ITB Chapter 8 An Opened Hand

Azula’s fire lit one of the various rooms of the Backrooms like a blazing inferno. Streams of blue flame roared from her hands in every direction, searing the yellow wallpaper black, cracking the ceiling tiles, and turning the damp carpet into steaming, bubbling sludge. The once monotonous hum of fluorescent lights was drowned out by the roar of her bending, each jet of fire exploding with desperation in her chest.

Her arms trembled from the constant output, but she kept going. She had to.

Every flicker of flame was meant to silence the voices. Her father’s contempt, her mother’s pity, her friends’ fear, Zuko’s hatred—they circled her mind like vultures. They would not leave her.

“Shut up! SHUT UP!” She screamed, thrusting another wave of blue fire into the shadows.

The giant Spider Grimm hissed from beyond the flames, their many red eyes glinting in the smoke. They skittered back, clicking mandibles in frustration. Her recklessness had created a barrier, various walls of fire that no beast could cross without being burned to ash. For every Grimm that tried, her flames swallowed them whole.

And yet, her fire was no true salvation.

The walls around her were engulfed, the ceiling above groaning as the wallpaper and tiles blistered from the heat. Smoke choked the air, thick and bitter, filling her lungs with every ragged breath. The carpet beneath her boots glowed faintly, charred black, the air shimmering with rising heat.

She had sealed herself in and became both the prisoner and warden.

But Azula didn’t notice. Or maybe she refused to notice. Her mind was too loud, too fractured.

“You are nothing without me.” Ozai said with dismissal and scorn.

 “My poor, monstrous child.” Her mother looked at her with pity.

 “You scare us.” Came the fearful voice of Ty Lee

 “I hate you!” Zuko screamed.

Her flames flared violently, splashing across the walls, bursting lights above her one by one. The corridor rattled with the heat, shadows dancing like mocking silhouettes. She lashed out blindly, striking at the specters only she could see, Zuko’s glare in the fire, Mai’s knives flashing in the smoke, Ursa’s disappointed eyes staring down at her.

“No! Stop looking at me like that!” She cried, her voice cracking, ragged.

Until her steps stumbled. Her body, already fraying from exhaustion and the smoke, betraying her as she tripped over a chunk of charred carpet, falling hard onto her side. The breath rushed from her lungs as the heat pressed down heavier.

For a moment, she didn’t get up. She couldn’t.

The voices swarmed closer, echoing louder, cutting sharper. Her fingers twitched but her flames sputtered, flickering weakly in the smoke-filled air.

Azula curled in on herself, knees drawn up, her arms wrapping tight around her head. She pressed her hands against her ears so hard her nails dug into her scalp.

“Stop… stop… STOP!” Her sobs wracked through her chest, tears cutting clean streaks through the soot smeared across her cheeks. “You’re not real. You’re not real. I’m not a monster… I’m not…”

But the whispers only grew louder.

Her once-perfect mask of confidence, of control, of imperial poise and standing was gone. All that was left was a trembling little girl, trapped in her own flames, crying into the smoke as the shadows of her friends and family tore into her mind.

The fire raged on around her, sealing her in with her demons.

And the giant Spider Grimm waited just beyond the flames, clicking and hissing, patient as predators always were for the perfect opportunity to strike.

—-------------------------------------------

The trio moved slowly, their footsteps muffled by the damp carpet. The further they went, the thicker the smoke became, clinging to their lungs and stinging their eyes. Yuuka wrapped a scarf tightly over her mouth, while Weiss narrowed her gaze, every muscle tense as she scanned the shadows for movement.

The air was heavy with an unnatural heat. At first, Issei thought it was just the smoke, but soon, a strange glow bled into the yellow halls. Not orange or red like a normal blaze—no, this was blue.

They turned the last corner—and froze.

Before them stretched a chamber utterly engulfed in blue flames. The fire hissed and crackled, spreading across the walls and ceiling, swallowing the ugly wallpaper and damp floor in shimmering waves of heat. The temperature rolled over them like an oppressive wave, making Issei sweat instantly under his new jacket.

But what struck them most wasn’t the fire—it was the Grimm.

Dozens of giant Spider Grimm clung to the walls and ceiling, their black limbs twitching, their red eyes glowing as they faced the inferno. None dared to cross. They simply… waited in silence and patience. Dozens of clicking mandibles opened and shut, but none shrieked or attacked. It was as though the flames themselves had caged something inside, and the Grimm were circling like vultures, waiting for it to burn itself out.

Yuuka swallowed hard, her voice a whisper as she gripped her pipe. “…Are we too late? There’s no way anyone could survive that.”

Weiss’s eyes narrowed, studying the searing glow. Her face was calm, but her words betrayed her doubt. “Blue fire burns far hotter than red or orange. Even a skilled fire manipulator would be consumed in their own recklessness. Whoever started this…” She trailed off, her lips pressing into a tight line.

Issei, however, didn’t answer. His eyes were fixed on the flames, wide and unblinking. There was something about that fire, something mesmerizing as he couldn’t look away. It danced wildly, almost alive, carrying with it a storm of emotion he couldn’t name. His chest tightened as he stared, a strange pull dragging him closer.

Then—he heard it.

