Author's Note:

For this chapter I have more music that inspired me. The first, "Pillars of the Underworld" by N.E.X.T. which was featured on the Korean Guilty Gear X2 soundtrack. The second is "The Midnight Carnival," also from GGX2. I like Guilty Gear a lot. This is the moment I've been waiting to write for over a year now, and I hope you enjoy it.

The Dragon

Soren stared down at Zuko and Katara, sword raised, ready to attack. Katara's hand hovered over her open flask. Zuko raised his hands, but his wound made him flinch. Even after being healed, the pain was still debilitating. All the while, Azula watched from the grating, still chained down, in denial that what she saw was real.

The young knight's eyes blazed with power. He could feel the princess's eyes on him. Soren needed her to see him. He needed her to see that someone was willing to fight for her. He needed to make the first move.

Soren shouted as he ran forward with a swiftness that surprised even himself. Katara acted quickly, bending the entire content of her flask at him. Soren slashed at the liquid; it barely slowed his advance. He was closing in, all he had to do was get past the two benders, all he had to do was reach Azula and free her. It would not be so easy.

Zuko stepped forward and thrust his fist at Soren, sending a controlled blast of fire. The prince was not intent on incinerating the poor, misguided fool. One good hit would do. Soren raised his sword to block the attack, and the fire collided with him in a small explosion. Soren was halted, but still standing, the attack only just singeing him.

"If you want to stop me," Soren said in a low voice as he glared at Zuko and Katara. "You better take me seriously!" He rushed at them once more, and the real fight could begin.

Zuko thrust both fists forward this time, sending a larger more continuous torrent of fire. Soren grunted as he raised his sword again, the blade splitting the flames to either side, the metal glowing orange from the extreme temperature as he slowly advanced. He could feel the heat all around him, licking at his cheeks, but he did not burn.

Eventually, Zuko dropped his arms from exhaustion, the torrent of flame dissipating, and Soren picked up speed. He was in range now, his sword held high, yelling as he prepared to make a killing stroke, but he was knocked back into the air by a surge of water. Katara had bent water from the nearby channel, and she created a whirling ring around herself, Zuko, and Azula.

"I'll guard Azula," Zuko whispered to Katara. He was in no condition to go on the offensive. "Don't let Soren get in close. Don't underestimate him. I don't know what that stuff did to him, but even without bending, he's deadlier than he looks."

Soren grunted as he got back to his feet. Even knocked around, his armor and the potion nullified the impact of Katara's attack. The Crownguard might only have a sword, but he felt like a tank, and he could take whatever they could dish out at him. He charged again.

From within the ring, Katara began shooting thin jets of water at Soren. He weaved left and right to avoid them, still nimble, his reflexes at their peak. Soren closed in, but Katara was a master bender. She focused the water in front of her and sent it surging forward in one large wave. As strong and heavy as Soren was, he found himself being swept away, pushed back across the courtyard.

"Why are you doing this?" Katara shouted as she prepared another attack. "Why would you try to save her?!" The waterbender swung a long tendril of water at Soren. He slashed at it as he stepped forward, and Katara continued to strike, the tendril whipping against Soren's armored body. "Do you know how many people Azula hurt? How much suffering she's responsible for? She's an evil, murderous, sadistic… monster!"

Katara punctuated her words by flinging an ice lance at Soren. The knight was clipped in the shoulder and knocked down once more, falling on his face with a cry of pain. Zuko winced, though he did not say anything. The prince glanced back at his sister, but only found her still sitting quietly, her head hanging low, her face out of sight, her feelings were a mystery.

Soren huffed as he got back up, his shoulder bruised. "You're right, Azula has hurt people," Soren replied sadly. "She's a liar, she's mean, and she's ruthless, but…"

Azula felt a pang in her heart as she listened to Soren's words. They were all true. The princess raised her head to look to him once more. But what…?

"She's more than just that. Azula's been nice, funny, happy, sad, like anyone else. Azula's talented, smart, passionate… and she's my friend. I'm not gonna leave her, because… I love her."

Azula's eyes widened in as she let out a soft gasp. Soren brandished his sword and took a stance, his expression hard.

