Chapter 9: Burning Bridges
-North Pole, Northern Water Tribe-
In the white, snowy expanses of North Pole the ice was scraped by the slow in and out motions of the ocean brought on by the pull and push of the moon–shining full in the night sky, as if Princess Yue was still watching over her old home.
The tides were disturbed, however, by the Icelanders sailing toward the Northern Water Tribe. Many of them were eager for the spoils their target destination had to offer.
"Hold!" Eivor called as they made landfall at the Northern wall, and were in line of sight to the main square of the Tribe's stronghold.
Taking a warhorn from beside her, put it to her lips, and blew–sending a loud, low and haunting sound to waver over the entire area.
On the wall, the guards who patrolled it paused and shivered as they looked out to the sea, wondering what had made that sound.
"What was that?" One of the guards asked his fellow tribe member.
"I don't know, but I don't like it." The second guard replied.
"Odahviing!" The vikingess called, prompting one of the men on another boat to hop off, trudging through the ice towards the wall.
Odahviing was an imposing man. He had brown hair with a beard that had three braids, blue eyes and cuacasian skin. His body, unlike the others, was very muscular and made him look like he could destroy a boulder with a single punch.
His attire consisted of a pair of armored boots, an armored leather pauldron over his right shoulder, fingerless metal gauntlets on both hands, a kilt made of leather and animal hides that had an assortment of belts on it that held a horn, an ax, and two swords. His boots consisted of a mix of leather and animal hide to protect them from the cold.
His ax was a two handed bearded ax with a squid on the head, a silver pommel and a leather wrap. It was a rather intimidating sight.
When he was in proximity, he drew his ax and readied a swing. Water surrounded the edge of the weapon, forming into a razor's edge stronger than steel.
And when he swung, a powerful blast of water was launched from it. When it hit the wall…
BOOM!
The wall was decimated, and the entire tribe had been startled by the sudden attack.
"If we are to fall in battle today men, find peace in death like honorable warriors." Advari said to the men. "ONTO VALHALLA!" He yelled as the warriors roared their battle cries and charged forward, weapons in hand.
(Elsewhere)
-Fire Nation Capital-
Azula let out a groan as she felt her developing child give her a vigorous kick to the wall of her womb.
"Easy, honey." She whispered to the baby inside her, trying to soothe her unborn daughter.
"Our daughter is kicking again?" Touya asked as he sat next to her.
"She is. So far, she seems healthy if she's kicking like this." The blue flame user replied.
"That's good to hear." Touya nodded as he helped his fiance up out of their bed. "Come on. Zuko said he wanted to tell you something." He continued.
"Oh really? And what does dear Zuzu want this time?" The princess questioned, a sign that she was having a mood swing.
"He wants that to be a surprise." The redhead smirked as he escorted his lover to the main living room.
"... You know Touya, you really are the most dreadful liar." The blue flame user grinned, rolling her eyes.
"What? Zuko really does want this to be a surprise for you." The half blood bender chuckled as they kept walking.
"I mean that you're lying about not wanting to tell me what it is." Azula stated as they reached the main living room of the Palace where Mai and Zuko were.
"Thanks for bringing her here, Touya." Zuko nodded as the couple sat across from them.
"So, Zuzu, what is it that you have to tell me?" The blue flame user asked.
"I've decided to start setting up your coronation as the crowned princess again." The fire lord explained. "I've also decided to make you and Touya the next in the line of succession. In case… something happens." He continued.
Azula and Touya were taken aback at Zuko's words. Not only was the former being crowned as princess once more, but she and her fiance were being named next in line of succession for the throne? This was quite the shocker for the couple.
"What brought this on?" Azula questioned.
"Well, I took a bit of time to think and, I've come to realize that both of us were not only victims of our father's cruelty, but that it warped you especially." The boy explained. "This is part of my plan to help fix all that."
"I gotta admit, this is pretty ambitious. It also looks like a good step in the right direction." Touya commented.
"Thanks." Zuko nodded as he looked at Mai. "Mai wasn't so sure that it was a good idea, ya know, timing and all." He added.
"I'm still not sure." Mai interjected.
"But it could go a long way towards shedding Ozai's legacy." The Fire Lord finished.
"I should hope so. That fool is hardly memorable." The redhead commented with a shake of his head.
Azula, meanwhile, seemed to visibly darken in her demeanor at the mention of her father, the memory of him shirking her when he thought his victory was in view burning it way to the surface of her memory.
"... Zuko, you said that you and Touya are trying to get information out of Ozai about our mother, right?" She questioned.
