Bab 29: Chapter 29 - The Abusive Father
---Several Hours Later, 3rd Person POV---
Returning from his interviews with the crew, Commander Zhou's expression was pale. Having heard from the crew how they were attacked, and what Mael was capable of...he understood the boy was a monster. He knew Ozai had it out for the boy, but after what he heard...he thought it was a suicidal wish to fight him.
"What have you learn?", Azulon asked Zhou, "What does the crew say about my grandson?"
"Sir, Mael used Combustionbending to sink several Earth Nation ships and used Lightning to kill the enemy commander. He...he vaporized the commander where he stood nearly a quarter mile away...", Zhou gulped, "The crew say that the Earthbenders were terrified of him when he sank their lead ship with a single attack."
A smile creeped up on Azulon's face, Combustionbending and Lightning Generation were incredibly powerful branches of Firebending that only a few Firebenders could achieve. To have a person that could use both techniques, and generate blue flames...such a feat hadn't been seen in generations, if ever. Azulon immediately knew that he made the right choice officially accepting him as his grandson.
'Whether my sons want to make the arrangements, Mael must marry Azula. I will not let the nobles pilfer such talent from the royal family!', Azulon thought, "What of the Whaletail Island attack?"
"Fire Lord Azulon...the men...they say Mael used black flames to burn a ship to ashes...", Zhou said with a pale look, "They report that even though the men jumped into the water...the fire wouldn't go out."
Rising from his seat, Azulon stared at him in shock. He had never once heard of a Firebender using Black Flames or fire that didn't go in water. The fact Mael burned an Earth Nation ship to ashes with it meant the fire had to be far hotter than normal fire. Wanting to see the power for himself, he immediately wanted his family in the throne room now.
"Summon my family at once!", Azulon shouted, "I want to see a display of this power myself!"
"By your command!", Zhou replied.
---Mael POV---
Summoned to the throne room, I took the seat behind Ozai's family. Since I was adopted it was a sign of respect apparently to sit behind them. Before I got comfortable though, Azulon told me to stand up with smile.
"My grandson, I hear you are capable of not only generating Lightning but using Combustionbending as well! Not only that, you burnt an entire Earth Nation ship to ashes using Black Flames. I want to see this power for myself, show me!", Azulon commanded.
Seeing the look of a power hungry monster in his eyes, I knew he took the bait. Standing before him I mimicked God Slayer Black Flames around me, and gave him a display of it's power. Telling the guards to fire their crossbows at me, the bolts were incinerated feet away from me leaving the men in shock. Taking a page out of Madara's book, I mimicked his Fire Release: Great Fire Destruction and unleashed it on the soldiers.
Watching a huge wall of black flames come rushing towards them, they dropped their weapons and took off running for their lives. Seeing the wall annihilate everything in it's path, I stopped it mere inches from the men. Trembling in fear as they cowered before me, they looked like they had seen their lives flash before their eyes.
"Simply marvelous!!", Azulon applauded, "You are truly a Firebender without equal!! Iroh had perfect foresight to bring such talent into the Royal Family. I am officially naming you Azula's fiancé, and third in line for the throne!"
"Father!!", Ozai shouted in anger, "Surely you don't mean to strip me of my inheritance!! This boy isn't of Royal Blood!"
"He is Iroh's son, I will not hear anything from a failure like you!! Neither of your children hold a candle to him in talent.", Azulon spat, "You are now fourth in line for the throne."
Seeing his hard work slipping away from him, Ozai did the only thing he could think of. Turning to his daughter, he told her to stand up.
"Azula, you will fight Mael in an Agni Kai!", Ozai commanded.
Having seen what Mael was capable of, Azula was smart enough to know she would die in a fight with him. That last attack...she had no counter to beat it as it devoured all in it's path. Looking at her mother for help, her mother completely ignored her instead hiding Zuko from their father.
"Father...I...I don't-", Azula pleaded.
"You will do as I say!!", Ozai shouted as fire enveloped his fire hand, "Do not dare fail me!!"
The fear of fighting Mael was great, but the thought she would lose the only parental love she knew terrified her more. Shakily rising to her feet, she officially challenged me to a duel as her father requested. I could see the fear in her eyes, and knew she was almost ready to begin recovering from the cruel and evil influence her father had on her. All I needed to do was push her a little more, and she would be open to change.
"Very well, I accept your challenge!", I said as black flames danced around me, "Tomorrow morning morning at dawn!"
Accepting the time and date, Azula immediately fled the room. Reality had hit home as she remembered that she couldn't surrender in a duel like this...the only way to end it was by burning the opponent. Remembering all the abuse she had given Mael, she felt that Mael would use this chance to kill her brutally.
"I have been foolish in spoiling you boy...", Azulon growled glaring at Ozai, "After this duel, you will leave with Commander Zhou and not return till after the Earth Nation fleet that attacked Mael is destroyed."
Seeing the look of anger on his face, I knew my plan to fracture the family was working. After the duel Ozai would definitely want to kill me, all I had to do was let Iroh find out. Knowing him, he would return home to deal with his brother and that's when I would kill Azulon. Excusing myself, I said I wanted to return to my room to rest as I hadn't been able to sleep on the ship due to constantly needing to pump water out of the ship. Giving me his blessing to leave, Azulon lectured his son for his foolishness.
