Prince Zuko didn't feel like going to a feast, but that was exactly what his grandfather had called; even though it had nearly been a year since his uncle's victory in Ba Sing Se, the Dragon of the West had only just returned to the capital, and now, he was going to be showered in applause for his achievements by the Fire Nation's rich and powerful. Even if Iroh liked parties and having fun, the circumstances were the worst possible; it would be as if there had been a celebration called by the Fire Lord after his sister's birth, given their mother had died giving birth to her.
Azula, who was walking down the hall beside him, equally dressed and prepared for the feast, seemed more than a little uneasy, and he knew exactly why. Though she didn't like to show her emotions, she was no Mai; he could see right through that face of hers, and could tell she was thinking about their uncle and cousin, who they both wished had come back with Iroh. She noticed his eyes turning her way, and she sparked a torch on her left hand, warning him to stop, which he did; he turned his eyes ahead instead, eyeing the Imperial Firebenders who were escorting them and their father to the function hall, which was a long room with a number of large tables, as well as a small throne for the Fire Lord to sit on.
As they approached the doors inside, their father stepped over to speak with a man Zuko didn't recognise, though from his attire he knew he was a military officer; he gestured towards the doors, indicating for his two children to continue onward. Without a word, they did just that, and were led by the Imperial Firebenders along past the tables where he could see numerous people sitting; though he didn't recognise many of them, he did notice that Mai's parents were there, though he couldn't see the girl herself. He assumed that she probably wasn't invited, given that children didn't usually go to feasts, other than members of the royal family, like them.
When the came towards the large, ornate table in front of the Fire Lord's small throne, he noted that neither his grandfather or uncle were there, meaning that he and Azula would be stuck there alone for the meantime. Zuko had a feeling that the Fire Lord was going to make his son take a proper entrance, where he'd receive the salutations afforded to him; being the Crown Prince and the nation's hero got him that much, even if he couldn't refuse the feast in the first place. When they were led to the table, he looked at his sister for a moment, before his seat was pulled out by one of the servants; they both sat themselves down, and Zuko eyed down towards the tables where everyone else was sitting, chatting amongst themselves quietly.
"This is going to be boring." Azula spoke her mind rather abruptly, his eyes moving to meet hers, "What?"
"Boring... uh, that's not what I was thinking." he conceded, knowing that there was a far stronger emotion he was feeling than mere boredom.
Her expression shifted after a few moments, realising what he was referring to, before she turned her eyes away, and began lightly tapping on the table with her fingers, "Why would grandfather want this? Uncle was already welcomed at the port." she explained, and Zuko narrowed his eyes, unsure if he ought to say what he was thinking; his grandfather just wanted to boast, because that was all he really liked to do- that and chide him, Azula or their father for doing anything he didn't like.
"Maybe he wants to celebrate with uncle himself." he lied, not wanting to say what he had actually thought; Azula seemed to have seen straight through his words, and scoffed at him, before turning her eyes back down the hall, towards where they had left their father.
"I doubt that." she mumbled, and he let out a sigh.
"Yeah, I do too." he conceded, before his attention was drawn away as a servant approached them.
"Your highnesses, would you like water?" he asked them, and Zuko nodded, letting the servant pour him some cool water, before he watched as Azula received the same.
He sipped from his cup, enjoying the refreshing taste of the liquid, just glad that it could soothe him when nothing else would; his uncle wasn't there, and as his father came along with his own guards, he knew that Iroh might not be there for a while. They both averted their gazes as Ozai approached, sitting himself down across from them, sitting in front of Azula; he cleared his throat, and gestured for the servant to approach. Once he got his own water, he eyed his two children, seeming slightly concerned, if only for a moment by their dour expressions.
"Heads up." he suggested, "I won't have you looking bored when the Fire Lord comes in here." he warned them, the two complying and straightening their postures, momentarily eyeing each other to compare before looking back at their father.
Zuko didn't know if he ought to say anything, but he was wise enough to avoid speaking when his father might chide him. Small talk was something none of them were good at, so it made it all the more awkward as they sat there for a good minute, drinking their water as they waited for Iroh and Azulon.
When the doors into the hall were pushed wide open, everyone's attention was drawn that way, bearing witness to the elderly Fire Lord as he stepped inside, flanked by his Imperial Firebenders. He raised his arms up to address the guests, his form somehow intimidating despite his wiry build.
"Give your respects to the Crown Prince of our nation, my son, Iroh." he effectively ordered everyone in the room, who rose from their seats, including Zuko and his family.
He watched with interest as he bowed his head, noting his uncle in the corner of his eye. He was wearing his formal robes, a far cry from the dirty armour he imagined he was more used to. They bowed for a good few seconds, and Zuko noticed the barely contained snarl on his father's face. He thought that he spited his sister for all her great skill as a firebender, but that was nothing compared to his father's jealousy towards Iroh. He had learnt not to question him, or comment on his emotions, as that would only get him a berating, and if he was unlucky, a beating. Zuko and his sister were smart enough to just ignore him, and kept straight faces as their grandfather and uncle approached.
What he immediately noticed was the look on his uncle's face. He felt no pride in his status, perhaps only longing for his son; knowing that he missed Lu Ten far more than Zuko himself, he couldn't help but feel saddened by that fact. As Iroh came up to take his seat, he eyed his closest relatives for a few moments, and made a small smile at his niece and nephew. Maybe he already knew that Ozai was fuming, and understood the awkwardness of their present situation. Whatever the case, when he sat down, his attention was drawn up to his father, who was ready to give his speech.
"You are all here today to bear witness to my son's victory over the Earth Kingdom." he spoke up, "It has taken our nation my whole life to reach this point, and we have my son to thank for that. His hard labour, of nearly two years, fighting the enemy... finally overcoming the great walls that none had done before. He has returned home the victorious General he was always meant to be, and I, and all of you, we should hold great pride in his achievement."
Iroh nodded at his father, his tense face not softening for even a moment; the Fire Lord raised his hands up, deciding to continue his proclamation, "Now, we sit here, far from that bloodshed and battle, with the peace my father had always wanted to build. Fire Lord Sozin's dream is finally complete, thanks to you, Prince Iroh."
The Dragon of the West, who ought to be looking exhilarated in his moment of glory, only seemed to be anguished by the eyes that were on him; Zuko cringed at the sight, wishing that the feast had never happened to begin with, knowing that his uncle would have just preferred to go without. But it seemed certain that the Fire Lord would not be refused, and with that, they were condemned to sit through it.
"Thank you, Father." he muttered softly, the Fire Lord raising a brow before he gestured to him.
"Do you have anything to say?" he asked, and Iroh suddenly rose to his feet, his expression shifting to one of confidence for just a moment.
"To the Fire Nation!" he proclaimed as he raised a flask of rice wine in his right hand, the guests cheering him on with claps and their own drinks.
