Hello, fellow readers.
This is it. The grand chapter that many of you have anticipated for quite awhile now. The battle is finally here.
This is a long chapter. In fact it's one of the longest I've ever written second only to something I wrote for Harry Potter. Take your time with it. I do hope my action scenes are portrayed as well as my dialogue, I'm not as strong with the former.
However, I do need to respond with the reviews as several of you made key comments and questions.
hopelessromantic34- I hear you but that's something the old Azula would do. It's not about being stronger than Zuko anymore.
IChangedMyNane990- She will certainly be fighting that's for sure.
AzureTemplar3535- Indeed, Azula has little time for anything spiritual or beyond the physical realm. She's still quite utilitarian.
abracursix- Thank you! And you are correct that Azula's problems will not simply end with the defeat of her father, however that comes about. That's where the sequel will come into play.
M- Things will happens as they happen. Though as we all know our favorite princess is quite capable of taking care of herself haha.
FuryJoe- Thank you.
The Rhombus- Iroh is by far the wisest character on the show and his experience in and out of the Fire Nation leads him to being right more often than he's wrong. There is no doubt he would be a good ruler as those best suited to power are also those who don't want it. But he knows Zuko becoming Fire Lord is also the right choice not just politically but ethically for the world to move forward. But for Azula it doesn't even matter because she's still hellbent on revenge. As others have pointed out, it gives her a purpose. What happens after that purpose is gone? We shall see.
Luna Lillyth- You are correct. It's not that simple as Azula will soon find out. There are many mental and physical aspects of this she hasn't taken into account, something she prides herself on usually. Your call may prove perfect. We shall see.
Matheus Bezerra de Lima- I'm glad you enjoyed it. Those scenes were also really fun to write. And what kind of writer would I be if I didn't leave a cliffhanger? xD Fear not my friend, your questions will soon be answered.
UnOriginal2Tall- I love those wholesome memes where the caption reads "Be the best person Uncle Iroh knows you can be." He is truly one for the ages.
GNTR- There's going to be a quite different spin on things. At least I think so. I hope you like the latest chapter.
tubendo- I'm very glad I could be a source of inspiration and that you like this fic! Keep going with your own story. I'd love to take a look.
Guest- That's an interesting theory you just presented and one that has not been mentioned before so I certainly commend you for authenticity. But you are 100% right on one thing, Azula will need something to focus on after the war and what that is remains to be seen.
As always thank you all for your continued interest and support. It really has been a ride writing this and I've loved every second of it. Consider this an early Christmas present xD Merry Christmas, everyone! And enjoy the holiday!
Chapter 26. Battleground
Azula had no idea how long she had been riding across the vast ocean on the back of the eel-hound that was 'borrowed' from the camp of the White Lotus. It didn't matter. There was only one thing that did.
Facing the Fire Lord.
Iroh had spoken of destiny: this was hers. Confronting the man responsible for all the ills in her life. The man who had convinced her to murder, steal, and lie all in the name of personal enrichment when in reality the only person who benefited was the Fire Lord himself.
The princess felt a bubbling, hot sensation rise through her chest every time she recalled his face, the soulless golden eyes, the dark goatee, the uncompromising, guttural tone that he used to silence his allies and victims alike. She had been one such victim, but never again.
What would he say when he saw her again? He was likely preparing for the invasion at this very moment. Would he try to tempt her with his usual forked tongue? Or merely attempt to kill her on the spot? Better yet, how would she react?
The combined fear and hate churned in Azula's stomach like a toxic concoction set to spill over into the other parts of her body, threatening to engulf her essence until there was nothing left but a fiery red mass of rage that would extinguish all in its path.
He's going to pay, she thought furiously. He's going to rue the day he tried to manipulate me and turn me into a monster like him
The Avatar wouldn't do it, Uncle Iroh wouldn't do it. Therefore, the gauntlet was thrown to the prodigious princess. There was no other choice.
"Remember, my child. There is always a choice."
Azula didn't even look up.
"Yes, mother, as you've told me many times. Yet, you're here proving once again that I'm crazier than ever."
She pretended to ignore the hallucination by focusing on the sound of the water floating past the eel-hound as it swam in its succinct motion, but it was a futile attempt.
"You are not crazy, Azula. But you still have a tremendous amount of anger that you have allowed to consume you."
"If I'm not crazy, then how come I keep seeing you, then?"
Her mother, a silhouette against the brightness of the sun, smiled.
"As I have said, I am a part of you, daughter. That does not change in sickness or in health."
Azula blew a piece of hair out of her face, her poorly done topknot beginning to come undone.
"And what gracious advice do you bestow upon me now?"
The silhouette did not speak for a moment, gazing upon the princess with pity and sympathy.
"You are afraid."
"That's not advice, that's a statement."
"It is true regardless. You fear your father as most people do, but it is your rage that still threatens your wellbeing, Azula."
"And you judge me for it?" she seethed. "I'm the only capable of taking him down. It's my rage against him that will strengthen me in the fight to come."
"I sense, that is not merely Ozai that you harbor resentment towards."
Azula shook her head, tired of these mind games, tired of all of psychological nonsense surrounding her fate or destiny or whatever one wanted to call it. There was only one thing that mattered and that's where her focus belonged.
"You can't stop me from confronting father. This has to happen. I need this!"
She sounded more like a child justifying her actions than a young adult with conviction. She knew it too as her mother gazed upon her with the kind maternal affection only a mother can bring.
"I couldn't stop you even if I wanted to. But I will leave you with this, my daughter. Even if you do defeat Ozai, it will not bring you the peace you desire. That will come from another source."
"And what might that be?"
Ursa gave her one last smile before disappearing into the light.
"You already know the answer to that, Azula."
Just like that she was gone, leaving the princess to ponder the hallucination, or rather try and ignore it as best she could before the inevitable showdown.
She took a swig of water from her flask, one of the things she had brought with her in the haste to escape the camp unnoticed. Draining its contents, she cast it aside into the sea. There was no need to carry dead weight around, not where she was going. Defeating and killing the Fire Lord would require an effort and mastery of skill that surpassed even her standards.
Azula thought briefly of the ones she left behind- Zuko, Mai, Ty Lee, even the water tribesman, Suki and Toph. She hoped they wouldn't bother to try and come after her in order to stop what she was about to do. It would serve no purpose except to get everyone killed.
