Dying To Survive
Chapter 15- A Crisp Shining Light
"And remember, no matter where you go, there you are. Confucius"
..::-::..
The chatting laughter bubbled around Katara's face. She walked forward, her toes daintily touching the soft grass. A couple of children were jumping up, trying to reach the glimmering ribbons floating through the air. Men sat with their arms around women, and at each table, a ring of cups were placed randomly. Katara let her face show her enjoyment as they walked through the tent and finally sat down at a table. Lu Ten spread his arm out in front of her like a fan and she accepted the offer with a bow of her head. Katara was seated and sighed happily. Her host sat down next to her and began to drum his fingers on the table.
"I'm sorry about the way my cousin behaved just now," Lu Ten said. He looked down at the cup placed before him and then glanced up at Katara. She saw the familiar pair of golden eyes in his face and shivered as the relation between them finally dawned on her.
"You don't need to apologize for Zuko. He's just being foolish as always," Katara muttered. Lu Ten discerned the frustration in her voice and inclined his head while the festivities roared on in unified clapping.
"If I might so imply, is there a deep relationship between the both of you? It seems like you and he quarrel as if…"
A deep blush rose to her face at the intended meaning of his words. His face became burdened as the topic of discussion strummed a heavy note over their heads.
"No! Zuko and I… don't think that, please. You see, we both ended up in the Spirit World by accident. Since then, we've been traveling together, but it's just because we need to find a way back. That's all there is to it. A while back he said something he shouldn't have said, and that's why I'm fed up with him. Being around someone else is actually refreshing," Katara said, and smiled.
Lu Ten's lips twitched into a cautious smile as he realized her words rang true in his mind.
"All right then! Do you suppose we should have a drink? It's really splendid once you try," he said with enthusiasm. Katara opened her eyes wide as he grabbed for one of the cups and put one in her hand as well. A child ran past hooting with laughter and holding onto a cup while waving it in the air.
"But I thought that we aren't supposed to drink in the Spirit World!" Katara exclaimed.
For the first time, Lu Ten's smile was genuinely warm and Katara couldn't help but lose herself in his gaze. He steadied the cup into the air, his arm slowly reaching upward where the ribbons floated with careless ease.
"It's not the same as on Earth. Just watch and you'll see," he said. Lu Ten stood up and waited a few minutes until he found the perfect red strand. He licked his lips in concentration and then his fingers sprang through the air like a clamping jaw. They snatched the ribbon as it struggled to become loose. Katara watched in curious anticipation as the ribbon was jammed into the cup. A mysterious light shined from it and then the ribbon ceased its movement. Her jaw dropped as a foaming bubbles rose into the air. They bobbed back and forth in front of her face until they popped and caused her to recoil.
"The fun just begins!" Lu Ten said as Katara started laughing giddily. The bubbles were floating all around her now and the effect they had on her was noticeable. Lu Ten smiled to himself, knowing that he made her forget about her troubles.
"What just happened? How did it happen? Oh, I don't even care anymore… this is… too fun!" she exclaimed with an uncommon carefree nature. She swayed slightly and hiccupped as Lu Ten sat back down. He handed her the cup so that she could look inside.
"The ribbons make it all happen. They might seem like floating pieces of color, but they hold inside of them the power to make anyone blissful. It's the capturing of their dance that causes them to release tiny forms of their energy, thus making the bubbles!" Lu Ten said with his hands spread apart. Katara held the cup to her face and she stared inside its cavernous foam dramatically as if something was going to happen next. Even though she was expecting it, Katara jumped up in her seat as the ribbon sprang back to life and swerved around her head before rejoining its comrades.
Katara clapped to the rhythm of the intricate spins and twirls that the blurs of green, oceanic blue and magenta displayed. "So this is what you meant when you asked me to join you for a dance?" Katara asked. Lu Ten nodded and took the cup away from Katara. He started hiccupping as well and laughed amidst it all. Suddenly, the bubbles all popped and Katara blinked a few times, as if she was just realizing where she was.
"Why aren't there anymore bubbles?" she asked with disappointment.
"That's all that one ribbon could make for now. But that's because they need to store up for their song."
Katara turned her head and her hair swished along with her amusement.
"They can sing too? Things just keep getting stranger here, but I'd love to hear it! Is it some special trick?" she probed.
Lu Ten just smiled and his eyes widened slightly as a couple strode over to their table. The man wore the white robe with a sash around his torso and head, covering his forehead so much that his green eyes were barely visible. The woman next to him was as old as they were, but slightly younger. Her face was stricken with the signs of a past death that had harmed her greatly, but her flowing garments bred their elegance into her presence. Katara turned her head and acknowledged their new guests with a small gasp.
"It's no trick, it's a talent," the man said. The woman smiled gently and placed her hand to her chin as the veil around her shoulders slid down to her elbow. Katara smiled as the friendly couple sat down across them at the table. Lu Ten bowed his head slightly and Katara mimicked him quickly thereafter.
"Katara, I'd like to introduce you to my great friends, Okun and Tani. Okun might say it's a talent, but I'd like to consider it a form of the great arts! I learned from a master as the time went by," Lu Ten explained. Tani rolled her eyes and laughed as the lines in her face showed a deep crease under her eyes.
"Don't listen to him, Katara. We've seen Lu Ten do it more times than we can count and it's nothing that great," she said. Okun looked at his sister and nodded.
"It's nothing special, like Tani said."
Katara looked up at Lu Ten, whose face was fading away. She gasped as the translucence slithered into his once unsullied eyes. Quickly, Katara put her hand on his shoulder and he looked at her with surprise.
