CHAPTER THREE
▬ Fire Nation Traitors

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      THERE WAS THIS ITCH INSIDE of him, something that bothered Zuko as he looked at her. Maybe it was this whole nice thing he's been trying out. He felt better at first, he's certain of that much. But now that he's with them, he can't help but feel uncomfortable. They were the nice guys, the ones who were always good, whilst he, on the other hand, had just started this whole "nice guy" thing. Being good was easy to them whereas for him it was a difficulty he had yet to solve. But sometimes being good meant getting the end of the stick, being the good guy means always having to rely on your moral compass even if it may seem like the worst choice possible. It was a lot easier when the only thing he needed to do when making a decision was choosing the best one for himself. Yet she looked as though she also struggled with the moral beliefs of being part of the good guy. She made being good look so difficult.

      Zuko couldn't understand why someone like her chose to live as a hero. She probably could've had an easier life and he's not saying that all she has in life are her assets. Perhaps she came from a family with a silver spoon, one that wouldn't allow her to even get touched by the war, but . . . that wouldn't be fun, would it? No, of course not. He knew that privileges make you lucky and well off, but it creates a weakness that others can use against you. And with one glance Zuko already knew, she was the type to fight head-on even if the odds are never in her favor, not to defend herself, but because it was fun. Or perhaps it was because she's only ever been strong and nothing short of weak.

      And he knows that the title of "prince" won't make him stronger, just like her being called "beautiful" determines her path. They were simply titles added on top of what was always there: power and strength gifted at birth, only to be enhanced and sharpened as the years went by. He had only gotten better because of the rage he had felt because of his father, and perhaps it was his own experience that he was able to witness the same in her.

      Lian. That is her name. He couldn't forget the number of times where one of her friends shouted the name to get her attention, whether it's to snap her back to reality, or because they needed her help. Usually, it was the latter, and he could see why. One would think that she was the weak link of the bunch with her not being a bender and always relying on her bow and a handful of arrows — an amount that would usually render someone useless after a few minutes, but she was concise and knew when to use it.

      And while being good wasn't easy for him, Zuko couldn't help but wonder if it was the same for her. She wasn't the ideal hero like the rest of her friends. He saw the cutthroat look in her eyes, the way she yearned for bloodshed while her friends always ran away from the fight to save themselves. But for Lian, she didn't hesitate to run towards all the action, didn't hesitate to throw herself even at the cost of her life. It was as if she had something to prove as if she could care less that death could take her away and she would leave behind her friends.

      She was different.

      She may be one of the good guys, but she was no hero. Not like Aang.

      "She hit her head." Zuko referred to Katara's right hand that held her head when the younger girl tried to calm her friend. Katara stared in horror at the red that coated her hand, lips opening but not knowing what to say. She was almost hysterical, she could feel herself going crazy at the sight of blood. "Her gash doesn't look too bad, but you should — "

      Lian slapped his hand away and tried to get up, but if it weren't for her weakened legs she probably would've succeeded. But even on the ground as Katara tried to hold her back, even as exhaustion was evident on her face, she was still so angry at him. He's never had someone look at him with that much anger in their eyes and he didn't even really know her. Sure, was he someone who attacked her and her friends a lot? Yes. But this anger was unmeasurable than her friends', this was pure hatred and rage that was untouched and built up over the years. This was anger that wasn't created from an incident, but anger that was born along with her.

      "Don't fucking touch me," she threatened in a low voice as she narrowed her crazed eyes at him. Her lower lip quivered as her hands balled into fists. "I will rip your throat out."

      "Lian," Katara warned, not wanting her friend to hurt Zuko after learning more about what had happened to his mother. And though she would choose Lian over Zuko any day, she knew that Lian was also not in her right mind and it was evident with her current and previous state of mind. She wasn't sure what was going on with her friend, but she knew that Lian would do something she'd regret if she allowed it.

