A Moon Lit Destiny

Dragon of the West, breaker of Ba Sing Se's great wall, General of the Imperial Army and Navy, first son of Fire Lord Azulon, Prince of the Fire Nation and Heir to the throne, an impressive array of titles for a single man to hold. One would be prestigious enough but the man who held all those titles, Iroh of the Fire Nation, couldn't care less. The sound of waves crashing against the ice far below filled his ears. Moonlight shone bright on the ice, so bright it was almost blinding, turning everything shades of white and blue. This place was so different than his home.

He shivered atop a glacier the feeling in his hands, toes, and face had long fled. He was colder than he'd ever been, colder than he ever imagined possible. Now the husk of a man stood precariously close to the edge of the glacier, alone and hopeless. He let out a breath and watched the white curls ascend to the heavens then disappear.

Six hundred days of toil and battle would see his legacy cemented in history. Six hundred days he and his men battled the earthbenders as they defended their home. The great city of Ba Sing Se had been an obsession gnawing at Iroh's soul for years. Ever since he faced the great masters and earned the title Dragon, Iroh was determined to descend on the city to do what no one else had done during the course of the war. Ready to do what no one had ever done, break through the walls of Ba Sing Se and take it. He'd gathered the best men, trained them hard, and marched off to battle confident in his victory because of the vision.   

That day, so many years ago, he'd faced the last great dragons and earned their secret, he had a vision. As he stood in their rainbow of fire he saw himself taking the city and declaring victory in the war. As the last real threat to the Fire Nation the successful conquest of the Earth Kingdom capital would bring an end to the war, and see the Fire Nation finally achieve victory after nearly a century of strife. Fire Lord Sozen, Iroh's grandfather, had started the war on the day of the comet which now bore his name, and Iroh was destined to finish it by bringing Ba Sing Se to heel. His story would be told alongside Sozin's, it might even eclipse Sozin's achievements in time. In his great hubris Iroh thought his destiny would be such. 

Break the wall he did after a ferocious siege, but the cost was too high. It was just days after Iroh sent gifts and a letter back home to his family that the hideous blow fell. Iroh was drinking tea by a crackling fire when the soldier rushed inside his tent.

"General Iroh! Come quick, it's your son!" The young guard was pushed aside with all the strength Iroh could muster as he flung himself out of the tent.

The medical barracks were on the far side of camp, quite a distance from his accommodations. Never had Iroh moved so fast. The sea of red tents, banners, and uniforms were a blur to his eyes. The medical tent came into focus bringing with it the sound of groaning from dying men. The faces on the two guards outside the tent were unreadable as they held open the flaps for him.  

Iroh blinked as his eyes adjusted to the lower light. Soldiers cried out for relief from their pain or water as he passed by. Iroh went to the back of the tent, where the head surgeon stood over a body covered by a shroud embroidered with the royal insignia.

"I'm sorry General, his wounds were too great. The rock slide caused by the earthbenders completely crushed his chest." Surgeon Lee had blood on his hands as he went to place one on Iroh's shoulder. Thinking better of it, Lee motioned instead for someone behind him. Two soldiers came and stood at each end of the body. "It would have been fast, General Iroh. Your son didn't suffer, I am certain. We will prepare him for the pyre." Lee washed his hands in a basin of water beside the body.

"No. I need to see him," Iroh's voice was almost pleading. He hadn't sounded like this since he sat at the bedside of his wife, begging her not to leave. He didn't care if the soldiers heard him or thought less of him for seeing this moment of intense vulnerability.