An Alliance of Traitors

Disclaimer: "Avatar: the Last Airbender" – among the things I regretfully do NOT own.

--

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Fire of all things

is the judge and ravisher.

- Heraclitus

--

Judgment.

A shadow fell over the Fire Nation, leaving only Sozin's comet as the source of light. Something inexplicably powerful was in the air and intangible though the presence of this nameless force was, everyone on the field was strangely aware of it. All the great beasts and creatures who had joined the fighting fell silent, their eyes intense, and their bodies still, as if they sensed the arrival of something far more dangerous and powerful. The soldiers, from both sides, took note of the animals' silent restlessness and alertness and were likewise on their guard although they had no idea what was really happening. All the fighting suddenly came to a standstill, as if everyone was lying in wait for something or someone to decide the whole matter.

There was a moment of profound silence. The stillness in the air was almost palpable, the tension that filled it could be sliced with a blade. But it was clear that not everyone was completely unaware of the nameless phenomenon. Several pairs of golden eyes were narrowed at a certain point, expectant and apprehensive. They had been forewarned and in fact, they had already undergone the preliminary stages of this peculiar process some time ago. But they all knew that today would be the ultimate turning point, the climax of the entire affair. And though some of them had already tried to condition their minds, to steel themselves for the journey to come, none of these measures were enough to dispel the chilling fear and anxiety that wracked them at this moment, when they knew that their time of judgment had come. No, this was not death. Death was, in its essence, a bodily experience, physical, tangible. This was not death. There was a greater level of pain involved this, one in which even your very spirit could suffer.

Death was instantaneous and sometimes insignificant. This was not about being snuffed out from the face of the earth, but total eradication, having even the memories of one's existence completely obliterated, leaving no trace, no sliver of what you had once been. This was about redemption.

Each of them had been duly examined, tried, and challenged. But it was only on this day that they would all find out the results of their immense struggles. Some had endured more than others, and it was partly in this regard that they expected to be judged. Not all of those involved in this affair had paid it the proper degree of attention. Along their way, there were those who were fortunate enough to be told, to some extent, of what they needed to do. Others heeded these warnings while others merely ignored them, dismissing the words as whimsical fancy. They would understand everything soon enough, soon enough. What will lead to their undoing?

The sky continued to darken and now the silence was broken by the crash of thunder, though there were no signs of rain. The loud roaring of the heavens made everyone on the field cower and shiver in fear even more. The golden eyes turned to look at the sky but still nothing was there. Slowly, eerily, pain was creeping upon them. Unnoticed, their guilt was beginning to tie a noose around their tender necks, their sins beginning to weigh them down, and their tainted souls beginning to falter under the spell being cast by the unnamed powers of their judgment.

Then, the first screams began as those to be judged felt the initial pangs of their guilt. Chains of fire wrapped themselves around the hapless victims, winding tighter and tighter, suffocating, burning, cutting, hurting them all. Their eyes went wide and they gasped and moaned in utter agony while those who were around them tried in vain to help them. Tears fell from their eyes as they struggled with the pain but they could do nothing to stop it. Nothing would save them now but their own prior actions. As far as the power was concerned, it was far too late to overturn what had been decided for them.

Pitiful was the predicament of those people who stood near these victims, watching them writhe in agony but unable to help them in any way. It was even more shocking to the spectators since those involved in this were some of the strongest warriors in the force, and yet they seemed as weak and helpless as the most frail and inept.

"Lady Melisande!"

"General Iroh!"

But the two firebenders were still able to raise their hands in protest when their companions approached them to try and help. Between gasps and moans, the two expressed that they did not want anyone to come near them or to come into contact with them lest these innocents might be afflicted with the nameless ailment as well. Iroh and Melisande were both adamant and pleading, a strange but moving combination which compelled the soldiers to obey, albeit very reluctantly.

"What's happening to them?" the soldiers asked one another desperately. Some even attempted at asking for an explanation from the fire shackled commanders. But alas, all Melisande and Iroh could manage by way of a reply was violent shaking of their heads. One of the other soldiers remonstrated the other for being so insensitive and stupid.

"Can't you see that it's torture enough for them to try to speak?" the soldier lectured.

"But how will we know how to help them if we don't even know what's going on with them?" the first soldier protested, "I'm only trying to be of use!"

"Enough," Jeong Jeong interrupted firmly, "this is no time to argue."

"Master Jeong Jeong," the soldiers begged the firebending master, "what is happening to our leaders?"

Jeong Jeong closed his eyes and bowed his head. He had a grave and darkly, pained expression on his face which frightened the others. The old man clenched his fist and shook slightly but respected Iroh and Melisande's wishes by not approaching them. Both tormented firebenders were able to give him a grateful look in the midst of their throes.

"It is better for you not to know," Jeong Jeong replied, "you will see soon enough. For now, there is nothing that we can do to help them."

The soldiers all gasped and whispers began being exchanged among the forces. The fighting had stopped completely and even the Phoenix King's forces were afraid and apprehensive. Sensing danger in the skies, the flocks of buzzard wasps, raven eagles, and boar hawks had began descending. When Sokka noticed this behavior, he ordered for the war balloons to make their landing. Even Toph had sensed the tension and the coming darkness so she eagerly agreed with Sokka's decision.

Now that the Water Tribe Warrior and the blind earthbender had returned to solid ground, Toph immediately knew what was going on by feeling the vibrations on the ground with her feet. She instantly realized just how tense the atmosphere had become and she also sensed those who were the most adversely affected by the inexplicable force. The blind girl's eyes also widened in shock and alarm when she realized that both Iroh and Melisande were in severe pain. Toph tugged at Sokka's sleeve frantically.

"Sokka, we have to do something," the earthbender said urgently, "we have to help them."

