BOOK THREE: Earth

CHAPTER TWO: The sick spirit

An: I decided this book was already crazy so I am gonna embrace that. Everything will have an explanation. Also next episode may be confusing to.

"Let's say we make a deal."

Azula stared at Zhao, eyes narrowed suspiciously as she gazed into his yellow eyes and pale skin. His skin had a tinge of green, almost giving the impression that he was sick. She quircked her head, judging the two options in her head.

Really, there was no choice but to agree. She knew nothing of the spirit world while Zhao had countless knowledge. She could be wandering for days and never find an end to the fog, and without the fire Zhao was bending she would again succumb to the fog's will. Only, she didn't trust him. She didn't trust the tiny pupils and huge eyes, the grimy face and thin lips. The smirk that sent shivers up her spine.

She was about to decline, her pride telling her she could find a way out of the fog on her own. Only, as she turned to walk away, she remembered the gleaming eyes of her dearest friend. She pictured her smile, the way it seemed to reach past her eyes. The goofy laugh she would give in response to all of Azula's jokes. The way she twirled when she was happy. The look on her face when Azula gave her even the slightest bit of attention. The goodness of her heart, the fact that even after everything Azula had put her through she had always been there. Azula pictured her now, curled up in a cell, scared, alone. Perhaps it was just her imagination, but it felt real, at least some of it. What felt the most real was the knowledge that Ty Lee was in trouble. If Azula turned down Zhaos deal, she could be wandering for days. Who knew how much time Ty Lee had, how much time anyone that helped her had. And so, before she even took a step in the other direction, Azula turned around. She was met with Zhao's smug smile.

"Fine," Azula sighed, defeated. "You tell me how we escape and Ill bring you with me."

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Azulas and Zhao had been walking for days it seemed, though time was irrelevant here. Her feet hurt and her eyes stung from keeping them open, desperately wanting to sleep yet knowing she could not. If they were going to make this work, it had to be soon.

The plan, as Zhao explained, was simple. All over the spirit world their were tunnels, tunnels that formed gateways between the spirit world and the physical one. He explained to her that long ago, a spirit had formed them in order to be able to reap the plentiful gains of the physical world. Her predecessor, Kyoshi, had managed to close all of them. All but one, for that one was protected by this fog, and she had decided that it was impossible to get to anyway, and therefore would never be used. However, that's exactly what they were going to do. Azula would be able to sense where it was, as the avatar, and she would be able to make it wider as it became less strong with the years that passed. He wouldn't tell her how though, because he knew once they got their that was the only thing keeping her from going back on her word.

Azula could feel they were getting close, and the hairs on her arms began to rise. She could sense something, something not dark, but wrong. It felt like a sickness, and illness that if left unbothered would fester and grow. Zhao didn't speak, however noticing her reaction he expanded the ring of fire around them. He had been bending nonstop for however long they had been traveling, and though she would never admit this, she was impressed.

Her vision began blurring the stronger the feeling became, and she began stumbling on the ground. The ground that was now covered in thick roots, signifying that they were entering a forest. Zhao offered to assist her, albeit snuggly, but she refused. However, when they entered the direct vicinity of whatever it was she found herself falling, falling to the ground that was covered in…. Slime. Not just slime, it was covered in the sickness.

Zhao rushed to her side, pulling her up from the stuff and watching as it attempted to cling to her. He forced a flame on whatever it was, and it retreated back, the forest screeching. Once Azula regained her senses, she saw it, the source of the sickness. It was what looked to be a giant decaying eyeball, and seemed to be pouring the sickness out. As she looked closer, she realized that in the slime were teeth, seating to be human. They were eating away at the forest, and reading the creature, whatever it was.

To say it was terrifying would be an understatement, however neither Azula nor Zhao screamed. Infact, they didn't even move. They stood frozen as the eyeball turned around, looking straight at them. For a second, the eyeball stayed still, unmoving, assessing them. Then, it turned away from Zhao and to Azula.

"Avatar," it's sickly voice rasped. Azula swallowed, fear attempting to numb her muscle. It took her a while until she was once again able to speak.

"Yes," she croaked, feast evident in her voice. The slime once again began crawling up her leg, and before Zhao could bend a flame at it the teeth bit into her flesh. Azula screamed and flashed about, flailing until Zhao sent a blast of fire at the tendril forcing it to once again retreat.

The monster however didn't seem upset, and instead let out a laugh. "You're tainted," he said, and instantly Azula knew what he was referring to. He was referring to Vatuu, the darkness who had begun growing inside of her, feeding off hers.

"You can feel it, is there a way to get rid of him," she asked, despite herself. This spirit seemed ancient, and if anyone would know it would be him.

"The avatar asking me for advice, I wish I could say I was surprised." It laughed again, the sound shaking the forest, "it is possible to rid yourself of the turmoil within, and I could tell you how but.." he paused, seeming to think about something. "But you would have to do something for me." He said finally, and Azula understood perfectly clearly what this was. He was playing a game, a game she had been taught how to win.

Truthfully, she would have done almost anything to defeat the dark spirit. However he didn't need to know that. "What makes you think I am willing to bargain, I say you tell me and i spare your life," she said, feigning confidence.

The spirit chuckled, responding in a way that Azula had not planned for at all. "You foolish girl, I'm already dying, you would simply be doing me a favor by speeding up the proccess." He said, laughing once again. "I propose a better deal, you cure me of this illness and I tell you how to rid yourself of Vaatu," he said.

