18 Chapter 18

-[Aang]-

"Give Katara back!" Aang shouted as he leveled his staff towards the dark haired teen who raised a brow.

"Give her back? What are you talking about?" The sword wielding boy questioned in an almost dismissive manner.

He and Sokka were flying in the direction Roku had given to them when they saw a fight occurring in the forest.

Whatever thoughts he was thinking jumped out the window when he saw Katara in the arms of a dangerous looking teen.

He didn't understand it. Just being near him sent waves of anger through his body. Whether it was because of the way he was casually holding Katara tightly to himself or the way she didn't seem to resist, he was angry.

This guy was no doubt holding her hostage and she wasn't able to fight back which was why she could only comply and stay silent.

Unfortunately, he didn't care to understand it. He had found Katara and he was going to save her, no matter what.

Swinging his staff, he lashed out with a strong blast of air at the teen. "Give her back!"

-[Aroh]-

Staring at Aang who seemed to have resolved himself to do…something, he twisted out of the way of a powerful blast of air.

He frowned as the attack tore through the tree behind him. Standing in front of him, he had confirmed that the connection he had been feeling earlier had been Aang. More specifically, Raava inside him.

"So that's how it is." He muttered as he turned to fully face the avatar, adjusting his grip on his sword.

Katara who saw that slight change widened her eyes. After being with Aroh so long, she could tell what he was planning to do from the way he focused on Aang.

The avatar himself didn't seem to back down as he shot another gust of wind towards Aroh. Just as Aroh made to dodge, a wall of water rose in front of him, blocking the attack.

"Aang what are you doing?!" She questioned.

"Katara? I'm trying to save you!" Aang said as he dashed at Aroh with wind enhanced speed.

"Wait!" He didn't listen to her as he jumped over the water, continued on his way to Aroh.

Unfortunately for him, Aroh wasn't idle, having put some points in Dex, raising it to 90. In short, his speed wasn't something to be trifled with.

Ducking under Aang's staff that swung at him, he trapped it, pulling the boy towards him. Surprised, Aang flew forward only for the butt of Aroh's sword to slam into the side of his head, sending him flying into a tree.

Jeong Jeong and his men who had been silent so far took the chance to attack, rushing towards him with their spears.

They only got so far as a stream of water crashed into them, sending them back into the forest. Some of them tried to dodge only for the water to adjust its path, taking them anyway.

Aroh turned to Jeong Jeong who entered a stance. "I'm giving you an option. Stand down." He said, narrowing his eyes at the man.

Instead of answering, the man began moving, fire twisting between his hands to form one big fireball which he shot towards Aroh.

Twisting around the fireball, he dashed towards Jeong Jeong who already raised a wall of fire in front of himself.

Aroh's chi enhanced sword cut through the fire, Jeong Jeong just barely dodging it. He jumped away only to find white strands falling before his eyes.

His hand went to the top of his head where his shaggy white hair had been severely trimmed, leaving a bald spot in the center of his head.

As he focused on Aroh to continue the fight, he found his world spinning as the boy's foot crashed into his face, sending him crashing into a tree behind him.

He attempted to pull himself to his feet only to find Aroh standing in front of him. "You monster. I will not allow you to do as you wish."

"There'll be more than enough time to talk when you wake up." Aroh said, smashing the butt of the sword into the man's temple.

He had held back considerably to avoid killing him. A firebenders Jeong Jeong was, a physical fighter he was not.

Hearing a groan, he turned to see Aang get to his feet, using his staff to balance himself.

"Give…her…back." He forced out as he got into a stance.

"Whatever delusions you're stuck in is not amusing in the slightest." Aroh said like he was talking to a petulant child.

"Give. Her. Back!" Aang persisted, raising his staff to attack only for a stream of water to crash into him, pushing him against the tree behind him before solidifying into ice to hold him.

A hurt look appeared on the boy's face. "Katara?"

The girl in question now stood in front of Aroh, lowering her hand. "Aang you've got it all wrong. Aroh saved me from the fire nation."

"Saved you?" He questioned in a mix of confusion and denial.

"Yes. He's the only reason I was able to escape." She said as she stood closely beside Aroh.

Aroh's eyes narrowed as he spun on his heel raising his sword to block a projectile that was deflected with a loud 'clang'.

Looking at the object that fell to the ground, he frowned. "A boomerang?" He muttered as Katara gasped.

"Appa!" She said, pointing upwards to the flying bison that quickly made its way down with its back facing Aroh, slamming its tail on the ground and sending a huge gust of wind at him.

That did little more than blow his hair to the side as Katara held him to avoid getting blown away.

"Katara!" A tanned boy with a resemblance to Katara yelled as he ran off of the creature towards Aroh. "Let her go!"

With an unamused look on his face, he dodged the boy's swing, kicking him to the side and sending him beside Aang.

He turned to Katara who had a sheepish look on her face at her brother's less than successful attempt.

"I take it this is your brother." He said with a sigh to which she nodded. "I'm going to round up Jeong Jeong and his…primitives. I'll leave you to your reunion."

"Alright." She said, leaning over to lay a quick kiss on lips to the shock of their viewers and Aroh's slight amusement.

Sokka held a look of shock and disbelief while Aang looked completely heartbroken, a hint of tears appearing in the corner of his eyes.

This was only heightened as he made eye contact with Aroh, the teen's dark eyes boring into his very being.

At that moment, Aroh saw Aang's eyes gain a hint of a glow. He immediately pulled on his chi, preparing to coat his blade in lightning and finish the job.

Fortunately, the glow died down as the boy looked down at the floor, crestfallen.