chapter part 3

(A few months later) [Adventurer's Guild HQ]

Team Noble sat in an opulent waiting room.

Silk tapestries lined the walls, and the scent of incense lingered in the air. Being all former nobles, it was almost nostalgic for them- not that it helped with the aura in the room. It was still tense, Ty Lee even felt her own aura wound up in knots. Because this wasn't just any mission- this was the mission. Their first Mithril-ranked job. She wasn't even sure if there's ever been a Mithril-ranked job before. If there was, then not many adventurers ever got the chance to take on jobs like that, and fewer still advertised that fact. As far as everyone has heard, Mithril-ranked jobs were usually just rumours running around tables in the tavern below.

But this? This was the real deal. The Headmaster herself had summoned them for it.

Ty Lee couldn't sit still, bouncing slightly on the plush cushions, her nervous excitement jitters contained. Mai leaned back in her armchair, her face resting in its usual mask of indifference and boredom, her fingers absently twirling one of her daggers. Zuko was finely tuning his pipa lute, occasionally plucking strings and a chord that was a welcome filler to the quiet. And Toph, of course, lounged with her feet up on a low table and her pinky finger up her nostril, completely unbothered by their big break. Ty Lee wished she had her stoicism sometimes. Just sometimes.

"Team Noble's the best in the field, big guy," came Headmaster June's voice, muffled but distinct from behind the large double doors. "If they can't do it, no one in my Guild can."

The creak of the door echoed through the room, and everyone tensed. Slowly, it swung open, revealing a massive, imposing figure clad in spiked red armor- Khan. The seven-foot-tall ruler of the world stood in the doorway, his skull-faced helmet gleaming under the light streaming from the windows. For a moment, no one spoke. Then Khan stepped inside, his spiky armour clinking with each deliberate movement, and his skull helmet swept its gaze over them, glossing over Mai.

"…Toph." His voice was a low, rumbling growl as he nodded to the blind Earth bender.

"Khan," Toph replied with a short, stiff nod, her voice sharp and tense. Her hands rested on her chair, fingers drumming against the wood of the armrests in a restless rhythm.

Then, finally, Khan's gaze landed on Zuko. The firebender stiffened but met his former enemy's gaze head-on.

"Zuko," Khan said.

"Khan," Zuko replied, his tone steady, but carrying an edge of something different. An acknowledgement, and what Ty Lee hoped was just a bit of respect. Because unlike the others, he couldn't deny that, in some twisted way, Khan had ruined his life for the better.

Finally, Khan's gaze shifted to her. "Ty Lee."

Ty Lee straightened slightly, her aura firming up. "Khan," she echoed, trying not to let any weakness in her voice. She'd come a long way from the circus performer whose life had been upended and her friend driven insane… but so had he. While she had wandered around to find a new lease in life, he had apparently soared up to attain his as ruler of the entire world.

A silence followed that stiff exchange, and Zuko was the one to break it, "If you're the client for this job, then why couldn't you take your 'Bloody 41st' and just do this yourself?" he asked, his voice low and pointed. "Your division has always been good at wrecking anything you point them at."

Everyone stared at Zuko. Sure, they may have had reasons not to like Khan, but he was still Fire Lord Supreme.

"That is an option, yes," Khan replied, the annoyance barely masked in his voice. "But as much as I would relish grinding this annoying little train-disrupting pissant under my boot heel, I have bigger quests requiring my direct attention."

"Bigger things? Something bigger than the largest dark spirit outbreak that the Earth Kingdom has seen in the last thousand years?!"

"Indeed. Things like containing this incident's ongoing fallout so that it doesn't spread across the entire Earth Kingdom. I and the tens of thousands under my command are— at this very moment—staunching the bleeding, holding the line, protecting the civilians. Just standing here to brief you is already stretching it. But, Headmaster June assures me that you can pull this off. That you're one of—if not the—most effective adventurer group on the continent."

"Damn right we are!" Toph announced, puffing her chest out."You wanted the best, well here we are!"

"Sure, but this is still a very risky job, boys and girls," Headmaster June began with a drawl, the slender woman in dark leathers resting a hand on her hip, "Risky enough that even I'd be cagey with taking it. I want you all to know that you can decline the job and it won't affect your standing in the Guild or with the big guy here."

Ty Lee glanced at each of her team and met their eyes. They nodded back. They'd already talked about this before coming here- about their first Mithril-ranked job and what it could possibly entail. If they backed out now, it would be an insult to everything they've gone through as adventurers, so they wouldn't.

"We're ready." She said, letting go of her long braid and meeting Khan's eyes through the slits of his skull-faced helmet. "We'll take the job."

Khan grunted in acknowledgement and sat a map down onto the fine lacquered table in the midst of them.

"This quest should take you far southeast of Gao Ling," His deep voice rumbled, "Some genius thought that herding spirits and sacrificing people to them would somehow grant ultimate power. Unsurprisingly, this caused the endless tide of spiritual incidents you now see troubling the region: villages assailed, citizens dead and most insultingly, infrastructure was damaged. We're not even sure if the individual responsible is still alive- or sane, for that matter. But the Mithril Quest itself, Team Noble, is simple: Find whatever ritual or contraption is currently churning out dark spirits and stop it. Your bonus objective is to retrieve all information regarding the method used for the process, or capture the genius themselves if you can manage, so that we know what to look for if someone else gets the same brilliant idea."

The room fell silent again, the real weight of the mission settling over them now that the job's primary objective was revealed.

"That is a looot of angry spirits to deal with." Ty Lee broke the silence.

"This [Paiza: Steel Authorization]-" Khan tossed her a small steel tablet, the size of her palm, "-grants you temporary authority to direct the local forces up to a point. They will assist you in any way they can. I'm sure they'll be motivated to do so, since they've been drawn from the neighbouring Earth Kingdom states currently threatened by this incident. Try not to abuse it."

Ty Lee turned it over to read the inscription.

"By the power of the eternal Heavens, this is an order of the Fire Lord Supreme.

