A/N: What is there to say? How about we just get right to it, huh? Lol For those of you who are still mourning the death of Sokka, I hope you will understand Sokka's message… you'll see what I mean :)
Chapter 13
The fields were covered in blood. Everywhere she looked, dead bodies scattered around in every direction. She was lost, miserable and alone without anyone to help guide her. Her sorrowful eyes scanned the scene with intense worry and she began to run. In the distance, her eyes caught the sight of a red boomerang and her hand went up to her mouth as a sigh escaped her mouth. Katara ran straight towards him, his body mangled and his hair hung loose around his face. Sokka's eyes were closed and then she turned him over, taking out her canteen of water. But when she saw the wound in his abdomen, and when she put her fingers to his wrist, she dropped it and tears started to fall down her cheeks. Katara rocked herself back and forth, clutching her stomach as she did so. The unbearable amount of pain inside of her heart was overpowering and soon she felt buried in it. Suddenly, through the dark sky above, a light began to shine and she looked up, her tears vanishing from her face.
"Sokka?"
Her brother floated down towards her and she cried joyously. His affectionate smile soothed her soul and she hugged him fiercely.
"Don't ever play that kind of joke on my again Sokka! I thought you were gone…"
She looked up to his eyes and saw a hint of sympathy in them.
"Katara, I might not be here with you, but you have to promise me that you won't live your life mourning over my loss."
She reached out to him as he started to float away. His figure was vanishing and she didn't want him to leave.
"But Sokka! I don't want you to leave!"
"Be strong Katara. You have a duty to the world, and you need strength to fulfill it."
With that, the light disappeared, and she was alone again, looking up to the moon for guidance.
..:-:..
Katara winced slightly before opening her eyes. The dream had felt so real, but it was only a dream. His last words still rang inside of her head and then she got up slowly. Her heart weighed her down heavily, but suddenly she heard a loud thump and looked to her right side. Zuko's arm had fallen to the ground. Katara gazed at his sleeping face adoringly. She made sure that Aang and Jeong-Jeong were still sleeping and then she tilted her head. Katara kissed Zuko's nose, his forehead and then finally his lips. Zuko stirred when he felt the soft warmth on his mouth. When he realized it was Katara, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her towards him firmly. She giggled slightly as Zuko's fingers grazed the back of her neck. Her worries and heartaches were lifted away just a bit, and her brother's words rang through her head once more, until she finally felt at peace. Suddenly, the two of them pulled away when they heard a soft cough. Katara and Zuko looked up to see Jeong-Jeong's warning scowl on his face. She looked to the other side of the pile of ashes and saw that Aang was stirring. Zuko helped Katara stand up quickly, and they started to wander around the campsite. The morning sunlight streamed inside of the cave and Aang jumped up and stretched his arms.
"Good morning everyone! Katara, do you have breakfast ready?"
She laughed somewhat and nodded.
"I'll get on that Aang."
Her duty was to help the Avatar win the war. She had finally realized that, and she knew the pain of sacrifice. Sokka had chosen to go fight on the battlefields and it was his fate to die for the world. Inside, she smiled to herself, remembering all of the wonderful memories she had of her brother. Somehow, Katara wasn't so sad anymore. She felt his presence right beside her and it calmed her immensely.
Once breakfast was served and eaten, the true obstacles of the day began. Zuko and Aang went outside of the cave and Jeong-Jeong gave taught them the last lesson they needed to learn. But before they had done that, a matter of most importance needed to be addressed. After breakfast, Katara went up to Aang and smiled.
"Aang, as you can tell, my clothes are a bit worn out. Do you still have all of my other stuff that I had packed?"
"Of course I do Katara! They're up on Appa's saddle. I think Jeong-Jeong has something for Zuko too…"
"That's great!"
She found the bag very easily and went around the cave to change. Once she took off her old clothes and put on her new ones, she walked up to Zuko and he smiled.
"Wow… you look nice…"
He whispered it in her ear and she laughed a little. Katara quickly pulled away from his embrace however, and handed him the old clothes. She could tell that he was very confused.
"What's this for?"
"I want you to burn them. I have no use for this anymore."
Zuko nodded and punched his fist towards the pile on the ground. They watched the clothes turn into ash and then Katara doused the smoldering flames with a bit of water. She turned to Zuko and he sighed.
