I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender
Author's Note- I would like to take this opportunity to thank Masquerading Muse for the advice they have given me. Now for Chapter 8
Chapter 8: Warrior of Wrath
A few days later
It had been known to Ziashi that he could not stay in the South Pole forever. It was true, the life he had had there was one of peace and serenity, but not what he had vowed to do before he died. The calling of retribution had echoed loud in his heart and only grew louder with every passing day. Ziashi knew how he was returning to the Fire Nation; while living down in the South Pole he learned where the wreckage of an old Fire Nation ship rested forlorn. One night after he had found the wreckage, Ziashi investigated what was left of the ship. The findings were favorable. A single river boat, still in sailable condition, was still rigged to the Fire Nation vessel. Indeed it wasn't enough to reach the Fire Nation with the coal that it had aboard, but on the river boat Ziashi could reach the blockade, and from there, sail to the Fire Nation capital.
On the final day of his stay in the village, Ziashi announced at dinner that he would be leaving. This came as a disappointment to some of the young women who had taken a liking to Ziashi, Katara more than any of them.
Once night had fallen, Ziashi hastily packed his belongings and went to say his final farewells. He first thanked Gran Gran for her tribe's hospitality, then Sokka and Katara for saving his life.
"Will we see you again?" Katara asked, Ziashi placed his hand on her shoulder.
"If fate allows it," Ziashi turned and left the village without looking back. He was not the only one who left the village, however.
Sokka a few days before had noticed Ziashi begin to take interest in the Fire Nation wreckage not far from the village. This had made him wary of Ziashi's intentions. The possibility that Ziashi could have been a spy crossed Sokka's mind in spite of all that Ziashi had done to help the village out.
Carefully, Sokka stalked Ziashi through the snow like a predator and its prey. He crouched behind a pile of snow when the Fire Nation wreckage came into view and watched Ziashi as he approached it. To Sokka's horror, Ziashi shot out flames from his hands and began to melt the ice surrounding the ship. The ship was soon freed from its frozen prison.
All Sokka could do was react; drawing his club and boomerang, he charged towards Ziashi to claim his blood. Ziashi turned just in time to dodge Sokka's attacks. The warrior did not let up. He attempted to land every blow, inflict as much pain, and deliver everything he had onto his new enemy. Ziashi parried most of Sokka's attacks and kept on using whatever pauses in the fighting there were to get Sokka to cease fighting. Not for a long time did Ziashi get a word in.
"Sokka, enough of this!" Ziashi shouted, he grabbed Sokka's club arm and twisted it until Sokka released his weapon.
Unarmed, Sokka taunted Ziashi.
"Why don't you just kill me like you monsters killed my mother, its not like your kind has ever spared anyone before," Sokka spat, Ziashi threw Sokka down to the ice by his arm and pinned him down.
"I never harmed the innocent, and I haven't killed you for attacking me because you saved my life," Ziashi sat up and collected himself, "Now we're even."
"I can't believe I trusted you. How can you be so cold as to use us?" Sokka asked, too petrified to move.
"You mistake my intentions, Sokka. I'm sorry that you view all of Fire Nation birth as monsters," Ziashi said in a tone that showed no pity at all, "If you hope to go anywhere with your life you best learn to rid yourself of your prejudice."
"Its not prejudice if it's true," Sokka muttered under his breath but Ziashi had heard him. Ziashi then thrust his hand out and pulled Sokka up from the ground with one hand and prepared to blast him with the other.
"Why you miserable, little-" Ziashi stopped himself as soon as he realized what he was doing. He dropped Sokka to the ground and put out the fire in his own palm. "I could have killed you here but I have spared you. I will not be a monster."
Ziashi began to walk away.
"This doesn't change anything between us, you're now my enemy," Sokka called at Ziashi.
Ziashi paused in his step but did not look back, "I'll keep that in mind."
Sokka watched as Ziashi boarded the Fire Nation vessel. He continued to watch Ziashi until the night swallowed up the river boat Ziashi now sailed away on. There was a bitter thinness in the air that told Sokka he and Ziashi would meet again indeed as enemies.
