"Forward men! Deus is with us!" Lieutenant Mashinkov shouted as he led his men onward. The drummers stood to his rear, echoing the marching cadence as his men rapidly approached the entrance. With him were over one hundred men of the 2nd company of the 1st Battalion of the Zlachny Guards. As his men marched forward, their rifles at their shoulders, their chests puffed out, and heads held high, there was no fear among them. After all, from what the vanguard informed him and the other units inside the palace, there were only a handful of intruders, meaning that, even without including the forces outside, there were at least several hundred men to defend the Grand Duke. So, in his mind, there was no reason to worry. After all, he and his men were there for the massacre of the Earth army outside Ba Sing Se, so a force that small would be no issue. When his men neared the palace entrance, they bumped into what the Captain could only describe as five children, two of which he recognized from the teahouse incident. Puzzled, he ordered his men to halt before stepping forward. His grasp on the Pogyinese tongue wasn't the greatest. But, recalling his lessons at Cadet school, he steadied his nerve. Besides, what chance did they possibly stand against- Suddenly, they took stances and faced him with narrowed eyes, and it took all his mental fortitude not to scoff at this. Were they seriously trying to intimidate him? Sure, he'd seen what the blue-eyed girl and the scarred boy could do, but he and all the others were unprepared then. This time, they were ready. "So," he began. "Do you understand me?"

"Yeah, we do," the short girl beside the other two replied. "What, you wanna quit while you're still ahead?"

The Captain cocked his brow at her as he attempted to keep himself from cringing at what she presumably thought was a witty remark. "Is that supposed to scare me?" He asked dismissively. "I mean, I do not wish to have the blood of children on my hands. But do you honestly wish to kill yourselves?"

"Maybe we should ask you the same?" The girl replied with a crack of her knuckles. "Do YOU wanna die?"

Menshikov drew his spadroon, his eyes narrowing and his patience running thin. "Very well," he replied before turning to his men. "Make ready!" His soldiers quickly shifted their weapons to the opposite shoulder. "Aim!" They leveled their rifles. "Fire at will-" Before he could finish his command, he and his men were swept off their feet as the ground beneath them cracked and split, pushing out jagged edges which prevented him or his fellows from regaining their footing. His men toppled as dominoes stood on their ends, collapsing in neat rows as cries and screams broke out: One got stabbed by the bayonet of his comrade, another was shot in the leg as the man behind him plunged forward, and as this continued, he could hear more and more shots and cries. Menshikov nearly impaled himself on his blade as he lurched involuntarily and caught himself on a rock.

"Now, will you quit?" the girl asked, and he looked up to see her smirking in satisfaction as the others looked unimpressed.

Despite the pain in his chest, he stood up before gesturing forward. "Stand up, men! For Faith, for the Tsar!" He bellowed, despite the fear encroaching on his mind. His men stood up and prepared to charge when, suddenly, the bald boy with the strange tattoos on his head began levitating in place, his eyes and tattoos glowing white as his eyes narrowed in anger.

"You who defy the balance of this world shall meet your end," a thousand voices cried as the Ruskians looked on in horror, halting their advance.

Yet, despite his trembling, Menshikov stepped forward with a sore scowl. He'd faced death before at Bylowa and seen one of his best friends lose his head and another lose his sanity in the aftermath. Indeed, his family would mourn him, but the Guard Captain would not bow before whatever unholy creature possessed the boy. "And by what authority do you claim to be the arbiter of balance, Demon!?" he bellowed while gesturing with the tip of his sword at the boy. Without responding, the boy swung his staff and sent an invisible gust at them, knocking them off their feet once more and sending the soldiers flying. Ironically, Menshikov was saved by how close he stood, but many of his men weren't so lucky as they smacked hard against the floors and walls, and one or two even hit the high ceiling before falling to their deaths. In the Captain's case, however, he merely hit his head before everything turned black.

"Wow, I didn't know you had that in you, Twinkle Toes," Toph said, astonished. She could feel the breeze shifting around Aang as he slowly lowered to the ground, and beyond, she felt the bodies of the ninety men who'd tried to attack them, now prone on the ground, most of them cold and still. Of course, she'd felt him in the Avatar state before, but even last time wasn't this intense.

