Removing the dome above his army, Phantom descended to the ground, staring into nothingness. His soldiers could not cheer, for he did not order them to, Fright, however, realized the same thing as his lord. Slowly he approached Danny from behind, jumping off his horse. He was the worst candidate for giving reassurance, comfort. But he knew that Phantom needed at least someone to pat him on a shoulder and tell him that that's alright. The king just looked at his hands, now belonging to a mass murderer. How many people were there? Hundreds? Thousands? Some of his own soldiers fell victim, but they had been lifeless to begin with. Those rotting husks of whatever life had been dimly shining inside were of little concern, he would make more. But he slaughtered the living. He took their lives. No proper person felt good about sullying one's hands in blood, no matter to whom it used to belong.

Fright felt the teen shake beneath his hand. Danny obviously tried to hold himself together, but was failing.

"I...I k-killed them," his voice was so small and timid, once again he was a young, inexperienced teenage boy, faced with all horrors of the world.

"They wanted to kill us, Your Majesty. You did warn them, foolish annoyances, and they did not heed. No one shall judge, for there is no need."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?!" Phantom growled, before shaking his head. "Get to the portal. I have some work to do here."

Fright bowed, turning around and facing a huge gateway. He commanded the soldiers to move inside. As the marched there, Phantom went in the opposite direction. Making his way through the pieces of debris, tossing the metal and the rocks out of his path. The stone construction, as if the earth benders felt his approach, was gone, and Phantom could see their faces now. Terror, fear, they were right to have such feelings towards him. Gone was the will to fight him, the will to talk back to the being of tremendous power. Phantom scanned the crowd for that one guy in charge.

"I've destroyed your ships," he said, landing on the ground. "So you cannot escape from the island. You are not my priority now, so you might as well leave into the woods or something."

"Looks like you are betrayed," Hakoda said, but without his daughter watching him now. He had that smug smirk on his face.

"Indeed. That is why I'm going to talk to him."

Strangely enough, the people now had a shared thought. He was now the enemy of the Fire Lord...maybe not everything was lost? The following thought was less optimistic. What was better? A fire bending tyrant or a man who could cause a damn apocalypse at the move of his hand? They did not know that Phantom didn't need that world, he needed but one man. Passing the sheltered crowd, who scattered away from him as Moses and the Red sea. He vanished from their sight, only to go forth, completely unnoticed. Whistling loudly, he got his horse. That Fire enthusiast better expect a loud entrance. Speaking of...

"WHAT?!" A thunderous yell was heard all across the throne room.

Ozai had just returned from his hideout. Already he looked furious, it was a miracle the carpet beneath him did not set ablaze in the process. And the War Minister just had to bring even less pleasant news. Shaking like a leaf, he was now afraid for his life. Azula, just summoned there as well, only watched in curiosity. And somehow she suspected that the half ghost played his role in all this mess. Oh, how right she was. Painfully so.

"Our entire armada...it's destroyed...Your Majesty."

"How?!" The Fire Lord shouted. "Are you saying that the Avatar..."

"No, My Liege. It was only the Ghost King. He made the sky itself crumble on our balloons and ships! No man has ever had such power," he mumbled the latter part. Azula caught it, remarking that he was not exactly a man per say...

Then it hit her when Ozai's eyes fell on her. Oh, no, what has he done...

"Yes, because for some reason he is still here. Walking and breathing."

"Father, I..."

"SILENCE!"

Even the princess immediately fell on her knees and bowed her head. Ozai rose from his throne and made a step further, down the small staircase. The generals and the War Minister watched in shock. Never had the Fire Lord raised his voice to his only heiress and the most devoted and capable subject. Azula had the same idea. It was the first time she saw him being angry not at someone else. But only at her. Her stomach twisted on the inside in anticipation of what was to come.

"I gave you the orders to kill him, Azula! I gave you the time and you have failed! Not only is he walking freely, he has brought an entire army at our doorstep!"

"He has merely..."

"I said. Quiet. I do not need your further apologies, your defense of that abomination! He has destroyed our forces. And henceforth he is our enemy. We shall destroy him like all others before him."

"I would like to see you try."

