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English
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Part 1 of The Turn of a Century
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The Best of Zuko, Good_or_Decent_Zuko_With_a_dash_of_Iroh_Azula_Gaang, Wonderful_Worldbuilding_Fics, Mah Cabbages, avatar: tla
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Published:
2021-01-15
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2021-09-10
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83,824
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30/30
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The Edge of Fate

Summary:

Don't we all wonder what would happen if the butterfly flapped its wings differently?
What would have changed if the Prince had decided differently at the crossroads? The end result might have been the same , but sometimes, what matters is what is gained from the journey itself.
Follow to see what would have happened if Prince Zuko had changed his path sooner.

I don't own ATLA or the characters except for some I have made up.

Chapter 1: Crossroads of Destiny

Chapter Text

“On one condition uncle,” Zuko started, “On one condition, I will set you free, and each of us will go his separate way,”

Out of the corner of his eye, Zuko saw that his uncle’s face fell. He could not help it. He was fed up with the way everything was going. In those few and painfully slow minutes, his whole life passed before his eyes. A once hidden and shunned feeling rose to the surface. He would never be Azula’s equal, at least not in his father’s eyes. So what if he helped her take Ba Sing Se? It was she; she had done everything; he was merely the cherry on top, just another of her achievements. He imagined her confiding in their father in secret, explaining how she had brought her older brother to heel and captured the once great “Dragon of the West” all on her own. He imagined that their father would laugh then and only feign appreciation at his son’s “repentance”. What a load of rubbish it all was. Zuko did not want to decide between his options of walking away or aiding either side. He wanted to destroy the possibility of choice all together with that despairing, feverish flame that was taking hold of him.

“What is your condition, Prince Zuko?”

Zuko turned to face him and cut through all the crystals that held his uncle in place. The old man looked at him with surprise and pride. Zuko shrugged as he looked at that hopeful countenance. What a pity…

“I want you to take the Avatar and all his friends and leave,”

“So, you will go with the Avatar after all?” his uncle smiled.

“No, you will. I will remain,”

There was a moment of silence. His uncle gave him a puzzled look, not quite understanding his purpose. Zuko himself was trying to avoid understanding his pseudo-decision, so his uncle’s confusion did not shock him.

“Do you understand, uncle? You will leave,”

“What will you do?”

“I will figure something out,” Zuko lied, “But that’s not of any importance. Do you promise?”

His uncle looked at him, still confused.

“Say it, old man!”

“How can I promise when I don’t know what you are up to?”

“Just trust me, will you?” Zuko grumbled, “Don’t worry, I won’t mess up,”

“I never said that you would,” his uncle replied softly, “I am merely worried that you might place yourself in unnecessary peril,”

Zuko was all out of patience, “All right then. Just stay here and do nothing, as you are wont to do. That shouldn’t be too difficult,” he snapped as he walked into the passage where Azula had gone. The crossroads were already passed.

He saw that the fighting had already begun.

What a shame,” he found himself thinking bitterly, “They might have waited,”

He realized that Azula was worse off. She was fighting two strong benders at once, but Zuko knew better than to hurry to conclusions when his sister was involved. She always had something up her sleeve, and that “thing” was the Dai Li agents this time. The moment she needed help, they would rush to her aid; she was like a predator, toying with her prey.

“Let’s speed things up a bit,” Zuko mumbled to himself as he walked in, maintaining a fighting stance. All sides had their eyes riveted on him, wondering at his choice. Zuko himself felt that for once, his decision could make a major change in the grand scheme of things. It was amusing that he could be so influential just when he had given up on decisions.

He scanned the whole lot of them with an unwavering expression. Why was he even hesitating? Was it the thrill of keeping them waiting? He already knew what he was going to do, as much as he scorned it, he knew that finally he would stand for himself, and stand out of the life that had been laid at his door. Literally.

He shot a ball of hot, red flames at his sister Azula. Not only was she thrown back, but she was also taken aback by it, and Zuko was ironically pleased with himself, if only because he proved to be a bad cog in her perfectly assembled machinery.

“So, you have chosen to betray your nation and your blood. I’ll bet you even set that traitor of an uncle free. Well, not everything works I suppose,” Azula said with a smile, but the expression of her eyes did not match her tone. She was shocked and angry. Zuko feared he was enjoying himself too much. He did not bother to answer, as he himself found answerless taunts more annoying than a back and forth.

“Zuko! You finally did it! You are-” the Avatar began.

“Shut up,” Zuko hissed. He had been right; he had enjoyed himself too much at his sister’s expense, and now he had to suffer kids, though hopefully, not for long. A bizarre fight ensued. It was three of them against one, but Azula still managed to hold her ground, chiefly because Zuko was not giving the fight his all. They were all still awed by him, wondering what he was doing and why he was fighting as if he sincerely did not care for one side or the other to win. Zuko wondered at many things for his turn. His uncle still had not turned up; the Dai Li were still absent; Mai and Ty Lee were nowhere to be seen. What had he gotten himself into?

He had apparently thought too quickly. About a dozen agents formed a crescent behind Azula as soon as his musings were over. She smiled sourly, “Where will you run now, Zuzu? I must say, residing here has significantly diminished what little talent you had,”

Zuko stood in a half-relaxed stance, and said nothing, despite his extreme annoyance at how things were going. He internally cursed his uncle. Where was he?

“I hope you enjoyed our little three-on-one,” Azula taunted with a smirk, “Soon you will all be enjoying a good, warm, fire nation prison,”

“That is, if you can get you claws on us,” Katara shouted.

“Indeed, that does remain to be seen,” a new voice uttered. Zuko welcomed the addition, though he considered it long overdue.

“Where have you been, uncle?” he gritted his teeth, “Don’t tell me you had a tea session on the way,” he added as an afterthought.

“One more trophy? I say bring it,” Azula grinned and shot at their uncle. The fight had begun again; this time, it was far more chaotic.

“You will get yourself killed if you keep fighting like that,” Katara addressed him as she held three agents at bay with arms made up of water. Zuko didn’t reply. He worked mainly to defend himself, and even that, unwillingly. His will to fight had vanished. Why was he even here?

The fight was turning against them regardless of his uncle’s presence. They were being overpowered, not only due to the agents’ strength and bending ability, but also owing to the fact that they were literally underground. Everything was under the earth benders’ command in this grave-like enclosure. Just then, Zuko saw the Avatar hide behind a small rock wall he summoned. He expected something novel to finally pass and he was not disappointed. Everything was so deeply buried in mist that he feared he would not see it but he did. The Avatar’s eyes and tattoos glowed white as he rose, towering above everyone else. Just then, he glimpsed a smirk on his sister’s face. The mist made her invisible in an instant, but Zuko knew she had taken aim. So had he. This was his opportunity.

Two lightning bolts shot out of the mist in the Avatar’s direction. Zuko caught them with the tips of his fingers. He felt them surge in his veins and flow through his body, like blood and nerve. They enveloped his being with more power than he thought he could handle. It was then that despair took over. It was then that he fell, senseless, without a single last word or look. He was lost to darkness.