Chapter Three


Preparations


A map was laid out across a table, with various points highlighted, indicating a vague northbound path. "We know he's heading north, and he has an untrained waterbender with him," rasped a young, commanding voice. "I haven't seen him waterbend since the South Pole, either. That leaves the North Pole as his most likely destination. We need to intercept him before he gets there." The speaker bore a massive burn scar over his left eye. His features seemed set in a permanent scowl, as if daring the world to challenge him.

"A logical conclusion, Nephew," came an older, gravelly voice. "However, I must still question how we will keep the young Avatar contained. He has escaped us before."

"I won't be underestimating him again, Uncle." The young man glared at the map on the table before him, as if doing so could bring him closer to achieving his goal.

"I doubt you would, Prince Zuko, but that doesn't address my point. How do you plan to contain the Avatar?"

"I need to focus on capturing him first, Uncle."

The elderly man couldn't help but shake his head in exasperation as he went to make himself some calming tea.


Omashu was a grand Earth Kingdom city largely untouched by the war that had been raging for the last century. The only gate was accessible via a long, narrow stone bridge set high over the canyon floor. The city-state of Omashu was currently under the rule of King Bumi, and had been for several decades. While a vast feudal society during peacetime under one supreme monarch titled "Earth King," the Earth Kingdom as a whole had been united against the Fire Nation, especially during Fire Prince Iroh's infamous 600 day Siege of Ba Sing Se. Lately, however, division had begun to creep into the soul of the vast Earth Kingdom Army, and the National front was slowly making its way to Ba Sing Se yet again.

It was in the palatial library of Omashu that a young man by the name of Vergil could be found, perusing every piece of parchment and paper he could find dealing with mythology. Vergil was an oddity to the few that ever met him. He had bright silver hair, swept back away from his face. His determination and drive burned with that of untempered youth, but his mannerisms were cold and calculating. He dressed heavy silks and light leather, and harbored a preference for blue. Rarely was he seen without his three-tailed, bright sky blue coat at least in the vicinity. What drew the most attention in locales he frequented was the massive, curved odachi he always kept at his side.

Vergil's hand flew to the sayu housing his odachi at his side as the door behind him opened."You've been cooped up here in my library for quite some time. All day, actually. Perhaps you should join the feast happening later!" Bumi suggested as he walked in.

"I hardly have the appetite for a public atmosphere. And I would prefer to continue studying," came the slow, measured reply. Vergil's eyes never left the subject of his scrutiny, and his hand slowly released the sayu.

"Surely you can afford a short hiatus from your studies to meet the Avatar and his friends, no?" the old king asked, hoping to bait the studious youth into attending.

Vergil's eyes narrowed. The Avatar would be attending? He had been missing for a hundred years, and he signals his reappearance by attending overblown feasts thrown by a mad king? "How are you certain the Avatar will be in attendance?"

"The city guards brought them here after apprehending them, so I'm throwing them a feast!" The old king proceeded to cackle madly.

"You truly are a madman," the young man drawled, unamused by the king's antics. He questioned the rationality of throwing a feast for apprehended criminals, Avatar or otherwise. "I will remain here. As I have said, I hold no desire to be in a public atmosphere." The Avatar being enough of a nuisance to warrant arrest put the swordsman off from wanting to meet the legendary figure.

Bumi sighed, seeing that he would make no headway against the stubborn man seated in his library. "Very well. However, I do have a task I wish you to do tomorrow." He did, however, have other plans to ascertain the Avatar and the enigmatic swordsman would meet.

"I suppose a set task could be compensation for my housing here. What is it?" Vergil asked.

"For the Avatar, I have three deadly challenges which he must complete before I allow him to leave my city. I want you to be there for the third one. I'll have a messenger sent to retrieve you when the time comes."

"Please ensure that he knows to knock before entering."


"So where to next, boss?" Dante was leaning lazily against the ostrich-horse allotted to him, with an arm draped over her saddle.

