Hello my lovely readers! It's been a while, and this is my first official update of 2016! I am so excited! Like fresh start, which is partly why I want to make a sequel for Seared heart, thought it'd be appropriate. Sera's adventure is not ending with this story. There are about four chapters left of the story in my master plan, I will try to update as regularly as I can. But at the moment it isn't looking to well. I have a lot of school stuff going on.
Anyway thanks to these wonderful people for reviewing.
KilalaInara- Thank you so much, I kind of came up with the endgame, I'm not revealing it yet but it'll be in the sequel. So glad you liked the chapter!
Missfites- Thank you so much for your continued support, you are so amazing and I appreciate the time you take to read and review. I am honestly flattered that you enjoy my writing so much and it means a lot that people enjoy this. What I meant by Sera seeing the world, was by seeing it in a new way; seeing it in the new "Sera" that she has become. Sera also never really left the Fire Nation she was in the Earth Kingdom colonies for the years she was gone. So that plays into what I meant as well. Anyway hope you enjoy this chapter!
RHatch89- Thank you very, very much!
Chapter Nineteen
Sozin's Comet Part One
The Phoenix King
Sera
I ran through a field of beautiful greenery, a stream gurgled at my left; and flours bloomed across the field creating a color no paint could every match. Yellows and greens infiltrated my sights; the smell of morning dew filled my nose. It was beautiful and wondrous….and then there were flames. Flames filled my vision; a scorching heat filled the land. The greens turned to browns, the flours turned black and charred. The world that was once filled with color was blackened and soiled.
I woke breathing hard; the smoke that had filled my dreams seemed to have filled my lungs. I coughed hard into the sheets my body cold, a strange difference to the unbearable heat of my dreams. I could feel that something was about to change, for the better or worse I could not tell. But a change was coming, and soon.
It was no use sleeping any longer; I took a long bath just soaking in the water. Trying hard to wash away the thoughts in my head. I dressed quickly and walked out to the courtyard; Zuko's face was a mask of concentration as he looked towards Aang. "More ferocious! Imagine striking through your opponent's heart!" He said harshly, I raised an eyebrow and watched from afar. Aang's technique had improved from our combined training, but Zuko's ferocity wasn't a factor in his improvement. Aang growled in frustration and turned towards Zuko, "I'm trying!" Aang yelled.
"Now let me here you roar like a tigerdillo!" Zuko barks out, waiting expectantly, Aang turned from Zuko reading himself and let out a weak roar. The fire sputtered from his hands and mouth. I leave my hiding place and stop next to Zuko. "That sounded pathetic! I said roar!" he barked out in, I put a hand on his shoulder signaling him to stop. He looks back at me and his eyes held no remorse for his actions, I raised a questioning eyebrow until Aang's roar sounded. It was exactly what the roar should have been, fierce yet controlled, intense yet not overbearing. Zuko nods his head towards Aang approvingly. "Who wants a nice cool glass of watermelon juice?" Katara asked, "Ooh me, me!" Aang screeches out running over towards Katara, I tried to stop Zuko but he already had grabbed Aang by his robes, lifting him off the ground slightly.
"Hey! Your lessons not over yet!" Zuko says to Aang, "Zuko give him a break, he deserves it." I say trying to calm him down, but he just gives me this look, and if he could convey anything through one glance he definitely conveyed it.
It was terror, absolute terror.
"Come on Zuko, just take a break. What's the big deal?" Sokka asks, Zuko looks towards me and then at Sokka before letting Aang go. "Fine! If you want to lounge around like a bunch of snail sloths all day, then go ahead!" He shouted before walking off, angrily. "Maybe Zuko's right." Sokka said, I looked towards him surprised. "Really Sokka?" I asked unsure, "Sitting around the house has made us pretty lazy, but I know just the thing to change all that… BEACH PARTY!" He yelled happily revealing his underclothes, I covered my eyes with a laugh and he entered the water his smile wide with excitement.
I watch as the others go into the water, tempted to join them. But I couldn't shake off the feeling I was having, I turned back inside of the home and looked for Zuko. I found him standing at the balcony his back was to me, but his face was set to the scene before him. Katara surfing on a board of ice, Sokka building a sand monster, Aang creating a sculpture of Appa. It was nice, a relaxing thing to see.
"What's bothering you Zuko?" I asked softly, he turned around his face impassive. "They shouldn't do this, act like there is no problem in the world." Zuko said angrily, "They deserve a little time to wind down Zuko, before they have to face Ozai. Sometimes we forget to enjoy the smaller moments; we only have one life as ourselves. So why not live every minute of it?"