Three weeks later
Commander Zhao strode along the deck of his blockade's flagship waiting for something to fight. He had long thirsted for battle while overseeing this blockade and had no way to quench that thirst.
For what he counted as the seventy-seventh time that day, he scanned the water through his telescope, and as chance had it, something caught his eye: a small boat.
"Lieutenant, ready the catapult. Seems we have a blockade runner approaching," Commander Zhao ordered as the boat drew nearer. He anticipated giving the order to fire but a large flame arose from the boat, piercing the darkness of the night.
Commander Zhao sighed, "Belay that order Lieutenant, its one of ours, and it would be unbecoming of us to not welcome the one aboard it back into our nation."
Ziashi was glad his firebending signal had stayed the attack. In fact, Commander Zhao personally came to welcome Ziashi aboard his ship.
"Welcome, Prodigy Hing, aboard my humble vessel," Ziashi bowed and gazed into Zhao's eyes with his intense, piercing gaze.
"You know me?" Ziashi asked, he had not expected to be known outside the capital, let alone the palace.
"Anyone who saw you defeat General Jian last year in Agni Kai knows you, Prodigy," Zhao spoke in a flattering voice, it greatly annoyed Ziashi.
"I'm sure you've seen plenty of more impressive feats," Ziashi sought to stay modest; he did not see the point in glorifying his victories in this manner.
"True, I have. In fact you returning as such is an impressive feat," Zhao said, "It was believed you died in that diplomatic vessel attack more than a month ago."
"Am I the only survivor?" Ziashi's last hope of Anika being alive rested on the answer to his question. But in his heart he already knew the answer
"Yes. You can tell me the tale in a more suitable environment instead of amongst the common soldiers," Zhao led Ziashi to his office aboard the ship. They sat down with a cup of tea and Ziashi told Zhao his story.
"…after killing the pirates' captain I tried rallying the crew, but most were dead. The ship exploded after that. For two days I floated on a piece of wreckage eating what I could, then I woke up two days later in the Southern Water Tribe village," Ziashi recounted. He had to change certain parts of the story in order to sound like he was still loyal to the Fire Nation.
"How'd you escape?" Zhao was clearly entertained and was playing into the lies.
"It was easy," Ziashi gloated, "All the men are off fighting in the war so the only guard was a pubescent boy. I escaped and sailed away on the river boat after salvaging it from an old Fire Nation vessel."
"It's a pity you did not arrive a few weeks ago. News of your assumed death was delivered to the Fire Lord, and rumor has it he killed the messenger who bore the news," Zhao sighed, "I will have to abandon my post here to see that you return to the Fire Nation with clean status."
Ziashi saw Zhao kept a Reptile Bird as a pet and had an idea, "How fast can this creature deliver a message to the Fire Lord?"
"Within two days," Zhao answered. Ziashi took a scroll, quickly wrote a message and handed it to the creature. The Reptile Bird clasped the scroll with its talons and departed.
"It would be best to make for the capital as fast as possible," Ziashi advised Zhao, who agreed.
"We should be there in four days," Ziashi nodded and turned to leave, Zhao was not finished with talking to Ziashi, "I have one question, Prodigy."
Ziashi felt queasy, "And what would that be?"
"You say the only guard in the Southern Water Tribe was a pubescent boy, how is it that it took you this long to escape them?"
Ziashi turned and looked straight into Zhao's eyes with his piercing glare, "My injuries were extensive from the battle beforehand, it took me some time to recover my strength while I was in the Southern Water Tribe."
"Oh, that makes sense," Zhao fell into another of Ziashi's lies without suspicion.
Ziashi left Zhao's office quickly and went to the quarters prepared for him. He collapsed in the bunk and drifted into a sleep plagued yet again with nightmares.
Four days had passed swiftly and Ziashi now rode a Komodo Rhino through the capital of the Fire Nation, clad in new armor, with a royal escort towards the palace. As he passed the civilians they bowed to him as if he was royalty. Some even threw him flowers as if he was a conquering hero.
The escort led Ziashi through the Royal Academy grounds which drew other students from their duties. Ziashi met the eyes of every single one of them and they too bowed. Ziashi then arrived at the palace grounds, everyone including nobles, generals, and servants bowed in Ziashi's presence. He did not acknowledge any of them; he had a mission to complete.
