Wow, so many reviewers to thank, as Kimjuni2, Kelev, A711owner, Wavebreeze, and guyw1tn0nam3 all reviewed the last chapter. I'm glad Azula worked out so well for everyone, because she was extremely difficult to write. But now that we finished her chapters, we're moving on to an equally compelling individual. Yes, this person also comes from the Fire Nation, and it is Azula and Zuko's father, Fire Lord Ozai. Let's see what you guys think of this chapter!

Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

My father sat stoically above my family, his eyes still as the flames around him shrouded his body. Like slaying a monster, my daughter Azula stepped up to him and took a stance. Azula was the pride of my family, the one that any Fire Lord would be proud of, even though she was a girl. Compared to my son Zuko, who was weak and incompetent, Azula could be a much better leader for our nation.

A fiery display soon replaced my thoughts, flames jetting out from Azula's arms and legs and spraying throughout the dim chamber. These were some of the moves that I personally requested Azula to be trained in, as it would showcase her true power in fire bending. Azula had actually surpassed Zuko in fire bending skill, reaching levels so high that no one at the Royal Fire Academy for Girls dared to compete against her. Given that Zuko was male, meaning he had easier access to training resources, what excuse did he have to be so pathetic at everything he did?

As Azula gained momentum, I could only beam as she prepared for her final move. There was no way my father would be unimpressed by this, given the amount of skill and practice required to pull it off. Zuko, my wife Ursa, and I all looked on as Azula spun around several times, racing towards the wall of fire as flames surrounded her body. Then, in one smooth motion, she leaped into the air and unleashed a high kick, sending a blast of flames so high that I could have sworn it hit the roof.

As Azula landed back onto the ground, I couldn't help but applaud. "She's a true prodigy, just like her grandfather, after whom she's named." I commented. Azula quickly shuffled back to my side, a grin on her face as well. We didn't request this audience with the Fire Lord for no reason, so during my time here, I wanted everything I could get my hands on. If it meant using flattery to get Father's attention, then so be it. As long as my whole family stuck to the script, my goals would be accomplished.

But as luck would have it, there would be an interruption. Azula's performance apparently struck a nerve with Zuko, who insisted that he demonstrated what he had been learning as well. I immediately frowned, realizing that my son could ruin everything. Earlier, I relegated him to the role of historical expert, asking him to recite some rather important dates in Fire Nation history. To no one's surprise, he failed to describe or explain any of the events I raised. Knowing that my father wasn't impressed by Zuko's poor performance, more demonstrations by my son was bound to tick him off.

And again, Zuko would make a fool out of himself before Fire Lord Azulon. He tried to mimic Azula's fire bending sequence, only to fall hard on his rear end not once, but twice. I could only purse my lips, my eyes alternating between my father and my son as Ursa approached Zuko. Personally, I felt one of the reasons why Zuko never developed into a master fire bender was because of his attachment to his mother. My wife was the type of Fire Nation noble that tended to worry more about domestic affairs, like family, rather than political roles, like climbing up the power hierarchy. While that had its advantages at home, now was not the time to act all motherly to Zuko. As she tried to comfort him, stating how his refusal to give in made her proud, I could only think about how weak that would make us look before my father.

My father soon made us realize how annoyed he really was when he insisted that my family left the chamber. ""Prince Ozai, just tell me what you want. Everyone else, go!" He roared, waving his hand to my wife and children. Even as an old man, the fiery and iron-fisted techniques he employed throughout the years were still present here.

I waited until the doors had clicked shut before turning back to my father. From my childhood onward, I knew Fire Lord Azulon was a stern man, instilling strictness and strong discipline on my brother and me. He didn't hesitate to use force on use when we disobeyed him, and even today I feared him slightly. But the good news was that it let me in on some very important techniques for ruling a country: always use fear, and no force was too much when it came to disciplining people. That was why, for my current case, I had to be very careful if I wanted to leave here with any sort of victory.

Taking a deep breath, I stated my proposal. "Father, you must have realized, as have I, that with Lu Ten gone, Iroh's bloodline has ended." I began, referring to my older brother Iroh and his son Lu Ten. Iroh was a highly skilled and experienced Fire Nation general that led our troops to battle the Earth Kingdom stronghold and capital Ba Sing Se. He laid a siege outside the heavily fortified walls of the Earth Kingdom capital for six hundred days before he abruptly ended it a few weeks ago. The story was that his son Lu Ten had been killed in battle, causing Iroh so much grief that he no longer had the will to continue the fight. I wasn't surprised at his sentimental side, but I was shocked at the consequences, as Iroh was reported not to have joined the returning troops.

But that meant more time for me to take advantage of the situation by proceeding with my plan. "But I am here, Father, and my children are alive." I knew that as a Fire Lord, my father's duties included sustaining the bloodline, meaning there was a good chance he would be open to this idea. Garnering up all my energy, I had to make this as good for him as it would be for me. "Revoke Iroh's birthright. I am your humble servant, here to serve you and our nation. Use me!" I declared, kowtowing fully before him.

By the time I lifted my head, I could tell my plan backfired. The flames around me blasted in sequence as Fire Lord Azulon unleashed his anger on me. "You dare suggest I betray Iroh, my firstborn, directly after the death of his beloved son?" he yelled at me, his fume shooting clearly through the wall of flames as he pointed an accusing finger at me, "I think Iroh has suffered enough, but your punishment has scarcely begun!"

