Chapter Text
Aang was losing.
The Avatar was losing from the Firelord.
The eclipse had ended way too soon, and the Firelord had his bending back.
And Aang was losing.
Zuko couldn’t keep looking at it. He just couldn’t.
And so he blew his cover.
“Firelord Ozai!” Zuko yelled over the harsh sounds of the battle. Katara seemed horrified next to him. He took a deep breath and unsheathed his dao swords. And he held one of them up, pointed to the face of his father. “I, Fire Crown Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation, formally demand an Agni Kai for the Dragon Throne.”
The world seemed to freeze for a moment.
Katara froze, her face turning into a horrific expression.
Aang stopped, confused.
And his father stopped too. And he smiled.
He smiled.
And he agreed.
Ozai ignored his previous opponent. His pathetic excuse of a son had balls after all.
“Seems like I have to burn down the other half of your face too.” A twisted smirk adorned his lips as he stood in front of his son.
Katara freezes, her heart aching, although anger fills her too because of the revelation of the supposed Li.
Zuko’s hands are trembling, but he holds his head high.
This is his chance.
And Ozai attacks.
But Zuko has changed. The lessons from the dragons have made his fire stronger.
And more dangerous.
Every single attack Ozai gives, Zuko manages to dissolve or dodge.
And he attacks too.
Ozai is getting irritated.
Like, really irritated.
Why was this utter nonsense happening?
And so, he decided to end this for once and for all.
But he made a mistake.
A big mistake.
He summoned lightning, it cackling through the air.
And he sends it towards Zuko.
And Zuko redirects it.
The world seems to freeze once again as the lightning hits Zuko. But the Prince lets it stream through his body, through his abdomen, through his heart.
And he brings his hands together, pointing to his Father.
And he unleashes it.
Not towards his feet, not towards his arms.
No.
To his heart.
And it hits.
Zuko stumbles towards his Father’s motionless body. In his way, he grabs his dao swords from the floor.
The Firelord is barely alive, but alive.
He is still breathing, in pain, but still.
Zuko brings his two swords together, hands intertwining with each other.
And he brings the weapon down.
Through his Father’s throat.
The Firelord’s eyes turn hazy.
The Firelord is dead.
Not by the Avatar, but by his abused and discarded son.
The person he saw as mediocre and worthless.
The Fire Prince his knees buckle and he falls onto the bloodied floor, his head bowed. He is gasping for air, and hot tears are pouring down his cheeks.