An Alliance of Traitors
An Alliance of Traitors
Disclaimer: "Avatar: the Last Airbender, among the things I regretfully do NOT own.
--
CHAPTER ELEVEN
"This must be some kind of a joke!"
A chill went down the earthbenders' spines as the menacing cackle of the Fire Nation princess rang through the air. She seemed very amused at this one-sided fight and was determined to defeat them in the most humiliating way possible. She glanced sadistically at them even as she stood with her two strong female companions and her vast army of Dai Li agents who were all poised in a deadly fighting stance. Her fierce golden eyes were almost as powerful as the lightning that she shot from her manicured fingers, and her gaze bored into the souls of each and every one of the earthbending insurgents. She knew that they knew that they were losing this battle and she was relishing their realization of defeat and hopelessness.
"You're all hilarious," Azula continued to taunt the meager rebel forces, lazily shooting a blast of lightning in the direction of the nervous rebels, "to even try to stand up to me. This isn't courage, it's folly. And if any of you still value your pathetic little lives, then, I would suggest that you surrender. Now."
At this, Azula raised her hand and the Dai Li agents quickly sent powerful volleys of earth and rock towards the small group of the resistance, who just as speedily erected walls of earth to block the blows. Ty Lee had begun cartwheeling in their direction and had effortlessly blocked the chi of about three earthbender rebels. Mai unleashed a shower of blades and knives at them and Azula, cackling with sadistic glee, seemed to dance with joy as she aimed large blue fire blasts at the small group of rebels. Several of the resistance members began retaliating but it was a losing battle. To buy them some time, they kept erecting tall and thick walls of earth to shield themselves from the combined attacks of flying daggers, large rocks, and bright blue fire blasts.
"I'm getting bored of this game," Azula said in a threatening but singsong voice, "I might just decide to end it prematurely."
"I think we'd better take her word for it," one of the rebels told their young leader. Raising a wall of earth and sending it towards their opponents, Haru frowned because he knew that his comrade was right. Receiving a fresh batch of blows, he clenched his teeth before sending another set of rocks on the defense.
"The Boulder doesn't feel any inclination to surrendering in any fight," the Boulder told Haru, "but the Boulder also realizes that we are at a severe disadvantage in this one."
"Your father would not think any less of you if you gave up honorably," another older earthbender told the young man.
"If only he were here with us now," Haru thought frantically as he sent a boulder towards the approaching Dai Li agents, "instead of supervising the other earthbender rebels in the North. He would surely know what to do in this situation."
Raising another wall of earth to block the Fire Princess' blue flames, Haru took a deep breath and composed himself. He would not break under the pressure, not today. His father had put him in charge of this mission and he did not want to let him down, he did not want to let Aang down.
Panting for breath after taking another set of attacks from Azula and her army, Haru looked around him at his companions. They were all exhausted and weakened by four days of continuous fighting. It had been a fool's errand to hope to defeat Azula's forces and defend Ba Sing Se but the plan had been that they would buy some time, time enough for reinforcements to arrive to defend the city. But no help had come. Although they had sent messages requesting for urgent support, until now, none had arrived. And their numbers, little as these already were, were depleting fast. Haru knew that he had to decide immediately if he was still to save what little troops they had left.
He knew that if they continued this fight, the princess would have no mercy and they would be completely annihilated in the span of minutes. The young earthbender looked once more towards his greatest foe as she laughed sadistically at their sad efforts to maintain their defense. Azula sent lightning bolts and fire blasts at them playfully and effortlessly, as if enjoying to see them squirm and struggle to avoid her attacks.
Haru narrowed his eyes at this enemy, fear and fascination taking over him. Before facing her in battle, he had already heard so many stories told about the ruthless and strong daughter of the Fire Lord, whose skills in warfare and manipulation were legendary. He had expected her to look like a hideous monster who was a reflection of the cruelty and evil of her father and his forefathers. Instead, when he had first seen Princess Azula, Haru had been dumbfounded by her appearance. She was not all what he had expected. And yet, though her physical appearance did not seem to imply that she was indeed a murderous psychopath, her bearing, her words, and the mad glint in those golden eyes were enough to prove to the young earthbender that this princess was just as dangerous as she was beautiful.