"I made a promise! I will never EVER turn my back on the girl I love! And I'm gonna prove it. No matter how hard it is or how much it hurts, I won't let you turn her into a monster!" Soren steeled himself, the heat rising from his chest as his eyes burned bright. "I'll defend her honor, her innocence, to the death…"

Katara was visibly shaken by Soren's words. She was both shocked and touched by his devotion, but her expression soon turned grim. Katara understood how Soren felt, and that meant he was never going to give up. She could not fault him, but this battle could become long, arduous, and ugly. Katara needed to subdue Soren quickly. He did not deserve a thrashing.

Another charge was made, but Katara was done trying to just push Soren away. As he came towards them, the waterbender instead spread her hands in front of her, making the water flow out over the ground. She closed her fists, and the water froze into an icy sheet, causing Soren to lose his footing. He slid over the ice, unbalanced, and fell to his knee. The knight tried to push himself back up with his free hand, but Katara sent a large blob of water at his arm. The liquid engulfed it and froze in an instant, trapping Soren as he struggled.

"You can't win this fight, Soren," Zuko called out. "We don't want to hurt you."

"It's not about winning!" Soren shouted back as he raised his sword. "It's not about beating you. It's about her." He brought the pommel of his weapon down on the ice, shattering it and freeing his hand before running at them. Katara was not expecting him to free himself so easily. She desperately tried to summon the water back to her, creating a wall of ice between them, but Soren cut right through.

The Crownguard was in close now, where he was most dangerous. Katara stepped back as he swung his blade at her, deflecting his strokes with shields of ice that shattered under his blows. She could not hold off Soren's assault, and gasped in fear as he thrust his sword through her last ice barrier, the tip of his blade piercing through like a giant needle towards her heart. It looked like the end, until she felt a wave of intense heat fly past her.

Soren was sent flying back once more by a thin jet of orange fire. Zuko could be just as precise as Azula when he wanted to, and barely missed striking Katara in his effort to save her. The size of the flame and the power he put behind it created an incredible amount of pressure, which left the prince slightly winded. The lightning strike had done more than just physical damage; his chi pathways which facilitated his bending would need time to recover as well.

Soren's cape and tabard were scorched, his hair singed. His once brilliantly polished armor was scratched and darkened. The potion had made him resistant to burning, but not immune, and the sheer force behind Zuko and Katara's strikes would add up eventually. Too many hits like that and it was over for him, but without cover he had little hope of avoiding the blows. Worst of all, he could feel the potion's effects wearing off. Soren's eyes began to change back from the burning gold to his natural dark blue.

"What are you going to do after this?" Zuko asked. "Take Azula into hiding? Are you going to take care of her? Are you going to help her take the throne? Where are you going to go?"

"I will take care of her!" Soren shouted as he stood defiantly. "I'll bring her to Katolis if I have to! I'll bring her as far away from you as I can!" Soren bared his teeth, but he felt exhaustion overtake him, a side effect of the potion. The knight grasped at his forehead from the headache. "I won't let Azula hurt anyone else, but I won't just let her suffer alone."

All the while, as they fought and argued, Azula silently observed. It must have been a dream, a hallucination, brought on by her despair and fatigue. There was no way Soren could be here to defend her innocence. She had banished him already. Soren was back in Katolis with Claudia. How could he possibly have come back for her, after she so callously drove him away? Was the princess so desperate for comfort that her mind was playing tricks on her, creating a fantasy in her mind of a brave warrior coming to her rescue? Was she so desperate to not be the monster in this tale, fated to be vanquished by the heroes?

"Soren," Katara began to say softly, her previous animosity for the two lovers overcome by her compassion and empathy. "Please, don't fight us. We aren't going to hurt her. Azula can't just go free, but you can still be there for her."

Soren hesitated a moment, considering Katara's offer as he cast his gaze to the side, contemplating. He could still stay in this world, still be there for Azula while she was a prisoner, while they all watched her every move, limited her freedom, made her a pariah. Azula would still have him. He would be the one person to stay by her side through it all. That seemed like a reasonable compromise…

He glanced once more at Azula, a sad, miserable, soggy tangle of hair and armor. The princess had never valued sentimentality before, prioritizing cold hard logic and efficiency. Taking Katara's offer would have been the smart choice, if Soren were to get what he wanted. This was not about him though, and that was not the right choice. He was here to give Azula what she needed.

The Crownguard shook his head sadly. "Thanks for the offer, but I can't accept that." Soren looked back to Katara and Zuko with new resolve as he reached into his pouch once more. "I already said it, but I have to do this, for her," He pulled his hand out, clutching the last two crystal vials of the dragon's teeth potion, shining like newborn stars. "And Azula would never forgive me if I just gave up like that. Let's finish this."

