CHAPTER 6: AGNI KAI

“You had the Avatar captured and yet you let him go!?” Zhao demanded with fury in his voice.

Zuko however simply ignored his outburst momentarily and cleared his plate.

It was a habit he had noticed in the last few days. His appetite had increased exponentially.

It was like he was always hungry and looking for energy. He was eating more than five times as much as the original Zuko.

After clearing his plate he gulped down a goblit of a deliciously fruity drink.

*BRRRRRGRRGHRRR!*

He let out a huge burp that it took everyone present by surprise, even Zuko himself.

The thought of embarrassment quickly left his head. He immediately shot a death glare at Tau.

“The lieutenant followed my orders!” Zhao intervened as he noticed the glare.

Zuko turned back to Zhao with a surprisingly calm expression.

“Indeed I had the Avatar captured and he did escape!” Zuko stated. “That doesn't excuse you to use that language to a royal no less the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation!!”

With each word he spoke his voice rose and his expression twisted into anger.

“You may be royalty but you were exiled from the Fire Nation!” Zhao shot back. “You are not the Crown Prince and you do not have any authority in the Fire Nation navy! If it weren't for the respect I have for your uncle I would have send you packing the minute you landed!”

“Capturing the Avatar will restore my honor as the Crown Prince and heir to the Fire Nation crown!” Zuko roared. “Capturing the Avatar is my destiny and I will find him and capture him. Next time he will not escape from my grasp!!”

Zuko almost convinced himself that his words were genuine. He was drawing on the real feelings of the real Zuko that it almost felt like his own feelings.

“Capturing the Avatar should not be left to the hands of a mama's boy who couldn't take on a slug!” Silence broke by Zhao’s final words.

A prideful feeling overwhelmed Zuko that he blurted out the first thing that came to his mind.

“Agni Kai!” He roared once again. “I challenge you to a fire duel!”

Silence persisted for a few seconds. Zhao smirked at the young prideful and overconfident prince.

“Zuko I recommend you take back your challenge!” Iroh casually warned him.

“I refuse,” Zuko instantly stated. “I will not lose to scum such as him!”

“Do I need to remind you what happened the last time you fought a master!” Iroh insisted.

“General Iroh even you are aware of the rules,” Zhao intervened quickly.

“Once an Agni Kai is issued, only the challenged can accept or refuse!” Tau revealed.

*BLLMMLMGHGHML!!!*

Suddenly a massive ball of fire shot across and enveloped Tau.

“AAAAAHHHHHGGHHGGHAAAASGHAAAAHAAAA!!!” Tau started screaming.

He started twisting and writhing in agony on the ground as he burnt.

Zhao and Iroh immediately acted and bend away the flames from the writhing lieutenant.

Like a piece of meat Tau smoked on the ground. Some of his uniform burned off. Including parts of his skin burnt almost as badly as the scar on the face of Zuko himself.

“I already warned you before!” Zuko added. “That was your last warning. Next time... I will kill you!”

Zhao glared up at Zuko from helping out his subordinate. With a vicious scowl he stood up straight and walked up to the young prince confidently smiling back at him.

The pair of them stood face to face as the room heated up. The air started to feel like a furnace about to blow any minute.

“I accept your challenge.” Zhao declared. “Tomorrow at noon when the sun is highest. I will show you the true might of a firebending master!”

“Tomorrow at high noon it is then!” Zuko backed away from the suffocating space and left the room.

Zuko decided to live the mansion altogether and get back to his quarters on the ship.

“What the heck was that out there!?” The angry voice of Iroh roared from behind.

“What are you talking about!?” Zuko feigned ignorance with a blank wide smile.

“Attacking the member of a Fire Nation Army for such a minimalist reason!” Iroh answered. “Those are the actions of Ozai and Azula!”

Zuko’s smile instantly vanished upon hearing those words. He turned back to his uncle with a completely blank face.

“So what if it is?” He blatantly asked. “That is my father and sister. In case you haven't noticed uncle. Our family has been responsible for the greatest era of blood and massacre in history. Even you yourself have shed innocent lives for the sake of it.

In your siege of Ba Sing Se, how many children lost their fathers? How many families parished because of the senile ambitions of that fool Sozin?

