Author's Note: I should have bet you all a nickel I could update before Thanksgiving! Then I'd have $.15! Anyway here's a new chapter, I really hope you all enjoy because I'm proud of how it turned out. It took me a while to get this one out, as you might have realized. Seriously, i kicked myself in the ass to get this done. Even slacked off in my science class! I did my best not to rush it and craft it well. Also for those of you who might appreciate the warning, there are some triggering themes involving gore, death and suicide-ish elements. I figured I should alert you now before you begin reading. Hopefully I can get the next update up over break-we'll see how things go.
~Th3rdhal3~
They say the world will end in fire. It holds a certain irony to me, because I once learned that was our origin. Horrendous plumes of smoke and ash will envelop us all, and there will be no escape from the blazing inferno. Soaring above the choppy waves, it looked like the end to me. The dark clouds which littered the sky had not moved since the comet had arrived. The little light which pierced through the shroud lacked radiance and righteousness. Instead, it cast down ominous rays as if to remind citizens of the world of the eminent chaos happening before them.
If the surrounding sight wasn't enough to motivate me to complete my mission, nothing else would be. I inhaled deeply, strengthening my chi and pressed onward. Zuko and Katara were a great team, but I had promised them both I would return as backup. I had sworn allegiance to my future FireLord.
The land mass that had been way off in the distance was becoming closer and closer. My increased mileage lifted my spirits. If I had tried to fly any other day, my energy would have depleted in a flash and I would have surely drowned in the ocean. I had read detailed accounts from fire-benders one-hundred years ago, describing the powers of the comet. It was another thing entirely to experience them in the flesh.
Out of spur of the moment curiosity, I turned my head right to gaze upon the open water. The ocean's activity looked like a scene out of a pirate story I would have read as a little girl. When I looked forward again, larger waves greeted me. Huh. It made me wonder if the moon still had such a strong effect on the tides. It was puzzling. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a tentacle rise out of the sea. The arm was a dark green-the color of sewage to be exact, and soon more limbs were to come. I twisted my body out of the way and flipped so that my back was parallel to the water below. Using my flames, I hovered, though I still backtracked; just for safe measure. Nothing. It was only me and the vast sea. Where did the creature disappear to? Then, I felt a slow ache in my temples. I closed my eyes for a moment, just as my vision became glassy. A loud din, like the sound of a geyser exploding sounded in my ear. My eyes shot open to witness the blue-green body of a serpent emerging from the dark depths. When I blinked, the monster was gone. What in Agni? Whatever those things were, whatever was happening to me, I knew I needed to get to the mainland before I perished all alone. I focused my gaze on the rocky shore only a few miles away and blocked out the images in the water. I changed the angle of my feet so that my flames would carry me higher in anything from the sea attacked again. Goose bumps still covered my limbs as I continued to fly.
I entered the city almost the same way we had during the invasion. However, I arrived on the coastal sides, not the Great Gates of Azulon. This angle of attack would allow me to enter without having to tangle with as many guards; pointless fighting would only wear me out and slow me down. I bounded over the large, stone walls surrounding the region and made a mad dash through the city. On the average day, the incline would have made me exhausted, but somehow, I did not grow tired or winded. For the most part, I was focused on where I needed to be and what I needed to do, but then I took a look around my old homeland and what I saw inside shocked me.
People were gathered in the streets, watching the comet slowly draw closer. Some were in awe and others terrified. Rogue benders and other shady types took advantage of their increased fire power and ran a muck, committing thievery and other punishable crimes. Tables and carts were turned over in some areas. Goods littered the ground in others. It was hard to believe that my homeland was allowing such activity to happen, but for some reason, the trouble brewing in the atmosphere led to the bizarre behavior of everyone. It was an oxymoron to say so, but the Capital was in a state of ordered chaos. I took cautious steps forward, but then a nauseous sensation flooded through my insides. My strides were wobbly and I felt as if I were going to toss my cookies. My eyes then caught a worrisome sight inside one of the shops on the street.
Empty, hazel eyes stared at me from yards away. Long, wispy brown hair wavered slightly in the apocalyptic winds. No. It couldn't be. This was impossible. At first, his face was blank, but then an ill-mannered grin took hold of his lips. At the same moment, the pressure I had felt in my temples a while back returned.
'Kari, you don't look so good...' The young man's condescending voice was too much for me. I hurled my fist forward, shooting white fire at the store front. A side shudder burst into flames and I instantly regretted my reactions once I realized I had hit absolutely nothing. I turned on my heels, figuring someone else would put the flames out. I then came face to face with the apparition, and my heart nearly jumped out of my chest.
'I'll always be here Kari, 'The ghostly Quin continued. 'Like a little angel on your shoulder.' The malicious grin continued. 'Or devil...' I gripped the sides of my head tightly and sunk to the earth as the pain warped around my entire skull. It felt as though I were undergoing Fire Nation torture; as if screws were being driven into my head. How was this happening? How had he returned?
"Stay away from me!" I managed to scream, and the force of my shout caused white flames to rise, surrounding my body completely. Despite the discomfort, I raised my head to stare down my antagonist, still from my crouched kneeling position. To my relief, the demon slowly began to evaporate into thin air. I dropped my head back to face the dirt, ready to puke or dry heave. But then, the sensation left me completely as if it were never there to begin with.
"Hey buddy, you okay?" A passerby crouched down and gently nudged my shoulder. He had a circle beard and wore robes of various red shades. I guessed he was a shop owner based on the quality of his wears. "Oh, I'm sorry, miss!" I quickly stood up and barely nodded to the man before taking off again. My equilibrium was still recovering, but no longer did I feel sick. I had to keep moving, I had to get to the palace.
The small number of troops remaining in the nation were preoccupied protecting and also defending from their own citizens. This distraction helped me navigate through the ruckus without being spotted. As I was approaching the royal gates, someone pointed at the colors of my uniform. Three guards were on me in a hot second (no pun intended). There was no time to stop. I side-stepped and stuck my leg out to trip one opponent. Then, after turning my body, I created a white, cone shaped fire-shield which propelled another soldier several feet back. Next, I dropped to the ground, sliding on my side and underneath the last foe. I grabbed his left leg as I went and the moron face planted in the dirt. The momentum I had built up from the scuffle helped me continue on towards the coronation courtyard, where it was hard to miss the on-and-off flares of orange and blue. The fight had already begun.
It wasn't long before I had shot myself over yet another high wall on the palace grounds. I dodge rolled on the ground to break the fall and landed close to Katara. She was okay! Both of us were equally surprised. "Spirits on high!" The tan girl yanked me to my feet while scolding me. "Next time, no last minute change of the game plan! What if something happened to you? How did you even get back here?"
"I flew."
"You what?!" I grabbed the Water Tribe girl close and helped her hit the deck as excess blue flames came speeding our way. This was the second time I had saved the other bender in such a manner and for some reason it made me feel strange. Realizing why I was uncomfortable, I loosened my grip around the water-bender's waist. I lifted my head up from the ground and peered around the environment. It had been over a year since I had last set foot in this place. It still seemed just as dark and ominous. I could never forget the architecture nor design. It felt like home with a square punch to the jaw.
"Agni Kai?" I asked, helping her back to her feet, but my eyes glued to the fighting siblings. It was the only explanation as to why Katara was not helping Zuko.
