This time, we have a new reviewer! Kelev reviewed last chapter, along with A711owner and Wavebreeze. I'm really hopeful that this fic will finally start to pick up. It really inspires me to work on more characters, some of them you may never expect to be written about. Such as this character, the Earth King Kuei. Let's see what went through his mind when he was betrayed, lost his kingdom, and regained it again.
Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.
The large doors at the far end of the wide room blasted open, letting in a violent rush of air. As the dust cleared, I could see a boy dressed in blue on the ground, rubbing the back of his head. I could feel my hands grip the sides of my seat harder, my fingers turning white as three other figures barged in as well. Helping the boy up, they raced down the aisle and straight at me. "Who are you?" I demanded with a gasp, just as a line of men in dark green robes lined up before me, facing the intruders aggressively.
Immediately, they held their ground, standing in a horizontal line across the room and whipping out their set of very unique weapons. There was a bald boy with a blue arrow on his head standing to my furthest left. He seemed to be the youngest of the bunch, wearing a yellow and orange robe-like tunic and holding a staff to his side. "We have to talk to you," he stated strongly and firmly, his eyes set straight to me.
My most trusted advisor, Long Feng, who I had known throughout my life, turned to me with a grimace. "They're here to overthrow you," he replied, waving his arm at the invaders. Seeing how they brandished their weapons at me, I would say I agree with him.
"No, we're on your side." The boy who fell in insisted. I got a better look at him, as he seemed to be the oldest of the bunch. He was the second person from the right, and wielded a set of bladed clubs. Although I was a bit intimidated, I was also curious to see how the clubs were used, as nothing in the Earth Kingdom was remotely close to that.
"You have to trust us." A girl standing between the club wielder and the bald boy emphasized in a gentler but just as tough voice. She was also dressed in blue, which made me believe that she was probably related to the one on her left. For some strange reason, her weapon of choice was a stream of water, hovering in the air just in front of her. I had no idea how it stayed floating like that, and that only made me more suspicious.
Frustration building inside me, I decided to take action. Taking a deep breath, I gathered all the courage inside me, forcing myself to my feet and confronted these unruly guests. "You invade my palace, lay waste to all my guards, break down my fancy door, and you expect me to trust you?" I retorted, glaring at them through my glasses, "If you are on my side, then drop your weapons and stand down!" I commanded firmly.
Finally, all four relaxed their stances. My eyes tilted from left to right, seeing the staff dropped, the water placed back into a sash on the girl's waist, the bladed clubs hit the ground, and a large boulder released. My eyes stayed on the far right, where a fourth group member, a girl in dirty Earth Nation garbs stood idly. Out of the four, she was the only one that probably resembled anything I knew. But it was her misty eyes that scared me the most, as those dull spheres sent a sharp piercing sensation through my body.
Nonetheless, I let Long Feng take over. The balding man raised a hand in the air. The Dai Li agents, the palace security guards, threw out earthen handcuffs and bound the invaders' wrists behind their backs. "Detain the assailants," Long Feng ordered, the team sliding across the hall before screeching to a halt behind them. Despite their protests, I heard Long Feng say, "Make sure the Avatar and his friends never see daylight again."
Suddenly, I halted. Turning to my long-time confidant, I couldn't believe the words coming out of his mouth. I had heard stories of the Avatar from my ancestors, all of whom were Earth Kings before me. In fact, my ancestor from six generations back actually had a chance to work with an Avatar, an Earth Kingdom woman named Kyoshi. So, hearing that the current Avatar was with us, I couldn't help but get curious. "The Avatar? You're the Avatar?" I asked, pointing at the male teenager in blue.
The teenager tilted his head to the right, in which the bald boy waved at me. He pretty much proved his ability when he did earth bending on the handcuffs, freeing his arms to signal to me. Despite the friendly overture, Long Feng soon cut in, claiming that they were enemies of the state. "Perhaps you're right," I muttered, mulling it over. To my advisor, I was nothing more than a child, so who was a kid like me to question my elders?
