Arya rolled to the side as she avoided a stream of water sent flying at her by the Kingsguard. The man moved twirling his sword as water froze around it. Forming an ice blade. He rushed forward avoiding her blast of fire as he swung his sword forward. As Arya moved to block with Needle she was knocked back by his might. As she was moved to blast him with fire she was blown back. By a chunk of earth slamming into her chest.
Arya let out a scream of pain as she flew back into the ground and forced herself up wincing in pain. Erner turned and shouted her name as he was hit by another blast of water knocking him back.
Arya smirked as she jumped into the air. Throwing her arms and legs around in a fury of punches and kicks. Sending fire flying around the room knocking the men surrounding her back. She stood up and gripped her chest as it throbbed in pain. Arya looked up to see Erner fighting of three common guards when she saw it. Standing on the other side of the hallway was Queen Cersei.
Cersei looked at Erner and the men and passed them to her as she waited for her to move. She took a deep breath and Arya saw her chest rise. Then she threw her head forward.
What happened next Arya would never forget.
Fire zoomed out of her forehead and blasted into Erner sending him and the men flying. One of the bodies slammed into her throwing her back.
Arya forced herself to look up as Cersei walked near her. Taking another breath. Arya stood and turned,
"I have to get her away from here," Arya thought as she ran and Cersei let loose another blast. Arya was sent flying forward as the blast made contact with the ground near her. As she crashed into the stone ground she felt blood fall from her head. Arya turned her head to see the Queen getting closer and shooting a blast of fire at her with her hand as Arya rolled to the side to avoid the blast. She turned and her eyes grew wide as she knew what the queen was.
A Combustion Bender.
Sansa pulled water from her Waterskin and thought back to her brothers. She had seen them train for years. She had never taken part but she was still a bender. She clenched her fists to condense the water into a sharp point and smirked as she whipped it up to block a blast of fire from hitting Gendry.
"I didn't know you could fight Milady," he said as she threw a water whip forward striking a man's neck with force causing it to bleed. The man grabbed his neck as another one-shot his own blast of water at Sansa.
Sansa smirked as she moved her arms with a delicate sway and before throwing her fists forward blasting the water back at two of the men. Hardening her fists as it froze and grew a sharp point. Running through the men's chests. Blood spilling from the hole left behind. Sansa lowered her arms and took a breath the last man slammed his fist into the ground. Knocking her off balance as she fell to the ground.
Gendry tried to move only for the earth around him to shoot up and incase him like a cage.
The man moved to them pulling out a sword ready to end there lives. Sansa forced herself to flick her left wrist sending water splashing into his face as the earth around Gendry fell and he moved to slam the man's head with his hammer. Sansa turned and smiled,
"To answer your question I can't. But I grew up with four boys. I've seen enough to figure out some." Sansa said as he nodded,
"We need to get to Arya and Erner and get out of here," he said as Sansa nodded her head in agreement. She felt pride fill her as she knew she had proven a point to the Queen. A point made in that dreaded conversation. The Queen has found the one thing that upset her most. Just thinking back to that day only a few months before hand made her stomach turn. The idea that Cersei knew. She thought back to that day and she felt the bile rise once more. She knew if she thought about it too much she'd cry. Part of her wondered if Arya had a right to know. It was not her place. Very few knew. Even in House Stark. Her father was the most honorable man in the Seven Kingdoms. If anyone had the right to tell another living creature the truth it was his wife or brother. And Sansa knew they'd take the secret to the grave. That'd they'd not ruin his legacy with the truth. For he never did anything bad in the end. But she couldn't help but think back to that day now. Her words to the Queen regarding her bender admits that horrible conversation.
Sansa let out a sigh as she pulled the water from the pots and allow it to move around her. She missed the North. In Winterfell, there was never a time you could not find water somewhere nearby. Even Arya's chambers had water ready to be used and at the time they hadn't even known she was a Waterbender. Sansa harden her hands into fists. As she watched the water turn to ice and she smiled before she was knocked out of her thoughts.
"Practicing for something," Sansa turned and her eyes grew wide at the sight of the queen,
"No your grace just flexing," she said as she moved her hands upward-opening her fingers as she changed the shape of the ice and molded it into the shape of a direwolf.
