Hey, everybody! I'm happy you all liked chapter 13! However, this is gonna be the last chapter. (sob) But don't worry! There will be a sequel! I repeat THERE WILL BE A SEQUEL! You will all have more Ryu, Ayaka, and Zuko and you will all share parts in their emotional distress. But for now, let us all get on to the last chapter.
Fire Blazing Can S.E.- Like I said on the top of the page, there will be a sequel, so don't worry. Thank you for the comment, by the way. It warmed my heart and made my day. (I was having a shitty day at school) I look forward to hearing from you in the sequel!
Silver Fantasy- Thanks for your review! I read your story as well, and it rocked! Hope to hear from you in the next story!
Flames 220- You'll see what happens to Ryu, don't you worry. I'm so sorry, but like all stories, this one has to end. But there WILL be a sequel! Yes, I know what j/k means so don't kill my ghost or me. (laughs) see you in the sequel! My friend, Lavanderrose wants me to ask you a question. Can you post any stories yet? She really wants to help you.
Hiko-Chan- Yeah, school can suck sometimes, huh. Especially with all the homework…blagh. Yes, the world will be better off without Zhao, but sadly, without him, this story wouldn't exist. CURSE YOU ZHAO! (laughs) Till the sequel! Brokn Innocence- Sensei! Calm down, Sensei, you will find out everything in this last chapter. Please remain calm, don't go into Cardiac Arrest or anything okay? (laughs) Sheesh. And I thought I got excited over things. Alexis- Thank you for reviewing my story! (finally) Thanks for the compliments too, I appreciate it. Till the sequel my friend!Ally- Thank you for reviewing! Till the sequel!
Lavanderrose- Thank you for reviewing my story! And once again, I am so sorry for what I did. Please forgive me, I'm really sorry.
Enjoy the last and final chapter of this story. Then, please wait patiently for the ever so eager sequel to arrive. Although, I think I might wait a long time just to torture you! Mwuhahahahaha! But for now, Chapter 14!
Chapter 14: Gone
The crowd made a huge circle for the two fighters, who were on either end, backs facing each other dressed in Agnikai uniforms, barefoot, with their upper body naked except for a piece of cloth with a golden flame on it draped around their shoulders. Both were mentally preparing themselves for the fierce fight ahead. He's not going to get away with doing what he did to my sister, thought Ryu, I'll crush him like the sniveling coward he is. I'll make sure of it. On the other side of the circle, Captain Zhao was also preparing himself for the duel. Insolent fool, he thought, he thinks he can defeat me? He grinned evilly. Well, think again young Prince, for I have a few tricks up my sleeve, but you won't live very long to see them. "Dear," said the Queen looking at her husband beside her, "do you think we should put a stop to this? After all Ryu's just—" But her husband cut her off. "No. Ryu's not a child anymore. He needs to take responsibility for his actions. He has challenged a Master to an Agnikai…a foolhardy thing to do, but being blinded by rage and frustration, who could blame him?" The King said this with a serious expression on his face. "But why, dear? Why was our son angry with Zhao?" she asked. "I do not know, my love," he responded. There was a pause. "Do you think he can win, dear?" asked the Queen. Her husband sighed, a sorrowful expression on his face. "I'll just be happy…if he lives to see another day." The Queen gasped and put a hand to her mouth and looked at her son out in the crowd. The hall had a roaring silence to it that was unbearable…everyone was eager to see the battle. Both fighters finally turned to face one another in a fighting stance. They waited for about five more minutes, and then they attacked. Zhao was the first, but Ryu dodged it with ease. "Is that the best you can do?" he called out to him, countering with a move of his own. Zhao blocked the attack with his arms and smiled. "You haven't seen anything yet!" he yelled back. (A/N: Sorry if the duel isn't descriptive enough, it's just that I don't know that much Martial Arts so…yeah. Once again, I am so sorry!)