      "You're bleeding," he told her slowly, almost trying to get it through her head. But Lian looked as if she could care less. "You're hurt and I can at least help you — "

      "I don't need your help," Lian seethed. What looked like anger was also fear and hatred and so much rage in a single facial expression. The pretty features on her face coiled into disgust. "You don't care about me, don't fucking pretend as you do."

      He couldn't help but grow angry at her words. He was trying to do the right thing, why couldn't she see that? All Zuko wanted to do was the right thing, to show her like he showed Katara that he wasn't all bad, not anymore. But he couldn't even take a step forward without her threatening to kill him on the spot.

      Her anger is beyond just him.

      It was much more.

      "Alright, I'll back up . . ." says Zuko, taking a few steps away from them.

      He wasn't stupid. She was a good shot — he knew from first-hand experience when she shot an arrow and he was lucky that she purposely had the arrow scratch his cheek — and even without a bow and quiver full of arrows he has no doubt that she's probably good fighting hand-to-hand combat as well.

      Even then she couldn't trust his words and quite frankly he can't blame her. The archer's eyes never left Zuko, almost as if she feared that by doing so he would pull an attack out. 

      "Don't move, Lian," Katara ordered her friend calmly. 

      Lian was no longer close to her, her body away from her as her knees were pressed against her chest, arms wrapped around them, and body shaking. But the young Water Tribe girl didn't miss the way her friend flinched when she placed her hand on her shoulder, the way Lian quickly darted her eyes at Katara, the wild look in them that only calmed once she had recognized her. Still, she seemed skittish. 

      "We'll be okay, I just need you to calm down," Katara continues. "Your wound isn't too bad and the minute we get out I can help you. So take a deep breath and calm down. Don't look at him, look at me."

      Lian stared at Katara, hiccups, and gasps leaving her as tears rolled down her cheeks. She was never one to show emotions, at least not in front of them. Because in Lian's mind she had to be the big bad older sister, the one that protected them all because she was one of the oldest. But now, sitting in front of her, Lian seemed to have regressed to a young girl who was fearful of the world. There was almost like this switch in her; one minute she was coldhearted and cutthroat, next she's this child who can't seem to face her demons just yet.

      The way she looked at Katara scared the younger girl. It was almost as if Lian didn't recognize her like she was looking at someone else. There was this new emotion that glimmered her wet eyes, the look of desperation and yearning, a look unfamiliar to Katara when it came to Lian.

      "Father's going to kill me next," she muttered under her breath before she wiped her eyes. Hands pressed against her cheeks, fingers pulling at the roots of her hair. She took her hands out and began violently hitting her cheeks as if she's trying to wake herself up. "He's going to kill me, t-that's what they all say. He's going to kill me next."

      ". . . Your father?" She's never spoken about her family before. Nothing except her grandmother, but to Katara, she knows almost nothing about Lian's life before them. And yet she calls this girl her best friend.

      Zuko's ears perked at the revelation. Even though he knew he had no right to eavesdrop on their conversation, he couldn't help but do so. What was the backstory, the origin of the infamous archer, is her father. She had father issues just like him, almost identical to his. But his father at least doesn't bring him to this state, at least he wasn't terrified of the Fire Lord as Lian is of her father. It amazed the banished prince that she was able to regress to this state of fear and vulnerability, not when he has only seen the tough sides to her.

      "He doesn't love me. He's going to kill me."

      "Your father isn't here. It's just us here." 

      Lian shook her head rapidly. She glanced over her shoulder and her eyes narrowed in on Zuko. The way she looked at him nearly made him flinch in fear. She no longer looked at him with such anger, but in fear as if she truly believed that her father was with them. "You're going to kill me, aren't you Father?"

      Father?

      Now it was clear to not just him, but Katara, that Lian isn't well. That whatever the Dai Lee had done to her had affected her psychologically and made her less of the fighter he was used to seeing. She was too damaged to fight, too uncontrollable that her actions could be sporadic and useless in an actual fight. No longer can she be considered their last hope, but the shot that could put them all in jeopardy. 

