Author's note: I wrote that after watching a documentary on volcanoes... so yeah. Just so you know, the poll about which story update you're looking forward to the most is still open on my profile page.
Fight 50: The Avatar and the Fire Lord
"But that doesn't mean you're alone." The young man added when Chenlian started calming down a bit. He cupped her cheek and tilted her face up so she'd look straight into her his eyes. "You have Aang and the others. And you have me." He pressed his lips onto hers. She couldn't react. Not only because of the surprise, but his warmth, his feelings had touched her. But the girl snapped back when Linshen tried to deepen the kiss. She pushed him away.
"Don't try to take advantage of me now." She demanded, half glaring, half imploringly. She was not in love with him, but he had become someone she wanted to trust, at least to a certain extent. And she couldn't trust him at all if he took advantage of her weakness now like this. He apologized and returned to the original subject: her escape. She wanted to leave right away, but her body still couldn't bear heavy fighting or sustained effort, so she couldn't afford to bust herself out, firebend everything on her way, and have the army on her trail. With Linshen's help though, there was one sure way for Chenlian to escape unnoticed. She would copy the Avatar's tactics. That plan required her to completely entrust her life to Linshen. And she would do it without a second thought, because if anything, she had the confidence that he wouldn't let something happen to her, not now, not here, not like this. And the only other people that she could trust with her life were Aang, Katara, Sokka, and her grandfather.
Then, at Chenlian's request, they went to visit Iroh. The old man was surprised to see Senya, or rather Linshen here at first. But then he noticed how his demeanor had changed, as well as his closeness to Chenlian. She just said he was there to help. But the retired general was no idiot. That man must possess significant resources, including a tight information network, as well as personal skills, to be able to infiltrate this place. He had probably made contact with them, or rather with Chenlian with a certain goal in mind. And for that goal, he allowed the coup d'état and now was helping her. And despite his questionable character, that she appeared to be aware of, she still decided to trust him... That decision didn't seem to have been made out of despair though. She was calm, poised, lucid, and there was even a calculating glint in her eyes that was never there before. So he didn't press the issue. She wanted him to leave with them.
"Are you really going to leave?"
"Yes. I've healed more than enough." That was barely the truth physically and a complete lie emotionally. But she did not want to waste any more time. She would endure and keep fighting against herself and those that would stand in her way as she had always done.
"I see. Thank you for your invitation, but I will stay a bit longer." He smiled sadly and wearily. Both knew. Her real reason for leaving was because she had judged there was no point in waiting and trying to convince – him – anymore. And his real reason for staying was that he still wanted to try even if he knew it was in vain... and also to console him after Chenlian's disappearance. Whatever form it took, it was sure to hurt him and confuse him all the more. She had always been a quick thinker and a decisive person, acting as soon as she had reached her conclusion. And she always followed her path without a single back look, no matter what she was to leave behind. "But I will pray for your safety and success."
"...And I for yours..." She closed her eyes and hung her head, with a small smile on her lips. She had expected this answer. That was Iroh after all. And she profoundly respected him. The girl started to leave but was hailed again.
"Chenlian, I'm sorry to ask that of you, but could you please forgive him?"
"Forgiveness... huh? Iroh, you should not apologise for something he has decided. His life is his alone. Azula only gave him a chance. He's the one who grabbed it. As for myself I will only do what I must to protect myself and the Avatar, whatever it is. The rest does not depend upon me." She knew Iroh had already forgiven him for everything. Or if he didn't, then he still believed, or at least hoped. But she was different. A wavering ally was a lot more dangerous than a wavering enemy. That guy could never make up his mind and changed sides quick as a wink. He could not be trusted. The safest was to consider him an enemy. It would be easier on her heart to hold onto her resentment for the time being. Then even that resentment could become a source of energy and strengthen her resolve. She couldn't keep dwelling on the past or the happiness she had lost. She had to move forward. Iroh's eyes widened when he saw the darkness in her eyes. He saw capitulation, and resignation. He saw loss, loss of hope, of faith... and a grim determination. He looked down guiltily.
"I guess you're right... sorry..." He balled his fists. Just what had his nephew done?! Chenlian who would always keep fighting to her last breath... had given up. Her heart had been broken to this extent... Because she loved Zuko, she wanted to be strong for him and support him and had endured until now. He was a source of strength to her. Because she loved Zuko, his words and actions affected her much more than anyone else's, in good... or in bad, and the more she loved him, the more he could affect her. That was why Zuko was the only one who could hurt her so deeply. He was also her greatest weakness. Did Zuko fail to realize how much she loved him? Did he realize and still chose to break and discard her? Suddenly he grabbed her wrist and pulled her down to him in a bear hug. From their last conversation, Zuko seemed to be wavering and his feelings for Chenlian seemed to be growing and cause the balance to tip towards her... But having seen those eyes, he just couldn't tell her to hang on and keep fighting! She simply couldn't fight anymore... "Take care..." Right, there was nothing else he could say...
"You too..." The girl replied, tightly hugging the old man back.
"But if possible, I have a little request. There's something I'd like you to give to my nephew..." He looked at Linshen.
"Oh my, what a rare customer. I don't think you were allowed here?" Chenlian spoke.
"I threatened the warden." Mai replied.
"That poor, useless guard..." The mahogany-haired girl sighed. "And to what do I owe this unexpected visit?" She questioned.
