I'm back! I'm sorry guys that it took so long, but I had a major project for school, and then my father grounded me from the computer, and then it took me a while to type this! But here you go! Part 2! Hooray! Just to warn you, this is a gory chapter, as are the next two. But I hope you like them! And to clear things up, I WROTE THIS BEFORE SOZIN'S COMET CAME OUT, so Azula hasn't got insane (yet) and Ozai still has his firebending. HOPE THIS HELPS! Thanks for all of your waiting, guys, I love ya! So here you go! Enjoy!
Appa flew down and landed on some of Ozai's troops, and the passengers got off. Each one attacked and spun, using their element or weapon to show what they had all truly mastered.
Katara uncorked her water; bending it out and attacking, she whipped around, spreading Ozai's army into two halves as she ran down the line. The now unstoppable firebenders attacked and punched fire, but she evaded them and Toph bent Katara down into the ground. The firebenders on either side all fell over as the opposite side's fire hit them. Toph bent her back up and Katara continued to move forward.
Behind them, Sokka used his sword and boomerang and Zuko used his firebending and broadswords to take out more of the oncoming soldiers and benders behind them. "Aang!" Sokka cried. "What's your plan?"
An enormous wall of flame came out of the ground and spun into a cyclone, enough power only to come from an Avatar, and Aang shot out of the center, running and fiercely earthbending all of the troops away that had survived the cyclone. Bones snapped like twigs and the cries of the dying on either side were already starting to be heard.
"I need to find Ozai and kill him! Once and for all!"
He uncorked his water, and, bending and freezing them as daggers, threw them into the surrounding firebenders. The ones who were hit fell to the ground, and Aang simply leapt over them and bent the daggers back up out of their bodies back into his pouch. He firebended a small flame, moved it to both hands, and he pushed his hands outward, spreading it, and as he used the fire as a distraction, earthbended all of the firebenders away, into the air, and they all fell to the ground, bones crunching.
Sokka made a path for Aang, and using his sword and being the fiercest and most powerful than he'd ever been, swung it around skillfully and slashed open the enemy. The ones around him fell to the ground, their blood running, while he kept at it. He spun and, with two fingers pointed toward the sky, attacked the benders in front of him, stabbing them straight through.
Zuko, his power growing, made his way through. He kicked and unleashed flames from his feet, and doing something he never had tried, prepared himself. He jumped up and spun around in the air, creating a circle of flame, and in the air shot it outwards, with extra flame coming from his hands, feet, and mouth. He spun a few times and dropped to the ground, landing on his hands and knees, but spun onto his back which got him back on his feet in a solid stance. He kicked some soldiers down, and spinning his leg in another kick, broke their necks.
Mai and Ty Lee were once again working as a team, with Mai using her daggers and spikes once again, and Ty Lee knowing the human body so well that she knew what bones to break to make them suffer. She dodged and cart wheeled, evading the firebenders, while Mai threw her daggers across the jugular veins of her enemies.
Ara was holding her own. She was surrounded by unbelievably powerful firebenders, but she waterbended around them. She slaughtered them left and right, used her airbending to blast many away to give her more time, and now she used all of the training her family had given her since she was young. She took a running start, grabbed one of the firebenders, flipped over his head, and punched him in the neck, knocking him over, paralyzed. She then took two swords of fallen soldiers and carefully guided them as one blade, slicing through the line of firebenders in front of her, and using the swords, guided them to her will as offense and defense. She then spun two times around and let go of the hilts, letting the blades fly to her left and right, each one cutting through three firebenders each as she kneeled on one knee. She got up, bent an air scooter, flew around in a circle, and taking the boomerang Sokka had given her, swung it around and flew an extra air current around it, making it glide faster. She heard it cut through flesh and even bone, and with her healing practice from Toph, she listened for the blade to come back, and she stepped off of the air scooter, letting it continue to fly forwards and hit another line of soldiers. As her feet touched the ground, she grabbed hold of the returning boomerang, felt through the earth like Toph had taught her, spun around, and waterwhipped a soldier just as he was about to attack her. She grabbed him with a water arm before he fell over, and, lifting him up off the ground, threw him as hard as she could. And she was so preoccupied in the fight that every wound and burn that she received she didn't notice. Her arms were already covered in burns and cuts, her hair was starting to fall out of place from her bun and loops, and her clothing was singed. But she didn't feel any of it.
