N/A: I'm back, bitches, much sooner than I expected. I don't think you guys will mind, though.
You know, I didn't plan for the chapters to be so long lately. I had in mind that they would only be around 5,000 words per chapter, but the last few chapters have been hovering around 10,000 words, just like this one. I don't mean for it to be like that, I just get carried away and add more stuff than I had in mind. I suppose at a certain point that's not bad, because it adds depth to the story. But on the other hand, it's a drawback because it takes me longer to finish the chapter.
Anyway, this chapter is a very important event in the canon, and I wanted to try to get it right, along with the changes I added. I hope you enjoy it.
A special thanks to the person who helped me edit this chapter, Siblings Grimm. Who agreed to be my beta. So if you find any grammar or spelling mistakes, blame him XD. Nah, just kidding. He was a great help in making this chapter as polished and error-free as possible.
And without further ado... Let's go!
Chapter 11
Loss
Zuko
3 months later
With a grunt of effort, Zuko leaped to his feet and kicked twice in the air, sending forward two fireballs. His flames were quickly dissipated by his opponent, who wasted no time in charging him, intent on turning the confrontation into a close quarter fight. Zuko sent more fireballs in an attempt to stop his advance, but they were deflected. He punched forward with both fists, sending a powerful burst of fire that blinded his vision for a few moments. When the flames died down, his opponent was gone.
"Zuko, above you!"
The warning cry made him look up to see his opponent in the air, swooping down to deliver a precise blow. From the side, a powerful burst of fire intercepted him, forcing his opponent to block with his arm and sending him several feet away. Undeterred, he was able to recover in time to land on his feet.
"You are careless, Zuzu," Azula scolded, the source of that saving blast of fire, she moved to his side taking a firebending stance. "Never take your eyes off your opponent."
Zuko gasped as he caught his breath, but moved to his sister's side. They both stared at the opponent they had been fighting for the last ten minutes, who was adopting his own unique fighting stance.
"Come on, guys, you can beat him!" Ty Lee encouraged, keeping a safe distance. "Come on, Mai, cheer them on too."
Although she looked a bit shy and reluctant, Mai put both hands to her mouth.
"You... You can do it!"
"Hey, who's cheering for me?" Percy complained, turning around and relaxing his posture.
"An opening!" Azula exclaimed, kicking into the air and sending a large fireball in Percy's direction.
"Oh, shit!"
Percy swung his sword hard, deflecting Azula's fireball, but at that moment, Zuko sent another fireball, forcing Percy to dodge. Azula approached and began a series of close-range firebending attacks. Instead of sending out fireballs, her fists and feet burst into flames with each strike, trying to land a precise hit.
Percy did a great job of dodging and parrying the attacks with the flat side of his sword, but when Zuko joined the attack, he was quickly overwhelmed and had to back off, though both siblings continued to press forward, showing good teamwork.
Zuko performed a firebending foot sweep, forcing Percy to jump to avoid it, but Azula was waiting. She jumped and performed a complicated move, spinning in the air like a wheel as the fire concentrated on her feet, burning more and more intensely, before kicking forward with both feet, sending a powerful blast of fire that hit Percy, sending him crashing into the wall with a groan of pain.
"Finally!" Zuko celebrated, happy to have finally taken Percy down.
"Don't get overconfident, Zuko," Azula warned, not letting her guard down. "As much as I hate to admit it, if something like that was enough to defeat him, we wouldn't have to work together to stand a chance against him."
Azula was right to be cautious when Percy stood up again. His clothes smoked from the heat of the flames, but he looked unharmed. He looked down at one of the sleeves of his clothes and saw that it was on fire, causing him to frown in annoyance.
"Really?! Again?!" he growled, slapping the flames out with his bare hand, "What is it with you firebenders and my clothes? Are you allergic to them?"
"It's not our fault you wear such... flammable clothes," Azula commented with a mocking smirk on her face.
"First, I had to stop wearing long sleeves and start wearing short sleeves. What's next, sleeveless clothes?"
Azula rolled her eyes at his complaints.
"Then you'd look like what you really are; a commoner. Now, are you going to keep complaining or are we going to fight?"
Percy grunted in annoyance before resuming his fighting stance.
"We'll see who's complaining when this commoner kicks your royal ass again."
Azula narrowed her eyes in annoyance and prepared to continue the duel.
Zuko also prepared to fight, but when he saw who entered the room, he dropped his stance.
"Mom!"
"Oh, I see you're training with Perseus again," she commented. "How about taking a little break?"
"Those who relax too much are not destined to progress, Mother," Azula pointed out, not taking her eyes off Percy.
"Not even for a short lunch break?"
Behind Ursa, some servants brought several crates. She took one and opened it, revealing various snacks.
"Okay, lunch break," Percy said, putting down his sword and walking over to Ursa, where everyone was gathering.
"Hey, what about our duel?!" Azula exclaimed.
"I'll continue kicking your ass later, fire girl. Now, I'm hungry."
Azula muttered to herself but went over to eat the lunch her mother had brought.
Zuko chuckled at the sight of his sister. He knew she wouldn't admit it, but the way she ate the onigiri her mother had brought showed that she was hungry.
Percy finished the onigiri he was holding and immediately reached for the last one left, but Azula quickly stepped forward and stole it from him.
"Hey, that was mine!" he scolded her.
"You're in the Royal Palace, which means everything in here is mine," Azula said, smiling disdainfully at him. "That includes the food."
"Here, Percy, you can have mine," Ty Lee said kindly, offering him her portion of onigiri. "I'm not that hungry."
"Thank you, Ty Lee," Percy said, happily accepting the onigiri. "At least someone here is nice."
Azula just snorted and looked away. Ever since Percy had become her training partner 3 months ago, their relationship had been based on basically constantly harassing each other. For Zuko, it was both amusing and annoying to watch.
Ursa let out a small amused chuckle at the sight of them.
"Zuko, Azula, I have something for you," she said, pulling a scroll out of her sleeve. "Your Uncle Iroh has sent you a letter from the front."
