Chapter 53: Advancing Flames

The end of summer should have been a glorious time for Fire Lord Ozai.

The Fire Nation army was holding Ba Sing Se, for the moment at least. The invasion of the homeland capital had been repelled, and soon the rest of the Earth Kingdom would fall. The return of Sozin's Comet was nearly upon him, a day when firebending would be more powerful than ever. Last time that happened the Air Nomads had been exterminated, and this time it would lead to the end of the Earth Kingdom. Only the Water Tribes would remain after the heavens burn, divided at the poles and vulnerable to the airship fleet, to be conquered at Ozai's leisure.

Yet it was not that simple. Taiyo was still out there, like some force of nature that had to be reckoned with, one way or another. The plan to burn down the Earth Kingdom was certain to draw him out, and the combined power of a hundred firebenders fueled by Sozin's Comet would be brought to bear against him. This was the only chance Ozai had to be rid of Taiyo once and for all, the one day in a century when he would have every possible advantage. Ozai had to take it, and he needed to see it through personally.

To that end he had left the capital to board the navy's fastest ship, currently in port at the capital's harbor. He made the palanquin journey alone, since his daughter wasn't there to join him. Ozai had planned to leave Azula here to protect the homeland, but her absence required a substitute. Now he stood looking down on the small ship from the top of stone steps, flanked on both sides by the ceremonial guard. Ozai looked at the banners held high, the emblem of the Fire Nation surrounding him always.

Ozai heard footsteps behind him, and he glanced over his shoulder to look at the two old crones. "Lo, Li, punctual as always."

The two old ladies took positions behind the Fire Lord, with Lo on the left and her sister on the right. "Is it wise to embark on this journey personally?"

Li looked out at the small ship and the sea beyond it. "Your grandfather never set foot in any of the Air Temples."

"This is the dawn of a new age," Ozai said. "The world will be reborn in fire, and I shall be reborn with it. The past will be forgotten, the present will be burned away, and the future will be shaped as I see fit."

Lo hummed and looked at the horizon. "That is quite the ambitious goal."

"Yes, even for a Fire Lord," Li added.

"I am no longer fit for that title," Ozai said. "When the new world rises from the ashes of the old, I shall rule the world as the Phoenix King."

The ceremonial guard raised new banners, depicting the visage of a phoenix in bright gold flames.

Lo could certainly appreciate the symbolism. "What do you require of us, Phoenix King?"

"I require someone to look after the homeland while I am away," Ozai answered. "There are no others I can count on to not do anything rash in my absence."

"We will keep the nobles in line," Li promised.

"They will be too busy settling disputes to think of usurping your authority," Lo promised.

Ozai nodded and looked to the horizon. "I'm sure you will do better than my daughter would have."

"Where exactly is the prodigal princess anyway?" Lo asked.

"We have not heard of her since the attack on the temple," Li said.

The only answer Ozai had was the honest one. "I do not know. But she is not my concern."

For the longest time in living memory, the throne of the Earth King remained empty.

Although appointed Regent of the occupied city, Lachlan Luthor refused to sit in the throne and formally take the reins of power. It would have been an empty gesture with barely any symbolic meaning behind it, for he was not the one truly wielding power here, in more ways than one. Between the Fire Nation occupation and the man he truly served, Lachlan was more of an administrator than anything else. Sure, in the public eye he was the man in charge of Ba Sing Se, but he knew better than to assume he had any real power here.

Still, he visited the throne room from time to time, often to issue decrees preapproved by the Fire Nation. Today was one of those days, and he was approaching the empty throne as servants prepared the place. But this day was different, which he found out when a golden light appeared from nowhere above the throne. Startled yet mesmerized by this light, he stood still while the light formed a symbol in midair, that of a cross with a loop at the top. Others in the throne room were staring as well, none certain if what they saw was real.

The light faded, and a lithe figure was in its place, clad in strange yellow and blue clothes, along with a golden helmet. "Good. You're here. Just the man I wanted to see."

Though the voice was altered by the power within the helmet, Lachlan still recognized the piercing golden eyes that looked through the helmet. "Azula? What… How… Why…"

"Don't bother trying to figure it out," Azula said. She slowly descended, coming down above the throne, gracefully landing and sitting in the throne. "It would take your entire lifetime just to grasp the concept of the power I now wield."

Not wanting to test what she meant by that, Lachlan politely bowed and then looked Azula in the eye. "How might I be of service?"

"Prepare the city for battle," Azula ordered. She crossed her legs and put her gloved fingertips together. "War is coming to Ba Sing Se, and it will be led by my dear old uncle."

