N/A: I'm back, baby.
I know it's been a while, but between getting my medical degree (thanks for all the congratulations, by the way. I love you guys) and getting ready to take the specialty choice exam, I've barely had time to write anything new. But I still managed to finish this chapter, I hope you like it.
FanFicKing3245: Don't worry, that hellhound will show up again.
Callum Runchman: At this point in the story, Percy will be on the front lines of the war, leading the samurai against the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribe, so the world will see what he's capable of.
Wheresmydoseofinsanity: It may bite him in the ass later on, or it may be of help. Only time will tell.
Guest: He didn't communicate with the hellhound, there was just some sort of understanding.
Omiguh: You left a very good review, well-thought-out, so I'll respond in kind.
1-From the beginning of the story I have said that Percy will not be perfect. He will make mistakes, his thoughts and actions may not be the most correct, but that makes him human. What he did in the last chapter (leaving the captain who tortured Piandao alive) is debatable whether it was the right thing to do or not, but he remained true to his principles and the path he chose to follow. In a way, he was similar to Aang. Did he do the right thing by sparing Ozai's life and taking away his bending? It is debatable, but he remained true to himself and his beliefs. The same happened with Percy in the last chapter.
2-Zuko, at the beginning of the show he had the firm belief that destiny is something you are born with, it is later where he learns through tremendous character development that one chooses his own destiny.
3-You are right, Percy does not believe in war. And this is a very important point in the story. He won't be participating in it because he wants to or because he's defending the ideals of the Fire Nation, he's doing it, so his father doesn't have to fight.
4-The fact that Piandao loses an eye doesn't mean he's incapacitated, but he'll have to adjust to his more limited vision and that's not something he'll accomplish in just a few days.
5-As for Percy being the leader of the samurai, he's proven to be a born leader. The way he led the demigods in the battle of Manhattan is proof of that. There's a reason he's the leader of Camp Half-Blood.
I hope I've answered your questions.
GRNauman: Percy and Zuko's paths will cross again... and not in the way many expect.
Freestoryideas: Don't worry, that hellhound will appear again.
Stormzy: Percy will be the only demigod alive in the Avatar world, but he's not the only one who has come to the world of Avatar. As I mentioned, Luke was also sent to the world of Avatar over 150 years ago, but he won't have much of an impact on the present day beyond letting the world know that there are beings known as "demigods."
Baahubali: Percy and Zuko's relationship will have many ups and downs from now on, but at the end of it all they will always support each other as brothers.
shira286100: No, there are no samurai as such. The closest to them would be the Kyoshi Warriors. As for Percy returning to his home village, that's still a long way off.
ENDDRAGON369: Maybe, but no one will surpass Percy in "waterbending." He will become a different story when he shows what he is truly capable of doing with waterbending. As for Aang's age, I mentioned at the beginning of the story that they would be a bit older. Not children, but teenagers and young adults.
And that's all for now.
And without further ado... Let's go!
Chapter 20
Dreams
Percy stared at the flaps of the largest tent in the samurai camp without moving. The flaps that belonged to his father's tent.
The conflict was visible on his face as he internally debated whether to enter. He knew what he would find on the other side, his father lying in bed, injured and barely able to get up. He thought about what words he could use to convince his father to take his place, but in his mind there was only the image of how he found him. Chained, tortured, his face bruised beyond recognition and with a deep cut over his right eye that would blind him permanently.
Knowing there was no point in prolonging the inevitable, Percy let out a deep sigh before pushing aside the tent flaps and stepping inside.
All the chatter in the tent stopped as Percy entered. All the samurai were awake, even those who had previously been unconscious from their injuries, and were looking directly at him, causing Percy to stir uncomfortably at being on the receiving end of so many stares.
His father was also there, sitting on a blanket while Sung tended to him. His right eye was covered with bandages. And his face still looked bruised, but showing signs of improvement.
There was a tense silence among those present before it was broken by Xiao's tongue clicking.
"Damn," he growled under his breath. "He came back."
Percy would have been annoyed by his comment if he hadn't seen Xiao reach into his pocket and pull out a few coins to hand to Qiang.
"Ha! I told you he'd do it," he boasted as he put the coins in his pocket. "He has every reason to do so."
"What are you talking about?" Percy asked, confused.
"Those idiots bet on whether you would come back or not," Xiuying clarified. "Although, to tell you the truth, it was obvious that you would. Everyone expected you to."
Percy glanced at each of the samurai. They all nodded with a smile of greeting and, in a way, welcome. None of them saw him as a stranger, but as one of their own. Like a fellow swordsman, like a samurai.
"I didn't expect him to have the guts to do that," Xiao remarked, approaching Percy and looking at him intently.
Percy raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean?"
"Don't play dumb with me, even if it comes naturally to you," Xiao narrowed his eyes. "I mean what happened at the military base. The earthquake... It was you, wasn't it?"
Percy opened his eyes in surprise and felt a pang of fear in his heart. Fear that his abilities had been discovered.
"What are you talking about?" Percy asked, trying to sound as confused as possible. "How could I cause an earthquake?"
"You would if you were an Earthbender. Tell me, are you?"
Percy tried not to flinch under Xiao's curious gaze.
To tell the truth, he had asked himself this very question in the past when he discovered this ability to cause earthquakes. Was he an Earthbender? A part of him even wondered if he was the Avatar, since he could control water so naturally and now had a power over the earth. But no, Percy was not an Earthbender. His only ability on earth was limited to causing earthquakes. And the earthquake he had caused to topple that mountain was the greatest demonstration of that power he had ever made.
It was truly impressive... but also terrifying.
All the samurai looked at Percy expectantly. Apparently, they all had the same doubts as Xiao. And surprisingly, his father looked at him the same way. Predictably, Piandao didn't know about his earthquake-causing abilities.
"I am not an Earthbender," he said confidently.
He wasn't lying. He really wasn't.
"Are you sure?" Xiao pressed skeptically. "Because that earthquake happened when you went berserk on that captain and brutally attacked him."
