Fanon:Chapter 8: Secrets and Quarrels

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Secrets and Quarrels
Information
Series	Avatar: Civil Strife
Book	1
Chapter	8
Written by	King Bumis Heir
Edited by	King Bumis Heir
Air date	October 3, 2022
Episode guide
Previous	Chapter 7: The City of Labyrinths
Next	Chapter 9: Havoc in Li Jun

Overview

Avani and the gang are now in the capital of Pingyao, Taiyuan. Avani and Shuaige learn of the growing threat of the Omas on the border with Ru province. While Fangzhu and Zuqiu explore the city where they make new connections, Airen however, recalls why he hates this city. Trying to stay away from the Northern Tusuzu sector to avoid the eye of his maternal family who reside in the city, especially his childhood rival, his cousin, Congxiong. In the meantime, Yeman must show the Court of the Clans his strength and Chu Zi finally arrives in the Great Blue Jewel of the Isoro Empire.

Chapter 8: Secrets and Quarrels

Zuqiu sobbed on the ground; still, Airen rolled his eyes and yanked the young man by his collar. Then, placing him on his feet, the short and stocky noble snarled, "Shut up, and let's go."

Zuqiu choked on his tears, "Y-yes, sir.."

The company of men rode through the commoner district of the capital known as the "Southern Tusuzu Sector." They received many curious eyes from the citizens as if they never saw platoons of soldiers passing through the city daily. Finally, they reached the town square, where a large wooden pole had various signs nailed to the wood that pointed in different directions. Some ferries took citizens across the city's sectors, all with schedules, and ran all day.

Wei and Biehe assisted Taobing and asked for directions until a citizen saw them struggling with Taobing. The man offered them a rickshaw they could pull and then gave them tips to Aunt Bai's Sick Bay. The man waved his arms at them to grab their attention, "Hey, you there!"

Biehe turned to face the middle-aged gentleman, "Huh?"

"You two look like you could use a hand with your injured friend. There's an infirmary here that's only a few li away. Aunt Bai's Sick Bay is northwest of here; if you reach the seafood restaurant, you've gone too far," said the man.

He pointed at the cart. Wei and Biehe helped Taobing onto the coach, where he rested his legs and arms. A sigh of relief escaped his mouth. Biehe smiled and bowed his head to his elder, "Thank you, kind sir."

Both he and Wei grabbed a shaft and walked the rickshaw northwest; eventually, they reached their destination. The sick bay was a prominent infirmary-type place where many people went for clinical and alchemical purposes. Unfortunately, most of their patients suffered from minor illnesses, injuries, and common dysentery since the people here only had access to poor-quality water. The sick bay was located in the center of the Southern Tusuzu sector.

Airen walked off with the rest of the cavalry toward the Defense Sector; he planned to hide here until they left the city. Baoshou peeped to his left and startled himself. He wasn't expecting to see Airen by his side. Airen gave him a dead stare as he frowned, then returned to face the North. Airen commented, "I'd rather not go off exploring; I'll accompany you."

"I won't ask, but the extra muscle is always appreciated," said Baoshou.

After two xiaoshi, they reach a large stone wall surrounding another city sector. This thick wall separated the south and North of the residential sector. Guards on the ground and two in each watch tower lined the district's perimeter and stood watch of all who entered. Finally, one of the men gestured for them to stop in their tracks.

"Halt!" shouted the man, and the company halted their movement. The guard resumed, "No militant entry into the Northern Tusuzu Sector. You shall not pass. Only nobles may enter here!"

Baoshou hopped off his ostrich horse, walked forward, and demanded entry: "We need to get to the ferry in this sector that will take us straight to the Defense Sector, by direct orders of the Yanzhao."

"Only access through here will be on approval by Governor Xingren. No approval, no entry!" denied the guard.

"To your west and east, you will find the ferries that will lead you to your destination!" he added.

Baoshou nodded and sighed; he saluted the men and mounted his ostrich horse. Then, he told the company, "Come on, you heard him. Let's ride east to one of the ferries and hope we catch it on time!"

He snapped the reins of his beast, and it darted forward. The rest followed behind him as he led them east throughout the sector. They took another two xiaoshi to reach the ferry; the ferry took them on a tour of the city until they reached their destination. The ferry was densely populated by the soldiers and their mounts, along with the Yanzhao and the shipment. The agents prevented regular citizens from boarding the ship.

The tour guide rubbed his eyes when he saw that all the people aboard the ship were soldiers. But he gave them the tour anyway, "Here we have the Craftsmen Sector to our east. This sector is where the artisan caste of the city makes their best crafts. From armor to weapons, to clothing, and even furniture. To the far southeast is the Tradesmen Sector which cannot be seen, but the city's merchants reside and shop there."

From the ferry, the Craftsmen Sector's streets, harbor, and even the blue-shingled roofs of the buildings here could be seen. The canal is what encircled the high-rise palace and split the sectors from each other. Fishermen lined the docks, and farm workers harvested plants from the nearest farm in what was known as Tsai Shen's Stead.

"Tsai Shen's Stead includes all of our city's crops; here, the farmers live and tend to their farms. The food that is grown here feeds the entire city. As you can see, farm workers are harvesting this year's crop!" yelled the tour guide.

At the same time, Zuqiu resumed crying about being embarrassed in front of the girl from earlier. Fangzhu consoled him as they arrived at the ferry on the western side of the Southern Tusuzu Sector. They were given a tour by a guide that was part of the captain's crew. The tour guide began, "This is the Temple Sector; our Earth Sage dwells here, along with his clergy. The temple is located in the center of this sector. Next stop is the Arboretum!"

The buildings of the Temple Sector were all white as they were constructed from granite. The temple itself was a massive building that towered above the rest. The spires could be seen from the canals. The Arboretum was a vast botanical garden filled with grasslands, flowers, nature, docile creatures, a lake, a zoo on the northern tip of the sector, and a refuge for exiles.

The ferry guide continued, "We've arrived at the Arboretum Sector; here, you will find the botanical gardens as far as the eye can see! We also have the city's zoo here. Lake Naolao rests at its northern tip, and to the southern edge is Exile's Refuge. Where all those who've been exiled from the temples seek refuge!"

"Wait, did he say those exiled from the temples?" Fangzhu questioned Zuqiu; he thought Zuqiu listened clearly. However, Zuqiu was still heartbroken from earlier. Zuqiu shrugged as he wiped tears from his eyes, "I don't know; I was busy drowning myself in sadness," whimpered the young man.

Zuqiu and Fangzhu offboarded the ferry and into the Arboreteum with several dozen people. In the faint distance, the ferry guide could be heard announcing their return to the Southern Tusuzu Sector as others entered the ship.

Avani and Shuiage rode through the Northern Tusuzu Sector. Their ostrich horses galloped with a speed of urgency. Finally, the Avatar and the company's Captain were allowed to pass through. Fortunately, Avani's papers got both of them access, which cut their journey short. Mostly nobles and their retainers populated this area. At the same time, Governor Wuqi was on the balcony of his estate that towered over the entire city. He sat at his favorite table near the edge of the balcony, where he often enjoyed a cup of tea in the mornings.

To the left of this area was a tower connected by a large earth bridge. This bridge had traffic from time to time. Mostly nobles came by carriage to seek an audience with the governor. The bright sun entered a massive bedroom through an alcove that led to a smaller balcony. A loud yawn echoed through the room, and small, thin bony hands stretched out. A man in his undergarments rose off his bed and snapped his fingers. Servants burst through the door and quickly dressed the man in his favorite white robes with golden trim. His long black hair was styled into a bun with a golden band. The shufa guan was designed with carvings of Tiandi's Eye; a pin was placed right through the small bar to secure it.

His diamond-shaped head had a narrow forehead and a small chin. His cheekbones were pronounced; this indicated that he was of middle age, perhaps a quadragenarian. His light green eyes glowed when the sunlight reflected off of them. An arrogant gaze was on the man's face; his nose was sculpted by Yue Lao himself as it was one of the best features on his face. It was curved, similar to a bird's beak, with a long sinister smile on the lower half of his face. The man's face meant business from sun up to sun down. Another servant lowered his head and held a golden plate above his head; he presented his lord with a golden chalice filled with grape wine.

The nobleman took the chalice with his right hand, decorated with small bands on every other finger. Each contained an expensive gemstone. The man took a sip of the wine and nipped over to glance up at the more oversized balcony that overshadowed his own. There he could barely see the governor as he enjoyed a nice cup of steaming tea in the morning. The nobleman took a more giant drink of his wine before he swished it around and shouted, "Good morning, Governor Wuqi!"

The governor saw the man from where he rested and saw only minor details of the nobleman from his home. He sighed, then muttered, "I hate that guy."

The nobleman chugged the rest of his wine and tossed it behind him. The servant caught the chalice on the plate and dashed off. The nobleman said to himself, "Alright, time to boogie!"

His family steward barged into his room and announced to him, "Master Congxiong, your mother wishes for you to scrub her bunions before she leaves for work!"

Congxiong screeched in frustration and then screamed at the steward, "Gundao! How often do I have to tell you never to bother me in the first thirty fenzhong of me waking up?!"

"Apologies, Master Congxiong, but your mother needs you to do this because no one does it better than her boy!" maintained Gundao.

"My mother has servants that she pays top coin to assist her!" he snarled at Gundao.

"Congxiong!" a voice called out from another room. His mother's voice sounded like it had been through years of abusing a hookah and slinging drinks from The Reveler's Den in the Northern Tusuzu Sector. All the younger nobles favored a drinking and smoking joint over the other lounges in the walled residential district.

Congxiong frowned harder and stormed out of his room and into the next, where his mother was covered neck down in bubbles. She was in the tub enjoying a bubble bath while one of her servants scrubbed her back. Her feet were plump and liver-spotted. The bunions on her feet damaged her feet worse than the foot binding did. She often complained about the pain in her feet. Congxiong sighed and snatched the brush from the servant. Slouched over as he felt reduced to nothing but a lackey forced to wash his mother's feet.

"And you better hurry; I need to meet Governor Wuqi this morning. We meet with the Avatar and some military captain over Oma presence in one xiaoshi!" mentioned the old woman.

"The Avatar?" he repeated as his ears perked up.

"What Avatar? The same old man from the North, correct?" guessed Congxiong.

"If you spent less time seducing women of the streets and contracting maledictions of Yue Lao and more time educating yourself on current events and running our family business; you'd know this one's Haijunese!" she shook her head as she lectured her son.

It seems Congxiong would rather fornicate with harlots than do his duties. Congxiong rolled his eyes and argued with his mother, "Oh ma, it was only that one time. Had I identified the symptoms, I wouldn't have laid with that woman."

"Scrub!" she hissed at him; Congxiong rapidly scrubbed his mother's disgusting feet. He gagged and looked away at the bumpy liver-spotted feet.

Half a xiaoshi later, the large webbed feet of two ostrich horses finally reached the palace gates. The golden armored plated ostrich horses' protection shells gleamed in the sunlight. The front areas underneath their necks were carved with Tiandi's Eye. Shawls of gold were wrapped underneath the saddles of the beasts. The retainers of the governor saluted the captain, and the Avatar then opened the gates with their earthbending. Once upon their entry of the palace grounds, they saw the vast gardens and grounds that encircled the large siheyuan.

Stablehands arrived to take Shuaige's and Avani's mounts while a guide led them toward the governor's home. He quietly waited for them inside his living room, where he sat patiently on his ta and snacked on a piece of sweet bread and another cup of tea. The septuagenarian wore golden robes with black trim as he relaxed in a lotus position. He looked to one of his retainers inside the room and asked, "Have you heard anything from my steward, Lady Biaoqin? She's late, and we have important guests to meet with."

"No, sir, I have not. I'm sure she's on her way, though," the guard shook his head.

His square-shaped head had aged beyond, his jawline was harder to see, wrinkles covered his face, and his skin lost elasticity. His cool pale ivory skin remained undamaged from the sun as he kept mainly inside the siheyuan's walls other than the early morning when he had his tea from his balcony. His ears continued to grow as his ear lobes dangled lower each day. Patches of gray hair grew from inside the outer ear canal. The lower half of his face was primarily covered in gray hair, as a beard hid his once pronounced jawline. A large groomed mustache hung down to the corners of his mouth and began inside his nostrils. His eyebrows were harder to maintain, but he persisted with all hair products and stayed bushy. His hair reached his broad shoulders; however, his cranium was spotless.

In his late age, he no longer had the best vision as he wore spectacles that permitted his brown eyes to see clearly. A cane rested near the left of the ta. At the same time, Shuaige and Avani were closer to the governor's home.

The guide resumed his conversation with them, "Governor Wuqi is excited to meet with you and the Avatar, Captain."

"Inside, you will bow and greet the governor and also bow and greet Stewardess Biaoqin. However, as of now, she's running late; we hope she'll join us later," smiled the guide.

"The domain of the Palace is beautiful; it reminds me of home," complimented Avani.

"You should bring this compliment to the governor; he's quite the landscaping genius himself," beamed the guide.

The squawk of a flying creature echoed above the governor's home; the creature landed behind the siheyuan. The shriek of the animal startled Shuaige a tad bit as it was unexpected," What was that th-thing?" he inquired.

"Ahhh, that must be Lady Biaoqin arriving via her hag heron," answered the guide.

"Hag Heron? What is that?" Avani asked curiously.

"A huge grotesque predator bird, they're normally rare and tamed while young. They're worth a large sum in Taiyuan's Northern Tusuzu Sector," responded the guide.

"The screech definitely belonged to that monster," commented Shuaige.

They were led upstairs, where the retainers of the governor saluted them. Then, the guards opened the doors to the home. Their guide led them inside, and a little old lady hobbled at a swift pace to the living quarters of the governor's estate. She sat near the governor's ta, as her bunions caused much pain if she stood too long. The governor turned to face the woman, smiled then greeted her, "Good morning, Yima!"

"Apologies for being late, Xingren. Congxiong woke up late yet again. Punishments haven't gotten one through to that boy," Yima apologized.

"Yima, he's not a boy. He's a grown man. And until you take his luxuries away, he will never learn," Xingren reminded Yima.

"All this talk about my useless son made me forget that the Avatar and the Captain have entered your home. The shipment they escorted is on its way to the Defense Sector," added Yima.

Both of them gathered themselves and stayed silent; Xingren crossed his fingers across each other and smiled. While Yima coughed and attempted to fake a smile, her mind remained on Congxiong. Finally, a guard entered the living quarters, bowed to his superior, and announced, "Governor, Avatar Avani, and Captain Qishi are here."

Shuaige entered first in his black lamellar armor that dazzled the governor and his stewardess. His helmet is under his right arm. Qishi lowered his head in respect to Governor Wuqi and Stewardess Biaoqin. Shuaige greeted the old man, "It is an honor to meet with you, Governor Wuqi."

Avani strolled in and bowed her head; then, she said, "We've heard much about you by our guide. We thank you for welcoming us into your city."

The old man slowly placed himself on his knees, as did Yima, and they both knelt before Avani. Xingren responded, "The Avatar herself, we are honored by your presence, young one."

"I hope you may bless our families with good fortune," added Yima.

The blessing of an Avatar brought prosperity from the gods, as is known in the Haijun Kingdom and the Fire Nation. Avani smiled, "Certainly after the meeting, of course!"

"We've retrieved and escorted the shipment here to the city, Governor Wuqi," reported Shuaige.

"Of course, I was told by my stewardess not too long ago we sent Yanzhao to locate you hoping you'd secure it," said Xingren.

Avani mentioned, "We did, however, encounter some resistance."

"Resistance?" questioned the governor.

"Oma Kingdom troops on the way here between Taiyuan and Zi Guangi, a huge army of them. This was no scouting party. Luckily, Avani here scared them off, or we wouldn't be here right now," reported Shuaige.

"Interesting..." paused Wuqi as he stroked his beard, deep in thought.

Then he resumed, "How could they have avoided Fort Li Jun? Something doesn't seem right if an entire army runs around Pingyao province."

"Yima bring out the map," said Governor Wuqi; the old woman nodded and unrolled the scroll, which contained markings of movements across the province and even had the border with Ru and the southeastern portion of Ru province.

Wuqi informed them, "We have sightings of Oma Kingdom scouting parties exploring Li Jun county. A current invasion force is fighting our armies on the border between Pingyao and Ru."

"If you saw an entire army of barbarians, my theory is they're amassing a large enough field army to assault the capital," asserted Governor Wuqi.

