Book 4: Light and Darkness

by ButtonPusherExtraordinaire

Air's murder was a symptom. The Great War was over, but the Greater War endured. The Realms are imbalanced, and Air's loss is but a sign. Years after Sozin's Comet, The Avatar's most ancient enemy reminds The Avatar of his existence. Lies and truths are disordered as the roots are infected from the chaos, to which The Avatar was ignorant. Things must change. The cycle must end. AU!

37. Strategy

My apologies for the long wait, but it was for a really good reason.

I went back and rewrote/edited/revised every previous chapter (CHs 1-23) because, to be blunt, they were all so terrible and didn't make much sense, specifically the earlier ones. I was looking at each of them, and I was ashamed (like, Ozai-without-his-firebending ashamed). and I felt they were incredibly lackluster, and I was left unsatisfied with them, for they were written so long ago when I was younger and a lot more immature in my understanding and imagination. And the dialogue, structure, and pacing were all over the place. Thus, I straightened things out and made it more consistent and simply better, and I added some plot points to make things more sensible and realistic, particularly dialogue and character's reactions to things to make a more compelling world of Avatar after the Great War, leading into the main events of this story. For an analogy befitting of Sokka, all those earlier chapters could have been a juicy, seared steak with so much meat, but what I did was make the chapters fatty rather than lean and delicious. I just felt I needed to correct the gross errors in structure and plot; too much didn't make sense. Because how I wrote it before was very weak, I felt. I needed something more intense and sensible. There was so much potential in them with everything going on because there's A LOT, but I clearly squandered all that potential, so I went back and rectified those obvious mistakes. The bigger revisions are in the earlier chapters.

There have been changes to the story. The nature is all the same, so nothing truly significant—nothing really big—changed, but some of the forms have been changed if that makes any sense. There are changes that will be referenced going forward, but they don't change the trajectory of the story; they only strengthen the events to lead to the conclusion, telling one epic story.

Just to give you a sense of how much has been strengthened, the number of words for the entire story was originally 557k and now it's 1.4m words, so I added A LOT to make it better. If you want to reread, I think you'll like them better, if I may be so bold.

Since these chapter lengths are insane now (I mean, CH10 is over 100,000 words long now based on how it is, and CH12 is 240,000), I have to redo the chapter structuring for this story. It will look like there are many new chapters, but I'm just changing the lengths and redoing them, adding chapter numbers. So, previously to this, there were 23 chapters, but there are now 37 chapters, including this newest one. It is all the same stuff but broken into new chapter lengths while expanded in some areas.

Here is where the new chapters are based on the previous chapter structure, where things were previously versus the expanded lengths:

New Chapter (with title) = Old Chapter Layout

Chapter 1 (Judgment) = Chapter 1

Chapter 2 (Isolation) = Chapter 2

Chapter 3 (Vacation) = Chapter 3

Chapter 4 (Reunion) = Chapter 4

Chapter 5 (Offer) = Chapter 5

Chapter 6 (Doubt) = Chapter 6a

Chapter 7 (Wrath) = Chapter 6b

Chapter 8 (War) = Chapter 7a

Chapter 9 (Chakras) = Chapter 7b

Chapter 10 (Seeds) = Chapter 8

Chapter 11 (Trial) = Chapter 9a

Chapter 12 (Politics) = Chapter 9b

Chapter 13 (Outbreak) = Chapter 10a

Chapter 14 (Searching) = Chapter 10b

Chapter 15 (Marriage) = Chapter 10c

Chapter 16 (Incitement) = Chapter 11a

Chapter 17 (Gone) = Chapter 11b

Chapter 18 (Revival) = Chapter 12a

Chapter 19 (Atonement) = Chapter 12b

Chapter 20 (Suspension) = Chapter 12c

Chapter 21 (Mother of Air) = Chapter 12d

Chapter 22 (Acceptance) = Chapter 12e

Chapter 23 (Forward) = Chapter 12f

Chapter 24 (Alliance) = Chapter 13a

Chapter 25 (Family) = Chapter 13b

Chapter 26 (Momentum) = Chapter 14

Chapter 27 (Conqueror) = Chapter 15a

Chapter 28 (Plague) = Chapter 15b

Chapter 29 (Separation) = Chapter 16

Chapter 30 (Reckoning) = Chapter 17

Chapter 31 (Invasion) = Chapter 18

Chapter 32 (Scar) = Chapter 19

Chapter 33 (Phoenix) = Chapter 20

Chapter 34 (Air) = Chapter 21

Chapter 35 (Failure) = Chapter 22

Chapter 36 (Betrayal) = Chapter 23

Chapter 37 (Strategy) = Chapter 37 (NEWEST CHAPTER RELEASED)

Here are some bullets of a few of the things that changed:

1) I fleshed out the backstory more, specifically politically and historically, so things don't just happen randomly like they clearly were before I refined it (and I also expanded on some things that happened in the Great War because the Great War, specifically, its roots, are a lot more complex than shown/assumed). Included in this political update is that Katara was betrothed to Kuei in a political deal made by Hakoda so that Arnook, whom Kuei is close with, would name Sokka his heir, uniting the Water Tribes under one Chief. There's a more subtle reason, but it basically boils down to—Kuei convinces Arnook to name Sokka heir of the North in return for Katara's hand in marriage. Simple as that. I think that change reflects much more clearly the environment after the Great War in which tensions are still so inflamed and no one trusts Fire while Earth and Water seek to consolidate power so Fire can never have such a devastating advantage again, through which he can destroy them.

Kuei is a problem, but he's a true politician who looks so far ahead that he can't see what's right in front of him. His insistence on getting Azula and executing her is rooted in his fear and memory of terror; he never wants to feel like that again—but he will because of his choices. Also, he's a little like Aang—awakening in a world that wasn't what he thought. He was sheltered all his life under the Dai Li before he saw the truth of the world—that was painful. It destroyed his perception. However, he worked to make sure nothing like what happened can happen again, which is why he argues for murdering Fire. He justifies it by trying to create the world he thought he lived in when he was sheltered where there "was no war in Ba Sing Se" and, thus, the world. And in his mind, war is only possible because Fire exists.

The thing with Aang, Kuei, and Zuko and the whole war thing is that it needs to make sense; there needs to be signs of its imminence and inevitably, seeds being planted that lead cohesively to the conclusion of Kuei demanding Azula or its war. I felt I failed utterly with that part, and I went back and fixed it so it could be more compelling and complex, something that actually makes sense with each character.

The Great Gathering has to take place because tensions would still remain after Zuko ended the Great War, and wounds are hard to heal. Zuko is Fire Lord, and he has to be in the front of the action, which means dealing a lot with Kuei, who is a true politician, deceitful and passive aggressive. I wanted to explain things more politically because war is always a political situation, and there had to be reasons why Kuei does what he does; he has to have an ideology, which is why I referenced the notion of Two Nations for balance. It's just like how Sozin didn't start the Great War randomly; he had time to prepare, and there were many situations in the world that contributed to the Great War, for there is complexity rather than simplicity.

I wanted there to be a history between the characters, so it didn't seem like Kuei's sudden demand for Azula was so random and out-of-character. I wanted Zuko and Kuei to be at odds for years, creating a tension that erupts in time, as seen at the end of the new CH1. And because Katara and Kuei were actually engaged, I think it's more compelling, for it makes more sense politically, particularly with Sokka's opportunity to become Chief of Water, which aligns with Kuei's plans to become the single King of Earth—all to imitate the single Lord of Fire, who reigns absolutely with power. And you can take several interesting interpretations by looking at Katara and Zuko's later union, which, in effect, is also revenge on Kuei for all his madness and ideological cruelty. And I wanted Aang to have a history with Kuei, so by the time he kills Kuei in CH7, it seems more justified than random, even if it's a huge tragedy. Kuei is a major figure in this in the beginning, one of the leading figures after the Great War because he's Ba Sing Se's king. In effect, he becomes worse than Sozin ever was, and what's tragic is that he can't see it. He helps set everything in motion, arousing Earth's hatred and inability to heal and forgive; he keeps prodding the rage, blaming Fire with everything and his inability to write/pass better policies. Of course, Aang's actions are overkill to the extreme. But ultimately, Kuei deserved it, for he was consumed by his ideology, the marker of a weak man, and he would never stop. He was allied with Vaatu, and Ozai had him in the palm of his hand, persuading him even more.

Also, Vaatu can only influence if there is a possible influence from the start. If Kuei never wanted to slaughter Fire, Vaatu couldn't ever make him do what he does. So, Kuei had to take a more proactive approach in dealing with the aftermath of the Great War, Fire, Zuko, and Aang. Vaatu inflames and arouses the darkness in the human heart, but he doesn't put the darkness there. He only influences what is there, and Kuei had A LOT of darkness in his heart. A lot of people in the world have A LOT of darkness in their hearts, and that's slowly what Aang and Zuko realize over time—because they themselves have a lot of darkness in their hearts.

Also, Aang doesn't become very reclusive immediately. His self-isolation doesn't start immediately, and Kuei's plans have to start very early in the backstory/history to make sense—because such grand things are always in the work for years before they are realized. Frankly, what Kuei is proposing is a revolution of the world beyond anything, changing the world from Four Nations to Two Nations—because he looks to balance and doesn't see how Air can be revived in a real, long-lasting, significant way. But all revolutions in history take time to start and extensive planning that require years of patience. Kuei isn't operating randomly; he's shrewd and devious, and he'll never stop unless he's killed.

Thus, because of everything, people need to be "taught how to tell their left foot from their right," which mainly has to do with Sokka and Katara, both of whom isolated themselves after the Great War in the South, at the beginning; they were given a reprieve and were allowed to simply be "children" or "teenagers" while Aang and Zuko, specifically, weren't allowed to do that. Sokka and Katara didn't have to confront as many issues as Aang and Zuko because they were "free" from doing that and rightfully took advantage of it, which is a big reason for the initial conflicts between them at the beginning. In some ways, Sokka and Katara are more mature than Aang and Zuko, but in a lot of ways, Aang and Zuko are a lot more mature at the beginning. Ultimately, Aang and Zuko were "in the zone" for 8 years straight once the story starts, meaning that they have a huge advantage in perception and understanding because each has had to confront and deal with so much (even if, in Aang's case, it's by trying but failing distract himself about Air's murder). However, Sokka and Katara weren't "in the zone" anywhere near as long. They were in the South, which allowed them to be spared from being "in the zone." When they are forced to be "in the zone," there are miscues and missteps, especially with the others, but those will be resolved. Also, the entire Gaang is still young—all are in their early twenties when the story starts with Zuko being the eldest at 24. Early twenty-somethings are really stupid a lot of the time and lack anything approaching wisdom (I say this as an early twenty-something myself). The burden of the world is on the Gaang's shoulders, even though they are so young, and it shouldn't be. It would be so much better if the burden was on someone like Iroh's shoulders, but it's not; it's on people who are just out of adolescence. That's very problematic, and that's why they still have to learn lessons. They'll never save the world until they learn those lessons because Vaatu is a much more severe and deadly foe. Also, Aang and Zuko have lessons to learn, too, and they will learn them. They'll have to be taught to "tell their left foot from their right," too.

Remember, this story starts 8 years after the end of the Great War, and A LOT can happen in 8 years; people change a lot in 8 years. Aang starts down a slow, dark path until he becomes a recluse, but it takes time for him to become that way. Because when the show ended, he was chipper and bubbly. He is not that way anymore, not in the slightest—because he slowly realizes the impact of Air's murder evermore. Zuko's habit of sleeping with concubines is the ultimate symbol of his loneliness, and you could take that interpretation that it's a symbol of his self-loathing if you want, and I reference that "habit" a lot more because I think it's significant. And Aang and Zuko and everyone are still unaware of how much darkness has spread, but I wanted to touch on that a lot more so it makes more sense.

2) Zuko became much colder quickly after the Great War because he needed to be. Unfortunately, the world didn't/doesn't forgive Fire despite Aang and Zuko's best efforts to propagate healing and forgiveness. Everyone wants vengeance. And people in the Fire Nation (the ruling class of nobles and higher-ups) want vengeance on Zuko, as well, for castrating Fire right before—or during—their "crowning moment of glory" in realizing Ozai's vision. Zuko had few allies and even fewer friends. To survive, because Iroh basically stranded him for logical reasons, he turned to the only ones he could—Azula and Ozai. He took things from them and incorporated them into himself, realizing that it was rather easy, specifically with resembling Ozai's disposition and thought process—because, despite the horror, it's in his blood. He can easily be his father's son if he wants to be, and he found that, after the Great War with all the mounting, unbearable pressure, it was much easier and more soothing to be his father's son than not be his father's son; he stopped fighting it. It actually brought him happiness by not increasing the stress he was under—though it was a happiness on the surface, not in the depths. It was easier to be a dark prince who watched from the shadows, which was already something he was very good at (i.e., the Blue Spirit). The environment he was raised in already manifested such traits, but he was good about being different as a child. But he was no longer a child upon becoming Fire Lord, and the world, and people in the world, no longer treats him like a child; he was being treated like a man—an heir of Sozin. His environment peeled away his layers, and he found it easier to act a certain way and embrace the environment rather than try to fight it; he tried to play the same games as everyone else, and he actually did a very great job (because it's in his blood, and he had/has a brilliant example in Ozai and his forefathers to follow), but because he had no allies or friends, the stress threatens to tear him apart, which led to him using concubines to relax him and make him forget, however briefly.

3) The Gaang is fractured and broken at the beginning, and everyone is guilty because of it. Aang is guilty, too—that's the whole point. He's not absolved from anything, even if he thinks that he is, which the story's tone may convey—because it's a lot of POV for Aang and those on Aang's "side," such as Azula and Zuko. Ultimately, if blame must be held, which it certainly does in Aang's mind and Katara's mind, because Katara showed the instinct to blame, such as blaming Zuko for her mother's murder, so the impulse is there, the blame is clearly, undoubtedly more on Katara and Sokka than Aang upon a rational analysis. The burden lay on both sides to maintain communication, but Aang was the younger one, immature and unknowing; he was, at the risk of drawing ire, a child. Katara and Sokka were "the adults," even though they were children, too. Katara is two years older than Aang, and that's a huge difference in maturity and understanding, even more so because Katara's a girl, and girls mature faster than guys in adolescence. Sokka is four years older than Aang, and that's an even bigger difference. Really, Aang saw Katara and Sokka as his new "parents," in a sense, because he had no one else—they were his "family" and offered to be his "family." He needed those authority figures to guide him and help him, nurture him and console him, but Katara and Sokka were piss-poor replacements for someone like Gyatso—because, again, they were actual children. The burden lay on Aang's shoulders to keep in touch, but it lay heavier on Katara and Sokka's shoulders. Literally, what did Katara and Sokka promise Aang after he saw Gyatso's skeleton? They promised Aang that they were a "family now." Of course, Aang, alone in the world and desperate, hysterical for connection, is going to take that to its extreme, thinking that Katara and Sokka will do everything. He didn't realize that he had a duty, as well, to preserve the connection. Ultimately, because Katara and Sokka didn't keep in touch, he didn't think he had anyone to rely on or turn to. It was an untenable situation among the Gaang, and it's a literal miracle that they all survived the Great War and achieved victory. Something was always going to break and deteriorate because the foundation of their entire relationship, amongst all of them, except, in my mind, Zuko and Aang, was unstable and fracturing, impossible to maintain with serious effort and exertion. However, all the characters are exhausted and emotionally broken after the Great War, specifically Aang, because the distraction is gone, and he must face the fact of Air's murder and what it means forever, so the foundation dissipates. But Aang's not the only one impact; all the Gaang is impact. However, where the bitterness and resentment really shine is that Aang and Zuko weren't given the luxury to take time off and heal or find peace; they were The Avatar and Fire Lord, needed everywhere and all the time. In contrast, the others got to go home, relax, take time off, and recover. The fight wasn't over for Aang and Zuko, but for Katara, Sokka, Suki, and Toph, it was.

Katara did her best as Aang's "mother," but she couldn't replace what he lost, even though Aang tried desperately to shoulder that on her. That's the thing with Aang—he wants the best and perceives and understands Air as the best. That's something he deals with in the story, and he's going to get past that, achieving a new balanced understanding. Because he's certainly operating on the extreme, a dangerous thing, especially for The Avatar. I love Katara a lot, and at her heart, she's a mother, and she's always going to be a mother. So, she will feel tremendous guilt and regret that she failed to prevent Aang from falling into his dark outlook and resentment. She is a mother hen and feels responsible for others, specifically the ones she loves, like Aang, whom she perceives as her son. She would feel apologetic if she felt guilty, which she does. She shouldn't feel guilty, no, but she does.

Katara would be Aang's "mother" because it's the type of love Aang felt for her—the maternal connection he never knew before, which was the only type of love capable of sustaining him through the Great War. Where does a child go for comfort during hardship or tragedy, particularly to fill the void of something lost? Predominantly, he goes to his mother instead of his father because a mother is often more nurturing and soothing, which reflects Aang during the Great War; he went to Katara and focused on her, embraced her as his "mother" to fill the incalculable void of Air's loss because Katara has always been a mother, really; she's always been nurturing and soothing, always been a healer, even before her waterbending talent. Aang latches onto Katara as his "mother" because it's the only realistic solution he has due to the literally incomprehensible loss he suffered at such a young age, which he thinks is his fault. And he's not going to understand what he's doing because he's only going to think about himself—because he's so young and because he's so emotionally unintelligent due to trauma of Air's murder, which destroyed his understanding of the world, his sense of purpose, his love, and his connection.

And Katara accepts the responsibility during the Great War because she recognizes that she needs to—and because she loves Aang like she would a "son" or "brother." She feels a maternal affection for him, emphasized multiple times in the show by how she treats him and talks about him. Of course, she has a lot of problems of her own, and she made a great sacrifice to help Aang end the Great War, but she puts those problems on the backburner because she has to—like all the characters do at multiple points, but specifically Aang, Azula, Zuko, Toph, and Katara, in my estimation. She's sacrificing her personal needs, whatever those needs may be, to save the world and end the Great War—as all the characters do. She's playing her part, and she recognizes that part of her role is being Aang's mother during the Great War to keep him focused and distracted from Air's loss, even if she's not aware of the specifics of it.

Most of the other characters are all emotionally unintelligent, unlike Katara, specifically when compared to Katara, especially at the beginning—and especially for Aang. Katara's great gift is that she can see things from someone else's perspective (most of the time), but it's also a drawback because she can't be stubborn about her own problems like Aang, Zuko, Toph, Sokka, and Azula can be. The others, at the beginning, can't look at someone else's problems, only their own. They learn to, will un-learn that habit, but it's not something immediate, particularly for Aang. He has a lot of stuff to do and experience before he "gets his head out of his ass" because it's the only way to counterweigh the burden Air's murder has on him.

It was a tragic situation all around, destined to end in failure no matter what happened or which way things went. Aang couldn't accept Air's loss because why could he? So, he's bitter, which affects the world. And as the show proves, The Avatar makes the world go 'round.

Katara changed her outlook because of the horror of what she experienced and saw and dealt with during the Great War. Originally, she loved fighting, and all she wanted to do was fight—a very childish, simplistic notion. But the most meaningful acts of her life were acts of healing and revival in healing Aang and Zuko. the biggest—the absolute biggest—contributions she made to ending the Great War weren't acts of valor or physical action; it was acts of healing, as in healing Aang and Zuko from Azula's lightning strikes, that saved the world. That was meaningful; that was valuable. Her fights and combat experience were meaningless next to those acts, which she recognizes. She recognizes that she contributed to the horror of the Great War because she fought and killed, which hurts her deeply. However, by healing, she rescinds that; she goes in a different direction. It shows Katara's impact on the world is through healing; that's where her focus lies at the end of the day. The fact she has always been motherly and nurturing is evidence for it. That's how she moves forward. Also, you could interpret that, by focusing on healing, rebuilding her culture in the South, and healing people, she's literally trying to heal her spirit of the grief and horror she endured. It makes sense to me. Katara didn't have to fight to survive because she was never in genuine danger or under threat (the Southern Raiders being the only possible moment where she was in genuine danger, but it's showed that, naturally, she ran away when her mother told her to, not willing to fight, which reveals her nature as not a fighter, and she never had to learn to fight as a young girl like Azula did, for Azula's daily existence was a struggle, a fight to survive under her father's demanding, fearsome gaze, regard, and pressure). No one can ever go through the Great War unscathed, which I really wanted to highlight. Sure, Katara can still fight if it comes down to it, but she doesn't want to fight, whereas before, she was always looking for a fight—a major difference in perception and understanding that seems reasonable given her situation and the nature of war, particularly one that is so gruesome and violent that it lasts an entire century. I wanted to focus on the impact of war, which I thought the show did a poor job showing (because it was a child's show, I know). Of course, Katara's still a very capable fighter, but she's a better healer than she is a fighter. So, she kind of has the best of both worlds. She's on the extreme for both capabilities, but she's a more capable healer than fighter, though she's still a very capable fighter.

Sokka and Aang are at odds initially because of the conflict between them, and Sokka thinks very poorly of Air—the Air Nomads—as a whole. It's uncalled for, certainly, but really, honestly, why wouldn't he think that? For a war to last 100 years, the survivors have to possess a certain level of pride in the fact that they are still living; they survived; they had the strength to rebel and survive. I don't see logically how Sokka, born in a warrior culture, would be immune to that. In his mind, Air was wiped out in a single day—it's incomprehensible, but it's true. Thus, for Sokka, who looks at things simplistically, epitomized best by his behavior in the Fortuneteller episode and characteristic juvenile humor, the Air Nomads weren't smart enough to survive like Water and Earth were; they lacked cunning; they lacked ferocity; they lacked grit; they lacked strength. And Aang didn't exactly do anything to contradict that image with all his pacifism, which Sokka innately perceives as nonsense and "polardog shit."

Also, Sokka has no honest reason to change his perception of Air, for he's never been actively challenged on it. He's never spent more than five seconds thinking about Air; they don't matter to him. Why would he think of them as anything but weak, stupid martyrs who lacked the grit and spit to survive and fight a Great War that lasted a hundred years against a powerful enemy? If the goal of Life is to survive, which it undoubtedly is in war, the Air Nomads were the weakest race to ever live—that's Sokka's understanding because he's a warrior who was raised in war. It's an honest perception, albeit misinformed, if not disgusting. But that's one of the points in the story, which emphasizes the catastrophic void left by Air's absence—no one has a clear perception of Air, not even Aang—which is explored also in the story. The Air Nomads are too dead to defend themselves, leaving inadequate vessels to try to explain Air in Aang, Pathik, Bumi, and anyone else. It's unbelievably unfortunate and sobering; it's chilling. Air's nothing more than a memory in the world, and as with all memories, you forget their natures; Air's nature is forgotten, sullied by misperceptions such as Sokka's, which isn't Sokka's fault because it's an absolutely natural perception to have during and after a war. What is Sokka's fault at the beginning is his choice not to mature his perception.

4) Raava is no more. In the process of the Ascension that made Wan The Avatar, Raava sacrifices herself. There is no more Raava; there is only Wan, The Avatar—and all the lives he lives henceforth. Basically, for something so monumental, no one, not even Raava, can come out unscathed; a price must be paid always. Raava pays the price by knowing she's destroyed but going through with it anyway. Thus, since the moment of Raava's destruction, it is no longer Raava and Vaatu as two counterpoints; it is The Avatar and Vaatu. That is how things changed forever, which culminates inevitably in Vaatu rising against The Avatar and Vaatu's intention to do the same as Raava did, knowing the conclusion and seeing it as necessary—like Raava did over 9,000 years ago.

5) I explored The Avatar's lifespan more to make it more cohesive and clearer, as there was some confusion. We all know in Canon that Kyoshi lived for over two hundred years (218 to be correct based on the original math/timeline), and I believe that this is because of chi. A bender has more chi than a non-bender, and The Avatar has more chi than anyone. This story, after much thought, will set the narrative around each Avatar Cycle, especially because Vaatu is involved, which is then 1,000 years, a millennium. So, each Avatar lives, on average, 250 years, which is close enough to how old Kyoshi was when Canon declares that she died. Just as I mentioned, I plan to use the Legend of Korra timeline, at least sort of, so The Avatar's existence begins 10,000 years ago, so there is only thirty-eight Avatars total in the Avatar Cycle thus far—because the next Fire Avatar will be the forty-first. The Avatar lives a long time, indeed, and it makes sense because of how Avatar: The Last Airbender treated the Avatar. I know Kyoshi living to be as old as she did is treated as this big deal, but it doesn't make sense; she's just an outlier. Why is she so special? Why does she, more than any other Avatar when it's shown she's done nothing but stop Chin the Conqueror and create the Dai Li, have such longevity? To be blunt, she's memorable but not awesome. She did nothing to warrant a sensible reason as to why she lives such a long time. She's an outlier that's never adequately explained, for if Kyoshi could live so long, why can't any other Avatar? There's nothing to suggest that Kyoshi is different from other Avatars, except for her outlook and perspective, which probably isn't actually all that rare and special—it's only different compared to her direct predecessor and direct successor. And by changing all the lifespan of The Avatar to be so short, it ruins the story of Avatar, I believe, especially since the creators refuse to change Kyoshi's age, stubbornly sticking to it even though it makes no sense anymore. But it seems that the creators are wanting to have their cake and eat it, too. You can't have it both ways. Either all Avatars have the capability of living as long as Kyoshi, or none do. And I think it's so much more mystical and mythical if The Avatar lives that long. I much prefer the original ages of The Avatar and benders, as depicted in the show.