Is this what it's come to? Have I become as noble and chivalrous as my dear brother? She thought with a silent chuckle.
But there was no need to answer that question. She knew measuring herself to the honorable prince was like comparing apples to oranges.
Only one well versed in cruelty stood a chance against a man such as her father. And that's just what she was: the only one capable of doing so. After all, it took one monster to know another.
Suddenly, Azula felt power surge through her veins, a sensation completely opposite of the one she had experienced during the eclipse. The heavens gradually turned into a deep orange marked with red, as a bright yellow object soared through the sky at blazing speed.
The comet had come, and the day of reckoning was at hand.
Flashback
The group gathered with all haste on Appa. Time was of the essence. The comet was nigh upon them and with Azula having gone rogue there was no time to spare.
"You must prevent your sister from doing anything foolish," Iroh warned his nephew, the rest of the group climbing on the flying bison. "She is still a highly volatile and confused individual and will not be able to take down Ozai alone."
"We'll catch her, uncle," the prince nodded. "I promised myself I'd take care of her. I won't let anything bad happen."
"Be aware young ones," Jeong Jeong added. "You know the potential of fire. Unchecked and magnified by the power of the comet, it carries a destructive force unmatched by anything of this world. Ozai is the embodiment of this destruction."
"Even waterbenders at the full moon could not go toe to toe with the Fire Lord," Pakku said to Sokka and Katara as they bordered the saddle, giving them both a hug. "Both of you, be careful."
"We will, Pakku."
"You're such a wise mentor, gramp-gramp!"
"Please, do not call me that again."
Master Piando was the last to speak.
"We've received word that Fire Lord Ozai has left his War Minister in charge of the country while he embarks on his crusade," he said, handing Zuko a piece of paper.
"What's this?" Mai asked, as she sat beside him.
"A formal declaration," Iroh told them. "From the rightful heir, informing the Fire Nation that he reserves the right to pass down the throne to his only nephew, who will ascend to the monarchy in his place."
Zuko took this in, knowing full well the implications. Mai cupped his face with her hands, giving him a light kiss.
"You can do this, Zuko. You're the right person for the job. I know you are."
He smiled in appreciation before turning back to his uncle.
"So…if I'm going to be Fire Lord after the war is over. What are you doing to do?"
"After I reconquer Ba Sing Se, I'm going to reconquer my tea shop," he said jovially. "And I'm going to play Pai Sho every day!"
Zuko nodded, knowing full his uncle intended to do exactly that once this war was finally over. But Iroh had one last piece of advice.
"The fleet will take off on an island close to the shore of the Earth Kingdom," he said to the teens.
"We know, Azula told us."
"No doubt that she did, but the map we gave you know has an alternate route that may allow you to reach her just in time. It follows the air currents, allowing the bison to fly faster than usual."
Bowing one more time, the White Lotus and Team Avatar said their farewells.
"Goodbye, General Iroh," Katara said softly.
"Goodbye, everyone," he responded, kindly. "Today, destiny is our friend. I know it."
End Flashback
Though they had left the camp of the White Lotus with love and hope, there was still a sense of deep anxiety among the group as they traveled back towards the edge of the Earth Kingdom. So much had to go right with little margin for error. One slip up could have devastating consequences.
Most worried of all was Zuko, and Katara could sense it.
"Don't worry, we'll find Azula," she tried to soothe him.
"I'm not worried about finding her," he said back. "I'm worried that we'll find her too late. What if she engages my father and he ends up…"
He couldn't finish the sentence, not wanting to say aloud that grisly possibility.
"Don't think like that," Mai said. "Even if she does get there first, you know she can hold her own."
"Against anyone else, I'd agree with you. But this isn't just anyone we're talking about. If my father tried to kill me when he found out I had turned against him, what do you think he'll try to do to Azula?"
The question was rhetorical in nature. No one needed to answer it. They all knew.
"We need Aang," Zuko asserted. "My uncle was right. He has to be the one to take out the Fire Lord. But what if he doesn't come back?"
"He will," Katara said with unyielding faith. "He has to."
"Otherwise, we're kind of screwed," Mai summed up in a nutshell.
There was a pause before Ty Lee spoke up.
"The comet makes everything look so pretty," she said in a hushed, awed tone. "Look at all the colors."
"Hard to believe something so beautiful could lead to so much damage and destruction," Suki uttered sadly.
"Anything can be used for good or evil," Sokka posed philosophically. "It just so happens that the Fire Lord is harnessing this comet for evil."
Toph shifted her position in the saddle, her normally confident demeanor noticeably subdued.
"And we're the only ones standing in his way."
Somehow, even with their combined strength and potential, it wasn't a comforting thought.
Appa, grunted slightly as he continued to allow the wind currents to push him forward, the momentum at everyone's backs.
"Save your energy, big guy," Katara said softly, rubbing the gentle giant's head. "We don't want you getting hurt."
"Brace yourselves, everyone," Zuko announced. "This is going to be the fight of our lives. Whatever happens…we can do this."
And so, Team Avatar continued to fly into the fiery, reddish-orange gleam of the west, knowing for certain that they would find Azula and the Fire Lord upon their arrival.
But the harrowing truth remained: none of them knew whether or not this day would be their last.
She reached the shore of Jing Island, the spot chosen by the Fire Nation military to launch their assault against the Earth Kingdom. It was quite suitable actually. It was essentially a crater with a flat surface on the inside, perfect for hiding any activity that might have been detected on open ground. Of course, the fall of Ba Sing Se made the prospect of any earthbender discovering the operation minute, not to mention this island bordered upon the colonies, an area controlled by the Fire Nation for a better part of fifty years.
No one would be coming to save them, except the one person who knew of the plan. Of course, even now Azula didn't give a damn about whatever peasants lay in the still unoccupied parts of the country. There was only one goal, one that captured all of her focus and hatred.
Ending Fire Lord Ozai.
Landing upon the shore of the island, Azula stepped off the saddle of the eel-hound allowing the beast to go free once its task was done. She had no need of it now, it would only be collateral damage in the massive firefight yet to occur.
Climbing up the rocky hill that overlooked the airship fleet, the princess breathed in deeply, allowing the influence comet to surge through her veins like a potent elixir. End of the world or not, there was only one chance for her to experience this kind of power and she planned on using every ounce of it for what was to come.
