A/N: As promised, I am updating despite it being 3 AM! Please heed my warning: this is an emotional chapter that will probably leave you in fits. Read at your own discretion! And when you have time, because it's LONG.
"I'll probably end up in flames before the end of the night Watch me burn in the fire, watch me bid you goodbye.
Your words fall right off the page like they fall on deaf ears You know that it's over, nothing left for you here." - Up in Flames, Icon for Hire
Chapter 34 - The Last Agni Kai
Horrified at what I had just witnessed, I bite my tongue until I taste blood in my mouth so I don't scream. A canon goes off a moment later; the sound snaps something in me and I stumble to my feet, turn, and run away from the crazy princess. I head toward the lake. If I have to go through a wall of fire so be it. Without an ocean I stand no chance at all.
No longer concealed by the phoenix, I'm running in the open field. The exposure—surely the princess will see me now—makes me run harder. I pump my arms, urging my tired limbs to go faster. If I go through the fire fast enough, than maybe it won't hurt as bad. The lake is just outside the ring.
I'm about a hundred yards away from the fire when the flames roar with life. My feet skid to a halt as a body barrels through the fire with a gigantic leap through the air. He hits the ground hard, but keeps his balance, landing in a predatory crouch. When his head snaps up, those gold eyes find mine. Our gazes lock so intensely that the rest of the world drains of color and fades away. In one of those surreal, strange moments, I'm hit with a wave of emotion so powerful that I stop thinking—I just stand there, gaping at him.
And then I'm running as fast as I can.
Zuko barely has time to hold out his arms when I crash into him. Our bodies cling together so hard that the prince stumbles back a little, knocked off balance. Even though I saw his flag and knew he must be alive, part of my brain irrationally had to see him with my own eyes to believe it. The instant relief I feel is so overwhelming that it momentarily stuns me. I bury my face into the crook of his neck, my hands clutching the fabric at his back. I take a deep breath, inhaling his scent—sweat and rust and Zuko.
Here's your proof. The smell, the feeling of his arms wrapping tightly around me—now I know without a doubt that he's alive. He's real.
Zuko's hands, which have snaked their way into my hair, slide around to grab either side of my face as he pulls back to look at me. Liquid gold pierces brilliantly through the messy hair that brushes across his eyes. Mouth set in a hard line, his expression is somewhere between angry, incredulous, and something else I can't quite decipher.
His words come out in an angry growl, "You're so stupid." And then, before I can even brace myself, he pulls my face up to his and kisses me, hard in the mouth. I'm too stunned and surprised to react at first, but then, suddenly, my lips start to move with his, mirroring his anger and passion. It's demanding and desperate, the kind of kiss that you save for your last. He tastes like salt and ash and, well, fire. His lips are surprisingly as soft as they are firm, and the way they mold against mine sends warmth throughout my entire body.
"So stupid," Zuko murmurs against my mouth.
He kisses me again, just as hard, and then pulls me back abruptly. It all happens so suddenly that for a moment, I'm afraid I might have imagined it all. But, no. I can still feel the after effects of his lips on mine—a strange, tingling sensation, like I've gotten a taste of fire. I never expected my first kiss—my first real kiss—to burn in a way that doesn't hurt.
Still holding my face gently, Zuko lowers his forehead to mine. "I thought it was your canon. I thought you were dead," he says softly, sounding both strangled and awestruck.
All I can think is—Do you know Azula is here? Do you realize how dangerous this is? But I don't say either of these things because it feels like I'm choking. I blink, and suddenly the back of my throat aches from holding back tears—tears of pain, relief, happiness, anger. Everything wound up inside me, threatening to boil over. The sudden rush, and power, of the emotions I'm feeling is so intense that I actually tense all over, going rigid.
Zuko suddenly stills, whether because of my sudden stiffness or a new revelation, I don't know. He pulls back abruptly and just looks at me with that same wild emotion. The world fades again, only for a moment, but the moment drags out longer than any moment ever has. Then, like a needle popping a bubble, he blinks and that look transforms into horror. His hands slide down to my shoulders and he shakes me. "What are you doing here?" he says, like he only just now realizes this. "You agreed to stay behind if you lost!"
"I know," I whisper miserably.
"Why did you do it?" he demands. "You can't break the rules of an Agni Kai!"
"I broke them for you." My voice comes out angrier than I want, but I'm suddenly so frustrated that I have to explain this. Sokka would know. He would know why I was here.
"Why?" Zuko sounds just as frustrated as I do, maybe even a little confused.
How can you not know this? Why are you making me say it?
"I had to find you," I all but shout at him.
Zuko stares at me, utterly lost, the emotions sliding off his face like paint running down a canvas. "You—came for me?" he says with barely concealed shock.
"Of course I did," I say, exasperated.
"Well, look at this—enemies and traitors, working together. Tell me, Zuko, which one are you?"
