-1Death comes in many forms
Ch 18
"So you don't know what happened? Why don't you know or where they went?" Zuko asked, Leiko placed the journal back on the shelf and turned to face Zuko. "Because it was thought best so no one went looking for Ronin or his hiding place, so this didn't happen again. Which as you can see worked for a while till now." Leiko explained, Everyone looked still a little confused about what happened and what was happening now. "So why now, is it the same demon or something new?" Iroh asked, Leiko looked down at the floor giving a small sigh dredging what she was going to say. "Same demon. Ronin…. I don't think was killed, most likely sealed a way and still is. The reason this is happening is he finally found someone dumb enough to help him." Leiko answered, "but how could he if he's sealed some where? How could anyone find him?" Iroh quickly asked, "By speaking to them through his mind and breaking them down by talking to them as someone they knew in life or death. That's what he did with Sako, spoke to him in his mind and using some sort of hypnosis to appear as Mai, but never being there in person." Leiko said, "That man was weak. How could he believe his wife was talking to him?" Zuko thought out loud, "Quite boy! When people are in a state of shock and never snap out, hearing voices with no owners, and not speaking to anyone for weeks, they will believe almost anything. They lose all concept of reality!" Leiko snapped, Zuko glared at the old women preparing to argue some more when his uncle put his hand on his shoulder and shook his head. "What about the demons that helped him what about them?" Aang asked, "There was one demon and Sako who acquired enhanced abilities and they were each killed." Leiko answered, "Oh, I see." Aang now lowered his head, his hopes of learning something he could use against Kane now crashed and burned.
"Is there anything you could tell us that can help us or some where there would be answers for us?" Katara asked, Leiko turned to her and frowned. " I don't have much information left, the only other place that would have anything would be where the monk and priestess stayed while they were here. There might be something there but I can be sure." Leiko said, "Great where is it!" Aang excitedly asked, Leiko almost jumped at the sudden change in the Avatar, but stared at him with a surprised look. "It's in the Haya forest. But that is the most infested forest here there has been more sightings of ghouls and demons there than anywhere." Leiko explained, "Then that's where we got to go." Aang shot in, "No, if you go in there you will die. Even if you're the Avatar you will die child!" Leiko shouted, "But we need to learn more or find someway to repeal the monsters so we can get off this island. We'll just have to make sure were well armed and prepared." Katara interrupted, Leiko looked at the group hoping to find someone who would listen to her warning then looking towards Iroh. " Surly you will help me here? Explain to these kids they will be killed." Leiko pleaded, Iroh shook his head and looked out the window noticing the hour. "Sorry but we need to find a way off this island and going into that forest sounds like the best thing. But we should be going before it gets dark. Iroh pointed out, Sokka stood up waving his hands in the air trying to get everyone's attention. "Wait one second! How do we know the place is even standing? I would have already destroyed the place and every thing inside if I was that Ronin guy." Sokka pointed out, Aang stood up trying to calm Sokka by putting his hand on his shoulder, "Because I bet they put sutras on the door way and around the hut like Leiko did right? Aang asked looking at Leiko, Leiko grimly nodded her head in agreement.
"We should be going now thank you for your help Leiko." Iroh thanked her, Everyone did the same and walked out the door. Katara stopped and turned to see Leiko staring at the floor like she sent them to their deaths. "We'll be ok, Aang's not going alone. We all will help each other in any way possible to make sure no one dies." Katara tried to rest her mind, Leiko looked up and smiled at the girls optimism, "Child you may be right but not all of you will come out of that forest alive and you have yet to see what horrors this island has. You better hurry your friends are waiting." Leiko said, Katara waved good bye and left leaving Leiko alone. "Lets hurry I don't want to be out here in the dark." Sokka said, "Afraid of the dark peasant?" Zuko mocked, Sokka turned and glared at him readying to pull out his club or ax and let him have it. "No but I like to see just what we come up against and don't call me peasant!" Sokka yelled, "Guys stop fighting and shut up! Lets just keep moving." Katara shouted, Everyone stair at her and took a step back even Zuko. Katara stood and walked between them as they walked incase ether tried to fight. 4 hours they walked in silence till the village came to view. "Finally were here and didn't run into a single ghoul." Aang exclaimed, but as he finished speaking a ghoul came from the trees carrying a ax in it's hand. "You just had to say that didn't you Avatar?" Zuko asked, Kin charged swing both claws at it holding it at bay. "Well at least it's just one." Aang pointed out, a hand shot out of the ground and grabbed his ankle causing Aang to scream and hitting it with his staff. Sokka came and chopped the hand off leaving it still hold on to Aang's ankle while the rest of the ghoul crawled out of the ground followed by two more. "Avatar maybe you should just keep your mouth shut for now on?" Zuko yelled, Each ghoul leapt at the group trying to tackle and wrestle them to the ground. Zuko did a tornado kick knocking one to the ground. Aang was tackled but used his feet to push it off him then summoning a gust of wind and sending it straight into a tree where a tree branch shot through its head causing Aang to look away in discus. Iroh flipped his ghoul on it's back and pulled out his sword only to have the ghoul grab his leg and pull him to the ground. Iroh bent forward hold the ghouls head back trying not to get bit well as kicking it to loosen its grip. Katara ran up to Iroh and kicked the ghoul in the head a couple of times and manage it get him free. Everyone backed up forming a small group as the three remaining ghouls moved toward them. "This shouldn't take long." Kin said, "yeah but hey if you want to take them on first go ahead." Sokka sarcastically said, Kin smiled and chuckled, then readied to leap at them.
