RWBY 40k – Salem, Mistress of Inquisition.
(Note: Few! It was tough to make this chapter. More than 10.000 words to read. I hope you will enjoy it all!).
Ep 46: Zorai, the Fire Lord.
Flesh. Divine. Earth. Mind. Fire.
These elements rule the world but ever since the end of the Golden Age. World is in turmoil and unending war.
The Kingdom of Flesh and the Earth Empire are fighting for the biggest continent of the planet. The Monks of the Divines are inhabiting the highest mountains. The Tribes of the Mind inhabits the North Pole and scare off any intruders who enters their territory. Finally, the Fire Nation is in the Fire Islands and isolated from the rest. Considered to be the weakest and most predictable element of this world.
But a Prophecy from the Divine Monks said that someone will bring order and only one element in the world, bringing peace in the expense of everything else. A man coming from somewhere else.
The day was sunny on the capital of Huǒzāi and wind coming from the sea next to it was refreshing. The citizens were going to their usual business, they were recognizable by their red and black Hanfus or Ao Dai. Also, adults like children wears top-knots on their head. Some of them has even decorative headpieces on these.
In the center of the city is the palace of the leader of this Fire Nation, named the Fire Lord. Considered by the most powerful Psyker who draws fire like anybody.
The palace was separated from the rest of the city by a huge wall and square. With a barren and rocky land making stealthy infiltration nearly impossible. The palace itself is a single structure; an elaborate tower with triple eaves is at the center, with three distinct wings joining it. The two smaller wings stand on either side of the main entrance to the palace building. There are towers at the ends of these wings as well. Directly opposite of the main entrance is the third, larger wing.
Inside of the palace is the throne room. It is a large throne room with many black pillars with elaborate gold bases that support the roof and has tiled floors. The Fire Lord in question is sits on an ornate covered throne on a high platform. An enormous bas-relief image of breathing fire adorns the wall behind him. He is recognizable by his long black hair, his cold amber gold eyes, his long thin beard with small moustaches. He is wearing an ornate robe with spiked akin to Thai costumes with red and black colours. He has also worn a headpiece with five prongs and it was his crown. The Fire Lord is quite young for his age. At least 25 years old.
Just in front of him are the ministers. The clothing from them is a formal armour that is black and deep red with gold trimmings, accentuated with gold flames ornaments in their top-knots.
He is Fire Lord Zoron, the current leader of these islands.
Zoron: "You said that the Flesh Kingdom is leading a raid in the North islands?"
War minister: "Of course. Our forces are now currently fighting them off."
Zoron: "These wretches from all of these nations are always targeting us for eons. Just because we use fire? This is completely disgraceful from them. Push them back with all the forces you can find and make them aware to not underestimate us."
War minister: "Of course…"
Zoron: "You are dismissed."
All of the ministers stand up, bow to the Fire Lord before leaving the room in the other door. And so, he leaves the room. He walked inside of the corridors were tapestries of the Fire Lords and Fire Ladies who has preceded him covered the walls.
He stopped in front on of them. A tapestry of a precedent Fire Lord, who has a bit like his face. The image was presenting the one with a flame on each hand, wearing a bigger beard with moustache covering all the bottom of his face. Under was marked: Fire Lord Kozin.
Zoron: "Father. I will make sure that I won't disappoint you."
He turned back and continues to walk. He climbed some stairs and goes to the roof of the palace. In the middle wing. It was a great terrasse above the third floor, he puts his hands on the guardrail. He observed the city with a cold look for a long moment before looking at the sky.
He could see a shining star in the sky.
Zoron: "Curious…"
But as he observes it more. More the star was shining in an erratic way.
Zoron: "No… This is not normal. This is not a normal star…"
The star becomes redder and redder. And the Fire Lord backed up a little when he realised what this capsule was. He could feel his manipulation of fire growing steadily as it feels the meteor.
Zoron: "No. Impossible!"
The sound of the wind and the object crossing the sky caused the panic inside of the town. Zoron used his manipulation of fire and propulse himself out of the palace. Seconds later, the meteor crashed on the palace and traversed the roof of the central wing. The palace began to burn in part in the central wing.
Zoron: "No! Not the library! Not the Fire Lord Hall!"
Zoron goes to the spa part of the Palace, who was in the underground part of the palace, with the big hot natural source of water. He began to bend his fire and launched to the water. It makes a lot of vapors that it began to fill the whole palace with smoke. And then, the fire coming from the meteor quickly subsided. At this moment, the guards of the palace arrived. Recognizable by their helmet with a three-pointed themed helmet. Three small red spikes on the top of the helmet, three eye holes and shard-shaped mouth holes. The unit's armour and clothing were red and black gold trimmings.
Guard: "My lord! Are you alright?"
Zoron: "I am okay."
Guard 2: "The meteor impact has provoked mass panic in the capital."
Zoron: "Calm down the population as much as you can and tell them I am alive and well."
The guard leave the room in question. Zoron goes to another group to the crater in question in the bottom of the palace foundations.
He discovered that inside this crater was some kind of cylinder, with a strange sign marked on it. A sign marked "XI".
Zoron: "What the…?"
Zoron approached the capsule who was still hot. He could see a baby inside the capsule, behind the glass.
Zoron: "By the Spirit of Fire… Someone has a cutting weapon?"
A guard with a spear goes on his way and began to hit the Plexiglas and after a few cuts, he managed to dig a small hole and then he reached out his hands to take the baby before giving him to Zoron.
Zoron take the baby in his hands and observe him. For the surprise of the Fire Lord, the baby was a beautiful boy and really healthy with long black hair. The baby opened his eyes, it was the same amber-gold eyes of all the people of the Fire Nation.
Zoron: "What… a baby."
Guard: "My lord, this baby has been given by the stars themselves."
Zoron: "I have the same feeling. I have already an heir when I am still 25 and no wife yet…"
Guard 2: "Have a name for him?"
Zoron: "Yes. Zorai will be his name."
The XIth Primarch, now named Zorai lives as the crown prince of the Fire Nation. His display of intelligence was astonishing for the first 10 years. He learned from the advisors everything he has to know in politics and what the Fire Lord role is. Also, he could also draw some kind of odd inventions that nobody has seen before. Also, his physic was becoming more muscular and taller with each passing year.
But also, he began to display a stubborn, impatient and ambitious along with aggressive tantrums. Zoron for now was not quite worried, until this day…
In the palace, he could hear an argument inside on of the hallway. Then he could see his son, Zorai arguing with the war minister.
Zorai was dressed in elaborated red robes close to the style of the Fire Lord except with missing spiked shoulders and less ornated. He has his hair attached in top-knot by a really special headpiece. It has two prongs shaped in stylised flames, one on each side and encircle the knot and hold by a small tip.
Zorai: "What do you mean my plan is stupid?! These Fleshbenders has to pay what they have done to our people!"
War minister: "Our country is not in capacity to make a prolongated war against the other empires of Yitài! You are delusional!"
Zorai: "No! I am sure that my future reforms and inventions will bring prosperity and make us the strongest of all!"
Zoron: "What's happening here?"
The two turned. The war minister turned back to the Fire Lord and bowed.
