"You don't want to know what happened to your mother?" He could tell his father just wanted to stall. He had to get out of here to help his uncle. "Do you want to know what happened that night?"
"Tell me." He turned to look at him. He knew this was a bad idea. But he just had to know.
"She begged me not to kill you, to just let her have a talk with the Fire Lord. Over tea." Ozai smiled at Zuko. He could feel his Firebending coming back. "When she was finished with him not a drop of poison remained in his cup. And now her son comes here, to follow in his mother's footsteps. How… poetic."
He started juggling lightning between his fingers. Zuko tensed his body as he dropped his swords. He knew what was going to happen. They both knew. Or at least Ozai believes he does.
"Goodbye Zuko. Your death will be a blessing upon our land." Ozai flicked his hand, like he was swatting an annoying insect and Zuko raised his fingers. He could feel pure energy flowing through his Chi paths as he redirected the lightning.
FInally, after what felt like minutes, he pointed his fingers towards Ozai. The bolt flew true and Zuko saw Ozai smile as the attack landed on his chest.
Zuko stood stock still as he saw Ozai's body slump forwards. He walked towards it and then put his fingers on his neck, trying to feel for a pulse.
None.
Zuko inhaled deeply and then exhaled. He stood still for who knows how long until he heard the doors to the bunker open.
"Father! The invasion has been repelled. Iroh the traitor has esca-"
Zuko turned around and looked Azula in the eyes. Huh, it's not every day I see her this shocked.
I'm sorry, sister. Is what he wanted to say. "Self-defense." He blurted out instead.
Azula narrowed her eyes and was about to say something but then she looked at her father's corpse and closed her mouth. Zuko nodded.
"Status report." He found himself saying.
"The invasion has been repelled. We've lost around 20% of the Home Guard and we've captured most of the invading force." He saw her getting stiff. He started walking forward and then past her, to the hallway, towards sunlight.
"What about Uncle?"
"He has escaped imprisonment. He took out the guards stationed at the prison."
"Took out as in…"
"They are dead Zuko."
Zuko inhaled deeply. He exhaled. His plan for breaking out Uncle involved no death. After not speaking for him for weeks he just left… killing his own countrymen?
Zuko inhaled deeply. He exhaled. He killed my people.
Zuko spotted a couple of guards and put on his commanding voice. "Guard number one, bring me the closest Fire Sage. Fire Lord Ozai is dead and as First Heir it is my duty to see the chain of command doesn't collapse. Guard number two, go oversee our injured. Make sure we don't have more deaths on our hands."
Both guards scampered off quickly. Zuko kept walking and found himself at the turtleduck pond. The animals had left. He stood in silence as he thought.
"Uncle was always a traitor huh?" He found himself saying. He thought of all the ways the Avatar got away from him while Uncle… Iroh did nothing. He thought of the lightning redirection technique, and how Iroh never challenged Ozai for the throne. He just had to bait him into throwing lightning and then redirect it. Iroh never even tried to serve Ozai poisoned tea. How many deaths could have been avoided if Iroh challenged Ozai all those years ago? If he had actually completed the Siege of Ba Sing Se and defeated the Earth Kingdom.
"Just now you are realizing it?" Azula's scoff brought him back to reality. Mother had left him in a pit of snakes. Ozai had hurt him and mocked him. Iroh had betrayed him for who knows what. He turned around and looked Azula in the eyes. She had seen what he had done to Ozai. She had looked him in the eyes and still stood. She was still standing. Waiting. Here.
Zuko smiled at her. She stiffened. A guard came into the garden.
"My Prince, they are waiting for you."
Zuko nodded and walked past Azula. "Let's go, Spymaster and Chancellor Azula." He continued walking, he knew she wouldn't attack him while his back was turned.
-OOOOO-
High Sage Hai waited quietly with High Commander Nikkō for his Prince. He could tell what had happened. Chancellor Nenshō nervously played with his thumbs. He had been mumbling to himself but Nikkō growled at him once and he stopped. Hai shook his head. He had no idea how the man had survived working for the late Fire Lord Ozai.
