A/N: I'll try my best to not copy and paste the series. I'm going into this with the assumption that you (the reader) have watched the series, and will be skipping over some events as I retell my version of Azula's coup.

CHAPTER RATING: M (Language, Detailed Descriptions of Violence)


Chapter 1: Destiny

"We've got to warn the Earth King! The coup could be happening as we speak!" Sokka whispered to the three people in front of him.

"We'll split up into two groups." An elderly man instructed. "You two, find the Earth King." He motioned to Sokka and Toph. "The Avatar and I will rescue your sister and my nephew."

"Don't let anything stop you." Aang added. "Everyone in this city is depending on us."

The impromptu allies nodded and split into their own directions.

...

Sokka and Toph ran towards the royal court, where they had last seen the Earth King. With each step, millisecond vibrations informed Toph of anything rooted to the ground.

"Sokka." She pulled him aside. "There's General How." She pointed upwards into an open room.

"We need to tell the Earth King, let's keep-"

"No wait-" Toph grappled his shirt and pulled him down. "There are others." Widening her stance, Toph began to root the sole of her feet into the ground, she began to feel the vibrations of the buildings. And everyone in them.

She drew her arm back and whipped out forward with a stomp into the ground. Debris fell from the roof of the General's home, followed by two Dai Li agents, dressed in green robes and hats. In the same motion, Toph brought her palm to the sky, it trembled as if she were lifting a boulder, and brought it down. The floor rose like snakes, and crashed down upon the two agents, binding them into the ground.

"General How! Behind you!" Sokka shouted. Three Dai Li agents leapt from the shadows, launching metal chains with earthen palms towards the General. Toph stepped again, pushing her arms in front of her, she paused.

Sokka was speechless as the chains stopped in mid air, before falling to the ground.

Inhaling, she held her arms there, before pulling them back, and forcing them out again.

The chains burst back into life, each one, returning to the one that threw it; striking each of them in the chest.

Toph felt the clash of three lifeless bodies collide with the floor.

"The Earth King is in danger. Princess Azula of the Fire Nation has infiltrated the city." Sokka managed through his exhaustion and astonishment.

"Follow me! We'll need to notify the rest of the Council of Five!" The General replied as if this was a planned exercise. "We still have a chance to stop the Dai Li!"

"We've got no time to waste, let's go!"

...

In the depths of the Earth, The Dragon of the West, with a small flame in his hand, walked alongside the Avatar. The calm atmosphere around the two was only interrupted when Aang extended the tunnel.

"Toph told us that you give good advice." Aang broke the silence.

"That is only one person's opinion, but what's on your mind?" Iroh replied.

"I didn't master the Avatar State. I needed to let go of someone I love...And I couldn't do it." Aang sighed. "Is it selfish of me, to not let her go? What if I can't protect anyone?...What if I'm not strong enough?"

Iroh didn't speak for a few moments.

"The responsibility of the Avatar was bestowed to you at a young age, too young of an age. An unfathomable obligation. A path that only you can walk. The path of the Avatar. " Iroh smiled. "Your choices are for no one to judge. As long as you make them with all your heart, you will have made the right choice." Iroh smiled. "For you are the only one who will walk this path, and the only one who will make these choices."

Aang nodded with a blank expression before he dug deeper into the Earth.

...

"I'm sorry." Katara's voice echoed through the small crystal chamber. "I guess I judged you too soon."

"No. You were right." Zuko replied. "I've done terrible things in the past."

"That scar that you have..." Katara whispered. Zuko ran his fingers along the swollen flesh around his left eye.

"It was given to me by my father." Katara moved closer to him. "The mark of the exiled prince, forever chasing the Avatar to restore his waning honor."

"Maybe I can remove that burden that you have to bear." In her hand, she held the small flask that contained the sacred water from the North Pole. She inched closer to him, and cupped his cheek with her hand.

A crash obliterated the wall behind them, shooting up dirt and ash.

"Aang!" Katara cried out as he stumbled into the cavern. She rushed towards him. He received her with open arms, and a smile.

"Uncle!" Zuko called to Iroh with as much surprise that Katara had when she called to Aang. Iroh embraced his nephew, a tear rolling down his cheek. "What are you doing here with the Avatar?"

"Saving you. That's what." Aang answered.

"Find a way out of here! We'll catch up with you!" Iroh instructed. Aang and Katara nodded, and took off into another tunnel. Zuko tried to scramble after Aang, but Iroh extended an arm, and restrained his nephew.

"No, Zuko. Think about what you're doing." He looked his nephew in the eyes. "It is time you realize that you do not need to achieve the goals that others have set before you. You must walk your own path." Iroh patted his nephew's shoulder.