War minister: "My lord. I am sorry for this scene. But Zorai proposed many reforms and making inventions who will put the Fire Nation in a dangerous situation."
Zorai: "Dangerous situation?! We have volcanoes who brings ores and we can refine them to make exceptional machines! I am the only one who has tough about it and will make this Nation greater and more powerful than it was already is!"
Zoron (cold): "Calm down. You don't have to make a scene, prince Zorai. I remind you are my son. I have endured your whims before but are touching a subject that you are still too young to understand."
Zorai was trembling in anger and he turned back to the war minister.
Zorai: "I challenge you to an Huǒyàn juédòu!" (Note: "Dual of Fire" in Traditional Chinese).
The two adults widened.
War minister: "Are you serious?"
Zorai: "Prove me that you are right in front of the heavens and the Spirit of Fire."
The war minister was shocked but he frowns and approached his face to the prince face.
War minister: "At what hour?"
Zorai: "When the twilight of the day arrives."
War minister: "Then so be it. I will teach you a lesson about humility my prince."
And then, the war minister stands up, bow to the Fire Lord before passing by and going thought the hallway. Zoron turn to Zorai. He looks coldly to his son.
Zoron: "Do you realise the weight of your stubbornness?"
Zorai: "Yes and I won't back down. I have enough to be talked down like that. And you can't restrain me father. Have a good afternoon."
He turned his back and walked in a fast pace to the other side of the Hallway. The Fire Lord Zoron now alone looks to the paintings of the precedents Fire Lords and Ladies.
Zoron: "My ancestors. What will happen then…"
In the end of the day. An assembled crowd of nobles were inside of an indoor dual area inside of the palace. Each side of the room were filled with the crowd. In the bottom of the room, were the stone seat of where the Fire Lord was.
The two contestants of the dispute. The prince and the war minister were in each side of the platform, their back turned and dressed in red pants and shoulder garments.
Then, the two turned and their shoulder garments falls, revealing their toned chest. Before taking position of fight. And then, at the sound of the cog, the dual began.
[Theme: Agni-Kai].
The war minister engaged quickly and launched fire to the prince. But he blocked off quickly and replicate with more fire that the war minister. He blocked with his arms or avoided. Zorai continues to attack aggressively while the minister advances to him by continuing to block or avoid. Then, the war minister launches a stronger fire strike, forcing Zorai to take steps back. The war minister goes to the offensive and launch at each step a powerful fire blast forcing Zorai to back up, blocking or avoiding his fire.
Then, when the war minister was just in front of him. Zorai gives him low blow by hitting with his feet one the feet of the war minister. The war minister loses balances and he is forced to back up. Zorai smirks and continues his relentless assault against the war minister with Bending fire with his feet, making the stone hot and forcing the war minister to step back more while trying to regain his balance.
Then, he kicks the war minister in the gut with a lot of fire making him fall to the ground. Zorai approaches him with an implacable step.
[End of the Theme].
Zorai: "You are just weak. You are an experienced Firebender by you are beaten by a young child like me. With a weak will of change and weak body, you are unworthy to be recognized as a Firebender."
War minister: "What do you do?"
Zorai: "Giving you a lesson that you will not forget!"
And to the horror of the Fire Lord, he launched a blast to the face of the war minister.
War minister: "AAAAAAAGHHHHH!"
He screams at the burn on his face and hold it with his hands. And the prince turned his back and walked to the other side of the platform. Some of the nobles in the public were a bit surprised but Zoron on his side was horrified to such display of violence.
Zoron (whispering): "Zorai, what are you doing?"
As if Zorai listened to him, the prince turns to his father, looking at him with an implacable look mixed with coldness. As if he was searching 'weakness' in his soul. The Fire Lord gets himself up and stands up.
Zoron: "Prince Zorai is the winner of this Dual. The war minister shall never question again, as it is decided by the heavens and the Spirit of Fire."
And then, the crowd bows in front of Zorai before leaving the dual room. Zorai turn a last look to his father before leaving the room by another door. Zoron stands up and he is the last to exit. He knows now that his son is not only ambitious but also outright cruel.
And it doesn't heal itself overtime. Zorai become more and more easily angered, domineering and insatiably power-hungry. In contrast, he becomes stronger and taller by arriving in adulthood along with an attractive shape and face. He wears now a long beard on the tip of chin who goes to his chest while his hair falls on back with a small part is still attached on his headpiece.
With his idea of reforms and industrialisation within the span of 15 years make the Fire Nation from a small island kingdom in the world to a thriving and emerging power in the whole world. The first factories of the army were constructed all over the island and the navy along with the new weapons of the Fire Nation makes them stronger each passing day.
He has now the age of 25 years old. Now in his prime, he was in the countryside of the main Fire islands. Accompanied with associates and in front of him was a gigantic stone building with smoking chimneys in the coast of this town. A lot of workers were going inside of it.
Zorai: "With this new factory. This will be a solution for the many people who have no jobs in the Fire Islands. And I am planning to build many others all over the country."
Advisor: "What they will build?"
Zorai takes out plans from a bag and opens them on the table, displaying many inventions on front of the advisors.
Zorai: "Firearms for the non-benders. Iron Warships for the sea. War balloons and Airships for the. Tanks and other vehicles for the ground."
The advisors see the precise plans with many details on it. It was completely out of place.
Advisor 2: "How do you find so much ideas my prince?"
Zorai: "These ideas were in my mind since I was born as if it was library."
The advisors don't know how to interpret this and only nodded.
Zorai: "I will let you take care of this operation to build the other factories all over the country. Don't disappoint me."
The advisors nodded and Zorai goes out from the tent. He whistles and loud steps are heard. And then a black, extremely spiked Grox of 8 meters of length arrived. He takes out from his robe a whip. He his accompanied by his close guards installed on smaller Groxes.
Zorai: "Let's go back to the palace!"
He clashes the whip and the Grox growled before running at full speed through the lands followed by the guards.
And after a full day of travelling at full speed. He arrived to the capital. He stormed to the one of the doors of the city walls. Zorai going from the suburbs to the high city before going finally arriving to the palace.
He arrived inside of the throne room after walking inside the hallways. The throne was now bigger after the reconstruction and in darker set of decorations. Only a line of fire lightens the room, just in front of the throne were is the Fire Lord Zoron is.
He could see his father, now in his 50s with few strands of his hair now grey or even white. The Fire Lord descended his throne and goes to Zorai. The prince stands in front of him, now way taller than his father almost reaching 2.90 meters height.
Zorai: "I am back, father. Why I am requested here?"
Zoron: "The fleet of the Earth Empire are coming to the fire islands with a force of dozens of dozens to raid our country. This is the good moment for you to learn how to protect the land as a future Fire Lord. Also, I have to warn you this. They bend the earth but also the reality at it exists on it like crushing bodies with their soul might."
Zorai smirks.
Zorai: "They won't. In the contrary, they will learn for the first time their error to attack our nation."
Zoron: "What have you prepared?"
Zorai: "For that I will explain in the war meeting."
Zoron: "I see…"
Moments later.
The Fire Lord is installed once again on his throne. Zorai was installed on the siege in front of the throne when the rest of the table. Along with the war minister, who has now a huge scar on his face.
