Chapter 1: Origins

The consequences of my birth are irrelevant. However I came to be I was born from infidelity and out of wedlock. My name is Kaizar. A bastard. My father was a noble and a very dear friend to the royal family. Prince Ozai was my father's best friend growing up. Apparently after Ozai and my father were drinking they hooked up with some concubines and I am the result of no moon tea and poor judgement, but I digress. When my mother died in childbirth honor demanded my father take me in, and though my father was honorable about the situation he was not happy. The shock and heartbreak that occurred to my step mother when the maids brought me to their front door broke her. She hung herself later that week. I had again lost a potential mother and I wan not even 2 weeks old.

Though my father was honorable he was not loved. He ruled his province with the strictest of rules and taxes. The people hated him, and as I grew the people hated me as well.

"Booooooooo" the people yelled and screamed at my father and I as he guided me to the fire sages building to be evaluated. "Do not mind them they are fools who know nothing of loyalty to our great nation".

"Yes father" I said automatically. Even as a toddler I knew to respond this was as my father would beat me for anything less than total perfection. In fact my first memory was of my father beating me after I broke a vase learning to walk. I did have a good memory if I was thinking about it.

The temple we were walking to was for an incredibly important ceremony. The ceremony of fire's destiny it was called and it was only for the noble's and the royal family's children. It consisted of three rings of the last bit of known dragon fire. The rings of ambition, discipline, and power interlocked and the child of ceremony would stand in the middle. When the ceremony completed it would reveal something about the bender such as if they would be powerful, smart, wise, posses a special ability etc. The royal family was always powerful but some got weird abilities. There was one guy father told me about that could shoot fire from his mind. He was from a noble family but left in shame to become a mercenary or something like that. We were supposed to watch Prince Zuko's ceremony as he was my age. Apparently Prince Ozai saw something in his daughter and demanded his daughter be evaluated early. Unfortunately, we were late for both ceremonies due to the increasingly hostile crowd.

As we walked into the temple the sages greeted us. "Welcome Lord Onzo we have prepared for the ceremony. Please direct young Kaizar to the center circle. Fire Prince Ozai, Lady Ursa, young prince Zuko, and their new child princess Azula have just completed their ceremony." He then became excited. "Zuko appears to be destined to be a powerful bender though I believe his father was more excited about his sister. She is to be a once in a generation power. The fire rings of dragon's flame revealed powerful truths." He then looked to me, "let us see what the flames reveal about you young Kaizar." He smiled at me and I bowed back as I had been taught. Speak only when spoken to and answer only when asked. It was drilled into me. "This way" the sage lead us deeper into the temple where I saw the fire prince and his family.

Ozai looked to us and smiled, "Onzo old friend you are late."

My father looked to Ozai and frowned, "It is this damn crowd that came to protest my son and I. I am sick of these disloyal citizens angry they must pay their fair share."

Lady Ursa spoke up at this, "Is it disloyal to wish to be able to feed their families. The people in your province are starving since the taxes are so high in your province."

Ozai quickly became annoyed, "Silence! I trust Onzo knows what he is doing he will help our nation." He then looked to me, "Kaizar are you ready for your bending evaluation?"

I quickly bowed to the Prince, "Yes Prince Ozai" I respectfully answered back. The less I spoke the better I never would dare to give my own true answer of being nervous.

Lady Ursa was more comforting and knelt down to give me a light hug. She was always nice to me. As she hugged me she whispered in my ear "I see you, and know you're nervous. Whatever the sages say your father will be proud." I smiled falsely knowing the truth, if my destiny wasn't good enough I may die in a "freak home accident"

The sages looked to us "It is time young Kaizar"

As I was led to the center of the three interlocking ring in the room. I stood as the 3 sages got into position. As the lead sage began the ceremony I became even more nervous, "it was Agni who gave us the three rings and virtues of our great nation. The first ring that represents ambition and our people's drive to dominate all." The first ring lit on fire just in front of me. "The second ring represents discipline for without discipline ambition runs wild and destroys us." The second ring lit on fire it was starting to get hot." The sage spoke again, "the third ring represents power for without power, discipline and ambition will yield little. Agni we beseech you. Bestow your virtues to this young child reveal his destiny." As the third ring lit up and the sage finished his speech the doors broke and the crowd poured in attacking everyone they could.

A guard yelled, "get the royal family out of here through the back!" Prince Ozai and his family ran for the back.

"Please any guards that can protect the ceremony this child will be in danger if the rings are broken" the lead sage yelled out. My father stayed to protect me. Why? I am unsure. It could be his honor demanded it, or I like to think he finally saw me as his true son at that point, but really I think he was protecting himself and it translated to me.

As I was in the middle of the three fire rings I sat there helpless as did the sages as they were trapped in their individual fire ring until the ceremony completed. The lead sage began to rush,"by the fire of the three virtues your destiny shall be…"

That is when a guard failed to hold the line near the fire ring of power and someone broke through trying to kill the sages, the sages were murdered outright before the ceremony could be completed. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Ozai being escorted out trying to stay as long as possible to see my fate. As the line broke it destroyed the interconnected rings. The entire ceremony ruined as the rings fire blazed to even greater heights not controlled by any bender but by Agni himself. The rings turned into three streams of fire hunting for the ceremonies interrupters. The fire raged out of control passing through everyone and killing them on the spot. My father looked back at me in shock and then his face became even more surprised when a spear that a citizen picked up from a killed guard was stabbed through his back.

I was two when he was murdered, yet I felt nothing for the man who resented me.

I was terrified. Too terrified to move. As I watched the white flames burn all to a crisp. What I did not notice was that with each death the flames would get bigger, brighter, and hotter. It was as if death was fueling these flames and nothing but the death of all who destroyed this sacred ceremony would douse the flames. The flames would end the ceremony itself.

When I looked around a final time Ozai was had left and all around me had died. I was the only one in the temple left. Still I stood in the middle of the room terrified. The flames had destroyed everyone else and I was all the remained. Was I next? My answer was given to me as the three flames race towards me. They merged into one and entered my chest.

A greater pain could not be felt. My entire body burned beneath the surface as if my body was being burned from the inside out. I thought it was completely unfair since everyone else was killed in an instant and my death was being strung out. Perhaps I offended Agni and this was my punishment, but as I passed out little did I know it was Agni's greatest gift.