SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE
SOJOURN IN SOLITUDE
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar. That is that.
AN: This might be a little boring but the end will be a surprise. And there are some parts here that are very obviously inspired by some scenes in the Season III Finale Trailer. This was fun to write and partly inspired by the song "Rain" from the musical "Once on this Island."
Furthermore, I apologize for the delay of this chapter and I apologize in advance for the coming of the next chapters. This week is extremely hectic for me because of final exams so the last four chapters might take some time coming. Rest assured, I will update at least once a week.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Then, as quickly and as suddenly as it had appeared, the wave crashed back into the sea.
The waters rose dramatically as they were pushed back by an extremely powerful force and the rain returned with a vengeance. And yet, the two figures atop the cliff were perfectly still, paying little attention the persistent raindrops, so full were they of what had just happened. Their minds were still immersed in every word uttered by their friends and family, and they reveled in the memories of having had contact with the outside world after such a long confinement on the island.
Katara tried to remember every expression shown by those she loved, finding that she missed her brother and friends even more desperately now that she had seen them again, albeit very briefly. She felt buoyed with pride when she heard all the developments they had made in Ba Sing Se, and she was extremely pleased to learn that Aang had mastered the Avatar State at last. She knew just how important such a thing was to him and how he must have struggled greatly to achieve it.
The waterbender was glad that Toph was doing an excellent job of maintaining order between the two boys although she sensed that even Toph missed her "sugariness". Katara was also happy to see that Iroh had joined their group and was teaching Aang firebending. It seemed like all their plans for the future were finally coming to fruition.
Several months ago, all of this would have been no more than a dream, a wild hope. And now, after enduring so much, they were finally at the brink of fulfilling all the things they had longed for so passionately for so long. Katara felt so enlivened by the prospect and prayed fervently that she would be able to return to her dear ones soon.
Zuko was similarly deep in thought. He pondered over what he had just done, declaring himself good and asking to join the Avatar's group. At this moment, he no longer held any doubt about his destiny, he was certain of what path to take. He had struggled long enough and endured through a trying purgation rite to realize his past mistakes. Now was the time to atone for them. But what made him feel the most content was seeing the pride and love on his uncle's face when he had expressed his desire to help the Avatar. Zuko realized that this was what Uncle Iroh had always wanted to happen and that he had finally lived up to the old man's expectations. The young firebender was glad that he was able to become the son his uncle had always hoped for him to be. Now, the former prince could only hope that his exile on this isle would not last for much longer. There was still so much to be done in order to end the terrible war and the firebender was eager to make his contribution to this grand endeavor.
Katara tried not to dwell on Sokka's reactions and responses during the communication. He was as hilarious and sarcastic as ever and yet he seemed to have grown more since she last saw him. She was proud that her big brother was finally manifesting all the leadership potential she had always seen in him. She understood how important it was for him for his plans to succeed, how afraid of failure and criticism he was, and how determined he was to prove himself. Despite her obvious sisterly partiality to him, Katara was confident that he would indeed prove his worth when the time came. And she wanted to be there, standing by his side to support him.
She rolled her eyes as she remembered his ridiculous overreaction to Zuko saving her life. It was bad enough that Sokka didn't trust Zuko and had insensitively pointed out the latter's former faults. But to suspect Zuko of…other motives? That was something she would have to resolve as soon as she got back. Whenever that would be.
A loud crash was heard and a roll of thunder echoed through the vastness of the night sky.
Zuko snapped out of his reverie and took a glance at their surroundings. His eyes narrowed quickly as he realized that the storm's intensity had increased to unimaginable proportions during the few seconds that came after the eye of the storm. He raised his head and watched as a strange, palpable darkness engulfed the sky and as an unnamed terror approached the isle from all directions.
The firebender gasped as he observed the coming danger. The eerie, unfathomable chill of the storm was worse than being drenched in the freezing rainwater and being whipped by the powerful gales. It was time to leave.
He turned to Katara, who was still lost in thought, and grabbed her arm roughly. Surprised at the sudden pressure on her wrist, Katara looked back at him.
