Ashes of Devotion [ATLA - Azula x OC]

[Lucernello]

...Is Lin's hair like that because of some modification or just the effect of some dye?

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Lin's hair is like that because it was burnt but didn't fall off. So it lost it's natural color which is black. New hair is growing on her head so the black is appearing again at the top roots. I don't think her family would have allowed her to shave it all off, worried she wouldn't be able to marry at all in the future if her hair wouldn't grow back again. Not that Lin would want to marry, but her mother doesn't know that

An obsessed and maybe even toxic Azula sounds pretty dangerous, yes. To everyone involved.

 

[Lucernello]

Hee I still see the lin imagen, or what you refer?

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This is the icon of the thread, which is Lin and how I pictured her. On her belt is the sigil that I pictured the Renshi Family to have <3

 

[Rotceh]

An obsessed and maybe even toxic Azula sounds pretty dangerous, yes. To everyone involved.

Click to shrink...

That's for sure. With all the abandonment issues Azula has, I feel sorry for the children of other nobles who try to get her as a teacher. That will undoubtedly make her react badly. After all, the only person Azula has ever accepted as a "suitable" companion is her father; everyone else has left, and he barely pays her any attention. When Li focuses all his attention on Azula, as the perfect instructor, he's going to end up very much in love with her.

 

[Lucernello]

AN: Happy thanks giving friends. I hope you enjoyed your holidays. I'm going traveling today, going to visit my long-distance pookie heh, but I already have next two chapters ready in advance so you will see them published either way. Might be delay by a day or two on chapter 13 but it's still a three weeks away. We shall see.

-Luce
​

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97 A.G

The courtyard training sessions had become a predictable part of her morning, but she maintained them so rigorously for reasons that had little to do with the child's development and everything to do with time. Lin tried to limit the time she spent training the Royal so she could focus on her own tasks as well.

Every minute Azula was kept occupied and drained was a minute Lin could redirect toward something that actually mattered. The military did not pause for noble bloodlines or adolescent prodigies, and the mainland's warfront remained plagued by preventable setbacks, like delays in communication, failures in coordination, and outdated signaling methods.

She was home now, technically on assignment, but she still received constant updates from the warfront and her mind couldn't help but chase improvements. There was work to do, and her schedule revolved around carving out the hours to do it.

Azula, to her credit, was as sharp as the reports her family had received about her. Her flames had turned cold-blue, hotter than anything Lin had ever faced before, by the end of the second week. It spoke volumes about her dedication and raw power.

Her reaction time during drills placed her in Lin's top percentile, rivaling even her Lieutenants. The girl lacked real experience, but her instincts were usually on point, her resolve efficient, and her understanding of terrain and movement surprisingly advanced.

Lin offered praise during tasks she expected Azula to struggle with but she had to adjust her estimations very quickly. The princess was a weapon in the making, an undeniably potent one. With proper shaping, she could be one of the most powerful benders in Fire Nation history.

Still, one capable student did not make up for the inefficiencies across the broader war machine. The Fire Nation's chain of command remained rooted in methods that had not evolved in decades. Field captains signaled with flags, horns, and colored smoke, methods rendered useless under jungle canopies or storm-heavy skies. It took a day of heavy fog for orders to be delayed.

Messengers traveled on foot or mounted beasts: Komodo Rhinos, Dragon Moose, Mongoose Lizards, all too slow and too dependent on weather and terrain. There were times where Lin had lost men to those delays, soldiers she had trained personally.

She had written their names into reports with the painful realization that this could have gone differently with faster communication, and she swore not to let it happen again. She owed it to them.

A proper communications system was a necessity. She understood radios in theory, but she didn't yet understand the workings of electricity. She knew that with a steam engine she could generate electricity, but designing a steam-driven generator was beyond her expertise.

She did not fully understand the science, but the concept was sound. The mainland had nothing like them, but if her engineers could replicate the functionality using just her ideas and more or less how they should work, maybe within the year they could have electricity.

First she needed to come up with a way to nudge them towards creating a battery. From there, the concept would shift into generating electricity constantly using motion. It sounded difficult enough in her head, but she wouldn't really be the one breaking her mind on the problem. She knew what she was good at, and when it was time to let other people step in.

Today though, she got fantastic news. The family workshops, fed by her father's network of contracts and mineral suppliers, had managed to isolate the reactive component in blasting jelly, a substance used in demolition. The ignition agent had proven remarkably stable once separated.

