Avatar The Last Airbender Fan Fiction ❯ Prophesied ❯ Agni's Kai ( Chapter 7 )

Chapter 7: Agni's Kai

 

Deep in the woods of the Earth Kingdom, a young woman crept down to a secluded pond. The water was clean and clear, marked by a waterfall and stream. The woman let her pale blue robe slide to the ground, revealing her perfectly bare body. Naked, she slipped into the water.

The water curved around her as it came up to her chest. She dove cleanly into the deeper water and when she surfaced, the water ran slick down her waist-length dark brown hair. Crystalline drops held to her full breasts and some left glistening trails down past her navel. A heavy dark sapphire hung from a chain decorated by pearls around her neck.

She swam through the pond with ease for a little while, merely enjoying the feel of the water around her before a throat cleared behind her drove the serenity from the scene.

A man knelt near her clothes, a strange look on his face as he held up her robe and slowly slit it down the seams, cutting it into useless pieces of cloth. She hunched into the water, covering herself as best she could as a whimper slipped from her pouting lips. She had none of the bravery or strength of her older sister, and she was frightened.

The man stood and smirked at her. “You picked the wrong end of the woods to bathe in princess.”

He then stepped into the water and began walking towards her.

Suddenly, her fear vanished and her strength returned. Memories of the battles her sister had fought fueled her as she brought wave after wave of water from the pond and flung them at the man.

He cried out when the vicious waves blasted into him, forcing him back onto the land. The man glared daggers at her while he pulled a crossbow from the quiver on his back. But, in the ground beneath his feet, something stirred.

Green light began to glow beneath his boots and traveled up until he was consumed in it. He screamed once and then his body became as the earth, a statue as it were.

Another man stepped from the woods near the waterfall. He was dressed in flowing green and fawn robes, his long brown hair tied at his nape and draped down to his waist, and his brilliant green eyes flashed with anger.

“And you picked the wrong day to attempt rape.”

The woman in the pond stood in the water, the cool liquid pooling around her waist, anger reflected in her stance. At long last she turned to look at the man and recognition widened her eyes.

“Mamoru?”

He turned and looked at her. His eyes narrowed then widened as he in turn recognized her.

“Nen?”

Mamoru, the Earth God, stepped quickly down and into the water, taking off his green outer robe as he walked. He draped it over her shoulders and Nen clutched it closed while smiling sheepishly at the Earth God.

“Nen, do you realize how long I've been looking for you? Do you realize how much stress you've created and how much pain you caused your sister?”

Anger flashed in the woman's sapphire eyes. “No more than she caused me when she eloped with that fire bastard.”

He sighed and placed an arm around her now shaking shoulders. “Let's get you to Alem.”

Iroh stood in the training courtyard, watching as Agni did some basic bending exercises. It was strange how Agni could make the simple movements seem almost as a dance. A few women nearby had actually stopped to watch him; they were entranced by the Fire God's movements.

Loose once more, his shoulder-length black hair floated around him as he spun in mid-air, flurries of flames circling around him. Well-toned muscles moved fluidly beneath the crimson tunic he wore, bare feet finding unquestionable purchase as he launched himself once more into the air.

One of the women leaned in to her companion. “Should he be working so hard just before his Agni Kai?”

The elder woman smirked. “Admiral Zhao will easily defeat this amateur. But he does have excellent physique.”

The first woman nodded and the two moved on, Agni still oblivious to them both. Iroh took a sip of tea as Agni finished his exercise and sat down cross-legged in the middle of the arena, his head tilted up at Iroh as the retired general took another sip of tea.

“Tell me more about this Zhao, Iroh.”

Iroh sighed. “I've told you everything there is to know. But let me remind you once again that you must defeat him in a way that does not scream to everyone who you are.”

Agni lay down against the cool ground and stared at the immense sky. “I understand Iroh. It's not hard and I'm not stupid.”

“And you must…above all things…you must tell me where Zuko is.”

Agni laughed. “No. Iroh, I know when you're going to ask me. Stop trying. That has to be the fifth time this hour.”

He stood and began to dance. Before, his movements had enhanced the flames but now the situation was reversed. The flames danced around him and he knew just how to sharpen them to bring attention to a certain stance. Before it had seemed like a dance, now it was truly beyond comparison. More than women stopped in admiration now.

Agni's eyes were closed as he danced to imaginary music. In his mind, the courtyard, the people, the tents and buildings all disappeared, and he moved back to a time when no human had yet set foot on the land they'd created, and all the elements danced with their gods, the line between Spirit World and Aye completely invisible.