Katara could feel her heart beating in her chest as she took in the carnage. Blood stained the walls and floor, and she could hear the mild groans and cries of those he'd hurt. Of course, as much as she wished she could help, she considered it was perhaps the universe's way of delivering justice. After all, that man had called the Avatar a demon. Was he crazy!? Yet, as she looked at these men, there was a painful ping when her eyes landed on a young boy, at least Aang's age. His drum lay smashed at his feet, his blue eyes filled with despair as blood poured from a gaping wound in his chest from where he'd landed on a sharp rock. She averted her gaze, trying to erase his tear-filled eyes and trembling lips from her mind. "Yeah," she replied after a moment.

Sokka put a hand on his sister's shoulder, a look of understanding adorning his features. "Come on, Katara, we need to keep going," he said before turning to Aang, now lowering to the ground, his tattoos and eyes ceasing to glow as he left the Avatar State. Yet, much to their shock, he remained on his feet, his visage one of grim determination as he clung to his staff with white knuckles.

"We need to finish this," he said, his voice almost monotone as he silently walked forward, clearing away the bodies as his comrades followed behind him.

Zuko couldn't help the strange feeling brewing in his chest as he followed after the Avatar. Having been on the opposite end of the Avatar's wrath, he pitied these men, yet, as much as he hated to admit it, Aang was right: They were disrupting the balance of the world, just like his father. Of course, what he thought of that, he wasn't yet sure. "Hey, are you coming or what?" he heard Sokka say while gesturing toward the others.

"Yeah," the banished Prince replied as he began dashing to catch up with the rest of the group.

Tiya ran as fast as her little legs could carry her, passing the soldiers scattered about the halls and running in the opposite direction. They were heading off to join the men in the banquet hall or other parts of the palace while she tried to remember the directions to the younger Grand Duke. As she reached the exit, she found more men for the palace. Without pausing, she quickly tried to figure out which one was Ivan, but when she didn't see him, she shook her head and continued toward the gardens. "I have to find him," she whispered as she ran down the empty main road toward one of the side gates, guarded by two Ruskians who let her pass. Tiya rounded the corner and found herself in a maze of tall bushes and houses. Feeling that something rested on her finding the Grand Duke, she cupped her hands. "Ivan! Ivan!" Tiya shouted as she ran, hoping to bump into him, which, as it turned out, is almost what happened as she ran head first into one of the Fire Nation girls she'd seen before as the other girl rounded the corner alongside the Grand Duke and two others.

"Oof," the girl huffed in surprise as the young girl bumped into her, only to be met with something cold and hard pressing lightly against her neck. When she looked down, she saw a sharp kunai. "Oh, it's you," the frightening girl said as she lowered her weapon and stowed it in her robe as if nothing had happened.

Suddenly, she heard one of the men clear his throat, and she turned to see it was the Grand Duke. "I'm sorry, but were you calling for me?"

She quickly nodded. "Yeah, I was. General Vassili wanted you to return to the palace. You guys are under attack!"

The men each had a look of realization dawn on their features as they recognized the shooting they'd heard wasn't men celebrating. "Thank you for telling us," one of the men she didn't know said before turning to the others. "Let's go, guys," he said before gesturing for the others to follow as he ran. The Grand Duke limped after him, and she noticed he had a bandage wrapped around his leg.

"Are you sure you want to come? It could be dangerous," the final man asked as he turned to the scary knife girl.

In response, she smirked slightly. "And miss out on the fun? You're kidding," she said before taking off after the other two.

The final man shrugged before dashing after her, leaving Tiya alone, which she quickly decided she didn't like. "Hey, wait for me!" she shouted before turning and running after them.

Despite all his commanders asking him to find shelter, Nikolai had opted to remain at his post and helped prepare the room's defences. Together, he and his staff flipped over tables and barricaded the doors while moving the food and chairs out into the halls to prevent them from being damaged. Of course, he hoped it wouldn't come to that, but for some reason, he felt caution was paramount. Of course, to some, it was a strange sight to see generals and other high-ranking officers shifting tables and acting in the roles enlisted would usually fill, but they were busy attempting to keep the enemy at bay. Besides, even though Long Feng had disappeared, it didn't mean he'd left, and who knew how many men he had at his disposal. It could have been that the intruders were only a decoy. "I think we're ready, Grand Duke," Boskovsky stated.