All of them were fighting extremely well. But this time, the innocent masters they once were were gone. All of them were out to kill. And that's exactly what they did. They were ready to finish the war.
Iroh ran through the army, taking down every firebender in his path. As good as they all were with the solstice, they were no match against him. He killed them left and right, using every move, attack, and ability he had ever done in his lifetime, taking out every person around him.
Suddenly he spun as a ring of fire surrounded him. Ozai stepped through. "Well brother, I've looked forward for this day for so long. The day when I finally finish you, get done with you, make sure you die slowly. And this time, Zuko won't be here to save you," he laughed evilly. "You may be powerful, but I have the younger age on my side."
"Younger age calls for less wisdom, strength, and experience, Ozai."
Ozai frowned. He started shooting flame angrily towards his brother, then lightning, both of which Iroh easily evaded and redirected. Both brothers fought and tried to kill the other; Ozai firing anger, rage, and little self-control, Iroh attacking with the wisdom of true firebending and total control of his limitless power. But age was Ozai's advantage. After a half hour into their battle, Iroh was slowly tiring. And Ozai knew it. He continued firing, punching, and kicking until Iroh finally was knocked to his knees, exhausted and severely burned.
Ozai suddenly bent a long flaming arm and grabbed Iroh by the throat, burning him and lifting him high off of the ground. The older firebender struggled and fought, but no amount of firebending could shake Ozai's powerful grip.
Zuko was a few hundred yards away, taking out his own group of soldiers, when his eye suddenly caught his uncle in the middle of a ring of fire, being choked to death by his father. His rage suddenly overcame him, filling his heart and soul with pure white hot fury, all aimed at his father. He bent his hands behind him, creating propulsion towards the two men. And for once, the flames closest to his hands erupted blue, the same powerful blue as his sister's. As he shot towards them, every person in Zuko's way was thrown or burned to death. And right then, Zuko thought only for his uncle.
He shot forward to the wall, and stopping the propulsion, jumped into the ring. Like he did to save Azula from Katara's grip in the catacombs of Ba Sing Se all of those years ago, he did a sideways cart wheel flip, breaking the arm of fire Ozai held Iroh with. Immediately Iroh fell to the ground, but he didn't move. And Zuko could see his Uncle had a giant severe burn around his neck and blood soaked his clothing.
As Zuko turned and ran to get to him, Ozai held a flame aiming towards the unknown soldier.
"Who do you think you are, trash!" Ozai yelled, clearly not recognizing the back of his son. "This is a nobleman's fight. Leave now, or I'll kill you."
Zuko touched his uncle's side, but only had time to react as Ozai shot the fire at him. Zuko just blocked it with a wave of his hand. The prince was now finally ready to face his father. He heard Ozai take a step forward towards him. Zuko's hands curled into fists and fire emanated from them, exploding outward. He spun around.
"NOT—ANOTHER—STEP."
Ozai nearly fell back. "Zuko!" he cried, surprised, but his shock turned to fury. "You're supposed to be dead!"
"Does it look like it?" he snarled, getting up from next to his uncle's side, his eyes full of rage and anger towards the older man.
"Then I'll kill you now."
"No. You won't."
"What? Then you're still a coward. You won't fight back?"
"It's not my destiny. It's Aang's. But I'd like nothing more than to tear you apart until there's nothing left. But I can't."
He suddenly spun around, and heating his core to the point of nearly imploding on himself, brought out his inner fire and shot it toward outwards, knocking Ozai out of the fire ring and into the air.
Zuko suddenly lost his rage as his thoughts went back to his uncle. He fell to his knees next to Iroh's side. "Uncle, uncle!" he said, shaking him. "Please, don't do this! I need you! Uncle, please!" he screamed, his tears flowing. "No," he whispered, pulling his Uncle's burned body into a hug, rocking him. "Please uncle, I love you. Don't leave me." He dropped his head to Iroh's chest, sobbing.
But quietly, Iroh stirred. "Zuko?" he whispered hoarsely, opening his eyes and looking at his nephew. Zuko pulled out of his embrace. "Uncle," he sighed happily, "I thought I'd lost you."
Iroh smiled. "Never."