"We'll be taking a few mountain passes to reach a town roughly southeast of here. We'll be there a couple weeks before they have their Fire Days Festival, so we should be able to make a few good sales." Shāngrén climbed up to the seat at the front of his main carriage, and grabbed the reins for the bison-ox that pulled it. "Now mount up and let's go. You're the only one not already on your ostrich-horse."

Dante sighed, a relaxed, easygoing grin sported across his features as he mounted his steed. Getting back into town without his shirt had been a slight shock to his client, and the story behind it spurred the merchant into desiring to leave Gaipan by sunrise. The barrels of blasting jelly Dante had discovered on his way to recovering Rebellion had greatly unsettled the traveling salesman, and led to the local National forces being warned of the threat the terrorists in the forest presented. They were assured that resources would be allocated to apprehending the extremists. "Just like resources are being dedicated to finding the lost Avatar, right?" Dante had quipped.

"As many explosives as they're stockpiling, you'd think they plan to blow up the dam," Yi mused as they were entering the forest to the east. "A bit extreme, don't you think, Liang?"

"It is, but they hate Nationals beyond rationality, if Dante is to be believed. Sacrificing a few Earth Kingdom citizens would probably be nothing compared to ridding the area of National presence, to them."

A little boy wearing a too-large helmet was soon dashing back to his home in the trees.


After hours of more studying, Vergil finally decided to retire for the evening. Much information had been gained through his obsessive perusal, and he was planning on putting it to use as soon as he could after leaving Omashu. However, due to his prior agreement, he would be staying another day in the chamber provided for him. As he arrived at its location, the ever-present guard earthbent a door into the room, and closed it after he stepped through. Whenever he wanted to leave, all he needed to do was provide a specific pattern by knocking on the wall where he entered. It was mildly time-consuming, but it prevented confusion from arising if anything were to strike the wall without his volition.

Vergil noted with irritation that the layout of his room had been changed in his absence. Instead of his single bed in the center, there were now four, all arranged so that they were in line or perpendicular to each other. He suspected he would have guests. Had a group of scholars come to Omashu to research some mundane subject? No, he would have heard of the decision to have them room with him, which he would have vehemently opposed.

Before another hour had passed, the wall was opened again, from the other side. Three children were thrust into the chamber: a young Tribal boy who looked to be coming of age, a younger Tribal girl who wore a betrothal necklace and had her hair arcing in loops on the sides of her face, and a very young master airbender, who Vergil presumed was also the Avatar.

"Who are you? Why are you in this cell?" The Tribal boy was obviously suspicious of the forced acquaintance, something which Vergil shared the sentiment in, for different reasons.

"Who I am is of little importance, save that I am a guest of the king being provided quarters while I am here." The Avatar seemed mollified by the statement, but the elder Tribal remained distrusting. 'Smart boy,' Vergil thought.

"Why do you have that sword?" The Tribal boy asked, pointing to the sheathed blade held at Vergil's side.

"It is mine." The plain statement did little but make the boy scowl. Vergil felt an amused smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth, but kept himself entirely composed.

"How do we know we can trust you?" the Tribal girl asked. She had been eying the blade at Vergil's side since entering the chamber.

"It's quite simple, really. You don't know." The Avatar went on edge again at the statement, seeming to interpret it as the man saying he was untrustworthy.

"Can we introduce ourselves, at least? I'm Aang, and I'm the Avatar. These are my friends Katara and Sokka," he said, gesturing to each in turn. Vergil now had names to put to faces, and confirmation that the tattooed boy was indeed the Avatar. "And this is Momo," he added, lifting the lemur that had been warily eying him for some time now.

"Eager to make peace, I see. I suppose that is your purpose as the Avatar. My name is Vergil."

"I've never heard a name like that before," Katara commented. "Where are you from?"

"Somewhere in the northern Earth Kingdom, but that is of little matter. I had..." Vergil paused, as if searching for the right word before continuing, "Unusual parents."

Katara didn't fail to notice the implications of Vergil's choice of words. "I'm so sorry. What happened to them?"

