A LITTLE BIT BEFOREHAND
"Is everything ready?" Azula asked, standing poised with her hands behind her back. It was dark, and they were deep in the forest, a ways away from the Fire Nation's capital. Zuko, Mai, and Ty Lee were standing behind her, dressed in formal clothing for the supposive King. Ten firebending guards surrounded the summoning circle, standing at attention, six of which, were holding touches in order to keep light in the area.
A gruffy guard replied to the princess.
"Yes princess Azula. We are ready to begin."
"Alright then." She stepped forward with her hand extended to him. "I'll read the incantation."
The guard nodded and took out the scroll. The way he gave it to her was almost mechanical.
She opened it, scanning it's content before beginning. When she started reading, it was quickly apparent that no one understood what she was saying, not even her.
This was due to the fact that the incantation was written in esperanto, the language of all ghosts. A language that has been long forgotten in all four of the nations.
For awhile, nothing was happening, until she said, "Mi povas vidi vian vizaĝon, ho fiera, Ĉar via potenco bezonas helpi en la konkero de mia volo." (May I see your face oh fierce one, for your power is needed to aid in the conquest of my will)
The grass in the summoning circle began glowing a bright green, with lighter shades of the color swirling inside. The white lines of the strange symbols they drew started glowing as well, slightly blinding anyone who was looking directly at them.
Soon green lightning started sprouting in and out of the circle and a small gust of wind had picked up. The guards were out of there attentive positions and into a more grounding stance. Some were covering their eyes and failing to keep their torch flames lit.
Azula's voice rose with a ferocity to battle the wind. "Mi alvokas vin, reĝo de ĉiuj spiritoj, al mia mondo!" (I summon you, king of all spirits, to my world!)
And everything stopped.
And everything was still.
And everyone stared.
Because right there, in the middle of the summoning circle, was a teenage boy with raven hair. His ice like eyes were wide and confused while his clothes were unusual and weird. Nothing about him seemed powerful, or even spirit-like at all.
The boy glanced around to everyone, looking uncomfortable. "Uhh…?"
DANNY'S POV
'What in the actual hell just happened?'
One second he was bringing popcorn into the living room, the next, he was staring at a group of complete strangers in weird DND clothing. It was cold and he realized they were outside in the forest. Suddenly, he was happy that he had chosen to wear his sweatshirt that day. Though he already wanted to be back in the kitchen with the warm popcorn.
"Uh…?"
A pretty girl, with light brown hair and hazel eyes suddenly flipped in front of him, stopping mere inches from his face.
"Hi!" She beamed and cocked her head. "You're pretty cute for a spirit."
His eyes widened, but before he could say anything, a stern voice rang out. "Ty Lee! That is no way to treat royalty."
The girl, whose name was apparently Ty Lee, immediately backed of and stood next to two other teens.The two others, a boy and a girl, seemed to be close. If their embrace was anything to go by. The boy had a nasty scar on one side of his face and the girl looked bored and uninterested.
The one who scowlded Ty Lee was a teenager slightly older than himself, with raven hair and golden appearing eyes. She was holding a scroll and wearing loose black armor with red under clothing and gold lining. The clothing was strange, just like the rest of them, but he couldn't help but find the necklace she was wearing more interesting. It was a thin silver necklace, with a grey, tonless stone in the middle of it. It was… oddly familiar. But before he could think more on it she suddenly bowed, snapping him back to reality.
"Welcome to the Fire Nation, King of all Spirits."
The halfa stared at her, then looked down and tilted his head. "Did-" He found himself turning to get a full view of the circle he was in. Crazy symbols and everything. "Did you just… summon me?"
"Yes, we did Phariah." She smiled with her hand on her hip. "Clearly."
Danny once again found himself staring.
He was summoned.
Like a goddamn demon from hell.
He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
'Well,' He thought. 'there's a first time for everything.'
'Wait…'
'Phariah?'
He suddenly chuckled, the sound ricocheting off the forest trees. "You guys were trying to summon Phariah?"
The girl frowned and raised an eyebrow. "Are you not Pariah Dark?"
