Previously on The Legend of Perseus: Bender of Oceans.

"I will allow him to fight the five duels." Ozai started, his glare never wavering.

"He will fight on the seventh day. Should he fail. Should he falter, or show any weakness. He will be killed on the spot. Should he succeed. He will have proven himself a fire nation citizen, and be allowed to live. I'll keep my word and his duty will be to my daughter." Ozai spat.

"Thank you for giving him an opportunity brother. I will inform Piandao." Iroh bowed his head.

"Leave my sight now Iroh. You have given me a lot to think about." Ozai glared.

"It is my honour to serve our great nation." Iroh bowed once again and vacated the room.

Ozai was deep in thought and a maniacal laugh escaped his rigid frame. 'Perhaps you aren't so useless brother. You might have failed at Ba Sing Se. But the key to the north may soon be mine.'

/

Several days later, Piandao's Estate.

Percy knew the letter was from Uncle Iroh. Outwith Prince Zuko, he was the only person who would have a Royal Family Member seal. The teenager watched his father cool facade, looking for any break in character to inform him of the contents of the letter.

Piandao sighed and Percy knew he was just about to get his away. The swordsman directed his attention to his son.

"Pack your bags son. We make way to the capital at first light."

Percy was ecstatic.

/

The Legend of Perseus: Bender of Oceans

Chapter 5: A Journeytothe Capitol

Out in the Open Ocean, Heading to Imperial City.

Percy was at peace. It was nighttime and he had snuck to the bow of the ship to do some meditation. The moon was beaming overhead, basking the seas in an incredible white glow. The gentle sounds of waves clapping together and caressing the ship brought a calm to Perseus.

He was usually twitchy and jittery, constantly on edge and analysing his surroundings. Even when he usually meditates he would struggle to stay still but right now he was near frozen in place. He was in tune with the ocean around him.

It was invigorating, but it was also overwhelming. It was unlike any connection he ever had to his element before. He had felt one with the water many times before, but this time it was roaring at him. Yearning for his grip. It wasn't just the ocean or tides, and waves. The water was everywhere, the air was humid, dense in moisture. The ships coolant bubbled and snaked in the many pipes throughout the boat.

Percy opened his eyes, staring out to the ocean in front of the ship. "Hello dad."

"Hello son." Piandao replied, not bothering to question how his son had sensed his arrival.

"Why do you find yourself out here at this time of night? You should be resting." Piandao asked.

"I can't rest. I just feel so invigorated out here on the ocean. It's like nothing I've felt before." Percy replied to his father.

Piandao sighed. "I think its time we have a talk son."

"What's wrong dad?" Percy asked, hearing the slight tone of sadness on his fathers voice.

"Do you remember what I told you about your mother?" Piandao questioned.

"She died giving birth to me? She was from the water tribes." Percy replied, he had heard the story many times but always wanted to know more.

"That's not the full story."

"What do you mean dad?"

"Fat and I were walking the grounds of the estate one night. We had heard the cries of a child from the cliffs and that night I had found you."

"I'm not your son?" Perseus questioned heartbroken.

"Don't be ridiculous Percy. You will always be my son." Piandao comforted. "You were left with a note, declaring you to be the son of the ocean. I believe you're a gift from the spirits, but I don't know where you truly came from. You will always be my son. I love you Percy" Piandao declared.

Percy smiled, tears welling in his eyes. "I love you too dad."

The nobleman took the boy into a warm embrace.

"Is that why my bending is different? I'm not normal?" Percy asked.

"Nobody is normal son, that's what makes us all unique. Your bending is just an extension of you. You are the water, and the water is you. There is a reason it wishes for your command. You have a spiritual connection to the elements no other bender aside from the avatar has."

"I wanted you to know the truth before you leave. I know you will succeed in the five duels and journey off into the world. I just never knew how sad it would be to see my son grow up." Piandao confessed.

"You're my dad. Who I am is because of you. I want to do you proud and bring honour to the house. I love you dad." Percy cried.

"I love you too son. I'm already proud of you." Piandao released Percy from their hug.

"You need to get rest, we can still do plenty of trainin. We're not expected to reach the capital until late evening tomorrow." Piandao commanded.

"We'll reach the capital sooner than that dad, the currents are on our side." Percy smirked knowingly.

"Is that so?"

/

Percy was correct of course. They were already entering the narrow strait that was protected by the Great Gate of Azulon, two incredible statues of dragons flanked either side. A brilliant orange net of fire protected the highway to the capitol.