"She fucking knew we were coming to confront her." The healer was livid. "That's why she challenged him. She knew she couldn't take us all on at once." I gritted my teeth and sighed angrily. The princess had always been crafty. In fact, I should have guessed something like this were to happen. Of course she would sabotage our plan. I had grown up with the bratty royal, it shouldn't have been surprising in the least.
"Fuck." The oh so eloquent expression dropped out of my mouth like a rock. By fire-bender code and creed, an Agni Kai was a duel between two and only two people . Azula knew how proud and honor driven the prince was, and he was so ready to prove he could finally defeat his sister.
"I should have stayed with you guys." I breathed. A large whoosh sounded as fire collided once more. I could have been the one to initiate the duel and no one would have to be hurt or suffer. I couldn't believe Zuko would risk his life and his future. He had to ascend to the throne.
"Yeah, you should have!" Katara shouted over the roar of the flames. The water-bender gazed at the fight again, worry and anticipation written all over her face. Without blinking, she observed the royal siblings brawl. "These duels," Her voice caught my attention. "They're to the death, right?"
I gulped before answering. "More or less." Last time I was lucky. But my luck had a nasty habit of running out at the worst of times.
"Zuko might have regained his bending, but he's no match for Azula." Her words weren't out of spite; they were truth. Zuko had power and drive but Azula seemed born for warfare and nothing else. Even if the brooding teen had learned years worth of skill from the dragons, it wouldn't be enough. Together, the water-bender and I looked on in silence. But I couldn't worry for the scarred prince anymore. He had grown and matured in the time of his banishment. This punishment was the best thing his father had ever done for him. Zuko would prevail and he would come out as the winner.
It didn't take me long to notice something wasn't quite right. Azula's confidence and prowess were there, but something else lacked. Like usual, the princess put her bending to spectacular use. "Wait," I urged Katara. "I think the tides might be turning..."
Azula performed the same technique I was inspired by at the prison; she crafted her flames to act like propellers. The princess zoomed around the arena, surrounded by blue, circling around Zuko and attacking him from all angles. The prince remained stationary compared to her. He carefully planned his actions and waited until she was at a good position. The scarred boy then spun atop the ground, alternating between his arms and legs while spewing large, billowing burst of orange in every direction. One wall was lucky and collided with the side of the princess. My eyes widened once we witnessed Azula lose balance and topple over. She hit the stone not just once but at least three times. The prodigy never made mistakes.
Then, I noticed something strange about the girl's hair. Her usual, perfect bangs were...slanted? It couldn't be. It looked as though someone had carelessly taken a pair of scissors to it. "Her hair..." I breathed, trying to understand what had happened. What in Agni had she done to it? The princess always had such long, beautiful hair.
"It's cut." Katara stated bluntly. "She looked like that when we arrived." I assessed the situation and began piecing together the puzzle.
"Katara, she's not stable." This changed everything. Her attacks weren't planned out the same way as when the princess was sober, but now she was more dangerous; a loose cannon. Anything could happen in this fight. "You need to get out of here. Where's Appa?" I glanced around the arena for the Sky Bison.
"I'm not going anywhere!" The stubborn healer insisted, planting her foot down firmly. I placed my hands on her shoulders and gripped tightly.
"You have no idea what Azula is capable of. Think of what she could do now, in this state." The combination of the comet and the fire-bender's frail mind was not a good mix by any means. The water-bender would never admit it, but there was a twinge of fear in her sapphire eyes. "I don't want you getting hurt." I would never forgive myself if she was injured because of this fight. Katara held my wrists.
"You think I'm going to peace out and let you two get roasted?" The remark was humorous, but I couldn't find it in me to chuckle. "I know what I signed up for today and I'm not giving up on you guys. We're going to take her out together." I sighed. The Water Tribe girl was sounding more and more like an earth-bender with how persistent she was.
"Okay, we're going to find a way to stop the Agni Kai. Then I'm gonna get my glow on and beat the mickey out of her." I cracked my knuckles.
"No." I blinked at the water-bender.
"Huh?" If I didn't tangle with Azula, I knew Katara would want a rematch.
"You can't think like that if you're going to use the White Dragon." I frowned. What did Katara know about any of this? The healer further explained.
"I read your scroll before we landed here."
"Yes, and?" I made a circle gesture with my hand for her to go on.
"Did you read what was on the other side of the parchment?" This was the first time I was hearing of this.
"There's a back side?" Katara smacked her hand to her forehead and groaned. I could tell she was extremely frustrated with not only our situation, but me as well.
"Yes! Listen to me," Her voice held authority. "You cannot rage in this form." Where did this logic come from? I was plenty angry in the catacombs of Ba Sing Se. "From what I read, something awful will happen if you go too far."
"Well what does that mean?" I needed answers fast if we were to be victorious in this hour. Katara raised her arms in the air.
"I don't know! It's not exactly-" The water-bender was then interrupted by the shrieking princess yards away.
"Lightning?! I'll show you lightning!" The threat made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. The princess' hair had fallen out of her topknot and into a tangled mess which ran past her shoulders and down her back. The power-hungry fire-bender went to work, crafting her weapon of electrical malice. The bolts were large and wrapped around her entire body. Never before had I seen a fire-bender have such success with this type of bending. Azula clasped her hands together, both indexes and middle fingers extended. But she hesitated slightly. Angry, golden eyes were suddenly burning into mine as the princess must have discovered my presence. Then I watched in terror as they shifted to Katara.
This cheap shot indicated that Azula was done fighting honorably. I wasted no time. I grabbed the water-bender and pulled her behind me as the princess fired away at us. It did not matter that my arms were preoccupied;I would protect Katara. She would not become injured because of me. Zuko had to have acted at incredible speeds yet in my eyes, the scarred boy seemed to chase the lightning in slow motion. He jumped wide in an attempt to stop the sizzling energy from hitting its target. My limbs were stuck in place and it felt as though I were dreaming but this was no dream. It was a nightmare.
"No!" The prince screamed, catching the bolt in his arms. I held my breath during the duration of the moment. My chest tightened when the boy did not redirect the lightning. My heart then skipped a beat as all I could do was watch my childhood friend sink to the stone ground in an electrocuted ball.
"Zuko..." His name rolled off my tongue like a whisper and it seemed as though my voice was trapped in my throat. "Zuko!" I called out louder the second time. No response came back. The scarred boy only twitched on the ground while sparks lit up around his body. This was just like underground in the crystal catacombs. Only now, there was no spirit water or any other miracle to help our friend. My lower lip trembled and I did not attempt to stop it. I looked to Katara with the intention of barking some order such as 'heal him!' But all the air seemed to vanish from my lungs.
Menacing, cackling laughter rained down upon us. I grunted and raised my gaze up to the princess who was quite pleased with her dirty work. The shrillness rung out against the walls and side structures of the coronation hall. It even filled the insides of my head.
"Well, well." Her mid-range soprano voice only sent chills down my spine. " The traitor and the water wench." I sunk my weight into my heels and deepened my stance.
"Leave her out of this." I clenched my fists and my jaw.
"You ruined my ceremony. I owe you nothing." Was the princess' response.
"Why, Azula? Your own brother?" It took mass amounts of self control to hold back the tears. She and Zuko had never been on good terms. Growing up there had always been fighting in their household. But to do the unthinkable? It still shocked me. The look in her eyes scared me; the fire-bender showed not an ounce of remorse.
