A/N: Hello! Back with a new updat ya'll! I'm super proud of this one- I probably did not take as much time as I shoud have to proofread, so there are bound to be lots of errors, I know- BUT I am extreamly happy with how it turned out, and it leads super nicely into the next chapter I have planned (Get ready for pure fluff scenarios between ALL the ships!) Anyway, I'm just slightly in love with this one, yes? (I literally almost cried when writing about Azula, I just triggered my own feels ugh!) And I hope you all love it too!
Speaking of love- I love reading everything you guys are saying about my story so far- it's so encouraging, thank you so so so much! *HAPPY SUEAL-FANGIRL MODE!* YAY! Seriously, I love reading what you have to say, so please let me know what you think of this chapter!
Read on!
DISCLAIMER: NOT MINE-SADLY!
Chapter 14: Meeting (The Masters)
Some time passed and night fell.
"…You just had to pick up the glowing egg. Didn't you." Aang said, more of rehtorical question then anything.
"If it were up to you, we'ed still be stuck in the courtyard." Zuko retorted.
"And yet thanks to you, we are trapped in a pool of glue." Azula said, glaring up at the sky from her position, sandwiched between the two boys.
Aang took a deep breath,
"HELLLLLLP!" he shouted at the top of his lungs, much to Azula's chargin.
"Who are you calling to? Who do you think is going to hear you?" Azula asked, trying her best to look at the Avatar- and failing epically thanks to her stiff and stuck neck.
"Well, what do you think we should do?"
After a beat of silence- Zuko was the one to respond.
"Think about our place in the universe?"
Azula huffed, "Which is most certiantly not here."
Most of their conversations had died out long ago, and the teens were left with nothing to do other then to think their way out of their predicament.
As if her silent plea for someone to get them out of there, footsteps were heard approaching the trio- all of whom were too stuck to wriggle around in order to see who their late-night visitor was.
Of all the things they were expecting- animals, robbers, dragons themselves- they did not expect for an actual sun warrior to come across them in their pitiful state.
But that's what happened, and that's why they were now being licked clean by some type of badger, sitting in front of the natives in the early morning.
Azula was less then pleased to be licked by an animal, but that thought was squashed down in her mind when the group of people in front of them started talking.
"For trying to take our Sun Stone," The obvious leader started, moving forwards towards the three teens, "You must be servealy punished!"
Aang put on his best baby mouse-dog face, looking extreamly sorry.
Azula loked between the people surrounding them and her two companions, waiting for a reaction.
Zuko gave one.
"We didn't come here to take your Sun Stone. We came here to find the origin of all firebending."
A guard stepped up next to the chief, skeptisim lacing his tone. "Yeah right. They are obviously thieves! Trying to steal Sun Worrior treasures!" With that, he gripped the egg closer to his chest as he glared at the three intruders.
Aang decided now was a good as a time as ever to step in.
"Please, I don't normally play this card, but… I'm the Avatar." He left it at that as the guard with the egg looked between him and his chief, still holding the egg close.
Aang-now free of the glue- stood and looked up at the crowd surrounding them.
Azula found she was free and could do the same. Zuko followed suit and all three were standing before the Sun Worriors.
"Just hear us out." Aang continued to plead with the leader.
Zuko spoke up, "My name is Zuko, Crown prince of the Fire Nation."
Azula adopted her brothers tone of voice and stated, "And I am Azula, Princess of the Fire Nation."
Both Zuko and Aang noted briefly how she did not add "crown" before her title, but pushed those thoughts aside in favor of dealing with what was in front of them.
Zuko spoke again, "Or at least we used to be." He glanced down, remembering how both he and his sister lost their titles-for now.
Deciding it best to explain their situation, Zuko kept talking.
"We know our people have distorted the ways of Firebending, to be fuled by anger and rage. But now I… We, want to learn the true way. The original way. When we came here, I never imagined the Sun Worriors civilization was secretly still alive," Azula nodded along, looking out amongst the crowd, their people.
