Rise from the Ashes: Chapter 2- Sozin's Comet Part 1

It was dark, cold, and damp. A firebender was almost never cold. They could harness their inner fire to preserve their comfort in all but the harshest of elements.

Iroh, the greatest general of his time, the Dragon of the West, and former crown prince of the fire nation had never truly felt the cold, even when he had been at either poles of the world.

It did not matter, because right now he was freezing, and it was physiological not physical.

Zuko, my nephew. I am sorry. I am sorry that I was not strong enough to keep you from Ozai. I was not strong enough to keep you from losing your way.

He would not, could not give up on Zuko. As long as he lived, he would not give up on his nephew.

Even after Zuko had walked back on all the progress he had made, while living as a refuge in Ba Sing Se, by siding with his sister and attacking the Avatar.

There was only one thing that could preserve Iroh down here, locked away in prison cell in the bowels of the Imperial Palace. That one thing was hope. Hope in his nephew and the Avatar to bring true balance back to the world. Whether it would be the young airbender monk, or a member of the water tribes if Avatar Aang had truly perished at his niece's hand, Iroh swore that it would be his duty to guide the Avatar to right the wrongs that the Fire Nation had caused.

Fire Lord Ozai thought his brother foolish and weak, and that was the only reason that Iroh was still alive.

It had been a simple thing to ignore the single-minded twisted monster that his brother had become, yet Ozai had mocked him nonetheless.

"Tsk tsk, how the mighty have fallen." Ozai had taunted during the first night Iroh had been imprisoned in the Imperial Palace. "The Dragon of the West, the slayer of the last dragons, the great general, crown prince, and now nothing more than a broken man, a shell, with nothing but rats for company."

Ozai motioned to the corner of the cell towards a large rat that was huddled in the corner. A lazy flick of the Fire Lord's hand and the rat ignited and was charred into scorched flesh in an instant.

"You may be lacking even the rats for company soon, I have seen proud men become broken and resort to ripping rats apart with their bare hands. You will be no different. I will not provide comfort to traitors. You forsook your royal status when you attacked General Zhau, and when you conspired against my nation. You have ceased to be my brother."

And you my brother have ceased to be human. You have ceased to care for your common man, if you ever did.

Iroh kept his silence and his eyes closed, locked in a meditative stance with his back to Ozai.

"Nothing to say Iroh? Very well, stew in your failure, marinate in your shame. Your little scheme has failed. Did you truly think you could turn my own flesh and blood against me? Zuko is mine! Did you think you could replace your own failure of a son? "

Lu Ten. Iroh kept himself calm and at peace, he would not rise to Ozai's cruelties. The past could not be changed, but he could still hold hope for a better future. The world may appear to have been burned to smoldering cinders, but he could still rise from the ashes to begin anew.

The fire lord continued "Zuko is weak. He may have killed the Avatar, but he is insufficient to succeed me, he is insufficient to lead my nation to greatness when I am gone. I know you well Iroh, I know you cared for him, and that you sought to pull him into your treason. His rejection of you was your final failure. Prince Zuko is a walking, breathing reminder of your weakness."

I know you nephew, I know your conflicted heart, the kindness within you. I know that when the time is right, you will make the right decision. It is something I have to believe.

"The Prince will no doubt wish to see you. When he does, I suggest you break your silence and thank him, for Zuko is the only reason you are still alive. I could have you killed tonight if I wished, as befits a traitor. But that would be too quick, and I am sure you would welcome a quick end. No Iroh, I will not sentence you to death, I sentence you to live. To live and know that this world is mine, that Zuko is mine. Despite your mastery in bending, you are weak. Like a plant that has withered without having constant sunlight. You are no threat to me."

How wrong you are Ozai, Zuko is not lost, the Avatar is not lost, and it is my duty to aid them both when the time comes.

"I will allow this reunion so that my son can see you for the failure that you are, then you will be condemned to the Boiling Rock, from where there is no escape and no hope." With that, Fire Lord Ozai swept out of the room and left Iroh to the darkness.

Just as the Fire Lord predicted, Prince Zuko came to visit his uncle. No matter Zuko's inquiry, Iroh kept silent. He had tried to teach his nephew through words of wisdom throughout their journeys together. Now the lesson that Zuko needed to learn was best taught through silence.

The Eve of the Comet

Complete and total victory was at hand. It would be magnificent, glorious, it would be perfect.

Princess Azula gazed down from her seat at her father's left side. Her brother was seated on the right, and the royal family stared down over the flames at the military generals gathered in the throne room.

