THE DISHONORED PRINCESS
CHAPTER II – THE FIRST AGNI KAI
So I've gotten back in the groove of some actual writing. I'm back for real this time!
This chapter's a bit short, but I couldn't really find a better way to end it, so I apologize for the cliffhanger.
On the other hand, the next chapter will be longer, and will take a more linear approach as to the memories of Azula like the first chapter
and this one do.
So yeah.
-Skryr
Princess Azula stepped out of her bedroom. There was an anxiety about her that was rather unknown to her character. The impending threat of a real Agni Kai had finally reached her, it seemed. Iroh's suggestions on how she should prepare herself had proven to be useful to her state of mind, but the sick anticipation was still getting to her.
It wasn't just that she was sure to punish Jian for his evil and disrespect for the lives of the Fire Nation's soldiers. Azula wanted to fight. She had felt the burning desire to prove herself in combat before, under her tutelage with Master Jeong Jeong, but how she felt now was of a much more intense caliber.
Every bone in her body, having received an herb-filled bath and a relaxed slumber the night before, was prepared to go into action against her adversaries. She could feel the heat emanating from her fingertips, begging her mind to convert them into jets of flame.
She was ready.
Servants attended Azula as she hastily ate breakfast and prepared herself for the day's proceedings. At a time near noon, several of the Fire Sages arrived at the royal palace asking her to accompany them. Azula knew that this was in accordance with the age-old Agni Kai traditions of "purification" before the duel for honor. She recognized snippets of the Ancient Tongue as the Fire Sages began to chant and walk in step. She tried her best to keep up with them.
Azula followed them to the Fire Temple, an ascetic structure designed to reflect the simplicity of pure flame: a single burning desire to spread. Azula knew that most architecture in the Fire Nation (well, mostly everything, really) was designed to model the characteristics of its native element as the ancient Sun Warriors sought to eons ago.
The eldest of the Fire Sages led Azula away to a room lit with a single candle at its center. "Princess Azula, it is with great honor that I am given the privilege to prepare you for your Agni Kai. Allow me to preface the ceremony with gratitude that you have risen up to initiate this duel."
Azula's eyes widened. "What makes you say that?" The Sage merely nodded, more to himself than to her. "It has been some time since someone has had the courage to challenge someone of this high ranking in the Fire Nation. Most of the Agni Kai duels nowadays are simple things, meant to relieve stress more than to invoke a challenge upon one's honor. And forgive my forgetfulness Princess, but you challenged him on the full honor of the Fire Nation's military?"
Azula nodded. "I could not let it stand, Sage." The Sage raised a hand in placation. "You mistake my motive; I do not intend to criticize. I respect your cause, Princess. I simply fear that few others share the same disposition. In any case, we should begin the ceremony."
Azula nodded once more as the old Sage spread his hands. "Agni! This young warrior with the heart of a dragon has invoked the right of challenge! May you bless her in her attempts to fight for not only her own honor, but for the honor of the Fire Nation!"
The Sage then gave Azula a small grin. "Now I must recite the Sage's blessings. A fair warning, however. This will take some time." Azula sighed.
It turned out that "some time" was a bit of an understatement. Azula eventually was left alone to dress in the ceremonial Agni Kai garb. It was a simple thing, befitting of the dedication of the Fire Sages themselves; a two piece clothweave tunic was given to her, and as she discarded her robe for a servant to collect (thankfully this one was one of her normal handmaidens), she slipped the outfit on.
It radiated warmth. She felt fire begging to be released at her will. It felt good.
The old Sage returned and motioned for her to follow. She accompanied the other Sages down a passageway in the Temple to a lengthy tunnel. After following this, Azula saw the tunnel open up into an enormous chamber.
She recognized the characteristic wooden gates of the Arena, the place where the Agni Kai duels were held. She had often attended duels between the better fighters in the Fire Nation, where the sand beneath offered neither help nor hindrance to the firebenders that entered.
Master Jeong Jeong had once told her that the environment was always a tool, if one could find it. She wondered how the sand could be used, if at all, to aid in her fight against Jian.
The elder Sage pardoned the other Sages leave while he accompanied Azula to the gates. "May Agni give you strength child. You will need it."
"I can hold my own against Jian, Sage. I was the most skilled of Master Jeong Jeong's pupils." At this the Sage seemed to shrink a little. "J-Jian? Oh Agni…" Without another word he left. Azula's confusion multiplied. What was his problem? Suddenly, the voice of the Arena's announcer reached her ears.
"Citizens of the Fire Nation! Children of the Dragons! I welcome you to a most amazing spectacle! You have all seen the Agni Kai! A duel to the pain of the loser, as to expand the honor of the victor! A time-honored tradition of the Dragons themselves that has been preserved as what separates our glorious nation from the others of this world!"