It was only noon, if things continued going in their favour they would be able to catch the last of todays fights before Percy fought tomorrow. It was a daunting prospect but he was quietly confident in himself. Water could extinguish even the brightest flames.

He was meditating once again, this time his fathers words echoing in his mind.

'When you fight tomorrow do not toy with your opponents. Dispatch of them immediately. The Fire Lord is already aware of your waterbending so do not hesitate to use it, he will be expecting it. Iroh has made him aware so you must prove yourself as capable.'

Percy knew his fathers words were a warning. Usually his advice was a reminder of defensive forms not dispatching enemies with no hesitations. He knew what that meant though. Failure would mean death, he had no other option than succeeding.

They were passing through the gates with no issue and the son of Piandao decided to retreat to his private quarters. He wanted to practice his bending.

He decided to practice a form he had practiced many times before. Iroh's kata. He put a small saucer of water on a dresser at the opposite side of the room. Percy took his stance. His footing was sturdy but his whole upper body was loose. He closed his eyes and extended his right arm to the saucer, two fingers pointed out.

He reached out for it, feeling it call to him. His right arm rotated clockwise and he felt the water follow effortlessly. As his right arm began to reach his side, his left arm joined in the motions. His left went counter clockwise, the water splitting in two, traveling in opposite directions. He extended his front foot out, his right hand following and his left pointing to his rear. The water exploded from his fingertips, a lightning bolt made of perilously sharp ice danced away from his touch. He smirked. He had long learned Iroh's form and integrated it into his own bending.

Initially he wasn't too sure what to do with the lightning kata when he started training it. He was a water bender after all, lightning belonged to fire benders. But one day when practicing it for countless times it clicked. Percy learned what Iroh meant when he said katas can transcend the elements. It was a lightning kata that for Perseus allowed him to create an incredible weapon of ice from little water.

Once he really upset Fat when training the kata as he somehow drew the water from some of his flowers practicing the form. Percy hadn't even realised until Fat started giving him a bollocking then and there.

Percy chuckled to himself. He was already missing the old butler. The teenager wondered when their paths would cross once again.

Percy repeated the form more times than he liked to count. Drawing water from different sources each time. The tea in a pot, water in different cups, even his own sweat and the moisture in the air. Water was everywhere but he couldn't expect to be beside an open ocean constantly. He had to be ready to draw water from wherever it required.

The young noble was once again about to continue his training but a knock at the door raptured his attention.

"That's us docked at the harbor son. Move your ass and we might make it to Caldera in time to catch today's fight." Piandao's voice echoed.

"Okay dad, I'll meet you on the top deck shortly." Percy shouted back.

He started grabbing his things and could hear the footsteps of his father walk off. The majority of his belongings were packed but he still had one or two things to sort. Once he was one hundred percent sure he had everyone he set off. He excitedly dashed through the halls, rushing to find his father. Whilst he had some nerves for his own fights tomorrow, he was still immensely excited to finally have a challenge who wasn't his father.

He stormed through the door that would take him to a decking and he saw the warm face of his father.

"Let's get a moving son."

/

The Colosseum, Caldera.

Percy and his father were sitting in one of the stands. The teenager was constantly looking around, soaking up the atmosphere. It was incredible. Caldera was so much more lively than Shu Jing in the short time he had already been here. Piandao was anxiously looking towards the royal box.

Perseus watched as todays challenger, a man called Lee had made it to the third duel, but was struggling in the fight.

The duels were back to back, with only a five minute intermission between each one. It was a test of strength and stamina. Percy grinned knowing he was adept in both. The fire bending on the other hand was somewhat impressive. They were aggressive fighters. Constantly rushing, attacking with a flurry of kicks and punches. The man Lee was fighting was clearly good, his style preferring two fire whips he utilised to keep Lee afar.

Percy turned his attention to his father to ask his thoughts but realised he was not watching the fight. He followed the direction Piandao was looking at realised what had caught his attention. Fire Lord Ozai. A deep chill cloaked Percy. The man was clearly a tempest, truly powerful and dangerous. Percy looked to his sides and a slight relief filled him when a familiar face caught his eyes. Prince Zuko.

'Surprise friend.' Percy thought to himself. 'I've made it to the Capitol.'

The Royal Box in the Colosseum, Caldera.

"Percy." Zuko whispered.

"What's that brother." Azula sneered.

"My friend from Shu Jing, he's over there." Zuko pointed to a teenager. He was dressed in silk robes only a noble could afford. An ornate gold hair piece contained a warriors bun, and his emerald green eyes glistened in the son. The boy bowed his head once he noticed Zuko and the young prince smiled.