The prince stiffens, only for a moment, and then pushes me away from him. I suddenly feel like cold, freezing water has been dumped over my body. We turn to face Azula—caught up in the moment, I nearly forgot about her. She's standing with her hands behind her back, an almost innocent expression on her face. It's very convincing and I might buy it if I hadn't watched her snap a girl's neck five minutes ago.
Azula's eyes shift to me briefly and then focus back on the prince. "A peasant? That's who you choose to ally with?"
"Leave her alone," Zuko hisses. "This is between you and me, Azula. It always has been. It's not about her."
"Of course it's about her," says Azula. She starts to move forward—Zuko and I both automatically fall back into a fighting stance—and seeing our reaction, she comes to an abrupt halt. Her eyes flash momentarily, but then she blinks and holds up her hands in a surrendering gesture. Her lips twitch into a smirk. "Zuko, do you really think I'm going to fight you? Do you really think Father would allow that?"
"Why wouldn't I believe exactly that? That's why we're here."
Azula gives him a patronizing look. "You had to learn your lesson someday, didn't you? Father wanted to banish you for what you did, but he spared you so you could reclaim your honor in the arena. Surely you knew—with this being your last eligible year—that he would select you as tribute."
Banish him for something he did? I'm stunned. What did he do?
"Interesting theory, but that doesn't explain why you're here," says Zuko, gesturing toward his sister with a slight tip of his chin.
"Father sent me in as extra protection to make sure you came out alive, of course."
"That's a lie," Zuko snarls. "You tried to kill me!"
"Kill you?" Azula lets out a piercing ring of laughter that could shatter glass. "Don't be so dramatic, Zuko. Why would I want to do that?"
"I can think of a few reasons," the prince grounds out.
"If you're implying the cr—"
"That's exactly what I'm implying. Face it, Azula. You might be the favorite but you're not the heir. The throne belongs to me."
Azula's pale face shifts into something very frightening and cold—I swear the ground starts to tremble, the arena frosting over—but the expression is gone in a blink of the eye, replaced with a cool mask of indifference. She takes a deep breath.
"I know you haven't made the smartest choices in the Games," she says, sounding deceivably calm. "Not allying with me, opposing the other Fire tributes. Her," she adds, gesturing to me with her chin "—for example. But I also realize you've been blinded by the idea that there can only be one victor. You're a one track mind, Zuko, you always have been."
"No. There can only be one victor."
"What makes you so sure?"
Zuko hesitates. "That's how it's always been," he finally says, though not very convincingly.
Azula does not miss the shift of his tone. Her lips, which are too red, like the color of paled blood, turn up in the corners. "Oh? What about Li and Lo?"
"That's different. That was the Quarter Duels."
"But there was more than one victor, wasn't there?"
"The Quarter Duels always have special rules."
He's right, of course. My dad has told me about them, but he's only been alive to watch one. The Quarter Duels are held every twenty-fifth year since the first Black Games, which means they will be held later this year. I vaguely remember Joo Dee talking about it, but I haven't given it much thought since I've been in here. How can I worry about another game when I'm already stuck in one now?
The princess taps her booted foot, looking impatient. Dressed in regal black and gold armor—a new set, I note—she looks terribly out of place, far too beautiful and frightening and powerful to be in the Black Games. She huffs, blowing back a piece of dark hair that dangles in front of her face. "Don't you want to come home, Zuko?" she says. "To see Father? What about Uncle and Lu Ten?"
Zuko gasps, a wounded, terrible sort of sound, and his arms drop fractionally. Then he seems to gather himself. His arms rise again, higher this time, and his fists clench. "Shut up!" he bellows. "There can only be one victor, Azula, you're lying!"
"No, Zuko," she scolds patiently. "You and I will both be the victor. We can share the glory together and make Father proud. You will gain your honor back."
"Funny, I never remember you liking to share before."
"What can I say? I'm feeling generous."
"Why did you say this is about me?" I blurt out suddenly. "Before, you said this was about me."
Azula blinks. Then, slowly, she tilts her head to look at me, giving me her attention for the first time. Her eyes, the same color as Zuko's, hold me where I am with that same intensity. "Because, Nine, you are the only person standing in my brother's path to redemption," she says simply. "Once you die, either by my hand or his, we can go home." She seems to direct the last word to Zuko, a purr to her voice, caressing, even.
I stare at her, looking for some sort of deception, but her face is expressionless—idly I wonder how anyone could ever detect a lie from her. If anything, those pretty lips are quirked up in the corners again, bemused or pleased, I can't tell. I sneak a glance at Zuko, and wish I hadn't.
I don't like that look.
"Zuko," I start hesitantly, "you know she's playing you. There can only be one victor in the Black Games." Even as I say the words, I know he can't hear me. He's looking past Azula's shoulder, fixated on a point far away, that only he can see.
