Chapter 8: Invasion
Katara and Trunks faced each other, both of them in perfect stance, watching the eyes of the other for signs of the first strike. The snow shuffled as Trunks swept his foot, launching a blast of water. She froze it, hurtling it back with double speed. Cold ice shattered again his fist, but he simultaneously found his foot frozen solid, realising now that the attack was a ruse.
"Got him!", Katara whispered to herself. She pulled water from the snow, creating shards, rapid firing at her opponent. Trunks crushed the ice on his foot, ducking out the way with a roll. Stamping snow into the air, he blocked her vision, attempting to blindside her. Before he had a chance to move in, dozens of ice spikes shot out the ground, hindering his line of attack.
Wrenching a spike out of the ground, Trunks rushed her, using the icicle as a makeshift sword. Quick strikes pushed her back to the wall. Katara continued to retreat, trying to blast him, but was unable to get a hit. She felt cold ice hit her back, the wall behind her and Trunks in front of her, a cold point on her throat. "Check mate", Trunks stated.
She held her hands in the air, fingers apart. "Really? Look behind you". Trunks quirked a brow, turning to see multiple spikes of ice directly behind his head. "check mate", she mocked. The half saiyan liquidised his weapon, as Katara did the same, the both of them bowing in respect to each other.
"Well done to the both of you", Paku started. "Both of you have advanced faster than any student I've ever taught".
"Thank you, master Paku", both of them said, bowing.
"If only others had the same drive to improve", he referenced to Aang, who sat playing with Momo. "Pupil Aang, since you have time to play with house pets, I presume you have mastered Waterbending?"
"Well, I wouldn't say mastered", Aang replied. "But, look at this". Aang whirled snow around him, making himself into a smiling snowman, before promptly being tackled by Momo. Paku wasn't impressed.
Later on, Trunks stood at the edge of the village wall, deep in thought. Gazing up at the sky, watching Sokka fly on Appa with Yue, he thought of his mother. She was alone out there, in a ravaged timeline, probably worried sick about him. He needed to fix his time machine, figure out these powers, and get back to his timeline.
While he stood, It started to snow, little specs of white coating Trunks' lavender hair. Holding his hand out, he began collecting snow, but quickly noticed something amiss. "Huh? What's this?", he whispered. Amongst the purity of white snow, there was a growing presence of grey and black soot.
Almost immediately, Sokka descended, his eyes panicked. "Guys, it's the Fire nation, they're coming!', he shouted. The boy stared up into the clouds, his face stern from the bitter memories that flooded his brain, as he clenched the sullied snow. "From the amount of soot in the air, I can tell there's a lot of them".
Standing beside his general, Iroh, Admiral Zhao basked in the anticipation of his glory. He breathed in the freezing air of the north Pole, the smell of burning coal coating the breeze. "History will remember this day, the day Zhao conquered the last of the Waterbenders; the day I defied destiny itself".
"Be careful what you wish for Zhao, it is true history shall remember, but now it is to be remembered has not yet been secured", Iroh warned.
"I suppose you'd know, wouldn't you? Nonetheless, make no mistake, this will be nothing like your legendary failure, at Ba Sing Se".
Iroh closed his eyes, recalling his foolish days, and seeing the similarities before him. "What shall you do if He is there?"
Zhao shook his head, laughing, while tightening the straps of his armour. "Go tell the captain to prepare docking manoeuvres. We're arriving soon". Iroh walked out the door, entering a small pathway in the ship, walking up behind the disguised Zuko.
"We'll be arriving soon. Do you have a plan?", Iroh asked.
"I'm working on it, uncle", he replied.
The tribe was on full alert, the chief calling a meeting. "The day we have feared has arrived", he started. "The fire nation is on our doorstep, and we face imminent destruction. It may be that some of the faces in this room will be lost, forever, but they shall never be forgotten in our hearts. I have in mind a mission of great danger, and need men for the task, however know that you may not return. Come forward and receive my mark, if you so wish".
"I'll go!", Sokka spoke up. Katara reached out, wanting to pull her brother back from risking his life, but Trunks intervened.
"I'll go too", he announced. Turning to the girl, he gave a reassuring smile, moving her hand back down. "Don't worry, I'll watch over him". She smiled, though weakly, praying that the spirits protect her brother.
Young men walked up onto the pulpit, receiving the mark, a sign of their valour. As Sokka was marked, he turned to look at Yue, a silent mourning between them. Trunks received his mark, looking over at his friends, and the people around him. "I won't let another massacre happen, never again", he mentally promised.
The gang stood on the wall, awaiting bombardment. First the smell of smoke, then came the crash of fiery stone against ice. Thinking fast, Trunks created a wall, blocking the next shot. "Good move, Trunks", Aang said. However, several more shots slipped through, pulverising more of the wall. More Waterbenders got to work, deflecting and catching the attacks, as Aang flew out.
