Disclaimer: All rights belong to Nickelodeon, Bryan Konietzko, Michael Dante DiMartino, and all the men and women that created the A:TLA show, books, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made. The lyrics are from the song "Centuries" by Fall Out Boy
Rating: General Audiences. Warning: some scenes contain dark themes and minor violence
Author's Note: Warning for Major Character Death. Also, fair warning that is probably going to be the most controversial chapter of this story. I am more than happy to answer any questions in the comments. Just one more chapter after this and we'll be at the end!
I also want to take the time now to thank everyone who has followed along this story. I first started writing this in October of 2018 and finished the first draft in late 2019. I then spent a few weeks editing it before I began to publish it (and do a final edit) here in December of 2019. So this story, which is nearly 3x longer than any other I have ever written, took me nearly two years to complete. I never expected it to get this large of a following, and I cannot thank you enough for your support. I do not get paid or reimbursed in any way for this writing, so your kind comments really make it worth it, although I write first and foremost for myself.
For all those who commented on chapters: you guys are the best. Us authors would kill for readers like you. For all those who followed silently: thank you for spending your own precious time reading my words. For everyone: thank you for following me on this adventure. I hope it brought you as much joy reading this story as it brought me to write it.
Chapter 15: The Final Pieces
Some legends are told
Some turn to dust or to gold
But you will remember me
Remember me, for centuries
Zuko is surrounded by a handful of servants trying to pull up his shaggy hair into a topknot, slip his arms into various ornamental robes, and test out different shoes on his feet. He's annoyed by the complete lack of privacy and all the attention, but he has to get used to it. This is his life now, whether he likes it or not.
He also knows that, for these servants, it's the highest honor in their lives. So he keeps his mouth shut even when they tug on his hair or move his arm in a way that sends a twinge of pain to the lightning scar on his stomach.
One servant is about to put the flame pin in his hair when there's a knock on his door. Before he can ask who it is, the door opens and a familiar face peeks in.
"Hey."
He feels a smile widen across his face. "Hey," he replies. Without being told, the servants bow and slip out while his visitor enters.
"Need some help with that?" Katara crosses the room and picks up the flame pin, holding it in her hand for a moment and admiring it. Then she reaches up on her tiptoes and attaches it to the ribbon holding his topknot together.
"Thanks." He catches her hand as she brings it down and pulls her closer. "How did you know I was in need of being rescued?"
"I could feel it." She presses a quick kiss to his lips before stepping back and holding out her skirts. "I was in need of being rescued myself, so I just left. I know I shouldn't do that, but I had to see you before the ceremony."
Zuko barely hears her. He's too busy staring at her. She looks gorgeous in a long blue dress that flows down her figure like currents in a river. The fabric is woven from a shimmering material, and when she moves it looks like a waterfall. The front of her hair is pulled back and then fish-tail braided down, the rest of it left in loose waves that cascade down her back. At her throat is the empty crystal vial that had once been full of spirit water - the spirit water that saved his life.
She's stunning, and Zuko can't believe she's his.
"You look good," she says, completely oblivious. She steps forward and adjusts the front of his tunic. "Although I am a little biased about the rugged look."
"I love you," he blurts out. Katara freezes with her hand on his robe, her eyes flickering up to meet his. For a moment, they just stand there in silence.
"Obviously," she finally says, dropping her hands and smiling up at him. "You were stupid enough to risk world peace for me."
"I don't regret it."
"Easy to say since it all worked out." She ducks her head. "But I'm glad you did. Because now I also have the chance to tell you that I love you."
Zuko smiles in amusement. Katara frowns. "What?"
"A year ago, my purpose in life was hunting you down. Now I can't imagine living without you." He shakes his head. "Crazy."
"I still can't believe that a year ago I was still frozen in a chunk of ice." She laughs lightly. "The world is different now."
"It's only going to get more different." His lip twitches. "We get to rebuild it together."
She kisses him again. When they pull away, there's a knock at the door.
"The ceremony is about to begin!" a servant calls out. Zuko takes her hand and they walk out to face the world together.
It's been a week since the comet. Enough time for the capital city of the Fire Nation to get cleaned up and for the dignitaries of the other nations to travel. Now they're all waiting outside, waiting for the coronation of the new Fire Lord.
Zuko takes a deep breath before pushing aside the curtains. Katara stays a step behind him. He knows she doesn't want to take his spotlight, but he wishes she would be right at his side. Despite having fought so hard for this honor and privilege, he's sick to his stomach with nervousness.
A robed official hits a gong as he steps up to the edge of the stage. It's the same stage his father had stood on a week ago when he declared himself Phoenix King. Now Zuko is in his place, standing over his subjects and his allies.