"Uncle Iroh?!" Zuko asked excitedly.
It had been a while since he had heard from his dear uncle. Zuko missed him. Most of the time, his uncle was too busy on the war front, leading the Fire Nation army, so the occasions when he saw him were few and far between. The last time he had seen him was almost nine months ago, when he and his son Lu Ten had launched an invasion of the Earth Kingdom's capital, Ba Sing Se, to end the war.
Although he was unable to visit them, his uncle kept in touch with them through letters, many of which contained gifts.
"Should we leave?" Mai asked, unsure. "It's a letter from Prince Iroh to his nephews. It wouldn't be right for us to listen to it."
"It doesn't matter," Azula said, "Uncle never says anything serious in his letters."
Ursa unfolded the parchment in her hands and began to read. Zuko and Azula stood beside her to see what their uncle had written to them.
"Dear Zuko and Azula. It has been a while since my last letter, and I apologize. The war front demands my full-time. Now that we have finally managed to break through the outer wall, our efforts must be even greater to finally conquer the capital of the Earth Kingdom"
"If Uncle succeeds in conquering Ba Sing Se, does that mean the war will finally end, and he can return home?" Zuko asked hopefully.
"Don't be naive, Zuzu," Azula said, "Even if Uncle succeeds in conquering the city, there will be rebels who oppose the new regime imposed by the Fire Nation. So he will have to stay and crush any uprising by those peasants. This is what a true general should do."
"If the city is as magnificent as its wall, Ba Sing Se must be something to behold" Ursa continued. "I hope you all may see it someday... if we don't burn it to the ground, first"
Zuko and Azula laughed when they heard this. Their uncle had a strange but amusing sense of humor.
"Even though I am on the other side of the world, I still keep up with what is happening in our home. A dear friend has kept in touch with me, and thanks to him, I have learned that Zuko has begun training in the art of the sword under his tutelage. Listen and learn from him, Zuko. His wisdom is matched only by his skill with the sword"
"I guess he means my dad," Percy commented, smiling proudly that the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation held his father in high esteem.
"Until then, enjoy these gifts" the servants stepped forward behind Ursa, holding up two boxes. "For Zuko, a pair of dao swords that belonged to a Captain in the Earth Kingdom's army. A fierce swordsman who fought bravely and honorably to the end. May his swords inspire you to follow his values"
Zuko unsheathed the swords and saw his face reflected in the blade, which looked sharp and dangerous. He swung the swords a few times, feeling their weight and the firm grip of the hilt. The swords were made for an adult, so they felt a bit big to him.
"Wow, they look cool," Ty Lee said, looking at the swords with fascination.
"And dangerous," Mai added.
"Not bad," Percy commented, looking closely at the blade. "Dad can make a better one, though."
Zuko pointed one of the swords at him.
"Maybe I should try it on you," he challenged with a grin.
Percy simply brushed the blade aside with a finger.
"Maybe in a few years when you grow up and these swords aren't too big for you," he replied with a grin.
Zuko frowned in annoyance and swung the swords at Percy, but he easily dodged them and stepped behind Ursa, who laughed in amusement before finishing reading Iroh's letter.
"And for Azula, a pearl dagger, from the General who surrendered when we broke through the outer wall. Note the inscription and the superior craftsmanship"
Azula grabbed the dagger from a box held by one of the servants and drew it, studying the engraving on the blade.
"'Never give up without a fight'" she read before snorting in amusement. "Ironic, considering the General it belonged to had surrendered."
Mai and Ty Lee walked over to look at the dagger. Mai seemed especially fascinated by the sight of it.
"Wow, it's beautiful," Mai commented.
"I've seen better," Azula said, looking at the dagger with disinterest. "But it's a good war trophy."
"Dude, is it normal to be so afraid of your sister holding a sharp object?" Percy asked Zuko in a whisper.
"Believe me, it scares me too," Zuko said.
If there was anything scarier than Azula grinning maliciously, it was Azula grinning maliciously while holding a sharp dagger.
A few days later, Zuko walked the halls of the palace, almost running. His lessons had been extended again, so he was late for his lesson with Master Piandao... again.
'Percy must be waiting for me in the garden,' he thought, 'Probably taking a nap.'
Not wanting to waste any more time, he took a small detour, a shortcut past his father's office. Not wanting to disturb him, Zuko slowed his pace to walk in silence. When he passed the door, he saw that it was slightly open.
"Were you able to confirm the identity of that man?" He heard his father's voice through the crack in the door.
"Yes, sir," another man replied. "The information he gave us certainly supports his story. He is reliable. His identity and the influence he has over the city."
"Good. Is there anything we can use to gain an advantage over him?"
"The spies inform me that he has no one. No family, no friends. He keeps his distance from everyone."
"A wise move, but inconvenient for us..." Ozai's voice reflected a slight frustration.
"If I may, Your Highness..." There was a slight hesitation in his voice. "Getting involved with this man is dangerous. And a big gamble."
"I know that. But if I don't act now, it will be too late."
There was a moment of silence before Ozai spoke again.
"All right. Do it. But you must act with the utmost discretion. If this man shows any sign of treachery in the execution of the plan... you must eliminate him."
"Yes, sir."
"And Captain... No witnesses."
"Yes, sir..."
The sound of footsteps alerted Zuko that the man was approaching the door. Knowing that it would not be good to know that they had been eavesdropping, Zuko slipped silently behind one of the curtains that adorned the walls. Once hidden, he pushed the curtain aside just enough to catch a glimpse of the man who had been talking to his father. He was a soldier and, judging by the medals on his armor, a decorated captain.
The man glanced down the hall a few times to make sure no one was there. And when his gaze landed on the curtain where Zuko was hiding, he felt his heart stop and a chill run through his veins as he thought he had been discovered. But the man looked away and walked down the hall, unaware of his presence.
Zuko let out the air he didn't know he was holding and stepped out from behind the curtain. Being as quiet as possible, he quickly left the place, feeling that he had heard something he shouldn't have.
