I'll Follow You Home – A Zutara Story.
Meeoko
Summary : Sequel to 'Eventualities Are Inevitable'. After being captured by a group of Fire Nation radicals and uncovering a secret plot to destroy the Avatar Cycle, Zuko and Katara must work together to find a way to stop the Sila Vatra before Sozin's Comet arrives.
Spoilers : Puppet Master, Day Of Black Sun part 1 and 2, Western Air Temple, Fire Bending Masters and Boiling Rock part 1 and 2.
Author's Note : Just wanted to point out to those of you who reviewed the last chapter about the lava – yes, I am well aware that lava is in fact molten rock and neither fire, nor water. Yes, it would most likely be Toph who would be able to bend it. BUT, I am afraid that I much preferred using Chit Sang and Zuko to manipulate it, as it's more dramatic and in all honesty, I wan running out of good battle idea's. Just think of the Lava-Bending as poetic license (I'm allowed to do that after all).
Not too many reviews last chappie, but hey, what the hell. I would like to thank those of you that DID review and usually do. I would also like to thank many of the anonymous reviewers and 'lurkers' who came forward to review. It's always great to see new faces (well, technically, usernames) and opinions.
This story is actually lasting longer than I anticipated. I wanted to make it so that IFYH was about the same amount of chapters as EAI (which is about 23/24). But, this one seems to be a bigger challenge than I first thought. Don't worry – it isn't going to be one of those stories that have about 85 chapters. But I think that after this chapter is posted and done, it's going to take at least two more chapters before it's completely finished (though, that's including the epilogue).
Anyway – enjoy! (And once again, sorry about the cliffhangers. I know how much you all hate them lol)
Katara felt the terrified tears falling down her face as she watched the maniacal Fire Princess point down at her brother, with a wicked smile crossing her lips.
"If blood is what we need, then we shall have it regardless. Dai Lee, bring me my brother. I think we have found use for him yet."
No! She wouldn't! He's her brother!
Her limbs ached and the intense heat in the air was stinging her eyes, but Katara could see that Zuko was faring much worse.
He was drenched in sweat and steam rose from his body. His skin was pale and clammy and he swayed on the spot, his head drooping down every now and then. There was a large red mark on his cheek, where The Warden had struck him and he gasped and panted as if he couldn't breathe! He barely seemed conscious and didn't seem to hear a single word that anyone said.
It scared her to death.
Katara's heart skipped a beat, seeing Zuko like that.
It had to be the effects of Sozin's Comet! He kept wincing each time he moved his face, even a little. He clutched at his head and his eyes were rolling back in his head. And The Warden had made it ten times worse! He had hit Zuko hard on the scarred side of his face.
The tears pricked behind Katara's eyes as she heard him cry out as his body trembled, wracked with some sort of invisible pain.
You coward! Leave him alone!
"Don't touch him!" she screamed. She uselessly lunged against the shackles of earth that held both her feet and hands in place. She looked like a sacrifice!
But it's Zuko who's going to be the sacrifice!
"No!" Toph called, wriggling uselessly inside her cocoon of earth. "Get away from him, you psycho!"
She couldn't move, nor could she free the rest of them.
Nobody could do anything. If they couldn't move, they couldn't bend!
The Dai Lee glided from their places beside the alter towards Zuko, who managed to look up with heavy-lidded eyes. The volcano was almost completely dark as the sky above turned a fierce blood colour. The heat was almost unbearable! Katara hoped to the Spirits that the remaining water inside her skins wouldn't evaporate.
Not that it mattered anyway. She couldn't reach them! She could move to bend herself free!
She watched in horror as the two slinking figures of the Dai Lee loomed towards Zuko. He swayed, held only in place by the earth that supported him. Behind the pain and anger in his slowly dulling eyes, Katara could see something else – fear. Something she hadn't seen for a long time.
"Katara..." his haggard and broken voice carried over to her as the shadows of the Dai Lee loomed over him.
"Zuko..."
Katara was certain that she could feel her heart breaking in two. Her mind raced back to the war balloon, as Zuko's fingers touched the smooth surface of her mother's necklace and she looked up into his eyes. She wanted to lose herself in the memory, to try and see his smiling face again.
"Katara. You look so beautiful. One day, when this is all over. When everything is in balance again and we have time...when you tell me that you're ready, I'm going to carve you your very own necklace."
"Get away from him!" she screamed, feeling the salty warm tears leave white hot trails down her face. "Please! No! No!"
The shadowed faces of the Dai Lee remained unchanged as they released their hold over Zuko and he fell face first into the dirt, calling out in pain as his face hit the earth. Princess Azula looked down cruelly at him with a satisfied and crazed grin on her face, showing her pointed white teeth.
"Does it hurt?" she asked, turning her piercing predatory gaze towards Katara. "Knowing that you will all be responsible for my brother's death? That he sacrificed all he had to save you and your precious Avatar? Can you feel it tearing through your heart?"
Her words hit Katara like bullets.