"I Am truly humbled to be in your presence." Zuko finished, bowing his head. Aang did the same.
Azula followed after saying, "I too, am greatly humbled."
"Please," Zuko continued, the three of them raiseing their heads in unison to look out over the crowd again, "Teach us."
The chief seemed to consider things for a moment before answering back in a pinched tone, "If you wis to learn the ways of the sun, you must learn them from the masters- Ran and Shaw."
"…Ran and Shaw?" Aang asked, "There are two of them?" Two was always better then one- Aang had so far found.
The chief stepped forward, looking down at Aang.
"When you present yourselves to them, they will examine you, They will read your hearts. Your souls. And your ancestory." He sepped over, staring down at Zuko as he said this. "If they deem you worthy, they'll teach you. If they don't, You will be destroyed on the spot!" he said this last part quietly and backed away.
Azula stood stock still- staring at the ground.
Heart.
Soul.
Anncestory.
She was going to die today.
Zuko was thinking much the same, remembering all the wrong things not only he, but all of his forefathers before him, had done. The pain they had caused the world.
The Fire Nation siblings looked to one another- horror and fear evident on their faces, uncharacteristic as it was.
When they turned to Aang, he too looked shocked.
His firebending sifu's had done horrible things, of course.
But neither of them had fled from being the Avatar.
All three were silently hoping that whoever Ran and Shaw were, they would be able to look past all their crimes, all their wrongs, in order to let the teachings of true firebending be passed on.
Was it too far fetched to think one of them would not be leaving this place?
-PAGE BREAK!- GETTING INTO IT NOW SUCKERS!-
As the sun rose, and the three teens were licked back to cleanliness, the Sun Worriors led them up to the top of a tall structure. A great and open hall with old pillars still holding the celing up sat at the top.
Aang, Azula and Zuko were led to the far wall of the hall, a large fire burning brightly in the morning light occupied the large fire pit.
The rest of the Sun Worriors all filed in, sitting in semi-circles behind the group.
The teens had kept uiet during the trek up the numerous stairs that led to this strange place, and the kept quiet still as the Chief addressed them.
"If your going to see the Masters, you must bring them a piece of the Eternal Flame. This fire is the very first one!" He said, turning to look back at the young people that had followed him up, "It was given to man by the dragons. We have kept it going for thousands of years."
"I don't believe it." Zuko said in awe as the Chief turned to him.
Azula was staring wide-eyed at the open flames, watching as they danced before her.
The Chief carried on. "You will each take a piece of it to the amsters, to show your commitment to the sacred art of firebending."
Aang raised his hand, then spoke as he rubbed the back of his neck shamefully. "Um, Mister Sun Chief Sir? Eah… I'm not a firebender yet. Couldn't my friends here carry my fire for me?"
Azula glanced at the Avatar out of the corner of her eye. This would not go over well.
The Chief looked at him dead on. "No." He declared simply, turning back to the raging fire.
Aang gulped as he and his friends watched the Chief reach his hands out towards the flame, drawing a stream of it from the rest.
"This ritual," He started, turning around himself as he bent the fire gracefully around himself, "Illustriates the essence of Sun Worrior philosophy." He continued, dividing the stream of fire into three separate flames, one in each palm and one in front of his chest. "You must maintain a constant heat, the flame will go out if you make it to small. Make it too big, you might loose control." He claimed, looking between each of the outsiders.
Zuko moved forward and cupped his hands beneath the flame. Once it was secured, he glanced to the side, watching as Azula gently- a term he never thought could be associated with his sister- took the flame in her hands. If there was one thing she knew how to control, it was fire.
That showed as she balanced the jumping flame in her hands, beautiful but deadly, just as she knew it to be. She breathed in and out, watching the flame grow and dim with her carefully. She had no doubt she and her brother could do this.
