Playing The Odds
The silence was timid and the tension was gnawing at everyone's patience. The course of events that had just occurred were certainly unexpected. They were traumatic and heart stopping. Shocking yet completely understandable. It was a duel that was sure to be quite interesting.
Prince Zuko's heart pounded at the figure that stood before him. Long, silky hair and a beard to match. Piercing, hazel eyes and smirk frowning at his son's foolishness. His father tore off his top, leaving him with a bare chest. Zuko's hand started to shake and tears were forming in his eyes, blurring his vision.
"Fight, boy!" commanded the Fire Lord in a gruff voice.
Honor, Zuko thought. My nation, my honor… my fight.
Abruptly, Zuko stood up, his legs wavering. He glanced at the crowd, his eyes longing for it to be someone else. But it wasn't. This was here and now. He looked at his father and immediately charged toward him. Zuko's fist was ignited with a flame, but his father parried the attack. In the next few moments, Ozai created a ring of fire, trapping his son in it's inner sides. The ring was closing in on Zuko and he frantically panicked. He jumped, attempting to land outside of the circular flame. As he proceeded to land, the hem of his shirt had gotten burned. Zuko winced at the slight pain, taking a fighting stance.
"Please, boy, you believe you have what it takes to take on me?" Ozai laughed viciously.
"I'll at least try," the young prince responded. With a ferocious shout, Zuko assaulted the older male, barely managing to let his fingers briefly swift across Ozai's forearm. As Zuko swooped by, Ozai snatched his ankle, swinging him around and around until Zuko was ready to let out his breakfast. Finally, he released his grip, letting the pre-teen drop to the ground with a thud.
Zuko knew he must do something. He would be a disgrace to the royal bloodline if he lost this fight. Although many couldn't blame him- for he was only thirteen- his father would immediately punish him. As if this wasn't the ultimate punishment.
He hastily made a counter attack, forming a string of fire that whipped across the Fire Lord's chest from behind. If he hadn't taken off his top, the attack would have been less affective to his burning flesh. Ozai snarled at the boy's cleverness. His impatience was hurtling through him as a fast pace. How could this Agni Kai be still going on? He should have ended it a long time ago. Anger clouded his thoughts, all the while Zuko ran up to the distracted man, elbowing him in the rib. He knocked the wind out of Ozai, leading the Fire Lord to drop to the ground, clutching his lower chest.
"You little…" were the only words Ozai mumbled out before he went incautious.
A shudder of relief filled Zuko till his brim. He did it. He beat the Fire Lord, the ruler of the whole Fire Nation. He was said to be the strongest, but a mere boy had brought him down. His own son. Zuko shined a smile toward the shocked crowd. Some clapped, some gasped, it didn't matter. He was a legend.
I hoped you all liked that. It was my first story, so please, be kind. Thank you.
-alleadbuch