Zuko could hear the drill rumbling like a monster above him. Changpu tapped him on the arm. Such signals were necessary while moving in the pitch blackness of the underground.

"Lee," Changpu began a bit hesitantly, "are you sure you still want to do this? My bending will be useless in that drill, so you know I—"

"I know. It's fine. I can manage by myself."

Changpu let out a small breath. "Then good luck."

The earth opened above them. Light spilled through—at least what managed to escape the hulking shadow of the drill. Zuko blinked at the sudden brightness. The machine's underbelly moved over them like a metal dragon, clinking and clattering, and looking far too indestructible. He tensed and watched for one of the gaps that Sokka had pointed out on the blueprints. No matter how durable the drill's armour, humans still had to get in somehow. That tiny sliver of weakness would be Zuko's path of entry.

"Now!" he signalled.

Changpu prepared an earth boost. Zuko was about to spring into action when something came leaping at them from the gap: a blur of red and blue that quickly took shape into Sokka carrying a person.

"Watch out!" Sokka yelled.

A group of firebenders were in hot pursuit. One of them was already jumping down to catch Sokka while three others unleashed flames in a united strike. Zuko unsheathed his swords and vaulted up, clashing with the firebender in a quick swing of his blades to send the man flying. Meanwhile, Changpu raised a wall of earth to block the fire attack.

Sokka landed on the platform next to Changpu. He had to quickly correct his balance to compensate for the extra weight he was carrying. "Man, do you guys have good timing," he panted. "Thanks for that."

"What's going on?" Zuko demanded. "Where are the others and—"

"I'll explain later! We need to hurry and get to Katara! She should be back at the wall."

Changpu lowered them underground. Darkness swallowed Zuko's vision. He frowned as they moved through the tunnel. It was only a glimpse that he had caught of the person in Sokka's arms, but something niggled. Those red clothes had looked familiar. Far too familiar. His stomach twisted in unease. It didn't help that there was a scent lingering in the air that conjured up all sorts of bad memories.

"I won't fight you!"

"You will learn respect, and suffering will be your teacher."

Zuko cleared his throat. "Sokka."

"Yeah?"

"Why do you have a Fire Nation person with you?" Something constricted in his chest. "It's not ... it's not Mai, is it?"

"She saved our lives."

All the breath seemed to vanish from Zuko's lungs. He listened as Sokka explained what had happened: how Azula had ambushed them in the chamber; how Aang had been forced to surrender in order to keep Sokka and Katara safe; how everything had been unravelling out of their control, but then Mai had stepped in to help at the last moment. She had sacrificed herself so that Sokka could escape with the others.

"I went back to find her," Sokka said, "but I was too late. Princess Azula had got to her first."

Something cold settled in Zuko's stomach. "What did Azula do?"

"She burnt Mai's face. I don't even know if Katara will be able to heal this kind of damage."

The words left Zuko reeling. Shock. Anger. Sadness. He didn't know what to feel.

"Let me see," he said in a hoarse voice.

"Huh?"

Zuko created a ball of flames.

Changpu yelped and flinched away from him. The platform juddered to a halt. "Y-you," he stammered, even as the colour drained from his face. "You're a fire—"

"I'm not your enemy," Zuko said with a bite of impatience. "Do you really think I would have fought with you against those tanks if that was the case?"

Changpu swallowed.

Zuko moved closer to Sokka. "Let me see."

"It's bad," Sokka warned.

Zuko gave him a flat look. "I'm sure I can handle it."

Sokka's gaze darted to the left, taking in Zuko's own grotesquely large burn scar. He nodded and uncurled Mai from his chest, angling her face more towards the light. A small hiss escaped Zuko's lips. It was just like what had happened to him three years ago: the flesh melted and raw, spreading around her left eye and cheek, though it looked as if her ear had got out unscathed. Parts of her hair had also been burned away. Now the sickening scent that had been bothering him made sense.

He clenched his hands into fists. "I'm going back."

He had always known that his sister could be cruel and sadistic, but this was unforgivable. Azula needed to be taken down.

"Let me out," he ordered Changpu. "I'll make my own way back to the drill."

"Do you really think it will make a difference now?"

Zuko paused at Sokka's words.

