The Mind of a Monster
"It is fortunate that war is so terrible, or we might grow too fond of it."
-General Robert E. Lee, Army of Northern Virginia
He was alone in the war room. Too his enemies and most of his subject Fire Lord Ozai was not seen so much as a man as a personification of the Fire Nation. To those who knew him as a man, he was a dangerous bastard. Despite this he had the traits of a normal man, unfortunately most prominent among them by far was his ego. As such he treasured these moments when he stood alone looking down on the map of the world.
This map was updated almost daily, showing the three nations and the status of both the Fire Nation and its enemies. Troop movements, bases, supply routes, naval patrols, the progress of the war laid out more fully than anywhere else in the world.
"This is what it means to be a living god," he thought. At his word the mapped changed reflecting how he changed the shape of the world. He determined which city burned and which was spared. At his whim a battalion was rescued or left to fight to last man. Under his gaze and wisdom the green had been devoured by red as he approached his destiny.
To be Fire Lord was to be the proxy of Agni, a god in your own right. That had been his desire for as long as he could remember; to be equal to the only being he had ever felt connected with, Zeizan Agni. Like his divine ancestor his path to destiny had not been easy.
Iroh, how Ozai despised his fool of a brother. An accident of birth had set his brother up to receive that which was rightfully Ozai's, and for so long it seemed he would be denied destiny. From the day of his birth Ozai had been cut off from the sun, stuck in hi brother's shadow. When Ozai had first mastered the basics of firebending Iroh had already earned laurels on the battlefield. Life had been a struggle to win a race to merely catch up with the Dragon of the West. Still, it was that same hatred that drove him to surpass his brother and father as a bender.
Power had not proven enough, while Ozai became respected as a lord of the court and as a great Fire Bender, Iroh remained heir, and the masses so lived their Dragon of the West.
Interestingly enough the young prince's path to power had not begun with his brother, but a woman. While the Fire Lord's rule was absolute the power of the great noble families could not be discounted. So it came as no surprise that Iroh had been surrounded by the daughters and sisters of the great and ancient clans of the Fire Nation. Yet Iroh mocked his office and spurned the mightiest of houses to marry a minor courtiers daughter. It was a disgrace; he would not have shamed the office so, or put the power of the throne behind anything else.
In the field Iroh carried all before him, but the court was Ozai's domain, and while his father reigned over the palace Prince Ozai could move undetected. When he ordered her drugged he had done so with less malice than one world expect, after all unlike Iroh this woman was beneath him. To end her life was no more meaningful than stamping on a bug. It went perfectly, after all it was hardly strange for a woman to die in child birth, though sadly in her last act she had borne Iroh a son.
If Ozai had ever doubted the necessity of his quest they were erased in those days as Iroh was consumed with grief. A Fire Lord had no use for tears, his will fire and his resolve steel, crying over an underbred and easily replaceable woman showed the Dragon of the West to be the weakling Ozai had always known him to be.
Yet still his goal was out of reach, his brother threw himself into the task of raising Lu Ten and Ozai was forced to marry beneath his due. While Iroh had never taken another wife the great houses long maintained the hope he would either change his mind or be forced into a union. After all what man or dynasty would risk everything on a single child. No, Ozai was still the second born, and third in line behind an infant. He was not without ladies seeking his hand, but they were of lower breeding, and so weak. Ursa was the lesser evil when Fire Lord Azulon commanded him to marry in order to safeguard the bloodline.
Yes, Iroh could languish, but Ozai could not be permitted to shirk his duty. His father was called Azulon the Relentless, not beloved like Sozin, but respected as a soldier and ruler. Yet that iron will of his had always softened in regards to Iroh, it was not emotional displays, but he granted Iroh greater tolerance and respect than anyone else. Despite his glaring flaws Azulon had once confided to Ozai Iroh that he believed Iroh would be the Fire Lord to win the war and forge a golden age for the Fire Nation. That day Ozai lost all respect for the man who fathered him.
As the years past Ozai had strengthened himself, preparing for the day he could seize his rightful place. He had moved the pieces into their proper places with such care and patience no one had ever suspected. His brother was fond of pai sho, yet he was surprised when his pawn of a son was sacrificed. That one act had opened more doors than he had ever hoped, truly his ascension had been ordained.
It was not enough though, being the latest in a long line of Fire Lords, the archives burst at the seams with men and women who had sat the throne only to be forgotten. No, Ozai required something greater if he was to be the equal of Agni.
He would conclude this war he had inherited; surpassing Sozin, his father, and Iroh, and then his work would truly begin.