Beneath the roar of fire, under the crackle of burning carpet was a faint and broken noise of someone sobbing.

Issei’s breath caught. He leaned forward instinctively, straining his ears. ‘Is that crying? Is someone in there?’

“W-Weiss! Yuuka!” He spun to them, urgency lacing his tone. “There’s someone alive in there—I can hear them crying!”

Yuuka blinked at him in disbelief. “What? No way! Are you sure you’re not just hearing things through the fire?”

Weiss’s gaze flicked toward him, skeptical but sharp. “…Crying? Inside that? Issei, do you realize how absurd that sounds? The temperature alone would—”

But she stopped when she saw his face.

Issei wasn’t joking. His eyes were serious, his jaw tight. He looked dead certain.

Weiss’s doubt wavered. She inhaled deeply, her rapier lowering just slightly. “…Fine. If you’re truly convinced, then we should prepare for entry. But first, the Grimm.”

Her eyes swept the chamber, sharp and calculating. She counted softly under her breath, eyes darting from one red-eyed monster to the next. “…Thirteen. At least thirteen within sight.”

Yuuka bit her lip. “That’s a lot. Do we even stand a chance?”

Weiss exhaled through her nose, her poise unshaken. “Listen carefully. We strike before they even realize we’re here. Each of us will take three in the first wave. Quick and precise. Their weakness is the cephalothorax—strike there and they die instantly.”

Issei tilted his head, his face twisting in confusion. “The cepha-what now?”

Weiss snapped her gaze at him, irritation flashing. “…The center of the spider, Issei. Hit the center. Do you understand?”

Issei blinked once, then nodded quickly. “Ah, got it. Center of the spider. Easy.”

Yuuka stifled a nervous giggle, muttering under her breath. “He really is hopeless with big words…”

Issei shot her a look, whispering back. “Hey, at least I asked! Better than swinging wildly and missing, right?”

Weiss sighed, massaging her temple with one hand while keeping her rapier steady in the other. “Focus, both of you. If Issei’s ears are correct, then someone in there is alive. But if we’re sloppy, we’ll never even reach them.”

The three exchanged tense nods, their bodies coiling like springs.

The Grimm still hadn’t noticed them, still fixated on the blue inferno. The sobbing continued faintly within the flames, fueling Issei’s determination. ‘Whoever you are, just hang on,’ He thought, tightening his fists. ‘We’re coming.’

The smoke thickened around them, but there was no more time to hesitate. Issei clenched his fist, and in a flash of red light the Boosted Gear materialized over his left arm. The metal gauntlet gleamed menacingly under the sickly fluorescent glow, its emerald jewel pulsing like a heartbeat.

“BOOST!”

The familiar voice rang out, echoing through the hall. The power coursed into him, doubling his strength and speed, flooding his body with a surge of energy that made his pulse quicken.

“Now!” Weiss hissed.

The three sprinted together, their feet slamming against the damp carpet as they raced toward the looming Grimm. The closest spiders hung overhead, clinging to the walls with their blade-like legs twitching, mandibles clicking in the haze.

Yuuka’s Aura flared faintly around her as she gritted her teeth and drove her pipe forward, Weiss beside her moving like an arrow in flight. The heiress’s rapier thrust upward with deadly precision, piercing clean through the center of her target’s cephalothorax. At the same time, Yuuka’s swing cracked bone-like plating, driving through with Aura-enhanced force.

Issei’s gauntlet flashed as he leapt beneath the third spider. “Haaaah!” He drove his fist upward, all his doubled strength behind it. The blow caved the Grimm’s center like paper, the monster shrieking before collapsing into black smoke.

The simultaneous deaths triggered chaos.

The other Grimm froze for half a second—then their red eyes blazed as they turned, hissing, mandibles clicking furiously.

“They now know we’re here!” Weiss barked, already spinning into motion.

The spiders swarmed.

Two scuttled toward Yuuka, their legs stabbing forward like spears. She squeaked, narrowly rolling aside as one blade-like leg plunged into the floor where she’d been standing. “Too close!” She cried, parrying desperately with her pipe. Sparks flew as steel clashed against Grimm chitin.

Weiss moved like water, her steps sharp and elegant, her rapier flashing in quick arcs. She pivoted, skewering another Grimm in its center, then twirled gracefully away as its body dissolved into smoke. With a sudden leap, she bounded off the wall, her movements reminiscent of her training in Atlas, striking at one clinging to the ceiling before it could pounce.

Issei, meanwhile, was surrounded by two. He ducked under a stabbing leg, the Boosted Gear humming as the jewel pulsed. His instincts screamed, and he lashed out with his foot.

BAM!

His kick smashed into the spider’s face with enough force to rattle its body. The Grimm screeched as the blow launched it back—slamming straight into another Grimm behind it. The two tumbled together into the wall of blue fire.

The flames roared higher as the Grimm shrieked in agony, their bodies curling and crumbling to ash before they could escape. The smell of burning chitin filled the already suffocating smoke.

“Nice one, Issei!” Yuuka shouted, though her voice cracked with strain as she blocked another stabbing leg.

“BOOST!”

Another surge of energy exploded through him, his muscles thrumming with raw power. His strength quadrupled now, the world slowing around him as adrenaline fused with the Boosted Gear’s energy.