I wouldn't even be given a chance to speak, as Fire Lord Azulon would continue his rant. "Your punishment should fit your crime," he continued, his tone laced with poison and bitterness, "you must know the pain of losing a firstborn son by sacrificing your own." I could only glance up as my father's decision was final. Nothing short of Zuko's death would satisfy him, after what I had offered earlier.

I bowed slightly before backing out of the chamber, realizing that the stakes had now been raised to insurmountable heights. Of course, I didn't come to the Fire Lord's chamber completely unprepared, as there was a contingency plan. I knew that, at his advanced age, Fire Lord Azulon was nearing the end of his years. Even though he was a picture of health, there was no telling what accidents might occur. Should I be rejected by him, I could always make an attack on his life a priority, leading me to victory and giving me the birthright to the throne, should Iroh not return to challenge me.

But now, knowing that Zuko's blood must be spilt in order to satisfy his sadistic, bloodthirsty side, I had no choice but to take this final step. If Father truly wanted blood, then blood would be what he got, and my wife and I were to make sure of it. Making a mental note to myself, I hurried to the living quarters, hoping to find Ursa to discuss this plan with her. Knowing the throne was on the line, we couldn't possibly mess this up.

"You can't sacrifice an entire division like that!" My thirteen-year-old son Zuko roared at the general presenting our latest war plan. It had been several years since I took over as Fire Lord, and I decided that it was time to finish off what my ancestors had started, and wiped out the Earth Kingdom for good. Summoning my top generals, we had this meeting to decide on the next course of action, which would involve tackling some very skilled defenders at various parts of the Earth Kingdom.

My top general was about to make a suggestion where a battalion of younger, less experienced troops would be used as a distraction for the more experienced ones to ambush the earth benders from the other side. But before he could finish his explanation, Zuko interrupted him, apparently not sitting well with the idea. "Those soldiers love and defend our nation, so how can you betray them?" He ranted. Nobody expected my son to join the meeting, as everyone knew that Azula was the competent one in my family. Now that my wife Ursa was no longer with us, Zuko had no one to hide behind when he had his sentimental whines, so I merely instructed all my generals to ignore him.

But true to the way Ursa described him, Zuko wasn't about to give up, as he kept going on about how these soldiers had families, and we shouldn't send them to their deaths without considering what it would mean to their loved ones. Soon enough, this foolish boy started getting on my nerves. It was not his place to speak, given that these were top military commanders, and he had no right to challenge those with superior skill than his. Moreover, even had I given him the floor, it was not for discussing trivial things like family, which only proved to be an embarrassment to me, given how a Fire Lord had no time for sentimentality. "Silence," I sliced in, "You have made me very angry!"

I seethed as the flames around me burned higher and hotter, my situation eerily similar to that of the seat's former occupant, my father, the late Fire Lord Azulon. My plan for that night was to kill Zuko, but made enough of a plea to Ursa for her to stop my act. Ursa ultimately took over for me, murdering my father in his sleep and allowing me to ascend the throne. But that meant severe consequences, as her act of regicide was one of treason, and required harsh punishment. I thought with Ursa gone, I could focus solely on training Azula to be my heir, forgoing Zuko's ineptitude. But obviously, ignoring this pathetic excuse of a son would not be adequate for my purposes.

I glared at Zuko, who now had a look of concern on his face. Despite this, he was defiantly strong, standing straight and trying to stare the entire military command down. He was at the first seat to my right on this long table, his eyes boring holes into the map of the world spread out across the wooden board. "For your disrespect, I order you to fight an Agni Kai tomorrow, before everyone in the palace!" I instructed him.

Zuko continued his glare at the general he interrupted earlier. Youth clashed head-on with experience as my son declared, "I'm not afraid. I will prove that I'm worthy of being in here, and that my idea is worth consideration. I'm ready for this fire duel."

With that, I dismissed my generals, telling them to be in the audience when the fight took place tomorrow. But for Zuko, I had a surprise for him, and it would be one that would test his mettle for sure. While it would be a logical assumption that Zuko ought to fight the general he insulted, he forgot that this was the Fire Lord's war room; in other words, my war room. When he spoke out of turn, he ultimately disrespected me, and to do anything of that sort required strict discipline. For me, this was a great chance to show Zuko what respect really meant, and how much he had to conform to it.

That was where we found ourselves the next day, standing on this flat arena with a huge crowd to our either side. Zuko's look of shock was unacceptable, as fake ignorance was not an excuse for not fighting. "Please, Father. I only had the Fire Nation's best interests at heart," Zuko pleaded, his legs like jelly as he dropped to his knees, "I'm sorry I spoke out of turn!" He kowtowed to me several times, not daring to look up.

The more he begged, the more sickening it got. Frankly, this blubbering was not what I expected from a Fire Prince. In fact, the only Fire Prince that ever performed like that was Iroh, who probably put on a similar show when his son was killed in battle. Yes, my hedonist older brother returned from his mysterious journey and chose not to take the throne, leaving me to rule unopposed. While that was a good thing, it was really a mixed blessing, as it meant Iroh could get close to Zuko, filling his brain with all sorts of mushy nonsense about his life. What did my father ever see in Iroh that made him favour Iroh so much, and neglect such a talented and cunning individual like me?

Turning back to the scene, I approached Zuko, who was curled into a ball of emotional wreck. "You will fight for your honour," I fumed, "rise and fight!"

"I meant you no disrespect," he responded, his face not even leaving the ground. No Fire Lord in history ever had to bow to anyone, and I would not have my son doing such an act, especially before all the important individuals in this palace. "I am your loyal son," he continued blubbering, "I won't fight you."

