Author's Notes: So this one has been a bit overdue, my apologies. I'd originally started working on this immediately after posting the last chapter, and for while had been going smoothly. Unfortunately some personal events cropped up, and while I continued working on it, I believe it suffered as a result of me being so preoccupied.

Still I kept at it, and would have released it a week earlier, had I not come down with a nasty cold. But, despite everything that popped up, I got it done, this huge chapter, which i contemplated breaking up into two, but decided against for pacing purposes.

I don't exactly have much to say beyond apologizing, other than I hope you all enjoy, and hope you leave a review telling me what you thought about the new chapter. It really brightens my day to read what you all have to say, and hey, maybe I'll pick up some tips along the way! Anyway, stay strong everyone and I hope to see you all again next time!


The Spirit and the Firebender.


Pain was a concept that anyone could be familiar with. It was something that everyone experienced on a daily basis, a regular part of life. Whether it be stubbing a toe on the corner of a wall, burning your tongue on hot soup, or having your ankle almost broken by a burly man riding a komodo rhinoceros.

Katara was the latter of that spectrum at that moment, hobbling through the smoke coated town as fast as her wounded leg could let her.

Oh how she wished she could stay and fight by Zuko's side. To see him punish more of the firebending scum that attacked the village; and yet she knew it would be best for her to put distance between herself and the swordsman.

As she made her way through the village, Katara saw just how the flames had bathed across the numerous rooftops, engulfing the buildings below. The inexplicable sense of horror that washed over the waterbender's weary body was something she'd only felt as a child.

It was all so much to take in, the smoke and ash that polluted the air, the raging fires, and the hapless denizens, fearing for their lives with every passing second. Children clung tightly to their mothers in the streets, men shielded their families with their own bodies, and those unfortunate enough to have been caught up in the worst of it laid there, lifeless on the ground.

And before Katara realized it, she was a little girl again, standing in her family's igloo, frozen with fear.

" ...Katara… " Her mother had whispered, holding her little girl close, pressing her forehead to hers.

" ...M..Mom...What's...What's going on...Who...Who are all those people? " She'd never seen anyone from the Fire Nation before that point in her life, she'd never known the true face of terror.

Katara vividly remembered the pained look in her mother's eyes, the tears that threatened to fall, threatened to, but never did. Kya wanted to stay as strong as she could for her daughter, doing anything possible to keep her from being scared. " ...They're bad men Katara...Very...Very...Bad men… " With a touch that held gentleness that only a mother could possess, Kye stroked Katara's head.

" ...Why are they here...What do they want..? " Oh how clueless Katara had been then, so uninformed of the atrocities that the invaders would commit...The pain that she'd suffer at their hands.

" The waterbender! Tell us where it is! Now! "

Kya's hold on Katara grew tighter as the voices of the Fire Nation grew closer to their igloo. " ...That's not important...All that matters now….All That matters is you hiding… "

" ...Hiding..? "

" Yes… " Kya nodded, releasing her daughter, moving to the wall of the igloo, and removing a block of ice at the base of the structure, making a hole just small enough for Katara to fit through. " ...Now I need you to listen to me...Please...Crawl through that hole..and Run...Run until you find your brother… "

" ..But! "

" Katara please! " Look back, Katara never realized just how much desperation was in hermother's voice. " ...Please...Just...listen to me… " Her mother's voice grew shakier with every passing moment, her composure steadily coming undone. " ...Go with your brother...Find your grandmother...She'll keep you both safe… "

It was at that point that Katara couldn't hold her own tears in. The thought of leaving her mother there with those terrifying people just outside their home broke her, " ...M..M..Mom...What..What about you?! " She latched onto her mother's parka, pressing her face into it as she cried. " ...I..I don't want to leave you! "

Katara remembered how her mother pressed her lips to the top of her head. The shaky tone in her voice. The lie she'd been told.

" ...Don't...Don't worry Katara...I'll be alright...Just...Just go...I'll find you once the bad men leave...Now please...go...Hurry! "

Though she was hesitant, Katara obeyed her mother, crawling through the hole, just as the sound of heavy boots crunching the snow came closer to the igloo's entrance.

" Alright! Enough games, where's the waterbender? Tell me and I won't burn the rest of your village to the ground! "

Just the sound of the man's voice was more than enough to send chills down her eight year old spine. Against her better judgement, Katara peeked back through the hole, catching only a glimpse of the man's face as her mother shoved the block back into place. It was only a glimpse, but it was a glimpse she'd never forget.

" ...It's me! I'm the waterbender...The one you want… "

Katara remembered the horrendous noise of flesh being stricken, the sound of a body falling, and the heavy footsteps that grew closer to her mother. With eyes full of tears, she sprinted through the snow, only stopping once.

She'd looked back at her family's igloo, looked back and saw the flames that swallowed it whole, burning away everything they owned, as well as her mother.

The memory had completely overtaken Katara, leaving her frozen in place with an endless stare. Only when she'd caught sight of the fire Nation soldier coming within striking distance did Katara snap out of it.

The soldier's hand was ablaze, swinging towards her in an underhanded arc, moving too fast for Katara to properly protect herself at her current distance. Too close for Katara to evade, too sudden to properly counter, and no energy left for Katara to fight back. All she could do was clench her eyes shut, draw her head back, and wait for the searing pain overtake he-

" SKRAW! "

With thunderous steps and speed to match, Amka came rushing in. With monstrous might, she reared her massive foot up, slamming it into the soldier's armored torso, denting it in with ease, and smashing him through the outer wall of the nearest building.

With much hesitation, Katara's eyes peeled open, gazing upon the mountain of feathers and muscles that made up her ostrich-horse. " A..Amka..? Y..You saved me…But...But how did you... "

" Yip! Yipyipyip! "

The familiar sound had Katara's head shooting in the other direction, seeing the kit she and Zuko adopted running her way with zeal. " ..Yuki! " Her legs buckled beneath her, causing her to fall to her knees. The little fox leapt towards her, being caught in open arms, immediately shifting to a tight embrace.

" Yip! Yip yip! " The little kit stared up at it's human with bright, excited eyes, no doubt glad that she was safe.