"I know how you must feel. Believe me, I know. Azula is crazy and evil and she needs to be stopped, that's something we can all agree on." Sokka's voice hardened. "But that's the thing. She's going to be prepared for you this time. You said it yourself, right? She's smart. She won't let herself get taken unawares again."

Zuko gritted his teeth. "So, you're saying I should just let it go? You're saying I should let her get away with that?" He spun to face him, pointing at Mai's mutilated face.

"No. I'm saying you should come with me so we can regroup with the others and make a new plan."

A breath escaped Zuko's lips. He knew what Sokka said sounded logical, but still. Anger sparked in his blood and spread through his veins. He couldn't just ignore what Azula had done. Not when it was a mirror of what had been done to him.

Changpu shuffled on his feet. "For what it's worth, I agree with Sokka. I don't really know who you are, Lee, but you seem like a good person. I don't want you to do anything reckless." An awkward smile curved his lips. "People should work together, right?"

A warm feeling stirred inside Zuko. Changpu's support was oddly touching. It was almost enough to make him hesitate. Almost.

"Thanks, but this is a bit different," Zuko said, shaking his head. "Azula is and always has been my problem. I'll deal with her myself."

"Zu—Lee!" Sokka corrected himself at the last second. "C'mon, man, don't do this! You know your uncle won't approve."

Zuko pointed at Mai's face. "Do you see that injury? That is Azula's challenge to me. I'm not going to let her get away with this!"

"But—"

"Mai needs to be healed. You should hurry and take her to Katara."

"You ..." Sokka flailed for words, clearly frustrated now. "Can't you see we're just worried about you? Stop being such a stubborn jerk and come back with us already!"

"Changpu," Zuko said, meeting his eyes. "Let me out."

Changpu hesitated.

"Don't do it, Changpu!"

Zuko glowered at Sokka. "Would you shut up? I've already made up my mind, so just drop it!" He turned back to the earthbender. "Please, Changpu. I need to do this."

Changpu held his gaze for a long moment. Maybe it was the fact that Zuko had said please. Maybe it was because he had always been a little weak willed when it came to standing up to others, especially to Zuko. Either way, he raised his arms to create the opening.

"I don't like this," Changpu admitted, "but do what you feel is right. I'll make sure to come and give you backup as soon as I can."

Zuko's mouth curved into a rare smile. "Not waiting for orders anymore, huh?"

Changpu rubbed the base of his neck. "Well, we're a team, aren't we?"

There was a small cough. "Hate to break the moment, but are you both insane?" Sokka's voice got louder and he probably would have gestured wildly had his arms not been full with Mai. "Don't let him escape, Changpu! Trap him in a rock cage so we can haul him back with us!"

"Sorry, Sokka," Zuko said, "but Azula was the one who made it personal. You'd do the same if you were in my position."

"Wrong! I'm not a stubborn jerk who can only think with his hothead temper!"

Zuko got ready to jump. "Take care of Mai, will you? And"—he paused, lowering his gaze—"tell Uncle I'm sorry."

"Don't you dare—"

The ground surged up under Zuko's feet, giving him the boost he needed to leave the tunnel. He glanced over his shoulder, catching Sokka's expression of concern and frustration. Then the earth sealed back up and Zuko was alone.

He let out a breath and turned to face the drill. Going inside was pointless: Sokka was right that Azula would be expecting such a move since Katara and Aang had failed to break any of the support beams. Still, Zuko did have a plan, one that was reckless and which his uncle would undoubtedly disapprove of, but it was foolproof in the sense that it would succeed in drawing Azula out to fight him on her own. More importantly, it was something only he could do.

Zuko glanced up at the wall. "Sorry, Uncle, but I have to stop hiding."

There would be consequences for his actions, but Zuko felt the sacrifice was worth it. Azula was his sister. He hated and loved her, just as he hated and loved his father. Still, for all his muddled feelings, there was one thing that Zuko did know: family had to take care of family, even if that meant putting down the rabid tiger-dog who had been let loose.

oOo

Sokka's arms ached and his chest heaved. "Yingjie!" he shouted. "Katara!" He cursed under his breath. "Damn it, where is everyone?"