"It's my birthright." Her remark sounded like poison. She hurled two blue barrages of fire behind me at Katara who had been in the midst of running to Zuko's aid.
"Take cover!" I hollered to the healer, who complied immediately, seeking refuge behind some tall pillars. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the scarred boy stir on the ground. He was still alive! Thank the spirits! But he was in no condition to keep up the battle. I had to fight for both him and Katara. It was up to me.
"Leave them alone!" I yelled up to the princess who had now taken position a top the thatched roof of an underpass. The fragile minded bender continued to whip both fire and bolts of lightning from up above. We had to move Zuko! If she struck him again, it could be the end for him. "Come down and face me, you coward!" I cupped my hands over my mouth. The princess' golden eyes narrowed instantly and she glared at me. If looks could kill, I would have slowly burned for years. The armor clad girl hopped down from the rooftop abruptly and started towards me.
"How dare you call me a coward, you worthless, pathetic orphan!" Though the venom attached to her words was startling, I ignored her hate-driven insults. As blue fire was hurled at me, I separated the flames in two with kwan soo dos and let the remaining fire evaporate around me. I kicked out a large wave of white which only spread wider the closer it came to the princess. The other fire-bender cleared my technique and charged at me, fist first. After side-stepping, I let the girl brush past me as I pushed her along further. Azula had to dig her boots into the ground to come to a screeching halt. Once facing me again, golden eyes were cold and piercing. I raised my arms up to ready myself for another attack.
"Azula, stop! This has gotten out of control. This is chaos!" I wanted to reason with her. As cross as I was with her and as much anger as I felt, senseless violence was not the answer. The princess' sanity was still there; it was simply hiding.
"No, Kari, this is progress!" Azula insisted, sending crescent-kick after crescent-kick of azure flames my way. I ducked, flipped and dodged the heat, though it felt quite hot under the collar. All those times fighting alongside Aang had come in handy. Over time, I had picked up on some helpful air-bender evasive maneuvers. Unfortunately, I hadn't been quick enough and my sleeves caught ablaze. As fast as I could, I ripped the material off in pieces once I felt the burn seize hold of me. My arms weren't scorched, but blotches of red could be seen on my skin. Now, my tunic was sleeveless.
Now that my arms could breathe, the tension in my shoulders loosened. Perhaps catching on fire was a good thing after all. "Think of all the people that will get hurt. The innocent people who will die!" As I feared, the princess seemed not to mind the death of commoners. They were lesser and unworthy in her eyes.
"Do you honestly think I give a damn about a slew of filthy peasants?" Another fireball grazed my side. I blocked her fire daggers and kept a safe distance from the royal.
"You gave a damn about me!" I reminded Azula. It showed me years ago that the princess did have humanity and compassion. Did she still have those traits today? She knew my true roots were of the Earth Kingdom, and despite my family name I was still lower than a Fire Nation royal. But the prodigy had treated me like an equal, then something more. Had she forgotten this? Erased it from her past?
"You're delusional!" Came the bitter objection from the princess. She executed a ridge-hand and blue spirals temporarily disabled my shield of white. My only option was to jump high and use my bending like a rocket so I wouldn't fry on the ground.
"Am I?" I redirected her statement as I hurtled back down onto the stone. "Am I the delusional one?" A surface wave of white knocked Azula off her feet. The princess scrambled backwards on the stone until she could pull herself up to stand. Her pupils were tiny and I assumed her slightly shocked expression had something to do with the volume of my voice. In all the years I had known her, I had hardly ever raised my voice near her or at her. But was the other warrior right? Quin? The sea monsters? There had to be an explanation of some sort.
"Look at what you've done," I held out my arm towards the rest of the courtyard. Patches of roof and siding lay scattered on the stone. Small groups of orange and blue crackled across the ground. "See what you're doing to yourself." The fire-bender's lip curled into a snarl as she stared me down.
"Why does it matter to you?" My features softened on my face. It mattered because the world was threatened and ripping itself apart; these actions only sped the process along. It meant something to me because the once talented bender before me was destroying herself. The same woman who at one time stopped me from doing the same. There were a hundred reasons why I cared, but at this time I would only choose one and make it count.
"You mock me!" The princess spat, impatient with my non-responsiveness. I shook my head placidly as if I were in a dream-like state. I felt a weight lift off my shoulders as I let the words escape me.
"No. I love you, Azula."
I did. I always had. Even when she had chased us throughout the Earth Kingdom. Even when she nearly killed Aang in Ba Sing Se. The love was blocked by fear. Fear that the princess had grown into someone so ambitious and tyrannical. I was afraid the Azula I once knew was gone forever as her father continued to shape her into his heir. I loved her as the person I knew she could be back when I lived in the Fire Nation. The mischievous little girl I used to feed the turtle-ducks with. I loved her as a dear friend. And I finally admitted to myself that I still felt the same regard towards her that one would feel about a lover. Only then I realized the princess couldn't truly understand this. Because the people in her life who should have shown her unconditional love refused to, leaving her broken and alone.
Golden irises widened and flickered around wildly. I tried to follow the prodigy's gaze but soon became confused. Azula looked back and forth as if she were peering at two individuals instead of one. "No..." Was all she said, almost in a warning tone, before a searing pain ripped through the left side of my mouth. Though mentally compromised, Azula still struck with the speed and accuracy of a snake.
Her nails cut the skin first, followed by the flashing blue jolts surround her wrist and arm which I could see from the edge of my eye. Stinging and burning sensations spread throughout my skull in no more than a second. The nerves in my jaw pinched horribly. I longed to cry out but the feeling was so intense, I nearly fainted. Her hit combined with the lightning was so powerful, I was sent to the stone and was soon seeing stars. I could feel my own blood beginning to pool up by my ear and jaw. The red would soon begin to stain the beige stone underneath me. The static rushed through my head several times causing me to flinch and twitch involuntarily. My left side soon became numb and though I couldn't feel the sticky crimson cover my skin anymore, I could barely see it creeping up my cheek out of the corner of my eye. A horrible, overpowering taste of iron flooded my mouth as well. I tried to spit out as much as I could while beginning to prop myself up by my forearms. How did things sink to this level? How could I have failed?
Too soon, I saw I could have prevented this catastrophe. I could have swayed the princess over to my side while I was still a member of the Fire Nation. It would have taken critical thinking and planning, but it was possible. She cared for me them and perhaps she'd be willing to follow me down my path of destiny. These very moments could have been prevented and no one would have gotten hurt. But the princess was responsible for her own actions just as much as I was my own. Yes, her family made the mistake of neglecting her. Yes, Ozai only raised her for his own gain-which I hated him for. But ultimately, Azula was in control of her fate. And now, she'd either be her own savior or nemesis.
Katara's startled cry was what motivated me to rise. I pushed myself up off the stone despite the stinging in my mouth. I wiped the still spilling blood off of my lips with the back of my hand and gazed upon this new challenge. The fire-bender was now attacking the healer! The blue-eyed girl ran in between columns for shelter as Azula began striking them down with her lightning. Using water from the aqueducts, Katara road a giant wave to escape her opponent. It was strong and powerful, just like the bender. But Azula was right behind her, with a surplus of blue flames that would soon vaporize the water. Even for a bending master like Katara, the princess had too much fire power and too much aggression.
