I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or Avatar: The Legend of Aang
Chapter 11 (Part II): Destination of Destiny
Two Weeks Later
Ziashi's journey through the Si Wong Desert had been difficult. Between the sandbenders roaming the dunes, the thieves, and the heat, Ziashi at times believed he would die in the desert. It was all behind him now. Ziashi had left the desert after a week and a half of travel, only stopping to eat, drink, sleep, and to feed Stampede.
He knew he was not far from Ba Sing Se and estimated in a two-day period, he would be upon the great wall. Once he arrived, his goal would be to find the Avatar. That was what he was concerned about; Ba Sing Se was the largest city in the known world and to find one boy, even if he is the Avatar, was like trying to find a needle in a haystack.
Ziashi now rode through a small bit of woods near the great city. In the distance, deeper in the forest, he heard the sounds of battle and debated whether or not to allow himself to be side-tracked. He decided he would not allow that, but that notion did not last long. The sound of thousands of branches snapping forced Ziashi to gaze upward. The Avatar's Bison had flown from something in fear and was headed northward. He thought about following the bison but he decided not to, he knew Appa was headed to Ba Sing Se and he would find the Avatar there.
Ziashi donned his mask and turned Stampede to charge towards what scared Appa from the woods. The sounds of women's screams echoed through the trees compelling Ziashi to ride faster. The screams were coupled with the sounds of firebending. But, what really stopped Ziashi's heart was a distinct sadistic laugh, a laugh that could only belong to someone Ziashi had hated for the longest time: Princess Azula.
What in Agni's name is she doing here? Ziashi asked to himself.
Ziashi crashed into the clearing and saw more than just Azula, she had allies: Ty Lee and Mai. They had been fighting the Warriors of Kyoshi. As far as Ziashi could see, many of them were dead. Azula held one by the throat; this warrior was stripped of her outfit with the exception of her undergarments, like two of her fellow warriors.
"You ought to know its never a wise decision to interrupt my fun," Azula dropped the Kyoshi warrior as if she was a piece of litter, "Identify yourself."
Ziashi leapt down from Stampede and ignited a flame in the palm of his hand. The Kyoshi warrior who Azula had just held looked even more horrified as she stared at Ziashi before passing out.
One survivor, Ziashi noted. If a massive fire fight broke out he would have to watch out for her.
Ty Lee leapt from where she stood and approached Ziashi with a flirtatious stare, "What do you know, a Firebender, Azula. A buff one, too. Is the mask necessary?"
Ziashi, without warning, drew his Bo Staff and slashed at Ty Lee, but he missed. She was always faster. Ziashi kicked a flame at Azula who answered with a blast of her own. Ziashi blocked it with ease but Mai immediately took the opportunity to strike by throwing three darts at Ziashi. He pivoted his elbow causing the first dagger to miss, once again as he pivoted his chest to avoid the second. The third dagger caught Ziashi's masked face just enough to miss his flesh but to catch and pull the mask off, and pin it to a tree. Of all the people that Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee imagined being under the mask, Ziashi was not one of them.
"We just keep running into each other, don't we Azula?" Ziashi recollected himself and returned to his fighting stance.
"Wait, is this true? Ziashi, the traitorous agent of the Fire Lord is defending the enemies of the Fire Nation? Just as I should have expected; you can't return to the Fire Nation so you turn into a deserter, a traitor, and enemy," Azula entered her own stance, "You are going to die now, traitor. Let's get him, girls."
Ziashi drew his katana and prepared for his enemies. Mai and Azula struck first. Mai shot a flurry of darts and daggers as Azula punched and kicked blue flames. Ziashi was forced to maneuver around the attacks but he found he was not able to do that too much with Ty Lee becoming dangerously close with her attacks. He was forced back towards Stampede and was losing ground fast. He was at a serious disadvantage; three deadly experts against one, working like a wolf pack. He needed something to delay his enemies. All of a sudden Ziashi got an idea.
Ziashi broke from his fight and made for Stampede. He took what water he had left, hurled it at his enemies, and shot a jab fire blast into the water creating a mist of steam. Disorientation gripped Azula, Ty Lee and Mai as the small cloud of steam engulfed them. By the time the steam had cleared, Ziashi had disappeared.
