Now we come to the most epic part of my Southern Raiders saga: The confrontation with Yon Rha. I wrote this whole chapter up all today, and I do hope that you'll enjoy it. :) I think it's quite powerful, but I'll leave you up to decide your thoughts on it. :P Anyways, enjoy and review! :D
NOTE: The bold AND italic words (example) are representing Katara's inner self. It's like a tiny voice in the back of her head that she's not aware of, but sometimes she will be able to hear it. It's kind of like what her heart is trying to say to her, but most of the time her hatred towards Zuko drowns it out.
ADDITIONAL NOTE: The capitalized AND bold AND italic words (EXAMPLE) are representing-ah, heck. You'll find out for yourself when you read. XD (By the way, it's her evil side... O_o)
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it.
The Hailstorm of Revenge
"We're here," Zuko announced from the saddle, and before Katara lay Mogadishu Island, the home of their target. Katara glared at the island below them, hating the very land itself for giving refuge to her quarry. Gray storms clouds were filling the sky, telling of both the coming storm and of Katara's fury "There's a town nearby," Zuko pointed out, gesturing to the buildings on a rocky hill below them. He looked to his left and said, "We can land in that nearby forest and make our way down the trail to the town. We might find Yon Rha there."
"That's what I'm counting on," firmly said Katara as she flew Appa towards the forest, aiming the Bison at a small clearing in the trees.
He's close, Master. I can feel it.
I FEEL IT AS WELL, MY APPRENTICE. SOON, YOUR VENGANCE WILL BE COMPLETE. SOON, YON RHA WILL BE DEAD.
Appa grunted as he landed in the clearing, disturbing several small animals around them. The two benders pulled on their face masks as they jumped off Appa, and through the trees they saw the path.
Zuko walked up to her and said, "It's almost time, Katara. Once we leave these woods, there's no going back. Are you sure you still want to go through with this?"
Katara looked over at Zuko, glaring at him with icy eyes as she angrily said, "I will not stop until I see that monster die in front of me, and I will only be satisfied when I bathe my hands in his foul blood." Zuko's eyes widened in shock, taken completely aback by Katara's twisted words.
"That's dark, Katara," grimly said Zuko, his voice edged with fear and uneasiness. "Even for you."
Katara narrowed her frozen eyes at the Firebender and heatedly said, "I don't care. That man deserves to die for what he did, and I will be the one who spills his putrid blood." She was suddenly nudged from behind, and she turned to see Appa nuzzling her as he made a low sound in the back of his throat, which sounded like a whimper. "What's wrong, Appa?" she asked, confused by his behavior. Appa sadly grunted as he lightly licked her hand before he resumed his whimpering, as if he was scared of something.
"He knows what you're going through," said Zuko. "I think he's scared of what you've become." Katara looked over at him as he added, "In a way, he's trying to tell you to not go through with this."
Katara looked back at Appa and affectionately petted him as she softly said, "I can't just let this man get away with this, Appa. He has to pay for his crime." Appa shook his head as he grunted, and when his head stopped moving he licked Katara's hand again.
"I think Appa's trying to tell you that you should forgive Yon Rha," surmised Zuko, and the Bison lightly grunted as he nodded his massive head in confirmation. "Appa's a lot like Aang: as loveable and adorable that they are, they're much wiser than you think. They can see your pain, Katara, and they want to help you." Katara closed her eyes and sadly looked down, reminded of her best friend's words…
"This is a journey you need to take. You need to face this man. But when you do, please don't choose revenge. Let your anger out…and then let it go. Forgive him."
I'm sorry, Aang, but forgiveness is impossible. Revenge is the only way.
"No one can help me to do what needs to be done," she firmly said as she opened her eyes and looked at Zuko, a serious look on her face. "No one can avenge my mother but me."
"But what if your vengeance consumes you?" sagely asked Zuko, a sense of wisdom in his gruff voice.
