Fall Of The White Lotus
Chapter 10: Return
Music: Star Sky, Two Steps From Hell
"Where's Katara?!"
Toph winced slightly as Aang's roar shattered the peaceful silence in the Omashu palace gardens. His footsteps, light for a nearly grown man, swiftly approached her.
"And where's Zuko?" he added menacingly, his gaze trailing from the petite girl next to the tea table to the dent in the cushion across from her. His face darkened as he understood who had just been sitting there but had left the terrace before his arrival.
Toph slightly tilted her head as a frown appeared on her delicate features. She was annoyed that Twinkle Toes could still surprise her with his light footsteps, and she hoped he hadn't seen her flinch as she turned around, her unseeing eyes gazing at his knees.
"And why exactly are you asking me?" she bit back. "Besides, in case you haven't noticed, glaring me down won't work since I'm blind."
"Toph..." A warning tone laced his somewhat rough voice as he squatted down next to her.
The earthbender bowed her head but wouldn't give in yet. "Why don't you ask Uncle Iroh?" She'd earned the right to call her mentor uncle a long time ago.
"I would have, but somehow he's nowhere to be found," Aang said sarcastically.
The barely-concealed anger in his voice caused Toph to sigh. She knew that Iroh had vanished just now for a reason. This wasn't going to be easy.
"Sugar Queen and Sparky left Omashu last night to go on a search for Zuko's mother," she said plainly, not wanting to beat around the bush.
Aang paled. "Together?" The idea unexpectedly evoked the memory of Zuko and Katara's scene in that horrible play Team Avatar had attended on Ember Island. A wave of jealousy washed over him. "I'm going after them!"
"No!"
Aang stumbled back when a series of stone pillars rose up from the ground, effectively trapping the enraged teenager inside them.
Toph was taking a risk, and she knew it. Even without going into the Avatar State, he could destroy the whole palace if he wanted. But she had to stop him.
Fortunately, the unexpectedness of her actions seemed to have surprised Aang, and he was momentarily distracted from his anger. Seizing the opportunity, Toph scrambled to her feet and went to stand before her former earthbending pupil, who was looking at her from his makeshift prison.
In the past three years, she had grown a lot and had since long started to show signs of becoming a beautiful young lady. However, her rocky attitude hadn't changed a bit.
"Now listen closely!" Toph said, her cheeks flushed in anger as she looked up to where she suspected his face to be, following the sound of his agitated breathing. "They have gone to find Zuko's mother because Uncle asked them to. Because the Order of the White Lotus is in danger. And they are the only ones who can save it."
Aang scowled at the girl holding him captive, eyes ablaze, although he did not make an effort to free himself. Instead, he spat, "Since when is the Order of the White Lotus in danger? What does the Order have to do with Zuko's mother? And why them? If anyone can help the Order, it's me! I'm the Avatar!"
These last words he practically shouted and a few birds flew up, chattering in protest against the disturbance of their peace. But Toph merely shrugged before she averted her unseeing eyes. She seemed weary all of a sudden.
"And where exactly have you been for the past three years?" she asked quietly, silencing Aang immediately.
Subconsciously, he flinched at hearing the clear disappointment in her voice. He opened his mouth to retort and then closed it again, suddenly at a loss for words as Toph sat down and took a sip from her now lukewarm tea. Guilt washed over him as he watched her enjoying her tea, much the same way as the old General did who had passed on his passion to his young protégée. He was touched by the dejected expression on her pale features, intensified by the rising sun reflecting off of her clouded eyes.
His features softened ever so slightly at the sight. "What do you mean?" he finally asked quietly.
Sensing that he'd calmed down, Toph freed him from his prison, glad when he followed her lead and sat down on the cushion on the other side of the low tea table. Lightly, she shook her head, her black bangs falling elegantly in her face as she did so. "During the past three years, while you were traveling to let the world meet with the Avatar, the rest of us accepted the responsibility to rebuild that world. And we've made our sacrifices doing that."
She closed her eyes for a moment and enjoyed the fresh morning breeze, carrying the sweet fragrance of autumn flowers, on her weary features.
Glancing sideways at the petite earthbender, Aang temporarily forgot about his own misery, wondering whether she was thinking of her long-term crush on Sokka or her parents, whom she had run off on three years ago, never to return. No one understood better than he did how guilty she still felt about that. The events of a hundred and three years ago still lay fresh in his memory.
