Xai Bau rapped Zaheer's shoulder with the baton. "Focus."

"Sorry, sifu." Zaheer bowed his head, but his impish expression didn't look sorry at all. "There's... a lot of distractions here."

They were picking their way along a series of narrow, steep-sided mountains in the Spirit World. A pale, green-tinted fog swirled around them, rising out of the chasms below. Only a few occasional rays of sunlight broke through, but luckily Māoyan was leading their way. The kitsune floated along just ahead of the two humans, her luminous tails bobbing through the mist like lanterns. Every few hundred yards she would stop and yelp, warning them of a turn or gap in the path that would send them hurtling into the abyss. Not that the fall here would kill them, but all the same, this was a dangerous corner of the Spirit World to visit.

Xai Bau had only brought Zaheer along in order to give him more of a challenge. Every few steps or so, he would launch a sudden attack. Zaheer would do his best to outmaneuver him, while keeping his footing on the treacherous ground. It was hardly a fair contest, but Zaheer didn't seem to mind; after all, he'd been fighting to survive for several years. At least the boy didn't need to scavenge for food anymore; he and a few his friends were living comfortably at Jin's inn back in Ba Sing Se.

Meanwhile, Xai Bau was visiting Republic City in search of information on Princess Hou-Ting's kidnapping. Every other day, he meditated into the Spirit World, then sent Māoyan to summon Zaheer for more training.

"Distractions can happen at any time, never more so than when you're in combat. Provided you're in tune with the environment around you, sometimes 'distractions' can be solutions." To make his point, Xai Bau thrust his baton forward suddenly. Zaheer leaped nimbly back- only to catch his heel on a root and fall on his side. As his body rolled toward the cliff-edge, he lunged out and grabbed a patch of hanging vines, arresting his fall. A small dragon-eel spirit floated up over the ledge. Ignoring Māoyan's angry yips, it poked at the boy's tunic with its' beak curiously, before losing interest and floating away. Xai Bau let the boy pull himself back onto the path before he stepped forward.

"In battle, you have to take in everything in the time before your opponent strikes- which can be after a few pretentious insults, or the moment you face them. Sensing vibrations allows you to do so if it's hard to see, or if you can't get a visual of what's behind or beside you in time." He offered his baton to Zaheer, then rapped his hand sharply when the boy reached out. "Accepting offers of chivalry like that, makes you vulnerable. Always assume your opponent is more devious than you, and you'll never be surprised."

Zaheer rubbed his wrist as he pulled himself upright, looking chagrined. "Where did you learn that?"

"I was lucky enough to sit in on a class at the Beifong Metalbending Academy. Toph Beifong was born blind, so when she began developing her Earthbending, her training magnified her other senses. Not that you should discard sight as a tool, but if you rely too heavily on it, it's impossible to be in tune with your environment. Which is especially important if you're fighting benders."

Zaheer nodded as they continued along the narrow path. "Must give Earthbenders a huge advantage."

"You'd be surprised." Xai Bau shrugged. "Earthbenders do usually become more in-tune with vibrations, but only through the ground. They're actually some of the easiest for Nonbenders to catch off-guard, provided you get close quickly and target chi points." To prove his point, he darted toward Zaheer again, his rod lightly tapping the boy's forearms, shoulders blades, neck and knee in quick succession. "Earthbender attacks mostly involve striking or paralyzing targets from a distance- but paralyzing is much harder if their target isn't touching the ground." His thoughts flashed back to his conversation with Liu Tao, in Ba Sing Se. "If you can evade an Earthbender long enough to get within range, it's very easy to bring them down. Firebenders and Waterbenders are a bit harder to deal with, because their attacks- and their movements- tend to be much more maneuverable, even if their defense is weaker."

"And Airbenders?" Zaheer glanced up, looking eager. "I know, there's only one left, but you've met him, haven't you?"

A smile touched the corner of Xai Bau's mouth. "Not in combat, if that's what you mean. Airbenders are probably the most difficult for nonbenders to fight, because they're nearly impossible to pin down; from what I've seen of Aang's Airbending, he relies on constant movement and redirection."

"I heard that the Air Nomads used to look after all people who came to their temples, not just their own." The boy's expression turned forlorn. "They found the perfect way to live, without taking away from the Mortal World or the Spirits or each other, only giving back."

Xai Bau glanced at him curiously. Zaheer didn't open up very much, when they were training- he just practiced every fighting technique he was shown, relentlessly. His years in the orphanage and on the streets had taught him how to steal, dodge and escape, but not how to strike back. But the boy was learning fast, and no matter how many bruises he took from the warrior's rod, he always got up and demanded more. Xai Bau had never seen such determination, especially in a child. Only when Māoyan or another creature approached them, did Zaheer seem to soften and become a child again; he was always entranced by the Spirits, and seemed to prefer them over humans. Given his childhood in the slums of Ba Sing Se, that was no surprise.

"If the rest of the world was like the Air Nomads, the Hundred Year War wouldn't have happened." Zaheer continued, his expression grim. "And of course, one of the other Nations had to come along and destroy them."

Xai Bau sighed, laying his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Sadly, not all the people of the other nations are as enlightened as you and the Air Nomads, Zaheer." He remarked, his tone half-teasing. "People are cursed with different opinions."

The joke went over Zaheer's head; his tone darkened. "Yeah, but it isn't difference of opinion that turns people against each other. It's governments that force those opinions on people who don't agree with them, make their own opinions law. "

Xai Bau wasn't sure what to say to that. Personally, he was contemptuous of most governments, but the alternative was chaos, and governments usually rose out of chaos anyway. He was saved from answering by a sudden yip from Māoyan, who had halted at the next curve.

As they came around the corner, a huge, gnarled grey tree loomed out of the fog. At its' base was a vast, dark fissure between the roots. Māoyan was staring into it, the fur on her neck bristling and a growl building in her throat. Zaheer's eyes widened. "We're going in there?"