Just then, my pet bear lumbered up to the group. It was about a week ago that we threw a party for him, and I did recall seeing someone similar to the Avatar's appearance do a performance that really got Bosco's attention. I didn't catch too much of a glimpse, as within seconds of me being carted out on a palanquin, I was pulled away again. I wasn't sure if the performers were seen as invaders or something like that, but the party was nearly called off. Yet, seeing Bosco give the Avatar a lick, I couldn't help but crack a smile. "Though Bosco seems to like him," I pointed out, "I'll hear what he has to say." I had never seen anyone like them before, so it wouldn't hurt to find out more, right?
The bald boy came forward and introduced himself as Aang. "There's a war going on right now, for the past one hundred years, in fact. The Dai Li kept it secret from you. It's a conspiracy to control the city, and to control you," he stated, his grey eyes staring right at me, "Long Feng didn't want us to tell you, so he stole our Sky Bison to blackmail us. And blackmail's the least of his crimes, as he brainwashed our friend!"
Long Feng turned to me with an unimpressed face, claiming that he had never even seen such animals before, as he thought they were extinct. Taking a seat on my throne, I mulled everyone's words carefully. The large, dim chamber was in complete silence, the small flames dancing in the shadows around each stone pillar. Turning my head slightly, I could see Long Feng's determined eyes right at my face. Sighing, I made my decision. "I have to trust my advisor," I concluded, waving the guests away.
Suddenly, the Avatar and his friends had a strange suggestion. Turning to Long Feng, they demanded that he lifted his robe. My trusty minister naturally refused, and I admit that should I be placed in the same situation, I would too. But Aang did almost the unthinkable as he sucked in a huge breath of air and blew it towards Long Feng. I could only shield my face as the head of the Dai Li took the force head on, his robe flapping up and into his face. Although I couldn't see it clearly, I could hear the Avatar's group yell excitedly as the wind died down, pointing at a weird pattern on Long Feng's lower leg.
Upon hearing that, Long Feng insisted that it was an old birthmark that he wasn't particularly proud of. But the evidence soon became clearer as the youngsters brought in a large, white, furry, six-legged animal. Aang got the bison to bare its teeth, comparing them to the markings of Long Feng's legs. While the match was strong, I was still quite unconvinced of their crazy conspiracy theory and talks of a secret war. "But this matter's worth looking into though," I pointed out, "So where do you want us to start?"
"That's a drill. A giant drill made by the Fire Nation to break through your walls," Sokka, the teenage boy dressed in blue explained. After some careful consideration, I decided to go along with the Avatar and his group to check out some of the evidence that point to this so-called conspiracy and secret war. We originally rode on a monorail to Lake Laogai, and I truly didn't expect it to be packed with people. But then again, I had never been outside the palace throughout my twenty-five years in existence, so seeing the city of Ba Sing Se as a whole was a completely new experience for me.
But when we got to Lake Laogai, we didn't find what they claimed. Toph, their earth bender, lifted a series of rocks resembling a runway from the water. That act truly impressed me, as they told me that Toph was blind. To have a blind person do that was truly amazing, but excitement was soon replaced by annoyance as no secret passage was present. Claiming that the group was wasting my time, I was about to return to the palace when Sokka offered to bring me to the Outer Wall of the city. As an added bonus, he told me I could become the first Earth King to fly a Sky Bison if I tagged along.
And after a terrifying but exhilarating ride, we finally reached the Outer Wall. I gathered enough courage to look down, my head still spinning from the flight, but the scene couldn't be clearer to me. A large metallic machine was imbedded into the wall, the surrounding area fenced off as soldiers stood on guard on top of the wall. "I can't believe I never knew," I murmured, bowing my head in shame as Aang landed Appa on the wall. As we disembarked, I could only grip the side of the wall, my eyes staying on the machine below. On the hull was the Fire Nation insignia, positioned front and centre on the drill and reflecting the sunlight at me almost tauntingly.
Just then, Long Feng shot up from a nearby trapdoor, with two Dai Li agents accompanying him. Stepping up to us, he had on his usual stoic demeanour as he offered to explain the presence of said drill, claiming it was a construction project funded by the Fire Nation. "You know you can't trust domestic machinery," Long Feng explained. Even with the usual authoritarian tone, I could hear the stutters in his voice.
