Didn't See That Coming
by Rebirth of the Phoenix
Yes I am sorry about the wait but the good news is I only have three more exams left! As soon as get the damn things out of the way I will hopefully have a lot more time to update.
Well without further ado, I invite you to read, enjoy and review (Hey, I made a rhyme.)
Kaen idly picked at her tattered black robe as the teenagers reappeared before her. She was truly beginning to tire of this game; there was only one more fear for them to come through before she could face them herself. Even though she was looking forward to viciously taking their lives, she was surprised that the pair had made it this far.
She cut short her musings and stalked closer to the teens. "You nearly messed up there Katara, didn't you?"
Katara glared at the smirking demon and stood on shaky legs next to Zuko.
"But never mind, you made it through in the end. What a pity. I must say I am pleased to see that these fears a taking their toll on you, that one took you much longer to get through than any of the others."
Zuko scowled and quickly darted his eyes around. The large stones were still protruding from the earth, nullifying any chance of running from Kaen, they were still trapped on the damned island and Zuko knew that the final fear was something he didn't want to face.
Katara too cast a quick glance around, her eyes flicking to the sky. The trees above blocked out most of the star speckled mass and Katara didn't know how much time had passed. She absentmindedly tightened the satin tie holding her trousers up. How long it seemed since she had put on Zuko's clothes until she could get attire of her own. Her mind swiftly flicked to Iroh waiting in the village, surely he knew something was wrong? Katara just prayed he didn't venture into the forest in search of Zuko and herself, lest he too fall prey to Kaen.
Kaen seemed to read Katara's thoughts and a sadistic grin stole across her features. "They're already here."
Katara and Zuko snapped their attention back to the demon, puzzling over her cryptic message.
Kaen settled herself back into the lotus position and continued. "Just outside this forest there is quite a large group of men. Most of them are Fire Nation, but one of them is from the Water Tribe and the other… is an Air Nomad."
Katara and Zuko's eyes snapped together. Was the wretch telling the truth? How else would she know about Aang, Sokka and the others? More importantly, why would she lie about it; there was nothing they could do even if Iroh and the others were waiting at the edges of the trees.
Zuko moved closer to Katara in order to talk with her alone. The demon grinned wickedly an retreated away from the pair, she adored toying with mortals!
"Do you think it's true?" Katara bit her lip uncertainly and Zuko continued. "I mean, what would your brother and the Avatar be doing with my crew?"
Katara tore her eyes away from his and looked at the stepping stone beneath her feet. "Waiting for me," she mumbled.
Zuko looked away too. "Right. Well let's get through this so you can get back to them."
His voice was quiet and Katara looked up painfully. Did he want her to go with them? Katara had seen that Zuko always fought for what he believed in. Did she mean so little that he could let her go so easily? After all they had been through and after all they had confessed to one another, was it worth nothing?
"Zuko…" She trailed off uncertainly not knowing what to say. She lowered her eyes again but her attention was caught by Zuko's wrist. There was a nasty burn there, the skin was red and peeling. Katara gently skimmed her fingertips across it, eliciting a small gasp from Zuko.
She met his eyes again, the previous awkwardness gone; this was something they could deal with. Injuries were commonplace and easily fixed, whereas the thought of separating hurt, was not so easily faced.
"When did this happen?"
"In the last challenge, at the same time that I dislocated my shoulder."
Katara nodded and drew some water from the water skin at her side, the one she had been given in the previous fear. She wondered briefly about what had happened to her original water skin. She remembered having it during certain challenges but not in others. She realised that Kaen must have found another way to torment Katara, by taking away her bending source. Katara formed a glowing, blue glove around her hand and gently grasped Zuko's wrist.
Zuko watched Katara intently as she focused on his burn. Her skilled hands tenderly erased his pain and healed his flesh.
'She's healed so much more, am I just going to let her go?'
Yes. That was the simple answer, no matter how much he loved the girl before him, he had to let her go. There was no way she would want to stop with him if they got out of this curse, and who could blame her? If Zuko had never taken her from her friends in the first place, then she would have never been attacked by his men and would ever have risked her life countless times in the face of a demon. No matter how much it hurt him he would give her back to the Avatar and her brother, and she could be happy again.
The water around Katara's hand stopped glowing and dripped from Zuko's wrist. The benders made eye contact and Katara moved he hand from Zuko's wrist and onto his hand.
"Katara I -"
"I do believe that I have given you enough time to think about the little rescue party waiting for you, so it's back to business."
Katara looked at Kaen with abhorrence. "What are you going to do with them?"