The creators clearly lost consistency and retconned quite a bit, discarding what had already been explicitly stated in the show (i.e. Kuruk tried to kill Koh 900 years before Aang visited Koh, and Kyoshi was born 400 years before Aang visited Kyoshi Island). They didn't do the math on the timeline properly as they should have, but instead of going with it, they retconned it, which, as you can see, I disproved of. I thought it obliterated the "magic" of the world. It wasn't a sensible decision. Also, Roku's speech about "mastering the elements a thousand times in a thousand lifetimes, and now I must do it once again" to Jeong Jeong was hyperbolic; it's too specific and too exact a number, as in "a thousand times." It's not meant to be taken literally. And if I remember right, in Chinese philosophy, "a thousand lifetimes" means timeless or something like that. But don't quote me on that.

Based on my calculations, taking into account the 10,000-year timeline provided by Legend of Korra, possibly the only good thing the show did, Aang is the thirty-eighth Avatar. The forty-first Avatar (the next Fire Avatar) is when the Harmonic Convergence is supposed to happen because it all began with Wan (the first Avatar, who was a Fire Avatar, which means that the Harmonic Convergence is always "supposed" to happen with a Fire Avatar). Basically, 1,000 years = four Avatar lifetimes. It's a cycle within a cycle, part of the very reason The Avatar can live so long (like Kuruk, who lived 600 years based on what the show did with Koh). Thus, The Avatar's average lifespan is 250 years out of a 1,000-year Avatar Cycle, in which four Avatars are possible and live and die. Yes, some die a lot sooner than the 250 years average (Roku), and some live a lot longer (Kuruk). I'm aware that the reason Kuruk lived so long is because that's what the creators originally had it as before they retconned it. But when you take into account how long it takes to master elements normally (excluding Aang), The Avatar should live a long time, particularly with the strength of his chi. I love the idea of The Avatar living long lives because that's also part of The Avatar's burden. It makes The Avatar more mythical and legendary, more fantastical; it also makes The Avatar's death much more powerful, significant, and potentially catastrophic because The Avatar's death is very rare. So, for example, Roku was the start of the newest cycle, and he lived only 70 years (and it's shown how catastrophic his earlier death is), meaning that there are 930 years left for only three Avatars, extending the other Avatars lifespans.

Yes, The Avatar outliving everyone is tragic beyond tragic, but that's also what, in my opinion, makes it beautiful. The Avatar doesn't get the happily-ever-after forever. He may get it for a few decades, maybe even a century or two, but not forever. I wanted to show that The Avatar, despite all the power in the world, carries a burden that is astronomical, and no one with a lucid mind would ever want that burden, despite all the amazing power. The Avatar, if given the choice, (besides maybe Kuruk, of course lol), would choose a different life. Losing everyone he ever knew on an intimate level is part of that burden—because the world is too chaotic and cannot be left without an Avatar's presence for long, necessitating a long lifespan. Sozin showed it, and there would be many others through the history of Avatar world that showed it, too. Sadly, based on the lore, the world does need a babysitter, epitomized by Roku's death and the Great War.

Also, the creators decided the 10,000-year existence a lot later in LoK; there was nothing to suggest that limit in ATLA. The statues in the Southern Air Temple numbered 181, making each Avatar's lifespan not even fifty-six years if taking into account the 10,000-year limit, and when taking into account Kyoshi's age, the average age is even lower than that. That low an age doesn't make sense because the world would then be without a fully-realized Avatar about half the time over those 10,000 years, based on how long it takes normally to master the elements, according to Roku's journey. It took him until just about thirty to become fully-realized, but the average death of The Avatar is at fifty-six? That's only around twenty-six years of The Avatar being able to do Avatar things for the world. That doesn't fly when taking into account how reliant the Four Nations have always been on The Avatar's presence. It also wouldn't compute with the Great War, because there surely would have been another Great War—or more—in the past with how often The Avatar isn't there to do Avatar things. Someone—a lot of people—would take advantage of that void.

6) Vaatu no longer needs the Elementals (Agni, Devi, Tui, La, and Indra) to give him the elements. The more I thought about it, there were too many logical inconsistencies for me to ignore, particularly since Raava and Vaatu are the Elementals' parents, meaning that the Elementals have their innermost sources in Raava and Vaatu, meaning that Raava and Vaatu have access to the divine energies—the very elements propagated by the Elementals—of the Mortal Realm, which Raava and Vaatu created. Of course, Vaatu still corrupts Agni, Devi, La, and Indra for his own gain, specifically to help his plan in corrupting the Children of the Elements to his side, which is made easier with the coerced help of the Elementals, to bridge the immense gap in power between Vaatu and Aang. The Avatar has reigned for almost ten thousand years, so Vaatu has a lot of ground to cover, and he's doing everything he can to balance the scales, which means that he inflames the darkness of Earth after Aang murdered Ba Sing Se, and uses the lingering resentments of the Great War, to augment himself to try to keep up with Aang, who's also doing a lot to increase his own power in mastering all the bending arts he can.

Basically, it's like the Arms Race between the United States and Soviet Union in the 1950s. Furthermore, corrupting the Elementals is a way for Vaatu to weaken Aang's powerbase and his potential source of allies. He's depriving Aang of any help from a majority of the Great Spirits—Koh (who we now know was never going to "help" Aang like Aang wants), Wan Shi Tong (who Aang doesn't really trust), and the Elementals (all of whom, except for Tui and La, are corrupted by Vaatu). The only Elemental Vaatu had to have was Indra, for Indra was the only way for Ty Lee to have her natural airbending restored, and Ty Lee's body was needed for Zaheer's invasive spirit. Vaatu still attacks the North to destabilize things further and add to the growing chaos, darkness, doom, and gloom of the Mortal Realm. Also, he planned to return to Tui and La their immortality and bring them back with him, giving him two more full-powered Elementals on his side, but Aang arrived in time to prevent that from happening. So, Vaatu demands not the power of Water from Tui and La but offers them the chance to regain their true forms and not be trapped as a koi fish, which is something that Tui and La both want. And Vaatu is more than willing to sacrifice his army in the North to get La on his side because a full-powered Elemental is worth more than an entire nation, worth more than any army. But that was a devastating defeat for Ozai, and Vaatu (but it's not a complete loss because Ozai is healed from his severed arm in the Spirit Oasis this time by Hama, and Ozai still gets Samir and Ursa). However, it's also a HUGE victory for Aang and the Gaang.

Simply, Vaatu no longer needing the Elementals to give him the elements means there's a change—when Vaatu merges with Ozai briefly, he can "change" which "frequency" Ozai is attuned to. So, Vaatu still leaves Ozai with his weakest element to force him to change, but he no longer needs to be "blessed" by any of the Elementals.

7) Aang destroys Ba Sing Se entirely in his wrath after Appa is killed, not just the Upper Ring or anything. It made it a lot more real and plausible based on other things I was building to in the story at the beginning. This adds a lot more to Earth's hatred (and Devi's hatred) for The Avatar because so much was lost—it was unthinkable but it happened regardless.

In the previous version, Aang kept entering The Avatar State at the beginning, but I felt that wasn't the best way to build the tension, and I wanted Aang to have more control. But I kept referencing what would happen if he enters The Avatar State, for Azula keeps asking to see it, and Aang refuses, knowing what would happen if he enters The Avatar State, so when he actually DOES enter The Avatar State in Ba Sing Se, it's annihilation, a release of years-worth of horror, grief, and wrath. I thought it raised the stakes if Kuei declared actual war, and it makes more sense with what Kuei really is. There has to be a source of antagonism between all the characters, that's slowly built over the years, which makes Aang's choices at Ba Sing Se understandable even if monstrous and unbearable to comprehend. I thought there needed to be a steady progression, and a new war is the only way to do that. It also makes more sense if Vaatu is free. He would want a new "war" so Aang wouldn't notice him or anything.

Aang is not absolved of his crime in destroying Ba Sing Se, not at all. Earth will hate him, and many will never trust him—or at the least, be wary of him. Ba Sing Se's destruction is numerically worse than Air's murder, but that's it. Culturally, historically, and philosophically, at the risk of sounding callous, Air's murder is much worse. Yes, both are reprehensible, but Air's is in its own evil sphere. And Aang alone has to deal with that, with both things; he has to deal with the fact that he's "like Sozin." And he has to deal with Air's loss and its realization.

8) I changed the reason behind why Samir stowed away on Appa in CH. 6. Indra, the Air Spirit, protected her, recognizing her because, the more I thought about it, it didn't make sense that a literal child would be able to survive what Aang did to Ba Sing Se, especially so close to the source. (*smacks forehead. I don't know what I was thinking. More teenage misperceptions, it seems). So, Indra is there to save her and guide her to Aang and, thus, Appa—beginning Air's rebirth. It seems more fitting that the Air Spirit is the one who puts the beginning of Air's rebirth in motion. Also, Samir's origin changes slightly to make it more cohesive with the other changes I made. She's still born to a whore and Fire Nation soldier, but the Fire Nation soldier has more of a known identity rather than unknown because there must be a foundation of plausibility for Samir to be an Airbender. Thus, the soldier was a cousin of Ty Lee, descended from Jyzhol of Ishaner, who carried Air's blood, and he passed that inheritance, the same inheritance that Ty Lee shares, to his unknown daughter, Samir, which makes Samir an Airbender naturally—because lineage is VERY important. But there is also another secret to Ty Lee's lineage that is revealed—more Airbenders in it, much more recent Airbenders in time.

Also, Aang initially has a much harder time accepting Samir as an Airbender at the beginning because of everything he's dealing with regarding Air's murder, but he comes around, loves her, and adopts her. It all works out.

Toph's nickname for Samir is Hitchhiker.

9) Azula is actually killed—yes, killed—by Ozai instead of wounded by the lightning strike. Because of other factors that have to do with the Elementals taking spirits to the Gardens, which is delayed because Aang killed Agni's body, there is a chance to save Azula—but it's very low odds in terms of probability. But Aang goes for it anyway, putting a pause on hunting/dealing with Vaatu to save Azula, who meets someone special while she's trapped in her limbo and learns a lot, after which Aang pulls her back, successful in his endeavor to save her.

10) Aang's journey to the past is a lot more extensive and monumental—because I focused heavily on his hatred during the earlier chapters relating to Sozin and Air's murder, how he's completely unable to accept and embrace everything that happened. I also made the Mother of Air a much bigger deal between Aang and Azula because Aang loves Azula but hates the blood in her veins—because in her veins dwells Sozin, the destroyer and murderer of Air, which is a big deal. It's a hang-up that Aang has trouble with until he goes to the past and learns from Gyatso the truth of everything, specifically about his race.

The Great War changes, specifically how it became the Great War. It's much more complicated, and Air played a big role in letting things get so bad. And Earth had their own motivations for doing the Great War instead of the "noble" ideal of avenging Air's murder—same for Water. And Fire, of course, had their own motivations for going forward with the Great War.

Aang has the most potential by far (even more than Zuko) with his story based on the loss and grief he suffered, but the show brushed all that aside like it was nothing, which I was a NOT a fan of; I found it disingenuous and honestly disgusting. I know why they didn't (because it's a kid's show), but I still hate how Aang's never been explored as he NEEDS to be explored by taking into account human nature—and The Avatar is as human as anyone, perhaps more so—dealing with the murder/genocide of an entire race, which includes conceptions of the world, family, history, tradition, and freedom; it obliterates EVERYTHING he possibly knows, but that's dismissed like nothing in the show, unfortunately.

That was one of the biggest gripes I had with the show (because, of course, it was a children's show)—not showing adequately the depths of his grief. When he was opening his chakras with Pathik in the show, I rolled my eyes at how simplistically they decided to brush aside everything that happened. So, as you can see, I changed things in this. Oh, he won't be okey-dokey just like that; he still has work to do and he has to force himself to keep going. He has incredible doubts and fear that are worse than what he experienced during the Great War with the looming arrival of Sozin's Comet when he would face Ozai. Because, honestly, Aang is the most fascinating among all the characters in ATLA, narrowly, narrowly edging out Zuko. In the show, Zuko was a lot more fascinating, yes, but I think that's because they didn't know how to write Aang as anything but a goody-two-shoes (except for some key moments like against the Sandbenders) and because the show was a kid's show. They couldn't show the true horror of Aang experiencing all of that.

Really, I wanted Aang to suffer because he NEEDS to suffer with everything that happened. For him not to suffer, and to not explore it, is quite inhumane. It's really a joke that he doesn't suffer or face an existential crisis—many crises—because of Air's murder, for which he thinks and feels he's responsible. Unfortunately, on some level he is responsible, which he knows, and he'll never let go of that. He could have saved the Southern Temple and every one of his race living there if he hadn't run away. The Avatar State far surpasses the might endowed by Sozin's Comet in any army, which he knows. The advantages for The Avatar are innumerable in the conflict—but there was no conflict because he ran away. He understands that, by leaving, he damned his race—his home, his family, his world, his time, his understanding, his love—to a horrific demise brimming with gore. Aang wishes he had the memories of those moments because he feels like he's a failure by not having those memories—because, to him, it means he's not of Air because everyone of Air was murdered that day. But because Aang wasn't murdered and instead was dozing peacefully in the ocean without a care in the world, he realizes that he's not of Air like his race; he's a nobody—because he's The Avatar. Thus, he blames The Avatar and dissociates from his nature, which is The Avatar, to focus on only Aang (the form), denying the reality that The Avatar and Aang are a package deal—you can't have one without the other.

Aang has been put through the wringer, physically, mentally, and emotionally. The thing is—the only way Aang will have the conviction necessary to do what needs to be done is by being put through the wringer. The only way he can be The Avatar he needs to be—that the Realms need him to be—is by going through a lot of pile-making shit. I've made this new war—the Greater War—worse than the Great War, so Aang's not going to get that cop-out of taking someone's bending, which... I understand why it was done, but it was lazy writing, particularly since no consequences stemmed from that decision. The world of Avatar revolves around an Avatar's decisions. ATLA was a direct, fundamental result of Roku's choices, and it was more than suggested that Roku's time was so peaceful (I've changed things in this story, obviously), which allowed Fire an incredible season of growth and discovery, due to Kyoshi's actions in her reign as Avatar. Kyoshi had to be such a hardass bitch because of Kuruk's laziness and ineptitude. And Kuruk had the luxury of being lazy and incompetent because Yangchen did such an amazing job as Avatar, for she was willing to "sacrifice her spiritual needs for the sake of the world." It's a cycle. LoK got away from that somewhat, one of the seemingly infinite failings of that show, but it's suggested that Amon and the Red Lotus existed only because of Aang's failings. So, Aang taking someone's bending was lazy because it should have affected the world; Ozai should have come back in Canon as an even worse threat, a direct response to Aang's actions undertaken as Avatar. That didn't happen, of course, so I changed things. In this story, Aang has a decision to make, and it will impact the entire world forever, and he must understand that. The only way he can attain a mature and seasoned understanding and perspective is by being put through the wringer.

I find it more compelling if Aang, during the show, was so consumed and possessed by stopping Fire and ending the Great War that he distanced himself from Air's murder—but it was always there, waiting and lurking in the shadows of his mind and heart. And immediately once the Great War ended, once the massive presence disintegrated, all that was left for him was his race's murder, which he had to face alone forever in grief. That's part of why I find the whole Aang/Azula thing fascinating—because both of them were putting on a performance the entire time during the Great War. Azula performed for Ozai, trying desperately to meet his demands for perfection and not show him her terror—because she was always terrified of him. Aang performed for himself and the Gaang—and the world—and tried hysterically to stop the Great War and finally "do something right in his life" to redeem himself of the unholy failure by murdering Air, which he thinks, feels, knows, and understands is his fault. He blames himself more than anyone. He's well aware that it's "his fault" that an entire race, culture, history, philosophy, and civilization was lost because of him, and Aang is the only one who feels it, which makes him feel alone and resentful that no one understands that, not truly and not genuinely.

When it comes to everything else, Aang's willing to face it all head-on. However, when it hits closer to home—when it's specifically about him and not others, when it's specifically about his race and who he truly holds in his heart, like with Appa—he's never going to face it; he's going to avoid and evade as a true Airbender, trying to be exactly like he understands of his race. He's never going to confront it head-on. It also lines up with his treatment of himself being The Avatar. The moment he learned truth of who and what he was, he ran from it and tried to be ignorant; he tried to pretend that nothing changed. ("I never wanted to be The Avatar.") And that's something he learned to deal with in the story. It also lines up with him choosing to spare Ozai at the end of the Great War. He had to pull a bullshit "magic" solution out of his ass to make it work rather than make hard decisions—as The Avatar needs to make. He embraced ignorance rather than understanding. He pretended not to understand that sparing Ozai meant Ozai would still be around and could return—which he does. (However, I don't actually mind the "magic" solution because it makes perfect sense with where Aang is at when he's twelve years old. He can't kill Ozai because he's so young and trying to reflect his race in all ways, holding them in his keeping! However, he needs to reach a point where he recognizes the fatal mistake he made—because it is a fatal mistake. Ozai needed to die; it's, unfortunately, the way of the world. And really, he only made Ozai hate him more and invigorate him more for revenge by smothering his firebending; he made Ozai live in shame, and Ozai reacts in vicious hatred to that shame to ally with Vaatu and act upon all his plans—because Aang didn't kill him. That's a more reasonable conclusion, I think, than Ozai never being heard from again. It doesn't fit Ozai's character, intelligence, and cunning to rot away; he would be proactive to get himself back in the game.) Simply, Aang has severe depression, and there are points he talks about killing himself, but really, the only reason he doesn't is because it ensures that Air's lineage will forever be extinct. Thus, he sacrifices his impulse for suicide to preserve what he can of his race—where he failed previously. Also, he knows if he killed himself the world would be fucked. To Aang, everything is wrong—because the world is wrong. It's not the world he remembers because it's not the time/age/era he remembers. He doesn't know how to cope with all of it, especially with him being so isolated without friends at the beginning. His letters to and from Zuko kept him sane, but he also turned to himself on an even deeper level—he talked to Roku and Yangchen a lot to keep himself sane and not get lost in the haze of horror and grief gnawing at his spirit, deteriorating his mind, and withering his heart.

Aang held onto an Air that never was; his race as he understood them isn't as they were. He idealized the past (and his race) because he was only a child. It was his only solution to dealing with everything that happened. It's a MASSIVE thing he had to deal with in the story. It was harsh for Aang to realize the truth about his race, the most horrifying thing he'll ever face (probably more than Air's murder, based on how deeply he invested himself in his idealized, perfected race; really, his idealization was all he had, and it felt like ripping off his arm to accept the truth instead of the ideal), but it was nourishing in the long run. He finally drinks clear water instead of muddied water, which has an impact on his outlook about everything. He finally began seeing clearly and understanding clearly; he could finally be himself.

Someone so light can twist himself into something so dark! That's what I tried to explore with Aang because anyone else in the history of the world would have become dark after experiencing what Aang experienced. But the fact that he didn't (as depicted in the show) is incredible but also very, very suspicious, and I realized the suspicion was rooted in his adolescence. Thus, he wasn't mature and couldn't understand things—couldn't realize the depths of what happened to his race and himself. Or, rather, he consciously refused to realize it and put on a "performance" for himself, the Gaang, and the world to pretend that his soul wasn't raped. Air's murder would turn anyone dark, and it needs to turn Aang dark—at least for a while. Otherwise, to me, it isn't real and raw; it would be something disingenuous, a complete lie and something in which you can never invest yourself and learn from. However, Aang gets out of that darkness, and he does, no matter how hopeless it may seem for him, and it will seem hopeless for him at some points. (Ba Sing Se will be a very big low point for him.) He will always have it, and it will never leave him—because that's not how it works. Rather, he learns to be in control of it rather than letting it control him. He becomes mature and wise—he lives the wisdom of his race. He's not a slave to it anymore, like he was for so long, misunderstanding everything.

Aang masters his chakras by going to the past and speaking with Gyatso. He doesn't master them at the same time as Azula because it didn't make sense with what he was dealing with—and it doesn't make sense with what he later does with Air. But he does master them, don't worry.

11) Hama and Katara's connection is adjusted slightly; they are related by blood, which makes the betrayal of Family all the more unbearable for Hama. Hama is Kanna's older sister, which makes Katara and Sokka Hama's grandniece and grandnephew. This gives more substance to her loyalty to Vaatu and why, distinctly, she wants revenge against Katara—because Katara broke Family.

Katara's initial leaving Katara. Her leaving is absolutely understandable, though it's a regretful decision. I also wanted to focus on War's impact with her as she faced a lot, thrown into the fray and saw both Aang and Zuko nearly die because of her failures, which is traumatic severely, especially since she considers herself a mother and healer. War is dehumanizing but not to explore war and its effects is equally dehumanizing, and I wanted to explore those effects, especially when it comes to children in War.

12) Bor's origin changes slightly—Chin V is actually his father by one of Bumi's daughters, named Lira. It makes things, specifically the hatred between Chin V and Bumi, not so one-sided, giving a history and stakes to the whole situation. Also, Chin V and Bumi are second cousins. It correlates actually to why Bumi is such a powerful Earthbender—because he's born of that same bloodline as Chin V, descended from Chin the Conqueror and Kyoshi.

13) Hama and Ozai's relationship changes in which Hama actually starts loving "Piandao" before she learns that he's really Ozai, which changes things between them—and her reaction to his "betrayal." Ozai also masters waterbending and bloodbending because of it and the changes about no longer having to be "blessed" with the bending element.

14) Ozai and Ursa change based on Ozai kidnapping her and Samir from the North. Ursa tries to get him to change his mind and come back with her, renouncing Vaatu, but Ozai is firm. They also discuss Zuko's scar and why it happened—because it's A LOT more complicated than was ever depicted/explained. They discuss their children, and while Ursa thinks they are the most important thing, Ozai thinks he and his quest is more important than their children. He considers it inevitable that he will have to destroy them, and the thought is not a pleasant one for him, but he accepts that he will have to do it—and he wants Ursa to accept it, as well, but she never will. That is the breaking point for them. It culminates in Ursa making her choice and trying to kill Ozai, but she is unsuccessful.

I find Ursa and Ozai's relationship much more compelling than the "forced to marry him" plot that was thrust into Canon with the comics. I think it makes way more sense that she did/does love him deeply. A woman willing to murder the Fire Lord, the most cardinal sin in Fire's eyes, has to have some jagged edges to her, and it matches Ozai; I think they reflect each other very well. Really, they are like Zuko and Azula, though with some differences, of course. Yes, Ursa loves a lot, but she can hate a lot, too—like anyone. It makes sense. She never had much growing up; she was deprived of many things because of her mother's fear of Sozin (or Sozin's heirs) finishing what Sozin started. Thus, Ursa suffered for it and rebelled against her mother after her mother's death by marrying and loving one of Sozin's heirs. Ursa commits deeds out of love rather than hate; it's her nature. She never assassinated Azulon out of hatred; she assassinated him out of love—for Zuko. Thus, she loves Ozai and can't hate him, despite what he's done. She chooses powerfully to love rather than hate.

15) Toph's wounds from Chin V are a much bigger deal, and Toph does think she's dying—because the infection spread. She marries Bor as a result, thinking she has days to live, but Katara gets there in time with that trusty Spirit Oasis water to heal her.

16) Aang takes Tui and La away from the North, away from the Spirit Oasis, and hides them somewhere Vaatu can't/won't find them—on the lion turtle's back.

17) The Phoenix's purpose changes slightly to lure the chi-stealers to it, drawn by the Fire, so Aang can purify them and keep Vaatu from having the chi-stealers as his next army.

18) Those who arrive with Hakoda in the Fire Nation are not the South's whole forces/army; it's Hakoda with a small entourage to meet with Iroh while the South gathers its forces, preparing for a war—it makes more sense in terms of mobilization.

I apologize for the minor—okay, not so minor—changes in plot, but it changes nothing about what happens going forward in the story, and the main events are all the same. The nature is all the same but the form is different. Basically, there were some glaring changes that needed to be fixed, and it was all done to make things more cohesive, comprehensible, realistic, and sensible. I needed this story to be stronger and more lean (ironic considering the length of the new chapters) rather than a random hodgepodge that doesn't flow at all. I needed to fix the flow and strengthen it in crucial areas that had no foundation nor rhythm; I needed to make it more organic and something I could be proud of.

I understand if you do not want to go back and re-read the story to grasp all the refinements because that's a sizable commitment, but if you do decide to go back and re-read, I hope you enjoy the chapters. I apologize if the changes are not to your liking, but I need the story to be more cohesive, and I need it to make sense; I need it to be better and not so immature, so reflective of my 18-year-old self when it started; I need it to be something I can be proud of, all the way through, from the first chapter to the last chapter—when the story is concluded.

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender

XxXxXxXxXxX

Darkness was prominent, blanketing over the Southern Water Tribe in the Mortal Realm in concurrent, interconnected waves. The frigid wind surged around them, threatening to douse the small source of light in the darkness.

It was perfect.

Koh looked at his new sibling, whose growth had stalled in the freezing temperatures. The process would continue but at a much slower rate. He was buying Vaatu time as the terms of their deal demanded.

"Do not look at me like that, Brother," Koh chided, sensing an infantile gaze rooted on him. "You still have a role to play—a crucial role. You will provide The Avatar with an army, after all. I am not against you nor The Avatar. I support the same as he does, after all. But I perceive a more lasting Balance that he does not. I am helping him as only I can. I buy Vaatu time for Balance. The Avatar will understand in time. There must be two for Eternal Balance to prevail."

"And… now?" a weak and slurred voice echoed.

