[98 AG]
Flames danced furiously in the torches that lined the vast throne room, casting trembling shadows across the walls. At the center, elevated on a platform surrounded by controlled fire, Fire Lord Ozai sat upon his throne, an imposing figure dressed in crimson and gold robes. His piercing eyes were fixed on the two soldiers kneeling before him.
The two kept their foreheads pressed to the floor and trembled visibly, feeling the weight of the oppressive heat radiating from their ruler. The older of them, a sergeant with fresh scars crossing his face, spoke first with a hoarse and hesitant voice. "Fire Lord… w-we were ambushed," he began, swallowing hard. "T-they were warriors from the Southern Water Tribe—"
"I know what happened, sergeant." The interruption came quickly, sharp as a blade and dripping with contempt. The flames around the throne swelled, pulsing in sync with Ozai's irritation. "You are here to give me something better than that pathetic report I received. A decent justification for how my men were humiliated by savages who, as far as I know, do not possess a single bender among their ranks."
"T-that…" The sergeant hesitated, exchanging a quick, desperate glance with his companion before continuing, his voice barely more than a whisper. "... HODAD was among them."
All the flames in the room burst in intensity, making the air suffocating as a low growl escaped Ozai's lips. "I am quite certain that nickname was 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. He was among them and… completely turned the course of the battle against us."
Veins bulged on Ozai's forehead, his face twisting with rage. "And you deliberately left that out of the report?"
"W-we were afraid, sir!" the sergeant stammered in panic. "The punishment for failing to kill him is—"
A blast of fire erupted from Ozai's hand, striking the sergeant with precision. The scream that followed echoed through the room, a howl of pain and suffering that soon faded, leaving only a strong smell of charred flesh.
The other soldier, younger, his face pale and eyes wide, remained frozen, not daring to move a muscle.
"You!" Ozai turned to him, narrowing his eyes. "Tell me exactly what happened. Now."
The soldier swallowed hard and, though trembling, did not dare hesitate before he began to speak.
********
[Ten days earlier]
The sun was setting on the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and red. The company of 90 men from the Fire Nation, exhausted after an entire day of marching through the Earth Kingdom, was setting up camp in a clearing. Simple tents were being raised, fires lit, and the clinking of armor being removed repeated itself as the men prepared to rest. In two days, they would join the main regiment advancing toward Omashu.
Among the soldiers, one of the youngest, Fai, struggled to set up a tent, sweat running down his face and arms. He felt the weight of the day in every muscle, but his determination remained intact. Taking Omashu would be the Fire Nation's greatest achievement in decades. And he would be part of it!
However, he knew it would be difficult. Very difficult. The fortress-city had strengthened drastically since HODAD joined its ranks, increasing its army, racking up victory after victory, and reclaiming lands that had long been under Fire Nation control.
Even so, Fai was certain the Fire Nation's glory would prevail. After all, the Fire Lord himself was placing enormous importance on this, sending large numbers of troops to subjugate Omashu.
It was only a matter of time before the city fell, along with the Mad King and the last airbender.
FWOOOSH!
Suddenly, a loud, sharp sound, like a howl, filled the air, making Fai freeze. Alarmed, he looked up just in time to see only a blur descending from the sky, far too fast for the eye to follow.
'What—' Before he could process what it was, the blur hit the center of the camp. An explosion of wind spread out, lifting a thick cloud of dust that swallowed everything around. Confused screams echoed as disoriented soldiers, blinded by the dust storm, struggled to understand what had just happened.
Fai coughed, shielding his face from the dust with his arm. Even so, he didn't close his eyes, enduring the stinging sensation just to see what had caused it—and he saw: Standing in the center as if the fall hadn't caused any impact, there was a slender, medium-height figure holding two daggers, with windswept black hair and light clothing that danced with the wind.
Fai knew instantly who it was. How could he not? That was one of—if not the—most wanted men in the world. Ikari, the last airbender. The man who, in only two years, had become one of the deadliest enemies of the Fire Nation.
Everyone thought he was the Avatar when he first appeared, 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 and the other nations why Sozin exterminated the Air Nomads at the start of the war, revealing how dangerous and lethal airbending could be when used in battle.
Fai had no time to think beyond that.
Because… Ikari moved.
Fwoosshh!
SHIIIING! SHINK! SHIIIN! ZIIIIING!
The sound of the daggers cutting through the air mixed with the sound of flesh being opened.