Xai Bau turned to his pupil. "...I am. We're done, for today. Go back to the grove with Māoyan and practice for another hour, then return to the Mortal World." Zaheer opened his mouth to protest, but the baton rapped his hand again. "Don't argue. I need to speak with the spirit who lives under this tree, but it will require total concentration. The slightest mistake, and you're dead. I didn't take you in, just so you could be trapped in the Spirit World for eternity and go mad."

Looking mildly annoyed, Zaheer whistled to Māoyan, who eagerly bounded up to him and hopped onto his shoulder. Xai Bau watched them re-trace the path until they were swallowed up by the fog again, then took off his reed-woven hat and strode down into the cavern. A single, narrow ray of light filtered through a crack in the ceiling, shining off the massive tap-root that came down from the tree-trunk above him.

As soon as his body came completely into the shadows, there was a rustling noise that seemed to come from everywhere at once. The old man flicked his eyes to his right. For a second, the narrow beam of light played off a black, segmented shell and row after row of hooked legs, rising and falling as a giant, centipede-like form scurried across the root-covered wall. Then the spiked abdomen followed the rest of the body into the shadows again.

"How long has it been?" A sibilant voice came out of the darkness; the rustling sound increased.

"Five years, since I last stepped in here." Xai Bau replied. He dropped into a sitting position and laid his baton across his lap, blinking slowly to accustom his eyes to the gloom. "This is the seventh time I've visited, and you still haven't redecorated."

"Forgive me. I'm afraid there isn't much need for it." A guttural chuckle came from over his head. "Most of my guests wouldn't be able to... appreciate decoration, by the time they left, and those that do usually don't return."

In his early trips to the Spirit World, Xai Bau would have kept his eyes closed when he came to speak with Koh the Face-Stealer. But now, his lessons on the Seven Chakras with Pathik came back to him: Fear blocks survival. Lies cover the truth. Illusions hide insight. He wasn't afraid of this ancient Spirit anymore, although there was good reason to be. His seismic sense already told him exactly where Koh was, so illusions of sound had no effect on him- and now that his vision had adjusted, neither did illusions of the dark. As for lies, Koh nearly always spoke the truth- he simply liked telling it in riddles, for there was a bigger risk of his victim becoming frustrated and showing emotion.

"I think, the last time you were here, you asked me something about whether it would be ethical to...alter the Avatar Cycle? Perhaps even find a way to end it?" Koh's voice purred.

Xai Bau felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, but he kept his face like stone. He had never said those words to anyone, even if the thought had passed through his mind- innocently, academically- in his younger years, before he made a vow never to take lives. But Koh's words hinted that he might say them aloud... in the future. Time passed differently in the Spirit World, and some of the oldest Spirits could see it in a non-linear form. Was Xai Bau really going to consider ending the Avatar, one day? Or was Koh simply baiting him?

"That question... hasn't come up, yet. I think you may have your timing confused."

"Perfectly possible." Koh agreed. His shadow scurried across the giant roots that framed the ceiling; the rattling of his clawed legs echoed around the cavern. "Time is an oddity for me, especially when it's connected with humans outside the Spirit Realm. When they're right in front of me, when I can see their faces, it's so much easier; one look at your eyes, and I know every decision you've ever made, or will make. But putting it in order when there's no one here, ahh... you humans have it so much easier. You have one piece of time stretched out, instead of all of it thrown at you at once. There's so many details, I can't even make sense of some of my own history."

Koh's spiked abdomen curled down from the ceiling, dangling right in front of Xai Bau's face. It twisted sideways, letting the light play off a burn scar that had cracked the armor plating and fused two of the legs together. "For example, I've no idea where this came from. It was either with a family member of one of my...guests, or an unintentional visit to the Gorge of the Phoenix. Did I ever discuss it with you?"

"You did." Xai Bau shook his head wearily. Koh nearly always asked his visitors a question, before he answered theirs; sometimes difficult, sometimes hard. Xai Bau was sure that the Face-Stealer remembered more than he pretended to, but he had to play the game if he wanted to learn anything. "it was Avatar Kuruk. He tried to kill you for stealing his fiance's face."

"Ah, yes! Much appreciated." The abdomen curled back upward, out of his line of sight. There was another rattling of arthropod legs, and the shadowy form slithered down the tap-root of the tree, coiling up a few yards in front of him. "He did take that personally, the sentimental fool. Shouldn't have been such an idler- unlike that boy who was with you outside my cave."

Xai Bau glanced quickly over his shoulder, back toward the entrance. "Zaheer?"

"That's the one! He chose his new name well, the name his birth-parents gave him was so feeble." Koh's voice sounded amused yet pleased- even a little impressed. "Not to worry, he's gone now. But I caught a glimpse of him as you arrived. There's one who will shape the world, not let it shape him. I presume he's what you came to ask me about?"

"Possibly." Xai Bau was trying to keep his questions as few as possible. Though he'd gotten better at deciphering Koh's riddles over the years- especially since the Face-Stealer tended to repeat himself- he never let himself forget that the slightest slip could be fatal. And the more questions he asked, the more riddles he would have to answer. "He... may be part of a vision that Guru Pathik gave me-"

"Pathik?" Koh scoffed, uncurling himself and slinking forward. "That up-jumped human has no idea what he's meddling with. Just because he can sort time onto a line, he thinks he's ready to interpret what hasn't happened yet."

His head raised off the ground as he approached the beam of light, and Xai Bau felt a chill. Had Pathik come to speak with Koh, after their last conversation? He steeled himself as the Spirit's head drew nearer, wondering if he would see his mentor's bearded face between the mass of mandibles and feelers. But instead, the light fell on a white female Noh mask, with grey-ringed blue eyes, shaved brows and blood-red lips. That face, he'd seen many times before; it was what Koh preferred to wear when he wasn't 'entertaining guests'.