"Then so be it," she said with finality, turning around and making her way towards the path. Zuko said nothing as he followed behind her, and soon the two picked up their pace until they were running. They burst out of the trees and onto the path, and as they ran along they came to a spot where they found a large rock off to their right.
"We could use that rock to ambush Yon Rha when he comes this way," said Zuko. He looked over towards a tree a bit further down the path, a smaller rock underneath it on the left side of the path. "I can set up a tripwire here," he said as he gestured to the spot. "This appears to be the only way out of the town, so he'll have to come this way no matter what."
"His one way out will be the end of him," said Katara as Zuko made his way over to the smaller rock and began setting up the tripwire, stretching it across the path until it was taut. He secured it to a rock on the other side, and when he was satisfied he signaled to Katara. She nodded and the two continued to run up the trail, making their way to the rocky hillside before them.
They came to stone stairs that were carved into the hillside, and they quickly ran up the stairs as they made their way to the town. Soon they reached the town and moved stealthily through dark alleyways, using the shadows to mask their movements as they searched for the center of the town. They soon found themselves in a dark corner overlooking the marketplace, and all they saw was lone merchant attending his stall. Wind chimes were hanging above their hiding place, ringing sweet notes into the air as the wind lightly blew through them.
Within five minutes, they spotted another man walk into the marketplace. He had gray hair and a gaunt face, and he was carrying a round basket in his arm. He walked up to the stall and began picking fruit out of it, but he stopped as he looked up. He seemed to sense them and turned around, and the two teenagers ducked down so that they wouldn't be seen. "Hello?" he called out, and they kept as still as they could. Katara turned to Zuko as the man asked the merchant "Did you see someone?" Zuko's eyes asked her if this was the man, and Katara shrugged. She silently made a motion with her head to follow this person, in case he was their target. Zuko nodded, his amber eyes glinting in the darkness around them.
Katara and Zuko looked back up to see the man leave with a full basket of produce, and they ran back through the alleyways. They became like the shadows themselves, silently stalking their prey like a creature of the night. As they came out of the final alley, they spotted the man going down the same winding stone staircase they had come up. They followed close behind him, ducking behind bushes and rocks whenever they could as they made their way down the hill.
Soon they came towards the bottom of the stairs, and they slid down a small patch of rock until they landed in some bushes. They watched the man continued to walk on, and they crawled out of the bushes. They lay on their stomachs as they watched him, just peeking their eyes above the edge of the rocks. The man again seemed to sense them, and he looked up at them as he said, "Hello? Is someone there?" They quickly moved back from the edge so that they wouldn't be seen, and soon they heard him continue to walk on, his footsteps heavy on the stone.
Zuko and Katara moved back over to the edge, watching as their target moved on. "That was him," Katara angrily said. "That was the monster." Even in her brief glimpse of the man's face, she recognized him by his eyes: hard and cruel amber orbs of evil. There was no doubt in her mind…
They had found Yon Rha.
YOU KNOW WHAT YOU MUST DO, KATARA.
I do, Master. Now that he's within my grasp, I will make him suffer a thousand tortures. Soon I will feel his blood on my fingers, watching as his monstrous eyes grow cold with death.
They moved to follow Yon Rha, making their way down the rocky hill. Once they were on level ground again, they slipped behind bushes and trees whenever they could as rain began to pour down. They saw him he whip around to see if anyone was following him, but they had gained enough ground on him that they managed to duck behind a large rock they had found earlier. Yon Rha continued walking on, trying to see if he could lure any pursuers out. They heard him walk a few more steps, and then stop suddenly. "Nobody sneaks up on me without getting burned!" he said defiantly, and they heard a roar of flames as Yon Rha shot behind him, hearing something ignite from his fiery attack. Katara and Zuko remained still as they listened to the crackling sound of burning wood, not wanting to give away their position.
