Chapter Ten

Deep under the earth kings palace Azula, Mai, Ty Lee, and Naruto were standing in front of several rows of Dai Li agents.

" The Earth King and the Council of Five do not trust the Dai Li. They imprisoned your leader, Long Feng. Soon they will turn on all of you and eliminate you. Seizing power today is a matter of life and death This coup must be swift and decisive. The Earth King and each of the five generals must be taken out simultaneously. Long Feng has placed you in my command while we overthrow the government. If I sense any disloyalty, any hesitation, any weakness at all, I will snuff it out. That is all." Said Azula as she paced back and forth looking over the assembled men. The Dai Li leave, and Azula walks up to Ty Lee, who is pouring tea.

"Nice speech, Azula. It was pretty and poetic, but also scary in a good way." Said Ty Lee as she hands the cup to Azula.

"Yeah. I thought you were going to make that one guy pee his pants." Said Mai amused

"There are still a few loose ends. The Avatar, and my brother and uncle." Said Azula

"You three you know that to do. All be right back." Said Azula as she walked away from them and goes back to the Royal Palace, where Zuko and Iroh are sitting at a table in a room, waiting for the Earth King. Iroh pours some tea into a cup. Dai Li agents begin to circle around the two. As Azula walks past the Dai Li and comes in front of her brother outside the circle of Dai Li agents.

"It's tea time!" Said Azula

"Azula" said Zuko who stand up quickly looking angry at his sister.

"Have you met the Dai Li? They're earth benders, but they have a killer instinct that's so fire bender. I just love it." Said Azula evilly.

"Did I ever tell you how I got the nickname "the Dragon of the West"? Said Iroh picking up his cup of tea.

"I'm not interested in a lengthy anecdote, Uncle." Said Azula who was looking a one of the nails of her left hand

"It's more of a demonstration, really." Said Iroh begins drinking his tea. Zuko looks over at him and smiles before going behind him. Iroh begins breathing fire. In the corridor outside the room as a fire blast makes a hole in the wall, allowing Iroh and Zuko to escape. The Dai Li agents begin shooting some rock gloves at them, but miss as Zuko and Iroh turn around the corner. Iroh generates lightning and destroys the wall in front before jumping down into a bush below. Zuko stops at the edge.

"Come on! You'll be fine!" said Iroh

"No! I'm tired of running! It's time I faced Azula!" said Zuko as he turns around and walks back. Iroh smacks his head upon hearing this and runs away.

"You're so dramatic. What? Are you going to challenge me to an Agni Kai?" Said Azula

"Yes! I challenge you!" shouted Zuko

"No thanks" Said Azula Zuko shoots a fire blast toward her, but two Dai Li agents intervene and pull up a section of the floor, making a wall. They shoot some rock gloves at Zuko's feet, making him lose his balance. He puts his right hand down, but another rock glove traps that one. Azula turns around smiling and walks away as the agents capture him. Back with Naruto, Mai and Ty Lee they are gurarding the earth king when. the throne room, where Toph, Sokka, and Momo have just reached the Earth King.

"Thank goodness we're in time!" Said Sokka coming to a stop

"In time for what?" asked asked the earth king.

"Yeah. What are you in time for cuite" said Ty Lee after she cartwheels over to him.

"Uh, I'm kindia involved this Suki." He said holding his hand up nervously. Just then Toph knocks Ty Lee away from Sokka with her earth bending.

"They're not the real Kyoshi Warriors." Toph called out alerting the rest them.

"Sorry to disappoint you." Said Mai as she shoots some of her daggers at Toph, who uses an earth shield to stop them, and kicks the shield to Mai, who jumps over it. Toph brings up another pillar, knocking her. Ty Lee comes up in front of Sokka, laughing. She starts trying to jab him, but he evades all of them. Naruto moves towards the Earth and grabs hold of him, just as Azula enters the throne room.

"This fight is over." Called out Azula getting every ones attention. Toph and Sokka surrender, and Ty Lee chi blocks them. Momo tries flying away, but a Dai Li agent traps him with a rock glove. Naruto shoves the earth king down.

"Get them all out of my sight." Toph, Sokka, Kuei, and Bosco are all taken to prison. Long Feng walks into the room with some Dai Li agents behind him.

"Now comes the part where I double cross you. Dai Li, arrest the Fire Nation princess! I said arrest her! What is wrong with you?!" Said Long Feng but none of the Dai Li agents move, to Long Feng's disappointment.

"It's because they haven't made up their minds. They're waiting to see how this is going to end." Side Azula

"What are you talking about?" said Long Feng

"I can see your whole history in your eyes. You were born with nothing, so you've had to struggle, and connive, and claw your way to power. But true power, the divine right to rule, is something you're born with. The fact is, they don't know which one of us is going to be sitting on that throne, and which one is going to be bowing down. But I know, and you know. Well?" Said Azula, Long Feng looks worried. She sits down on the throne and crosses her legs.

"You've beaten me at my own game." Said Long Feng

"Don't flatter yourself! You were never even a player." Said Azula as the Dai Li took him away Azula turned to face Naruto.

"Naruto, and two of you come with me, it's time I pay my brother a visit." Said Azula as they left the throne room and headed for the crystal catacombs under the city. Azula and Naruto along with two Dai Li agents sliding down from the sides of the chamber.

"I expected this kind of treachery from Uncle. But Zuko, Prince Zuko, you're a lot of things, but you're not a traitor, are you? Said Azula who looked over at her uncle Iroh, still trapped in crystals.

"Release him immediately." Said Azula

"It's not too late for you, Zuko. You can still redeem yourself" said Azula

"The kind of redemption she offers is not for you." Said Iroh looking to Zuko.

