Brace yourselves…this chapter changes everything.
Warnings: Extreme violence and death
CHAPTER 20
ZUKOS POV
Zuko and their small group of world leaders had been reviewing war strategies for the better part of the evening. Iroh, Aang, Sokka, and two of Bumi's most trusted councilmen had been sitting at his meeting table for hours and Zuko's eyes were beginning to burn from staring at the map for too long. By then Toph and Suki had joined them as well having been summoned by the King's guard shortly after their arrival.
Everyone had been putting their all into this meeting, knowing it was their last chance to strategize before the enemy was at their door step.
Sokka had been extremely helpful in the placement of their swordsmen while Toph offered her expertise on the best ways to reinforce the city's great wall. Iroh, being the famed war general he was, was able to provide the likely courses his brother would take so that they could be prepared for all possible outcomes, while Suki prepared ambush attacks from the trees for her Kyoshi warriors and the air benders to execute.
Zuko had remained surprisingly quiet throughout the meeting.
When they ended for the night the King had assigned them each an attendant to show them to their rooms and bring them anything should they need it. Zuko was grateful to be out of the stuffy room finally and collapsed on the down stuffed bed as soon as he entered the opulent suite.
He stared up at the ceiling blankly. Nothing could describe the emptiness he felt. There were no words severe enough to illustrate the guilt and pain that racked his body when he though too long about Katara. He never should have left them there alone. Although he knew he had very little choice at the time, he still wished he could go back and change it all. His pursuit in usurping the throne and stopping his father seemed insignificant compared to the loss he was feeling now. He felt the prickly sting behind his eyes but before his tears could fall there was a heavy knock at his door. He wiped his eyes quickly before getting up to open it. On the other side was Aang and behind him a shy looking June.
"I found her wandering the west wing looking for you" Aang announced. Zuko looked past the monk to lock eyes with his former lover. Her coffee brown orbs were deep with worry.
"Come in" he said to both of them as he stepped back to allow their entry. He led them to the small study at the corner of his room, the three of them sitting at the ebony desk.
"I thought you were returning to the White Lotus headquarters" Zuko spoke as he regarded June. She nodded her head.
"I did go there, but I was quickly summoned back to Ba Sing Se by the King. He informed me that all hands were needed behind the wall for the impending battle" she answered. Zuko nodded his head in understanding, shifting his gaze to Aang who seemed to be lost in thought. An awkward silence covered the room for a moment before the Fire Prince spoke again.
"Is there a reason you were seeking me June?"
She cleared her throat sitting up straighter in her chair.
"I was informed of your wife's kidnapping…I wish to help you find her…"
"June I-"
"My Shirshu can track her scent as long as you have something that may still smell of her" she pressed on. Zuko was taken aback. He didn't know how to respond. He felt gratitude spilling from his gut in waves. Here she was, the best bounty hunter in all four nations offering to help find Katara. This was the best chance at getting her back that he could ever get.
Zuko also understood what a tall order this was. June would be putting herself in grave danger stealing her back from his father. But she was smart, and he knew if anyone could do the job it was her.
"June…how can I repay you?" he asked breathlessly, taking her offer without a second thought. She looked down, blushing profusely.
"I would do anything for you my Prince. Please allow me to find her with no payment." He felt heat rise to his own cheeks at her admission. He looked back at Aang to find him staring between them with wide eyes. Zuko stood from his chair making his way over to the nightstand beside his bed. He had only one tangible of Katara's within his possession; something that he kept with him always. He reached into the holster of his dual swords pulling out the wedding note Katara had written for him. He himself could still smell her lingering scent on the parchment, therefore he knew the Shirshu could pick it up easily. He crossed the room, handing it to June with reluctance. It was hard to part with the only thing he had left of her, but he knew this could be his only chance at finding her before it was too late.
"It is the only thing I have left…please protect it"
She stood from the chair before him and delicately took the note from his hands before dropping into a deep bow.
"I will guard it with my life, and when I find her I will protect her at all costs"
Zuko grasped her hands tightly pulling her from her bow and embracing her into his arms. Without even thinking he cupped both sides of her face kissing her forehead.
"Thank you June…thank you" he choked out. He released her then, noticing the redness on her cheeks had not gone away but only deepened.
"There is no need to thank me my Prince…"
"There is another water Princess with Katara as well…the Northern Princess Yue. She has hair as white as the moon, and she is Chief Sokka's wife. If you are able, bring her back as well" Zuko explained. June nodded her head in determination.
"I will leave tonight" she said before turning away and leaving him alone with the Avatar.
Zuko let out a deep sigh.
"Who is she to you?" Aang questioned after a while.
Zuko hesitated to answer. Did he really need to know the nature of their past relationship?
"She is an old friend. Once a servant in the palace I grew up in" he offered. Aang seemed satisfied with that explanation and pressed no further.
"I've missed a lot…when did you and Katara get married?" he asked. Zuko felt his annoyance with the Avatar flare.
"Right before you summoned me to the spirit world" he said shortly growing tired of the small talk "I'm exhausted and wish to retire to bed" he said absently cutting the conversation short. Aang hung his head, painfully aware of Zuko's apathy towards him nowadays.
"I'm sorry for leaving you guys…" he started. Zuko rolled his eyes.
"It's a little late for apologies now Avatar. Let's just focus on winning this war and taking down my father. I just pray whatever you learned while you were away was worth it"
"It was" he answered shortly.
This peaked Zuko's interest. Even after several days of being back Aang had never shared what happened to him in the spirit world. Bringing Druk to him could not possibly have been the only fruit he bared from his journey.
"What did you learn Avatar? What did you do?" he asked.
Silence rang loudly as the two benders stared at each other. His air nomad tattoos began to glow faintly as he lifted his hands towards Zuko's body. He held two fingers pointed towards Zuko's forehead while the other hand pointed four fingers at his abdomen. Suddenly Zuko grew cold. But it wasn't the kind of cold from a winter's breeze. His inner flame flickered, creating a soul twisting darkness that he could not describe. Aang began to bend what looked like translucent light from him. Zuko felt like his very essence was being drawn out of him. He tried fighting against it, but his body held fast, unable to escape the pull. He stared into the glowing eyes of the Avatar, only now seeing just how powerful he was.