Taking a quick bath, I headed back to my room where I found Zuko standing outside my door with Mai and Ty Lee. It was sweet to see that they were genuinely concerned about Azula. Playing ignorant, I asked why they were here.
"Please don't kill Azula!", Ty Lee pleaded, "She may act mean, but she is really a nice person deep down."
"Yeah...what she said.", Mai said in a semi-uncaring tone.
"Mael, I know she gives you a lot of trouble but please don't hurt too bad.", Zuko stated, "She is only cruel because she wants our father's approval. I know she wouldn't challenge you if it weren't the case, she knows she can't beat you."
Giving them a smile, I assured them I had no intention of killing her. Reminding them that I was her fiancé, I said it would be wrong of me to kill her.
"That said, someone has to make her wake up to reality. Your father is never really going to be happy with either of you.", I told him with a concerned look, "You have realized how bad your dad is, she hasn't. Only when she realizes that can she change, unfortunately her stubbornness means she will only learn through a display of force."
---Next Morning---
Having told the men to take the day off due to my duel, they gratefully accepted and took the time to relief some stress with their wives. Putting that thought out my mind...I didn't want to think about that as some of the men were...well not the most handsome guys in the world. Waiting for everyone in the Agni Kai chamber, everyone showed up thirty minutes later. Watching Ozai yell and berate Azula, I felt a little bad that I was forcing her into this but I knew it was for her own good. Someone had to crush that cruel spirit she had in her heart that her father had been cultivating.
Taking our positions on the stage, I looked at her in the eyes. Trembling where she stood, she looked like a cornered animal ready to fight to the death. Confirming that both of us were ready, we tossed off our cloaks and approached each other. As the referee for the fight, Azulon gave the signal to start.
Immediately creating a lightning field around me, the look on her face paled. As for the crowd, all of them looked on in disbelief. Generating lightning so quickly and easily astonished everyone watching, including Ozai himself.
"You should know there is more to Lightning Generation than discharging it...", I told Azula.
Vanishing from sight, I appeared in front of her. Going wide-eyed in surprise, she felt my elbow slam into her gut using an explosion to make it look like I boosted my blow. Flying into the wall behind her, Azula coughed up a mouthful of blood and fell to the ground. Knowing that she had broke a few ribs, she glanced at her father who was staring daggers at her. Forcing herself to stand, I let loose a barrage of explosions on her purposefully weakening them to only knock her around.
Skidding across the floor as tears filled her eyes, I could see she wanted to surrender but was still stubborn to surrender. Everyone in the crowd knew this wasn't a fair match, and that she was clearly outclassed but not one person spoke up for her. Looking away from the sight, Zuko, Mai, and Ty Lee couldn't stand watching her be beaten to a pulp.
Forming a massive ball of black flames above me, Azula finally broke down. Dropping to her knees she slammed her face into the ground as she started crying.
"I yield!! Please stop!! I don't want to fight anymore!!", she screamed in fear.
"Get up and fight damn it!!", Ozai berated her.
"I...I can't beat him!!", she argued, "He's too strong!!"
Rising from his seat, Ozai turned his back on her.
"Kill her for all I care, she is no daughter of mine anymore.", he said leaving the room.
"Father!! Please wait!!", she pleaded, "Please don't go!!"
"Zuko would have at least taken the loss with dignity...", he stated loud enough for everyone to hear.
Those words were all it took for expression and her will to break. Seeing her break down on the stage, I couldn't bring myself to drag this on any further. Accepting her surrender, I told Azulon that I wished to accept her surrender as I didn't want to hurt my fiancé any further. Acknowledging that, he accept that and let the duel end there. Turning away from Azula, I glared back at Ozai.
"Where do you think you are going!", I shouted at him, "Get back here, and face me like a man!! I played your little game Ozai, I challenge you to Agni Kai!! Forcing your daughter, my fiancé, to fight me for your own benefit is crossing the line!!"
"I have no reason to fight you!", he refuted.
"You bring shame upon the Royal Family, Fire Lord Azulon, and General Iroh!!", I berated him, "You flee like a rat, at least Azula was brave enough to challenge me. How does it feel to know that your children are more honorable and brave than you are!"
Clenching his fist, I could tell he wanted to fight me but chose to flee. Leaving the room in a hurry, I could see that the nobles were already beginning to question if Ozai was worthy of being Fire Lord. He had been secretly gathering allies to usurp the throne from Iroh behind the scenes, but now that would be much harder for him as I stood in his way.
Turning back to Azula, I ran over and picked her up. Carrying her to the clinic for treatment, I stayed next to her so she wouldn't be alone. Having the only person that acknowledged her turn his back on her, Azula was very vulnerable right now, mentally and physically. Not wanting her to turn into a shell of her former self, I wanted her to maintain her strong will and accept that violence and anger weren't the only ways to live. Holding her hand even as she slept, I promised her that I would be here for her forever.
'I am sorry I had to put you through that...', I thought brushing her hair, 'You wouldn't have listen to what I had to say any other way...I didn't want to brainwash you or groom you. All I want is for you to experience this world and the beauty it holds without holding your emotions in. Now you can live free of the shackles that held you down, I will show you what happiness really looks like.'
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone