Chapter 3: Lightning
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"He that wrestles with us strengthens our nerves and sharpens our skill. Our antagonist is our helper."
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Edmund Burke
Light streamed the cave as the boulder rolled from the opening. And there was Azula's pale face, menacingly bright.
"Why don't we take this to a more comfortable location?" she said, and stone steps appeared along the wall, leading up to the exit.
But when Zuko walked over to them, the steps started disappearing one by one.
"Just you peasant. Zuzu stays here."
Katara snorted, her hands balled to fists.
"That wasn't what we agreed," she said, barely containing her anger.
"You think I'm stupid? This is a precaution, so you won't run off. If you win, my brother will be freed."
"I'm the only one in the right to demand precautions. You've got the whole Palace surrounded, I have no water. There's no way I can run off."
Azula's eyes narrowed. Not moving her head, she watched them, both Katara and Zuko.
"Okay. You have a point. Anyway, I don't lose anything by letting brother dear watch you die. Will only add to my pleasure."
Azula smirked, then made a wide hand wave, inviting them in.
They came to a spacey underground hall, full of ancient tombs and statues and moldy walls. A fitting place to die, Zuko figured. He remembered being dragged through it on his way to the dungeons, but that time he hadn't given it much thought. Stone handcuffs kept Zuko's hands behind his back, and there were Dai Li agents on either side of him. No matter what happened now, Katara was on her own.
"Now, since you're not a firebender, the rules will be adjusted, a little," Azula declared.
She had discarded her lengthy robes, and wore the traditional midriff baring top used in fire duels, along with golden bands on her arms and knee-length pants. It was an uncommon sight to see Princess Azula barefoot. Katara had taken her tunic off, just wearing the dark blue top and pants she bore underneath.
"I suppose dear Agni won't have a problem with that. You will be allowed to use your barbaric waterbending techniques. That is, if you can find any water."
Zuko thought of the spirit water and bit his lip. It shouldn't have been wasted on him.
"Why don't we start."
"Unlike in undeveloped countries, the Fire Nation's Agni Kai has to conform to several rituals. We can't just begin. First, the duelists must bow to each other,"
Azula paused to incline her head, not once losing sight of Katara.
"Then, the duelists face each other's back, and pray. To Agni, of course. I understand you might not be familiar with the prayer. In that case, you may pray to one of your heathen gods. This will in no way influence your chances of winning, I promise."
Azula set the example and sat down on her knees, facing away from Katara, breaking eye-contact for the first time. After a moment's hesitation, Katara did the same.
"Prayer lasts till the gong is struck. Now, close your eyes, and pray."
Five seconds passed, ten. Zuko waited in anticipation. He could barely breathe. Fifteen seconds, twenty. Zuko checked himself once more, so far everything had gone as planned. He remembered the time of prayer, how much different it felt now that he was spectator. Zuko had been to many fire duels in his time, but this would be the first time he really cared for the outcome.
Movement registered in Zuko's eyes, snapped back to the makeshift arena. There was Azula, she was running, lightning fast. That was when he noticed Katara was still praying, and he hadn't heard the gong go off.
"Katara!"
A stone quickly muffled Zuko's mouth, once again giving him difficulty breathing. Blue flames shot from Azula's feet. This was it. But at the last moment Katara dodged the terrific heat. After exchanging a quick nod with him, Katara jumped to avoid another wave of flames.
"Resourceful, are we? I figured you'd be done by now."
Katara was breathing too hard to answer. She had escaped Azula's attack by narrow margin, but her pants were singed.
"Nice save," Azula continued, watching Zuko. "Too bad it's your last."
White sparks emerged from her fingertips, and as Azula made circular motions with her hands, they turned to streaks of lightning. Perfect and precise, going straight for their target – Katara.
Zuko closed his eyes. He didn't want to watch, not this. This was the end of him.
"Where is the Avatar? Tell me!"
But Katara leapt again, and panted "I haven't lost yet", and Zuko nearly opened his eyes, nearly gave in to hope. He heard the them running over the floor: the desperate thumping of Katara's feet, contrasted by Azula's light-footed tread. He felt himself a coward, refusing to watch this. The outcome was too certain, he knew who would lose.
Katara screamed. Zuko's eyes were wide open. She was clutching her right hand, lying on the floor, Azula hovering above her.
"Check mate. Now tell me where he is."
"Behind you"
"That's not funny." Azula growled, and whacked Katara's cheek.
"Tell me where the Avatar is, or I will personally decimate you."
Katara spat her in the face.
"Unlike you, I don't sell my friends."
Katara gasped. Azula had stepped her foot right on the crippled arm, put her weight on it. Zuko thought he'd heard a crack.
Azula was silent, she waited, assuming that whatever Katara felt, she'd crack eventually. Up in her palm a new current of lightning formed, hotter and whiter than the last.
Zuko struggled against his constraints. He moved forward but the agents held him down, grabbed his shoulders, squeezed. He fought them harder, to hell with honor. This was no Agni Kai any more.
"Your last words?"
Katara grit her teeth as she lay on the ground, bleeding.
"Very well then. If you wish to die, I can end it."
Azula reached down and sparks shot from her fingertips. A beautiful circle of white spun in the distance, and Zuko, finally gotten the gag from his mouth screamed
"No!"
With her free hand Katara grabbed Azula's ankle.
"How pitiful. Is that all you can do?"
Katara narrowed her eyes. She pulled. Her right arm cracked, pain pulsed through her body as she got up from under the Princess.
"Surely, I am impressed. Now die!"
Azula attacked. Zuko watched. The agents let his shoulders go. The whole hall was in a sense of anticipation. Then there was a big hiss as smoke filled the cave. White lightning turned to dust and burned, and filled the air with agony decay, a smell so foul as death.
Zuko stared. Katara was out there, bending her own blood with her left hand, slashing it over Azula's shocked face.
Taking advantage of the situation, Katara dashed forward, turning blood into ice. She was only two steps away from Zuko when the ice changed its target and off came his handcuffs. Zuko blinked, he was free. And while Katara was fighting the agents off, and Azula approached, he readied himself. Now or never.
She aimed at his heart, he could feel it coming closer, pulsating. His heart beat louder than ever before, louder than Katara's thumping feet, louder than the smashing rocks behind. When Zuko caught the lightning he jittered with its energy. His arms they trembled, legs shook, Zuko felt it drawing closer, speeding up his heart, taking him over. He bit his lip and pushed, pushed it down, down to his stomach, where it jingled in protest.
Zuko gasped in a chunk of air. He saw Azula watching, waiting for his body to give up and drop to the earth.
Zuko pushed the lightning up his other arm. Fast, prickly, it clambered up and out, then it sailed through the air, and he reeled in its power. Zuko smiled. This was it, Azula barely recovering from the shock, the hall starting to collapse behind. Time to run.
A big moon shone above the city's skyline once they got outside the caves. Zuko was starving, Katara exhausted. She dropped to the earth, cradling her arm. She'd come to the conclusion that it was broken, and until they found water, there was nothing she could do.
"I'll get us something to eat," said Zuko before he disappeared behind the tall grass of their hideout.
Katara caught herself from calling "be careful" in reply. Things were going so fast, it felt like Zuko had always been part of their team.
A/N: Thank you all for taking time to read, it fills my heart with joy when you admire my baby (aka this story). Next chapter will actually include Jin, I wanted to put her in here, but it was getting too long.
