Catacombs, Tartarus
The fires surrounding the stage flickered and Zuko took a step back when his father's figure appeared at the other side. A murmur rose from the crowd watching them and he could feel their eyes on him. Feel their hatred.
Zuko sank to his knees, his face cast down to the floor as he bowed deeply before the Firelord. "Forgive me, father. Please, forgive me."
"Do not call me that!" The firelord's voice boomed across the hall and the crowd fell silent. "You are not my child. No child of mine would turn its back on the Fire Nation. My son would not try to harm his own nation."
"I'm sorry," Zuko pleaded, tears streaming down his cheek. "I just..."
"I don't want to hear your excuses!" The firelord cut him off. "When you failed me years ago, I was kind to you. I gave you a chance to redeem yourself. When you returned, did I not open my arms to you? Yet, you lied and turned your back on us. Not anymore!"
Zuko cringed, his fingers trying to dig into the cold marble floor.
"You betrayed us, Zuko, and you know the punishment for treason!"
He could hear the heavy footsteps come closer and closed his eyes as he knew the punishment that was to come.
"Look up at me," the Firelord demanded. "If you were once a prince, at least die with pride."
It took another moment before Zuko could will himself to move. When he looked up in his father's face, for a second he saw nothing but hatred there before the flames surrounded him.
Zuko sank to his knees, his face cast down to the floor as he bowed deeply before the Firelord. "Forgive me, father. Please, forgive me."
"Do not call me that!" The firelord's voice boomed across the hall and the crowd fell silent. "You are not my child. No child of mine would turn its back on the Fire Nation. My son would not try to harm his own nation."
"I'm sorry," Zuko pleaded, tears streaming down his cheek. "I just..."
"I don't want to hear your excuses!" The firelord cut him off. "When you failed me years ago, I was kind to you. I gave you a chance to redeem yourself. When you returned, did I not open my arms to you? Yet, you lied and turned your back on us. Not anymore!"
Zuko cringed, his fingers trying to dig into the cold marble floor.
"You betrayed us, Zuko, and you know the punishment for treason!"
He could hear the heavy footsteps come closer and closed his eyes as he knew the punishment that was to come.
"Look up at me," the Firelord demanded. "If you were once a prince, at least die with pride."
It took another moment before Zuko could will himself to move. When he looked up in his father's face, for a second he saw nothing but hatred there before the flames surrounded him.