He found the ship firing, blowing away the crew as he landed. Striking the gears on the trebuchet, he jammed it, causing it to keel over. Suddenly, the ship rose out of water, Waterbenders having pierced it with ice. "Whew, one down!".
Taking off, Aang squinted to see through the smoke of the felled ship, his heart instantly sinking. Over 100 battle ships, all armed to the teeth with weaponry and men. "Oh man", he gulped. Resolute, he steeled his gut, knowing it was time to get to work.
Trunks and Sokka headed to the headquarters, finding chief Arnook briefing his cadets. "Men, you'll be infiltrating the fire navy, which means you'll need one of these uniforms". As a demonstration, a boy walked out, wearing what was clearly a dated uniform, its ridiculously large shoulder spikes nearly catching on the door. Sokka could barely contain his laughter.
"What's so funny!", the cadet spat.
"Fire navy uniforms don't look like that", Sokka said.
"Of course, they do! These are real uniforms, captured from the Fire navy".
"From when, 100 years ago?"
Chief Arnook looked slightly embarrassed. "85...".
"The newer uniforms lack the grandiose spikes, they're more subtle and made of tougher material", Trunks added. "You'd also do well to get a model with a face plate".
The boy threw the dated helmet aside, clearly insulted. "So much bold talk from new recruits!", he growled. "Why the hell should we even entertain your nonsense!?". Sokka stepped forward, ready to starts an argument.
"Enough Han, these two have faced off against the fire nation before, hence I value their input", the chief stated. Sokka passed a mocking glare at Han, who burned with suppressed fury. "Now, our first objective is to identify their leader".
"His name's Zhao, middle aged, big sideburns, bigger temper.", Sokka explained. "You guys really have no intel on the enemy? You're practically shooting in the dark here".
The chief closed his eyes, deciding on a strategy. "Sokka, I want you to tell Han everything you know, as he's leading the mission today. Han, I expect you to show Sokka your respect, both as the leader of this mission and as my future son-in-law".
Sokka's jaw dropped and his eyes bulged, as he did what could only be called a triple take. "You're marrying Princess Yue?!"
"Yeah, what of it?", Han scoffed
Sokka turned away, a vain attempt at masking his disdain. "Nothing, congratulations", he said with barely concealed venom.
Outside, the bombardment continued, as Paku and his students tried to stop the blasts. They raised water into large columns, catching the projectiles. Yet still, they couldn't block them all, and the wall had taken significant damage. Their only relief was the fact that the moon was nearly full.
"Admiral", Iroh began. "As your general, I advise that you halt the attack. Waterbenders draw power from the moon, and it is nearly full. You should wait, allow your troops to recuperate, and resume the attack at dawn".
Zhao looked over at Iroh. "I'm well aware of the moon problem, and am working on a solution, but I suppose for now we will have to pause. Pass the order to anchor down". As the order was heard, all shops stopped for the night, practically at the city's doorstep now.
Aang descended back into the city, an expression of exhaustion and despair plastered on his face. He slid off Appa, head in his hands, mumbling. "I can't do it. I can't.", he said. "I took out dozens of them, and they're still coming! I don't know what to do!".
Zuko tightened the wrapping on the canoe from one of the ships, readying himself to infiltrate the city, and to capture the Avatar. "If you are fishing for an octopus, you need a tightly woven net, or he will find the tiniest hole and escape", Iroh spoke from the doorway.
The Prince turned, looking at his uncle with his burned eye. "I don't need your wisdom at the moment, uncle. I need the Avatar; I need my honour", he stated.
"I know, its just, ever since I lost my son..."
Zuko lowered his head, knowing how his uncle felt. "You don't have to say it".
"I've thought of you as my own".
He lowered his head, gulping down the emotions he felt, before turning to his uncle for a final time. "Don't worry, we'll meet again", he said, boarding his canoe.
"Remember Prince Zuko, use your breath of fire, it may save your life out there". The Prince nodded, descending to the icy waters.
Sokka sat between Trunks and Han, all of them sharpening their respective weapons. Suddenly, Han spoke up. "You know, Sokka, I've courted a lot of girls before, but Yue is by far the finest", he stated, pronouncing Sokka's name wrong. "She's beautiful, quiet, and comes with so many perks".
"Perks!? What the hell does that mean!", Sokka yelled. He grit his teeth, resisting the urge to crack his skull with the club pressed against the grinder.
"Come on, she's the chiefs daughter! Once his time is done, as Yue's husband, I'll be the one to take charge". A smug look crossed Han's face, as though revelling in his cunning plan to take power.
Sokka stood up, his face reddened with rage. "Princess Yue is wasted on a self-absorbed weasel like you!". He stuck a finger in the northerner's face, secretly wanting to curl his finger in to a fist and punch the boy's lights out.
Han swatted away the finger, retaliating with his own. "Wait a minute, what do you care? You're just a simple southern commoner, unaware of the complexities of our life.", Han scoffed. "Go back to your igloos and leave high society to us northerners".