Unable to hold it any longer, the dam of emotion that had been welling up in Katara cracked. Tears poured from her eyes like water from a fountain; she'd been so sure that it was all over more than once today, leaving her shaken beyond anything she'd experienced, only made worse by the inadvertent memory of her mother. " ..Oh Yuki! I..I was so scared...I...I was so...So helpless… " She wasn't even sure what she was referring to, whether it was the close encounter with the soldier, or the loss of her mother. All Katara knew at the moment was she wanted to hold the kit close, and she did, nestling him against her face with much affection.

" Skreh… " Amka stepped towards Katara, lowering her head to Katara's level, gently nuzzling against her waterbender with her beak.

" ...Thank you...Thank you both so much… " Even through the pain, even through the emotional trauma, Katara found that she could smile, so long as her loved ones were with her; Animals or not, in Katara's eyes and heart, they were as much as family as anyone else.

But things couldn't stay as happy and heartwarming as they were at that moment. The sound of burning buildings collapsing brought Katara spiraling back to reality. " ...Things are only getting worse… " She held Yuki as close to ehr chest as possible, finding the resolve to pick herself up. " ...And Zuko...He's still out there...Still fighting… "

" Skraw! " Amka stamped her foot down, obviously unsettled by the growing pyre.

Then it hit Katara, an idea that might just help them win this. " Amka! " Katara placed her hand on the side of the large avian's beak, stroking it and looking her in the eyes. " I need you to listen to me...I know you don't like Zuko...I know he said some rude things...But he needs your help right now...He's out there fighting the people responsible for this… " Unsure if the ostrich-horse even understood her, Katara continued, praying to the spirits that this would work, and that she wasn't crazy for entrusting this to an animal. " ...I need you to run to Zuko, go help him...He's strong...But not strong enough to fight those five and their stupid rhino's...That's why it's up to you to even the playing field...Do you understand...Please understa- "

Katara wasn't even able to finish, Not before Amka swiveled around, dashing off as fast as her legs could take her. And she was even headed in the same direction as Zuko, much to Katara's relief. " ...Thank La...I guess that leaves this next part to you and me, Yuki...Trying to control these fires… "

" Yip! Yip yip! "

Those were words of encouragement, at least that's how Katara chose to interpret them. " ...Yeah, we got this...I'm getting my second wind! " Hopefully that would be enough for her to keep things under control. A storm was coming, a big one, she could practically feel it. All she needed to do was buy a little time, that much would be manageable, right?


Like the inferno that blazed around him, Zuko was furious. Seeing the condition Katara was in when he arrived was more than enough to accomplish that, especially after the atrocities witnessed rushing through the village.

Homes destroyed, people burned, soldier's rounding townspeople up like livestock, and the complete disregard for the village's way of life. It all brought about a great swelling rage within Zuko, a rage that Zuko swore to keep under wraps at all times, something he'd never been forced to go against, until now.

With a roar akin to that of the very rhinos before him, Zuko launched towards Mongke, swords crossed across his chest, ready to cut the man down.

" I'LL SLICE YOU INTO PIECES! "

A last second whip of the rhino's reins had saved Mongke from having to get better acquainted with the masked assailants' blades. The swordsman had come at him with such unbridled furry, with such speed, giving even the seasoned warrior no room to counter. Choosing to put some distance between himself and the attacker, Mongke whipped the rhino's reins again, commanding it to move " Be careful boys! This one's got some bite! "

" I'll show you some bite! " Zuko growled out as he came skidding to a stop, turning to give chase to the retreating commander. Putting one foot in front of the other, Zuko took off on a sprint, not caring how much faster the animal was than him, all that mattered was keeping it's rider in his sight.

Even with the numerous building's ablaze, the sound of metal cutting through the air caused Zuko's ears to twitch. With eyes widened, Zuko jumped up, narrowly avoiding having his legs taken out from beneath with the end of a bolas, then with zero hesitation, flung his body backwards, watching as the blade of the enemies polearm grazed harmlessly over his mask.

" ...Dammit! That was too close… " Despite his last minute evasive action, Zuko managed to land on his feet, taking in his attackers. Two riders had stopped in an effort to block off Zuko's pursuit. " ...That's what I get for letting my temper run amuck...If i hadn't heard them I'd be dead… "

It didn't take much for Zuko to discern that the two men were the close range fighters of the Rough Rhino's. "Close range" a term Zuko would use loosely, as despite being melee fighters, both had some form of range with their weapons. His eyes narrowed, watching both men carefully, temporarily forgetting their commander as to solely focus on them, lest he endanger himself again.

The burlier of the two spun his bolas with great technique, having it go so fast that no normal person could keep up with it. His grin reeked with confidence, he no doubt saw this as an easy win. The polearm user on the other hand was the exact opposite, being utterly motionless, while still holding a form that shows off his mastery of the weapon.

And yet Zuko could still see a way past them, a way to break through the offensive wall they made. With another mighty push off, Zuko bolted forward, throwing his head to the left just in time to avoid the length of the bolas' chain, then deflecting the polearm with a spin of his own blade, pushing ahead of the two riders.

Of course you can only push so far ahead of two four-legged monsters known for their surprising bursts of speed. It took a matter of seconds for the two riders to be side-by-side with Zuko, weapons readied once more. The fact he could still run as well as he was with the two beasts trembling the ground beneath with their full on sprint was a miracle in it's own.

Zuko's eyes darted back and forth as fast as they could, keeping both assailants within his view, and being taken off guard now would have grave results. It was when his eyes darted towards the polearm wielder that the sound of chains being spun at high speeds started in Zuko's ears.

" Gotta act fast! "

And act fast he did. One small leap to the right was all it took to save Zuko from having his shin shattered. It was unfortunate for Zuko, but the assault continued, with the bolas being swung relentlessly, leaving Zuko to dodge not only it but the numerous swings of the neighboring polearm.

Jump. Hop. Dodge. Duck. Evade. Zuko did it all, and with the utmost precision as well, managing to keep himself from being stricken and sliced if only just by a hair. It got to the point that it was almost too much; Zuko kept running as he evaded each attack, giving his motions the appearance of an almost elegant dance, a dance that could very well end in death.

" If I don't get out of this… " The whistle of an arrow passing by his head brought Zuko from his thoughts prematurely. Any ground he had thought he'd been gaining had just been lost now that the yu-yan archer had decided to join in on the "fun".

But what seemed to be an even worse situation, ended up being the break Zuko needed.

All he needed now was proper timing.

The next volley of attacks came at Zuko, faster and fiercer than the rests, only this time instead of dodging through them, Zuko sprung backwards, putting distance between himself and the two riders, his eyes locked intensely on the distant archer.

