CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

The Beginning of The End

The news that Fire Lord Ozai and his bloodline had finally been destroyed was greatly received by

the other nations of the world. However their joy quickly turned to despair when they realized that

despite their leader's death, The Fire Nation was not relenting in it's century long conquest. "The

return of Sozin's Comet is almost upon us! When it finally comes The Fire Nation will be

unstoppable! We are doomed!" The peoples of the other nations were telling themselves. Others

were hopeful that everything would be all right. "The Fire Lord has been defeated; and his bloodline

has all but ended! The Fire Nation has no official leader. All we have to do now is unite against The

Fire Nation while they are still reeling from what has happened to them.

While this debate was raging all over the world, it was also taking place among Aang and his

friends. They had just reunited with Iroh, Hackoda, Shyu, and the others. Hackoda and his group of

warriors were pleased that Fire Lord Ozai was dead and his heiress and her husband were killed.

However they had bad news to report. "The Fire Nation is not giving up, in fact their bloodlust over

their leader's death has fueled their desire to conquer the rest of the free peoples of this world.

Sozin's Comet will be here at anytime, if we don't find a way they will succeed even with out their

beloved Fire Lord." At the end of Hackoda's draining message Aang and the others groaned

loudly. "We go out to meet them, we defeat them in battle after battle; but they just won't stop!"

Aang shouted in frustration. Aang sank to his knees and began to weep in frustration and despair.

Kattara walked over to Aang took him gently in her arms and whispered "Don't worry Aang no

matter what happens we will survive. You've gotten us out of plenty of near hopeless situations; and

you can get us out of this. Don't lose hope" "I'm tired of hoping, we beat them back and beat them

back; but they just won't quit! I'm tired of fighting! I know I'm the Avatar, but I'm tired of having

so much responsibility. I just wish I could go back in time and end this before it even started."

Kattara kissed Aang lightly on the lips. Though Aang appreciated this gesture he knew it wasn't out

of a romantic passionate love; but more of a motherly love. Aang sighed sadly.

Nearby Iroh was talking too Zuko. "I heard the news that you killed the Fire Lord and Princess

Azula" said Iroh sadly. Zuko didn't answer, half of him wished that his father and sister were still

alive. There was still a small naive part of Zuko that really believed given enough time they would

have accepted him back. "And Zhao, he is finally dead too. When I found out that he survived the

incident at The Siege of The North; I believed that Zhao may have had a supernatural presence

about him, there is nothing supernatural about him anymore." Zuko grunted incoherently at his

uncle's words. "Still" continued Iroh "at least we're not the only members left our severed family.

The newest member is so adorable." Iroh stopped just a moment to tickle Prince Ozai who giggled

happily. Zuko glared at his uncle, then at his nephew; and then gave a loud snort of disgust. "If I had

my way, he wouldn't be here." Zuko turned and walked away while Iroh gazed at him with a look

of pity and indignation. "How can my own nephew say such things" said Iroh soothingly too the

baby. "I'm sure he doesn't mean what he said, in time he will realize how much he loves and needs

you, just as you shall love and need him. Ahhh, I think it is past both our bedtimes. Come along little

Prince you and I both need our sleep."

Suddenly Aang got an idea. "I know how I'm going to defeat The Fire Nation." "What? How?"

everyone asked at once. "I'm not going to tell you " Aang answered resolutely. "This is something I

have to do on my own. If I tell you, you'll want to come with me; and I can't allow that. Aang

floated over to Appa and with a loud "Yip! Yip!" went soaring off to the sky. "Appa, I need you to

fly as fast as you can! Do you understand me?" Appa grunted in affirmation. "Good, the comet will

be here in a few days; and we will need to get to The Fire Nation before the comet arrives." Aang

then got into a cross-legged position on Appa and began to mediate. He would need all his

concentration and power to pull off this plan.

A few days later Aang and Appa finally made it to The Fire Nation. As soon as Aang saw the

mainland he said "Okay Appa I'm going down there; but your not coming with me. I need you to

stay in the sky out of harms way." With that Aang leapt off Appa's back and used his glider to fly

down to The Fire Nation's boat docks. The Fire Navy soldiers saw him coming out of the sky and

shouted in confusion to one another "Look up there! It's The Avatar! What is he doing?" After a

few moments an Officer approached his men and yelled "Stop gawking idiots and take him down!"

