Azula’s ship sliced through the seas toward the watery borders of the Fire Nation. Ahead of her flew the Avatar’s sky bison. The giant white animal moved amazingly fast, and it was all her poor ship could do to keep up.
“Sailing into the Fire Nation,” her uncle said, shaking his head, “This is beyond reckless.”
“At least I’ll meet my fate like a true warrior,” Azula answered, not even bothering to take her eyes off the Avatar. She was still mad at Iroh for getting captured by those earthbenders.
“What about your men?”
“They’ll be honored to die serving their princess.”
She heard him sigh, probably thinking about what he should say next. At least she’d shut him up for a time. Since the arrival of the Avatar into their lives, the old man never stopped talking to her.
“We need to talk about what happened,” he said.
Again, she refused to look at him. “There’s nothing to talk about. You got yourself in trouble, and I saved you. End of story.”
He placed his hand on her shoulder. “Azula.”
She shrugged off his hand. “It’s settled. You’ll not get yourself in that kind of situation again, and I’ll keep pursuing the Avatar.”
“You only have control over so much, Azula. One way or another, all of us meet our fate.”
She directed her golden eyes at him. “It doesn’t mean you should have rushed to meet it.”
“Says the young lady flagrantly breaking her father’s laws.”
“My father will understand,” she said.
He smiled wryly. “Understanding! My brother has always been headstrong and lacking in mercy. Reminds me of a certain young princess.”
Azula ignored his attempts to bait her. On the horizon, a line of ships formed. Azula got out her spyglass. “Let’s take it down before it crosses into Fire Nation waters.”
Her men brought up a catapult and readied a fireball to launch at the bison.
“All is prepared, Princess,” one of the men said.
“Fire!” she commanded.
The catapult launched fireball after fireball at the bison, but each one came up short. A few the Avatar batted away with his airbending.
Fireballs began to be shot from the catapults on ships in front of her. The flaming projectiles rose up toward the bison, but they met the same fate as hers. Unfortunately, they also fell towards her ship. One splashed down in a hiss of steam right next to them.
“That was too close for comfort,” Iroh said.
“Evasive maneuvers!” Azula yelled, “But keep the Avatar in sight.”
“Aye!” the men yelled.
More fireballs rained down on them. Fear twisted in the pit of her stomach, but she paid it no heed.
“Now might be the time to shoot the close ones with lightning, Uncle!” she said. They might die from this escapade, but Azula wanted to see him work with lightning. Maybe she could learn better by imitating him.
He nodded. “All right.” He moved his hands in circular arcs, and electricity began to flow. He pointed two fingers at a fireball coming at them. It struck it, and it exploded in the air before it could hit them.
Eventually, the deadly hail of fireballs abated, and Azula breathed a sigh of relief. “I guess it's a good thing I saved your life and let you eat all our food.”
He smiled and rubbed his belly. “Both are most appreciated.”
She smirked and then raised her voice. “We're almost to the blockade. Prepare to be boarded.”
They sailed through a gap in the line. Oddly, no one even tried to stop them. Her ship passed right through. She looked at the other ships through her spyglass. Her gaze fell on someone whom she instantly felt a loathing for. “Commander Zhao.”
“He’s the commander?” Iroh said.
She closed her spyglass. “He’s just letting us pass. Doesn’t that seem weird?”
“He probably wants to follow us,” Iroh said.
“Hoping we’ll lead him to the Avatar.” Azula rubbed her chin. “I have a plan.”
***
The small dinghy had but one sail on it, but it made pretty good time. Azula somehow managed to keep the bison in sight. Hopefully, Zhao hadn’t seen her when she slipped away in the twilight. She doubted he did. Darkness was her ally. The Avatar’s bison descended toward an island. Wasn’t that where Avatar Roku’s temple was?
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
***
She raced up the steps of the temple and was greeted by a Fire Sage. “I saw the Avatar land here. Where is he?”
“Some of our sages have chased him down to the inner sanctuary.”
“Then we’ve got no time to lose. Lead the way.”
“Why should I listen to the word of a young girl?” the man said.
She raised her palms to the sky, and blue fire erupted from them. “I am Princess Azula. You will obey me!”
If he’d wanted to argue with her, he didn’t show it. He promptly turned and led her toward the sanctuary. She rounded the corner and saw Aang and his friends fighting with the Fire Sages. The doors were closing.
“Stop!” she yelled, punching a fireball at Aang.
He jumped over it, flipping inside the sanctuary just as the doors creaked shut. She reached the door and blasted it with fire, hoping it would break through, but to no avail.
“Would someone open these doors?” she said.
“I’m sorry, Princess,” one of the Fire Sages said as he and the others were chaining Katara and Sokka, along with one of the old sages, to a pillar, “But the doors may only be opened by Avatar Roku from the inside, now.”
“Looks like you’re too late,” Sokka said with a grin.
Azula glared at the chained boy. “We’ll be here when he gets out.” She grabbed the nearest Fire Sage. “Try to open it once more.”
The sage looked as though he was about to argue, but he thought better of it. Azula watched as they launched fire at the locks, and nothing happened. She commanded them to do it again, and again she got the same result.
