This is what dying must feel like, she thinks.

No, that isn't right.

This is what dying feels like, she corrects herself.

Growing up as she did, Azula often pondered the notion of death. It lurked around every corner, hiding in the shadows of the palace. For some in her family it came swiftly but for others it lingered, watching and waiting for the right moment to steal the unlucky soul from glory.

Death stalks her now.

Azula is free and floating and everything is just a haze to her.

The jarring sound of a baby crying calls to her over the static in her head. It's harsh, demanding, and threatening to rupture the peaceful bubble she's in right now. She doesn't want to let go of this feeling. Something tells her that she must though.

It's not her time to die, at least not this early in the game.

Her eyes flutter open and she struggles to focus on the floor in front of her.

Lying on her side, she frowns at the stones. When did Zuko paint them red?

Slowly she reaches out to feel them, her hand sluggishly responding. The stones are warm and sticky.

There is something she is supposed to be doing.

Something important.

The baby's cries become more pronounced and demanding.

Azula manages to roll onto her back and regrets the action just as quickly.

The peaceful bubble ruptures and the sharp pain comes crashing down on her. She gasps.

It all comes back to her.

What an ignoble end! Princess Azula killed by a nursemaid. A traitorous nursemaid at that!

She pushes herself up and looks around the Royal nursery. Her breath is coming in labored gasps.

The nursemaid struck hard but was unpracticed with the knife.

The woman's lifeless eyes gaze up at Azula, her neck sitting at an odd angle.

Azula would have preferred incineration but she didn't want to risk hurting the baby. The woman's neck had snapped easily. She had not known the nursemaid was in on it until it was nearly too late. It is a hole in her carefully laid plans.

She pulls herself to stand and feels slightly woozy at the motion. The floor is slick with her blood. Very slick. She pushes a hand to her side trying to stem the blood loss as she makes it to the crib.

Akihiko's golden eyes stare up at her. His tear-stained face wailing his fear.

Carefully she picks him up wrapping the blanket around him, shushing him in what she hopes are soothing sounds. That is what Katara or Aang would do she thinks. She grimaces at the sight of blood on the clean blanket but it can't be helped right now.

More assassins will be on the way. She must get him to safety.

She steals through the Fire Lord's residence, eyes careful for threats. The crashing of the door alerts her and she steals behind a curtain. It's not the best spot but there are few places to hide a very pregnant woman and baby.

Akihiko must sense the danger and he goes silent. Azula holds her breath as they move through the room overturning furniture in their haste to get to the nursery. The shouts and curses tell her they found their accomplice but not their prize.

She takes the opening and makes her way to Zuko's office. Locking the heavy doors, she trips the lever for the secret passage. It won't keep them away for long but maybe long enough for her to get the baby away. Azula tries to not think about the trail of blood she leaves in her wake.

Her vision begins to swim and she forces herself to slow down. It won't do either one of them good if she loses consciousness now. She focuses on drawing deep calm breaths and slowing her heart rate.

The passageway leads her to one of the lower levels. She carefully peers around the corner and sees a familiar braid nearby.

Ty Lee yelps at the hand that grabs her, pulling her behind the tapestry.

"Azula!" The acrobat exclaims. "I was so worried about you!"

"There isn't time. Take Akihiko and get him out of the palace." She shoves the bloodied bundle into her hands.

Ty Lee's gray eyes widen at the sight.

"Don't worry, he's fine." She assures her as another pain stabs her.

"You're hurt!"

Azula nods but waves her concern off."I'll be fine. You have to get him out of here. Take him to your father's house."

"I can't just leave you," She pleads, tears filling her large eyes.

Azula ignores her. "Where's Zuko?"

She has known Ty Lee long enough to know what the look in her eyes means.

Some things can't be helped right now.

"Go." She orders her with as much force as she can.

Ty Lee wants to argue but Azula stares her down. The woman has one job to do and she will do it well. She has too. The future of the Fire Nation rests on it.

"Be careful, Azula." Ty Lee gives her one last sad look before she disappears.

She leans against the wall, fighting a wave of dizziness. Ty Lee will keep the heir to the throne safe. It will be one less person in danger. At least someone will survive this.

The palace is in arms. Rebellions tend to do that. It is chaos and destruction. Fires rage from errant shots fired and the halls are lined with bodies of fallen enemies.

Moving as quickly as she dares, she makes her way to where the fighting is the worse.

Perhaps she should have widened her list of trusted allies, increased their numbers, but she didn't dare. Too many had turned or were waiting on the sidelines to see which side would win.

Her elite troops had been caught by surprise but moved quickly and cut the enemy off at a critical point. The nursemaid threw Azula off though. It was an unexpected attack and a novice error. Azula should have known not to turn her back.