"Won't you come back to us? Everything will be alright if you just submit to the Fire Lord. Things will be just like before, the five of us together. I... I can't help him, I can't do it like you... But... I still want to do something for him." She stared straight at the prisoner. Mai definitely liked Zuko. In that sense, Chenlian should be an obstacle to her. But after all, Mai liked Chenlian too. She liked how honest she was with herself and with people, always speaking her mind and heart... unlike her. Mai envied her and respected her. She also understood why Zuko loved her, and was unable to truly forget and let go of her, why he was so drawn to her even now. It looked like no matter what force pulled them apart, an even stronger power was drawing them together. And Mai could not fight against it.
"Me? Submitting to the Fire Lord? So even you learned how to joke. And that's rather cruel of you to ask me of all people for advice. Well that proves you love him so much you don't care about my feelings." Chenlian's eyes had lost their gentle light and warmth and became seething like embers, glowing, simmering in the dark until the time when the right wind should blow. "Leaving my feelings for Zuko and you guys aside, it's not something I can do. I can't abandon my convictions. I can't deny who I am. I could never obey someone whose ambition would ruin the world. I can't agree with Ozai's or Azula's way of doing things. And since Zuko's with them, I can't agree with him either. Zuko rejected me and chose you. It's up to YOU to do something about him now as his girlfriend. If you're serious about him, then don't let the slightest hurdle discourage you. Stay at his side, and support him. I couldn't do it. I couldn't be the one for him... so... you know... I'm glad that someone like you who won't try to manipulate or hurt him and actually cares about him will stay by his side." She smiled sweetly, gently, kindly, sincerely, just like before, only stained with deep sadness this time. That was right, she could not deny who she really was, her true and kind self that still cared for Zuko even now. "Don't worry, it'll be alright. Soon, I'll be gone, I'll disappear from your lives. So you just need to hang on."
"What do you intend to do? It's not like you can escape from here, right? Even if you managed such a feat, with a body in that condition, you'd get caught again immediately..." Mai questioned anxiously.
"Who knows... I don't care what happens to me... But no matter what, I won't become the Fire Lord's tool, ever. Anything would be better than this. Will you tattle?"
"...No."
"Why?"
"You've always done as you liked, never listening to anyone." Nothing could undermine her freedom... She was always shining so brilliantly, like the sun... so it was really no wonder people were attracted to her, and notably Zuko and Ty Lee... and her too. Mai had been, and was... jealous of her, but that was because she liked that part of her. "So I also want you to keep living according to your convictions. But you shouldn't forget that if something was to happen to you, there are people who would be sad."
"Thank you. But it's alright since you're strong and you'll be there for them."
"You really don't change."
"Take good care of yourself, and them." Chenlian smiled innocently.
"Right..." And Mai left. She stopped in the hallway and looked back at the door of the cell. You really don't change. You make decisions and move forward by yourself and no one can keep up with you. You probably never thought twice about the feelings of those you leave behind. You are always above everyone else. But even the exalted sun is alone if no one can reach it. And yet, you still don't notice how much people actually love you and want to be with you. And even if I'm strong, I will be sad too!
Through a dream, Roku asked Aang to meet him on his home island on the day of the summer solstice so he could learn about his history with Fire Lord Sozin. If Aang wanted to know how to end the war, he needed to understand how it began. Roku showed him an image of the island, a black piece of land with two volcanoes, and also said with a small smile that he'd bring the person Aang had been dying to see again all this time.
Zuko was sleeping on his side in his room when he heard footsteps in the hallway outside his door. He rushed to investigate. As he opened the door, he saw a mysterious cloaked figure disappear down the hall. He was going to run after it when he noticed a scroll placed upright next to his door.
"You need to know the story of your great-grandfather's demise. It will reveal your own destiny." The prince read.
The next day, a fast moving cloud landed on Roku's home island. It dispersed, revealing Appa and the children. Katara was confused. There was nothing here. When Toph jumped down though, she felt the sad truth. An entire village was there, hundreds of houses, all completely buried in ash.
In the Fire Nation palace, in an impressive hall full of paintings of Fire Lords, Zuko stood before the painting of Sozin. As she passed him by, Azula suggested that he saw with the court painter... and just had to sarcastically advise him to make sure the painter got his good side. He bit back his anger and asked her what she remembered about their Great-Grandfather's history .
"Ah, Zuko. It's so strange how your mind works." The princess sighed but answered him nonetheless. "Fire Lord Sozin began the war, of course. He spent his early years secretly preparing for it, but he was as patient as he was clever. He famously waited for the comet, later renamed Sozin's comet, and used its power to launch his full-scale invasion of the world. In the end, he died a very old and successful man."
"But how did he die ?"
"Didn't you pay any attention in school, Zuko? He died peacefully, in his sleep. He was ancient." She walked away, slightly annoyed. Her brother stared at the painting, his face furrowing in frustration. What was so secret or strange about it? And there was another point he had wanted to confirm...
"Wait, Azula! About Chenlian's parents, did they really try to stage a coup d'état?" He couldn't ask his father, but maybe his sister... She hesitated and studied him for a time before sighing and shrugging.
"Do you really think that overly serious and straight-laced bunch could have the guts to do something like that?"
"So they were innocent!"
"They were dangerous. Any seed of discontent has to be nipped in the bud. It is treason to try and undermine the Fire Lord's authority." Azula smirked and left, missing the horrified expression on her brother's face.
