Balance
Freckles
reject intelligence, return to silly
- Joined
- Nov 15, 2025
- Messages
- 143
- Reaction score
- 226
- Pronouns
- She/Her
- MATURE Themes
- No MATURE Themes Apply
- TEEN Themes
- Moderate Violence
- EVERYONE Themes
- No EVERYONE Themes Apply
- Other Content Warnings
- this fic contains or mentions imperialism, planned genocide, implied murder… welcome to Avatar: The Last Airbender! tell me if I missed something (or picked the wrong rating)
Spoilers for season 3 of The Last Airbender and season 2 of Legend of Korra!
Summary: Conquering the world is a plan many years in the making. In less than a decade, Fire Lord Sozin will unleash his armies upon his unsuspecting rivals. One people will burn, another two will bow and the Fire Nation will harness their rightful place as the masters of it all.
Would be such a shame if… some glorified primeval kite threw a wrench in the works...
Four years now.
Four years since Avatar Roku, born to the Fire Nation but destined for the world, perished while fighting a volcano. He died as he lived, protecting those who couldn't protect themselves. A lovely epitaph.
Sozin frowned as he looked up at the shrine. Maybe once upon a time he'd have been moved by such a beautiful and sentimental turn of phrase. But not anymore. The world was not made for bleeding hearts. The world was not made by bleeding hearts.
He felt a smirk tug at his lips as, naturally, the towering statue only returned a gaze of stone and the silence of the grave.
Four years, and the world still did not have a clue.
Officially, Sozin was too late to save his dear childhood friend… but Roku had made his choice. He'd dug his own ashen grave all these years ago. When he ordered—ordered, him, the one and only Fire Lord—to return the lands taken to form their first colonies. As if the Earth Kingdom had any use for all that coal.
When Roku refused to share the glory so generously offered and rule the whole world by his side.
Sozin summoned a flame with a flick of his wrist. Shadows danced on the statue's face.
He sighed. Another flick and the flame was gone.
Four years now since a new Avatar was born. So went the cycle. Fire, Air, Water, Earth. Over and over again since time immemorial and until the end of time.
A child was born with enough power to lay waste to armies, no matter how much Air Nomads loved peace. Sozin didn't know who it was, and neither would that child until they were sixteen. Twelve years from now.
It'd be four years too late.
A comet would come and bestow firebenders strength that rivaled the very sun. And it'd take such power to take the four scattered temples of the Air Nomads by storm and make sure this new Avatar would never be a threat to his plans.
Another would then be born to the Water Tribes. But it wouldn't matter anymore. Whether born in the North or South, they'd be too young to do anything against his fleets as they pacified the poles.
The only risk was an Avatar of the Earth Kingdom. The biggest stretches of land on the planet, led by a kingdom of kingdoms with walls so high not even fellow earthbenders could hope to breach them. A true needle in a haystack.
But the war would be over by then. Immense or not, it'd be trivial to conquer that realm. He'd just use the petty grudges of kings to divide and conquer.
And after that, not only would the Avatar cycle be back to Fire, but the whole world would be Fire Nation anyway.
He smiled in the darkness. A perfect plan.
Footsteps echoed down the halls. Soon enough, he turned around to a bowing messenger who rightfully waited for permission from the Fire Lord.
"Speak."
The messenger nodded and straightened. Sozin noticed—and definitely didn't like—how nervous the man was.
"They announced the Avatar, your majesty!"
Sozin started. Then his eyes narrowed to slits. Did the Air Nomads suspect something? Were there loose lips that needed to be soldered shut?
He towered over the messenger. "Why didn't the Air Nomads wait until he was sixteen, as they've always done?"
The man swallowed. Sweat trailed down his forehead. "She's… she's Water Tribe, your majesty."
What?
"In truth, she announced herself by bending three elements despite being just four."
WHAT!?
Sozin tightened his fists and started pacing. This was not good! This was not good at all!
How could it be? The Avatar cycle had always remained the same! Always!
He felt a growl rise up his throat. He could salvage this. He had to.
But this changed… so many things. Everything! His armies, his fleets were not ready. They were meant to be ready for eight years later. Even if the comet appeared next month, they couldn't actually take on the Water Tribes, much less with help from the Earth Kingdom and Air Nomads once they realized his goals.
And if he waited as planned… Even if she only had time to master one element out of four before the war came... If there was one power in this world that could drown out the comet's fire, it'd be a waterbending Avatar defending her home from fleets of invading ships. They'd be sitting turtleducks led to slaughter.
Sozin breathed. Flames sparked off his mouth and fists.
Then, without a word, he whirled around to face the cowering messenger.