When he reached the garden, he did indeed see Percy sleeping in the shade of the tree by the pond. But he was not alone. Hovering over him were Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee, laughing softly as they used a paintbrush with ink to write on Percy's face, who had not been awakened from his nap.
"What do you think you are doing?" Zuko asked as he approached them.
"Isn't it obvious, Zuzu?" Azula asked with a grin. "We're having fun."
"Yes," Ty Lee agreed. "Look at him and tell me if this isn't fun."
Zuko looked at the sleeping Percy and couldn't help but snort with amusement. His friend had a ridiculous mustache painted on, along with huge fake eyes and a goatee. That, along with the ribbons in his hair, made him look even more ridiculous.
"Okay, I admit it. It's funny,"
Seeing that was just another reminder that he shouldn't let his guard down in front of Azula or her friends. And when Percy sees his reflection, it will be another reminder to him.
All the way to the Piandao Mansion, Percy had been grumbling about how annoying girls could be. He had seen his reflection in the pond when he woke up and washed his face while Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee laughed at him and ran away.
"I'll see who's laughing when a sea slug mysteriously appears in her hair tonight," he muttered.
Zuko had never known Percy to be vindictive or capable of holding a grudge. He had always seen him as a disinterested bum.
"Percy, I didn't invite you to the palace tonight to play a practical joke on my sister," Zuko said.
Percy turned to look at him and raised an eyebrow.
"Don't tell me you don't want to get back at Azula after all the times she messed with you?"
Zuko thought about it, remembering all the times Azula made fun of him or was the victim of her pranks.
"All right. Do it. And count me in."
When they arrived at the mansion, he saw that Piandao's disciples were already training fervently. Dueling under Piandao's watchful eye.
"Perseus, fight me!"
They both saw Qiang approaching with a determined stride. Behind him were Ming and Xiuying. And judging from their expressions, they also wanted to challenge Piandao's son.
Percy sighed and approached them.
"Fine," he growled and drew his sword, "I needed someone to take it out on. And you three will be perfect."
As Percy engaged in a three-on-one duel, Zuko approached Piandao and bowed to him as he curtsied.
"Master. I am ready for my lesson today."
"Welcome, young Zuko," Piandao nodded in recognition. "You have come at the perfect time. We will arrange a series of individual training sessions. That way, I can see how far you have come and what you need to focus on to improve further... But apparently there are those who have already started."
He looked at the three-on-one duel taking place on one side of the field. Not only was Percy able to keep up with three people at once, but he also looked relaxed enough to actively taunt them.
"Come on, guys, Fat's a lot faster than you. And he's got 50 pounds of ballast in his stomach!"
Zuko didn't know if Percy was intentionally taunting his opponents to irritate them and make them careless, or if he was just doing it because he was a dick.
"Well, let's begin," Piandao declared. "Is there anyone who would like to go first?"
Zuko stepped forward, eager to begin. The other students looked unsure at the sight of him. Despite not actively training as a swordsman like they did, Zuko had shown remarkable skill with his Dao swords. And when he combined them with his firebending, it made him even more deadly.
"I'll do it," one of the students said, stepping forward.
Zuko looked at him and recognized him immediately. He was Mifune, from the village of Jang Hui. He was a boy with shaggy black hair. He had golden eyes, like most citizens of the Fire Nation. His slightly tanned skin indicated that he had spent many hours in the sun.
"Hey, kid, are you sure?" asked another of the students. "Zuko is one of the best among us. There's a reason we call him the 'Thirteenth Disciple'"
Zuko didn't show it, but he was proud of that statement. To be considered one of the best, and one of them, made him feel recognized. He had trained hard these past few months to be recognized as a proud student of Master Piandao. And thanks to Percy's help, he had learned a lot.
"I know," Mifune agreed with a determined look. "The only one who has defeated Zuko is Perseus. But I need to know how much I have improved."
Of the twelve disciples, Mifune was the youngest, only twelve years old. Unlike the others, Mifune was the only student from the outermost region of the Fire Islands, which made him someone from a very low social class. This was evident when, on the day of the exams, he showed up barefoot, wearing only tattered pants and leaving his torso completely exposed, showing the signs of malnutrition along with a huge patch that covered his entire left shoulder. Many walked away from him as if he had some kind of disease. But despite his lack of possessions and his somewhat decrepit appearance, Mifune had shown the potential to become a great swordsman when he faced Percy in a duel, and though he lost, he managed to impress Piandao.
Zuko and Mifune stood in front of each other and drew their swords in unison, assuming their respective fighting stances. Zuko used his dao swords that his uncle had given him, trying to get used to them, while Mifune wielded a Jian sword.
They both studied each other's stances, looking for an opening.
"Begin!"
Zuko was the first to attack, fierce and precise like the element he controlled. His dao swords collided with Mifune's sword, which held firm with each strike.
"Don't forget your footwork," Piandao pointed out. "If you stand your ground, you will quickly be overwhelmed by your opponents."
Zuko and Mifune followed their teacher's advice. Incorporating footwork into their attacks gave them more options when attacking and defending. Zuko used the advantage he had of wielding two swords, blocking the opponent's sword with one of his own and attacking with the other. But Mifune showed good reflexes by dodging the attacks and releasing the sword from him to go on the offensive.
Mifune's attacks were fast, but lacked the power to force him back. Perhaps it was his experience training with Percy, who had speed, strength, and agility that seemed unnatural, but Zuko was able to intercept or deflect his opponent's attacks with relative ease using a single sword.
When Mifune raised his sword with the intention of bringing it down hard, Zuko blocked it with one of his swords and held it, leaving a clear opening in his opponent that he used to cut him in the thigh with his other sword. The shallow cut caused Mifune to fall to his knees. He tried to get up quickly, but when he looked up, he saw that Zuko had placed his dao swords crosswise across his neck.
"That's enough," Piandao said.
Zuko pulled the swords from him and, with a fluid motion he had practiced dozens of times, sheathed them in the scabbard strapped to his back. He extended his hand to Mifune with the intention of helping him, and Mifune accepted it, standing up and then sheathing his sword in the scabbard he had strapped to his back.
