Heart of Fire

Book One: Chapter Six

I watched as Zhao's face contorted when Zuko hit him. He backed up for a moment, almost looking astonished that someone would have the audacity to attack him, of all people. If I'm being honest, I felt the same thing.

Zhao unleashed on Zuko, hitting him with fireball after fireball. His men began to attack Zuko's men as well. I began to panic while I watched the men become more aggressive as the battle went on.

...

~ 6 years ago ~

"Okay, breathe in and focus on concentrating your energy in your hands," my father said, holding my hands close together in front of my chest.

"Now imagine that there is a ball of fire between them that you can mold to your will."

I held my hands in the position he showed me and focused on creating the fire. I could feel the energy surging between my fingers but I couldn't get anything to appear. I sat for minutes trying to make something out of it, but I couldn't get anything. I started to feel dizzy. I dropped my hands, disappointed.

My father put his hands on my shoulder. "Misaki, don't lose heart. You can do this. I believe in you," he said, pulling me in for a hug.

"Okay, I'll try one more time," I said, sniffling. I gave him a small smile.

"That's my girl."

I breathed deeply and held my hands back in the position he showed me. This time, I closed my eyes so I could focus only on feeling the energy between my fingers.

I held them there for a few seconds before I started to feel what seemed to be two magnets pushing and pulling each other, and then I felt my hands get hot. I opened my eyes and there, in my hands, was a small flame. I looked at my father who was laughing with joy and showed the flame to him.

"I finally did it!" I said, holding my hands out in front of me and staring at what I had created. I'd never felt so proud before, and just a moment ago I was extremely frustrated. I never believed that I would actually do it. My mother had always discouraged me bending because I was a woman, but I had never seen my father so happy.

...

I stood in the middle of the chaos, holding the tiny flame in my hand. It took me a moment to realize I had zoned out. When I finally snapped back, I took no time testing to see if I could make the fire bend to my will.

I moved my hands around, back and forth, almost as if I was making a snowball. I watched as the fireball began to grow between my fingers. Zuko was losing the fight with Zhao - but not for long. This time I could do something about it.

I let the ball grow in my hands a bit more before I released it into Zhao's direction. It hit his arm, burning the cloth off of his armor. He turned around quickly and Zuko was able to hit him with a huge blast, knocking him to the ground.

"Y-you're bending?!" Zhao yelled.

I didn't answer. I stared him straight in the face and approached him quickly. I grabbed him by his hair and pulled his head up.

"I can finally give you what you deserve, you sick fuck," I said, letting a flame build up in my hand. 

I held it next to his face for a moment before I came up with a better idea. I aimed for his crotch and let the fire explode from my hands. He screamed in agony, but I didn't want to stop. I felt so powerful - like I was finally getting the justice I deserved. I couldn't stop, I let the flame explode from my hands and smiled as he screamed in agony. It felt so good to do this to him, to see him beg me to stop as he had made me do so many times. I wanted to kill him. I was going to.