Lachlan's eyes went wide, all but certain Azula was about to kill him for failure. "How is that possible?"

"Oh please, do not take me for a fool," Azula said. "I am well aware of his escape from your custody. It was inevitable, after all. You were a fool to think you could give him any leeway without him exploiting your oversight."

Having a growing pit in his gut, Lachlan tried to hide the fear for his life, failing miserably. "I… I have no excuse. I humbly accept whatever punishment you decide for me."

"If I was going to kill you I would have done it already," Azula said. She saw the look of confusion in Lachlan's eyes, and she took a small bit of pleasure in it. "You still have a role to play, at least until Sozin's Comet has come and gone."

Relieved by this reprieve from expected execution, but not ready to relax just yet, Lachlan wondered what exactly Azula wanted him to do. "What would you have me do?"

There was a wicked smile, hidden underneath the helmet, and the narrowing of Azula's eyes would have to be enough to convey the meaning. "The battle will come to the palace. You and your best men will defend it."

"Personally?" Lachlan blurted out. "You know I am not much of a fighter."

"Of course I do," Azula said. She laughed and rested her arms on the sides of the throne. "Don't worry. I'm sure you have the best people to fight at your side."

Long Feng was inspecting the Dai Li at his command.

Discreetly of course, since his appearance was rather unsettling for just about everyone. He wore a thick cloak with a hood covering his head, yet still the green glow from his chest seeped through the fabric. The agents were practicing their earthbending forms in lockstep, and Long Feng walked around them while watching them work. They seemed to have improved considerably during his absence, having taken inspiration from the princess's brief command. Now he could put that improvement to use, and take back the city that was rightfully his.

In one corner of the cavern beneath the palace Long Feng stopped walking, spotting a messenger approaching him. "What is it?"

The messenger delivered a scroll to Long Feng. "It's from Lachlan."

Long Feng took the scroll and opened it, but then noticed the messenger's awkward stare. He dismissed the messenger with a wave of his hand, and the messenger was very relieved to leave. On the scroll was an update from Lachlan, written in hastily made scribbling, which was a bad sign from the start. At first the news of Azula's return seemed unbelievable, given the method of her return, but Long Feng knew he could believe Lachlan's word on the matter. Of most concern was Lachlan's worry about not knowing the full extent of Azula's new power, and what she would do with it when the comet arrived.

This necessitated a change of plans, having to account for an unknown factor. It was already a gamble to act on the day the enemy was at its strongest, hoping that they would be caught off guard while fighting someone else, but this was too much risk for his liking. For a moment he considered putting off the operation for a later date, but it seemed that on the day of the comet it would be now or never. If he waited it seemed likely the Fire Nation's plans would succeed, and Long Feng knew he could not allow that to happen, however risky it may be.

There was one option to pass along some of the risk to someone else, though he didn't particularly like the idea. Long Feng wrote a letter to one of Ba Sing Se's most wealthy individuals, a former political foe that often got in his way as Cultural Minister, though always stopped short of breaking the law. A man with connections throughout the city, no doubt extending to certain vigilantes, which the Dai Li had never been able to apprehend. Long Feng wrote just the right words to set up the bait, and from there it was a simply courier job to get the job done.

"This should get Batman's attention."

It was certainly strange news to Baixi Wang.

Granted, he already knew about Sozin's Comet and the boost it would provide to firebenders, courtesy of information freely given by the Dragon of the West after his escape from the Dai Li. But the return of Azula was something new, and the secondhand account of new abilities was something to be concerned about. The lack of firsthand information from his own spies was unsettling, as no one he trusted had reported the arrival of the Fire Nation princess. Still, it was something he could not ignore, and steps would need to be taken to minimize collateral damage to Ba Sing Se.

Fortunately, Baixi had already been preparing for the day that would decide Ba Sing Se's fate. The latest developments simply required that more efforts be taken to protect the people, as the princess's presence suggested a higher casualty rate even without the acquisition of newfound might. Baixi had more than enough money for the task at hand, but it just needed to be spent more wisely. Every innocent living in the area would be able to find shelter, unless they chose not to take it. After all, not even Batman could force an entire city underground if the idiots refused to take cover.

Sitting in his study Baixi signed the last piece of the necessary documents. "Who would have thought that saving the city would require so much paperwork?"

Beside him Peni Kachi took the completed paperwork off Baixi's hands. "This is unusual territory for you sir."