"I don't care what they say! I want you to make the ribbons sing!" she said encouragingly. Lu Ten's fading frame became vibrant once again as he puffed out his chest and beamed at his old friends.
"It seems like your words didn't affect Katara's judgment of my talent. I will make them sing a most glorious song, just for her," he said and then winked at the waterbender. Katara blushed and watched with admiration as Lu Ten stood up and cleared his throat. He concentrated on the coiling silk dancing above him and then found a match. His hands quickly jumped through the entangled web of colors and snatched a red and blue ribbon by its tail. They each struggled separately to become free of their new commander's grasp. The red one pulled itself forward but Lu Ten didn't let it go, whereas the blue ribbon slithered around Lu Ten's clamped right fist, trying to find a route of escape. With one quick blow, the two ribbons froze as their wielder's palms left no room to breathe. Katara gasped as his clasped hands slammed down onto the table. The souls around them were beginning to pay attention to the commotion Lu Ten was making. He breathed heavily as a strand of loose hair fell onto his forehead. The struggle was over and he took a deep breath before continuing.
Tani smiled to herself and exchanged looks of excitement with Katara and Okun. Katara's heart started to pound in her chest abruptly, and a distant feeling of foreboding overcame her. She looked up into Lu Ten's face as the beads of sweat trickled down from his wet brow. The level of concentration was rising as his fingers stroked the ribbons into each other. Each hue melted beneath the pressure and a plum stream of color seeped into the cloth. A solid circle had formed around the table as souls eagerly awaited the song.
"Here it comes…" Okun said quietly with anticipation.
Katara had never heard anything like it. Entranced, every sound other than that of the chiming echoes expelling from the ribbons, disappeared without a trace. The two ribbons had become one violet hued strand and as they rose into the air, the wisps of a melancholy song strung the air with heaviness. Katara's eyes filled with tears, droplets of sorrow she hadn't let out for some time. But her sadness was only because of the magic the song wielded. Somewhere inside of her mind, Katara felt a nagging presence trying to escape just as the ribbons had done so. There was no luck, because as the last note hung in the air, shrill and low, Katara had already succumbed to the music and forgot its warning of the consequences danger holds.
The crowd surrounding the table dispersed immediately as the ribbons faded back into their original colors and the song ended. Tani held Lu Ten's gaze as he shivered, his face blank and caught up in thought. He sat down and took a deep breath. Katara looked at Okun, who shared the same confused look as his sister.
"So, what did you think, Katara?" Lu Ten asked as he twisted his head in her direction. She forced a smile on her face and nodded rapidly.
"It was a beautiful performance! I never knew that kind of talent was possible," she said.
Tani observed her friend and decided against her initial thoughts. She had seen Lu Ten perform numerous times, but what she just witnessed was something unique. The intensity when he was touching the ribbons was unnatural to his performance. He used to make a song with ease, but this time, it seemed like there was something wrong with either him or the ribbons. Okun squeezed his hand underneath the table and she looked at him with a tiny smile. His reassurance eased her troubled heart and she accepted whatever had just happened.
"Thank you ever so much, Katara. Your praise is worth more than you imagine," Lu Ten responded.
Tani sighed and twirled the ends of her hair between her forefingers. "He's never cared so much about praise before. Tell me Katara, what makes you so special?" she asked teasingly. Katara laughed sheepishly and shrugged.
"I guess it's because I'm not… er… from around here…" Katara replied. Okun raised his eyebrow and chuckled.
"Well said… so if you're not from around here, where are you from? How did you end up among us?" Okun asked.
Katara shifted nervously as they all suddenly stared at her for an answer. The thought of why she was there sprang into her mind, and the image of Zuko's scarred face blurred everyone else out. Lu Ten snapped his fingers in front of her face and she stirred.
"Oh, I'm sorry… I was just thinking about…" Tani gave a nod to motion Katara further. "I was thinking about this person I came with. His name is Zuko." The words quickly slipped out and it was like a wave of tension washed out of her. With the feeling of not lying to herself anymore, Katara wanted to erase the confusion on Okun and Tani's faces.
"He's a… travel companion who has helped me out when I needed him but, just recently he said some awful things to me," Katara stated, her voice a tiny whisper. Lu Ten sighed and rubbed her shoulder.
"This man Katara is speaking of, unfortunately, is my cousin from my past life. I never thought he would become so impolite," Lu Ten added. Tani saw the affection seeping from Lu Ten's eyes as he gazed at Katara sympathetically. She held her tongue and regretted saying anything about it. Obviously, there was a connection between Zuko and Katara, but it was severed. Most likely, Lu Ten had added to the mountain of problems. Okun sighed and shrugged his shoulders.
"You know what I think you should do Katara? Go find him and give him a punch or two. That's what he deserves if he caused you some trouble! Tani always punishes me if I misbehave," he said, and cringed when he smiled at his older sister. Tani laughed and nodded.
"That's right! Just go find him and slap him a few times so he understands. Sometimes, it works even better than an apology," Tani said. Katara's eyes glowed with renewed hope for finding a way back. If she had Zuko by her side again, they could continue trying to finding an exit to the world of the dead. Seeing the hope spreading through Katara's aura, Lu Ten bit his lip as his eyes darted around the group.
"Maybe you're right…"
"Wait, Katara! What will abuse do but cause more problems? Zuko hasn't matured, so it seems, and what he had said must have hurt you emotionally. He must apology and come find you first," Lu Ten insisted. Katara turned to him as his words sunk into her mind. They replaced the steady flow of encouragement and plucked out her willingness to find Zuko again.