Ziashi dismounted the Komodo Rhino and marched into the palace and into the throne room. His masters stood in two lines before the Fire Lord and Princess Azula. Ziashi, when he was close enough, fell to one knee and bowed.
"Welcome home, Ziashi," Fire Lord Ozai spoke. "Your masters welcome you home as well."
"Thank you, your highness," Ziashi said, he did not rise.
"The trials you faced were more than the equivalent of the Trials of Fire. Thus, you have proven your devotion to the Fire Nation. By the power vested in me, you are now graduated to the rank of master. You have surpassed all of your fellow students and completed trials none could have anticipated. Congratulations, Fire Master," Ozai declared.
"Thank you, your highness," Ziashi rose and stared into the eyes of his masters and saw fear despite their smiles. Ziashi's eyes had a message that bode ill for them, Smile while you can.
Ziashi had made the preparations to make before his retribution would be complete. During his first week of being back in the Fire Nation he had prepared for his masters' downfall. He had spoken in secret to all the prodigies at the academy and revealed to them the conspiracy that caused them to now train for the very nation that had betrayed them. Amazingly all of them believed him. They too had come from similar backgrounds of loss and conscription. The only one Ziashi dared not tell was Azula, she would be more of a threat if she caught wind of the approaching storm.
The day of the uprising Ziashi had planned had arrived and the time for him to confront his Headmaster was present. Ziashi entered his headmaster's chambers ready to fulfill the vow to avenge his people, his parents, and Anika.
"Ah, Master Hing. To what do I owe the pleasure?" the Headmaster chirped sipping his tea.
Ziashi had been waiting for this moment for nearly a decade. He knew what he was going to say, "Nothing but an explanation."
The Headmaster looked confused and cocked his head to one side, "What do you mean by-"
"Why did you kill Anika? Why did you kill my parents? Why did you continue the killings of my people, the Shadow Dragons?" Ziashi was amazed his voice remained fluid and calm.
"I don't know what you are talking about," the Headmaster tried playing off the charges Ziashi accused him of.
"You don't remember a certain Pirate Captain that you ordered to kill Anika and anyone who got in the way?" Ziashi felt the rage boiling inside him. The Headmaster began to turn pale.
"Wh-what is it you want from me, Ziashi?" the Headmaster studdered, he studied the prominent foe in front of him.
"Tell me why!"
"I will see this war won by the Fire Nation and if it means conscripting children and marching them into the field, I'll do it," the Headmaster's voice trembled. Ziashi anticipated such a response but still hadn't been satisfied. He slammed his fist down onto the desk.
"WHY ANIKA?" Ziashi screamed, the items on the desktop began to singe around Ziashi's fist.
"She was worthless to us and was in the way of making you our champion," the Headmaster stressed every word, "Besides, its not like the little harlot was priceless."
The Headmaster soon realized he had crossed the line because Ziashi chose that instant to attack. The Headmaster, despite his old age, dodged Ziashi's attacks and blew Ziashi out of his chambers into the court yard of the academy. The headmaster emerged from the wrecked room and saw all the prodigies and the other five masters of the academy standing around in surprise.
"Ah, prodigies, whoever kills this traitor will be rewarded handsomely, have at him," the Headmaster ordered, nobody moved the only one who moved into attack Ziashi was Azula., "Why aren't the rest of you doing anything? KILL HIM!"
Ziashi rose to his feet, looked to all the other prodigies, and yelled, "ATTACK!"
In unison all the prodigies turned on the academy's leaders. The sheer number of the prodigies was balanced by the masters' skill. Soon the Fire Nation soldiers who were stationed at the academy joined the fray to assist the masters. It was an even fight then. Then the deafening sound of a gong took Ziashi's breath away.
The Headmaster had sounded the military call gong, which would draw all the soldiers in the capital to the academy. Ziashi cursed under his breath and chased after the Headmaster. The other prodigies at the same time closed and locked all the academy's entrances, it would only stall the Fire Nation army for a few minutes, but long enough for them to kill the masters and escape.
A prodigy called to Ziashi, "Ziashi! We won't be able to hold the gates once the battering rams arrive!"