He levitated a large rock to block a fire ball she had thrown in his direction and he was thrown back several steps. Haru looked at the princess again. She didn't need the Dai Li agents or even her two friends to defeat him and his small band of resistance. Having heard of her being a firebending prodigy and having been at the receiving end of only a percentage of her prowess, he knew that she was powerful enough to defeat them all by herself. And the only reason she was holding back on them now and had let the fight last this long was because she was taking an absurd amusement in seeing them struggle. But she would triumph in the end and they would never be able to stop her. Unfortunately for these earthbenders, it seemed like the fearsome Fire Nation Princess' patience was wearing thin and if Haru didn't give the order now, she would most likely barbecue them all on the spot. The young earthbender clenched his fists. He would not allow that to happen. He was responsible for the lives of everyone here and since the circumstances dictated it, he would swallow his pride and do what he thought was right. He couldn't risk everyone's life on the presumption that he could somehow take on this unsurpassed opponent.
With a wide motion of his arms, he created a large earth tent surrounding the remnants of his resistance force and he gathered them together. The other fighters, not putting their guard down, approached their leader with some reverence and respect, waiting to hear what he had to say.
Haru sighed deeply before making the announcement.
"We can't hold out against them much longer," he explained what all the men there already knew well, "for now I don't want to risk losing any more men. The reinforcements have not arrived but I feel that they soon will. For the present, I believe it is in our best interest to give ourselves up until the others arrive."
"Better a prisoner than a corpse, the Boulder thinks," the Boulder said with a shrug.
"You made the right decision, Haru," the other elderly soldier told the boy, placing a comforting hand on the young man's shoulder.
Haru nodded curtly. "I only hope that I won't regret this," he muttered gravely.
Then, they all stood together, their hands raised in a surrendering position as Haru put down the tent of earth which was about to crumble anyway from the many attacks from their enemies.
Azula raised a hand and told the Dai Li to stop attacking. Mai and Ty Lee returned to her side immediately and faced their weakened opponents. Taking one glance at Haru and his troops, Azula smirked with satisfaction. Things always worked out her way.
"I see you've finally chosen the path of least resistance," she taunted them, walking towards Haru who stood with a grim expression, his head bowed in shame.
"Hmm," the princess muttered looking at Haru's still figure, and then circling him like a vulture, "such a pity that it took you this long to make the right decision. You wouldn't have had to go through all that trouble trying to save face when you were going to lose it anyway."
Haru clenched his fists but said nothing and seeing their leader not reacting to the princess' taunts, the others followed suit and remained silent.
"Well," Azula concluded, "since you've all finally decided to surrender, I'm going to be merciful today. I'm going to let you keep your pathetic little lives, for whatever they're worth."
Azula turned her back on them and instantly, the Dai Li agents had bound all the rebels in metal chains. They made no struggle to break free but instead remained calm and tolerant.
"Take them to the Crystal Catacombs to mull over how they've wasted my time," Azula ordered the Dai Li, who quickly began escorting the prisoners to their subterranean cells.
"That was a bore," Mai commented as Azula walked back towards them, "no challenge at all."
"And although he's a pretty good earthbender, that leader guy looks really funny," Ty Lee observed with a suppressed giggle, "he looks more like a woman with a mustache stuck on."
"I have to agree with you there," Mai said, unable to suppress a contemptuous chuckle. Azula was snickering as well, and she turned to take another glance at Haru's retreating figure.
"But stupid though he may look," Azula muttered to her two companions, "I may find some better use for him yet."
--
The two travellers entered the small, isolated inn. It was a small place, built with wood, and simply furnished. There didn't seem to be any patrons frequenting the place and it seemed all in all, rather deserted. A chilly gust of wind blue against the curtains, giving the inn a very spooky atmosphere.
