Hexblade Zuko 1 (Patreon)

[center][b]Many Years Ago[/b][/center]

“Prince Ozai, why are you wasting my time with this pomp? Just tell me what you want! Everyone else, go,” Fire Lord Azulon commanded.

Zuko followed his mother to the entrance, Azula trailing behind him. As Zuko and Azula were about to pass through the doorway, Azula grabbed Zuko’s hand and dragged him behind the deep red curtains lining the wall.

“What are you…” Zuko began, only for Azula to shush him as they listened in on the conversation between their father and grandfather.

“Father,” Ozai began, “You must have realized, as I have, that with Lu Ten gone, Iroh’s bloodline has ended. After his son’s death my brother abandoned the siege at Ba Sing Se, and who knows when he will return home. But I am here, Father, and my children are alive.”

“Say what it is you want,” Azulon hissed, his eyes narrowed.

“Father, revoke Iroh’s birthright. I am your humble servant, here to serve you and our nation. Use me…” Ozai began, only for Azulon to interrupt him.

“You dare suggest I betray Iroh? My firstborn, directly after the death of his beloved son? I think Iroh has suffered enough. But you? Your punishment has scarcely begun.”

As the flames surrounding Azulon roared in sympathy with his rising fury, the rising heat and light making Zuko flinch. In that moment, he nearly ran. The urge was overwhelming, but instead, he resisted.

“Father, ple…” Ozai moved to argue his case.

“SILENCE! You scrabble after a throne that is not yours to inherit, you betray your brother, you spit on the death of your nephew! You seek to claim all your brother has for yourself, so your punishment will fit your crime! You will know the pain of losing your child, you will be divorced from your wife, and your remaining child will be formally inducted into Iroh’s line. Only then will your punishment truly begin.”

The flames surrounding the Fire Throne had reached the curtains, and seeing the fabric beginning to smolder, Zuko grabbed Azula by the hand and dragged her out of the room. They slipped out unnoticed, the fury of Azulon so great he didn’t see their smaller forms.

[center][b]That Evening[/b][/center]

Zuko wandered the old tunnels under the Palace, his mind racing with what he’d heard and what Azula had said later on.

‘You’re father’s firstborn son, just like Lu Ten was for Uncle Iroh, so clearly you’re going to be the one that’s sacrificed. Guess that means I’ll be Fire Lord Azula after Uncle Iroh’s dead.’

Zuko didn’t want to die, he was barely twelve, there was so much he wanted to do for the Fire Nation. It didn’t seem right that he’d be killed before he could go out and serve his nation. But what could he do? How would he be able to serve the Fire Nation if the Fire Lord had decided that he was to die to punish his father?

Zuko’s thoughts swirled in a circle, making him blind to his surroundings. It was for that reason that he didn’t notice a loose stone at the base of a stairwell, robbing him of his balance and sending him stumbling into the wall. The wall that unexpectedly gave way to reveal a passageway, the far end lit by a red and purple light.

Curiosity, and a desire for something to distract him from his fate awaiting him at his family’s hands, drove Zuko to stand and make his way down the previously hidden tunnel. The stone walls were smoothly polished, far more so than the escape tunnels he’d been walking through a moment ago. Idly part of Zuko wondered whether the hidden tunnel had been made with earthbending, so perfect it was.

He discarded that thought as he came to the bed in the tunnel, and turned to see what was giving off the light. What he saw resting on top of a simple boulder stole the breath from his lungs. It was a guan dao, but unlike any he’d seen before. The wooden haft was a burnt orange, while the blade itself, emanating the light that had drawn his attention, seemed to be made of some sort of crystal. Within the crystal a shape swirled, almost like smoke.

FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS I HAVE LAID DORMANT, WHO DISTURBS MY SLUMBER?

Zuko’s hands flew to his ears, clutching them in pain from the words that pierced through to his soul. The volume, the pressure, of the words spoken by the trapped spirit, for what else could it be, rattled Zuko’s bones, driving him to his knees.

Looking up at the spirit, Zuko managed to say, “I-I’m Zuko, Prince of the Fire Nation.”

SO, A CHILD IS THE ONE TO FIND ME? HOW MY WARDENS HAVE FALLEN IF THIS IS THE BEST THEY CAN MUSTER.

“Wardens? What do you mean?”

AH, SO THEIR PURPOSE HAS BEEN FORGOTTEN. TELL ME BOY, HAVE YOU HEARD OF ME? HAVE YOU HEARD OF THE MIGHTY SPIRIT VAATU?