Before he left Aang had struggled to enter the Avatar state at will, and seeing him do it on command in front of him now was astonishing. But just as quickly as he entered the Avatar state, he left it. Zuko watched as his glowing eyes returned to a cool grey simultaneously feeling the warmth return to his limbs.
Zuko stood there speechless, unsure of what had just happened to him…or what had almost happened.
"What…what was that?"
"I learned how to take someone's bending away" Aang whispered, his grey eyes piercing as he stared into the Fire Prince's surprised gaze "what I just bent from you was life force…it was energy."
KATARAS POV
Katara tried her hardest to remain calm as the ship docked along the shores of the Earth Kingdom. They were in some inconspicuous location where they could go undetected by border control. It was the pitch black of night and she could barely see anything as she was ushered roughly down the ramp and off the ship by Ozai himself. Guards flanked them on all sides with Azula leading them further into the heavily wooded area. Katara looked about wildly for any possibility of an exit but found none.
They finally stopped about a half a mile into the forest, trees surrounding them on all sides. She shivered against the cool night air, unable to bring her arms around herself due to Ozai's tight grip on both her hands behind her back.
He signaled for two guards to come forward.
"Hold her" he commanded. Both guards approached Katara holding her arms forcefully and causing her to be immobile.
"It is a shame we must treat our future Queen this way, but she will learn to behave in due time" he explained to the small entourage of guards and servants that surrounded them. He went on to speak loudly to the group, pacing in front of her like a proud peacock.
"Tonight is a night for celebration! It may not be a traditional coronation but it is important all the same. Tonight I will take a new wife. The Queen will be crowned beneath these stars before my son that grows in her womb is bor-"
"Liar" Katara hissed interrupting "he is not your son!"
Ozai glared at her but pressed on anyway despite her outburst.
"Those who bare witness on this night should feel honored. Our union will surely be one for the ages" he grinned as he locked eyes with her from across the clearing. Katara looked away to find Azula glaring at her from behind her father, her golden eyes piercing and hateful. Katara's breathing began to get heavy. She felt trapped. Cornered. Caged.
"But before we begin…let us bring out the entertainment for the night" he stated, motioning for the guards in the back to come forward. Everyone parted ways as they tugged along what looked to be a box of some sort covered by a heavy black sheet. Katara's heart pounded in her chest as they moved to reveal what lay underneath.
In short time Yue was uncovered, trapped in a cage in the center of the clearing. Katara gasped as she took in her sister in law's appearance. Her clothes were tattered, her face bruised and bloody. She held her pregnant belly in anguish, her pale blue eyes darting around her in fear.
"Yue!" Katara cried in anguish, fighting helplessly against her oppressors. The Northern Princess caught her eye from across the clearing, the tears falling freely down her bloodied face.
Ozai went on, speaking over their cries.
"Before us lies the Northern Cheiftess…Northern Water Tribe Chief Sokka's wife!" he bit out with disgust "she carries the future leader of my rival nation in her womb…"
"No!" Katara cried out in anguish her voice breaking "leave her alone please!"
She was trembling, her voice fought to rise above a whisper as the air within her lungs threatened to leave.
Katara kept her eyes on Yue the entire time, hoping to provide her comfort in what she knew might be her last moments.
"Tie her up" Ozai bit out to Azula. The Fire Princess moved without hesitation, grabbing the white haired beauty by her chains and dragging her across the clearing. Yue's sobs rang throughout the clearing, so heart wrenching that even some of the guards had to look away. Azula paid her no mind as she hoisted her up against a post placed into the ground by one of the soldiers.
"Nooo please no! Kill me after I give birth please don't take my baby please!" her screams reaching shrill desperation. Azula smacked her hard across the face quieting her cries to a whimper.
"Burning by the Fire Lord's hands will be the greatest honor your savage life could ever hope to get" she spat. Yue's cries started up again as she fought hard against the ropes restraining her.
"Ozai! Stop this madness she is innocent!" Katara yelled, desperate to get his attention. He ignored her, and the guards holding her tightened their grip against her struggles.
"I'll do anything you ask willingly, please don't do this!" she cried. Ozai turned to her then.
"I don't need your will" he smirked.
'Sokka I'm so sorry' she prayed in her mind over and over again. Yue's betrothal necklace felt like a hundred pound weight against her wrist.
They began to lay wood around Yue's feet. That was when Katara vomited all over the ground and begged for Ozai to burn her instead. He ignored her broken pleas.
Ozai stood before the Northern Princess and lit flames to the oak a sinister smile marking his unflawed face.
Yue's voice broke out into the song of their people. Not wanting them to see her scream she sang a prayer in their mother tongue instead. It was the prayer for Tui to guide her spirit safely back to the moon. She knew that this was her end. This was her final desire. For her soul to rest with Tui.
Katara's vision blurred with tears. She could barely see as Yue's body began to take flame, all the while she screamed her prayer to the heavens. Katara joined in shouting the prayer to the sky. No longer able to watch her sister's body burn she glared at the full moon. It was mocking her.
As Yue's voice became weaker, Katara's grew stronger. She closed her eyes feeling a rage like no other take over her body. Yue was burning for so long…it was torture. Katara's tears turned to ash on her skin, dried by the fury overwhelming her.
Katara could feel the water in her blood rushing inside her as Yue's voice rang in agony. She could feel the water within the trees around her, even within the air. Katara tightened her fists and closed her eyes tightly, unable to stand the smell of burning flesh that filled the air.
Yue's voice came to a screeching halt.
The finality of it did not feel real.
Katara continued to scream the prayer to the sky, her mother tongue rolling from her lips like a mantra. Suddenly she not only could feel her own blood, but the blood of the guards restraining her. She could feel the blood of the panther squirl that was darting across the clearing. She grabbed hold of the guard's life water squeezing it tightly…making it explode. Just then the soldiers at her side dropped dead to the ground. Katara wasted no time ripping the water from the trees and barreling it across the clearing to Azula, knocking her ten feet back. The guards around her took a beat, unsure of how to proceed in engaging their future Queen. Katara did not hesitate to explode the hearts of those nearest to her body bending their blood against them. She ran towards Ozai, wanting to destroy him next. She grabbed a hold of his body with her bending, stilling the blood within his veins and rendering him immobile. His golden eyes looked to her in fear as his body betrayed him. It was the first time she had ever seen him look afraid. She could feel him fighting desperately against the grip she had on his blood. He was strong. But not stronger than her.