"I do not wish for anyone's pity, nor is that information I share freely to anyone who asks," Vergil responded. Unconsciously remembering his mother's constant lessons on etiquette, and how his father so well exemplified that, he amended, "Though your concern is appreciated, however unneeded it may be."

"If you're from the Earth Kingdom, why do you wear blue, then?" Katara asked.

"Colors and styles are not exclusive to a single domain. Kyoshi Island rather prominently wears blue clothing, yet they are vassals of the Earth King." Vergil's answer seemed enough to ward off further questions from the girl.

"So who are you, exactly? What do you do?" The Avatar seemed intent on learning about the vague man he and his friends would be rooming with for the night.

Vergil took a short while to answer, considering it well before doing so. "You have my name already. As for what I do, it's family business."

"What kind of family business? It wouldn't happen to be taking over the world in the name of the Fire Lord, would it?" Sokka's blunt question drew a curious glance from Vergil.

"That seems redundant questioning after I informed you that I am not a National," Vergil responded.

"Look, how about we try to focus on a way out of here?" Aang turned to face Vergil, looking pleading. "How do you leave this room?"

"I knock where I entered, using a specific pattern given to me by the king. No, I will not disclose this to you," Vergil said, heading off any questions about the matter. "It would be preferable to not offend my host."

"Either way, we've been awake long enough as it is. Get some rest, Aang," Katara said, as she lifted the blanket covering on one of the mattresses. "Looks like you'll need it for tomorrow."

Sokka quickly got into a bed knowing Katara would be in the one furthest from the stranger they were spending the night with. Aang collapsed across from Sokka, and fell asleep quickly after realizing her advice was correct. Vergil neatly folded his coat, set it at the edge of his bed and removed his boots before slipping under the covers. A few minutes later, snoring from the Avatar and the Tribal boy roused Vergil from the beginnings of slumber. Resigning himself to a restless sleep, Vergil closed his eyes again before beginning to doze.


Hours later, Vergil was awoken by a portion of the wall being earthbent away to reveal a group of the palace guards. They wordlessly stepped in, and removed the Avatar's companions from the chamber. Before they could seal the wall behind them, Vergil was also out of the chamber, and heading towards the library, utilizing breathing exercises to ward off weariness. The Avatar had made a grand re-entrance to the world, and was a new figure to be accounted for.


A day had passed, and the caravan was well into the mountain trail. Another three days would be spent traveling through, but they were away from the imminent danger Gaipan was facing.

Dante had been feeling on edge since they entered the mountains. His senses were on high alert, and his normally flippant and laid back demeanor had been replaced by a frantic search for something. The odd behavior did not go unnoticed by the other members of the caravan.

"Dante, you've been looking uneasy ever since we came onto this trail. Is something wrong?" Shāngrén knew Dante had a confident, self-sure attitude, and this drastic shift unsettled him.

"There's something here. This trail hasn't seen humans in a while. When was the last time you came through?"

"We last came through around a year ago. We're taking the same path we've been taking for years. And how can there be something here if nobody's come through in a while?" The merchant was worried about his established travel path becoming unusable. Had he acquired an enemy along his travels? All other traveling merchants he had met relied on each other to keep business moving and friendly. One bad deal could sour the reputation of everyone else.

Shāngrén was snapped out of his worrying with a single question. A scowl decorated Dante's face as he asked, "Ever heard of the legend of Sparda?"

Yi had been intrigued by the sudden shift in attitude coming into the mountains, but his undivided attention was now on Dante. His mind had continually wandered back to that particular legend during his perusal of all the mythology he possessed. No other tale was so deliberately ambiguous. Achievement upon achievement was credited to the mysterious figure, yet no real details were ever given.

"I have. But what does an old fairy-tale have to do with your recent paranoia?" Yi asked. He had hoped to be able to press for more information from Dante since their conversation in the restaurant in Gaipan, and now was an opportunity.