She let out a sob and felt herself shaking. From fear or anger, she wasn't sure, but the impact of Azula's awful, truthful words was hard and terrifying.
My fault...
"Can it, Crazy!" Toph shrieked, twitching her head back and forward in an effort to free herself, the fear for her dearest friend evident on her face. "This is nobodies fault but yours! You're the one with no heart!"
Suki strained against her own bonds, along with the rest of them. The white face paint was dripping down her face in the extreme heat and she looked like she might pass out, weighed down by the stifling layers of her Kyoshi Warrior's garb.
"You really are the Fire Lord's daughter." she hissed as she pulled at her arms, stuck fast inside the moulded rock. "You're sick! He's your brother!"
Azula seemed to take Suki's words as a compliment and laughed.
"Why thank you. I do like to uphold the family name. It must be obvious that I'm doing a good job, if even someone as pathetic and unworthy as you can see it." she snapped her fingers and the Dai Lee picked Zuko up off the floor by his arms. "Now, if you don't mind, I have a war to finish."
"No! Zuko! Wake up! Please! Zuko!"
They could only watch in horror as the Dai Lee dragged Zuko towards the alter. His head lolled down and he continued to let out gasps of pain. His face was completely coated in sweat and it fell down his skin in rivets.
Get up! Please! Get up!
Katara had no idea exactly how much power Sozin's Comet held over Zuko, but from what she could see, it was a lot. Zuko couldn't even hold his head up! She was amazed that he hadn't passed out yet!
If his Warrior's Will was at work, with all of the stress, pain and exhaustion, he probably wasn't going to wake up for fifty years!
The Warden stood beside the alter, looking down on Zuko with glee. He had always despised Zuko, and now he was going to get his revenge.
Katara felt herself sobbing and writhed around in place, uselessly tugging at the pillars of earth that encased her hands and feet. She thrashed around, her breath quickening from fear. Tears streaked down her face, heating up under the unbearable pressure of the comet breaking through the atmosphere. Katara didn't even need to be a Fire Bender to know that it wasn't far away!
It'll be here any second!
But Katara stopped thrashing when the Dai Lee dropped Zuko in front of the alter, on his knees. He fell forward, but held himself steady, trying not to give The Warden the satisfaction of seeing his face hit the floor. At least there was still some fight left in him.
He panted like an animal as The Warden towered above him. He clutched at his throat with a weak and shaking hand. It reminded Katara of the truly terrifying three days that Zuko had spent in the hospital ward. And now, it looked like his father had burnt him all over again!
"Chun Sau." The Warden looked towards his Princess, awaiting orders, though it was clear he despised doing it.
"Princess?"
Azula circled Zuko, looking down on him with a distasteful look on her face, her cruel eyes analysing his every move. Not that he could move at all. He was in far too much pain.
"Do you like my brother?"
The Warden frowned and opened his mouth a little, looking taken aback. Uncertainty was usually a very bad trait to have around Princess Azula, but it was understandable.
Was it a trick question? What if he said the wrong thing? Surely he would pay for it afterwards.
"Uh...no, Princess. I do not."
"Do you admire him at all?"
"I-I...no, Princess. He is a traitor and a disgrace."
Rolling her eyes and sighing, Azula raised a booted foot and placed it on Zuko's shoulder. With a less than gentle shove, she sent him toppling over into the dirt. It wasn't as if he could put up much of a resistance, after all.
He continued to clutch at his throat and gasp. Katara could barely make out his face, her eyes were so blurry with pain and the unbearable heat of the comet.
"Correct answer, Chun Sau." Azula smirked, as if talking to a lowly dog. "Then that will make your task far easier. Now, I believe you said that you needed blood. Here is your blood."
Katara gasped, feeling her eyes growing wide as Azula pointed down at her brother.
No! This can't be happening! They're going to kill him!
Zuko's voice rang clear inside her mind, bringing back the terror and sadness that she had felt the night he had woken up screaming.
"I'll do it! I'll bleed the world away!"
Fighting back fresh sobs, Katara tried not to think about the sickening irony. If she couldn't free herself and save Zuko, then his dream would come true. If Azula sacrificed him to get into the Spirit World and destroy the Avatar Cycle, then he really would bleed the world away! Thousands of people would be destroyed by the Fire Nation!
She wondered if Zuko was also thinking about the irony of his situation, though she doubted it. He was too busy screaming.
"I'm sure the spirits prefer their blood still warm." Azula's icy, conniving voice hissed. It chilled Katara to the bone.
Sniffing as she stifled another sob, Katara looked down at the rock beneath her feet. It was useless! There was nothing that she could do and Azula was going to murder Zuko!
A tear slid down her nose and fell onto the floor, sinking into the dirt below. She looked at it for a moment. Her mind was clouded with terror and heart-break, but there was something there. A memory sparked in her mind.
Looking down at the tear sinking into the rock, she thought back as hard as she could. It was something that would help them. Something that had helped her before. She was sure of it.