Year one, the world reborn under guidance as the Phoenix King, the living god that ruled over the world. Just as the fire nation had started its calendar on the year of Agni's coronation as the first Fire Lord it would start anew with his ascension to universal sovereign. In the ages to come he would be worshipped as the god of the world he would make, and Iroh would be forgotten, another garbage in the rubbish bin of history.
Only a few obstacles remained. Stepping down onto the map he walked over to Sanin, looking down on the force markers. Bending down he plucked a miniature banner bearing the blue flame ensign of his disgraceful daughter. He had once held so much hope for her. Learning from his mistake with Zuko he removed her from Ursa's influence and the luxuries of the palace, a finer forge to make his blade. Yet the fact she would feel anything towards her useless brother proved her as weak as Iroh.
Soon the Earth Kingdom and his daughter would be no more. He would be one step closer to his new world, and secure the throne for Sozra. Ozai was no fool, once was bad luck but two inferior heirs meant something was amiss. Ursa's dubious ancestry explained much, his divine seed could not thrive in such tainted soil. That problem had been easily corrected and now all that remained was disposing of his impure offspring.
Just the world would be remade according to his will he would personally see to it that Sozra would be a worthy heir. The Fire Lady was obedient and would not meddle in his plans for daughter, she had in fact consented. He would be her opnly insteuctor, in truth his would be the only voice she would hear until she was presented to the court. This time he would leave no margin for error in securing his legacy.
By rod and will he would make the future adhere to his design. For that was what it meant to be god.
With the slightest gesture he set the blue banner ablaze, and let if all upon Sanin. Fire Lord Ozai walked away as the world began to burn.
* * * * *
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT
Yes, the paltry piece you just read was not worth the wait. I agree so let us move on to the matter at hand.
The real next chaspter will be posted inside this week barring unforeseen problems. This scene really did not fit with Fire in the Sky so it got its place in an interelude/announcement.
Obviously I am still alive, I have not even been sick. RL has not throwm me any curveballs worth note. Oh I have become an onkel since the last posting, so happy days there. Anyway the problemn is that the story is taking forever when by rights it should not be. I have no real excuse.
I know what is going to happen, during this downtime I have even ironed out many problems. The battle of Sanin, the aftermath, the Kraken Arc, The Empire Arc, and even the Epilogue have been shaped. The process was not alotogether peasant in addition to one character death that I really did not want to do . . . this story calls for something I really do not like. This thing I do not like though is good for the story, and thus I will do it despie being unhappy about subjecting a character I have crafted so carefully to it.
Sorry, tangent; I ten to ramble when I have not talked in awhile.
Anyway about getting production up, I believe I have a solution. I am not promising it will work, but I am prettyu sure it will cause some improvement. Basically writing for me is a matter of satying in motion, when momentum is lost it is hard to get back. So sitting back and plotting while good for th story is bad for the schedule.
My solution is multiple projects. If I keep actively working on one project while braistorming on another I will not lose the momentum and be avle to produce chapters more than once every three months. Ever since I focused on one project, things have slowed down to a crawl after all.
Darn, believce me I have spebnt so much tim on the battle of Sanin I want it done and behind so I can work on the other aspets of this story. Forget getting to that action I want it done with. Oh, and for those craving it Raging Earth will have a lovely ZukoxAzula moment, lemon free.
Later I will be posting the first chapter of "Jewel of Darkness," my new secondary fanfication. A teen titans work, wherein Raven is raised as Slade's apprentice.
The third story
YOU GET TO PICK!
Partly because I have several candidates and onbly want three tales at a time, and secondly after this long wait I thought you deserved some input.
Your Choices:
On Hiatus
"Land of the Phoenix"
"Blue"
"Dark Centuries"
New
"Saviors of the Night": AU of Batman Vampire, Catwoman lives and the Dark Kngiht does not fall. Gotham becomes a dark fantasy version of itself. Occultic and supernatural versions of villains, the rise of a fascist Mayor Dent, Ocs, and a character crossover with Watchmen. Very dark, though it will have its moments of triumph for heroes. Less Tolkien more Gaiman. Oh and set in the late 1960s. Adopted from Drrockso20.
"Divergent X" An X-Men Evolution AU. Strong OC at outset, but no super anythings. After Enter the Rouge the Brotherhood is placed under a more capable mentor to mold the delinquents and Rouge into a capable force. Professor Xavier is not made of sainthood with sone less savory motives, an likewise Magneto is less megalomaniac and more dediacted to Mutants in general. Will eventually sped out from Bayville and into US and Europe. Trying for more gray characters and less defined good guys and bad guys. Oh and a lovely conflict eventually between a mutant evangelist and Revrend Stryker on exactly which race is chosen and which is unclean.
You can vote with a review, third will be finalized on the 26th.
See you soon in Sanin.