Chapter 6

It's been a total of 8 months since I visited the royal palace and my plans for getting into the catacomb aren't going too well. You see it's a forbidden ground. Although it's under the high temple it's heavily guarded and to top it all of you need to open a gate with fire bending. If I do that at night it will be a light show so I need a plan and some outside help.

"So your saying we should help you sneak into a place where even I the royal princess is banned from going just so you can quench your thirst for knowledge?" Azula asked with a frowning face.

"That's the gist of it." I replied while I was eating my lunch in the cafeteria of the school.

"Can I come too?" Tye Lee from my right side asked.

"Sure."

"Ok I will help you but what do you have to offer in return?"

And here I thought I changed her for good but she's still just a stuck up....

"How about a technique that lets you have better chi control sound?."

"Where did you get that? There's nothing like that in the royal library."

"Azula you have been with me for so long yet you question my true expertise. Of course I invented it I can give you that if you agree to help me." I said.

"Alright fine but remember if we get caught I will be in big trouble so this better be worth it."

I was about to reply but a hand on my shoulder intarapted me. As I looked at the culprit I let out sigh.

"What is this secret plan of your care to tell me. I as the best student in the grade will be more helpful to the princess than some trash of the street."

Meet Kairo, his from a high ranking noble family and has the hots for Azula who doesn't even acknowledge his existence. His been harassing me for a couple of days.

"But Kairo on the common courses his better than you." My trusty Tye Lee defends me.

"Heh what can I even expect from you Tye Lee you don't even have bending. Why don't you just shut up or I will make you." Kairo said while he lit a fire with his hands.

Azula was about to say some thing but I beat her to it.

"You know I was letting you go because you had beef with me but if you keep this up I will have to put out your fire if you know what I mean." I said while I extinguished his flame with my hands.

"What does a weakling like you...."

"Enough!!" A slam on the table broke our trash talking battle.

"You seem to forget that I the royal princess am here. What is this savagery your showing." Said a growling Azula.

"You fool do you see your mere presence disturbs the princess." Kairo said while he looked at me.

"You imbecile I was talking about you. How stupid can you be? Get out of my sight before I burn your face"

Kairo then gave me a somber look and then bowed to Azula before leaving with his cronies. Something tells me this isn't over yet.

"Why didn't you retaliate? I don't understand why do you hide what your capable of. With how strong you are I don't think even many adults will be able to beat you so why?" Azula asked as we were training now.

"Well Azula tell me, your hailed as a prodigy so what's it like ?" As I mentioned this the color of Azulas face began to change. Azula is very smart so she could tell what I meant. Although I hide my powers for a different reason the main reason I don't show it because, when people place great expectations on you and when you don't meet them they criticize you for it. Nobody told them to expect anything they assume on they're own and bad mouth you to make them feel good. It happened in my previous life. And this life is no different. To me Rather than meeting other people's expectancy I prefer to live my life at my pace.

" You don't have to worry about me I just don't like all the attention so I'm fine." Azula just nodded. We then trained for some time before I headed for my dorm room. But a group of boys stopped me on my tracks.

"Ah! weakling Arima you finally showed up." Kairo the young master showed up infront of me.

"Really Kairo you do we really have to do this? You know I don't usually like to resort to violence?" I said while crossing my arms.

"I will give you a warning. Stop being around with the princess, she's out of your league. Only I son of admiral Huge is worthy of her."

"How about no?"

"You! Let's see how you talk after I beat you up. Let's get him." Hard to believe his just 8. Maybe kids just develop faster here. It always made me wonder does the education or the bending cause this? Maybe both who knows.I was thinking about this as I dodge every punch and kick they throw at me. There were 6 of them.

"You coward do you only know how to dodge? Everyone burn the fucker."

"But boss!"

"Just do it."

After which they all fired at me from different directions intending to roast me alive. Bending my fire around me I created a dome of fire around me to safe guard me.

"Hahaha you low life only I am worthy of princess Azula. Now burn alive." Kairo said with crazy smile on his face but it quickly faded as I walked out of the fire unscathed.

Next moment I appeared right in front of him and before he could say anything I smacked him to the ground. I did not give him time to recover and just kicked him on the back of his head over and over and over again until his movement stopped. Well at least his not dead. His cronies were just shocked.

"Well do you guys want the same treatment?" They looked at each other and answered in the negative. "Then pick up the trash and leave."