"Send for my generals. This must be addressed at once."
The man dutifully obeyed and fled out of the shrine. Sozin stormed out in his wake seconds later.
Behind him, the statue shook ever so slightly… as if it was laughing.
Author's notes: and so Raava engaged in an absolutely minuscule bit of trolling~
Summary: Conquering the world is a plan many years in the making. In less than a decade, Fire Lord Sozin will unleash his armies upon his unsuspecting rivals. One people will burn, another two will bow and the Fire Nation will harness their rightful place as the masters of it all.
Would be such a shame if… some glorified primeval kite threw a wrench in the works...
Four years now.
Four years since Avatar Roku, born to the Fire Nation but destined for the world, perished while fighting a volcano. He died as he lived, protecting those who couldn't protect themselves. A lovely epitaph.
Sozin frowned as he looked up at the shrine. Maybe once upon a time he'd have been moved by such a beautiful and sentimental turn of phrase. But not anymore. The world was not made for bleeding hearts. The world was not made by bleeding hearts.
He felt a smirk tug at his lips as, naturally, the towering statue only returned a gaze of stone and the silence of the grave.
Four years, and the world still did not have a clue.
Officially, Sozin was too late to save his dear childhood friend… but Roku had made his choice. He'd dug his own ashen grave all these years ago. When he ordered—ordered, him, the one and only Fire Lord—to return the lands taken to form their first colonies. As if the Earth Kingdom had any use for all that coal.
When Roku refused to share the glory so generously offered and rule the whole world by his side.
Sozin summoned a flame with a flick of his wrist. Shadows danced on the statue's face.
He sighed. Another flick and the flame was gone.
Four years now since a new Avatar was born. So went the cycle. Fire, Air, Water, Earth. Over and over again since time immemorial and until the end of time.
A child was born with enough power to lay waste to armies, no matter how much Air Nomads loved peace. Sozin didn't know who it was, and neither would that child until they were sixteen. Twelve years from now.
It'd be four years too late.
A comet would come and bestow firebenders strength that rivaled the very sun. And it'd take such power to take the four scattered temples of the Air Nomads by storm and make sure this new Avatar would never be a threat to his plans.
Another would then be born to the Water Tribes. But it wouldn't matter anymore. Whether born in the North or South, they'd be too young to do anything against his fleets as they pacified the poles.
The only risk was an Avatar of the Earth Kingdom. The biggest stretches of land on the planet, led by a kingdom of kingdoms with walls so high not even fellow earthbenders could hope to breach them. A true needle in a haystack.
But the war would be over by then. Immense or not, it'd be trivial to conquer that realm. He'd just use the petty grudges of kings to divide and conquer.
And after that, not only would the Avatar cycle be back to Fire, but the whole world would be Fire Nation anyway.
He smiled in the darkness. A perfect plan.
Footsteps echoed down the halls. Soon enough, he turned around to a bowing messenger who rightfully waited for permission from the Fire Lord.
"Speak."
The messenger nodded and straightened. Sozin noticed—and definitely didn't like—how nervous the man was.
"They announced the Avatar, your majesty!"
Sozin started. Then his eyes narrowed to slits. Did the Air Nomads suspect something? Were there loose lips that needed to be soldered shut?
He towered over the messenger. "Why didn't the Air Nomads wait until he was sixteen, as they've always done?"
The man swallowed. Sweat trailed down his forehead. "She's… she's Water Tribe, your majesty."
What?
"In truth, she announced herself by bending three elements despite being just four."
WHAT!?
Sozin tightened his fists and started pacing. This was not good! This was not good at all!
How could it be? The Avatar cycle had always remained the same! Always!
He felt a growl rise up his throat. He could salvage this. He had to.
But this changed… so many things. Everything! His armies, his fleets were not ready. They were meant to be ready for eight years later. Even if the comet appeared next month, they couldn't actually take on the Water Tribes, much less with help from the Earth Kingdom and Air Nomads once they realized his goals.
And if he waited as planned… Even if she only had time to master one element out of four before the war came... If there was one power in this world that could drown out the comet's fire, it'd be a waterbending Avatar defending her home from fleets of invading ships. They'd be sitting turtleducks led to slaughter.
Sozin breathed. Flames sparked off his mouth and fists.
Then, without a word, he whirled around to face the cowering messenger.
"Send for my generals. This must be addressed at once."
The man dutifully obeyed and fled out of the shrine. Sozin stormed out in his wake seconds later.
Behind him, the statue shook ever so slightly… as if it was laughing.
Author's notes: and so Raava engaged in an absolutely minuscule bit of trolling~
Last edited: