When Worlds Collide: Book Three, Fire

Chapter Seventeen

By the time Appa landed just outside of town, the guards had given up and fled for the palace. I wasn't sure what they would find, but at the sight of my friends, I didn't care.

I stuck around long enough to ask that the people spread the message of the Fire Nations defeat, and to ask that the people spread joy instead of fear. The old man promised, and another man, a traveler said he would leave in the morning to speak to the other nearby villages. I thanked them before turning to Appa.

I grinned as I ran up to the flying bison, but the look on Katara's face made me stop cold.

The waterbender jumped down from her perch, and held up her arms. "He's fine," she said. "He's sleeping right now, but he's okay."

"What happened?" I asked.

"It was an Agni Kai," she explained. "Azula targeted me instead, and Zuko... He saved me."

Lightning. Zuko can redirect lightning.

"Are you okay?" I asked grabbing her shoulders, and searching for any injuries. Other than being cold and wet, I didn't find anything.

"I'm fine," Katara insisted. "But Zuko... He was hit. He's fine now, I healed him in time, but he's weak."

I nodded weakly, and slowly made my way to the bison. I could hear Katara behind me, but when I climbed up to the saddle, I was kind of happy that she stayed on the ground.

Zuko was asleep, like she said, but his breathing was ragged. There was a gaping hole in his shirt, showing the damage Azula had done. Clenching my jaw, I resisted the urge to go in search of the girl. Almost subconsciously, I ran my fingers through Zuko's hair, and I released my breath.

"We should go," I called, peaking over the edge to see Katara. "The others will be waiting."

She nodded, and climbed up Appa to take the reigns. As we took off, I kept my fingers tangled in Zuko's hair, finding comfort in the small act.

Appa took off, and while we were in the sky, Katara shared the story of how Azula challenged Zuko to an Agni Kai (which he accepted, the idiot). She explained how off Azula was, and how halfway through the fight, she had shot a bolt of lightning at Katara, causing Zuko to jump in front of the bolt, and in return, he ended up in the state he was in now.

By the time she was done, we were halfway to the Earth Kingdom, so I told her my story.

I explained how while some of the villagers supported us in our quest to defeat the Fire Lord, some, like the guards, were loyalists. I shared the brave words of the old man, and how if it weren't for him, I would have never succeded in my task.

Zuko woke up towards the end, hurting and groggy, and I smiled as I pet his hair.

"How are you doing?" I asked. "Do you need anything?"

He shook his head, and his hand found mine, squeezing it tightly. Slowly, he sat up, and we leaned against the side of the saddle.

"I'm guessing things turned out better on your end?" he asked.

"I was almost set on fire a couple if times, but otherwise, yeah. Yeah, I'm good." My eyes lingered on his chest for a moment before liking back up at him. "Better than you, it seems."

Katara looked back with a smirk on her face, and fear in her eyes. "He's with us for a few weeks, and suddenly, he thinks he's the hero."

Zuko laughed, but stopped to winced and clutch his chest. "Someone had to do it."

I sighed and looked over the side of the saddle at the scorched land below us. The air fleet hovered around us, unmoving and not attacking. We were getting close.