Aang and his friends were sitting on the tip of a hardened wave of lava that appeared to have been solidified as it was rising. The avatar was facing the ocean, set ablaze by the setting sun, and meditating. His arrows were glowing. In the Spirit World, he was standing at the top of a mountain surrounded by an ocean of clouds. Roku came on his dragon to fetch him. But... he wasn't alone! Chenlian was with him too! Overjoyed, Aang cried her name and threw himself in her arms, holding her as tightly as he could.
Zuko was back on his bed. He rolled over on his side and stared at the puzzling scroll. He picked it up and read it again. But no matter how many times he read it, he still couldn't see any meaning to it. Annoyed, he tossed it aside. It landed on his bedside lantern. The light shone through the parchment and the heat revealed a secret message. The boy gasped when he saw it and grabbed the scroll again. The hidden message read "The Fire Sages keep the secret history in the Dragon Bone Catacombs." The prince quickly turned to leave.
At the Capital Temple Zuko hid behind a pillar and waited. He saw a Fire Sage walk through the large courtyard. In the middle of the floor, the old man blasted fire into the center of a large flower shaped medaillon design. The mechanism opened, revealing a hidden passage under the courtyard where the sage disappeared. Zuko waited until it was safe and quiet before opening and going through that same passage. He went down a spiral staircase and then a hall lined with dragons skulls. He arrived at an ornate door guarded by a metal sculpture of Fire Lord Sozin. On the chest of the sculpture was a Fire Nation emblem. The boy placed his left hand over the emblem, and sent fire that filled the door, and poured out from the statue's eyes, nose and mouth. As the door opened, cobwebs pulled apart and fell. The prince entered the room, pulled his cloak from his head and raised his lantern to look around the dark chamber. The room was filled with artifacts and various vessels. A large and intricate dragon statue sat in the middle of the room. Under the dragon's head, Zuko found what he was looking for: the final testament of Fire Lord Sozin.
Since Chenlian had decided to move forward, she had decided to face Aang and contact him. And then, Roku had appeared to her in a dream. He intended to reveal his past to the new Avatar, but he wanted her to know too. So that midsummer day, her spirit form had waited in the temple of the Fire Nation Capital for Roku to come and take her away. Aang had started crying. There was no saying how much he had feared for her, and how relieved he was now to see her again. Chenlian reassured him. She was alright, and they didn't need to worry. Soon, she would be back with them. Because she was smiling he smiled too. Then, Aang remembered Guang and asked about him. The girl's face darkened. She told him to wait for that. She would speak once she was back with everyone, for real. Now, they had to listen to what Roku had to say. Though more than 'say' Roku wanted to 'show' them. They were going to visit the past.
The current Fire Nation prince started reading. 'As I feel my own life dimming, I can't help but think of a time when everything was so much brighter. I remember my friend.'
Back then, they were sparring. Sozin was shorter and brawnier, and although they were both excellent firebenders, he was better tactician. He noticed that his partner's feet were too close to a tree root and used this to his advantage, driving Roku back, causing him to trip and fall back. Sozin caught him by the shirt, but still let him fall in the end. It was his win again. He extended his hand and helped his friend to his feet.
"Are you kidding ? The tree root did all the work." Roku replied childishly before good-heartedly praising his partner's cleverness. But then a really lovely young lady passed them by. He stared and blushed. Sozin nudged him and told him to go talk to her. Young Roku took a few steps, and raised his hand in an attempt to greet her. But after all, he was too shy. He sighed and fell back on the ground. His partner sat next to him and sprinkled blades of grass onto the loser's face. Aang was surprised that his former life could have been friend with Fire Lord Sozin , the man who had started the war. In that distant past, Sozin was only a prince... and best friend with Roku.
"Love is hard when you're young." The old Avatar said.
"You don't have to tell me." The new Avatar looked down, thinking of his current situation with Katara. Chenlian sadly gazed at him. Katara wasn't aware of his feelings for her. But if he managed to make her see him not as a brother or a friend but as a man, if he managed to let her know how he serious he was, then maybe...
"Don't worry, it gets better." Roku comforted the child. "Now come with me. We have a party to attend." Though it looked more like a festival, it was in fact a birthday party for both Sozin and Roku who had just turned 16. They were at the top of a flight of stairs. When they walked down, they caught sight of Ta Min in the crowd, Roku's love interest, who looked down and blushed. Her friend leant over her shoulder and giggled.
Strangely, Chenlian remembered that woman as she had seen her in painting at her family home. She was her great-grandmother Hinoko. The old guide told them she was Ta Min's best friend. Aang was shocked too. His friend's great-grandmother was the best friend of his past incarnation's wife?! Could that truly be a coincidence?!
Noticing that his feelings might very well be mutual, young Roku blushed too and, distracted, almost fell down the stairs. He was saved by Sozin. The love smitten young man composed himself and blushed again in embarassement, causing his friend to laugh at him. But then, the crowd suddenly grew quiet and parted to let a group of Fire Sages pass through. They reached the bottom of the stairs and the prince hurried to meet them, fearing that something had happened to his father. However, they had not come for the prince, but to announce the identity of the next avatar. Murmurs rose among the guests.
"It is our honor to serve you, Avatar Roku." The Fire Sages protrated themselves before Roku who was just standing there in disbelief, his jaw dropped. Then the whole gathering bowed to the ground too. Sozin recovered and quickly turned to kneel before the new Avatar too.