It seemed that Iroh had his solution in hand, as he sculled down much of the flask, before he sat himself back down; his expression quickly returned to a near snarl as he sighed, wiping the alcohol from his lips.
"Brother, was that really necessary?" Ozai questioned him quietly, seeming almost offended by his behaviour.
"And what, you don't drink?" he quipped back at him, "I didn't think you were that heartless, Ozai."
The now agitated Prince snapped his finger, having one of the servants on duty pour him some rice wine, before he drunk it calmly, though he quickly went through the cup.
"I do." he confirmed as he wiped the liquid from his lips.
"Can we taste the rice wine, Father?" Azula dared to ask him, and he raised a hand, gesturing towards her face.
"You are far too young for it." he refused her, making the Princess scrunch her lips up; Zuko, on the other hand, didn't want anything to do with the drink, knowing that there was only one reason his uncle had taken it.
He just wanted to alleviate his emotions by masking them with some alcohol; he'd seen his uncle drink before, back at other feasts, but it was always to socialise, and never just for the sake of it. Lu Ten would always make fun of his father's drunken comments, and the Prince looked back fondly at those times.
Now, sitting silently as he awaited their meal, he couldn't help but wish the feast hadn't happened, if only to save himself from the stark reminder of what had happened to their family. He didn't have his cousin, nor his mother; only a sad uncle and an angry father, along with his annoying sister. For once, Azula didn't seem interested in making snarky comments, but simply sat there, looking at their uncle as he drank some more, seeming to understand his rationale for doing so.
"Your entrees, your highnesses." he heard a servant speak up behind them, and he watched as they were served bowls of rice along with dishes of fried meat and vegetables; it was a lot of food, but that was to be expected from a feast, and Zuko's eyes turned up to his father, seeking permission to eat.
"You may begin." he allowed him and his sister to start picking out some food for themselves.
He didn't waste any time, picking up his chopsticks so he could pick up some pieces of fried meat, putting them in his bowl; he knew that eating was a good distraction, and it would stop him thinking about his uncle. He didn't want to imagine what was going through Iroh's head, but it was easy enough for him to guess; just like Zuko himself, he didn't want to be there, and he probably was just disappointed, rather than proud, like Azulon might have imagined.
The Fire Lord just wanted to have a day to let his son bask in some glory, and though Zuko might have personally enjoyed such a position, he knew that his uncle wasn't merely being humble. Lu Ten's death weighed heavily on them all, and even if his father didn't seem to care about it, Zuko and Azula both just wished that it hadn't happened. The chance to be Fire Lord was nothing in comparison to having his cousin back.
As he ate away, he heard his uncle chuckle, "Ah, so you're hungry, Prince Zuko?" he asked him, and the Prince forced out a nod; it was better to pretend than to admit his feelings, knowing that most of what he did around his father already was acting.
"Yes, Uncle." he assured him, before continuing to eat; his eyes darted to Azula, who was also eating away, though less eagerly than him.
Surprisingly enough, despite her propensity for lying, when push came to shove, it was hard for her to hide her emotions; both of them had roles to play, and even she struggled. He didn't exactly empathise with her, knowing she got the better bargain; a great firebender, with great expectations of her. Even then, he had to act like he didn't care, like he didn't wish he had her abilities. He was stuck trying to be a good son, and a good nephew; acting happy when he was really sad, acting serious when he was really angry, and staying calm at all times, no matter how scared or anxious he might become. He knew that there were harder lives to live; just what he was told about the lives that commoners lived knew that he was lucky to be born a Prince. However, there was no luck in being born the son of Ozai.
Aang knew that he had to hurry, as the sun was already near the horizon; he had been told by Fang that he would need to reach the temple at sunset on the winter solstice. That time was fast approaching, and so was an armada of Fire Navy ships that were presumably intent on capturing him; he had a feeling that had something to do with Azula's father, and he guessed that things would only become harder now that they had to worry about even more people hunting them down. Azula had never wanted to harm him, but simply take him to her uncle; those officers, soldiers and sailors who were ready to fight, and probably hurt him and his friends, they scared him.
He didn't want to fight, just like he didn't ever want to be the Avatar; however, that was a burden he'd quickly come to understand he couldn't escape from. He tried it a hundred years ago, and he lost a hundred years; the world lost a hundred years where there could have been an Avatar to protect them. He was still frustrated at himself for what he had done, but he couldn't let it consume his mind, not when he needed to get things done.
As Appa landed on the island, his eyes immediately darted back towards the ships that were approaching them on the horizon. The Fire Navy were just as fast as them, and even if Azula and her allies would try and protect them, he knew they had to be quick; the temple wouldn't be safe for long. The trio climbed off of the sky-bison, and Aang gestured up to the sky, and he seemed to understand, rising back up into the air and coursing up, hopefully out of the range of the catapults.
Momo flew ahead as they ran towards the impressive pagoda, which looked even more amazing by the lava that sat behind it, flowing down from the billowing volcano at the centre of the island; the island was more than a little dangerous, and though he knew that things could only get more dangerous when boulders got thrown at a volcano that could just as easily start spurting out its own. As they drew closer to the temple itself, he heard the sound of whirring behind them, and he spun himself around, drawing his staff out, creating a funnel of air which sent the boulder flying their way off course, causing it to hit the ground nearby, making a large explosion of dust and rock in the process.
Sokka and Katara coughed, covering their mouths as they stepped back, and Aang forced his eyes shut, hoping that they could get inside before another boulder hit, "Go!" he shouted at his friends, not wanting them to get into any more danger than they already were.
They dashed ahead, and Aang took form, readying himself for the next boulder; eyeing ahead, he made sight of it, and spun his staff around before he conjured a gust of wind, whipping it forward to blow the boulder off its path, throwing it nearly into the nearby sea in the process. He turned around immediately, following after his friends, who had already opened the doors into the temple, and with the luck of being an airbender, he was able to hastily sprint into the temple and slam the doors shut behind himself.
He blinked a few times, readjusting to the dim light inside as he dusted himself off, and glanced around the ornate building, "Wow." he gasped, "If we weren't getting boulders thrown at us, I might wanna have a look around here."
"It might be pretty, but we're not here to look." Katara reminded him, "We need to find that room you mentioned."
"And not let the Fire Nation catch you." Sokka added, "The bad Fire Nation." he clarified for emphasis, making Aang chuckle, knowing that it was a bit weird to hear him say that after all he blabbered on about Fire Nation spies when they first met.
"Let's go. I think it's upstairs." he explained, leading his friends across the large open hall that sat in the middle of the temple, aiming to get to the hallway on the other side; he wasn't exactly certain where the stairs would be, but he knew going straight ahead was a good a guess as any.
"Stop right there." he heard the creaky voice of who he could only guess was an old man, and they all turned around to see a group of five men standing in line, wearing red robes and pointy hats, which looked a little funny in Aang's opinion, "You're the Avatar, aren't you?" the man asked, Aang realising that they had to be the sages attending to the temple.
