Chapter Text
It was a starry night. The wind blew softly brushing against the green leaves. The crickets chirped happily unaware of someone walking towards them.
Splat!
Hither and tither went the other crickets, fearing for their lives when one of them was crushed by non other than the Firelord himself.
"It's time for this world to end in fire, and for a new world to be born from the ashes.", announced Ozai, standing in front of hundreds of airships.
Dawn was close when the White Lotus along with Azula reached the great wall of Ba Sing Se. Sozin's Comet could be seen skimming the atmosphere of the Earth. The orange colored sky was somewhat pleasant to the eyes, Azula thought, if she didn't consider the horrors the comet brought alongside it.
She prayed to Agni for her brother to be okay.
Miles away, Sokka, Toph, Suki and Zuko could be climbing their way up a cliff side only to discover the fleet has just taken off.
"We're too late! The fleet's already taking off!", exclaimed Sokka.
"Then we're taking off, too! Where's the closest airship?" said Toph, getting ready to earthbend.
"Wait!", interrupted Zuko. "You guys stop the airship fleets. I will try to hold back Father till Aang comes over."
"But-"
"There's no time to argue!"
"Okay... be safe Zuko."
Zuko watched as Toph launched the three towards the closest airship, using earthbending. After a swift ascension, they fell onto a nearby ship and made their way across the giant vessel.
Zuko's narrowed eyes look over to the horizon. Ready to face his Father and kill him if he has to.
Fire Nation tanks rolled towards the main gate of Ba Sing Se. On the other side of the gate, the flag of the White Lotus stood, waving proudly. Besides it stood Jeong Jeong, Bumi, Pakku, Piandao, Iroh and Azula.
"Ba Sing Se, the Order of the White Lotus is here.", declared Bumi.
"Here to set you free", continued Pakku.
"Here to free you from your misery.", said Azula.
"Only once every hundred years can a firebender experience this kind of power.", said Iroh.
Iroh inhaled deeply and exhaled as a ring of fire appeared around them. The white hot flames grew larger each time Iroh breathed deeply. Azula had never seen anything like this before. She joined her Uncle after a few breaths, her fire adding a blue colour to the ends of the white fire lotus petals her Uncle had breathed. The bright yet deadly lotus surrounded them, growing stronger and stronger every second, as if reminding those who watched how beautiful yet merciless was the fight for freedom.
Azula opened her eyes and raised her arms, as the flames around her collected to make a ball of fire. It collected energy and Azula fired it as a massive fire blast that breached the Outer Wall. Bumi jumped forward and stomped the ground. The three stone blocks that the Order's members were standing on began to quickly move towards Ba Sing Se. Fire blasts were shot at the Order members along with insults towards Azula for returning as a "traitor". Iroh deflected the blasts. The others leaped and went toward the city.
In an alleyway, Pakku bended a giant wave of water over the building and down toward the Fire Nation soldiers. Piandao jumped over it as Pakku turned the wave into ice, freezing the soldiers. Piandao slid down the frozen wave and slashed the ends of the soldier's weapons. Sliding into another street, Pakku unfreezed the water, freezing it again in front of him to block an incoming fire blast. The ice barrier is destroyed, and when another fire blast is about to hit Pakku, a giant wall of fire erupts, made by Azula, in front of him, stopping the attack.
Meanwhile, Jeong Jeong was surrounded by a line of tanks which fired on him, but he blocked the attacks with another giant wall of fire and thrusted the wall knocking the tanks. More tanks began to fire on him from another street, but Jeong Jeong repeated his actions, creating a wall of flame and attacking the tanks with it. The tanks were knocked over and in a pile as the wall of fire pushed another tank into the pile.
Fire nations soldiers surrounded Azula, taking stances, getting ready to attack. Azula's eyes moved wildly from left to right and she jumped and floated in the air using firebending to create fire jets beneath her feet. In mid air she blasted fire from her fist and feet taking down soldiers one by one. She landed on the ground again, when more tanks were nearing her. Azula waved her body and moved her fingertips in order to generate lightning. Light flickered and Azula shot her lightning directly at those tanks.