Zoron: "The session is open."
Zorai: "With the spies that have send a letter that a huge force of invasion from the Earth Empire will try to raid by directly attacking the capital harbour. We have to prevent them to arrive to the coast if not, these barbarians will destroy and burry our capital under rocks and ruins."
Grand Advisor: "What is your proposition, prince Zorai?"
Zorai: "We will lure them with our boats. Here our fleet of airships will intercept them by bombarding them. Also, the Harbour have the cannons of my invention who plunder their boats. Because contrary to us, our iron vessels won't burn at the first fire launched unlike the past."
Chancellor: "Are you sure it will work my prince? They could send rocks to destroy our airships."
Zorai: "This is why we have to prevent them to land. And so, we will lure them and trap them."
The ministers looked each other but a majority of them nodded.
Zorai: "Unfortunately, I have to convince someone to do the move."
He turned his glance to the war minister who froze in fear.
Zorai: "Well? Do you accept? I have to hear it."
War minister: "Of course. After all, the rest of my colleagues already accepted."
Zorai: "Good. If the spies are right. They will arrive in two days at the capital at noon. We have to sent crows all over the country and the entire fleet has to come along with the airship navy and the tanks. This is an all-out defensive battle. We don't know if the boats will hold back so let's put all the chance in our side."
He put his fist in his palm and bow, followed by the other ministers. Under the cold but slightly worried look of the Fire Lord.
And so, two days later.
The whole air navy of the Fire Nation is above the city while the tanks and cannons are disposed all over the coast. The whole city is under silence, empty of the inhabitants, only filled with soldiers.
The Fire Lord and the prince are on the palace. The Fire Lord was dressed in his red and black ornated armour while Zorai was still dressed in robes, confident enough of his strategy.
Then, the small former wood fleet of the Fire Nation is coming from the sea while further away, the massive fleet of the Earth Empire was coming to them.
Zorai: "Here they come."
The small wood fleet arrived behind the first line of the iron ships and managed to get in safety. And then, when the fleet of the Earth Empire was close enough. The cannons installed on the iron fleet began to fire to the first boats and managed to damage badly the first boats of the Earth Empire.
Then, the canons installed of the capital with their long rand fire and bombard the Earth Empire fleet second line after a few minutes.
Finally, the airships and balloons advanced and began to bombard the rest of the armada by above with their installed cannons.
In the next minutes, the combined effort of the new fleet not only destroyed the Earth Empire fleet but completely annihilated every single one of these ships.
Zorai: "See father? I protected this nation. And now, I will go to the next step."
Zoron: "For why?"
Zorai: "We have been insulted enough. Now, the Earth Empire will pay for what he done."
Zoron: "I don't want to start a bloody war against them. The prosperity of our country is assured when I will die."
Zorai frowns.
Zorai: "And I keep it, by making sure that our enemies will not come back to us. And so, if they want war. I will give them a taste of their own medicine. And you cannot counter me because this massive raid is a provocation against us and I am sure that our citizens will be enraged of this absence of reaction from your part."
Zoron frows and doesn't respond.
Zorai: "Anyway. War will begin."
And so, in the next week. Zorai was in the balcony of the palace. In front of him are the population of the Nation in question. With a full voice he makes his speech.
Zorai: "This is your Prince who talks to you. As you can learn. The invasion of the Earth Empire was averted with our army. But I will ask you this question. Are we have to be always the victims of these pesky and destructive empires who are plaguing Yitài. Using dangerous and disgusting bending against us at any occasions. Tribes of the poles who use telepathy to scare us and forcing us to obey. The Kingdom of Flesh who have obsession with the flesh and modify beyond recognition for their own twisted measure? The Earth Empire who throws rocks each other at the slightest excuse?! I refuse to let them do anything further! I will not let them to destroy our families and lives like they do it for millenias. This is time of retribution. We will fight on and we will win! All hail Fire!"
He raised his fist in the sky and the crowd does the same thing.
Crowd: "ALL HAIL FIRE! ALL HAIL FIRE! ALL HAIL FIRE! ALL HAIL FIRE!"
Zorai smirks his war was accepted beyond his hope. The whole population is behind him and now, the gigantic invasion of the Earth Empire has begun.
The huge fleet of the Fire Nation crossed the sea and arrived on the lands of the Earth Empire. Sowing death and destruction with its superior navy, air and ground dominance. The Firearms and cannons could quickly destroy the soldiers of the Earth Empire. Also, Zorai granted to the soldiers, lands of the Earth Empire. And so, whole families of the Fire Nation immigrated the Fire Nation, accentuating the grip of the Fire Nation on these new lands.
On his side, he has continued to write off the invention ingrained inside of his head and applicate it to every layer of the Fire Nation society. And so, the living standards of the Fire citizens only increased more and more while the armies of the Fire Nation only raised in power. Automatic weapons, more advanced tanks and first airplanes where plundering the Earth Empire who was constantly going back.
At the age of the 30 years old. He is now married to a young woman named Myn that he has encountered inside of a village of the Fire Nation. He has chosen her because she partakes the same view of the world as him but her calm and modesty.
And so, they have obtained a new daughter that they give the name of Asuka. A future for the Fire Nation.
Educated by her father to the cruelty of power. She becomes as power-hungry as her father but also much more confident and narcissistic. Like her father, she has grown to believe that absolute power and domination are the defining trait of strength.
In one of the training grounds of the palace. Zorai was watching his ten-year-old girl training her fire. But he realises that unlike the other time. Her fire was blue and much hotter than usual. His daughter was dressed in a formal armour that is black and deep red with gold trimmings, accentuated with gold flame ornaments. All of her hair is tied by this same ornament in a top knot. Asuka has also a red lipstick on her lips.
Zorai: "You bend blue fire? How did you do that?"
Asuka smirks in confidence.
Asuka: "Because I am going through perfection father."
Zorai stay impassible like he was unimpressed.
Zorai: "This is not complete."
Asuka smirk fades.
Asuka: "What do you mean, not complete?"
Zorai: "I have learned something that was in the inner strength of the Firebender. Watch."
With two fingers in each hand, he began to make circles and electricity began to form on his hands, under the dumbfounded eyes of his daughter. And then, he joins his finger and launched his arms in front of him, a huge discharge of energy like a strong lighting strikes the wall protecting the palace.
Zorai: "When you keep calm and focused spirit, you can do this."
He turned to his daughter.
Zorai: "To succeed this, you have concentrated energy in your fingers, letting coursing your veins and going to your stomach. It has not to traverse the heart because it provokes you a deadly heart attack. And then, the energy goes to the other side of the hands."
Asuka: "Pffft! Easy!"
Zorai: "So show me I you have mastered it just by seeing me…"
Asuka tries to do the same movement as her father, the electricity coursing her fingers but she released it frontally. It explodes on her face and she is sent back a few meters.
Asuka: "What?! Why it failed?"
Zorai: "What I say to your countless times? The power is not given, it is acquired. You are a fool to believe that everything is handed to you, my daughter. You have to gain it by your force."
Asuka grunted.
Asuka: "Yes, father."
Zorai: "I let you alone, you have to practice yourself."