Koh peered at his sibling. "That is for The Avatar to discern. Do not waste your strength, Brother. You need it to last in this cold."

A brief flare of light illuminated their surroundings due to his sibling's displeasure. "Traitor."

"You only weaken yourself. Embrace your flames, and you will survive. Do not surrender yourself to pettiness. The Avatar created you for a reason; he will save you in time." Koh circled his sibling, feeling the mighty and immutable power pervading the Iceberg, on which he had placed his sibling. "Can you feel it, Brother? The Avatar rested in this Iceberg for a century; his power remains in vestiges, but it remains all the same—just as, though your purpose is delayed, your purpose remains. You will survive. The remnants of The Avatar's power in the Iceberg will sustain you if you are too weak to sustain yourself."

"Why?"

"My aims are above your comprehension," Koh dismissed. "You are young, Brother. How can your gaze compare to mine?"

"It is… wrong."

Koh snarled in irritation. "You know nothing. It is necessary. I have waited eons for my essence to be at peace, and I will wait no longer. The Tree endorses my path. It is enough; it is necessary; it is right."

His sibling was cowed, and Koh basked in the promise of his actions. After eons of discontent, the opportunity had arrived to evoke Balance.

Something registered, a connection that just as quickly began disappeared.

Koh paused, stretching his senses; it was clear what happened. "There is someone in this Realm aware of my presence. How exciting."

"Do not… hurt- "

"Silence," he hissed as he reached out and revived the connection. Immediately, human horror assaulted him, fueled by an overwhelming urgency. Letting the connection dissipate, Koh felt resolve, and smothered his own presence to ensure The Avatar's ignorance—his father's trick was most useful. "That will not do, human. The Avatar cannot yet know of my entrance into this war."

There would be Eternal Balance.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Hama had long since run out of tears due to her incessant sobbing after The Avatar had raped her spirit, taking that which she loved and valued beyond anything, casting her into misery and desolation.

Her prison had changed. The metal molding had been removed by The Avatar and shaped into an unbreakable chain that locked around her wrists and feet. She could move around in a shuffle around the room, but that was all. She supposed in fury that The Avatar thought it was merciful, a reprieve away from being confined to the bed.

But Hama refused to leave her bed, refused to give The Avatar the satisfaction that he was merciful.

Nothing mattered. Not even her imprisonments—the first time and second time—equaled the cruelty of The Avatar. Her hatred burned no longer for Pi- Ozai; it had transferred to The Avatar, for she felt kinship to Pi- Ozai.

How could she hate someone she felt kinship with? How could she hate someone that she loved?

The Avatar had stolen Pi- Ozai's bending, and she understood and sympathized—oh, she did! It was clear to her that The Avatar had turned Pi- Ozai into an even worse monster than he had been during the Great War. Pi- Ozai had been deprived of his innermost self for eight years before Vaatu liberated him and restored in him his firebending. Hama had no idea how Pi- Ozai endured such evil for so long when she herself felt her sanity fraying, her spirit deteriorating in only minutes or hours—how much time had passed?—after The Avatar had raped her.

She was in awe of Pi- Ozai; she always had been, but she'd forgotten that fact after his betrayal—but it was revived now as she met a great monster. She respected Pi- Ozai's ability to strive forward and persist against The Avatar's evil, for she felt hopeless and powerless, deprived of the only thing in her life that had been her ally forever in all moments, positive and negative.

Nothing felt significant; all meaning was nothing without her waterbending.

But The Avatar didn't care, revealing his innermost nature—a tyrant.

Pi- Ozai lied to her, but she knew for a fact that Pi- Ozai would have never stolen her bending as The Avatar did. Really, she still loved Pi- Ozai because he had always ranted about The Avatar's cruelty and brutality, citing his stolen bending, his shame, and his severed arm numerous times, any time he knew she would listen and heed his advice; he had taken the time—had cared enough—to warn her of what fate awaited her should The Avatar capture her!

Pi- Ozai had loved her, too!

"Damn The Avatar," she hissed, feeling her cheeks crack from the weight of dried tears staining flesh. "Damn him to the Void of Eternity. Mighty Vaatu, destroy him; destroy all that he loves and rape him as he raped me."

There was no response.

She should have killed The Avatar's daughter and Ursa when she had the chance, even if only for the fraction of her misery to be reflected in The Avatar's eyes when he gazed at her before he killed her.

It was the retribution she was owed! She hated The Avatar more than Katara and Pi- Ozai combined!

The door to her room opened, and she watched as Katara and Pi- Ozai's son entered. Katara looked nervous, whereas Pi- Ozai's son conveyed nothing but a brooding disposition.

Katara opened her mouth but hesitated upon seeing the plate of food sitting on the edge of the bed. Hama had refused to touch it. She hadn't even drank from the glass of water, too heartbroken.

"You didn't eat," Katara said, looking desperate.

"You didn't kill me," she said, voice hollow. "So I kill myself."

Katara's eyes widened in dread, face twisting in fear. "No, no. You need to eat; your body needs- "

"My body needs my bending. But you stole it from me. There is nothing left."

Pi- Ozai's son sighed. "Force her to eat, Katara."

Katara blinked rapidly. "What? I can't- "

"Use bloodbending," Pi- Ozai's son interjected, voice calm and calculated, but there was an aggravation lurking underneath.

Hama felt a sudden burst of forgotten energy. "No! Let me die! By Tui and La, why won't you let me die?"

Suddenly, her body jerked and shuddered, and she screamed as Katara used bloodbending against her, opening her mouth so Pi- Ozai's son could feed her and force her to drink.

The sensation of the water caused all the fight to leave her, and she wanted to wail and sob, cry to Tui and La, but they wouldn't hear her—because of The Avatar!

She had no idea how long she was fed, but eventually, Katara let go, and Hama sagged in defeat as she felt more energy in her body.

"You're crueler than Fire," she whispered, wishing she could feel satisfaction at Katara's flinch, but she felt nothing. "Congratulations, Katara—you're just like The Avatar."

Katara steeled herself, but she retained her look of melancholy; Hama didn't trust such an expression. "We're leaving."

"Leave me here to die," she said, spirit broken. "I'm powerless forever; I'm nothing. Your worries are futile."

"You hold more worth- "

The overwhelming fury erupted out of her. "Your precious Avatar stole my worth! He's a worse monster than Pi- Ozai ever could be! And so are you because you let it happen!"

Pi- Ozai's son glanced at Katara before something shifted in his face. "Doesn't matter. You're coming with us."

"You want to kill me," she urged, desperate. "I can see it in your eyes. It would be so much easier. I won't burden you if you kill me."

Pi- Ozai's son stalked forward, and she adjusted her neck in opening for the inevitable knife, but he grabbed her chains and yanked her forward.

"Zuko," Katara said swiftly, face cast in warning. "Be careful."

Hama struggled in barren fury. "You're just like your father!"

"You would know," Pi- Ozai's son retorted carelessly, pulling her along much more gently.

The fight fled her spirit—just like her bending did!—and she felt too exhausted to prevent the sudden onslaught of tears that spilled out of her ears. Not even Katara's uneasy, distressed face could revive her fury.

Nothing mattered.

XxXxXxXxXxX

"Is this the best decision?"

Aang looked up from his work in packing Appa's saddle; there was a decent crowd who had gathered around the outskirts of the area, curious to watch The Avatar's departure. He tried to meet their inquisitive, hopeful but suspicious gazes with a kind smile, but he felt his smile frayed at the edges, burdened by his mounting stress.

Two Avatars.

Resorting to banishing such a thought, less than more successfully, he jumped off Appa's saddle to land next to Azula, who peered up at him with calculating eyes.

"We're not splitting up again," he said, adamant. "Toph almost died; we lost too much by splitting up."

However, it was quite astonishing that they hadn't lost more. The fact they hadn't lost Samir was the most relieving thing—an unbelievable turn in fortune.

"That is not what I mean," she dismissed. "Is the Caldera the wisest destination now that Father has all the elements?"

Aang tried not to let his confusion show on his face. "We already said we will meet all the recovered Firebenders there, and they already left."

"We have time to go elsewhere and catch up to them at the Caldera."

He understood her allusion and shook his head, resigned and heavy. "We're not staying on the continent; we've spent too much time here. We've spent around two years on the continent since this all started, not including our long stop at the Eastern Temple. Everything's in chaos here, and I can't stop it; I need to let it burn out. If I fight it, I think I'll make it worse—that's the whole story of this entire war. It's a hard decision—a very hard decision—but it's the right one. We have to go back to the Fire Nation and focus only on stopping Vaatu—that's the big thing, the only thing that matters. After stopping Vaatu, everything else will fall into place with time. We have to leave the continent to its own chaotic devices."

There was no judgment on Azula's face, only acceptance. "Very well. We need to rendezvous with Uncle Iroh, regardless. However, would the Caldera be somewhere Father intends to target?"

"You think he'd do that?"

Azula looked unimpressed but urgent at the same time. "Father has proven bolder than any man to ever walk this world. If he saw an opportunity to destroy his brother, whom he has always despised, he would take it."

Aang considered her words. "He will never find an airbending master- "

"Unless Indra herself is his master."

That was the very suspicion he felt. "- but more pressingly, he has no army—not anymore. Even if his entire forces weren't there when your mother and Hama attacked, it will never be enough to stand against me—against us. He knows it. That is why the Phoenix is such a big deal—the chi-stealers are the last conceivable army that Vaatu and Ozai have, but I've taken that away by creating the Phoenix. And I killed Agni's body so that Vaatu couldn't have a rival Fire to lure the chi-stealers to him and stay on his side. Even if all the chi-stealers were somehow there now as an army for them, it wouldn't last—they know it. We all know it. For the first time in this entire war, we have the advantage—and I'm not letting that advantage go. Let Indra teach him airbending—it won't matter."

The big relief was that Samir was safe, out of Vaatu and Ozai's grips, unable to be used as a vessel for a dead airbending master—anything next to that seemed tame in comparison, such as Indra herself acting as Ozai's master.

"It will if there are two Avatars," she pointed out.

All the others had been equally horrified and furious at the notion of two Avatars—thankfully, he had resisted all their calls to visit the Tree to express their displeasure.

He sighed. "I won't let it come to that. They can't bond permanently right now—there is no way because the Harmonic Convergence isn't until eight centuries from now. I have no idea how they could bond permanently to undergo the Ascension."

Azula's brow rose. "Do you think Hama knows?"

Aang's jaw clenched. "That remains to be seen."

"Will Father strike the Caldera in his desperation because he knows that his last powerful army will be taken from him?"

"Maybe he'd go to the Caldera, but if we were there, we'd crush him." His fists clenched at his sides, and it felt impossible to stop the physical evidence of his dark thoughts. "I would crush him—he knows it. It's going to happen either way."

She nodded but looked tense. "You are right. However, we must be careful and prudent. His desperation will provoke him to do whatever he thinks he must. There is only a month before the Phoenix is complete. Vaatu and Father's time is short, and they both know it. Their desperation can only increase going forward."

Aang dreaded what such desperation would evoke. "We'll be as ready as we can," he said, eyes drifting over to the others, who began to bring whatever limited—or nonexistent for most—belongings to place onto Appa's saddle. "We need to stick together. And we need Iroh. We need all our allies, no matter how small they are."

A determined glint gleamed in Azula's golden gaze. "Agreed."

"I think that's everything, Twinkletoes," Toph said, appearing out of nowhere. "Sparky and Sugar Queen got the stupid bitch. And just so you know, you can't blame it on me if she falls off Appa during the trip."

Azula's brows rose in amusement. "We can if you push her off."

Toph waved a hand in dismissal. "I'm blind. I could be stretching out to lay on Bor, and I just happen to smack that bitch out of the saddle."

Aang shook his head. "I'll catch her. But that doesn't give you an invitation to- "

"Yeah, yeah," Toph grumbled. "But here she comes."

He turned his gaze to the inn and watched as Zuko led Hama out of the inn in chains, and behind them walked Katara with a troubled look on her face.

"She feels different," Toph murmured, voice dark. "Her kid's as strong as ever, but there's something different. The vibration is off."

"Her bending is gone," Aang explained, and he felt it in the air, the raw misery emanating from Hama. He would never regret what he did, but he felt saddened that he had to resort to such measures. Although, he recognized that there was a small greedy part of him that basked in such 'vengeance' against Hama, whose crimes were immense.

She was the reason behind Samir's kidnapping, after all.

"Are you happy, Avatar?" Hama spat in greeting, teeth flashing with spittle and blood. "You're worse than Pi- Ozai- "

"Because your opinion matters," Toph drawled in interruption. "If you don't shut up, I'm going to put dirt in your mouth, which is something probably familiar since that's how Ozai kept you—on the ground."

"We're leaving," Aang cut in quickly, patience spent.

Hama sneered. "You embody the legends of Air—distant and unmoved by Life's indignities! You're a fucking Arrowhead!"

Aang paused, remembering the truth of his race's fall, which he learned from Gyatso himself. Was he becoming like his race—again? Once, such a thought would have evoked blissful pleasure, but upon learning the depths of Air's aloof and cruel dispositions, there was only a grim anxiety.

He had made such progress to come back from that abyss he had nearly fallen into before he met Azula on Ember Island; he had forgiven his friends and forged a stronger connection with them.

But what if he was always destined to be the Mad Balance-Keeper?

Yet, he felt deeply, felt the horror going on around them, saturating the world due to Vaatu's machinations. His race had been aloof and distant, and Aang knew he was anything but aloof and distant; he once tried to be, and it was horrible. It would be so much easier for him if he were aloof and distant, allowing him to deal with everything, compartmentalize as necessary, negating Ozai and Vaatu's mental advantage, but he couldn't.

He felt everything.

Aang stepped forward, aligning himself alongside Hama, who flinched terribly. "I made my choices, and you made yours. When our choices intersected, only one choice was possible—mine. You forced my hand- "

"Liar!"

"I'm not going to apologize," Aang said, meeting her maddening gaze. "I wish things had gone differently, but it's not something I will ever regret. You don't regret what you did, and I don't regret what I did."

Azula nodded approvingly, but before she could speak, Hama snarled: "I do regret what I did, Avatar! I regret that I didn't kill that stupid, whiny brat of yours!"

Aang's patience vanished, and he gripped Hama's arm. "We need to leave."

"No!" Hama shrieked, and she bucked with revived strength, jerking away from his grip. "Don't touch me! You know what you did!"

"Let's go," Zuko snapped, yanking on the chains. "No wonder Father used you as a whore."

"Hama, please," Katara begged quietly, placing a consoling hand on Hama's shoulder. "None of us like this."

"I do," Toph said with a smirk.

Hama laughed and it was shrill, bordering on mad. "Chin V told me about his plans for you—for the blind earthbending girl who taught him metalbending. Did he rape you as he desired to? Did he put in you the heir he needed?"

Toph's smirk vanished so quickly, to be replaced by rage, that Aang felt it through his airbending. "Stop talking," she hissed, and the earth trembled under her feet.

"He did!" Hama cried out in hysterical laughter. "I hope when he raped you that his penis was as deformed as his face! But you wouldn't know, would you?"

The earth roared and surged up like rushing water, but before it could crush Hama, Aang stopped the attack; he strained against Toph's furious energy, but he continued—like a true Earthbender.

"Enough," he said, noticing how Zuko pulled Katara into him; they had each reached the same conclusion that he had—there would be no peace with Hama. "Toph, stop."

Toph shook in place, and her milky eyes were misty. "Don't Avatar me, Twinkletoes! The bitch deserves it!"

"I do," Hama goaded, face twisting in hope. "I do deserve it! Kill me! I know Chin V enjoyed you, but did you enjoy him? Do you carry his heir?"

Aang's eyes widened when he felt Toph's intensity double, but he smashed his foot into the ground, wrenching control of the earth for himself. "Toph, get on Appa."

Toph glared at him, fists trembling at her sides. "You know she deserves it."

"You know why she does not," Azula cut in, looking remarkably tranquil. "She has knowledge."

Toph swallowed, shame and anger fighting for control; she was unable to look in Katara's direction. "You're right."

Before anyone could say anything, Toph whirled around and used earthbending to catapult herself into Appa's saddle.

"This isn't going to work," Zuko snapped, yanking on Hama's chain in aggravation.

"The solution is simple," Hama pressured, voice seeming to take on a musical quality. "Kill me."

"The solution is simple," Jin said, appearing with Haru on the steps leading to the inn; they approached, along with Sokka and the heavily pregnant Suki. Aang didn't fail to notice how Azula's gaze snapped onto Jin with an intensity that rivaled her ire towards Ozai—what was that about? Jin seemed to wilt under Azula's gaze, but she swallowed and continued: "Hama cannot ride with any of us; she will provoke to kill. Only one of us has the ability to transport her safely and resist her temptations."

Jin's eyes timidly met his own, and Aang almost laughed hysterically in understanding.

"Absolutely not," Azula snapped, eyes flaring. "Cease your machinations."

"The Avatar must carry her," Jin said, voice trembling, but she remained composed.

"No, never!" Hama shouted. "I'd rather die than be carried by him!"

"We get it," Sokka muttered.

"Fine," Aang said, knowing there was no better solution. "I'll carry her."

Azula glared at him, and he had no idea why the solution angered her. "I do not trust this solution."

"Trust my ability to ensure it stays a solution and not a problem," he countered.

She nodded stiffly, casting an unreadable look at Jin, and Aang didn't understand.

"No, I'm not going!" Hama said, jerking in her chains. "Don't touch me, Avatar!"

Aang realized the necessity of immobilizing Hama further during the trip. So she could not, either now or on the trip, try to attack him—going for his eyes, throat, or penis with vicious fingers or teeth—he locked her in place with bloodbending, careful not to harm Katara's child.

When Hama felt his bloodbending grip, she paled in horrified realization; she looked like death—such was her terror.

Aang refused to feel guilty.

"We're going," he announced.

"Finally," Sokka said. "I've been craving komodo chicken."

Suki raised a brow, her hands resting on her prominent swollen belly. "Aren't I supposed to have the cravings?"

"Are you craving komodo chicken?"

"No."

Sokka shook his head in horrified disappointment and pointed at her swollen stomach. "Then our kids are doing it wrong! C'mon—neither of them has had it yet. We have to fix that. Everyone on Appa!"

The others dispersed, leaving him with Azula and Hama. He noticed that Azula's gaze never left Jin.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Azula glanced at him, shaking her head. "Nothing to concern yourself with. I am going to find Mother and Samir. Then we can leave."

Hama smiled, and it was sickening. "You know nothing, Avatar."

Aang said nothing but realized that she was right—there was so much that had been kept from him. He could only hope that things would go according to plan henceforth.

Only another month until the Phoenix would be complete, and he would have an army he needed to make a final assault at Vaatu

XxXxXxXxXxX

Ozai felt himself approaching the limit of his endurance, and he held up a hand. "Enough for now."

Zaheer floated before him, relaxing from his fighting posture. "Were you not the one who dismissed the necessity of rest?"

He scoffed and sat down. "I was wrong."

His airbending master lowered himself to the ground until he sat, as well. "How often do you admit you are wrong?"

He felt a tug of agony in his chest. "My wife would say not enough."

"What do you say?"

"That she does not understand."

Ursa did not understand at all, despite his urgent, desperate pleas for her to understand; she turned her back on him and chose The Avatar—she had tried to kill him to prevent him from replacing The Avatar! He had explained everything to her, patient and understanding of her doubts, but she could not be swayed from her adamance in their children's value. She could not see that they could make more children; she thought they were stuck with Zuko and Azula, who walked an unacceptable path. He was proud they rebelled against him, but their chosen method was abhorrent—it was evil because they sided with evil in The Avatar!

How he hated The Avatar! The Avatar stole Ursa from him! Because The Avatar charmed his children and befriended them, they were firmly on The Avatar's side, which ensured Ursa on his side because she loved Zuko and Azula!

It was all part of The Avatar's plan!

"A reason most Air Nomads refuse marriage," Zaheer commented, voice slightly amused. "Marriage demands conformity and regression from enlightenment; it is a beautiful idea that is executed so terribly so often."

"I wish she was here," Ozai whispered, realizing that he was much more tired than he had initially thought; he felt anguished and dismayed, felt it wrapping around his heart and shrinking it. "She should be here; she should be next to me, like she was during our wedding celebration—before our children ruined everything. She was always by my side; we were always together, on the same side. I trusted her like no one to ever live; I loved her like no one to ever live. I was going to give her everything, but the one thing she wanted, the one thing she demanded of me, was the one thing I could never give her—because to give it to her meant my defeat and shame. She chose our children, our son and daughter, over me, and Azula inherited her mother's cruelty."

Zaheer chuckled. "What did you expect? A woman is loyal only to one man in her life—her son."

Ozai's fists clenched in the grass. "I wanted so much for him, and he ruined all my plans for him. I applaud his rebellion but hate its conclusion—because it will end with me dead. We stand on different sides and must destroy the side against us. We draw forth in inevitable destruction, but I refuse to be destroyed, and Zuko refused to be destroyed—as is natural. However, my will is stronger; I will succeed. That is what Ursa could not accept; she broke my heart, withered me—and I did the same to her. How quickly the miracle of our reunion deteriorated into a bitter separation."

"Have you considered you are wrong in choosing this path?"

He tensed and glanced at Zaheer, startled. "Do not underestimate my conviction. I ruminated on this for eight years in a cold, dark cell; I have thought about it more than any man alive, than any man throughout history; I have thought about it more than The Avatar can conceive."

"Then explain it to me. Consider it training. Why do you walk this path? To rebel against The Avatar is something very few throughout history are capable of."

"I have the will necessary."

"But what motivates such a strength of will?"

Ozai frowned. "Why?"

"I seek to make your airbending stronger. You have made strides, but there are more to be made. If you are to attain the necessary spirituality, you must look inward. Be honest. Why is this your passion?"

He stared at Zaheer for several moments. "What is the point of this?"

"It is the only way to help you gain mastery over The Avatar."

Ozai looked away, remaining quiet for several moments. He did not know why, but he considered taking part in the conversation. Vaatu had left hours ago. Chin V's kinsmen who remained were different, mere servants to his will and could offer him nothing besides their lives. There was no Ursa as she left, and there was no Hama, who betrayed him.

There was only Zaheer, someone who hated The Avatar as he did.

Even when in his cell after The Avatar stole his bending, he had conversations to look forward to. Zuko had visited him more than either of them would ever be comfortable admitting, and Ozai had enjoyed those conversations, for, despite it all, he possessed a fundamental instinct for conversation, for connection, no matter how feigned it was—because he was mortal.

When he had rescued Ursa from The Avatar, he had cherished his talks with her, despite her tearful disposition that oscillated from despair to stoicism, fueled by the presence of The Avatar's bastard. But Ursa had left him, even after he had promised her the world, promised her new children who would know loyalty and respect. And there was Hama. He and Hama had shared interesting conversations—nothing compared to Ursa, of course—but Hama had betrayed him and killed everyone else he could share a conversation with.

"My vengeance is all I have left," he responded finally, voice softer than he liked, but he felt too tired to summon his ferocity. "My crusade is all I have left. There is nothing for me now but that. Once, I had an entire nation that worshiped me and looked at me like I was Agni himself; once, I had something familiar, a place to call home and be welcome; once, I had a wife who was so beautiful I often mistook her for an Airbender, for the breath left my lungs when I gazed upon her; once, I had children who adored me and tried to emulate me, to please me—a son and daughter in whom I felt pride. Discounting my son's disappointing choices and my daughter's weakness, I had everything before The Avatar shamed me. Now I strive to regain all that I lost and more—for interest is due me, and I will collect. There is nothing else for me. Ursa left me and Hama betrayed me. My children are ashamed they carry my blood, and my name is slighted across the world. All I have is Vaatu. The Avatar forgave my son, and he forgave my daughter, but he will never forgive me—nor do I want him to. There is no foolish 'redemption' here; there is no turning around; there is no stopping. I made my choices, and I stand by them; I am committed to them. I will not run away from The Avatar and his wrath, along with his army of moralizers. This is my path. By doing this, I redeem myself of my shame."

"What motivates you now is The Avatar and the shame he enforced on you. Before The Avatar returned, what motivated you? Why did you make the decisions you made?"

"Victory," he answered easily, remembering those good times. "I was to see the conclusion of my grandfather's conquest; I was to oversee the glory of Fire across the world."

"Why continue your grandfather's conquest?"

Ozai frowned. "Sozin founded an empire that needed constant oversight and growth to expand and exist. Otherwise, everything was empty. I wanted glory; I wanted to be a great man."

"But if you had ended the conquest, would it have been your glory or your grandfather's glory? Was it all for you, or was it for your grandfather or father? What did you do for you? What is the origin of your motivation?"

The air swirled around them, reacting to his emotion. "I do this for me. This is my war; it is no one else's, and it never will be. My motivation is to be something, to measure up to the blood in my veins, to bear the burden of my House, to be the greatest man of all the great men before me; I want everything, and I shall have it when I crush The Avatar's skull beneath my foot."

Zaheer chuckled before going quiet. "What shall be our fates should we fail? I do not miss the Maze of Thorns."

Ozai had done his best not to think of such a possibility—because it was not a possibility! It never would be! It could not be—never! "We have Vaatu," he dismissed. "We will triumph."

"Where is the rest of our army? What army can we gather? These simpletons here will be smitten by The Avatar with a look."

"Vaatu will get us the army we need."

"If it is not enough? If we fail in our endeavor?"

A haunting silence pervaded around them as Ozai finally considered the notion of his death; he felt somber. "It will be a painful fate," he said, voice quiet. "But what could have been a certainty is now only a possibility. The Face Stealer bought us time to gather our new army."