Because of how I had fallen only minutes ago, I had twisted my ankle in the process. I dragged myself along to reach where the two warrior women fought. My pounding heart was the only sound my ears allowed to flow through the canals in my head. Once the tan girl tripped over some grates, I forced myself to break into a run despite my foot. Why isn't she getting back up?! Katara seemed distracted by whatever lay under the grates. But why?
"Katara! Look out!" I did my best to holler and warn my teammate of the impending doom behind her.
"You again!" The soaked princess snarled, momentarily forgetting about the Water Tribe girl and giving me all her focus. Good! Right where I want you! I dived over the stretch of neon blue that was aimed at my mid section. As I descended, I tucked my legs in so I could land a roll across the stone and onto the metal where Katara stood. I planted myself in between the opposing benders and ironically, my exes as well. "Protecting your new girlfriend?" The insult felt more like a slap. If Katara wasn't rolling her eyes or dragging her nails across her face, she was handling it better than I was.
"Have a field day with me," I raised my arms up in defensive positions. "Take out everything on me. But do not touch her." I wanted to make it crystal clear that Katara was no longer part of this grudge-match. I exhaled, allowing my chi to build up inside. Golden eyes twinkled maliciously.
"As you insist!" The princess eagerly lunged at me, index and middle finger extended on her right. I moved in quickly as well, left arm reading to upper-cut block her strike and go in with a hammer-fist, but then something miraculous happened.
Water underneath the grates enveloped us thanks to Katara. The princess and I stared at one another with wide eyes once we figured out we couldn't move. The water-bender had crafted her trap so that we were encased in loose ice. Looking down, I noticed Azula's hand was only mere inches away from my heart. She was aiming to kill, and the epiphany struck me harder than any steam engine Fire Nation train. I would be dead that very moment, had it not been for the guardian angel from the Southern Tribe. Katara moved gracefully around us, snaking in between the fire-bender and myself in her own bubble of water. She grabbed Azula's arms and pulled them behind her back. Next, she dragged the prodigy down to the ground where she began tying steel-link chains around the princess' wrists and the metal grates below. Genius! Eventually, Katara released us all from the icy water prison. Between the three of us, there was a giant coughing fit. Water wasn't supposed to fill our lungs after all. I was drenched to the bone but the coolness of the water soothed the burns on my arms. After making sure Azula wasn't going anywhere, Katara raced over to Zuko yards away and turned him over. I could relax now that I knew my best friend was in good hands and being taken care of.
In front of me, I could see the angry fire-bender's chest rise and fall heavily despite the armor. She struggled against her restraints, which rattled loudly, and growled as she did so. I kept my arms up in a ready position just in case. The metal didn't seem to be made of platinum or anything special. If Azula was angry enough, I was sure they'd melt away. But the princess fought with only her natural brawn. In a twisted way, it was refreshing to see her kneeling there, stuck, at a disadvantage. She had caused so much damage over the last half-year and for once it was nice to see the tables turned. However, I felt more relieved than anything. Relieved that I didn't have to fight with her anymore. Relieved that she had finally been subdued.
"Stop." I said, though it sounded more like a command. Perhaps an order I would once give to my officers when I was in charge of troops. The ever so persistent prodigy only scowled at me as she continued to fight against the chains. It pained me more to see her in this state; denial, submission. I had never wanted it to come to this. Surely she must have known that. Even now, trapped and doused, the bender of the blue flames looked about ready to take on an entire army. I admired this trait of hers. She would keep fighting until the very end.
"Please," My tone softened significantly and out of nowhere I felt a sudden swarm of emotion hit me hard. "We won." My voice felt thick in my throat and for some odd reason, a stinging sensation began in the corners of my eyes. I had to stop myself before I choked on my own words. "And Aang has won." I spoke on behalf of the Avatar. I felt certain and confident in the thought of the monk's victory. Uncle Iroh had been right; fate was on our side that day. "It's over now." One-hundred years of senseless violence and in this hour it was all resolved. "This ends here." These dueling grounds would be forever committed to memory, though no benign emotions would be linked to them. This day marked the dawning of a new era, as well as the end of the tyrannical rein of the Fire Nation. All the while she looked at me, Azula never once blinked. She only stared at me hatefully. But then, the royal closed her eyes and hung her head, accepting defeat.
The moment was foreign and alien to me. This was the first time in what seemed like forever where the princess surrendered. I could only imagine what she could be feeling; hurt, discouraged, agitated, disappointed? Maybe none of the above. Perhaps something new. It saddened me in a way, to witness Azula stand down. It was so unlike her and so out of character, it didn't seem real. But the fire-bender understood warfare and knew her battles. She saw the folly of continuing to brawl and acknowledged she was outmatched. Though the woman was shrewd and intense, she still possessed her wisdom.
The image before me seemed like a scene from a book I might have read as a child. The cloudy, blood-red sky and the once great warrior fallen under a golden archway. It was strangely beautiful. Dark and haunting, but beautiful. The swirling winds only intensified the moment, and I refused to care as my hair began to shift in the direction the air traveled. I sighed heavily, frowned, and then closed my eyes in sorrow. Azula had so much skill, power and ability. What a shame it had been used for malice, control and to instill fear in the lives of others. Her family had hurt her. Ruined her. They had allowed her to become the spitting image of her father and then shamed her for doing so. Her mother gave up too quickly, her uncle never bothered and Zuko resented her entirely. And Ozai- I exhaled sharply- Ozai used her as a weapon. So proud of his little girl for conquering cities and kingdoms in his name. So happy she could succeed when Zuko failed. His love was pathetic and conditional. The Firelord only cared about the use his daughter would be to him. It was only a matter of time until she'd become a tool no longer needed. As I turned away from her, I could almost hear Azula's voice in the back of my head, ordering, 'Don't pity me.'
Zuko was now sitting once I reached him and Katara in the middle of the courtyard. The water-bender had worked on his injury just in time; the boy might have been a goner if more time slipped by. The scar across his eye would have a matching one on his chest, but it was a small price to pay for his life and the saving of ours. I held onto the prince's hand tightly. He gripped back and his eyes were full of gratefulness.
"Thank you." His voice was a little gravely and it was clear he still needed time to recover properly. "Both of you." The healer had done more than I. She healed Zuko with regular water-not the supply from the Spirit Oasis. Katara alone deserved the praise. After leaving the scarred boy in my care, Katara began to extinguish the remaining fires which burned in small groups around us in the courtyard.
"I wouldn't have made it without either of you." The older boy continued as I protested his statement.
"You would have done fine. You could have beaten her without us there. I know you could have. She wouldn't have had the opportunity to fight dirty. It would have been fair then." With no ways of cheating, Azula would have lost the Agni Kai the traditional way. The corners of Zuko's lips turned up and this warmed my heart, for the prince hardly smiled like these in years.
"Where's...where's the fun in that?" He teased dryly. I was so caught off guard that I hit him gently in the shoulder. I was so relieved he was alive and well. As a child, Zuko had been the closest thing to a brother. And even now that I had been reunited with my blood-sibling, I would always consider the prince to be family. If I lost him too, well, I didn't know what I would do-so I tried hard not to exercise that thought.
"Come on, you," I wrapped an arm around his back and placed his arm over my shoulder. "Time to plan your coronation." It was going to be an exciting celebration. Things were looking up for the world and Zuko would finally assume his rightful place. My knees were bent as I helped him to his feet. Then, a worrisome voice flooded back into my ear canals.
