Chapter 5: Zuko
"Capturing the avatar is too important to leave in a teenager's hands."
Zhao could think what he liked. The newly promoted admiral may not have realized it, but he had been outdone by the teenager whom he seemed to think was incapable of completing his own destiny. It was his destiny... wasn't it? He knew his only hope of reclaiming his throne was to capture the avatar. He had done what was necessary. What felt wrong?
The avatar had a destiny, too. He was to defeat the Fire Nation, to restore balance to a war filled world. But was he now turning away from his destiny? Aang had saved his life. He had saved him from being found out as a thief, as a traitor to the Fire Nation. If he was discovered, all hope of ever being welcomed back to the Fire Nation would be lost. Why would the avatar rescue him? Could he have been trying to repay him for freeing him of Zhao's fortress? It seemed to him he owed the avatar at least that, after so many attempts to set the boy apart from his own destiny of mastering the elements. Was it pity? Mercy? Was that not defying his own destiny of defeating the Fire Nation, to rescue one of them?
The thoughts whipped through his mind, no idea making complete sense. Then one overpowered the others, overtaking his mind, and drawing him to a thought that fit more than the previous ones.
Perhaps it was not the avatar's destiny to defeat the Fire Nation. It was his destiny to restore peace, however he saw best to accomplish this task. Perhaps the Fire Nation could live in peace once more with the avatar, and the Water and Earth nations. Perhaps...
His mind paused. Part of him was fighting away the next thought and part of him was welcoming it. He felt confused. If he was wrong about the avatar's destiny, was he wrong about his own?
Perhaps it was not his destiny to capture the avatar. Perhaps it was something entirely different. But what? For his two years of banishment, he had been sure it was his destiny to find the avatar and present him to the Fire Nation. He had been sure that by ridding the world of the airbender that had disturbed the Fire Nation with his very existence for one hundred years, he would complete his mission, and life could go on the way it should have. Now...
Thoughts ran wild through his mind, all frustrating and confusing. He looked towards one of the Fire Nation banners on his wall. Perhaps his destiny was not as easily mapped out as he had thought.