Five years following the defeat of the Fire Nation, the world experiences an unprecedented age of peace and prosperity. All seems well; however, danger looms as the resurrection of old and new foes threaten to upset the balance and plunge the Four N...
In the city of Bin-Er, the streets were full of life and festivities—it was the fifth anniversary of the peace accords, and the Earth King had proclaimed a week of celebration all throughout his realm. Children played tag through the alleyways of the stone buildings and traders bartered loudly in the market. Commoners watched in awe as performers acted out Lord Ozai's defeat in the square. Tea shops and little stores with eager merchants lined its avenues, and farms dotted its outskirts.
The Earth Kingdom had recovered significantly in the past several years through the help of Lord Zuko's relief efforts. The people breathed the fresh air of freedom once again, and could earth bend without fear. For once, there was peace between the Earth people and Fire Nation settlers.
On the ridge high above the city, three rhino-mounted warriors observed the festivities. A hawk, carrying a string of colored beads in its beak, perched itself on the one in the middle.
"Very good, Nisu." The warrior pet the hawk as it cawed for approval, dropping the beads into his palm.
"Psht," the smaller one scoffed. "Look at those peasants celebrating their ridiculous peace. I've grown tired of waiting, Rokkun. We should attack now." He insisted.
"Will you just shut up for once and listen to orders, Taijuk?" The larger man said, annoyed.
Taijuk, though the smallest of the three, was a brilliant archer and strategist—if a bit unstable. He was the nominal "inquisitor" of his clan, and not one to be crossed. Even at seventeen years old, he still matched Rokkun and Oghuz in strength.
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"What's the matter, Oghuz? Still upset about last week's raid?" Taijuk challenged.
"Hmph." Oghuz huffed.
Oghuz was a man of incredible size and stature. A large broad axe dangled from his belt. His head was shaved save for a series long black dreads, and gold earrings pierced both his ears. A dark goatee dangled from his chin. He and Rokkun's families had been close friends since childhood.
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"We attack tomorrow," the middle warrior said sternly, interrupting them as he sent his hawk away. "On the official day of the peace signing. Order the men to camp here tonight." He turned to Oghuz.
The trio directed their rhinos back down the ridge and towards the the rest of their war band.
"Alright you mongrel dogs, dismount!" Oghuz barked. The men hopped off their rhinos and immediately began to scramble for their supplies. Rokkun dismounted his rhino, handing it off to another warrior.
He approached the river nearby, lowering himself at its bank. Rokkun splashed the cool water in his face, then washed his hands.
Rokkun was in his mid-twenties. Like the other nomads, he wore a combination of traditional Fire Nation military armor and furs. His amber-colored hair was braided, and a large scar ran across his right eye as a testament to his many raids.
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"Ah, I itch for this battle," Oghuz said, looking across the river bank. "With luck, we will be returning home this winter with a hefty king's weight in gold and silver!"
"Eh. I prefer raiding and pillaging," Taijuk shrugged. "Not playing a cat and mouse with these repulsive earthlings and their idiot King."
"Taijuk, why don't you assist the other warriors with assembling the camp?" Rokkun asked, indicating he wanted privacy.
"Very well, I'll go aid the men all by my lonesome while you two sit here and admire the scenery." He turned around, throwing up his arms in frustration.
"He's insufferable." Oghuz remarked shortly, waiting until Taijuk had walk away.
"Cut Taijuk some slack," Rokkun laughed. "We were once his age."
"I doubt Taijuk will ever outgrow his arrogance." Oghuz sat down, wiping the grime off his broad axe.
"You know how water benders can be sometimes," Rokkun said, tossing a pebble in the river. "He is strong-willed, and still a boy."
The two men sat on the bank in silence, taking in the setting sun.
"When do we sail West? Back to the Fire Nation?" Oghuz asked, finally breaking the silence.
"Soon," Rokkun said, lifting himself up. "We have a few scores to settle with these earth peasants before sailing home."
"Ah, home..." Oghuz said, reminiscently. "I never had the privilege of seeing it but the stories my father told seemed as if out of a fable...the beaches, the food, the imperial city lined with its crimson bricks and walkways, and the women," he winked at Rokkun, "I can almost feel it all."
Rokkun chuckled.
"All in good time, Oghuz," he said, patting his shoulder. "When we are ready...if we have any hope of retaking our lands then we must cripple Lord Zuko's first line of defense."
"The Earth King..." Oghuz smiled, tapping his axe.
"Precisely, my brother." Rokkun agreed. "Zuko's forces are strong, but the Earth Kingdom's armies are far larger. They are well-armed, trained, and deadly. We will not defeat Zuko's joint-coalition with the Earth King as it presently stands."
"So what's your plan?" Oghuz asked.
Rokkun paused, thinking.
"Tomorrow we will begin our first steps. We seize every city along the western coast and rally whatever support we can amongst the colonials. King Xuo will have no choice but to come to the table. And if he sends his armies...we shall be ready. We we will dismantle this coalition brick by brick until Zuko has no allies left but himself. And when that moment comes...he will no longer be the Fire Lord."
"Very well said, my sharp-tongued Khan." Oghuz remarked happily. "I will prepare the men for our assault tomorrow".
As Oghuz stepped away, Rokkun clipped his sword back onto his belt. He stared out into the river, pondering the days ahead.
