**Northern territories of the Fire Nation. Above the City of the Sun Warriors. Wan.**
The wind pleasantly brushed against our bodies as we soared several hundred meters above the ground. Beneath us stretched the smooth surface of the blue sea, and in the distance, the island where the history of the Fire Nation once began was already visible.
"Now I want a dragon of my own," Azula sighed enviously, stroking the golden scales of Aine, the dragon we were currently riding.
Lately, she had grown significantly and could now easily carry two people into the air. If this trend continues, it might be time to expand her quarters soon.
"Maybe that will happen very soon," I said mysteriously. After all, yesterday, when we were preparing for a diplomatic visit to the Sun Warriors, Aine mentioned she had sensed the birth of a new dragon. So, Ran and Shao can be congratulated on their new addition.
"Indeed, there's no need to despair," Azula nodded, still unaware that the Sun Warrior Tribe now harbored not two, but three dragons. "A whole herd of flying bison was somehow found, so there are likely other dragons out there."
As it turned out, on the Air Temple Island, located in the waters of the northwestern part of the Earth Kingdom—or simply, in Yue Bay—there were indeed many flying bison grazing. Apparently, many Air Nomads decided to at least save their animals by sending them to this little-known island. References to this Temple were hard to find. It's known that the island served as a sort of "transit point," where Nomads could rest and gather strength before long journeys. From what I remember from the Avatar Korra series, there was an entire complex of buildings there, but now only a simple-looking Temple remains, and the entire territory is overgrown with various plants and trees.
"Aang will be very happy with this news, though... I think Appa will be even happier," Azula remarked. Only representatives of the Air Nation have the right to manage these rare flying creatures. Lately, Aang has been considering relocating his family to this island. It's long overdue to create a nest of their own, and they can also focus on breeding the bison. After years of living without humans, the bison have grown somewhat wild. I hope that seeing true airbenders will awaken something in their genes or blood, allowing us to become friends again...
"I've heard some news about the Avatar... They say he was seen in the Earth Kingdom," Azula began. "Do you think he still holds a grudge against the Fire Nation?" she sighed, knowing the Avatar's words still carry weight, and he could use that to his advantage.
"Don't worry, Aang is a true Air Nomad, and you should know their upbringing," I reassured her, pulling her closer to my body.
"How do you know?" she asked suspiciously. "Your secrets again, right?"
"You'll find out very soon," I promised.
After a few minutes, Aine landed in one of the city's squares. Of course, our flight had been noticed long ago, or perhaps the other dragons had informed them... It seemed every member of the Sun Warrior Tribe was standing before us—or more accurately, kneeling.
"Great Ancestor!" the Tribe's Chief reverently exclaimed, his face nearly buried in the ground. The others quickly followed suit. From her ancestors' memories, Aine knew her lineage was highly revered here, but the situation still felt quite awkward for her.
Soon, the dragons joined the people... Ran and Shao performed an unusual but undoubtedly beautiful dance in the sky before landing on the open space. Perched on Ran's head was a small red dragon, his innocent eyes taking in everything around him.
"You didn't tell me there were other dragons here!" Azula whispered quickly. "It's a bit embarrassing... Aine is clearly the first among them, and here we are, riding her like some kind of transport," she added. Indeed, several people didn't hide their hostile glances, the most venomous coming from someone I knew—Ham Gao.
"Greetings to the Sun Warrior Tribe," I said with a slight bow.
"Honored Wan," the Chief reciprocated, though his gaze kept drifting to the massive figure of the golden dragon. "Fire Lord Azula," he added politely, but it was clear how strained his words were. I couldn't blame him; their Tribe had lost its power precisely because of attacks from past Fire Lords, who encouraged hunting their teachers—the dragons. The Sun Warriors couldn't stand by, ultimately siding with the dragons. And now, members of the once-brave Sun Warrior Tribe had to shamefully hide their existence, voluntarily cutting ties with the outside world.
"Don't be afraid, we bring good news," I whispered to the Chief, hoping to prevent any mistakes.
"Chief," Azula nodded slightly, likely due to their shared history. After all, centuries ago, her ancestors left this island to create something greater.
"I'll be back soon, father," Aine said to me before flying off with the other dragons. I think they have much to discuss.
With a table laden with local delicacies, Azula and the Chief began their official dialogue. The topic was the Sun Warrior Tribe's integration into the Fire Nation. Azula likely wouldn't have been interested in some dying tribe if not for their shared roots. And my word played no small part. Only after several hours did the parties finally reach an agreement. I think the most important thing for the Chief was learning that the rights of all dragons would be equal to those of ordinary Fire Nation citizens, and in some cases, even greater, making them nearly untouchable. The capital would not interfere with the Tribe's culture but would demand immediate assistance in the event of an external threat. Many other points were discussed, which would soon be put to paper.