"If I win, my father will finally accept me," he says, so quietly that I'm almost sure none of the Watchers are able to record it. "I am his loyal son."
He drops his arms, and my heart sinks. A second later he reaches a hand into his robes and pulls out his golden crown. It catches the sunlight, reflecting back in all its glory. The reflected light hits his eyes, and that's when I realize I've lost. I have seen those gold eyes filled with varied emotions, but nothing burns brighter than the look he has now. Not even the look on his face after he kissed me. None of it compares to the longing and desire he's harboring when he looks at his crown.
I can feel Azula watching, grinning, satisfied with how this is turning out. I wonder how long it will be before she sticks the knife right through Zuko's back. Maybe she's telling the truth, but somehow, I can't imagine that she is. I want to believe Fire Lord Ozai would allow two victors just for the sake of them being his children, but I have nothing decent of him to compare that kind of compassion with.
I just don't know. Either way, it's not for my benefit. I'm still in the same position, and at the end of the day, still against the fire prince and his sister. I just don't see how this can end well for me. If I win, Zuko will be gone, and the world loses their prince. If he wins, then I'll be dead, and my dad will have no one.
"Dispose of her Zuko, and we can go home," Azula orders. "I will not take the honor away from your disposal of your subservient, but if you refuse, I will act accordingly."
I think, suddenly, of Mai, and how Azula quite ruthlessly killed her without batting an eye. Is this how the Capital treated those they consider beneath them? Like they owned them and the right to do away with them as they please?
"You would not want to displease Father, would you?"
Zuko says nothing. I expect the princess to scold him for ignoring her, but she only watches him with a tilt to her head. She's still waiting patiently, no doubt reassured, that Zuko will turn on me any moment.
Time is running out. I look imploringly at the prince, but he's still gazing down at his crown, desperate and agonized. If Azula is lying to him, and there can only be one victor, can he beat her on his own? I don't think I've ever seen either of them at their full potential. What if she isn't lying, though? What if Zuko truly has a chance of returning to his throne?
Oh Sokka, I think miserably. Where are you? He would know what to do. I'm no mental strategist. I don't have the ability to make decisions without involving my emotions—which is dangerous, he would say. But I can't help it.
Try, Katara! Think logically, he would say. So I do. I try to imagine a world without me and I see my dad, alone and sad, wrapped in grief he will never be able to satiate. Province 9 does not change. It goes on, living and evolving just the same, still isolated and guarded, ran by the Guards. And every year, a new boy and girl is selected as tribute. I let that image fade away, and then I try to imagine a world without Prince Zuko—and I can't. The picture refuses to form in my mind.
And just like that, I know.
My fingers reach up and brush my mother's pendant. I swallow hard and take a deep breath. "My Dad used to say that sometimes, surrendering is not a weakness, but a strength in disguise," I finally say.
Zuko turns to look at me, blinking. "What?"
"I'd rather you die at my hand than at Azula's. And so would you."
I move to stand in front of him, taking a dangerous route by placing my back to the princess. "If I'm going to die," I whisper quietly, "I'd rather you do it than her. Please."
"What?" Zuko says exasperatedly. He starts to back away from me, but I grab his arm and halt him.
"I want to win, but I don't need to. Not like you do." My voice is starting to shake, so I plunge on before I break down. "Just make it quick. I'm tired of this game."
Zuko stares at me, but I just stare blankly back at him. "You can't be serious," he murmurs.
"Even if there could be two victors, it could never be me and you." The lingering though in the back of my mind finally spills out. It hurts so much more when I actually say it. "My life is not as valuable as yours. Mine does not matter—not like yours."
And I won't make you choose between your home and me.
"Your life matters to me," he says softly, exasperated, eyes wide. "It mattered to your brother."
My mouth goes dry and all I can think is I wish that was enough. Zuko's gaze drops to my throat. He lifts his hand and, hesitantly, brushes his thumb across my pendant. "This is who you are," he murmurs, seemingly talking more to himself than to me. Then, without warning, he shoves the crown into my chest, forcing me to hold it. He then grabs me by the elbow and steers me out of the way so he can face his sister.
"You miscalculated," he says to her. "I am my mother's son more than I am my father's, and more than I am your brother. You always lie, and I know you're lying now—Father would never allow two victors in the Black Games. There's only one victor, just like there's only one heir to the throne. And there's only one solution to it all. The only fight that's going to happen is between me and you, the fight that was always meant to be." Zuko reaches over his shoulder and pulls out a broadsword. Fire erupts from his wrist, slithering down the length of the blade. He holds it out, pointing the sharp, burning tip at his sister. "I challenge you to an Agni Kai, Azula."
"What are you doing?" I gasp, gaping at him.
He gives me a fleeting glance from the corner of his eyes. "You'll have your chance for a rematch, but I told you—this is my fight."