Zorai goes inside of his palace and meet his wife. She is dressed in a red robe; she sported a red robe with the same spiky shoulders as the robe of his husband. Her hair was assembled in a cloud of buns, attached by two hair clips in form of sun equipped with two stems. Only one top-knot is sported with a three spiked flame ornament. She has a calm look on her face.
Myn: "How our daughter is?"
Zorai: "Training with my new technique."
Myn: "Let me teach her how to sew."
Zorai frowned.
Zorai: "She is my heir. She has no time for this."
Myn: "She is still a princess, dear. You have to let her love for beauty to blossom. Believe me, calm activities make her mood calmer and more collected."
Zorai stay silent for a moment. One part him wanted to argue with his wife, but the other part of him see that Myn has a point. Maybe that letting his princess a little with her mother could help her to be more patient warrior. The war against the Earth Empire was exhausting and despite the constant advancing of his army. The resistance from them was so hard that each important town was taken after months of fight and despite the effectiveness of the guerilla techniques he has inserted in his army to properly wipe out his enemy. It only further slowed down the course of the war. It forced him to be patient and more collected.
Zorai: "She will sew only after her training at the dawn of the day."
Myn: "Thanks. You won't be disappointed."
She kissed him on the cheek before going to the training ground. He doesn't love romantically that much Myn, but her calm and content demeanour were way better than the snarky and insufferable behaviour of the noble girls that he rejected all of his life. Always bickering for the smallest thing. And so, even if his daughter is quite narcissistic, she is still aware of the whole world and the responsibility as an heir.
He arrived in the war meeting room. Where the advisors waited for him. The map revealed the continent of the Earth Empire covering all of the West while the Flesh Kingdom was past the mountains in the west. The Fire Nation colonies were all on the coast while many outposts and bases where further inside the interior. A city was crucial on his plan of conquest, the capital of the Earth Empire. Shíshān (Note: "Rock Mountain" in traditional Chinese). He learned that this city was protected by an impenetrable wall with three additional walls separating each class of citizens.
He decided that for now, he will fully take control of the Earth Empire by colonising and occupying it. Then, when the entire empire is occupied. He will try to take of over of the capital, filled to the brim by the most skilled Earthbender of this empire, the Shāndì shǒuwèi (Note: "Montain guard" in traditional Chinese).
He sited down in front of the table.
Zorai: "Where we are now?"
War minister: "We have taken over the city of Píngyuán zhīchéng (Note: "Plain city" in traditional Chinese). The second most important city of the Earth Empire is between our hands. Completely purge of the enemy presence."
Zorai: "Where are the potential benders?"
War minister: "Sent to the colonies to learn fire instead of earth."
Zorai: "Good. Our powers come all from the Aether despite our… different uses. The Spirit of Fire would be proud to see much more recruits under his behalf."
War minister: "But still, past this territory. The plains are populated by agglomeration after another before leading to Shíshān. And their guerilla techniques have intensified."
Zorai grunted.
Zorai: "Continue to conquer like we have done it like before. Even if I have to wait a decade or more. These benders are a real pain in my head."
Chancellor: "My lord I have learn that the Kingdom of Flesh is threatening us to go to war against us with the alliance of the Tribes of the North Pole, if we take over Shíshān."
Zorai: "Their hereditary enemies are rallying against us?"
Chancellor: "Yes. They prefer to see the Earth Empire at their borders than the Kingdom of the Flesh."
Zorai: "If they go to war against me. They will suffer the same fate. I have a lot of fire auxiliaries in the colonies and all the Earthbenders prisoners are sent inside of the Iron Bars inside our nation."
Chancellor: "These Fleshbenders and Mindbenders are not to be taken lightly. The Fleshbenders modify their flesh bodies at their will while manipulating the other flesh on their will. The Mindbenders on their side are fearsome because their mental attacks can blast away their foe sanity. Without forgetting the Monks installed on the mountains between the two kingdoms."
Zorai: "It doesn't matter. I will bend down to my knees sooner and later if they try anything against me. I have all the time. Now, we have to take over these three small towns past Píngyuán zhīchéng. You will send tanks to occupy them."
At this moment, the door opens. Zorai could see that his father Fire Lord Zoron, now wrinkled with complete white hair. He walked in a cane and seemed really weak. He coughed halfway.
The ministers stand up and bowed to him.
Zoron: "I… will assist on this… reunion."
Zoron makes his way to the throne, climbed the stairs and sat on. Breathing heavily.
Zoron: "So… where you are in your meeting?"
Zorai: "We are preparing for the rest of the war. We will take the outskirts of the capital of the Earth Empire."
Zoron: "Hm… When do we expect to finish this war?"
Zorai: "When the capital of Shíshān fall to us if the Kingdom of the Flesh or the Tribes of Poles doesn't declare to us."
Zoron: "I cannot believe it… Everyone want to go against us… this is sad… All I wanted was peace like the Fire Lords before me."
Zorai: "You don't have to worry. After the war, there is peace. Under our grasp."
Zoron: "Zorai. You have to know that the Fire Lord work for the people. Their rise of power is from the people and should respect it. I hope you learn it because…"
He suddenly froze and his eyes stuck in the void of the air.
Zorai: "Father?"
Zoron falls on the stairs and to the ground. His eyes were devoid of life and his body was limp. The ministers were shocked.
The Chancellor kneeled in front of the body of Zoron and touching the veins of the Fire Lord. He widened.
Chancellor: "He is dead. A heart attack. He doesn't suffer it."
Zorai was shocked but frowns, without any sense of sadness.
Zorai: "Bring him to his room. We will prepare his funeral."
Great Advisor: "Huh… very well my prince."
Zorai: "The precedent Fire Lord is dead. I think I have a new title."
Great Advisor: "Oh… sorry for this inconvenience… Fire Lord Zorai."
A few days later. The Sages dressed in red robes wears high helmets were facing the body of the former fire lord who was installed on a rock stage. Zorai, Myn and Asuka were dressed in white, the funeral colour of the Fire Nation. A huge crowd is inside of the palace observing the funeral.
Great sage: "Fire Lord Zoron. You have leaded the Fire Nation with outmost wisdom and calm. May be your name could be remembered in all eternity."
The Sages ignited the stage and the body of the Fire Lord Zoron. And then, one of the sages takes up the crown headpiece and installed to Zorai top-knot.
Zorai takes from one of the sages the Crown Prince headpiece and installs it on Asuka. She was smirking maliciously.
Zorai: "You are now the crown princess Asuka."
Asuka: "Thanks father. I won't disappoint you."
Great sage: "Be you reign long and prosperous Fire Lord Zorai!"
Crowd: "ALL HAIL FIRE LORD ZORAI!"
They make the Fire Nation salute and bowed in front of their new lord.
And so, the reign of the Fire Lord accelerated the frenzy of the war. In the next 7 years, the Earth Empire was completely surrounded and under the control of the Fire Nation. Only Shíshān remain stubbornly up, all damages made by the cannons and anything else were undermined. The airships and balloons couldn't go above of the city because the rocks attack who tears the balloons.