"No… Lu Ten is right. I can't go find Zuko. If he wants to apologize for being smug, then it's up to him. If he doesn't need me, then I don't need him. I've got my own friends," Katara said with a bright smile. Tani hummed to herself and clicked her tongue.
"That's a rather difficult man. I still say it's better to deal with him by giving him a quick blow to the jaw and then…"
Her face suddenly went still as her jaw shut close tightly. Her eyes disappeared into her head and Okun's mouth dropped open. He shook her violently, trying to get her out of the relapse. Katara's shoulders felt the heaviness of the atmosphere as once again, the previous feeling returned. Seeing the difference in Tani from the moment before and now, Katara wasn't sure if she should be with these people. Lu Ten's eyes narrowed as Tani's fingers started gripping onto the table tightly. He took Katara by the hand and they stood up together.
"What's going on?" Katara asked frantically. Most of the souls around them were gone and it was then that Katara remembered someone. Ryuu wasn't with them, and she couldn't see her anywhere. She became cradled and felt a sharp jab in her upper arms as Lu Ten dragged her away from the table. "Lu Ten! Tell me what's going on!" Katara screamed, terror seizing her throat so that her voice became silenced. She was among souls, the people of the past, the beings that lived on after life, but with the hollowness inside of them still buried, trying to escape. Her heart raced as she looked into Lu Ten's eyes. The gold sparks were gone and instead, she saw shriveled gaps of color.
"Tani is experiencing a relapse. Souls go through this on occasion when remembering something from their past," Lu Ten explained quickly.
"What was so horrible about her past?" Katara asked, but before she could stop herself, one look at the woman and she could interpret it herself. Lu Ten clung onto Katara even harder and spun her around so she wouldn't see the agony the woman was facing.
"Tani was a woman living at the edge of Ba Sing Se with her brother, Okun. On the day that my squad infiltrated the wall, they were gathering herbs for their ill grandfather. We found them, and my men captured them without hesitation. Okun was brave, but he let the Fire Nation take his life without a fight. He was the first to go." He took a slight pause and continued, his eyes shady and deep with the impressions of the past. "Tani had resisted and one of my men decided that her death be filled with… torture. It was at that moment I felt the world closing in on me. For what purpose was the Fire Nation conquering lands and taking away innocent lives? I watched helplessly as my commander strode over to the woman, grabbed her by the ends of her hair and beat her to death. At the last moment I tried to stop them… I could no longer just stand there watching. But I was too late. I died with honor, as I always believed I would."
Katara shivered as the grumbles of a distant storm rippled through the air and into her conscious mind. The Spirit World was tuned out as soon as she had entered the pavilion and its protection. She had tried to escape her problems, but by becoming lured like a fly to a light, the glamour seemed so real she couldn't help but be spellbound. With the truth out in the open, the glowing atmosphere faded into the nightmare it really was. She shook her head and swallowed hard as she clung onto Lu Ten's outfit. Okun was spewing words at his sister to try and stop her from destroying what little was left of her.
"It's so cruel. Why did that have to happen? I always thought that with the war over, I wouldn't have to face anything like this again. There's too much death everywhere… there's too much…" Katara's voice vanished as her eyes widened. Death lingered everywhere, and at that moment, she was clinging onto it for life. Her impulse was to pull away from the deceased being, but she had already become immobile. The screams echoed into her head and Lu Ten looked down at her dryly, his face suddenly becoming as solid and immovable as a wall.
..::-::..
After walking back down the path of grains and rocks, Zuko's feet ached and shot needles of pain up his legs as he kept going forward. There was nothing he could do but keep his future ahead of him, where no one could harm it. If he went back and tried to reconcile matters with Katara, his cousin would without a doubt try to use Katara against him. From the moment Zuko saw him, he knew that something was different. It wasn't even the chilling lights and ribbons that danced about in the air, but just the area itself was a destined chamber of burden. A rumble of thunder made Zuko stop and turn around to look, something he had not done since he left Katara with Lu Ten.
A storm was indeed coming from where the tent like apparition was in place. His heartbeat thudded angrily against his chest, the knots in his arms tightening. A part of Zuko desperately yearned to go back and get Katara out of there, but the slap of rejection still stung on his bruised ego. He hadn't meant to upset Katara, but what he had said was somewhat true. She didn't need him to get by. Katara always relied on herself and even helped Zuko more than he helped her. It shouldn't have mattered, but at the moment, the feeling of worthlessness was seeping into his thoughts like a weight that was dropped onto the ground. The hole grew even more when Katara had told him that Lu Ten would protect her if anything happened. He knew that Lu Ten wouldn't, but the fact that she had trusted his cousin over himself was like saying he wasn't needed. His father had said it best; Zuko was lucky to even be born. What his purpose? Zuko never knew the answer to that question. It was what he had been searching for all along.
The forest was becoming denser as Zuko traveled further into the entwining gloom. All around him, the leaves sagged and branches hung like limp string among the vast capacity of space that was sprawled before him. Unlike the forests on Earth, in the Spirit World, they were filled with webs foliage possible. The ground was just barely visible among the crawling vines and pointed grass, which became impressed once Zuko took a step forward. Each step became heavier than the last, as Zuko's pace slowed down. He took a deep sigh and then screamed with so much electricity that the sky above the forest shook with violent rage. It echoed into his heart and he clenched his fists as his scar curled beneath the dead skin on his face.
"Why do I exist? What purpose am I suppose to serve? Am I a meaningless creature created to be exiled into shame, pain and suffering?"