"It's not just an old fairy-tale. He was real. And there's a demon on this pass." Dante pulled Rebellion from his back, and dismounted from his ostrich-horse. "We need to keep moving. I'll fight better if I'm not mounted, and I can keep up. If it shows up, keep going. I'll catch up later."

"You're not pulling the heroic sacrifice thing on us, Dante. Our odds of success are better with all of us fighting this demon." Liang was speaking with the idea of a tiger-wolf pack bringing down an angry platypus-bear.

"Trust me, you two need to focus on staying with the boss in case any smaller ones show up. The one I'm worried about, well, I'm not worried for me. I didn't tell you how my shirt got ruined, did I?"

"I recall you telling us how you came back without it. Or at least the story around that." Shāngrén looked terrified at the prospect of fighting a demon, much less encountering one in passing. "Why?"

"Those Freedom Fighters stabbed me through the chest. I got better." All present company looked at Dante as if he'd stated he had conquered Ba Sing Se singlehandedly. "You can try for yourselves if you want." The looks swiftly changed to ones of appalled bewilderment.

"Let's say we take your word. What would prevent the demon from simply crushing you to come get the rest of us?" Liang asked, still preferring numbers on their side.

"Let's just keep going, and trust me. Taking off if it shows up is the best you can do for yourselves." Dante was jogging to keep up with the caravan, Rebellion still in his hand.

"Fine," Shāngrén sighed in defeat on the matter. "But only because you're so adamant on the issue."

"It wouldn't be quite as bad if things around me didn't have a tendency to get broken in a fight. I'd still insist you get away, though."

Travel through the pass remained relatively normal until they came to a narrow bottleneck. It was at that point that a shower of pebbles started falling from high above, along with a low rumbling sound. The noise directed the caravan's attention uphill. "Go! Run!" Dante shouted, sensing the demon bearing down on them. Shāngrén whipped the reins, spurring the bison-ox into moving with greater urgency, and Yi and Liang spurred their mounts to following directly behind the main cart. Dante sent his steed up by the other guards, and began sprinting to keep up with them.

Shāngrén looked up the slope to find a large boulder on a collision course with him and his carriage. His eyes widened in terror, and he gasped as he tried to pull the bison-ox to a slower pace, trying to have it pass in front of them. All efforts were fruitless, and he could only blink with shock as the boulder that was bearing down on him seemed to come to a halt before gaining altitude, and then soaring over the carriage, dropping dust along the way. Dante was seen where the boulder achieved flight, panting with exertion. Yi did not fail to notice this, and made eye contact until he had passed. Moments later, Dante began running to keep up with the caravan yet again, intensely focused on the survival of his companions, and killing the demon.

Dante furtively glanced up and down the slope, hoping to locate the demon causing this veritable landslide. Often he would have to quickly step to one side or the other as a boulder crashed to the ground before him. After a few uninterrupted seconds of looking uphill, he saw a being composed of rock following the caravan, casting boulders down the slope at the humans below.

Putting on a burst of speed, the red-clad mercenary charged ahead, level with his companions, and then turned uphill, never losing pace with the caravan that seemed to grow smaller with every step. It was at this point that the demon recognized him as a threat, and began directing its focus at the charging swordsman. This left fewer boulders heading towards the fleeing merchant and guards below, and allowed Dante to bring the coming fight to full focus.

As Dante crested the slope, he saw that instead of one demon, there were two Zhīzhū Shí creating the rockslide that had targeted the caravan below. Dante groaned at the sight. "I hate spider-scorpions." After pulling Rebellion from his back and twirling it once, he pointed the massive sword at the rock-demon closest to him, taunting, "You're going to be more fun to squash than regular spider-scorpions, right?"

As one, the pair of demons fired boulders in an expanding pattern at the swordsman. At the last moment possible, Dante leaped over the first wave, and came crashing down on one of the demon's head with Rebellion's edge leading the fall. The blade cut deep, but little more than superficial damage was actually done. The other demon took the opportunity to fire boulders at Dante while he pulled his sword from his target's stone head. Dante barely managed to leap over the incoming boulders, which impacted against the demon he had just pulled his sword out of. The inadvertent target howled in pain, and Dante was struck with an idea.

