Holy cow! I am blown away by all the reviews, follows, etc! A total of 59 follows and 35 favorites. Thank you so much for the support!
Horror etched itself on Katara's face as the boys walked near it. "We can't be here. This place was here since my grandmother was a child. Only terrible memories come from this ship." She told them as Aang and Percy walked near it. "Guys stop! It could be booby-trapped?"
Percy touched the ground and looked at the inner workings of the vessel in his mind. "It looks like the traps have worn over time and I'm sensing bodies in there. Plus, fear will only hold you back from achieving your goals." He brought his hand away from the ice and saw the two shiver, not from the cold, but the thought of seeing the skeletal remains of their enemy, standing in the ship's shadow.
Helping each other up the blocks of ice, Percy took the lead and withdrew his pen from his pocket and turned it into his faithful sword. With the sword offering light, they could see in the darkness.
"What happened here?" Percy asked, seeing weapons submerged in the snow.
"This ship was the first Fire Nation attack on my people. It's haunted the tribes since Gran Gran was a little girl." Katara told the boys as Aang shook his head in disbelief.
"Impossible. I have friends all over this world, heck, even in the Fire Nation, and they've never been at war with anyone."
"Dude. How long were you in the iceberg?" Percy asked, the glow from his sword casting shadows on the walls as Aang slid down a wall.
"A day or so, I guess."
"I think it was a hundred years ago. That would explain not experiencing the war." Katara told them as Percy nodded.
"A hundred years… I can't believe I haven't cleaned my room in a hundred years. And do I look 112 to you guys?" The Avatar asked as they both chuckled.
"There must be a bright side, like meeting us for one," Katara asked as she and Percy helped pick the child up.
Going through the hallways, the group entered a room filled with snow. "Aang stop!" Percy yelled. Unfortunately, he was too late. Aang tripped on a wide hidden in the snow as the only door released and slammed firmly against the ground.
"Di Immortals!" Percy screamed as a flare erupted and raced out the ship.
Aang pulled his friend's close and used the air in the room to elevate the group outside, not knowing that a spyglass found them escaping and heading to the town.
With their heads facing the ground, the adults met them, and Gran Gran when they entered the village. "What have you done Katara, you know going there is forbidden, and now the Fire Navy will be here to kill us, but most importantly you and Aang." Gran Gran told them as smoke appeared in the distance.
"By the Spirits" a mother muttered, escorting her child inside their house. Sokka came out of his home decorated in warrior paint with a spear in hand.
"Sokka, that won't last a minute against anybody." Percy told the young warrior as he summoned his sword and shield. "But I wouldn't think any less to fight by your side."
Sokka beamed with pride, walking to face the ship with his friend. Making their way to the edge of the village, overlooking the icy waters, they heard a faint explosion as the boys tightened the grip on their weapons.
As the village secured their young ones, Aang was helping Katara with protecting the kids and the elderly. When the ship approached, its shadow loomed over the small community. "Oh, crap" Sokka muttered as the ship crushed the ice in its way, breaking the ledge the boys were on, covering them in snow.
Digging themselves out, the head of the ship broke off, using it as a ramp. A young man wearing armor with a scar on his left eye walked onto the snow, melting it where he, his spearmen, and firebenders stood.
"My name is Zuko of the Fire Nation, rightful heir of the throne. I have come for the Avatar. Give him to me!" The prince shouting in the air, breathing fire and shooting it from his hands.
"This Avatar you want isn't here. But I am." Percy said, getting into a fighting stance, monitoring the strange men. Unleashing a battle cry from his throat, the surrounding ice shook and broke apart.
With the men losing their footing, Percy sped off, slashing at the spears and knocking the butt of his sword against their heads and rolling to avoid the fire. Meanwhile, Sokka screamed, running with his club as Zuko gracefully dodged the attack and shot fire at the tribesman.
Sokka rolled away and threw his boomerang, intentionally missing his target. One child tossed him his spear as Percy rejoined him after finishing Zuko's men. "Your men aren't dead, just unconscious."
Together they ran, Sokka took the lead, aiming his spear at the prince. Zuko blocked it with two high blocks, pulled the stick away and poled Sokka's head. Meanwhile, Percy slashed at the prince. The boomerang returned and struck the backside of Zuko's helmet.