Now, she could influence a few blacksmiths to make better weapons, non-bender artillery in the making! She could introduce cannons and guns, making the non-benders a powerful force against people who still lived as if it were the Middle Ages. If a soldier could carry firepower without needing to bend, then the Fire Nation's reach would multiply. They were already winning, with added firepower, they would surely finally crush their enemies.

None of this could happen if she spent every waking hour giving lessons to Azula. The solution was to accelerate the girl's training, and so far, it had worked. The princess was too proud to quit, too obsessed with perfection to request breaks. Lin kept the sessions just long enough to exhaust her chi, then left her to recover alone and come back to poke at her brilliant mind for a bit. It was resource management for dummies, really.

Her evenings were spent poring over sketches and calculations, exchanging coded letters with her family's lead metallurgist, visiting blacksmiths in Hari Bulkan to test alloy samples for pressure tolerance. Her father had presented some designs to the Fire Lord himself on her insistence. He was intrigued to say the least, enough to approve the research.

She didn't need the recognition so she wasn't really bothered by her father taking the credit for it. What she really cared about was her nation coming on top. In her first life, her nation found itself engulfed in war as well. She would have loved to see her nation win back then.

She really wanted the Fire Nation to become unstoppable. Teaching the princess to become the best leader she could to win the war was part of that, but technological advancement mattered just as much.

The sun was cresting above the palace walls when she finished today's training cycle. Azula was panting, fire on her breath, but still upright.

"Well done, Princess. See you in the evening." she said simply.

She turned and walked away, shifting her mind from training a Royal to strengthening the Fire Nation army. There were blueprints to craft, people to talk to, and a city full of workers who had yet to grasp how much war was about to change with what she was about to introduce.
​

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There was a quiet discomfort in her muscles, one that Azula had come to enjoy. It spread across her shoulders and lower back as she exited the courtyard, a mild ache from pushing herself beyond yesterday's limits. That was what training with Captain Lin felt like, measured exhaustion. The kind of exhaustion that left her both satisfied and drained. Even as her lungs burned and her limbs strained, she felt that she was improving day by day.

She had always been better than her peers. That had never been in question. Her previous teacher used to call a prodigy with fire in her soul, but Lin had never said anything of the sort. Lin gave small compliments when things were done right but never enough that it felt fake.

She gave corrections when necessary, yet she was far quieter than any instructor Azula had trained under. Azula had assumed it was an act of disdain at first, maybe the girl didn't want to be here.

During the first early evening lessons Lin spoke at length about her company and the army but once the small details were covered she never brought them up again. Azula had thought she missed the front lines, but now she wasn't so certain. Lin didn't seem disappointed or amused.

Most of the time she seemed too focused on their training, a very intense, unwavering gaze that left Azula oddly pleased. She seemed to give her full attention during every second of their lessons.

Azula had tried to match her. At first, it was a matter of pride. No instructor would leave her breathless. But Lin's pace was impossible; she seemed to have unlimited chi. Her movements were tight and brutal, her fire unending, and the way she stepped through Azula's attacks without pausing or even staggering against the heat made her feel as though she were fighting a mountain.

No amount of force had broken through. Her flames were now purely blue, not only when she pushed her hardest, but with every flame she produced. They were streaking hotter and more powerful than ever before, but they meant nothing if they couldn't defeat her opponent.

Sometimes her flames would leave a mark but it made no difference; Lin's limbs could withstand it or even be replaced, fixed or cleaned by the next lesson. Her bending was strong and her mind quite sharp. And yet, even with her cleverest angles and fiercest blasts, she had never landed a decisive blow in a spar.

It had begun to bother her a little, but it also gave her a challenge to look forward to. Her father had acknowledged her progress and even praised her for how powerful she was becoming. But Lin hadn't even bothered to mention her flames.

Azula suspected that if she ever managed to best her, the woman would simply rise, brush off the dust, and tell her to do it again with less wasted motion or faster.

Strategy drills had become part of their routine, with Lin giving her case studies, battle maps, and problems that required logistical thinking. Azula excelled in those lessons. While Lin's comments remained minimal, she never hid her approval when Azula reached the correct conclusions. And so, she pressed forward, eager to complete each puzzle, eager to impress the one person who refused to be impressed.

It was less frustrating than the firebending training, at least there she sometimes earned the occasional 'Well done.' 'Nice job'. By comparison the firebending lessons always ended abruptly. Lin simply left. No conversation or instruction for next time. Azula was left standing with nothing but the sound of her breathing and the cool wind brushing against her face.