Azula looked among the throngs of onlookers. There were so many that they blocked out one another, but perhaps she could glimpse her own friends? Uncle Iroh, or perhaps Master Piandao?
Her father?
"But I am here today to give you a different fight! You have witnessed in this Arena the duels of champions past, but today will be a fight like no other! The honor of the Firelord himself has been challenged by none other than our own crown princess! General Jian, as befits our traditions, has allowed the Firelord to act accordingly!"
Azula gasped. What had Jian done?!
"The Firelord has accepted the challenge to his honor, and will honor us this day with his prodigal firebending skill!" The crowd erupted in a deafening cacophony. The announcer had to shout over them to make himself heard. "And the crown princess of the Fire Nation, Princess Azula, arrives as the challenger!"
More applause spread across the Arena. Azula could not hear it though. The shock had not yet passed. She was about to fight her father, the Firelord, or in other words, the world's most powerful firebender even as admitted by Master Jeong Jeong, in mere moments.
Everything happened in slow motion as the thoughts in Azula's mind connected. The Sages had known that the Firelord was taking Jian's place as the defender of his honor, and understandably were convinced that Azula did not stand a chance.
The elder Sage had felt respect, perhaps even reverence, for her when he had questioned why she had taken the challenge. She realized now that he must have thought of her as one would think of a martyr. Somehow, that thought made her angry enough for the haze to clear and the Arena returned to focus.
The gates opened with a great clamor. The announcer shouted over the crowd again. "LET THE AGNI KAI BEGIN!"
The opposite gate parted to reveal the towering figure of Azula's father, the Firelord. He too had donned the ceremonial garb of the Agni Kai, but he strode into the sandpit as though he was clad in the finest of royal silk.
Azula approached with anxiety, fear, rage, and determination all in a conglomerate form. She figured that if she was to die, this would be the way she would want it: a death in the most honorable of ways. She knew that the Agni Kai was rarely ever fought to the death.
But she also knew that times had changed.
Her father surveyed her as she approached. "You have arrived! Zuko had suggested you would not when you discovered that I would be your opponent. He seems to have been mistaken."
Azula did not respond. "You are aware that when you lose, you will be banished? Exiled, without any trace of honor, and bound to a death sentence if you set foot in your country again?"
Azula remained silent. She knew he was baiting her, waiting for her to be distracted to he could strike. He was like the serpentine aspect of the Dragon that the Fire Nation revered, though not for his honor or his strength. Cunning served his selfishness more than the virtues ever could.
At the lack of reaction, her father snarled. "Just like your mother! A coward to match power even in words!" Azula's blood boiled from the insults, but this was the breaking point. She would not tolerate such insult to her mother's honor. It was no longer just her.
With a cry of "No!" that echoed within the confines of the Arena, Azula flung herself at her father with a jet of flame that was infused with her rage. The rational part of her screamed at her to not be stupid, but she no longer cared. Confrontation with her father was more or less inevitable. She may as well have the first blow.
But the Firelord merely waved a hand and parted the fire. He retaliated with three series of fire blasts that knocked Azula backwards into the sand. She rolled over, dodging a fourth blast, and shot back a few of her own before she evaded a fifth from her father.
Her body was filled with adrenaline, but her mind told her to focus and steady herself. The power of firebending was in its devastation caused by concentration. Wildfire was destructive, but it could not compare to the might Master Jeong Jeong had displayed when meditating.
Her eyes scanned her father for weakness, though she knew there was none. She then recalled the Arena being composed mostly of sand, and decided to use that to her advantage. With a silent prayer of thanks to her Master, she kicked the ground beneath her and a wave of sand flew into the face of her opponent, greeted by a string of curses and a blind blast of fire that caught her.
Her father recovered faster than any firebender she knew could, and then launched a series of attacks that she could not hope to match. She fell backwards again, and her father aimed the final blast of fire at her face.
"Do you yield?!" He shouted. There was a madness in his eyes that Azula found impossible to comprehend. She attempted to kick him, and though she only caused a moment's distraction, she rolled again, only to be stopped with another jet of flame.
She knew she had lost. But she refused to let him break her spirit. "If you came to hear me beg, you will be disappointed." Her father let out a mirthless, cruel laugh.
"Are you sure?"
And the last thing Azula remembered was a molten pain on the side of her face.
So what do you think?
I admittedly changed the closed Arena to an open air one filled with sand, because I feel like a closed one just wasn't befitting of this kind of tradition.
Regardless, I rather liked how it turned out.
Leave a review and stay tuned for Chapter III!
-Skryr