After Zira's heartbreaking reveal, Katara insisted that they all get some sleep. Katara and the boys stayed up till Zira finally drifted off before hitting the hay themselves.
In the early hours of the morning, Zira was awoken by the walls opening and guards entering the chamber.
" Aan-!" She tried to scream for help but the guards covered her mouth as they dragged her, Katara and Sokka from the room.
" What's going on? Where are you taking us?" Katara demanded as they were pushed down the tunnel.
" Quiet!" One of the guards snapped as they came to a stop in front of a wall.
Azira was struggling and thrashing around, trying to get the guard to let go.
"Stop struggling!" The guard snapped as shouting was heard from the other side of the wall.
" Give me my friends back. We're leaving!" Aang voice echoed
" Aang!" Zira yelled but the guard shook her to shut her up.
" Oh, I thought you might refuse" The king smirked as the wall fell away, revealing the others to Aang. " So I will give your friends some special souvenirs"
As the king was speaking the guards forcefully place crystal rings onto the kid's fingers. " Those delightful rings are made of pure Genomite ... Also known as Creeping Crystal"
The guards released the kids and the rings shrunk, stopping them from taking them off. As the guard let her go, Zira instantly ran to Katara's side. Both struggled to pull the rings off.
" It's crystal that grows remarkably fast. By nightfall, your friends will be completely covered in it. Terrible fate really. I can stop it, but only if you cooperate" The king threatened
" Ahh, it's already creeping!" Sokka cried as the crystal grew slightly on his finger.
Aang glanced over at his friends, he saw the utter fear in Zira's golden eyes as she clung to Katara.
" I'll do what you want" Aang declared, turning back to the king.
The crazy old man just smirked.
*
The kids were taken to an underground cavern with a waterfall in the centre. A key hung from a chain in the middle of the waterfall. There was a ladder leading up to it, otherwise, it was impossible to reach the key. The king and the others watched from a balcony while Aang was down in the cavern. The crystals had already grown to encase Azira's entire arm and it wasn't slowing down.
"It's okay, Zira. We'll be okay" Katara reassured her as the crystal grew even more" Aang will complete these challenges, then we're out of here, I promise"
" I hope so" Zira muttered before the king yelled out to Aang
" It seems I've lost my lunchbox key, and I'm hungry." The king then pointed to the key hanging from the chain " Oh, there it is! Would you mind fetching it for me?"
Aang began to hop his way over the spikes towards the waterfall. He dived headfirst into the waterfall and grabbed onto the ladder.
" Ooh! Climbing the ladder. No one's thought of that before!" The king laughed
The pressure of the water caused Aang to lose his grip on the ladder and go plummeting towards the spikes.
" Aang!" Zira yelled in worry as she and the others rushed to the edge of the balcony
" He's alright, see" The king pointed out as Aang caught himself of the spikes.
Zira let out a sigh of relief as Aang then went for the key again. As they watched, the king turned to Zira again, noticing the ugly scars decorating her arms and shoulders, that were now exposed due to her lack of sleeves.
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Inner Fire - ATLA fanfic
Fanfiction. The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all Disclaimer- I do NOT own Avatar the Last Airbender. It is not mine. I only own my original charact...
