Chapter 7: The Attempt

Kaizar's POV (age 7)

I awoke once again to repeat my routine. I went through my advanced Dragon style katas. Lu Ten said I was a natural. He was so proud of me. It made me feel so accomplished. I never thought I'd be considered that good, but who knows he could have just been talking me up to make me feel better and more confident. We spared about every other day. My favorite move was a fire blast straight forward with a bit of a kick. It swirled in a cyclone and made it really hard to defend. It would look like a normal Sozin style blast but when you tried to defend it it would swirl around the defense and burn you bad. I've caught Lu Ten with that a few times.

I would get other training partners sometimes. Azula was a frequent challenger. A year younger than me and nearly beating me each time. I could only skate by the skin of me teeth because I had learned more at this point, she was a true prodigy though. Her flames were intense, powerful, and precise. She challenged me whenever she could because I was the only one who could beat her. It really pissed off her dad though. He would watch Lu Ten and I train. He tried to criticize us as just fooling around but Iroh put a stop to that fast and kicked him out. Made me like Iroh even more!

Iroh had helped refine mine and Lu Ten's more advanced techniques over the years. He taught us some philosophy as well as battle strategy that really helped me shine at school. I was top of the class. The other noble kids hated it. I had gotten into more than one fight, due to other's jealousy but Iroh had bailed me out. He knew the kind of boy I was and always took my side. It was nice actually having someone in my corner. The routine, making a good friend in my master, learning all I could as fast as I could…..life was great.

I finally had gotten to the iron wood trees. My knuckles were hardened, covered in scar tissue. They were the hands of hard work, continued trauma, and consistency with training. I went to the same iron wood I always went to and began my heavy strikes and punches. I nearly felt nothing. I was still working on my legs however. I started kicking at age 6 , but like my hands over the year it had gotten stronger just nowhere near where my hands were. In fact my fist had started imbedding itself into the tree.

"There you go again bashing away at the tree Kaizar. When are you going to stop that foolishness and realize that perfecting your fire bending is the only way to true power?" It was Azula making her usual rounds. Probably just trying to get under my skin.

I was polite as always, "good morning princesses. Lovely to see you. I do this in case I am in an environment where my bending is limited or not as good. Never hurts to have another tool in the belt." I honestly liked Azula she drove me to be better. Sure she tried to get under my skin, but that was only because she felt threatened by a bender of equal prowess. Though, I think she will be better than me unless I can make up some of my own moves that she can't learn, but she just has to see it once then she adapts.

"I suppose. Would you like a morning spar? My instructor fell ill today" She asked actually politely.

"Sure sounds fun we do not have classes today, so I was just going to go to the royal library after my morning training and read anyways." I replied.

We walked over to the training area where spars were sanctioned. We woke up the referee who was to be there at all times for the young fighters safety.

We got into our stances. Her's a a perfected Sozin style stance complete with both hands forward looking like a basic brawlers stance with lose hands instead of fists ready to bend. Mine, a dragons stance which was a front facing stance with one hand drawn back to attack and the other in front of my face to defend.

"Royalty first as is the custom" I said.

She made the first move a basic fire blast for a six year old. Like I described earlier the blast was intercepted by my hand, which was there for defense and redirected back at Azula after spinning around. When I completed the spin and launched the attack she had already closed the distance and was on me with fire knives. I danced backwards dodging quickly. Her advantage being the relentless attack, but my advantage was I knew that attack was all she knew. As she went for my throat I leaned back and kicked my knew out at the same time into the back of her knee throwing her off balance. I threw a short jab to keep her off balance, but Azula was agile and got her footing back quickly.

"Thought I'd try something new today and test the short range you're always practicing." She said.

"Well if I went all out with those moves I'd really hurt you, I've broken ribs doing it before." I replied.

She snarled at the implication that I wasn't giving her my best. With renewed fury she came after me. I knew I had gotten to her as she wildly attacked. I waited and found my opening then I unleashed three fireballs in succession, made a poor jet step right immediately after and as Azula dodged the fire balls I had launched as a distraction she turned her head right to me with a smirk. She knew I wasn't aiming for her and had a flame fist ready, as did I. Our fists collided with fire and fury. An explosion burst out and knocked us both back exhausted. We got up to continue when the ref stopped us.

