(2 months earlier)
The fire nation is truly a beautiful place. Many have differing opinion on the people that originate from the great country, but few can deny that its beautiful cities and stunning beaches and islands aren't magnificent sights to lay the eyes on. The capital city was no exception; located in the warmth of a volcano and surrounded by lush green valleys and mountains. On this particular day, the sun was beaming down on the city, giving it a majestic glow. And yet, for one individual, there were no positive thoughts. It didn't matter what the weather was like, or how beautiful the city was. Admiral Zhao was miserable.
Zhao had just returned from a failed invasion of the Northern Water Tribe. He had planned to invade Agna Quel'a, the tribe's capital city, and murder the physical representation of the moon spirit in cold blood, in front of the entire tribe. He had been successful in that task- the task that he had been planning for years to achieve- and yet he felt no joy, only misery. The moon spirit, against all odds, had somehow survived his attack. Thank god it was daytime, he thought to himself. The thought of seeing the moon boasting in the night's sky would drive him to insanity.
Now, all that was left of his attack was a stinging pain in his left side; an injury sustained by his own nephew, who was more powerful than Zhao knew. Zhao had heard rumours of the supposed 'Prodigy of the North'. A waterbender who had been blessed by the ocean spirits ever since birth, and so possessed legendary waterbending powers. The theory was that this waterbender was destined to defend his tribe, the Northern Water Tribe, against any outside attack. Of course, Zhao had brushed off the rumours. Most of the people of the fire nation had disregarded the rumours. For centuries people had theorized about benders who were blessed by spirits, but none ever ended up existing. That is, until now, it seemed.
But what the Admiral hadn't been prepared for was that the Prodigy of the North was his nephew. Of course, he knew that his brother had ran away years ago with his wife, who was pregnant at the time. (Y/N). That was the name that Zhao's brother had been adamant about naming his son. But Zhao had no clue that his brother, and his brother's wife, had moved to the Northern Water Tribe. But it made sense the more he thought about it. His brother had known of Zhao's desire to one day destroy the moon spirit, so of course he moved to the Northern Water Tribe. Of course he blessed his child with the water spirits, so that he would one day grow up to defend the tribe from Zhao.
Still clutching his injured left side, Zhao staggered through the courtyard of the fire nation royal palace. The great building, made of stone pillars and red walls with gold decoration, towered in front of the flat courtyard, where Zhao walked. It was truly a majestic sight, and a place of great fortune. After all, the fire lord and his family lives inside the palace. To Zhao, the palace is the place where he was given the rank of Commander. But still, the now-Admiral felt not even a sliver happiness as he approached the daunting building. Zhao had a meeting with Fire Lord Ozai, the most powerful firebender in the world, to discuss the Admiral's expedition, and Zhao wasn't looking forward to it.
As Zhao passed through the main entrance of the palace, past the many firebender guards that protected the fire lord, an unfamiliar sensation began to set inside of him. He felt a lump develop in his throat, and all of his body seemed to become hot and sweaty. Admiral Zhao was nervous. He had fought countless powerful benders, and risked his life in the process, but that had never thrown off the Admiral. Only Fire Lord Ozai could make him truly anxious, and the feeling only seemed to grow as he approached an old man with a white beard and moustache, dressed in red fire nation robes. It was the fire lord's messenger, who stood ready to meet Zhao.
"Admiral Zhao, I see you have arrived back safely after your return trip from the North," the messenger spoke in a nasally voice.
"Indeed," Zhao mumbled deeply, wanting to be anywhere but here.
"As you likely suspect, Fire Lord Ozai would like to speak with you," the messenger informed him confidently. Usually, the messengers were nervous when speaking to Zhao. After all, the Admiral was one of the greatest firebender masters of the fire nation, and had a very powerful position within the nation's army. But now the messenger spoke to him confidently, maintaining constant eye contact, as if he were jeering Zhao. As if he knew something bad was about to happen to Zhao.
With little choice, Zhao trudged alongside the old messenger as he began to walk through the halls of the palace towards the throne room. The halls were long and spacious, winding like a labyrinth around the palace. Stepping across the hallway's red carpet, the two eventually made it to the outside of the fire lord's throne room. A large red curtain blocked Zhao's view into the throne room- into hell. Zhao found himself slightly shivering with nerves as the messenger parted the curtain a little bit, and shouted inside.