"Mind your tone!", Trunks warned. "Just because you're leading this mission, don't think you have a right to disrespect us". He stood up, throwing his sword into the air, catching it in his sheath without breaking eye contact.
The arrogant northerner got up, trying to look intimidating, but only reaching Trunks' chest. "Or what, purple freak!?". The half saiyan glared death into Han's eyes, showing a fraction of the blood lust he'd accumulated through his life, quickly forcing the boy to step away in fear.
"What do you think? She's going to go for a Southern loser like him? Don't make laugh!". Before Trunks could move to pummel the idiot, Sokka beat him to it with a right hook. The two rolled around the floor, pulling each other's hair, hurling insults, and acting like squabbling children. Trunks intervened, grabbing Han by the collar, and throwing him to the wall, just as the chief walked in.
"Enough!", he shouted. "Trunks, Sokka, you're both off the mission!". The southern boy tried to argue, but Trunks couldn't care less, he was only there to watch out for Sokka. He would have probably made his own plans, seeing how incompetent their leader was.
Han dusted himself off, glaring at Trunks and Sokka as they left the briefing hut, a smirk on his face from having the chief side with him. "Alright men, listen to me and we'll take out this admiral Cho in no time".
"It's Admiral Zhao!", Sokka yelled from the corridor.
Zuko paddled through the water, strategically hiding from guards by moving behind icebergs, and creating stream to mask his movements. As he stopped and looked for a way in, he found a hole in the ice, turtle seals entering and exiting. "a path?", he whispered.
Trunks walked up behind Aang, who was looking glumly into the moons reflected image in the water, Yue and Katara by his side. "Legends say the moon was the first Waterbender, and that our ancestors saw how it moved the tides, learning from it themselves", Yue said.
Katara nodded her head, agreeing with the notion. "Really? I've always felt that my bending is stronger at night when the moon is out", Katara noted.
"Our strength comes from the spirit of the moon, and our life from the spirit of the ocean".
The young monk widened his eyes, turning with a look of eureka on his face. "That's it!", Aang abruptly shouted. "The spirits can help us!"
"Yeah but, Aang, you've never gotten to the spirit world on purpose before, only accident", Katara pointed out. "Are you sure you can rely on spirits in the middle of a siege?".
"That isn't a bad idea actually! Maybe we could go to where Master Paku took me, he did say it was the most spiritual place around", Trunks added. "I did get water bending while in there, so who knows what other miracles could happen".
"Yes, the oasis! Why didn't I think of it earlier!?", Yue said. "You're the Avatar, the bridge of our worlds, they're bound to help you. Let's go!". Grabbing Aang, she rushed to the oasis, her bright blue eyes glimmering with hope that the spirits would aid her people.
She took them to the round door, hurriedly opening it, letting Aang and Katara in. The two awed at the place, almost forgetting they were there to try and defeat a whole armada. "So this is where you were, Trunks? It's so beautiful!", Katara said. "It's like a little bit of paradise in the frozen tundra"
"It's the centre of spiritual energy here in the North Pole", Yue explained. "If there's anyway to enter the spirit world, it's through this place.
"You're right, I can feel it, it's so... tranquil", Aang said, as he entered a meditative position. He breathed slow breaths, lowering his heart beat as the monks taught him, focusing on the flow of his chi. Trunks stood beside him, watching the Koi fish swim in their constant cycle, mesmerised.
In an underground cave, a group of turtle seals barked as Zuko burst out from the freezing water. He curled into a ball, the cold biting at his fingernails, and his breath staggering. He took quick breaths, spitting out fire to warm himself. Forcing his number legs to stand, he found a gushing hole in the wall, getting back into the freezing water without hesitation.
Sokka sat alone in the armoury, sharpening his boomerang, grumbling over the situation. "Stupid Han, thinking he's so slick! I should've cracked his skull open with my club!", he said to himself. Frustrated, he pressed his blade harder into the grinder, spraying sparks everywhere.
Walking in and seeing Sokka so worked up, Chief Arnook placed a hand on his shoulder behind him. "What's wrong Sokka?", he asked.
"No, its nothing! I'm just here sharpening a boomerang, while everyone else is out on a mission. Everything is just peachy!".
Arnook shook his head, lifting Sokka's hand from the hinder. "Sokka, my reasons for removing you were quite selfish actually. I have an important task for you, one that I could not trust to anyone else".
"What? Need me to scrub Han's shoes and spear!", Sokka spat back.
"I need you to protect Yue". Sokka stood up, his expression changed, suddenly feeling quite guilty for disrespecting a chief, and Yue's father, with his tone of voice.
"Oh, yeah. I mean of course, doesn't sound too hard" he mumbled. "I'll protect her with my life, I swear it!".
Zuko swam up, desperate to stick his head up and breath, but felt solid ice slam his forehead. Striking it over and over, he still couldn't get it to budge. Water entered his mouth and nose as he gasped, stinging like acid against his already freezing flesh. Panicked, he pressed his hands against the ice, , slowly but surely melting the thick sheet.