Then humans had arrived with their frustration towards abstract thought. They saw gods as something to worship, not to mingle with. They needed a higher power to look to.

Agni let his face turn upwards as he danced within the flames, his heart going into every breath the fire around him took. Things hadn't quite gone as Alem had planned, but everything had worked out for a while. He thought of the Fire Nation, of his people. Did they realize the shame they had brought on him? Of how the other gods turned away from him in anger? How much pain he felt when he saw the devastation they wreaked with the gift he'd given them?

His thoughts had clearly turned from the elaborate dance he performed, and suddenly his feet became tangled.

Jee stepped out into the courtyard beside Iroh just as Agni lost his balance and fell to the ground. For a moment the dazed god just sat there, and then he began to laugh. The courtyard filled with his loud reckless laughter, and Iroh couldn't help but shake his head. Jee was the only other person who knew who the Ryu-Kin truly was, and so Iroh felt he could talk to him.

“It's strange Lieutenant. One minute he's acting like the powerful god he is, the next minute he's acting like a two-year old.”

Before them, Agni yelled as he spotted a stray cat chasing butterflies.

“Cat!”

The god ran over and scooped up the tiger cat and immediately began rubbing its head. Jee smiled.

“It's not that strange, sir. Fire can be angry and destructive, but also playful. Fire destroys, but makes way for the new growth to come after. And Agni is an impersonation of fire itself, is he not?”

Iroh nodded and took another sip of tea. “I just wish he would listen to me and try to understand the predicament we are in. He's like a child at play and doesn't realize the consequences of his actions.”

“Is it really that bad, General Iroh? Yes, if he beats Zhao then the message will go all the way to Fire Lord Ozai himself, but does he not know that? Maybe he wants it to happen.”

Iroh sighed. “I don't understand what he is planning, and I feel somehow that things aren't going quite as he planned.”

Jee was silent and they both watched the Fire God as he sat in the courtyard and played with the cat that had taken an immediate liking to him. Iroh was remembering the day after Zuko and he had first met Agni, when Zuko had decided to let his hair re-grow, denying the mark of his banishment. It was as if he'd already accepted Agni's help.

A messenger stepped into the courtyard as the sun set.

“My lords, it is time.”

Iroh nodded and called to Agni, who stood with the cat in his arms and followed Jee and Iroh back into the tent.

Agni's Kai was about to begin.

A roar resounded through the air and Zuko burst from sleep, on his feet in a crouched position moments after he was woken. Human thought had long since abandoned his mind, and he thought as a predator, using more sound and scent to determine the position of his foe.

It had been nearly a month after he'd denied having his head re-shaved, making it nearly two months since it had been, and his hair had always grown fast. Even now, the makings of dark bangs fell over his golden eyes and wisps of hair tickled the tips of his ears. His worn red hair band held the rest of his hair up, but it was fading, like the rest of his worn clothes.

A scream penetrated the silence moments after the roar and Zuko was on his feet and running towards wherever the sound had come from. Time was on the essence in this type of situation. He knew the sound of the predator on the hunt, and he wanted to be there for the kill. Always easier to steal than to kill yourself.

Katara threw water whip after whip at the advancing tigress but the cat kept coming. It wanted her stockpile of fish, but she was not going to give up her hours of work. She'd already made up her mind when she started fishing again. Zuko may be stubborn but she wasn't. Even if he didn't want to, she'd make him work with her so they could get off this island. She'd use her freshly caught fish as an offering to him, to show him that she could help him as much as he could help her.

They had to work together; they just had to. And this tigress wasn't going to interfere.

She stepped back into the waves, drawing on her memory that cats hated water. But this tigress was not phased by the waves and followed her, now seeing her as a prime target for its young cub. The tigress had tasted human flesh before, and knew of its delicacy.

Zuko froze just before stepping onto the beach to take in the situation. His eyes widened slightly as his gaze fell on the girl.

The Water Tribe girl!

The tiger's prey.

She needs help!

She can take care of herself.

I can't let her die!

Yes, I can and then steal her flesh from the tigress.

The tigress crouched down in the low waves and prepared to pounce. Katara's mind flew as she sought a way to protect herself. But there was no time left as the tigress launched itself into the air. Katara braced herself for the attack but it never came, for in mid-leap the tigress was struck by another attacking predator.

Both rolled over the sand until the momentum had passed. One landed on his feet, the other on her side, but both eyed each other in anger.

