The boy stood across from Vinhor.
He was fighting a dragon-man who was, by all appearances, one of the strongest beings in this realm.
And yet, the boy finally understood Zuko’s plan.
He wasn’t supposed to win.
He simply had to stall for time.
The boy smiled.
“Come at me.”
The wasteland erupted into violence.
Volcanic rocks were sent flying as the two collided again and again, their blows sending shockwaves across the barren landscape.
Every impact shook the ground.
Every exchange pushed them farther through the ruined realm.
Vinhor was beginning to look genuinely surprised.
The boy was holding his own.
More than that—
He was actually pushing him.
Vinhor eventually dropped to one knee.
A thin trail of blood ran from his nose.
The boy immediately capitalized.
One punch.
Two.
Three.
Three clean strikes slammed into Vinhor’s face.
The boy followed with another punch—
But this time, Vinhor caught it effortlessly.
The boy threw his other fist.
Caught again.
His teeth clenched.
Then he exerted his full strength.
His muscles tensed as he pushed forward with overwhelming force.
For a moment—
Vinhor was pinned against the wall.
The boy stared him directly in the eyes.
“Are you aware of me?”
Vinhor smiled.
“The whole ‘last human alive’ thing?”
He chuckled.
“Yeah.
Of course I know.”
Vinhor suddenly kicked him away.
The boy flew backward but dug his feet into the ground, carving a trail through the volcanic soil until he came to a stop.
Then an idea struck him.
He slowly extended one hand.
His voice became calm.
“Then you know what I can do.”
A strange sensation filled the air.
Suddenly—
A jagged black sword flew toward him.
The boy caught it.
His eyes widened.
“It worked!”
He barely had time to celebrate.
Vinhor blitzed forward.
The boy raised his sword.
Vinhor threw a punch.
The boy ducked underneath it and swung horizontally.
The jagged blade struck Vinhor across the stomach.
But the attack wasn’t deep enough to stop him.
Vinhor retaliated immediately.
BOOM!
His fist slammed into the boy’s face.
The boy was sent flying.
Vinhor laughed.
“Come on!”
His eyes burned with excitement.
“Let’s see that angry boy inside you that you’re desperately trying to contain.”
The boy’s expression darkened.
They collided again.
Punch after punch.
Strike after strike.
Neither gave the other room to breathe.
The boy raised his sword for a vertical slash.
Too slow.
Vinhor snapped his fingers.
His war hammer flew directly into his hand.
CLANG!
The hammer blocked the sword with ease.
Vinhor immediately swung.
His aim was crude.
His strength was anything but.
The hammer struck the boy with the force of a demigod.
The boy was launched through the air.
CRASH!
He smashed into another statue.
Pain surged through his body.
He coughed and forced himself upright.
Then he saw it.
The war hammer was already flying toward him.
The boy barely moved his head in time.
The hammer passed inches from his face.
Before he could react—
Vinhor blinked into existence directly in front of him.
BOOM!
A punch slammed into the boy’s face.
The boy barely reacted.
Vinhor grabbed his hammer.
He swung.
The boy ducked underneath the attack and drove his jagged sword into Vinhor’s chest.
Vinhor merely chuckled.
He grabbed the boy’s face.
Then—
They shot into the sky.
The two spun through the air.
Vinhor suddenly seized the boy by the neck and threw him toward the ground.
BOOM!
The boy crashed down.
Vinhor landed nearby.
He reached toward the sword embedded in his chest and pulled it free.
Then he tossed it toward the boy.
The sword landed beside him.
The boy groaned.
He struggled back onto his feet.
Vinhor turned around and looked at the ruined statue behind them.
He sighed.
“Sorry about your statue, brother.”
He looked toward the sky.
“You old fart.”
The boy’s anger continued to build.
He clenched his fists.
Then he charged.
BAM!
His fist slammed into Vinhor’s back.
Vinhor staggered several meters forward.
He slowly turned around.
Then smiled.
“Good.”
He cracked his neck.
“Very good.”
His grin widened.
“If you’re not fighting like that…”
He raised his hammer.
“…consider yourself not a fighter at all.”
Once again—
The wasteland exploded into violence.
Vinhor swept the boy’s legs from underneath him.
He grabbed the boy’s ankle and threw him across the ground.
The boy bounced once before rolling to a stop.
He immediately got back up.
Something massive was already flying toward him.
His eyes widened.
The war hammer.
The boy reached out with both hands.
BOOM!
He caught it.
The force pushed him backward.
His feet dug into the ground.
He gritted his teeth.
Then, with everything he had, he threw the hammer away.
It disappeared into the distance.
The boy immediately charged Vinhor.
But—
Something struck the back of his head.
His vision blurred.
His knees buckled.
He fell to the ground.
For a moment, everything became unclear.
Then his vision returned.
He looked up.
Vinhor stood over him.
The war hammer was already raised.
It came crashing down.
The boy threw both hands upward and caught the weapon.
Vinhor smiled.