"Witch" he whimpered. Katara snarled as she found the veins leading to his heart.
The energy in the air changed abruptly, like static in the wind. She saw something blue flickering in the corner of her vision just before she felt her body lift into the air and be carried away from the clearing. Katara dangled confused for a moment before she was hoisted up onto the back of some beast running full speed through the forest and away from the clearing. Katara looked behind her to find none other than June, Zuko's former lover.
"Take me back!" Katara protested as they barreled through the trees.
"And let you get struck by lightning? Not a chance" she grunted, steering the beast around Katara's body.
"What lightning? I was about to kill the Fire Lord! I could've ended this entire war!" she cried.
"Azula was right there with her lighting at the ready while you were focused on Ozai. If I had come any later you would've been toast."
Katara sagged against the Shirshu suddenly exhausted from everything that had just transpired. Uncontrollable sobs racked her body as the trauma she had just faced began to set it. Yue was gone. Katara had been too late.
"Don't worry…I will get you to Zuko" she said trying to comfort the water bender. Katara had no words as she felt the consciousness slip from her body.
ZUKOS POV
"The red cloaks are here!" cried an Earth Kingdom soldier as his horse rushed up the hill and towards the wall. The Earth Kingdom's entire army stood at Zuko's back, expanding to cover almost half of the great wall's circumference. Their brigade was made up of three different sections; in the middle stood the Water soldiers half of them sat atop their polar bear dogs and dire wolves, on both sides flanked the Earth soldiers making up over half of the army's body with their spears at the ready and the front lines on horses. On the top of the wall stood some fifty air nomads and one hundred Kyoshi warriors ready to attack from the skies.
It was early in the morning and the sun had not yet come up. A heavy fog covered the ground and silence settled like a blanket over the battle field. Zuko sat on top of Druk at the front line. His dragon's body was warm, and he paced back and forth as steam poured from his nostrils.
'Remember Druk, our objective is to protect the wall at all cost'
'Yes' he answered determination in his tone.
'If our soldiers become too intermingled with the Fire army we will cease our fire. We will not burn our own soldiers do you understand?' Zuko reminded him firmly.
'Yes I understand'
Zuko looked behind him, his eyes traveling up the hundred meter wall to lock eyes with the Avatar. He was dressed in lightly plated armor the color of turmeric with his glider held tightly to his side. Aang caught his gaze giving a single nod of solidarity. Zuko returned the gesture before turning back to watch the hill.
Zuko himself was dressed in all black leather armor, his chest plate made of obsidian metal to protect his heart. Embossed there was a red dragon, the new symbol of his house…he would no longer wear the golden dragon of his predecessors. Too much death and destruction had been associated with the symbol.
He lowered his helmet over his head. It had been personally crafted by Toph. She had used her metal bending to create a helmet with ears and a face shape that resembled his dragon's. When Toph had gifted it to him last night she had laughed saying that Zuko would kill the enemy from intimidation alone.
It wasn't long before Zuko began to see the signs of the Fire army approaching. Once they were about a mile away he was able to see the tops of their helms coming up over the hill. Soon there would be a sea of them, threatening to overwhelm the troops behind him that dwarfed the enemy by over half. For every one soldier the Earth Kingdom had his father had one hundred. But if he timed it right Zuko could level the playing field.
Druk stopped his pacing, squaring himself in the center of the battlefield. Zuko watched them approach, frozen like a statue atop his mighty dragon waiting for the perfect time to strike. They were a half a mile away now, they could hear the horse hooves beating the ground like a stampede. A cloud of dust erupted around the great mass of soldiers that were barreling full speed towards them.
"Draw!" he heard Suki call from behind him from the top of the wall. He heard the Kyoshi warriors pull their bows taut, the wrench of the strings were the only sounds that bounced from the stiff air around them. Zuko held up his hand, signaling them to halt their fire for the right moment.
They were a quarter of a mile away.
Ready?
Druk steadied his body, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.
They could now make out the whites of the soldier's eyes.
Zuko sent a mental signal to Druk, and he lifted off the ground in an instant. His wings expanded covering the length of over thirty feet. They glided over the army as he heard Suki yell for fire. Arrows whirled through the air below him hitting the front lines of the Fire Army with full force, taking out nearly fifty men who fell limp from their horses. The rest of them pressing on, Druk's shadow looming over them.
"Draw!" Suki's voice cried again.
Zuko was now flying directly on top of the army, he saw soldiers looking up at him in dismay unsure of whether they should move forward. He saw their generals yelling for the foot soldiers to keep marching, despite the looming dragon above them.
'Fire' Zuko commanded. Druk let out an earth shattering roar before spitting a stream of flames below them and engulfing the entire front line in hellish flames. They were so hot that people merely disintegrated from the contact.
Chaos quickly followed. Arrows continued to sing throughout the air leaving death within their wakes, and Zuko continued to fly Druk among the massive sea of men submerging them in dragon fire. He knew it would be impossible to keep them all at bay before their sheer numbers would overwhelm them. Druk could only send fire to one spot at a time, and this army spanned for miles. But Zuko would do his best to make as big of a dent as possible.
Zuko's mind went numb as he tried to drown out the cries of the men below him. He knew that nearly half of these men had been drafted against their will by Ozai, many of them probably young boys just barely sixteen. They didn't deserve to die this way. Consumed by dragon fire all because of one man's insatiable appetite for power. But this was the reality they lived in. And in order to protect the greater good of the world Zuko had to eliminate the threat, even if that meant killing men he knew were innocent. It was likely that some of the men below him had grown up with Zuko. But he blocked this from his mind as he summoned Druk to blast more fire down the middle of their brigade.
