Chapter 1
Voice of Roku: Previously, on Avatar...
Ozai: What... what did you do to me?
Aang: I took away your firebending. You can't use it to harm or threaten anyone else ever again.
Zuko: Today, this war is finally over!
Narrator: The audience cheers.
Zuko: I promise my Uncle I would restore the honor of the Fire Nation, and I will! The road ahead of us is challenging. A hundred years of fighting has left the world scarred and divided, but with the Avatar's help, we can get it back on the right path, and begin a new era of love and peace.
Narrator: One of the Fire Sages walks over to Zuko with the Fire Lord's headpiece. Zuko kneels as the Fire Sage comes up behind him.
Fire Sage: All hail Fire Lord Zuko!
Narrator: the Fire Sage places the headpiece in Zuko's hair knot. The crowd cheers again as Zuko stands up. A title card suddenly appears. It reads, "Book Four: The Elements. The Legacy of the Fire Lord." The scene shows the Fire Nation, where a smiling Zuko is seen holding up a chalice.
Zuko: As of today, the war has been over for a whole year. Let us raise our glasses and recall the lives that we lost, the lives ruined, because of the war!
Narrator: Everyone in the audience cheers as they hold up their glasses. The scene shifts to the rest of Team Avatar, where Aang, Katara, Toph, Sokka, Suki, Mai, and Iroh all raise their glasses.
Zuko: May the fall of my father provide a warning to the rest of the world. This is the fate of someone who chooses the path of a dictator! Completely hated and imprisoned! As Fire Lord, I'll make sure that the Fire Nation will never use its power again to destroy and conquer the rest of the world. It's time for change!
Narrator: The audience cheers again. Later, Zuko is seen walking down a corridor. The rest of Team Avatar joins him.
Aang (cheerfully): Hey, Zuko. Great speech!
Zuko (smiling): Thanks, Aang. The Royal Scholars helped me out a little.
Sokka: Wish I thought of that during the invasion.
Suki (to Katara): Did I miss something?
Katara: It wasn't that big of a deal. Sokka's just exaggerating.
Sokka: Exaggerating? I made a complete fool of myself!
Toph: Don't sweat it. You make a fool of yourself all the time!
Sokka: Name once!
Katara: You fell today and landed in mud!
Aang (scratching the back of his head): Uh... that wasn't mud.
Narrator: Sokka stares at him. Then, he freaks out and runs down the corridor.
Suki (in disgust): I wish I knew that earlier.
Aang: Don't worry. It really was mud!
Narrator: Everyone laughs (except for Mai).
Iroh's voice: Fire Lord Zuko!
Narrator: At that moment, Iroh walks up to them with two fire sages and what looks like a painter.
Zuko: Uncle!
Iroh: I bring you news, Zuko. The Royal painter has officially finished your royal portrait!
Sokka: What portrait?
Iroh: As a royal tradition, a royal painter paints the portrait of all the previous Fire Lords. They represent the Fire Lord's accomplishments during their reign.
Katara: But... Zuko's only been Fire Lord for a year.
Royal Painter: I can just add new details later.
Aang: Let's check it out!
Narrator: Everyone (including Sokka) rushes to the Royal Gallery. When they reach it, they all stop and stare.
Sokka: Woah.
Narrator: The camera shifts so the audience could see Zuko's portrait. In his portrait, Zuko is wearing the Fire lord's headpiece and their official attire. Behind him is a large Yin and Yang symbol. In his left hand is a sword while his right hand is producing a fireball. Two dragons, a red one and a blue one, are wrapped around his left arm. They're breathing multi-colored fire into the fireball, further enhancing its glow. Like the previous Fire Lords, the Sun is behind his head. The lower portion of the portrait shows the night sky with a very bright streak of light leaving the scenery.
Sokka: Holy cow! This portrait is huge! Everyone should see it!
Toph: Uh-
Sokka: Oh. Sorry.
Toph (shrugging): I'm used to it.
Narrator: Katara stands in front of Azulon's portrait.
Katara: Who's that?
Iroh (sounding somewhat sad): That's my father, Fire Lord Azulon.
Sokka (stepping closer): Why's he standing on a turtle?
Royal Painter: Each of the portraits represents the Fire Lords' accomplishments during their rule. The turtle is meant to symbolize Azulon's victories over the Water Tribe and the Earth Kingdom.
Katara (looking sad): Oh.
Suki: What's-
Narrator: Sokka looks at her. Suki seems to get the message.
Suki: Oh...
Zuko: I'm sorry, Katara.
Katara: Don't be. You've helped me so much.
Narrator: Katara leaves. Sokka and Suki follow her.
Toph: Well, I'm gonna have a look around. See if I can find any statues of Azulon to smash.
Narrator: Toph leaves. Iroh watches her. Then, he turns to Zuko and Aang.
Aang: She's just kidding... I think.
Guard (to Zuko): Should we monitor her, sir?
Zuko: No. Let her be.
Narrator: The guard nods. He and the Fire Sages leave, followed by Aang.
Iroh: My nephew. Could I have a moment with you?
Zuko: You're my advisor, Uncle. You can tell me anything.
Iroh: I'm glad to hear that. As you know, the Fire Nation adores you, nephew, but some people today are still affected by Sozin's rule.
Zuko: Affected how?
Iroh: As your advisor, I check over your messages from the citizens of the Fire Nation. Sozin made many laws that still affects them to this day. They want you to change it.
Zuko (smiling): And I will, Uncle. I'll get right to it.
Narrator: Zuko leaves. Iroh smiles.
Iroh: Ah... that's my nephew!
AN 1: Thanks for reading. I hope you all like the story so far. Please leave a review!
AN 2: I based the portrait of Zuko on the portraits of the previous Fire Lords and fan art I found online. You should look them up. Most of them are pretty impressive!
AN 3: I'm trying to make this story as realistic as possible without changing the plot of the series or the comics. However, I never actually read any of the comics. So, some things may seem a little different here and there.