Hello everyone! Welcome to chapter 31 of Sparks Ignite! I hope you guys are ready for this chapter! There is a lot in this chapter, so get ready! For point of reference, from now on in the story, the italics are Zuko's dream state. As always, I do not own avatar or its characters. Onto the story!
Fate and Destiny are a funny thing. They are so permanent, but yet can be changed by the smallest thing. It can cause the moon and the sun to collide. Or the most opposite Sparks to Ignite.
Chapter 31: The Little Solider Boy
Back in the Fire Nation, in a much more peaceful time, Iroh looked over the body of his nephew. He gave the Avatar a break from bending, seeing his tired eyes begin to droop. He decided to take a turn watching the Fire Lord. Even though he would not be able to bend the water through his veins, it was comforting to imagine him merely sleeping. And that in a moment, he would wake up, groggily wondering how long he had slept for.
Iroh missed those moments when they were traveling. It often seemed like such a simpler time. He chuckled at the thought. He couldn't ever imagine thinking that being chased down by Azula was a more peaceful time. But Iroh often remembered those moments by the fire over a cup of tea. It was the moments he cherished the most.
He pressed the edge of his fingertips to his son's face, as his lips began to echo a light tune.
"Leaves from the vine
Falling so slow
Like fragile tiny shells
Drifting in the foam
Little soldier boy
Come marching home
Brave soldier boy
Comes marching home"
A small tear fell from his face into the water that lay below him.
Zuko wandered through the white light, unsure of where he was going and what he was trying to find. "Hello? Anybody?" he called out into the light.
He began to feel frightened, which was not an often feeling for him. But he felt alone. He knew he was dying and didn't know how to stop it. He screamed out into the light, for anybody to hear him.
It was then that he heard a light tune playing in the distance. He could hear the notes of a person singing but could not make out the words. But somehow, his whole body relaxed with the notes being played, as if he had heard them as a child.
He saw a figure in the distance and as it grew closer, he was not afraid. It spoke to him, "Don't worry my grandson… You are never alone"
Zuko's eyes widened when he saw the figure, "Avatar Roku…" he spoke in shock. He thought for a moment and then eyes widened further, "Grandson?!" he exclaimed.
Roku chuckled at Zuko's shock, "Great grandson to be specific" he spoke, watching him. "How?" Zuko asked him, able to form only a few words.
"I am your mother's grandfather…" Roku spoke, he went to speak more but Zuko finished for him, "That's why she was chosen to be Fire Lady when she was a commoner…"
Roku smiled and nodded, "And I see you are faced with a grave choice…" he told him. Zuko looked at him, curiously, "I have a choice?" he asked him. Roku chuckled, "We always have a choice… In my final moments, I could've chosen to leave the town helpless… Left with my wife and family… But this is what I chose…" he paused for a moment, "You can chose to move on to the spirit world or go back…"
"I would go to the spirit world…?" Zuko asked him, questioning his words. The world believed that when you pass, you go somewhere else then the spirit world, and the spirit world was only for the Avatar to visit.
Roku smiled down at him, they began walking forward, through the white light, "You helped the Avatar save the world… You are the first Fire Lord in 4 generations to live a peaceful life for your people… How you live, effects where you die…"
Zuko looked down for a moment. "This is not a decision anyone should make lightly… There are things you must see first…" Roku spoke, as the white light faded from their view.
They reached the end of tunnel, flickers of light glowing from the edges of the trap door above. They could hear some voices and footsteps from above. But it was unclear how close they actually were.
Ikem spoke first, "I'll go first…" he spoke bravely, squeezing his wife's hand one more time before stepping up the ladder onto the street. He looked around for signs of life, but they seemed to be in the clear for now. He gestured for them to follow.
One by one, they made their way out of the trap door on to the street. They sat crouched down, unsure what was around the corner. "What now?" Ikem whispered. Katara and Toph exchanged a look, "There's no way we can get out of here without drawing attention to ourselves" Ikem spoke again.
"We could make a run for it…" Toph suggested. But Katara shook her head "If the rebels are still out on the street, we wouldn't make it to the forest…"
They sat in silence for a moment, all thinking to themselves. Katara's eyes widened, having a thought of a small idea, maybe a saving grace. She reacheed into her satchel and pulled out a small whistle, "Come on Appa… Don't let me down now buddy" saying a quick prayer before she blew into the whistle as hard as she could.
Somewhere in the forest, a loud noise rang through Appa's ears. He let out a growl and flew high into the sky, knowing that his masters needed him.
"What did that do?" Noriko asked, the first words she had spoken since before the ambush. "Just our ride…" Katara told her.
"There they are!" a rebel yelled, pointing down the alley way. "Uhh Katara!" Toph yelled. "We fight! That's our only choice" Katara yelled back, going toe to toe with a fire nation rebel. The street erupted in a stream of water, earth, and fire, all battling each other for control.
Katara battled two of them at once, keeping each at a distance and not trying to kill them, only to keep them away. Meanwhile Ikem was willing to do whatever it took to protect his family, even if it meant he accidentally took a life. He showed no mercy, only wanting his family to be safe.
But after a moment, the fighting seemed to die down. Katara looked around, confused as to why. But she gasped at what she saw.
The man in the black cloak walked towards them, with Kiyi in hand, holding a flicker of flame close to her throat.
"KIYI!" Ikem yelled, moving to go towards them, but Toph grabbed a hold of his arm and held him back. "If you go after them, you'll only get her killed" she told him, causing him to stand in place, but the look of menace did not retreat from his face.
"I suggest…" the man spoke in a deep town, "That you all lower your arms… That is… If you wish no harm come to the girl… Or her mother…"
Noriko looked at Ikem, fear in her eyes as a rebel held onto her with brute force. Ikem looked at both his wife and daughter, helplessness written on his face. He failed to protect them.
"I think we have all we came for… But I'll keep this one for good measure" he spoke, looking down at the terrified girl in his arms.
"Who are you?" Katara spoke up, "Why are you doing this?" she asked the man, taking a few steps forward. The man looked back at her, his cloak covered the majority of his face, only showing his devilish smirk, "Fire Lord Zuko and I… have a vendetta to say the least… And I need to make sure that he does not awake from his… Coma"
"You poisoned him…" she reasoned. The man let out a evil cackle, "Why, of course I did… Who else would be skilled enough to manage it… But that's only the first step of my plan… I've got so much more in store for you dearie…"
Katara looked at him, confused, "Me?" she asked him. He laughed again, "Oh don't worry… All will be explained in due time my darling…"
She looked at him in disgust, "Do me a favor…"
Katara could hear the roar of Appa behind her and smirked. The man looked up, and gasped. Appa was heading straight towards them. It was clear he had two options, drop the girl and run, or get hit by a two ton flying bison. It didn't take him long to make a decision, as he dropped Kiyi and ran.
"Never call me that again" Katara said with a smirk.
Ta-Daa! This chapter had a lot of feelings in it! With Iroh singing to Zuko, to Zuko meeting Roku, and the battle between the rebels and the good guys, I'd say a lot happened! What is gonna happen next? Until next time!