Disclaimer – all original Avatar: The Last Airbender characters in this fanfic (excluding my OC's) are the property of Bryana Konietzko and Michaela Dante DiMartino.
Chapter 37. The Strongest Bloodline.
A few days later – Fire Nation Capital, Hari Bulkan, Weng's Residence.
Huo woke up, rubbing his eyes, and sat up, prepared to get ready for another day. After a good stretch, he turned his head around and patted his pillow with a smile. "Morning, Nurei."
The vulture drake crawled out from under Huo's pillow and yawned. She stretched as well and fluttered her wings. Since Weng allowed Huo to buy a pet, Nurei didn't need to hide from the nobleman and the staff members.
At first, Weng simply wanted Nurei to be placed in the cage like any other pet, but Huo was against that, telling the nobleman that the animal would surely become angry and could start breathing fire. That could melt the cage and possibly burn the furniture. Not wanting that to happen, Weng told Huo to come up with a proper solution since it was his boy did just that, and Nurei got a small wooden box that worked like a birdhouse. Painted red, the box had three round entrances and was nestled between the branches of a large, potted bonsai tree, which was placed in the corner of the room.
Even though it was her place to sleep, Nurei preferred to sleep under Huo's pillow, and the boy didn't mind. After getting up from the bed, he turned his head towards his desk and glanced at the open books about birds and dragons.
He knew Nurei was a female and that she was a vulture drake. If he'd ever mentioned that near Weng, or anybody else for that matter, they could ask how he knew that, so Huo decided to prepare an answer just in case.
Rolling his shoulders, he moved behind the folding screen while Nurei flew over to her birdhouse and landed on top in case Weng decided to pay them a visit.
After Huo changed into his everyday clothes, he exhaled and walked from behind the folding screen. Nurei flew over to him and landed on his head.
"So... we are ready for another day, Nurei," Huo stated, and the vulture drake squawked and fluttered her wings in response.
A few hours later – Fire Nation Capital, Hari Bulkan, Ozai's Villa.
Azula sat in the middle of her room with a bunch of dolls lying around her. The majority of them were headless, and some had their clothes cut into pieces. The young princess was focused on one doll, which she remodeled to look like a certain boy with orange-colored eyes.
From the day they returned home after playing in the gardens, Azula constantly pondered how to get back at Huo. The simplest way would be to tell her father what happened and let him punish the boy, but that wouldn't satisfy her. Plus, it would make her look like Zuko, who cried to their mother every time she did something to him. No, she needed to deal with Huo personally and make him fear and respect her.
Agni Kai would be the obvious solution, but Azula wasn't sure if she could defeat Huo. She didn't take Ty Lee's stories about him seriously at first, but after hearing about his clear victory against Genjei, she realized he wasn't a pushover. Challenging him to a firebending duel without a plan would be foolish. She needed a different way to make him pay.
"There's still something missing," Azula stated, examining the doll closely. Realizing what she needed to add, she got up and approached her desk, where she had some inkstones, brushes, scissors, and other tools that she used to remodel the doll. Grabbing the scissors, she slowly ran the sharp edge over the doll's face, creating a vertical cut resembling Huo's scar. "Perfect!"
At that moment, her brother entered her room. "Azula, Mom said that we are going out for dinner today once Dad returns from the palace," he said and noticed the dolls on the floor as well as the tools on her desk. "What are you doing?" he asked, squinting his eyes.
"I remodeled one of my dolls to look like Huo," the young princess answered with clear pride, showing Zuko the doll. "Looks just like him, right?"
The doll was clearly in rough shape. The pieces of clothing borrowed from other dolls somewhat resembled the ones Huo wore, but the orange eyes and the scar were the only things that allowed the doll to truly look like him. Before Zuko could say anything, Azula created a flame in her hand, burning the doll with a wide smile.
"What's wrong with you?!" Zuko asked, shocked by Azula's action.
"This what's gonna happen to your friend if he won't learn his place," Azula stated as the wooden doll was slowly reduced to ash. The young princess let go of the doll's remains and allowed them to fall on the floor.
