An Avatar: The Last Airbender Fanfiction (Zuko X OC)
"And lastly, we are free, but we are not our own persons."
At this, the student frowned and looked up at her teacher. "How can that be free?"
The beautiful woman smiled, but it didn't reach...
Appa let out a low rumble as he soared through the sky. They were now headed to the Earth Kingdom Palace to finally tell the Earth King about the opportunity coming with the solar eclipse, an endeavour that they had long planned on doing since their arrival in Ba Sing Se. They also intend to confront him about Long Feng's intentions and crimes. "There it is! That whole thing is the palace." Sokka pointed to the ornate stone palace made of jade and gold, towering high right in the middle of the upper ring. "The Earth King's chamber should be in the center."
The way the palace grounds were built was not only for aesthetic purposes. The layout was designed like a fortress. On foot, it would take a good half an hour before they actually reached the palace doors from the gate of the upper ring. There were several trenches lined with large boulders that earthbenders can use for defense and attack. The pathways and the palace itself were entirely made out of green-hued stone, giving the earthbending soldiers a great upper hand when it came to combat.
"We have to be careful." Katara warned. "Long Feng's probably warned the king that we are coming."
"Why would you assume that?" Sokka's new found positive attitude was quite unnerving for the team. But after having Appa back, how could he not hope that things were finally looking up? "If you ask me, I think we're gonna sail right in—" He was cut-off by Appa swerving hard to the left, narrowly avoiding a projectile launched at them with breakneck speed.
Toph, who was clinging onto Appa's back for dear life, nearly ripped the bison's fur off as she tightened her hold. "W-What was that?!"
"Surface-to-air rocks!" Sokka shouted as he eyed the trenches warily. "More incoming!"
They all held on to Appa tight while the bison manoeuvred in the sky, avoiding the boulders sent by the Earth Kingdom soldiers. Aang helped by using his newly acquired earthbending skills to crush the boulders before they made contact with the group.
The soldiers lined up on the stone pathway and waited for their general's signal to attack. Aang leapt forward ahead of the group and struck the ground, throwing the soldiers off balance as the stone path rose unevenly.
Appa landed safely and they sprinted towards the grand jade and gold palace doors.
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They got home by nightfall. Iroh smiled as he closed the door behind them. "You did the right thing, letting the Avatar's bison go free."
But Zuko was only half-listening to his uncle. Ever since they left Lake Laogai, he had been feeling...off. Drained. Like he had done several sets of training without rest for hours. His head was aching and he felt the room spinning. "I- I don't feel right..."
Before he could reach his room to rest, his legs buckled under his own weight and he was brought to his knees. He tried to clutch the table for support, but his arms felt like they were jelly. He felt his face make contact with the floor before he lost consciousness.