No!
The princess's eyes flash in anger and surprise—I'm sure my face is not much different. She glares at him, her pretty face scrunching up in disgust. "You really a weak failure, just like Father always believed."
"And you really are a lying monster, just like Mother always believed."
And suddenly, chaos is unleashed. Zuko shoves me out of the way as Azula shoots a wave of blue fire at him with a feral growl. The prince counters the fire by slicing it in half with his broadswords, both, of which, are ignited with red-gold fire. Azula moves just as fast as Zuko, and blue and orange fire collide in a loud explosion. And then they're moving again, graceful and deadly. I watch, transfixed.
I've never seen so much fire.
Azula kicks once, twice, two consecutive bursts of blue flame, and one manages to knock Zuko on his back. I scramble to my feet and start to run forward, but the prince is already up and moving. He takes off toward the golden phoenix, Azula hot on his heels. She uses her fire to propel her forward, gliding across the ground in a fury of blue flames.
I don't know what to do—I can't just stand here and watch! But Zuko just had to challenge her to an Agni Kai, damn him! What happens if I interfere? Would that be considered a dishonor to Zuko?
Do you have faith that he can win? I hear a voice ask in my head.
I turn and watch as the prince jumps impossibly high into the air, and slams down with a hard kick, sending a huge wave of fire across the ground at Azula.
Yes, I realize, a little distractedly, I do.
Still, I run toward the golden phoenix and watch the duel from the safety of the gold metal. I'm still holding Zuko's crown and because I don't know what else to do with it, I shove it into my satchel. I pull out the small knife, the one the prince gave to me, and clutch it tightly in my hand. If Azula wins, I force myself to think, I have to be ready.
I glance nervously at the ring of fire surrounding the Base. If Azula wins, I consider again, I will run through the fire toward the lake, no matter what.
Azula's cold laughter cuts through my reverie. She's floating in the air by the fire under her feet, punching fist after fist toward Zuko. He's rolling across the ground, dodging the attacks. He only has one broadsword left, and Azula is attacking too quickly and intensely for him to try to snatch it off the ground, where it lies some thirty feet away.
"You're not quick enough, Zuzu!" Azula taunts.
Zuko's answer is a hard punch to the ground, sending a rippling effect of fire her way, reminding me oddly of waves breaking the surface. Azula lands on the ground and spreads her arms, parting the approaching fire. She rushes forward, a hand raised back, ready to strike—but Zuko leaps through the air and meets her midway, punching forward a flaming fist of his own.
Their fists collide, blue and orange, and the arena shakes from the impact. Both siblings are blasted backwards—I slam back against the gold metal—and smoke suddenly fills my lungs, the after effect of the collision. When the smoke finally starts to dissipate, I'm able to see a blur of movement, blue and orange fire colliding and hissing once more.
I stagger out of the phoenix, still coughing and gripping the dagger. Two enormous waves collide, soaring up into the air, and the brightness is so intense that I shield my eyes. When I finally lower my arm, my eyes swarm over the arena and land on the princess.
Azula's hair has fallen from its usually pulled back style, now flowing wildly around her face. It's longer than I thought, falling to the middle of her back, curling up at the ends. She looks rabid and feral as she growls and launches an enormous fireball at Zuko; he pulls up his hands, forming a shield of fire, blocking the attack.
They stare at each other from across a far distance, both breathing hard. I can't help but wonder if this is more personal than either has let on. The look they reserve for one another—it's like nothing I have ever seen. Jealousy? Anger? I can't quite place it.
"Nervous?" Zuko asks, sounding winded, but not defeated. He discards his last sword onto the ground and lifts both hands, falling back into a fighting stance.
"Never," Azula snarls. She jumps into the air. All I catch is a series of swift kicks and punches, blast after blast surging toward the prince. This time, he is not quick enough to counteract them. He's hit with a powerful blast and is knocked backwards. He tries to get up, but Azula has already leapt into the air and crashes down on him, pinning him to the ground with a foot to the chest.
I stifle down a scream. A chorus of screams explodes in my head, the voices arguing between running out there and staying put.
"I'm sorry it has to end this way, Brother," Azula says, holding up a ball of fire in her palm.
"No, you're not."
She grins hungrily, a predator closing in on its prey. Just as she delivers the killing blow, Zuko twists from beneath her and gets back on his feet. Her fist hits the ground, putting a burnt dent into the earth. The prince sweeps a foot across the ground, but Azula backflips away from the fire and out of the attack.
The fight drags on and I can't help but feel like my mind is dislodged from my body. Never have I seen a more matched fight than this. The siblings move in sync, countering the other's attacks as if they already knew what the other was going to do. Azula seems to have a little more skill in her movements, more precise and practiced, but Zuko never gives up. Every time she knocks him down, he gets back to his feet. I have no doubts that Azula is more powerful, but the prince is exceptionally solid, like an impenetrable wall. His sheer determination and strong will equally matches her raw power.