I know you believe only now that the stance of the Fire Nation is wrong but do not look at me with your own expectations! My destiny is to capture the Avatar and return as the hero and Crown Prince and heir to the Fire Nation throne. I will do whatever it takes to fullfil my destiny!”

After his emotional rant, Zuko simply turned back and headed towards the harbour.

Iroh stood there flabbergasted by the ruthless aura he felt oozing from his nephew.

This was his first time hearing his nephew speak in such a manner. Not only about his family history but the true aspects of the war.

He brought up his greatest regret in live, the 600 day siege of Ba Sing Se.

All of this only made up his mind more. This was not the same Zuko he knew. Meeting the Avatar somehow altered his mentality and mindset in a way he not even Zuko(Victor) himself had yet to realise.

Victor thought he was saying things Zuko would but his personality and behaviour were mixing with that of Zuko at an incredible speed.

---

A little while later, Zuko was in his room looking up at the ceiling. His mind wondered on a strategy to employ against Zhao in the duel.

Try as he might, his mind just could not focus. The only thing that he could picture was the image of Azula.

That same image he had as a poster in his room. He was in this body for a few days and had yet to taste the fruit of a woman.

Adding the last few days and the dry spell that spanned almost a month on earth, his junk felt like lead.

He desperately wanted to rub one out but surely he could find a girl soon. Azula was the one he wanted to fuck the most but she was all the way back at the capital.

Katara was also a primed candidate but she was at the Southern Air Temple. Of course he was only guessing based on what he knew of the show.

That would mean he would have to find some random hottie to release his pent up sexual frustrations. Most of the females on the island where of the army.

Perhaps if he travelled towards a nearby village he might find one but given the animosity he would face as a member of the Fire Nation royal family it would be better to just wait a few more days.

Zuko’s thoughts continued to drift until he fell asleep for the night.

***

The following day in the training area for the army. A large crowd of some 1000 army personel had gathered to watch the most significant incident to happen on the island in months, an Agni Kai between masters.

Well a master and an elite. Prince Zuko was considered a highly capable firebender on an elite level but he was not considered a true master like the likes of Commander Zhao.

The pair of participants in the duel stood alone in the field as the crowd of spectators stood further away.

The news of the duel spread far and fast across the land. Even going as far as the southern end of the main land Earth Kingdom.

The sun rose high in the sky and blasted its awesome power upon the masses and giving them the power of its full might.

Both men stood bare chested and ready to start the duel. Both only dressed in their pants to feel the full might of the sun.

With the first attack Zhao shot a fire ball by punching out his right fist.

Zuko easily dodged the attack and countered with a counter jab of his own. Unlike Zhao, his ball of fire was smaller and slower.

Zhao immediately took hold of the fire ball and shot it back but not before charging it to twice its original size and speed.

“Is that all you've got!?” Zhao boasted in overconfidence.

While Zuko attempted to dodge the ball, Zhao added half a dozen more at an incredible speed that it easily overwhelmed Zuko and send him flying tens of feet away.

Zhao jumped high into the sky and gathered a large mass of fire and descended it down on Zuko.

As the flames reached for him, Zuko launched himself up from his shoulders. He readjusted in mid air to land perfectly on his feet.

Not even a second later he launched off of his feet and did three back flips to get out of the way.

By the time the flames reached the ground he was ten meters away but Zhao wasn't finished yet.

Using the same falling momentum he twirled around and send the flames towards Zuko in a rotating beam of fire.

By the time Zuko landed the beam came straight at him. Its sheer concussive force send him flying away to the ends of the field.

The spectators watched in stunned silence from afar. The battle was turning into being more one sided then anyone initially thought.

“Is this the best you cam muster!?” Zhao boasted.

Zuko meanwhile lay on the ground with smoke emanating from his entire body.

He looked up at the clear blue sky with the sun high in the sky. Blessing him with it's magnificent power.

As Zhao walked closer, he stood up and stared down his opponent. His plan was first to see how powerful Zhao was but Zhao was still holding back.

Waiting for Zuko to truly challenge his might. Zuko intended to do just that.