"I declare this a draw!" He said

I hated draws. I hated not knowing if I could have come up on top. Unfortunately, a lot of Azula and mines spars ended in draws. I won some and she won some, but mostly draws.

"Ugh again!" Azula groaned and sat up "we have to settle this sometime!"

I chuckled and sat next to her, "Azula you nearly had me on that one you didn't fall for my fake at all you were ready for it. It really surprised me!"

"Yeah you used that move like 2 years ago. I recognized it. Dang I had you beat. I will be telling father about the soft refereeing" she said.

I gave her a pat on the back, "I am sure you will and I will appreciate it too honestly I feel like they have gotten worse lately, one blast and it's the end of the world. Anyways I am gonna get going and go to the library, need to rest up before training with Lu Ten! He said he likes to sleep in on Saturday anyways" I got up to leave.

"Yeah father is expecting me for personal training as well. I will beat you next time you know I was born to be the best." She smiled and left.

Honestly to everyone else Azula seemed like a jerk, and a monster. Azula even said her mom Ursa called her a monster once. I was shocked by that. Ursa didn't seem the type. However, Azula respected power and skill. Once I broke through that and proved myself her equal in those regards she looked to me as a rival and a decent friend I think. Don't get me wrong she was dark as hell, but she had a soft spot here and there.

As I walked to the library I remembered that I had to return a scroll to Lu Ten. He had given me a specific scroll to learn the firewall. Firewall was really hard, but I had the basics down. I just needed to perfect it. He said the scroll was a royal artifact that needed to be returned. So before going to the library, I quickly ran to my room, grabbed it and headed to Lu Ten. I knew he was probably still asleep.

I then noticed something strange, a man in a dark outfit. At least I think that's what I saw. It was really fast. I followed what my hunch told me. I looked down the hall where I saw the man go down and looked around. I saw nothing I knew in my heart that-they were there. I was sure that I saw something. I decided to investigate further. I looked on every inch of that hallway. This was the royal wing, where the princes and their children lived. then I saw him a man dressed in all black hanging on the ceiling. However, I acted like I didn't see him. I walked past him. I went to leave the scroll by Lu Ten's door and walked away slowly. I gathered all of my inner fire and my one hand in the right side, turned around quickly and blasted the intruder. The intruder fell with a gasp.

"How did you see me? The shadows are my ally not yours!" He yelled.

I put on the bravest face I could, "shadows are nothing when Agni's light shines upon them. GUARDS!" I shouted.

"I disposed of the nearby guards kid. You'll be lucky if anyone gets here in less then 5 minutes. And that's 5 minutes I have to end you for making me fail my hit." He exclaimed as he threw a boulder at me….it was an earth bender.

He heaved stone after stone of the palace columns at me. I felt the very palace shake. If no one knew there was an earth bender here they did now and were no doubt on their way. I dodged at least ten large rocks and was breathing heavy before Lu Ten and Iroh's door swung open. The Earth benders eyes widened in surprise and pleasure. He heaved a boulder right at Iroh and Lu Ten. Iroh was holding Lu Ten behind him and had no time to get into a proper defensive position. I on the other hand was 2 to 3 feet away and in perfect position to try something so so stupid.

I jumped in front of them got into position as fast as I could and punched the bolder. It shattered, and so did my hand. It hurt like heck, but my training worked. In a pinch I was able to used my conditioned hands from the iron wood trees to shatter a boulder like an earth bender. His eyes widened to the realization!, "the avatar?! He fights for the fire nation!? This cannot be!" Suddenly a fire blast dwarfing anything I had ever made flew past me and hit the earth bender. He was then tackled to the ground by many guards.

Iroh looked to me with thankfulness in his eyes, "thank you young Kaizar, not only have you save me the heir, but my own as well. You have honored yourself and your ancestors today."

I smiled, them passed out from the pain I my broken wrist.

Next time Kaizar will get a reward, but is he worthy? I own nothing. I am doing this for fun and am trying to do 1-2 chapters a week. I am motivated to work faster when people like my work. And I improve when people give me constructive criticism and feedback. I am doing this chapter by chapter and hope you like it! Please leave suggestions for what you'd like to see and I'll consider putting it in. Though it is still my story so please understand every suggestion won't make it in. Thanks and enjoy.