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Emerald Dragon chapter 30
🕑 Added 2022-01-06 16:26:10 +0000 UTCChapter 30 :
Aang, Katara and Sokka stared at Harry as he casually leaned against Appa's saddle while the group rode the sky bison through the sky, having left the air temple a while ago. Though, the group clearly had not gotten over the latest bombshell that Harry had dropped. Harry, the Emerald Dragon and 'The Exception', was also a magic-user.
"So...you...can do magic?" Aang asked.
"Yep." Harry nodded, stroking Momo who was sitting in Harry's lap.
"What kind of magic?" Katara asked curiously with a bit of excitement in her voice.
"How do we even know that it is magic?" Sokka frowned. "You always tell me that waterbending is not magic," He added to Katara before turning to Harry. "so how do we know that you're not just using some form of bending?"
"An intelligent thought?" Harry gasped in mock surprise. "Apparently we're all going to be surprised today."
"You're still annoying." Sokka rolled his eyes while Aang and Katara laughed.
"It's not bending," Aang spoke up. "I can't feel any of the air currents pulling those sticks of his towards him."
"There hasn't really been a lot of studying into how bending works," Harry shrugged. "perhaps we're not trying hard enough, or maybe it's just because we don't yet have the technology to fully understand it. I am personally of the opinion that it is just a different form of magic."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, the magic I used works differently." Harry started to explain. "Whenever I used a spell or a magical object, I would feel a slight pull inside me, depending on how much magic I needed. I am a wizard, and I have what is referred to as a 'magical core' or 'magical centre'."
"What's a magical centre?" Sokka's look clearly told them all that he wasn't entirely convinced with this 'magic' explanation.
"Inside of every wizard and witch is a centre, it's where we draw our power from," Harry told him. "we generate our own magic while also partially gaining magical energy from the rest of the world. The more powerful a wizard, the more magic their centre produces, or at least that's the general idea behind it. But bending is different, it seems magical in nature but I barely feel anything from my centre. I have a few theories."
"Like what?" Aang leaned forward, looking quite interested.
"Well, it's entirely possible that everyone who can bend elements is also magical and have for one reason or the other becomes limited to elemental manipulation," Harry began. "another theory is that it's just a biological error that has activated a small..."
"You're losing me." Sokka pointed out with a slightly confused look. Harry let out a deep sigh before he continued speaking.
"I mean that it's possible that bending happens because benders have different bodies," Harry explained as simply as he could. "for example, there could be something in their blood or brain or both that allows them to control certain elements. Personally, I just think that bending is a different form of magic."
"A different form?" Katara asked, eyes wide as she leaned forward, looking like the very picture of an attentive student.
"Yeah, there are many different variations of it." Harry nodded to her. "For example, there is spell casting which works with incantations."
"Incan-what?" Soka blinked.
"Use words to make things go boom," Harry explained as simply as possible. "for example, you would say 'Lumos' to make a bright light. Now, the majority of wizards and witches will need a magical focus to perform spells, basically something that can amplify or direct their magic to do what they want it to do. What I've done to the weapons is attach runes to them. Runes are in the simplest terms I can think up, words or symbols that have had magic give them power. For example, my sticks return to my hand because I placed on it a rune and then I connected that rune to me, or rather my magic. I just reach out with my magic and they come back to me. Simples. Like the runes on Appa's saddle."
"You put runes on his saddle?!" Aang blinked.
"Yeah, mostly just runes to clean it and prevent damage and deterioration."
"Wow, can you do any other magic?" Aang asked with wide eyes.
"I used to be able to do spell casting," Harry sighed deeply. "but I don't have a focus anymore."
"Can't you just make one?" Sokka asked.
"No," Harry shook his head sadly. "there was an entire field dedicated to studying the art, but I never really learnt it. I know a bit, but nowhere near enough to attempt something like that, if it goes wrong then I could end up losing a limb if I wasn't lucky, there's a fair chance of me dying too, so I'm not going to risk it."
"Oh," Katara whispered, looking incredibly disappointed.
"I suppose there is wandless magic," Harry said thoughtfully.
"Wandless magic?" Katara perked up.
"It basically means magic without a focus," Harry answered. "but the main problem with it is how long it takes to master. It's a lot different from bending. Bending the elements is like pouring some water into a cup, simple and easy. But now try and imagine if the cup was nearly closed off from you with only the smallest of holes available, a lot different now. It's possible, but it takes years and years to master even the simplest spells. It took me years just to be able to levitate something off the ground." Harry aimed his hand at a piece of fruit that was sticking out of one of their bags. The fruit levitated up into the air and followed the direction of Harry's hand until it landed in Momo's lap. "But I can't lift anything truly heavy, so a lot of effort for little reward, which is why I don't focus on it as much as bending."