"I wish I had some new clothes too… these are getting a bit worn out…"
He saw her smile brightly and then she walked towards Appa. When she came back, a bundle of new clothes was in her hands. She handed it to him and smiled.
"Here you go! Your wish has been granted."
"Where'd you get this from?"
It was almost the same outfit, the colors matching perfectly.
"Jeong-Jeong said he had some extras so he gave it to you."
Zuko nodded and went to Katara's changing spot. When he came out again, his face was no longer dirty and his hair was actually combed through. Katara observed him with wide eyes and her heart started to beat faster. He looked so incredibly handsome; her cheeks flushed and he smirked.
"Looks like I'm not the only one who gets a redo."
Katara laughed and peered over to where Jeong-Jeong was talking with Aang. Their backs were towards them, and so she grabbed Zuko by his wrist and dragged him behind Appa. Zuko let go of his old clothes and then found himself in Katara's arms. She kissed him passionately and then when she pulled her lips away, he looked at her amazed.
"What did I do to deserve that?"
Katara smiled and looked into his eyes with a smirk.
"Nothing, I just felt like it."
He looked at her with astonishment, but then he remembered the news she had received the day before. Was she trying to push the sadness away?
"Katara," his smile was gone and he turned serious. She let her arms fall to her sides and then he continued, "do you want to talk about your brother?"
She let out a deep sigh and turned away.
"I'm fine with it Zuko. I've accepted the fact that he's gone. I have to move on and complete my duty."
He narrowed his eyes and stepped back.
"What duty?"
"I have to help Aang," she smiled slowly and took his hand, "come on, let's go. We have a lot of training to do today."
They made their way from their hiding place and Jeong-Jeong scolded them.
"Where were you? We need to start meditating right away!"
"Sorry," Katara answered, "we were changing into our new clothes."
"Oh yes, I see that. Okay, let's start now. In your stances everyone!"
They followed each command and moved their hands and arms in a fluid motion. With each breath, in and out, everyone felt their chi expanding through their arms and into the air around them. After an hour of this, Jeong-Jeong stood before them with his hands behind his back. Each eye opened at once and their arms fell to their sides.
"Now it is time to learn an advanced attack. I will teach each one of you separately. I expect everyone to be breathing while they wait. No talking is allowed. Concentrate and breathe."
He turned to Katara first and let Zuko and Aang wait for their turns. Katara bowed as he came in front of her and a small smile tugged at his lips.
"You are special. I have a unique attack for you to master. Am I safe to assume that you are one of the water benders?"
She nodded and smiled.
"All right then. Follow my directions. Take a step forwards, and then back. Repeat this. Forwards and back. Good. Now as you do this, I want you to keep breathing, and then close your eyes. Imagine the water flowing inside of you, forwards and back."
He left her to do this for a few minutes and then she heard his whisper in her ear.
"Feel it rising within you. The power of all the water benders is at your command. Now raise your arms and push the water forwards. Hit the tree in front of you. Don't open your eyes!"
She winced but then steadied her breath and managed to summon all of the strength she possessed. With one swift shove, she felt the power rush through her fingers and run in front of her. Katara opened her eyes and saw the tree in front of her. As she neared it, her eyes widened and she saw that there was a huge dent in its bark. Jeong-Jeong saw the wonder in her eyes and he smiled.
"How did I do that? There's no water around here!"
He stepped near her and nodded.
"Yes, that is correct. But there is water where no one can see it. There is water, life, inside of your body. It is the source of your ability to breath and move. Using that, you will be able to produce the most powerful water attack. It is all found within yourself. Now that you have mastered it, go back to your breathing position and clear your mind. Only think of the water inside of you."
Katara nodded and went back to her stance. She raised her arms and brought them back down to her chest. Jeong-Jeong's next pupil was Zuko. He put a hand on his shoulder and beckoned him towards the cave. Inside of it, there was no light except for the dim sun at the entrance. Zuko needed to hold onto Jeong-Jeong's shoulder so that he would not falter and hit his face against the ground. Suddenly, they stopped. Darkness engulfed them all around and then the master's voice resounded in the cave.
"You need to stay in your breathing stance. Good. As you breathe, make sure you do not only concentrate on your body, but the surroundings, which encompass your life. This cave blocks out all sunlight, which is the source of your power. But the sun gives life to everything around you. Its power lives in the very ground you walk on. Find the source of your power not missing, only not yet found. Concentrate Zuko, and then do what it tells you to do."
