2 Coronation

Previously on Avatar...

After the Fire Lord was defeated and killed by his own son, a coronation became necessary.

Zuko then began organizing his thoughts while remembering a life he never "really" lived.

—————————————————————

At the crackle of the fire situated on the floor under him, the one who had become Zuko admitted, to himself if no one else, that the canon had gone just out of the window.

Well up to the Agni Kai, everything remained the same, at any rate.

That had a simple enough solution to it.

After the duel to the death, all he would have to do was claim the title of Fire Lord.

Without his father to hostilize him, everything would be... interesting.

Life as a prince, soon-to-be the most influential ruler of the nation, was really great.

And yet… and yet the Zuko-of-before was a coward edged lord that never understood that the war wouldn't end with the defeat of his father as in the original cartoon.

There was Amon, Tarrlok, Unalaq, the red lotus to consider and Vaatu as well.

Not forgetting Kuvira, the Iron Bitch.

How would one go about preparing the nation for hostile factions and evil spirits?

Forfeiting the war perhaps?

Allowing the balance of power among nations?

Despite himself, Zuko began laughing.

A fool's solution.

A permanent problem to replace a temporary one.

In this era a good fighter, a bender, was a near-hereditary caste of warriors.

They were expensive to provide training and equipment, limiting opportunities to become one to the nobility, and more importantly, they were slow to train.

A noble training to become a bender started at four and trained until they were elders.

Once trained, even the worst was still better than peasants and thanks to the skill and superior technology, they were capable of mowing down dozens of them, especially when fighting in formation.

If he relented the war, then soldiers would either be severely restricted or basically made useless.

Giving a lot more power to the ones who make use of unlawful violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims.

Given that revolutions were imminent, abandoning the war seemed like an awful idea.

And the balance of the world?

Zuko thought back and recalled the state of his previous world.

How did it become so virtue signaling while rates of human cruelty had risen exponentially?

How did a shady organization rise to power with the excuse of impending that same thing to happen?

How did the revolution slogan begin taking place in the speeches of powerful and unscrupulous monopolies?

The last thing Zuko wanted was that the movement Zaheer represented began spreading throughout his nation, calling for the downfall of the monarchy.

And even if he managed to side-step all that nastiness while he lived, what of when he passed?

Even if he were a just and wise ruler, there was no guarantee his child wouldn't be an imbecile.

Monarchy was a bit like a coin flip.

For every Catherine the Great, there would be an Ivan the Terrible.

Zuko paused as he considered this.

Casting his mind wide he contemplated the map of the known world and went through the places that were of his interest.

For the first time, he saw not a war of survival, but a war of opportunity.

In a single second, he saw it, his vision of what the Fire Nation could be.

There was a gleam in Zuko's eyes as he built his vision for the future of the world.

Changing subject...

About a more personal matter, he needed to find his mother.

'Where has she been banished for doing something "treasonous"?'

'The depressed and despondent Ikem?'

'Were did he go anyway?'

'Forgotten valley, isn't it?'

'I remember something about a powerful spirit.'

'Mother of faces?'

'Damn, is she Noriko already?'

Zuko then decided to deal with this matter as soon as possible.

And so he began preparing himself for his future coronation.

He only needed to await something he had ordered to be manufactured for this important event.

———————————————————

And so, the awaited day had finally arrived.

And Zuko loved this for a myriad of reasons, the first one being the attention.

He now was loving to walk past a gigantic crowd of bowing guests like he was doing precisely now.

Even with his ridiculous bald shaved head being displayed to all of those around him, but he wasn't one to care for frivolous matters like hair.

Of course not, he only needed to make someone in specific curse the day he or her ever had touched his head and done something really treasonous.

But.

He was usually a man of few words, whenever he gave an order he wanted to see results almost immediately afterwards, he was ambitious, never truly satisfied and easily recurred to violence.

The second reason for loving it, was that he was sure that the people in the city could hear the music that was being played here.

Yeah, basically an extension of the first reason.

But the point still stands.

As the music was being played, an elderly woman was the one who spoke the declaration of his title as Fire Lord, and his innocence of kinslaying, to all the guests attending the ceremony.

The tables were covered in food, jesters and jugglers as well as sword swallowers walked around entertaining, while people ate, talked and danced.

But despite being a man of few words, he was addicted to theatricality and illusion.

And both were just as powerful of a weapon as his bending is.

So, right now he needed to hold a speech.

As Zuko stood and stared over the vast audience he could feel his ego and pride growing to unimaginable levels.

"Don't worry I know that nobody wants to hear my speech, but I promise to make it meaningful!" Zuko had to raise his voice to make sure everyone heard.

