Chapter 124. Continuation.
*Van. The Fire Lord's Palace meeting hall.*
What began as a civilized postwar assembly degenerated into utter chaos within a mere fifteen minutes—loud voices, shouting, and even a few colorful curses I'm pretty sure I heard. The contrast with the pre-war meetings was staggering, all because new faces now occupied some seats. Despite my efforts to minimize losses, many high-ranking officials had perished. At Fire Lord Azula's initiative, their places were filled by young talents with less rigid minds.
The source of the dispute? The Earth Kingdom's air forces. The aerial strikes they demonstrated had left a profound impression on everyone present. Imaginations ran wild, conjuring grim images of the Fire Nation's islands consumed by their own element—engulfed in flames and shattered by explosions. Given their years-long war against the Earth Kingdom's forces, doubts were scarce.
"Kid, you still have milk on your lips!" one of the oldest assembly members spat, nearly frothing at the mouth. "With such power, they'll launch a full-scale invasion! If I were in the Earth Kingdom's leadership, I'd do the same... First, our colonies will crumble, then our homeland! We must strike first while we still can!" He slashed the air with his hand, as if demonstrating the necessary action.
"With all due respect, General," the leader of the youth faction calmly interjected, his nerves frayed but his tone measured. Lacking the authority for sharper words, he was, by my knowledge, the top military academy graduate in a decade and the author of a book outlining his vision for the nation's future. He had every right to be here. "Such aggression will only escalate the conflict. Despite our strained relations, the new Earth King showed generosity by sending his air forces to aid us. We must accept that our people's hegemony is no longer in question—it's history. Many disliked his blunt words, but they couldn't deny his logic.
"Continue," I murmured, my voice carrying like a command. My demonstrated strength against the Sages had elevated my authority to its peak. Despite our advanced technology and rich culture, the Fire Nation still revered the Cult of Strength.
"Yes," he bowed to me. "We must face reality and preserve as many colonies as possible. Let's not forget where most of our islands' resources come from."
As he spoke, I turned to Azula. Propping her head on her hand, she stared intently at a spot on the wall, her golden eyes piercing. Had I not known her well, I'd have thought she was deep in thought. In truth, she was clearly bored. We'd already discussed our next steps, but the assembly was called in case someone offered valuable insights.
Beside Azula, Mai made no effort to hide her disinterest, obsessively tending to her nails. She was here solely as Azula's close friend and part of her entourage, lacking the achievements for independent high-circle entry. Another colorful character stood out even more... Ty Lee had fallen asleep within the first minute of the assembly, during the participant roll call, and despite the noise, she slept soundly.