Part One: The Island

Prologue: Traitors

It is only a few days after the triumph of the Northern Water Tribe over Fire Nation invaders. General Iroh has been declared a traitor and now he and his nephew, Prince Zuko seek shelter. The crew of Zuko’s ship remains loyal to him and Iroh, but it was only a matter of time before the Fire Navy finds them. Iroh has given coordinates to the helmsman for a small island near the Northern Earth Kingdom coast. It is an island that no one aboard the ship has been to save for Iroh himself.

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Zuko looked across the Pai Sho board as his uncle concentrated on his next move. Iroh has been unusually quiet since they began their course to the island. It was as though something were continually weighing upon his mind. It was his strange silence that prompted Zuko into asking for a game. He wasn’t a great fan of Pai Sho, but he hoped that it would prompt some conversation from Iroh, perhaps even the old general’s reasons for wanting to go to this island that Zuko had never even heard of.

Iroh reached out to move a piece, but before he touched the tile, the captain appeared in the door. “Sirs, we’re nearing the island.”

Iroh smiled and got to his feet. “Time to go, Nephew.”

Zuko followed his uncle and the captain out onto the deck . Not far in the distance was a green isle. He looked over to Iroh and was surprised to see an expression of nostalgia on the general’s face.

“Hakuhatsu Island,” Iroh murmured, as though speaking only to himself. “Exactly where she’d said it would be.”