"Yeah, that's me." he explained, before glancing around, "You're not going to hand us to the bad guys, are you?" he asked, and the men shook their heads.
"The Fire Lord gave us his commands. You are an ally of our nation, so we can serve you as we served your predecessor. He is why you are here, correct?" one of the sages asked him, and Aang nodded.
"Roku's dragon came to me when I was in the spirit world. I have to speak with him at sunset tonight... so I can figure out all this Avatar stuff." he explained what had led them to Crescent Island, and the sages nodded along.
"Well, you ought to hurry." their leader warned him, before suddenly, the building shook violently, "For two reasons." he added more quietly, before gesturing ahead of them, "Follow us. We will lead you to the chamber."
Aang nodded, and with that, the group followed after the sages, who hastily made their way down the hallway, leading them to a staircase that led up the pagoda, presumably all the way to the top; before they could even climb the stairs, the building shook once again, and Aang turned back to see that a boulder had knocked the doors apart, allowing him to see the ships outside, which were quickly approaching.
"We can't stop now." Sokka noted with an uneasy voice, before grasping him by the collar, "Come on, Aang!" he prodded him, and the young Avatar broke into a sprint, following the sages up the stairs.
"We cannot waste any time!" the head sage shouted out, "Sunset is nearly upon us." he warned them as they followed the now winding staircase up onto a higher floor.
As he made sight of the top, he realised that they weren't as far away as he had first feared, but another boulder struck the temple, and this time, it struck right underneath them, audibly ripping through the wood and stone foundations. Katara grasped at his arm frantically, realising that they were in even more danger as the floor began to crumple with no support.
"Aang, do something!" she pleaded, and he quickly jumped up, pulling her into his arms, so he could leap away from the collapsing stairs.
When they landed on the stairs once, Aang lost his footing, and they both landed flat on the staircase, only a stride away from falling down into the cavity below. He let out a groan, shaking his head before he glanced upwards, seeing Sokka offer him a hand.
"Don't just lie there." he chided him, using both his hands to lift him and Katara back to their feet, before they awkwardly returned to climbing the stairs.
The Water Tribe girl was understandably shaken from what just happened, but kept a straight face, probably more worried about the Fire Nation soldiers that would be landing on the island rather than falling trap to the building as it was ripped apart by their catapults. When they reached the top of the stairs, he could see the Fire Sages, standing in firebending forms by a large door, which reminded him instantly of the sanctuary they had visited at the Southern Air Temple, where all the Avatar statues had been lined up.
It had a special mechanism to open, which he guessed had to do with the Avatar himself; five holes mean five firebending moves at once, which he imagined only the Avatar could achieve. He watched with awe as the five men moved in synchronisation, creating fire streams which bellowed into holes, causing the mechanism to activate and open the doors up, revealing the empty chamber where only Avatar Roku's statue stood.
He stepped closer, feeling a sudden attraction to the room; he knew he had been there before, in his past life, but because he couldn't remember it, it was merely an echo in his mind, like a deja vu that had just come to him, like the name of Avatar Roku himself. He smiled, realising that he reached what he had come all the way for, and with time to spare.
"We did it." he grinned, before the building shook once more, making him glance around nervously.
"Was that the only staircase up?" he asked the Fire Sages, who shook their heads.
"No, it was not. They will be coming for you." the head sage admitted, before one of the other sages stepped closer to the young Avatar.
"We will defend you, Avatar... that is our duty."
"You can just call me Aang." he suggested, before he nodded, turning back around to face the statue, "So... do I just step inside?"
"Sit in front of the statue, and when the sunlight hits it, he will come to you." the head sage clarified, "That is how our predecessors were able to contact him, when he still lived."
He nodded, and Sokka and Katara stepped closer to him, perhaps wondering if they ought to follow, "Can they come with me?"
"They ought to not disturb you... but yes." he conceded, "It is safer in there, than out here." he warned, and with that, the trio, plus Momo, strode inside of the sanctuary, whose doors soon closed in on them, leaving them in the dimly lit room.
"So... big statue." Sokka mumbled, "Kinda like the Southern Air Temple." he made the same observation Aang had, "And, you just speak with it?"
"No, I don't think the statue will come to life." he argued, knowing that if he could reach his dragon in the Spirit World, then he ought to be able to do the same right there with Roku himself.
"Sit down." Katara suggested, "We'll just stand back." she explained, and he nodded, striding closing to the statue, before he sat himself down in front of it, his eyes darting up to the ruby that shone down onto the statue.
"I'm here... so the light hits the statue, and I talk to Roku... but why isn't anything happening?" he asked out, glancing up at the statue, thinking he might be able to talk to it.
"Maybe the light has to go somewhere specific?" Sokka suggested, and Aang eyed the statue, wondering what might come next as the light rose higher and higher on the statue, approaching its face.
"Okay..." he mumbled, "I guess I'll just wait." he conceded, before the building shook underneath them again.
"Ack!" the Water Tribe warrior exclaimed, "The Princess better deal with those ships... or I don't know how we're going to get out of here."
"Don't worry about them, Aang." Katara suggested, "Just stay still." she gave her own advice, and he nodded, before, suddenly, his attention was caught by the statue's eyes glowing.
"That's new." Sokka observed, before suddenly, a gust of wind whipped up around him, and it looked as if fog just appeared out of nowhere, quickly obscuring his friends from view, before suddenly, it dissipated, revealing not the statue, but Avatar Roku himself to standing before him, now on top of some mountain.
"It's good to see you, Aang." his past life addressed him with a warm smile, "What took you so long?"
"I'm sorry, Roku." he apologised, "I... I made a mistake."
"As did I." he acknowledged, "Don't worry, I know you have come to me to learn of your Avatar duties, I intend to help you."
"Really?" he asked, glad that was the case.
"I have something very important to tell you, Aang. That is why, when you were in the Spirit World, I sent my dragon to find you." Roku explained to him, his tone serious enough to make Aang step closer.
"Is it about that vision? The one of the comet?" he asked, and the older Avatar nodded to confirm his assumptions.
"Yes."
"What does it mean?" he asked, and Roku's eyes narrowed.
"One hundred years ago, Fire Lord Sozin used that comet to begin the War. He and his firebending army harnessed its incredible power, and dealt a deadly first strike against the other nations."
"So, the comet made them stronger?" he asked, and Roku nodded once again.
"Yes. Stronger than you could even imagine."
"But that happened a hundred years ago. What does the comet have to do with the War now?" he asked, and Roku stepped closer, his serious expression not faltering for a second.
"Listen carefully. Sozin's Comet will return by the end of this summer, and Prince Ozai will use its power to finish the War, once and for all. He will not stop until he can use that comet, and he will use it against his enemies, both in the Fire Nation, and the Earth Kingdom. If he succeeds, even the Avatar won't be able to restore balance to the world. Aang, you must defeat him, before the comet arrives."
