Avatar: The Legend of Anzen Hyriu, Book 1: The Legend of Beifen

Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Uneasy Rest

Arnook had given up rooms in his palace for the women and children to sleep in. Koluk and I shared a room in a house close to the Chief's Palace. I laid down, sore, but I was so tired, it didn't matter.

I had a nightmare about the scouting mission battle and about the fireballs that rained down. I also had nightmares about the Robed Man. I saw him attacking the capital and fighting me. I also had a very vivid nightmare about the Fire Nation girl. I saw her standing in my wrecked, burning house. I could see every detail, her young face, the darkness in her eyes, my mother's life dripping from her sword into a pool of red. The debris laid all around me. I could feel the burning pain in my right leg, the sweat pouring off me, Hiko in my arms; I could smell the smoke in the air, ash on the ground, the blood and pus that oozed from my leg, burning skin and cloth. I could taste smoke, ash, blood, and the bitter taste of vomit in my mouth. I could hear Hiko's cries, the crackling of fire, the wind howling, screams of victims, sound of battle, and the voice that cried out, "Akiko!"

The dream moved on, and I saw the Robed Man. He walked up to me and said, "Join me, and they all will be safe. If you don't, you will regret it forever. One by one, I will destroy them all."

I woke up screaming. I could swear he was just standing right over me and had whispered that into my ear. Koluk sat upright and looked at me, startled. Wei rushed in.

"Sorry, I, uh... nightmare," I said and hugged my knees.

"Oh, really," Wei said, only it wasn't his voice that came out of his mouth, it was the Robed Man's.

I backed away from him.

"Is something wrong, Hyriu?" Koluk asked, but also with the Robed Man's voice.

"Get away from me!" I yelled and ran out to the balcony.

All the citizens of the capital were standing outside. Arnook and Yue in the front next to the Avatar and his friends.

"Join us," they all said in sync with the Robed Man's voice. "One by one, we will all die if you don't."

In an instant, they were all dead. All their bodies surrounded me. They were piled in a mountain. I felt something wet on my hands. I looked down and saw they were covered in blood. I screamed.

I heard the Robed Man's voice whispering in my ear, "A mountain of cold, rotting corpses, and in the middle will be you with their blood on your hands."

Suddenly, I was standing on top of the bodies, and I recognized the faces. I saw Hiko, Wei, Koluk, Lamara, Hana, Tekton, Lina, Fai, Daminao, Huan, Gen Li, Da-Xia, Desu, Kuhaku, Kobun, Kanshin, Chen, Mr. Hui, Mr. Zhen, Mr. Kuan, Hana's parents, Meili and Yukon, Arnook, Princess Yue, Taruk, Monk Yami, Monk Dadao, Monk Seng, Monk Meiso, Master Lee, Mayor Tanlan, Shan, Master Zohar, Zaria, Moji, Avatar Kyoshi, Kan Dao, Kizuna, Weizao, Avatar Roku, Avatar Aang, Katara, Sokka, Kahn, Ava, the little girl and her mother, and so many others. I began to cry hysterically. I tried to get off of them, but I kept stepping on more bodies. I tripped and tumbled down the mountain of corpses. Then, once I reached the bottom, everyone's eyes looked at me, and they said in their own voices - "Why?" - over and over again.

"Why? Why, Hyriu? Why? Why, Hyriu? Why?"

"Stop it! Leave me alone! I didn't do anything! LEAVE ME ALONE!" I screamed, covering my ears.

"Why? Why, Hyriu? Why did you let us die? Why didn't you do anything? Why did you betray us? Why didn't you save us? Why didn't you join him? Why did you condemn us?" They all asked me.

"Shut up! Leave me alone. I didn't betray you!" I pleaded.

Hiko's corpse came up to me. "Why did you kill me, Hyriu? Why? Why did you leave me? You promised everything would be all right. Why did you lie? Why did you kill me? Why, brother? Didn't you love me?"

Slowly the others joined him, "Why did you kill me, Hyriu? Why did you lie? Why?"

"I didn't kill you! I didn't lie to you! I didn't! Leave me alone," I began to sob. "I didn't. I didn't...I didn't...I, I didn't. Leave me alone. I didn't...I-"

The bodies melted together and formed a giant version of the Robed Man.

"You did," he said to me, "By not joining me, you killed them."

"I didn't," I said back, sobbing.

"You did."

"I didn't."

"You did."

"I didn't!"

"You did!"

"I didn't!" I screamed.

"You did!" he shouted back.

"I DIDN'T!"

"YOU DID! And you know it. All of their deaths were because of you. All of them. You'll see soon," he said.

I woke up suddenly, and I realized I was actually crying. Koluk and Wei stood over me with concerned looks.

"Get away from me!" I cried and shot a small arch of fire at them, fearing it was another nightmare.

"Hyriu! It's alright. It's us," Koluk said, dodging my fire, but he spoke in his own voice.

"It's us, Hyriu," Wei said, and I could tell he was very worried.

I relaxed.

"What happened?" Wei asked.

"I just had a really bad nightmare," I mumbled back.

"Must have been some nightmare. I didn't even have to go get Wei; he heard you screaming from outside and came running in. Are you alright?" Koluk asked.

"Yeah," I said with uncertainty.

"You think you can go back to sleep?" Koluk asked.

I shook my head.

"Here." Wei wrapped a blanket around me. I accepted it gratefully, since I was shivering like crazy. I also noticed I was drenched in sweat. "I'll be right back," Wei said, then left.

Koluk and I sat in silence for a few minutes. I could tell he wanted to ask me about my nightmare, but he remained quiet. Wei returned with a steaming cup.

"Here, drink this," he said, putting the cup to my lips.

"What is it?" I asked.

"It's herbal tea. It will relax you and settle your nerves," he replied.

I took a big gulp as he lifted up the cup, so I drank every drop. I became very drowsy and light headed.

"What... what is that?" I asked, nodding my head as I became dizzy.

"I may have lied to you a little. It actually makes you sleep," Wei said.

I gave him a fearful look.

"Don't worry. It will put you in a dreamless sleep, so you won't have and dreams, or nightmares, just peaceful sleep. Koluk come get me if there are any problems. Now, Hyriu, I want you to count backwards from ten," Wei instructed.

I began slowly, "Ten, nine... eight...... seven..."

***

I woke to an explosion. Koluk was shaking me. "Man, that's some strong tea."

I shot up. "What's happening?"

"Come see," he answered with a worried expression.

We walked out onto the balcony. It was just past daybreak, and fireballs were raining back down into the city. There was also a banging noise. I saw large cracks in the wall where the banging was coming from.

"They're breaking through!" I cried.

Wei nodded, "Yes, the real battle is about to began."