The men shot blasts at Aang who dodged them effortlessly. He landed on the docks and shouted "I

am here for your immediate and unequivocal surrender!" The officer and his men laughed. "You are

going to force us to surrender, how are you going to do that Avatar?" "If you don't stop this war I

will be forced to destroy you and The Fire Nation!" The soldiers laughed again. "You are too late

Avatar! Look the comet has finally come!" Aang turned around in shock "Oh no it can't be" he

whispered to himself.

During Aang's distraction the officer and his men fired. The blasts nearly struck Aang who dodged

them just in time. Aang was suddenly reminded of why he was here, why he had to do what he had

to do. Thoughts raced across his mind, thoughts of finding Gyatso's corpse and realizing he was the

last Airbender. Thoughts of Kattara and how much he loved her. Thoughts of The Fire Nation's

ruthless destruction of peoples lives. Aang was suddenly plunged into The Avatar State. "I

WARNED YOU!" he boomed his voice magnified many times over. He rose up into the air gusts

of wind circling around violently. The Fire Navy soldiers were blown back. The power that was

emanating from Aang was so extraordinary that it sent out a shock-wave which caused a tsunami of

unimaginable proportions to rise up out of the previously calm ocean. Aang stopped the tidal wave

before it broke, but paused it so that it seemed suspended in time. "LAST CHANCE!" "BRING

HIM DOWN MEN! BRING HIM DOWN" the officer shouted to his troops. The soldiers fired.

Their blasts of fire were amazingly enhanced by the return of the comet; but they were still no match

for the power of The Avatar. Aang released control of the monster wave and unleashed all of

nature's fury. The tidal wave roared through the Capital of The Fire Nation destroying all in it's

wake.

As Aang surveyed the destruction, he came out of The Avatar State. He fell into the cold water of

the ocean. The experience left him drained, he had no energy left in him. He sank into the water like

a stone. Fortunately Appa dove into the water and rescued his master. After the successful rescue

Appa and Aang flew back to rejoin their friends.

Across the other side of the world Kattara and the rest of Aang's friends watched in awe and

horror as the unimaginable glory of Sozin's Comet streaked across the sky. "Isn't it beautiful

Kattara?" Zuko asked quietly. "It is beautiful" Kattara half-heartedly agreed. "I hope Aang will be

okay." "He'll be fine" Sokka said. But even he didn't believe his own optimism.

It took no time at all for the news to spread that The Avatar had wiped out the Capital of The Fire

Nation. When Zuko heard the news he let out a scream of undescribable rage. "HE DESTROYED

MY COUNTRY!" he bellowed at the sky. Iroh though deeply saddened by the destruction of his

home land tried to calm his nephew "Prince Zuko many of our country men wanted us dead. We

had no country." Zuko turned to glare at his uncle, but said nothing because he knew his uncle was

right as always.

Aang returned a few days later exhausted and deeply depressed. As soon as he landed Zuko

attacked him "I'm the only Fire Bender left!" "Don't forget about me." Iroh interrupted. "That's not

true, there are still Fire Benders in other parts of the world. And besides I was the last Air Bender

one hundred years before you were the last Fire Bender so SHUT UP!" "AAGHHH!" Zuko

raged.

He was suddenly neck deep in quick sand. Toph had liquified the ground under his feet. "STOP

BOTH OF YOU!" she and Kattara screamed at the same time. Zuko and Aang both glared at each

other. Zuko's face was full of rage. Aang's expression was one of deep sadness. As Zuko looked

into Aang's eyes, he knew that though Aang hated The Fire Nation for what it had done to the other

nations; he was still deeply upset that he had to kill so many people. Even if those people were the

enemy.

Zuko bowed his head in shame, he was forcefully reminded of the two occasions when Aang had

saved his life. The first occasion was at the fortress where Zuko disguised as The Blue Spirit had

helped Aang escape from Admiral Zhao's clutches. The second was at the Siege of the North when

Kattara had knocked him unconscious in a bid to rescue Aang from him. Zuko began to get tears in

eyes and tried to apologize to Aang, but all that came out was incoherent mumbling. Aang knew that

Zuko was genuinely sorry and immediately forgave him saying "It's okay I understand what it feels

like to miss your home." After that no other words were said; everyone stayed quiet and in their

own thoughts.