chapter part 1

~In which… Behold, the Power of Red Bull! Plots and plans of clash together. Things seem to go right, only for many other things to go catastrophically wrong. And altogether, North Pole Campaign ends on an explosive note that would surely be remembered for decades to come, and not at all misremembered. ~

[The Royal Palace Courtyard, Agna Qel'a]

"Perfect. Just… perfect."

Zhao's reverent tone of voice echoed across the ruined city's air, mingling with the acrid scent of smoke that still lingered.

He had come to the battlefield in full parade dress- Fire Nation red and black, the brass trim polished to a golden gleam, and a grand red cape fluttering behind him as he strode up the bloodied, scorched path to the courtyard. Behind him, the city lay broken under the moon and stars, scattered fires still raging in the wake of the siege they had barely survived. His eyes were shut and he was inhaling deeply- like a man savoring spring blossoms only he could smell and straining his ears to listen to a sublime piece of music only he could hear.

The 1st Squad and I let the Grand Admiral have his moment.

"How so, Zhao?" My voice rumbled low, gifting him the question he so clearly wanted to hear.

His smile stretched wide, the corners of his mouth nearly meeting his thick, voluminous sideburns, and he began telling his story. "It has all the elements of a thrilling epic, you see. A beleaguered division of brave Fire Nation soldiers… outnumbered and besieged by a horde of Water Tribe savages!"

His amber eyes swept over my battle-hardened 41st Division. Red plated armour scuffed and dented from our battle with the 10,000; but their armoured grip was still tight around their guandao glaives. Still strong despite fighting an entire nation by our lonesome.

And winning too, I might add.

"Then!" Zhao swept his grand red cape aside with a dramatic flourish. "The hero appears, leading an Armada greater than anything the Four Nations had ever laid eyes upon! The craven savages cower before such a grand display of naval might. And naturally, like the elephant-rats they are, they resort to assassination- aiming to end our brave hero's life in the eve before battle. And yet, even that is foiled, by their own bumbling incompetence no less!"

He threw his head back in a hearty guffaw. Behind me, Princess Yue simply kept her head bowed. The snowy-haired princess knew better than to protest, though I could sense her quiet grief for her home city that had refused to listen to her warnings.

Zhao just kept laughing triumphantly, too lost in his own triumph to pay mind to the princess' presence, much less her somber mood. He pressed on, his voice thick with theatrical zeal. "Fearlessly undeterred by the failed assassination attempt, the hero rallies his forces, leading them into battle in the name of the Fire Nation!" He swept a dramatic arm across the devastation surrounding us. "Battle, glorious battle, is waged as the valiant hero's troops unite! Their valor, discipline, and raw ferocity shine as they crush the savages once and for all! The ash settles, the smoke clears... and silence reigns. Then, a cry goes out! VICTORY!"

Zhao thrust his fist to the sky, and his amber eyes expectantly looked to us for a response. And we obliged, thrusting armoured fists up and echoing the call. The shout rippled through the streets, reverberating off the crumbling buildings, until it spread across the entire city, reaching every Fire Nation soldier, rallying them once more.

"VICTORY! VICTORY!"

Before he could continue, a small voice pierced the air.

"Papa!"

I turned just in time to see a blur of pink hair as Anya sprinted toward me, a flapping red cape trailing behind her as she raced to me on her tiny legs. I dropped to one knee and swept her up in my arms, her laughter bubbling as she wrapped herself tightly around my neck. "Anya missed you sooo much!" she said, squeezing the metal tight.

The admiral paused, his gaze softening as it fell upon my adoptive maniac-daughter, still clinging to my neck, her small arms wrapped around me tightly. His smile widened fondly, "Ah, and even a heartwarming reunion between father and daughter. The perfect emotional touch to round out the tale. I couldn't have scripted a better story for my greatest victory if I tried! Surely, The Epic of Zhao the Magnificent will be remembered for ages to come!"

Another figure followed.

Yor stepped into view, moving with the quiet grace of a shadow. The gleam of her brass-plated stiletto daggers caught the faint moonlight, stark against the sleek black of her form-fitting dress. Her red eyes, soft yet sharp, flicked between me and Anya before finally settling on mine. A small smile touched her lips.

"I'm glad you're safe, dear." she murmured.

"Yor," I greeted her, still cradling Anya in one arm. "Glad to see you and Anya made it here safely too. It looks like Anya enjoyed the trip, I trust that she behaved herself?"

As much as a smiling war criminal could, at least.

"Anya was a good girl!" The little girl cheered, "Ate all my meat and caught lots of traitors!"

Ah, yes. Of course, she would have a sizable body count just from the trip here.

"Yes, she was a very capable little inquisitor." Zhao chuckled before nodding to Yor. "And of course, Miss Yor was also instrumental in exterminating the Water Tribe elephant-rats that had snuck aboard."

"They tried to take Anya." came the quiet whisper from Yor, her mask of a loving mother momentarily slipping off to reveal the coldly murderous master assassin.

"It was scary!" Anya nodded emphatically. But just as quickly, her face brightened. "But Mama poked holes in them! And Anya made the rest into shooting stars! We definitely got them to the moon!"

The admiral nodded easily. "Quite, the Fire Lord will be most pleased to hear how well his… adoptive granddaughter performed during the siege. And you, Commander- you played your part as well." His mouth quirked into a joking smirk, "Barely held it together before I arrived, didn't you?"

"You gave us quite the task, Grand Admiral, but we managed." I let out a low chuckle. "For a while, I thought you and the entire Armada had decided to take the scenic route."

Zhao barked a laugh, jabbing my arm lightly. "Ah, but that's what makes it dramatic, Khan! You know history loves a little suspense. Especially on the eve of a great victory." He straightened, still riding the battle high, amber eyes gleaming with satisfaction. Then his gaze flickered past me, settling on the brown-toned figure of Princess Yue. No longer a prisoner- at least, not in chains, more of a reluctant ally now. Her bright blue eyes cautious yet resigned. His tone shifted, taking on something more measured.

"So, you're the Princess of the Water Tribe?" he asked.

Yue dipped her head low, the long, snow white curtain of her hair brushing against her purple parka. "Y-yes, Grand Admiral," she stammered as she bowed low, just as I had instructed her to do.

Zhao nodded approvingly. "By order of the Fire Lord, you and your father will be visiting the Royal Palace to clarify the roles of your people. Once we depart, you are to accompany us to the Fire Islands for a full debriefing before the War Council."

"I… it would be the greatest honour to have an audience with the Fire Lord." She replied with a touch of hesitation. A personal summons with the Fire Lord was unexpected. Not ideal, but manageable.

"Oh, don't be concerned," Zhao said, his voice dripping with faux empathy. "It is clear that the commander has made your role in this conflict clear- just as he had done with his Kyoshi Warriors, and all those Earth noble girls. You will not be mistreated. In fact, you'll find yourself hosted at Khan's estate- the first foreign dignitary in decades. Rather than concerned, you should be grateful!"

Her eyes flickered toward the smoldering remains of her city, lingering there for just a moment. "Th-thank you for your kindness, Grand Admiral Zhao."

"Think nothing of it," Zhao said smoothly.

I lowered Anya to her feet and gave her a nod. "Anya, Yor. Kindly escort the princess back to the flagship. Make her comfortable for the trip to the Fire Islands while we secure the battlefield."

Yue glanced up at me, her big blue eyes searching for reassurance. I met her gaze with a brief nod. A personal visit to Fire Lord Ozai was unexpected, but for now, she'd be far safer aboard the Zhao's over-armoured flagship- away from the active war zone and any last-ditch resistance. Leaving her in the two battle-hungry maniacs' care was, oddly enough, the safest option. Also the cleanest. I'd rather not have Anya running loose in the city, looking for 'fun.'

"Papa has a waterbender friend?" Anya asked, tilting her head with wide-eyed curiosity as she studied the princess who was glancing at me with uncertainty. Then, as if arriving at a big realisation, she beamed. "Ah, Anya understands now! You're like Suki and Joon and mama! Then you're gonna love Grandpa Ozzy! He's the nicest and bestest Fire Lord in the whole Fire Nation!"

The little pink-haired girl tugged at the princess' parka-dress.

"Come on, Princess Y'way! Lemme show you the rooms, they're super nice!"

"I'd be honoured to, Miss Anya." Yue smiled hesitantly but allowed herself to be gently pulled along by Anya, who was already brimming with excitement.

Anya and Yor gave me one last smile as they walked off with the Princess in tow, accompanied by a sizable contingent of Fire Nation soldiers. And as they did, They passed just as a figure approached- a man whose presence carried a weight far beyond the battlefield.

General Iroh.

His red cloak billowed around his rotund frame, but rather than seeming weak, it only seemed to grant an air of aged wisdom about him, like some wandering hermit sage. His golden eyes locked onto me as soon as he caught sight of me. This was the first time we had met in person, but it seemed that I was already of interest to him. For good or ill.

Zhao smiled hospitably. "Commander, you know General Iroh, the Dragon of the West." He gestured to our local military celebrity with an easy smile. "He's been acting as my military advisor these past few weeks."

"An honour to finally meet the Dragon of the West." My skull helm atop my armoured form tilted in a polite nod.