Issei turned toward Yuuka’s attackers, his eyes flashing with determination. One Grimm lunged, mandibles snapping—only to meet his gauntleted fist as Issei crossed the distance with new speed.

The punch landed square in its center. CRACK.

The Spider Grimm imploded under the force, its body dissolving into a smoky cloud. Yuuka, her eyes wide, seized the opening. She spun with a shout, her pipe glowing faintly with Aura, and slammed it down hard onto the head of the second spider. The skull cracked under the blow, black ichor spraying before the creature dissolved into nothingness.

Yuuka panted, her chest heaving, but a fierce grin spread across her face. “Got it!”

Weiss landed lightly beside them, her rapier dripping faint traces of black ichor. “Five left,” she said coldly, her voice sharp but steady. Her blue eyes flicked quickly to Issei, noting the hum of the gauntlet, the growing glow of its jewel. “And Issei, pace yourself. Don’t burn out before the battle is finished.”

Issei grinned sheepishly but didn’t break his stance. “Don’t worry about me, Weiss. I’ve got plenty left.”

The remaining Grimm shrieked in unison, their legs scraping across the floor and walls as they prepared to descend. The flames from Azula’s uncontrolled inferno crackled behind them, throwing monstrous shadows across the yellow walls.

The five remaining Spider Grimm hissed as they spread out, circling the trio, their blade-like legs clacking against the scorched floor in a steady rhythm that set Issei’s nerves on edge.

Weiss flicked her rapier into a ready stance, her breath steady despite the smoke. “Stay close. Don’t let them split us apart.”

Yuuka nodded quickly, twirling her pipe in trembling hands. “Got it. I-I’ll cover your flank.”

The Grimm moved first.

One lunged low, its legs stabbing at Weiss with a precise needle-like thrust. She spun gracefully, each step like a dance, deflecting the attacks with the flat of her rapier before thrusting forward. Her blade pierced its cephalothorax, sliding clean through. The Grimm shrieked, body dissolving into smoke before it even hit the ground.

“Three left!” Weiss barked, her stance snapping back into form.

Two of them dropped toward Yuuka at once from the ceiling. She gasped, stumbling back as their legs stabbed down like spears. The first nearly skewered her shoulder, the second slamming into the carpet where she had been standing a heartbeat before.

“I-I’m fine!” she shouted, though her voice cracked. She swung wildly, her pipe bouncing off one Grimm’s plating with a dull clang. Her Aura flared to blunt the force of a retaliatory strike, but her arms trembled from the impact. ‘They’re too strong for me to take head-on… I need an opening!’

“Yuuka!” Issei roared.

He charged, the power within him boiling like a storm. He pivoted on his heel and launched himself into the air with a kick aimed straight at the Grimm hovering over her.

The impact landed with bone-shattering force.

CRUNCH!

The Spider Grimm was blasted into the wall, its body crushed before evaporating into black smoke. The force of the blow sent cracks spiderwebbing across the wallpaper.

Yuuka spun, eyes wide. “Thanks! That was—watch out!”

The second Grimm lashed out at Issei mid-landing, its legs stabbing like lances. He barely brought up his gauntlet in time. The blow scraped across the Boosted Gear, sparks flying as the jewel glowed hot under the impact.

“Damn it!” He hissed, teeth clenched. He twisted his wrist and held the Grimm’s leg, pulling it towards him before smashing it with his free hand upward into its center.

The creature shrieked once before bursting apart into smoke.

“Two down!” Issei shouted, sweat dripping from his brow. His chest heaved—he could feel the Boost’s power tearing at his muscles, burning through his stamina. ‘I can’t keep this up forever. Gotta finish this fast.’

The last two Grimm shrieked, scuttling along the walls in opposite directions, circling like predators sensing prey’s exhaustion.

Weiss narrowed her eyes, her rapier gleaming faintly. “They’re trying to flank us. Don’t give them the chance!”

Yuuka swallowed, setting her stance with shaky determination. “I’ll take the right!”

The Grimm lunged from both sides.

Yuuka ducked under one strike, her Aura flaring as she spun. Her pipe smashed against the Grimm’s leg, cracking it, but the monster shrieked and reared back for another blow. She winced, her arms shaking. ‘Too strong… come on, Yuuka, don’t freeze now!’

Then Weiss was there. She dashed forward with balletic precision, vaulting off Yuuka’s shoulder in a sudden burst of speed. Her rapier thrust downward, piercing the Grimm’s cephalothorax dead-center. The creature screeched before dissolving to ash, Weiss landing gracefully in the space it had occupied.

“One left!” She declared, her voice sharp and commanding.

Issei roared, every ounce of energy pouring into his fist as he met the last Grimm head-on. It lunged, mandibles snapping—only to meet the full force of his Boosted Gear as his fist slammed into its center.

The Grimm’s body shattered under the blow, fragments of its black form breaking apart into smoke. As the last of the Spider Grimm dissolved. Only the roar of the wild fire remained, crackling furiously and painting the yellow walls with sickly orange light.

Issei dropped to one knee, panting, the Boosted Gear flickering as if to remind him of the toll. Sweat drenched his brow, his chest heaving.

