[97 AG]
The flames danced furiously in the torches lining the vast throne room, casting flickering shadows on the walls. At the center, elevated on a platform surrounded by controlled fire, Fire Lord Ozai sat on his throne, an imposing figure clad in crimson and gold robes. His piercing eyes were locked onto the two kneeling soldiers before him. The air was thick with tension, the oppressive heat mingling with the weight of silent fury radiating from the ruler.
The soldiers, their armor damaged and stained with ash, trembled visibly. Their foreheads nearly touched the cold floor, and their voices, when they dared speak, were broken by fear. The older of the two, a sergeant with fresh scars crossing his face, took the lead, his voice hoarse and hesitant.
"Fire Lord... w-we were ambushed," he began, swallowing hard, sweat dripping down his forehead. "T-they were warriors from the Southern Water Tribe—"
"I know what happened, sergeant," Ozai cut in, his voice sharp as a blade, laced with contempt. The flames around the throne pulsed, growing in sync with his irritation. "You're here to offer me a better explanation than the pathetic report I received. A satisfactory explanation of how my soldiers, trained to annihilate any enemy, were humiliated by savages who, as far as I know, don't have a single bender among their pitiful ranks."
"T-that..." the sergeant hesitated. He threw a quick, desperate glance at his companion before continuing, his voice barely a whisper. "... HODAD was among them."
The flames in the room exploded in intensity, the heat becoming suffocating. A low murmur, almost a growl, slipped from Ozai's lips. "I believe... that nickname was explicitly forbidden to be spoken, sergeant."
"F-forgive me, Fire Lord!" the sergeant shrank back, wishing he could sink into the floor for his mistake. "I-I meant... Ikari was among them. He... he completely turned the tide of the battle against us."
Veins bulged on Ozai's forehead, his face twisted in rage. "And you deliberately left that out of the report?"
"W-we were afraid, sir!" the sergeant stammered, panicking. "The punishment for failing to kill him is—"
A blast of fire erupted from Ozai's hand, striking the sergeant with precision. The man screamed, a howl of agony echoing through the chamber as he writhed on the ground. The stench of scorched flesh quickly mingled with the already stifling air.
The other soldier, younger, his face pale and eyes wide, remained frozen, not daring to move a muscle. Terror held him to the floor as his comrade's scream rang in his ears.
"You!" Ozai turned to the young soldier, his eyes narrowed. "Tell me exactly what happened. Now."
The soldier swallowed hard and didn't hesitate before speaking, his voice trembling.
********
[Ten days earlier]
The sun was sinking below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and red. The 40-man Fire Nation platoon, exhausted after a full day of marching through the Earth Kingdom, was setting up camp in a clearing. Simple tents were being raised, campfires lit, and the clanging of armor echoed as the men prepared to rest. In two days, they would join the main regiment advancing toward Omashu.
The young soldier, Fai, 21, was helping to pitch a tent, sweat dripping down his face. He felt the weight of the day, but his determination remained intact. Reaching Omashu alongside the main regiment would be a challenge — Fai knew that. After all, they had lost a lot of ground in the area since HODAD joined the Mad King's forces.
Even so, he was confident that the Fire Nation's glory would prevail. The Fire Lord himself was placing great importance on this mission, deploying large numbers of troops to subjugate Omashu.
It was only a matter of time before the city fell.
FUUUUSSHHH!
Fai froze as he heard a howl cut through the air — high-pitched, almost unnatural. Alarmed, he looked up and saw a blur in the sky — something, or someone, descending at a speed too fast to track.
'What—' Before he could even process what it might be, the blur struck the ground in the center of the camp. A burst of wind exploded outward, kicking up a thick cloud of dust that swallowed everything around it. Cries of confusion rang out as disoriented soldiers, blinded by the storm of dirt, stumbled to their feet without understanding what had just happened.
Fai coughed, shielding his face with his arm, eyes burning as he tried to see through the dust. Then he saw him: a slender figure of average height, with flowing black hair and light garments that danced with the wind. In his hands, two daggers.
Fai knew instantly who it was. How could he not? That was one of—if not the—most wanted person in the world. Ikari, the last airbender. He had appeared two years ago and, since then, had become one of the deadliest assassins of Fire Nation soldiers in recent years.
Everyone thought he was the Avatar at first, but it soon became clear he was just an airbender. "Just" being a euphemism for the terror he represented. Ikari had shown the entire Fire Nation army why Sozin had exterminated the Air Nomads at the beginning of the war, revealing just how dangerous and lethal airbending could be.
The young soldier had no more time to reflect when Ikari began to move. He was like a specter—fast and agile. With fluid gestures, Ikari spun between the men like a storm made flesh. His daggers sliced through the air with deadly precision, always aiming for exposed necks.
