Gateway To Another World: An Avatar Story

Chapter 8

The now five ride Hark's boat to their destination gifted from the enemy. The ride to the ilsand was short and a bit awkward with Sadao and Ursa's assumptions about Hark's "night job."

They reach the dock and they follow Hark further into the island and into a house. Inside this house sits a familiar face.

"Mother I'm home. I have guests with me," says Hark to his Mother.

As those words leave Hark's lips Aiya dashes by him and yells, "Suki!"

The famed former leader of the Kyoshi Warriors embraces Aiya and says, "Oh how I've missed you Aiya and you as well Sadao. Oh Hark how did you meet them?"

"They came to me and asked me for passage, in a very rude way might I add," says Hark now staring daggers into Aiya.

"Please forgive my son, he has quite the temper. Hark do you know who these kids are?" asks Suki.

"No mother I do not," responds Hark.

"Well the smaller girl, whom you've become quite acquainted with, is Aiya or the daughter of the Avatar, and her older brother is Sadao, you can probably guess which he is," says Suki.

Suki then turns to Roka and says, "You however I do not know, my name is Suki."

"Roka, a pleasure ma'am," says Roka with his cheeks blushing and love in his eyes for Suki.

Suki then turns to Ursa and immediately her face turns to tragedy, as if thousands of painful memories all flood back at once, she says, "I have never met you, but I know exactly who you are. I recognize the look of pain in your eyes, it's a trait shared by all in your family. You are the daughter of Zuko, aren't you?" says Suki.

Ursa's face turns to sorrow and she says, "Yes I am, my name is Ursa. I believe you were once friends with my parents long ago."

"I was, and I miss them dearly. Now enough with the pleasantries, why are you here?" asks Suki.

"My Aunt, who you are probably well acquainted with has an army and she has kidnapped the Avatar. We were sent to ambush them but they escaped and left a note with coordinates to Kyoshi Island," says Ursa.

"Ahh I see. Well while you wait for whatever it is you were sent to find here shows up you can take my guest house. And tomorrow you can meet the Kyoshi Warriors that will help with your fight against Azula," says Suki.

"Mother, a word, alone please," says Hark.

"Okay well the rest of you can head down, it is the house just to the right," says Suki.

Ursa, Sadao, Roka, and Aiya all leave Suki and Hark to speak alone.

"Why were you looking at Ursa like that? Like seeing her face brought something terrible back?" asks Hark.

"Hark, I do not know how to tell you. There has something I have neglected to tell you for a very long time," says Suki.

"What are you getting at Mom?" asks Hark.

"Hark it's who your Father really is," says Suki with pain in her eyes.

"You said my Father was a sailor who died at sea," says Hark whose face now shows a mixture of confusion and anger.

"Hark, a very long time ago the Fire Lord, Zuko received death threats from a group of extremists. Just before that his current wife and him split briefly. He was lost and in pain at the time. With the threats and everything the Kyoshi Warriors thought it best to go to his aid. I was his personal bodyguard, by his side at all times. I knew he was in pain, and with no family and no friends I comforted him. Hark, Zuko is your father," says Suki.

Hark begins to pace back and forth with anger overwhelming his entire body, he looks at his Mother and says, "Why didn't you tell me? I went my whole life believing a lie. I went my whole life thinking my abilities had to be hidden because of discrimination."

Hark begins to bend fire from his hands and looks at his Mother and says," I had to hide this because I'm the Fire Lord's bastard. The great and mighty Fire Lord couldn't be tarnished with a bastard son with a wretched Earth Kingdomer so you ran away and left me without a Father. I look around and see all these great Fathers and wonder why mine had to go away, turns out he wasn't the one running from responsibility.

Hark then punches a hole in the wall and runs out of the house into the rain outside.

Hark runs down towards the lake and hears the cries of a woman who had been robbed. Hark looks over and sees a man running with a sapphire dragon in hand. 

Hark pounces on the thief and beats him. Hark repeatedly smashes the thief's face. Blood shooting up covering Hark's face. Bone crunching under Hark's fists. Hark then attempts to break every rib in the thief's body. Hark loses control and the thief is nearing death. As Hark goes for the killing blow he is stopped by Suki.

Suki just looks Hark in the eyes and starts crying. Hark's anger turns to sadness as Hark begins to cry. 

"I'm sorry Hark," says Suki in pain.

"I'm sorry too Mom," says Hark in pain.

The Mother and Son continue to cry amongst themselves as the rain presses on.