But Toph didn't elaborate as she sat completely still, only her bangs billowing softly in the wind.
Then she said evenly, "You know, it's been hard for Zuko to try and find a new place in the world for the Fire Nation after the Hundred Year War. He could have used some help with that."
Her dreamy tone of voice softened her reproachful words and Aang looked away, feeling hurt.
"This is all Iroh's doing, isn't it?" he asked bitterly. "Why are you helping him?"
"Because I think he's right," Toph answered quietly, then she sighed. "Please, Aang, don't go after them. Come with us to Ba Sing Se."
Aang studied her as she sat there, lovely in the pale green kimono but radiating an adamant strength. He knew that if Katara were to ask him to do something against his wishes, he could easily evade it. But the girl next to him wasn't Katara. She was Toph, and Toph couldn't be evaded.
"I'd rather stay in Omashu and wait for their return," he nonetheless answered stiffly.
Toph bowed her head. "They may very well not come back to Omashu at all," she stated darkly, causing the airbender next to her to draw in a sharp breath as he fixed a burning gaze on her.
"There's more to this than just the search for Zuko's mother to save the Order of the White Lotus, isn't it? And somehow you're in on Iroh's plans."
A shadow passed over Toph's face at his accusatory tone. "The fate of the world is entwined with Zuko and Katara's success in finding Princess Ursa," she replied rather sharply. "I won't say I'm sorry, Aang, 'cause I am not. It was Katara's own choice to go. She could have said no if she wanted to. To suggest that she has been forced to go on this trip not only is an insult to Uncle Iroh and me, but to Katara's own free will as well. It's only your loss if you can't see that."
Aang said nothing, only clenching his fists in helpless anger. But then all fury seemed to leave him and he closed his eyes in defeat, his dark eyelashes casting shadows on his cheek. "I had planned to ask her to marry me," he whispered hoarsely.
Toph paled at his unexpected confession, her unfocused eyes widening in shock. "And you think she would have said yes?" she inquired, leaving out any question about his still-youthful age.
Aang dejectedly glanced at the floor. "I'm not sure," he replied after a moment. "I can't help but think that Katara suspected something and took this search as a chance to avoid it... I...I think she has been unhappy for quite a while... With our travels and all."
His shoulders slumped and Toph smiled bitterly, involuntarily feeling for the downcast boy. With a little help from Iroh, Sugar Queen had beaten Aang at his own game. Hesitantly, she put her hand on his arm. Aang looked away but didn't pull back.
"All right, I will come with you to Ba Sing Se," he finally agreed, not seeing a hint of a smile ghosting over Toph's features as he gave in.
"Sweet. I could use some help with the walls."
In the shadows of the stately corridor Iroh folded his arms into the long sleeves of his robes and smiled serenely.
"Well done, Toph," he whispered.
"We've missed you, Iroh," a customer said gratefully as Iroh poured him some more tea.
"You've never been gone for such a long time."
The Ba Sing Se teashop was once again filled with customers, and Iroh was beaming.
"I've been to Omashu on urgent business," he smiled enigmatically, and then enthusiasm replaced the sharp glance in his eyes. "But while I was there, it presented me with the perfect opportunity to buy a very special tea from this famous Omashu tea merchant. It's called Monkey King, and I would definitely recommend it."
Over the past three years, the inhabitants of Ba Sing Se had become accustomed to the constant sound of stone coming down in the mighty city. A special brigade of Ba Sing Se earthbenders, led by Toph, had taken on the task of breaching the inner walls, which for centuries had divided the inhabitants on grounds of social status and wealth. Quite of few of the brigade were former Dai Li agents.
It was a cold, sombre afternoon when the inhabitants of a trade district in the eastern part of Ba Sing Se were startled out of their work by a rumbling sound from outside. They huddled in their cloaks against the bleak wind as they left their work to take a look. It appeared that Lady Toph's earthbenders had arrived to breach the wall between them and the neighboring district.
A murmur went through the quickly-growing crowd, followed by surprised gasps when suddenly a small, white, long tailed animal with excessively large ears hopped onto the wall, squeaking loudly. It sat down and looked around with a permanently amazed look in his jade green eyes, seemingly oblivious to their presence.
Then an agitated girl's voice sounded from behind the wall. "Aang, I told you not to bring Momo with you!"