"Very sure."
"Xiao, if my son could do earthbending, believe me, I would know," Piandao interjected, coming closer and placing a hand on the young samurai's shoulder.
Xiao still had a slightly suspicious look on his face, but he finally nodded and accepted his master's words.
"Dad, how are you feeling?" Percy asked worriedly.
"A little better. Sung's care has made the pain more... bearable."
"I am glad to hear that, Master," said Sung, pleased. "But you must not overuse the medicine. It is effective, but with each dose your body gets used to it and needs a larger dose to get the same effect, which can lead to dependence and... addiction. It would be wise to gradually reduce the dose until you no longer need it."
Piandao nodded seriously.
"I will keep that in mind."
"Dad, you shouldn't push yourself. You should rest," Percy advised, though it almost sounded like a plea.
Piandao let out a small sigh.
"I'm afraid I can't do that," he said. "Not with what lies ahead."
Percy raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean?"
"We have another mission," Qiang said. "Commander Zhao expects us to participate in his next plan to invade an Earth Kingdom city."
"In fact, he ordered us to do so," Xiao snarled in irritation. "That bastard... it wasn't enough that our master was kidnapped on a mission he ordered us to do, now he expects us to do another one with our leader under these conditions."
Qiang turned to look at him with a disapproving expression.
"Xiao, you can't talk about the commander like that. Whether you like it or not, he is our superior, and you should show more respect."
"He'll have my respect when he earns it. Until then, he can kiss my ass."
"Oh, Xiao..." Sung muttered, embarrassed and ashamed of his friend's attitude.
"Are you going on another mission?" Percy asked, his voice showing his disbelief. "But... Half of you are hurt! Especially you, dad."
"My injuries are many, yes, but not crippling," said Piandao. "And Commander Zhao knows that."
"Not crippling? Dad... You lost an eye! And Zhao thinks you can go on a mission in that condition?! He's out of his mind!"
"I agree with you," Xiao commented.
"The desire for glory clouds Commander Zhao's judgment," Piandao nodded. "But the wounds of a few soldiers will not stop him from carrying out his plan."
"Soldiers?" The disbelief in Percy's voice turned to indignation. "You are not soldiers, you are swordsmen! And I will not allow you to go on a mission in the state you are in, dad!"
Piandao raised an eyebrow.
"You won't allow it? Percy... don't tell me that you..."
Percy nodded, determined.
"I won't let you go back into battle. From now on, I'll do it for you. That's why I came back."
Percy's statement surprised all the samurai. But none of them looked more surprised than his father, though his surprise quickly turned harsh and stern.
"No," he said flatly, "I won't let you."
"Dad..."
"I won't let my only son go to war!"
Percy was taken aback by his father's outburst. His expression was stern, but there was a glimmer of desperation in his eyes.
There was a moment of tense silence in the tent. All the samurai looked uneasy and a little uncomfortable. They had never seen their master lose his temper and raise his voice like that.
"And you think I want you to go?" Percy replied, his voice harsh but also slightly desperate. "Look what returning to this war has done to you. You may be the strongest swordsman in the Fire Nation, but you are not... invulnerable."
"And you are?" Xiao snorted.
Percy ignored him as he continued to stare at his father. He looked troubled and conflicted as he frowned.
If there was one thing he knew for sure, it was that his father would not allow such a thing. Piandao would willingly give up his other eye to save his son from being sent to the front lines of the war.
"Percy, you don't know how cruel war can be," he said. "It taints and corrupts men, even the purest. And the more you participate in it, the more you lose your humanity. I don't want that for you."
"Dad... you worry about me, I understand, but I worry about you too."
Like his father, Percy was capable of doing the unthinkable to protect his loved ones. Even if he had to sacrifice himself, he would do so without hesitation.
"And I won't let you keep fighting," he continued, his voice reflecting the absolute seriousness with which he spoke. "Even if I have to force you."
"Force me?" Piandao raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to challenge me?"
"I will challenge you to an Agni Kai if I have to."
Father and son stared at each other, neither willing to back down. Both wanted to stay and fight the war, so the other would not have to. Both wanted to sacrifice themselves for the sake of the other.
Just then, someone shouted from outside the tent, and the flaps opened to reveal two Firebender soldiers led by Commander Zhao.
As the commander's gaze fell on Percy, his eyes widened in surprise, and he involuntarily took a cautious step back.
"You... What are you doing here?" he asked, narrowing his eyes in annoyance and uncertainty. "Prince Zuko's ship has already left."
"I have decided to stay and join the Samurai," Percy explained, narrowing his eyes as he looked at the commander, daring him to question his decision.
"So you will serve under your father's orders," Zhao looked from Piandao to Percy.
"No. I will take his place."
"Percy," Piandao interjected. "We have not decided yet..."
"My father will return to the Fire Nation and retire from the army," Percy interrupted, sounding adamant.
"And do you think the Fire Lord will accept such a decision?" Zhao asked.
Percy thought for a few seconds. Originally, either Zuko or he was supposed to lead the samurai. Piandao had only led them because he had no one else since Zuko and Percy had left the Fire Nation three years ago. But now he was back. And if there was one thing he knew for sure about Ozai, it was that he cared about results, not means.
"As long as I prove that I can lead the Samurai and achieve results that please the Fire Lord, I know he won't mind."
Zhao raised an eyebrow skeptically while maintaining a disdainful expression.
"And can you?"
Before Percy could answer, Qiang stepped forward.
"It was he who led us on our mission to rescue Master Piandao, Commander Zhao," he said.
"And we managed to take the military base in a single night," Xiuying added. "Something you have been trying to accomplish for months."
Zhao did not like this statement and narrowed his eyes as he looked at the swordswoman.
"Are you insinuating something, child?"
"Just the facts... sir."
"Well, these are the facts" Zhao put his hands behind his back and took an imposing stance as he looked at all the samurai in earnest. "Now that Captain Kuai's military base has fallen, the Fire Nation has a clear path to conquer an important city that is key to the resistance of Omashu and the entire southern region of the Earth Kingdom."