His attention was turned to the doors. Two guards flanked Crown Prince Zuko while Princess Azula walked behind him. His eyebrow rose. Just the other day he had seen the Princess steal the Crown Prince's crown and lead him around on a merry chase and now she walked like he was her superior. From what I think happened, he is.
Hai and his companions bowed as the Crown Prince ascended the dais and looked down at them. He could feel a certain… energy emanating from his Prince. Like he had settled on an idea and didn't want a way out. The Princess kneeled beside Nikkō with an air of smugness which only made Hai look at Nenshō. Nobody missed the fact that he was the only one kneeling on that side of the room.
"Fire Lord Ozai has died. Self-defense." The Crown Prince looked down at them. "As First Heir I wish to know how to proceed."
Hai looked at his Prince and nodded. "I'll begin preparations for your coronation, Fire Lord Zuko."
His Fire Lord nodded and looked at a guard. "Send for a messenger." The guard nodded and quickly left. The boy looked down at Nikkō. "I wish for the Home Guard to take their time and rest. Interrogate the prisoners. Make sure they tell you everything they know." Nikkō nodded and then the Fire Lord turned to Nenshō. "Your services are no longer required, Chancellor Nenshō. Spymaster and Chancellor Azula will be taking over your job. Enjoy a long retirement." The Fire Lord smiled down at Nenshō and Hai could hear him swallow spit.
"Understood, my Fire Lord." Nenshō barely managed to not stammer out his answer as he bowed and quickly scampered off.
The messenger entered then and the Fire Lord looked at him. "Send a royal edict to every high ranking officer. Tell them to rally their troops in a defensive position until they get new orders."
The messenger left running as the Fire Lord looked down at Hai. "Now then, I believe we have some things we have to talk about."
-OOOOO-
"It is time, my Fire Lord." Zuko nodded at his attendant and walked into the balcony. The faces of his people greeted him as he looked down at them. He could see noblemen at the front and commoners at the back. Zuko kneeled down in front of High Sage Hai and the old sage put the crown on his head. As Zuko got up he looked down at his people as they applauded.
As the applause died down he cleared his throat.
"People of the Fire Nation, long have we been at war with the other elements. Why do we fight?" Zuko looked down at his people. "Fire Lord Sozin started the war because the Air Monks failed to uphold the contract they had with us. The other nations then decided to step on our business and attacked us. Fire Lord Azulon wanted to bring the Fire Nation prosperity to the other nations. Fire Lord Ozai continued in his father's footsteps."
"What is my answer? I walked through the Earth Kingdom. I saw their own soldiers abusing their people. I defended them and how did they repay me? They ran me out of the town. I lived inside the walls of Ba Sing Se. I saw how the Earth Kingdom treated refugees, I saw how they robbed their own people of the freedom to make their own choices. I infiltrated the North Pole. I saw how the Northern Waterbenders segregated their own people and refused to teach their arts completely, limiting each gender."
Zuko raised his right arm as his voice took a more passionate tone.
"What is my answer? I fight to protect my people from those who would see us exterminated for what we believe in! I fight for those of Fire born outside our Nation! I fight to protect our people from traitors like Iroh! He would tell you the Fire Nation has to pay for crimes we had to commit because the other nations would have exterminated us if we hadn't. Former Dragon of the West Iroh would have sold this nation in an attempt to satisfy our enemies. Iroh is a traitor, a betrayer, a Breaker of Vows. Iroh is Kinless!"
Zuko raised his left arm in a sweeping motion, letting out flames to accentuate his speech.
"My first formal edict was for my generals and admirals to rally their troops in defense of our people. My second edict is this. Everyone born from those of Fire is to be considered a full citizen of our glorious nation. Those of Earth born from us are to be considered our allies. Earthbenders, Waterbenders, Airbender. Everyone is welcome under our glorious nation. Never forget my people. Our bodies are made of Earth, our blood of Water, our breaths of Air. But our hearts are of Fire!"