"Huh? What? What's going on?" replied the confused Water Tribe Warrior, put at unease by the usually cool girl's uncharacteristic worry. If Toph was worked up so badly, then, the situation was very grave. From the corner of his eye, Sokka noticed his father running towards him quickly.

"Sokka!" Hakoda cried as he reached his son, "thank goodness you're all right."

"Dad," asked the younger warrior with concern, "what's going on here? I thought we were winning the battle."

"We have won, son," Hakoda replied, "but something has gone wrong with some of the firebenders. Iroh and Melisande have been engulfed in strange chains of fire which even they cannot control."

"We have to help them!" Toph insisted, her tone growing more urgent as she began dragging Sokka off to where she knew Melisande and Iroh continued to twist and turn in pain.

"But what can we do?" Sokka asked. His father followed them, describing the situation and explaining that the two firebenders in question had refused aid of all sorts. No one knew what to do.

Toph stood next to Melisande, the blind earthbender's fists clenched. Melisande had told Toph not to interfere with them and though Toph had stubbornly tried to help, the firebender only moved further away, leaving Toph to stand there in silent fury. There was nothing she could do and this irked her to no end. Sokka, Hakoda, and the rest stood likewise, worried and concerned, but unable to do anything to help.

In another part of the army, another individual was being chained in fire in a similar way to the aforementioned firebenders. The soldiers around him kept their distance in shock. No one had expected this to happen to him, of all people. Not even he had imagined this possible. But here he was, struggling and moaning in pain as the fire consumed him, unable to resist the clamps that burned his skin, unaware of what he may have done to merit such treatment. He screamed and winced and moaned and twitched but the pain would not go away. The others tried to approach him but he sent them away, afraid to hurt someone else, to afflict them with this nameless disease. He closed his eyes firmly, gritting his teeth, willing himself to endure, as he had always endured every hardship in his life. With resilience. With patience. With silence. But such fortitude was so hard to come by when one was in extreme agony.

And then, much to everyone else's surprise, his throes ceased. As suddenly as they had appeared, the chains of fire which had bound his entire body now vanished into thin air and he was breathing and moving as if they had never even touched him. Every trace of the burns and wounds had disappeared and he now lay, gasping, and wide-eyed, but unscathed. He sighed a grateful sigh of relief and the soldiers who had shied away from him now approached him and inquired after his health. He nodded to them, still seeming in a daze, as the concern was poured around him. But in his heart, he was relieved. For some inexplicable reason, he understood that he had been spared from some great pain.

And if only Melisande had not been busy at that very moment dealing with her fiery shackles (which had still not released her or Iroh), she would have seen the phenomenon affect Notho Zaides and she would have realized the secret to his identity. But alas, the truth was not for her or anyone to discover just yet.

Elsewhere on the field, where there were no spectators, no companions, two other members of the Fire Nation were enduring the unspeakable pain caused by the chains of fire. Screaming and crying as their bodies were wrapped around by fire which they could not control, Ursa and Azula were in utter misery. And no one was even there to witness their torment. Mother and daughter could not even communicate to one another although they were only inches away because they were so consumed with the unbelievable agony the strange fire was causing them. Azula, in particular, was severely hurt by what was happening since she had only just recovered from strenuous physical activity. Ursa could vaguely see her daughter in the same throes of pain, a sight which only caused more tears to flow from the loving mother's eyes. But there was nothing to be done. She could not even help herself.

Katara continued to weep helplessly as she watched Zuko writhe in pain. She could do nothing because the closer she came to him, the larger the flames grew, and the louder he screamed. It was breaking her heart to see that she was causing him more suffering but she also could not stand doing nothing. The kindhearted waterbender was torn as she continued to tearfully witness Zuko's pain which had not ceased for the past few minutes. In fact, the pain seemed to intensify as time went on. And there was nothing more frustrating for a healer than seeing that there was nothing she could do. Especially since the victim of such mysterious pain was one she loved so very dearly.

The cries of one other firebender echoed across the plain and those who had bothered to look for the origins of the mournful sounds realized that the fallen Phoenix King was also enchained in fire like the others. He too was in the midst of great pain and agony. Then, when the onlookers took a more careful glance, they saw the Avatar, using his airbending to levitate several feet from the Phoenix King, in a meditating position.

Aang was seated Indian style, floating in the air, with his two arms positioned so that the arrow tattoos were facing each other. His eyes were closed in concentration and his head was slightly bowed. He did not seem to notice what was happening around him. A great, dark, shadowy cloud was forming behind him, an immense figure slowly becoming visible and more distinct.

"The Avatar State as you first knew it was dangerous and highly unstable. Activating it relied on uncontrollable rage and sorrow, and it served as a defense mechanism against painful experiences.

But the moment you have mastered the Avatar State, it will reflect your own gentle nature, and the culture of restraint and control that you have imbibed as one of the Air Nomads. In its truest form, the Avatar State is not merely a weapon of great power, but also a tool for discernment and proper harmony. And used wisely, as only the Avatar should, you will do greater things than you have every imagined.

Detached from the distractions of war and fighting, the Avatar State will help you fulfill the final task of your destiny to restore peace – judgment."

Aang's gray eyes whipped open, glowing brightly with the combined power of all his past lives. His arrow tattoos had begun glowing as well, filling the crimson sky with white luminescence. And then, one by one, every firebender afflicted with the mysterious chains of fire had begun rising to the sky, inexplicably levitating, although still bound in their painful shackles, their bodies floated at the same height as the Avatar's, causing even more shock to those watching from the ground. But once again, there was really nothing anyone could do to stop or even explain the phenomenon. All they could hope for was to see the whole thing unfold before them. Only the Avatar held the key to this mystery.

