Agni's disease

In this world Zuko was never banished, only dishonored and he lost his right to become fire lord. Instead Azula is chosen to be the next ruler of the fire nation. Unless Zuko can claim his right back by winning in an Agni kai against her.

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Chapter 1: Royal feast fever!

Zuko's personal diary

"My name is Zuko. I was the crown prince of a nation once. Destined to rule over the entirety of the fire nation after my father Ozai. But that all changed when I spoke out against one of my father's generals during his war council."

"The general suggested to send our entire 41st division against three of the best earth-bender battalions the earth kingdom possessed. The 41st, the division had been formed only three months ago, basically they were a bunch of recruits fresh out of training. When one of the even older generals pointed this out, the first general responded that there was no better bait than fresh meat. They would send the veterans in from the rear to crush the enemy battalions."

"I was furious! This man would sacrifice an entire division of loyal fire nation soldiers for a quick victory! A division held at least a thousand to even two-thousand men and women! In my anger I spoke out against this man. A man who I felt betrayed our nation by sacrificing lives needlessly! When I rose from my seat and challenged the generals ideas my father, fire lord Ozai, became furious. He said that I had shown great disrespect and that this could only be resolved by the means of an agni-kai. A duel between two fire-benders. I looked at the general, the man was way past his prime and I was the son of the fire lord, I might not have been as good as my sister but I had nothing to fear from the man before me."

"I had never been so wrong in my entire life. On the day of the agni-kai I walked up onto the stage where the fight would take place, I turned around and dropped on one knee. But when the fight began and I turned around it wasn't the general before me but my own father. By speaking out of turn in his war council I had disrespected my father. I begged for his forgiveness and I refused to fight. This only succeeded to increase his anger. Branding me a coward, he stripped me of my right to the throne and he would make sure everyone who saw me would know of my shame by throwing a fireball right in my face and thereby scarring me for life."

"From then on I lived in the palace as the dishonored prince who lost his right to the throne to his younger sister because he refused to fight his father. My home became my hell as people would whisper all around me. I became angry, very angry, and the power behind my bending increased while my control over it fell dramatically. In my sparring sessions with my sister I started to overpower her attacks with my own. However she adapted to my increase in power. Instead she chose to become faster so she could dodge my attacks or parry them. She would weave around me and use precision strikes to break my guard. Those were the most frustrating years of my life and it would have continued just like that if it hadn't been for that one thing that changed my life forever."

"It all happened 5 years ago during the summoning of the sun ceremony…"

Fire nation/Palace/Zuko's chambers/minutes before the summoning of the sun ceremony

'The summoning of the sun ceremony is a feast that is held once a year from the time that the sun sets in the west until it rises again in the east. It is always held during the shortest night and longest day of the year. Our ancestors believed that by feasting during this night they could make the sun move faster and bless them with its light again. The sun is believed to be Agni's true form in the human world.' Zuko thought as he remembered his history lessons.

While Zuko was stuck in his thoughts, worrying about everything that will happen tonight his servants (all of which are women) were hurrying around the room. One of them was busy with his hair, securing it in the traditional topknot, and placing the golden headpiece on it to keep it all together. Another was fastening his belt, pulling it tight against the armor around his stomach. A third servant was standing to his right, holding the piece of armor that would protect his shoulders and chest. She was waiting for the others to finish, it was clear that she was beginning to feel the weight of the metal as her arms trembled. A fourth servant had just returned with his boots, which she placed in front of the pedestal on which he stood. That way he could easily step into his boots.

Zuko now fully dressed stepped down into his armored boots and stretched his arms so the last one could put on his chest piece. One of the others noticed her struggling with it and hurried to help. Together they raised it above Zuko's head and lowered it into place before fastening it entirely. The entire process had been less than professional but Zuko couldn't blame her as this was her first time. He had saved her when she had blundered during her duties to his sister. When Azula had fired her Zuko had hired her instead, saving her and her family from disgrace. Instead of being fired she could go home and tell her parents that she had been reassigned as a servant to prince Zuko. He knew that those who worked in the palace as servants didn't have the best living situations and needed this job to provide for themselves and their families.

Zuko looked at them and said "I won't need your services for the remainder of tonight, you may return to your families to celebrate with them but make sure you are back on duty at noon tomorrow."

