Aang
"So let me get this straight: over the last hundred years the Fire Nation conquered a good portion of the earth Kingdom, destroyed the air nomads and has been at war with the North and South water tribes."
"Correct to a point" Katara said before adding "and then the Earth kingdom was broken into civil war taking over by the Earth nation which sometimes go by the Earth empire depending on who you're talking to and somewhere along the lines the Earth Nation got the ability to give non-benders a ability to fight benders and well the war did not go in fire nation's favor in the end."
I nodded trying not to show how confused I was by all of this before saying "but the air nomads are numerous it's impossible to have destroyed them all, not only that, we were a peaceful people. Why are they fighting us."
Katara's brother Sokka gave a shrug before saying "that was almost a hundred years ago today. I'm sure someone's got a better idea of all this but we just live down here in the southern tribes so we don't really know."
Shaking my head I said "well it's good but there was a balance created though I doubt about the possibility that the entirety of The nomad Nation being destroyed I mean if that was true I don't think there'd be even the possibility that the Earth Nation could have created the balance they have right now."
Katara sighed before saying "maybe all I know is supposedly there hasn't been an airbender scene in nearly 100 years and well there hasn't been an avatar nearly 100 years either so" she gave a shrug and I try not to think about the reasons that that had come to be.
Letting self doubt about what I had done creeping would do no one any good especially with the situation as is.
Letting out a sigh I said "all right all right so the Earth nation is still at war with the fire Nation or what's going on there?"
"There is a fragile peace" Katara said "there is peace yes the earth and the fire Nation are not fighting each other there is a few areas of expansion that they are poking at each other over from what I've heard, primarily the islands in between the fire Nation and the Earth Nation places that used to be well controlled by the air nomads as well as a region that was conquered by the fire Nation and settled by people from fire Nation water tribes and earth Nation. Course we don't really know much about what goes on there; most of the stories we hear nowadays are just about how the water tribes of the north don't get along with this new Earth Nation."
"Why? They stopped the war and the progress of the fire Nation right shouldn't the water tribes in this earth Nation be good friends?"
Katara shrugged before saying "supposably basically the Earth Nation treats the water around the water tribes as their own territory to the point that it was rather upsetting to the leaders which at the time they couldn't say no to because they needed help with keeping the fire Nation from commencing raids on the coast there was a well need for unskilled labor and their colonies for a while and even afterwards they still needed a bit but that seems to have ended after their new fire lord took control."
"So it comes down to what basically the northern tribes feeling like they're not getting proper do for standing against the fire Nation for as long as they did."
"Pretty much" Sokka said before adding "that and the whole weird religious aspect of this leader of the earth Nation."
"Religious aspect" I asked, not really sure what he was talking about and quite interested at this point.
Sokka sighed before saying "there's missionaries now and again from the earth Nation who think it's a cool idea to come to the southern water tribes they probably go to the northern ones as well trying to talk about how they're leader of the earth Nation the Great and powerful empress Tanya will unify humanity under a rule and take us to the stars or some crazy nonsense like that. I don't really know what the whole deal with them is but it's just well concerning the amount of religious overtones they put out there and how they're trying to spread to other regions. "
"Doesn't speak well of the Tanya person if they apparently think they're a god or something of that nature here to unite us into one nation."
I nodded that didn't sound good after all the fire Nation had tried to unite the world under one banner granted it had been through taking control and putting things out of balance and as far as I could see the Earth nation was not trying to put things out of balance but it was apparently on the cards if they were willing to their leader some godlike entity like an avatar..
"So aang what are you going to do about it" Sokka with a tilted head and I had to think after all I was the Avatar with my job to start this situation out of course I didn't have all my training completed could be worse could have someone actively hunting me as far as everyone was concerned though I was dead but I should have an easier time trying to move about and get the situation under control.
Sighing I said o"obviously I need to help restore the balance to do that though I need to gain training and understanding of the other three elements I only know about."