"Why don't you let him decide, Uncle? I need you, Zuko. I've plotted every move of this day, this glorious day in Fire Nation history, and the only way we win is together. At the end of this day, you will have your honor back. You will have Father's love. You will have everything you want." Said Azula looking to Zuko and making a fist.

"Don't you want to go back home to your family, were you belong not on the run like a criminal." Said Naruto

"Zuko, I am begging you. Look into your heart and see what it is that you truly want." Said Iroh

"You are free to choose." She gestures at the two Dai Li agents to leave, who earth bend themselves out. Naruto and Azula leaves to follow Aang and Katara. Aang and Katara running through the Crystal Catacombs. A bolt of blue lightning attacks them from behind. Aang stops it using earth bending. The camera zooms back toward Azula, the source of the lightning. Katara uses water bending to stop another lightning attack. The mist from the vaporized water allows Naruto to jump onto a crystal and fire bend two blasts of black fire. Together, Aang and Katara use water bending to stop the blasts. Azula finishes her jump by landing on a rock pillar. Aang uses earth bending on the pillar, and Azula gasps once she notices the pillar crumbling. She jumps off and lands between Katara and Aang. She points at both of them, preparing to attack.

A fire blast stops her from attacking, and they look to see the source of the fire blast to be Zuko. Zuko looks from Azula to Katara and Aang, choosing who to attack. Aang gasps once he realizes Zuko will attack him and Aang uses air bending to jump away from the blast. Azula starts dueling with Katara, and Zuko throws multiple fire blasts at Aang. As Naruto starts to attack both at once. Zuko and Aang fighting. Aang air bends the air currents around him to make a human-shaped gust of air at Zuko, knocking him down. Aang attacks Zuko with more air bending, but Zuko maneuvers around the attacks and gets back up on his feet. He fires more blasts at Aang who is clinging on to a rock pillar. Aang jumps onto a clump of crystals to avoid the attack. Furious, Zuko summons a greater blast of fire. Aang earth bends some crystals to protect him, but the crystals shatter, sending Aang flying to another clump of crystals. Naruto uses fire whips to attack Aang once again, but Aang jumps to another patch of crystals and Zuko keeps attacking.

With Azula who is running away from Katara, who sends a wave of water that cuts her hair. Back to Naruto, who is still using his fire whips to attack Aang, who is now jumping along the cave's ceiling. Aang kicks down a stalactite and follows it, using earth bending to increase its impact and sending Naruto flying. with Azula and Katara. Katara encases herself in water and uses it to stop Azula's fire bending attacks. One water tentacle captures Azula's hand and another one captures her foot. Zuko frees his sister using fire bending to break the tentacles. Azula looks toward the crater Aang had created with the stalactite. Aang crawls out, exhausted. Azula runs toward Aang. Zuko and Katara fighting. Katara still has water whips on her hands and Zuko starts using his fire whips.

"I thought you had changed" said Katara looking to Zuko

"I have changed." Said Zuko as he fires another blast. Meanwhile Naruto, Azula, and Aang standing opposite each other. Azula and Aang prepare to fight. Naruto uses fire bending to charge at Aang. Aang earth bends crystals around him into a crystal encased armor and charges at Azula. Azula steps forward and uses her fire bending to break Aang's crystal armor and send him flying back into an old building. Zuko, Naruto, and Azula both fighting Katara. Hopelessly outnumbered, Katara gets knocked down. Aang jumps from the old building and earth surfs toward Zuko, Naruto, and Azula to stop them from attacking Katara. A Dai Li agent breaks Aang's surf, knocking him down. More Dai Li agents gather behind Zuko, Naruto, and Azula. Katara starts regaining her focus and Dai Li agents surround her. Katara uses the octopus form to defend herself.

Way from the fight Aang was inside a crystal shelter he made in order to meditate and get in to the Avatar state. From inside the crystal shelter starts glowing, alerting those outside. Inside the shelter, Aang opens his glowing eyes and breaks the crystal above him. Katara looking up to Aang, now rising in to the air, with hope. But before Aang can let Katara go and control the Avatar State, a bolt of lightning strikes him in the back. From behind stands Naruto in a lightning summoning position with her fingers smoking. The Avatar Spirit lets go of Aang and falls out of the plane of existence. As Aang falls down, Katara, tears now falling down her face, creates a wave to catch Aang. The wave knocks down the Dai Li agents. She looks down at Aang and back up with tears in her eyes. Zuko and Azula prepare to attack Aang and Katara, but a blast of fire stops them. Iroh jumps down from the wall of the cave and shields Aang and Katara from Zuko and Azula.

"You've got to get out of here! I'll hold them off as long as I can!" said Iroh as he fires some blasts at Zuko and Azula, Katara walks away slowly with Aang's body to a waterfall, and she uses water bending to lift her and Aang up its path. Iroh holds off the Dai Li agents until after Aang and Katara leave. He submits to the Dai Li, who use earth bending to encase him in crystals. Zuko looks at Iroh and Iroh closes his eyes and turns away. Some time later in the Earth King's throne room with Azula sitting down at the throne with Zuko at her left and Naruto to her right.

"We've done it, Zuko. It's taken a hundred years, but the Fire Nation has conquered Ba Sing Se." said Azula

"I betrayed Uncle." Said Zuko.

"No, he betrayed you." Said Azula

"Zuko, when you return home, your father will welcome you as a war hero." Said Naruto looking over to the prince.

"But I don't have the Avatar. What if Father doesn't restore my honor?" Said Zuko still sounding unsure.

"He doesn't need to, Zuko. Today, you restored your own honor." Said Naruto. As Azula puts a hand on Zuko's shoulder.

A.N. this is the end of book to and the end of this story if anyone would like it to continue let me know. In the mean time, I will be finishing up some other work.