"But... how can he even do that? Azula's going to stop him!" he argued, knowing that the Princess had the means and knowledge to fight her father, and with the Fire Lord's help, he knew they could stop him together.
"Prince Ozai will not stop his crusade against the other nations, no matter what others might do to try and stop him. You must master the elements before the comet arrives, and defeat him." he warned him, and the young Avatar grimaced, his heart beating wildly as he imagined what might happen if the comet did come, and Ozai was free to wage war on the other nations.
"I haven't even started learning waterbending! Note to mention earth and fire!" he exclaimed, knowing that the task he faced was practically insurmountable; airbending was easy to master, relatively, but that took him all his life so far, so the other elements wouldn't just be a few weeks practicing forms- he'd need to spend all the time he could muster.
"Mastering the elements takes years of discipline and practice, but if the world is to survive, you must do it by summer's end." he stressed the point once more.
"What..." he mumbled, realising that time limit was not something he was ready to deal with; even if he already knew who his firebending master would be, that didn't make it any easier to find somebody to teach him waterbending, or earthbending at that, "What if I can't master all the elements in time? What if I fail?"
"I know you can do it." he reassured him, "For you have done it before." he stressed a fact that Aang hadn't really thought of until then; he had lived all his lives before, and mastered the elements all those times- it couldn't be impossible.
"The solstice is ending. We must go our separate ways." Roku noted, and Aang looked around, realising that he would be back in the temple, facing the invading Fire Nation soldiers; he knew Azula and the others couldn't be far behind, but he didn't know if he was ready.
"But I won't be able to come back to the temple. What if I have questions? How will I talk to you?"
"I am part of you. When you need to talk to me again, you will find a way." he explained, before closing his eyes, and Aang felt compelled to do the same, suddenly able to see what he would be facing on the island; a dozen Fire Navy ships moving in to land, and others surrounding them, Aang spotting out Azula's distinctive ship among them, "A great danger awaits you at the temple." he warned him, before showing him the soldiers that were entering the temple as they spoke, climbing the stairs to the very room he was inside of, "I can help you face the threat, but only if you are ready."
Aang opened his eyes, and felt an overwhelming power in himself, which he knew he always had; he was the Avatar, after all, but now, he could really feel it; it wasn't like at the Southern Air Temple- there was control, and even if he wasn't the one who could wield that power, he was sure Roku could.
"I'm ready."
Three minutes earlier...
Upon feeling the ship shake beneath her feet, Princess Azula cringed for a moment, forced to grab a hold of the wall before she fell flat on her face; eyeing down the hallway towards the rear of her ship, she knew that she had to hurry; it was only a matter of time before Aang and his friends were cornered in the temple, and she had ordered the sailors to ready the steamer, and for her Imperial Firebenders to board it at once. She turned around and grasped Ty Lee's wrist, staring her friend down for a second before they both broke into a sprint once more, making their way towards the door at the end of the hallway.
"We can't waste anymore time!" she shouted at her friend, unable to remain calm with the threat of Aang being captured a real possibility.
No matter if her father could be caught or not, if his cronies got their hands on the Avatar, it would make it all the more challenging for her uncle to win what looked like the beginnings of a civil war, without the Avatar to mediate between them and their opponents in the Earth Kingdom who had no reason to trust him.
Even if the battle around them had nothing to do with that specific aim of peace, it would affect it greatly, and when Azula kicked the door open, all she could do was shout, "Everyone, get aboard!" she ordered the guards who had mustered around the rear of the ship, momentarily glancing around to notice that their own ship was being surrounded by enemy vessels.
Everyone hastily climbed aboard, and she eyed the sailors who were handling the mechanisms to lower the steamer, "Drop us, now!" she shouted once more, and with that, they pulled some levers, causing the small boat to drop down into the seawater below.
Though the rocking was harsh, she had a strong grip on the railing as she eyed the temple in the distance, "Engines on! We're getting to that temple!" she gave another order, and after a few moments of checking the levers and small steam engine that sat at the back of the ship, the pilot of the steamer dropped his hand, and ordered his men to set the ship into motion.
Though it was slow at first, the ship began to move hastily towards the shoreline, moving so fast that it jumped over the wave crests, causing the ship to tilt upwards at the bow as it rocked with each wave it crossed. Ty Lee grabbed her hand to keep her own footing, and the Princess remained standing as most of the others sat down where they could; she kept her eyes focused on the temple, watching as enemy ships continued to bombard the structure with their catapults. All those inside were clearly in danger, and though she expected Zhao's armada to disable the enemy ships, that didn't mean that the Avatar and his friends would be safe from those who had already come ashore on their own steamers.
"Azula." she heard her friend's voice over the loud humming of the engine and the crashing of waves beneath them, "What are we going to do if they catch Aang?"
"Make sure they can't escape." she gave her answer bluntly, "They won't escape." she narrowed her eyes at the shoreline, eyeing the four steamers directly ahead of them, already moored on the black shoreline.
The volcano the temple sat nearby was a reasonable danger to everyone landing on the island, but she knew that there was something far more dangerous than the volcano itself waiting for her enemies. The Avatar had powers that he himself had little knowledge or control over, but she knew of them well enough, from what her grandfather's notes told her, as well as what her uncle told her of Avatar Roku's death. He died on a volcanic island, not too dissimilar to the one she was about to land on, yet, he and Fire Lord Sozin were the only ones capable of dealing with an eruption, even if they ultimately failed; that told her that if somebody wanted to use the volcano to their advantage, it'd be the Avatar himself.
"Get ready!" she shouted out to her guards, who after having to deal with their ship being bombarded and the rush to the steamer, were perhaps as psyched up as herself to deal with the battle they were about to face, "Show no mercy. These men are traitors to our nation, and to their Fire Lord." she gave the order that she never imagined she would have to give when leading men; the Fire Nation's fall from grace, as she saw it, was pitiful, and she was on the course to correct that, one fight at a time.
As they drew closer to the rocky shoreline, she watched as the guards readied themselves into form, and she did the same, eyeing the enemy soldiers that were climbing up the slope towards the temple; her eyes turned to Ty Lee, and she narrowed them at her, wondering if she was prepared to fight.
"Ready?" she simply asked her friend, who didn't speak, rising from the seat she had been sitting in as the steamer slowed down.
Azula then turned herself around, stepping out of the cover of the steamer's roof so she could send a fire stream out towards the advancing soldiers, the blue mass of flames coursing ahead, and catching all of their attention. The better her distraction, the more time Aang and his friends would have to escape, and thus, force the enemy to withdraw if they intended to pursue the Avatar; when they tried that, they would already been surrounded, and she would force them to surrender, and if they didn't, Zhao's catapults certainly would be more persuasive than any words.
