First burn

Eclipse

The doors shut behind Zuko as he had his swords on his back and kept his breathing at ease, he had to control everything in his mind and body.

"Zuko?" Azula was standing outside their fathers chambers.

"What are you doing here?" Zuko raised a brow at her confused.

"I could ask the same for you, why do you have swords?" She pushed herself off the wall and walked towards her brother.

"You know about the eclipse," he said calmly.

They looked at each other knowing what it meant, why they were here. They were on opposite sides.

"Where's your wife?" She asked. Zuko noticed how her feet moved, she could attack with lightening with her stance.

"She was looking for ty Lee last I heard," he swallowed getting ready to defend.

"Does she know?" Azula kept her hands at her sides.

"Yea," Zuko didn't hesitate to swing his foot to bend a blast of fire at her. It slammed into the wall shaking at the impact before Azula bended lightening at him.

"I knew it, all those times you snuck to uncle and left during the night, I fucking knew you would betray us," Azula hissed as she felt rage flood her chest, she knew her brother wasn't like them but she allowed him to be for a moment.

"It doesn't have to be like this," he said walking towards his sister.

"I'm afraid I does," she glared and they charged at each other with fists of fire.

—

Ozai heard the door open as he had guards at each of his sides and at the door.

Seeing his eldest walk through.

"Zuko," he said with no emotion.

"I heard some ruckus outside, and Azula isn't with you, I can assume she failed," Ozai had a glare in his eyes. Zuko took out his sword and held it at his side.

"And right before an eclipse," he raised a brow when the guards immediately raised their spears.

Ozai raised his hand.

"I think this is a personal family matter," Ozai dismissed them and the guards left.

It was only minutes before the eclipse, Zuko warmed up his palms to see if he could still bend.

"I had a feeling this would happen, my own flesh and blood, betraying me once again, shame shame shame," Ozai sighed but his disappointment held sarcasm as Zuko stayed silent.

"Where's that wife of yours? She wouldn't happen to be apart of this," he grinned a little seeing his son look angered by him speaking of the woman he loves.

"Katara is long gone now," Zuko finally spoke.

"So she did know, you really planned it all out didn't you, let me guess your uncle is being freed by her as well," Ozai sipped a cup of tea.

Zuko tried to warm up his palms again. But he couldn't bend. The eclipse started.

"No, she's going to free the avatar, we've had this planned for a long time Ozai, everything's falling into place," Zuko smirked a little. Ozai set his cup down.

"Did you? You single handedly defeated the fire lord, raise the nation back into a clean history, saved the world," Ozai mocked him but Zuko snorted shaking his head.

"That's the difference between you and I, I didn't do it alone, I trust people to bring peace back to the world with me, the water tribe, the avatar, I have them joining me to restore peace, I could never do it alone," Zuko said with pride but Ozai frowned.

"So this day will truly be your last, if you thought it out so well you know I won't hesitate to end you here and now," Ozai snarled harshly at his son.

"with the eclipse, im going to speak the truth, I am going to speak my mind and your going to listen," Zuko took his blades out and pointed them at the monster.

"I don't take orders from you, this country will change, and you will not be apart of it," he hissed with a glare stepping forward.

"The shame and horror you single handedly brought to this failed nation is sickening, your cruelty to not just your children but to your people is sickening," Zuko spat with passion in his voice.

"You think you'll do a better job on this throne? You're barely a man much less a fire lord," Ozai tilted his head to the side.

Zuko inhaled a deep breath to control his temper.

"For so long all I wanted was for you to love me, to accept me, as my father all I wanted was you to be proud of me, but all you've done is make me miserable, to steal everything that could've made me happy, you took my innocence as a child, You took my freedom, to be a prisoner in your supervision all so I could feel like I've pleased you and to maybe feel like you wanted me,"

"You, my father, who banished me just for talking out of turn, my father who challenged a thirteen year old boy, to an Agni kai! How can you possibly justify a duel with a child?" Zukos voice trembled as he confronted the man. Wanting to scream for every wrong doing he caused.

"It was to teach you respect!" Ozai barked.

"It was cruel! It was wrong! You sold me and called it marriage! A child and forced another child to be married so you owned us both! You didn't care about respect! You don't!" Zuko raised his voice finally.

"You've abused and neglected, with no remorse, you've set fear into peoples hearts, and hatred," he shook his head in disgust.

"Then you've learned nothing," Ozai growled.

"I learned everything, growing up we were taught that the fire nation was the greatest civilization in history, and some how the war was our way of sharing our greatness with the rest of the world, what an amazing lie that was," Zuko tilted his chin up to look down at his father glaring.

"They don't see our greatness, they hate us, You wojld know if you step outside of the palace for once, the water tribes, the earth kingdom, those assassins I let go, none of them would given my the time of day, I earned respect," he scoffed rolling his eyes.

"You let the assassins go?" Ozais eyes widen with rage.

"I forced them to leave, saving their lives from knowing you'd punish them by death," Zuko nodded.

"I don't want this future for our nation, I won't let it continue in death of the innocent, I have the water tribes loyalty to me, not you, I have their alliance, with Katara and the avatar, this war will end," he gripped his blades tightly.

"And how will you do that? Kill me?" Ozai smirked like it was all a joke.

"I challenge You to an Agni kai, for the throne," Zuko narrowed his eyes.

"You know I'll kill you," Ozai raised a brow.

"I'm prepared to kill you too, father," he nodded.

"Are we going to wait for the eclipse to end like honorable men? Or are you just going to kill me with those little swords like a savage?" Ozai untied his belts to take off his royal robes with his long shirt and wide pants.

"It doesn't matter," Zuko grunted and slammed his foot down as he threw a strong punch of fire straight at his father.

Ozai dodged and within a blink of an eye he whipped up lightening from both hands and aimed if straight at his first born.

Zuko thought quickly and was able to catch the lightning as it took over every nerve in his body. Every muscle wanted to stop fighting as he moved into stance to redirect the lightning, lifting his head and stared at Ozai darkly.

Finally pointing the lightning back at his abuser.