"Okay well my family knows a little bending not a lot though maybe in the northern tribes you have a better chance of picking that up." Katara said and I nodded it in agreement of course getting to the northern tribes from the southern tribes would be an issue it would mean I would have to cross through the territory that was contested between the fire Nation and the Earth Nation granted no war going on yet but it would be a possible problem.
Nodding my head I said "I'll have to travel North then to try and learn from their masters."
"That's a long trip" Sokka said with a shake of his head "long way to go all by yourself, sure you can handle that.?"
I smile before saying "I think I can me and Appa here" I patted the animal on the head "could" make the trip it will take time though and I probably need some help navigating after all last time I navigated I ended up well here" I looked around at the glaciers area I was in an unexpected turn of events and led me to being frozen and ice for nearly 100 years apparently another unexpected turn of events and seen the world turned upside down in ways that had not been seen in a thousand.
I needed to set these things right no I would see these things said right and I would bring balance back to the elements and the kingdoms no matter what was in front of me.
"Well you know Katara here needs to get a master for training as well," Sokka said with a shrug as he played around with the spear. "I'm sure it would not take a lot of convincing to let good grandmother let us go off on a little adventure."
Katara gave him an annoyed look before "saying he's not wrong if you don't mind a little help from us we can help you reach the northern water tribes."
I smiled then said "I'd like that having company on this journey would be very helpful not to mention I am just a little bit discombobulated by everything you're saying here. The idea that the air nomads are just gone just doesn't sit right with me. There must be survivors."
The two shared a look before Katara said "well if they're not coming out in the open in fear of the Fire Nation all these years later and I doubt the Earth Nation he's keeping them in prison anywhere."
That wasn't good odds I admit nodding my head before keeping the smile insane and they just don't know where to look in the right places. We are no meds are a secretive lot. I'm sure I could find them if I devoted enough time to it.
But before they could probe I asked "but don't you have to get permission from your parents or something. "
Sokka just sounding annoyed before saying" father and mother both went North years ago the southern water tubes were the hardest hit during the fire nation's war and though it's been a few decades at this point since we've had any active conflicts the fact of the matter is we are falling behind at least that's what father said so he went North to try and get support from the northern water tribes from modernization and improvement all these things that are supposed to help us have a good life what happened up there we don't really know we haven't heard much since tension started to grow and well the northern water fleet was recalled from our Waters for patrolling their own Waters leaving us rather alone."
"Huh so what you're saying is really I need to take you to the northern water tribe so you can get permission to travel with me and that you really just wanted to come north with me because you wanted to see your parents again."
"… He's got you there okay" Sokka finally said with a laugh before saying "yeah pretty much a good take in my opinion getting permission from Grandma should be easy anyways we just need to head north from there. Well mostly easy, there is the problem of the pirates."
"Pirates," I asked, raising an eyebrow.
Katara spoke up saying t"here used to be what was called the southern raiders fire Nation naval personnel who would attack the southern tribes making sure we didn't have a chance to fight against them however they are no longer part of the fire Nation Navy they were expunged by the current fire lord and instead of accepting that they were no longer under his rule they declared themselves independent and it's a long story but the gist of it is they're no better than pirates these days living out of islands that were once occupied by the airbenders in between the southern tribes and the earth nation."
"That doesn't sound good," I said with a nod before asking, "Do they continue to raid what they do?"
Sokka shrugged before saying "they raid transports between the southern continent and the Earth Nation they do not do what they used to do which was actually invade the coastline and cause problems I think they know that if they did that the Earth Nation would come after them hard and if they did that against Southern water tribes as well the northern water tribes would be forced to redeploy their Navy down here at least to deal with them for a few weeks which would be a problem for their survival."
"It probably is going to be a problem getting out of the Southern territories aren't they"I said rubbing my chin and thought if they were after all a group of violent thugs and thieves taking up residence in the former air no man territories they would probably stop any sea travel which we would have to fly thankfully we had blank here for that but we would still need to find Islands to take breaks and try and recover on not to mention we may run into problems that such as a storm. Again it would probably be best not for me to end up Frozen for another hundred years being gone had seen a terrible things happen to the air nomads what would happen if I was gone again but they're even being water tribes left would there be a duking out between the fire Nation and the Earth Nation with the balance be completely destroyed and unable to be returned.