"What city is that?" asked Percy. "And what's so important about it?"
"The name of the city is Gaoling. And it is one of the richest and most influential cities in the entire Earth Kingdom, comparable to Omashu. It has numerous routes and roads, both land and river, used by merchants that connect to many of the southern cities of the Earth Kingdom, the most important being the route to Omashu. Taking this city is essential to finally conquer the entire southern region of the Earth Kingdom."
"And what will be the mission of the Samurai, sir?" Qiang asked.
"A reconnaissance mission. You are to go to Gaoling City and gather as much information as possible. Military bases, approximate number of soldiers, vulnerable and valuable points. Due to the valuable strategic point that the city represents, the Fire Lord wants the city to be as intact as possible when we occupy it. Therefore, you must also study the most important and influential families in the city. They will be well... active when the Fire Nation reclaims Gaoling and installs a ruler."
"So basically, it will be a similar mission to the one we had before, but on a larger scale," Ming said.
"Exactly. But this time, be careful not to alert the soldiers to your presence and that your..." Zhao gave Percy a sideways glance. "... New captain doesn't get captured by the enemy like the previous one. You will leave for Gaoling tomorrow morning. Be ready by then."
Zhao turned his back and left the tent. The two soldiers accompanying him quickly followed their commander.
After the commander left, the samurai looked at each other. There was a feeling of uneasiness and concern in the air because of how their last mission had turned out.
"Will we have another mission so soon?" Yang spoke, holding his stomach with a grimace of pain. "We haven't recovered from the last one yet."
"Zhao is aware of that, but he doesn't seem to care," Xiao commented.
"I doubt the guy cares about anything but himself," Mifune said, looking at where Zhao had gone with a disgusted expression on his face.
"Enough," Piandao said in a harsh tone. "Commander Zhao may not be the most honorable person. But he is still our superior. And until we receive orders from someone higher than him, we are under his command."
The samurai did not look too happy about their master's rebuke, but they did not protest because they knew he was right.
Piandao turned to look at Percy with a stern and uncompromising expression on his face. Percy, on the other hand, raised an eyebrow.
"You speak as if you were still part of the Samurai."
"I am still their master and leader," he declared.
Percy narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms.
"Master, yes. Leader, no longer. You've just been removed from your position by a coup I've orchestrated. Just give in peacefully and don't make this a violent takeover."
Piandao's eyes narrowed as he looked at his son.
"Percy... Do you really want to go through with this?" he asked.
"I told you, I won't let you take any more risks like this," he said, sounding adamant. He crossed his arms and looked at his father almost pleadingly. "Dad... I don't want to take your position because I want to or because I need to. It's you who needs me to take your place so that you will be safe. Believe me, if there was any other way, I would do it, but there isn't. Let me take your place and return to the Fire Nation."
There was a stare-down between father and son for several seconds. Neither seemed willing to budge.
"Okay, okay, how about we calm down?" Ming interjected, stepping between them. "Look, I understand the position of both. Master Piandao, you want to stay and lead the samurai, so Percy doesn't have to. And Percy, you want to take your father's place so that he can retire from the war front. Am I right?"
Percy and Piandao looked at each other for a second.
"Yes, you are right," Percy said.
"You are correct," Piandao agreed with a nod.
"Good. Master Piandao, you are seriously injured and have lost an eye. You must recover from your injuries and adjust to your limited vision. Unfortunately, you are in no condition to fight, let alone be our leader."
"I told you, dad..."
"And you, Percy, you've been gone for three years. And now you want to come back to lead us? Do you expect us to accept that just because you're our master's son?"
Percy stood still with his mouth slightly open. Ming... was right. He had not taken the samurai into consideration. It was clear that they would accept him as one of them, but... Would they accept him as their leader? Was he even capable of leading? It was one thing to be able to fight, whether against bandits or Earthbenders, and quite another to be able to lead someone in battle.
"He can do it," Xiao declared, surprising all the samurai.
Of all the people who could support him, Percy obviously didn't expect it to be Xiao.
The small boy approached Percy and looked directly at him, touching his chest several times with one finger.
"I always hated your carefree attitude," he confessed, nudging him with his finger, but Percy remained motionless. "While we were all training until our hands bled, you were sleeping and playing house with Azula and her two parasitic friends. You don't know how much I hated the fact that you were always the best of us."
Percy wondered if Xiao really supported him. Sometimes it was hard to deal with the short, moody boy.
"But... even when I wanted to kick your ass more times than I can remember, you were always there as someone to push us to improve," Xiao continued. "When we saw you, we saw the kind of swordsman we could become. You were our goal. I hoped to get there one day so I could wipe that stupid, irritating smile off your face. And now that you're finally here, maybe I can finally do it."
"Hey... Thank you?" Percy said, not knowing what else to say.
"You have a strange way of showing your support, you know that?" Mifune pointed out.
"Kiss my ass. Although you might not like it because it's not the ass you want to kiss."
Mifune frowned, slightly annoyed, but decided not to respond and walked over to Percy.
"You have my support as well," he said. "In our mission to rescue Master Piandao, you knew how to lead us. You showed confidence, courage, and strength. In my opinion, great qualities in a leader."
"You also showed mercy," Sung added, stepping forward. "We succeeded because of you, Percy. You also have my support. I know you will be a great leader."
"I must say you surprised me, Percy," Xiuying said with an appreciative smile. "I didn't think you would become so strong in the past three years. For that reason alone, I wouldn't mind following your orders."
"And it's not just your strength, it's also your trust in us," Qiang said. "You treated us not as subordinates, but as equals. You trusted our skills as warriors. You led us well in rescuing Master Piandao. And I trust that you will lead us well from now on."
Xiao, Mifune, Sung, Xiuying and Qiang stood in front of him, smiling to varying degrees, but all with the same expression of acceptance on their faces. They... accepted him.
