Sakura Beifong

The Fall of Ba Sing Se

Hey hey hey my dear viewers, hope you all are ready for the next chapter! Enjoy!

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Normal pov

The underground cave echoed with the sound of hurried footsteps and labored breathing as Sakura, Aang, and Katara sprinted through the dimly lit caverns, the faint glow of luminescent crystals their only guide. They were determined to find the exit, to regroup with the others so that they can find a way to plan how to stop all this madness. Suddenly, Sakura jerked to a halt, her body stiffening as her sharp instincts kicked in,  eyes narrowing as her hand shot out to halt Aang and Katara.

"What is it?"

Sakura didn't answer immediately, instead, she whirled around and stomped the ground with her foot, bending a massive boulder from the nearby wall. With precision, she hurled it into the shadows ahead. The boulder hadn't even finished traveling when an explosion of blue flames consumed it, scattering debris and dust into the air. The trio shielded their eyes from the blast, and when the smoke cleared, their worst fears were confirmed. Azula stood at the forefront, her golden eyes gleaming with a mixture of confidence and malice. Surrounding her were a contingent of Dai Li agents, their stoic expressions betraying no hint of emotion.

"Well, well, you're senses are quite sharp, wasn't expecting you to realize where my location was, truly impressive. You're nothing like the other earth benders I have met."

Sakura stepped forward, her emerald eyes hard and unwavering. The Fire Nation princess raised an eyebrow, impressed by Sakura's fearlessness. And after she jumped and landed on the ground, she walked towards them, Dai Li agents right behind her.

"But no matter, this ends here. Let's see how long you can last."

Without another word, the battle erupted. Sakura immediately engaged Azula, her earthbending and skills working in tandem to keep the princess on edge. She moved with a fluidity Azula hadn't anticipated, striking with the precision of her past life as a kunoichi. Her punches were reinforced by jagged spikes of earth, and her kicks sent them, as well as chunks of crystals, flying toward her opponent. Azula dodged most of Sakura's attacks, her agility rivaling the ferocity of her blue flames. Yet, despite her skill, she found herself forced onto the defensive, narrowly avoiding blows that would have left her reeling.

"You're full of surprises, but don't think for a second that you can win."

"Funny, I was about to say the same thing."

Sakura replied a steady voice, despite the strain of combat. Nearby, Aang and Katara fought furiously against the Dai Li agents. Aang used his airbending to create whirlwinds that sent agents tumbling into walls, while Katara's waterbending whipped through the air like a razor, cutting down their ranks. But for every agent they defeated, two more seemed to take their place. The fight was turning against them, and both Aang and Katara were beginning to tire.

"Sakura, we can't keep this up!"

Katara called out, her voice strained as she narrowly dodged an earthen fist launched by an agent. Sakura glanced their way, her jaw tightening. Even with her metalbending added to the mix, the sheer number of enemies was overwhelming. And now, some of the Dai Li agents had joined Azula in attacking her directly. Sakura gritted her teeth and dodged a burst of blue flames, retaliating with a swift kick that sent a metal shard toward Azula. But before the shard could land, Azula deflected it with a flick of her wrist, her flames crackling with dangerous intensity.

"You're good, but not good enough."

The situation grew increasingly dire until a fireball streaked through the air from above, scattering the Dai Li agents and forcing Azula to step back. All heads turned toward the source, and there, standing tall on a ledge above them, was Zuko. He leapt down with practiced grace, landing between Sakura and Azula. His golden eyes scanned the battlefield, his stance tense and uncertain, his gaze darted between Azula, the Dai Li, and their scattered allies. His expression was unreadable, but his inner turmoil was clear. Zuko remained silent at first, his jaw clenching as his hand raised, fire gathering in his palm. His gaze lingered on Aang for a moment too long, and in that instant, everyone froze. Sakura's heart dropped into her stomach as her eyes widening in horror, watching him prepare to launch the fireball. A thousand thoughts raced through her mind, but none of them prepared her for what happened next. In a flash, Zuko spun on his heel and hurled the fireball, not at Aang, but at Azula.