The newest addition to her ever growing family, however…
"I'm sorry… I'm just a little nervous." Aang said as he reached out with trembling hands.
Azula watched, mindful of her own bending, and wondered what had made the young boy so apprehensive towards the element. She knew it wasn't because of her and Zuko, he had seen the bend since joining the group and seemed indifferent, and he jumped right into bending all the other elements with ease. So why was fire a problem.
Her train of thought was cut short when the Avatar grasped the flame in his upturned hands. He peeked at it from the corner of his eye before looking at it head on.
"…It's like a little heart beat."
His teachers smirked discreetly as they watched his eyes fill with wonder. They remembered that feeling.
Aang smiled up at the Chief who started speaking again.
"Fire is life," He said, closing his eyes as Aang stared at the small element dancing on his palms. "not just distruction." Aang smiled at that.
"You will take your flame up there," He said, motioning towards two twin oeaks in the distance. All three teens looked in that direction, wondering why they would have to travel so far to meet the masters.
"The cave of the Masters is beneath that rock."
-PAGE BREAK AW YEA-
The group of teens treaked across the forest covered terrain and up to the large rocks looming in the distance. All three of them were being watchful of their fire as they made their way to the cave of the Masters.
Once almost there, Aang began falling back. Azula and Zuko turned to him.
"Hurry up." Zuko said, his tone not exactly urgent, but definatly impatient.
"I can't," Aang said as he struggled up a small patch of rock, flame in one hand while the other found a hold, "If I walk too fast, my flame will go out." He glanced down at the- remarkably smaller- flame in his hand.
"The flame is gonna go out because it's to small," Zuko stated, watching Aang make his way up slowly. Azula found herself moving to help him.
"You're too timid, give it more juice."
Aang came to a rest, his arm supporting his weight as he looked up at his teachers. "What if I can't control it?" He asked as Azula extended her hand down to him.
"You can do it. I know you can. You're a talented kid." Zuko praised. Aang smiled slightly at him as he grabbed Azula's hand and followed her up.
Once he was on level ground again, she rested her hand on his shoulder. He looked to her in confusion.
"You're not alone in this." That was all she said as she followed her older brother up the path, her younger one trotting after them.
By the time the sun was setting, they had made their way to the top.
The twin peaks led to smaller, jagged foot hills forming a large circle around a middle ground. Between the two peaks was a bridge, leading into a cave on either side. A long, wide stair case led up from the middle area to the bridge.
All the Sun Worriors were already present when the teens made their way to top.
The Chief came forward, apparently feeling the need to give them more advice.
"Facing the judgment of the firebending Masters will be very dangerous for you."
Zuko and Azula looked at him seriously, listening as he went on, "Your ancesstors are directly responsible for the dragon's dissaperance."
Zuko looked away, ashamed of what his lineage had caused. Azula kept staring at the Chief.
"The Masters might not be so happy to see you."
The guard next to the Chief spoke up, "I know I wouldn't be."
Aang cut in, "But once they find out I'm the Avatar…"
"Have you forgotten that you vanished? Allowing the Fire Nation to wreak havoc on the world? The decline of the dragon's is your burden too!"
Aang looked away as well. No. He had not forgotten. The guilt weghied hevily on his young mind every day. Every time he saw how extensively the Fire Nation had hurt the world, he blamed himself. He may not have commited genocide. He may not have hunted the dragons. But he was the reason those things had happened in the first place.
If he had stayed, if he had fought all those years ago, the world may have been a better place by now.
He had to live with the consquences of his actions every day.
The Chief lifted his staff, thrusting it downwards into the stone beneath them. He began moving in a rhythmic way towards the young ones, the two guards that had flanked him following his movements. He stepped forward and grabbed a piece of fire from each of the three benders in front of them.
Dividing it evenly, he distributed it out to the guards beside him. They took it and walked away. The Chief himself picked up his staff and made his way to the center of the courtyard.