Zuko shook his head his hands running through his hair as he pulled at it, I reached for his hands but he pushed me away harshly, I hit the wall behind me hard and looked up at him angrily. "You don't understand Seraphine!" he said his voice low his eyes pleading. "Then explain it to me!" I said angrily pushing away from the wall my arms crossed in front of my chest. "There may not be a world to enjoy… The war meeting while I was in the capital city… My father plans on burning this world, he plans on using the comet to destroy everything."
I could not hear any other word he uttered from his mouth; his lips moved his face turning more hopeless with each word. Yet I could not hear it, my heart was pounding in my ears the previous words ringing in them. Blood drained from my face and I felt my knees buckle to the ground, strong hands caught my arms and held me back up. There face panicked, there mouth began to move words, frantic words while they tried to shake me back into reality, but I was too far gone.
I looked up at his eyes, he was breathing hard and there was terror in his golden eyes. I smacked his face hard, my hands stinging from the force. "You thought to keep it from them? From me?" I yelled regaining my composure, or losing it perhaps. I reached my hands into my hair and pulled trying hard not to scream from frustration. "I thought that it'd be best, they aren't diverting from their plan from fighting Ozai." I glared at Zuko, "Well you better hope not." I said coldly before leaving his side and walking back down the stairs.
I heard a fire blast and ran back to the balcony, Zuko's dark hair was all that could be seen and his flames demolishing Aang's sculpture of Appa. I cursed and ran to the railing and jumped over bending my knees as I hit the ground. Zuko was continuously throwing fire blasts at Aang and they left the beach. "What happened?" Katara asked coming back from the ocean. "Zuko's having a temper tantrum." I said nonchalantly, she shot me a nasty glare and turned towards her brother for further explanation.
"Zuko's gone crazy! I made a sand sculpture of Suki and he destroyed it!" He said trying to rebuild the sculpture, "Oh really? I thought it was a sea monster?" Suki and Sokka both shot me a glare, "Oh and he's attacking Aang." Sokka said nonchalantly, trying desperately to hold together the "Suki" sculpture. "Control your boyfriend!" Katara snarled, I raised an eyebrow at her daring her to challenge me.
"I'll help out Aang, and Katara don't get on my bad side. If you think Zuko's crazy, you haven't seen me." I said before storming off after the flames in the underbrush. I stomped out the fire and climbed to the roof finding Zuko and Aang standing off. "Get a grip before I blast you off this roof!" Aang yelled, "Go ahead and do it!" Zuko taunted back. "Zuko what the actual fuck? Do you think you're doing?" I asked crossing my arms over my chest. "Sera stay out of this!" He shouted, I raised an eyebrow and then ran into the house.
The heat was intense as I hit the hallway; the entire hall was engulfed in flames, Aang airbends part of the hallway to prevent himself from burning his grey eyes reflecting the flames. "Enough!" He yelled, airbending himself Zuko and I out of the house. I looked towards Zuko and raised my fist but he caught it in his hands. I pulled my hands away and turned from him joining the side with the others.
"What's wrong with you? You could have hurt Aang!" Katara says angrily, "Honestly Zuko for all the stupid things you've done this is the cake topper!" I said angrily, he shook his head closing his eyes and breathing deeply before he spoke. "What's wrong with me? What's wrong with all of you? How can you sit around having beach parties when Sozin's Comet is only three days away?" They all look away from each other and it hits me.
They were all relaxed for a reason, I turn away from them horror filling my veins. "No." I said softly, "Why are you all looking at me like I'm crazy?" Zuko asked the fear once again creeping on him, Aang sighed, "About Sozin's comet… I was actually gonna wait to fight the Fire Lord until after it came." I sucked in a breath, and Zuko's face was beyond pale it was boarding translucence. "After?" He asked his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm not ready. I need more time to master firebending." Toph snorted, "And frankly, your earth bending could still use some work too." I shook my head, "Hold on, you all knew Aang was going to wait?" I asked shrilly, "Honestly, if Aang tries to fight the Fire Lord now, he's going to lose." Sokka said, he looked towards Aang and his face was such of one filled with defeat. "No offense." Sokka said try to lessen the blow.
