Tai Lung remained seated in the cold cell, unmoving and silent. He had not uttered a word since his father's visit. The stillness around him was not one of defeat, but of patience, of a predator waiting for the right moment. Then came a soft shuffle of feet, followed by the unlocking of the cell door.
A second visitor stepped in. Prince Iroh.
His once vibrant face now wore the weight of years and sorrow. His hair, now completely gray, told a story of pain, and Tai Lung knew the cause. It had been four years since Lu Ten's death. Tai watched the man approach, silent as always.
"I'm sorry, Tai Lung," Iroh began gently, his voice warm yet worn. "I tried speaking to my brother, but…" He shook his head. "I failed you."
Tai Lung's eyes met his. "It's fine. It was his decision, not yours." Then his voice softened slightly. "When did you come back?"
Iroh let out a long breath. "Just today. The moment I arrived, I heard about your imprisonment." He looked at Tai with guilt. "It was because of me that you ended up here. And for that, I am truly sorry."
There was a pause.
Iroh looked downward and then said, "Zuko… was forced into this. He's a good boy, but his father…" He trailed off with another sigh.
"I understand," Tai said firmly. "And I know what I need to do."
Iroh gave a slow, sad nod. "Then I won't stop you." He turned and left the cell, leaving Tai to the darkness.
Tai sat in the silence, the chains around his wrists light compared to the weight of his wrath. He could break free anytime. He could've walked out from the start. But no, he now wanted this trial. He wanted this farce. He was waiting.
___________
The cell door finally opened again, this time to armed soldiers. They led him through stone corridors to the Fire Lord's Council chamber. Tai Lung walked with his head held high. He was not broken. He was not a prisoner. He was a predator closing on his prey.
The massive double doors to the chamber opened, revealing rows of generals, admirals, ministers, and advisors. At one side sat Iroh and next to him, the admiral, Tai's father, face lined with anxiety. Across from them sat Azula, a cruel smirk tugging at her lips. Beside her, Zuko sat stiffly, eyes turned away, unable to meet Tai Lung's.
The others bore different expressions, disdain, pity, indifference. But all eyes shifted upward, to the elevated throne, where a curtain of fire roared. Behind that wall of flame sat Fire Lord Ozai.
Tai Lung entered full of confidence without fear. He stood tall, still as stone.
A minister's voice rose in outrage. "How dare you stand before the Fire Lord without kneeling?!"
Tai Lung ignored him completely. His eyes fixed on the wall of fire, on the man behind it.
"I'll keep this simple so even you can understand, Ozai," Tai spoke clearly, his voice echoing. "I'm not playing along with this little game of yours. I challenge you to an Agni Kai."
A sharp intake of breath echoed across the chamber.
The entire room froze in stunned silence.
Tai Lung continued, calm and unshaken, "Since you don't have any honor, I don't mind helping you reclaim a sliver of it."
Shock spread like wildfire. His father, Admiral Lung paled, his mouth opening in disbelief. Iroh's gaze darted toward his brother. The wall of fire before Ozai surged, burning higher and hotter in response to his fury.
Iroh tried to speak. "Brother, please…"
Ozai's voice cut through like a blade. "You dare to challenge me to an Agni Kai?"
Tai Lung smirked. It was the kind of smile that taunted and belittled. "Why not? You're just a backup pretending to be a Fire Lord. I don't see the problem in my words."
The flames roared. Ozai rose to his feet, barely containing his rage. "Child or not, you shall pay for your insolence!"
Tai Lung's voice turned sharp, full of disdain. "No. You will be the one to suffer, you second place."
The chamber erupted in murmurs and horror. To speak to the Fire Lord like that, to insult him, to challenge him was nothing short of a blasphemy. But by tradition, Ozai had no choice now. He had been challenged to an Agni Kai. If he refused, he would lose his honor before the entire court and possibly the entire nation.
Tai Lung's voice rose. "Let's do it in the heart of the capital. Let every citizen watch you. I want your humiliation to become a public spectacle."
Ozai's voice boomed. "You will pay for every word. I will reduce you to ash in front of the entire city!"
Tai Lung smiled wider, disdainful. He turned away. "Then I'll see you at sunset."
He walked toward the door.