He and Changpu had made it back to the wall, but the place was a buzz of movement. Soldiers rushed to and fro, tossing rocks down at tanks or at the drill while others worked in groups to create the ammunition. A large portion of the guard had gathered where the wall had been breached and were trying to use their bending to slow the Fire Nation's progress by fixing and hardening the rock, even as the steel jaws of the drill ploughed through it again and again. A clever plan, but still only a temporary fix. It was something everyone must have realised. Even at a glance, Sokka could see the panic thinly veiled on the soldiers' faces.

"We're really losing, aren't we?"

The words escaped his mouth before he could stop them. Changpu met his gaze in a flicker of shared despair, but then he straightened and clenched his hands into fists.

"I'll look for Yingjie!" Changpu declared. "You get that girl to the healing room. It's possible your sister is there if she's still recovering from being chi-blocked. Even if she isn't, at least someone can get started on the treatment."

Sokka pulled himself together. "Right."

The two parted ways. Sokka took a firmer grip on Mai and sprinted for the healing room. A blur of orange got bigger before his eyes. He blinked and slammed his heels into the ground to avoid a collision. That was when he noticed the bald head and arrow tattoo. It was like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

"Aang!" he exclaimed.

"Sokka!" Aang cried, and probably would have hugged him had Mai not been in the way.

"Where's Katara?" Sokka demanded. "Mai's been hurt. She needs some of that glowing water stuff now!"

Aang explained that Katara was still in the healing room. Quite a few soldiers had been injured, so she was helping to fix them.

"Is Mai okay?" Aang asked, peering anxiously at her. Then he noticed the burns disfiguring the left side of her face. His cheeks drained of colour. In fact, he started to look a bit green. "W-what happened to her?"

"Azula."

Aang swallowed.

"Listen, Aang. You need to find Iroh. Tell him that Zuko has decided to confront Azula on his own and that someone should stop him fast. That jerk didn't say it aloud, but it's obvious he's going to go blow his cover. I mean, how else will he fight her?"

"But that'll just cause more problems!"

"Yeah." Sokka's voice soured. "That guy seriously never thinks things through. No wonder Iroh is obsessed with tea. I'd want to spend all day drinking calming drinks if I had a nephew like that as well."

"Alright, leave it to me!"

Aang dashed off with a gust of wind, almost knocking a few guards over in the process. Sokka exhaled in relief. That was one problem dealt with. Now to find Katara.

"Hang in there, Mai," he murmured. "Help is coming."

oOo

The smell of burnt flesh mixed with pungent herbs pervaded the healing room. Fewer beds were occupied than there could have been, but there was no denying the battle was taking its toll. Men groaned and thrashed in pain. Some of them were barely recognisable from the severity of their burns while others had limbs that had been crushed by the tanks. Katara felt a stab of guilt every time she looked at one of their faces.

If she had managed to break the support beams as planned, half of these men probably wouldn't be here.

She gritted her teeth and summoned more water to her hand. The walls rattled violently all around her as if trapped in a non-stop earthquake. It seemed the drill was making more progress.

"Katara!"

Sokka burst into the room with a red-clad figure clutched in his arms. Katara stared at him in surprise. It only took her a moment to recognise Mai. It took her even less to understand the situation. They found an empty bed and placed Mai down, making sure not to let the left side of her face rub against anything more than necessary. The wounds were very bad.

"Can you help her?" Sokka asked.

"I don't know. Her injuries are still fresh. That does make it easier to heal, but this isn't some minor burn." She shook her head. "I'm afraid it will scar."

Sokka nodded in resignation. "Please, just do what you can."

"Of course."

Katara wouldn't do anything less for the girl who had saved their lives. Mai had sacrificed so much to help them escape: it was a truth branded onto her face. The wounds were ugly and raw, ripping into Mai's beauty with premeditated cruelty. Even her hair—those glossy black locks that had always looked so soft—had not escaped the fire. It made Katara's heart ache in sympathy. She could not imagine what it must have felt like, what it would continue to feel like for Mai, knowing that her childhood friend had tortured her in such a vindictive way. The scar, if there did end up being one, would be a permanent reminder.