Ozai's army hadn't even made it to the wall to engage with the Earth army. Druk's flames had disoriented them and taken out the entirety of their front line and up the middle. He wondered if they would end up retreating. But despite the dragon fire that had just taken out nearly half of their soldiers there was no sign of them stopping.
They had now reached the point in battle where the Fire Army had made it to the wall. Those who were able to evade Druk's fire had merged with the Earth and Water soldiers to engage them in battle. Zuko steered Druk to turn around and head back for the wall. Before he knew it his dragon had perched himself on the edge of the wall right next to the Avatar who was in the middle of bending boulders down onto the enemy. Aang looked over as Zuko jumped down from the dragon's back, his pale face red from exertion and his grey eyes stormy.
"I'm going to go down there" he said taping his glider against the stone and opening it. Zuko looked along the wall surveying the war painted Kyoshi warriors who were systematically replacing their arrows and shooting skillfully down into the battle ground. Zuko didn't know how to work a bow and arrow, and his fire bending wouldn't help him much all the way up there.
"I'll come with you" he told the monk. Aang allowed Zuko to grab the front of his glider and instructed him to jump while the air bender propelled them over the edge with a strong gust of wind. Zuko felt weightless as he dangled one hundred meters above the ground hanging onto the wooden glider for dear life. The Avatar above him steered them downward, his body perfectly molded to the skeleton of the glider. They landed smoothly right in the middle of the Water Tribe's brigade, blue and indigo armor surrounding them in a swarm. Zuko quickly found his place among them hurling his fire at anyone with a red cloak who came close.
KATARAS POV
She opened her eyes blearily, seeing only darkness. Katara wasn't sure where she was. The last thing she could remembered was Yue…her poor sister burned at the stake right in front of her. Katara reached her hand out to feel around her, Yue's betrothal necklace feeling heavy on her wrist. She gathered that she was laying on some sort of cot, rough wool blankets surrounding her. She thumbed Yue's necklace around her wrist as her eyes adjusted to the lack of light. She spotted a window in the far corner, but there was no moon. Katara sat up slowly, jolting when she heard a voice behind her.
"Good, you're awake" a raspy female voice said as Katara whipped her head around. June was seated on a wooden chair behind Katara's cot, polishing a shining dagger. Suddenly everything came back to Katara at once.
She remembered the blood.
How she'd bent it to her will.
How she'd seized control of the Fire Lord's veins, but was taken away just before she could implode him from the inside out.
How it had been June who'd rescued her from Azula's lightning.
How the full moon had powered it all yet made it feel like some lucid dream.
It didn't seem real.
"Where are we?" she whispered.
"The edge of Siaw Jong city…right on the boarder of Ba Sing Se. Chao is just East of here across the river"
"Where are we going?" Katara remembered vaguely June saying something about taking her to Zuko. She hoped that had been real and not a delusion during her frantic state.
"It is my hope that the battle has not started yet, I'm praying that we beat Ozai to Ba Sing Se."
"Is that where Zuko is?" she asked hopefully.
June nodded her head.
"He is waiting for you there at the palace with the others"
Katara let out a relieved sigh, happy to know that he was alive and well. There was a long silence that stretched uncomfortably between them, almost as if both women had just realized why they were connected in any way. Katara was the first to break the ice.
"Why did he send you? Why not someone else?" she asked. She didn't sound upset, but deep down her former feelings of contempt were resurfacing.
"I offered. My Shirshu has incredible smelling capabilities…no one else would have been able to find you in that forest. Besides, Ba Sing Se is on lock down right now…no one can go in or out especially all the high ranking world leaders."
"And you were able to?" Katara countered with a raised eyebrow. June offered her a small smirk.
"I have my ways…and I'm not too important. No one is checking if I've left or not" she explained. The water bender narrowed her eyes, still unsure of the dark haired beauty.
"What's your motive?" she asked bluntly.
"Wha-"
"Don't play coy…what's your reason for saving me? Is it to get closer to Zuko?" she accused. June's smirk morphed quickly into a scowl.
"I would neve-"
"But you have before" Katara interrupted. June was left silent. There was no denying that just months before she had attempted to steal her husband's affection. The bounty hunter finally spoke up after a while.
"Katara you have nothing to be worried about. Zuko's priority is you and that heir you have in your belly…even if I still wanted to steal him away I'd never be successful. He loves you more than life itself…more than I've ever seen him love anyone or anything" she said lowly. Katara turned away from her, throwing the covers off of her and swinging her feet off of the bed. She struggled to stand from the low bed, clasping her lower back as she pushed herself up. June was by her in a heartbeat putting a supportive hand on her back.
"Thanks…" Katara mumbled, her face turning crimson. She waddled to the window placing her hands on the ledge and looking down at the dark empty street.
"We should leave now sense you're awake. We've lost a lot of time already" June said quietly. Katara turned her head from the window, her blue eyes locking with June's in uncertainty.
ZUKOS POV
Zuko had a completely clear mind as he cut down his opponents with his dual swords. The ease and grace that he had transitioned into was nothing short of meditative. He was one with the earth, wind, and skies. It was thanks to all of his training being done with diverse benders he had picked up on quite a few techniques from the other elements, including martial arts from different regions. The Kyoshi warriors had taught him a lot during his time with a few of them in Toph's squad, as well as Suki's steady companionship. This was who he was amongst now, fighting back to back with the leader of the female warriors herself. He was highly impressed by their prowess as he fought beside them. Their use of acrobatics reminded him of the Nomads, the agile flips and turns they used in their fighting techniques could rival any air bender. By now blood had stained the battle field red. You could barely walk without slipping on the gore that covered the ground. Zuko lit his hands ablaze, his blades catching fire along with them. So far there had been no Kyoshi casualties, thank Agni. The girls were just too advanced in martial arts for the drafted warriors who were really just every day men to keep up. As he was engaged in cutting down another fire soldier he felt Druk's mental connection pull him.
'I see something!' he said urgently.
'What-what is it?' Zuko asked impatiently as he drove his flaming blade into the sternum of the man in front of him watching him drop to his knees slowly.
'Your father and Azula! They infiltrated the wall somehow, they look like they're headed towards the palace'
'Is anyone else with them? Do you see Katara?' he asked desperately. He yanked his sword from the man's chest kicking his body aside.
