Merits 54
"... Is she there?"
"Yes, she certainly is," said Azula with a smirk. She turned to look at Katara, relishing the waterbender's fear as Katara swallowed.
"Did Zuko ever talk to you about our dear old dad? He's a bit touched in the head, but he's a force to be reckoned with. Completely merciless," said Azula with pride. "I"m told I take after him."
In the doorway loomed the most imposing man Katara had ever seen.
And by the glittering void of his golden eyes, probably the least sane. Her skin crawled as he approached, his movements unnatural.
Spirits, she breathed to herself as she felt the air currents around them shift, the water in the air gathering closer to her instinctively like sentient armour. Grant me the knowledge to make it out alive. Her prayer cast, Katara reached down into her core and grounded herself.
"Moon Spirit," rasped Ozai, a strange, lilting accent tinting his words with false gentility. "How kind of you to join us."
"The pleasure's all yours, I assure you."
His bark of laughter took her by surprise and she shuddered with a cringe even as she fought to keep her voice even.
"What do you want with me?"
His voice dripped poison and disdain. "Not you." Ozai stepped closer. His movements were odd; a slithering grace that couldn't hide the stuttering of long-dormant, atrophied muscles. A powerful predator that had begun to rot from the inside. He reached for her with twisty-clawed, ghastly nails.
Katara stood her ground as the nails scored down the skin of her throat and his stringy hair brushed her cheeks; his putrid breath, however, caused her stomach to constrict dangerously. She turned her face from him to inhale through her mouth.
She felt a quick jab under her chin and her eyes snapped back to Ozai's, her brows drawing down together, her lips pressed together tight.
"Did I give you permission to look away from me?"
Blue eyes narrowed further. "Did I give you permission to kidnap, hold me hostage and assault me?"
The nail he'd scraped at her delicate under-chin punctured her throat and twisted; Katara's eyes went wide as she felt the blood trickle down her front.
"That was non-fatal," he whispered, leaning in close to her ear. He nosed her hair away and Katara felt her skin shrivelling, goosebumps breaking loose at his nearness and intimate manner. "There will come a time when they won't be. That could take a long, long time, waterbender." He pulled back enough to meet her eyes again and smiled at her, ruthless and smug. Then he yanked his nail out, tearing the delicate skin further. Automatically Katara's hands rose to press against the flow. "I suggest you consider our request."
Katara swallowed. "What do you want?"
He tilted his head. "Azula hasn't explained? You're here to find my wife. And control the Underworld, by my direction. I will rule over all creatures of the night." His head tilted back. "Through you."
Her knees shaking with the adrenaline pouring through her, Katara took as deep a breath as she could. She felt her pulse throbbing against her hand at her throat.
Zuko. Zuko, I need you, she said, hating how vulnerable she sounded. But this… this was bad. It wasn't a sign of weakness to ask for help when you need it, she reminded herself. It was a sign that you recognized a situation for what it was.
Busy. Almost there. Hold on—Spirits, would these guys just—
Zuko, I mean it, I—
She felt a hand close around her ankle.
"Do it, Katara," said Jet from his crumpled state at her feet. "And then we can go."
"Go?" inquired Ozai. "Go?"
A wheezing, whistling, gasping noise sailed through the room and Katara felt her blood chilling in her veins when she saw it emanating from Ozai's mouth.
Laughing. The monster was laughing.
"You'll never see daylight again, Moon Spirit."
Zhao was easy, Zuko decided, teeth clenched as he spun with his twin dao. He felt the blade in his right hand connect, followed closely by the left as he heard more than saw them slash through Zhao's body, separating his head from his neck.
It tumbled to the ground to roll away down the hall, Zhao's indignant roar barely an afterthought as Zuko whirled back to face Long Feng. Katara's fear was tangible through their bond, and while hating himself for it, he tried to seal himself from it temporarily. He couldn't get distracted.
"Over here," drawled Long Feng, tilting his chin up as he watched Zuko. His bronze eyes flashed at Zuko as he pushed his long hair over his shoulder again.