"Fire Lord Ozai, Admiral Zhao is here to speak with you, as you requested," the messenger announced loudly through the gap in the curtain.
"Send him in," the powerful, menacing voice of the fire lord boomed through the curtain, sending a shiver down Zhao's spine. He didn't sound particularly pleased. The messenger parted the red curtain further so that the Admiral could walk through. Zhao's body didn't seem to want to enter the throne room, but he forced it to comply as he wiped away the sweat that had formed on the back of his neck.
The throne room was unnecessarily huge; probably about five times the size of a standard house. There were many pillars that reached from the ground to the ceiling. The cavernous room was quite dark, lit only by the tsunami of flames that licked away at the air at the front of the room. In front of those flames sat a large red and gold throne, which caused Zhao's blood to instantly turn cold. But it wasn't the throne that intimidated him, it was the man sat on it: Fire Lord Ozai. He rested on the throne, underneath a decorative arch that swung over him. His long jet black hair was straight and neat, with a golden crown keeping it in place. His beard, also long, straight and black, came into Zhao's view as he forced himself to step through the room towards him. The fire lord's burning amber eyes, a trait of the fire nation, pierced through Zhao's body as he watched the Admiral approach. The throne on which Ozai was sat was raised a few metres into the air, perhaps designed that way to intimidate those who spoke to the fire lord. If that was the idea of the design, it was certainly working. When Zhao was only a few metres in front of the throne, so close that he could practically feel the flames behind Ozai on his face, Zhao knelt to the floor.
"Fire Lord Ozai," he addressed his leader respectfully, as if it was going to save him. Ozai stared at him for a few moments before talking.
"Admiral Zhao," he spoke blandly, with an expression that was impossible to read. "I have heard of the failure of your plan to attack the Northern Water Tribe. The Avatar was not captured and, most importantly, the tribe was not destroyed," he spat with a frown, reminding Zhao of his failure.
"My deepest apologies, my lord. There were unseen complications," Zhao told him, trying his best to keep a steady tone, though his voice still sounded full of fear as it echoed across the room.
"Complications?" Ozai leered, leaning forward slightly. Zhao kept his gaze pointed at the glossy wooden tiles that made up the floor, not daring to look up at the fire lord. "What kind of complications?" the fire lord interrogated. Zhao stuttered for a moment, unsure of what to say, but decided to tell the truth. The last thing that Zhao wanted was for Ozai to accuse him of lying.
"The Avatar was more powerful than anticipated, as were the ocean spirits," Zhao managed to sputter, though even he was unconvinced by his own words.
"Nonsense," Ozai spat, looking down at Zhao. "I gave a hundred battleships. More than enough to defeat some kid,".
"It wasn't just the Avatar," Zhao wailed desperately, as if convincing the fire lord that he wasn't a failure was a life-or-death situation, which it likely was. "I'm sure you've heard of the rumours of the Prodigy of the North?" Zhao asked, finally daring to look up at his leader.
"The Prodigy of the North?" Ozai scoffed. "Of course I've heard of it. An all-powerful waterbending prodigy that had been blessed by the water spirits from birth. Rumour has it that his destiny is to protect the Northern Water Tribe from any harm that it may face. But that was just a bluff started by the Northern Water Tribe years ago to deter us from attacking them," the fire lord announced confidently, though Zhao shook his head.
"It's true!" Zhao tried to reason, though the fire lord looked down on him sceptically. "I faced him myself! At first, I thought nothing of him, just that he was an ordinary waterbender. But then something happened. His eyes glowed, one black and the other white, and he began waterbending like nothing I have ever seen before. He harnessed power from the water spirits, and used it against me!"
"And why should I believe you?" Ozai eyed the Admiral suspiciously, not quite buying his words. To Ozai's surprise, Zhao stood up from the floor that he knelt on, and partially pulled up the shirt of his fire nation uniform. On his left side was a big red mark that spread across a decent amount of his torso.
"I sustained this injury when I faced the Prodigy of the North, while he had harnessed power from the spirits," Zhao admitted truthfully, the memories of boy throwing him into a building during the siege still scarred in his mind "But there's another thing. The prodigy is... my nephew," Zhao shamefully confessed.
"You dare lie to me, Zhao!" Ozai roared in denial as he swiftly stood up from his throne, the flames behind him flaring with his anger.
