softly jingled with each step Aang took.
Zuko lead the way through the thick trees while Aang stumbled along following to the best of his abilities in the dark forest. There were no sounds from the animals for insects that usually hunted at this time; this worried Zuko, but had no impact on Aang. Aang still did not believe that anyone was following them and he did not understand why Zuko had awoken him.
Wind whistled through the trees and Zuko's head shot up. He turned and tackled Aang to the ground as a boomerang flew by right where Aang had been standing. Gray eyes looked up at the canopy in shock.
Zuko's sharp golden eyes darted around, looking for attackers while he protected Aang with his own body.
"Whose there?" he finally called out when he finally admitted defeat to the darkness of the forest.
The leaves scattered on the forest floor rustled as people that were practically invisible to Zuko moved towards them in the darkness.
Someone grabbed Zuko from behind, yanked him off Aang, and tied his arms behind his back with rough rope. The Avatar threw his arms over his head and curled up in a fetal position as if he was afraid they would hit him.
Torches were lit and Zuko could see the people surrounding him. They were a rebel group that his father had hunted since the Avatar's fall; however, he had never captured any of their members. Somehow, they had always escaped. Facind them, alone, Zuko was terrified. They wore animal masks with sharm angels that portrayed powerful animals. The sadows cast by the torches only aided in making them terrifying.
Zuko's heart pounded as a girl wearing a blue dress stepped forward and knelt next to Aang. Her mask, unlike the others, was soft, it was not meant to provoke fear, but rather trust.
She put a hand on Aang's should. "Aang," she asked in a soft, shocked voice.
The Avatar whimpered and Zuko jerked forward; trying to break the hold the rebels had on him. He would kill her if she tried to harm Aang. One of the men behind the girl stepped forward threateningly raising his sword. Zuko stopped struggling and the man backed off.
"Aang, it's okay. You're safe here," the girl said in a soft, calm voice.
Zuko swore he knew her from somewhere. He recognized her voice, but he was unable to place it.
Aang looked up, his gray eyes wide in confusion. "Katara?" he asked in wonder.
Zuko jerked back. She was still alive. Azula had told their father that the water bender was dead.
The girl took her mask off. She was older now, but still pretty. Her eyes were soft as she examined Aang. When she finished, she looked up at the masked warrior standing above her protectively and smiled.
The masked warrior bent over and offered a gloved hand to Aang. The air bender looked at the mask for a moment, searching for something and then gave the man a hesitant smile. He reached up, grabbed the offered hand, and the man pulled him up. As he stood, the chain connected to his anklet jingled. Tension filled the air and murderous eyes turned towards Zuko.
XxxxX
Chapter End
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