Zuko released the tension and breathed heavily as his eyes darted around. No one was there, but yet the flora started to sway from side to side as if someone was brushing the wind back and forth. This only occurred in the circular area that lay directly before him. Zuko blinked and narrowed his eyes as a soft whisper and giggle became etched into his hearing. His feet dragged him forward and the bush of leaves tickled the palm of Zuko's hands as he swept his fingers onto the green depths of nature. The whispering cultivated into a continuous stream of voices from his past. Zuko shook his head and stood back, pressing the palms of his hands to his ears, but the noise just grew even louder than before.
"Stop it! I don't want to hear you anymore!" he yelled. A blurb of his sister's voice bounced into the mix and he finally cracked from her taunting. "I can't take this anymore! Just let me die! No one would care!"
Suddenly, the voices stopped all together. It was so quiet that Zuko thought he lost his hearing. Then the thunder resumed in the distance and he relaxed while exhaling his past into the air before him. As if it was a secret signal only Zuko could produce, the wall of foliage curled inward and left a small dark hole for Zuko to look through. Amazed, his jaw dropped and Zuko placed his hands into the hole. Once he could tell that it wasn't going to suck him into another dimension, Zuko firmly gripped the outside of the black hole and clung to the leaves that protruded out. He pushed them aside and the hole opened wider. As if the barrier recognized its master, the hole widened to exactly Zuko's size without any more effort from his body. Zuko nodded and took a breath before stepping into uncertainty.
Zuko's shoulders lifted slightly as he stepped forward, the weight of his body gone. His eyes widened as the darkness around him became bathed in a horizon of ginger and goldenrod stems that bloomed from the ground. A soft breeze ruffled his hair and Zuko finally sank his feet into the beads of gritted sand that mounted beneath him. Everywhere he looked, the desert stretched out like a vast ocean, but no water was in sight. Zuko turned around to make sure that the opening to the forest remained there. A deep hatred for the tricks of the Spirit World lodged into his heart as the opening scrambled shut before his eyes.
"Why does that always happen?" he asked himself. Accepting that he had been transported else where, Zuko sighed and turned back around to find some type of path that would lead him to another exit. The thought had just occurred to him then that he wouldn't be able to find Katara again. A hollow feeling formed in his throat as he fought back the urge to cry out in despair. Nothing was going his way. Finally, he sunk into the sand and hung his head. He shut his eyes and let his vision die. Suddenly, his head surged backward as an unseen force grabbed his hair. A low pitch of laughter hooted through the air as Zuko was let go. Zuko groaned as a deep headache pounded in his forehead.
"Why does anything happen? It happens because it is supposed to."
Zuko gasped and scrambled backwards with his hands and feet as he sat on the rough sand. The wind swept through the air at that moment, and Zuko's eyes broadened as the being the voice belonged to bolted out of the sand and sprang into the air. More than a thousand strands of light oozed out of the spirit's body as it floated gently back to the ground. The light dimmed and Zuko was able to see it in front of his eyes more clearly. It was definitely male in a human's perspective. The upper body was only concealed by garlands of topaz beads and underneath was a perfectly sculpted chest and torso. The pair of arms stretched out and swung in circles as the wind blew by, almost dancing in greeting. A smirk spread across the spirit's face and that was when Zuko realized the spirit didn't seem old at all. The spirit had the carefree gentle expressions of a young boy who seemed to glow with the never-ending determination for the bright thresholds of possibility. His head was shaved on each side and his blonde hair swept down from the back to the front so that his amber eyes were blocked by the wispy strands of hair. The spirit took a deep breath and then huffed upwards so that Zuko saw his eyes more clearly.
"I'm surprised the sight of me quieted you so much, human. I was actually enjoying hearing about your escapade and the ranting that came along with it. The trials and misfortunes of a lost human being is the most entertaining after all. But it's my job to fix that," the spirit said, and waved his hand around as if it were revolving around something.
Zuko narrowed his eyes and finally regained his courage. This spirit, or tall kid rather, was becoming more of an annoyance than a threat.
"If that's your job, you haven't done much good work with it. Have you seen what my life is like?" Zuko asked.
The spirit strode over to the sitting human and stroked his beads as his puffy pants billowed in the breeze. Zuko froze as the spirit knelt down and came up into Zuko's face.
"My name is Ennik. What's yours?"
"You don't know who I am?" Zuko asked incredulously. Ennik stared at him blankly and sighed.
"No. So why don't you tell me?" he asked. Zuko sat there with his mouth open. Here was a spirit who didn't know anything about him necessarily, and for some reason, that gave Zuko a reason to feel like he had been given a clean slate.
"I'm called Zuko, but I don't know what I'm supposed to do about it."
Ennik strummed his beads as they glistened against his radiant skin. He stepped back and observed Zuko from each angle.
"It's rather tough to distinguish you from any other human. The problems I've encountered are always the same; desperation, depression, deep gloom, and above all else, hopelessness. Either way, I don't see how there's anything special about you right now."
Ennik jumped slightly and flew over Zuko's head. The firebender growled in anger and twisted around to see that Ennik was walking away from him. Zuko scrambled up to his feet and started to push his way through the desert after him.
"So you're saying there's no point to my life? I tried to find a meaning to the name of Zuko, but all I've found is proof to back up my thoughts. I was raised into royalty, but now I'm nothing. Are you going to put another stone into the pile of dread I've already accumulated?"