His people roared in a deafening applause. He would protect them. Or burn down the world trying.
-OOOOO-
The wind rushed through her hair. Travelling by airship had been proven to be even worse than travelling by tank. She cast a look towards the Fire Lord. He was at the highest point, a smile on his face as he paid attention to something Ty Lee was telling him. They had been really close during the last two days after the coronation, since the Fire Lord appointed her as his personal guard. Mai had been brooding and had elected to stay within her family's estate.
"Chancellor Azula." She turned her head towards one of the operators. "We are preparing our descent on the Sun Warrior ruins."
"Understood." She grasped the railing. Agni knew how she hated flying, but the Fire Lord wanted to research Sozin's comet so she had to come.
-OOOOO-
She blamed the Fire Lord for this. She severely doubted the Sun Warriors knew of similar comets.
The expedition had gone well. Ty Lee had accompanied her and the Fire Lord since he would have to be stupid to want to be alone with a monster like her.
They had found a room with pictures of a dance and her bro- the Fire Lord had decided to recreate it with her of all people.
Turns out it was the answer for a hidden mechanism and they found an orb atop a pedestal and her bro- the Fire Lord, in his infinite wisdom decided to touch it.
So they were trapped, Ty Lee went for help and they stayed glued together until the members of a lost civilization came to them, insulted them and said they would let the masters decide what to do with them.
The masters were dragons.
Iroh the traitor, the Breaker of Vows, the Kinless had lied about something else. Go figure.
The red one was staring at her and as soon as she figured out a way around it she would kill those bas-
Pain.
The red dragon shot a colorful blast of fire at her. She was on the floor now. Her body ached with pain and hate and ange-
"Get away from my sister!" She heard as Zuko threw lightning at the red dragon. She could see it impacting on the dragon's head, right between the eyes, instantly killing him. And then something strange happened.
A red… energy started seeping from the dragon and into Zuko. She could almost see the legends coming true. Zuko seemed to be stronger now.
The blue dragon roared and charged at Zuko, but her brother simply turned around and punched the dragon on the snout. The dragon reared back as Zuko inhaled deeply and threw a multicolor gout of fire from his mouth. The blue dragon seemed to be even more angered and prepared to charge as her brother closed his eyes, moved his body like a dancer as he started charging lightning with both hands. The dragon charged and her brother threw both bolts of lightning at it, killing it and letting it fall down on the ravine, a blue energy seeping from it and into her brother.
"Kill them!" She turned around and struggled to her feet as the Sun Warriors charged at them.
The moment her loyalty to her brother was solidified was when Zuzu stood in front of dragons to protect her, like she wasn't a monster and instead was his sister. But she wouldn't be protected. She stood firm and ready to aid her brother against their enemies.
-OOOOO-
Loud music sounded through the streets of Caldera. Large tables had been set up with the cooked meat of the dragons. After killing them, Ty Lee had arrived with their contingent of guards just as they were busy killing the Sun Warriors, joining the fray. Azula had ordered them to recover the dragons' remains and a feast had been thrown in honor of the slaying of the dragons and the return of the First Flame.
Zuko smiled as he saw Ty Lee goading Azula into drinking a rather heavy sake. He turned his eyes and saw High Sage Hai almost reverently observe the First Flame. His people, commoners and noblemen alike were eating as Zuko bit into his dragon heart. It was a bit gamey, but went down well with the honey liquor he was given by the Head Chef.
His attention was drawn when he saw a flushed Azula walking up to him, grabbing him by the arm and raising him up. She kept his arm up as she launched lightning into the sky, grabbing everyone's attention.
"Fire Lord is too little a title for what occured today. Fire Lord Zuko killed two dragons in quick succession and absorbed their strength. For this a new title should be cre-created." Azula hiccuped. "For this I name you Dragon King Zuko!"
