Avatar The Last Airbender Fan Fiction ❯ Prophesied ❯ Don't Look ( Chapter 10 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Chapter 10: Don't Look

Before Azula and her men reached the island market of Anrik, they had to stop at a nearby Fire Nation port for supplies.

Azula stepped off the ship and looked around, her eyes adjusting quickly to the rushing people around. It was easy to see the fear and wide-eyed wonder in their faces. What could have happened to cause all this?

“Princess Azula!” she heard someone cry happily and she turned to see a man walking up to her.

“Admiral Zhao?”

Indeed it was the Admiral, but he now had a mark across his forehead that looked strangely like a dragon, and he was smiling non-sadistically.

“Indeed. What a lovely day it is, don't you agree?”

Azula looked around at the cloudy sky and chilling winds and frowned.

“No I don't.”

“Pity.”

Zhao continued to look fondly at the sky and Azula shook her head lightly.

“Look, Admiral…”

“Oh, I don't go by Admiral anymore.”

Azula's jaw dropped. “Excuse me?”

Zhao smiled. “I found the whole war a bit superfluous really. I've decided to retire.”

“Zhao, my father won't like this. He'll have you killed.”

Zhao's smile faltered. “Better the Fire Lord than him.” An involuntary shudder rippled through the former Admiral's body.

“I can't bend my lady, and if I do, I could die.”

Azula had to fight to remain where she stood at the fear in the Admiral's eyes.

“Every time I even think about bending, or meditate, or try to light a candle, I feel his presence within me; feel the turmoil in my inner fire. I can't…”

“Zhao…stop this nonsense.” Azula started.

Suddenly, Zhao's smile was back. “Come my lady, I wish to show you something.”

She regarded him silently for a moment before nodding and he led her through the city to the Eastern Gate. Before them was a wooded hill with a small dirt path leading up it.

“Zhao, where are you taking me?”

“You'll see my lady.”

He led her up the dirt path, and after a while, Azula began to get angry.

“Look Zhao, this better have a purpose or I swear I'll…”

“There!”

She looked forward, past the Admiral to the place where he was pointing. At the end of the path was a large stone shrine with the Air Nation symbol carved above a small opening. She was unable to help herself as she walked towards the altar.

“What is it Zhao?”

He smiled. “I'm not sure. I swear it wasn't here two weeks ago, but some boys stumbled across it day before yesterday.”

They were now standing in front of the shrine, and Zhao pointed to what looked like cracks in the stone.

“Here it looks like it opens, but we can't find a latch of or a button of any sort. What do you think my lady?”

Azula stepped a little closer to the shrine, her golden eyes narrowing onto the Air Symbol, and there it was, the tiniest crease in the stone. Gently, she ran her finger across it to make sure it wasn't an illusion. As she touched the symbol, there was a creak and a snap from within the stone. Zhao gave a surprised cry and leapt back, but Azula didn't move.

Slowly, the cracks in the front of the shrine groaned their way open, revealing a small cache in the altar. Inside the opening was what appeared to be an amulet.

“My lady, perhaps you should not touch that.”

Azula snorted derisively. “Zhao, you are boring me with your cowardly drivel, now shut it before I make you face whomever you were talking about earlier!”

Zhao's jaw clamped shut and Azula reached into the opening to retrieve the amulet. She paused ever so slightly before removing the piece from its hold.

Drawing it out into the sunlight, it appeared to be a rather large diamond with the Air Nation symbol carved into the center. The back of the diamond was flat and encased in some sort of metal the gleamed when the sun hit it. On the back of the metal casing were several notches or creases that made it seem as though it would fit into something. Attached to the amulet was a chain of clear beads that appeared to be made of quartz.

The amulet itself was just larger than Azula's palm, and after a moment, she took the thing up and placed it in her money pouch.

“I can probably sell it in the marketplace. It must be worth a great deal.”

Suddenly, around them the ground began to shake. Azula turned around and Zhao gave a frightened cry.

“My lady! Come over here!”

But Azula stood her ground, staring now at the shrine as it slowly sank into the earth. She didn't move until the shrine had disappeared entirely and the ground closed back over it. Zhao gave a mournful cry.

“Oh no, now you can't return the amulet! What if it is a great weapon? It could destroy us all!”

Azula took the amulet back out and stared at her, willing it to present her with its secret, but it did nothing, merely a cold piece of rock in her hands. Only then did she notice the characters written on the metal casing, but they were in a dialect she could not read.

“Zhao can you…”

“Princess look out!”

Azula was barely able to dodge as an arrow spun past her head. Several black clad warriors stepped out of the woods, their weapons drawn and their faces covered. Her eyes narrowed.

“Go now and I won't destroy you for attempting to take my life.”

One of the warriors stepped up. “Surrender the Hiketsu and we will not destroy you for disturbing it. It was not made for you.”

Azula held up the amulet. “You want this? You'll have to take it from me.”

The warrior tilted his sword towards her. “Very well.”

Azula took a bending stance and one of the warriors threw a dagger at her. It was blocked by a blast of fire not her own.

“Zhao?”

“Run my lady!”