She loved sitting up here, looking down on the petty men with their petty ideas. Occasionally she would challenge them, and win of course, and gain her father's approval. For all their status and accolades they were merely pawns, insects, and one day they would bow to her and her alone.

She sat upright in perfect posture. Her hair and clothes painstakingly arranged to perfection. It was expected, it was demanded. Only perfection was acceptable. That is why generals with decades of experience bowed and could be intimidated and outmaneuvered by a fourteen year old girl. She was royalty, she was extraordinary.

The comet that had begun the Fire Nation's supremacy would soon return, and she could hardly wait to experience the power that it would give her. Now was as good a time as any to prove her worth once again to her father. Her place as heir to the throne would be absolutely secured.

Zuko's heart was beating rapidly while he fought to keep his face expressionless and emotionless. Perhaps observing Mai had given him some recent practice. It was not the first time he had heard his father's plans, and having the moment finally arrive made it all the more stressful.

The council reviewed logistics and formations, and then came time for the grandiose performance when Fire Lord Ozai rose from his throne. All the generals bowed to the ground in response.

The Fire Lord addressed the room with sinister, supreme confidence. "Victory is at hand. The power of the comet will give us the strength of a thousand suns! The Earth Kingdom has fallen, and our armies shall use its power to crush the token resistance throughout the continent. But our true target is stationary, and the key to our victory for many generations to come. The Northern Water Tribe has stood against us in defiance for far too long. That will end tomorrow. The Avatar, the last airbender is dead, killed by Prince Zuko. With it, the last remnants of the air nation have been annihilated and the Avatar cycle has been forever severed. When the cycle returns to Air, it will be permanently broken. As of now the new Avatar is an infant born to the savages at one of the poles. Our raiding parties will destroy the pitiful tribes in the South and gather the possible Avatar candidates to me. The North shall also be destroyed! The North shall fall. No siege will be necessary, no navy, and no conventional assault. I will personally lead this victory. I shall command a fleet of airships and obliterate the savages' wall, their cities, their villages, and their hope. All of the savages will bow to us in fealty. All waterbenders will be destroyed, and the new Avatar will be found and raised under my control."

The generals all applauded like the lapdogs that they were. Maybe they all wholeheartedly approved, or maybe some, like the Prince, were horrified and unable to defy the Fire Lord.

The meeting was adjourned, and the stage was set for another cultural atrocity.

Fire Lord Ozai whispered something to Azula that immensely pleased her, before turning his gaze on his son.

"Prince Zuko, maintain order in my absence. I expect nothing less."

Zuko bowed. "Of course father, I understand."

"I anticipate that you regret not being able to be present at our moment of victory, but your sister and I will have it well in hand. In a fortnight we shall return as conquerors."

With that last statement, his father withdrew. Every fiber of Zuko's being screamed at him to call out to his father, to stop him, to confront him, and every fiber of his being knew that if he did so his father would kill him on the spot.

"Zuzu, you look shaken. Whatever could be the matter?" Came a mocking voice as he tried to leave the room. There were only two left in the throne room, himself and his sister.

My father is about to murder and enslave thousands, but what is that to you Azula? I have made a horrible mistake, I am sorry Uncle, I am so sorry.

"Mind your own buisness Azula. It's one thing you never learned how to do."

His sister gave him a mocking grin. It saddened him how gleeful she was about what was about to happen. Thousands were going to die. This was his little sister, it was not supposed to be this way.

My own mother thought I was a monster…She was right of course but it still hurt.

"You are pathetic Zuzu. Our moment of triumph is here and what good will you be? You did not even protest when father wanted you to stay here. A crown prince should be at his father's side, he would have fought to defend what is rightfully his. He would have fought to protect his honor." Azula ran her fingers through her hair. Her casual appearance enraged and saddened him, and her words cut him deeper than they should have.

"Do not talk to me about honor, sister, you do not know the meaning of the word."

"Oh! Apologies my Prince! Forgive me." She said with dripping sarcasm. "Well make the most of your time while I am off changing the world. I would recommend visiting Mai often, somehow your misery makes her happy. Maybe the comet will enhance your…inner fire." She gave him a suggestive wink to vex him and turned away.

As she was retreating, just as with his father, he felt the urge to stop her, to say something to his sister. But the words never came and she was gone.