"But Uncle...How can I-"

Another rumbling broke through the conversation. The bright gems that decorated the walls shot up, and pinned Iroh within them.

"Do my eyes deceive me? Frankly, I hope so, because this sight makes me sick." A familiar venomous voice rang. "Zuko...Prince Zuko, heir to the throne of the great Fire Nation, a traitor."

Her cocky stride down the steps made his blood boil. At her side, stood four Dai Li agents.

"But that's not all I see. No." Zuko relinquished his guard, and remained attentive. "I see...A return to favor. A restoration of your honor, and father's love." Her arms crossed, her dark tone ringing in his ears. "Join me. Join me, and together we can bring down the Earth Kingdom."

"No! Zuko! Don't listen to-"

"TOGETHER! We can bring down the Avatar! Think of how happy Father will be. When you return home, you would have accomplished what your traitorous uncle could not have." Iroh saw Zuko wavering. "You will have done what the great Dragon of the West failed to do in 600 days. And Father will welcome you with open arms."

"Zuko! I'm begging you, look into your heart! The kind of redemption she offers is not for you! Not anymore! You are better-"

"You can return home." Azula's voice interrupted again. "After three long years in exile, you can come back home…A hero." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Join me, Zuko."

"You are better than this Zuko." Iroh's voice came again. He looked into Zuko's eyes, and could see that his words were mere whispers, compared to Azula's.

"The choice is yours." She finished before taking off into the same tunnel that Aang and Katara walked down, followed by the four Dai Li earthbenders.

"Where do we go?" Aang and Katara entered a massive room, covered in the glowing emerald crystals. A waterfall, feeding an artificial river within.

"Up there!" Katara pointed up towards the waterfall. From behind them, Aang felt the footstep of five figures.

"Look out!" Aang wrapped his hand around hers, and pulled her closer. He leapt into the air, holding her close, and spun into a cyclone towards the rushing river. Four earthen fists flew towards the Avatar, but were obliterated by the strong winds surrounding him. The air dissipated, and the two faced their adversaries with determination.

In a flash, Azula stepped forward, two fingers sending a crackling bolt of lightning towards Katara. A wall of water channeled in front of the both, and redirected the electric element into the river.

Aang planted a foot into the ground, and with a stern fist, sent a boulder towards the Fire Nation Princess. The four Dai Li agents scattered, and all launched stones towards Katara, only to be stopped by a wall of ice.

Shifting her weight, she channeled the water into tidal waves that overwhelmed the corrupt earthbenders. A ball of fire flew towards Aang; forming a ball with his arms, he launched a swirling sphere towards it. The collision spun the ball, spreading the flames into sparks.

Azula sent another fireball their way, only to be met by an large mass of water that spread a blinding steam through the room. She moved her hands again, and felt the water that engulfed the Dai Li freeze them in place.

Azula snarled as they found an answer to her attempts. An immense heat flew to her side, and a fireball crashed behind her. They looked towards the entrance of the room, Prince Zuko stepped forward.

In a pause, the four glared at one another. Time seemed to slow as they faced each other.

Zuko stepped again, sending another fireball towards Azula.

"Get out of here!" He called to the Avatar, sending more streams of flame towards his sister.

"Zuko! You scum!" She established her footing again. "How could you side with the Avatar?"

Zuko responded with more streams of burning flame. He watched with frustration as his younger sister found a way behind his every move. She let out another thrust of her fingers, and a streak of lightning flew past him.

Zuko's scowl was met with Azula's smirk.

"You never stood a chance." She muttered to him. The lightning crackled back, and struck Zuko, he flew towards her, gasping for air as she placed a foot on his neck. The odor of singed flesh entering her senses.

"Zuko!" Katara cried. Aang looked back, sending another wave of air that Azula dodged. She looked up into the air, and from the shadows, descended numerous Dai Li agents.

"Katara." Aang looked at her with regret.

"I'll keep you safe." She nodded, and gathered water into large whipping tendrils to hold off the Dai Li. Aang took in a deep breath, and created a small barrier between him and everyone else.

He sat, and began to meditate.

Her hands moved like a raging ocean. Every clear tendril under her control moved, swatting away any form of rock that flew her way. Katara threw out her hand, and clasped a tight fist in her palm. Her other hand, circling. A tendril grasped one of the Dai Li, sent him into the air, and crushed him between ice and earth with a crushing smash of bone and blood. She grasped another, and tossed him into his comrades, pushing through the steam, and mixing it with dust.

Yet more Dai Li agents appeared from the shadows, an endless stream of green, until she was faced with overwhelming odds. A light began to shine behind her. As the crystal prism opened, Aang floated to the sky, his eyes and tattoos illuminating the entire enclosure.