Fact of matter what I needed to find safe transport from the southern continents to the roof Kingdom, go up the coast and find my way to the northern confidence. It was a hell of a thing but not impossible.
"Fine" I got up shaking off a little bit of snow that got on top of me and said "alright this is going to be hard but we're going to have to do it but you sure you want to help me get to the northern continents."
The two got up in front of me and gave nods of agreement saying we have our reasons to go with you and helping bring a piece to the whole situation would be a lot better in the long run. Sokka said
"Alright" I said "all right then I think we can declare ourselves together and on a team for this we're going to restore the balance at an end of the potential war between the earth and water and fire and hopefully fine and restore the airbenders who is with meI put my hand out on the other two quickly put their hands on top of mine" team Avatar is a go then let's go save the world" I said turning to look at it the sea before reminding that we also needed to get there grandmother's permission first turning back I said "which way to your village."
Ah that way Katara Said in a western lead direction and I noted my head all right let's go on to the back of appaI said jumping up onto his back and leaning over to offer them a hand.
"Ahh not sure about writing your flying creature aang" Sokka said
but Katara smacked his shoulder and said "onto the back and with" a sigh he pulled himself on soon enough we were all packed and moving heading towards the village and the first step in our adventure to save the world.
Hopefully it will be the first and easy step and all steps will pass. This would be easy. Maybe I'd be lucky and the Fire Nation and Water Nation would be able to come to some sort of Concord and declare an official piece then all I would need to worry about is the Earth Nation.
Zuko
I prepared my uniform as best I could trying to get it as in shape as it could be for the coming meeting. But there was only so much you could do. Especially when you weren't sure if this was an official meeting or one of the times your uncle just wanted to speak to you because he enjoyed the conversation.
Looking out across the yard I saw my sister practicing her fire bending. She was a prodigy but even for a prodigy she always trained to make sure she was at the top of her game. And right now she was doing her best to surpass my abilities.
She wanted to be the best there was nothing else to say about it why she wanted to be the best well that probably had something to do with my father he wanted to be the best so he wanted the best out of his kids.
I wasn't particularly sure on that matter but father was confident in one thing the monster of the earth Nation would someday come for the fire Nation and he wanted it to be ready to defend itself as a result he had persuaded the fire lord Iroh his brother to invest heavily in not only the training of more firebenders for the defense of the nation but the creation of new technologies as well as the implementation of technologies that have been captured during the war with the Earth Nation.
He oversaw the creation of a new army to defend the nation and a better fleet than what had been there after the destruction of the old fleet. One with guns that could possibly surpass the one of the earth Nation had mounted on their own ships. He wanted the best to protect the fire Nation from the Earth, and part of me believes that he also wanted to be a fire lord.
His brother, my uncle , currently rested on that seat but he had made it clear in the past that he enjoyed the idea of ruling the nation. And I wondered if my uncle had seen that and then tried to channel his feelings on that matter into ways to help defend the nation.
It was hard to say my uncle had served in the war against the Earth Nation in the ending days and been the only one to actually best the monster in the mountains in open combat however one general managing to eat out several victories out of several hundred defeats did not make a winning war.
It did however make a good leader at least as far as the former fire Lord believed as he had made it quite clear that his first born son would be the new fire Lord upon his death which had come at the end of the Earth Nation fire Nation war.
Though i try not to think about that though there was some unsavory stories of what had happened at the end of the war officially he had committed suicide unofficially well i heard a rumor to that after returning from the continent the end of the war had seen him become a broken man and he had drunk himself in his depression. And he had a misstep while going down the stairs.
There was nothing but rumor Palace gossip but I did wonder about it. I never met the man myself but he was quite old when it happened so it was not impossible. But there were many stories like this overtime not even heard one where supposedly Uncle Iroh had been the one to kill the fire lord because he'd ordered him to kill his son for failure to keep the hold on the earth Kingdom.