I could feel my head swing back and forth between my most trusted advisor and the group of children. My mind spun more violently than ever before, as I couldn't just throw out everything Long Feng taught me throughout my life. On the other hand, no one, not even the Earth King, could disregard the claims of an Avatar that easily. I took one more look at the drill below, with that Fire Nation symbol carved into the top, and I realized that the evidence was too great. Turning to the guards, I simply ordered, "Dai Li, arrest Long Feng. I want him to stand trial for crimes against the Earth Kingdom."
I could see the shocked expression on Long Feng's face, as my closest confidant was apprehended by the two agents to his either side. I figured that he probably felt a bit betrayed by my actions, but I had to do something for my kingdom right now. Because I took the throne at the age of four, I simply didn't have the knowledge of the kingdom to make crucial decisions. Long Feng had been in the bureaucracy since then, and had been with me during the time I grew up. He slowly worked his way to this position as the head of the Dai Li and as a chief minister, staying loyal to me throughout. But right now, the proof against him was just too strong. If he were the chief minister, the least he could do was to clear up the situation. So, when the Dai Li took him back down the same shaft he came up from, I turned to the Avatar and requested to be taken back to the palace.
There was complete silence during the flight back, compounding to my already increasing level of shame. How could I have been so blind to what the world was going through? My own capital city was almost invaded, yet I sat on my throne expecting the Dai Li to protect me, only to have them double-cross me and cover up the incident. Given that they were the cultural police, had they denied this knowledge to the citizens as well? How many lives were at stake should the Fire Nation succeed in their invasion? As Appa landed at the palace, I trudged back to the throne room, my head dipped lower than ever before. "I want to thank you young heroes for opening my eyes," I told Aang's group as I climbed onto my throne, "All this time, what I thought was a great metropolis was a city of fools, and that makes me the king fool." I stated, shielding my eyes with one hand.
I could feel four sets of emotionless eyes piercing through my body. I didn't know if they were disappointed at such an imbecile being a king, or if they were trying to take pity on me for my blindness to the world. I didn't want their assurances right now, as all this was brought upon me by myself. As I continued to admonish myself, Sokka spoke up. "We think you can help us end the war," he explained, telling us that a comet would come by summer that would empower the Fire Nation even more, to the point where they could wipe out the world. "Before the comet comes, we have a window of opportunity. A solar eclipse is coming. The sun will be entirely blocked out by the moon, and the fire benders will be helpless. That's the day we need to invade the Fire Nation!" He declared.
At first, I was unconvinced, as any invasion required a lot of manpower. To move all those troops out of Ba Sing Se and onto another battlefield would leave us vulnerable. Just as I was about to make my point, Sokka corrected me yet again. "You're already vulnerable. The Fire Nation won't stop until Ba Sing Se falls. You can either sit back and wait for that to happen, or take the offensive and give yourself a fighting chance."
Instantly, I could feel a surge of energy race through me, pushing my slouched posture into a straight one and lifting my chin away from my sternum. Sokka was right, I thought. Instead of grumbling over the past mistakes, I should focus on the future and use every means to rectify it. Turning to Aang's group, I agreed to their demands and told them I would contact the Council of Five, the top generals of the Earth Kingdom to plan for this invasion. For all the years that I had lived with such an immature mindset, seeing the world with rose-coloured glasses on, this was the least I could do. It was time for me to grow up and faced the world like a man, and nothing was going to stop me.
"Aang and Sokka, I wish you a good journey." I told the Avatar and his Water Tribe warrior friend, who were positioned right before Appa. After Long Feng's arrest, we raided his office, and it turned out that he was spying on the Avatar's group the whole time. He even intercepted their mail, including one from Sokka and Katara's father, who had a fleet of Water Tribe ships guarding the bay that sailed straight into Ba Sing Se. As well, there was one for Aang from a guru at the Eastern Air Temple who offered to teach him some new skills. "Ba Sing Se owes you its thanks, and we look forward to your safe return." I concluded, just in time to see them return with a bow.
