The White Lotus—that was the true name of this mysterious organization.
When Kahn heard it, his expression immediately turned strange.
His first reaction was that he'd come to the wrong place.
His second reaction was that maybe Iroh came to the wrong place.
Where he came from, the White Lotus was the biggest cult organization in ancient times—constantly tied to uprisings, rebellions, terrifying folk beliefs, and obscure rituals.
The name showed up in almost every horror story or old game he'd ever seen.
Even though this was clearly an entirely different White Lotus, Kahn couldn't shake his instincts.
Anything with that name did not feel like a legitimate group.
But the waiter—who turned out to be a White Lotus member—explained otherwise.
The White Lotus was an ancient, worldwide organization dedicated to preserving peace and balance, operating from the shadows just like the Avatar.
And now, with the Avatar missing, the White Lotus had taken up the heavy responsibility of resisting the Fire Nation, secretly connecting opposition groups across the world and serving as a hidden backbone against the Fire Nation's expansion.
The more Kahn listened, the more something felt off. After the explanation ended, he couldn't help but ask.
"What's Uncle Iroh's relationship with your White Lotus?"
The man smiled.
"Elder Iroh is currently one of our primary leaders."
Elder? Leader?
Kahn fell silent.
"…When did he join?"
"That I'm not sure about. When I joined the organization, Elder Iroh was already a leader."
"Ah, this…"
Speechless. Utterly speechless.
Uncle Iroh, what are you doing?
Are you leading a rebellion against yourself?!
This was insane.
Kahn knew Iroh disapproved of the Fire Nation's aggressive, destructive expansion…
But he never expected him to go this far.
On one hand, he was a Fire Nation general crushing rebellions across the world;
on the other hand, he was an elder of a global group actively resisting the Fire Nation.
Two completely opposite identities in one man—it was unbelievable.
But then Kahn thought of Iroh's appearance.
Even though Iroh and Ozai were close in age, Ozai looked strong, sharp, and in his prime.
Meanwhile, Iroh already had gray hair, a rounded body, and signs of an aging spirit.
Iroh always acted cheerful and open-minded—but the torment inside?
That was something only he himself understood.
Back to the main point.
Since the White Lotus opposed the Fire Nation, and Iroh was one of its elders, rescuing Iroh's former subordinates was a perfect match.
And the help the White Lotus could provide was far greater than Kahn expected.
His plan had just become even more foolproof.
On the day of departure, Kahn and Azula changed into custom-made battle robes and led a squad of soldiers out of the city.
But these weren't ordinary troops.
They were Royal Guards, elite Firebenders who originally served to protect the palace—now Ozai's personal soldiers.
The arrangement carried clear hints of surveillance, but it also showed how seriously Ozai treated this mission.
The operation itself was high-level. Ozai gave Azula enormous authority—she was allowed to temporarily command any local military force in the region they visited.
Unreasonable. But also… very Ozai.
Unlike Zuko and Iroh, who left by ship, their destination was inside the Earth Kingdom.
The capital had no direct sea route to the Earth Kingdom, so they had to travel part of the journey by land.
Their mounts were Tri-Horned Beasts—massive creatures the size of oxen, with three enormous horns and impressive combat strength. A common military mount of the Fire Nation.
"I still feel awkward wearing this."
Kahn tugged at the edge of his battle robe. It fit perfectly, but seeing himself dressed like this felt strange.
"Awkward? I think it looks good."
Azula walked beside him, glancing at him casually as she spoke.
Kahn, now twelve and nearing thirteen, had begun his growth spurt.
His baby fat was fading, revealing a sharper, stronger jawline. His body—long trained—was lean and well-proportioned. His eyes were bright and sharp, and his posture confident.
With the battle robe brushing at his legs, he radiated heroic spirit—enough to make anyone look twice and think:
What a brave, handsome young man!
After giving him a once-over, Azula turned her head away, stretching lazily.
"It's been forever since I've gone out. I was suffocating in the palace."
Kahn stared at her. "Hey, you don't think this is a vacation, right?"
"What's the difference? This mission isn't difficult. I'd rather think about the local food. I'm not eating leftovers again after a large group of soldiers."
Her picky, princess-like attitude made Kahn choke.
Classic spoiled young lady.
Wait.
Azula as a spoiled young lady… actually fit perfectly.
"That's easy for you to say. I wonder who always steals 'leftovers' from my bowl whenever we eat at my house."
"Hah! Those are called spoils of war!"
As they bickered, the Royal Guards captain behind them finally couldn't hold back.
"Princess Azula, according to regulation, you cannot walk side-by-side—"
"Are you lecturing me?"
Azula turned instantly, her gaze freezing the air. The pressure suffocated the captain.
"I—"
"I think instead of worrying about irrelevant rules, you should consider how many times you've been derelict in your duties. Whether those mistakes could land you and your family in prison, exile… or execution."
Her soft tone only made the words more terrifying.
The captain felt his blood turn to ice.
He quickly lowered his head.
"I apologize. I spoke out of turn."
"It's good you understand." Azula smiled lightly, "You'll receive fifty lashes when we arrive. A very merciful number."
"And don't let me hear your voice again."
The captain nodded silently.
Azula turned back to Kahn, cheerful again.
"So—where were we?"
"Uh…"
Kahn was stunned. He knew Azula was arrogant—but this was another level.
He leaned closer and whispered:
"What did he do to be derelict so many times?"
"Oh, that? Nothing."
Azula's tone was casual.
"The first time was because he failed to stop me from sneaking out to play. Later, he deliberately covered for me sneaking out. So, dereliction both times."
"…."
Kahn silently gave Azula a thumbs-up.
She was truly something else.
...
Author's Note:
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