Personally I didn't believe that but it was a rumor and rumors tend to spread even if they're not true in the Royal Court, usually to try and weaken a leadership's control.
Who would want a weekend the current fire Lord's control of the government and I don't know really I could suspect my father after all he did cove at the idea of the fire lord but there were other options other people who'd see the weakness of the current fire lord is an opportunity to try and restart the war with the Earth Nation.
Hopefully though that would not come to pass. The war I've been told about was brutal and terrible and I swore that what would come now would be even worse.
The fire Nation back then had only had access to its fire benders and Men wielding Spears and swords just looking at the guards around the palace showed that that was no longer a thing every single one of them was holding a bayoneted rifled musket. They were still firebenders underneath all the pageantry of their new equipment and what often used their bayoneted muskets and focuses during their practice wielding the fire around their weapons in order to attack with even more fury that's just how the firebenders of the fire Nation had changed.
The general army was also now outfitted with these kinds of weapons as well as bigger guns for artillery work I've seen them practice. Any war that happened now would be even worse. I could feel it.
Oh I couldn't just feel it, I know it. A few years ago I was invited to watch a war game that my father and Uncle were having between two fire Nation forces. My father was to represent the fire Nation so they had full access to every ability that was within the fire Nations lexicon.
Uncle Iroh was representing the Earth kingdom's forces.
For 3 hours the game went on over a square mile artillery and fire came down on the defensive location that the Earth Kingdom forces were to protect and once my father felt that the enemy Force had been depleted or fully made fearful of what's to come he launched a grand assault of his firebenders and regular infantry out of their they're starting location behind a hill.
They got halfway to the lines of the fire lord, the artillery and firebenders bringing down hell on the fire Lord's line stopping only for an immediate counter fire to cause pickup from where the fire had been coming down.
My father's forces had been caught in the open with no defenses and were immediately under fire.
This had annoyed my father quite greatly at the time and he had accused the fire lord of cheating as he was supposed to remove any units that had been hit by the explosive paint bombs that were chucked by artillery over their lines.
However the fire lord allowed him to inspect that lines and I've been allowed to come along father and I quickly realize that that said lines have been dug deep into the dirt and had built underground barracks that had been protected from the splashing of the paint the men had never been severely injured than if they were not splashed which meant they were still fresh when the my father's forces came out into the open.
It was quite clear what was trying to be taught there and even my father had to do not his head that realization war had changed the enemy could hide beneath the ground which was a good point about the Earth benders they would do it then we could bring down as much hell as we wanted on a location they would just wait until we came out in the open and unleashed their own guns in return.
Course father had not taken likelihood to that idea and was working on some sort of countermeasure for the next games that they held. When you get to figure one out at least one he told me which was to be expected.
Dad's drive to prove himself worthy of the title of fighter Lord and trying to replace my uncle was his thing not mine. I wasn't interested in taking up the rank of the next in line. My uncle's son Lu Ten could have it. I'd rather just do anything else entirely. I wanted to be of service to the fire lord. I didn't want to be a problem for the fire lord.
Sighing I leaned back from where I've been thinking against a pillar and look towards the doors wondering what was taking so long I've been called here for some reason not to watch my father and think about the current events but to do something what that something was I didn't know yet but it had to be important otherwise Uncle would not have called for me.
My thoughts were interrupted as a guard came out of the door and waved me over and I gave a nod in response cracking my fingers I walked forward into the open door seeing my uncle and his son in conversation as well as a few other advisors they appeared to be having some sort of deep conversation that they need to keep client but as soon as they saw me they Uncle smile and waved me forward.
"Zuko come here boy I have a question that I think only you can answer."
I nodded as I gave a bow I'd "fire Lord Iroh it's good to see you how may I be of service."
Smiling Iroh motioned me to come forward as he said "news has been seeping out of the Southern water tribes rather interesting stories of the possibilities of return of the avatar. "
I blinked, raising a skeptical eyebrow, which was answered with a humorous laugh before he said "I wonder if it's true myself but I also kind of hope it is I can't go running after this Avatar though especially if they are not true would be a waste of my abilities and positions."
