Azula sat in silence within the confines of her chambers, her gaze just staring at the space in front of her, her mind was far from the present. Her body no longer trembled, but inside, she was still shaking. She had been shaken to her very core.
Never… not once… had she imagined a firebender could summon flames of such terrifying magnitude. It hadn't been just powerful, it had been absolute, a force of nature incarnate. No wonder her father lost to him. Fire Lord Ozai, once the most feared man in the Fire Nation, never stood a chance against that monster. In truth, no one in the Fire Nation did.
As she slowly regained her composure, one thought took hold of her mind: she had to report this to her father. The spar was no longer a personal matter or a bruised ego. It was a warning sign. She knew just how deeply her father hated Tai Lung. Their relationship was bitter and cold. But now it was more than just personal conflict. It was a threat.
She recalled the words Tai Lung spoke two years ago during the Agni Kai: 'change the ruling family' At the time, Azula had scoffed at the declaration, finding it too arrogant, even winning that Agni Kai didn't give him the ability to carry such a threat. But now? It sent chills down her spine. The threat was real and that monster has the ability to do it.
She made her way to the Fire Lord's council chamber, her footsteps steady but purposeful. As the great doors opened and she stepped inside, every head in the room turned toward her. The heat of the central flame curtain cast long shadows across the polished floors. As always, her father sat behind the shimmering veil of fire, his posture regal and unreadable. Below him sat his closest ministers. This was not a war meeting, no generals or admirals were present.
Ozai's deep voice echoed through the hall. "Why did you come here, Azula?"
She stepped forward and bowed low. "Father," she said respectfully, "I bring a report… concerning Tai Lung."
She recounted the events of the spar, how she challenged him, how he responded, and the fire he unleashed. She described it with as much clarity as she could manage, though even now the memory made her hands tremble.
Silence followed.
"No firebender," Ozai said at last, his voice low, "should be able to unleash that kind of power."
One of the ministers nodded. "The fire she describes… matches the records of firebending masters during Sozin's Comet," he said. "But aside from that, no mention exists of flames that large or intense."
Another minister added, "The only thing that might come close to it… would be the Avatar. In the oldest stories. Is it possible… that Tai Lung found a way to empower his firebending to that level?"
Ozai turned his gaze to the man who had spoken, studying him with a calculating look. The minister immediately grew silent under the Fire Lord's piercing eyes.
Then Ozai spoke again, slowly, thoughtfully. "The Avatar has been missing for nearly a century. Despite our nation's efforts, he has not been found. What if… he died, more than once… and Tai Lung is his latest reincarnation?"
The chamber fell into stunned silence.
None of them had considered the possibility before, but now that it had been spoken aloud, it took root in their minds. The ministers exchanged glances. Could it be?
"It is possible," one finally said, hesitantly. "It would explain his unnatural power… and skill."
Ozai nodded slowly. "And it explains his strange stance during the Agni Kai two years ago. Perhaps no one taught him, it simply came to him… naturally. As the Avatar."
Azula remained still, her eyes wide with realization. That would explain everything. His raw strength. His effortless mastery. His power that surpassed anything the Fire Nation had ever seen. How else could someone like Tai Lung even exist?
She turned to her father, her voice low but urgent. "If he is the Avatar… what should we do?"
Ozai's gaze hardened, and for a moment he didn't speak. His mind was clearly deep in thought, calculating the risks. Expose Tai Lung now and order his arrest? But what if they failed? What if the Avatar turned against them? On the other hand, what if they were wrong?
One of the ministers broke the silence. "I don't think anything should be done, not yet. Tai Lung has contributed greatly to the war effort. He's on our side. Why risk losing the Avatar? He could be our greatest asset."
Another chimed in, "He might not even know. It's not unheard of… some Avatars don't realize their nature until much later in life. And there have been mistakes before, false reincarnations, misidentified candidates…"
Ozai's frown deepened.
The risk was immense. While Tai Lung was not the type to follow orders blindly, he was still from the fire nation and acted in the benefit of their nation but a misstep could turn him into a terrible enemy. And acting too late… could allow that same enemy to grow even more dangerous. The Fire Lord considered every angle, every consequence.
Finally, his voice cut through the silence like steel.
"First, we confirm if he truly is the Avatar," Ozai said coldly. "Then we decide what to do. For now, nothing of this is to be shared"
The flickering flames of the council chamber cast long shadows across the floor as silence lingered after Fire Lord Ozai's final words. Ministers remained still, their eyes on the throne. Then, quietly, Azula stepped forward once more, her voice calm and measured.
"It might be more beneficial to spread that," she said.
Ozai's gaze turned to his daughter. He said nothing, but his expression beckoned her to continue.
Azula offered a faint, knowing smile. "We can spread rumors about my spar... and that Tai Lung is the new Avatar. Whether it's true or not is irrelevant. What matters is perception. The idea that the missing Avatar has returned, and is fighting for the Fire Nation, will raise the morale of our soldiers and terrify the other nations. They'll believe the Avatar has chosen to support us."
A murmur spread through the ministers seated around the chamber. Some leaned closer, intrigued. Ozai remained silent, though his eyes had sharpened with interest.
Azula paused for effect, then resumed. "It will also restore the royal family's prestige. No one will say the Fire Lord lost to a child anymore. Instead, they'll say he lost to the strongest bender in the world, someone who holds the knowledge and instincts of countless lives. That's not a terrible defeat… it was a small misjudgement at most."
Ozai's eyes narrowed, the flames behind his throne flaring slightly. "And what if that makes Tai Lung decide he is the Avatar? What if he decides to bring 'balance' to the world?" His tone darkened. "He is the son of a highly respected admiral, one with many loyal supporters. This could turn into a civil war."
Azula nodded, unshaken. "We won't address the rumors publicly," she said. "Let them spread on their own. Then, we'll bring in one of the Fire Sages to examine Tai Lung and declare that he is not the Avatar, regardless of the truth."
She took another step forward, her voice growing more confident. "At the same time, we quietly ask the admiral to keep his son's supposed Avatar status alive for the benefit of the nation. That way, Tai Lung will continue acting in ways befitting the Avatar, thinking he's not. And our enemies, and our people, will believe the Avatar is aiding the Fire Nation. We won't need to worry about them as the father and son follow a strict code of honor and morals"
A few of the ministers exchanged impressed glances. One finally spoke, his voice respectful. "The princess is wise beyond her years."
Another nodded in agreement. "To turn this into propaganda… brilliant."
Azula allowed herself a satisfied smile.
Ozai leaned back on his throne, folding his hands. He regarded his daughter for a long moment, then finally spoke.
"Very well," he said. "We shall follow the princess's plan."
___________
The next day, the capital of the Fire Nation buzzed with excitement. From the bustling markets to the quiet tea shops, from the soldier barracks to the noble estates, a single rumor took hold of every conversation:
"Tai Lung… the son of Admiral Lung… is the new Avatar."
Eyewitnesses to the spar between him and Princess Azula shared their accounts in vivid detail, each telling more dramatic than the last. Some claimed the flames he summoned resembled a river of blue fire, others swore the ground melted from his power. The story spread like wildfire, igniting both awe and fear.
And before long, it reached the Lung estate.