Zaheer glanced at him. "If he reneges on his word?"

Ozai sneered. "Where was this doubt when in the Face Stealer's presence? You were more of a sycophant to him than Zhao to me!"

"The legends of my time spoke of his power; to slight him is to embrace your demise."

"I will smite him if necessary," Ozai dismissed. "He is nothing next to my power after my ascendancy."

"If he reneges on his word?"

"Then The Avatar wins," he whispered after several moments, feeling a piercing pain erupt in his heart at such an acknowledgement. "And our names and deeds will be condemned in ignorant disgust for several generations before being obliterated from memory—while The Avatar reigns over all and promotes ignorance of the true events, concealing his nature."

Silence.

"I have endured such torment once," Zaheer hissed, an urgency in his eyes that Ozai knew was in his own. "I will not endure it again. We cannot let that happen."

The air whipped around them. "We will not."

XxXxXxXxXxX

Zuko thought he was prepared for the sight of the Caldera, but nothing had prepared him for the absence pervading his home. There was a thick, shocking silence that assaulted him, condemning him as the Fire Lord who had let such horror afflict Fire.

Father had observed him a failure many times in his life, and Zuko had stopped believing it since his enlightenment until he saw the devastation upon entering the Fire Nation.

It was all clear to everyone, not just him. No one said anything, but Zuko knew—he knew!—they had all reached the same conclusion.

He was a failure who abandoned his race during the threat of extinction. To his knowledge, his race had never endured such a horrific threat, but he had been unable to prevent it, nonetheless able to rally his race together to fight against the threat—because he had abandoned them closer to two years ago than one.

Uncle was an excellent regent, and he could not ask for a more loyal prince, but it was his duty to lead their race, particularly during hardship and horror, which Jet had unleashed.

But Zuko had ignored his race to run off with his friends.

He was pathetic.

"Are you alright?" Katara asked, voice quiet and concerned, words meant only for his ears. "It's getting hotter."

Zuko swiftly lowered his temperature. "I'm fine."

"Do you expect me to believe that?"

He was grateful they were on Druk rather than Appa, flying to the side. "I need to think."

"You mean brood."

"Same thing."

Katara hummed, the vibrations pleasant against his back. "I'm ready for this to be over."

"We're almost there," he replied, raising a hand to point at the familiar sight of the palace of Sozin in the distance.

"No, I mean, I'm ready for all of this to be over."

"There's no one who would disagree with that," Zuko said, feeling a swell of resentment threaten his stability. Father had helped produce all of the horror afflicting the world. "I think even Father is ready for it to be over."

"An end for him but a renewal for us."

Zuko glanced at Aang, who flew ahead carrying Hama; he had no idea how Aang endured it. "Air will return. I know Fire will return, but looking at all this, it doesn't seem like it."

Katara's arms squeezed his chest. "We will make sure Fire returns; we will help Aang with everything we can."

His eyes remained on Hama, and it looked like the life had left her, but he knew Aang used bloodbending to immobilize her. "She's going to keep trying to provoke someone to kill her."

Katara stiffened against his back. "I know," she said, voice tight and on the verge of distraught. "Why? I don't understand her."

"There is no sense in understanding nonsense," he replied. "We'll give her to Uncle and see if he can help."

He certainly needed Uncle's help himself; he had a hopeful feeling that Uncle could help clear his impotent confusion.

"Maybe that will work," Katara said, voice filling with hope. "Sooner than later, she will notice her pregnancy. I thought when Aang removed the metal molding, she'd know immediately."

Zuko nodded. "I suspect she's been so overwhelmed by having her bending removed that she hasn't noticed anything else."

"Better that than she realizes the truth."

"I'm not sure she's capable of truth," he said, giving the notion serious consideration. "She knows what Vaatu's presence means, but she still holds- "

"She told me that she loved Vaatu," Katara said, voice horrified.

He paused at such an absurd statement, horrified by the depths behind such conviction. "Was she like this when you knew her?"

Katara took several moments to answer before resting her head on his shoulder; her words were comprehensible. "She was precise and calculating back then. I don't see that anymore. Part of me wishes that Sokka had just left her to die. Such a thought sickens me, but she's being so difficult. I want to help her."

"I'm not interested in helping her. Only you and Mother are."

"I know," she lamented. "But I have to try, don't I?"

"You already tried, and I admire that you did try," Zuko responded, watching as the palace became closer and closer. "But some people don't want to be saved, no matter what you do to help. And if someone doesn't want to be saved, it doesn't reflect on you or your effort or your ability to be good and kind."

"I know that," she whispered, somehow audible. "I do. But it doesn't change the feeling of failure."

Zuko nodded and said nothing for several moments. "When Father was imprisoned before all of this, I would visit him—a lot. I told you that before, remember?"

"Yes."

"The only person I visited more than him was Azula. I began to understand him a lot more because of what I was going through as Fire Lord; it's a glorious burden, yes, but it's intense, immense, and often overwhelming. It takes temerity and resiliency—and fucking strength—to be Fire Lord, to wield that power. He would antagonize me often, but sometimes he gave advice; most of it was dragonshit, but every now and then, it was helpful—very helpful, actually. The only reason I survived as Fire Lord is because of his advice—he was actually helping me. And I tried to help him, as in I talked to him and tried to make sense of everything, hoping if he listened to what I was saying that he could change. But I was naive, still a child in so many ways. I did all of that, but you know what I should have done?"

"Tried harder?"

"Executed him."

He felt Katara flinch. "He deserves it, but… he's your father."

"A son has killed his father before, remember?" he recalled, remembering all of the legends. "I never wanted to, but I should have—I see that now. I'm not trying to save him, and I'm not going to. I wish I could, ultimately, yes, but I can't, and I know that. He made his choices, and even though I hate those choices, I respect the fact that he made those choices; I know nothing I do can change those choices, can deter him from making more of those terrible choices."

Katara fell silent, and Zuko doubted he had helped her turmoil. The only thing that would help was if Hama became more congenial and open to an alliance, to helping, but that would never happen as far as Zuko could discern.

"If she dies," Zuko began, "you would mourn, right?"

"Yes."

"Would you mourn her or the woman you wish she was?"

Katara's forehead collapsed into his shoulder, and she sighed heavily. "I know."

"When Father dies, I'll mourn him," Zuko admitted, bitter that he still felt such a connection to Father. "But I won't mourn who he was, only who I wish he was—a good father and good man."

"May the child just come already," she murmured in exhaustion.

Zuko closed his eyes. He really needed to speak with Uncle.

XxXxXxXxXxX

The sight of the Caldera, no matter how desolate, was a relief to Azula, who wanted Aang away from Hama as swiftly as possible, for Jin was not to be trusted. Since leaving the village, she had done much to mitigate her seething distrust of the Husband-Murder, and no one in Appa's saddle had noticed anything during the ride—except Jin, of course, who failed to meet her assessing gaze. However, Aang had suspected something before their departure to the Caldera, and it seemed likely that Hama knew something about it, especially considering Jin had confessed that Hama had provoked her motivation to act.

But the fact that Aang suspected something—and so early in the life of the deception—concerned her. Was she no longer as good as she thought? Had she regressed in her abilities?

Or perhaps it was the simplest solution—her husband knew her.

Such a thought, normally, would elicit fond pleasure, but it was a source of worry when she had to conceal the truth of such treachery from him, knowing they had to be united as a group against the threat. And she enjoyed the group, the Gaang. It took a long time, but she felt comfortable and resolved in the Gaang, in being part of a group of people who once would have likely celebrated her death. So much had changed; she had changed. But the others had changed, too. They were all closer to friendship than not after everything that had happened; they had all earned each other's trust and respect.

But the presence of the Husband-Murderer threatened her solace in the Gaang, which she resented.

And she felt most fond of Toph, who shared a friendship with the Husband-Murderer. Not to mention Haru, who was close with Jin. Ty Lee loved Haru and died loving him; if Azula did something to compromise Haru's 'happiness' or 'contentment,' it would disappoint Ty Lee.

However, the main source of her motivation ran deeper and closer to her heart. Aang was not ready to know the truth of Jin's resentment and fear toward him.

Already, Aang bore the burden of everything, of existence as they all understood and comprehended it by rebelling against Vaatu, and he bore crushing guilt over his rampage at Ba Sing Se so long ago. He did not need his burden increased, particularly during the twilight of this new war.

Azula had considered the cruelty of her deception, but she was Aang's wife, the wife of The Avatar, and she knew it necessary, although distressing. And watching him fly ahead while carrying Hama did nothing to ease her dread.

A small hand shook her shoulder. "Mommy."

She turned around. "What is it?"

"Look!" Samir cried out with an awed expression. "Look! It's huge!"

Azula followed her finger and almost laughed. "That is the palace—where I was born."

The architecture was familiar, but that was it. Everything else about the Caldera and palace was wrong; it was unlike what her memories said it should be. There should be people everywhere, but everything was abandoned, and some of the former grand constructions were nowhere to be seen, only remaining in piles of rubble, which increased everywhere she looked.

It was unthinkable but true.

Samir gasped, and her eyes widened before she scrambled forward. "This is your home, Mommy?" she asked, climbing onto Appa's head so she could sit in her lap while simultaneously peering over Appa's head. Azula had long learned that it was foolish to feel concern over an Airbender's safety in the sky.

She shook her head, readjusting her body so she was more comfortable with the added weight. "It was, and it was a beautiful place that concealed its political dangers."

Though, it no longer looked beautiful; it looked desecrated and misshapen. If she felt any of the loyalty she once did to Fire, she would be enraged and conspiring to convince Aang to take her to the Gardens of the Dead so she could watch as he obliterated Jet's spirit from existence, which she would convince him to do, even if it necessitated seduction, as well, but she only felt a void; she did not have a judgment other than that it looked wrong, which saddened her. It reminded her of the Western Air Temple when she besieged it near the end of the Great War; there was a hollowing absence, and the structures which were once beautiful were scorched and blackened—if not destroyed.

She wondered if Father knew at all of what had become of the Fire Nation because of Vaatu and Jet. Would Father care, or would he claim it to be a necessary sacrifice?

"Where's your home now?" Samir asked curiously.

"My home is alongside your father, wherever he needs to be as Avatar," Azula replied.

"You mean, the Air Temple?"

"That will be our home, but it is not our home now."

Samir's face scrunched into a pout. "I want to go back to the Air Temple."

"You will," Azula vowed, pressing a fond hand to her daughter's head. "You shall see all of Kirku's Air Temples."

Well, also the second Western Temple—the one not built by Kirku.

"Have you been to all of them?"

Azula sighed, remembering her bombardment against the second Western Air Temple; she rather deeply regretted that decision. "I have been to three of the Air Temples." She did not count the first Air Temple where Indra had hidden herself. That could never qualify as an Air Temple after she had seen the glories of the later structures. "The Western, Eastern, and Southern."

"We went to the Southern Temple where Daddy lived," Samir recited, sounding proud of herself. "And he was born at the Eastern Temple. And Appa, too!"

Appa unleashed a roar of agreement, and Azula felt her lips curl slightly. "And the Eastern Temple is where you were realized an Airbender."

Samir grinned. "Just like Daddy as The Avatar!"

Azula's brows rose in amusement. "He learned he is The Avatar at the Southern Temple."

"From Grandpa Gyatso?"

A deep ache accompanied the reminder of Gyatso. "Yes. We will take you to the Western and Northern Temples when all this is over."

"I'm going to race Daddy all across the Temples!" Samir said, beaming with confidence. "Then he can show me all the rooms and tell me stories about it all! I want to learn what Daddy knows."

She felt her eyes tighten as the thought of Aang recounting such volatile subjects, though he had become miraculously better since his return from seeing the past age and speaking with Gyatso. "It is very kind of you to want to learn about your heritage as an Air Nomad, but you must remember that there will be times when such learning will sadden your father."

Samir's joy dwindled. "Because he's the Last Airbender."

"Yes."

Her daughter swallowed. "But he's not anymore. He has me. I'm an Airbender."

Azula knew she had to handle such a conversation carefully and was grateful they were provided a semblance of privacy on Appa's head rather than in the saddle, although she knew Toph would hear everything. "His is a burden that he shall carry forever, and no one can alleviate it, not truly. In his mind, he will always be the Last Airbender just as he is The Avatar—because one spawned from the other; they are interconnected in ways none of us will understand fully."

"I don't think I want to be The Avatar," Samir whispered, staring at Aang's flying form ahead with forlorn eyes; it looked quite similar to an expression she had seen on Ty Lee's face, which reminded her of Ty Lee's death—a deep regret. "I used to wanna be, but I don't anymore. Daddy's sad and tired. And The Avatar is what makes him that way."

Azula nodded. "It is an immeasurable burden that only he and the lives he lives can bear, nonetheless master—in time. Only he has the strength to wield his power."

"What's it like?" Samir asked, voice timid and shy.

"What is what like?"

"To see Daddy's power."

The images of Ba Sing Se's murder flashed through her mind. "Humbling," she responded instinctively. "Memorable."

Certainly arousing at times, but she could not admit that to her daughter. Perhaps when Samir was older.

"Scary?"

Azula assessed Samir's tight posture. "Why? You were in Ba Sing Se when it happened."

"I don't remember a lot. The Air Spirit saved me, and I kept looking ahead instead of around."

That was a relief. "Yes, The Avatar's power can be terrible. But I can be most terrible, as well."

Samir gasped, and her gray eyes widened before she giggled. "No way, Mommy! You're not scary!"

"Yes, she is!" Toph hollered from the saddle. "Snoozles used to piss himself when she showed up!"

"I did not!" Sokka squawked, indignant. "And how would you know?"

"The smell."

Silence.

"It was one time! And it's not like I could relieve myself on Appa! I had to go, and seeing and feeling that lightning for the first time made me go! There's nothing wrong with that! It was natural!

Azula shook her head in amusement and looked down at Samir. "See? I can be scary."

Samir looked decidedly unconvinced by such a notion, and Azula hoped she stayed unconvinced forever. "But you're not more scary than Daddy."

She raised a brow, knowing it was a truthful observation. The Avatar, truly, was terrifying. "If you did something wrong, whom would you rather choose your punishment?

"But that's different," Samir protested, as if that explained everything. "Daddy would throw me off the temple while you would make me climb up the temple!"

Azula wondered if that would be a feasible punishment—climbing the mountain to reach the Air Temple. "You gave me an idea."

Samir's eyes bulged in horror, and her hands gripped her arm, shaking in pressure. "Mommy, no! I lied! Daddy's worse!"

Her lips stretched into a smirk. "I thought you liked being thrown off the temple?"

Samir rapidly shook her head, but the grin on her face as she clearly remembered being thrown off the Temple was vivid. "Not anymore."

Azula decided to show mercy and not call her daughter on her obvious deception. "Your father is greater than me at all things, I suppose."

Her daughter guiltily looked out to where Aang was flying in the distance before her face transformed. "Why's he flying away?" Samir demanded, voice rising in shrill panic. "Daddy, come back!"

Azula narrowed her eyes in consideration. Indeed, Aang had almost vanished in the distance. "There is no worry, Samir. I suspect he is tired from carrying Hama such a long way, and he will arrive quicker than us."

Samir's face was petrified, but she sniffed and nodded. "He's not leaving? He'll stay?"

"Yes."

"I'm safe now," she whispered, curling into Azula's side. "No one will hurt me with you and Daddy here. Grandpa's gone; he can't hurt my heart."

Azula wanted to unleash all the lightning simmering in her heart at Father, and she clutched her daughter in an irrational attempt to ward off further harm against her. Feeling a pair of eyes watching her and Samir, she turned, catching Jin turn her attention elsewhere—too quickly to be a natural movement.

Perhaps there was a target for her ire.

"Is everything alright, Queen of Chyung?" she asked, watching her with cool eyes.

Jin flinched but shook her head, avoiding looking at her. "Yes, Avatar's wife."

Satisfied, she returned her attention to Samir. "Certainly not," Azula vowed, feeling her grip on Samir tighten. "You are safe, Samir."

XxXxXxXxXxX

Aang landed in the palace's courtyard and immediately released Hama, who scrambled away with a choked gasp of relief. Thankfully, she had been silent on the trip, stricken by fear. It had been stressful carrying her while using two advanced elemental forms for so long, and it was why he had increased his speed to land faster.

"I hate you," Hama hissed, mad eyes roaming the area. "You brought me to the heart of the Fire Nation, to the origin of Sozin's line, only to remind me that vengeance will never be mine! Because you raped me!"

He blinked in shock. "What? I didn't rape you."

"What do you call violating me in the most intimate of ways, Avatar?"

Aang squeezed his eyes shut for patience. "It wasn't rape-rape. Maybe a symbolic rape."

"No! You raped me!"

"I'm not listening to this," he muttered and dashed forward. Before Hama could react, he placed a hand over her forehead and forced her into slumber.

He caught her with bloodbending, resigned to having to carry her.

"Avatar Aang," Iroh's familiar worn voice echoed, and Aang turned to see Iroh, whose face had aged significantly since he had seen him last. The top of his head, his scalp, was hairless, and the hair at the sides above his ears was no longer gray but as white as the snow in the North and South and looked as thin as Aang's restraint, and deep lines replaced smooth flesh; he had lost much weight and looked gaunt. "Who is this?"

He tried to smile, but he suspected it only reflected sadness. "This is someone who would kill you if given the chance."

Iroh, though, was as nimble as ever, approaching swiftly, unconcerned by the possible threat. "I shall not let her near my tea, then."

Aang felt his smile become less strained. "It's good to see you, Iroh."

"And you, as well, Avatar Aang. But where is everyone else? How are they? Zuko?"

He pointed to the distance, where he could feel Druk's steady approach. "Ask him yourself."

A gasp echoed as Iroh's eyes found Druk's outline. "He is beautiful. May my grandfather's mandate of death be replaced by life."

Aang gazed at Iroh's aged face, feeling concern. "Are you alright, Iroh?"

Iroh looked at him with shocked eyes. "Me? I have been confined to the Caldera while you have faced Dark directly. Are you alright?"

"We've had losses, but we're still here," he said shortly, unsure how he could possibly explain everything to Iroh. He hadn't seen Iroh well over two years.

Something that resembled pity shone in Iroh's eyes. "I am sorry about Ursa and your daughter. My brother's pride is more blinding than Agni. It grieved me deeply the moment I learned of it."

Aang felt his body constrict at the reminder, and it was only his ability to stiffly nod his head that alerted him that Hama hadn't awoken and regained her bending. "They're safe. Sokka rescued them."

Iroh smiled and something in his posture relaxed. "Thank Agni. My worry has only increased since hearing the news."

He frowned, and a dark sensation roared at him—he couldn't be too careful! "How did you know that Ozai had them? How?" He took a step forward. "Are you allied with him?"

Silence.

Astonishment erupted across Iroh's face. "I would never ally with my brother, nonetheless against The Avatar!"

Aang swallowed and felt shame. "I'm sorry. A lot's happened, and it's hard to trust."

Iroh's face was gentle and understanding, and a kind hand patted his shoulder. "An affliction familiar to all great men, something to heed or ignore according to your judgment."

"My judgment's compromised."

"So is mine," Iroh said jovially, shocking Aang. "And so is Zuko's and so is your wife's—oh, and I must congratulate you on your marriage to my niece. Quite a stunning development, I must confess, but one that brings me no less joy than that of Zuko and Katara's union."

Aang's brows rose in surprise. "You're a lot more knowledgeable than I thought you would be."

Iroh leaned in closer, eyes serious—but twinkling. "It's the tea. Every time I drink, I hear the whispers of the world."

A small laugh escaped him. "You're the only Teabender I know."

"An inheritance I have tried so keenly to pass onto Zuko," Iroh lamented. "But to return to our subject before I congratulated you on your marriage- "

"Thank you for that, by the way."

"You're most welcome. We all have a compromised judgment, Avatar Aang. But I dare say that your judgment is less compromised than anyone else's. You are The Avatar and see the distance of the world. I have faith in your abilities."

Aang stared at him in disbelief. "Even after I let this plague happen? I made you deal with its entire fallout."

Iroh waved a hand. "For the best. With everything going on, you could never help. I fear if you did help here, something equally if not more disastrous would have happened elsewhere."

He recalled Vaatu and Ozai's invasion of the North, where they had almost secured Tui and La as allies before Aang arrived and stopped it. If he had gone to the Fire Nation to deal with Jet's plague, he would have never been able to get to the North in time. Tui and La—two more Elementals—would have been the more disastrous event that would have happened. It was clearly the right decision he made, but it was disheartening to know that the price for saving Tui and La from Vaatu's grasp was Jet's Fire-destroying plague that dwindled Fire's level to such an endangered degree.

"There are only so many trees you can water, Avatar Aang."

"I'm not talking about trees," he muttered, thinking of the Tree of Time and It's absurdity but cleared his throat and gestured toward the unconscious Hama. "But thanks, Iroh—I appreciate it. But she needs your wisdom more than me. When she wakes up, I'd like for you to talk to her if you're willing."

Iroh inclined his head. "If that is The Avatar's wish."

"It is."

"Do you have many wishes?"

"More than my words could ever express."

"I suffer from a similar feeling," Iroh consoled and looked past him with a smile. "I believe there's someone you'd like to see."

He blinked in surprise. "Who?"

"Hello, Aang."

Aang turned around in surprise and paused at the sight of an older Hakoda, who was still recognizable despite the advance of years since he had last seen him, walking out of the palace. "It's good to see you, too, Hakoda."

Hakoda smiled, but in his eyes there was something that resembled marvel as they roamed his body. "I think you've gotten even taller since I last saw you."

"It has been four years," he pointed out in explanation.

"And look at the hairs on your face! I never imagined the old Air Nomads with beards. You look so different from the boy I met, even that mature one four years ago."

There was a part of him that wasn't sure he ever was that boy, but he nodded kindly. "Not even I'm immune to Time," he said, trying not to let his bitterness for the Tree inflect his words; he was sure he was successful.

"The curse of mortality," Hakoda said with a chuckle.

"Blessing," Aang corrected.

Hakoda only clapped a hand on his shoulder; it was reminiscent of Sokka. "You really have no idea how good it is to see you. We can finally end this war."

"Of which you have played no part," a bitter voice said.

Aang turned to the source to see an earthbending man with a stubborn face. He was of average height, but his eyes held intelligence.

Hakoda sighed. "Aang, this is Batsu. General Iroh invited him here."

Batsu bowed. "It is an honor, Avatar Aang. My wife is Anju, King Bumi's granddaughter and King Bor's cousin. King Bumi spoke of you often."

Aang felt the familiar crushing sadness of Bumi's death. "I didn't deserve it."

An abrupt laugh escaped Batsu, who reddened in embarrassment. "My apologies. But King Bumi often said you would say something like that."

A warmth burned in his frigid grief at such news. "What else did he say?"

Batsu hesitated. "He would jest that your romantic abilities left much to be desired."

Aang laughed, feeling his spirits lighten; he missed Bumi. "Well, he tried to teach me his tricks, but they didn't stick. Or maybe they did, considering I married a princess, a beauty that only compares to legends."

"Speaking of," Iroh interrupted, pointing to the sky.

Appa landed and Samir bounded off, dashing toward him. "Daddy!"

Aang caught her and felt her clutch him. "What's wrong?"

Her arms wrapped around his neck. "I missed you."

"It is a pleasure to meet my niece's daughter," Iroh said with a warm smile while the rest of the Gaang disembarked from Appa. "I am Uncle Iroh."

Samir wrinkled her nose and assessed Iroh with a quizzical eye; she looked suspicious. "But you're not fat like Mommy said."

Aang hid a smile while Iroh sighed. "Your mother has always been prone to exaggeration."

Azula smirked as she approached. "I enjoy my amusement, Uncle."

"Dad!"

Aang turned to see Sokka nearly tackle Hakoda in a massive hug, and he watched Druk land beside Appa.

"Zuko!" Iroh cried out and rushed forward and pulled a shocked Zuko into a massive hug.

"Zuzu was always his favorite," Azula murmured in amusement; they were left alone as the others congregated near Appa and Druk. He didn't miss how Azula's gaze lingered on Jin for a moment too long as Jin and Haru asked for their rooms, citing exhaustion, to which a servant escorted them into the palace swiftly.

Aang put an arm around her shoulders. "You're my favorite."

"But what about me, Daddy?" Samir cried out in protest.

"You're my favorite Airbender," he replied, squeezing her with his other arm. "One day, you'll be as strong as me."

Samir's eyes suddenly evolved into something old. "No, I won't, Daddy."

Aang found himself struggling for words and placed their foreheads together, gray eyes locked. "Everything you've already done, what you've faced and triumphed over, tells me of your strength, Samir. You survived Ozai—you are so strong. Always be strong; keep being strong."

She looked confused and scared but nodded. "Okay, Daddy. Can you put me down?"

He acquiesced, and she ran off to 'Uncle Zuzu,' in awe of their surroundings, a place she never imagined could exist.

"Quite an Earthbender thing to say," Azula commented curiously.

"Quite true," he corrected, looking away from the congregation of bodies, who were talking over each other; it was endearing. "You want to be all of the elements."

Azula's beautiful eyes glimmered in amusement. "One of Gyatso's adages. I think it is also an elegant way of saying you, The Avatar, are the best."

"I'm only the best because you made me the best," he quipped with a grin.

"Settle down, Kuruk," Azula dismissed with a smirk. "Honesty is the best policy."

Aang smiled. "Then tell me why you don't like Jin."