"Yeah…?"" The scarred ruler replied, wondering where his sister was going.
"Well, I think I'll pitch in on that and play him like an instrument. I'm sure I can get something out of him." Azula stated with a smirk.
Zuko seemed apprehensive of the idea, as did Mai, visibly so. Touya didn't seem to give an exact reaction, but it did seem… guarded, almost.
"I feel strongly compelled to deny this notion." Zuko said after a beat passed.
"Come on, Zuko." The princess groaned. "Ozai always saw me as his favorite, and always kept me close and in the loop. He'll talk to me, but not you, or Touya." She continued. "You know it, I know it. I can get him to talk, I can get the information we need. Just let me try." She added.
"... Fine. But Touya and I will wait outside the cell just in case." The Fire Lord conceded.
"I'd expect nothing less." The blue flame user nodded in agreement.
(Elsewhere)
-North Pole-
Weapons clashed, ice buildings crumbled and elemental attacks crashed in every which way as chaos erupted in the wake of a raid that had started in the Northern Water Tribe just minutes before.
"RAGH!" Eivor roared as she swung her sword down on a guard. Flames crashed onto the ice, sending a tidal wave of fire across the ground, causing a group of non bender soldiers to jump out of the way.
Across from her, another viking was facing off against Paku. Only he wasn't using water or fire, he was using air.
"Who are you people?! What reason could you possibly have to attack us?!" The water bending master and White Lotus member demanded as he evaded a blast of air.
The man, who was tall, had long blonde hair that seemed to be in several braids. His eyes were brown and his body was also stoutly built. He was dressed in mostly plated armor with a fur cape on his shoulders.
His weapon was a large obtuse triangle shaped one handed hammer, which seemed to be crackling with static electricity.
The man raised his hammer and conjured winds around him, causing a storm to churn above him–before a lightning bolt struck the hammer, and he used it to redirect the lightning at Paku.
"You can call us the Icelanders! We're here to plunder this place!" The Viking roared as the lightning connected with its target, sending him flying into a wall since he couldn't dodge in time. "I am Thorfinn, son of Dorin Oakenhammer. The Stormbringer."
Back with Eivor, she managed to Sparta kick a soldier into an ice building, causing it to crumble. Then block a spear blow with her axes, hook the warrior by the shoulders with her weapons, and then kick him away–relieving their head from their shoulders.
She then took a moment to see what plunder she could take from an abandoned house, and found a nice assortment of bead necklaces, bones with animal carvings and the like. These would make for good spoils. With a grin, she started taking what she could.
"I do hear that these are quite well sought in pirate circles." The woman noted, handling a statue of the moon spirit (Yue) carved out of a Walrus tusk. "Best to see how well sought." She nodded, putting the trinket away.
(Elsewhere)
-Fire Nation Capital Palace Dungeon-
Zuko, Azula and Touya walked through the dungeon with the intent of paying Ozai a visit.
The blue flame user was currently readying herself mentally for her little session of toying with her father. She needed to make sure she had him fooled in order to get the information she sought out of him.
With a deep breath, she put on her best "Azula" face and started walking into the cell block, though anyone who looked at her probably wouldn't take her seriously–given that she was mostly nothing but stomach at this point.
Pregnancy can ruin the image you try to put up.
A minute or so later, they reached Ozai's cell and stopped.
"Okay, this is his cell." Zuko whispered to avoid getting Ozai's attention. "Azula, are you as ready as you can get for this?" He asked.
"Around that, yes." The princess replied quietly with a nod, taking another calming breath. "Alright. Open the door." She added.
Zuko nodded and gestured for Suki to let her in, allowing the girl to enter the room, and then sit down on the same seat Touya did and see Ozai laying on the ground, his back to her.
"Hello, father." She said in her usual voice, sounding like she did before her breakdown, when she was taking over Ba Sing Se, and manipulating people.
"Why are you here? To gloat about the pathetic life you've built with that half blood peasant?" The powerless man asked coldly, not even looking at her.
Azula immediately wanted to attack him, but only forced a smirk as she stayed her hand. "Who said that life was true?" She asked, causing him to pause and glance at her a bit.
"What are you saying? He questioned.
"What I'm saying is: I'm simply using him for my amusement. None of what I have with him is genuine." Azula told her father. 'Forgive me, Touya!' She mentally begged, focusing her willpower on not dropping the act she had set up. "He's simply a pet, a personal plaything for my amusement." She added, though the action of saying those words made her want to vomit.
"... Hm. And here I was under the impression that you'd gotten soft." Ozai mused, turning to face her fully. Azula mentally smirked at her sperm donor falling for her lie.
