The Fire Within Us (ATLA Fanfic)

Chapter 20- Zuko

-Two Months Later-

Zuko stared at his father's back as he gripped the cold prison bars enclosing the previous Fire Lord in his cell. "I came here to tell you that you failed." Zuko grit his teeth as his father sat in stony silence, not even bothering to turn to face his son. "Despite your best efforts, Anika is alive and well. You were captured and thrown back into jail, and Kuzen is locked somewhere where he'll never see the light of day again. You can't control me. I'm going to live a long, successful life despite everything you've ever done to try to drag me into the mud."

Zuko's face twisted into a snarl as his father continued to sit in silence. "Well?! Don't you have anything to say?"

One beat of silence.

Two beats.

Three.

Zuko pushed himself away from the prison bars as if they had burned him. "Have it your way, then."

Just as Zuko turned to leave, Ozai's cruel laugh began to bounce off the stone walls. "You're even more foolish than I remember." Zuko slowly spun back around to face his father as Ozai stood and turned, his eyes glittering like two living flames. "Have you already forgotten what I'm capable of? You really think Kuzen was the only one I visited during my escape?"

Ozai lunged forward in his cell, and Zuko stumbled back a step out of old instinct. Ozai grinned in satisfaction. "I knew Kuzen might be unsuccessful. He is skilled and loyal, but he has a flare for the dramatic that is his downfall. I was prepared for him to draw things out and ultimately fail. Betting on it, even. I spoke with others, men you haven't even heard of. They'll come for you. They'll come for your precious girlfriend. You will become the kind of ruler I desire you to be, or you will die as a weak fool. It will be interesting to see which one you choose."

Ozai turned and settled back down onto the floor, still managing to keep his air of superiority despite the circumstances. "As you said, have it your way."

Zuko scrambled for a confident comeback, but his heart had turned to ice in his chest. His mouth worked silently up and down a few times before he balled his hands into fists. "You're wrong. I can take anything you throw at me, and so can Anika. I'm not afraid of you or your men."

Ozai didn't reply, but his turned back began to slowly shake as he let out low, mocking chuckles. Zuko turned on his heel and stormed from the cell, desperate to escape the terrible sound. He hurried from the prison and out into the streets of the Fire Nation Capital. A terrible feeling suddenly overcame him. The other men his father had talked to were waiting for a moment when he was separated from Anika to attack. A moment like this one. A sudden image of a man digging a knife into Anika's throat shot across his mind.

No. No, no, no. Zuko felt a cold sweat bead on his forehead, and he broke into a sprint for the palace. Ever since he could remember, he'd been one step behind his father. Houses and carriages flew by in a blur as Zuko's heart climbed into his throat. One step was all it took for someone to die, to be killed because of his foolishness. Why had he left her alone? Zuko somehow managed to push himself to run faster as he neared the palace and what waited for him inside.

He was going to be too late. He was going to—just as Zuko reached the palace courtyard, his eyes fell on Anika, who was casually squaring off against a training dummy.

"Anika!" Zuko was by his girlfriend in an instant. He scooped her into his arms and spun around three times as he buried his face in her soft hair.