Six Months Later...
As I sit in my room meditating, I can't help but get distracted about the last six months. Over the last six months I have finally regained my previous level of physical fitness. I still have the same degree of control over my bending abilities as I did when I left for this time, which too specify is flawless. I beat uncle in a half hour long sparring session three months ago. I sparred against uncle and Jee a week ago after winning in fifteen minutes of intense sparring, uncle confirmed my belief that I'm fighting fit. My Chi has grown by five percent too.
I have been creating anti-spirit zones wherever I travel, these locations are: the Patola Mountains, including the Southern Air Temple, areas surrounding the Southern Water tribe, at the spirit portal at the South pole. I sneaked into the Northern Air temple and its surrounding grounds to create anti-spirit zones, including Laghima's Peak, and the cave system. Most of the spiritual sites, including temples, and stupas, all air temples. All of the current colonies, I included wards for suppressing the birth of earthbenders at the ones that become the United Republic. I excluded the Northern water tribe, at least till i'm sure Zhao is no longer a problem. Kolau mountains, Chameleon Bay, Chin Village, I created a massive anti spirit zone using the energy from the foggy swamp, I neutralized the threat of spirit energy weaponry, the zone almost reaches Chin Village. Created zones on Kyoshi Island, Haru's village, saving Senlin Village for after Roku tells Aang to meet him at Crescent Island. I have also started concealing the runes with concealing runes.
I have been working on my plan for acquiring the colonies, my skills in stealth and firebending helped immensely.
Now I'm bored, I think I'l assign myself some targets to eliminate. I know just the one to start with, all I have to do is conceal my true goals with travels to find the Avatar. I get up with a smile to walk to the command tower.
Scene Break
I enter the tower, and everybody turns to me with a curious expression.
"I need you to get me as close to this group of villages as you can," I say while pointing at a map "I have decided to search for the Avatar farther in land, I'l also be assassinating people who annoy me, and those I deem a threat to the Fire Nations goals." I say in a tone that brooks no argument.
"Yes, Prince Zuko will you be taking a group with you?"
"No, I prefer to operate in stealth and secrecy, If I hear a rumor about the Avatar, I may bring a group to handle his supporters, or for crowd control." I respond intelligently. If they find out the Avatars back i'l have competition, their loyalty is to my worthless father. "Do you have an estimate for our arrival to the port closest to that group of villages, or is it too soon to tell?"
"Two to four hours, Prince Zuko." He says with respect. Its amazing what being powerful achieves, they fear and respect me, all because I am a powerful and skilled bender and beat a great High General in a mere sparring session.
"Excellent, please have someone inform me as we near our destination." I say before leaving to talk with uncle.
Scene Break
Outside Iroh's Room
I stop outside his room, before knocking twice I wait till i'm told to enter. "Come in" I open the door and enter, closing behind me.
"Hello, uncle can I talk to you about your White Lotus group?" I ask hoping he doesn't insult me with denials.
"I'm not surprised you know about it given your future knowledge, do you want to join, or rejoin?" He asks hopefully.
"I don't want to join, its not my type of group. I want to know if you can find the location of a member, without it coming back to you or me, and without tipping anybody off? In the future this person starts a group that topples governments and causes wars, they even nearly destroy the Avatar. I don't want you to endanger your rank in the order, its essential that you keep it."
"I can find this person slowly, it'll take longer but I wont tip anyone off, or endanger my rank." Uncle says, slightly confused. "Can you tell me why its essential to preserve my rank?" he asks.
"That would involve revealing to much future knowledge, you may come to believe somethings predestined and absolute and not try as hard. Therefore preventing key events from occuring, sometimes even dying before your appointed time." I explain patiently.
"I understand what you mean. Who do you want found nephew?"
"His names Xai Bau, an earthbender rumored to be capable of Lavabending." I say calmly.
"I will find him" He says. "but promise me you wont fight him if you believe you can't win." He demands sternly.
"I promise uncle, but I assure you I can win. Quite easily, its not over confidence, I spent the majority of five centuries studying bending and chi related subjects. I believe I have studied most if not all applications for firebending. I plan to study Shadowbending see if its possible. Anyway I'l be going to assassinate some Earth Kingdom soldiers who abuse their positions, and create anti-dark spirit zones, publicly I will be hunting the Avatar."