A warrior ran up and swung his blade at her head but she blocked it and sent him flying with a blast of fire. Then something connected with the back of her head and she knew no more.

They were climbing a nearly sheer cliff, and Katara was still trying to figure out why, but for some reason, it made her feel good. The strain of her limbs and the forces she had to exhort to keep going, and of course the fact that Zuko had decided that having civil conversation with her was easier than ignoring and insulting her.

“That's when my brother woke up and said something about food eating people.”

“Your brother's an idiot.”

She smiled. Well, she didn't say he wasn't being insulting at all.

“You're right. It wasn't long after that when we got to the North Pole.”

“Really? Then that was probably about the time Zhao tried to kill me.”

“Zhao tried to kill you?”

“Yes, he hired pirates to put blasting jelly on my ship…while I was still onboard.”

Katara winced. “How'd you survive?”

A derisive snort came from the man climbing above her. “I'm a fire-bender Katara.”

“Oh.”

“I then stowed away on Zhao's flag ship and my uncle helped me stay hidden until we got to the North Pole.”

“So you weren't part of the main invasion?”

“No. Zhao was leading that. I actually followed an underwater tunnel and got in that way.”

“You snuck in.”

“Yes.”

“How'd you find the oasis?”

“I followed you, the Avatar, and Princess Yue.”

“How do you know Princess Yue?”

“I met her when I was six. My uncle took me scouting with him.”

“Oh. Why do you keep chasing us?”

“What?”

“Why do you keep chasing us?”

“To restore my honor.”

“How would capturing Aang…”

“Who?”

“The Avatar.”

“Oh, continue.”

“How would capturing Aang restore your honor?”

Zuko sighed. “It's a long story.”

“Will you tell me?”

“Maybe sometime.”

He stopped climbing and Katara looked up. “What's wrong?”

“This next part looks tricky…I want you above me in case you fall.”

Katara nodded and pulled herself up the side of the cliff. When she came in reach, she felt Zuko take her hand and steady her as she climbed up beside him. His eyes met hers as she caught her breath.

“Take your time, and feel around for a strong hold before you shift your weight.”

She nodded, and started up. Despite having to find handholds herself, she actually liked this better knowing that Zuko was right beneath her in case she fell. There was silence as Zuko allowed her to concentrate on finding the niches in the rock that would allow her to climb on. Often she knew she was a little bit slower for she'd feel his arms encircling her legs as she climbed.

Finally, she thought she felt the cliff level out.

“Zuko, I think we're near the top…whoa!”

The piece she was hanging onto broke and she began to fall, at least until she felt a strong arm encircle her waist. She was now resting between Zuko and the cliff wall, and she let out a long sigh.

“Are you all right?”

She nodded, taking deep breaths to calm her racing heart. Zuko's grip on her waist didn't dissipate until she took up her place on the wall again. He slowly released her as she began to climb.

Katara glanced down to see Zuko smirked slightly as he noted that she had been right, they were nearing the top. Katara slipped once more and this time Zuko was close enough to raise a hand to still her downward drop, but his hand happened to land high up on her leg, just below her rear. She looked down at him and he was just urging her on with his eyes, no perverted smirk to make her afraid, so she continued on.

At last they reached the top, and Katara felt she barely had enough energy to pull herself onto the plateau. Zuko however, upon reaching the top, stood up without hesitation, while she sprawled out over the ground.

“Please tell me we can take a break.”

She looked up at Zuko who didn't at first seem to hear her and then he smiled, truly smiled! Katara was mystified to feel her heart leap at this show of emotion.

“Yes, we can rest.”

She smiled, it was clear he didn't think she'd seen him smile, but she could rest and that was enough. A cold breeze blew across the plateau and she welcomed it against her hot sweating body.

Then her eyes snapped open.

“Zuko.”

He turned and looked at her as she sat up from his place on a nearby rock.

“Did you feel that?”

“The breeze? Yes.”

Katara stood and sent him a look that she often sent Sokka when he was being naïve.

“But it was cold Zuko. I thought we were in the tropics.”

Zuko's eyes snapped open from where they'd lazily closed after her inquiry.

“You're right.” He said simply, sitting up. The breeze came again and they both involuntarily shuddered. This time there was nothing welcoming about it. Katara looked around and then froze.

“Zuko look.”

He walked over and stood at her side, looking in the direction she pointed. There was a large wall, but it was nearly transparent, looking almost like a viscous fluid always shifting and changing its surface. They both walked towards it.

Suddenly, a large crashing sound came from behind them. Mika came bursting from over the cliff wall, chasing what appeared to be a mouse-sized canyon crawler. They both ran straight through the wall.

“Mika!” Katara screamed and ran after the cub.

There was a moment in which she felt she was being torn apart and then she was on the other side of the wall. Zuko came bursting through after her.

“What do you think you were doing, you stupid peasant? What if you'd been…”

Zuko trailed off as he followed her gaze around the world they'd now entered. Everywhere they looked there was nothing but bleak icy tundra. The breeze was now a gusting wind, stirring up sand-like snow and whirling it around them.

Zuko shivered, wrapping his arms around his bare chest.

“Katara, we should go.”

She nodded but then she saw something against the horizon. “Zuko! See there's smoke!”