Watching the archer knock another arrow, Zuko took his first step forward, pushing off the tips of his feet into a full on sprint. Seeing the two melee fighters swinging their weapons in unison sent waves of elation through Zuko. His opportunity had finally come.

Planting one foot firmly on the ground, Zuko started turning his body, only to spring off the grounded foot, throwing himself between the synced attack, passing through the middle. That was when the wiz of an arrow coming his way resonated in his ear.

" Now! " Spiraling his body midair, Zuko avoided the arrow if only by a hair, throwing his swords in the air, managing to catch the arrow as it passed under him. Twisting just before he touched the ground, Zuko chucked the arrow with all his might in a backhanded throw, forcing the polearm wielder to defend against the unexpected tactic.

Taking advantage of his dropped guard, and the fact that the bolas would need another second before striking, Zuko pounced. Or leaped to be exact, springing backwards, catching his swords in mid fall, the masked swordsman swung downwards, cleaving through the polearm. A quick push from Zuko's foot was enough to send the de-bladed weapon towards it's wielder with enough force to knock him off his mount.

Swiveling on the heels of his feet, Zuko brought his swords up in the shape of an 'X' blocking the incoming bolas as well as getting the chain wrapped around his blades in the process.

" Let's see how you like it! " Zuko growled fiercely, throwing the metal end of the bolas off his blades, into the air, sending it flying back it's owner with an equally fierce kick. Never before had Zuko found it satisfying to see a grown man get hit in the face than it was now.

Sadly there would be no chance for celebration. When Zuko turned back to resume chasing his initial target, he'd found himself practically frozen with shock, in fact it was as if everything had frozen. In the time it had taken him to do away with the first two riders, the archer had managed to fire off a volley of flaming arrows, at least six-strong.

With as much adrenaline as there was pumping through Zuko, he could probably dodge another arrow, he could even knock away two or three with his swords. But six? With their current distance and their spread, there was no way of coming out of it unscathed.

" Dammit! Dammit! Dammi- "

" SKRAW! "

Before Zuko could even react to the ear piercing cry, he found himself knocked into the air, landing hard on a saddle, narrowly avoiding being turned into a flaming pincushion as his "savior" effortlessly weaved out of the way of the volley. Opening his eyes, Zuko was surprised to see what, or who, exactly had saved him.

" ..A-Amka?! " The stupid bird, as he had affectionately dubbed it earlier, had been the one to save his hide. Throwing him onto it's back and pushing forward full force, keeping him from prematurely meeting his maker. " ..Katara sent you...Didn't she? " He mumbled aloud, taking hold of the bird's reins.

" Skreh! " Whether she understood Zuko was something he was completely unsure of, he simply chose to take that as her way of saying "yes, Katara did send me you idiot!"

Even with his mixed feelings for the unruly animal, Zuko wouldn't complain. She was a head taller than the rest of her ostrich-horse brethren, with even more muscle, a freak of nature, you could call her. Standing well over ten feet tall and being composed of pure muscle, Amka was made for running, and run she did.

Despite the considerable headstart that Mongke had, it took Amka little time to run his steed down. Sprinting between the remaining riders, the monster avian seemed dead set on catching it's rider's target.

" That's it girl! Keep going! " Zuko couldn't believe he was encouraging her. Just an hour ago he'd wanted nothing more than to be away from the bird, now he was more than grateful for her presence.

The suddenness of the Ostrich Horse's rapid approach had left Mongke little time to prepare a proper counter action. His Komodo Rhino had been specifically bred for speed, being capable of even keeping up with eel-hounds when on land. And yet this masked brat's Ostrich horse had caught up so quickly. " Don't just sit there and gawk you two! Kill him already! " Turning back towards the Blue Spirit, Mongke thrusted his fist forward, blasting out a stream of flames at his attacker, growling loudly as he watched his attack pass harmlessly by the swordsman's head.

Panicking. Mongke was panicking, and Zuko could see it as clear as day. " His attacks are getting erratic...But I can't let my guard down, there's still two more to deal with! " With swords drawn and a gleam in his eye, Zuko set his sights on the more dangerous of the two riders.

The armored rider, loaded to the brim with explosives of varying sizes and degrees of blasting power, locked eyes with the swordsman, three miniature explosives held securely between his digits.

And despite their size, as well as Zuko's lack of complete vision, they were still visible to the masked swordsman. Having dealt with the Fire Nation for going on three years now, Zuko was no stranger to bombs and explosives. Devastating even at longer ranges if they were big enough, and with no bending there was no easy way to defend against them. They made battle unpredictable and most normal strategies unreliable without the risk of being blown to pieces.

Yet, Zuko could read the fellow masked man like a book. It was both basic strategy as well as common sense, a tactic Iroh had taught him.

" The simplest way of taking down a mobile opponent is to take them out by their roots. "

" Their roots? " His younger and confused self had copied.

" Yes. Their roots; the base of their bodies. "

Translation; take their feet out from beneath them, and if you couldn't land a blow, then try and throw off their movements with fake-outs. And that's exactly what the explosives expert had planned as far as Zuko knew, of course he also knew from personal experience that trying to read a masked opponent is like trying to scold a rock, pointless and time consuming.

" So I just gotta stay on my toes… "

Brows knitted from behind the blood red visor of the Rough Rhino's visor. Whoever the kid behind the mask was, he was good, a little too good for even Mongke's liking. Yeh-Lu, a master in the art of explosives, possessing a knack for breaking things, rarely ever found himself nervous, and yet he couldn't keep his hands from trembling after watching the supposed Blue Spirit dispatch two of his allies.

With traveling eyes, the Fire Nation bomber's gaze found its way to his only other active comrade. Even Vachir, the once a member of the famed Yuyan archers, disciplined to show as few emotions as possible, held the briefest amount of doubt in his eyes. Their eyes locked long enough for a sour of the moment plan to be formed between the two; It was obvious that at this point, Mongke was running with his tail between his legs, and escape was impossible with their assailant as close as he was.

Sharing a short but firm nod, the two remaining riders suddenly split off in different directions, using the buildings they passed for cover, putting as much distance between themselves and the swordsman as possible.