Yuuka rushed to his side, eyes wide with worry. “Issei! Are you okay?”

He gave her a shaky grin, raising a trembling thumbs-up. “Y-Yeah… still standing.”

Weiss sheathed her rapier with a practiced motion, though her sharp eyes lingered on the flames. “The Grimm are gone. Now the real question remains…” Her gaze hardened as she stared into the inferno, where faint sobbing still echoed. “…Who is trapped inside? And how are we even going to be able to get to the other side?”

The blue fire raged, its glow casting warped shadows across the yellowed walls. The heat radiating from it was suffocating, rolling over them like waves from an open furnace. Issei, Weiss, and Yuuka stood shoulder to shoulder, staring at the wall of flames that roared across the corridor.

Issei raised an arm to shield his face from the searing heat. “Damn… it’s like standing next to an oven turned all the way up.”

Weiss’s expression was grave. “Crossing it is suicide. Even with Aura, the damage from fire of this temperature would overwhelm us. We wouldn’t make it more than a few steps.”

Yuuka bit her lip, her scarf pulled tighter over her nose and mouth as if it could keep out the smoke. “Weiss… can’t you, you know… make ice? Freeze it or something?”

Weiss exhaled sharply through her nose, shaking her head. “I ran out of Dust a long time ago. Without it, my attacks are limited to glyph manipulation.” She glanced back at the wall of fire, her eyes narrowing. “Even if I had it, I doubt I could smother something this intense.”

Yuuka’s shoulders slumped, her pipe tapping nervously against her leg. “So… we can’t go through. Then what—”

She stopped when she noticed Issei’s face. His jaw was tight, his eyes fixed on the flames. He wasn’t just staring anymore—he was listening.

Inside the inferno, beneath the crackle of burning walls and the hiss of blistering carpet, he heard it again.

Sobbing. Clearer now, raw and broken. The sound of someone crying in pain and fear.

Issei’s chest clenched. ‘They’re alive. Whoever they are… they’re still alive in there.’

The Boosted Gear pulsed.

“BOOST!”

The gauntlet hummed as its green jewel flashed, another surge of energy coursing through his veins. His body tensed as though preparing to spring forward.

Weiss’s eyes widened, recognizing the look in his eyes. “Issei. Don’t you dare.”

Yuuka’s head snapped toward him, alarm shooting across her face. “Wait, Issei—what are you thinking?!”

He turned to them, determination burning in his expression. “If I run through the fire at full speed… maybe I can cross it before it burns me alive. The Boosted Gear makes me faster, stronger. If I push myself, I bet I can reach the other side before the fire touches me.”

Weiss’s voice was sharp, almost panicked. “You don’t know how far it extends! It could stretch across multiple rooms—you’d collapse before you ever made it!”

Yuuka’s voice cracked with fear. “Issei, no! Please, we’ll think of something else—anything else! You can’t just—”

“I’m sorry,” He interrupted, his tone low but resolute. He met both of their eyes in turn, his usual playful grin replaced by a grim honesty. “I know I’m being reckless. I know I might not make it. But there’s someone crying in there, and if we wait, they might not have long to live. I can’t just stand here while they suffer.”

The Boosted Gear pulsed again.

“BOOST!”

The fourth surge tore through him, his muscles screaming under the strain, but his resolve hardened.

Weiss stepped forward, reaching out with her free hand. “Issei, stop! This isn’t bravery—it’s suicide!” Her words trembled with something deeper, fear threading through her icy tone.

Yuuka’s hands shook as she reached for him too. “Issei! Don’t leave us—please!”

But Issei only tightened his gauntleted fist, the red glow reflecting in his determined eyes. “You two saved me more times than I can count. Now it’s my turn to do the same for someone else.”

With that, he crouched low, muscles coiled like a spring. The flames roared, as though daring him to try.

The Boosted Gear flared with red light.

And with a final, desperate leap, Issei hurled himself into the fire.

The blue flames swallowed him whole, Weiss and Yuuka’s shouts echoing helplessly behind him as their hands grasped at empty air.

—-------------------------------

The blue inferno roared and writhed, a storm of unnatural fire that had consumed everything around it. Walls were blackened husks, the ceiling sagged and cracked, and the air itself shimmered from the sheer heat. And yet, within the chaos, there was an untouched circle—a strange sanctuary where the flames refused to pass.

At the center of it all, Azula remained curled into herself. Knees drawn tightly to her chest, her arms wrapped around her head, fingers digging into her scalp as if to block out the voices that drilled into her skull. Tears streaked her soot-stained cheeks, glistening faintly against the eerie light.

“Monster.”

“Disappointment.”

“I hate you.”

She rocked faintly, her breaths ragged, the sound of her sobbing swallowed by the roar of her own flames.

Then the wall of fire split.

With a sudden flash of red light and a crackling surge of power, Issei barreled through, his Boosted Gear still glowing faintly on his arm. His body slammed into the ground of the cleared circle, momentum carrying him into a stumble.

“HOT! HOT! HOT—DAMN IT, THIS IS REALLY HOT!” He screamed, flailing his arms. He slapped at his jacket frantically, trying to pat down the small blue flames still clinging to the edges of his sleeves. His boots smoked, and he hopped comically from foot to foot as he kicked at the scorched carpet to snuff them out.