The rest of the day passed in a blur, like a dream, but it was all too real. Before sundown Fire Lord Ozai, Princess Azula, and the most powerful firebenders in the nation departed by airship for the North Pole to be in position when the comet arrived. The hours melted away and he found himself anxious and terrified, but determined. He was ready to do everything he could to right his wrongs.

The water tribe girl's words kept playing in his mind.

This is water from the Spirit Oasis at the North Pole. It has special properties, so I have been saving it for something important. I don't know if it would work, but...

It worked, it had to have worked. The Avatar was alive, and all else be damned he had to find him, and then…find some way to convince the airbender that the banished prince who had chased him across the world and played a role in his near death wanted to help him.

Before he left he needed to do one more thing, and it was something he would be no good at.

Mai

She had stood by him ever since he returned home, Agni only knew why, and he would have to abandon her.

He was bent over his bedside table trying to write letters to send to her, each worse than the last. He was about to incinerate the fifth iteration of the farewell note when he was scared out of his wits.

"So, you are finally going to do it." A monotone voice said directly behind him.

Zuko leapt to his feet ungracefully "Mai! How did you get in here! The door is locked."

His girlfriend cocked an eyebrow at him. "Really Zuko? That's child's play! Now be straight with me."

She closed the distance between them and slowly and deliberately took the letter out of his hand and read it.

"Were you really going to send me this rubbish?" She said accusingly as she ripped it to pieces.

"Mai…I am sorry but…I cannot stay. I cannot put you in danger, you should get out of the capital as soon as possible, you cannot be associated with me, you cannot…"

"Oh shut up you idiot." Mai said with absolutely no emotion on her face.

"But…"

"I have been seeing this build up for some time Zuko. I am closer to you than anyone else. I would have to be blind to not see the truth. Now I owe you a chance to explain, so use it well." Zuko felt sweat running down the back of his neck. This was truly a make or break moment.

"Why are you committing treason Zuko?" Her monotone voice made the request sound absolutely terrifying.

But he had the answer, and she had to see the truth.

"Mai, we are taught from the time we are first able to walk that the Fire Lord's will is just. That he alone is the supreme authority. That all other ways of life are inferior and should be obligated to submit to his vision. That our nation has an obligation to enforce our will on all others. I believed it for years, I believed in the justification given for every atrocity committed over the last century. I was ignorant and selfish. I wanted only to be at my father's side. To be the perfect prince. Well I have everything I wanted, and that victory has turned to ash in my mouth, just like everything else will become if my father succeeds."

He took a deep breath. He looked over at her, and at first she looked as emotionless and unreadable as always…except…there was some intangible feeling that led him to believe she was listening.

"Mai believe me when I say this…my father's mad, He's a monster. He is going to destroy the water tribes and kill thousands. He is going to enslave and tear families apart. He thinks that the Avatar is in the water tribes and he will cause suffering to hundreds of infants to find what he believes to be the Avatar. Innocent children, just like your brother Tom-Tom. He burned his own son, he could care less about what he imposes on peasants. Azula will be right at his side while he does it. He's mad and I…I cannot stand it…I won't stand aside anymore. The Avatar is alive, I know that he is, and I am going to help him defeat my father. I am no traitor Mai, my father is a traitor to the world, to balance, and to everything that our nation used to be. I am not working against my nation, I am trying to save it from itself."

Again, it seemed to Zuko that there was some kind of spark within Mai that led him to believe that he was getting through to her.

"If you think me a traitor, than your honor demands that you detain me right now. I am not going to stop you. I will not fight you."

His words were met with silence. Long uncomfortable silence. In reality it could not have been more than a minute, it felt like hours.

She has not attacked me immediately. She might just let me go.

He composed himself and took another deep breath. Mai cut him off before he could continue speaking.

"You would lose that fight." Her monotone voice had changed. There was emotion behind those words.

You would. Not you will.

Zuko gave a sad smile. "Yeah, I probably would."

There was another small period of silence.

Zuko took another deep breath and continued as he would have prior to Mai's interruption.

"I am leaving. Tonight. Right now…I'm sorry Mai, I wish…"

Zuko's farewell was cut off with a brusque kiss that made his mind go blank in shock.

"Azula would have my head." Mai said after she broke off the kiss, as she gave the smallest hint of a smile. "Let her try and take it. What she has never understood is that I love you more than I fear her."

Meanwhile

"Come on Appa. Faster please! Faster!" Aang said in desperation to his flying bison.

