Whew. I had trouble with this one. I hope it is worth it. TT.TT
Ok. I'm fine.
Yuck factor: This is a hard one. It really depends on the squeemish level of the reader.. I'll say 5 to be safe.
Toph felt like her heart was going to burst out of her chest in one grand explosion. The demon trio had returned after disappearing from her senses for a second. Sliyar smiled and brushed the back of his gauntlet against Toph's face.
"We will uphold our end of the deal now. Don't worry. Everything will be over shortly, chaton." He stood up and looked to his brother's. They stepped back into the bodies of their puppets, and just like by string the bodies stood up. Sokka walked over and picked up Katara, her arms wrapping around his neck instinctively as the pain coursed through her. Toph followed as the demons took Katara to a small out shed behind the main merchant. Sokka sat the girl down gently and looked over to Toph.
"Keep her as comfortable as possible. We will be back once we dispense the public's suspicion of murder." Toph nodded numbly. She sat next to Katara and grabbed her hand.
Zuko turned to look at the other's from the doorway. He looked down at the pregnant girl then looked over to Sokka motioning at the growing commotion.
"Sliyar, if we are going to do this, we need to get away from her." Sokka nodded. The three of them disappeared down the dark alley, into the main street where the winding paths all met. The three stood back to back as the guards gathered. It hadn't been very long before the city's guards were ordered to capture the three murderers. A smile spread across the three faces simultaneously.
Aang stepped forward and scanned the guards that stared at them, making sure that he made eye contact with each one of them. He brought his hands up, palms facing the sky.
"Surely you wouldn't arrest the Avatar." Saidon cooed his voice thick with age and maturity that the twelve year old body could not possess. He watch the guards shift uneasily in their own skin, eyes glancing at the others to see who would falter first.
"You are all impecunious, vacuous lesions on the face of this most menial satellite." Sliyar hissed as he looked over the faces of the now baffled men. Shurinere smiled as a purring chuckle rolled over his lips.
"He means to say your are all dead where you stand."
"You are under arrest!" One particularly brass guard yelled from the back of the pack. The three disguised demons turned in one fluid motion to glare at the man. Their glare sent a parting affect leaving the lone guard in their sight. Saidon smiled.
"Oh? Well you see you cannot arrest us, only these bodies." He looked to the others who nodded their borrowed heads.
"Possession isn't as easy as it used to be. We used to take over a body and run amuck. now the guards have gotten too smart."Shurinere said and looked over to possessed Sokka.
"You see, poor mortals. We are in fact demonic spirits. We were feeling a little restless, as we do. So we decided to have some fun. These bodies were the perfect hosts. Hoep you don't mind having to clean up our little mess."Sliyar nodded Sokka's head towards the guards.
"If you don't mind. We are finished with these bodies now." Shurinere smiled. Zuko's eyes rolled to the back of his head and fell to his knees. The guards shuddered as a chill filled the air. Zuko's body began to jolt as his body paled. The boy's mouth fell slack as a thick black fog began to spill over his lips. A shiver inducing laughter pierced the sky as Zuko's head fell back and his back arched. A column of fire jolted from the boy's mouth. The guards watched as a figure robed in black stepped down from the flames. Torn cloth danced around the demon, only glints of metal shining through the darkness. Saidon rolled his eyes inwardly. Shurinere was always one for show-boating.
"Impressive?" Saidon cooed as the wind began to thrash wildly around the trio. Aang's hands came up at his sides. The guards felt their weapons fall from their hands as they watched the young avatar rise into the air. The wind tore around them in more furious gusts. Sand and dirt stung into the skin, and slashed rashes into the flesh. Aang's eyes began to glow white as a cyclone began to form around him. Lightening flashed in the whirling winds, and danced across the sky. The guards' eyes widened as Aang's body fell limply to the ground as the demon crossed his arms in the avatar's place. Slowly he lowered himself down to the ground as the tornado's fury began to die.