'Hook, line and sinker. Like an elephant koi.' The girl thought as she continued to look at her father. "Zuzu's doing quite well as fire lord, I must admit." She said idly. "Not as well as you or grandfather, mind you. But still, decent for someone who's typically an abject failure in just about every aspect." She added, rolling her hand a bit.
"I suppose 'decent' is the only adequate description for that miserable disappointment." Ozai conceded. "He may be Fire Lord, but he will never live up to my legacy or the rest of his predecessors." He added.
"On that we could not agree more." His daughter nodded, kicking herself mentally. "Though, he is doing something remarkable. He's actually convinced the Earth Kingdom to consider voting on allowing the colonies to stay." She continued. "It's intended to be a vote, but still. Fire Nation occupation in a different territory with zero Fire Nation casualties and in a smaller time frame then the original war? Quite the success, I'd say. If it pans out." She added.
"If the Earth Kingdom lets our colonies stay in spite of the war, then they still fear us. This is no gesture of peace." Ozai scoffed.
"But to us, that's a good thing. Isn't that right, Father?" Azula chuckled, getting a chuckle in return.
"Indeed." He nodded as he relaxed. "And, for what it's worth. I am… sorry that you were left during the great Comet assault. I was merely thinking tactically, you understand." He continued–though it was obvious to Azula that he was lying through his teeth. He didn't care.
"I understand, fully." Azula nodded. 'NOT!' She yelled mentally.
"Now, I'm sure you came here for more than just to catch up. I can see that gleam in your eyes, the one you always had when you wanted something from me." Ozai stated, despite her change, he was still able to read his daughter like a book.
"Recently, I've been wondering about mother and what became of her after she left. I want to know what happened and if anything related to her was left behind." The blue flame user explained. "Zuzu is torn up about it too. And just think of the leverage I could use on him if I had information he wanted." She added with a grin.
Ozai was silent for a moment before a smile crept on his face. "That's my girl." He chuckled darkly. Then he composed himself. "There's a hidden chamber in the palace where some of your mother's old letters were hidden. They were placed in a chest in this chamber. That's where you'll find them." He told her.
This. This moment right here, was the moment Azula had been waiting for. Now her father was nearly at his most proud and narcissistic, it was almost time for her to knock him down a few pegs.
"Thank you father." The maiden replied.
"Do with this information as you will. And know that I am very proud of you, my daughter." The former Phoenix King told her. "Though, I do only request that, if your child is a male one. That you'll name him after me. As a show of solidarity to the one who raised you into the warrior you are now." He added.
Now was the time.
"Of course, but…" She trailed off before looking to the door with a smirk. "You can come in now, boys." She called, and Ozai's eyes widened in shock as Touya and Zuko walked in.
"What?! What is this?!" Ozai recoiled in shock, not understanding what was going on.
"Oh that's simple; I played you like a xiphur to get the information I needed." Azula grinned, letting her facade down. "Now you know how it feels to get manipulated." She added.
"And by your own daughter, no less!" Touya laughed.
"And the people of our nation seem to think that I'm doing swimmingly well as Fire Lord so far." Zuko chuckled.
Ozai's face turned into one of pure infuriation. His own daughter, his favorite child, played him for a fool?!
"YOU TREACHEROUS BITCH!" He thundered. "I give you everything, and I get repaid with a dagger in my back?! How dare you!" He continued angrily.
"Give me everything?" Azula scoffed. "I served you without question, and then you shafted me when you went on your power trip to the Earth Kingdom." She added.
"It was to keep power at a center grip. You were Fire Lord, just like you wanted. Weren't you?!" The man snapped.
"A title that was given to me as a consolation prize, before you pulled the rug out from under it with your own." Azula retorted. "The fact is, Ozai, you played me off of mother so that she'd hate me to drive me towards you. I know now that, had it been the opposite. Zuko and I could have had our roles reversed." She continued. "But now look, our roles have changed. Here I stand with my power and status intact, with those around me close at hand. While you sit there, poor, powerless, alone." She added.
"You… you…!" Ozai snarled, looking ready to snap fully, not unlike how Azula herself did after being anointed the new Fire Lord just before the war ended.
"Yes, me." Azula grinned. "And just so you're aware, my baby is going to be a girl that will be named after my mother, my real parent. Have fun knowing that… Little Ozai." She finished, coining a new insult for her sperm donor.
This made Touya fall to his knees in laughter while Zuko actually let out his own laughs of amusement.
Ozai, meanwhile, seemed to be almost catatonic, giving them a thousand yard stare as he fell to his knees.