"That it is," Baixi agreed. He pushed his chair back and stood up. "Has there been any word from the White Lotus Society?"

"General Iroh sends his regards," Peni Kachi said. "He also says that the Avatar's companions were in the city, but the Avatar himself was not with them. They have also departed on their own missions, and won't be participating in the battle here."

"A shame," Baixi said. He started walking for the door. "We could have appreciated the help here."

"You'll manage," Peni Kachi assured. "You always do."

Although summoned to the airship fleet, Maxima and Lobo were taking their sweet time getting there.

They hadn't even left the Fire Nation capital yet, and were in no hurry to go anywhere. They had taken up residence in the manor that belonged to Mai's family, which had been mostly empty since her parents had moved to New Ozai. The place was going to need remodeling in the near future, since Maxima and Lobo's 'downtime activities' resulted in a lot of broken walls and shattered beds. Their unofficial landlord was not inclined to ask them to stop, since Mai had wanted to have the place remodeled since she was a little kid.

After a particularly energetic hour of fun, they were helping themselves to a meal in the kitchen, and Lobo's presence had convinced the staff to leave. "So… what exactly do the locals want us to do? And is it worth our time?"

Maxima was putting together an enormous sandwich, and she shrugged. "Someone mentioned a fight. But unless that kryptonian is there, I doubt it will be any fun."

Standing in the doorway, Mai was obligated to remind them of what was expected. "Taiyo will be there. He won't stand by and let the Fire Lord burn down the world during Sozin's Comet."

"What's so special about a comet?" Lobo asked. "Just a chunk of rock and ice. They're almost as common as dust."

"This comet returns every one hundred years," Mai specified. "According to the tapestries, it ignites every time, and the power of firebending increases a hundredfold."

"A comet with a hundred-year orbital resonance?" Maxima surmised. She thought about that as she took a bite of her sandwich, and after a swallow, she nodded. "Alright, I'm interested. I didn't get to enjoy the perfect transit, so I deserve to see something even rarer."

"I'm told it lasts for most of a day," Mai said. She reached into one of her deep pockets and pulled out a brand-new set of paintbrushes. "I for one, plan to spend the day capturing the image."

"You're not going to be in the fight?" Maxima asked.

"Of course not," Mai answered. In her other hand, she held up one of her knives, which would be woefully inadequate for occasion. "Like I would be able to hit anything from one of those airships. Besides, there's no new orders from Azula. Ty Lee and I are good to do whatever we want."

Lobo finished his meal and headed for the door. "Well, you better enjoy the day while you can. With a planet like this one, most comets coming that close would either get ejected or impact the planet. If it's the latter… well then you're lucky you would never know."

He went through the manor, taking the shortest path to go outside, which included some of the holes in several walls. Lobo exited into the manor's backyard, which was walled off from the neighboring estates, containing a garden and pond and several large trees. It was also where Lobo had been keeping his space motorcycle, and where he did occasional maintenance on his ride. The humans had wanted to dismantle and reverse engineer it, but a few broken spines and other assorted injuries was enough to dissuade most of them from trying.

But there was one human currently pushing the boundary Lobo had set. "I told all of you to keep your hands off of my ride."

Ty Lee promptly raised both of her hands. "Just looking, not touching. You didn't say anything about looking at it."

Lobo laughed a little and shook his head, then walked over to the space motorcycle. "Let me guess, you want to know what makes this hog fly?"

"Actually…" Ty Lee said. She was a little hesitant, since Lobo could break her in half if he wanted to. "I was wondering how you keep it so shiny. This vehicle is incredibly pretty."

"It certainly is," Lobo said. He patted the seat of the motorcycle, surprised that a human could appreciate the beauty of his ride. "The finish comes straight from Thanagar. Damn near indestructible. The body can be beat to scrap, but it will never be scratched."

"It looks great," Ty Lee said. She gave Lobo the widest and most innocent smile she could manage. "Can I ride it?"

"Afraid not," Lobo said. He sat down on the motorcycle and turned on the engine, which roared with the promise of speed. "This can go from zero to a million in six seconds flat. You'd be splattered in an instant."

The roar of the engine prompted Maxima to emerge from the manor, shoving down the last of her sandwich along the way. "Wait up!"

She leapt onto the motorcycle, right behind Lobo, and he revved the engine some more. "Alright. Let's go see if this burning comet is worth our while."

Elsewhere in the Fire Nation capital, Admiral Zhao was spending his last day before the Comet at home.