One by one, the firebenders formed a circle around the floating Avatar, their bodies chained, their heads bowed, and their faces contorted in absolute agony. There were six of them in all: Iroh, Ozai, Ursa, Melisande, Zuko, and Azula. None of them could say a word to the other but their golden eyes took note of all those present and the two youngest members cast questioning glances towards their elders. Ursa and Melisande had their heads bowed in dejection, their postures so defeated that at that moment, they were impossible to tell apart. Ozai was seething with rage but could do nothing. Iroh's eyes were closed in resignation to his fate and his head was bowed humbly. From the ground, the two great and ancient dragons, one blue, and one red, soared to where the condemned firebenders had assembled in the sky. The pair of dragons criss-crossed their bodies and formed a sort of circular barrier around the six floating firebenders, their scales glinting in the Avatar's light as they flew around.

Zuko turned his eyes towards the glowing figure of the Avatar and the larger shadow that was forming behind Aang. Ozai's eyes widened in surprise them moment he recognized the materializing figure.

"Impossible," the stunned Phoenix King muttered to himself, "it can't be."

But once again, his incredulity was proven valid. Impossible things never ceased to occur on this day of the comet. For at the center of the circle, behind the small, radiant figure of the airbender in the Avatar State, floated the live and breathing figure of the giant from the cave. His face was stern and his posture as rigid as his statue's had been. The majestic figure held up his fettered hands, each bogged down by a set of weights. His golden eyes were ablaze although his face lacked any expression. Aang seemed aware of his presence but the airbender said nothing. He seemed to be giving complete control of the situation over to the great being.

"It is time," the giant spoke, in the deep, rumbling voice, seemingly coming from the very recesses of the earth, "for you to be judged. Let us begin."

--

On the ground, everything was still. All the creatures had stopped fighting and now raised their eyes to the spectacle above them. The fighters from both sides dropped their weapons and stood in awe of the grand trial before them. No one dared speak, no one dared stir. All attention was focused on the dragons, the six firebenders, the Avatar, and the giant. They heard every word uttered by the regal being and now, all the spectators on the ground were lying in suspense, waiting for the judgment to take place.

This was unlike anything any of them had ever seen. Even the revered Old Masters, Bumi, Jeong Jeong, Piandao, and Pakku, who had seen and heard many great things in their long life times, had never dreamed of or imagined something like this. Some of them may have read vague accounts, heard strange stories, or heard rumors, but nothing they knew came close to what was now taking place. The remains of the Fire Nation royal family was at that moment, being held accountable for all their sins, and the sins of their entire clan. This was not going to be a simple proceeding, and everyone knew it. But they all listened intently, eager to hear what the giant spirit would utter next.

Katara watched the event with horror and worry beyond anything she had ever known. Seeing Zuko in so much pain was hard for her to bear. And it was even more hurtful to know that he would have to stand trial for the sins he had long ago already atoned for. She felt similar pity and compassion for Iroh, Ursa, and Melisande. More than anyone else on that battlefield, Katara knew and remembered all the hardship these firebenders had had to endure to make amends for their own mistakes. Vividly did the waterbender recall all that she had gone through with Zuko and Melisande on the Isle of Azufre, that sojourn in solitude when she had learned so much from them both. Tears continued to flow down the girl's cheek.

"Why must they continue to suffer? They have already endured so much," Katara thought sorrowfully. She turned her blue eyes to the silent figure of the young Avatar, her hands clasped together as if in fervent prayer.

"I have faith in you, Aang," Katara thought as she gazed upon the airbender, the gentle soul she had come to know so well, "I know that you will be just to them."

Katara only hoped that her thoughts and wishes were somehow reaching the now distant and slightly alien Avatar. She had always been able to reach Aang while he was in the Avatar state, and it was on this circumstance that she greatly depended.

The comet continued to blaze across the sky, bestowing its power on the great firebenders at work in the air. The dragons proceeded with their almost tenuous dance around the floating figures of the "convicts". The Avatar stood, floating, at the center, his tattoos glowing and his posture calm. Each of the six firebenders now had his or her head bowed, either in defeat, fear, or simple exhaustion. There was no escape for them. The giant spirit with the piercing golden eyes glanced at each and every one of the victims before pronouncing a word.

"Descendants of Sozin," the booming voice began, his eyes resting on Iroh, Ozai, Zuko, and Azula, "let me see your faces."

And as if they had no control over their movements, the four heads were jerked upward, showing tense, confused, and fearful faces. The giant continued to stare at them intensely with those powerful, accusing eyes before he continued his speech. They all shrank beneath his gaze but they had no power to look away completely, so all of them continued to feel the heat and the fury of that pair of eyes that seemed to peel every layer of them, to seep into their cores.

"Sozin was a foolish man," the authoritative voice proceeded, "blinded by his lust for power and his unforgivable acts of war and destruction made him a disgrace to the long line of honorable Fire Lords. He has stained your name with his sins, but you have done nothing but continued his tradition of greed and violence. You have allowed his disgrace to live on, to perpetrate, and to continue spreading hatred in this world of peace.

You have caused great pain and suffering. Death and destruction have ravaged the land that was once fertile and beautiful. You have broken numerous families, destroyed the lives of countless people, all in continuing to satisfy your insatiable lust for power and control.

Sozin's and your actions have brought disgrace and dishonor upon the great Fire Nation, as well as a negative stigma towards our noble element. Fire now, as a result of this hundred years of struggle and war, has come to symbolize destruction and hatred, when fire was always meant to bring life and light. You have blighted even the meaning and understanding of our element. "

Although some of these claims no longer applied to some of the accused, no one said a word. They all somehow understood that nothing they could say would help them in this situation. Iroh and Zuko hung their heads in shame while Ozai and Azula merely averted their eyes in discomfort. The two sisters who remained unnoticed by the giant for the time being, continued to bow their heads, as if patiently waiting for their turn.

After a few moments, the giant turned his intense gaze towards the twin sisters who bowed their heads even lower the moment those eyes had settled on them. But strangely, the stare seemed (ever so slightly) less accusing and angry. But there was still a stern reprimand in the expression, one which Ursa and Melisande both expected and dreaded.