"Be careful Zuko. Will you be going alone?" He asks with resignation obvious in his tone of voice.
"I will be careful, and I will be going alone. I can move faster that way, I keep forgetting to try long range teleportation, might help me to sneak out. I'm going to prepare for my trip, I may bring some trophies back to prove I did as I claimed." I may also send word to a regional commander with any info I come across while out, but only if it serves my interests and helps put me on the throne with major public support.
"Bye uncle, i'l try to be back within the week at most." I say while walking towards the door.
"Bye Zuko." He says as I am walking through the door, I close it behind me.
Time Skip to entrance to village Mid day.
Walking is so boring I just teleported as soon as I was out of site. I just chanced it, jumped from colony to the village. Now I walk into the village with my swords on my back, dressed in all black hoping for trouble. I walk to the store to buy some food. There's my target glaring at me, I glare back. I will enjoy killing that animal he wont be left alive to continue hurting others.
Begin Flashback
I'm taking a trip with Aang and Toph to Lee's village, it seems Gow, or someone like him is abusing the people Stealing, bullying, basically being deplorable human beings. We arrive drawing attention, among them Aang and Tophs fanboys and girls, and some nervous and shifty looking soldiers.
We're invited to the mayors house which is located where the Lee family farm used to be. When I ask the mayor if he's related to them, he introduced himself as Sensu. I bowed and said it was a pleasure to meet him with a smile. When I inquire about his families health, he informed me they were murdered by an "unknown earthbender" he says with air quotes, who uses twin hammers to fight. He says all this with a voice devoid of emotion, greatly disturbing Aang. While I grow angrier with every word, even heating up the room to point its like Sauna.
"Where is Gow?" I ask with tone as cold as ice.
"He's in the village, nobody has the courage to speak out against him anymore. You inspired some, but he beat them into compliance. He now has eight thugs helping him." He says with a defeated tone. These cowards refuse to fight their own battles.
"We'll handle them Mayor Sensu." I say with conviction. Aang and Toph glance at each other concerned for me, but I don't care, I could have prevented this. "May we return after we imprison them to inform you?" I ask, he nods yes. I walk out, Aang and Toph following with concern clearly written on their face.
"Whats wrong Zuko?" Aang finally asks. "Did you know them?"
"Yes, I did. Gow murdered them, its obvious to me, he uses twin hammers to fight with Earthbending, he had previous trouble with the family, and they took me in, gave me food and a place to stay. Who better to hurt in retaliation than people who associated with the person who humiliated him." I say with my hatred for the man obvious in my tone, and facial features. "I am at least partially to blame I think. If I had killed Gow and his thugs, maybe Lee and his family could have lived. I have to do something Aang, either he dies, or goes away without his bending, or the bending of any of his thugs." I say while omitting the fact that I'm an Energybender.
"Calm down Sparky, Aang will take his bending. If he doesn't we can always beat him up, then kill those low lifes or create our own prison." Toph says while giving Aang a look that dares him to disagree.
"Fine" Aang says compromising since we gave him options. Atleast we were reasonable.
It took five minutes for us to capture them, Aang removed Gows bending. People took advantage of his weakness and started coming forward willing to bear witness to his crimes. After a trial all members of Gows Gang were given life in prison.
End Flashback
"Can I get something hot to eat and drink? I ask the store owner. Showing a handful of gold in my hand, attracting the attention of Gow as intended.
"Sure" he says after collecting two gold coins, eager to get away from Gow who's eyes are shining with greed. How pathetic he and his friends are behind me in a semi circle, they think their so scary.
"Hey stranger, if your going to be here you have to pay taxes. Which is twenty gold, so hand it over or we'll throw you out with nothing" Gow says like the arrogant thug he is.
"If I refuse, you'll bully, and rob me like you have the people your suppose to protect and help, Gow?" I ask mockingly, purposely using his name to unnerve him. Oh look it worked he's using his one brain cell to try remembering if he told me his name.
"How do you know my name stranger?" He asks, slightly concerned. I pause dramatically before saying.
"Because i'm here to kill you and your entire gang of thugs." I say smugly.
