Avatar: Macai's Journey

Chapter 2: Conditions of Trust

Macai wakes up again and proceeds with his morning routine. He moves swiftly and sharply. The boy combs his hair, brushes his teeth, bathes, puts on his uniform, and rushes downstairs. Eyre sits at the kitchen table, waiting at the exact same spot he always does.

Left of him is the breakfast that his mother cooked, but Macai knows he must listen to his father's daily announcement first. Eyre holds his hands together in a steepled gesture. Macai briefly locks eyes with his father before bowing his head in respect.

Eyre smirks, "Well done, you are getting ready faster now. We will begin with our sunrise training as usual then you will need to go to school. Before you return make sure you buy some soap, we are running low on supplies. Be back before sunset and we will continue training."

Normally, the only thing Macai would have to look forward to is seeing his friend Rosh, but now things are different. Before Macai leaves, he hugs his mother.

Macai steps outside in their vast backyard. The sky is dark blue with only hints of light from a distant sun closing in. There is a slight breeze that flows across the air and blows against Eyre's curly hair. Eyre steps about 10 feet away from his son.

Eyre deeply inhales and astutely remarks, "Macai, in life, things will not always go how you want them to. Challenges are inevitable and pain is a part of it. Some people let their pain cripple and destroy them. But you must let yours empower you."

Eyre paces around, maintaining eye contact with his son. Eyre: "Look deep at your ambitions, at your struggle, and fight with every fiber of your being. Life is a constant fight and if you are persistent and make adjustments then you will prevail."

Macai interjects, "But, my teacher said the strong survive. So doesn't that mean that stronger warriors will also beat weaker warriors despite willpower?"

Eyre clinches his right fist, "The strong, DO survive. But, being strong has several meanings. Some are strong because they are intelligent, patient, and can outwit their opponents. This is an underrated aspect of strength within the Fire Nation. Another part of strength is willing to do what it takes to win, a strong warrior with weak will can be overtaken by a more motivated lesser opponent."

Macai: "And teamwork is a way to beat stronger foes."

Eyre: "Yes, but a great warrior doesn't need to rely on others to be powerful. And teamwork also comes with the danger of betrayal."

Macai: "How can I avoid the danger of betrayal?"

Eyre: "You cannot perfectly prepare for or avoid it. Nor can you perfectly prepare for or avoid anything. But you must do everything in your power to reduce it and be able to respond level-headedly if it does happen. The best way to minimize betrayal is to never fully trust anyone. Not your friends, not your future wife, nor anyone else."

Macai: "What about you and mom?"

Eyre: "You don't have much of a choice now. You would never beat me in any physical or mental contest. But you are my son, I would want you to do well because your success reflects my success as a father. The same with your mother and you are an only child."

Macai: "But how can I lead if no one fully trusts me?"

Eyre: "Though there is no trust, you still should respect and reward your soldiers when they complete their objectives. When someone steps out of line, you must punish them so severely that no one else will want to challenge you. You must have a couple of loyal confidants who are less likely to betray you, I say a couple because one may reveal another's betrayal."

Macai: "So I can have close companions? But that requires trust"

Eyre: "There are levels to trust. People can steadily go from no trust to some trust if they have proven that they have supported you in the past when it was not convenient. However, you must remember that trust only goes so far. When pressed against 'other interests' it will run dry. Always keep track of what your allies are doing in a discreet way."