Iroh returned me a polite smile, but his eyes were sharp despite the casual nature of his greeting. "The honour is all mine. Of course, who hasn't heard of the infamous Giant of the Fire Nation?" He paused, his gaze settling on the eye slits of my skull helm, then added with a measured tone, "And also the creator of that 'Red Bull tea' that's become quite popular with the men."

I nodded. "Technically, it's not a true tea, but it does seem to have a remarkable effect on their fighting ability. Wouldn't you agree, General?"

Reputation check failed!

-55/75 Reputation Required with {Iroh}

R 

Yes, that certainly did not sound like approval for my drink. Likely a mix of the wanton destruction, the potential spread of such power, and the fact that I had dared to lump Red Bull into the same category as his beloved brews. Moreover, Iroh was a 'Grand Lotus' of the White Lotus, the same ancient order that enshrined philosophy, beauty, and truth as their core tenets. Whereas I was an unwavering adherent for action, function, and warfare- or in other words, actually getting things done. So, we were always going to be at odds, if not on an ideological level, then over...

"Prince Zuko," I asked, aiming for a casual tone, "did he participate in the assault?"

It wasn't the most pressing matter, but I was curious.

Zhao, however, was quick to answer with a frown. "No, I've forbidden him from setting foot in Agna Qel'a. Despite his word not to interfere, Zuko is... too willful and impulsive."

"A shame," I said thoughtfully. "I would have liked to meet him."

"Is there something you wish to discuss with my nephew, Commander Khan?" Iroh politely asked, but with just the slightest hint of suspicion. It would seem that my violent reputation precedes me once again.

"Only to make sure there are no hard feelings over my engagement to his sister."

Iroh's brow briefly furrowed, but after a pause, he gave a small smile, mollified. "In that case, I'd be delighted to introduce you to Zuko over a cup of tea, Commander."

"I look forward to it, General…" I nodded.

For being amenable to talking things over with his nephew…

{Iroh} Reputation: -55 - -15

It would seem he greatly valued diplomacy- and coddling his nephew. That could only work in my favor. Zuko was sitting at around -70 Reputation at the moment, and there wasn't much incentive to swing that into the positives. The exiled prince had little in the way of connections, resources or any practical reason for me beyond mere politeness. Worse still, with his hot-headed disposition, earning his goodwill would take a disproportionate amount of effort. But Iroh? He was calm, open-minded, and well-connected. As expected of White Lotus leadership.

Still, the matter of Zuko, Iroh, and general diplomacy could wait. First, we had to formally wrap up this arctic campaign.

I nodded to Zhao. "Grand Admiral, the situation developed too rapidly to dispatch a messenger hawk for this last report. My unit intercepted and neutralized the 10,000-strong Water Tribe army in the tundra 36 hours ago. We now hold the surrounding area."

Zhao's head snapped toward me, amber eyes widening in genuine surprise, much to my confusion. "Wait, an army of 10,000?" he echoed. "I haven't received any reports about such a force. In fact, I haven't received anyreports from your 41st Division since your successful sneak attack."

"But… I've been sending you regular reports. I even received direct orders to engage and destroy them." Handing him the curtly written letter, I added, "It bears your seal, Zhao."

"Give me that." He snatched the paper from my armored hand, muttering as his eyes scanned the words. "I don't recall issuing this order… or writing this letter." His brow furrowed, confusion tightening his features before it gave way to angered realization. The paper crumpled in his fist as his expression darkened, the weight of his words settling over us. Someone had been intercepting and forging orders.

"It would seem there is a traitor in the fleet," Iroh said at last, his voice calm but weighted. "Deceptions like these never stay hidden forever."

"We'll deal with that in due time." Zhao promised, his voice regaining its edge before forcing his focus back to the present. "But for now, in terms of the Water Tribe capital, everything is accounted for... except for one thing."

General Iroh nodded gravely. "The Avatar."

"Yes…." Zhao fixed his sharp eyes on me. "Commander, do you have any recent intel on the airbender?"

I cast a quick glance back at the Lieutenant and the 1st Squad before answering, my voice low and steady. "We have no confirmation of the Avatar himself since our initial infiltration and engagement with him." I told the now frowning admiral, "Last confirmed sighting of the Avatar's assets was earlier this afternoon. His sky bison and one of his Water Tribe companions were spotted two leagues north, extracting his... girl. My 1st Squad and I pursued them all the way and inflicted minor injuries on his mount, noticeably slowing its movements, but they ultimately evaded capture."

"His bison's slowed, good." He said, his grand red cape billowing as he turned around to scan the smoking cityscape of white and blue ice. "You didn't conduct recon of the city after your first assault, Commander?"

"We did. Six days ago," My skull helm nodded. "I sent a scout team to infiltrate the city with the objective of acquiring intel on the Avatar's whereabouts. However, they were unable to obtain a positive ID on the Avatar or any actionable intelligence before they were forced to exfiltrate from your Armada's bombardment. Both his presence and his fighting ability cannot be conclusively confirmed nor denied. At most, I can provide a report of where in the city he wasn't."

"So, the airbender has already escaped?" Zhao hummed in disappointment, turning sharply, his grand red cape billowing as his gaze swept across the smoking cityscape of white and blue ice.

"We have no confirmation of that," I clarified. "His bison has been injured again, and we have no visual confirmation of it flying from Agna Qel'a. The possibility that the resistance built him a boat and slipped out under cover of night, is present. But based on the timeline, I believe the Avatar is likely to still be here in the city. Hiding like a snow rat."

"Not good enough."

But before Zhao could spiral further into frustration, General Iroh spoke up. "Your lieutenant is already leading the search, Grand Admiral. The men are conducting a house-to-house sweep as we speak. If he's here, we'll find him."

Zhao's gaze darkened, his jaw tightening as he mulled over Iroh's words. He exhaled sharply. "That damned airbender has slipped through my grasp too many times for me to be content with a simple sweep of the city," he muttered, then turned abruptly to a nearby officer. "Alert every ship in the Armada. If they spot that flying bison, they are to shoot it down immediately- with extreme prejudice. And while you're there, have my entire communications staff detained. I want to know who has been intercepting my correspondence."

The officer snapped a salute and bolted. General Iroh's golden eyes tracked his retreat through the city with the faintest flicker of concern, no doubt worried that Zuko was going to get caught in the mess as he has a tendency of doing.

Reputation check succeeded!

100/80 Reputation Required with {Zhao}

R 

Zhao sighed, but we both knew the Avatar wasn't the priority anymore. He had a much bigger prize in mind. "Khan," he murmured, almost as if speaking to himself, "of all the soldiers I've served with, you're the only one I could ever call a friend. There is one final act that must be done- something to elevate my story from a legend to the legend, and I want you to bear witness to it. Come with me."

Without another word, the Grand Admiral strode past me, his great red cape billowing behind him. And we followed.

Killing the Moon Spirit. That's what he meant.

My lips pressed into a tight line beneath my skull helm as I glanced up at the moon, nearly full, its cold light stretching over the battlefield. Then, down to the city- its white-blue streets now marked with streaks of Fire Nation red. Beyond it, the armada loomed over the horizon, an unshakable shadow of conquest. If Zhao succeeded, the world would begin its slow, moonless death. And it was up to me to stop him.

No one knew it yet, but every life- every soul across this world- now hung in the balance.

I stole a glance at Zhao. His jaw was clenched beneath his thick grey sideburns, fists tight at his sides. His amber eyes burned with the conviction of a man who believed, without question, that he was on the precipice of fulfilling his destiny. Fully prepared- no, determined- to see it through, no matter the cost.

In other words, a complete maniac.

A complete maniac who also happened to consider me to be his closest friend, possibly the only person in this damned city he'd listen to. But it was possible that the power of friendship may not be enough. Zhao's ambition was too great, too volatile. One wrong word, and it would all unravel- the moon, then the world, then everything. So, if words were to fail, then…

Through the slits of my skull helm, I met eyes with the Lieutenant. Her amethyst eyes held my gaze for a heartbeat before giving an imperceptible nod, her grip tightening around her glaive. Her ostrich-horse let out a quiet trill- subtle, but enough. A signal for the rest of the squad to prepare for combat.

They were ready, but the risk was still so very great.

Around the Royal Palace and through the Moon Door, we marched- following the Grand Admiral purposeful, almost impatient, strides. Behind us, a few more soldiers fell into step, turning our small group into a quiet procession of Fire Nation red.

Snowy ground gave way to soft green grass as we entered the Spirit Oasis.

1st Squad kept their eyes forward, having already passed through this place multiple times. But Zhao's two dozen soldiers- newcomers to this sacred ground- were less composed. Their helmets tilted this way and that as they took in the impossible sight before them: green grass rustling beneath their boots, wildflowers blooming defiantly, a towering waterfall crashing into the pond below and the sheer surprise of feeling warm air in the middle of the arctic. The canyon walls of ice and rock loomed high around us, enclosing the sanctuary in a world of its own. Above, the rising path led away into the Polar Wastes, where the rest of the 41st Division and the barbarian clans were currently processing the fleeing citizens.

The Grand Admiral barely glanced at any of those, instead he strode right to the heart of the oasis: to where a still pond lay.