Whatever they had in store, Zuko was on guard, which, thankfully, was easier considering that Amka was independent enough to steer herself. But one could only be so vigilant when their line of sight was consistently obstructed. " D-Dammit! Not good! I can't keep a good view on the- "

That was when Zuko saw it, the sparkling of fuses, fuses attached two size miniature bombs that flew right for the bird and rider duo. The only thing Zuko could do to avoid the cluster of small explosions was grab hold of Amka's reins, yanking hard to veer her away, narrowly avoiding hitting a wooden beam in the process. "Sorry girl! But if we get hit with one of those. Your running days are- "

Zuko couldn't get the words out fast enough, before he could even really process what was happening, he'd found another problem.

Arrows, lots and lots of arrows.

Despite the ample obstructions between Zuko and the archer, the Fire Nation Marksman was taking every opportunity to pelt the swordsman down with as many shots as possible. Accuracy was the forte of the Yuyan archers, and Vachir was no exception, letting off volleys of arrows that seemed to weave through obstacles, like they had wills of their own.

With little to no time at all to react, All Zuko could do was swipe away whatever he could, and whatever he couldn't he'd pull hard on Amka's reins, steering her just out of the way of any oncoming arrows.

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

As if things weren't bad enough, three explosions, larger than the last few, going off in rapid succession in front of Amka forced the large bird to veer even closer to the source of the arrows.

" DAMMIT! Dammit, dammit! " Zuko mentally swore, having to put forward one-hundred percent of his abilities just to keep himself and Amka from harm. " I can't get close to the archer, otherwise the bomber will try blasting me to pieces! And I can't go after the bomber, or else Amka's gonna get turned into a feathery pincushion! "

For any other nonbender, or even bender for that fact, this situation might have seemed like a hopeless one. Maybe if the three of them were on foot and there wasn't a literal town between them, then the playing field could've been evened out.

" But on mounts...It's a whole different story… " Zuko knew well enough that this was the sort of battle style the Rough Rhino's specialized in; they weren't known as the Fire Nation's elite cavalry for nothing, high speed, mounted battles was their area of expertise.

This was a do or die situation, that much was obvious to Zuko, and to be honest, it wasn't anything new. Taking the fight to the Fire Nation for the past three years had forced Zuko into some less than desirable scenarios. But out of all of them, this one took the cake for most stress inducing. It wasn't even the danger itself, rather the pressure that came from having someone, or something else in the way of danger meant for himself.

" Even if she is just some dumb bird! She doesn't deserve to get hurt because of me! " Looking forward for the briefest of moments, Zuko caught sight of just how fierce and determined Amka looked. It had him doubting that those innocent farmers they'd helped bred such a ferocious animal; and it was that ferocity that Zuko was worried about.

Zuko needed to think up a way out of this pinch, he just had to. " Alright Zuko, you got two assailants attacking you from a distance! " He deflected another small barrage of arrows, cringing from the pain starting to form in his wrists, pain born from the excessive advanced maneuvers used to deflect such high precision shots. " One's an archer...A damn good one! And the other, an explosives expert! Neither of which are giving you any ground to work with! And to top it off, you're riding a bird that won't stop moving until it's caught the firebending bastard you targeted! So! How do you get yourself out of this jam?! "

It was a question worth a million gold coins, one that he'd love an answer for, but had nothing. Of course the obvious solution would have been to wait it out; both attackers possessed finite ways of attacking, or would have in a normal situation. Fire Nation Rhino's come packing saddles that are practically covered in provision pouches, some of which are meant to hold weeks and weeks of food, so there was no doubt about it that these two had ammunition to spare.

But as the thought passed through Zuko's head, the realization that said ammunition had suddenly ceased. Any normal person would have been filled with relief, but then again, Zuko wasn't even remotely close to normal. The ceasefire brought out a dread, the likes of which Zuko had only felt a handful of times, one justified by the abruptness of a new sound filling his ears.

The sound of two mammoth beasts barreling through burning houses, getting closer with each titanic step. It didn't take much thought for Zuko to realize the danger he was in, to realize just how little time he had to act….

To realize that they were trying to smash Zuko between them!

Komodo Rhino's were literal walls of muscle, capable of smashing rock with minimal effort. So tearing through houses, houses that have lost most structural integrity due to the fires, mind you, was a menial task.

He could see them getting closer with every monstrous step, see them ripping through houses like they were made of wet paper. And the closer they got, the less room Amka had to maneuver, robbing them of what few options for retaliation they had.

To say they were literally pushing more pressure on Zuko, would be a major understatement. " Come on! Come on, think! You've gotten out of jams before! You can do it again! " At least, these were the words that Zuko wanted to believe, he really did, but there was just so little he could in so little time.

But something hit Zuko, something that would throw off his train of thought entirely, leading him to the answer he needed.

Amka, more than likely sensing the growing panic of her rider, looked back, their gazes locked intensely. Something about her dark eyes pierced the veil of self doubt that had begun forming in Zuko's mind, taking him back to something Katara had told him.

" You aren't on your own anymore...It isn't just you and your swords anymore… " Katara's words rang so clearly in Zuko's ears, reassuring him, just as if she were actually with him. "

He wasn't just fighting alone, and he wasn't the only one in danger of being smashed between two Komodo Rhinos; Amka was in this too, putting in just as much effort as Zuko.

This got Zuko's mind racing, pulling forward any and all information he had on ostrich horses, hoping to use something, anything to get out of the bind they were in. Surprisingly, Zuko knew a fair amount, like how ostrich horses could run for days with little water if they needed to, and how their tough feathers kept them safe from the likes of sand and dust storms. But perhaps the most helpful fact in his metaphorical book on large avians, was that an ostrich horse's legs were incredibly strong, to an almost absurd degree; capable of leaping far higher than any person, and even capable of scaling vertical surfaces.

" Vertical surfaces! That's it! " Zuko shouted, tightening his grips on the reins, his eyes locked on a solid brick wall, left unscathed by the initial fires. " You ready for some tricky footwork, girl?! "

" SKRAW! " Amka cried out furiously, sprinting even faster, her head and body leaned forward as she pushed herself to her limits.

Timing was everything in this singular moment; a moment so crucial to both Zuko and Amka's survival. Zuko pulled hard to the left with the reins, pulling Amka to the targeted wall. " NOW! "

With all the might her massive legs could muster, Amka pushed off the tips of her clawed toes, propelling herself towards the wall. Using the momentum from her jump, and pushing off immediately afterwards, Amka launched herself up and over the adjacent building, landing right next to the Fire Nation bomber's rhino.