His people applauded her as she passed out. Zuko caught her and shook his head. "Continue with the feast. I'll put my sister to bed." Zuko quickly picked up Azula and walked up to the castle with Ty Lee next to him.
-OOOOO-
"You know, it almost makes me jealous." Ty Lee told him with a sly smile as they walked through the deserted halls of the palace. "Seeing you carry her like that."
"Why?"
"Because I can imagine how strong your arms feel." She winked at him. Zuko quickly found himself blushing.
"I don't think this is the time for this." She opened Azula's door for him and he quickly put his sister to bed and left.
"I can help you forget Mai, you know? It's the least I can do for you after you promised to keep my secret." They kept walking through the halls aimlessly.
"You know I was going to help you anyways, you are my friend Ty Lee."
"Agni, you are thick." She said before she grabbed him by the cheeks and kissed him. He was pretty sure this kind of kiss was meant to be reserved for cou-oh… After a few seconds she released him. "Do you know how worried I was when I came back to the chamber only to find you two gone?"
"I'm sorry."
"You can apologize in your room, come on." She took his hand and quickly guided their way.
-OOOOO-
Zuko quietly left his room so as to not wake up Ty Lee. That had been… incredible. He made his way to the turtleduck pond. The moon shined brightly over it as the small animals slept quietly. The scent of steel greeted his nose and he turned around.
"Master Piandao. If you wanted to talk you didn't need to skulk around." Zuko saw his old master tense up and then throw something at him. When Zuko caught it he realized it was his dual dao.
Piandao drew his blade and Zuko understood. He drew his dual dao and separated it, entering a low stance.
They clashed. Piandao was as fast as Zuko remembered, but he had learned to survive using his blades. Their blades clashed, with Zuko incorporating kicks and elbow strikes into his attacks as Piandao used his free hand to deflect his blades by hitting the flat of his dao.
As they jumped away from each other Zuko looked his former master in the eyes. They were grey… a Ty Lee grey. Piandao grabbed his sword with both hands now and Zuko could feel the wind picking up. He loosened his grip on his dao. As Piandao made his sword spin, Zuko spun his dao to hit the stone path, lighting his blades on fire with the resulting spark as a miniature tornado started spinning around Piandao's blade.
"You never named your blades." Piandao prepared to charge.
"I had hoped my bending would get better than my sword skill… but now I understand better." The flames around his dao danced just right. His fire and steel had never felt so in sync. "Now I know better."
"My blade is called Natsu no Kaze."
Zuko nods. Summer breeze. Fitting. "My daos are Nichibotsu."
Piandao nods and looks at him fiercely. "Come Fire Lord Zuko. Show me who you are."
Zuko launched himself at his former master with a burst of fire coming from his feet.
-OOOOO-
The sun was setting later and later lately. It had been a couple of weeks since they had gone on the run. As Iroh guided them towards the White Lotus enclave Sokka reflected.
After the failed invasion they had left for the Western Air Temple. They didn't have much time to rest. That Combustion guy found them and attacked them. But Iroh came out at the last possible minute to help them. Sokka still couldn't look down cliffs after Iroh pushed the assassin down without a hint of regret in his eyes. After that he had strayed clear of him. Katara, Aang and Toph had warmed up quickly to him and the old man took charge, getting them to go towards his organization's enclave.
Now they were arriving. A bunch of old guys came to greet them. They took them towards Jeong Jeong's tent and Sokka took a look around before catching Katara's eye. No women he signed to her in the old Southern Hunter signs. He had taught her after the men left so she could help him without making a sound during their hunts.
Katara narrowed her eyes and they entered Jeong Jeong's tent.
"Avatar. Grandmaster." The old bastard was as grumpy as ever. He didn't even acknowledge them. "I only have bad news." He sat down in front of a low table. The group followed suit. Iroh pulled out his tea set and started making tea. "Why did you never tell us the dragons?"
Iroh stopped and put on his old man facade. "Whatever do you mean?" Sokka never liked that mask.
"Don't play games Iroh. We could have protected them if we had known."
