Hey guys, here is the next chapter in this story.
Enjoy the read.
Chapter Twenty-Five
The Dance of Sacred Fire
The entire group along with the two new arrivals had taken a seat into the Seraph and Katara`s living room. Zula had taken a seat across the two men in front of her. Natsuki was there with Zuko beside her the young boy playing with the ring tailed lemur he had been chasing earlier, the small creatures rolling around him.
Zhou and Emi were seating across the duo and the one called Daichi had pulled out what look like to be an old scroll. The young man removed the casing that was around it before letting it open upon the table showing the old and faded characters that were written upon it.
"This is one of the many scrolls that were written about Shen," he explained, "I have spend a better part of my life researching the ancient history of this world, trying to learn and discover the ancient civilizations and there is even records of an era before the Avatar Cycle but I am still researching about it, quite a marvel it would be…"
"Daichi…you`re doing it again," Tomo said with a sigh.
The man blinked in confusion before he started to laugh, scratching the back of his head.
"Sorry," Daichi said scratching the back of his head, "Once I got started on history, I just get ahead of myself."
"It`s alright," Seraph told him, "I can understand one`s passion about what he loves."
Daichi nodded at him and then turned his attention toward the scroll in front of him.
"Yes," Daichi said, "Shen, the one called Son of Agni. A long time ago, the first Firebenders were said to have learned their bending ability from the great Shen himself, a wise Dragon Spirit who lived in the mountains surrounding the Eastern borders of the Fire Nation. Our Ancestor worshipped the Goddess Agni, who had said to be the very sun itself."
Daichi glanced up at the group in front of her.
"Agni had seen how the people love and worshipped her," he continued, "She decided to send her son as a way to gift them with the special gift of Firebending, at least, that`s how the story go and that`s how Shen come to be down here and gifting the first human with the power of Firebending.
"They built temple in honor of the great Shen, bearing the Great Spirit with many gifts and it went on for many thousands of years," the man continued, "even the Avatar was said to have learn firebending from him."
He looked up at them.
"That`s all I could find about the Great Spirit," Daichi told them, "The last thing I had found out was the location of one a Temple that was said to have been built for Shen but I never expected to find that he was sealed there…"
"That`s all that you have about Shen?" Zula asked, "There is no record of why he was sealed there or who was responsible for it?"
Daichi shook his head.
"I don't know," he told her, "Which is why we have come here to you Avatar Zula. You are the bridge between the Spirits and the Humans. You are the only one that could probably calm the Great Spirit and maybe learn of what had caused this to happen?"
"That sound dangerous," Katara told them, "if what you told us is true, this Shen will be quite angry because he was sealed within his own temple for so long…he might want revenge on the people who had done to him. Having Zula try to talk to him might to greater harm than good."
Zula was frowning to herself before something suddenly occur to her.
"Wait a minute," she said, "If Shen is planning to take his revenge upon those who had wronged him in the past…He might be heading for the Fire Nation. All the descendants of the first Firebenders are there…"
"Oh god…," Natsuki whispered, "This Spirit…he meant to destroy the Fire Nation."
The young Princess suddenly stood up.
"Not if I let him do it," she said, "There is no way that I am going to just sat there and let a Spirit destroy the land I was born into."
"We must make way for the Fire Nation immediately if that`s the case," Zula said, standing up.
"The Airport is closed," Seraph said, "There is no flight taking place right now…"
"We`ll use my SkyBison," Emi suggested, "Ferur is strong enough to fly across countries."
The group moved quickly, making their way toward where the Sky Bison was sleeping and Emi quickly woke it up causing the large creature to let out a large yawn.
"Hey big guy," the young Airbender said patting his head, "Sorry to wake up but I `m going to need your help right now."
The bison simply licked her causing the girl to giggle.
"Yay, Big Bison," little Zuko yelled running toward where Ferur was.
Natsuki caught hold of him.
"Not this time Zuko," she said, "You`re going to have to stay behind with Zivun."
The little boy pouted.
"Now, don't pout Zuko," Natsuki told him, "You get to stay here and play with the rest of the bison."
The young boy nodded at her and she patted him on the head.
On the side, Zula was still dressed in her Airbender clothing, her hair flying behind her as she walked forward. Her staff was in her hand as she approached along with Seraph.
"Are you sure about this Zula?" the man asked her.
"No," The Avatar told him with a shrug of her shoulders, "But I have to do something and stop that Spirit from destroying the Fire Nation…my dreams…the visions I had…I am starting to think that it was a warning of some kind."
She glanced at him.
"I should be able to fix this," Zula told him.
Seraph placed a hand upon her shoulder.
"I want you to be careful," he said, "You don't know what you might find."
Zula nodded at him and made her way toward the bison where Natsuki and Emi were. Zhou was among them too as the young man was getting ready with his bag. When Zula reached them the group climbed upon the Bison`s back and then Emi took the reins.
"Take care of Zuko for me," Natsuki called to them.
"Don't worry Natsuki," Katara answered her, "You guys focus on what you have to do."
The bison took off into the air and then took flight, in direction of the Fire Nation.
"Do you really believe they can do it?" Seraph asked.
Katara stayed silent.
The bison flew through the night air for the past hour as the entire group stayed tense with silence. There was nothing but sea beneath them as Ferur flew through the air with its passengers stayed silent thought Natsuki was a little restless as she was tapping her fingers on the large saddle they were on.
"Can the Bison go any faster?" she asked.
"She might," Emi called at her, "but with that much people upon her, she is going a little slower than normal."
"Damn it," Natsuki said.
Zula placed a hand upon her shoulder.
"Calm down Natsuki," she said.
Natsuki gave her a glance.
"Calm down…you want me to calm down?" the Princess repeated, "Some idiots unleashed an angry Spirit that has it in for the Fire Nation because of something that happened years ago…and you want me to be calm?"
