CHAPTER 31: Embers
"It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours."
Vast expanses of rugged terrain, dominated by rocky cliffs and smoldering volcanos, stretched out in every direction below him as he made his way across Fire Nation territory.
The land was dotted with lush forests and shimmering rivers, while clusters of villages and towns emerged from the landscape once in a while, their rooftops adorned with distinctive red tiles that glinted in the sunlight.
Amidst the natural beauty and tranquility, signs of reconstruction and renewal were still evident.
Crumbling buildings were being rebuilt, war-torn fields had been replanted, and communities once torn apart by conflict were now bustling with activity and life.
As Zuko approached the Fire Nation capital on the back of Appa, the city's imposing silhouette rose majestically against the horizon.
When gazing down upon his homeland, he felt a myriad of emotions coursing through him, mingling with the gusts of wind whipping past his face.
Situated atop a rocky promontory, his eyes were soon met by a view of the palace.
He narrowed his eyes.
The palace.
Once a symbol of his family's power and tyranny, now stood there in silent homage of his responsibility, a reminder of the burdens of leadership that Zuko carried on his shoulders.
Memories flooded his mind.
His tumultuous childhood, his quest to capture the Avatar, and the journey of self-discovery that ultimately led him back here.
He recalled the battles fought.
The battles within himself, and the battles against his father and sister.
He remembered the sacrifices made, and the friends he lost along the way.
Would the scars of The War ever heal?
Visions of the village in the jungle flashed through his mind.
Trees burning, the smoldering embers of homes in desolation, ash and blood, people screaming in agony, the lifeless bodies, Nii's cries.
The anger, the sorrow.
The shock.
He could still hear the village woman's words ring in his ears.
"Something about a Phoenix King."
It seemed almost impossible to him that there would be anyone left in the world who clung to the ideals of his father's reign.
Her words had come to him as a jarring surprise.
Like a sudden blade to his back.
Zuko felt a surge of anger coursing through him as Appa started descending towards the palace grounds.
All of the sacrifices made and the battles fought to bring an end to The War suddenly seemed to diminish.
He felt a sense of betrayal that someone, anyone, within his own nation still yearned for the days of conquest and domination.
Despite the shock and anger, he also felt that this new information had hardened his resolve. He knew that the ideals of peace and harmony that he fought for alongside Aang and the others were worth protecting at any cost.
He vowed within himself that if there were any Phoenix King loyalists out there, he would personally root them out. He would ensure that they would never pose any further threat to the stability of the Fire Nation or the world at large.
However, the stale taste of guilt still lingered in his mouth.
Zuko frowned.
He wondered whether there were any signs he had missed or actions he could have taken to prevent this.
He could not help but to glance over the people that moved about within the palace courtyard with narrowed eyes, as he descended further down.
Were they loyal to him?
Or to his father?
"Welcome home, Fire Lord Zuko," a voice called out, as Appa finally reached the ground.
"Where's my uncle?" Zuko growled, before he made his way down to once again settle his feet upon the land of his forefathers.
"In the throne room, my Lord," the servant smiled.
"Make sure that you give him your best treatment," Zuko snarled, waving a hand at Appa. "He needs food, water, a place to sleep."
"Of course, Your Highness," the servant voiced before he bowed deeply.
With urgency in his steps, Zuko was already walking hastily towards the palace doors, but something made him come to a halt.
He turned around, eyeing Appa.
"Thank you, Appa," he murmured. "You can stay here for as long as you want. But you're also free to go back to him."
Of course Appa did not answer him, but Zuko saw a softness in his large brown eyes that spoke of an understanding between them.
"And thank you, Razao," he uttered, turning his head slightly so he was sure that the servant heard him. "For your loyalty to me."
The servant Razao did not answer him but he looked perplexed by the sudden words of gratitude spoken by the Fire Lord.
Another deep bow earned Zuko to continue on with a hurried pace towards the palace doors.
Zuko soon made his way to the throne room.