The smoke is so intense now that I can't see from where I'm standing, so I run out into the open area until I spot the siblings. They're both standing at separate ends of the clearing, panting, facing one another. I'm close enough to see the dirt and ash on their faces. Azula looks frustrated, more out of control than I've ever seen. Zuko didn't seem to ever have the upper hand—in fact, he was defending himself more than attacking her—but he didn't break beneath her power. I can see in her eyes that she expected him to. There is no more taunting. No more laughter.
Zuko takes a deep breath, looking strikingly calm, not at all the explosive Firebender I remember. But then his expression shifts, not breaking, exactly, but on the verge of cracking.
"What have I done to make you hate me so much?" he says raggedly, somewhere between desperation and awe.
Azula's bottom lip trembles and for a shocking moment, I'm afraid she's going to cry. But, no, she's just furious. "You know why!" she shouts. Her bending stance changes suddenly, more fluid, her arms doing a complicated movement. Then there's a crack and lightning dances at her fingertips. She points forward and the bright, white lightning surges toward the prince.
I scream and run forward, knowing full well that it's impossible, that there's no way I'm fast enough to block the attack.
Zuko staggers backwards from the strong electric current, the lightning consuming him completely. I skid to a halt, horrified, biting my own tongue so I don't scream again—but the prince is moving inside the ripples of lightning. His hands move in the same rhythm as the princess, two fingers pointed out, and then he punches forward. The lightning shoots out of his fingers, away from his body, and soars straight toward the princess; Azula dives out of the way, hitting the ground hard. She looks up at him from the ground, a mess of black hair cascading around her face. Her eyes are wide, awestruck.
"You call that lightning?" Zuko says with soft, manic laughter, somehow sounding both impressed and relieved with himself.
Azula's eyes flash in fury. "Oh, I'll show you lightning!" She jumps back to her feet and summons the lightning—except this time, the current encircles her body, winding up, growing higher and higher until she's completely concealed by the lightning. I can barely make out her gold eyes, the sharpness of her armor, beneath the brightness.
Zuko takes a deep breath and lifts his hands, prepared to fight off the lightning once again. But I can't let him. Azula has too much, the way it's crackling and hissing, growing and moving like it's alive—it's too much. I can see in the way he's holding his arms that he's weakening. He won't be able to fight this off alone.
I take a step toward the prince—even with all the lighting, I see Azula's eyes flicker to me at my movement. Those eyes are ravenous, pinning me where I am. My mind blanks as the princess starts to move. I hear Zuko shout something, as if from far away. I know I should move, but my body is frozen as the blinding light surges toward me.
My eyes are wide with horror as a body hurls into the line of attack. Caught in midair, the lighting engulfs Zuko's entire body. He hangs, suspended above the ground, twitching in the ball of electricity—and then his body slams into the ground. This time, he does not get up. He lies there silently, his body convulsing with electric sparks.
"Zuko!" I scream, my voice cracking, and run forward—a ball of blue fire explodes at my feet, sending me backwards.
"How could you kill him! He's your brother!" I don't recognize the shrill of my voice. I dash forward, and another wave of blue fire knocks me back again.
"I didn't kill him—you did!" Azula screams.
The audacity of her statement stuns me, paralyzes me. The princess looks horrified, sickened, and somehow relieved and happy and angry. It's like her emotions have been withheld behind a dam, but it can no longer support the weight, and it all spills forward. After seeing her so indifferent and in control, I don't know what to make of this.
Despair and fear threatens to overwhelm me but the fact that a canon hasn't fired keeps me going. Azula pulls at her hair, shouting something into the sky. While she's distracted, I summon all the power and strength I have within and pull, pulling the water from the grass around me until a patch of dead brown rests around my feet. I form the water into whips and strike at the princess. She's caught off guard, but her fire is so hot and strong that it deflects my water easily. I flick my wrists again as she starts to move toward Zuko—no doubt to finish him off—and the water slices off the pointed bit of her armor at the shoulder.
The princess jumps back, surprised, and fixates me with an annoyed glare.
She moves with blinding speed. I dive out of the way to avoid her blow. I summon more water, but the princess attacks me so ferociously that I can't use it; instead all my energy goes into dodging. I run to the golden phoenix and press my back against the metal, catching my breath.
"You can't run forever, Nine!" Azula's voice echoes throughout the arena.
"Nine is not my name," I snarl, and jump out from the phoenix, sending sharp ice daggers flying. The princess jumps and spins sideways in the air to avoid the blow, but a dagger still pierces her cheek. When she lands on the ground, a pale hand flies to the blood dripping down her cheek.
