Chapter 1:

In Agni's eyes

Zuko smells the ozone before his father finishes the motions to generate lightning.

Born out of the instinctual need of self-preservation, his body moves to the side before he even realizes he's doing it. Because really, what kind of person would instinctually try to catch lightning with his bear hands? Normal people don't do that.

The bunker fills with blue-white light, twin arcs of electricity arcing towards where Zuko was before. It moves past him and slams towards the bunker's entrance.

The shear power of the attack launches the door outwards, knocking the guards standing near it and surprising everyone else. Zuko, taking the chance given to him he moves towards the entrance and reaches the outside just in time to hear his father's words and freeze.

"You've always been a coward! You took too much after your mother. Weak, afraid, pathetic. You have no strength! You have no honor! Everything you've accomplished, someone was there to do it for you! Azula was the one who did the work in Ba Sing Se, and now you're gonna have the Avatar do the work for you! You couldn't face me so you would send a 13 year old to the job!"

Realizing the truth in his father's words, he turns around. Father and son lock eyes with each other. One inside the bunker, and the other just outside it. Guards and military officers listen to the words of their Firelord and Crown Prince.

"...You're right... To push this responsibility to the Avatar would be dishonorable. Fire Nation problems should be solved with Fire Nation solutions...SO I CHALLENGE YOU TO AN AGNI KAI!" Not willing to put the weight of the world on a 13 year old's shoulders, Zuko screams for all those near to hear.

Gasps are heard from all around them, royal guards, simple soldiers, military officers, and even the odd palace servants are shocked that this is happening in the middle of an invasion.

"You dare challenge me! When you gave up on your knees 4 years ago?!"

"I dare challenge you! You, who would willingly burn his own son! You, who would burn our own people for your own ego! You, who would ruin the world in your own madness! I challenge you! or do you dare not accept?!" Zuko challenges his father, remembering the ravages of war in the lands he has walked through.

To decline the challenge would make Ozai look weak, so without hesitation he accepts.

"I accept! Zuko! I want you to know, this is going to be enjoyable for me. Nobody interfere! It is bad form to interfere an Agni Kai!" Ozai announces as he walks forward, removing his ceremonial robes.

"I know. And may Agni bless his champion." Zuko responds somberly, as he does the same thing, stabbing his Dao into the ground and removing his shirt. For in an Agni Kai, you only fight with your body.

Father and son look at each other, they do not notice their growing audience now that the invasion has effectively been repelled. They do not see the servants, the guards, the soldiers, the military officers, or the sages who have come out of hiding, even Azula has arrived.

It is almost a replay of a similar event 4 years ago, the difference is no one is giving up on their knees right now.

It starts like how every fire duel starts, with flames gushing forward accompanied by a roar of fury.

Zuko doesn't have time to think, because Ozai is already moving toward him. Fire roars towards Zuko as a wave, he parts it down the middle but he doesn't have time to rest because Ozai is already kicking fire towards him from above.

Zuko ducks down and punches forward his own fire, unlike Ozai, his fire is weak, it's the most pathetic it has been. It could because he's just a bad firebender and haven't recovered from the eclipse yet.

Or maybe knowing what his father did to his mother is throwing his bending off.

Or it could be many other reasons, but the point is Ozai is now toying with Zuko.

"What a disappointment. Is this all you have? Your uncle must have been a poor teacher if this is the best he could teach you." Ozai taunts, as he launches barrage after barrage of fire to Zuko's head and chest.

All Zuko can do is put his hands up and try to deflect as much heat as he can away from his body. It doesn't stop it from pushing him back.

Flames come down towards his face, and for a moment Zuko feels like he is 13 years old again.

He feels a brief moment of panic before he sweeps them aside. He feels his root break as his father finally takes the effort to target his feet with fire.

Zuko is forced to one knee as his legs fail him.

"Goodbye Zuko, I can finally say I have no son." Ozai finishes as he moves his hands at that oh-so-familiar circular motion to generate lightning.

He does it slowly, to make more of a spectacle for their audience. Reminding them the price of defiance.

