This is my first Avatar The Last Airbender fanfiction this chapter was not Beta read and if any are interested in beta reading my work before it's post PM

I would like to thank all my patient readers and hope you enjoy this next chapter

Disclaimer I don't own anything related to ATLA

Azula smirked as she approached Zuko's prison cell with two Dai Li agents in tow. Her victory over Ba Sing Se was almost assured. The King was being led away in chains along with the Avatar's earth-bending master and the waterbender's brother. All that was left was to capture the Avatar and deal with her Uncle. The cherry on top would be getting her brother under her thumb. "Open the cell I think my brother had enough time to think," she said as she stood in the doorway.

The Dai Li agent that stood guard unlocked the door opening it wide for Azula to step inside. Once the door opened, they were greeted with a silent empty room, no Prince in sight.

Azula didn't outwardly react to the knowledge of her brother's escape. She remained silent and calm, which only frightened the guard even more. "He was here just a moment ago," the agent said as he slowly turned to face the Fire Nation Princess.

"I will not let incompetence ruin this day," Azula said as she looked to the agent who stood guard. She then placed two pointed fingers against his chest. And without warning, the agent began to scream, his body filled with sparks of lightning. The other Dai Li agents watched in silent horror as this fourteen-year-old girl completely fries and kills this man without a sign of remorse. His body sizzled and convulsed before dropping to the floor in a smokey pile.

"Find my brother and bring him to me," Azula said as smoke still trailed off her fingertips. "Failure will not be tolerated. Is that understood?"

The two Dai Li agents next to her paused briefly. They glanced at each other giving knowing looks before bowing. "We will not fail you, Princess."

Just before the Dai Li agents could turn to leave Azula spoke up. "When you find Zuzu if he refuses my generous offer... make sure there is nothing left of him," she said coldly. "I will not suffer even an unknowing rival."

"Yes Princess," the two agents bowed and left Azula's side. As they left, Azula walked off to pursue the Avatar. She pictured in her mind the glorious victory she is about to achieve. Not only did she conquer Ba Sing Se, something her once famous Uncle failed to do, but also is about to do the very thing that would have brought honor back to her failure of a brother. She will truly become more worthy of an heir than Zuko could ever hope to be. The idea made her smirk.

As Azula confidently strode down the hall she suddenly froze in place. A cool chill ran up her spine. The smirk on her began to curl into a more taunting grin. "How much of that did you hear Zuzu?" she asked without even turning around.

Zuko narrowed his eyes hearing her. After he had left Katara's cell, he was searching for the exit when he spotted Azula and followed her instead. "I heard enough," he said as knew he was caught and knew hiding any further wouldn't help him. He slowly peeled away from the shadows and stood resolute in the hallway at his sister's back.

Azula smirked and turned to face her brother, but what she saw shook her even for just a moment. "Mother's mask," she said to herself as her eyes narrowed staring daggers at the gaze of the blue demon. A grin soon curled across her lips as she crossed her arms. "Well, I suppose that's one way to hide that hideous mug of yours," she mocked. She didn't see it, but she could tell Zuko was scowling at her.

Zuko was dawned with his mask once more. Over the many months, the Blue Spirit, for him at least, was no longer just a persona to hide his identity. It became a part of him, a companion that stood by his side. No different than the Kyoshi warriors that would call him family. "Too bad I don't have an extra one for you," Zuko shot back, which only made her laugh.

"Oh please, Zuzu, we all know I have all the looks in the family," Azula smirked. "Now, are you going to accept my previous offer?" she asked humouring the idea, though she could tell how his body tensed with his hand near the sword on his belt. She knew already how they were going to settle things.

"What do you think?" he retorted as he slowly lifted his hands as flames began to ignite at the sides of his palm. Azula rolled her eyes unimpressed seeing his fire daggers.

"Well, I suppose you never do learn from your mistakes," she said smugly remembering all the times they've danced like this. "Come now Zuzu let's finish this," she said before bolting straight at him. Her clawed fingernails went for his throat. A small spark of blue flame licked across her fingertips. Zuko managed at the last second to pull his head back, her fingers barely touching his jugular.

Zuko quickly stepped back again as she made another swipe for his throat. She wanted to end this quickly, for she had more pressing things to deal with. Her killing her older brother was just an afterthought. Zuko on the other hand wasn't gonna make this easy for her. As she made a third swipe for his head Zuko ducked down and swung his leg, delivering a kick right to Azula's chest. A blast of fire erupted launching her back several feet.

Azula's eyes narrowed as Zuko managed to land a hit on her. Her nostrils flared in annoyance as she saw him advancing toward her. Zuko swiped and slashed with his flaming daggers each slash cutting through the air with ferocity. Azula too dodged and weaved under each strike they both now exchanging blows. The red flames danced with blue as they swirled around each other.

Their speed and agility matched blow for blow. Each time Azula thought she could get the upper hand. She was irritated to see her brother holding his own. Even as she got some distance from him and she began barraging him with balls of fire, he held his own. She watched as he stood his ground taking all she gave him and was unmoving. This only enraged the usually calm Princess and her fire got even more intense with her fury.

Their battle got even more violent as the blasts shook the earth. Corridors were reduced to rubble as they battled through the catacombs. "Is that the best you got?" Zuko mocked. Even though he felt the sweat dripping down his brow and his breath grew ragged, because of his mask it didn't show. Which only infuriated Azula as she couldn't see her brother's face falter.

"Oh, I will show you my best!" Azula roared as she kicked off her feet, a jet's of blue flames rocketed her through the air and she tackled Zuko. They burst through walls as he tried to shield himself. They then erupted through the catacomb walls and entered the massive central chamber.

Zuko fell back crashing onto the floor and rolling across the rough damp stone. While Azula cushioned her fall with her fire jets landing gracefully. Zuko groaned from the impact his body ached. He let out a strained cough trying to get to his feet. "Not so cocky now," Azula chuckled seeing her brother struggling to stand as her arm extended out with a blue ball of fire igniting in her palm. "Goodbye, Zuzu."

Zuko's body flinched for a brief moment preparing himself for the heat of her fire. But the heat never came. Instead, his eyes went wide in surprise as he saw a tendril of water was now coiled around Azula's arm. "What the!?" Azula too was shocked feeling the cool water restrict and tighten around her arm extinguishing her fire. Her eyes darted to the side seeing a familiar water bender holding her in place.

Katara and Aang had seen the explosion as they were trying to make their escape. Seeing the masked figure and Azula crashing down into the room. Aang immediately recognized the Blue Spirit as none other than Zuko himself. Knowing they had to help they rushed over. Katara summoned water from the large water pools to restrain the Fire Princess. "Oh look Zuzu guess this is another fight you can't win on your own," Azula chided as she looked down at Zuko the water still holding her in place.

"Zuko you okay?" Aang rushed over to Zuko's side helping the fire bender to his feet. Zuko flinched for a moment at his touch but accepted the Avatar's help.

"I'm fine Avatar," Zuko replied as he got back on his feet. He let out an annoyed sigh as he was helped up by the very person he was meant to be hunting.

"Oh don't think you'll be getting away from me that easy!" Azula said through gritted teeth as a blue light ignited in her hand as the water around her bubbled before bursting into steam. Azula blasted out of her watery restraints and launched into a vicious attack, blasting fire bolts at Zuko and Aang.

Both on instinct Zuko summoned a shield of fire while Aang erected a wall of stone. But both protections were annihilated by Azula's attack. They both got forced back by the explosion. Their feet skidded across the ground as they stood firm.

Katara used her waterbending to send a wave crashing toward Azula. But she bated it away effortlessly, vaporizing the water with fire. She then used the mist from the vapor as cover for a brief moment to leap away. Azula landed on a crystal structure to rain fire from above.

Together, Aang and Katara used their waterbending to shield them from the bombardment. Zuko used the distraction to unleash his own fire, blasting at his sister. Annoyed she leaped to a stone pillar dodging her brother's attacks. She became more defensive as Aang commanded the very earth beneath her crumbling the stone pillars that she tried to use for cover.

Every time Azula got an opening to attack. Katara or Aang would shield or restrain her opening her up to Zuko's assault. She had to admit to herself that she couldn't handle all three of them like this. They weren't in sync completely but they were working together enough to make her feel winded. She couldn't do this alone.

As if on cue while Aang charged at Azula, him rushing at her coated in an armor of crystal. The Dai Li swooped in. One agent jumped in front of Aang sending him flying and crashing to the ground. As more agents began to appear, all of them became surrounded.

Even Aang was overwhelmed by the Dai Li coming in from all sides. With the new reinforcements, the tide of battle began to change. Azula went toe to toe with the Avatar, while the Dai Li distracted the water bender and her brother. Aang was repeatedly blasted off his feet and thrown through the underground buildings. Azula got more relentless her rage fueling her power. "Time to end this once and for all," Azula muttered as lightning began to spark from her fingers.

Time seemed to slow as the crackling sparks of electricity filled the air, enveloping the tense atmosphere. Zuko couldn't comprehend what was driving him, but he felt his body moving instinctively. Pushing himself forward toward the Avatar's side. With a surge of fire beneath his feet, he launched himself through the air, effortlessly repelling the Dai Li agents blocking his path.

Across the battlefield, Azula's face twisted into a sinister grin as her fingertips tingled with the spark of the cold-blooded fire. The coursing electricity within her filled her with an exhilarating rush. Just as she took aim at Aang, a figure emerged in her path.

In the blink of an eye, a bolt of lightning leaped from her fingertips, hurtling straight toward Zuko. Every grueling day of training under Iroh prepared him for this very moment. Zuko felt a surge of determination as he extended his own fingers, concentrating the electric energy into a focused point. Suddenly, a surge of intense pain coursed through his arm, as if needles and flames seared through his veins. Roaring in agony, Zuko channeled the lightning down his arm, focusing the energy into his stomach.

Aang watched in awe as the man who had relentlessly pursued him for almost half a year now stood before him, defending and saving him. But he also witnessed the overwhelming power threatening to consume the Banished Prince.

Struggling to contain the immense energy, Zuko attempted to guide the lightning up through his body, but it proved too overwhelming. It felt as if his insides were ablaze, a haunting reminder of his past scars. Collapsing to his knees, Zuko released the lightning, which harmlessly crashed into the ceiling above, striking no one.

Azula smirked as she watched her brother struck down by her bolt of lightning. Watching as his body fell limp. "You were always a fool Zuzu, and looks like you die fool," she said as a trail of smoke flicked across her fingertips. The sight of his sister striding over to him was the last thing he saw as his vision grew dim and he was consumed by darkness.

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