      Zuko knew that to reason with her wasn't going to work, that somehow in her fucked up mindstate she saw him as her father, whoever he may be. "I'm not your Father — "

      "YOU LIAR!" she screeched as she pointed an accusatory finger towards Zuko. "ALL YOU MEN DOES IS LIE AND LIE AND LIE! YOU KILLED MOM, YOU KILLED HER RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME!"

      Katara held her breath at her words. And for a brief moment, just a second maybe, silence ensued. 

      Every hero has an origin story, a point in which something in their life has changed and has made them who they were, made them want to fight and to do something about it. Katara and Sokka had theirs when their mother was killed, Aang had his origin story when he discovered what the Fire Nation had done to his family back in the Northern Air Temple, and Toph had hers when she realized the brute strength she wields with her bending. No matter how sad they were, they were able to accept it to some extent, but it was as if Lian had simply pushed it aside and let it bottle up within her.

      Now, here is Lian's. It was similar to Katara and Sokka's, but there was this twinge of pain that differed from theirs. It was the sound of utter defeat and hatred that had simmered for years, a sound of horrible pain. It was the sound of someone who wanted to shed blood and to destroy anyone who stands in her way. 

      The sound of someone ready to give up.

      And what scared Katara the most was the anger in her voice, the idea that her friend was willing to do anything to satisfy the burning hatred within her. Even take away an innocent life to satisfy the pain of the wounded child inside of her. Nothing she was doing was entirely her own free will, but that of someone who has lost far too much.

      Lian tugged on Katara's sleeve. Watery eyes stare at blue ones, a smile present on Lian's chapped lips. But instead of easiness and happiness that filled her smile, it was tiredness and emptiness. A look of defeat and pleading. "Make it stop hurting. Please," she asks her friend in a small desperate voice. 

      Katara wasn't sure what she could even do to help Lian. Her wounds were internal, mental, but not physical. There was nothing she could do to heal her, to make her feel all better. How could she cure what the mind has suffered through? No water in the world could make it better, no water in the world could take away Lian's pain. Hell, Katara doesn't even know the extent of her healing abilities.

      What do I do, Katara thought to herself frantically. How do I help her? I don't know what to do. I don't how I can —

      "The water from the spirit world," Zuko spoke up, almost as if he had read her mind. He pushed himself off the wall he had leaned against. He did everything he could to avoid looking at Lian, almost as if doing so would leave him scathed. "It may not be able to take everything away, but it could ease her, undo what the Dai Lee had done and maybe calm her. Then she'll be back to the way she was before, bottling this all in."

      "That's not a good thing too," Katara argued.

      "Better than a deranged archer who'll murder anyone on sight."

      "She's fine, she's just — "

      "Katara," Zuko cut her off. "Look at her. I may not know your friend as well as you do, but even I know something isn't right with her. Anyone with common sense could see that."

      He's not wrong, Katara told herself. 

      Lian has always been tough, perhaps tougher than them even without her bending because of how mentally strong she is. But with that gone she was nothing short of a headstrong idiot who may end up dead because of her lack of common sense. Still, the idea of suppressing Lian's feelings didn't sound appealing either. She felt like doing so would take away Lian's pain far too easily, that this was something Lian needed to fix herself. Would it be fair to rob her of that chance?

      "But your scar — "

      "It doesn't matter," he interrupted Katara in a clipped tone. 

      Zuko didn't want to see Lian in such a sad state anymore. Even if they weren't exactly friends, she was strong, and seeing her in a weak state was one that bothered him. No one as strong as her deserved to be stripped of their pride and strength. "Your friend's not going to be useful if she's in this state. She could hurt herself or hurt you or your friends."

      He was right. That scar no longer hurt Zuko, it was no longer a threat to him, but just a reminder of the power his father holds. But for Lian, it seemed as though she had an infected wound now exposed, one she had tried to hide and tender herself only to fail. He was strong enough to live with the remnants of his father's anger, but she may never be able to. Her pain, her suffering, perhaps it made her a stronger fighter. But it made her a weaker person.

      Katara placed her hand on Lian's left cheek. "You're going to be okay, Lian," she promises the older girl even as her hand trembled. "I'll make sure of it. I'll take care of you. He won't ever hurt you again, I promise."