Someone mumbled something unintelligible in reply, which was followed by a sharp command by the girl. "Men, wait a moment for Aang to catch Momo."
On the other side of the wall eyebrows were raised when a tall boy, clad in yellow and orange, landed nimbly on the wall. His lips curling into a big grin, he used a simple airbending trick to suck a panicked Momo into his arms. Then he noticed his astonished audience. His grin widened even further and he waved cheerfully before he disappeared again.
Almost immediately thereafter, the wall crumbled into a thousand pieces, neatly piling up on the ground as the boy and girl relaxed their stances with satisfied smirks on their faces. The sturdy earthbenders surrounding them eyed the result with deadpan expressions on their faces.
Another wall of Ba Sing Se had been levelled to the ground.
As autumn set in, the weather in Ba Sing Se grew more bleak with each passing day, and Iroh was satisfied to notice that Toph's little speech in Omashu had made an impression on the young Avatar.
Playful as ever, he worked hard to aid Toph's brigade and even developed a quicker way to breaching the walls, much to the brigade's approval and Toph's chagrin. But Iroh knew that she was secretly proud of her earthbending student.
With winter fast approaching, dusk fell earlier each day, and the three of them spent the long, quiet evenings in the antique shop that Iroh called his living room, drinking tea and discussing the state of the world and their views on the future in a peaceful atmosphere.
And when everything had been said, the old general taught them the noble play of Pai Sho.
During those evenings, Iroh would observe the youngsters keeping him company; his sharp eye didn't miss the deep friendship between the young Avatar and his earthbending teacher. It went much deeper, in fact, than the bond between his nephew and Katara, which initially had barely gotten the chance to grow, due to the time Zuko had spent as the Avatar's enemy.
Iroh noticed that the young Avatar showed a touching care for Toph which he didn't display for anybody else, not even for Katara, whom he treated most of the time with a possessive admiration. The otherwise sturdy Toph, surprisingly, let him. And although she was often harsh with the Avatar, her upbeat character somehow managed to ease some of Aang's pain about Katara's sudden departure.
One evening, when Iroh was explaining the subtleties of creating right and wrong harmonies in Pai Sho, Aang's gaze trailed to Toph, sitting motionlessly across from him. As always, when Iroh let them in on the many secrets of the game, she was listening intently. Her hands were folded in her lap as Iroh moved both a Rose tile and a Jasmine tile to show Aang one particular move.
She was so eager to learn the game, but she was only able to imagine the moves in her mind. A sad smile tugged at Aang's lips as his softening gaze strayed to rest on Toph's blind, delicate features. Then his jaw set in determination. He rose to his feet and bowed respectfully to Iroh, then excused himself, asking pardon for not being able to join them for a series of evenings.
On the fourth evening after his disappearance, he finally returned, carrying a present for Toph with him. Toph's eyes widened when he sat down across from her.
Over the past few days, she had become quite irritated by his evasiveness, but now a smile tugged at her lips as she accepted his present. Carefully, she let her sensitive fingertips trace the surface, her mouth forming a silent 'oh' when she realized what the filmy, wooden ridges lining the boxes meant. It was a Pai Sho board, adjusted to her visual impairment. A set of beautifully carved tiles accompanied the board.
Toph flushed a deep crimson as she let her fingers run over the result of Aang's patient work.
"Still not used to getting presents, are you?" Aang joked good-naturedly in an attempt to put her at ease.
She mumbled something unintelligible and punched him lightly in the arm to thank him. Her face was beaming when she took a Rock tile from the box to examine it.
A proud smile graced Aang's lips as he rubbed his arm, glad that she appreciated his gift.
In the meantime, Iroh had picked up the Pai Sho board, his eyes sparkling in approval as he studied the intricate structure of the board and admired the artistry of the carvings on the tiles.
"This is indeed beautifully done, young Avatar," he commented on the work. "I see you've developed quite a skill in carving."
A painful silence suddenly descended upon them, and Toph squeezed her Rock tile as Aang lowered his gaze.
Over the past few days, they had quietly settled into a safe routine of breaching the walls of Ba Sing Se and spending their evenings at home with General Iroh. They had cherished the peaceful atmosphere in the safe knowledge that some subjects would not be touched upon.