He froze for a beat, panting hard, steam rising from his shoulders. His clothes were scorched, blackened at the edges, but miraculously his body bore only light burns. He exhaled shakily, sweat dripping down his forehead. “…Still alive… Heh. Take that, fire.”

Then he heard it again.

The sobbing.

His head snapped toward the sound, his eyes locking on the figure in the center of the circle. A girl, no, a teenager much younger than himself, dressed in regal red armor with gold trim, her long black hair tangled and damp from sweat. She sat hunched, curled into a ball, trembling as though her very spirit was breaking.

Issei’s heart clenched. ‘So it’s her… she’s the one crying.’

He approached cautiously, each step echoing faintly in the strange quiet of the circle. The closer he got, the louder her broken sobs became, but no matter what he said, there was no reaction.

“Hey!” He called gently at first, then louder, “Hey! Can you hear me?”

Nothing. She didn’t so much as flinch. Her hands pressed harder against her ears, as if desperate to shut out a storm only she could hear.

Issei crouched down in front of her, his expression softening. The firelight flickered across her face, and for the first time, he saw the vulnerability in her amber eyes—even if they were clouded with fear and confusion.

He hesitated, then reached forward. Slowly, carefully, his hands closed over hers.

Her skin was hot to the touch, trembling beneath his grip. With steady pressure, he pulled her hands away from her ears.

For the first time, she lifted her head.

Her tear-streaked face turned toward him, her amber eyes wide with raw confusion. She blinked at him through the smoke and fire, not recognizing this stranger who had somehow stepped into her prison of flame. “Huh?”

Issei, now crouched in front of her, gave her the most reassuring smile he could manage despite his singed jacket and the sweat dripping from his brow.

“There you are,” He said softly. “I finally got your attention.”

Azula’s amber eyes locked on the boy kneeling before her. She didn’t know who he was as this was the first time meeting him, his brown hair was damp with sweat, his clothes scorched and smoking, but his face held an odd warmth that contrasted with the inferno surrounding them.

Her lips parted, her voice rough from smoke and sobbing. “…Who?”

Issei straightened slightly, still keeping his tone calm. “That doesn’t matter right now.” He rose to his feet, extending a hand toward her. His Boosted Gear shimmered faintly on his other arm, but his expression was gentle. “What matters is getting out of here before you burn yourself alive. Come on, let’s leave this place.”

Azula stared at his hand. Her chest rose and fell sharply, her body trembling from exhaustion and the voices that clawed at her mind. She wanted to reach for him. Her fingers twitched.

But then the voices surged again.

“Monster.”

“He’ll fear you, too.”

“You’ll betray him, like everyone else.”

Her breath caught. The whispers overlapped, filling her skull, growing louder and louder until they drowned out the boy’s steady words. Her pupils shrank, her jaw trembling.

“No… no, stop…” She clutched her head, nails biting into her scalp. The fire around her flared violently, licking the ceiling. “Shut up! I’m not a monster! Leave me alone!”

Her scream pierced the room, raw and broken.

Issei flinched, taken aback. He looked at her, bewildered. ‘What the hell…? Is she yelling at me? Did I do something wrong?’

But then he saw her—the way her shoulders shook, the way her face twisted in agony, the way her hands shook as if she were trying to claw the voices from her skull. This wasn’t about him. This was something inside her, something tearing her apart.

Issei’s chest tightened. He didn’t know who she was, didn’t know what she’d been through, but he recognized that look—the look of someone cornered and breaking.

‘She needs help. More than anything right now, she needs someone to reach her.’ Without thinking, he did the only thing that felt right.

He stepped forward, dropped to his knees in front of her again, and pulled her into his arms.

Azula gasped, her body stiffening instantly. No one—no one—had ever dared to hold her like this, not since she was a child. The boy’s arms wrapped firmly but gently around her, shielding her from the flames as if his embrace could silence the world.

Her mind blanked. The voices faltered.

Issei held her close, his voice low but steady in her ear. “You’re not a monster. Don’t listen to them. You’re not alone, and I won’t abandon you. Not when you clearly need help.”

Her breath hitched, the tears spilling freely down her soot-stained cheeks. “T-The voices… they won’t stop… they’ll keep tormenting me… they keep calling me a monster.”

Issei pulled back just enough to look her in the eyes. His own were firm, unwavering. “Then ignore them. Forget every word they say. Focus only on me, because I’m here. Not them. Just me.”

Azula blinked at him, stunned into silence by the certainty in his tone.

“And listen closely,” He added, his cheeks flushing faintly despite the seriousness of his words and a bright smile crossed his face. “Anyone who calls you a monster… they’re wrong. Because all I see is a cute and beautiful girl who deserves better than those lies.”

For the first time, the storm of voices faltered completely.

Azula’s eyes widened, her lips trembling. She stared at him in shock, her chest heaving with uneven breaths. No one had ever called her that. Not in kindness. Not without fear in their eyes.

Her mind screamed it was a trick, that it was weakness to believe him. And yet, wrapped in his warmth, hearing the unshaken sincerity in his voice, she felt her iron mask of control crack in a way she hadn’t thought possible.