Kaen stretched her arms languidly above her head. Zuko winced in displeasure as her ancient bones creaked. "Nothing whatsoever. Not yet at least. I need to get rid of you two before I can draw anyone else in. But enough of all this talking."
With a wave of the demon's hand, the sixth stone was emblazoned with the word 'Truth'.
With a wordless agreement, and a tighter grip on one another's hands, Zuko and Katara disappeared from the cursed island.
Sokka blinked slowly up at the velvet sky above him, the silver stars blinked back at him. Sokka was completely restless, even laying on the cool earth floor his fingers were continually twitching and tapping. Giving up on hi attempt to rest Sokka sat upright and cast his eyes around for Aang.
He spotted the young monk sitting on a rock facing the trees. Sokka got up and walked over to his friend.
"Aang?"
The Airbender cracked one eye open and grinned at his companion. "Hey Sokka."
"What're you doing?"
Aang shifted slightly on his rock. "I'm going to try and get into the spirit world and see if I can find Katara and Zuko."
Sokka nodded. "Good idea. I'll sit here and make sure none of the Firebenders try and run off with you while you're gone."
Aang smiled shrewdly at Sokka's words and settled back into his meditation pose. Placing his fists together, he closed his eyes and breathed deeply. At first he could hear the sounds coming from their makeshift camp loud and clear. Soon enough, however, those sounds faded and Aang experienced the momentary feeling of weightlessness as he entered the spirit world.
The sun pleasantly warmed Katara as the cool, turquoise water lapped at her feet. She smiled gently at the lake she had her feet dipped in and looked up at the bright sky, shielding her eyes from the dazzling sun overhead. This really was the perfect place to relax, a secluded glade in the peaceful forest.
Katara glanced over her shoulder and smiled slightly at the sight of Zuko sprawled out on the thick grass behind her. She turned back to the water and sighed. This was perfect.
Zuko felt Katara's eyes on him and turned to look at her, but she had already tuned away. He grinned drowsily and stretched languorously in the cool grass. He was at perfect ease sharing this moment with Katara and he was glad that they had decided to take a moment to chill out.
Katara lay back onto the ground, her feet still submerged in the cool water. She began thinking about the boy mere feet away from her. She had never had anyone who cared for her like he did.
'Well sorry to break it to you, but you still don't.'
Katara frowned slightly. The voice that had just hissed into her ear was so cold and vicious; it demanded attention.
'No Zuko does care for me.'
'What proof have you got of that?'
'He worries about me, I know he does.'
'Ha! He only worries about you for one thing.'
Katara's eyebrows knitted together. 'Why?'
'Because you're bait for the Avatar.'
'No that isn't true! We've gotten closer over the past week and I know he cares for me! He even took me on a walk into the forest.'
'He's only doing it for your trust.'
'No! He won't use me for bait!'
'You know what, you're right. He won't use you for bait. He's just going to abandon you when you leave the forest. The Avatar is waiting for you outside this forest and when you and Zuko leave, Zuko is going to give you back to the Avatar and send you on your merry way.' The voice was hissing furiously in Katara's ear now and the girl's eyes were narrowing with each word.
'He doesn't want you anymore. His plan to use you to capture the Avatar failed now he wants to get rid of you.'
Katara felt tears brimming in her eyes.
'Aw! Did I make you cry? What, did you really think he loves you? He was just playing with you.'
'No, that isn't true!'
'Prove it, go and get the truth.'
The voice stopped jeering and hushed. Katara extracted her feet from the water and pushed herself up from the ground. She stalked closer to Zuko, who had his eyes closed, and stood over him.
Zuko felt a lithe shadow fell across his face and he opened his eyes. He smiled up at Katara happily and then noticed that her eyes were bright with tears. His brow creased and he sat up.
"What's wrong Katara?"
Katara glared at the prince and sniffed. "What's wrong? You're what's wrong!"
Zuko blinked in confusion and stood up. "What?"
"Aang's waiting at the edge of this forest. Are you just going to let me go when we to back to him?"
Zuko frowned. "Yes I am. Why do you want me to keep you as a prisoner?"
Katara scowled. "I thought I was more than just a prisoner! I guess I was wrong about you, you really are a creep!"
"Katara…" Zuko made to put his hand on her shoulder but she jerked roughly away.
"Don't touch me!"
"Katara, what's brought this on?"
Katara wiped furiously at the tears in her eyes. "Let's just say that somebody made me listen to reason. You don't care about me do you Zuko?"
Zuko opened his mouth to sure Katara that he did indeed care for her, when a sly voice sounded in his ear.
'Don't give her the satisfaction of knowing that she can bend you to her will. Don't let her know that you care for her.'