Something cold snuck around Katara's heart. It had not escaped her attention that the shape and location of Mai's wound was almost identical to Zuko's scar. Had Azula been the one to cause that injury as well? It made Katara realise that she couldn't bear to let Mai suffer the same fate. Wounds like this went deeper than the body. It was something Katara had sensed in Zuko. These wounds, the wounds inflicted by a loved one, pierced straight to the soul. No one needed a reminder like that.

"I'm going to try something," Katara told her brother.

She pulled the vial of Spirit Oasis water out from her tunic.

Sokka's eyes widened. "Isn't that—"

"I don't know if it will work, but what Mai needs right now is a miracle. Maybe this can give it to her."

A frown creased Sokka's brow. "Are you sure? I mean, I'm not saying it's not a good idea, but it's only a one-time deal thing, right?"

Katara tightened her grip on the vial. "I already decided I would only use the Spirit Oasis water for something important." She glanced at Mai, at the features that had been sacrificed to save their lives. "This seems like a good choice, don't you think?"

His lips curved into a smile. "Yeah."

A soft moan from the bed had them both looking at Mai. Her right eye fluttered open; she either couldn't or didn't dare to open the left. Still, even in such a state, even when it was obvious she was in pain and was only staying conscious through sheer strength of will, Mai managed to look intimidating. Her gaze fixed on Katara. "Don't," she gritted out.

Her voice was still weak, but it retained enough steel to make Katara blink. Was it possible that Mai had been listening in on their conversation?

"Hey," Sokka said, moving closer. "You shouldn't try to talk. Just relax. Katara is going to heal you."

Mai shook her head, though the motion must have only caused her more pain. "Don't use that Spirit whatever. I don't want it."

"But—"

"I heard what you said. How you were saving it for something important. It's special water, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then don't." Mai closed her eyes. "I accepted the consequences when I betrayed Azula. You shouldn't waste such a thing on me."

Katara pursed her lips. "Who said it would be a waste?"

"It's just my face." Mai gave a shrug. "If that water is so special, it can probably do a lot more than heal my injuries. Use your brain. Save it for when you really need it."

A breath escaped Katara. She'd just been insulted, or at last had it implied that she was stupid, and the precious gift she had offered had been refused. It was rude. It was plain ungrateful. Still, Katara couldn't bring herself to get annoyed. Not really. Mai might shrug and act like she didn't care, but Katara had not missed the tears that had slipped down her uninjured cheek.

Those tears didn't lie.

Because Mai was upset. She just understood that this war wasn't over. There were still risks that Katara and her friends would have to take. No one could predict what would happen. In her own way, Mai had been looking out for them.

"You can be really annoying sometimes," Katara said in a choked voice. "You know that?"

Mai didn't respond. It seemed that her injuries had got the better of her and she had slipped back into unconsciousness. Maybe that was a good thing. Katara could feel an uncomfortable prickle stinging her eyes. She'd gathered enough to understand that Mai probably wouldn't have been happy had Katara cried in front of her. She didn't seem the type to accept sympathy.

Sokka glanced at Katara. "What will you do now?"

She tucked the vial of Spirit Oasis water back inside her tunic. "I'm going to do as she asked."

It wasn't like she could argue with Mai's logic. Still, Katara decided that she would try her hardest to heal every trace of the injury. She didn't care how long it took or if it used up all her energy. Mai had sacrificed enough. If only in this way, Katara would express her gratitude and respect.

oOo

Ty Lee's head throbbed. The bump that cutie with the ponytail had given her was like a big egg, too tender to touch. Azula, as it had turned out, had suffered a similar fate, though she wasn't sure who had actually done the deed. Ty Lee thought she could guess. None of the other members from the Avatar's group were non-benders. It was also a fact that someone had come and spirited Mai away. The thought still made Ty Lee sad.

It had always been the three of them, right from when they were children. They had played together. Fought together. They were the perfect team. But now their trio was down to two. Now, it was just Ty Lee and Azula, and that was a little scary. Ty Lee loved the princess, she really did, but sometimes Azula could be too mean. Even Azula's aura had changed.

Back when they had first been reunited at the circus, it had been mostly orange-red, the colour of power and confidence. Now it was like tar: a thick black that oozed with negativity, almost like a disease. Tiny slivers of grey and clouded green still lingered, but that was hardly reassuring. A grey aura meant a loss of trust in others; clouded green symbolised jealousy and resentment. This was not a good combination.