"Come on boys." The princess said as the three began to leave, but before they did, she wanted to get one last jab in. "Oh, and one more thing." She said, causing the man to twitch. "If what I've heard is right, you manipulated and abused mother when you married her, forcing her into a marriage she didn't want and isolating her. You showed no love, and she left you just so she could save her son." She continued. "I however, have done the exact opposite, and have a loving relationship with a wonderful man, and will soon have an equally beautiful child." She added as she and Touya kissed. "I wonder… What does that say about you?"
Ozai didn't give a reaction. He just stood there like a statue, staring into space. The trio took this time to leave, and when they were a few feet from the cell, Azula stopped, getting the attention of the two men with her.
"Why'd you–" Zuko started to asked before his sister held three fingers up.
"And in three… two… one…" She counted down before…
"RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" They heard Ozai roar.
This made Azula burst out laughing as she leaned on Touya.
"Oh, that was so worth the trouble of acting!" She laughed as tears of mirth escaped her eyes.
"Yeah it was!" The redhead laughed in agreement. Zuko just shook his head with a grin.
'Ozai really had it coming after the lifetime of crap we had to put up with because of him.' He thought to himself. Then he noticed his sister starting to look tired. "Azula, are you okay?" He asked in concern.
"Yeah… Putting up that… act took… a lot out… of me…" She replied, feeling seriously mentally drained. She then suddenly slumped and fell into Touya's arms, showing how much the act drained her.
"Come on, let's get you in bed." Her husband-to-be told her as he picked her up again.
"Yeah, and while we're at it, I'll see if I can convince the cooks to make you some Kyoshi Island stuffed apple donuts." Suki smiled as she and Ty Lee followed along.
"Oh! And maybe some fresh Jiang Hui Clams and Komodo Chicken." The acrobat suggested.
"Ya know, a Song's Duck sounds real good right about now…" Touya nodded thoughtfully before looking down at Azula and her five month old embryo. "What do you think? Does all that sound good?" He asked his bride and developing daughter.
"Yes it does." Azula sighed in content.
"Good." The redhead smiled as the group left the dungeon.
(Elsewhere)
-Northern Water Tribe-
In the now wrecked Northern Water Tribe, dozens lay dead. More mortally wounded or dying, others fleeing and hiding, and blood seeped into the snow as buildings crumbled to the ground. Weapons littered the icy floor.
Eivor walked amongst the carnage and spotted a water tribe warrior kneeling dead, impaled on his own spear–before she picked up her axes and put them away.
"There's no other plunder to be had, Eivor." Havi, another of the Berserkers, told her.
"Then let us take what we've plundered from this place and cast off." The vikingess ordered. Havi nodded in reply as he took his haul and went back to the boats.
"We will march into the night." Evior began to call into a song as the vikings walked towards the ship's.
"Let the fear sink in their eyes." Odahviing joined in, ax slung over his shoulder and the heads of several water benders dangling from his belt..
"We will roar our battle cries." Advari added, sacks of trinkets slung across his back.
"The oath we shall carry strong." Havi added, tying down a few boxes.
"Rally up the swords and shields." A group of the Icelanders sang, said weapons and shields gathered.
"Fight until the blood is fields." Another group added, carrying wrapped corpses that had various shields on them.
"For the honor I decree." Yet another group carried on, securing their goods. Others beat slowly on drums.
"The heavens are on our side." A group added as they pulled their weapons from the dead bodies of their victims.
"We will march into the night." Thorfinn drummed, his hammer still sparking from redirecting a storm's worth of lightning at Paku.
"Let the fear sink in their eyes" Eivor hummed as she walked, her sword in one hand and her sack of trinkets in the other.
"We will roar our battle cries." Advari continued, grabbing a spear and pulling it out of the corpse of an older water tribe man and wiping it clean in the snow.
"The oath we shall carry strong." Odahviing joined in, tossing his plunder in his boat, before blowing on his war horn.
"Rally up the swords and shields." A group of Icelanders pitched in, their swords and shields ready to counter any survivors that might sneak up on them.
"Fight until the blood is fields." Another group sang as they loaded up their loot.
"For the honor I decree." Advari jumped in as he put his spear away.
"Thе heavens are on our side." Thorfinn hummed, clutching what looked to be several water tribe medicine scrolls.
"We will march into the night." Eivor hummed once more as she got on her boat with her loot.
"Let the fear sink in their eyes." Odahviing sang as he took his position on his own boat.
"We will roar our battle cries." Havi hummed as the sails of the long ships were raised.
"The oath we shall carry strong." The Icelanders joined in unison.
