Well still only 6 reviews, and to think that this was once my top review getter! Ah well. I know I'll get more of them once I add the next couple of chapters. So anyway chapter three takes place seven years after chapter two ends, Sozen in now 23 years old, and his father has been dead for five years (which means he died two years after chapter two ended, for those of you keeping track ;) ). Hopefully I will have done another good job, enjoy!
The Fire Nation had gotten lazy. Sozen's dark orange eyes scanned the streets of the Imperial city as he walked by, listening to idle gossip, to the latest trends, to such immoral sights and sounds it made his stomach turn triple back flips. Every other corner had Earth Nation soldiers standing around doing nothing but chewing curds, and gawking at any scantily clad Fire Nation girl that caught their eyes. So, this is what you had in mind for our nation father?
Sozen fixed his generals uniform and stormed through the streets, shutting his eyes. The imperial city used to be filled with such glamour, and had been until his father had died, and his lazy, good for nothing cousin Gai took the throne. Oh sure, he was a talented tactician, and knew where to put troops where they were needed, and in the first two years of his reign seemed to be an adequate choice to rule the country. In fact, it almost was enough for Sozen to accept the lose of the throne to his cousin, as the other boy seemed just as determined to reestablish order as Sozen did. Then he married that little Earth Nation princess and everything went to pot.
Just as he had prophesied, it was the Earth Nation taking control of affairs of state around the world. Rape, murder, vandalism, every crime under the sun was now rampant through out the world, save for perhaps the Air Nation's temples. Sozen had tried and tried to make his cousin see what was happening, but Gai was too busy doting on his spoiled wife's extravagant and useless demands to listen.
"Things have just changed, cousin," he once replied with a complacent smile. "This is the way the world seems to want to go, who are we to push our ideals on them?"
Sozen scowled as he continued walking toward the palace, the smells of foods drifting down to the peasants, who were now living in mud huts in the shadow of an ever growing mountain of a castle. When his father had lived there, the castle had been only a shadow of the size it was now, simple and eloquent, but with enough power that people knew who were in control. Now it was a massive playboy's mansion, or rather a playgirl's mansion, full of out of control parties every night of the week, licentious laughter and actions and scornful of the people who lived next to it.
The Fire Nation general glared up at the castle and hissed, turning a corner. He was supposed to be making a report to the Fire Lord, but his mind had other ideas right now. Things that mattered the security of the state – of the world, things that Sozen had to do to protect everything he held dear.
Sozen covered his face with a cloak and continued marching through the slums, until he was in the tent of an old Fire Sage, who Gai had let go, on his wife's demands. The tent was damp and musty full with ancient boxes and jewelry and much more ancient books and scrolls. It smelled of body odor, and wet dog, fresh dog droppings, and dozens of birds squawked flapping their dusty wings as he walked by them.
The Fire Sage looked up at the general and smiled. "I see you've come to a decision," he said in a cracked voice. "Good." The Fire Sage was minuscule, hunch backed, with a glass eye. He smiled at the young man, flashing dirty rotten teeth, at least the teeth he still had. There was a part of the young general's mind that understood why his cousin's wife wanted this man out of her court. And it wasn't because of his smell or appearance, either. The old man motioned for him to sit, and then did likewise, crossing his legs as he sat on a chair.
"I'm still just considering it," Sozen said, looking at the old priest.
"I would think fast," the old man croaked, he reached for some papers with thin bony hands, and unfolded them. "Time is running out for our nation," he said, tapping his fingers on old astrology maps. "The planets are aligning, and that means something major is going to happen, but if you do not act, I fear it could mean the end of our people."
"We've been here for ten thousand years, old man," the general snapped. "And in half of that time, our government has lasted. I doubt anything in the stars could change that." The sky outside seemed to grow darker as clouds began to form, and there was a slight chill in the air.
"A storm is coming," the old priest said, craning his neck to glare outside. He returned his attention to the former prince, and narrowed his eyes. "And not one of water or wind," his voice had grown strong, and strangely dark and disturbing.
"What of it?" the general snarled. Sozen bore his teeth and rose to his feet as he looked at the old man. "Are you talking about revolution?"
"I'm talking of enslavement," the old man snapped. "Should we miss our chance; the Earth Nation will run through our lands, taking from our people what is theirs. I fear the Water Nation too will rise against us unless we act."