      And as Lian clung to the Water Tribe girl, Zuko wondered if her father was another part of this whole war. He had eyes similar to the people of the Earth Kingdom, light with specks of green in them. Her complexion wasn't as pale either, but lighter than some of the people he's seen from the Earth Kingdom. The only image he could come up with is a man who must've been deeply affected by the war, one that believed doom was inevitable and that death was part of life. But for her to feel so much trauma could only mean that she must've had a rough childhood.

      She's just another girl suffering from war, he thought to himself. Zuko glanced over his shoulder, taking a look at the girls. Lian was already staring at him, her fingers tightening around the fabric of Katara's dress as her lips were pulled into a scowl. It's not my place to fix this or her.

      "He's going to kill me one day, if not today," Lian muttered under her breath. She didn't protest when Katara pulled her head onto her shoulder. "One day . . . he'll find me again, won't he?"

      "You did nothing wrong. He won't find you."

      "You're wrong . . . I'm a traitor."

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      FOR JUST A MOMENT, AANG WAS HAPPY. Katara was okay, she was going to be fine, the young Avatar thought when he saw his friend. But then his eyes laid on the girl next to her, the familiar black hair he was used to seeing pooled around her face like a curtain. Even then he knew who it was just from the sight of Katara and her hanging onto one another for dear life. Lian had always kept her appearance neat, even in the heat of battle she tried her best to look impeccable and strong because, in her exact words, "If I look like a mess then they won't take me seriously. I need a good challenge so I want them on their toes the entire time." Yet here she is, an unrecognizable version of herself right in front of him. She looked pale in the face, sickly almost, and exhausted. Her clothes were torn revealing small gashes and cuts along her legs and arms. What made Aang's blood chill was the sight of blood that covered both Katara and Lian, though it wasn't much, it made his mind think of the worse possible situations on what had happened.

      "Aang!" Katara exclaimed once she saw the Avatar. Gently, she stood up as Lian cowered behind her, eyes narrowed at Aang as if he was a stranger.

      Without any hesitation, Katara ran towards the Avatar with open arms and engulfed him into a tight hug. Aang happily reciprocated it, but when it ended his eyes turned to Lian. It wasn't as though he expected her to also run into his arms and hug him — he once got a side hug from her which he thinks is the closest he'll ever get to his friend — but he thought she'd at least be happy to see him.

      The way Lian glared at him made him feel uncomfortable in his skin. He felt as though he wronged her in some ways, but he hasn't had a clue on what exactly it is that he's done. As far as he knows, they were on good terms when they separated. It reminded him of when they first met Lian in Omashu, how she didn't care for what he or Sokka had to say, only Katara and now Toph. 

      Somehow, it felt like Aang was right at the start once again.

      "Lian! You're okay!" he exclaimed excitedly, trying to hide his nerves behind a cheerful greeting. "We were all so worried! We thought something bad happened when you weren't back at the house. But I got you your bow and quiver and I was thinking — "

      "Aang," Katara stopped him before she placed her hand on his shoulder. She shook her head and gave him a grim look that told him to stop. Instead, she gave him a small smile. "I knew you would come!"

      Though confused, Aang quieted down. Katara took Lian's weapons from his hands and handed it to her. Quickly the older girl slung her quiver over her back, the strap snug across her body and her hand adjusting to the grip around the handle of her bow. She almost always wore a single glove on her right hand, something that stuck with her ever since she first decided to take up archery. Though she can survive without it, Lian didn't like the idea of possibly heading out into a fight without being fully prepared. 

      Is she fucked up in the head? Very much and it took almost everything she had to not throttle Zuko and bash his head against the walls of the caves. The Dai Lee had set her off in ways she didn't even know was possible. Her hatred towards her father has always been her weakness, but she never thought it would be revealed to the world and used against her. In her mind, Lian thought she had gotten over it, but it was clear that wasn't the case at all. However, she knew she was still strong, that she could probably take down at least a dozen Dai Lee members with her eyes closed.