Xai Bau fought the impulse to curl the corner of his mouth into a small smile. They'd played this game several times, and he'd never succumbed to the faces... so now, Koh tried to bait him with Pathik's uncertain fate, then again once the actual face was shown, hoping he'd react with relief. But Koh wasn't the only one who had learned from their previous games.

Koh's red-painted mouth split into a rueful grin. "I will concede that Pathik knows how to separate emotions from his actions- and that he passed that talent on to you." Two eyelid-like armored plates folded over the Noh mask. When they peeled back again, it had been replaced by the face of a dark-skinned man, with a square jaw and flaring side-whiskers. "He left the cave no wiser on the subject of his so-called 'vision', but kept his face."

Xai Bau bowed his head in acknowledgement, but didn't inquire further. Now that he knew Pathik was safe, it was the Guru's vision that he needed to discuss.

The Face-Stealer heaved a sigh of irritation, drumming his clawed legs on one of the roots. "I remember you being more fun than this."

"Maybe when I was younger, when I had less control. You can see all my decisions right now, so you already know whether or not you're going to get my face, in the end." Xai Bau shrugged. Of course, Koh had trouble sorting out their various meetings; perhaps he was thinking of one that hadn't happened yet. "This game seems pointless."

Koh's eyes narrowed angrily. The game of Faces was the only entertainment he had, and he hated anyone mocking it. "Perhaps I should test that statement on that brat of yours, when he returns to the Spirit World? I only saw his face for a moment, but it's going to play host to so many delicious emotions once he's grown a bit, you'd be surprised..."

Xai Bau shook his head firmly, wishing he hadn't tried to bait Koh. The Spirit would always answer in halves and riddles, no matter who asked questions; better that Xai Bau was the only one at risk. "Pathik told me 'A child found, a child lost, between them, blood and order cost'. Is that happening, or going to happen... now?"

"Now?" Koh repeated scornfully. His eyelid-plates blinked again, replacing the man's face with that of a silver-furred bear. "What is 'now' to me? Here in the Spirit Realm, it is everything. In the Mortal Realm it can be a split second, a day within your lifetime, a year in one of your human 'centuries'. Don't bother me with such quibbles."

Xai Bau bowed his head, conceding. He should have known better than to ask a question related to time. He'd been tempted to ask about Aang's remaining lifespan; Koh had met the Avatar before, and therefore knew his exact fate. But after Koh's remark about altering or ending the Avatar Cycle, he wasn't sure he wanted to hear the answer. "Will the 'order cost'...be in both the Spirit and Mortal Realms?"

Koh's fanged mouth twitched into another smile, and his eyes lit up. He seldom got questions about the Spirit World, since most of the beings who entered his cave were humans. "Yes...though it will affect one much more than the other. It will be dealt with by someone I've yet to meet... perhaps I never shall. The reincarnation period takes so long for the next one to mature..."

"You mean, the next Avatar?" Xai Bau resisted the urge to frown. "You can see them before they're even in existence?"

"I can see... Raava." Koh's tone softened. "I have always watched her from the very beginning, when she helped defend both Realms against Vaatu. I never dared to approach her, of course- she was constantly battling to keep Vaatu in check, she couldn't be distracted from protecting us all, sharing her light with us. But I always... worshiped her." His form shimmered slightly; the centipede armor and legs faded away, replaced by green-and-purple scales, antlers and a flowing mane... almost like a Kirin. Was this what he had looked like, in the time before the Avatar?

"When that idiot Wan interfered with their battle, Vaatu escaped and used the conflicts between the Spirits and the humans to strengthen himself. Raava was was forced to work with Wan, helping him adapt the Four Elements, and eventually they fused and became the first Avatar in order to defeat Vaatu. After they won, Wan sealed the portals between the two Realms, and he stayed on the other side. Raava was still connected with him, so she stayed in the Mortal Realm as well; I remained here, cut off from the one Spirit I ever loved. And so I became this." Koh's kirin form shimmered again, turning back into the shape of a centipede. "But there was an unexpected gift that came with my new appearance: the ability to see time for what it was, just by looking into another's eyes. But to interpret that time, and those beings' lives, was too difficult for me. And so I began to collect faces, to try to make some sense of what I had been given."

"And so, you became the Face-Stealer." Xai Bau nodded to himself. He already knew the origin of the Avatar, but he had never known Koh's connection with Raava, let alone heard the Spirit speak so directly before. He found himself leaning forward, fascinated- then he realized his eyes were narrowing in concentration and hastily made his face blank. Luckily, Koh had turned the other way for a moment, lost in his musings.

"When Wan finally died, I was able to sense Raava's energy, briefly, as she transferred herself to a newborn child who would become the next Avatar. I've come to recognize her presence whenever she passes from one Avatar to their successor, or when the Avatar crosses into the Spirit Realm." Koh's tone hardened with anger. "Wan and Raava claimed they would be the bridge between the worlds. But as long as the portals between the Spirit and Mortal Realms are sealed, the Avatar isn't a bridge; they're a lock on a door, a lock that's wearing thin as Harmonic Convergence approaches. With the coming incarnation... that lock will break, but Raava still won't be free."

The hairs on the back of Xai Bau's neck stood up again. If Raava was destroyed...maybe he had been wrong. Perhaps Hou-Ting wasn't the lost child, after all, even if she did wear golden robes. The lost child could be the next Avatar, perhaps the last Avatar. But what did that mean for Zaheer?

"The boy who came with me... will he help that break happen, or fight against it?"

Koh's head snaked back around, this time in the shape of a young woman with dark hair and green eyes. Xai Bau dropped his gaze. He'd seen that face before; it looked remarkably like his former apprentice Kaho, which was precisely why Koh enjoyed tormenting him with it.