Then, as Sozin wrote in his testament and Zuko read, the day came when Roku had to leave the Fire Nation and face his destiny as the Avatar. He needed to travel the world so he could master the other elements. The prince went to his friend's room and saw him sitting there, all dejected. He asked the 'all-powerful Avatar ' why he wasn't done packing but got no response. He sympathized but tried to cheer him up by reminding him of the bright side. He wanted to be shown all four kinds of bending and even did a demonstration. But his friend was still depressed. The fire sages had told him he wouldn't need any worldly possessions anymore. He was anxious as it was all happening too fast for him and everything was going to be different. Now Sozin understood and lost his smile too, and went to sit next to him.
"Here. I hope you're at least allowed to have this." The prince removed his headdress and offered it to him.
"But this is a royal artifact. It's supposed to be worn by the crown prince." Roku protested. His best friend insisted though, so he accepted it and placed it around his own top knot. The two stood up, smiled, and bowed to each other.
In the real world, Aang with his eyes still closed stood up on the rock and crouched down in a peculiar way. He grunted like he was relieving himself. Disgusted, Katara wondered if they had bathrooms in the spirit world. His brother, who had already made a trip to the spirit world when he had been kidnapped by Hei Bai, replied that as a matter of fact, they did not. Aang was actually riding the back of Roku's dragon in the spirit world. They went to the Southern Air Temple, Roku's first stop on his avatar journey. That was where he trained to master airbending, and where he met an old friend of Aang's, Monk Gyatso. And the two were often playing and messing around. Aang voiced his amazement at this 'coincidence'. To think that both he and Roku could have been friends with Monk Gyatso!
"Some friendships are so strong, they can even transcend lifetimes." The former Avatar spoke fondly, closing his eyes. It was years later, after mastering airbending, that Roku travelled to the Northern Water Tribe. Waterbending had been especially challenging for him. But in time, he mastered it as well. Then he had moved on to the Earth Kingdom. His earthbending master, Sud, had been uncompromising, stubborn, and blunt... and a lifelong friend. It was bitter work... but the results were worth it.
"Twelve long years passed before I saw my friend again. When Roku returned, he was a fully realized Avatar, and I had changed as well." Sozin narrated. Indeed, he had then been the one sitting on the throne when that friend finally came to meet him again.
"Sozin, or should I say, Fire Lord." Roku cheerfully saluted.
"Customarily, my subjects bow before greeting me." The sovereign chided him. "...but you're the exception." He smiled and came down to hug him.
"After all these years, he was still my best friend... And a few months later, he was my best man." The old Roku told Aang. It was during his young self's marriage to Ta Min. "I was persistent. When love is real, it finds a way, and being the Avatar doesn't hurt your chances with the ladies, either." He smiled. Chenlian looked away and hung her head. When love is real, it finds a way. Aang and Katara still had a chance. But it was different for Zuko and her. She had persisted, and indeed, they became a couple. They had a chance to make it work. But it didn't. They went their own way. They left it all behind. What they had... wasn't real. What they had... had really been just a dream. And dreams were dreams because they didn't come true...
On wedding days, people looked to the future with optimism and joy. But at that time, Sozin had his own vision for a brighter future. And while the new husband and wife were receiving and thanking guests, the Fire Lord walked up behind the couple and asked to borrow the bridegroom for a moment. Although it was against tradition, Ta Min accepted. The childhood friends went to a balcony. Sozin had been thinking hard about the state of the world lately. Since Roku didn't want such heavy talk on this day, he told his old pal to have a cookie, dance with someone, to lighten up. The lord insisted though so the Roku nodded understandingly.
"Right from the start, I was destined to be Fire Lord. And although we didn't always know it, you were destined to be the Avatar. It's an amazing stroke of fate we know each other so well, isn't it? Together, we could do... anything."
"Yeah... we could." The Fire Nation-born Avatar admitted hesitantly. He had heard and seen ambition and greed in his friend's face and voice that he didn't like, and that made him anxious.
"Our nation is enjoying an unprecedented time of peace and wealth. Our people are happy, and we're so fortunate in so many ways." Sozin continued proudly, causing the newlywed to feel increasingly worried. "I've been thinking. We should share this prosperity with the rest of the world. In our hands is the most successful empire in history. It's time we expanded it."
"No. The four nations are meant to be just that: four." The Avatar shot him down.
"Roku, you haven't even stopped to consider the possibilities..."
"There are NO possibilities. This is the last I want to hear about this." Roku firmly and angrily declared, and returned to the party, clearly upset. He did not notice his friend's eyes seething with rage and hate. That was Roku's first real test as the Avatar. Unfortunately, it was not until many years later that he learned that Sozin had gone ahead with his plan, despite his warning, and started his conquest of the Earth Kingdom.
One day, Roku, furious, burst through the doors of Fire Lord's throne room.
"I've seen the colony, Sozin. How dare you occupy Earth Kingdom territory!"
"How dare you, a citizen of the Fire Nation, address your Fire Lord this way. Your loyalty is to our nation first. Anything less makes you a traitor."
"Don't do this, Sozin. Don't challenge me. It will only end badly. It's over." The Avatar ended their friendship. He hung his head in disappointment, and turned to leave. As he walked away, Sozin, overcome with uncontrollable rage, leaped from his throne and bended a powerful blast of fire at his former friend. When he stopped though, Roku was nowhere to be found. Roku had actually used his earthbending to hide within the ground. He broke through the floor behind the Fire Lord that he sent flying and crashing into the door with a strong gust of wind. As Sozin dropped to the floor, Roku bended a pillar of earth that lifted his opponent and pinned him by the back of his robes to the ceiling. The Avatar's eyes glowed, and his air waves destroyed a whole part of the palace. Then he returned to normal and airbended a small cyclone of air, to raise himself up to face the helpless Fire Lord. "I'm sparing you, Sozin. I'm letting you go in the name of our past friendship, but I warn you, even a single step out of line will result in your permanent end." He glared. Sozin glared back at him for a time before his expression dropped, and he hung his head in defeat. Roku left.