"Are you sure we're in the right place?" Katara asked her companion. She had discarded her "Painted Lady" costume and was instead dressed in traditional Fire Nation attire.
"I'm sure," the firebender replied, "according to Aunt Melisande's spies, the waterbender stays in an inn. And this is the only inn in this small village. And according to the villagers, the proprietor is an old woman of unknown origins. I'm certain she's the person we're looking for."
Zuko was dressed in regular Fire Nation clothes as well but he had covered his scar with some large bandages so it looked like he was only recently injured by some accident. But in order not to draw attention to the bandages, he still wore a dark hood over his head. He looked around the small room and noticed that there was something cooking in the kitchen. Surely, someone lived in this place.
He had received the information from one of Melisande's spies from the rebel troops. Apparently, the old waterbender who lived here had gotten wind of the secret rebel society and had volunteered to join. When they learned of her ability, she had been recruited immediately and had proven to be a great asset to them. Her inn, at one point, had also served as a meeting place between some of the other rebels, or a refuge for those under suspicion by the authorities. Like everyone else, she had been a victim of the war and longed to help end it in any way that she could.
Katara looked around her eagerly, trying to calm her beating heart. To meet another waterbender from the Southern Water Tribe! She hardly knew what to say or do.
Seeing her excitement, Zuko hoped that the old lady would soon show herself to them. He knew how much this meeting meant to Katara and he did not want to see her disappointed. So they continued to look around.
"Welcome, weary travellers," they heard a voice behind them, "my name is Hama. How kind of you to drop by my humble establishment to rest from your journey."
Zuko and Katara turned to see a hunched old lady, with long white hair, a wrinkled face, and a warm smile. The young waterbender took a look at the woman and then, unable to restrain herself, she blurted out an introduction.
"My name is Katara," she said, "and I'm a waterbender from the Southern Water Tribe."
At this, the old woman's eyes widened with surprise and recognition. The two women looked at one another with unspoken emotion and instantly, a feeling of kinship was established between them. Zuko smiled as he watched the two waterbenders embrace and begin talking excitedly about their tribes and about their elements. After a few moments, the old lady recounted the story of how little by little all the waterbenders in the Southern Water Tribe had been captured and imprisoned in the Fire Nation under cruel conditions. Katara then told Hama about her own experiences in the war time and especially about her mother's death. As Hama and Katara retold their experiences in those hard times, Zuko couldn't help but feel guilty for the heinous crimes committed by his people during the war, the harsh methods they employed to keep their enemies at bay. Through their travels, he had already heard numerous accounts of the sufferings of different people during the war and the more he heard about the pain and misery caused by one man, his father, and his lust for power, the more Zuko was determined to do everything in his power to put a stop to this madness. The Avatar had to succeed in restoring balance. It was long overdue.
But the firebender also noticed something strange about the old waterbender. There was something about her overly pleasant demeanor which disturbed him somewhat. The calm she employed even as she recounted her horrible experiences in prison seemed quite abnormal. And she had an air about her of silent but powerful rage. He couldn't quite place it but Zuko knew that this old lady was not one to take insult with impunity. But he shrugged off the strange suspicion he had as a result of an ingrained bias against people not from the Fire Nation. And seeing Katara being so at ease with Hama, Zuko figured that perhaps he was just being too paranoid.
After a few minutes, the two women remembered his presence and Katara embarrassedly introduced him. Since she was already a member of their rebel troops as well as a waterbender from the same tribe, Katara trusted her fully and decided not to keep any secrets from the kindly old woman. Although they had decided to keep Zuko's true identity a secret even amongst other spies, Katara felt like Hama was to be trusted and so introduced him as her good friend and the "converted" son of the Fire Lord. Although he slightly objected to Katara's decision, he respected her and said nothing, instead, he bowed respectfully to the old woman. Hama gave the young firebender a strangely intense glance before declaring that it was a pleasure to meet him.
