Chapter 5, Part I: Infiltration & Coup
The walls of Ba Sing Se loomed above them, silent and towering, like a fortress built to last forever.
Robert crouched behind the shadow of a watchtower, the moonlight glinting off his dark armor. His dreadlocks were tied back into a tight ponytail, and the wolf-shaped mask over his mouth made him look more predator than man. The faint blue-black shimmer of his fire pulsed along his gauntlets, hungry and restless.
Beside him, Azula adjusted her hair, her golden eyes scanning the walls below. "Remember your role," she whispered, voice like silk cutting through steel. "We are Kyoshi Warriors tonight. Subtlety is everything. Fail me, and—" she let the threat hang. Robert didn't need her to finish it.
Mai's eyes darted over the perimeter, hand on her throwing knives. "This city's tighter than I thought. Every guard has eyes in the walls."
Ty Lee giggled softly, bouncing on her toes. "I love tight places! Makes the flips more fun."
Robert let out a quiet laugh beneath his mask. "You're insane."
"Insane enough to follow orders," Azula shot back, her tone sharp, but a faint curve at the corner of her mouth betrayed amusement.
---
The four of them moved like shadows. Robert led with his black fire low and restrained, just enough to melt small bars or dim torches when needed. He had never been more aware of the power coiled inside him, nor of the way Azula's gaze seemed to follow every flicker of it.
"You control it well," she murmured as they reached the inner wall. "Better than I expected. That fire will be the key to taking this city."
Robert kept silent, feeling the hum of black fire under his gloves. Don't let it slip. Not yet.
With a flick of his wrist, the lock on the hidden gate melted silently, and they slipped inside. The city streets were eerily quiet, citizens oblivious to the danger closing around them.
---
Long Feng's mansion rose ahead, guarded by a ring of Dai Li agents. Robert's heart beat faster — not from fear, but anticipation. He'd heard the stories of this man, manipulative, powerful, untouchable… until now.
Azula crouched, whispering instructions. "Mai and Ty Lee will create diversions at the outer gates. You and I move inside. If anyone sees you…" she lifted a hand, igniting a thin blue flame. "…they will regret it."
Robert nodded. His black fire flared faintly, licking around the edges of his gauntlets. "Let's make them regret it."
---
Inside, the mansion was opulent — silk banners, polished floors, statues of the city's rulers. Robert followed Azula through the hallways, every step precise. Every glance between them carried an unspoken question: Can you trust me?
He could. And he felt it reflected in her movements, the small ways she waited for him to cover her blind spots, to take down a guard silently with a pulse of his black flame.
They reached Long Feng's chamber. The Dai Li leader rose, surprised, and the battle began.
Robert's black fire erupted like a shadow from a candle, snaking toward the guards, consuming their control over the room in flickers of dark light. Mai's knives struck with precision, Ty Lee's acrobatics disarmed them before they could strike. And Azula… Azula moved like a storm, lightning flashing, blue fire whipping with deadly grace.
For a moment, Robert caught her eye mid-strike, and their gazes locked. He didn't just see a princess or a warrior. He saw someone who trusted him completely — someone who could burn the world beside him if he wanted.
---
The fight ended with Long Feng trapped under a glowing black and blue dome of fire and lightning. His own Dai Li had no choice but to kneel, terrified and awed.
Azula stepped beside Robert, golden eyes scanning his face under the wolf mask. "You did well," she said softly, almost a whisper. "Better than I could have asked."
Robert flexed his fingers. The black fire pulsed faintly, as if satisfied. "Thanks," he said, voice muffled beneath the mask. "I couldn't have done it without you."
For a heartbeat, Azula's expression softened. Something unspoken passed between them — trust, respect… maybe more.
Mai's dry voice broke the moment. "Don't get sentimental, Princess. The city's still ours. And we've got work to do."
Ty Lee bounced excitedly. "Ooh! I can't wait to see what we do next!"
Azula's smirk returned, sharper than ever. "Next, we consolidate control. But Robert…" Her gaze lingered on him a moment longer than necessary. "…you've earned a place beside me. The Dai Li will learn to fear your shadow."
Robert nodded, hiding the spark of pride — and something deeper — beneath the wolf mask.
As the first hints of dawn crept over Ba Sing Se, the city slept unaware of the new rulers in its midst. And in the heart of the Fire Princess's darkness, a boy with black fire grinned beneath his mask.
This is just the beginning.