They bowed at the waist their hands folded down and replied "As you wish prince Zuko! Thank you very much!" he nodded his approval, opened his chamber doors and stepped out into the torches illuminated hallway. He could already hear the musicians playing in the grand ballroom. He always liked listening to the royal musicians, it reminded him of his mother singing him her lullabies. He smiled as he marched on towards the grand ballroom.

His good mood didn't last long however as his ears picked up a different sound. A sound he didn't appreciate at all.

"Hello Zuzu." Zuko turned around and found his sister walking behind him. "Ready for the celebration I see. Try not to embarrass us further." Azula mocked.

"Azula, I see your tongue is still as venomous as ever. Try not to scare away to many of your suitors or you'll end up an old heirless hag." Zuko calmly retorted. To his surprise Azula's eye actually twitched.

In his mind Zuko roared a large stream of fire from his mouth while screaming "I've found her weakness!"

A moment of silence, Azula didn't know what to say for a moment. But then she figured she'd simply say that men would always fall for her good looks and charms no matter what. She didn't get the chance however as Zuko took that single moment to push his attack.

"After all, how do you plan on becoming the next fire lord without heirs? And can you even stand the humiliation of having been a certain man's conquered maiden for the night?" Zuko asked.

"What are you talking about Zuzu? Me? Conquered? Preposterous!" Azula retorted. But her mind was wavering, she seemed confused. Zuko strengthened his attack once more.

"Don't you know? According to our ancient texts the honeymoon symbolizes the husband conquering his wife by taking her virginity." Zuko stated. Azula looked at her brother and squinted her eyes.

'Is he toying with me? Is he really beating me in my own game?' Azula thought. 'This can't be. He must be lying. He's just trying to get underneath my skin.' But then she remembered. Being the genius child that she was she easily memorized every law and tradition that was taught to her.

Now she remembered that when she turned 13 her education that she thought she had already finished was continued. But this time she would learn all the things she was too young to know about back when she was only 10 years old.

During those lessons she did indeed read about the tradition about the husband conquering his wife on the honeymoon. She didn't think much about it back then, but now it posed a problem. How could she ever live with the idea of someone lesser than her conquering her? It would be given that her husband would be beneath her, after all nobody was equal or superior to her greatness. Except for her father but that just wasn't an option for obvious reasons.

Her brother? Hell no! He might be the first-born child of Ozai and Ursa and he might be two years older than her but he was weak. And he was her brother so also not an option for obvious reasons. But then who? Who would provide her with heirs? And how could she allow this person to live after disgracing her by conquering her?

Many other questions raced through her mind but then she stumped on the solution. She would have her father change the law and tradition so that she wouldn't have to endure such humiliation. Yes! She would talk to her father about this.

Azula reached her conclusion just in time because they had reached the large golden decorated doors behind which laid the great ballroom.

Fire nation/Palace/Grand ballroom

"Prince Zuko and crown princess Azula have arrived!" a servant announced to the people already gathered in the ballroom.

The doors swung open and Zuko and Azula marched into the room. The ballroom was kept lit by many lamps attached to the walls. The flames being fueled by the breathing of the many fire benders in the room. The walls were of black marble and decorated with gold and red banners with the fire nation symbol on it. A red carpet was laid out for the royal family and tables were set in an U shape, with the royal family in the middle.

The tables standing a small distance away from the pillars keeping up the ceiling from which a single row of chandeliers hung in the middle. The pillars positioned at the sides of the room and melting together with the ceiling.

Ozai was already sitting in his chair which had a lengthened back so that the chair towered above the others. Even though Azula was the future fire lord she still sat on her father's left side because it was customary for the women of the family to sit on the left side of the head of the family. Normally her mother would sit there but she was no longer amongst them. Zuko took his place on his father's right as customary for not only the eldest son but also the heir to the throne.

Azula would rather sit on her father's right being the heir to the throne and Zuko would rather sit on his left where his mother used to sit. But their father was very clear on the matter that he wouldn't allow this.

Ozai nodded to Zuko and then stood up and embraced his daughter and they all sat down together. As they sat down the guests sat down as well and the musicians started playing again. Servants flowed into the room and served the people their meals. At the royal table servants started putting chairs on the opposite sides of the royal family and the first nobles were escorted to the royal family. Their plates were set down at the table by a group of servants and helped them to be seated.