Katara gasped as she barely recognized Zuko. The tigress had torn the band from his hair and it now fell about his face and shoulders. He slowly drew a dagger from the sheath on his hip. The tigress roared at him, sensing another predator rather than another human.

Eye to eye, predator faced predator, on the beach of the Island of Misu.

Golden eyes finally embraced the anger that had fueled the challenge made earlier. Iroh and Jee did not speak as Agni shed his clothes for the traditional Agni Kai outfit Iroh presented. For all that Agni had appeared before, he was nothing short of a god as he drew on the pants offered and tied them off above his ankles.

Jee moved the place the sash around the god's shoulders but gasped and dropped it before he could do so. Iroh spun around behind Agni and hissed in anger.

“Why didn't you tell me about this?”

For across Agni's back was the image of a dragon, and once Iroh touched its brilliant gold scales he knew they were real. Red eyes flashed at him and the wings of the dragon extending over the god's shoulders.

“It's what allows me to change between my human and true forms. I can't get rid of it. Besides, no one needs to know that it is real.”

Iroh nodded and drew up the sash from the floor, placing it over Agni's shoulders.

“It can't be helped.”

Agni placed the cat in Jee's arms. “Besides, I am the Golden Dragon.”

Zhao listened to his servant's information as he was dressed for the Agni Kai.

“You can defeat him my lord. Instead of meditating, the fool must already be tired from the show he delivered this afternoon in the southern courtyard. And you must punish him. It is blasphemous for him to call himself the Golden Dragon, after Agni himself.”

Zhao nodded, a sick smirk creeping onto his face and turned into the Agni Kai arena. No one blinked as he emerged and knelt with his back to his opponent's door. This was all customary.

Agni entered the arena, and knelt in the same fashion. Zhao turned his head at the whispers that now stole around the arena.

A woman, with her face hidden by a hood, moved forward to see well. Zhao she knew, but this Ryu-Kin drew her interest. She had seen the man in the courtyard, and knew he should be tired, but he didn't appear so. Anger reflected in otherwise pleasant features, her gaze, as many of those around her, was drawn the golden dragon on his back, now clearly displayed to those watching.

She smiled with recognition clear in her eyes, eyes as black as the night sky.

They both rose at the sound of the gong and turned, sashes falling to the floor, rage apparent in both men's stances.

Zhao moved first, sending two consecutive fireballs at Agni, who dodged them easily.

The tigress roared as Zuko lunged forward. She moved forward to meet him and both predators tasted blood as Zuko drew his dagger across her shoulder and she dug her claws into his arm. They broke away from each other, pain as well as anger now visible.

Agni sent a wave of fire at the Admiral who nearly fell to the floor to avoid it. Torchlight reflected off the dragon and gave the Ryu-Kin an ethereal look. People who'd earlier thought they knew without a doubt the outcome of this Kai now revised their opinions.

The Admiral sent flames across the ground, remembering his own duel with Zuko, but Agni was one step ahead. He fired simultaneous fire blasts, one from each hand, at the ground, the force of which sent him flying into the air.

Gasps radiated around the arena as Agni landed, and even Zhao looked awed.

The tigress pounced, forcing Zuko to the ground. He dropped his dagger in an attempt to keep the tigress' mouth from closing over his head. Her head thrashed about, the tips of her fangs grazing his face repeatedly. He thought he heard someone call his name, but did not focus in on it.

Katara saw that Zuko did not respond when she called him, and had to do something. She turned back to the waves; drawing up a wave larger than ever she had done before. Turning, she drew the whole wave into a concentrated stream and aimed it at the tigress.

The tigress was forced from its position over Zuko by the high-powered jet of water and flung into a nearby tree. It sank to the ground.

Zuko got to his feet, blood flowing thinly from scratches across his face. Blood also flowed from a bite mark on his forearm where he'd blocked the tigress' attacks. Katara called to him from her place by the water.

“Shouldn't we run while she's down?”

He didn't take his eyes off the recovering tigress. “If you think you can outrun an angry tigress then be my guest. Start running. Or you could stay here and help me protect you.”

Katara stared at him, open-mouthed, before she closed her mouth and nodded, her eyes narrowing towards the tiger as she raised her hands, prepared to bend.

The tigress got to her feet and growled angrily. Zuko and Katara tensed.

Agni growled in anger as Zhao finally stopped as well. Both men showed signs of fatigue, sweat rolling across their skin, products of the relentless onslaught of attacks and counterattacks.

Iroh stood behind them, his fists clenched in anticipation of the duel. Something had to happen to tip the tides and soon. But he must say, Agni had done an excellent job of not displaying his powers.