I had seen enough, as I must end this fight before it caused me more humiliation. I had always been a believer of discipline, even if it meant injuring people. And for this case, it was necessary. What's more, showing leniency to Zuko right now would mean all those in the crowd could speak out of turn at any time, and then pretend to be obedient and beg for mercy. So for me, this was all about setting an example. I took a glance at the crowd, making sure every eye was on me. Towering over his body, I declared, "You will learn respect, and suffering will be your teacher."

Everything seemed to move in slow motion as I reeled back and created a huge fire fist. I could see Zuko look up, just in time for me to catch the reflections of my fire in his tear-stained cheeks. Whatever hesitation I had in doing this was erased completely, as there was no place for tears in this palace. Emotions were for the feeble, and no son of mine would be displaying weakness in my palace. In one motion, I whipped my arm forward, sending the blast straight into Zuko's face, right near his left eye.

Zuko was blown back several metres, howling and screaming in pain as he tried to cover the scorched area. I ignored the smell of burnt flesh as I turned to the crowd, pointing at my cowering son as I spoke, "By refusing to fight, Zuko has shown shameful weakness, and for that, he will be banished from the Fire Nation. The only way he will be allowed to return is if he does what no Fire Lord has been able to do so far: capture the long-lost air bending Avatar." I finished, stepping away from the arena in disgust.

As I marched out of the room, I could hear the sounds of people shuffling away, most of them probably in shock. There was bound to be some bleeding heart like Iroh who wanted to offer Zuko help, but my decision would be final. It was a good way for Zuko to learn respect, but also to get him out of my sight. Without this weakling in my palace, I could focus on what was most important: winning the war. And if it meant using only Azula as my most trusted lieutenant, then it was a chance I was willing to take.

I stared down the long hallway heading from the door of the throne room straight to my throne, with a lone standing figure looking on hesitantly as I beckoned him. It had been three years since I had exiled my son Zuko, and I truly never expected to see him again. To no one's surprise, Iroh chose to accompany Zuko on his journey, claiming that Zuko required someone to guide and advice him along the way. On any regular day, I would be repulsed by Iroh's overly soppy speech about how he saw Zuko as his new son after losing Lu Ten. But given how I just lost two big threats to my plan, I accepted it.

And after a little while, I had lost faith in Zuko's aimless wandering. I was none-too-pleased by the failed Siege of the North Pole, where Iroh supposedly was an advisor to. Plus, Zuko never managed to track down the Avatar, who I heard was rediscovered somewhere in the South Pole, and that meant the past three years had been a total waste of time. Given the way things went right now, with the war so close to an end, I had no intention of letting those two morons drag things out for longer. That was why I didn't even hesitate in asking my daughter Azula, who had increased her sphere of influence by being around me, to bring those two back to the Fire Nation as prisoners.

But then, something happened in Ba Sing Se, where Azula finally met up with those two that changed everything. I glanced up at the standing figure now marching towards me, and realized that he had changed his mind. While Azula told me that Zuko had initial doubts earlier, he ultimately sided with the Fire Nation. In a fierce battle, the siblings cornered the Avatar in a large underground cavern at Ba Sing Se and defeated him altogether. I was very impressed by this act, and didn't hesitate in requesting him to return where I could meet with him face-to-face.

In true Fire Nation tradition, Zuko got to his knees and kowtowed before me. My original intent to teach him respect seemed to have paid off as he barely did a thing until I addressed him. "You have been away for a long time, and I see the weight of your travels has changed you," I calmly observed, "You have redeemed yourself, my son."

Zuko lifted his head just as I stepped off the throne, through the flames and onto the floor before him. Despite having not seen his face for three years, I could still make out the longing eyes, the tense cheeks, and wavering lips that were so prominent back at that Agni Kai. While I admitted that things did change, it was obvious that Zuko was still quite soft, and would require some training to further toughen up.

Pacing back and forth before him, I officially welcomed him back to the Fire Nation. "I am proud because you and your sister conquered Ba Sing Se. I am proud because when your loyalty is tested, by your treacherous uncle, you did the right thing and captured the traitor." I was told by Azula that Iroh originally tried to convince Zuko against capturing the Avatar. But when Zuko returned to our side, Iroh was no longer a factor. As I spoke, Iroh was in a jail cell, serving a life sentence for treason. It just showed how dangerous Iroh was, as even when retired, he influenced those around him to try usurping my power and creating his own faction against me.

"But I am proudest of all of your most legendary accomplishment. You slayed the Avatar," I declared, stopping just as I reached his back. Azula told me that she held off the Avatar's allies and Iroh, leaving Zuko alone with the air bender. What followed was an epic battle where Zuko threw everything he had at the crafty boy, who escaped Zuko's grasp several times before Zuko shot him down with a huge fire blast. Right there, I knew Zuko's fire bending skills had truly progressed, way different than the clumsy oaf that tried to show off before my father Fire Lord Azulon all those years before.

But Zuko's response to my claim seemed a bit unusual, as hesitance filled his voice when he asked what I heard. I furrowed my brow slightly, as I figured that Zuko would be pleased by my announcement. Perhaps the story wasn't as complete as Azula had originally told it? "Azula told me she was amazed and impressed by your power and ferocity at the moment of truth. She told me you did a really good job." I added.

