Chapter Eight –Last Battle

Avatar: The Last Airbender

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The doors banged open and all heads turned. In the doorway stood a sopping wet Kaitou, leaning heavily against the frame and panting. "Cliff…dove…water…ships…Azula…" That was all anyone needed to figure out what was going on.

Zuko ran towards her when he saw her about to collapse. She fell right into his arms, thankful for the warmth against the cold water. She was brought over to sit in a chair to catch her breath and gather strength. However, an explosion came—signaling they had arrived—before she went back to her full self.

Zhike brought over her mask. Handing it to Kaitou, the female firebender bent down. "Kaitou, will you be alright?"

She nodded. "Yes, I'll be fine. Oh, and can you start calling me Katara again? Everyone knows who I really am now."

Zhike grinned. "I was wondering how long it would take for you to decide that."

Katara (it feels good to write her as that again) started running with her, but didn't put her mask on yet. She was looking for someone. Finally spotting him a little ahead of her, she gave herself an extra burst of speed. "Zuko!"

The fire prince turned at the familiar voice. "What? We have to get out there. We need to end this before we lose more peop–" He wasn't able to finish his sentence, as a pair of lips covered his own. Before he could respond, she pulled away.

"I just had to do that before going out there." Katara gave him a sad smile before it was covered with the mask.

Zuko just watched in a daze as she followed the other three ninjas out the door. However, screams brought him out of his revere and he rushed out the door with two other boys. They had recognized one of those yelps.

What they saw scared them half to death. Seven huge, gruesome animals stood there with Azula and a few others atop.(think threstials except five times bigger and four more arms with one claw at each end.) "I have found a way to beat you four. There is no way to defeat these animals—even the Avatar can't.

Zuko glanced over to where she was glaring and his heart stopped. Katara was laying beside her friends, her mask torn off and blood trickling down her forehead over her nose. She had deep gashes on one arm which was being held by the other at the moment.

He scowled at his so called sister. There has to be a way to beat these things…But first I have to find out what they are…

Azula answered that question for him without realizing it, but only after her ride swatted Katara away from the rest. "Morfanas are the deadliest creatures on this earth. You can't possibly hope to survive them." Two were steered towards the waterbender while the other ninja's got one each and the other two went after the soldiers.

Zuko was hidden, going through his knowledge for Morfanas. Finally! Morfanas…large and deadly creatures. I know that! How can someone destroy them? Suddenly his mind went black and he wasn't at the battle anymore. Instead he was on a brightly colored hill.

Looking around confused, he saw a woman walking towards him. At first glance he would have thought he was looking at his sister, but at a closer look, tears filled his eyes. "M-mother?"

The lady smiled at him. "Zuko, my son. I'm so proud of you. You have turned out to be everything I have always wanted you to be. Except for the scar, but that wasn't your fault."

Tears trailed down his cheeks, unstoppable. "Mom, where am I?"

"You are in the Spirit World, my young prince. I have been given special permission from the One to talk to you, but not for long. You have a long life ahead of you, as does the young waterbender you love." Here she smiled mischievously when Zuko blushed. "Zuko, there is a way to stop the creatures your sister has found, but it is difficult."

"Tell me! I need to know! I need to save Kaitou!"

"She wants to be called by her original name again. Katara…"

Zuko stopped for a moment. "Katara…I need to save her…she's the only one I have that I can really talk to!"

The Fire Lady smiled again. "Zuko, listen closely for I can only tell you this once…Morfanas are nocturnal, but they are immune to fire. They also come from the Earth Kingdoms, so Earth can't be used against them either. Air can only delay them, but not for very long. And water is too dim to blind them…You love Katara, so this can only work with you two. You need to use your elements in sync. The fire can light the water enough to blind them while drowning them in the process. Use this wisdom carefully, Zuko. I am always with you…"

Zuko started in amazement as his mother, along with everything else, faded back into the battle scene. Shaking his head, he tried to find Katara. There she was, just a little bit to his right. Making his way through the bushes, he made his way over to her. Unfortunately, Azula saw his shadowed form creeping through the trees.

He saw flames form in her hand and stood still, ready to either drop on jump. Luckily, it was dropping to avoid the flames. Making it seem like he was hit, he fell backwards onto his back, seemingly falling unconscious. He began crawling when Azula turned away.

Katara was fading in and out of darkness. She needed to gather more energy, but it was highly impossible as Azula was making the beast attack her over and over again. A flame shot out from behind her and almost knocked Azula off the animal. While she was distracted, a warm gentle hand pulled her into the shadows.

Zuko looked down into her face and saw the lack of energy. "Katara, don't fade on me. I need you. Everyone needs us. Only we can stop the beasts."

"Zuko, I have no more energy left in me to even stop a drop of rain from hitting me…" She said slowly. She was fading into the darkness which beckoned her.

The fire prince did the only thing he could think of. He kissed her.

The darkness suddenly evaporated and was replaced by a bright orange light. Her limbs seemed to become whole again and newly found adrenaline flowed through her veins. When Zuko broke the kiss, she smiled up at him. "Thank you."

He didn't need to ask what for—he felt it too. Katara jumped from her position against the ground and stood next to Zuko, ready to take on the seven beast-like creatures. They closed their eyes and put their hands not even and inch apart. Electricity cackled from their palms as gloves of water and fire surrounded them.

They moved as one, not even having to watch the other person, and a spiral of flames and water shot out of the forest. Azula was the first to see it, as it seemed to head strait for her, or rather, her ride. When the whirlpool connected with the morfana's face, a bright blue light erupted around it. Everything seemed to slow down and a searing hot burning came from the animal.

Azula did the only thing she could do; she screeched and leapt off the animal just as it burst into ashes. She stared at the charred ground where it used to stand, amazed. "That's impossible!" Everyone stopped and looked at her. "There is no way they could be destroyed!"

"Guess again, dear sister." a male voice came from behind her.

Zuko and Katara turned to each other again, letting themselves be consumed by their elements once again. Everyone stood in shock as lightning zapped between the small space between the two. They were even more astonished when they moved, reflecting each others positions, and when another whirlpool of flames and water shot out of their hands.

This one was larger than the one that came after Azula's pet. This one went from creature to creature like a slinky going down stairs, and each combusted.

Everyone stood still for a few minutes before Azula attacked the two. Or, at least she tried to. They moved once again in rhythm, though this time it wasn't planned, and punched her away. The fight broke out again, but everyone knew the rebels would lose so it didn't last long.

Azula wouldn't give up though. She tried to go after Zuko and Katara again, though this time their backs were turned. Something glinted in the air behind her as a call rang out to the other two. They turned in time to see Azula leap, but crash to the ground with a deep gash on the back of her head.

A boomerang landed on the grass at Katara's feet and she smiled. Looking up, she caught her brother's eye and in a flash, she was embracing him. "I love you Sokka."

He just grinned and took his favorite weapon from Zuko. "Hey, at least my brotherly protectiveness comes in handy some times."