The response he got came in the form of a soft, tired roar. He knew Appa was giving it everything he had and was exhausted. It still may not be enough. They had to make it to the Southern Water Tribe by tomorrow. The day of the comet. He would not be able to save the North, he could not be too late to save the South.

"Please." Aang muttered quietly to himself. "Please faster."

"Aang"

The young monk, with the weight of the world on his shoulders, heard Katara behind him. Both Sokka and Toph were asleep in Appa's saddle as they soared in the sky. They had been flying practically non-stop for two days and they were all exhausted, much in the way they had been when they were being chased by Princess Azula. At least this time they were able to get some sleep.

"I can take the reins. You should try to get some rest."

"I can do it Katara, go back to sleep."

"Hey, you are not alone. What can you hope to accomplish if you are asleep on your feet tomorrow."

Anger, guilt, and shame twisted together in his gut.

"Probably the same I can do otherwise! Nothing at all!" He said in a barbed, self-loathing voice. Everything just began to spill out of him unprovoked. "I am going to protect the Southern Water Tribe or die trying tomorrow. If I die, I die, give someone else a chance to save the world, because I am clearly incapable of it! Look down there, Katara, there is Kyoshi Island. Should we stop there so I can waste some more time riding the Unagi? Or bathe in the attention of insipid eight year old girls? Maybe we can get around to riding the Hog Monkeys or another of the stupid ideas that I had! So that I can live out a childish fantasy of just being a normal kid!"

He was losing control, he could feel it, but he could not stop it. He was too angry, he was too angry at himself. He was beginning to go into the Avatar State.

Appa began to roar in response to his master's distress. Sokka and Toph woke with a start and Sokka cursed in surprise.

It was only for a moment, before he felt Katara embrace him. Then the moment was gone, his airbending tattoos ceased to glow and the all-powerful Avatar that had shown itself for a brief moment was reduced to a sobbing thirteen year old boy.

"I'm sorry Katara, I did not mean…"

"Aang." Katara's motherly voice stopped Aang before he could apologize further. "The world seems bleak now, I know. But the night is darkest right before the dawn. Before we met you, everyone I knew in our village lost hope that the Avatar would return, but I never did. Deep down I always knew the Avatar would return to save the world. I never lost hope then and I have not lost hope now. I believe in you Aang, please believe in yourself."

I went into the Avatar State, I should not have been able to. My chakra was blocked! I had to let go of my attachments.

He looked into the blue eyes of the girl he cared so much about.

During Sozin's Comet I have to trust that my friends will be okay. I have to let go.

"Katara. Tomorrow, when the fire nation attacks, you will be able to hold your own. You will be safe. Promise me that. You need to promise me that. Please?"

"Of course Aang. I promise."

"Then we may have a chance."

The Comet

The wind swept through her hair as she perched herself at the tip of the long walkway that extended at the front of her airship. It was exhilarating, and the anticipation was eating away at her very soul.

Azula stretched as she placed herself in position as the comet finally came within sight. She breathed in and out, and felt that her inner fire was beginning to flare up beyond its usual capacity. It was increasing more and more with each passing second. She looked down below at the great ice walls that protected the city of the Northern Water Tribe.

I took down the walls of Ba Sing Se, this will be child's play.

The comet was coming closer and her inner fire grew and grew. She was hundreds of feet in the air at the tip of the world with bitter, ice cold winds furiously billowing around her. As if nature itself was attempting to stop her. But she did not feel cold at all, in fact she felt warm, she felt hot, she felt like she was on fire!

And she loved it!

Twenty airships hovered in formation above their target. At the center and peak of the formation was her father's flagship, her airship was right beside his. She saw her father outstretch his arms, giving the signal.

At last! It had only been a few moments, but she could hardly take it anymore. The power she now held at her fingertips needed to be unleashed.

She outstretched her hand and, simultaneously with Fire Lord Ozai and eighteen of the most powerful firebenders in the military, unleashed a torrent of flame the scale of which the world had never seen.

It was intoxicating and incredible! Her blasts of blue flame were absolutely beautiful.

The great ice walls of the Northern Water Tribe, which had stood firm for one hundred years, melted like an ice cube being dropped into molten lava.

Her flame extended three times as wide as any of the military firebenders and it even eclipsed the size and heat of her father's.

As she watched the once proud walls of the Northern Water Tribe melt away, Princess Azula let out a power-crazed, psychotic laugh of pure glee.

A/N

This one was fun to write. I recently discovered the show on Netflix and absolutely fell in love with the show and the characters.

Any review or comment is appreciated.