Iroh looked Jeong Jeong in the eyes. "Explain."
"Your nephew. Remember the one you told me about? The one you wouldn't train past the basic katas? He killed the last dragons. Fed their corpses to his citizens. Heard they are calling him the Dragon King." Jeong Jeong spat on the ground as Sokka saw Katara fuming, Aang paling and Toph uncharacteristically quiet.
Iroh stood quiet, his face stoic and undecipherable. "What of Ozai?"
"Dead. Fire Lord Zuko killed him. Self-defence apparently. Or was it natural causes? I can never remember these things."
"I… see."
"Our spies within the Fire colonies report that the boy is amassing his forces, recruiting even more from the colonies. He's even adding Earthbenders to his forces. He welcomed them into his nation." Jeong Jeong spat on the ground once again. "Fire and Earth mingling together. Unnatural."
Sokka was about to say something but Iroh beat him to it. "Zuko will have to be defeated and my brother's line be purged in order for the Fire Nation to return to the honorable way."
"Burn it down you mean." Jeong Jeong gave an ugly smile. Sokka felt… wrong here. These people talk so openly about destroying their own people… "But there may be a problem with you on the throne."
"Why?"
"You were named Kinless, Breaker of Vows." Shit. Being called Breaker of Vows was bad business, being called Kinless was arguably worse.
Iroh closed his eyes in what the Sokka who hadn't seen this man throw another down a cliff after breaking his legs would have thought to be grief. "I never knew he could become so much like his father."
Sokka thought about that. He knew Zuko as an enemy. He knew him as someone who would do anything to capture Aang. But in every encounter Sokka remembered, it was only Zuko coming after them. Iroh always stayed on the sidelines… when he was supposed to be loyal to his nephew. How much time until Iroh stays on the sidelines when we are fighting?
Sokka looked at his friends. Aang looked sad while Katara whispered soothing words to his ear. Toph stayed quiet and still like a rock. Her eyes closed.
"So what's the plan?"
"We let the Avatar defeat Zuko." That does it.
"Why don't you fight him?" Sokka asked him. "You taught Aang how to redirect lightning. Why didn't you use it on Ozai and stop the war on the throne?"
"Because the other nations would have only seen it as family killing fami-"
"Blah, blah, blah, I know, nobody would think anything would change, but why does it have to fall on Aang? You have an entire organization to yourself and you've done nothing all this time? How long has the White Lotus just been sitting on their asses waiting for someone else to do their job?" Sokka was feeling frustrated. He looked at Katara and saw her undoing the cap on her waterskin as she looked at Iroh.
Everyone grew quiet. Aang shook his head. "it's okay So-"
"No. It isn't." Toph spoke up. "You are 12 Aang. It doesn't matter if you are the Avatar. Now the White Lotus should do the lion's share of the work." Toph got up as screams and the sound of battle erupted around them. "We are under attack."
They quickly got out of the tent. Multiple black-clad figures with theater masks concealing their faces were attacking. Some with fire, some with Earth, some with Air, some with water. Before he could say anything a strong blast of air pushed him several meters away. He drew his meteorite sword as he got up, only to freeze as he saw a familiar blade. He looked up and saw one of the black-clad figures wearing a Hannya mask. His sword was unmistakably Natsu no Kaze, only this one had a freaking localized hurricane around it.
That's when it hit him. Piandao's eyes. Storm grey. Like Aang's.
"Why?" He croaked. Piandao knew exactly what he meant. Sokka could see him in the clenching of his hands on his sword.
Piandao simply shook his head. "There's no time for words now Sokka."
They clashed.
-OOOOO-
Fire rained down on them as Aang, Katara and Toph defended themselves. The sight of Air attacking him hurt him in a way he hadn't felt before but he had to find a pacific way to end this. As he saw The Blue Spirit drop from the skies to impale a White Lotus member he saw his chance.
"Zuko! Please stop this!"
Zuko raised his head. "Avatar."
"Please, you helped me before. You are the Fire Lord now. I'm sure if the Fire Nation just surrenders, the other nations will forgive them."