Awkward silence, then they laugh. I wait patiently for a minute letting them finish. Arn't I nice?
"Your out numbered" Lackey one says, still laughing a little.
"True, all of you are outclassed though, any last words?" I ask calmly. While charging a one armed lightning strike in my left arm. I'm here to make a statement, not have a long epic battle. I think i'l use my bending, keep this short.
"I have some kid" Gow says with a cruel smile on his face. "I'm gonna kill you slowly to make an example of you."
"Don't worry, grampa, i'l kill you very quickly." I say in a mocking tone, as I discretely aiming my hand at Gow.
"Bye" I release the lightning blowing a hole in his chest where his heart is, or whats left of it.
I blast the three soldiers with rapid, focused fire blasts to vital areas. I incinerate there bodies with a blast of blue fire each. The fight took me less than thirty seconds, people are looking at me with awe and fear. I go ahead and take Gows hammers as a trophy, to hide in one of my warded vaults.
I see the store owner peaking from behind a door. "How much longer will the food take till its ready?" I ask.
"I-i think y-you s-should l-leave, y-your frightening people" He says shaking with fear, standing in a yellow colored puddle. Wow, I'm awesome this guy wet his pants in fear, people never do that for Azula or Father.
"I'l leave, but I only came to hurt those four people. I hope someday people will realize not all firebenders are evil." I say before walking away from village. I'l bide my time setting up anti-spirit zones till dark, then i'l set them up in the village.
Four hours later...
It only took four hours to ward the area outside the village, its not even mid day, and i'm bored I didn't think being a teenager would be this bad. I need a fight, I'l visit the Misty Palms Oasis. I think excitedly. I'l track sandbenders and Beetle headed merchants, there criminals, I can make major money, it'll be a huge challenge I think. I decide to Teleport there, cloaked completely in black to conceal my identity.
Scene change to outside Oasis.
Thankfully there wasn't anyone outside the walls. I decided to create anti spirit runes on the walls, they should last seventy something years, I added a rune for concealing to them due to paranoia. I really need a girl friend I have too much free time, I went overboard on the runes, but that's good redundancy helps, after I worked my way around I finish. Now to find some criminals to dispose of.
I see some sandbenders conveniently arriving, glaring at me. I send out a wave of electromagnetism to see if they have any gold they stole, they don't. There's four of them, they only need three to run their Sand-sailer so I decide to kill one, send the others back to their tribe while I follow projecting the illusion of a blue sky around me.
A discreetly charged fire blast and a hit to the face area to accomplish phase one. Anti-earthbending barrier, a low charged blast of lightning forked into three to stun while they were surprised they couldn't bypass the barrier.
"Leave, you criminals are no longer welcome here, tell all sandbenders if they refuse more mercenaries will come hunt them down. This is your first and last warning." I say with no emotion whats so ever.
"You can't do this firebender, this is Earth Kingdom territory." Idiot one sneers.
"I'm acting under the authority of the Earth King, I may dislike you dirt savages, but gold is gold." I say with condescension, and hatred clear in my voice. "Now get out of my sight or suffer." I then say coldly.
"Fine we'll leave." He says. Its obvious he plans to get reinforcements and return, tempting to allow him too, to bad I need the other tribes ignorant to my actions. I watch them load their friend onto the sailer and sail away. I deploy a shadow clone in front of me as I rise into the sky with gravity manipulation while concealing myself with illusions of the sky, I let the shadow clone fade after there far enough away.
I follow for thirty minutes, those things move fast If I were a lesser bender I would be tired. They finally arrive into a large camp surrounded by rocks to protect against stand storms. I create anti spirit zones on the rocks along with concealing runes.
I sneak in, they have no guards which works to my favor. The tribe leader appears to have called a mandatory meeting. He's about to speak, I discreetly summon shadow clones. Hundun really was helpful.
"Brothers and sisters tonight one of our own was murdered, we where ordered to leave our home, the Earth King has decided to bring us under his control using mercenaries. We will not bow, we will fight for our freedom, this is our territory not the Earth Kingdoms, and not the Fire Nations. Whose with me?" He yells passionately. He is good at giving speeches, time to attack.