      Lian tore a strip of fabric from one of her pant legs, ignoring the awkward and uneven tear. She could care less about the stares she received from the others as she began to wrap around her right hand. Though it wasn't as comfortable as the one she had back at the house, she doubts they had the time to make sure they grabbed all her essentials. For now, it'll have to do. 

      Accompanying Aang was General Iroh, a man Lian had grown to recognize due to his loyalty to his nephew. The sight of him uneased her and she wasn't sure if it was because he's part of the Fire Nation, a General like her father, or that he might betray them. She wouldn't be surprised if either Zuko or Iroh turned their backs against them. Knowing what the people of the Fire Nation are like, Lian knows that it's only a matter of time that Fire Nation soldiers will drag her back to the palace and throw her onto her father's feet.

      "Uncle, I don't understand," Zuko said in disbelief. "What are you doing with the Avatar?"

      "Saving you, that's what," Aang shot back.

      Zuko flared his nostrils in annoyance and looked ready to charge at Aang. Lian gripped her bow at the sudden motion, left hand grabbing an arrow and notching it in the string of her bow so fast that they had barely blinked. The exiled prince was lucky that Iroh stopped him from doing anything stupid.

      "Zuko, it's time we talked," Iroh asserted with his hand on his nephew's chest to push him back.

      The former General turned to Lian, not phased by the sight of the girl who was aiming an arrow at him. He saw the way her right hand shook and how unsteady she looked. And though he knew how great of an archer she is, he also knows that she has no intention of hurting them unless they hurt her first.

      "I'm sorry," Iroh apologized gently to Lian. She reluctantly lowered her bow but left the arrow notched as if she was stuck between trusting him or shooting at him. "Go help your other friends. We'll catch up with you."

      Aang used both his hands to bow and didn't hesitate to head back into the dark tunnel where he and the General had entered from. Lian was more than happy to get away from both Zuko and Iroh and followed Aang into the darkness. Not too soon after, Katara followed them both. There was a small light near the end of the tunnel, though it looked similar to the cave they had just left, Lian was willing to do anything to get back up the surface.

      Her legs wobbled as she ran and though she wasn't at full strength she didn't want to rely on Katara or Aang to help her. Her lungs burned from the sprints and her mouth dry from the dehydration she has been suffering from after the watch of the Dai Lee. Lian's also fairly certain she has a concussion after they threw her into the cave and the gash wasn't helping either. Perhaps that was why her vision was blurry or maybe it was because she cried.

      Too many factors as to why I'm weak, Lian scolded herself. 

      Her hands were locked and ready to shoot an arrow no matter the occasion. It didn't help that she wasn't sure what was going on or that Toph and Sokka weren't with Aang when he came to 'save' them. Not to mention how obvious that the Earth Kingdom was nothing like they had imagined it to be.

      "We've gotta find Sokka and Toph," Katara stated loudly.

      "We need to find a way out of here first," protested Lian. 

      Her ears perked at the sound of something similar to hissing, but Lian knew better than to think it was as simple as that. All three turned around and were met with the sight of blue, scorching flames flying their way.

      Aang quickly fixed his stance and rose his arms up, a wall of rock shielding them as the fire made its impact. Lian braced herself and quickly followed Katara through the smoke. As her friend dragged the waters out of the river with her bending, the older girl was right behind her as a backup.

      Just as Katara manipulated the water towards Azula, the princess was quick and countered by stopping the fire from hitting her. Right when she recovered from it, Katara was faster and brought a large wave upon the Fire Nation princess. However, Azula was no easy target and Lian wasn't surprised when she created a flame just as big which resulted in the steam that surrounded them.

      The three grouped with backs facing one another. Their eyes darted in various directions to watch out for Azula or anyone else looking to attack them. Through the smoke, Azula emerged with fire punches directed towards them. As Aang and Katara gathered the water once more to deflect her hits, Lian shot an arrow in Azula's direction. The princess spun her body in the opposite direction to avoid being hit, but the hem of her pantleg was inevitably torn from Lian's arrow.