Seconds away from filling his lung with water, the ice gave way, as he leapt out in a mad scramble for air. Spluttering out the water in his mouth, he gasped like a new born, feeling the icy air tear at his airways. "I almost have you. I'm almost home", he said through clattering teeth.
Growing tired of standing still, Trunks thought to meditate, thinking he might be able to draw out his own power. Sitting opposite to Aang, he emptied his mind and closed his eyes, trying to access the power that could help end this battle. Super saiyan. He flooded his cells with energy, as usual, but still nothing.
"How did I turn super saiyan the first time?", Trunks thought. "I know it was rage, but I've tried to use anger now and it doesn't work. Super saiyan is biological, my cells should react to the rage boosting my ki". Suddenly, it hit him; His body recognised his ki as the super saiyan trigger, but this wasn't his normal ki flowing through him, it was a benders.
"Push through it", a deep voice grumbled. Trunks looked around, once again sensing the phantom of a presence. "You can break the barrier he placed. Unleash your power!".
"No! Don't listen to him", Wan suddenly yelled. Trunks whipped his head toward him, anger washing over him as he resisted the urge to pound his skull in.
"Why the hell should I listen to you after you tricked me into losing my powers!?" he stated. "Give me back my powers, I'm going to end this siege".
"I can't do that, its too risky. You can't use your powers, we limited them for a reason".
"You had no right to do that!", Trunks yelled back.
Wan's eyes glowed white, as he stepped forward menacingly. "It was my duty as the Avatar, as the protector of this world! I won't let you put this world at risk!".
Trunks stood up, grabbing Wan by the shirt, pulling him in close. "You can't stop me! I'm getting my powers back, and I'm leaving back to my own world, so stay out of my way!", he ordered.
Meanwhile, Aang's tattoos began to glow as he entered the spirit world, surprising the northern Princess. "What happened! Shall we get help?", Yue panicked, never having seen this before. Katara shook her head, chuckling.
"No, it's fine. This is what happens when Aang enters the spirit world. His arrows glow and he can't move until he's back", Katara stated. "He probably wouldn't wake up now even if Appa sneezed on him".
"Shouldn't we have more people here to watch over him then? He's practically defenceless out here if he can't move or hear a thing"
"Aang is in safe hands, I mean, who's going to get past every guard in the city and make it here?", Katara reassured. "Besides, even if someone does make it here, I'll be able to handle them
"My, my, a big girl now, are we?", Zuko announced. The Prince, despite looking frostbitten and bruised, was standing ready for a fight. He glanced over to Trunks, who was locked in meditation still. "Your purple haired spirit isn't awake right now, so hand the Avatar over!"
"Never!". Katara swung her arms in a quick, fluid motion, hurtling high pressure water at her opponent's chest. Zuko blocked with his arms, moving forward with quick fire jabs, each blocked by a water shield. He forced her back little by little, getting closer to Aang with each strike. Stretching his hand, he felt the air nomad's collar brush against his numb fingertip, before the sharp lash of a water whip sent him back.
"Enough!", Katara declared. Using all the water around her, she spun her arms continually, creating a torrent of water that enveloped the Prince. Water thrashed against his face, threatening to barrel into his mouth and lungs, until the water abruptly froze trapping him..
"You peasant!", Zuko barked. "You found a master, didn't you?". Growling in anger, the icy restraint began to glow, before exploding in a flash of fire. Zuko continued his relentless attack, but his flames shrank, the cold wearing him thin. Katara avoided most blasts, and as Zuko came in for a swift kick, she bombarded him with water, freezing him to a wall. The fight appeared over, as the Prince faded to unconsciousness, as the night itself began to fade.
"Daybreak at last", Zhao told himself. "Now, let's write history!". In unison, 10 ships made contact with the wall, ramming through the thick layers of snow and ice, soldiers charging forth like a swarm of wasps. Empowered by the radiant sun, the firebenders had a significant upper hand against the northerners, who tried their best to halt the onslaught.
Zuko felt the tingle of sunlight against his scarred skin, the warmth slowly reinvigorating him. Huffing hot air through his nostrils, the ice around him melted. Zuko bombarded Katara with a two-fisted plume of fire, catching her off guard, easily overpowering her hastily made defence. As the steam cleared, Zuko stood holding Aang by his collar. "You rise with the moon Waterbender, but I rise with the sun", he stated.
In his mindscape, Trunks held Wan in a vice grip, still furious. Suddenly, Wan faded out of his grip, placing a hand on the half saiyan's chest. "There's no more time to bicker, you're needed out there", he stated. "Wake up!". With a pulse of his hand, the half saiyan was propelled back, rocketing through the spirit world back to his body.
