Zelda music in background, more specifically The lost woods slow version from twilight princess. I try writing with music on. I don't know if anyone else notices, but when you write with music playing, the music's mood is soaked into the story. I'm writing with Zelda's calm music in one part and Death Mountain in another. I hope the music adds flavor.
A/N: I'm writing third person on this one instead of first person like I usually do. I Need Beta Reader, Read Story, Find Out Why. (I'm not that bad. No, but seriously, If anyone has time to fix my most likely mutilated stories, tell me or something.)
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: the Last Airbender tragedy
The war with the Fire Nation was coming to a close. Aang stood out on a cliff pondering the up coming battle. His thoughts were as jumbled as the angry storm that had appeared out of nowhere so long ago. Today would be the day his fate was decided, life and prosperity, or death and humiliation. Aang tried again and again to tell himself that this time would be different, but he kept remembering the last time he told himself that, the Day of Black Sun. Aang shuddered in sudden remembrance of the horrible day in which he failed the world for a second time.
The sun peaked over the horizon, casting red rays of warning onto the sky, illuminating the ground in an eerie red hue. The birds were silent this morning, nothing but the rustle of leaves could be heard for miles. Even the Palace grounds, which were but a few miles from Aang's present location were silent, their usual urban noise muted as if to further warn the group what a bad idea it was to attack the Fire Nation. Aang sighed. He was an Airbender and so naturally trusted nature and what it told him. He trusted it even more so because he was the avatar. And as he watched the ominous morning sky, he could almost feel the warning emanating from the trees around him. He could hear noises behind him. The others were most likely waking up. He sighed again, peace broken.
After eating, the group made their way to the Fire Nation Palace. With fewer people, the gaang easily bypassed the palace defenses on Appa's back. They dropped off in front of the palace where Sokka skillfully knocked out the two guards to either side of the entrance. Toph opened the doors and everyone filed in.
"We need to split up. Aang, you go to the throne room, we'll stay here and keep anyone else from following you." Sokka said, taking up a defensive position. Katara looked at Aang before running over to him and putting her arms around him. She let go after wishing him good luck and watched as he ran down the main hallway to meet his fate.
Aang ran down the main hallway to the Throne room. He lifted a boulder out of the ground and slammed it against the large double doors to the Throne. The massive doors splintered and flew backwards. Aang airbended himself over the wreckage and landed in front of the evil ruler.
Fire lord Ozai sat on his throne, laughing at the Avatar. He quickly stopped laughing to dodge a large boulder that crashed into the throne's backing just where his head had been.
"Two can play rough" The Fire Lord muttered. Breathing in deeply, he enlarged the fire wall in front of his throne to triple its previous size and heat. Aang jumped back behind the rubble of the door before the heat wave hit him. Fire Lord Ozai didn't seem to have any problem with the added heat and sliced at Aang's protection with Firebending to make Azula drool.
Aang jumped from behind his cover and did a combination of air and earthbending to speed a large boulder at the Fire lord. He underestimated the Fire Lord though, who simply flicked his wrist and melted the earth into lava, which he then bended back at the astonished Avatar. Aang jumped high into the ceiling, throwing rock after rock at the Fire Lord who returned each rock with a white hot flame that melted anything it touched.
Aang's skin had become slightly burned wherever it was exposed by this point. He dropped down and flung fire of his own at the Fire Lord. The Fire Lord easily dismissed the weak flames, but that was all Aang needed to summon water from the nearby fountains in the hall and spray Ozai with a hail of Ice needles, each with a shield of air in front of them to prevent them from melting. The effect was a Fire Lord with hundreds of minor cuts all across his chest.
The Firebender doubled over and retched blood. He looked up at the Avatar, murder in his eyes, and lifted his hand, pointing at the Airbender. Aang realized that the Fire Lord was about to shoot lightning at him but didn't have time to defend himself. The Fire Lord let go of the pent up energy in his body and poured it into white lightning, which hit Aang in the chest. He buckled over, his eyes closing slowly. The Fire Lord didn't stop there though, he continued to fire wave after merciless wave at the helpless avatar before succumbing to his wounds.
Aang knew that the Fire Lord was dead and tried to stay awake. He knew that if he stayed awake until Katara arrived, he'd be alright, but the Spirit World was calling and his body was tired. "No! I must stay awake." The young Avatar said to himself, barely audible over the sound of fighting in the halls.
Katara burst into the room. Her face filled with fear as she looked around for the small figure that was the avatar. She saw him, burned and bleeding, mere feet from the dead Fire Lord.
She ran over to him and lifted him into her lap.
He smiled up at her. "Katara, I l- I lo…" and darkness overcame him.
"Oh Aang." Katara whispered, stroking Aang's back as he left her. "You promised me you'd be alright." She said, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Flashback
"Aang," Katara said, walking up behind the Airbender who was obviously deep in thought. "Aang!"
"Wha… Oh sorry. What did you want me for?" Aang asked, nervousness tinting his voice.
"It's your big day, the day you defeat the Fire Lord." Katara said encouragingly. Aang looked tired.
"Katara? I want you to promise me something." Aang said seriously.
"What is it Aang?" Katara asked, fear in her heart for what she knew was coming.
"I don't want you to heal me until the war is over. I don't want to have you come to save me and risk other peoples lives because you weren't there to help them." Aang said, leaving no room for argument.
"Aang, you can't make me promise that." Katara pleaded.
"If you don't then I won't fight." Aang said bitterly.
"If I promise, then you have to promise me something." Katara said, tears in her eyes. "Promise me you'll come back." She whispered, looking at the ground
Aang took her face in his hands and tilted it towards him. "I promise." He said. The way he said it made Katara trust that no matter what, so long as she kept her promise, then he'd be alright.
"Then I promise not to help you until the battle is over." Katara cried, throwing her arms around him and crying into his tunic. He stood their, his arms around her tears streaming down his face as well as hers, until they was done.
End of Flashback
Katara put her hand to his chest, feeling for his heart beat, when none came she realized she was too late. "Aang, Aang! You promised, you promised you'd be alright. How could you abandon me?" Katara yelled, openly crying on the avatar's face. "You promised." She yelled, a lump growing in her throat. "You promised." She whispered again, her eyes filled with tears. Katara felt limp, numb, empty. Her reason for life was gone. "I loved you, I still love you." She whispered even quieter so even she couldn't hear.
Then, his tattoos glowed ever so slightly. His eyes opened to slits, emitting a light blue light before closing. His tattoos faded to their normal light blue. Katara put her hand to his chest and smiled, tears still wet on her cheeks. "You never did break a promise." She said.
A/N: I liked how this one turned out. I'm thinking on making an added separate story with this as the prologue, either that or it will stay a one-shot(collection?). Review please, I love reading what you have to say! I hope the Revamp was better, I noticed a lot of real anti climatic points and tried smoothing them out.
PS, Anyone know a good beta-reader? My stories never achieve their full potential when it's just me writing them. As someone said in a previous review, my stories are a little blocky, but no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to smooth out all the rough edges. ( I think I wrote this twice)