Just as he expected, Azula's smirk vanished, to be replaced by something calculating. "Why would you accuse me of- "

"You look at her quite often," he interrupted, "and I know the difference between your pleased and displeased eyes."

"But do you know the color of my eyes?"

"Gold. Stop deflecting."

Azula sighed. "I do not like her, but I cannot tell you why."

Aang frowned in confusion. "Really? Why?"

"It is insignificant."

He sensed no lie. "That's a poor reason. Tell me—I could use a distraction. Did she say something? Was it about Mai and Ty Lee?"

Azula nodded, looking disgruntled, and Aang was proud of himself for deciphering the cause. "I do not like how close she appears to be with Haru. Ty Lee loved him, and it irks me that Jin tarnishes her memory by getting closer to Haru." Something bitter and sad crossed her face. "I missed my second chance with Ty Lee, and I feel like I fail her by not protecting the man she loved from an outsider. Ty Lee wanted to know Samir so powerfully; she wanted to know her cousin, and I realize now how much I wanted her to know Samir, as well. Father took that from her—from us."

Aang nodded, understanding her reasoning. "That's what it's like. I wanted Gyatso to know Samir, as well, but he never will. Sozin killed him—and not only killed him but killed that opportunity. He killed so many opportunities, but I understand why he did it."

"I understand why Father killed Mai and Ty Lee, but I despise it."

He recalled Sozin and the curse he laid upon him. "I was that way with Sozin for a long time. Once I understood why he did what he did, it changed—I changed. But I still despised him in many ways. Yet now, something is different. Too much has happened to me, and I understand him even better. I know how desperate he felt; I know how hopeless situations appeared to him; I know how he feared the inevitable and his enemies, the return of the tributes and enslavement, wanting to protect Fire; and I know the grim resolve he felt in having to do whatever he had to do to save his race and stop the horrors—because I have felt those same things. I understand him, and I never thought I would."

"I doubt I will understand Father so deeply," Azula whispered, brows tight. "When he dies, I doubt I will visit the Catacombs to see him. I will leave him in the past."

He felt an undeniable curiosity pierce through his awareness, and he felt too worn to deny his instincts. "Yes," he agreed, mind elsewhere; he placed Hama against the tree. "I'll be back. Hama shouldn't be a problem. If Iroh or Hakoda have any questions, you should be able to answer them. If not, answer anyway."

Azula's brows rose. "Where are you going?"

"To put Sozin in the past."

Aang departed into the palace before she could respond.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Pathik's desperation had steadily risen the more time that passed.

Aang had blocked himself off, likely to prevent Vaatu from attacking him during his sleep, but he needed to speak with him! He needed to warn him! The Face Stealer had broken the rules, circumvented the Laws of Balance as Vaatu had done! Spirits were not permitted in the Mortal Realm on non-Solstice days. If it was a minor spirit, he would feel little concern, for a minor spirit, even if corrupted by Vaatu, was not much of a threat for Aang and his friends.

A minor spirit could not sway this new war in Vaatu's favor. But one of the Great Spirits, the offspring of Raava and Vaatu? The Face Stealer could make it so that the Mortal Realm never recovered.

It terrified Pathik like nothing ever had, not even Air's murder and loss of The Avatar during the dawn of the Great War. Aang needed to be warned, especially if Vaatu had enticed the Face Stealer to join him!

Pathik had been meditating non-stop, trying to send a message to Aang of what he had discovered—that the Face Stealer had tired of his neutrality and had either joined Vaatu or become a powerful third party, which was almost more terrifying than allying with Vaatu.

A proactive Face Stealer was horrifying, for the Mortal Realm had not experienced a proactive Face Stealer since Avatar Kuruk's time—when the Face Stealer had entered the Mortal Realm on the Winter Solstice and stolen beautiful Ummi's face.

The world had intimately felt the impact of the Face Stealer's pro-action as Kuruk abandoned his lethargy for vicious fury—and the world paid the price for the rest of his reign, Kyoshi's reign, Roku's reign, and Aang's current reign.

The Face Stealer could not succeed in whatever designs he had conceived—he had to warn Aang!

A sudden dominating presence registered behind Pathik, and he felt his breathing freeze. He had felt The Avatar's presence before, but Aang had never turned such a presence against him, containing his presence as much as possible until it was barely noticeable. But this new presence was immense and dwarfed the miniscule presence that Aang had allowed him to sense. It was tight and lean, a fusion of the Light and the Darkness, but imperfect; it had only part of the Light and part of the Darkness, two incomplete halves.

"Even Wan Shi Tong could sense your hysteria, human, and he is not attuned to such things," a sly, powerful voice murmured behind him, and Pathik opened his eyes; he summoned his courage and turned around to meet the Face Stealer.

None of the legends he had ever heard prepared him for the massive size of the Great Spirit, the monstrous, chitinous shape of his body, and the very real face—an Earth Kingdom man, it looked like—that stared back at him with very real eyes that conveyed emotion.

But the emotion wasn't human—it was something else, both leering and eerie.

"Face Stealer," he greeted, inclining his head in respect.

The Face Stealer's stolen face twisted in slight amusement. "Your respect is quite authentic for a human."

"As is my temerity. What have you done, Face Stealer? Why have you transgressed the Laws of Balance?"

"You subscribe to the folly of all humans," the Face Stealer replied, and Pathik tried to maintain his gaze into the Face Stealer's stolen eyes, which held massive intelligence—unnatural intelligence. Not even Aang's eyes possessed such intelligence—because The Avatar compromised his intelligence in each life he took, forced to adjust and relearn everything over and over again, whereas a spirit like the Face Stealer was constant. "You possess great spiritual energy, and your chi flows like that of the strongest benders, but you think such things grant you a competent ability to speak about things you fail to understand."

"When you ally with Vaatu, there is no further understanding needed."

The Face Stealer's booming laughter made Pathik flinch. "The human tendency to simplify complex situations. Whatever alliance I have with Vaatu- " Pathik flinched again at hearing Koh say Vaatu's name with such familiarity. "- is not as you conceive it. My father does not control me; I go my own way."

"Why have you come?" Pathik demanded. "Why are you here? What's your purpose?"

"I am after what I have always been after—Eternal Balance. Now it is a possibility, and I act to ensure the possibility becomes reality."

Pathik's eyes widened in dread. "Two Avatars? This is madness, Face Stealer!"

The Face Stealer hummed, and the vibrations echoed off the stone around them. "To interfere in the affairs of mortals is a degrading but necessary act. The Avatar needs a push to do what is Right."

"Why are you here? I did not summon you- "

The Face Stealer hissed, all geniality gone. "Do not dare to presume that you can summon me, human."

Pathik bowed his head. "Forgive me. Enlighten me, Face Stealer—what is the reason for your visit to me?"

"You were attempting to contact The Avatar, to prevent the reality of Eternal Balance. That is unacceptable."

The realization swept through him with utter clarity. "You're going to steal my face and, thus, kill me."

"Yes."

The confirmation only elicited sadness in the fact that he would not see Aang again, no matter the extensive problems they had. "You forsook your neutrality. This is wrong, Face Stealer."

The sudden hissing laughter snapped through the air. "I am ancient beyond your conception. You know and understand much for a human, but know you are still a human. Has it occurred to you that I know what I am doing?"

Pathik shook his head. "What you are doing will have a cost measured in lives."

"Your moralizing is insulting when you sat here and did nothing for over a century while Agni's Children pursued a utopia of Fire, which had a cost measured in countless lives. Yes, I know about you. You could have tried to stop it if that was your desire, but you did nothing."

"I know where and when I am needed," Pathik replied, trying not to feel the familiar grief that would be his always—forever. "You can't do this, Face Stealer. Think of the cost."

The Face Stealer's countenance transformed into a snarling baboon so quickly and smoothly that Pathik marveled. "Think of what I am. My existence is predicated on the notion of Eternal Balance, and now that it is finally, after eons of an intolerable, miserable existence while imbalance has reigned despite The Avatar's best—or worst—efforts, within my grasp, within Existence's grasp, you dare presume to command me?"

"Yes."

"Issue your arrogant moralizing to Vaatu, not me," the Face Stealer dismissed in disgust. "I know what is necessary. Do not mistake my motivation as ego. There are things—forces—beyond your feeble conception. This is cosmic."

"This sounds like justification."

"It does not need my justification; it justifies itself."

Pathik felt serene. "There will be unintended consequences to this, Face Stealer. Or perhaps intended by you."

"You should be grateful that you lived during this time- "

"I am always grateful for my life, no matter how distressing it can become."

"If only more humans lived such wisdom. But this is the most exciting time since Wan—and I believe its climax shall surpass in every way. Eons onward, the Age of Aang will be remembered. All times evermore will be a reflection of this time when Eternal Balance was achieved."

He squeezed his eyes shut, wishing he could feel unsurprised that a Great Spirit failed to understand humans. "You're unfeeling, Face Stealer. I didn't do enough to stop Fire's conquest, but I have grieved every day since it happened, and my friends paid the price—the world paid the price. But you will never grieve this," he murmured, a sickening sensation boiling inside him. "You will celebrate it."

The Face Stealer hummed. "Based on my observations of humans, the culmination of grief is celebration—celebrating what once was."

"But if you succeed, you will hate what once was—you hate the imbalance. You would be celebrating that you succeeded in overthrowing what once was."

"I will not be celebrating, human," the Face Stealer said, and there was something in his voice that Pathik could not recognize. "You think I am alone in this pursuit. The events that have occurred reveal that the Tree of Time has ordained Eternal Balance."

He almost lost his balance due to his abrupt horror, which he knew was conveyed by his face, but the Face Stealer did not steal his face—yet. "No. That is a lie. The Great Tree would never- "

"How dare you assume you know the Tree!" The Face Stealer condemned, voice rising into a terrifying roar. "Your understanding is as small as your stature! The Tree stands across Existence, for Existence spawns from the Tree! All of us are It's children. No one can comprehend It."

Pathik felt the overwhelming urge to fall to his knees, but he remained standing. "Then how do you know that the Great Tree ordains Eternal Balance if no one can comprehend It?"

"I have knowledge of It's ways, not a comprehension of It's totality. This is It's yearning."

"No," he denied, a newfound terror awakening inside him. He had to warn Aang! "This is madness. It will be the end of all that is good and beautiful!"

"For so long, I have been in the Immortal Realm, confined to only visiting the Mortal Realm during the Solstices, but this is different. I can go where I wish, and I, unseen, have already seen so much. There is an immortal beauty here in the Mortal Realm that transcends that in the Immortal Realm. Vaatu's darkness threatens all of the beauty I have seen, indeed. But Raava's light threatens beauty, as well, for it is disconnected from the darkness. Vaatu is Chaos, and Raava is Order. Only through Chaos can Order's purest form manifest. There must be Eternal Balance, human. Too much darkness prevents vision just as too much light prevents vision; you must have both. It is time for a new Age. There must be two. You threaten the possibility of this new Age by attempting to warn The Avatar, who would reject this Age, which I cannot and will not allow."

Pathik looked one last time at the horizon, the beauty over which he had looked for a century, and he absorbed his final living moments, basking in his gratefulness for the fact that he had lived a life. "Then I shall see my old friends again—finally."

The Face Stealer encircled him, and Pathik felt a searing pain, felt his face melting and peeling in sickening precision, ripped away by something cold and sharp, unlike any metal, followed by the terrifying agony of darkness and asphyxiation—his spirit was sucked into a mighty void of Light and Darkness, energies beyond his conception.

Awareness disappeared.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Seeing Uncle had lightened his spirits almost as much as running into Sokka and Toph's groups after learning of King Bumi's death.

Uncle's hand was placed reverently on Druk's head. "He is beautiful, Nephew. He gives me hope. If Sozin's line was able to reconcile with the Dragons, we can reconcile with Earth."

Toph snorted. "Considering they have their revenge due to the plague, it all evens out—somewhat."

Zuko agreed with such a sentiment, but it did little to mitigate his feelings of failure. "Momentum is on our side. It's about time—we finally have it."

King Bor smiled, though it remained tinged with grief. "We're going to keep our races from being at such odds ever again—hopefully at least for several generations.

He nodded in agreement and glanced across at Katara, Sokka, and Suki, all of whom crowded around Chief Hakoda, basking in each other's presences. He remained with Uncle, Mother, Toph, King Bor, Azula, and Samir near Druk.

But his eyes kept stretching to Hama, whom Aang had laid against the tree in the courtyard before he vanished.

"Who is she?" Uncle asked, petting Druk's snout, but his golden eyes watched him. "You keep looking at her."

"A stupid bitch," Toph answered, sour. "She was your brother's whore."

Zuko would have laughed at the look on Uncle's face if he were not so worried about the child Hama carried. "She helped Sokka rescue Mother and Samir, but there's something else."

"She is pregnant," Mother supplied, nodding at Uncle's widened eyes. "Yes, with Ozai's child."

"She's not big yet like Suki," Samir observed.

Azula smirked. "Her heart is big, though we cannot see it."

Uncle grasped the fact of Hama's pregnancy with practiced swiftness. "And the reason for her imprisonment?"

"She's not here willingly," Zuko answered, recalling those mad blue eyes that were nothing like Katara's except in color. "She doesn't even know she's pregnant."

"How do you plan to explain it?"

Zuko scratched at his beard. "Blunt? It doesn't matter, anyway. Katara and I are going to raise the child."

Uncle blinked before a smile crossed his gaunt face—how it hurt to see how much Uncle had suffered physically ruling in his stead from all the stress! "A wonderful solution. You will be an excellent father, Nephew."

He really wished there wasn't an audience, but he felt too desperate to care. "There is nothing stronger than the memory of blood," he said. "My blood remembered the tension between Sozin and Roku, and I felt it. I felt it deeply. This child's blood could remember Father's hatred for me and Hama's resentment toward Katara; this child's blood could remember devotion to Vaatu."

"Nonsense," Uncle assured, pulling him away from the others. "Zuko, you will give this child a chance not to be like his parents. I believe you will."

Zuko sighed, watching Katara speak animatedly with her father, motioning with her hands, explaining many things that had happened in the past years. "She's going to be an amazing mother."

Uncle followed his gaze and nodded. "She will. Why do you doubt yourself?"

"I don't have the best track record."

"But you have the best example in me to guide you!" Uncle exclaimed in jest before smiling kindly. "It is natural to have fears—I had many. You will make mistakes, but it is how you deal with those mistakes that will determine the nature of your fatherhood."

He didn't feel too convinced but nodded. "Hama is still a threat. She has knowledge about Father and Vaatu that she's not telling us."

Uncle cast an evaluative eye on Hama. "I will work on her. If my charm fails, the tea should help."

Zuko groaned. "I missed you a lot, but I really didn't miss the tea."

He certainly did, but he wasn't going to tell Uncle that.

"But the tea is part of my charm," Uncle defended with a wink. "My new niece is certainly charming."

"Samir?" he asked needlessly before he laughed. "Yes, she's very charming—she is more charming than you."

Uncle hummed. "She had to be to charm Azula into adopting her."

"She's also more charming than Azula. I think she has Air's charm because I recognize some of it in Aang."

"She really is an Airbender?" Uncle challenged, golden eyes riveted on Samir as she pointed something out to Toph, who blew her bangs out of her eyes and gestured, something along the lines of 'I'm blind,' to which Samir grabbed Toph's hand with an obvious huff and dragged her with her. "She has the garbs."

"And the bending," Zuko confirmed. "She is an Airbender. Aang and Azula adopted her."

Uncle looked up at him, face serious—and old. "How is Azula?"

Zuko understood his concern. "Better than ever. I have no doubts or misgivings about her, and crucially, nobody else does, either. She's loyal—perhaps more than any of us, ironically enough."

"You mentioned Avatar Aang doubted her in your letter- "

"That was only about her being the Mother of Air," he explained, shaking his head at the memory. It made perfect sense for Aang to doubt Azula, but it still irked him, particularly as Azula's older brother. "He had to get his head on straight, but once he did, there have been no problems between them."

Uncle's golden eyes gleamed with intrigue. "And you and Princess Katara? To raise a child together suggests that you are- "

"Betrothed," he confirmed. "Not formally, but we both know it."

"Why not marry her?"

Zuko shrugged. "She said she wanted to wait until all this is over. I respected her wishes."

Uncle looked over at Katara, who listened to a story Sokka told their father while rolling her eyes and interjecting in correction at various points. "She will make an excellent Fire Lady. We have not had a good Fire Lady since my mother."

"I wish I knew her," Zuko said softly, thinking of the legend of Fire Lady Ilah, who died in childbirth bringing Father into the world.

"I wish you knew her, as well," Uncle said with a fond remembrance on his withered face. "She tempered my father's worst traits; she knew how to handle him—and he listened to her and respected her judgment. It was a very successful marriage."

"I'd like to make sure my marriage with Katara is a very successful one. Aang and Azula have it all worked out, but I don't know how Katara and I will do."

Uncle winked. "If you retain the charms I taught you, you will succeed."

Zuko rolled his eyes. "I didn't woo Katara by using your charms, Uncle. Whenever I tried to use your charms, I made things worse."

"Because you used them wrong," Uncle lamented. "When used correctly, my charms would woo the coldest woman in the world."

"Likely," he agreed and nodded at Hama. "There's your chance to prove your claim. When you talk to her, I recommend not mentioning your identity—she hates Father and hates me."

"But she laid with Ozai."

"She thought he was Piandao."

Uncle's eyes bulged from their sockets. "What?"

Zuko hissed between his teeth as he realized that Uncle had no idea that Piandao, the real Piandao, was dead, identity stolen by Father. "I'm sorry—really sorry—to tell you this, but Piandao is dead. Father stole his identity for himself to deceive people on the continent into following him."

"I see," Uncle whispered, voice faint, sadness etched into his face; he accepted it with a remarkable ease that was only facilitated by all the other realizations and happenings that had occurred. "My friend is dead."

He swallowed. "He is, and King Bumi is- "

Uncle's eyes closed; he appeared to age before his eyes, lines in his face becoming deeper and more pronounced. "I know. He was tortured before he died."

Zuko elected not to mention how Toph nearly died from an infection—Uncle had faced enough surprises. "I'm sorry. But we have momentum now; we have victory on our side. Mother, Hama, and Father did the biggest blow to Father's army."

"What did Ozai do?"

"According to Mother, he killed a large chunk to prove himself to her, to buy her goodwill and favor—her loyalty."

Although Zuko understood the action, he was disgusted by it, which it appeared Uncle shared. "Of course, he did. Yet, we cannot thank him enough for doing so. We use his stupidity to our advantage."

Zuko gripped Uncle's thin shoulders—they were too thin! "We are near the end of this. It won't last much longer—Aang won't let it. Thank you for being my regent; thank you for taking care of our race and seeing to their health and livelihood. I'm so sorry that I left you to deal with this plague- "

Uncle pulled him into a hug, which Zuko returned. "It was my honor to serve my Fire Lord," Uncle whispered. "Fire will survive this, Zuko—I was never worried about Fire's survival. I was worried about your survival, but to see you again, to have you here, to feel you in my arms, is the greatest relief; all my joys are possible because you are here—because you, Azula, Ursa, and now Samir are here."

Zuko squeezed him tightly, feeling his own emotion rise. "Mai and Ty Lee are dead," he notified, voice wavering. "Father killed them."

"I'm so sorry, Zuko," Uncle consoled, patting his warm, large hand against the back of his head.

"I shouldn't feel so sad about it," he whispered, wiping his good eye. "There are people who have lost so much more than us. Look at Aang. He lost one world, and now he's almost lost another one."

"You lost your friends," Uncle pointed out, golden eyes raw but knowing. "That is a hard loss for anyone, and you knew them going back to your childhood. You were betrothed to one of them."

Zuko flinched. "Things became better between us. At first, Mai was still mad while Ty Lee was anxious because of the banishment, but over time, since we spent more and more time together, things were better. It felt like we were friends again. It was nice. Now they are gone as Father killed them, and part of me thinks he killed them just so he could tell me about it—see the look on my face and laugh and gloat."

Uncle sighed and released him, looking up into his face, holding him by his arms. "The only way to honor their sacrifices is to stop Ozai."

"We're going to kill him," he muttered, looking over Uncle for Aang, but he could only find Azula and Samir. Where did Aang go? "Aang's going to kill him. There's no other choice."

There were not going to be two Avatars! Father would not become an undying terror to the world, reincarnated endlessly! It wouldn't happen! He would stop it! He would ensure Father was killed forever, never to be seen again! Damn the Tree of Time's idea of two Avatars!

"There is not," Uncle agreed.

He tried to smile, shaking himself. "You should talk to Mother. She and Samir were kidnapped by Father- "

"I know."

Of course, Uncle was remarkably knowledgeable about the events—it was a relief not to have to explain so much.

"Talk to her," he urged, trying to keep the desperation in his heart from breaking in his voice. "She had to face him alone, and I know she had to do things that haunt her. I know she said things that haunt her, and I know she heard things, as well. She is no longer separated from him only physically but emotionally now; her heart is broken. I know she always secretly wished for reconciliation between all of us, where we could all be at peace and be a family again—I know she did because I've wished for the same thing. But she had to face her dream in the face, face the impossibility of it, and kill it herself, which I know from experience is a monstrous thing—it kills part of you. She had to walk away from him, shutting the door, and I know it destroyed her. Please talk to her; listen to her—whatever she needs. I can't give that to her as her son, but you can give it to her as her brother."

Uncle nodded, face sad but proud. "You are a wonderful son, Nephew."

Zuko felt uncomfortable. "It took a while."

"I will speak with her now and determine her willingness."

Before he could respond, Uncle approached Mother, and Zuko looked to Azula, who noticed and waved him over; within moments he reached her, peering around her. "Where's Aang?"

"You do not care to ask after me?" she drawled, smirking.

Zuko rolled his eyes. "I know you are fine as you are here. Aang isn't. Where is he?"

"Why?"

"I want to talk to him."

Maybe Aang could help him with Hama's child since Aang was already a father himself to Samir—father of a child he didn't sire.

"He perceives our lineage," Azula notified, matching the frown on his face.

His eyes widened. "What?"

"The Catacombs."

He blanched. "What's he doing down there?"

Azula's careful shrug alerted him of her worry. "He said he had to 'to put Sozin in the past.' It was quite the way to say he wanted to be alone. I do not know if he meant to eradicate all memory of Sozin into extinction or- "

Zuko paled in realization. "He's going to destroy the Catacombs—and the Caldera with it."

"It would conclude the damage done by Jet," Azula agreed, nodding her head.

"And you let him go?" he asked in disbelief.

Azula's brow rose. "He is The Avatar."

"You're his wife! You should have stopped him."

"You worry too much, Zuzu."

"I'm Fire Lord—I have to worry!" he exclaimed before he marched into the palace, an experience that he had not experienced in much too long. It was noticeable instantly how barren the palace was, devoid of the many servants and nobles loitering around—it was just like the Caldera.

Jet's plague had done its job.

By the time he reached the secret passage to the Catacombs, his worry was enough to make him feel sick. It made perfect sense to act in such wrath against Sozin's memory now when there was nobody living in the Caldera to be impacted by destroying the Catacombs, but if Aang destroyed the Catacombs, it would deprive him of a foundation from which to build for his race after the war was over—he needed all the foundations he could ensure, preserve, and obtain!

The red hue alerted him of his arrival, along with the wave of powerful warmth that rushed over him, which increased when he bolted to the lava lake, seeing all the crypts of each Fire Lord stretching back to Fire Lord Ravi still standing, untouched in the middle of the flowing lava lake.

"Aang?" he called out, and something other than the intense heat floated in the air.

Across the lake of lava, a pathway of hardened lava stood, impervious to its seething kin, leading to Sozin's Crypt. Anxiety rising, Zuko walked across the hardened lava pathway quickly, wondering what he would find in his great-grandfather's tomb.

Aang became visible when he reached the opening of Sozin's great temple, out of place amongst all the gold, gleaming like Agni himself from all the lava and flaming torches. However, Aang's attention was not on the gold but the beautiful mosaics depicting Sozin and his army attacking the Air Temples—depicting Air's very murder.

Aang stood still—too still. Based on the intensity of his gaze, Zuko felt almost certain that he was going to watch the mosaics—watch the temple itself—be destroyed by combustion.

But nothing happened.

"When Azula said you came down here, I half-thought it was a prank," he greeted, unsure of what to say. "A return to childhood, you could say."

"He was spared no expense," Aang said, voice drifting; his gaze followed the gleam of gold around them, a symbol of Sozin's wealth.

Zuko winced. "Thank my grandfather."

"I won't," Aang said flatly, voice drifting in a way that provoked Zuko's dread. "I met him."

"My grandfather?"

"Sozin."

Zuko's eyes widened in realization. "When you left after you married Azula?"

Aang nodded, but there was nothing comforting about such a familiar movement. "Right now, it's hard to remember why I spared his existence. These mosaics don't help." Something resembling grim, dark amusement crossed his face. "They're not very accurate."

He glanced in shame at the various masterfully crafted mosaics—a testament of his race's love and adoration—that depicted Sozin and his armies sacking the Air Temples under Sozin's Comet.

"You're a lot more controlled than I would be," Zuko replied honestly. "I'd destroy them."

"If I came down here years ago, even before all this started, especially before all this started, I would destroy them. But I've moved past that—I understand what the mosaics really represent better than anyone. Have you ever been down here before?"

Zuko slowly approached. "It's been a really long time. My father brought me down here a few times when I was young. I came back after I became Fire Lord, but that was years ago."

"This is a special place," Aang said, turning to look at him for a moment, and Zuko was snared by ancient eyes. "It's beautiful—gaudy but beautiful. I mean that—it's truly beautiful."