It makes Zorai angry but Asuka has an idea. The young girl was now a young woman with her hair reaching her back. Still confident, she becomes much colder over time. She reaching an astoundingly height of the 1.80 meters with a bit toned body along with a great beauty inherited from her mother. His father now in his Fire Lord costumes is now measuring his maximal height of 3.5 meters.
Asuka: "I have an idea father. Follow my reason."
Zorai: "What is your solution?"
Asuka: "You always take the great steps to destroy your enemies. I will bring doom by the interior. Because, I have this."
She takes out costume of the Earth Empire. A rich costume of a lady in full-length dresses.
Zorai: "You will throw yourself in the mouth of the wolf."
Asuka: "Trust me father. Their Emperor will die as I arrive."
Zorai frowns but nodded at the end.
Myn: "This is dangerous my daughter. You are still too young."
Asuka: "Don't worry mother. I will do it."
And so, a few weeks later…
Zorai was in front of the city inner walls with his vehicles. Zorai just arrived to see the city has certainly not fallen.
Zorai growled, why his daughter takes so much time. And hadn't received anything from her for the past weeks.
But then, he could see the Earthbenders of the Shāndì shǒuwèi, recognizable by their hats with a green tuff and their black clothes with the symbol of the Mountain presenting the kingdom. They were numerous on the wall.
Zorai: "Well then… Prepare to fire."
The canons aligned in the summit of the wall and waits the signal to fire. The silence was reigning but then, the Shāndì shǒuwèi guards slides on the walls and tears them apart, opening a gigantic opening to the lands of crops of the city.
Zorai: "That's new. It reveals an attack or a surrender?"
Then, he sees a figure exiting the hole of the wall and approached the tank with waving her hand. The Fire Lord takes googles and could see it was his daughter. Dressed in a much formal tunic with the symbol of the Empire plastered on her chest.
Zorai descended from the tank and approached his daughter Asuka.
Zorai: "You succeeded right?"
Asuka smirked.
Asuka: "To be fair, it was a bit difficult to sneak in. But they have condemned themselves with their own police that I managed to obtain their loyalty. Also, their king is a pretty lazy guy. This city is now for you father… In exchange to bring in souvenir the Shāndì shǒuwèi back to the Nation."
Zorai looks to the Shāndì shǒuwèi approaching his daughter before kneeling in front of him. He turned his gaze to his daughter.
Zorai: "You can…"
Asuka: "Also, you can install to the throne if you want. I kept it warm."
Asuka returns to the tank of her father and then Zorai troops entered the city and quickly captured it…
With this, the Earth Empire fall under complete domination of the Fire Nation. In the next days, the Flesh Kingdom launched his first armies to cross the Mountains inhabited by the Divine Monks. Fleets of the Tribes of the North Pole launched their fleet against the Fire Nation.
Asuka decided to confront the Fleshbenders while Zorai goes to the Tribes.
Asuka with the airships crossed above the mountains and goes after a few hours to the other side. The cannons installed on the airships fired on the ground armies of the Fleshbenders, exploding them in shreds.
Also, with her new army of the Shāndì shǒuwèi guards quickly set afoot and launched a war against the Flesh Kingdom. But these foes are resistant because their soldiers always regenerated their limbs when they do not transform then in Iron. Also, her lightning doesn't work on them because they also manipulate some kind of bio-lightning leap from their fingertips.
But now, the Fire Nation army was ruthless. The fall of the Earth Empire relieved their forces and the adding of the Shāndì shǒuwèi guard makes the campaign more difficult for the Flesh Kingdom to counter. In matter of months, her extremely aggressive blitzkrieg-like technique was efficient and in the next two months. She was in front of the capital city of the Flesh Kingdom. She could see the Flesh Emperor in question in front of her, dressing in a big plate of armour.
But unlike the Earth Emperor, this guy was clearly ready for a fight. She smirked that this will be more interesting.
Asuka: "So, Wu Ròu (Note: "Ròu" is Flesh in Chinese), the king of the Flesh Kingdom will try to reach. Oh my, I am so afraid!"
The king looks coldly at her and put himself in stance.
Wu: "Even if my kingdom fall. I will be remembered as the princess slayer."
Asuka: "Okay, then. Show me what you have."
He launched his high speed against Asuka but she manages to avoid his blow in extremis. She realised this guy was tougher than she anticipated and passes immediately in serious mode. She keeps avoiding the blows of the king in an attempt to tire him.
Wu: "This is classic. You really don't know about a Fleshbender is capable off. By mastering my full body, my energy is limitless! You are the one to be tired!"
Asuka: "Liar!"
She launched a blue fire blast to him but he protected himself by making his arms iron.
Asuka: "You have to be kidding me. I greatly hoped he couldn't do that…"
Wu: "Take that!"
She avoids his blows with her super agile training and began to sweat. She has to replicate now.
She takes a bit of distance and began to make with her fingertips a lot of lightning by turning her arms and then launched a powerful lightning blast to Wu. He has not time to react and so, he was hit badly and so his flesh is burned inside as outside.
Wu: "AAAARGGGHHH! What… What it's that?!"
Asuka smirked.
Asuka: "My special ability I would say…"
Wu: "You haven't seen anything yet!"
He launched tendrils of pure energy and quickly grabs Asuka to her surprise. She tries to move she finds herself immobilised and she feels her force beginning to leave her.
Asuka: "What?! What's happening to me?!"
Wu: "I will take that energy away to make myself stronger and I will the Fire Nation army with your power!"
Asuka tries to struggle but as she moves, more energy is taken from her and becomes more and more exhausted.
Wu: "Oh yes… I am feeling it!"
The muscles of the king inflates and veins popped out. Asuka continues to struggle but she is rapidly immobilised and feels her force drafting.
Asuka: "No… I will not… give up…"
Wu: "Die now!"
He is about to suck the last of energy of Asuka but then, a spike of earth pierces his back and belly. It was a Shāndì shǒuwèi guard who was responsible for this. The king turn his head to him.
Wu: "No… not you…"
By the pain he released Asuka and so by the last of her force.
Asuka: "TAKE THAAAAT!"
She goes with a massive blue Flame Breath coming from her mouth that burn to the ash king Wu. And so, he is dead.
She drops on the ground, completely exhausted.
Asuka looks to the Shāndì shǒuwèi guard.
Asuka: "Bring me back to the tank… Please."
He takes Asuka away with him and so, this battle is won and the Kingdom of Flesh is doomed.
Zorai on side launched a gigantic invasion of the North. But these Mindbenders are really difficult to fight. The extreme cold was making the troops difficult to march inside, except the Firebenders. But also, the tribes of the Mindbenders were fearsome. Because their telepathy techniques make mad the ones unfortunate enough to cross lines with them. Without forgetting the Psychic shriek who turn the minds of the soldiers to mush, if this is not helped by the dominate mind to make their enemies surrender easily along with hallucinations of their most dreadful nightmares.
And so, Zorai protects himself from these attacks by not engaging the fight. Using the cannons of the airships and the tanks to ravage and destroy the tribes everywhere he can.
After months of fight. He arrived in the capital of the tribes. A big town constructed with ice and rock.
But a massive psychic barrier was protecting the city and the soldiers tries to enter it. They suddenly lose their will to go further.