      Aang didn't hesitate to take down the stone pillar Azula was standing on, resulting in the princess to land on her feet right in front of them and behind the water. 

      It was clear that to Azula the biggest threats were Katara and Aang with their skillful bending. However, she couldn't ignore the fact that standing to the left of her was none other than the annoying archer who nearly scratched her porcelain skin with her dirty arrows in their last encounter. She was more than aware that Lian had notched an arrow centered right at her upper left chest and that if she as much moved she would be dead.

      However, Azula was updated on what the Dai Lee had done to Lian Ansui. As talented as Lian is, Azula could make out the slight trembles in her arms and how weak her stance is.

      "Lian, don't," Katara warned her in a whisper. She glanced at her friend and noticed the slight trembles in her hands.

      Before Lian could even think about firing the arrow into Azula, a large stream of fire was shot from behind them, right between Azula and where the three stood. Caught off guard, everyone turned to see where it came from.

      Emerging from the tunnel was none other than Zuko. He moved with his left hand drawn back, his right balled into a fist and pointed towards them. 

      The sight of him unnerved Lian. Her heart raced, adrenaline kicking in and pushing aside any pain she may have previously felt. Her hands no longer shook and the burning sensation in her throat subsided, her thirst forgotten. Lian's been in this situation far too many times to count, the feeling of being cornered was one she could hardly forget. As much as Katara wants to preach to her about how Zuko is a good guy she knew he wasn't.

      He's just like him, her subconscious raged. Just like Eizo.

      The hairs on the back of her neck pricked as her eyes widened in realization. A single look into Zuko's eyes told her everything she needed to know. What she's feeling wasn't just a result of all the action that surrounded them, but her survival instincts kicking her in the ass to tell her that they were all in danger.

      Lian blinked and before she knew it, Zuko was shooting fire punches left and right towards Aang. His younger sister was quick on her feet and didn't take long to do the same towards the other two girls. Lian ran to the left while Katara ran to the right, forcing Azula to take a chance and target one of them while the other fires back. As the firebender chased Katara, Lian shot the arrow at her back, only for Azula to turn around and cut through the air with a thin flame that burned the wooden shaft leaving the metal tip to fall to the ground.

      With Azula's attention now on her, Lian was on the run. She ran side to side, trying her best not to let Azula focus in on her location. Lian grabbed another arrow from her quiver, jumping to the side and behind a large boulder before she fired it towards Zuko who was chasing Aang with streams of fire that resembled whips. Thankfully, Katara was now handling Azula long enough for her to fire at least two arrows at once.

      But Zuko was quick and heard the whooshing of the arrows from behind. With his whips, he stopped the arrow from even getting close before shooting a glare at Lian who emerged from behind the boulder with another arrow aimed at him.

      "If you're expecting a thank you for earlier, don't bet on it," Lian seethed.

      "You're weak," Zuko spat at her, the two circling one another. "Don't act as if you're strong."

      "If anything, I'm stronger now," Lian shoots back. "Maybe you're right, being around the Avatar has weakened me, but I'm not hesitating anymore. I'll kill you right here if I have to and you and I both know I'm more than capable."

      She's bluffing. She's not capable, not at all. But it was her job to distract Zuko long enough for Aang to gain momentum and attack first. Then she'll have to run back to Azula and Katara to assist her friend. Her head was pounding and she's pretty sure she may pass out soon from the stupid gash, but she was only useful if she was distracting the others.

      Lian quickly saw Aang jumped off one of the rocks and hung off one of the boulders above. Zuko followed her line of sight, but before he could react Aang had already separated the tip of the boulder and was on top, using his Earthbending to have him fall at a faster rate. As soon as Zuko flew back from the impact of the crash, Lian darted away from the corner she was hiding in.

      You used three arrows already, she reminded herself. Right when Katara handed her her quiver she counted at least twelve arrows. It was her fault, she was the one who didn't refill her quiver as soon as they all separated as she was far too concerned with the thoughts of her grandmother.