He and Sozin didn't speak or see each other for 25 years after that. He spent most of his spare time here at his home. But one night, he and his wife, as well as the whole village, were startled out of their beds by a loud rumbling. The mountain had woken up, and volcanic bombs were crashing all around them. The old couple fled the house. The air was saturated with smoke and ash. The Avatar airbended a path open. He helped her and the others escape safely. Fang was flying around. Pyroclastic flows were cascading down the slopes, blowing, burning and burying everything on their paths, including Roku's home. To protect the people, the Avatar stayed alone to face the fury of the volcano. He airbended a huge dome of protection around himself, large enough to deflect the pyroclastic currents and shield even the boats behind him on which the villagers had found refuge, a bit away from the coast. They were staring up at the cataclysm, stricken with fear. Ta Min especially feared for her husband. Lava had also started spilling from the crater. Its glow could be seen 100 miles away by Sozin from his palace. And he could feel the rumbling and see the black plume of smoke. He had never seen anything like this catastrophe.
Roku tried to save what remained of his town by diverting the flow of lava to the sides but even his best efforts proved insufficient as the molten river soon surrounded him. Even the Avatar, alone, could not go against the full power of nature's fury. And his body was still that of a normal human. The heat, smoke, and poisonous gases were starting to affect him while the fire mountain showed no sign of calming. Another fountain of molten rock erupted. The old Avatar leaped into the black sky and blew a powerful blast of cold air, cooling it immediately. He landed on the 'fresh' rock. Suddenly, a plume of toxic gas spouted to his right. He covered his face and bended it away. Like this, he kept struggling to bend back both the lava and gases. Battling the elements was hard enough. He had to do it while he could barely breathe. He was being overwhelmed. Lightning bolts darted within the eruption column. Fang tried to come and help but was repelled by a surge of lava. Roku yelled at him to get out of here and entered the Avatar State. With a powerful blow from his fist, Roku earthbended a tremor through the volcano, knocking out the entire backside of the crater to lessen the danger on the bay side of the island. However, this had destabilized the magmatic chamber of the second volcano that erupted too. Roku was giving in to despair when Sozin arrived on his dragon and offered his old friend a hand, surprising him.
They wasted no time. The Avatar forced the fountain of molten rock back into the crater. The Fire Lord cooled it by displacing the heat and channeling it through himself, and out through his other hand into the turbulent sky. They were standing on the edge of the crater. The earth beneath Sozin gave way and he almost fell to his death but his old friend quickly bended an earth shelf to catch him. Safe, Sozin looked at Roku for a moment. Suddenly, the earth violently shook and another surge of tephra shot up. They fled.
"Don't breathe the toxic gas!" Roku warned. As they ran, he protected Sozin from a jet of gas, but soon one spurted directly in his face. This was more than he could bear. "It's... too much." Shaking, his vision blurring, he fell to his knees. He held out his hand for Sozin to take. "Please..." He begged, close to fainting.
"Without you, all my plans are suddenly possible." The Fire Lord callously said, staring at his own hand. But instead of reaching out to help to his old friend, he curled it into a fist against his chest and closed his eyes. "I have a vision for the future, Roku." His dark blue dragon came and he mounted it. Roku stared in disbelief at first, before glaring at his former comrade who had chosen to abandon him and leave him to die here like this. Sozin flew away after one last merciless glance. The Avatar started coughing in his sleeve. The eruption column had collapsed and the pyroclastic flow was rushing towards him. Fang approached and unable to save his human partner, wrapped himself around him and chose to die with him. The wave engulfed them together. And then, Aang was born among the Air Nomads.
"Make sense of our past Aang, and you will bring peace and restore balance in the world." Roku's spirit form imparted this wisdom to him before fading. The visions disappeared too.
'With Roku gone, and the great comet returning, the timing was perfect to change the world. I knew the next avatar would be born an air nomad. So I wiped out the air temples. But somehow, the new avatar eluded me. I wasted the remainder of my life searching in vain. I know he's hiding out there somewhere. The Fire Nation's greatest threat... the last airbender.' Zuko finished reading... to his great disappointement. That couldn't be it! There had to be something missing! So he went to see his uncle in prison to demand some explanation.
"You sent this, didn't you?! I found the secret history, which, by the way, should be renamed 'the history most people already know'! The note said that I needed to know about my great-grandfather's death, but he was still alive in the end!" The irked prince yelled.
"No... he wasn't." The old man contradicted him.
"What are you talking about ?!"
"You have more than one great-grandfather, Prince Zuko. Sozin was your father's grandfather. Your mother's grandfather was Avatar Roku." Iroh revealed, shocking his nephew.
"Why are you telling me this ?!" That was something the teen would have prefered not to know. The Avatar was supposed to bring balance to the world... The Avatar was the Fire Nation's enemy... The blood of the former Avatar flowed in his veins... His two ancestors were such close friends, and yet, one abandonned the other and left him to die... He was desperately grasping at straws, at the bond linking him to his father. It had already thinned so much, like each of the interwoven straws had snapped or been cut one by one. And just now, more had been cut. He crouched down and held his head in his hands, more conflicted than ever.