"However I do still owe you all my thanks. A thank you to all the lords who quickly showed up to my summoning and took part in this wondrous day with me and a big thank you to all the ladies as well!" He continued as his subordinates began smiling in regards to his charisma.

Zuko raised both hands with a big smile still on his lips and...

Created a long lash of fire that almost reached the ceiling, all the while augmenting the fire of every candle or torch, that was enlightening the great hall, to match its peculiar colors and prowess of his fire.

Once the black flames showed themselves to everyone present.

Another theme filled the great hall.

White and blinding lights were seen as well.

The prince then lowered his hand, the smile quickly left his face, as he looked at the guests.

In a moment the previous calm atmosphere was gone as it had once become blazing hot and just after freezing cold in an instant, even the ones furthest in the back, noticed it right away.

"Why are we here?" Zuko questioned in a cold tone as he stared back at the crowd.

Golden lightning began to surround him, burning away at his ceremony clothes, leaving an original version of the soldier's armor and a flapping cape.

Only this armor was golden, with some inner details in black and a white cloak.

"Why are we doing what WE DO?!" His voice had become borderline demonic by the end while the lightning made the air overcharged with static.

And so Zuko began his speech.

"I've learned about our war effort..." He stayed while gesturing his hand with grace.

"I've learned about our acquisition of colonies from the conquered enemy's lands..."

"It appears to me that a great deal of our resources are being used to better the Earth Kingdom settlements..."

After he made a pause as if expecting someone to publicly reply to him. He answered.

"Well, I DO know why we are here and why we are doing what we are doing!"

"We are conquering this world! This means it will be under our dominion."

"So to leave all these lands in their dire state would only harm us in the long run when they become our cities."

"I say, best to deal with the problem now than to allow it to fester."

Some guests nodded their heads while others shook their heads, it all could be seen but none dared to voice a single word.

"The filth among us will laugh while calling our foes as savages or fools, but the best of us knows that our true noble cause isn't to look on the enemy with disdain, but with determination."

"Determination to usher them into a new age of human ingenuity and potential, rather than a world stratified and held back by ignorance."

"The Great Fire Lord Sozin had made it very clear that he began the war for the security of his own people as well as the benefit of the other nations."

"It wouldn't be right to throw away that part of our cause now that we are so near the end!"

The crowd listened silently.

"And to accomplish our dream, people like the late Fire Lord Ozai and his coward older brother Iroh cannot be allowed to disgrace our beloved nati... NO! They cannot be allowed to stain the honor of our EMPIRE!"

Shouts praising the newly formed empire emerged.

"And I will explain why!"

"All of you might have heard about my Agni Kai against my own father, the late Fire Lord!"

Finally, the crowd regained their nerve and began gossiping among themselves.

"All because recently one of his generals had orchestrated a plan to sacrifice a complete division of fresh recruits in a deceptive maneuver, I then publicly spoke out against this imbecile of a general, seeing it as a betrayal of our recruits' patriotism."

Everyone sitting began connecting the dots.

"And so, for acting in defense of our people, my own father chose to duel with me to the death."

Zuko then made another dramatic pause before proceeding.

"Now, about the 'Great General Iroh, the dragon of the west'!"

"I'll never condemn a man for being torn up about the death of his son!"

"But I'm declaring him a traitor!"

"He certainly had no problem with the deaths of thousands of other people's sons and daughters. He was more than willing to sacrifice those lives. The death of his son is no excuse to have wasted all of those sacrifices our troops had made to breach that wall."

"And so, I hope to have made it clear for all of you what you should expect while I'm the PHOENIX EMPEROR!"

The crowd finally erupted in cheers and chantings of devotion for their new supreme leader could be heard even from the city outside.

"And for you uncle, I'm afraid you shouldn't be allowed to keep disgracing our deceased. I order your execution!"

Was everything someone could hear before the chaos erupted.

It appears, the ex-general had influential followers who made an attempt to either allow their idol to flee or for them to manage to overthrow their newly coronated mad ruler.

At this cue, Azula immediately left the hall while ordering it to be sealed.

'For good or for worse, the chaos will eventually end.' She reasoned. 'And be it my brother, or a group of rebels. I will act accordingly.'

But before the guests began to fight one another, rebel against loyalists.

The new emperor's voice was heard again.

"All of those who are loyal to me, bend down to the ground and you will be spared. Those who have revolted and demand for my head, approach me to die!"

It was then that amidst all the chaos, a solar flare of light enlightened the entire great hall.

And so, the rebels had a clear sight of their target.

Facing the group of traitors, he saw the enemy swarming and surrounding him all over the hall.

They gave a war cry as they rushed forward, all seemingly eager to be the one who could claim they slew the "Mad Prince".

As they drew closer, Zuko felt the wild joy of battle come over him.

