This is a sequel to Air: The Green Standard. To get the most out of this story, I would recommend you read that story first.

Firelord Zuko sat alone in the Royal Palace's throne room, scribbling his signature on ordinances for massive shipments of food to be sent out across the world to aid in suffering areas. He sighed as one of his aides took the ordinance away, thinking that this now was his life. No more adventures for you, Zuko. That is what responsible leaders must adhere to.

Zuko was now nineteen, ruler of all the Fire Nation, and ambassador to the Three Nations Union, a committee dedicated to conversation and peace in the world. The only nation not represented in the committee was the Air Nomads, and only because there was only one airbender left in the world. The Avatar was frequently there in the beginning, but after a year or so, Aang quit coming to the sessions and became somewhat of a hermit. He would always say to Zuko that he was trying to find answers to something, but when Zuko prodded further, Aang would drop the subject.

The Three Nations Union was also a herald for addressing several Fire Nation members on account of their war crimes. Many prison wardens, guards, and more specifically Phoenix King Ozai and Princess Azula, were sentenced to terms in Fire Nation prisons, the terms to be decided by the Three Nations. Zuko was the main advocate.

Zuko looked up and saw a messenger sprinting towards his throne. The man kneeled before the Firelord, breathing heavily. "Yes? You may repeat your message."

The messenger continued to kneel and look at the ground. "Your majesty, I regretfully bring the worst of news."

Zuko laughed. "What can be so terrible, now that the world is entering a time of universal peace?"

The messenger drew a breath. "Sire, what I am about to convey to you will be both a shock and a grievance. Your anger is legendary sire, and I do not wish to incur your wrath."

"I will not harm you, you have my word, but do what you came here to do."

"Firelord, your uncle is dead."

The messenger allowed himself a look up to see that Zuko was not furious, in fact, he buried his head in his hands, but not making a sound. He held his pose for a brief minute, and then raised his head. Both of his eyes were red, but one was because of tears, the other was because of the severe burn that stretched from his eye to his brow that he received from his father. "How did he die?"

"I am sorry, your majesty. Details are not known at the moment. He – "

"He was murdered!" shouted a voice in the entrance to the hall. There stood Aang, clothes barely hanging on to his frame.

The look in Zuko's eyes turned from hurt to anger. His lip turned up, his nostrils flared, candle tips licked at his fingertips. Fire erupted from his palm and jutted straight outward. The messenger cowered back towards Aang. Aang waterbended the liquid out of a nearby basin to relinquish the burning tapestries. Zuko breathed heavily.

Aang spoke first. "I was there. They're called the Green Standard Army, an anti-bending military that strikes without honor, in the dark places of the world. They use trickery and deceit to accomplish their goals, and they killed your uncle at Ba Sing Se."

Zuko coldly looked at the Avatar. "You were there then. Why didn't you stop them?"

"They are an army, Zuko. It was me and your uncle against an army."

"I am going to – I am going to declare war on this army…"

"You can't, they won't be anywhere where you can get to them."

"My uncle will be avenged."

"I fear that they really will end bending forever."

Zuko smirked. "What do you mean, end bending?"

"They kill the spirit animals that started bending, the ones that taught the humans in the first place. The earthbenders learned it from the badgermoles. As we speak, the last badgermole may already be dead." Aang took his stance and tried to move a decorative boulder that lay along the throne room wall. He imagined himself as a rock, sturdy and strong, but no matter how hard he tried, the boulder would not budge. Even for the Avatar, earthbending was dead. "I can't do it. And neither can any earthbender on the face of the earth. The culture is dead, do you understand?"

"Why does killing badgermoles end earthbending?"

"Because they are the link between the spirit world and neutral jing, the key to earthbending. Once that link is broken, the spirits won't let anyone earthbend."

Zuko finally understood the gravity of the situation. "Then for my uncle's sake and honor, let us thwart these bastard's plans."