It's angered Zorai so much that he exited his airship and goes straight to the center of the city. His rage was so high along with his supernatural psychic resistance bypassed the psychic power of this city.
He could see the tribesmen and woman dressed in fur clothes coming at him with spears and swords from all sides.
Zorai: "Take that!"
He launched gigantic waves of fire, burning a lot of these barbarians to ash. And so, each time he kills a mindbender, their strain only loosens more and more. And his anger who was a bit blocked by the psychic might of the tribesmen and tribeswomen rise more and more to regain its actual state.
He burns the houses and decimate everything on sight in the town. The tribe quickly began to melt and then the Fire Nation soldiers are able to penetrate the city and quickly overwhelm the Mindbenders.
And so, the last group of the town was cornered after this brutal massacre.
Zorai: "You are so weak, just like of the rest of the people. They do not deserve to live in this world. In my world, prepare to join them. Prepare to die!"
He prepares his lightning and launched to the unfortunate group and their screams of agony could be here psychically by every soldiers. Some of them screams in pain by this while the others try to not fall in madness. But then, everything goes silent in the town and in the minds.
Zorai: "It's over. The Mindbender tribe is no more."
He spats to the corpse of the closest one before turning his back.
A few weeks later. In the palace of Shíshān.
Zorai: "We have destroyed the Kingdom of Flesh and the Mindbenders tribe. The world is ours now and it's time to shape it at such."
Asuka: "You miss the Monk Divinebenders."
Zorai: "Yes, them. I will insure their submission in the next days. If they really are the peaceful monks. They won't fight back."
Asuka: "Hm…"
Zorai: "It's to me to go end this journey."
In the next days. Zorai finds himself in his ceremonial clothes and accompanied a huge troop of soldiers climbing the stairs leading to the temples in the sky.
It was huge temple constructions inhabited by men and women. With several floors going to the summit of the mountains Staples included an assortment of loose apparel, such as cloaks, robes, and shawls. Their head are shaved. The men shaved their head completely when the women have only the front portion of the head being shaved.
They were not shocked or surprised to see the soldiers arriving to their temple city. Like they were excepting him to come here. Some nervousness could be felt but it restrained by extreme calm.
Zorai arrived with his soldiers in central temple, where the most elderly monk was installed. They wore layered robes much longer than garments seen on children. The under-robes were designed with a yellow collar, while the flowing over-robes were brown and often belted with a sash. The armlets were loose and opened wide at the wrist.
Here the oldest monks recognizable by their long beards and wrinkles while the women have their hair white with the same wrinkled skin.
Zorai: "Monk of the Divinebenders. I have come here to claim your territory has mine. Submit immediately."
Monk 1: "Here you are. The one who comes from Somewhere Else."
Monk 2: "We have foreseen your journey and here you are. In front of us."
Zorai frowned. Coming from Somewhere Else? How they know about that? His father said to him he has been sent by the heavens but only a few people know about it.
Zorai: "It seems that your reputation of being the one who could see the fate of people is not to be taken slightly."
Monk 3: "In exchange to our surrender. You have to promise a few things: We need no other things to be left alone and live content. Our predictions are too important to a lot of people. Even the Fire Lords coming from your nation has done the thing to know their future."
Zorai stays silent. They have a point. Zoron has come to them once upon a time and they tell to him that he will receive a child from the heavens. He knows it was himself so these people have a lot of power in their hands that could be foolish to be tossed aside.
Monk 4: "Also, we something to tell you."
Zorai: "What do you mean?"
Monk 4: "A woman with the hair of the sun will come from the heavens to take you to an Empire of Light ever growing. Also, you are not the only one to be sent by the heavens to a world."
Zorai: "What? What I have to do with this information! I have a Fire Nation to lead! Not forced to leave in an Empire that I don't want to go!"
Monk 2: "An army from your flesh and blood will come to aid you in the journey in the heavens. Fire Lord Zorai. But be careful."
Zorai: "What do you mean? An army coming from my blood?"
Monk 1: "Yes, an army of your blood. But please listen. You have to be careful. In the outskirts of this Empire of Light. Monsters are lurking to corrupt it and by the same occasion, risking to invade you. Among these monsters, four will try to make your servant."
Zorai: "What monster?"
Monk 1: "One whose thirst of blood and violence has not limit. One where manipulation affects our mortality as a whole. One where decay and disease is happiness to him and want to share it. One where depravity and perversion is the summit of everything in the existence. These monstres will use your flaw against you and try to make you, their servant. You have to be extremely careful with the steps you will take when you will go to the Empire of Light, in the Heavens."
Zorai: "I have heard enough nonsense. (turn to a soldier). Install a garrison here all the time and destroy any resistance."
Soldier: "Yes, my lord!"
A few weeks later, back to the Fire Nation.
In the Royal Plaza, a gigantic place with small garrison with towers in the bottom. This place was filled with soldiers aligned to a platform.
Two Palanquin transported by servants arrived one after another, transporting in front Zorai followed Asuka behind.
They arrived and posed the Palanquins. The Fire Lord followed by Asuka exited them and arrived to the platform. She kneeled in front of him while his back was turned.
Zorai: "Here we are my daughter. At the same place were long before your arrival in this world. I started the conquest of our world under the acclamation of the crowd. And now, this is completed with the exception of the South Pole. Who is completely ignored."
Asuka: "So when we go there?"
Zorai: "There is a change of plan."
Asuka: "What?"
Zorai: "I am planning to do this alone. You remain here in the Fire Nation."
Asuka: "But… I believed to do this together."
Zorai: "My decision is final."
Asuka (irritated): "You… You can't treat me like this! You can't left me behind like that."
Zorai: "Asuka, silence yourself…"
Asuka: "But it was my idea to take over Shíshān and killed the King of the Flesh Kingdom! I deserved to be by your side!"
Zorai turned his head to her.
Zorai: "Asuka!"
She stops and realise she has to shut up before frowning.
Zorai: "Listen to me. I need you to be there to watch the land before I come back from my research. This is a mission that I only trust to you. Without forgetting that Myn is here too."
She gasped and widened her eyes.
Asuka: "Really?"
He turned to her.
Zorai: "For your loyalty and excellence. I decided to declare you Fire Lord of the homeland."
Asuka with a trembling voice mixing shock and delight.
Asuka: "Fire Lord Asuka? That does seem appropriate. But what about you?"
Zorai: "Fire Lord Zorai is no more. Just as the world have been reborn in Fire."
The sages put on Zorai an elaborate helmet and armour. The helmet is gold and black, with a large jewel in the front, with eagle wing design in each side of the helmet. The armour has the same decorum, resembling twin phoenixes with a cape that extended down to his feet.
Zorai: "I am now the Supreme ruler of the world. From this moment on I will be known as the Phoenix King!"
He raised his arms in the air. A gigantic flag black and red with the symbol of the Phoenix King on it is raised behind him while the soldiers exchanged the flags of the Fire Nation with the Phoenix Empire. And then, some soldiers lighten up cauldrons where the fire propagate to the two pillars holding the gigantic flag and exited the holes on it. The soldiers in front of him kneeled.
Zorai: "And now your crown."