"Because understanding the struggle between your two great-grandfathers can help you better understand the battle within yourself. Evil and good are always at war inside you, Zuko. It is your nature, your legacy. But there is a bright side. What happened generations ago can be resolved now... by you. Because of your legacy, you alone can cleanse the sins of our family and the Fire Nation. Born in you, along with all this strife, is the power to restore balance to the world." Iroh removed a brick and reached for a bundle that he unwrapped. It was the headpiece Sozin had offered to Roku. "This is a royal artifact. It's supposed to be worn by the crown prince." He presented it to Zuko who took it and stared at it, unsure, and left.
As always when he was confused and didn't know what to do, his steps took him to Chenlian before he knew it. He had acknowledged his always growing love and yearning for her. But the more he thought of her and wanted to see her, the more difficult it became for him to face her because of what he had done, because of the shame and guilt that were overcoming him in the same time as his love for her. And he knew he could never turn her aside from the Avatar. If he wanted to be with her, that meant he had to side with the Avatar too, and he just couldn't do it. That was why they couldn't be together. Or so he had thought. But recently he had started feeling 'change' in him. At first, he just believed it to be Chenlian's influence; that he wanted so much to be with her that anything would be fine as long as he had that. And that had terrified him. But now, he was terrified because he had begun to notice that it wasn't just Chenlian's influence that made him question the validity of his father's views and actions. So he had hoped to try and wait until he had sorted his feelings before going to see her but it just couldn't be after all. And before he knew it, he had repeated what his uncle had just revealed to her. But even though he was looking so confused, she just could not feel compassion towards him, and kept training.
"I really don't get your problem. What does it matter whose child or grandchild you are? Your soul is yours alone. What matters is what YOU want and what YOU believe. What is the future you wish for? Is it the same as your father's? Does it have to be the same? Unless you haven't been thinking of the future at all and thought it'd be alright as long as you obeyed him? Then you'll never be able to grow up and stand on your own feet. A king may move a man, a father may claim a son, but that man can also move himself, and only then does he truly begin his own game. Well... not like it has anything to do with me, or like you ever believed or listened to anything I said." She shrugged, sounding like she no longer cared, and resumed training while he was pondering her words. But then he noticed her bloody back.
"Hey you're bleeding! You're overdoing it! Just wait, I'll get-"
"No need! You know I'll just refuse treatment anyway." And indeed, she had only ever allowed Ming and Linshen to touch her. If any other person tried to come close despite her warnings, she made sure that THEY were the ones who most needed to be treated.
"Stop being so stubborn! It'll still be bad if you don't treat it, right? I'm saying it for you! Your mistrust is excessive!"
"For me... huh? Pretending to care now is the worst." She bluntly replied. The blow made him wince. Had you truly cared, you would have acted differently in Ba Sing Se, and I would have never gotten this wound... was basically what she was implying. Chenlian turned her back to him and lifted her shirt. "Can you repeat your words to that wound?" She said firmly, glancing back at him. He averted his eyes and didn't say a word. He couldn't. But she didn't notice the tremblings of his hands. "You've probably forgotten, but you made me a promise, Zuko, that day in that oasis." She faced the wall again. He tightly shut his eyes and fists. He remembered... he remembered perfectly well... but even though he had been so sure back then, his promise, his love for her notwithstanding, he had still betrayed her. And that lightning scar on her back was proof of that, just like the fact that they were separated by those bars. So even though she remembered each time she saw those bars and felt that pain from her back, how could there still be a way for him to convince her of his sincerity? After all, even now he was still unable to abandon his father, free her from this place and take her away.
"Che-"
"And I..." She cut him off. "I also made you a promise that I won't be able to keep. That day, we both chose a different path. Falling in love, choosing to believe in you, I did that on my own, that didn't commit you to anything. I forgot that, hoped, expected, failed to see the truth, and got disappointed on my own too. If anything, it was my mistake for having trusted and fallen in love with the wrong person. I'm simply paying the price for that. Thanks to that wound I remembered who I was, and what I must do. And I remembered how costly an error in judgement could be. So you don't have to feel guilty."
"No! Chenlian... that's... I...!" The Prince stammered. Indeed, not too long ago, he would have clung to those words in order escape from that guilt. But now he didn't want to hear those words, like she had given up on him. The fact that they had been together, that they had loved each other, it couldn't have been a mistake! Her love, her faith in him had saved him, encouraged him, inspired him so many times, they had filled him with warmth and hope, they had healed him! It couldn't have been wrong! But how did he repay her? He really couldn't say anything. Even now he wanted to deny her, grab her, and kiss her, but he couldn't do it. How could he apologize? How could he say he loved her? He understood now that he was the one who had made a mistake and was paying the price.
"You know, my childhood was happy with you and my family. The first time, your father unjustly accused my parents of treason, had them exiled and killed. I thought we had a bond but you didn't believe in me. You rejected me. And so, he had me imprisoned to serve as guinea pig and turn me into a weapon of mass destruction. I learned of the flaws of the current top of the Fire Nation and sided with the Avatar in order to correct them. The Avatar became my friend. I was happy with them. Still, because there were events that led me to believe you were different from those people at the palace, I clung to you. In Ba Sing Se, I was happy with you. Again, even while knowing everything, you still turned your back on me and sided with your sister. I nearly died, and was thrown into jail again. And now... You sent an assassin after the Avatar, didn't you? A large muscular man with limbs of metal..."