Thee enemy soldiers scattered to avoid getting hit by her flames, and once she was done bending them, she raced ahead, leaping off of the bow of the ship into the shallow water; once she landed, Azula dashed towards the rocky shoreline, eyeing the dozen or so soldiers that were still trying to get out of their own steamer. When they turned to fight her, they not only were facing her, but Ty Lee, along with all of her Imperial Firebenders, who shot out a flurry of attacks, quickly disabling most of the soldiers. Those that were fast enough to create fire shields didn't stand much of a chance against her friend's chi-blocking, and after that, the quick succession of fire bolts she shot out, knocking each soldier in the head.
"Move uphill!" she pointed towards the temple, and her guards immediately heeded her command, the Princess turning her eyes around back towards the bay, noting a pair of ships that were trying to engage with her own; she hoped that she just had a ship to come back to, but even then, that wasn't what truly worried her.
Azula didn't waste anymore time, knowing that the only way to ensure victory was through action; she ran behind her guards, knowing that they would protect her from any of the soldiers foolish enough to try and attack her, and watched as they moved into form, probably thinking they could stop her from reaching the temple. They were sorely mistakened, finding themselves bombarded with a flurry of fireballs, fire streams, and fire whips, the last of those used to grapple some of them and pull them to the ground, breaking their defensives line, which gave Azula and Ty Lee the opportunity to dash ahead.
Suddenly, however, before she could try to attack the soldiers, a bright flash of light appeared above them, and she realised it had come from inside the temple. Before she could even try to react to that, the ground shook beneath her feet violently, and her eyes widened, realising what was about to happen. She tensed her stance as the soldiers she had aimed to attack moved to surround her and Ty Lee, though they were clearly concerned by the shaking, as was her friend.
"Azula... is that the volcano?" she asked her nervously, and the Princess' eyes darted up to the peak of the volcano, which continued to billow smoke; she knew that the volcano might erupt if enough damage was done on the island, but that was not what she imagined had caused the shaking she just felt.
"Not exactly." she conceded, before suddenly, a massive blast of fire created a hole in the roof of the pagoda, making the Princess tense up.
She was sure Aang was the one who created it, though she doubted he had any control over that matter; if anything was going to get him into the Avatar State, it was being surrounded by dozens of Fire Nation soldiers set on capturing him. She then felt the ground shake, and this time, it was the volcano that went off, blasting out some smoke, ash and lava, though the explosion was rather unimpressive. What was more impressive was the massive spurt of lava that came out of the temple's roof, obviously just having ripped through the entire structure; she watched as soldiers frantically ran out of the temple's entrance out onto the causeway, presumably realising their attempts to capture the Avatar were futile.
"By the spirits!" one of her guards exclaimed, turning to face his superior at once, "Your highness, it can't be safe here. Whatever's happening, lava will be coming our way." he warned her, and the Princess nodded, having understood that from witnessing the abrupt eruption of the volcano.
"We should get back on the steamer, Azula." Ty Lee warned her, grabbing her arm to try and prod her into action; she wasn't going to flee just yet, even if it was inevitable that she would do so.
"We cannot fit prisoners on our steamer, your highness." another guard warned her, the Princess scoffing at the suggestion.
"We're not here for prisoners, we're here to teach my father a lesson." she declared, before she spun her fingers around, gathering her chi at her fingertips before she let a lightning bolt loose at the rear of one of the enemy steamers, causing its engine to explode.
"Ack!" her friend cried out, "What was that for?"
"Destroy all the engines, attack anyone who tries to get aboard. They're not leaving." she ordered her guards, who immediately heeded her command; Azula spun herself around, and shot out another fire stream towards the slope, where she could see soldiers running down, clearly afraid of the lava that was pouring down from both the temple and the volcano itself.
She spun herself around, rushing towards one of the steamers, which some of the soldiers were trying to return to; she shot a number of fire bolts at the chimney, forcing it to break in on itself, before she spun her fingers around once more. While she created another lightning bolt, the Imperial Firebenders, furiously firebent at the fleeing soldiers, knocking many of them over and burning those who couldn't defend themselves with firebending. The lightning bolt was released, and the engine exploded upon making contact with the powerful blast of electrical energy.
Azula then moved back into a defensive form as the remaining soldiers rushed their way, trying to surround her and her men; she shot out a flurry of fireballs, hitting their extremities in an attempt to ward them off while her guards knocked them out, though their numbers made them a challenge to handle. She was forced to move into a huddle with her men, who created walls of flames around them, holding the enemy off, if only for a few moments.
She took a deep breath, regathering herself after expending her energies on two lightning bolt, and sensed through the flames, knowing where her enemies stood by sensing their flames coursing into the wall of flames, attempting to rip it apart by forcing the flames back onto her guards. She then reached forward, grasping all the flames around her that she could, and bent them up into the sky above them, coiling up into a tornado of flames, which flew outwards, knocking the enemy soldiers back.
When the flames dissipated, she glanced around, and saw that the soldiers were recovering from her attack, allowing her Imperial Firebenders to quickly take most of them out, and Ty Lee got in on the action as well, chi-blocking a few men and throwing them into their comrades, forming small piles of disabled soldiers. She smirked at the sight, but her attention was drawn up to the temple, where she could see a glowing figure by the hole in the roof, creating a massive fire stream which showered down and struck a nearby frigate, the flames blasting the catapults on the deck apart.
She blinked a few times, watching as the flames receded, and realised that the glowing blue figure wasn't Aang, as she had expected, but Avatar Roku himself, who must have somehow apparated due to the effects of winter solstice. She felt a chill down her spine watching as a long dead man created another massive fire stream, striking another enemy ship; knowing that very power was the origin of her own made her feel so pitifully weak in comparison, but that did not stop her from feeling awe in witnessing her ancestor's power.
"That's... that's the Avatar." she gasped, and it was clear that the others were looking at it as well.
She turned her attention back towards the soldiers that were trying to get back to their steamers, and understood what she needed to do; she broke into a sprint, rushing across the shoreline towards the steamers, followed by her guards, who began to firebend at the soldiers, forcing them to slow down as they ran towards their steamers. The enemy returned the favour, sending out fireballs in their direction, which Azula parted away from her, the flames dissipating into thin air; as she drew closer the nearest steamer, she gathered flames in her palms, and when she reached the vessel, she shot out two fire streams, launching her onto the deck of the small ship.
Spinning herself around, she created a long arc of flames with her right foot, which flew out, striking the soldiers that were frantically trying to reach their vessel; she was forced to pull up a wall of flames as a number of fire streams were shot her way, before turning around to face those soldiers that were already on the steamer. They sent out fire whips from their palms, trying to grapple her in place, but the Princess spun her hands around in a circular motion, dissipating their attacks and turning their flames blue, causing their fire to turn on them, burning their hands as they stepped back in fear.
