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Chapter 43

"Zuko, don't worry, we can take Azula," Katara said. 

"I'm not worried about her, I'm worried about Aang. What if he doesn't have the guts to take out my Father? What if he loses?" 

"Aang won't lose. He's gonna come back. He has to," Katara said. 

"Aang cares about his morals, but he also cares about stopping this war, he'll find a way." 

We landed outside of the palace. Azula was there, her hair a choppy mess, and she was seconds away from getting coronated. "What are you waiting for? Do it!" She yelled. 

"Sorry, but you're not going to become Fire Lord today." Zuko jumped off of Appa's back, Katara and I followed him. "I am."  

She laughed. "You're hilarious." 

"And you're going down," Katara said. 

The man standing behind Azula moved to crown her. She raised her hand, stopping him. "Wait. You want to be Fire Lord Fine. Let's settle this. Just you and me, brother. The showdown that was always meant to be. Agni Kai!" 

"You're on," Zuko said. Katara and I looked at him surprised. 

"What are you doing? She's playing you. She knows she can't take the three of us so she is trying to separate us." 

"I know. But I can take her this time." 

"But even you admitted to your Uncle that you would need help facing Azula," Katara said. 

"There's something off about her, I can't explain it but she's slipping." I looked between the two siblings. Azula was long past slipping. "And this way, no one else has to get hurt." 

The Agni Kai began. If it wasn't for the circumstances that we were in I might've enjoyed watching it, but unfortunately I couldn't.

The two of them faced each other. 

"I'm sorry it has to end this way, brother," Azula said. 

"No you're not." Azula smiled, and took her stance. She thrust her palm out towards Zuko, a blast of blue flame shooting out at him. Zuko shot his own flame out, the two of them colliding with each other, creating a large wall. I covered my eyes, looking away from it. As the flames dissipated Azula leapt forward, kicking fire towards Zuko. 

The two of them continued fighting. Blasts of blue and red could be seen everywhere. It seemed almost... sad in a way. There was something more here.

"No lightning, today? What's the matter? Afraid I'll redirect it?" Zuko taunted her. 

"Oh, I'LL SHOW YOU LIGHTNING!" She yelled. Azula began creating the lightning, her movements erratic and stranger than they normally would be. Azula glanced over at Katara, who was standing behind Zuko. I looked between the two of them, my eyes widening as I realized what was about to happen. 

"No!" Zuko yelled out as the lightning flew past him. I jumped over and landed in front of Katara.

The lightning struck my body flinging me back into her. 

"Y/n!" Katara yelled. I winced, looking up at Zuko and Azula. She had shot at us with another bolt of lightning, one that Zuko tried to redirect but failed. He fell to the ground.  

So much for lightning redirection. "Go to Zuko." I waved my hand at her. Katara hesitantly ran over to him, but was stopped by a third bolt, landing just infront of her.

Azula began laughing maniacally, she charged forward towards Katara.  I sat up against the wall, clutching my chest. 

Katara ran around the edge of the plaza, dodging Azula's attacks. "I'd really rather our family physician look after little Zuzu if you don't mind!" She made wide arcs of lightning around her. "Oh and don't worry about your friend, she won't make it!" Azula fired the lightning out, which was blocked by a stream of water. "Zuzu, you don't look so good!"

Katara, while hiding behind a pillar, used the water from a nearby fountain to defend herself with. She ran over to a drain, with some chains hanging above it. "There you are, filthy peasant!" Azula yelled upon seeing Katara. She walked over to Katara, who was holding the chains in her hands. When Azula was standing over the drain, Katara brought all the water up, freezing them in place. 

I felt myself fall to the side unable to stop it. The dull pain in my chest began fading away. I smiled to myself for a small second, noticing that it didn't hurt.

Finally, it didn't hurt.

Slowly, the world began to grow dim. It's a lot slower than you would think it to be. Surprising, considering all those other times it happened so fast.

But eventually I closed my eyes.