ASTG: Chapter 30 (Patreon)

“You…” June muttered once she saw the shiny katana. It made no sense for a Fire Nation soldier to have it. She heard about this rare type of sword being used only in the Kyoshi islands, or specific dojos to teach swordsmanship. 

Raoh chuckled inside his helmet. Waving the sword several times, the bars were cut easily and cleanly. 

June watched as she saw them sliding. 

She immediately could tell who he is. 

After all, she only knows one swordsman with such skills. 

“Raoh.” She said. 

“Only recognised me now.” He smiled as he took his helmet off, revealing his face with its lower half covered. 

“Never thought you would come to save me.” 

“Neither did I.” 

Raoh didn’t unsheathe his sword. Instead, he started walking around. “Can you get out? I have to free the people around.” 

“Why?” June asked. 

Raoh didn’t answer. 

But it’s for the best. 

If the prisoners saw them escaping, they will shout for Raoh to save them. 

But if they were having a chance to get out alive, they will not shout. Instead, they may take weapons. 

Raoh waved his sword left and right, cutting the locks of the cells. 

But, as it seems, the people were hesitating to leave.

Once Raoh sheathed his sword, he felt some light steps approaching him from behind and was about to attack him. He quickly turned and held the body from the neck, lifting it high. It was a man in tight clothes and a blue mask. Somehow, the blue mask was familiar, and Raoh could tell the owner. 

“Zuko.”  Raoh put his down, and Zuko held his neck. 

“Geez. Do you have eyes in your back?” Zuko complained as he held his neck. Zuko, at first, was about to attack him, because he didn’t know that Raoh would be dressing in Fire Nation armour. Not to mention he only saw him from his back. 

“What are you doing here?” Raoh asked as he lowered his mask. 

“You ask me? We agreed to think this through to free your little girlfriend, but you just sneaked all the way alone.” Zuko said. “I can’t just leave you behind to get jailed.” 

Raoh felt a bit impressed at first since Zuko was about to enter here, all alone, and without super physical abilities like his, but that impressment would vanish since the prince can use Fire Bending to break the walls. 

“So…” June smirked and put her hand on Raoh’s shoulder. “You said you wanted to save your little girlfriend. Didn’t think that things evolved that fast” 

Zuko turned slowly and walked away, avoiding Raoh’s opened eyes. 

Raoh rolled his eyes and decided not to validate her. “Me neither.”

“Did you?” June asked, smirking. 

Raoh turned, put his hand on her chin, and said. “We had few stuck matters to resolve… that’s why I came.” 

“Hmm…” June smiled as she looked at his face. “You are bad boy, my type.” 

She just was about to kiss him as he patted her shoulders. But the prince had another say. 

“Can you stop, we have to break out of here.” Zuko turned and said in an impatient tone. 

Raoh let a long frustrated sigh, same for June who glared at Zuko. 

“Good job not ratting me.” 

“I couldn’t, even if I wanted.” 

“But you could use Nyla,” Raoh said. 

“Didn’t think of that.”  Replied June. 

June was weak against money as any mercenary is. However, because Zhao hadn’t offered it, she hadn’t even considered chasing after Raoh. That’s good if you exclude her greedy nature. But nothing wrong with that. No one is perfect, every human has a sin. Raoh, somehow, felt that he has all of the sins inside of him. He is lustful, greedy, some times envious of the rich people who get a thing without effort… 

June frowned as she heard about Nyla. “We need to free her.” 

“Let’s move out first.” Raoh took the lead and stepped in front of everyone, gesturing for them to follow his steps. 

“By the way, where is Toph.” 

“She is waiting for us, outside.”

“Figured out that she would be the first one to notice my absence.” 

The three took a turn, and Raoh was faced by two guards. There was no avoiding it. He vanished from his place and appeared between them, punching them on the head and knocking them to the ground. Since the floor is made of metal, it made a strong sound. 

“Didn’t expect that to be that loud,” Raoh said with a calm voice, before heading near the iron wall. He closed his eyes and found that it was the best spot to get out from since there is no one out. Besides, other guards would be here soon. 

Unsheathing his sword, he made a few cuts, before kicking forward and creating a door. 

Zuko was looking with a bit of admiration. There is no swords master known to have the ability to cut iron, let alone cut a thick wall. Same for June who stared at his large back. She was also wondering what’s more for him. 

Raoh turned to them, staring blandly at their expression as if he hadn’t done something amazing. 

“Let’s get out, we have ten seconds.” Raoh then jumped over. 

The two followed him. 

“Over here! The fall came from this direction.” Came a strange voice from the guard. 

Raoh and the group hurried to the three walls. Without consideration, Raoh cut it into pieces, creating room for his group. They got out, but they were followed by two guys, and a girl in armour. 

Raoh stopped and said. “Go,” 

June and Zuko stopped as they saw Raoh squatting. He unsheathed his sword and waved it a few times. A strong air slash left the blade and collided with the three, sending them back and making them fall. Luckily for them, their armour only broke, and Raoh hadn’t been that serious when he attacked. 

“From here,” Zuko said as he pointed to a certain spot and jumped. The earth swallowed him. Raoh nodded to June, and he gestured to her to do the same. She took a deep breath, said she’ll trust him for now, and jumped to where Zuko had jumped before Raoh did the same. 

Raoh found the earth moving around him, taking his body to a specific point. Soon, he was back to the surface, and he saw Toph, taking the stance of a bender. 

“Raoh! You made me worried.” Toph opened her arms and run to him. She didn’t hug him, she held him in his arms and squeezed. “Good, I was worried that you went soft there. Jails can break you some time.” 

“Just say you missed me and stop being a Tsundere,” Raoh said with a sigh. 

Toph blushed a bit and turned her head. “Stupid. No one said that.” 

Raoh just laughed a bit, and he turned to June. “So, where is Nyla.” 

June sat down, took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She opened them and said. “She was taken somewhere under the ground. I heard from some guard it’s where the Waterbender from the South is locked. Those bastards, they never told me where. Nyla would lose its mind if she doesn’t smell me.”

June sounded hopeless. 

Toph, however, wasn’t. She smiled and patted June on the arm. 

“Stop being gloomy. If it’s under the ground, we can find her.” 

June lifted her head, lazy to argue. “Yeah, with what, your eyes.” 

Toph lifted her leg. “With this.” She pointed to her foot. 

Raoh had a smirk on his face as he turned in the prison’s direction. ‘So, Katara is here, too. Maybe, it’s good to have her with us. I wonder what’s her story in this version.’