Chapter Seven: Marked

Just as Zuko was about to run out of air, he was able to free a small dagger from his boot. Wildly, he slashed through the fabric and kicked himself free. Placing the dagger between his teeth, he swam up towards the sun. His head broke the surface and he gasped for breath. Relief filled him. He was still alive. He squinted as water rolled down his face, quickly shrugging off his armor before it started to weigh him down again. The cold melt slipped down his body and into the icy depth below. Instantly, he felt lighter. He glanced around and, seeing the cliffs that made up the Serpent's Pass, began to swim toward them. As he did, he had to avoid flying debris and the burning chunks of wood. Smoke filled the air, obscuring him vision. Suddenly, Zuko saw something floating in the water ahead! Realizing it was one of his men, he quickly paddled over. The soldier was unconscious and he was already starting to sink. He quickly seized him and struggled to hold his head above the water line. Zuko instantly felt to affect of the added weight and the loss of his arms.

"Somebody help!" Zuko yelled, "There's a hurt man over here". No answer came from the burning smoke that surrounded him. Zuko saw a board that must have splintered off of the war balloon upon impact and began swimming towards it. It was very difficult because he only had one arm free, but he managed to reach it and shift his load on top of it. With the soldier in tow, he kicked out toward the cliff wall of the Serpent's Pass. He finally reached the cliff and pushed the man onto a rocky ledge low enough for him to reach. He was about to follow when he saw an unrolled white scroll floating on the surface of the water. Even though his limps were exhausted, he acted on his whim and retrieved it. Instead of looking at it, he immediately started to tend to the unconscious soldier. He appeared to be older, maybe 40 or 50. Besides a bump on the head, he seem unharmed. Taking off his outer robe and making it into a pillow for the soldier, Zuko stood up and examined the scene before him.

Many of the soldiers were still battling their way out of the water, but most were on the cliff further down. Zuko didn't see bodies dead or alive in the water around Azula's ship.

"They must have reached the cliffs", Zuko muttered, "They're probably escaping at this very moment."

The Fire Lord's eyes strayed down to the wet parchment in his hand. His throat tighten up as he saw what it was. The portrait of Mai and him was badly damaged; the edges were tearing and the ink around their faces blurred. He careful rolled it up and placed it in the packed that had somehow managed to stay with him through the crash. It was then that he made his decision. Slowly, he knelt and removed the golden ornament that represented his royalty from his hair. He placed it in the bag with the other things that he did not need.

"I hope they understand", he said to a stone voice. If he did not leave now, he would risk losing Azula. That was not a risk he was willing to take. " I am not abandoning my people", he told himself. He placed the bag next to the unconscious man where he hoped it would be discovered. With a small flame, he scorched the characters of his name on a nearby rock. They would know he was still alive. He climbed up the rocky surface to the main path and began walking in the direction on the southern shore.

"I can't let them hold me back", he said.. Zuko made his way down the winding path without stopping until late into the night. The sun had long set and the stars had taken its place to illuminate the way. It was then that the Fire Lord decided to make camp and rest for the night. Even though he desperately felt like pressing on through the night, he knew that he would need his strength. He tried to make himself more at ease with the idea by reasoning that Azula would also need to stop and sleep, especially if she was at all wounded by the crash, but even this did little to assure him and he spent most of the night awake and restless. At the crack of dawn he awoke and broke camp He saved time by not bothering to scatter the campfire and disguise his resting place. Unlike other times he had been alone in the wilderness, he was not being hunted this time. No, this time he was the hunter.

"Maybe my men will find this spot and follow me", he muttered.

...

He spent the better part of the morning traveling south along the path, until sometime around noon he suddenly passed a boulder and saw a figure standing on top of a rock ahead. He quickly fell into a warrior's stance and caused two fireballs to flare up in his hands.