However, with his casual remark Iroh had reminded Aang of his ties to Katara, and the reason for him staying here in Ba Sing Se with him and Toph in the first place. Suddenly, the airbender realized that Toph's company had prevented him from worrying over Katara too much. And he also felt a strange reluctance to leave Ba Sing Se - and Toph - in the near future to continue his travelling with Katara.
The feeling surprised him, but couldn't be denied.
For her part, Toph was overcome by a feeling of sadness when the elderly man, whether intentionally or not, reminded her of the fact that her time with Aang in Ba Sing Se was merely stolen time while Katara was away with Zuko. Angrily, she shook her head.
From his seat by the window, Iroh had been watching their awkward reactions with amusement. His clever gaze betrayed that he'd meant for his remark to cause this agitation with the young people. But he pretended not to have noticed the sudden change in atmosphere as he lowered Toph's Pai Sho board and said cheerily, "Well... Because of this beautiful board I can finally start teaching Pai Sho to my dear pupil for real this time. But not tonight. No, tonight I will tell you more about the Order of the White Lotus."
Two heads jerked up in surprise, and Iroh smiled. He'd achieved his goal, knowing that he had their attention.
Up until that moment, he had purposely evaded all of their questions concerning the Order of the White Lotus.
"Does that mean that you're finally going to tell why you've sent Zuko and Katara away?" Aang asked, a hint of annoyance lacing his voice, though Toph noticed that he didn't put so much of an emphasis on Katara's name.
Iroh bowed his head. "If I remember correctly, Lady Beifong has already told you the reason why I asked my nephew and Princess Katara to go on this search," he replied a bit sternly, and Aang looked away. Iroh's answer irritated him, but also made him feel a bit ashamed.
"And," Iroh continued serenely, "that's why tonight I'd like to tell you something about the recent history of the Order, her ties to the Avatar, and how I became the Grandmaster."
Both teenagers shot up straight, and Iroh smiled amusedly before he took a sip from his tea.
"Though its members can appreciate a good cup of tea," he began in a sing-song tone of voice, "the Order of the White Lotus isn't some old men's tea group of mine that I started in my spare time."
Aang and Toph both flushed under Iroh's dry gaze, embarrassed by his sharp insight in their not-so-very-flattering image of his Order.
"I already came to understand that," Toph hastened to defend herself, and she received a warm smile from her mentor.
Aang looked at her attentively. Not for the first time, he wondered how much Toph already knew about the Order and - above all – of Iroh's latest machinations concerning Katara.
Iroh nodded indulgently. "Yes, you've already learned a few things, but still I want to put things into perspective, especially for the young Avatar here. Like I said, I didn't start the Order of the White Lotus. In fact, the Order is old, very old. Its history dates back to the days when the first benders appeared and the Avatar Cycle came into existence. And as long as the Order of the White Lotus exists, it has maintained a strong connection to the Avatar."
The old man stared at a point behind them. "To the law of the divided four elements, the Avatar is the exception. The Avatar breaks this rule by bringing all four elements together in one person while uniting the peoples of the four elements with all they have in common. The Order of the White Lotus represents the same ideal - the unity of the four elements, rather than their separation from each other. One of the main reasons for the Order's existence can therefore be found within the task to oversee the upbringing of children recognized as the next Avatar, to make sure they are raised with this principle. When a child is recognized, the Order of the White Lotus assigns to the child a guardian who watches over the child's education. The intensity of the guardian's involvement depends on the family structure. Sometimes the guardian only fulfils the role of confidant, sometimes he or she becomes a substitute for absent parents..."
Aang sighed deeply and closed his eyes as he thought of his own guardian, Monk Gyatso, whom he still missed. He had already discovered that his mentor had been a member of the Order of the White Lotus, but it was a shock to him that Gyatso's involvement in his upbringing had not only been the will of the Air Nomad elders, but that he had been fulfilling an assignment from the Order of the White Lotus as well.
A soft nudge to his shoulder made him look up, and he caught Toph's reassuring smile. Gratefully, he took her hand and lightly squeezed it.
Iroh had watched with satisfaction as Toph's surprisingly subtle comforting gesture pulled the Avatar from his sadness.
"The guardian assigned to watch over the Avatar's upbringing," he continued quietly, "has always been a member of the Black Lotus Council, the highest council within the Order of the White Lotus. And the guardian has devoted his or her life to the Order's philosophy because of his or her bond with the Avatar during his previous life. His or her ultimate task will be to guide the next Avatar to adulthood. For Aang, his guardian was Monk Gyatso, who had been Avatar Roku's best friend among the Air Nomads in life."