With his first attack, he kicked a high arc of flames towards Zhao. With his trailing leg he swung a low arc kick.

Zhao easily side stepped both attacks and countered with a powerful flame jab.

Zuko easily dodged the attack and charged in close. The next phase of the battle was close combat and it was fast.

Each punch or kick was dodged or blocked. If either used fire, they simply redirected the feet or hands.

The exchange of blows continued for a good five minutes until the whole area became scorched by flames.

Until eventually Zuko’s inexperience proved his undoing. He was faster than Zhao and attempted to overwhelm his opponent.

Zhao used the oppening and fire breathed right at the chest of Zuko. The sheer force of the attack send him sliding back.

Zhao wasn't finished yet. He jabbed a strong fist forward aided by his front foot.

Zuko took on the attack head on and send it to the ground.

In the next moment, three more flames attacks came. Each one bigger and faster then the previous.

Zuko crossed his arm across his chest. Taking on each attack and quickly separating his arms dispersed the flames.

Zhao came in flying with a swinging back kick that send out another arc extending out.

Zuko leaned back so much he was forced to back flip. The arc 0f flames came flying passed him.

As soon as his feet landed on the ground, Zuko launched himself into the air, aided by the rocket like flames that propelled him high.

Whilst midair he did three front flips which intensified the flames. Looking like they almost formed a fire wheel.

Fueled by the flips, he kicked out almost like a drop kick. The charged flames, intensified by the circular momentum of the flips shot out from his feet like a concussive beam of fire.

The speed and sheer intensity caught Zhao off guard that he couldn't help but take the attack head on.

For the first time in a long time, he took a significant amount damage from the fire. Not only the fire but the speed created so much force that he was send flying almost to the end of the training field.

The spectators watched in utter awe at the sheer intensity of the fight. Even 50 meters away they felt the sheer simmering intensity of the flames that were scorching the ground.

Zhao lay smoking on the ground. His arms were covered in burn marks that they looked like steak.

Even though he lay smoking on the ground, he did not for one second think he was going to lose.

Yes the Prince was more powerful than he initially thought but he was still holding a trump card.

He could not afford to lose in such a place. Not while there was a lot at stake to come.

Vumala told him another player was on the board. He had to get ready and await the arrival of a rival like no other.

Unbeknownst to Zhao, that player was standing tall over him. Zhao was preparing for a powerful opponent but that opponent was infront of him.

Without any confidence lost he got back on his feet and faced the young prince once more.

He smirked at Zuko with that overconfident demeanour. He was about to do something the prince had never once seen in his life.

“Our duel has come to a close Prince Zuko!” Zhao declared confidently. “This attack is something you can never hope to dodge!”

Zuko felt an eery panic. Every nerve in his body was telling him to run for it. The aura he felt from Zhao was utterly devastating.

In almost slow motion Zhao took the pose. He bent his knees and his hands and arms were stretched out.

Zuko who was really Victor immediately recognised the pose. What Zhao was about to do wasn't something he was suppose to know.

Maybe he knew it but the series didn't even hint at it. For some reason, Zhao was stronger then in the show.

While a million thoughts ran through the mind of Zuko, Zhao began the circular motion of his arms.

*CRACK!!*CRACK!!*CRACK!!*

The lightning started to crack and followed the circular motion of Zhao’s fingers.

In one fluid motion, Zhao directed the lightning that it burst out for Zuko.

Victor(Zuko) was frozen in place. Utterly stunned by what he was seeing.

His mind immediately ran through images of every scene he remembered about lightning generation and redirection.

Almost at the last second he forced his right hand out towards the lightning.

As soon as contact was made he felt a massive surge of energy that his body was almost incinerated. He could just barely raise his left hand that let the current pass through his body.

With his entire body covered in burns and smoking like a coal power station he fell to the ground like a pile of flesh hip.

[From this point chapter onwards it will be a minimum of 2000 words per chapter. So far the longest is about 2.6 k words. Anyway, there are more chapters available on my patreon if you can buy me a coffee. I will be writing a lot more depending on the reception but for now, the final countdown has already began for volume 1 on patreon. Have a merry Christmas and a happy new uear everybody. I won't be able to upload any chapters until the new years]