The last time he was here, in this exact spot, he was thirteen.

Zuko closed his eyes as he stood, remembering the deafening roar of the crowd, unsure if they were cheering him on or booing him. So headstrong and needlessly confident that he didn't care. He remembered that day, down to minute and seemingly insignificant details; the way the stone felt rough against his bare feet, the heat of the sun beating down on his shoulders as the ceremonial shawl slipped away. He remembered pivoting, right foot out in front of him, his arms tight, ready to sink into his bending form.

And he remembered that face. He remembered the smirk and the words. He remembered the way the world became too bright, and how tight his chest felt as utter terror took control of him.

He remembered that face.

This was the showdown that was always meant to be.

Zuko opened his eyes as he pivoted, his stance firm and his arms steady. A deep, calming breath as he looked at Ozai. His father. Ozai stood with his arms crossed, frowning.

"I'll give you one last chance to back out, boy," Ozai said, loud enough for everyone in the stadium to hear. "I promise your death will be quick."

The air was tense, and briefly, Zuko wondered if he could use it to generate lightning. He refused to take his eyes away from Ozai to judge the mood. All it would take would be one slip up, look away just once, and Ozai would try to take advantage of it. He couldn't risk it. Not now. He needed to trust himself.

"Where's your fire, boy? Don't tell me the water finally doused your flame. It was your mouth that got you here the first time."

Zuko breathed slowly. Ozai would taunt him. Try to goad him into an attack powered by anger and rage. Ozai threw his arms wide and took two steps forward.

"Look at me, boy—"

"I am Fire Lord Zuko, son of Fire Lord Ozai and Princess Ursa. Grandson of Fire Lord Azulon and Fire Lady Illah. Grandson of Avatar Roku and Lady Ta Min."

Ozai stopped, his face twisting, and Zuko reset his stance, digging in even further, because he could see the anger and humiliation rising on Ozai's face. When it came, the attack would be wild. Uncontrolled. Zuko had to be ready. He reached for his own anger, felt the fire flare inside of him.

"I am heir to this throne," Zuko continued, "and I will invoke the right of a Fire Nation royal heir to challenge their sovereign to Agni Kai. I am challenging you, again, Fire Lord Ozai. And when you lose, I will take my rightful place on the throne."

"What right do you have—"

"The sages have heard my petition…"

"What right—"

"…and considered my challenge valid."

"What right?"

Zuko barely had time to shield himself, the fire pressing close around him as he brought his hands together to split the blast. There was such force and malice behind it, and Zuko could feel the fire scorching his arms, but he stayed put, knowing that Ozai couldn't keep up this sustained blast forever. He would run out of steam, and when he did, it wouldn't be long before the next attack came. Calling the fire to his fingertips, Zuko punched through Ozai's wall of fire. Three short blasts he sent off, breaking Ozai's concentration and forcing the older man to dodge. He needed to shorten the distance between them, but Ozai zeroed in on him, punching hard. Zuko ducked once, twice, three times, taking long strides as he turned, wincing as he accepted the fourth blast on his shoulder, spinning and putting his weight behind a blast that sped toward Ozai. Ozai moved to bat the blast away, clearly thinking that it was weak, that Zuko was weak, but when it connected with his hand, he cried out in pain. Zuko didn't relent, following up one punch with other weaker ones, keeping Ozai on his toes, forcing him to be defensive, and when Ozai finally stopped, Zuko brought a fiery kick down on top of him. Ozai dispersed it with a roar.

"This world is mine!"

Ozai leapt forward, full of primal rage, his hands like claws, and for a moment, Zuko forgot to dodge, forgot to be anything other than a scared child until a low rumble shook the arena, and Zuko hastily brought his hands up to defend himself. Ozai slammed him to the ground and his vision went white as the air was knocked out of him and his head hit the stone.

"Do I have to burn the other side of your face for you to finally learn?"

Zuko twisted to the left, narrowly avoiding Ozai's fist as it crashed into the ground. The stone shattered, sending hot fragments into his face. Again and again Ozai punched, gouging deep holes in the floor of the arena, the heat becoming almost unbearable, hitting him in suffocating wave after suffocating wave, and Zuko couldn't catch his breath. Then Ozai's hands were around his throat, and he wanted to scream because he could feel the fire in his father's palms. The panic started to settle in, memories of intense pain, the remembered smell of charred and sizzling flesh. He clawed at Ozai's arms, eyes wide, trying to pry the burning fingers away from his throat, but Ozai's eyes were wild and furious.

"I should have smothered you in your sleep."

Zuko didn't bother to stop the tears. He remembered Ozai standing over him with a pillow, remembered smiling at his father, thinking Ozai had come to check on him. Ozai had recoiled, dropping the pillow and slowly backing out of the room, closing the door softly behind him. Not really understanding, Zuko had gone back to sleep, and later thought he'd dreamed the whole thing up.

"Why?"