Though he couldn't say the same for the rest of the samurai, judging by the incredulous and skeptical expressions on their faces.
"We're talking about the same Percy, right?" Ling asked. "The same lazy ass who slept under the tree while we trained ourselves to death?"
"The same lazy ass who woke up just to gorge on food and then go back to sleep?" Yao added.
"The same lazy ass who made fun of us every time we dueled with him?" Ming also asked with a raised eyebrow.
With each comment, Percy's frown deepened. If they statements weren't true, he would be outraged, even if he didn't like it.
"The same lazy ass...?"
"All right, that's enough," Percy said annoyed.
Samurai chuckled, obviously they had done it on purpose with the intention to annoy him.
"As hard as it is to accept, we're talking about the same lazy ass," Xiao said, earning an annoyed look from Percy. "If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed it. Obviously, he hasn't let up in the last three years. I would even go so far as to say that he has equaled, if not surpassed, Master Piandao in skill."
The samurai had a curious and somewhat surprised expression on his face at Xiao's statement. Even Piandao had a curious look on his face as he watched his son.
"Bold statements, how about putting them to the test?" a new voice asked.
Everyone turned to watch as a samurai approached Percy until she stood in front of him. It was a girl who was about eighteen-years-old and a few inches shorter than Percy. Dark brown hair that reached to her shoulders, the top of which was tied into a bun and held in a simple headdress that revealed her stern face. Her golden eyes looked at Percy inquisitively, as if trying to see deep inside him.
Percy recognized her. Her name was Lin Lin, one of only three samurai women and the only one who wielded a katana.
"Don't you believe me, Lin Lin?" Xiao asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I believe you," she nodded. "But I believe more in the facts. And if Perseus here intends to be our leader, he must prove to all of us that he is capable of it."
"What do you suggest?" asked Percy, raising an eyebrow.
"You tell me. You want to be our leader, don't you? How would you put an end to the doubts we have about you?"
Percy pondered Lin Lin's question for a few seconds. His doubts were understandable. As much as he knew the samurai and had proven his skills with the sword, they expected more from him. They wanted him to prove that he could lead them properly in future battles. That they could rely on him when needed.
"Tomorrow's mission," Percy said. "You will judge for yourselves if I have what it takes to be your leader. And if I do not live up to your expectations... my father will remain Captain and I will be under his command as one of you. How about it?"
Before giving him an answer, Lin Lin turned to look over his shoulder at all the other samurai.
"Do you agree?" she asked.
The samurai looked at each other before they looked at Percy and nodded in agreement.
"Very well then," Lin Lin said. "We'll decide on the mission tomorrow."
Percy nodded in agreement before looking at his father as if daring him to object in any way.
Piandao just let out a small sigh and turned away to lie down on his bunk.
Percy looked at his father's back, knowing that he had gone against his wishes, but it was too late to turn back now.
There was nothing he could do to stop Zuko, his dearest friend, from being banished from the Fire Nation and condemned to return only after the Avatar was captured. But he could prevent his own father from having to fight in the war.
And if he has to sacrifice himself to prevent that, taking his place as captain and leader of the samurai, then so be it.
Percy retreated to one of the samurai tents with the intention of getting some rest. He felt exhausted to the point where he could pass out from lack of sleep at any moment. This was to be expected, as he had been awake all night before, and it was the first time in his life that he had gone so long without sleep.
The moment his head touched the pillow of his assigned bunk, he fell asleep in less than a minute, and as was often the case, dreams came to him.
He was in a huge hall made entirely of stone. The floor, walls, and ceiling looked as if they had been carved from the inside of a mountain. The work of Earthbenders, no doubt. The whole place was lit by glowing stones set into the walls, giving the room a slightly greenish light. A long, wide carpet with various shades of green and gold accents led up to a stone throne.
Judging by the banners with the Earth Kingdom symbol on the walls and the various soldiers in Earth Kingdom military uniforms, Percy was looking at what appeared to be the throne room of a palace.
But what caught his attention were the three people standing in the center of the room in front of the stone throne.
The Avatar and his friends.
They were looking at an old man dressed in long, ornate green and gold robes. On each of his fingers was a ring of various precious stones. And on his head he wore a strange helmet with what looked like two long, pointed ears that curved back.
The man looked old, as old as Azulon himself, whom he had seen a handful of times in the Royal Palace. But unlike the late Fire Lord, who had an expression of eternal sternness and an imposing bearing, the old man in his dreams had a disturbed, senile expression and a deeply stooped posture that gave him a frail appearance. His wild eyes, which had deep blackened bags under them, were wide open in an expression bordering on madness, accentuated by his shaggy, whitish hair and beard due to his age.
"I can't believe this mad king is your old friend Bumi," Katara commented in disbelief.
Bumi... Percy had heard that name before. How could he not? After all, the King of Omashu was known throughout the world not only for being the most powerful Earthbender known, but also for his eccentricity that bordered on insanity. Iroh had told him that it was this madness that made the old king so feared, because he was so unpredictable in battle.
"Who are you calling an old man? I'm only 115 years old..." said Bumi, sounding indignant. Before he shrugged and admitted. "Okay, I'm old."
"Why did you do all this instead of telling Aang who you are?" Sokka asked.
"First because... It's fun to make jokes!" Bumi laughed good-naturedly before the amusement faded from his face and he turned to look at Aang seriously. "But I had a more important reason. Aang, you have a difficult task ahead of you. The world has changed in the 100 years you were gone. It will be your duty... the Avatar's duty... to restore balance. And you can only do that by defeating Fire Lord Ozai, by mastering the four elements. You have mastered the control of air, but you have yet to master water, earth, and fire. You have a long way to go, and the final challenge will be hard," Bumi smiled. "But when the time comes, I hope you will face it by thinking like a mad genius. Face it by being yourself."
Aang smiled at the support of his old friend and bowed.
"And I see you are in good hands. You will need the help of your friends to defeat the Fire Nation," Bumi commented, looking over the young Avatar's shoulder at the Water Tribe siblings.