His orders were to accompany the airship fleet during its mission, certain that his power would be necessary to hold off superpowered assailants. The power of his red ring would allow him to reach the fleet long before it departed, and he had plenty of time to spend on whatever he felt like. This was the first opportunity he had to rest, having been busy ever since he received his ring. It was strange to be back in his home, after being away for well over two years now, having always put his military career first.

The place was exactly as Zhao had left it, since no one else lived here throughout all this time. The memories from years ago came rushing back, times when he had believed his glory could only increase. Of course that was before his greatest failure at the North Pole, and the subsequent imprisonment that was the lowest point of his life. He had believed it to be the end, until fate granted him a second chance at glory. Now he was back and better than ever, yet still finding obstacles in the form of teenagers with supernatural powers.

Zhao glanced at each of his arms in turn, one that had been broken and other replaced outright. "I swear, you are going to regret everything you did to me…"

Just thinking about them got Zhao's blood boiling, and his flesh glowed red with the power from his ring. He wanted nothing more than to kill them all, a just punishment for the humiliation he had suffered. He only needed to find them first, and he had a good idea where they would be on the next day. They would certainly attempt to stop the Fire Lord's plan for Sozin's Comet, and he would be there to thwart their efforts. Getting to have his revenge was a bonus, and he could no longer wait for that day to arrive.

Zhao walked outside his house and looked up at the sky, and the red glow around him intensified. He took off and shot upward at high speed, soaring into the heavens on the power of rage. High above the capital he changed course and flew eastward, heading for the little island where the airship fleet was waiting. It would only take an hour or two for him to get there at a leisurely pace, and he spent the time looking down on Fire Nation lands going by beneath him. It was still a wonder to see his nation from up high, something he might never get bored with doing.

He didn't let that distract him from the task at hand. "It all ends tomorrow…"

It began in the middle of the night.

At the end of a hundred year journey around the sun, Sozin's Comet rendezvoused with the Earth once again. An astronomical quirk brought the two celestial bodies together, so close that they would almost touch. On approach the comet could be seen as a bright blue streak across the sky, growing ever larger as they got ever closer. The comet came from the east toward the divide between day and night, almost mocking the sun by taking its place in the heavens. Any closer and the comet would impact, any farther and the comet would entirely miss.

The comet struck the atmosphere and punched through it, compressing air so densely it burst into flames. Fire burned the comet's surface and trailed behind it, transforming the comet's tail from blueish white to a deep burning red. From below the comet appeared to leave a burning swath across the sky, covering up the spot where the sun should be. Immense heat radiated from the burning comet, heating up the planet to a considerable degree, enough to have the same effect as another sun warming the globe for a single day.

Across the world everyone looked up and saw the comet, a harbinger of terrible things to come. This was a day that came once in a lifetime, a day that would change the course of history. Everyone knew the stories of the last time this day had come, when the Air Nomads had been erased from the world. This time they wondered who would be eliminated next, both the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribe fearing that their end was at hand. The Fire Nation celebrated the comet's return, an event that promised good times to come.

And this was only the beginning.

High above the airship fleet Admiral Zhao saw the comet arrive, facing the eastern horizon and watching the sky change from dark blue to deep red. This was a moment that he wanted to commit to memory, for it would never come again in his lifetime. Zhao remembered dreaming about this when he was a little boy, dreams based on stories his grandfather told about the assault on the air temples long ago. Seeing the comet for himself was far greater than those dreams, an inspiration greater than any he could imagine.

With the comet's arrival came a surge in the power of firebending, and Zhao felt that surge coursing through him. Combined with the power from his ring, Zhao felt like it was making him unstoppable. Sheer power seeped out of his flesh, the red glow taking the form of flames and making it look like Zhao was on fire. Zhao punched upward to firebend, and massive red flames augmented by red light shot into the sky. It was like a gigantic beacon that could be seen from beyond the horizon, nearly reaching the edge of space.

Afterward Zhao held his ring in front of his face and stared into the glow. "So it begins…"

The view was even better from space.

Lobo and Maxima had taken the space motorcycle above the Earth's atmosphere, where Maxima needed a rebreather in order to tolerate vacuum. That inconvenience was totally worth it, getting to see a comet ignite in atmosphere and burn its way across a world. Lobo was flying the motorcycle due east at high speed, wanting to get an even better look at the burning comet. Even up here the heat from the comet was immense, radiating upward from a world nearly set ablaze. Maxima wanted to get even closer to it, and Lobo was all too eager to do it.