Azula, after glancing at Zhao realized what this was missing. "Fine, only if you allow us to pass through into the physical world." She said, to which he nodded. Looking back to Zhao, she could see the worried look on his face. "You must be careful, this spirit, father glow worm, has encountered your past selves, and less say they were far from pleasant ones." Azula nodded, grateful for the warning, before walking towards the spirit. The slime recessed around her, giving her way until she was standing in front of its mass.

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The slime that had parted to make way for her closed on her path, blocking her way back to Zhao. She looked back at him, but the fog seemed to have thickened, making it impossible to see anything but the flame he held.

Signing, she turned back to the spirit, "so, how am I to get rid of him?" Azula asked, facing the giant pupil of the creature.

He laughed. "For you? Oh child, for you it isn't possible." He said laughing cruelly. "If you were anyone else it would be, but your soul has already fused with him. If you wanted to stop the internal struggle you could snuff out the piece of Raava that resides in you."

Azula was angry, not only had the spirit outwitted her, it had confirmed that it was in fact impossible. Gritted her teeth, she stomped hard on the slime covered ground. A hiss of pain came from the eye, the slime attempting to crawl up her body and fight back. "Well, since you were of no help, I have no reason to help you," she hissed, not at all above breaking a promise."

The spirit chuckled, "aw but you do," he said, his slime clearing the fog around them and directing Azula's gaze. "See, the portal was created by me, making it easy for me to close," she looked where he was directing her gaze and saw a tunnel, surrounded by more of the slime. She could see the light at the end of it, shining bright, begin to dim.

"Wait," she stopped him before it faded to nothingness. Azula whipped around to face him, his one eye that was him conveying his content. "I'll do it," she agreed, defeatedly walking closer. For some reason, she knew what to do. Taking a bracing breath, she placed her hand on the slimy surface of the eyeball, closing her eyes and focusing on whatever it was that was making this spirit so sick.

She felt the sprits energy, being tainted. The thing that was doing this, that was eating away at the spirit wasn't a sickness though. No, it was something else, something trapped trying desperately to break free. She supposed he wanted her to crush the light from whatever it was, but where would the fun in that be. This spirit had tricked her, she would be a fool to let him get away with it. Instead of trying to crush whatever it was, she gave it power. She breathed life back into it, watching as it slowly consumed the spirit. The light was getting brighter, to bright. She had stopped feeding it and it was growing on it's own. It was to strong, and she found herself pulling her hand away from the slimy spirit. Looking up she saw the eye roll back, it's sickish glow fade into a white light instead. The slime around her be an to recoil, coming to the aid of the being. But, it was to late. She jumped away onto the ground just in time, covering her eyes as the light became to bright. She assume that if she had been looking at it, she could have very well gone blind. However, when the light faded she did turn around.

Before even seeing who stood their, she felt the sickness, or lack there of. The unnatural feeling had faded, and as if the eye had been the source of the wrongness. She looked up, her eyes landing on a humanoid figure. She couldn't quite make out what it was until it took a step closer, and she saw a man.

The man had brown hair and green eyes, distinctly earth kingdom. He seemed as confused as she was, and tilted his head, causing his hair to fall in shags around his face. "Who are you?" His voice was powerful, demanding that she answer his question. Tired, and truly unwilling to further add drama to this experience she simply told the truth.

"I'm the avatar," she said, watching his green eyes widen and his head tilt further. "No, that's impossible." He stated plainly, staring at her. Azula decided she didn't have time for this and looked around, finding Zhao standing on the outside of the ring, the place were even without fire the fog seemed to stop.

"Whose that?" He asked, pointedly looking at the strange man.

Azula sighed and shook her head. "Doesn't matter., we need to go," she said, pointing her head to the portal. He nodded, crossing over until he was standing beside her. Azula pasued before turning back. "Are you coming?" she asked the strange men, assuming he didn't want to stay and not truly caring if he did or not.

"Azula that's not a good idea we know nothing of this man what if-" azula laughed.

"Zhao, if I truly cared about the type of people I was brining back into this world, I would have never accepted your deal." She shook her head.

Behind them, he heard the earth kingdom man cross over to them. They walked in silence, the portal not far away, and none of them caring to make the acquaintance of the other. The entered the tunnel and broke into a run. They were so close, almost there where the ground began to trample. It fell way, Azula yelping jumped back. On her other side she saw the man pulling the ground out from under Zhao. He was an earth bender, and he could somehow earth end in the spirit world. Before Azula could open her mouth he responded.

"When i was in the spirit I saw this man, there is no way in hell he's coming back to our world." He said. Azula looked back on Zhao, his eyes angry yet at the same time pleading. Standing there, looking out on him as he tried to free himself she almost felt guilty. However, swallowing it down she nodded.

"It's the same to me," she said before watching a wall of rocks fall from the tunnel ceiling. She heard him scream and winced before shaking her head and running into the light.

AN: so for those who don't know (SPOILER ALERT FOR THE BEGINING OF THE KYOSHI BOOK), Yun was one of Kyoshis close friends, a powerful earth-bender, and who they thought was the avatar. When they realized kyoshi may be the avatar they took her to father glowwarm, a spirit who didn't like the avatar bc he had been making portals and shit and Kuruk (previous avatar) didn't like them. Anyway, so he says kyoshi is the avatar and the drags Yun away as like payment of whatever. I'll probably do a back flash to this just for clarification. In my version, Yun caught the spirit in the spirit world but was consumed by him, however was still weakening him. Okay that's a lot lol again I'll go into more depth.

I was not trying to right zhao as good, he simply wants to get the frrk out of me he spirit world and Azula is the key. As for Azulas, I'm trying to show that she kind of developed feelings of guilt and stuff even for her enemies (like Aang).

Anyway be sure to leave a review xoxo byeeee