She heard a shout behind her from one of her guards, and she ducked, hastily dodging a fire stream aimed for her through the wall of flames she had created. She grit her teeth, kicking her left leg outwards as she jumped back up, creating a fire stream which struck down a few soldiers behind her, while she created a fire whip in her right hand, grappling one of the men in front of her by the leg, throwing him down onto the deck, and into one of his comrades. She then shot out a volley of fireballs, knocking those soldiers remaining standing to the ground, before she leapt onto the roof of the steamer, eyeing the engine as she decided to destroy it.
She maintained a safe distance as she spun her fingers around, feeling the sparks gather around her fingertips, before sending a lightning bolt into the engine, causing it to blast apart and bellow out smoke from all angles as its chimney was ripped apart. The Princess' attention was then drawn to a new steamer approaching the shoreline, though from its flag, she could tell that it was one of Zhao's, and quickly enough, she spotted the Commander himself at the helm with a look of shock on his face.
She realised immediately it wasn't her he was amazed by, but by the Avatar's power, which had been on full display around them as Roku destroyed the enemy's catapults and the very temple itself. When some more soldiers tried to climb aboard, probably thinking foolishly that they'd even have a chance to escape; the Princess shook her head, just wanting the fight to be over with. When they charged at her, she spun her foot around, creating an arc of flames which pelted out, throwing them back before she charged a fire bolt on her right heel, releasing it as she did a frontflip so over the top she knew she must have made Ty Lee proud.
Landing back on her own two feet, she pursed her lips proudly, "Perfect as ever." she described her own feat, before leaping down at the shocked soldiers pelting them once more with two arcs of fire which she used to throw them back.
They stumbled, and with a flurry of small fireballs, they fell, leaving Azula to stand triumphant on the deck of the steamer as her guards dealt with the rest of the men on the ground. She eyed up the hillslope towards the temple, noting a few men dressed in familiar red robes running down the causeway from the collapsing temple, and upon darting her eyes up said structure, recognised Appa's white fur as the sky-bison flew towards the roof, where the Avatar and his friends were able to climb aboard, and subsequently, away from the temple as it began to fall apart and sink into the lava that had erupted underneath.
"I would say this suffices as a victory." she observed as she approached the bow of the ship, Ty Lee glancing up to look her way, seeming still shocked by the turn of events.
"Did you expect that?" she asked, and the Princess shook her head.
"I thought he'd be speaking with Roku, not becoming him." she conceded, before eyeing the sky-bison as it flew away, "And now, their prize is gone."
She watched as the remaining soldiers cowered at the might of her men, and seemed to understand the futility of their actions as Zhao's men climbed off their own steamer and ran ashore, reinforcing her own men against whatever soldiers remained on the island.
"Surrender!" she heard the Commander shout, "Now, you know the true power of your enemy, you might think twice about facing them in battle." he warned them, or rather, mocked their efforts to capture the Avatar.
"There's no need to gloat, Commander." she addressed him as she climbed off of the disabled steamer to eye the surrendering soldiers, "We are victorious."
"I hadn't expected you would come ashore so eagerly, your highness." he admitted, before smirking, "But it is clear that your efforts have assured these men had no chance of escape."
"We cannot let my father think he will get away with his treachery." she stated the reason for them even fighting in the first place, "Don't you agree, Commander?"
"Anyone who stands in the way of our victory is a traitor." he gave his own opinion, which despite being harsh, was still true; those who simply refused to assist the Fire Lord in crushing the revolt were just as much to blame as those who took up arms against him.
"Do you know who our enemies are?" she questioned him, knowing that such an answer would be harder to find that she might have liked.
"Perhaps the enemy captains can be..." he began, before clenching his fist and creating a bright orange torch below it, "Persuaded to tell us."
She narrowed her eyes at the enemy soldiers, and filled her right palm with flames, "Any of you that want to leave this island best tell us every name of every commanding officer in this little fleet of yours... because we're not leaving until we get answers." she warned them, and she could see the looks of fear in their eyes.
Their fear wasn't much in comparison to what she imagined her uncle had felt in facing so many threats to his life, and she didn't care of it; Azula needed answers, and they were about to be provided.
The Fire Lord didn't expect his journey back home to take so long, but he hadn't expected to be sailing back to his country in the back of a steamer either. With what remained of his unit of Imperial Firebenders as well as a pilot, who they had vetted before letting on the boat, he took to sail from the Port of Shazui back to the Fire Nation proper, hoping that he could reach the country and seek support from either the White Lotus or any officers he could ascertain the loyalty of. Reaching the capital was paramount to stopping his brother, and though he knew that his Imperial Firebenders still in the capital would immediately move to detain Ozai, he didn't imagine that going along smoothly.
Iroh was a student, and arguably, a master of strategy, so he decided to do the unexpected, and take a small, somewhat impractical vessel, and take a long, arduous trip across the Southern Sea; instead of two days, he imagined it could take him a week to reach the Outer Islands, but even then, he knew he had the supplies to last him and the men that long. He knew that Bumi would be proud of his mood, if not a little amused by how far the Fire Lord of all people had fallen. He had always wished for a life of simplicity, but he would have preferred it to not be forced upon him by threats against his life.
"Your majesty." he heard one of his guards address him; he had been lying in the rear of the steamer, trying to get some shuteye while the sky overhead remained cloudy, and thus, they were saved from the glare of the midday sun.
"What is it?" he asked the guard, whose unmasked face clearly showed his unease.
"There's a smokestack behind us." he clarified, and the Fire Lord's eyes widened.
"A smoke-" he mumbled, before pulling himself back up to a seated position, before rising to his feet, "Let me see."
He climbed towards the rear entrance of the steamer, pulling it open to step up next to the large, and rather loud engine of the small ship, glancing behind them to make sight of a ship quickly approaching them. He didn't know who commanded it, but he knew that if they were actually in danger, they could not outrun it.
"Cut the engine." he ordered the pilot, who turned back to face him, glancing through the doorway with a frantic look on his face.
"But... your majesty, wasn't all of this to stop you from being caught?" he asked, and the Fire Lord shrugged his shoulders.
"It was my hope... but there was never any certainty on whether we'd succeed." he conceded, before smirking, "Do not fear, my boy, we'll live to see another day... you can let them reach us."
The pilot grimaced, before nodding, accepting his command as he moved back to his seat; Iroh turned his eyes back to the ship, wondering if they had ever had a chance. Perhaps it would have been safer to take a large ship, even if he couldn't trust the men running it. He knew that his paranoia was getting the better of him, and he realised, perhaps that was his brother's intentions all along. To get Iroh scared, to make him lash out; if he struck innocents, or alienated his own people, those who looked up to him, then he'd paint himself as being as bad as Ozai, or just plain crazy.
"I'm not crazy." he muttered to himself, "No matter what Jeong Jeong might say. I know what I'm doing." he whispered, feeling a little too much pride in wanting to prove the former Admiral wrong.