One soldier, who managed to regain his footing, launched a fireball toward Ikari, but the airbender dodged with a leap, twisting and propelling himself through the air as if the wind were an extension of his body. In the blink of an eye, he was above the soldier, the dagger buried in the back of his neck.
The soldiers began shouting orders, trying to form a defensive line, but Ikari was relentless, giving them no time to organize.
Fai backed away, heart in his throat, as he watched his comrades fall one by one. Ikari seemed to anticipate every move, every strike, as if the air itself whispered what was to come on the battlefield. He wasn't just fast — he seemed untouchable.
A group of four firebenders managed to surround him, launching blasts of flame in unison. But Ikari was ready—he spun on his own axis, creating a whirlwind that sucked in the flames, forming a massive fireball before dispersing it, emerging unscathed at the center.
'Is this… what an airbender is capable of?' Fai wondered, paralyzed by terror. He wanted to fight, wanted to scream, but his legs refused to obey.
"NOWWW!!"
"KILL THEM ALL!!!"
Then, a new sound cut through the chaos—war cries coming from the western flank. The dust still hanging over the edge of the camp began to clear, revealing Southern Water Tribe warriors charging forward with swords and spears.
'W-we're going to be slaughtered,' Fai concluded, panic overwhelming every one of his senses. As Ikari dodged another blast of fire, spinning midair with his daggers slicing through another enemy, Fai's instincts took over, and he fled, running as fast as he could.
He tripped over a fallen piece of armor, but didn't look back. The sound of screams, blades, and howling wind chased him as he vanished into the forest.
********
"I-it was all that happened, F-Fire Lord," Fai stammered, his forehead pressed against the cold obsidian floor, his body trembling with fear. He barely dared to breathe, let alone lift his eyes to face the ruler. "I-I swear I didn't mean to run! B-but— AAAHRRHHH!"
A blast of fire erupted from Ozai's hand, engulfing Fai in flames. The young soldier writhed on the ground, his screams of agony echoing through the vast throne room.
Ozai stood and left the chamber without sparing a glance for the convulsing young man, nor for the other soldier, already reduced to a charred corpse.
Outside, Ozai stopped in front of one of the imperial guards stationed at the entrance. "Find my daughter and tell her I'm waiting in the training courtyard." His voice was firm, devoid of any emotion.
"Yes, Fire Lord," the guard responded with a swift bow before hurrying off in search of the princess.
Ozai walked with deliberate steps to the palace's central courtyard, a wide open space surrounded by columns carved with flaming dragons. The sky above was a clear blue, contrasting with the heat radiating from the sun-warmed ground. He removed his royal cloak, laying it neatly over a polished bench, revealing the black and red tunic beneath. His eyes fixed on the horizon, lost in thought.
Minutes later, the sound of precise, confident footsteps echoed through the courtyard, announcing his daughter's arrival. Azula, only twelve years old, approached with the impeccable posture of a Fire Nation princess. Her black hair, tied in a high bun and adorned with a golden tiara, gleamed under the light of the setting sun. She knelt before her father, her head slightly bowed in a gesture of calculated respect. "You called for me, Father?"
Ozai turned slowly, his gaze scrutinizing his daughter with an intensity that could make even the most seasoned soldiers tremble. "Azula, we're going to increase your training."
'Again?!' Azula thought, clenching her teeth for a split second, suppressing the frustration threatening to show. Her voice, however, remained firm and respectful. "May I ask why, Father?"
"It seems the airbender is growing bolder as he gains experience."
'It's always because of that bastard!' Azula's hands clenched into fists so tight her nails dug into her palms. Just the mention of Ikari was enough to ignite a sea of rage in her chest. She hated him — not just for his skill, but for how he had become her father's obsession, who, as a result, unleashed all his fury on her for the soldiers' failures to eliminate the airbender.
And now, once again, he was the reason her training was being intensified! Despite the rage, Azula kept her face expressionless, channeling her anger into determination. "Understood, Father. What will the focus of the training be?"
Ozai nodded, pleased by the lack of resistance. "You already master blue fire, Azula, but that's not enough. The airbender is fast, unpredictable, and uses air in a way no one has faced in generations. You must learn to anticipate his moves, to neutralize his agility. We'll work more on close-combat techniques and strategy."
Azula rose to her feet. "I won't disappoint you, Father."
"I'm sure you won't."
********
Meanwhile, hundreds of kilometers away, out at sea, aboard a small sailboat, Ikari stared in confusion at a crumpled, slightly damp map. "Ugh... I'm really awful at sailing," he muttered, scratching the back of his neck with a frustrated expression.
The ocean breeze tousled his black hair, and the waves lapped gently against the hull, but the horizon stubbornly remained empty.
He should've reached the Southern Water Tribe hours ago, but without even a glimpse of land in sight, Ikari realized he wasn't just a little lost — he was completely lost.
********
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Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, images or songs featured in this fic. Additionally, I do not claim ownership of any products or properties mentioned in this novel. This work is entirely fanfic.