Think, Katara. Think! What was it?
"You're messed up!" Toph called from the floor, still unable to free herself from the earth cocoon. "Don't you touch him, you...you...Psycho!"
Azula laughed lightheartedly, placing a hand on her chest. She looked utterly mad.
There was something different about her that truly terrified Katara.
"Oh, stop." Azula smiled. "Flattery will get you nowhere, Earth Bender."
"What the heck is wrong with you?" Suki screamed, thrashing about in her rock bonds.
Chit sang did not move, nor speak. He remained still and silent, still staring at the same patch of earth that he had been staring at for almost a full five minutes. Katara could see that his eyes were clouded over with tears, but like Zuko, he refused to let them spill over.
She began to think that perhaps Chit Sang possessed the Warrior's Will too.
Maybe he's gone to his own happy place. With his friends...
"I tire of this." Azula sighed. "Get this over and done with, Chun Sau. I want to have this finished before Sozin's Comet leaves the atmosphere."
Nodding, The Warden looked down at Zuko with a gruesome smile. Katara's blood froze when his eyes were drawn to the hilt strapped to Zuko's hip – the Black Ice Blade!
"Now, what's this?" he asked to himself, pulling the dagger out from its sheath and turning it in his hands. "First, The Blood Stone...and now another. Two pieces of a whole. Now how was it you found this, Prince?"
"Get your disgusting hands off it! Katara called as forcefully as she could muster, though neither Azula or The Warden took any notice of her.
Zuko was too engulfed in his own pain to even look up at The Warden. His eyes were beginning to roll back in his head, though Katara could see that he was fighting to stay conscious.
She willed herself to stay calm and think. She knew that there was something she could do, but her mind was just too clouded to see it. She looked back down at the floor, where her tear had now dried up into the dirt.
What was it that Toph said?
Katara took deep breaths, trying desperately to calm herself down. It was difficult and she could feel herself slipping. Not only was the fate of the world lying on their shoulders, but the life of her friends. Her family. And the life of the man she loved.
Concentrating was not easy.
Think. Think!
She tried to keep herself from looking back up at Zuko's face. Katara knew that if she did, then the last string of calm she had left would slip away. It was just too hard to see him in so much pain.
I will never, ever turn my back on people who need me!
More tears fell from her face and she watched them fall down onto the floor beneath. She thought of her father and Sokka. Of Aang and Toph and Suki. Even Momo and Appa! Everyone she loved was going to die if they didn't find a way to stop Azula!
"Spirit's, help me."
It was then that she remembered!
"Fry him, Sparky! Go all Dragon Breath on his butt!"
"That's it..." she whispered to herself, looking back up. "...That's it. My Ice Breath!"
She had almost forgotten about it! She hadn't used her Ice Breath in so long, it had completely slipped her mind! The last time she could recall using it, she must have been at the North Pole! It was even before they had met Toph! Her bending had become so strong and inventive, Katara had had almost no need to depend on such a simple technique as her Ice Breath.
But now, things were different. It could save them!
Maybe Zuko's too weak to Fire Bend, but there's nothing stopping me from using mine!
Katara could hear The Warden talking, but she tried to block it out. She avoided looking at Zuko and closed her eyes, willing herself into a calm enough state to create her Breath of Ice. If Toph couldn't Earth Bend them free, then she would have to try her own methods!
"It doesn't matter where he got it." Azula scolded, sounding bored. "When this is over, then you are free to play with your useless toys as you please. Now, get on with it!"
Frowning hard, The Warden leant down and grabbed Zuko around the neck.
Zuko looked like he barely noticed. His breathing was so shallow, that Katara worried for his life!
Holding Zuko up in the air with one hand, The Warden held the Black Ice Blade with the other. He looked positively giddy with happiness!
Concentrate. Concentrate!
"Look at you now, oh mighty Prince Zuko!" The Warden smirked. "So far fallen! You can't even stand up! Pathetic!"
Come on. Come on..
Katara took a deep breath in and out. She could feel the icy chill at the back of her throat. She had to act now! If she didn't, it would be the end! She knew what she had to do, no matter how much it terrified her.
Zuko hung limp in The Warden's grasp, his face screwed up into a grimace of pain. Azula stood behind the alter, her hands spread out in front of her on the platform, with an evil smile on her lips. She looked possessed.
"How I have waited for this!" she cackled, her eyes dancing with excitement. "Ursa isn't here to save you this time, Zuzu!"
"Goodbye, Prince." The Warden spat, smiling like a madman.
Zuko twitched and closed his eyes as The Warden pulled his arm back, clasping the Black Ice Blade tightly. Suki and Toph screamed as The Warden aimed the Black Ice Blade toward Zuko's heart.
"No!"
"Zuko!"
Snapping her eyes open, Katara let out a single blast of ice, coating the bonds that held both her hands. In less than a second, she melted the now frozen earth and dropped the water to the ground, freeing herself. She didn't hear the screaming. She didn't see the sharp point of the dagger swinging towards Zuko's heart.