"We have to get back to the house," Zuko said urgently, "now."
The waterbender quickly took stock of the surroundings, and realizing how she had tarried too long, she nodded to him. They quickly descended the slope, walking towards the nearby woods, towards the house.
The rain was coming down harder and faster now. It was becoming difficult for them to see where they were going. The ground they were treading on was becoming slippery and muddy, and leaves were flying off the trees, making the sky a mess of randomly floating objects, obscuring the view of the rest of the island. The wind was howling loudly and blowing all sorts of things to their faces. Then, there was the occasional roll of thunder that shook the sky.
Katara tried to bend as much water as she could away from them so that they would be able to reach the house as soon as possible. Once they reached the base of the small mount, they had to take a few steps backward.
They saw that the tide had risen very high and that the beach had been submerged by the waves. The smaller trees were now sinking beneath the inundation and the mount would soon be reached by the water as well. The island was being flooded.
Thinking quickly, Katara froze a path of ice in front of them and they were able to run across the flood towards the house. Katara was still able to bend the waters away from crashing on top of them and drowning them but her energy was waning. She raised her arms and froze a large wave that was about to engulf them as they ran. They moved forward and just as soon as they were out of the frozen wave's range, an even larger one crashed on top of it. Katara gasped at the amazing force of the water and it took Zuko's firm grip on her arm to lead her away from the spectacle.
Zuko cursed under his breath as they continued running across the slippery ice path Katara had frozen before him. He so hated being useless and yet there was nothing he could do. Even if he could firebend, all his newly-acquired skills would be useless in the face of so much water and the forces amplified by the moon's glow.
He was thankful to have Katara by his side. Without her waterbending, both of them would have surely drowned by now. The tide was rising to unbelievable heights and very soon even the cliff where they had been standing earlier would be overrun with the waters. He gritted his teeth as he thought about how dependent he was on her. He hated being a burden to others.
The wind was now whipping violently against their faces, pushing them back powerfully. They staggered and struggled to keep their balance on the ice path which kept sloping upwards as they moved on. Katara raised her arms quickly and froze a wall of water for them to lean back on.
The swiftly falling raindrops were beginning to obscure Zuko's vision. He raised a hand and shielded himself from the water. The waves were all around them now. The sea had overflowed onto the beach and they were now standing in the midst of a vast flood. The island was being overrun.
Zuko trying to make sense of his surroundings, but all he could see was water, water everywhere. And not the blue, radiant, life-giving fluid, but a darker, more sinister substance, and it was swallowing the island in whole.
Even Katara was having difficulty to maintain control of the water. She continued to freeze or divert the waves that were rising above them. The waterbender was frowning with concentration and her fingers quivered with every exertion of her power. She thanked the Moon Spirit for giving her enough energy to withstand the storm but Katara could feel that some of this energy was already being drained from her.
Zuko squinted, trying to spot the house, which he dearly hoped was not yet flooded. He didn't know whether his aunt had already risen from her confinement and whether she would be able to help them. But he knew that with Katara bending them to safety, they were better off than Melisande. They had to get back to the house, whether to find shelter or to rescue its sole inhabitant.
They were at a dangerous standstill. Both benders stood alone on an ice-island Katara had formed and she was using all her powers to keep the rest of the waters at bay. They were trapped in the storm, unable to leave their little refuge. Zuko frowned angrily. There had to be some way for them to weather this storm. He looked around frantically, trying to spot a way out, a loophole. The firebender also glanced worriedly at the waterbender beside him.
Her face was contorted with exertion and she could not stop raising her arms and controlling whatever water she could. Several times she had tried to make a wave for them to ride on through the storm but they had always been overrun by other, larger, more uncontrollable waves of water.
The surges of water were becoming more frequent and more forceful. It was everything Katara could do to keep them both out of danger but she couldn't do so forever. She bit her lip in frustration.
Why won't the water follow me? she thought desperately, as she barely managed to shift the direction of a crashing wave. Even with the lunar energy present, she was having such difficulty controlling the water, and it was the first time this had ever happened. She was a waterbending master of unsurpassed skill but it was still beyond her to control an entire ocean.