Aang looked up at the orange who of the spirit world's sky, seeing the light of Trunks' spirit hurtling across it. "Was that Trunks?", he wondered. Shaking his head back to focus, he looked back at the cave in front of him, calming himself. "Show no emotion. Have no fear". With glazed eyes, he entered into the darkness, into the den of the face stealer.
Trunks' eyes snapped open, back in the real world . He looked around, finding Sokka, Katara, and Yue, talking in a group, looking worried. "Guys, what happened?", he asked. Katara faced him with tears in her eyes, shaking her head in sorrow.
"It's not good, Aang was taken by Zuko, and the Fire nation broke though the wall into the city", Sokka explained. "Can you sense him?". Trunks didn't ask any questions, stretching his senses as far as he could, but it was in vain.
"Dammit! I'm sorry, I can't sense as well in this state. You guys should head towards the open snow, its the only way Zuko can get away without being seen."
"Where are you going?", Yue asked.
"To the fight". Trunks bent water under his feet, rotating it to push himself higher, climbing until he could see the fray beneath him. He blasted off the column of water, drawing his sword as he entered the battle.
He landed in front of a group of Firebenders, immediately blasting six with water and freezing them in place. He continued on forward, slicing through metal armour and blocking any fire blasts that got too close. His eyes scanned the battlefield, like a wolf hunting prey, looking for Zhao. He wouldn't let him go this time.
Zuko trudged through the tundra, a glowing Aang on his shoulder. His feet heavy with snow, and his vision obscured by the snow, he was moving at a snail pace. Out of nowhere, the snow beneath him caved in, forcing the Prince into a mad sprint, as ice water his Co diction was a death sentence. Running until his legs gave out, he was lucky enough to just barely collapse into the opening of a cave.
Appa landed, his fur wet from melted snow. Sokka peered into the blizzard, hoping to catch a faint glow or some movement, but he could barely see a thing. "Where are you, bastard!?", he whispered. They wouldn't stop looking, not until they found him.
Iroh stood aside Zhao, atop his ship, overlooking the carnage. "We need to finish this before the night, admiral, under a full moon the water benders will be unbeatable", Iroh explained.
"Precisely why I'm going to remove the moon as a factor", Zhao rebutted. Iroh widened his eyes, opening his mouth to speak, but got cut off by the door behind him slamming open.
"Admiral Cho, your days are over!", a voice shouted out. A soldier yanked off his helmet, revealing himself to be a disguised Han, and broke into a charge with his spear. Without paying much attention Zhao backhanded the assailant, knocking him down. He barely had time to hit the ground, as his body was engulfed in the agonising pain of fire. Han screamed as he felt his flesh burning, frantically trying to escape the pain, and threw himself overboard.
Zhao chuckled as he watched the boy fall into the icy depths, turning to resume his discussion. "As I was saying", he continued. "Years ago, I came across a library in the middle of nowhere, buried in the containing knowledge unseen for decades. I spent days in there, reading manuscript after manuscript, until finally I found it. Clearly written on a piece of parchment, was a document detailing the mortal forms of the ocean and moon spirits".
"What!", Iroh gasped, his whole body turning towards Zhao out of shock. "You found their mortal forms!?"
"Yes, you heard me correctly, mortal forms. Of course, that means that they can be killed now, just like any other mortal being".
"Zhao! The spirits are not to trifled with! You don't know what you're doing! Spirits are integral to the balance of our world, to kill one could have disastrous consequences!".
"Of course, you would say that. I know you fear the spirits, Iroh. I've heard tales of your fabled journey into their world. However, they are in this world now, my world, and they will bear the consequences of their stupidity!".
Crimson blood dripped off his fists, little of it his own. Trunks just needed to keep fighting for a little while longer, just until the moon came out. Despite his weariness, the half saiyan found no reprieve, as waves of Firebenders surrounded him from his eastward flank. With a slam of his palms, icicles shot up at the armoured attackers, a symphony of blood curdling screams echoed soon after.
Slowly but surely, the tide of battle would change, waterbending power steadily rising as the moon shone her light. Trunks could feel the change, his bending power doubling in potency. Rotating his entire body in a diagonal slash, a stream of condensed water sliced straight through a heavy-duty tank like butter.
In the tundra, Zuko sat in the cave next to Aang's motionless body, his thoughts raving. Unbeknownst to the Prince, Appa was circling right above him, obscured only by the snow. "Come on, he's got to be around here. He has to!", Katara muttered. Squinting into the heavy snow fall, she could barely see anything past the wall of white specs.
Back in the spirit world, Aang stared at the insectoid form of the face stealer, watching him crawl around like a stalking monster. "Ah, is that the Avatar?", he said with suppressed malice. "How many years has it been since your last visit, a few centuries? What have you come for this time?".
Suddenly, he pounced in front of Aang. "Maybe you've returned to kill me!", he spat. The young Avatar remained still, keeping his calm despite his heart beating like crazy. He bowed, slightly surprising the ancient spirit, who recoiled away from Aang's face.