The people erupt in cheers when they see him. He glances around, noticing the king from Ba Sing Se and his bear, Bosco; the king of Omashu, Bumi; a group of monks led by one who Zuko assumes is Gyatso; Kodakah and his soldiers; Ju-Long stands with a group from Whale Tail Island; and, in a small group of blue-clad people, he even sees Lianna and Yudaro, come out from their hiding place in the North Pole.
The approval of the people feels a million times better than the approval of his father - and Zuko didn't have to compromise his morals to get it.
He raises his hands, and the cheering dies down a little. "Please," he says. "The real hero is the Avatar."
He steps aside and motions for Katara to step forward. She shoots him a glare before stepping up and accepting even louder applause. Her face reddens under the applause. Zuko thinks it's endearing.
"Today," Zuko declares, stepping up beside Katara, "this war is finally over!"
The relief on the faces of everyone - even of the Fire Nation soldiers - reassures him that he's making the right decision. But even if they didn't look happy, he'd still make this decision. It's what's best for his people and for the people of the entire world.
"I promised my uncle I'd restore the honor of the Fire Nation," Zuko continues. "And I will. The road ahead of us is challenging. A hundred years of war has left the world scarred and divided. But with the Avatar's help - " He glances over at Katara and smiles -"we can get back on track and create a new era of love and peace."
"All hail Fire Lord Zuko!"
He steps forward to the very edge of the stage. Then he half turns, nodding for Katara to join him. When she reaches him, she takes his hand and squeezes.
They face the new world together.
Zuko was never one for celebratory balls, and this one is no exception. All their allies and friends are dressed up in fancy and expensive outfits. The ballroom in the palace is filled to the brim with people, the hallways also decorated and filled with guests. A group of musicians are crammed in the corner, playing traditional music from all four nations.
Zuko and Katara are stuck up at the front of the room. While all their friends get to hang out and raid the snack table, Zuko and Katara have to speak with everyone who wants a conversation with the Avatar and the new Fire Lord - and everyone wants to meet them.
Some of the guests are welcome - Zuko has a great conversation with Kodakah about strategies for pulling the Fire Nation troops out of the Earth Kingdom. An unexpected, but not welcome, interaction comes from an old ally.
Ju-Long approaches the two of them and bows in respect. Other than catching a glimpse of him at the coronation, Zuko hasn't seen him since he was still on the ship with Katara - almost a year ago.
The man is all smiles. He looks between them and shakes his head. "You really pulled one on me," he says. "A bodyguard, huh?"
Zuko shrugs. "What was I supposed to tell you?"
The man shakes his head again. "I was right about her being Water Tribe all along. And when you said you were close to capturing the Avatar - I had no idea she was standing right next to you."
"To be fair," Katara says, "we didn't know I was the Avatar at the time."
"Ju-Long." Zuko sets his hand on the man's shoulder. "You are a good man. When everyone else sided with my father and mocked me, you continued to believe in me. When others turned me away, you welcomed me and hosted me with honor. I look forward to working with you closely in the future."
Ju-Long bows. "And I look forward to a long and peaceful reign under your leadership, Lord Zuko."
He steps out of the line. Katara nudges his shoulder.
"Lord Zuko, huh? How do you feel about that?"
"It's a bit much. I still feel like a banished prince on the inside."
"Yeah. I still find it weird when people refer to me as Avatar Katara. It's oddly formal."
The next two people in line are dressed in blue and purple furs, despite the heat of the Fire Nation summer. Lianna and Yudaro stand in front of them, nodding their heads in respect.
"I have to be honest," Lianna admits. "I didn't actually think you were going to pull it off."
"I did," Yudaro says, smiling. "And I'm very proud."
"What are your plans for the future?" Lianna asks, her unnerving gray eyes flickering between the two of them. "How do you plan on righting the wrongs of generations of your ancestors? How do you plan to rebuild our nation and culture?"
"I'll be in touch with you," Zuko promises. "The Fire Nation has leveraged a hundred years of war; now we're going to be leading a thousand years of peace."
"We'll see." Lianna's eyes dart to Katara. "It is good to see you fully recovered."
"Thanks for helping me. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be here today."
They drift off into the crowd and another line of nobles steal their time. Zuko has to grit his teeth and smile as he faces the same people who cheered on his father when Ozai burned him during their Agni Kai. The same people who once swore fealty to Ozai are now practically begging for Zuko's favor.
He could be petty and spite them. A year ago he would have. But now he realizes that the only way forward is through forgiveness. They aren't going to change their ways, so if he wants the world to change, then he's going to have to be the one to change it.
Still, Zuko is beginning to tire when a group of familiar faces pop up in the line, giving them a break from politics.
Aang leaps in front of them and gathers them both in a hug. Zuko resists at first, but then Toph, Sokka, and Suki pile on and he's reluctantly squished in the middle of a group hug. It's totally inappropriate for royalty, and his father would roll over in his grave if he saw what was happening in his halls, so Zuko loves it. He may not spite the living, but he's going to be judging how well he's running his empire based on how his father would react to his decisions. The worse he would react, the better the decision.
