Death by Lightning (OC x Zuko) book 3

Chapter 9

It's been quiet. Ever since we got back everything's been calm. No one had found and attacked us, Katara had been less hostile towards Zuko, and everyone just seemed happier. Due to our new friendship, Zuko and I could stand to be near each other without fighting so much so that I had started to train with him and Aang since my own training with Zuko had been cut short. I stuck with Aang through all his training trying to figure out as much as I could for what came next. I didn't know exactly what was coming, but I knew it was bad. We were all preparing for the big battle against Firelord Ozai, but we still weren't sure when that was going to happen. Roku had been silent, but that wasn't surprising since he only came at the most inconvenient or awkward of times. Everything was quiet, with the minor exception of my mind.

Every night the flames surrounded me again. The fires of those nightmares that used to torment me. While my fear had long since been forgotten, the memory of it still caught me in its trap. That figure that always stood by as I burned had since only become more prominent as our proximity grew closer and closer to null each night. I now could see a perfect contour of his toned shirtless body and the darkness of his skin. My curiosity, despite the situation, grew each night to the point that I was mildly impatient to go to sleep just to see if I could finally glimpse all of him and know his identity, and tonight was my chance.

Last time I slept he was just beyond the flames' glow, and if he took one more step forward I would finally see the face of my mental conjuring. My eyes opened to the familiar orange whisps of heat that licked my skin without burn, and immediately moved to the place I knew he'd be. I glared hard and awaited his appearance. After moments, he stepped from the endless shadows that surrounded my personal bonfire and took his slow steps forward.

Left. One.

Two. Right.

Left. Three.

His agonisingly slow pace advanced towards me as my anxiety sky rocketed. This wasn't good. I shouldn't see him. He is the one who always watched all these years as I burned.

'It's okay.' I reminded myself. 'It's just a figment of your imagination. It can't actually hurt you.'

Left. Eleven.

Twelve. Right.

Left. Thirteen.

Fourteen. Right.

Just three more steps. Three more and I would see him. My body rejected my minds calm demeanor and began to shake violently.

"It's okay." I repeated to myself aloud. "It's just a figment of your imagination. It can't actually hurt you."

I looked up at the male figure before me and gasped in horror. He was too close. He stood right infront of me and gazed down at me with his featureless face. His monochromatic black skin covered a leanly muscled body that looked like it belonged to an executioner. Blood red designs were etched across him leading to his head, where a crimson diamond replaced all featured. He had no mouth, yet I heard him speak clearly in response to me previous self assurances.

"You're wrong."

Zuko's POV:

The sound of tossing and turning made me open my eyes. I hadn't been sleeping, but more so laying with me head resting on my arm as I waited for sleep. I remained still for a moment to make sure I had actually heard something, only to have my question answered when a whimper came from across the fire. The whole team slept soundly around it, all except for Madelyn. I seemed like it had been so long since she had had a nightmare and she had slept well all week. What had changed?

The rest of the team started to wake up and Toph rose grumpily.

"Who the hell keeps moving around?! They're making too much noise!" She shrieked loudly only to be barraged with shushes from rest of us. She glared through sleepy milky eyes and slumped back down into her pile of dirt.