He gave a smug grin and threw his head back while laughing.

Into that maniacal laughter he poured everything, without hesitation or restraint.

His amazement at his recently earned power, his position of power allowing him the luxuries of royalty and the excitement for the future.

Lowering his head he looked into the stunned faces of his foes and threw himself on them as the monochromatic haze returned and covered everyone else's field of view.

In less than a heartbeat he was among them, hacking and slashing left and right with his quick movements, creating multiple blazing arcs of fire.

He had never felt so alive and so full of wild joy.

Heads were cut off, limbs severed and bodies sliced in two.

All the while over the sounds of battle and the screams of the wounded and dying was Zuko's cold, wild laughter.

The enemy swarmed around him and blows rained down.

A fireball struck his back, but it did not even register more than a slight warm feeling for him.

A fire dagger was thrust into his leg behind his knee, but he simply shrug it off and decapitate the rebel firebender.

A fire pinwheel landed on his side to scrape along his ribs but it immediately dissipated into nothingness.

He sustained no wounds at all, if anything he felt more exhilarated.

This was it! What he had wanted, a moment test his power!

And what a moment!

Alone against an army, like one would read in the tales of old!

Gradually he became aware that the noise was decreasing and that the enemy was no longer attacking him.

Eventually the haze cleared and everyone bowing saw that the rebels had been terminated, all save three.

It was the traitor ex-general Iroh and with him were two very skilled lords.

They stared at Zuko with expressions of stunned horror.

Zuko guessed he must make quite the sight, although his golden armor resisted the fire attacks, burned blood covered him almost entirely.

He was covered from head to foot with ashen blood and more than fifty bodies surrounded him.

"Approach me all ready!" Zuko called them. "I am already getting bored, between you three I should be able to at least entertain myself a little. Come, I do not have much more time to waste with my treacherous lords?"

The two soldiers started forward but Iroh stopped them with a gesture.

"No, this ends now." he said. "I will slay this spirit that stole my nephew's body."

"But general!" The taller soldier exclaimed. "We should do this together."

"Agreed." The smaller soldiers added. "That monster will fall under our fire!"

"No, he spoke the truth about me." He said sadly. "The only one who should kill, is the one prepared to be killed."

He then turned to the Zuko and his tone changed, becoming more serious. "No matter what, it'll be alright."

As Iroh stepped forward to face Zuko.

The young emperor regarded him. "Tell me..." He said to Iroh as he approached. "Are you prepared to die? To serve the Avatar and restore balance to the world? Do you already believe in that?" Zuko asked more to himself while still maintaining his grin.

"No, for so long I've stopped believing in him. I am here because you are dangerous to my people and need to be stopped." Answered Iroh.

Zuko nodded, intrigued by Iroh's response.

"Good, let us be done with it." Nothing more was said and the two came together.

It was clear from the beginning that Zuko had the undisputed edge.

He was immune to fire and his attacks were basically one-hit kill.

Although Iroh was clearly better trained and more experienced.

Zuko was faster and more agile but that may have been due to how unkind time has been to Iroh.

As they exchanged blows the differences in their power became obvious.

Zuko easily knocked away Iroh's blows, and so the child eventually reached out and grabbed his opponent's leg as he jumped and hurled him to the ground.

Iroh jumped up but before he could move Zuko lashed out with a very thin fire whip of black flames and cut completely across Iroh's large midsection.

"General!" The rogue soldiers screamed, their voices filled with terror and despair.

The still standing ex-general was clearly dazed from being cut in half and was about to fall to the ground when...

Zuko simply decapitated him with the same black blazing whip.

Once Iroh was down the others rushed to attack their hateful foe.

But then the new emperor quickly charged his next attack before releasing it, creating an enormous blast of fire that left not even ashes or cinders of the rogue soldiers.

And so Zuko spoke with a smug grin. "I won!"

It was then, that the remaining guests finally got up and began chanting and proclaiming devotion to their new supreme leader.

With some genuine followers, and some just afraid of suffering the same fate as those rebels.

Zuko raised his arms and accepted all the support from his guests.

He just barely glimpsed at his defeated foe.

While the elder's body parts became stiff on the ground.

And so, everyone made their way to leave the bloodiest coronation they had ever seen.

———————————————————

(06/08/2020)

*Hey there! Thanks for reading my work! I hope this chapter is of your liking.

Any ideas for bending techniques, equipment, girls and anything else that might be a good match with my fic is more than welcomed. I might not use anything, but you will have my gratitude for trying.

If this chapter is a mess of grammatical errors, please wait that I will promptly try to fix it. But for that i need your feedback.

Thanks as always for your time, hope you have a fantastic day and please stay safe. Bye.