Ozai blinked open his eyes. His whole body ached, but his rage towards his good-for-nothing son overcame that. He got to his feet and ran back to the fire ring, but no one was inside. His fists poured flame.
"Zu—KOOOOOOO!" he screamed.
Iroh was back on his feet, fighting next to Zuko as two masters of the true way of firebending fought for their lives and for the freedom of the world.
Many hours later, the sun was still strong, the sky became a deeper, darker red, and the temperature rose. It became so hot that the waterbenders began collapsing, their inner water evaporating as well as their bending water. It seemed that everyone on both sides were collapsing from heatstroke, delirium, dehydration, or more than one, everyone except the firebenders, who kept getting stronger. Everyone noticed that as each minute passed, there was more room to move, more room to fight, less people standing around them, more on the bloodied ground.
The firebenders each got stronger as the sun climbed; with it the temperature soared to over 130 degrees. But many still refused to give up, especially the group of ten.
They were all split up, and Aang continued to look for Ozai. But now Azula was more powerful than her father. She was the most dangerous on the battlefield, as her inner fire did explode and her skin was boiling hot. Her lightning was filled with unbelievable strength and ferocity, and she wiped out an entire section of earthbenders in one strike of her finger. Her blue fire radiated off of her skin, giving her a glow, which filled her with even more power.
Suddenly all of the soldiers, dead and barely alive, seemed to vanish as her two old friends—now enemies—ran across her path. Rage filled her as she saw that she hadn't killed Mai those 15 years ago; her hands filled with electricity, and as if Ty Lee sensed it, stopped on a dime and pulled Mai along with her. They both turned and looked surprised, but anger and fury filled their eyes as well when they saw her.
And although Azula didn't show it, that was the first time in her life that she had ever been afraid of people.
Mai whipped out a few daggers and Ty Lee cracked her knuckles, both of them ready to stand up together against her. But Azula took the offensive. She flipped and spun, fire shooting from her fingertips towards them. They split up, Ty Lee flipping and somersaulting around her, Mai going behind. The princess focused her attention on the quicker, more agile woman, but was the wrong move. A sharp jab and a burst of pain shot from her back where Mai had dug two knives. Azula turned to face her, but suddenly a few punches to her arms and shoulders made her go numb. She gasped, but quickly jumped into the air, shooting flames from her feet both directions, and then landed in a split. The cries of both women let Azula know she had burned them, and she flipped back onto her feet and braced for the attack. She looked at Ty Lee, whose hands were burned as well as her cheek, then to Mai, whose fingertips and face were burned. Her clothing and skin underneath burned away so severely, but she ignored the pain.
Azula then had an idea. She dodged and spun at the two still-oncoming women, and she still shot, punched, and kicked flames at them. She pretended to focus her attention on Mai, while actually listening for Ty Lee.
Ty Lee flipped up and over Azula, which was what the princess was waiting for. She spun her leg, extending a fire grip, and grabbed Ty Lee by her wrist in the air, suddenly spinning her face first down onto the ground—agonizingly hard—and the princess pulled up with all of her might. The loud pop from Ty Lee's shoulder and her screams made it clear that Azula had dislocated or even broken the acrobat's shoulder. And Ty Lee didn't get up after Azula let go.
Mai, seeing her fallen best friend, rushed towards Azula, throwing a number of daggers at her. But Azula rolled and grabbed with her feet a sword of a fallen soldier, and rolling onto her back, turned and slit Mai across her abdomen just as the tall woman was about to plunge a knife into Azula's chest. That stopped her.
The clothing's material was hard and strong, but the dark liquid seeping through across her abdomen made it clear that the sword had made its mark. Mai fell backwards, clutching her front to stop the bleeding, and Azula got up. She came up, ready to finish Mai, but Ty Lee got up, ran towards Azula, and jumped and kicked her sideways as hard as she could. But her injured shoulder caught her off balance, and Azula replied by swiftly lunging around, jumping and kicking Ty Lee on both sides with both legs, straight into her ribs, crushing them. Cracks and snaps were heard, and the young acrobat fell to her knees, her good arm holding her chest, unable to breathe. She fell face first to the ground, where the rock of the earth hit her hard. She cried out, wincing and groaning, but couldn't move. She only managed to flip onto her back, and she saw that Azula stood over her. The injured young woman closed her eyes, knowing that death was coming for her. Azula lit her hands, able to now feel them again, and shoved them towards Ty Lee's broken body, the flames burning her, searing her. She screamed and writhed I anguish. But Mai got up.