"Where did you learn that?!" The prince suddenly panicked. He had hoped that she would never know of it, because he was scared of her reaction, scared that she would stop talking to him... Although in a way, he felt relieved that she had stopped twisting the knife in his heart and rubbing salt and pepper. But again, that was all the truth...
"So you did..."
"...Yes." He admitted. When directly confronted like this, he could never lie to her. She backed against the wall and slid down to a sitting position. She knew it already, but after all hearing it from his own mouth was still hard.
"I see... I see... I was really such a fool... I can't believe how blind and stupid I've been... all this time I really was the one who didn't want to see... You had made your choice a long time ago but I still didn't want to believe, and I kept blabbering on and on like an idiot..." Chenlian held her head in her hands and smiled in self-derision. She didn't know if she wanted to cry or to laugh at herself. Back then with Jet, she had acted all high and mighty and warned Katara not to be blinded by love... and that was exactly what had happened to her. Her love for Zuko had blinded her, allowing things to become like this. She was always so sure, so full of herself, so self-righteous... She thought she had learned her lesson but she was the same as before. No wonder she provoked such strong reactions of rejection. Well, if not without regrets, then at least she could put her plan into action without hesitations.
"Chenlian...! I..."
"I'm sorry, Zuko. Even though there were so many clues, and it was so obvious, I turned a blind eye... Because I wanted to be with you, I ignored your dedication and tried to force you off course." She smiled. She... really couldn't save him. Her smile was so agonizingly soft and sorrowful, so excruciatingly poignant and regretful, that the prince felt his cracking heart fill with dread. She closed her eyes. Right, if persuading him was pointless, then at least...
"Chenlian!"
"Zuko, listen well. You've sacrificed Iroh and me to get what you wanted. Not only us, but you also turned your back to the world, just to return to your father's side. This is the path you chose. No matter how difficult, painful or lonely it gets, endure it. Don't think a person who chose this road can easily rely on others. If you don't want it to have been for nothing then you've got no choice but to charge ahead with all your might... you can't be half-assed about it. You've already gone too far to simply turn back. I at least, certainly don't want to have gone through that for nothing... So prove to yourself and to everyone that the path you took that day was the right one." The girl asserted, staring straight into his eyes.
"You're speaking like you're going to leave me... like those were your final words..."
"What are you saying? You're the one who discarded me." Chenlian abruptly snapped back, making the prince recoil. Then she softened again. "Also I heard Azula gave you the credit for having defeated both me and the Avatar. Well, Aang is one thing, but you do deserve the credit for defeating me. You're the only one who could have hurt me this much, the only one who could make me lose myself to this extent. It was because it was you that I was blinded by rage, and pain, so much that I forgot all about Azula despite knowing how she is. She could have never done it alone. This is YOUR achievement, so you can be proud about that." She smiled sincerely.
"No, no no no no no NO!" The prince violently shook his head.
"But it's the truth though. Geez, you're so serious." She sighed. "When your opponent honestly admits their loss, you should just happily accept it. YOU defeated one of Fire Lord Ozai's greatest enemies. You can proudly stand by your father's side." She gently scolded him and encouraged him... but he kept strongly shaking his head and holding it in his hands. That wasn't it! He didn't want to hear that now! For her to comfort him so sincerely, so sweetly like this, to praise him for having managed to hurt her like this... Her sweetness had never felt so bitter... even more so since he had once wanted to hear those words, and she knew it. But now her tenderness scared and hurt him more than angry words would. She would no longer get angry for his sake because she had deemed it useless to try and talk to him, convince him anymore... because she had given up on him. "Also despite what I said, I don't think what we had was love after all."
"What?! What do you think it was then?!"
"Who knows. But if it had been truly love, then we wouldn't be here like this, right? At that time, you would have made a different choice, and I wouldn't have tried to kill you, am I right?" Chenlian coldly, dispassionately stared at him. A heavy silence settled.
"... Are you going to leave?" Zuko asked after a time, looking like an abandoned puppy.
"Even if I blast my way out of here, then what? How long will I last? Do you think I can fight properly with this body? There's no point if I leave only to be immediately brought back here. Right, you've already discarded me, so see through your decision, and don't come anymore. Surely, even you understand that from now on, it'll be pointless even if you do come." She affirmed implacably. Zuko hung his head and balled his fists. Yes, he understood... logically... but... still... his heart couldn't accept it! He clenched his fists tighter but failed to feel his nails digging into his palms. She had coolly severed one by one the threads still binding them together, leaving him with nothing to hold onto... "That's why, today, in memory of what we had - whatever it was -, I'll eat and drink whatever you give me. I'll let you treat me too. That is, if you want to..."
"Yes! Yes of course! Just you wait! I'll be right back with everything you need!" Zuko suddenly beamed at her and rushed out, full of hope and optimism. How long had he waited for that moment?! It was an opening! Even if now she said things like 'in memory of' or 'that'll be the end'... if she was willing to let him approach her even once, then it was a chance! He understood her... but even if they couldn't be together now, even if he was confused, he had already ascertained that he couldn't live without her. He needed her after all. He needed to see her. Even if she was right, and what they had back then wasn't love, what about the future? So he couldn't listen to her when she'd ask him not to come anymore. And she sure was right about another thing. She couldn't leave now. Chenlian wasn't one to rush head first. She was going to wait until she was in perfect condition before leaving. Otherwise, she couldn't defend herself, fight off the opposition, or protect those she wanted to protect, right? He still had time! He still didn't know what to do, but he still had time to figure things out before she left! Really, all he needed was time! Surely, given enough time, he could find a way for them to be happy together! There was still hope for him, for them! He couldn't know that she was actually just following Linshen's instructions: Whatever you're given to eat or drink, take it, whoever comes to treat you, accept it... even if it's Zuko. What he meant was: especially if it's Zuko... They had chosen him as involuntary contributor to their plan. It was probably the best, surest way to sever their relation... with this, he too would see that was there was no hope for them...
