Adventures of a Metalworker

The Avatar and the Fire Lord

Zuko was asleep in bed when the sound of footsteps woke him up. He rushed to the hall to investigate. He opened the door and saw a someone in a cloak walk down the hall and disappear. Zuko began to go after them but noticed a scroll lying on the floor. Zuko was surprised. He picked it up and read it.

"You need to know the story of your great-grandfather's demise. It will reveal your own destiny."

Zuko closed the scroll and stared down the hallway.

—∞—

The next morning, Zuko was standing in a hall full of paintings of previous Fire Lords. Zuko stood before the portrait of his great-grandfather.

Azula passed by.

"It's never too early for a sitting with the court painter, Zuko," Azula said. "Make sure he gets your good side."

"Wait, I need to ask you something," Zuko said.

Azula stopped walking.

"What do you remember about our great-grandfather's history?" Zuko asked.

Azula sighed.

"Oh, Zuko, it's so strange how your mind works," she said. "Fire Lord Sozin began the war, of course. He spent his early years secretly preparing for it. He was as patient as he was clever. He famously waited for the comet, later renamed Sozin's Comet, and used its power to launch his full-scale invasion of the world. In the end, he died a very old and successful man."

"But how did he die?" Zuko asked.

Azula turned toward Zuko.

"Didn't you pay any attention in school, Zuko?" she asked. "He died peacefully, in his sleep." Azula walked away. "He was ancient."

Zuko stared, frustrated.

Shun stared, a little bored. She was watching Isamu practice his firebending outside. She looked past him to the walls surrounding her. She was still in her gilded cage.

"Master Isamu, Prince Zuko is here," one of the servants came out to announce.

"Really?" Isamu said. "I wonder what he wants."

"I want to speak to Shun," Zuko said when she and Isamu entered the sitting room. "Alone."

"I don't think Mai would like that," Isamu said.

Zuko narrowed his eyes at him.

Isamu frowned.

"Fine," Isamu said. "But you're the one who'll be held responsible if she escapes." He exited the room.

"You leave, too," Zuko told the guards.

"But, sir —" they started to argue.

"I'll take full responsibility for her," Zuko said, glaring at them.

The guards reluctantly did as he said and left them alone.

"What is it?" Shun asked. "You seem tense."

"Do I?" Zuko said, feeling it. "Did you have anything to do with this?" he asked, holding the scroll out to her.

Shun took it and opened it.

Zuko watched her eyes move as she read.

"No. Why would someone send you something like this?" Shun asked. "Didn't your great-grandfather die of old age?"

"How did you know that?" Zuko asked.

Shun shrugged.

"I've been doing a lot of reading, and my dad has some books on the Fire Nation's history," she said.