Before Yeh-Lu could even process what had happened, the Blue Spirit was already on him. With all his might, Zuko swung his swords upwards, raking them harshly across the bomber's faceplate, cutting clean through it, and knocking him off his rhino in the process.

" That's one down! " Zuko's body was trembling from the sheer amount of adrenaline surging through it. He could count on one hand the number of times he'd been put in situations where this feeling had been present; a feeling both so horrendous and invigorating all at once, one that gave him the sense that nothing but death could bring a stop to could feel the tight hold the sensation had on his body, pushing Zuko closer and closer to his limits.

With the realization that Mongke could make a run for it at any moment becoming ever more present with each passing second, Zuko put in action his spur-of-the-moment plan to rid himself of the archer, who until now had yet to cease his barrage of arrows.

" I need you to get closer girl! "

Amka looked back at Zuko, her deep black eyes looking into his golden ones. She quite frankly didn't like the human; he was loud, rude, and nothing like the nicer darker-skinned girl. But there was something about the loud human that brought the large bird to trust him. " Skreh! " Amka gave a fierce nod, diverting herself towards the archer's Komodo Rhino.

Giving the ostrich horse an appreciative pat, Zuko proceeded to stand himself on her saddle, squatting in preparation to jump. " I got one shot! Time to make it count! " With every ounce of power he could push through his legs, Zuko leapt from Amka, soaring across the wall of debris that momentarily separated him from Vachir.

With eyes narrowed behind his mask, a grip as tight as possible around his swords, and muscles as tensest as they'd ever been, Zuko was ready to strike. A wild roar escaped his mouth as he brought himself down, moving his body into a spiral. With the momentum brought about by the spin, Zuko brought his swords down as hard as he could, striking the archer clean across the chest, knocking him from atop his mount to the ground below. And before the riderless rhino had a chance to go rampant, Zuko sprung from it's saddle, grabbing onto Amka's and pulling himself to safety.

" And that...Makes two! " Zuko spoke triumphantly between his labored breaths, repositioning himself onto Amka's saddle.

Now there was nothing but a short distance between Zuko and the fleeing Mongke, a distance that Amka could clear in no time at all. A quick whip at her reins, and Amka was off, kicking up dirt and stone with every powerful step she took, bringing Zuko closer and closer to the fleeing colonel. " That's it girl! Faster! Faster! "


Not too far ahead was the Rough Rhino's leader himself, having managed to reach the second wave of soldier's that, until now, had been posted just outside the village. " ...I can only assume they've failed… " Mongke muttered to himself, taking the absence of the other riders as evidence that they'd been soundly dealt with. " ...Disappointments...The whole lot of them! " Fire enveloped the man's clenched fist as his tempered flared.

Just how had one single punk taken down the most elite cavalry that the Fire Nation had to offer?! With a glare that even the Fire Lord would approve of, Mongke glanced down at the soldiers, some of which were new recruits, and had never been put in a situation like this. " Listen here you sorry bunch! I want you all ready to bend like your lives depend on it! Because as of right now they do! "

Their stiff postures were signs of poor training, or a general lack of discipline, something that wouldn't be acceptable. " The so-called "Blue Spirit" Is coming right this way! The instant his mask comes into your line of sight, I want you to fire! If any one of you even hesitates! I will deal with you mysel- "

Mongke never got to finish his threat, as the sound of heavy footfall and collapsing wood filled the air. Quickly turning in the direction of the invading noise, Mongke's eyes fell upon a monster of an ostrich horse, barreling through the smoking streets at a breakneck pace; and atop the birds back, was the Blue Spirit, whose devilish grin only taunted the colonel, furthering his rage.

" FIRE! " Mongke roared furiously, thrusting his own fist forward, pushing out a ball of fire, the size of which dwarfed the other bender's attacks. And yet, like that of an actual spirit, he seemed unfazed, weaving through their attacks with the utmost precision, getting closer with every thunderous step.

No matter how many times the battalion of troops fired upon the spirit, no hits were landed, not even a graze. Mongke couldn't help but find himself shaking, be it anger, or be it fear, his body trembled. With wide panicked eyes he opened his mouth to shout, ready to give the order to cover his retreat; at this point, retreat would be far less shameful than being defeated by some brat in a mask.

That was until he saw it coming from the direction that the "Spirit" had ridden from; a bright gleam. The gleam of an arrowhead.

Mongke grinned a devious grin, regaining his composure. It was time to exercise this spirit. " KEEP FIRING!

The formidable warcry of the Blue Spirit rang throughout the field of battle, his swords drawn, his steed carrying him valiantly. Both Zuko and Amka weaved effortlessly through the barrage of fireballs, closing in on his target. " That's right! Sit right there with that smug look on your face! I'll make you pay for what you did to this village! "

With swords drawn, Zuko was poised and ready to strike, standing atop Amka's saddle, prepared to launch himself at mongke. But at that moment, that decisive moment, the very one that could have seen the attack on the village come to an end, Zuko heard something, something loud enough to catch his attention, even amongst the hail of fire passing him by.

The sizzle of a fuse, one growing louder with each instant.

As if in slow motion, Zuko turned back, and to his horror, saw an arrow flying towards them; and while a lone arrow would normally be little to no worry, especially considering it was aimed towards the ground, this one was different. This arrow had an explosive strapped close to the tip, a very much lit explosive, aimed right for the dirt beneath Amka.

With so little time to react, Zuko grabbed hold of Amka's saddle, pushing his feet hard against the bird's side. " ..AMKA! " With all the force his legs could muster, Zuko Kicked Amka's side, knocking her off course, and while this action would propel Zuko, it would push her far enough away that the explosive wouldn't hurt her.

Zuko however, could only cross his arms in front of his face, falling closer and closer to the ground. He wouldn't even make contact before the fuse in the explosive ran out. But before the flash of the explosive could go off, Zuko found himself frozen in that instant, his mind racing back to one of his earliest memories.

A memory of Iroh.

" ...How much longer is it gonna take, old man? "

He could see himself, three years younger, seated at a campfire with Iroh. The two of them had been traveling, having only recently left the beach that Zuko had initially washed up on.

It was such a vivid memory, to the point that he could even recall the smell of the air as their food for the night roasted over the fire. The trust between Zuko and Iroh had still been in its infancy, yet, Zuko remembered never feeling at unease around the older man, especially when dinner rolled around.