He wasn't sure if Ozai would hear the words, if he was even making any sound, but it didn't really matter. He wouldn't get a truthful answer, even if Ozai knew himself. His vision was starting to swim, either from the burning or lack of oxygen, it didn't matter. Instead, he focused all of his energy into one hand, making a fist, and bringing it with all of his might into Ozai's kidney. Ozai howled with pain, rolling away and onto his side. Finally free, Zuko crawled to the other side of the arena and tried to breathe, hoping that Ozai would be preoccupied long enough to let him get his bearings. Everything hurt, even the wind blowing across his neck. Shivering, Zuko tried to stand, but his body felt too weak.

"I will end this."

There was barely enough time to register the lightning as it tore through the air above him, and Zuko made himself as flat as possible. He had to scurry out of the way of the second bolt, and he could hear it crashing into the stands behind him, people screaming as they tried to get out of the way. The next bolt shattered the stone at his feet, and Zuko did the only thing he could think to do in that moment. Run.

"This is your would be Fire Lord," Ozai said to the crowd. "This is the coward who would ruin you! This is the fool…"

Zuko took aim carefully, knowing that he was still unsteady and that it still hurt to breathe, knowing that he was rushing the formations, and that it would make the bolt weaker. Ozai's eyes were wide and his mouth hung open in shock, surprise clearly overriding common sense and gluing Ozai to the spot long enough for the bolt to connect with his shoulder. Zuko took a deep breath and stood to his full height, looking out at the crowd. The arena was nearly silent. So many people had come to see this farce, had probably been waiting for this eventuality since the day Zuko crowned himself Fire Lord. If they'd been able to fool themselves into thinking it wouldn't come to this before, all doubt was removed when the proclamation was sent to every island, posted in the market places and sent directly to homes. He'd called Ozai unfit and accused him of crimes against the Fire Nation, finally challenging him to an Agni Kai for the right the rule.

Ozai groaned and writhed on the ground, cradling his shoulder, and Zuko took a half step toward him.

"There is no pleasure in this."

"That's because you're weak," Ozai spat at him.

Zuko swallowed past the pain in his throat and looked for Katara and Druk in the stands. They'd flown ahead to deliver the challenge to Ozai in person while their family secured the docks with their army. He found them toward the back, Druk on the edge of the arena, his head craned out over the crowd, the people no doubt feeling uneasy with that massive shadow looming over them. Across from him, Ozai was grunting and trying to stand, his shoulder a gory mess. He didn't look so imposing anymore, but Zuko could still feel the furious waves of heat, and silently, he begged his father to just stay down. Things didn't need to go any further.

"You can't own the world," Zuko said, taking a few steps forward. "There is a way to bring peace and prosperity without conquest."

"It will be mine."

He'd never before given much thought to the way the air felt right before he shot lightning, but Zuko could feel the air shift, the hair on his arm standing up as Ozai gathered the charge, struggling with one arm. It couldn't have been more than a few seconds, but for those seconds, their eyes met, and Zuko's heart hurt like it never hurt before. He'd thought he made his peace with Ozai's fate, but as the lightning raced toward him, Zuko realized that the choice was never his. He caught the terribly weak bolt and brought it down through his fire chakra and did his best to hold it there as Ozai readied another bolt. As soon as the second bolt left Ozai's fingers, Zuko coaxed the first out of his fire chakra and toward his father. He didn't aim to the side, or try to hit Ozai's feet. He aimed right for his father's chest.

Ozai second bolt went wide, and he panicked as he threw fire at the blast heading toward him before diving off to the side. Ozai howled with pain as he landed on his injured shoulder, but even as he flopped on his back he tried to attack, kicking out feebly. Zuko batted the fire away, his heart sinking toward his stomach. There was still a part of him that wanted to believe that Ozai would finally give up.

"It's mine!"

With his good arm, Ozai swung out, sending a spray of sparks and fire toward Zuko, buying time as he rose to his feet again. Ozai continued his barrage, one handed, even though his was listing to one side, and Zuko dodged or dispersed Ozai's flame as if it was nothing. He couldn't stop staring at Ozai's shoulder. He did that. Blood was falling down his arm and dripping off Ozai's fingertips, leaving a macabre spray on the golden stone.

"Fight me, you coward," Ozai yelled, attempting a roundhouse kick. "You wanted your Agni Kai, don't refuse to fight me, now."

This, too, Zuko batted away. Feeling a weight pressing down on him, he advanced on Ozai, easily dodging his attacks, and when he was close enough, he put his entire weight behind a punch, hitting Ozai in the stomach.

"Please stay down," Zuko begged as Ozai crumbled.

When he was younger, he used to fantasize about how great it would feel to finally defeat Ozai in battle. Now…

Ozai spit blood at his feet.

"I will give you this choice," Zuko said to Ozai and the crowd. "It would be well within your rights to demand a criminal trial—"

"Kill me, you coward."

Zuko closed his eyes, his heart sinking. "If—"

"Kill me!"

Zuko took two steps back. He'd imagined a grand speech, something he'd say that would give a sense of finality to everything. The words stuck in his throat as Ozai smirked at him. He generated the lightning.

He aimed.

He let loose.