From where he was, Zuko tried to get a better look at his mother and aunt, worried and confused was he. Even Azula seemed slightly curious and perplexed at why her mother and aunt were still involved in this strange and painful ritual. Surely, they had not done anything so terrible which had incurred the giant's wrath? After all, Ursa and Melisande were no blood descendants of Fire Lord Sozin. In fact, they were...

"Granddaughters of Avatar Roku," the giant began, still in that same booming voice, "you have played a part in this menace as well. Show me your eyes."

Quickly, calmly, and obediently, Ursa and Melisande raised their faces and returned the giant's deep gaze. As opposed to those of their judge, Ursa and Melisande's golden eyes were glistening with tears, their faces betraying all the emotions they felt right at that moment. But still, there was no change in the giant spirit's expression.

"You have disappointed me," the giant continued, his words causing more injury to the two women than any of the fire chains ever could, "your alliance with the Fire Lord should have brought about the change that was needed to redeem your family, and to make amends for your grandfather's earlier miscalculations.

But instead of being instruments of the necessary reforms, both of you were content to become one with the system, conforming to standards which you both knew to be wrong. There is so much that you could have prevented merely by choosing the right side at the right time. There was so much change that only you could have effected.

But you were ignorant, blinded by your own foolish desires and ambitions. Both of you failed to realize early enough just how much power you possessed in yourselves, not just because you are descendants of the previous Avatar. You had so much power, which you had to relinquish when both of you were forced into exile.

You have committed crimes of your own, crimes which require full atonement. Through your deep association with the family of the Fire Lord, you too must be involved in this trial. You too must bear the burden of their disgrace."

All those who had listened to the speech of the giant to the twin sisters were shocked and amazed. Somehow, none of those accusations seemed very fair to either Ursa or Melisande. It seemed that so much had been expected of the two sisters, and perhaps the burden had been too much to bear for both that they had not matched up to these weighty expectations. But it was hard to believe that either woman was being accused of heinous crimes.

Even Iroh, and the others were shocked at the giant's address to the twins, so well did they know the characters of Ursa and Melisande. But since neither woman made any sign of protest to the giant's words, no one attempted to do anything else. Perhaps there was an even greater secret and mystery that the two women had concealed with them for so many years. Nevertheless, whatever "crimes" they may have committed were understood to be atoned for.

The giant's gaze transferred from the side of the circle where the twins had been and the great being now turned his gaze around to all the six figures still floating in uneasy anticipation for the next step. Likewise, the worried and concerned friends of the accused stood anxiously on the ground, straining to hear if any of the six convicts said anything or if the Avatar had at last intervened. But none of this had happened yet.

"You cannot hide anything from me," the giant said, this time, addressing all six of the convicts, "I have been watching your every move from the moment you were all born. I know all that you have done, every dirty deed, every act of shame and dishonor, and every ounce of hatred that fueled your rages of destruction. You cannot hide anything from me."

The majestic figure extended his shackled arms and the weights began to sway back and forth, up and down, in careful, calculated motions.

"Every sin you have committed has a corresponding price to pay," the blazing-eyed spirit proclaimed, "every misdeed must be atoned for in blood and suffering and pain."

It was at this moment that severe sharp jolts of pain were coursed through the bodies of the six royal firebenders and their entire bodies stiffened from the abruptness. Their faces once again began contorting as they endured unspeakable pain. The spectators from the ground gasped in horror as they watched the scene but nothing could be done to help.

"Zuko!" Katara could not resist crying out loud, running closer towards where the dancing dragons encircled the suffering six, "hold on! You can pull through this! I know you can! Please, hold on!"

But what none of the people on the ground knew was that aside from the already severe physical torment all six firebenders were experiencing, great psychological pain was also being inflicted upon them as part of their heavy punishment. Even as each of them tried to shut out the physical pain, every emotional wound began to bleed afresh as they time passed. Each of the royal firebenders was secretly reliving all the most painful experiences in his or her life, and this was the greatest torture of all.

Every moment of defeat, despair, agony, failure, hopelessness, grief, sorrow, all these unpleasant sensations were rendered a hundredfold back into their consciousness. Every drop of blood spilled, every tear shed, every heartache, every loss, every frustration, every hindrance, all of their lives' worst moments replayed over and over in their head even as their bodies twitched violently from the throes of great pain. None of the people who were watching their shaking figures from the ground fully understood the depth and breadth of their suffering during those few moments of unadulterated agony. No one knew of the wounds reopened through bitter memories, which looped forever in their already tortured minds.

The giant spirit's golden eyes blazed with an ineffable fury as he watched the six in their agony. In his chained hands, the huge weights continued to sway back and forth, not yet settling on an equilibrium. Balance had not yet been achieved. The immense figure turned his body and faced the eldest of the firebenders on trial, the so-called Dragon of the West, Iroh.

"Every sin has a price," the giant repeated to Iroh, extending his great arms with the weights bouncing up and down, "but every act of kindness also merits a reward."

And in an instant, Iroh felt himself released from the tight chains of fire and from the intangible torment which had seized him only a few moments before. He no longer felt the slightest tinge of the physical pain he had been enduring only a few moments before. He looked at himself and saw that he had no wounds, no bruises, no scars to mark the places where the chains had singed his skin and burned into his flesh. He was well and unblemished, feeling more invigorated than ever.

The old firebending master still found himself floating in mid-air, face to face with the great giant fire spirit. This time, however, the giant had a softer expression in his amber eyes as he gazed at Iroh. Returning the gaze, Iroh saw in those glowing pools of gold, not only his reflection but a host of images from his past, memories never forgotten and each image reflected in the giant's eyes was a significant turning point in Iroh's life. The old man was almost in tears as he watched all those important and pleasant events flash by in the gaze of the great spirit. The tears then began flowing the moment Iroh caught sight of the laughing figure of his son, Lu Ten.