"How do you know all this?" Sokka asked. "Have you met other wizards in the Fire Nation?"
"No, I...I think I'm the last one," Harry said with a tight smile. "anyway, we should move on and discuss our next destination. We're nearly at the Northern Water Tribe, so we need to talk about the obviously bad reaction that I will get when we enter."
Aang, Katara and Sokka exchanged looks with each other, it was clear that none of them was really over the topic but it was also clear that Harry was not really in a sharing mood and they all knew better than to pester him on something as important as this, they also knew how futile it would be to try and get him to talk when he didn't want to.
"Okay then," Aang said eventually. "what bad reaction are you talking about?" He asked. Harry gave him a look that let the young Avatar know that Harry thought he was being particularly thick right now.
"I...is it not obvious?" Harry asked the group.
"Um...no, not really." Katara shook her head.
"Oh sweet Agni," Harry sighed, one hand went up to rub his eyes in an attempt to stave off the headache that he could feel coming. Harry let out a string of curses under his breath before he looked up at the three in front of him. "okay, what is my name?"
"Um...Harry." Sokka answered.
"Very good, ten points to the Water Tribe. Now, what am I known as?" Harry asked in a slow voice, the kind one would use to explain something to a particularly dim child.
"The Emerald Dragon," Aang answered happily, his smile slid off his face a second later as he understood, he glanced towards the others and saw that they seemed to understand as well.
"Oh." Katara breathed, staring at Harry. "I guess I can see what you mean."
"I praise your brain cells for the splendid work that they are doing," Harry said in a dry voice. "yeah, that's going to be a bit of a problem."
"Well, maybe it won't be so bad." Aang sounded hopeful.
"The amount of Water Tribe people I killed is in the double digits at least," Harry told him. "though, now that I think about it, the same is true for earthbenders and even firebenders. Either way, I'm going to be about as welcome there as a crocodile-hippo in a crocodile-rhino golf club."
"Well, I'm sure it won't be so bad once we put in a good word for you," Katara said optimistically, deciding to ignore the last part of his comment since she was not entirely sure what golf was.
"Do we have to?" Sokka asked, a thoughtful look on his face. "I kind of want to see what happens." He grinned.
"You want to risk Harry fighting against more Water Tribe people and possibly killing them?" Katara asked in a cold voice, sending Sokka an icy glare.
"Oh," Sokka winced as if struck, he shivered slightly before answering. "yeah, on second thought, that was a bad idea. Ignore me."
"Gladly." Katara and Harry said at the same time. "Harry," Katara continued. "we can put in a good word for you. It'll really help, I know it will."
"Yeah, especially when the Avatar himself vouches for you." Aang gave Harry a cocky grin.
"And I appreciate that, but I'm not sure that it will be enough," Harry responded honestly. "there's too much bad blood. It'll take a lot more convincing than just letting them remember that you're the Avatar. So, we need to discuss what we're going to do to address the situation."
"Well, what do you think we need to do?" Aang asked, raising an eyebrow.
"First of all, you're going to need to be very, very convincing," Harry told Aang.
"Me?" Aang blinked.
"Yeah, you," Harry nodded. "you're right about the fact that you being the avatar will be worth a lot. And I'm definitely going to be needing your help."
"But...what if I'm not convincing enough?" Aang asked in a worried voice. Harry sighed before leaning forward, he placed one hand on Aang's shoulders and stared directly into his eyes. Harry took a deep breath before speaking in a serious voice.
"If you fail, then I'm going to wax your head."
(.)
"Harry! Zuko!" Azula cried as she ran into Zuko's room, she quickly shut the door behind her before staring at the two boys that were sitting on Zuko's bed, playing a board game.
"You okay, 'Zula?" Harry asked, looking up at her.
"I overheard Father talking with Grandfather, I was hiding and I heard them talking," Azula blurted out as she rushed forwards and stopped in front of them. "about Uncle Iroh."
"What about him?" Zuko asked, also looking away from their board game.
"Father was trying to convince Grandfather to let him have the throne." Azula began.
"But Uncle Iroh's next in line." Zuko pointed out with a frown.
"I know that," Azula said in an irritated voice. "Father was trying to convince him to skip past Iroh."
"Why?" Harry frowned.
"He said it's because Uncle Iroh doesn't have kids," Azula explained. "not after Lu Ten died."
"And General Iroh isn't likely to have anymore, meaning that the only person who could possibly inherit it after him would be Ozai who has you both as his heirs."
"Yeah," Azula nodded. "but that's not the most important part. Grandfather was angry, really angry, I thought he was going to burn father right there. But then he..." Azula hesitated, her gaze shifting towards Zuko.
"What?!" Zuko asked in a worried voice.