“Bah!” she growled. “Let's try something el—”
“DON'T follow the orders of a traitor,” Commander Zhao said, entering the outer temple with several of his men. He arrogantly stroked his great sideburns.
The Fire Sages bowed to him. “Commander!”
“Bind the princess with the others,” Zhao said.
“How did you find me?” she asked as the soldier came near.
“You aren't as clever as you think.” He smiled at her wolfishly. “But you make a great prize. Maybe the Fire Lord will let me keep you.”
His words filled Azula with nausea and revulsion. “I already told you, I would never marry you until the moon spirit—
“That can be arranged!” he bellowed at her. “Men, take her.”
“I don’t think so,” she said. As the soldiers came close, she spun low, unleashing a torrent of fire. It swept them off their feet. She charged Zhao, punching fireballs at him. He blocked her strikes, grunting with the effort.
As she fought Zhao, however, the other soldier and Fire Sages returned to their feet. All circled around her, creating an impenetrable ring of fire.
“Surrender, Princess,” Zhao said.
Breathing heavily, she nodded.
“Bind her with the others,” he said.
In short order, Azula was chained on the pillar next to Sokka and Katara.
“Looks like the spoiled princess is just like the rest of us,” Katara said.
Azula grimaced. “I’m nothing like you, filthy peasant.”
Katara scoffed. “Sokka and I are the children of a Water Tribe chieftain.”
“I don’t care,” Azula answered flatly.
“You should,” Sokka said. “Now, all we can do is hope Aang can save us.”
“Against this many firebenders?” Azula said.
“He can do it,” Katara said with more confidence than her face showed.
“If you say so.”
***
Initially, Azula had been so preoccupied with Sokka and Katara that she hadn’t noticed there was also one more person bound with them: an elderly Fire Sage named Shyu. He patiently sat next to her, blowing strands of his white beard out of his mouth. While he sat quietly, she tapped her foot. Patience was definitely not something she possessed. She studied a grand painting of Avatar Roku, the man who'd contained the Avatar spirit before Aang. Roku had been a tall man, handsome and strong, with long dark hair and golden eyes. She couldn't decide if they were kind or judgmental. He was dressed in an older style, with red and black Fire Nation robes. The eyes from his picture bored into her soul.
She averted her gaze to study her captors instead. Zhao, that disgusting creature, was busily setting up an ambush for when the Avatar left the chamber. He noticed her looking at him and winked at her. She glared back, but he just laughed at her discomfort.
They’d been stuck there for an hour or so when she asked Fire Sage Shyu, “So...why did you help the Avatar?”
“Just like you serve the Fire Lord, I serve the Avatar,” he said, his graying eyebrows furrowed. “I do my duty." He cast a disappointed look at the other Fire Sages. "All of us should have. My fellow sages have committed a grave dishonor.”
She nodded. She could understand that, she supposed, though she much preferred being served than serving others.
The doors began to open.
“Fire at the Avatar!” Zhao yelled. The firebenders created a wall of flame and sent it toward the Avatar. Azula hadn’t seen its like for brightness and sheer magnitude.
She couldn’t have been more shocked when she saw the Avatar. She’d expected to see the small, pale boy. Instead, the great Avatar Roku floated out, his tall form unfazed by the powerful firebending in front of him. The Fire Sages took one look at him and wisely fled the room. Only Zhao and his men were left.
“Blast him!” Zhao said to his terrified men.
His men punched and kicked many fireballs at Avatar Roku, but the Avatar waved them out of his way with a blast of wind, followed by fire. His golden eyes blazed with white-hot intensity. It wasn't long before Zhao and his men ran away.
Avatar Roku blasted the bindings off Azula and the others. She raised her hands to fight them, turning her back on the Avatar.
“Azula!” he said.
She recognized that voice. He'd been the one who had called her when Uncle Iroh was captured. Shocked, she turned and bowed to him. Katara and Sokka grabbed her arms.
“Release her!” Avatar Roku said.
They complied, and she returned to her full height.
“You are proud and take many risks,” Roku said, “But you are also brave and cunning.”
She raised an eyebrow. “What do you want of me?”
Roku's long, gray hair and beard flowed in a nonexistent breeze. “You face two paths. One will lead you to destruction; the other, to redemption.”
“That’s just vague enough to be a great prophecy,” Sokka whispered before being shushed by his sister.
Azula rose to her feet. “How do I avoid destruction?”
Roku smiled at her. “Choose love, my daughter.”
“Daughter?” Azula asked, heart pounding in her chest. Why couldn’t he have told her to be braver? She didn’t know how to love.
“You are my descendant. It hurts me to see you suffer.”
No one had ever informed her she was descended from the great Avatar Roku! "Why didn't anyone tell me?"
He ignored her and motioned with his hand. “You should leave. I must destroy this corrupted place.” Though he was an ethereal spirit, his voice was full of sorrow. He raised his hands, and lava exploded from the floor.
Azula spun on her heel and ran from the room. The last thing she saw was Roku’s form disappearing into the new Avatar Aang, leaving behind the exhausted boy to be carried away by his faithful friends.