They all shared a pleasant dinner after which Hama showed Katara her most precious possession, a whale-bone comb from the Southern Water Tribe. Katara was touched by the gesture and felt all the more connected to the older waterbender. Hama then invited Katara to train in and learn some new techniques for waterbending which she had created herself. Katara had expressed a great excitement to do so the next day. There also seemed to be one new technique, in particular, which Hama seemed most eager to teach her but said nothing about its nature to the younger girl.
"Let's just be thankful," the old lady had said mysteriously, "that tomorrow is the night of the full moon, and our powers as waterbenders will be at their peak."
Hama escorted the two to their rooms and bid them good night. As they walked along the halls of the inn, Zuko noticed that an assortment of puppets had fallen out of one of the cabinets on the wall. And when he lay in his bed that night, he somehow couldn't shake the feeling that there was something off about the old waterbender. He decided to conduct more investigations the next day, while Hama and Katara were out training. And for the first time, he began to feel albeit incomprehensibly that it may have been a mistake for them to come here, after all.
--
Haru looked up from his lonely prison cell and was surprised to see two fierce golden eyes staring at him through the small window of his door. Although taken aback by the intensity of that gaze, he refused to look intimidated and so he glared back.
"What do you want?" he said sharply.
He heard a sinister but slightly melodic laugh in reply as Princess Azula gave him a very amused look.
"I think you should be asking yourself that question, mustache-boy," she teased him.
He tried to ignore the insult and said nothing. Instead, he turned his back to her and faced the wall. She didn't seem offended by this and continued talking.
"Haru's your name, right?" Azula said, in a taunting but tempting voice, "well, I've come to offer you something."
"I'm not interested in anything you might have to offer me," Haru replied sharply.
Haru then said nothing and concentrated at staring at the metal wall before him. He did not know what the princess wanted him to do but whatever it was, he wasn't sure if he would be able to refuse.
"Well," Azula continued, ignoring his responses, "I've been feeling rather generous lately. Probably because I've been enjoying my victory in Ba Sing Se. But somehow, I don't feel overly contented."
"What? The world's not enough for you?" Haru couldn't resist retorting. Azula laughed that strange, scary, and hair-raising laugh which made Haru gulp.
"Don't be an idiot, Haru," she replied in amusement, "I don't have the world yet. But I'm hoping that I soon will. And you're going to help me do that."
"And what makes you think I'm going to cooperate?" Haru asked her, turning to glare at those golden eyes.
"Oh, nothing, really," Azula replied, looking at her finger nails in a lazy manner, "I just had the feeling that you would probably like to see your father live to see the next day."
--
Zuko ran as fast as he could to the dark grove, searching frantically for Katara or Hama. The full moon illuminated the woods but they were nowhere in sight. He cursed under his breath before continuing his search. He had to find Katara, he had to save her from that madwoman.
He had gone around the town to investigate more about Hama and his worst fears had been realized. There had been a series of mysterious disappearances every night of the full moon and every single incident seemed to have a link to the strange old innkeeper. Zuko had gone to the area where most of the disappearances had occurred and surveyed the surroundings. And then, he heard screaming and crying from beneath the ground and soon, he discovered an underground prison in a cave. Using his fire to melt the locks and set the people free, Zuko asked them how they got there. And they all answered what he had feared the most.
"It was no spirit."
"It was a witch who controlled us like some weird puppetmaster."
"The innkeeper."
"Hama."
And so, after liberating all the prisoners, Zuko had run as fast as he could to where he thought Hama and Katara were "training." He mentally slapped himself for being so negligent, for ever thinking this was a good idea. He had only wanted to give Katara something to be happy about and it had turned into a great nightmare.
--
"Once you perfect this technique," Hama concluded after giving another story about her wretched imprisonment, "you can control anything...or anyone."
"But, to reach inside someone and to control them?" Katara asked uneasily, "I don't think I want that kind of power."
"The choice is not yours," Hama answered back passionately, "the power exists. And it's your duty to use the gifts you've been given to help end this war. Katara, they tried to wipe us out, our entire culture. Think about your mother!"