"In a way he will, in a way, he won't." Koh's tone was back to its' usual, smug purr again. "For one so in tune with the Spirit Realm, that child is far too concerned with mortal affairs. But he'll influence others who will break the lock... and he'll break other locks, of his own."

"I suppose I'm one of the others he'll influence?" Xai Bau wouldn't be surprised if the answer was yes. Zaheer's determination, for one so young, had already captivated him on several occasions.

Koh waggled his head from side to side, mandibles and antennae rustling. "You'll no longer walk the Mortal Realm when that happens. But rest assured, when it does...You'll have my gratitude for what you've done. Even if it costs you your vow never to kill."

The old man shook his head. "There are many things that need to change, perhaps some through force. But all life is sacred; I've kept my vow for more than fifteen years."

"Perhaps you should remind yourself of that, when you come face-to-face with your apprentice's killers."

Xai Bau felt a brief chill. Ever since he'd begun the hunt for Princess Hou-Ting's abductors, the emotions he'd buried after Kaho's death had re-surfaced. Especially after he'd found an unexpected lead about the Dai Li, in the Hu Xin province. "The Dai Li weren't part of my question."

"No... but they'll contribute to what you and Zaheer will create, when you finally understand the answer." The Spirit's borrowed face took an expression that almost looked like pity. "As I said, when that happens, you'll have my gratitude."

"And you'll have my face, no doubt." Xai Bau rose from the floor and slid the baton back into his belt.

Koh chuckled. "I play the game for its' own sake, my friend. There's as much satisfaction for me in a narrow defeat, as in a hard-won victory...even if I know the outcome, it's still fun to play the role." He twisted his body sideways and coiled around the taproot, scuttling upwards into the darkness. "Until we meet again."

Xai Bau shook his head as he walked back out into the sunlight. It seemed he wouldn't live to see Pathik's prophecy come true. All he could do was make sure both Aang and Zaheer were ready, for the next Avatar's succession.

He certainly didn't trust Koh. The Face-Stealer might well be influencing events to follow his own ends; Xai Bau wasn't sure how much influence the Spirits had on fate or free will. But, the fact that Koh had once been in love with Raava hinted that he might want her order to be preserved... in one form, or another.

When he returned to the Mortal world, Xai Bau waited in his hotel until nightfall; he had one more person to see, before he left Republic City. As the sun set, he stepped out onto the icy streets of Dragon Flats Borough. Most of the housing for six blocks around had recently been leveled by Earthbending construction crews. They were making way for a new factory that would produce boilers, both for heating homes and powering steam engines on various vehicles. Just east of the construction zone was a three-block complex of buildings, interconnected by a central courtyard and topped by an ornate red-and-gold pagoda. This was the unofficial headquarters of the Triple Threat Triad, which had spent the last ten years conquering the borough from other gangs, block by block.

A pair of soldiers accosted Xai Bau as he came up the steps to the front door. Their eyes ran across his threadbare White Lotus robes, the baton thrust through his belt. Xai Bau returned the stares, noting several half-healed bruises and cuts on their faces. For once, it seemed one of the Triple Threat's victims had fought back.

"I think you must be lost, old man." The one on the left finally spoke. His nut-brown complexion and blue eyes suggested Water Tribe ancestry, as did the sea-raven tattoo on his cheek. "This place is a bit...expensive for the likes of you-"

"I need to speak to Angakkuk." Everyone in the United Republic knew Angakkuk was the Mountain Master, or leader, of the Triple Threats, even though the police still hadn't found concrete evidence. A recent assault conviction had weakened him, but his sentence had been shortened in exchange for a plea-deal and information on competing Triads. Now he was back on the streets, scrambling to re-secure his position against police, rival gangs, and his own ambitious subordinates. "He's got something of interest to me-"

"Never heard of him." The shorter Triad cut him off, taking a threatening step forward. His features looked southern Earth Kingdom, but his accent was from Yu Dao, Xai Bau's hometown. Perhaps he'd immigrated to the Untied Republic in his youth, or been born to a multi-ethnic family. One brawny forearm was marked with a panther tattoo, and the blackened left eye was accentuated by a scar running from his lower lip. "And nobody's gonna hear anything further of you, outsider, if you don't clear off."

"I'm no outsider." Xai Bau instinctively switched to the dialect of his childhood. "I've got a message for Angakkuk, one he'll wanna hear. You want to check me for weapons, get on with it." He laid his flail on the steps, dropped his wide-brimmed reed hat next to it and raised his arms with an exaggerated sigh.

The thugs looked at one another, then the taller one shrugged and bent a tendril of water from his belt-pouch. He frisked the collar of Xai Bau's robe expertly, then moved down each of the flowing sleeves. The water switched from liquid to ice as it poked, prodded and squeezed around various points on his torso; the other Triad smirked slightly as the probe passed near the old man's groin. Xai Bau didn't flinch.

After filtering his water through the hollow sections of Xai Bau's baton, the Waterbender pocketed it and nodded to his friend. "He's clean. I'll take him to the tea-parlour, you go tell Yakone." He turned back to Xai Bau, an oily smile on his face. "If you just step this way, the boss'll be down as soon as he's available, sir. My name's Sila; this is Kaeng."

They passed through a brightly-painted foyer, out another door and into the courtyard. A winding path led them through a beautifully-kept garden, decorated with stone lanterns. Although from the Northern Water Tribe, Angakkuk had adopted cultural styles from the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom as well- no doubt to make his Triad more appealing to benders from all three nationalities.

Various buildings branched off the courtyard on all sides, including a Pai Sho gambling parlor and several restaurants. Except for a well-disguised brothel, all were legitimate businesses; Angakkuk kept his headquarters away from the Triad's criminal activities. All the buildings were brightly lit, with steam rising from their boilers and chimneys. The chatter of many voices drifted from their doorways and windows; business was picking up, with the New Years' celebrations approaching. Xai Bau followed Sila up a flight of stairs and into a small, ornately decorated tea-parlor, where he was ushered to a table. Kaeng trooped up the stairs leading to the pagoda tower, where Angakkuk ran his stronghold.