Azula then cried out. A deep blade was in her shoulder, and she stopped the flames, Ty Lee still crying. She turned and pain filled her jaw as Mai punched her over, face first. The dagger master then took two blades, and bringing them straight to the earth, dug them into Azula's boots into the rocky ground. She took two more and dug them into the armor plates on the princess's sides, and reached to throw them to her arms, but Azula shot her arms behind her, upward, and Mai's screams filled the air. But Azula's arms were still shoved down to the earth by blistered hands.
Mai, in all of her rage against her once best friend, kicked Azula in the face. And she looked up at Mai with pain and rage, but it disappeared as the deep angry filled eyes stared into her own. "It's someone else's destiny, not mine, to kill you," she hissed, her face close to the princess's, "But I'd so love to, for all of the suffering you've caused!"
She turned away, holding her stomach to try and stop the bleeding as she stumbled towards Ty Lee's body. She fell to her knees, her tears falling down her burnt face.
"Ty Lee," she softly whispered. "I'm so sorry…" but she gasped as she saw the blistered chest slowly rise and fall. "C'mon, don't give up on me." She lifted the seared and broken body over her shoulders, her own blood pulsing from her burns and stomach, but she began to run for help, Ty Lee on her back, still using a free hand to shoot daggers at the surrounding enemy, leaving Azula there, stuck on the ground.
"Hold on, Ty Lee. Please, stay with me."
Aang was a merciless killer, and even though his energy drained from air, water, and earth, the firebender's flame deep inside him flared and kept him going. He backflipped and shot flame from his feet and hands, shooting it even from his mouth. He flipped into a pushup position and pushing upward, and punching down into the ground, shot up all of the surrounding guards into the air. But one ran towards Aang quickly and quietly, took his sword and stabbed it into the powerful man's back.
The Avatar fell to his knees, screaming and crying out. He turned in pain to face his opponent, and noticed that his yellow tunic was now a dark wet brown. He tried to get up, but all of his energy suddenly ceased, and he collapsed to his hands as well as his knees, looking up at his soon-to-be-killer. The soldier took another, sharper dagger out, and running towards the Avatar, aimed to finish him off.
A burst of yellow and orange ran like the wind between the soldier and Aang, and in a second, she stopped, getting into a fighting stance, ready to protect her father. The soldier attacked, but Ara guided her hands in a circle and spun, shooting a hard slap of wind at him, sliding him past her and Aang. He attacked again, but with a quick series of punches and jabs, Ara defended herself and blocked his chi in his hands. The soldier ran to still attack, but Ara jumped and spun, kicked the side of his neck, and a terrible crack split the air. As she landed on one knee, the opposite one extended, facing her father, the soldier fell over, dead, his neck broken.
Ara got up and kneeled next to her father. "You okay, dad?"
"That was amazing!" he breathed, heavily as Ara ripped off a piece of her robe and wrapped it around her father's chest and back, stopping the bleeding. "You saved my life, Ara," Aang said, putting a hand on her shoulder.
"C'mon, dad. And don't worry about it." She put her arm underneath his, helping him up. She bent in a gust of wind from her palm, bringing his staff off of the ground to her, and she handed it to him.
He looked at her. Her face and hair were dirty and ragged, and burns covered her arms. "You okay?"
"Yeah," she sighed, "Just a little light-headed and dehydrated. I'll be fine. We need to keep fighting. Go!" she yelled as she ran towards the oncoming soldiers. She knocked them all down with a wind blast, and Aang only had time to smile at her before running to find Ozai.
