DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any related material. Ahhh it's so much fun to write for Azula. She is downright wicked! Enjoy!

A cloaked figure approached the lapping waves hugging the sand of Ember Island. The midnight moon reflected off the calm water as the figure stopped just before the water could reach their shoes. A wicked smile flashed beneath the cloak, and a female voice spoke ancient, prophetic words of the spirit world from a worn book in their grasp. The dark blue water suddenly glowed neon orange as the words were spoken, brightening up the shadowy beach. As the figure continued to read on in the language of the spirit world, the glowing red-orange water boiled and a creature began to rise from beneath the waves. Seeing that the chant was working, the hooded figure continued to read faster and with increased effervescence. What seemed like hours was only a minute as the cloaked figure reached the end of the passage. The creature was now floating several feet above the orange waves, like lava, as smoke and fire seemed to ebb and flow all around it. The creature's orange and red scales dripped blue fire into the lava-like waves below it. It opened its eyes, which possessed the bright white glow of the spirit world, and looked directly at the cloaked figure.

"Princess Azula of the Fire Nation, daughter to Firelord Ozai, and granddaughter to Firelord Azulon, you have summoned me. Speak." The spirit world creature's voice was like roaring flames and dim embers combined.

Azula slowly lowered her hood, her ferocious smirk on full display, "What, no 'Hello? How are you? Thank you for summoning me from that depressing swamp they call the spirit world?'"

"Young firebender, it would be wise to remember that the spirit world does not take kindly to such disrespect."

"Yeah, yeah or the 'mystical forces that be' will glower upon me for eternity," Azula slouched in contempt, her sarcasm dripping in her words, "Save it. The spirit world shouldn't underestimate the power that comes with fire. Or the fear."

Azula's eyes morphed into evil slits as she balled her hand into a flaming, blue fist.

The spirit world creature paused before speaking, "Child, I have not been summoned for more than 500 years. You have recited the ancient ritual in which I am bound to honor. You may ask for one request."

"Kill the former prince of the Fire Nation, my exiled brother Zuko," Azula's bared her teeth in a sinister grin.

"Princess, the request you make is not one to be taken lightly. Are you certain of your choice?"

"Zuko has been running around playing hero long enough with the Avatar and his ragtag team of waywards. It's time to pay the price for interfering with the progression of the Fire Nation. Father will be most pleased." Azula condemned her brother as she checked her perfect nails.

"Very well. As you are familiar with the summoning ritual, I am certain you are aware of the price that must be paid for killing another. You will be subjected to the same level of pain that you wish upon your brother. You will be forced to feel the pain of his death, but whilst he will not survive, you will"

Azula nodded, "Yes, I am aware. Silly these rituals, really. All for the show and hocus-pocus, I'm sure."

The spirit world creature was impervious to Azula's taunts. It continued to calmly float several feet above the boiling orange ocean, the creature's power resonating throughout the waves.

Azula turned towards the palm trees behind her, "Guards!" From the darkness, two Dai Lee guards emerged with a bound and gagged prisoner.

"You see, as fun as it's been making requests and performing summoning rituals, I'm really rather worn out," Azula began, looking directly at the spirit world creature without fear, "So, my good friend here"—she gestured to the prisoner, who looked at her in horror and tried struggling free of his binds—"will be carrying out my end of the bargain."

"Princess, I cannot allow this. This is not how the bargain should proceed."

"'Should' is quite different than 'could', no?" Azula was prepared for the creature's protest. She snapped her fingers and one of the Dai Lee agents handed her the book in which she read the ritual. "If I'm not wrong, the summoning ritual quite literally translates to 'whoever speaks the spirit language to bring forth the hybrid creature, Huǒ yǔ shuǐ, from the depths of lava and lagoons is to be served. Is to be protected. Is to be master to Huǒ yǔ shuǐ in the capacity of life and death…' blah blah blah. So Huǒ yǔ shuǐ, are you ready to serve your master?"

The glowing white eyes of Huǒ yǔ shuǐ locked with Azula's golden irises.

Huǒ yǔ shuǐ's reply finally came, "Very well, Princess Azula of the Fire Nation. You have sentenced Zuko, former prince of the Fire nation, to death and condemned this prisoner to endure the pain of your brother's end."

The boiling lava-like water beneath Huǒ yǔ shuǐ rippled and bubbled at a new intensity, causing steaming bubbles to pop and hiss as the water turned from a yellow-orange to a bloodthirsty red. The neon scales on Huǒ yǔ shuǐ dripped liquid fire as the creature prepared to carry out his new mission. The former waves lapping the sand seemed to come to life as the now bright red water inched towards the frightened prisoner. The Dai Lee agents held the prisoner firmly as he continued to helplessly struggle against their grip. The water edged up the prisoner's feet, legs, torso, arms…he stiffened in pain and curled in on himself as he experienced the pain of Zuko's impending death. The Dai Lee agents dragged the prisoner back into the shadowy trees of Ember Island.

Azula yawned.

"Princess Azula." She turned as Huǒ yǔ shuǐ addressed her, "Remember that I am bound to you and your request. Once my poison has entered your brother Zuko's body, there is will be no antidote, no remedy to prevent his death. You have set to motion the workings of the spirit world; what is done cannot be undone."

"Get to it then," Azula snapped before she retreated to where the Dai Lee agents disappeared into the night of Ember Island.

…