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Leiko sat in her hut drinking a cup of water and reading one of her books. The room was lit by one candle witch barley lit the room. ("Ignorant fools. They're going to their deaths. Why didn't they listen to me. I've seen groups of 20 people go in there and no one come back out.") Leiko thought to her self, As she read she heard something that tore her out of her concentration…. The sound of someone calling for help. Leiko dropped her book and ran out the door and froze as she saw Katara limping towards her. Her cloths were covered in blood and her right leg was hurt, she couldn't see if Katara was bit from the distance. "Leiko please help…" Katara yelled, before she could finish she fell to the ground and was having trouble getting up. Leiko instincts told her not to help, but didn't listen she was a child after all. Leiko ran to Katara and helped her up checking for any bites. When finding none she felt it was safe and began to drag her to her hut but Katara started to struggle. "Don't fight just come on in and let me finish checking you for wounds!" Leiko yelled, Katara looked at her and limped inside where she was laid on the bed. Leiko brought out her bandages and addressed her wounds but couldn't figure something out about this girl. "What happened and where did all this blood come from?" Leiko asked, Katara flinched in pain and started to breath slowly and gather her thoughts. "We were on our way back when we were attacked by a group of ghouls. We were taken completely by surprise… I was the only one who got away." Katara explained, Leiko stared at her and pulled out some water and poured it on her healing her wounds. "You're a water bender?" Katara shouted, Leiko didn't look up at her only grabbed a bowl and left the room. "Yes. I learned that when I was about your age. I keep it to myself, don't want to be bothered by everyone wanting to get a cut healed. So Is everyone dead?" Leiko called from the other room, " I think so but we got to go check… please we need your help!" Katara pleaded, Leiko came back into the room and sat beside Katara holding a blanket. "Maybe, but they're probably already dead." she pointed out, Katara shook her head viciously, "NO they're not dead they can't be we have to go now!" she yelled, pulling Leiko's arm towards the door. "If you feel like that then why did you leave them?" Leiko asked, Katara turned with a frightened look on her face. "To get you to help why else would I leave?" Katara screamed, Leiko only stared at her not blinking once. "Then maybe you should have done a better performance." she whispered,
Before Katara could say anything Leiko threw the blanket off her arm and slammed a sutra on Katara's forehead. She then fell to the ground twitching and screaming in pain trying to pull the sutra off . " I can't believe I fell for this, I must be getting old. Now show me what you really look like!" Leiko screamed, Katara finally pulled the sutra off her head witch left a light red mark and looked at Leiko and grinned. " What gave me away?" Katara asked before changing her form a little kid to a built women looking between 18 and 21. Her hair fell past her shoulders and body bolded out from the change. Her loose cloths took the place of Katara's and she starred the old women down. " They left hours ago, Katara would have went to the village for help not here and her eyes aren't green. Who are you and how were you able to get in here?" Leiko exclaimed, the women slowly rose to her feet and chuckling to her self all the while staring at giving her the coldest and emptiest expression Leiko had ever seen causing her to step back reading for an attack. " Would knowing my name really help you, huh? I guess it couldn't hurt to say… I'm Kei. As for how I was able to enter that's obvious isn't it? You invited me in remember?" Kei asked grinningly, Leiko looked dumb founded at what she said causing her to take another step back. "I never invited you in! I would remember if I let a monster in!" she yelled, "Oh come on think back it was only 15 minutes ago. Remember what you said when you were helping me in? You said Don't fight just come on in and let me finish checking you for wounds…. Come on in, see I was invited. Kei laughed, Leiko cursed her self for falling for such a trick and held a sutra in her hand tightly. "Why are you here? What do you want with me?" Leiko shouted, Kei continued to smile and started to pick out her ear out. "You know you yell to much. You should use your in door voice. But lets cut to the chase your coming with me." Kei said as she walked towards her, Leiko charged at full speeddoing a flying kick hitting her in the gut sending Kei out the door and rolling on the ground.