Iroh's jovial chuckle resonated throughout his mind, unbothered by Zuko's blatant lack of respect. " Patience, Zuko. It will be done when it is done. " He could see Iroh's bright smile as he tended to their meal. " Good fish takes time to cook. If you take it off too soon, then the meat will be chewy, not raw, but not ready. Keep it cooking for too long, and it becomes dry, flaky, and overall unappealing. "

A snort escaped the younger Zuko's nose in response to Iroh. " So you're some kind of chef now? "

" No. But I do have some experience with good food. " Iroh continued smiling, happily turning over his fish so it could cook evenly.

" ...Yeah, I'll say… " There were times when Zuko wished he could go back in time and smack his younger self. There was unintentional disrespect, which he apparently had a streak for, and then there was being a massive jerk, which he was ashamed of admitting to being.

And yet still, Iroh's smile never faltered, in fact the snide remark brought about another fit of laughter from him. " You act that way now, but when you're my age, you'll wish you looked as good as me. "

The fact that Iroh could find humor and joy in any form of an insult, spoke leagues of his character, at least for Zuko. It never bothered him, no matter who said what about him, in fact he often found ways of turning it around, or ways of turning it into a full blown conversation. " Heh, right, Iroh. When I'm your age I also want to be an old hermit that blathers on about tea every second he has a chance to. "

" Hey now, there's nothing wrong with tea, unless of course you make it improperly. " Zuko remembered how Iroh had looked at him with the utmost seriousness when he spoke about tea, it always baffled him how someone like Iroh could occupy so much of his thoughts with a cup of hot leaf juice.

There was a brief pause in their interaction, just long enough for Iroh to carefully hand Zuko his fish, cooked to "perfection" as Iroh would have said. That, along with the smile that Iroh wore, gnawed away at the "hostility" that Zuko had held within himself; A hostility born from the life he knew nothing of, brought about by one man's cruelty.

It made Zuko feel as though he didn't deserve such treatment, that kindness was something wasted on himself. " ...Th...Thank you...Iroh… "

Iroh had reached across the fire, placing his hand on Zuko's shoulder, smiling as he looked the masked boy in the eyes. " Do not let your thoughts bring you down, Zuko. Perhaps you haven't been dealt a good hand by life...Perhaps you are just another victim of this world's cruelty...But still, there will always be someone by yourself, keeping you aloft when you need it most...And right now, that someone is me. "

Iroh's words echoed throughout the void of Zuko's mind, repeating in a never ending loop. There would always be someone to hold him aloft, someone by his side to help guide him through the world, but what would happen if he left that person on their own, if his life came to an end.

What would happen to them?

What would happen to...

" ...Katara… "

BOOOM!

The explosive detonated midair, singing the swordsman's clothes and arms, and sending him flying from force alone. Like a stone being skipped across the surface of a pond, Zuko skidded hard across the ground, eventually coming to a rolling stop, his exposed skin scraped all over as a result.

Amidst the chaos of it all, Zuko could hear his name being shouted, coming out as a desperate plea of sorts.

" ZUKO!"

It was a voice that, even with ringing ears, he could recognize with ease.

" ...Ka...Katara… "


The damage done by the Fire Nation soldier's fires was escalating at a level that Katara felt was impossible for her to keep up with. For every one fire she put out, two more seemed to crop up, and it wasn't due to the soldier's originally responsible. Wood was prone reigniting even after having it's flame doused, and the surrounding heat prevented any moisture from sticking to the burning buildings.

" It's just...No good… " Katara panted, wiping the accumulating sweat from her brow. There was just too much fire to deal with, and too little water on hand to put it out.

A great dread began filling the pits of her stomach, one that told her how the fire would consume the entirety of the village. So even if Zuko could run off the attackers, the villagers would be without a home.

" ...N...No! NO! I refuse! "

Pulling all the water she could towards her, Katara began shaping it high above her head, giving it the appearance of a blanket; a blanket of water. With clenched eyes and teeth, Katara moved the sheet of liquid over the burning house, holding it there for a fleeting moment, only to drop it, bathing the house in the water, and extinguishing the flames.

That made one house down...And almost twenty more to go.

" This….This is absurd… " Katara could only take so much of this, the heat alone was enough to sap her of any energy required to bend at her fullest. And yet, she couldn't find it in herself to just give up, so heat be damned! " Just...Just gotta keep pushing...Just keep pu- "

CRASH!

SNAP!

CRASH!

Katara's body quickly rotated, turning just in time to see house after house suddenly crumbling on the other end of town. It was as if something was ripping right through them, bringing each building down in quick succession.

" ..Wh...What's...What's happening?! " The rumbling that accompanied the destruction of the many buildings made her want to believe that an earthquake was responsible; a reasonable thought, but one Katara immediately dismissed. She'd felt this same rumbling in her short-lived encounter with the Rough Rhino's.

" ..Th...Those monsters! They're gonna tear the whole village down if...If we… " It was then that Katara found herself in a predicament that she'd rather not be in. To pursue the nefarious cavalry unit and try to put a stop to their destruction, or ignore them and continue attempting to contain the fires. " ...Darnit! Darnit if only… "

That's when it hit her, quite literally. A droplet of water hit Katara, square on the tip of her nose. " Is that...Rain..? " Katara's eyes slowly drifted upwards, quickly widening at the sight of dark grey clouds forming overhead.

So much had taken place in such a short amount of time that Katara hadn't even noticed what looked like a large storm, rolling in. A ghost of a smile graced Katara's face as she watched more clouds closing in over the village, with more droplets following with. " ...Thank the spirits...We're finally catching a break… "

It didn't feel entirely right to just up and leave before the full brunt of the storm could hit, but something in Katara's gut was calling out to her, shouting at her to hurry in the direction of the Rhinos. In the direction of Zuko.

So while there was still some strength to muster in her legs, Katara took off, sprinting through the village, only partially slowing down to take in the wreckage that covered the rest of the village. " ..It's...So...Awful…. "

Awful indeed. The vast majority of the houses on this end of the village had been utterly ravaged, burned to the ground, trampled, and completely demolished. How could any one person condone these actions and still sleep at night? It was a question that many had asked, but never received an answer.

She'd run a good distance from the center of the village where she'd been tending to the fires, and in that time, the rainfall had gradually started building up. She could feel it in the air, all the water above, just waiting to fall to the earth below.