Two dark creatures of hell stood in front of the guards glowing white eyes glaring deep into them. Sokka was the last mortal still with a demon inside. Sliyar wasn't one for the theatrics of his brother's but he couldn't be out done. Sokka stepped forward and knelt to the ground on one knee. His hand becoming his support. Slowly the boy's skin began to prickle, and the veins began to surge. The black fog surrounded the boy as he began to cough. The shadows stretched out to him, not even the oil lamps on the corners could break the darkness as it crept in toward the boy. Slowly the shadows crawled over the boy covering him in darkness. Almost as if planned, Katara's screams three blocks away intensified, breaking the rolling of the wind with a painful and near primal roar. Just as the scream reached it's loudest Sliyar lept from the boy's back sending the body rolling forward. He landed hard on the ground with a loud thud and clank perfectly in line with his brothers.
The three took a step towards the guards. As if someone had dropped a gust of pure energy in the middle of the guards they scrambled. Sliyar turned to look at the boys as they began to come around.
Zuko grabbed his head as the pulsating head ache of over indulgence shot zigzags through every crevice in his brain. His stomach rolled as he felt the thick coat of opium on his tongue.
Sokka opened his eyes warily. His mouth still tasted blood, and his body was still starved for attention, all too obviously ready for another go. His entire body ached and his hands felt stiff.
Aang sat up and stared at the three demon's in front of him. His eyes were wide with terror as he looked over his shoulder to his friends. It didn't take the other two long to lock their stares on the dark trio as well. Sliyar stepped forward and looked down at the young avatar.
"We must hurry. Come." Zuko stumbled to his feet his hands tight in fists. He shook his head.
"We aren't going anywhere with you." Sliyar shook his cloaked head. Saidon walked past the boy.
"Very well then. You can miss the birth." Zuko and Aang looked at each other then to Sokka who was fighting to remain standing. The three demons bolted off, surprising the three mortals. They each scrambled to follow the demons, though they didn't know if that was what they should do or not. Zuko was the first to round the corner, to where the shed stood, and he froze. He could hear Katara crying, her screams, and the painful moans. Aang stopped next to him and listened. Sokka pushed his way towards him. He had witnessed one birth, he would fry before he let his sister go it alone. Sokka looked up at the two demons standing guard on either side of the shed door. Sokka walked in and looked down at his sister. Bright streaks of red etched patterns across his sister's skin. Her hands dug into the dirt leaving tiny ruts from her fingernails. Sokka's attention came over to a figure in the corner. He turned to see the third demon. Sokka's eyes narrowed as he watched the back the creature.
Sliyar could feel the boy staring at him. He turned as he pulled his cloak off and cocked a golden eyebrow at the boy. Sokka's eyes darted back to his sister. Sliyar pulled the cloak from his shoulders and let it fall into the shadows. He walked over and looked over the girl. She wasn't ready for the babies to come yet. He could tell that with her clothes on, but it wasn't really up to her.
Sokka's eyes burned with fought back tears as he looked at his sister. She arched her back as she dug her feet into the dirt, calling out for the spirits to just take her. He turned to look back at the demon when he heard metal scrape. He watched as the man pulled his gauntlets off.
"Just why are you here!? You have done enough damage!" Sokka growled, bringing the snow eyes to look at him.
"You do not know how to birth a demon. I do. So I suggest you silence yourself." Sokka's shoulder's squared.
"I will not shut up!" Toph frowned and sent a pebble to hit Sokka in the knee. He frowned at her and picked the rock up to throw it back.
"Sokka. Think! You're good at that." Sokka narrowed his eyes at her as he brought his arm down and looked over at Katara as she moaned. Sliyar knelt down next to the girl and rested his hand on her swollen abdomen. A contraction shot down her, causing her to arch of the ground. Sliyar forced her back down flat.
"Be still." He growled. Sokka half snorted and half growled as he took a step forward. He looked down at his sister as she opened her eyes. Sokka just about jumped out of his skin when he saw her eyes. They were solid black, whites and all.