He takes from the Fire Sage the five-pointed headpiece before presenting it to Asuka. He removed the crown prince headpiece from her before attaching it on the top-knot of Asuka. Zorai gives to the crown prince headpiece in Asuka hands.
Zorai: "This for be my grandson or granddaughter, signalling to everyone our line of blood."
Asuka: "Of course father."
Zorai: "I will be back soon."
And then, the fleet and the airships go to the South Pole. Zorai never set foot on it but all of his spies send there never came back. Something was shady inside of these unexplored lands. Also, he heard in his life that horrible monsters accompanied by humans corrupted beyond recognition. They are named the Chaosbenders.
The fleet arrived in the South Pole where an eerie atmosphere could be seen with red and black clouds with red lightning is above of the region.
Zorai was on the front airship and he could feel the energy from this cloud. A Monk comes across him.
Zorai: "So, this is the land you showed me."
Monk: "This land is populated by humans who have not their spirit anymore. They are threat for the whole world. What is the point of life when it's sold to the worst beings of the universe?"
Zorai: "Tch… They are just scums. I won't be the slaves of these monsters. I am the Phoenix King now. I rule, not them."
Monk: "Watch your steps, Phoenix King. Because they are more cunning that you can imagine."
Zorai grunted and goes to the exterior platform.
Zorai: "Never the matter. I will destroy them now. With the rest of my army."
He arrived to the end of the platform. And so, he prepared himself and then with a smirk. He launched his hand to the front. A gigantic blast of Fire is launched to the land, followed by the others from the other ships and began to destroy the land in front of them, melting the ice and reducing the few creatures and plants to ashes. But as they followed, blasts of energy emerged from the ices and impacted the airships and they began to go down.
Zorai has not other choice to remove his Phoenix King robe, only finding himself chest-naked by red pants. He propelled himself with his fire by his two feet and arrived to a big village who was the responsible of these attacks. The architecture of this village is really odd even terrifying. It was a build with different kind of styles built with no sense of decorum at all or even architectural sense at all. Like if artists throw their works to the trees and seeing the ones who are still stuck in the branches.
He posed himself on the wall build with the same madness of construction than the rest. The soldiers who come to him were deformed beyond recognition. Some of them have horns everywhere in their body with red skin and burning eyes. Others have animal arms and have a cloud of energy around them. Others have decayed bodies with a lot of boils and other tumours. The rest are dressed in very ostentatious and scandalous revealing dress, revealing their intimate part in front of him and the coming Phoenix Empire Army.
Zorai: "This is just disgrace!"
He launched huge walls of fire who burned to ashes the coming soldiers. And he goes further in the city where pure chaos was inside. A madness he couldn't believe in the front of his eyes. Extreme violence with a woman crucifying her husband. A boyfriend changing his girlfriend to a bird with a deformed human face. A decayed little girl putting a tumour inside of a man. And then, a woman and man going to… really depraved activity.
Zorai was enraged and disgusted by this. He will end them and end this madness. And so, he began to burn everyone and everything in this city.
He killed methodically every living being on this cursed city while the Phoenix Empire soldiers destroyed the walls and began to launch an all-out assault to the city.
Zorai arrived in the palace after dealing with the rest and could see the most horrifying sight he has ever seen. The leader of this city is installed on his throne was a mix of mutation of the four. Horns, mutated limbs, decaying skin and scandalous clothes.
Zorai: "I cannot believe it. This is just getting worse."
Chaos Leader: "There you are. Phoenix King. I'll make taste the Chaos on you."
Zorai: "On my dead body!"
[Theme: Last Agni-Kai].
He launched a huge fire blast that the Chaos Leader counter with a blood red fire. Zorai couldn't believe that his spawn could as strong as him.
He launched another fire blast as the Chaos Leader does the same thing, this time the two fire blasts deflected themselves. They stopped. The Chaos Leader launched another blast with his feet that Zorai deflected with his two hands. He launched a blast that the Chaos Leader avoids before rushing at him using his blood fire as a propeller on his feets. He launched two blasts towards Zorai that he avoids by propelling himself in the air with his fire before blocking the blast. He comes back on the ground with a fire blast that the Chaos Leader managed to escape. The Chaos Leader continues to propel himself with his fire while turning around the Phoenix King. The Phoenix King goes to the offensive and launched several other blasts to the Chaos Leader.
He makes a circle of his fire with his feet and managed to hit the Chaos Leader, that he falls to the ground and moans with pleasure.
Chaos Leader: "That one hurt! Thank you!"
Zorai: "You are a madman and monster! And I will end you!"
He launched his fire blast more aggressively and began to gain the upper hand on the Chaos Leader who can only step back. Then, Zorai makes his gestures with his lightning techniques before sending them to the Chaos Leader. But he deflected his lighting to the greatest surprise of the Phoenix King.
Zorai: "What?!"
Chaos Leader: "Chaos is everything. Including that!"
He launched a counter-lightning attack that the Phoenix King managed to avoid with difficulty. The power of the Chaos Leader was terrifying. Zorai decided to insist despite that. He concentrated his Fire on his hand and send a huge blast of fire against the Chaos Leader, forcing him to step back more.
Zorai: "Come on! Come on and die!"
He launched more and more blasts to the Chaos Leader, forcing him to go the wall of the throne. Then, with his will going to the max. Zorai makes a blue fire that began to overcome the power of the Chaos Leader and he burned more and more his skin.
Chaos Leader: "Ha! Even if I die! I will come back! I am a chosen one of the Chaos and I will come back soon!"
Zorai: "Silence and die!"
[End of the Theme].
He launched a final blast that burned the Chaos Leader to the ashes. The silence falls inside the throne room. Zorai breathed hard, still couldn't believe the horrors he has face. He frowns when he reluctantly realised that these Monks were right that more horrible threat is awaiting him when this supposed Empire of Light will come to him.
He exited the palace and he could see that the town was burning and then the Chaosbenders were all dead and destroyed by the Fire Nation soldiers. But all were traumatised by this. Some has thrown up their meals while others were panicking or stare in a daze state.
Zorai comes across his soldiers and said this.
Zorai: "Let's leave this cursed place and never come back…"
And so, the army leave the South Pole now empty of this Chaosbenders.
In the next 10 years, the world of Yitài is now under the rule of the Phoenix King and his daughter, the Fire Lady. These 10 years tightened the grip of the Phoenix Empire on the rest of the world and the new generation of the world was now completely under the indoctrination of the empire.
But he installed a community of the Monks of the Divinebender tribe inside Huǒzāi, he needed them for their precognition and their knowledge.
And when the day of the Tenth anniversary of the Unification of Yitài. Zorai was nervous because the Monk Sehing has told him that the in tenth anniversary the Empire of Light will come to him with the woman of the sun hair.
He was wearing a ceremonial cloth with along with his daughter Asuka was wearing proudly her Fire Lady clothes who were like the former Fire Lord cloth off her father. Myn on her side wears an Hanfu with multiple layers of clothes for the ceremony.
They were in the procession to the temple of the Spirit of Fire to a ceremony. As they arrived in front of the temple who was composed with two wings were in the courtyard is a statue of the Spirit of Fire who resembling like a Fire Lord holding a fan. A multi-coloured flame inside of a pool is in front of the statue. They kneeled in front of it.