In the water, two koi circled- one black, one white.

Zhao stopped right at the water's edge, his amber eyes locked onto the swimming forms as he gave his backstory just like he did in canon Avatar: How he was a Lieutenant serving under General Shu when he came across an 'unnamed underground library,' how he found the mortal identities of the Moon and Ocean Spirits, and how...

"…I knew it was my destiny to find and kill the Moon Spirit."

"Zhao, the spirits are not to be trifled with!" General Iroh immediately protested, gold eyes wide with shock that anyone would even consider what Zhao was planning.

Good. Iroh was playing his role perfectly- the voice of opposition. I would take a different approach. If Zhao thought I was on his side, maybe he'd listen to me.

Of course, Zhao didn't listen, already reaching into his cloak to pull out… The Sack. A simple grey burlap sack, rough and unassuming. In hindsight, it just showed how utterly mad Zhao was. He had been planning to steal one-half of the very essence of Balance from the world… and stuff the damn thing in a sack. What was even more maddening was that I knew it would work. With a maniacal gleam in his eyes, he poised it over the Spirit Oasis where the two black and white koi fish- the mortal forms of the Moon and Ocean- continued their eternal circling dance. And before anyone could react, Zhao's fingers closed around the Moon Spirit, and he yanked it from the holy waters, stuffing it violently into the burlap sack.

Immediately, the moon above turned from a radiant silver into an unsettling shade of bright red, bathing the sky and the whole world in its unnatural crimson light.

My heart hammered in my chest.

Timing. It was everything. Too early and I'm pronounced a traitor- destroying everything I've worked for… along with an enduring threat of this happening again. Too late and… well, I forced myself to focus on the now.

Zhao held the wiggling burlap sack aloft like a trophy.

"Let it go, Zhao!" General Iroh shouted, dropping into an offensive Firebending stance- arms raised, feet apart, and a fierce expression on his wrinkled, bearded face.

Zhao casually levelled his unimpressed expression at him. "General Iroh, why am I not surprised to discover your treachery?" His voice dripped with disappointment. "I suppose it was you who intercepted my correspondence with the commander?"

Behind him, his entourage of soldiers moved in unison, shifting into their [Firebending Style: Modern Azulon]stances, bodies poised like drawn war bows- ready to be loosed. But the Dragon of the West did not so much as glance at them, his glare remained locked onto Zhao. "The Fire Nation needs the moon too, Zhao!" His voice rose, " We all depend on balance!"

Zhao's eyes narrowed, but he held his ground. His fist hovered, still poised to lance a firebolt through that wiggling Sack.

Iroh took a step forward, face scrunched with anger. "Whatever you do to that spirit, I'll unleash on you tenfold!" His teeth bared as his voice rose to a thunder, "LET. IT. GO!"

Zhao hesitated, rattled by the legendary general's threat, but kept his fist was still poised to burn the sack. A tightly wound length of silence followed, ready to snap. And in it, his eyes turned toward me, looking for something- approval, support, validation. And for the first time, I saw it. The part of him that doubted. The part that feared his only friend would stand with Iroh and condemn him. He was balancing on a blade's edge, caught between the growing mania of standing on the cusp of greatness and the desperate need for someone- anyone- to understand him.

So, I did neither.

"This is a trap, Zhao!" I blurted out, "A trick to make you throw away everything you've worked for. Don't let yourself get tricked into harming the spirit! Don't let them ruin you!"

His amber eyes widened with confusion, clearly not expecting that. I hadn't appealed to his patriotism, nor to his non-existent care for the world, nor had I threatened his life; instead, I gave him something far more terrifying- the fear of losing his legacy.

Reputation check succeeded!

100/75 Reputation Required with {Zhao}

R 

"But how can it be a trap?!" His voice trembled with uncertainty, the first cracks in his confidence appearing. He raised that grey sack higher, "Look at me! I am a Legend! The Fire Nation will for generations tell stories about the Great Zhao who darkened the moon! They will call me Zhao the Conqueror! Zhao the Moonslayer! Zhao the Invincible!"

"And they will! They already are," I reassured him, "Here you stand, holding the Moon in your hand- in your mercy. You've won! You've already risen to a rank that few could only dream of, commanded the greatest fleet in history, and taken the Water Tribe capital so effortlessly that people would speak of you for centuries! You're not that lieutenant anymore, grasping at shadows. You're the Grand Admiral Zhao! A living legend whose story they'll tell for generations to come with awe and envy! You've reached the zenith, but now they're trying to goad you into taking one more step… right off your rightfully earned pedestal! Don't fall for it, Zhao!"

He stared at the Sack in his hand, visibly torn between his manic obsession and the fear of losing everything. "But… it's not enough! All my victories, all my battles- they won't matter unless I do this! The Moon Spirit… I have to kill it. I have to destroy the Water Tribe." He looked at me, despite his own words, afraid that I was right, and pleaded desperately, "Khan, this can't be a trick! I found this knowledge in the desert myself. This is my plan to seize my destiny! No one else's!"

I took tentative steps towards him, arms opened and palms up in a friendly gesture, as if I was to catch him should he fall. At this distance, I could definitely stop him if he tried, but I wasn't letting myself rest just yet.

"Yes, you already have seized your destiny. You have it in that sack right there, being tricked into destroying it yourself!"

I tied his legacy to the survival of the Moon Spirit, and now, he fell silent. His arm wavering, the Sack lowering and raising ever so slightly as he fought with himself. But still, he couldn't see how it was hubris.

"The tides, Zhao." I blurted out.

He blinked in confusion. "Tides?"

I clung to my argument, "Yes! The Moon controls the tides! You're the Grand Admiral, Zhao. What do you think will happen to the Fire Nation's fleets? To your legacy as the greatest admiral in Fire Nation history if you were to remove the tides?!"

Reputation check succeeded!

100/100 Reputation Required with {Zhao}

R 

He froze, staring at me as the realisation struck him. The consequences of the road he had been about to take began to sink in. "The tides… the ships… my Armada…" His voice faltered, and his amber eyes widened. "The tides! Of course, I- What was I thinking? The Fire Nation… everything I've built…"

Hurriedly, with shaking hands, Zhao knelt down beside the Spirit Oasis, fumbling with the burlap sack. His breath came in shallow, panicked gasps, and for a moment I thought he might drop the sack entirely. With trembling fingers, he pulled the opening wide.

We all watched, breathless, as the Moon Spirit slipped free from the sack, swirling back into the pool with grace, its silvery form shimmering under the water. The red light in the sky faded, slowly, like a wound healing. The moon, pale and full once more, hung in the sky as if the horror had never happened.

Relief flooded through me, through Zhao- through all of us.. I steadied the man, subtly putting distance between him and the pond just in case.

[Quest - The Admiral's Moment of Triumph] Completed!

Main Objective: Ensure the Fire Nation wins the Siege of the Northern Water Tribe… without dooming the world.

Sub-Objective #1: Secure a formal declaration of surrender from the Northern Water Tribe

Sub-Objective #2: Stop Zhao from killing the Moon Spirit

Secondary Objective: Convince Zhao to willingly give up on his goal of killing the Moon Spirit.

Rewards:

Large bonus exp

[Moon Blessed] No, it's not a dummy-thicc Moon Goddess flashing you her ass. While under direct moonlight, gain increasing bonus stats, up to 20%. Bonus is reset if moonlight is obstructed

Secondary Rewards:

Large bonus exp

Large Reputation increase with the {Firelord Ozai}

Large Reputation increase with the {Fire Nation}

Legendary Item x 1

R 

(Legendary) [The Horadric Sack]

A simple, worn grey burlap sack that still remembers when it held the Moon in its confines. The touch of the primordial still lingers in its threads. By placing various items or materials inside, the sack can break its contents down into its constituent essences, or meld their essences together into something new- sometimes even greater than the sum of its parts.

R 

Sparing a glance at the sack now in my hand- the same one Zhao had used on the Moon Spirit- I securely stored it away in my [Inventory]. Depending on how versatile it was, this could either be the greatest item in my arsenal… or my most useless. There was going to be a lot of experimentation in the near future.

For now, I turned back to Zhao, resting a hand on his shoulder, and smiled under my helm. "You did it, Zhao."

He let out a slow breath, nodded. "That was… a close one, Khan." His voice was quiet, almost disbelieving. "I had forgotten about the tides."

"I'm glad you realized it in time," I told him honestly. "And by the way, in my opinion, 'Zhao the Magnificent' was your best one."

We shared a laugh- a moment's respite.

And then the canyon lit up in an unnatural, searing blue.

A high-pitched hiss cut through the air, followed by a streak of azure flames. Before I could react, they struck the white koi fish—the Moon Spirit. My heart dropped like a stone as a sickening hiss of steam rose from the pond. And from above, another manic voice echoed.

"The tides do not command me!"

I snapped my head up. Azula stood on a rocky ledge above us, a vicious triumphant grin stretched across her sharp features. Her golden eyes burned with frenzied satisfaction, her manicured fingertips still smoking from the attack.

"Azula...?!" The name caught in my throat. She wasn't supposed to be here. She was supposed to be in the Imperial City. Imprisoned. Locked away. Not here. Not now.

