Burnings of the Heart

Prologue: The Bold Intruder

The sun has set upon the Fire Nation Capital. The night guard starts to relieve the day guard of their duties and the citizens begin to settle in for the night, and under the cover shadows only the moon and stars notice the quiet Stranger jumping onto the palace wall and down into some bushes. His form encased in a cloak and hood of brown with only the lower half of his face visible. He gazed out of the bushes in the royal gardens looking across the small pond over to a red bricked walkway embedded firmly into the ground leading to two large double doors. He shifted his eyes to the left to find another stone walkway with a complex pattern of squares and rectangles with a railing sharing the same design on both its sides and a roof trailing over it.

He waited until the guards patrolling the area had gone and then he came out of hiding and rushed over to the walkway with the railing. He followed this to an opening that lead into the palace's main keep, but Just as he neared it he stopped. The sound of footsteps echoed through the hall in front of him. He then looked back and to hear footsteps coming from behind as while. He looked around for a place to hide, but he found that the only place was back at the bushes or in the large tree looming over the pond. Just then shadows appeared. The guards were growing nearer and nearer, their voices echoing.

"Ah, I hate patrolling the palace, it's so boring, I'd much rather be at the frontline."

"Tell me about it. Who would be dumb enough to try and break into the palace?"

They came onto the walkway passing through the royal gardens the pond basking the moon light's glow.

"Wow, the gardens sure are beautiful. I'd loved to bring my fiancé here."

"Wouldn't everybody, but there are some things that are just impossible."

"Hah, don't have to tell me twice."

They passed through the path waving hi to another set of guards going in the direction they had come from. As soon as both sets of guards were gone the figure dropped down from the ceiling his hands sparking lightly with remnants of lightening. He entered the palace. Golden fires lit the halls. He stuck close to the wall as he worked his way through the halls.

"So far so good, now I just need to get to the throne room," he said to himself.

He stopped at a corner and peered around it into the next hall. The coast was clear. He entered and crept his way through the hall until he heard voices echoing from up ahead. He stopped and looked around and then ducked into a near by room and shut the door. Listening carefully he heard the guards stop in front of the door. He backed away from it slowly but suddenly stopped as his back jolted forward at the feel of sharp point.

"Halt!" cried a voice.

The Cloaked Stranger turned around to find three guards in black and red armor and helms bearing two long spikes, standing behind him, one of them with a spear to his back.

"Hah, looks like this night wasn't a completely bore after all. I don't know how you got in but I know how you'll be leaving," said one of the guards. "Now why don't we take ourselves a little trip to the palace dungeons?"

"Hum…it sounds interesting but…" the Stranger started. He then jumped suddenly and flipped back over the guards tossing his cloak back as he landed behind them, revealing his dark brown pants and boots, a blood red tunic and an opened red, short-sleeved robe like coat. White cloth was warped around his wrists, and at his left side was a sword four fingers in width and one arm and quarter in length with a gap running straight through the middle from the hilt, that had two block like hooks in it on the bottom of it, to the tip of the blade sheathed at his side, "…I've got other plans, with the Fire Lord!"

"Sorry but we're going to half to cancel your plans!" the guard said. He charged at the Stranger. The Stranger dodged the blow and drew his sword, its pale crimson red color gleaming in the firelight, and slashed the guard's stomach as he passed him by. The guard fell to the ground his blood creating a pool around him.

The other two guards quickly surrounded the Stranger and thrust their spears at him. The Stranger jumped into the air dodging the assaults as he took his sword into both hands and split it into two twin swords. He slashed them downward and in a single slash cut the men's spears in two and the moment he landed he jabbed his swords into both men's guts!

"What's going on in their?" a voice cried.

The two guards who were outside flung open the door and their gazes locked on the hooded Stranger and the bloody site at his feet.

"Intruder!" one of them cried loudly.

"So much for the subtle approach," the Stranger said dryly. He wasted no time and quickly cut down the guards before him. He then fled the room just as the loud ringing of a bell rang throughout the castle and more guards came running into the hall.

"There he is the intruder! After him!" a guard cried as he and his partner charged at the Stranger. The Stranger didn't stick around. He ran in the opposite direction of the guards and turned down the next hall over. He ran down the hall as the bell rang loudly alerting all to his presence; dodging past servants and cutting down guards that got in his way.

"Dammit! Where could it be?" he asked himself as he sheathed his swords again after cutting down another guard. He stopped and ducked behind a pillar embedded into the corner of a wall as he came upon a four way crossing point with an old men barking out orders to some men.