She saw red!
STOP!
The Warden froze. The point of the Black Ice Blade sat merely an inch away from Zuko's chest.
"What are you doing?!" Azula screamed at him, throwing her arms in the air. "Finish him!"
"Not today, Azula."
The Fire Princess' gaze snapped up towards Katara. Now free of her bonds, she crouched, stock still, a single, flat hand pointed at The Warden. His eyes darted around in panic as he fought for control over his muscles and his free will. But he couldn't. Now he was in Katara's control!
Hama's cackling voice resounded in her head.
"Congratulations Katara. You're a Blood Bender."
It was then that all hell broke loose.
Fire Lord Ozai stood atop the platform in the centre of the palace courtyard.
His demonstration was not really to encourage his troops, as the Fire Council had first suggested, but to demonstrate the power he possessed. He wanted the soldiers of the Fire Nation to know just how powerful he was. He would make them tremble in their boots, for fear of him! They would quake and scurry, like vermin, running to protect their families, if ever they were to challenge his wrath! His rule was absolute and he wanted them no know it.
Fear was the only way to rule!
"Ozai! Ozai! Ozai! Ozai!"
The swell of the crowd below chanted his name as he blew monstrous blasts of fire up into the sky. Many of them did the same, taking full advantage of the euphoria that enveloped the crowd.
Sozin's Comet flew overhead, the brilliant orb of fire lighting up the sky as its crimson tail left smouldering clouds. It was as if even the clouds themselves could burn under its power!
Ozai smiled to himself, thinking of his daughter, who would most certainly be using her new burst of power to its full extent. He hoped that his son would be on the receiving end.
After his son and the beautiful Water Bender, Katara had escaped from imprisonment with the help of his treacherous brother, Ozai had searched for any possible scrap of information that would lead him to Zuko. He wanted him to know the full wrath of the Fire Lord on his back!
He wanted revenge!
Before Sozin's Comet left the atmosphere, Ozai wanted to see his son burning. Ursa would not be there to protect him this time.
After Azula had repeated her conversation with Zuko, Ozai had immediately sought out the Sila Vatra. Never having served under them himself, he was curious to see their influence and power within the Fire Nation. It had been his wretched brother, Iroh who had been blessed with the honour to serve under the Sila Vatra. An honour that should have been his!
He had begged and pleaded with his father, Fire Lord Azulon, to prove himself worthy by serving under the Sila Vatra. But he had been denied again and again. The spiteful old man had rejected his proposal, claiming that tradition would not allow it and that it alone was Iroh's honour.
How dare his pathetic, worthless father deny him! Iroh, the weak and unworthy first born son, heir to the Fire Nation throne, was to serve under the Sila Vatra, instead of him? Even to the present day, Fire Lord Ozai could not fathom why his father had favoured Iroh over him.
Though, when he thought about it, it made sense. He was, after all, practicing the exact same thing!
Zuko was his own first born son and heir to his throne. Yet he loathed him. He despised him with every fibre of his being. Zuko was not even worthy to call himself Fire Nation, much less royalty! He was weak and scarred. Not fitting material for the future Fire Lord.
How his wife had loved him so. How she had adored him, lavishing him with praise that should have been meant for Azula!
Raising his arms in the air and letting forth another incredible blast of fire, Fire Lord Ozai roared in triumph. Now his son would get what was coming to him. And his daughter would reap all of the glory! As it was always meant to be!
"Fire Lord Ozai!"
Looking up into the red sky, the Fire Lord couldn't help but smile as he saw the Avatar free-falling towards him, with the bloodied tail of Sozin's Comet trailing above.
The towering inferno of Sozin's Comet soared overhead, sending the volcano into darkness and throwing the almighty, roaring echo circulating around the walls. A stifling heat bared down on them all, threatening to overthrow Katara's control over The Warden. Several different voices were screaming inside her head, all fighting control at the heat and exhaustion hit her all at once.
It's not the full moon! You're going to get hurt!
It doesn't matter! Zuko needs you!
What are you doing? You broke your oath!
Blood Bender! Blood Bender!
Hold on! Hold on for Zuko!
Suki and Toph gasped as Sozin's Comet blocked out the light inside the volcano, whilst Chit Sang's head shot up - the first sign of life that he had made in almost ten minutes!
All at once, every Fire Bender inside the volcano shot to attention, as if lightning bolts were shooting up and down their spines. Katara could feel the liquid fire coursing through The Warden's veins and she struggled to hold him in place.
Hold him! Hold him!
But all of a sudden, the one thing Katara didn't expect to happen happened. Zuko's eyes shot open, baring down hatefully and with all the anger he could muster at The Warden, whose hand still held on tightly to his throat.
"You broke my knife."
With a piercing and enraged scream, Zuko lashed out, kicking Chun Sau square in the chest and sending him flying backwards down into the dirt.