"Can you not bend any longer, your Majesty," called Long Feng. "Have your travels kept you so busy you lost your birthright?"
But then it was Zuko's turn. He withheld his smirk, though his eyes glinted. "More like I don't need it to be able to handle you." With a stretch of his shoulders he rotated his wrists, swinging the swords in an arc to loosen his arms. "Do I need to repeat myself? Have you forgotten already who your master is?"
Sneering, Long Feng dropped to a crouch, palm stretched on the stone floor. "Ignorant boy!"
Eyes hardening, Zuko straightened his back and set his shoulders. "Bow to your crown prince, dog."
"Never." Long Feng bared his teeth.
Zuko adjusted his grip on the twin dao. "Have it your way."
They launched at each other, steel clashing against steel in the tight confines of the hallway.
In the darkness, surrounded by artificial light, Toph let out a whoop. Around them the music kept pumping, rising, the crowds building their energy up to fever pitch. More and more people had arrived; she felt their writhing mass with every vibration.
"Company has arrived!"
"Where?" Aang looked around with his binoculars. He flipped on the night-vision setting. "Aha! Found 'em!"
"It feels like a few hundred; have they gotten between the crowds and the reavers?" Toph's hands flew over her mixing equipment on the table, her focus on the crowds and the Kiyoshi Warrior trainees who had joined them in the valley.
Aang grinned. "Absolutely." His cellphone beeped at him with an incoming text message. "They're ready to herd the reavers away from the crowds, on your mark."
Toph's grin was feral as she lifted her hands over her equipment, spread her fingers, and closed her eyes… and began absorbing the excitement the crowds had charged the air with. Blue and green light swirled above the raving crowds in a bizarre, magical light show. The shouts of the dancers and partiers got louder as they cheered for the pseudo-borealis.
Taking a deep breath, feeling the energy tingle and crackle through her body, Toph let loose a wild cackle. She was so pumped.
"Ready—"
"Now!"
And then Toph stomped her foot on the stage, and the earth rumbled, opening a crevice beneath the invading reavers to swallow them whole, before she lifted her hands higher and called down the elements. Thunder shook as clouds formed over the limited-radius quake.
Aang narrowed his eyes as he watched, cheering when he saw the first wave of reavers devoured by the earth.
"Hahahaha, hole-in-one!" She smiled at Aang. "Next! Step two!"
"Fierce," he commented, laughing when he saw her fist-pump. He approached Toph and shared her triumphant grin as he reached for her forehead.
"Tell me if it gets to be too much," he said sternly.
She scoffed at him, opening up her third eye to him.
"As if you could."
He swallowed his sigh at her cocky retort.
Then he closed his eyes and drew on her spiritual reserves. Wow, the crowd had really boosted her magical energy battery that night, he noted, feeling the sparks and shocks at each spot they touched. He opened the channel wider, unleashing more.
"Get ready for a little excitement," was all he said before he blew out a long, low breath and glowing shadow-spirit animals escaped like mist. They leapt, ran and surged towards the reavers, aiding the Kiyoshi Warriors in rounding up the next wave of reavers; they nipped and herded the reavers, hustling them closer and closer until they fell into the crack in the earth's surface.
"Uh, you'll be able to fix that big hole, right?" asked Aang, somewhat concerned now as it eroded at the sides. Several Kiyoshi Warriors had to jump out of the way of the crumbling ridge.
"Hmph, easy-peasy," she snorted. She built the waves of music higher again and again, recharging her spiritual depths and magical energy. "Ready?"
"Whoohooo!"
"... You're riding on a spirit-beast, aren't you?"
"You gotta try this!"
Struggling to his feet, holding on to Katara's arm and the bathtub to steady himself, Jet, hunched and scraped raw, stood and faced Azula.
"That wasn't part of the deal."
As if the sight of him was tiring, Azula shrugged. "Didn't I tell you to get into your cage? Honestly, it's like no one listens to their betters anymore."