"You've always had a nasty habit of underestimating me." All six eyes were on the rugged princess who had made herself heard once more. At first, I thought the statement was directed at me, but then I wondered if perhaps she was accusing her brother as well. "I find it rather insulting." Her golden eyes were suddenly stable and once more showed signs of plotting and calculating. She seemed a bird of prey, ready to strike. My heart beat fast behind my chest plate; there was not telling what would happen next. The confidence behind her words were what frightened me the most. Though Azula was still crouched down and restrained, she spoke as though she had the upper hand.
I hardened my gaze, trying to prove the royal was no threat to us. What was she up to now? Would she try to snake her way out of this with smooth and delicate wording? Not likely. I may have been mesmerized by this skill years ago, but not now. Katara was closest to Azula, but not once did she look at the fire-bender. Perhaps she was so infuriated with the princess that she decided not to acknowledge her existence. My gut tightened once I understood the royal knew something we didn't.
Clouded, yellow eyes lifted to meet mine of grey. "You've taken everything from me." Her tone was harsh and guttural. "Mark my words, Sankari, I will destroy what is most precious to you." I didn't dare question her statement, for it was a promise. My eyes made the mistake of darting over to the water-bender for a split second.
Katara looked at me with a curious gaze, as if to wonder why I was so concerned. Out of the corner of my eye, the princess rose and melted shackles clinked onto metal below. My heart was in my throat. In an instant, the fire-bender sprung at her target index and pointer fingers extended. The shade of blue sparking from Azula's fingertips nearly matched the hue of the water-bender's frightened eyes. Time seemed to halt for a fraction of a second as I held my breath and thousands of thoughts flooded my mind.
How could I have loved someone so cruel? So full of hate? How could I have given my heart to someone who would sooner destroy her family and leave others for dead than lose? For so long, I convinced myself that Azula was lost and hurt. Her brutality was learned and her upbringing shaped her aggression. But these were all excuses crafted in my own mind; so that I didn't feel guilty for standing by. I understood then, people could be born bad and little to nothing would be able to change that simple fact. My faith in the princess faltered. It was in her nature to kill. She had to be taken down for her, and everyone else's own good. I suddenly felt a great force fling me forwards and my instincts called to fight...
Katara's POV
I had been a fool to think I could stop Azula, let alone with scrap metal. I had been banking on her instability to win the battle, but in the end, it proved stronger than we realized. My arms were at my side, about to gather water when the princess attacked. There was little chance I'd come out of this one unscathed, but I followed through with my movements; I'd be damned if I went down without a fight.
Close your eyes. My subconscious mind knew that even f I could defend in time, my water would only act as a conductor for the bolts headed my way. One second, I was staring crackling, blue death in the face. The next, navy and white came to my rescue.
Somehow, Karuna had intercepted the attack. She had moved with a speed I had never before seen. I felt like Sokka for thinking so, but it seemed almost like...magic. My friend's hand clamped down on the princess' and the lightning sizzled violently between their wrists.
"You'll kill us both!" There was a slight edge in Azula's tone which I found ironic. Hadn't the maddened royal meant to vanquish us? But she was right; the lightning needed a path to follow.
"I'm counting on it." Karuna bit back, only her normal alto-ranged tone had deepened and was distorted. The White Dragon? Had she transformed? I couldn't see a physical...but then my eyes trailed to her outline where it appeared as though a white mist followed her like a shadow. Her movements were beautiful graceful, yet meaningful and full of power. Just like a spirit. It had to be.
Karuna threw Azula backward with a strong push and struck the ground with the leftover energy stored up in her arm. Smoke and tephra rose from the stone in front of her. Black soot littered the ground meters around and there was a hole in the center. I backed away out of fear. From the looks of it, the courtyard might not still be there by the time this match was through.
The princess' agility had returned. It seemed unreal due to the beating she had received earlier. Karuna was just as quick and quicker still, countering strikes with blocks-which acted as blows themselves. For every move the fiery royal made, Karuna was easily three steps ahead. Azula would think she found and opening when in reality, she had given herself in to target. It must have been an enlightening moment for the strategist, to be the underdog this time. Things were not going her way and still the princess would not accept defeat.
"We need to leave," I turned to see Zuko limping towards me. I was instantly at his side to stabilize him. "I remember the last time she transformed." That's right! It had happened once before during our escape from Ba Sing Se! "It's going to get ugly." I stopped the prince from inching any further. Appa could wait. There was still a war to win.
"Which is why we have to stay." I countered. "We need to make sure they don't blow each other up."
"I wouldn't mind if Azula does." The melancholy teen muttered.
"What about Karuna?" Zuko's expression changed to one of remorse once I looked at him sternly. It was a gaze I often used on Sokka and it screamed 'maternal.' "What about our friend?" The scarred boy nodded his head after several moments of contemplation. He was aware now, as well as the rest of my companions, that I would never turn my back on people who needed me.
Azula was crouched down in the center of the courtyard with a palm against the stone for balance. Her shoulders rose and fell in shallow breaths. She was exhausted, and it was only a matter of time before she dropped. Her eyes were sharp and narrowed at her opponent yards away. Karuna held her composure well, and would look peaceful, even, if it wasn't for the mystical features surrounding her. White eye sockets appeared blank and lifeless. Any spectator would have sworn the warrior was possessed. Perhaps she was. And perhaps Aang would be as well. The spirits work in mysterious ways.
The princess scowled at her unmoving adversary, gold eyes full of scorn. "Go on then, kill me!" She challenged. Was this her way of giving up? Karuna subtly rooted her firm stance and raised her arms mid-level for protection. The battle-crazed royal lunged at our friend with an arm full of azure flames. Karuna calmly turned her body away so it was parallel with Azula's. She grabbed the princess' wrist and pulled down while she kicked the other fire-bender's shin up. Azula's kinetic energy was used against her and she hurtled at the stone below. The prodigy twisted to her side so only her right half skidded across the ground. The noise was like hearing someone rub together sandpaper.
"Stand down." Karuna ordered. Her voice held great authority. Despite the odds, the princess kept going.
"You're weak!" Zuko's sister spat, though the insult seemed to bounce right off the dual-bender. "And soft! Just like my failure of an uncle," I had to retrain the prince from intervening. His fists were clenched and his teeth grit. "And your traitorous father." Karuna's head tilted ever so slightly in the direction of the princess. Her jaw barely dropped a centimeter or so. White sockets changed from wisdom to wonder. Something was beginning to unravel in the warrior woman's mind. I knew that look all too well.
"No..." Zuko's tone was low and almost questioning. His pupils darted back and forth between the two women. "Kari..." His sorrowful look lead me to believe he knew something I didn't. What had I missed? Then Azula dropped the bomb.
"What a shame to waste such a perfectly good vessel." Karuna's father was an official in the Fire Nation navy...Oh gods...oh spirits no. For mere seconds, our friend's grey eyes returned. They conveyed every ounce of agony and damage she had ever endured. Simply gazing into them was enough to drive one to tears. I reached an epiphany then and my own stomach was in knots. Karuna turned away from all of us and remained eerily still. Her shoulders raised then lowered placidly one final time.
"I think I'll take you up on that offer." Her voice did not crack or waver once. Her sound was even and near monotone. The tone would forever haunt us.