"Respect," Piandao said, reminding them that they were not only training a warrior's fighting skills, but also his values.
Zuko looked at Mifune and bowed to him. A sign of respect for his opponent. On the battlefield, there were no nobles or commoners, royalty or peasants. Just two people facing each other. One of his teacher's many lessons.
"It was an honor to be your sparring partner," Zuko said, bowing.
Mifune mimicked his action.
"The honor was mine."
"Good," Piandao nodded in agreement. "Both have improved a lot. Zuko, you use the advantages of the double sword well, but your footwork still needs work. If you can improve that, your options in both attack and defense will be even greater. Mifune, you are fast and accurate, but your strikes lack power due to your unbalanced center of gravity. You must correct that."
Mifune looked at Piandao uncomfortably.
"The field of sticks?" he asked nervously.
Piandao nodded, looking impassive and unyielding.
"The field of sticks."
Zuko shuddered. 'The field of sticks' as they called it, was an area of the courtyard where six cut tree trunks had been buried in the ground. Each trunk was about three feet high and large enough in diameter that you could only step over it with one foot. The training consisted of standing on the logs while two companions struck you on the legs with bamboo sticks to unbalance you and cause you to fall. The goal of this training was to improve balance, awareness of one's surroundings, and to dodge the enemy's attacks, or you would fall, and you would hit yourself quite hard.
Zuko still remembered the times he had fallen and been hit hard. It helped him with his balance, yes, but he had also earned his fair share of bruises.
There were even those who were crazy enough to duel on the field of sticks. And by crazy, Zuko mostly meant Percy, since he was the one who came up with this training.
Speaking of crazy...
A body crashed hard and slid across the ground, stopping where all the disciples were gathered. They quickly identified him as Qiang, with several bruises and cuts on his body and clothes.
"Sorry! My fault!" Percy said as he walked over to Qiang and grabbed his legs. "Let me clean up the mess."
"Perseus... you bastard..." Qiang snarled with clenched teeth and a grimace of pain on his face.
Percy rolled his eyes as he started to drag him across the floor.
"Yeah, yeah. That's me. Perseus, the bastard. And you are Qiang the asshole."
Percy dragged his fallen opponent and threw him next to Ming and Xiuying, who looked equally injured as they collapsed to the ground.
"Okay..." Percy dusted off his hands before turning to the students. "Who's next?"
Immediately, all the students took a step back, leaving Zuko in front of them.
"Hey!" he scolded them.
"Sorry, Zuko," one of them said. "Perseus is the best of us. We don't want to face him again. At least not until we become better swordsmen."
"Cowards..." Zuko muttered before taking a step forward.
"Okay, Hotman," Percy agreed, spinning his sword with a flick of his wrist. "Let's see how good you've gotten with those swords your Uncle gave you."
Zuko unsheathed his dao swords and got into position. He might not be able to beat Percy, but he would not run from a fight. He was no coward.
However, when he saw Percy smile in an almost predatory manner as he took up his fire stance, his determination faltered. How was it possible for a non-bender child of only twelve to have such an imposing and intimidating presence?
"Ready?" Piandao asked, receiving a nod from both of them. "Begin!"
Zuko and Percy lunged forward in unison. Their swords collided with a loud crash. The excited smiles on their faces were identical as they dueled once more.
"Damn it Percy..." Zuko growled, holding his side in pain.
It had been a week since their duel, but Zuko could still feel the pain where Percy hit him with his sword.
"Will you stop complaining?" Azula said without taking her eyes off the Pai Sho board in front of her, although her annoyance was obvious on her face. "You are distracting me."
"Yeah, me too," Percy agreed.
Azula turned to him and raised an eyebrow.
"Did I tell you to stop?"
"Azula, I've been playing for over ten minutes."
"And you will continue to play until I tell you to stop. That was the agreement in exchange for not waking up at sunrise for a morning workout when you stay at the palace."
"I already regret staying here tonight..."
"Keep playing," Azula ordered. "At least this way, something nice will come out of your mouth instead of your chatter that does nothing but irritate me."
Percy looked at her with narrowed eyes.
"I only do this because your mom asked me to, not because of you."
"Again, irritating talk. Keep playing, commoner."
Percy rolled his eyes in annoyance, but he brought his flute to his lips and once again began to play a soft, relaxing melody that filled the garden as Azula and her mother continued their game of Pai Sho. ...
"Azula, be nice," Ursa reprimanded, although the smile on her face showed that she found the situation amusing.
Azula just snorted and waved a Pai Sho token with a victorious smile. Ursa was shocked and stared at the table, trying to find a way out of the situation where her daughter had cornered her.
Zuko had never found Pai Sho interesting. It was too complex, too complicated. His uncle and his mother had tried to teach him in the past, but he hadn't even understood the most basic rules, what each piece meant and how they moved.
Azula, on the other hand, was interested in Pai Sho because it was a game of great strategy and luck. Things she claimed to possess. But Zuko knew the truth. The only reason Azula had shown interest in learning the game was because their mother had offered to teach her and play with her occasionally. Just like they were doing now.
The minutes passed in a pleasant atmosphere, provided by the melody Percy played while Azula and Ursa engaged in their game of Pai Sho. After Azula made a move that further embarrassed Ursa, a servant approached her, leaned over one of her knees, and held out a rolled scroll. No words were necessary. When the servant finished his task, he got up and left.
Zuko, Azula and Percy, who had stopped playing, watched with curiosity as Ursa unrolled the scroll and, after reading it for a few seconds, a look of surprise crossed her face. Her lips began to tremble, and her eyes blurred as tears streamed down her cheeks.
"Mom...?" Zuko asked, worried to see her mother crying. What's wrong?
"It's Iroh... He... lost his son," she revealed, her voice almost breaking as she wiped away her tears. "Your cousin, Lu Ten, did not survive the battle."
Zuko opened his eyes in shock, unable to believe what his mother was telling him. Even Azula looked surprised.
