Hi and Sozin arrive at the gates of the heirs of fire´s palace. A beautiful japanase palace made from red wood with smaller houses surrounding it for the servants of the family. It is heavily guarded by the heirs of fire´s guards who have been trained in the dojo here. These guards wear armor provided by the heirs of fire it is traditional armor which is made of red light iron plates woven together. Their arms of choice are a long spear, a katana and a wakizashi. The guards stop Hi to ask about his guest. "Stop we don´t know this man nor did we hear word of guests. Care to explain?" a guard asks Hi looking at Sozin. "Oh, he trespassed and hunted on our hunting grounds i came here to tell my parents!" Hi explains to him. "Hmm, Why does he still have his weapon then?" the guard asks. "Oh, i forgot he wouldn´t be able to do a thing to me even with it!" Hi says. "Makes sense then!" he responds. The guards open the heavy gates made from wood and reinforced by metal. the gates emit a screetching sound.*Screeetch!* "Hunters you can deliver the meat to the kitchen and leave afterwards. Thanks for your help and see you around!" Hi tells the hunters. "Understood! If i may ask where is our pay?" a hunter asks. "Oh, i almost forgot here you go!" Hi tells him tossing him a small bag of money. "Thanks! Goodbye!" the hunter responds. The hunters leave straight to the kitchen wich is atop a small hill not far from the assembly and dining hall at the top. "Let´s go to the guestrooms where you can leave your equipment and sleep after we have talked with my parents!" Hi tells Sozin. "They won´t kill me though after we struck a deal training in exchange for my life" Sozin says. "We did, now what´s left is to try to convince my parents!" Hi says. "Wait! Wait! Wait! Try to convince!? I thought it was set in stone!" Sozin jumps in. "Hmm? They´ll listen to me after i explain that you are related to us. It is a taboo to kill one´s own clan member not matter how bad or distant only strength matters!" Hi explains calmly. "Why didn´t you say so earlier. You had me worried there for a second!" Sozin says now calmed down.
Hi and Sozin arrive at the guestrooms and are greeted by the family´s servants. "Welcome home, Master how can we help today?" a maid asks. "Get us a room ready!" Hi tells her. "We just happened to have cleaned up and have a room ready! Follow me!" She says. "That makes things easier! Come on let´s go" Hi says. "You even have your own servants?" Sozin asks him. "Of course the second strongest family has servants!" Hi tells Sozin. " Oh right!" Sozin says. They follow the maid to a room at the end of the hallway with a door leading outside into the garden. They enter the room and Sozin puts his sword down and jumps on a bed. "Ooh this is heavenly haven´t a good bed in a long while!" Sozin says laying on the bed. "We have no time to goof around my parents are waiting!" Hi tells him. "Of course!" Sozin says following Hi outside.