As he entered through the massive ornate doors adorned with intricate carvings of dragons and flames, his steps echoed loudly over the polished marble floor as he paced along the rows of ornate pillars with torches, their flickering flames casting dancing shadows that seemed to come alive in the dimly lit room.
He felt his heart pound loudly in his chest.
As if something lurked in the shadows.
At the far end of the chamber was the throne itself, a magnificent structure crafted from ebony wood and adorned with gilded, golden accents.
The back of the throne was emblazoned with the sigil of the Fire Nation, barely visible from the sturdy silhouette of his uncle that was currently sitting there, deep in conversation with someone Zuko did not recognize at first.
"Uncle!" he roared, causing both men at the throne to look up with eyes wide of surprise.
"Fire Lord Zuko," Iroh smiled, lifting his arms in a wide welcome. "Welcome home."
His smile was genuine and full of warmth.
Zuko could not help but to feel his heart softening a bit, but he kept his pace.
They did not have time for pleasantries.
"Your Highness," said the man next to his uncle, as Zuko finally reached them at the throne.
The man lowered himself to one knee in a bow so low that his forehead nearly touched the ground.
He was dressed in the traditional robes of the Fire Nation court.
Zuko looked at him for a short second before he turned his gaze back to his uncle.
"We need to talk," he gritted between his teeth. "In private."
Iroh's expression remained soft and warm, his eyes twinkling.
"Ah, Zuko, my dear nephew," he said in a gentle yet perceptive voice as he waved a hand at the steaming teapot on the small table next to him. "Why don't you sit down with us, have a cup of jasmine tea? I was just speaking with Tako here…"
"I don't have TIME to have tea with you, uncle," Zuko spat as a wave of anger and impatience rolled over him like a red sea of fire.
He tightened his fists and clenched his jaw.
He felt heat burning in his hands, and he also sensed a vein that had started to pulse with an almost painful intensity in his temple.
"Someone's out there, attacking people in the name of the Phoenix King," Zuko rushed, almost tripping over his words. "I've just traveled from a small village near the Eastern Air Temple, and it was, they had, it was burned down by Firebenders, in Fire Nation armor, and…"
"Zuko, Zuko," Iroh said softly, waving his hands in the air as if to calm him down, before he turned to the court man next to him. "Thank you for your time, Tako. We'll resume our discussion about the Serpent's Coil maneuver later."
Zuko rolled his eyes and sighed out in frustration over his uncle's words.
There were so many things much more important right now than Pai Sho.
Even though Iroh apparently still seemed very calm, as the man named Tako dipped his head in another deep bow before turning around to leave the throne room, Zuko had also noticed a flicker of concern in his eyes when he had mentioned the Phoenix King.
When they were alone, Iroh turned his head to gaze upon his nephew in front of him.
"Phoenix King, you say?" he breathed, his voice suddenly much more serious.
Zuko nodded.
"Hmm," Iroh murmured with a crease on his brows as he reached up a hand to rest over his mouth as if to think better.
A moment of silence that seemed to last forever passed by, and Zuko was growing more and more impatient by the second.
Absentmindedly, he tapped his foot on the marble floor, causing his uncle to lift his gaze to meet with his.
Iroh's eyes quickly turned softer, and the crease over his brows disappeared.
He rose to his feet.
"I understand the pain and frustration you must feel," he said, while he reached up a hand to rest it on Zuko's shoulder. "To see such destruction, to confront the ghost of our past… It is a heavy burden to bear."
Zuko felt a knot form in his throat, and he closed his eyes and gulped down.
The hand on his shoulder was like a silent acknowledgement of the threat to the fragile peace that Zuko had fought so hard to achieve the last couple of years.
"But remember," Iroh continued, his voice filled with quiet resolve. "You are not alone in this. Together, we will face this new challenge with courage and determination. We will ensure that the flames of hope and peace continue to burn bright."
Zuko opened his eyes and locked them with his uncle's.
"Together."