"The whole point of fighting the Fire Lord before the Comet was to stop the Fire Nation from winning the War, but they pretty much won the War when they took Ba Sing Se. Things can't get any worse." Katara said matter-of- factly, and I suppose that it did make sense to them. Because they didn't know; Zuko shook his head, his face filled with such worry. "You're wrong." He said softly not meeting there gazes. "It's about to get worse than you can imagine. On the day before the eclipse, my father asked me to attend an important war meeting. It was what I dreamed about for so long, my father finally accepting me back. When the meeting started they talked about how earth benders were rebelling against the control we had in Ba Sing Se, and were preventing us from finally concurring the Earth Kingdom. General Shinu recommended after the eclipse we should transfer more forces into the Earth Kingdom. My father asked my opinion… He asked if more troops would stop the rebellion… I told him that the people of the Earth Kingdom were proud and strong, that they could endure anything as long as they had hope. My father agreed, and said we must destroy their hope. Azula suggested that we should take their hope and their land and burn it all to the ground. My father… he loved the idea, he said that Sozin's comet was coming soon and that the day will endow us strength and power of a hundred suns. No bender could stand against us. He said the last time the comet came my great-grandfather Sozin used it to wipe out the Air Nomads. And that he'd use that power to end the Earth Kingdom permanently. That a new world would be born from their ashes and my father would rule everything."
He stopped his face even paler is possible; he staggered as if the memory physically hurt him. "Zuko." I said softly my hand on his shoulder; he brushed it off his head downcast and his eyes never leaving the ground. "I wanted to speak out against this horrifying plan, but I'm ashamed to say I didn't. My whole life, I struggled to gain my father's love and acceptance, but once I had it, I realized I'd lost myself getting there. I'd forgotten who I was." I put my hand against his shoulder and he pulled me close to his side his eyes still downcast.
Katara had sunken to her knees, her eyes wide in disbelief. "I-I can't believe this." She said softly, the horror evident in her eyes. "I always knew the Fire Lord was a bad guy, but his plan is just… pure evil." Sokka said in disgust, "What am I gonna do?' Aang asked softly, his voice resembling that of a scared child, and in a way he was. Though he is one hundred and twelve years, he has the mindset of a twelve year old boy; he is frightened beyond belief.
Zuko rose from his place on the rock and walked towards Aang. "Aang I know you're scared, and I know you're not ready to save the world, but if you don't defeat the Fire Lord before the comet comes, there won't be a world to save anymore."
"Why didn't you tell me about your dad's crazy plan sooner?" Aang asked, his gaze focused to me and I looked down. "You knew too?" I sighed, "I… you all never told me about your decision to wait." Zuko nodded. "We honestly didn't think we had to. I assumed you were still going to fight him before the comet. No one told us you decided to wait." Aang held his head with hands, "This is bad." He muttered before sinking to his knees, "This is really bad."
"Aang you don't have to do this alone." Katara said soothingly, "Yeah if we all fight the Fire Lord together, we got a shot taking him down." Toph said, "All right! Team Avatar is back!" Sokka said, "Air, Water, Earth, Fire… double Fire, Fan and sword!" He said holding up a leaf and handing a clump shaped suspiciously like a fan to Suki.
"Fighting the Fire Lord is going to be the hardest thing we've ever done together, but I wouldn't want to do it any other way." I smiled and joined the others for a group hug. "Yeah!" Toph said pumped as usual, "All right!" Sokka agreed his enthusiasm impeccably honest. "Zuko get over here." I shouted, Zuko looked uncomfortable but joins the hug anyway.
"Zuko, you can't!"
I said protesting angrily, Zuko sighed running his hands through his head. "He has to know Sera; we can't hold this from him, if there's a chance that this can defeat my father. That this could save Aang's life."
I crossed my arms over my chest and held my breath, thinking hard. I released it not meeting Zuko's triumphant gaze, "Fine." I grumbled, Zuko smiled and kissed my cheek quickly before I could react. I didn't want him to do this; Aang shouldn't be exposed to the most dangerous form of Firebending. Redirecting lightening is the most exhilarating yet frightening thing to do. The fact that one wrong move can burn up your insides is enough to scare anyone from not doing it.
I sat under the pavilion trying hard not to bite my nails out. "You look almost as scared as Aang." I looked towards Katara and smiled weakly, "I am scared, we all are."
"Do you think we can win?" I sighed, "Honestly Katara, I don't know… but I believe in Aang and I believe in us. I believe we have the slightest of chances; and that..." I gave her a look and laughed a little, "We cannot lose hope." I started dramatically placing my hand against my chest and the back of my other hand to my forehead, "for it is all we have and we must never relinquish it, even… even to our dying breath." I said dramatically laughing hard until my stomach hurt; Katara held her hand over her mouth her eyes shining.
"That was a terrible play." Katara said laughing. "Completely awful." I agreed, we tuned back into the talk the boys were having.