Looking around, Nikolai stood back from the table he'd just flipped over and took stock of their "defences." They had positioned the tables in three mostly even lines stretching from one side of the room to the other, facing the only door on the South side. Inside were at least fifty men of his staff, all spread throughout the various lines, with himself and the other Generals positioned at the back in case they were overwhelmed. "Very well," he replied before turning and walking toward the rear when suddenly they heard violent knocking.

"Open the doors-"

"Open the door!"

"Hey, open the door!"

"For goodness sake, open the doors!"

The men in the room turned their heads and faced the doors when they flew off their hinges as a massive gust blew those closest onto their backs. The men on the other side landed squarely on top, their unconscious forms stuck to the doors. Frightened, the men inside began shooting into the hall as Nikolai and his commanders dove for cover and rushed for the rear entrance. "I'll remain here!" General Alexeev shouted over the din of gunfire.

"Alright, General, may the Lord be with you!" Nikolai replied before he, Boskovsky, Orlov, and Bobrinsky left him. Vassili watched them go before returning his attention to the doors once the shooting stopped. When he peaked out from behind his makeshift cover, he noticed a large, rough stone where there hadn't been one a moment ago.

Toph sat crouched behind the barrier she'd created once Aang blew the doors open. Sokka had explained his plan for breaching the hall based on his memory of the last time they were here. Aang would blow down the door with air bending, and she would rush in and provide cover while the others followed behind her. Of course, they'd spent the better part of twenty minutes trying to reach the Ruskian leaders, as the last time they were here, Team Avatar didn't have to deal with any foes at all, while now, hundreds stood in their way, making things take longer than they had hoped. Yet, as the evening wore on, Toph found it wasn't the number of foes they faced that scared her but their weapons. She'd only dealt with a few at the Teahouse, but after those first two confrontations, the Ruskians didn't try to play nice and would open fire on sight. The sound made her ears ring, and the vibrations from the miniature explosions dulled her refined senses, which worsened as things went on and, when coupled with the sheer amount of men dying, began to take its toll on her psyche. "You're okay. You can do this," she whispered, her voice low and quiet to prevent the others from hearing her.

Suddenly, Sokka slid beside her. "Hey, what's the holdup?" he asked.

Toph shook her head. "I'm fine. I was waiting for them to stop," she lied.

"Well, either way, we need to go," he said before signalling for the others to go now that their foe knew they were coming.

When the Colonel gestured for him, Alexander Yermalov ran up and saluted with gusto. "Yes, Sir?" he croaked, his voice still recovering.

"Ensign, I need you to take some men and hide the colours," he told him before turning to the regiment's colour party and gesturing for them to come over.

Alexander blinked several times in shock, daunted by the responsibility the Colonel had heaped upon his shoulders. "A-Are you-" he didn't finish as a young boy leapt over the stone sitting outside the entrance and, without a word, waved his staff forward like a blade just as the enlisted with rifles and the officers who had revolvers levelled their weapons. Without warning, tables flew as men collided with the floor or each other after the blast. The banners tore out of the hands of their protectors, and their standards clattered to the ground unceremoniously as the men holding them flew into the nearest wall. Alexander landed roughly on his back just in time for a table to blow over his head before smashing into splinters. "Ah!" he cried in fright as he nursed his head, which began pounding as he stood up. Much to his horror, he turned to find Colonel Alexeev with a horrific gash along the side of his torso where a sword-length splinter had grazed him. "S-Sir-"

Alexeev, despite his evident pain, sat up quickly and grabbed the Ensign with manic eyes. "The colours, boy, fetch the colours!" He bellowed while gesturing to them. Without another word and despite the oncoming headache, the boy stood up and dashed for the flags, unconcerned with his ragged appearance. His cap lay forgotten on the floor, exposing his short brown hair and frightened, deep brown eyes. He snatched up the poles while others who'd collected their bearings rushed to help him.

As Aang watched the display, he couldn't help but feel confused as he observed at least five men, who'd only just recovered from his airblast, help a young boy with some flags. Curious, he slowly entered the room, hearing the familiar groans and cries of men in pain as others slowly and painfully began standing up. "What's up with them?" Aang asked no one in particular.

