Chapter 3

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Chapter 3 I can't go on like this, wandering from town to town with no purpose, no plan. The time has come to take action. I know what I need to do. I must find Azula and defeat her. I am the older child. I am the rightful heir to the throne of the Fire Nation, and I must restore my lost pride and honor. She now stands in my way, and I have to defeat her to put myself back on the right track. I picked up her trail on board a combination tank and train, capable of traveling anywhere in this rugged nation. The tank-train sends up thick clouds of smoke, and it makes deep rutted tracks in the ground, so it's easy to follow. After a while, she and her two friends—Mai and Ty Lee—left the tank-train and started riding mongoose-dragons. Then they split up, with Mai and Ty Lee heading in one direction and Azula riding off in another. I followed Azula, staying a safe distance away on my ostrich-horse, but always keeping her in sight. Once she is out of the way I can resume my search for the Avatar and complete my quest. My sister has arrived in a deserted town—or so it

first appeared. To my amazement, there, sitting in the middle of what must have once been the town's main street, was the Avatar! Of course. Azula has been tracking the Avatar in an attempt to succeed where I have failed. Well, she has led me to the prize that is rightfully mine. But first I will take care of her. Then I will capture the Avatar and bring him home to Father. Azula and the Avatar stood, facing off in the street. "Do you really want to fight me?" she asked the Avatar. It was time to make my appearance. Stepping out from the shadows, I said, "Yes, I really do." "Zuko!" the Avatar cried. "I was wondering when you'd show up, Zu-Zu," Azula said. "Zu-Zu?" the Avatar repeated with a giggle. She mocks me. That has not changed. But this time I will not let her win. "Back off, Azula. He's mine!" "I'm not going anywhere," she countered. I stood ready, shifting my gaze from Azula to the Avatar. Who will make the first move? Should I? Is she more interested in capturing the Avatar, or in battling me and risking his escape? She's attacking… me!

Azula unleashed a Firebending attack that knocked me down. Then she turned her attention to the Avatar. Leaping to my feet, I joined the fight and a three-way battle raged. Oomph!—she has struck me. I'm going down. No! Not again. She is just too powerful. I'm on the ground, and I can't move. Everything's going dark. My eyes opened slowly. I see a familiar face. "Uncle!" Why is he here? How did he find me? "Get up," he said before reaching down and helping me to my feet. Uncle came after me. Even though I walked out on him, he never gave up on me. I wanted to say more to him, but right now we had something more important to take care of. Uncle and I faced Azula. Beside us stood the Avatar and his friends. "Well, look at this," Azula said as we backed her against the wall of an abandoned building. "Enemies and traitors, all working together. I know when I'm beaten. A princess surrenders with honor." She bowed, but as she raised her head, she suddenly struck, sending a blue Firebending blast right at Uncle! Noooo! I unleashed a stream of fire right at Azula. The Avatar and his friends also threw bending attacks at

her. When the smoke cleared, Azula was nowhere to be seen. I can't believe Azula attacked Uncle, but I shouldn't be surprised. Uncle is a strong man, though, and he was breathing—but he seemed to be in a lot of pain. I cradled his head in my hands to try to keep him comfortable. Oh, Uncle, how has it come to this? Azula has humiliated me again; and now you, who came to help me, are fighting for your life. Everything's gone bad. The Avatar and his friends are still here, but I don't care about capturing my prize anymore. I don't care about anything, not if I lose Uncle. "Get away from us!" I shouted. I don't want them staring at us. "Zuko, I can help," the Waterbending girl said. I don't want their help. I don't need help, especially not from an enemy. I will not show weakness to my enemy. "Leave!" I ordered, and I flung a Firebending blast just above their heads. As they left, I looked around for some kind of shelter for Uncle. He has to rest. I spotted an abandoned house and carried him in there, where he slept for a long while, trembling and shaking. When his eyes finally opened, I told him, "Uncle, you were unconscious. Azula did this to you."

He groaned with pain. I handed him a cup of tea. "I hope I made it the way you like it." My uncle has always taken care of me. It's the least I can do in return. "So, Uncle, I've been thinking," I said, after awhile. "It's only a matter of time before I run into Azula again. I'm going to need to know more advanced Firebending if I want to stand a chance against her." I brace myself for a lecture about family and getting along. "I know what you're going to say— she's my sister and I should be trying to get along with her." But what Uncle said surprised me! "No," he said. "She's crazy and she needs to go down. It's time to resume your training." Uncle seems to be getting stronger. He's going to be okay. And I'm going to continue my training. He showed me how to create lightning. First he did it, then it was my turn. Ahhhhh! What happened? No lightning. Just a big fiery explosion. But why? What's wrong with me? "Why didn't it work? Instead of lightning, it exploded in my face, like everything always does!" Again I