"Definitely not." The halfa smiled and crossed his arms. "He's locked up at the moment. You guys are looking at the guy who got rid of him."
"So…" The girl put a hand on her chin. "You defeated Phariah and took his throne?"
"Well," Danny rubbed the back of his neck. "I wouldn't say I took his throne, but I defeated him."
"So you're even more powerful than he is." It was a question, but the way she said it came out more like a statement.
"Um…Yeah, I guess so."
"Perfect." She smiled and bowed again, her hands in front of her in a strange way. "My name is Azula. I am the daughter of Fire Lord Oziah and on behalf of my Nation, I ask for your help. And since your name is not Phariah, may I ask your true name?"
"... My name's Danny." The hero replied in a wary voice. "And what do you mean Fire Nation? Where are we?"
Azula quirked a brow. "We are in the Fire Nation. As I said."
"I got that, but what country? Japan? China?"
Everyone, even the guards, looked at each other in confusion.
"There's no such place as Japan or China here."
Danny deadpanned. "You're kidding. Right?"
The princess's face told him she wasn't.
"Then what about America, the USA?"
"Never heard of it."
"Really?"
"Yes. You are spewing nonsense."
The teen stepped back, breathing out an exaggerated breathe as he started to pace. 'I fucking knew this was gonna happen. This weekend started off too good.' He ran a hand through his messy hair. 'The best guess I have right now is I went back in time and that doesn't even make sense. Where the hell am I?' He looked back at Azula. "What're you wanting me to help you with?"
Azula's body language visibly shifted a little, her back straightened and her arms found there way behind her back, hooking to the scroll she held. "Our Nation is currently at war with two other Nations. The Water tribes and Earth kingdoms. The two Nations refuse to see the good of our powerful ideal and wish for our demise. But with your help, we can end this war and finally have everyone living under one rule to bring peace. The Fire Nation's rule."
Danny straightened. "You want me," He pointed at himself. "To help impose your," He pointed to her. "Rule and Culture on other Nations and make them follow your ways and your ways only?"
"Yes." She was pretty blunt, and he could see why they were wanting someone like Phariah. (Because he would probably go for it) But the halfa would never be caught dead (pun kinda intended XD) helping a dictator rule over anyone.
"Yeah…" He stared at her with raised eyebrows for a moment then looked back down to the circle. Suddenly feeling nervous, he rubbed the back of his head and shifted his stance. "I'm gonna have to pass."
"What do you mean pass?" Azula unhooked her hands and her face fell instantly.
The halfa shrugged. "I mean, that I'm not going to help you. So you can send me back to where you took me from and we can forget this ever happened."
The way Azula's eyes darkened was something the ghost boy didn't like. She looked over to the three teens behind her and they all nodded.
The halfa raised a brow and slid a foot back a couple inches, ready to protect himself if he needed to. But Azula did something slightly unexpected.
She smiled again.
But it wasn't comforting at all. It reminded him of Vlad's creepy smile. The smile the fruitloop does when he knows something Danny doesn't. Something important.
"I'm sorry to hear that," Azula started to walk to the side, opening the scroll she was holding.
A movement from Ty Lee caught his attention. The pretty girl had started shifting on the balls of her feet with an innocent smile.
The two teens that were behind Azula shifted too and he could tell there were going to attack.
But what confused him was when all of the, what he assumed to be soldiers or something, moved into a horse stance and reeled their fists back, taking aim to the sky.
Danny rolled up his sleeves slowly as he observed and sunk low, ready to fight or run.
If it were even possible, Azula smiled wider. "I've given you a choice, but now there is no choice. You will help my nation." She took her silver necklace off and presented it with one hand while holding the scroll open with her other. Her face lowered with a wicked smile. "But if you ask me, this way is much better."
The second she finished talking, the 'soldiers' punched the sky with their fists, but instead of nothing happening, fire shot out of their fists. Insane heat coated the halfa and he jumped back, almost falling flat on the ground from his surprise. He was now trapped under the dome of fire. "What the hell?!"