"You're an amazing Waterbender," Cersei said as she watched with interest. She had not expected this level of skill from the proper northern lady.
"I had three brothers and my father's bastard You're Grace, You pick things up and despite what my Mother and Arya would tell you I can do more than heal " she said as Cersei nodded,
"Yes, yes every stark is a Waterbender," Cersei said sarcastically as Sansa's head snapped and her water fell to the ground.
"Yes your grace. Every Stark," she said. It was not lost on either woman that they were discussing the Avatar's waterbending abilities.
"Starks are said to be some of the best waterbenders in the world," Cersei said as Sansa allowed herself to smirk.
"Yes we are," Sansa said
"Yes you're Father was the best in the world for his use of," Cersei was stopped as Sansa stood up,
"That's enough. I don't like talking about that," she said her voice cold as Cersei smiled,
"So you're aware," she hinted as Sansa fought the urge to cry. She hated thinking about this. It made her sick.
"Does everyone know," Sansa wanted to kill her.
"The ones who should," Sansa told the queen as she glared before turning and walking away. Sansa's right hand flew to her mouth to stop the bile from escaping. Just thinking about it made her sick. Just thinking about the truth.
Just thinking about her father's power. Just thinking of the fact.
The fact that Ned Stark was a Bloodbender.
Arya's eyes grew wide in terror as she threw her arms up to summon a wall of earth and block a blast of Combustion from the queen. The earth was blown apart as she was thrown back slamming to the walls of the Red Keep. She felt her head grow wet from it's leaking blood as she fell to the ground. Her kneels growing red with stains in her clothes as she moved. She moved forward throwing a fist of fire at the Queen. Cersei moved to the side with speed and grace. Arya stared in terror as pain shot through her arm.
"Shit, shit. Gendry was right," she muttered in panic as the Queen approached her,
"I must say you are a great bender Lady Arya," Cersei said kindly as Arya forced herself up and felt pain shoot through her left arm.
The master of two elements. Screamed in pain. She knew right away that her arm was broken. She used her good arm to feel her chest and flinched in pain. She could feel bones break as blood-stained her shirt. She looked down and felt terror at the spike of earth in her abdomen. Arya gripped the spike and bit her lip so hard it slipped red as she pulled out the spike. As she stood herself up and took in the sight of the queen she knew.
She was completely outclassed. She had no idea how to begin to combat a Combustion Bender. How do you fight someone who can firebend with their mind? As the queen spoke she looked in horror,
"It's a shame to end the life of such a powerful bender,"
Arya closed her eyes and did the only thing she could.
She ran.
Arya summoned a ball of earth around her and lessened the blow as the earth was blown apart and she was thrown into a wall as it shattered.
As she crashed into the ground. She felt bile rise to her mouth. She felt ill. Blood spilling from her wounds.
She opened a hole in the ground as she heard the Queens voice and jumped in closing the hole as she covered her head in fear.
"You're weak. Just like your father. You came here" Cersei mocked as she saw the deformed earth and smirked,
"To save your Sister. That honorable act is going to be the reason you all die,"
Arya closed her eyes as the earth was blown apart by another blast of fire and she was sent flying from her hole into the air. She felt the sun hit her skin as she was flown out of the keep and on to a bridge.
"The Avatar of legend is no more than a scared weak little girl,"
Arya glanced to her side as she saw the fall and knew if she fell. She would die due to her wounds. Three members of the Kingsguard joined the Queen ready with blasts of Water, Air, and Earth. As dread filled her. The Queen walked forward. In her mind. She saw her family. She thought of her Father, Her mother. Her brothers. She thought of Robb fighting and Jon on the wall with the White Walkers. She thought of Sansa being beaten by the King. She thought Erner and Gendry. Everyone would die. But most of all she thought of her own life. She was going to die.
"I don't wanna die…. I don't wanna die!" She screamed in her mind as she looked to the sky a final time and saw it. Her father's head on a spike. The severed head had been dipped in tar to preserve it longer. It did not really look like her father at all. Like a perversion of his likeness. She felt bile rise to the top of her mouth. As she took in the sight. Red dried blood at his neck. His eyes were lifeless. If she had been stronger she could have saved him. She left him and the whole world down. Shame filled her as her death neared. Her eyes burned with tears but all she could see was red. Rage filled her like water in a vase. Cersei smiled as she held a fist to her head as Arya turned her head and the queen jumped back. Her eyes glowed white with mighty power!