"Niece, what have you done?!" Iroh's voice shook with disbelief, his golden eyes wide as her apparent betrayal hit him. But the shock quickly gave way to fury. He straightened, fists clenched, his entire body radiating righteous anger. He roared, his voice shaking the very air around us, "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!"

Azula's golden eyes gleamed with cold pride as she descended slowly from her perch."I've done what none of you had the strength to do," she said, her voice dripping with venom, more manic than Zhao could ever be. Her gaze flicked between us, full of scorn. "Too blind. Too cowardly to seize true power. Letting something as trivial as the tides command you- pathetic."

"My legacy!" Zhao shouted frantically, his eyes wide and desperate before he pointed to Azula. "Men, seize her! Clap her in irons and- ... Men?"

His voice faltered as his soldiers didn't move against the princess. Instead, they shifted, and in a heartbeat, they turned- fire igniting in their palms, their stances hard and poised to strike. At us.

"What are you doing?" Zhao's frantic gaze flickered between his soldiers and Azula. But these clearly weren't his men anymore. How long had they been in Azula's service? How long had they been waiting, biding their time, ready to betray him the moment she gave the command? But Zhao was still panicking- in denial even- as he shouted angrily at them. "I am your Grand Admiral! You serve me!"

"I don't believe they do, admiral." Azula's twisted smile widened.

"No, no, no!" I dropped to my knees, scooping up the mangled Moon Spirit in my armoured hands. Azure flames burned hotter than normal flame. The entire midsection of the koi fish was simply gone, its light fading. Ash blackening the pristine, holy waters where the Ocean Spirit darted around in panic. I could hear the faint sounds of the earth sighing beneath us, felt the tremor in the ground as if the world itself recoiled in horror at what had just been done. A suffocating silence followed- a silence that felt like the entire world loosed its last breath in terror.

... And above us, the moon simply winked out, like an eye closing forever.

"Hahaha! Forget the Avatar!" Azula's maddened, triumphant laughter rang out as the world plunged into an unnatural shadow, deep and colourless. "For in my father's name, I have conquered the Moon, the Water Tribe and Waterbending- for all eternity! The Avatar will NEVER master the four elements ever again!"

My throat tightened. The metaphorical tidal wave of what Azula had just done crashed over me.

The moon was gone. The world was dying.

But there was no time to grieve, no time to process the horror. I wasn't about to let it end here. Not like this. I shook myself from my stupor, adrenaline roaring through my veins, and through the oppressive darkness, my furious bellow cut the air.

"41st Division! WE HAVE TRAITORS!"

Against Azula's squads, my 1st Squad stood, dark greatcoats sweeping through the colourless gloom. Sharpened glaives gleamed in their hands. The ground trembled as mighty talons of ostrich-horses stomped. Massive beaked maws yawned open as they loosed roaring honks, full of rage and full of hunger.

And so, under this moonless sky, on this dying world, Fire Nation set upon Fire Nation.

In a darkened cellar somewhere within the city, Aang's eyes opened, glowing like twin moons reborn, ancient and furious. And amidst Sokka's protests, Aang stepped out of their hiding place.

The city trembled.

For the spirit of the world- the hundreds of lifetimes bound within the Avatar- will not let this trespass go unanswered.

{Zhao} has joined your party!

R 

"Zhao! Run, dammit!" My deep voice bellowed as we tore through the wrecked city, leaving behind the echoing roar of the battle. "My 1st Squad can handle them and the Kyoshi Warriors should be on their way as well! We need to get Yue- she's the only one who can revive the Moon!"

My armoured, seven foot-tall frame clutched the pot in my arms, the remnants of the Moon Spirit sloshing inside with some [Spirit Oasis Water] as we leaped over fallen ice walls and dashed through the remnants of destroyed houses. Snow mixed with ash, along with some scent of peanuts, whipped past us. The coastal walls where the ships were grew closer, but not fast enough.

"The Water Tribe princess? Her?!" Zhao shot back with a look of disbelief, his great red cape billowing behind him.

"Yes! And we need to move quickly, or we may lose the entire Armada to the Ocean Spirit!"

"But that Moon Spirit- it was killed like any normal fish!" Zhao scowled. "What could the other spirit possibly do?"

"Merge with the Avatar." I whipped my skull helm toward him, my breath steaming in the freezing air. Confusion flashed across Zhao's face, so I spelled out the threat. "Forget the damage a moonless world would cause. Imagine, instead, the full power of the Avatar- at the command of an ancient, vengeful spirit. Tidal waves tall enough to eclipse your flagship. Entire rivers raging through the streets, sweeping our soldiers out to sea. And worse- being damned to an eternity of torment in the Spirit World."

Zhao's face paled, then muttered, "Flame help us all…" But he shook his head clear as he found his Fire again, "We should be fortifying that Spirit Oasis- make the Avatar come to us! We can capture him before he can reach that damnable spirit!"

"One step, Zhao!" I snapped, snow crunching under my boots. "It'd take only one step into that pond before the Avatar makes it the epicentre of the largest casualty count in Fire Nation military history! And mobility has always been his greatest strength! Are those the odds you want to gamble everything on?"

"The princess then." Zhao's hesitation vanished, his amber eyes narrowing at the dark shape of our cruisers.

The sound of our hurried footsteps filled the icy streets as we neared the coast, where the ruined coastal wall of Agna Qel'a met the frozen sea. Beyond the fractured wall, the dark shapes of the Fire Nation cruisers loomed, boarding ramps still deployed onto the frozen rubble.

"There!" Zhao shouted as we approached, eyes locked on Princess Yue, collapsed on her knees in the snow. Her purple parka stood out against the red armour of her Fire Nation guard, her hands clutching her head as if trying to hold herself together. Her snow white hair falling over her face was no doubt contorted in pain. Her connection to the Moon Spirit was clear for all to see.

Even Anya, for all her bloodthirsty ways, was rubbing the Princess' back. The little girl's green eyes widened as she spotted us approaching. "Papa!" She waved at me, "Princess Yoo is having a really bad headache!"

We reached them, and Zhao strode forward, his eyes scanning the soldiers as he barked more orders. "Princess Azula is now a traitor to the Throne and is to be captured on sight! You may have mixed feelings about attacking a member of the Royal family, but anyone who hesitates will answer not just to me, but to the Fire Lord himself!"

Without missing a beat, I turned to Anya, her pink hair stark against the white snow. "Anya, get to the ship with your mother," I ordered, my voice firm. "We may need the trebuchets ready!"

Her eyes widened at the abruptness of my tone, but she straightened. "Anya understands, Khanmander Papa!" she saluted with her tiny hands, before rushing off into the chaos.

I refocused, my attention now solely on Yue.

"Yue!" My voice was sharp, cutting through the cold air as I knelt next to her.

Her wide, panicked blue eyes met mine, searching for some kind of explanation, some kind of hope. "I… I don't understand," she whispered, her voice trembling. "The Moon… what happened to the moon?"

Without a word, I showed the pot to her, lifting the lid to show the lifeless form of the Moon Spirit- the koi fish now charred and motionless… and stewing in ice cold super elixir. A last ditch attempt on my part. And despite having never been told that this was the mortal form of the Moon Spirit, Yue understood immediately.

Her breath caught in her throat as realisation dawned. Tears welled in her eyes. "No… it's dead," she whispered, her hands trembling as she touched the cold, scorched scales. "There's no hope now… It's over."

"No, you can revive it," I said urgently. "You're the only one who can do it, Yue. Your life force is tied to the moon. You can save it."

Tears welled in her eyes as she shook her head, clutching her chest tighter. "But I'm not… I'm not enough to restore it."

"You are," I insisted, gripping her shoulders, trying to get through her panic. "You have to be. The world needs you."

Her bright blue eyes looked at me, still unsure and still scared. But she didn't let that stop her, with a shaky nod, she pressed her palms over the lifeless koi, her lips moving in silent prayer. Zhao, myself and the rest of the soldiers all watched, silent and grim. The air itself seemed to still, waiting for the outcome. And for a brief moment, there was a flicker of hope as Yue's prayers rose.

Any moment now, it'll flop awake and the moon will be restored. Yes, any moment now….

An eternity of a minute passed by, then two. But there was no hum of power, no glow of life, no moon. Nothing.

"It's not working…" the snowy-haired princess of the Water Tribe gasped as she looked up at me with wide, desperate eyes. "I can't… No, I need the Spirit Oasis. I need to be there."

My skull helm glanced back to Yue, her hands trembling around the cold, lifeless koi. The weight of the world apparently rested in her fragile grip now. I tilted a nod at Zhao. "Let's get her there. It is our only chance."

Zhao didn't doubt it. "Troops!" Zhao barked, snapping the nearby squads of Fire Nation troops to attention. "Security detail around the Water Tribe Princess! We're escorting the Water Tribe Princess to the rear of the Royal Palace. She's the key to restoring the Moon, so protect her at all costs. If even a hair on her head is harmed, you'll answer to me!"

"Yes, Grand Admiral!"

They formed ranks around us, forming a wall of red and black armour as if to keep the chaos of the city from reaching us.