Zuko looks at him, barely able to breathe because of the panic. He is reliving the nightmare of their first Agni Kai, except this time, his father won't stop at his face.

Yet in this moment of life and death, thoughts of his life flashes through Zuko's mind.

He remember his mother, his cousin, even Azula back when they were just a happy family visiting Ember Island for a vacation. He remembers Uncle Iroh.

"Never give up without a fight."

With that thought cutting through the haze clouding his brain, Zuko grits his teeth.

With adrenaline coursing through his veins, he stands up and assumes a stance that has been drilled into him many times before.

Knowing what is happening now, he stands his ground, steadies his root, and catches the lightning just as his father releases it.

The sheer power of the attack pushes him backward, his feet digging into the ground but he does not fall.

Looking at his father, Zuko sees his shocked face. He's probably never seen anyone catch lightning before.

With deep sadness in his heart, Zuko aims the lightning towards his father, there's a moment between them where they both know what is going to happen next, but before he can throw it back he remembers his mother's words.

"Never forget who you are."

And with eyes closed, Zuko throws the lightning at his father's feet.

With his balance broken Ozai can only flail and stagger backwards, doing his best to get back his momentum.

Zuko doesn't let him, in one attack, he gathers all that he feels, he remembers his own words he said to his father before they fought, anger at the need for this to happen, sadness that his family is broken, determination to lead his people in an era of peace, and hope that his mother is still alive.

Two things happen with that, first Zuko throws out a large orange fireball with tinges of gold, its the larger than what he could usually generate.

Second, the fireball hits Ozai straight on, he tries to deflect it but he can only do so much with his balance broken, it burns a portion of his chest, not enough to kill him, but enough to hurt and a mark to remain.

Ozai doesn't see what happens next. The next he sees is Zuko pushing him down on the ground and pointing a flaming fist towards his face.

Silence covers the grounds. No one could really believe this happened. The greatest firebender of their generation, Firelord Ozai, has been defeated by his own son.

"...Finish it." Ozai says looking Zuko straight in the eyes.

"...No." Zuko responds, he stands up and puts out the flame from his hands.

"Do it! Finish it!" Ozai shouts, still laying on the ground.

"Since when has a winner followed a loser's orders?" Zuko says back, while walking back towards his swords and turning his back on his father.

"...Mercy is for the weak!"

"And it seems you are weaker than me."

"..No...no, no, no." Ozai can only repeat to himself, not willing to believe reality.

Hearing his father break down, Zuko finally looks at their audience.

His eyes widen at the number of people watching them. He sees Azula, now joined by Mai and Ty Lee.

He sees the servants, the soldiers, the military officers, the sages, and even the ministers.

Their fight has gathered a lot of people. Nervous at the sudden attention, Zuko thinks back to his training on what to do.

He can only remember shouting at his crew who he is to get their attention.

A pang of pain strikes at his chest at the thought of his old crew.

Shaking the pain away, he does what he does best, he shouts.

"I AM CROWN PRINCE ZUKO! BY RIGHT OF VICTORY IN AGNI KAI, I CLAIM THE DRAGON THRONE AS FIRELORD!" He shouts, all eyes widen at that announcement. But before anyone else can react, they hear a shout.

"NO!" Ozai shouts as he charges towards Zuko's back. Hands on fire, ready to burn his own son to cinders.

Instincts from training with dual dao take over Zuko's body, he unsheathes one and flawlessly swings his sword.

If what happened in the Agni Kai stunned everyone, what happens next shocks them all.

Ozai doesn't have the time to respond, the sword is already at the perfect place and the right time.

It passes through his neck and swings towards the other side.

The move makes Zuko rotate so he is facing his father.

His father who is currently leaping towards him with his head falling backwards.

Zuko could only stare in shock as he catches his father's headless body from beneath the armpits.

It takes some time before the silence is broken.

Zuko hears Azula first, then the fire sages, then everyone else chanting one phrase.

"Long live Firelord Zuko."

And so bathed in the blood of his father, standing in the middle of a burning battleground, Zuko rises as the Firelord.


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