Reaching the edge of the bluff, she gazed downwards on the row of two dozen ships that were still loading for takeoff.
Excellent. If the crews are still preparing, that means father is too.
She would end this in one fell swoop. The invasion and her father. It was all too perfect.
Scanning the crowd of men, it didn't take long for her to spot the Fire Lord, a tall man dressed in golden armor with a long scarlet robe, rich enough to be considered the color of blood. She snorted. He downplayed that aspect of his personality, but Ozai had always carried a love of grandiosity and pomp. This was his day to set his stamp on the world and no doubt he would do it in style.
Azula took one last glance at the eerie, golden comet that streaked across the sky. She thought of Zuko, Ty Lee, Mai and all of the others that she had gotten to know and even grow close to the past few weeks. She was not a good person and probably never would be, but she realized that through her wild experiences she had come to care for them after all.
However, she cared about issuing retribution more. The idea consumed her. And without wasting any more time, Azula propelled herself into the air using blasts of blue fire, soaring over masts of the airship fleet until she landed in front of the man she had wanted to face for a long time now.
Fire Lord Ozai blinked in surprise. He had been in discussion with two of his captains. He had not expected his daughter to show up minutes before he was destined to lead the attack.
"Azula," he said simply, his tone slightly elevated to indicate this was unanticipated.
Two of the captains seized the opportunity to run over to try and subdue her but failed miserably as the princess knocked them out cold in a matter of seconds.
More soldiers showed up ready for battle, but Azula merely chuckled.
"You can try, but there's not a man among you that's a match for me. I'd kill you without a second thought."
Ozai, knowing she was right, didn't bother using his minions, sending them away with a lazy flick of his hand.
"Continue your preparation," he said to them. "Embark when all is ready."
"But, sir. What about-"
"Do not contradict me, captain," the Fire Lord growled dangerously. "I will join you after I have a little chat with the princess."
They obliged, leaving father and daughter alone.
"So, you came back," he said simply.
"Yes, but not for the reasons you think," came the sardonic reply.
"Is that so?" Ozai said, clearly amused as he stroked his goatee. "Perhaps you can tell me why you've been missing these past few weeks. If I find your explanation compelling perhaps I'll let you join me today."
"Don't patronize me," Azula spat. "And don't pretend you had any intention of giving me anything except in the name of achieving your own ends."
The Fire Lord still held an entertained expression, not taking her disrespect seriously.
"So why then are you here?"
"It's quite simple actually. I'm here to end your life."
That brought out a horrid, barking laugh from Ozai.
"Oh, that's precious. And what have I done to earn such ire from you, daughter?"
"Everything," Azula spoke in quiet rage that continued to build. "You treated me like a prized beast, worthy of serving you until no longer of any use. You caused me to hate my brother and abuse him just as you did with me. You manipulated, lied, and taught me nothing but deceit and treachery."
Her heart pounded with anger as she emphasized the final point.
"You banished mother and made her hate me. You made me into a monster."
The amusement left Ozai's face but there were still the inklings of a smirk playing around his mouth.
"Your ignorance and foolishness surpass even that of your brother. I didn't think I'd ever have to reteach you the lessons I have imparted upon you, Azula but I guess I was wrong."
He gestured in her direction.
"You accuse me of making you a monster? I made you into the greatest prodigy the world has ever seen, someone willing to do what was necessary to succeed and earn glory and honor. For all your grand proclamations of hatred against me, you're the same as ever, my daughter. You come to kill me as I did with my own father. You seek power just as I do. But you forgot one key part of your education."
He set aside his armor and burned the scarlet robe to a crisp in one blast, revealing an extremely powerful, muscled man spoiling for a fight.
"Disrespect earned your brother banishment. Regicide carries the penalty of death."
Ozai set his stance. Suddenly, Azula knew what was about to happen before it did.
Her anticipation was rewarded with her life, leaping into the air to avoid her father's massive fire blast as she returned one of her own.
The Fire Lord avoided the attack, running towards his target sending another massive wave of fire, which Azula managed to deflect. Using her agility and speed, she sent kick after kick and punch after punch, trying to break her father's route.
Alas, he stood, connected to the ground as if he were an earthbender, smirking evilly.
"You fight well, Azula. But don't forget it was I who taught you everything you know."
Her father sent another blast her way, only this one was much more concentrated, as the princess had to do a somersault to avoid it. She raised herself up and with a primal scream unleashed a huge ball of blue flame.
This worked. Ozai was forced to change positions, but he didn't reel for long. Summoning the full depth of his power, he too propelled himself in the air using his bending and started pelting Azula with blast after blast.
Shit!
The princess was in a bind. She knew that his attacks would be too quick to avoid for long, seeing as he had the air advantage, but trying to do the same risked greater injury. Breathing inwardly, she dodged the relentless assault and used her own skill to launch herself in a semi circle as though she were skating on a frozen pond. His raw firepower might have been more potent, but she was younger with all the dexterity to hold off on her next move until properly ready.
Patiently, she waited until Ozai exposed himself with a two handed blast that was clearly intended to seriously maim or injure her. Unfortunately, it left his left flank wide open.
Jumping into the air, the princess launched herself into the rock wall, and kicked out with her legs, sending a strike towards him that she knew he would not be able to get out of the way in time.
A roar of pain issued from the Fire Lord, as he shielded himself with his hands.
Yes! I got him!
When the smoke cleared, however, she saw that was not entirely correct. Ozai had a significant burn on the left side of his body but otherwise remained unharmed. There was no smirk on his face now- it was twisted into a vengeful snarl containing nothing but malice and cruelty towards his flesh and blood.
Ignoring the pain, he began swirling his hands in a repetitive motion, creating an incredible ring of fire that he sent careening towards Azula, who knew there was no possible way to block.
Falling backwards into the dirt, it was all she could do to prevent herself from crying out. She would not give the fiend the satisfaction of seeing her weak and helpless. But the vast belief in her own skill to win the day was deeply shaken. She brushed the hair that blocked her field of vision from eyes and stood up once more, ready to resume the battle.
"Still haven't learned yet?" her father taunted as he walked towards her.
"I've learned plenty!" Azula snarled and struck out with her leg with such force it the resulting fireball would have incinerated anything in its path. Unfortunately, Ozai wiped the flames away with a powerful defensive sweep, his counter blast sending Azula to the ground once more.