"You four head south for the treasury and you two come with me and search the west wing," the old man ordered.

"But what about the Fire Lord?" one of the men asked.

"He's under the protection of the royal precession don't worry. Now move out!"

They went their separate ways and the Stranger came out of hiding.

"The captain and his men went straight and the other four headed south. So it looks like I'm going north," the Stranger said.

He headed up the north hall but quickly came to a stop as he came upon five soldiers wearing white face plates that shadowed their eyes. They stood in a straight line blocking his path. The Stranger drew his swords hooked their hooked them into a single double-bladed sword and stood his ground as he held his weapon behind him with one hand and the other hand in front. The five soldiers all placed one foot forward and then punched forward at the air. Without warning fire flew out of their fists flying at him with an arrow's speed. The Stranger swung his sword forward spinning it in circles before him. The flames hit the sword, were absorbed into the deadly vortex and vanished from site. The Stranger then separated his swords and they were suddenly engulfed in fire. He swung his blades at the fire-benders and two waves of fire flew from his swords. The flames hit the five soldiers and knocked them to the ground their bodies engulfed in flames. The Stranger jumped over them and continued forward.

More and more guards came into hall both normal and fire-bending soldiers alike. He cut down some and set others a light as he came upon a wide open hall. He entered the hall and found a group of twenty firebenders standing in two rows of ten. Behind them stood two large double doors. The first row of men all went to a knee and fired a wave of flames in unison with the second row. A blazing wall of fire flew at the Stranger. Once again he united his swords and spun them in front of him. The portion of the wall that would have hit him vanished and the rest fanned out and perished as they flew passed him.

He then sheathed his swords, took his arms and slowly moved them in circles. Sparks of lightening slowly enveloped his hands. He then launched his arms forward towards the soldiers and bolts of lightening flew from both hands and knocked out the entire center line of the guards. He then his drew swords once again and charged at the remaining soldiers, his swords engulfed in flames. One by one he cut them down dodging their blasts of flames, until all lay motionless on the ground.

He then turned his attention to the two large double doors and walked towards them. He pushed one of them open and entered shutting it behind him. Before him lay a room large enough to house half an army with two rows of pillars bearing golden bases flowing forward towards a wide platform that stretched from one end of the room to the other with a golden cushion surrounded by four golden pillars bearing a small roof surrounding it and at the platform's edge a wall of fire.

The Stranger walked forward. The roaring of the firewall sang throughout the room mixed with the eerie silence of the dry air. His feet echoing with every step he took. As he neared the firewall he gazed at the empty throne with anger mixed disappointment. He then turned and examined the room. Though his eyes showed him that he was alone, something inside him was telling him differently. Hot warm, dry air flowed through his nose as he breathed in and out. The song of a thousand flames cried throughout the room. Then a cold, deep, dark voice echoed from behind him.

"Looking for me," the voice asked slowly.

The Stranger turned instantly and his eye locked themselves on a dark figure, in a gold outlined red robed that hid his entire form, long dark brown hair, a topknot stood atop his head bearing a golden tear shaped flame, a dark brown beard covered his chin, and his face lay shadowed by the darkness of the room despite the light provided by the fiery wall.

"Fire Lord Ozai I presume?" the Stranger said boldly.

"I am, and just might who you be my bold assassin?" Ozai asked.

"If I was an assassin, my lord, I wouldn't have bother wasting my breath talking to you," the Stranger said.

"Then for what reason have you disturbed the order of my palace and spilt the blood of my men."

"It is not easy getting an audience with the great Fire Lord Ozai when one is not of the nobility and without family."

"So you created all this commotion just to get an audience. You are either very bold or very foolish," Ozai said coldly, "Give me one good reason why I should not have you killed for treason?"

"My reason for breaking into your palace, my lord Ozai, wasn't just to get an audience with you, but also to prove myself to you," the Stranger said. He took a knee before Ozai, "I desire to enter my lord's service."

"To enter my service," Ozai gave out a short burst of laughter. "And of what use would you be to me?"

"My breaking into the palace defeating many of your elite guards should be proof enough of my skills and if that is not enough than allow me to prove myself to my lord through an Agni Kai."

"An Agni Kai," Ozai giggled sinisterly. "You are bold to challenge me young one, but you do intrigue me, hum…" Ozai went silent for a moment. "...Very well, an Agni Kai it is and should you succeed in proving yourself to me than I will take you into my service and should you fail you will be executed."