Ayaka, Zuko, and the rest of Ayaka's friends stared out in transfixed awe at what was going on before them. This has to stop, thought both Zuko and Ayaka. Whoa…this is intense, thought the rest of the teens. "Do you think he's going to live?" asked Tangi. "Who? Zhao or Ryu?" asked Suki. "Ryu," he said. "Ryu's going to die," said Ryoko. "Shut up!" said Ayaka and Zuko in unison. All three friends turned to look at them. "Just…shut up, okay? I feel wicked guilty right now, because my brother is out there for me. This duel wasn't even supposed to happen tonight, and you guys saying that Ryu will die, is definitely not making me feel better about this!" said Ayaka. "Hey, it's not your fault, don't be so hard on yourself," said Tangi, trying to calm her down. "Hey, shut up. She's already pissed off at you all as it is, don't get her even more mad, or you'll have to deal with me, got it Clifford?" said Zuko. Tangi glared at him but said nothing. He hated to admit it, but this guy had a point and he didn't want to cause another controversy that could result in another duel. Ryu let out a yell of pain when he failed to quickly dodge a Fire Blast from Zhao, and fell to the ground. The entire hall gave one big gasp. Zhao laughed. "Had enough, fool?" he asked the teen. Ryu grunted in pain, managed to pass a defying grin, and said, "I'm just warming up." In the sidelines, Zuko, Ayaka and their friends stared in awe and horror at the sight in front of them. "Zuko, we have to do something," whispered Ayaka looking fearfully at him. He turned to her, his amber eyes expressing a mixture of sorrow and fear. "I know…but there's nothing we can do," he said. Ayaka looked back at the duel. When she spoke, her voice was filled with determination. "We have to try," she said and dashed to where her mother and father were sitting, hypnotized. "Mother, Father, you have to stop this duel. It can't go on, Ryu could be killed!" she yelled. Her mother turned to her and said, "Dear, even if we wanted to stop this duel we couldn't." "But you do want to stop the duel right?" Ayaka questioned. "Yes," responded her mother, "but your Father and I don't have the power to. You see once a duel has started, there is no way for it to end. The only way for it to end is if one opponent is either horribly maimed, or…" her voice trailed off. "Father?" said Ayaka turning to her father. "There's nothing I can do, your mother is right," he said. "Grrr, there must be something!" cried Ayaka and she dashed off to find Zuko. However when she got back to her friends, he wasn't there. "Hey Tangi, where's Z—that kid that was just here?" she asked. "I dono," he replied, his eyes glued to the action in front of him. "Suki, have you seen him?" she asked. "Seen who?" Suki asked turning her head to her. "That kid that was just here," Tangi said for Ayaka. "Umm, yeah, he said he was going somewhere," she said. "Did he say where?" Ayaka asked her. Suki shook her head. "No," she said. Ayaka sighed and forced herself to look at the duel.
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In another part of the castle, Zuko walked around aimlessly, looking for nothing in particular, just exploring. Wow, this place is huge, he thought. He hated himself for thinking his next thought, but it's nowhere near as big as my palace. Then he turned a corner and ended up in a long dark corridor, large enough for about maybe two people. "Huh, this place will be perfect for make-outs," he said to himself. He walked down the corridor until something he heard made him stop dead in his tracks. "Captain Zhao has got the boy in an Agni Kai," said a voice. Zuko immediately recognized it as one of the General's that his Uncle had told him about: General Shii. "Really?" asked his companion whose voice Zuko did not recognize. "Well," it continued, "that should be interesting." The voice chuckled evilly. "I can't wait to kill them all," said General Shii. At these words, Zuko nearly stopped breathing, he could not believe what he was hearing. "Yes, but the eldest would no doubt already be dead being in an Agni Kai with Zhao. There's no way he could win anyway," said the other voice. "True," said Shii. In the corridor, Zuko stood, frozen, and the words of the old woman he had met a few days ago came flooding back to him. Because, my boy, she had said, something good is about to happen to the Fire Nation…and then they will all PERISH! The word 'perish' echoed in Zuko's mind over and over again. Not wanting to hear anymore of the conversation, he ran through the corridor to find Ayaka. And with each step, his heart was breaking, just like his uncle predicted.
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Back in the Hall, the duel was still commencing, though both fighters looked sweaty and tired, Ryu even more so. Ayaka, Tangi, Ryoko, and Suki were still watching awestruck and immobile when Zuko ran up to them panting and clutching a stitch in his side. "Dude, where've you been?" asked Tangi, turning toward Zuko. The others looked at him as well, Ayaka face showing grave concern. "No time to explain," panted Zuko, "Ayaka, I need to speak with you, now, it's important please." Ayaka looked at him and without hesitation said, "Alright." Then they both ran towards the doors of the Hall, Zuko holding Ayaka's hand. "Where's your room?" Zuko asked her as they ran. "What? My room?" exclaimed Ayaka as she blushed uncontrollably. Holy crap, what's he thinking? I promised Ryu that we wouldn't do anything, she thought. "Come on, where is it?" said Zuko, urgency in his voice. "Go out the doors, take a right, and it's the first one on your left," said Ayaka. Once out of the Hall, Zuko followed her instructions and before they knew it, they were at Ayaka's bedroom door. Zuko wrenched it open, flung himself and Ayaka inside, closed the door, and locked it. "Uhh…w—why did you lock the door?" asked Ayaka her blush returning, but this time a deeper shade of red. Zuko took off his mask and turned to her, his tone serious. "Pack your things," he said. "What?" asked Ayaka. "Pack your things, everything. Pack it all up and change into your regular clothes, we haven't got much time. Where's your brother's room?" he said. "Next door, Zuko, but why do I—" but Zuko cut her off. "I'll explain everything, but not right now," he said. Then he unlocked the door and left to go to Ryu's room.