"Rally up the swords and shields." A group in one of the first group toned, hurling discs of fire at the ice walls, cutting off any chance of being followed quickly by destroying the tribe boats.
"Fight until the blood is fields." Havi sang as he looked out at the sea around them.
"For the honor I decree." A group on the second boat sang.
"Thе heavens are on our side." Evior's boat thummed as the longships left the north pole behind, on to the next target of their pillaging…
The city of Yu Dao.
(Elsewhere)
Back with the Fire Nation royal couples and their two companions, they were enjoying a hearty meal, which was greatly helping Azula recover from her experience with Ozai.
Along with her food, she was having a Water Tribe/Fire Nation, and Fire Nation/Earth Kingdom fusion meal along with what the others were having. The fusion dishes including: Arctic Hen Leg and Komodo Chicken fire noodles soup (modified from a recipe given to the cooks from Ursa and Katara's grandparents respectively), and a Song's Duck/Flaming hot Chicken skewer dish.
Her beverage was some Warming Ginger Tea, courtesy of shipments from the Jasmine Dragon.
"This looks really good." The blue flame user smiled as she took small bites, being mindful of her growing daughter. "Mmm, and it tastes just as good." She added with a bigger smile.
"It should. My grandparents knew what they were doing." Katara smirked.
As the groups continued to eat–Aang of course eating some sour cabbage soup, cabbage noodles, and beetroot salad. Ya know, vegetarian–a messenger came into the dining hall, passing Zuko a letter addressed to him from Earth King Kuei.
"Hm?" The Fire Lord hummed with a raised eyebrow as he opened the letter, and upon reading the contents, he frowned. "Okay… This is a problem." He said to himself.
"What's wrong?" Sokka asked.
"The decision regarding Yu Dao is split down the middle. The movement can't go anywhere like this, so Kuei is calling in Aang to help settle the dispute before it can escalate." Zuko explained, causing everyone to stop eating and look at him.
"Did he say where I need to go to help out?" The Airbender asked.
"No. But I can tell you when." The scarred teen stated.
"When?" Katara questioned.
"Does the phrase "As soon as humanly possible" hold any meaning to you?" Zuko repled, reading the phrase aloud.
"... I'll be sure to head to Yu Dao when our business in the Fire Nation is concluded." Aang said after a beat passed.
"You should too, Touya." Azula told her fiance. "Yu Dao is your home, your family is there. You should fight for it, don't let it slip from you." She added. The redhead gave his fiance a kiss and nodded.
"Azula, anywhere you and our daughter are is home to me. Where doesn't matter." He told her. "But, you're right." He nodded. "Yu Dao is my ancestral home. I should fight for it." The redhead added resolutely.
"And besides, if this gets out of control, all our work to end the hundred years war will be for nothing." Suki added. "It's time we grew as one union, instead of dying separately." She continued, grabbing Sokka's hand under the table.
"Right." Zuko nodded in agreement. "We need to move on and leave the animosity of the past behind." He added.
This got a nod from everyone else as Mai spoke up last. "Then I say we finish our dinner, stop talking and start acting." She stated.
"Straight and to the point." Azula chuckled. "Same old Mai." She sighed as the group went back to their dinner.
And in the distance from Yu Dao, groups of people carrying torches and weapons were marching towards the city in the dead of night.
A storm was coming, two winds on two fronts. And no one could yet tell if the Four Nations would make it out to the aftermath alive.
Dragon Emperor0: As you can see guys, unlike the original show, we have no qualms with showing brutality. Even if it's in short glimpses. But don't worry, you'll see plenty of bloodshed in the coming battle. We promise.
ThermalsniperN7: The Northern Water Tribe already got the Icelander treatment of pillaging and ransacking. Now Yu Dao's next on the list. Touya's gonna show his inner dragon for that fight.
Dragon Emperor0: And for those of you who think that Thorfinn broke the rules of Bending. Don't worry, he didn't. He isn't actually Bending lightning like a Firebender would. He's simply redirecting it through his hammer like a lightning rod. Trust us, we have no plans to break rules here.
ThermalsniperN7: And then we have Azula playing Ozai like he was a flute… I cannot even begin to describe how much fun that was. Especially with the insult she coined.
Dragon Emperor0: Yeah. But, just like Dracula, the good she's gained has left her absolutely wiped out after one display of her old self. It's just too hard to keep up now.
ThermalsniperN7: And the Icelanders have set their sights on Yu Dao as their next point of plunder. Can the gang make it back there in time?
Dragon Emperor0: Let's hope so. Anyway guys, see you all next time.