He turned his eyes around to face the men inside, and pulled himself back into the hold of the steamer, where his men were sitting, all probably thinking the same thing he had; they were facing the chance of a fight, and Iroh, more than anything, didn't want any more of them to die. Even if there was a chance they might be able to seize control of a traitor's ship in the case they were caught, luck really hadn't been on their side; it was like trying to play Pai Sho with his eyes, unable to see where his opponent was placing his pieces. He was bound to lose if he didn't open his eyes; unfortunately, opening his eyes might involve getting himself caught to interrogate somebody who wouldn't kill themselves first, like Commander Kinshu.
Even if his enemies thought they'd be the ones doing the interrogating, there was nothing they could learn from him; they might want to know what he ordered his niece to do, but he could simply obfuscate the truth, and claim that he had sent her away for her own safety, which was half-true, though it ignored the fact she had agreed to become the Avatar's firebending master, protect him, and help him stop her father. Maybe they'd try to execute him, but Iroh felt like that was unreasonable; he was far more useful as a prisoner, especially if they wanted to draw out Zuko and Azula, or if Ozai had considered negotiating with his heirs so he wouldn't end up the last Fire Lord of their family line.
He knew that he would have to face his brother eventually, and though he preferred it on his own terms, Iroh knew that mightn't be the case; he turned his eyes back towards the ship that was fast approaching them, and noted its massive size. It was a battleship, presumably the flagship of one of the commanders whose duty it was to guard the waters to the southeast of the Fire Nation. When it got close enough, he could see men looking down at them from the tall deck of the ship, perhaps interested in what their steamer was doing.
As the ship neared, it slowed down, and Iroh realised that they were either going to be boarded, or the steamer would be hoisted up onto the ship, given it would have the space to hold a small steamer like the one he was in. When the ship moved past, he glanced up, wondering if they realised their Fire Lord was on the steamer, given he wasn't wearing his royal robes, only the bare minimum of armour that he could be bothered to wear while at sea. At the rear of the ship, as he expected, there was a couple of men with hooks, ready to hoist their ship up.
"Hooks dropping!" he heard a voice shout out from the much larger ship, and Iroh watched as hooks were thrown over the top of his small vessel, which were quickly put firmly in place by his Imperial Firebenders, securing the steamer onto the larger ship.
A few moments later, he heard a rumbling as the chains began to be pulled up by a small engine, causing the steamer to rise from the water and pull closer to the battleship, eventually pulling up so tight that they could easily step over onto the deck of the launching area, where Iroh could see a few sailors looking at them with interested faces.
"It's the Fire Lord." one of them spoke up, seeming surprised by the sight of Iroh, who climbed off of the steamer, and indicated for his men to do the same.
"Whose ship is this?" Iroh simply asked out, and one of the men stepped forward.
"Commander Houken's, your majesty." he clarified, "He'll probably want to speak with you."
"Well, I can imagine why." he conceded, before glancing at his subordinates, "Let's go." he gave them a casual, but clear order, the sailors leading them into the hull of the ship, which was, like most Fire Nation vessels, dimly lit and rather warm, though it wasn't uncomfortably so.
He could hear the engine of the ship rumbling below them, and the distant noise of voices in all directions; such a large vessel clearly had a large crew to match, though he was unsure what good, if any, that would do for him. The ship itself might have served some protection against outside threats, but getting swarmed by a few ships loyal to Ozai would be enough to sink the impressive ship he now found himself on.
It was in everyone's best interests if they returned to the homeland, so he could travel overland and avoid any unnecessary danger that came about with going by sea, which was something he had once taken for granted. The Fire Nation had the most powerful navy in the world, and it was only now that that strength was being used against him, rather than being one of his many tools as a General fighting against the Earth Kingdom.
When they reached the stairwell, presumably to climb up the superstructure, the sailors who had been leading them gestured up, "Two floors up, your majesty. The Commander will see you in his office."
Iroh nodded, and he and his Imperial Firebenders made their way up the stairwell, the understandably nervous guards keeping close, as well as eyeing the very men who had just escorted them.
"Something feels off, your majesty." one of his guards warned him, "They made it sound like he was waiting."
"Perhaps he already knew we were travelling west. I made it rather clear in my declaration to the whole Fire Nation." he reminded him of what he had made public; he told the whole nation through his various military and civil channels of his brother's treachery, as well as his intention to restore peace and stability to their nation before things would go out of hand.
When they reached the floor the sailors had told them to go to, Iroh glanced down the hallway to see that there was a large metal door, presumably behind which lay the Commander's office. He knew that he would need to speak with him before anything else, as giving him directions and orders would be necessary to avoid Ozai's forces before they could reach the Fire Nation homeland. When he reached the door, he pushed it open, and looked inside to see a man in his early forties with a goatee and the armour and sash of a commander; upon seeing his Fire Lord, the Commander's eyes widened, seeming surprised by his presence.
"Your majesty." he gasped, "I didn't expect we'd find you so quickly."
"You were looking for me?" he asked, and the Commander nodded.
"As soon as I heard that you were travelling westward, I knew that we had to reach you to ascertain your safety." he explained his reasoning, which made more sense than not in the circumstances; if anybody wanted to prevent a repeat of what happened at Shazui and the ordeal with Sanyan and his gang of assassins, they would want to ensure the Fire Lord's safe passage.
"Thank you." he nodded at the Commander, "You are Commander Houken, correct?"
"Yes." he confirmed, before he raised a hand, Iroh realising that the doors were being shut behind him, "Your majesty, I have heard you have a fondness for good teas. Would you like a cup?"
Knowing it would simply be impolite to refuse, beyond any desire for tea that he might have had, Iroh nodded and took a seat in front of the Commander's desk, "How long will the tea be?"
"I already have a pot ready. Just let me retrieve it." he explained himself, before pacing out of the office proper and into what looked like his personal dining area; a few moments later he came back with a pot of tea, while Iroh had been glancing around, noticing that there were guards standing by the door, blocking his potential exit.
Though he felt a little suspicious of that, he guessed it was more for his own safety than anything; being cautious, he decided to keep his left hand down and ready, knowing he might have to firebend at any moment to defend his life. When Houken returned to his desk, he sat down and poured Iroh a cup of tea, which from the smell, he deduced that it was jasmine tea; he picked up the cup, and smelt it, noting that it did smell quite nice.
"I need to tell you where we're going." Iroh clarified, and the Commander furrowed a brow.
"You do?" he asked him, before scrunching his lips up, "I'm all ears, your majesty."
"As you must already know, there is a grave threat against my life, and against our nation. It is imperative that I return to the capital at once. I cannot allow my brother to have the opportunity to secure the city with assistance from whatever allies he has in the home forces and navy." he explained his intentions, before taking a sip from the cup, "I must protect what I have failed to so far. The Fire Nation is vulnerable as long as we remain divided."