"Grandfather said that he wanted Father to know the pain that Uncle Iroh felt, he wants him to kill you." Her voice had dropped until she was barely avoiding whispering. Zuko gaped at her for a moment before he closed his mouth.
"That's not funny!" He scowled at her.
"I'm not joking, you blithering idiot!" Azula snapped at him, her temper rising.
"What's going on here?" A voice asked the door had been opened and Ursa, Zuko and Azula's mother, had walked in.
"Mum!" Zuko spoke quickly. "Azula's saying that Dad is going to kill me!"
"What?!" Ursa blurted out, shifting her gaze from Zuko to Azula. "Why on Earth would you..."
"It's true!" Azula cut in. "I heard him talking with Grandfather!" Azula said in a frustrated voice. "I did! I..."
"That's enough of that," Ursa cut her off. "go back to your room." Azula let out a frustrated cry before storming out of the room. "What is wrong with that girl?" Ursa wondered out loud.
"In my experience, it's often parents that have the biggest impact on how a child grows." Harry's cold voice cut in, causing Ursa to snap her head in his direction, but he had already looked away and was now looking at Zuko. "Don't worry, you'll be fine." He nodded to him before turning and walking out of the room, not even glancing at Ursa. 'Honestly, between those two, it's a wonder that Azula is remotely sane.' Harry thought to himself. In his opinion, Ozai was an asshole that didn't deserve to be near kids, while Ursa was massively better in comparison, that didn't mean she was perfect though. Harry noticed the way she reacted around Azula, like Azula was a mini-Ozai, he was pretty sure that Azula had noticed it too.
Harry arrived at Azula's room, as he opened the door he saw Azula on her bed and pouring out her frustrations by repeatedly punching a pillow.
"Stupid mother...stupid brother!" She muttered in-between punches.
"You know," Harry spoke up as he closed the door, causing Azula to stop and look at him. "I'm fairly certain that the pillow is innocent in all of this." Harry joked.
"You believe me, right?!" Azula hopped off her bed and rushed towards him. "Right?!"
"Calm down," Harry said, placing his hands on her shoulders. "yeah, I believe you."
"Good," Azula smiled before letting out a small huff before her smile was replaced with a frown. "Zuko didn't."
"He's scared," Harry said softly. "besides, it's easier for him to believe that you're lying than his own father wanting to kill him."
"But you believe me," Azula smiled again.
"Of course, I trust you, Azula." Harry nodded. "You like to lie on occasion, but I don't think you'd do it with something as important as this." Azula's smile got bigger, she quickly wrapped her arms around Harry, pulling him into a hug.
"Thank you for believing me." Azula breathed just before Harry hugged her back.
"Always."
Comments
Christian Jeffress
Thanks for another excellent and very enjoyable chapter, and like others have said, I think you’re handling progression of Harry and Azula’s relationship incredibly well. You have set it up that she will be a lot more sane with a positive influence in her life, and her being very loyal to that positive influence, and a relationship that can grow in time. Honestly, the story is fantastically fun to read.
Prashast Vats
couldnt agree more my man!!! tho looks lke u had that rant bottled inside for quite a while huh?😂😂
letr1994
I couldn't agree more with Erinnyes. The way you are handling the development, while slow in the number of flash back's, it's beautifully done. Not only are you making Harry have a strong impression on her, but also helping her have a more healthy development as a character herself. Honestly would love having Harry snap at Ursa sometime, be it on a flash back or when they find her again. Ozay is a monster outright, but Ursa always annoyed me in that she gave up on Azula from tha very beginning. I mean sure, unlike Zuko she was a genius which captured their father's and grandfathers attention and pride, but he never care for her, just how she could be useful to each of them, and their legacy's. Iroh was broken after his son and saw they way Zuko was different, and Ursa was worried about him like a mother should, especially in such a dangerous place as the royal court. But both of them saw that Azula hold her father's and grandfather's attention with her abilities, and decided that she was fine, that Zuko need them more, essentially abandoning her to them. And while they ignore her in exchange for Zuko, like all he children she poured herself on those who acknowledged her, doing everything they teach her and ask of her because simply they gave her praises and attention. By the time Ursa and Iroh bother themselves to notice her, she was already following the teachings of her father, because no one else could be bothered to be there for her. So when they finally notice all they saw was Ozai and his teachings, and give up on her, because they feared not the monster she was but the one they could see she would be. Instead of been a wakeup call to try and mitigate Ozai's influence on Azula with their on, they gave up on her, and THAT pissed me off to this day. She was a child, she needed her family more than ever back then, and they just gave up on her like some lost cause, focusing on Zuko, which reinforced Ozai's teachings on her. Azula may have been born with a spark of madness that Ozai feed, but Ursa and Iroh are just as guilty of what she became.