Ty Lee sighed and made her way across the battlefield. Or, rather, she hopped along the Earth Kingdom soldiers' heads, cartwheeled, and in general moved like a fluttering, uncatchable blur of pink. Her new orders were to take down the tiny girl who was causing them so much trouble. Earthbenders had gathered on the wall to halt the drill's progress. War Minister Qin had called it a futile effort, but that didn't change the fact that the tactic had slowed their advancement. Azula was getting impatient. She said that the tanks needed to be mobilised more efficiently and pointed out the war machines had grappling hooks that could be used to get on top of the wall. The Fire Nation could use the tanks to carry up soldiers to take down the pests getting in the way. Even if the tanks weren't able to complete the climb, it would at least distract the earthbenders from defending against the drill.

But first they needed to free up the tanks.

"Excuse me," Ty Lee said, landing on one of the big muscly earthbenders, who had just created a wall to block a fire blast.

"What the—"

Ty Lee propelled herself upwards, using his head as a boost to get on top of his rock shield. She jumped again, throwing him a wink as she somersaulted over the top. Her prey was on the other side. The little girl—Tiff? Tofie? Tofu?—was stamping her feet to make giant pillars of earth that sent tanks flying as if they weighed nothing. Wow, that girl's bending was really something! Even the big muscly guys couldn't do anything like that!

"Geez, you're like a little kid. Try not to get distracted while we're in battle, would you?"

Ty Lee's smile faltered. She had got used to hearing such dry comments from Mai when they had fought as a team. But Mai wasn't here right now. She wouldn't ever be. Not unless Azula and Ty Lee could get her back from the Avatar.

Grim determination hardened Ty Lee's mouth. Without even touching the ground, she performed a series of quick jabs along Chibi Tofu's body. The girl gasped. Her legs wobbled, her arms went limp. It was like watching the light get snatched out of someone. All the chi in her body got sealed away and then, as Ty Lee landed gracefully, she collapsed into her arms.

"Got you," Ty Lee said.

She grinned just because it was her habit, but the expression didn't feel natural. By this point, Mai would have made a witty comment. The silence was depressing.

Ty Lee let out a breath. Well, either way, her mission had been accomplished. The tanks were now good to go and they had a new hostage. Everything was going according to plan. As expected. Azula had a knack for forcing things to go her away even when a spoke—or, in this case, Mai's betrayal—was thrown into her wheel. It was part of the reason why Ty Lee still couldn't believe that Mai had acted in such a way. No one won against Azula. Not ever.

But Mai had still taken the risk.

Ty Lee shook her head, shrugging off the confusing thoughts. "C'mon, Chibi Tofu," she said with forced brightness. "We need to report back."

"Who are you calling Chibi Tofu?"

"I forgot your name," Ty Lee admitted, not in the least put off by her rudeness. "Besides, it's cute."

A groan. "I can't believe this is happening to me."

Ty Lee giggled. That resigned tone almost reminded her of Mai. Almost. "I think we're going to get along great."

A string of insults was all she got in response. Ty Lee's grin widened. It was nice to make new friends. Too bad their environment wasn't as pleasant as it could be. Still, that would change soon enough, at least for her. The tide of battle was about to shift in the Fire Nation's favour. Maybe then Ty Lee could see Mai again. Maybe then Azula would stop behaving so erratically and start being her normal self.

Maybe.

Ty Lee repressed a sigh. In that moment, she really missed the circus.

oOo

The wall juddered and shook. Iroh steadied his balance. He had never anticipated that one day he would help to defend Ba Sing Se. His heart ached in memory: at the thought of Lu Ten who had fallen and would never smile again, at the years he himself had wasted, slaughtering men just like those who surrounded him while spreading the Fire Nation's destruction. Still, the pain Iroh felt did not make him falter. If anything, it pushed him to try harder. Too many sons had died for this war. Too many little soldier boys would never return home. Iroh was tired of it.

"Stay strong!" he encouraged.