Today had been no different. They had sparred for thirty minutes without pause, then she had used firebending nonstop for the following two hours. Azula had completed the entire training without faltering. And then Lin had wrapped up the lesson, then turned away again, vanishing down one of the palace corridors.

Azula stood alone now in the empty training circle, hair clinging to her forehead and her inner robes damp with sweat. There were still hours left in the day. She had already read every text on military history available in her wing. She didn't know how Lin kept bringing new scenarios, new ideas and new battle plans, so there was little she could do to prepare for the evening lesson.

The idea of idle time frustrated her; rest felt wasteful when she knew that she could keep going even if she couldn't firebending. She needed another task to occupy her mind, another problem to crush.

Perhaps her father could assign her another tutor to practice forms while her chi recovered. She thought about it and it seemed like a good plan, at least until her gaze shifted toward the direction Lin had taken.

'What does Lin do once she leaves?' she wondered. She wasn't a palace servant. She didn't eat in the royal dining hall or sleep in the noble quarters. Azula had never seen her socialize or meet with officers. She simply vanished after each lesson.

The question burned and her mind tried to assemble possibilities, each more boring than the last but there was a mystery there. The Renshi family manor wasn't that far away, but it would be inconvenient to go there and return to the evening lessons so she was probably not going home.

Azula paused, adjusted her sash and walked slowly across the courtyard toward the exit. She wasn't one to loiter, and she wasn't foolish enough to be seen stalking. But nevertheless, Azula wanted to know where she went.

The decision came easily, curiosity winning out over caution in her young mind. She quickly followed after her. She would find out what her captain did in her free time. She hoped the effort was worth it.
​

---

Azula had no difficulty moving through the palace unnoticed. The corridors had once seemed massive, towering halls filled with guards and military officers, but she had grown used to their rhythm. She had learnt to identify different footsteps from a distance, to quiet hers down as well.

She could count the guard rotations in her head without needing to glance at the time. Sneaking was never really needed when you are a princess, but she liked to know little secrets here and there. Having something to blackmail people with sounded like a good backup to have, in case someone close ever stepped out of line.

Captain Lin was quick, but she, like clockwork, first changed her clothes before leaving, and the palace had few exits that everyone knew about. She passed through the barracks with minimal disruption, only seen by a couple of guards who just saluted her and carried on.

Azula moved from shadow to column, keeping her distance. Once Lin exited the palace grounds, Azula followed through a narrow servant's path and ducked beneath a wall-side, doing her best to remain out of sight.

Hari Bulkan's lower quarter was busy with the sound of clanging metal and shouting vendors, but Lin moved like she belonged there. She didn't slow or hesitate as she stepped through the crowd. She wore her uniform with the insignia of House Renshi clearly visible on the collar, and only a few peasants glanced at her, even with her unique appearance.

Azula kept her head low, tucked her hair into her outer robe, and stepped carefully across the wider street, never letting Lin out of view. The building she entered was simple in structure, reinforced stone walls with no decoration, just the mark of a black anvil above the doorway.

It was fitting, she guessed, that the cold older girl would visit an armory in her free time, and judging by the lack of banners, likely private. Azula pressed against the opposite wall and waited. The sun had risen further now, casting long shadows through the narrow street, but no one paid her any mind, which worked in her favor.

She crept closer, until the voices from inside became audible.

"…No, the alloy won't fracture under that pressure. But I have never heard of something that would ignite that kind of force, much less from a firebender. I can temper the steel as much as possible, but I wouldn't know until I get a look at the ignition."

"I'll handle the ignition separately. You just need to make the barrel." came Lin's voice, clipped and direct.

"And you want me to use this design… why do you need it like that?"

"It's a technique called rifling, it helps with accuracy, range and power as it spins the projectile when fired. The spinning gives stability mid-air."

"But it makes it harder to cast…"

"You will have to step up, friend."

Azula narrowed her eyes, piecing the fragments together. A weapon, clearly. Something with explosive force. Not for benders, since firebenders couldn't generate the power they were talking about. She knew Lin had an interest in tools and military advancement, but she had not expected this level of personal involvement.

"…Payment is already arranged. Have it ready by next week and I will pay extra. I'll return with the frame and ignition." Lin added.