The anger was boiling within Zuko's body. His nature as a firebender was controlling him even though he couldn't release it into blasts of raging fire. Ennik stopped drifting away and turned around to face Zuko. He stopped as well and crossed his arms as the smirk returned to the youthful spirit's energized face.
"Do you know who I am?" Ennik asked. The question stupefied Zuko.
"You're a spirit."
Ennik's face lit up as his mouth dropped open.
"Ah-ha! That I am. But who am I? I'll tell you." He stroked the shimmering beads that were wrapped along his upper body and closed his eyes. "I am the Spirit of the Sun. Ennik, the one who must always shine hope for those who need it."
Zuko scoffed and rolled his eyes. "I should have known. Spirits as well as humans are against me by nature. You say you help humans, but yet I've never received help from you before." When Ennik opened his eyes, they were gleaming with something darker than cruelty. They were brimmed with the agony of never being able to be consumed by the darkness of the night when everything shined brightly because of the stars' soft glow. The spirit took one large leap towards Zuko, hovering above the sands that were a part of his domain and snapped Zuko's wrist up into the air in one swift motion. Zuko flinched but kept his feet planted to the ground.
"Do you understand, human, that I am always there but no one cares? I shine light into the world but some push it out of their lives so that they are constantly surrounded by darkness. You are one of those humans, Zuko."
The ferocious commanding voice rang in Zuko's ears as the wind started to violently lap sheets of sand against Zuko's legs. As the spirit held onto Zuko's wrist, their eyes glared into each other as a mutual connection was being forged.
"I've strained to try and reach out to you, but it hasn't been possible yet. I don't readily admit this to beings of lower status than I, but you are an exception. You are engorged with a fiery temper that I've specifically embedded into you at the time of birth. Born on the summer's solstice, I knew that you could become a high ranking firebender of the Earth. Many would follow your path as a Fire Lord in the Fire Nation. My people were destined to believe in their leader."
Zuko's face scrunched up as the words seeped into his heart. Ennik's powerful message was the one thing he had been searching so long for. He had needed some kind of explanation and affirmation, both of which he was receiving amidst the stranded desert of the Spirit World.
"But I'm nothing compared to Azula. She was always better than me and…"
This time, Ennik grabbed Zuko's other hand and pulled him up into the sky. The breath was vacuumed out of Zuko's chest as it depleted and his entire body was smashed inward. The sky glowed with vibrancy all around him as Ennik let him go. They stood on nothing but the foundation of light that encompassed both of their worlds.
"That is the worst lie I have ever heard spoken by a human. The only reason why she appears to be superior is because you allow her to be! My light and fire are already inside of you. Up until you were scarred, I saw you progressing, trying to unlock the strength of mind that allows one to firebend as easily as breathing the air that flows into your body. Along the way, you forgot the true resilience in creating light that glows and casts shadows, the light that exudes warmth and hope to all. For this purpose you were created. You must face destiny and create the life you envision, for yourself and for your people."
The beads entangled themselves from Ennik's form and slithered through the air into Zuko's presence. It coiled in the air around him and shocked his eyes by flashing lightening from one side to the other. The bolts struck through Zuko's heart and his back arched as the heat began to grow, the tension evaporating as it trickled out from Zuko's outstretched fingers. Sizzles popped near his ears as the beads swerved back onto Ennik's body. Zuko felt the emptiness filling up. His hollow mind, which had bee deprived for so long of hope, saw the sun shining in his world of darkness. The urge to fight for what was right and gain back his title for the throne came back to him. Zuko's body twisted around once before coming to a standstill. The firebender breathed heavily as arms leaned forward. Ennik brushed aside the blonde hair that swung before his vision and smiled innocently. The youth inside of the spirit came out as Zuko looked up and returned his gaze.
After Ennik placed Zuko back down into the desert, his expression changed automatically from the joy of helping someone to the dread that was the knowledge of Zuko's past and his probable future.
"I don't know what you just did, but thank you," Zuko said and bowed his head. "It won't be an easy task to change the way that I think, but I'll try to remember about the life inside of me. I'm sure that my uncle will hand the throne over to me in the future."
"No, you must do so as quickly as possible!" Ennik barked. Zuko was taken aback and then narrowed his eyes. The wind howled in the silence and pushed itself against Ennik's bare upper body. Even though Zuko's white robe clung onto him and provided him warmth, he shivered, imaging a wave of cold water washing over him.
"Why do I have to get the throne so quickly?" Zuko asked, dumbfounded. Suddenly, he realized that Ennik had only pretended to not know who he was. "Are you not telling me something?"
Ennik folded his arms as the deep line between his eyebrows creased further. "I can't tell you everything. I'm not allowed to interfere with humans as I wish. There's a certain point to which I can speak to. Are you ready to hear what is allowed?"
Zuko clenched his fists, preparing himself for the spirit's knowledge. If he could pour his trust into a single spirit, it would be Ennik. Zuko nodded and awaited his reply.
"You must get back to the real world and claim your title before someone else does in your heed. It might seem like there is peace, but there has never been a period of time where the sun has shined when peace was true and pure. There are always shadows…"
"Like the Yizun?" Zuko suddenly asked. Ennik glanced away and turned half way towards what seemed like the East.
"Yes. In this world… the Yizun feed off of… I can't describe it fully." Ennik closed his eyes and Zuko blinked, mistaking a bead of sweat for a tear, or so it seemed. "You must find the original Sanoroi. Their reason for existence will be left for them to reveal to you. For now, do what you must to spread the truth of good light for others. Learn from your past mistakes and no matter what, try to not forget what you've learned here today."