Zuko missed his Father's lighting just by an inch. He inhaled sharply, moving away his hair from his eyes, matted from sweat. Azula and his Uncle were right. Ozai did keep more soldiers alongside him. The best of the Fire Nation. All of whom attacked him. Sokka, Toph and Suki were taking down air fleets one after another. Zuko had found his father soon enough after he departed ways from his friends. His father was merciless when he attacked Zuko. Zuko thought he had seen the worst of him when he got his scar but clearly he was mistaken. The Firelord didn't miss any chance to try to kill his son. But, Zuko was able to keep him busy, he had the upper hand, and could have ended his father too until Ozai called up those soldiers and they all ganged up on him. Ozai was a difficult enough match for Zuko, but with so many soldiers, it seemed impossible for him to block attacks from all sides possible let alone attack.
Zuko was losing hope with time, but he was not going to let that stop him. If destiny decided that day was his last then so be it. He would go down heroically. Against his father.
Ozai unleashed a huge fire blast towards Zuko. Though he was skeptical whether he could block it this time, Zuko took his stance. Suddenly someone jumped in from nowhere and blocked the blast.
It was Aang!
Ozai stared at Aang with surprise.
"Thank you, Zuko" said Aang, "but the Firelord is mine now."
Zuko, glad that Aang was finally here, turned towards the rest of the soldiers and wasted no time firing powerful blasts of fire. Some fell, many still standing and Zuko got ready to fight again.
He decided that it would not be his last day on Earth and didn't hold back.
Azula unleashes a large burst of fire towards the Dai Li. It was surprising how they were as loyal as dogs when she took over but the second her father intervened, all of them went to him without a second thought. Suddenly, one of them throws a tile right at her stomach. She groans in pain and shoots a lightning bolt near their feet. They jump back, momentarily scared but that was all the time Azula needed.
She bends a wall of fire which knocks them down. By the time the wall of fire dies down, her opponents are out as a lamp.
She smirked, satisfied with the way things were turning out. But then, more Dai Li come up and attack her at once. Blast after blast leaves Azula but all of them are blocked by them. Then all of a sudden, her hands are tied behind her back and she is pinned. She struggles but the binds don't budge. The Dai Li near her are about to attack but she breathes hot blue fire right at their face from her mouth.
They scramble backwards in pain and their grip loses.
Azula flees herself from the grip and leaps up on a jet of fire and kicks her legs forward, sending a wave of fire from her feet during each of her spinning kicks. Right then Jeong Jeong joins her and together they put the last of Dai Li down.
Azula turned around just to find more Fire nation tanks. She felt exhausted but she still charged up her fingers ready to shoot lightning.
But right then, Bumi rose out of the ground with earthbending. He turned around as Fire Nation tanks appear and fire on him, but he blocked it with earthbending. He lowered the barrier smiling. He shot rocks at the holes where they shot fire. He subsequently used earthbending to shoot them into the air and they land piled on top of one another while the soldiers come out the tank groaning in pain. Azula lowered her hand, as Bumi seemed to have handled it.
Iroh and Azula look at each other and Azula burns down the Fire Nation flag on Ba Sing Se Royal Palace, which she herself had set long ago, to reveal the Earth Kingdom insignia.
Azula inhaled deeply and stared at the Earth Kingdom insignia, with no trace of the Fire Nation. It was as if it was never conquered. Will the mistakes of her past not be visible to eyes just like this one day? She wondered.
She turned around and looked at the aftermath of a war she knew so well. Scorched land, injured soldiers with permanent damage, broken tanks over broken bodies. Or will they leave a mark? She wondered. Haunting her till her very last breath.
She almost jumped when Iroh put a hand over her shoulder proudly. "Well done, Niece, well done.", he said.
Azula smiled. She realized that whatever may happen, she could bear it with her family.
An airfleet could be seen spiralling down and slamming into others. The explosion was so loud, it ringed in Zuko's ears.
Suddenly, the last soldier against Zuko spun and sent a blast of fire toward Zuko. Zuko brought his hands up and jumped forward, bringing his arms down in front of him. He bent a flame in each hand and they emerged and sent them flying towards him. Zuko kicked his legs forward and sent waves of fire towards the soldier who finally fell unable to block them. He fell on his knees and clutched his stomach, looking up at Zuko with narrowed eyes awaiting his death. Zuko decided to spare his life too like the others and just knocked him out. He turned to look at Aang. He was shocked to see Aang in the Avatar state and his father desperately trying to fight back.