Ayaka followed Zuko's instructions, bewildered. Ten minutes later, Zuko came back carrying a red rucksack over his shoulder. "Did you pack everything?" he asked her as he placed the rucksack on the floor next to her door. She nodded. "Right, I've packed everything that I think your brother would need so—" "Why did you tell me to pack my things?" asked Ayaka, cutting him off. "And why'd you pack Ryu's?" she continued. Zuko sighed, not sure where to begin. "If I told you, you wouldn't believe me," he said looking at the floor. "What are you talking about? What's going on?" she demanded. Zuko looked at her, his expression filled with sorrow. After a pause he said, "You and your family are in grave danger, you need to get out of here as soon as you can." Ayaka looked at him and Zuko saw a flicker of fear in her eyes. Zuko told her everything that he had overheard in the corridor and when he was through, the fear in Ayaka's eyes was eminent. She touched the red stone of her necklace. "What about my parents? Will they be able to make it out alive?" she asked him. "It depends if whoever's planning this doesn't already have guards ready to kill them the minute they know their in danger," said Zuko. Ayaka nodded. "Right now we have to figure out how to get Ryu out of the duel or…" his voice trailed off. "Right," said Ayaka nodding, "so how are we going to do it?'
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Back in the Hall both fighters were looking as sweaty and tired as ever, but Ryu was looking the worst. He was panting hard and he had a horribly painful stitch on his side. He also had a long scratch on the left side of his face that was bleeding freely. He was not sure how it had gotten there but he was pretty sure he had gotten in from falling on a small sharp object. And the burn on his lower back was not so bad, it was only a first degree one anyway, it'll heal. Zhao looked bad too, but not as bad as the young Prince. All he had was a few cuts and bruises and a black eye. Other than that, he was fine. Why aren't you dead yet, fool? I've thrown every attack I know at you, and still you stand! Thought Zhao. I can't last much longer; he's going to kill me, thought Ryu, no matter, death would be better than this right now, I've used up all my strength, anyway. "Zhao," said Ryu, "like a noble man, I have challenged you to this Agni Kai…and now, like a noble man I ask you take my life. Death for me is far better than suffering this pain." The King and Queen were now sitting on the edge of their seats. Was this happening? Was their son actually pleading for death? Zhao stared at the young Prince opposite him. What's he playing at? A boy of his age would never plead for death. He must have something planned…but I cannot deny a reasonable request, he thought grinning evilly. "Well, Prince Ryu, if you so heartily insist…" said Zhao as he shot a Fire Blast from his fist. It was sailing directly at the Prince when all of a sudden it changed course and moved to his right. Both fighters along with the rest of the onlookers looked to see who had interfered. There, at the front of the table where the King and Queen sat, stood Ayaka, bending the fire until it swirled around her and she quickly clasped it into her hands where it disappeared. When she looked at Zhao her face was livid.
Why did she change? Wondered her brother. "Ayaka, what are you doing?" hissed her mother, but she did not respond. She just glared at Zhao, and then shifted her gaze to the middle of the circle where Zuko was standing. Her parents must have found what she was looking at for they gasped in shock. "Who is that?" asked the King. "A friend of mine," Ayaka finally responded. Then she walked toward her brother and said in a whisper that only he could hear, "Come with me, we have to get out of here. Don't ask questions, just do it." And he his sister walked slowly toward the door. "You Highnesses, please forgive our intrusion in the middle of this Agni Kai," said Zuko loud enough so that everyone could hear, "but you must listen to me." In the shadows, unbeknownst to everyone, lurked about 35 cloaked figures waiting like everyone else. "You and your family are in grave danger, everyone here is in danger, and you must leave at once before it is too late! This is no jest, I am telling the truth I heard two men speaking about killing the Royal family, you have to believe me!" Zuko yelled. "How do we know that you're not trying to trick us, perhaps what you say is false and you are leading us into a trap!" exclaimed the King standing up and knocking over his chair. Crap, this wasn't supposed to happen, thought Zuko. He stole a glance at Zhao…he looked nervous. "Father, you must listen to him, he's telling the truth!" yelled Ayaka and she left Ryu and she ran back to stand beside Zuko. "Ayaka, who is this boy?" asked her father. She remained silent. "Who are you?" he questioned again, this time directly at Zuko. In the middle of the crowd, Ryu stood staring at his parents, holding his breath. Zuko took Ayaka's hand in his and with his other, removed his mask. The whole Hall gasped again. "YOU! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? WHO INVITED YOU?" bellowed the King. "I did!" yelled Ayaka glaring at her father. "Do you have any idea who you are holding hands with, you foolish girl?" he yelled at his daughter. "As a matter of fact I do Father, I am holding hands with the person I love more than anything in the entire world!" she fired back. Everyone again gasped. Ryu was no longer holding his breath, but was smiling. Way to go Ayaka, he thought.
