Avatar; The Royal Firebender.

A Skirmish In The Shi Wong Desert

Iroh looks at the sweat dripping from Toph's forehead under the brunt of the desert sun, with it directly overhead, there's no shadow for the two to take cover beneath to get out of the heat. Seeing this, Iroh decides to root through their camping supplies, grabbing some tent support sticks and one of the rain tarps. With the shifting sands beneath them, Toph's seismic sense is all but useless and has rendered her truly blind. It doesn't help that the sun is baking the sands making it burn the soles of her feet. It doesn't take Iroh very long to set up a small gazebo for the two to be shaded by. After this, he uses his firebending to control the temperature around them and reduce the heat making the shade comfortable. "Had I had known that the desert would be this unpleasant, I would have elected to stay at the oasis village." Iroh says as he sits down beside Toph leaning against the lone spire. "It's even too hot for some tea, that's a shame." He complains before grabbing a canteen full of water. "Drink, the heat and winds out here will suck the moisture from your body making you susceptible to heat stroke."

"So you're really the dragon of the west?" Toph asks as Iroh passes her a canteen of water, she takes the canteen from him before taking a drink. "Why'd you leave the firenation?"

"Many years ago, I lost my son to the battlefield, after his death I returned home after I was routed from the outer walls. Immediately after my son died, my father also died and my brother ascended to the throne taking my birthright and his cruelty knows no bounds. Left with little else aside from title and name, I set out on a pilgrimage to relearn firebending and learn about myself. These travels would take me all across the world and even to the spirit world; however I had to return home to take care of Zuko because I knew my brother would turn his cruelty on him." Iroh explains, despite the fact Toph can barely sense Iroh beside her she can feel the pain in his heart. "Zuko had been banished from the firenation and it didn't stop there he was burned by his own father and then disowned. All for speaking out against a disgusting plan that one of my former allies had come up with. He wanted to send a bunch of recruits, men and boys who were no older than 20 into war as bait to get slaughtered and allow the more experienced soldiers to take down that contingent."

"Zuko was banished for saying how wrong it was?" Toph asks, turning her head in Iroh's direction. "He doesn't talk about his past very much. I've even asked him what he wanted to do when the war is over but he didn't answer me."

"Zuko believes there is no home to go back to, and he isn't entirely wrong. There is no home for him in the firenation, but that is the firenation as it currently stands. In order for the war to end, Zuko must ascend to the throne as Firelord. Only then will he be able make the firenation a proper home for himself and turn them away from our warmongering. To do so however means killing my brother." Iroh continues, "Before he was banished, Ozai declared that he had to fight an Agni Kai against the general he dishonored. However, since he spoke out of turn in the firelord's war room, it was Ozai who was dishonored by that act."

"What's an Agni Kai?" Toph asks.

"A fire duel, oftentimes they're to the death." Iroh answers, "Ozai granted Zuko "Mercy" as he saw it and didn't kill him when Zuko refused to fight. Instead he burned his face, took his sight from his left eye and his hearing from his ear on the same side. After that, he was disowned and banished and because of this he lost his title as prince. I prevented that, after Ozai disowned him I adopted Zuko in my name but he doesn't know that. However, in doing so my brother banished me as well since he saw me as a threat now that I once again have an heir."

"Is that why the firelord doesn't go to the battlefield anymore?" Toph asks, "When my uncle was killed, it was said that Firelord Azulon himself killed the Avatar."

"That is precisely why Ozai has never set foot on the battlefield, should he be slain, the crown would go to me since my heir is older than his and I am his next of kin." Iroh explains, "I can't simply return home and defeat Ozai myself, the world will see it as a brother killing a brother to seize power, they wouldn't care for my reasoning nor would the people of the firenation see it that way. The avatar must be the one to bring down the firelord."