"I'm sorry for what happened in my past life, but I'm not here to fight you. I need your help, so I can find the moon and ocean spirit, and ask for their power", he explained. The face stealer turned around, letting out a cackle, before changing his face to that of an owl.
"You think that Twi and La can lend you power? Those two crossed into your world when the first Avatar split our worlds apart. They are mortal now, acting as the forces of moon and ocean, push and pull, Yin and Yang".
"Yin and Yang?", Aang repeated. His mind cast back to the oasis, and the black and white figures that circled each other. "The Koi fish!", he blurted out.
The face stealer snapped towards Aang, scanning for any emotion in his face, hoping to snatch it away as his revenge for what had been done centuries ago. Luckily, the nomad had regained his composure, bowing once again with an empty expression. "Thank you. I shall be on my way".
As Aang turned to leave, the spirit called out to him. "Oh, and Avatar, keep an eye on that friend of yours. His presence has caused quite a stir in this realm, as though the power he holds within is changing the winds of destiny itself. So be careful, lest he blow away the Avatar's place in the balance", he warned.
Without turning, Aang acknowledged the warning, quickly exiting the dark cave. As he watched the light outside strike his body, the air bender noticed his astral body slowly returning to his bodily colour. "Here I come guys!".
Aang's eyes slowly opened, blurry from being closed so long. Looking up, he was greeted to the sight of Zuko standing over him with his typical sneer. "Welcome back", the Prince said. The Avatar quickly sat up, trying to move his arms, but finding them tied up behind him.
"Good to be back", Aang replied, scowling. Taking in a deep breath, he blasted Zuko with a gust of wind, blowing himself out of the cave at the same time. Thrashing like a turtle-seal, he tried to crawl away, but Zuko simply walked up and grabbed his shirt from behind.
"You're not getting away that easy". Lifting Aang over his shoulder, he moved to drag Aang back onto the cave, but was instantly slammed by the force of Appa landing. Zuko dropped Aang and raised his hands, ready for a fight against katara. "Here for a rematch?", he yelled.
"Trust me, it won't be much of a match!", Katara stated. Impatient, Zuko drew back his fist to create a blast, but his motions were slow, strained from the freezing cold. Before so much as a spark could be made, Katara took her chance. She raised him up with a pillar, slamming him down on the snow, knocking him out.
Sokka ran over to the tied-up boy, wedging his club behind the rope to cut it off in one quick motion. "Guys we have to go, the moon spirit is in trouble!", Aang shouted, instantly jumping up on to Appa. "Yip-" He nearly set off, but his eyes were drawn to Zuko's motionless body in the snow. "We can't just leave him here".
Climbing on to the sky bison, with the rope that bound Aang, Sokka disagreed. "Sure, we can. let's go.", he said.
"No, he'll die!". Aang ran over and trudged him along, placing him in the saddle. Sokka frowned at the thought of saving their enemy, but went with it, tying the Prince's hands behind his back with the rope he'd salvaged.
Zhao stood above the oasis, watching as the koi fish swam in an endless circle, having done so since time immemorial. To his luck, the hallowed grounds were totally unprotected, none were aware of the gravitas of his intentions. He plunged his arm into the warm waters, wrapping his fist tight around the body of the white fish, feeling its scaled body squirm in his hands out of fear.
Trunks' head was suddenly bombarded with an intense feeling of pain, as his surroundings were drowned in the colour red. Swivelling his head to look up at the moon, he was confused to see a lunar eclipse. His confusion was short lived however, as a fire blast rocketed past his head. Meaning to return fire, he swiped his arm to create a water whip, but the water didn't move. "Not this again!", he groaned.
Trunks weaved through the fire blasts while slashing with his blade, now on the back foot now, and soldiers kept pouring in. He needed to get to the oasis, but without his bending it would take the entire night. Parrying a spear from the left, he was struck in the shoulder by a small fire blast, knocking him to the floor.
Wincing in pain, he grabbed his shoulder as he slowly hit to his feet. "Ugh! This is pointless. I need my bending", he thought. "It's crazy, but it's not like I've got a choice here. I might as well try what I was thinking". Trunks rotated his sore shoulder, staring at the hordes of Firebenders coming his way, picking a target. He locked on to one of the men in the centre, running at him with blistering speed.
Jumping at him, Trunks grabbed his face and crushed it into the floor, focusing on trying to pull the man's energy into his hands. "Come on, work!". Their energies collided in an instant, as the half saiyan's wrapped around the other, changing into it.
Running through his arms and into his chest, the half saiyan felt heat expand into his entire body, as though his blood had been boiled. Without another thought, Trunks leapt into the air, rocketing through the air with a jet of white flames. "Much better. Now to find out what the hell is going on".
"I- am a Legend now!", Zhao proclaimed. "They shall call me Zhao the conqueror, Zhao the moon slayer, Zhao the-!". Too caught up in his gloating, the admiral was blindsided by Momo, who scratched and tugged at his face before flying back to Aang.