Dante positioned himself between his adversaries, and rather than trying to converge on the swordsman, they instead began firing boulders at him from opposite sides. Each wave of earth and stone the young man leaped over, and the demons howled in pain and rage, blinding them to the fact that they were causing more harm to each other than their target.

After several rounds of jumping over boulders cast in his direction, the demon he first struck with Rebellion crumbled under the extreme punishment it had suffered. The remaining demon howled in rage at Dante, incensed over the loss of its companion. The swordsman merely grinned in response, and bent over in a mock bow, waving it towards him. "Come and get me," he dared it.

The stone-formed demon then did something entirely unexpected, and launched itself into the air. Dante threw himself to the side, only to just barely avoid being crushed by the descending demonic spider-scorpion. In response, Dante jumped onto the top of the Zhīzhū Shí, leading the fall with the point of Rebellion, hoping to cause more damage than trying to cleave its partner's head had done. The blade sunk deep, but the Zhīzhū Shí only responded with another great leap into the air, forcing Rebellion to come out, and Dante to fall off as it began to descend. The stone demon turned to face the swordsman after it landed, its mouth gaping as it prepared to crush Dante under waves of boulders.

Dante knew what was coming, and in a desperate attempt to stop the Zhīzhū Shí, he propelled himself forward, Rebellion's point once more leading the charge. In what could only be described as a miracle, Rebellion's point met the hellspawn's attack as it began to emerge from its mouth. The boulders were forced back into the demon, and it began to thrash about in pain before crumbling as the other had.


Vergil had received King Bumi's summons, and proceeded to the location as per directions given to him. As he opened the door, he saw the king describing his final test to the young Avatar.

"Your final test," Bumi began, "is a duel! And," here he paused for dramatic effect, "as a special treat, you may choose your opponent!"

As if on cue, Vergil stepped out to join two other fighters, one massive and wielding an oddly shaped battle-axe, and the other lean and taut, holding a spear with a wicked sickle blade at the tip. Aang noticeably shrank under the sadistic grin offered by the man holding the odd spear, and the casual indifference of the man carrying the axe. Vergil's apparent disinterest, given by how he refused to look at the young Avatar, did little to mitigate this. Looking at the king, Aang was struck with an idea. "So you're saying whoever I point to, that's who I fight?"

"Choose wisely," Bumi warned, sporting a grin.

Almost faltering in his conviction, Aang continued with his choice, pointing at the hunched old king as he stated his action. "I choose you."

Bumi almost chuckled at the Avatar's choice, before grinning with almost cruel glee. "Wrong choice," the king said, before bringing his arms in and righting his posture, placing him at a height far above what anyone suspected of him. As he reached his full height, he discarded his robes, revealing a musculature that shamed the man wielding the axe.

Aang flinched away from the king, and the Avatar was quickly catapulted into the arena below by a stomp from Bumi. The earthbender leaped from the balcony to the arena, landing just in front of the Avatar, who was only just recovering from being thrown such a vast distance.

"You thought I was just a frail old man," Bumi said accusingly. "I'm the most powerful earthbender you're ever going to face."

"Can I fight the guy with the axe instead?" the Avatar asked meekly, realizing his error.

"No take-backsies. Not in my kingdom." His look soon became mischievous. "You might need this!" Bumi jeered as a staff was thrown to the Avatar. As soon as the staff was in the boy's hands, Bumi began a powerful offensive, launching several small boulders at Aang, who ducked, weaved, and dived through them. "Typical airbender tactic," Bumi taunted, mock disappointment in his voice. "Avoid and evade. I was hoping the Avatar would be less predictable!" The last word was emphasized as much by the enunciation as it was by Bumi bringing another boulder out of the ground, then firing it forward with as much force as he could muster. Aang jumped high over the boulder, and began twirling his staff, allowing him to hover above the ground below. "Don't you have any other tricks? You'll have to retaliate eventually." Another stomp followed this statement, and the new earthen projectile floated at eye level. Quickly, the king curled back as he jumped, and kicked the rock above the floating airbender. The resounding impact brought many other rocks raining down atop the Avatar, and the boy was knocked to the ground, dropping his staff on the way down.

