Road to Ba Sing Se | Zuko

38

❃ The Road to Betrayal ❃

Keya and Iroh were left behind. The two friends shared a sad look of defeat; Zuko's exit felt like a rock in their stomach, stubborn and gut-wrenching. The air was thick with the aftermath of a lost battle, one never fought with violence or blood, but with persuasion.

Somehow, Azula's words had brought back everything that the banished Prince had worked so hard for to move past. The temptress snake had merely whispered the promise of his father's love in his ear, but it had been enough to crumble the solid foundation of rectitude that he had been walking upon for the past weeks. It seemed that his father's sharp clutches had not yet released him from their tight grip. All hope for his redemption had crumbled as soon as Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation had left his biggest supporters behind. The sting of betrayal was painful and deep; it would not be forgotten soon.

A single, disappointed tear rolled down Keya's cheek while Iroh let out a deep sigh. The two stayed silent for a while, each brooding in their own crystal prison. The soft, green glow coming from the crystals was the only source of light that the gloomy catacombs allowed. It was fitting, really, how the desolate drips echoed off the stone walls. It was as if the city was mourning the betrayal with them.

In the meantime, another battle had just come to a standstill. The Avatar, the waterbender, and the Fire Nation Princess were at a stand-off. The Princess was dangerous, but outnumbered. She glanced between the two benders cautiously, already planning ahead and preparing for the worst.

A blast suddenly appeared out of nowhere, right between the Avatar and the Princess. Orange flames licked the large, stone tiles as a figure jumped down from one of the tunnels. Aang looked out to see who it was.

It was the Fire Nation Prince himself!

Zuko stood there, fists on fire and ready to fight. The magnificent hall was heavy with anticipation. Who would he join and who would be his enemy? A majestic waterfall roared in the background. Its water was illuminated by the green crystals, giving the hall an eerie vibe. The air around them felt cold, damp, and dangerous. The Prince's sharp eyes shifted between the two parties.

Immediately after Zuko's golden eyes met the Avatar's grey ones, the boy felt the hairs in the back of his neck stand up in alarm. This guy was not his friend. It was his enemy who stood before him. As soon as he realised this, Aang gasped sprung into action. He barely managed to bend a defensive ball of air around himself before the Prince sent a strong burst of flames his way. The force of the attack sent the airbender flying back a couple of paces, leaving Azula alone to face Katara.

The Princess smirked, satisfied that her plan had worked out. She turned to the waterbender before her and guided a stream of blue flames her way. Katara bent the water around her in a professional counterattack.

At the same time, Zuko kept sending punch after punch at Aang. The yellow, hot flashes of fire nearly singed the poor boy's tunic several times, but the little Avatar was stronger than he seemed. Aang pushed forward and sent the Prince flying back with a powerful gust of air.

"Ugh!" Zuko exclaimed as his body landed a good distance backwards. As soon as Aang reached him, the firebender twirled around and bent himself back up, leaving his assailant to jump away again.

Aang landed on a crowd of crystals that had sprouted up from the rocky wall. Zuko looked at him and used both his arms to punch a strong fireblast in his direction. The blast effectively forced the Avatar to hop from place to place, crystal to crystal.

Zuko encased his arms in a rope of fire, creating a dubble fire whip that could reach the edge of every crevice in the cave if lashed out correctly. The glowing whip seemed to lick the Avatar's heel everytime the boy tried to stop and rest.