The armorer grunted in agreement. Azula took a half-step back, intending to return to the courtyard path before Lin exited, but the door did not open. Minutes passed without any change, and she wondered if she should close up again. She waited longer, unsure now. Just as she turned to slip away, a tap landed lightly on her shoulder.

She spun, heat already sparking in her throat, her mouth forming the start of a warning, but her anger stopped cold when she saw the familiar black-and-red uniform, the glowing eyes of her mentor framed against the daylight.

Captain Lin stood silently, one eyebrow faintly raised. Azula opened her mouth, then closed it again. Her hands clenched by her sides, but she forced her posture straight.

"I was… curious."

Lin nodded once, then glanced back toward the forge.

"Curiosity is useful, but your steps are heavy, and your silhouette gave you away three corners ago."

Azula flushed despite herself.

"I wanted to know what you did after training."

"I work for the betterment of the army." Lin replied. "The same as I do before training. If you wanted to know you could have asked, but I don't mind you following me."

There was no accusation in her tone, or mockery for being found. She turned, motioned for Azula to follow, and began walking. Azula fell into step beside her, adjusting her pace. The street noise dulled as they took a side path toward the inner districts.

"What kind of weapon are you making?" Azula asked finally.

"A ranged siege weapon, capable of destroying walls, buildings, ships or even enemy infantry lines. They will also scare the enemy enough to crush their morale." Lin answered.

"What…?" the princess asked in disbelief.

"You will see soon. I intend to do a demonstration with the help of the minister of war." Lin said. "It will be a great boon for our army as non-benders will be able to use them."

Azula didn't reply. She watched Lin's profile, the way her expression remained unchanged even as she discussed such things. But she could feel her excitement when talking about it. It seemed the captain was passionate about weapons. Azula snorted in amusement, it was fitting.

They reached the shop district. Lin slowed.

"Next time, watch your angles. Sound matters more in tight corridors than in open space. And never let your line of sight rest on your target for more than three seconds. It makes you obvious. Also avoid letting your shadow point towards the one you are following, for someone alert, it will be evident."

Azula absorbed the advice in silence.

"You're walking me back?" she asked after a while.

"Yes. If something happened to you on your way, it would be my fault. I cannot have that."

Azula gave her a sidelong glance, but said nothing else. They passed beneath the inner gate and into the shaded courtyards beyond. Lin's pace remained steady, without a hint of annoyance. Azula wondered, as they walked, just how much more there was to learn from this strange girl. And why, despite everything, she wanted to know all of it.
​

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Lin hadn't expected it to be Azula. She had sensed someone following her after leaving the palace, but she had assumed it was a courtier or an ambitious noble looking to curry favor. Someone from a rival house, perhaps, hoping to learn about her family's contracts. Children rarely had the patience or instinct to tail someone effectively, but then again Azula was no ordinary kid.

When she caught her standing beside the forge, eyes narrowed, spine rigid, Lin had tapped her shoulder without hesitation. There was no discipline to enforce. The girl had not broken any rule, and a Royal could do what they wanted anyway.

Back inside the walls of the estate, Lin turned toward the narrower garden path and walked ahead. Azula kept close with a calculating look on her face.

"You could wear softer shoes if you plan to follow anyone again." Lin said without looking back. "Your common Fire Nation heels strike the stone with too much force."

"Well, it was kind of unplanned. I didn't really intend to follow you until you had already left." Azula replied.

"I see, well it's good to be prepared." Lin said. "Just a thought for next time."

"It's almost as if you want me to follow you again."

"Maybe."

Azula fell silent again, and Lin wondered if she could turn this into an exercise. It could be more fun, and she was sure it would do the princess good; she didn't seem to go outside the palace much.

She continued toward the inner courtyard, where the guards at the northern post bowed their heads as they passed. Lin's mind had already returned to the forge. With the design of the barrel approved, now she had to turn her focus on the ignition component, something that her family engineers were working hard to obtain for her. She hoped they were being careful with it; paying retirement and injury fees to workers was not cheap.

"What exactly were you building?" Azula asked, bringing her out of her thoughts.

Lin glanced sideways.

"As I said, it's a weapon for our infantry. It allows a team of two soldiers to exert a powerful projectile across distance."

"Couldn't a trebuchet do the same thing?"

"No. This weapon will be way more powerful and faster than a trebuchet. It wouldn't even give earthbenders a chance to raise a wall in defense and its destructive capabilities are obviously better." Lin answered.

"And why can't firebenders use it? You said it was for non-benders."

