I've had this idea for awhile and only recently got my account, be warned, I will most likely try to concentrate on my other story "Robin's Adventure" before I really can consider taking this one up on a regular basis.

ON WITH THE STORY!

History is a strange thing; one simple choice can change the fate of many lives.

"Sozin . . . please . . . help me!" Roku wheezed, begging his friend not to choose a path that would put thousands innocent blood on both their hands.

"Without you . . . all my plans are suddenly possible."

Roku fell on his face, he had failed, he was no Avatar, he would die here and Sozin would go on to make war on the world.

Suddenly he felt arms grab him and pull him up onto something scaly, then he heard Sozin say "don't worry; we'll be at the Palace infirmary soon."

Roku's last thoughts were "Sozin saved me . . . Sozin saved me . . . Sozin . . . saved . . . me!"

And then he blacked out.

Later, Roku woke up in the infirmary of the Palace. He looked around the room and saw Sozin sitting on a nearby chair. Upon seeing he was awake Sozin became very obviously nervous. Roku couldn't blame him, they had had bad blood between them for decades and Roku had threatened to get rid of him if Sozin ever made a war of aggression under his watch.

As he saw how Sozin was sweating and looking at the floor in an extreme amount of shame, all of Roku's feelings of resentment towards him evaporated. He smiled widely, and said, in a rather cracked voice "thank you . . . old friend."

Sozin smiled in relief and walked over to his friend's bedside. Awkwardly, because Roku had so many bandages on, they hugged, and in that hug, any bad blood between them was forgotten. They were brothers in all but blood again.

Avatar Roku died a year later from blood poisoning. After his death Firelord Sozin and Monk Gyatso became extremely good friends. They began to attempt to further relations between their two nations. This was somewhat difficult as the Airbenders had been the logical step for Firelord Sozin's campaign. Avatar Aang was born in the Southern Air Temple and was deemed by the monks after he chose the appropriate toys, to be the next incarnation of the Avatar. Firelord Sozin meanwhile dedicated as much time as he could to furthering relations between the foreign nations. He was especially successful with Omashu. The King of Omashu was quite willing to open trade and many other agreements and both nations prospered. Kyoshi Island also thrived off of trade from the Fire Nation and they grew in size until they were no long a simple village and could call themselves an island nation.

The greatest challenge for Sozin was the Southern Water Tribe. There was a natural current of conflict between them, being opposite elements. But through many gifts and great aid rendered, Sozin finally melted the ice so to speak. Water chief Hurujitsu opened up relations and both nations thrived from the cooperation.

This force of trade and cooperation eventually became known as the Triple Alliance. The Airbenders eventually entered in after much persuading from Monk Gyatso and became a valuable member. Sozin was made aware by Monk Gyatso of the identity of the new Avatar and, after Aang himself had been told. He invited him many times to be his guest of honor.

However, not all was well with the world. In the Northenmost of the Earth Kingdom of Ba Sing Se, west of the Northern Air Temples and East of the Fire Nation, the peasants and even the governors clamored for independence. They felt that the Earth king had no real care for them and that they were taxed far too heavily. The Earth King, whose grandfather had been Chin the Conquerer, refused their every request. The fires of rebellion grew hotter.

The Northern Water Tribe's chief Pachona was unsatisfied with his position. He wished to expand the Northern Water Tribe. He met with Earth King Hachma and they both planned to go to war.

"When shall we strike?"

"On the day of the Eclipse, the great Fire Nation shall be unprepared."

"How have the mighty fallen, Sozin could've made his empire into one to frighten the whole world. Instead he chose to waste it on building relations with others. But what of the Avatar, surely he will attempt to stop us?"

"I have a plan; the next Avatar is an Airbender. Thus, on the invasion day, we shall eliminate the problem by eliminating the Airbenders."

The Day of Black Sun invasion was a very complicated day. The Northern Water Tribes and the Earth Kingdom gathered troops around each temple in disguise and waited. But a plan within a plan took place. The Earth generals had not received their final orders dictating the slaughter of the Airbenders until a day before it was scheduled to take place. The Earth General in charge of the Nothern Earth fleet was General Tsu-Lan. The Governers of the Northern Earth Provinces had all met and collaborated for a very daring thing to do, declare independence. They had spent years maneuvering their men into military powers and putting more and more men from their home provinces into their portion of the armies.

General Tsu-Lan was such a man and when he heard of the slaughter that was scheduled to take place, he saw an opportunity. He quickly dictated messages to the leaders of the Triple Alliance and to the Airbenders. He was anchored on the South portion of the Western Air Temples. The Northern Water Tribe Fleet was anchored on the northern portion. He warned the Airbenders and had his men set up to defend the temple. He also wrote letters to the men who had been chosen to lead the revolution.

The day of the invasion was a partial success for the two enemy Kingdoms. They managed to catch the other three temples unaware and slaughter the Airbenders there, but the Avatar was not to be found. Sozin and the other leaders, upon receiving the news. Marshalled their militaries and attacked the armies who were responsible for the Airbender's deaths. The armies retreated into their own territory.

Sozin's son Azulon arrived at the Western Air Temple to find it beleaguered by the Northern Water Tribe forces. With Fire Nation reinforcements they were able to drive back the enemy fleet and the Airbenders took stock of their losses. General Tsu-Lan made his way post-haste to the Northern Provinces, now remade into the kingdom The Splinter of Peasants. There he set up the new government and was elected several times to lead. He was remembered by many as a great man.

Sozin personally led his army to the Southern Air temple. He found a note given to Monk Gyatso a few days prior, in which Aang explained he was running away. Though Sozin looked long and hard he never found Aang. But he made it a tradition for those of the royal bloodline to hunt for the Avatar for a period to honor his friend Roku. He died peacefully and left his Kingdom in the capable hands of his son Azulon.

The War dragged on. The two Empires as they were named began winning. Many wondered if the war would ever end. Many saw the slow creeping influence of the Empires creep across the land as they gained more and more territory. Many lost hope.

But then, something happened that many never expected.

The Avatar returned . . .

Author's notes:

I hope you liked it. I've had this idea for awhile now and I hope I explained it sufficiently.

Please review to let me know whether you like this idea or not.

Good Day and God Bless :)

Sincerely, LordGodsServant