"Have divisions 14th through 22nd sweep-" Zhao's order died in his throat as a sudden burst of light caught our attention from a different part of the city. The glare was blinding, powerful. Zhao knew precisely what that was, and he paled. "The Avatar… That light is too close to the Spirit Oasis. We're running out of time!"

Before the panic could set in, my voice boomed. "We don't stop!" I growled, picking up Princess Yue. "The Kyoshi Warriors should be closing in on him. If they can stall him- injure him- then we still have a chance to reach the Spirit Oasis first!"

Zhao's face tightened. "Troops, double time it to the Spirit Oasis, now!"

Boots stomped at the ice as we rushed for our objective, and in my arms, Yue clutched the lifeless koi tighter, her pink lips stretched into a worried line as she looked in the direction of the burst of light. And although no one saw it, underneath my skull helm, mine was the same.

It was all up to my Suki and her Kyoshi Warriors now. Everything rested on them.

For six days before the Armada arrived, Suki and her sisters had scoured Agna Qel'a, hunting the Avatar who seemed to have vanished into the city's labyrinthine streets like a groundhog retreating into its tunnels. Six days of tracking every rumor, every lead. And every time, his shadow was just out of sight. Then, they had failed- run out of time.

And now, this was the cost of their failure: A shattered, smoldering city. Thousands dead.

The distant clash of battle still echoed through the icy streets, the sounds of metal against metal slicing through the cold wind. Suki's breath puffed in the frigid air as she motioned for the Kyoshi Warriors to keep pace. Their green-and-black armored kimonos blending into the shadows of the ruined city. Somewhere in the distance, the Lieutenant and the 1st Squad were locked in battle- large silhouettes of ostrich-horses barely visible through the smoke and fire.

'Fire Nation traitors had launched an assault force and killed the Moon Spirit! But I think Khan has a plan!' The lieutenant had hurriedly relayed to them. But Suki wasn't thinking about that now. No, her mind was on one thing: The end of this war. A hope marked by the unnatural burst of light they had spotted in the distance- and were now closing in on.

The Avatar was near.

Her deep blue eyes met those of her five sisters, and no words were needed—not between Kyoshi Warriors. Her gloved fingers curled tighter around the grip of her katana, a silent command passed between them like a shared breath.

'Prepare to strike.'

In response, her sisters' grips tightened around their weapons, a wordless reply.

'Striking to kill.'

Peeking around the corners of ruined buildings, they saw him.

Aang. The airbender they had hunted for nearly a week- the reason for this suffering and destruction- was strolling down the snowy, ashen road. His orange and yellow robes fluttered in the unnatural wind swirling around him, stirred by the raw power of the Avatar State coursing through his body. The glow of his arrow tattoos shone a bright blue light against the moonless sky, casting long shadows across the broken city. With every step, the wind blew harder, sending spirals of snow and ash skittering across the ice as he moved to the Spirit Oasis…. And remained oblivious to their presence.

There was no room for second-guessing.

Avatar State or not, Aang had to die.

Without a word, the Kyoshi Warriors fanned out in a perfect arc, their steps light despite the ice beneath them. Their movements were sharp, disciplined- ten years of training forged into silent, deadly efficiency. As one, they closed in, surrounding him like tiger-sharks circling their prey. Suki's katana gleamed in the non-light of the moonless sky, raised and ready to strike. They were close- so close now- just a few more steps, and she could end it.

Aang immediately turned, sudden and sharp. Glowing eyes locked onto her, having immediately become aware of their presence.

But Suki didn't flinch.

If anything, she sped up, her footsteps tapping rapidly against the snow and her hand on her Kyoshi katana as she abandoned subtlety for pure blinding speed. Her blade sliced through the air, the razor edge set to slip precisely between his fourth and fifth ribs.

Aang didn't step back, didn't even blink, as his hand flicked up in an open palm. A surge of air burst outward to deflect the blade… as well as her. Howling winds powerful enough to send every fleck of snow flying away as well as knocking her clean off her feet.

But she was already adapting.

Twisting mid-flight, she redirected the force of his airbending and flowed with it like water, tumbling as she turned her momentum into a harmless somersault. Her katana flashed in the moonless night as she came at him from a different angle, aiming for his neck. Another blast of air, and this time, she was blown further back… just enough to buy her sisters the opening they needed.

Two of her sisters continued where she left off, twin blurs in green kimonos dashing in from the sides, their brass war fans, sharpened to a razor's edge, snapping open in unison. One swept low with her fan, aiming for his ankle, while the other struck high, aiming to disable his arm. Aang barely managed to bend a gust of wind to launch himself upward, avoiding the coordinated assault by mere inches. But even as he hovered in the air, another was already above him, having leapt from a crumbled building wall. Her katana came down in a swift arc, aimed directly at his exposed back.

Again, Aang twisted at the last moment, raising a wall of water from the snow at his feet. With crack, it solidified into ice around his back like a turtle-duck's shell... just in time to intercept the Kyoshi Katana that would have severed his spine. The icy shell turned into a [Icicle Spray]. Sharp, arm-sized spikes of ice sent darting in every direction.

Easily dodged, of course. With narrowed, painted eyes, they sidestepped the icicle projectiles as easily as someone would sidestep from bumping into someone. They weren't about to give up.

But neither was Aang.

His eyes blazed brighter in that Avatar State glow, and with a sweep of his arm, he sent a firebolt after firebolt toward them. Dodgeable but a surprise since Suki was sure that he hadn't even learned firebending yet. But that's when she also noticed something. Her eyes flew wide open, whispering in realisation, "The cadence to his attacks is off… He's still injured." Her voice rose to a shout, "His arm is still injured! Overwhelm his left side! Focus together, Sisters! As One!"

"As One!" they shouted, voices unified. Six Kyoshi Warriors charged forward, each strike and movement honed from years of training, Strikes and feints from every direction perfectly interwoven across the six of them. Their bladework, sharpened by the hundreds they had slain, fuelled by the forge of unending war that was their journey with Khan. They were not the same warriors who had left Kyoshi Island. No, they had become something far deadlier.

The Avatar staggered, his footing slipping for the briefest moment, and for a fleeting moment, his guard creaked open just the tiniest fraction.

Kyoshi Katana flashed in a clean, precise arc, and the soft pitter-patter of crimson dropping on the cold icy stone came. They had struck onto his left forearm, deep, and although they narrowly missed the artery, a cut was still a cut.

They had made an Avatar bleed.

And for a single triumphant breath, they thought they could it- actually kill the Avatar.

But then Aang's eyes blazed brighter, and the power of the Avatar State surged through him like an unstoppable storm. A shockwave of wind exploded from him, hurling Suki and her warriors backward, their coordinated assault scattered by Aang's raw power.

They hit the ground hard, but none stayed down for long. Even winded and bruised, they were back on their feet in seconds with gritted teeth and tightened grips on their weapons. Suki grunted from her new bruises, her vision blurred as she caught sight of her sisters, silhouettes in green kimonos scattered and struggling to stand. "Stay on him! Don't let up!" she shouted, rushing forward again with her Kyoshi Katana again.

They didn't need to win, they just needed to slow him down.

An arm or a leg, maybe even just a finger. Any one of those, and the Great War ends just that quicker. They could prevent another Agna Qel'a. They could save lives.

And as luck would have it, she caught him. Right as he was about to step into that pond. His attention seemingly monopolised by it, and nowhere near ready to block her strike. Heart pounding, Suki gripped her katana, ready to arc the razor-sharp blade right across his unprotected throat ready to strike… but then something changed. A flash. Like a mirage on a hot day, the silhouette of another person was overlaid across the glowing form of Aang. Tall, much taller than Aang and muscled, like a giant. Green and yellow robes cinched at the waist to give a vaguely feminine shape… and a painted face.

Avatar Kyoshi.

Suki's heart stopped for the briefest moments. Kyoshi's eyes, the very eyes they had worshipped, glared back at her. Judging her. Suki's will faltered. They had followed the Fire Nation's orders willingly, rationalising every betrayal and every act. And they would have continued doing just about anything. But this… this was Kyoshi.

For the first time, Suki hesitated, but followed through with her strike.

But that fraction of a second was all it took.

Kyoshi vanished, but Aang remained, along with the tidal surge of water he bent from the frozen ground, twisting it into a massive wave that not even Waterbending masters could muster. This time, there was no avoiding it. Because no Kyoshi Warrior- no matter how skilled- could leap over a wave five-stories-high.

'Hesitation is death,' Suki thought bitterly, too late.

The water crashed down on them with the force of an avalanche, sweeping the Kyoshi Warriors off their feet and away and away. And for a moment, they were both airborne and underwater- pushed over the edge of the upper ring and down the five-story drop in the middle ring and deep into the ice cold water. But no matter how much they swam, the surface- and air- seemed so far away.

Suki held onto her sisters as one by one, they lost air. Until she was left, holding onto her five sisters.

So far from the surface. So far from air…

And then, a welcome blackness.

Our entire group was forced to slow down, trying to keep our footing as the ground shook. A massive tidal wave formed from deep within the city crashed through the buildings.

"Khan, what was that?" Yue murmured quietly in my arms, protectively cradling the Moon Spirit in brown-toned hands.

"The Avatar's doing, no doubt," I replied, "He's likely being engaged by the Kyoshi Warriors or the 1st Squad. Hopefully both at once. They may not have the raw power to take on the Avatar State, but they would at least be able to-"

Companion Lost!