Whoever does not show respect to the bearer will be guilty of an offence."

"Huh, neat!" She grinned.

Meanwhile, Khan's expression- or what little could be seen beneath the skull-faced helmet- was unreadable. Even his aura was unreadable for Ty Lee. But she did get the sense that he was appraising them, one by one. "An Earth sorcerer, a Fire sorcerer-bard, a monk, and a thrown-weapon fighter," Khan mused aloud. Ty Lee didn't know what a 'sorcerer' was, but she was no monk either? Regardless, Khan continued, "Certainly a risky team composition without a tank, but you've been making it work, I hear. But for this quest, you'll need a healer to round out the team."

Toph perked up at that, leaning forward with interest. "Is she a runaway noble too? Cuz we've kinda got a pretty sweet theme going on here."

Khan's armoured shoulders shifted ever so slightly as he nodded. "Actually, she is." He turned toward the door, his voice booming as he called out over his shoulder, "Katara!"

A familiar figure entered the room, her flowing blue Water Tribe robes swirling around her. The former Southern Water Tribe princess, Katara, strode forward with purpose, her expression serious but respectful as she addressed the armoured figure. "Yes, my Khan?"

He gestured to Team Noble. "You're their team healer and Waterbender." Khan's voice didn't miss a beat, or allowed no argument, "I need this quest done and that corner of the Three Nations safe again."

Her gaze lingered on Zuko for a moment before Katara nodded firmly. "And it will be done, my Khan."

Khan turned back to the team. "Just keep her away from ostrich-horses, and definitely don't ask her to make [Ice Walls]. She still has some... PTSD from that."

Katara shivered involuntarily, her voice hollow and her blue eyes distant, as though reliving some terrible memory. "We can't leave anyone behind."

Zuko frowned, but before he could ask about it, Khan spoke again.

"Normally, rewards come after completion of the Quest. But for Mithril-class Quests, I definitely want you to succeed, so…" Khan's green eyes gleamed from beneath his helmet. "… who wants some good loot from the best weapons and armour smith in the world?"

Toph slapped her palm down on the table. "Payment upfront?!" she half-shouted, "Now we're talking!"

"Shoes! I need shoes!" Ty Lee clapped her hands excitedly.

Mai looked at the knife in her hands, "I could use a new set of throwing knives."

"Forward a list to my secretary, Yor, in the next few minutes." Khan grunted, "I can't make a lot in the short amount of time, but it should be enough."

"One wish list coming right up, Fire Lord Supreme!" Ty Lee beamed.

Khan turned to leave, his heavy boots clanking against the polished floor as he reached the door. "Oh, before I forget," he paused for a moment and tossed a metal cylinder at them, "It's a special [Signal Flare]. Shoot it at the sky if you're about to fail, so that I'll know to send the cavalry and Anya to deal with it… and the surrounding region, and everything and everyone inside it. Permanently."

With that ominous note, Khan and the headmaster left the room, leaving Team Noble plus Katara alone with the gravity of their mission.

Toph let out a low whistle. "Well, that was cheery."

"Khan, the Fire Lord Supreme, isn't taking chances. It means that the threat is really serious. If we fail..." Zuko said, his eyes resting on the Signal Flare in Ty Lee's hand, but Mai was there to rest a hand on his shoulder.

"We won't fail," she reassured him, nudging him to look into her eyes, "I know you. You wouldn't let these people down."

"Yup, and we'd better get started on that list then!" Ty Lee practically skipped toward the door, her smile returning in full force. "Let's go save the world, Team! And maybe get some awesome loot while we're at it!"

"Now that's the spirit." Toph grinned as she followed her. "Team Noble, let's get that wishlist filled up quick and move out. That dark spirit situation isn't gonna fix itself!"

Ty Lee grinned, because despite the danger, despite the stakes, this was what they did best.

(Two weeks later) [Southeast corner of the Earth Kingdom]

Atop the valley's rim, Team Noble sat around the campfire.

It was almost peaceful in Ty Lee's opinion. Just a group of friends huddled around a nice warm campfire. Zuko was plucking a sedate little melody on his pipa lute. Katara was in the process of laundering all the blood and gross fluids out of their main clothes. Toph had finished bending their rock tents. Mai had finished taking stock of their equipment. And she herself was just roasting a nice possum-chicken over the fire with the wild spices that she had managed to hold on.

It was like they were camping in the countryside! But… Ty Lee just wished it wasn't this side of the country.

The sky was an unholy vortex of swirling dark clouds, eerie blue lights and purple lightning. The screams of angry spirits rolled endlessly across the corrupted bogs and forests. Two weeks of endless travelling, problematic terrain, and never ending fights had led them here- on the brink of what Ty Lee was sure was their hardest fight yet. There, down at the centre of the valley, in the cavern where the vortex of blue light and dark clouds were converging, was the end of this journey. They still had a few more days before that ritual could be completed, but they had all agreed to end it as soon as they could.

For the next 8-hours though, they could finally have a much needed eight-hour long rest. She had a feeling that they were going to need it.

Ty Lee looked at it all, and shook her head. "Still can't believe I was just a circus performer a few months ago." She muttered, mostly to herself. "This Mithril-ranked job has been completely nuts so far."

"I can relate to that." Zuko grunted, his scarred golden eye staring at the vortex as he tuned his pipa lute for the final battle. "This is going to be a big story to tell the Ember Island Troupe. Especially how just getting here was the hard part."

"Hard part?" Toph scoffed, rolling her shoulders and cracking her knuckles. "We've survived cursed forests, cultist ambushes, and the creepiest shadow-spirit creatures this side of the cosmos, I'd say we're pretty much unstoppable at this point."

Mai inspected her knives' edges for wear and tear. "Don't jinx it, Toph. The minute you say something like that, they're going to prove you wrong. Trust me."

"Mai's right. Spirits love proving us wrong," Zuko's gaze flickered over to her.

"I was referring to the entire universe."