He closed his eyes and started to breathe. All of a sudden, as his thoughts focused only on the dirt and the rough cave walls, he felt an urge to raise his hands. The power flowed through his fingers and then he clenched his hands into a pair of fists. In one swift movement, his fists came down to his chest and then pushed outside to the walls of the cave. Zuko opened his eyes and found that the cave was glowing and he could make out the smiling form of Jeong-Jeong.
"Perfect. You have mastered the ability to find other uses for your fire bending. Even if it seems that you are at a disadvantage, think of the power of the sun in everything on the planet."
They walked out and Zuko returned to his breathing position next to Katara. Jeong-Jeong walked in front of Aang and he looked at him intently. His voice was carried away with the wind and was barely heard.
"Avatar, you have been meditating for the entire morning, and you have now successfully completed your training."
Zuko and Katara both shot their eyes open in shock and their mouths gaped. Aang slid his feet together and then bowed his head slowly.
"Thank you Master Jeong-Jeong. You have taught me that I need to rely on the balance of my inner strength. I must see not with my eyes, but with my hands and feet. I must attack not with power, but cunning. I must not melt in fear, but I must move swiftly with my confidence. And finally, I must drift through the elements so that I am complete."
A small smile graced the old man's face and a tear swept down slowly from his left eye.
"You are going to bring the world peace Avatar Aang. The day is finally here."
Aang nodded grimly and looked to his friends who stood there with shock and fright in their eyes.
"Sozen's comet will cross the skies this evening at midnight. The time has come to defeat the fire lord."
The sun gleamed high in the sky and everyone stood in silence. The dawning of the battle was drawing closer and closer. Katara heard the words come out of Aang, but she finally understood that he wasn't just a twelve-year-old boy; he was the world's savior, and he had to rid it of the evil it was surrounded in. She stood in her meditating stance once again, and then Zuko nodded and followed her example. Jeong-Jeong acknowledged this and did the same along with Aang. The day passed by slowly, and then, as the sun began to set, their journey began.
..:-:..
After slowly making their way back towards the palace, Jeong-Jeong, Aang, Zuko and Katara were all alert and silent. There weren't that many guards about the palace and using their newfound powers and strengths, they were able to eliminate all of the guards. Their path was secured under the darkness of the evening and as the door creaked loudly, each of them made their way inside of the brooding palace.
Once they were inside, Jeong-Jeong stopped and bowed to the trio.
"This is where I say my goodbye."
They looked at him with round eyes and he smiled.
"Why are you leaving?"
"Aren't you going to help us?"
The old man shook his head and stepped back.
"I have already done that which I was destined to do. Now it is your turn to follow the footsteps of your destiny. You all have the skill and knowledge to defeat the Fire Lord. I have no doubts that tomorrow the world will be a safer place."
And with that, his figure flickered and vanished right before their eyes. They stood dumbstruck but Aang came to his senses first. He was a changed person; the Avatar had matured considerably in the months apart from Katara and her brother. He motioned towards the two of them and they headed along the hallways silently. Door after door opened, and more and more guards were taken down. Not one of them had broken into a sweat, but they finally made their way towards the center of the palace. Time was of the essence and they needed to find Ozai as quickly as possible. They stopped and looked at each other with a deep concentration. Wordlessly, each put a hand in front of them, and when the three hands were on top of each other, they closed their eyes, and spread their chi into each other's bodies. As their hands fell to their sides, Aang smiled and nodded.
"We will be able to connect with each other's minds now. If we find someone and need help, just think."
Katara nodded and squeezed Aang tightly.
"Thank you Aang for giving the world hope. Be careful!"
He nodded and smiled cheerfully. There was no doubt about it; he was still just a kid.
They came to a three-way fork in the halls and each took one hallway. Katara took a deep breath and went down her hall, but then suddenly she felt a strong tug and a hand over her mouth. She wanted to scream, but then she suddenly saw Zuko's face in front of her. He let go and then Katara gasped.
"Zuko! Don't do that again! I was so scared!"
He looked at her deeply and then pulled her into him tightly. His arms wouldn't let go of her delicate form as he kissed her intensely. She poured her love for him in that kiss and then she buried her head into his neck. Zuko caressed her hair and then put his head on top of hers.
"I will be fine Katara. Please take care of yourself."