"You may have at first followed in the footsteps of your forefathers," the giant explained, this time in a tone gentler and kinder than anyone had heard him use, "you chose the right path after a while. You have done a great deal of good to so many people in recent times, and the side you have fought for in this great battle, and the role you played in the reclaiming of Ba Sing Se have not gone unnoticed.

You, Iroh, have already endured great pain, through the loss of your only son, Lu Ten. But through this grief, you have done many good things. You have guided the lost to finding the right way. You have helped teach the young Avatar the art of firebending. But the ultimate act of nobility which has redeemed you, and liberated you from the punishment due to your line, was your protection of the last dragons."

At this, the aforementioned majestic creatures flew in a different, more beautiful pattern, as if in a dance of gratitude.

"Instead of slaying them, you chose to keep their existence a secret," the giant continued, "and thereby saving them, so that they themselves have deemed you worthy of properly wielding the element of fire. And by your acts, you have been absolved."

Immediately after the giant uttered those words, Iroh was slowly brought to the ground where he landed safe and sound. From where he was, the old firebender was able to vaguely glance at the Avatar and noticed that the young airbender had given him a slow and earnest nod. But though he had already been released, Iroh was still worried about the other five who remained writhing in pain and punishment, unaware that he had been freed. Iroh watched in trepidation as the giant approached the next person, Ursa.

"Selfless sacrifice merits great mercy," the giant announced. And in an instant, just like what happened to Iroh, Ursa felt herself released from the great prison of the fiery chains and the sorrowful memories. She faced the giant with grateful tears in her eyes but before the spirit said a word, Ursa immediately begged the spirit to release her son, daughter, and sister in her stead. But before she could continue, she too began seeing her happiest memories (as a mother and sister) reflected in the spirit's golden eyes. Ursa began to shed tears.

"You are a gentle and loving soul born to a cruel world," the giant said, "and though you may not always have made the right choices, you were always giving yourself to save others. You never ceased caring and loving people, no matter how much they have injured you. You forgave your sister and found ways to save her. Despite all the things you disapproved in her, you never stopped loving your daughter. And you endured the pain of separation through exile in order to save the life of your son. Your selfless sacrifice will not go unnoticed, and you are released from this trial."

Ursa descended to the ground slowly and Iroh was there to take her hand. But neither of them was fully content as they watched with concern at the continuing trial. They were both still worried about the fates of the others. Katara had made her way to them and gave the firebender woman a warm and embrace. Both women hugged each other tight, both of them so worried about Zuko that they found solace in each other's presence and their shared worry. They then turned back to watch as the giant approached Melisande this time. Katara hoped fervently that the giant would show the same mercy and compassion to Ursa's sister since the waterbender was better acquainted with the lady and knew well what Melisande had suffered in her life to atone for whatever her crimes were.

"Your noble audacity and resilience have earned you your freedom," the giant proclaimed simply, and at once, Melisande was released from the pain. The same thing happened to her as with Ursa, she found herself looking into several happy scenes from her life in the eyes of the spirit. She made a grateful gesture to the giant, smiling earnestly, her eyes glistening with tears of joy and relief.

"You may have been dazzled by ambition at first," the spirit said, "but you too found your way. Risking your life many times by forming the rebel army and going against the Fire Lord by helping your fellow citizens, you had to endure much pain and suffering. This was followed by your long exile to the Isle of Azufre, that ineffable prison, the isolation, and the storm that you survived. You have learned much from your struggles and your subsequent wise choices and noble feats have earned you this redemption."

And with that, Melisande joined her sister, Iroh, and Katara on the ground. Still slightly shaken from the experience, the firebender found herself locked in a tight embrace from both Ursa and Katara. Finding comfort in their arms, she returned the gesture. But none of them had forgotten that there was still one person in particular who had yet to be freed. Ursa expressed concern, of course, over the fates of both of her children. Melisande and Iroh, though they were blood relatives of Azula, found it very difficult to feel the slightest tinges of pity or affection for her. They were more concerned, naturally, about Zuko. And so was Katara, who took several steps and found herself standing directly below Zuko's floating figure, with the two dragons still circling the remaining three "convicts."

After witnessing the fair judgments passed on Iroh, Ursa, and Melisande, Katara was confident that Zuko too would be acquitted. And yet, a certain part of her was still in worrisome doubt over the matter. After all, she was still puzzled as to why the giant, and Aang, had allowed Zuko to endure the severe punishment for longer than the others. A part of the waterbender felt enraged at the injustice of the treatment of him. Surely he had done nothing so atrocious as to place him at the same level as Azula, and most especially, Ozai. Katara found herself getting angry at the great spirit, and she somehow mistrusted his so-called powers of judgment. Why was he allowing Zuko's punishment to be prolonged? Why did Zuko have to suffer some more? Tears kept flowing down Katara's cheeks and she wiped them off impatiently. There had to be some way for her to intervene, to help him. She refused to see the one she loved trapped in such a predicament. Katara had never been one to sit idly for long periods of time. She would do something to ease his suffering, even if it meant that she had to risk her own life, to expressly go against his request that she should not interfere. Her blue eyes suddenly acquired an expression of complete and obstinate determination. No matter what, she never turned her back on people who needed her.

Zuko's judgment was of a different nature. The giant faced the tormented young man but said nothing to him. Neither did the ancient spirit release Zuko from his bonds of fire. The young firebender remained trapped in his mental and physical prison, plagued by memories of all his mistakes in life, of all his flawed decisions, every action he regretted doing, flashed before his eyes while the rest of his body was in absolute turmoil. And still, the giant looked at him wordlessly, as if still assessing Zuko's character, still in the process of deciding his fate.