Sila folded his arms and leaned against the doorpost, whistling faintly. The server brought Xai Bau a cup of ginseng tea, then retreated into the kitchen. The old man sniffed the cup warily, took a sip, then set it back down and steepled his fingers together. If the Order found out he was trading information with the Triads, they might expel him from the White Lotus. To Hell with them. What mattered now was stopping another war, and if he managed that, he would gladly accept his dismissal.

After about ten minutes, there was a commotion on the floor above, accompanied by a horrible gasping noise... then, boots on the steps. Sila glanced around, then jumped as Kaeng's twitching, writhing form came levitating down the staircase, strangled sounds coming from his throat. His foot kicked out as he floated past a shelf, catching a porcelain urn and shattering it. Behind Kaeng came a tall, thin figure, his face shadowed by a white fur cowl. Xai Bau tensed; this was certainly not Angakkuk, though his clothes were a similar style. The fur hood draped loosely over a wide-sleeved blue jacket, with silver dragons coiling down each shoulder and a crescent moon on the throat clasp. His left hand, clad in a sealskin gauntlet, was clenched into a fist as he approached Xai Bau's table, his helpless victim hanging in the air before him.

Xai Bau flicked his gaze toward the face beneath the cowl, then let it fall just as quickly, his expression wooden. He'd never encountered Bloodbending before, but he knew exactly how ruthless these people were. Showing emotion here was just as lethal as when he'd faced Koh. At least this time, Zaheer's life wasn't on the line.

The Bloodbender spoke, his voice a grizzled drawl. "Kaeng here needed a reminder, of what happens when people inconvenience me, whether they mean to or not. We don't get many White Lotus in this neighborhood; they usually bring trouble with them. I hope that's not the case, now." Sila tried to edge out the door, but the Bloodbender crooked two fingers in his direction. His body jerked off the floor as well, thrashing in silent agony.

"The White Lotus doesn't speak for me, and I don't make trouble." Xai Bau took another sip of his tea. "I met Angakkuk years ago in Yu Dao, before I joined the Order... but you're not him. Is he out of town?"

"You could say that. He went into an...early retirement." A smug grin crept over the mobster's lips as he stopped in front of the table. "Anyone asks, you didn't hear it from Yakone."

Xai Bau inclined his head, suppressing a curse. The Triads were always plotting to overthrow each other; the constant in-fighting was about the only reason the Republic City Police were able to keep up with them. It was a pity that the latest coup had happened so recently; Angakkuk had been willing to talk with the White Lotus occasionally, but this newcomer was an unknown. "So, should I ask who's inherited this... fine establishment?" He thought he knew the answer.

"That would be me." Yakone sat down across from him and waved his right hand at the server. "Two measures of baijou, neat." His left hand descended onto the table; instantly, Kaeng and Sila dropped to the floor, gasping for breath. "You've learned your lesson, boys?" Both thugs rolled over into a crouch, pressing their foreheads to the carpet in submission. "Then get out. I don't need either of you for this."

The two soldiers hastily retreated from the room, and Yakone turned back toward Xai Bau, keeping his face behind the hood. "You... have something for me, apparently?"

"Information. On the conflict between Ba Sing Se, the Fire Nation Capital and Omashu-"

Yakone waved his hand dismissively. "There's nothing you could give me on that matter that I don't know already. Unless you've got a tip on one of the next pro-bending matches, you should leave." His fingers drummed threateningly on the tabletop. "The Triple Threat already has ears in all the major cities-"

"Precisely why I wanted to speak with you." Xai Bau stole another glance at the man's profile. The upper half of the face was hidden under the edge of the cowl, but he could see a narrow, wolfish mouth, framed by dark brown sideburns along a bony jaw. "I think some of your information coming from the Fire Nation might be a bit... antiquated. Provided you have what I'm looking for, I could iron out some of those details for you. The White Lotus includes several senior ex-members the Fire Nation government... and the military."

The waiter set the baijou on the table. Instead of lifting the cup to his mouth, Yakone Waterbent it directly down his throat. I've never met him, and yet he still doesn't want me to see his face. Is he just trying to build a reputation of fear and mystery, or has someone already seen something he doesn't want them to?

The Triad leader gave a grunt of satisfaction as he swallowed the second measure of liquor. "We don't have anything as good as baijou, back at the North Pole; nothing worth distilling there, not even seaweed. Add a miserably cold climate, and it's no wonder so many of us came down here, looking for something better." He snapped his fingers in the waiter's direction. "Another one."

Xai Bau controlled his impatience. He'd already had to play mind games with an ancient spirit today; he could put up with an arrogant Bloodbender toying with him for a bit. He tapped a Go board sitting on the edge of the table. "Do you play?"

"Since I first moved here, back when this neighborhood was still called Cranefish Town." The lipless mouth curved into an enthusiastic smile. "You can go first." A small coil of water snaked up over the edge of the table and centered the board, then swept the bowl of black stones across to Xai Bau. "What is it you're looking for?"

Xai Bau placed a black stone near the corner of the board. "Any information on where Princess Hou-Ting of the Earth Kingdom may have disappeared to."

Yakone set a white stone adjacent to the black one. "Well, the Earth King and most of the papers seems to think she's being held in the Fire Nation. Maybe you should try there."

Xai Bau shook his head, adding another stone. Several Lotus members- including Master Piandao- were already busy investigating that possibility. "Obvious, but unlikely. I'll admit the Fire Lord has a motive for war, against Omashu-"

"So the Fire Lord says. King Ariq denies it, claims it's just an excuse for his blatant aggression."

