The Storm
The chapter is dedicated to (BoredMorsel).
To get another chapter, you have to get 25 more stones.
If you want to read 63 chapters and also give the others a bonus chapter where I write your nickname, subscribe. 1 chapter = 1 subscription.
patreon.com/FanFictionPremium
Enjoy reading.
---
"THUNDER!" - A roll of thunder abruptly woke up the princess.
Opening her eyes abruptly, Azula changed her posture slightly: while her hand crawled under her pillow, her gaze took a quick look around the room for enemies. The tense girl showed no signs of drowsiness. She was ready to rush into battle, using the dagger hidden under her pillow to parry the enemy's attacks.
Another sound of thunderstorms brings relief. It was just bad weather. Listening closely, she heard the downpour drumming against the walls of the ship and the closed metal shutters on the windows of her quarters. Inhaling, the girl exhaled a small blue flame into the air. With a quick breathing technique, she calms down, beginning to painfully lift herself off the bed. The effects of the gruelling workout were getting worse and more unpleasant.
The therapeutic breathing techniques that Azula had learnt by following the spirit's actions were no longer as effective, and required more and more time. She gave herself to the training, walking the line between irreparable harm to her own body and the most effective training possible. It had been like this for days now. She couldn't live any other way.
After sitting in the darkness of her private chambers for a few minutes, the princess decided to get up. There was no sleep in either eye. Besides, she wouldn't be able to sleep under such a storm. Ignoring the aching pain in her muscles, she got out of bed without interrupting her breathing technique.
Azula didn't want to be alone with her thoughts. It had been almost a week, and such a prospect still terrified her. The girl tried to distract herself in every way possible, just to prevent herself from giving herself time for silly thoughts. Training was a great way out. Alas, the weather was not suitable for training on the main deck, however, she could continue to improve her skills even in her room.
The princess finished her breathing exercises, only when the pain in every muscle was no longer felt. Doing a quick warm-up of all her muscles, she quickened her heartbeat, allowing the vigour to spill over her body. From such a brisk exercise, the last hints of drowsiness and pain finally fade away. Throwing her crumpled dressing gown on the bed, Azula allows her naked body to breathe and rest a bit after the workout. At the same time, the thunder rumbled more and more, the sound of the downpour intensified, and the lurching of the ship from the excitement on the sea became more and more noticeable. It was too much rocking for an ordinary thunderstorm. It looked like it was a storm.
"We need to figure out what's going on outside," the princess set to the task, starting to dress in fresh clothes and armour. Her intuition spoke of trouble and her mind only gave in to paranoia.
She didn't give the order, "get to the capital as quickly as possible." The captain, following the charter, was obliged to outrun the bad weather if possible. If such a thing was impossible, he was obliged to warn her in the first place. Of course, a storm could form right above them, unexpectedly and unpredictably. Perhaps it wasn't a storm at all, but an ordinary thunderstorm. To understand the situation, the girl had to get dressed and go out first. After that, it would be possible to decide who to punish first.
Another deafening sound of the thunderstorm was especially audible.
Her ship was made by the best shipbuilders. Everything that could be considered had been taken into account, so Azula wasn't too afraid of some storm. But the rocking kept getting worse while the princess was busy with her clothes.
"THUNDER!!!" another deafening roar sounded quite close, as if she was right now on the deck and not in the safest place on the ship. The rocking continued to intensify, it was getting harder to put on her armour. She was already thinking of ordering the maids to help her with the armour as usual, even if it would have taken longer, but chance decided everything for her.
"TUCK-TUCK-TUCK-TUCK," the unknown banged on the door of her chambers.
- Mistress! The ship is caught in a storm! - came a low male voice from the other side of the door.
- I already know that, dummy! Follow the captain's orders! - Pulling on her breastplate, Azula rudely replies, angry at the stupidity of her subordinates.
- Mistress! The captain is gone! He was washed away with the first mate. Some of the crew is missing, some killed by unknown assailants! The First Officer of the Guard has taken command. It could be treachery or sabotage by the enemy!
Azula, lightning-fast, considered the new factors, thinking through her next actions. Leaving the few remaining pieces of armour alone, she takes the daggers and hides them in her boots. Then, with her breastplate hastily thrown on, tensely opens the door, ready to start fighting for her life at any moment. Behind the iron door stood a pair of mages from the imperial cortege, who were in no hurry to attack.
- Take off your helmets! Quickly! - mages obey. The girl recognised her subordinates at a glance. One was the youngest member of the Imperial cortege, the other a more mature and experienced man. She had no doubts about the loyalty of both.
- Put it back on... - the soldiers silently complied with the order.
- You! Get the breastplate under me! You, report everything you know, close the door and help him, - the princess continued to give orders in a voice full of power. Her subordinates didn't even think of contradicting her.
One of the mages began to tell everything he knew.