Tears welled again, but this time they were softer, freer. She buried her face against him, unable to stop the sobs that came, her arms shaking as they clutched at his jacket as if anchoring herself to him. And for the first time in years, Azula allowed herself to lean on someone else.

Issei kept his arms steady around her, giving her time. He didn’t rush, didn’t pry—just stayed there, letting her breathe until the shaking in her shoulders began to ease.

Finally, he tilted his head down, his voice gentle. “Hey… feeling a little better?”

Azula hesitated, her amber eyes still glassy with tears. Slowly, she gave a small nod. “…Yes. I… I can’t hear them anymore. The voices. As long as I…” She looked away, her cheeks warming faintly. “…As long as I hold onto you.”

Issei’s lips curved into a relieved grin. “Good. That’s all I needed to hear. Now hold on, we’re getting out of here.”

Before she could ask what he meant, he shifted his stance—and with a sudden motion, scooped her up into his arms.

Azula stiffened instantly. Her eyes went wide as she realized she was cradled against his chest, her legs hooked under his arm, his grip firm and unshakable as he held her in a princess carry.

Her face burned crimson. “W-What are you—!?”

Issei didn’t seem fazed by her flustered reaction. He looked down at her with a steady smile, though his own cheeks were tinged faintly pink. “Just hold on tight, alright? We’re going to cross the fire again and meet my friends.”

Her heart thudded wildly in her chest. No one had ever carried her like this before—not servants, not guards, not family. For someone so proud, so accustomed to standing above others, the position left her completely disarmed.

She opened her mouth to protest, to snap that she didn’t need this, that she could walk on her own. But the words stuck in her throat. His warmth, his certainty—it was something she hadn’t felt in years.

“…Fine,” She muttered instead, almost too softly for him to hear. Her arms, almost on instinct, looped around his neck, gripping tightly.

Issei chuckled, adjusting his hold to steady her. “That’s better. Just don’t let go.”

The flames roared ahead, an ocean of blue fire waiting to consume them. Issei’s muscles coiled like springs, every nerve screaming from the heat, but his will unshaken.

“Alright,” he whispered, crouching low. “Here we go.”

With a powerful leap, he launched himself forward.

The inferno swallowed them.

Azula gasped, instinctively clutching him tighter, burying her face against his chest as the heat licked at her armor. But Issei gritted his teeth, as he pushed forward with his strength in his legs. The flames clawed at them, searing, but he pushed through, his body a shield around the girl in his arms.

In one final burst of strength, he cleared the last of the blaze.

—-------------------------------------------

Weiss and Yuuka stood side by side, eyes fixed on the writhing wall of blue flames. The heat licked at their skin, sweat dripping down their brows, while the oppressive smoke made each breath heavy.

Weiss clenched her knuckles until they turned pale. ‘Idiot. Absolute idiot. Running headfirst into fire without a plan…’ Her jaw tightened, but beneath the icy mask, her chest twisted with worry.

Yuuka fidgeted nervously, chewing at her bottom lip. “Please be okay, Issei,” She whispered, her blue eyes glimmering in the firelight. “You better come back, you dummy…”

For a few agonizing seconds, all they could hear was the roar of the inferno. Then, with a sudden crack and a flash of light, something burst through.

Issei crashed out of the fire, landing hard on the soggy carpet with smoke curling around him like clinging shadows. His jacket was scorched, his hair singed at the ends, and soot clung to his face—but he was smiling.

And in his arms, held securely in a princess carry, was a girl neither of them recognized. A striking young teen clad in red and gold armor, her black hair tangled and damp with sweat. Her amber eyes flicked toward them sharply, even through the exhaustion, glowing with both pride and suspicion.

The flames hissed angrily behind them, still burning, but Issei had made it through. Alive.

Weiss and Yuuka’s jaws dropped, frozen at the sight. Then Issei grinned at them sheepishly, lifting his chin despite the sweat dripping down his brow. “I’m back.”

His relief was cut short.

WHACK!

“OW!”

Yuuka’s pipe smacked the back of his head at the exact same time Weiss rapped him sharply with her free hand.

“You absolute moron!” Weiss hissed, her eyes blazing. “Do you have any idea what you just put us through? Charging into flames without a plan—you could have gotten yourself killed!”

Yuuka puffed her cheeks angrily, her voice trembling. “We were worried sick! Don’t you ever do something that reckless again, Issei!”

Issei winced, ducking his head as both girls glared down at him. “O-Okay, okay, I get it! Geez, you don’t have to hit so hard—I already burned myself from crossing the distance…”

Still nestled in his arms, Azula blinked at the exchange. Her tear-streaked face hardened, and her amber eyes narrowed into a glare. She turned her head slightly to look at the two girls—both standing close to the boy holding her, both scolding him with an intimacy that suggested familiarity.

Her lips curved into the faintest sneer. ‘Who are they? Servants? Allies? Or something else…’

The idea that these two had the audacity to strike the one who had carried her out of the flames tugged at her pride. Her grip around Issei’s neck tightened ever so slightly, as though silently staking a claim.