"Whatever," Toph said, shadowboxed, "If the universe is so tough, then it should throw hands with me. But I'll settle for this Jet guy instead. We're gonna kick his butt so hard that his ancestors are gonna feel it!"

"Jet…" Katara murmured, sitting down with them as she glanced at the swirling spirit vortex. "I still feel like I should be surprised, but I'm not."

From all the info they've gathered on the way here, this 'Jet' guy was an Earth Kingdom resistance fighter who couldn't handle the war ending. It was a pretty common story for a lot of Earth Kingdom people, but what made Jet different was that he stumbled onto something: An artefact. A whalebone relic dagger from Avatar Kuruk that made spirits around it go insane, and a whole lot of other things. They still weren't sure how the dagger worked exactly, so that was precluding them from the job's bonus objective; but what they were sure of was that the relic dagger was driving Jet crazy. With a capital C.

Well, 80% sure in Ty Lee's opinion. The other 20% was that Jet was already absolutely nuts by the time he picked it up.

"It's alright, Katara!" Ty Lee smiled and patted her back. "We all got exes that go really crazy after a break up! So don't worry about it!"

"I'm not worried. There's no winning against Khan." Their resident not-all-there waterbender smiled back. "It's just weird thinking that you can go against Khan like that. Actually pretty hilarious when you think about it! Ahahahaha!"

"… Right. Ha ha ha." Ty Lee scooted away from the grinning and twitching Water Tribe girl. She didn't like it when Katara's aura cracked like that. "But that's the spirit, I guess? As long as we go in as a team, we'll be alright."

"Definitely not going to fall for his cheap shots again." Mai said in what Ty Lee recognised as her 'annoyed' deadpan, and twirled her throwing knife faster. The last time they tried to take that frothing-from-the-mouth maniac down had been a tough battle already. And everyone knew that this next one though was going to be a doozy.

"Alright, Team Noble, let's get some rest." Zuko sighed.

Ty Lee nodded, already leaning back into her bed roll. Looking up at the starry sky. They'll get their rest, and then, it was going to be the end of it…

Her grip tightened around the [Signal Flare] that the Fire Lord Supreme had given them.

... One way or another.

(Eight hours later) [Elsewhere in the province]

The lead airship groaned like a great metal whale, drifting lazily through the sky and casting a heavy shadow over the idyllic valley below.

"Waku waku!"

Through a reinforced observation floor-window, little Lady Anya pressed her small hands and her face against the glass. Her green eyes sparkling with childish wonder as she pointed excitedly at the buildings and the scrambling figures that were a mountain's height beneath them. "Mama! Look at how small the dork spirits look!" she giggled. "They look like pieces of trash from up here!"

Lady Yor sat gracefully beside her daughter, stroking a gentle hand across her back as if Anya had just pointed out a lovely butterfly. "Yes, dear," she said gently. "But they're much bigger and scarier when you're on the ground. Remember what Papa said."

Anya saluted, hand to her forehead and the heels of her tiny shoes clocking together. "Umu! Anya will stay on the airship just like Papa said! We're gonna get the dork spirits from way up here! And then we're gonna come home and Papa will give everyone a big and shinymedal! But best of all! Best of all, mama! He's gonna get Anya a rabaroo plushie! It'll be huge and white and-"

A red flare burned its way into the sky and right in the bridge's field of vision, sputtering as it reached their altitude before hovering in front of them. Whispers and mutterings broke out from the bridge crew. Everyone knew what it meant: The village had fallen; the brave soldiers sent to reinforce the town garrison were swallowed by the onslaught. It didn't even matter if they weren't Fire Nation, because in this fight against the dark spirits, they were all mortals on the same side. Their valor and their names will be remembered, but with that flare...

Broken Arrow Protocols were now in effect.

"A flare?! It's time! It's time!" Lady Anya hopped excitedly, then beamed a wide smile in his direction, "Captain! Anya says: Purge the tanks!"

The captain hesitated. He had thought he had already resigned himself to the horrific whims of the demon child who grossly outranked him, but an entire village...? He cleared his throat, warily keeping an eye on the child's master assassin of a mother as he spoke. "But Lady Anya, the dark spirits are circling the town hall! There may still be people holding out in the village—"

Anya pouted. "Papa said all the people are already eba—evac... e-barbeque-ated! The dork spirits might try to trick us by looking like people!" She stomped her foot against the metal floor. "The flare's out! That means we have to do it! Anya says: Start purging!"

The command deck gasped as they heard her stomp foot. She had pouted! There was no room for hesitation now. Someone was going to die if she had to ask again. The Captain exhaled, but forced a crisp salute. "Right away, Lady Anya!" He turned to the brass speaking tube mounted beside the control panel. He swallowed hard before giving the order. "Bomb bay crew, purge tanks one through four. Immediately."

"Copy, command deck!" came the tinny reply of the weapons systems officer, "Purging tanks one through four!"

Outside, the billowing hiss of enormous purge valves echoed through the sky as cubic meters of napalm spewed from the underbelly of the ship. Thick, brown liquid like syrupy tree sap poured down in heavy streams, slathering itself across roads, homes, market stalls, and the dark spirits that circled what was no doubt the last survivors of the town. Their twisted animalistic forms shook like wet dogs, trying to shake off the thick napalm like but to no avail.

Lady Anya's green eyes stared down through the observation floor-window as if locking eyes with the dark spirits whose attention they had just gotten. "Anya says: Iggy Nation!"

"Bomb bay crew, ignition canister, delay fuse: five seconds."

A single bomb fell to the earth, exploding in fireworks that sent sparks to every corner of the village. And the world below became fire.

The dirt streets turned into rivers of liquid flames, and homes combusted as if built from tinder. Everywhere the thick, syrupy fire had clung to lit up as if a platoon of firebenders had focused fire on them. Wood, stone, and flesh alike... the fire seemed to consume everything. Acrid black smoke began to rise up and blocked their view, but with it, came a sickly, unnatural stench. Shadows twisting and convulsing within the inferno. Forms shifting between monstrous and almost human as they struggled to escape the all-consuming blaze.

