"Uncle, have we lost the colony in the South?" Zuko was very perplexed by the way a Water Nation fleet had ambushed General Zhao's cruiser, which had been harassing them moments earlier.
"It seems that people in the South have quickly gained power and now dominate the seas behind us with authority." Iroh knew that the war was about to undergo a drastic change, at least in the South, and this was normal in these times.
Zuko could see how many Fire Nation soldiers were being killed, and he whispered, "I didn't think it would all be so brutal."
"This is war, Zuko. When you realize that, you'll consider these events normal. Although I don't understand where so many Waterbenders have come from, they have all been exterminated or sent to special prisons."
"Whatever, let's return to a colony to find out where the Avatar is going after all of this." Zuko murmured, unsure of which path to take.
...
At the same time, near a Fire Nation outpost.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The cannons of a cruiser finally brought down the walls of this outpost without giving those inside a chance to react. Thorian, who led the advance, walked towards this defense base, and without needing to kill anyone, everyone had been subdued.
"Who the hell are you?"
There was no trace of surprise on Thorian's face; his gaze remained calm in the face of these foolish questions, and he walked towards the interior, where a press of ice held the Earth Nation prisoners hidden.
"My name is Thorian, ruler of the South Nation and liberator of conquered places. Anyone who still wants to keep fighting can open their eyes now." Thorian's words woke up the warriors who had been kept in constant low temperatures, and when they saw him, they all stood up.
Years of humiliation and the time they had spent in this prison made many of them feed on hatred and wait patiently for someone with enough power to come and rescue them.
"Free us, and we'll continue fighting."
"Get me out of this prison, and I'll keep killing those damn invaders."
"Get us out of here!"
All the prisoners in the cells began to ask to be released, and only then did Thorian have his people help these individuals recover.
"Take everyone directly to the outpost, heal their wounds, and give them hot food." Thorian said as he watched hundreds of people who had been in this prison for years slowly come out.
"Sir, we've located five more places like these in the South."
"Send the troops immediately; take these posts so they become the prisons of the youngest invading soldiers."
"What do we do with the older ones?"
Thorian looked the soldier in the eyes, and understanding the message, he nodded and quickly withdrew. The young warriors, who were indoctrinated to obey, were trained in that controlled environment to be perfect soldiers. Apart from them, there was no need to save anyone else, such as the elders.
"Let me go. Get your hands off me!"
"Once our great army learns of what you've done here, they'll exterminate you damn Southern freaks!"
Just as the dozen young soldiers were dragged away like dogs, Thorian laughed when he heard the comments they were making.
"Even if the Fire Nation finds out, they won't attack us after we've taken down two of their great generals and hundreds of their combat cruisers, which now serve the Southern armed forces." Thorian shook his head, watching as the young soldiers, after being chained to ice, were thrown into the cells.
"To use the present as justification for the past, I should kill them, but they need to truly understand what has happened in history and repent. But right now, they won't listen; suffer a few months in this cold hell, and then I'll listen to what you have to say."
A soldier's face was distorted with fury. Upon hearing Thorian's words, he said furiously, "Fight bravely like a warrior; how can you be so cowardly to avoid a fight in that way?"
Thorian was surprised; pretending a bit of fear, he signaled to a soldier who was at his service, and after a few minutes, dozens of severed heads were thrown near the ashes where the young soldiers were.
"I hope that makes you rethink and realize who you're talking to. You're just children playing the jailer, but we are warriors who are liberating our nation. You live among lies about being the best and don't know that all of this is your fault."
A soldier who was shocked asked, "Our fault?"
Thorian left the prison without saying another word. If he wanted these young warriors to rethink, then he needed time for them to value their freedom.