She stood slowly as she shot her broken arm up to grip the queen's hands in her small fingers. Her grip earning a scream of pain from the Queen. As the sound of her bones shattering could be heard. Cersei looked in horror as the Avatar stood and whipped her other arm around. Air shooting the men back as she hovered with twisting wind bellow. She flew into the air and threw her head back letting out a roar like a dragon as fire shot from her mouth. She tossed and turned in the air with sheer rage. If one could see her eyes clearly they'd have seen her tears streaming down her cheeks. With a mighty shout the earth shook. She turned her flying form and aimed her body at the Red Keep. As she charged forward. Towards her foes. forward. The force of the air vortex holding her in the air tearing apart the ground as she flew.
Cersei looked up
"Oh that's bad," she said as she forced herself up and look at the men with her who stared in horror.
The Avatar raised her arms as chanks of earth into the air. Two men moved to run as she slammed her arms down. The chunks of earth crashing into their heads. Shattering there skulls. Their eyes popping out of there sockets. Blood spalting on the ground. Cersei turned in terror as she looked at her foe. Towering above them with a vortex of air. Like an angry beast. A blast of air sent another flying crashing through a wall. As if the wall made with paper.
Nymeria jumped awake as she moved from where she slept next to Tito. The trio having left them in a forest near the city. Hidden away. The direwolf looked to the sky before running to Tito and barking wildly as she turned and pointed her nose to the city.
As Erner blocked a blast of fire with a spin of his hands. He fired a blast at a member of the Kingsguard. As he looked out of the side of his eye he saw Gendry running to him with a red haired girl he assumed was Lady Stark with him. He was unsurprised to see a wet water skin at her side.
As Gendry approached them he looked to Sansa as he slammed his hammer into the skull of a bender.
"This is Lady Sansa Stark," Gendry said as Erner nodded and faced another opponent and sent a fiery blast of heat at the man. As he fired the ground started to shake. The walls of the keep shook as they started to fall apart.
"What's that," Sansa asked in horror as Erner glared,
"I have no idea! Arya may need help come on," he said as they started to move to the future of the shaking.
The Avatar flew in the air as she threw her hand forward as Lava burst from the ground. She kicked her left leg as the Lava poured onto a man. Air burst from her right leg as the Lava hardened from the cold air. Cersei stood to aim a blast as the Avatar raised an arm to the clouds and pulled her hand down in a fist. The water shot out of the clouds as she blasted it to the queen blasting her back as she lowered herself to the ground and the Red Keep shook as the earth trembled. Wind flying around her form as her angry white eyes gazed at the people around her. The Force of the wind began tearing apart the Red Keep. Tossing pieces of the Keep in the air.
Gendry enter passed the archway as he near the bridge and his eyes grew wide. What would bring terror in the hearts of many simply made him want to cry. The Avatar screaming in anger and sadness. as Erner and Sansa matched his pace. He froze as the Avatar raised her hand and sent spikes of earth into three men's chests pinning them to walls. They're lifeless bodies hanging like dolls. Blood steeping from there chests.
Sansa watched in terror, unable to move as the girl threw her head up as fire shot from her mouth.
"What is that," she whispered as she looked passed Arya and saw her father's head sitting on its spike as Erner grabbed her arm.
"We need to go," he started as Lava once more burst from the ground below the bridge. Shooting miles into the sky.
"Yeah right fucking now," he said
Gendry turned and looked his face filled with pain, "I'm staying. You get Lady Stark somewhere safe," he said as Sansa looked at him like he had grown a second head and the firebender pulled her away.
As they ran Gendry turned and face the raging Avatar. His chest hurt as his head throbbed. His arms felt weak at the sight. As she tossed and turned in the air. Screaming like a hurt beast.
As Sansa ran she was grateful she had cut her dress with ice as she though her shoes to the side. Erner frowned as they rushed up a set of stairs as Sansa yelled through a breath,
"Where are we going," she shouted as he turned his head,
"Away from the really angry Avatar," he said as Sansa glared,
"What is that," she shouted in fear. Her tone as unladylike as she could ever remember it being.
