Azula and Zuko stopped running and sat near a huge log to examine what they had managed to grab.
Azula looked to her brother with some annoyance. "Why do you look disappointed, Zuzu? You've got a sword, wasn't that what you wanted?"
"This is a jian. I wanted the dual dao swords!" Zuko yelled.
"A sword is sword, brother, I don't see why you should be so disappointed. Be happy that you didn't get another pair of fans!" – and indeed right next to Zuko was lying a pair of simple fans that were looking like Kyoshi herself was depicted to have used them in one of many statues, that Zuko tossed away just a couple minutes ago before finding sword in another bag. "If you don't like it then you can go back to goodie pile and ask for the dual dao swords as nicely as you can." Azula smirked.
His eyes were full of hope. "You really think they would do that?"
"Oh, absolutely. But before that they'll slice you into pieces and leave your mangled remains to rot on the ground," Azula laughed.
Zuko frowned at his sister. "Why you have to be like that? What did you get anyway?"
"I'm glad you asked. I have two bags worth of survival supplies, including food, water, and rope to tie you up with before you do something that could cost you your life." Azula replied.
Zuko paid no attention to her verbal jabs, instead was drawn to the bags of food with his saliva practically dripping from his lips.
"You're gonna share that food right? You know our parents told us to stay together," Zuko said.
"It does me no good to let you starve to death. Where's the fun in that?"
Rolling his eyes, Zuko merely accepted her comments as a 'yes', or as close to one as she could possibly make it.
o0o0o0o
After some time resting the two siblings ventured out to look for their friend Mai. Zuko and Azula made a deal with her before the start of games. Her skill with bladed weapons would be a good addition to their team. And if she fulfilled her use in good time, then Azula would simply get rid of her.
It didn't take long to find Mai. She was already dreadfully bored waiting for Azula and Zuko at their designated meet-up location, leaving soon after to look for a better place to camp.
o0o0o0o
The trio trekked through the forest without much incident walking until Azula heard something odd off in the distance. Everyone stopped, keeping quiet. Zuko unsheathed his sword while Mai prepared her knives. Seconds later, appearing from the bushes, another grouped revealed themselves. It was Jet, Longshot and Smellerbee. Both parties stood motionless, gauging each other, wary of the slightest move.
Jet nodded casually. "Good to see that you're still kicking, Zuko. We mean you no harm if you'll do us no harm."
"The feeling is mutual," Zuko replied.
"How about we work together? This forest is full of tributes. There will be enough kills for all of us if we work together. And I know just the way we can do that." Jet looked toward Zuko, waiting for his approval.
Jet had tried to recruit Zuko before the start of the games, wanting him to join his bandbut Azula managed to persuade Zuko not to join them. It seemed Jet wanted to try his luck one more time since a firebender on the team would be a great asset.
Azula scoffed at him, her words cold. "You just want to use us to torch the forest."
She had a good hunch about such a plan. To her, it was efficient enough. Snuff out any tributes hiding in the forest with a little fire, lure them into well-prepared traps, and let the rest of the team finish them off. It would certainly thin out the numbers in a short time.
"Heh, You're as brilliant as you are beautiful, Azula. You already have a tribute from my district in your team. I think this is a good way to say that we should be friends." Jet smiled at Azula but she seemed unfazed.
"A good idea. What's your plan then?" Zuko asked without waiting to see who could win this staring contest.
Smirking, Jet indicated a small, crude map drawn on the ground. "My team has already scouted this forest and we found several tributes camping nearby."
Kneeling, he pointed to each location on the map where they could potentially ambush the other tributes. "Now, like Azula said, we need someone to set fire to the surrounding trees so that we can flush them out. Once we do that the others will pounce on them and finish anyone off."
"Well, what are we waiting for then?" Azula inquired sharply, impatient.
Jet winced. "Hm. This isn't a good place to talk this kind of stuff. We need to move somewhere else that's more… private," Jet said, smiling at the girls.
o0o0o0o
Smiling, blue flames ignited in Azula's hand, the familiar warmth of chi coursing though her palm. "Right, we should be fine here. So, what is the plan?"
Her bending had only returned several moments ago and she was very pleased with that. She didn't show her satisfaction until now. Jet merely smirked, which made her uneasy.
"Its simple really," he said, "We need to set the nearby trees on fire so that all the tributes hiding in these woods will be forced out. That job goes to you and your brother, Azula."
Drawing another crude map in the dirt Jet knelt down and beckoned those around him to look. "We'll take positions here, here, and here. For a much quicker job I suggest that you and Zuko go to different parts of the forest to set it on fire. We'll work in two groups. You and Zuko, me and Mai, and Longshot and Smellerbee. That way we can overlook three exits and pick anyone that comes out."
Everyone nodded in agreement to the plan.
"So what do you think, Azula? Looks like a sound plan." Zuko asked after the others went to sleep.