I could see Zuko still hunched over, almost like he was suspecting something had gone wrong. I couldn't tell what he was feeling, or why he felt that way, but the fact that he took that long to digest my words meant something was up. Nonetheless, I figured it wasn't the right time to deal with it. Given that Zuko would naturally be in a state where he found it difficult to trust people, it was best to let him go. I dismissed him from the throne room, once again telling him how proud I was. While I made a mental note to find out more about this when the situation arose, right now I could just enjoy my time being the proudest father alive. With both children under my control, nothing could stop me.

"First of all, in Ba Sing Se, it was Azula who took down the Avatar, not me." Zuko stated. It was the middle of a solar eclipse, meaning the Fire Nation was under threat due to the phenomenon rendering our fire bending useless. Azula told me that there was an invasion planned by the Avatar's allies, and that the capital city ought to be evacuated completely to prevent any damage. In an effort to beef up security, I hid in this large underground bunker, with only my children and my personal guards knowing of its exact location. Our intent was to wait out the eclipse before repelling the invaders.

But it was Zuko who would surprise me more than the invasion, as he barged in with his swords in tow, demanding that I lend him my ears. I felt it was interesting how he chose the time of an eclipse to discuss this issue with me, especially when he revealed that Azula wasn't being truthful regarding the Ba Sing Se events. "The Avatar survived," Zuko continued, explaining why Azula, the one I trusted most, would lie to me, "in fact, he's probably leading this invasion. He could be on his way here right now."

"Get out!" I roared, pointing at the door. My heart pounded and my muscles all tensed up as I heard of the event. There was no way that two Fire Nation royals could mess up that mission, and should Azula be here with Zuko, I would enact punishment on them both. "Get out of my sight right now if you know what's good for you."

But I was stunned when Zuko drew his swords, declaring that he would not accept my command. "I am going to speak my mind, and you are going to listen," he retorted. I could only fume as he forced me back to my seat. I had no weapon, and thanks to the eclipse, I had no fire bending either; otherwise, Zuko would be burned to a crisp.

"For so long, all I wanted was for you to love me, to accept me. I thought it was my honour that I wanted, but really, I was just trying to please you. You, my father, who banished me, just for talking out of turn," Zuko stated, spitting his every word into my face, "My father, who challenged me, a thirteen-year-old boy, to an Agni Kai. How can you possibly justify a duel with a child?" he demanded, pointing his sword at me.

I had truly heard enough. Zuko still didn't learn his lesson, even after three years of exile. "It was to teach you respect," I hissed through clenched teeth. I wouldn't tolerate this type of defiance, and even when powerless, I must keep him in check.

"It was cruel, and it was wrong!" Zuko yelled, volume and boldness increasing simultaneously. "I learned everything, and I had to learn it on my own." He then recited all the things taught in his school, especially the details regarding our history. It was true that the Fire Nation had the greatest progress during Fire Lord Sozin's reign, and my grandfather did say he wanted to spread our influence to share our wealth with the world. So why did Zuko find this so hard to accept? "People don't see our greatness, they hate us! And we deserve it, because we created an era of fear in the world. If we don't want the world to destroy itself, we need to replace it with an era of peace and kindness."

All my anger seemed to have subsided as I burst out laughing. I couldn't help but think how pathetic that speech was, and how much that act reminded me of a younger version of Iroh. "Your uncle has gotten to you, hasn't he?" I commented amusedly.

"Yes, he has," Zuko retorted defiantly. I could see his pose standing taller and straighter than ever before when he described my brother. "After I leave here today, I'm going to free Uncle Iroh from his prison, and I'm going to beg for his forgiveness. He's the one who's been a real father to me," Zuko decided with conviction. I only smirked as he ranted on, wondering what flop he would create with this stupid move. Taking a deep breath, Zuko made his final point. "But I've come to an even more important decision: I'm going to join the Avatar, and I'm going to help him defeat you."

"Really? Since you're a full-blown traitor now, why wait?" I taunted him. I knew that the time of the eclipse would only last minutes, as the sun would return any time. It would give me to strength to overpower my son, who had always been weaker than Azula or me in bending. Should I get him off track, it might make him lose his guard, giving me a perfect chance to attack. "You've got your swords, so why don't you just do it now?"

"Taking you down is the Avatar's destiny," Zuko corrected me, sounding more smug than ever. Sheathing his swords, he turned to the door, ready to march out. I knew, from that moment on, there was no way he would return to my side.

But there was still one weapon up my sleeve. Zuko would never expect nor resist what I was about to unleash on him. "Don't you want to know what happened to your mother?" I asked slyly, slowly standing up from my chair.

I could see Zuko pause and turn around, his eyes narrowing to darts. "My father, Fire Lord Azulon, commanded me to do the unthinkable," I recalled the details to Zuko as his eyes blazed hotter than our sun, which I felt was about to peak at any second, "and I was going to do it. But your mother found out, and swore she would protect you at any cost." I saw Zuko's face scrunch up, pained by the mention of Ursa. In reality, the story was nothing like that, as I was the one who convinced Ursa that I couldn't do it, letting her take action and ultimately take the fall all by herself.

Taking my time, I continued my story. "She proposed a plan in which I would become Fire Lord, and your life would be spared. Your mother did vicious, treasonous things that night. She knew the consequences and accepted them. For her treason, she was banished." I finished in a flourish, my eyes never leaving Zuko's face as I gauged his emotions. Knowing their strong bond, that was bound to get a reaction from him.