Then came the screams.

A shrill chorus of inhuman voices rose from. But even those seemed to have been burned away by the Napalm. The flames spawned from the Fire Lord Supreme's concoction swallowed them whole, their cries turning into fuel for the crackling roar of the firestorm. But the napalm continued to burn regardless, uncaring of those screams and purging everything in its wake. All the while, their airship continued to float over the new burning lake they had formed.

The captain told himself that he did not hear any human screams mixed with the dark spirits'.

"Ohhhh, so pretty and warm!" Anya cooed, pressing her face against the glass as if watching fireworks. Then she clapped her hands and turned to him. "Ehehehe! It's your birthday, right?"

He stiffened. "Uh... Yes, Lady Anya?"

"Yay! You're so lucky! Cuz we got you a nice big candle!" She spun back toward the window, bouncing on her toes. Behind her, the bridge crew stared in horrified silence, but Anya remained blissfully unaware. She spun on her heel, throwing her arms wide. "Everyone, sing with Anya while the captain's candle is burning!"

"Happy birthday to you~!"

The captain was glad that he didn't have to sing as he watched his 'candle' burn. And quietly, he hoped that the adventurer team that was sent would handle the source of the dark spirits soon...

He glanced at the rest of the airship fleet with their still full tanks of Napalm.

... lest his birthday be forever stained with the burnt smell of the people he had damned.

(Meanwhile) [Ground Zero of the Spirit Incident]

"ARGH! Crabcakes!" Ty Lee cursed as she was slammed against the cavern's far wall, the air knocked out of her.

Jet stood in the centre. "You're too late!" He snarled, his voice echoing through the cavern, strange blue lightning arcing along his hook sword. "I'll have the spirits tear this whole world apart before I let the Fire Nation rule over it!"

The entire cavern quaked as the fight raged on. They were so close. So close to winning this.

But so was he.

The glowing relic of Avatar Kuruk clutched tightly in his hand, its corrupting energies pulsing through the guy's entire body, cracking open glowing blue veins along his brown skin. His eyes and mouth blazed with blue light as dark spirits swirled around him, feeding on the relic and his rage. He looked more spirit than human, standing at the point where the vortex was converging- boring a new hole into the Spirit World. Spirits' wailing seemed to come from the air itself, bearing down on them and growing louder by the second. They didn't know how much time they had left to stop him.

Ty Lee looked up. Toph was keeping up the pressure with her Earthbending, dodging or blocking every time Zuko's chords reached a crescendo. Letting them know of attacks before they come, as if to [Inspire Heroics]from them. Occasionally, he'd kick firebolts at Jet in time with the beat. And Katara had just reached her position, water at the ready.

"Th-thanks." Ty Lee grunted as the Katara's [Ocean's Waters] closed up the deep cut in her shoulder, washing away the blood and dirt until it was just tender skin. But then, Zuko's pipa lute reached a crescendo. "Katara, DODGE!"

Purple lightning flashed as they jumped apart. And right where they had been half a second ago, a new deep crevice into the earth yawned open, so deep and dark that Ty Lee couldn't see the bottom. The latest one to the dozen that decorated the cavern's interior. Just moving around was getting riskier and riskier, one wrong step and it was all over.

Jet let out a crazed laugh. "Soon, you'll see. Soon you'll ALL see!" He declared, his hands tightening on the artefact. "This is the endgame. I'll see this world free of the Fire Nation, once and for all!"

Toph, her breath heavy and blood dripping from her brow, slammed her fists into the ground to stabilize herself as another tremor rippled through the cavern. "Fire Nation this, Fire Nation that. I'm sick and tired of all your nutcase yammering! Here, CATCH!"

The crumble of rock followed as Toph's earthbending sent a carriage-sized boulder sailing through the air at him. But Jet just blasted right through it like it was made of tofu, smoking pebbles clattering on the rough cavern floor.

Ty Lee, pushing herself up to her feet, tried to reason with him. "Jet, please! I know you've suffered because of the Fire Nation, but this… this won't bring anyone back. It'll only bring more pain to innocent people!"

Jet's laugh echoed like the crack of thunder. "Pain? You think I care about pain, Fire Nation? I'll show you pain!" His glowing veined fingers gripped the artefact tighter as it began to crackle with unstable energies.

But then, out of the corner of their eyes, the glint of sharpened metal came. The signal.

Zuko smirked and took a step forward, a spark of mischief lighting his amber eyes. "You know, Jet," he began, his voice calm and casual, "for someone who claims to hate the Fire Nation so much, you're starting to sound a lot like one of us."

Jet's eyes narrowed, fury flashing across his face. "Don't you ever compare me to you, Fire Nation!"

Zuko dodged another rend into the earth, but he continued, his tone still mocking. "Oh, you know, all that anger, desperate need for control, making terrible decisions- honestly, you're one more tantrum away from taking up the Fire Lord title. Maybe you should start calling yourself 'Firelord Jet,' huh?"

Jet kept blasting purple lightning at him. "Shut your mouth! Just shut up!"

Zuko's grin widened. "Did I hit a nerve? Sorry, I didn't realize the truth hurt so much. Because the only difference between you and the Fire Nation is that at least they had plans that didn't involve destroying the entire world. Face it, Jet. You're just like your bad haircut, Jet- no matter how hard you try, you're just not cutting it! You're not a hero. You're just a bitter, angry boy who couldn't let go. With a bad hairdo!"

Jet screamed in rage, lifting the artefact to strike as the spirits around him shrieked louder.

"Now!"

Concentration broken by Zuko's [Vicious Mockery], Jet didn't see it as Mai's daggers flew through the air with pinpoint precision, striking the artefact at the hilt.

It cracked.

The glowing relic sparked wildly, cracks spreading across its surface as the power within it began to collapse. He stumbled, his grip on the artefact faltering just as the relic shattered into a burst of blinding blue light.

"No, I won't be stopped!"