A white speck streaked through the air until it stopped on the Avatar's shoulders, revealing itself to be a lemur with wings and big ears.
"And Momo's too, of course," King Bumi added with a laugh.
Just then, Percy saw a soldier come through the door and quickly approached Bumi. The expression on his face was one of concern and fear, which was reflected in his voice as he spoke.
"King Bumi... Captain Kuai's base has fallen," he reported. "Gaoling is vulnerable."
The old king raised an eyebrow at his soldier's report.
"Commander Zhao is advancing," he said. "If he has managed to overcome Captain Kuai's defenses, his forces have increased."
"My King... Commander Zhao did not destroy the base. Captain Kuai reports that it was only a group of swordsmen who went to rescue Piandao, whom he had taken prisoner. And this group was led by... his son."
King Bumi opened his eyes in obvious surprise. He glanced sideways at one of the soldiers standing firmly at the side of the hall, guarding the king. Percy could not see his face because of the helmet he wore, but he could see his lips parted in a thin line.
"So Piandao has returned to war... And he has a son..." the king mused aloud. "I suppose he is a swordsman like him."
The soldier nodded.
"The soldiers who... survived the attack describe it as an unstoppable force. None of them could stand up to him. And Captain Kuai lost an arm when he faced him."
"Piandao has always been an excellent swordsman and warrior. I guess it was expected that his son would be the same."
"Piandao... I've heard that name before," Sokka said, thinking for a few seconds before opening his eyes in surprise. "Perseus! He is his son!"
The soldier who had come to report to King Bumi turned to him and looked at him with intrigue.
"Do you know him?"
Sokka nodded.
"When Prince Zuko came to my village in the Southern Water Tribe, he was accompanied by a swordsman. When we dueled, he introduced himself as Perseus, son of Piandao. He is... a very skilled swordsman. I could do nothing against him. And when we met again... on Kyoshi Island..."
Sokka's words slowly faded. From the expression on his face, it looked like he was remembering the day Percy and Aang (who was then possessed by the spirit of Kyoshi) clashed. A battle that could only be described as surreal.
"He was able to hold his own even against Aang, who was possessed by the spirit of Avatar Kyoshi at the time," Katara concluded. "None of Aang's, or Kyoshi's, attacks affected him. Fire, water, earth... nothing seemed to hurt him. He's... not a normal person."
"Ha! What an interesting guy, I'd like to meet him," Bumi commented, intrigued and amused.
"My king," said the soldier who had entered the room. "If someone like this boy, Perseus, is in Commander Zhao's ranks, and they plan to attack Gaoling, we must send reinforcements. If Gaoling falls, Omashu will be next in the Fire Nation's sights."
"Hmm, we cannot leave Gaoling to its fate, but we cannot leave Omashu unprotected either," Bumi said.
"My king, I volunteer to go to Gaoling," said one of the soldiers guarding the hall.
"Sohan, your duty is to protect our king," the informant soldier said sternly. "You cannot leave him unprotected."
"With all due respect, Captain Lan, King Bumi is the most powerful earthbender in the world. He is more than capable of taking care of himself. In fact, I'm more concerned about those brave enough, or foolish enough, to challenge him."
King Bumi laughed jovially.
"You flatter me, Sohan. But..." All playfulness vanished from the old king's face, replaced by an unusual seriousness. "Are you sure you want to go?"
The soldier removed his helmet and Percy could see him for the first time. He was young, maybe a few years older than Zuko. His skin was slightly dark, like someone from the Water Tribes, and his eyes were gray instead of the usual blue. His black hair was tied into a high ponytail, with several loose strands falling over his eyes, indicating a seriousness that only a soldier could possess.
"I am sure, my king," the soldier named Sohan said firmly.
King Bumi looked at the young soldier for a few seconds.
"Very well," he finally said. "You will lead the Badger Team to Gaoling to defend against Commander Zhao's attack. When you get there, find Lao Beifong and explain the situation to him. He will support you."
"As you command, my king," Sohan replied, bowing to King Bumi. He turned to the Avatar and his friends. "You know this boy... Perseus, right? How is he?"
"Sarcastic and very insolent," Sokka replied.
"I was referring to his physical appearance."
"Well, he's tall and... very handsome," Katara replied, receiving a look of disbelief from her brother and a look of betrayal from Aang, causing her cheeks to blush slightly, and she began to mumble in embarrassment and annoyance. "W-what? Why... Why are you looking at me like that?!"
"I don't think that is important, Katara," Sokka pointed out.
"And is yours??" She replied annoyed.
"At least I'm not flattering the enemy."
"I'm not flattering him! It was just an observation!"
As the two siblings began to argue, Aang sighed and looked at Sohan.
"Perseus is tall, with black hair and eyes as green as the sea," he said. "And he carries two swords sheathed on his back. When I was captured by Prince Zuko at the South Pole, he told me that one was for mortals and the other... for spirits."
Sohan's eyes widened in surprise, and he frowned grimly before turning to look at King Bumi.
"My king..." he said hesitantly, "Could it be...?"
Bumi nodded, sharing the same grim expression as Sohan.
"The description fits. And I doubt it's just a coincidence. A sword for mortals and one for spirits? There is no doubt. It's him."
"What are you talking about?" Aang asked, clearly confused.
Bumi looked at the Avatar, all traces of amusement and madness gone from his face.
"There have been a number of rumors over the past three years," Bumi began, his voice reflecting a seriousness that was not present in the old king. "About a Fire Nation man who carries two swords and can kill spirits. There are many accounts of people who have seen him do it, and he has earned a name, or rather a nickname, that has spread throughout the Earth Kingdom."
Visibly concerned, Aang swallowed hard and asked:
"What nickname?"
Percy's vision began to darken, signaling that he was waking up. But he managed to hear King Bumi's last words.
"Spirit Slayer."
Instead of waking up as Percy expected, the dream changed. He was no longer in the great Throne Room of Omashu, but on a vaguely familiar street.
There were only a few people walking down the street, but there was one in particular who caught his attention because of his dream's focus on that person.