After several long moments, they heard Yon Rha walk on only to trip on their wire. He cried out as he hit the ground, and Zuko jumped out from behind the rock, leaving Katara alone. She heard Zuko blast fire at Yon Rha, and then the sound of their target jumping back in the mud to avoid the flames.
"We weren't behind the bush," Zuko said to Yon Rha. Katara heard Zuko take a threatening step towards Yon Rha as he said, "And I wouldn't try Firebending again!"
NOW IS THE TIME, KATARA. CONFRONT YON RHA, AND FULFILL YOUR DESTINY.
Gladly, Master.
She stepped out from behind the rock and saw him cowering in the mud, holding his arm above his head to protect himself from Zuko. All her burning anger powered her forward, taking step after hateful step towards the monster of her past.
"Whoever you are," Yon Rha said fearfully as he uncovered his arm, "take my money, take whatever you want. I'll cooperate!" As he talked, Katara walked up Zuko's side, her face mask still on.
She stopped just in front of Zuko as she tore off her mask and she coldly stared down at Yon Rha, her inner blizzard of revenge raging in her soul. "Do you know who I am?" she firmly asked him, her face being peppered with countless raindrops. She could feel Yon Rha's whole being through the water, for he was also drenched with rain. She could feel his fear, and it pleased her to no end to see this man cowering before her.
"…No," hesitantly responded Yon Rha, looking at her with uncertain eyes. He paused as he raised an eyebrow and added, "I'm not sure."
"Oh you better remember me like your life depends on it!" she viciously shouted at him, icy hatred flowing in her angry tone. Yon Rha held an arm up to protect himself, fearful of her wrath. "Why don't you take a closer look?" she bitterly asked him, her eyebrows scrunched in sheer rage at the old Firebender.
I want you to remember what you did to me all those years ago. I want you to remember my face, for it will be the last you will ever see in your wretched life. Look into my eyes, and tell me who I am
"Yes…" Yon Rha softly said from behind his arm, his amber eyes narrowed in concentration. "Yes, I remember you now," he added as he dropped his arm, his eyes widening in realization. "You're the little Water Tribe girl." Lightning flashed in the sky behind her, briefly casting her shadow over Yon Rha.
Your shadow may have been over me for all these years, but now it is me who is overshadowing you. I will make you fall into a pit so dark and deep that even the Spirits have forgotten about that forbidden place.
"That's right," she bitterly said, glaring hard at Yon Rha. She pointed to her necklace and said, "See this?" When Yon Rha nodded, she said, "This necklace belonged to my mother, the woman you murdered six years ago during your raid on my village."
"I remember that day," said Yon Rha thoughtfully. "After you had run out of the hut, I said to your mother, 'Now tell me…who is it? Who's the Waterbender?' And she replied, 'There are no Waterbenders here. The Fire Nation took them all away a long time ago.' That's when I said, 'You're lying. My source says that there's one Waterbender left in the Southern Water Tribe. We're not leaving until we find the Waterbender.' She asked me, 'If I tell you, do you promise to leave the rest of the village alone?' I gave her my word, and she said, 'It's me. Take me as your prisoner.' Then I said, 'I'm afraid I'm not taking prisoners today.' That's when I…killed her." He gulped nervously, knowing full well what Katara was there for.
Katara was stunned by Yon Rha's revelation, and she was silent as the rain poured down around them.
She…she gave her life to protect me? She lied…to protect me from the Fire Nation?
DOES IT MATTER? SHE WAS STILL KILLED IN COLD BLOOD, AND YOU MUST AVENGE HER DEATH!
Lightning crashed down from the dark heavens, illuminating them all once again. "She lied to you!" Katara shouted at Yon Rha. She looked away as she closed her eyes and added, "She was protecting the last Waterbender."
"What?" Yon Rha said, shocked by this new information. "Who?"
Katara glanced at him out of the corner of her narrowed eye, pouring all of her hatred into her frozen gaze.