A tear rolled down Zuko's right eye, the unburned one as he sighed in relief, knowing that his mother was alive. For the longest time, I kept what happened that night a secret, not even telling those closest to me Ursa's whereabouts. And now, by telling the truth at this time, it gave me a perfect time to attack. I could feel my fire returning as the eclipse reached its end, giving me a perfect strike. "Now I realize that banishment was far too merciful of a penalty for treason. Your penalty will be far steeper."

In one smooth motion, I summoned several bolts of lightning, feeling electricity sizzle around me as I aimed at my son. Zuko was just like his mother, in the sense that he had a lucky break by getting banished with only half his face intact. Today, I would end it all here, with the death penalty via electrocution. Gathering the power, I shot my arms out, sending the snaking bolts right into Zuko's body.

But while Zuko was blown back, he remained on his feet. I only watched in horror as Zuko absorbed all my energy, channelling it through his body, and aimed it back at me. Everything slowed down as my lightning hurtled back at me, my entire body almost frozen as its velocity reached epic proportions. I barely got a chance to dodge as it slammed into the front steps before my seat, sending my body and the chair flying into the wall. "Urgh," I groaned as I was slammed back-first into the rocks.

By the time I peeled myself off the ground, there was nothing but a wall of fire before me. I squinted through the flames caused by the lightning and saw the door wide open, with Zuko nowhere to be seen. Figuring that Zuko was probably headed for the prison adjacent to the palace, I doubted anyone could reach him in time, given the mass chaos that was probably happening outside. But no matter, as sooner or later, my final plan would come to fruition, and I would eliminate our foes once and for all. As I called for the guards, I knew that sooner or later, I had to face the Avatar's group. And when I do, I would make sure neither the Avatar nor my son would be spared.

"There's been a change of plans, Azula," I told my daughter as we met at this Fire Nation dock, close to where the invasion first took place. Surrounding us, all in uniform and standing on guard, were several battalions of Fire Nation's finest troops, ready to take on the final stage of our war. With Sozin's Comet at its peak in the next day, it was the perfect opportunity to finish what my predecessors started.

"I've decided to lead the fleet of airships to Ba Sing Se alone. You will remain here in the Fire Nation," I instructed Azula. The day before the eclipse, I was told by none other than my traitor son Zuko that the Earth Kingdom featured denizens with an amazingly stubborn pride, and they refused to surrender as long as they had hope. Turning to a suggestion from Azula, I decided to start an aerial attack on the kingdom, using enhanced fire bending powers to raze their land to the ground. From the airship base to the Earth kingdom capital, everything would turn into nothing but barren land.

However, I must change things up right now, as I required someone to stay at the Fire Nation to take care of things. While it was decided that Azula would help me lead the airships, I felt it was best that she stayed at the Fire Nation for now. Amidst her protests, I had to exert my authority firmly. "My decision is final." I stated plainly.

"You can't treat me like this," Azula sputtered. Even with my back turned, I could imagine her reaction. Her face was tense, her body would shake, and her tone quivered as she tried pleading her case. It wasn't exactly princess-like behaviour, especially before all these soldiers waiting for new directions from a leader. In fact, I still didn't have the time to speak with Azula regarding how the Avatar survived the original Ba Sing Se attack. So I had to act quickly, and burn up the Earth Kingdom before he returned.

"You can't treat me like Zuko," Azula's voice sliced back into my thoughts once again. Her ranting and whining really grated on my nerves, as I expected my only heir to be better composed than this. I heard that something happened during her visit to the Boiling Rock that caused her much frustration, but given that she stopped her two so-called friends Mai and Ty Lee from helping a prison escape, why should she be angry? Anyone turning against the Fire Nation was an enemy of the state, even if those people were her friends. "It was my idea to burn everything to the ground. I deserve to be by your side!" She screeched, her voice nearly cutting my ear drums.

Realizing things were getting out of hand, I had to reveal my intentions here. "I've decided to declare you the new Fire Lord," I explained, turning to face her. My original plan was to let Azula take over the Fire Nation domestic commands while I was on my attack, but only deal with crowning her later on. Personally, I still wanted at least one hand near her while she ruled, just to make sure that I was always in control. But if this early announcement would make her calm down and in turn not mess things up, then it was a risk worth taking. "Fire Lord Ozai is no more." I announced to everyone.

The guards looked on as two sages placed a new set of armour on me, one that I had especially designed for this occasion. "Just like the world will be reborn in fire, I shall be reborn as the supreme ruler of the world," I described as the helmet was placed on my head. It was dark red with a gold rim surrounding the opening for my face. My eyes scanned the crowd as the helmet snugly fit around my face, declaring to everyone my new title. "From this moment on, I will be known as the Phoenix King!"

Right on cue, my new flag, one with a burgundy background highlighted by a yellow phoenix emblem in the middle, rose to the air. Guards lining the lane all lifted Fire Nation banners in salute as fire blared from the two poles supporting my new insignia. I sternly watched on as everyone dropped to their knees, kowtowing and submitting themselves to the new supreme ruler. I couldn't have imagined it better as I was about to start my new reign with dramatics and flare.

With trumpets and horns still blaring, I marched into the waiting boats. The airship base where I gathered my fleet was quite a ways away, and I estimated that it would take at least half a day to reach by boat. As I boarded the lead vessel, I gathered all the airship captains, briefing them on how the attack would go. We decided that the fleet of airships would fly in a wedge formation, with the larger lead airship captained by me. By doing so, we would cover more ground, burning up more land as we flew along, carving a direct path straight to Ba Sing Se and blazing everything along the way.

