Chapter 3 The Crossroad of Destiny
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar or the avatar characters
Zuko and Katara were tossed into the underground catacombs.
"Zuko!?1" Katara said angrily as she realized who was tossed in and was getting up. "Why did they throw you in here? Oh, let me guess…. it's a trap. So, that when Aang shows up to help me, you'll finally have him in your little fire nation clutches." Katara was yelling at him as he sat with his back towards her. He looks over his shoulder and turns back. "You're a terrible person, you know that? Always following us, hunting the avatar, trying to capture the world's last hope for peace! But what do you care? You're the fire lord's son, spreading war and violence is in your blood." She added and Zuko stay quiet.
"You don't know what you're talking about." Zuko spat back.
"I don't?! How dare you! You have no idea what this war has put me through, me personally!" Katara responded back with anger and hurt emotions as she crouched down. "The fire nation took my mother away from me." Katara's voice cracked with sorrow as tears streamed down her face. Zuko turned towards her and knowing the feeling to well.
"I'm sorry. That's something we both have in common." he said as he hears Katara cry and standing up and go towards her.
"I'm sorry I yelled at you before." Katara says to him as she stands up as well
"It didn't matter." Zuko said.
"It's just that for so long now whenever I would imagine the face of the enemy it was your face." Katara explains to the prince.
"My face…." Zuko felt like a knife was going into his heart. "I see…" He placed a hand on his burn scar and looked away.
"No, no that's not what I meant." Katara wished she could take her words as she stepped closer to Zuko
"It's okay, I used to think this scar marked me. The mark of the banished prince, cursed to chase the avatar forever. But lately I realized I am free to determine my own destiny even if I'll never be free of my mark." Zuko adds as he looks away from her
"Maybe you could be for free from of it." Katara says, giving Zuko hope.
"What!?" Zuko spun around and faced her and took a step forward.
"I have healing abilities." Katara added.
"It's a scar. It can't be healed." He realized the reality of it never being able to heal.
"This is water from the spirit oasis at the north pole. It has special properties, so I've been saving it for something important. I don't know if it would work, but…." Katara said as she held a small vial of water and closing in the gap between them. She placed her fingers on his scar. He looked down at her. Their eyes met for a few seconds and he closed his eyes.
Zuko took in a deep breath. (This has to be her. She smells like the ocean and her eyes are as deep as the ocean. I have to tell her.) He thought to himself. "No, Katara." Zuko said as he opened his eyes and looked down to her. He placed his hand over her hand that was sitting on his cheek. "I need to tell you something before I don't get the chance to… Katara. You are Kai, the water goddess. And no matter what happens after today, I will be on your side even if it looks like I'm not." Zuko said. "Trust in me Kai…I will not betray you; I never have and never will." Zuko was telling Katara but had no control what he was saying now, it was his past life that was taking over. Zuko felt his other hand come to her face as he looked into her eyes and placed his hand gently on her cheek.
Katara blushed a bit at the sudden change in him. But for whatever reason she believed him even if it was a lot to process. He gently pulled her closer and leaned in slowly closing his eyes. (He's going to kiss me. Zuko!) Katara thought as she closed her eyes, her heart pounding. Their lips were just barely touching before there was an explosion behind them. They separated from each other, scared from the sound. They saw Aang and Iroh coming in from the dust of the explosion.
"Aang!" Katara ran towards him. Aang smiled at her and embraced her into his arms and then looked over to Zuko, who was being hugged by his uncle, and gave him a look that said 'she's mine'. Zuko returned an angry face (She is mine, Avatar, I wasn't recreated for nothing.)
"I knew you would come!" Katara said happy to see her friend.
"Uncle, I don't understand, what are you doing with the avatar?" Zuko said to his uncle wondering why his uncle would bring the competition in the picture.
"Saving you, that's what!" Aang said to Zuko with an attitude. Zuko was getting madder from the small boy's words.
"Go, help you friends. We'll catch up with you." Iroh said to the avatar and Katara. Aang bowed and grabbed Katara's hand and started to run. Katara looked at him, giving him a look that wanted him to come with, as she was being pulled away.
Zuko felt a hole forming in his heart as he watched her leave. "It's her uncle, and I'm sorry for what will happen after today." Zuko said quickly incase he's being watched and Iroh understood.
"Zuko, it's time for you to choose. It's time for you to choose good." Uncle Iroh said back just as the ground started to shake and crystals started to come towards them. Zuko got out of the way and covered Iroh. Two Di Lee agents came sliding down followed by Azula.
"I expected this kind of treachery from uncle, but Zuko, prince Zuko, you're a lot of things, but you're not a traitor, are you?" Azula asked Zuko.
"Release him, immediately!" Zuko snorted back.
"It's not too late for you, Zuko. You can still redeem yourself." She added.
"The kind of redemption she offers is not for you." Iroh says to remind Zuko.
"Why don't you let him decide, Uncle?" Azula snapped at her uncle. "I need you Zuko. I've plotted every move of the day, this glorious day in Fire Nation history and the only way we win is together. At the end of this day, you will have your honor back. You will have father's love. You will have everything you want." Azula gives Zuko her offer.
"Zuko, I'm begging you, look into your heart and see what it is that you truly want." Iroh tell Zuko secretly which side he should be choosing after what they both know.
"You are free to choose." Azula says as she starts walking and pass them to the tunnel the avatar went through.
Katara and Aang run through the path Aang had come from.
"We've gotta find Sokka and Toph!" Katara said as they ran. They heard a lightning come from behind them and turned around. Aang made a shield from rocks. Katara then started to attack Azula from the side. Both of them were fighting off Azula until they cornered her. Then a burst of fire came from the side and hit the ground between them. They all looked up to see Zuko there. Zuko looked at Azula and then at Aang. Aang then realized that he was on Azula's side. Zuko fights with Aang while Azula takes a match with Katara. After Katara almost defeats Azula, Zuko attacks her making her release Azula.
"I thought you have changed!" Katara yells at him hurt from what he said earlier as she fights back.
"I have changed." Zuko says as he tries to reassures her from what was said before. They continue to fight. Azula joins Zuko after knocking the avatar down. Aang comes to Katara's rescue and is knock down by the Di Lee and before they knew it, they were surrounded. Aang then realized he had to let Katara go to be able to get into the Avatar state.
"I'm sorry, Katara." Aang felt sad as he encased himself in the green crystals that surrounded them. He had entered the Avatar state and floated into the air. That's when Azula shot Aang from behind causing him to fall, ending the avatar cycle. Katara had formed a massive wave wiping everyone from her path to where Aang was falling and caught him in time. She held him as tears went down her eyes as she looked at Zuko and Azula. Iroh interfered.
"You got to get out of here!" Iroh said as he had jumped in between. "I'll hold them off as long as I can!" he started to throw fire at his niece and nephew.
Katara made an elevator out of the water and carried Aang as they went up the waterfall. They escaped on Appa with the rest of the gang and the Earth king. Katara pulled the water from the oasis from around her neck and used it to heal Aang hoping it will bring him back. Little did she know that it was mostly her that was bringing him back with Kai's powers, the water only helped a little since Kai isn't fully awakened. Aang gasps as his arrowed glowed and everyone was relieved that their friend was alive.
Author's note:
If there is anything you would like to read in future comments let me know and I'll see if I can add it in. This is my first so let me know how I'm doing.