One The Agni Kai
The entire court froze at the young man's claim. The young man who had arrived with the Avatar and his family stood in the middle of the throne room. His eyes were focused intently at Fire Lord Zuko.
"How about it?" The young man asked calmly.
Zuko opened his mouth to reply, but stopped. His son and heir rose to his feet.
'How dare you…you peasant!" The prince snarled, ignoring the fact that the young man had been vouched for by the Avatar himself. "You impugn my father's and my brother's honor by implying that you could train Kano better than any of our palace masters!"
The young man blinked once, and turned to Chan, his expression tightening. "Peasant?" He said softly. "I can forgive you that. You don't know me. But I know you, Crown Prince Chan. Spoiled by his mother, Agni rest her soul, spoiled by his masters, and overly self-important."
Chan stiffened. "How dare you…"
"Son." Zuko said softly. Chan turned to him, then knelt.
"Father, May I have permission to face this upstart in an Agni Kai?"
Zuko glanced at Aang, who was watching with a bemused expression. The Avatar looked at him, and Zuko read the answer in Aang's eyes.
"As much as I hate to do so, you may challenge Haku, my son."
Haku bowed deeply at the waist. "I accept."
"Don't hurt him." Aang warned. "Zuko wouldn't take it to well if you…"
Haku turned around, and Aang stopped at the look in his eyes, saddened. Even after years taking care of him, the boy harbored such anger towards the avatar that it almost physically hurt Aang.
"I know better than to do that. But he would probably deserve it…Avatar."
"He's awfully young to be a master, isn't he, Dad?" Zuko looked up from his paperwork at his youngest son.
"I knew both of Haku's parents, and have met the boy a few times when I visited Aang at the Southern Air Temple. He is nothing short of a genius. That is why Aang thought he would be an excellent teacher for you."
"He seemed really…" Kano frowned. "You know, he seemed a lot like you, Dad."
Taking a breath, Chan stepped through the gate, and out into the arena, surrounded by his seconds.
Across the field, Haku was already waiting, kneeling with his back to the prince, the ceremonial cape on his shoulders. The prince looked into the royal balcony from the corner of his eye. His father, brother, and the Avatar were seated, looking on dispassionately.
"Kneel, my prince." One of the seconds muttered.
Chan turned his back to the arena, letting his eyes tear away from his opponent. "Wish me luck, Yoshi. I have my family's honor to defend."
Moments later, a single drumbeat rolled, the assembled crowd instantly quieting. Chan and the older boy rose to their feet, and faced each other.
Chan wasted no time, striking swiftly, mercilessly, as he had been taught. His form was rigid, but elegant and graceful. It was perfect, and it was ferocious.
But Haku had not been trained to overwhelm his opponent. He moved, almost dancing, and Chan briefly wondered why it seemed so familiar even as he felt shock. Chan had learned the very typical firebending taught for so long in the Fire Nation. It was meant to attack the opponent until victory was secured, and it lacked very many defensive techniques. Haku, however, took each blast head on, and the flames dissipated.
Enraged, Chan roared and jumped forward, a burst of intense flame rushing toward the other firebender.
Haku caught the flame, and it gathered in a fiery ball as he spun. To Chan's surprise, Haku returned his fire back to him.
Reacting quickly, Chan spread his arms, and flame burst before him, merging with the attack and spreading slightly.
The other firebender now set in a stance that Chan could only recognize as earthbending, and struck, fire dancing along the ground like a serpent. He shifted to 'traditional' firebending, and struck twice, fire burning through the air. The firebender spun, and Chan remembered the airbending he had seen Avatar Aang use once when he sparred with his father.
Chan avoided the first, stopped the second, but the third sent him flying, rolling along the ground. His skin was burned, but the prince moved to his knees, his fists clenching the ancient ash on the ground.
"Do you yield, Prince Chan?" Haku asked softly, cautiously approaching.
Chan grit his teeth, and threw his fist up, fingers spreading wide. Haku twisted his head, and the ash hit the left side of his face, marking the area around his eye.