"Really?" he asked, doubtful.

Aang nodded and brushed his fingers over Sozin's sarcophagus, which he could destroy effortlessly—but chose not to. "Do you remember the song your mother sang all those months ago?"

Zuko blinked. "Not really. It was about Houka, right?"

"It's written on the side here," Aang said, pointing at the script, which Zuko recognized after several moments. "It was Sozin's song, but it all began with Houka's failure—his crime.

In old days, the world was dark, cruel, and cold
With ages of our prosperity sold
To tyrants branding evil, serving chains,
Marring Fire's honor forever with stains.
The burden endured for generations
With Fire enslaved to another nation.
No one could fight against it—no one dared
Until there was born a Fire Lord who cared.

Houka bent his knee and died 'neath our feet,
Crushed under our grief—his death did he meet.
Fire Lords respected his pledge to the skies
When they should have burned with ire from the lies.
We were enslaved for rising in a stand
Against foes who raped our race and land.
Houka's crime was never his vast attack;
It was his yield; he turned on us his back.

They came down from Heaven with searing chains,
Inflicting on us the most wicked pains.
Men, women, and children's lives were ended
By the hypocrites who were offended
We replied, to which they demanded charge
For their ills when they were guilty at large.
We trusted our Fire Lord like a new bride
But Houka betrayed our race and complied.

Zyrn did nothing, tied to our enslavers;
Ehktol only robbed us to pay the favors.
Elsine died too young to make a change
While Ojas did not think the tributes strange.
Henjul took the throne and tried to discuss
With them the levies extinguishing us.
They despised his noble attempts for peace
And vowed the recompense would never cease.

Henjul died, leaving Rylun as his heir;
Rylun was busy with the heir-less scare.
Akemi never had the strength to lead;
Kazuki was distressed by his weak seed.
Kohaku promised to end our kneeling
To make way for a redeeming healing,
But it was not him who secured our cure.
It was Sozin, whose light was warm and pure.

Let Fire say his name for all our ages!
May his accomplishments fill Life's pages!
Never has a man with such honor reigned!
He conquered our foes—by Agni ordained!
He recognized all of us by our names,
Calling us Agni's unique, matchless flames!
He thought of us with every endeavor!
He loved, worked, and fought for us forever!

Sozin walked the world while all others crawled;
He dared fight those tyrants with their heads bald.
He was like Agni himself with his grace;
He is foremost always amongst Fire's race.
His reign was renowned; his length of rule, long.
He fought long as possible, right and strong.
Men try but fail to fight their last affair;
But Death claimed him, 'sleep, scared to face him 'ware.

We await his return for all our days
Where he will rise again like Agni's rays,
Freeing him to finish what he began,
For he will ensure triumph as Fire's man.
We look to Agni and offer our prayers,
Thanking him for giving us a Fire Lord who cares.
We beg him to search his kingdom for him
And free him to save us in our days grim.

Earth and Water celebrate with him gone,
Knowing we are in the dusk, not the dawn.
What triumph is there without you, my lord,
When the world encircles us with a horde?
The world, again, is most dark, cruel, and cold,
But we know to follow your standard, bold.
If you see us again, it is enough.
If we see you again, it is enough."

Zuko recalled Mother singing the song and sighed. "How did you even know about this place, Aang?"

Aang looked away from the inscription, having finished reciting it. "Earthbending. Azula also mentioned some things about it when we were on Ember Island."

"Why did you come down here?" he asked, hesitant. "You're not going to destroy it, are you?"

"No," Aang assured, gray eyes tracing the face of Sozin's sarcophagus; there was a distance on his face. Zuko reckoned that Aang didn't see the actual sarcophagus in his mind but Sozin himself. "I have remembered him all my life, even more than Gyatso in some ways. I'm here to put him to rest, to let go of my memory of him—I'm here to let him die. He is worthy of memory, and I find that the more I age, the more I experience the mess of the world, the more I have been at the top, dealing with all the pressure, violence, intensity, cruelty, and opposition, I realize that I understand him, and I have this sense, this vague knowing, that he didn't want any of it—he didn't want things to turn out the way they did. I think if there was really another option for him to take that he would have taken it, but he was backed into a corner and only had one choice to make. I understand that—I do the same thing every day and have been doing it ever since this war with Vaatu started."

Zuko frowned. "But you're here to forget him."

Aang shook his head. "No, I'm here to let him go—there's a difference. I learned to let Gyatso go—it was the hardest thing I ever did, believe me—because I was carrying Gyatso everywhere with me, but it was in such a way that while I was carrying him, he was holding me back. I had to let him go to have peace, able to move as I need to move and think as I need to think—so I could be free. I realize it's the same for Sozin. I've carried him with me all this time, and he's held me back—not like he used to, not at all. But there's still a bit where he holds me back, and I never let him go. I've been holding onto him in my grasp, still trying to hate him desperately for everything that happened, but I don't hate him anymore—I can't hate him anymore after everything I've experienced and endured, things he very much faced himself. I don't like him, no, but I can't hate him. I told you all those months ago that I was going to keep trying to hate Sozin even after marrying Azula."

He recalled that conversation, after Aang had returned from his madness after marrying Azula. "I remember."

Gray eyes locked onto him with honesty. "I'm done trying to hate him. I'm letting him go."

"Do you forgive him?" he asked.

Aang's smile was without mirth. "No, but I imagine I will one day."

"I imagine you will, too," Zuko commended, amazed. "I remember where you started. You couldn't hear the name 'Sozin' without chilling the air, making everyone feel your wrath, but now you're letting him go. I think it's the right decision."

"I like to think that I'll make the right decision, be good and virtuous, but I'm a liar. However, I think this is the right decision, too."

"Is that the only reason you came down here?"

Aang sighed. "I wanted to see if I can summon any hatred for him—a test, I suppose. I wanted to stop blaming myself and came down here to blame someone else. But I can't blame him—I can't hate him. He's not to blame. He's guilty, yes, but blame? No, he's not to blame. I don't know who's to blame, and I want—need—someone to blame; I've always needed it. I need a scapegoat."

"The human condition," Zuko whispered.

"I would blame The Tree, but that feels childish and immature. I try to blame Vaatu, but he's not here to feel the blame, to feel my wrath, and I want someone to feel my wrath. There's no release. I thought sex would help, and it did for a little time, but now I can't even remember how it helped."

Zuko didn't want to think about his best friend and sister having sex. "Do you want to spar?"

"I would kill you," Aang said flatly, still staring at Sozin's sarcophagus, and Zuko nodded after overcoming his surprise at such bluntness.

"I don't know what you're going through—no one does—but I'm feeling rattled, too. This whole thing with Father's and Hama's child is hard for me."

Aang turned finally, gray eyes curious. "How? You've seemed content with the situation."

Zuko nodded—somewhat bitterly, he could admit—and sat down on the edge of the tomb, feet dangling in the lava; it was a pleasurable warmth. "Because Katara's already so far along, you know. She loves that kid without even meeting him yet, and I'm still trying to comprehend it all."

Aang sat next to him in the same position. "You don't want to be a father?"

"I want to be a father to my children and Katara's children. Raising my father's and Hama's child turns me off."

"The idea of the child."

"Exactly. I tried to have this whole conversation with Katara, and she helped, but it wasn't enough. I've already decided I'll raise the child, but part of me feels like it's doomed to fail. The child will grasp his dark inheritance and walk the same path as his malicious father and mad mother."

"That's the risk with any child," Aang replied after several moments. "No one can foresee who a child will grow to be."

"Katara refuses to think about the possibility that us raising him will be for naught."

"Because it's crushing," his friend said, voice hollow and ancient, and Zuko had the feeling that The Avatar did know.

"Is this you talking or another Avatar?"

"It's the risk you battle with as a parent," Aang said in evasion of his question. "Yes, the child very well could embody all of your fears. And you will be forced to confront difficult decisions if that happens."

Zuko watched their pairs of feet sway minutely in the lava. "I don't even know how to raise a child, least of all one who may turn out like that."

"What are you going to do if the child turns out like that?"

He tensed. "I don't know. It's hard to think about."

"But that's all you seem to be doing."

"It would kill Katara; it would kill me."

"Would you still love the child?"

"I'd be disgusted and angry, and so disappointed it's crushing, but if I raised him, if I was there for everything, I'd still love him."

"You can't let your fears prevent you from raising him."

Zuko grunted. "I know that. Katara already told me that I can't treat him like Father treated me, can't look at him like Father looked at me."

"How did your uncle raise you?"

He looked at Aang in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"Your uncle is your source of fatherhood, not your father. Did your uncle always love you?"

Zuko swallowed. "Even when I fucked up. He let me make the mistakes I needed to so I could become me."

Aang smiled slightly. "The child will make mistakes, and he may be tempted by that 'dark inheritance,' but you're intimately familiar with that 'dark inheritance' yourself. You can teach him and guide him by letting him make the mistakes he needs to so he can become himself, and that means showing him why that 'dark inheritance' is worthless. And if he doesn't listen to you, you can send him to me and Azula; we both have experience with that 'dark inheritance,' too. If anything, I would end up scaring him straight."

He felt the increasing burden on his soul dissipate, and he clapped Aang on the shoulder. "What I would give to have your wisdom."

Aang's eyes shadowed. "Wisdom is earned—the hard way. I memorized all the Air Nomad proverbs as a child, and my understanding remained at a child's level even through the Great War. It's not been until this war that I've begun to understand—actually understand."

"Do you really believe there will be two Avatars?"

"Yes. The Tree confirmed it." Aang fists clenched suddenly, and the lava began to swirl around their feet; Zuko was mesmerized. "Do you know what I can do?"

"I only have an idea. You're The Avatar."

"And despite all of my power, I feel impotent—because I can't stop this. I can't stop two Avatars. I tried. I keep failing."

Zuko almost smiled. "As someone who's known a lot more failure than success, there is success; it does exist."

"I know it exists," Aang snapped. "Of course, I know it exists. Our momentum now confirms it."

"We will be vindicated, Aang," Zuko vowed. "Somehow, in some way that we can't see nor understand right now, it will turn out alright. We will have victory."

"Why?"

"Because you won't stop until we get to that point, and we'll all be right there with you. I have faith—because that's all you have at the end of the day."

"I'm tired of relying on faith."

"Me too. But there will come a time when our faith is manifested. Our faith has already manifested our current advantages against Father and Vaatu—and faith will manifest more. I'm convinced of it. Only a few more months, right?"

"It better be," Aang muttered.

XxXxXxXxXxX

"What's eating at you?" Haru demanded, finally cornering her in one of the many halls in the impressive palace in the Fire Nation—a palace that was astonishingly empty compared to what it should be.

It was a result of the 'plague' everyone kept alluding to but never explained.

Jin flinched but tried meet his gaze. "Nothing."

"No, you haven't been the same since Aang arrived, and you got even worse after. What's wrong? Do you want to leave and go somewhere else? Is that it?"

"There is nowhere else to go," she pointed out quietly, having had a similar thought but denied its absurdity. "It is much safer to be here, in the Fire Nation, than anywhere else—certainly not the continent."

It was quite the inverse of how things appeared during the Great War.

Haru nodded but watched her. "I can't help you if you don't- "

Jin tensed. "You are not my husband. You do not take on such a role—ever."

He held up his hands in apology. "I'm not trying to be your husband; I'm trying to be your friend. We promised each other that we'd help each other, remember? But now you're not letting me help you. I know something happened- "

"The Avatar happened," she muttered, wrapping her arms around her stomach, in which rested no baby because her womb was poisoned. "He showed up."

"Do you want to go somewhere else?" he asked, voice softer. "I know it's hard to see him- "

"It is hard to see him, happy with his family," Jin snapped. "He has a daughter who adores him—not his of body, clearly not, but a daughter all the same. Yet my baby, perhaps my daughter, was ripped out of me before the right time. It is hard to hear about Hama's pregnancy when she has no idea and hates the father of her child, whereas I would want to know everything and be in love with the father of my child. It is even hard to see Suki, who nears her final month, and how happy and relieved she and Prince Sokka are. If I knew the result of that rapist raping me was pregnancy, a healthy one where I would finally have a baby after all the babies I lost, I would wish its execution."

Haru stared at her with wide eyes. "What?"

Jin closed her eyes, trying to stave off the memories of her brutal, harsh fingers squeezing her breasts and smacking her face, but it was impossible. "Yes, I was nearly raped—it was during Ba Sing Se's destruction, the second time from the Butcher. King Bor saved me. He stopped it from happening. It was about to happen, but he stepped in and killed those animals, sparing me. But if that event, if completed, resulted in a viable, healthy pregnancy, unlike all my other ones, how could I condemn it? After everything that has happened to me, all the babies I have lost, it would be the one thing that was bearable about the entire event—it would redeem all those stolen from me."

"You would hate the way it happened," Haru said after overcoming his shock.

"Yes," she agreed, staring at all the red color everywhere in the palace's hall—red like the blood that seeped out of her sex and between her legs the day The Avatar murdered Ba Sing Se, like all the other times she lost her babies. "I would detest it; I would weep and sob, praying it had happened another way; I would feel the deepest shame that the father of my baby was the man who murdered my beloved Thryn. But within all the horror, grief, and madness, there would exist gladness and joy—because I finally had that which I always yearned for. I dislike The Avatar, but if I knew his seed would cure my poisoned womb, I would take his seed a thousand times and bear his child—such is my yearning."

"I don't think his wife would like that."

A broken laugh, shaken by fear, shook her as she recalled her terrifying encounter with The Avatar's wife, Princess Azula. "No, she would not."

"Do you want to go somewhere else?"

"There is nowhere to go."

"But do you want to go?"

Jin watched him, frowning. "Are you offering to accompany me?"

Haru smiled tightly. "I don't know—maybe. It's hard being around all of them, especially when they showed up here and saw their families again. It was just a reminder to me that I had no more family. They are the closest I have, but they're not a real family."

"I understand," she whispered. "I would accept your offer if you offered."

"But there's nowhere to go," he concluded, eyes pinching in exhaustion and age. "And this war with Vaatu is bigger than us, bigger than how we feel. We have to stop Vaatu and Ozai, have to avenge Ty Lee and Mai's deaths, avenge everyone's deaths, before we can go somewhere else. We have a job to complete."

"I will have to go to Chyung after this," Jin realized, feeling the burden of queenship—something she wanted nothing to do with. "I fear my sisters are dead."

Silence.

Haru winced. "I didn't want to raise that point."

"I raise it. I have not heard from my sisters in years, not since I notified them that I survived The Avatar's slaughter of Ba Sing Se. They are likely dead. And with everything that has happened on the continent, it feels certain."

"Which makes you the only option as queen," Haru pointed out, following her trail of thought. "You are the only legitimate option."

Jin's face tightened. "Yes. I will have to take Chyung's throne—it is not a pleasant future."

"I'll help you if you need it," he offered. "I know Bor already offered, but Bor's going to have his hands full with rebuilding Ba Sing Se again after this is over."

She stared at him, trying to find words, but all she saw was his maturity; despite the fact he was younger than her by a number of years, his maturity appeared to surpass hers. "I appreciate that," she whispered. "I may accept your offer if you have nowhere else to go."

Haru shrugged, face grieved. "As of now I don't."

"If you go with me, it is a commitment to rebuild Chyung and help me keep the throne, providing stability."

"I know."

"We will not be married," she warned, wondering briefly if that was his true intention.

A bark of a laugh escaped him. "I'm not interested in it. Ty Lee is gone, and so is my desire for marriage."

Unfortunately, Haru did not know what kind of consequences he would deal with by attaching himself to her, not specifically about Chyung's queenship—but her.

She was betraying her vow to Princess Azula to speak of what occurred to no one, but Haru was not no one; he was her only friend, and she did not care for her vow. If Princess Azula found out and killed her, it would be no loss. "You asked what happened, why I am different. I never told you."

"What happened?"

Jin inhaled slowly, finding the words, connected to the memories. "Before we left the continent, I snuck into The Avatar's room when he was alone; he was asleep and did not hear my entrance. I was going to kill him; I raised a knife over his body."

His eyes bulged from their sockets, face draining of blood as he stared at her in horror. "No, no—Vaatu influenced you- "

"It was me," she interrupted, voice soft and ashamed; the memory gnawed at her. While she knew she made the right decision, it still hurt deeply. "It was always me. Hama provoked my determination, but it was me. I went into that room to murder him."

Haru sank to a crouch, holding his fingers over his eyes. "You're still standing; you're still alive. I can't imagine you went through with it."

Jin swallowed. "I did not. I dropped the knife, unable to. To murder him like that was evil; it was somehow worse than what happened to Ba Sing Se—than what happened to my baby. However, his wife watched the whole thing."

His flinch was rough and jarring; he dropped his fingers from his eyes, staring up at her. "What did she do?"

"Besides make me terrified for my life, nothing," she admitted. "She would have killed me if not for wanting to spare The Avatar knowledge of my grief and to keep the unity amongst us all. She is most fond of Toph."

It was a strange thing to know she shared a friend with Princess Azula.

Haru rose to his height, looking older. "I'm glad you're alive. Are you going to try again?"

Jin's laugh was surprised but hysterical. "If I could not go through with it once, I could never do it—ever. No, I simply avoid him when I can—and his wife." She stepped closer to him. "Yet Princess Azula's eyes are on me—and anyone I interact with. She does not trust me, and she will not trust those I trust; she will not trust you. I have no idea her plans for me after this is all over. She may kill me; she may let me get to Chyung and arrange for some 'accident' to befall me—and anyone helping me."

Silence.

"Aang, Zuko, Katara, and Sokka trust me," Haru dismissed after several moments, surprising her. "So does Ursa. I'll take my chances. And something tells me she doesn't want to murder me because of my connection to Ty Lee."

Jin wiped her eyes of the beginnings of tears. "You are a good friend, Haru."

"So are you," he commended. "Thank you for telling me the truth."

For the first time since Princess Azula had discovered her standing over The Avatar to murder him, things seemed okay.

XxXxXxXxXxX

"I tend not to heed the warnings of rumors, but this is troubling. I wanted to speak of this with you before I approached Avatar Aang."

Hakoda looked at the Dragon of the West in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"During times such as these, rumors have a way of being fueled by imagination rather than fact, but there is a rumor that worries me."

"Which is?"

The Dragon of the West looked grave. "There are rumors of faceless corpses."

Hakoda inhaled sharply in realization, feeling his face pale. "You think the Face Stealer has entered the war?" He gripped his chest, feeling a pulsing sickness originate therein. "It can't be. If he sides with Dark, all is lost. Aang can defeat both Dark and the Face Stealer, but the destruction of such a conflict means there won't be a world left to save. Aang would be all that is left alive after such a battle."

His children would be dead.

"I know," the Dragon of the West agreed. "The Face Stealer is legendary. If, indeed, these rumors are true- "

"From where did you hear them?" he asked, brows furrowing.

"The Fire Lord's agents on the continent, and there have been several sightings near Fire's outermost islands. I have no idea how he is in multiple places, seemingly at once, but the Face Stealer is of tremendous power; his influence over this world has been subtle but intense. Do you know the legend of Avatar Kuruk?"

His brows rose. "I'm Water. Of course, I know about Avatar Kuruk."

"You know what happened to his wife- "

"The Face Stealer stole Ummi's face the night of their wedding," Hakoda recited. "Everyone knows the legend. We remember that the ocean boiled every day after it happened for centuries until Kuruk passed into Earth."

The Dragon of the West's somber face appeared to age in the span of seconds; his golden eyes were dim. "If the Face Stealer has entered this war, that is a problem. However, I cannot help but wonder if he is helping us. I wonder if we should even tell Avatar Aang."

Hakoda frowned. "Why not? How could the Face Stealer be helping us? He's stealing faces!"

The Dragon of the West sighed. "But we do not know whose faces he steals. All we know are that corpses are being found without features. Telling Avatar Aang may be a mistake. We might make nothing into something. Avatar Aang revealed his intentions with the Phoenix; he said the Face Stealer is guarding the Phoenix, and in the weeks since his arrival, he anticipates that only days remain until the Phoenix is ready now. My suspicion is that the Face Stealer is attacking those who seek the Phoenix's harm, stealing their faces—perhaps very agents sent by Dark to recover Agni's flames."

"It's possible," he agreed.

"It all lines up with the Face Stealer preparing the way for the Phoenix to be successful."

He sighed, considering the options. "The problem is—do we trust the Face Stealer?"

"Like Avatar Aang said, we have no choice."

"Do we tell him?"

"I do not think this is anything," the Dragon of the West said. "But I wanted to hear your thoughts—this is different. This is the Face Stealer. Avatar Aang told us that the Face Stealer does everything he can to ensure the Phoenix because it will facilitate Balance, which the Face Stealer cherishes."

Hakoda leaned back. "The only question is if he's doing this to help the Phoenix."

"I think the evidence supports."

He hesitated, thinking through the options. "It's not a lot of evidence."

The Dragon of the West looked amused slightly, aged face stretching. "There never is for spirits. The fact we have any evidence that the Face Stealer is on our side like this is astonishing. The fact is—if the Face Stealer were against us this late in the war, he knows that Avatar Aang will destroy him. He is much too intelligent not to know it, and we know that the Face Stealer endures like world; he never seeks out his own destruction."

Hakoda felt himself coming around to the Dragon of the West's theory because it was true—it didn't make sense at all for the Face Stealer to betray them because such a betrayal ended only in the Face Stealer's destruction inevitably, which the Face Stealer would avoid critically. The Face Stealer avoided his demise by Kuruk's hands for centuries, proving the Face Stealer did not seek his destruction—never had. The Face Stealer hid himself rather than facing Kuruk in the open to pay for his crime in stealing Ummi's face, suggesting the Face Stealer knew what he did was wrong but refused to admit it—refused to pay for it in the open. The fact that the Face Stealer was in the open now, actively stealing faces, meant there was nothing to be concerned by, as the Face Stealer would never pursue his own destruction—because it was obvious that Aang would, in fact, destroy him if the Face Stealer betrayed them, which the Face Stealer was aware of.

The Face Stealer was helping clear the path for the Phoenix's success—it was the only conclusion.

"You're right," he realized, feeling relieved. "This is nothing."

The Dragon of the West relaxed, face smoothing. "Good. I wanted to hear your thoughts on the matter, unsure if I was twisting things."

"A good leader always seeks the opinions of others," Hakoda commended. "You were quite the leader."

"So were you, coming from a long line of leaders."

"As were you."

Silence.

"Your father almost killed me."

Hakoda closed his eyes at the memory, in which his encounter with Azulon was prevalent. "For which your father killed my father."

The Dragon of the West's golden eyes shadowed. "You said you spoke with him—my father."

"I did," he admitted. "I was sixteen; it was after he conquered us. He came to negotiate a settlement—he wanted peace."

"I remember," the Dragon of the West said softly, peering back through memories—like Hakoda did. "He said you did not believe him at first."

Hakoda felt a brief, worn laugh escape him. "I didn't even believe him after I made the deal. But I believe in his intentions now—it's obvious. He could have decimated us further, but he spared everyone; he could have taken our women, but he didn't; he could have eunuched our men, but he didn't; he could have taken our children and turned them into monsters who hate their own race and culture, but he didn't. The worst thing he did was kill all the Waterbenders, but I understand why he did it—I wish I didn't, but I see why he had to do it in his position. All he wanted from me was a payment of knowledge. In return, he left us alone and turned away from the South, letting me rule as Chief however I wanted."

"But you broke the treaty," the Dragon of the West pointed out.

"I completed the treaty for a long time," he admitted, thinking back. "Whenever a Waterbender was born, I notified him through his proxies. I did it for years—many years. Those Waterbenders were all taken in secret, tested to see if The Avatar returned, but those Waterbenders never came back. I contributed to that, and it eats at me—it's always eaten me. But I made that deal to save the South, to save my people from greater horror. It was a hard sacrifice, but I made it—and I kept doing it until I could no longer do it."

The Dragon of the West's eyes were piercing and knowing. "Because your daughter was born a Waterbender."

Hakoda closed his eyes, recalling all the panic and dread—because he knew he had to report her existence to Azulon, but he couldn't do it. Instead, he lied and kept Katara a secret, even going so far as to lie to Katara's face about her waterbending, even after she had just used her waterbending. "When Sokka was born, I was terrified that he was a Waterbender, but it became obvious that he wasn't, especially as he aged. That reassured me; it made me overconfident. When Katara was born, I wasn't concerned, thinking she would be like Sokka, but as she aged, it became clear that she was a Waterbender, inheriting the strength of my father and grandfather—and those on my wife's side. I tried to keep it a secret, doing everything I could think of, even making Katara drink drinks that were, allegedly, supposed to block her chi—nothing worked. Your father found out, and Fire invaded again because I betrayed our deal, the most lenient deal I've ever heard of a conqueror making, although your nephew's deals after the Great War were very damn lenient, too. I kept Katara safe during the attack, knowing why the attack was happening, but I couldn't tell anyone. But my wife was killed; she died to protect Katara's identity, claiming she was the hidden Waterbender—and it was accepted that she was the Waterbender because she was known as my wife, as my Chiefess, who would certainly be someone I'd protect from Fire, which is what everyone assumed happened. They were close to the mark. Kya and I had discussed it beforehand, and she made me agree to pass the waterbending identity to her if it came down to it, if there was no other option. But Kya took matters into her own hands and ensured that Katara would live."

"War is a dreadful thing," the Dragon of the West lamented. "I am sorry about your wife. She was honorable."

