The Chronicles Of Kaurava: Finale (Part 1)

A New Order Rises

Previously on Avatar: Hammer of the Elements:

After a long, grueling and tedious battle where countless lives were lost, widespread atrocities were committed, and many cultural locations were wiped off the map, the world of Avatar was finally liberated from the tyranny of an alien empire's invasion, with help from futuristic humans from the stars who had an empire of their very own.

The current Avatar, Aang of the Air Nomads, sacrificed his own life in order to secure a future of peace and prosperity for all, in an act of glorious, selfless martyrdom, that nonetheless suspiciously looked as if it was influenced by an unknown outside force.

In that explosive sacrifice, the raw power of the elements being channeled through Aang's body obliterated the Combine Empire's mothership, saving both the Imperials and the native peoples of Kaurava from certain doom, and a fate worse than death.

But what became of that fascinating world once it was indebted to the Imperium of Man, and what events transpired after one of the missing Primarchs of Imperial legend was discovered there?

Let's just say that the planet more formally known as Kaurava underwent the greatest change it had ever experienced in its history, and there really wasn't anything its people could do to resist the demands and new laws that the Imperials established.

If the indigenous population refused to integrate into Imperial society, then they would be left behind, totally isolated from other worlds and utterly helpless in the face of another xenos invasion, which, given the abundance of advanced civilizations bordering the Imperium of Man, was an inevitable threat, one that a backwater pre-spaceflight planet could never hope to withstand.

The Four Nations and the Hidden Valley might have dodged a bullet when they defeated the Combine, but now they were being assimilated into a different interstellar nation, albeit one that wasn't trying to outright enslave their people and annihilate their way of life.

Just imagine the people's reaction though, when a twenty-foot tall man dressed in golden magic plate armor and a cape laced with gemstones literally descended from the skies in a ball of light, to inform them of the new status quo and how it would work.

Here is the resulting scenario, broadcasted for all in the Imperium to see:

Current Location: Earth Kingdom Capital, Ba Sing Se, the Impenetrable City (after repairing the extensive damage from the war)

Accompanied by his Custodian bodyguards as well as high-ranking Spirit Warden officers, the Master of Mankind stood before a truly enormous assembly of people, gathered in front of the Royal Palace grounds. Civilians and soldiers alike waited patiently and listened carefully, as the dawn of a new era was in full motion.

"My fellow human beings, I have come here to make an earth-shattering announcement, and list the terms and conditions of a new alliance, a pact which will open up this small yet remarkable world to the enlightenment and prosperity of the cosmos."

"By the Imperium's intervention, the Four Nations and the Hidden Valley were saved from the threat of enslavement and eventual annihilation. In addition, one of my twenty lost children was apparently raised here, and played an instrumental role in defeating the previously unstoppable forces of the vile Combine Empire. All hail Lord Krishna, the Spirit of Unity, smith of bonds between cultures and nations!"

"And so, by joining us, you will ensure the survival and good fortune of future generations, and contribute to the ineffable, extraordinary progress made by all of Mankind."

"Now, let us establish the code of conduct that connects your world to ours, the eight commandments of unification."

"First: You shall not sow discord and chaos amongst your fellow men. To divide society is to ultimately doom us all to damnation, to unite it is to pave the way for a hopeful future. Only a bitter, vengeful, self-righteous bigot or a hateful, ignorant, raving demagogue would have the desire and drive to topple our precious union."

"Second: You will do what is right, not what is easy. Dying is easier than living. Holding on to old hatred and fear is easier than embracing forgiveness and reconciliation. Whatever your path may be, try your best to choose strength before weakness, journey before destination, life before death."

"Third: Know that there are always several ways to achieve a goal. Failure is preferable to winning through unjust means. If you make a mistake, learning from it is the best option. In the end, all men die... exactly how you lived will be far more important in the great beyond than what you accomplished in your previous life."

"Fourth: Do not put your trust in treacherous gods, spirits and deities. These beings are inherently selfish and represent the worst facets of humanity, and only seek to manipulate and corrupt you for their own benefit. Instead, place your faith in the powers of enlightenment, science and intellectualism, which are all tangible tools to help guide society on the right path."

"Fifth: During times of strife and conflict, follow the rules of war accordingly, as laid out in the texts of history from the earliest days of human civilization. Sun Tzu is a name I am sure you will resonate well with, given the military traditions and arts of your world. Should you make good use of his advice during wars of the future, I can assure you that victory will often come swiftly and easily. If not, then already serious matters will be much, much more difficult to resolve."

"Sixth: Knowledge and information is power. Guard it well, and utilize it to the best of your advantage, but do not let the pursuit of progress become twisted and warped by self-serving desires and egotistical delusions. The worst tyranny of all is tyranny established in the name and pursuit of the greater good."

"Seventh: When dealing with the unknown and the alien, mistrust is expected. The universe is home to innumerable horrors, many of which seek nothing else but the obliteration of our species and any other civilizations that they consider beneath them. Treat alien sapience with great caution at best, and at all costs, prevent the spread of true artificial intelligence. A great calamity once arose from the power of machines gifted with human wisdom, leading to the death and suffering of countless innocents. The creation of abominable intelligence, as it is now called, is a crime punishable by death in the realms of humankind."

"Eighth: Now that you are aware of these guiding principles, which have led humans across the stars into the beginning of a new renaissance era... I give you free will to follow them in whatever way that suits you most. My true goal is not to dominate you, but to assist you in becoming a part of something bigger than this tiny planet. One way or another, we were bound to cross paths, and your contributions will lead generations on the correct path. Someday, the dream yet to be realized will one day take hold. All you need to do is adapt to your situation, as you always have. Be like water, as the patron saint of the Astra Militarum, General Bruce Lee, once said."

The God-Emperor, as he was now known, then proceeded to depart, and left his chosen governors and the leaders of the elemental nations to sort out the rest of the integration pact.

Team Avatar, a group of well-known veterans of the 100-Year War, who once fought alongside Avatar Aang against the old Fire Nation regime, were among the people that helped organize the alliance and provide counsel for the off-worlders unfamiliar with Kauravan diplomacy.

While participating in this momentous event, though, the veterans had a private discussion of their own, regarding their deceased friend's suspiciously timed sacrifice, the inevitable arrival of his next incarnation, and the potential drawbacks of joining the Imperium of Man.

This conversation of significant concerns and potential worries was perfectly justified, given what would happen in the distant future.

The natives of this world had no idea that the God-Emperor utterly lacked any sort of consistency regarding the rules and truths he promoted and instituted. He was, in truth, the biggest hypocrite in the entire galaxy... and he couldn't hide this forever.

Author's note: Sorry if this seemed underwhelming for the wait. The delays on my fanfiction uploads are something that I can't really do anything about, since I've been trying to slowly branch out to other hobbies in my real life, including a spree of Minecraft modding and binging astronomy books, and I'm also working on original worldbuilding projects that will probably never see the light of day. Plus, I caught a bad cold at the beginning of November.

I did try my best to make the God-Emperor sound like a "great man," for lack of a better term, someone that would inspire action and passion in virtually anyone through the power of his words (though he certainly doesn't genuinely adhere by everything he says and believes.)

The next and final chapter will involve Team Avatar and their ultimate decision to help the Imperium in the best way they can, since they don't really have any other way to move forward with the future, seeing as resistance is pointless and isolationism will only lead to catastrophe.

UNTIL NEXT TIME...