"The plan may be good, but I have a bad feeling about what is to come. I can't explain it. Just keep your guard up. Jet may take an opportunity to get rid of us."
Zuko's eyes widened. "What? Why would he do that?"
Azula looked over her shoulders, wondering if others were listening to their conversation. "We are useful to him, but sooner or later we will be have deal with him. It could get ugly if he decides to double cross us when we least expect it."
"You're just paranoid. No one is going to back stab us," Zuko stated.
"I will not be the one to tell our mother how her son died. Our wits are what is going to keep us alive," Azula looked at her brother derisively. "Don't you think it's strange that children of noble blood were selected for this year's games? Long Feng is sending a clear message. He is taking children from some of the wealthiest and most powerful families in the world to quash any resistance. Fear is his weapon."
Zuko shook his head. "You're overthinking things. It was bad luck that we were selected, not because someone tried to poison Long Feng's tea."
"Hmph. Sure. And Iroh never returned from Ba Sing Se because he love it so much," Azula scoffed. "Deny it all you want, Zuzu. As usual I will be the one to get us out of this mess. Good night."
Azula returned to the camp, closed her eyes and went to sleep, but was ready to jump up at a moments notice.
o0o0o0o
When morning came the group dispersed into the woods. Silently they took up positions and prepared to execute their plans.
Azula was running as fast as she could to reach her designated spot, that sinking feeling of something bad happening plaguing her mind. If she accomplished her task quickly perhaps she could reunite with her brother to make sure he was okay. Despite her bitterness, Azula vowed to her mother that she would protect Zuko. The quicker she accomplished her task the quicker she could get back to Zuko and protect him from himself.
Just set a few trees on fire. It was simple enough for a firebender. The leaves and branches were dry and the light wind helped to fan the flames. Soon clouds of black smoke rose over the treetops, the woods set ablaze.
It was beginning of the end for their prey.
o0o0o0o
"It's dawn on only the second day folks and already the forest is burning! We can expect lots of death today. We will be holding bets for one hour as the residents of Ba Sing Se vote on who will be the first to die. Everyone that correctly guesses will be entered into a lottery to win a brand new cabbage-phone!"
"Indeed! The firebenders have risen with the dawn to prepare for this blazing event! We'll keep you updated as this exciting new day unfolds!"
o0o0o0o
Duke awoke to a sharp pain in his shoulder. He turned his head to the source and saw there was blood. A girl was sitting near him, dagger raised toward and poised to strike. Acting fast, almost on instinct, his good hand took hold of a nearby stone and threw it. The girl's head lunged back as the stone ricocheted off her forehead, disorienting her long enough for Duke to stand. He looked frantically for his hammer only to find that the girl had taken it and put it under her waist. With his wound still stinging, he didn't want to take chances.
He ran as fast as he could, far from the girl, clutching the wound on his shoulder. It was too bad for him that he didn't slow down for if He would have stopped just for a second he would have noticed the roots jutting out from the ground. Alas he didn't and when he tripped over one of them he rolled violently down the slope of a hill before hitting his head on a stone below. Losing consciousness, he didn't wake up until hours later, just as the trees around him were consumed in flames, the heat mercilessly gnawing at his skin until the smoke covered his body…
Jin recovered from the hit she sustained and cursed her luck. She was so close. She found the boy sleeping. She had the drop on him. It should have been an easy kill. She took away the hammer the boy had and nearly killed him. Just sink the knife into his chest and be done with it.
Whether her aim was off or her nerves were getting to her she couldn't tell. Perhaps the thought of taking a person's life for the first time made her miss. The boy woke soon after, just as she raised the knife for another strike and he was unfortunately faster than her, making his escape soon after hitting her with the rock.
Standing up, Jin tried to guess where the boy went. The headache she still had from the blow was a tremendous hindrance, making her unable to focus. After several minutes of searching she noticed a trail of blood and followed it down a slope. The scent of smoke was strong and before she had a chance to guess what it was from, the fire consuming the trees made its way toward her. Fear engulfed her entire body. She had never seen a fire as wild as the one she gazed upon. Panicking, she fled in the opposite direction, running as fast as she could.
She wasn't the only one that fled in fear. Just out of the corner of her eye Jin could see the boy with the wheelchair rushing away from the fire. How he managed to do so in his condition was nothing short of a miracle. It was futile in the end though, because moments later Teo hit a stone and was catapulted out of his wheelchair as his means of transport were shattered on the rocks.
Teo tried to crawl back to his damaged wheelchair but Jin jumped at him, trying to hit him with the hammer she still had. Just before she struck a strong gust of air blew her away. When Jin stood up she saw that an airbender tribute stood between her and Teo. Another air blast came toward her and Jin had to dodge it.
The flames came closer as they fought. Jin was surprised at the speed with which the trees caught fire, consuming everything in its path. They closed in around them, hemming them in. This was no natural fire, she realized, it couldn't be. Someone started it, wanting to flush anyone out of the woods.