"Yheblec Ne Miyot Ajm!?"Katara screamed her voice thick dark and not belonging to her at all. Sliyar brushed the girls hair out of her face and looked at her.
"Gsirr slsi reutri sjam. Bodokobit." Katara's eyes fluttered closed and her body went limp. Sliyar sat back on his heels and looked over the girl. Sokka's eyes were wide.
"What the hell was that?!"
"That was the language of demons." Sokka shook his head.
"WHAT!? How does my sister know it and where did that voice come from?" Sliyar looked at the boy sternly.
"That wasn't your sister, it was the babies." Sokka's eyebrows shot up. He blinked a few times and cocked his head side ways.
"Come again?" Sliyar sighed as he ran his hand over Katara's stomach again. With a swift movement Katara's shirt was slip in half. Sokka looked with wide eyes from his sister to the demon back to his sister. "What are you doing!?"
"I don't have time to explain. If you have questions feel free to ask my comrades." He hissed as he pressed down in various spots along Katara's stomach. Sokka watched with wide eyes as small bumps moved under his sister's skin. Sokka made a noise in the high regions of his throat and brought Aliyah's eyes to him with an amused look.
"It is just the babies moving." Sliyar looked over at Toph. "Could you hand me that towel to your left, chaton?" Toph moved her hand away from Katara and grabbed the towel. She held it out and he took it his eyes lingering on her for a moment. Sokka frowned.
"Why are you helping my sister? You're a demon." Sokka stated blankly as he looked over at Toph. The demon glanced at him for a moment then looked back to Katara. He ran the towel over her face, down her neck and over her stomach, so that she was as free of sweat as possible.
"We have our reasons. Now if you would, step outside with the others." Sokka frowned.
"No. Are you kidding? This is my sister. I'm going to be here for her." Sliyar's white eyes landed with a sharp glare at the boy.
"Listen, as I said before this is not a normal birth. Demons don't deliver as humans do. Now leave." Sokka started to protest then Sliyar shook his head. "If you must stay then fine. But keep out of the way." Sokka nodded. Sliyar set the tip of his fingernail down on the skin just below Katara's naval. He drug it to the side sharply, slicing the skin as he went. Sokka felt all the blood leave his face in one mad rush. Sliyar brought his nail back to the starting position and followed the same path in the other direction. Blood curled up over the cuts and down her sides. Sokka frowned as he tried to swallow the lump that formed in his throat.
"Couldn't she have them normally?" Sliyar growled as he continued to slice deeper into the girl's stomach.
"Demon babies will tear there way out if they feel they have been in the birth canal too long. They will shred, tear, and rip whatever stands in their way of that first breath. There are two babies in here, and by the time we had one normally the other would have already torn her internal organs to shreds. Now shut up." Sokka nodded. He felt himself fight back a gag as the demon drove his hand down into the tissue.
"Shurinere! Bring the fire bender." Sliyar yelled over his shoulder. The demon appeared at the door way with Zuko at his side. Zuko's eyes widened as he set eyes upon the demon with his hand wrist deep in Katara's swollen belly, and both her and the demon covered in blood. Zuko's anger switch turned on almost immediately.
"Get your hands away from her!?" Sliyar growled and held back his urge to just destroy the whole lot of them. Mortal men, especially those between fourteen and thirty, were the most difficult of creatures.
"Grab that iron shaping rod, and bring it here." Sliyar ordered. Zuko started to argue only to have a rock hit him in the head. Zuko glared at Toph as he picked up the rod. Sliyar nodded as he pushed his other hand down into Katara's body.
"You, Sokka, grab the towel." Sokka grabbed the towel and held it warily. "You, fire bender, I want that rod's tip scalding red. Understand?" Zuko nodded. Sliyar curled his hand under the first baby and pulled. The babies head came first from the flesh. The blue shivering lump of pinkish purple baby. Sliyar set the baby in the towel on Sokka's lap. He clamped his fingers tight around the cord closest to the child. He bent over and, just as Sokka had seen his gran-gran do with a piece of string, bit the cord free. That was it. Sokka's eyes rolled back and he fell backwards his knees bent under him. Sliyar quickly tied the baby's cord, using Sokka's lap as a table. He picked the child up by the feet and gave it a sharp slap on the behind. A shrill scream lit the air.