"Soren, no-!" Zuko shouted, but it was too late. The knight crushed both vials in his fist, and the energy swirled around him once more, brighter and more brilliant than before, but also more violent. Soren let out a scream of agony as his insides burned. It was as if his very bones were being turned to cinder, and the headache from before grew worse, like two spears puncturing his skull from the inside out.

Katara's mouth gaped as she stared with wide eyed horror at the transformation taking place before her. His eyes glowed bright yellow again, but there was more to his change this time. Soren's sclera became pitch black. His skin paled into an ashen white. Hard, glistening orange scales began to sprout from his skin in patches, forming on his face and the backs of his hands. Soren's nails grew into sharp claws, but most dramatic of all were the two spikes which protruded from his scalp.

From under Soren's sandy hair emerged a pair of dark horns, curving into sharp points. The effects of the comet, combined with the double dosage of potion, had turned Soren into the very image Katolians loathed and feared. It was the price Soren was willing to pay. His mind no longer held any doubts, it was focused on one single purpose now. The Crownguard bared his newly formed fangs, and with the ferocity and snarl of a beast, he flew towards Katara.

The waterbender launched a torrent of water at Soren, but he barreled through it, the water turning to steam as it made contact with his body. He slashed at her, but Katara slid past him on a sheet of ice. Soren turned to face her, but was struck by a fireball in the back from Zuko, resulting in an explosion on contact. Before the dust could even clear though, Soren came charging at the prince.

Zuko was the only thing standing between Soren and Azula now. He launched another attack at the knight, but Soren did not even bother to dodge it, opting to cut at the fire to deflect the blast as he advanced, eyes still burning with fury. Soren's blade and armor were glowing hot from the intensity of the flames, and that made him all the more dangerous up close. A full-frontal assault would not stop this monster, they needed a strategy.

"Zuko!" Katara yelled as she swung four water tendrils at Soren, wrapping them around his wrists and ankles. Soren turned to glare at her, and the heat from his body began to evaporate his restraints. They needed to act fast. Zuko kicked his leg out in a low, horizontal arc, sending a blade of orange fire at Soren's legs. It struck, and Soren was swept off his feet, landing face down with a growl.

Now it was Katara's turn again. She bent another torrent of water from the channel and sent it crashing down on top of Soren. He resisted the pressure, straining to push himself back up as the water threatened to crush him against the stone below. Katara could not keep him pinned down like this forever, but she had a plan. As the water engulfed Soren, she exhaled and froze it, forming an icy prison around him, trapped Soren's whole body in solid ice, save for his head.

Katara panted as she tried to catch her breath. "That ice should hold him for quite a while." Katara said. Should. Soren was immobilized, like Azula, and he thrashed his head and neck, growling and gnashing his teeth. Tears began to fall from his eyes and evaporate on the scales below them. He would not be defeated like this.

Soren let out a bestial roar that shook the earth, causing Katara and Zuko to clutch their ears to dampen the noise. He was not giving up, and this fight was not over. The ice began to crack around him, and to Zuko and Katara's astonishment, a wild plume of flame shot out from Soren's throat, melting the ice beneath him. Katara went to try and reseal the trap, but it was too late. The ice crumbled around Soren, steam billowing all around, and he attacked once more.

"Hit him with everything you've got!" Zuko shouted. It was the only plan they had left, to hold out longer than Soren could. Zuko lashed at Soren with long ribbons of fire which scarred the ground with soot, but Soren shrugged them off. Katara turned her water into more walls of ice to slow Soren down, but they fell before his blade like it was a hot knife through butter.

Soren roared and breathed fire at Zuko. Even in a berserk frenzy, Soren knew how to take advantage of this new ability. Zuko held up his hands to block the attack, the fire parting to either side of him. It was what happened next which made Soren pause.

A stray flame from Soren's breath of fire danced past Azula. She felt the heat, and instinctively gave a loud gasp of fear. Soren's breath hitched in his throat as his attention went back to her, a look of horror on his face from what he had almost done. That brief moment of hesitation cost him. Katara wrapped a water tendril around Soren's waist, and with a strained yell lifted him into the air and threw him back across the plaza.

Soren was getting sick of this, growling in annoyance as he got back to his feet. He did not have time to waste. It was now or never for one last charge. He raised his sword as Katara and Zuko readied themselves. The knight let out a battle cry, flames spitting from his maw as he ran at them, his legs pushing his body as hard as they could.