Issei, oblivious to the undercurrents, rubbed the sore spot on his head with a sheepish grin. “I’m sorry, okay? I know it was reckless… but I couldn’t just leave her there. She needed help.”

Weiss huffed, looking away with a faint blush coloring her cheeks. “Idiot. Don’t expect me to save you if you try something that stupid again.”

Yuuka’s pout softened into a worried smile, though her voice still carried a bite. “Next time, at least talk to us before you go charging in. We’re supposed to be a team, remember?”

“Yeah…” Issei muttered, his grin turning soft. “You’re right. Thanks, both of you.”

Azula’s amber eyes flicked between the three of them, her pride bristling even as confusion swirled in her chest. She didn’t understand these strangers from their reckless courage, and their strange bond.

Issei gently shifted his hold, lowering Azula onto her feet. Her boots touched the damp carpet with a soft thud, though she didn’t fully separate from him. Instead, her fingers tightened around his arm, as if afraid that letting go would cause him to vanish.

He blinked at her hand, then up at her guarded face. A faint smile tugged at his lips. ‘Guess she’s not ready to let go yet…’

Yuuka noticed immediately, her eyes darting down to where the stranger clung to Issei. Her lips parted as if to comment, but she stopped herself. ‘She looks shaken. Maybe she’s hurt…’ Instead, Yuuka stepped forward and asked, “Is she okay? Is she burned?”

Weiss’s gaze was sharper, lingering not only on the girl’s soot-streaked armor but also on her expression—those amber eyes, sharp and calculating even through the tears. Weiss’s frown deepened. ‘She looks… suspicious.’

Azula met both of their gazes in silence. She didn’t answer Yuuka’s questions, didn’t even move beyond tightening her hold on Issei’s arm. Her mind churned behind her eyes. ‘Who are these girls? Allies? Enemies? Tools to be used? Or obstacles between me and him?’

The quiet stretched uncomfortably—until Issei clapped his free hand against his chest, breaking the tension with his usual smile.

“Oh right! I never introduced myself!” His grin was wide, his voice carrying the same earnestness that had coaxed Azula back from her madness. “Name’s Issei Hyoudou. Nice to meet you.”

Azula blinked at him, startled by how casually he spoke after diving through an inferno.

Yuuka quickly picked up on his energy, bobbing her head eagerly. “I’m Yuuka Hana! It’s, uh, really nice to meet you too.” She gave Azula a small, friendly smile, though her eyes darted once more to the hand clutching Issei’s arm.

Weiss, however, didn’t echo their warmth. Her frown lingered as she crossed her arms over her chest. Something about this girl unsettled her—the way she hadn’t spoken, the way her eyes studied them with cold calculation, and most of all, the way she refused to release Issei.

“Weiss?” Issei called out as she hadn't said anything.

“...Weiss Schnee,” She said at last, her voice clipped but polite.

Azula tilted her head slightly, studying the heiress. There was sharpness in her tone, pride in her bearing. ‘She doesn’t trust me. Smart girl… but irritating.’

Issei turned his head toward Weiss. “See? That wasn’t so bad. Now it feels official!”

Weiss exhaled slowly through her nose, unwilling to argue with him just then.

Azula finally spoke, her voice steady but carrying the weight of her heritage. “My name is Azula. Princess of the Fire Nation.”

She let the words hang in the smoke-filled air, her eyes flicking from Weiss to Yuuka, searching for the reaction she had always expected—fear, awe, deference.

But instead, both girls blinked at her blankly.

Yuuka tilted her head. “Fire Nation? Uh… never heard of it.”

Weiss frowned faintly. “Nor have I.”

Azula’s chest tightened, her composure flickering. ‘What? No recognition? No fear?’ She had braced herself for awe, for their eyes to shift toward her as they always did when she revealed who she was. Instead, they looked unimpressed.

Her amber eyes shifted sideways toward Issei. ‘And what about him? Will he change the way he looks at me now? Will he see me as dangerous? As an enemy?’

But Issei only smiled, tilting his head. “So you’re a princess, huh? That’s pretty cool.”

No mockery. No fear. Just casual acceptance.

Azula stared at him, her lips parting slightly, the confusion twisting in her chest stronger than the fire had. Her sharp amber eyes narrowed as she studied their blank faces. Their lack of recognition gnawed at her, and finally, she could no longer hold her tongue.

“How is it possible,” She demanded to know, her voice cutting through the haze of smoke, “that none of you have heard of the Fire Nation? We are on the brink of conquering the entire world. Even the farthest corners know our name.”

Her tone carried both pride and incredulity, as though daring them to admit they were mocking her.

Yuuka shifted uncomfortably, her pipe still clutched in her hands. “Um… yeah, see, that’s probably because…” She trailed off, scratching her cheek. “…you’re not from the same world as us.”

Azula froze. Her brow furrowed. “…Another world?” She turned her glare from Yuuka to Issei and Weiss. “Explain. Now. Just where are we?”

Issei rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, his singed jacket still smoldering faintly at the edges. “Well, uh… the truth is, we don’t actually know what this place is. Not really.”

Weiss’s voice was more composed, but her frown remained. She gestured with her rapier toward the endless yellow halls stretching behind them. “All we know is that this place is a never-ending maze that somehow connects to different worlds. Somehow, it pulls people from wherever they are from and strands them here.”