The connection broken, Katara let out a breath and fell to the floor as The Warden's blood left her control. The Black Ice Blade skidded across the dais, stopping perilously close to the edge and the bubbling, frothing lava below. The sloshing mass of liquid fire was lapping up against the sides of the dais and spitting angrily.
Even the volcano was reacting to the power of Sozin's Comet!
"Zuko!"
Feeling as if the wind had been knocked out of her, Katara looked up just in time to see Princess Azula unleash the most incredible blast of fire Katara had ever seen! And it was heading right for Zuko!
Katara immediately threw herself down onto her back, expecting the scorching fire to envelope her. But although the intense heat was still present, the fire didn't shoot over her head or instantly kill her, as she had expected.
Feeling her heart and breath race a mile a minute, Katara looked up to see Zuko, standing in front of her, Suki, Chit Sang and Toph.
What she saw took her breath away.
W-what? Zuko...
Holding his hands out in front of him, Zuko directed the immense wall of blue fire upwards through the top of the volcano. But it wasn't his own crimson fire that surrounded him. It was...
"White fire!"
Azula's towering inferno dissipated as it flew up into the sky above and out of the volcano, the last few embers almost reaching the scalding tail of Sozin's Comet as it soared over the top of the volcano.
"What?!"
The Fire Princess stood haggardly, her breathing harsh and desperate. Her eyes were wide and wild with an immense anger. Katara could swear that her blue flame was dancing behind them. She stared in disbelief at her brother and grit her teeth together, in a truly animal display of hatred.
Katara's own eyes were wide.
She looked up at Zuko from her spot on the ground, who stood in front of her, staring down at his white-coated hands in disbelief.
Her mouth had fallen open and thoughts spun around and around in her head. She could see them clearly.
She and Zuko, running from the Sila Vatra through the woods, Zuko explaining to her about his Inner Fire and his bending.
"If a flame is blue, it's far hotter and more concentrated than a normal one. That's why Azula's fire was always blue. I can't make concentrated flame in large quantities like Azula can."
She wiped the sweat away from her eyes as she continued to stare up at him. Katara couldn't understand what was happening. If blue fire was supposed to be the most concentrated and dangerous form of Fire Bending, then what was White Fire supposed to be?
How is this happening? Is it the comet?
"No!" Azula hissed, continuing to stare at Zuko's palms. "How is that possible?"
"What's the matter, Azula?" Zuko called as he shot into another bending stance. "Afraid that for once, I'll beat you at something?"
Though she had lost a large amount of energy by using her Blood Bending, Katara took advantage of the distraction and forced herself to her feet, running as fast as she could manage towards Toph, uncorking her water skins as she did so. There wasn't much left inside them. She only hoped that it would be enough!
Keep going, Katara! Keep going!
"No!" Azula screamed behind her, as she snarled at her brother. "This is my moment, brother! I'll make certain you won't take it away from me – White Fire or not!"
Katara reached Toph and began to slice away at the earth with a blade of water as Azula pointed a sharp, predatory fingernail at them.
"Dai Lee! Attack!"
The two remaining Dai Lee slipped out from their positions in the shadows, heading straight for Katara. Four more seemed to slink out of the shadows. They must have freed themselves from the rock holding them to the ground.
But this time, Katara wouldn't be caught off guard.
"Come on Sugar Queen!" Toph called, wiggling in the dirt. "Hurry up!"
"I'm trying!" she snapped back, flicking a bushy strand of hair away from her face.
Standing on top of Toph's earth cocoon, Katara jumped up into the air to avoid more pillars of earth shooting up from the ground and swiftly threw icicles at the two Earth Bender's. This time, she was prepared!
"Fool me once!" she grunted, lunging forward.
The Dai Lee swerved away to dodge the icy blades.
Katara swept an arm to the side and instantly brought the frozen points swerving back around. They sped towards her and an instant before they could pierce her, she pointed two fingers downwards, sending the glimmering icicles into Toph's cocoon.
There was a sharp splitting noise and Toph punched upwards through the weakened earth, free at last!
"Yeah! I think it's time for a rematch!" she smirked as she rose to her feet and cracked her knuckles.
The earth trapping both Suki and Chit Sang instantly shot back underground as Toph moved into a bending position and they stood up, rubbing their wrists. Suki immediately jumped into a battle stance, and ran at the nearest of the Dai Lee, sweeping down to pick up her Kyoshi Fans lying on the ground.
Chit Sang was trembling. Large quantities of steam rose from his body and he panted like an animal. Even standing near him made Katara sweat! He grunted as his breathing got more and more aggressive. She noticed that he was staring at The Warden, who had pulled himself back up off the floor.
Letting out an ear-splitting scream, Chit Sang pointed an accusing finger at him.
"Warden! You're mine!"
Katara could have laughed, seeing a small spark of fear slink across The Warden's face. Chit Sang's rage was enough to instil fear into even the largest and strongest man! He looked as if the hatred was going to burst out from inside him and swallow him whole!
Zuko?