Another jolt shuddered through the wall. Bits of stone crumbled. The earthbenders he had assumed command of dug their feet in and thrust their arms out, groaning in agony as they used every ounce of energy to resist the drill. Sweat poured down their foreheads. Everyone was trying so hard. Everyone was giving it their all. But the drill was a monster. It chewed through their efforts with unrelenting ruthlessness, spinning and spinning and spinning as if the motion could never stop.

Iroh wondered if it was almost time for him to act.

"Yingjie!" General Sung came hurrying towards him. "Reports are coming through that tanks are using grappling hooks to climb on the western side. Worse, that girl who took down the Terra Team managed to ride one of the hooks straight up to the top and is causing havoc! We need more men! I don't know how much longer our defences can hold!"

Iroh gazed at the point where the wall had been breached. The men would not last much longer here either. His plan had not been designed to defeat the drill; it was only ever meant to give more time. First, time to break the support beams, but then just time for the Avatar and the others to recover. So much had gone wrong so quickly. Now, the children in whom Iroh had put his faith were scrambling to pick up the pieces.

It seemed his niece had been very busy today.

"I—uh, I mean, Yingjie!"

Iroh blinked as a gust of wind rushed towards him. When the dust settled, the Avatar and what looked like a woozy soldier appeared. The soldier braced his hands on his knees, taking in gulps of air. Iroh recognised him as the fresh-faced soldier who had left with Zuko to battle the tanks.

"What happened?" Iroh asked.

A babble of answers spilled forth. Iroh tried his best to unravel the message. His heart clenched when he realised the truth. Mai had been badly injured. Zuko had gone. That idiot boy was going to take on Azula all by himself. No doubt he thought he could draw her out if he made himself a target. The plan would probably work as well. Azula hated her brother with an intensity that was frightening to behold. She would want to challenge him one-on-one; she would want to best him once and for all.

But Zuko was not ready. It was a simple fact. His bending had grown since their time on the ship, but it was unlikely he would be able to overcome the vicious onslaught of precision and cruelty that was Azula. Not on his own. She was a firebending prodigy. She was dangerous and wouldn't hold back. Zuko, unfortunately, had always held back. Even if he didn't this time, Iroh wasn't sure if Zuko would pull through. That was a risk he wasn't willing to take.

He fixed his gaze on Aang. "It seems our young friend Ty Lee is causing drama for the Western Division. Do you think you can handle her?"

"Leave it to me."

"Be swift," Iroh warned. "The drill still needs to be stopped. Unless you can find a way to take over the control room and stop it manually, cutting through the support beams is still the best option. You or Master Katara are the only ones who can do that."

"I understand," Aang said grimly.

"Then go."

Aang didn't waste another second and sped off in a rush of wind.

"What are you going to do?" Changpu asked.

General Sung, who had been peering over the wall and muttering about how they were all doomed, grabbed Iroh's arm. "Isn't that your nephew down there?"

It was as if Iroh's heart had been turned to ice. Sure enough, two figures stood on top of the drill. One was clearly his niece: he could see the three-pronged crown that marked her as the Fire Nation princess glinting on her head. Similarly, Iroh had no trouble putting an identity to the boy, for his clothes were too dark and nondescript to be a soldier. Too familiar. However, even without such a clue, Iroh would have known; the clenching pain in his chest told him as much. That boy could only be Zuko.

"Changpu," Iroh said in a voice steeled with grim resolve, the kind that did not allow any room for refusal. "I need you to take me down to the drill."

"Y-yes, sir!"

Changpu created a platform for them to stand on and lowered his hands in a sweeping motion. The lift immediately began to drop, speeding down the wall towards the two figures who faced off against each other. Iroh gritted his teeth. He prayed he would make it in time. Too much had already been sacrificed. Iroh would not let Zuko join the ranks.

oOo

Azula was smiling. The sight made something curl in hot swells of anger inside Zuko.

"What's the matter, Brother?" she taunted. "You don't look happy to see me, even though I came all the way out here to meet you." She made a tsking noise with her tongue. "I see being around the Avatar hasn't improved your manners."

"You're one to talk! Why did you do that to Mai? She was your friend, wasn't she? Have you gone completely insane?"

Something fractured in Azula's eyes. "That traitor deserved everything she got!"