She was shivering from the chilly weather and her knees were shaking. Katara closed her eyes and forced herself to focus on keeping the water away from them. There were aches and pains in every part of her body and she felt her powers weakening as every moment passed.
Zuko stood beside her helplessly, ready to support her if she stumbled and trying desperately to find a solution to their dilemma. Neither of them knew how long they had been standing there but one thing they both knew for certain was that the storm wasn't going to let out any time soon.
"I'm so sorry that I can't be of any help," Zuko told his companion apologetically, "But I'll try to get us out of this mess."
"Don't worry," Katara replied, as she pushed another surge of water away from them, "it's not your fault. And there's really not much we can do."
"I'm trying to figure something out," Zuko said awkwardly, "I promise."
She nodded, even as she manipulated the tide, knotting her brow in extreme concentration. The rhythm of the rain was becoming more persistent and the roars of thunder were amplifying. The wind howled fiercer than ever.
"No pressure or anything," she yelled at him over the din of the storm, "but you'd better find a solution really fast. I don't think I can hold on much longer."
Zuko looked at her with concern but continued to glance around him desperately. He struggled to recall the little geography of the island that he had acquired from their stay there. If his estimates were correct, they should only be several hundred meters away from the steps that led to the house. He was sure that the stairway that led to the front door was flooded by now so the best way to reach the house would be to go straight to the front door. His thoughts cascaded through his brain like the waters cascading through the shore. How would they get to the front door, which was the highest point from the shore, if Katara could not freeze the water to act as a stairway?
Looking at her now, Zuko knew that she might not have the strength to do so. Already, her stance was faltering and it was taking all her energy just to stand erect. The firebender racked his brain for the answer.
And then, just as Katara pushed away the largest wave of water yet, Zuko's golden eyes widened in understanding and realization. He was just about to explain the plan to Katara when she screamed with fright.
Her blue eyes were wide with horror and she was shaking all over, looking at her hands with fear. She looked at him wildly and he was momentarily taken aback by her expression. It was one of utter despair.
"Katara," he shouted, taking her hands in his to steady her staggering figure, "what's wrong? What happened?"
"I..I," she stammered softly and fearfully, tears streaming down her face, "I can't bend the water anymore."
Zuko gasped when he heard this and tried to support her as her knees buckled and she fell to the icy floor of the little island. As he held her close, the firebender hazarded a glance at the stormy sky. What he saw made his golden pupils widen in shock.
There was no moon.
--
"This place is cursed," Katara muttered helplessly and fearfully, "cursed."
Katara shivered as she clung to Zuko. She was devastated by the loss of her bending and now finally understood the emptiness that Zuko and Melisande felt when they were unable to bend at night. She never felt so weak and helpless in her life. And the exhaustion from using a lot of extremely taxing bending techniques was taking its toll on her.
The rain showed no signs of stopping. Zuko knew that in a few moments, they would be covered by the water. The clouds raced by across the pitch black sky which was only slightly illuminated by occasional strikes of lightning.
"Listen to me, Katara," Zuko whispered gently, "we can still make it. You have to trust me."
She nodded between sobs and shivers.
"A wave is coming towards us," he explained, "so brace yourself for the impact. We'll have to swim towards the house as quickly as possible. We're not that far off."
The young firebender tightened his hold over the waterbender and she felt reassured by his presence. He then clasped her hand in his and told her to get ready. A large, wave was rising just above them. The two benders ran across what was left of Katara's ice path and then, when they reached the edge, Zuko told her that they would have to dive.
"We have to put as much distance as we can between us and that wave," he told her, "whatever you do, don't let go of me. We have to stick together through this."
She nodded quickly. Taking a deep breath, they plunged into the waters, hands clasped.
For a moment, they found themselves numb with the cold and the force of their jump. Regaining their composure, Zuko and Katara swam as fast as they could towards a certain direction. Zuko turned his head, trying to search for the location of the house. Without the moon's glow, they were plunged in utter darkness and all they could feel was the push and pull of the chaotic ocean.