"Everyone could use them, but it would be better to have them man these weapons, to use firebenders more efficiently. The range it's too great for a firebender to fire it and still be useful in the following combat, unless you are getting charged on or ambushed."

"And why cannot benders train enough to reach a similar power?" Azula asked.

Lin stopped, turned toward her. She could see she was interested in the weapon, but also it seemed the princess didn't like feeling less powerful than a tool.

"There are some things that cannot be compared." she said. "For example, you wouldn't compare a frigate or cruiser to simply using waterbending. Some tools and technologies are very good at what they do, more so than bending. But that doesn't mean bending isn't a weapon to use as well."

"I think whatever you make, I will be able to surpass it."

Lin did not argue and offered no response so they resumed walking. Lin understood the thought, she wasn't offended by Azula's bias. She grew under the constant praise of firebending and she was talented enough for anyone to consider her a prodigy, so Lin was sure that the princess thought everything could be solved if you were just strong enough.

She had heard it before, even from officers who should have known better. The Fire Nation had always leaned on its benders. But what they had in fire, they lacked in reach, destruction and efficiency. Not to mention, at least half of their forces were not benders.

The walk back to the palace was brief. Lin considered ending the conversation there, but Azula spoke again.

"Do you have more weapons being made?"

"No, so far only this one." Lin said. "I have designs for weapons I want to eventually make for myself, something way smaller and more portable, but firebending will still be enough for now."

Azula raised an eyebrow.

"Why are you the one making them? Isn't that a job for engineers and researchers?"

"Anyone can come up with innovation, Azula. I'm making them to win the war." Lin said with conviction.

She stopped at the entrance to the courtyard, where two Royal Guards adjusted their posture in her presence. Lin nodded, then turned back to Azula.

"I hope you enjoyed your walk, Princess." she said. "We can repeat this another day, I will see you in the evening, I haven't eaten lunch yet."

Azula tilted her head slightly.

"Thank you." she said.

"I can still see your chi has not recovered yet, get some rest."

Azula nodded once, without protest.

Lin glanced toward the inner corridor but remained where she was. There was no reason to rush. Azula watched her carefully now.

"What?" she asked.

"If you would like, we can eat something together."

The young princess considered it for a moment, her brow furrowing.

"That wouldn't be appropriate." she said finally. There was something in the girl's eyes that almost resembled disappointment.

"No, but who can deny the Princess?"

Azula smirked widely. "You are learning... Good, lead the way."

"As you command, my princess."​

 

[Rotceh]

Well, that turned out alright...and if Link is a patriot...and is creating an even more dangerous Azula...that's not very good for anyone else.

Awasome cap

 

[Lucernello]

Awasome cap

Click to shrink...

Thank youuu!

Well, that turned out alright...and if Link is a patriot...and is creating an even more dangerous Azula...that's not very good for anyone else.

Click to shrink...

Now imagine if she knew how to make modern things a reality. The Fire Nation would be unstoppable by the time Aang comes in. Luckily, she was a soldier in her past life. Science stuff beyond what was useful in combat escapes her. I imagine the Fire Nation having planes would have been overkill.

When I read insert stories I always wonder what would happen if I was there, I wouldn't know how to bring any of the things we use nowadays or was used previously to the betterment of our society. I would be useless, haha. Reason why this isn't a self-insert. I wouldn't know anything if I couldn't google it.

 

[Rotceh]

Thank youuu!


Now imagine if she knew how to make modern things a reality. The Fire Nation would be unstoppable by the time Aang comes in. Luckily, she was a soldier in her past life. Science stuff beyond what was useful in combat escapes her. I imagine the Fire Nation having planes would have been overkill.

When I read insert stories I always wonder what would happen if I was there, I wouldn't know how to bring any of the things we use nowadays or was used previously to the betterment of our society. I would be useless, haha. Reason why this isn't a self-insert. I wouldn't know anything if I couldn't google it.

Click to shrink...

Honestly, it always seems pretty far-fetched to me when someone remembers how to create a battery after 15 years if it wasn't their specialty.

Hmm, was Lin a soldier? That makes perfect sense. It doesn't surprise me that she was the perfect cyborg soldier.

 

[Lucernello]

Hmm, was Lin a soldier? That makes perfect sense. It doesn't surprise me that she was the perfect cyborg soldier.

Click to shrink...

Mhm! I've hinted it a few times here and there. Lin missing artillery, something that isn't present in this world, is a giveaway.