Before he had anytime to register anything, Ty Lee flipped by him and tried to hit him in his pressure points. "I'm really sorry to do this to you, but you should've chose to help us."
He dodged her, and rose into the air. He was about to tell her she was crazy when he heard Azula speaking in Esperanto, "Regxo de spiritoj, mia volo pretas por via animo." (King of spirits, my will is ready for your soul)
Danny instantly didn't like what she said and kicked Ty Lee away from him. A small 'umph' came out of her mouth and she slid across the grass.
He needed to get out of there.
The gloomy girl suddenly moved with the nasty scar guy. He ran to his left side, while the girl looked ready to stab him with ninja stars on his right. He went intangible and the girl harmlessly went through him. But when the scar guy shot fire and it went through him, he could only gasp.
His body grew tight and stiff, almost as if the heat from the fire tightened every one of his muscles.
When the scar guy shot at him again, he put up a shield. 'Not doing that again'
Azula continued to speak insane things in Esperanto. Words like "Mi ligas vin al vi" (I will bind you to) and "Via animo estos mia." (your soul will be mine) left her crazy mouth. The summoning circle began glowing, starting to look like a ghost portal on the floor, but the Halfa knew ghost portals don't slowly sprout white, glowing chains.
'Gotta get out of here'
He created a shield around himself but made a small opening in the top and shot an Ice ray right into the center of the fire dome. The whole thing froze over, and he shot an ectoray that completely shattered it. The instant it was gone, he shot up, ready to get the hell outta there.
But a glowing chain from the circle suddenly extended and wrapped around his ankle. On instinct, he went intangible, but it still clung on tight to him.
While he was distracted with trying to get the damn thing off, more shot up from the circle.
Before he could even blink, one grabbed his forearm and another snaked around his neck and armpit. He pushed and pulled against them, but to no avail. They tightened and dug into his skin and he knew there were going to be bruises later. His effort kept him airborne for a while longer before a final chain snagged him around his torso and pulled him to the ground. Hard.
He slammed onto his back and let out a gasp. The wind was knocked right out of him and the chains made it difficult to gain his breath. He grit his teeth and gripped at them, trying to pull them off, barely hearing Azula yelling in the ghost language.
"Nun mi petas vian animon konekti al mia ŝtono kaj doni vivon." (Now I ask of your soul to connect to my stone, and give it life)
The chains lifted him a little and he opened his eyes. Azula was in front of him holding the necklace out to him. He felt something slowly wrap around his core and start to pull harshly. He let out a strangled yell then grit his teeth again. "N-No."
"Keep fighting it." Azula said, her voice so loud to his suddenly throbbing head. It was like her voice was a tire screeching over broken glass. "It'll hurt that much more."
It pulled again and his teeth felt like they were going to shatter with how much he was trying to keep from voicing out his pain. But the next time it pulled, he couldn't fight it. A shrill and sharp cry exited his throat as his whole body underwent a forced transformation. His hair turned an eerie white and his eyes turned an intoxicating green. The hazmat suit he now wore felt very different from the baggy jeans and sweatshirt he was wearing seconds before. But if Azula was surprised she didn't let it show. She just stuck the necklace in front of him.
"Donu ĝin vivon." (Give it life.)
This time when it pulled he wasn't able to put up much of a fight and part of his ghost core came out of his chest. It fizzled wildly like it was trying to return back into its host, who was also trying to keep ahold of it. The halfa's body was shaking with sweat.
He cried out again.
A thin string of mist exited out of him and into the dull grey stone of her necklace.
It greedily took from him until it was filled to the brim with the small part of his soul. When it was done, the hold on his core was released and it snapped back into his chest. The force lurched him back, even with the chains still holding him in their grasp.
He groaned with his head low. Hard and heavy breaths escaped him and though he was sweating, he shivered. A part of his very core had been taken right in front of him.
And he was completely powerless to stop it.
Azula leaned in close to him, a soft smile plastered on her features. He glared at her from under his white hair, his half lidded eyes glowed dangerously toxic. The princess faltered, but quickly covered it up before anyone could see. "You're mine now."
His vision blurred and he passed out.