"Clearly, you haven't," he said coldly, no warm silkiness remaining in his voice. "You do enjoy punishing yourself, don't you?"
Azula stood up again, unwilling to show weakness or any indication she was backing down.
"Serving you all my life is punishment enough."
"On the contrary, daughter," the Fire Lord sneered. "The consequences have just begun."
Rushing forward, he sent another powerful blast, which Azula managed to block with a powerful fist but Ozai continued his relentless assault with more blasts, this time at closer range. Azula weaved and ducked, striking where she could, however, her opponent was almost as quick as she was and landing a hit was next to impossible.
The good news was that her agility remained potent even as she had to work twice as hard to avoid his strikes. Summoning her creativity and cleverness, the princess somersaulted through the Fire Lord's outstretched legs and proceeded to jump twenty feet in the air. As she came back down, she aimed an enormous blast of blue flame towards the ground her father stood on, causing him to lose his balance.
Azula pressed her attack her own drive reaching new heights. Wave after wave of fire was sent towards Ozai, who either had to dodge or block the strikes.
The princess was dialed in, her focus combined with years upon years of training enforced by the man she sought to kill was paying off in this critical moment. She was going to do it, she would deliver the final blow and end him once and for all.
Closer she came, as she backed Ozai into a corner facing the bluff, his posture completely defensive in the wake of his daughter's assault as a fighter trapped within a portion of the ring. Azula allowed a small smirk of triumph as her opponent overplayed his hand, striking where she had been half a second earlier, meaning he was half a second too late.
With a great swipe of her hand, her fingernails cut a deep slash across the Fire Lord's forehead, drawing blood.
As the Fire Lord reeled from the blow, Azula thought for a brief moment that she had won. He was too distracted to retaliate. He had no armor to protect himself, making his body completely vulnerable to any strike that would pierce it, and the princess had one such strike in mind.
She prepared to create lightning and blast a hole in his chest. Sensing the energy separating within her hands, she acted as the channel for which it traveled, as it exited her outstretched fingertips…
Except that she never got the chance to complete the necessary motion. Ozai had seized her arm, clutching it in a vice grip before using his incredible firepower to send her fifty feet backwards and onto her side.
This time, the princess did not get up immediately, the pain that erupted from her body too great recover from all at once. Lamenting that she was reaching her physical limit, Azula coughed and looked up to see the terrifying face of her father, the full weight of his rage bared down upon her, the blood still seeping from the wound he had received from her.
Instinct pushed Azula to strike, but given her vantage point, Ozai merely side stepped her, grabbed her upper chest and slammed her into the ground, completely knocking the wind out of his daughter by the force of his incredible strength.
"You over exerted yourself," he observed with casual cruelty. "That sequence was executed perfectly…except one for one little thing. No control."
"You were always quick to point out the flaws," Azula coughed at him.
"Except this time there are no redoes," her father replied, his tone deadlier than ever. He turned his back to his daughter, knowing she was beaten and posed little threat now. "Gone are the days where I instructed you in the proper ways of the Fire Nation, and to follow in my footsteps. You were my pride and joy, Azula. I am disappointed it has to end this way."
Azula managed to pull herself onto her knees, spitting on her father's feet.
"You can take your false sanctimony and stick it up your-"
Another crushing blow, returning her to ground as put his foot squarely on her back.
"Impudent child!" he roared, and he pressed his foot harder, causing her joints to crack ominously as she screamed in pain. "If you will not yield than this is where you belong, underneath my heel. I gave you everything…"
He lit his hand with a small, but intense flame that steadily grew larger and larger.
"And now, I will take it away."
Azula struggled against her father's grip but the force he exerted was too strong to overcome.
No! It won't end this way! I have to be the one to kill him! I have to make him pay!
Ozai never received the opportunity to kill his only daughter as a flying bison landed in front of the scene, causing him to jump back to avoid being crushed by its girth.
From the saddle jumped the rest of Team Avatar- Zuko, Katara, Sokka, Toph, Suki, Mai, and Ty Lee, all with grim looks on their faces, fully ready to enter the fray.
The Fire Lord's face betrayed far more surprise than he had with Azula, but it vanished quickly as he realized the implication.
"So, my traitorous son has returned to defend his equally traitorous sister," he mused. "Now I know where she's been these past few weeks. And who filled her head with such ridiculous notions."
Zuko said nothing, as he and Katara stepped front of Azula's injured form while Mai and Ty Lee assisted her up.
"You shouldn't have come back," Azula said to her two friends. "He'll kill us all instead of just me."
"You know us better than that by now," Ty Lee practically reprimanded her. "We have your back. Now and always."
"Too bad it's nearly broken," she said clenching her teeth from the pain.
Just then, the sound of engines roaring to life echoed across the island as the fleet of airships began to rise into the sky.
"We're too late!" Sokka cried. "The ships are already taking off."
"No, we're not!" Toph said. "I'll get us onto one if we hurry."
"Get Azula to safety," Zuko told Ty Lee, but the princess recoiled, loosening herself from their grip and getting into a stance.
"I'm fine," she said, ignoring her body's protest.
"Azula…"
"There's no use talking me out of it, Zuko. I started this fight and I deserve to see it finished."
"What should we do?!" Ty Lee asked frantically over the increasing noise of the ships.
"Go with Sokka, Toph, and Suki," the prince told her and his girlfriend, who balked at the order. "Stop those airships!"
"I'm not leaving you," Mai told him, grabbing his hand.
"You have to. They'll need you with them in order to take out those ships. I'll be fine."
"You were always a bad liar, Zuko."
"There's no time to argue!" he said passionately. "Please, trust me, Mai. I will see you again."
No part of the normally, monotone young woman wanted to leave the love of her life, but she reluctantly heeded him, giving him one more kiss as a reminder of his promise. She proceeded to follow Ty Lee and the others towards the departing air fleet, racing to catch it in time.
That left Zuko, Katara, and Azula to face the Fire Lord, who, despite some minor injuries, looked as potent and powerful as ever.
"I don't know what's more amusing, the idea that you can stop my ships or that you think you can take me on," he spoke to them condescendingly.
"Individually, no," Zuko said to him quietly. "But then again, that's why there's three of us."
"Three of you or not, you still don't stand a chance against me," Ozai laughed. "And your prodigious sister is too weak to fight."