Leiko then did a leap in the air sending her foot straight down at the shape shifting demon. Kei rolled to the side then flipped on to her hands then twisting her body to the right and swing her feet out hitting Leiko in the jaw sending her to the ground. Kei then jumped to her feet and started to run and slide tackle into Leiko only to have her jump off her side and on to her feet landing beside Kei and placing the sutra on her back. Kei then started to scream in pain as the sutra seemed to burn her back causing her to double over in pain. Leiko walked over to the demon, bending down and grabbing her by the neck then pulling her to with in 7 inches of her face. " What is it you want me for and how did you come to this world? I know how you master got here but how did you? Oh don't bother trying to move that sutra keeps your ghouls in check and will do the same to you now talk!" Leiko shouted, Kei continued to reach back to pull the sutra off only give up and hang in the air motionless. Leiko gave a discussed look and dropped the demon to the ground and began to walk back to her hut. As Leiko walked she noticed a piece of paper flying past her and stopped in her tracks. Leiko then received a hard foot to the head driving her face into the dirt as Kei laughed. " Come on Grandma you actually think that thing can stop me? I'm not as weak as a ghoul… not all sutras work for all demons. Ha you call your self a priestess pathetic." She laughed, Leiko tried with all her might to throw her off but couldn't budge, this creature was to powerful. With no other choice Leiko pulled out a small knife from her sleeve that she placed there while in the kitchen, and went to stab Kei in the leg only to have her jump backwards missing completely. Leiko jumped to here feet and holding the knife upside down ready to carve out her heart. " You wont kill me with that tiny little knife… but these would work." Kei grinningly said, as she pulled out to large knives of her own each about a foot long and curved towards the top of the knife. Leiko charged at her swinging side to side three times, only to have Kei step back wards avoiding to first two slashes then blocking the knife with one of her own. Leiko then ducked under Kei's arm pulling her knife with her and going to stab her in the gut.
Kei moved to the left dodging the knife and Leiko ran into the other knife getting stabbed in the chest. Kei watched in horror as Leiko fell to the ground grasping her chest in pain, blood pour on to the ground. Kei grabbed Leiko an turned her around to check the wound but was horrified to find it was a fatal wound, right next to her heart. Leiko laughed as if she had won the fight and a small stream of blood ran from her mouth and down her cheek. " Gus you can't use me after all…(cough) huh demon?" Leiko asked, Leiko then lied her head down on the ground and closed her eyes leaving on her face a smile in triumph as finally gave her final breath. Kei stood feeling a mixture of fear and anger not wanting to know what awaited her when she returned empty handed. (" Dame It! That women did that on purpose! We can't use her like this we need a healer that's alive! Now what do I do?") Kei asked her self as she looked into the evening sky. ("Better get going I got one more place to go before I see Ronin.") Lei thought, giving a nerves gulp at that last thought and ran through the forest and disappearing into the darkness.
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Aang and the gang spent another three hours before finally reaching the village, each yearning a good sleep. " Man that took to long I can't wait to take a nap." Sokka exclaimed, "What tired already, ha you wouldn't last long in a war." Zuko said, Sokka glared at him and walked to hit him only to have his sister step between them. "Well were in a war remember you guys trying to kill us?" Zuko smiled at the thought of killing the water peasant and how much more quite things would be. As they walked towards Cho's store a large rock flew in front of them, nicking Aang's nose and slamming into a tree. "Hey what the…" Aang yelled looking over to see who threw it but didn't like what he saw. Everyone but Iroh and Zuko looked in awe to see a large figure like a rock walking from behind one of the house. "What is that thing?" Aang exclaimed, Zuko walked forward standing next to him glaring down the demon. "That Avatar is a demon." Zuko stated, Iroh walked next to Kin hoping that he would be able to help this time. Zinan walked towards them and stopping 5 feet from them chuckling at the sight of the group. He looked over each one shaking his head at each one and laughed harder at the sight of Iroh and Zuko. "Fire benders, you plan on fighting again?" Zinan asked, Everyone looked at them wondering what he meant. "You know this thing?" Katara asked, Iroh gave a deep sigh and nodded. "Yes, his name is Zinan and we fought this thing two days ago… and didn't do to well. Zuko said nothing but continued to glare at the demon. After hear that everyone started to get a nervous sweat going down their neck each wondering what they could do. " Avatar you will come with me now. Or I'll kill everyone and break your legs. Be smart there's nothing that a boy can do to hurt me… just ask you fire benders." Zinan said, this only made Zuko more angry causing him to charge at the demon, fists now balls of fire. "Zuko no come back!" Iroh yelled, but Zuko ignored him sending a blast of flames that engulfed the demon. Zinan then ran out of the flames and grabbed Zuko by the arm and threw him on to the porch on a hut. Iroh ran to his nephews aid as everyone watched now horrified after see Zinan completely unharmed by Zukos attack. "Please fire bender don't insult me like that I know you can do better than that." Zinan taught, Zuko rose to his feet only to be restaged by his uncle. Iroh then looked out towards the hut that housed their crew to see a figure holding a torch standing in front of it. "Who is that!" Iroh shouted catching everyone's attention,
Zinan looked towards only to grin even wider. "That would be my partner about to burn your crew to death. Since they won't invite us in then well burn them out. Sort of ironic a fire bender dieing by fire?" he laughed, Zuko and Iroh ran to stop the second demon followed by Kin. Aang and the water siblings tried to help but were cut off by Zinan. "You need not worry about them, she's here only so we can be alone." He said, Aang Katara and Sokka readied them selves for battle and to run into the building if needing to as Zuko, his uncle and Kin charged to save their fellow fire benders completely unaware of what they were about to face.