"Great, now he's hiding from us," Mai sighed as she scanned the trees for Ziashi, "Why don't we just light this place on fire and smoke him out?"
"No, we have what we need from this pathetic group of warriors. Let's go," Azula and her friends turned to leave. Before Azula left the clearing entirely she stopped, "Your time to die will come soon, Ziashi, don't worry."
Ziashi, perfectly blended into the foliage, waited like a patient hunter before moving. He wanted to be sure that Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee had actually gone. After returning his balaclava (mask) its rightful position, he surveyed the aftermath of Azula's wrath on the Kyoshi warriors and concluded that they were all dead, except one.
"Help," the girl moaned through a raspy voice. Ziashi looked upon her face. In spite of her smeared war paint, she still had a striking beauty. Ziashi relinquished those thoughts immediately; he could not allow himself to be distracted as she lay dying in his arms.
The Kyoshi warrior who had lived had been stripped of her attire and had grievous gashes and wounds. Ziashi fetched his cloak and wrapped her in it to give her some modesty if not comfort. At this point she was unconscious again. Ziashi could do little for her equipped as he was. He wanted, so much, to do something for the fallen warriors. Unfortunately, not knowing Kyoshi traditions, he could not do any proper funeral-like rites. He did, however, load all the dead warriors on to Stampede, scooped up the live warrior in his arms, and carried them all towards the closest known Earth Kingdom encampment.
Ziashi for a moment considered turning tail and returning the warriors to their home personally. That was a delusion of pity and he knew as well as anyone else it was not his place. Ziashi bit his lip and continued towards the encampment.
Unfortunately, Ziashi discovered the camp was recently raided and in ruins. There were no other encampments within a reasonable distance either. Ziashi chose to camp were he was in hopes that another option would reveal itself.
Ziashi set the living Kyoshi warrior down near the river that led to the ocean. She was still unconscious, but her condition did not appear to be getting worse. Ziashi could not help but wonder how someone could be so cruel as to harm the girl now in his care.
Night had fallen. Ziashi had made himself a brief camp, ate, and tended to the living Kyoshi warrior. Every once in a while she would stir and resume her state. Ziashi knew he was running out of options. He had insufficient medical supplies, no way to send for help, and little knowledge of how to handle another's personal injuries.
Yue, if there is anything you can do to help me, now would be a good time to do so, Ziashi reached out to communicate with the spirits but received no answer.
Then Ziashi saw hope. Down the river, going towards Chameleon Bay, was a small fleet of Water Tribe vessels. Ziashi worked fast to flag down the fleet. He grabbed a small log from his fire and waved it around praying they would show interest. The ships continued to sail down the river not noticing the torch Ziashi was waving.
"Help!" Ziashi yelled, he continued to call until multiple men emerged from the ships' cabins. Ziashi calmed slightly as the Water Tribe warriors landed on the river's shore. "Thanks, you have no idea how-"
The warriors brandished spears and blades at Ziashi, who stood confused.
"Identify yourself and remove your mask," said a stern man. He clearly was the leader. Ziashi never would remove his mask if ordered to, but the circumstances were desperate. He did not plan on giving his real name in order to maintain his alias.
Slowly, Ziashi removed his balaclava and spoke, "I am Shadow Dragon, leader of the Shadow Hand Clan."
The leader motioned for his men to put up their weapons and approached Ziashi. This man was the same height as Ziashi.
"That's quite a claim," the leader looked Ziashi up and down, sizing him up, "Care to back it up."
"You'd find that to be impossible, we Shadow Hands are but whispers around the campfire," Ziashi replied the leader was still unconvinced. Ziashi's mind began to race. If he could not convince this man that he was not an enemy, the Kyoshi warrior dying would be the least of his worries. Ziashi watched the leader closely.
"The Shadow Dragon supposedly is a firebender. Are you one?"
Ziashi lit a small fire ball in his hand and made it dance around his arm. The warriors before him gripped their weapons tighter.
"If you are a Shadow Hand then you would stick to the shadows," the leader pointed out, Ziashi thought this man was looking for any reason to kill him. Ziashi empathized with that however, he did not trust too many people, especially strangers.