She ran off towards the trail that the smoke left against the pale sky, and Zuko could do nothing but follow her, his bare feet and chest protesting angrily against the brutally cold wind.

Katara couldn't stop running until she reached the source of the smoke; she knew she couldn't, for this was her world, in ice and snow. Zuko ran behind her, bending to keep him warm.

She ran to the top of another glacier and stopped, her eyes wide at the sight before her.

“No.” she whispered and Zuko finally caught up to her, shivering in the cold.

Before them was a village, nation unknown, in ashes. Katara fought to keep her tears from falling as they both traversed down into the village. She was all set to be angry with Zuko and all fire-benders when Zuko knelt down beside one of the shells of a house.

“It wasn't fire-benders Katara.”

She turned around and looked at him. “Are you sure?”

He nodded and pointed to a particular piece of wood. “Look at those scorches. I should be able to feel a remnant of the person that created them, but I can't, that means this was a natural fire.”

Katara sighed and nodded and they continued on. Zuko began to lead and they came to a house partially upright and the prince headed in, Katara close behind him. She was surprised to hear him gasp and then he turned and roughly pulled her into his arms, pressing her face to his chest.

“Don't look Katara.”

She didn't need to, the smell of burnt flesh permeated every part of the house, and she let out a choked sob. Zuko guided her back out into the fresh air.

They stood there for a moment in the chilling wind until suddenly Zuko sank to his knees in the snow. Katara knelt in front of him, seeking the warmth and comfort of his arms, and he embraced her once more. She was startled when his chest hitched in suppressed sobs, and she slowly wrapped her arms around him, letting her own tears fall.

Mika watched the two as they sat in the snow, one leg of the crawler peeking out of her mouth. She wanted them to laugh and play as they had this morning, but for some reason they were sad. Why were they sad?

Aang was sitting on Appa's head, guiding him towards the nearest island. They'd need to stop soon, and they needed supplies, but they still didn't have any money, and Katara had always been the one who knew what to buy and when.

Suddenly, there was a gust of wind from behind him, followed by a loud `ow' and peals of laughter.

“Kioko! That wasn't funny!” Sokka's voice was somehow strangely muffled.

“Yes it was!”

Aang didn't even bother to turn around. Kioko kept their spirits up but not up far enough. Suddenly, something came to his attention that had before been blinded by his grief and worry for Katara.

“You're an air-bender!”

Kioko plopped down on Appa's head beside him.

“Duh. Told you that before.”

Aang grinned. “But it just connected. If you're an air-bender, then there must be others!”

She laughed and nodded. “My father is an air-bender, and there are lots where he is.”

Aang's grin grew wider. “You have to take me there.”

Sokka succeeded in getting the bucket off his head. “I thought we were going to see Bumi!”

Aang turned around. “This is more important! Surviving air-benders!”

Kioko grabbed the reins tied to Appa's horns. “Then we need to go this way!”

She pulled on the reins so Appa turned towards the west, and the great bison gave a low groan.

Aang looked at her as she sat so proud and tall on the flying bison. That was when he noticed the beads wrapped around her right arm. They appeared to be made of a type of emerald and how they clasped to her green clad shoulder he didn't know, but they seemed to be attached to an emerald gold ring on her right middle finger.

“How'd you get those?”

She glanced at the beads. “Those? Oh, I found them.”

Aang took her hand in his own and lifted it so he could look at the ring. Around the set emerald were several characters. Luckily enough, the monks had taught him whatever dialect it was written in.

“Forged to be wielded by…”

Kioko snatched her hand away. “Don't do that!”

For the first time since he had met her, a jolly smile didn't light up her face and her eyes flashed angrily.

“Sorry,” he whispered, and she smiled again.

“On to see Daddy!” she cried out.

Azula woke slowly, a pounding in her head that wouldn't let her think straight. She pushed herself up with her hands, glaring at the ground she'd landed on until her vision cleared.

The amulet was still firmly grasped in her fist, and the warriors that had attacked them were sprawled around her. Zhao must have protected her.

“Zhao?”

“Over here my lady.”

She focused her attention on a huddled mass lying not far from she herself. He smiled at her, numerous wounds on his body, and a thick viscous fluid dried and caked around his mouth.

“I fire-bended Princess Azula, and now I'm dying.”

“No.” she whispered.

“I'm not afraid.” He returned, his eyes smiling.

“No Zhao! You can't die! That's an order!”

He merely smiled, and drew a shuddering breath.

“I'm glad I am not alone.”

And then he was gone. Azula shivered, her body wracked with suppressed pain. After a while, she returned to the town. Grabbing the first Fire Nation soldier she saw, she spoke harshly, her pain easily hidden by anger.

“Send a message to the Fire Lord that Admiral Zhao is dead.”

“Yes Your Highness.”

Iroh sighed as the sun peaked in late afternoon. A soldier came up to him.

“I'm sorry sir, there's no sign of Lord Ryu-Kin.”

Iroh nodded and the soldier left, Lieutenant Jee replacing him.

“First Zuko and now Agni.”

Iroh sighed. “I know. What do we do now Jee? What do we do now?”