ZenBenders - 2014

Abduction

[Zuko's PoV]

I rose before the others. I stretched for a quick minute, before deciding to take a quick walk. I needed to clear my head if I wished to find the Phoenix again.

Being the Fire Lord had been my lifelong ambition, but I hadn't truly grasped how nerve wracking it was to have an entire nation's fate in the palm of your hand. Aang insisted he and the rest were going to help me through it, and unite the nations in the process. I thought it was a good start of course, but I still believed he was naïve. Who am I kidding? We're all a little naïve.

But when it comes right down to it, we need that naïveté to function properly after everything we've been through. And we are not the same people we once were. The twelve year - old boy became the Avatar. The goofy older brother had become Chief of the Southern Water Tribe. The girl who was believed to be helpless became the champion earthbender that discovered metalbending. The girl who couldn't control her waterbending became a master waterbender. And the banished prince became the honored Fire Lord. We built ourselves up, shouldn't we be able to do the same for the world?

"Well well well, what an entertaining inner monologue you have there, Fire Lord." I spun around at the taunting voice and sound of clapping.

"Who are you? Show yourself!" I demanded, flames burning in both hands.

"All in due time. But for now, I'm going to have to borrow you for a bit."

"What are-?" I found the world around me growing darker as I grew sleepier. My fire was useless-I felt the warmth in my hands, but it was not producing any light. Before succumbing to the darkness, I heard someone voice my name.

"Zuko!"

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[Katara's PoV]

I bolted up from my nightmare, with sweat dripping down my face. I sighed when I realized it had just been a dream. I bended the sweat off myself and stood. I looked around and everyone appeared to be asleep, except for Zuko, who was not here. I assumed he had gotten up early, as usual, to go take a walk. I stretched quickly and decided to go for a walk, myself.

I think Zuko is upset about the whole scar ordeal. Honestly, I don't blame him. I could only hope he comes to terms with it. It seems odd how distant and withdrawn he seems, all the time. No one can ever really talk to him. Not even Mai, his girlfriend. Or were they broken up now? I had no clue.

I tripped over a root protruding from the ground and cursed softly. I think I twisted my ankle. I hissed in pain when I stood and turned to go back to the camp when I heard it. Sinister laughter, and clapping resounded in my ears as if they were right next to me. I saw fire glowing faintly in the distance. As if on autopilot, my body made its way to Zuko.

I limped over to his position, watching him yelling at some unseen enemy. I gasped when I saw him slowly shut his eyes and begin to fall. The fire in his palms glowed brightly and then faded out. I reached out to him without thinking.

"Zuko!" I yelled.

He fell onto the earth with a thud and I limped over to examine him closer. I cursed inwardly for not bringing any water with me. I lifted his body, slinging one of his arms over my shoulders, and almost fell down myself. I struggled with his body, which was now an obvious dead weight, and my twisted ankle. I tripped again, his body landing on top of me. I yelled out in pain and froze when I heard the laughter again.

"Oh yes, now I have the perfect two! Your zen will be wondrous!"

Everything went dark.

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The sun was rising high into the air by the time the rest of the Gaang awoke. The absence of Zuko and Katara was immediately brought to attention.

"What could they possibly be doing at a time like this?" Suki asked. Sokka shrugged.

"Probably killing each other." Toph snorted.

"They're doing something alright, but I don't think it's killing each other," she said with a smirk.

"Toph!" Aang yelled, voice full of anger. He was unconsciously making the wind shake the trees violently.

"Hey calm down Twinkletoes, it was a joke!" She replied. Aang took a deep breath as the others looked at him.

"They're not... Something's wrong," he said.

If only they knew the half of it.