"I believe that as well, your majesty." Houken agreed with him, his smile shifting into a colder expression after a few seconds, "That is why you cannot return to the capital."
"I- excuse me?" he raised a brow, "I understand the danger... but if the Imperial Firebenders I have remaining there are informed of my brother's treachery, he and his allies will most likely be defeated by the time I reach the city, if not dead." he stressed, knowing that even if there was a clear danger in returning to the palace, it was the only place that he knew he could feel truly safe, with dozens of Imperial Firebenders to protect his person at any given moment.
"No, I don't think you understand, your majesty." the Commander raised his right hand, "You cannot prevent the inevitable, no matter how many guards you have. I am here to offer you a simpler solution." he explained, and the Fire Lord narrowed his eyes, beginning to feel that Houken was not trying to help him in the slightest; he had his suspicions, and his words had only confirmed them.
"Are you saying you are one of my brother's goons?" he questioned, and the Commander scoffed at his words.
"I am no goon. That is quite an insult that is not befitting of the work I seek to achieve." he retorted, "I have heard what Kinshu did to himself, and what those assassins nearly did to you. There is a middle ground, and I am willing to offer it to you."
"What middle ground? You are either here to kill me, or you are here to help me." he laid out the two possibilities, the former seeming almost certain.
"You say that like your death is necessary for an orderly transition." he retorted, "If you want to fight... then a fight will be had... but I don't imagine you'll fair well against a few dozen firebenders when you and your men are already exhausted." he suggested, and Iroh sighed, knowing that Houken was right; though he didn't want to surrender, it seemed like the better option in the short term.
"What happens if I accept your offer?" he asked, "Do you take me to Ozai?"
"No." he shook his head, "You will remain under house arrest at my base of operations. It will not be uncomfortable... and I have no desire for it to be so. You are still a great man, your majesty, even if you are unsuited for the role you have found yourself in."
"Though I am inclined to agree with you... I cannot give up my duty." he warned him, "I did not expect you would be so merciful."
"I am not the one deciding mercy. I believe that the Prince would prefer if you remained alive and in custody, if only to assure that you do not pose a threat, and can keep any potential dissidents in line."
"I am not helping Ozai." he retorted, "I won't." he reiterated his point for emphasis, before glancing back down at the desk, "I will, however, drink your tea." he admitted, taking a sip from the delicious cup of jasmine, which was distracting him from the shock and nervousness that was starting to overcome him; he knew that Houken's offer was better than trying to fight his way out, at least in the short term, but it was still quite dangerous, no matter what assurances he made.
"You do have a choice, your majesty... and I'd prefer if this didn't end with all of us dying." he conceded, "Just because I don't want you to rule doesn't mean I don't hold you in high regard, your majesty. You are the Dragon of the West, after all." he explained his respect for the Fire Lord, which didn't dissuade his fear, only making it more sharp, as he wondered if he was just lying to try and keep him in a false sense of security, so he could remain safe.
"I do not care what you think of me." he narrowed his eyes at Houken, before glancing behind me, "You do realise I could kill you before those guards could do a thing, right?" he asked him, hoping to discern why he was so confident that Iroh would not attack him.
"Perhaps." he conceded, before smiling, "But that won't happen. You don't seem like a man who kills when it is unnecessary."
"It isn't necessary for me to be a prisoner. I am not a fool, Commander." he warned him, before he glanced back, "Will you take me to a cell?" he asked, and the Commander cleared his throat.
"If you do not resist, then yes... a fine cell that will have the comforts you would expect for yourself." he conceded, and smiled at him, "What do you say, your majesty?"
"I accept your offer." he decided, before narrowing his eyes at Houken, "But I warn you... even if I will not try to escape, it is foolish for you to try this."
"If you're willing to accept, I don't see any foolishness. You have proven that I was right... the Prince was always too quick to resort to violence to achieve our aims."
"Says the man who is willing to overthrow his Fire Lord just to continue our violent domination of the other nations." he retorted, reminding him of what he was supporting.
"Our victory is the natural result of our virtue, your majesty." he gave his own opinion, "You should know that better than most."
"If that is true... and virtue comes from strength, then you are still a fool." he raised a finger towards the Commander, "I am not alone."
"Your guards won't stand a chance against my whole ship. I want you to tell them to stand down."
"I will." he immediately responded, wanting more than anything at that moment to prevent those who had risked their lives from him finally losing their own in a fruitless battle over Houken's ship, "However, I cannot have them endangered by my predicament. I need you to assure me that they will not be harmed." he gave his own offer, making the Commander raise a brow.
"Though you are in no position to negotiate... I will accept your proposition... as long as you can get them to lay down their arms." he gave a counter-offer, making Iroh sigh; he was trying to broker a deal, and kept getting turned down at every opportunity- Houken's clear arrogance was harder to abuse than he first thought.
"Fine." he conceded, rising to his feet before he glanced back at the guards standing by the door, "Open it up. I'll tell them what they need to do."
"If they attack... our deal is off... and I'll do what the Prince wants me to." Houken warned him, and the Fire Lord let out a sigh; he knew it was the best option, given he had no idea how close the nearest friendly military forces were, nor if his niece or nephew were in the vicinity- Azula would be following the Avatar, and his nephew in hiding, wherever he and Mai were.
"Open it." he reiterated his demand, and the guards moved to the doors, before unlocking each of them, pushing them open to reveal Iroh's Imperial Firebenders, who were waiting for him in the hallway.
"Your majesty?" one of them asked, "What's going on?"
"We're surrendering." he admitted, and his men looked amongst themselves, shocked by that outcome.
"Wh-what?" one of them gasped, "He can't be serious."
"I am being completely serious. Commander Houken has been dignified enough to offer me a deal... one which will keep us all safe, rather than forcing us to slaughter each other." he explained bluntly what had happened, "I assume we will be escorted to a secure location, and remain there for as long as he pleases... but he assures me no harm will come to us."
"But, Prince Ozai..." the first guard spoke up once more, "Do you really think he'll allow you to live?"
"That is the risk we must take." he conceded, before gesturing towards them, "Raise your hands behind your heads." he ordered them, and the men, though slow at first, did so cautiously, glancing around, perhaps afraid they might be attacked by some of Houken's men.
Iroh then turned back around to face Houken, "Is this good enough?"
"Yes." he confirmed with a pleased look on his face, "My guards here will take you to our prison hold. I'll have the crew furnish the cells as quickly as possible." he explained, before raising a hand, "Thank you, your majesty, for all your cooperation."
"This is no cooperation." he warned him with a snarl, "I am only doing this for the safety of my men." he reminded him of his conditions, and the Commander clapped his hands together, his mocking approval only further agitating the Fire Lord; he clenched his fists, and forced himself to remain quiet as Houken smugly looked at him, gloating over his achievement.
"Then you have fallen with more honour than most."