They leave the guestrooms and head up the hill to the assembly and dining hall. On the way Sozin wonders about dinner. "I wonder if we´ll have that meat today?" Sozin says. "Of course we´ll have fresh meat you idiot!" Hi tells him. "Leave the talking to me and bow down when you enter they are the clan´s leaders after all!" Hi tells Sozin. "Got it can we go in?" Sozin says. Hi opens the door. The assembly and dining hall is large and in the back there are steps leading up to the clan leaders seating area. There are tatami and cushions there as well as a table for food and tea. "I am back father, mother. I bring us a guest who hunted on our grounds whitout permission!" Hi tells his parents and bows down along with Sozin. "Sit!" his father says a middle aged man with red hair and beard wearing luxurious red robes and carries the red dragon blade signifying his status as leader. "A tresspasser? Hmm? Hunting on our grounds whitout permission is punishable by execution!" he tells Sozin. "If i may father. Before you decide to execute him you must know that he is very distantly related to our family that should lighten his punishment! I already discussed with him that i will join his journeys as an apprentice to study under him the ways of the dragonkin monks. I would like to hear your take father." Hi tells his father. "Dragonkin? I suppose that makes us relatives if only very distantly. I say that he may live as for your request i´d like to discuss with your mother about it a while." he tells Hi. "Very well!" Hi says. "I say he leaves so we won´t have to worry about him and his talent for fire magic is the dragonkin´s job to do. Perhaps he can teach him how to master his control ofer fire magic." Hi´s father tells his wife. "I suppose he won´t bother us anymore and can unleash his fire magic elsewhere. Maybe he will grow up to become a repsectable man like you. He can train all he wants with that dragonkin and hunt anything he wants whitout us having to worry about our amount of monsters in our hunting grounds and it will give me enough time to pick a proper wife for him, maybe he´ll overthink it about marrying that girl form the water clan." she tells him. " so it is decided then you will leave to train under him!" his father says. "Thank you father!" Hi tells him. "Dragonkin look after him so he doesn´t ruin our family´s image!" he tells Sozin. "My name´s Sozin and i am a dragonkin monk. I shall look after your son as an uncle of sorts we are related after all." Sozin tells him. "I hear your kind can get very old. Let me know your age!" he tells Sozin. "105 years old!" Sozin tells him. "What that old !? You are older than my grandparents." Hi remarks. "Don´t be disrespectful toward your grandparents or the dragonkin!" his father scolds him. "Ooops. Sorry." Hi apologizes. "105 years old you must have explored most of the world then." his father says. "Actually not yet we dragonkin monks only leave our temple to become masters. I only have been travelling around for 25 years." Sozin tells him. "25 years travelling and he still hasn´t seen everything must speak volumes about the size of the mainland!" his father says. "The mainland? I thought our country was all there was?" Hi asks his father. "Sorry we kept that from you. You would have rushed out of here alone as soon as you could and only got yourself killed because you overestimate your strength. Now at least he can look after you so you don´t do anything stupid!" his father tells him. "Ouch but you´re right!" Hi says.
"When will we eat?" Sozin asks Hi´s father. "hahahaha! To think about food in your situation! You are a funny one! Hi brought us that giant lizard at least he´s good for that!" Hi´s father says. "Actually i killed it!" Sozin says. "That´s right i heard someone else killed it before him!" Hi´s father says. "The food is still not done quiet yet! So you have to wait a bit before that." Hi´s father says. "Can i have some tea at least while we wait?" Sozin asks him. "Of course! Our guest here wants some tea! At least you have taste and drink tea!" he tells Sozin. The servants serve Sozin some tea. "Thank you!" Sozin says and drinks his tea. "You actually drink that tea? It´s way to bitter!" Hi tells Sozin. "You will grow up to it young one!" Sozin comments. "Oh they get along quite well maybe he will really change after the journey!" Hi´s mother tells her husband. "They do makes for a good relationship he is the one to tame our son!" Hi´s father answers.
"The food is ready!" a maid tells them carrying out the food and setting it on the table. Hi´s parents eat their share of food elegantly a nice mix of meat rice and vegetables. On the other hand Hi and Sozin only care for the meat. Hi eats with chopsticks as a normal human would but Sozin pickse the meat up with his claws and eats it normal dragonkin behaviour. "At least we have something in common!" Hi tells Sozin. "Ah so you do have taste just for meat though all you need am i right!?" Sozin responds. "When will we leave by the way?" Hi asks Sozin. "Tomorrow it´ll be quick teleportation magic will blow you away!" Sozin answers "Until then have a nice sleep! Farewell leaders of the heirs of fire!" Sozin says who is escorted to the guestroom. " I will take my leave now too!" Hi tells his parents. "Have a nice trip tomorrow!" his mother says. "Until we meet again and don´t you dare come back an unchanged man!" his father says.
Hi´s room is a small room with a door leading to the garden on the other side of the one Sozin is in. He has a clear view of the pond where colorful fish swim in and the stars reflect of the water.
Hi and Sozin need this rest for their journey ahead many a foe will wait for them there.....