"I don't know. Her eyes glow and she loses control. I've seen it once before but not like this. It's worse this time. She went back to normal last time," he explained as they reached the top of the stairs. Sansa's eyes grew wide as she saw both sides of the hallway held at least five benders. All aiming there fists forward. She whipped around as she summoned her water to block a blast of fire,
"Look out!" she shouted as her water fell to the ground. Erner stood and sighed,
"Well shit," he said looked forward. Both ends of the hallway had been blocked off and Sansa wasn't a fighter. They could not win. So he looked forward and saw a window as he looked to Sansa,
"Lady Stark you ever flown before," he asked as he grabbed her and pulled her forward. Thankful he was so much bigger than her small body. She was taller than Arya but he was older.
As he rushed forward they sent there blasts forward as Sansa wrapped her arms around his neck and he jumped from the window and let fire fly from his feet and fists as they flew down to the ground. Away from the Red Keep.
As they crashed into the dirt. Sansa stood. Her body felt like it was on fire. She had never ran like this. Never really ran at all. It wasn't ladylike. But Erner grabbed her hand pulled her up and smiled,
"Let's go," he said as Sansa glared. How dare he suggest they leave Arya.
"What about Arya," she asked as he smirked,
"Arya's the Avatar. She'll be fine. I'm more worried about her bringing down the Red Keep" He said as they ran into the streets.
As he forced himself to fight the wind Gendry felt his body burn from its force. He was shocked he hadn't died as he looked around. The wind around his body seemed weaker. As if that part of the area had less power put into it. Such control over air was unheard of. He forced himself forward as he closed the gap between him and Arya and reached up and allowed his hand to overlap hers.
"ARYA!," he shouted her name like a prayer as the Avatar looked down and his eyes grew wide.
Tears were streaming down her face as her eyes met his.
"Arya I know you're upset! I know your father is gone but you still have your family. Your Mother, your brothers, Sansa and Jon. You still have all of them" he shouted as the the four elemnts spun around them faster than ever. Gendry's eyes never leaving hers. Water slicing from her arms cutting open a man's chest.
Cersei watched in wonder as the boy with black hair. Who looked much like her late husband yelled out to the Avatar.
"Don't forget Erner," Gendry added as he looked down for a moment before meeting her gaze,
"Don't forget me either. I'm not going anywhere," he said sadly,
"Please," he begged his voice low. He had never been good at talking comfortingly. Girls more so. But he supposed this wasn't a girl. This was his best friend. Arya. as Arya's eyes grew wide her bending stopped as she lowered herself into his arms. As he held her small form he could feel her weaken. Tears streaming from her eyes,
"It's not fair! He didn't do anything wrong! Why! Why! Why'd he have to die." she was sobbing as she muttered more words he couldn't understand. The glow flickered on and off with her tears as it vanished permanently.
"I'm sorry " she whispered as she slowly closed her eyes. Her body giving out from the power of the Avatar. Gendry picked her form up in his arms as he saw a shadow in the sky as he heard the bark of a direwolf. Nymeria barked from the saddle of Tito as he smiled as he turned faced the Queen as she tried force herself up,
"Get them!," she shouted as the bison landed and Gendry carried the Avatar up it's back before holding her tightly in his arms as the queen seemed to realize while looking around the men were all dead. She turned and glare as Gendry spoke,
"Tito yip yip,"
As they took to the sky it hit her. Anger filled her. She knew that boy. He looked just like her late Husband.
"We will speak once more when the time is right Arya," The voice of Avatar Korra whispered in Arya's mind.
As Sansa and Erner fell to their knees he frowned as he turned and saw men chasing them. Dread filled him. He was tired. Too tired to fight that many men and protect Lady Stark. He looked to her and sighed. She was holding her knees. He could tell she was exhausted. That she'd never fought before. As he turned and stood to the fight he heard Sansa speak,
"What the fuck is that!,"
He whipped around and smiled as Tito crashed into the street before him. The bison turned and flipped it's tail sending a large blast of air out knocking two men back. As Nymeria jumped down and rushed forward. The direwolf blized forward as she avoided a sword and slapped a man down with her large paws as Erner blasted two more men back with fire as he turned to Sansa. His eyes wide in terror as a man had slipped by him and grabbed her by the neck. Knocking her water skin to the ground as she struggled before submitting to his grip.
