bound - avatar oc x oc

part 5

After what felt like hours, the sky finally turned dark.

Akaia and her siblings were no longer kneeling. The avatars had forced them to their feet—evac ships were on their way. Akaia's wrists were now tightly bound.

Her mind raced. She couldn't let them take her family. She had to think—anything, something to get them out.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sound she knew like her own heartbeat.

Her mother's war call rang through the forest.

They're here.

Akaia's head snapped up. Her siblings had heard it too—Lo'ak nodded at her and Spider. They didn't speak, but they didn't have to.

This was it.

Behind her, she heard Kiri praying. Akaia's ears twitched as an avatar barked at her to be quiet.

"Kiri..." Akaia muttered, trying to turn, but the soldier yanked her queue, snapping at her to behave.

She sighed, holding still.

Kiri's prayers grew louder.

Akaia silently begged her sister to stop before she got herself hurt.

"I said shut up!" the avatar growled—and then came the sound. That sound.

An arrow slicing through the air and thudding into flesh.

"Contact made!" someone shouted.

The forest exploded into chaos. Gunfire lit the trees as avatars scrambled for cover, pushing the children back.

The man holding Akaia released her, diving toward a fallen log. Akaia wasted no time. She ran to the soldier who had held Kiri, yanking the knife from his belt and slashing her bindings.

Across the clearing, she saw Tuk and Lo'ak sink their teeth into the arms of their captors.

A violent tug on her queue sent her crashing to the ground. She screamed as another avatar pinned her.

But her hands were free now.

Akaia twisted beneath her, using her knife to slash her arm. The woman howled in pain and let go.

Without hesitation, Akaia tackled her to the ground, straddling her chest and driving the blade deep into her heart. The avatar choked once—then fell still.

Akaia backed away, chest heaving. Her back pressed against the bark of a tree as she struggled to catch her breath. She reached behind her head—her fingers came away sticky with blood.

Gunfire echoed, then faded. Silence crept in. Was it over?

No. It wasn't over. Not yet.

She held her knife close and began moving, crouching through the underbrush. Her eyes locked onto the Colonel, crouched behind a fallen tree, reloading.

Him.

Akaia ducked behind a bush, breath shallow, eyes sharp.

"I know that call," the Colonel shouted. "That you, Mrs. Sully? I recognize your calling card."

He signaled to the surviving avatars, and Akaia watched in horror as they began advancing toward her mother's position.

She swallowed. I have to stop them.

"Come on out, Mrs. Sully," the Colonel taunted. "You and I have unfinished business."

Fury flared in Akaia's chest. Her mother's voice roared back, full of venom:

"Demon! I will kill you as many times as I have to!"

Akaia crept behind one of the avatars, silencing him with a swift, brutal cut to the throat. She lowered the body slowly, hand covering his mouth until he went still.

Then she moved again—deeper into the forest.

Another avatar raised his rifle, aiming at her mother's location.

Her heart thundered in her chest. She ran, careless of noise, needing to stop him before—

A hand grabbed her from the bush, dragging her back.

She thrashed, dropping her knife in panic, and elbowed her attacker in the stomach.

She spun around, ready to strike—only to freeze.

Jake.

He held a finger to his lips. Akaia nodded, breath shaky. He reached out and gently cupped her face, relief and love written all over him.

Then—a rustle in the trees.

They turned to see Neteyam, bow drawn.

Jake sprinted toward his son just as Neteyam loosed his arrow, taking down a soldier.

But another avatar raised his rifle.

Jake tackled Neteyam as bullets cut through the air. The two of them dove for cover behind a tree.

Akaia's eyes tracked the gunmen. She ran toward the nearest one and stabbed him in the neck before he could reload.

Blood sprayed her chest. She didn't stop.

She turned, sprinting at the next avatar. He noticed her too late—she knocked the gun from his hands, but he recovered faster than she expected, hurling her across the ground.

Akaia hit the dirt hard, grunting as pain bloomed in her side. She scrambled into a defensive crouch, knife ready.

The avatar laughed and drew a knife of his own.

Akaia moved first—slicing low and fast, catching his leg. He shouted, swinging wildly. His blade caught her cheek, leaving a burning gash.

She rolled away, heart pounding.

The man advanced, knife ready.

Akaia kicked out, sweeping his legs. He slammed to the ground, and she dove on top of him.

But before she could drive her blade down, his arms caught her wrists. She strained, trying to push the knife down, but he was stronger. He threw her off with a roar.

She landed hard again. Her head throbbed. Her vision swam.

She crawled for her knife—too late.

The man kicked it away, then leapt onto her, hands crushing her throat.

She gasped. Clawed at him. Kicked. Nothing worked.

This can't be it. Not now. Not like this.

Her mind screamed her family's names.

Tears streamed from her eyes as everything began to fade.

Then—THUD.

The weight vanished.

She rolled onto her side, coughing and wheezing. Her hands flew to her neck, now bruised and raw.

Above her stood Jake, axe in hand.

He dropped it and pulled her into his arms.

"I've got you," he murmured, holding her tight.

Akaia sobbed into his chest, body trembling.

"You're safe now, my sweet girl."

Her sobs quieted as exhaustion washed over her. Her head rested against her father's shoulder, and darkness took her.

—————-

Akaia can not catch a break lmao

1533 words 😦