"You," he winced, and Katara tentatively reached out a hand to his shoulder. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye, his expression unreadable. "You promised. A short talk. That was it."
"Oh, about that. Did you really believe me?" She tittered, like nails dragging across a chalkboard. "You're too precious. Cage," she repeated, more firmly.
Another side-glance at Katara. Something softening, then hardening in his chestnut eyes.
Katara held her breath.
He shifted until he stood in front of Katara, between Katara and Ozai and Azula, pushing the waterbender behind him further.
She saw his adam's apple bob before, with a pained inhale, he stood taller.
"No," he said, voice low.
"Jet," breathed Katara. She drew mist from around her in the air and reached forward to him, her hands sliding just beneath the hem of his shirt to touch his back. She summoned as much calm as she could as she surreptitiously healed him. She also mentally checked her own condition. A little tired and worn, and her throat was worse for wear, but the healing-bath had worked wonders. She sent a little healing towards her neck. She shifted her stance incrementally. She would fight.
Zuko, please, hurry. Spirits, please, please, please...
Ozai stood at attention, his eyes glancing between them. "What did you say?"
"I said no." He lifted his chin and looked at Ozai with narrow eyes.
"Oh, Jet," said Azula sweetly. She heaved a sigh, her mouth downcast… her golden eyes gleamed.
"That was very stupid."
Chests heaving, sweat coursing down their bodies, Mai, Ty Lee, Suki and Sokka glared at each other in stand off.
Then Sokka held up his hands in a 't'. "Time out!"
Ty Lee and Suki goggled at him.
"No, seriously. This is stupid. Well, it's been fun and all. But stupid. Do you even care about the Moon Spirit? Or are you just scared of the crazy lady?"
"Not scared, per se," began Ty Lee after a minute, side-eyeing Mai.
"Infinitely tired of her," said Mai.
Suki, movements deliberately slow, scanned Mai, Ty Lee and Sokka as she lowered her fans, inch by inch.
"Now, I'm sure you're very faithful, uh," his mouth worked for a second as he tried to find a nice way to say 'minion'. "Associates! But… this isn't going to end well for anybody. Have you considered possibly just… walking away?"
Mai's brows drew down as she sharpened her stance. "Admit defeat? To you?"
"Are you out of your mind!"
"Yeah, Sokka, are you out of your mind," snapped Suki, midnight eyes flaring as she gaped at him.
Sokka's hands rose up in front of him, palms out. "No, no, hear me out! This is the perfect opportunity for you to get out from under her thumb. I'm not asking you to help us. I'm asking if you want out. Really out. Away from being thisclose to ending up ash because she didn't like you one-upping her anymore."
"One-upping her?" Ty Lee asked, ignoring Mai's glare.
"Uh, yeah. I figured that was obvious. You are both very skilled in ways she isn't. Of course she wants you close; she wants to be able to control you so she knows where you are at all times."
Ty Lee and Mai glanced at each other.
Sokka dropped his hands, delicately, down by his sides. "I would love it if you joined us, but I know this isn't a decision you would make lightly. Instead, what I'm offering you is this: independence. Go be vampires without actually kowtowing to the Fire Nation. Live the way you want to, not the way you're told to." He watched their reactions carefully, before adding, quietly. "Freedom."
With a high exhale, Ty Lee bounced on her toes a moment, pouting. Then she gave them a bit smile. "Okay, sounds good to me!"
"Yeah, whatever," sighed Mai. "They're back there." She thumbed the direction behind her.
Suki blinked.
"Have a good life, or whatever!" Ty Lee called, following Mai in the direction of the exit.
"You, too!" called Sokka, waving at them. "Oh, uh, avoid the valley for the next, uh… little while."
"Uh huh," said Mai. She patted her pockets and pulled out her keys. "Pizza or sushi?" she asked Ty Lee.
"Sushi," said Ty Lee as they exited through another hallway.