SHOW HIM THE TRUE POWER OF WATER, KATARA! UNLEASH ALL OF YOUR HATRED AND RAGE UPON THIS MAN, AND LET YOUR DARKNESS BURST FORTH LIKE A GREAT WAVE!
She snapped her head back at Yon Rha and screamed, "ME!"
She crouched down slightly, drawing up her hands as she quickly stood up and held her arms out to the side. The pouring rain immediately stopped, leaving hundreds of droplets to hang frozen in the air. The rain continued to pour down from above, and soon the water began to collect in a massive dome. The dome continued to expand over them, growing larger and larger in size as it isolated them from the world.
Katara glared at the droplets, seeing memories of her mother in every tiny drop.
JUSTICE WILL BE DISPENDED ON THIS DAY!
Her watery dome was the courtroom, and she was the witness to Yon Rha's horrible crime.
Her heart was the jury, which was screaming that this man was guilty of cold-blooded murder.
Her body was the executioner, waiting for the final verdict from the judge before dispensing justice.
Her mind was the judge, which came to only one logical verdict…
Guilty as charged.
The sentence:
Death, total and absolute.
You took my mother from me, and now I will avenge her.
YES! DARKNESS SHALL REIGN ON THIS DAY, AND IT SHALL FIRST CONSUME YON RHA!
No longer will you haunt my dreams. No longer will I cry when I see your face in my thoughts. No longer will I weep when I hold this necklace in my hands, remembering what my mother did to protect me.
HONOR YOUR MOTHER'S MEMORY AND SLAY THIS MAN! HER RESTLESS SPIRIT CRIES FOR HIS BLOOD, AND SHE WILL ONLY BE AT PEACE ONCE HIS BLOOD FLOWS ON THIS MUDDY GROUND!
Now is my moment of truth…now is the time when I take my destiny into my own hands. My heart has been shattered because of you, and now you will feel the same piercing pain I have felt every day since you murdered my mother.
She drew her hands to the side, collapsing the dome and collecting the liquid into a large stream.
Now is the time when my vengeance will be complete!
DO IT, MY APPRENTICE! OBLITERATE YON RHA WITH YOUR WHOLE BEING, AND HOLD NOTHING BACK!
Now is the time when you DIE!
She thrust forward with her right arm as she screamed, a cry of an untamed and ferocious anger that knew no end. She froze the water until it became hundreds of ice shards, which flew towards Yon Rha with the quick deadliness of a predatory Eagle-Hawk. Yon Rha cowered underneath his arms, bracing himself for the end.
YES! YES!
Through the pouring rain, crashing thunder, and screaming ice, she heard a calm voice in her mind…
"Katara."
SCHINK!
…
…
…
There was no agonizing cry of death, no geyser of blood that erupted from a disfigured corpse.
There was no maniacal laughing of a demented inner monster, no satisfaction from the darkness and hatred of revenge.
There was only silence…
Frozen silence…
Tranquil silence…
Calm silence…
Yon Rha uncovered his arms to see dozens of ice shards floating above him, just mere inches from his face. They were of all sizes, from small shards to large pillars of frozen fury.
She was not sure why she stopped her retributive act. It was if a peaceful wind blew through her heart, lifting her soul up on a cloud of tranquility. She had heard this voice before, and it was from a young boy with much wisdom inside of him…
Aang?
"You do have a choice."
Her heart jumped with surprise at his words, and somewhere deep inside of her…she knew that he was right.
My mother gave her life to protect me, and here I am now about to avenge her…but is this what she wanted? Would she want me to dishonor her noble sacrifice by tainting it with vengeful blood?
WHY DID YOU STOP? KILL YON RHA NOW, YOU PATHETIC COWARD! I WANT TO SEE HIS BLOOD GUSH OUT OF HIM LIKE A RAGING TORRENT!
…
…
…
No.
EXCUSE ME?
I won't end it like this. Revenge is not the way.
IT IS THE ONLY WAY! YOU KNOW YOU NEED ME, YOU USELESS WHELP!