Zuko couldn't have been more grateful in his life to this authoritative being. He had found the path to a meaningful life. He had a mission to accomplish, and it had taken a journey to the Spirit World to unlock that treasured future. At first, taking the throne of the Fire Nation seemed like something that was unsuited for him, but knowing that he had power flowing through his body that had greater potential than he previously thought, inspired Zuko to look ahead and not behind.
"Thank you," he said.
Ennik sharply turned his small head to Zuko and stared him down from eye level. He shoved his flat hand out and a blast of light swarmed into Zuko's vision. Zuko moaned in pain and shielded his face with both of his forearms. The wind came dancing towards Zuko as the sand below him rose into the air.
"The only way to thank me is to follow my directions. Find who you must, take that being with you and find the Sanoroi. To do this, follow the flow of my light. From now on, you'll be able to distinguish it from the rest of the particles in the Spirit World. You have unlocked the power that's been hidden. Go now, and good luck."
All at once, the sand rose swiftly to form a circular wall. The grains blocked out any light as it closed up above Zuko. He screamed for his life, as the engulfing power forced him into the pits of unconsciousness.
..::-::..
The air growled viciously between the wailing cries of Tani as she rushed around the tables, trying to reach up for the ribbons. Most had scurried away from her frantic screams, but a few remained, huddled up near the ceiling of the tent. Its square top was shaking as the ground trembled. Okun's face became lined with two streams of invisible tears. He ran towards Katara and Lu Ten, in desperate need of help.
Katara was standing next to Lu Ten, fully aware of the change that had spontaneously occurred in him. Her jaw chattered as his grip tightened on her arm. Her breathing increased rapidly and the desire to escape encompassed her thoughts and legs, but everything went numb.
"Lu Ten! Please help my sister!" Okun exclaimed hysterically. He wasn't being affected by the relapse as Tani was because of his swift, painless death. Tani, however, had suffered so much that she was unable to bear the memories. Okun clasped his hands together and clung to the bottom of Lu Ten's robes as Okun's turban fell off of his head. Lu Ten let go of Katara bitterly as his amber eyes churned inside their sockets. A pair of two black orbs formed and then spread throughout the whites of his eyes so that the sockets were filled with obscurity. Katara's heart failed her and skipped a beat as Lu Ten turned toward Tani and stepped forward rhythmically. Okun still hung onto Lu Ten's feet and as the realization occurred, Katara still fought to move. The muscles in her throat wouldn't budge and all she could do was watch in horror at what was happening.
"Oh thank goodness! You're going to save her!" Okun cried out. Katara wept inside of her aching heart as she saw the source of darkness curling its way from behind Lu Ten and into his neck. The river of mist swirled in a continuous line from the ground and all the way up his back. Okun's fingers nearly brushed the mist and when the charcoal coated air did in fact touch him, Okun turned as stiff as Katara. Lu Ten stopped and looked down. He picked up Okun by his collar and stared into his wide face with no emotion whatsoever.
"You shall be first. I've starved for too long," his raspy voice said.
Katara closed her mouth before her gasp could be heard. Lu Ten's fingers in his other hand scratched the back of Okun's neck a few times and when they pulled away, strands of chi shined brightly before they entwined with his entire hand. Okun's feet began to disappear without a trace. The disappearance traveled up his legs and then his torso began to disintegrate. Okun jerked his head in Katara's direction and fell limply to the side as his wide eyes were painted white. His long hair gently swayed in the breeze as the storm growled hungrily once more. The darkness of the thick clouds up above shined a bolt of lightening and illuminated the scene. Katara blinked and when she opened her eyes, Okun was no longer there.
"Come down here, you! I won't let you fight me!" Tani yelled up to the ribbons. Lu Ten's neck stiffened and he breathed deeply before turning towards his initial target. The amount of chi left behind in Tani's soul was remarkable and was bound to suit his tastes. Katara cried on the inside, the pains in her chest piercing through to her heart, for she knew what was going to happen next.
"You can't win, Tani," Lu Ten said eerily. With just a few strides, he thrust the chairs and tables out of the way, and pulled Tani next to him. Lu Ten's hollow eye sockets oozed black mist towards Tani's dilated pupils. Katara stood petrified, somehow forced to be rooted into the ground. There was only one reason why Lu Ten was acting this way; the Yizun had taken control of him without Katara even knowing about it herself. She had been blinded by the gentle nature of his graciousness. Now, all that was left was a soul with darkness seeping out of it. Tani struggled to free herself, but the mist finally streamed its two rivers into her open mouth and soon, her body became limp. The black haze became filled with light as the chi flowed into Lu Ten's soul. He suddenly laughed as Tani's form vanished with one single silent explosion. Katara's feet finally lurched forward and she stumbled from the unexpected force straight into Lu Ten's back. He swiftly turned around and slapped Katara out of his way.
"You dare to interfere?" his chilling voice boomed.
She flew across the empty picnic area and landed in the soft grass, now wet with the drizzle of rain that was floating down from the sky. Her hands slipped and her chin slid on the ground, it now stained with dirt as was her conscience. Katara hadn't been able to help those souls, the people that seemed so real to her. Now she realized it was all an illusion on her mind. She thought that life could be harmonious, but it never was. The footsteps beat on her heart as Lu Ten came forward and pulled her up again. She met his stare and tried to close her eyes but couldn't help but keep them locked onto his empty eye sockets. His hair was ruffled and loose, hanging down from the top of his head like a used mop.
"How… how could you, Lu Ten?" was all Katara could make out before her voice faltered. His prickly fingers snatched her throat and she gasped for air as the face of her enemy became swarmed with black flies.