"Lu Ten... did he die?" he muttered. "That... That's impossible! Cousin Lu Ten is one of the most powerful Firebenders in the Fire Nation! He... he couldn't have died!"
"After breaching the outer wall, Lu Ten and his squadron were ambushed by a group of elite Earthbenders," Ursa explained sadly. "He fought bravely and honorably, but... succumbed to his wounds."
Zuko still couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe that Lu Ten, someone who had always been the picture of strength and greatness to him, someone he had always admired and wanted to be like, had died. It seemed inconceivable.
"What about Uncle?" Zuko asked, worried about his uncle. "Is he okay?"
"Iroh... he's fine. But after breaking through the outer wall and receiving the news of Lu Ten's death, he ordered an immediate retreat."
"What?!" Azula blurted out in shock. "Uncle abandoned the six hundred day siege of Ba Sing Se?! After he finally breached the outer wall?! He should have stayed to fight and destroy Ba Sing Se!"
"I don't know why Iroh decided to retire." Ursa sighed sadly. "But I can't blame him for wanting to do so after losing his only child."
"Then you don't understand how a true General should act," Azula replied sharply. "And if Lu Ten died in battle, that's all the more reason for Uncle to burn Ba Sing Se to the ground! Those peasants deserve it for taking the life of a Fire Nation Royal Family! " Then she added in a low voice. "That's what I would do..."
Azula stood up and walked out of the garden, leaving Zuko, Ursa, and Percy stunned by her last words.
It had been a week since the news of Lu Ten's death, and Zuko could not help but feel down about it. How could he not? His cousin, the person he admired and aspired to be... was gone. To Zuko, Lu Ten had always been the image of what a member of the Royal Family should be. Honorable, brave, great, and admirable.
And now he was dead. Killed in battle.
In the garden, he tried to distract himself by engaging Percy in a friendly sword duel, but his mind wasn't on it. As a result, his movements were jerky and careless. More than once, his own swords collided with each other due to his uncoordinated swings. And Percy took advantage of each of those mistakes to strike him or knock him to the ground.
When he lost his balance due to poor footwork, Percy stepped into his guard and in one fluid motion quickly disarmed him before causing him to stumble and fall on his butt. When he tried to get up, he couldn't because Percy's sword was only inches from his neck.
"You're not concentrating," he pointed out, removing the sword and offering him a hand.
Zuko took it and stood up, brushing the dust off his clothes.
"Even if he was concentrating, it wouldn't make a difference," Azula commented, playing with her new dagger that Iroh had given her. She threw it in the air and then caught it. "It seems that instead of improving your skills, you're making them worse, Zuzu. It did you no good to be taught by the best swordsman in our nation these past few months."
Zuko frowned in annoyance and tightened his grip on his swords.
"Face me in a sword duel, and you will find out how good I am!" he challenged.
Azula just rolled her eyes.
"I don't wield a sword, dum dum." A malicious smile formed on her lips. "But I would gladly accept your challenge if you agree to fight me with your swords and I with my firebending."
Zuko deflated, no longer feeling so confident. Even Percy had a hard time facing Azula. Even though he always won, his fights ended with Percy's clothes singed. And he was the best swordsman of his age.
Fortunately, he didn't have to turn down the challenge when his mother approached them.
"Zuko, Azula," she called. "Your father has requested an audience with Fire Lord Azulon. Best clothes, hurry up."
Zuko couldn't help but shiver a little. His grandfather, Fire Lord Azulon, though an old man, was a rather imposing man. The occasions on which he had met him were few, strange considering they were family living in the same place, but all those times he remembered finding it difficult to hold his gaze and always trying hard not to stutter or hesitate when speaking. He hoped this time would be different.
"And how did Great-Grandfather Sozin manage to win the Battle of Han Tui?" Ozai asked his two children.
"Great-grandfather won... Because..." Zuko spoke, hesitating to answer.
He wanted to believe it was because he was standing in front of the imposing presence of his grandfather, Fire Lord Azulon, but he knew it was because he couldn't remember the answer to his father's question. The intense, cold look his grandfather gave him as he spoke didn't help either.
"Because even though his army was outnumbered, he cleverly calculated his advantages," Azula answered for him, her voice sure and firm. "The enemy was downwind, and there was a drought. Their defenses burned to a crisp in minutes."
Zuko was disturbed by the pleased smile on her sister's face as she responded. He didn't know if it was because she remembered her history lessons perfectly or because of the strategy their great-grandfather Sozin had used to win the battle. But knowing Azula, it was most likely the latter.
"Correct, my dear," Ozai praised. "Now, would you show Grandfather the new moves you demonstrated to me?"
Azula nodded and rose from her seated position. Standing in front of Fire Lord Azulon, who towered over them as he sat on his throne behind a wall of flame, Azula stood at attention and then began to perform the intricate movements of firebending, spewing flames of considerable size. Zuko hated to admit it, but Azula's form was perfect. He watched in awe as her every move perfectly mirrored the illustrations on the firebending scrolls.
With a cry of strength, Azula leapt into the air and spun several times before kicking her feet forward, sending a powerful fireball from her feet that scattered the wall of fire that stood before Fire Lord Azulon. Azula fell to one knee in front of their grandfather, a proud smile on her face.
Zuko knew the move. It was the same one Azula had used in their last duel against Percy. When he saw it, he knew that Azula had perfected it.
"She's a true prodigy," Ozai pointed out, looking pleased with Azula's demonstration. "Just like her grandfather, for whom she's named."
Azula then sat back down next to Zuko in a seiza position and gave him a haughty smile.
"You'll never catch up," she whispered.
Her smile and especially her words only irritated him.
Not wanting to be left behind by her sister, Zuko got up and stood in front of his grandfather.
"I'd like to demonstrate what I've been learning," he said, goaded by his sister's skillful showing.
As he assumed a firebending stance, he felt the piercing gaze of not only his grandfather, but also his father behind his back. He felt stiff and enormously insecure, but he still performed the firebending katas and managed to produce flames, but they were nowhere near as big and strong as his sister's. Gritting his teeth in frustration, Zuko leapt into the air, trying to mimic Azula's move, but he didn't have enough control over his body and fell onto his back, groaning in pain.