'No I only see soldiers with them. They're on horseback moving pretty fast'
'Can you get to them?' he asked. If Druk was able to reach them and consume them in his fire this entire war could be over in seconds.
'I think they purposely are traveling along the tributaries within the residential areas. I can't do it without burning people's homes' he explained as he transferred his sight into Zuko's mind.
It was such an odd phenomenon, to be able to share sight with another being. It was almost as if Zuko's brain had split in two, one half emerged in a sword fight, the other half flying above the outer ring's neighborhoods.
Druk trailed the thirty dark figures atop black horses galloping at full speed. He recognized the Fire Lord's golden pin fixed atop one of the men's topknot. One of the figures whipped their head around and looked up, her golden gaze narrowing on Druk. It was Azula.
'Come get me' Zuko said quickly returning back to the fight.
He looked forward for a place where Druk could land without crushing his own men…but it might be useful to crush the Fire Nation men he thought…
In front of him the Water Tribe brigade was fighting. The tribesmen had formed a tight core, keeping fire benders at bay and lashing back at them with the limited water they had left, most of it turned to steam. Zuko thought it would be a good time for them to go get more ammunition.
"Ninyema dostera ëgima dragona, issiki!" My dragon will land here, go now! Zuko yelled in the ancient language of the tribes in Southern dialect. The soldiers turned towards the Prince in fascination, never having seen anyone outside of the Tribes speak their language before. But they didn't waste time, understanding his command immediately and abandoning their fights to run back towards the wall to get more water. The fire nation soldiers stood their momentarily in confusion as to why the tribesmen had spontaneously run away. Most of them looked up too late as a shadow moved to loom above them before Druk's enormous form landed on top of them crushing over thirty men that weren't fast enough to run. Zuko used his fire fist to blast himself from the ground and land atop Druk leaving the Kyoshi warriors behind. They took off towards the wall his chest pounding in anticipation of facing his father.
KATARAS POV
Before she knew it they had loaded themselves onto the Shirshu and headed towards Ba Sing Se at full speed. The ride was extremely uncomfortable for Katara. There wasn't much room for her stomach and the fast pace made the area between her legs sore. She feared all the jolting would send her into early labor.
"Can we slow down?" she asked as the wind relentlessly whipped her curls around her head. June simply stared ahead, her eyes piercing with determination to get them to the palace before Ozai.
They heard the city before they even saw it. It was the sound of death and destruction. Earth rumbling explosions became louder and louder as the great wall came into view. The sun was up high now, and the wavy mirage of heat and smoke was clear near the east side of the wall indicating a massive fire. Once they had reached the secondary gates they could hear people shouting. War cries for fire and blood rang into the atmosphere chilling Katara's bones. They were too late.
"The battle's already started" she said in a panic.
They approached the gates slowly as not to startle the armed Earth Kingdom soldiers guarding them.
"State your business!" he shouted with his bow and arrow pointed straight at Katara's chest who was sitting in the front of the Shirshu. June gave Katara the reins and hopped down from her beast, opting to walk beside it with her hands up in surrender.
"We are allies to the White Lotus, this is Princess Katara of the Southern Water Tribe…I am June Chisuke informant for Master Piandao and General Iroh."
"Show me your papers" he said suspiciously. June fumbled at her waist belt pulling out an official scroll with the sanctioned White Lotus insignia embossed on the front. She walked up to the guard and handed it to him slowly. He snatched it away frowning at them.
"This is a terrible time to be traveling back and forth. Don't you hear the battle happening right now? I'm not supposed to be allowing anyone in or out with the enemy upon us" he grumbled as his eyes skimmed the scroll. He nodded in approval handing it back to her.
"Official or not I can't let you pass. It's best you find refuge somewhere else"
"But sir…I-she's in labor!" June cried "And this is Prince Zuko's wife! He will have your head if he finds out you kept his wife out when she needed medical attention"
The man's facial expression changed when the Prince was mentioned. He looked past June his eyes nervously finding Katara which prompted the water bender to play along.
"Ah!" she yelled clutching her stomach in mock pain "please! I need a midwife…I don't want to give birth here out in the open an-"
"Alright alright! Hurry and get out of here" he huffed opening the gate quickly and letting them pass.
"Good thinking" Katara praised after they'd gotten a few feet past the gate.
"Good acting" she countered.
The city was silent and the streets were empty. The King must have ordered an extensive evacuation and lock down of the city due to the impending battle. In the event that the enemy did end up breaching their walls at least the majority of the citizens had time to flock to neighboring cities and provinces. Those who were too stubborn and stayed behind were at least locked away in their homes.
As they settled into a hurried pace atop the bounty hunter's beast Katara's heart trembled at the screeching that rang through her ears, loud enough to shake the Earth. The other wordily noise instead of scaring her brought her great comfort. Warmth flooded her heart as she looked up to see Druk flying above them to their left scaling the wall. She could barely make out a black figure riding atop the mighty dragon.
"It's Zuko!" she nearly squealed overwhelmed with nerves, excitement, and fear for his safety.
June followed Katara's eyes, spotting the colossal red dragon, flying past them and towards the palace…too high up to even see them.
ZUKOS POV
They flew top speed to the palace beating his father there. He wanted to be ready and waiting for him as soon as his feet hit the pavement. He dismounted Druk racing into the Palace doors to find the King. He burst through the doors of his council room to find many guards standing by.
"Prince Zuko what's wrong?" they asked registering his frantic look.
"Where's the King?" he panted.
"He is here" they said stepping aside and letting him into the smaller chamber which acted as a bunker for the important leaders who could not fight. Various world leaders from different nations who were either older or non fighting non benders were huddled quietly within the chamber. He found Bumi sitting across from Air Nomad leader Monk Rosul. Both men looked up as Zuko rushed in coming to stand before them. They took in his bloody and sweat soaked form in concern.
"Prince Zuko what is the matter?" Bumi asked worriedly.