Zula looked at her.
"Yes," she said, "Panicking right now isn`t going to help."
"I`m not…," Natsuki snarled but then the girl sighed running a hand through her forehead, "Okay…maybe I am panicking a little."
Zula nodded.
"I can understand, I am worried to," she said softly, "I just hope we can get there on time to do something against Shen."
Natsuki nodded at her.
"So what would we do when we found Shen?" Zhou asked drawing her attention, "I mean, what is the plan so far?"
Zula thought about it.
"I don't know," she said, "I don't know what I am going to do but…before Daishi and Tomo came to give us the news about Shen…I…I had a vision about flames…actually, on the day after I was announced as the Avatar, I had a dream."
"A dream?" Zhou questioned.
"I was standing in an inferno," Zula told him, "I didn't know where I was…but there was so much fire that I couldn't even breathe…and then in the middle of the flames there was this man…I didn't know who he was but…I never felt more afraid before in my life."
The girl looked up at the two in front of her.
"Maybe, if I meditate while we`re on the way, I can figure out why I have been having these dreams," she told them.
Natsuki and Zhou glanced at each other.
"If you think it would help," Zhou said.
Zula nodded at him before straightening up, taking a seat into a lotus position and closed her eyes. The young Avatar took a deep breath…
Just like Seraph said, she thought, I have to draw upon it from deep within me and let it overtake me completely.
The girl frowned to herself as the images started to flow…
Time passed as Zula meditated and Natsuki was observing the girl across her. Zula was completely still for some time now and she was getting a little worried about it.
"Hey, Natsuki," Emi called drawing the girl`s attention toward her.
"What is it?"
"Well, I have never been to the Fire Nation so I can`t speak for it but…is it suppose to be glowing like that?"
Natsuki had approached toward the head of the sky bison, taking in the sight that was in the horizon in front of them. The girl feel her eyes widen as she stared at the deep orange glow that was glowing in the distance. It was like the entire horizon was on fire…
"Agni`s Grace," Natsuki whispered.
The bison flew closer toward the Fire Nation passing over a large wall of fire that had seem to have grown all around the Fire Nation as if the entire place was trapped within it. Natsuki glanced around it as she stared at the flames completely taken aback by the happening.
"It`s like…the entire continent is surrounded by flames," Zhou said.
"What could have done something like this?" Emi asked.
"Shen,"
Hearing Zula`s voice, the group glanced toward her finding the Avatar glancing up toward the great wall of fire that had surrounded the entire continent.
"Zula?"
The Avatar was glancing around herself for a few seconds.
"Head for the Palace," she said, "Shen is heading there. Head that way."
Emi nodded at her and the Bison changed direction and then moved straight toward where the Palace was situated and when they arrived, they`ve got a first view at Shen. The large spirit was big, and completely covered in fire from where it was flying in circle above the Palace and he seems to be forming a large ring of fire in the sky around it.
"That`s…Shen?" Natsuki said.
"Yes," Zula said, "The Son of Agni…"
Suddenly Zula approached forward and then launched a large blast of fire toward where Shen was, breaking the ring of fire that the large being was created. The large creature let out a large roar as it turned it`s attention toward where the Bison was.
"What are you doing?" Emi asked.
"Getting his attention," Zula said.
The large creature came straight toward them and Zula found herself staring into those same golden eyes she had seen in her vision.
"This is not of your affairs Raava," the Dragon Spirit spoke out, "I do not need your involvement in this."
Zula frowned to herself.
Raava?
The girl frowned at him.
"I don't know who this Raava is, but I have come here to stop what you are doing Shen," she said.
"These humans betrayed my trust when I taught them the Dance of Sacred Fire," Shen said, "They have used it for war and destruction...as they have always being. They must pay."
"These people are innocent," Zula called out, "You can`t blame them for something that has being done by their ancestors."
"They share the same blood as the ones who have betrayed me," Shen growled fire growing around his body, "That is guilty enough, now stand aside Raava."
Zula stayed silent for a few seconds observing the Spirit in front of her. The images she had seen earlier were still flashing through her mind.
"I can`t," she said, "It is my duty as the Avatar to keep the balance in this world and to help the Spirit and humans to coexist. I can`t stand aside and simply let what you are doing happen."
She looked up toward the large Spirit.
"So I challenge you to an Agni Kai," she said.
Shen let out a deep laughter.
"You…want to challenge me?" he said, still laughing, "How will you fight against me when I am Fire itself. You can`t defeat me even if you tried."
"But you are not going to turn my challenge down are you Dragon King?" Zula told him, staring up at the spirit golden eyes, "You are bound by honor to respond my challenge and if I win, you will stop what you are doing this instant and go back to the Spirit world."
"And what`s the alternative?" Shen asked.
Zula looked at him.
"If you win," she said, "Then I will take the punishment of what our Ancestors had done upon myself."
The two stared at each other in silence as Shen stared at her, his eyes seemingly seeing right through her.
"Because of you Raava, your words carry much weight than one of those humans," Shen spoke out, his voice low, "I accept your challenge. On the Summer Solstice at high noon at the Temple of the Dragon King, I will wait for you there."
The Dragon suddenly took off leaving them behind and they watched as the large Spirit disappears into the night sky.
"Zula, what did you just do?" Natsuki asked.
"Finish something that should have been done a long time ago," the Avatar answered.
A challenge is issued...What is Zula thinking?
AN: Hey, guys i started this story before Legend of Korra Book 2 and 3 come out...considering the amount of contents that these two Books added...I will give little nod towards them every now and then but i consider Wan`s story to be cannon in this fic, considering he is the First Avatar and all...Okay...done.
Next Time: Choices and Consequences
Jacques0 out.
R&R