Yima added, "Something we need to stop before it happens."

Captain Qishi asked, "How are the troops on the border?"

"We've been winning skirmishes over a few weeks now, but with this new information, I don't want them to get ambushed," replied Governor Xingren.

"We believe they might get the Ke clan to join their ranks," mentioned Yima.

Avani inquired, "Who is the Ke?"

"A nasty group of wild men native to the crag environment of the mountains in southeastern Ru province," answered the old woman.

"Deng Shan Jia hasn't been much of a threat, thankfully, but if resources flow for his clan...he might become an issue," observed Xingren.

At the same time, Gan slid off his badgermole mount, a piece of chewing bark in his mouth. He nibbled on it while he walked into the Ke clan's main encampment. Several of his men entered behind him. Craftsmen of the Ke and other citizens turned to face the ashen pale-skinned man pounded through their settlement. His black hair flowed in the breeze. The four that trailed behind were none other than his squad of specialists.

The red-haired mercenary and the firebending assassin were behind him, while the bard and thief were distracted as they ambled through this strange place.

A small fireteam of four barbarians in armor decorated to look like rock golems met the five individuals near the entrance. The leader spoke, "You must be Gan; we're here to escort you to our leader Chief Deng Shan Jia."

Gan continued to casually chew on his bark, then he nodded; the four men turned away from him and guided Gan and his squad toward the large longhouse where the chief lived. One of the barbarians mentioned, "We received resources for war days ago after our chieftain signed the treaty and joined the Oma Kingdom. We are honored to serve the Earth King who sits on the Crystalline Throne."

Lin Xi lightly strummed the strings on his lute while Pi Dao hummed a tune as they strolled behind the other two. Lin Xi's eyes explored their environment; he saw as men were fitted in armor and others hammered away at hot molten weapons. One in particular, however, caught Lin Xi and Pi Dao's attention. As he never used tongs to handle the weapon, the molten weapon lifted into the air and sunk into a barrel of water. The sword sizzled, and a ton of steam was produced. He poked Pi Dao and nudged him to his right; they both saw the same thing.

One of the barbarians was sensitive to hearing and heard their commotion. He turned to face them and then the blacksmith. The leader of the fireteam informed the two men, "Ahhh, it seems your allies are intrigued by the sight of a metalbender. They're common in our clan, but for the most part, they've figured out how to craft weapons and armor."

Gan added, "I've seen them in the Oma capital."

"I've observed them; for the most part, any form of combat seems impossible, as metal being used for other things is a rare find these days," he said.

"Aye, and there was one guy who was banned from bending his sword. He nearly killed himself and others when he lost control of his rotating blade," gasped the leader; he recalled as a flashback entered his head, he ducked down and covered his noggin as his eyes darted side to side.

The escort group continued to foot it in the direction of the longhouse. The foundation of the building was made of earth, possibly even built into the mountainside. Perhaps escape tunnels or even a panic room were underneath. While the structure was built with wood from the trees below the mountains.

The apertures opened in the mornings, and those who resided inside, were the Ke chief, his wives, and his offspring. His most trusted retainers stood their ground at the door of his residence. They knocked on the door, and out came a slender preteen child. Most of his teeth were intact except his left front tooth. With his hands on his hips and a large beam on his face, he introduced himself to the Meng clan champion as he chattered on.

The red-haired mercenary gazed down at the boy and commented, "Your chieftain is...a child."

The retainer's eyes darted from Mo Fu's face, down to eye the boy, then back at the mercenary. He shooed the boy away; the kid slouched and clopped back into his home with shame, "What? No, that's the chieftain's only son," he responded.

The team was brought into the longhouse. However, Deng's wives scurried away and hid in their rooms. This was usually customary of barbarian wives of a chieftain as only their husband could eye them. If a visitor leered at a chieftain's wife, it was seen as offensive and resulted in combat for the wife. The chieftain's wooden throne was in the living quarters, and a large firepit kept the place warm and hospitable. The oversized chair had pieces of fur woven together and placed on the back for lumbar support and on the seat for cushioning to prevent circulation from being cut off. He sat comfortably on his chair while he enjoyed a roasted ether swine leg and dark coffee.

Scraps of burnt flesh littered his beard as the team entered the room. He shook his beard clean of the bites of meat when the visitors appeared. His dark tan skin was illuminated by the fire pit's glow, his beard was matted, and white hairs filled it sporadically. His hair was styled into braids, and a large stripe of white sat in the center of his Crown. He examined his guests with one good green eye. However, Pi Dao was sure the dead eye bore right through his soul too. A colossal scar ran across it; he was short and heavyset, his body covered in leathers and furs. A gray hood decorated with curved horns was taken from a razorback ram's carcass. He was known to be an experienced mountaineer by his people and the smaller clans that called Ru their home.

The locals believed a curled-horned furry monster haunted Ru province's southern mountains. Most of his people were considered mountaineers by the locals as well. His clan used their earthbending to climb mountains while the non-benders created tools to assist them in doing the same. The quinquagenarian welcomed them, "Welcome all to my compound; I was to expect you by orders of our bloodthirsty and vigorous young warchief."

"I am Deng Shan Jia. To outsiders, I'm the Big Horned Bear," he introduced himself.

"What should my people call you, Meng man?" he questioned Gan as he eyed him.

"Gan, champion of the Meng," Gan answered.

"These individuals you've brought with you, who are they?" Deng asked.

"Trusted members of my division, unlike the leaders who organized my army. These soldiers are specialized in their skills and deadly in their own right. Chao Lin Xi, Fen Mo Fu, Suo Pi Dao, and Bian Nu Xing," Gan replied as he named each one.

"Welcome, brothers and sister," said the chieftain.

Gan stated, "I came here to draft your men into my division, per orders of Manzujichengren."

"Of course, from the young men to the elders shall sacrifice their lives for our future. I leave my hair here while I take up blade and join your side, Champion of the Meng," nodded the chieftain.

"I will leave only a few to guard our families; the most experienced mountaineers shall remain," added Deng Shan Jia.

He faced away from Gan and offered, "I will offer you my metalbenders to pass their knowledge to your fighters who may potentially carry the gift. Their weapons will be durable, and their shields will never shatter."

Chief Deng Shan Jia swore, "The capital of Pingyao will be ours, I swear it!"

The boy pranced on by the room, and Deng's eyes moved along with his son's movement, "On the life of my firstborn son. Loi Sai as my witness.."

Quite the wager made by the chieftain, Loi Sai, was the Kuiwu clan's god of the dead. He was not someone you could escape a bargain from. Gan and Deng exited the lodge with Gan's squad in tow, he clutched onto his horn and blew it. The mountaineering clan of the Ke gathered around the longhouse in the span of ten fenzhong. Crowds of men surrounded the front of the lodge, and their chieftain declared, "From this day onward, you will view these men as your brothers! We shall fight for the Crown and take the city of Taiyuan for the Kuiwu banner!"

The barbarian men roared; there was much work to be done. The blacksmiths followed their orders, while the foremen of each craft were called forward to share their knowledge. Meanwhile, the governor, his stewardess, Captain Qishi, and the Avatar discussed further the news from the war front. Finally, a soldier was brought into Xingren.

A retainer announced, "Lord Wuqi, a messenger has arrived from Fort Li Jun!"

"Let him in," called out the governor; the soldier saluted everyone inside and coughed to clear his throat, "I bring news from General Da. An enemy flair was spotted several li away from Fort Li Jun. After further investigation, a nearby outpost was wiped out. We think they're sending scouting parties further into Li Jun county."

"What's the general's response to this?" inquired the governor.

"We're sending scouting parties out into the wilderness. The best trackers in the fort are on the mission," stated the courier.

"Report back when you've gathered new information from General Da," said Wuqi. The courier returned another salute to his superiors before he quickly left the room. Captain Qishi inquired, "Do you need anything from us, Governor Wuqi?"

"As of right now, I do not, but you will be called upon soon if needed," replied Governor Xingren.

"We will await your orders in the Defense Sect-" saluted Captain Qishi before he was interrupted by the doors of the living quarters being slammed wide open.

Xingren's face rapidly reddened with anger. Finally, he snarled at the unwelcomed visitor, "What is the meaning of this interruption?!"

Congxiong burst into the living quarters as he lightly shoved some guards around to let him go. Xingren snarled as his eyes darted to Yima, "What is he doing?!"

Steam exited Yima's ears, and her face shriveled in rage as well, "Congxiong get out of here!"

"Mother, you never told me the Avatar was going to be present in the city," mentioned Congxiong. The quadragenarian ignored the elephanda in the room and minced toward the Avatar. He slowly bowed his head toward her and stretched out his hands to shake hers.

The snotty noble grinned, "Lord Biaoqin Congxiong, it is an honor to be in your presence, young Avatar. I believe getting well acquainted is good for you and me."

Xingren barked, "Seize him!"

"Toss him out of the palace; he knows he's not welcomed here!" shouted Wuqi. The retainers tackled Congxiong to the ground and slapped cuffs of earth on his wrists while they wrestled with him. His mother muttered to herself, "You're an embarrassment to this family, Congxiong."

"Avatar! I extend an invitation to you, a celebration of you! Tonight at the Reveler's Den!" shouted the noble he'd hoped she'd at least listen to him before the guards hauled him away.

Yima felt ashamed and humiliated. She apologized to Avani and Shuiage, "We apologize for the inconvenience of that wretched fool!"

"I'm sure you have more important things to deal with than to join that idiot at a place of debauchery," the governor's stewardess fretted.

Avani remained quiet, unsure how to respond to what had just occurred. Finally, Shuaige broke the silence and suggested, "We should take our leave; perhaps Airen, Baoshou, and the others have made it to the Defense Sector with the shipment by now."

Yima's ears perked up when she heard the name ‘Airen.' She rose from her seat, "Did I hear the name Airen?" she questioned the captain to repeat himself.

Shuaige and Avani eyed each other, and then at the old woman, he nodded. She inquired further, "As in Shengqi Airen?"

"How do you know, Airen?" Avani asked the old lady.

"Airen is the son of my sister, Lianhua; he's my nephew. My family," she revealed.

"Send word to the barracks of the Defense Sector; my nephew will be housed in my siheyuan instead. I refuse to have the son of my favorite sister sleep in a filthy garrison rather than where he belongs," Yima ordered a retainer. Shuaige and Avani bowed in respect to the governor and his stewardess and exited the estate.

Aunt Bai's Sick Bay, Southern Tusuzu Sector, Taiyuan

Biehe and Wei panted as they slowly pulled the cart to a large structure in the residential portion of the southern Tusuzu Sector. The brick-layered building had cracks here and there, which determined it to be quite old. How old? Not sure. A long line of people stood outside of the building, from injured to ill citizens from all over the sector came here. It wasn't a hospital but a well-known family that healed this sector for generations. And many came to the sick bay over the decades.

The wooden cart creaked as it passed through the line of wounded people. Some of them hissed at the rude men who ran on by. They hurried the cart near the entrance and then dropped the rickshaw shafts. Wei and Biehe lifted Taobing and rushed him into the building. Many of the healers were interrupted by their ruckus. Finally, one of the healers chided the men, "Hey! You're not allowed to just barge in here! Get in line!"

"By order of the Haijun military, we need our friend here to be helped!" shouted Biehe. Some injured soldiers stood up from their cots and seats and approached the young man. One of them countered, "Yeah, and whose orders are those?"

"Captain Qishi," responded the auburn-haired young man.

The soldier contented further, "Never heard of him; get out of here and wait your turn!"

Two Yanzhao in the sick bay stepped in between the arguing men. The noise from her office also grabbed the attention of Aunt Bai. A Yanzhao agent stated, "What the young man speaks is truth, orders from Overseer Pai Jun."

A short, plump old woman exited her office after the commotion outside piqued her curiosity. The old woman asked, "What's going on here?"

"These bozos have cut the line of people, Aunt Bai," replied one of the injured soldiers.

"Silence, specialist," snarled the other Yanzhao agent.

"By orders of our Overseer, you must attend to this patient, Aunt Bai," the other commanded the old woman.

She slightly bowed, knowing not to protest the orders, "I must answer the request then."

"Bring him here," she called out the Wei and Biehe; Biehe turned his cheek away from the other soldiers, "Hmph!"

He lifted one of Taobing's arms while Wei lifted the other, and they entered her office. The old woman commented, "You three must be special if the Yanzhao intervened on your behalf."

Her pale skin brightened while she was under the sunroof; Biehe disclosed, "We are, we're part of the company of which the Avatar is now part."

"Not everyone here knows who you are. So your captain's words are powerless here. But the Yanzhao intercepting for you made their argument ineffectual," responded Aunt Bai.

She collected things from her cupboard, then removed the bandages off Taobing's left shoulder. A small hole was visible. However, she noticed it healed well. The hole was surrounded by mostly healed skin, but the area was still red and tender. The inside of the hole was not deep. She massaged the site lightly to determine how bad the injury was. Taobing clenched his jaw as he winced with pain. She passed three fingers onto a brownish paste and rubbed it into the wound.

"I can feel a tearing into the muscle; this should help heal it," Aunt Bai mentioned.

Wei's eyes scanned her office; poultices and labeled potions decorated her shelves. Books, scrolls, figurines, plants, and other things littered her study. Biehe watched as she worked on Taobing; he was intrigued to study further into the medic field. She questioned Taobing, "Who worked on this wound before?"

"Avatar Avani did most of the inner healing when she removed the arrow from my shoulder," answered Taobing.

Blue coral burst out of a small case, and she pieced the portions of it together until it formed a shoulder cast. Aunt Bai advised, "You'll need to wear this for the next few weeks. It'll regenerate the missing muscle tissue. You should be able to use your shoulder properly after this."

Biehe wondered curiously, "What is that?"

"It's a cast made of blue coral mined from the reefs of Taiyuan. It has special tissue regeneration," explained the old woman.

Taobing was confused; he returned an echo question, "How could you bend the coral, though? Aren't they living creatures?"

"When coral dies, their skeletons harden into minerals which can be manipulated by skillful earthbenders," replied Aunt Bai.

"That's very impressive," beamed Wei excitedly." Your knowledge of the healing arts has me interested. Where can I go to educate myself further?" Biehe inquired.

"I have an afternoon class later today. I have one spot left if you're eager to learn," smiled the old woman.

The young man returned, smiled, and nodded, "I promise I won't be a minute late!"

Taobing was lifted and assisted outside her study and back outside into the rickshaw.

Meanwhile, Fangzhu and Zuqiu embarked on their newest journey to explore the Arboreteum. Zuqiu wiped his dried-up tears from his eyes but yet carried a giant frown on his face. Fangzhu, while having minimal experience with women, offered advice to Zuqiu. Finally, Fangzhu brought up as he glanced at his comrade, "It was for the best, Zuqiu. The girl seemed more interested in finding comfort in the shadows than sharing conversation with a companion."

"It happens to the best of us, there are other fish in the sea, and a guy such as yourself will find a worthy partner. Just wait! Don't search; let love find you," he continued. So they wandered off aimlessly; the green pastures were littered with trees and critters that lived their lives here harmoniously. Fangzhu inhaled a deep breath of fresh air free from the pollution that befell the Southern Tusuzu Sector. The air quality equaled that of the temples before he was exiled.

Zuqiu focused his best to forget the girl, while Fangzhu stumbled upon a tree with a poster on it that read: "Group Meditation – Lake Naolao Midday; led by Zisaka."

"Zisaka must be the teacher that leads the group. Definitely interesting to meet up for a group meditation the get your mind off things, Zuqiu," said Fangzhu.

At the same time, Fangzhu focused his attention on the advertisement. Zuqiu's eyes surveyed the efflorescent scenery he was in. In the corner of the large body of water, he saw what seemed to be the girl from earlier. Zuqiu was allured as he observed her from a distance. He bounced energetically in her direction. While Fangzhu babbled on about unimportant matters. Fangzhu faced to his left where Zuqiu would have been to see Zuqiu was gone. However, off in the distance, he saw a group of wanderers gathered to begin the meditation group. He ignored Zuqiu's disappearance and walked off to join the group.

Many of the participants came from the Southern Tusuzu Sector, others from other sectors of the city. The teacher was nowhere to be seen, though. Fangzhu looked around and then sat down in the lotus position. A short, wiry man with a receded hairline sat in front of the class. His long black hair was tied into a top knot. Fangzhu stared in awe as he saw the man's arrow tattoos and the exile tattoo over his left brow. He was the same age as Fangzhu, likely in his late thirties or early forties. His gray eyes gleamed in the sunlight.