It would go on like this the entire night. The nobles and generals would have 15 minutes each to dine and talk with the royal family about all the important and political issues, some would be granted extra time if the fire lord so desired and others would be cut short. It all depended on whether you showed the proper respect and decent manners to the royal family.

As the first nobles were seated in front of Ozai and his children the entertainment entered the ballroom. Fire benders dressed in tribal clothes that only covered their private parts marched into the middle of the room. Their wrists and ankles each held a rattling bracelet and their chests, arms and legs were covered in tribal tattoos. These benders weren't soldiers but artists and performers. They bended the fire in such ways that it took form and illustrated stories and legends. They bowed to the royal family and then the others and started their performance.

As the performers started bending their flames Mai took place in front of Zuko her father was seated in front of Ozai and her mother became seated opposite Azula, together with her baby brother tom-tom.

Diner and conversation had started, Mai and Zuko talked about maybe taking a trip to ember island with just the two of them and Ozai and Mai's father were talking about perhaps expanding Mai's father's trading business into the earth kingdom. Mai's mother was unsure whether to start a conversation with Azula or not. She didn't want to be rude but it looked like Azula wasn't interested in whatever she'd had to say.

But then Mai's mother noticed Azula was staring with great interest at something behind her. She looked over her shoulder only to find the tribal fire dancers/performers there. When she looked back to Azula she noticed a small flicker in the 18 year old princess.

LUST! She could barely hide her surprise at her own discovery. It would seem that the princess was so bored she was unaware that she was betraying her hormone fueled emotions. Who would have thought that the great princess Azula could lust after a tribal dancer. Even though she could understand it seeing that all of them had well fine-tuned muscles and were barely wearing clothes. 'I guess the princess is growing up.' She thought to herself. And for a moment she felt like a teenager again.

"They train to shape their bodies into the image of the great Agni himself, the male body is a work of art after all. Wouldn't you agree?" She asked Azula, who woke up from her daydreaming. Finally understanding the woman's words she started blushing as if she were a regular maiden. She quickly glanced over to her father from the corner of her eye. He hadn't noticed, he was too busy.

She then looked around to room to see if anyone else had noticed. No one had, she was safe.

Seeing that she might have embarrassed the princess she quickly leant over and whispered "Don't worry princess I won't tell anyone, but don't be ashamed it is completely normal. If you ever have any questions you can't discuss with your teachers don't hesitate to come to me for answers. Just tell everyone you are visiting my daughter like you used to and no one will ever know."

After assuring the princess that her secret would be safe with her and having offered her services she gave an honest smile. A smile that even Azula felt she could trust. The smile of a mother, the same smile her own mother had given her when she had bled for the first time. The only kindness Azula had ever received from her mother.

In the meantime Zuko was finishing his conversation with Mai and his father was finishing with hers. When they had finished they stood up to make room for the next noble family. Mai quickly bend over and whispered into his ear "Zuko, are you feeling okay? Your skin is kind of red." She said to him.

"I do feel a little warm." He confessed. "it must be the food and the heat from the fire. But thank you for your concern." He said.

She looked at him still not convinced until the corner of his mouth went up and he gave her an "I'm fine, just go." Kind of look.

And so they left to make room for the next guests. Hours went by and Zuko had only gotten redder and warmer and now he was even sweating and not just a little bit either. But he kept himself in check by wiping the sweat away with a piece of cloth. Many of the people in front of him noticed that he wasn't feeling well but they just waved it away, blaming it on the food or the many people in the room.

Ozai was speaking with a nobleman who had some very interesting ideas concerning the future education of the children of the fire-nation. He made is points by using his own children as examples his son Hiten has been trained in the art of fighting his entire life, from fire bending to weapons to hand-to-hand combat. Even though it was unheard of a fire bender training in the use of weapons or fighting with fists, the man seemed well on his way to persuade the fire lord of the advantages of this new way of education.

Hiten was sitting in front of Azula but he wasn't much of a talker, he wasn't much of anything considering he seemed to be dead inside. He was the perfect soldier, beaten into perfection. Azula herself was very pleased with her new table guest. Hiten was strong, showed respect and was very good looking as well. Above all he seemed to be 100% obedient. He might just be the perfect man to provide her with children. Her imagination ran wild, as she filled her mind with images of her satisfying her needs with Hiten in her bed, while he obeyed her every command, doing everything she told him.