"I... failed..." he murmured, feeling shame burning in his heart at such a pathetic display of firebending.
"No, I loved watching you," his mother comforted him, quickly coming over to help him stand. "That's who you are, Zuko. Someone who keeps fighting, even though it's hard. And that is the most admirable thing about you."
Zuko felt tears well up in his eyes at his mother's words. Despite his failure, despite making a fool of himself in front of the most powerful man in his nation and the entire world, his mother still believed in him.
"Is that what you've been learning?" Azulon asked, his voice deep and stern. "Show me what you've really learned."
"Grandfather?" Zuko asked, confused.
"I know you have been under Piandao's tutelage these past few months. Show me what you have learned from him."
"I... I don't have my swords with me, Grandfather. I left them in my room."
"Guards!" Azulon shouted in a thunderous voice that belied his age.
Almost immediately, a guard from the Royal Procession broke through the entrance curtain and approached Azulon. He fell to his knees and remained silent, waiting for his orders.
"Bring Zuko's swords," Azulon ordered. "They are in his room."
The guard did not answer. He simply got up and left the throne room.
"Father," Ozai spoke. "Why do you want to see the skills my son has learned under Piandao?"
The voice of his father reflected confusion. Zuko shared that confusion. Why does the Fire Lord want to see his sword skills?
"You should know, Prince Ozai," Azulon said. "Months ago, you approached me with the intention of forming a select group of swordsmen under the tutelage of Piandao. Now I want to see with my own eyes how far these students have come. From what I have been told, Zuko is one of the leading students."
Zuko opened his eyes in surprise and felt his heart burn with hope at being recognized by his grandfather, and having a second opportunity to prove himself
Then the guard returned, carrying Zuko's dao swords that his uncle had given him. Once Zuko had them in his hands, he stood before his grandfather, who crossed his fingers in front of his face and looked at him expectantly.
Feeling the nerves in his stomach, Zuko swallowed hard and summoned all the determination he had, fueled by his grandfather's praise and expectations.
He took a deep breath before beginning to perform the same moves he had become familiar with over the past few months under Piandao's watchful eye and perfected through constant sparring with Percy. His dao swords, though somewhat heavy due to their adult size, swung with grace and assurance in a mesmerizing yet deadly dance. Deciding to demonstrate what he had truly learned, Zuko concentrated on adding flames to the blades of the swords, and they immediately caught fire with the flames of his firebending. With each swing of his swords, flames emerged from the blade, which acted as a focal point to concentrate his flames and then hurl them out with great force.
All his concentration was on following the instructions he had learned from Master Piandao. When he swung both swords correctly at the same time, he moved with footwork.
His demonstration ended with him swinging his swords powerfully, forming an X that sent two lines of fire toward the Fire Lord's wall of flames, momentarily dissipating them.
In one fluid motion, Zuko sheathed his swords and knelt before his grandfather.
"I see that Piandao has taught you well," Azulon commented.
Zuko tried his best not to smile and to keep a solemn expression on his face.
"Your words fill me with pride, Grandfather."
"In the future, when the Piandao disciples complete their training and are inducted into the army, they will need someone to lead them. That will be you."
Zuko opened his eyes in shock. And he wasn't the only one. His sister and his parents looked surprised as well.
"Me?" Zuko stammered. "But Grandfather, I'm only fourteen."
"Irrelevant. Your Uncle Iroh began his military career at the age of fifteen. He has successfully led elite teams such as the Yuyan Archers and the Rude Rhinos on numerous occasions. When this group of elite swordsmen completes their training, and it is time to prove their worth on the battlefield, who better to lead them than a member of the Royal Family?"
"I... I always thought it would be Percy who would lead the Piandao disciples."
Azulon raised his eyebrows slightly.
"Percy?"
"Perseus, the son of Piandao," Zuko quickly clarified. "He is a very talented swordsman. He was able to defeat more than 30 candidates for Piandao's disciples, one after the other... including me. His swordsmanship is... incomparable."
"Yes... I heard about him from the soldiers," Azulon mused. "He was able to kill a spirit. A remarkable feat for a non-bender boy" he gave her a piercing look. "Tell me, Zuko, are you two close?"
"We... are friends."
"And do you think this boy is interested in joining the military and serving the Fire Nation?"
"No," Zuko replied immediately. "I know Percy... uh, Perseus. He is lazy, disinterested, and insolent. He won't fit into the military at all."
"I see. Maybe he just needs the right incentive..."
"Grandfather?"
Azulon waved his hand in dismissal.
"Go away. This audience is over. I have more important matters to attend to."
Zuko wanted to ask more. Especially if it was about his friend, but he obeyed his grandfather's order. He bowed his head before getting up and leaving the throne room, accompanied by Azula and Ursa, while his father remained on his knees...
But Ozai remained on his knees before Azulon.
"Father, I would like a private word with you," he spoke.
Azulon narrowed his eyes in his direction.
"Make it quick."
Zuko intended to leave the throne room with his sister, but just as he was about to leave, Azula grabbed his wrist and pulled him behind the curtains that adorned the walls.
"Hey," he protested. "What are you...?"
"Shh," Azula said, peering through the cracks in the curtains. "Shut up and listen."
Against his better judgment, Zuko listened to his sister, and they both looked through the cracks in the curtains to see his father standing in his seiza position.
"Father," Ozai spoke solemnly. "You may have realized, as I have, that with the tragic death of Lu Ten, Iroh's bloodline has ended. After his son's death, my brother abandoned the siege at Ba Sing Se and the army, choosing to wander the Earth Kingdom. Who knows when he will return home?"
Zuko opened his eyes in surprise. His uncle was gone? Why? Why didn't he come home? Why did he choose to wander the Earth Kingdom instead of coming here with his family to mourn the loss of his son?
He couldn't think about that when he saw his father get up from his position and walk over to his grandfather.
"But I'm still here, Father! And my children are alive!"