All the eyes darted towards the entrance, wide open because of the angry visitor. Phantom's neon eyes were transfixed on the man sitting on the throne, gloating at his superiority. The calm look sent shivers down the audience's spines, for this boy had not come there to chat, that much was obvious to everyone who was not a deluded lunatic. Albeit, one overconfident moron, who just so happened to occupy the over glorified potty chair made of gold, carried the other kind of misconception. Without further ado, without saying another word, Phantom slowly approached the other end of the room. Silence was becoming a hydraulic press, and compared to it many were the mere aluminum cans. What remained of the metal cylinders wearing uniforms was just tossed aside at the wave of the king's hand. Tossed aside like rag dolls, neither the fire bending generals, nor the guards were able to even make a step further. Each clank of the armor on Phantom's body was accompanied by several hurt grunts and groans that could be heard. The fire in the torches was becoming faint, turning into emerald-green, trickling, meager source of light.

It was growing dark, and with the doors shut behind, with every exit locked because Phantom willed them to be, there was no other way of attaining the thinnest strand of golden light, but from the fire behind Ozai's throne. The king embraced his nature, the nature of the being he was. He was the overlord of his world, terrifying, inevitable, yet his expression was calm and unswerving. He was the embodiment of death. And this person had just strolled into the palace. Now, Phantom stopped before the throne. His look fell on Azula, but only briefly. For the princess, who stood by side, it was hard to read his emotions. The face of his was a piece of cold, insensitive rock.

"I warned you, didn't I?" Phantom asked. "Fire does not go well with balloons. Albeit, that was hardly the reason of your failure."

"You dare come in here after all of this?" The Fire Lord rose from his seat. His thin, boney fingers showed up from beneath the robes.

Danny didn't bulge. "And you somehow dare to breath the same air as me. Do you realize what you have done, hm?" Without awaiting the response, he continued. "No, you don't understand. One cannot expect a pompous idiot to have enough cranium capacity," Phantom tapped on his sword. "You have released something. The death of your soldiers are on my hands," his voice became barely above the whisper. "I've lost control," Danny kept talking. "And you are at fault."

"Me? You are the one who brought an army here! To MY domain!"

"Per your daughter's request. I was about to leave, but then you started bombing my men. I gave them the warning."

"And what are you hoping for? You are an enemy now, give or take."

"Enemy? Please, what happens here is actually what amounts to a pile of rocks clawing their inanimate ears out as the organic shriek-machines are pulling them all STRAIGHT down the End Times pit. Shit is flying, left, right, up, down, no one knows what the hell is happening, but on and on and ON, they keep wailing their song of mutual destruction!"

"What?"

Phantom blinked.

"What your minuscule brains are unable to comprehend, is that you are dealing with matters beyond your understanding. We could have separated on a good note, but no. Someone here actually thought that betraying my kin would do you any good. I won't point at anyone, but the main suspect is standing before me."

"Really, now?" Ozai was red from anger, but somehow the attack had not come yet. "You are the one violating..."

"Don't tell me that you haven't wanted to betray me since day one. I would take it as an insult of my intelligence. I spied on you, yes, and there are no secrets from me. This ghost can turn invisible and go through walls, pal. All this time I knew about how feeble is your reliability. Shame on you."

"And what are you going to do now, boy? Kill me? You are overestimating your power."

"Coming from your mouth it sounds hilarious. Har-har," Phantom smiled innocently.

The princess clearly realized that the confrontation and the fight were inevitable. She had to stop them, because no matter how she respected her father's power, the Ghost king was out of his league from all the seems. It could end in either Ozai's or mutual destruction, certainly not the other way around. The crown was an artifact too powerful to overcome. Yet, she did not want to bring more anger at herself. Thankfully, Phantom did not give her any meaningful looks.

"Well?" Phantom raised his eyebrow. "You have broken the biggest moral barrier I used to have, so just give it the best you can."

The Fire Lord didn't need to be told twice.

An enormous whirlwind of fire blew half across the room, burning everything on its wake. Everything but the target. The torrent was gone, Phantom was just standing there in the midst of the blazing carpet, calmly dusting his armor. The shield had done its job well. He looked at Ozai with boredom and yawned. The hair flowed and the crown flickered much less enthusiastically, obviously reflecting his emotions.

"Is that it? Look, I told you to throw your best. You aren't even trying."