He waved at his students, "Good afternoon, class. How are you all?"

He scanned the small gathering until his eyes met Fangzhu's. A new face, he smiled and bowed before the new student. He pointed at Fangzhu. "We have a new face here, a brother airbender. What's your name, brother?"

"Fangzhu, it's a privilege to meet another nomad," related the airbender.

"Tell us about yourself," said the teacher.

"I was exiled from the temples long ago. I've meandered the Haijun Kingdom in search of fulfillment. I enlisted in the military while on my adventures in Ba Sing Se and have been with them ever since," noted Fangzhu.

"Quite odd that a brother would find himself amongst the fighting men of the kingdom. We honor your sacrifice, brother. May you find your redemption," smiled the teacher.

"Let us begin!" he finished as he sat down.

At the same time, Zuqiu stalked the young woman as she dug into a garbage bin and encountered a fish that had been bitten a few times. She hadn't eaten in a few days, and her stomach rumbled in hunger. She clutched at it, then sunk her teeth into the day-old flesh of tuna bass. While she munched on the tuna bass, a shadow loomed over her. Her head darted up when she sensed danger.

The girl was startled as soon as she recognized the young man, "You! I remember you. Who are you? Why did you follow me here?!" she shrilled worryingly.

She rested a knee on the ground while she stood on the other ready to make a dash from the stranger. Zuqiu stammered his words, "I-I didn't mean to scare you. My friend and I wandered into the Arboreteum. And I happened to catch you at this moment glance."

"I wanted to give myself another chance and introduce myself," he added.

She studied the stranger. His aura seemed benevolent, but she couldn't be too sure. Zuqiu gathered himself and extended out his hand. The girl noticed that he was visibly shaking and nervous, which caused her to drop her guard as he gave a harmless vibe. She extended hers in return and shook his hand. Zhongli introduced themselves, "I'm Zhongli Jianju. What should I call you?"

"Zuqiu Muchang, just Zuqiu though," related Zuqiu.

"I'm quite shy, but I can't help myself that you're a beautiful girl," he complimented Zhongli.

Zhongli furrowed their brow, then looked around and quietly stated, "I'm not a girl; my pronouns are they-them. I'm non-binary."

"Non-binary? What does that mean?" he questioned them.

"It means I don't identify myself with the binary genders one is required to use in this kingdom. Instead, I choose to be me; I choose to be non-binary," explained Zhongli.

Zuqiu gasped, "Isn't that against the Code of the Golden Sun?!"

Zhongli approached Zuqiu, pressed their index to his lips, and shushed him. Then, they whispered, "Quiet down! You don't want the watchers to hear us!"

"Between you and me, please be respectful and refer to me by my chosen pronouns. However, around others, I'd prefer she-her as to not draw attention!" they continued.

"The Yanzhao don't understand how I feel; how I want to live my life is a threat to the Crown. So often I feel like I'm both binary genders, other times, I feel like I'm either or neither," they finished.

They heard rustling in the bushes; Zhongli giggled and searched the bush to find a sizeable woolly rat; they squeezed the creature and lifted it to show Zuqiu.

He stepped back, frightened and in disgust, "What is that thing?" he questioned her.

"Oh, Po, this is my woolly pet rat," she responded.

The creature was a rodent in nature, its fur was a beige color, and its eyes were black and beady. These creatures tended to have the intelligence of a four-year-old child. Zhongli tore some meat from her meal and fed it to her pet.

They asked Zuqiu," You've never seen a woolly rat, I take it?"

"No," he shook his head.

Omashu, Oma Kingdom

A short, dark-skinned man with jade eyes returned to the city of Omashu and was welcomed with open arms. He and only ten thousand men returned from the massacre of the Omas at Garsai. While he fled with only the hairs on his mustache, he returned to the city to give his report. The ten thousand soldiers retreated to the Military Quarter of the capital. While Bu Lu took an elevator to the palace.

Inside, Yeman sat annoyed as the Court of the Clans argued amongst themselves over petty squabbles. Finally, a woman in rare furs that decorated her neck and a bronze circlet on her forehead pushed her request further to the other court members.

She maintained, "Do you not want the city of Taiyuan to answer to the Crystalline Throne? We have strength in numbers. Therefore, I ask that you send troops to Duan Ya Bu to further establish our armies for an assault, Sen."

"With all due respect Bei Shan but we're spread thinly. I don't have the numbers to spare, not even archers to join the ranks of your mountaineers," declined Sen.

Another man who wore the hide of a scaly sea monster his name was Hai; he offered to Bei Shan, "I can extend mariners in naval support."

His head was protected by the beast's thick skull, only parts of it visible from the spiny teeth of the long-dead monster. A spear rested on his back, and his tan skin glistened because he stood near a brazier. Yeman looked at Hai and inquired, "How many warships should be deployed?"

"As many as are needed to take over the harbor," answered Hai.

"We still don't know the size of Taiyuan's naval forces," added Yeman.

"And you think the northern Earth King has a massive navy in Pingyao? Doubtful, most of his navy is fighting off in contested waters near Chuan Bay," argued Hai.

Yeman questioned him, "How do you know this?"

"It is quite clear I lent aid to Gongzhu," Sen disclosed to the king.

Mong twaddled his fingers as he listened silently without a single word. He flung his head back when the throne room doors creaked open. The court was interrupted as Yeman rose his head to peer over the nobles. It was Lieutenant-General Bu Lu who returned from Garsai. Not a single scratch on his body, however, his breastplate had cracks in it, perhaps from arrow damage?

"You bring news from the underground city," began Yeman.

Bu Lu gulped and broke a sweat, then his eyes followed those around him as the court split into two groups and allowed him to walk forth. Bu Lu responded, "I bring a good announcement from the warfront-"

Lao broke in, "Lying ratcoon! How dare you lie to the Crown?!"

The others gasped and were taken aback by the bold move from the Lieutenant-General. He sweated profusely. Mong eyed the situation but remained quiet. Yeman stepped off his throne and tightly clutched his battle ax's pommel tightly. Lao snarled in defense of Yeman, "Meng clan mercenaries reported back to me and detailed that Garsai is in the hands of the Xians!"

Yeman hissed at Bu Lu, "You dare lie in my face?!"

"We...we were ambushed; we didn't know the siege was taking place until Haijunese breached Old Towne," Bu Lu gasped. Fear settled in his body, and his voice quavered with panic. Yeman argued, "You had slave soldiers under your control that can detect the vibrations in the ground; how could they possibly not see this coming?!" yelled Yeman.

"A possible resistance might have prevented this from happening. But, unfortunately, the Xian slaves were likely all in on it," maintained Bu Lu. Yeman's eyes filled with rage, and his skin went from his standard tan color to fiery red. He gritted his teeth in fury and screamed loudly. His grip tightened, and Bu Lu flinched as he knew what was coming. Yeman swung the blade of his battle ax with great power; Bu Lu's head, like a ball of swine skin, flew off his shoulders and rolled over to the feet of the royal berserkers.

The court hadn't expected this outcome from the young king yet. Not a sound echoed from either representative. The bloodthirst was quenched; he stood over the knelt, headless corpse and said, "Father called you a failure anyway."

"Royal berserkers send word to Jun; I want a competent Lieutenant-General," he barked at the royal guards.

Two of them ran off; then he mentioned, "And begin amassing troops to assault the city again. We need Garsai under our control."

Mong countered, "Such a move is a mistake. You just lost the capital. Admit defeat."

Yeman inquired angrily at the representative of Uuguul, "What would you do, Mong?!"

Mong said nothing and turned to face away from the young king. Yeman muttered to himself, "Nothing but silence as always. I don't need your words. They're useless to me."

Mong glared at Yeman while distracted, then thought, "The young monarch is weak! If he can't do what is expected, I'll force him off the seat of power!"

Yeman sat down on the Crystalline Throne and hissed at his berserkers, "Someone clean up this mess, feed the corpse to the moo-sows!"

Bekini, Isoro Empire

After being holed up inside that carriage for almost a week. Chu Zi was abruptly awakened by the squeal of Zaphnath, "We're here!"

She gasped as her eyes widened, her head darted around the Pharaoh, and the prince was still sound asleep. The Pharaoh awoke from his slumber when the young prince shook his father, and he stirred from sleep. The princess popped her head out of the aperture of the large carriage. Her eyes were blessed by the Great Blue Jewel of the Isoro lands.

"Witness the grandeur, witness the beauty. What we constructed shall not be destroyed."

Fertile farmlands surrounded the massive metropolis, and water from the Neter River flowed in the canals across the fields and even ran through the capital city of the Isoro Empire. Gargantuan sandstone walls were carved with hieroglyphs that depicted a long descriptive history of the empire.

"Witness the limitless attainment, stunning engineering to the exquisite inscription."

Colossal pillars held the high ceilings the carriage rolled under. Dark-tanned bald soldiers with halberds blew their horns at the arrival of the Royal Family from Omashu.

"Under the watch of Mut and Asar, a kingdom of magnificence. A twinkle of the afterlife, the Great Blue Jewel of a desolate godforsaken realm."

The gates retracted into the ramparts, sandbenders on the walls, and the sunlight beamed out of the city and into Chu Zi's eyes. Slightly blinded, she turned away before returning to face the capital again. Many homes littered the portion of Lower Bekini.

"The voiceless and easily commanded serve us in silence; we view them as less than animals."

The carriage was quickly under the protection of soldiers and guards in white linen kilts. The screeches of skink mantids rung through the massive stoned streets of the city. Others flew above the town as they observed the entrance of the Pharaoh. Men mounted on top of flying beasts of old.

"This is your home now; we suggest you kowtow to your new masters."

The citizens cheered the return of their king, and they began to praise and sing as they welcomed back the royals and their new guests. Then, finally, the cart strolled through the center of Lower Bekini, and people in wagons pulled to the side to permit the royal carriage to pull through.

"Experience the influence here; influence has a price. Some live with divinity, others live with no purpose."

Merchants presented their wares to curious buyers, and the caravan rode through the city's bazaar. To the west of the bazaar was the Cubenu District, where the poor lived in slums. The canals here were sort of past disrepair. While to the east, where Chu Zi faced was the Samum District, the homes here were a bit bigger in property size. Likely where the craftsmen and artisans lived. Walls surrounded an inner portion of the city; the hieroglyphs indicated this place was known as the Entertainment District.

The tall archway was known as the portcullis of the district. Inside this area were several buildings. The one that stood out to the princess was an amphitheater. While empty, she understood plays happened here. She heard the rambunctious roar of a crowd from the coliseum, which was right across the way. A long line of spectators waited anxiously to enter, and her mouth opened agape at the sights of the city.

"Throughout the ages, many worked hard, dreams created and met, and many lives were used and wasted."

She peeked outside the aperture on the other side of the caravan and pointed at the men on wooden scaffoldings as they lifted sandstone to construct a structure. She wondered curiously and then faced Setka, "What's going on over there?"

"Our slaves are building a temple for your kingdom's pantheon, so visitors can worship your gods too," he smiled.

"You must be submissive, accept and take in where you are now. You're an Isoro slave, regardless of what your ethnicity is."

The enormous walls of the Entertainment District were long gone when they entered another area. People of higher income wandered the streets here. As the carriage rolled on, they dropped to their knees and bowed. The hieroglyphs on the walls of this zone read "Abbehsir District."

Setka beamed, "Upper Bekini."

The beauty of the upper district was littered with man-made oases connected to the Neter River; the estates here were vast and glorious.

"This is your fate. Your past life is over. Forget all that you know. You are Bekini's now. We have all authority. From the air, you breathe until your death."

The lush vegetation was sporadically planted in and around various estates of each noble family, from advisers, sorcerers, and business owners, to high priests and politicians. All those who made a fortune from the misfortune of the poor thrived in Upper Bekini. They lived in harmony, not a single soul from Lower Bekini was given access to Upper Bekini. Except for the trifling slave traders of the Junggarian Empire.

These men came forth in their sand sailers with prisoners of war from the Haijun Kingdom, often time one could find a Gaxunese royal for sale. They sold each other into slavery as every heir neared the throne and attempted to take it from the sitting Oba. During this era, corruption befell the current Dynasty of the Gaxun. Former princes and princesses were wounded as servants to some cruel business owners with inhumane practices.

The most prized slave, however, came from the Hami Empire; the Hami constantly warred with the Isoro Empire over land. Then, as the Hami allied themselves with the Haijunese, they became enemies.

The Alxans weren't as important, as they mostly kept to themselves and worshipped their Grand Prophet as a living god. The caravan continued onward through Upper Bekini. Finally, they found themselves at the giant sandstone steps of the palace. Royal guards formed the middle into a ramp which allowed the carriage to roll up to the top. The great big sandstone walls were decorated with paintings and hieroglyphs, and the history of the empire was inscribed on the walls.

From its conception to current times, every dynasty ruled the Isoro lands. Chu Zi observed every nook and cranny with awe, her mouth wide open at the alluring sight of the palace. The Omashu palace was nothing compared to corpses, tarps, and spike walls that protruded at odd angles. Tattered banners with the Kuiwu insignia sporadically placed and even animal pelts from mythical beasts.

She thought, "Wow, this palace is beautiful and bright, while back home, it's ugly and dim."

Important figures minced about the outer halls of the palace grounds. Gargantuan pillars supported the highest of ceilings above. Royal guards patrolled and surveilled everyone here as they continued with their rounds. Once past the outer hall were the barriers that went as far as her eyes could see. In the center of the palace grounds was a lavish oasis cluttered with palm trees and other vegetation. Gardens encircled the oasis. This is where the royals bathed, she thought. Structures were neatly positioned near each other. Each one had servants inside with specific duties like cooking, gardening, barracks for guards, etc.

To the far east side of the walls was a larger building; this was the palace's interior. Royal guards on skink mantids with or without chariots were placed all over the castle's exterior. Two lines of royal guards side by side as the carriage rolled closer to the steps. Adeben hopped off the caravan and knocked on the door of it, then opened it after a brief moment.

"We have finally gotten to the palace, sire," announced Adeben.

"Thank you for the trip and the protection, Captain Adeben. Without you, we'd be in grave danger," thanked Shabaka.

The royal captain slightly bowed his head to the Djer. Then, each royal exited one by one. Lastly, Chu Zi was assisted out of the carriage. The arid sun smacked her skin and dried it, a new place...one that would always take her breath away. A slight breeze blew through, and Zaphnath scurried into the palace without hesitation. The royal guards knelt to the ground while guards at the door swiftly opened the doors to let the boy inside. Shabaka rested his hands behind his back and paced up the steps to the doors.

Setka turned to eye Chu Zi and asked, "Are you ready to meet Mut and my sister, Nefer?"

She took a deep breath and quietly exhaled; she nodded, "I've waited for this moment all my life."

Setka offered his hand to her; she looked down and smiled. She interlocked her fingers into his, and walked into the palace together. Once inside, on the throne, sat a voluptuous middle-aged woman with no wrinkles on her face. Her gaze had an authoritative and robust feel to it.

She was brown-skinned, with dark brown-colored eyes, black hair, and a buzz cut with coily hair. Her nose was thin and small, her lips were thick, and she wore a tight white linen dress wrapped around the upper breast area and ended at her ankles. Golden-plated sandals adorned her feet, jeweled with lapis lazuli gems. She wore a golden circlet with a winged cobra; this was the Crown of the Queen Consort of the Pharaoh. When her husband entered the throne room, she crossed the ceremonial scepters and lifted herself from the throne.

While the scepters were crossed, she stepped forward and bowed to the Pharaoh. Then, she handed him his rods as she greeted him, "Welcome back, Heru."

Servants arrived to give the Pharaoh his royal items and dusted his throne before he sat down. As he sat, his family bowed before him Setka and Chu Zi entered quickly and knelt before Shabaka. Shabaka's daughter asked him, "If, how was the trip to the lands of the Omas?"

Her skin was lighter than that of the rest of her family, a tab lighter than her mother's tone. She wore a medium-length black wig on her head, and her face was sprawled with makeup. Golden eyeshadow glittered in the torchlight, and a gold plated necklace hung while she kneeled before her father.