Zuko glanced at Azula, who despite her eagerness to engage in battle, seemed to have a hard time standing, her breathing slightly uneven.
"You sure you can do this?" he asked her.
"Never surer of anything in my life."
"You're hurt," Katara pointed out to her. "You need healing. Plus, he's going to target you most of all."
"Let him," the princess said with what she hoped sounded like confidence. "It'll be the last mistake he'll ever make."
"You shouldn't have tried to take him on alone," the waterbender chastised.
"So, what if I did? You would too if you were me."
Zuko grabbed her gently by the shoulder, a gesture of solidarity the princess greatly appreciated.
"You're not alone, Azula. Not anymore. We'll do this together."
She nodded in response.
"Yes, we shall."
Turning, they faced their greatest enemy, who despite missing his departure on his own ship did not appear bothered by that fact, content to wipe out the contingent in front of him.
"So, I take it this is where you received all of this nonsense in your head," the Fire Lord said to Azula. "Your worthless brother and his band of peasants turned you against me."
"No, you did that," Azula shot back. "With a little help of course."
Mother, if you can hear me, I hope I'm making you proud
"She's not yours to manipulate anymore," Zuko proclaimed to him. "Neither am I."
Ozai gave another deep frown and nodded his head.
"So be it. On your heads then."
He summoned fire in his hands, the flames licking the air as they kept growing until they were ten feet high.
"It's time to show my treacherous heirs what happens when they don't listen to their father."
Zuko, Katara, and Azula adopted stances to combat the wrath of the enemy in front of them, who no doubt would kill them all this day if given the chance.
Between the airships and the Fire Lord, the fight of their lives had begun.
Sokka ran as fast he could to catch one of the airships, Suki, Toph, Mai, and Ty Lee in tow, but found he was falling further and further behind as they rose in the air and began their trek of destruction.
"They're getting away!" he shouted. "We'll never reach them in time!"
"Yes, we will!" Toph said. "Where's the closest airship?"
"It's right over-"
He never had time to finish that sentence, as the earthbender stomped her foot, launching all five of them so high into the air they were able to travel enough distance to land on the on the walking deck of the closest airship.
Sokka and Ty Lee managed to catch Toph given that she was utterly devoid of sight in the air and lower her safely on the platform.
"We need to take control of this thing," Sokka said.
"It's not hard to find," Mai told him. "You've flown one of these things after all."
"Let's go!"
It didn't take them long to climb up the ladder and head towards the cockpit, which was guarded by a locked steel door.
"I'll do the honors," Toph declared confidently. "You guys can clean up after I'm done."
She knocked on the door in quick succession before knocking it down with tremendous force. Using her newfound skill in metalbending, Toph used the door as a suit of crumpled body armor to protect herself from the magnified fire attacks of the crew inside.
Ty Lee and Mai rushed in, the latter throwing her knives which pinned one solider but missed the other. The acrobat paralyzed one of the men before having to tackle her friend to the ground to avoid the fiery projectile of the man her knives has not managed to pin.
"Look out!"
Luckily, Toph needed no such protection, her armor serving well enough to prevent any damage. She quickly dispatched the rest of the crew, punching the captain out of the room. Their objective had been achieved.
"That's how it's done," she bragged, shedding her metal suit.
"We all have to be more careful," Suki warned, helping Mai and Ty Lee off the ground. "Normally these guys wouldn't stand a chance, but their powers are a hundred times more dangerous than normal."
"And only one of us is a bender," Sokka added. "But if all goes to plan, we won't need much of it to destroy the rest of these airships."
"So what is that plan exactly?" Mai asked a little skeptically.
"I'm…not sure at the moment. But I do have a plan to get rid of the rest of the ship's crew. Take the wheel!"
"You sure you want the blind girl steering this behemoth?" Toph sassed.
"Not really, that's why I was talking to Suki," Sokka replied back.
The earthbender's cheeks flushed a bit.
"Oh, never mind."
Suki began to steer, descending the ship down near the water as Sokka began speaking in a bogus manly voice into the intercom.
"Attention crew, this is your captain speaking. Everyone report to the bomb bay immediately for hot cakes and sweet cream. We have a very special birthday to celebrate."
Sending the crew into the water was the short work of a few seconds once Ty Lee confirmed the men were in the drop zone.
"I hope it was no one's actual birthday," Ty Lee said, her face a bit remorseful. "That would have been so mean."
"Speak for yourself, that was actually pretty entertaining," Mai chuckled.
"Get your laughs in now," Sokka said, his expression turning serious. "We're about to go in hot."
He pushed forward the throttle and sent the ship as fast it could towards the rest of the fleet. However, there was already a problem. The first view of the Earth Kingdom was already coming into view and the front line of the airships were going to reach it before they had a chance to catch up. In other words, there was no way to prevent the assault from taking place.
Suki could see firebenders held in place by tether ropes attached to the ships themselves. They were set to fire upon the land without hesitation or mercy.
"We're not going to make it in time!"
"Can't you make this thing go any faster? Ty Lee asked.
"I've already got the ship at full speed!" Sokka said frantically.
"So how do we stop the rest of the ships? I can't see a thing outside of this hunk of metal," Toph shouted above the noise of the engine.
Sokka looked out of the window and studied the formation of the fleet for a brief second before his face lit up with an idea.
"This may sound crazy but there's still something we can do."
"Enlighten us," Mai remarked.
"Azula said that the ships would be flying in a 'V' formation."
"And?"
"We bring the ship around and use it to crash and destroy the other ones."
Skepticism and worry crossed the other girls' faces.
"Won't that destroy our own ship as well?" Ty Lee asked.
"Maybe, but if it succeeds, the Earth Kingdom will be saved from being destroyed and that's a price I'm willing to pay."
The others nodded, even Mai, fully understanding that they had been prepared long beforehand to risk their lives for this last endeavor. Even if their lives were in jeopardy, there was no other immediate method of taking out the fleet.
Sokka began to pull various levers and turn various dials, raising their ship high into the air. Spinning the wheel completely to the left, they veered away in preparation to spearhead the assault.
Tragically, their plan came to little too late as the ships reached the mainland. Upon doing so, the firebenders began blasting huge plumes of yellow-orange flames, scorching everything below- forests, grassland, birds and beasts alike. It was fortunate that no human population had been reached yet.