Zuko frowned. 'But I do care for her.'
'Why do you? Did you ever think that she's fooling you?
'Fooling me?'
'Yes, think about it. She was a prisoner on you ship and it benefited her to get in your good books. Besides, what possible reason would she have to love you like you love her?'
Zuko pondered this while the voice in his ear disappeared. Katara clicked her tongue impatiently.
"Answer me Zuko!"
Zuko snapped his attention to the Waterbender and scowled. "So what if I don't like you? You've just been using me anyway!"
Katara snorted derisively. "I've be using you? Excuse me, but you were the one who's been holding me for bait!"
Zuko wasn't deterred and he tried a new approach. "Why would you care if I gave you back to the Avatar or not? Surely you don't want to stop with me?"
Katara was stumped. She didn't know how to answer Zuko. Yes she wanted a chance to stay with Zuko, especially after they had both confessed their feelings, but she wasn't about to tell him that while they were arguing. There was no way she was telling the truth.
"Why are you so eager to get rid of me Zuko?"
Zuko was vaguely aware that Katara had dodged question, but he was too preoccupied with her question. He couldn't tell her he was doing it because he loved her, not while they were fighting at any rate. This was no time for the truth.
The pair glared at each other in silence for a moment before turning there backs on each other and stalking away.
Aang looked around him in awe. He had been in the spirit world before, but this was different to any of his previous experiences. He wasn't seeing solid shapes, instead he was surrounded by colours and shifting light. He turned his head o the right, towards the place where Sokka had sat down.
Aang saw the vague outline of Sokka sitting on the floor, but instead of seeing Sokka, he saw so much more. Aang saw a white light emitting from his friend, it took him a moment before he realised that he was seeing Sokka's inner spirit and chi. Upon closer inspection Aang saw that Sokka's spirit was made up of other colours. The place where Sokka's heart would have been was a mixture of black, red and blue. It took Aang only a moment to figure out the colours stood for anger, love and sadness. Aang knew that the sadness was caused by his worry for Katara. The love could have been for any number of reasons and Aang don't dwell on it. What surprised the Avatar the most was the small amount of black that was pulsating inside of Sokka. Aang wondered what was making his friend angry. Was it directed at Zuko because he kidnapped Katara, or was it directed the Fire Nation in general because of all they done in his life?
Aang cast one look at Sokka before heading into the trees. The whole forest was mad up softly glowing columns. Aang gather that even trees held spirit energy inside and the pale white light proved him it was peaceful energy, no mat what creature may have dwelled in this forest.
However, the closer Aang got to the centre of the forest, the more dimly the trees glowed, until they stopped glowing completely; they were dead. Aang pushed through the dead branches of a willow and gasped.
Though this was s first time seeing the world completely in the form of spiritual energy, he knew that he had entered a place of extreme evil. There was a deep trench around a circle of land, and filling this trench was a raging river of spirits. They were parts of the circling spirits that were black, but mostly they were a deep blue. Aang frowned, he could feel the sadness radiating off the spirits.
Turning his attention to the earthen island, Aang saw that tall rocks had formed a barrier around it. He was shocked to see that those rocks were pulsing with ebony coloured energy and he wondered how this was possible. His query was answered when one of the rocks lowered back into the ground.
Aang's eyes widened when he saw the figure standing on the island. The shape was that of a woman, but she had no human energy. Instead of being primarily white, the woman was a throbbing mass of blackness. From where she floated above ground, her dark energy spread to the floor and crept around the rocks surrounding the island; Aang gathered that she was an Earthbender.
Aang franticly cast his eyes around to seek out Katara and Zuko, but there was no trace of them. His eyes flicked back to the being that he knew was the demon. Before he knew what had happened she had raised her hand and thrust it towards Aang. The Avatar found himself being pulled back from the island and held no control over himself as he was shoved back into his waiting body.
Sokka jumped up as Aang's eyes stopped glowing and the young boy flew backwards, as if he had been forcibly thrown.
"Aang!"
Sokka knelt next to his friend's side while Aang stared wide-eyed at the sky above panting slightly. Some of the Fire Nation soldiers had approached warily, led by Iroh.
"Aang, what happened?"
Aang carried on staring at the dark sky and the others had to lean in to hear his answer. "So angry."
Sokka tapped Aang on the face to bring him back to attention. "Who Aang, who? Did you see Katara?"
Aang shook his head. "No I didn't see Katara," he looked at Iroh. "Or Zuko. The demon, he is filled with nothing but anger."
Sokka and Iroh looked at one another before their gazes fell, once again, upon the shadowed forest.