I beamed as I watched Sokka and Aang get onto Appa. Because one person must stay to discuss battle plans, Katara volunteered to remain at the palace. We also received a letter hidden in Long Feng's office that Toph's parents were in Ba Sing Se, and had wanted to see her. Since that would take Toph's attention away from the planning, Katara was the only one available. As Katara and I were about to take the steps back up to the palace, one of the guards approached. "Your majesty, there are three female warriors here to see you. They're from the island of Kyoshi." He reported, signalling below.
I glanced down just in time to see three young ladies. They were dressed in green robes, with strange decorative pieces sticking out their hair, and their faces covered in white make-up. I had been told by both the Council of Five and the Avatar's group, who supposedly knew these warriors quite well, that they were on their way to the city. "Let's welcome them as honoured guests." I decided, instructing the guards to summon them.
I saw the Avatar take off with Sokka, while Toph bid us farewell as she wandered into the city. Katara was the only one left, and she decided to wait for me in the Council's planning room. As the guards lined up, I welcomed the visitors. "In our hour of need, it is with the highest honour that I welcome our esteemed allies, the Kyoshi Warriors!" The threesome got to their knees and bowed before me just as I announced their names.
After a quick introduction, I invited them into the throne room. This would be where the warriors would spend most of their times, as the guards wanted them to be my personal bodyguards for the next little while. Turning to Bosco, who was on his stomach just before the throne, I took a seat and showed him our visitors. "The Kyoshi Warriors are here to protect us. Aren't you excited?" I asked, gently pulling on his face.
Bosco replied with a low groan, which only got my spirits higher as I turned to the ladies. "It's been a difficult week for me," I explained, recalling the events that really changed my life, "My most trusted advisor, Long Feng, and the Dai Li agents, tried to take control of Ba Sing Se from me." Although I never revealed it, I actually didn't want to trust anyone for the last little while. But after the Avatar and his group told me how I could make the difference in this war, I was convinced to open up my heart again. Now, to see the Kyoshi Warriors, close friends of the Avatar's group, come to my aid, I felt more relaxed then ever before. Somehow, things were going to be different in the future.
"It's terrible when you couldn't trust the people closest to you." The girl in the centre, who I assumed to be the leader of the group, commented. Those words had some special connotation for me, as throughout my life, Long Feng was the one making my every decision. Aang's friends were right, as in a private conversation, they told me that it was almost like I was a mere figurehead. Maybe they had a point that I was somewhat of a puppet, but at least things were better now that I had control of the throne again.
"But there is good news," I responded, "as we speak, the Council of Five is meeting to plan an invasion of the Fire Nation this summer on the day of a solar eclipse." I described each detail with pride, knowing that our allies would be there to support us when we took down the Fire Nation. I could see the team listen to my every detail, like they wanted to know better so they could prepare for it too. The more the merrier, right?
Before long, I lost track of the time, and realized that I should probably meet up with Katara in the war chamber to get a status report from the generals. "I'm going to have to be excused for the moment. Why don't we take you to the guest rooms first? I'm sure you must be tired from the long journey you took here." With that, I summoned a few servants to take our honoured guests away. As they spoke softly to themselves, I couldn't help but smile. "Alright Bosco, I'm leaving for a while. Be good, okay?"
I managed to fetch a nearby messenger as I exited the throne room, asking him to check on the status of the Council of Five. "I didn't recall them needing your presence, your highness, but if they are indeed ready, then perhaps all you have to do is give them your approval of their plans. Do you still want me to check?" He asked.
I cupped my chin, wondering if that was still required. If the generals had the plans under control, then perhaps my visit to their headquarters might be just a disturbance. Maybe it was best to let them handle it on their own. Besides, while Long Feng betrayed me, it wasn't like the generals would be a threat to my security, right? "In that case, I think a meeting with them won't be necessary. I'll just wait for whatever news they'll send." I told the messenger, dismissing him as I wandered off to my chambers. Knowing that the kingdom was in such great hands, I didn't have a single worry now.
"Katara's fine. You have nothing to worry about," I assured the Avatar and his group. For some strange reason, Aang, Sokka and Toph returned to the palace, claiming that Aang had a vision that Katara had been captured or something like that. I wasn't sure why such a preposterous claim that had no evidence supporting it would take them away from their important missions. To be frank, I was a bit surprised they all believed it.
