The world was at peace, all the four nations were in peace and harmony once more.
But this was about to change, because one has to ask, are there lands beyond the Fire Nation and Ba Sing Se?
Firelord Sozin did not just want world conquest, he wanted security against a threat he saw coming.
The massive fleet continued to land, although Ozai's airfleet was destroyed, he took with him only half of what actually existed and the Fire nation maintained an airpower, recently however Kuei, the Earth king was supposed to meet Fire lord Zuko to discuss sharing the plans to build the airships for both military and commercial use, which both believed would usher prosperity for all four nations, even plans detailing "Air Yards" were drawn and Zuko was funding this with the previously amassed War Funds, intending to use what was left of the war to rebuild both nations, however two weeks before the meeting, Zuko would come to realize the war was not started out of world domination, but out of paranoia.
And this paranoia was actually to be taken into consideration, Zuko had to tell the Avatar, Aang about this news, about the Fifth Nation, and the brief Navel battle that Sozin read the report on, the complete acts as if the Fire Nation's Iron Steam Ships were flies compared to a more powerful faction.
These are the tales of the Fifth Nation, and the story to come.
"Water, Earth, Fire, and Air, long ago the world was at peace and enjoyed prosperity, but suddenly everything changed when the fire nation attacked, only the Avatar, master of all four elements could stop them, but when the world needed him most, he vanished, a year ago my brother and I discovered the New Avatar, an Airbender named Aang, we set out on a journey to teach him the elements and stop the war, after a year long journey we succeeded in building many friendships with both Earth kingdom, water tribe and even Fire nation citizens and ended the war with Aang stopping fire lord Ozai from carrying out genocidal plans, and allowed his son, Zuko to rise to the throne, but Zuko was not like his father and the fire lords up to Sozin and was part of our effort to end the war, and now we live in peace, however the future is still filled with challenge as we must rebuild from the ashes, but as Fire Lord Zuko once put it, we will rise from the ashes like the phoenix."
Katara stared at the class and they began clapping as if they had seen a famous play, Avatar Aang was beside Katara, both had engagement rings and on a chalk board there were the words "History Lesson, Taught by Avatar Aang and Master Katara." after explaining details about the Avatar's journey, suddenly a fire nation messenger hawk came through the open window. The Hawk landed on Aang's arm in the surprise that the classroom was filled with and urged Aang by flapping it's wings to take the message in its message hold, Aang read the message and said to the class and Katara "I have to go, my duties as Avatar require me to be elsewhere." Katara teases Aang saying "Oh suddenly you act serious about teaching History now." Aang lets out a small giggle and opens the window all the way, and jumps out using airbending to push himself from the building then using firebending to fly, one random kid says "He's like a real super hero!" another says that he is a real super hero reminding the other classmate that Aang is the avatar.
1,400 km west of the Fire Nation, Kylandor City, Zenjia, six hours later, 11:00 pm, Tuesday
The black caped man walked across the balcony of Kylandor palace, a Katana on his right and a Revolver pistol on his left, he rose his hands past his hood-covered face and shouted in a non-human tone "People of the Zenji Imperium! It has been proven that there is indeed life beyond our land, other humans exist one thousand and four hundred kilometers east of our great city, is the Second Continent, a place were there are many more then a single mountain ranges, much larger masses of land, and even more so enriched in in U-235 Crystillia, we shall once again bear our arms, and our bending, and our technology, and charge into battle to secure our Empire's might and prosperity, so I ask you, the people of the Zenji Imperium, shout and cheer if you wish to carry out this grand campaign, one that has never been attempted until now."
The entire crowd shouts and cheers the word "Imperia!", not a single man or woman of the crowd is silent or hesistant to cheer in approval.
300 km off the coast of Kylandor City, Imperial Southeastern Dockyard
A row of Steel ships are berthed at the docks as men in white and gold uniforms march in order towards them, all armed with a rifle on their shoulder, men follow behind them in plated red and gold armor with katana swords on their rights and lefts, they march behind and they signify themselves as Samurai.
In front of the crowd is a single teenager in a black and gold uniform, he looks up at the night sky and stares at the moon, remembering the day it became pure blackness for a few moments, and says to the men behind him in a shouted command "Halt!"
The rows of men behind him cease marching in order and stare at the man, eager to hear his next command or speech. Then the teenager speaks to them in a loud and confident voice saying "Never before have the Zenjian Marines embarked on such an important journey since the fall of the Republica, now we march onto a quad of nations technologically inferior but unified in an alliance, they are the Fire Nation, the Earth Kingdom, the Water Tribes and the Reformed Air Nomads, the latter of the four being more of a nomadic force rather then a nation, they have one thing we don't, an extreme diversity in bending, they have Air, Fire, Water and Earth elements, but lighting is limited to their master firebenders who may only direct it, but we (shouted in emphasis) can do much more with lighting. The other four elements are rare here, but lighting is commonplace in our Marine force and Jassinary force, there is no one in their land but one who can direct lighting at will once it is discharged, and we all know once lighting is discharged, and controlled, there is no man in existence that can dodge it, it moves at it's own pace, faster than even the words I speak to you, and we cannot react to it, but there is only one who may do that there, and there are thousands who may do that here! I say to you all, let us conquer! (shouted in emphasis)
The men shout and cheer the word "Imperia!" as the teen directs them to their ships, after half an hour, the entire fleet sits just inside the Harbour gates, waiting eagerly for the authorization to attack, and the teen stares at them all from a masssive steel airship, momentarily looks towards the horizon were he can see nothing but ocean, but he knows there is another landmass just 1100 km from his island harbour.
Fire Lord's palace, Fire capital, Fire Nation, 12:00 pm, Tuesday
Zuko stared at the report as Aang walked in and momentarily bowed, Zuko then says "I think I'm starting to miss you just walking up and saying hi." Aang laughs a bit then says "What is so important that you need help with, especially the Avatar?" Zuko looks at Aang for a bit and the look on the face is concern and fear, as if what he was reading held details about the end of the world, Aang looked at him confusingly and said "What is it Zuko?", Zuko then said "I'm sure you remember my sister, Azula?"
Aang thinks back and then says "The crazy girl?" Zuko then says "Yes, someone killed all the inhabitants of the Mental facility she was held in, everyone but her...", Aang's face is shocked as he says "She killed them all?" Zuko shakes his head and then says "Whatever killed them was not lighting or fire, not even swords, but some metal ball, like an arrow-bolt."
Aang then said "So who did it?" Zuko then says "Whoever caused my great-grandfather, Firelord Sozin to go crazy in paranoia and invade the Earth Kingdom to prepare for an invasion from what he called the Fifth Nation." Aang was confused at first so Zuko sighed and said to Aang "Shortly after I was crowned Firelord the sages came to me with documents from Sozin's rule, asking me what to do about it if I returned the Earth kingdom's lands to them. In short, the reason Sozin attacked was because about one hundred and ten years ago, he discovered that a massive fleet he sent to look to see if there was land west of the Fire Nation existed, and two of the fifty ships he sent came back badly damaged, the first one sunk before it could dock and the second only had twelve of it's one hundred crew alive. They told them that their ships started sinking for no reason, other than explosions off their port and starboard positions, at first I didn't know what that meant, but I remembered when you told me about the Black Sun invasion, so I thought they had to be some kind of submarine."
Aang then said in a serious tone "Another nation and another land...Zuko this is big, we have to tell the others." Zuko then said "I know, although I was going to tell them at the monthly gathering at the Southern Air Temple, I decided to tell you first."
Aang thought for a moment when suddenly an explosion blew open the door that led outside the throne room, Aang instinctively blew a massive blast of air towards the explosion, it was enough to stop the bullets coming at him and Zuko and knock the Revolver pistols from the assassin's hands, the six men quickly stood up and took battle stances, drawing Ninjato swords, they were exactly like ninja, except they were in red wrappings to blend in with the red walls and doors, their guns apparently empty of bullets as they all fired six shots each at Zuko and Aang, but Aang's powerful attack stopped them.
Aang said to Zuko "They must be the same people that broke Azula out." Zuko then says "Probably." before jumping down from his chair in a firebending stance, as if ready to shoot lighting at his wanna-be assassins.
They change their stance to that of Chi Blocking and prepare to attack while holstering their ninjato swords, Aang says "Zuko, that's-" Zuko interrupts and says "I know."
The shinobi rush at the duo with their fists and try to hit them but Aang and Zuko are too fast for them. Zuko jumps back away and slams his fists into the air sending massive fire blasts towards the shinobi only for them to quickly form an encasing shield of lighting and then suddenly send the lighting at Aang after the fire blast was swallowed by it nearly instantly, sending him flying as it is too fast to be dodged, Aang gets up quickly however and stares at the movements of the shinobi who try to attack with lighting again, only for Aang to re-direct it back at them only for them to direct the lighting around them, Zuko sends lighting at the distracted shinboi, striking one in the heart, causing the victim to fall dead instantly, the other shinobi draw their Ninjato again and rush at Zuko, only for Aang to sweep them away easily with airbending, however they kick their feet forward sending lighting at Aang who was not expecting it, and is knocked unconscious, this causes Zuko to start sending an insane amount of fire towards the shinobi in fury, after the explosion he caused fades, the Shinobi are gone, but they forgot their dead comrade, and Aang wakes up from the lighting blast he received, he stood up wiping the soot off his burned clothing with his hands and said "I really don't think anybody except Toph and Katara who could beat both the Avatar and the Firelord when their together, eh Zuko." Zuko walked over to the dead shinobi and bowed his head as if respecting the man and then says "He fought well, that deserves praise", Aang bows as well when he realises the man is dead and not unconscious.
633 km west of the Fire Nation, two hours later, 2:00 am, Wednesday, The Grand Ocean
The teen stares out the window of his airship as he leads a massive fleet of large steel battleships and smaller escorts, a man who is apparently captain of the airship walks in the room and says "General Zenji, we are almost to the outlying Island, we can refuel and re-organize more efficiently there then at sea." Zenji turns around and says "Good thinking, your advice is sound and that is why I did not take command of the ship personally, you may as well become Aviary Admiral soon, you have the bridge Captain Smith." the teen walks out and then says before opening the door "Oh, and when it's just the two of us my friend, you may call me Ray, after all I don't remember Gallifayans ever respecting a fellow time-aware civilization's ranks." as Ray Zenji walks out of the room, the British-accented man walks up to a table and from a fruit basket pulls out an apple, then says to himself "Not that I have much choice now do I?"
To be continued...