ATLA: Azlua

Ba Sing Se

Grand Master Iroh stands steadfast at the entrance of the palace, the distant echoes of conflict reverberating through the walls. Beside him, the Earth King approaches nervously.

"Um, the White Lotus has taken the city, haven't they? Why haven't the Fire Nation troops withdrawn?" the king inquires.

"The Fire Nation will not retreat until the Fire Lord is defeated," Iroh responds calmly, his gaze lingering on the horizon. "However, that is not our immediate problem."

"What is the problem then!?" the Earth King exclaims, panic rising in his voice as he observes Fire Nation banners encircling the city.

"The city is surrounded, but to do so this quickly... our enemies may have anticipated our strategy. Zuko... could he have failed? No, it's not possible, but—" Iroh muses, cut off by the king's alarmed shout.

"An airship! You said all airships were with the Fire Lord! Is he here already!?" The king stumbles backward in dismay.

"No. Please, take refuge inside. This area will soon be engulfed in flames. We are facing the worst-case scenario," Iroh advises, squinting against the bright sky as Azula leaps from the airship, propelled by jets of blue flame.

Iroh exhales deeply and assumes his firebending stance, launching three successive fireballs. Azula interrupts her flight to dodge one, flips gracefully through another, and narrowly evades the third.

As Iroh intensifies his assault, sending rapid fire blasts from his palms, Azula halts her aerial advance and descends swiftly toward him. Iroh responds by igniting a fiery ring around him, each breath feeding the flames, making them roar in anticipation. With a powerful shout, he shapes the fire into a massive orb, reminiscent of the one that breached the walls of Ba Sing Se.

Azula, recognizing the magnitude of the attack, uses her agility to spin, building momentum. As the fiery sphere hurtles toward her, she ignites her own blue flames and executes a frontal axe kick, her confidence unwavering. She believes her uncle would never truly harm her, making this challenge one she is prepared to face head-on.

The sky erupts in a clash of blue and red light. Azula clenches her teeth against the unexpected force of the fireball, but pushes through, cleaving the attack and landing gracefully a dozen paces from Iroh.

"That was a warm welcome, Uncle," Azula smirks, regaining her composure.

"If you are here, then Zuko has been defeated. Azula, can't you see that following this path will only lead to further imbalance in the world?" Iroh implores, positioning himself defensively near the throne room entrance.

"Oh, don't worry, Uncle. I agree, Father's shortsightedness was always his weakness. At the war conference, he declared his intent to rid the world of all benders but firebenders. It's as if I'm the only intelligent one in our family," Azula retorts, steadying her breath.

"Then why help him? It's not too late to change course," Iroh says, though he harbors doubts himself.

"Help him? Ha! I'm merely setting the stage," Azula declares with a cold laugh.

"For what?" Iroh asks, tension mounting between them.

"For me!" Azula shouts, unleashing a massive fireball towards him.

----

"Oouu, I don't think this is going to work!" Ty Lee exclaims, dressed as an Earth Kingdom citizen, her expression filled with apprehension.

"Apologies in advance, Lady Ty Lee," the Fire Nation soldier says, dragging her by the hair.

"It's all part of the plan, right?" Ty Lee replies nervously, trying to reassure herself as she begins screaming for help. "Help! Ah!"