The Pharaoh answered, "It was quite extravagant and refreshing, while I dearly missed my home. I enjoyed the lush green of the Oma Kingdom. Cultures clashed while in the capital it was ruled by powerful and civilized folk."

"I long to see the world outside of Upper Bekini if you give me permission, Iif," added the young woman.

"You and your partner have my blessing as long as you take guards along with you," approved Shabaka.

She gasped. She never thought she'd get approval. Then she thanked her father repeatedly, "Thank you, thank you, Iif!"

"We have a new guest; walk forth, princess of the Kuiwu," mentioned Shabaka as he eyed Chu Zi.

Setka poked her; this was her cue to stand and step toward the throne. Chu Zi rose to her feet and slowly nipped over to the throne, where she knelt once more. Asenath was also signaled to stand to her feet; the Queen Consort stood up and eyed her son's bride-to-be. She paced around the young woman as she examined her, "Beautiful and exquisite, she will make a great Queen. I hope you will easily adapt to our culture and language."

"I hope so too; your kingdom is delightful and diverse," commented Chu Zi.

"Thank you, my husband and I have done our job to make sure this empire is stable," she thanked the princess.

"I'd like you to meet someone; this is our daughter Nefer. I can only hope that you two have a wonderful relationship," Asenath introduced Nefer as she pointed at the young woman. Nefer smiled and bowed to Chu Zi, "I hope we become best friends!"

Shabaka faced his daughter, "Nefer, why don't you show Chu Zi around the palace interior."

She slightly bowed her head and accepted, "Yes, Iif."

Nefer headed off to her left, and Chu Zi followed.

Arboreteum, Taiyuan, Pingyao province

Zisaka had all his students in a mighty pose; everyone and Fangzhu stood on their legs close to each other. Their backs arched inward, their chins rose in the air, and their arms raised above. Then, Zisaka said, "From here, we exhale as we return to an equal standing pose to finish our yoga sessions, my pupils."

"Thank you all for joining today, namaste," finished Zisaka.

He clasped his hands together and bowed to his students before stooping down to pick up his mat. He rolled it up as Fangzhu neared him. Fangzhu was more intrigued by chatting with another exile. He hadn't seen another Air Nomad who wasn't hostile toward him since he was banished from the Baiyan Air Temple. Fangzhu slightly bowed his head at the yoga instructor and personally thanked him for the session, "Thank you for the class."

"You're welcome, brother nomad. From which temple did you hail?" he inquired.

"The Baiyan Air Temple, I'm guessing you came from the Jongmu?" answered Fangzhu, then followed up with an echo question.

Zisaka nodded, "Yes, but I've spent many years in seclusion while I held myself accountable for my actions."

"I wandered aimlessly until I found myself here, a community of Air Nomads who were expelled from their home and thrived together in Taiyuan," continued Zisaka.

"Join me toward Exile's Refuge, where we welcome all brothers and sisters in open arms. Consider it home away from home," Zisaka smiled.

"Certainly, I would love to tag along, my brother-in-arms meandered in another direction. I'll catch up with him another time," beamed Fangzhu.

The two Air Nomads left the park's grassy fields and headed south toward the sanctuary of the banished nomads. This part of Taiyuan was given to the Air Nomads, which were banned by the temples almost two centuries ago. A smaller thriving settlement that blossomed within the city's walls. This area was encircled by tall golden leaf trees known as ginkgo trees. Homes built of wood were established on this land; the trees were of considerable size, and bridges were constructed and stabilized by ropes and ran between trees.

Houses were built on the trees, and some were carved into the trunks. Many airbenders resided in these homes. While some used their airbending to get around on the elevated platforms, others used ziplines to travel the treetops. When Fangzhu crossed the tree line, he was met by a magnificent grove. His brothers and sisters lived harmoniously with animals that inhabited the area. He gasped in amazement. His eyes lit up with the glow of the paper lanterns that were fastened onto smaller lines that ran across trees and gave a faint luminosity to the grove in the wee hours of the morning. And gleamed brightly in the evenings.

"Members of our community have repented for their sins in their former lives. After much rehabilitation on their part, they've become growing members of our small locality," began Zisaka.

"Welcome to Exile's Refuge, brother. I hope you enjoy your stay," said the yoga instructor as he faced his guest. An elderly woman with a hunched back glided down from the trees. Her yellow-orange robes flowed in the wind. She gently landed on the ground and retracted the wings of her glider. Her arrow tattoos seemed to have faded over the decades of her life. She carried a few gray hairs and had several liver spots on her chin. Her long white hair was held together in a bun. Right after her were two more minor children that giggled and yanked on her robes. She laughed alongside them. The old woman eyed the stranger that Zisaka brought.

She questioned him, "Who's your new friend?"

Zisaka slightly bowed to his elder and answered the old woman's question, "This is Fangzhu, one of our brothers from the Jongmu Air Temple. He's one of us; he's visiting the city."

She bowed to the brother monk and smiled, "I hope you enjoy your stay in our sanctuary; maybe someday you can join us and call it home."

The sight of a potential new home reflected in his eyes, finally a place where others won't judge him for the tattoo over his left eyebrow, he thought. Only the children remained unmarked; someday, they could return to the temples. The sanctuary, however, is peaceful nowadays. In its history, many ignorant people have attacked it. The exiles wanted to be left alone amongst their own kind. Protests erupted, and even assaults occurred.

The old woman called the kids, "Come on, children, we must hurry to the schoolhouse; class is about to resume."

The little ones giggled as they ran after the elder of the settlement. Then, Fangzhu inquired Zisaka, "Who is she?"

"Oh, that's our elder Vira; she leads us spiritually and gives us advice when needed. She's usually in contact with Governor Xingren. Who continues to allow us to live here," responded Zisaka.

"Let's go. I want you to meet some more people; we hope you stay around for the evening. We're having a feast in honor of Sasya," added Zisaka as he gestured for Fangzhu to follow him. They furthered themselves into the grove. Steps were carved into one of the trees to the right. Zisaka and Fangzhu paced up the stairs as the yoga instructor led his new friend around the grove.

"Nothing too impressive, we have a schoolhouse down there, a bakery, an apothecary/healer over there. Our mass grave is past the treeline, hidden by large bushes. While it reeks of death, some of our brothers and sisters leave offerings for their dead loved ones," explained Zisaka as he pointed in various directions.

In the range of the grove, he spotted the things Zisaka mentioned.

Children lined up to enter the schoolhouse. A bakery was only a quarter of a li west of the schoolhouse. Fangzhu sniffed the scent of fresh bread, the healer's apothecary was in the treetops above them. Past the bushes, he could see the mass grave's depth, bodies were covered in cloth and could be spotted from where they stood. Zisaka continued as he brought up to Fangzhu the services and important figures of the community.

They reached the second tier of treetop decks, a tree near the center was where the healer worked and took residence. She was an older woman but a bit younger than the elder. An orange and yellow headscarf covered her head while she smashed a family of bugs with a pestle. She then dropped mint leaves inside and continued to mix everything together. Zisaka pointed at the alchemist as she focused on her job, "That's Rasayana; if you're feeling a bit under the weather or even say you have a panic attack. She has poultices, pastes, teas, etc. for you."

They observed a monk as he spun a wheel and made clothing in another treetop shop. The local clothier created robes for trade. Zisaka faced his new friend and said, "The great thing about the refuge, like the temples...no money is required here, only trading or even performing menial tasks."

Defense Sector, Taiyuan, Pingyao

The cobble-stoned streets of the Defense Sector were filled with wooden carts pulled by animals of burden. Soldiers were transported to and from different areas around the Defense Sector. Finally, the shipment cart with supplies was escorted to a military warehouse, where a logistics team retrieved the shipment. They logged everything into a list, and Baoshou saluted the men behind their desks.

The company waited patiently outside; he paced forward and told them, "Find the barracks and prepare your cots for the evening. While you're in the city, why not go exploring?"

Everyone went their separate ways while the Yanzhao saluted Lieutenant Er and excused themselves, "We will return when you and the captain are needed; until then, we must report to Governor Wuqi."

Airen headed off toward a superstructure that housed over one thousand men, several of these were scattered around the Defense Sector. The barracks were built on a boulevard. Both sides of the road had structures that each housed a thousand cots for the military stationed here. Other parts of the Defense Sector had towers that the Council of Five sometimes would use for meetings. Even in areas where smiths made weapons and armor, the harborside of the sector had shipwrights and engineers as they constructed warships for the Haijun Kingdom. Airen and a few others nipped briskly toward their assigned cantonment on the boulevard.

As Airen and the men neared the building, horns blared in the distance, and a small wooden carriage was escorted through the sector by retainers who wore spider snake silk tabards dyed in purple with yellow accents. They approached the soldiers while some of them stopped to observe the event. Airen recognized the insignia embroidered on their tabards. It was a hag heron; his eyes widened when he registered who arrived in the Defense Sector.

"Hag heron, what an interesting choice for a noble fam-oh, no! They found me!" he thought.

Airen gasped as the carriage stopped near him. The door busted open with a kick. An older woman exited the wagon and noticed her nephew. She faced one of her retainers, "He should be around here somewhere; find me, Shenqi Airen. My family will not sleep in these filthy barracks!"

Airen shuffled behind Baoshou, "May I ask who you are and why you're looking for one of my men?" inquired Lieutenant Er.

"Biaoqin Yima, stewardess to Governor Wuqi Xingren, so he is here. Where is my nephew?" replied the old woman. She returned an echo question to the Lieutenant. Baoshou stepped to his right. The short, stocky man cognized that a shadow no longer overtook his person.

The old woman pointed in surprise, "Airen, is that you?"

She hadn't seen her nephew in over ten years, and Airen had changed much over a decade. He had slight wrinkles, and a beard covered the lower half of his face. He suddenly gulped when his aunt found him; however, it wasn't because she was terrible. Instead, it was because he and his cousin Congxiong never got along as they grew up. Congxiong wasn't a very polite, well-mannered person, but neither was Airen.

Congxiong was an instigator and even played Yama's advocate from time to time. Often times he agitated others for the sake of entertainment. First, Airen cringed, then he responded to his aunt, "Auntie Yima, what a pleasant surprise."

"You two know each other?" questioned Baoshou as he pointed to his left and right.

"Of course, he's the son of my favorite sister, Lianhua," answered the stewardess.

"Pack your bags, boy. You're staying with your cousin and me in our siheyuan," she added.

Airen sighed and lowered his head, "As you wish, Auntie."

Airen grabbed some of his things from the wooden carts that some men pulled. Once he acquired his belongings, he boarded the carriage with his aunt.

Taiyuan Zoo, Arboreteum, Taiyuan

A long pathway led Zuqiu and Zhongli past the lake in the center of the Arboretum. Other citizens joined them on the path. Signs mentioned "Taiyuan Zoo" Zhongli excitedly jumped up and down, gave their friend a toothy smile, and pointed to the north. They beamed, "How exciting we're almost there! The Taiyuan Zoo!"

After they wandered down the road for about two li, they reached a tall arched entrance. The stone pillars were carved with animal faces. One side was a tigerdillo, while the other was a lion bear. Both animal pillars held a large sign in the center that reads "Taiyuan Zoo, 'The animals here are only emissaries for their cousins who reside in the wild.'"

Multiple people stood in line to pay their fees to enter the zoo. Zuqiu stood in line near the end when Zhongli scanned the area as they searched for a way to get in. Finally, a service entrance opened where janitors roamed about and swept up the outside of any dirt or dust. They lightly pulled his hand and noticed he wouldn't budge.

They turned to face him and inquired, "What are you doing?"

"I'm waiting in line to get in; you have money, right?" Zuqiu returned an echo question.

Zhongli answered, "No, I don't have money...now come on, I found our way in!"

Zhongli pointed at the service entry; they used all their strength, yanked him out of the line, and guided him to it. He never thought the young person had a firm grip on him; he yelped, "Ahh!"

They stuck to the wall and hoped the janitor didn't see them. The old man continued to sweep on by. He turned the corner, and Zhongli pulled Zuqiu into the entrance. Once they slid in, they left the gate the way it was. They guided Zuqiu around the employee-only areas as if she knew them well.

Zuqiu commented, "You seem to know this place so well; it makes me believe you come here often, don't you?"

Zhongli glanced back at him, "It's my happy place, okay? When I'm down, I come here often; it's the place I haven't been banned from yet."

"Banned? You've been banned from other places?" he questioned them.

Zhongli sighed, "Life is tough for an orphan; if I'm going to suffer, I should be allowed to enjoy the little things in life."

Zhongli jerked Zuqiu into a small room and left the door open with a crack. She heard employees talking. Two women minced past the room, and she waited for them to continue out of earshot before she opened the door. Once the women were gone, they creaked the door open and proceeded. A small gate was seen near the end of their minuscule journey.

Zhongli pushed the door open with Zuqiu behind them, and they were finally inside the zoo. This area was usually a tiny path that overlooked the waters beyond the city. A half-wall at waist-height barricaded this part of the zoo. Zhongli usually watched the sunsets here before the zoo closed for the evening.

Usually, this place was empty. Then, Zhongli mentioned, "We may come back later before the sun sets, but let's start to our left."

Zhongli gestured for Zuqiu to follow them; they led him to a section filled with terrestrial animals found in the Haijun Kingdom. They went from terrarium to terrarium as they read signs of different beasts. Some that were displayed underneath the walls of the zoo were caged. One creature with aggressive behavior blew air out of its nostrils and dragged its front leg back a few times when it saw the appearance of the orphan and the young man. Then, it snarled at them; Zhongli wasn't startled as they knew what would happen next. Zuqiu, however, yelped and jumped back when he saw the beast.

An enormous animal with the anatomy of a swine covered in quills, its head was huge compared to the rest of its body. A pair of sharp ivory tusks protruded from its mouth. The boar-q-pine angrily snarled again and charged at the iron bars that kept it inside its cage. Once its head came in contact with the bars, it knocked itself unconscious. Zuqiu flinched, but when it fell silent, he opened his eyes to see that the boar-q-pine lay flat. He questioned Zhongli, "Wh-what just happened?"

They frowned and sighed, "He does this to himself every time he sees someone he's never seen before. Then, he charges at them and knocks himself out cold for a few hours."

"I wish they didn't keep all these creatures locked up like this. It's depressing," they added.

"Well, it is not like we can free them," commented Zuqiu.

"You're right, but if I could earthbend, I would," answered Zhongli.

"That would probably land you in a cell, then you'd be just like...them," said Zuqiu as he pointed at the boar-q-pine.

"At least then I'd be fed fresh food twice a day instead of fishing leftovers out of the trash," fretted Zhongli.

Zuqiu said nothing, and they resumed on to the next exhibit. The next one was more of a terrarium, sunken into the ground. The zoo was built on top of a spring. The spring ran through the terrariums of the zoo. Waterbenders that helped construct the menagerie moved water into the aquariums for aquatic animals that lived in the zoo.

A family of cat deer inhabited a corral, with two adults and three offspring. According to the plaque, there were only a few left in the world; a dying species. Zhongli darted to the barricades, where they gushed at the sight of the cat deer and little girls who observed the animals.

"Awww, I always love to come to visit the cat deer," she commented.

"I just feel bad for all the kids in the next century to come; there might not be any left," frowned Zhongli.

Zuqiu approached the fence and rested his palms on the top of it as he watched the family of cat deer graze the grass beneath their hooves. The four-legged mammals were built like Cervidae, with the facial structure of a feline creature. They were covered in light brown to orange fur coats from head to toe. While their underbellies and tuffs for tails were often colored white. The beasts had retractable claws and antlers on their heads. Plenty of toys and dolls were created to resemble cat deer. The targeted audience of this item was younger girls.

"I've never seen a cat deer before; they're beautiful," related Zuqiu as he faced Zhongli.

Zhongli grasped Zuqiu's hand and pulled him toward another pen while they sounded out, "Ooo!"

They reached another area and pointed at a slimy rose-colored animal; the terrarium it resided in was semi-aquatic. A pond rested in this area. However, the creature wasn't alone. There was another here as well. It slumbered on a rock in the center of the pond. Insects roamed around this area as it served as their food source. The pink creature's face resembled that of an amphibian. It had six external gills with frilled stalks on each gill. Three on each side of its head, while it spent most of its life in the water, it also spent time on land and is usually found in the trees.

In disgust, Zuqiu asked, "What is that thing?"

"That's an axolangur," Zhongli replied.

"Lower your voice; they have feelings, too," whispered Zhongli.