Not a word was spoken as we made our way through the surprisingly tranquil seas. My mind was only on the future as we prepared to end this war. After so many obstacles, so many failures, and the interference of so many individuals, success was finally at hand. Iroh's disappearance after his failed siege at Ba Sing Se, despite how shameful it made our family look given his failure, was actually a blessing in disguise. It allowed me, the best man for the throne, to ascend to power. With my determination and willpower, there was no way we couldn't get the job done.

This was further aided by my own father's cruelty towards me. For some reason, he felt Iroh, being the older son, ought to be favoured and appeased to. That left me, his second-born, with very little to work with. But because he focused so much on Iroh, he neglected to recognize my cunningness and ingenuity, to the point where it was a much better decision to support my rise to Fire Lord instead of that tea-obsessed idiot. When he ordered me to bring him Zuko's dead body, it gave me the perfect chance to usurp power from him. I merely told my wife Ursa, who was never more than a loyal housewife that I had hesitations regarding what happened. By asking Ursa to be involved, it forced her to choose between my father and our son. Knowing her nature, she valued Zuko's safety over my father's. By helping me dispose of Fire Lord Azulon, and with Iroh still absent, it paved the way for me to gain power and ran the Fire Nation my way.

I glanced outside, watching the orange glow resonate throughout the seas as we inched closer to our destination. This reminded me of the fire I sent at Zuko's face when we had the Agni Kai, which was the final step towards cementing my place in history. With Ursa gone, and Iroh joining Zuko on his banishment, there was no one who could truly challenge me. With Azula groomed under my tutelage, carrying out my every order, there was nobody that I couldn't intimidate. The three years that separated then and now were crucial in my final planning stages, as not only did Azula take Ba Sing Se for me, it showed me who I could truly rely on in these times. Zuko, with his sentimental bonds, was bound to turn on us, but Azula stayed loyal even when she was unusually emotional today. That was why, just like how I, the second child of Azulon, was able to take the throne, Azula, my second child, would be taking the throne. Who cared about what those useless first-born children, with their sense of entitlement, had to say?

Finally, after an eternity, the island in which our base was located came into view. The guards outside all lined up and stood in order as I exited my ship. Marching through the rocky terrain, I approached the large command ship, which was twice as long as the other airships and had a golden spiked piece attached to the front. The crew busily prepared for take-off as I strolled around to the edge of the island, overlooking the vast ocean between our base and the final pieces of Earth Kingdom land. The first area in our sights was the Wulong Forest, located just on the edge of the western shoreline of the Earth Kingdom known for its gigantic rock pillars. My robe flapped gently with the wind as I salivated at this golden opportunity, commenting, "It's time for this world to end in fire and for a new world to be born from the ashes."

"Please listen to me. We don't have to fight," the young bald boy pleaded before me. My airship fleet finally reached its destination, and we were about to begin raining fire on the Wulong forest. From my lead ship position, I already launched the first wave of flames. But suddenly, my airship took a violent twisting turn, fishtailing sideways as all engines failed. I glanced from my place at a railing jutting from the front of the ship and saw the Avatar, standing defiantly on a pillar of rock and staring me down.

Immediately, I removed my heavy cloak and fire-jetted onto an adjacent pillar, ready to tackle the foes that generations of fire benders failed to locate. But instead of battling me, he thought we could talk it out, insisting that there was no need to fight the war anymore. "You have the power to end it all right here." He declared.

I snickered, wondering who this child thought he was trying to tackle the most powerful fire bending team during the middle of Sozin's Comet. "I have all the power in the world!" I roared, unleashing flames from my hands and mouth. To show him my power, I started off with a wide fire spin, sending flames in every which direction as the heat scorched the rocks beneath me. Knowing his air bending nature, the Avatar was not about to get into a fight easily, which only made this battle much easier.

Before long, I saw a huge slab of rock hurtling towards me, most likely courtesy of one of the Avatar's defensive attacks. But this huge boulder was no match for comet-enhanced fire as I shattered it to bits, feeling the heated debris fly past my face. To no one's surprise, the Avatar was busy hopping from pillar to pillar, trying to avoid me. This forest might be vast, but I had speed to my advantage. Jet-blasting my way down the formation, I relentlessly chased him down, sending blast after blast of fire at him.

By now, the boy tried everything to hold me off, sending rocks from various pillars, water from a nearby waterfall, setting up an air shield; anything imaginable was sent my way. But I caught him off guard as he tried knocking down a series of pillars to block me, dodging away from the rocks just in time to catch the Avatar with his head down. Summoning another fire blast, this time I hit my mark as the Avatar absorbed the full force of that hit, sending him back-first into the rocks below.

As his body crumpled, I landed right next to him. There was a small ledge on this pillar, and I took this opportunity to limit his escape route by rushing at him with a double-handed fire blast. All he could do was wrap the rocks around his body, encasing his whole figure with stones as I continued my flames. With the rocks surrounding his body, he had no way to use his agility, which further gave me the advantage.

Suddenly, the Avatar leaped out of his rocky body and flew into the air, shooting a huge wind blast in my direction. It was a typical air bending attack with little damaging power, which gave me a perfect chance to wind up for a real attack, one that, with the comet, could kill instantly. Feeling the sizzle in my arms, I summoned a bolt of lightning this time, and aimed it straight for the Avatar. Should this one hit him, there was no way he would make it out of this battle alive.