Karuna swung her body around and struck her right heel against the stone. The move sent a fast surface wave at the princess. Before Azula could fully assess the situation, Karuna propelled herself forward and struck hard with both arms. The other fire-bender's jaw and stomach were targeted and she was sent back several meters. The princess' mouth was bloodied and crooked once she lifted her head from the stone. Azula crafted blue fame in hand to defend herself but it was soon vanquished by larger ones of...red! Azula fell backwards again, thumping across the ground. Now that Karuna was at an angle, we could see the change in her eyes from white to crimson!
"Oh no!" I cried. It was exactly as what I had read and foreseen. Karuna had succumb to rage. The ghostly, white outline around her body was now replaced with fiery red. To witness her use this fighting technique was extraordinary and breathtaking. But now, it was only terrifying.
Azula staggered after picking herself back up. With the strength still inside her, the princess readied herself for the next attack. She somehow evaded a cone of red which expanded in a spiral and began to draw close to the other warrior. Karuna pivoted sideways on her heels, waiting for the royal to be close enough. Quick as lightning, the dual-bender grabbed the back of Azula's head and smashed her into the column of earth raised just to the left. The crunch must have been painful, for the princess cried out for a split second before losing her wind. Karuna struck down fast with a powerful elbow which sent Azula down fast. It was a wonder the princess didn't black out.
"Karuna!" I called out to my friend. We couldn't allow her to continue this way. Nothing good would result from this fight. There was no response, so I cupped my hands around my mouth and tried again. "Karuna! Stop!" I couldn't tell if she was ignoring me or really couldn't hear my voice.
The grey eyed warrior trapped the princess back against the stone with what looked like a stone bridge over her stomach, keeping her flush against the ground. Karuna turned over a slab of rock in her hands which could have easily weighed three times Momo. No, she's not going to...She couldn't. I refused to believe it. The girl who had shared how proud of me she was for not seeking revenge for my mother.
"She's..." Zuko seemed nearly speechless. "She's gonna kill her..." He was barely audible at first. "She's going to kill her!" Then, the edge in his voice sounded almost frantic and his fingers covered his mouth. "How do we stop her?" My eyes were glued to the scene before me. I had no answer. Could I step in? Would her wrath be redirected onto me?
What convinced me to finally take a stand was Azula's eyes. It was like gazing at a trapped animal; someone who didn't want to die. We weren't spirits. We weren't gods. We had no right to take life whenever we saw fit.
"Karuna, no! You can't!" I raced forward, water pouch at the ready. I would not allow any more tragedies on my friend's conscience. The warrior girl turned her body sharply to face me, smoke puffing out of her nostrils. Her left arm made a clearing motion and all of a sudden, a line of stone in front of me began glowing red. Huh? I stopped short once the ground cracked, revealing a searing, viscous substance of red, yellow and orange.
My eyes widened as I gasped. This...this was something I didn't could be done. Was this some strange extension of her fire-bending? How could her abilities encompass volcanic ones? I was suddenly brought back months ago to the dangerous mountain overlooking Aunt Wu's village.
"Wait your turn." Karuna growled, showing her enlarged canines and incisors. Every moment, her appearance morphed more and more into that of a dragon. The voice was no longer our friend's. It was malevolent and filled with fury.
There was no time for distractions or higher thinking. If we didn't act fast, there would be one more death in this war and our friend would be lost for good. It was doubtful that my water could smother the lava, but perhaps ice would be a better adversary. The water molecules swirled in a circular pattern as I executed the familiar form. But soon, I noticed that Zuko beat me to it.
The prince was able to enter the fire from a different angle. "Kari," His tone was gentle and pleading. "I'm asking you, please don't do this." Karuna knelt over the princess, slab secured in her right hand. She didn't give him more than a second glance before returning her attention to the princess. The scarred boy inched forward slow, as to not provoke attack. "Kari, you don't want to do this." More lava spurted from newly made cracks in the stone in between the two. Karuna's red eye sockets narrowed and were filled with hate.
"Put it down," Zuko coaxed, making complete eye contact with her. "I want to help her." His words came as a shocker to me as well. I knew deep down, the prince never wanted this sort of demise for his sister. He would always love her, despite her negative traits. "And I know you do too." Karuna turned away from him and raised the slab high above her head. Down below, Azula looked about ready to cry. I couldn't feel anything but terror and sympathy on her behalf; given her circumstance, I would likely do the same in her shoes. But oddly enough, the princess looked more amazed than strictly terrified.
Somehow, the prince kept his cool during the whole interaction. "I came back to you, Kari." The warrior's grip on the boulder was so hard, the rock should have exploded into tiny pieces. Zuko held out his hands to his dear friend. In a fluid motion, Karuna swung down in hammer-fist form with her primitive weapon. "Now I need you to return to me."
A miraculous bright light appeared for a split second, and when we could gaze again, it seemed as though the impossible happened. Karuna had ceased motion and the slab remained frozen in the midst of the strike, inches above Azula's forehead. The princess had been flinching, preparing for the worst. But now, the fire-bender looked up with glassy, golden eyes in confusion. The glow surrounding Karuna had faded in hue to an innocent white. Our friend eventually retreated and the bright light disappeared from her eyes.
Karuna's POV
I remembered feeling wrath. My skin felt white hot and yet cold at the same time. Either my brain was moving at the speed of light or I really was capable of reaching such high intervals of movement. What pulled me back to reality was the interference of a higher power. There was an explosion of light which distracted me from my current goal. When I tilted my head I saw a convergence of...galaxies swirling above me. A majestic creature, the color of bone came down from the heavens to gaze upon me. A dragon.
The moment was gone after only a few seconds. What was that? The last thing that I could exactly recall was the moment I hit my breaking point. Azula had went too far...Azula! Oh no. What had I done?
I blinked, taking my environment back in. The coronation court did not only have scorch marks, but large chunks of stone were moved around from the brawl. My friends appeared to be relieved and the princess was still struggling to free herself from her rock restraint. Glancing at the trap, I realized I had tried to hurt her. And after I was going to hurt my friends too. I could see their faces, though they were blurred. But the only voice which wasn't jumbled was...Zuko's.
My hands shook down at my sides and a loose tear rolled down my cheek. Then, a familiar scent filled my nostrils. Zuko always smelled like a campfire, and I found this simile to be comforting in this time. I imagined telling stories around the gentle flames as a child. The prince's embrace was protective and calming. I could admit, in this hour, I was not as strong as per usual. Zuko helped cover for me.
"It's okay." His normal gruff voice sounded softer and almost paternal. "You did it. We did it." Even though the scarred boy was recovering himself, he helped me over to Katara. The first thing she was most likely to care for were the burns on my forearm. The water-bender looked overjoyed and relieved that we had made it out alive. The blue eyed bender took strides towards us, about to initiate a group hug, when her pupils dilated and her mouth was a gap.
I stopped short, planting my left foot firmly against the stone. I closed my eyes, listening to the Earth underneath me. This was a technique I had learned from Toph some time ago. Slight vibration waves reached the bottom of my foot and I sensed movement several meters behind me. My ears were next in taking in obscure detail. In the slight distance, I heard a whizzing, growing louder and nearer; the sound of a projectile cutting through the air.
My fingers quickly summoned the stone below to protect them. Mere seconds later, I caught an eight-sided throwing star, which chipped my rock gloves once I had grabbed onto it. I twisted around as I wound up my right arm. My anger and irritation suddenly flooded back and I soon saw the weapon hurtling back in the direction it came from.
Azula cried out and clutched her shoulder shortly after the flat, steel blades pierced through her armor (and I assumed skin). It then continued on behind her, eventually clanking to a halt on the ground.