"What you did to Ty Lee was wrong and he called you out on it," Zuko pointed out, defending his friend.
"It was disrespectful," Azula argued, frowning at her brother. "I'm a princess of the Fire Nation and he's just a common noble."
"He did the right thing, and besides, Huo is a far better firebender than you are, so good luck trying to defeat him," Zuko stated. "Not to mention he's not afraid of you at all."
"We'll see about that," Azula replied with a mischievous smile. Without any more words, Azula stepped on the doll's remains and walked past Zuko. When she left her room, the young prince looked worriedly at the remains.
Fire Nation Capital, Hari Bulkan, Fire Nation Royal Palace, Throne Room.
Located in the middle of Hari Bulkan and encircled by a massive wall, the Fire Nation Royal Palace served as the Fire Nation government's seat and the royal family's home. It was one of the most recognizable structures in the Fire Nation.
The land between the wall and the palace was barren and rocky, utterly devoid of plant life, making any infiltration nearly impossible.
The palace itself was a single structure, an elaborate tower with triple eaves at the center, with three distinct wings joining it. The two smaller wings, which housed many chambers and quarters, stood on either side of the main entrance to the palace building, and small towers were located at the ends of these wings as well. Directly opposite the main entrance was the third, larger wing, which housed the Fire Lord's throne room.
Also known as the War Room or War Chamber, the throne room was where the Fire Lord made most of his decisions and formulated plans with his military and civilian advisers. The room had many black pillars with elaborate gold bases supporting the roof and black tiled floors.
Fire Lord Azulon sat on an ornate covered throne on a higher platform surrounded by a wall of fire while an enormous bas-relief image of a dragon breathing fire adorned the wall behind him. The imposing atmosphere was designed to instill awe and fear in all who entered the throne room and faced him.
During war meetings, a map was placed before the higher platform so the Fire Lord could observe everything from above while the generals and advisors sat around it and discussed strategies. Right now, twelve generals sat around the map and listened closely as Crown Prince Iroh explained his plan to conquer the city of Ba Sing Se.
"When we create a breach in the outer wall, we will charge with our komodo rhinos as quickly as possible while the long range siege weapons will provide the support," Iroh said, using a plotting rod to push Fire Nation pieces on the Earth Kingdom map, which featured the city of Ba Sing Se. His son, Lu Ten, sat right beside him and listened just like the generals.
"The soldiers of the Earth Kingdom can fix the wall in seconds if given the chance, so we can't give them the time to do so," Iroh continued. "Once we secure the outer wall, we'll be one step closer to conquering Ba Sing Se and winning the war."
"How long till our forces are ready to start the siege?" the Fire Lord Azulon asked stoically.
"We still need to construct more siege weapons," Iroh replied, turning his head to look at the Fire Lord. "It won't matter how many soldiers we have if we won't be able to breach the wall. While recruiting more troops won't take a lot of time, building the essential amount of trebuchets certainly will take many months. It's possible that will take us around a year to fully prepare for the battle."
"Very well," Fire Lord Azulon nodded. "I'll leave you in charge of the preparations and the armies, Prince Iroh. I expect you to conquer Ba Sing Se and bring us to victory."
"The siege can only end one way," Iroh stated confidently, and Azulon's lips formed a slight smirk. "Good, you're all dismissed," said the Fire Lord.
When Iroh and Lu Ten left the throne room with the generals, the Crown Prince was already picturing the whole siege in his head. "We need to start the preparations immediately," he said, stroking his goatee with a smirk as they continued to walk down the corridor. "Factory workers will need to redouble their efforts, and officers at the barracks have to focus on training more young recruits."
"I can't fail to notice how excited you are, father," Lu Ten pointed out with a smile.
"Of course I am," Iroh grinned. "Conquering Ba Sing Se is my destiny and you'll be standing by my side once everything is over."
Lu Ten's smile faded, and he stopped, lowering his head to look at the floor. Iroh noticed that and stopped as well, turning to face his son. "What's wrong?" he asked.