"You always choose sushi…"
His hands settled on his hips, Sokka let a small smile spread across his face as he watched them go.
Until Suki slapped him on the shoulder.
"If you're done feeling proud of yourself, can we go rescue Katara, the Moon Spirit? Geez!"
"Jet!" Katara's arms were already moving, throwing up an ice shield around Jet as he flew backwards, the force of Azula's strike nearly downing him. He skidded to a halt on the other side of the room.
Fangs bared as he struggled to stand, Jet snarled at Azula, her freshly-drawn blood dripping from the crushed side of his face. For her part, Azula's nose wrinkled in disgust while her brows drew down and together, her eyes wide, pupils small. Her shoulder was shredded courtesy of Jet's sprouted claws, her hands dripping pitch-black blood, thick and slow moving, like molasses; the blood of the cursed undead.
"You dare to attack me? Me?" Azula's lip curled as the light in her eyes glinted with madness. "You stupid beast!"
As Azula's fingertips blazed with fire, Katara summoned more water only to stop short when the maddest creature lurched in front of her.
"Now, Moon Spirit," Ozai's eyes glowed eerily. "No getting distracted. You can stop this right now. Transform. Connect to your Spirit realm. Collect the knowledge of your disciples. Tell me where my Ursa is."
Katara's nose flared as she took her ready stance. "Get out of my way." She swallowed the lump of sick fear that rose in her throat. She kept her ears open for sounds of Azula advancing on Jet but didn't dare tear her eyes from Ozai. "I'm not helping you."
She heard the ice-field around Jet being smashed; and mentally reinforced it.
"I grow tired of your excuses," warned Ozai as a slow, twitchy smile began spreading across his chapped, cracked lips. "Perhaps I can persuade you."
The glow in his eyes became a beam of unfocused derangement.
Time was running out. Katara's heart shuddered in her chest; she made her decision.
She bolted in Jet's direction, sending wave after wave of icicle stilettos in Ozai's and Azula's direction, delaying them as much as possible.
—but it wasn't enough to stop Azula firing lightning straight through the ice-shield that had been protecting Jet.
His wounded scream shot through Katara's eardrums; animalistic, raw, primitive.
Katara—!
JetJetJetJetJetJet—she couldn't stop the prayer from repeating in her head. That sound he'd made. That inhumanly tortured sound. In her head it wouldn't. Stop. And there was the tugging, at her heart, in her soul, in her Spirit; the blue cord that had tied her to Jet. The one she was still struggling to accept, but was becoming clearer and clearer and her hands were shaking.
Katara!
Through the fading noise round her, Katara realized the vampires were advancing on her as she knelt at Jet's side, what was left of her shield splintering and cracking around them.
...Katara.
The blue cord was fading.
Tears streamed down her face as she grit her teeth, the blue power in her hands; the power that was meant to serve; the power that was meant to shield; the power that was meant to defend and support and cherish.
Katara…Yue... I will always protect you…
The power that was meant to bind and protect.
Before her swimming, river-blue eyes she met his chocolate gaze. His rough, once strong hand lifting to touch her cheek; his trembling, straining thumb sweeping away her tear.
"Together. Forever," he gasped, grimacing as he tried to smile for her. Then, in the old language of her Tribe, his voice ancient and heavy, "I remain your faithful servant, always, my priestess."
Her breathing coming harsher and harsher, Katara struggled to get enough oxygen into her lungs.
So much.
How had they gone through so much, only for this...this…
Something inside her was breaking. Shattering like the protective ice shield around them was shattering, chips and pieces falling and crashing to the floor around them like glass, cutting her over and over and over and—
She knew he had done awful things. And yet… and yet…
He'd said he'd not known she was the Moon Spirit; yet still he'd sought her out. A part of him that wasn't even fully aware of the fact he was searching for her... Not for himself. But for her. A part of him had subconsciously recognized who she was before consciously understanding what she was.
His hand went limp in hers as she heard his last exhale; he wasn't sure when she'd lifted a hand to hold his to her cheek, but she had.
