Chapter 5: Forbidden Power
Little Falcon:My self-imposed holiday is now officially over so here I am with a fresh update. Just like always: read and review okay?
Standard Disclaimer: I only own that idea that's all. If I did own this series I'll be the happiest person on earth.
"Say that again," her dark blue eyes reflected the crowned fire lord sitting comfortably at his throne with the avatar and the water tribe warrior at his side.
"I'm sorry but we don't need your protection, Kata-… Azrael," Even now he was having difficulty calling her by the name she prefers. His amber eyes took note of her bewildered expression. Truly, the blood bender before him never thought of being rejected. And now that she has, What will you do now, Azrael? Putting his hands together as a symbol of his unshakable resolution, he waited for her reply.
What are you doing, Zuko? The air bender was keeping his promise of staying silent and his friend do the negotiations but he can't help but feel anxious especially that it was not only his life that is at stake. His gaze wandered to the blood bender who was formerly his water bending teacher and close friend, Katara.
Can't find the exact words to fit her surprise and rage, Azrael flipped a strand of her hair back as she put her hands on her hips so rudely. No one ever since his reign was able to show so much disrespect and left the palace unscathed. From her arrival, she refused to kneel in reverence or even bow in respect in the presence of royalty. To add to her crimes, she looked directly at his eyes as if he was only some sort of commoner. Maybe it was her talent as a blood bender or her relationship before with the fire lord as allies in the great war but such actions should absolutely be punished but instead, Zuko let it all slide.
It was the morning before the full moon. If this deal went wrong, their lives and that of the unborns' are at stake. I just have to break her arrogance. She needs something from us as well so she'll try to make another deal… Mentally, he calculated the situation while delivering a cool façade.
"Do you have a death wish?" the blood bender snapped as she glared openly at the young emperor. When she was answered by nothing but silence, she smirked arrogantly and shook her head. Her fingers pressing lightly against her eyes. "Your funeral," she turned around and started walking away.
"Pssst, Zuko… is this part of you plan?" Sokka elbowed him heavily. Obviously, he too, was not happy with the way things went.
She'll turn around… she needs something from us. His grip on the throne tightened as she took each distancing step. Like a mantra, he kept saying his comforting lines to prevent him from abandoning his male pride and agreeing to her proposal. Somehow watching her back slowly growing further made something in his chest ache. Like a squeezing pressure around his heart. Katara!
When the great doors open, the young fire lord got up from his throne. "Wait!" he was already hearing his voice echo throughout the throne room when he realized what he just did. His pride lay in shambles at his feet but he didn't care. Seeing her disappear again… he knew he won't be able to take it.
But as Aang, Sokka and Zuko ran after Azrael, she was gone, vanished like a dream. With great difficulty, the three swallowed. A few hours from now, the mocking full moon would appear to deliver their fate. Their only chance of surviving had walked away.
*****
"Don't worry. What could go wrong?" his statement that was supposed to lighten the tension sounded more like sarcasm when he said it with his stiff voice. Even with his trusty boomerang and space sword at his hand, he can't even relieve a bit of the tension he felt since he lost sight of his former sister.
"We're pregnant not incapacitated. Whatever will come, we'll deal with it like we always do," the blind earth bender shrugged her shoulders carelessly, making her lover smile through their predicament.
"I'm sorry guys. I just wanted her to…" Zuko felt ashamed for putting his pride first before the lives of his friends and their would-be child. Now more than ever, he realized that there were times, like this, that pride was of no use.
"Don't be like that, Zuko. I know you mean well," the Kiyoshi warrior's forgiving smile was evident even with all that face paint. The others nodded in agreement.
Then everything went silent, like nothing around them was alive anymore. As the flames of the nearby torch crackled, the moon slowly crept.
"Miss us, Zukie?" it was her malicious tone that broke the silence. Her blue flames and his crimson ones instantly crashed. The great doors to the throne room burst open to reveal two familiar shadows blocking the moonlight. Azula…
His amber eyes widen in shock even as his flames continued to roar ferociously against his opponent's. The toll of time was evident on the older person's face but still the sadistic smirk and the lethal glint in his eyes didn't waver. Having stripped off his fire bending, he still had that blood-curdling aura around him. Father…
The floor shook and split open while the wind created a great blast that was about to make an easy win but everything turned around when three more shadows joined the two. Just like dancing, the three moved in perfect harmony that it almost look elegant.
Damn it! Frozen and helpless, the gang watched as the former fire lord together with his twisted daughter made their way to them, confidently.
A victorious smirk raised her lips as she extended her hand to touch her brother's fading scar. Only centimeters away, her hand stopped advancing. "What the hell are you idiots doing?" she turned around to see the three blood benders' confused expressions.
Fire, earth and air together with fan blades and boomerang, were set loose in a split second. Azula jumped back as she retaliated blindly through the dense smoke. "You imbeciles!!! Do your job well!!!" she yelled.
"We are, princess. But…" the three looked at each other as if mentally having a conversation.
"I came back to see if you changed your mind, Fire Lord Zuko," her clear and confident voice resounded thoroughly throughout the battlefield despite the loud explosions. She stood behind Azula's men while the avatar and his gang were in the front.
"YOU!!!" the former princess snarled as she directed her flames at her only to me stopped midway by just a flick of her wrist. The former fire lord stepped back realizing that they were not the only ones with a blood bender on their side.
Her sapphire eyes noted each and every detail of the three blood benders that were looking at her like she was some sort of ghost. Suddenly, familiar scenes ran through her head in a quick blur.
"W…why are you…" one pointed his shaking finger at her while the other two stepped back in horror.
"We've got yourself a deal, Azrael," this was the first time he called her name without messing-up. Somehow he felt like a traitor. Calling her by the name she wasn't even supposed to have. When his eyes caught hers, he never let go.
For a moment when his eyes were locked on hers, her insides felt unusually warm. The kind you get when you're elated or when you're excited. Just like a flame in her was started just by his eyes. Finally, she recovered her composure in a split second then she turned to her fellow blood benders. "Shall we get started then?" even if it was three against one there was something in her, a great confidence, that reassured her that she was better.
Without warning, Azula shattered the near wall with her fire, making a quick exit.
"You can back out anytime if you feel you've made the wrong decision," her eyes traveled to each of their familiar faces before she disappeared. And with that, the sun began to rise.
Little Falcon: Read and review please…