Azula, Flames Of Change

Chapter 3: The fire within

Azula stood in the dimly lit chamber, her breath steady but her mind racing. With the sacral chakra open, she had confronted her buried desires for love and connection. It had been painful but necessary. However, she knew that the path ahead was far from complete. If she was to truly reshape the Fire Nation and claim the power she believed was hers by right, she would have to open the third chakra-the solar plexus, the seat of willpower, self-identity, and personal power.

The energy of the sacral chakra still hummed within her, its waters having cleansed the deep emotional wounds she had carried. But now, she felt a fire rising from her core, a simmering heat that she could not ignore. This next chakra was aligned with fire, something Azula understood intimately. It governed the drive to act, the power to impose one's will, and the courage to stand tall in the face of adversity.

For Azula, fire had always been a source of control, destruction, and dominance. But now, the spirit within her had taught her that the solar plexus chakra was not about ruling others-it was about ruling oneself.

"You've always had the strength to command others," the spirit's voice echoed in her mind, soft yet unyielding. "But this time, Azula, you must command yourself. You must find the power that lies within, not the power your father has bestowed upon you."

Azula sneered slightly. The idea of self-command wasn't foreign to her, but the notion that her strength came from anyone but herself was absurd. She had always taken pride in her abilities, believing she was born superior. She was a prodigy, a natural leader, a firebending master unlike any other. But as the memory of her breakdown flashed in her mind-the loss of control, the way her power had spiraled out of reach-she couldn't deny the truth. She had allowed herself to be ruled by fear and pride, by her father's expectations, by her need to prove her worth.

Now, she was done with that. She had to be.

Azula knelt once again, folding her legs beneath her as she rested her hands on her knees. The chamber was suffused with a soft golden light, the flickering of the candle flames casting shadows that danced across the walls. She closed her eyes, slowing her breathing, and focused on the fire that burned deep within her chest. The heat of her core, the center of her will, pulsed like a living thing.

"This is your true power," the spirit whispered. "It is not the power you wield over others-it is the power you wield over yourself."

Her thoughts drifted, and slowly, the familiar world around her began to fade. She felt herself sinking into her mind once again, but this time, there was no tranquil lake or serene surroundings. Instead, she stood in a field of fire, the ground beneath her scorched and blackened. The flames that licked at the sky were both terrifying and beautiful, roaring with a heat that made her blood pulse in her veins.

Azula's eyes narrowed as she took in the sight. This was familiar. This was the world she had always known-one of fire, power, and dominance. But as she looked closer, she saw something strange about the flames. They weren't the cool blue fire she had always prided herself on. They were ordinary flames-red and orange, uncontrolled, wild.

In the center of the field stood a figure-herself. Not the cold, calculating Azula she had built over the years, but a younger version, perhaps no older than twelve. This Azula was different. She stood tall, but her eyes were wide with uncertainty, her expression one of confusion and fear. Her hands were clenched into fists, as though trying to hold onto something that kept slipping away.

The younger Azula turned, locking eyes with her older self. For a long moment, neither of them spoke, the fire raging between them like a living force.

"Who are you?" Azula demanded, her voice strong but with a hint of hesitation.

"I am you," the younger Azula replied softly, her voice trembling slightly. "I am who you were before you became what you thought you needed to be."

Azula's brow furrowed, her patience thinning. "You're just a memory," she said, her voice cold. "You're weak."

The younger version of herself shook her head. "I'm not weak. I'm you before the world made you hard. I'm the part of you that still questions who you are, that still wonders if this is truly the life you want."

Azula felt a surge of anger rising within her. "I know exactly who I am. I am Azula, the rightful ruler of the Fire Nation. I don't need to question anything."

The younger Azula took a step forward, her eyes filled with a strange combination of fear and determination. "You're lying to yourself. You've always been strong, but you've also always doubted. That's why your fire was blue. It wasn't because you were stronger than everyone else-it was because you were colder. You closed yourself off from everyone, even from yourself."

Azula's fists clenched at her sides. "I had to be strong," she snapped. "My father-"

"Your father's power isn't yours!" the younger Azula interrupted, her voice rising in defiance. "You've been chasing his approval your whole life, but you don't need it. You've always had your own power, Azula. You just never believed in it."

For a moment, Azula was silent, her mind reeling from the words that echoed through her. The fire around them continued to rage, but she could feel something shifting within her. The younger version of herself wasn't wrong. She had spent so long trying to prove her worth to her father, to live up to his expectations, that she had forgotten to ask herself what she truly wanted.

The realization hit her like a wave of heat, overwhelming and undeniable. Her father's approval had been a driving force, but it wasn't the source of her strength. The fire within her, the power she had always wielded, had been hers all along.

Slowly, Azula stepped forward, closing the distance between herself and her younger self. The flames seemed to part as she moved, making way for her as she reached out a hand.

"You're right," she said, her voice steady but filled with emotion. "I've been chasing a shadow. But I don't need him. I don't need anyone."

The younger Azula looked up at her, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Then take your power back. Not for him, not for the Fire Nation. For you."

Azula nodded, and as she did, she felt the fire within her shift. The wild, red flames that had surrounded her slowly began to change. They flickered, turning from orange to blue, and then to something even deeper-a dark, radiant purple, as if infused with her very essence. The heat was intense, but it no longer felt like it was out of control. It was hers to command.

The younger Azula faded from view, and the field of fire began to dissipate. Azula opened her eyes to find herself back in the meditation chamber, the golden light of the candles flickering around her. But something had changed. She could feel the power of the solar plexus chakra open within her, a deep, pulsing energy that radiated from her core.

It wasn't just about bending fire anymore. It was about bending herself. Her will, her power, her identity-these were the things that would define her from now on. No longer would she be her father's weapon or her brother's shadow. She was Azula, and her fire was her own.

The spirit's voice echoed in her mind once more, calm and approving. "The solar plexus chakra is open. You have found your true power. Now, you can wield it not just over others, but over yourself."

Azula rose to her feet, her body humming with energy. The path ahead was still long, but she felt stronger than ever before. The fire that burned within her was no longer fueled by fear or doubt. It was hers, forged by the lessons she had learned and the strength she had always possessed.

As she left the chamber, her eyes blazed with a new determination. She would reshape the Fire Nation, but it would not be for her father. It would be for her, and for the power that she now knew was hers alone.

.oOoOo. end of chapter .oOoOo.