Zuko blinked. That expression, that tone. This was not the perfect and poised sister he was used to confronting.

Azula's smile widened, though it seemed more manic than sharp. "It's your fault, you know," she continued in a softer voice. "Mai would have never betrayed me if you had not been there. We'd still be together, but you just had to get in the way, just like you always do."

"What are you talking about? I've been banished for three years. I've barely spoken to, let alone seen, Mai during that time. How could I have had any influence on her?"

"Because you're you!" Azula hissed, almost lunging at him as she took a step forward. "That's what you do, Zuzu. You sneak into people's hearts and you twist and twist and twist until they'll do anything for you!" Her fingers made claw-like motions, like she was resisting the urge to rip into him with her nails. "Mother was just the same. She abandoned me so she could protect you. I was always the monster, but you"—her voice took on a dark tone—"you're just so precious to everyone."

Zuko shook his head, too stunned to respond. Not that it probably would have made a difference had he spoken. It was as if fourteen years of jealousy and hurt were clawing out of Azula, taking ugly shape in the form of her words. The vicious overflow could not be contained. All he could do was listen to her strip herself bare, to the monster that revelled within her, but also the vulnerability.

"Why is it always you?" Azula demanded. Her eyes were wild and her chest heaved. "Why is it that, for all the fear and charm I can use on people, they'll still go crawling to you?"

"Azula."

The name came out softer than he had intended. He hadn't wanted to feel pity for her. He had wanted to cling to his rage, to steel his heart so that he would not hesitate to take her down, but that was difficult to do when she was falling apart so obviously in front of him. He didn't know how to react to this splintered, pathetic version of his sister. Not that she gave him much of a chance. His voice acted like a trigger. A snarl escaped her lips, and then blue flames were trailing from her fingers, expanding in an instant to create two balls of intense heat.

"Just die already!" she screamed.

Zuko bent right back to avoid the blow. She followed up with a firebomb drop-axe kick, almost catching his face as he was forced to throw himself to the side. Planting his hand down, he pushed and spun up to get back into standing position, using the momentum to fire off a couple of rapid fireballs with his feet. Azula laughed and battered the attacks away as if they were mantis-flies buzzing around her head, a mere distraction.

"You're still weak," she taunted.

His eyes narrowed. A part of him knew that he was holding back. Even as he recognised this, an inner voice yelled at him, demanding to know what the hell he thought he was doing. Azula was dangerous. She had tried to kill him and had sadistically burnt Mai. There was nothing about her that deserved his hesitation.

But she was still his sister.

She was still his sister and he just couldn't bring himself to stoop to her level.

"I'm not like you, Azula," he said, bringing up his forearm to block her flame-encased punch. "I can't hurt someone and enjoy it, but I promise you this: I will stop you today."

She bared her teeth in a feral-like grin, pushing closer so that their faces were almost inches apart. "Oh, Zuzu, that's what I hate about you." Her smile splintered and she suddenly shoved him back, knocking him off balance. "You're just so sickeningly good!"

Her hands moved in a familiar pattern—too fast. Blue light crackled and shot free from her fingers, surging right for him. Zuko's heartbeat stilled. All the breath got caught in his throat. No. This couldn't be happening. Not again.

Move! his brain screamed.

He flattened himself to the drill to escape the lightning's path, just in time. Every hair on his body was sticking up. The deadly energy had come so close.

Azula laughed and laughed, hugging her stomach as she gasped for breath. "Oh, nice work, Brother!" Her eyes sparkled and her lips curved into a sharp little grin. "I just thought of a new game we can play: it's called How Many Lightning Bolts Can Zuko Dodge!"

"Sorry, but that name sucks!"

He sprung to counterattack. Before he'd taken a step, a figure jumped down from above and blocked his path. Short, a little rotund, and with a scraggle of grey hair. The man was unmistakable.

Iroh pressed his hand against Zuko's chest, pushing him back hard enough to make him stumble. "Stay there," he said firmly.

Zuko sucked in a small breath. Azula, meanwhile, was not pleased to see their uncle. Her expression twisted and her eyes glinted with an ugly light.

"No one called for a family reunion," she said nastily. "You stay out of this, Uncle!"

