Catalyst

Chapter 21: Balance

Darkness. That's all Zuko was aware of at first. He looked around, or at least he felt his attempt to turn his head. Nothing but darkness.

It was unlike anything else he'd experienced. He moved forward somehow—he wasn't aware of his feet connecting with a floor. The air was still, though not stifling; the space seemed massive, but there was no echo. The darkness was absolute yet, unlike his cell in Ba Sing Se, it didn't feel like it would swallow him whole.

A breath let out, but it wasn't his. Zuko, rumbled a voice. He couldn't tell if he heard the voice in his head or if it was actually there, but he knew who the voice belonged to: the red dragon.

Despite the lack of a light source, the voice's owner stepped out from the darkness, revealing itself. Its body and folded wings were blood red and it glared at him with golden, inhuman eyes. Its stance was solid, its head high and proud.

Y-yes? was what Zuko wanted to say—or maybe he did say it, but when he tried to speak, he didn't hear anything, though somehow he still could. What is this place?

Zuzu, another voice said playfully. The other dragon seemed to unfurl from the darkness, unwinding its long neck as it moved gracefully forward. The azure scales were bluer than he had ever remembered the sky being. Ready for more?

He tried to speak again, saying he didn't understand, but the red dragon interrupted, He chose his path.

The blue dragon moved between Zuko and the red dragon, facing its powerful opponent. Its lips curled into an arrogant smile. Paths can intersect and wander but meet the same end.

Yes, the red dragon acknowledged, unconcerned.

The blue dragon's smooth gait faltered a step before continuing. You wish to proceed.

No, but it must come to pass.

The blue dragon paused with its back to Zuko, and something made him step back. The red dragon stood its ground, but it too stilled.

A silent start signaled the two to join into battle. The blue dragon breathed similarly brilliant blue fire, while the red dragon lowered itself to avoid the flames and clawed at the other's throat.

He didn't know how long the battle lasted. It was a mixture of air and ground combat even though there was no discernable ground or air. The two were evenly matched and both got in their hits. Blood dripped from talons and fangs, and smoke poured from their nostrils and mouths. They were both tired yet there seemed to be no sign of an end to the fight.

Zuko thought back to the voice that had swirled in his head during his time with the Avatar. He remembered the doubts and accusations spoken by the blue dragon and how the red dragon, while present, had remained silent.

Why? If the red dragon was in the right, if joining and teaching Aang was the right thing to do—and it was—why not help him fight the thoughts of blue dragon? Why stay quiet?

Except...wouldn't he have fought against the red dragon if it had spoken and tried to help? Isn't that what he had done to Uncle so many times in the past when he had tried to give his advice? Zuko watched on as the red dragon bit into the neck of the blue dragon before they pushed each other apart to ready their next attacks. No...no one but him could make the decision to choose to do what was right.

The blue dragon roared in victory as it slashed the red dragon's belly wide open. Zuko gasped as well, feeling an intense pain along his stomach. The red dragon collapsed but so did the blue dragon. The two were side by side, facing each other, breathing heavily.