Iroh paused for a moment, then added, "Additionally, the person who has taken on the task of being the Avatar's guardian also becomes Grandmaster of the Order of the White Lotus."
Aang sharply sucked in his breath. "Gyatso was the Grandmaster at the time?"
Iroh nodded. "The wooden necklace you wore at Zuko's coronation has been the sign of the airbending Grandmaster of the Order for centuries, only used when the Avatar Cycle would return to the Air Nomads. Of course, that mustn't keep you from wearing it," he added reassuringly the moment Aang's cheeks flushed in shame. "The necklace has lost that specific meaning with the disappearance of the Air Nomads. Instead, it has gained a new one – it has become your memory of your guardian, much like Princess Katara's necklace isn't a betrothal necklace either, but a loving memory of her mother."
As his voice trailed away, Iroh noticed that Toph was watching him with an unspoken question in her empty gaze. He sighed. After all these years, he still dreaded giving a recounting of the following events accumulating in the answer to his pupil's question.
"Once Avatar Roku had passed away," he continued softly, "the Avatar was reborn into the people of the Air Nomads. Monk Gyatso, airbending representative in the Black Lotus Council at that time, became Grandmaster as soon as Aang was recognized. In line with Air Nomad tradition, the young boy was raised in the all-male Southern Air Temple, where Monk Gyatso became his guardian. For twelve years, the child Avatar lived in the sheltered atmosphere of the temple, ignorant of the rapidly-worsening situation in the world.
"Then, a black day arrived. Fire Lord Sozin who, during their fallout, had done nothing to prevent Avatar Roku's death, had gone on a frantic search for the next Avatar. When the Great Comet returned after an absence of one hundred years, he wiped out the peoples of the Air Temples in an attempt to kill the child. He could never have expected, though, that the Avatar had just run off on his guardian and would not be seen for the next hundred years. In one day, the Order of the White Lotus had lost both the Avatar and its Grandmaster."
Aang's eyes widened in shock. Iroh's even tone couldn't conceal the despondency behind his words and, for the first time in his life, he began to see the magnitude of despair the events of a hundred years ago had caused the Order of the White Lotus.
"The remaining members of the Black Lotus Council assembled in total devastation, knowing the nation of the Air Nomads to be completely obliterated and their Grandmaster dead. However, they already knew that despite his efforts, Fire Lord Sozin had not succeeded in putting his hands on the young Avatar and that the boy miraculously had escaped the massacre of his people. The Council then decided to undertake a search for the Avatar, which would continue for decades."
Iroh quietly took another sip of his tea, as Aang and Toph had completely stilled, entranced by his story. "Many years followed and eventually, Fire Lord Sozin died. He was succeeded by his son, Fire Lord Azulon. He managed to increase the military efficiency of the Fire Nation war machine. Once again, many decades passed in which the Fire Nation's expansion continued and both the new Fire Lord and the Order of the White Lotus fruitlessly kept searching for the child Avatar.
"Then, about eight years ago, the Black Lotus Council received report of a palace coup having taken place in the Fire Nation. Fire Lord Azulon had died under suspicious circumstances, although he was known to be in good health. His death had resulted in the mysterious banishment of Princess Ursa, wife to Azulon's second son, Prince Ozai. And, instead of the Fire Lord's eldest son, his much younger second son ascended to the throne, only days after the Crown Prince had lost his only son in the siege of Ba Sing Se."
Both Aang and Toph lowered their gazes as the old man fell silent, a grief-stricken expression passing over his face. His pain reminded them of the fact that their old, tea loving friend was originally destined to be the next Fire Lord, in the safe possession of an heir of his own, the son whom he had loved dearly. Giving Iroh some space to recover, they patiently waited until he was ready to continue his story.
After a moment in which he closed his eyes and sighed deeply, he gave them a sad smile and continued. "The Council immediately acknowledged the danger of the situation. As opposed to his older brother, Prince Ozai was known for his ruthlessness and lust for power. His assumption of the throne was expected to worsen the already fragile state of the world, whereas the Order had been hoping for peace, once Fire Lord Azulon would have passed away."