After that I didn't saw him again for a while at least. Now that I have convinced Azula and Tye Lee to join me our progress was very fast the plan was to strike in the weekend. We will each take a leave of absence from our dorm. Azula managed to get a map for the high temple. We would put our plan in motion the day after tomorrow. As I was getting back from my training I met with a unexpected guest.

"Young Arima your skill has improved tremendously." Iroh said as he was rearranging the game.

"Still not enough to beat you old man."

"Come now you beating me this soon? That would be unreasonable."

"So what do I owe the pleasure to?"

"Can't I just visit you to play Pai Sho?" Iroh was just smiling but the he became serious.

"It seems you hurt Admiral Huges child 'unfairly'. You can't understand how frustrating it is to deal with him. I was able to curb him to some extent but you better be careful from now on. I am going to lay siege in Ba Sing Se so I won't be here to protect you next time." Huh so Iroh was already going to Ba Sing Say it seems the plot is moving forward. I have to speed up my plans it seems.

"Is your son also going with you?" I asked

"Yes Lu Ten is a formidable worrier. You should meet him after we come back."

I didn't say anything. I already knew what happens to him. Since Iroh has been nice to me all this time I think I should help him. I took out two books from my chest pocket and gave them to him.

"Oh what's this? I didn't you write young Arima. On my way to Ba Sing Se it will be nice to read them with some jasmine tea."

"Those aren't novels old man they are techniques I created ones a breathing method for your chi and another is a control exercise. Only pass them to someone you trust with your life. Also take care of Lu Ten. War is a unpredictable place." Hearing me Iroh went through both books and after he finished he looked at me with a serious gaze.

"Did you write these?"

"Yes." After I said that Iroh closed his eyes for a second before thanking me he then generosity taught me a lot of things since he thought it was disrespectful to not give me anything in return. He was very surprised over my mastery of fire bending. 

"Although Azula is hailed as a prodigy even she is put to shamed in front of you Arima!"

"Come now your making me blush." 

"You should know when to take a compliment. Who else knows about your prowess?"

"Just you Azula and my friend Tyr Lee."

"It seems you trust Azula a great deal."

I didn't say anything. I know what she becomes in future but still I will try my best to not let that happen. 

"Now then show me the dragons breath."

With that as my que I gathered my chi towards my throat and then ignited it with my internal heat and spewed it out at the same time. The result was devastating, everything in front of me was reduced to ash by crimson flames. When I was done infront of me 50 miters of destruction remained and my throat felt a bit dry. 

"Your crimson flames are beautiful young Arima. Its a shame that Jeong Jeong isn't here, he could have taught you many things."

Jeong Jeong was the first fire nation deserter and I couldn't blame him, the fire nation is a mad bunch. After that we concluded our training session. Iroh gave me one last warning about the admiral and left.

The next day we reviewed our plan one last time. At night time I made sure I packed everything thing and met up with Azula and Tye Lee. We headed towards the high fire temple. It was situated in the mountains. On our way we had to sneak through several checkpoints. Overall we made it through and entered the high temple.

"You know what to do. Wait 20 minutes before you do it." Azula was going to stay behind and catch up with us later although reluctant. We made through the hall ways of the temple and eventually made it to the catacombs entrance.

"Woah are those real dragon sculls ?"

We were now standing in front of a door made of dragon bones and 5 dragon sculls but there's a bit of a problem. There were two guards standing between us and the entrance. By the aura they were emitting they were quite strong.

"You stay here." Saying so I came out of the corner and faced the two guards. They seem to be surprised by me but they quickly got into the stance.

"Identify yourself!" They said that but without waiting for my answer they fired at me simultaneously at the same time sending a massive torrent of fire towards me. I clapped my hands together and then produced a powerful burst of flames to separate the incoming fire beam. When the blast vanished I kicked the air sending a arc of flame their way. They then punched forward to dissipate the flame. Once they did that and looked forward I was no where to be seen. They heard foot steps from the sealing but it was too late. I jumped down from the sealing and kicked one of them in the shoulder which incapacitated him. The other guard was charging his fist to send a powerful flame bust towards me and I was ready for it but before he could release it a heavy kick hit him in the head knocking him unconscious.

"You can already walk on walls?." I wasked while I tied the two of them.

"Well for some reason it was easier than Azula for me to control my chi."

I taught them both the chi control exercise that I came up with. Azula was having a very hard time but Tye Lee could already walk on walls. Maybe she has talent for it.