The Sun Worriors around them all began their own parts, bending fire into large wheels around them, making it flow in a continuous motion.
The teens still at the entrance looked to one another.
"We could turn back now," Aang said, "we've already learned more about fire then we'ed hoped." He said, smiling broadly as he brought the small flame in his ahnd up between him and Zuko.
"No," Zuko said as Azula also shook her head. "We're seeing this through to the end, We're going to meet these masters and find out what's so great about them."
"What if they judge us.. And attack us?" Aang asked timidly, glancing up at the long bride connecting the two caves.
"We're the Royal Fire siblings and the Avatar, I think we could take these guys in a fight, whoever they are." Zuko smirked as he gripped the handle of his dual sword. Azula rolled her eyes.
"Don't get cocky- We have yet to meet them. While I've never been limited in combat, I hate to say there is a first time for everything." She said soundly as she faced forward once more.
Aang just nodded as he too faced forward.
The last of the Sun Worriors set their fire in motion and watched as the teens made their way forward, towards the large staircase.
"Bring 'em out!" Zuko shouted to the Chief. He complied and motioned to the people around him.
"Chanters!"
Some Sun Worriors began banging harshly on drums and chanting rythmicly, the trio made their way up, past all the people around them, and to the base of the 's shadow loomed over them as they approached the Chief. He and the guards stepped aside, allowing the teens to move forward.
The three exchanged worried glances, this was it.
For Aang, it meant facing his past actions, the problems he caused due to his inability to comply with his duties as the new Avatar.
For Zuko, it meant owning up to what his forefathers had done before him, all the destruction they had brought about thanks to their need for power.
For Azula, it was a moment of truth. Would this darkness inside of her come to the surface and rear it's ugly head, or would the light take over, proving her worthy of helping restore balance to the world along side her new family?
There was only one way to find out.
All three took a breath and started up the stairs.
Once at the top, the chanting below stopped. The three looked in either direction, waiting for something to happenen when someone spoke through a horn that magnifyied his voice.
"Those that wish to meet the masters, Ran and Shaw will now present their fire."
The trio looked down at the man- he looked so small from this high up- and then back to one another.
Aang turned to the right as Zuko turned to the left, both bowing and opening up their flame to the caves.
Azula glanced around for a moment before splitting her flame in two, dividing it between her hands and extending her arms in either direction, her head bowed.
"Sound the call!" Could be heard from below as the three kept their positions.
A large sound was made, probably from a long horn. Birds nearby startled and flew away as the mountain began to tremble.
Aang shook, jumoed a little and turned to his teachers in a panic. "What's happening?"
Neither answered as they glanced at him. He turned back and held out his hands again.
Only to find his fire had gone out.
He gasped and turned back to the older teens.
"Guys, my fire went out!"
"What do you want us to do?" Zuko asked as Azula looked at Aang with slight annoyance. This was serious!
Aang bit down on his finger as he glanced at the cave behind him. "give me some of yours!" He lunged at zuko, over Azula. Zuko fought him off, pushing into Azula. She ducked, trying to move out of the way, only to bump into Aang, making her loose her footing. She stumbled, but caught herself before she fell.
The only problem being that her flame went out while she was at it.
She gasped and turned to her brothers. Watching as they struggled against one another.
"Now mine is out too. Good job!" She whispered harshly, the rocks around them still shaking.
Zuko and Aang wrestled over it a little more until Zuko's flame also went out.
All three were thinking the same thing whne the looked to one another.
We are so screwed.
At that moment, the rocks shuddered with such great force that the bridge trembled.
And Dragons came rushing at them out of the caves.
Definatly screwed.
The three watched in horrific fascination as the Dragons circled and looped around them, seeming to dance in the air.
"…These are the masters." Zuko said with awe as he watched them whip around.
Aang looked back at him and whispered, "Still think we can take them?"
"Shh!...I never said that!" Zuok whispered back, glancing around suspiciously.
