Kapitel 17: Fated by a Ring Ch 17
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In the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se, things were quiet, the streets were clear of any abnormal activities, with the roads being watched by professional earthbenders name the Dai Li. Yet underneath the calm, a hidden figure loomed, across moving from the shadow to shadow staying hidden. To even to these skilled earthbenders crisscrossing through the alleyways, while avoiding the Dai Li from above and below. As Zhan black metal attire, blends in the night while closing to his destination, arriving at a well-lit residence with an open window where inside, we can find a small group of Kyoshi Warriors from what he could tell they were having a conversation.
"We have been presented with an extraordinary opportunity, girls," said Azula, eyeing herself in the mirror, cleaned off the Kyoshi' makeup.
"Mai finally gets to wear a different type of makeup, that is not depressing? Ty Lee said cheerily, removing her makeup.
"Ha, ha," replied Mai sarcastically while rolling her eyes.
"I'm talking about conquering the whole Earth Kingdom," said Azula. Walking past the window, barely missing the hidden figure. "For one hundred years, the Fire Nation has hammered away at Ba Sing Se from the outside. But now we're on the inside, and we can take it by ourselves."
"Gosh, you're so confident. I admire that about you," said Ty Lee, flattering Azula.
"It's something I admire about her as well," came a voice from outside, shocking the girls. Soon a figure, jumped into the room, wearing coal-black metal armor, his sun-golden hair, immediately giving away who he is - to Azula at least.
'Zhan...?"
'Impossi...'
'He... Oh no!' realized Azula too late, when Ty Lee immediately acted.
"A welcoming? Alrighty!" replied Zhan, engaging Ty Lee in hand-to-hand. "Come-on."
'Darn...he is good...and good looking,' thought Ty Lee. The boy was blocking each strike. She made he was even better than her until she got an opening and struck hard-metal, hurting her fingers. "OW!"
"Sorry...no easy-tricks..." he replied, grabbing Ty Lee's hand, pulling and throwing her over his shoulder, flipping her into the waiting Mai.
"Oh, for goodness' sake!" exclaimed Azula. Going over to Zhan and giving him a light slap on the face.
"Which one was this for?" he asked, teasing her.
"Keeping a Princess waiting!" replied Azula. "Get up, you two, he's harmless."
"I wouldn't say harmless..." said Mai, pushing Ty Lee off her.
"Oh, your comment wounds my fragile heart," while Zhan as he dramatic holds tightly where his heart is place.
Azula only rolls her eyes, "Mai, Ty Lee meets Zhan...a dear...friend...of mine," said Azula, introducing them.
"Friend, huh?" said Ty Lee, getting a bit, too close. "He's kind of cute..."
"Alright, Ty Lee.." said Azula, pushing off the ecstatic Ty Lee back a little. "...hands of the merchandise.."
"Merchandise? Please..." said Zhan, faking being hurt. "...I'm a piece of craftsmanship..."
"..and I'm a masterpiece..." replied, Azula sarcastically, eyeing him...before both of them, started to laugh. "Okay...enough reunion...time for business.."
"So I've heard.." replied Zhan, leaning against the wall, arms crossed.
Both Mai and Ty Lee were surprised at how Azula is so openly
teasing another person, especially someone of a different gender.
"Indeed," replied Azula. "From the inside, we're in a perfect position to organize a coup and overthrow the Earth King. The key is the Dai Li. Whoever controls the Dai Li controls Ba Sing Se."
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Zhan had admitted that Azula had planned this idea through very well. Control the Dai Li, the secret-enforcers of Ba Sing Se, whose leader had been imprisoned by the Avatar and his group no-less. Sow distant and doubt into, their mind and you'll have them in the palm of your hands. He couldn't have thought it better himself, although his role was minor - give aid to Azula not that she needed any, yet if Azula's plan worked, they'd have the walls down and his father' army inside, before any counter-attack could be formed. Speaking of which:
"Thank goodness you're here, Suki. Something terrible is going on. The Fire Nation has infiltrated the city, I just saw Prince Zuko and his uncle!" spoke a girl, running inside, seemingly a water-bender. Who somehow knew this Kyoshi...or the person who wore the outfit. "We have to tell the Earth King right away!"
"Oh, don't worry, I'll be sure to let him know," replied Azula, circled by Mai and Ty Lee, both in the uniforms.
"Too, late..." said Zhan appearing from behind the pillar that Katara was. Who by now had realized the fix yet too late a quick strike to the neck and she was out-cold before, she could react. "Too little...too late."
"That was quick!" replied Ty Lee, who had prepared to engage herself.
"No matter. It's time to end this," said Azula, smiling deviously.