Katara, prepared for this, froze Jet's feet solid and locked him in place. And Ty Lee dashed forward, hopping over the rifts to close in on Jet. Her fingers were a blur as she struck his pressure points. His body went limp, and he collapsed to the ground, paralyzed, but his eyes remained wide, burning with hatred. The artifact crumbled to dust, the dark spirits howled in agony, their forms disintegrating into the ether, banished back to the Spirit World.

"Do you think this changes anything?" Jet's voice was hoarse, his face twisted in anger. "You think you've won, you bunch of traitors and Fire Nation!? You may have saved them today, but this world is already broken. By the time I come back, you'll wish I was here to finish the job."

As his final words echoed through the cavern, Jet's body was pulled into the vortex, his form vanishing into the swirling energies of the Spirit World. His laughter, unhinged and hollow, lingered in the air long after he was gone. The dark spirits, once howling and thrashing, faded away with a final wail. The air cleared, leaving only the faint sound of wind rustling through the now still and fractured cavern.

Then, the cavern fell silent.

"It's so… quiet now," Mai murmured, wiping the dirt and blood from her face, her voice barely above a whisper.

"We did it," Ty Lee whispered at first, then her face slowly broke into a wide smile, as she jumped into the air despite her injuries. "We actually did it! I knew we could do it!"

"Aw yeah!" Toph cheered, standing beside Zuko, as she punched Zuko in the arm. "Nice roast, Crispy. Didn't know you had it in you! Was his hairdo really that bad?"

Zuko gave a small, tired grin, shaking his head. "Yeah… it was pretty bad."

The spooky pillar of light, gone. The threat, dealt with. Their first Mithril-class job, complete. Ty Lee knew that the villagers from the surrounding towns would probably be celebrating at the sight, their homes were no longer under threat from the dark spirits that had plagued this entire region for weeks. And also the fact that Anya the Evil wouldn't be called in.

Toph stretched her arms, wincing as her sore muscles protested. "And that's a wrap! So…" she grumbled, but with a satisfied grin, "who's up for some well-earned rest and the biggest, greasiest Papa Khan's pizza in the Three Nations?!"

Ty Lee laughed out loud despite the lingering ache in her ribs. "As long as Zuko plays us a victory song on his pipa!"

"Sure thing, it'd be great just performing for an audience who wasn't shooting lightning at me." Zuko said, a tired smile spreading across his face.

They all laughed as they walked away, leaving the torn up battleground behind them. The air felt more peaceful now that their battle was over, and for now, they could finally relax- together. And as the group made their way down the slope, Katara glanced at the others, a nostalgic smile tugging at her lips. "You know, this almost reminds me of my old adventures with Aang- ow!"

Toph jabbed her in the side with a teasing smile. "Uh-uh, Sweetness! None of that old team stuff. You're riding with Team Noble now!"

Katara laughed, shaking her head. "I guess I am! Go, winning team!"

"Any plans on what we're doing after our celebrations?" Ty Lee asked, glancing at her friends as they made their way toward the waiting Earth Kingdom soldiers.

"I'm going back to Yu Dao," Zuko said, his voice thoughtful. "Mom mentioned they've been having trouble with some spirits there."

"Then it looks like we've already got our next destination set!" Ty Lee beamed, bouncing on her heels again.

"Sounds good," Toph said, rolling her shoulder with a relieved sigh. "But before we go spirit hunting again, Team Noble, let's get paid! First rounds are on me!"

Laughter echoed around them, mingling with the distant cheers of the villagers, as the group began their descent from the valley, bruised but victorious, yet still hungry for pizza and their next adventure. Knowing that whatever came next- be it spirits, bandits, or rebellions- the world was wide, and Team Noble wasn't done writing its story just yet. And in the decades to come, their deeds would pass into legend, chronicled by the Fire Lord Supreme himself, immortalising them and their adventures in books, plays, and songs that would be passed on for generations.

But for now, their journey continued.

And as long as they stood together, nothing could stop Team Noble.

(One year after The Fire Nation's Final Victory)

The humble family of three stared wide-eyed as my seven-foot-tall frame, clad in bright red Fire Nation armor bristling with spikes, pushed through the thick fur door and into the small, firelit room. The warmth of the hearth barely touched the cold steel plating that encased me. Shadows danced on the walls, but the room seemed to shrink under my presence.

"Fire Nation!" The father, a barrel-chested Water Tribe man, roared as he lunged for the whalebone spear mounted on the mantle. He charged, the weapon breaking harmlessly against the thick armour plating that covered my abdomen. The shattered spear clattered to the floor, but the man barely glanced at it. His eyes blazed with defiance. "Even if I have to fight you with my fists," he growled, "I will not let you take her from us!"

I tilted my skull-faced helm toward the small, brown-faced bundle cradled in the mother's arms. The baby stirred but didn't wake.

"No, I'm not," I replied with a dry chuckle. "I'm taking all of you."

"What?" The father's eyes narrowed, fists still clenched.

"I need someone to raise the child," I continued, my voice low and rumbling with profuse disinterest. "And I'm not about to do it myself. I could pay handsomely for someone to care for her, of course. But that would be risky, wouldn't it? You never know who might mistreat the Avatar. Or… I can give you two a stipend. You'll raise her yourselves. Assuming, of course, that you're… capable."

The father's breath came hard, his knuckles white from the force of his grip. The mother clutched the child tighter, blue eyes darting between her husband and me. She finally spoke up, her voice small but steady. "Korra," she said, her gaze locking onto mine. "Her name is Korra."

Korra. Despite everything- the war, the timeline I had shattered and remade- her name remained the same. A stubborn remnant of the old timeline that I had failed to bend to my will. Some force of destiny at play, no doubt, but it was of little consequence now.

My armoured shoulders shifted slightly as I stared down at the baby. "…Korra cannot leave my supervision, That is non-negotiable. But," my voice softened into something almost persuasive, "you will live in comfort. A manor, servants, the finest care for her and for any other children you might have. You'll brush shoulders with the elite of the new world order. Your lives, and hers, will be assured."

