You're My Path (Zuko X Reader) Book 3

Chapter 39

Previously on Chapter 38

"You will obey me, or this defiant breath will be your last!" He said, standing up to his feet. I pull out my dual swords. "Think again. I am going to speak my mind, and you are going to listen" I said. He just sits back down after I said that.

-Rage-

Zuko P.O.V

"For so long, all I wanted was for you to love me, to accept me. I thought it was my honor I wanted, but really, I was just trying to please you..." I said. Anger is slowly growing in me.

"You, my father, who banished me just for talking out of turn. My father, who challenged me, a thirteen-year-old boy, to an Agni Kai. How could you possibly justify a duel with a child?" I said, angrily.

"It was to teach you respect!" He said, scornfully. I let out a scoff at what he said. "It was cruel! And it was wrong!" I said. He glares at me angrily. "Then you have learned nothing!" He said.

"No, I've learned everything! And I've had to learn it on my own! Growing up, we were taught that the Fire Nation was the greatest civilization in history. And somehow, the War was our way of sharing our greatness with the rest of the world. What an amazing lie that was. The people of the world are terrified by the Fire Nation. They don't see our greatness. They hate us! And we deserve it! [We've created an era of fear in the world. And if we don't want the world to destroy itself, we need to replace it with an era of peace and kindness" I said. He lets out a laugh at what I said.

"Your uncle has gotten to you, hasn't he?" He said. I just smile softly at the mention of Uncle. "Yes... he has. And he's not the only one. Y/N too..." I said. I can feel my heart clenching as I mention Y/N. All the betrayal... all the pain I must have caused her slowly coming back to me.

"Y/N? The female Avatar?" He said. "Yes... her. She helped me see the truth. She helped me see the one who truly cares for me, and the one who did nothing but force his way on my life..." I said. He scoffs at why I said.

"Please... you sound like you're in love with this girl" he said. I just smile at what he said. "As a matter of fact... I am. She was my girlfriend... she loves me... cares for me. She showed me true kindness. But I betrayed her... the look of betrayal in her eyes haunts me 'till this day" I said, clenching my hands around my dual swords hilts.

"You disgusts me" he said. I can tell that he's getting angrier. But I ignore what he said and keep a brave face on. "After I leave here today, I'm gonna free Uncle Iroh from his prison and I'm gonna beg for his forgiveness. He's the one who's been a real father to me. And I'll find Y/N... I will do everything I can to make things right with her" I said.

"Oh, that's just beautiful. And maybe he can pass down to you the ways of tea and failure. And you with that female Avatar would be the worst couple. A disgrace!" He said. I just ignore what he said. Even though I can feel anger growing. He have bad-talked the girl I love. I want to kill him right here.. right now. But it's not my place. It's Avatars place to end him.

"But I've come to an even more important decision. I'm going to join the Avatars and I'm going to help them defeat you" I said. He stares at me with a smug expression.

"Really? Since you're a full-blown traitor now and you want me gone, why wait? I'm powerless. You've got your swords. Why don't you just do it now?" He said.

"Because I know my own destiny. Taking you down is the Avatars destiny. Goodbye" I said. He stands on his feet and glares at me. "Coward! You think you're brave enough to face me, but you'll only do it during the eclipse. If you have any real courage, you'll stick around until the sun comes out. Don't you want to know what happened to your mother?" He said. I stop dead in my track.

"What happened that night?" I said. He smirks at me, he knows he got me. "My father, Fire Lord Azulon, had commanded me to do the unthinkable to you, my own son, and I was going to do it" he said. My heart clenches as I finally realize the truth. He was going to kill me.

"Your mother found out and swore she would protect you at any cost. She knew I wanted the throne and she proposed a plan, a plan in which I would become Fire Lord and your life would be spared" he said. I clench my hands into a tight fists at what he said. I knew what mom planned.

"Your mother did vicious, treasonous things that night. She knew the consequences and accepted them. For her treason, she was banished" he said. My eyes widened, I can feel my tears streams down my cheeks.

"So she's alive?" I said. I can feel hope growing in my heart. My mother is alive. After this war... I'm going to stop at nothing to find her.

"Perhaps. Now I realize that banishment is far too merciful a penalty for treason. Your penalty will be far steeper" he said. I can feel my energy comes back which lets me know that the solar eclipse is ending. He quickly stands up to his feet and shoots lightning at me. I quickly perform what Uncle Iroh taught me. I send the lightning back at him and quickly leaves before he try another attack.

***

Y/N P.O.V

Azula smirks as she turns to look at me. Her smirk widens when she notices the dual swords in my hand. "Hmm... what's this? Perhaps the rumor I heard was true. The female Avatar have lost her bending..." she said.

"Shut up! Even without bending. I can still end your life!" I yelled, angrily. She just stares at me with an amused expression. "I can guess why you chose dual swords in replacement for your bending. You want to remind yourself of Zuko, right? Of how he chose my side and betrayed you" she said. I can feel tears slowly forming in my eyes.

"Shut up!! Shut up!!" I yelled. I rush towards her and swing my dual swords at her. But she swiftly dodge every attack.

"Y/N! Don't attack blindly! You're only going to hurt yourself!" Sokka yelled. But I'm too angry to listen to him. I continue to attack Azula. "So, Sokka's your name, right? My favorite prisoner used to mention you all the time. She was convinced you were going to come rescue her. Of course you never came, and she gave up on you" she said, turning to Sokka.

I stop and glance at Sokka. I can see tears streaming down his cheeks. He lets out a scream and rush after her. She tries to throw a knife at her. But I throw my dual sword and pins her sleeve against the stone wall. Sokka grabs her by her shoulder. "Where. Is. Suki?" He said, angrily.

She just smirks at his reaction. "Looks like the fire-bending back on. Dad's all the way at the end of the hall then down a secret stairway on the left. I'm sure he'd be more than happy to see you now" she said. She swiftly remove the sword. She turns around and was about to leave.

I clench my hand. I let out a scream and run towards her. "Y/N! No!!" Aang yelled. Azula turns around. She lift her hand and throws fire at me, burning right below my shoulder. I screamed in pain at the burn feeling. She kicks me on my stomach so hard that I got sent flying towards the wall. My vision starts to get blurry and everything turns black.

*to be continued*