Then, without any warning, a deafening blast filled the air, a blast that Katara had a perfect view of. She'd been passing by a back alley in her effort to rejoin the fight, an alley that, as she passed, gave her an excellent view of Zuko.

He was in the process of pushing Amka as far away as he could with his feet, while throwing himself towards the ground. She'd quickly pivoted in her steps, turning to sprint down the alley, when the aforementioned explosion went off, shaking the ground beneath her, and sending Zuko hurtling across the ground.

Her eyes grew as wide as dinner plates as she watched the swordsman tumble across the ground like a rolling log. She opened her mouth to shout, but nothing would come out.

In that moment after the blast, the blast, that deafening blast, Katara's world was filled with silence. Without even realizing it, Katara started running, trying desperately to call Zuko's name. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, welling up and pouring uncontrollably as the idea that Zuko had just been killed plagued her mind.

With vision both narrowed and blurred, Katara sprinted towards Zuko, pulling water from a nearby ostrich horse trough. If she could reach him fast enough, then she could heal him, she could save him!

She'd gotten halfway across the field of battle when her voice came back, when she could feel his name leave her lips in a panicked scream.

" ZUKO! "

Katara's heartbeat filed her ears, blocking out all other sounds, even her own cries. Zuko's limp body was enough to force all rational thought from her, letting her emotions run wild and dictate her movements.

" ZUKO! Don't worry Zuko! I'll be there! I'll be the- AGH! " With tunneled vision, Katara had no way of seeing the blindside attack from Mongke, who'd seen an excellent opportunity to get back at the "water savage" for earlier. Rushing forward on foot, delivering a fierce overhanded punch, smacking Katara to the ground.

" I guess what they say is true. Vermin can never truly be rid of...They'll just keep coming back! " A swift kick to Katara's ribs sent the poor girl rolling away from Zuko, a cry of pain emanating from her bloodied lip.

Mongke went for another strike again, only to pause when the sound of a weak voice reached his ears.

" ..Ka..Katara..! "

Katara managed to lift her head, gazing towards Zuko. He was standing up! Even with all the damage to his body, he was still finding the will to stand. " ..Z...Zuko… "

The sight of the Blue Spirit standing after being nearly blown to pieces, was an infuriating one for Mongke. " Vermin! Both of you are vermin who don't know how to lay down and die! "

" ...Sh….Shut up...B..Bastard… " The fact that Zuko was even standing right was both remarkable and disturbing. Even the young man himself had a hard time understanding it. " ...How...How am I standing...I...I can't see straight...My legs...they feel like jelly...My arms...It's like they're tied to rocks...And that maddening ringing won't leave my ears… " His answer was almost immediately given, seeing Katara laid out on the ground, clutching her abdomen in pain.

" ...That's why...Katara is why… " Step after painful step, Zuko walked towards Mongke, finding whatever strength he could to raise his arms. " ...Katara...I'll always fight for you...Even if my body is torn to pieces… "

" Grrr! Just die already! " Mongke furious flung his arm to the side, throwing out a swathe of flames and cinder towards Zuko. Yet still, the masked swordsman continued his march.

" ..N..Not...Not until...I save… Kata-" Zuko's eyes went wide. A shooting pain filled his body, almost dropping the poor boy back to the ground.

Katara had seen it all with horrified eyes. Zuko's will-filled "charge" had been immediately halted by two arrows, hitting his shoulder and lower abdomen. " Z..Zuko..! "

Even Mongke seemed to be caught off guard by the abrupt sneak attack. His eyes followed the direction the arrows had come from, slightly widening when he found where they'd come from. " Vachir?! "

The former Yu-Yan archer had somehow managed to stay mostly mobile after his skirmish with Zuko. The damage to his leg had been extensive, thanks to being thrown from his mount at full spit, and yet he still managed to drag himself to Mongke's location. Vachir had lost the majority of his arrows with his Rhino, and he doubted he could fire off many more in his condition, but he'd made sure to put the two he saved to good use.

The colonel watched his archer slump to the ground, a satisfied grin on his face as he slipped into unconsciousness. " ...Heh, get some rest Vachir, you earned it after tha… " Mongke's celebration was premature as it would turn out, as to the colonel's horror, even with arrows in his body, the Blue Spirit still found it within himself to stand tall.

" Y...You can't be real...You just can't be! Any normal person would be dead! Why aren't you dead?! "

But there was no answer from behind the Spirit's mask. There wouldn't be an answer; Zuko was using all the energy he had to just keep from collapsing. His body was racked with pain; his arms and torso burned, his shoulder and abdomen ached horrendously, and his head was spinning. Still, Zuko stood there, raising his swords; had his body been made of metal, he could have sworn it would be creaking right now.

He found himself glancing down at Katara one last time, giving himself one last reminder of why he was fighting, even when he should just lay down and die. With the last of his energy, Zuko bolted forward in one final burst of speed, his swords drawn back behind him.

The ground beneath Zuko rumbled furiously, throwing him off balance. " GROOOOOOARRR! " Mongke's Komodo Rhino had chosen now to rush forward, coming to it's master's aid. With deceptive speed, it slipped between it's master and his assailant, rearing its tail back, flicking the sword wielding attacker.

And while it seemed like a flick to the Rhino, for Zuko it was an entirely new world of pain. Just the end of the tail smashing into his already damaged torso, had been enough to send him flying across the opening.

He could feel himself come crashing through the wall of a nearby burning house, falling straight through a dinner table. " ACK! " Zuko spat up blood the second his back met the hardwood floor of the burning building. There was no doubt about it in his dazed mind that the Rhino had broken a rib or two; their tails could snap trees with enough force, so a flick from the tip would be more than enough to break bones.

Through muffled hearing Zuko could make out Katara's cries, the desperation in his voice. But this time, he couldn't find the strength to move, there just wasn't anything left. To top it off, he'd found himself immobilized, not by his injuries, but by the fire surrounding him.

It was a recurring thought in Zuko's mind. A fear that plagued his dreams and even waking thoughts. How he feared fire, how it could only destroy and bring pain, just as it had done to him years prior.

The left half of his face would begin burning intensely at the mere thought of fire coming anywhere close to it. So how did Zuko face the Fire Nation, wielders of the fire he feared, on a near daily basis?

" ...Fear…. "

Fear was the answer. He fought fear, with fear, not courage, or blind stupidity, as many others had "deduced" in the past. Zuko fought the way he did out of fear. Fear that he'd have to one day relive the horror that had robbed him of his memories, and burned off the left side of his face.