Humanoid in nature liked to climb trees of their biomes and gather fruit. Their diet consisted of fruit, bugs, and sometimes smaller critters. The axolangur sat in the dirt and munched on a mango it had found earlier. They questioned Zuqiu, "Aren't they cute?"

"Uh...yeah," lied Zuqiu.

Zhongli grabbed Zuqiu's hand again, and they dashed somewhere else. This area was home to aquatic and semi-aquatic animals. In the darkest corner of the zoo lived the meerpenguins; most of their habitat was water, while a third of it was land. The flightless birds swam inside its waters while some rested on the dirt. A few stood tall with their flippers held close to their abdomens. Their plumage was designed to keep them warm in cold temperatures and cool in hot temperatures. Their heads resembled closer to a marsupial which meant they had no beak, unlike other species.

"These are meerpenguins," introduced Zhongli.

"I've read about these in a book back when I was a boy," mentioned Zuqiu.

"I think they're native to northern Tuyu province, where it's colder, and ever the Air Temple in the north," guessed Zuqiu.

"You know your animals," said Zhongli.

"I had dreams to open a menagerie, but now I'm not sure I'll even survive this tour," doubted Zuqiu. His main concern was living throughout the remainder of the tour.

East Lu Shao Cha, Ru province, Oma Kingdom

They traveled and hiked for several hours down from the mountains of the Ke. Finally, Gan and his men returned to the settlement near the provincial borders of Ru and Pingyao. It was under the control of the Oma Kingdom. Just about thirty-five li of where they stood was a combat zone. The Oma Kingdom pushed further into Haijunese territory as they resumed winning more skirmishes against the jiepi.

East Lu Shao Cha was a large town; most of its people were killed off by invaders that held this town hostage. The men were placed into slavery, while the women fed and did house cleaning duties for the soldiers. The children were also sold into slavery in other Oma-controlled provinces. Those who fought back were instantly killed with zero exceptions. Then, barbarians arrived to squat inside the once-lived homes of the Jiepi. As they called the Haijunese, the town was transformed into a more dreadful and dangerous-themed location.

The most significant building East Lo Shao Cha, once inhabited by the former magistrate, was now where Brigadier-General Yun, along with some of his officers, was inside the living room area, now turned into a small war room. A sizeable earthen map sat in the center of the room. The general was tan-skinned and also a middle-aged quadragenarian. Eye bags formed under his eyes, and his jade-colored irises gleamed in the candle fire.

His hair was fastened in a ponytail; it had an almost salt and pepper texture. He wore a short and trimmed beard and a well-groomed mustache. His body was protected by bronze-plated armor hidden under thick ursine fur, a leather belt wrapped around the thick fur brigandine. His greaves were bronze-plated to cover his frontal quads, while the back was wrapped in thick fur hide. His boots were also made of thick ursine furs. A tattered forest green cape was draped on his back and latched on near his clavicle.

His officers were in standard uniforms; a soldier entered the building to inform him of Gan's arrival, "General, the Champion of the Meng has returned from the mountains of the Ke clan."

"Bring him and the Ke chieftain in," nodded Yun.

With his hands balled into fists at his side, he lowered his head to the general and ran back outside. A few minutes later, the pale, ashen-skinned man made his way into the siheyuan along with his new ally. Both men appeared in front of the table. The general focused on the map and felt their presence.

Yun faced them and began, "You've returned successfully in your mission."

"Aye, indeed I did," said Gan.

General Yun faced to eye the newest member of the Oma Kingdom armies, the stoic and short dark-tanned older individual. Although Yun examined him, his excellent eye stared right back at General Yun from underneath the hood. Deng's gaze was hidden by the gray hood.  

The man removed his hood and lowered his head, "Chieftain Deng Shan Jia at your service, milord," the leader of the Ke clan introduced himself.

"Manzujichengren will be please with your victory in securing more troops, Gan," approved the Brigadier-General.

"I am honored to receive his blessings, but for now, what's the next move?" inquired Gan.

"I was just getting to that," said Yun.

"Li Jun county has a few points of interest we need to take out before we move on with Taiyuan," began Yun.

Yun pointed at the areas around the county's map that were spread around the region. His finger rested on the northern tip of the county. This spot was named 'Qiangcheng,' then he slid his finger down to the center of the county's map where 'Miapu Village'  was located.

"This is Qiangcheng, one of the two largest towns left in their control. It's on the northern tip of Li Jun county. Down here in the center is Miapu Village, one of the largest villages here in the county," mentioned Yun.

His finger moved to the south near the waters of 'East Gansu Lake' where a town settled nearby, 'Gansu Hu.' From there, he removed his finger and placed it on 'Yijai.'

"Gansu Hu might have naval ships; this is a port town here. Their trade routes cross into Hao Lake to reach the other Haijunese provinces. But, as we know, the east is controlled by the Oma Kingdom," continued Yun.

Finally, he dropped his finger to the county's eastern portion and finished, "And this is the second largest town in Li Jun county, Yijai."

"You want us to disable their military commands and sink their naval ships?" guessed Gan.

"Yes, but we also want you to eliminate the magistrates and elders of these locations. These men have the power to deploy enemy reinforcements to Taiyuan or Fort Li Jun if need be," Yun nodded.

"My advice is to take down the places with smaller populations first. I'd start with Gansu Hu. According to scout reports, the port settlement has a small number of two-hundred civilians. Naval ships are docked here, but it's less than ten. The mariners will be trapped if they can't leave this place by boat," advised Yun.

Deng Shan Jia said, "We could use my men as well. I'd happily send some of my best to Miapu Village."

"That would be best," agreed Yun.

"From there, I'd advise you to take out the government of Yijai before you head off to Qiangcheng, as it's the largest populated town in the region," said Yun.

"That sounds like a plan. I'll work closely with my team, and we'll construct a detailed scheme," declared Gan.

Deng Shan Jia and Gan exited the siheyuan outside the walls toward their troops. He gave out a unique whistle that only Mo Fu Fen, Chao Lin Xi, Suo Pi Dao, and Bian Nu Xing responded to. The four specialists stepped forward, while the 'Big Horned Bear' stepped up and shouted, "Four of the best warriors, step up and receive my blessing! You will walk forward because you are the best for your covert and elimination skills."

Four men walked forward from the crowd of Ke clan barbarians, they were of all shapes and sizes, but they knew who they were, as did the clan. One of them was a smith. He wore plate armor under his apron. He was fat and tall. Another was a massive and muscular barbarian. He carried a warhammer on his back, decked out in plate and furs. The third was a short and stout archer in leather armor mixed with a coat. And the fourth and final member of Deng's team was a tall and lanky swordsman covered in fur with a wushanka hat.

Deng and Gan gathered their teams and took them toward the new barracks; Yun had some benders built. They'd house the division of soldiers and the battery of Ke clansmen. Deng ordered some of his smiths, "Find Oma benders within the Meng champion's division worthy enough to bend minerals and share your metal expertise with them."

Southern Tusuzu Sector, Taiyuan, Pingyao

Zhongli and Zuqiu wandered aimlessly throughout the Southern Tusuzu Sector after exploring the Taiyuan Zoo earlier in the day. Zhongli's stomach grumbled as the sun lowered in the western skies. They continued through the crowded sector of the city where most of the poor and middle-classed folk roamed. The citizens mixed in this area as middle-class citizens, and those who lived in poverty socialized.

Zuqiu faced his new friend as they grasped at their stomach. He questioned them, "What's wrong?"

"Oof, I'm hungry," Zhongli replied.

"Okay, this shouldn't be too hard. We can find a place to eat. Any ideas?" inquired Zuqiu.

Zhongli smiled, "I know of a spot."

Zuqiu said, "Great, lead the way!"

Zhongli grabbed Zuqiu's hand and pulled him in a southwestern direction. They headed toward the bazaar of the sector. This is where most markets, shops, and restaurants are located. There were market stalls, shops inside buildings, eateries of all kinds, and even a mysterious Hami vendor who sat in a lotus position on foreign rugs as they sold strange items like a hog monkey's paw or even spider snake oil.

Usually, those with great intuition stayed away from those swindlers. They usually came from the Si Wong lands and promised their lost treasures had mysterious powers. They hurried to a market stall that was surrounded by curious buyers. The wooden cupboards carried fresh fruits and vegetables.

Next to them was a pile of linen sacks containing salted meats. Flying insects encircled the fresh produce as they surrounded the food. They attempted to land; however, the merchant swiped his hand occasionally to deter them.

Besides food, he also sold clay bowls and cups and even wiping cloths used to clean your hands and mouth after you ate a meal. Unfortunately, the old man was distracted as more paying customers approached him to purchase his wares. Zuqiu waited in line with everyone else while Zhongli came to the stand with questionable behavior as they eyed others and ensured they were all preoccupied with the vendor.

Zuqiu furrowed his brow with confusion; he wondered what Zhongli was up to. His body language shifted; he crossed his arms, leaned his head to the right, and gazed at them. Zhongli looked back at Zuqiu and then at the food; they licked their lips but seemed too afraid to do anything. Finally, Zhongli clopped back to Zuqiu.

He asked, "What are you doing?"

"I-I was only checking out what he had available," lied Zhongli.

"Right, the way you appeared to be was suspicious in nature," said Zuqiu. He caught them in a lie.

Zhongli sighed, "I don't have any money."

"You don't have any, and could you buy me some food? Then, I'll pay you back," added Zhongli. Their eyes met his with a puppy-like gaze.

They attempted to get Zuqiu to feel sorry for them and convince him to buy them food. Zuqiu shook his head and declined, "I don't have any money either. The military pays for my meals."

"There's only one way..." paused Zhongli as they decided on the idea. Zuqiu pondered the options available to them, then he crossed his arms twice and shook his head, "Oh no, I'm not going to get involved in your thieving shenanigans."

"You're going to watch me starve?" they coaxed Zuqiu.

"Well, no..." hesitated Zuqiu; he scratched the back of his head.

"He's already distracted by the customers. It'll be like taking candy from a baby," hinted Zhongli.

Zuqiu turned his attention toward the vendor and then back at Zhongli, "...I guess you're right," he resumed.

"I need you to browse his produce while I sneak in and take the sacks of salted meats," they urged.

Zuqiu sighed and shook his head, then agreed, "Okay."

Zuqiu paced over to the stand as he scanned the food items on display. All while Zhongli snuck behind and crouched below. Zuqiu pointed at a loaf of bread and asked the merchant, "How much for a loaf?"

"Five copper pieces, milord," responded the vendor.

Zhongli quickly snatched the loaf of bread as soon as the man turned to face another customer. Another disappeared as they quickly stuffed the other loaf into another sack and tied the bags together. The merchant lowered his head toward his coffer to offer change to another customer. Then he noticed the loaves of bread were gone. His head swiftly darted around when he discovered a dirty, unkempt person dashed off with two bags of food.

"Hey! Stop her!" the vendor screamed.

"Thief!" another shouted.

Zuqiu knew this was his cue to run, too; a few onlookers saw what had occurred. Two of them ran after Zhongli as Zuqiu chased her down to catch up. Zhongli glanced back and saw Zuqiu right behind them. They threw the two sacks at him. Zuqiu caught them and sprinted faster. The onlookers stopped dead in their tracks when they thought Zuqiu was on their side. But realized he didn't end his chase. A guard caught wind of the situation and blew his whistle, this alerted another guard, and they pursued both teenagers.

Zuqiu finally caught up to Zhongli and shouted, "Why did you throw them at me?!"

"You're stronger than me. I need my hands free to find a getaway spot!" they yelled.

"Turn here!" Zhongli dashed to their right down an alleyway. Zuqiu trailed right behind, and a wall enclosed them. When Zuqiu thought it was over, he saw Zhongli run up objects that boosted them over the fence. Zuqiu imagined it as an obstacle course and followed Zhongli's every step. He noticed a brick rose from the wall to trip him, but he caught it immediately and used it to vault himself over the fence. One guard launched himself over the wall as the other trailed behind and climbed the wall. The guard threw a small boulder at Zhongli, but Zuqiu pulled out his sword and deflected it. He gasped for air as Zhongli pulled him to the left of the alleyway.

"There!" they shouted, a crevice in the wall that Zhongli marked before.

They had several hideaway spots throughout the southern half of the residential sector. Zuqiu dove into the tiny hole while Zhongli closed it with a wood slab. The earthbender guard reached an intersection of alleys while his non-bender counterpart eventually arrived. He placed his hands on his knees as he panted for air while he halted. They both breathed rather quickly and hard.

"Where'd they go?" inquired the non-bender guard.

"They likely split up," implied the earthbender guard.

"You go right, and I take a left," suggested the earthbender.

Zuqiu covered his mouth to mute his heavy breathing, and sweat rolled down his forehead as he was terrified of being found. Finally, Zhongli told him, "Calm down; they're gone."

"What do you mean calm down? You just had me steal food," snarled Zuqiu quietly.

"You'll get used to it; survival is more important than made-up food rules, " said Zhongli.

"Remember, if you see someone stealing food, no, you didn't," Zhongli advised Zuqiu.

At the same time, Biehe returned to Aunt Bai's Sick Bay later in the afternoon. He stared at the sign and finally smiled. He's getting to learn something interesting. It's not like he didn't want to join the army, but he didn't want to fight. He tried to heal his allies in their time of need. He believed it was his calling. A few others approached the entrance of the sick bay and waited patiently for their teacher. Aunt Bai slid open the doors of the healing facility and opened her arms wide as she greeted her students, "Welcome all, and thank you for returning for another lesson of crystal healing!"

"We have a new student in our class," she paused and pointed to Biehe.

She resumed with an introduction, "This is Chen Biehe, a soldier on tour. He's from the grand city of Ba Sing Se. He'll be joining us in the afternoons when he can."

The students smiled and welcomed Biehe as part of their group. The woman turned around and walked inside. She led her group of eager healers to the classroom near her office. Although, the classroom itself was a smaller room inside the sick bay. It had several seats that surrounded a table made of earth with a mannequin that rested on top. To the left of the table was a strongbox containing different types of crystals Aunt Bai would be using for the lesson.

The old woman joined everyone in the room as she stood before the table and began the class, "Today, we're learning about crystals for health. When one's often tired and comes to you for a boost to their energy. We use clear quartz. Looking to your right, each desk will contain a small container with small portions of each gemstone for this lecture."

Every student pulled out a twin-shaped clear quartz gem from their container. They all shared similar awe of the beauty of the gemstone. Then, the old woman resumed, "The unique thing about crystal healing is it can be used in many different forms. You can form a cast, crush it into a fine powder so one can ingest it, even make jewelry out of it for one to wear."

"In this method for the problem our patient is having is mincing it into a fine powder, focus their energies onto the crystal and crush it in your hand, like so," instructed Aunt Bai, the clear quartz gently floated onto her left hand which she tightly balled and pulverized the crystal into dust.

The students repeated the same motion as the old woman. Others struggled while Biehe crushed it as he tightened his fist. The old woman minced around her pupils as she observed them turning it into powder. She assisted those who had trouble with it while Biehe waited for the next instruction.

Aunt Bai said, "Next, we will all go to the water pump and fill our mortar with water. Then we will turn the clear quartz dust into a liquid that can be easily ingested!"

"Once the consistency of the liquid is no longer watery but also not pasty, it can easily drink," added Aunt Bai.

Almost everyone's mortar had a liquid substance except for a few that needed help. So Aunt Bai helped them further, "Remember, keep stirring it until you get the viscosity you need."

Those students continued to stir their liquid mess until it was thick enough as required by their master. Then, she smiled at her class, "Now we drink it."

Biehe questioned her as he lifted one brow in confusion, "Wait, you want us to drink this?"

The old woman nodded and chuckled, "It gives a much-needed boost than caffeine and doesn't result in a crash."

He and all his other classmates began to chug the drink they procured. The taste was bitter as he downed the mortar. However, his body began to tingle, and he felt a sudden immense rush of energy. The old healer resumed, "Now, our next lesson will revolve around the healing properties of the amethyst. You will see enough amethyst in your coffers to create a cast."

She took out four portions of amethyst as she demonstrated the following lecture; she resumed, "Each student will help an injured volunteer with what they need to be healed. You are to talk to the patient, ask them what they need, and create the appropriate cast for them."

The double doors inside the classroom creaked open, and an assistant entered with at least six patients. Each lined up in front of the old woman's desk with the healer's assistant as the seventh patient.