Throughout the night, the Tribe was filled with a joyful atmosphere. From this day forward, they would no longer need to hide, and they could begin restoring their city, which had become overgrown. After a prayer before the eternal flame—a gift from their earliest Teachers—they showed us that despite their differences, they too knew how to have a good time.
"What are you looking at?" Azula asked, nudging me with her elbow.
"I'm admiring their dangerous firebending," I replied honestly. Right before our eyes, the Tribe's women, barely clothed, performed a mesmerizing firebending dance... Their impossibly synchronized movements were accompanied by equally synchronized control of the flames.
Witnessing this splendor gave me something invaluable. For years, I'd been unable to start writing books on bending. Now, I understood what I'd been missing... All this time, I'd been thinking within my own standards, which was fundamentally wrong! After all, I've had well-developed chi channels since birth; I've been able to sense particles of elements in space since childhood. None of this is possible for ordinary benders...
You could say that every movement of a bender is a kind of anchor, to which a specific flow of energy through the channels is attached. Essentially, the hand seals from the anime "Naruto" serve the same function, except that there, it's enough to simply fold your fingers, while here, a bit more is required. Of course, true masters of their element—like myself—no longer need any movements; simple willpower is enough. Hmm, even the powerful "Kage" barely use seals anymore... There are quite a few similarities between these cartoons.
My mind, storing thousands of scrolls on various techniques, began comparing images showing movements with the flow of energy through the channels. For example, the Sun Warriors' firebending movements differ significantly from classical firebending, which favors efficiency and lethality with sharp, sweeping kicks and punches. Here, they treat fire with... more respect, I suppose. The movements look smoother, almost like a dance.
The same can be said for the northern and southern waterbending styles! The northern style is rougher, even "peasant-like," I'd say. Likely, history left its mark; for centuries, only men were allowed to practice serious waterbending. The southern style, demonstrated by Katara, has a certain versatility, seamlessly incorporating techniques like ice blades—something I love—and many subtle but deadly maneuvers.
I can't say much about airbending, since I've only seen Aang. But in the Earth Kingdom, I've seen countless schools of earthbending. For example, in Ba Sing Se—the most populous city in the world—there's no room for classical earthbending with large flying boulders and dramatic earth-splitting. Many earthbenders in this metropolis, like the Dai Li, focus on intricate manipulation of small amounts of earth.
In the northern regions of the Earth Kingdom, a different approach to earthbending prevails. Earthbenders in those provinces prefer to stand firmly in one place, using only their hands for bending. Omashu, Gaoling, and a few other provinces use what I consider the most viable style, incorporating both hands and feet, and some even use their heads—literally!
As inspiration took hold, I decided not to resist it. So, the next morning, a letter was sent via dragon hawk, stating that the Fire Lord and her Advisor had decided to take an unscheduled vacation. Fortunately, the beaches on this island were no worse than those on Ember Island. The time from sunrise to sunset was entirely devoted to Azula, while at night, I worked on creating a book. So far, it was all in my mind, but transferring it to paper would be no trouble.
Starting from simple to complex, I began incorporating not only the techniques I'd learned in this world but also added many original ones of my own. True masters wouldn't need them, as they can freely manipulate the forms and sizes of their elemental releases. But for everyone else, this would be just right, as it would develop all their chi channels.
Take, for example, one of my techniques: the firebender must create fireballs around themselves and hold them as long as possible without letting them extinguish, explode, or grow stronger. Firebenders are used to using their limbs for bending. Here, they'd have to maintain the element close to their bodies, engaging channels throughout their entire body.
While I was busy, Azula and the Chief had already met the people sent from the capital, who brought all the necessary documents. Now, these lands are called the Sun Island. In a very benevolent mood, Azula promised to send builders and other professionals to help restore the former beauty of their architecture.
"I think he likes me," Azula said excitedly, carefully holding the baby dragon in her hands. Aine had joined us on the beach, bringing Ran and Shao's son.
"Sorry, Zuko, we not only took your throne but also your dragon..." she joked, though... he seems much happier here than in the show.
Soon, we had to leave Sun Island and its inhabitants, who had grown much closer to us. Duties awaited, as the upcoming gathering of all nations would decide the future of this world. Perhaps it all sounded grand... But not when I, myself, lead the Water Tribe. The Air Nomads, too, are essentially under my leadership. Earth King Kuei knows all my plans and fully agrees with them. Azula won't interfere with my actions either. So, we'll show the world how every leader—be they King, Chief, or Lord—will set aside their long-held grudges to create a new, brighter future! In short, it's a farce... but a necessary one!