"Do you remember the boy who fought the son of General Donjin?" Lu Ten asked, and Iroh nodded. "Yes, Zuko saw his Agni Kai. Why?"
Lu Ten lifted his head and looked at his father. "Yesterday, I overheard uncle Ozai talking with a few high-ranking officers about him," he began to explain. "They were saying that he's the most skilled prodigy the Fire Nation has ever seen."
"Okay... and?" Iroh arched his brown eyebrow. "Is that what's got you so down?"
"Uncle Ozai said that the boy has no equals amongst his peers and that he's stronger than many adult soldiers," Lu Ten replied. "He also added that he's stronger than me and the officers didn't argue with that. If people think that a son of the Fire Lord's firstborn is weaker than a ten-year-old boy, how am I supposed to help you during the siege? Officers won't take me seriously, and the soldiers won't respect me."
Iroh inhaled through his nose, cursing Ozai in his mind, and placed his hand on Lu Ten's shoulder. "My brother was talking nonsense," he reassured. "Even though the boy is gifted and won his Agni Kai against an older opponent, he's not strong enough to defeat you."
"I wouldn't be so sure," both Iroh and Lu Ten heard a voice and turned their heads, spotting Ozai, who approached them with a smirk. "I saw the boy's firebending with my own eyes and I can assure you that he's more than a match for Lu Ten."
"I think there's something wrong with your head, Ozai," Iroh frowned, turning to face his younger brother. "Father won't be happy when he learns that you're spreading false rumors which make our family look weak."
"I never spread false rumors," Ozai smirked sinisterly and shifted his gaze to Lu Ten. "Lu Ten can always challenge the boy to an Agni Kai to prove me wrong, but I already came up with a solution to deal with this issue."
"What solution?" Iroh asked, looking askance at his brother.
"Let me just say that soon, my bloodline will have the most gifted firebenders, and no one will ever doubt that the royal family is the strongest," Ozai replied, walking past Iroh. He approached the entrance to the throne room, which was guarded by two Imperial Firebenders, and went inside. Iroh realized what Ozai wanted to do and shook his head with a sigh. He looked at Lu Ten, who had an unsure look on his face.
"Don't let my brother's words get to you, Lu Ten," said the Crown Prince. "Actions will always speak louder than words. Be confident in your skill and power. If anyone has doubts, then show them what you're capable off."
Lu Ten looked at his father and nodded with a smile.
When Prince Ozai entered the throne room, he silently approached the high platform and knelt, bowing his head before Fire Lord Azulon.
"Prince Ozai, what do you want?" Azulon asked coldly.
"I'm here to speak about the son of nobleman Weng, Huo," Ozai answered.
"The boy who fought with the son of General Donjin?" Azulon squinted his eyes. "What's there to talk about?"
"The boy's firebending is unlike anything I have ever seen," Ozai pointed out. "When he visited my son, I told him to show it to me. Blue flames, lightning generation, and combustionbending. Despite being a ten-year-old boy, he's a force to be reckoned with, and when he reaches adulthood, he may become one of the most powerful firebenders of our times."
Azulon's face remained stoic. "I have a feeling you're overestimating his abilities," he said, unconvinced.
"I assure you, father, I'm not," Ozai replied. "The boy is a true prodigy, and his blue flames are clear proof of that. He's powerful, and such power needs to belong to our family."
Azulon didn't respond right away but narrowed his eyes. He knew precisely what Ozai had in mind. "I need to see the boy's skill with my own eyes first," he replied. "If he really is as gifted as you say, I'll give you my consent to make the necessary arrangements with his father."
"Very well," Ozai replied with a smirk, knowing how to prove the boy's skill. "If he's able to hold his own against an elite firebender and personal guard of the royal family, would that be enough proof of his skill?"
"Fine, now leave," Azulon waved his hand dismissively. Ozai stood up and turned around, heading towards the exit with a satisfied smile.
A few hours later – Fire Nation Capital, Hari Bulkan, Weng's Residence.