Kaen grinned as she closed the gap in her stone barrier. She had known the Avatar had entered her forest, even through he had been in the spirit world. Well, she wasn't far from being pure spirit herself. It had been most enjoyable to show the Avatar the powers that she possessed. His face had been a picture as she had sent him reeling back into his body.
Kaen sighed and settled down to wait for Katara and Zuko. She knew they would survive this fear, it wasn't exactly dangerous. She had planned on this, even though no one had ever made it to the sixth fear, this would make her final assault on the teens all the more sweet. The knowledge that she gained from this challenge could be essential to secure her victory in the next.
While in the meantime, it was amusing to watch the lovebirds at each other's throats.
Zuko sat near the trees, his golden gaze burning into Katara's back. How could she think that he didn't care for her? He cast a furious glance around the glade, and why couldn't he remember what they were doing in the forest? All he could remember was walking into the forest with Katara, following a noise, and then all of a sudden they were sitting in a beautiful and sunny glade.
Zuko shook his head and continued glaring at Katara.
At the edge of the lake, Katara could feel Zuko's eyes on her back and she as coming to the end of her tether. Her head was beginning to pound, she couldn't believe that Zuko wouldn't tell her why he was willing to let her walk away without a fight. Plus she kept getting flashes of kissing Zuko and being in places where she had never been before, she pinched the bridge of her nose.
"I seriously need to go lie down." She glanced over her shoulder at the brooding prince and grimaced.
"Obnoxious brat."
"Vulgar peasant."
Zuko and Katara both jumped up and stormed towards one another. They stopped with a foot of space between them and shouted in unison.
"What did you call me?"
They were both seething and Zuko's fists were clenched tightly, smoke curling through his fingers. Katara eyed his hands and pulled a stream water from the lake.
Zuko eyed Katara's defensive pose and smirked. "I suppose it wouldn't surprise you if I did attack you, right?"
Katara scowled back at him. "Probably not, although I bet you're just hoping I'll just run away from you and never come back!"
Zuko flinched and not because of Katara's harsh tone. He saw the fury in her eyes soften into hurt and he felt his expression change to match hers. He unclenched his fists and inhaled deeply.
"I don't want to fight you Katara."
Katara sighed and let her water snake drop on to the grass. "I know. I just wish you'd tell me straight if you want me to go with my brother and Aang."
"I don't! For Agni's sake Katara! I want you to stay with me."
Katara was floored. "Then why didn't you say anything?"
Zuko laughed shortly. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm not the best at showing my emotions, it was how I was raised. Besides, it seems as though you've been untruthful too."
Katara through up her hands. "Fine! If I tell you the truth about how I feel then you have to do the same." Zuko nodded and Katara continued. "I don't want to leave you, something important has happened between us but I can't remember what, all I know is that you've protected me lately and knowing that Aang is waiting to take me away hurts. I can't just turn around and tell my brother that I' staying with you, but I can't just leave you either."
Zuko frowned at Katara's teary expression and swiftly reached out and pulled her forward into his embrace.
"I never want you to leave. I'm drawing a blank on what has happened lately too, but I can tell I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you. I do care for you, and you are one of the few people in my life that have cared back."
Katara gripped the front of Zuko's armour and laughed suddenly. "I guess honesty is the best policy."
Zuko smiled and closed his eyes. Consequently, neither of the two teens noticed that they had been transported back to cursed forest, and it didn't register to them that their memories of the previous challenges had returned. It wasn't until a meaningful cough sounded, did they gather their bearings.
Zuko let go of Katara and blinked. "What just happened?"
Kaen circled the perimeter of the island and grinned sardonically. "That little fear was just my way of seeing how your feelings for one another worked in a situation where your life wasn't at risk. I'm pleased to see that you're feelings are incredibly strong."
Katara followed Kaen's movements carefully, never putting her back to the demon. "And why would you want to know that?"
Kaen paused right in front of the duo, only the last stone between them. She waved a skeletal hand and the last stone glowed a vivid crimson with the word 'Loss' burning brightly at them. "Because, my dear, it will make the final fear all the more gratifying."
Whoa, this has got to be the longest chapter I have written for this story so far.
The next chapter is the one that you've all been waiting for, the final challenge. Please give an exhausted author her energy back by reviewing!
P.S: The spell check on this has come up clear, but if there are any minor mistakes then please do forgive me. I haven't got time to check it at the moment (chemistry revision beckons me) but I think you deserved to have the chapter put up! Butbear in mindthat I am British and therefore there aresome differences n spellingsanyway!
I hope you enjoyed it!