The father's chest heaved as he stepped closer, his voice rising with renewed anger. "You think you can just walk in here, throw money at us, and we'd sell our only child to you? What happens if we refuse? Or if we change our mind, huh? What then?"

I let the question linger in the air, just long enough for the silence to get uncomfortable. Long enough for them to realise that there was a seven-foot-tall armoured, skull-faced giant standing in their living room. The same giant who had conquered the entire world in a bloody rampage of brutality and atrocities... and he had just challenged him. The Fire Lord Supreme. The man's indignation wilted into nervousness. His fists unclenched, arms falling limp at his sides.

"Let me ask you this," I said, my voice calm. "What were you expecting? That I wouldn't find her? That you'd somehow be strong enough to fight off not just me, not just the entire world, but also destiny itself?"

The mother's eyes dropped to the floor. "We thought…" she whispered, her voice breaking, "we thought we'd have more of a choice."

I scoffed, a cold sound in the quiet room. "Parents of the Avatar never have that much of a choice," I said, "It wouldn't have mattered who won the Great War and ruled the world. The question for you would have been the same: Will you accept the responsibility of raising the Avatar- with all the benefits and hardships that come with it, or will you give her away for others to raise as it has been occasionally done over the last thousands of years?"

Her lip trembled, but she kept her eyes fixed on her child. The father stood rigid beside her, his hand brushing against her arm to reassure her. She looked back to me. "Will you give us some time?" she asked, her voice fragile. "To think about it?"

"There is no more time," I grunted. "You've had an entire year to think about this."

The mother's eyes welled up with unshed tears, her hands trembling as she and her husband clutched Korra closer for a moment longer. "We thought we could protect her. We're not strong enough, I think. Are we, dear?" she whispered to her husband, her voice fragile.

But the man didn't say anything, couldn't say it. And his silence was enough.

She exhaled. "We might not be, but we know you are. So, please…" Slowly, carefully, she placed the baby in my arms. Her hands lingered for a moment, brushing against the cold metal of my gauntlets. Her voice breaking, "… take care of her."

The mother gently brushed a tear from the baby's cheek, her fingers trembling. "Korra… sweet Korra," she whispered, voice breaking. "We love you, always."

The father's hand rested on his wife's shoulder, his jaw clenched tight. "Be strong," he said, his voice low, raw with barely contained emotion. "We'll be with you… always."

I stared at the tiny, vulnerable form of the child in my arms- Korra.

"… I'll be honest. I was certainly not expecting that answer, but very well. There is a chest of Water Tribe currency outside." I said, and raised my hand to preempt their protests, "This is not a transaction nor is it a reward. It was to be a small demonstration of my sincerity if you had chosen to come along, but now… consider it as a small gift of pity for parents who had to give up their child. Hand it away, toss it into the deepest hole you can find, I do not care. But I'm sure Korra will appreciate that the effort was made to ensure that her parents were taken care of at least."

"Yes…" The mother said, tears openly streaming down her brown cheeks, "I think she would be a kind person."

"W-would you do us a favour?" the father asked.

I inclined my head.

"With all the elements that she'll know to bend… " He struggled with speaking his mind, clearly not a man of many words, "Will she even know where she came from? That she's from the Water Tribe? Who she is?"

"Ladies, if you'd come inside for a minute." I called out to the door, and soon after, it creaked open again. Seven figures in purple parkas gracefully walked in, the lead one bearing snow-white hair.

"Is there something wrong, Khan?" she asked.

"P-Princess Yue?" The mother gasped at the sight of the Northern Water Tribe royalty.

"Yes, {Yue & the Moonflower Warriors}." I confirmed with a nod, "The best Waterbenders in the Three Nations, and cross-trained by the Kyoshi Warriors. I anticipated that they'd be more suited for this. Also, my regular honour guard of Kyoshi Warriors are on a brief vacation at their home island. But I digress. Yue? They're concerned about the balance between Korra's identities as the Avatar and as a daughter of the Water Tribe."

Yue smiled at the father. "Although the Avatar's duty is to the world, we swear on the Moon and Ocean Spirits that she always remembers that she's an Avatar of the Water Tribe." Yue spared a glance to the baby in my hands, before giving a small smile back at her parents, "Don't worry, Little Korra will be proud of the heritage you've granted her. And we'll make sure she does not resent you for your decision."

"I…" The man bowed his head, "Thank you, Princess Yue…"

Of course, there was no thanks for me. But that was to be expected.

Without another word, we turned around and left, Korra held firmly but gently in my grasp as we left behind her mother's soft sobbing, and the father's muffled whispering as they clung to each other in their small igloo. The child stirred against my armour, her tiny fingers brushing against the cold metal of my gauntlet. I wrapped her in extra cloth to keep her warm, one made from my 41st Division ostrich-horses. It was a striking look- seeing Fire Nation red swaddling the young Avatar.

For over a year, the world belonged to me. And now, so did the Avatar.

(Years Later)

Korra was chained to the great monolithic structure that was the Throne of the Great Immortal Khan. A look of utter adoration on her face as she ran her tongue up and down his large shaft.

A gentle hand by a deceptively youthful lady with a painted face and shoulder length red hair. Her five other mistresses giggle behind her.

"Who's a good Avatar cumslut?" Her Mistress Suki cooed to her.

"I am! I am!" Korra yipped in between frantic, affirming sucks to Khan's glans all the while she cradled the bump of her pregnant belly.

The chain attached to her collar tugged, "And what about you, our little Southern Water Tribe broodmare?"

"Yes, please. Put another baby in me!"

Her body had grown lush after bearing him eight daughters. The first two had already being personally trained by her mistress in the North Pole to be in service of Khan. And the others would start in a few years. The first two even stood guard at the door- the first Waterbenders to guard the Throne of the Great Immortal Khan. Katara was so, so proud of them.

"Thank you! Thank you!"

