Beyond Airbending: Return of the Phoenix King

Chapter Four: True Destiny

"No!" Zuko felt himself rising. "I won't let you! I won't let you revert the world back to the days of pain and suffering! And even if you have me, you don't have the others! They can and they will stop you. I swear to you that no one will show mercy on you this time!"

Zuko was about to pounce on his father, but before he could make another movement, he felt a blunt object make contact with his skull. Zuko tried to ignore it, but the pain was too great, forcing him to his knees and then his belly. Trying desperately not to lose consciousness, Zuko forced himself to make eye contact with Mai, who stood right behind from where he had just been standing holding a dagger.

"Come on, Zuko…" she spoke in a bored tone. "We all know that you're bluffing. I can tell that you care more about the state of the lousy world more than you care about me."

"What…ar…are you…tal…talking about?" Zuko struggled to say as Qin and Shinu forced him up onto his knees.

"Don't play dumb with me." Mai warned. "You care so much about the world that you won't let your father destroy it, but did you do anything to stop Azula from putting me in prison back in the Boiling Rock?! I didn't think so!"

"Mai…" Zuko started, but he was stopped by both a sharp, pinching pain as Qin applied shackles to the Fire Lord's wrists, forcing them behind his back and the pain in his head.

"Mai…please!" Zuko struggled against the grogginess. "I'm sorry! I…didn't me…mean to hu…hurt you! I'm sorry!"

"Enough!" Ozai roared, storming over to his son's side. Clenching his hand into a fist, Ozai landed a punch so powerful to Zuko's face that the Fire Lord let out a small groan before falling forward into the dirt with a thud.

"Now, hurry up!" Ozai ordered. "Let's get his sorry carcass to a place where he will be much more comfortable…"

&%#

Back in the ball room, Katara, Aang and Toph had just finished telling Iroh what had happened, as Suki and Sokka stood in the corner arguing. Iroh sat at a stool, his arms crossed and with a stern look on his face.

"What are we going to do?" Aang asked.

"I don't have the answer." Iroh frowned. "This is your problem, Avatar Aang."

"What?" Aang asked, dumbfounded. "How is this just my problem?"

"I am afraid that you made a grave mistake during your final battle between you and my brother, my young friend." Iroh sighed as he stood up. "By you shaping your own destiny, you did not fulfill it."

"What?" Katara asked.

"Aang didn't save the world as everyone thought he had." Iroh answered sadly. "As much as I don't believe in senseless violence, the world will not be safe as long as Ozai is alive."

"Well then, why can't you do it?" Aang nearly shouted. "I believe that all life is sacred and I will never take it from anyone, not even a monster like Ozai!"

"I can't kill Ozai." Iroh said. "He is my brother and defeating him is your destiny. If the world is to survive Ozai's wrath, it is imperative that you end him."

"No." was all Aang said.

"The spirits can't force this on Aang." Katara tried to reason.

"The spirits will do what they must." Iroh said. "Trust me, I know."

"How do you know?" Toph asked.

"Well, I'll tell you." Iroh replied. "But I must warn you, it is not a pleasant story to tell or to be told about…"

END CHAPTER

A/N: Oh boy, why is it that every time I write an Avatar fan fic, I write in a character getting a little…tied up? Oh well, I guess I need more therapy… Anyway, please review, because I won't update until I get at least 5 reviews.