To no one's surprise, the Avatar merely jumped from pillar to pillar, avoiding the lightning as much as possible. Normally, a fire bender could only summon lightning once at a time, mainly due to the amount of energy required to do so. But with the comet, all fire bending had been enhanced, and that meant I had unlimited shots at him. Even as we had to leapfrog from one place to another, there was no doubt in my mind that I would catch him again. Besides, with him playing defence the entire time, he was bound to suffer from fatigue, and that would be perfect for ending it all.

The timing became right when the Avatar somersaulted onto a larger piece, the highest one of all this time with nothing around him. Landing on an adjacent pillar, I mustered all the lightning I could, whipping it directly at the Avatar. He got up just in time to absorb the hit, his body convulsing and his breath shallow. But to my horror, he didn't get electrocuted; rather, he channelled it through his body and aimed his sizzling finger at me. I felt my eyes widen, my body frozen as the boy turned my power against me. My mind raced frantically as I tried finding a possible escape route.

But that was never meant to be as I saw the Avatar's eyebrows furrow, his mind most likely telling him not to do it. Aiming his finger to the skies, he unleashed my lighting, sending it harmlessly into the air. As his body crumpled again, I only snickered. With him showing mercy at such a crucial battle, it was the best thing to ever happen. With my victory gift-wrapped, I sent a fierce fire kick and threw him off the pillar.

I hovered over the coast, scanning the waters as I tried locating the Avatar. I didn't expect him to die off that easily, and I was determined to finish the job. The waves below splashed the coast gently, but the rising and sinking waters revealed the lifeless body of the Avatar. Twisting around, I shot myself towards him, ready to send the final blow. Flying just above the water surface, I felt the water evaporating right at my feet, a line of steam hissing behind me as I chased down the Avatar.

The boy pathetically slipped, landing face-first onto the ground. I could only laugh as I screeched to a halt above him, causing him to create an earthen ball, hiding inside for cover. "You're weak, just like the rest of your people," I taunted him, "they did not deserve to exist in this world. In my world, prepare to join them! Prepare to die!" With that, I slammed two fire fists onto the ball, trying to break through the rocks.

The earthen ball shook and rumbled, but relatively little happened. I figured that the Avatar had braced himself, so much so that it was tougher to break. Taking a few steps back, I unleashed more fire at him, sending waves of fire at the target now propped up off the ground thanks to the flames blowing away the earth around it. "Come on out, Avatar! You can't hide in there forever!" I roared, letting loose another jet of fire.

Finally, the ball of rock was knocked off the pedestal, sending it flying away before slamming into yet another pillar. With the Avatar now pinned, it was only a matter of time before the deal was sealed. I marched up to it, already envisioning the victory parade they would throw in my honour at my capital city when this was all done. A continuous stream of fire shot through my hands at the ball, the fire reaching so high that it nearly matched this pillar for height. I could feel the wall of fire nearly melting the rocks, which would soon leave the Avatar defenceless against my fire. Pulling my right hand back, I generated a small fire bomb, an attack that dealt great damage at short range. Taking a deep breath, I jumped into the air and thrust the fire at the rocks.

Instantly, the rocks crumbled, leaving the Avatar buried in the debris. I could only sneer at the aftermath, as my foe was likely unconscious, ready to be burned to a crisp. "Come on out, little boy," I taunted again, leaning my face in, "You're about to be…"

I never finished that sentence, as a hand shot through the rocks and gripped my beard. My eyes widened in fear as I saw the Avatar with his eyes and arrow tattoos all glowing. Even as I created a fire blade with one hand, he merely brushed it away with ease. Before long, I found myself blasting away from him, my body sailing lifelessly through the air as the Avatar unleashed a large wind blast. By the time I slammed back-first against a different pillar, I could only stare up groggily.

It was the Avatar who was now on the offensive. Hovering above me in a ball of air, I could only watch in fear as he mimicked my earlier move, sending fire out his limbs and mouth, creating a halo of flames around him. This was followed by summoning several pieces of rock, followed by a stream of water. With all four elements surrounding and circling him, I knew the worst had happened: this was the feared Avatar state, where any Avatar could become unstoppable. Knowing there was no way I could win the battle, I had to take off and stalled for time, hoping he would snap out of it soon.

Before long, a combination of air, fire, and rock shot my way, leaving me scrambling as I jet-blasted away from the Avatar. There was no doubt in my mind that he was on the chase as I could feel the pillars behind me collapsing, courtesy of his shots slashing through their foundations. Hoping to stall him more, I tried lowering my current altitude, preferring to zip through the pillars rather than fly above them, making it more difficult for the Avatar to see me. Right now, I was running out of chances and options.

That strategy soon proved fruitless as the Avatar merely collapsed two pillars together, causing me to change direction on the fly. That left me vulnerable to a huge wave of water knocking me right out of the sky, the feat almost unachievable given the sheer distance between the coastline and me. As I shook away the debris from my face and stars in my eyes, I saw the Avatar's ball of air hurtling down from the sky, ready to slam straight into me. Overcoming my nearly numb body, I jetted away just in time.

By now, all my attacks were ineffective against the Avatar, who managed to not only deflect, but retaliated against my every hit. The rocks around me were tossed about like rag dolls in a cyclone as he cut through the formation, shooting down my flames, sending fire, wind and rocks my way, and keeping me evasive manoeuvre all at once. I was hit several times, my body now giving way to fatigue as I could only wonder how this weakling turned the battle around so quickly. My ancestors wiped his race off the world, so how did the last of his kind become the one person that I couldn't beat?