"You don't understand… power is my calling… how could I have forgotten?" Katara struggled to breathe and her abdomen tightened as her arms stuck out to the sides. Her white clothing was being eaten by the hovering fog and the edges became torn and frayed. Soon, she too would be disposed of in the same way as Tani and Okun had been. The Yizun had outsmarted her and now she was completely helpless, alone and afraid that death would consume her like the vines that grew from the seeds of darkness the Yizun bred on. There was no more room for her to make her escape; Katara's time had finally run out as her eyelids became heavier until she could no longer keep her eyes open. All she heard was a roar of thunder and the miserable laughter echoing from Lu Ten's consumed form. The laughter shrieked on and on, until Katara thought her ears would bleed, but all of a sudden, there was another blast of thunder, or so she thought. The grip on her neck loosened and the air surged back into her lungs as she was dropped to the floor. Her eyes flickered; the bright light spread around her vision and she looked on in shock as Lu Ten shriveled beneath its awesome power.
"I will kill you if you dare lay a finger on her again!"
The voice shattered Katara's resolve and her back stood electrified on its end. She knew who it was, but Katara couldn't bring herself to look turn around. Instead, she kept her gaze locked onto the enemy that was retreating. Lu Ten's arms bent sideways as his shoulders hunched. His tongue flailed out his mouth and he groaned as the wind shoved against him. The light had vanished, but the pure heat still lingered. Lu Ten finally managed to run away as the roof came apart in the storm and flew up into the dense sky. Katara's heartbeat slowed down as the thunder roared for a final time, the lightening striking her mind with a swift blow to her head. She jumped up into the air, her chest protruded out and her arms laid back. Her feet gently touched the grass and she let her head sag as the rain gracefully touched her cheeks. It spilled around her face, and dripped onto her white robe, turning it grey from the damp coolness.
Zuko's eyes carefully caught Katara's distant body in its stance as he placed her back on the ground. He let go of her and stayed where he was, just a few feet away from her. After Ennik had transported him back to the forest's edge, he had run without hesitation in the direction that the stream of light pointed. Thankfully, Zuko had made it in time and had found Katara before Lu Ten could kill her. With his body shivering from the outpoured flow of power, Zuko swallowed and lowered his head as the rain plummeted down to the soiled land where once, souls gathered to celebrate their continued life. Now, all that remained were broken chairs and slabs of wood that creaked beneath the pressure of the wind.
Among the steady drops of rain, Zuko heard a choked sob. Katara's shoulders bounced up and down slowly at first and then as she turned around to face him, Zuko saw the glistening tears flowing from her crystal eyes. He tightly clamped his jaw as her feet dragged her towards him. The agony drained her face and her skin was slightly translucent. As Katara staggered forward, her cries became stifled and she began to baracade her sorrow inside of her heart. The strands of wet hair clung to her head and neck as the wind caused her to trip forward. She stopped, now right in front of Zuko, whose garments were as tattered as hers, both of them soaked to the bone from the immense pain separation had caused them. Katara lifted her puffy eyes to meet Zuko's concentrated gaze. She remembered how cruelly she had acted, disregarding his warnings and not allowing herself to come to a rational conclusion herself. It was then that Zuko's words hung themselves up before her face like a painting, and the meaning gleamed ever so brightly. Zuko was completely justified in his words.
"I know what I said was wrong…" Zuko started.
Katara shook her head and allowed her arms to close the gap between them. Her fingers curled into Zuko's back as she sobbed into his chest. Zuko's eyes widened and he stared down at her messy hair as her shoulders trembled under his arms. He closed his eyes and pulled her into him, his warmth spreading into her as if the sun began to shine once more. The drops of rain drowned them into the ground, forcing the extra weight to be carried on their mortal bodies.
"You weren't wrong, Zuko. You were right. I never said it, but a part of me always believed that I could do anything that I set my mind to." She twisted her head away from his chest and looked away through the sheets of clear mist that surrounded them. Zuko stroked her back as he began to see more clearly than ever before; once he knew she was safe, that she was in his arms, he could spot the ray of hope that shined from her body. It carried on into the distance, past the wreckage and the forest that slept soundly now.
"It doesn't matter anymore. You're safe. That's all that matters," he said softly. Katara looked up at him and leaned back a bit so that she could take in all of his face. There was so much that she wanted to tell him, but at the moment, her voice was still recovering from its fright. Her lips edged into a slight smile as she sighed and closed her eyes. Her body fell into Zuko's and he snuffed a small amount of air out, amused by her feeble composure. Zuko grunted, scooped her into his arms and took a deep breath of air before walking away from the storm that hovered over their hearts. As Zuko walked along the path, guided by the stream of light in the sky, his eyes constricted. Katara's face was as pale as a wilting colorless rose. He shook his hair of the wet drops of rain that were embedded into it and they dropped onto her skin, spreading the color and warmth back into her life. Zuko took a deep breath, and continued his pursuit of his future, but first, he had to find a place to rest.
It was after several minutes of walking that he had found a wide bridge that spread across from the soaked lands behind him, to whatever lay in store on the other side. Once he crossed over, the horizon was filled with the long ago seen hues of a sunset. The storm was behind them now, and as he walked, the drops of rain dripped onto the smooth surface of rocks that lay below him. There were forests in the distant left side and the right side was a continuation of the lands that he had entered. Tall stalks of blurry plants seemed to grow up ahead, but there was a small field of grass growing not too far away. A few fanned branches of leaves spread out from the tips of the trunks and created a small porch of protection. Zuko, his body aching, barely made it to the destination without falling over from exhaustion. He placed Katara down next to him gently and then let his arms hang, the muscles tense and sore. The firebender swept his hand through his soggy hair and then let himself lean against the bark. He closed his eyes and sighed while Katara's sleeping body rested against his ribcage.