Toph wasn't doing well. Normally, she could hear vibrations of a crowd of people, or even a few thousand, but this was different. There were so many soldiers and benders around her moving and falling that it all sounded and felt like an avalanche to her. She kept trying to feel every single one of her attackers' vibrations, but there were too many. Every time she took out a few firebenders, a few more rushed in when she let her guard down, slicing, firing, and stabbing at her. Her beautiful green armor was now covered in blood, and she was badly burned as well. Her arms, legs, chest, tops of her feet, and face were burned, but she didn't need her eyes or anything but her feet. So she continued to make the earth shake and firebenders fly into the air, for she wouldn't give up. But the injuries she sustained were slowly taking their toll. She continued to knock them away and shoot boulders at the ones she could feel and hear, but the heat and her injuries made her weak. She staggered, but pulled another boulder out of the ground, then threw it back in, making it explode and launch toward the soldiers, hitting and killing them instantly.
Then she heard it; her sensitive hearing caught the twang of a bowstring, and she somehow knew it was directed towards her. Her thought came true a few hundredths of a second later as slicing pain drove through her chest on her left side near her shoulder. A shaking hand went to her chest and she felt the slender wood jarring out. She clenched her teeth, trying with all of her might not to cry out. But the pain was too much. The blind earthbender swaggered backwards, but then fell forward to her knees. She closed her eyes, feeling and hearing the enemy quickly surround her, her heart beating quickly, yet off beat, her blood pulsing out of the cuts and the arrow's opening.
No. NO. I am not going to die!
She got up slowly, weakly raising her hands and one foot, and she stomped and pushed her hands to her sides. Immediately, all of the soldiers sunk up to their necks in the ground. Toph shakily bent a longer, sharper, and smoother boulder up, and with one swift stroke, spun around, cutting the men's heads off.
The twang of the bowstring from the same spot was heard again, and her eyes widened. 3 more bowstrings were felt by her too, alongside the first.
This is the end for me.
The next one hit her deep into her right shoulder, sending her to her knees once more in pain and agony.
But suddenly she spun. A familiar set of vibrations was running toward her, jumping and standing in front, broadswords ready. The previous three arrows never reached her as Zuko stopped them with his swords, but the Yu Yan weren't ready to give up their target that easily. Toph, the pain overwhelming, though knowing she was safe, fell onto her back to the ground, holding her chest.
The Yu Yan shot more arrows, but they were no match for the prince. With his broadswords, he stopped the arrows from hitting the fallen woman, and with his firebending, bent flaming arrows off of his swords back towards the archers. He hit them all squarely in their hearts, killing them instantly. As each one fell and he knew they were all gone, he brought in a breath, dropped his hands to his sides, and ran to Toph's body.
"Toph," he whispered, lifting her head up off of the ground. "Can you hear me?"
"How can I not?" she croaked. He smiled, but she continued.
"There…were too many…too many vibrations…couldn't tell who was…who…and where…and their moves…it came…too fast…" she coughed painfully, and blood spurted from the arrow's openings. With each breath she became paler and colder, and Zuko tried to warm her through his hands.
"Toph, don't speak," Zuko said. "I need to get these arrows out, one, because they might be poisoned, and two, because if I carry you on my back with them in, they'll go deeper. Just stay with me, okay? I'm gonna take you to get help."
"No," Toph whispered hoarsely. "I need to continue. Everyone's counting on me as well. I need to finish the war…" she leaned up, but Zuko stopped her.
"No, Toph. You've done us proud. You did finish the war, in your own way. You've done what you had to do. Now make an earth tent, no doors. I need to get them out without having to worry about being attacked."
The earthbender weakly bent up a complete, tall, thick cone around them, and Zuko lit one hand to light the darkness. "You ready?"
Toph nodded and he helped her first take off her armor. He began to spread apart her skin and clothes at the arrows' entering points, and he could see in her face and feel through her grip on his arm that she was in agonizing pain, but she made no sound as he gently grasped the shaft of the first arrow as near to the arrowhead as he could and began to wiggle it slowly. He could see the tears running down her cheeks, but he had to do this.
"I'm sorry, Toph."
Finally, the first one was removed. Zuko sighed, and Toph was shaking. And they went through the same process for the second. More pain and anguish filled Toph and sorrow filled Zuko. But he finally managed to pull it free.
He took two strips off of his robe under his armor and wrapped them around her, over her shoulders and under her arms. He gently picked her up, put him over his back, and she bent away the tent. The battle continued, but Zuko began to run, using his swords and firebending in defense against the enemy that now saw him. Toph held on, but weakly, as Zuko ran to get her help.
Finally, Zuko saw Bato. He ran to him, pushing past both sides as he ran through.