"My father is here. He made it past the wall somehow and he brought soldiers with him. I think he used the battle as a distraction" Zuko stammered "he's on his way here to the palace and there are barely enough soldiers here to protect you because everyone's on the other side of the wall fighting. You all need to go!" he yelled. Everyone in the room collectively gasped making their way hastily out of the room. As he hurriedly ushered all of the elderly down the hall a familiar voice rang in his ear from behind.
"You beat me to it" she said. Turning around he saw Song walking brusquely towards him.
"What are you doing here?" he asked in confusion. She caught up to the Prince walking beside him as they found a rhythm somewhere between jogging and sprinting.
"After seeing those documents incriminating my father…I was curious. I began digging up things and more and more information came up. I became consumed with it. I utilized one of his old connections and found correspondence straight from Caldera about Ozai's plans for this day. He is going to blow up the palace. I rushed here as soon as I figured it out to warn everyone"
"What? How?" Zuko gasped, both from exertion and shock as they raced down the corridors.
"The bombs were planted months ago by spies implanted amongst Bumi's staff. It's only a matter of time before he detonates them"
The Prince's eyes widened praying to Agni they weren't already close.
"GO EVERYBODY GO GO! This place is going to blow up!" Zuko's voice boomed as he tried to make them run faster. That insighted just enough fear to make those with weary bones move just a little quicker.
They finally made it out of the back of the Palace doors racing through the gardens.
"Get out of here!" he yelled to a stray servant they were passing by "The palace is about to blow up!" The young man quickly joined their mob, running alongside them from the unknown threat.
KATARAS POV
It seemed like they had been riding for hours along the tributaries that winded between Ba Sing Se's streets and residential areas. They passed countless houses, empty shops, and restaurants…communities, schools, churches… Katara was exhausted by the time they were halfway through the middle ring.
They were passing a community park when a sudden pain racked her entire body, radiating from her womb. It felt wrong.
No other cramps throughout her entire pregnancy had felt like that. The pain knocked the wind from her, eliciting a gasp from her lips.
"What's wrong?" June hissed pulling the reins to slow down the Shirshu. They came to a complete stop before Katara felt a wetness suddenly rush from her.
"Oh" Katara gasped. June helped her down to the ground as her water broke all over the ground soaking her skirts. She bent the liquid from the poor sodden Shirshu.
"No baby not now…" she whispered in complete shock. There couldn't possibly be a worse time for this to be happening.
"We have to get to Zuko quickly!" June said in a panic as she lifted Katara up and sat her back in front of her. They seemed to move even faster as Katara tried to fight through the discomfort.
After another hour of riding and one contraction later they reached the inner ring. The wall was guarded by a mere ten soldiers, not nearly the number that usually guarded the ring that housed the palace and it's nobility. This time the soldiers did not yell at them, but instead recognized the girls.
"Lady June what are you doing outside the inner ring?" a soldier asked as they approached "and you found Princess Katara!"
"Yes, she is in labor we need to find Prince Zuko" she explained hurriedly.
"He is in the palace, he needed audience with the King about something urgent"
"Well this is more urgent, she is in lab-" June's words were cut short from her lips with a sound that was guttural and unnatural. The soldier's eyes widened in front of her before Katara heard a thud hit the ground. She looked behind her to find June lying there clawing at an arrow in her throat a wide look of desperation in her eyes. Crimson blood spattered across the dirt beneath her as she struggled to breath.
"JUNE!" Katara cried trying her hardest to dismount the agitated Shirshu in her state. She summoned water from her pouch and crouched down beside the flailing woman. She gloved her hand in the water hovering it over the other woman's neck.
Katara heard more arrows wizz through the air forcing her to use the water on her hand as an ice shield instead to catch two of the arrows. She heard a few of the soldiers fall behind her getting hit by the other arrows. She looked down when the rain of arrows finally stopped to find June's blank eyes starting back at her, the blood slowing to a steady stream from her neck.
"No…" Katara cried tears welling in her eyes as she heard the sounds of horse hooves beating the ground from afar.
"Princess!" One of the soldiers called to her as he knelt down beside her to help her up and away from June's body. The guard covered her with his massive shield bringing her behind the other soldiers as they watched a mob of red cloaks on black horses approach them. At the head of them was Ozai himself, not even caring to hide his face beneath a helm. His Fire Lord's flame sat proudly atop his topknot and a sinister look resided on his face. His daughter rode beside him her expression as hard as steel.
"It's the Fire Lord! Someone run to get back up!" a soldier to her left yelled. A young man who seemed to have yet to fill out his armor volunteered, running in the direction of the palace. Katara summoned a whip of water to her side before another sweeping pain overtook her, making her lose control of her element.
"Princess!" the soldier cried in distress as he attempted to hold her up. He ushered her behind the wall as she heard the horse hooves come to a stop.
"Yield Lord Ozai! You are not permitted behind these walls as sanctioned by the honorable Earth King Bumi!" one of the soldiers called.
Katara could not see Ozai's face but she knew there was an amused smirk there. He had brought over thirty men with him, and they had a measly nine soldiers not including her. This wouldn't be a fair fight…this was genocide.
Where is the security? she thought as she slid down the wall in pain.
"I don't need permission" Ozai answered slyly. In a matter of seconds she heard the first lick of flames rush forward. Even though she was shielded by being on the other side of the wall she still felt the heat from the fire overwhelming her.
"We need to get you out of here Princess" the kind soldier told her, his hazel eyes creased with worry as she clutched her belly on the ground. He crouched down beside her helping to lift her up in his strong arms.
"And where do you think you're going?"
They both turned to see Ozai passing through the gate and strolling towards them. Katara knew it meant that all the soldiers on the other side had been put to death.
"You thought you could outrun me sweetheart?" he chuckled. The soldier beside her pulled the sword from his sheath throwing her behind him. Ozai laughed even harder before pulling out his own sword and lunging for the man. It took two quick swipes for Ozai to disarm the poor soldier before piercing him through the chest. Ozai wrenched the blade from his body allowing him to fall to the ground in a heap. Katara trembled holding onto the little water she had left.
"What? Not happy to see me?" he asked in mock sadness. He was the most horrifying when he was like this. When he played with his prey it seemed his mind went to menacing places.