      Old Bat might live longer than me, Lian thought as she ran towards the river, taking a big jump to get to the other side where Azula and Katara were. 

      Lian didn't hesitate to shoot her arrow towards Azula. Though her intentions weren't to kill the princess right away, she needed to give Katara time to think of an attack. Azula hesitated when she turned her attention to the archer, not realizing that the waterbender had the water on the ground form arms and legs that covered her body like armor.

      "You're a traitor of the Fire Nation!" Azula shouted at Lian, her words so sharp they may as well have killed Lian. "You were always weak, just like your — "

      Before she could finish her words, one of Katara's water-like arm took her right, spinning Azula around so that she was forced to look away from Lian and onto her. It wasn't long until Katara had her grasp on Azula's left leg no matter how much the former thrashed in her hold. But it wasn't permanent, not with Zuko who took both of the heroes by surprise with his flying flip kick as fire shot from his feet cutting his sister free from Katara's grasp.

      Lian wasn't even able to notch another arrow in thanks to Zuko who shot the first punch towards her, forcing her to step back. However, it gave Azula enough time to run towards Aang who was struggling to get up after his little attack on Zuko.

      "Lian! Go help Aang!" Katara urged. "I can take care of Zuko!"

      Not fighting back on Katara's order, Lian nods and runs after the stray Princess who didn't think twice about firing attacks after attacks at Aang. Before she could even get close to Azula, she was pulled aside. Rock encaptured her right wrist causing her to almost drop her bow, but she was forced to watch as all the arrows in her quiver fell as she was turned upside down. Lian forced herself to lean back and grabbed the shaft of one of the arrows between her teeth to prevent herself from being weaponless. With her left hand, she grabbed the arrow and stabbed at the hardened rock repeatedly until it was soft enough for her to kick it off.

      The Dai Lee.

      Lian couldn't see them, but she knew that they had to be working for Azula. Still, they were the least of her problems. How far was she from falling onto the ground? Ten feet? Twenty? She couldn't tell.

      Her eyes watched as both Azula and Zuko attacked Katara. Aang was nowhere in sight and all she could think about was that they were going to kill her friend. Even though she only had one last arrow left and that it was probably going to be stupid to use it now, she had no other choice. Lian had to save Katara.

      You should've left them earlier on, you shouldn't have cared, her subconscious nagged as Lian placed her final arrow ready. You're not a hero, you're not like them. Stop thinking that you are.

      "I know," Lian whispered before she fired her last arrow towards Zuko. 

      She watched as the arrow made its way towards his upper back, but before the tip of the arrowhead could pierce through his skin, Azula caught sight of it from the corner of her eye. With two fingers she blew the arrow out of the air, burning the wooden shaft and turning the metal arrowhead into nothing but ash.

      "You traitor," Azula repeated in a disgusted tone as she stared at Lian's falling figure. Without thinking twice, she shot repeated punches of fire towards her. "You should've died with your mother! YOU'RE NOT STRONG ENOUGH!"

      Traitor.

      Maybe she is a traitor.

      Heroes get to live till the end, but not her, right? Because she wasn't a hero.

      She was a filthy liar.

      A scam.

      A fraud.

      A traitor of the Fire Nation.

━━━━

A/N;

Can y'all tell I didn't plan any of this out? I'm not even kidding you, like the second part of the chapter I totally made up on the spot because I was feeling so inspired to write this, but I didn't exactly plan out what I wanted. I kid you not, I have Netflix pulled up right now and I'm deciding what happens as I watch it second by second.

This was getting a little too long for my taste because usually, chapters for Killing Boys are at least 5000 words, but this is exceeding 6000 so I put an end to it. Which sucks because I had literally four more minutes to the episode, but I don't know.

Also, there are a lot of new readers compared to when I last updated so hi!

Sorry for the late update guys, I was super busy with college and with life. But I hope you all enjoy! Chapter four will finish this final episode and we will move on to season three!

I didn't edit this by the way lol

Much Love Guys.

( written: may 26, 2020 )
( published: may 26, 2020 )