Yuuka nodded quickly, eager to add in. “Yeah! Like, me and Issei—we’re both from a planet called Earth. Totally normal place or at least that was what I believed, no Fire Nation, no monsters. Just regular people. And she,” she pointed at Weiss “—she’s from a world called Remnant. It’s got these monsters called Grimm.”

At the word, Azula’s gaze flicked toward the scorched remains of the spider-like creatures still fading into smoke.

“Those,” Weiss said, her tone clipped. “They come from my world. Creatures of pure destruction, drawn to negative emotions.”

Issei spread his hands, his voice almost apologetic. “So if none of us have heard of your Fire Nation… it probably means you’re from another world too.”

The words struck Azula harder than she expected. For a moment, her pride cracked, her face shifting from suspicion to stunned disbelief. She stared at them as though they had just claimed the sky itself wasn’t real.

“…Impossible,” She muttered, almost to herself. “There is only one world. Mine. You’re lying.”

But the earnestness in their expressions told her otherwise.

Yuuka gave her a small, sympathetic look. “I know it’s a lot to take in. It was the same for us when we first got stuck here.”

Azula shook her head, her fingers tightening unconsciously around Issei’s arm. ‘Another world? More than one? Then… Father, the Fire Nation’s war… None of it matters here?’

Her voice was sharper when she finally asked, “Then… is there a way to return? To go back to my world?”

The silence that followed was heavy.

Yuuka’s lips pressed into a thin line. Weiss’s eyes softened ever so slightly, though her voice remained level. “We don’t know. We’re searching for a way back, same as you.”

Issei’s gaze lingered on her face, his chest heavy as he watched the way her proud posture wilted at their answer. He had only just met her, but the shift in her expression—how the fire in her eyes dimmed into uncertainty—hit him like a punch to the gut.

“…I’m sorry,” He said quietly.

Azula’s jaw clenched. Her pride screamed at her to scowl, to sneer, to spit venom at them for their uselessness. But the truth pressed down on her harder than any insult could. For the first time in years, the princess of the Fire Nation had no idea what to do and it terrified her.

The silence followed after Azula’s question lingered. She hadn’t moved since hearing their answer, her amber eyes distant, her lips pressed into a thin line. The proud, sharp posture she had carried earlier seemed to waver under the weight of the revelation.

Issei watched her closely. She looked like someone standing on the edge of a cliff, staring into an abyss. His chest tightened. ‘She just found out she might never go back… no wonder she’s shaken.’

He straightened, forcing some cheer into his voice. “Alright. I think we’ve been standing around in this smoke long enough.”

Weiss glanced at him, one brow raised. “What are you suggesting, Issei?”

Issei gave a small shrug. “That we should get out of here and find somewhere safe to rest. We’re all tired, right? After everything with the Grimm and the fire…” He gestured toward the still-raging flames behind them. “…this isn’t exactly the best place to hang out.”

Yuuka coughed lightly into her scarf, nodding. “Ugh, yeah. The smoke alone is killing me. I could use a break too.”

Weiss allowed herself a sigh, but nodded in agreement. “That’s true. A temporary reprieve would be best at the moment. We won’t get far if we’re exhausted.”

Issei turned back to Azula. She was still standing stiffly, lost in her own thoughts. He hesitated for a moment, then reached out and gently placed his hand on her shoulder.

“Hey,” he said softly, giving her a small shake. “I know that was… a lot to take in. But we can’t stay here. It’s not safe. Let’s find a place to rest. You can think things over then, without this fire or Grimm breathing down your neck.”

Azula blinked, pulled back into the present by the warmth of his touch. She looked up at him, the earnestness in his eyes cutting through the fog of her thoughts. Slowly, she gave a small nod. “…Very well.”

They started walking.

The flames still hissed behind them as they left the scorched room, the blue fire clawing uselessly at the air, but with each step the heat faded. The maze of yellow walls stretched endlessly once more, fluorescent lights buzzing faintly above.

Azula walked at Issei’s side, her fingers intertwined tightly with his hand. She told herself it was simply necessity—that the voices only stayed quiet when she clung to him. But deep down, she couldn’t deny that the warmth of his hand steadied her in a way nothing else had.

‘Strange,’ She thought, glancing briefly at him. This boy doesn’t know me, doesn’t fear me, doesn’t kneel before me… and yet… as long as I hold on, I feel… stronger and calmer.

Weiss trailed just behind, her blue eyes flicking down at their joined hands with a frown. She said nothing, but unease pricked at the back of her mind. ‘Something about this girl is… off. And the way she clings to him…’

Yuuka, meanwhile, peeked curiously at Azula from Issei’s other side. She smiled softly, trying to lighten the mood. “Hey, uh… you’re pretty strong to still be standing after all that. You’ll be okay, right?”

Azula’s gaze flicked to her briefly, her pride almost compelling her to snap back. But instead she nodded curtly. “…I will endure.”

Issei gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, smiling. “Good. That’s all we need for now. One step at a time.”

And so the four of them pressed deeper into the endless yellow halls—exhausted, wary, and uncertain of what awaited them.

Done. Tell me what you think and if I made any mistakes.