"What do you want?" she asked. He grabbed her then pulling the water bender against him. She whimpered out, her body going into freeze mode. Another contraction hit her suddenly making her cry out in pain doubling over into his chest. She held her stomach in agony praying to Tui for it to end. Ozai began laughing uncontrollably, eliciting the attention of his daughter who approached them in confusion.
"She's in labor" Azula observed, sounding disgusted. Ozai continued to laugh.
"Should we kill her now father?" Azula asked annoyed. Katara slowly recovered from the pain, standing up straight to regard the Fire Princess wearily.
"No" he said, recuperating from his episode.
"No?"
"Let her have her little bastard. It will grow up fatherless, and she will never know the feeling of safety again. She will live in fear for the rest of her days after she watches that filthy cretonne I call a son burn…that's worse than death. Maybe after I kill him I'll find you and take you and your child as my slave" he smiled before released her.
"You won't lay a hand on Zuko!" Katara screeched.
"I won't have to" Ozai smirked before turning to mount his black steed. Before she knew it they were all gone, his mob of soldiers continuing their trek to the palace.
Katara was left alone there.
The silence was jarring as she realized she was truly alone.
She was going to have this baby alone if she didn't get to the palace where Zuko was.
She stumbled back through the gate taking in the scene before her. All nine of the soldiers lay dead amongst the grass scorched and bloodied. Katara traveled over to June's body that lay prone on the ground. The bounty hunter's poor shirshu lay beside her with its head down. Katara knelt down slowly beside her closing June's eyes gently.
"Thank you June…for saving me. I owe you my life" she whispered.
Katara looked at the shirshu attempting to comfort it by rubbing the top of its nose. The beast leaned into her touch.
"I'm sorry" Katara said to the animal as she continued to rub it's head.
"I need you to take me to the palace" Katara whispered after a while "can you do that?"
ZUKOS POV
"Watch out!" Zuko yelled after Song as she tripped over a protruding vine from a large tree. Zuko knelt before she could hit the ground, catching her quickly. The small girl thanked him profusely in a flustered state. Zuko looked down at the ground as he knelt there, noticing a black powder on his knee from the dirt.
"I think we're far enough away from the palace now to be safe" he announced to everyone as they noticed he had stopped running. He looked closer at the ground noticing a line of the black powder…it looked much too intentional to be naturally placed there. He swiped his finger across it rubbing the smooth powder between his fingers. It shone like finely ground metal against his skin.
"What is this?" he asked to himself before looking back down and following the dark trail. He could feel Song following him over the hedges and into the neighboring garden. Dread consumed his chest as he experimentally stopped to light the powder on fire. Zuko's eyes widened as it quickly took flame, the small fire traveling along the path of the powder. Zuko stepped quickly on the fire extinguishing it before it grew and did serious damage.
"What is that?" Song asked behind him.
"It's some kind of powder that conducts fire…I've never seen it before but something tells me it has something to do with the explosives my father is using" Zuko mused. He contemplated his next action in silence. Maybe if he followed the trail it could lead him to Ozai.
"Go with the others. Help them find somewhere safe to hide" Zuko finally said before taking off in the direction of the path.
"Zuko-wait!" Song called after him. He turned to her stopping briefly.
"Please be careful…Katara needs you" she said. Zuko nodded his head before turning to run along the trail again.
Oddly enough the trail did not ever come closer than a half mile of the palace, and sense it was leading away from it he figured he was going in the right direction. Zuko took his boot and swiped a huge gap into the metal powder so that if it was ignited the fire would be forced to stop there. He kept following the trail until he eventually reached a clearing where it stopped. Only hard packed dirt was visible for miles. He had long sense left the residential areas of the Earth Kingdom's nobility, but was now standing in the uninhabited underdeveloped central north. He stared forward, waiting for what he knew was his destiny. The Fire Prince watched as the sun set slowly beneath the horizon, bathing the empty plane in orange light.
He heard them before he could turn around to see them.
"How'd he find our hide out father?" Azula's voice chimed in amused confusion. He could hear in her tone that she was itching for a fight. Zuko turned around slowly, facing his biological family for the first time in six years. He immediately felt seventeen again when his golden gaze finally rested on his father's identical ones. For Zuko's entire life he had searched for even just a speck of love in those eyes of his…just one confirmation that he cared for his only son. This day was not unlike any other day, Zuko mused. He found nothing but contempt lying there between them, not an ounce of feeling. He realized that he would never be more than a mistake to Ozai, the person he could blame every life failure on.
Zuko was ready to end it.
"Maybe he's not a complete idiot after all" his father said snickering as they walked closer. They stopped just a few feet away from him. There were no other soldiers in sight, just his father and sister.
"Why are you hell bent on burning the world?" Zuko seethed "you thirst for power so desperately that you would rule over dust if you could."
Ozai answered him with a frown, finally taking a good look at his son.
"You think sense you have grown taller that you are now somehow wiser than your own father?"
"You're not my father" the Prince spat.
"Yes…because I disowned you! If I recall correctly you wallowed and begged for me to spare you after I discovered you and your uncle's treasonous acts! And now you will forever bare that shame on your hideous face" Ozai was practically seething.
"It may be shame to you, but it's a mark of honor in my eyes. I was strong enough to make the right choice…to make an effort to stop the suffering you were causing your own country and every other nation in the world!"
"There is no honor in treason!"
"And there's honor in killing innocents?"
"I always knew…from the day you were born that your compassion would be your downfall. You looked just like her-"
"Don't ever speak of my mother! You don't even deserve to say her name" Zuko interrupted.
"Poor Zuzu. Still grieving over our weakling of a mother" Azula chimed in rolling her eyes. Zuko turned to look at her for a second.
"What happened to you Azula?" Zuko asked incredulously, still not coming to terms with the way his sister had turned out. In her eyes he saw manic desperation and suffering. Surely she had been driven to this state by their father.
"I grew up brother. You should try it" she said dryly.
"I know you know this is wrong. You are smarter than this Azula. You were always a scholar in world history. You know better than anybody that when one nation takes over it leads to catastrophic events. The world cannot survive without balance" he argued.
"Save it" she hissed "we are the superior race. It's been proven time and time again. The best technology, engineering, and power comes only from fire!"