"You disgrace my regiment, boy," a man replied to his left, and the Avatar turned to see a man lying under one of the tables he'd destroyed. Unlike all the other officers he'd seen, this one wore fancy tassels on his shoulders, and his chest stood adorned with two crosses hanging from ribbons. His eyes were dark yet beady, and his skin had a tannish hue while still close to the others he'd seen with pale skin. He wore no headgear, and his head of rough black hair was visible. As he stood up, Aang could see a large splinter sticking out of his leg, which lined up with one of the smashed tables nearby. "But, I suppose that wouldn't matter to the likes of you," he said, and before Aang could react, the man drew his blade and slashed outward, only for his attack to miss as Aang leapt back and observed a tendril of water grasp the blade firmly and pull it out of his hand.

"I got this. You find the leader," Katara said as she used her water bending to grasp the blade by the handle and attempt to poke him with it. She didn't want to kill him, and in fact, she hoped he would just surrender, yet instead, he leapt away as more and more men began slowly getting up.

By this point, the boy with the flags had disappeared, leaving only an unknown number of foes, when a man wearing the most ornate uniform they had yet seen stood up from behind one of the tables near the back of the room. His brown eyes hardened when he caught sight of Aang. "So, you're the one who did this!?" he shouted.

Thinking this was their leader, Aang drew back as Sokka and Zuko entered and took fighting stances on either side. "Yes, I did!" he replied. "Are you Nikolai!? The Leader of the Ruskians!?"

The man seemed puzzled by this before snorting. "So what if I was!? Why should you care!?" he bellowed back.

Zuko scrutinized this man and recalled he'd seen him before in passing. He wasn't Nikolai, or he didn't think he was. "Aang, wait, I don't think-"

"If you value your lives, I would advise you surrender: This is my first and final warning!" the decorated man bellowed as the soldiers readied their weapons. The Avatar's only response was to sigh at his stupidity before sending a wave of air at him and quickly bending a wall to block the inevitable attack. The man nose-dived and avoided the airwave before getting back up. "Убейте их!" (Kill them!) He commanded as the other members of Team Avatar dove for cover.

"TOPH, GET IN HERE!" Sokka shouted, hoping to get her attention. He'd thought she followed him, but it seemed the girl remained behind her rock.

Toph still felt shaken, and she could swear she was starting to hear things, but she peaked her head over the top to see what was going on, only to get splashed in the face with metal a second time. "Crud!" she shouted as she dove back into cover. Thankfully, she wasn't injured, but it was disorienting nonetheless.

Katara felt concerned when she heard Toph scream. "I think something might be wrong. I'll check on her," she told the others as she slowly crept toward the other rock.

"We'll cover you," Aang replied before using the barrier he'd created, and he began bending the stone into projectiles, forcing their enemy to take cover.

"Ugh, we need to go," Zuko stated as the firing ceased.

Aang turned to his former enemy. "Okay, but what's the plan? These guys are ready for us."

Sokka put a hand on his chin. "Couldn't you just blow them over again? That seemed to work pretty well last time."

Aang thought this over for a moment before taking a deep breath. He knew it was risky to call upon the Avatar State's power again in one day, but there was no time. If he took too long, his enemy could slip away. When he opened his eyes, they were glowing. "I am ready."

Nikolai and the other Generals ran as quickly as they could as shouts and screams echoed from the banquet hall. He and his commanders made their way toward the entrance when a gust of wind knocked him and those with him off their feet, along with the Jagers rushing toward the danger. Pained cries, curses, and shots echoed through the hall as the Grand Duke struggled to stand up, only to feel someone grab him forcefully by the collar of his uniform and yank him into the air. He turned his head to see a young boy, eyes white with a power he did not understand, staring at him with an intensity he'd never seen before. "Aang, that's him!" a voice cried as the boy turned to look behind him before dropping Nikolai on the ground and bending the stone around him to create a prison. With that done, the boy turned, took a deep breath, and blew the rest of his men into the next hall before erecting a stone wall, cutting off that part of the palace.

The Grand Duke sat perplexed as he stared at this boy with the eyes of a demon. "Who are you?" the boy asked when he turned back to him, his voice sounding as though a thousand were speaking at the same time.