Fire blazed once again in the hands of Ozai, his eyes were just as fierce as the flames in his palms. With a roar he jumped forward, launching more torrents forward. Without many movements he avoided each gust, yet not attacking himself, and many people realized that the Ghost King was simply playing with him, as if the toy in his hand had got its own consciousness and the feeling of self-importance . And as he could just put it on the shelf, he could as well tear a hand or leave a rip on it. Everything depended on the mood of the owner, his prudence. Then the Ghost King got bored from the whole game.

He raised his hand and the whole fire show was over. Ozai was held in the air, choking on the force holding him.

"What's wrong? Fire does not burn without oxygen, right?" Danny deadpanned.

He then tossed him into the column, before letting go. The body of the Fire Lord slipped down, before he got up on his feet.

"Shall we proceed with our lesson?" Asked Phantom. "Or are you never going to learn your place?"

Ozai attempted to throw more fire, but his hand got stuck in the air, in the middle of the motion.

"Hello, ant, I am the boot," the half ghost mocked, crossing his hands. "You cannot defeat the one who can snap your ribcage with a simple thought!"

"Stop it!"

Phantom blinked, stopping his interactions with the Fire Lord. He removed his hand and Ozai fell down on the ground, panting hard. He looked at Azula, surprised at seeing her so...desperate.

"Stop this right now!" The princess demanded.

"Stop?" Danny raised his eyebrow. "Stop what? I'm in the middle of smashing the insect who thinks too much of itself. Sit!"

Ozai was pinned to the ground by the same force.

"You do not kill. This is not you."

"Really now?" His eyes gained a bright glow. "Tell this to all the people I've murdered in that storm! Thank your father, he forced me. He has done something you were unable to do. And now he is about to learn exactly what kind of dam he has broken. Yes, it is not me talking to you, it is someone who is very angry and, in addition, has the power to wipe out this entire island. It is me whom this bastard has decided to betray. Now I'll see if he would be just as degenerate to actually try something else. SIT, I SAID!" Phantom roared.

Ozai screamed in pain and fell, for his legs were now broken. The fire hit the column and set the loosely hanging wooden ornaments on fire. The loud crack was heard by everyone present. Fear now held everyone stuck in one place. He fell on the ground, unable to get up. Azula watched this, and Phantom was once again surprised at seeing her genuine fear. The fear which so easily overweighted the anger within her.

"You are afraid," he said, like a child seeing the snow for the first time in his life. "You are actually afraid. Like I suspected, you do care for this little rat. Pitiful, really, you really deserve better. But," Phantom huffed lightly. "No one has such luxury, even I, even now."

"Release him. Release him and leave...Please."

Danny looked straight into her golden eyes, his emotions were unreadable even to her. Phantom, however, could see the desperation yet unseen. She knew her helplessness. If he decided to kill her, Azula would be unable to stop him in any way. And yet, she decided to lower herself to...begging? No, he would not allow the princess to lower herself to this. Danny sighed.

"Do not expect health insurance," Phantom looked at the Fire Lord, who was currently twitching in agony. Danny then gazed at the princess, before giving a weak smile. "Since you asked so nicely...and for the sake of...whatever it has been between us...fine. Your father will live. For now. Try to stop him from doing something he will come to regret later."

Then he vanished in a blink. He left everyone present to their own things, and only the screams of the pained monarch could be heard in the dead silence of the aftermath. Ozai was humiliated beyond any measure, his pride was wounded beyond any repair the second he was used as a mopping cloth. Not to mention the loss of his legs, albeit timely. There were also some other broken bones that needed to be tended. The Fire Lord was lifted by his subordinates. The man glared daggers at the only person in this room.

"You..." he growled. "This is all your fault!"

"My fault?" Azula whispered. "What HAVE I done? Saved your life as of right now? Everything was fine until YOU started bombing him!"

Everyone gasped. Did she just...talk back to the Fire Lord? Never before had she done that, and to do it now of all times...It was too foolish or brave. Only one person had done so before, and heavens are the witness, he did not end well. Ozai looked at his daughter, seeping with worthless anger, as he was now unable to even move his hand without any pain.

"Get out," he spat. "By the sunset I don't want to see you on this island. You are banished, and I don't want to see any of my traitorous children."

Like a thunder amidst the sunny day that sentence rammed with the noise of nuclear explosion. It happened so quickly and Azula wanted to believe that she had misheard. But no, the look of her father, the shock of the audience, everything spoke of only one phrase, confirming that every word full of anger was a complete truth. Something clicked within the princess, her hands shook, but she clenched her fists to calm herself down. Azula went out of the room, the boiling cauldron of emotions threatened to explode at any second. The princess hadn't noticed how she got to her room, sat on her bed. The bland wall was suddenly the most magnetic thing in the entire palace.

