Chapter 55.5- And so the Dragons Danced

“Grand Emperor of the United Continents” I read out loud with a raised eyebrow. Toji smirked in reply while much of the table looked scandalized at the thought.

“Lord Protector of the Four Nations” I read the second entry, and had to admit that I did enjoy the ring it had to it. The only problem was that it kept the identity of the ‘four nations’ intact, even if there were really only three nations anymore— the air benders were dead and gone. It also did little to recognise the fact that I wanted them united as one instead of remaining separate things because ‘balance’.

“Ruler of the First Elemental Empire? Really?” This one I scoffed at. Toji shrugged, showing that he himself wasn’t going to do much to defend that choice. I took another sip of the wine, before just knocking the rest of the glass down my throat and dropping it to the side to be refilled.

“More wine, my lord?” The cupbearer asked and I waved him ahead.

“Well, only one of these is even passable” I said, skimming through the rest of the list.

“I don’t know, I’m quite attached to God-King of the Elemental Nations” Toji replied with a smirk. God-King. That bastard. Of course, repackaging history from my old world as creative stories that I had come up with myself would come back to bite me in the arse.

“But what are new titles needed for? The Fire Lord is the Fire Lord, and that is how it has been for centuries.” General Hyo cut in.

“Well, the Fire Lord does not rule over only the Fire Nation anymore, does he?” Toji asked, raising an eyebrow.

“He does. The Fire Lord rules over the Fire Nation, and the Fire Nation rules over the rest of the world” He said as if it was obvious and the two of us were failing to see it. I closed my eyes, feeling a wave of dizziness coming over me.

“Your wine, my lord” My cupbearer offered and I nodded, picking up the glass and emptying it.

“Let me get this straight. You believe that because we won the war, we now stand above the other nations and they are now subservient to the Fire Nation?” I asked.

“Yes”, he said clearly believing that was the only way to possibly see it.

“Shall I go fetch more wine, my lord?” The cupbearer asked when I turned to my glass and found it still empty. I nodded, irritated, even as I felt another wave of lightheadedness come over me.

“Then I’ll only say this once--” I started, before I felt another wave. “Natsu?” Toji? Was that Toji’s voice?

I never felt my body slump against the desk as I lost consciousness.