Then she felt it like a wisp of smoke on the wind as it disappeared. The link; their bond.
Like collapsing ash went their blue cord.
Her final connection to her Protector had been severed. Her Protector, who had followed her through the afterlife to find her again. Who had never stopped looking for her. Who had never stopped trying to return her to her Tribe.
Who had tried to avenge her not once but twice against the abomination who'd stolen her life a hundred and fifty years ago.
Katara's hands stilled their trembling; the sheath around her core slipped, loosened by her shattered emotions; her eyes hardened as she took a deep, calming breath.
And then Katara let the blue energy that surrounded her hands—hands that gently slid shut Jet's eyes and laid Jet's palms to rest upon his chest, as they had in spirit on a riverbank a century and a half before—seep, then flow, then course through her, surrounding her.
Opening her.
"You wanted me?" Katara unfolded herself from beside Jet; her echoing voice ethereal and cold.
Her once blue eyes now shone with pure light as she lifted her chin; her arms at her sides.
"Here I am," said the Moon Spirit.
Sweaty and bleeding, Zuko burst into the room in time to be blinded by his father's and sister's arms releasing twin bolts of lightning into a luminous being of pure energy.
Katara.
And in that moment, the heart he'd long thought dead beat once in his chest and fell silent.
The coniferous trees soared above Katara as she walked through the forest, drawn by the familiar riverbank.
Spying a hunched figure by the outcropping of rock where she used to swim with Sokka, she smiled and hastened her pace. When she saw the other woman there, too, she broke into a run.
"Gran-Gran! Mom!"
"Katara?" croaked an old voice. Gran-Gran, her coarse, steely hair fixed back in a bun by a carved bone comb, looked at Katara; her features slowly turned from wide-eyed elation to stone-faced despair. "Oh, no, not you, precious child."
Katara's brow furrowed. "What are you talking about?"
Her mother, on the other hand, leapt forward and yanked Katara into a desperate hug.
"My daughter, my beautiful, wonderful, brave daughter—!"
Gran-Gran shook her head. "Let her go. This isn't her time."
Still holding tight to her mother, Katara frowned at Gran-Gran. "A little explanation, please, Gran-Gran?" It has been too long since I've felt my mother's arms around me, thought Katara, blissed out on the loving acceptance, strength and comfort of her mother's arms.
But… since when had her mother's head rested on her shoulder?
Why could she fit her arms entirely around her mother now, whereas before Katara struggled to reach around her middle?
Trepidation filtered into Katara's awareness.
She hugged her mother tighter, closing her eyes, clenching her jaw.
"Let her go!" Gran-Gran's forceful voice broke through Katara's haze.
"But she just got here!"
"No." Gran-Gran approached, lips set in a firm line; though her eyes were warm, and gathering wet. She took a breath. "You need to go back, child."
"We're looking for our guide. He hasn't come yet," explained Katara's mother. "Have you seen him?"
"Your guide?" Katara pulled back slightly to meet her mother's gaze.
She nodded. "Yes, to lead us to the rest of the Tribe. We've met some members, but we keep getting separated. Without him to bring us back, we're displaced. The Tribe is scattered."
Gran-Gran looked at Katara, and memories began flooding back into her memory.
Azula. Ozai. Jet. Zuko. The Moon Spirit. Aang. Sokka. Suki. Toph. Pakku. Bato. Hakoda.
More and more people, more and more feelings, relationships, memories; they tumbled behind her mind's eye in a circus of life and unlife, birth, death, and rebirth. Cycling.
After a heartbeat that felt like an era, finding what she'd been seeking in Katara's expression, Gran-Gran nodded to herself.
"We'll see our guide soon," she said, to herself. "Soon." She gave Katara a small, compassionate smile; reached out once to touch her cheek, squeezed her shoulder. "Now it's time for you to remember yourself, Katara."
"But I—"
"Never forget," said Gran-Gran.