I position myself in front of the phoenix, sidestepping away from the princess as she prowls in front of me. "I'm going to enjoy killing you, Nine," she says, with deliberate disrespect. The dagger is still in my boot, but I can't go for it. Any movement will result in immediate attack.
My eyes flicker over her shoulder, toward the prince. Still no canon, but he's still not moving.
Azula doesn't miss the exchange. Her eyes darken. "My brother will die a traitorous death because of you."
"He'll die because you killed him." I have to force the words out through clenched teeth.
"Losing an Agni Kai to me would have been honorable." The princess's voice rises, echoing around the arena. "It would have showed the world that I'm the most deserving of the throne. I have what it takes to rule this world!"
"You killed your own brother. You earned it," I say, breathless and exhausted all of the sudden. The energy to pull water from the grass, hearing the motives behind Azula's fight, is all so exhilarating.
The princess's face blanks, and then she gives me a nasty look and summons more lightning with a single hand. I swallow hard, knowing any sudden movement will result in instant death, and knowing this is it for me. I can't redirect the lighting like Zuko did, I'm not a Firebender or a rebounder—
That's it!
The idea comes to me just as Azula strikes forward. I wait a half second and then dive to the side, further than I've ever tried in my life. I cover my head and ears when I hit the ground as the lighting hits the phoenix and bounces back toward its sender. Azula cries out, and a second later I hear a body hit the ground. My body surges with the shock of the current, like it did with Suki, and I'm tingling and aching all over, convulsing.
No canon, my brain realizes, and I stagger to my feet, panicked that somehow the princess dodged the blow. I glance around helplessly through the dust and smoke, but I can't see her anywhere—a hand rips into my hair and yanks me backwards, throwing me to the ground. I try to squirm and wriggle free, but strong legs straddle me, pinning me down, and it's like a recurrent nightmare.
Not again.
"You. Damn. Peasant." Each word is mirrored with a hard slap to my face, but it doesn't just sting from the slap, it stings because the hand that hit me is coated in fire. I can't help but cry out in pain but the princess is too strong. I blink back tears, looking up into those hateful gold eyes. Azula's face is covered with ash, her hair looking more rabid and tangled—this is not the face of the beautiful princess. This is the face of merciless madness.
"You are nothing," she hisses. "A filthy peasant from a worthless province. You cannot beat me, a Master, the princess of the Fire Nation!"
The princess hits me again across the face, so hard that my mind immediately blanks and suddenly a swarm of familiar voices echo inside my head.
"They will turn on you the moment the opportunity arises. They're the Fire Lord's flesh and blood."
"You have to let him go!"
"You'll be dead within the first three days of the Games."
"Win. Don't let them win."
"Honor is what my brother wants. And the only way he'll get it is if he faces me and he knows it."
"Run now and live to fight another day!"
"Never hesitate once you've thought—once you know what to do."
"I have to win in order to restore something I lost."
"We gotta hide out there till we can find a way to Province 13."
"If I win, I still lose."
"Don't be scared. Everything is going to be alright."
"I trust you entirely, but I won't watch you die, either."
"Never give up without a fight."
"Your life matters to me."
My eyes snap open—the princess has hit me again, yelling at me to look at her when she's talking. My fingers dig around beneath me, searching, grasping for anything…and to my answered prayers, I feel something hard and cold.
"I'd prefer you to beg for your life, but I really have a ceremony to attend." Azula holds up a hand, her palm glowing with blue fire. "Any last words, Nine?"
Every time a tribute asks me this, I never seem to have any. But not this time.
"Yes, I do." My fingers tighten around the cold metal. "Game over, Princess," I say, and ram the sharp tip of Zuko's crown into her back. I pull it out and slam it into her back again, in a different spot, and drag the crown through her skin, ripping the wound open.
The princess cries out, the fire dissolving in her hand. Her face contorts in pain, her back arching, and then her body crumples forward onto me. By the time I shove her bloody body off mine and get to my feet, a canon goes off.
It's that fast. The princess of the Fire Nation is dead.
I run away from the phoenix, wiping tears from my eyes, unable to rid the terrible guilt and horror I feel about what I had just done. I halt when I see the prince—he's on his knees, head bowed, palms pressed to his thighs.
I run at him hard, and practically slam into him when my knees hit the ground. He crumples forward in my arms and I hold him, supporting his weight.
"Zuko." I'm hit with a thousand things I want to say, but a choked sound escapes my throat. "You're so stupid," I say instead, my voice thick with tears.
I feel his laugh rather than hear it.
"Is…Azula?" His voice comes out in a slur, and it's so soft and childlike that I can't answer him. I can't tell him what I did. Instead I just hold him and say nothing, even though I know he'll know what I'm doing, and what it means. But I just can't say it out loud.
"You…won?" His voice is bleak, something unfamiliar to his tone that I can't place without seeing his face. But I just can't look at him.
I nod against his neck. "I'm so sorry," I whisper.