It was hard to say what exactly she was feeling. A numerous combination of many colors of emotions — they either left the blankest of white sheets and she felt simply nothing, or the torrent of paint was so strong and limitless that as the result there was nothing to feel at all. A human mind could not process every single one of them in such a short span of time, so the only retreat of that seemingly complicated machine was to go numb, senseless, so as to protect itself from the reality ramming its way through the strong cranium wall. And who knew what would happen when the barrier was destroyed and lied in shambles. For now, all she could do was...cry. Quiet sobs filled the room, and only then a voice broke the silence.

"Are you...crying?" Danny asked in shock, barely above the whisper.

Azula looked up from her knees, and her eyes almost glowed. From anger.

"It's all because of you," she spat with hatred seeping from her mouth.

"Me?" Phantom asked, approaching her. He was no longer wearing armor, with his jumpsuit on, and the crown was absent from his head. Only the ring still reminded of who was now standing near her.

"If I just did what I should, I would have not been humiliated in front of everyone."

"If you killed me?" Danny raised an eyebrow, sitting in the air in front of her, Azula's bloodshot eyes were looking at him. "Azula. You wouldn't have been able to. You saw what I just did. Your father is the only one who was humiliated there."

"And because of that I am now an outcast."

Phantom sighed. "You are not, princess. It's only that fool who thinks so. But if you want to take revenge, go ahead," he opened his arms wide. "Shoot me, I will not do anything."

He just stood in front of her. The symbol on his chest was like a huge target where to aim. Azula wordlessly stared at him, contemplating on whether or not he really meant what he said. Did she want to blast him into oblivion? For all the ruin he had caused the second he had rammed into her life, bringing chaos and destruction on his wake? And for a second a gust of flame appeared in Azula's hand. But just as soon it vanished, the princess looked away again. Why can't she? That was the question her mind was trying to solve and was failing in. Rationality in the current predicament was lagging behind the pace of this strange conversation. So, the princess just remained silent.

Seeing that no strike was to come, Danny smiled softly.

"I trusted you and you did not shoot," he said, sitting next to Azula. "Why?"

"I don't know. I don't want to bother with you anymore, maybe."

"The princess I met would have done so in a blink."

"What do you mean?"

Danny kept smiling. "You may not think so, but I can only hope that it was not because of what you just said."

"Think whatever you want. But get out, you got what you wanted, now get lost!"

"And then? Azula, you have no place to go to. What a banishment will be if your country now rules the world? Only the North and South Poles remain, but do you really think that they would be welcoming?"

"It is not my decision, and certainly is not my fault."

"You are mistaken, princess. It is your fault, and this fault is doing the right thing."

"Right thing? Oh, let's see now what it implies. That implies losing our entire air fleet because of your tantrum, it involves me getting over here a man who almost killed my father, do I need to continue? You've ruined my life," she mumbled. "I hate you."

Danny's look told more than any words. The silence lasted for a while, as he tried to find what to say to such remark of hers.

"I was put into this condition, Azula. They attacked me and you know it. You think I am happy about this? Just for your sake I am not curling in the corner, knowing I have just murdered so many people! And...the crown...its power is so...intoxicating. I felt like I didn't fully control myself at that moment. I...I felt like I could do everything now, because what I did back there, I didn't even sweat. I've taken it off now for that reason alone, I've seen what this power did to the one who used to possess it."

"Is this supposed to sound like an excuse? If so, you are terrible at this."

"I'm not apologizing. Your father deserved what came to him, give or take. But...I'm sorry for what happened to you. It is the first time I've seen you so sad. He really means the world to you, doesn't he?"

"How did you guess?" Azula asked sarcastically. "Because of you I have lost only one member of my family who cared about me at all? What else was there? Zuko? He was a stupid idiot, couldn't even stand up properly and because of that...he was afraid of me. To whom did he go? He always went to my mother, and she feared me just as much. I was just a monster to her eyes, remember?"

Azula briefly looked up at the mirror. Before her was not a princess, but a messed up teenage girl, so mentally scarred and worthless looking that it caused only pity. Ruined hair going everywhere, eyes red from the crying...And for a split second in the reflection Azula saw her mother. Instantly she turned away, so as not to be plagued by what couldn't even be considered a ghost. It was a mere hallucination, but how was it supposed to feel better this way?