"She met with the Council of Generals to plan the invasion, and since then, she's been off with your friends, the Kyoshi Warriors." I told Aang, regurgitating the day's details to them. I personally didn't see why they were worried, as the Kyoshi Warriors were great fighters. Surely they should have more faith in their own allies, right?
Sokka was the first to relax his pose, claiming that everyone was probably at their apartment. I could still see the worry in Aang's eyes, his face tilting to the ground and not looking at anyone. Sensing that he was unconvinced, I continued on, "Believe me, if there was any danger at all, Bosco's animal instincts would sense it." I signalled to my pet bear, who was peacefully napping away at my feet.
Sokka and Toph managed to convince Aang to return to their apartment. As they closed the throne room's large doors behind them, it was when I realized that the entire area was in complete silence. Except for breathing sounds from Bosco and me, nothing could be heard in this wide chamber. My calmness was somewhat overtaken by a slight concerned feeling. In these dangerous times, anything could happen right now. "Hey Bosco, do you think the Kyoshi Warriors are really at the apartment?" I asked my bear, who looked up nonchalantly, "Maybe we should get someone to fetch them back."
It would be another harrowing few minutes before two Kyoshi Warriors returned to the room. I breathed a sigh of relief, feeling my heart ease the pounding on my chest as they took their positions near the throne. I didn't even bother asking them where they truly went, or why they took so long to return, or where the third person was. I was just happy that they got back, and that they could provide defence of the area again. I looked on as they talked quietly, completely relaxed as my safety was guaranteed once again. What would I ever do without these trustworthy and reliable allies?
Jus then, Sokka and Toph burst in, panting in exhaustion and telling us that got here just in time. "In time for what?" I asked, confused by the commotion.
That was when one of the warriors somersaulted towards Sokka, leaning her face close to his flirtingly. Some inaudible words were said before Toph shot a pillar of rock from under the warrior's feet. "They're not the real Kyoshi Warriors!" She declared.
Before long, an all-out brawl took place, with the two supposedly fake warriors advancing in on Sokka and Toph, who brandished the bladed club and stones respectively in an effort to expose the warriors' identities. Unfortunately, the battlefield was between my throne and the door, meaning an escape wasn't viable. Amidst flying blades, rocks being shot out from the ground, and a jabbing sequence between one warrior and Sokka, I could only look on in shock. How could the Kyoshi Warriors be defeated on their way here? And if they were replaced, then were these imposters from the Fire Nation?
But that was soon confirmed as a strong hand was wrapped around my neck. With a blue flame flickering from her finger, the leader of this invasion group demanded the battle be ended. The heat tickled my cheek, threatening to puncture my skin as Sokka and Toph shot their hands up. One warrior stepped up and jabbed at their bodies, causing them to fall limp to the ground as a series of Dai Li agents showed up. "Get them all out of my sight," the female leader orders, shoving me into the hands of one agent. As we were led away from the throne room, that was when I saw Long Feng enter. He didn't say a word to me, but seeing where he was headed, I knew where his new loyalties were.
I tried to holler out, but to no avail as the Dai Li agents pushed us out. Now, seeing the kingdom's highest official and his agents give up the Earth Kingdom to the Fire Nation, I couldn't feel my heart sink to my feet. How could the person that I trusted the most, throughout my entire life, betray me like that? Was it for money? Was it for power? Why would he hand the kingdom to our enemies like that? Whatever the true reason was, my heart was truly broken. The line of Earth Kings might very well end with me, but that was minimal considering what might happen to the people. With the Fire Nation about to arrive any moment and the Dai Li on their side, who could save us now?
"All clear," Sokka informed Toph as he peered out the peephole of our cell. This was where the Dai Li had taken us after we were attacked. I had always declared that prisoners be taken to these cells as they awaited trial, but never in my entire life had I imagined that I would become a prisoner myself. Now, to feel these dark and damp walls around me, I truly realized the grave situation we were now in for.
