(1) Augmentum | Zuko

Chapter Eighty

On the beach, Zhao and his men stand against the lone Jeong Jeong. The ships all lined up looking like monsters before the tiny fire-bender. Zhao's eyes scan the trees behind him, as if he can sense or see Rana through them. She's here though. He can feel it. He's so close. He lowers his eyes to Jeong Jeong.

"Look at you. You were once so great. I can't believe my former master has become nothing more than a simple savage"

"It is you who have embraced savagery, Zhao"

"It's Admiral Zhao, now" Zhao corrects his former mentor.

"That title will not help you against the Elemental. Do not try to fight her! You are no match!" Zhao laughs, not taking him seriously. He underestimates Rana's true power. He always has.

"I think I can handle a child"

"I have never seen such raw power"

"Jeong Jeong!" Rana shouts as she rushes towards him.

"We'll see. Men! Take the deserter!" Zhao orders and Jeong Jeong is suddenly surrounded by five of Zhaos's spearmen. Rana stops short in horror as they close in. Jeong Jeong smiles and wraps himself in a massive ball of flame. When it dissipates, he is gone. "It's a trick! He's run off into the woods. Find him!" Zhao orders and then turns towards Rana. "Let's find out just how far you've come, girl" Rana adjusts her stance and glares at him. Zhao launches a fireball at Rana, who dodges that and another. "I did not raise a coward. Stand and fight!" Zhao scolds her. He launches another fireball at Rana. It flies over Rana's head as she uses a slab of earth to disrupt its path. Zhao somehow manages to turn ever angrier. He then fires several more volleys which Rana either dodges or breaks with bending of many different forms. Showing her true diversity. Zhao's blasts have torched much of the surrounding forest and the sky fills with smoke. Rana bends water from the river to douse the flames, whilst she thinks of a way to out manoeuvrer Zhao.

"No self-control..." She realises and looks over at the boats then back at Zhao.

"Stand and fight, Child!" Zhao scolds her. She lets out a breath and turns, changing her stance.

"Oh, were we fighting?" She asks him. "I thought you were just getting warmed up" She pushes, she knows exactly how to get to him. To push his buttons. To wind him up into attacking.

"I was!" Zhao agrees and then fires many more volleys, all of which miss Rana as she dodges them.

"Is that all you got?" She teases and then scoffs. "They really will make anyone an admiral these days!" Zhao launches another errant fire blast with a dreadful noise of frustration. Rana jumps, launching herself up onto one of the ships. Zhao looks livid and then makes another noise of frustration. He jumps up onto the main deck and launches a blast of fire. It sets the bridge on fire, but Rana jumps off unharmed to the aft section. She jumps the aft section of the next ship."I don't know why, but I thought you'd be better than Zuko" She looks disappointed when she says this and hangs her arms by her sides, letting them dangle. Her eyes go wide and she falls flat on the deck fast, though, as a wall of fire passes over her. Zhao is on the deck of the first ship and has just blasted a hole through the guard rail of both ships with the wall of fire Rana just avoided. "Sloppy. Very sloppy" Crying in frustration, Zhao follows Rana around the boats, spreading fire to each of them in his vain effort to get to her. Momentarily out of Zhao's sight, Rana hides behind one of the deck cabins. Zhao lands behind her, however, having jumped down from the top of the deck cabin. Rana turns to face him.

"Nowhere to run now, little girl" He launches a firebolt, which Rana dodges by flipping over Zhao's head to land behind him. The bridge of the third and last ship is now on fire.

"You've lost this battle" She points out and then dodges another blast as Zhao sets fire to the third ship.

"Are you crazy? You haven't thrown a single blow!" Zhao scolds, Rana holds out her hand to the left, motioning.

"No, but you have" She points out. Zhao looks to his left and grimaces. All three ships are now on fire. The first is sinking fast into the river. "You have no restraint" She points out as she takes a few steps back, she smirks and shrugs before diving off the side of the boat and into the water. Rana breaks the surface of the water and, cupping her hand to her mouth. "Have a nice walk home...Dad!" She comments, Zhao glares down at her as she smirks victoriously.

"Rah, come on!" Aang yells for her as he hurries towards the riverbank, his eyes widening as he stares at the flaming ships. "Whoa" Zhao snatches the bow from the weapons rack on the burning deck, grabbing an arrow from one of the quivers, looking rather manic. This arrow is different. The arrowhead is drenched in a dark purple, almost black liquid. Zhao lines it up, set into the bow and turns, aiming straight at Aang who joins Rana, looking out over the ships a little impressed. Zhao turns the bow, changes his aim for Rana.

"You've gotten in the way long enough" He comments and then releases the arrow. It whistles through the air and finds its target. Tearing through Rana's side, she cries out and almost falls to her knees, and would have, if not for Aang quickly grabbing her arm.

"Why do people keep shooting me with arrows?" Rana asks. "Let me go," She tells Aang. "Let me fall..." She complains, he releases her and as she falls to her knees, curling around herself, the arrow sticking out of her side, she lets out a long groan of pain but it does take some of the pressure off. Aang hops on his feet, eyes flickering between her and Zhao who smirks.

"Sokka!" Aang then shouts over his shoulder as he moves to help Rana up to her feet again. Sokka slides down from Appa and races towards his friend. He skids to a stop at her side when Aang moves out of the way, hurrying to Appa as Sokka lifts up Rana, bridal style, her arm around his neck as he races back towards Appa.