Ziggy's Corner: Okay the final chapter, this was fun and kind of sad to finally see it end. This is my first ever Avatar story ever, so its been an amazing journey and I have loved every minute of it. I can remember when I first posted this there was less the eight hundred stories at How time flies!

Fire flooded the entire valley. Sozen looked down at the carnage, a smug smirk on his face. They would pay for what they did, they would pay for trying to poison his family, and try to fool him with false words of peace. He could hear people cry, women darting around as his Rhino riders chased them down, and brought their blades down into their soft bodies. The soft brown ground choked on the blood as the village was swallowed in smoke.

"Fire Lord Sozen," his captain called, riding up. "Sire, the village is destroyed, and those who rebelled against us are now either dead or in chains."

"Did I order them in chains?" Sozen asked in a thick dark, glutteral voice.

"Sire, perhaps some of these people can tell us who poisoned your daughter-in-law," the captain stuttered.

"Am I interested in hearing excuses, captain? No, let me answer that for you. I am not, just results. The quicker this war become more gritty, the quicker it will end."

"But if we kill everyone…," the captain stopped and inched back under the gaze of his king. "Of course sire, but what of the prisoners?"

"Drown them in the river," Sozen barked and turned away.

Six weeks of chaos. The diplomats were the first to make pay of this crime, then the merchants. Nothing brought him happiness, and to be honest he did not even remember what had brought forth this blood lust. Oh there was a part that did, his daughter-in-law, but she had not died.

So why this insanity? It was his calming voice, one that he had so quickly found peace with. You are afraid, you hope to control death itself, and you know you can not.

"I am the Fire Lord, the master of this planet, I fear nothing, I control all."

That is your darkness talking, what of Qi Xiang? You have not spoken to her or sought her out in the last couple of weeks.

Sozen snarled, and batted his head back and forth, "Who?" he asked the voice. The name seemed familiar, but it was little consequence to him now. All he wanted was control. Control of his life… that he was not subject to fate as those lower than he was.

Sozen rode off, making his way to his camp, and looked over the notes. Not only was the Earth Kingdom being forced back into retreat in all directions, but the capital city was about to fall as well. With Ba Sing Se in his hands, and turned to dust, Sozen knew he'd have the control he wanted.

And what of the order you wished to establish?

Sozen paused, this was not the voice of his youth as it had been. Nor was it the insane monster who pushed him into darkness. It was not even his father. It was his sister's voice. His body quivered, and he spun around, looking at the dark red fabrics, the swords hanging in the corner. In the reflection, he could spy her face.

She looked just as she did when she was still alive. Though her eyes were bright with sadness, her face lined with worry. "You… you don't understand…," he whimpered.

Understand what? That you have completely lost your mind? That you have brought darkness to a land that was filled with light?

The old man shook his head and scowled. "No… no, you don't know what you are talking about…," he snapped. "I wanted control. Its all I wanted."

Liar! cried his younger voice, the face of the noble young fire lord etched in the fabric of his bed. Liar, you wanted peace and order. Not control.

Sozen recoiled with horror. "No… that can't be right!" His mind raced, his heart beat against his chest. "No…," he whimpered, covering his ears and shutting his eyes.

So this is the land and the mission you thought so much better than my path, is it son? His father glared at him behind his eyelids. Sozen gasped, watching as the map of their world slowly burn and turn red. He heard the cries of the people, even his own Fire Nation citizens. People he had thought he had long served were in despair.

"This can not be…," Sozen cried. He was poisoned, his drink had been tampered with some how… yes that had to be it! He quickly shot up and tore into his tent, ripping and thrashing things about looking for evidence he could use against those who wanted to torment him.

Beloved. Sozen froze with fright. His wife… that was her voice.

Lover, please stop this madness, Qi Xiang, even she was speaking to him now.

Then the demon spoke to him, Look at your throne, your power. Look at what you have achieved! With my help you can even extend your reach to the stars, even reach the comet named after you and hold onto its power for all time.

"Power," Sozen said with a smile and turned his gaze to the stars, the blood red flaming ball seemed just within reach.

No… Iroh called. Grandfather, I beg you stop this. This is not who you are.