Aunt Bai continued, "Amethyst enhances willpower, purification, and healing. So, for this lesson, we will use it for healing."

A teenage girl neared Biehe. She seemed uninjured; she shed a tear from her left eye. She lifted her finger as he questioned her, "What's wrong?"

"My finger, it was crushed by a boulder during class, and now it's broken," sniffled the girl.

"Here, let me help you with that..." paused Biehe; he grabbed a geode of amethyst within his case. He examined the teenage girl's finger. Her middle finger was swollen and purple. He attempted his best to keep a straight face but inside, the look of the finger bothered him.

The geode floated in the air as it gently encased the finger and properly positioned it so that the bone could heal in the right place. The girl winced in pain Biehe carefully locked the cast into place. Aunt Bai walked around as she observed each student's presentation.

"Wow, Chen Biehe, you're a natural at this; good job!" she complimented the private.

He smiled as he extended the care to the girl; he advised her, "There's an alchemist next door; you should order a bag of usnea. It's an herb that can help relieve pain if you drink it as tea. I'd say twice a day, preferably a dose every eight hours."

She nodded and headed out the door; Aunt Bai approached Biehe, "You went above and beyond in caring for your patient. You've impressed me today. I think you're more than deserving of the 'Student of the Day award."

"What does that mean?" he inquired to his teacher.

"It means you walk away with some materials to take home and practice on your own. Then, if you return for more lessons, I can even focus on you and give you a better understanding of my craft," Aunt Bai explained to Biehe.

He beamed at the old woman, "I'd like that, I'd really like that!"

Biaoqin Estate, Northern Tusuzu Sector, Taiyuan

The wooden doors creaked open as the retainers pulled them wide. The men bowed to the wagon as it rolled in. However, Yima was not inside; instead, it was Airen. The carriage rolled through until it reached the bottom of the stairs. At the top of the stairs was the old woman with her hands behind her back. She waited as composed as ever, even after the incident from earlier today caused by her son. Finally, the care halted, and the guards opened the carriage door. Airen felt anxious inside as he hadn't seen his cousin or aunt in quite a long time. Mainly because he and Congxiong never truly got along.

The courtyard was filled with river stones that littered the grounds, and man-made streams with running water ran across and around the siheyuan grounds. He sighed as the door opened. This is why he didn't want to set foot in Taiyuan. The stocky armored man stepped out of the carriage and looked northeast to the top of the stairs where the hunched old woman waited. Their eyes met, and they stared at one another for a brief moment.

She screamed at her retainers from where she stood, "Get that awfully precious armor off my nephew and get him into some robes!"

The men near Airen bowed to their boss and ran off to find clothing for Airen. Airen faltered toward the stairs and began his ascend. As Airen continued his climb, Congxiong exited his home and complained to his mother, "Mother! Where are my party robes?!"

The tall, lanky man neared his mother as the tiny old woman yanked him by his left ear. The quadragenarian man yelped in pain. She hissed at her son, "Listen here, you fei wu hundan, your cousin just arrived, and I need you to be on your best behavior. Is that understood?!"

"My cou-what?" Congxiong cried in pain, and his mother tugged on his ear tighter.

Congxiong gritted his teeth as Airen reached the top of the stairs; that's when he and Congxiong faced each other. A brief moment of silence as their eyes widened at the sight of each other. Airen thought, "Oh cao, this ta ma de idiot still lives here!"

He kept his cool as he rolled his eyes at seeing his cousin, Yima let go of Congxiong's now red and pulsating ear. The thin individual's grin widened wickedly as various ideas filled his head. He extended out his hand to shake that of his cousin's. Airen peered down at Congxiong's hand and back at him; he slowly reached out and tightened his grip on Congxiong. He glared at his cousin as he shook his hand and clenched his hold onto Congxiong's hand.

Congxiong attempted to remain stoic, although he knew his hand was also in pain. Finally, Airen realized he had held on for too long and let go of his relative's hand. The retainers later arrived with long dashing robes that were rose gold in color, with intricate details and designs of clouds.

Congxiong pointed at the robes in distaste and anger. Then, his head darted toward his mother, "Mother, what are you doing with my robes?!"

"Not another word, Congxiong. Your cousin needs to wear clothing suitable for someone of his status," she hissed.

"Make sure the servants alter the robe to his height," she ordered one of her guards.

Congxiong attempted to snatch the robes from the guard's hands. But his mother smacked them away. Then, Yima snarled at Congxiong, "I bought you those robes, and I can very well gaise de do whatever I want with them!"

"Airen follow them to your quarters where you will spend each night while you're here," Yima told her nephew.

Airen remained aloof and nodded; he followed behind the retainers. While he knew his cousin glared at him angrily, he ignored it and went on his way. Yima told Congxiong, "Get dressed; I expect you to be at dinner in thirty fenzhong."

"But mama..." he sighed before being cut off.

"But nothing, you imbecile. Not a fenzhong late," she finished.

Congxiong sighed, slouched, and clopped back into the halls of the siheyuan. The servants unclasped the belts that fastened tightly on his spaulders. Each piece of armor clunked as they hit the floor, the amount of weight of each item as each part of his body felt relief as it no longer carried the burden of protection.

He was naked except for his undergarments; he spread his arms out as they quickly fitted him in his new robes. A small beam appeared on his face. The robes once worn by his cousin were taken and fitted for him. While he hated every Miao he spent inside his family's siheyuan, he knew his aunt liked him better than her good-for-nothing son. A servant wrapped her arms around his waist and tied the robes securely.

"Lady Yima requests that you join her and Master Congxiong for dinner in ten fenzhong, Master Airen," mentioned one of the servants.

He slightly nodded, "Aye."

He thought, "I hope this doesn't end in disaster."

Airen freshened himself before heading to the dining hall, where his aunt waited for her son and nephew to arrive. Airen appeared; first, he patted down his new robes and inhaled deeply before entering the room. The dining table wasn't too long, only about eight seats on both sides. Airen sat on the left side's third seat near his aunt. While they waited patiently for Congxiong's presence. The servants rushed in with tonight's meal, silver platters that contained freshly grilled food for the nobles.

Yima chewed on a piece of gum tree bark while her face expressed a scowl. Her son was nowhere to be seen. Congxiong finally came into sight as he nipped briskly to the other side of the table. His brow was a furrowed and slouched, and he gritted his teeth as he spoke under his breath. He glared at Airen, closer to his mother; his mother returned the favor back at him, and he slightly collected his negative behavior when her gaze met his. Yima inquired to Airen as she stabbed a portion of her komodo rhino chicken with a two-pronged fork.

She held it with her right hand and a knife to cut the portion off with her left hand. Airen responded before being cut off, "Finally delivering shipment that we were ordered to prot-"

"Why are you here?!" blurted out Congxiong; Yima ceased cutting the meat and hissed at her son, "How dare you interrupt someone in my home?!"

Airen coughed in discomfort. Airen eyed his family members before he cleared his throat and repeated, "Finally delivering shipment that we were ordered to protect."

"Ah yes, the shipment for Governor Xingren, quite the eye opener you and your company have encountered in Li Jun county," commented Yima.

"There were thousands. I'm just glad Avani was on our side," said Airen with relief.

"I strongly believe the Avatar will save us from these barbarians and will win us this war. The Crown has worked very hard on that girl," reckoned the old woman.

"The highlight of my day was-" broke in Congxiong.

His mother glared at him, and he quickly stopped speaking; Congxiong remained quiet until he was spoken to. Then, Airen asked, "How goes the war effort here, ayi?"

'Ayi' was a term of endearment used on aunts in the Haijun Kingdom.

Airen's aunt stated, "For the most part, we're keeping the wildmen at bay. Although we've gotten reports of scouts in Li Jun county and the army you and your comrades encountered on the way here. But to our knowledge, we've noticed their movements are avoiding Fort Li Jun."

"Do you think they could attack soon?" inquired Airen.

"Li Jun county is stable even after we lost East Lo Shao Cha," assured Yima.

"We have word from Yijai that reinforcements from Yunan province are coming in a few days. Once they arrive in town, it'll take them at least a week or two to reach the capital," noted the old woman.

The old woman bites into her meal as Airen eats a cooked fish while Congxiong plays with his food. He was uninterested in his meal this late afternoon. His mind was elsewhere while he waited for the evening to dawn upon them.

At the same time, Nefer ended her tour with her sister-in-law-to-be as they were now in front of the doors to Chu Zi's chamber. Nefer played with the hair of her wig as she mentioned, "And this is your chambers with His Highness Repat Setka; this is also where he slumbers."

The guards at the chamber doors budged them open and allowed Chu Zi inside. The chambers were grandiose; the ground and walls were sandstone like the rest of the palace's structure. Two support beams held the roof over the balcony that overlooked one portion of Upper Bekini. Brazier fires lit the bedroom and the terrace; the sun was halfway set. The skies were a tinge of orange, purple, and pink hues mixed well in the above heavens.

Chu Zi rested for a brief moment on the large bed, a minor headache caused by the smoke of the brazier fires outside. She sighed; the palace tour was long as the court was humongous. As she began to rest her eyes for ten fenzhong, a knock was heard from outside the chamber doors. Her eyes burst open she felt slight exhaustion from the wall. Setka announced his presence outside the chamber doors.

"Chu Zi, it's me; Nefer told me you were inside my er...our chambers. The Djer and Itu have summoned your attendance. If you follow me to the balcony facing the palace's outer walls," said Setka.

"Why are we going there?" she questioned her husband-to-be.

"I don't know; they said it was a surprise," Setka answered, unsure what his parents had planned for the princess bride-to-be. Setka and two royal guards escorted Chu Zi out of the chambers and toward a large terrace that overlooked the palace walls and overwatched Upper Bekini and the temple.

Several royal guards were present Nefere awaited with her younger brother Zaphnath near the archway that led into the terrace. The Pharaoh and the Queen Consort patiently bid their time while Chu Zi approached the family. Shabaka was in his ceremonial garb as he held on to his scepters, while his wife also wore proper attire and was covered in expensive jewelry. Chu Zi wasn't prepared for this in Isoro royal robes or anything. Shabaka stood to the left while Asenath to the right. When the princess arrived, she knelt before the leaders of the empire. They bowed their heads in respect to her before they faced one another, then paced out of the palace and into the expansive balcony.

Shabaka crossed his scepters while Asenath kept her arms behind her back. The crowd roared at the emergence of the royals. In the area were citizens who lived in peace and normalcy. Those who would've been endangered and prosecuted in the Haijun Kingdom for their lifestyles. Here in the Isoro Empire, it didn't matter who you loved or what you identified as. Here you were safe to express yourself. Folks of all kinds surrounded the palace's outer wall and faced upward. From men to women to non-binary folk, masc presented, femme presented, and even androgynous people.

They all wore an assortment of jewelry and linen fabrics, and their skin tones ranged from light tan to dark tan to even blacker skin tones. Finally, the Pharaoh announced, "Thank you all for coming to this great announcement. We have a new royal in our family that we'd love to introduce to you!"

"But first, please kneel before your god and his Queen," he continued.

Denizens knelt before their Djer and Itu; their children were signaled to enter the terrace along with their parents. Shabaka called out to his children as they entered one by one, "We are accompanied here by Repat Setka, Princess Nefer, and Prince Zaphnath."

"The moment you've all been waiting for the Royal Family introduces you to Her Highness of the Oma Kingdom, Chu Zi!" introduced Shabaka.

The royals split as the royal children turned their attention to the foreign bride-to-be. Immense anxiety filled her as she wasn't sure how the citizens would react. She stepped forward cautiously as she took in a deep breath. When she reached the railing, she faced the Pharaoh and bowed. Then she turned her gaze to the Queen Consort and bowed to her. The Queen gifted her a traditional gold plated necklace worn by the bride of the Repat.

"This is a traditional neck piece worn by a bride-to-be of the crowned Repat; may you wear it with pride and honor. As many queens before me and I have worn this same piece you've been gifted," Asenath affirmed the history behind the expensive necklace around Chu Zi's neck.

"We ask Mut to bless you every day you breathe while you accompany my son from this life and into the next. We hope that Asar blesses you with a fertile body so you can bless the Pharaoh with many heirs. Neser to heal you of any wounds you've arrived with physically and spiritually. And finally, Tetu to grant you the wisdom you need to lead our people into the future," marveled Asenath.

"Welcome to the Royal Family, Chu Zi of the Kuiwu!" finished Shabaka; he gestured the young woman toward the railing. The crowd roared as she approached the balcony edge. They cheered on the new member of the Royal Family.

Back in the Biaoqin siheyuan, Yima finished her meal and parted ways with her son and nephew to rest her eyes for the night. Airen sat silently while Congxiong twiddled with his thumbs, his food cold and untouched. Finally, Airen pressed both hands onto the table's surface and scooted his seat, about to rise from where he sat.

"Why are you here?" Congxiong questioned Airen with such disdain in his tone.

"Excuse me?" Airen uttered under his breath.

Congxiong glared at his younger cousin and repeated his question, "Why are you here? Everything was going well until you showed up!"

"Calm down; I didn't want to be here!" hissed Airen.

"You know there's always been something off about you," chattered Congxiong.

"I'm beginning to question your preferences; how come you never married Airen?" asked Congxiong. The tall, lanky noble furrowed his brow as he attempted to bore his gaze into his cousin's soul.

Airen snarled at Congxiong, "I'm a misanthrope. I hate people; the same could be said about you. But I almost forgot no one wants to be with a bintai se lang."

"I've heard about you and your reputation the second I set foot into this damned city!" Airen hissed at his cousin.

"You're a gaise de disgrace to this family, Congxiong!" yelled Airen.

"I'm a disgrace?! You're running around playing soldier with a bunch of peasants instead of crushing the poor under your foot like you should be!" argued Congxiong.

"Growing up, you've always reminded me of a nu qi; that's why you were picked on in our youth!" admitted Congxiong.

"Nu qi? You're more of a niannianqiang; you're worse than qin shou, and even a eunuch has more winning than you'll ever amount to," countered Airen.

"If you get in my way while you're here, you'll regret it," Congxiong gritted his teeth as he pointed at Airen, threatening him.

"Your threats are empty, and I won't be in your way. You lounge around with your yinjing in your hand and waste your mother's fortune. I'm a grown man with responsibilities and an actual purpose in life!" chided Airen.

"You're just like the common folk, useless. Well, I shouldn't pervade your petty squabbles. I've more important things at the Reveler's Den with the Avatar than sit here and argue with you," added Congxiong.

"Important things at a lounge of debauchery? The only thing found there are drugs and people half your age," Airen corrected Congxiong.

Congxiong turned away from his cousin; he swiped his robes with anger and disrespect and walked off. Airen sat for another few minutes; he took a big swig of the lager he drank. Then thought about the Reveler's Den for a brief moment.

"It couldn't hurt to enjoy myself for the first time in several months. Plus, I can ignore that imbecile and keep myself company," he thought.

Airen stood up from his seat and walked out of the siheyuan. A carriage driver leaned against a cart, Airen tossed him a coin, and the cart driver caught it then inquired, "Where are you headed, milord?"

"The Reveler's Den," answered Airen.

"Ahhh, you're joining Master Congxiong," said the driver.

He opened the wagon door for Airen, and the short, stocky nobleman stepped inside. A brief moment later, reins snap echoed, and the cart began to roll.

Earlier That Day – Northern Tusuzu Sector

Avani and Shuaige rode through the noble's Taiyuan sector after leaving the palace. The ostrich horses paced through the streets calmly. Shuaige and Avani have become more acquainted with each other; he sees her as one of the soldiers he's more comfortable with. But not as secure as his friendship with Baoshou. They enjoyed their ride through the sector, and an awkward silence filled the air. Avani scanned in front of them as they continued quietly.

She narrowed her eyes and tugged at her ear, then questioned Shuaige, who glanced over at her, "What do you think that was about?"

"What?" he returned an echo question.

"That guy who interrupted our meeting with the governor, and apparently he's related to Airen," noted Avani.

"Quite odd I wonder why he extended an invite to you, to what was that place called?" wondered Shuaige.

"The Reveler's Den, I think he said; in celebration of me, what does that mean?" she asked.

"Perhaps an event in your honor; besides, I don't think it's a good idea. You don't know this man even if he is related to Airen," responded Shuaige.

"Our main focus is to protect the city. So you shouldn't be distracted with fun right now," added Qishi.