Aang had not intervened in the previous cases because he had known very little about the people involved. Another factor which had caused his non-interference was the fact that the cases of Iroh, Ursa, and Melisande had already been decided with relative speed and their conflicts had been duly resolved. Aang was more than satisfied with the results and trusted in the ancient spirit's judgment. But the Avatar had also noticed the giant's prolonged attention to Zuko and Aang was becoming more and more concerned about the firebender who had become one of his dearest friends. He did not see why Zuko had to suffer longer than the others and the young airbender believed that it was time for him to step in and aid in the judgment.

Aang knew just how much Zuko had changed and the young Avatar was also aware of all the significant contributions and sacrifices Zuko had made in order to help end the war. Zuko had proven to be a loyal and trustworthy friend as well as a wise and patient mentor in firebending. He was a staunch and avid supporter of all their efforts, and a powerful ally. But most importantly, Zuko made Katara happy. When the airbender saw just how much the firebender and the waterbender loved each other, he felt a great sense of contentment and pride. Knowing how much seeing Zuko suffer was hurting Katara, Aang decided to intervene.

"Zuko has earned his redemption too," the Avatar told the giant earnestly, "he may have spent the early part of his life in the Fire Nation, performing his princely duties, and then, trying to capture me for three years, but he is a good person and he has chosen the right side. His help and support have been invaluable to me and I believe that he does not deserve to suffer any longer to pay for the sins of his forefathers."

The giant said nothing for a few moments, but continued to stare intently at Zuko's writhing figure. Aang then continued listing the virtues and achievements of Zuko, in attempts to convince the great fire spirit of the young prince's merits.

"So this is your estimation of him?" the giant asked the Avatar. Aang replied eagerly in the affirmative, his expression hopeful, and he thought that he had finally convinced the giant to release Zuko from his chains of atonement. Unfortunately, Aang was mistaken.

"These are commendable feats indeed," was all the giant had to say, "but there is one more thing I need to see, I need to ascertain, before I make my final judgment?"

"But what more do you need?" Aang protested loudly. He was incredulous and found the giant's ambiguous answer utterly frustrating. "You know as well as I do that Zuko has done more than enough to earn his freedom from this wretched family curse!"

The giant said nothing, still regarding Zuko with silent interest, but still doing absolutely nothing to change Zuko's situation. Down below, Iroh, Ursa, and Melisande had begun pleading with the spirit in earnest to free Zuko from the pain. Aang launched in an elaborate argument, highlighting once more all of Zuko's good works and qualities. But the giant remained unmovable. At one point, Aang had even tried to undo Zuko's chains through firebending but he had no power to do so and the giant merely turned and gave him a stern look like one of a father telling his son to know his place. And even in his great Avatar state, the Avatar shrunk away from those blazing golden eyes.

The moment the towering Fire Spirit turned his gaze back to his current victim, he found himself face to face with a headstrong young waterbender, riding atop the blue dragon. He said nothing to her but his eyes betrayed an expression of extreme interest and curiosity. Somehow, Katara had been able to coax the blue dragon to help her get closer to the great spirit. The waterbender knew she was taking an enormous risk in doing so but she could no longer bear to do nothing for Zuko. The air was filled with gasps and murmurs as everyone looked surprised at Katara's boldness. Even Aang was taken aback.

"Katara, what are you doing?" the Avatar said, "you're not supposed to be here."

"And why not?" Katara retorted adamantly, "when the one I love is in terrible pain, there must be something I can do to help."

"Calm down," Aang replied, "I've got the situation under control."

"Do you?" Katara accused, "then, why is Zuko still chained and tortured?"

At this Aang fell silent, having nothing to answer. The giant all the while had listened to this exchange with interest.

"Let the girl speak, Avatar," the spirit then announced, "I am curious to hear what she has to say."

Aang nodded respectfully. Katara gave a reverent bow to the spirit before she said her piece.

"With all due respect, great and noble spirit," the waterbender began courteously, "I come here on behalf of Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation."

"And what have you to say to me that has not already been said?" the giant replied, but not with ill will, "I know of everything that he has done. I have known him even longer than you."

"Then you must know that he has a right to be acquitted from this harsh judgment," Katara replied quickly, surprised at her own tenacity. But she refused to be intimidated.

"Do you really believe that he must be freed?"

"I am certain of it," Katara replied calmly and resolutely.

"Why have you come here to speak on his behalf?" the giant spirit asked her, "why does a person so wholly unconnected to him in blood or race risk so much to defend him?"

"I love him, great spirit," Katara replied simply, "and it pains me to see him this way. I know that he has made mistakes in the past, but so have we all. And he has done his utmost to make amends. Zuko is a good person, sir, I have no doubt about that."

"And you are prepared to risk your own life to save him?" the giant asked quietly.

"If that is what will save him, then, yes," Katara replied staunchly, without the slightest hint of hesitation. She returned the great spirit's piercing gaze with her own powerful blue one. She was trembling with slight fear and nervousness but she did not want to falter in this, what she considered one of the most important endeavours in her life.

"Then, he is free," the spirit announced simply.

Then, in the blink of an eye, Zuko was released from his chains and instead of floating peacefully to the ground, he found himself riding the back of the red dragon. The majestic beast flew towards its partner, who still had Katara riding his back, and the moment the two lovers came face to face was utterly indescribable. Joy, relief, ecstasy, gratitude, peace, love, and a whole smörgåsbord of emotions were etched on their faces. The dragons flew close enough to each other, their heads leaning on the other, for Zuko and Katara to run to each other and embrace warmly, smiling and crying, and reveling in their reunion, knowing no words to describe the sensation of being together once again.

That one shining moment was the sublimest of all, that simple, heartfelt reunion was more radiant and more beautiful and triumphant than any victory they had made in the many battles fought on that day.

"Prince Zuko," the giant announced simply, "you shall make a fine Fire Lord."