"I am being truthful, my lord," Zhao stayed calm and respectful, although internally his organs were wriggling with fear. "You remember my brother, don't you?" Zhao asked, hoping to deflect from Ozai's anger.
"Yes, I remember your brother," the fire lord said more calmly as he stared off, remembering the man. "He was one of the best and most highly-respected members that the fire nation army has ever seen,"
"And do you recall what became of him?" Zhao questioned innocently, noticing that his plan of deflecting from Ozai's anger appeared to be working.
"He ran away around a decade and a half ago with his wife, and hasn't been seen since," Ozai recalled with a hand on his chin. He remembered the day where a messenger informed him that Zhao's brother, one of the highest-ranking members of the army, had completely vanished.
"He must have fled to the Northern Water Tribe," Zhao began to explain what he had discovered. "His wife, my sister-in-law, was pregnant with their baby at the time. I don't know how, but the water spirits must have blessed their child shortly after his birth,"
"This kid, the Prodigy of the North. What is his name?" Ozai asked curiously.
"His name is (Y/N)," Zhao informed him. "But I do have some positive news," he then offered, and the fire lord glanced at him curiously.
"Go on," Ozai instructed.
"On my journey back from the north, a messenger informed me that the Prodigy of the North left the Northern Water Tribe shortly after the siege," Zhao explained, repeating the only positive part of his journey back. Indeed, he had been informed that his nephew, for reasons they did not know, had left his home at the Northern Water Tribe. Instantly, Zhao had begun to plan his next move against the tribe. "This is a great opportunity for us," he continued. The fire lord sat back down on his throne, and Zhao was relieved to see that there was no anger on his face anymore.
"What are you suggesting?" the fire lord raised an eyebrow at his admiral.
"Without the Prodigy of the North to protect them, the Northern Water Tribe is extremely vulnerable," Zhao explained, before taking a deep breath. He knew what he was about to request was extremely risky. If successful, it would solidify his position as Admiral despite his defeat, and would also be a great leap forward for his life-long dream. If unsuccessful, he was likely to be demoted, yet he took the risk nonetheless. "I request that you allow an equally large number of battleships under my command again. Without the presence of their destined Prodigy of the North, the water tribes will crumble instantly," Zhao said, faking confidence. For a moment, the fire lord stared blankly at Zhao, with an expression that was difficult to read.
"You think I would give you command of the fire nation navy again, after your humiliating defeat just days ago?" Ozai beckoned, though luckily he didn't appear angry. In fact, he seemed curious, as if he was challenging Zhao to try and convince him. This filled Zhao with confidence.
"This time, it will be different, my lord," Zhao began to describe. "With every passing day, we get closer to the arrival of Sozin's comet. I plan to invade the Northern Water Tribe on that day. With the power it give us and our men, plus the lack of the Prodigy of the North, we will tear down the water tribe!" Zhao patriotically devised his plan, to which Ozai looked intrigued. Zhao had left out the part about his own personal desire- to destroy the moon spirit, and become known as Zhao the Conqueror! The fire lord didn't need to know about that part.
"I see you have thought about this quite a lot," Ozai complimented the plan, before frowning. "Unfortunately, I already have a plan for Sozin's comet. I am going to use the power to burn the earth kingdom to the ground!" he shouted manically before laughing. This wasn't what Zhao wanted to hear, but luckily he was quick to think.
"The fire nation army can be divided," Zhao suggested. "The air force can be used to destroy the earth kingdom, and the navy can tear down the water tribes. Then, in just a day, the fire nation will have conquered the whole of the world!" Zhao strategized.
"I admire your thinking, Admiral," Ozai began, filling Zhao with hope. "But why should I split up the fire nation army? That would only weaken the attacks, and we need all the firepower we can get against the Avatar" he reasoned. To Zhao's fortune, he had thought about his, and had a response.
"According to my information, it is believed that the Prodigy of the North left the Northern Water Tribe to accompany the Avatar. To help take you down," Zhao detailed, hoping to convince the firebending master. "And there is still months until the comet arrives. I have no doubt that the Avatar will have more allies before then,"
"Get to the point, Zhao," Ozai commanded impatiently.
"I have seen the Avatar and his team work together. Together they are strong, but divided they are very weak," Zhao began to explain his master plan. "I suggest a two-pronged attack. That way we split up the Avatar's team, and destroy both the earth kingdom and the water tribe!". Ozai sat on his throne, a hand covering his chin as he thought deeply.