She shot off another crack of lightning, but Iroh did not so much as flinch. He moved his arms in a graceful sweep, reaching forward to catch the violent blue storm. The light surged through him, crackling and glinting with power, and then he extended his two first fingers. Lightning exploded from the tips, the same lightning that Azula had just fired, and it was heading right back at her.

Azula's eyes widened. She threw herself to the side to avoid the attack, landing in a half-crouch. Her hands trembled as she raised her head to glare at him. "You!" she snarled. "You stupid old man!"

She was on her feet in a flash, letting out a wave of blue fire. Iroh brought his arms down, dispelling the attack with a massive shield of orange. Azula screamed in frustration. She charged for him, flames acting like boosters under her feet.

A hand gripped Zuko's arm. "We'd better get out of here."

It was Changpu. He was trying to drag Zuko towards the wall so that they could escape.

Zuko shrugged off his touch. "I'm not leaving."

"But—"

"Go if you're scared," Zuko said, if a bit scornfully. "I won't leave my uncle."

Changpu hesitated. The fight between Azula and Iroh was getting more intense. Flames exploded in hot bursts of power, clashing and sparking in hints of blue and orange. Azula darted and kicked, moving with precision and impossible speed; Iroh had years of experience to back him up. The two were well-matched. Still, there was something off about Azula today. That gave Iroh an edge.

Iroh thrust his hands forward. Fire gushed from his palms in a powerful wave, knocking her clean off her feet. She flew back and hit the drill, rolling a few times before she came to a stop. Even from this distance, Zuko could hear her ragged breathing.

"Enough of this," Iroh said. "You cannot win this battle."

"I won't lose," she said in a shaky voice, though it was rage rather than fear that caused the tremor. "I can't lose. I've come too far now." Her legs shook as she got slowly to her feet, but then she straightened into a bending stance. Her expression was cold when she met their uncle's eyes. "I'm going to win!"

She punched forward, releasing a torrent of concentrated flames. Iroh's shield barely deflected the blow. Azula didn't waste a second as she followed up with lightning, pausing only a moment when her fingers were poised to release the energy. A smile curved her lips. She fired off her attack, though not at Iroh. The deadly rush of light was coming straight for Zuko.

"Zuko!"

Iroh's yell was a desperate echo in his ears. It was too late to dodge and his uncle had no hope of redirecting it. Suddenly, a warm body crashed against Zuko's chest. He blinked. Green eyes met his own in an awful moment of fear and resignation. The lightning struck. Changpu jerked, bending his back in an inhuman contortion and screaming out in pain as the energy shuddered through him.

"No!" Zuko cried, panic and horror snatching away his breath.

He could feel Changpu twitching against him. Feel the residue power crackling against his own skin. Zuko raised his head to glare at his sister, but she was nowhere to be found. She had used the diversion to escape.

"Damn it!" Zuko yelled.

Changpu was unresponsive in his arms. Zuko clutched him closer, tears prickling his eyes. No, no, no! This couldn't be happening! Changpu wasn't supposed to take the hit. Changpu—that stupid soldier. That stupid, stupid coward. He should have just left when he had the chance, but he—he—

"Nephew." Iroh sounded exhausted.

"It's my fault," Zuko said in a choked voice. He raised his head, trembling and gasping back sobs. "I should have left with him. I should have just listened to Sokka in the first place. I—"

"Nephew, stop! Beating yourself up about this will change nothing." Iroh reached down to take Changpu from Zuko's grasp. "Come, let me—"

"No!" Zuko pulled Changpu closer, just like a desperate child. He couldn't let things end this way, he couldn't—

His eyes brightened. Wait, that was it.

"I can heal him!" Zuko exclaimed.

He placed his hands against the smoking ruin on Changpu's back, already calling upon the sun of healing fire that burned within him. It was so much easier to make the connection now, but then strong hands gripped his shoulders. Zuko's concentration shattered.

"What are you doing, Uncle? Why did you stop me?"

Iroh held his gaze. "Look at him. He is not breathing. The lightning went straight into his heart."

Zuko flinched, not wanting to hear the next words but unable to stop them anyway.

"I'm sorry, but Changpu is dead. Not even your healing powers can save him now."