The Thief And The Healer

Episode 29: Katara Alone

The air was stifling. Katara had never seen so much fire before. Zuko had obviously been working on his bending for the few weeks he'd been away. His body twisted and pushed instinctively through a variety of complicated movements. The Phoenix siblings were well matched, Azula's blue flame constantly berated by equally powerful waves of red.

The thought about helping him crossed her mind but he seemed to be handling himself alright. That and she could barely move.

She'd healed her wrist easily but head injuries were more complicated, especially when she was working on herself. The best she could do for now was take her time sealing the wound from the inside out. Just when she got to the point she felt she might actually be able to help, Katara saw Azula fall.

The princess skidded across the stone floor and didn't move for a short while. Then Zuko said her name and it snapped her out of her stupor.

Next minute she was on her feet, yelling at Zuko about how he had chosen her. Katara's eyes found Zuko's back, remembering the words he had spoken when this started, how he had stood between them to protect her. Maybe Sokka had been right, perhaps it all had been to protect her.

A loud crack startled Katara and blue lightning flickered through the courtyard.

Wait, lightning?

It was Azula, she had somehow created the coldest, most brutal form of fire and was directing it straight. At. Her.

"No!" Zuko yelled.

The lightning flashed in Katara's eyes and she felt death reaching for her when suddenly- the light was obscured by Zuko's body. He'd jumped in front of her. He'd taken the bolt straight to his chest.

Katara watched him fall.

He didn't get up.

"ZUKO!" Katara ran towards him but was blocked by a sudden onslaught of blue fire.

"I told you to leave him alone," Azula called. Her fire didn't let up, Katara had to run and jump behind a pillar to avoid being caught up in the flames.

"Poor little Zuzu," Azula hummed. "He doesn't look very good. Maybe this time he'll learn not to trifle with me."

Peeking around the pillar, Katara just caught a glimpse of Zuko rolling onto his stomach with a groan, his hand outstretched towards her.

She had never been more furious in her life.

And, as Sokka knew, when Katara was mad things broke.

With a yell, Katara lifted the water of the fountain into the air and called it towards herself. Shifting it around herself to build momentum, she shot the wave towards the stage where Azula had been standing only to see-- she wasn't there.

The stage splintered under the weight of the water hitting it. Bits of planks and podium shot across the stone floor. A rift of water spread out in a thin layer, splashing against Zuko's prone body and causing him to cough.

Katara's eyes shifted around the courtyard. Many of the Agni Kais had abandoned their positions at the expounding display of firebending, most of the building was currently still smoldering. They needed to get out of there before the inn collapsed on top of them.

In her peripheral vision, Katara just caught a glimpse of blue and rolled. The fire grazed her shoulder and back, setting her outer cloak on fire and burning her upper arm. Hissing in pain, she ripped off her cloak and threw it close to where Zuko's jacket had been tossed.