Azula was throwing fist after fist of towering blue fire at Zuko, her anger driving her on. They flew hard and fast through the air, heating the oxygen to almost boiling point, with the force of Sozin's Comet only intensifying her power!
But Zuko was giving just as good as he got, blocking and dodging her attacks and unleashing his own, in a blaze of brilliant white glory. Katara still couldn't understand what had caused the White Fire, or exactly how dangerous it was, but it seemed to be working.
Neither brother or sister backed down.
They continued to punch, kick and throw volleys of fire at each other. Whenever one would attack, the other would counter. Neither of them gained or lost any ground. They were perfectly matched!
I think it's about time that we had the unfair advantage!
Katara ran towards where Zuko and Azula were duelling, her Water Whip trailing behind her.
Chit Sang sprinted behind, easily overtaking her and headed straight for The Warden, who shot readily into a bending stance. The burly convict had been sent spiralling into a blood rage and Katara hoped in her heart that The Warden would fall.
"Zuko!"
Sending her water out in front of her and using it as an icy slide, Katara sped towards Zuko. He fended off another of Azula's shots, splitting the enormous ball of fire in half with a swift kick. He scowled at his sister and looked crazed with anger.
But there was something different about the way that he fought.
Landing neatly beside Zuko and calling her water back into her grasp, Katara fought the urge to be sick. Her Blood Bending had taken far too much effort without the aid of the full moon and she could feel her energy waning. The shock hadn't quite sunk in yet, though she could hear the mantra repeating over and over again in her head.
Blood Bender! Blood Bender! Blood Bender!
Katara was also trying incredibly hard not to run up to Zuko and kiss him. For almost ten minutes, she had had to watch him writhing in agony, with his life under threat. She had thought that he was going to die! Her heart had almost split in two from the strain and terror. She had given up everything that she had ever believed in to save him! But it didn't matter. Katara fought the urge to break down and cry and give up. He needed her now. The entire world needed her!
She would Blood Bend all over again if it was to save his life! She loved him!
"How are you doing that?" Katara gasped, looking down at the White Fire with wide eyes, cautious of its power. "Is it the comet?"
Zuko's face was set and stern. Not once did he take his eyes away from his sister.
"If we survive this, I'll let you know."
"What's this?" Azula mocked as Katara took up a bending stance beside Zuko. "The water peasant has come to help you, Zuzu? How touching."
She smiled slyly, showing her white, pointed teeth.
"It'll give me great pleasure to watch you scream when she dies!"
Leaping over the alter, Azula kicked out a forceful leg, sending a heated arc of flame out at them both. Katara ducked as Zuko span, directing the fiery blast upwards into the air. Katara shot back with her own attack at Azula but the Princess was too fast.
Landing easily on the floor, Azula immediately went on the offensive.
She shot blast after blast of terrifyingly large fireballs at them, ducking and weaving around their counter attacks. Swiping away fire and swerving between cracking whips of water, Azula kept up her game of cat and mouse. They weren't quick enough to take her down, or even get in a hit!
She's just as insane and sick as her evil father!
"Even with the White Fire, you're still weak!" she taunted as she batted away another one of Zuko's blasts.
"But what about me!" Katara shouted back, lunging forward and pulling all of her water into a ball.
She extended her arms and created a flowing Penta Puss, shooting out angry arms of water at the Princess. Though she dodged many of them, ducking and weaving between the cracking tentacles, one caught Azula in the face and she hissed, lashing out an arm coated in blue fire and slicing the tentacle in half.
A small droplet of blood slithered down her face and she quickly wiped at it before arching away from another blast of White Fire.
"Even your pitiful lover is stronger than you, Zuko!" she growled, punching fire rapidly at him.
Zuko grit his teeth as he tried to avoid the fiery blasts heading towards him. Engulfing his hands in white flame, he tried to bat them away. But the very last one caught him off guard and he stumbled backwards, landing hard on the floor.
"Zuko!"
Katara ran over to him as he picked himself up from the ground. And although he wasn't hurt, she could see the spitting anger in his eyes. Azula laughed mockingly, pointing a chiselled finger at him.
"You can't keep running forever, Zuzu!"
A large rumbling shook the earth and clods of rock shot through the air as Chit Sang and The Warden danced around each other, endlessly attacking, fuelled on by their rage. It seemed evenly matched, though The Warden was clearly stronger.
But despite his disadvantage, Chit Sang had one thing that The Warden didn't – the promise of revenge.
I don't know how much more of this I can take!
"I'm tired of this!" Zuko fumed, swiping long strands of damp hair away from his eyes.
"Then end it!" Katara looked at him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Who knows how much longer we can keep this up?"
"What am I supposed to do?" he raged, slapping a hand to his forehead as another blast of fire sent chips of rock scuttling across the floor.
"I don't know!" Katara waved her hands in the air, watching as Azula came nearer. "There's only one thing left we can do!"
Katara had always hated the thought of killing. It wasn't in her nature and she had been taught by her mother that it was wrong and sick to take away someone's life. It was something that should be decided by the Spirit's, and not by man.