"We do stick to the shadows," Ziashi spat back.
"Yet you draw attention to yourself."
"Because I have dead and dying at my camp," Ziashi blurted out. Seeing that the leader was still unconvinced to help, Ziashi took a leap of faith, "You are of the Southern Water Tribe, yes?"
"What's it to you?" the leader became very tense, his eyes transfixed Ziashi with a deadly stare as his hand prepared to draw his blade.
"I have information concerning two of your kin: Sokka and Katara," the expression on the leader's face changed from fierce to shock and awe. Ziashi had just acquired his bargaining chip, "My Shadow Hands and I encountered them and the Avatar."
"You have seen my son and daughter?" the leader asked, "Please tell me what you know."
"I'll be more than happy to, but I need your help first," Ziashi managed to arrange for the leader, Chief Hakoda, to send one of his vessels to Kyoshi bearing the slain Kyoshi warriors. The vessel left as soon as the bodies were aboard. As for the living warrior, Ziashi chose to continue to care for her with the help from the Southern Water Tribe warriors.
"She'll be awake by tomorrow, there's nothing else we can do," a warrior informed Ziashi. He nodded and went to the fire pit where Hakoda awaited the news of his children.
"So, what news of my children do you have, Shadow Dragon?" Hakoda managed to recollect his stern nature, if his voice was any indication.
Ziashi took a deep breath, "I last saw them a few days less than two weeks ago. I found them seconds after attacking a Fire Nation camp. This was all south of the Si Wong Desert. They filled me in on their exploits that had occurred since I last saw them."
"You've seen them beforehand?" Hakoda interrupted.
"About a year and a half ago…" Ziashi told Hakoda that tale along with all he new of Hakoda's children, "Last I heard, they were headed for Ba Sing Se. By sky bison, I would bet they are there now."
Hakoda let out a sigh of relief, "Thank you, Shadow Dragon. It does my heart well to know they are well and have made friends such as you in their travels. We should be able to get a message to them easily now."
"Nice to have your approval, Chief," Ziashi bowed slightly in respect to the leader before him. It was a respect he was taught to show all foreign leaders when he was growing up.
"You're welcome. But there is one more question I have for you," Hakoda said.
"Just the one?"
"What are you doing out here alone? Why don't you have any of your fellow Shadow Hands with you?"
"I'm heading towards Ba Sing Se on a task I must complete alone, you wouldn't believe what it is, though," Ziashi played it off as if it were a joke, hoping to kill Hakoda's interest.
"Try me," Hakoda smirked.
Ziashi shook his head, "No, its best I not say. It's just important that I make it to Ba Sing Se."
"That seems to be the goal of many these days. Can't say I blame them," Hakoda said, "What safer place is there to be if not behind those walls? You, however, don't look to head there for protection. That much is for certain, given who you are."
"No. My mission is to find someone, but that could take years, knowing the size of Ba Sing Se," Ziashi sighed, "It may take longer now that I'll be dealing with the Kyoshi warrior."
"You plan on escorting her?"Hakoda cocked one eyebrow as if such a task was not fitting for Ziashi. Ziashi just gave Hakoda his notorious steel-eyed gaze.
"She's recovering from a very trying fight; she's going to need help going wherever she plans to," Ziashi said, Hakoda gave an approving grunt in response, "I wonder though if she would have preferred to return to Kyoshi Island with the rest of her kin."
"Tomorrow we'll see, for now-" Hakoda stopped, a fellow warrior whispered something in his ear, "That soon? Damn."
"What is it?"
"We actually need to move out now. Bato tells me the Fire Nation is on its way up the coast and it's our job to protect the coast," Hakoda informed Ziashi.
"I understand. It was a pleasure, Chief," Ziashi collected the Kyoshi warrior and mounted Stampede with her leaning against him. "If you plan to attack the Fire Nation fleet, attack them at night or when the fog is thickest. The Navy always tends to be sloppy in those conditions."
Hakoda shot a glance at Ziashi, "How do you know that?"
"Trust me. When my Shadow Hands and I are commandeering a ship it's easier than breathing whenever we strike during those times."
"Thanks, Shadow Dragon."