She decided she'd talk to her father about possibly arranging her marriage to Hiten. At least if the current conversation he was having went well. She decided to help secure her future and started pushing her father towards accepting the man's proposition for the change in education.

If this turned out successful they could camouflage her marriage to Hiten under the pretense of a gift for loyal servitude to the fire-nation. On the other side of the table opposite of Zuko sat Hibari and her mother. The daughter and wife of the nobleman. Hibari's mother was also trying to persuade fire lord Ozai of the change in education but she was more interested in the girls education. She was talking about teaching girls in separate schools everywhere across the entire nation and in the colonies.

In the meantime Hibari was doing what she was born and trained to do. Seducing a high ranking man to increase her chances of marrying into a wealthy and powerful family. She knew very well how to keep a conversation going, in fact she manipulated the entire conversation. She quickly found the one thing that interested prince Zuko above all else. WEAPONS! Although she almost blew it when she asked about Azula, she noticed from his facial expression that the royal siblings didn't get along to well. But she quickly recovered by moving onto a different topic. And now Zuko was explaining to her how superior the fire-nation's weapons were to that of the other elemental nations. He was explaining to her about how the fire nation warmed the steel with fire and then folded it over and over to make it stronger and that the earth kingdom just melted their steel down and poured it into a mold made of clay. It was then that he made his move and as he did so did Hibari.

"I mean seriously, leave it up to the earth kingdom to make a blade with…" Zuko said. "…Earth?" Hibari finished his sentence. They looked at each other and grinned, then they started to laugh, but not too loud so they wouldn't disturb their parents conversation. The conversation had been going on for an hour now, clearly the man had fallen into the fire lords favor since he took four times as much time as the normal standard 15 minutes.

The laughing calmed down and eventually stopped, Hibari sat calmly on her seat and looked worried towards Zuko. "My prince are you feeling okay?" she asked.

Zuko was still smiling but he seemed to struggle breathing, his face was red but he was no longer sweating, he licked his lips and swallowed every second trying to moisten his mouth. He had also started blinking much more.

"I'm just feeling a little… I don't know… I'm not feeling to well… I think I'm going to retire for the night… we should talk again." Zuko said between his struggling breaths.

As he stood up he wobbled and fell to his right bumping over the empty chair next to him. The sound of the chair falling to the floor was very loud and drew the attention of everyone in the room. Ozai looked to his son who had fallen to the floor and a scowl appeared on his face. But it then softened and turned to confusion as he noticed the pained look on Zuko's face. The boy clearly wasn't feeling well, he quickly made eye contact with some of his servants.

The servants understood and rushed forward to help the prince up and to his chambers. Zuko had picked himself up from the floor and was now standing his arms weakly against his sides and his back hunched over. As the first servant arrived to help him he started wobbling again. The entire room was now watching what was going on with prince Zuko.

The first servant arrived to the prince's aid, extending a hand to take the prince's arm. But he quickly withdrew it as Zuko's right sleeve had suddenly caught fire. By the time the other servants had reached Zuko his entire robe had caught fire. The pieces of steel armor that went with his robes had started to glow red with heat and pieces of burning silk started falling off of him. leaving him stumbling towards the large doors with his clothes slowly burning off of his body.

The people all watched the prince slowly walking towards the doors his clothes now all burned away but his skin still seemed to burn on. His armor now started melting and dripping off of his skin, leaving him butt naked. Finally the guards arrived and they tried to put out the flames on the prince's body by bending them away. It didn't work, the flames were unbendable.

Zuko was too sick and feverish to notice what was going on, he didn't even realize he was on fire or naked. He just stumbled forward towards the door, it felt like a thousand years had passed since he had stood up from his seat at the table and started for his chambers. Suddenly his vision started fading as he lost consciousness and fell over.

Ozai who had been watching his son's odd situation and struggle towards the door now watched him fall to the floor. "GUARDS! GET THE ROYAL PHYSICIAN!"

End chapter 1: Royal feast fever!

Hey everyone this is the first chapter of Agni's disease. It is going to be a very short story, only 2 maybe 3 chapters long. But if you like it please fav. Follow and review. And if you want to read some of my other work you can check out "Overlord The rise of Nerex" or "Menmaverse" I've also got this story called "A new friend! A new world!" but I'm not too sure about continuing writing that one.

I hope you liked it! (all criticism is welcome but you need to tell me why and how to improve!)