It was someone dressed in long dark red robes. The hood over the head prevented him from seeing the face or determining its gender. Its walk was slow, almost unsteady, and it glanced around frantically, as if to make sure no one else was around, before quickly ducking into an alley.
The sun was beginning to set on the horizon, darkening the street and causing people to light oil and paper lanterns, making the alley where the red-robed figure had entered even darker in contrast.
Despite this, the figure seemed to know exactly where it was going, gliding quickly down the various alleys between the houses until it came to what appeared to be a dead end. The hooded figure looked from side to side as if searching for something.
"This way," a voice called.
The hooded person turned to where the voice was coming from and saw the door of one of the houses slowly open and someone peek out. It was a man with short brown hair and brown eyes who looked around the alley carefully before his eyes fell on the hooded figure.
"Were you followed?" asked the man.
The hooded figure shook the head.
"Good. Come in."
The man opened the door and let the hooded person enter. They both entered the house, and the man led his guest to a door that led to stairs that led to a place underground. They both descended into the basement, the wooden steps creaking under their weight, but the sound was muffled by the collection of different voices talking.
When they both reached the bottom of the stairs, they saw many people crowded into a large room lit by torches. There were about twenty people, all dressed in plain civilian clothes. And from the color of the clothes, which were mostly red, gold, and brown, Percy knew they were from the Fire Nation.
"Lu is back!" said one of the people, noticing the arrival of the man and the hooded person.
The chatter stopped as everyone turned to look at the man, Lu, and his mysterious companion.
"The time for action has come," Lu declared confidently.
"Are you sure, Lu?" asked one of the assembled people, a woman. "Isn't it too early?"
"We have everything we need. There are enough of us, and we have the help of the Earth Kingdom's army" Lu looked at a group of six people gathered off to one side. At first glance, they looked like ordinary civilians who could easily pass for citizens of the Fire Nation. "They are capable soldiers who have agreed to undertake this dangerous mission, knowing that there is a chance that none of us will return. Our anger, our suffering, and our desire to end this war have brought us together. And tomorrow night, we will have the opportunity to end it."
His words struck a chord with everyone in the room, who nodded their heads with determination.
"Today, I have called you here to meet someone who sympathizes with our cause," Lu continued. "Someone who only wants to see an end to this century of war."
Lu held out his hand to the hooded figure. The people stepped aside and let the person pass to stand next to Lu.
"Who is?" someone asked.
"Her name is Mai Lee. She is a maid who works in the Royal Palace," Lu explained. "She will help us with the infiltration. Like all of us, she has lost too much."
Everyone turned to look at the hooded figure who turned out to be a girl.
"My mother... my brother... my uncle... my best friend... I lost them all because of this war," She spoke in a weak, trembling, almost broken voice as she slowly removed her hood. "If it means ending the war... then I am willing to go against my own nation."
As the hood was removed, Percy felt his heart stop for a few seconds as he saw the girl's face, her hair covered by a turban that highlighted her face, which had changed slightly but still retained the beauty for which she was so acclaimed. Her golden eyes were red and misty with unshed tears. And her expression was so sad that she looked as if she might burst into tears at any moment.
Azula.
During the dinner, Percy could not stop thinking about his dreams. King Bumi had sent reinforcements to prepare for the imminent arrival of the Fire Nation in the city of Gaoling. They would have to be much more careful about infiltrating, especially Percy, since the Avatar and his friends had warned them about him.
But most of all, he couldn't stop thinking about the dream he'd had about Azula.
Why was she at a conspiracy meeting to kill her own father? She had given a false name and occupation. Did that mean she had infiltrated to stop them? Or did she do it to support them, using a false identity to avoid suspicion since she was the daughter of the man they were trying to assassinate? Percy didn't know. But regardless of her intentions, he couldn't deny that her performance was convincing and authentic... to people who didn't know her well. But Percy knew her. And he knew, more often than not, when Azula was lying. And he knew when she was lying in front of those people.
If there was one thing Zuko and Percy agreed on about Azula, it was that she always lied.
Percy was so engrossed in his thoughts about Azula's intentions that he didn't realize he was being spoken to and that the samurai were looking at him expectantly until Qiang nudged him lightly with his elbow.
"Huh? What?" Percy asked awkwardly.
"We were just discussing tomorrow's mission," Qiang said. "Anything important to say? Since you'll be our leader."
"Well..." Percy looked at all the samurai who were looking at him expectantly. He remembered the dream he had with King Bumi and the implications it would have on their mission. "Since there were soldiers who survived and retreated from the battle we had yesterday at their military base, it is to be expected that they will warn the Earth Kingdom's army of our advance."
"Yes, Captain Kuai mentioned something about Commander Zhao's plans to invade Gaoling," Sung recalled.
"And now that their military base has fallen, they know that our next target is Gaoling," Xiao added. "They will be aware of our arrival."
"Not only that, but they will also receive reinforcements from Omashu," Percy said with certainty, remembering his dream.
Xiuying raised an eyebrow.
"How can you be so sure?" she asked.
Percy took a few seconds to answer without explaining that he knew from a dream.
"From what Zhao told us, Gaoling is an important city for Omashu. They won't leave it vulnerable now that they know the military base that stopped the Fire Nation's advance to take the city has fallen..."
"And they will fight to prevent Gaoling from being conquered," Qiang concluded. "That makes sense."
Percy nodded.
"We have to be careful when we infiltrate. We'll keep a low profile. Since we all have weapons, we'll pose as a group of mercenaries. From what I've seen on my travels, they're quite common."
"We can go to the market at the harbor and buy clothes that will make us blend in," Ming suggested. "If they're expecting the Fire Nation to arrive, then we need to leave behind any markings that identify us. Including our armor and masks."
Percy put a hand to his chest, where he still wore his armor under his robes, protecting his one weak spot.
"We can wear some pieces of armor," he said, unwilling to part with his. "Mercenaries are expected to at least have the proper equipment. That includes weapons and armor."