Danny sighed. "You really think so, Azula? Now when we are at this point, try to remember, what gave these two a reason to think this way?"

"I was too powerful for them, they feared me because of it."

"We both know it is not the entire truth, princess. Try to dig deeper, what is there to be afraid of, really?"

The princess was silent, she just blankly stared at the wall, while the half ghost could only watch the outside of that internecine conflict within her. Yet, Azula preferred to let bygones be bygones. Or at least she thought of them this way.

"What's even the point?" She asked. "Mother is dead, Zuko is with the Avatar now. Or do you expect me to actually like him?"

"We are not talking about them, princess. You are my friend and I care for YOU. Trust me, I know what you feel, my own mother held me at the gunpoint at more than one occasion. In that situation you needed someone who would show you at least some for of attention. But Ozai cared only about your power, you have seen it now. Now when he has no use of you he has just tossed you out like garbage, because he no longer needed you. He now rules the world, and such menial things do not bother him," he finished sarcastically.

"Get to the point already, or are you going to keep me here for an eternity?"

"You don't want to share your past, I get it," Danny sighed. "I just want to help you see that your father is nothing but a sack of shit. Without his power, when he is helpless against the force so much stronger, what is left there? A worthless ball of anger and arrogance. Admit it, he looked pathetic back there. And you just happened to be close. Azula," Phantom leaned closer. "I am just worried for you. If that is your life example, then all will be lost in the future. Only let me help you."

"You have already helped. Look where we are now."

"You refuse to listen," Danny ran a hand through his hair in exasperation. "Although, I cannot say it is much different from me. I know the feeling of the world crashing around you. And did I actually listen to anyone back then?" He chuckled sadly. "There was a man who offered me everything. Who wanted to take me in...but you know what? When I first saw your father, I instantly knew who this bastard is. Because I have seen his kind before."

"Why didn't you agree with that man?" Asked Azula all of a sudden.

"It's a long story, but I just knew who he was, what vile things he did and that he wanted my power, not me. He...did everything he could just to show it," Danny whispered. "Between all the things that could happen to me, I would rather be stuffed again in that lab with white walls and let those inhumane monsters do their worst...rather than stay with Vlad for a single day. But you know what differs you and me?" Phantom suddenly smiled, receiving a questioning look.

"There is actually one person near who can help in your case."

Azula snorted. "And that's you, I take it," she said without enthusiasm.

"Yes. Azula, I don't ask you to forgive me for what I did, I myself will torture myself for that...But at least let me help you," his eyes glowed brighter. "I'll give you whatever you need. You can stay at my home as long as you like and I won't ask for anything from you. This world is unwelcoming to you wherever you come. If you only say yes...then I'll make at least physical problems go away."

"And the others?"

"You mean Ty Lee and Mai? You know you can't stay with them. But if you want, my men will watch over them in case Ozai goes completely nuts."

Azula nodded. "Yes...I want it."

Danny couldn't help but brighten. Some people would prefer to burn all the bridges, yet the princess was now unwilling to leave her friends just like that. Maybe there was some hope for this poor and unfortunate girl. Now she was nothing but that. And it was his job to help the people. For quite a while that feeling of fulfillment hadn't visited him, ever since he abandoned his work as a vigilante. Back in the day, albeit the people were ungrateful, feared him...he still saved them, because that was the sole reason he was bound to the mortal plane forever. Now again recovering that feeling to its mass, he felt better than ever.

"Then let's not waste any time...unless...you want to say goodbye to them?" Phantom asked.

"I'll...take my things first. Just one question. Will I be able to return here?"

Danny shrugged. "I told you, stay as long as you like. You can return, but I strongly advise to rest for a while."

Azula nodded. So that's how it's going to be like now. For everything he had done...the princess couldn't bring herself to hate him. Because he was right. What was going with her? The princess took a deep, shaky breath. Danny noticed her discomfort. Blinking, he suddenly put a hand on her forehead. Huh, it felt like a weak fever. Probably the stress was showing on her health. No matter, he guessed, he would send after the most skillful healers if it escalated. Azula slapped his hand lightly and got up.

"Need help with the luggage?" Danny offered.

The princess smirked. "Kind of you to suggest," she said.