"Intriguing," he muttered as he mulled through the plan in his head. Zhao was able to breathe a silent sigh of relief as he realised that the fire lord was interested in his plan. "What kind of attack do you envision?" he asked Zhao seriously.
"When the comet comes, you take the entire fire nation air force, and burn the earth kingdom to the ground! Simultaneously, I take the entire navy and destroy the Northern Water Tribe. Princess Azula can get involved in the plan, too, to further split up the Avatar's team. With their little group split across the world, they will be no match for us, especially under the power of Sozin's comet. The earth kingdom and water tribe will fall, and the world will be ours to conquer!" Zhao spoke elegantly, convincingly and with passion.
"And what about the Prodigy of the North?" Ozai asked, catching Zhao off-guard. "What if he foils your attack again?". Ozai's words were like a dagger in Zhao's heart, as he was forced to replay the recent memory of his failed siege in his head. Nonetheless, Zhao had intuitively thought of an answer.
"If it comes to it, the Prodigy of the North will be no match for me with the power of Sozin's comet," Zhao stated confidently, before a more serious expression crossed his face. "But don't worry, I plan on removing the Prodigy of the North as a factor before the comet even arrives," he added menacingly. Zhao knew that since his nephew left the Northern Water Tribe, he was now vulnerable. Zhao planned to track him down, and remove him as an issue to their plan.
Zhao's heart was thumping in his chest, eager to hear Ozai's response. As the fire lord sat on his throne, deep in thought, there was an eerie silence in the throne room. The only sounds that could be heard were the flames licking the air behind Ozai's throne, and Zhao's breathing, which had become heavy with nervousness. Finally, the fire lord spoke.
"I like it," he snarled quickly, and Zhao found a grin appearing widely on his face as he watched the fire lord stand up from his throne. "You're right. What better way to take advantage of the comet's power than conquering the entire world in one day! The world will bow to Fire Lord Ozai! No... I'll be more than fire lord. The world will bow to Phoenix King Ozai, ruler of the world!" the fire lord maniacally yelled, the flames behind him burning tall and lashing at the air with his enthusiasm. Zhao could see the power burning in Ozai's amber eyes. "Zhao, inform the navy that they are under your full command. While they prepare for the comet, your task is to destroy the Prodigy of the North," he instructed Zhao, telling him exactly what he wanted to hear. A full smile etched its way onto Zhao's face.
"Yes, my lord," Zhao smirked as he turned on his heel and left the throne room. His plan had been even more successful than anticipated. He had maintained his position as Admiral, and now had full power over the navy. All that there was left to do now was destroy the Prodigy of the North.
(present day)
Zhao stood outside the towering outer wall of Ba Sing Se, the earth kingdom capital. The wall stretched endlessly around the vast city it contained. Somewhere within the walls was Zhao's nephew, the Prodigy of the North. Zhao had almost rid of him a few days prior, when they faced each other in the desert, but the boy had managed to barely slip through Zhao's fingers. This time, though, Zhao had a plan. His nephew wasn't going to be able to run away this time, and once Zhao defeated him, he would be left to rot in the cell of a fire nation prison. Or better yet, he'd be dead. Either way, once Zhao defeated the boy, his plan would be ready. Zhao and the fire lord would wait until Sozin's comet, and then unleash the fire nation's power on the rest of the world.
However, there was something that Fire Lord Ozai didn't know. Zhao didn't just plan on destroying the water tribe. No, Zhao wanted so much more. He wanted to accomplish the dream that he always had. The moon spirit would die, once and for all. Admiral Zhao would become Zhao the Conqueror! He would go down in history as the man who destroyed the moon. All he had to do was wait until the comet arrived....
In the meantime, there was only one thing on Zhao's mind. The Prodigy of the North, the boy destined to save the Northern Water Tribe from all impending danger, must be dealt with. Zhao smirked to himself as he began walking towards the outer wall of Ba Sing Se. The Prodigy of the North lay somewhere inside, totally unaware of what was soon to hit him...
Word Count: 3549
(A/N: Hey everyone, I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter! This is the first time that a whole chapter has been in 3rd person, which is pretty new to me, so I hope it was still good enough! We'll be back in 1st person from now on, though. The next chapter will be out in a week, on next Monday, and it's a long one, so I hope to see you guys there! Have a good week! -JetDragon09)