Just as Sokka announced that the coast was clear, Toph marched up to the metal door. I had to admit that I was curious at how Toph was going to get us out, as she said she developed a modified type of earth bending that allowed her to manipulate metal. To be honest, it was the first time since the Dai Li arrested us that I lifted my head, as only thoughts of the impending apocalypse for the Earth Kingdom swirled in my mind. Soon, the Fire Nation military would march into Ba Sing Se, conquering the land and placing my people in great hardship. To top it off, I would be forever remembered as the Earth King who failed his people, sitting in a prison cell while they were subject to pain.
I glanced out just in time to see Toph place her hands on the door. Gently rubbing the metal a few times, she squeezed her hands together and crumpled the door into debris. The loud crunch echoed through the hall as Toph casually tossed the crushed metal to the side, marching out and glancing around. Once it was confirmed that nobody heard us, she called back for me, insisting that we must leave. "Let's go!" she declared.
As Sokka grabbed my arm and rushed me out, I suddenly remembered that there was still one person we had to save. "I'm not leaving without Bosco!" I shouted, rushing through the halls in an effort to keep up with my younger counterparts.
All I could see were the dim torches lining the hall whipping past me, my legs churning nonstop as we checked each cell for Bosco. A large animal like Bosco was unlikely to be taken into a small area, knowing how he hated to be in tight, confined spaces. It wouldn't put it past me that he was back at the throne room, subject to all sorts of crazy Fire Nation torture tricks. As Toph broke down another metal door, I told them my suggestion. "Why don't we go back to the throne room and look there?"
Sokka and Toph glanced over, their expressions said it all. It was evident that neither one of them were keen on the idea, as they figured that the chamber would be filled with Dai Li agents or Fire Nation fighters. But still, it wasn't right that Bosco must be left behind. "Please, he's my only friend left," I pleaded with them, "save him."
Sokka and Toph nodded to each other. I could barely crack a smile, realizing that there was a small silver lining. With Long Feng's defection to the Fire Nation, I had no friends left. The only one I could truly bond with was Bosco, the only one to actually keep me company the entire time. I knew Bosco didn't understand how to run a kingdom or how to interact with ministers, but for the longest time he was the one that I confided in. So no matter what it took, I would only evacuate the palace if Bosco came with me.
We finally emerged back into the throne room, where I could see the smaller of the two fake Kyoshi Warriors stunting before Bosco. She put herself into a handstand, and was trying to entice my bear into doing the same. Without missing even a beat, Toph used the earth beneath and trapped the girl into an arched position. "Nice trick," Toph commented, stomping up another huge slab of rock. She aimed it for the other fake, who sat nonchalantly on the steps just before the throne.
But for some reason, the fake warrior didn't attack. Rather, she seemed more than willing to let us take Bosco and leave. I couldn't help but rush up to my bear, holding him in a tight embrace before hurrying out of there. Even as my kingdom was under siege, at least I knew my lifelong friend was about to escape with me to safety.
Sokka managed to locate Appa and flew us away from the palace. We dropped by a large hole in the ground, going deep into the earth and into the crystal catacombs that supposedly existed under my palace. There, it was a gruesome sight as Katara lifted Aang through to the opening. Katara seemed like she took a beating, with tears on her clothing and her hair undone. But it was the Avatar who had been damaged the most severely. A strong burnt smell shot its way into my nostrils as Aang laid unconscious, burn wounds on several parts of his body. Sensing the impending danger, we decided to fly out.
As Appa lifted off the ground, Katara pulled out a small container, pouring out some water purer and sparkling brighter than anything I had seen in my life. Using her water bending to keep it spinning on her hand, she lifted Aang over and examined his back wound. It was the worst of the injuries inflicted onto him, as a large, dark hole-like mark was literally branded onto his spine. Not a word was spoken as Katara pressed the fluid onto the grotesque mark on Aang's back, filling up the entire burned-off section of his shirt as the blue light radiated into the now darkened sky. My body twitched in total anxiety as I wondered if the world would end should Katara's healing not come through.
After an intense minute or so, a low-pitched groan sounded from Aang's mouth. I could see Katara's face relax as she pulled Aang into a hug. Aang's hands tried to move to Katara, returning the embrace, but I could tell he was too tired to do that. It wasn't long before Aang flopped back down, his eyelids dropped shut as he rested on the bison. I could tell that for the short time Aang was conscious, it lifted the entire team's spirits, but I predicted that it would be an intense coming few days for the rest of us.