I deploy my forty shadow clones, while igniting their tents with lightning storms. My shadow clones attack the tribe members with bending and dark energy beams. I send a shadow clone of myself behind the leader to distract him. Most of the tribe is already dead already, I used a sneak attack because in an outright fight I might lose. While the leaders distracted I generate a two armed lightning strike to hit him from behind. Which he dodges, before turning to face me glaring murderously. I decide to deal with him myself, I send my shadow clone to help the others, I count five tribe members alive of the thirty there were, twenty shadow clones left. Time to fight for me finally.
"Why are you attacking my tribe stranger?" He asks with clear and obvious hatred expressed with his every feature, and voice.
"Too protect those you steal from, innocents have suffered enough because of your barbaric actions." I say with just as much hatred. "You steal from others who have to provide for their families, to provide for your own rather than get a job like a proper role model." I shout with clear disdain, and disgust in my voice.
"What about you mercenary? You consider yourself a role model?" He asks sarcastically.
"No I'm not a father, I have no desire to be one either, all the brats do is whine. I certainly don't wanna be a role model." I say with a sneer, while discreetly charging a fireblast. "Time for you to die like the rest of your tribe." I say as I launch the fire blast at his chest. He dodges. I charge a two armed lightning strike and fire. He tries dodging, but I sweep along his path and hit him with it, he's alive but immobile, I follow up with a focused fire stream to the face area, incinerating it and killing him.
I send shadow clones to search the camp, and the bodies they find a five hundred gold coins. I have them incinerate the bodies, and sand-sailers. I pocket the gold and teleport back to the Oasis to find more criminals, preferably Beetle-headed merchants. Wiping out that one tribe didn't even take a whole hour based on the position of the sun.
After performing a walk through of the village, I decide to teleport Gows hammers to my vault. I decide to look for wanted criminals here. There's one for Jeong Jeong, Chey, Jojo, none of which are exactly easy to find. I'l just wait for sandbenders or beetle-headed merchants.
Time Skip two hours.
I decide to walk around out of boredom still keeping my identity concealed, and see several beetle-headed merchants making deals involving a lot of gold. I see four boxes full of gold ingots, I summon shadow clones and incapacitate them, and their customers.
"By order of the Earth King all illegal activities are to cease, all wealth of criminals is to be seized." I say with a voice devoid of emotion. "Soldiers" I say to my shadow clones "take all items of value from them, then hold them till I say otherwise. Soldiers you can release the customers, unless there beetle-headed merchants." They give me the confiscated wealth, I teleport it into my vault.
"Your not from the Earth Kingdom stranger, you have no right to do this!" Bug boy one says angrily.
"I'm a mercenary hired to perform these jobs, i'm considered expendable. You will inform your group of what occurred here not omitting the order from the Earth King. Which I assure you is true, you can write a letter to ask." I state calmly.
After my Shadow clones take the wealth of the Beetle-heads I say. "Merchants your free to go any further activity will result in further confiscation of wealth, imprisonment and penalties." I send most of my shadow clones out of sight and dispel them as the merchants leave. I conceal myself with illusion and follow them after there just out of sight, while dispelling the rest of the shadow clones. I follow the merchants, the beetles move slowly.
Time Skip two hours.
Note to self, kill every beetle. They finally arrived in their hideout, composed of huge man made caves, they seem to be earthbenders, and sandbenders. I send out a pulse of electromagnetism and find several things buried in the sand, in their stone walls. They seem to trust each other, which is odd.
I follow them, there seems to be only ten people here, they walk towards the nearest group.
"We were robbed by a mercenary claiming to work for the Earth King, we lost thousands of gold ingots!" He shouts with rage, drawing five more people. Fifteen targets, not a problem. I summon forty Shadow clones and attack, I spent enough time following these idiots. Twelve fell in the first wave of attacks, the rest died moments later. I had the clones search their bodies and verify their deaths, I sent the others to check for the potential gold.
Ten minutes later they return with dozens of boxes full of gold coins and ingots, silver coins, some bronze coins. Their hideouts are practically banks, and they have maps showing other settlements. The loot is five thousand gold ingots ten thousand gold coins, thirty thousand silver coins, one hundred thousand bronze coins. All within two hours and ten minutes.