As it turned out, their ship had sailed right into the storm. In the wheelhouse they found the corpses of the first mate and several crew members who were not part of the imperial cortege. From the footprints, it was clear that they had been killed by a powerful fire mage with an excellent command of the blade. The bodies had horrible burns and sword wounds, and one body had lost its head. It was noticed too late. Due to the constant thunderstorm and heavy downpour, no one could hear anything.
When a patrol, in search of another missing patrol, discovered the bodies in the wheelhouse, they tried to raise the alarm. However, the alarm bell had been stolen by someone. The Guardsmen had to run all over the ship and alert everyone. The First Officer of the Guard took charge of the crew and the ship. After starting to give orders, as he was the most senior officer, he ordered the two fire mages to report everything to the princess and guard her afterwards.
- On the way here, we saw several dead bodies of the crew and bloodstains. The number of dead is unknown. We ordered your maids not to leave their assigned quarters, - continued to report the soldier, deftly using his hands, adjusting the armour on the body of the princess together with his comrade, the rocking of the ship did not disturb them at all.
- What orders did Wei Lung have time to give? - Azula demanded answers in an icy tone.
- When I left the wheelhouse, I heard the Captain of the Guard order the crew to prepare the ship for the storm, and the members of the Imperial cortege to look for traitors and possible enemies on the ship. Report finished, Junior Lieutenant Li Wai," the soldier stretched out, finishing his work along with his report.
- Your armour is fitted. What are your further orders? - Another soldier spoke briefly.
- 'Escort me,' Azula gave the order and headed for the door out of the room.
Leaving the Emperor's chambers, they walked through the corridors of the pagoda down to the running room. From the sparse open windows, most of which were covered by steel shutters, they could see many metres of waves, clouds, glittering lightning and of course, heavy rain. The howling wind was perfectly audible even in the deepest rooms of the ship. Thinking over the situation and further actions, Azula only cast a glance at one of the windows, getting information about the situation in the sea.
Along the way, they encountered everything the guardsman had mentioned. Descending from the top floor of the pagoda where the princess' quarters were located, Azula saw large bloodstains and sparse bodies of subordinates on her way. Among the bodies lay both mages and common soldiers with crew members. The lower they descended, the more traces of the enemy there were.
If on the third floor the bodies were rare, but on the second floor they were almost in every corridor, staining the floors with their blood. It was on the first floor that was the running room where they found the first officer of the guard, Wei Lung, along with several officers of the imperial motorcade.
- Madam? You should have stayed in a safe place,'' the first officer bowed her head as soon as she entered the most important room of her ship.
- I know better where I should be when there are traitors present on my ship who want to sink the ship! - Azula quickly put the officer in his place, crushing him with her commanding gaze.
- So you too have come to similar conclusions," he remarked, not showing any extra emotion.
- What we need to do now is to prevent the ship from crashing, and that's what the traitors were aiming for. I think they originally planned to die, but to take us all with them, - the chief officer shared his thoughts.
- It is necessary to get the ship out of the storm as soon as possible, not allowing the enemies to sink my ship. Guarding the wheelhouse is your primary task, searching for traitors is secondary. What orders have you had time to give? - continued to press the girl, who herself had guessed it on the way to the wheelhouse.
- I've already sent other guardsmen to check the ship's crew to....
"RRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!..." the roar of the unknown monster drowned out the officer's words, outlasting even the thunder and noise of the downpour.
- Princess?! - No one heard what the officer was about to say, everyone in the room was jerked to the right as if the ship had collided with something.
Azula, thanks to her agility and lightning fast reactions, managed to hold on while most of the people in the room fell to the floor. The girl actively wrapped her head around. She was not at all interested in the possibly injured subordinates. No, in the large glass windows of the deckhouse she was looking for the enemy. But she saw nothing but waves and rain. There was no enemy ship. Perhaps it was the aftermath of a collision with an underwater reef?
- Captain..." the trembling voice of a soldier echoed quietly in the room.
- MONSTR!!! THERE'S A MONSTER ON THE PORT SIDE!!! - started shouting the same, attracting everyone's attention.
Azula quickly went to the windows. The members of the imperial motorcade hurriedly followed her. Just outside the window, a huge sea serpent head that was almost the size of a quarter of a ship could be seen from the water. The head was on a large, thick neck that rose above the water. The rest of the body was hidden by the waves. The giant creature staggered from side to side, stunned. There was no doubt, it was this creature that had attacked the ship.
- P-Princess," the Captain of the Guard addressed her in a stuttering voice. Looking at him, she realised he didn't know what to do. And something had to be done, and it had to be done as quickly as possible.
- You, you, you and you! - Azula pointed at the strongest mages, - you will come out with me to fight the snake. The rest of you, together with the captain, stay to guard the wheelhouse! Traitors can use the moment to seize the wheelhouse, - the princess began to give out orders, remembering all the documented stories about the collision of warships with such creatures, drawing up a battle plan.
- But Princess...
- Shut up and do it! The rest of the crew needs command. Do your job, we'll deal with the beast. Soldiers! Follow me!