"Let it go, Zhao", Aang demanded, pointing his staff forward, ready for a fight.
Zhao smirked, bringing his fist to the sack. "Don't bother!". The man's face was smug, he knew that he held the cards in this situation, and he revelled in that power.
The Avatar dropped his staff, holding his hands in the air. "Zhao, don't do this! Killing the moon won't just harm the water tribe, it hurts everyone, even you."
"He's right, Zhao!", boomed Iroh's voice. The old man stared at daggers at Zhao, his hands positioned to attack, as the fire benders around him turned their sights on to the general.
"Why am I not surprised by your treachery?", Zhao growled.
"I am no traitor; the fire nation needs the moon too. We all depend on the balance, not just the water tribe, can't you see that!". Zhao wasn't listening, his ego and pride blocked his ears. "So whatever you do to that spirit, I will unleash on you tenfold. Let it go, NOW!"
Zhao grit his teeth, realising that he was severely outnumbered. He lowered his fist, kneeling down to free the white fish. It returned to its usual place, swimming with its counterpart, and the moon returned to glistening white gleam. Everyone sighed a breath of relief.
Zhao stared at the pool, first at the fish, but soon his gaze shifted to his reflection. Anger boiled in his head as he looked at the scars upon his face, the humiliation that would forever follow him, until he couldn't take it. He lashed out, slashing at the water with a plume of fire, screaming like a madman. In an instant, the world went grey.
Iroh burst forward, striking flames at Zhao and his men. With four blasts to their necks, they were down. Zhao scurried away, laughing as he fled, having done what he wanted. Aang ran forward, holding the dead fish in his hands, ignorant that Zuko too had escaped. Iroh took the fish in his hands, but he knew it was too late. "It's over. There's no hope now", Yue cried.
Aang watched the black fish, the ocean spirit, and felt something come over him. "No, it's not!", Aang boomed, his eyes alight. Walking into the centre of the pool, he was transfixed on the black Koi fish, its eyes glowing to match Aang's. For a moment, he stood there motionless, then dived into the water like a stone.
Trunks landed on the walls of the Oasis gate, just in time to see Aang submerge. He saw the dead fish in Iroh's hands, and seeing the grey skies only confirmed his fears. They'd failed. He looked upon the city, watching Firebenders murder and maim the now helpless northerners. His heart rate increased, fingernails digging in to his palms, and his breath burned.
"Help", he heard a frail voice call. An old man crawled through the city, burns covering his body, as he slowly bled out. "Please, somebody". The old man held his hand up to the dead moon, saying a final prayer, before he collapsed face down in the snow.
The half saiyan clutched his head, the image of his dead master stabbing at his memories. "Not again. I can't let this happen again!". He looked around at the destroyed city, but his eyes showed him the rubble of west city instead. "No. No. NO!".
Trunks exploded, writhing in furry. "NO MORE!", he screamed. Heat roared off his body as he levitated into the air, his hair standing blood red. The half saiyan' s usual blue eyes were now a deep Amber, boiling with rage. The Firebenders bellow shielded their eyes, as Trunks' fire blinded them like the sun. He raised his hands, spraying the soldiers beneath him with fire that scorched to the bone.
From the oasis, Aang exploded out of the water in the form of a massive fish like being, having merged with the ocean spirit. He flooded the streets, drowning all those not bowing down to his power, as he lay a path of destruction on his way to the ocean.
Zhao ran through the chaos around him, shoving past his own soldiers to avoid being crushed. He had achieved his feat of legend, now it was time for him to leave. Attempting to leap down off a building, a fire blast hit him in the side, forcing him to collapse on the ground. Behind him stood Zuko, fist outstretched. "You're alive?", Zhao exclaimed.
"You tried to have me killed!", Zuko roared. He charged, blasting relentlessly in a fit of rage, wanting nothing more than to slaughter the man who tried to assassinate him.
"You should've given up, at least then you'd live!". Zhao fired back, attempting to catch the prince's feet. Zuko jumped, kicking Zhao in the face with his shin, and knocking the helmet off his face. No longer covered, Zuko saw a deep red scar on Zhao's left side, his ear completely gone. .
"Looks like you've been disgraced as well". Zhao growled, feeling a little sympathy for the admiral.
Katara held the moon spirits dead form, trying to resuscitate it with water healing, but it was truly gone. "I'm sorry", she said. Yue wept at the sight of the lifeless fish, as Iroh observed her eyes. Despite the world being plunged into darkness, the princess' deep blue eyes retained their light. .
You've been touched by the moon spirit; its life is in you!", Iroh stated. Yue looked up, her tear covered face turning to the dead spirit. "Perhaps, you can give back what was once given to you!.".
Yue took a breathe, understanding what must be done, she stood up . "You're right", she said. "It gave me some of its own life when I needed it, and it's time that I return that blessing". Sokka stared up at her, his mind failing to digest what had just been implied, as his heart froze.