Azul would have laughed, if not for the situation.
The Dragons remained circling around and around.
Aang looked at them, thinking, before a realization hit. He glanced over his shoulder at Zuko. "Zuko, I think we're supposed to do the dragon dance with them."
Zuko glanced back skeptically, even Azula had her reservations about this.
"What?! What about this situation makes you think they want us to dance?"
Aang glanced back at them. "Well, I think they want us to do something. Let's just try it."
"..Fine." Zuko growled.
Azula watched as the two boys stood apart slightly, then began moving in the way they had practiced with the statues.
They flowed, moving in sync with the giant beasts that flew around them effortlessly.
Azula knew she had to do something, this was important, sacred almost. She couldn't just stand there!
She saw how the boys moved, slowly and controlled, one move fitting into the next as they sank to the ground and then rose again.
She knew what she had to do.
She took a deep breath and moved directly into the middle of where the boys were. She gracefully lowered herself down into a cross-legged position.
The boys were still moving around her in harmony, and she could almost feel herself becoming a part of that, together with them and the Dragons.
With another deep breath, she brought her hands to her knees, resting them there lightly. She closed her eyes and bowed her head, feeling the hot air rush around her. She took deep breath after deep breath, allowing herself to relax as she felt that framiliar spark within her light up again.
Her firebending.
She could almost feel the fire growing inside of her, the one she controlled so carefully now wild and free, living and breathing inside her as it filled her up. She could feel it buzzing beneath her skin, in her core.
She was back!
She had no doubt her brothers-her family- felt the same intensity of their shared element growing inside them as they moved through the steps of the dance with grace.
Suddenly, the large bouts of movement stopped. She cautiously opened her eyes. Peaking up, she saw the dragons had stopped swimming through the air, and now levitated in the air, facing the two boys.
They moved again, flowing under the bridge and up again, coming to a stop face-to-face with her. She felt her breathing get heavy, her heart punding. Never had she been ths terrified, felt this much anticipation as she watched the masters of her element regard her with a knowledge she would never understand.
The boys came to stand around her still-seated form, all three staring into the face of the beasts.
There was a beat of silence.
Then the Dragons landed, clamoing onto the bridge. They opened their large maws, and blasted fire out at the three young ones.
All three screamed in terror-though at least two of them would never admit to it- until they realized what was happening.
They looked up to see a huge, thick coloum of fire- laced with hundreds of different colors and shades- circling and swirling around them.
The three looked up in awe, the reflection of the light dancing in their eyes as they took in every aspect of the marvle before them.
"…I understand." Zuko said quietly. Azula couldn't help but think the same, watching as the fire grew around them.
Then, just as quick as it had started, it ended. The Dragons launched themselves into the air and split off back into the caves from which they came.
The three were left there, dumbfounded.
The Sun Warriors below put out their flames, bowing their heads as they came to a rest.
The three made their way down the steps, back towards the Chief.
"Their fire was beautiful." Zuko said, "I saw so many colors, colors I never imagined." He said, still awestruck.
"I've never seen anything that powerful before." Azula said breathily, she was still trembling.
"Like firebending harmony." Aang said as they reached the bottome of the staircase.
"Yes," The Chief said as they approached, "They judged you, and gave you visions of the meaning of firebending."
"I can't believe there are still living dragons," Zuko shared, glancing down, "My uncle Iroh said he faced the last dragon, and killed it."
"So your uncle lied," Aang said, looking at the fire nation siblings.
"Actually, it wasn't a total lie," The chief said, looking somewhat amused, "Iroh was the last outsider to face the masters, they deemed him worthy and decided to pass the secret on to him as well."
Zuko and Azula glanced at one another, shocked. This whole time, he had known? So much about him suddeny became crystal clear.
"He must have lied to protect them." Zuko said, turning back to the Chief. "So no one else would hunt them."