"I know," Katara said sadly.
"Then you should understand what I'm talking about," the old lady continued, her voice rising and her eyes widening, "We're the last waterbenders of the Southern Water Tribe. We have to fight these people whenever and however we can, using whatever means necessary!"
Katara, wide-eyed, backed away from the crazed old waterbender.
"What is wrong with you?" she cried in horror.
"They threw me in prison to rot," Hama yelled in fury, "along with my brothers and sisters. They deserve the same. You must carry on my work."
"Never," Katara retorted defiantly, "I won't use bloodbending against anyone."
"Then, you are just a traitor like the rest of them," Hama answered bitterly, raising her fingers and moving them as if she was manipulating a puppet.
All of a sudden, Katara felt her arms twist around her, and go behind her back, out of her control. She quickly tried to grab her arm but she found that she couldn't move it of her own accord. The young waterbender's body began to twist and jerk violently and erratically as she was moved from side to side by the puppetmaster's firm hand.
"You should have learned the technique before turning against me," Hama said sinisterly, "it's impossible to fight your way out of my grip. I control every muscle, every vein in your body."
And with a violent jerk, Katara was brought to her knees and she looked up at the eerie figure of the bloodbender, and tears flowed from Katara's blue eyes.
"Stop this, please," she begged, tears streaming down her face. But Hama only cackled sinisterly in reply.
Her sadistic laughter was interrupted when a ball of fire was thrown her way. Hama was able to dodge it just in the nick of time.
"Let her go, you witch!" Zuko cried as he ran in, his hands blasting flames in the old woman's direction. Hama dodged his blows and when she caught her breath, she took a battle stance, drawing water from the nearest tree, causing the plant to wither and die. Then, recalling herself, the old lady gave a sinister glance at the young firebender, and she dropped the water. Zuko, still in a fighting stance, his fist aimed at the old lady, did not know what to expect.
"Zuko, watch out!" Katara cried, but it was too late.
And then, Zuko's eyes widened as his arms began to twist of their own accord. He looked towards the old woman and saw that she was moving her fingers in tight, jerky motions, and the rest of his body seemed to follow her commands. He could not fight her control and he realized that this was how she captured all those people she had imprisoned in the cave. But he was powerless under her grip.
"Did you think that I would let you get away, Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation," Hama said contemptuously, "did you think I would miss out on the opportunity of taking the ultimate revenge against the leader of the nation that made my life a living hell?"
Zuko clenched his teeth as his body was contorted in various exceedingly painful positions. He was brought to his knees and he felt unbelievable pain shoot through his entire body. Hama was now cackling menacingly and in a wild frenzy as she tortured Zuko.
"You are the Fire Lord's son," she spat at him, "and you will pay for all your crimes and your people's crimes."
"You're mad," Zuko muttered in between screams of agony, only making Hama cackle louder.
"That's enough!" Katara cried, sending a large water whip in Hama's direction. Hama had to momentarily let her hold on Zuko slacken as she took water from a nearby tree to counter Katara's attack.
"You're not the only one who draws power from the moon," Katara said with a warning tone.
"So, you are nothing but a filthy traitor," Hama spat, aiming a large globe of water at Katara.
But the younger waterbender was quick and she was able to successfully block that attack with a skillful motion of her hands. Then, she retaliated by sending a rain of frozen darts which Hama blocked.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Katara yelled back, "I trusted you."
"You are fraternizing with the enemy," Hama accused the other girl, as the old woman threw larger frozen darts at Katara, "you would defend and befriend this worthless firebender and betray your own people."
Somehow, Hama was able to resume bloodbending an already weakened Zuko and he began to writhe and moan in pain, rolling around the ground under Hama's control.
"Let him go," Katara cried, "I'm not betraying anyone."
"Oh, really?" Hama taunted, still torturing Zuko, "then why are you working with the son of the Fire Lord. His father and forefathers murdered our people. How dare you turn your back on them, for him!"
