A.N. Hello people and thank you for choosing my story! Strictly speaking I should be working on a Danny Phantom fic, but I write what my inspiration tells me not the other way round, it just don't work like that. But anyway, I'm only thinking that this will be a few chapters long, maybe 5 at a push, but I wanted to write it anyways. I hope you like it.


Life Goes On

Prologue

Chapter Summary: Two, as yet unnamed men talk in the dark about Ozai, Azula and Zuko. Is treason afoot? Is there trouble ahead? Well I can't tell you yet, can I? Read on and find out instead of looking for spoilers! Sheesh!


In a dark room made of simple, rotting wood a man sat at a desk, despite the shadows he had a commanding presence and a powerful voice spoke of great power. There was a single candle burning and guttering as the wax rythmically dripped onto the wood. The rain lashed against the walls outside as the man suddenly spoke.

"What news, my young friend?" He had been silent for what could have been hours, the young man couldn't tell, he was nervous just sitting in the same room as his boss. The man had a short fuse and a violent temper, he was well known for his cruelty and blood lust; men and women, young boys or girls, even animals, he didn't care who he hurt, he didn't often distinguish between friend or foe either. But it was better to serve the devil than be in his path.

"Princess Azula is...unreachable, sir," the young voice replied. His face and body was shrouded in the shadows making him impossible to distinguish from the darkness around him.

"Hmm, and Fire Lord Ozai?" the deep, sinister voice demanded.

"Rumour has it he..."

"What?"

"People say he's...powerless, sir," the second man said.

"In what way?"

"The literal way, sir, I don't know how but he seems to be without his bending...if the rumours are true, sir," the younger voice answered warily.

"Interesting. And the exiled Zuko?"

"Is promoting peace, sir," the younger voice sneered.

"Well then, it would be rude of us to to meet the new Fire Lord Zuko with all the proper etiquette and respect of the Koiga Zhīzhū, wouldn't it?" the older voice smirked. And as he leaned forwards the flickering light of the single candle slowly illuminated his face. It was old and weathered with a long, angry scar down the right side of his face and another across his nose. His dark hair was thick despite his age and it was left messily to hang over his ears and forehead.

All this created an image of ferocity which was only enhanced by the red glint in his narrow eyes and the deep growl of his voice. The younger man only nodded and fled the room, closing the door quietly behind him, leaving the older man alone as he smiled eerily in the darkness.


*1 The most famous ninja strongholds were the Iga and Koga Provinces, and yes I know, China didn't have ninjas, but Zhīzhū, is Chinese for spider(s) so I made the group a combination of both, just 'cos I can.


A.N. Oh...creepy right? Anyway, if anyone has a problem with me combining Japanese and Chinese words to make that name shout at me on a review or something. Other than that I'd appreciate any constructive critisism, or you can postpone it till you've read the first chapter, 'cos I wrote that before I did this so I decided to upload them at the same time. Bye!