"Maybe I should go; it'll give me a chance to meet people and socialize. I've never really done that growing up," Avani revealed to Shuaige.

"Wait, what? You didn't have friends growing up? But you're the Avatar. Who doesn't want to be your friend?" Shuaige was stunned to learn this. He thought Avani had plenty of friends.

"Nope, I know how to socialize because while growing up, my only friends were the Yanzhao, businesspeople, politicians, the Royal Family, the White Lotus, and military officials," declined Avani.

"That is quite the eye-opener," commented Shuaige.

"When I was a girl, all the noble girls made fun of my feet; Earth King Shuicheng forbade my parents from binding my feet," continued Avani.

"That would explain why no prodigal earthbending women in the Upper and Middle Rings unless they came from the Lower or Agragarian Rings," guessed Shuaige.

"Their feet are too deformed to properly earthbend; I was endlessly bullied. When the public announced my Avatar status. Those same bullies turned face and desired to be my friends, but I rejected them," said Avani.

"I'm sorry to hear that; it must've been a rough childhood," related Shuaige.

Avani remembered, "My childhood was spent training with the Yanzhao; my father taught me earthbending under close supervision of the Earth King. I don't recall a time when not one of the princes of the Royal Family wasn't watching my every move."

"I didn't get to play with dolls or dress up like all the other little girls. I didn't participate in tea parties. Instead, I dismantled training dummies, dressed up in training armor, and dueled earthbending masters. In addition, I attended social gatherings with nobles and politicians of the Kingdom," avowed Avani.

"By tradition, the Avatar isn't told of their status until they're sixteen so they could have a childhood. Shuicheng must've sacrificed it for the war effort," alleged Captain Qishi.

Avani nodded, "Right, but I'm not like most Avatars."

"Who's going with you?" Shuaige asked her.

"As far as I'm aware, just me, myself, and I," replied the Avatar.

"If I finish what I need to do in the Defense Sector for today, I will come. But I can't make any promises," finished Shuaige.

They continued to stroll through the noble district of Taiyuan; he sighed, then added, "Just promise me you'll look out after yourself."

Reveler's Den, Northern Tusuzu Sector, Taiyuan

The Reveler's Den was a large building in the center of the Northern Tusuzu Sector. It had a small courtyard with a long line of nobles that wanted to take pleasure in the relaxation and have a wild time. The first floor contained a bar where patrons relaxed on cushions and consumed alcoholic beverages. In addition, a set of musicians sat here every weekend and played music. While on the top floor was a large terrace with stone tiled flooring.

The top floor had a hookah lounge where the employees prepared the water pipes, and coals burned on stovetops. Plenty of seating surrounded the outer edges of the terrace, where young nobility lounged around. A band of musicians sat in a corner where they played music all night. A local group from the upper portion of the Southern Tusuzu Sector.

At the far end of the terrace sat Congxiong on a cluster of cushions. To his left and right were noblewomen from young adults to middle-aged women his age. His head bobbed from side to side as it went with the beat of the music being played. A hookah attendant placed the pipe into the vase and prepared the hollowed-out bamboo sticks, which would be used to suck in smoke from the bowl of shisha. He put the coals atop the heating plate formed from clay. The attendant held the hookah from the vase and walked off toward Congxiong's party.

Many nobles filled the top floor banners of the Golden Sun and Tiandi's Eye. Another flag was sprawled across it read, "In honor of Avatar Avani."

The hookah arrived at his table, and Congxiong lifted his arms and grabbed the bamboo tube first. He inhaled deeply, rolled his head back on the cushioned ta, and exhaled a large cloud of smoke. He suddenly felt light-headed and as if his spirit began to exit his body.

In amazement, one of the younger women commented, "Woah, you're in the clouds!"

Another questioned him, "What flavor did you order?"

"White Vein...Kr-kratom," drawled Congxiong; he exhaled a sigh of relief.

The kratom relaxed his body and gave him some euphoria. The second young woman grabbed her bamboo stick and inhaled smoke as well; she felt a sense of high. Her head moved side to side, and her arms were wide as she moved them in a wave. The flavored shisha uplifted the smokers at their table. The older women grabbed their bamboo sticks and partook in the activity.

Avani galloped through the streets on ostrich horseback. There was a small enclosure where the mounts of the nobility were kept while they enjoyed their stay inside the hookah bar. Her mount halted just outside of the large fences of the pen. She slid off her ostrich horse, handed the reins to the stablehands, and then tossed them a few coins.

With her earthbending, she removed any dust off her formal robes. She seemed to pack some things with her before she left home. As they were used for situational events, the cuffs, sash, and curved, him have dyed a strong dark tone of gold while the garment was a much lighter gold that shined in the firelight.

On the back of the hanfu was embroidered a lion bear, the sigil of her family. On the front were floral designs that indicated this was worn explicitly by a woman. Yellow chrysanthemums were Avani's favorite flower. She worked out any visible wrinkle as she waltzed toward the establishment's doors. She passed by a wooden carriage with the hag heron insignia that rolled toward the building.

The cart driver opened the door and gestured for the passenger to exit. A short man left the carriage as Avani turned to face the carriage in curiosity to see who this person was. She waited in line to get inside. She gasped in excitement when she saw it was Airen. This caused her to wave her arms for him to notice her. She shouted, "Airen!"

His eyes darted in the direction from where the shout came, where he saw a young woman in gold who flailed her arms around. He tilted his head quizzically as he attempted to familiarize the woman, "Avani?"

He narrowed his eyes and recognized her face. Airen advanced toward Avani; the den's bouncer looked at the woman and used his earthbending to move the partygoers aside to his right. He called them, "Make way for the special guest!"

Airen joined Avani, and she questioned him, "What are you doing here?"

"Me? I came to relax and have a good time, something different than spending time in solitude in the barracks with the rest of the men," replied Airen.

"I haven't been in a city in a few months since we left Ba Sing Se," added Airen.

"There's this guy named Congxiong that's throwing me a gathering here," mentioned Avani.

"That buffoon is my cousin," divulged Airen.

"Woah, you two are related?" she inquired.

Airen sighed, "Unfortunately."

"Avatar Avani, Master Congxiong awaits your arrival inside," the bouncer said.

"Wait, I'm bringing my friend," Avani told the bouncer as she tugged on Airen's robes. He crossed his forearms in front of his waist, then slightly nodded, "As you wish."

The guard shoved open the place's doors and permitted Airen and Avani inside. The first floor was dimly lit by the torchlight on the walls of the hookah bar. A sudden change of atmosphere filled the air as they entered the establishment. Airen hadn't experienced this in months as he's usually a shut-in at his age. Most men at this stage in life are married with children. He's really enjoyed his time as a homebody since being on his estate was much more relaxing than going on an outing with friends he doesn't have.

Avani's social environment with people her age seemed alien to her. Some of the nobles stared at her feet in disgust and confusion as they wondered why this noblewoman didn't have bound feet. However, they were not rude enough to approach the stranger and her friend. Instead, the guards escorted Avani and Airen through a crowd of drinkers and up the stairs. The breeze on the top floor passed by Avani's hair and face as she emerged out of the first floor of the building with Airen behind her.

Behind the counter of the hookah bar were foreign employees dressed in polyester tunics fastened by their sash. Their undergarments were known as sirwal, baggy trousers known to be worn by Junggarian men. Their color scheme was a dark green color commonly worn by Xians. Their headdresses were cloths wrapped around their heads to keep the sun or even the cold out, depending on the season.

These men had darker skin than the average Haijunese. They spoke Haijunese Kingsmen with a thick accent; however, amongst themselves, they talked in their native tongue. When they communicated with customers and amongst themselves, their jaws rarely moved, and their tongues were heavy. Their tongues would push against their teeth for certain words.

Avani and Airen approached the bar and were handed a parchment with a list of flavors offered at the Reveler's Den. The parchment had everything written in Haijunese Kingsmen with Junggarian repeated underneath for those who were Junggarian speakers. While Airen and Avani read the menu, Congxiong was informed of the Avatar's arrival.

The bouncer informed Congxiong, "The Avatar has arrived, Master Congxiong."

He gestured at the woman beside the short, stocky man and pointed in their direction. Congxiong's eyes widened when he saw his cousin. He then glared and grumbled in anger, "Airen!"

"Ooo! How about reishi?" wondered Avani as she pointed at the name of the flavor on the parchment.

Airen shook his head, "We should probably start you off on something light, kid."

He wanted Avani's first experience with hookah to be with lighter flavors that are more about piquancy than more robust flavors that give off a high. At the same time, Congxiong told one of the older women to approach the front counter and change Airen and Avani's bowl to something else. Airen looked up at the employee and asked, "Can we get a bowl of rose?"

The man nodded, "Sure."

"Take these two near table seven, ansar," the employee ordered one of the volunteers for the evening. The man guided them near Congxiong's table, "This way, this way!"

As Avani and Airen approached a table, about ten ying chi from Congxiong's group. They sat near each other while one of the older women to Congxiong's near left rose from her seat and walked off toward the counter. The pale-skinned spoon-shaped woman in a green hanfu with golden trim and embroidered yellow flowers on her outfit approached the counter. The employee was mesmerized by her emerald-colored eyes. She gave him a toothy smile; her white teeth were a sign of excellent hygiene and wealth.

"The Avatar requested a flavor switch for her table's hookah to mucuna. Lord Biaoqin will be paying the switching fee and the bowl fee," the woman coaxed the lounge employee.

The man swiftly nodded at the woman as her eyes resumed to put him in a trance. Then, in his native tongue, he told the others to switch the flavors around when he turned away from the woman. The hypnotic state he was in resumed as his eyes bounced with the movement of her hips. Finally, he rested his chin on his left hand and smiled with a sigh of love. She returned to her seat, and Congxiong grinned wickedly as he wrapped his left arm around her. Avani and Airen continued to wait for their hookah to arrive.

Meanwhile, they conversed within themselves Airen wondered, "My cousin bragged about throwing this event for you; how did that happen?"

"Captain Qishi and I were in a meeting with the governor and his stewardess," answered Avani.

"Mmm, then he learned from my aunt; I doubt she would've told him. So instead, he likely eavesdrops on her private conversations or reads her documents," alleged Airen.

"It's the only way someone like him would know the city's secrets for political gain and power, smart move," commented Avani.

The Junggarian man lifted his hand in the air and wiggled his fingers. Four coals rose into the air and gently landed in the four corners of the wind cover on top of the shisha bowl. He placed his mouth on the hookah pipe piece to start the water pipe. After he got enough smoke to emit from his mouth, he walked it over to Avani and Airen's table.

As the hookah was placed down, Congxiong neared the table and greeted the Avatar, "Welcome to your welcoming party, Avatar. Please rise up and come with me so I can introduce you to all the guests here."

Avani smiled, and she bowed as Airen, and his cousin ignored each other. She rose from the ta and followed beside the nobleman. Airen stared at them as he watched his cousin's every move; Congxiong signaled for the musicians to pause. This caused the crowd of attendants to face the nobleman and his guest of honor. At the same time, Airen remained attentive and grabbed the bamboo tube connected to the water pipe and took his first inhale. As the smoke exited Airen's mouth, he didn't think much of it other than he wondered why it didn't taste like rose flavor.

"I'm glad everyone came. I have a special guest that is visiting our city! She's here to protect us and take the fight to the wild men of the South! The one and only who can bend the four elements, Avatar Avani!" announced Congxiong.

Heads who weren't paying attention turned when they heard the Avatar was in the Den. Eyes suddenly shifted to meet the gaze of the noblewoman before them. The women who looked at her with disgust because of her feet were suddenly jealous that her feet were different. Many onlookers joined in and began to surround Avani. While Airen continued to take puffs, he suddenly realized after taking several inhales of the rose flavor. That was NOT what he ordered; at this moment, his eyes bulged, and he gasped.

"This isn't rose; this is laced with mucuna leaves!" he hissed in silence.

His vision blurred as he attempted to resist and fight the high that pervaded his body. But it consumed him quickly. Suddenly he felt more relaxed and sighed in relief, and tilted his head back to rest on some cushions. While Airen was sedated, Congxiong glanced at his cousin, who seemed to be unwinding and in tranquility. He smiled he thought to himself, "With Airen out of the way, I can now feel more comfortable!"

As patrons encircled the anti-social Avatar, Avani seemed to stutter around patrons in her age range. Different people tried to grab her attention. Finally, one of the women her age shoved people around to get to the center where the Avatar stood. The woman bowed her head in respect to the Avatar and introduced herself, "Greetings Avatar Avani, I am Yinghua of the Bao family."

She gave a toothy smile with gratitude as she was in the presence of the Avatar herself. Avani avoided eye contact as she was unaware of what to say, "I'm Av-avatar Avani, a pleasure to m-meet you."

Another noblewoman shoved Yinghua away and initiated the conversation, "Avatar! I'm Tao of the Feng family; I'd like to extend an invite to my tea pa-" she was cut off by other nobles who forced their way to the center to meet Avani.

A nobleman forced himself into Avani's gaze, "Avatar Avani, it is an honor to be in your presence..." he began.

Avani glowed with a bit of sweat as she felt an astonishing amount of social anxiety. More citizens began to clash with the others to talk to the Avatar. The nobles of the Upper Ring never acted in such a manner as the young nobility of Taiyuan. Her heart began to race, and her breathing increased rapidly as more sweat poured down her forehead. Anxiety filled her swiftly. As another approached her, she used her airbending to gently move them away from her. She nipped briskly near Airen and attempted to get his attention, but he was very unresponsive.

"Airen?" she called to her friend; he remained silent as his head rested on cushions. Congxiong witnessed as nobles gathered around her. He quickly paced toward the Avatar and signaled them to disperse.

"Please stay away; she needs a moment!" Congxiong called out to the nobility.

"Hey kid, what's wrong?" he questioned her with concern.

"I'm sorry, I'm not used to social interactions with people my age. I mostly spoke to older nobility, as the young weren't as interested in the Avatar. On the other hand, I'm accustomed to interacting with military officers, the Yanzhao, statesmen, and the Royal Family," explained Avani.

"You know what would help calm your nerves?" Congxiong suggested. He snapped his fingers twice. Then, junggarian employees ran downstairs to retrieve a bottle of spirits.

"A nip of baijiu should help make you more sociable," said Congxiong.

The Junggarian employee returned with a glass bottle of clear liquid, the most famous strong alcoholic beverage in the Haijun Kingdom. He popped the cork off and poured some into a small tincture. He handed it to Avani, who took a deep breath and then gulped the drink. Her face shriveled, then she stuck out her tongue and gagged. The taste of the beverage was robust. Her face was flushed and warm as the liquid went down her throat. Her body began to feel as if it heated up. She shuddered after it plunged into her stomach. She felt as if someone had shot a fireball inside of her.

Congxiong took the Junggarian man's bottle and poured another nip into Avani's shot cup. He slid it over to the young woman and poured himself some. Finally, he rose his and gestured that she'd do the same.

"Ganbei!" said Congxiong.

Their cups came into contact, and the rim of his cup touched hers. This signified that he had respect for the Avatar. The cups produced a clinking sound. Avani and Congxiong tilted their heads back as they took another shot. Avani caught the scent of the liquor's heady smell as it dropped into her mouth. Another swill of fire filled her throat. She trembled in disgust once more. She gagged when the aftertaste of the alcoholic beverage hit her.

She felt slightly dizzy, but the anxiety disappeared; she wiped the sweat off her forehead. One of the girls smiled at Avani and began the conversation, "So Avani, where exactly do you come from again?"

Now that she had two drags under her belt, it felt like a weight was taken off her shoulders. And she felt at ease; she eyed the girl and responded, then returned an echo question, "I live in the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se. What about you? I'd wager you live here in the Northern Tusuzu Sector?"

"My family owns land in the Tradesmen Sector of the city; my father is the governor's minister of taxation. Without my father, the city's merchants would not give their fair share of taxes to the city and its people," replied the girl.

The first woman that introduced herself to the Avatar approached the table again as she watched Avani down some baijiu. Yinghua begged, "Avatar, a moment of your time, please."

Avani rose from her seat and bowed to Congxiong and the women surrounding him. She followed beside the noblewoman as they went into another corner of the den's top floor. Yinghua commented, "You seem to be a bit more gregarious than before."

