Water Lily in a Sea of Fire

Chapter 92: A New Reign

Zuko looked up at him and Aang's eyes went wide as both teenagers had flashbacks of arrows and spears, and Aang could even feel the cold steel of two blades against his neck.

"Uh...," started Zuko.

"He...uh...," stuttered Aang. "...he...Zhao that is..."

"He...uh...attacked us...at...at Crescent Island," said Zuko.

"Yeah!" agreed Aang a bit too enthusiastically. "At Crescent Island! At the Fire Temple."

"Ohh," said Iroh with a sparkle in his eye. "Of course. Please go on, Avatar Aang."

Chiara was softly giggling to herself.

"Yeah...uh...," started Aang continuing his story. "...this was a different time than the...uh...Fire Temple. The merchant I bought it from said it was found in the mountains. I thought there might be other airbenders hiding there, so I waited until Katara and Sokka were asleep and I flew around the mountains searching for any sign of them. I really thought I found others when I saw a shrine. It was filled with airbender stuff."

"But it was a trap," stated Iroh.

Aang looked down and nodded. "By Zhao."

Zuko glared at Zhao's name.

"Very interesting," said Iroh thoughtfully. "That was the same tactic employed by Fire Lord Sozin."

All three teens looked at Iroh.

"That's what Zhao said," said Aang, his eyes wide. "He said Fire Lord Sozin used the relics to attract the airbenders that escaped the temples. He made it look like airbender refugees were hiding in caves, and he would lure them in."

Everyone in the carriage was visibly disgusted by Sozin's strategy, even Iroh despite his familiarity with the Fire Lord's scheme.

"How did you get away?" asked Chiara.

"Airbending," said Aang. "There were a lot of airbender relics in the cave, so I started spinning a dorje really hard and it created a windstorm. Zhao and his men got caught up in it, and I was able to escape."

Suddenly, the carriage lurched forward and they were heading away from the palace.

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After leaving the palace grounds and traveling through Royal Caldera City, the carriages arrived at the Coronation Temple and Plaza. The damage caused by Zuko and Azula's comet-enhanced battle had been repaired and it was ready and decorated for the ceremony that was to take place there.

Iroh, Zuko, Chiara, and Aang were ushered into a back entrance of the temple accompanied by Kaito, Nai, Izin, Ezo, and the rest of the Royal Procession. The rest of the Gaang and other guests were escorted into the plaza where many citizens from all over the Fire Nation had gathered.

In the temple, the High Sage greeted Iroh. "Prince Iroh, it is nearly time," he said as the sky was slowly lighting up. "We must hurry."

The group quickly climbed the stairs until they made it to the upper level where Iroh was rushed towards the front entrance. Below, the crowd waited in the plaza.

"Keep your speech short," said the High Sage. "The sun will rise over the horizon soon."

Chiara straightened Iroh's robes for him. "You look very regal, Father." He broke into a smile, and she reached up gently replacing a few stray strands of his gray hair. "The moon is still up and will be shining its light on you too."

"That is a good omen," he said.

"Prince Iroh..."

Iroh quickly glanced at the High Sage before smiling at Chiara and Zuko. He turned towards the front entrance and slowly stepped outside to see shades of red, green, and blue as people from the three Nations filled the plaza. A gong sounded and the crowd cheered, but Iroh raised his hand.