Haku stepped back, shaking his head, and the crowd was on its feet, many yelling in anger, but just as many cheering their prince's cunning.
"He cheated!" Kano looked at his father. "Dad, he cheated!"
Zuko's jaw worked angrily. "I am aware. But we can't interfere, not until one of them surrenders.
"Well, look at that." Aang leaned forward, resting on the balcony. Zuko followed the avatar's look, and frowned.
Haku had backed away, trying to clear the ash from his eye, but when he wiped at it, it only ground in.
He opened his eye as far as he could, and glared at Chan. "You said I have no honor…look at you! You're an embarrassment to your crown. You can't even take defeat with humility!"
Chan was on his feet. "Humility? I'm the Crown Prince!" He attacked, and his eyes widened when Haku merely stepped forward, and with smooth, graceful motions, he cast Chan's attacks aside.
Haku crouched low, twisting, and in both hands appeared long whips. He rose, the twisting flames snapping at Chan.
Haku struck again, and again, wielding the whips with all the mastery of a true firebending expert. He finally wrapped Chan's legs and pulled the prince off his feet.
As Chan rose to his feet, and Haku set his feet, and many in the assembly who had faced waterbenders in the war watched, awed, and he twisted side to side, arms moving in graceful arcs.
Haku lifted his hands over his head, and then arced them down, pushing out toward Chan.
The prince stared in horror as a wave of fire greedily ate the distance between them. He cried out as the fire washed over him.
The crowd watched with stunned anticipation as Haku walked calmly toward Chan. The younger boy looked up, his eyes widening at a realization. He fights like Father…was he trained by the Avatar? I thought he was from the colonies!
"Do not get up." Haku said. "If you do, I swear by Yue I will kill you."
The wall opened, and a man dressed in shadowy green robes and a plain white mask stepped into the room beyond.
The door closed behind him, and the man moved to the triangular table, sitting at the point marked with the Earth Kingdom's symbol.
"You are late." A voice spoke from behind another mask, the speaker seated at a place marked with the Water Tribe's symbol.
"Forgive me. I was delayed by my other responsibilities." The addressed replied. "What news do you have? Has Three Nations found a foothold in the Southern tribe?"
"I am saddened to report that we have not." The Water Tribe speaker reported. "And what of the Fire Nation? Has He been informed of our plan?"
"I intend to address the Fire Lord before the season wanes. If he refuses, we will unfortunately have to write him off."
"There is talk that the Crown Prince has his family's sense of greed." The Earth Speaker suggested.
The Fire Speaker was silent for a few moments. "Perhaps he shall agree to our design. At any rate, what of the Avatar?"
"If the world changes willingly, he can have no say." The Water Speaker declared. "When all goes according to plan, the Fire Nation will rule, and the Avatar will go along willingly."
"Bringing us to another point. Are the sleeper units all in place?" The Earth Speaker asked. "There is a cell in each Earth Kingdom city."
"All cells will be in place before the season's end."
The Water Speaker's voice was jubilant. "For the future! Soon, the world will be ruled by the Empire of the Holy Flame…and the Phoenix King!"
(NOTE) I am aware that this first chapter is very vague. I'll fill you in on backstory as it progresses. For starters, this story is set roughly 25-30 years after the end of Avatar. The world has gone on to find peace and balance.
As for the new characters: Crown Prince Chan is the oldest son of Zuko and Mei. He is 15 years old, and has trained strictly in 'traditional' firebending. He is very much like Ozai, although Zuko turns a blind eye to this in hopes his son will be a wise ruler when it is his time.
Chan's younger brother is Kano. Kano is only 12, and has only just started to learn firebending, which is the reason Avatar Aang has brought Haku to the Fire Nation.
Haku is nineteen. Only two people in the world know who his parents are, and that fact will be revealed much later. As indicated in the chapter, he strongly dislikes Aang, perhaps even hates him, because it was Aang who kept his parents apart. Despite this, Haku has a close frienship with Aang's daughter, introduced in the next chapter.
One more brief note is that this story will update slowly until Rekindled is finished.
Adversus solem ne loquitor.