A flash of lightning seared the sky and Zuko took the opportunity to scan the island, or what was left of it. His golden eyes spotted the familiar ornate roof.
"There!" he cried to Katara and they began swimming towards the house.
Fortunately for them, the current was in their favor and they force of the water was able to propel them towards the house. Zuko kicked the water behind him furiously, and pushed as much water as he could behind him. There was not a moment to lose. The massive wave was gaining on them even as they were floated towards the building.
Zuko gritted his teeth in determination. He was swimming ahead, pulling a weakened but equally determined Katara after him.
"Just. A. Little. Further," he muttered, struggling to swim in the general direction of the house. If they could only reach the front area of their dwelling place, he already knew exactly what he would do.
"Come on," Zuko muttered, as the familiar silhouette of the Fire Nation structure came into view. They were nearly there.
Sadly, fate had other plans for them. Just as Zuko reached out for one of the wooden steps that lead to the entrance of the house, the huge wave that had been pursuing them finally caught up with them, crashing down on the two hapless benders with unimaginable force.
Torrential rains continued as Zuko and Katara found themselves being tossed about by the sea. They were both furious at having been thwarted at the very last moment and they were indignant at not being able to do anything about their current predicament. From beneath the layers of sea which had engulfed them, they swam their way to the surface and emerged, gasping for air and shivering from the cold.
Zuko swore audibly and was now racking his brains for options. Taking large breaths of air, Katara looked over at him and also tried to find a solution. Fortunately, their hands were still tightly clasped. At least even the most powerful surges of the malevolent water had not parted them.
Rolls of thunder filled the air and the crash and fall of the waves was all they could hear. Lightning struck the darkness and they were able to see, albeit momentarily, where they were.
Zuko realized that they had been pushed a lot further than he had first thought. As he and Katara struggled to remain afloat, they both bumped into a large floating object. Feeling the vibrations of coming into contact with another solid, they were jolted from their reveries. Zuko turned to see what they had bumped into and realized that it was one of the trees from the woods. The might of the waves had loosened the soil and uprooted all the trees of the tiny patch of forest that had stood in the middle of the island, between the beach, the cliff, and Melisande's old house.
Katara winced as her back struck another solid. She looked at it and found yet another uprooted tree floating beside her. Katara then clung to one of the branches and nudged Zuko to do the same.
They waited for another flash of lightning to shed some light on their situation. When this happened, they realized that the entire woods had been uprooted by the force of the water and there were logs floating all around them. And better yet, the logs seemed to form a path towards the house.
Instantly, a plan formed in Zuko's brain. He tested the flotation capacity of the tree they were currently holding on to by climbing up on it and helping Katara do the same.
Balancing themselves on the tree, they discovered that the floating log was able to hold their weight. Zuko smirked with satisfaction.
"Yes," he thought, "this will do very well." Katara looked at him curiously. But she was unperturbed. He looked like he had a plan.
They staggered to keep balance as the small waves pushed the log towards the direction of the house. Dizzy with exhaustion, Katara swayed dangerously and had to be steadied by Zuko, who was still struggling to maintain his balance on the log. He held her by the shoulders and explained his plan.
"This place isn't as cursed as you think," he muttered, "we won't be able to reach the house by out-swimming the waves, but with these floating logs as our stepping stones, we might still outrun them."
"What are you talking about?" Katara asked perplexedly. Before Zuko could answer, they had to hold each other closer as a wave moved the tree they were standing on. Raindrops continued to soak them but they paid little heed to this nuisance. A roll of thunder was heard.
"Listen," he said hurriedly, "there's no time to explain the details. You're just going to have to trust me and follow my lead."
Katara nodded weakly. Zuko held her hand and told her to try and propel herself from the log and leap to the next one. She looked at him with wide eyes.
"I know you can do it," he assured her, and she nodded hesitantly. He counted to three and was able to launch himself effortlessly from the tree, holding Katara's hand. She too was able to leap with him to the next log, a few meters away but she landed with difficulty and clutched her head.