Zuko tilted his head at him. "You really believe the other nations won't jump at the chance to massacre my people? Or enslave them?" Zuko shook his head. "You are either hopelessly naive, delusional, or just an idiot." He spun his blades, causing sparks to jump on the floor and ignite them in a beautiful multicolor flame.
"You monster." Aang turned around and saw Iroh approaching them. "You learned the true meaning of Fire and still decided to kill them?"
"They would have killed my sister. Unlike you, I love my family." Zuko fell into a low stance as Iroh prepared himself to fight him. "Leave Avatar, more important matters are at hand."
Aang was about to say something when he heard Katara scream. He opened his glider and quickly flew away. He found Katara defending Toph from archers while the Earthbender fought off two assassins with Semimaru masks. Aang threw himself down in a whirlwind, knocking off the two assassins.
"What happened?" The Waterbender asked.
"Zuko is in charge of the attack." Aang blocked some arrows as Toph protected them from falling rocks.
"Zuko? The Fire Lord? Aang, I can feel water moving somewhere on the battlefield, and it isn't being used on our side. And there are airbenders around."
"I know." Aang felt a stab in his heart. "We'll free them from the Fire Nation."
"There's nothing to free, Temple Rat." It had been more than one hundred years since he heard that insult. It was what the banished monks would call them before they left. It was what grumpy people from the other nations would call them. Aang looked at the direction of the voice. It was an assassin wearing a Nekomata mask. Her braid and voice were unmistakable.
"Ty Lee. Why didn't you tell me? I could have helped you."
"Didn't you hear me? There's nothing to free. You would have caged me and my order in an attempt to rebuild a corrupt society."
"The monks weren't corrupt!"
"Yes they were. My ancestors were banished because they tried to advance your backwards society. And when they tried to find a home in the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes? What happened?"
"There weren't any Air Nomads there!" Toph made a choking noise. "Toph?"
"She knows why there weren't any Air Nomads in her land. The Earth Kings and the Water Tribes were paid to look the other way as your oh so pacific monks massacred my ancestors for not conforming."
"Lies!"
Ty Lee laughed. It wasn't the playful giggle she would often let out in their past fights. It was something ugly and full of hate. She bent low to the ground in a predatory stance. "The only ones who didn't turn their backs on us was the Fire Nation. Why do you think they are able to rally the Four Elements? It's because we'll take in anyone who wants to fight for what they believe in. I will protect the Balance the Fire Nation has created!"
She clasped her hands together with her fingers extended together and Aang could feel the Air coming to her call. He prepared himself for her attack.
-OOOOO-
"You became just like your father." Iroh punched fire at Zuko as the younger Fire Bender dodged by launching a burst of fire with his feet. He used the brief reprieve to slash his blade at Iroh, sending a quick wave of fire towards him. Iroh slashed through it with a stretched hand. "Ruthless, cold, uncaring for the needs of the world! This world needs balance!"
"I don't care about a world that would slaughter my people!" Zuko shouted as his flames flared with multiple colors. He quickly flew into the offensive using his fire jets, lighting his blades on fire and slashing at Iroh as the old man dodged backwards.
"What future will they have when the other nations win?" Iroh jumped backwards as a wall of flame going his way made Zuko retreat backwards.
"Need help dealing with this upstart Iroh?" The Deserter came walking with no fear into their fight, giving him a smug look. Zuko's anger flared as this traitor showed him no respect. "Although I won't back down even if you told me too, I've been wanting to do a few things to Ozai's line for years now."
"We have to be quick, the brainwashed members of the other nations must be returned to their own place in the world." Iroh settled into the first stage of the Dancing Dragons.
"Brainwashed? Do you really think we would stoop so low? We are not the Dai Li." Zuko cracked his neck. "Those of Air came to me when they learned of my intentions. Those of Earth came to me because the Earth Kingdom rejected them. Those of Water came to me because the other nations failed them and put them on the map." Zuko let his hatred and anger stoke his flames, making them bigger and deadlier. "And now they are my people, I made a promise to them. I promised that I would burn the world down before I would fail to protect them."