Over the eastern hemisphere Lobo changed course and dived toward the comet, heading straight for the blaze around the comet's core. Maxima screamed in enjoyment on the way down, and kept on screaming when Lobo flew the space motorcycle into the flames. Both of them bathed in the immense heat around the burning comet, enough to make them sweat and even uncomfortable after a brief exposure. They emerged from the flames underneath the comet, and they looked up to see the comet's tail passing by overhead.

Maxima wiped sweat and soot off her face. "Let's go again! Let's go again!"

Lobo wasn't so eager, hearing a strange noise coming from his motorcycle's engine. "I don't think so."

"Spoil sport," Maxima said, crossing her arms and looking away.

"Hey don't be that way," Lobo said. "I just like to take care of my ride."

"Fair enough," Maxima admitted.

Lobo quickly flew the space motorcycle back over to the western hemisphere, quickly finding the small island where the airship fleet was still waiting. He landed the motorcycle on one of the airships and shut off the engine, and both Lobo and Maxima got off and set foot on the metal hull. Lobo had just started inspecting his motorcycle when the airship started to lift off the ground, taking them back into the sky they had just come down from. Maxima laid back on the hull to enjoy the ride, waiting for the battle promised them for this day.

"Can't wait," Maxima said. "This is going to be fun."

When Sozin's Comet arrived, Baixi Wang got into character.

He had a special outfit for the occasion, tailored to deal with an abundance of fire unlike any he had dealt with before. Extra thick fabric to insulate his flesh from heat, sown in layers designed to burn off one at a time instead of all at once. The body, arms, and legs of his outfit had the same bat-aesthetics as usual, just thicker to accommodate the different material. A special filter covered the mouth and eye holes of his cowl, to prevent hot ash and smoke from burning his lungs and eyes. The cape was thicker, wider, and longer than normal, just for a little extra protection from intense flames.

He was putting on the gloves when Peni Kachi entered the cave, and Baixi turned towards him. "Do you have something for me?"

"Just wanted to see you off," Peni Kachi answered. "It is going to be dangerous out there."

"That's not new," Baixi said. He finished with the gloves and put his cowl on. "We've prepared for this. We're ready for anything the Fire Nation will use today."

"Still, can't help but worry anyway," Peni Kachi said. "One of these days you're not going to come back. Given what you're up against, this could very well be that day."

Baixi checked everything he had on him, and switched to the deeper voice he used as Batman. "I only need to stall until the White Lotus arrives. I'm sure that won't be too difficult."

"Yes, just like the cobra-croc incident," Peni Kachi said. "You can't foresee everything that might happen. And this is exactly the time when the unexpected will appear."

Batman turned towards one of many exits, ready to leave the cave and take part in the coming battle. "Believe me, I'm counting on it."

Long Feng was outside when the comet arrived, wanting to see it firsthand regardless of the risks. Standing on a small rooftop not far from the palace, he had a clear view of the eastern sky out to the innermost wall. The comet's arrival was like a bizarre sunrise, one that he would never get to witness again. It was worth the chance of being seen by someone that didn't know he was alive, what with everyone in the city knowing that he was supposed to be dead. It wouldn't matter after today anyway, if everything went according to plan.

After taking in the view, Long Feng glanced at someone standing behind him. "Lachlan, I trust that everyone is in position."

"The Dai Li await your command," Lachlan reported. "Even if the princess is anticipating our strategy, it will be difficult for her to counter it."

"Not just her," Long Feng said. He looked out at the innermost wall of the city, imagining the enemy forces marching on Ba Sing Se's doorstep. "The Dragon of the West won't know what hit him."

"Yes," Lachlan said. "This will certainly be a glorious day, one way or another."

"That it certainly will be," Long Feng promised. "All of our enemies will fall, right when they think they are victorious. The Fire Nation, the Dragon of the West, Batman, even the boy, they will all fall today."

"We only wait for your signal," Lachlan said. "Everyone is in position, except for you and me."

"Then we better get into position," Long Feng said. He took one more look at the comet, for this might be the last time he could. "Everything changes today."

Hovering high above the center of the city, Azula enjoyed the view of Sozin's Comet.

From there the view was simply breathtaking, nothing but clouds to obscure the comet's glory, clouds that were pushed aside as the comet plowed through them. It was like a mosaic of red and orange hues brought to life, the oils of a painting flowing freely across the heavens. The tapestries that told of this event were woefully inadequate, and seeing it in person was better than anything Azula could have imagined. Even the spirit within the helmet enjoyed the view, for the once in a century event was rare enough for spirits to take notice.