The air simmered as Zuko summoned daggers of fire. The two warriors fought in a deadly dance of blades. Suddenly Aang appeared, riding a penguin and knocking Zuko onto the ground.
"Looking for me?" Aang asked as he took a fighting stance.
"You're the Avatar? You're a kid. I've spent years training, meditating. All for this? A kid with arrows?" Zuko said, circling the Airbender, as Percy closed in on his enemy.
Aang twirled his glider staff to avoid getting burned by Zuko's flames. Suddenly a growl came from the waters as a shark with tiger stripes and legs walked on the ice, snarling at them. The beast dragged the men Percy attacked and dragged them into the icy depths.
When done the creature bowed its head to Percy, growled at Zuko and swam back to feed on his men. At the anger of losing his men, the Firebender blasted Aang with flames, defending himself. The children screamed.
"Stop! I'll go with you, but you can't harm these people." Aang demanded as Zuko allowed it.
"Aang, you can't be serious? What if he lies and kills you or the villagers?" Percy asked as a man approached the land of ice.
"If he dies, the Avatar will be reborn into one of the two water tribes; and our search will start anew. It is an honor to meet you, young one." Uncle Iron bowed to the Air Nomad.
'What the Hades?' Percy thought as Aang willingly went on the ship, wanting Katara to watch over Appa as Zuko ordered the captain to set a course for home.
Despair hung in the air as Percy and the others helped rebuild the village's huts. Percy then went out to find Katara with Sokka, asking his sister to get on their kayak. "Get in, we're going to save your boyfriend." Sokka said, cutting off his sister as Gran Gran came to deliver a sack with bedding.
"It's been ages since hope embraced these old bones. But you've brought it back, my little Waterbender and my brave warrior, be nice to your sister." Gran Gran told them, embracing them both, telling them about the Avatar. Percy chuckled about interweaving fates.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to ruin the moment. Just a joke from my home. I could help with the canoe, but not without you two being flung overboard." It was then that Appa roared for his missing rider.
Getting on him, Katara took command as Appa swam aimlessly. "What did he say? Yaya, yoyo, yip-yip?" Sokka said as Appa growled and rose into the air. Sokka screamed that he's flying as his sister smirked at him. Meanwhile, Percy was curled in a ball, getting the shit scared out of him.
"Oh Gods, oh Gods, oh Gods" the sea prince kept muttering, expecting Zeus to blast him out of the sky or to practice his aim with his Master Bolt.
After half an hour of flying, Appa growled, having located the ship. "Get me closer, I'll do what I can to stall the ship." Percy commanded Katara as Aang fell overboard. "Aang!" The group cried as Percy jumped after him.
Landing in the icy water, Percy propelled himself toward his friend. Nearing him, Percy realized his friend's markings were glowing.
Suddenly, Aang summoned a whirlpool, rising to the surface with Percy keeping his distance. Reaching the surface, it shocked Percy to see the swirling water bend toward the ship. Landing on the ship, Aang whipped the surrounding water around him, knocking the men overboard.
Elevating the water, Percy rose to the ship and caught Aang, and elevated the entire ship and moved it to a nearby iceberg. "Hey Percy, thanks for coming. Can you get my staff." Aang asked as Zuko climbed onto the ship.
Throwing his sword, Percy almost slashed Zuko's right cheek. Percy grabbed the staff and poked his enemy's forehead until he fell into the water once more. "That's from the Water Tribe!"
Appa landed as Aang rejoined his friends. Hearing grunting behind them, Katara bended the water, hoping to freeze the soldiers, only to freeze her brother. Trying again, she froze her foes.
Sokka bashed his boomerang against the ice on his ankles. Once free, he told Appa to fly. After safely away, the iceberg submerged with the ship rolling and crashing into the waters with ice and snow burying them alive.
Later that evening, with the clouds painted a beautiful orange, Katara asked how Aang could bend the water like that with no training. "Why didn't you tell us you were the Avatar?"
Aang sighed and turned away from them. "Because I never wanted to be."
Percy subconsciously rubbed his fingers over his beads, taking a sip of nectar. 'I know the feeling all too well.'