“You really think you can come here…”
He pushed against the hammer.
“…team up with my idiot little brother…”
The pressure increased.
“…cause destruction in our home…”
The boy gritted his teeth.
“…and think nothing is going to happen?”
Vinhor’s eyes narrowed.
“That isn’t how this works.”
He pushed the boy away.
“You’re a fighter.”
He gripped his hammer.
“Just like me.”
Then—
Vinhor disappeared.
A blur.
He reappeared directly in front of the boy.
BOOM!
The hammer struck his head.
Everything went black.
The boy couldn’t see.
Couldn’t move.
Couldn’t even tell where he was.
Then a voice tore through the darkness.
“Oh no, boy.”
A chuckle followed.
“Get up.”
The voice became more excited.
“Let’s keep fighting.”
The boy’s eyes snapped open.
“What?!”
Vinhor laughed.
“Don’t worry.”
He raised his hammer.
“Dragon magic.”
The boy’s teeth clenched.
He stared at Vinhor.
“I’m gonna fucking kill you.”
Smoke billowed through the battlefield.
The boy suddenly grabbed Vinhor by the neck.
He pulled him closer.
Then—
BOOM!
His fist slammed into Vinhor with terrifying force.
The boy prepared to follow up.
But Vinhor was already moving.
He tackled the boy into the air.
The boy unleashed a barrage of punches.
Vinhor caught one of them.
Then exerted his strength and threw the boy back toward the ground.
CRASH!
The ground fractured beneath him.
The boy immediately rose.
The jagged sword flew into his hand as though answering his call.
Vinhor landed nearby.
The two stared at one another.
Both raised their weapons.
Then—
They threw them.
The jagged sword and the war hammer collided in midair.
BOOOOOOM!
A massive shockwave rippled throughout the realm.
The two fighters slowly walked toward each other.
The boy glared at Vinhor.
“It seems you put them last…”
He paused.
“…even in this meaningless struggle.”
Vinhor’s expression changed.
“What the fuck did you say?”
The boy smiled.
“Zuko sought me out because he was afraid of you.”
Vinhor’s eyes narrowed.
The boy continued.
“And in the long run…”
He clenched his fists.
“…he’s probably going to die from the wounds you’re going to give him.”
Silence.
Then—
Vinhor laughed.
A wild, almost manic laugh.
“Oh.”
He wiped his mouth.
“Looks like we got ourselves a model big brother here.”
The two simultaneously called their weapons back.
The hammer flew toward Vinhor.
The sword flew toward the boy.
They caught them.
Then charged.
Both swung with overwhelming force.
CLANG!
Their weapons collided.
The ground beneath them shattered.
Then collapsed.
Both fighters plummeted into a massive crater.
BOOM!
They hit the bottom.
Vinhor immediately stood.
He looked around.
His expression changed.
“This feels…”
He glanced across the unfamiliar landscape.
“…dreadfully familiar.”
The boy slowly rose.
“What?”
Vinhor chuckled.
“Don’t worry about it.”
Then they clashed again.
Perhaps this would be the final exchange.
Vinhor swung his hammer.
The boy desperately blocked.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Every strike forced him backward.
His arms were beginning to tremble.
His breathing grew heavier.
Vinhor gritted his teeth.
Then he swung with everything he had.
CRACK!
The hammer knocked the jagged sword from the boy’s hands.
Before the boy could react, Vinhor grabbed him by the neck and lifted him into the air.
The boy’s strength was fading.
He was exhausted.
He had pushed himself far beyond his limits.
Vinhor stared at him.
“I see why Zuko chose you.”
His voice became quieter.
“But I’m not Zuko.”
He tightened his grip.
“And if you continue to stay in these lands…”
Vinhor’s eyes narrowed.
“…the dragons have plans for you.”
Something inside the boy snapped.
His anger erupted.
Not a spark.
Not a flicker.
Wrath.
Pure, overwhelming rage.
It spread through his entire being.
The boy suddenly slammed his forehead into Vinhor.
CRACK!
Vinhor staggered backward.
The boy dropped to the ground.
He stood there, breathing heavily.
Every ounce of strength he had left gathered into one fist.
Vinhor watched him.
The boy lunged.
His fist came forward with everything he had.
BOOOOOOM!
The impact sent Vinhor flying.
He crashed into the curved wall of the crater.
For a moment, there was silence.
Then Vinhor chuckled.
“There he is.”
He looked at the boy with genuine interest.
“There’s that angry child I’ve been looking for.”
Vinhor slowly stood.
He wiped his mouth and smiled.
“Consider your price paid.”
His body began to fade.
“I’ll be seeing you soon.”
Then—
He blinked out of existence.
Gone.
The boy stood motionless.
His body finally gave out.
He dropped to his knees and coughed.
His breathing was ragged.
He had nothing left.
A moment later, footsteps approached.
Zuko appeared in front of him.
He reached down and helped the exhausted boy back onto his feet.
Zuko gave him a faint smile.
“I knew you’d survive through it.”