Aang gazed out at the battlements assembled below him. Unfortunately the Fire Nation hadn't surrendered, even after the alliance of Earth, Air, and Water had revealed his existence as a fully realized Avatar. He had even demonstrated his prowess, using the Avatar State to freeze entire fleets of ships in the ocean. Aang demanded that the prisoners be treated fairly and humanely, though, and even visited some of the prisons personally to ensure that they weren't being abused.
Fire Lord Sozin was a stubborn fool. The Fire Nation's military might surpassed the other nations by far, considering that they had decades secretly preparing for war, and then the decade after Roku's death blatantly doing so. In the end though, their naval might was nothing compared to the combined force of the Water Tribes and the Avatar State. Aang focused on preventing the Fire Nation ships from reaching the Earth Kingdoms, because even though the Fire Nation Army was very powerful, it hadn't reached a point yet where it was self-sustainable. With its supply line cut off it had been facing war on all fronts with no way of replenishing troops. The Earth Kingdom armies and the somewhat organized Air Nomad warriors (the thought still sickened Aang) made easy work of them. Within a couple months the weary troops surrendered unconditionally.
That meant the theater of the war shifted dramatically. Suddenly the warfront was at the Fire Nation, and although open warfare hadn't broken out there it was merely a matter of time. The Fire Nation still had a huge army and navy in their homeland, and so the prospect going on the offensive was unappealing. As midsummer approached the war was at a tense stalemate.
There was no way that Fire Lord Sozin could win the war anymore, not the way things currently stood, but he was determined not to lose it either. His lack of surrender meant that the Alliance (the common people tended to refer to the combined peoples of Air, Water, and Earth as such) had to resort to its backup plan: the eclipse.
Sozin was a very old man, but he had only one legitimate heir. His first wife had been barren, and despite his advisors insisting otherwise, he loved her too much to have her beheaded so that he could marry another woman. He had many illegitimate children but none had a true claim to the throne, except Azulon. Sozin's wife died of old age a few years after Roku's death, and he married a young firebender who was quite fertile. Azulon, the product of this marriage, was only four years old though.
If Sozin died, Azulon would automatically become the Fire Lord through the line of succession, and until he was older a regent would rule in his place. The plan was for a team to assassinate Sozin during the eclipse and install a regent. Some scholar had dug up an old law that stated that during times of war the Avatar could name a regent for the Fire Lord. Apparently during the last civil war in the Fire Nation there was a fear that the opposing faction would try to set up a regent for the child Fire Lord, and the Avatar at that time had been an ally of the loyalist faction. The law had never been implemented, but it was still valid, and would give legitimacy to Azulon's regent.
Not just anyone could kill a Fire Lord though. For any person to kill the Fire Lord would be an unquestioned act of war, and even with the legitimate rein and regent, the war would only escalate. Only Aang, only the Avatar could dispense justice. Sozin had effectively murdered Avatar Roku, a crime punishable by death in every nation, even for kings. For the crime of murdering his past life, and in the name of preserving balance in the world, Aang could execute Fire Lord Sozin.
Needless to say he wasn't pleased with the plan. Aang had pondered using energy bending to bend Sozin's spirit as he had to Ozai, but Roku begged him not to do it. The difference between Sozin's situation and Ozai's was extreme. Ozai was a man who believed firmly in his own superiority, distaining the other nations and even his own people. He was driven only by his lust for power and his selfish desire to rule the world. Sozin was no shining ray of light; he had done many evil things in the name of world domination. Even so, he truly believed that he was doing the right thing, not only for his own people but for the entire world. Also, he was far older than Ozai had been. All of this meant that Sozin's spirit would be far, far stronger than Ozai's, and Ozai had not been a true man, but rather a product of the Spirit Quest and Aang's own mind. When he had begged his past life for some sort of hint of how to deal with the situation, the man only said, "Aang, remember that some friendships transcend lifetimes."
"It's rather impressive isn't it? The troops, I mean."
Aang looked out at the thousands of soldiers gathered below, an alliance between nations that had occurred very few times in history. He turned to Kuzon.
"Yeah," the airbender replied lamely.
"I can't believe that by this time tomorrow the war will probably be over and I'll…" Kuzon trailed off.