Zuko's heart felt like it was going to burst with emotion. Sliyar wrapped the baby tight in the towel and looked over at Toph.
"Care to hold the little one, while I get the other, chaton?" Toph held her hands out and Sliyar gently placed the baby in her arms. She curled her arms up and held the child close. She was still frightened half out of her mind, but something was different. She could feel the air around the child change temperature randomly.
"This is the air bender." She stated more than ask. Sliyar grinned, his pointed teeth catching his lip.
"Yes." He said as he pushed his hand under the other child. He pushed his other hand in the warm blood oozing as he moved through.
"Zuko, Is it? There is a towel in that bucket there to your left. It should be slightly damp. Warm it to your usual body temperature." Zuko sat down the rod and picked up the towel doing as he was told.
"Saidon! Hyd somwa hkju. Pisodta! NOW!" Sliyar barked over his shoulder. He moved his hands so that he had a good grip on the infant and pulled. He brought the child out quickly and set it in the warmed towel. He repeated the process of cutting the cord, He wrapped the child quickly and handed it to Toph as well. He shoved the iron rod into Zuko's hands.
"Heat it now." Zuko did as he was told, noticing that the demon's actions were becoming quicker and more frantic. The demon grabbed the glowing iron from the bender's hand. He set the metal against the long cut he had created. The flesh sizzled and cracked as it cauterized. He pulled it away taking bits of the charred flesh with it. He tossed it to the dirt next to the girl. He reached into his sleeve and pulled out a needle. Zuko frowned at the needle, for it was unlike any he had ever seen.
"That needle?" Sliyar threaded it quickly.
"It's made from a dragon bone. You're grandfather is to thank for it." Zuko frowned and started to continue the banter but stopped and pushed the questions to the back of his mind. Sliyar quickly ran his needle and string through one side of the opening over the wound and out the other side. He stitched up the nine inch cut quickly. Sliyar sleeved the needle again and moved up to Katara's head. Her looked at her for a moment. He set his hand on her chest just between the rise of her breasts. He pulled his hand up causing the girl's body to arch from the ground. Zuko's eyes grew wide as the red etching that covered Katara was pulled to the center location under the demon's hand. Sliyar pushed the girl back down, his hand under her back. He bent over the girl and set his lips against the circle of red. He sat back and Zuko drew in a sharp breath. The circle was gone, but Katara's body was beyond pale. She looked like a corpse, down to the blue tint in her lips. Zuko startled out of his semi-trance as a thud hit the ground next to him. Zuko felt the nausea resurface. Saidon had thrown down the body of the man he had decapitated during his possession. Sliyar looked over at his brother.
"No. Not enough. Drs sih returi sando liskis rrd Sokka." Saidon nodded and pulled the body back out. He returned a moment later with one of the women that Sokka-puppet had killed. Sliyar nodded. Sliyar bent over and set his lips against the woman's neck where it had been crushed and torn. He sat up and his lips were stained with blood. Zuko watched in horror as Sliyar bent down and set his lips just over Katara's heart. Zuko's eyes widened further as the color began to return to Katara's flesh. Sliyar sat back and watched the girls' face. He set a hand on her chest. His eyes narrowed and he shook his head.
"I was afraid this might happen." Zuko's heart dropped and his blood became thick and icy in his veins.
"What? Did she loose too much blood?" Sliyar shook his head.
"No. Blood loss isn't a problem. Her breath has left her. She's been taken to the spirit world." Toph's arms pulled the twins closer to her absently.
"Katara's dead?"
There. The end. Of this chapter at least. Thought you'd never get here huh? Well as always let me know what you think. Hope to update soon. If you have any questions as to translation don't be afraid to ask! V.v