Zuko's flames engulfed him completely. He felt no pain, he gained no burns, the angry rainbow flames surrounded him but they did not damage him. He felt as if Agni himself blessed him. He looked at Iroh and Jeong-Jeong with eyes full of hatred.
"And I intend to keep it."
-OOOOO-
The Blue Spirit mask laid in ruins in his hands as he waited in his compartment. Ty Lee was overseeing the wounded alongside Huu, their new medic. Zuko still couldn't believe Huu had joined him willingly, but apparently he felt let down and used by the other nations after he participated in the failed invasion, putting his home in the map.
As the airship touched ground Zuko burned the mask to ashes. There was no more need for theatrics. He had done something that a year ago he would have never thought possible. Iroh had been burnt to ashes before him. Zuko felt as if Agni himself had guided his hand as Iroh's fire had turned against him. He ended up taking out The Deserter too, which had been a plus.
As he walked through the airship to the exit Piandao fell into step alongside him, quietly, in what Zuko recognized as mourning. Zuko simply walked with him until they walked out of the airship, where Azula waited for them. Her mission had been a success. No more White Lotus operatives remained in Caldera.
Zuko smiled at her and messed up her hair, succeeding in annoying her before hugging her and telling her she did good work.
The days were spent in the palace, working as the Fire Lord and leaving everything to fall into place after he succeeded on his plan for Sozin's Comet. His nights were spent with Ty Lee, revelling in her presence. She knew what would happen that day. They both knew.
The day before the Comet he found her by a golden bowl heaving, morning sickness clearly visible. He stayed with her the whole day before he visited his sister at night and explained his plan. She cried and begged to not leave her alone, but he told her he was proud of her and that she would be a great Fire Lord.
He took an airship alone, trusting his sister to protect his nation and his wife, and set out for the North Pole.
-OOOOO-
"No, no, no!" Aang screamed as he jumped down from Appa. The sun was setting as the remains of the Northern Water Tribe melted down into the red ocean. Zuko stood upon the blood stained snow by the body of Master Pakku. "Why did you do this!?"
"Vengeance upon the Ocean for taking my people. Disgust upon the Northern Water Tribe for hiding in their snow fort while the world burned around them. Protection, for I know the only people of Water are allies with the Fire Nation." Zuko's voice was resolute.
Aang felt anger, disgust, hatred for Zuko. He could barely hold the spirits of the previous Avatars from taking over his body and dealing with this insolent little ashma-
"Sokka is dead, Katara will never be able to have children and Toph can't breathe properly, the people of the North, your uncle, Jeong-Jeong… all because of you. What do you have to say for yourself!?"
"I don't care about them, they are not my people."
"I will never forgive you!"
"I know."
Aang let the Avatar State take over his body.
-OOOOO-
Zuko would have liked to say the fight was even, but he was running on fumes. The comet had long since passed and even with it he had spent most of his energy comitting genocide for his people. But it was okay. He was on his knees in front of the spirit of the world, his hands behind him, stroking the handle of his oldest weapon.
"You have caused much suffering, Dragon King Zuko. You have plunged the world into chaos." They spoke in an infinity of voices as they approached him directly. The Avatar stopped right in front of him and bent down to look him in the eyes. "What do you have to say for yourself?" The Avatar pressed a thumb against his forehead.
"Never give up without a fight." He used the last of his fire to shoot it out of his feet as he pulled out his dagger, driving it into the Avatar's neck and splitting it wide open.
As the Avatar died in the snow Zuko laid himself on his back and looked at the stars. Had this all been worth it? All this death? All this sorrow? As he thought about this he started cackling and then laughing. Of course it was worth it. He did it to protect his kept laughing until he closed he felt his body shut down. He used the last of his energy to laugh at the world that would try to snuff out the flame of his people. He laughed until the end.