And then Katara felt the strangest sensation; like a silver cord being reeled back through ages of fog, connecting her heart to someone else's.
Her hands planted on her hips, his hands folded in his sleeves, the pair looked down upon the chaotic valley. Another chasm opened up and swallowed a thrashing horde of reavers, then resettled itself once more.
Nearby, the rave continued on, unabated.
Not even a blink in reaction. Said she, "She has this one well in hand."
Said he, "I agree."
There followed an awkward pause.
Broken then by a rather reluctant she. "Party on, Wayne?"
"Party on, Garth."
She shook her midnight-hair and glared at him in the darkness as he chuckled. "Remind me again; Why did I ever let you convince me that should be our code?"
He smiled serenely and looked to the palace in the distance.
"This way," said 'Kaiser Sousei'.
To be continued
AN: Two more chapters, then the epilogue! Can you believe it? I don't know about you, but it feels a little unreal to me.
I'm sure you can guess who our last two mystery characters are. Also… I am still emotionally stunned, floored really, that this story reached 700 reviews. Just… your dedication means so very much to me, wonderful readers. I appreciate your every word. Next update, hopefully the end of October/beginning of November. Crossing my fingers that work eases up a bit and I can eek out the story a bit faster (and better) for you. (I tried to write this into a stronger chapter than the last; still struggling!) Also, I again apologise for the wonky formatting on this chapter; I tried repeatedly and it looks fine until I save it (when it all goes berserk again). Argh.
ALSO: I now have an Ask Me Anything box on my tumblr (beyondthemoor). If you'd like to ask me questions anonymously, now's your chance! Have fun out there, wonderful you!
Onward to the...
Reader Review Replies!
LivingInSymphony: Holy crow, your poor eyes must have been bleeding by the end! Rest, child, rest! Though I am truly thrilled you've enjoyed your time so much. Mission: accomplished. I hope you enjoyed this chapter just as much. Thank you for your review!
Guest: Thank you very much! I had to shave down much of the original plot-line, so I apologize if some parts are a bit forced/rushed. I love that you're enjoying yourself!
the Moon our Witness: Holy crow, three reviews in a row! (Hat trick!) XD I'm amazed and honoured you got so into the story. As for Jet, we learn more about him next chapter. According to one of my best friends, Jet is sort of the main character of this story if you look at things from a different perspective; and as such, he kind of steals the show in a few scenes. I love and hate him; but mostly feel for him. So many bad decisions, and now this! Ah! My poor Jet. Thank you for reviewing; let me know if you think there's anything Jet could do to redeem himself. Have you guessed which memories yet Jet wanted Katara to remember? ;)
Kslamm: These last few chapters are very action-heavy; there's more narration/history coming next chapter, but then we return to ALL ACTION again as we finish up! I apologize for the delay on this chapter; I am back to working full time (and 6 days a week), so my free time is pretty limited. I'm so sorry! Thank you for your review!
nephertiri: Great googly-moogly, you re-read it all?! (Honestly, I'm not sure *I've* had the opportunity to do that, hahahaha! I'm enchanted and honoured!) I'm blushing at your compliments; I still find I have a long way to go to get to where I want to be with my writing style. It is very rewarding to hear you've enjoyed it so much! Yes, we're hitting the final countdown now! As for your Little Mermaid comment, you have no idea how apt it is—especially in relation to the next chapter. (Ursula is an awesome villain, I agree.) Thank you so much for your kind comments!
Lemniscato: Ya damn right! I tried to answer your question about Toph in this chapter: she collects and gathers spiritual energy. She uses her music to rev the emotions of her crowds and her magic feeds off that energy. So when she has the massive outdoor concert in this chapter, she's basically charging her magical battery. Gotta love Toph: She loves the love. ;) Thank you for your review—if you have more questions, I'm very happy to answer. (My tumblr also accepts anonymous questions.)
InItToWinIT: They met again in this chapter! (Sort of.) I swear the action re-starts next chapter. :) Hang in there, and thank you for your review!