Aang laughs nervously, "Well, not over over, I mean there's always Katara and a little Spirit Water action, am I right?" He asked, Katara's face fell. "Actually I used it all up after Azula shot you."
"Oh." Aang said disappointed. "You'll just have to take the Fire Lord's life before he takes yours." Zuko said, "Yeah, I'll just do that." Aang said though his voice wasn't in it, I knew he wasn't capable of killing anyone. It was a good trait to have.
But in this case, it just might cause his life; and everyone else's.
We all gathered at the cliff Sokka stood before us waiting. I sat on the ground and looked up expectantly. "Gather round, Team Avatar. " He said while placing a carved Melon on a mannequin's head. "In order to take out the Fire Lord-or in this case, the Melon Lord- our timing has to be perfect." He kneels to the ground drawing a Melon head and a line going directly to it. "First, Suki and Sera, and I will draw his fire. Then, Katara and Zuko charge in with some liquidy hot offense." He said while drawing another line. "While the Melon Lord is distracted Aang swoops in.. and bam!" Sokka says while drawing another line cutting through the Melon Lord picture.
"Uh what about me?" Toph asks, "For now, you're the Melon Lord's forces." Sokka said to Toph, she smiled excitedly, which was a little unsettling. "So I get to chuck flaming rock at all of you?" She asks literally bouncing in excitement. "Whatever makes the training feel more realistic." Sokka confirmed, Toph smiled widely, "Sweetness."
We all prepare for the "fight"; I put on my fingerless gloves, and tie my hair up with a red cord. Though shorter strands still loved to fall into my face. "Ready?" Zuko asked smirking; I rolled my eyes pushing past him and walking with the others, my back against a boulder. "Mwah-ha-ha-ha!" Toph said happily, I raised an eyebrow to Sokka and he shrugged. We all watch Sokka waiting for his signal he waits a moment before signaling us to start. Sokka, Suki, and I run towards the Melon Lord, but are confronted by stone Fire Nation soldiers. I burn three of them and cut apart two of them with my katana, I was severely out of practice but it was more effective than sai's.
We continue running until a large burning boulder blocks our path. Suki and I both jump over it, she was far more graceful than I but I was still across. Sokka jumps up from the ground and looks towards Toph in outrage. "Watch it Toph!"
He yells at her, "I am not Toph! I am Melon Lord! Mwah-ha-ha-ha-ha!" Toph yells setting more boulders on fire and launching them through the air. More stone soldiers appear and I hack at them blasting fire here and there "Now Aang!" Sokka yells, Aang jumps preparing his staff to strike the Melon Lord, but once he lands he stops, just inches before smashing it.
"What are you waiting for? Take him out!" Zuko shouts, "I-I can't." Aang says shaking his head, his glider slipping from his fingertips. Sokka walks up to Aang angrily. "What's wrong with you? If this was the real deal, you'd be shot full of lightning right now."
"Sokka give him a break." I said softly, Sokka shot me a look his eyes ruthless, which was a surprising, turn. "No I will not give him a break Sera! I don't want to see my world burned, it might be easy for you…" I cut him off with a look, and turned away leaving the other and not caring to hear the rest of the conversation.
We all sit outside eating our meal, I eat silently Zuko's gaze firmly placed on Sokka and then flitting back to me. "Give it a rest Zuko." I said with a sigh before continuing eating. "Sera, I am sorry. It's just… this war has everyone stressed, you have to understand that." I looked up meeting Sokka's gaze and laughed a right out ruthless laugh. "Oh yes Sokka, because the best way to express your stress is out on me. Don't give your girlfriend the wrong idea; she might think I'm trying to steal you again." I said smiling sweetly and enjoying the hurt the crossed his face and the uncomfortable look on Suki's. "That was a little harsh." Toph said quietly, "Seraphine!" Zuko snapped his eyes searching mine. "I'm sorry." I mumbled, "I just… I'm scared." I said softly. Before punching Zuko hard in the arm, he winced but didn't say anything. "Don't call me Seraphine twice in one day."
Katara entered the room holding a scroll. "I have a surprise for everyone!" Katara said smiling, "I knew it! You did have a secret thing with Haru!" Toph said excitedly, we all look at her strangely and Katara looks at her like she grew another head. "Uh no. I was looking for cooking pots in the attic, and I found this." She said unraveling the paper and showing a happy dark-haired baby playing in the sand. I chocked on my rice and began coughing.