"How are you guys holding up?" Toph asks when they pull apart. "It sounds pretty boring."
"It is," Katara admits. "But we have to show a united front. Peace for the next hundred years depends on it."
"If you say so," Aang replies. "I'm just excited to have the freedom to travel around the world again. The Air Nomads have decided to end their isolation from the other nations. We're going to return to the Air Temple Island, the Southern Air Temple, and Gyatso and Teo have been in talks of converting the Western Air Temple into an international city for anyone interested in studying engineering and philosophy."
"That's oddly specific," Sokka says. "But hey, if you're into that sort of thing." He slings his arm over Suki's shoulders. "Right now I'm enjoying all the luxuries of being the Fire Lord's friend and the Avatar's brother. These Fire Nation nobles love me! But Zuko, you have to teach your people about humor."
"It's on the agenda," Zuko replies dryly. "Among other things."
"You guys should ditch the line," Suki suggests. "I know you think you're showing unity by trying to speak to everyone, but I think if you just relax and have fun it will be a lot more impactful."
Zuko glances over at Katara. She's nodding. "You're right. Ozai's reign was all about formality and rigidness - why don't we break that mold?" She catches Zuko's eye. "Feel like dancing?"
"No," he says, but she's already pulling him out onto the dance floor and it's too late to say no.
"Hey," she says as they begin moving across the floor. "Isn't this the song that the men on your ship played on music night?"
"You mean attempted to play?"
She rolls her eyes. "Give them some credit. They dealt with the grumpy you for years."
"I'm just saying there's a reason they were sailors and not court musicians."
They spend the next hour dancing. Fire Nation dances and Water Tribe dances are very different in style, but Katara and Zuko are so in sync that they make it work. There's a lot of similarity between the styles of bending and the dances, and since they've practiced bending together a lot, it isn't too difficult to transition that over.
A lot of people are watching them, Zuko vaguely notices. He's glad that they don't have to hide or lie about their relationship anymore; in fact, he's proud to show it off. Two people who should have been mortal enemies instead finding love and happiness in each other is exactly what the world needs to see right now. Especially involving two of the most influential and powerful individuals. The road to recovery from the war is going to be one they travel their entire lives, and they're going to be leading the way.
For better or for worse, they're always going to be an important part of each other's lives.
Their little bubble of happiness is broken when an aide frantically runs in the room, bowing hastily.
"Your Majesty," he says, breathless.
Zuko immediately tenses up. "What is it?"
"The ship carrying the prisoners of war to Boiling Rock hasn't arrived yet. It was supposed to land earlier this afternoon."
He looks over at Katara and sees the concern in her eyes. Along with some high ranking generals of the Fire Nation, that ship was also carrying Azula.
"It could be late," the messenger continues. "There have been no reports of an incident nor any bodies found. Perhaps they ran into rough waters."
Zuko shakes his head. "That's not a chance I'm willing to take. Send an alert out to all the harbors and update me if there's any new information."
The servant bows and slips back through the crowd. Not even a minute after he's gone there's the sound of screams and alarm in the hallway. A gasp runs through the guests and the crowd parts, revealing a pathway straight to where Zuko and Katara are standing.
Azula herself appears at the other end of the hall, looking more like a wraith than a girl. Her hair, now caked with dirt and salt, hangs in stringy chunks around her face. Her skin is pale and smudged with dirt, and her eyes are shining unnaturally. She lurches from side to side as she makes her way towards them.
Dozens of benders are lined up at the edges of the path, ready for Zuko's command. But he doesn't give it. She's not hurting anyone, just scaring them.
At his side, Katara also has her eyes narrowed and her arms at the ready.
"I can't believe you didn't invite me to your coronation party, brother," Azula says, jerking her chin up. She looks awful, and he feels sorry for her.
"I thought you'd understand, considering the circumstances," he replies, watching her carefully. He's not going to let her pull any more dirty tricks.
"I've never seen the palace so...happy." Her eyes sweep over the hostile and scared crowd before landing on Zuko's forehead, just above his eyes. "Father wouldn't approve."
"He doesn't have much of a say anymore, considering that you killed him."
Zuko's words may be harsh, but his tone is lacking an edge. He's never seen his sister so lost and weak. She's actually insane now, and in a different way then when she'd tried to kill him and Katara. It's like her mind completely broke down and she's assembling the pieces back together in the wrong order.
"I was nothing to him in the end. A whole life of pleasing him - wasted. I felt like you, Zuzu. Unloved, unwanted, unappreciated." She looks heartbroken for a moment. Then her expression hardens and she looks up with blazing eyes. "I did what I had to do. And I'm going to finish the job."
Her arms twist around her body in jerky, almost mechanical movements. Lightning begins to generate around her.