"Don't move!" he shouted. The figure's face was in shadow so he could not tell who it was. Even though he was immediately suspicious that it was his sister, there was something the posture of the figure that seemed unlike her. The figure was hunched over in a protective pose and was leaning heavily on a cane. Zuko hesitated and shouted again, "Who are you? Show yourself!" The figure did as Zuko ordered and turn its head so the light caught its face. For a moment Zuko was speechless. It was his sister, but for a second he didn't even recognized her. A long white scar ran from the corner of her eye, across her nose, and along her mouth, causing it to curl up slightly. Surround the livid scar was burnt tissue, red and raw. It was hideous.

"Azula! I'm……", he stopped. He would not apologize to that monster, not after what she had done to Mai.

"Speechless, Zuzu?" she asked in a ragged voice, "Are you surprised to see me or maybe you just can't stand the sight of the work of your own hands?" Zuko quickly raised his guard again.

"You brought this upon yourself, Azula!" he yelled, " I would have let you go into exile after you escaped, and I wouldn't have lifted a finger to stop you! And this is how you repay me." he finished darkly.

Azula evaluated him for a moment before she spoke, " Unlike you I am not ashamed of my scar. Yours marked you as an exile and a traitor. Mine, however, is a mark of honor. Though I suppose it is ironic, Prince Zuko." He was about to reply when a large boulder suddenly came flying at him from behind. He leapt into the air and was just able to clear it by contorting himself in mid-leap.

"It's Fire Lord Zuko", he hissed as he landed on his feet. Zuko's eyes widened as he saw the Dia Li agents surrounding him. How could he have been so foolish! Of course it was a trap.

"Father appointed me as his successor, but call yourself whatever you want", Azula purred, "It won't matter for long what your title was" Zuko instantly reacted. Streams of fire explodes from his hands and feet as he back flipped through the air, causing the ring of Dia Li agents to retreat back a few feet. Landing he quickly sized up the situation. Six agents, fully trained in Earthbending and capable of being worthy fighters, surrounded him, but Zuko knew that the really opponent would be his sister. He looked over his shoulder, expecting to see her attacking form diving at him, but instead she was being lead away by two Dia Li agents. She had an arm around each of the warriors and was leaning heavily on them. It was then that Zuko realized that she had not been faking her weakness. Now was the time to strike! He shot a fire bolt as her, but a wall of earth quickly rose and shielded them.

"No!!" he yelled in frustration, "You won't escape me this time, Azula." Never knocked down one of his opponents and tried to break through to attack Azula, but he was blocked again.

"AHHHHH", he yelled blasting a boulder to pieces, "This is it, Azula. You're not running anymore". Despite his cries, Azula and her bodyguard got farther and farther away while Zuko was still trapped and fighting for his life. He flew backwards as a large rock knocked him off his feet. He was just able to scramble out of the way before a boulder was able to crush him against a rock wall. As he did, his forearm scrapped against a rock, leaving a large gash in his tissue. Pushing one of his attackers back with a fire blast from his kick, he was able to send the Dia Li agent tumbling off the cliff and into the water below. Zuko allowed himself a small smile. Now there were only five left. He closed his eyes and began to channel lightning again and was almost surprise when he saw that the ability had not left him. He eyes gleaning with determination, he turned and fired at two agents, sending them flying backwards. One of them did not rise again. Now there were only four.

Suddenly, Zuko felt the ground beneath him trembling. The three agents facing him started to shake and back in fear, muttering to each other all the while. For a second, Zuko hesitated. Something didn't seem right. Even though they were retreating, it didn't seem like he was the one they were afraid. The Fire Lord looked behind him and suddenly understood. Rising up from the torrent waters rearing a large sea serpent. Zuko yelled and dived to the side as its teeth came down right where he had been standing. He quickly rolled to his feet to defend himself. Zuko made a move to get to safety, but suddenly his feet hit something hard and he felt himself falling.

"You!" shouted in rage. One of the Dia Li agents had used Earthbending to trip him. With the serpent bearing down on top of him, there was nothing he could do except brace himself. He tried to create a shield of fire between them, but Zuko knew that it would do little to stop the crushing jaws. Suddenly, just when he expected to feel the teeth closing around him, the sea serpent let out a piercing screech. Zuko looked up and saw why. A large brown bird flew around the monster's head, attacking it's eyes. Zuko scrambled out of the way as the large monster withered in pain and frustration. With each thrash it crashed against the rocky cliff, causing it to disintegrate.