The airbender had become a blur, spinning between the soldiers like a storm in human form, too fast to strike, too fast to defend against. His daggers swung with precision, always aiming for exposed necks.
SHRAAASH!
Fai stepped back in terror, heart in his throat as he watched his comrades fall one by one. The soldiers stumbled, collided with one another, formed defensive lines that fell apart before they could even be completed. Ikari seemed to anticipate every movement and counterattack, aiming first at those giving orders and at the benders.
'Is this… what an airbender is capable of?' Fai wondered, paralyzed with fear. He wanted to fight, to grab his sword and charge at the enemy of his nation, but his body refused to obey, because as much as it hurt to admit, he knew that any movement could draw Ikari's attention to him.
"NOWWWW!!"
"KILL THEM ALL!!!"
Then, a new sound joined the chaos—war cries coming from the west. The dust still hanging over the edge of the camp began to dissipate, warriors of the Water Tribe advancing with curved spears and axes.
'W-we're going to be slaughtered,' Fai concluded, panic flooding every one of his senses. He looked back toward the camp, seeing Ikari standing over the body of a sergeant, breathing heavily—which, luckily for them, meant the airbender couldn't maintain that speed for long.
Another soldier noticed the same thing and took the chance to fire a fireball at Ikari, but the airbender dodged with a leap, twisting in the air and kicking the nothingness—yet the invisible push sent him flying as if he had kicked something solid. In a blink, he was above the soldier, dagger buried in the back of the man's neck.
At that point, Fai wasn't thinking anymore. His instincts took over, and when he came back to his senses, he was already running, sprinting as fast as he could. He tripped over a piece of fallen armor, but didn't stop. Didn't look back. The screams, the clash of blades, the howl of the wind... all of it chased him as he disappeared into the darkness of the forest.
*********
"I-Is that everything that happened, F-Fire Lord..." Fai stammered, his forehead pressed against the cold floor, his whole body trembling. He barely dared to breathe, let alone lift his eyes to face him. "I-I swear I didn't mean to run! B-but— AAAHRRHHH!"
A burst of fire erupted from Ozai's hand, consuming the soldier in flames. Fai writhed on the ground, his screams filling the vast throne room.
Ozai rose and left the chamber without sparing a single glance at the convulsing body — nor at the other soldier, already reduced to a charred corpse.
Outside, he stopped before one of the imperial guards stationed at the entrance. "Find my daughter and tell her I want her in the training courtyard." He ordered firmly, devoid of any emotion.
"Yes, Fire Lord." The guard gave a short bow and immediately set off in search of the princess.
Ozai walked with heavy steps toward the palace's central courtyard, a wide open space surrounded by columns carved with dragons. The sky above was completely blue, contrasting with the heat radiating from the sun-baked ground.
He removed his royal cape and laid it carefully over a bench, revealing the black and red tunic underneath. His eyes drifted toward the horizon, his mind traveling far beyond the lands of the Fire Nation.
Minutes later, the sound of precise and confident footsteps announced 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 adorned with a golden tiara, gleamed under the light of the setting sun. She knelt before her father, her head slightly lowered in a calculated gesture of respect. "You called for me, Father?"
Ozai turned slowly, his gaze scrutinizing his daughter with an intensity capable of making even the most seasoned soldiers tremble. "Azula, we are increasing your training."
'Again?!' Azula clenched her teeth for a brief moment, suppressing the frustration threatening to surface. Her voice, however, remained steady and respectful. "May I ask the reason, Father?"
"It seems the airbender grows stronger each time he gains experience."
'Always because of that bastard!' Azula's hands closed so tightly that 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 only for his abilities and what he represented, but for how he had become her father's obsession, which in turn made Ozai unleash all his fury on her for the soldiers' failures in eliminating him.
And now, once again, he was the reason her training was being intensified. Despite her anger, Azula kept her face expressionless, channeling her fury into determination. "Understood, Father. What will be the focus of the training?"
Ozai nodded, satisfied with the lack of resistance. "You already command blue fire, Azula, but that isn't enough. The airbender is fast, unpredictable, and has the advantage of bending an element no one has faced in a long time. You must learn to anticipate his movements and neutralize his agility. We'll work more on hand-to-hand combat and strategy."
By the way her father spoke, Azula had no doubts left: one day, it would fall to her to hunt the airbender. And that idea… that one pleased her. "I will not 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.