The cold wind beat against his face as Zuko walked along the shore of the lake, the dark water reflecting the moonlight in silvery glints. He had been traveling for weeks, searching for answers he had yet to find, and the weight of his fate followed on his back like a relentless shadow. His scarred face remained impassive, but inside him, doubts still burned, more intense than ever.

The flame of his torch briefly illuminated the mist that shrouded the lake, but failed to dispel the turmoil in his heart. Had he really taken the right path in leaving the Fire Nation? Loyalty to his father and family honor had been his compass for so long, but every step he took, every decision he made, took him further away from what he had once considered home.

He paused in front of the shore, staring at the moon's reflection in the water, a distorted image, just like himself. His breathing deepened, slowed, as the flames in his hands sizzled softly. He thought of Aang, of Katara, of Toph, and of Sokka, of all those who had accompanied him on his journey. Sometimes, he still found it hard to believe that he had ended up traveling with them, fighting alongside them instead of against them.

Was he really a part of this?

Fire doesn't just consume, Zuko. It can illuminate as well. “ Iroh's voice echoed in his mind, like a reminder that he still had much to learn. He still had much to discover about himself.