"I already met with Zuko's mother and stepfather, who were victims of the attack on Hira'a-"

"Oh, that's convenient. The Fire Lord's parents were the witnesses." Yakone wasn't trying to make a point, he was just probing to see how serious Xai Bau was.

"Yes, it is convenient... but it also brings up another point: the Royal Families from both the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation are being targeted. Regardless of that fact, Zuko's confined his actions to Omashu; he hasn't made a move on Ba Sing Se. It's out of character for him to take a hostage, and even if he did, hiding or denying a hostage reduces the advantage of using them for ransom. Most of the White Lotus think one of Kuei's rebellious vassals is behind the abduction, so they're following leads all over the Earth Kingdom. I figured, if someone wanted to find a safe, secret haven after a kidnapping... what better place than the world's largest crime syndicate?"

Yakone let out a harsh bark of laughter. "What better place, indeed?" He completed an encirclement and removed two of Xai Bau's stones from the board. "Wish I could help you, but she's not here."

"Well, if you did have her, you wouldn't tell us. Not unless it gained you something." Xai Bau had his fingers pressed to the underside of the table; he could feel the vibrations of Yakone's pulse through the man's arm, resting on the tabletop. The mobster was telling the truth: the Triple Threat didn't have Hou-Ting. He'd only been half-expecting them to, anyway.

Yakone chuckled again. "You aren't wrong about that." He set another white stone on the board and downed a third measure of baijou. "Got any other theories about where she might be?"

Xai Bau turned his copper eyes back to the board for a moment. He noticed Yakone was about to encircle three more of his black stones, so he linked the next one with them, temporarily stalling the maneuver. It was time to test his theory, after everyone in the Order had been scoffing at him for years. "I think... she was taken by the Dai Li."

Yakone froze for a moment, before setting a white stone on the edge of Xai Bau's stone. "...They haven't been heard from since Sozin's Comet. Vanished without a trace."

"Oh, they left a trace for me." Xai Bau felt claws of anger grip his heart as he remembered Kaho. " And more recently, I found something else. On my way here, I stopped in the town of Puyo, the capital of the Hu Xin province; my comrade and I were sent to interview General Fong. While I was in his court...I noticed a young woman wearing an Earth Kingdom scarf, with a blank, dead look in her eyes. When I asked about her, Fong dismissed her as a new servant, and sent her out of the room. I didn't see her for the rest of our stay in Puyo." He set another stone on the board. "I don't suppose you've heard the name 'Joo Dee' before? It has to do with the Fall of Ba Sing Se, during the war."

"Search me." Yakone shrugged. "I'd never left the Northern Water Tribe before I was fifteen; by then, the war was long finished."

He was telling the truth, but all the same, his nonchalance was unconvincing. Xai Bau went on. "There's a massive lake in the Agrarian Ring of Ba Sing Se, known as Lake Laogai. Aptly named, since the Dai Li used to have a prison facility underneath it. They would... 're-educate' citizens who upset their order, discussed the war, caused any kind of trouble. The victims would forget the war altogether, sometimes be given new identities; meanwhile, their disappearance scared others into line. The best tool that the brainwashing produced was a sleeper agent named Joo Dee, who would spy on the people and act as the Dai Li's mouthpiece. Joo Dee was so effective that they gave her identity to multiple young women; no matter what the women looked like, they were always recognizable by their Earth Kingdom scarf and over-dilated eyes. Joo Dee was left in place by Azula during the Fire Nation's occupation of Ba Sing Se, because they were already useful for keeping the people obedient. When my Order liberated the city during Sozin's Comet, we accounted for all of them except one. Like the Dai Li, she vanished without a trace."

Yakone drummed his fingers on the tabletop. "If this 'Joo Dee' was still alive, she wouldn't be young anymore."

"Nor would I expect it to be the same one. As I said, the Dai Li would select multiple women to assume the same identity. If they're still operating in exile, they may well have found a way to continue practicing their 'reeducation' techniques. Some of them might be here, in the United Republic-"

"That would take quite a while to narrow down." Yakone snorted. "Half the United Republic's population are of Earth Kingdom descent, so Earth Kingdom scarves are pretty damn popular here- which you oughta know, if you're really from Yu Dao. As for young people with blank looks and dilated eyes, that's just about anyone trying to get high off cactus sap. What's your point?"

Xai Bau felt his irritation flare, but he kept his fingers pressed to the bottom of the table. Yakone had dodged the question, but Xai Bau was inclined to believe him; if the Dai Li were still at large, they wouldn't choose to hide in the city where the Avatar lived. "No one's heard from the Dai Li for two decades. Now, within a few weeks, Kuei and Zuko are at each other's throats over incidents involving their families, Princess Hou-Ting has disappeared without a trace, and Joo Dee has been spotted in the palace of General Fong- a man who, in wartime, was willing to go to great extremes to fight the Fire Nation." He put another black stone on the board, encircling four of Yakone's white ones and removing them. "If the Triple Threat really does have informants everywhere, I think you might have already known Joo Dee was in Puyo, and where she's getting her orders from. If this crisis causes a war, it will be to your benefit: refugees will flee to the neutral United Republic, giving your Triad potential recruits. More importantly, the demand for machinery and munitions on both sides will go up. And many of Republic City's heavy manufacturing industries are owned by the Triads." He didn't mention that police officers had already intercepted at least one smuggled shipment; bringing down the Triple Threat Triad wasn't his main goal.

Yakone glanced at the board and chuckled ruefully. "I should've kept a better eye on that one." He twirled a white stone between his long fingers. "I got a question for you, old man. If the Dai Li are still at large... if they're luring the Earth Kingdom into war... if the Triads are in a position to profit from said war... what the Hell could you possibly give me, that would be worth stopping that from happening? Which, I assume, is why you're here." He set the stone down on the table with a sharp clack. "I'd hate to think you're wasting my time."

