Chapter Five: Zuko's Arrival

'Finally... The Fire Nation,' Zuko thought as he looked toward the land that was coming up from the horizon. When he neared the continent, Fire Nation ships surrounded his little boat.

A general on the ship ahead of him called, "State your business here!" And after getting a closer look at the captain of the small boat, the general gasped in surprise. "Zuko!..." he said aloud after he noticed the scar covering one side of the teen's face. The general had heard of the exiled, traitorous prince - sent to search the seas for the missing Avatar years ago and having failed the mission. The boy on the ship bore no resemblance to a fire nation prince, though. His attire, those dirty rags, was nothing like the pristine red uniforms worn by the army or the royal red clothing of royalty. And his hair was disgracefully cut - more like some earth kingdom urchin then a prince of the important fire nation. Why was he here?

"I have the Avatar! Let me pass!" Zuko called to the general. The man narrowed his amber eyes while he considered Zuko's request. Zuko waited, his eyes being narrowed as well. The general's ship moved aside and Zuko became optimistic as he steered through the opening.

"Haven't you learned yet, nephew?..." the boat's stowaway whispered to himself.

Zuko tied his boat at the dock, and then went down the stairway on the ship to get Aang. Like before, he used his firebending to illuminate the path.

Aang noticed the distant glow of fire and watched as Zuko neared. After Zuko was close enough to hear, Aang asked, "Why did we stop?"

"Because we're here," Zuko said as he picked up the boy. Right after stepping ashore with Aang across his shoulder, the general and several lower soldiers began attacking Zuko. Surprised, he dodged several blasts.

"What's going on!" Zuko demanded as he crossed his arms over his chest to cancel out a ball of fire that was directed toward him. Aang just watched wide-eyed from Zuko's shoulder.

"Why let an outlaw like you have all the glory of capturing the Avatar when I can capture both you and him?" the general asked and pointed toward Aang. "Then I'll get the reward." Out of the corner of his eye, Zuko noticed a beam of fire coming his way. He unsheathed the twin swords he was carrying to his side and combined the swords with his firebending to wound the soldier who made the attack. They exchanged blows several times afterward. During one point of the fight, Zuko turned too quickly and Aang fell off his shoulder. With his tongue stuck out in concentration, Aang moved below the group of firebenders - crawling like an inchworm, since his arms and legs were still tied. Everyone was too busy fighting to notice the Avatar getting away and Aang found a place to hide away from the stray fireballs.

Zuko injured another soldier. Now there were only three left - four counting the general.

A few feet from Zuko and the soldiers, Aang lied in some tall grass and waited.

Zuko used his swords to block one firebending attack, while the general attacked from the other side and made Zuko grind his teeth in pain. The teen swung around to get revenge for the general's attack.

While Zuko was concentrating on the general, the stowaway appeared next to one of the soldiers. The soldier gasped.

"I-" was all the soldier could get out before he was knocked unconscious.

"Haugh! Haugh! Haugh!" Zuko yelled as he firebended through his kicks and punches. The general blocked Zuko's moves repeatedly, but the teen kept fighting in a fit of anger. The general wasn't quick enough to block one of the attacks and he moaned between clenched teeth. He didn't block Zuko's next attack either, being too preoccupied with the injury. He yelled out in pain after Zuko hit the same spot as the first time. Zuko went for a third hit, but the general was able to block it with one fist while holding his side with his other hand. Zuko knocked him out after a fourth blow made through the double swords. Zuko kept the position of his last attack, just in case the general would jump back to his feet. The outstretched swords were steaming from the fire that had traveled through them. When seeing that the general wasn't going to wake up for awhile, Zuko lined up his two swords and put them back in the sheath on his side.

"A good general wouldn't let their guard down after receiving a blow..." Zuko said to himself while looking toward the general that was spiraled out on the ground. When he looked around him, he noticed that there weren't anymore soldiers.

"The Avatar..." he said when he realized Aang was missing. He looked around on the ground for him. 'Is he hiding somewhere, or did a couple of those soldiers take him?...'