{Suki & the Kyoshi Warriors} has been lost. All companion-linked abilities and perks have been deactivated.

R 

"No…" The word slipped out before I could stop it.

It was supposed to say 'Companion has left your party!' Not this. Not lost.

This wasn't possible. A hyper-lethal honor guard like the Kyoshi Warriors didn't just go down. They were trained for war, trained for impossible fights. And yet… It happened. The system didn't lie. The thought of losing them, likely- no, possibly- dead sent a surge of rage coursing through me. My fists clenched until my knuckles went white.

"NO!" The roar tore from my throat, raw and unrestrained. "Not the Kyoshi Warriors! Not my Suki!"

"Khan, what are you-?" Zhao's voice cut through the roar, but before he could finish, the ground beneath us shuddered again. Violently. The ice groaned, deep and ominous.

And then, every soul in Agna Qel'a- Water Tribe and Fire Nation alike- saw it.

Rising from the Spirit Oasis, towering over the ruins, was the Ocean Spirit. Its head was that of a koi fish, its body vaguely humanoid, draped in resplendent robes of shimmering water. Radiant blue light shone through the colorless world. And where a mortal's heart should have been, a dark silhouette- Avatar Aang. The living conduit for the Ocean Spirit's power in the physical realm.

Yue fell to her knees, pressing her forehead to the ground as she prayed to her god's incarnation. Meanwhile, the Fire Nation troops muttered, the Ocean Spirit's radiant blue light illuminating their expressions of awe and terror.

"Flame and ash…" Zhao's voice trembled.

As if it heard him, the Ocean Spirit kaiju's eyes, glowing like wells of light, swept over the icy ruins, seeking vengeance against the source of the world's moonless suffering… and settling right on us. It advanced, stepping over the towering pagoda of the Water Tribe Palace as if it was a child's toy. An entire lake's worth of water, coming to drown us personally.

"Khan… what do we do?" Zhao gripped my arm, "Khan!"

Do? His question barely registered. We were divided, overextended, and with no clear line of retreat. We had nothing in our current arsenal that could harm this monstrous water kaiju and no mount or vehicle that could outrun or outsail it. Great Chinggis Khan would curse this military disaster. The only thing we could do was scatter in every direction- sacrifice thousands of Fire Nation troops just to buy us precious moments. Maybe enough time for Yue and me to reach the Spirit Oasis, revive the Moon Spirit, and somehow placate this wrathful ocean god.

Seeing as I didn't respond, Zhao just sighed. "I suppose it's fitting…. What could kill a Legend, but another Legend? A creature of myth, the living incarnation of the ocean itself." He straightened his shoulders, and turned toward the mass of Fire Nation troops who had followed me this far, their eyes wide with uncertainty. Zhao belowed, "Prepare to fight. If we die, we die in glory!"

They had lost hope and accepted their fate. But not me. The 'Companion Lost!' notification was still in view. But I wasn't sad or heartbroken.

No, I was furious.

Through the eyeslits of my skull helm, my eyes locked on the one who was responsible for it: the Avatar who was inside that towering beast. And I wanted nothing more than to grow to its size and rip the Avatar from its watery core with my bare hands. But then, that rage crystallised into something clear and sharp. A rough plan with the Companion perks that I had and the ingredients that I've collected. Everything that I had in my disposal. It all clicked together, and the confirmation came soon after.

"No, it's not over." My deep voice rumbled. Without another word, I placed the pot, still half-filled with the elixir, onto the snow-covered ground with a heavy metallic thud. "Zhao, rally the troops. Buy me time."

For a moment, Zhao didn't respond. Amber eyes just looking down at me where I was hunched over the metal pot, sifting through ingredients in my [Inventory, discarding them and sifting through more. I was asking for his faith that this inscrutable alchemy would somehow give us a fighting chance.

His hand rested on my pauldron. "Time," Zhao repeated, nodding. "You'll have it, friend."

Apparently, that was enough for him. He straightened his shoulders and brushed aside his red cape and turned toward the mass of Fire Nation troops who had followed us this far. "Troops!" His voice bellowed. And immediately, they snapped to attention, fear in their eyes as if they had been waiting for that single command to anchor them. He pointed toward the approaching kaiju. "We are the Fire Nation! We've conquered continents, brought kings to their knees and laid waste to a thousand fortresses. This will be no different! Defensive formation around the commander! Give him the time he needs! For Fire Lord and Fire Nation!"

"For Fire Lord and Fire Nation!"

Valour was admirable. And we were desperately going to need it too.

"For the Water Tribe!"

War cries resounded across the city as the Water Tribe rallied. The tides of battle were turning, and the brave forty thousand Fire Nation was feeling the weight of an entire nation's numbers. Even if the Water Tribe was left without their Waterbending, they had gathered for one last, united counterattack. How could they refuse the call? Their very god had personally descended from the Heavens to lead them into battle. To fight. To kill.

Teeth gritted, Zhao whipped his head to the troops. "Water Tribe savages are back for more!" He bellowed, throwing his own firebending into the ruins, "Signal the Armada to fire everything they've got! Everything they've got on the Ocean Spirit! Someone have the 1st through 3rd Tundra Tank battalions secure our flanks! Relay to all divisions to take that second can of Red Bull! DO IT NOW!"

"YES SIR!"

They scattered, red armour darting in every direction of the icy ruins to pass the orders down to their respective division. And in the distance, I could hear the metallic clack of cans being opened, the clinking of trebuchets being wound up, and the echoing roar of firebending being thrown all across the city.

Zhao turned back toward the monstrosity that marched toward us, the ground quaking as it swept and killed Fire Nation troops along its unstoppable march through the city. Koizilla was closer now, its glowing eyes fixed on us with all the cold fury of an ancient spirit wronged. "Khan!" He grunted, throwing firebolts into the distance. "I hope to the Flame that your madness works!"

I didn't answer, my focus entirely on the boiling concoction in front of me. The mixture began to glow a deep, molten orange, radiating an ominous energy. It was almost ready. Almost.

A bright flare rose from the Armada.

Then, without another thought, the grand admiral raised his arm high, expelling a gout of signal flame, and swung it down in a brutal arc.

"FIRE!"

The Armada responded almost immediately. A deafening roar filled the air as the first trebuchets launched their payloads. Fireballs streaking through the sky, bright orange trails lighting up the dark, colourless sky like meteors before crashing down toward Koizilla. Explosions erupted around the monster's feet, sending sprays of water high into the air. Fire and stone met water, the impact causing plumes of steam to rise like clouds above the city. The ground beneath us trembled, shaking loose fragments of ice and stone from the collapsing city around us.

The Koizilla barely slowed, but it was distracted as Fire Nation troops took the time to pelt it fireballs.

"For the Ocean Spirit! For the Water Tribe Tribe!"

Meanwhile, the Water Tribe offensive grew closer, blue parkas streaming from the ruins like a swarm of rats. Water Tribe frothing from their mouth, wielding whatever weapon they could find, heedless to whatever casualties they suffered, and in doing so, drew ever closer to our lines.

"Water Tribe attack!" Zhao screamed, "Fight back to back, troops! Show them no mercy and fire at will! It's kill or be killed!"

But even when destiny itself seemed to have dictated for us to lose, the Fire Nation troops did not break, buying me every desperate second.

It was as if the North Pole itself was pressing on all sides of us. The incarnation of the Ocean itself, seeking its indiscriminate vengeance on us… The hundred thousand people rallying behind it, howling for our blood… and the moonless sky cloaking the world in colourless void save for the violence of our bending and the blood that was spilled. And in the centre of it all, my tall armoured frame knelt in front of this sad little pot, working feverishly. The ingredients churning, hissing, and bubbling.

And I just knew that if this brew failed… this was going to be Game Over.

[Extraction Point Ozai]

Explosions rocked the ice wall, sending chunks of ice tumbling into the dark abyss below.

Zuko almost followed them, slipping right off the ice steps, but a firm grip from Uncle Iroh pulled him back. With a relieved sigh, He gave a brief nod of thanks, then turned to watch the aftermath. The crumbling ice wall plunged into the inky waters, widening the crevasse-canyon and opening it out to the sea. Through the cloud of icy mist, a small, outdated Fire Nation cruiser appeared, gliding into the opening.

His small, outdated Fire Nation cruiser.

Azula apparently hadn't noticed that they had followed her here yet. Simply standing patiently on the icy docking point as she watched the boarding ramp slammed down with a metallic thud, its dark surface almost indistinguishable from the black waters below, hard to pick out in the colorless world of a moonless sky.

Lieutenant Jee jogged across it, his monkey-like face locking onto Azula. He gasped, "Princess Azula, the moon-!"

"-was all part of the plan," Azula waved off his concern, strolling past the Lieutenant and onto the ship. "Without it, the Water Tribe and waterbending as a whole have been permanently removed as threats. Try to keep up, Lieutenant."

Lieutenant Jee hesitated, clearly still trying to process the new information. "Then… what about Prince Zuko and General Iroh?"