The older boy would be coming with Aang for two reasons. The first was that as a member of the Fire Nation his presence would make Sozin's assassination seem less like revenge and more like justice, but more importantly he was coming because after Sozin's death Aang would name him Azulon's regent. Kuzon was young but he was the only person that Aang could trust to do the job right. There were other Fire Nation defectors, but none that were as high ranking in Fire Nation nobility as Kuzon. Aang's true motivation though was Kuzon's love for his country. If anyone could rule the Fire Nation it would be Kuzon.
"It'll be alright," Aang said quietly, putting a hand on his friend and mentor's shoulder.
"It'll be alright?" Kuzon mimed incredulously, although he didn't shrug off the Avatar's hand. "I'm about to go help you assassinate the Fire Lord, and then get rewarded for it!" His face was grim, and he looked ill.
"It's nec-"
"I know that it's necessary," Kuzon breathed, cutting him off. "That's not what I came here for though. It's time to go."
Aang could see that; other sky bison were already in the air. The Air Nomads (not just the ones that called themselves warriors) were ferrying Earth Kingdom soldiers across the sea so that they could attack the capital from three fronts. The Earth Kingdom soldiers would attack by land from behind, the Air Nomads by air, and the Water Tribes by sea. The objective was to take control of the capital, but the main reason behind the attack was to pave the way for Aang.
The two benders got onto Appa silently, each lost in their own thoughts. As day turned to night, Aang spoke.
"Sleep, you're going to need your strength for tomorrow."
"The same can be said for you," Kuzon replied.
"I'll wake you up later," Aang promised.
Kuzon acquiesced and laid out his bed roll, and Aang gazed into the distance, steadying himself for the day ahead.
Everything was going as planned. The Fire Nation held onto their position stubbornly but they weren't prepared for the all-out assault that they faced. Slowly but surely they were forced to retreat into their capital. Then the eclipse occurred. At that point their defeat was inevitable, not because of the massive gains made by the Alliance, but because Aang had made it to the throne room.
Capturing the capital was important for implementing their future plans, but essentially the entire battle was merely a cover for Aang and Kuzon to use to slip into the heart of the palace. Once the eclipse hit it was child's play for Aang to bury the Fire Lord's guards and advisors into the earth, and capture Sozin himself. Bao would be happy, the Avatar thought grimly. Not only had they captured the Fire Lord but also all of the commanding Generals and Admirals.
"So, you've come to kill me then, Avatar?" Sozin spat. His entire visage screamed of defiance, and if it weren't for the spark of terror in his eyes Aang would have thought he was walking into a trap.
He shook his head. "It doesn't have to be like that, Fire Lord. Surrender now and we can right the great evil that you've unleashed upon the world."
"Only an airbender could be so ignorant."
Aang stared silently at the old man. It was very hard not to hate the firebender. Sozin had massacred his people and had the gall to disrespect them to his face. He pushed away the churning darkness inside of him, begging him to strike the Fire Lord down immediately. Aang had a weapon far greater than hatred.
"Very well," he said, and swiftly moved forward.
Aang's eyes glowed as his right hand touched Sozin's forehead and his left touched the man's heart.
Images flashed before his eyes, and he knew that Sozin was seeing them as well. Two boys laughed and teased each other about the girls that they liked. Roku and Sozin. There were more images though, more lifetimes. A teenaged earthbending girl, Kyoshi, masterfully manipulated flames under the watchful gaze of her strict, but proud, mentor. A youthful Kuruk chortled heartily as he performed tricks to impress a pretty Fire Nation girl, his lover. Lives flashed by, millennia passed; they wore different faces and called each other different names. They were friends, brothers, sisters, mentors, lovers, parents, grandparents, and more. One thing remained the same though: they always stood by each other. Finally the whirl of memories slowed, and the final one took the forefront.
"Do you think it's merely coincidence that you are Fire Lord while I am the Avatar?" Roku asked Sozin.
The other man looked at him in askance. Neither of their beards had become tinged with grey yet, and they had many years left before they would become enemies.
"I suppose I've never given it any though," his friend answered.
"No, it was no coincidence. You and I, our souls are linked in ways you cannot even begin to comprehend." Roku smiled fondly at his best friend. "There are some friendships that transcend all boundaries- even death."
Aang let his hands fall as the glow of the Avatar State faded from his eyes and tattoos. "You see, Sozin, what you've done? For hundreds of lifetimes we've been together; we can't escape it. We're bound together; we have been for millennia. In countless lives we have been allies- friends. Can't you feel it?"