But it is who he is, the demon chuckled, the voice sounding like Ozai. Control, power, fear and wealth are his. No one doubts his strength now. Grandfather… your throne awaits.

Sozen smiled looking at the large golden throne, decorated with such jewels and purities that he could not but drift toward it. Yes, look at it Grandfather, Iroh shouted at high pitch. Sozen looked at the spirit of his grandson and back at the throne. His eyes grew with terror as it was a pile of molten flesh and bone. The stench of strong mushrooms, of decay filled his nose and he backed away with a shake to his head. The chair looked at him with demonic eyes and seemed to grin, ready for its prey.

"No…," Sozen cried.

The old man turned and ran from the vision, from his tent, ignoring the cries of his men. He ran as fast as he could, clutching his eyes as if he were trying to cut them out of his head to stop the hideous things. Sozen gasped and grunted, tripping over a rock and rolled and flopped down a stream, were he gazed into the water, and saw for the first time the true Sozen.

The demon was him. He was the maniac, the lunatic, he was what would bring chaos that the old man predicted to him so long ago… not the Earth Kingdom. Sozen splashed and splashed at the image, to make it go away, but it kept staring at him, mockingly.

It was then that he spied a body floating along the river, and he hurried toward it, skidding at a stop when he spied a second. It was the tavern owner, his adopted father. And the body next to him…, Sozen shook his head, looking up as laughing Fire Archers shot arrows into the dead bodies.

"What are you doing?" he screeched up at them, using his strength to rushed at the attackers. The two men frowned and cocked their heads.

"Fire Lord Sozen?' one of them asked. "Sire what are you…," he gasped as Sozen clutched his neck.

"Who told you to do this?" Sozen cried, looking down at the bodies of the old man and … and her.

"Sire you did," the archer cried. "We had these two captive, the woman wanted to talk to you, but of course orders are orders and…," Sozen broke his neck and wept.

"She wanted to talk to me?" he cried, falling to his knees.

Poor beloved… her voice said echoing in his ears. I do not blame you.

"If only I had let go of my hate," the king cried. "If only I did not let my pride… oh Agni, Qi Xiang. Why did I let this happen to you?" He dug his fingers into his skin and continued to weep, ignoring the voice of the other archer. "Why, what a fool am I?" He turned his gaze up and widened them, watching as a barely living man and his son were chopped into bits by some guards. Another woman was in the last grips of death as his men held her down into the water. "We're the Earth Kingdom bandits," he whimpered.

"Sire, I am not…sire!"

Sozen pushed past the archer and thrust his guards away from the woman, pulling her out of the water. Her face was light blue and her lips black. He was seconds too late. "Damn it." He glared at his soldiers, who recoiled in confusion and horror. "Stop this chaos," he ordered. "If there are any survivors take them to the palace. I will tell you what…," a pain thrust in his chest and he gasped… dropping to his knees.

The old man turned to see a very small figure, a boy with a boy and arrow smirk at him from the shadows, and then vanish. "Ozai?" Darkness took him, and as it did, the last thoughts in his mind were sorrow and penance. Then there was a bright light, and he saw the form of Avatar Roku watch him.

"I… I am sorry for my foolishness," Sozen cried.

"Though it is dark now, there is still hope, the boy… Aang still lives. One day he will return."

"Will he be able to undo the evil I did?" Sozen asked pleadingly.

"It is too soon to know for sure," Roku said sorrowfully. He put his hand on Sozen's shoulder and smiled gently. "But I can see the sorrow and penance in your eyes." He escorted the Fire Lord down a gray path.

"No one is left, and I shall not be reunited with my family until the evil which I did is undone," Sozen said.

"True, but there is still hope," Roku said.

"Hope," Sozen said, blinking.

"Hope," Roku said with a nod. He smiled and motioned for the Fire Lord to enter a room. When Sozen had done what was asked of him, the spirits of his family quickly appeared and hugged him, before vanishing.

The last to leave him was Qi Xiang and his wife, who both smiled at him gently and disappeared. Sozen sighed. Hope.

And it is over. Sad but finally done. I hope you all enjoyed reading this as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Originally I was going to do a story about Azulon's reign after this but I am not sure if I will or not. Maybe one day.