"So am I," he whispered. "And I'm sorry for all the Waterbenders of my people I sacrificed to keep the South alive, to keep the peace your father offered—that, really, he begged for."

"How did my father appear to you when you spoke?"

Hakoda blinked in surprise. "Tired," he said instinctively, recalling Azulon. "Just weary. He was ready for everything to be over. He said he hated the Great War, but I didn't believe him then; I believe him now."

The Dragon of the West laughed; it sounded old and hoarse. "I understand him a lot more now after experiencing all these things. I loved my father, but we were not particularly close. I was actually closer with my grandfather in my younger years because, by then, my father led the war effort, and I spent the majority of my time with my grandfather—and my mother, of course."

"You knew Sozin?" he asked unthinkingly. "You're that old?"

"He was that old. He died when he was 153; he reigned the longest among any Fire Lord, even longer than Kai and Henjul."

Hakoda marveled at sitting across from a man not only of Sozin's blood but who knew—knew!—Sozin as a man. "How long did you know him?"

Something fond and grieved crossed the Dragon of the West's face. "Past my seventeenth birthday—but no more. He died of loneliness. As I recall, he had scarce opinions of Water about anything but the facts he commended their hatred for Air and grieved that the South could not see that Earth deceived them into joining the Great War. Both my grandfather and father considered the South Fire's only possible ally during the Great War, the only ones who could come to see the truth, see through all the lies—and it saddened them both when no such alliance was realized."

He considered that a fitting death as much as a death was capable of 'fitting' Sozin. "And now Fire Lord Zuko and my daughter bring Fire and Water's tension full circle."

"This match between my nephew and Princess Katara is not new," the Dragon of the West notified, shaking his head. "My father tried to negotiate peace with the North, who never entered the Great War, thinking that Chief Arnook would be able to reach King Bumi and the shadows in Ba Sing Se who ruled, piercing through their obstinance to reach peace in the world. My father tried for over a year to negotiate with Chief Arnook, offering my nephew's hand in marriage to Princess Yue, but Chief Arnook's refusal reeked of Earth's obstinance; my father said it was like dealing with King Bumi, who refused anything and everything."

Hakoda sighed, thinking to his own dealings with Arnook. "That doesn't surprise me. Arnook was difficult to deal with—convinced he was always right. I can't believe he fought so hard for Hahn, and I met Hahn. Hahn was capable, yes, but he wasn't too capable; he had an obvious limit. I'm biased, yes, but I think—and thought—Sokka was always the better option, particularly if Arnook's goal was to reach the influence of Earth and Fire, which he claimed to me it was."

The Dragon of the West's golden eyes twinkled. "Indeed, but I think my father's plan came to fruition regardless—Fire and Water have permanent peace through marriage. And I think he is proud that Zuko chose a Princess of the South as his wife; my father had great respect for the South, for your people, who fought honorably and were never shy in their justifications until the last generation of the Great War. This is the only time in Fire's history where such a marriage is possible. The marriage is a wonderful symbol of peace—of a lasting peace where all these conflicts of the past generations can be released into history."

"Your nephew is a good man," Hakoda commended. "I suppose I always, deep down, wanted Katara to marry a man from the South, marry a Water Tribesman, but she was always destined for bigger things; the fact she was a Waterbender was only the beginning."

"I sometimes wonder if my father anticipated Zuko's ascension to the Dragon's Throne," the Dragon of the West confessed. "Well, I know he did after my son's death, but before that, before Lu Ten died, I wonder if my father knew somehow of Zuko's rising, inevitable greatness. I was not there when my father died, and I was left with many questions and no answers."

Hakoda remembered his single encounter with Azulon and nodded. "Something tells me that he had a lot of answers; he knew many things, one of the only ones who did." He stood to his feet and inclined his head. "I think your theory about the Face Stealer is correct. We can tell Avatar Aang, but I think he will agree that it's nothing to be concerned about. The Face Stealer is helping us, clearing the way for the Phoenix."

The Dragon of the West smiled and escorted him out. "I will follow-up with him to be certain, but it is always nice to hear a fellow soldier's opinion."

"Thank you, General Iroh."

Hakoda departed and having become accustomed to the palace's layout since his arrival over a month ago, he intended to speak with Katara about her impending marriage to Fire Lord Zuko, but by the time he found her, she was not alone, standing with Sokka and Suki in the dining hall, having finished a meal—or Sokka and Suki had finished a meal. He was about to enter and announce himself, but when he realized what they were discussing, he paused—because it didn't make sense.

It sounded like Sokka and Katara were discussing 'cousins' and how to 'tell Dad the truth.'

He leaned closer, having a terrible feeling, especially when Katara sighed, looking guilty. "It's going to be hard to tell him, but I have to tell him. I've just been waiting for the right moment."

"You've had fucking weeks," Sokka chortled. "I told him about Suki immediately- "

"He saw it himself before you could tell her," Katara snapped. "There's huge evidence visible—sorry, Suki."

Suki smiled. "Don't be. It's a sign that the twins are healthy and strong."

While Hakoda was still adjusting to the fact his grandchildren would be twins, Sokka grinned and pulled Suki closer to him. "I'd expect nothing less from our kids."

"But I've just been waiting for the right moment," Katara repeated. "You had plenty of evidence with Suki and couldn't wait, whereas I can wait, and now I feel like I've waited too long, either way. I should have told him, but I didn't know how to—I still don't know how."

Sokka rolled his eyes. "Sure, you do. Just come out and say it—'Dad, there's going to be another baby.' See? Problem solved."

Hakoda staggered and gripped the wall to brace himself, pleading that he had misheard.

"I know, but when he finds out who the father is, he won't be happy—I know it—because the baby is of Sozin's blood and also a bastard, born to parents not married, which breaks Family."

Fire filled Hakoda's ears as he pieced together that Katara was pregnant—by Fire Lord Zuko. The baby—another grandchild!—was a bastard because Fire Lord Zuko was waiting to get married, and Katara didn't know how to talk about it to him, clearly ashamed of what happened, especially with their race's worship of Family.

Hakoda stalked off.

XxXxXxXxXxX

For the first time since before visiting the Sun Warriors, there wasn't too much to do; it was a waiting game, waiting for the Phoenix's completion to replenish Fire's numbers—and also give him a stronger army to clash against Vaatu and Ozai, from whom he was stealing the army. It was working out perfectly, better than he imagined because he never anticipated Ursa, Hama, and Ozai's assault against Vaatu and Ozai's forces, but he had tentative hope that things were coming together in his favor—after so long, a lifetime's worth, of things behind against his favor.

But he still felt antsy because he knew that so much could still go wrong, even though momentum was finally on their side. To keep from going out of his mind about everything, he decided to teach Azula and Zuko combustion-bending as a strategy, making them ultimate Firebenders—a distinction against Ozai, who only lightning, not combustion-bending. Ursa and Samir were watching, dutiful observers, but they were playing other games, not truly paying attention.

But Sokka was, a shocking surprise. Sokka had found them all in the royal garden and started watching a while go, but he hadn't said anything, just watching him with a strange, tight look on his face. If anything, he looked nervous, even scared, but Aang didn't understand why he would be afraid?

It was a question for another time.

"Do you feel your chi?" he asked to Zuko and Azula, both of whom meditated in front of him.

Azula's eyes were closed in concentration. "Yes. It connects to the inner flame."

"And travels elsewhere through the body," Zuko added.

Aang nodded in confirmation. "It travels to your limbs, specifically, which is the source of your bending—how you are able to bend. Combustion-bending is not something that happens naturally; it is not something that you are born with—unless you are Fulki-Aridam. You must make yourself into it, otherwise, like us. Fulki-Aridam was born a Firebender whose chi pathways were wrong, leading to his head instead of his limbs, whereas our chi pathways lead to our limbs—as is normal. However, combustion-bending requires the chi pathways to lead to the head, specifically the forehead. Thus, your chi pathways must change. The river must be rerouted, and its flow must remain uncompromised—while remaining connected to your limbs as is natural. This is a dangerous endeavor to undertake- "

"Nothing more than being married to you," Azula quipped.

"I'm serious," he said, rolling his eyes. "This can permanently damage your chi if you don't do it properly, and while I could probably fix it, it would take me a long time, and time isn't something that we have a lot of right now. The Phoenix will be ready in the coming days."

"I'm committed," Zuko swore, dedication carved into his relaxed face. "We need every advantage possible. We don't know what Father and Vaatu are doing in their desperation now, what army they are trying to raise."

Aang could conceive no adequate army Vaatu an Ozai could recruit and organize in time, but he wasn't going to underestimate the great knowledge Vaatu possessed, greater than his own. "Azula?"

"Goes without saying," she claimed. "I am ready."

"Look into your energy—follow its flow," he instructed. "See all your chi passages, see the flow and interconnectedness, how it feeds into each other. Tap into that energy, feel its presence, and discern where the energy will best be pulled to create new pathways, intermingling with already-existing ones to produce a trackway to your forehead. Be patient—wait until you're ready. When you are ready maneuver the energy to your forehead, creating a trail, a pathway, to which you will always have access henceforth. You'll feel a burning sensation across your forehead as it starts, but you must keep going until it's finished. Otherwise, there will be damage. Make the connection solidify when you are ready, in which your chi's energy will travel along the new pathway, ready and able to use at your willing."

He watched their struggle for a long time because it was a critical process, and he looked over to Samir and Ursa, who held a tiny flame in her hand while Samir was trying, in deep concentration, to send a small gust of wind into it. There were several successes but more failures—but slow, steady progress was clear. However, when he glanced at Sokka in question, raising his brows, Sokka shook his head, silent, waiting.

It didn't produce a good feeling, especially with the grim look on his face.

Azula gasped, grabbing his attention, and he watched the beginning of the pattern form on her forehead, rising against the skin like veins—like his own. Shortly thereafter, Zuko's face spasmed, revealing the same pattern on his forehead.

"Almost there," he called out in encouragement. "Keep going. Let the connection solidify."

He felt it in their chis as they opened their eyes once the connection was finalized, combustion-bending possible. Their chi pathways retained their previous focus on the limbs, but they also traveled to their foreheads, ready to be used.

Immediately, Azula looked up into the sky, where Agni's dimmer light shone, and familiar fiery energy erupted out of her forehead into the sky, where it burst in a shockwave of thundering presence. Zuko followed suit a moment later, replicating the attack, and Aang laughed at the look on Samir's face—face slack, jaw dropped, and eyes wide.

The turtle ducks squawked in outrage and fear, but Aang felt no fear, only anticipation that his army against Vaatu and Ozai was going to be as strong as possible, which was a necessity beyond absolutes.

However, as he congratulated Azula and Zuko, getting used to the change in their appearances, Sokka finally approached with that grim look on his face, heart beating too fast, and Aang felt only anxiety. "What is it?" he asked when Sokka reached him.

"Not here," Sokka muttered and gestured back with his neck.

Azula saw the interaction and nodded at him. "Go. I will scare the others with this addition to my appearance."

For some reason, Aang knew she was thinking, specifically, of Jin—strange.

"If anything, it will take attention away from my scar," Zuko drawled.

Aang followed Sokka to the corner of the royal garden, trying to figure out what was so pressing that needed discussing—and what would put such a look on his face and fear in his heart. "What's wrong?"

Sokka exhaled roughly, seeming to psyche himself up; he flexed his jaw before staring at him. "It's about Ty Lee and Samir."

His brows rose. "What about them?"

"Ty Lee's dead, but before she died, we were talking before we reached Ozai; she told me a few things—well, actually, a lot of things." Sokka rubbed a stiff hand over his face. "She told me more things than I can remember, actually, and I hate—I fucking hate—to be the one to tell you this, but I'm the only one who can, and you deserve to know. I'd hate myself if I didn't tell you."

Aang frowned, mind racing. "Is this about them being cousins? I already know about that."

Sokka smiled tightly. "Yes, but not in the way you think. I don't know if you know, but apparently, there was a Fire Lord who was an Airbender."

"Fire Lord Zyrn," he supplied, nodding. "I know—he was Fire Lord Houka's son and heir."

"Right—Houka was the one Ursa sang that song about but that was actually about Sozin."

"What's your point, Sokka?" he asked, beginning to have a terrible feeling. "What about Zyrn is so important?"

"Ty Lee and Samir are descended from him- "

"I already know that."

"But you don't know that Ty Lee suspected more Air blood in her noble house—much more recent Air blood." The look on Sokka's face was desperate and hectic, clearly trying to remember information—while Aang felt cold. "She told me a legend about Sozin raising airbending children and hiding them in her noble house because her house was already of Zyrn's bastard line, mixing the new, recent Air blood with the already-existing Air blood from Zyrn. And her family is the only family in the entire Fire Nation that ever knew, nonetheless mastered chi-blocking, which is an Air skill, right?"

Aang gripped Sokka's arm tightly, eyes burning—heart breaking. "Yes, chi-blocking's an Air skill. A monk discovered it generations ago to help him obtain enlightenment. What are you saying, Sokka?"

Sokka flinched, swallowing hard. "Ty Lee's grandfathers—yes, both of them—were Airbenders!"

Silence.

Aang stared at him incomprehensibly, words floating in the air, attacking his mind. "What?" he bit out, shaking his head. "That's impossible- "

"She swore it," Sokka said sadly. "She told Mai, and Mai believed it, and I believed it after she told me—the evidence is there. She said she saw the portraits of her grandfathers when they were young, and she said they looked like you—like Air. She said they looked too much like you to be a coincidence, and she said they aged slower than normal, which means they were benders. Everyone always assumed they were Firebenders, but they were Airbenders—Ty Lee was convinced of it, and what seemed to finally convince, like really convince, her of it was Samir, a known Airbender, being sired by one of her cousins, of the same lineage as her."

He faltered and slid down the bark of the tree nearby, unable to maintain his balance as a terrible truth enveloped him. He had always known that not every Air Nomad was slaughtered the day of the Attack, he had even read the testimonies in Ba Sing Se from Kuei of lost annals, but he never put it together that the source of Samir's airbending—her lineage—laid in Airbenders much more recent in time than an airbending Fire Lord who lived many centuries ago during Kuruk's reign.

It made too much sense.

Sokka crouched down next to him, face sad and withered. "I'm sorry," he whispered, voice miserable. "I'm so sorry, Aang. Ty Lee thought there were seven secret Airbenders who were married into her family—her two grandfathers and five granduncles, all married to seven sisters, the daughters of her great-grandfather, a non-bender who had no sons and was the last of his line. She said her family is famous—she called it an anomaly, I remember—for having no Firebenders, which is unlike any other noble house in the Fire Nation, which everyone assumed meant non-benders, but with how slow her grandfathers—and granduncles—aged in comparison, I'm guessing especially in comparison to their wives, it was obvious they were benders. But if they weren't Firebenders, it raises questions. When she looked at you and saw similarities in how you look, coming from a shared origin, those questions, for her, were answered. She said she was a half-spawn of Air, which makes Samir a quarter-spawn of Air—but still an Airbender, having that blood. She thought chi-blocking was the reason why she wasn't an Airbender versus why Samir is one."

Aang bowed his head, withered. "Ty Lee's chi flow was wrong," he breathed, recalling his analysis of it; he had never paid attention then, not caring about it, thinking it insignificant and unimportant. "It was like it was stuck, trapped in infancy, stunted of any natural development. Her chi was blocked permanently—I should have seen it. I've never been satisfied by the explanation of Zyrn, who lived and reigned in Kuruk's time, as the source of Samir's airbending—it didn't make sense. But it was the only explanation I had. Now I have a new one, and the new one makes so much more sense—it fits. And it explains things about Ty Lee, like the gray eyes and her Air Nomad-like physique and mixed appearance, temperament, and propensities. Those can only happen if the source she inherited such things was recent, as in from her grandfathers, both of whom were Airbenders, born of my race, who clearly looked like me. And you're right—the connection to Samir is the biggest point in its favor. I'm convinced. Because Samir has never made sense to me, and Pathik had no answers for me about it—I didn't have any answers but to accept Azula's theory, which was the only one available at the time."

"I'm sorry, Aang."

He swallowed, throat warm. "Are they still alive?"

Sokka flinched. "No. They died before you returned."

It was as he feared—and expected—and waited for several moments, absorbing the news. "Thank you for telling me."

Sokka's eyes widened. "You're not mad?"

"I'm sad, but no—I'm not mad," he whispered, feeling the wind against his face. "It grieves me I never met them, but they are together with our race now, not separated from them. They are at peace now. Since Vaatu restored Indra's immortality, she has likely been taking all the spirits to the Gardens."

Sokka laughed in amazement. "I thought you were going to be mad."

"I would have killed you for telling me in a rage if I learned years ago, when all this started, but I have peace with it. If anything, it actually ensures that Air will be revived—the likelihood is so much stronger for a lasting presence. It's not just me who's bringing us back, it's them, too—thank you, Sokka."

"Thank Ty Lee—I'm just the messenger."

Aang sighed, recalling everything he knew about Ty Lee, which wasn't much. "I wish I knew her more."

Sokka hesitated. "She said she tried to tell you about it once."

"What?" he demanded, coughing slightly. "When?"

"Before Zuko's coronation as Fire Lord."

Aang blinked as he realized what Sokka referred to. "She asked me about Air and half-spawns," he recalled, shaking his head. "I thought she was actually trying to nominate herself to me as Mother of Air. I'm glad I didn't listen to her, and she gave up. I might have killed her for telling me—I couldn't handle the truth back then."

"Me too. She said she tried to tell Azula, but Azula refused to listen."

He sagged back, unsurprised. "She trusted nothing Ty Lee had to say after Ty Lee's betrayal—of course, she would consider it a deception and refuse to listen."

Sokka placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed, face tight and tired. "I'm really sorry to tell you this like this during this."

Aang remembered Gyatso, who told him that things worked out in mysterious ways, for What Is culminated always in rightness, even if it was unexpected and unforeseen. "It's a miracle," he breathed, feeling several tears spill down his cheeks. "I'm not alone—I've never been alone even when I thought I was. None of Ty Lee's family is here in the Fire Nation now—they fled during the plague—but after all this is over, I'm going to find them and reveal to them their heritage if they don't know it. They'll help me revive Air, and my children will marry their children, making a stronger, healthier new race." He laughed in amazement, almost hysterical as he realized the truth. "Sozin kept them alive—he spared them; he saved them. He probably did it to lure me into some kind of trap, thinking I would come to save them, to which he could kill me somehow, but he still did it. He destroyed Air but saved Air—and he'll save it further because Azula, my Mother of Air, is one of his heirs. It all worked out—I can't believe it, but I'm so happy to believe it." He scrambled to his feet and yanked Sokka into a fierce hug, almost shaking him. "This is the best news I've ever heard! Thank you—thank you! I have to go tell Azula!"

He rushed off, heart lighter than it had ever been in his memory since his innocence was raped.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Zuko had wanted to show his new appearance—combustion-bending!—to Katara but needed to stop at his private study to review some of the paperwork that Uncle left him, mainly about the plans to rebuild the Caldera. However, he did not have much time and looked up as the door to his private study opened—it was strange that there were no guards to announce his visitors, but the palace was so short-staffed that changes had to be made—and blinked in surprise at Chief Hakoda, especially the dark, fuming look on his face. "Chief Hakoda."

"Fire Lord," Chief Hakoda greeted, blue eyes shading with discontent, not even seeming to be impacted by his change in appearance on his forehead. "I thought you were different, but you aren't. You're exceptional in all areas but the one that matters most—Family. I should have known; I should have foreseen it. Yet I didn't, and I'm caught off-guard, trapped in surprise. There was always a crack in your bearing, and like all great men of history it is your penis."

He inhaled sharply, realizing that Chief Hakoda had found out about his habit of the concubines before Katara. "You don't have to worry, Chief Hakoda—that's over. It's done, never going to happen again—I swear on Agni."

For some reason, Chief Hakoda's glower intensified. "Over?" he hissed, dangerous. "You expect me to be okay with that? You expect me to accept it? You expect Katara to accept it?"

Zuko frowned. "Yes," he said, drawing out the word in confusion. "It was a terrible thing, and I know it—you don't have to worry. And Katara already accepts it—she made peace with it. It took a while, but she accepts it."

A brutal scoff echoed. "She loves you. Of course, she will think the best of you when you're not deserving of it."

He couldn't deny Chief Hakoda's observation and nodded. "All I can do is hope she loves me."

"Hope or know?" Chief Hakoda challenged, eyebrows furrowing, glaring.

As Fire Lord, he pressed on even though he was uncertain. "What I know is her pattern, and I hope that pattern doesn't change. She has loved me; that is what I know. If she loves me now, only she can answer."

"Will she answer for you as Fire Lady?"

"Those details have yet to be worked out," he answered carefully. "There's been a lot going on."

"Katara said you're going to marry," Chief Hakoda observed, though the words hung in the air as an accusation. "She told me you're going to marry when she first got here, yet there's been no wedding when there must be."

"We are going to marry, but not now during all this. We're going to marry after all this is over."

Chief Hakoda frowned, eyes flashing like imperial steel. "You would let my daughter bear your child out of wedlock?"

Zuko blinked in surprise. "What?"

Chief Hakoda approached, a mass of potential violence. "You impregnate my daughter but refuse to do right by her and marry her?"

"Again, what?" he repeated, mind racing as he tried to decipher the absurdity. "Katara told you she's pregnant?"

"She didn't have to. I overheard Sokka, Suki, and Katara talking about it. Tell me, Fire Lord—I thought you had honor. Where is the honor in waiting to marry my daughter while she is pregnant?"

Zuko tried to make sense of everything, feeling a pulsing pain erupt in his skull. "What did you overhear?"

He was thankful he was taller than Chief Hakoda, who glared at him with the full force of a firebending master, face carved with ice. "Don't distract me from your cowardice, Fire Lord."

"She's not pregnant!" he snapped, fire flaring from his closed fists at his sides. "She can't be. What did you overhear?"

Uncertainty flashed across Chief Hakoda's face. "I heard Sokka remark that Katara's expecting. You're the obvious father."

Zuko sighed and shook his head. "That's true, but not in the way you think. The child is my sibling and your cousin. I thought she was going to tell you."

He would have to ask her about her wariness in telling her father.

Chief Hakoda's face registered the shock that Zuko still felt. "What?"

"My father's child," he explained, weariness sapping his strength. "Our… prisoner, Hama, who's your aunt—did Katara even tell you that?—was my father's waterbending master."

"My aunt?" Chief Hakoda echoed.

Zuko sighed. "Kanna's your mother, right? This is Kanna's sister- "

"Aunt Hama," Chief Hakoda finished, blinking in a daze. "She's alive?"

Not for long, but he didn't dare mention his intentions for Hama. "She is. She lived in the Fire Nation for years, apparently, after escaping her prison, from what Katara told me. She encountered Hama during the Great War, where Hama revealed her loyalties to her twisted vengeance, and she was imprisoned. Vaatu rescued her, and she became allied with my father. They became intimate, and the result is pregnancy. Katara and I have decided to raise the child as our own."

That seemed to lift Chief Hakoda from his stupor. "Katara's not pregnant?"

Zuko held Chief Hakoda's gaze. "If she were, I would marry her right now, lack of Fire Sages be damned."

Chief Hakoda nodded and sighed. "I would apologize, but I will always look after my children."

"I hope I can do the same."

A chuckle echoed. "I don't think you will have a problem with that; something tells me you may be more overzealous than I am. The passion of Fire, right?"

Zuko shrugged. "Maybe. But Katara will balance me out, right?"

"That's marriage. When should I expect my first grandchild from Katara?"

Zuko blanched, stunned by the direct question. "Well, by blood, it will be after all this is over, but Katara will be as pissed as Agni if you don't love and treat your cousin as your own grandchild."

Chief Hakoda's eyes finally rooted on his forehead. "That's new."

"Combustion-bending," he explained. "A new bending form for firebending. Azula has it, too, now. I would be worried about what Katara thinks if I didn't know her."

"I would marry her as soon as possible, Fire Lord."

Zuko paused, blinking. "What? You actually want to see your daughter married?"

Chief Hakoda looked amused. "Why wouldn't I?"

He hesitated, recalling his experience with Father. "It was my understanding that a father never wanted to 'give away' his daughter."

But Father had arranged to give Azula to Zhao upon her sixteenth birthday. He still didn't understand why Father ever pursued the match, unless he saw Zhao as an easy man for him to control—and, thus, an easy man for Azula to control to maintain her power.

"I want to see Katara happy, and you make her happy," Chief Hakoda said simply, blue eyes full of memories and warnings. "I want her happiness to be a lifetime. Take it from me, who lost the love of his life much too early, there are never enough days—you only have what you have. Don't waste the time you're granted—it's precious. Marry Katara now—share that joy with her. You never know when your day is."

Zuko studied him. "You think I will die in this war."

"It occurred to me," Chief Hakoda confirmed, not ashamed to admit it, "and I would rather see my daughter as a widow who can mourn than a widow who can't mourn. There are also the political considerations as you have no heir and need one. You need a wife to give you one."

Zuko's only brow rose sharply. "You want me to impregnate your daughter?"

Chief Hakoda's eyes narrowed. "You're already laying with her, right?"

He nodded, unable to deny it—unwilling to lie. "Yes."

"Then marry her. I don't want my daughter bearing a bastard, and you don't want the same because of politics. You need an heir. If you die without one- "

"Uncle will become Fire Lord," he said shortly, thinking ahead. "After him, one of my sister's sons, whichever is a Firebender, will become Fire Lord."

"Do you really want that to happen?"

"No, I have some pride," Zuko admitted, begrudging.

