Spark [Prince Zuko - Book One]

❃Chapter Ten❃

Asake swallowed hard and closed her eyes, trying not to give Zuko a reason to be angry with her. She couldn't bear to look at all the scared kids running into the buildings ahead of them. Zuko sat confidently in front of her, looking like this was his destiny – because it was his destiny, to find the Avatar and go home. She needed to pull herself together. She was the one who wanted to come to Kyoshi Island, and here she was being a coward.

Soon, they entered the city full of wood and earth. Once people saw them, they bolted away, and each one made Asake's heart drop further in chest. "Come out, Avatar! You can't hide from me forever!" Zuko shouted, scaring her. She almost let go of him, but she wasn't going to do that just in case she fell off the rhino. Quietly, he said, "Find him."

Asake watched as Zuko's men split up, going to the right and left of them as they continued forward. The town was eerily silent since everyone in their right mind was hiding away in their houses. Asake couldn't blame them; if she lived in this town, she would be hiding, too. But that wasn't the way her father raised her. He raised her to be able to take care of herself in times of trouble, no matter what.

She couldn't dwell on the thought because she noticed a red-haired girl running their way. This girl was dressed in green and yellow robes, and they billowed out behind her. She held onto a small golden fan, and her face was painted white. However, her gray-blue eyes shone through the makeup, and Asake could tell she was angry.

The girl was getting close to them, but, before she could do any damage, Zuko spun the war rhino around. She held on tight to him so she wouldn't fall off the rhino. He seemed to know what he was doing, though. Asake watched as the tail hit the girl, and she went flying through the air. She looked over her shoulder and saw the girl crash land on the ground, an explosion of dust billowing up.

Asake slid off the rhino and quietly walked over to the girl, who had collapsed onto the ground. She unsheathed her sword and tried to roll the girl over, but she latched onto her leg. Using her momentum, the girl threw Asake down to the ground and stood over her. Asake hit the ground with a groan. The girl put a foot on Asake's chest and aimed a fan right at her face.

"Who are you, and why are you attacking my home?" the girl hissed.

"I'm Asake, and we're looking for the Avatar," Asake said quickly. A light flickered in the girl's eyes.

"Ah. I should've known you'd be with Prince Zuko and his band of tyrants." The girl frowned, digging her foot into Asake's chest. She winced in pain, and she tried to lift her sword, but the girl knocked it away with her other hand. Her breath was stuck in her chest, and she couldn't breathe well. "The Avatar isn't here, so you and the Prince can leave."

"I saw the Water Tribe girl, though." It was getting harder to breathe, so Asake said, "I don't want to hurt him. Really. Zuko doesn't want to hurt him, either. He just wants to go back home."

"First name basis, huh?" The girl sneered at Asake. "Well, tell this Zuko guy that I don't believe a word you say, and I won't let you get to the Avatar. I know what the Fire Nation will do to him."

"So, that means the Avatar is here," Asake said softly. Black dots appeared in her vision. She tried to suck in a deep breath, but hardly any air entered her lungs. "Please . . ."

The girl shook her head. She lessened the pressure on Asake's chest, but she didn't dare breathe in. "So, you decided to hurt my people just to get the Avatar?"

"I . . ." Asake went silent, staring up at the girl. She was ashamed that they were hurting these people. They were acting just like the Fire Lord, hurting everything until they got what they wanted. "I didn't want to hurt your people, I swear. I don't even want to capture the Avatar."