"Bato! Stop!"
The Water Tribe Warrior turned at his name. "Zuko!" he cried.
He asked one of the earthbenders next to him to make a wall, and Zuko gently set Toph down. She was now unconscious from her blood loss, and was very pale.
"She's been wounded," Zuko explained. "Badly. The burns that cover her are bad, but my main concern is that she was shot by arrows. As far as I could tell, the arrows didn't have poison, but she's lost a lot of blood. Can one of your men get her to safety? I need to get back to the battlefield."
"Sure," Bato replied. He looked down to where he was kneeling at the young woman's side. "Poor Toph. But she's a fighter." He motioned to the two earthbenders who had made the wall and were protecting them as they talked. "Please take this young woman to the medical units, immediately!"
"Yes, sir!" they bowed, and as one of them moved to pick Toph up, she groaned lightly.
"Zuko?"
"Toph, I'm right here. Their just going to get you help. You're gonna be okay," he said as he squeezed her hand, the one less burnt, and she smiled, but her eyes still stayed closed.
"Thanks for saving my life, Zuko. Thanks so much."
"Don't mention it."
He watched as one earthbender picked her up and the other came as defense, and they sped off on moving boulders. Zuko then bowed to Bato and ran in the other direction, getting himself back into the war.
Katara and Sokka were doing very well. They eventually teamed up and watched each others' backs as Sokka used his sword and boomerang to cut through surrounding firebenders, and when they shot flames, Katara stepped in front of her brother and blocked and took out a few with what remaining water she had left. The heat was making her tire, especially as a waterbender, and most of the water had evaporated, but she didn't give up.
"Sokka!" she cried, "I need to find more water to bend! Quickly! I'm nearly out!"
The warrior looked around, still fighting, and he saw a fallen waterbender nearby. "There!" he cried, pointing to the body. Katara quickly moved her hands around, and the water ran out of the man's pouch. She moved it into her own, then bent a small stream back out and continued to fight and attack.
Sokka was at the top of his game, fighting, dodging, and using his sword to take more out. He showed supreme agility and stamina as he swung and dodged. He lunged forward, stabbing a firebender straight through, his opposite hand pointing the opposite direction into the air. He retracted his sword, letting the man fall, and he turned and slid on his side, slicing the ones above him. They all fell, but he got to his feet and still attacked.
Suddenly a man yelled from behind him, and Sokka turned as his opponent's sword reached just inches from his face, but the Water Tribe warrior used his own sword to protect himself just in time. He looked up and a smile overcame his face as he recognized his opponent.
"Master?"
"Told you I'd fight you someday, Sokka," Piandao said as he went back-to-back with his student, both of them fighting, both masters of the sword.
Sokka then turned and ran towards another group, away from Katara and Piandao as they continued to fight.
As he ran, suddenly he was tripped by one firebender, and he flew through the air. "AAAGGHH!" he yelled as he did a faceplant and stopped in front of a firebender's and Dai Li's feet. He looked up.
"No way…" he whispered, and he looked for his sword, but it had fallen a few yards away from him when he flew. The Dai Li suddenly kicked him sideways on his head, coincidentally the same place where the gash on his forehead was still healing. Only this time, the Dai Lis' outfits had been arranged with spikes and blades, and this Dai Li agent had blades on the edges of his shoes, and when he kicked Sokka, a huge slit formed down the side of his face and across his forehead. Blood poured down as he fell to his back onto the ground, groaning in pain. But it wasn't over yet. The firebender then shot flame at Sokka, and the man's anguish shot through the air.
Piandao's face turned to shock as he turned and saw his closest student and friend cry out as he was burned. "Sokka!" he cried.
Katara turned at Piandao's voice to see her brother being burned alive. The Dai Li raised a boulder over the young man, ready to finish him, and with that, Katara's fury came. Anger, rage, and sadness filled her as well for her brother, as she shot a ring of water around her and spread it out, killing the ones around her. She bent a wave out of it, and, riding it, shoved Sokka out of the way with her hands as she landed in front of the fire and earthbender, and while she shoved her injured brother out of the way, she also bent a water blade and slit their throats. Sokka managed to open his burned eyelids once to catch one glimpse of his sister, looking at him with a sad smile.
