Afterward Adventures (ATLA Zuko X OC)

Chapter Five - The Promise Pt. 5

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Fire benders and Earth benders colliding, that's all she saw, the endless fight between the two Nations. It was storming, the sky gray, the clouds unleashing huge amounts of water on the soil. Aang, Iris and Zuko stood on the hill watching the fight from above. Behind Aang there was Avatar Roku's spirit, behind Zuko, stood Ozai, and behind Iris, stood Gershwin. All disappointed from the sight before them.

"One moment, I know, deep in my heart, that I must defend my people. But the next doubt creeps in. Maybe I'm supposed to follow through the Harmony Restoration Movement," Zuko said.

"Prove yourself worthy of the throne, my son!" Ozai said from behind.

"Aang, Iris, how am I supposed to figure out what's right when his voice is all I hear?! You two could have silenced him forever... perhaps then I could have found peace. But you didn't, and now I can't," Zuko said.

"I'm sorry, Zuko," Iris said stepping between her brother and Zuko. Aang had a skeptical grin on his face.

"When he had a firm grasp of the good, your friend asked you for a promise," Roku said.

"The Fire Lord's will, determines what is right! Embrace the truth and you'll possess the peace that you desire!" Ozai said.

"I don't think I'll ever stop feeling lost," Zuko said.

Iris turned at Gershwin's spirit that stood behind her "You have to choose, Iris. Zuko's life, or yours? Balance is no longer a choice," Gershwin said warningly.

Iris turned at the two. Both Aang and Zuko facing each other.

"Now fulfill your promise and restore the world to harmony," Roku said.

"Go ahead, Aang! Do it!" Zuko said, waiting for his friend to kill him.

Aang closed his eyes and when he opened them, he was in the Avatar State. His eyes and his tattoos glowing, the Four Elements circling around him. Zuko saw a woman behind Roku's spirit. She was crying, and she felt familiar.

"Wait! Don't cry!" Zuko shouted pointing at her.

Before he could move, Aang attacked, sending a blast from all the elements towards him. But they never reached him as Iris fell between them shouting "No!" and enduring the blast instead of Zuko.

Zuko's eyes widened when Iris's wounded body fell down. He immediately knelt beside her taking her in his arms. Iris winced loudly, her hand on the bleeding wound. But her expression softened when she looked up at Zuko. Tears streaming out of his eyes and he held her against him.

"Don't cry," Iris said wincing and cupping his face. "If my brother has to kill you, he'll have to kill me first," she said with tears in her eyes. "I can't live in this world without you, Zuko," she said, her thump brushing over his watery cheek.

Her hand fell down, and her head sank back.

"No, no, no, no, no...." Zuko said endlessly and he pulled her dead body in a tight hug, letting her nose nuzzle in his neck. "You can't leave me... please... don't leave me again..." he said sobbing kissing her forehead.

He saw Aang, still in the Avatar State attacking him, hitting him this time...

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The three of them, snapped off their sleep, cutting the dream in the middle, with cries of alarm and terror.

Aang turned around and he looked at Katara who was still thankfully sleeping on the other side of the saddle, despite the loud cry he made from the nightmare.