Accidental Avatar 3.5: The Burn Book

Boy if you don't...

I grabbed Sokka and threw him out of the way as an arc of flame burst from the princess' foot.

"Sounds like the firebending is back on," the princess smiled.

She followed that by punching a blast of fire at me. I let out a breath, steeling myself for a stupid move, sinking into a defensive stance. My mind reached out to the fireball approaching my face, pushing it to the side and swinging it around. I ended up slingshotting it back round at Azula. I followed that by returning her own blade to her. It dug into the stone right where her head should have been, but she was already about five feet away from it.

"Dad's all the way at the end of the hall and down the secret stairway on the left," she smirked again. "I'm sure he'll be more than happy to see you now."

"No!" I yelled, charging her again. "Get back here and DIE!"

Then she disappeared down a tunnel. I tried to give chase, but she was already gone.

"I fell for it!" Sokka deflated a little. "I used up all our time."

"It's not your fault, Sokka," Toph reassured him. "Azula was ready for us. She had every move planned out."

"That Bi-t of trash knew all our weak points," I confirmed. "She knew just how to push our buttons."

"And now it's too late," utter hopelessness filled Sokka's voice.

"Maybe it's not too late," Aang suggested. "The eclipse is over, but I can face the Fire Lord anyway."

"No," Sokka sighed. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"But I'm ready!" Aang insisted. "I came here with a job to do, and everyone's counting on me."

"I have to agree with Sokka," I put in. "Besides, It's not as if you can just take his bending away, and it's not in your nature to kill."

"What about all those times Muteki subdued you in training matches?" Aang pressed.

"I was always able to get out, given enough time," I replied. "And that's not something our friends on the surface have a lot of."

"The Fire Lord knew we were coming this time," Toph added, placing a hand on Aang's shoulder. "We thought we had surprise on our side, but we didn't. It just wasn't our day. What we need to do now is to go help our friends."

"I guess you guys are right," It was Aang's turn to deflate a little.

"You'll have another chance, Sokka smiled at him. "I know you will."

"And by then, we will have figured out how to beat this guy without you becoming something you're not," I added, turning towards the exit. "Let's go, Toph."

"One escape route coming right up," she cracked her knuckles and punched through a wall.

"What were those things you yelled at the princess before we started fighting?" Sokka asked.

"They were just some curses I remember learning ages ago," I shrugged with a smile.

"What do they mean?" Toph asked as she worked. "And I'll know if you're lying."

"Well, I did tell her that I would drink mead from her skull," I shrugged.

"Which one was that?" Sokka pressed.

"Minn vili drykka mjøðr ór ykkarr hauss," I repeated.

"And what about that really long one you said when the fighting started?" Aang asked.'

"'Skreyja sipill slefja ormstunga kamphundr daufi fretr!' Translates to: 'Incompetent dribbling pot-licking serpent-tongued carrion-eating deaf-mute fart!'," I smiled. "Old Norse has some good cussing in it."

"And the last one?" Sokka raised his eyebrow.

"Ah... I'll tell you when you're older."

"Finally, Sunlight!" Aang seemed excited as we burst through to the surface.