"Stop your tirade against Iroh and tell me once and for all what it is you want," Azulon said impatiently.
"Father, revoke Iroh's birthright," Ozai begged, bowing on one knee before Azulon. "I am your humble servant, here to serve you and our nation. Use me."
"You dare to suggest I betray Iroh? My firstborn! Directly after the demise of his beloved son?!" Azulon snapped, his indignation matched only by his anger. "Iroh has given everything to our nation. He won battles and conquered cities in the Earth Kingdom, uplifting the name of the Royal Family and the Fire Nation. He has rightfully earned the world's recognition as the 'Dragon of the West'. But you... you who have lived your entire life within the luxurious walls of this palace, what would you know about sacrifice and loss?"
"Father..." Ozai tried to protest.
"Silence! I think Iroh has suffered enough. But you? Your punishment has scarcely begun!"
Feeling unable to watch any longer, Zuko quickly pushed away from the curtains and left the throne room in fear. He could almost feel the heat of the flames responding to his grandfather's unrelenting wrath.
Azula, on the other hand, continued to watch intently.
When Zuko went to his room to sleep, he found Percy sleeping peacefully on a futon on the floor. Even though there were plenty of rooms for him to spend the night, he preferred to sleep in Zuko's room.
Despite his initial hesitation, Zuko allowed it and was happy to do so. When Percy stayed over, they talked for hours until they fell asleep. Percy told him the same stories his father had told him about ghosts before he went to sleep.
"Percy, wake up," Zuko said, nudging him with his leg.
"Uh?" He mumbled sleepily and sat up, rubbing one eye. "What happened? I want to sleep some more. Unless it's breakfast time."
Zuko rolled his eyes. Percy almost always thought about sleeping or eating.
"It just got dark."
"Then good night."
Percy went back to bed and covered himself with the sheet, intending to fall asleep again.
"No, don't fall asleep!" Zuko said, shaking his shoulders to prevent him from falling asleep again. "I have something to tell you. My Grandfather wants you to join the army."
That seemed to arouse Percy's interest.
"What? The Fire Lord wants me to join the army?"
"More interested in you joining, considering your skills as a swordsman. Maybe... Maybe he wants you to be part of the group of elite swordsmen that Master Piandao is training. And... let me lead them."
"You? Lead them?" Percy raised an eyebrow. "No offense, Hotman, but I doubt you can do that."
"Why? Why not?!" Zuko blurted out indignantly.
Percy just shrugged.
"They only respect you because of your position. That's why they don't really respect you."
"And what do you know about respect?" a third voice asked.
Zuko and Percy turned to see Azula leaning against the door frame.
"Enough to know that respect is something that is earned," Percy replied. "And not something that is demanded, as all of you from the Royal Family are so fond of doing, just because you are royalty."
Azula's eyes narrowed in his direction.
"A commoner like you, who has lived your entire life in a small town in the farthest reaches of the Fire Islands, knows nothing about how the Fire Nation is governed. When a member of the Royal Family asks for something, especially the Fire Lord, you don't question it. You do it. And that's why Zuko's going to die."
"What?!" Percy exclaimed, his eyes widening in disbelief.
Zuko, on the other hand, simply scoffed at his sister's crude attempt to annoy him.
"Don't believe her. She's just trying to annoy me as usual," he said, before giving his sister an annoyed look. "Azula always lies."
Azula shrugged with a smirk.
"Fine. Don't believe me. But when you ran out of the throne room like a scared turtle duck, I stayed to hear it all. Grandfather said that Father's punishment should fit his crime" she entered the room and sat on the edge of the bed, imitating Azulon's deep voice. "'You will know the pain of losing a firstborn son, by sacrificing your own'"
"Liar," Zuko said immediately with a frown.
Though he rejected Azula's words, he felt a growing uneasiness in his heart.
"Wait, he can't order that, can he?" Percy asked, alarmed. "I mean, he is his own grandson!"
Azula shrugged again. In no time, the smirk was gone from her face.
"Like I said. When the Fire Lord asks you to do something, you do it without question. His word is absolute law. To go against it is considered the highest treason."
Percy frowned.
"I'm only telling you for your own good, brother," Azula said, looking at Zuko. "Oh, I know! If you decide to run away, maybe a nice family from the Earth Kingdom will adopt you."
"Stop it!" Zuko snapped, looking at his sister with annoyance. "You're lying! Dad would never do that to me."
"Your father would never do what to you?" someone else asked.
The three of them turned to see Ursa standing at Zuko's door. She had a serious expression on her face, which was strange to Zuko. His mother had always had a friendly expression.
"What's going on here?" Ursa asked as she entered the room.
"I don't know," Azula quickly apologized.
Judging by the way Ursa's eyes narrowed, she didn't seem to accept her daughter's explanation.
"It's time for a talk," she ordered, grabbing Azula by the arm and dragging her out of the room.
"Zuko..." Percy spoke, looking at him uncertainly. "Do you think what Azula said...?"
"It's not true," Zuko said firmly. "Azula always lies."
Yes... Azula always lies. Zuko was convinced of that.
That night, as he lay down to sleep, Zuko's mind hovered between wakefulness and sleep. He could feel the cool night breeze through his open window, but he could also see different images flashing behind his closed eyelids, the hints of a dream that didn't come.
It was then that something else stimulated his sense of touch. A warm, soft sensation touched his cheek. Opening his eyes slightly and peering through the dark, moonlit room, Zuko could see a figure leaning over his bed and immediately recognized his mother.
"Mom...?" He spoke, sounding sleepy as he looked around and noticed his mother standing over Percy's empty futon. "What's happening? Where's Percy?"
"Zuko, please, my love, listen to me," she said in an urgent tone that his sleepy mind could barely grasp. "Everything I've done, I've done to protect you."
She hugged him tightly. Zuko had always been held by his mother. And all those occasions were loving hugs and affection. But this... this one felt different. His mother's hug reflected love, yes, but also desperation. As if she was clinging to him, afraid that she would never do it again.
She pulled him away from the embrace to look directly into his eyes.