"Look at baby Zuko. Isn't he cute?" Everyone begins laughing except Zuko and I. "Oh lighten up, I'm just teasing." Katara said to Zuko, not understanding his sour mood. "That's not me. It's my father." He said, Katara rolls up the scroll her face impassive. "But he looks so sweet and innocent." Suki said, I snorted. "Yea but looks can be deceiving sugar cube." Zuko ignored my statement and said one of his own. "Well, that sweet little kid grew up to be a monster, and the worst father in the history of fathers." I put my hand to his shoulder, but he ignored me his eyes to far away. "But he's still a human being." Aang said. "You're going to defend him?" Zuko asked, discarding his food and trying to stand up. I threw a sai and attached him to the stone by his shirt.
"No I agree with you." Aang said standing up, "Fire Lord Ozai is a horrible person, and the world would probably be better off without him, but there's got to be another way." Zuko raises an eyebrow, "Like what?"
Aang shrugged. "I don't know." He said trailing off, his face then lit up with a new idea. "Maybe we can make some big pots of glue, and then I can use gluebending to stick his arms and legs together so he can't bend anymore." Zuko laughs, which was so filled with sarcasm I did not think such a laugh was possible. "Yeah, then you can show him his baby pictures, and all those happy memories will make him good again." Zuko says with false exuberance.
"Do you really think that would work?" Aang asks excitedly, "No!" Zuko shouts back, "This goes against everything I learned from the monks. I can't just go around wiping out people I don't like." Sokka smiles, "Sure you can, you're the Avatar. If it's in the name of keeping balance, I'm pretty sure the universe will forgive you." I shot Sokka a glare and he glanced down ashamed of himself. "This isn't a joke, Sokka! None you understand the position I'm in!" Aang yelled finally losing his temper, "We're trying to help!"
Katara shouted back, I had feeling that this conversation was more between Katara's fierce need to protect Aang then about him leaving, I slipped away while everyone was preoccupied and made my way back to my room. My head still reeling from today's events, only two more days and that scared me far more than it should have.
I stopped before my door shocked to find Suki there. "We all let Aang cool off on his own… but me and you need to talk." I nodded sighing and motioning for her to enter my room; I sit on the bed and look towards Suki. "Well what do you want to talk about?" I ask awkwardly, "I want to put past what happened, I get it now. I was just… being a really stupid girl; and that isn't me. I want us to be like we were in prison, we worked together to stay alive. We need to do that again to defeat Ozai, and I can care less what Sokka thinks about you because I believe that he cares about me." I smiled gently, "Okay, I want that too, we were good friends. I'd like that, and I'm glad you don't think that anymore." I said softly, she smiled, "Yeah besides you're with Zuko."
I blushed at that and shook my head. "No, no I'm not with anyone… I mean sure we're close but… Let's not talk about boys Suki, let's talk about knives. I love knives." Suki laughed at that and sat next to me exchanging her weapon knowledge with mine, and for once not a single ill word was passed between us.
I passed up the last pack to Sokka before turning to the others, smiling reassuringly to Katara whose face was still a little pale. "Okay, that's everything." Sokka said from Appa's saddle, "No it's not." Toph pointed out, "Where's Aang?" It took that one question to get us all sprinting back into the house. Searching every crevice and every corner for the Avatar. We all enter a room back in the house and find Aang's staff left behind. "He left his staff." Sokka said, pointing the obvious as usual. "That's so strange."
"Well Aang isn't in the house, let's check the beach." Zuko said leading us out of the house and down to the shore. Footsteps lead in the water and of course Aang had to choose to take a midnight swim days before one of the most important battles. "So, he went for a midnight swim and never came back?" Suki asked, I snorted and then avoided Katara's scrutinizing gaze. "Maybe he was captured." She suggested as if that were far better than Aang actually running away. "I don't think so." Sokka said kneeling down to the ground like a hunter searching for wolf tracks, "There's no sign of struggle." Toph shrugged, "I bet he ran away."
"Agreed." I responded again avoiding Katara's angry looks, "Nope, he left behind his glider and Appa." Sokka said shaking his head, "Alright genius what's your hypothesis?" I asked, siding with Toph. "It's pretty obvious." Sokka began, "Aang mysteriously disappears before an important battle? He's definitely on a Spirit World journey." Sokka said matter-of-factly, Zuko raised an eyebrow at that, "But if he was, wouldn't his body still be here?"
Sokka looked down, "Oh yeah, forgot about that." I smiled, "Don't feel bad, Zuko was Aang's number one fan." Zuko scowled, "This is why I haven't missed you." Katara completely ignoring us continued on the real problem at hand, "Then he's got to be somewhere on Ember Island. Let's split up and look for him."
Though we all split up into teams, I had a gut feeling that we wouldn't be finding Aang.