But that was Katara's mistake when she had killed them. The bodies fell back, but the earthbender's boulder dropped to the ground—and landed on her arms.
It took a second to register, but then Katara cried out—screamed out—in pain, and from the small snaps, she knew that her arms had been shattered. Tears fell from her eyes as every inch of her below her elbows felt like it had exploded, and as the tears streamed down, she laid there, but what else could she do? Her brother lay silent and unmoving on his back a few feet from where she was. He would die without her, if he wasn't already.
Piandao rushed to Katara's side. "Don't worry about us! We'll be fine!" Katara said as she looked at him in pain. "Go now! Keep on with the fight! Sokka would want you to. I can take care of him. Hurry!"
Piandao nodded. "Be careful. And get some help!" he cried as he rushed back into the soldiers, slicing them through.
Katara suddenly got to her knees, put her feet in front of her on the boulder, and pushed as hard as she could. She cried out from the burning pain, but the boulder slowly rolled off. She got up and ran to her brother's side.
"Sokka?" she asked softly, sadly. He was barely breathing, and his whole front was badly burned, but once again, his handsome face was the worst. She looked around her, and the enemy was slowly advancing. She was Sokka's only protection, and she couldn't even bend. She was nothing to him.
An Earth Kingdom soldier suddenly ran in their path, and she yelled to him. "Help! Please! Over here!"
The earthbender saw them and ran over. He bent a solid room around them, leaving only a small hole at the top. "You need some help?" he asked. He was badly burnt and cut, but looked better than most of the army outside.
"Yeah. My brother is in really bad shape, and I can't waterbend or heal him because my arms are broken. But if you can splint my arms with earthbending, I bet I can bend and get help later. But can you bring my brother to the medical tent? He'll die if he doesn't get help. Can you?"
Sure. I'll work on getting your arms splinted first. You sure you don't want me to take you to the medical tents too?"
"No thanks. I need to keep fighting."
The earthbender gently took one of her arms in both of his hands, and she cried out, wincing. "My arms got shattered," she explained," by a boulder. As a Dai Li agent was about to crush my brother, and I pushed him out of the way while—ouch!—killing that earthbender and the firebender next to him. But the boulder fell on me—ouch!"
"Take it easy. I'm just inspection it. Man, you really shattered them. You need a really experienced healer to fix that."
"I am a healer. But I'll still need another one to heal one first. But can you splint them? So I can bend?"
"I'll try," he said. He bent up a layer of rock the length of her arm from her elbow to the tips of her fingers, and took another the same size. "Press your arm gently into the first," he said, and wincing slightly, Katara did so. The earthbender bent the rock to sink where she pushed. He took the second piece of rock and pushed and bent it to cover her arm. He made a fist, and everything except the cast now molded to look like her hand turned to dust. He did the same for the second arm. "How's that?"
"Good! I can't move them!"
"The question is, can you bend?"
Katara opened the pouch and moved her hand around it. Pain seared through her arm, but gently, a small stream came out. She moved it around, and then placed it back in. "Thanks so much. This'll get me through the war."
The earthbender nodded, then turned to Sokka. The warrior was still unconscious, his head was split open and his body was fully burned, but he was still alive—barely.
The young man picked Sokka up and settled the body in his arms like a child. But Sokka stirred.
"No…I need…to keep fighting…Kata…" he dropped once more into unconsciousness, and his voice didn't even sound like her brothers. She nearly started to cry. "Please save him," she pleaded.
"I will. He'll be fine. I bet he knows you saved his life. And you almost sacrificed your life for his as well. That will give him strength."
"Thank you. I'm Katara."
"Tahn."
The earthbender broke down the walls, showing the troops of firebenders advancing, ready to take down the trio. He got onto a panel of earth, and he raised it. He once more settled Sokka in his arms and sped away, killing all in his path.
"Thank you—Tahn."
Okay, so I hope you guys liked it! What do you think of me bringing back Tahn! Cool? Anyway, so if you can tell, I'm taking away characters one by one. Sorry, but most don't die…that's a good thing! But I hope you enjoyed, please read and review, and tell me what you liked or loved! I'm still sorry to keep you guys waiting so long, but I'll have to say that since each chapter's so long, I can only post 'em about every weekend. But please stay with me! and read and review!
Thanks!
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