By Fire and Water
Prologue
I have been told that many years ago, in the reign of my great-great-grandfather, a war began. We, the Fire Nation, are secretly proud that we instigated the war. The Warring Century. That's what it is called. That is what the latest books call it. The Warring Century. In our Nation, the books made talk about how my great-great-grandfather was brave, courageous, and daring in starting the war. The also talk of how my father was brave, courageous, and sensible in ending it, for it was no longer worth waging war on the other nations- who had been then united against us- when we were clearly losing.
On the day the war ended, I was not yet born. My father (he was eighteen at the time) had not yet married my mother, my aunt was not yet dead, and nor was my grandfather.
On the day the war ended, the most sacred human on this planet, the Avatar himself, marched into our capital, with flags flying with no symbols on them. The Avatar met with my grandfather on the steps of our palace, and my grandfather told him "Avatar Aang, welcome to our capital city. We have long awaited you," and the Avatar said "I have long awaited our negotiations." My grandfather said "Avatar, we did not expect negotiations. We thought you would join us."
The Avatar said calmly "I would not join the shadows to destroy the light, for it is light from which shadows are born." He meant, of course, that he was there to restore balance to the four nations, because each depended on the others. "Then Avatar, there will be no more talking. At least, not for you."
At that moment, my grandfather, the Fire Lord, meant to kill the Avatar with Fire-Bending. The Avatar was helpless, for he was wearing the stiff ceremonial robes of the Element- name of the ultimate nation that was made up by the three other nations- and holding a symbol-less flag. Suddenly, a blast of fire intervened, sending the Fire Lord's flame in a different direction.
The exiled son of the Fire Lord had saved the life of the Avatar. "Father," my father said, "the war is over. So is your reign." That day, the flames of war were doused all over the world. Ambassadors from each of the nations came and signed the Peace Treaty that had been written by the Avatar himself.
The Ambassadors from the Water Tribes, Lady Katara, her brother, Lord Sokka, and his wife, Princess Yue, wished to help to remake friendships. The Ambassadors from the Earth Kingdom, Lady Suki, and the Earth King, wanted to resume trade. And the Ambassadors of the Air Nomads were the Avatar, and his bride, a mysterious woman that had been discovered in the Southern Air Temple, teaching herself how to bend air. They wanted simply to rebuild their nation and raise their infant son in peace.
Three days after the "fall" of the Fire Nation, Fire Lord Ozai was given a fair trial, found guilty, and executed the next day- by his own request. A month later, my father became Fire Lord Zuko, married my mother not long afterward, and was given his first son one year later. When I was nearly two years old, my aunt, Princess Azula, was found guilty of attempting to assassinate my father and myself, and reopen all the old wounds the Warring Century had left behind, and executed- by her own request.
The common people say that Azula was a witch, and she spoke to the demons in the dead shadows. But some say that the Witch was right. Just as fire consumes all around it, the Fire Nation should consume the nations, and become the Fire Empire. The Earth Kingdom pretends that the hostility is not there. The Air Nomads, well, there are only three of them left, so they cannot afford to be killed in war. The Water Nation is angry. Angry that the Fire Nation has broken the sacred contract signed seventeen years ago, almost to the day. War is brewing again. I, as the only son of the Fire Lord, will have to wage war if my father starts it. I cannot refuse to fight. I do not wish to be exiled. I do not want my heart to blacken deeper.