Huo trained in the back garden, firing blue-colored fireballs at one of the training dummies. His friend, Nurei, flew around the second training dummy and breathed fire at it from all angles, mimicking the boy's firebending training.
"I think we're good for today," the boy stated, wiping the sweat from his forehead. Nurei landed on top of the training dummy and squawked.
"Ty Lee and Mai would surely love to meet you," Huo said, placing his hands on his hips. "Ty Lee is very energetic and cheerful, while Mai is stoic and gloomy, but we're good friends." The vulture drake flew over to him and landed on his shoulder. "I just need to convince Weng to let me take you with me when I go visit them, or maybe I can invite them here inste-"
"Huo!" Weng's voice came from the entrance as he hurriedly entered the back garden. "Get dressed quickly!"
"Huh?" Huo turned his head around, noticing that the nobleman held a scroll in his hand. "What's going on?"
"We're invited to the palace," Weng replied, and Huo couldn't fail to notice the excitement in his voice. "Fire Lord Azulon requested our presence and wants you to participate in a duel."
Huo's eyes widened. He thought that someone important was about to visit them, but this was something he didn't expect. "Oh, okay then," he nodded and quickly returned to the residence, heading upstairs to his room. He didn't even bother to ask if Nurei could come with him since he knew the answer to that question.
Twenty minutes later – Fire Nation Capital, Hari Bulkan, Fire Nation Royal Palace.
When their palanquin reached the massive gate, emblazoned with a large Fire Nation insignia, Weng moved aside the hanging cloth, which was attached to the exterior of the palanquin's top, and leaned out. "Okay, you can stop here," he said, and the bearers complied, placing the palanquin on the ground.
Huo and Weng exited the palanquin and moved towards the gate, clad in their fancy clothes. Immediately, one of the Imperial Firebenders, who guarded it, approached them. Also known as the Royal Procession, the Imperial Firebenders were elite firebenders who served as personal and ceremonial guards for the Fire Nation Royal Family and worked closely with the Fire Lord's military maneuvers.
"My son and I were invited," Weng said, giving the Imperial Firebender the invitation. The firebender checked the document and nodded, giving it back to Weng.
When the gate was opened, Huo took a deep breath and began to walk alongside Weng. When they went through the gate, his orange-colored eyes saw the massive palace in its entirety. Seeing it up close was truly something, but despite the amazing sight, Huo couldn't fail to notice that the land surrounding the palace was bleak and barren. "That's something I didn't expect," he said truthfully, looking around and seeing nothing but dirt and rocks.
"Yeah, I had the same reaction when I saw it for the first time," Weng replied. "A lush landscape could be used by assassins to move unseen and infiltrate the palace, so this is what they have instead."
Honestly, Huo didn't like it and would prefer seeing lush gardens or anything else instead of this empty, lifeless space.
As they walked the cobbled pathway toward the palace, Huo and Weng passed Imperial Firebenders, who stood along the pathway and acted as additional guards. "The level of protection the royal family has is something else," Huo commented.
When they reached the main entrance and entered the palace, a royal servant already waited for them. "Ah, you must be young master Huo and master Weng," the servant bowed his head with a friendly smile and beckoned the two to follow him. "This way, please."
The halls of the palace were enormous, and the walls were lined with large tapestries. Elaborate fire-themed images and moldings were laid out throughout the numerous sections of the structure. Royal servants were everywhere, and Huo actually began to believe that over a hundred of them worked at the palace.
Aside from the servants, Huo spotted many high-ranking officers, all heading in one direction. The boy was curious to know what was going on and soon realized that the servant was leading them in the same direction.
When they reached a large door, the royal servant opened them and gestured them inside. Once they entered, he closed the door behind them.
Fire Nation Capital, Hari Bulkan, Fire Nation Royal Palace, Royal Training Chamber.
Designed specifically for the royal family members, the training chamber was a vast room with a slightly elevated circle in the middle. All sorts of training dummies were placed in the corners of the room, where firebenders could use them for practice, and a large variety of weapons hung on the walls for non-benders.