With each powerful thrust, she came. Spraying girl cum right on the face of her once dear friend's reincarnation. In 'revenge,' Korra would lean up to nip at her clit, and Katara came harder. And for the rest of her Red Bull-induced immortal lifespan, Katara would thank the spirits for having found Aang in that iceberg- she'd never have met Khan otherwise.

"How long do I have to stay like this, Suki?" My deep voice prompted.

Although a milfy Katara enthusiastically bouncing up and down my cock was a joy, it got old when it was done for almost two hours straight without any variation. Just up and down. Moans and whimpers. It certainly didn't help that I was supposed to stay completely still.

"Not long now, I'd bet!" Suki chirped. "Just keep glowering menacingly. Give us your best 'Warlord Ruler of all the Three Nations' face until Ms. Painter finishes!"

"Was it your idea to dress Korra here in slave silks and chain her to my throne?"

"No, it was mine!" Korra piped up. Her dark hair and brown-toned face still streaked with my semen from her previous blowjob.

"Of course, it was." I grunted, "Sitrep on that painting, Lieutenant."

The Lieutenant, with her supremely focused expression and paint-stained cheeks, didn't even look away from her canvas as she replied, "Can't rush art, sir."

Suki rolled her eyes, begging. "Ugh! Khan, it's cute that you two still have that military rank pet names thing going on, but please! It's been over a decade- she's never going to make the first move, so just push her down and breed her already! I've already borne you six daughters, Katara here eight, and Korra's expecting, but, the LT here? You haven't even popped her cherry! You know that she's not going to say no if you tell her to hop on your cock! No girl in the world would!"

"I've been ordering the Lieutenant around since we've known each other." I replied, "I'll at least let her dictate the pace of our relationship."

That earned a reaction from our painter. A slight smile on her lips, "Thank you, Khan."

"Ugh! Girls! I need some back up here!"

From a hidey-hole in the ceiling, six shadows slipped out and landed in perfect silence at the foot of my throne. Six redheads- practically Suki clones who only looked slightly younger than the original- all in red kimonos woven from 41st Division ostrich-horse, platinum-alloy [Kyoshi Katanas] of the finest make. As one, they looked up with serious expressions to Suki, dutifully awaiting her command.

"Tell your father that he's being unreasonable."

And then… they opened their mouths.

"Only if you can convince dad that incest is wincest!"

"Yeah! If he was going to tell anyone to hop on his cock, it might as well be to girls who'd say 'Aw yeah! It's daddy time!'"

"If we're going to watch him lay pipe all day, then we at least want a turn too! Me the most!"

"Ew."

"'Ew?' What do you mean 'Ew?!' You were flicking your bean to him this morning too!"

"I meant 'Ew' in the sense of why would he ever want to stick it in you when he can go for your five sexier sisters?"

"We're identical sextuplets, genius!"

"Glad that you didn't deny what I said!"

One Suki was enough. Then I, in my utter hubris, added six more to the world. But being witness and subject to the cringe-inducing antics of one's children was just part and parcel of being a parent, I suppose.

I turned towards Suki, and whispered, "Here's your monthly reminder that this is your fault for almost overdosing on fertility draughts when we were trying for a child. Singular."

As usual, Suki just smiled a shamelessly happy smile and gave a thumbs up, "And here's your monthly reminder to call me a bakery 'cause I got bred!"

"Ugh…"

We watched as our daughters continued to squabbled in the background. Armoured red kimonos, faces painted snow white and with graceful strokes of reds and oranges that looked beautiful even as they argued, pouted, pointed their fingers and rolled their eyes at each other. Armed and armoured with the best Legendary gear that I could craft myself. Trained by their mother and her sisters, they were the deadliest group of girls in the world, and also a very capable acapella group.

Suki leaned close, linking her slender arm with mine as she rested her head on my shoulder, soft red hair tickling my neck. She sighed happily, "We make such beautiful kids, Khan," she whispered, before kissing my cheek, "Looking at them argue… it reminds me of the good old days when the squad and I would bicker. Like those times when we all argued about which of our favourite dishes you should cook for dinner."

"You mean like yesterday."

"Yeah. And I was totally right: Your Elephant Koi Katsu only gets even tastier. Also…" She chuckled softly before leaning in to slip a hot needy whisper right by my ear, "… just tell me when you want to 'train up' more {Khanate Warriors}, okay? You don't have to tell the others either~"

"Suki…"

"Fine~ If that's what you want, you can line our asses up and impregnate us one by one. Again."

Our daughters stomped up the stone steps to my throne.

"Dad, we want you to officiate our Agni Kai!"

"Bring it! I'll light your pubes on fire!"

"Hah! I am already ten steps ahead of you, I shaved this morning!"

"You what?! You cheating little hog-monkey! We were all supposed to surprise him with it all at once!"

"Yup! Hey, dad, wanna feel how smoothly shaven I am?"

"That's nice, sweetie. But I'll take your word for it." I reached out and lightly patted her head instead.

Daddy fetish aside (which Suki and I were still confident was only just a phase), they were currently my most effective and most valuable troops. Effective like Kyoshi Warriors, but with even better stats and firebending. And valuable for not only how they had impressive stats, or how it took more than a decade and a half to train them, but for how they were my daughters. I literally raised these girls. Raised them to be killing, assassinating machines, but I still raised them all the same.

For that reason, I explicitly ignored the "Special Troop Tier Quest" notification that just popped up right now too. Especially since, special troop tier quests invariably involved impregnating said companion after all, just like how Suki's Special Troop Tier Quest ended up giving me the {Khanate Warriors} in the first place.

I don't think I was ready to go full Crusader King with the incest. Even if no one compares to close family members by pure stats alone, removed all obligations to in-laws compared to taking a princess and had special buffs and effects that I hadn't found anywhere else.

"Mmm~" The green-eyed redhead melting under my headpat moaned softly before pouting, "This is nice, but I meant that as an invitation for you to furiously finger my wet pu-"

The Lieutenant cleared her throat, "Girls, you're blocking the light over Korra."