"I am His Imperial Highness, Grand Duke Nikolai Vladimirevich Asimov. Who are you, demon?" He asked, recalling he'd seen this boy on one of the wanted posters, only his eyes and tattoos weren't glowing white as they were now.

"I am the Avatar," The boy? replied, his voice a monotone. "And you and your people have disrupted the balance of this world."

Nikolai stared at the boy, his gaze hardening. "And what is that supposed to mean, exactly?"

The Avatar responded in kind, its hand forming a fist before alighting with fire. "You who dare to challenge the balance shall pay the ultimate price!" The creature reeled its fist back, yet Nikolai did not shy away.

"May I at least have my final rite?" He asked.

The thing cocked a brow at him in confusion before closing its eyes. When they reopened, it nodded. "Very well."

"Oh, Father, who art in heaven. If I am to die this day, I ask that You would watch over my children, my wife, my brother, his family, but most of all, my people, and my nation in my absence."

He began, not even paying attention as the sound of shifting rock caught his ear or how the Avatar's impatience grew with every second he carried on.

"I know I have not always been faithful to my covenants and have disappointed Thee many times. I have brought death and destruction to many innocents, and if this be Thy punishment, Thy will be-"

BANG!

"Huck..." The Avatar croaked as blood poured from its mouth, the light faded from its eyes, and its tattoos reverted to blue before its body clattered on the ground unceremoniously. From its mouth crawled a tiny creature of white and blue, which he saw for only a second before it turned black and vanished into dust.

Agent Hei watched the scene with stunned amazement from the ceiling. The Avatar was no more. "Long Feng will need to know of this," he whispered before closing the tiny eye slit and rushing down one of the corridors to his left.

Zuko watched in horror as Aang fell, blood pouring from his mouth and side as he snapped around to see three Ruskians, an Earth Kingdom girl around Toph's age, and a woman he could never forget standing where Aang's barrier had stood only moments ago. In the trembling hands of the closest Ruskian, who he recognized from the Teahouse, was a smoking weapon. After a few tense seconds, the teen aimed at Zuko. "Get away from him!" He commanded.

Realizing he had no chance of getting close to the opposing group without the risk of getting hit, he did as the Ruskian ordered and stepped away from the man encased in stone from neck to foot and toward Aang's prone body. Zuko couldn't just leave his body here. What would his friends say? So, he mustered the courage and continued as the Ruskian watched his every step with narrowed eyes. He slowly, carefully picked up the bloodied corpse and lifted it in his arms before turning and walking toward the banquet hall. When he arrived, he found Katara and Sokka attempting to clean up the mess Aang had made as he entered. "Did you find him-" Katara paused, and she gasped when she saw the state of Aang in Zuko's arms. "AANG!" she shouted as she ran up to Zuko. "Zuko, what happened!?"

"He- I-I don't know," he replied. He wasn't even sure how the Ruskians had broken through the barrier since he thought they didn't have benders.

Katara largely ignored him as she took Aang from him. Blood covered his robes as more and more pumped through his wound and mouth. "This isn't good," she said as tears started forming. She quickly tried to apply what water remained in her waterskin but to no avail. The Waterbender knew enough about the human body from her time in the Northern Water Tribe, where she learned proper healing techniques. This wound was fatal. But, in her despair, a necklace had popped out of her dress with a vial of water, which, according to her Waterbending master, held mythical properties. Feeling that there may be hope, she turned to Sokka. "Go find Toph, she should be able to help me with this-"

Suddenly, they heard the familiar sounds of soldiers running toward them from the door Zuko had entered through. "We have to go!" He shouted as Sokka nodded before dashing to where Toph presumably still was. When he found her, still huddled as she was behind her rock, he informed her of the situation, and he, along with the others, ran toward the way they came in, passing dazed and disoriented Ruskians as they rushed for the palace entrance. When they arrived, he took Aang's bison whistle and called for Appa, who arrived just in time for the Ruskians to exit and begin firing at them as they flew away.