Immediately upon entering, Huo spotted a large group of people standing near the elevated circle and talking with each other. He quickly realized many of them were generals. When their heads turned towards them, the boy felt many stern eyes trying to pierce him.
Weng noticed some generals here were present during Huo's Agni Kai. The nobleman also spotted General Donjin, who crossed his arms and gave him a glare. He hoped Huo was going to duel someone other than General Donjin. Despite being remarkably skilled, the boy wouldn't stand a chance against him and would probably end up badly injured.
General Donjin didn't make any nasty remarks or even say a single word to Weng, and the nobleman realized why. Prince Ozai was also present in the room, and once he moved towards Huo and Weng, the generals moved out of his way, allowing him to pass through.
"Mister Weng, it's good you both arrived so quickly," the prince said with a friendly tone as he approached the two with Zuko and Azula. "Fire Lord Azulon is an impatient man and doesn't like to wait."
"It's an honor, my lord," Weng replied and bowed together with Huo. Once they stood back up, the nobleman added. "I must admit, an invitation to a duel is most unusual. I hope my son didn't offend anyone?"
Huo took a quick glance at Azula, who stared daggers at him. The boy hoped this duel had nothing to do with what happened at the gardens. "No, it's not an Agni Kai, just a simple demonstration of the boy's abilities," Ozai reassured, much to Huo's relief, and looked at him. "My father wanted to see his skill personally like I did, and a duel is the best way. Now, if he needs to warm up before the duel, he can use one of the training dummies."
"Thank you, lord Ozai, but I finished my training routine before we came here, so I'm ready for anything," Huo assured confidently. "Who's my opponent?" he asked, not believing it was Zuko or Azula.
"You're going to face one of the Imperial Firebenders," Ozai explained. "I personally assured the Fire Lord that you're a powerful bender, so don't hold back."
"I won't," Huo replied, and Ozai smirked, looking back at Weng. "I would like a word in private, if you don't mind."
"Of course," Weng nodded, and both men moved to the corner of the room, leaving the three kids alone.
"I hope you get your face burned," Azula said with a smirk. "This isn't an Agni Kai, but accidents happen. Hey, maybe you'll get a nice scar on the other side."
"Leave him alone, Azula," Zuko replied, looking at his sister. "What if he wins, huh? Did you think about that?"
"Members of the Royal Procession are elite firebenders who protect our family, dum-dum," Azula crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "There's no way Huo would win a duel against one of them."
Before Zuko could reply, the door to the training chamber was opened by a short, robust man with light skin, wearing black-red royal armor. His brown hair was tied with a red ribbon into a top knot, and his facial hair consisted of thick sideburns and a goatee. Right behind him walked a younger, taller, lean man with slightly tanned skin and black hair, which was also tied into a top knot. Huo had a hunch who the two were but decided to make sure.
"Is that your uncle?" he asked, looking at Zuko.
"Yup," the young prince confirmed. "And the one behind him is Lu Ten, our cousin."
Huo looked back at the two, noticing that the Crown Prince approached his brother and Weng. The nobleman bowed before Iroh, while Ozai didn't look happy to see his brother. When the two began to talk, Lu Ten looked at Huo and approached him.
"Hey, Lu Ten," Zuko and Azula greeted their cousin, who looked at the siblings and greeted them back with a smile. "Hey."
He then looked at Huo, eyeing him up and down. "So, you're Huo," he said, arching his black eyebrow.
"That's me," Huo bowed his head respectfully. "It's a pleasure to meet you, prince Lu Ten."
"Did you come to watch Huo's duel as well?" Zuko asked.
"Actually, there's been a change of plans," Lu Ten replied, his eyes fixed on Huo. "Your friend is going to face a different opponent... me."
Zuko's eyes widened in surprise, and he looked at Huo. Azula smirked and glanced at the boy, who arched his eyebrows. "So I'm fightning the son of a Crown Prince," he stated and couldn't help but smile excitedly. "Nice."
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