"Sorry, Auntie LT!"

"But we didn't get our headpats!"

"Hey, Lieutenant!" Suki called out, "How many would you want?"

"As many as the commander will give me." The Lieutenant didn't even hesitate in her answer, then her violet eyes drifted towards my daughters, "But seeing you with your daughters… I wouldn't mind having enough for a whole squad of {Ostrich-Horse Cavalry Scouts}."

The Lieutenant's own "Special Troop Tier Quest" was still active, and I wouldn't lie: I was tempted to start it. If Suki's daughters were an improved version of {Kyoshi Warriors}, then I can only imagine what kind of improved cavalry troops the Lieutenant's would be as {Khanate Ostrich-Horse Cavalry Scouts}.

"I'll bear you more children to be your {Khanate First Waves} too, my Khan!" Katara volunteered with a rolling moan of pleasure. "As many as you want!"

"Speak when spoken too, Water Tribe Slut." I yanked her chain, and as usual, she came.

It would be four more hours and fifteen more cumshots before the Lieutenant finished her masterpiece.

We retired to my study, where the warm glow of the fireplace cast shadows across the vast shelves of books. It was quiet, private- usually just for myself. But this time, Suki followed me, her steps soft but deliberate.

"You lied, you know?" she said, her voice calm but firm. A faint, disbelieving smile on her lips.

"Did I?" I turned slightly, my skull-faced helm catching the firelight. "About what?"

Suki stepped closer, her gaze never leaving mine. "Do you remember how I entered your service all those years ago?" she asked, "You framed us with the poisoning of Omashu. It would have stained the reputation of the Kyoshi Warriors for all time. So, we couldn't say no when you blackmailed us into serving you. Your precious book would have been the only thing that could've saved our order. Your word. You."

The redhead fell silent, her gaze shifting to the manuscript on my desk. The fire crackled softly as her expression turned pensive, likely reliving in the memory of our first meeting all those years ago.

"Our agreement was that we, the Kyoshi Warriors, would serve you." she continued, "With unquestioning obedience and unflinching loyalty. And in return, you would include the part of our story that would prove we were framed. We refuse, and you'd leave a blank space for the world to fill with assumptions of our guilt. Out of curiosity, I dug through the old manuscripts of your first books. And I found the one for An Interview with a Kyoshi Warrior by Captain Khan."

Slowly, from within the folds of her kimono, she withdrew a worn stack of papers, yellowed from age. And rested it on the desk.

"It was everything I expected, Except…" She whispered. Her deep blue eyes looked at me, "… There was never a blank space. You planned to exonerate our name from the very beginning, whether or not we served you."

I quietly shifted the papers and read the passage aloud. "In truth, the Kyoshi Warriors were innocent. Captain Khan had framed them for planting the poison in the rice sacks that led to the downfall of Omashu. Valuing their skill, he coerced them into his service, offering to testify to their innocence only if they served him with unquestioning obedience and unflinching loyalty. Faced with the disgrace of not just their own squad but their entire order, these Kyoshi Warriors selflessly agreed, sacrificing their beliefs, their conscience- and possibly their lives- for their order's honour. Truly, the finest and bravest girls to ever rise within the Kyoshi Warriors."

By the time I finished, Suki's cheeks were wet with silent tears.

"Like I said," I murmured, glancing up, "I've always held respect for you and your order."

Her whisper came sharply, despite their quietness. "You turned us into killers. Made us do terrible things to people we called friends, and even more horrific things to people we didn't. And yet…" Her slender fingers brushed over the platinum ring on her ring finger. "… here we are. Two decades, four conquered nations, six beautiful children later. And I couldn't love you more."

"I'm no hero. Never was." I said, voice soft but unapologetic.

A smile played on Suki's lips, deep blue eyes glowing with the affection she could never fully hide. "And you didn't have to be," she replied, taking another step closer to me, her small hands gently resting on mine. "You did what you promised you'd do: You burned the world down, but from the ashes, you built something greater. Brighter."

My eyes glanced to the family picture on my desk. "More beautiful. More precious." I added.

Suki's cheeks flushed, a warm blush spreading across her face as she glanced away with a pout. "If you keep saying things like that to just me, the others will get jealous," she said, her tone shifting back to her usual playfulness for a moment. "But I have to ask… what comes next for you?"

"Suki?" I lifted a gloved hand to gently cup her chin, tilting her face up to meet my gaze. Her breath hitched, and she leaned into my touch.

"Yeah?"

"Would you do it all over again with me?"

"I would do it all over again." She replied, not even a moment's hesitation as her deep blue eyes looked at me, "All of it. Every moment, every fight, every cut. I would do it all again for you. Why do you ask?"

"No reason, however…" My gaze drifted to the window that only I could see.

R 

Congratulations, {Khan}!

You have successfully completed all primary objectives within {Avatar: The Last Airbender}! Your sharp wit, unmatched power, and unbreakable resolve have shaped the fate of this world, uncovered ancient secrets, vanquished mighty foes, and brought Balance (subjective) to this realm. Your journey has been one of legend, leaving your mark upon the world for future heroes to aspire to.

Along the way, your actions have earned the loyalty of capable Companions, who now stand ready to continue their journey at your side.

R 

Please select a destination World!

R 

"… Sound the clarion call."

Deep blue eyes widened, and the Kyoshi Warrior veteran before me straightened. Without hesitation, she snapped her fist to her chest in a sharp salute.

"Let it resound over all the lands we had conquered and the skies we had claimed." I began, "From the burning coasts of the Fire Nation Shores to the Polar wastes of the Northern Water Tribe, across the green expanse of the Earth Kingdom's heartlands and to the parched dunes of Si Wong Desert. Tell the 41st Division- their sons, their daughters… their ostrich-horses and their airships- that the Great Immortal Khan rides for war beyond the Heavens. Cowards need not apply."

I may have burned the whole world down and built something greater from the ashes… but there was no reason we couldn't conquer the next one.

- Three Nations End -