"Yue, no!", he stated. "Your father told me to protect you!". He took hold of her hand, grasping it tight. "I can't let you throw away your life, we'll find another way!". Their eyes met, both shining with the tears that were being held back.
"I'm sorry Sokka, I have to do this, this is what the moon spirit gave me life for. This is my destiny". She pulled her hand away, shedding a single tear as she felt the warmth of Sokka's hand slip away. Placing her hands on the cold scales of the Koi fish, she breathed out her final breath, letting her life force pour back to the being it came from. In a final flash of light, she fell back into Sokka's arms.
Sokka grabbed her face, looking down at her eyes, now colourless and devoid of life. Placing hid hands on her face, he slowly closed her eyes for the last time. "She's gone", he wept.
Aang moved into the ocean, slicing away at the retreating fire navy ships. He pushed his arms, causing a massive tidal wave, capsizing many of the vessels. A few ships tried firing their trebuchets, but immediately regretted, as the massive force of the monster's arm crushed them.
In the city, Trunks blitzed through every soldier in his path, roasting them inside the metal they clothed themselves in. As he slammed into the middle of a panicked regiment, the half saiyan roared like a great ape, releasing a heatwave that boiled even the moisture in their throats, until they fell dead.
Princess Yue's body lay in Sokka's arms, before suddenly fading away. Sokka panicked, looking around, as the Koi fish thrashed to life in the water. The colour around them returned, as the moon shine brightly in the sky once more.
Mist rise from the oasis, slowly taking the form of Yue in front of Sokka. He watched, dumbfound by the beauty of her form. "Goodbye Sokka, I will always love you", she promised. Floating near, she held Sokka by his face, kissing him lovingly for the last time . When he opened his eyes, she was gone.
Aang ceased his destruction, the ocean spirit taking full control, as it sensed the return of its counterpart. Climbing over the walls of the city, it left Aang atop a wall, heading back to the oasis. It flowed through the water ways, coming to where Zuko and Zhao duelling, aiming to take its revenge.
Zhao was knocked to the ground by a powerful fire bomb, the force of the blast dizzying him. From the floor, he looked up at the full moon, eyes widening in disbelief. "It can't be!", he gasped. Bursting up from the water, the ocean spirit attacked, wrapping its tendrils around the admiral to drag him to his doom.
The prince leapt forward, stretching out to try and grab the flailing man. "Take my hand!", Zuko shouted. Zhao looked with disgust, his ego wanting death over the help of a banished prince. However the Prince was able to catch him, reeling him back, as the ocean spirit flowed away.
The two fire benders lay on the ground, exhausted from their battle. Zhao was first to stand, turning away from Zuko, staring up at the moon. He clenched his fist, barely containing his rage and fury. "My great plan, ruined!", he yelled. Turning back to the Prince, he raised his hand. "Regardless, I hope you weren't expecting a thank you. It was idiocy to save your enemy".
Before the admiral could strike, Trunks slammed into the ground next to them. "ZHAO! I WARNED YOU!", he roared. The heat of his aura choked the both of them, as Zhao fell to the floor, trying to crawl away from the half saiyan stalking towards him.
"What are you!", Zhao screamed. What he saw before him wasn't a man anymore, it was a Demon of pure fire. He tried to attack, streaming fire for what felt like eternity, yet Trunks simply walked as though it wasn't there. He wrapped his fist around Zhao's, the heat of his palms searing the muscles of his bones.
"I'm begging you, let me live! I was mistaken, blinded by my ego, my master was right!", Zhao pleaded. Trunks gave no response. He wasn't truly there, rage taking control of him. Grabbing the man by his throat, the half saiyan lifted him into the air, melting his windpipe. He held his other hand to the admirals chest, melting through the armour, until he felt flesh.
In a flash of blinding light, the fire completely consumed the man, blood curdling screeches escaping his boiling throat, as he disintegrated in Trunks' grip. When the smoke and bloody vapour cleared, all that was left was a heap of molten metal that used to be armour. His revenge taken care of, the half saiyan took off for the seafront.
Trunks flew to the edge of the wall, watching the fire nation ships attempt to flee. Holding his sword in his hand, he infused energy into it, until it radiated pure white. With a single slash, he sent forward a thin stream of plasma, which carved through the remaining ships. A single ship remained afloat, barely withstanding the damage taken.
Dropping his blade, Trunks fell to the floor, completely drain of energy from the transformation. As his hair returned to its purple hue, his vision became darker and blurrier, and he faded into unconsciousness amongst the burning wreck.
Floating through the destroyed armada, a makeshift raft held Zuko and Iroh afloat. The Prince looked around in horror at the destruction, the devastation, brought at the hands of only two people. Iroh saw the concern on his nephews face, covering him with a cloth. "Go to sleep, Prince Zuko, a man needs his rest", he advised. Zuko lay down, closing his eyes, his mind still fixed on the failure he suffered.