But now there was no other option. Azula wasn't going to go down or let herself be captured. Katara knew she would carry on fighting until her very last breath.
There was only one way left to end it.
Death.
Zuko nodded, looking down into her eyes for the briefest of moments. Something burned behind his eyes and Katara stared back up at him, longing to kiss him and tell him that she loved him.
I thought I'd lost you...
Her eyes went wide when a fiery whip flicked towards them and she sprang apart from Zuko, lashing out with a Penta Puss tentacle and managing to extinguish the blast a mere inch away from them!
"So sorry to break up your little moment." Azula called, smiling wickedly. "But I'm afraid I have an Avatar to destroy!"
"Not today, you don't!" Katara screamed back, sending her water into an upward arc and freezing it. She had a plan, and she was determined to take down Azula, or die trying. "Zuko!"
Go!
Without hesitating, Zuko ran full pelt towards the icy slide. White fire sprang from the heels of his feet, spurring him on. He shot towards the ice slide and glided up it, leaping off the tip and soaring into the air.
"This ends now!" he called in mid-air, arching his arms backwards.
Katara watched as white sparks tickled his fingers, growing and growing behind him until he brought his arms down with all his might, sending a swirling white vortex of fire down towards his sister.
Blue and White fire collided as Azula met Zuko's attack in the middle, determined to stay her ground. The two beautiful, flickering colours moulded and meshed together, each fighting for control. For a moment, Katara couldn't help but think that it looked like the wash of the sea.
Sweat dripped down Azula's temple and into the cut in her cheek as she held herself against the swirling torrent of White Fire baring down on her from above. Her feet dug into the ground and she began to slowly slip backwards.
She was strong, but Zuko's White Fire was stronger.
A small burst of hope flooded through Katara. The Princess couldn't keep it up for much longer. She was slipping! Zuko was winning!
Explosions sounded throughout the Fire Nation capital city as rock and brick flew through the air, bursting into millions of pieces as the walls of the palace came crumbling down.
There was fire everywhere! Many had fallen into the underground, becoming easy prey for the Earth Bender's waiting below. Screams and battle cries resounded through the hollow volcano that housed the red city and the bleeding pigments of Sozin's Comet still hung dauntingly in the sky.
Sokka's sword rang true as the superior metal of the Space Sword easily sliced through the sword of a Fire Nation soldier. The clash of metal echoed up the blade and through his arm, but he ignored it.
There was no time to worry about hand cramps!
Another sharp gust of wind flew past, forcing enemy and ally alike brace themselves. The sound of faint crackling was heard through the chaos of the battlefield and the sky was momentarily lit by blue, followed by taunts and mocking jeers.
"You are weak, Avatar! Give up now and I shall make your death less painful!"
The earth shook and chunks of dirt flew through the air. Boulders held by invisible strings circled and twirled overhead as two figures danced in the sky, one lit by crimson fire and the other a blur of yellow.
"Come on, Aang!" Sokka called to himself, slicing away at a polearm held by a Fire Nation soldier. "Go into the Avatar State already! Get all blue and angry on his butt!"
Silently, Sokka prayed to Yue. Along with everyone else on the battlefield. Willing the young Avatar to victory and the end of the war.
"Princess!"
Katara turned just in time to see the Black Ice Blade soaring through the air. The Warden watched it fly with a wicked smile as it hurtled towards Zuko, who continued to plough into Azula with waves of crystal fire. Chit Sang lay beside The Warden, face down in the dirt.
No! Zuko!
Everything slowed down.
Katara took in a breath as her hands began to turn. The water in her skins gurgled and splashed as it moulded to her will. She sent it up into the air, beads of sweat trickling down her face and eyes wide with horror.
She saw the blackened ice of the blade shining and glistening as it span, slowly closing the gap between the deadly point and Zuko, who was still suspended in mid-air, concentrating entirely on his sister. Her muscles ached as she pushed the water upwards, faster and faster, her head pounding and heart stopping as she willed the swirling currents on.
"NO!"
There was a loud clashing noise as the Black Ice Blade clattered onto the dirt. Zuko fell to the floor, panting. A long, sharp ripping sound echoed through the volcano and bounced off the walls, ringing out into the morning sky.
"Zuko!"
Suddenly, an almost freezing gust of wind shot through each of them.
They all turned and braced themselves against the sudden burst of cold, stopping in mid-combat. They all looked around wildly, searching for the source of the sudden drop in temperature, now oblivious to each other and the battle at hand. All but Chit Sang and The Warden, who were still locked in fierce combat.
Katara's eyes widened as she saw it. She gasped and held her breath, not really wanting to believe what it was she was seeing.
There, in the centre of the dais, just in front of the sacrificial alter, was the rift. A jagged and empty tear in the sky, the black doorway remained still and terrifying, right before their very eyes. The gateway of the Spirits. The door to the Spirit World!
"No..." Zuko whispered.
No...please not...