Xai Bau swallowed the rest of his tea and set the cup back on the table. "War... isn't going to happen. Zuko's short-tempered, but he won't attack the Earth Kingdom unless there's absolutely no chance of peaceful diplomacy." He didn't know the Fire Lord personally, but Master Piandao had been Zuko's sword instructor, and often spoke about his character. "On the other side, the Council of Five might have pressed Kuei into action for now, but to declare an offensive war against the Fire Nation he'd have to gain assent from all his vassals- and that's very unlikely to happen, unless he can dominate them by force of arms. Which, given the sheer size of the Earth Kingdom, is nearly impossible."

"Suppose Zuko's overthrown, along with the rest of his family?"

Xai Bau glanced up, sharply. So, there was a coup planned against Zuko as well? Yakone wasn't confirming or denying it- or involvement in any Dai Li conspiracy- but his mentioning the possibility, indicated that he knew more than he was giving away. However, if Xai Bau probed too directly, Yakone might feel threatened enough to end him, here and now.

"Well... then, I suppose you'd have to take your chances with new leadership in the Fire Naion." The old man shrugged, glancing at the board. The white and black stones formed an almost unbroken line to the edge. If he tried to corner it off from the wrong direction, Yakone would envelop most of his pieces and make a decisive territorial gain. "And any leadership that overthrows Zuko would take a much more nationalist tone. Might even resurrect the Fire Nation's old claim to 'the colonies', and try to conquer the United Republic. If that happens, and they do overrun Republic City, how do you think they'll deal with Triads run by non-Fire Nationals? They won't read you your rights and give you a fair trial; they'll burn everything you cared about to the ground. Then, they'll hand what's left to your rivals, the Agni Kais."

Yakone's jaw tightened under the hood. "A problem for another day-"

"A day that's getting closer and closer, the more the tensions rise. Alternately, if Zuko remains in power, the conflict will be controlled. It'll probably become a stalemate that will be resolved as soon as the Avatar and his friends get involved. And when they find a connection, they will come for you."

Yakone belched contemptuously. "The Avatar's just a human being. For someone like me, humans are nothing but puppets."

"I don't think you'd say that, if you ever saw Aang at his full power." Xai Bau planted his palms on the table, staring at his opponent. "I witnessed him in the Avatar State years ago, at the Battle of Yu Dao. He was just thirteen, and he forced two armies apart with his bending- stopped the battle, single-handedly. Your Bloodbending's a nasty little trick, but let's see you try it on someone with the power of countless previous Avatars surging through their veins. Aang's a pretty forgiving person, but from what I read in the papers, your soldiers attacked his wife and his close friend recently. Whether you hide behind the law or challenge him directly, I'm guessing his sense of mercy will have expired."

Yakone paused for a long moment, pretending to consider the game. He seemed distracted, despite holding the stronger position on the board; his next stone gave him no advantage. Finally, he spoke. "The information you offered...I'm guessing it has to do with the Fire Nation invading the United Republic?"

Xai Bau nodded. "A contingency plan was developed by some of the Generals, about thirteen years ago; Zuko forbade enacting it or discussing it further, but copies were kept in the unlikely event of war between the Fire Nation and the United Republic. Given the current conflict, I managed to persuade some of the White Lotus' Fire Nation members to send me one." He hadn't brought the plan with him, of course; the Triads could simply take it and not uphold their end of the exchange. "Provided you have the information I'm looking for, one of your soldiers can follow me back to my hotel, and I'll hand it off to them."

Yakone chuckled darkly. "You're pretty sharp for an old man." He placed a final stone on the board, encircling Xai Bau's position. "Looks like I win. Guess I owe you something." He laced his long fingers together. "I've been going through Angakkuk's ledgers since he... retired, including some notes on his travels. There's a river that runs down from the Dragon's Back Mountains, near the border between the Earth Kingdom and the Northern Air Temple Lands. Near where the river empties into the sea, there's a small fishing village. During and after the war, Angakkuk used to smuggle goods to the North Pole out of that village. About five years ago, he went back on a visit and found it empty. No bodies, no graves, no sign of disaster. Apparently, everyone just... vanished, without a trace. But when he visited the next town upriver, he saw someone who hadn't been there the last time: a middle-aged woman, wearing an Earth Kingdom scarf."

Xai Bau's pulse quickened. If Angakkuk had seen Joo Dee, the Dai Li had to be nearby. "The name of this abandoned village?"

Yakone's wolfish mouth curved into a smirk. "I'll have Kaeng whisper it in exchange for that invasion plan you offered me, when you get back to your hotel."

"Fair enough." Xai Bau stood up. "You won't see me again."

"Oh?" Yakone did the same. "Pity, I enjoyed our game."

"The feeling isn't mutual." Xai Bau replied curtly. Indeed, he'd been holding back his distaste the entire time. The Council of Five and the Triple Threat were nearly the same, in the way they oppressed the people beneath them. The only difference was that the Triads were hiding behind commercial wealth rather than martial law- which made them even more duplicitous and difficult to deal with. He was beginning to feel more sympathy for Aang, having to deal with these wolves in human skin. But the reckoning with them could come later, after war was prevented.

He bowed his head, trying one final time to see Yakone's eyes beneath the hood, but all he glimpsed was an aquiline nose- that looked as though it had been broken, at least once. "Please pay Angakkuk my respects... if he's still able to receive them."

Yakone snorted. "That, you can take care of yourself- just visit the cemetery on the south side of Tengu Heights." He snapped his fingers and Kaeng hurried into the room, carrying Xai Bau's baton and reed hat. "Oh, and one more thing... let the Avatar know I'd be happy to meet and have a chat, when he gets back to Republic City. On one condition: we both come alone. No soldiers, no police."

Xai Bau paused, then nodded as he took the flail from Kaeng. "I'll pass it along." He set the hat back onto his shaved dome. "Happy New Year."