Ziashi rode through all hours of the night until he could not ride anymore. He stayed close to the river only situating the Kyoshi warrior comfortably on the ground before falling asleep. Ziashi did not even remove his weapons or his mask, he was so tired. He had been through the Si Wong Desert, fought three girls who could have killed him, rescued a Kyoshi warrior from certain death, and barely rested through all of it. He could not be blamed for falling asleep as he did.
Many hours passed before Ziashi even stirred. The sun was high in the sky telling him it was around mid-day. He sat up to see the Kyoshi warrior bathing in the nude in the river. He quickly turned away to lay back down and was forced to wait until the Kyoshi warrior put his cloak back on, or her undergarments at the very least.
Ziashi listened closely to hear her leave the water and put on what clothes she had. Finally he rose and looked upon the Kyoshi warrior, who finally looked alive at last.
"I was beginning to wonder if you'd ever be moving again," Ziashi's words caused the Kyoshi warrior to wrap Ziashi's cloak even tighter around her body, "Sorry about the cloak."
"No, its okay," she had a soft and smooth voice that enamored Ziashi.
"I have some Water Tribe clothes that Chief Hakoda gave me to give to you," Ziashi retrieved the clothes from the pack on Stampede and gave them to the Kyoshi warrior, who hesitated, "Unless you insist on continuing to wear only that cloak."
The Kyoshi warrior took the clothes and Ziashi went behind a tree to giver her privacy.
"Go further," the Kyoshi warrior ordered, she expected most men to peep and Ziashi had not given her any real reason to trust him.
"I'm a Shadow Hand, not a pervert. I won't peek," Ziashi said in a monotonous manner, "Just tell me when you are done."
The Kyoshi warrior shed the cloak and dressed carefully, not for a second letting her eyes stray from where Ziashi hid, "Okay, I'm finished."
Ziashi came out from behind the tree. The Kyoshi warrior kept her distance from him and Ziashi, seeing her discomfort, gave her the distance. The clothes looked a little big for her, but Ziashi was just glad that she was wearing something else aside from his cloak. They stood there, speechless, for what seemed like hours.
"You're welcome," Ziashi's tone was not pleasant.
The Kyoshi warrior just realized how rude she was being. The man before her had saved her life, cared for her, and just given her more suitable clothes, "I'm sorry. I'm just a little on edge."
Ziashi spoke softly now, "I understand. You've been through quite a lot in the past few days, flirting with death is a trying thing and you probably have a lot of questions."
"Yes. What happened to the rest of my kin? Why aren't they here?" the Kyoshi warrior's eyes began to well up with tears as she saw an expression of regret form on Ziashi's face.
"I'm sorry I have to tell you this, but they're dead," Ziashi answered plainly; there was no good in trying to sugar-coat the truth, especially in regards to death. The news brought the Kyoshi warrior to her knees, "I didn't leave them in the forest to rot. I managed to have one Water Tribe ship take them home."
Ziashi knelt down next to the Kyoshi warrior and put a hand on her back. The Kyoshi warrior grabbed onto Ziashi wept into his shoulder. Ziashi let her weep and mourn. He could not do much else.
"Thank you," the Kyoshi warrior sobbed, "You don't even know me, yet you treated me and my kin with such respect. I…"
The rest of her speech was taken over by tears.
"It will feel as it does for a while," Ziashi comforted the Kyoshi warrior. She eventually stopped crying but still was teary-eyed.
"Is there anything I can give you to thank you," the Kyoshi warrior asked looking deep into Ziashi's tortured, smoky-grey eyes.
"You're name?"
The Kyoshi smiled slightly, she had one of the most beautiful smiles Ziashi had ever seen, "Suki. Yours?"
Ziashi prepared to give her his alias, but figured there would be no harm in letting her know who he really was by name. Ziashi removed his balaclava and said, "Most know me as Shadow Dragon, but you can call me Ziashi."
Over the next few days Suki's physical condition vastly improved but her mental condition was still in shambles because of the death of her kin. In order to help remedy her mental state, Ziashi let out his more sensitive side so she would feel more alright about grieving.
Ziashi was particularly annoyed with having to make a fire every night without the help of his firebending. He was not sure how Suki would react to his being a firebender, especially after having one burn her village and another nearly kill her. Most who found this out would run in fear from Ziashi without giving him a chance to explain.