Aang moved his arm in a circular motion causing water to wrap itself around Ozai's leg and up to his outstretched arm, whipping him around, before slamming him on top of a pillar. Aang flied forward and earthbended Ozai's hands and feet to the ground, trapping him. Helpless, Ozai watched fearfully as Aang hovered over him, his voice echoing with the fury of his predecessors.
"Fire Lord Ozai, you and your forefathers have devastated the balance of this world, and now you shall pay the ultimate price!"
Aang combined all four elements together for his final attack. Zuko watched, his breath caught up in his throat. At the last second, however, Aang comes out of the Avatar State, let his attack die out, and floated to the ground, freeing Ozai in the process.
"No, I'm not gonna end it like this."
"Even with all the power in the world, you are still weak!" spat Ozai.
Ozai moved to attack Aang but he stump down and lifted a foot up, dragging a pillar of earth along with him, deflecting Ozai's attack and binding him inside the rock. He circled Ozai and proceeded to bind his other hand as Ozai attempted to attack again. He pulled the rocks down into the earth slightly, causing Ozai to kneel. Ozai attempted one final fire breath attack, but Aang used airbending to stop and approached him and put one hand on Ozai's forehead, and one on his chest, while he watched in horror.
Suddenly, Ozai's eyes and mouth began to shine out red energy. Aang's, followed by Ozai's, bodies become consumed by the blue and red energies. After a few seconds, an intense beam of blue energy erupts into the sky. The beam disappears and Ozai falls to the ground as Aang releases him.
Zuko stood still. Terrified. He really thought his father was dead now. He knew he should have looked away but he found himself unable to do so.
But instead his father still seemed...alive? Confused, Zuko rushed towards Aang. Toph, Suki and Sokka were also running towards him.
Sokka talked first before Zuko could even get a word out.
"You did it! You should've seen yourself, it was amazing! You were all like!!! and the Fire Lord was all like!!!" he said dramatically, adding sound effects all the while.
"So did you, you know ... finish the job?" asked Suki.
Ozai raised his head and said slowly, "I'm still alive".
For some reason, Zuko felt angry. He felt... cheated. Sad. He couldn't really understand but he snapped nevertheless.
"What?! Why didn't you kill him Aang? Are you really going to spare him? After so much pain he has caused to everyone?" After all the pain he has caused him, he wanted to say. After all the pain he has caused Azula, he wanted to say. After all the pain he has caused their Mother and their Uncle, he wanted to say.
"I know, Zuko. But, killing is not the right way. So, I took away his bending. He can't use it to hurt or threaten anyone else ever again."
Zuko understood, but it didn't make it better. He still felt angry and upset. But maybe, maybe a certain part in him deep inside, perhaps the child in him, was still glad that his father was alive.
Azula sees Zuko in the infirmary. The Avatar and his friends were also there, chatting away. The ponytail guy was talking rather enthusiastically to his father. Using sound effects, gestures and words like "airbending slice". His sister feigned embarrassment but was also giggling away.
Zuko hugged Azula saying how glad he was that she was okay. Azula hugged him back. It was somewhat surprising to her how naturally it came to her. During their catching up, Azula had signaled towards Aang. Zuko understood what she meant and told her how Aang left their father alive.
Azula was shocked to hear that. She was infuriated. She really believed that Ozai deserved death and the "just" Avatar would kill him. All their suffering flashed before her eyes. Her continuously trying to living up to her father's expectations, only to never be appreciated, used and force to flee the palace at the end and live in upmost poverty. Her brother having to live with a scar and being banished. Her mother always being sad. Her Uncle being treated as an outsider and seen as a lazy old man. He caused all of this, just to... get his bending taken away?
Tears pricked her eyes. A huge part of her was angry but a small part of her felt relieved that her father was still alive. She never got any attention from her Mother. Her Father was the only one she ever knew and saw as a parent. She opened her mouth to say something but she could think of nothing. She felt that it would take her a considerably long time before she could accept this.
Time passed and after all their injuries were looked after, Zuko had beckoned her to a side.
"Trust me when I say I don't want to talk about this right now", he began, "but we have to decide who has to be the fire lord."
Azula sighed. She had been thinking about that when she was on her way to Ba Sing Se with the White Lotus. So, she had an answer ready.
Azula had thought back to the last Fire Lord who was loved instead of feared. Those had been peaceful times.
"You should be the Fire Lord, Zuzu."