After returning to his hotel and making the exchange, Xai Bau settled into the corner of his room and resumed his meditations. When he re-emerged into the Spirit World, he found himself on the edge of a banyan-tree swamp. Glancing around, he noticed a familiar-looking staff lying next to a monkey statue, tucked between two of the largest trees.

"How'd your little chat with Yakone go?" A familiar voice called from overhead. "The roots of this forest link with the Mortal World, so if I'm touching them, I can track your energy across the plane. You and I only missed each other by about four days."

"Well, you might as well rat me out to the Order now." Xai Bau shrugged, glancing up. Aang was perched on a banyan branch, about thirty feet above him, dressed only in saffron-yellow trousers and boots; even though his bending vanished in the Spirit World, he was still extremely agile. "They can take my White Lotus tile after we've rounded up the culprits behind this conspiracy."

"They can't dismiss you for trying to preserve balance; it's what we're supposed to defend, after all." Aang swung off the branch and dropped to the ground, landing lightly. "If Sungwoo demands your tile for talking to the Triads, I'll speak to him on your behalf."

"I... appreciate it." Xai Bau realized he'd almost been hoping that the White Lotus would dismiss him. Was his faith in the Order really that shaken? Well, perhaps Aang could persuade them to take Zaheer in as an apprentice after he left. The Avatar had been much more receptive to his advice since he revealed Pathik's prophecy, even showing interest in his Dai Li theory. "I have news for you, from Dragon Flats. Yakone took you up on your offer to talk."

Aang's grey eyes narrowed. "It's a little late for that, after what he did to Toph-"

"I didn't say you had to take the offer." Xai Bau rolled his eyes irritably. "I'm just the messenger."

"You're right, sorry. What else did you learn?"

As Xai Bau explained what he'd learned about the Dai Li, he shook open a map, tapping a spot on the northern coast of the Earth Kingdom. "According to Yakone, they're right here, in a fishing village called Zamyn Togsgol- 'Road's End'. They may have a foothold in the Hu Xin province as well. When I was in General Fong's palace, I saw a woman who looked exactly like Joo Dee."

Aang shook his head grimly. "Fong was always a warmonger, but I can't believe he's hand-in-hand with the Dai Li."

"Whether Fong's collaborating with them or not, they probably have spies all over the Earth Kingdom. But Kuei isn't the only monarch who's being targeted. Yakone implied that someone's trying to overthrow Zuko, as well."

"At the same time as Hou-Ting, when they're already at each other's throats?" Aang looked troubled. "Can't be a coincidence."

"I agree. If the Dai Li are involved, they can't be the only ones. There's another party at work here, one we haven't seen yet."

"Zuko I could convince to stand down, and take time to investigate this... if he's getting any of our messages." Aang paced around the statue, tapping his staff on the ground. His voice shook with frustration, "I still can't... believe Zuko even considered this plan to invade the United Republic, but I have to believe he'll listen if we meet face-to-face. The Earth Kingdom will be harder; Kuei trusts me, but the Council of Five don't. They've been influencing him ever since his daughters were born, stoking his paranoia. Ariq will only add to that, and if Kuei tries to back out of their military alliance, Ariq will claim to the other vassals that Kuei's unwilling to defend his subjects, make him look weak all over again-"

"The White Lotus can handle Ariq and Kuei." Xai Bau replied impatiently. "You don't have to do everything, Avatar. I'll meet up with Nakken in the Earth Kingdom and send out a call for the rest of the White Lotus to assemble. We'll find and dismantle the Dai Li's spy cells one by one until they've got nowhere left to hide except Zamyn Togsgol."

Aang looked troubled for a moment, but he finally nodded. "All right. Katara and I are already on our way to the Fire Nation. We'll collect Zuko, go to Zamyn Togsgol and root the rest of the Dai Li out."

"With all due respect, Avatar, we don't know how many of them there are. You should at least pick up some reinforcements in the Fire Nation."

"If we enter the Earth Kingdom unannounced, backed by Fire Army troops, Kuei will assume it's an invasion. Besides, I've got access to unlimited bending power, and Katara and Zuko are both Masters of their elements. I think we can handle it."

"You're not concerned about Pathik's prediction about your death? Koh hinted that it was true, when I spoke to him."

Aang shook his head. "I'm not going to worry about it. Just don't tell Katara. She'll want to find a way around it, try to resurrect me again."

Xai Bau glanced at the blotchy scar in the center of Aang's back, where Azula's lightning bolt had struck. "Perhaps she could, if she had more access to water from the Spirit Oasis-"

"No." Aang turned around. "Life... isn't meant to be renewed, over and over. Once was enough, and that was only because I would have been the last Avatar. I have control of the Avatar State now, and I won't use it unless I'm on the verge of death. But if I do die... perhaps a shortened life is the price I pay. For abandoning the Air Nomads, for letting myself get trapped in ice for a century, while the Fire Nation massacred my people."

Xai Bau stared at him for a moment, then shook his head. "So be it. I'll contact Nakken; once we've located Joo Dee, we'll summon the rest of the White Lotus and join you." He thought the Avatar was being a bit dramatic about the possibility of his death, but it was a surprisingly enlightened response, given Aang's deep attachment to his family. And oddly, he trusted Aang to get the job done; like him, the Avatar had lost friends to the Dai Li during the war. He was still concerned that they didn't know enough about the strength of the Dai Li, but Aang wasn't a child anymore; reminding him of the danger wasn't going to change his mind.

Besides, after his conversation with Koh, Xai Bau had a nagging worry, at the back of his mind: that he might be the one to cause Aang's death, deliberately or otherwise. But the Face-Stealer had only said he would ask about the ethics of ending the Avatar Cycle, not that he would act on it. He had known from the start that Koh would give him facts without a timeline... but for the sake of the world at large, he prayed that the White Lotus would take him seriously about the Dai Li. Too much was at stake.