"But I was wondering about sending a couple ships to go find this Avatar and bring them to civilization."
I saw what was asked of me and I immediately said "I'd volunteer to do this my uncle."
"Good good he said with a smile before saying you and my son will be going together on this I think the two of you can find the Avatar and bring them here the safety before he wanders into the clutches of the Earth Nation I don't know what their plan is when they find out but that's cult of theirs has me concerned."
I nodded at that I'd been allowed to read some of the reports from the intelligence agency that had been set up a few years back to monitor the situation in the formerly occupied Earth Kingdom but still played host to a large portion of fire Nation civilians that's strange empress worshiping cult gave everyone a bit of a worry that they may be planning to try and wow do what the last fire Lords had done and try and conquer the world.
So far that hadn't happened yet but maybe they weren't prepared yet for a full out war there was rumors that the empress of the earth Nation was grooming an hier one who could actually use earthbending and the technologies that they had devised over the war with fire Nation perhaps the plan was for that heir to someday leave the eventual war effort it was hard to say either way people were concerned.
The fire Lord continues saying "being the last airbender from 100 years ago or a new water bender either way we need to make sure that the avatar is protected from the earth Nation until they have their full potential. Balance must be restored to the world and that can only be accomplished by the avatar."
I nodded before saying "I will find them uncle whatever they are wherever they go I will find them."
"I know you will," he said with a smile before saying "I know both of you wel"l turning to his son. "Just make sure to don't do anything harmful to them. We've waited long enough for the chance to undo the mistakes that led to the unbalancing of the world. We can't have rogue elements of the Fire Nation in the southern regions still causing problems make even worse problems or perhaps the Earth Nation make it worse."
"Will protect the avatar" Lu Ten said with an on as if the simple statement was proof enough of its truth before adding "and we'll bring them here so we can get his fire training the greatest fire Lord in the fire Nation."
Uncle laughed at that before he said" although I do think I am a pretty good fire lord I'm sure there's been better I'm sure there will be better and I'm sure there are plenty of contenders for that title that have probably better skill than me though let's not self with the grand eyes ourselves on this we need to do this because we need to be the ones to undo what has been made wrong the fire Nation unsettled the balance nearly a hundred years ago that balance has never been fully corrected and we have been granted an opportunity to finally balance it again we either take action to do it or we let the unbalance destroy us all. War with the Earth Nation seems more likely every day if we can unify everyone under the banner of the Avatar. Perhaps we can prevent this war from happening but if it does happen I'd rather be on the side of the Avatar then side without it."
Lu Ten noted his head and I did as well seeing the logic in his statement though I doubted that the Earth Kingdom would be that peaceful as to end this cold war and prevented from bursting into flames as it was so inevitable at this point they were doing strange things in the earth Nation and sooner or later they were going to do things that were bad for the people living in the formerly occupied zone and when that happens the fire Nation would have to step in again and the war around the occupied zone would be horrendous if my father and the fire Lords war game had anything to say about it who knows what other technologies the Earth nation has developed in that time what other methods for fighting they've gathered together.
Shaking my head I said "wherever the Avatar goes I will find them Uncle you have my word we will find him and bring him to safety so he can get his training."
"Good good besides that they're probably Young so try and make friends with them if you can, this will be your first adventure off the continent and you need to learn about the other people's anyways both of you learn about the waterbenders the Earth benders and if by some perhaps miracle this happens to be they lost airbender learn as much as possible though I find the last one very unlikely should be over 100 years old by this point. He shook his head before saying then again perhaps this is just a descendant of The last Airbender who's been in hiding this whole time if that is what it is that means a water bender should be coming to power soon as well as a avatar you can find them I might be a key moment in growing this peaceful balance that we need but do not bring them here first if it is our water Bender."
"Why is that?" Lu Ten said, raising an eyebrow.
"If they are water benders from the southern tribes they are probably not under skilled in their own field. Bringing them to be masters of the northern water benders it'll be a great sign that we are willing to put the past behind us to the northern water vendors and bring peace to the world."
Lu Ten nodded inside "this will be done father."