"The Water Nation has no army, and its navy is so small it could hardly be a threat to anything other than a whale," the general snapped. He had heard enough of this; the old man was clearly insane.
"But it is need for power that has brought you to me, isn't that correct?" the Fire Sage asked with a crooked smile.
"I do not want power," Sozen quipped. "I want what's best for the Fire Nation – and the world."
"So you would like to have control then?" the other man asked, still bearing his smile.
"I want order," the young man snapped, leaning over and glaring straight into the dirty face of the Fire Sage. "As does the entire world. With order will come peace."
"In order to achieve order, one must have control, and in order to have control one must have power," the old man chuckled. He watched his former prince scowl at him and begin to walk off. "Sozen," the old man cried. The general stopped in his tracks and turned to face him. "Gai will never do what is best for our people, or the world. His wife will never allow it, she thinks only of herself." His eye began to shift and seemed to turn tender. "If you truly fear for our world, then the best way to do it is to become Fire Lord yourself."
Sozen thought for a moment and stroked his chin. "And how am I to do that without causing revolution, and adding to the people's woes?" he snapped. True the military had its fill with Gai and his wife, and would back Sozen one hundred percent. Most of the poor "riffraff" would join with him too, but then what of counter revolution and then re-counter revolutions? The land would be soaked in blood forever.
"An Agni Kai," the old priest said, his tone dead serious.
The general felt his jaw drop, and he stared at the old man. "A Fire Duel?" There hadn't been one of those in two hundred years.
"It's either that or you can watch as chaos takes our world."
A few months later Sozen was in his cousin's court, his mind still racing with what the old priest had said. The general had tried to talk to him a few more times, but was always sent on a mission or ordered to fill out paperwork by his superiors. It was odd; it was as if someone did not want the general to speak to the old priest. In the end, the old man was found strangled to death, the victim of a supposed botched burglary.
The general stood at his "lord's" side, listening to the odd request or complaint of this or that, when a family strode forward and bowed their heads at their king.
"What can I do for you on this day?" Gai asked, stroking his long thick beard. His voice was narrow and deep and boomed off the walls of the throne room like it was a bouncy ball.
"Fire Lord Gai," the nervous man said, his arms around his wife and children. "As you know, Fire Lord Renjiro has been dead for five years now, but the people were only allowed to pay our respects to him for only two years, and now we are hearing that the court is preparing him for Scal-Kai."
"And your point is?" Gai asked. He was thinner than the old priest, but behind those bones were waves of muscles. Taller than anyone in the Fire Nation, Fire Lord Gai could intimidate the most ferocious of adversaries, but preferred not to.
Secretly Sozen fumed. It was bad enough that his father had denied him the right to stay and watch his mother's and sister's last few seconds before the sacred rite, but now because of being "excommunicated" by his father, he would no longer be allowed to see the last of his direct line be enveloped in the Scal-Kai either.
"Sir, your Lordship, sir," the man began, "I know it is sacrilege to speak of this, but could you not put off the Scal-Kai just a little longer, so that the youngest of the nation's children can pay their respects."
Gai frowned for a moment and stroked his beard, it had been his wife's desire to lower the time limit for the people to pay their respects. The Fire Lord turned to his wife and then back at the man. "I suppose --," he began.
"No," the woman next to him replied. Everyone seemed to jump at her words. If Gai was skinny, she was down right skeletal. The Fire Lady crossed her arms and shook her dark brown hair. "No, you've had your time, and besides," she smiled, "there will be no Scal-Kai preformed anyway."
The room was filled with horror and gasps. Eyes widened with shock and outrage as they looked at their queen. She turned to her husband, and puppy dog pouted. "It's such a boring ritual," she whined. "And so silly, couldn't you just . . . bury him somewhere or something? Maybe just throw his body into the volcano; I know how you Fire benders are fond of it."
"Blasphemy!" Sozen jumped and blinked his eyes; did that word just come from his own lips? He shook his head and looked at his cousin. "You can't seriously be considering listening to her on this!"
"Sozen," he replied with a sigh, "I've told you before, the world is changing, and if this is what they want then. . .," he began.
"This isn't about what the world wants," he barked at Gai, "it's about what your anorexic, spoiled bitch of a wife wants." There were more gasps, and Gai shot to his feet.
