Good and Evil || An ATLA Fanfiction

Chapter 43

"Your family seems delightful" Ruby says, pulling one of Mai's daggers from her pack. 

"We're almost at the start of the swamp" I say, ignoring her comment. The ground already began sinking under our feet, the hot air already holding itself down on us.

"Is there anyway we can go around the swamp?" the woman asks "We're not even in their yet and it's scaring me."

"Unless you want to spend another week going around, we need to go through" I sigh, looking at the dense collection of trees. The swamp almost called for me. A slight hum of life echoes outside of the place, the harmony of sound urging me to join it.

Tucking away the map, Ruby and I start into the swamp.

Sadly, after just a few minutes of walking into the place, the mushy land was traded in for a shallow area of swamp water. While one hand held my necklace, the other was ready to strike. This was an odd place, never seeing one like it before.

I looked in awe at the trees that seemed to stretch on forever, while Ruby constantly complained of the lack of solid earth. 

"It's so beautiful here" I say, my voice seeming to lift on forever.

"Let's just get through this place" Ruby says "We only have a few hours left of daylight, and I want to get as far through this place as we can possibly get."

"Fine, fine" I sigh, slicing through some vines with a quick fire slice. 

We continue on until the sun begins to dip below the treeline. Yanking on the reigns, the ostrichhorse stops at our sides. 

Quickly, I light us a fire, even though the air was hot enough, we needed to see.

"So, about what happened back there. Are you alright Princess Azara?" Ruby questions.

Pulling my knees to my chest, I glare into the fire. "The only family that isn't trying to kill me is lost in the largest nation of them all" I admit.

I was terrified. With Zuko's temper, he was bound to firebend, exposing Grandpa and him both. I couldn't bear the thought of only being left with Azula and Firelord Ozai.

"You're going to find them" Ruby smiles "Their probably heading to Ba Sing Se as we speak."

"We're going to find you're family too" I say, but as I end my sentence, her smile falters.

As we sit by the fire, the swear I feel something crawl up on my leg, but I ignore it. Probably a bug. However, things take a drastic turn as Ruby lets out a scream.

"Vines!" she spits, trying to pull the soft earth from the ground, but can't. The vines yank her back into the darkness. "Ruby!" I cry out, trying to get to her, but vines yank me to the ground, before pulling me in the opposite direction. Screaming, I thrash around, throwing a blast of fire at the vines, but they continue to attack.

With a snarl, I grab the large amount of vines around my ankles, and burn them to a crisp, the other half receding back into the water.

Taking a breath, I look around the swamp. I was alone, and the fire I made was nowhere in sight.

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Hours I walked.

Now, the sun was raised above the treeline, giving me the light I needed in order to see. "Ruby!" I call out, cupping my hands around my mouth. My cry echoing through the trees.

A splash of water goes on behind me. Instantly, I turn around, my hand preparing to release a blast of fire, but a hand is firmly clamped around it.

"Azara, you know never to attack before seeing who it is you're attacking" the man smiles, slowly letting go of my hand. 

"Dad" I whisper, my heart pounding, taking a step back. This could be real. It couldn't be.

"Look how beautiful and skillful you've become sweetheart" he says. His voice sounded so real. My mind knew it was fake, some kind of sick game sleep deprivation has played on me, but my heart screamed that it was really him, somehow.

Without questioning, I run into his arms. "I missed you Dad. Why have you been gone for so long?" I ask, my heart's feelings taking over my mind. 

"I missed you too sweetie. I'm sorry I haven't been around" Dad sighs, taking in the fact that he was finally seeing me, grown up.

"I'm just happy you're here" I grin happily.

"I love you Azara" he whispers into my ear, putting a kind kiss on the top of my head.

"I love you t-" I begin, looking up to see no one.

"Dad?" I call, backing up again. Shaking my head, my eyes fill with tears. Angrily, I fall onto my knees, fire freeing itself from my clenched fists. It wasn't fair.

Wiping my face, I look into the dirty water, staring back at my reflection. My hair was a mess, and my Earth Kingdom clothing was already dirty as could me.

Suddenly, the water rippled as something large was coming. On my feet, I looked for the new, and hopefully real threat.

Then, through the brush came Appa.

"Appa?" I call out in confusion as the large creature hides behind me "What's wrong? Where are the others?"

Then, nearly naked men in wooden boats appear, the large beast cowering behind me.

"Hey little lady, the bison is ours" one calls to me, another man licking his lips.

"This is my bison" I warn, instantly pulling myself into a fighting stance. Appa growls behind me, ready to fight by my side.

Before I can release a blast, a gust of wind blows over the boats, shoving many of the men into the water.

"Appa!" The Avatar cries, escaping through the vast trees and to his bison.

"Azara?" Sokka questions, following through the brush with his sister "What are you doing here?"

"I've been traveling with a woman to get to Ba Sing Se. I was hoping to find you guys" I smile, instantly hugging Katara.

Grinning, she replies "Once we find who you were traveling with, we can gladly give you a lift to Ba Sing Se."