We fall into silence. I won't pretend to know the relationship between Zuko and Azula, but I know he feels her loss, just like she felt the loss of him being struck by lightning. I feel so terribly awful that tears leak from my eyes and slide down my cheeks.
They must land on the prince's neck because he jerks just a little and says, "Don't cry. You're going to win…Katara."
My hands grasp his shoulders and I shift him back so he's practically sitting on his heels while I still support his weight. All I can focus on suddenly is the gaping, torn fabric at his chest. Where the lightning hit.
"No," I say, and the words just tumble out of me, "I'm going to heal you and you're going to be fine and we'll have our rematch, like you promised."
He smiles, just a little; blood trickles down from the corner of his lips. "You can't."
"Yes, I can! Stop telling me what I can and can't do!"
"And then what?" He struggles to keep his voice steady, and has to blink a few times, like the sun is bothering him. He reaches up and presses his hands on mine as I steady him. "You heal me, and then…what? We try to…kill each other? No. There has to be…a victor. And I'm dying."
There has to be a victor. The Black Games will never end until there is a single victor.
And suddenly I know what has to happen. I've been searching for an escape from this inevitable end, but I guess the obvious is sometimes the answer.
There can only be one victor.
It's the only way, the only sliver of hope I have, and as I think it now, I feel the pieces of the puzzle coming together.
I keep a hand pressed firmly on Zuko's shoulder, keeping him from falling over. My other hand shakes as I reach down to my boot. I take him by surprise when I plant a swift, chaste kiss on his lips, forcing myself to be quick, otherwise I may never follow through with this.
I lean down so my mouth brushes his ear. "You've saved me in every way that a person can be saved."
"Is this…you saying goodbye?"
If I wasn't so nervous and tense, I might have smiled. "Do you trust me?"
"Yes," he says, without hesitation.
"With your life?"
"Yes."
And that's all I need to hear. Because I know in my heart this is the only way, the right way, I find the strength to do what has to be done.
I close my eyes, grip Zuko's dagger in my hand, and shove it through his heart.
A/N: Deep breath, readers! I did warn you...you know. There were some inspirations from Titanic in this chapter as well, like the "you saved me" line. I thought it fit perfectly so kudos to James Cameron for that one. I warned you this had a terrible cliffy, so I intend on updating within a couple of days. One more chapter to go!
On an exciting note, another fan has decided to make a trailer for The Black Games! This one is by Tiny Cherie! Be sure to check it out because it's awesome! The link is in my profile. :)
Review Responses:
Treacletarts: "Zuko conveys more through his actions than through words and him acting anything like that would completely ruin it." - Yes, he definitely does. Almost all his "feelings" are expressed through actions rather than words. He's not a word kind of guy, lol.
ilovethisstory: "who is your favourite character from ATLA?" - Zuko, of course! I love his journey and everything about him. He made me laugh, he made me angry, he made me sad. I just felt a lot with his character. My top five would be, in no particular order: Zuko, Toph, Sokka, Iroh and Azula. :P
ChaosHasCome: "The driving force to help that is katara's character doesnt disappear just because her healing does." - I agree. What makes her strong to me isn't the fact that she could heal in the show, but that drive to never give up and always put others above her. I mean yeah, the healing is really conveinant, but by healing the slow way, the normal way, it sort of makes you appreciate what you went through a bit more.
Evettian: "Wherever you go in life, I hope that you never stop writing. There are very few fanfiction's on this site that compare to this in quality." - Thank you so much! I really love to write and I hope I manage to publish a real book. I have some ideas floating around but sadly my muse is still in Zutara mode, haha. But I love fanfiction and I plan on writing for awhile!
Really Impressed D: "Keep it up and never stop, you will achieve great things, I know it!" - You guys are so inspirational! lol I swear if I do become a writer I will announce that I wrote these stories first and give a huge shout out to all you readers. I probably wouldn't have continued for as long as I have without all of you. *big hugs*
lilisangin123: "Are you a Sokka/Suki fan?" - Yes! I think they're the best written and most compatible ship in the show, actually. I don't hate the idea of older Toph and Sokka though, if Suki didn't exist. lol I wasn't a big fan of Yue/Sokka.
Midnight4568: "Are you going to continue doing that, since you won't be doing the character questions anymore?" - Yep! I try to answer questions and comments that I feel should be addressed. :)
"is the Zuko in this story supposed to have his ponytail, or does he look like his season three self from ATLA?" - A couple of people have asked me this! lol If Zuko had a ponytail, Katara definitely would have mentioned it. :P I guess I didn't explain it well enough, but it's the style from season 3. Longer and kind of messy.