Zuko holds a hand in front of himself, ready to redirect whatever she sends his way. "Don't do it, Azula," he warns. "You're not strong enough."
"You've always been jealous of my strength. As you should be!"
His heart begins to race faster. "Azula, you can't control it. You're not even in control of yourself!"
"I am COMPLETELY in control!"
She throws the lightning at him, but it doesn't follow her bidding. It doesn't even leave her fingers; she may still be strong enough to summon it, but it no longer obeys her will. Instead it crackles up and down her body. Her forehead wrinkles and then her eyes suddenly widen in shock. Her body convulses once before she drops to the floor, shaking wildly. The lightning continues sparking around her, slowly dying out as she grows motionless.
Katara rushes to her side, turning the girl over on her back. Her eyes are still open, now staring blankly at the ceiling. Katara looks up at him with deep sorrow etched in her face.
"She's gone," she says quiet, the words echoing loudly across the room.
There are no cheers. There are some sighs of relief, some whispered comments, but thankfully no signs of celebration. Zuko feels like glass right now, a ceramic vase placed treacherously on the edge of the table. One bump and he'll fall to the floor and shatter.
Ozai's death didn't faze him. It had surprised him, and he had been concerned for Azula after learning that it was by her hand, but Ozai's fate hadn't changed him. Zuko had turned his back on his father a long time ago.
But Azula? Zuko still had hope for her. He had hoped that with time she might find some healing. He had hoped that she might discover the same truths he had. Maybe a few years from now she could return to the palace and they could begin rebuilding their relationship.
Katara had left the decision of what to do with Azula up to him, and he had chosen to give her a second chance. He believed in her. She's always been strong, and he hoped she would fight her way out of Ozai's brainwashing.
Now she's gone, destroyed by her own ambition. Lightning is dangerous, and you have to be completely in control of yourself and your emotions to wield it. That's why Zuko had never been able to learn. He'd only been able to redirect it - still a dangerous task, but not as much as summoning lightning. Azula had gotten lucky during her fight against Ozai and then against him and Katara - although she was going crazy, she'd had just enough of a handle on her sanity to control the lightning. But after being defeated by Katara, she'd lost too much.
The same power that had given her strength and the throne - if only for a short while - had also brought Azula her doom.
"Hey, how are you doing?"
Katara slips into his room, closing his door quietly behind herself. He's sitting cross-legged in the middle of his bed, his chin resting on his fists. He's been sitting like this for hours, staring at the wall. He's empty and full of grief all at the same time and can't seem to express it.
"Fine."
She doesn't try to argue with him or call out his lie. She just climbs on his bed and sits next to him. After a few minutes, he sinks his face in his hands.
"I'm the last one," he says. "I'm the last person in my family."
Katara rubs his back with her hand. "You still have Iroh. And there's a chance your mother is out there somewhere."
"If she is, why wouldn't she have revealed herself when I became Fire Lord and the news that Ozai died went public? She probably doesn't want to return. She's probably so sick of our family."
"Zuko, she doesn't know who you are anymore. It's been years since she last saw you. And she might be staying away to protect you. She doesn't want to disrupt your life after you've spent years thinking she was dead."
He wipes the back of his hand across his face. "But I could use her right now. My life couldn't be more disrupted."
"I know." Katara's eyes are shining as she watches him. "I'm sorry."
Now he feels bad. Because he's miserable, Katara is upset as well. What if she thinks she's not enough? What if she thinks it's her fault that he's so unhappy?
He leans against her shoulder. "I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"I'm glad you're here."
The door creaks open more, and a pair of gray eyes peek in before disappearing. Then the door opens and their friends walk in.
Zuko sits up straight. "What are you doing here?"
"We know you're going through a rough time, so we thought we'd stop by and distract you a bit." Toph crosses her arms. "Apparently Katara beat us here."
Aang sits on the edge of the bed. "We just wanted you to know that no matter what happens, we're here for you. We'll always be here for you, Zuko."
Sokka flops on his back on the bed next to Katara. "Sisters are such a drag, anyway. You should really count yourself as lucky."
Katara elbows him in the gut so hard he doubles over.
"Ow! What was that for?"
"You're supposed to be helping!"
Suki rolls her eyes and leans against the bedpost. "Just ignore him."
"We usually do," Toph replies.
A year ago, this kind of thing would annoy Zuko. Now, he finds himself smiling a little.
"You know that you guys have to, like, knock, right? I am the Fire Lord now."
"You'll always be our friend before you're the Fire Lord. And friends get away with anything."
Zuko looks around the room at his new friends. They're right; he'd let them get away with almost anything. They took him in when he was still angsty and yelled a lot - and, well, he's still angsty and yells a lot - but they've stuck with him. What more can he ask for?
He may not have his biological family anymore, but he still has family.