Destiny Altered (READ DISCLAIMER)

1 - Prologue

It had been a long six months, and yet I couldn't believe Sozin's comet was about to arrive. So much had happened in that time, but between traveling, training, and helping others—especially looking after Toph, Aang, and Sokka… not to mention being hunted for much of the time—whether by Zuko, Azula, or Combustion Man—it left me little time for reflection. Sure, we had a few days of leisure here and there, but in those moments I preferred to relax instead of think. There wasn't time to dwell on the horrors of the war. We just had to help in whatever way we could.

So now here I was with Zuko, flying on Appa, heading toward the Fire Nation capital to face Princess Azula. It amazed me that we were now allies, but he had proven himself trustworthy and became someone I could truly call friend.

While flying, Zuko didn't say much, and it was obvious that he was trying to focus on the battle that laid ahead. But there was a sadness in his eyes, and it was then that I realized that she was his sister and what that really meant. He might have to kill his own flesh and blood. I tried to imagine being in that position, and I couldn't help but find disturbing and sad. I could never kill Sokka, even if he did turn into a heartless warmonger. I shuddered at the thought.

If Zuko changed, why couldn't Azula? They both have the same bloodline—descendants of not just the Fire Lords but of Avatar Roku. Aang had told us about Sozin's betrayal of Roku, but what he learned from that is that all people, even those of the Fire Nation, have the capacity for good and evil. So they should be given a chance, because they never could be completely evil. I wanted to believe that, but Ozai and Azula didn't seem to have one iota of goodness in them.

Zuko lost his mother at a young age. So did Azula. Maybe it affected her differently than it did Zuko, although it seemed to have not affected her at all. She was molded in her father's image. In those crystal catacombs of the Earth Kingdom, Zuko had told me what his father had said. Azula was born lucky. He was lucky to be born. But besides being a firebending prodigy, how was she really lucky? She had to use fear in order to get respect and loyalty from others, including her "friends" Mai and Ty Lee, but they did not love her. Not like true friends should, at least. Sure she had her father's favor, but it was clear that Ozai's love was not unconditional. I didn't have to look past Zuko's scar to see that. Despite that and his banishment, Zuko still sought the love of his father for a very long time. One slip-up, one sign of weakness or perceived disrespect, and I'm sure Azula would have suffered a fate similar to Zuko's.

I was sure she realized this, as she wasn't stupid. In fact, she was quite the opposite. She was able to take down Ba Sing Se in just a matter of days without actually having to take a single life, although she tried when she blasted Aang with lightning. Still, growing up in that family must have had its own share of hardships on Azula as well as Zuko.

I shook my head. Why should I even care? It would make the upcoming battle that much more difficult, and for the good of the world, Azula had to go down. What was that old saying? Know thy enemy. Cold, calculating, ruthless. That was Azula. Show any sign of weakness, and she will exploit it. Just like her father.

When we made landing in the Royal Plaza of the capital interrupting Princess Azula's coronation as Fire Lord, I couldn't help but notice that there was no one around to witness the occasion. Only the fire sages were present. Odd, I thought. Where were her subjects, her guards, her friends… her family?

As Zuko approached Azula, he declared that he would be Fire Lord. She challenged him to an Agni Kai, and to my surprise, Zuko accepted. The whole reason I had come was because Azula was too powerful for him to take down by himself. He said that he could take her, that she was slipping. As she moved closer, I could see plainly what he saw. Her hair and makeup were a mess and she had a crazed look in her eyes. Her voice sounded different too.