Playing Waterbending (Avatar: Last Aibender SI)

"An envoy from the Fire Nation has arrived, and he wants to meet with the leader," I repeated after Tyro.

Tyro nodded.

Haru added, "It seems you're considered the leader now."

"We're old folks," Tyro said. "Everyone has agreed that Sir Ryuk is the one who should face him and negotiate."

"He's a bit convincing," Haru nodded. "He managed to convince everyone to leave the prison easily."

Seeing that I wasn't in a hurry to meet the envoy, I turned to Tyro.

"How is he? What impression is he giving?" I asked.

"He's quite cocky, acts angrily, and keeps glaring at everyone."

"How is everyone else reacting to him?"

"They're refraining from taking their anger out on him," Tyro said. "It's the law of war. You don't kill envoys, or else you'll be labeled a war criminal. It's a law even the Fire Nation respects."

"Sure," I said. "Let's go and meet him, then. At the same time, Haru, I have a very important task for you."

"What is it?" he asked.

"Go outside the village and trace the envoy's steps. I want to know if they've brought an army with them," I said.

Tyro interjected, "It's unlikely they could gather a large force in such a short time."

"We don't know," I replied. "It's good to always check. Just in case, we should know whether to abide by their demands or prepare to escape."

"Leave it to me," Haru said, thumping his chest.

-x-X-x-

"You've finally shown yourself," scoffed a man with Chinese features, yellowish skin, long hair tied in a braided ponytail, and a tall stature. He looked like a villain from a Chinese movie, the kind who masters eagle-style kung fu.

I yawned, checking him out from head to toe. He was dressed in silky black clothes and wore expensive jewels.

Behind him stood two bodyguards.

"I was always here. It's just you who's blind," I replied. Since the envoy was rude with his facial expressions, I decided to match his tone.

"Hmph. I can't see how a mere small rebellion and prison break led you to act so arrogantly," he said, crossing his arms and looking me up and down.

Just because envoys don't often get killed, some of them act rudely.

What could that possibly tell me?

Did they have the upper hand? Did they think victory was guaranteed? Were they here to make outrageous demands?

"You should probably see a physician for your eyes. Maybe some acupuncture would help you regain your sight," I said, walking up to the envoy and standing in front of him. "There may be an unwritten rule not to kill envoys, but I'm still an amateur, and I could be driven by my emotions. So, if you value your life, please refrain from using informal, rude language with me. We're not buddies."

The envoy clenched his teeth but didn't say anything. I could tell he was pissed off. But he was here to do his job. If he wanted to make things personal with me, I'd get personal with him.

"Fine. I'll list my nation's demands," he said, extending his hand to the left.

One of the men behind him stepped forward and placed a scroll in his hand.

The envoy opened it and began reading.

"For the crimes of rebelling against the glorious Fire Nation. For the crime of taking over a village declared as property of the Fire Nation… For the crime…"

I almost fell asleep waiting for him to get to the point.

"We demand the leaders of the rebellion to be executed publicly. And for each soldier killed, two earthbenders are to be executed. If their number isn't sufficient, compensation will be taken from their families."

The earthbenders who attended the meeting widened their eyes and exchanged glances.

I could tell they felt fear—not for themselves, but for their families.

The number of Fire Nation soldiers I alone had killed would be enough to execute everyone here. If you added the executions, then everyone's family would be wiped out.

"In case you don't obey these commands, you'll face the wrath of the Fire Nation army. The ground you walk on will be scorched by fire. Nothing will remain of your corpses except ashes, and you won't even have anything left to bury."

Soon, Haru approached me and whispered in my ear.

'Okay. So, they came alone,' I thought. 'Three days to arrive here after the report. Three days to get back. A few more days to mobilize the army, which would take more than a week, considering their numbers and the need for rest and food.'

'I should have enough time to train more metalbenders, set traps, and, in the worst case, use dustbending. Thanks to my partying in my previous life, I know how to make explosive powder.'

I crossed my arms and turned my head, laughing.

The envoy, who had worn a cocky expression, frowned.

"What's so funny? Don't you fear the death of your loved ones?" he asked.

"Hahahaha!" I laughed loudly.

Everyone fell silent, so my laughter echoed across the entire village.

To begin with, I wasn't fighting for a grand reason.

Freedom might be a noble cause, but I was fighting for my own freedom—and only my own.

If I gave up my life, I would be giving up everything I've lived for.

"What we have here are people who've lived 20 years of their lives in despair," I said. "Do you think we fear death?"

I looked behind me.

The earthbenders must have realized that whether they fought or not, their families would be executed anyway.

If they fought, they might have a chance to save everyone. Some of them could learn metalbending. Some could learn dustbending. And I had more than 200,000 accumulated experience points ready to be used.

"Do I take your refusal as your final answer?" the envoy frowned.

"Don't just take it. Shove it up your ass," I replied.