..::-::..
An unaccountable amount of time later, the sky had darkened and the crisp flow of air swept across Katara's flushed face. She scrunched her nose and clutched onto the fabric beneath her fingers, hoping to hold onto some warmth. Her eyes flickered open and she stared up at the stars in shock. Zuko felt the tug on his kimono as he was pulled out of his light sleep. He yawned and then rubbed his eyes. Katara was clinging onto him, her arm across his torso. Zuko smiled softly, the night in the Spirit World shadowing his face so that she couldn't see it too clearly.
"Zuko?" Katara mumbled, still half awake.
"Hmm?"
There was a silent pause as Katara leaned her head against his chest. Her legs were sprawled out to the side as his stretched straight out in front of him. Katara's frizzed hair brushed Zuko's hand as he wrapped his arm around the left side of her body, pulling her even closer to him.
"Was it all a dream?" she asked desperately. Zuko stiffened, his eyes adjusted fully to the dark blue light of the night. He looked down at Katara, who didn't dare look up at him. She just clung onto his clothes like children holding onto a mother, fearing they would lose the most important person in their heart.
"No… it wasn't."
He thought he heard her sniff, but it could have been the wind. Right after that, he heard her sigh deeply and he looked out into the still horizon where the land and sky collided into one through the dark shadows that crept about.
"It's not fair, Zuko. I couldn't stop him from destroying those two souls. And you warned me too. I should have listened…"
"I thought we went through that already," Zuko said, slightly irritated.
"I know we did, but it's true, you can't deny that. If I had listened to you, I would have never had to go through that," she said. Zuko tightened his jaw and looked down into his lap where his other hand rested. His fingers curled as he recalled the foreign power that had rushed through them.
"But you also would've never known about Lu Ten." Katara finally stirred and let go of Zuko's kimono. She sat up and faced him, her posture straight, her hair flapping back with the breeze.
"I'm sorry about what happened to him…" she said carefully. Her eyes shined dimly, like glowing candlelight, and Zuko stretched his head up towards the thin canopy of bowing leaves above him.
"He was a good man. I knew him when I was younger, and I looked up to him. He was the person I always wanted to become. Strong, intelligent, loved… he had it all. But he was taken away from us before I could ask him about anything important," Zuko said distantly. Unlike the deceased souls, he could recall the past without having a psychotic breakdown. Katara bit her lip and placed her hand on his shoulder tentatively. He peered down at her fingers. His gaze walked across her arm and up towards her face.
"The Yizun control him now. I know it's painful to accept, but you have to. We'll fight them off once we find the strength we need but… for now, can I just ask you about something else?"
Zuko shifted positions and nodded. His right knee came up to his chest and he placed his arm on top of it as Katara's hand fell along his left arm.
"Can we forget what happened? I don't want to think about the reasons why. Let's just continue this journey… together… and no matter what, even if you have to force me…" her voice stopped and Zuko raised his eyebrows. His quiet demeanor was somehow different than before. Katara noticed the maturity that had sprung into his face, how the color of his eyes had become fuller and how his body seemed to lift itself effortlessly as he moved. She stared into his face and let her voice dwindle into a whisper. "Even if you have to tie me up, please, never let me out of your sight again."
Zuko chuckled softly and pulled Katara into an embrace. She leaned against him once more and let his arms gently hold her upper frame. As soon as the light happiness crept into his eyes, she knew the answer and her own smile formed again.
"Don't worry, I don't think I'll have to resort to that," he replied. Katara sighed and closed her eyes as the twinkling stars shined above them. Zuko let go of his smile as the stream of light only he could see was fading and reappearing slowly. It twisted up into the air and stretched out past the stalks of transparent nature. He grunted, and Katara shifted, expecting him to say something else.
"What was that you wanted… to say?" she asked in between yawns.
Zuko knew that more important matters, such as the meeting with the Sanoroi, needed to be discussed with Katara, but at the moment, all he wanted to do was relax. So much had happened that he had forgotten how much comfort he found in Katara's presence. The peaceful wind sighed and ruffled Zuko's hair as he stroked Katara's head calmly.
"It's nothing… I'll tell you in the morning…" Zuko replied. He felt Katara shrug her shoulders and sigh as her restless thoughts eased out of her mind and into the open world they had discovered. Zuko felt the weariness travel into his eyes again and they drooped, soon to be closed. In the end, he slipped to the side and rested his cheeks against the frame of the woman who he at last accepted to be his beacon of never-ending shining light.
A/N: did you think it was possible I'd finally update?? because after about a month, I finally have!!!!!! YAY!! It felt so awesome to write again... I missed it so much and I got a TON of new ideas for the future of this fic... so a lot more is in store! we're no where near done folks XD that being said, I realize this chapter definitely had a... depressing quality about it... but it's needed, I believe, because they need to realize what's really going on!!! I hope it wasn't too confusing!! I tried super hard this time around to make the writing a ton more descriptive!! not too much happened... but I definitely appreciate any comments or concerns you can tell me about!!!
? of the chapter: since everyone was so responsive last time (clearly, souls won! I added Okun and Tani just because of that!!) I guess it will be a clear cut question: did the time in between updates make it hard to remember what happened last chapter?? so basically- were you slightly confused at the beginning of the chapter
Thanks so much for reading:D
-Monika-