Aang smiled benevolently at the happy couple and finally realized what it was that the giant had been waiting for. And when the Avatar thought about it, the giant had been wise after all, although also a tad bit sentimental.

On the ground, Ursa, Melisande, and Iroh were hugging one another, in joyful tears, exchanging sighs of relief and heartfelt laughter. Hakoda sighed with relief as well and Toph and Sokka hugged each other in joy. The other Old Masters were likewise glad to know what had happened. The news quickly spread of the release of the four rebel firebenders and a cheer of victory rose from the allied troops. Even the Phoenix King's former soldiers, now humbled by their defeat at the hands of the allied forces and the great beasts from the Four Nations, found it in them to rejoice at the liberation. Being no longer under the control and power of Ozai, they felt free at last, and they even joined in the celebrations. But nothing was final yet. After all, there remained two more firebenders awaiting judgment from their ancient, giant fire spirit. People quieted down and waited anxiously for the outcome.

Zuko and Katara stood hand in hand on the back of the red dragon while Aang had chosen to ride the blue dragon. The pair of regal creatures had resumed their dance around the two remaining firebenders awaiting judgment while the giant spirit gazed at them intently, the weights in his hands moving up and down precariously.

"Azula and Ozai," the giant said finally, with the two snapping out of their psychological prisons but remaining in chains of fire, "your sins and crimes are already too numerous to mention. You have been cruel and ruthless, even to one another, determined to surpass the other in power and control. Not once did either of you show the smallest hints of remorse for all your crimes. Not once did either of you undergo any rites of atonement, endure any trials, make any sacrifices that would make amends for the damage you have caused to the world. Instead, you had chosen the path of complete destruction, of hatred and fear, of chaos and discord."

Exhausted physically and weighed down by the guilt of all the harsh truths being told to them, Azula and Ozai had their heads bowed, their hair wet with sweat, sticking to their faces.

The giant turned Azula first.

"You," the giant addressed her, "the dread princess and firebending prodigy. You have gravely abused the gift bestowed upon you by the spirits, using your talent only to forward your own selfish ambitions and to cause much pain and suffering. You have been corrupted by your greed and desire for more power. It is your power which sustains you, the acquisition of more power which gives you purpose in life. Thus, as a punishment for your crimes, you will be stripped of all that has fueled your rage and hatred. You will have no bending, and no strength. You shall become but a shadow of your former self."

With that, Azula's back was arched and large flames seemed to exit her body. As these fires came out of her figure, she began to look more and more frail, more and more broken. The flames of her power were reabsorbed by the giant spirit.

"You shall never be what you once were," was all the spirit said in conclusion, leaving Azula's body to fall freely to the ground. In the nick of time, the red dragon, led by Zuko and Katara, flew by to catch her feeble form. Azula was conscious but very, very weak and she had tears in her eyes and looked more pitiful than Zuko could ever imagine. His expression softened as he cradled his sister in his arms while Katara looked on sympathetically.

"If I may, sir," Zuko addressed the giant spirit carefully, "is there any chance that my sister may regain her bending someday?"

"And what could possibly merit such a reward?" asked the great spirit.

"Please, sir," Zuko said in earnest, "my sister is young. She may have been corrupted by a terrible role model but I still have faith that she can change for the better. She is not a wholly evil person. And there are still some of us who care for her, who will help her take the right path. My mother and I will guide her so that she may be reformed, no matter how gradually. If this transformation takes place at any time in the future, could there still be a chance for her to re-acquire her powers?"

The giant looked at Zuko and saw that the young man was completely serious. Somehow, he still cared for the sister who had never even treated him well. It was a noble thought indeed.

"Perhaps," was the curt answer, "but she will never be as powerful as she once was. But if she has truly changed, then she will be content even with humble skills."

"Thank you," Zuko replied respectfully, following this with a bow. The red dragon descended to the ground and Zuko, Katara, and Azula rejoined the rest of the family. Tearful embraces were exchanged between them. An emotional Ursa had hugged Zuko and then began cradling Azula in her arms. The princess said nothing but tears flowed down her cheeks freely as she listened to her mother's words of comfort.

Then, in the midst of the reunion, a figure was seen running quickly towards them. Quite soon, they all recognized him to be Haru who rushed to where Ursa held Azula close. Boldly and unabashedly, the earthbender knelt by Azula's side and took her hand gently in his.

Zuko and Katara watched this incredulously, first looking at each other and then looking back at Haru. Ursa and Iroh smiled with sympathetic understanding and Melisande rolled her eyes.

Creating even a bigger scandal (although by now he really could not care what others thought), Haru raised Azula's frail, pale, thin hand to his lips. The princess's eyes widened slightly at the contact before she found the energy enough to scowl at him. She was, however, too weak to snatch her hand away from him.

"You're a fool, Haru," she managed to say, though not with the same acid as before.

"I know," the earthbender replied calmly. Azula sighed with resignation.

"Just," she said simply, "get rid of that mustache."

--

"And how shall you judge the Phoenix King?" the Avatar asked the giant spirit. Aang was anxious to see this entire issue resolved completely. He had seen and learned from the great and ancient spirit about crime and punishment, kindness and reward. He was eager to know how the spirit would sentence the greatest criminal of them all.

This time, however, the spirit made no move to do anything and it almost seemed as if he had turned into a statue once more.

"The fate of the Fire Lord lies with the Avatar alone," the giant said, "it is your decision, and yours alone. His life is in your hands. You have seen how judgment is meted out. Now, it is your turn to do so. Choose wisely, young Avatar."

Aang bowed his head in acceptance, no longer perturbed about what he was about to do. He had come to a clear decision on how to finally fulfill his destiny and his duty to the world. And, much to his relief, his solution did not, by any means, contradict the values he had been raised to follow.