"We can discuss about this firs-"
"No, Zuko listen. The last Fire Lords I can recall who ruled over eras of peace were the ones who were loved. The people will fear me, but they won’t love me. They will love you."
“Why would they love me?” Zuko asked.
Azula gestures to him. “You have the perfect story, Zuko,” she explained. “You were the banished prince - banished for standing up to his evil father and have now redeemed yourself and are the friend of the Avatar. The Avatar part matters a lot too. I've only known him recently. Plus, my record with him isn't very...well let's say as inspiring as yours. And you always know who is there by your side.” She finished and gestured towards herself.
This might work. This might actually work.
On a bright fine day inside the Fire Nation Royal Palace. The soon to be Fire Lord Zuko wass having trouble putting on his Fire Lord robes.
In his defence, it didn't quite help when Azula kept on calling him a dum-dum and kept saying how this happens this way and that happens that way.
If you asked him, his so-called perfect sister wasn't a help to him at all. Meanwhile, his sister would fight him if he voiced that opinion.
"Yes, you need a lot of help with that." said Mai.
"Mai! You're okay! They let you out of prison?" Zuko exclaimed.
"My uncle pulled some strings. And it doesn't hurt when the new Fire Lord is your boyfriend."
They kiss. When they break apart, Mai looks at Azula.
"It's so good to see you, Mai." Azula grins and hugs her.
In the Fire Nation Coronation Plaza, people from all over the world have congregated for the coronation of the new Fire Lord, among which several familiar faces. One of which Azula recognised despite the face paint.
"Ty lee! Is that really you?" she laughed.
Ty lee's face lits up when she sees Azula and hugs her. Azula notices that she was wearing what Kyoshi warriors wear. A few of the said warriors looked at her skeptically. She didn't blame them. She did throw them in prision, so she just awkwardly sets her gaze away.
Ty Lee chats away telling her all about how she met those girls in prision. It turns out that Ty Lee is now a Kyoshi warrior.
Inside the Royal Palace, Aang, now wearing the robes and necklace of an airbending master, opens his eyes from his meditation as Zuko approaches, still wearing the Fire Lord attire.
Azula watches as they talk, wondering how about a year ago she would done anything to be where Zuko has. So much seemed to have changed now. A while later, her Uncle and the rest of the members of the White Lotus find her bringing her out of her thoughts.
"So, I heard you are not becoming the Fire Lord." said Bumi.
Quite used to snarky remarks Azula was about to fire a comeback but Bumi was not finished apparently.
"Quite good if you ask me. Had you became the Fire Lord, you might not have had enough time to learn the old ways of Pai'sho with us."
Azula raised an eyebrow, utterly confused.
"What he means is," Iroh began, "we want you to join the White Lotus, Princess Azula. If you're interested off course."
To say Azula was shocked would be an understatement. 'Only the finest and the best are part of the White Lotus'. Azula had read. She really couldn't believe it.
"Are you sure Uncle Iroh?" Azula asked hopefully.
"As sure as I am that Jasmine tea is my favourite."
Azula laughed and accepted the offer.
Pakku tossed a White Lotus tile towards her. "We look forward to working with you, Princess Azula." he said and left.
Zuko was looking at Azula proudly, having heard the entire conversation. When she looked at him, he beckoned her to join her.
"I am not the Fire Lord." said Azula pointing towards them, "Nor the Avatar."
"I want you to come with us nevertheless."
Together they step outside the palace. Zuko walked past while a gong is struck. The crowd cheers and Zuko raises a hand.
"Please. The real hero is the Avatar." said Zuko, "Today this war is finally over! I promised my uncle that I would restore the honor of the Fire Nation. And I will. The road ahead of us is challenging. A hundred years of fighting has left the world scarred and divided. But with the Avatar's help, we can get it back on the right path and begin a new era of love and peace."
Zuko kneelt down, preparing to be crowned Fire Lord. A Fire Sage put the Fire Lord headpiece into Zuko's top knot.
Azula and Zuko stood proudly in front of the crowd yet again. But for completely different reasons than the last time. This time they stood alongside the Avatar.
"All hail Fire Lord Zuko!" ,Everyone cheers again, "All hail Princess Azula!"
Azula and Zuko looked at each other and smiled.
Azula, from the seed of her past mistakes, was reborn as new plant now.