As they passed over the conquered palace on their way to the house, the sun just barely poking over the horizon as night fell, the group felt despondent as Toph and Katara worked on healing Aang, even though Zuko considered it futile, as Sokka steered the bison from the front. Toph still felt dazed, and that horrible ringing never ceased, even for a moment, but right now, all she could do was try to help Aang. It felt like the library all over again, but this time, it was worse. She should have been there to help him, yet instead, she'd hidden behind a rock. For all her power, this was the first time since her childhood before she discovered bending that she felt so useless. However, as she poked and prodded around Aang's wound, she felt something call out to her. "Wait, there's something in here," she said as she began bending whatever it was toward her hand. It was a struggle, but eventually, something metal slid out with a disgusting pop.

Katara looked at the metal projectile in awe, recognizing it as a smaller version of what had hit Aang before. However, when Toph pulled it out, the blood began leaking more fervently as his body grew colder. "No, no, AANG!" she shouted before opening the vial and pouring its contents onto the wound.

Azula and her entourage continued on their way under the protection of Ruskian soldiers. When they reached the palace, night had set in an hour ago as she and her entourage approached the first of several gates. After the soldiers escorting her had a brief conversation with the guards, she and her men marched inside, though, for whatever reason, the Ruskians appeared nervous, but knowing they couldn't understand anything she said to them, she didn't bother asking why. When they reached the palace, she was unsurprised to see more Ruskians, but what struck her as odd was the notable lack of men from Ivan's unit. When she and her men marched up to the gate, they were greeted by one of Nikolai's aides, though she cocked her brow when she noticed he was wearing a cast around his left arm. He quickly gestured for her and her Captain to follow him inside.

Looking around, she noted signs of struggle and yet more men in various states of disrepair, but when she entered one of the main rooms, she forced herself to avoid cringing at the horrific scene. Maimed Ruskian soldiers littered the floor, with men carrying wounded in and out as medics tended to them. She quickly discarded her disguise and ran to one of the officers, hoping he could understand her. "Excuse me, but where is the Grand Duke?"

The man cocked a brow at Azula before her attention turned as one of the doors opened, and she saw some of the Ruskian Generals enter the room. Strangely, she noted they all appeared pensive. "Finally, someone I can speak to," she said as she approached the lead man, who stopped and turned to her. "Where is Grand Duke Nikolai? And what happened here?"

The man took a deep breath. "He's in the upper gallery," he told her, his voice uncharacteristically weak. "I can take you to him."

"You're Highness, would you like me to accompany you?" Her Captain asked as he walked up to her.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I would," she answered both men at once before following after the man ahead. She didn't remember his name, as she'd only heard it once, but she figured he was one of the more important ones. Still, General Alexeev was the one who left much more of an impression in her mind. As she thought of the General, she realized she hadn't seen him with the other commanders. "And beg my pardon, but where is General Alexeev?"

The man ahead of her tensed, and she swore she heard a quiet sob, but he didn't answer. After an unknown period of walking, she arrived in a corridor, and the General approached one of the doors before stopping. "He's in there. Wait outside. He'll meet with you when he's finished," he whispered before walking away, and she caught him wiping his eye with an ornate white cloth.

Curious about what he meant by that, she slowly, quietly walked up to the door and heard humming in a deep bass voice, which she immediately recognized as Nikolai's.

"Спи спокойно, малышка, а то звери начнут ползать.

Ибо если ты проснешься, они тебя укусят,

так что береги глаза, чтобы не плакать."

(Sleep well, baby. Otherwise the animals will start crawling.

For if you wake up, they will bite you,

so take care of your eyes so as not to cry.)

His voice sounded low and surprisingly soft, filled with emotions she didn't understand. The only time Azula heard him sounding like this was before the battle, on the roof of the Bulwark.

"Оставайся на кровати," сказал твой отец, и плотно завернись.

Или вы можете упасть, и звук станет призывом к пирующим животным.

(Stay on the bed, your father said, and wrap yourself tightly.

Or you may fall, and the sound becomes a call to the feasting animals.)

The Fire Princess swore she heard his voice tremble. Curious, she silently peered inside and witnessed something she never thought she would. Nikolai sat beside a small bed in a chair, and in the bed, Azula could barely make out the shape of the young girl who bumped into her several days ago. The girl was crying, though it was difficult to hear her over Nikolai's humming, and it only got quieter as he continued, though her eyes remained stained with tears as she lay on her side watching him.