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Azula's plan had worked so far, Mai and Ty Lee had passed on a hidden message to the Dai Li. 'Azula was taken to see their glorious leader and work out a so-called partnership.'
'Namely, a coup against the Earth King go-figure, yet the fool of a leader of Long Feng didn't know who he was playing with we could even say: he was playing with fire and those who do get burn.'
"The Earth King and the Council of Five do not trust the Dai Li. They imprisoned your leader, Long Feng. Soon they will turn on all of you and eliminate you. Seizing power today is a matter of life and death," spoke Azula to the gathered Dai Li agents, in an underground lair. "This coup must be swift and decisive. The Earth King and each of the five general require to swiftly either capture or slain together."
"Nice speech, Azula. It was pretty and poetic, but also scary in a good way," said Ty Lee, pouring a cup of tea for Azula, as the Dai Li depart.
"Yeah. I thought you were going to make that one guy pee his pants," added Mai, in an amusing tone.
"He'd of likely buried himself in the earth, before that," replied Zhan, sticking to the shadows.
"There are still a few loose ends. The Avatar and my brother and uncle," said Azula. "Speaking of which...how did you end up, here Zhan?"
"Pirates..." he replied casually.
"I... don't even want to know the details," replied Azula, drinking the tea.
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The plan's, in motion agents sent to various positions to capture each, high-ranking Earth Kingdom General, Zuko captured by the Dai Li with a water tribe peasant. Things were going exactly as Azula schemes beside minor loose ends to tie-up.
"Thank goodness we're in time!" exclaimed another boy and an earthbender girl, running up to Earth King...a pair of peasants in Azula's opinion.
"In time for what?" asked the Earth King, oblivious to the events happening.
"Yeah. What are you in time for," asks Ty Lee, cartwheeling over to the water-tribe boy. "Cutie?"
Azula could care-less about the two until the earthbender-girl knocked, Ty Lee back with earthbending and Zhan who was standing behind the pillar.
"They're not the real Kyoshi warriors!
" yelled the blind earthbender, shocking the Earth King...go figure.
"Sorry to disappoint you," said Mai, flicking her daggers at the earthbender, while Ty Lee handled the water-tribe peasant.
"This fight is over!" said Azula, having grown tired of the interruptions, while holding the Earth King at flame-point. Soon, enough both the peasant and the blind girl surrender, Zhan knocking them out. With an approaching Dai Li agent, taking care of a flying rat. "Get them all out of my sight."
Soon, and odd duo along with the Earth King's pet-bear and a flying rat are all taken away, probably to prison. While some Dai Li agents were following Long Feng joining Azula and her group.
"Now comes the part where I double-cross you. Dai Li, arrest the Fire Nation princess!" exclaimed Long Feng, earning him a raised from a nearby Zhan. "I said, arrest her! What is wrong with you?!"
'Is he that thick?' thought Zhan, with a dark grin on his face.
"It's because they haven't made up their minds. They're waiting to see how this is going to end," said Azula calmly.
"What are you talking about?" asked Long Feng, shockingly surprised.
'You played with fire, and got burned!' thought Zhan, standing next to the former Earth King's empty throne.
"I can see your whole history in your eyes. You were born with nothing, so you've had to struggle, and connive, and claw your way to power. But the true power, the divine right to rule, is something you're born with it. The fact is, they don't know which one of us is going to be sitting on that throne, and which one is going to be bowing down. But I know, and you know," exclaims Azula, sitting down on the throne."Well?"
'Are you a leader or a pawn?' asked Zhan himself, waiting to see how Long Feng would react: a lose-lose situation in any way you see it.
"I...I.," says Long Feng, doubting his words, then decided to react...yet failing, before he even got a chance. A swift strike to the head, before he could attack Azula...by Zhan.
"Don't flatter yourself! You were never even a player," exclaimed Azula, calmly at the, downed Long Feng.
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The end-game had started, Azula's final plan in motion, her final-piece of defeating the Avatar, once and for all. Yet Zhan was doubting this part, which involved swaying his brother Zuko, to join her side. Why she was attempting this, Zhan didn't know. But Azula had told him to trust her on this, that she knew what she was doing, yet he still couldn't shake the odd feeling away.
"I'm bored!" said Mai, twirling her knives around, sitting around at the Earth King's throne.
"I thought you were helping Azula?!" exclaimed Zhan, having taken Long Feng away.
"Nope! Azula said she needed something alone," said Ty Lee, walking on her hands.
"Where?"
"Some old maze under the city. Azula went with some Dai Li's there. Think the King had an old-entrance or something," said Mai, to which Zhan made with haste there. Thanking Mai on the way there. "Whatever."