"Remember this, Zuko. No matter how things may seem to change, never forget who you are."
Zuko could only nod, feeling sleep finally take over him.
The last thing he saw before he fell asleep was his mother's smile before she put on a hood and left his room.
The next day, as Zuko awoke to the first rays of sunlight streaming through his window, he noticed that Percy's futon was neatly folded in the corner. He looked around the room for his friend, but couldn't find him. Something else was on his mind when he finally woke up.
"Mom?" he called with growing concern. "Mom!"
Zuko quickly got up from his bed and ran out of his room to find his mother.
Was last night a dream, or was it real? It felt real, which only increased Zuko's concern, because the words his mother had said to him... sounded like a farewell.
He ran through the palace, looking for his mother and calling for her… but he could not find her.
He arrived at one of the many waiting rooms in the palace, Zuko saw Azula sitting on one of the couches, lost in thought, looking at the dagger their Uncle had given her.
"Azula?" he asked uncertainly. "Where is mom?"
"No one knows," she answered without taking her eyes off the dagger. "She... hasn't been seen since she took me to my room and..."
She shook her head, as if trying to push something out of her mind.
"Azula?"
"It doesn't matter. Anyway, no one has seen Mom since last night when... Grandfather died."
Zuko opened his eyes in shock.
"What...? No, that cannot be. You're lying! About everything! Like you always do!"
Azula turned to look at him, a strong frown on her face that made Zuko uneasy. It was the first time his sister had looked at him like that.
"Believe what you want. It's your own fault if you're too stubborn to accept the truth."
Azula then stood up and left the room, leaving Zuko stunned by her outburst.
But he didn't stop to think. He was convinced that Azula was lying, as always, and he set out to search the entire palace for his mother. He decided to go to his mother's favorite place, the place where he always found her. But when he arrived in the garden, instead of seeing her seated by the pond, he found his father. He was standing there staring at the pond of the turtle ducks, though none of the small animals came to him looking for food, as they usually did when someone approached the pond.
"Father?" he asked urgently. "Where is mom? And is it true about Grandfather?"
But his father kept his eyes on the pond without turning to look at him. He didn't even answer his question. Ozai just remained silent and turned his back to him.
His father's silence made Zuko fear the worst. And the worst thing he could think of right now was that Azula had told the truth, despite his refusal to believe, his mother was gone.
That same day, at sunset, all the citizens of Hari Bulkan had gathered in the Royal Plaza for a ceremony honoring the late Fire Lord Azulon. They all wore red robes and held banners of the same color as they stood at the foot of the stairs, at the top of which was an ornate golden coffin containing Azulon's body.
To one side of the coffin stood Zuko, wearing the ceremonial mourning robes of his nation, pure white with gold trim on the shoulder pads and obi.
He was lost in thought, feeling overwhelmed by everything. But he was still able to hear the speech given by one of the Fire Sages, the spiritual priests of the Fire Nation.
"Azulon, Fire Lord of our nation for 23 years. You were our fearless leader in the Battle of Garsai. Our matchless conqueror of the Hu Xin provinces. You were father of Iroh. Father of Ozai. Husband of Ilah, now passed. Grandfather of Lu Ten, now passed. Grandfather of Zuko and Azula."
The Sage finished his speech and walked over to Azulon's ornate coffin and removed the Fire Lord's headdress, which was shaped like the Fire Nation's insignia, but had five points and was made entirely of gold.
"We lay you to rest," the Fire Sage continued, while two other two Sages set Azulon's coffin on fire, as tradition dictates. "As was your dying wish, you are now succeeded by your second son."
The Sage lifted the headdress high before placing it in the bun on Ozai's head. And with that, a new Fire Lord was born.
"Hail Fire Lord Ozai!"
Everyone in the plaza bowed to Ozai. They bowed to their new ruler.
As Zuko knelt on both knees with his hands on the ground, he raised his head to see his father standing proudly in front of the large crowd, bowing before him.
Next to him, Azula was also leaning forward, but she didn't see her father. Her eyes were fixed on the ground, a deep frown on her face.
Zuko couldn't blame her. After all, in less than 24 hours, their grandfather had died, their mother had disappeared, and they had become princes of their nation.
Now, as Ozai's firstborn, he had become the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation.
...
..
.
And that's all for now, dear readers!
What did you think?
There were a few small changes from the canon.
First, Zuko received a pair of dao swords from Iroh instead of a dagger, which was Azula's gift. A detail that will be important later.
Second, the closer sibling relationship that Zuko and Azula developed, even training together. Unlike in the canon, where it just consisted of Azula harassing Zuko. At the same time, a slightly closer relationship between Azula and her mother, even playing Pai Sho together.
Third, Azulon became interested in Zuko's training under Piandao. As I expressed in the past, Azulon recognizes Piandao's ability because he saw it firsthand while fighting in the war. And he recognizes him as the best swordsman in his nation, which is why he accepted the formation of an elite group under his tutelage. Of course, he will be curious to see how good his student has become. And Zuko is one of the best, as he has proven. He also took an interest in Percy. And why is that? As he sees it, Percy is the son of the Fire Nation's greatest swordsman. He demonstrated unparalleled skill for someone his age and was able to kill a spirit as a "non-bender". It's normal for him to be interested in someone like that.
Fourth, Azula's reaction to Ursa's disappearance and the fact that Percy was not there. Again, details that will become more important in the future.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it.
And for those who are interested, you can write to me or leave a comment about an OC you would like to see in the story. Said OC will be part of the elite squad of Piandao swordsmen, who will have their own important role later in the story. So far, there are four of them: Qiang, Ming, Xiuying, and Mifune. There are twelve swordsmen, so there is room for 8 more. If you have an idea for a character, whether it's appearance, relationship to someone canon from Avatar, or even a little backstory, don't hesitate to voice it. And if I like it, I'll add it to the roster. They will be like the "Kyoshi Warriors of the Fire Nation". I haven't decided on a name for this squad yet, so you can give me ideas as well. I will read them.
And with nothing else to say... A psychological hug and until next time, beautiful people!