"Твой брат солдат, он защитит тебя.

Но если он пойдет на войну,

ты должен помнить мои слова."

(Your brother is a soldier,

He will protect you.

But if he goes to war,

You must remember my words.)

When he finished the final verse, the girl finally fell asleep, or at least, she seemed to, as she slowly closed her eyes and dozed off. When she did, Nikolai heaved quietly before standing up and making for the door. When he opened it, he seemed surprised to see her. After a moment, he exited and carefully closed the door behind him. "Of all the visitors, I can't say I was expecting you, Your Highness. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Azula felt puzzled by his demeanour and choice of words, but she said nothing. "I-" she paused, uncertain as she took a breath. "What happened here?"

Nikolai closed his eyes and looked away. "We were attacked. What more is there to say?"

Azula noticed imprints on his uniform, and some of his awards appeared off-center. "Did someone attack you directly?"

Nikolai turned and began walking away before gesturing for her to follow, which she and her Captain did. When he had gotten a certain distance, he undid the top two buttons on his uniform. Then, he drew out a cadre of wanted posters, which she immediately recognized as the same she gave him the day after the Ruskians first appeared. When the Grand Duke pulled out the poster of the Avatar, her brows narrowed. "This was the boy who nearly ended my life tonight," he stated plainly.

Azula's mouth fell as she tried to think of how to respond. It didn't sound like something the Airbender would do. Yet, as she looked into his eyes, she knew he was telling the truth. He had nearly faced death at the hands of the Avatar. But, if that were true, how was he still here? Did he make another deal? "And what happened after?" she asked while keeping the worry from her voice. If the Grand Duke had-

"He died," he replied in a monotone. "Ivan shot him through the lung or heart, considering the blood pouring from his mouth, but I'm not sure which."

Azula stopped dead in her tracks, her mind blank as she stared at him with wide eyes: The Avatar, the greatest enemy of her nation, was dead. But, the question for her was: "How did he die?"

"I just told you," he replied.

Azula shook her head as she considered she probably didn't know what she meant. "Allow me to rephrase: Were his eyes glowing when he died?"

Nikolai paused for a moment. "Yes, they were. Why?"

His response hit her like lightning, and her mind spun. He was dead, truly dead, or at least, he was, according to the sage's records. In their halls lay many records dating back thousands of years. One of these she'd received before her departure to capture her brother. It dated from the time of the Fire Nation's uniting, detailing an anecdote of an ancient historian who'd claimed the Avatar informed him of a near-death experience while being in the Avatar state: This unnamed Avatar informed the historian that if the Avatar should die in the Avatar state, he felt it would end the cycle of rebirth forever. If true, it would seem Ivan had prevailed where her Great-Grandfather, Grandfather, father and brother all failed. A non-bender slaying the Avatar, the most powerful of all benders, certainly seemed poetic. "I see... I shall have to inform my father of this matter," she began. "But, you have my gratitude for defeating the greatest enemy of my nation," she said before walking away.

"Wait, Your Highness," the Princess heard him say, and she turned back to him. "What do you mean by that? Just who was that boy?"

"I shall inform you tomorrow. I am tired and wish to rest. Do you have accommodations?" Azula asked, to which the Grand Duke nodded.

"Of course, Your Highness," he said with a nod. "You may stay here if you like," he replied.

Azula nodded. "Very well. Do you have a room for me?"

"Yes. Please follow me," Nikolai replied as he walked past and gestured for her and her Captain to follow. Of course, if he'd wanted her dead, he would have done it when she was in a coma. Heck, from what she understood, they could have done nothing, and she may have died anyway. So, she didn't feel any worry as she marched after him, uncertain of what the morning would bring.

And thus, this arc is brought to a resounding close. I can only hope I've lived up to your expectations, but I am interested to hear your thoughts regardless, so please PM me either here, or at https: (double slash) (discord dot gg) (slash) H23g2hT6 on Discord.

Anyway, I hope you all have a lovely weekend, and as always, thank you for your attention and continued support of this story, as I never would have gotten this far if you didn't show me that people do enjoy my writing. Also, if any of you think you can voiceact, please contact me at Tonktastic on Discord so I may hear you, as I want to put this story on YouTube for those who struggle with reading.