Title: You are not without hope for the world
Disclaimer: not my characters
Warnings: AU during season 2
Pairings: none
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 500
Point of view: third
Note: semi-inspired by Vathara's "Embers" and pure self-indulgence
Prompt: cold
The dragon sleeps in a quiet, dark place, and he dreams of long ago, when he was first among many and they ruled the skies.
So few, now. So few. Slaughtered and scattered, decorating walls with their bones, and the greatest, the Lord of the Dragons—he sleeps in the spirit of young firebender, the banished son of the Fire Lord.
treachery, the World Dragon whispers. blood-curse. lightning and flame.
Agni says nothing and the World Dragon unfurls her ancient wings. so be it, she roars, and a young firebender stirs in his sleep.
The Dragon of the West, one of the greatest firebenders of all, looks up from his cup of tea. The child avatar shivers an ocean away.
And the Lord of the Dragons, who has not woken in so long—who was killed saving his daughter, who shone bright as Agni's light—he opens his eyes in the quiet, dark place deep in Zuko's spirit, where Ozai's rage and Azula's betrayals could not touch, where Zuko goes to rest.
Agni smiles and the World Dragon murmurs, live again, my son.
o0o
The next time they meet, in Ba Sing Se, Zuko's fire burns hotter and his reflexes are faster, and his eyes shine bright as Agni's light.
Azula retreats, for the first time wary of her brother, and the dragons come out of hiding to meet the (disinherited) Fire Prince in the desert.
"Nephew," Iroh breathes in wonder as all the dragons left in the world wait for a single word.
In the quiet, dark place, the Lord of the Dragons stretches and says, blood of my blood, will you let me speak?
Zuko settles into the quiet, dark place and meditates.
When he looks back into the world, the Lord of the Dragons asks, dragon's child, have you room enough for me?
The World Dragon roars and Agni winks, and Prince Zuko, banished, disinherited, son of the Fire Lord—
The dragons bow before the new (once and future) lord, half-human, half-not, and all but two spirits blink in shock.
Across an ocean, the child avatar opens his eyes and says, "Huh."
"Oh, nephew," Iroh whispers. "Nothing in your life will ever be simple."
The quiet, dark place pulses with power and the Lord of the Dragons spreads his wings, launches into the sky, and tests his new limits.
Zuko laughs in wonder, exhilarated. His path is new, untrodden by any who came before.
The dragons, less than a hundred strong, too young or too old, follow behind him, but the World Dragon promises, soon, my children, and Agni says, sure enough to shake the world, blood-blessed, lightning and flame.
The Lord of the Dragons, black as obsidian and golden as the sun, leads his people home.
Iroh follows, wondering if Ursa had known. The Lord of the Dragons, asleep in a dragon's child… all sorts of plans must have been destroyed when Zuko spoke to his inner dragon. Iroh chuckles, so very proud of his nephew.