Katara created a sheet of ice in front of Soren as Zuko fired a jet of flame, but Soren leapt over both, landing and continuing without breaking his pace. Zuko shot more jets at him, but Soren dodged and weaved around each blast. Katara sent a wave of water at Soren, but he sliced through. He was so close now. Zuko waved his arms to lash at Soren with arcs of fire. Katara's tendrils turned into icicles as she whipped them out like spears. He did not bother to dodge, simply deflecting and slashing with his sword or just taking the hits, relying on his armor and his resilience to see him through. His armor was dented and singed, his tabard and cape burnt and tattered.

Katara and Zuko stepped back, their attacks becoming more desperate as Soren came into striking range. One wrong move and the knight could take both their heads with one swing. Zuko wished he had his swords, but they were with Appa. They did not want to put the sky bison in danger during the Agni Kai, but the animal's strength and airbending would have been appreciated at this moment.

Soren screamed with righteous fury as he closed in and slashed at Zuko. The prince dodged to the side and thrust his palm at Soren's face, blasting it with a concentrated torch. Soren stumbled back in pain, only to be struck by a water whip on the back of his head. He swung his blade at Katara, but she deflected it with another ice shield. Soren was wild and aggressive, attacking madly and screaming, but he could not hit them as Zuko and Katara each slipped away from him. It did not matter though, because he was not here for them.

Katara gave a shout as Soren's blade hacked off a lock of her wavy brown hair, the strands incinerating from the heat. The knight followed up his attack, swinging his sword down vertically, causing Zuko and Katara to each leap to the side. It was a moment too late before they realized that this left an opening, leading right to Azula.

Without a second to waste, Soren darted for the princess, his heart pumping, lungs burning. Zuko struck Soren in the back with a fireball, but it only spurned him on quicker. Katara tried to grasp at Soren with more tendrils, but now his body had become so hot, they evaporated before they could get a grip.

Azula watched as the draconic warrior came at her, and she feared for her life, wondering if he was here to seal her fate. Was it what she deserved? Did she wish this was yet another nightmare? The fire felt so real to her.

The princess was finally brought out of her trance when an icicle struck the warrior in the back of the head. Soren shouted in pain as he stumbled and fell, his head ringing.

"Soren!" Azula cried out in concern, afraid for someone else's wellbeing.

Katara gasped as she drew her hand back, worried that she had gone too far, but she they had to stop Soren somehow. Fortunately, the attack had not done any serious injury to Soren, other than dizzying him.

Soren righted himself and began to run for Azula, panting and sweating as he dug deep into the last reserves of his energy. She had noticed him. He could see the princess staring back at him, eye to eye, he was almost there, he was going to save her~!

The Crownguard felt his legs stop. He felt his body begin to fall. It was not Katara's doing. Soren commanded his body to move, but his limbs would not function. He reached out for Azula, and as his chest made contact with the stone below, a terrible burning swept over him, as though he had fallen into a bed of hot coals.

Tears fell from Azula's eyes as her knight collapsed before her, barely a meter away. "Soren… Soren, get up, please get up!" She watched as the horns on his head receded, and the scales on his skin faded away, hissing as they left black scorch marks in their place. The princess began to struggle against her chains once more, finding new energy, new purpose to fight.

Soren groaned in pain, looking back up at Azula. "Princess…" He murmured weakly. Slowly, Soren grasped at the stone and pulled himself forward, crawling, dragging himself closer to her.

Katara made to go after Soren, to imprison him in ice again, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her. She turned to look at Zuko, who shook his head sadly at her.

"No," Zuko whispered as he and Katara observed. "Just let them be. It's over."

Soren inched his way up to Azula, finding the last bit of strength he had left to push himself up and look her in the eyes, his dark blue meeting her golden amber, each pair wet with tears. He reached up to push Azula's long dark tresses away from her face, cupping her cheek in a gesture of comfort. It was all he could do now, but it was worth it.

"Azula," Soren said hoarsely before letting out a pained cough. His throat and lungs felt like they were covered in ash. "Don't cry. If you start crying, then I'll start crying… and then we both won't stop crying… until we're all dried up…"

"Soren…" Azula sobbed as she nuzzled his hand, wishing her arms were free to embrace him and hold him close. "Why…?"