Vergil had remained to observe after the king dropped his facade. Thus far, the king was proving to be far more dangerous than the airbender. The boy's hesitance to be the aggressor was leading to numerous opportunities being missed to strike back at Bumi. He had also noticed the Avatar's friends on the balcony to his left, encased in creeping crystal.

The Avatar eventually took the offensive after recovering his staff, dashing toward the mad king, only to be sunk to his waist in quicksand. Bumi capitalized on the opportunity and brought two large boulders together on Aang's position. In a show of speed that airbenders were so lauded for, the boy whirled a current strong enough to lift him out of the trapping sand and over the convening boulders. As he came down, he projected a blade of air that caught a wall-turned-platform that Bumi had created to protect himself from a powerful gust earlier, and the king was sent skidding back until he hit the wall underneath the balconies.

The king advanced forward after quickly recovering, and then brought the two boulders that had almost crushed the Avatar towards the boy from behind. Aang barely curled over the massive projectile, and Bumi had to reduce it to sand and rubble around him. In retaliation, Bumi began to tear the balcony and much of the surrounding structure from the border of the arena. Vergil, not wanting to get tossed along with the massive architectural weapon, quickly jumped to the balcony on his right, just as the surface he had been on was freed from its surroundings. Feeling a strong pull of air, Vergil turned to the arena, and the Avatar was creating a tornado in the center. Bumi threw the massive piece of architecture, and it caught in the current, orbiting around Aang before slinging back to Bumi. Only just recovering from the effort to throw, the elderly madman had to split the incoming earth in two.

Aang rushed Bumi as the mass of earth was split, and the king backed up as the Avatar brought his staff to bear. A pleased look of victory crossed the boy's features, only to turn to confusion as Bumi grinned and looked up. The answer to the king's look was provided as a loose pebble fell from the boulder overhead that Bumi had pulled when he put his hands up. "Well done, Avatar. You fight with much fire in your heart."

The mad king threw the boulder to the side, and then fell backwards, straight into the earth. Moments later, he was on the balcony opposite where Vergil had leaped to, and the Avatar followed, rapidly twirling his staff and airbending to arrive shortly after.

"You've passed my three tests. Now, you must answer one question," Bumi said, moments after the Avatar landed.

The boy looked irate, and immediately rebutted, "That's not fair!" This earned a scoff from Vergil, who was still observing the proceedings. "You said you'd let my friends go if I finished your tests!"

"What's the point of tests if you don't learn anything?" the king countered.

"Oh come on!" Sokka complained loudly.

"Answer this one question and I will set your friends free," the king explained. "What," he began, "is my name?" Aang straightened up slightly, looking nervous. "I'd say you only have a few minutes, considering how your friends look," Bumi said as he walked away.

Vergil took this as his prompt to leave, not wishing to become the center of attention for the children now debating the famous mad king's name.


Dante had managed to catch up to the caravan almost an hour after defeating the two demons that had been terrorizing the mountain passes. As he expected, he was faced with a round of questions from the other members of the group, and inwardly cringed at the prospect of bringing his family into the spotlight.


A/N: I really don't feel like I should be dragging this on too much longer. It's about time an update comes out, and I need to be able to think of how to continue the story. So yes, this is a full chapter, but with a very mild cliffhanger ending. It could be worse.

And finally Vergil is brought onto the stage! I have my plans. I will stick with them.

Why yes, I do read TV Tropes.

Input and criticisms are highly appreciated. Just please keep it well formed and understandable. Who knows, maybe your ideas will be featured! Of course you'll receive credit.

And to close, I would like to thank Karen Elaine DuLay for helping so much with making all this possible, and catching things that don't quite make sense before publication. Check out her work. Much of it is rather hilarious.