Chief Hakoda's lips twitched. "Marry her, Fire Lord. I do not say this simply as a father, I say it as a husband who misses his wife every day and wishes he had more days with her. Don't wait."

Zuko blinked, felt the pulse of the words resonate, and nodded, mind elsewhere. "Thank you, Chief Hakoda."

"Go talk to her," Chief Hakoda said with a brief laugh and gesture of his head. "I can see you want to."

"The Fire Lord shouldn't be so obvious," he muttered, annoyed.

A secretive grin flashed. "It's not about being the Fire Lord; it's about being a man in love."

Zuko groaned, even more annoyed. "That's not helpful—it's not even a good thing."

"It's not a good thing to be in love with my daughter?"

"You know what I mean," he assured. "If a Fire Lord is shown to be so in love with his Fire Lady, it weakens his position as scheming nobles will attempt to undermine him by swaying the Fire Lady to their causes, which means the Fire Lady will convince the Fire Lord of other ideas rather than his own—it's happened before. We have to mimic my grandfather and grandmother in their rule and partnership."

Something passed over Chief Hakoda's face, impossible describe. "Azulon. You remind me of him, actually."

Out of all the things Zuko expected, it was not a comparison to Grandfather. "Really? How do you know?"

"I encountered him once after he conquered the South for the second time," Chief Hakoda replied, and Zuko's stomach opened as he recalled what happened to Katara's grandfather and great-grandfather, Chief Hakoda's own father and grandfather—killed by Grandfather. "His determination and understanding of events were exceptional—as were his overtures for peace when no one wanted it. It's only now that I'm a lot older do I see the greatness he was, how rare of a man and leader he was. I see that same gift in you—that same awareness, determination, and intelligence. Katara could probably do better than you, but she couldn't do wiser than you."

Zuko accepted the compliment and smiled slightly. "Well, I have her beat—I couldn't do better and wiser than her."

Chief Hakoda returned his smile. "There's the man in love. Go talk to her. It's time to do it."

"I probably won't tell her that you want us to get married," he said, approaching the exit. "She might refuse just because of it."

"That sounds more like Sokka than Katara, but I see your point. If I have to, I'll embarrass her to the ceremony, tell you every embarrassing story I can think of until she agrees to do it."

Zuko smirked. "I may use that strategy one day."

Chief Hakoda grinned, emphasizing the resemblance to Sokka. "It works every time."

XxXxXxXxXxX

The staggering joy on Aang's face made her freeze in her tracks, unused to seeing such an expression on his face—ever. It was unlike anything she had ever seen, even on Ember Island, including Samir's airbending surfacing at the Eastern Temple. He walked lighter, and his gray eyes emanated wonder and cheer as he approached her in their rooms—her old room as the Fire Princess.

"The Phoenix is ready?" she guessed, unable to think of anything.

Aang pulled her to him and kissed her hard, and she embraced him, content to accept the affection, after which he pulled back with a beaming grin. "Even better."

Her brows rose in surprise, trying to adjust to the rapid change of pace in his temperament compared to his usual pattern; she could conceive nothing that invigorated him with his obvious, glaring delight. "Father is dead?"

"Even better."

"Vaatu surrendered?"

"Even better to me but not the world," he dismissed, clearly basking in whatever news he received as he laughed. "I can't believe it! I should have seen it, but it's the miracle I always looked for but thought was impossible! It's here! I'm not alone! It's not just me and Samir!"

Obviously his cheer came from news about Air, but there was only one explanation, no matter how impossible. "Indra escaped Vaatu?"

Aang cupped her cheeks between his large hands, gray eyes penetrating, locking her in place. "Samir's airbending isn't from Fire Lord Zyrn."

Azula blinked, staring up at him. "Meaning what?"

He seemed overwhelmed, choking on the words for several moments; his eyes watered with not only memories but possibilities. "Air lives—it lives, Azula. There were survivors."

She absorbed the knowledge, bracing herself against him—they braced each other. "Airbenders?"

"Seven," he breathed like it was the holiest of numbers. "Seven Airbenders—seven secret Airbenders—survived and produced children. They are dead, but their children and grandchildren aren't."

Azula understood the significance immediately. "Increasing the odds of Air's long-term survival exponentially. Inbreeding will not lead to Air's extinction. How? How do you know this?"

Finally, his face registered the familiar sadness with which she associated him. "Sokka."

"Sokka?" she echoed, astonished. "How could he possibly have such news? Did he encounter these descendants on his trek to Father's camp?"

"One of them," Aang said, pulling her to the edge of the large bed; his face was serious and somber. "Ty Lee."

Silence.

Azula stared at his face, eyes roaming for a sign of deception, but it was obvious there was no deception. "We already knew of Ty Lee's Air ancestry," she said after several moments, mind processing. "Fire Lord Zyrn- "

"Not Fire Lord Zyrn," he interrupted. "That's what's so revolutionary about it. Ty Lee was a half-spawn of Air, and Samir is a quarter-spawn of Air."

"Impossible," she denied, but she began to remember Ty Lee and the obvious Air traits that she never truly understood as 'Air traits' until she met Aang and understood him—and, thus, Air.

Aang swallowed, shaking his head; the wonder on his face looked as prominent as the disbelief she felt. "No, it's true—I know it is. We always doubted—at least, I did—that Fire Lord Zyrn was the source because the distance in time is too extreme. Zyrn lived in Kuruk's reign. It all fits because we know Samir's obvious airbending and connection to Ty Lee—it comes from a shared source between them, which Sokka told me was both of Ty Lee's grandfathers and five granduncles."

Azula's eyes fluttered shut as she recalled the stories about Ty Lee's noble house—stories unique to her house, unapplicable to any other noble house. "The seven outsiders," she whispered. "Ty Lee's great-grandfather was the last of his house and sired only daughters—seven of them. To everyone's shock, Sozin married seven outsiders—they were called 'advisors' in the story I heard—to those seven heiresses, extending the house's line, which was populated quickly with large numbers. Ty Lee's noble house became one of the largest, which was most strange because none were benders—it always mystified me—but I assumed that the connection to Sozin, those seven 'advisors' were so powerful, had such sway with the Fire Lord, that they amassed great power and recognition. But they were Airbenders?"

"I don't have all the answers," Aang breathed. "I'm never going to have all the answers. But they were Airbenders; they were Samir's ancestors, possibly her grandfathers or great-grandfathers."

She recalled the other peculiar tradition in Ty Lee's family. "That is why they inbred with each other," she realized, finally making sense of something that always bothered her. "Preserving Air's presence, possibly in hope that The Avatar would return and have a race to return to. If both Ty Lee's grandfathers were Airbenders, full-blooded, which we both know they had to be, according to Air, Ty Lee was a half-spawn—half Air and half Fire."

Aang nodded. "Yes. And Samir is likely half Earth, a quarter Fire, and a quarter Air."

"But still born an Airbender," she pointed out, beginning to see the significance and possibilities—it awed her. "Air's primal essence is stronger than the other Elements."

"Probably a mixture of the Elders' adamance about purity and Air's own essence from Indra," Aang answered, clearly having already considered it. "Air is ubiquitous; unlike the other Elements, it is everywhere, never not seen, felt, and endured. It's presence, literally, is stronger—and, thus, harder to destroy. It lingers in the blood longer and holds more primal sway in terms of benders being born benders."

"Air will be revived," Azula said needlessly. "This confirms it."

Aang leaned his head against her shoulder, embracing her tightly, which she returned. "And adds more lineages other than mine, strengthening us, making us healthy and not at risk of extensive inbreeding. I never wanted our children or grandchildren to inbreed."

Azula winced. "Which was the likeliest outcome to save Air from extinction. Now our great-great grandchildren will likely be the ones to marry, which, while not ideal, is much more ideal than the other outcome."

He laughed in amazement. "Gyatso knew this would happen—I'm convinced he did. He said What Is works out, and this worked out."

"This is miraculous news," she agreed, overwhelmed by its implications. "It changes everything after this war with Vaatu is over. We will have to find Ty Lee's family and notify them. I am certain they are unaware of their heritage."

Or those in Ty Lee's family were better preservers of secrets than she herself was, which was most impressive.

Aang pulled back, gray eyes tracing her face. "Sokka said Ty Lee tried to tell you—I'm guessing in Ba Sing Se."

Azula tensed, thinking rapidly, before she recalled Ty Lee's frantic efforts, which she had perceived as cruelty to mock Samir's obvious position. "I see. I should have listened. I thought she was being theoretical to try to lay claim to Samir, as Fire's laws demand—I thought she was attempting subtly to take Samir from us."

There was no judgment or anger on his face as there would have been once. "I figured it was something like that."

When a knock sounded on the door, Aang waved a hand, opening it, but when she saw it was Uncle Iroh, not Mother returning with Samir, she exited from Aang's embrace with a regretful sigh. "Hello, Uncle," she greeted.

Uncle Iroh blinked, staring at her forehead—she had forgotten the new mark was there. "Combustion-bending was a success?"

"It was. Are you surprised?"

"Of course not." Uncle Iroh looked between them with a knowing look on his face; Azula considered shooting a fireball at him. "However, I did not mean to interrupt a husband and wife's time alone."

Aang, however, was clearly in an exceptional mood, chipper beyond anything she had ever seen, and laughed, waving Uncle Iroh inside. "Not at all! What is it?"

"I think there is no reason to worry," Uncle Iroh began, entering and shutting the door behind him. "I spoke with Chief Hakoda, who agrees. However, we thought it best to notify you, as a precaution—to hear of your agreement or disagreement."

"What happened?" Azula demanded.

Uncle Iroh's golden eyes were apologetic. "I received reports of faceless corpses found on the continent and on Fire's outer islands. It is obviously the Face Stealer, and Chief Hakoda and I believe he is clearing a path for the Phoenix based on the timeline. It is irrational for him to try to attack us now as he knows you will destroy him, which he understands, in possession of an eminent intelligence. His goal has always been survival—his encounter with Avatar Kuruk reveals it. Do you agree, Avatar Aang? There is nothing to be concerned by?"

She glanced at Aang, who's face cleared of all joy—she hated the Face Stealer for being the cause of it! "It doesn't make sense," he said after several moments of thought, frowning. "He shouldn't even be here to begin with. It's not the Solstice; that's not for another month. How did he enter the Mortal Realm?"

Uncle clearly had not considered such an angle, pausing, blinking, while Azula sighed. "Does he teleport as you do?" she asked.

"It's possible," Aang admitted, though the doubt on his face was not reassuring. "Maybe he figured out how Vaatu does it." He relaxed, nodding, face relieved. "That's it—when we were in the Immortal Realm, Vaatu vanished right in front of Koh when I showed up. He figured out how Vaatu did, literally sensing him do it in front of him. He's using the same trick."

Azula shook her head. "It would be useful if you figured out Vaatu's trick."

Aang's groan was frustrated. "I know, but Koh is more knowledgeable than I am—it's like Vaatu. I'm more powerful, but they are more knowledgeable, and their knowledge keeps them alive for a long time, avoiding me, but my power will always catch up to them and surpass them. Iroh, you're right—this is nothing to be concerned by. While he's here in the Mortal Realm, he has allies guarding the Phoenix—that's what he told me. It makes sense; it all adds up. The Phoenix will be ready any day now, and that's why Koh is acting now, revealing himself—making the Phoenix's success a guarantee, making the odds even more in our favor. Even if I suspected him of doing something, I don't know if I'd want to confront him, not when the Phoenix is so close. I could offend him, and he could be petty—he is petty often."

"I agree on both fronts," Azula said. "The Face Stealer's goal has never been his destruction. It makes no sense for him to act against us this late in the war when we are so close to victory; if would make him a direct enemy, which he should not want—he does not want it. These faceless corpses are evidence of clearing the path for the Phoenix."

It was the only thing that made sense.

Uncle Iroh beamed. "Thank you, Avatar Aang and Princess Azula. This is exactly the confirmation I wanted to hear."

Looking at Aang, she knew he thought about what he learned from Sokka about Ty Lee's family—the very confirmation that he always wanted to hear but never thought he would.

Until he did.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Zuko looked for Katara everywhere but realized he should have checked the last place first—the royal gardens. "I should have known you would be here," he called out.

Katara glanced at him with a smile before sweeping her arm, returning the water to the pond. "I thought I should practice a little bit."

"Do you notice anything different?"

Only when she turned fully did she pause and blink, registering the mark on his forehead. "It looks strange on you, but I'm already used to it on Aang."

Zuko cracked a smile, amused. "It's not like my appearance could get any worse."

Katara glared at him, unimpressed. "We both know that's not true."

He stepped closer, seeing his opening—he sought her for one purpose and one purpose only. Chief Hakoda was right—it was time. "Because you love my appearance?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yes."

"Because you love me?"

"Yes."

"Despite all the troubles I bring?"

"Yes."

"Despite the blood in my veins?"

"Yes," she confirmed, frowning in concern. "Zuko, what's wrong?"

Zuko almost laughed. "We're not married yet—that's what's wrong."

Katara's blue eyes widened. "What?"

"Marry me."

Her lips parted. "What?"

Zuko nodded, coming closer, grasping hold of her hands, slack at her side in shock. "Marry me. I don't want to wait anymore. I thought it best until all this is over, but that changes nothing—there's going to be just as few, maybe fewer, people there then as there are here now. Fire is devastated—I've seen it; I see it every time I even think. But this can be a sign, a symbol of our return—we will survive this, and there will be more of us in the next generation; we will come back from this."

"I thought we were going to wait," she whispered, staring up at him. "I thought it would be better."

"Well, I thought it would, too," he agreed, "but your father is already here—and so is Uncle and everyone. Everyone who matters is here. There is no difference between doing it now and after. If anything, there will be more destruction after. Every day that we delay it, delays me from doing what I really want to do, which is marry you."

Katara's chest shuddered from the force of her breaths. "Really?"

"Must I get on one knee?" Zuko asked and lowered himself, keeping hold of her hands. "Princess Katara, will you be my Fire Lady? Will you be my wife? Will you look at my face and not see half of it but all of it, as you've always done?"

She swallowed, a sheen overcoming her blue eyes. "I would want Gran-gran here, but she could never make the trip, anyway. Yes—I accept. Let's do it."

He jumped to his feet and embraced her. "A Fire Lord and Fire Lady—as it should be."

"It's happening?" she gasped against him, seemingly awed, like she could not believe it.

"It's happening," he confirmed with a laugh. "You just saved me from having to hear every embarrassing story your father can remember."

Katara released a long-suffering sigh, holding him tightly. "Did he get onto you about this?"

Zuko pulled away, looking down at her. "He did. He was under the impression that you were pregnant and I was the father."

She sagged. "I knew I waited too long to tell him. He overheard something, didn't he?"

"He did. Why did you not tell him?"

Katara swallowed. "I didn't know how to tell him about it—about Hama and the baby. It was all so much, and I wanted to keep the peace. I wasn't sure if he would be happy about it. Every time I go to feed her, it's horrible. I didn't want to bring that back with me to face Dad. I should have told him, but- "

Zuko shook his head. "I don't regret you not telling him. It led to us getting married—I'm not regretting it."

A slow smile spread across her face, flush with wonder and joy. "We're really getting married?"

He cleared his throat. "It would be most dishonorable for me not to."

Amusement danced in her eyes. "And you're all about your honor."

"I have my honor and you—that makes me complete."

She rolled her eyes, still smiling. "You honor me, Fire Lord Zuko."

"No, you honor me, Fire Lady Katara."

XxXxXxXxXxX

Zuko and Katara's marriage was a swift, sudden affair that turned everything on its head—in a good way. Rather than stressing about the Phoenix's completion and the inevitable assault to launch against Vaatu and Ozai, feeling stuck, unable to do anything, they were able to orient their energies to celebrate, to have joy and contentment, for the best of reasons.

It was a hectic gathering of everything necessary for the ceremony, everyone having duties to complete to see to the wedding's success, and everyone fulfilled the roles assigned. Normally, for the Fire Lord's wedding, the ceremony would last a week with celebrations afterward lasting for an entire month, commended by Fire, a race born of passion; recitals, plays, pageants, and rhapsodies would be slated for many recurring performances, each with political and cultural significance of the marriage's future impact on Fire, the direct continuation of Sozin's line, an eruption of festive spirit that would echo through the entire Fire Nation, visible to the world on a grand stage; and the food would be majestic creations, prepared by dedicated chefs, whose fervent imaginations conceived the finest delicacies to commemorate a once in a lifetime event, particularly a marriage charged with extraordinary political importance, never seen before in Fire's history. However, due to the surrounding context of the war against Vaatu and Ozai and Fire's devastated state, it was a quiet gathering, but the final product was a wedding worthy of the Fire Lord and his chosen Fire Lady, no matter how small and brief.

Aang was thankful to be part of it. The wedding was atop the Fire Sage temple in the Caldera, which Aang had helped repair swiftly with Toph and Bor, endowing in the event the proper spiritual prominence as the Fire Lord chose his Fire Lady before Agni's judgment—and Fire's judgment. As he oversaw the wedding as The Avatar, allowing graceful interjections by Iroh, who rhapsodized about love and passion, it reminded him of everything at stake.

They were all going to have lives after the war with Vaatu; there were things to do, so much more than Vaatu and Ozai's plans. It was a signal of a fresh start, of a new change in status and power—of a direct strike against Vaatu and Ozai's control over the world and those within it, as Vaatu and Ozai, despite being Zuko's father, could not control the wedding or have any say in it. Zuko and Katara's wedding was a symbol that there would be promise after Vaatu and Ozai's inevitable defeat; there would arise new lives, new heirs, to the current devastated generation who would carry the strength and wisdom of their parents, who suffered gruesomely to fight for the world and save its awe and majesty.

He watched Zuko grasp the Fire Lady's crown from the ornate pillow, held by Azula, and pluck it by its base, holding it between his hands. Katara, bathed in powerful deep red garments, a permanent feature as the new Fire Lady, kneeled before him as Zuko turned to the small audience, Fire Lord crown in his hair gleaming under the glow of the many torches. "Agni's gaze rests upon me as I oversee his Children," he called out. "I am Master of Agni's Eternal Flame and Keeper of the Dragon's Throne, chosen to see to his task of protection and rule, and I rise now to the position of head Fire Sage after the betrayal the sacred position has suffered from greedy men—I occupy all that is important in Agni's eyes and have not only the right but obligation to complete this revered ceremony. As those before me, I look to our race's utmost security and traditions and wield the most ancient of traditions—raising a Fire Lady to see to the completion of Agni's regard and mission tasked to Kai and his heirs. My duty, born of my honor, demands so, but so, too, does my heart, which will ensure the passion, love, and commitment of this union with my Fire Lady, who possesses all the keenness, spirit, dedication, and healthy intuition of a Fire Lady worthy of our race. She will remember Agni's Children in all her decisions and endeavors, striving to fight for them forever to ensure peace and balance, which will match Air, Water, and Earth. This is a Fire Lady unlike any Fire Lady before her, born of a different race and raised in a different culture, but she saw, firsthand, the impacts of the Great War and saw the sufferings of Fire and regretted them; she heals what she touches and intends to heal all the wounds suffered by us all by this disastrous plague and war and mend the deep scars rooted in the generations before us; she fights for what she loves, and she loves the world, and she loves Fire, Air, Earth, and Water in it, upholding the sacred agreement all rulers once remembered and adhered to; she promises to soothe strife and solve discord to identify pathways of success where the Four Nations can live together in peace and harmony, putting to rest all the pettiness that has deceived us for generations; and she aspires for stability, order, decency, and honor, the traditions that have shaped Fire since Kai's glorious Unification and vows to wield her passion and intelligence to their fullest potential to ensure their survival and continuation. Our marriage will be oriented to Fire's wellbeing, prepared for all challenges and resilient to every pressure, for we fight for Fire and live for Fire. Our son will rise to the Dragon's Throne after my death and see to his commitments as the Fire Lord as I have done, and my Fire Lady will see to his success as I will, preparing him in all areas for the burden of Agni's judgment." He turned to Katara, who remained kneeling. "Do you accept your task, Princess Katara?"

"Yes," Katara answered, voice loud, clear, and stable.

"Do you accept Fire's judgment?"

"Yes."

Zuko lowered the Fire Lady's crown into Katara's hair, already prepared to accept it, and stepped back. "Rise, Fire Lady Katara."

Katara rose like the sun, and Aang saw the future more clearly than ever before—he felt more hopeful than he ever had.

There was going to be a world worth living in.

XxXxXxXxXxX

I hope that you all enjoyed it. Please leave a review and tell me what you think. I'd really appreciate it!

**Koh drops the Phoenix off at the South, in the remains of the Iceberg, in which Aang slumbered for a century.

**Hama has lost the will to live because her bending is gone, and she resorts to starving herself to die, but Katara forces her to eat and drink with bloodbending.

**Aang sends off the recovered Firebenders he purified to meet him at the Fire Nation, unable to guide them himself as he doesn't have time to do so. He makes the hard decision to leave the continent to its chaotic devices, letting things simmer down naturally rather than him enforcing something, which would erupt again the moment he turned his attention away. It's a hard decision, but it's the right decision with everything going on with Vaatu and Ozai, especially at such a critical time.

**Ozai discusses his motivations with Zaheer to strengthen his spirituality, looking deeper, which will strengthen his airbending.

**Pathik is visited by Koh and has his face stolen, dying a noble death after he confirms his intentions to notify Aang of Koh's betrayal, which Koh can't let happen.

**Everyone arrives at the Fire Nation to reunite with Iroh, Hakoda, and Pakku.

**Zuko speaks with Iroh about things that happened before going to the catacombs to speak with Aang in Sozin's tomb as Aang is ready to let Sozin go, ready to stop trying to hate him; he's not ready to forgive him, but he's ready to stop hating him, something once considered impossible.

**Jin confesses to Haru what she did and didn't do to Aang in failing to murder him.

**Iroh and Hakoda discuss the troublesome evidence of Koh's sudden involvement in the war and consider the conclusion of betrayal but dismiss it as untenable according to the evidence they have.

**Aang teaches Zuko and Azula combustion-bending, which they master. After which, he learns from Sokka a truth from beyond the grave, specifically from Ty Lee—there were seven Airbenders who survived Air's murder. This was one of the changes I implemented upon revising/rewriting earlier chapters because I considered it very necessary. As I explained in the author's note for CH30 (Reckoning) that goes a lot more in-depth for a conversation between Ty Lee and Sokka: "This has multiple parts to play and builds things for the future. The only literal way for Air to return—at least without Indra's intervention, which is a sure possibility because of her [then] mortality—is for Air's lineages to remain. Aang's lineage isn't enough. There needs to be more lineages of Air for Air to have type of chance to return in a lasting, permanent way. Thus, seven other Air lineages, all disconnected from each other—meaning none were brothers or uncles or fathers or sons or cousins to each other—were preserved by Sozin of all people and placed in one of Fire's noble houses, which is where Ty Lee comes from. She was always Airbender-like in the show. This isn't just a strange choice with no explanation, like in the show; this is because she's an actual granddaughter of two Airbenders. This noble house is also where Samir comes from through her unknown father's side—her father was one of Ty Lee's cousins. And Ty Lee mentioned she has six sisters, who are all so much like her that no one could tell them apart, which suggests a unique nature compared to other noble houses and other Fire families in general. If you put them as all descendants of Airbenders, it makes sense because they would look so much more like each other than anyone else because their blood is hybridized—Air and Fire. Ty Lee's family, from her brief description, sounds like a big family, so there would be quite a number of them who possess Air's blood, which makes preserving Air and making a new race with Aang and Azula's children possible.

I also think saving those seven Airbenders was the perfect way for Sozin to keep an eye on them, keeping them right in his own backyard—the perfect area to trap The Avatar, whose return he waited for with every day of his life for the rest of his life. He keeps them alive because he thinks The Avatar will one day come for them, which will give Sozin the chance to strike and kill The Avatar—even if it's never going to happen. No one really knew about Sozin's plans—it's possible, although unlikely, that Azulon might not have even known about it—which makes Ty Lee's noble family special; it makes them unique; it gives them a legendary status. Because no one knew about what Sozin did, what he did passes into legend, only remembered by those seven Airbenders—and whomever they dared tell of their new families, if they dared. Really, there's a whole entire story to tell for these seven Airbenders and their descendants and Sozin because it's complex.

Aang has help to bring back Air—because he has to have help. The fears he always had about Air becoming extinct all over again after a single generation or two generations were always true—and couldn't be wiped away. But what he learned by going back to the past to meet Gyatso is that he needed to stop obsessing over it and accept Azula as his wife because things would somehow, impossible-to-comprehend-ways work out. It's going to work out because there is a foundation of preservation, made possible by Sozin of all people. It's more irony—Sozin not only preserved those seven Airbenders with unconnected purely Air lineages but also provides the Mother of Air in his own great-granddaughter."

**Zuko faces Hakoda's ire after Hakoda overhears Katara's talk of pregnancy and thinks she's pregnant, but Zuko explains the situation about Hama and the child, after which Hakoda encourages Zuko to marry Katara as quickly as possible, the testimony of a man who lost his wife much too soon.

**Aang and Azula discuss Ty Lee's family and the implications of seven Airbenders surviving the Attack and, most crucially, having children that survived—Ty Lee's parents and aunts and uncles, all of whom had children themselves.

**Zuko and Katara get married. They originally agreed to wait until after the war was over, but Zuko realized, with Hakoda's urging, that he didn't want to wait anymore. He thought it was time. Katara is officially Fire Lady.

Well, I think that is everything. I hope that you all enjoyed it, and I would really appreciate it if you left a review to tell me what you thought about it.

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