The Dia Li agent seemed to have forgotten Zuko completely and were now rapidly hurling boulders at the giant snake. Quickly seized his chance, he crept away in the direction Azula had gone. Behind him he could hear the Dia Li agents panicking as the serpent gnashed its teeth.

…

It was days since Zuko had started tracking Azula, and aside from the occasional traces of Firebending, there was know sign of her. It was nighttime now and Zuko had pushed as far as he could without stopping and resting. He lowered himself onto a rock and took some food out of his travel back. He would need to restock soon; there was only one small loaf of bread left and it would not last him long. Digging his teeth into the stale lump, the Fire Lord began to eat. A dark form suddenly dove out of the night sky and landed on a rock nearby. It was the same hawk the had saved Zuko from the sea serpent and that had been following him for the last few days.

"Back again, little fellow?" Zuko asked, "Want some food?". He slowly stretched his hand containing some of his meal towards it. The hawk cocked its head and eyed him sharply. Zuko got a little closer, then he suddenly grabbed for the bird. The hawk shrieked in protest and flew to the top of a nearby tree.

"It's no use", Zuko seethed under his breath. Though the hawk hardly left his side, it hadn't once let him touch it. This was surprising only because over last few days Zuko had caught glimpse of the Fire Nation seal on the band around its foot. This was obvious a tame bird. If Zuko could only catch it he could send a message back to his people, telling them he was alive. Zuko watched the hawk preen itself. It looked like he would have no success tonight either. Sighing, he tossed it a small bit of bread.

"That's all you get", Zuko then muttered to himself, " At least you have no problem finding food out here. If I don't pass through a town soon, I'll have to try hunting". The bird gave a silver cry and flew away into the night.

"I can't believe I am talking to a bird", Zuko muttered. He shook his head and began unraveling the bandage on his forearm. He winced at what he saw, but was not surprised. Ever since he had first gotten the wound fighting the Dia Li agents it had only been getting worse. Now the gaping wound had a greenish hue and was surrounded by redden skin. Zuko reached his hand out and touched it. His flesh was warmer than it should have been.

"It's infected", Zuko admitted to himself. It appeared that all his effort to keep the wound clean had been useless. He threw the bandage down in frustration and shot a blast of fire out of his hands.

"I can't believe this!", he shouted, "I'm out here in the middle of nowhere with a stupid bird instead of back leading my country, and for what! So I can die of an infection or starve?" He collapsed back into his seat. Yelling was doing little to help the situation. He looked up at the sky and saw the full moon hanging the silent landscape. His thoughts immediately went to the young waterbender. If he had only taken her up on her offer to accompany him, he wouldn't be in this mess now, he thought to himself. He sat contemplating for a few seconds

"Well fire can heal too", he whispered finally. Standing up, he shot flames out of his hands so it caught on a piece of dead wood on the ground. He slowly began to building it up, adding twigs and grass every now and then to encourage the small flame budding to life. As soon as it was large enough to sustain itself without his help, Zuko ripped a strip of clothe from his shirt and boiled it with water. Breathing deeply, the Fire Lord then removed a small blade from its sheath and channeled the heat from inside of him into the metal. Now came the hard part. The dagger was now glowing red and white, reflecting the colors of the embers below it. It was time. He shoved a stick into his mouth, bit down, and held up the hot dagger. Then, in one swift motion, he reopened the wound. The pain made him temporarily blind. His body tensed and he bit down harder on the stick. Dropping the dagger into the fire, he took the rag he had boiled and used it to clean the pus and hardened tissue out of the wound. If took every ounce of his will power to stay conscience. When he was done he used the last rag to re-bandage his arm. Afterward he sat for a few minutes, too dizzy to stand. His vision was blurred as he looked back at the moon again. Now it seemed to be taunting him, its silver glow playing hide and seek in the clouds.

"I don't need your help" he gritted "I can take care of myself".

Sorry it took forever to add this part. I was grounded for a really long time and it was hard to get back into things afterward. Plus school is getting really demanding and everything.