People think I have everything I could want, given my position. I was recently promoted from captain to commander, I have the Avatar in my sights, my greatest rival is banished from his very homeland.

They're all wrong. They have no idea. No idea of the horrors I go through, trying to run an army under these conditions.

What sorts of soldiers have I been handed by the Fire Lord? Merely common army men. I have nothing to work with, no way to get ahead of the banished prince. Isn't that what we all want, to be the very best? I used to be the best, above all the other fire warriors. At least, until that brat made his great comeback.

Ah, but wait. I remain the best but for one small detail: the prince gets lucky.

That's all it is, really. He is no better than I. During the attack on Avatar Roku's temple, did he escape with his cunning and wit? No. It was a wave of fire from the Avatar, trying to hit all of us, that broke his chains and set him free. Then he ran, ran like a coward.

He ran as he has always run. The banished prince, disobeying his father's orders never to return, thought he could sneak by because he was chasing the Avatar. He thought I would understand.

Does he not realize that the only way to survive in this war is to take what you can get and disregard all else?

Traveling with that weakling uncle of his must have made him soft.

They are both weak, too weak to be associated with the Fire Nation. I cannot believe that the uncle, the once great General Iroh, is related to the great Fire Lord Ozai. I cannot believe that the boy, Prince Zuko, was raised on our very mountains and shores. Disgraceful.

But are we not partially to blame for these abominations? After all, we masters of fire did train Zuko, and while I cannot blame Fire Lord Ozai for his brother's alliance to Lord Ozai's own son, those treacherous thoughts are not something natural with old age.

The two have been allowed to grow too close. The boy trusts his guardian and the elder believes in his prince.

That is no way to run an army.