Making his way to a secluded room following the trail of spilled earth, he made his way down into whatever cavern this was. By the look, the tunnel-way seemed to be recently trimmed. Soon, enough he arrived in an immense cavern, lit by much teal-glowing crystal - the old catacombs of Ba Sing Se.
And down below in the catacombs - Azula was fighting the Avatar, the same waterbender girl from before. This waterbender was in her natural environment near a lake with the former Prince.
'Damnit!' realized Zhan, that Azula's plan had failed. Grabbing a nearby unconscious Dai Li agent, that had been thrown up top and giving him a few good shakes to wake him up. "Get the rest of your agents! Now!"
Letting the limping Dai Li agent, get help. Zhan soon eyed the battle and a quick way down there.
"I think it's time, I introduced himself," said Zhan to himself, jumping down.
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How could her plan fail? How could Azula's plan fail?! She had planned out everything - the Dai Li, Long Feng, the Avatar, and her brother Zuko.
The Dai Li followed Azula, 'Long Feng would've had either bend the knee or been slay, on another case the Avatar would have fallen to her...'
'Yet her brother Zuko was an irregularity, and she has finally realized it now.'
"Give up, Azula! Your plan has failed!" yelled Zuko, at his sister, sending fire blasts at her.
"You think, I'll give up, just like you did?!" asked Azula, gritting her teeth. "Never!"
"Your 3-against-1! You can't win!" replied Katara, Sending a water torrent at the Fire Nation princess, knocking her back a few feet.
"I'm afraid not!" came a voice from above, landing in front of Azula. He was boy, equal in age to Zuko's, yet he wore coal-black armor and had sun-yellow hair.
"Who I am doesn't concern you, yet you are attacking, my Princess, and I can't let that continue," replied the figure standing against three, guarding Azula.
"Then you're a fool!" said Zuko, standing in an attack position.
"Ready Azula?" asked Zhan, whispering to the downed Azula who was slowly getting up, he had no gloves on.
"Ready...down-around.." she replied, grinning underneath. In a split second, she unleashed a low blue fire-wave at the Avatar' group, sending them back, while Zhan had backflipped behind him.
'One...relax...' Azula started the mantra, while their enemies started to get back up.
'Two...breathe...' she continued, closing her eyes, synching their breathing.
"Three...RELEASE!" she yelled, re-opening her eyes and sending three consecutive white fire blasts at them.
"Du-" managed Zuko to say. Before the white fireball smashed through his attack and into him, Katara and Aang had less luck as well with this: Katara's water converted into steam and the fireball hitting her, Aang's earthbending got destroyed, sending them all reeling in different directions.
"Come, on Zuzu, did you think you were the only one who learned a new trick?" asked a smiling Azula. Sending blast after blast of white fire at her enemies: none managing to counter it, not even the Avatar...their luck turning into misfortune as her Dai Li agents arrive, circling them.
'Victory fin-' Azula thought, before a pillar of light, shot up from nearby - the Avatar state.
'The Airbender appeared powerful with all that power at his fingertips, yet also vulnerable...'
As Azula shot lightning at him, bringing down the mighty Avatar...falling.
Since both the Dai Li and Zhan were watching the Avatar's fall happen, that they didn't notice the waterbender behind them riding on a wave that knocked them out of the way.
'Time to end this!' thought Zhan, shaking the dizziness away and joining Azula in eliminating the waterbender, who was clutching the Avatar's broken body.
"Don't...think...so!" said Zuko, getting in-between them and the girl.
"Is that your final answer...brother?" asked Azula, baiting him to see if he was dead-serious about betraying his lineage.
"...Yes, gimme your best shot, sister..." replied Zuko, ready for any strike thrown at him.
"Gladly," said Azula, ready to strike down her brother...but being blocked by another fire blast from someone else - Iroh.
"You've got to get out of here! I'll hold them off as long as I can!" yelled the former General, covering Katara and Zuko's escape, via a waterfall up. Before surrendering, the Dai Li covering him in the crystals soon enough.
'So, close, yet so far,' thought Zhan, at this sudden turn of events...yet Azula seemed pleased and that was what mattered to him.
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"We've done it, Zhan, it has taken, a hundred years, but the Fire Nation has finally conquered Ba Sing Se!" exclaimed Azula proud of herself for doing what implied and considered to be impossible.
"Don't grow over-confident, Azula, the true bulk of the Fire Nation has yet to arrive," said Zhan. "But under current circumstances, I think that since we have overthrown the King, the Generals have been capture and the secret-enforces are yours to command. I believe you rule Ba Sing Se in all but formality, which is a Fire Nation presence."
"I dreamed, of accomplishing, something like this!" said Azula, rising from her throne. "And now it is done.."
"Not quite..." said Zhan, removing a trinket from a tiny compartment near his wrist.