Agni smiled through the sweat dripping into his eyes. “Time to show you who you are dealing with.”

Zhao gritted his teeth as Agni straightened and flung up his arms.

A firewall appeared around the arena, blocking it from view. Iroh gave a soft cry that was drowned out by loud cries from the crowd. Agni clearly didn't want them to see what happened next.

Zhao glanced around at the firewall before returning his gaze to Agni, expecting the worst, expecting anything at all, but it never came. Agni stood there nonchalantly before finally extending his hand towards Zhao.

The admiral felt a severe pain in his gut, which intensified as Agni stepped closer. He doubled over, gasping for breath as his body temperature soared beyond normal for even a fire-bender.

“You see, Zhao, fire-benders can get sick. It's rare, but they most certainly can.”

A wave of nausea passed over Zhao, who fell to all fours as his body rejected something within him. Agni knelt beside him, a hand on the admiral's shoulder.

“No, you've got it backwards Zhao. Your body isn't rejecting something, it is rejecting you. The worst sickness a fire-bender can endure, when his or her inner fire rejects them. That's what's happening to you Zhao.”

Fear replaced anger in Zhao's eyes as his body retched and a thick liquid forced itself from his mouth. It was clear, but almost syrupy, and when it touched the ground it ignited.

Agni's face showed no expression.

“You see, Zhao, your inner fire is a reflection of the god who gave it to you. Your inner fire now hates you, will fight you every moment you seek to use it. Why?”

Agni leaned down until his mouth was less than an inch from Zhao's ear.

“It's because I hate you. Your inner fire is a reflection of me.”

The pain subsided, and Zhao looked up, pure fear now written all across his face.

“Agni…”

The Fire God smirked. “Indeed. But you will not remember my name once you leave this arena.”

He raised one hand, two fingers pointed forward. He drew the two fingers in a straight line across Zhao's forehead from temple to temple, then a line from his hairline to the bridge of his nose.

Zhao gasped when Agni grabbed him by the throat and drew him up, his feet dangling several inches above the ground. Flames formed around the god's fist as he drew back and then hit the admiral square on the sternum.

The wind was knocked from his body as Zhao flew backwards from the force of the blow. He flew out of the firewall and landed hard against the wall of the arena before he slid to the ground, unconscious.

As his servants moved forward to see if he was all right, the first thing they noticed was the scar on his forehead, an exact replica of the dragon on Agni's back.

The firewall faded and Agni stood in the center, looking simply at Zhao like a victorious fighter. He was cheered, and no one was any to the wiser of who he truly was. Iroh escorted him back to the ship, and they were gone before sunrise the next day.

When Zhao awoke the next morning, he remembered the fight, but not who he had fought. The only thing that remained was an impenetrable fear to fire-bend.

The tigress leapt at the two teenagers, and Zuko sent an arc of flame at the beast. She yowled in pain and anger as she spun in mid-air to avoid the fire-bender. Zuko had also taken the moment to run forward and slice another wound into her powerful shoulders.

Katara distracted the tigress with a water whip, but before Zuko could react the tigress shook off the water and sprang at him. He barely got out of the way of her main blow, but her sharp claws took his shoulder deeply.

The tigress pounced at him again, but Zuko fell to the ground at the last moment, He reached up as the tigress soared over his head and cut the tendon on her right fore-leg. But in doing so, he put himself in a compromising position. Even with only three legs, the tigress was an imposing foe and she sensed a kill from where Zuko lay unguarded on the sand.

The tigress turned and lunged at Zuko's unprotected head when she was caught off guard by a powerful stream of water. She shook her head and roared at the female near the water and turned back towards the fire-bender, but he'd taken advantage of the moment.

Katara saw Zuko scramble to his feet but never expected what came next. Zuko took the dagger, now soaked in the tigress' blood and buried it the cat's skull. Spasms went off in the tigress' brain that sent her body flying into the air in its final death throes. Several times the beast flung itself about before becoming still, blood pooling around its head as it lay there on the sand…dead.

Zuko smirked at the beast as he walked over and pulled his dagger out. A handful of sand cleaned the blade and he sheathed it once more. The beast was magnificent, and it would be a waste of meat and fur to leave it there. But Katara, who'd just walked up beside him, was looking at something else.

Blood was staining his grey uniform, spreading from his shoulder and chest wounds, and blood dripped from his right hand.

The adrenaline drained from Zuko's body, and he shook his head to clear a sudden dizziness. He barely registered the fact that he'd lost too much blood and someone calling his name before he surrendered to sweet black unconsciousness.