Threshold of destiny
I do not own ATLA
As they got closer to Ba Sing Se Ryu could see the columns of smoke rising above the city. How could this have happened so fast? He could see Earthbenders and Firebenders fighting throughout the city. They were supposed to find Katara in the middle of all that? Aang landed Appa near the middle ring and they all jumped off. "You'd better take off buddy." Aang said and the Bison took off again.
They snuck into the city without being seen and hid in a dark alley. "Stay here and stay out of sight." Ryu said to Aang "What, why?" "Because Ari and I will blend in better than you will." Ryu said. "If the Fire Nation finds out the Avatar is here its game over." "We'll check the apartment first then the areas around it for Katara, Sokka and Toph." "If we're not back in a couple hours get out of the city." Ryu and Ari then turned and ran into the city leaving Aang alone. "You sure he's going to be ok?" Ari asked as they ran. "He'll be fine." Ryu said. They got about halfway to the upper ring before Firebenders appeared in front of them.
Ryu drew his staffs and swung them at the Firebenders knocking them all back clearing their way. Until Dai Li agents also appeared. They shot rock gloves at Ryu and Ari Ryu swung his staffs again destroying the gloves before they could attach to him or Ari. Ari shot an airblast at the Dai Li but they raised an earth wall and blocked it. Ryu really wished he had his swords as he jumped over the wall as it was lowered and hit the nearest Dai Li agent in the side of the head and fired and airblast at another one.
Ryu saw Ari swing her staff like a bat hitting a Dai Li agent in the chest then knocked another back with an airblast. Ryu smiled a little Ari was a great airbender but unlike him she didn't have her tattoos yet. A rock slammed into Ryu's chest knocking him out of his daydream and to the ground. A Dai Li agent pinned him to the ground with rock shackles and approached Ryu but was blown back by Ari and the shackles disappeared for a second Ryu wondered how, than he saw Toph. "Toph!" Ryu said standing up. "Have you seen Katara?"
You're the first I've seen since the coup started, we all got separated. "The what?" Ryu and Ari asked. "Azula's leading a coup against the Earth King with the Dai Li, their taking over the city." "That explains a lot" Ryu said. "Where's Azula now?" he asked. "In the Earth King's Palace." Toph said. "What are you thinking?" Ari asked "I'm thinking we take back Ba Sing Se." Ryu said. "We should go back and get Aang first." The three of them went back to find Aang, they found him in the same alley sobbing into Katara's arms there was a dead Fire Nation soldier nearby, Aang was holding a bloody dagger in his hand.
Katara looked up and saw them. "How could you leave Aang by himself?" She asked angrily. "I thought he could handle himself." Ryu said. Ryu took the dagger from Aang. "Azula has taken over the city." He explained. "We have to take it back." "Let's go." Aang said surprising everyone.
Instead of walking Aang called Appa with his bison whistle, he landed and they took off for the Palace. It was a good thing it was dark because Appa was a very large target. Once they got close to the Palace they started taking surface to air fire from Dai Li agents and Firebenders. Between Aang and Ryu they were able to deflect most of the shots before they got close enough to do and real damage.
Appa landed at the top of the large stair case then took off again eager to get out of the line of fire. Firebenders surrounded them but were blown back by Ryu, Aang and Ari and they ran into to the palace. Going down a large hallway Ryu asked. "Toph where's the Throne room?" "How should I know?" Toph said earthbending some Dai Li agents. "I say we leave Ba Sing Se." Ryu kicked open one of the doors in the hallway it wasn't the throne room so he moved on to the next door kicking it open too, still not the right room.
Royal Firebenders appeared at the end of the hall and sent a wave of fire at them Ryu jumped in front and swung his staffs deflecting the wave up into the ceiling, then firing airblasts at the Firebenders but they blocked them. "That has to be it they wouldn't defend it like that otherwise." Ryu said deflecting another fire ball and sending an Airslice back at them. Knocking them back against the wall, Aang and Ryu fired powerful airblast at the doors blowing them open and they rushed inside.
There was Azula sitting on the Throne, Zuko standing next to her. Ryu was surprised to see Zuko there. Ryu wasn't going to waste any time and sent an Airslice at Azula cutting the throne in two as she jumped off it shooting fireballs at Ryu who rolled and dodged them, throwing an Air dagger at Azula but missed. Ryu lined up another but a fire ball landed in between them knocking him back a little, Ryu stumbled backward firing an Airblast at Zuko before falling over backwards, Zuko punched a fire ball at Ryu who rolled and avoided it, barely. A gust of wind knocked Zuko back and Ryu saw Ari in front of him, he stood up and helped her push Zuko back, Zuko formed two fire whips and whipped them at Ryu and Ari. They dodged the whips easily enough but Ryu got distracted when he looked over at Aang and Katara fighting Dai Li by the time he saw the fire whips coming at him it was too late.
Ryu felt the fire whips cut across his chest. He yelled and fell to the floor, he heard Ari yell his name and saw Aang whip around and Azula start to channel lightening. He tried to get up but couldn't move, he saw Aang enter the Avatar State. He heard the clap of thunder and saw the flash of light as Azula shot him. Aang fell to the ground. A moment later Ryu felt a strange tingling running down his tattoo. It glowed briefly and Ryu stood up. Both Zuko and Azula stared at him in shock they both fired fireballs at him but Ryu caught them and shot them back at Azula and Zuko Azula fired another one at Ryu who tried to deflect it but didn't do it fast enough, The Fire ball grazed the right side of his head and he fell to the ground.
Surprise! Ryu's an Avatar, or is he? we'll find out in the next chapter.
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