"And should I win?" the Stranger asked boldly.

Ozai just gave another sinister giggle, "Should you, by some slight twist of fate, happen to defeat me, then I shell grant you the greatest reward any man could receive from me. Now rise," the strange stood, "And let us begin!" Ozai cried as he fired a blast of flames at the Stranger…

The thirty steel ship fleet floats along the coast of a once fine Earth Kingdom Fortress, now nothing but a ruin waiting to be rebuilt by its new owners as it flies a flag bearing a tear shaped flame and it's original burning in a glorious bon fire atop a stack of bloody bodies all bearing Earth Kingdom uniforms.

In the center of the fleet stood a ship larger than the rest with unique soldiers all dress dark red uniforms with full head helms and red faceplates bearing long spikes on the sides of the head. The back part of the ship was taken up completely by a large tower and in the top room of the tower stood a figure, his form hidden completely within a dark crimson red cloak, and a hood shadowing all of his face, but the mouth and chin.

He gazed out over the waters at the ruined fortress his face stone still. Just then a man of seventeen entered the room. He wore a more subtle uniform than his fellow soldiers. A blood red long sleeved, robe like tunic tucked into a pair of pants the same color, a black belt and boots, and dark brown clay gloves on his hands. He had dark hair, lightly tanned skin and brown eyes that held the coldness of one who has seen death on a massive scale. He walked up behind the cloaked figure and stood with his hands behind his back.

"My lord, the unit sent to pursue the enemy has returned with the enemy general,"

"What of his men?" the cloaked figure asked.

"They were allowed to escape, just as you ordered."

"Well done, Sun Su. Now bring General Fong before me."

"Yes, my lord," Sun Su replied, "He then turned towards the door, "Bring him in!"

Two Fire Nation soldiers entered the room each carrying the arm of a man in his late thirties with a long brown beard and hair, brown eyes, a worn out tired expression, and worn out battle scarred armor. The soldiers carried him before the cloaked figure.

"Well how the mighty have fallen, the Great General Fong. With your defeat, the Earth Kingdom is as good as finished all that remains is the mop up work."

"You're…you're wrong Ba Sing Se," Fong spoke tiredly.

"Has fallen," Sun Su said coldly. "A messenger Hawk flew in early today with a report from our scouts. The report reads that the so called impenetrable city has fallen to our forces."

"No, that…that can't be. You lie!" Fong said angrily and despairingly.

"I have no reason to lie on this matter, Ba Sing Se has fallen. I don't know how but it has. Our scouts spotted the city gates opening willingly to our soldiers a week ago."

"This, can't be…no…' Fong said as his head sunk and hung.

The cloaked figure stood, "Take him to the cells and lock him up."

"Yes sir," the soldiers said. They then dragged Fong out of the room.

The cloaked Figured watched them leave and then returned to the window, "Sun Su, what else did the report say?"

"My lord, As I told you already Ba Sing Se has fallen and the one responsible seems to be Princess Azula. However, despite this loss there seems to be a gathering of Earth Kingdom army remnants north of Ba Sing Se at mount Han Zhang around two tribes, the Zhangs and the Gan Jins. Also there seems to be a small fleet of Water Tribe ships plaguing our forces at Chameleon Bay and preventing us from entering. My guess would be that they're from the South Pole."

"What of the North Pole?"

"They're apparently keeping an eye out for our forces, but have made no attempt to try go on the offensive."

The cloaked figure went into thought, "…Ozai will likely order me to attack and subdue the north and succeed where Zhao failed."

"The forces my Lord commands our greater than Zhao's were, defeating the Water Tribe will be not be a problem as long as we strike during the day."

"Indeed we could defeat them, but that's all the more reason to them leave be for now," the cloaked figure said. He went silent for a moment. He then turned to Sun Su, "The time has come to move forward with the most important phase of my plan. Have Captains Yu and Yin stay behind to maintain occupation of our new fortress and tell all other ships to prepare to move out for Chameleon Bay, it is time we took it, so that our forces may have an ocean rout to Ba Sing Se."

"Yes my lord," Sun Su said hitting his chest with his fist. He then left to fulfill his orders.

The Cloaked Lord watched him leave and then returned his attention to the window. He removed his hand from his cloak that held a red bracer around his wrist, and held in his hand a dark-red tear shaped flame amulet that hung around his neck, "Besides, the time has come for Princess Azula and I to finally meet and define our future relationship."