"You mean, after all Roku and Sozin went through together... even after Roku showed him mercy, Sozin betrayed him like that ?" Aang had told his companions everything but Katara still had trouble believing. Well, he had started by telling them about Chenlian's imminent return and they had all rejoiced.
"It's like these people are born bad." Toph agreed. But Aang saw things in a different light.
"No, that's wrong. I don't think that was the point of what Roku showed me at all. Roku was just as much Fire Nation as Sozin was, right? Chenlian too is Fire Nation. If anything, their story proves anyone's capable of great good and great evil. Everyone, even the Fire Lord and the Fire Nation have to be treated like they're worth giving a chance. And I also think it was about friendships."
"Do you really think friendships can last more than one lifetime ?" The earthbender questioned.
"I don't see why not." The airbender grabbed her hand. The waterbender held out Toph's other hand and stared meaningfully at her brother.
"Well, scientifically speaking, there's no way to prove that." He stroked his face.
"Oh, Sokka, just hold hands." The annoyed sister said. Keeping the same position, he thrust out his hand to hold Katara's, and the four looked out at the dawn breaking over the ocean. Soon, Chenlian would be back with them. They just couldn't wait. They were all going to be together again.
And then Chenlian received another unexpected visit... Azula, who openly admitted having come to gloat and laugh at her and see her face twisted in anguish and seeped in defeat. She couldn't have been more disappointed though, for as soon as she said that, the prisoner smiled.
"You know, I never hated you. And I still don't, though you have traits of character I can't approve of. And I'm not angry at you about Zuko either. Actually, I want to thank you. You left him a choice, right? You always did. No matter how much pressure you put on someone or how much you lure them with something they want, you always give them a choice. That's what I like about you. They're free to resist, to fight the fear and the temptation, like I did. I could grow this much because you were there to keep me on my toes. That's also why I know he's simply made his choice. You've only provided him with an opportunity... and me too... you've opened my eyes, showed me the truth. That's why I'm grateful, and I have no regrets." Chenlian confided.
"Well, I guess those delusions are the only way you can console yourself given your current situation." The princess shrugged, hiding well her rage and frustration. She knew that Chenlian was sincere, and to be thanked so earnestly by the one she tried to destroy was nothing short of a humiliation.
"Say whatever you will. I believe you of all people should be able to tell when I'm speaking the truth. And I also wanted to apologize..." Suddenly Chenlian's eyes were burning, and the princess felt so much power, regality, and ferocity from her that she felt like she had just stepped into a dragon's den. "Sorry Azula, but no matter what you take away from me, my limbs, my senses, my freedom, or the people I love, I will still be me. I'll keep fighting even if I'm all alone. Light still shines on my path and no one can ever take it away. It won't ever disappear for as long as I live. I have nothing to fear. I do not fear you. You cannot break me, and you cannot kill me."
"Did my lightning fry your brain? Well, you were technically dead for a time so that must have addled your memory."
"But I'm still here. You tried to kill me but I'm still here. And even if my heart is shattered, my soul, my will won't ever break. Even if you cage me, chain me, or bury me underground, my soul will always be free... because I will never submit to you or your father. And more than killing me, what you really want is to make me submit to you, right? You want me to fear you and admit defeat. But you can't make me do that. And if you actually kill me, then you can never make me submit to you. Even if I lose a battle, I have the strength to rise again and keep fighting. That's why YOU fear me." Chenlian was smirking, and speaking with absolute confidence.
Azula left. She hadn't showed any emotion earlier but she felt that Chenlian had totally seen through her, and that affront was unbearable. But that woman, why won't she break?! Even though her family, friends, allies, freedom had been taken away from her and the man she loved had betrayed her like this, even though she was despised by her own country as a traitor, and hated by other nations as a firebender and she had been so injured she was basically a cripple... Even though she had lost everything, she still radiated charisma and didn't seem to be lacking in the slightest! The light she was giving off was stronger and fiercer than ever! Why won't she break?! After suffering so much for so long anyone else would have given in to despair and sunk in the darkness... so why were her eyes still seething?! Why were they still so clear?! Why was she still fighting?!
I won't tolerate it! That she keeps resisting me, and that she keeps glaring at me with those straightforward eyes... is unforgivable! In that case, I'll have to sink her with my own hands! I'll render all her efforts useless! I'll burn everything she ever tried to protect! Whatever it is that she's fighting for, I'll destroy everything! I'll reduce this world to ashes! I will crush her!
"Prince Zuko!" A guard flung his bedroom door open.
"What is it?" The Fire Lord's son snapped. How rude for a soldier to enter a prince's bedroom like this.
"I am very sorry for disturbing your rest but your sister is urging you to join her in the prison as fast as possible. It's about the female prisoner, that traitor who was recently caught again... Chenlian... it seems that... she died!" He knelt down and bowed deep before looking up at his prince. Zuko had gone frighteningly pale, a look of unexpressible horror carved onto his frozen face like his blood had turned to ice, and his heart had stopped.