No, I don't. Hatred and vengeance will not bring my mother back, and neither will killing Yon Rha. You're no longer my Master. Go back to the foul pit from which you came.
NO! NOT INTO THE PIT! IT BURNS!
The darkness within her shattered, breaking like an iceberg before the club of a mighty warrior.
Katara! Thank the Spirits! I've been trying to get through to you for days, but- wait…you…you didn't kill Yon Rha?
No. I've made my choice.
Katara dropped her arms by her sides as she stood back up and closed her eyes, letting the ice melt and fall on top of Yon Rha in a ball of water.
"I did a bad thing," frightfully admitted Yon Rha, and she heard him get on his hands and knees. "I know I did, and you deserve revenge. So why don't you take my mother? That would be fair!"
Bargaining his own life with his mother's? That's just cowardly.
As Katara opened her eyes, she sorrowfully said, "I always wondered what kind of person could do such a thing, but now that I see you…I think I understand." She took a few steps towards Yon Rha as she added, "There's just nothing inside of you, nothing at all." She narrowed her eyes as she angrily said, "You're pathetic and sad and empty."
"Please, spare me…" Yon Rha pathetically whimpered as he held his hands in front of his chest. His hands fell to the ground, crying slightly as he hung his head down in shame.
"As much as I hate you…" Katara said bitterly, scrunching her eyebrows as her eyes shook with fury and anger. She could see Aang in front of her, his stormy gray eyes begging her to not choose revenge. Her will broke as she closed her eyes and looked down, saying in a cracked voice, "I just can't do it!" Mournful and ashamed tears slid down her face, mixing in with the rain that hit her. Now she saw that the rain was not her fury pouring down, but rather her mother's sad tears falling from the heavens above.
I'm sorry, Mom.
She stood there for a few moments before opening her eyes and turning around, heading back down the trail to the woods. She heard Yon Rha crying behind them, and she thought about how weak he was. Hiding behind his own mother like a frightened puppy for his crime made Katara sick to her stomach, and she never wanted to see that pathetic man for as long as she lived. She could hear Zuko walking behind her, his face mask taken down during the encounter.
Soon they made it back to Appa, who happily greeted his companions as they approached. Katara sadly smiled as she walked up to Appa and hugged his loveable face, whispering, "I didn't do it, Appa. I didn't choose revenge." Appa cheerily grunted as he nuzzled her, eliciting a small chuckle from Katara.
"That was pretty impressive," admirably said Zuko, causing Katara to look at him as she detached herself from Appa. "I thought you were going to do it, but you proved me wrong."
Katara looked down at the muddy ground, raindrops hitting her head. "When I found out the truth about my mother," she said, "I realized the enormous sacrifice she took to protect me." She weakly sighed as she closed her eyes and added, "I didn't want to disrespect her memory by getting revenge."
She heard him walk up to her, but she didn't stop him. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, and she opened her eyes as she looked up at him. Just days before, she would have forbidden this kind of contact, but strangely…she found his touch to be comforting. There was no look of trickery or deceit in his amber eyes; just a look of understanding and acceptance. He smiled at her and said, "You did the right thing. Revenge wasn't the answer."
"I know…" she softly said before she turned around, causing his hand to drop from her shoulder. She climbed onto Appa's head, hoisting herself up to the reins as Zuko climbed up the Bison's leg. Once they were settled, she gave a light whip of the reins as she said, "Yip yip." Appa happily roared as he launched himself off the ground, rising higher and higher into the stormy sky.
As they flew, the storm broke above them, letting the sunlight shine through. A beam of light hit the Sky Bison, as if the Spirits were guiding Katara home to her friends. She forlornly smiled at the light, feeling her mother's warm and comforting touch on her skin. She closed her eyes as tears fell from them, touching a hand to her beloved necklace.
I nearly lost myself today, Mom. Please…help me to be stronger. I miss you so much…rest in peace, Mom. I love you with all my heart.