"History always repeats itself, you used to tell me this all the time! How could you be so brainwashed? Thousands of your men are dying on the other side of that wall and for what? Power? Greed? Tell me what it's all for!" Zuko yelled feeling the veins popping from his neck.
"Why should our motive matter to you? Maybe if you'd stuck around long enough instead of betraying us you would know" she countered.
"I didn't betray you I betrayed him!" he yelled pointing to Ozai before looking back at Azula and shaking his head "Mom tried so hard to love you…"
"Enough!" she screamed, her face becoming enraged at the mention of her and Lady Ursa's relationship. She dropped down into a deep backwards lung her two fingers shooting up into the sky. She did a series of sharp movements that looked like jabs in the air drawing up threads of lighting in the space between them. Zuko dropped into a defensive pose, ready to redirect the way his Uncle had taught him if needed.
"Azula!" Ozai yelled over the static. She stopped immediately putting her hands down reluctantly.
"Yes father?"
"Go make sure the bombs are detonated, I have a feeling Zuko disrupted the line of explosive powder sense he followed it here. I can handle him on my own" he smiled before turning back to him.
Zuko squared his shoulders, bracing his body to go into fight mode. His mind flicked to the last time he had squared off with his father like this. But this time Zuko felt so much different. He could feel the harnessed power at his fingertips; power that he did not possess before Druk had entered his life. He tapped into his connection with the dragon feeling his eyes roll in the back of his head. It was less frighting than the last time he had entered Druk's full body. His eyes returned, glowing gold as he stared his father down.
"Agni Kai" Zuko rasped.
Zuko felt the full weight of Druk's wings as he soared over the palace.
"I thought you'd never ask" Ozai returned.
'You found your father' Druk exclaimed.
'Help me fight him' Zuko said.
'How can I help from here? You're too far'
'Just stay connected to me, for some reason I can feel your power when we do this. I can't explain it' he tried to reason. Druk responded immediately, sending the feeling of reassurance through their link.
'I'm here'
They gave each other one last glare before turning to be back to back. Zuko removed his shoes, body armor, and gambeson, leaving him shirtless in only his pants. He heard Ozai behind him removing his respective clothes as well.
"Jemaru!" Ozai called. They both took five steps forward, counting in the ancient language of the sun warriors. They finally turned towards each other. Ozai's hands ignited in flames immediately. Zuko chose to take the defensive first dropping into a protective pose. Before they could even exchange blows the ground shook with a giant blast to the south of them. Zuko saw the palace explode far behind them in a display that didn't even seem real to his eyes. In a matter of seconds the grandest monument of architecture in the world was blown to pieces. Zuko's fists awakened with fire feeling an intense rage sweep through him as he took in his father's smug face.
"This war ends here and now" Zuko gritted out.
"That's one thing we can both agree on" Ozai returned before Zuko sent the first blast of fire his way.
KATARAS POV
Katara stared forward in numb disbelief as she watched the ash from the explosion rain from the sky. The shirshu below her stood absolutely still as Katara's trembling hands gripped the reins tightly. She saw the tears flowing from within her eyes but could not feel them, as her entire body lost feeling.
Her world completely stopped.
The entire palace was gone, left as a pile of ash and rubble.
There was no way that anyone in there could have survived that.
There was no way that Zuko survived that.
The blood seemed to stop in her veins, ran completely cold. A chill like no other swept through her body as gravity seemed to double down on her.
Then she screamed, into the air, a broken cry like no other. She wailed as her heart shattered into a million tiny fragments. She felt completely out of control, her entire body now quivering against her will. Another contraction tore through her causing her cries to ring out even louder.
"This can't be happening…it's not real…" she whispered to herself as the nightmare that had become her life unfolded before her.
"Zuko's not gone…it's not real…"she tried desperately to convince herself. But the longer she stared at the rubble the more her words became like ash on her tongue.
All she had now was her baby. She needed to get somewhere safe to give birth.
She needed to go home.
Where is home?
With a new sense of determination she turned the shirshu around racing in the opposite direction.
She reached Chao in record time completely spent by the time she made it to May's doorstep. Katara nearly fell off of the shirshu in exhaustion and pain, stumbling to the entry way of the small home.
"Help…please" she cried out desperately as she collapsed in front of the door. Her legs had completely given out, too weak to carry her weight. She saw a candle flicker on in the left window before she heard shuffling on the other side.
"Help!" she whimpered curling into a fetal position on the ground while banging her fist on the door. She felt the door swing open, the smell of incense wafting through her nose as relief flooded her body. She looked up to find Haru's green eyes staring back at her in confusion and worry. He dropped down to his knees immediately.
"Katara?"
"Babe?" she heard May call from inside the house "Who was it?"
"Help me please Haru" Katara felt faint as tears of pain rolled down her heated cheeks.
May came into view securing a sash around her robe. As soon as she saw Katara on the ground she gasped rushing forward.
"Katara! Oh my God she's pregnant!" she panicked.
"The baby is coming" Katara grit out.
"Bring her in Haru, hurry!" she yelled. Within seconds Katara was in his arms being carried into their small home. He placed her on the sofa and her body sagged in relief.
"How long have you been in labor? And where is Zuko?" May demanded in a haste as she filled a basin with water.
"It's been hours" she huffed in exertion "I rode here from Ba Sing Se" Katara began crying suddenly and hysterically. Haru grabbed her hand squeezing it tightly.
"Where's Zuko Katara?" he asked patiently. Her cries became more insistent at the mention of his name.
"Zuko…my love-he's…they blew up the palace-it happened so fast"
"Katara slow down…"
"He's dead" she cried out, the cry becoming a screech as another wave of contractions hit her.
Let her have her little bastard. It will grow up fatherless, and she will never know the feeling of safety again. She will live in fear for the rest of her days after she watches that filthy cretonne I call a son burn…that's worse than death.
Ozai's promise to her rang through her mind like a treacherous omen as her child felt as if it was clawing its way out of her. A scream tore through her, filling the silence of the night and heavy with the weight of her circumstance.
"Haru honey…you may want to step out for this part."
END CHAPTER 20