Zuko instantly steadied her and kept their balance on this log. He now realized that although she was capable of doing what he asked, all the waterbending she had done earlier that evening had drained much of her energy. He would have to take matters in his own hands, literally and figuratively.
"I'm sorry," the waterbender said sadly, "I'll try harder. I just need.."
Zuko shushed her and assured her that there was nothing to worry about. Without a second's delay, the firebender lifted the waterbender into his arms, and then balanced his weight on the log.
"But, Zuko," Katara protested, a little embarrassed, "you can't possibly…"
"I can, and I will," he interrupted, "just trust me and hold on."
Her blue eyes widened but she said nothing and simply put her arms around his neck and held on tight. Taking a deep breath, Zuko bent his knees and propelled himself upward. Katara closed her eyes and braced herself.
And then, she felt herself flying through the air as Zuko leapt expertly from one log to the next, not staying for more than a few seconds on each log. He was using the upward force of the log trying to stay afloat to launch himself to the next one. His balance was impeccable and at the rate they were going, they were covering more distance than they had when they had been swimming.
The tide was still in their favor and this time they were able to go much closer to the house than they had previously. But Zuko knew that this was not yet the end. Balancing himself on the last log, which floated a few meters from where the wooden stairway to the house should be, Zuko frowned.
"Katara," he instructed, "we're going to dive now, and once we are under water, please just follow me."
"I will," she replied. Zuko put her down on the log and holding hands, they plunged once more into the dark depths. As soon as he had accustomed his eyes to seeing under water, Zuko swam, pulling Katara with him towards the wooden steps. He reached the submerged stairway and groped along the sides for something.
Katara wondered at first why he wasn't just climbing along the wooden steps when she noticed that the base of the stairway had been "uprooted" from the ground and many of the steps were already coming loose from the force of the water.
All that seemed to be left were the large, sturdy beams that held the house up high. But the waterbender worried that even those beams might falter if the soil was eroded by the powerful waves. She turned quickly as Zuko tugged her hand and motioned to a thick rope that he was holding. She wondered where the rope had come from but didn't dwell on it any further.
She nodded and they both began to climb up the rope as quickly as they could. The deluge was greater than neither of them had expected and by the time their heads emerged at the surface of the flood, they saw that the waters had risen right up to the front door.
Once Katara had finished climbing, she saw that the Zuko's rope had led them straight back to the house and he had managed to yank the door open. He climbed in first and then helped her up from the rope and into the house.
Katara now realized what the rope was for and how Zuko had come up with his amazing plans. She suddenly remembered that during his training with Melisande, Zuko had been asked to a number of other things to sharpen his physical abilities. One had been to leap over small, floating rafts, on the water and to be able to reach the shore through a combination of balance and proper launching of one's weight. And another had been to climb a thick rope to the front door of the house while she and Melisande took the stairs.
Katara marveled at how useful all of that training had proven to be and wondered if Melisande had been secretly preparing them both for the coming of the storm. Whatever her motives were, Katara thought, Melisande's teachings saved their lives.
As they quickly climbed into the house, Zuko sealed the first door. They entered the next door, which Zuko sealed accordingly. Once within the safety of the walls, Zuko and Katara collapsed to the floor in exhaustion, panting heavily and heaving sighs of relief.
Suddenly, the whole house shook from a powerful tremor. Zuko and Katara looked at each other nervously.
"The support beams!" Katara cried, as she explained what she had seen to the firebender. Zuko frowned as he listened.
"I've sealed the only entrance from below," he muttered, "that should keep the water out. The rest of the house is watertight."
"But what's going to happen to us?" Katara cried frantically.
Zuko cursed as he realized the difficulty of their predicament. He glanced at the house's wood-paneled, curved walls, and traditional Fire Nation architecture. Then, suddenly, his eyes widened with a flash of understanding. Zuko reproached himself for not having noticed it before.
"Zuko?" Katara called him with concern. The firebender looked grave.
"It will float," was all Zuko answered. After all, it was not just a house.
It was also a boat.