As we flew further away from the palace, I got a last look at Ba Sing Se. While I escaped the attacks, I couldn't help but wonder what would happen to these citizens when the Fire Nation marched in. All households, regardless of wealth or social status or even number of individuals in the family, the inevitable would happen to them all. They were about to become victims of the Fire Nation's harsh ways. I couldn't imagine how anyone could withstand this type of treatment, and how many might actually live to tell the tale.
But the main thought in my mind was how I was directly responsible for this, and how much of this was my fault. Because of my own ignorance and incompetence, I allowed the Dai Li conspiracy to happen, leaving myself vulnerable so that they could turn against me, and in turn betray the entire Earth Kingdom. Somehow, I had to make this up to the people, and if I ever got the throne back, I promised that things would change for everyone. As we left the capital city for good, I could only utter one line. "The Earth Kingdom has fallen." I murmured, dipping my head in shame.
"Well, that was a waste of time." Sokka commented as we returned to the camp. After leaving Ba Sing Se, Sokka managed to steer us to Chameleon Bay, where a fleet of Water Tribe ships was located. Informing his father Hakoda, leader of this group, that the city was invaded and that I was among the evacuees, they decided to let Bosco and I stay with them for the time being. From their conversations, I could hear that they might still plan for an invasion of the Fire Nation, but that would have to wait, given the situation.
The Water Tribe warriors tried to make our lives as comfortable as possible, given that this base camp was no palace. But still, I was grateful that we managed to leave with our heads still on our shoulders. Since there wasn't much for me to do, I took out a small notebook and jotted down all the information regarding Bosco's natural life habits. Bosco was a bear from the east coastal forests of the Earth Kingdom, and was given to me as a pet by zoologists from Ba Sing Se University, who periodically briefed me on things that an animal like him would do to ensure its survival. Given that we were pretty much in the wild, maybe it wasn't a bad idea to train Bosco on these natural techniques.
"Actually, I think I learned something today." I responded. We had been going over basics early in the morning when Sokka overheard us. Insisting that he knew how to live in the wild, he chose to take over as Bosco's instructor and showed my bear what he had to do. He went over how to fetch food, fishing, finding shelter, and basic defence, none of which Bosco did the orthodox way. Even as I explained to Sokka that Bosco had never left the palace from the time he was captured, meaning that it would take time for Bosco to learn to live in the wild, Sokka was of the belief that my bear was doomed.
But those exercises Sokka subjected Bosco through made me realize one thing. As dusk fell onto the bay, I finally decided on my future, and how I could help the world. "There are so many things that I don't know about the real world," I told Sokka as we returned to camp, "How could I hope to ever be a good king if all my knowledge is so limited? Just like Bosco, who doesn't know how to be a good bear," I stated, tilting my head to the brown furry animal beside me. Bosco's training showed that, because he never bothered to leave the palace, he had no ability to survive elsewhere.
But that was also a perfect mirror for me, as I never left the palace either, meaning my abilities were limited. While it was alright for Bosco, it was never alright for me, as a king must lead his people wisely, and in turn respond to the people's every need. With this, I decided to make a change in my life. I turned to face Sokka, who had a perplexed expression on his face. "Sokka, I've decided. I will experience the world in the shoes of a humble man." I declared, my tone loaded with seriousness and determination.
Sokka's face froze. I didn't know if it was because of shock or concern, but I could tell that he wasn't expecting my decision. "For too long, I have been blind to the needs of the people. I've relied on the opinions of a select few, and that ended with a situation where they misused power for personal gain," I described. It was still painful to talk about or come to grips with, as it meant throwing my failures into the open. But if this was the way to rectify my past mistakes, then there would be nothing stopping me from proceeding this way. "If I want to better the world and take my kingdom back from the Fire Nation, then I must better myself first. That's why I'm living as a commoner for the time being, letting me see the world from the people's perspective."