"Because saving princesses is what heroes do…" Soren let out a long sigh as he closed his eyes, resting his head against Azula's lap. Her tears fell from her cheek and onto his, soothing the pain as he lost consciousness.

"Soren, wake up…" Azula whispered, leaning over as much as she could, her loose hair dangling around Soren's face. "I don't want to lose you…" The princess whimpered, praying to Agni for someone, anyone, to help. She tilted her head back up, and her eyes locked with Katara's. All the anger and hatred the princess had felt for the peasant was gone and forgotten.

"Save him," Azula pleaded, casting aside her pride. "Please… don't let him die…"

Katara gazed at Azula, this girl who had hounded and tormented her friends for so long, and she saw a humanity in the fallen princess that she had once thought was non-existent. She looked to Zuko, who nodded back. Soren had been Zuko's friend too, for a time. He did not wish him dead either. Katara let out a sigh as she reached for her flask and approached Soren and Azula.

Water surrounded Katara's hands as she kneeled down to begin healing. She pressed a hand to Soren's neck and felt his pulse. "He's still alive, but I don't know how much longer he has," Katara whispered. Her water started to glow as she pressed it to his skin. "The damage to him is both inside and out… I'm sorry Azula, I don't know if I can heal him in time…"

Azula choked back a sob as she looked down at Soren. He did not deserve this, to throw his life away for someone who treated him so cruelly. She would never forgive herself if Soren died like this…

"Step away from my son." Came a deep voice from behind.

Katara and Zuko spun around to find two figures standing behind them, Claudia and Viren. Claudia stared at her brother's body with fear as her father walked forward, his staff clinking against the stone, carrying a cold, dire expression that told the two benders not to get in his way. Zuko and Katara made way for the sorcerers as they approached. They were not in any condition for another fight.

Viren knelt down to Soren and rolled him onto his back. He briefly glanced at Azula, and the two seemed to recognize each other. They had no time to reminisce though. Someone they both cared for was severely hurt.

"Claudia, give me the green plant from Neolandia." Viren said. Claudia reached into her satchel and pulled out a bundle of thick, succulent leaves, handing them to her father. She eyed Zuko and Katara warily, suspecting they had harmed her brother, but the time for fighting was over.

Viren took the leaves and broke them apart, squeezing out the thick, gooey substance within onto his palm. He laid his hand on Soren's forehead, examining all the damage that had been done. It was as though his body had been burned from the inside out.

"Mrof derrahc siht wener…" Viren whispered as he eyes glowed violet. Katara gazed in wonder, having never seen a mage's craft. A green light washed over Soren, and the burns left on his skin began to heal in an instant.

The boy sucked in his breath, his lungs restored and able to take in a breath of fresh air. Azula smiled, crying tears of happiness upon seeing her knight well again. Soren opened his eyes and looked to Azula. He smiled back at her weakly, then looked up to see Claudia smiling warmly at him and Viren looking relieved.

"Dad? Claudia?" Soren asked as he sat up. "How…?"

"I'm not leaving you here Soren," Claudia said as she knelt down to hug her brother tightly. "I knew you were going to get yourself killed, so I told Dad everything and brought him through the portal. I'm just glad you're okay now."

"The portal back home is still open, but only temporarily," Viren said as he pulled Soren to his feet. "Come, I'm taking you home." Viren made to pull Soren, but the boy did not budge. Viren looked back to his son in confusion as Soren hung his head.

"Not yet," Soren said softly as he sheathed his sword. He turned to Azula, still chained on the ground as she stared back up at him. "There's something I still have to do." Soren pulled his arm out of Viren's grasp and dashed behind Azula. The princess looked back with surprise as Soren knelt behind her.

"Soren!" Zuko shouted, but he could not stop him. Soren undid the chains, freeing Azula. She pulled her arms forward, looking own at her wrists with astonishment. Finally, she was free again, no longer chained like a wild animal. Before she could bask in her liberty for long, Azula felt herself being lifted off the ground. The princess let out a yelp as Soren scooped her up into his arms and she gazed at his expression of determination. The knight took off, carrying his princess as he ran past Claudia, Viren, Zuko, and Katara.

"He's heading for the palace!" Katara shouted as she ran after Soren and the others followed.