"That's a lot of fire," Toph said quietly. She couldn't see the carnage physically, but the flames burned so hot and so bright, she didn't require her normal vibrations to know they were there, wiping out everything in their path.
"It's too horrible to watch," Ty Lee commented, turning away with tears in her eyes.
"We're going to stop them," Mai assured her, as well as herself. There was no apathy in her eyes now. Her determination to put an end to the senseless destruction was just as palpable as everyone else. It was more than just for Zuko, this was for the world.
Sokka continued to swing around, setting the ship on a crash course towards the rest of the air fleet. Switching gears and engaging the throttle to its limit to ensuring they were going to maximum speed, the water tribe warrior ushered everyone out of the cockpit.
"It's going to be a rough ride. We need to get to the top of this thing fast!"
He grabbed Toph's hand while the rest followed him into the hallway and up the ladder leading up to the roof.
"What do we do then?" Suki asked him as they ran.
"Watch each other's backs. Once we make it that far, we'll go from there."
He gave Suki a gentle kiss while Mai waved her hand with urgency.
"Come on, you two. No time for that now."
They resumed their running, hoping that their efforts would not result in a premature death.
"Doesn't seem like you thought this through," she told Sokka as they began to climb up the steel rail.
"As Zuko once told me, sometimes it's best not to think things through."
"That definitely sounds like something my boyfriend would say."
They had no time to discuss the matter further as their surroundings began to shake and tremble violently. The ship had made contact with the others, creating giant ruptures which send them hurtling towards the ground. That also meant that the structure of their own transport was crumbling beneath them. Sokka almost slipped to his death before Mai caught him in time.
"I can see why Zuko likes you," he cracked even in the middle of a serious battle.
"Just climb, damn it!"
The five reached the top with Toph busting off the cover but soon realized they had to continue their sprint as the ship continued to splinter into many chunks of metal and flying debris which threatened to seriously injure or kill them. In order to make it out alive, they had to reach the front of the airship as a jumping point.
They almost made it. As the remnants of the aircraft collided with another of its brethren, what remained of it split in two. Sokka, Toph, and Mai managed to jump in time, but Suki and Ty Lee did not.
"Suki!"
"Ty Lee!"
The two girls, given their dexterity and athleticism, managed to jump on top of another vessel, saving themselves from a grisly fate.
"We're okay!"
"Finish the mission!"
Sokka barely had time to register their words as what was left of their ship was heading straight towards another and Mai had to point this out.
"Look out!" she said.
Toph had to grab him by the shirt and together the three jumped safely onto the roof of the other aircraft. But that was not the end of their troubles, as more debris rained down upon them like a deadly metallic rain. Sokka shielded Toph with his body, knowing she was powerless to defend herself from the air while Mai dodged the fragments expertly without being crushed.
"What do we do?!" Toph said over the fray of the wreckage.
"We do as they said. Finish the mission!" Mai spoke determinedly.
"But Suki-"
"Told us to keep going and we will," she cut Sokka off. "There are a dozen other Fire Nation ships we have to take down and they aren't going anywhere unless we do something about it. Now come on."
Sokka looked towards Toph, who despite her obvious fear, still indicated she wanted to press on.
"They'll be fine, Sokka."
The water tribesman nodded.
"Alright, let's go."
Back on Jing Island, a spectacle like none had ever seen was ensuing.
The enormous blasts of fire were so bright, one could see them from miles away. The reality was even more awe inspiring.
Though Katara was performing admirably, the influence of the comet illuminated the bending of Ozai, Zuko, and Azula one hundred-fold, their sheer power almost indescribable. It was a fight never seen before in the history of man.
Strategically, the three teens were hoping to overwhelm the Fire Lord by a combination of lethal attacks and quickness. As strong as he was, even the Phoenix King would not be able to block three attacks at once, though landing a hit was certainly difficult. Not only was he extremely agile himself but the ferocity behind his blasts upended any potential tag team combination they might have used under ordinary circumstances.
There was also another problem. Though they all risked being roasted to death, two of them were more vulnerable in particular. Katara, though an extraordinary waterbender and a generational talent herself struggled to contain Ozai's attacks whenever he targeted her. As Pakku had said, not even the full moon would have provided enough power to defeat the Fire Lord alone, and though she was near water, it took a tad longer to summon it from the ocean it bordered. As a result, she remained on the defensive much of the time.
The other factor was Azula. She was the best overall fighter of the three but her one on one with Ozai had robbed her of a great deal of stamina and strength. Pain in her lower back was considerable and limited her movement. In other words, her father was running at about ninety percent while she was at sixty, a number that was dropping fast.
Still, the group did not give up and managed to give the Fire Lord fits.
Ozai punched the ground, sending a circular blast of fire in the direction of Azula and Zuko, who managed to avoid it. The prince jumped in the air and brought his leg down with a swift blast of his own that was blocked. However, Katara used some of her water to create a slick patch of ice, bending the rest in a crushing wave intended to knock him out. He was able to strike through it, though he also had to dodge Azula's strike towards him as well.
He flipped through the air, sending double fire balls at his children, who ducked simultaneously. Katara aimed another strike, which Ozai jumped up to avoid. Azula punched with her fist as Zuko also sent a powerful wall of fire his way.
This time, he could not block it, the blasts being too powerful, as he propelled himself forward to avoid any injury.
The waterbender took advantage of his distraction, sending a massive tidal wave from the shore which knocked Ozai off his feet, though he quickly returned to his stance. Snarling with rage, he sent a huge amount of fire from his mouth towards Katara, who frantically tried to summon enough water to stall its path.
The siblings weren't taking that chance, however. Getting a running start, Azula placed her foot into Zuko's outstretched arms, sending her flying in the air. The princess used the full depth of her power to end her father's attack, cutting across it while her brother summoned a blast with both hands and unleashed a massive blast of fire towards Ozai's back.
It worked. Though the Fire Lord summoned a minor wall to try and reduce its magnitude, he already knew he had miscalculated. Zuko's strike sent him flying back towards the rocky wall as he landed with an audible 'ACK' and he slumped down towards his knees.
Breathing heavily, the trio took a moment to collect themselves before their enemy inevitably brought himself to bear upon them once more.
Azula noticed however, that though Ozai stood up again his face hiding no desire to murder them all, he was slowly losing his own stamina. Powerful and enduring as he might be, he was still only a man, and a man could be worn down, even one such as him. They wouldn't be able to keep up their current pace, but then again neither would he.