The Phoenix King takes from his wood box he has taken from his Palanquin a Grox meat and vegetables that he throws inside the fire. He is followed by Asuka that on her side has taken multiple fruits that she throws in the fire as well. Myn finally for her side, throw fishes inside of the pool. The fire seems to grow more and gains much more colours than a few seconds ago.
Zorai: "Koryon, first Fire Lord and The Spirit of Fire is relieved! The festivities shall begin!"
The crowd cheers and then the fireworks are launched in the night sky and the instruments are played. Animating the whole feast. Zorai, Asuka and Myn goes to the procession once again to return palace where the feast is animated.
Here they are in the rooftop of the palace. Where the nobles with their families were talking each other. The leading family were sited on little thrones, observing the whole ordeal.
While their taking their meals. Zorai could see in the night sky that there a lot more stars shining the sky than usual. More the time passed, the stars filled the sky and only grow to reveal some kind of gigantic iron cathedrals. And the whole crowd of the nobles could see that the stars was abnormally bright and numerous.
Noble: "What in the Fire Spirit's name is that?!"
Female Noble: "I have no idea."
Zorai: "Stay calm. We don't know what will happen."
At this moment, the Divinebender Monk inside of the crowd lifted his hands to bring all the attention.
Monk: "My Lords and Ladies. You have to know this. The Empire of Light that you denied its existence has finally arrived. And so, the woman with the sun hair will come from the heavens to meet your Phoenix King."
Noble 2: "Enough nonsense, you old idiot! You should have returned to the mountains."
Female Noble 2: "Bragging constantly about an Empire of Light is ridiculous when we are the most powerful of all…"
But at this moment, the stars shine more and are now in the sky. Zorai could see that the vessel sported the sign of his capsule sported it: XI. He was becoming nervous. Everyone was shocked to the highest but the vessels who attract the eye more is no other than the white vessel sporting the name INFINITE.
Inside of the Infinite, a familiar woman was here.
Salem: "He is here, isn't it?"
Psyker: "Yes, my lady. We have felt his presence in the warp. This is no other than a Primarch."
Salem: "Good, my baby is here now… And I can see he is well."
Return to the capital.
Zorai have stand up and looked to the sky.
Zorai: "We have to calm down immediately. If they are foes, prepare yourself to destroy them. Also, the town shouldn't be in panic. Prevent any riot of panic by telling the domestic forces."
The Royal Guard nodded and goes inside the palace. Followed by the crowd and the royal family.
In the next hour, the Phoenix King is inside the palace with the crowd of nobles. Waiting for the reports. But then, a lot of guards arrived inside the throne room.
Royal Guard: "My lord! Some flying vessels has come outside from the vessel. There a woman with a hair of a sun. Accompanied by soldiers in big armors."
The whole ordeal shocked everyone, including the royal family.
Zorai: "You better not lying to me if you don't want to be sent in the colonies."
Royal Guard 2: "We are not lying. They will come in a moment. They want to discuss with you."
Zorai frowned more.
Zorai: "If this is that. I will see them privately. This mysterious woman has to come alone and without weapons."
Noble: "Are you sure about that my lord?"
Zorai: "Yes. Go out of the palace immediately. We don't know what would happen."
Noble 2: "Okay."
A few moments later… The throne room was silent. Only Zorai, Asuka and Myn are present.
And then, the doors open. Behind it is a woman with blonde hair assembled in a bun, dark and red robes with a symbol of an eagle with two heads plastered on her chest. Long sleeves and simple point earrings. She has blue shining eyes.
She walked upon the throne where the royal family is sited.
Zorai: "So you are the woman of the prophecy."
Salem: "Wait, you are awaiting from me?"
Zorai: "Yes, years ago. The Monks said to me that you will come with to take me away in an Empire of Light."
Salem: "The Imperium of Man, the empire formed by your own father. The Emperor of Mankind."
Asuka: "Emperor of Mankind? (scoffed). Nonsense."
Zorai: "Silence Asuka. (turn to Salem). I won't join you when the world is between my hands. Not without a fight."
Salem: "Hm… I think you misinterpret it. Please let me explain."
Zorai: "Then speak."
Salem started to explain everything to Zorai. The Phoenix King, his daughter and his wife were shocked to the highest. An expanding Imperium in the whole Galaxy, Legions of Astartes, other human worlds, Primarchs and other things. But the craziest thing is the woman, this Salem claiming to be the biological mother of Zorai. When she finished, Zorai frowns again.
Zorai: "Prove it to me."
Salem: "I have the use to sing a very specific song to all of you before you were separated from my arms. I am sure you will recognize it."
Myn: "A song?"
Asuka: "Don't consider us as idiots! Woman!"
Salem doesn't listen and began to sing.
Salem (singing): "Leaves from the vines… falling so slow… Like fragile, tiny shells… Drifting in the foam… Little soldier boy… Come marching home… Brave soldier boy… Comes marching home…"
Asuka was irritated passably.
Asuka: "If you can convince us with this… You are deeply wronged."
Salem: "Are you sure about that? See your father."
She turns to Zorai and she is shocked to see her father in a trance like state.
Myn: "Dear! Are you okay?"
Zorai snapped out from his trance and look to Salem once again. He frowns to see Salem once again.
Zorai: "I am okay…"
Asuka: "What just happened to you father?"
Zorai: "She is right…"
Asuka: "What? This woman… is my actual grandmother?"
Myn: "What you saw in trance?"
Zorai: "In a capsule full of water. And I could see others like me. In the middle, she was here, singing to me."
Salem smiled warmly.
Salem: "There are your brothers. And a whole Legion of Astartes waiting for you. The XIth Legion. Also, you will see the rest of the family. Believe me, you will be shocked and surprised to see them all. Also, a possibility to expand your own nation in the stars will all of that."
Asuka: "It's that possible?"
Salem: "As true that my name is Salem."
Asuka smirked a little and decided to descend the stairs and then she embraced Salem.
Asuka: "Then I am proud to meet a grandmother like you."
Salem: "Oh… thanks."
In the next day. Salem arrived in front of the temple of the Spirit of Fire in front of the whole crowd of the city.
She throws cookies, meat and fruits inside of the pool of the multi-coloured fire. It burned more intensely.
And so, the crowd bows in front of her as the Spirit himself recognized her.
Behind her was the Phoenix King, his wife and his daughter.
Myn: "I am quite worried she could have other ideas in a mind."
Asuka: "No matter, with an added legion and technological marvel with these new ships. I think I won't say no. Right father?"
Zorai: "I would see if the other empires of my supposed brothers are. To see, if we can reach them in force and power. I won't let myself being stepped on by anyone. Including the Emperor of Mankind himself…"
To be continued… Salem against Activists.
After an Ork purge from a compliant human sector with the help of Horus Lupercal. Salem is requested on the Grüne Ebenen sector. A rich sector full of civilised and developed planets near the Sol System, this sector is the richest among the sectors that the Senatorum Imperialis has given to her since she has become a High Lord. A political conflict inside of the planet Grüne Ebenen Erste, the richest planet of this sector has risen up. Salem will be facing for the first time the moral decay when prosperous societies neglect their moral duty.