Even while carrying Azula, Soren was fast. They could not catch up to him as he took his princess back to the royal palace. Azula did not say a word as Soren held her close, never stopping to rest the whole way. She only stared at him and thought to herself. Soren had risked his life to come back for her. He had chosen her over going back home, had fought two master benders, overdosed on a dangerous potion for her sake. Even after her deception had been revealed, after she had lashed out and hurt him. It did not make sense to her.

Maybe, Azula thought, despite it all, Soren really did care about her. Not because she was a princess. Not because she was powerful. Not because she had threatened or tricked him into fighting for her. Maybe there was something more…

Soren rushed them through the palace gates, the guard posts abandoned. Viren, Claudia, Zuko, and Katara were not far behind, and in the red sky above, the Avatar's sky bison was flying in a low circle. He took Azula inside and through the long corridors until he came to the treasure room. Inside was the mirror, where the portal to Katolis awaited. The boy set Azula down on her feet and panted hard.

"Azula," Soren began to say once he caught his breath. "Come with me to Katolis." The princess blinked at her knight, her expression hesitant and fearful. "I can keep you safe there, I can take you away from all this. You'll never have to fight again."

Viren was the first to enter the treasure room, followed by Claudia, then Zuko and Katara. They all stared at Soren and Azula, wary of another battle breaking out, but that did not seem to be the case as the two of them were fixated on each other, barely noticing the others.

"Soren, I…" Azula clutched her hands to her chest as she contemplated his offer. She would be leaving behind her home, her father, her nation. Could she leave everything she had fought for, just for Soren? Did she even have anything left to stay for? She had no friends. Her father had already left her. Did Azula even have a nation to call home anymore? "… I don't know…"

"Soren," Viren said as he approached. "If you want to bring her with you… that's fine," Soren blinked in surprise at his father. "We'll figure things out, but you need to decide soon. I don't know how stable the portal is or what effect it may have when it closes this time."

"Thanks, Dad," Soren nodded to his father. "You and Claudia go on ahead. Just give us a minute."

Viren nodded, and motioned for Claudia to follow. She gave her brother a pat on the shoulder, smiling at him before turning to Zuko and Katara, giving them a hard glare that told them to mind their business.

"I don't like you scaring me like that, but you've got a good heart, Sore-bear." Claudia said to her brother. "Don't take too long." The two mages stepped through the mirror, and the glass rippled like water. Soren and Azula gazed into each other's eyes once more.

"Azula, please come with me," Soren begged as he clasped his hands around hers. "I want you to be with me."

"How can you say that?" Azula asked. "I lied to you, I threatened you… I have no power over you anymore… why would you want me after all that?"

"Because there's a lot more to you than just the scary firebending princess," Soren replied. "The time we spent training together, having fun at the beach, when we kissed… they were real, weren't they?" He tilted her chin up gently. "I meant what I said. You're beautiful. You are cool and smart and funny. You always do the best that you can, and you expect nothing less from anyone else. You are an amazing leader, you're be powerful and scary, but you can be cute too."

Azula let out a short gasp when Soren wrapped his arms around her, hugging her gently as he buried his face against her dark hair.

"You love lime flavored ice cream. You're great at games. Your fire is blue, and you never give up," His grip tightened a moment. "And I know you're afraid no one loves you. I know your mom hurt you. Whatever you've done wrong, I can forgive you." Soren whispered.

"Azula, I don't want you to lose all the things that make you special, all the things that can make you a good person." He pulled away and Azula looked back up to him. She could see the tears running down his cheek as he tried to smile at her. "That's why I came back. They're all the reasons I love you, Azula. You'll always be my princess."

Azula felt her heart wrench at his words. She felt herself begin to cry again, letting out a loud sniffle as she tilted her head down. "I don't deserve you…"

"You do," Soren whispered back. "You deserve to be loved and taken care of. Come with me, Azula. I'll look after you. I'll always be there for you, for the rest of my life." Soren nuzzled Azula's face tenderly. "I promise. I love you, Azula."

"Soren…" Azula whispered. She cupped his cheeks, looking into his eyes. "I know you will." She smiled sadly before leaning in and planting her lips on his. They closed their eyes as they shared one more kiss, their energies intertwining in an invisible, unbreakable bond. Azula had never felt so content, knowing that no matter what happened, this love was real.

Katara and Zuko watched the two of them silently. Neither had expected to find such sincerity from their enemies on this day. Zuko was reminded that Azula was still his little sister, not some monster meant to torment him. Katara was reminded that there was goodness in everyone, like Aang had once said. There were worse people in this world, that she knew, truly heartless beings devoid of a conscience. If Azula was going to leave, Zuko and Katara wished her the best, and that she could find peace.