"They've already decided to stay with Grand Admiral Zhao," Azula replied, not bothering to look back. "If they change their minds, I'm sure they'll send a messenger hawk. But if we're done with idle chatter, get this ship in reverse. I need to be in the Fire Islands yesterday."

"Yes, my princess!" Jee saluted sharply, but before he could turn to leave-

"I don't think we are," Zuko stepped up to them, his uncle following closely behind.

"Prince Zuko!" Jee gasped.

Azula paused mid-stride, and with an almost exaggerated slowness, she turned around to face the source of the voice. A sly smile curling on her lips.

"Zuzu," she said, her tone laced with mock surprise. "What a surprise to find you here. Though I shouldn't be shocked. You do have a habit of showing up where you don't belong. Here of all place, it's so fitting they named this place after our father. 'Extraction Point Ozai'… rolls right off the tongue, don't you think? At least my soon-to-be-former betrothed had a knack for names."

Zuko clenched his fists, flames flickering from gaps between his clenched fingers. "Enough playing coy, Azula!" His voice was tense, his anger barely held in check. "Was this your plan all along? Send me on a wild goose chase for the Avatar while you destroy the moon itself! Then steal my ship and sail back to father?!"

"Oh, I can't take all the credit," Azula said, inspecting her nails with disinterest. "I simply saw an opportunity and took it. My original plan was going to steal the Avatar and your ship right from under your nose. But Grand Admiral Zhao's plan was simply too irresistible to pass up. The Avatar can never master all four elements if there are only three left now, could he? But as brilliant and 'magnificent' as the grand admiral believes himself to be, he was never bold enough to see it through. But I was. I had such conviction."

She extended her arms wide as if gesturing to the colourless world around them. And her grin widened.

"I'm sure people will soon get used to colourless nights. I think it's even prettier this way. It has a stark… purity to it."

His fat uncle stepped forward. His voice, normally calm, now shouted with anger. "The Moon is gone, Princess Azula!" It was the angriest Zuko had ever seen him. Wrinkled face more pronounced in the shadows of the moonless world, "Do you have any idea what fate you have just put on the world?"

Azula rolled her golden eyes. "A fate of being free from Waterbenders, Uncle," she drawled. "The world doesn't need them. Never did."

Zuko stepped forward, his flames flaring brighter in his fists, but Iroh's arm shot out, holding him back. His uncle apparently wasn't finished shouting at her just yet. "Azula, you've doomed the world to imbalance. Do you really think your father will praise you for this?"

"You think Father would spare a thought for Balance?!" She scoffed incredulously, slender eyebrow raised. "You never did understand Father's vision, did you, uncle? With the Water Tribe gone, the Fire Nation will rule. That is his balance. Now if only we could find the spirit responsible for Earthbending."

"You won't get that far." Zuko's firebending stance tightened, his flames flaring, but Azula barely glanced at him, unimpressed.

"I don't even know why we're fighting, Zuko," his sister continued, her voice almost conversational, as if she were discussing the weather. She stepped forward, her footsteps clinking softly on the metal deck as she paced. "You helped me get this far. Don't you want to end your exile?"

"W-what are you talking about?" Zuko stammered, his brow furrowed, thrown off balance by her sudden shift in tone.

"The Avatar is no longer a threat to the Fire Nation," Azula explained, twirling a strand of her black hair around her finger. "We've taken away his waterbending. And while it's not quite as satisfying as capturing him, we've wiped out the rest of the Waterbenders in the process. So, don't you see?" She stopped pacing and turned to face him fully, "We've secured our place in Father's favour! His children, his rightful heirs. All we have to do is go back home and tell him what we'vedone. What do you say, brother?"

She extended a hand to him, open and upturned.

Zuko hesitated. For a moment, the temptation was there- the promise of his father's approval, the end of his exile. It was all he'd ever wanted, wasn't it? But then, as he looked up at the moonless sky, a deep sense of unease settled over him. The world felt wrong, broken in a way that not even a reinstated Prince of the Fire Nation could fix.

His uncle's words echoed in his mind- how the world itself was dying in the absence of the Moon Spirit. Even now, Zuko could feel Iroh's eyes on him, watching silently, waiting for him to make his choice. Take Azula's deal and revel in this world that 'they' had supposedly created for their father? It was tempting, but… Zuko knew- deep down- that no approval from his father could ever make this right. And although it didn't come easily, he came to an answer.

"No, Azula," he said firmly. "There isn't any honour in this. I know that this isn't my destiny."

But instead of being angry or upset, Azula's smile widened, bemused. "Pity. Then I suppose…" Fire bloomed to life in her slender hands, bright and blue. Azure flames- the very same flames that had stolen the moon from the sky. "… your crew will have to mourn their prince on our way back!"

Without hesitation, Zuko fell into his Modern Azulon Stance, his own orange flames roaring to life. And beside him, his uncle joined his face off with his sister.

His sister thrust her hand forward, and azure flames rippling through the air to meet that of his and his uncle's. Their fire collided in a flash of heat and light, the blue and orange flames annihilating each other in a powerful shockwave that almost brought all of them off their feet.

Zuko steadied himself, his breath ragged from the shockwave, but the rush clearing his mind now.

Yes, he could still take responsibility for the future- for his family's honour, for the balance they had shattered. He wouldn't let Azula destroy what was left. So, he resolved to fight, with every fibre of his being, against not just his sister… but also that small and stupid voice deep inside, whispering to him- taunting him- that no matter what he did next, the damage was already done.

The moon was gone, and nothing- no one- could bring it back.

[Agna Qel'a - Lower Ring]

"Khan, how much longer?!" Zhao's voice cut through the chaos, sharp with desperation.

War was the only light to pierce the colourless void of this moonless night. The unholy blue glow of Koizilla flickered against the ruins of the ice city as the massive water beast ebbed closer, its watery limbs sweeping away our soldiers like insects. Firebending flared in desperate bursts of orange. And the bodies of the Water Tribe stacked up in grotesque heaps around our fighting position, intermixed with the valiant dead of the Fire Nation. Amidst it all, Princess Yue's trembling voice whispered prayers of mercy and forgiveness, the lifeless Moon Spirit still cradled in her brown-toned hands.

Then… the elixir was ready. A molten amber liquid, glittering and swirling with a deep red hue that seemed to pulse like a heartbeat.

"I have it!" my deep voice reverberated in my skull helm as I hurriedly sealing it in a can.

"What do you have exactly, Commander?!" Zhao shouted, his eyes never leaving the battle as he hurled a fireball into the fray.

"It's called [Red Bull: Sun Red Edition]. For eight minutes, it grants the power of 800 firebending masters!" I yelled, my own shock settling in as I realized what I had just created. "But… it has side-effects."

Zhao did a double take, the man's jaw slack as he looked at the can in my hands. Even the Fire Nation soldiers who overhead the words couldn't help but stare at the elixir in my hands. "The firebending of eight hundred men?!" He murmured, taking a step towards me, "That- Khan, it'd be like drinking in the power of tenSozin's Comet! Maybe even a hundred! That's enough to drown an Earth Kingdom fortress with fire! To overpower the Ocean Spirit itself! Whatever the side effects, Khan, they're immaterial to-"

A deafening roar drowned out the rest of his statement. The Fire Nation troops had apparently faltered in their distraction, and the Ocean Spirit took advantage of it, a blade of water the size of surging towards us like an unstoppable tidal wave.

"Move!" I screamed, scooping up Princess Yue as the wave tore through the road, creating a canyon that split the entire city in two, and separating me from Zhao.

Water exploded around us, freezing cold and blinding. I hit the ground hard, clutching Yue in my arms as we tumbled through the icy ruins, rubble crashing down against my back. "Yue, are you all right?" I gasped, shaking her gently. The snowy-haired princess nodded weakly, her grip still tight on the dead Moon Spirit. I glanced around. "Zhao!"

I found Zhao's grand red cape stuck in the ruins, but the Grand Admiral was nowhere to be found in the rubble. I glanced back, and through the devastation, I saw Zhao, still standing. The can in his hands- our last ditch effort- saved from the Ocean Spirit's attack. His fingers immediately went for the tab.

"Zhao! Don't!" I shouted, pushing the ice rubble off me. "The side effect of that Red Bull is that it'll kill you after those eight minutes!"

(Legendary) [Red Bull: Sun Red Edition]

A molten amber hue with swirls of red like embers.

From the dead flesh of the primordial spirit of the moon, the taste of vanilla rain from forgotten dreams. From the heart of a spirit beast glut from its feast of humans, the smokey aftertaste of the human soul. From the eight leaves of flora that could only grow in ancient places where mortals were never meant to tread, the cool mint of strange spirits. And from a beverage that was alien to this realm of existence, a sweetness out of time.

Upon consumption, the imbiber undergoes a soul-deep transformation. The human soul, made fuel for this final act of blazing magnificence, granting the drinker all the fire in the world. And more. The smallest spark becomes a raging wildfire, and every breath is a bellows feeding the flames of god-like destruction. And for a few glorious minutes, the drinkers' fire burns brighter than a thousand suns, as if the world itself had turned into dry tinder.

Only those who know this elixir's effects beforehand can truly appreciate what it does. The roar of a supervolcano. The fury of a dying star. The final glorious blaze of glory for one who would choose to burn out rather than fade away.