"You will take back those treasonous words, or you will face exile," he growled. He turned to his wife, and stroked her hand as she smiled smugly at the general.
"I have kept quiet for far too long," the general snarled in princely pride. "I didn't always agree with my father, especially about giving you control, but I kept my mouth shut for the good of our people." He looked at the bitter woman sitting on the throne and back at his cousin. "And she and her people want nothing that's good for our people."
The throne room broke into jeers from the nobility and cheers from the guards and the poor people waiting to speak to the Fire Lord, especially the young man who had brought this all about.
"Guards, take this man out of my sight," the Fire Lord snarled.
"I challenge," Sozen growled.
"What?" Gai looked at him with large eyes and upturned lips.
"For the throne, I challenge you to an Agni Kai," the general said, his voice returning more regal with the second.
"This is ridiculous, I am the Fire Lord," Gai roared above the dim of the room.
"According to our laws, you must either accept, or step down off of that throne."
Gai's wife rose to her feet, her eyes indignant. "Then I reverse those laws," she snapped. Now even the nobility seemed to gasp and glare at their Lord.
"No man or woman can reverse the Agni Kai, despite their rank or title," Sozen said. He turned to his cousin and narrowed his eyes. "Do you accept, or no."
Gai swallowed hard and stared at his cousin. "I accept," he growled.
The challenge was held the next day in the open fields of the old stadium. The building was packed to capacity filled with peasants, Fire Sages, many of whom were praying for the revelation of the new Avatar more so than ever now, military, and nobility.
Sozen stood on one side of the field, his cousin on the other side, robes hanging loose on their shoulders. There was absolutely no noise as they stood backs to each other. Slowly the two men rose, their robes floating to the ground. Another second passed, and then the two of them rushed each other, flames flying from their fists and feet.
Dai pushed back his cousin with sheer power, and launched a flying flaming kick at Sozen's face, sending him reeling back to the edge of his wall and down on his knees. He hissed and shot to his feet, countering with a flaming whip toward the ground, which cause his cousin to lose his balance, and flung his whole weight at Dai, chopping his shoulders with a blow that would burst a solid gold brick.
The Fire Lord groaned in pain, and shut his eyes, knowing that he made a mistake at that second. Dai back flipped through the air, and tried to catch his cousin off guard, but once on the offense, he would not let up. Dai found himself on the receiving end of a low kick to the stomach, a chop to his head, a blast of flames to his face, and a scissor lock around Dai's neck, and tossed him into his own wall, sending flaming balls at the wall afterwards. The crowd shrieked with terror, and then stood at a cheer as bricks collapsed on Dai, pinning him to the ground.
Sozen strode over to him, flames licking his clenched left hand, and he aimed the heat at Dai. "Do you yield?" he snarled. Dai looked at him for a moment, and turned his gaze away. "I won't ask you again, do you yield?" Sozen snapped.
"I yield," Dai said weakly.
"Then take your wife, and leave the kingdom," the new Fire Lord said, stepping back. With a small blast of fire, he freed his cousin, and pointed toward the docks. "Do not come back, and," he looked at a small regent of Earth Nation soldiers and pointed at them, "take them with you. The Earth Nation's military are persona non gratia, from this time forward in this nation."
"You can't do this," Dai's wife roared, storming up to him. "The Earth Nation has done much for your people, we've brought you out of the dark ages you put yourself in and –," she stopped as she faced Sozen's glowing fists.
"One more word; and you will never say anything ever again," he growled.
"She's a princess in the Earth Nation," Dai warned, "they might not like you threatening their nobility."
"Then they can answer to my fleet if they want," Sozen said with a sharp smile. "Now get out of here," he said; his voice abnormally calm.
And as Dai and his wife left, a cry unlike arose from the likes no nation on the planet in the history of the planet had every heard before. Cheering like the people were now in the presence of a newly born god. A new age had come to the Fire Nation, one that would throw shadows and storms on the planet's surface for a hundred years.
And that's the end of chapter three, hope you enjoyed it. The fourth chapter deals with his marriage and to the birth of his only child. It's getting darker ladies and gents, but the storm has not quite come just yet. And look for a certain ten year old Air monk whom the world will later come to know and love, hint, hint ;).