Lord of Fire

Zuko and the young woman emerged from the lower decks, stepping into the narrow, dark corridors that led to the upper deck. The sounds of battle echoed above them—clashing steel, roaring flames, and the savage cries of pirates. The air was thick with the smell of blood and saltwater, but Zuko's mind was clear. His body hummed with renewed energy, his sexual frustrations sated for now, and a focused determination gripped him.

Beside him, the female guard—her name still unknown to him—moved with equal grace, her fierce eyes scanning ahead. Her armor, though scant, provided her with freedom of movement, allowing her to strike with precision and power. Together, they ascended through the ship, cutting down any pirate who dared stand in their way.

Zuko blasted fire from his fists, sending waves of flame roaring down the corridors, while the woman used her twin blades to slice through her enemies with ease. Their teamwork was fluid and deadly, a dance of fire and steel. As they fought their way closer to the upper deck, Zuko could feel the tension building. Captain Tsu awaited him, and Zuko knew that a confrontation with the pirate captain was inevitable.

At last, they reached the upper deck, and the full scale of the chaos unfolded before them. Pirates swarmed the Fire Nation soldiers, pushing them back at every turn. Bodies littered the deck, and the air was filled with smoke and the crackle of burning wood. Zuko took in the scene, his eyes narrowing as he scanned for Captain Tsu.

There, amidst the turmoil, stood the pirate captain himself—Captain Tsu, the most feared waterbender Zuko had ever known. Tsu's eyes met Zuko's across the deck, and for a moment, the battle seemed to pause. The two men stared at each other, the weight of betrayal hanging heavily between them.

Zuko's voice was low but full of authority as he approached Tsu. "I trusted you, Tsu," he said, his words dripping with disdain. "I thought you were an ally."

Tsu, his face calm but unreadable, gave a slight nod. "I trusted you too, Zuko," he replied, his voice steady. "But you're back with the Fire Nation. The very empire that has enslaved and slaughtered our people for generations."

Zuko's brow furrowed in confusion. "What are you talking about? You knew my mission—my goal was to bring honor back to my nation."

Tsu's expression shifted, his eyes narrowing with a dangerous gleam. "Your nation has done nothing but bring dishonor to the world," he spat. "For years, I had lost my way, Zuko. I thought I could find peace in helping you. But when I saw you, back in that uniform, it all became clear to me. I remembered who I am."

Zuko frowned, not fully understanding. "What do you mean?"

Tsu's gaze darkened, and suddenly, the world around them seemed to blur and fade as the scene shifted to a distant memory—a time long before Tsu had become the pirate captain he was now.

---

Years ago, Tsu had been a prisoner of the Fire Nation, held in a brutal enslavement camp alongside many others who shared his fate. Among the prisoners was a young woman named Hana. Tsu and Hana had managed to escape the camp one night, fleeing into the wilderness, their bodies weak but their spirits unbroken.

They stumbled upon an abandoned cabin deep in the forest, its wooden walls weathered and overgrown with vines. Inside, they found refuge, collapsing onto the dusty floor, their breathing ragged from the long run. The moonlight filtered in through the cracks in the roof, casting a pale glow over the pair.

Hana broke the silence first. "You never told me how you ended up in that camp," she said, her voice soft but curious.

Tsu hesitated for a moment before speaking, his voice heavy with emotion. "I was born in the Northern Water Tribe," he began. "My parents…they were killed by the Fire Nation when I was just a boy. My uncle took me in, raised me, and trained me. He taught me how to be the strongest waterbender the world had ever seen. All my life, I wanted to make the Fire Nation pay for what they did to my family."

Hana listened quietly, her eyes focused on him as he continued.

"When I grew older, I left the north. I came to the south to help our people fight against the Fire Nation's raids. But…I was overwhelmed. We all were. The Fire Nation's power was too great, and I was captured. That's how I ended up in that camp."

Hana's eyes softened. "I remember hearing stories about you," she said. "When you came to the south, you were a hero to us. Your bending was unmatched. You inspired me, Tsu."

Tsu looked at her, surprised. "You?"

Hana nodded. "I was just a girl when I first saw you fight. You were fearless. You gave us hope. And now…you've given me more than just hope. You've given me a chance to fight back."

She leaned closer to him, her voice dropping to a whisper. "There's something I've learned, Tsu. Something powerful. It's called bloodbending. On the night of the full moon, I can control people, bend their blood to my will. I can teach you."

Tsu's eyes widened in shock. "Bloodbending? That's forbidden."

Hana's expression darkened. "So is everything the Fire Nation has done to us. But we can use it to destroy them from the inside. With your strength and my skill, we can tear them apart."

---

Over the next few weeks, Tsu and Hana grew closer, their shared hatred of the Fire Nation forging a bond between them. Together, they launched guerrilla attacks on Fire Nation bases and camps, setting traps and ambushes, striking swiftly and disappearing into the shadows. Their reputation grew, and soon, whispers of their exploits spread across the islands.

Their relationship deepened as well, their time spent together in battle giving way to moments of intimacy and passion. They would steal moments alone in the woods, their bodies entwined as they shared the weight of their mission. But as their love grew, so too did their notoriety. The Fire Nation began to hunt them, sending soldiers and bounty hunters to capture or kill them.

One night, during the full moon, Hana heard news that the Fire Nation had raided the Southern Water Tribe once again. The rage that boiled inside her was uncontrollable, and she decided to act. Under the pale glow of the moon, Hana descended upon a Fire Nation village. She used her bloodbending to slaughter the inhabitants, twisting their bodies into grotesque shapes as she unleashed her fury. Water flowed around her like a storm, cutting down anyone who stood in her path. The village was left in ruins, its people dead and broken.

When Tsu found out the next morning, the sight of the slaughtered innocents horrified him. He confronted Hana, his voice trembling with anger.

"These were civilians, Hana! They weren't soldiers—they weren't our enemy!"

Hana stood her ground, her eyes cold and unrepentant. "They're all part of the Fire Nation. Every last one of them deserves to suffer."

Tsu shook his head, his heart heavy with sorrow. "This isn't what we were fighting for."

Their argument erupted into a fierce battle. Waterbending masters both, they clashed in a series of brutal encounters. Water surged and crashed around them, freezing and melting with each strike. Tsu summoned waves to push Hana back, but she retaliated with torrents of bloodbending, attempting to seize control of his body.

Tsu barely managed to counter her attacks, using his superior skill to stay one step ahead. But Hana was relentless, her anger fueling her every move. They exchanged blows, each gaining the upper hand at different moments. At times, Tsu would land a devastating strike, sending Hana crashing into the ground, only for her to rise again with even more fury.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of battle, Tsu unleashed a powerful wave that knocked Hana off her feet. She lay on the ground, breathing heavily, defeated but not broken. Tsu stood over her, his chest heaving, his expression one of sadness.

"I won't kill you," he said quietly. "But this…this ends here. Our fight. Our relationship. Everything. I'm done with this war, and I'm done with bending."

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Hana behind in the ruins of the village. Tsu kept his promise, abandoning the use of his bending for years—until the day he was forced to fight against Tamutae.

---

The scene shifted back to the present, the memory fading as Tsu finished his story. He looked at Zuko, his face hardened with resolve.

"My will to end the Fire Nation has returned," Tsu said, his voice filled with cold determination. "And I'll do whatever it takes. No one, not even you, will stand in my way."

Zuko's fists clenched, flames flickering around his hands. The air between them crackled with tension as the two prepared to face each other in battle.

[A/N: You can read the conclusion already finished on my patreon available right now at patreon.com/saiyanprincenovels ]