I sent clones to kill the beetles. I obliterated the bodies with firebending. Then teleported the money into the vault. I create more anti spirit zones.
I have been disgusted by these criminals for centuries. Its time to be more active.
I teleport myself and my clones to the next location and conceal myself and sneak in.
Its a large grouping of tents, I send out a wave of magnetism, I detect ten sources which is odd though I suppose these are the peasants of merchants. I have enough info to attack, I send the command to the clones, remove and contain the children, these people decided this is a safe environment for them. I will remove their memories and put them into an orphanage. Forty targets, ten children removed ten clones occupied.
Coordinated Lightning Storms take out ten targets while causing panic and distraction as they are on fire, screaming. I use the opportunity to cut down ten more with a sweeping lightning strike. While my clones kill fifteen more, I perform another lighting strike destroying the remaining five. I send my clones to search the bodies and for valuables. This is disgusting, the smell of burning flesh and the screams is horrible. Logically I know this is wrong, but I know its a necessary evil to remove criminal groups that no one ever takes out. My only consolation is that I can remove the memories of the children with energybending, giving them a second chance.
Only twenty beetles were killed, odd. I thought it was one per person. I order the clones to destroy the bodies.
The clones return with several boxes, inside them is a mixture of various currencies. I still got thousands of gold silver, and bronze coins combined, I teleported it into my vault. All this wealth will help me fund my secondary objectives. I order the clones to bring me the children, they do and they are thankfully asleep. It takes three minutes to remove their memories.
I teleport myself and my clones to the next settlement, I conceal myself and have my clones do the same. They extract the children, and report twenty people left, and report two large sources of magnetic metal. I order a Coordinated Lightning storm, It kills them all. I'm glad, even if I'm not physically tired this still tires my mind. They bring me all the valuables, they tell me its the biggest score yet. I teleport it into vault after counting it, this seems be a clan that earns money together and shares it, they're essentially a company, or gang.
I removed the memories of five children, then destroy the bodies of the dead.
I teleport to the next settlement an conceal myself with illusion for recon. Its a small settlement, one family I personally kill them before they can even scream, with a single fire blast each. I detect no money with magnetism.
I am disgusted with this. I send my clones to the next settlement to kill them alone, I follow minutes later to find a smoldering ruin of tents. I find more gold, which I teleport to the vault. I send my clones ahead to the next beetle-headed merchant settlement. I see a sand sailer going by, they stop and look at the ruins. When I "try" shooting a fireblast at them they leave, I follow them back to their tribe.
There was no fight, only a slaughter, I use gravitybending to lift them up, then crush them in an explosion of gore. I take what little wealth they have and burn all evidence of their tribe. I killed forty people, thankfully I didn't see any children. I teleport the wealth to the vault, before following the clones.
They bring me more wealth, i'm tired of doing this I have become the monster people think all firebenders are. I split up the clones sending them to the other settlements with orders to use gravity bending for mass destruction then bring me the wealth and children that need their memories removed.
They return ten minutes later, I teleport the wealth away. I use energybending to remove the memories of the children. I have wiped out ten settlements of merchants with my shadow clones. They also wiped out more sandbender tribes, there all gone by sun down, anything of value was teleported to my vault. I dismiss my clones and teleport back to my camp site nears Lee's village.
Only when I sit down to relax do I notice all the blood on me, and the stench of burning flesh in my clothes. Have I become so desperate to create a perfect world, that I not only become the evil I fight, but a much greater evil? I can justify my actions knowing that i'm sparing others from being victims, but am I any better when I sink to the level of criminals and murderers? I know why I do this, I know its wrong and I feel remorse I just feel so empty in spite of that.
I get up and walk towards the village I start carving runes on houses it takes two hours before i'm done with the village. I negate gravity and rise into the sky, before heading in the direction of Lee's family farm. I have one more gift for the friend I'l never have in this life, or never had in my last. I start covering the surrounding area of the farm with anti-spirit runes, it takes another two hours because I want this family to be protected.
I return to my camp, and change clothes, destroying the ruined clothes. After lying down I realize after feeling my chi, I have twenty five percent left. Tomorrow i'l go to Gaoling, maybe re check the desert to make sure I purged all the criminals.