His father rose quickly and followed, his composure shattered. "Tai…Tai! Wait!"
He couldn't believe it. His son had gone mad. Challenging the Fire Lord? In front of the council? There would be no trial now, only fire and death.
Back in the chamber, the others exchanged looks of disbelief. Azula leaned toward Zuko and whispered with twisted amusement, "He only had to lower his head. Now, we won't even have ashes left to lower into a grave."
Zuko said nothing. His fists clenched at his sides.
This was all his fault.
His friend was going to die.
And he couldn't do a thing to stop it.
Iroh sat silently. His frown deepened into something grim. He didn't expect Tai Lung to defy the Fire Lord, let alone insult him and challenge him to an Agni Kai. The boy had burned every bridge, there would be no mercy now, not even if the entire council begged for it.
___________
The heavy stone halls echoed with footsteps as Tai Lung strode away from the council chamber. His expression hadn't changed since he left, focused, unreadable. But behind him, the sound of boots quickening told him he wasn't alone.
"Tai Lung!" his father, the admiral, called as he caught up, grabbing him by the arm. "What have you done? There's no way the Fire Lord will spare you now."
Tai Lung stopped walking. "You got it wrong," he said calmly. "I'm not going to spare him. He crossed the line. And he's going to regret the day he did."
The admiral's grip tightened, forcing Tai Lung to face him. His eyes were wide, frantic. "You're talented, yes, but you're still too young. Do you even understand who you're challenging? The Fire Lord is a firebending grandmaster. In the entire Fire Nation, only Prince Iroh might stand a chance against him in a one-on-one fight!"
Tai Lung met his father's stare with unwavering calm. "I've watched firebenders for years. Soldiers. Masters. I have learned what firebending grandmasters are capable of." His voice was low but steady. "And I know for a fact that I am stronger than any member of the royal family. There is nothing divine or special about them, they just use slightly different forms compared to the rest of fire benders"
A shadow of despair crossed the admiral's face. When had his son grown so arrogant? When had confidence turned to such dangerous certainty?
"Even putting aside his firebending," the admiral said, his voice weakening, "Ozai can bend lightning. Prince Iroh himself admitted Ozai was even better at it than he is."
Tai Lung without a word, lifted one arm and opened his palm.
Lightning cracked in his hand, arcing wildly, illuminating the corridor in an electric blue glow.
The admiral's eyes widened in disbelief.
Then Tai Lung raised his other hand. A flame burst forth, not the usual orange, but a fierce, shimmering blue.
"Father, I already mastered lighting," Tai Lung said, his tone still calm, still cold. "And my fire is more powerful."
His father stepped back in shock, unable to speak.
Tai Lung looked him directly in the eyes, voice sharpening. "And even without bending… I'm confident I still have a good chance of beating him."
The admiral blinked. "What?" he whispered.
"Bending isn't really my greatest combat asset, and from what I observed, humans are relatively fragile" Tai added.
The admiral went numb.
Lightning… blue fire… And yet Tai believed he was better at something else? The admiral couldn't understand what Tai Lung was referring to.
He knew with son's talent, he would become one of the most powerful fire benders in their history, but now it was as if he were staring at someone who had ascended past the limits of what he thought possible.
Tai Lung smiled faintly, the expression not warm but cold and predatory like a beast. "Trust me," he said. "I was trained to find weaknesses and make my enemy suffer for it. I will crush him, break him bone by bone and only then I will kill him. I will make you proud."
But the smile didn't reassure his father.
It chilled him. Something about It made him forget the worry he had earlier completely. His mind raced with one question, how could his son speak of killing the Fire Lord with such ease? And the look in his son's eyes was not normal to say the least, it burned with malice.
The admiral exhaled deeply and composed himself. "Even if you do win…" he said slowly, "don't kill him. Tai Lung, you're too young to cross that line."
Tai Lung frowned slightly at the request, but saw the look in his father's eyes, not fear of Ozai, but fear of him. Tai Lung felt a pang of guilt seeing his father's eyes.
With a sigh, he nodded. "Fine. But I will still beat him. Badly."
And with that, Tai Lung turned once more and walked ahead, not toward his execution, but toward a reckoning that would set the Fire Nation ablaze.