Pain

Hellfire watched as the sun rose. She inhaled deeply and looked back at the guards on the ground. At the moment, she was standing on a wall that surrounded the palace. She only had a few guards as opposed to the small platoon she had a week ago. In that week, she had quietly meditated and waited. And now, the waiting would be over.

"Tell Lord Ozai that the battle will soon begin." They all exchanged glances, making Hellfire narrow her eyes. "Now, you fools!" She looked back at the sky as one of the guards hurried off. 'Zuko . . . come to me and prove that you are the one . . . the one fit to lead this nation.'

"Are you sure?" Aang asked Zuko as they flew over the open water towards the Fire Nation. "How can the five of us take on the entire Fire Nation's army?" Zuko sat at the back of the saddle with his eyes closed. Iroh looked up from his spot on the side next to Katara and waited for Zuko's answer. Sokka spoke before Zuko could answer.

"I'm sure that if we just dodge the fireballs coming at us from each direction then we'll just have to take on your prodigy sister, your immortal teacher, and your sadistic father AFTER FIGHTING OUR WAY THROUGH THE ENTIRE ARMY!" Sokka nearly screamed. Zuko cracked one eye open and looked at Sokka through it.

"I'll take on my father, otherwise there will be question as to who will lead after he is beaten," he heaved a sigh and opened his other eye to look ahead at the Avatar. "Aang . . . you are a fully realized Avatar . . . all you have to do is clear a path for me to get to Ozai." Zuko turned his amber gaze to Katara and Iroh then Sokka. "The three of you will have to take on Azula and Hellfire." Katara's eyes softened when he mentioned the woman who was, for lack of a better word, his mother.

"Wait, Aang is suppose to hold off an entire army after clearing the way for you?" Sokka asked and continued before giving Zuko a chance to answer. "There's no way Aang can do that! He may be the Avatar but-" Zuko cut off Sokka.

"No, once I start fighting Ozai, only Azula and Hellfire will continue fighting. Everyone else will be waiting for the outcome of the duel." Zuko looked up at the sky. He was wearing his armor as well as Iroh. Even though the two would be fighting the Nation, they would not wear another Nation's color. The two relatives were firebenders, simple as that. They would fight as firebenders.

Hellfire looked down from her tree as Azula entered the garden. It was barren, nothing left except the charred remains of the sakura tree as had trained Zuko by so many years ago. It was the same tree that Hellfire sat in at the moment. The guards were standing a few feet away from the tree, watching her, as always.

"What do you want, Azula?" The princess narrowed her eyes.

"Still you defy me? When I am named Fire Lady, I will put you to death. If father doesn't do that before hand." Hellfire began to laugh. "What do you find so funny?"

"Azula, if you think that you will be named Fire Lady, then you are mistaken." Hellfire slid off of the tree and landed with a soft thud. "I know that Zuko will destroy Lord Ozai. I have taught the boy everything I know." Azula sneered at Hellfire and raised an eyebrow.

"Then why did you betray him?" Azula demanded. "Is it that you came to your senses and figured out Zuko was a failure?" Hellfire shook her head with a smirk.

"My prince is gifted. You cannot defeat him now. Soon, this war will end." It was now Azula's turn to smirk.

"Yes, because the comet is coming in a few days." Hellfire scoffed at Azula's words.

"Azula, if you truly think that then I worry about you. The comet will not bring the end of the war. No, if fact, I doubt that we will live to see the comet." Hellfire smirked as Azula frowned.

"And what makes you think that, Hellfire?" Azula wanted to know what went on in that insane mind of hers. She wanted to know why Hellfire betrayed Zuko and why Hellfire was certain that they would not live long enough for the comet to come. Hellfire smiled and stepped around Azula. She began to walk away but not before whispering something in her ear.

"Because Agni is going to kill us."

Zuko stepped off of Appa. His foot sunk into the soft soil of the beach as waves came running up to meet him. This was the Fire Nation. He breathed in deeply, taking in air that his lungs had forgotten after three years. The wind blew as Katara stepped onto the nation's soil. Zuko watched as his uncle stepped off of Appa's tail and looked around. A small smile came to Iroh's old face.

"We have to get moving." Zuko ordered. Katara looked up at him, surprised.

"Are you sure? I doubt that anyone has spotted us. There were no barricades like the last time we came. And we haven't caught sight of any ships." Zuko looked away from Katara and narrowed his eyes as he stared inland.

"Because Hellfire knows we're coming. So does Ozai. My father wants to crush us in front of him." He squeezed his hand into a fist and a small burst of fire came out. "But we're not flying in like everyone thinks we will. We'll sneak into the palace."

"So . . . we leave Appa and Momo here?" Aang asked, uncertain of leaving his animal guide.

"No. I doubt we'll be able to get close enough without them." Zuko turned to Aang. "We'll only get as close as we can without being spotted then we'll fly through. It will surprise them." Zuko pointed inland. "We'll be going on land to the palace. The capital is by the bay and we'll be forced to deal with the Navy as well as the Army but I just need to get to my father." His eyes were lit with fire. "Then I'll defeat him and take back my throne."

Hellfire listened in the shadows as the war council talked.

"We have reports of the Avatar coming to the Fire Nation." An old man informed the Fire Lord who sat upon his chair with fire surrounding him.

"Rumor has it that he is a fully realized Avatar now." Another piped up.

"Is he, Hellfire?" Ozai turned his attention to her as she stepped out of the shadows. Hellfire couldn't keep a smirk of her face as she crossed her arms and looked at the generals and admirals.

"Why else would the Avatar come to the Fire Nation?" The fire rose dangerously high.

"Do not answer my question with a question, Hellfire. Does the Avatar know all the elements?" Ozai hissed.

"Yes, Avatar Aang has mastered all the elements." A collective gasp took the air out of all the high ranking men's lungs. "And Prince Zuko is coming with him, intent on taking his throne back. He is a master in the forbidden arts." Hellfire added. If possible, the men's faces grew more pale.

"Zuko will be no threat." Azula announced as she stood up from her spot. Hellfire glanced at Azula with a raised eyebrow.

"Really now? And how is that? Last time you fought him, you lost." Hellfire snickered, making Azula narrow her eyes in anger. Sparks of lightening erupted from her fists.

"I've know a new trick. Also, I learned from my mistake. I will not underestimate him again." Azula bit out.

"Really, Azula," Hellfire chided. "if you think Zuko is going to bother fighting you, then you are mistaken. He has already beaten you. The prince has bigger fish to fry." Hellfire looked up at Ozai, causing everyone else to look up at the Fire Lord. "Prince Zuko is going to challenge Lord Ozai to an Agni Kai for the throne."

Hellfire walked briskly through the halls. Ozai didn't bother with any guards now. He was too busy getting everyone ready for the battle that would come. Stopping suddenly, Hellfire looked out a window to her right. She walked over to it and stared at the setting sun. Closing her eyes with a sigh, Hellfire bit her lip. What was she to do? With a heavy sigh, Hellfire thought of her old friend.

'Fumiko . . . I'm sorry that I didn't save your daughter liked you wanted . . . but I will cleanse her of her darkness before we die.' Hellfire opened her eyes and fire roared to life in her dark eyes.

"I promise you that."

Soon the big battle is gonna come up! Sorry that this is such a short chapter. Don't worry, things will get wrapped up soon enough. Please review and tell me what you think. Ja ne!