Previously on Escaping the Fire

Zuko

"If you truly loved me, you wouldn't care which side I was on. You would love me anyways. Did you not understand the note I left you? This is who I am; this is what my destiny is."

"You have a choice Mai, you can either accept my destiny, or not."

Mai

"I refuse to believe that you would throw away all of your luxury!"

Zuko

"If you truly feel that way…"

"Then it's over between us."

Chapter 10

The group dashed through the forest without looking back to see if the two girls were back on their feet.

While the moon was glowing eerily through the canopy of the cherry blossom trees, their shadows ran behind them along the crystal clear river that sparkled from the light.

The former fire prince suddenly stopped dead in their track, which made the Blind Bandit and the Avatar collide into each other as they fell on to the dirt path.

"OW!"

Toph groaned as she pushed Aang off of her and snapped, "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?"

Aang stared at her with wide eyes and glanced back at Zuko; waiting for his reaction.

The teenager was quiet; his eyes were focusing at the top of the mountain ahead of them.

"You guys can stop following me here. Just try and hold Azula back if you can, though she probably found another way around." He didn't even glance at them to see their reaction.

"What are you talking about?" the airbender asked with a confused expression exposed on his face, "Why can't we follow?"

Zuko did not look away from the mountain; his eyes were sharp as if he was looking for something, "Trust me. I need to do this on my own. If I do cross Azula; I'll do my best." He sprinted off without waiting for their answer.

"Wait! Zuko-," he ran behind Zuko until Toph tripped him and trapped him into the earth. The avatar shot her an annoyed expression, "TOPH!"

"Trust him Aang." She whispered, she approached the avatar and released the earth holding him down, "There is something in the mountain. I don't know if it is a trap or not. But all we can do is just believe in Sparky." She shot him a smile, "Okay?"

Aang nodded as they stood on the empty silent path.

No one said anything.

Just the sound of the rushing water of the river beside them.


Katara finally found a suitable disguise to wear; she was quite please that it fit perfectly. In fact, it suited her much better than her first disguised.

She wore a silky veil over her face; she left her hair loose; she wore a fairly comfortable red strapless dress with sleeves that were baggy see-through silk that covered her arms.

Her black slippers that she managed to steal without being caught were very comfortable, she walked among the small town and walked along open inns and kept her eyes open for any bounty boards. She stopped suddenly at a store with an oddly familiar sign on it.

She frowned and tried to remember the where seen it before.

The waterbender signed hopelessly; she couldn't remember, turning away she was just about to move along a hand rested on her shoulder spinning her around; she gasped.


The firebender sprinted down the path with his broad swords slapping against his back, the sudden sound of rustling leaves made him jump into his fighting stance.

A blurred figure leapt out of thin air, and landed ahead of him sprinting off, he growled in frustration, "Azula…" and dashed after his sister.

The two siblings raced against each other shooting flames at each other. His sister laughed cruelly, "So Zuko! The time has come! Who will summon them first?" lightning crackled between her fingertips, her brother struggled; debating that he should either redirect the lightning but fall behind, or dodge it and risk his life to keep in pace with Azula.

"Damn it." He growled once more and sprinted towards his sister with a furious expression on his face; his eyes widen when he saw his sister's deadly smirk. Something bad was about to happen.

When she released the lightning she never looked back to see the horrified expression on his face, she grinned manically and shot off close to the mountain.

Zuko felt sharp pain in his back, and stomach; he fell to the ground struggling to get on to his knees, he vomited blood and spat it on to the ground, the pain engulfed him as another sharp feeling shot into his shoulder.

He couldn't move, his vision was blurry, he could see blood everywhere, his arm…blood trickling down from his head. Did he hit his head?

Darkness devoured him and left him suffering into a deadly sleep.


"It seems that I was correct." A sneering figure snorted.

"Be quiet. He can live." Snapped an annoyed voice.

"After that set up? Pth, you are ridiculous."

"Why do you think he's definitely dead?"

"His sister plotted him; she would've won either way. Even if he were to redirect the attack, she always had a plan that would backfire him."

"Death is not the solution."

"In my eyes, it certainly is."

"I am surprised our clan even accepted you in the first place; normally you would be executed."

"I have my resources."

"I am surprised you haven't killed me yet."

"Who said I wasn't planning to?"

"You are waiting for the right moment aren't you?"

"Of course, and you know it…"

"Indeed I do, and I am waiting for it. I have my own resources as well. Don't forget that."

"Your resources are pathetic as that mere teenager."

"Are you suggesting that I am not intelligence?"

"We all have our strengths and weaknesses, except; I don't have any weaknesses; that's what you need to be successful and victorious."

"You need both, otherwise you will not be able to grow stronger. You resemble too much like the Princess."

"That is why I intend to work with her. We have about the same goals."

"Sometimes being the same isn't always the brightest idea."

"Oh shut up. I don't need to hear your stupid words of wisdom."

"Oh. So I am wise? Does that make you jealous? Perhaps that's your weakness." Snickered the calm figure, "You aren't as wise as I am." The figure moved towards an entrance, "I am departing. We will meet again brother." And the figure disappeared.

"So he abandoned my brother? How sweet of him!"

The figure turned to greet the smirking woman standing before him, "I doubt he abandoned him. He has too much hope for your brother. He's wasting his powers."

"That's what happens when you let kindness get the better of you." Snorted the princess as she bowed down before the figure, "I am here to summon you…Yuuko…"


End of Chapter 10

A/N: Sorry for the long wait and the short chapter! I hope I didn't rush it too much. Cries

I know I made Zuko a little wimpy. The next chapter will explain what hit him; but you are probably already guessing what happened...

Exams are finally over…for now…until June XD but anyways I intend to update this more! PLEASE REVIEW! I LOVE TO HEAR YOUR COMMENTS!

Note: I would like to edit chapter 9 again since it turned out to have WAY too many spelling errors and stupid mistakes, but I'll do that once I get at least 3 more chapters posted up, or maybe whenever I have time!

(Oh ya please check my profile! I have an example of the dress Katara is wearing as her disguise…Kind of Fancy XP)