And yet Azula didn't feel the comet's power within her, as if her body simply ignored the warmth bestowed upon the world. The mystical power at her command cared not for the heat, and so it remained unchanged in a world about to be set ablaze. Yet it did not bother her in the slightest, for she would have gladly given up her firebending entirely to keep the mystical power instead. Let the peons below bask in the power of the comet, use it to fuel their own firebending on this day, burn everything that needed to be cleansed in the fires of judgement.

When she was finished taking in the sight Azula descended back into the city, slowly coming down on top of the palace, looking at the city that stretched out before her. The battle for this city would begin any moment now, for the enemy would need every second of the comet's presence to carry out their goals. Azula was certain the Dragon of the West had brought his own firebenders to fight his battle, and they would be just as powerful as the Fire Nation's benders, while also accompanied by the various other elements that would be at Iroh's command.

None of it mattered to her in the slightest, not when far more powerful and important foes would be running amok on this day. The Avatar would surely intervene somewhere in the world, wherever the Fire Lord happened to be when the Avatar would chose to strike. And then there was Taiyo, the alien that seemed to grow more powerful every day, capable of circumventing the only known method of thwarting his power. Azula could barely wait for them to clash again, to see how her newfound might would fare against his.

Setting foot on the roof of the palace, Azula crossed her arms and looked to the west. "When you come to face me, Taiyo, I will be ready."

The newly crowned Phoenix King stood in the flagship of the fleet, a larger airship embroiled with special markings to resemble a mythical beast of legend. The arrival of Sozin's Comet was the signal for the fleet to depart, and every ship began its ascent toward the sky and toward destiny. Ozai took in the view of the comet hugging the eastern horizon, while basking in its heat and feeling it amplify his firebending far beyond normal limits. The day had come to reshape the world, just as his grandfather had done a century ago.

Though there was no one to hear him, Ozai made the declaration anyway. "It's time for this world to end in fire, and for a new world to be born from the ashes."

"And then what?"

That voice came from behind Ozai, and he turned around to face it. A tall man with brown hair was standing there, wearing simple black clothes instead of a Fire Nation uniform. Something was off about this man's face, like an imitation mostly right but not quite there. Ozai was tempted to just incinerate this man on the spot, and use the comet's power to do it. But the sheer gall necessary for someone to appear before him here had Ozai intrigued, enough to spare this man long enough to learn why he was here.

"You have my attention," Ozai said. "Do not squander it."

The stranger smirked. "I had a rather… enlightening meeting with your son. He still thinks you are the most powerful man on the planet, even when he walks beside those of greater power. I wonder, is it simply respect for a father figure, or is it something more that Zuko fears."

The mere mention of his weak and treacherous son's name had Ozai enraged, and he would not hear any more of it. A swing of his hand spawned a plume of flame that swallowed the stranger whole, and the intense light from the fire nearly blinded Ozai. But when the flames were extinguished the stranger was still there, albeit completely unrecognizable from before. Instead of skin and clothes there was black liquid metal, the surface of it flowing over the basic shape of a human body. That metal reformed the stranger's surface features, and in a moment it looked like he had never been burned at all.

Except for the scorch mark where he was standing, but Vril Dox did not care about that. "Now that was unnecessary. I was hoping we could talk before resorting to violence."

Ozai was having none of that, firebending at the strange man again with greater intensity. New flames swallowed him whole and melted the false skin and clothes, though the melted metal was still only a temporary effect. The flames passed and the liquid metal reformed again, with Vril Dox only looking slightly annoyed. Ozai then charged a massive bolt of lightning and fired it at near point blank range, striking directly in the chest with an explosion of electricity. A bright flash of light blinded Ozai, and when his sight returned he saw a black liquid puddle instead of a man.

But the liquid metal quickly coalesced, then flowed upward and reformed the appearance of Vril Dox. "You know, I wanted to be civilized about this. But I see you're just as impulsive as I expected."

Now fully enraged Ozai switched back to throwing fire, intensifying the flames as much as he could with the power of the comet. A liquid metal fist reached out of the flames and grabbed Ozai's throat, cold to the touch despite coming out of the fire. The rest of Vril Dox emerged from the flames, resuming human appearance as the flames ceased. His other hand went in front of Ozai's face, two fingers morphing into a single long needle, and carefully punctured Ozai's forehead. A small piece of the needle detached and flowed through the pinhole sized hole, disappearing behind a tiny trickle of blood.

"There we go," Vril Dox said, no longer encountering resistance. "Now we're ready for the big day."