Jane Keybored: "This story is so steeped in the original material that it's hard to believe you didn't get through the whole of Mockingjay." - Well thank you! I really need to read the entire thing but it just makes me so mad, haha. I will definitely read it entirely before publishing the third story in TBG trilogy.
magdaBlack: "we didn't connected just with katara, even if this is written from her pov we got to know about the other characters, you took to the time to write about them and I think that for a good plot that's essential." - Thanks! Yeah, I wanted the readers to really sort of feel the impact of the deaths, not just the main characters. It makes you sort of feel more for Katara more as well, since you have an idea of the depth she's going through.
UVERazn: "I think that's great you want to get a book published :D Will you be going under a pen name?" - Yes, I probably will. I have an idea of what I'd like it to be, but I probably won't give it out until it's official. Because someone else could take that name..it's not super unique, haha. So I wouldn't want you thinking it was really me when it wasn't, you know?
"Although the Sparrowkeets confuse me, when did they breed with a sparrow?" - Hopefully I explain this right..all this crossbreeding is confusing to me too, haha. Mockingkeets were created by the capital, like the jabberjays were in THG. But the Capital couldn't control or keep the Mockingkeets, so these birds live in the wild now. Sparrowkeets are the offspring of male sparrows and female Mockingkeets. So the sparrows were able to mate with the Mockingkeets in nature. Sparrowkeets are actually an ATLA canon bird. I just made up the Mockingkeets. :P
AnnaAza: "Suki is a resistance member? Was her plan to kill the Fire siblings, and to kill anyone who got in the way (I.e. Katara?)/just to get to the two siblings?" - More on Suki's backstory in The Rise of One. ;)
atlaluver: "Is pakku still katara's grandfather?" - Negative, lol.
accentric punctuation: "I like your Katara better than Katniss, most of all because of the 'connection' you feel towards other characters." - Well thank you! I think that stems from the fact that Katara is much more emotional than Katniss, and she grows attached and cares for people easily. I wouldn't say Katara in this story is AS emotional and naive as she is in the series, though.
"How many chapters do you intend for the sequels to have?" - I'm shooting for about 20 each. But that's likely to change, haha.
PLacId: "I can actually read this without feeling it's a carbon copy with simple name changes." - Thank you! Yeah, the characters from ATLA are so different from THG that the story is going to be different for sure, even with the same basic premise: send 24 kids into a death arena. Plus Ozai is quite different from Snow, so he's going to rule the world differently. It was really fun looking at ATLA and THG to create this AU world. :)
Little-Miss-X-Gal: "But anyway your story is so cool, although I think it ought to be filed in crossover" - I considered this, but I didn't think it qualified quite as a crossover since the characters are not crossing over. For example, Katniss is not in the ATLA world and Katara is not in Panem. The "world" is more in the ATLA verse with some THG government similarities. If that makes sense lol.
bballsoccer1217: "Out of curiosity will your sequels be like Catching Fire and/or Mockingjay? If so I don't know if I could get through all that Katniss melodramatic-ness again." - There will be some similar plotlines, but Katara is not Katniss so her reactions/behaviors will be different. :) For example, Katniss spends a lot of her time in the games wondering about how she should act because of the people watching. Katara barely considers the rest of the world and does what she wants. :P
Crazichi123: "This was SO original and NOTHING like that at all and I'm so glad I decided to read it!" - Thank you so much! I'm glad you liked it. :) The characters are really the driving force behind where the story goes, which is why there are tons of differences in this and THG.
"Is there going to be Zutara in the next two stories, or will they just be an ATLA fic with no shipping?" - There will be shipping, but I won't say if it's Zutara or others. :P
Sisters from hell: "I love how in the character questions you make Zuko seem completly above all but here in the story he has such a soft heart even though her tries to fight it." - Yeah this really comes back to what I said in one of the responses above. Zuko doesn't express himself verbally very well, but he does with his actions. He's also very conflicted, like in the show, and that comes aross in his words and actions as well.
Victorioushouseofnightfan: "What was the symbol on the pendant that Suki was wearing?" - That will also be revealed in the sequel, The Rise of One!
XxUrBadLuckCharmxX: "I love how Katara doesn't give up, she's a fighter, and she's showed amazing strength." - That's one of the things I really liked with her character. Often times "strength" is determined by physical strength, when there's so much more to it. Zuko is physically very strong, but not so much emotionally. Katara is the opposite, more emotionally strong than physical. Even in the show, she holds the gang together in ways that no one else could, simply because she's emotionally strong.
Tiny Cherie: "I think that Azula does care about Ty Lee to a certain extent." - I would say Ty Lee was the closest thing Azula has felt to a "friend" than she has in a long time. Azula likes being worshipped and loyalty, and Ty Lee was the perfect example of that. She never questioned Azula, she followed orders, and tried as hard as she could to please her. That, along with her personality, left an impression on Azula.
LookMeInTheStars: "Still taking character responses?" - I'm going to hold off on these for awhile since the plot is quite intense right now. Everyone would want to ask spoilery questions! lol