"The son of Piandao is here?" Zuko's fathers venomous voice spoke out.

"Yeah. Why?" Zuko asked confused.

"He fights tomorrow." The fire lord stated with finality.

"What." Zuko murmured to himself and Azula watched the conversation with a careful eye.

Azula directed her attention to boy her brother was staring at. So this was Zuko's little friend? In Azula opinion the boy looked like a water tribe savage playing dress up as a noble son. His emerald green eyes didn't belong in the fire nation. What was he? Some half breed?

Azula hadn't realized she had been staring until a gong echoed throughout the colosseum. She looked upon the battlefield and the challenger who was some unimportant boy had been felled by General Zhang's son. Only one fighter had made it passed him so far, and none had made it to the final duel. A pathetic showing from the nobility of the fire nation.

Her father stood and his booming voice took command of the stadia.

"A weak showing. So far none have succeeded. Nobody has proven themselves capable of protecting the crown jewel of the Fire Nation. I have not been impressed."

Azula watched as the noble families who's sons had fought squirmed in the stance. 'They are pathetic, they should have no standing. I am sure father will deal with them.' A venomous voice spoke out from the depths of her mind. A cold chill danced through her body and she felt somebody staring at her.

Hunting down who dared to look at her she found herself entrapped in a certain pair of emerald green eyes. Even from this distance she could see them glimmer. Her fathers voice enraptured everyone's attention once again.

"Tomorrow's fighter has already arrived in the city and is sitting here in the stadium. Son of Piandao rise, make yourself known."

Azula watched the boy rise and she began to take an interest in him. He may have had the eyes of the savage but even Azula could admit he held a lithe figure. He had an ornate sword sheath by his side, seeming to wield a three woot long Jian, rather than the common Wodao. His clothes and jewelry were clearly of nobleman quality. Is that just how the outer islanders looked? Azula never really paid attention, they were beneath her after all.

The boy stood up and bowed deeply in the direction of her father.

"Fire Lord." His voice contained a strength to it that surprised Azula and caught her attention.

"The Son of Piandao will fight next, I can not be bothered waiting another day. I have heard you are a waterbender." Gasps broke out across the stadium and several guards unsheathed their weapons. "You will fight now, but the rules have changed. If you fail at any point you shall be executed as a traitor of the nation. If you refuse to fight now, you shall be executed as a spy. If you somehow win, I will stick to my word and your duty will be to my daughter." Her fathers cunning voice spoke out.

So Azula was correct, he was just a water tribe savage. 'But father is already aware of that. Why would he allow a savage to protect me? What is he plotting?' Azula questioned to herself, unsure why her father would even consider the prospect of a waterbender being at her side.

She looked at the boy once again and saw that he was looking at her father. He was looking right at her.

"I'm here my liege. I already accepted the challenge." The son of Piandao smiled.

"Enter the field!" Her father barked. The teenage boy removed his jewelry and passed it to his own father. He made his way down the marble stairs, and jumped over the edge into the pit.

/

Authors Note

Yeah I didn't expect to have this finished so soon. But somehow we are 2.7k words in a chapter I initially didn't intend to go on this long.

So we've seen how Percy incorporated Irohs teaching into his bending. All he ever does is train so whilst he has natural talent he has already put countless hours into mastering his forms. Water comes naturally to him and he's deliberately trained his connection to it. Some dark reveals in this chapter, not going to say more than that. Ozai is impatient and still threatening death. Azula is troubled and hears voices. Ozai has her wrapped around his finger she doesn't know it.

The next chapter is Percy's five duels. I'm immensely looking forward to it.

Thank you once again to all those who favourited and followed from the last chapter, and joining on this journey.

Shoutout to Superhero01, Almostimportant, and darthjosh2112 for leaving reviews.

Superhero: Even just getting into the royal court is gonna fuck up spiritually. Very excited to write the dynamic between Percy and Azula and without a doubt Azula will challenge Percy on many occasions.

Almostimportant: thank you very much for your kind words, Saphire Flames is one of my favourite crossovers. It's a shame I only found it so recently but was delighted to see the author update recently. I love the ideas some incredible authors have had, I'm looking forward to putting my own unique twist to it all.

Darthjosh2112: Here you go mate, looking forward to your thoughts.

Please spare the time to leave a review, it takes only 30 seconds but they are so incredibly meaningful to a writer. I know this is a smaller community but I just want everyone to enjoy the journey.I would love to hear your thoughts on the chapter and the story so far.

Take care folks

Admeto.