Once Iroh would have ascended to the throne, Aang and Toph silently filled in Iroh's modest words.
"During that time, I had just entered the Black Lotus Council, as firebending representative - one of the last firebenders who still respected the old ways. The other members were King Bumi for the Earth Kingdom - who, like Gyatso, had personally known Avatar Aang, and Master Pakku for the Water Tribes. The Council decided that the urgency of the situation required immediate interference. Any hesitation would most probably lead to the doom of us all.
"The main goal of the Order of the White Lotus has always been to support the Avatar. But given the circumstances, the Council, against thousands of years of tradition, decided with pain in their hearts to stop the search for the child Avatar, who hadn't been seen in a hundred years. Instead, the Council's attention shifted toward the alarming developments in the Fire Nation, and the centre of their focus became the the new heir apparent to the throne."
"Zuko," Toph and Aang both whispered in shock.
Iroh nodded. "With my only son having passed away and myself excluded from succession, Zuko, who originally had been fourth in line behind myself, his cousin, and his father, had become the new Crown Prince of the Fire Nation.
"He was eleven years old at the time, and all he had ever known was his mother's love for him. During his youngest years, this love, along with my protection and his brotherly bond to my son, had shielded him from his father's contempt and his sister's cruelty. And although he was a rather impatient child, Zuko was also exceptionally kind and peaceful.
"As the situation in the Fire Nation was worsening rapidly, he became the Order's only hope for peace. But the situation the child had ended up in after his mother's banishment was a source of great concern to the Black Lotus Council, as he was being left at the mercy of two of the most dangerous people on earth. So it was that the Council came to the radical decision to place a guardian with the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation. This guardian was assigned with the difficult task to teach him the ways of the Order of the White Lotus and keep him safe from harm. And the guardian became the Grandmaster of the Order of the White Lotus. Me."
Iroh smiled at the stunned faces of the youngsters under his care.
Darkness had fallen over Ba Sing Se as Iroh was telling his story, and his servant had quietly lit various lamps in the small living room.
Even Toph's features expressed astonishment as Aang stared at the elderly man with his mouth open. Never before had they wondered how the old Fire Nation General, grandson of Fire Lord Sozin himself, had become the Grandmaster of the Order of the White Lotus. They had just accepted that he was. But now all became clear to them.
General Iroh, who had been the exception to an endless line of guardians to the Avatar, had taken upon himself the impossible task of bringing peace to the world by becoming guardian of his nephew, Crown Prince Zuko - and he had succeeded.
Eventually Toph asked, "So, the Order of the White Lotus tried to raise Zuko like they had done with all the Avatars?"
She and Aang tried to picture their dear friend, angry and hurt as he had been at the time, who had unwittingly taken Aang's place as the Order's only hope for restoring balance in the world. They started to see him in a whole new perspective.
Iroh nodded and elaborated, "We hoped to create another way of ending the war. However until then, the Order had only had experience with good-willed and proud parents wanting the best for their children, and they - we - still underestimated Ozai's cruelty and influence on his son. The harm he managed to inflict on his son despite my – our - protection ultimately resulted in Zuko's obsessive search for the Avatar, which controlled our lives for three long years. You know the rest."
When Aang and Toph finally retired for the night, the airbender automatically took the blind girl by the elbow to gently lead her through the muddle of objects, even though she had lived in Iroh's stuffed house for much longer than Aang. She didn't protest, though.
Toph was already climbing the stairs when Aang hesitated and turned around.
He looked down on Iroh's slightly hunched silhouette in the dimly lit living room and asked, "Do Zuko and Katara know about this?"
For a moment he thought Iroh hadn't heard him, but then he heard the soft, regretful reply.
"No."
A/N: Since there was no prompt from Zutara Eternity on dA this week, I was able to write the Taang intermezzo I have been wanting to write.
Things to note about this chapter: The tea Iroh refers to, Monkey King, really does exist. It's a quite expensive but very tasty green tea. Of course, this can also be a reference to the statue in Iroh's living room.
In this story the Black Lotus Council is the highest council within the Order of the White Lotus. Consisting of four people, the members are all representatives of each bending ability. Since the Order itself is called the Order of the White Lotus I've named its high council the Black Lotus Council, like Yin and Yang.
As always, I would like to thank my beta Crimson Eyed Sakura for her wonderful suggestions.
Thank you all very much for the reviewing!