My body began to feel faintly numb, indicating it wasn't just me controlling my limbs anymore. Using my earth-bending, I launched forward at the unstable woman. She raised her arm to strike me, but I caught the move at her wrist. "You're not going to hurt anyone else!" It wasn't a threat. It was a promise.
I struck the princess' inner bicep and outer forearm with my fists, following through with an opposite directional push. The small crack alerted me this target was done. With a downward side-kick, I drove my right foot into her left knee. The snap I heard was considerably louder than the previous. I quickly shifted positions to evade a weak attack. After gliding past her strike, I grabbed her left arm. I turned it elbow down, pulled down by the wrist and pushed up with my shoulder. Pop! Then, I sent a powerful hook-kick to her right shin. Instantly, the princess' stance buckled. I aided her fall by pivoting back and pushing on her chest-plate. Though in my mind, my strategy played out slow like in a dream, I knew in reality my course of actions occurred in only seconds.
Azula's wind must have left her again because no words nor sound escaped her lips. She lay on her back, gazing up at the darkened sky. She lifted her neck eventually, and began with her torso next. The scowl on her face was replaced with a hard epiphany. "What..." Her movements were a limited mess of urgency and pain. Once she realized she could not utilize her limbs, her panic mode switched on. "What did you do to me?!" The princess shrieked, painfully struggling to obtain control-any control at all. The fire-bender looked like a wounded animal crying out. Her last resort was to do what she did best; fire-bend. Only now, the flames could only come from one place. The breath.
The blue shot out from her mouth but the path was irregular. She wasn't able to target anything in particular now. Azula tried again and again, breathing out gusts of azure but to no avail. The royal had managed to turn on her side, but she couldn't rely on her arms to prop her up. The princess finally seemed to understand she had lost.
Azula was now in hysterics. She had been defeated by her brother and friends and her greatest source of power had been taken. All the princess ever knew was victory and triumph. The prodigy was not accustomed to losing. Especially not to this degree.
I couldn't bear to look at her. I couldn't gaze upon sorrowful and agonizing tears. This was meant to be for her own good, but the more I reflected, I doubted my actions. In this situation, I did what I did best. I walked away. I continued, despite Zuko and Katara calling out after me. And eve, despite my Sky Bison friend looking at me with soulful eyes. When I approached the sidewall, I pulled my arms apart, creating my own exist from the stone. I stepped through the opening and fled like a coward.
From such elevation, I could see the land descending for miles ahead of me. The ocean waves were not smooth and gentle. Was this what victory felt like? This stinging pain in the midst of your chest? The swirling winds which made my hair stir in all directions were the same ones responsible for the storms brewing above the harbor. What if all of this was for nothing? What if Aang couldn't stop the Firelord? How long would the comet go on for? Our efforts would be in vain. The stories of this phenomenon didn't do the event any justice. Once balance was restored, I pictured clear, blue skies and a strong feeling of hope through the air. All I saw when I peered over the horizon, was desolate future filled with fire and blood. Though we trained and fought and prayed, nothing could have prepared us for this day.
Somehow, I wound up staring into the koi pond I so frequently visited as a kid. The Cherry Blossom Tree had no pedals to shed, and the fish had disappeared from the water. My safe haven reflected what I was feeling on the inside; wilting, fading, irrelevant. Even this tranquil spot began to feel less and less like home. Looking down at my image in the few ripples heightened my sadness. I looked at the scrapes, burns and dirt smudges which littered my face and body. What good was this? This constant brawling. In the end, no one would truly win.
A searing headache sprouted from the base of my neck and worked its way up. There was this loud din in my ears; like a cringe-worthy frequency. My vision began to split and soon I was seeing multiple frames of the same vision plane. "Gah!" I gripped my skull with both hands in fear it would be pulled apart. My temples felt the most pressure build up and I was fearfully waiting for something to pop. I ripped at the grass around my knees, desperately searching for something stable to latch on to.
"You can't handle the power, can you?" For a millisecond, I forgot about my pain and focused solely on Quin's voice. The sound echoed and bounced around the insides of my head. So much so, that it felt the whole world ought to hear him.
"What a shame," The voice was layered and parts seemed to repeat certain inflictions and phrases. "I suspected you of all people would be more...resilient."
With my palms flat on the grass, I lowered my head. "Get. Out!" I growled, trying to flush his memory away. This wasn't real. Quin was just a figment of my imagination.
"You will never be strong enough, Sankari."
"Leave me!"
"You will never be able to stop the raging wars and death unto others."
"Shut up!" He didn't exist. My subconscious had brought him back for reasons unknown. I remembered from my research years ago, that Sozin's comet had affects on fire-benders, particularly powerful ones, that made others question their sanity. These effects included severe fatigue, temperament flares and powerful hallucinations.
"Am I a hallucination?" The voice seemed to be reading my mind. It sounded as if it were coming from the pond now. I leaned down to peer into the body of water. My reflection now showed me with white sockets and mist outlining my frame. Is this...? Was this how I appeared to others in the form? The image captivated me and I discovered the closer I drew to the water, the less my head throbbed. I carefully reached out a finger to touch the other me. The moment my skin made contact with the surface, a hand from underneath submerged and grasped my wrist tight. White eyes glowed red. I opened my mouth to scream, but was soon dragged into the murky depths.
Zuko found me passed out under the Cherry Blossom Tree. At least, that's what Katara had told me. I was sweating and my body time seemed higher than usual. The prince carried me all the way down to the shoreline, to cool me off. Katara wasn't able to come to my aid at first, as she was taking care of the roaring fires still raging through the capital city. I remember feeling a more gentle breeze caress my skin and the warmth from a yellow sun poking through grey clouds. The blue from the atmosphere was slowly coming back and a faint smile made its way onto my lips. It was the same placid grin I gaze up at the young man with during his coronation.
The Earth Kingdom rejoiced once the war was over. My friends and I celebrated in Ba Sing Se inside Uncle Iroh's new teashop, The Jasmine Dragon. The older man was perfectly content and right at home with his booming business. Zuko seemed more than happy to visit as well as assist when his uncle needed it. It was a little funny at first, seeing them and even Mai in various shades of green. But, in the end, it turned out to be a good color for them.
It was incredible, seeing the capital so alive and joyous. There were tea lights, streamers, confetti in nearly every household and block. Family, friends and neighbors all gathered together for this momentous occasion. I wondered how excited the rest of the world must be as well; to have peace and prosperity be restored to all.
Zuko passed around some nice, hot tea for everyone to enjoy. Even my cousin accepted a cup from her comfy spot atop a table. Mai and Suki were engaged in a friendly game of Pai Sho, and Uncle Iroh serenaded us with the Tsungi Horn.
"Guys! Stop moving I'm trying to capture the moment." Sokka was getting snippy at us for ruining his mural he had been working on for he past half hour and it was hard to take him seriously due to his lack of skill. We all took turns teasing the Water Tribe boy but after a while I noticed Aang was missing. A quick glance around the shop confirmed Katara was also not present. A heavy sigh escaped my lips for a moment before I stared down into the hot cup in my hands. Their lives were different from mine and would lean them on their own path. It still hurt, but I couldn't hold on to this feeling. In truth, there were so many emotions pent up inside me, yet on the outside I appeared to be a blank slate- how Mai used to seem. I wanted to leave, yet I dreaded going. But, I looked around at everyone so happy and here I was not. I frowned again, staring deeply into my tea, wondering what I should do.
