A/N: Hey! Thank you for the reviews! I don't know if I'm going to make this an AxK fic yet…hmmm. Good idea though…
Oh, and I will be adding the rest of the old chapters as fast as lets me! The old version is back! Hoo-ha! So, yeah, you don't need to r&r those if you have. So after this chapter, everything will go back to normal .
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Leiya grabbed her bag of various healing items and other such things. She sprinted, her feet slipping on the clean-waxed floors. Her feet barely made a sound, as her run was more like a glide, grace so cemented in her steps.
"Leiya's not back yet." Katara said, worried.
"She's probably in one of her read-until-her-eyes-fall-out moods." Sokka said, being his usual cynical self.
Katara glared at him. "I'm sure that Leiya can take care of herself and is coming back at this very moment." Sokka said.
"I'm going to go look outside for signs of Xia or Leiya." Aang said.
"Be careful Aang." Katara said, hugging her friend. Aang tried to hide his blush.
"Yeah, you're the world's only hope." Sokka said.
Aang unleashed his glider and flew into the town, which now looked completely vacant. Doors and windows were closed as the sun reflected a beautiful red gleam against the sparse clouds in the sky.
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Zuko, on his rhino, headed towards the town. The vacant town struck him as strange. His Uncle rode up next to him.
"Prince Zuko, something is clearly wrong here. Perhaps we should turn back?"
"I'm sure that everything is alright, Uncle."
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Aang was standing with Katara inside the town building. Aang had stiffened suddenly. Katara reached out to her friend. "What's wrong Aang?"
Suddenly, Aang snapped out of his trance. "Xia is back!" he said, before running outside. Both Katara and Sokka tried to follow, but the town leader closed the door right after Aang left. "Too dangerous." He said.
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Aang ran out not to find Xia, but Zuko.
"Zuko! Now is not the time!" Aang said, his eyes darting out to the horizon.
"Nice try Avatar." Zuko said dismounting. Just at that moment, Xia flew over to the group. It opened its mouth, unleashing a fiery blast.
Zuko dismounted. The dragon's eyes flowed gold, and set its sights on Aang, and then shifted to Zuko. It flew towards Zuko, launching its attack. Zuko's men attacked the monster in response, but a lash of the creature's long- and powerful- tail soon knocked them down.
Iroh knew not to battle a creature so powerful and deadly as a dragon. He simply backed away to the men who were unable to fight.
"Zuko, be wary." He warned his nephew.
"What's bothering you?" Aang yelled. He tried to get close enough to touch the beast's forehead. However, the monster knocked him away with a blast of fire.
"How could the guardian of light do this?" Aang asked, to no one unparticular.
"From the light comes darkness." Iroh replied.
"Uncle, this is no time for your proverbs!" Zuko called out. He launched his own attack. He wasn't about to ask the dragon 'What's wrong?'
Aang was near the dragon's head, as it was busy with Zuko's fiery assault. He was almost there, when he was blown back by a thrust of the dragon's wings. The red sunlight cascaded of the serpentine body of Xia, it's eyes glowing gold like the sun.
Aang and Zuko fought hard, but it was evident that they were losing. Aang knew that they could only last so long.
Zuko thought of running many a time, but honor was imprinted into who he was. He would not leave what he started. He was reminded of honor's impression everyday when he looked at himself in the mirror. Once this 'Xia' was gone, he would capture the Avatar.
Zuko blocked another fireball. That one was close. He would capture the Avatar after…if he had the strength.
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Leiya was running down the steps at full speed. Some villagers swore that they could see lightning jumping down the stairway.
Leiya had a feeling why Xia was upset. Xia had seen what war brought among the people. Leiya would have to communicate otherwise.
Leiya came sprinting into town. Aang and Zuko were both cornered, soon to be coiled within its long body, already stained red with the light of the sun.
Leiya picked up a small stone and threw it at the dragon's head. The dragon's eyes once again illuminated. Looking at the girl: the angel of the Firenation.
"Here I am!" Leiya cried, furious. "You have looked across the earth for me, apparently. Well here I am! Do you know what I did to hide myself from that title? That name that took away everything! Now what would you torment innocent people for!" She panted heavily, part from her run, part from her yelling.
Zuko was perplexed. Aang thought for a second. 'She must be the Angel of the Firenation.'
The dragon's eyes glowed. Images were portrayed into the middle of the fray. Soldiers from both sides were dying. Groans came from earth and fire soldiers alike. Moans and screams echoed across the air. Blood soaked the earth. Fire burned meagerly on patches of grass.
As far as the eye could see was death. Destruction. Sadness. All fading away, like the sun behind the horizon.
The dragon looked sadly to the girl. Both Aang and Zuko were extremely pale. Aang looked like he would be sick, shock and sadness on his face. Zuko looked purely angry and disgusted. Leiya looked indifferent.
"How can I communicate with it Aang?" She said softly. "Put your hand up to its forehead."
Leiya nodded her head at the boy in thanks. She reached out to the dragon, and her own eyes began to glow.
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The image of her father, and another general flashed before the general. Both parties were retreating. However, Leiya's father had failed in his mission. He aimed a fire blast directly at himself. He would die with honor. He would die for honor.
A sob was heard and a "Daddy!" A miniature Leiya ran on to the field and stopped. Some people there were still alive. She curled up, and suppressed a scream. Lightning struck the ground by her. "Aurora, Jade, let's help the people who are still living." The little Leiya said.
"But…"
"Leiya your…"
"What's done is done. There's still hope here."
A black haired girl followed Leiya who walked forward.
A smaller red haired girl smiled on the battlefield.
Her eyes shone. "There's still hope." She muttered to herself.
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The town waited quietly. Leiya and the dragon had not moved for a while. Even Zuko had not attacked Aang. They did not see what Leiya and Xia saw.
The dragon looked to the girl, eyes open. It began to back away from the group on the ground.
"There is still hope." Leiya said, her eyes now shining once more.
"See this kid? His name is Aang, and he's the Avatar. He will stop the war. I can help. We are both of light. Understand, I promise that I will protect the Avatar, and I have promised before, I will help the Firenation recover from this fight."
With that Xia burned some symbols in the ground, and with a look and nod to Zuko and Aang, took flight. Iroh walked out to the symbols, and read them aloud.
Thank you, angel, avatar and prince. Below that, engraved into the center of the town was a giant symbol wrapped in a circle.
Hope.
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Zuko looked to his rhinos and troops, who were tired from being hit by the dragon's tail and various gusts of wind and fire that had come their way. Reluctantly, Zuko quickly called his troops back to the ship.
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Leiya looked upon the town, which had reemerged.
"What did you show it, Leiya?"
"A bad dream." Leiya replied. "A hopeful, yet horrible dream." She seemed angry, and almost sad. "Let's go, Aang. Aurora is waiting for us." Leiya seemed to shake it off, and smiled at Aang.
"Maybe we should leave tomorrow?"
"Leiya smiled. I think that would be wise."
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That night Jasmine snuck aboard Zuko's ship. She snuck back into her room. She would have to deal with Zuko later. But for now she would rest. Her new strength was clearly evident. The detour was well worth it. Jasmine smirked.
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The next day the group restocked their supplies. With that, the group took flight to the next adventure.
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A/N: Yay! Well, time to repost old chapters. I really got to stop changing my mind. Anime sweat drop. Don't worry, I'll update from where I left off. Please r&r this chapter. That would be nice.