“N-no, I haven’t. My uncle is much more knowledgeable of the ways of the spirits and their names than I am.”

I SENSE THERE IS SOMETHING DISTRACTING YOU, WHAT COULD BE SO SIGNIFICANT THAT YOU ARE FOCUSING ON THAT MORE THAN I?

Zuko knew he shouldn’t, that telling his woes to a spirit that was hidden under the Palace for who knows how long wouldn’t end well. But what was the point? He’d be dead soon enough. So he told the spirit. He told it about how his father had tried to convince his grandfather to make him Fire Lord. About how his grandfather was going to make his father kill him. How his sister was going to become the future Fire Lord. All of it.

I CAN HELP YOU. TAKE ME FROM THIS PLACE, AND I WILL MAKE YOU POWERFUL ENOUGH TO FIGHT OFF ANY THAT WOULD TAKE YOU BACK TO BE KILLED TO SATISFY AN OLD MAN’S RAGE.

Zuko looked up, blinking away the tears that had fallen during his story, “Y-you’d do that?”

THERE WILL BE OTHER TASKS, BUT FOR STARTERS TAKING ME FROM HERE WILL SUFFICE. ONCE WE HAVE REACHED THE MAINLAND, THEN I WILL TELL YOU WHAT YOU MUST DO NEXT, AND GRANT YOU YOUR SECOND BOON.

“Second?” Zuko asked, confused, even as he stood up and lifted the guan dao from the boulder it had been resting on.

THE FIRST IS THIS.

What happened next had Zuko crying out in pain, as he felt the bones of his face warp, crack, split, and heal. His eyes burned, his skin felt like it was boiling, his entire body in such agony that he could barely remain upright, and that was only due to leaning on the guan dao.

Finally, after what felt like hours, the pain began to fade. Zuko remained still, panting and leaning on the only thing supporting him, for nearly five minutes before he was able to ask, “What w…”

Zuko stopped, his voice sounded different.

YOU CALLED YOURSELF A PRINCE. THAT MEANS THAT YOUR FACE AND VOICE WERE KNOWN. YOU WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO MOVE ABOUT UNRECOGNIZED. THEREFORE, I TOOK STEPS TO CORRECT THAT. NOW YOU ARE JUST ANOTHER FACE IN THE CROWD. BE GRATEFUL I USED THE LEAST PAINFUL METHOD OF DOING SO. NOW, TO THE DOCKS, FIND A SHIP AND DEPART THIS PLACE.

If that was the least painful, Zuko didn’t want to know what the others felt like.

[center][b]Present[/b][/center]

Lee opened his eyes, staring up at the ceiling of the small Earth Kingdom inn. It had been a long time since he’d thought about that night. So much had changed since then, he’d gone from being a failure of a prince to being one of the most highly paid mercenaries in the Fire Nation’s employ. With the war coming to a close due to the upcoming wedding between Earth King Kuei and Princess Azula, a large part of Lee wondered what would happen now?

He’d made significant progress in determining how to free Vaatu from its prison, as per their agreement, but with the easy income of mercenary work looking to dry up, it would make traveling to different places to check their libraries much, much harder. Still, it made the odds of dying to a lucky blow even more difficult, so he’d take it.

Pushing himself out of bed, Lee took a moment to stretch, feeling his back and shoulders pop in multiple places. Rolling his neck, eliciting even more pops, he made his way over to the wardrobe and began the process of putting on his armor. After ten minutes, he made his way downstairs, guan dao in hand, and left a tip for the innkeeper.

He’d gotten his next assignment, apparently he’d made enough of a name for himself that Fire Lord Iroh himself had hand-picked him to serve as security at his niece’s wedding. Ba Sing Se was another four days by ostrich-horse, he’d have to pass through some familiar territory on the way. As Lee mounted his ostrich-horse, he considered stopping to see Noriko, if she was still in the area, he’d probably be able to get some free lodging for a night.

A fond smile spread across Lee’s face as he remembered some of the things he and Noriko had gotten up to in their time together. It started out as comfort, after her husband had been killed by an Earthbender when a battle spilled into the town they’d been performing in, but whenever he’d been passing through and their paths met, they’d ended up having some quality time together.

Shaking his head, Lee banished the memories as a pulse of familiar energies passed through him. Glancing down at the sheathed guan dao lashed to the side of his ostrich-horse, Lee took a deep breath before putting his hand on it.

‘Yes?’ he asked.