Zuko seemed to echo this sentiment.
"Face it, father. You can't take all three of us."
Their opponent spit blood on the ground in response, wiping away any residue from his face.
"Is that so?"
"You're outnumbered and outmanned," Katara said boldly. "If you give up now, we promise not to hurt you further."
Azula wanted to tell her that such a proposition was beyond foolish. There was no use in trying to negotiate surrender with a man such as her father. But it was too late.
"Hurt me?" he laughed. "You manage to get the better of me two times and you believe that puts you in a position to bargain my capitulation? No…before the end, you'll be begging for mercy."
"You're in no position to make threats," Zuko said defiantly.
Ozai gave a huff, his body rippling with muscle as drew himself to his full height.
"You'll regret those words, boy."
For the first time in the fight, lightning became a factor, the Fire Lord using his arms in a wave like motion, splitting the energy in order the create the most destructive force known to man.
His son was prepared, a fact that Ozai knew. Zuko had redirected lightning once before. He doubted the two girls had such knowledge.
The prince took a stance, one that his sister was unfamiliar with, though she recognized the indications of lightning and remained vigilant. Katara, who stood perpendicular was also on high alert, fully aware any lightning that mixed with her waterbending was an automatic death sentence.
Azula switched her vision to her brother.
Be careful, Zuko. Don't try to take him alone
Ozai continued to draw an unbelievable amount of power to the strike he intended to use. For all intents and purposes, his ire was drawn to his son, the firstborn that had defied him since the day of his birth and no doubt represented the greatest threat to his hold on the Fire Nation. He was the target to receive all of his rage and hatred.
Or so everyone thought.
At the last second, a smirk appeared on the Fire Lord's face and before anyone could properly realize it, changed the trajectory of his attack. It was not towards Zuko, but the princess. By the time she grasped this, it was far too late to dodge or maneuver. The lightning was headed her way and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
Azula closed her eyes, practically resigning herself to her fate. She had failed to achieve what she had come to do and would pay the price. No part of her wanted to die, but there was nothing to prevent that now. She would be in the hands of Agni soon enough.
Mother, I'll be coming to see you soon. And the first thing I want you to know: I'm sorry. I'm sorry I wasn't good enough for you.
When no painful sensation hit, the princess dared to open her eyes. The sight that greeted her, however, was far more horrible than that of her own demise.
Zuko lay curled up on the ground in obvious pain, electric shocks still running through his body as he convulsed painfully. Without fully knowing how he did it, it dawned on Azula that her brother had somehow deflected the blast from hitting her.
Numb with shock, the princess looked up at her father, who regarded the situation as though he were watching a mildly interesting ostrich race.
"Hmmm, not what I expected. I intended to kill you, daughter, but I suppose my worthless son will also do."
The numbness slowly gave way to cold reality, as Azula began to grasp the full depth of what had happened. Her only brother, the one she had tormented, teased, and regarded as useless most of her life had sacrificed his own.
For her.
Words finally formed in her throat.
"Zuko….ZUKO!"
Reality turned to pure, unadulterated rage as all rational thoughts melted away under the fire of her burning desire for revenge. He would pay for what he did to him and nothing would stop her from doing so.
She barely registered the waterbender rushing over to aid the fallen prince. Any other thoughts fell by the wayside as Azula's mind snapped. She didn't care what happened next as long as her father died a painful death.
Propelling herself forward using her prodigious blue flames, she moved closer and closer to the monster that lay in her wake, intending to burn his essence into a blackened, charred heap of a corpse unrecognizable to anyone. She let out an animalistic scream, drawing back her hands to summon her most powerful blast of fire possible.
But in her anger, Azula had lost sight of the fact that her attack was too straightforward and predictable. This allowed the Fire Lord to counter easily, catching her arm in a trap. With a malicious grin, he brought his right hand down, breaking it with a sickening crunch.
The princess barely had time to register the pain before being thrown backwards in a tumbling heap.
That left the waterbender as the sole member of the trio left capable of fighting, though on her own she would surely fail. For Katara, however, her focus wasn't on defeating Ozai. Being the motherly figure she was, her attention was far more concerned with Zuko and Azula.
"Stay still!" she said, rushing over, attending to the prone forms of the Fire Nation siblings. The waterbender summoned the water she saved for emergencies and attempted to use it to heal their injuries.
Azula on the other hand tried to warn her of the folly of turning her back to an opponent but alas her warning came too late.
"Look behind you!"
"ARGH!"
The Fire Lord had rushed forward, issuing a blast and seizing the teen by the neck.
"So, you're from the Southern Tribe, aren't you?" Ozai said, lifting her off the ground with one hand. "It was believed my father had wiped out your benders years ago."
Katara struggled against his vice grip, doing whatever she could to breathe.
"Clearly, he was mistaken," he said slowly. "But that's a mistake I can rectify. We've wiped out the airbenders, today we rid the world of earthbenders- one more waterbender is a simple task."
Azula watched as her father taunted and ridiculed Katara, who tried in vain to free herself. She looked over towards Zuko, who was still breathing and tried to lift his head, but otherwise was completely helpless. The princess wasn't much better. Her arm was broken and her lower back throbbed with unbearable pain despite futile attempts to ignore it.
Barring some miracle, this was the end. They had lost.
Mai could feel the sweat pour down from her normally cool, pale skin as she took a defensive stance. It wasn't often she felt fearful of what could happen next. Fretting over the future no one had the ability to control was useless which is why she lived her life as someone calm and steady, without the stringent need to know what was next or the thoughts of other people.
That perspective changed rather quickly when your life was on the line.
They- meaning her, Sokka, and Toph- had succeeded in disrupting the remaining ships blasting down on the Earth Kingdom, but at a cost. The water tribesman had broken his leg in a dramatic fall while the earthbender clutched his hand, hanging on for dear life.
"Hang on, Toph!"
Mai, on the other hand was just hoping she could keep them all alive for just a bit longer as legions of royal firebenders rushed onto the scene.
"Hand over the water tribe boy and blind girl," one of them demanded.
"Not a chance."
It was the last scenario she saw herself in- defending two people she had only known for a few weeks. Ever the compliant, quiet girl, Mai had lived long enough to see herself become the opposite- disobedient and a rebel.
She could safely say she was proud of that fact.
"You leave us no choice."
