Phoenix Queen

An Avatar: The Last Airbender and Avatar: Legend of Korra fanfic

Author's note: I do not own the characters in this story, just the situations involved. All characters are the property of Nickelodeon.

Prolouge: The Absence of Hope

For several minutes, a battle had been raging in the main courtyard of the Fire Nation Imperial Palace. An Agni-Kai that would certainly go down as one of the fiercest in Fire Nation history was in progress. Zuko challenged his sister, Azula for the right to be named Fire Lord.

Katara was as amazed as the Fire Nation elders, as she watched the battle continue. Although Azula was a fire bending prodigy, and had bested Zuko several times before, he seemed to be holding his own, almost effortlessly, Katara thought.

Everytime he had fought Azula previously, Zuko had let his anger get the better of him. It was due in no small part to Azula's well aimed taunts. She knew the exact buttons to push to make Zuko blow his top, and that always played right into her hands. Azula was always a cold and calculating individual, but she was never more cold and calculating than she was when she was in a fight.

She was usually completely emotionless. The only concern she ever showed was toward being victorious. Her reputation was such that Katara begged Zuko to reconsider dueling her. She was perhaps one of the finest strategists the Fire Nation had ever seen.

But as she watched, she sensed the same thing Zuko had. Something was off. She was not herself. Gone was the coldness and emotionlessness that she was known for. Azula and Zuko in fact had seemed to reverse roles. Azula attacked her brother aggressively, while Zuko stayed completely calm. She had been propelling herself around him, trying to locate an opening. He gave her none.

Thinking quickly, Zuko dropped, and spun on his torso, blasting fire from his legs in all directions. Azula was unable to avoid the attack, and slammed into the ground. Zuko used a tactic from her very own playbook. "What's the matter?" he asked. "No lightning, today? Afraid I'll redirect it?"

She glared at him as she made her way back to her feet. "I'll show you lightning!" she growled in response. Zuko readied himself as she prepared her attack, electricity cackling at her fingertips. She took aim, but not at Zuko.

As Katara watched in horror, Azula sent the lightning in the direction of the young waterbender. There was absolutely no way to avoid it. Katara's eyes widened in anticipation of the end. Zuko realized then his critical mistake.

"NO!" he yelled. He moved as quickly as he could, and leapt in front of Katara. His body took the brunt of the bolt, and he just barely was able to redirect part of it skyward, but he had made a costly error. He did not channel the bolt through his stomach. The electricity had traveled through his heart.

He barely clung to conciousness as the remaining electricity dissapated. Katara ran toward his fallen form on instinct, but was barred by a wall of blue fire. "I'd really prefer our family physician to take care of Zuzu, if you don't mind," Azula cackled.

Katara stopped in her tracks, the searing heat of the flames singeing her tunic. Katara tried reasoning with her, for what it was worth. "Please, let me heal him," she begged. Azula laughed at the request.

"Where would the fun be in that?" Azula asked. She focused, and a blue fire whip formed in her fist. "Surrender," she ordered. When Katara hesitated, she struck Zuko with her whip. "Surrender now!" she ordered.

The tears flew from Katara's eyes freely. "Don't hurt him, please!" she begged. Azula smiled. "Surrender," she ordered once more. "Or he dies!" she threatened. Katara did the only thing she could. She raised her arms in surrender. "I give up!" she yelled. "Just don't hurt him anymore."

"Ka...tara," Zuko's voice trailed off. Azula stared hard at her fallen brother. She was surprised he was still concious. "Sleep, Zuzu," she said, kicking him hard in the head. "Father will decide your punishment." She turned to Katara, who at this point was being restrained by the guards who had come forward at the water bender's surrender.

"Take her to the dungeon," Azula ordered. "Give her no quarter to escape. If she does, it will be you and your families who pay the price." The guards nodded, and tightened the shackles. Katara allowed them to lead her away.

To Katara, time seemed to slow down. It felt like weeks she'd been locked in a cell, when in actuallity, she'd only been here for a few short hours. Her escorts had certainly taken Azula's orders to heart. They did not stop at merely locking her in the cell. They chained her to the wall, so that she could barely move her arms and legs.

She only hoped Zuko was still alive. He had been in bad shape when she had been led away from the courtyard, and Azula's parting kick certainly didn't help. As the time dragged on, she wished her mind would only stay focused on Zuko

The spirits granted her no such luck however. As worried as she was about Zuko, her worry for Sokka, Aang, Toph, and everyone else as well. There was barely any light left in her cell, which told her night was falling.

Finally, the door to her cell opened. She slowly raised her head, to see Azula, flanked by several guards. "My father has requested an audience with you," she said, a wide grin on her face. The look on Katara's face said it all.

Ozai had won. Somehow, he'd won. Aang had failed. No, he hadn't failed. She couldn't think like that. Aang was physically 12 years old. It was a long shot at best, that someone so young could defeat someone so powerful as the Fire Lord.

There was no stifiling her tears as she was led to the Phoenix King's throne. As she was brought before Ozai, one of the guards, kicked the back of her leg. "Bow before the great Phoenix King Ozai," the guard said as she collapsed to her knees, crying out.

Ozai stood, and looked her over. Katara couldn't read his expression as he stood over her. Finally, he spoke. "I am told he loved you," he said in an emotionless tone. Ozai nodded, and a guard brought forth a basket.

"Allow me to present you with a gift," he said coldly. He reached into the basket, and after a moment's pause, withdrew his hand. Katara recoiled in such a state of shock, her guards took hold of her arms to make sure she didn't bolt.

It was badly burned, but not beyond recognition. The arrow tattoo was now marred by charred flesh. Ozai held Aang's severed head in his hand. "He begged for death in the end," Ozai said happily. "He offered his life for that of his friends. He was very talkative."

Katara could not find words. At seeing the evidence of Aang's fate, hope seemed to leave her body. Whatever pleasure Ozai took in her distress, Azula's was increased tenfold. "He was weak," Azula said in a twisted eulogy of sorts. "He couldn't cut it." Finally, Katara's voice found itself. "No..." she wailed. "NO!"