"Why'd you put Karuna in a dress?" Suki questioned her boyfriend. Toph snickered from her table top.
"She's gonna kill you, snoozles."
"It's not a dress!" Sokka protested, pointing furiously at his artwork. "That's supposed to be her robe. Karuna, tell 'em it's a robe-" The blue eyed boy glanced up from his parchment and must have realized I had already gone.
I had already gathered my knapsack from Appa earlier that day, in preparation. I kept fighting the urge, but it seemed this would be the only solution to my restlessness. I had disappeared into the living space of the teashop and changed out of my formal robes and back into street clothes. A russet pair of slacks and a green and yellow tunic would do the trick. I could blend in easily and no one would be the wiser. A husky, mid-soprano tone voice stopped me as my hand grasped the handle for the back door.
"Sankari..." It was Mai. Her pea-green and white garments were a nice change from her usual maroon and black ones. There was a frown on her lips, and though we had been close friends growing up, it still came a shocker to me to see her so openly display emotion. "What are you..." Her eyes drifted to my bag slung over my shoulder. "Where are you going?"
I sighed deeply and closed my tired eyes for a moment. "I don't know." It was an honest answer. There was no plan in my head or strict schedule even. "I d-don't belong here." I found myself confessing and for a second, I felt choked up. "I need to go away." Was this my great fear? Being a failure? Being irrelevant? I didn't know. These days, it seemed I never knew. And this lack of knowledge, this lack of understanding was what frightened me.
The former assassin blinked, eyes filled with more than just concern. "Kari, please don't-" It seemed the Fire Nation woman feared the worst.
"Not forever," I reassured my friend. "I just need time. I need to...to find me." The words would most likely seem a confusing jumble to anyone else, but to Mai it made perfect sense. "It looks like I'm taking my own life-changing field trip." Mai momentarily quirked her eyebrow and I realized she wouldn't get the joke. The raven haired girl dismissed her confusion altogether and closed the space in between us with a warm hug.
"Do what you have to. I want you to get better." I held her tight, thankful that she was the one counseling me at this time. "Don't disappear like last time." I nodded my head once we let go of one another.
"Tell everyone I'll see them again eventually." I grasped the door handle again and turned.
"I will." Mai promised. "And Kari?" I stopped, already three-quarters out the threshold. "You will always belong here." For a short time, the feeling of dread and hopelessness vanished from my being. If I was naïve enough, I might have been persuaded to stay.
"Thank you, Mai."
There were enough resources in my knapsack to get me by for a while. I had packed rations and there was still left over money from our previous adventures. Most of it was Fire Nation money, but I had quite a few Earth Kingdom coins as well. But somehow, I had been lying to Mai and myself when I promised I wouldn't disappear.
I had lost track of time in my travels. I knew it had been more than a few weeks but I wasn't certain how many days. It was easier for me to measure the time when I had solid numbers to go by. The air was a bit cooler and the leaves began to change color. These observations lead me to believe fall was approaching. I did my best to avoid large towns and well known roads. This endeavor was meant to be taken on my own without the aid or accompaniment of others. For many days I traveled by foot, but in some cases I asked to tag along with some local merchants and traders as long as they were going North as well. After many weeks of following quiet, country roads, I came across a beautiful forest at the edge of a vast field. Everything about nature calmed me and filled me with joy, so of course I was drawn to it.
I decided to hike up a subtle slope I found inside the wood, after trekking through it for quite some time. The wildlife within was incredible to watch and here I felt more connected to the Earth than anywhere else in my life. A beautiful Blue Jay soared up into a higher perch in a large tree to the right of me. Several deer-dogs scurried awayy in the distance. This place was so filled with life that it was a cruel irony why I had decided to come here.
My footsteps halted once I finally decided on a good area. The ground was flat and clean, save for a few twigs which had fallen. No leaves had fallen in this specific spot either. From out of my bag, I pulled a small, dirtied, blue blanket. I had used it to sleep out under the stars in past weeks. I placed in on the grass in front of me, and it acted as a sort of mat. From my hip, I unhooked the sheath of my tanto and lay it down on the top of the blanket. I raised my arms and slide my tunic over my head, leaving myself in only my pants and chest-bindings. After tossing my clothing onto my knapsack, I knelt on the blanket, facing the tanto.
A deep breath escaped my lungs and I felt the air rush out of my body. My skin felt cold and tingly. I slowly reached for the weapon in front of me and unsheathed the blade. The tingling heightened and throughout my stomach a feeling of butterflies began. But they were not benevolent. I held the handle tightly and kept it at my right side, adjacent to my hip as I regulated my heartbeat. Just breathe. I told myself. Soon you'll be free. My decision was not selfish, I told myself. This would be for my friends, who I could never imagine turning on. This would benefit all those who I might have hurt in the future. And lastly it would save me from the trauma and heartbreak of all the malice and destruction I would be responsible for.
I raised the tanto up, ready to plunge down with the speed of the gods combined. My muscles tightened and I could feel this sinking sensation down to my bones. When I closed my eyes, I immediately wished I hadn't. Visions of my friends greeted me. My mind showed me the memories we shared together. Our triumphs. Our defeats. It was so detailed that I almost felt them there with me. I'm sorry. I would never get the chance to say these words to them. I wasn't strong enough. Tears streamed down the sides of my face when my mind decided to show me Toph. Please be strong without me. In hurried desperation, I gathered the power to pull the blade down.
Running. A beautiful garden. A little blind girl, laughing with joy from being tickled. A warm, comforting embrace from a man in black and red. The peaceful koi pond. A handsome young rouge with a liking to wheat grass. Earth-bending. Sameer. Crackling, blue, lightning. Riding a Sky Bison. The thankful villages we visited. Avatar State. Raiden, standing so proud and tall. Golden eyes. Sapphire eyes.
A blinding, white nearly overpowered my retinas. It felt as though I were out of my body entirely. My eardrums should have bled from the sound which accompanied it; like the heavens had opened up to a new roaring atmosphere. In that flashback, it confirmed what I had seen the night of the comet had been true. A magnificent creature of radiant light appeared to me again from some strange void. There were swirling and dancing colors of blue, green and purple behind it. It was mystical, enticing and wondrous. But what was it, and why had it come to me?
When I opened my eyes, I looked down to see that my skin and burned the knife a quarter-inch down the blade. Not a scratch was made on my abdomen. My heartbeat pounded in my ears and cool sweat had begun to form on my forehead. What was that vision? That beast? I needed to know.
I threw my dagger down at the base of a tree and rose. Suddenly, I was convinced that my previous actions would not have changed a thing. Enlightenment would be my only savior. Through the trees, a beam of light shone down as if guiding me towards something. I took my chances and followed the the rays up the slope. Later, I would come back for my belongings.
I continued up the path it painted for me in yellow, weaving in and our of trees when at last, the land became flat again. As I stood on the forest plateau, what lay ahead took my breath away. An incredible temple of white marble lay vacant and abandoned. There were vines which decorated the stone, but this environmental intrusion earned no disgust from me. The sight of the ruins lifted my spirit tremendously. A relieved smile soon brightened the features of my face. Yes, this would do. This would become my sanctuary.
Hopefully I'll have the chance to do more writing over this short break. Please read and review! Critiques, criticisms, anything! Thank you!