Hello everyone! Welcome to chapter 32 of Sparks Ignite! I hope you guys enjoyed last chapter! It was honestly one of my favorite chapters I've ever written so far. It was so much fun to write! This chapter we continue with the gang from last chapter and also get more into the nitty gritty of what's going on with Zuko! As always, I do not avatar or its characters. Onto the story!

Update: The last two chapters got messed up! So if you didn't read those, they should be fixed!

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 32: The First Trial

As the man in the dark cloak moved away from where Appa landed, Ikem swopped in and grabbed Kiyi before another rebel could try. He forward rolled to get out of the way and sent a blast of fire around his wife at the rebel holding her. She ran to her family and enveloped them in a hug, eager to back in their arms.

Appa let out a loud growl towards where the man shielded away from him. "We gotta go!" Toph yelled, "I know you want to kill him buddy but now is not the time" she reasoned with the bison, as he let out another grunt, this time in understanding.

Ikem helped his family up onto Appa, sending fire blasts towards the rebels that tried to stop them before they took off into the sky.

As they took off, Katara looked back down at the rebels below. The man in the black cloak looked up at her and she could finally see his face. But his face was partially covered with a white mask. And somehow, she knew she would see that face again. It ran chills down her spine.

After a moment in the air, Katara climbed back onto the saddle, "We should stay in the air for a little while… To lose their trail…"

Noriko looked at her husband, "Do you want to tell me what's going on now?" she asked him. Katara and Toph looked at Ikem, not sure how to approach this question. Ikem sighed and took his wife's hand, "Love… I can tell you but you may not understand… So, I need you to listen okay… and I need you to trust me"

Noriko frowned but nodded, looking at him, "There is a part of your life…" he began, "That is painful to remember… It is scary and hard. But there are really good parts too… Amazing parts with amazing people that you don't remember right now… A long time ago… We had to make a choice to protect you from people who wanted to hurt you. The same people who want to hurt you now… So we had to make a choice that made you forget the really amazing parts of your life… and the scary parts too…"

Ikem paused, judging her reaction. Noriko watched him carefully, trying her best to understand. He continued, "Now… One of those people from your past… One of the amazing parts… Is in real danger… And he won't survive unless you remember him and that time of your life… He needs your help…"

After a moment of silence, Noriko spoke, "He needs me?" she questioned, to which Ikem nodded. She looked down for a moment, then looked to Toph and Katara, "That's why you're here? To save him?" Noriko asked them. They both nodded, "He's our best friend…" Toph said.

Noriko then looked at Katara, "Do you love him?" she asked.

The question caught her slightly by surprise, but she nodded, "Yes I do…" Katara said, confidently.

Noriko nodded, determined, "Okay… What do I have to do?"

In a different part of the world, Aang stood over Zuko's body, moving the water in a push and pull movement. It was unlike bending he had ever done. It wasn't like he was healing him; he hadn't managed to figure out that technique, even with Katara's training on it. But it was like he was reaching into his body and moving the water through his veins.

He heard footsteps enter the room, but he did not pull his eyes from his concentration. Somehow, he knew that it was Iroh who walked into the room.

"How is he?" Aang heard the wise voice speak. He finally turned to him, giving him an apologetic, sad smile, "Same as before… and only getting worse…"

Iroh sighed and looked down at his nephew's face, "Hang in there my son… Only a little while longer…" he spoke, hope in his voice. Aang looked from Zuko to him, "Do you really believe that?" he asked, skeptical. He smiled and placed a hand on the Avatar's shoulder, "A jade tree goes through many trials for it to grow… But it never takes very long…"

Aang looked at him, confused, unsure of what he meant, before looking back at Zuko's face.

The world began to come into view once again and they were no longer in the bright white. They were in the castle. Zuko looked around, "Why are we here?" he asked.

Roku began walking down the hallway, "This is the first trial…Your present…"

"My trial?" Zuko asked him, confused. "In life, we make choices… And those choices all have consequences… We are, in a way, the judge of our fate. This is the same in our death… You have a choice… Both of them have consequences…"

Zuko looked down, thinking for a moment. There was a part of him that thought about life in the spirit world. Even though he was young, his whole life was full of agony and despair. He wished for peace. But he thought of everything he was going to leave behind. Would it be worth it?

"That is what you will decide for yourself…" Roku spoke, hearing his inner thoughts. Zuko looked at him and after a moment, nodded determined, "I'm ready.

They walked into the hospital room. Zuko looked around at the room he had seen so many times before. But now it seemed entirely new to him. In the middle of the room, was a large clawfoot bathtub. He frowned, unsure of why it was there.

"Katara was able to preserve your body with water… If it stays moving" Roku spoke, gesturing to Aang moving the water, pushing and pulling, "You have more time…"

Zuko smiled a little to himself. Katara never ceased to amaze him. She was extraordinary in every way, even in the state he was in, he could see that.

He then turned to the Avatar and his Uncle, both with tired looked on their faces. The bags under their eyes were clearly visible to him. And it was clear the stress was getting to him.

"This is killing him…" Zuko spoke. Roku placed a hand on his shoulder, "He is a strong man that has dealt with so much pain and loss in his life… But that is what has made him strong… and into a better man"

"How long does he have doctor? Iroh asked Doctor Hin. The man sighed and shook his head, "I'm not sure… I have never seen this technique before. The water bender told me it will only last about a week… So that means…"

"We only have 2 days left…" Iroh finished for him, a grave, stone look on his face. Zuko remembers the last time that look was on his face. It was when his son, Lu Ten, died. "I will tell the council…" Iroh spoke, walking from the room. Zuko tried to reach for him, and it almost seemed like for a moment, his uncle felt his presence. But he kept walking, leaving Zuko behind.

"I don't want him to feel this again…" Zuko spoke, "I already made up my mind" he spoke. But Roku looked at him and smiled a little, "If you had truly in your heart decided, we wouldn't still be here right now…"

Zuko looked down, thinking for a moment, before Roku pulled him out of his thoughts again, "Come my grandson… Your path is at a crossroads… And there is still more to learn…"

Ta-Daaa! There is still more to learn! Until next time!