Sansa looked out of her right eye and hope filled her as another direwolf. Covered in mug and dirt jumped from an alleyway and rushed the man. Knocking him down as he lost his grip.
Sansa looked at the wolf and tears filled her eyes,
"Lady!," she shouted as Erner glared,
"That's Tito. Our Flying Bison," he said as she shook her head as he helped her up Tito's tail,
"My sister has a flying bison because of course she does," she said with a grin. She couldn't help but smile. She was so close to being safe. Free from Kings Landing. Tito took to the sky without a word as the team flew away from King's Landing.
Arya's eyes flicked open as pain filled her chest as she saw Sansa pull glowing wet hands. Healing hands away from her chest. As she looked around she saw she was atop Tito. She looked to see Gendry smiling as Erner nodded at her,
"Good to see you awake Arya. Sleeping on the job I see" he mocked as Arya glared before her eyes moved passed him to the second direwolf. She knew even with the mud and dirt it was Lady. As she moved her eyes to meet her sisters she rushed forward entering an embrace with Sansa.
"You saved me," Sansa whispered as Arya smiled into her long flowing red hair,
"Of course I saved you. We are pack aren't we," Arya said softly as Sansa nodded,
"Yes we are," she said as Arya pulled back,
"I'm sorry. I left you," she said as Sansa shook her head,
"You did what you had to do," she said as Arya smiled softly,
"How'd we get away," she asked as Gendry sighed,
"Well you did that glowy thing," he explained as she glared,
"I know that but after I passed out," she asked. She knew the reason she could not remember was the glowy thing. It happened every time. Erner smiled,
"Somehow Tito knew to come for us," he said as she glanced at Lady and Sansa struggling to stand up,
"I haven't seen Lady in months," she said as she petted the direwolves head gently. Arya smiled as she turned well,
"Have you done introductions yet," she said as Sansa shook her head,
"Not properly," she said as Arya grinned and pointing to her master,
"This is Erner Storm. He's my firebending teacher," Arya explained as he smiled,
"Wish we could have met more pleasantly Lady Stark," he said politely. Arya turned and pointed down,
"This is," she started before her sister cut her off,
"Tito I know that one could not wait," she said with a soft silky smile as Gendry laughed,
"Sorry to scare you Milady," he said in a hushed voice with his head down. It was not like the way he teased Arya. But this was not about her or Gendry.
"This is Gendry," Arya started before smiling, "My best friend," she said honestly as he smirked widely,
"I'm moving up in the world I see Milady," he teased as she turned and glared.
"Don't call me that dummy," she shot back angrily as Sansa fought back a laugh.
" This is going to be interesting," Sansa thought before something occurred to her,
"Where are we going," she asked in worry as Arya smiled,
"Winterfell. I want to head home before heading to Castle Black," she said as Sansa nodded before frowning,
"Why go to the wall. Girls can't go there," Sansa reminded her sister. Just because Arya didn't care to be a lady didn't mean she could pretend she wasn't a girl.
"Because I want Jon to teach me waterbending," she explained as Sansa smiled. She would not pretend she liked Jon. It was one of many things her and her sister didn't see eye to eye on. But she would not say he was a bad waterbender. But that was a long way off,
"Arya I could help you get started. There's a lot to learn before combat," she said as Gendry smirked,
"I told you she could teach you," he said as she looked away. Her cheeks red at the idea of learning from her prim and proper sister. As she looked to Lady the red-haired Stark looked to the trio,
"Could we stop somewhere so I can bathe Lady. Plus I need new clothes," she said as Arya nodded glancing at Erner,
"Let's try to find a small town with a river we can use," she suggested as the others nodded. Gendry looked to Arya,
"Hey tomorrow can we work on my reading while we fly," he asked as Erner steered Tito to the ground to set up for the night.
Arya smiled,
"Sure sounds relaxing I've had enough action for a few days," she joked as they landed onto the ground causing her lady sister to jump.