She must find Ozai.

He had been waiting for the right moment to strike and the Avatar's sudden trip to some Earth Kingdom village had provided it.

Timing was everything when one is planning to usurp the throne.

Azula's timing was off.


Her body aches. Literally aches. The sharp pain in her side pierces at her with each breath and she tries to not think about what organs have been struck.

The trail of blood she leaves grows wider with each step. Her body is wracked with agony. Each enemy she comes across she takes out with little finesse or fanfare. She can't afford it now.

She has a singular focus to find Ozai.

Her Father has always been full of surprises but more often than not she was in on them with him.

He double crossed her own double crossing.

Like father, like daughter.

The Royal family history is full of such occurrences but Azula never thought she would come up on the losing side.

Again.

Zuko never seen it coming. Azula made sure of it.

While one hand was plying Ozai, the other was playing Zuko.

There is a certain burden to the divine right to rule and over the years Azula's hands have dripped with the blood of the fallen. Now is the time for it to drip with the blood of her family.

She finds Ozai but he is not alone.

The air is humid. Katara has stood her ground, defending her husband to the last.

There is smoke in the air. Zuko's final stand.

The taste of the four elements clings.

Fate, it seems, conspires against her as well.

She leans against the doorframe, gritting her teeth through the pain.

They have yet to notice her. Perhaps Azula has an advantage still.

Katara hovers over a wounded Zuko. His chest is laid open and the healer works on it.

Ozai stands in the middle of the room looking for all the world like the risen king that he is. He is flanked by Fire Benders who are working hard to keep the room's only other occupant back.

The Avatar was not supposed to be here. She had been counting on it.

It would seem there is more at work here than what she knows.

She has come to know her husband well and she can see his intent even before he makes his move.

Ozai sees it too. The sudden look of fear in his eyes draws at something in Azula and despite the pain she is in she moves quickly.

She has to stop the Avatar.

The sapphire ball of fire deflects the blast of air aimed at the former Fire Lord.

"Azula?" His gray eyes widen in surprise as she now stands in front of her father defending him.

She manages a smirk. Her head feels light and she is fighting against fading vision. She can do this. She has too.

"You weren't meant to be here." Her voice is light and teasing and betrays the sinking feeling in her stomach. She can salvage her plan.

From the corner of her eye she sees the Metal Bender arrive and move in. Azula quickly pushes back moving her and Ozai out of the way as the floor encases the other Fire Benders.

The Avatar never takes his eyes off her though. "Move out of the way." His voice is edged with desperation and disbelief.

She shakes her head and continues moving towards the other door. It's an escape passage and if they can just get to it they can seal the door and buy a few moments.

Azula is sure she won't make it farther than that.

Another wave of pain hits and she staggers against it.

She sees the concern in his eyes. He traces the path of blood she is leaving. Even now he seeks to keep her safe.

It's irrelevant.

Azula never really had an out in any of this.

She only has to get Ozai into the escape passage away from the Avatar.

"Aang, I told you I would betray you." She grits through her teeth as she passes the door threshold.

He nods solemnly. "That you did." He moves out of his attack stance and watches her with forlorn eyes

She holds his gaze until Ozai closes the door locking it.


The passage is one of the hidden ones that leads out of the palace. It opens into a larger area.

"Father," Azula is fighting for every breath now. It's a losing battle. Her part in the game is just about through.

Ozai turns at the fragile sound in her voice and his golden eyes appraise the blood soaked hand she holds out to him.

He nods in understanding and moves closer. His hands gently caress her face as he looks down at her. Her skin is cold, clammy, and so unlike a Fire Bender's. There is no hint of compassion in his eyes.

"You did well, Azula. I didn't think you had it in you to truly follow me."

That was why he double crossed her. All the while they were plotting together he was moving forward with his own plans.

She manages a shaky smile. "You should know better than to doubt me."

Azula had her own plans too.

Azula falters and slides down the stone wall to the floor. The pain is nearly unbearable. Azula knows she's near the end.

"I will rebuild my forces and take back what is rightfully mine." His forces had been decimated.

His golden eyes burn fierce in the low light of the tunnel and he resembles the man he once was.

The man she feared, hated, and wanted to emulate.

Kneeling before him, she looks up. Her golden eyes are fading but she has just enough left in her for this final act.

Everything she learned, she learned from him.

Everything she is, she is because of him.

Everything she has done was for the glory of the Fire Nation.

"Fire Lord Ozai." Her voice is stronger than it should be. "You are weak."

In that moment he sees her intent and his golden eyes flare in anger, defiant to the last.

The air around them erupts in blue flames.

Some evils are necessary.