The False avatar

Chapter 2 In Azulon's court

In the palace of caldera
Prince ozai walked in a quicken pace through the halls of the palace and brushed aside all the servant that were caught in between his trajectory. In order to arrive in his destination the throne room. "Your delay is unbecoming of a prince. Ozai. Why can't you be more like Iroh." Azulon said to his youngest son. "Now have you pepared yourself for is to be expected." Azulon further added coldly. Ozai turned his face blank devoid of expression and took a seat on the smaller left to his father. As he shot dirty look on Iroh who feigned ignorance.

Ozai sat down on smaller throne and looked over the flame that stood right next to him placed on a pillar of red marvel with golden highlights. To gaze at Iroh who sat calmly on his throne. Ozai then shifted his position to allow him a more comfortable sitting. Soon the doors opened wildly and then a whole squadron of imperial firebenders moved in synchronised footsteps. And right before the throne they took a kneel.

"Rise faithful servants, I hope you have brought some answers for what the pillar of light. I assume ?" Firelord Azulon said with a dangerous undertone. The leader of the squadron took a moment to take a sharp breathe. "My lord my squadron and went on to investigate as per you command. Our arrival was meet with trees turned alight with flames." The man softly explained. "Were you able to apprehended the person behind the wildfire ?" Firelord Azulon asked in a sharp tongue.

The captain smacked his lips together and looked at the golden eyes of the firelord. He knew the consequences of not meeting upto the lords expectations. So he answered with affirmative yes. "I  trust that this would be arsonists is apprehended and interrogated so to speak." Firelord Azulon said to them.

"N-n-no my lord." The captain barely containing the fear in his voice. Immediately the twin flame pillars turned slightly red. "No ? You know better to disappointment me captain. So I will ask again, where is he ?" The flames surrounding Azulon nearly double in size soon as he finished the sentence.

The captain face grew pale as did all his soldiers. A few of them exchanged glance with each other. Before all of them moved out of the way. And a child barely five years old stood infront of the firelords looking confused and scared as it clinged onto one of the soldiers boots.

Ozai faced morphed from a blank expression into full on confusion. A look on the sides and he found that Iroh had also shared his confusion. Azulon did not share there confusion rather looked more anger if the twin pillars of flame were anything to go by. "I going to give you one moment to explain yourself. Before you are turned into ash captain." Azulon said to them.

"My lord If I may explain for my captain." One of the solders asked. To which he got a look of approval from Iroh. "The forest fire that occured my liege was result of the child right infront of you." The soldier said gesturing to the boy. Who now sported the look of betrayal. Azulon shifted his gaze from the captain to look directly at the boy. The boy was incredibly pale and had one half of his hair white and the other half a crimson. One of his eyes was grey, while the other had a bandage on it. "If I were to give attention to your words. What you are trying to say is that this boy was the cause of the fire ?" Azulon said with a cold voice.

"Not only that my lord the child was able to bend all the fire in the forest into a massive fireball and threw them at my squadron. Most of my comrades were lucky to who been unscathe. I am sure nothing short of firebending on sozin comet could match that level of power.'' The soldier pointed out in detail. "How am I supposed to believe your claims aren't fictitious ?" Azulon argued coldly. "It would do me no good to lie to the great firelord." The soldier responded confidently. "If I were to take your word for it's value. It wouldn't far fetched to assume that the child could be also be responsible for the beam of light." Firelord Azulon said calmly. "Yes my lord, the possibility is there." The soldiers said with evenly.

"We can't be sure without proof now can we ?" Firelord Azulon said with a dangerous undertone. Which was not lost on the young boy. Who's shoulder tensed slightly as if expecting the worse. And worse come to show, shoto was right. Without any aforementioned warning, the Firelord sent a bright stream of fire that had blue colour on it's outskirts. Shoto in a desperate bid of self preservation moved his arms on instinct and caused the flame to redirected back to Azulon with such a strong intensity that it turned purple. Azulon tried to disapate the flames. But his reflexes proved to slow, the firelord was sent crashing into the wall.

With a massive crash followed by a thud as he falled to the ground. Immediately Iroh got up from his seat and made his way to his father with the few of the imperial soldiers following him. Ozai slumped to his seat, with eyes widden in amazement. 'How could a mere boy in his infancy beat his father ?' Ozai thought as he turned his head around and looked at the boy. The boy slumped to the ground exhausted. 'The boy was powerful beyond his age. There was no guestion on that front. Under the right training there's no telling what he could really accomplish. The boy as powerful as he was lacked any training, which was to be expected. The boy was so young, inexperienced and easily mold-able.' Ozai thought to himself. That's when a degranged plan cooked up in his head.

Azulon got up and was slowly carried by the imperial guards. He yelled profanities at the boy threatening his excution. Iroh managed to calm him down. That's when ozai stepped in and he explained to his father. Why it would be more apporiate for them to have the boy indoctrinated into the royal household. Azulon raged on and called his plan madness and epitome of foolishness. Ozai held his tongues back and waited for a moment. Before logically explaining his points. While reminding the firelord of the boys bending power. After a few moments of discussion, he finally managed to get through with his father. Allowed the boy adopted into the royal house of sozin. But on the condition that Iroh will be the one to educate the boy about the court.

Ozai was sour by the fact. But he quickly hid his disappointment and appeared to agree with Azulon's plan. He secretly plotted on getting the boy under his care. As he watched the guards take the boy to the palace infirmary. He couldn't help but marvel at all possibilities that were opened because of the boy. That were opened to Iroh for now. He gave a side glare to Iroh. And quickly dismissed himself from the throne room.

To be continued in chapter 3