Sokka smiled while curling his eyebrows at the same time, probably a mix of happiness and worry as he mulled over my words. "It won't be easy, as we're still in a state of war right now," he pointed out, "If you're staying in this region, then you could very well be under Fire Nation threat. Also, you risk exposing your identity to others, who may choose to report you to the Fire Nation just to remove a potential risk to their lives. Or in the worst case scenario, you could downright get killed." He warned me.
But none of these mattered to me, as there was a bigger factor at hand here. "Is my one life more important than the hundreds, maybe even thousands, of lives that may be at stake should the Fire Nation continue its ways?" I retorted, piercing through Sokka with my every syllable, "I'm going to do my best to intermingle with the commoners, so there's no way my identity will be exposed. Besides, I have to know what they're going through so when I do take back my throne, hopefully after the war is over, I can use this new knowledge to help the people. I failed them before, and I don't want to do it again."
Sokka sighed, realizing that nothing he could say would change my mind. I was set on doing this, and that I would be leaving the group soon. "Alright then," he replied, conceding his point to me, "In that case, we'll get you some less formal clothes and make you blend in with the people more. You're pretty much on your own."
As Sokka searched through the wardrobe, he told me how he anticipated the world would be like in the coming few months. "Once we settle this war with the Day of Black Sun invasion, I really hope we see you again," he wished, "I hope, with your new knowledge, you can lead your kingdom again. This war has divided the world, pitting people against people, and created mistrust. If you can help rebuild and reintegrate the Earth Kingdom with the rest of the world, then it's my honour to help your journey."
I nodded, waiting patiently for him to fetch new clothes for me. Whatever that I was about to put myself through, I realized that it wasn't just for my own good. The entire Earth Kingdom, and even the world, depended on how I applied my experiences to life. To succeed on changing the kingdom, I must first change myself. I would gather new information while roaming around various towns and villages in the Earth Kingdom. I would go through whatever the people went through. Their needs would become my needs, their lives becoming my life. Building an understanding with the commoners would be crucial for my new mandate, and I was intent to make it happen.
"It is with the greatest honour that we welcome you back, your majesty." A lead guard told me. I heard the crowd below erupt into cheers as I stepped down the stairs of my palace. It had been months since I last lived here, after the Fire Nation invasion that forced me to flee with the Avatar's group. As I told Sokka, Bosco and I did spend some time travelling the world, seeing things from the commoner perspective. But now, knowing that the war was over and the Earth Kingdom was liberated, I realized it was time for me to return.
I nodded to the guards lined up in rows on either side of the stairway, but my eyes were at the crowd below. Unlike previous coronations, this time I invited all the people of Ba Sing Se, regardless of their background, to come witness this. During my travels, I witnessed the different living conditions of the Earth Kingdom, as towns so close to the capital could have needs so unlike those from within. I spoke to as many of the people in these areas as possible, trying to gauge their thoughts and understanding issues affecting their daily lives. Knowing that should I ever return to the throne, I must have these things in mind, for I would never let ignorance and blindness dominate my reign.
"My citizens, today the Earth Kingdom embarks on its journey of healing. But not only are we healing with the world, we are healing within." I announced, my pose taller and straighter than ever before. My journeys brought forth many changes to my life, and I hoped to share the lessons of my hardships with the citizens. I understood how hard life was with the war still going on, so now that the war was over, I intended to reform our own government system to make it more responsive to the people's needs.
"Let us rebuild our nation together, and let us no longer be ruled with fear. Either fear of a foreign invader, or an internal threat," I declared, referring to the Dai Li. My first act in my return was to dismantle the Dai Li, ordering the destruction of their base and stripping the agents of their powers. Long Feng, currently in prison after the Fire Nation princess supposedly double-crossed him, would be put on trial for treason as soon as possible. This was to be my first act of reconciliation with the people, as a way to beg for their forgiveness after many years of neglecting their needs. If Zuko, the new Fire Lord, could promise a world of "love, peace, and hope" for his nation, then this was the least I could offer for mine. As the people cheered, only one thought crossed my mind.
My name is Earth King Kuei. That was my story. Those were my rites of passage.
Again, I thank Legend of Zelda 4 Life and Wavebreeze for editing this chapter. Both of them have worked very hard, both in editing my work and in writing their own pieces. Best of luck to you both on your pieces, and have a Happy Canada Day!