Never be ashamed of who or what you are, Ziashi, Ziashi heard his mother's voice echo inside his head. Her wisdom, along with his father's, had kept him alive more often than not, but he still was uncertain of his secret in regards to Suki.
But Ziashi could not escape his own mental foreboding to reach Ba Sing Se to find the Avatar.
"Suki?" Ziashi said, "I plan on setting out tomorrow, I need to know if you are well enough to travel."
Suki stared at Ziashi plainly, "Well enough, yes. Do I want to? No."
Ziashi sighed heavily, "Suki, I have an important task and I must reach Ba Sing Se. But I can't…no, I won't leave you behind."
Suki stood unsteadily from where she lay Ziashi came closer and caught her before she lost her balance. She was still pretty exhausted, "I'll go with you. The ones who killed my sisters-in-combat were heading to Ba Sing Se to hunt the Avatar, I have to bring them to justice."
"Or vengeance," Ziashi retorted.
"You don't know the Kyoshi traditions, it is my duty," Suki said tersely.
"Very well, so long as you're coming with me," Ziashi said, "You'll need my help."
"You may be the Shadow Dragon, but unless you really can bend an element-"
"I can," Ziashi cut in; there was no hope at keeping his secret from her any longer.
"What?"
"My task will help you understand what I must do and why I haven't told you the element I bend," Ziashi explained.
"What is it you must do?"
"I have been given a task from Agni and Yue to train the Avatar to firebend," Ziashi revealed his secret to Suki at last. She withdrew from Ziashi's reach, "Yes, I am Fire Nation-born and a firebender."
Tears began to well up in Suki's eyes, she managed to stammer, "But you fight the Fire Nation."
"Yes, I am a separatist. I renounced my loyalty to the Fire Nation long ago," Ziashi explained, "It was official over a year ago when I founded the Shadow Hand Clan. So, I beg of you. Please do not think less of me."
Suki began to lose her balance again. Ziashi leapt from where he stood and caught her. She looked deep into his eyes and truly could see all his torment, pain, and sincerity. From lying in his arms, Suki threw her arms around Ziashi, "Why would I? How could I? You saved my life and I am indebted to you. I'm glad you told me you're going to help Aang."
They did not break their embrace, "I sort of expected you to run when I told you I was a firebender."
Suki laughed, it made Ziashi smile a bit, "I'm sorry. It can't be easy having your gift," Suki said barely above a whisper.
"My curse," Ziashi corrected.
"Your abilities are a gift or a curse based on how you use them," Suki responded, "You use your abilities to defend the helpless, to undo evil. You are gifted."
"That's the first time anyone outside the Fire Nation has called my powers a gift," Ziashi turned away slightly, blushing.
Suki turned his head back towards her, "Don't ever think of them as anything else."
The next day Ziashi and Suki rode to Ba Sing Se and reached the Grand Wall by nightfall. Ziashi was told that he would have to pen Stampede up in the zoo if he wanted to enter the city. Ziashi would have just released Stampede into the wild, but luckily the zoo was built around the recently-made rock pens that were nice and big for the animals. He sold Stampede to the Zoo Keeper for safe-keeping. Ziashi and Stampede both felt some heart ache for having to go their separate ways for the time being.
"I'll return as soon as I can," Ziashi reassured his animal friend.
The money from the sale did, however, purchase an apartment for Ziashi and Suki on the border of the lower and upper city ring. From their second-story window, all Ziashi could see was vast city from horizon to horizon. Ziashi turned from the window to prepare for his search. He donned his katana, his mask, and his cloak. He was just about to leave when Suki called to him.
"Yes, Suki?" Ziashi turned to face her.
Suki went over to Ziashi and held out a fan, "If you happen to run into Sokka tonight, or anyone with the Avatar, please give them this."
Ziashi took Suki's fan and pocketed it, "I will. Go get some rest now."
Suki smiled, and at that Ziashi left their apartment to begin his search for the Avatar.
As he left, he smiled thinking, Sokka…that lucky fool.
Author's Note: No this is not going to evolve into a love triangle. Ziashi's love life will be addressed later in the story. I promise.