"Is that..." Suki breathed, eyes wide with disbelief.
"The Spirit World..." Katara breathed, gaping in both shock and terror. "...no..."
"Yes!"
Darting out from behind them and jabbing them aside swiftly, Azula ran towards the rift. She grabbed the Black Ice Blade, now lying on the floor and held it out in front of her victoriously.
"Thank you, brother!" she called, laughing almost hysterically. "Once again, your mistake works in my favour!"
Azula looked a mess.
Her face was almost covered in black soot, sweat and a little blood. Some of her hair had come lose from its bun and had been singed in places. Her robes also had burns along the sleeves and shoulders.
"Get Crazy away from there!" Toph called, fending off a series of attacks from the Dai Lee, who were quickly multiplying in numbers, obviously recovered from their previous defeat.
The chaos resumed as allies and enemies continued to attack each other. The sound of metal and rock clashed and rang inside the basin of the volcano. The smell of blood was in the air, thick and heavy, though Katara didn't know who was injured, or how badly.
"At last, I shall finish what my ancestors started!" Azula called to the skies, triumphantly. "I will finish this war! I shall destroy the Avatar!"
Katara felt her vision blurring at the corners as she held out a hand in front of herself towards Azula. She couldn't stop her! She didn't have the strength to use her Blood Bending again!
"Princess Azula!" The Warden called to her, barely avoiding an almighty blast of fire from Chit Sang, who had once again pulled himself back up to fight. He was losing – badly. Chit Sang would have his revenge. "Help me!"
"Sorry Chun Sau!" Azula called, smiling wickedly. "The Royal Family no longer requires your services! And the Sila Vatra could use a leader with much stronger values!"
"Majesty! Please! Please!"The Warden looked like a frightened and pleading little animal as he crawled along the ground away from Chit Sang, whose eyes were wild with his blood lust. The Warden was slowly getting closer and closer to the edge. "No! NO!"
"Warden..." Chit Sang crept closer and closer towards him, with grim and unfocused eyes. "...you're mine."
With a wide-eyed laugh, Azula sprinted towards the rift as fast as she could, with the Black Ice Blade still held tightly in her grasp. Katara felt her heart stop in her chest as the Princess hurtled towards the portal and dived into the blackness, disappearing into the cold and empty void.
She did not come back out the other side.
"Azula!"
Zuko sprinted after her, towards the rift.
"Sparky, stop!" Toph called after him, as more and more attacks from the Dai Lee rained down on her. "Don't go in there!"
No! Zuko! Not alone! I won't let you go alone!
Katara ran after Zuko, calling his name as he got closer and closer to the rift. This was it! If they didn't stop Azula, they were going to die! Aang was going to die! The world was going to die!
"Zuko!"
Looking with wide eyes at the murky darkness ahead of them, Katara grabbed onto Zuko's hand. He clasped it tightly and they ran for the rift together, feeling the weight of the world spurring them on.
He looked over at her, his eyes telling her everything she ever wanted to know in a single second. She clasped his hand even tighter as they ran together, heading straight for the doorway, and oblivion.
"I'll follow you home, Katara!" Zuko panted, as the rift opened up in front of them.
Katara's heart felt like it was on fire and that her limbs were going to crumble to dust beneath her, but those four wonderful words, words spoken by her great-grandfather almost a hundred years ago and carved into the very surface of the Black Ice Blade, gave her hope.
"I'll follow you home!" she repeated, to him feeling tears pricking at her eyes.
I'll follow you anywhere!
The last thing Katara saw of her own world was The Warden tumbling over the edge of the dais towards the lava, screaming, and the shadow of Chit Sang roaring in triumph.
Author's Note : God, I'm a cow, aren't I? So many cliffhangers, so little time!
I hated writing this chapter. I think it's complete crap. Obviously, you guys will be the judge of that, but I don't think that I wrote it very well. It was all a little crazy. It's bloody hard to write action chapters, where nothing is repeated, too slow paced or too boring. Hopefully, I'm wrong and that everyone gets to enjoy a decent chapter.
Okay, I just want to thank anonymous reviewers hj for coming up with the idea of Zuko's White Fire a while back. It probably doesn't make a whole load of sense right now, but all will be explained next chapter. I will also explain why the hell the Blood Stone didn't open the rift, but the Black Ice Blade did and why Zuko magically got better when Sozin's Comet arrived.
'Lots of questions and so few answers', as Zuko likes to say.
Whoop! The Warden is dead! Chit Sang got his revenge! He's not gonna be bothering anyone now! (I really don't want to be the one who has to tell Mai lol).
You guys wanted Blood Bending Katara – and you got her! I love the whole Blood Bending thing! I don't know why she didn't just bloody use it in the finale and save Zuko a whole load of trouble and a nasty scar. I guess she just needed the right incentive to use it (i.e. Zuko almost getting sacrificed).
And don't worry, Thawn. Azula is safe for another chapter lol. Though I'm afraid, I can't promise anything. She is the bad guy after all.