"Sounds like a good plan," Lin Lin nodded. "But... What about the wounded, will they come with us? In the condition they are in, they can't fight."
Percy knew who she meant. Yang, Yao, Ming, Sai and Woong, the only samurai who had not sufficiently recovered from their wounds. They were at the campfire, sharing a meal, but judging by the bandages on their bodies and their slow movements, they would not be able to fight if needed.
"They can come with us," Qiang suggested. "We can use the fact that they are wounded as a cover and say that we are mercenaries who got wounded on our last mission and are looking for a place nearby to treat our wounded."
"Well, that wouldn't be a lie at all..." Mifune mused aloud. "It's not a bad idea."
"No. They're staying here," Percy declared, his voice accepting no argument.
"But we can help!" Yao replied, refusing to stay behind while his companions, especially his brother, went on a mission. "Qiang is right, we can use our wounds as a cover."
"No. I will not take our wounded into enemy territory. It would expose them to infinite danger. Yang, Yao, Ming, Sai, Woong. You will stay here with my dad. Recover from your wounds for the day of the real invasion of Gaoling."
"The pretty boy is right," Xiao said. "In the condition they are in, they would just be dead weight... Don't look at me like that, Yang, you know I'm right."
"You could be kinder with your words," Yang scolded, narrowing his eyes.
Xiao snorted mockingly.
"Oh, I'm sorry, did I hurt your feelings?"
Yang didn't answer, just looked away with an annoyed expression. The other samurai didn't look happy either, judging by the expressions on their faces, they didn't look very happy to be left behind, but in the end, they reluctantly accepted Percy's decision.
When dinner was over, they all retired to their respective tents. Percy accompanied his father to his tent, despite his insistence that he was fine.
"You handled that situation well back there," Piandao said.
"I just did what I thought was right."
Piandao nodded slowly.
"You must remember that from now on if you want to be a good leader for them. They will need it."
When they reached Piandao's tent, he turned to look at his son. Every time Percy looked at the eye covered by the patch, he felt a pang in his heart. He found it disturbing and didn't think it would go away anytime soon.
"Remember, my son, to be a captain is to bear the responsibility of leading others," Piandao said earnestly. "To make the decisions that not many want to make. And you must do it not for yourself, not for your friends, but for all those who follow you. They will rely on you."
Percy nodded, heeding his father's words.
Returning to his own tent, he quickly lay down on his bunk with the intention of sleeping.
Despite sleeping most of the afternoon, he had no trouble falling asleep at night. He had never had trouble sleeping before. In fact, everyone told him that his problem was that he slept too much.
But on this occasion, he had a special interest in wanting to sleep and to dream.
He never had much control over them because he dreamed about random situations. Sometimes he didn't even know if he was dreaming about the present or the past, but his dreams always revealed something to him.
And on this occasion, he wanted to see the continuation of the last dream he had, where he saw Azula as part of a conspiracy to kill her father.
In his dream, he saw that this time he was not in a dark basement, but in a hallway. He recognized these wide and elegant corridors; he had walked them with Zuko and Azula countless times in his childhood. He was in the halls of the Fire Nation Palace. The eerie thing was that the halls were conspicuously empty of soldiers or guards. Percy knew that no matter what time it was, there was always a guard patrolling the palace.
What he did see was a group of about eight people. They were all wearing dark clothing that allowed them to move easily in the shadows. He recognized them as the same ones he had seen in his last dream.
They were led by someone Percy recognized immediately, even though it was the first time he had seen her in those clothes. Azula.
In contrast to her usual attire, which showed her high social position as a princess, she was now wearing the clothes of the numerous servants of the palace.
"How do you know about these secret passages?" One of them, a man, asked. The look he gave Azula was clearly one of suspicion.
"Servants... we use these shortcuts to get around the palace more quickly," Azula replied meekly, almost fearfully.
Percy had to commend her performance. Anyone else who didn't know Azula personally would have believed her.
Lu, the same man who had brought her to the secret meeting, stepped forward and placed a hand on Azula's shoulder.
"I believe you," Lu said in a soothing tone.
Azula dropped her head and nodded shakily.
"This way," she said. "We're almost at the Throne Room."
She led them down the dark corridor for a few minutes, stopping in front of a wall. There didn't seem to be anything special about it, but she touched it and everyone saw a hidden door open, revealing that they were in the Throne Room.
Percy had only seen it a handful of times as Azula dragged him through the halls of the palace, but it was just as he remembered it. It was large enough to fit a battlecruiser and still have room to spare. The numerous stone columns supported a ceiling that rose nearly thirty feet above them. The entire place was lit by torches placed on the walls or columns, but the main source of light came from the faint flames that rose at the end of the hall. In front of the flames, rising imposingly on a pedestal, was a large throne that seemed to be made of pure gold.
But no one sat on it.
The intruders stared at the empty throne in surprise and recoiled in alarm as the flames rose wildly, revealing a large dragon carved into the wall, its eyes burning with fire. The flames from the torches rose brightly as well, and everyone was on alert as they heard the echo of footsteps approaching. Before they could react, they found themselves surrounded by two dozen Fire Nation soldiers. Half of them wielded spears and naginatas, while the other half stood in firebending stance, ready to attack at the slightest command.
"There is no escape," a stern voice said.
As if announcing their arrival, the flames rose with even greater intensity as the Fire Nation's supreme leader made his presence felt.
Ozai looked exactly the same as he had the last time Percy saw him three years ago, except that his goatee had grown a little longer and his expression was even harder and more stern.
The Fire Lord approached the group of infiltrators, who were surrounded by soldiers. His long robes caressed the ground as he walked calmly, as if taking a stroll in the garden. Obviously, he did not look the least bit threatened by the group of people who had infiltrated the palace with the intention of killing him.
"But you should have known this was a one-way trip," Ozai continued. "Or did you expect my men to lay down their weapons after killing their Fire Lord?"
"We expected the citizens of the Fire Nation to be happy to be free of the tyranny," Lu replied, staring intently at the Fire Lord.