The blue dragon flew towards Ozai's chained figure. Carefully, the Avatar laid a palm on the older man's head and immediately, a radiant bluish light filled the body of the young airbender. Something similar had happened to Ozai as well but he was filled with golden light instead. Then, this golden light was absorbed by the radiance of the Avatar until none was left in the older man's body. His figure had begun to shrink as well and Ozai was reduced to nothing but an emaciated, weak, but living shell of his past.

"All your life, power has driven you to do terrible things," Aang addressed the fallen king calmly and resolutely, "and now, I have taken all this power from you. No matter how horrible a person you are, I still do not have a right to take your life. And I shall not. But I will make sure that you shall never be able to bring harm to anyone ever again. That is my final judgment."

And with that, Ozai's body floated slowly to the ground where he landed pathetically, unable to react, lacking the strength to even raise his hand in protest. All those who watched him fall were in shock. But after a few moments, the reality of his complete and utter defeat sunk in, and cries of joy and jubilation filled the air. The Phoenix King had fallen. The war was over.

Meanwhile, Aang had turned to face the ancient spirit. The giant's face still had no clear expression on his face but his eyes betrayed a certain approval. As mysteriously as he had arrived, the giant now began to slowly disintegrate.

"Well done, Avatar Aang," were the final words uttered by the spirit before he completely disappeared. Aang made a respectful bow before telling the blue dragon to bring him down to the ground. As soon as Aang took his first steps on the solid earth, Sozin's comet began its flight away from the world, leaving a small trail of light in its wake. Aang watched it fly off to the horizon before he heaved a great sigh.

Plop. Plop. Plop.

At that very moment, the sky darkened and it began to drizzle slightly. All those on the battlefield raised their heads to face the cloudy sky and allowed the rain drops to fall freely on their faces. The pitter-patter of the rain became faster and louder until the entire land was soaked under the torrents. But there was something different about this rain. This was not a destructive storm or a dangerous flood. This was a simply rain. Water falling from the sky. And the splash of every raindrop had a healing quality about it.

Everywhere, people were smiling and laughing as they stood out there, allowing themselves to get soaked in the rain, allowing the raindrops to wash away all the pain and suffering they had endured for a hundred years. Small streams of water had begun flowing along the land, as if cleansing it of all the impurities and destruction brought about by the war. Slowly but surely, a century's worth of damage was being washed away by the pouring rain.

There were shouts of joy. There was dancing. There were endless hugs and endless streams of joyful tears which mingled with the rainwater drenching people's faces. Friends who were separated during the battle now ran to one another and embraced, sharing their joy. Strangers were unified by the collective happiness of that day. Weapons were discarded, armor was tossed aside. Arms were raised in jubilation and songs of victory were sung. Many relished those moments of sublime freedom and peace, knowing that they would keep the memory of that fateful day forever in their hearts.

Between the countless hugs and congratulations, Aang smiled humbly. All their struggles had at last come to fruition. He looked towards the horizon, knowing that after the rain, a brighter day would dawn upon the world, the world he had helped save. The Avatar's heart had never been fuller than at that moment and he took a deep breath, as if inhaling all the wonderful things that were sure to come.

Somewhere on the field, Zuko and Katara stood together, hand in hand, with the waterbender's head resting on the firebender's shoulder, smiles of contentment illuminating their faces. They watched as the world had begun to change, had begun to restore itself. Zuko squeezed Katara's hand warmly. A beautiful future lay ahead of them, one unmarred by war or strife.

The time of chaos had past. Harmony was at last restored to the world.

--

Whew.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the final chapter. Thank you for joining me in this grand and ambitious literary odyssey.

I'd like to say a special "thank you" to Kristoshi Warrior for her suggestion of Zuko and Katara riding the dragons. Thanks for that. :)

But wait, there will be an epilogue, though it will only be on a significantly smaller scale than any of the previous chapters. It will not have all the major characters in it though they will be mentioned of course. The epilogue will be nothing like the epilogue of the Avatar canon or the infamous epilogue of the "Harry Potter" series. I don't want to give too much away but suffice to say that the epilogue will have the same tone and style as the prologue of the story. That should enough for now. It is coming soon, quite soon, so don't worry. But the greater part of the story is already concluded in this chapter.

Now for some apologies:

I apologize if this whole "judgment" arc seemed either too rushed or too dragging. It was extremely difficult to figure out the proper pacing for this essential part of the story but I tried my best to keep it as interesting and as vivid as possible. But it is still far from perfect and I am not completely satisfied with it.

I apologize if I was not able to give much emphasis on some of the characters. Again, as I mentioned before, this is one of the challenges about writing as story based on one as complex as Avatar. There are so many interesting and important characters but it can be very challenging to do them all justice. I tried my best to let them have their roles throughout the story so that though they might not appear so prominently in the end, they did serve significant purposes in other parts of the story. Hopefully, this aspect of the story is not too disappointing.

I apologize if you found the dialog strange or awkward. I try to keep everyone in character while adding a distinct style of my own.

I apologize if this ending falls way below the scale and creativity of the canon ending. I am in no way competing with that (because I really can't) so please don't look at it that way. This is my own ending to an AU story so it's really incomparable to the canon ending.

Nevertheless, I hope you were not too disappointed with this ending. I hope it was still interesting for you. It has been an amazing journey for me although it has cost me many hours of sleep. I have really appreciated all your support and feedback for the past several months. It has been your reviews and comments which have inspired me to continue this story and to exert much effort into crafting it. Thank you so much!

Whatever reactions you have to this chapter, please share them with me. I cannot stress enough how much your reviews are appreciated. :) I really look forward to reading them every time I post a chapter and they really make me smile. So leave a review, please (sorry for my persistence), but I really do love reading them.

Since there still will be an epilogue, I will reserve my complete expression of gratitude for that part. Nevertheless, thank you all so much for your support!