Mai knew that on any other day she was more than a match for these chumps. But the comet had proven to be a consistent monkey wrench for the nonbenders and benders alike. Its power gave the usual nobodies a leg up and no amount of skill would be able to save them from the combined power of the soldiers who now threatened them.
"Got any more ideas?" she asked Sokka, not taking her eyes off her opponents and taking a battle stance with her knives.
"Afraid I'm all out," came the weakened reply. He desperately tried to hold onto Toph, who in this moment of reckoning and vulnerability appeared more like a scared twelve year old than the master earthbender she was.
"I don't think boomerang is coming back, Toph. I think this is the end."
Mai knew it too. Any moment, the firebenders would strike, effectively ending their existence and the battle lost. Even with that in mind, she stood firm, ready to die in the cause she had committed herself too.
Zuko, I made you promise me to stay alive. I'm sorry I couldn't do the same for you
Tears welled in her eyes before the unthinkable occurred. The firebenders set on killing them suddenly ran away in terror.
"What the-"
Out of nowhere, another Fire Nation airship crashed directly under theirs. It was a fortunate coincidence as well, for Sokka and Toph were able to jump down to safety just before their grip was lost. Mai, too, took the opportunity to abandon ship in favor of the other one, fluttering down in a more graceful fashion than her contemporaries, though one could hardly blame Sokka as he clutched his fractured leg in pain.
"How did that happen?" Toph asked, daring to believe she was still breathing. "Did boomerang come back?"
"Better," Mai answered pointing towards their saviors who were steering the aircraft. "It's Ty Lee…"
"And Suki!"
It was then that she knew they were going to be okay. Bumps, bruises, and broken legs notwithstanding, they would make it through this battle intact. The fleet was smashed to bits and they were still alive which is all that mattered.
"Fancy seeing you guys again," she told Ty Lee as she approached while the other girl provided proper steering.
"Oh, you know, it took us awhile to commandeer the cockpit but we got there in the end," the acrobat said cheerfully. "Suki is really coming along with her chi-blocking. She said I'm even ready to join the Kyoshi Warriors!"
"Well isn't that nice," Sokka said sarcastically. "But do you mind giving me a hand before my leg falls off?"
Mai snorted as she, Toph, and Ty Lee assisted in getting him off the ground and down to the medical bay. For all his bad jokes and bluster, he wasn't in the best of shape.
With one part of the plan having been played out, she just hoped that Zuko, Azula, and Katara had succeeded in theirs.
There was one feeling Azula hated more than anything else in the world, which was that of helplessness. She prided herself on agency and the ability to solve things in a quick fix.
But as of now, she was devoid of both. The Fire Lord had won and there was nothing anyone could do about it.
Katara's face turned an ominous shade of blue as Ozai's grip cut off almost her entire supply of air.
"A-Azula…" Zuko choked out reaching his hand towards her. "We…we have to do something."
Yes, they did. But what? Her brother was hanging on by a thread and she only had one good arm to use. The princess inched towards him in an effort to comfort as best she could, knowing that lack of medical attention would be the death of them both.
Azula couldn't form her words, but hoped her gesture was enough to provide some level of relief in their final moments on earth together. Through it all, there were no regrets in her heart. Even in death, she knew she had chosen the right side. It went beyond her personal desires. If this day was to be her last, at least there was some solace to take. Her father had never cared for her, but Zuko, Mai, Ty Lee, Katara, Toph, etc…they did. That was more than enough.
Such sentiment had no effect on her father, who seemed to take perverse pleasure in snuffing the life out of the teenage waterbender in front of him.
"After I've killed you, I'll go to the Southern Tribe and wipe out what remains of your precious village," Ozai sneered.
Katara struggled to choke out her last words as the wind began to pick up around them.
"No..ack…Aang…"
"Positively adorable that the airbender is the last person you think of before your imminent demise. Of course, it's a futile gesture. It's not as if he had the courage to come and face me himself."
"I wouldn't be so sure."
The Fire Lord inadvertently relaxed his grip just enough to allow Katara to breathe, his attention wheeled back to Azula.
"And what foolish delusion makes you say that?"
The princess merely pointed upwards and the question was answered straight away.
High above, a twelve year old boy covered with arrow tattoos gazed down upon them. Except this was not your average twelve year old. His eyes were glowing and he was surrounded by a massive ball of wind complete with rings of earth, fire, and water.
The Avatar had returned. And he did not take kindly to the love of his life being strangled to death.
Such was the scene in front of him, Ozai dropped the female waterbender to the ground, who choked and gasped for breath.
The wind became so powerful that it became almost impossible to see. The Fire Lord had to cover his eyes to avoid being pelted by rock fragments and having his breath stolen by the enormous power of the air currents around him.
"Aang," Katara whispered. "You did come back."
"Fire Lord Ozai," the Avatar spoke in a guttural tone which seemed to echo not only his voice, but those of his past lives combined into one. "You and your forefathers have upset the balance of the world through murder, genocide, and atrocity. Now, your day of reckoning is upon you."
It finally dawned upon the man that there was someone stronger than him, a fully realized Avatar that had no hesitation in eliminating him once and for all. His plan to bathe the world in fire had failed and as a result was the target of the most powerful being in existence.
His reign was over.
With an enormous roar, Aang brought forth a blast of wind so powerful that it sent the Fire Lord over the edge of the island and into the ocean. Not content with landing such a hit, the airbender in his supreme state went after his enemy, no doubt seeking to end his evil existence permanently.
By this time, Azula was feeling more than a bit woozy as darkness surrounded the outlines of her vision. Katara, despite nearly being choked to death, was on her feet attending to the severely injured Fire Nation siblings.
"Don't worry, Azula. I'll be right with you. I have to heal Zuko from the lightning blast, but it'll only be a few seconds…"
But the princess could barely hear her, the voice fading against the backdrop of the battle. She could see Katara using her healing powers to mend her brother while the Avatar resumed his ferocious, four element attack on her father.
I guess he had it in him after all
Knowing the day was won, Azula felt an overwhelming weariness take hold despite her best efforts to stay awake.
In the glowing embers of Sozin's Comet, darkness took the princess and she knew no more.
Is this a cliffhanger? Yeah I guess technically it is lol.
I don't have much else to say other than we have two more chapters to go and that the final resolution is coming. Hard to believe, isn't it?
Rock on!
~The Wasp