"Tyranny? Don't you mean unity? Prosperity?" Ozai corrected, unfazed by the leader's gaze. "Are we not the greatest nation in the world? Have I not brought us to the brink of bringing the world under one rule, our rule, to ensure an era of peace?"
"At what cost?" Lu asked, his teeth clenched as he glared at Ozai. "How many more lives before we achieve your peace? Will it take another century of loss and suffering?"
If possible, Ozai's gaze grew even harsher, and the flames in the room seemed to respond to his emotions as they rose.
"Don't talk to me about loss," he said in a deep, cold voice.
Despite the intensity of the flames, the air felt cold and tense. Everyone in the room looked at each other uneasily, waiting to see who would be the first to give in to the pressure and make the first move, but no one did.
When Ozai spoke again, the tension in his voice was gone, replaced by a controlled calm.
"Congratulations on making it this far," he praised, though he felt hollow. "I recognize the will you had to make it this far. Though it is not surprising, we in the Fire Nation have always distinguished ourselves from the other nations by our willingness to do what is necessary to achieve our goals. Is that not right, Azula?"
Hearing the name of the Fire Nation's Crown Princess, the infiltrators tensed and looked restlessly around the hall, waiting for the princess to emerge from behind one of the columns.
But their surprise was palpable as 'Mai Lee', the maid who had been guiding them through the palace, stepped forward and stood beside Ozai, looking over her shoulder at the infiltrators with a haughty smile.
"That's right, father," she said.
All traces of the shy, scared, and insecure girl had disappeared, giving way to the cunning and ruthless personality of the Fire Nation princess.
The expression on Lu's face showed the betrayal he felt, along with the sadness of having been deceived. All the while, he had been dancing to the rhythm dictated by the princess.
"You could have stopped us today..." he muttered, clenching his fists in frustration and helplessness. But then he looked up defiantly. "But there are one you cannot stop."
Azula's eyes narrowed in suspicion and disbelief. Turning to look at her father, she saw that he tensed at his words.
"Afraid, Fire Lord?" Lu asked, a tentative smile stretching his trembling lips. "You should be. Rumors have already reached the farthest reaches of the nations and begun to fan the flames of what we thought was extinct. After a hundred years, our hope has returned to us! The one who will restore balance to the world...!"
Lu's impassive speech was abruptly silenced as flames erupted from the feet of all the intruders with a single wave of Ozai's arms. Screams of agonizing pain echoed throughout the Throne Room as seven people were burned alive.
Azula remained motionless. Flames reflected in her eyes as she watched these people meet a tragic fate at the hands of her father.
When the heart-wrenching screams finally ceased, charred bodies fell to the ground.
"The one who will restore balance to the world..." she repeated with a sneer in her voice. She turned to her father. "Was it just the ramblings of a desperate man, or does he truly believe the Avatar has returned?"
Ozai did not look at his daughter, but at all the soldiers present.
"Leave us," he ordered.
The soldiers immediately obeyed their supreme leader's command without question.
Once they were alone, Ozai reached into his robes, pulled out a small scroll, and handed it to Azula.
"What is this?" she asked.
"A message from Commander Zhao, who currently commands the southern seas," was Ozai's reply.
Azula took the scroll and unfolded it. As she read, her eyes scanned the scroll, and Percy could see the surprise reflected in them, along with the flash of something he couldn't identify because it was so fleeting.
"Zuko found the Avatar?" she asked, her voice betraying no emotion.
"Your brother has done the impossible, just as I asked. But what's most intriguing is Commander Zhao's final remark at the end of the message."
Azula unrolled the entire scroll and read the final words. As she did so, surprise was written all over her face.
"Percy... Perseus was able to stand up to the Avatar?" she murmured.
"Even though the Avatar was somehow able to summon the spirit of the legendary Avatar Kyoshi. A truly remarkable feat for a non-bender."
Azula didn't answer, just kept her eyes on the scroll in her hands.
When the dream changed again, Percy was no longer looking at the Throne Room. Instead, he was in a large room. There was a large canopy bed at the end of the room and a balcony overlooking the capital. The sky was blackened by rain clouds, where a light shower fell, splashing on the stone of the balcony and slightly wetting the room.
The main door of the room opened and Azula entered, still wearing the same maid's dress.
Even though he was in a dream, Percy could feel the heat rising in his cheeks as Azula removed the top of her outfit and threw it to the floor, leaving her in nothing but simple pants and bandages wrapped around her chest to hide her attributes, which Percy couldn't help but notice had grown in the last few years. Not only that, but Azula's entire figure had changed. She had become slightly taller and slimmer, her waist had narrowed, and her hips had widened. And although her figure was very feminine, there were also signs of muscle, the most noticeable being her defined abs.
Azula walked over to a long desk next to her bed, where books and scrolls were neatly arranged. Percy was a little pleased to see that even after three years, Azula's tendency to keep everything in perfect order had not changed.
She placed something on the desk, the same scroll her father had given her, and opened one of the desk cabinets. Inside was a simple mask, and when Azula picked it up and ran her fingers over it, Percy see a red mask with white hair and pointed fangs. He had a feeling he'd seen that mask before, but he couldn't remember where. Why would Azula keep something like that?
With a rare display of gentleness, she gently placed the mask on the desk before looking at the empty drawer and removing what looked like a false bottom, revealing numerous folded and carefully organized scrolls.
Azula took one of them and unfolded it to read. As she did so, the stern expression on her face softened slightly.
"Even though you are on the other side of the world, I still know about you," she murmured into the air. "And you still find a way to surprise me..."
Before she folded the scroll back up and placed it in exactly the same place it had been before, Percy managed to glance at what was written at the top.
Dear Azula, Ty Lee and Mai.
It was one of the letters he had written to them on his travels. And if the other scrolls in the drawer were the same, it meant only one thing.
Azula had kept his letters all these years.
...
..
.
And that's all for now, my dear readers!
Until next time, beautiful people.