All conflict stopped. Katara looked up in amazement as the Avatar rose above her, as if the heavens were taking him.

Then, a crackle was heard. And time itself stopped. Katara saw him shudder, and fall down to the Earth. The lightning from Azula's fingers struck Aang. The impact burned his clothes, and scarred his chest as he fell into her arms.

Katara held him close, his head resting on her shoulder. She began rocking, as if she was holding a child in her arms. Her sobs echoing through the caves of Old Ba Sing Se.

"Give us the Avatar." Azula's voice spat again. "It's over." A devilish smirk across her blood-red lips. Katara's tears rolled down his scarred chest, she loosened her grasp, and let him slip onto the ground.

"Good." Azula grinned. "Dai Li, restrain the waterbender." She ordered.

No one responded.

"What's wrong with you all?!" She shouted. "Fine! I'll finish the job!" She raised her hand, but felt as if it was stuck.

"W-We can't move!" One of the agents cried. They looked over to Katara, the droplets from her eyes began to float. Katara rose to her feet, the robe she wore, stained in her own despair.

She raised her hands, and felt the veins in her victims contract. Screams of pain and terror followed her sobs. Her tears formed into ice shards, and she sent them forth.

Two agents fell to the ground, the ice piercing their necks, their blood, staining the green robes they wore. Katara looked on in anger and vengeance. Her fingers continued to dance. Members of the Dai Li continued to scream, their bodies contorting into unnatural shapes, their bones grinding into white ash, their blood, staining the river into a dark red. She looked back to Aang, his motionless body feeding her rage.

Before her, every Dai Li agent sat in a sea of blood, arms twisted, organs imploded. Katara's heavy footfalls approached Azula. She planted her foot ahead of herself, swung her arms up in an upward motion, and froze Azula in place with the scarlet ice.

"What are you going to do?" Azula still smiled. "Kill m-" Azula felt her throat closing with Katara's orders. Blood building around her larynx, air expelling from her lungs, and never returning.

"Yes." Katara mumbled, her hair obscuring Azula's fading vision. "You will not live to see tomorrow." She looked up, and in her eyes, Azula saw darkness unknown to even her. "But I'll make sure that you suffer throughout the entire night." Her fist closed even tighter. She watched Azula's eyes roll into the back of her head. A vengeful grin taking her expression.

"Katara, stop!" Sokka's voice reached out to her, her fist loosened, and Azula's unconscious head fell forward. He hugged her, and held her up as she fell to her knees. "Don't do this." He whispered. "Don't do this." Her sobbing overshadowed his words. With waning strength, she pointed to Aang.

He pulled her closer, and embraced her. Toph approached the two, with care, feeling the mass of bodies around her, followed by the Council of Five, and Iroh.

Zuko began to stir, his uncle rushed to his side.

"Uncle? What happened?" Iroh didn't speak, but sat his nephew up, and pointed towards the Avatar.

Silence permeated the colossal structure.

Katara brought him into her embrace again. She withdrew the glowing water of the North, it revolved around her palm, and dissipated into the scar that still ran across his chest. The lightning shaped scar did not disappear, as she waited for the Avatar to respond.

Nothing.

She held him closer, pleading to herself for a breath of life to escape his lungs.

Nothing.

Moments passed, and relief washed over her as he took in a deep, desperate breath for air.

His faded eyes, glowing as they met hers.


PUBLISHED ON: 7/20/2014

A/N: Reformatted.

Original Author's Note:

I usually state a note on character ages: "Always assume characters are at least 21." But in the case of Avatar, I'm making an exception. No, I'm not saying that these characters are children. I'm saying you can make up whatever age in your mind. The ages of Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph, in fact, anyone, is irrelevant to who they are as characters. Despite the fact that it's rated Y-7 (Ages 7 and up, in the U.S) the characters are thrust into situations that require them to act as adults. And that's how I see them.

In my entire life, there are only two series I had ever found worthy of purchasing: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, and Avatar: The Last Airbender. The Legend of Korra has brought me back to this wonderful series, with a phenomenal universe that has amazing history, and intriguing lore.

In fact, it's better than most anime out there.

It saddens me to see that the franchise will forever be "for children" on Nickelodeon, as I imagine how much more they could have done if it were presented in a more mature audience.

Don't get me wrong though, I know for a fact that it wouldn't last had it been advertised for teenagers. Thank God for that. Thank God for those kids who kept it alive.

But most of all, Thanks to Michael Dante DiMartino, and Bryan Konietzko.

My children will watch this series when I'm an old man, and they will love it.

Thanks for reading!