- The sound of an unconscious body falling did not go unnoticed.
- Fuck! Li Wai! How dare you?! At a time like this! - His comrade commented, forgetting about discipline and subordination, but at such a moment, no one would rebuke him.
Li Wai, the young guard of the imperial cortege, shamefully collapsed to the floor, unconscious. Meanwhile, the ship shuddered from the monster's ramming, causing all the people to grab onto whatever they could to keep from falling. This time the fire masters were able to stay on their feet. But it did not bring them joy. Everyone guessed that such a collision would surely cause a leak in the ship. Every second of delay could cost the lives of the entire crew.
- He will receive his punishment! You take command of the crew, Captain. I'll take care of the beast. Soldiers! Follow me! Attack! - With another inspirational shout, Azula led the guardsmen into battle with the monster.
As the last guardsman left the deckhouse, Wei Lung shouted orders to the common soldiers and the rest of the ship's crew at the top of his voice. He had served on a ship before, so he was an experienced sailor and knew what to do.
Meanwhile, while the temporary captain and the rest of the crew were trying to keep the ship afloat, the monster was coming round to attack the metal ship again. The rain continued to pour down like a bucket, the wind howled incessantly, thunder rumbled, lightning flashed, and the waves seemed to rise higher and higher.
From the centre windows of the pagoda there was a perfect view of the main deck and everything that was happening on it. A moment, a bright flash of blue flame explodes one of those windows. The next second, Azula jumped out of it. Following her, the other fire conquering masters that were members of the imperial guard flew out at half-second intervals.
"RRRAAAAAAAAAA!!!!" - The monster roared again, about to rush out to attack.
However, the Fire Nation had already had time to prepare their defences. As soon as the monster's muzzle headed towards the ship, the four fire magic masters sprang into action. Standing in a circle, they created a colossal fireball of blue-orange flames.
The beast noticed their actions. Intelligence flashed in the monster's large eyes, but no one noticed it. Deciding to change tactics, the monster opens its mouth wider. Moment. A colossal stream of water shoots towards the ship. Such an attack threatened to simply sweep the little men off the deck, or even overturn the entire ship. Only the humans had already had time to prepare for his attack.
- NOW! - At the girl's shout, the wizards synchronously made an attacking movement, firing to meet the created fireball, whose size was larger than a small house.
Two attacks colossal in size collide. A lot of vapour is formed, blocking the view to the entire left side of the ship. Moments later, a bright blue bolt of lightning pierces the vapour cluster. A roll of thunder rumbles across the ocean.
"RRRAYAYAYAYAYA!!!" - A scream full of pain let the target know it had been hit. The lightning bolt fired by Azula virtually blindly hit the monster directly! However, this strike was not fatal. The creature continued screaming and thrashing in agony, raising more waves.
A few moments later, another flash of light pierced the vapour clouds. But this time the lightning bolt flew past. The monster continued to deafen everyone with its painful scream. Hiding from sight and unknowingly dodging the lightning bolts thrown by the princess, it continued to roar in pain.
Lightning bolts rattled in the heavens, lightning bolts rattled in the sea. Balls of blue and orange flames flew over the sea, rarely hitting their target. The winner of this battle was never known, the creature was struggling in agony, but it was alive, and it was hardly a danger.
The vapour from the clash of the elements was quickly dispersed by the gale wind. As soon as the vapour was dispelled, the enemies saw each other. The monster's burnt face looked at the ship and the people with its eyes full of fear with pure hatred. In an instant, the monster rushed forward to attack.
- ATTACKING! - Having instantly calculated the situation, Azula shouts. The guardsmen, obeying the order, used the jet propulsion of their own flames, becoming like fireflies that quickly glided across the deck. Azula used the same evasion method.
After a second or two, the monster rose from the water tens of metres above the sea level. Its menacing figure loomed over the ship bobbing on the waves. A moment later, the monster's gaping maw smashes against the deck, hoping to bite through the steel plating. Everyone immediately heard the scraping of metal, the ship swayed, almost going underwater, but no. The ship survived the impact, staying afloat.
- FIRE! - another order from the princess was accompanied by a synchronised attack on the colossal snake.
Regrouping, the four fire mages struck powerful fire jets directly at the monster's face. Another scream of pain was accompanied by thunder. The lightning struck the ship's lightning rod, and the monster cowered in agony. Its entire face was turned into a solid burn. Loosening its jaws, it began to thrash across the deck with its head and neck, as if trying to sink the ship with its weight.
Azula was about to finish the creature off with a precise lightning strike when suddenly another part of the serpent's body came out of the water, probably being its tail. This made the girl stop. A huge wall of the monster's flesh was rapidly approaching straight towards the princess.
No dodging...
No defence...
No jumping over...
It was over in a matter of moments. The girl leaps, grouping herself, wanting to minimise the damage.
Successfully!
Only the wall of flesh continued to move, approaching the walls of the pagoda. The last thing the princess' eyes saw was the rapidly approaching metal shutters of the windows...