YOU HAVE STALLED. DELAYED. YOU HAVE YET TO SEEK OUT A NEW MEANS OF FREEING ME SINCE WE LEFT WAN SHI TONG'S LIBRARY SIX MONTHS AGO.

‘Well, seeing as how just getting to the library ate up everything I had in money and resources, I needed to take several more jobs so I could build up some savings. Besides, that is going to pay off quite well, as we’re now on the way to Ba Sing Se. The job letter specifically mentioned a few of the jobs these last six months as part of the reason for the invitation.’

VERY WELL. I WILL HOLD JUDGEMENT FOR NOW.

‘Love you too,’ Lee snarked before taking his hand off the weapon’s haft.

As abrasive as Vaatu could be, the spirit had thus far kept his promises. He’d given Lee several different tricks and abilities that had enhanced his firebending, as well as things that he’d never heard of anyone doing. That one Water Tribe captain had certainly been briefly shocked when Lee had flown onto his boat. His shock had been enough that he wasn’t able to react in time to avoid Lee cutting him down before moving onto the rest of the crew.

Still, as Lee rode on, he couldn’t help but smile softly. He had a good feeling about the next few days.

[hr][/hr]

“Lee! It’s been a long time,” the red eyed beauty greeted him as he dismounted his ostrich-horse.

“Noriko,” Lee said in greeting with a smile.

“Come in, come in! I have a bit of a surprise for you.”

Lee chuckled at her enthusiasm, looking over her small garden and the general quality of the house she’d settled into after her husband’s death. Well, that and noting how she’d changed. Her chest was a bit bustier, and the rest of her was just a little bit fuller. She hadn’t let herself go, but now that she wasn’t alway on the move and working it seemed that settled life had given her a bit more padding.

Lee stepped into Noriko’s house, and blinked in surprise at the sight he was met with. Not Noriko pulling her breast out, though she’d never been that eager before, it was the fact that she was pulling her breast out to feed a baby that couldn’t be more than a year old.

“Meet your son,” Noriko said, her voice barely able to hide the nervousness, “his name is Jiroh.”

Lee slowly walked over to Noriko and his son. Looking down at the hungry baby, he swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat and asked, “How old?”

“He’s nine months, we weren’t very careful that night at the Comet Festival.”

Lee chuckled at the understatement. ‘Weren’t very careful’ would certainly be one way to put their antics that night. They were lucky that they weren’t caught after having sex on top of the performers’ wagon they used for the fireworks.

“Do you need anything?” Lee asked. “I can’t stay longer than the night, I was given a job by the Fire Lord himself in Ba Sing Se, but I have some extra coin I can leave you.”

“We’ll be fine, you know how teenage boys are, so eager to help out a lonely widow when something breaks,” Noriko said, adopting an exaggerated, breathy tone as she gently burped Jiroh.

“I see you’ve become the local tease,” Lee deadpanned, making her chuckle. “Need I remind you that I’m still 19?”

“Oh please, you’ve been in war, you’re far more mature than any village farmboy could hope to be.”

Lee gave a nod, conceding the point, before moving on to business, “How do the locals feel about the end of the war?”

Noriko sighed as she moved over to sit at the table, Jiroh on her lap, “Mixed, by and large. They’re glad that the killing’s done, and that their sons, brothers, and fathers will be returning soon. But they don’t like how it ended. They wanted the war to end with the Fire Nation defeated, not marrying into the royal line. Plus there’s rumors about distinguished members of the Fire Nation military being made into nobles and lords within the Earth Kingdom, and very few have anything positive to say about that.”

“I wouldn’t expect them to be happy about a Fire Nation general being made their lord.”

“It’s more than that, this part of the Earth Kingdom has been basically without a lord since early in the war. Most people here haven’t had a lord ruling over them. They don’t like the thought of anyone, Fire Nation or Earth Kingdom, coming in and telling them how to live after over eighty years of essentially being on their own. They still pay their annual taxes to Ba Sing Se and send men to fight who have been drafted, but that’s the extent of their interactions with the government.”

Lee sat in the chair and leaned back as he considered what Noriko had told him. From the sounds of it, whoever became the local Lord was going to have their work cut out for them. But it matched what he’d seen and heard from the other provinces of the Earth Kingdom ever since word of the peace agreement had spread. He couldn’t help but snort in amusement, the ‘peace agreement’ was more an official annexation rather than any real peace treaty. Perhaps the new lords would be announced at the Earth King’s wedding?