"I wanted to speak to you on an important matter. There's a man that's going to be executed in a week, and he needs your help. We have the evidence to prove that he's innocent, but the citizens demand justice. But Governor Wuqi says someone needs to be executed for the crimes committed," Yinghua brought up the topic of conversation.

"What do you need me to do? You have the evidence; is that not enough?" inquired Avani.

Yinghua slightly shook her head, "Yes and no, that's the thing. Our suspect is actually a reputable man. Getting him arrested for his crimes could cost us a fortune! It's tough that our defendant will be executed for his innocence. If this man dies, I don't know if I could live with knowing we could've done something to stop it."

"You're the Avatar; the citizens will listen to you. Your opinion matters in this case. We were hoping that you could stop by the courthouse in the central area of the Northern Tusuzu Sector in a few days. That way, we can get you caught up on the evidence we gathered and let you decide on his court day if he's innocent or not," stated Yinghua.

"What of the other man? Have you not taken him into custody or brought him in for questioning?" asked Avani.

"No, he and his family are vacationing in their summer siheyuan in Gansu Hu. It's a port town; we've sent a platoon of guards to retrieve him. But, unfortunately, they left a few days ago," declined Yinghua.

"And if he refuses to leave with the men?" Avani questioned her; the man might put up a fight.

"He has to; the warrant was signed by Governor Wuqi; denying the warrant is denying the orders. That in itself is a crime punishable by imprisonment," responded Yinghua.

Avani nodded, "Alright, you have my support, I will see you in a few days."

Yinghua lowered her head in gratitude, "Thank you, Avatar Avani. You don't know how much this means to my client."

Congxiong observed from his table as the Avatar and Yinghua conversed in the corner. When Yinghua walked off, he rose from his seat with a jug full of more baijiu. Then, he offered her another drink, "Avani, take another nip of baijiu!"

She smiled at the thought of taking another shot and nipped back to the table. While one of the older women poured her another cup. The four women, Congxiong and Avani, clinked their glasses together and tilted their heads back to drink. The taste got stronger as Avani took another drag. However, it no longer hit the pit of her stomach like a sack of rocks. Instead, she felt dazed and rested her forehead between the index finger and thumb of her left hand. She needed to take a break from consuming more alcohol.

The younger noblewoman from earlier approached the table; she desired to try again with the Avatar. She questioned Avani, "Avatar Avani?"

Avani's eyes began to redden from bloodshot as her liver began detoxifying the alcohol in her system. She smiled at the younger noblewoman, and the girl lowered her head formally to the Avatar again. Her hands were hidden by the cuffs of her robe; she was delighted that the Avatar was friendlier now.

"I just wanted to invite you to the tea party I'm hosting four days from now in the afternoon. It will be held at The Sparkling Leaf tea house in the western section of the Northern Tusuzu Sector. I ask that you arrive fifteen fenzhong before sundown," bubbled Tao.

The girl had a bubbly personality; she continued, "Some of the most popular of noblewomen will be attending. After all, since you're in the city, you need to make more friends."

"Friends?" Avani mumbled to herself.

Avani never had friends her age since she was mainly sheltered and protected by her family and the Royal Family. However, Avani was excited by the idea of a socialized life outside constant war and politics. Avani nodded and bowed her head in respect to the girl, "I will make sure I'm present at this teahouse, I promise."

Avani turned her head to eye Airen, who was still very sedated at his table, "What's wrong with him?" she questioned Congxiong, worried as to why Airen was absent from any interaction.

Congxiong lied, "He's relaxing, let him be!"

"Here! Have another!" beamed the nobleman.

He slid another cup to Avani full of the white liquor; this time, Congxiong didn't drink. As she took a swig of the drink. He looked at Avani with a slight grin as she swallowed her fourth cup of baijiu. She felt a light headache after she drank it but ignored it. Her motor skills began to dwindle slightly further. Everything seemed to be happier. Her eyes rapidly darted around the room as she scanned her environment. Finally, her eyes met with a smiling Congxiong, who squinted his eyes and gave her a toothy smile.

He knew she finally slipped into a buzzed state; the other women were within the same form of drunkness as Avani. One of the younger girls drank more than she bargained and rested her head back as the world around her spun. She was indeed drunk. However, the woman to Congxiong's left was sober as she took another hookah hit and exhaled the smoke onto Avani's face. The action was disrespectful and rude, but Avani didn't know any better. She doesn't socialize with other young folks. And it was clear whatever Congxiong was planning, the woman was in on it too. The woman to Congxiong's near right giggled at the rude action.

Congxiong offered Avani another drink; at this point, the women moved to the same table as Airen. They left Avani alone with Congxiong, he poured her another glass, and she laughed at nothing while he topped it to the brim with baijiu. Avani raised her cup and took another drink. This time it hit her a bit stronger than the last. While she could still control herself, her poor judgment began to settle in.

The music played louder Congxiong stood up and reached his hand out for the young woman. He pulled the stumbling Avani to the dance floor, and the musicians continued to play a fast-paced dance song. The famous song got the crowd of nobility to take the floor where they showed off their moves. They danced together; he was surprised that an anti-social woman such as Avani knew how to dance. The two moved on the dance floor with coordination, they complimented each other's moves. The horn player opened with his solo as the other minstrels stopped playing.

Avani used airbending with her movements to look more fluid, she snatched a green fan from one of the noblewomen that swished it to create a breeze to cool herself down. Then, she hid the bottom half of her face from her host; she spun to her left, then rotated to her right, all while not losing balance despite being sloshed.

Congxiong moved to the beat and in front of her as he observed and admired her moves. The fan was quintessential to her fluid dance. The other patrons ceased their dancing and watched the Avatar. Sudden praise when the band stopped their performance, and the Avatar panted for air after she returned the fan to its rightful owner.

"Wow, I never would've thought the Avatar had such moves!" marveled Congxiong.

With a standing ovation, an inebriated Avani smiled ear to ear as she was being praised by all on the top floor. Congxiong led her back to the table where their hookah sat. She inhaled a ton of it as the coals began to burn out. Then, she exhaled the smoke cloud as it consumed a larger room area.

Congxiong was amazed at the use of her airbending, while the other nobles were scared of the cloud as they thought something had caught on fire. However, the Junggarian employees fanned the cloud away. Then, she poured herself another cup of baijiu which she drank without Congxiong offering.

Congxiong gently slid his hand onto Avani's thigh; he hoped she was more soused than before. She peered down at his hand on her thigh and giggled. Then her eyes met his, and he smiled at her. She was unaware of what was about to take place. While intoxicated, she felt a tap on her right shoulder, and she turned to face away from the noble. She gasped and saw Hansuke with an ethereal outline.

He wasn't too happy; he furrowed his brows and frowned at his successor. He crossed his arms; thankfully, she was the only one who could see and hear him. Her eyes darted from Hansuke back to Congxiong and then returned to Hansuke, who hadn't vanished yet.

"Avani, you need to get up and leave. I don't like the looks of this!" sneered her predecessor.

"I feel fine, Hansuke," she replied to nothing.

Congxiong looked worried, then asked her, "Are you alright, Avani?"

"Yeah, it's nothing; just needed to remind me of something happening tomorrow," she answered.

"Avani! Don't you see what he's trying to do?!" nagged her past life.

She hadn't seen the Fire Nationalist in weeks. However, she grew to get used to his sudden appearance. It seemed like Hansuke was attempting to try again with another Avatar after he realized he had failed to save Kavi.

Congxiong noticed that the Avatar looked to her right and focused in that direction. As if she was distracted by something he couldn't see. He moved his hand from her thigh, locked his fingers into hers, and gently tugged to get her attention.

Hansuke pouted at his attempt to convince a drunk Avani to leave; he spectated from where he stood as the older nobleman tried to take advantage of the Avatar. Finally, he placed his hand on Avani's cheek and slowly brought her in for a kiss. They both closed their eyes on her first kiss, and when their lips met, Congxiong's chin felt ticklish, and he wasn't sure why. He barely opened his eyes when he noticed that he wasn't sharing a kiss with the Avatar but instead a man. A Fire Nationalist man, his eyes widened in shock and fear. Congxiong pushed himself away from the man he found himself kissing and screaming.

The bard missed a stroke which led to the band ceasing their performance as the crowd glanced over in their direction. The girls who accompanied Congxiong all stared at him with confusion. What did the Avatar do? Why did he scream?

"Wh-who are you?!" he shouted at the stranger as he covered his eyes.

Hansuke removed himself from his successor's body and smirked, "That'll teach him to walk all over Avani's boundaries while she's intoxicated!"

Avani yelped, frightened as well. She had no idea what had just happened. The Reveler's Den spun around in her sight. A headache began settling in on the Avatar again, but she shook her head a bit and felt better as she ignored it. She noticed the Biaoqin nobleman on the floor. She was puzzled about why he was there and not on the ta next to her.

"Congxiong, what's wrong?" Avani inquired; he opened his eyes to the familiar voice of Avani.

When he reopened his eyes and saw the Avatar where he first spotted the Fire Nationalist man. He rubbed his eyes violently as he panted for air. Congxiong broke a sweat and scanned the room to find himself the center of attention. Everyone was concerned with the event that transpired.

He pointed where Avani stood in despair and madness, "Right there!"

"Right where?" Avani tilted her head in skepticism as she furrowed her brow and narrowed her eyes.

"There was a man right there!" he shouted; his nose crinkled, and his lip curled in disgust.

Avani inquired further as she tried to help her new friend, "Where?"

"Where you're standing! Where is he?" he returned an echo question.

The Junggarian employees were intrigued at the scene before their eyes. A guard proceeded near them and questioned the nobleman, "What did he look like?"

"H-he was pale, had amber-colored eyes, a black goatee, he wore all red, and had a tall red hat on his head!" Congxiong described the man that kissed him.

Except Congxiong left out the part where he kissed the man; otherwise, it'd grab unwanted attention from the unforgivable Yanzhao. He was so distressed that he started rubbing the nape of his neck. He felt he might have been just as guilty as the Fire Nationalist.

"You're describing a Fire Nationalist, the bouncers haven't seen one walking in," answered one of the employees.

The crowd whispered amongst themselves. Congxiong saw things. Perhaps it was the flavor of shisha they ordered? Or a mixture of the shisha and baijiu that got to his head? Or did he finally break inside and descend into insanity.

"Maybe you should sit down and rest," suggested Avani.

"I'll bring him a jug of water to drink," one of the employees said as he dashed off.

Avani looked into Congxiong's distraught eyes, "Are you okay? This man you mentioned...what did he do?"

Congxiong gulped and whispered in her ear, "I leaned in to kiss you, and when I opened my eyes, it wasn't you."

Avani cupped her mouth in embarrassment. Then, she felt another tap on her shoulder. The employee placed the jug of water on the table while Avani glanced behind her to see Hansuke in the same pose. She murmured to herself, "You!"

He stood there disappointed in his successor. Hansuke repeated, "Avani, you need to get up and leave. This man is a danger to you. If you don't heed my advice, I will retake control of you and do it for you."

"Hansuke, you need to quit it, I'm fine," she told her past life.

"I saw him cross all over your boundaries and invade your personal space!" stated Hansuke.

"Congxiong is my friend; he would never disrespect me. But, look, you scared him!" she said.

"He deserved it; you're drunk. If you continue drinking, you'll end up like me," hinted Hansuke; his cause of death was unknown to historians.

Hansuke's death was a mystery to the outside world, possibly something his family or clan hid from the annals of the Fire Nation. As they set out to erase his cause of death, the world would've seen it as an embarrassment to the title of Avatar.

Avani used her hands to fan away the spirit of Hansuke in an attempt to get him to go away. His energy dispersed from the scene. Avani sighed, grabbed the baijiu jug, and poured herself another shot. The effects of the beverage had begun to dissipate, and she very much liked being outgoing. At this point, it tasted similar to water, and she felt like she fell into a drunken stupor. Congxiong noticed this after another gulp of water to calm himself. He took the last shot of the jug of alcohol before he rose the empty vase. Which an employee darted to retrieve and return with a full one. He took the hit and fanned his face with his hands; Avani rested her head back on the cushion.

She rested for a few minutes while Congxiong stared at her for the moment. Then, the crowd of patrons returned to partying as the pair resumed their night. Congxiong gently caressed Avani's face again as he tried one more time to make a move on the Avatar. This time she gazed at him and gave him a thin beam; at the same time, Shuaige slid off his ostrich horse right in front of the Reveler's Den. He came outfitted in black robes commonly worn by nobles who were in service of the military. He readjusted his cuffs as he joined the line of nobles.

Avani and Congxiong were about to kiss when suddenly Avani slapped the nobleman in the face. Then waterbent the remainder of the water from the vase and used it to harm the noble. The unexpected assault caught Congxiong off-guard, he shrieked in pain and jumped off the seat. He screamed at Avani, "How dare you attack me!"

Avani was startled because while she blacked out, she was conscious again of a hostile Congxiong. Avani gasped, "What?!"

"You just hit me!" Congxiong hissed at her.

Shuaige heard the commotion above him as he entered the establishment's first floor. Avani denied, "No! I didn't!"

He ran up the stairs when he heard Avani's voice with a feared tone. When he reached the top he saw the crowd surrounding the table where Avani and Congxiong were sitting. Congxiong yelled at the Avatar, who was oblivious to the scene. Shuaige pushed through the public to see what was in the center of the crowd. He called out to Avani when he reached the front, "Avani?"

She heard a friendly voice call to her, and she turned to face the direction from where it came from. She saw Shuaige, and she wasn't so afraid anymore. She blushed as she greeted her captain in embarrassment, "Oh hey, Shuaige."

She covered her face with her hands in shame as he witnessed the scene before him. He advanced toward the table where the angry lord stood and the intoxicated unknowing woman faced him. Congxiong blinked his eyes at the approaching man and pointed at him as soon as he recognized him, "You're the captain from the palace!"

"What's going on here?" he questioned the lord.

"Your subordinate just assaulted me!" snarled Congxiong.

Shuaige eyed Avani, then shook his head at the Avatar; he gestured for her to get up. But instead, she paced over to her military captain as she careened from left to right. It was evident that she was drunk. Now he understood why Avani struck the nobleman. Shuaige clutched Avani's left arm and tugged her toward Airen, where he hissed at the soldier, "You were supposed to watch her!"

Airen remained unresponsive. However, he was still breathing as his chest expanded and contracted. Finally, he asked Avani, "Avani, what's wrong with Airen?"

Avani panicked and responded, "I-I don't know, he's been like that all night!"

A man rose from Yinghua's table and legged it toward Shuaige, Avani, and the unconscious Airen. He offered to assist the military captain, "I can help you with your other friend, sir."

Shuaige nodded as he wrapped Avani's arm around the back of his neck, he guided her down the stairs. While the man picked up Airen and placed him over his right shoulder.

Omashu Palace, Omashu

The throne room emptied itself out in the early evenings after Yeman headed to the dining room for a meal. Cai Dao stayed behind as he prepared things as was customary of the Grand Secretariat before joining the Earth King. Then, as the court headed to their estates, Cai Dao collected parchment scrolls he needed to read by tonight.

At the same time, Mong left the palace to head to his siheyuan. It took him about thirty fenzhong to reach his estate. The gates opened at the sight of the representative of the Uuguul. Once inside the estate's walls, he was joined by his stewardess. All eyes and ears witnessed inside the estate walls were kept inside the estate walls. Nothing escaped. Mong was sure of that.

His stewardess followed closely behind her boss. She questioned him, "How did your day go, edzen?"

"The King has us all fooled, he's incompetent and does not hold the same authority as Handezhengfuzhe. I have no respect for that fatheaded bozo. I will continue to observe him in the coming weeks and send word to the chieftain. I want a champion to arrive at my estate soon," reported Mong.

"Are you sure that's what you want, milord?" his stewardess.

"Did I stutter? I said send word to the chieftain. Yeman's rule over the clans has ended, the Court of the Clans has been anxious, and it's quite obvious the transition of power failed. A champion that can take the throne off his swollen fingers," Mong repeated himself, then ordered her to send word to the Uuguul chieftain.

Meanwhile, in East Lo Shao Cha, the teams selected by Deng Shan Jia and Gan gathered themselves in two groups of four. Each on a mount, they bowed before their leaders. Nu Xing turned her head to Gan, "We will make you proud, edzen. You have my word!"

The Ke barbarians loaded their giant razorback rams with the supplies they needed for their trip. Then, when they were packed and ready, everyone rode off into the night as they headed toward their targeted destinations.

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