"Do you have any idea what this means to the Palace? To our Name? You have disgraced us all Ayaka! You are no longer my daughter!" exclaimed her father. Then in the back of the crowd, Ryu yelled, "NONE OF THAT MATTERS RIGHT NOW FATHER! WHAT MATTERS NOW IS GETTING OUT ALIVE!" There was silence in the Hall. It would have lasted longer but someone in the crowd screamed, "ZHAO'S GONE!" Everyone turned. It was true the Captain had left. "Where is he?" shouted the King. "He couldn't have left, we must—" But his voice caught in his throat, his eyes grew blank and he was gasping for air. He grew pale and then he fell over the table, dead, a dagger in his back. Behind him stood Zhao, glaring at the King's body, a twisted smile on his face. "FATHER!" screamed Ryu and Ayaka. And then, as swiftly as a fox, Zhao took another dagger from a dark figure and slashed the Queen's throat. Everyone screamed and ran around in utter chaos trying to escape. Throughout all the pandemonium, Ryu somehow managed to go back to where Zuko and Ayaka were standing. "Listen, we have to get out of here right now!" he yelled. "Alright, let's go!" shouted Zuko. They ran off as fast as they could, but they could not get away from what Zhao was saying to the crowd, "NOW IT IS TIME FOR YOU TWO TO JOIN YOU PARENTS!" he said. Once Ayaka and Ryu found their things, they and Zuko burst through the door, ran down the hall, through the kitchen and towards the two maple-wood front doors. However seven soldiers ready with weapons blocked their way. "What are we going to do now?" said Ayaka when all three of them came to an abrupt halt. "What we were trained to do," said Zuko. "We fight," Ryu finished.
After several minutes of fighting, a few cuts and bruises, and a near death experience, the three teenagers were out of the palace and on shore. Zuko was straining to find his uncle out of all the ships that were there. At last he spotted him between two massive Earth Kingdom ships. "There's Uncle, come on!" he said to them as grabbed Ayaka's hand and ran, Ryu at their heels. "Uncle!" he yelled at him. General Iroh looked up to see the three of them running at top speed towards him. "So, you have found out Prince Zuko as I had hoped. Now, you must find a way to deal with the pain of losing your true love," he said quietly to himself as the came closer. "Uncle," said Zuko. "Yes," he said. "Get the boat ready. We need to get Ayaka and Ryu out of here as fast as possible," replied Zuko. Iroh smiled and said, "Already done." And he pointed beside the ship where the tiny boat floated awaiting its two passengers. "There they are, don't let them get away!" shouted someone. All four of them looked and saw two soldiers running towards them. One threw a Fire Blast which Zuko Bended to go into the ocean. "Get on the boat, quickly!" he yelled turning to them. The two siblings obeyed and got on. "Zuko come on the ship, we need to leave the island as well," said Iroh getting on. Zuko nodded and followed him. "Ryu," he said one the ship and the boat were far enough into the ocean. (Ryu had found some coal to get the boat going) "Yeah?" he replied steering the tiny boat away from the ship and out over the horizon. "Take care of Ayaka," he said. Ryu nodded. "I'll take good care of her," he told him. Zuko smiled and turned his attention to Ayaka. Unfortunately, the boat was already so far away from the ship that he had to yell to get her attention. "AYAKA!" he screamed cupping his hands around his mouth. "YES," she yelled back. "TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOURSELF AND REMEMBER THAT I'LL ALWAYS LOVE YOU!" Unfortunately for Zuko she was too far away to answer him. Back on the boat, Ayaka face was stained with tears falling fast upon her face. "I love you too…Zuko," she choked. On his ship, Zuko stared out at the ocean watching as the tiny boat moved farther away…watching Ayaka go…and he wondered if their love would last knowing that they were so far from each other. He stared at the horizon, his heart aching with pain…and then they were gone.
Hope you guys like this chapter! I am so sorry it took me so long to update…I was, uh, grounded…don't ask. Please forgive me for the long wait, I'm sorry! I really am, please don't kill me! The sequel will be coming out, I promise! I'm so sorry for this. But guys, did you know that Jason Isaacs (a.k.a. Lucius Malfoy) voices Admiral Zhao? I would have never guessed in a million years! Holy crap! Anyway, please review and please don't kill me! I'm sorry!