She looked up at his golden eyes and saw the torches of flames flicker in them. With all her strength, she pushed away from him and nodded.
"I love you Zuko. This will all be over soon."
He couldn't get the lump in his throat to fade away, so all he did was nod. Suddenly, he leapt away from her and went back into his original hallway. The image of her round crystal eyes haunted his thoughts, but he breathed in deeply and concentrated on the task at hand.
Each of them walked on and on, but no one was found in the rooms they looked in. It was strange and it gave Katara the sense that something was wrong. Zuko kept his eyes alert and then suddenly, he saw a door opening on his left. He hid behind a pillar, his entire body tense, but then his muscles relaxed.
"Aang, I'm over here!"
His silent whisper reached the Avatar's brain quickly and he knew where Zuko was. Without hesitation, Zuko approached the Avatar and together, they wandered down the rest of the hall. Suddenly, they reached the end of the hall and there was one room left that hadn't been open. A voice thundered inside of it and Zuko knew all too well who it belonged to. Zuko looked over to Aang and nodded. They blasted the door open and Azula fell onto the floor at the sudden invisible impact. Her sneer disappeared when she saw her brother enter the room with the Avatar.
"Well it looks like I have company. Please, why don't you sit down and have some tea? I'm sure the comet will look spectacular today. Oh wait, you won't be able to see it."
She said this with her all too familiar sneer and both Aang and Zuko stood in a fighting stance. However, Zuko noted to Aang mentally that it was his fight against his sister, and he wanted to do it alone. Azula cocked her head when the Avatar backed down and walked out of the room. Her wicked laughter resounded through the room and she moved her leg forward so that she was in her fighting stance as well.
"Is the Avatar afraid of me? How flattering!"
But Zuko didn't move an inch and he started to breathe.
"I wouldn't be talking like that Azula. My entire life, you have goaded over me with your prodigy talents. Now it is my turn to defeat you."
He punched the air forwards and a blast of fire swept towards her rapidly. At first she was shocked at how fast the attack sped towards her, but then she side stepped it just as it was about to graze her shoulder.
"My, my! You have improved….but so have I."
The fire princess made an arc with her arm and then shot a quick line of blue fire towards her brother. He dodged this attack as she did his and then he spun around toward her aiming and shooting at her again. She blocked his hand and the fire went up towards the ceiling of the small room. Azula stepped around her brother and then sent a stream of blue up towards the ceiling. Zuko felt her run towards the side of the room, and then at the last second he looked up to see the attack coming down on him. He closed his eyes and brought the energy of the fire towards him. Azula stood there gaping as her attack fell down on all sides of her brother, but not on him directly. Her fists fumed and she attacked him with all of her strength. Zuko leapt up and spun around towards the doorway. Her attack hit the wall and then she turned around, anger boiling on her face.
"You'll pay dearly for taunting with me! You… ah!"
Zuko let his arms fall to his sides as his sisters attack countered against the wall and hit her square in her back. She fell to the floor with a loud thump and then Aang appeared at his side.
"Is she…"
"No, she's not dead. But she will be out for the night. She is a powerful bender, and she got hit with her own attack. Everything will already be over when she wakes up."
The Avatar nodded and then they began to walk around the room. They found two doors and they each went through one of them. Zuko felt the doorknob burn under his fingers, but he clenched it and as he turned it, Zuko closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. As Zuko stepped inside of the blood red room, he squinted trying to see who was in it. Suddenly, the door behind him swung shut and he jumped after hearing sinister laughter. Katara was still walking down her hall and then she finally neared the end of it. Her body tensed as she heard a deep brooding laughter come from the room on her right. She walked up to the door and leaned an ear against it. Zuko stood frozen as he looked into his father's face.
"So you've finally found me Zuko. I must admit, it's a nice surprise, but then again, I really do wish Azula were here. Can you go fetch her for me? Only a true member of the fire nation deserves to share the power I am about to gain tonight."
Zuko clenched his fists and narrowed his eyes. Katara's mouth hung open and then she pulled on the doorknob at once when she heard his name and his father's voice. But the door was locked.
A/N: It begins! Omg… I'm so excited to write the next chapter! I tried to put in some more fluff in this chapter… the fic was starting to feel a bit lonesome without it lol xD Will they survive the night? Stayed tuned to find out! Thank you soo much for reading! Please review! I'd really appreciate it:D
All right then, Have a great day everyone!
-Monika-