With the last sentence, Hama jerked her fingers and Zuko screamed in pain as various wounds began to break from his body, his blood being bended out of him by Hama. Katara gasped in horror and tried to focus on defeating Hama so that she would be able to tend to Zuko's injuries as soon as possible. The firebender fell to the ground in a shivering heap.
"He's not like them," Katara argued, still engaged in battle with the older waterbender, and trying to convince Hama of Zuko's virtues, "he's a good person. And he's just as determined to end this war as the rest of us."
"Lies!" Hama cried, sending a water whip which Katara countered with a whip of her own, "and I thought you were a smart little girl, Katara. You disappoint me. And by doing this treachery, you have let down your own mother."
Katara stood speechless after this, so shocked and enraged by this statement that she was unable to counter-attack. Hama smiled sinisterly and with her free hand, began to bloodbend Katara once more while the full moon illuminated the three figures in that clearing in the woods.
Once more, Katara felt herself lose control of her movements and her body began to jerk violently.
"You are such a waste, Katara," Hama told her, "one of the last waterbenders of our tribe, taking sides with a filthy firebender. Both of you deserve to be punished severely for this treachery."
But as Hama raised both hands and prepared to torture both benders, the old waterbender felt her powers weaken. And suddenly, some of her fingers felt warm, and warmer...until they were almost burnt. And before she could react she had to dodge a large fire blast thrown her way.
The old hag looked incredulously at the direction where the fire came from and saw Zuko, bloodied and staggering on his feet, glaring at her while in a fighting stance.
"That's impossible," Hama cried in shock while Zuko helped Katara get up, his eyes never leaving the old woman.
"Apparently not, you rely on imposing your will on others, maybe you never considered that their will could one day overpower yours," Zuko said walking towards the weakened old woman, "I'm not as weak as you supposed. The moment you let your guard down, I was able to regain and to maintain control of myself. You can no longer control me. And now, we must end this madness."
"Not on your life," Hama yelled back, quickly getting up and raising her fingers once more. But this time, it was her turn to be controlled. With wide eyes, the old bloodbender felt her body move on its own, her hands dropped at her sides and she fell to her knees.
Zuko watched with wide-eyes at this and quickly turned to see that Katara, with an angry and concentrated look on her face and tears streaming down her cheeks, had raised her fingers and was controlling Hama.
"Katara," Zuko said gently, walking towards her and laying a hand on her shoulder, "you don't have to do this."
Slowly, she released her hold on Hama and then Katara simply dropped her hands to her sides. The other waterbender was too exhausted to try counter attacking and Zuko quickly bound her hands with rope he had brought for that specific purpose. After that, he quickly went to comfort Katara.
"She hurt you," Katara whispered, quickly applying her healing powers on Zuko's wounds, "and she dishonored my mother's memory."
"I'm sorry," Zuko whispered back, "this was my idea."
"There's nothing to forgive," Katara replied, "you knew that I've always wanted to meet another waterbender from the Southern Water Tribe. This just didn't turn out the way I expected it."
"Well, don't worry," Zuko comforted her, "you're free of this nightmare now."
And then they heard a soft but menacing chuckle come from Hama's small, bound figure.
"You will never be free of it," Hama muttered darkly, "my work here is done. Congratulations, Katara, you're a bloodbender."
Zuko glared at the crazed old woman before comforting a now weeping Katara. Then, there was nothing he wanted more than to go as far away from that terrible place as possible.
--
And there. I hope this chapter didn't seem too rushed or insubstantial. I had to use certain lines and scenes from "The Puppetmaster" and I really wanted to integrate Hama into this story because bloodbending will be important. I'm sorry if I skipped the part of Hama getting water from flowers and stuff. I've assumed you've all seen that part anyway and it didn't need to be rewritten.
This is a chapter about puppetry and manipulation, not just for Katara and Hama but for Haru and Azula as well. I hope you liked it and I will appreciate all your feedback.
Thank you.