Sozin was staring at him, a sense of horrified realization shining in his eyes.
"But Sozin, things changed when you left Roku to die on that volcano." Aang's voice broke, and when he spoke next it wasn't just him speaking. "You killed me, Sozin. Me. Your closest friend. Your brother, your sister, your lover- all this and more. If you stop now, then we can forgive you. In our next lives we'll be together again, but…" He looked at the Fire Lord imploringly. "You must realize what it means, if you kill me here, if you kill me again. Our souls… they remember. If you kill me then thousands of years of friendship, of love, will end. Our souls will only remember our hatred, and that you are my enemy."
Aang lowered his hands, and Sozin's bonds of earth crumbled. The Avatar's head fell. "Sozin I cannot bear to be the one to end us. I will not kill you," he said decisively. Aang could feel the sun slowly returning, bringing him strength, and he was sure that Sozin could feel it too. "So do what you will, but remember what I've told you."
Sozin's face was unreadable, the emotion in his eyes was indescribable. Slowly, he moved his arms in circular motions that Aang recognized. "Please, my old friend," the firebender said, "Please forgive me. I'm so sorry."
Resigned, Aang shook his head. "I wish that I could deny you that, but I can't. I forgive you."
Lightning flashed, and a body hit the ground.
Aang gaped. Before him laid the charred, dead body of the former Fire Lord. The man had directed the lightning into his own body, performing an ancient form of seppuku meant to restore the lost honor of a noble firebender. Aang could hardly believe his eyes. Based on the gasps of the men behind him, neither could anyone else.
"The Fire Lord is dead. Long live Fire Lord Azulon," someone whispered.
xXxXxXx
After the eclipse, the war was over in all but name. The Alliance had captured the capital. Fire Lord Sozin was dead, and Fire Lord Azulon was put on the throne, under the guidance of Regent Kuzon. In short, the country was under the control of those sympathetic to peace. What's more, they had captured all of the great admirals and generals of the Fire Nation. In short time the rogue forces acceded to Kuzon's rule, most by recognition of his authority, but some by force.
If Aang had killed Sozin, there would have been more trouble. Even though he would have been justified, there still would have been people trying to avenge his death. Because the Fire Lord had committed an honorable suicide, with many trusted Fire Nation citizens as witness, his nation felt the dishonor of his previous actions. Their Fire Lord had murdered an Avatar and unprovoked waged war against the world, almost committing genocide. In the end, he had ended his own life to repent for his sins, and for theirs.
The war was over. There was still so much left to be done. The Fire Nation needed to be practically rebuilt. Though it hadn't sustained much physical damage, Kuzon would have his hands full reforming the nobility and keeping them from resuming the war. The army would have to be disbanded, but he also needed to keep his nation safe from angry people- even if they were justified- who would demand reparations and punishments. Aang would have to deal with the Air Nomads who had forsaken their teachings, and help keep the world from falling out of balance if the other nations wanted to continue their attacks on the Fire Nation out of hatred and fear.
All of this was heavy on his mind as he sat before Avatar Roku. "Please tell me that you came here to congratulate me on doing an awesome job of fixing everything, and not because this was all some big test."
"No Aang, you really have ended the war this time, but I didn't bring you here to congratulate you," Roku said. Aang wanted to scream, but he had learned long ago that his destiny was never through with him. "I brought you here to thank you."
Aang started, surprised. Well, that was much better than he had hoped for. "Thank me?"
"For fixing my mistakes. But most importantly, I want to thank you for bringing my friend back to me."
Aang smiled. "It was my pleasure, Avatar Roku."
The old man looked down at him fondly. For the first time he didn't seem like he was much, much wiser or stronger than Aang. Roku was looking at him like he was his equal.
"You have become a great man, and a great Avatar Aang. The world is lucky to have you."
There was so much more that needed to be done, and he knew that his duty would never truly be over, not even when he died. Even so, for the first time in a long time, Aang was at peace.
Living for a hundred years, Avatar Aang spent most of his life attempting to fix the bridge between the Air Nomads and Fire Nation. He did so to his absolute best, and one could argue that the two nations are closer than they ever had been at any point in history.
The only problem was the slight neglect of the budding issues between the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes. Something he'd have to fix in the next life.