Aang looke from Zuko to the Chief. "All this time, I thought firebending was destruction. Scince I hurt Katara, I've been too afraid and hesitant,"
Ah, so that was why. Azula and Zuko now understood why he had been so abstinent about bending the last element.
"But now I know what it really is." Determination laced his voice and settled on his features. "It's energy, and life." He smiled at the Chief as Zuko and Azula thought about it.
"Yeah.." Zuko said, looking away for a moment, "It's like the sun, but inside of you! Do you guys realize this?" He asked with the same giddy hyperness that Azula felt inside herself.
The Chief answered, "Well, our civilization is called the 'Sun Worriord', so yeah."
Zuko glanced away, thinking,"That's why our firebending was so weak before! Because for so many years- for me at least- Hunting you was my drive," He said, turning to Aang, "It was my purpose, so when I joined you, I lost sight of my inner fire. But now, I have a new drive, I have to help you defeat my father, and restore balance to the world."
Azula stepped up. "I was set on overthrowing anyone I needed to in order to secure a place on the throne. After realizing that I no longer wanted or needed that, I lost my fire too. I needed a new purpose as well. Now, I too know what I must do. I have to help you as well, Avatar Aang. We both do, in order to save the world from caving in on itself."
Zuko nodded and, stepping forward, he shot a blast of fire out into the open air, watching as all his previous power and then some came back to him.
Aang followed suit, reveling in how in control he finally felt of this element.
Azula grinned and kicked outward, a blast of blue fire shooting out from the sole of her foot.
The chief approached them again. "Now that you have learned the secrets, and you know about our tribe's existance, we have no choice but to imprison you here, forever!"
Azula, Zuko and Aang all took a step back in shock, actually willing to fight their way out if they had too.
The Chief, however, then smiled. "Just kidding!" All three young ones sighed in relief. "But seriously, don't tell anyone."
-PAGE BREEEEEAAAAKKK-
The group of once-again-benders mad etheir way back to the Air temple.
Upon arrival, they were-of course- questioned on what they had learned.
They gave a few demonstrations, including the Firebending form they had learned from the staues, Azula chose to sit it out, but described in detail what had happened.
As Zuko and Sokk bickered about the form being a dance or not, KAtara approached Azula.
"What you dexcribed, It's like hiw I feel during a full moon, full of power that I'm almost afraid to control.
Azula smiled at the girl that was slowly becoming a sister to her. Ok not slowly, more like rapidly.
She put a hand on her shoulder, "Don't be afraid to control it. My instructors always told me that you are only as strong as you let yourself be. If you are able to use your bending to It's full potential, do it!" She encouraged, still slightly giddy over her new found power.
Katara smiled. "Thanks. I'll keep that in mind. But how did Aang do?"
Azula was slightly irritated by the waterbenders question. She and Toph had discussed that they would defienatly be playing matchmaker for Katara and Zuko. But that was hard to do when the waterbending master's attention was constantly pulled towards the young Avatar.
But, Azula respected Katara, as a friend and fellow teacher, so she gave her that much. "He did great. He finally learned how to control it…speaking of which," Azula said, turning to face Katara completely, 'He said the reason he was so afraid of bending it had something to do with hurting you."
Katara grimced, but nodded. "It's how I found out that I have healing abilities. When he was first learning firebending, he got a bit carried away. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and he ended up burning my hands. He didn't forgive himself for it, but I was able to heal myself."
Azula nodded thoughtfully. "Well, I'm just glad he can actually bend it now."
Katara nodded. They would rest tonight, but tomorrow, the real training began. Sokka had suggested an all out sparing match in one of the court yards- every man for himself. Katara looked forward to see who would be the last one standing.
Everyone had a lot of work to do in the following days.
A/N: There it is! Like I said- suuupppeeerrr happy how this one turned out, at first it was only about 1/4 the size it is now- we could not have that! So I hope you all liked it! Let me know! I'll catch ya on the next one!
Writer Out! ~0-0~