Thinking on his tactical training Ziashi knew the prodigy was right.
"Forget the gate, finish the resistance within the walls and get to the escape routes," Ziashi ordered. The prodigy carried off the orders to the others and in the meantime, Ziashi went to settle a score.
The Headmaster was running to the academy walls and escaping over them by rope. He secured his rope and began to scale down the wall. In an instant he felt the rope loosen and tense up. Looking up, the Headmaster saw Ziashi had cut the rope and now literally held his life in the balance.
"Ziashi, wait! I'll surrender, just don't drop me please," the Headmaster pleaded as he dangled helplessly.
Ziashi looked into the eyes of his former master and uttered colder than ever, "You have murdered, killed, and kidnapped countless. You continued the murders of Shadow Dragons, killed my parents, and killed Anika. Why shouldn't I drop you?"
The Headmaster was getting desperate, "What would you have done in my position?"
Ziashi was silent for a moment and answered, "Well if I were hanging from this rope and you were the one holding it, I wouldn't have wasted my time pleading for mercy."
The Headmaster's eyes widened, "Wait!"
Ziashi did not let go of the rope, instead he ignited it with his hands and sent the fire down the line until it met the Headmaster who was engulfed instantly. The Headmaster let go of the rope himself, screaming in his own agony as the flames consumed every inch of his body. But the screams came to a sudden halt. Ziashi, who had looked away after lighting the rope on fire, did not bother to see what stopped the Headmaster's screams.
The adrenaline rush Ziashi had from what had just passed caused him to shake slightly. He calmed himself with the breathing techniques his mother had taught him. Ziashi did not have time to dwell for long however. A bolt of lightning had barely missed him. It came from the only other prodigy who knew how to lightning bend: Azula.
"Looks like Father was wrong about you after all," Azula growled, "I knew I should have killed you when you first came here.
Azula slowly approached Ziashi as the academy burned around them.
"You're worse than Zuko, at least he is loyal to the Fire Nation," Azula's hands sparked with fire. "What do you say to another little sparring match, Filth?"
Ziashi stepped into his ready stance, "Don't expect your master to stop me from finishing you."
Azula scoffed at Ziashi's words, "It's been awhile since you've fought me, you're the one who's going to need saving."
"Let's get this over with," Ziashi said, he lead off with his dual-fisted fire blast. Azula still was faster than him, however. She dodged the attack and retaliated with a pair of side kicks of blue flame. Ziashi blocked the attacks but was taken back, she could use blue fire; she had become stronger, and faster. Though Ziashi deflected Azula's attacks, he found himself going on the defensive. Azula slashed at Ziashi with a pair of fire daggers nearly hitting him. Ziashi remembered that he had to keep her at a distance to win.
Ziashi spun on his foot and kicked with the other sending a jet of fire forcing Azula back. That had seemed easier to him than he had imagined it would be. Azula rarely gave ground unless it would benefit her position in a fight. Ziashi only knew this because of all the sparring matched he had had with her. Not wanting to give her a chance to carry out any plans, he continued to attack Azula with longer, distant attacks.
Azula continued to bide her time by parrying Ziashi's blows with her own, waiting for her opportunity. Ziashi was no novice either, his mistakes were traps for his enemies. She had only one chance, if she failed, she would be open for a critical strike.
Ziashi summoned a pair of fire walls to shorten Azula's range of motion. A stationary enemy was an enemy on the verge of defeat. Ziashi prepared to attack with a large fire blast that would engulf the walkway on the wall they fought on, but before he could, Azula shot a bolt of lightning at him. He leapt backward and the bolt hit the walkway and Azula was…smiling?
There was a crackling noise, a snap, and a crash. The walkway beneath Ziashi gave out and Ziashi fell down with it, and after landing on a pile of rubble, he blacked out.
The fire at the academy consumed it. Out of all the prodigies that were apart of the uprising, only five, including Ziashi, survived. The rest were killed by the Fire Nation army after ambushing them at were the escape routes lead to. Ziashi had his retribution; he had finished what he had started, but his part in the war was far from over.
I hoped you enjoyed it. Try taking a guess at what will happen from here.