Azula and Soren embraced each other warmly, never wanting to let go. They belonged together, each a part of the other's heart. They needed each other. After what felt like a lifetime, Azula and Soren parted, gazing at each other tenderly.

"I love you, Soren." Azula finally said to him, the words he had waited so long to hear. They both smiled, but a tear rolled down Azula's cheek. Her lips quivered, and her hands trembled. With all her strength, Azula pressed her hands against Soren's chest, and she pushed him through the mirror.

"Azula…!" Soren gasped as he felt himself fall backward through the glass. He watched Azula's image pull away from him as he began careening through a starry void. She kept her smile, all the while more tears began to flow down her cheeks. The princess took a stance and began to circle her arms.

"Azula, what are you doing?!" Zuko shouted. His sister did not respond as the electricity crackled around her. Soren watched with dismay as Azula's smile faltered, sniffling and choking back her tears as she generated her lightning.

"Azula, no!" Soren shouted in a desperate panic as he reached out for the ever-shrinking point of light. "Don't, please! I love you!" His tears flowed freely, blurring his vision. "Don't leave me! I love you! I love you Azula!" Soren shouted at the top of his lungs, screaming for all the worlds to hear his love for Azula, as if that would force the universe to accept it. As if that would make everything right again.

Katara prepared her water, but Azula's intent was not to attack her or Zuko. She stopped her motions, the lightning flowing through her arms, and looked up to the frame of the mirror. She remembered what her father had done so many years ago. Now it was time for her to do the same. Soren had almost died to save her. The princess would not allow that to happened again. She could not live with herself if it did. Soren would be safer without her in his life. It was better this way. It was the only thing Azula could do to repay all his kindness and love. It was what she owed him for saving her.

Azula thrust her fingers out and a bolt of lightning struck the mirror's frame. Katara and Zuko shielded their eyes as the electricity arced through the glass, surging with energy, until finally it broke. The glass cracked and shattered, and a wave of cosmic energy burst from within, washing over them all.

Katara and Zuko uncovered their eyes to find themselves in the royal palace's treasure room. Before them was Azula, facing a tall, broken mirror, her hair loose and tangled. The princess let out a sob as she fell to her knees, holding her face in her hands. She cried out, releasing all her anguish over everything that she had lost, over what she may never have again. This was how it had to be though. This was her fate.

Zuko slowly approached Azula from behind. His sister did not seem to care or heed his presence. Slowly, he reached his hand out. The prince hesitated a moment, fearful of a violent rebuke, unsure of what Azula deserved, but his heart pressed him forward. Zuko gently placed his hand on Azula's back, giving her a small gesture of sympathy. It was the least he could do, after everything they had been through. He knew even Azula did not deserve to suffer, not like this.

The princess wept, for the love she had lost, for the one she had let go.

"Wait, that's it? That can't be the end," The little boy said as he sat up in bed. "There's gotta be more!"

"And how are you so sure?" His mother asked teasingly. "You weren't there."

"Oh come on," The boy insisted. "I'm not stupid. We wouldn't be here if that was it."

"I can't get anything past you, can I?" The mother replied with a wry smile. "But there's a lot more to tell, and it's time for you to sleep."

"Oooo-kaaaay…" The little boy sighed and leaned back against his pillow. His mother pulled the covers up to his chin as he closed his eyes. "Goodnight mom… I love you…"

The mother smiled tenderly at her son as he quickly drifted into sleep. "I love you too." She kissed him on the forehead before pinching out the flame of the candle on the bedside table. The mother stood up and headed for the door, taking one last look at her sleeping child. A single, happy tear slipped down her cheek and past her smile.

"Goodnight, my little prince..."

Author's Note:

And there you have it. This chapter was going to be longer, but I decided to split it up. That's right, I've got one more coming. I debated whether to include the framing device at the end, but with such a bitter sweet ending (with extra bitter) I felt that there needed to be something hopeful to look forward too. I hope I didn't give too much away.

Overall all though, this marks the end of the initial arc, or Book One if you will. I guess you could call it Fire. In any case, I want to thank everyone who's been leaving me reviews and criticism, all the Azula fans on tumblr for helping me understand this girl, and especially my wife for bearing with me through it all and helping me proofread. See you next chapter.