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Made by: Khan (Herbalism Level 27)

Ingredients: Red Bull, Burnt Moon Spirit Entrails, 41st Division Ostrich-horse Heart, Eight-Fold Clover

Effects:

(80,000%) Fortify Firebending for (8) minutes

(80,000%) Stamina Regeneration for (8) minutes

Guaranteed death after (8) minutes

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Zhao stopped, amber eyes meeting mine. Then he looked down to the can in his hand and laughed. Loud enough to ring across the divide.

"Yes! Of course it does!" He continued to laugh, "Don't you see, Khan? This is it! This is my destiny! Everything I've done, everything I've sacrificed- it's led to this moment. The Grand Admiral Zhao was never meant to conquer the moon." He said, glancing to the Princess Yue who continued to pray with the lifeless Moon Spirit in her hands. "No, I was meant to conquer the ocean. I was born to drink this Red Bull!"

I couldn't stop him; we had no more time. "Eight minutes, Zhao!" I roared instead. "Eight minutes, and then it's over!"

"And eight minutes is all I need!" Zhao turned, his face alight with blazing determination. Then he smiled at me. "Hold on to my cape for me, Khan!"

With a metallic clack, he cracked open the can and drank deeply. It clattered to the snowy ground. For a moment, there was nothing. Silence. The world seemed to hold its breath.

And then, fire.

"I"

Fire streamed from him.

From his hands, from his mouth, from his eyes, through his veins that glowed through his skin as if they were filled like molten lava. Then his body ignited fully, transforming mortal his form before our very eyes as Zhao glowed with the fury of a hundred suns. He threw his arms wide, flames swirling around him as he roared, a terrifying, triumphant sound that echoed across the battlefield, his entire form radiating with the power of 800 firebenders that surged through his body.

A massive building-sized ball of fire.

The Ocean Spirit reared back, sensing the sudden surge of power. Waves of heat radiated outward as that great ball of fire rose up into the air over the city.

"AM"

An ancient Fire Lord once posed a question to the wisest of the Fire sages. What burned brighter? A thousand lit candles, or a single candle burning with the flame of a thousand?

We now had our answer.

"ZHAO"

The colossal form of a flaming man emerged from the fireball, like a demigod of fire forming from a star.

Zhao came out swinging. [Titanic Firebolts], each as large an entire komodo-rhino, shot out from his gigantic flaming fists in a rapid staccato. The monstrous Koizilla reared back, its watery limbs lashing out like tidal waves, but Zhao met each strike with raw, searing power. His flaming fists effortlessly blocking the swipes that had wiped out entire squads of {Veteran Firebenders}. Entire cubic metres of water vaporised at the contact with each blow, Koizilla seemed to wince in pain, But kept coming, relentless, its fury as depthless as the Ocean itself.

So, I gave Zhao more power.

[Unofficial Delegation] Activation!

Companion: {Zhao}

Perk/Skill Activated: [Defensive Massacre]

Cooldown: 20 Days, 23 hours, 59 minutes

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[Unofficial Delegation] - Strategic flexibility often comes from entrusting the right tasks to the right personnel. Unofficial Delegation allows you to temporarily grant the effects of a Companion Skill, Stat Perk or Proficiency Skill to a chosen companion. The more powerful the shared skill is, the shorter the duration and the longer the cooldown period between sharing becomes- reaching days or even weeks. But in those brief few minutes, your companion becomes an extension of your will: A herald, an enforcer, a diplomat, a saboteur, an executioner. Whatever you need them to be. Unofficially, of course.

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[Defensive Massacre] - Whenever a nearby injured ally is threatened- be it a lone allied soldier against an enemy squad or a squad's heroic last stand against a boss enemy- you will always have a way to make them safe… by killing everything in the immediate vicinity around them. Against enemies threatening your ally, you gain bonus Strength, Dexterity and Spirit stats that scale with the threat. Multiple threatened allies do not stack their effects, but the highest available stat bonus is always applied.

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Against the Ocean Spirit itself… defending against the injured and the dying all across the city… Zhao's power increased geometrically. The power of 800 firebenders became a thousand, maybe even two. His Fire rose, blazing higher and wider. The snow began to steam and melt. And for the first time since its existence, the air of the North Pole became hot.

Zhao raised his flaming arm high and a [Titanic Flame Whip] extended through the night sky. Like a massive flying, fire snake of myth reaching up to eat the stars. Then it struck, lashing across the Ocean Spirit's head and splitting in half. Its watery mass swirled and reformed, only for the whip to snap again and again.

But the Ocean Spirit was ancient, vast, and unyielding. And soon began to fight back in earnest, swiping back with [Titanic Great Waves]. For a moment, it seemed as though Zhao could hold his own- his giant, flaming form unleashing a fury of firebending. And every soul in Agna Qel'a- All the Fire Nation, and all the Water Tribe- could only watch the two titans clash. Colossal blow for colossal blow. The shockwave of their clashes was enough to send snow and dust rushing through the ruined city streets. And entire buildings were melted or crushed under their immense mass.

But the tides began to turn.

Koizilla lashed out with a colossal wave, knocking Zhao off balance. His fiery form flickered, dimming as the ocean pressed in on him. Even with [Defensive Massacre] raging within him, Zhao was faltering. The sheer scale of the Ocean Spirit was too much. The power that Red Bull ignited in him- it wasn't enough. The strength of 800 Firebender souls was not enough to fight the ocean itself.

"Zhao's losing…" My heart raced as Zhao staggered back, the flames around his body shrinking, barely able to keep his massive form upright. Koizilla roared, towering over him, preparing to strike the final blow.

Then it hit me. His Firebending alone, magnified as it was beyond mortal limits, wasn't be enough- he need more fire. And I had none more to give him… But I wasn't the only source of fire.

I shot to my feet. "FIRE NATION!" My voice rang out, cutting through the chaos. "Raise your hands up, send him your fire now!"

Some of the soldiers turned to me, confused, hesitant. But there wasn't time for doubt.

"Everyone! Raise your hands!" I shouted, thrusting my hands forward, unleashing everything I had. My flames shot through the air, a bright, searing stream that raced toward Zhao's towering form. "Give your Fire to Zhao! As one! AS ONE!"

"Take our Fire, Admiral!"

"For the Fire Nation!"

"Take it all!"

One by one, the soldiers caught on. Flames erupted across the battlefield, streams of fire from every corner converging on Zhao's flickering form. The heat surged, intensified by every source- the Fire Nation troops on the ground, from the tundra tanks, and the komodo-rhino riders. Flames, once scattered and weak, now united into a searing force. The 41st Division appeared atop their ostrich-horses at the cliff edge surrounding the city, their fire streaming downward to Zhao, even the Armada's trebuchet hurling incendiary ordnance. The flaming projectiles hovered, caught in the air like fireflies drawn toward Zhao.

Still high from our own Red Bull, we poured everything into him. In our hundreds. In our thousands. Against the very Ocean itself, mankind roared back our challenge. We will not bow. Even if it takes the last drop of our blood, we will not surrender.

"TAKE OUR FIRE!" I screamed, my throat raw, pouring every last ounce of firebending I had into him.

"I AM…"

Around me, soldiers groaned in exhaustion, some collapsing to the ground, their flames sputtering out, but still, they gave more. Even the flaming trebuchet ordnance, launched in desperation, hung in midair as if the fire itself defied gravity, drawn to Zhao's growing form. They spun in a slow, impossible arc before being consumed by the blaze, fuelling the firestorm raging across his skin. The snow beneath our feet melting into pools. The freezing arctic air turned as parched and hot as the desert.

"ZHAO THE CONQUEROR!"

Even those furthest from Zhao shielded their eyes as waves of heat rolled over the battlefield.

Koizilla surged forward at unholy speeds, almost desperate, its watery limbs stretching out like tidal waves, intent on smothering the inferno before it could grow further.

"ZHAO THE INVINCIBLE!"

Zhao roared, meeting Koizilla's attack head-on, a fiery fist the size of a house hurtling like a meteor. And the impact was cataclysmic- shockwave rippled through the city, toppling buildings, shattering ice, rupturing eardrums and burying soldiers and civilians under the rubble.

The Koizilla's entire upper torso, from the arms up was gone. But unfortunately, its core was still intact- the Avatar still alive. Water immediately began reforming as it had before. But this time, it was Zhao who was readying the final blow. As the fire surged, Zhao's towering form stood defiant. His massive flaming hands raised up to the starry sky, and on it, a flaming ball swirled into being- a star blazing right over the city.

"ZHAO…"

Through the chaos, Zhao's eyes, glowing like the molten cores of volcanoes, found mine. For a fleeting moment, time seemed to freeze. His gaze held no words, just the silent, grateful acknowledgement that this victory could not have been achieved without me. A wordless farewell.

Then… he turned back to face the Ocean Spirit, and met his destiny.

"ZHAO THE MAGNIFICENT!"

With a final, earth-shaking roar, he thrust both hands down, that massive flaming ball made of the combined fiery might of every firebender in the city in one devastating [Titanic Fire Blast], straight at the Ocean Spirit's watery fish face. And the world stood still, but only for a heartbeat.

Everything turned white as though the sun itself had descended on Agna Qel'a.