"What are yo...ohhh..." stammered Azula when she turned around and saw Zhan holding the last thing she had expected in the world - a ring it was a platinum ring with an etched ruby at the top, while on the inside of the ring a polished with lots of wildflowers that surround a small phoenix.
"I know that we're our marriage was decided by others... I wanted us to have the choice since only we can dictate what we want to do with our life...!" exclaimed Zhan, a little nervous.
"I...I..I.." she stuttered, Azula couldn't get a word out, her cheeks a scarlet color.
"It's alright...I'm not forcing you into anything, you wouldn't choose...though we may not have that option...I wanted us to have our engagement..." said Zhan, holding Azula's face between his hands.
"...okay now you are turning sappy..." replied Azula, easing into his touch.
"Sorry.." replied Zhan, shaking his head. Yet he felt Azula, easing her left-hand into the ring.
"Good eye," replied Azula, eyeing the ring, wrapped around his neck.
"Thank you!" he replied, wrapping his arms around her waist. "...and don't worry...I sew a similar tiny pocket into your Royal armor...incase you need to hide it."
"You thought of everything?" she asked, leaning her head closer.
"Not this," he replied, kissing her on the lips.
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Omake: Leyends of the lost tea
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We can find ourselves in a calming room tatami-mats, different tea-related items, and paper sliding doors, inside we can find a man drinking his tea peacefully. Suddenly the sliding door opens almost speaking the man's tea as he tries to not spilling tea all over himself, "uncle, we got bad news!"
"Zuko what is there to worry when their tea, to wash away all problems away," he said while taking a sip, from his tea bringing him joy like a highschool girl first love.
"No, this is a serious issue look at the news," Zuko passes the newspaper to his uncle, an old-man happened to beseen dress in woman dress dancing for everyone to see."
"See Zuko what desperate people do for attention." he shakes his head in disappointment.
Zuko was piss at his uncle's shameless antics, "They are talking about you!"
As his uncle takes the newspaper hitting it while showing is content, "Zuko, what have I told you about been jealous of people just because they have more screen time than you," said Iroh while crossing his arms.
"..."
"What is the news by the way," Iroh offer some tea to Zuko.
"Uncle! can you see how embracing this whole thing is if anyone finds out!" Zuko said, hitting the table denting it in the process.
Iroh continues to drink his tea, "the other news is that someone sent this note," handing it to his uncle. 'The most precious thing you value is now in our control, follow the instructions or that most precious you value shall cease to exist.'
"Uncle, this can be a fraudulent message just like the last tea set you purchase, and it came defected," said Zuko as he shrugs.
Zuko was going to drink a bit of the tea, suddenly Iroh stood up making Zuko spill his tea all over his face, "who dares try to so such barbaric to do such thing," with fire in his eyes.
"Zuko is not time to be sleeping, there is a tea to be safe." he grabs Zuko carrying him like a sack of potatoes.
They finally made to the place had to go through many traps hail of arrows, pitfalls, swarms of beetles, killer withe rabbits, and been chased by a giant boulder.
"We finally made it to the last room, once we cross, that door we will find our final test and we will save the treasure," Iroh said with sparkly eyes and no harm has he suffer.
On the other hand, Zuko didn't look so good, he was cover in injuries and trying to catch his breath while glaring at his uncle.
The enter a room in front of them was a window that shows the tea stood arranged. Ready to be taken as it glows, while in the middle of the room, there was a pedestal. On top, there was a large-hourglass as soon entering the room, the sand began to fall from the hourglass.
While time continues, to pass the wall started to move-towards them if they waited, too long they could become flat pancakes on the outside where the tea stayed could be seen on fire.
"Noooo!" Iroh screams, "not the tea." he runs towards the window.
"Uncle wait..." it was too late, he steps on a pressure plate stoping the hourglass and the walls coming to Squash them, "Well that could have gone worst," and an explosion occurs in the directions of where the tea, was placed.
Iroh was shocked as tears fell from his eyes, slowly fell on both knees while staring as how the tea was burning. Zuko, on the other hand, took a look, at the wall on the right there was a text-markings place on the wall. "To only those who are patient glory awaits and to those that aren't only dishonor awaits them." Zuko as his crying uncle while both look as the tea was burning.
The tea was not burning when the sand started to fall, it was an out case optical illusion, and when Iroh step on the pressure plate. All mechanism on the room stop yet this cause the tea on the real chamber to set on fire.
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AUTORENGEDANKEN 
DriedSnug
DriedSnug There has been a controversy with the last of us I have, noticed is attacking the people who consume your products is the new trend?
On another note, if you are not interested in something, negative maybe you can watch on Youtube Hermitcraft, season 7 well that is if you like Minecraft.
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Ps: Keep on Praising Me!
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