She had no time for musing on the matter though, not when an airbender stared her down, with blasts of air only fanning the nearby flames. Both girls eyed each other cautiously, silently anticipating each other's next move. The only way out for Jin was going through the airbender. She had no choice left to her.
Another blast came at Jin, forcing her into cover. The fire grew closer and closer. Jin couldn't afford to play around anymore. She had to get out of the way of the fire before it took her.
Desperate, she threw the hammer in some other direction to distract the airbender, hoping she would turn away. When she turned to meet another possible threat Jin took her chance to dash away, only run into another airbender some distance away.
This was a bad sign for her. She tried to strike the airbending boy with her dagger, but he evaded her strike easily, blasting Jin away from him with a huge gust of air.
"Wrong move," said the boy.
As Jin fell back hard she tried to get up, but was unable to. A sharp, unimaginable pain pierced the center of her body. The shock of being impaled by a thick tree branch didn't hit her until her weary eyes drifted down to her body, fresh blood staining her tunic.
Aang watched as the life left her eyes, enduring the pain wracking his very soul. He had no tears to spare for her.
Suddenly, an explosion off to his side caught his attention. He hunched down as debris pattered this clothes. Out of the dust and fire came a girl, her hands covered in blue flames.
"Oh my, just look what we have here!" taunted the girl, shooting out a stream of fire toward Aang.
His reaction was too slow. Fire burned his chest and Aang fell to the ground in pain. He tried to stand up, but another blast of fire forced him to roll out of its way. With renewed strength Aang summoned a gust of air and kicked out with his feet toward his attacker. Azula dodged it with ease. Again he sent another gust of air toward her to get some distance, knocking Azula hard against a burning tree.
Ash and burnt twigs fell over his head. Aang had no intention to stay trapped within the inferno engulfing the forest. Using is bending he propel himself up into the smoke-choked air, away from his opponent.
"You're not getting away you filthy airbender!" Azula shouted, blue streaks of electricity coursing around her arms.
Seconds later, defying her own expectations of hitting him, lightning shot out from Azula's fingers and hit Aang in the back. He fell into to raging inferno, never to rise again.
o0o0o0o0
"The heat is beginning to rise down there in the forest, folks! Due to the thick foliage we can't see what's happening, but our technical staff has confirmed that at least two deaths have already occurred! Tribute Duke from District Six and tribute Jin from District Ten."
"Look there, Xin! An airbender just tried to leave the raging inferno, but a bolt of lightning shot him down! That had to have been lethal! His body is falling back in to fire below. No doubt a firebender delivered the killing blow and I am one hundred percent certain that Tribute Azula was behind it. Her brother didn't show an ability to generate lightning after all," Shiro said, putting down his spyglass.
"All right folks, its official. We have confirmation that Tribute Aang from district 'nice' is dead."
o0o0o0o
As Aang battled Azula, Ilo checked on the disabled boy that attempted to crawl away.
"Wait! Don't be afraid. I am not going to hurt you," she said, her voice as calm as can be.
Teo looked up at her, terrified and uncertain. He had no doubt that he was going to die. His wheelchair was completely shattered. Without it he had no chance to escape. The fire raged around him, falling leaves disintegrating into ash. If the fire didn't kill him, then there were several other tributes nearby that would finish him off.
And yet this tribute refused to kill him.
"Please, don't be afraid of me. I'm here to help you," she said, reaching out a hand as she moved toward him. "Trust me."
There was something in the way she talked that made Teo want to trust her. If she really wanted to kill him, she would have done it by now under more ideal conditions.
"I'm Ilo and you're Teo. I'll get us out of here, please trust me," she insisted.
What did Teo have to lose? At best he would stall his inevitable death by a few hours, if not a few minutes. He reached out his hand to her and she took it. Helping him to stand as best as she could Ilo then attempted to carry him off, creating several air blasts to lift them into the air.
The fire raged all around them as they ascended, but Ilo used her airbending skills to evade the worst of it, heat licking at their skin. She ascended higher and higher, focusing on a narrow beam of light breaking through the treetops. Ilo could see their way out. They were almost free from the inferno.
Her hopes were dashed from her as the light was blotted out, a huge piece of splintered, burning wood slamming down on her. She fell from the sky, taking Teo with her as they hit the bottom. Maimed and cut, Teo desperately tried to lift himself up by his arms to make his way toward the airbender. She had become trapped under a log, completely knocked out. He tried to push the log away, but it was no use. He didn't have enough strength to move it. He cursed his weakness under his breath, whimpering as he tried one more time to push the log.
Eventually the flames consumed Teo and his would be rescuer. The last thing he would see would be the fire engulfing her body, his screams of pain mixing with that of crackling wood and splintering twigs as flames burned them. And just like that two more deaths were recorded, to the sound of a cheering audience hundreds of miles away.