So to be left lying in the middle of a burning house, with cinders falling towards his mask with every second, racked Zuko's body with this fear.

" So? Is this how our story ends? " There it was again, that snide, cynical voice, the one that almost sounded like Zuko, if Zuko were a giant jerk that is.

" ….Shut up… "

" Shut up? Is that all you've got? " The voice paused briefly. " Right now, it probably is. Your body is a wreck, and you're scared witless. "

" ...Shut….Shut up… "

" No! You shut up! " The "other Zuko" as he'd officially been labeled, shouted back, seemingly agitated by the defeat he could hear in the actual Zuko's voice. " If You just lay there and die, then so will Katara! "

" ...K...Katara…? "

" Yeah! Katara! You know, the girl you're head over heels for! The stupid waterbender that's changing you! "

" ...I...I'm not… "

" Just shut it and listen! " The other Zuko barked. " If you don't do something, then you're both history! Your story will end, right here and now! You'll die a faceless nobody, a wannabe hero who failed his only friend, and died with no memories of who he is! "

" ...Why...Why are you doing this… "

Again, silence.

" ...Why..? "

A chuckle resonated within Zuko's mind, echoing throughout in an almost painful fashion. " ...Cause, as much as I hate to admit it, I like life, I like the idea that one day, you'll be able to make the Fire Nation pay for what it did. "

That answer seemed to be enough for Zuko, as his own inner self went quiet, letting his "other self" know he's willing to listen.

" Good, now I need you to do this, and make it fast… "


The sheer horror at what Katara had just witnessed was enough to leave the poor girl frozen in place, staring blankly at the spot that Zuko had just been standing.

It took little more than a whip of the monstrous Rhino's tail to knock him away, potentially ending his life in the process.

She couldn't even bring herself to cry, the shock had been so great. All she could do was stare, stare and wait for the inevitable. " ...Z...Zuko… "

In her daze, Katara failed to make out the sound of Mongke's footsteps, leaving her unaware of the colonel's approach, or anything around her for that matter. " That's finally taken care of...Leaving on the water rat to deal with. "

A cruel smile stretched across the Rough Rhino's leader's face. He raised his foot over the downed waterbender, slowly pressing it against her head and applying pressure. " Of course, if you beg for mercy, I could spare you, drag you back to the Fire Nation, and revel as they slowly break you. What's say you, savage? "

Nothing. There was no response from the shock-ridden girl. Only pain-filled silence brought about by the supposed demise of her companion. " ..Zuko...Please...No… "

" Answer me when I'm speaking to you! You no good, filthy rat! " Mongke kicked Katara in the head, rolling her over. Still there was no reaction, only silence, furthering the Colonel's frustration. " If you won't say anything, I'll just have to make you scream! "

Mongke raised his fist high, igniting it with the intention of burning Katara. " Burn you savage! " There was no mercy in the action, Mongke would not stop at the last moment if she reacted; This was an act of pure malice.

" SKRAWW! "

The thunderous steps of Amka shook the ground, stopping Mongke long enough for the monster bird to close up on the man, raising her foot to strike.

The blow missed, and Amka was lightly scorched by the flames the colonel used to distance himself from the bird, but it was successful in getting him away from Amka's human.

" ...A...Amka…? " Katara found herself looking up, seeing the bird standing over her in a defensive stance, her claws dug deep into the ground.

FWOOSH!

" SKRAW! " A large ball of flames skimmed by the bird, causing Amka to reel back in response. She was a powerful bird, built out of solid muscle and attitude, but even that wasn't enough to withstand fire.

" Burn the bird! Then kill the waterbender! "

Blast after blast came sailing towards Amka, who refused to move, lest Katara be hit. " Am...Amka! Stop! Run! "

But she wouldn't. Amka wouldn't leave Katara, and she wouldn't leave Zuko; As much as the masked human bothered her, he had saved her life, he had protected her, and now it was her turn to do the same. " SKREEH! "

Tears swelled within Katara's eyes again, blurring her vision of the avian's valiant stand. " Amka...P..please...run away...Y..You can't die… " Again, Katara's pleas fell on deaf ears, as she was forced to watch Amka endure blow after blow, her thick feathery down keeping her safe from the first few blows.

Katara's fingers dug deep into the dirt, her head lowered as a sob came from deep within her throat. She couldn't take this anymore, nothing was supposed to happen this way.

" ...We...We were just supposed to find the swamp...We were supposed to get Zuko's memories back...Then...Then we were going to find Sokka and Aang...We were going to save the world...But now..Zuko...he….he… "

Her tears poured in a never ending stream, her heart breaking with every passing second. " Z...Zu...ZUUUUUUKOOOOO! " Katara cried out as loud as she could, unable to hold back the dam that had rapidly formed within her, letting the pain flood her senses. " Z...ZUUUKOOOO! "

FWOOOOOOSH!

FWOOOOOOSH!

As if brought out by Katara's sobs, two walls of flame came flying from seemingly nowhere, taking out the first line of soldiers in a single sweep.

Both she and Mongke were left speechless as one after another, waves of fire were shot out from a nearby burning house, striking down every last soldier in swift succession, until only the colonel was left.

From within the blaze that consumed the house, came a silhouette, one that filled Mongke with fear, and Katara with newfound hope. It was that of a young man, holding two broadswords in each hand.

" Zuko! " Katara cried out, reaching out for the figure shrouded within the flames. However, Katara's hope would be bittersweet, as her eyes and mouth fell wide with shock.

It was indeed Zuko that walked through the inferno, and he was in fact wielding his swords, but those swords had been engulfed in flames. The very same flames that had just stricken down every last Fire Nation soldier present. His clothes were burned to the point that they were about to fall off, yet his body, save for the previous injuries, was completely unfazed by the blaze he waded through.

She watched in a mix of awe and terror as Zuko swung his blades forward, firing from them a wave of fire, fire which came hurtling towards Mongke, who could only barely protect himself from the sudden attack.

Zuko was alive, he was able to fight, able to beat the soldier's responsible for the atrocities that took place in the village. But instead of being filled with joy, Katara was instead filled with a sort of dread, one she hadn't felt in a long time.

" ….Z..Zuko...He….He's a… "

The sort of dread that could only come from one thing for Katara.

"...A firebender… "