My flaming feet abruptly lost power as I felt a cool liquid wrap itself around my body. I struggled to get free, but to no avail as I realized the Avatar now had me in his grasps. I was rudely thrown onto the top of a nearby pillar, my body in severe pain as I could only moan helplessly. There were probably several broken bones, and bruises up and down my back, but I knew that was the least of my concern right now.

Before long, the Avatar floated above me, opening his mouth to speak in a strange voice that sounded like many people talking at once. With his fume permanent and anger filling his tone, the boy stated, "Fire Lord Ozai, you and your forefathers have devastated the balance of this world," he declared, clenching his fists and binding my hands and feet with rocks, "and now, you shall pay the ultimate price!"

For the first time in this battle, my heart raced nonstop as I realized the end was near. I was about to be killed, my nation would be dishonoured, and my ancestor's legacy all destroyed, all because of this child. I tilted my head to see a drill-like object made of all four elements sailing through the air, whistling down as it neared my chest. I could only close my eyes, waiting for the inevitable to happen.

But it didn't happen, as all I received was a splash of cold water to the face and several rocks dropping harmlessly around me. I opened my eyes hesitantly, just in time to see the Avatar snap out of his powerful state, his tattoos no longer glowing as he stood with his back to me, his head almost dipped in shame. "No, I'm no going to end it like this," he declared solemnly, releasing me from the earthen cuffs.

I struggled to get up, my knees still shaking after that scare. The adrenaline was finally easing as I took my shot at the boy. "Even with all the power in the world, you are still weak." I spat, venom laced through my tone. If he wasn't going to finish the battle, then I was. Mustering all the strength I had left after the ordeal, I made a fire fist and prepared to launch it at the now immobile Avatar.

But that was a decision I soon regretted, as the Avatar kicked up a pillar of rock, trapping my hand and sending the blast into the air. With my right hand now stuck, I tried a second blast with my left hand, but it was the same result. Quickly, the Avatar lowered the two pieces of rock, leaving me in a trapped position again as I blew my face back with an air blast. I could only watch helplessly as he placed a hand on my forehead and another on my chest, all the while taking a deep breath and closing his eyes.

A strange sensation soon took over my body as the energy within me swirled violently. Like a vortex in the ocean, it sucked away whatever strength I had and shot it out of my eyes and mouth. I was completely frozen, not sure what was happening as a similar thing happened with the Avatar. My surroundings shook violently as the two light melded with one another, creating a pillar that reached the skies. It was like my insides were being bended, but there was nothing I could do to stop it. And soon enough, I was overwhelmed by the Avatar, letting the boy drain me of my energy as the beam of light shot into the skies, illuminating the entire world and overshadowing the comet.

It seemed like forever before he released me, both from his hold and the earthen shackles. I tried to swing a couple of fire fists at the Avatar now standing before me, but to no avail. To him, I probably looked like a drunkard stumbling out of a bar after having too much to drink. "What…what did you do to me?" I stuttered, dazed and confused.

"I took away your fire bending," the Avatar stated simply, his voice filled with confidence and his posture more poised than ever, "you can't use it to hurt or threaten anyone else ever again." With that, he turned to face the ocean, lifting his arms up and down in rhythmic motion. I could hear the waves lapping into the forest, followed by the hissing of steam. But for me, the extinguishing of the fires only paralleled the way my career as Fire Lord came to an end: by the actions of this one kid.

And this was where I now found myself, a weak old man with no bending, no title, and in complete disarray. I heard Azula, my hand-picked heir to the throne, lost an Agni Kai to Zuko, and in turn lost the throne. Right now, her condition was no different than mine, as we were both locked away in some dingy cell in the middle of nowhere. And to add further insult to injury, I had to be placed in the same cell that Iroh was in earlier, as if Zuko was trying to duplicate my actions to his "new" father.

The outer gates to my cell soon opened, revealing an individual wearing the same style of robes I wore not even a month ago. It was our nation's new head of state, Fire Lord Zuko, visiting. "I should count myself lucky," I muttered as Zuko's shadow loomed over me, "the new Fire Lord has graced me with his presence in my lowly prison cell."

"You should count yourself lucky that the Avatar spared your life," Zuko retorted, feisty as ever. When Ursa said Zuko never gave up, she wasn't kidding. Given the way he clawed to power, overtaking my personal and the best choice, I realized that the Fire Nation was in for a long haul. "Banishing me was the best thing you could have done for my life," he continued, "it put me on the right path. Perhaps your time in here could do the same for you. But right now, you're going to tell me something."

I titled my head just in time to see Zuko kneel down, getting into the same level as me. "Where is my mother?" he demanded in a no-nonsense tone.

I wasn't surprised that he would ask that question, as Zuko would never give up his sentimental bonds. Even as Fire Lord, he still stuck too heavily to one person or one group of people, letting them cloud his judgment and making him weak. Would the Fire Nation achieve greatness again being led by this weakling? What would become of this once proud and powerful race as it became impure, mainly by interacting with the lowlife Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes? As I lamented over the possibilities of failure, all the while trying to deal with my son's death glare, only one thought remained:

My name is Ozai. That was my story. Those were my rites of passage.

You know, one of my reviewers asked me if I had an attachment to fire benders or something like that, mainly because I seem to put so much effort into doing people from the Fire Nation. Given that here was another fire bender, I wonder what everyone has to say now. For now, this is what we're going with, so hopefully it'll all work out in the end. Thanks for reading!