The golden rays of morning filtered through the windows of the Fire Nation High Command, casting a regal glow over the war room. Admiral Lung stood tall, arms crossed behind his back, overlooking a map of the world spread across the table. Yet his mind was far from topics at hand. His thoughts, as they often were these days, were with his son.
In all the Fire Nation, perhaps in all the world, Admiral Lung felt he was the luckiest and proudest man alive. His son, Tai Lung, had turned out to be beyond exceptional…no, beyond anything the Fire Nation had ever seen. A prodigy among prodigies. At only twelve years old, Tai had defeated the Fire Lord, one of the strongest bending grandmasters in the entire nation. And it wasn't a desperate victory, nor was it hard-fought, it was one-sided. Flawless Victory.
Still, even pride had its limits, and Admiral Lung knew the dangers of keeping someone like Tai Lung too close to the political heart of the Fire Nation. The capital was full of ambitious and jealous eyes. So he had sent his son away, on a ship, under the pretense of a global journey to broaden his horizons and participate in the war effort. That much was true, but there was more to it. It would allow Tai to grow, to gain the respect and merit he deserved from every corner of the world, and more importantly, to avoid the internal strife that could have one day seen him killing his own countrymen or being turned into a pawn by lesser minds.
To ensure Tai wouldn't face those challenges alone, Admiral Lung had appointed Han as vice-captain and advisor, an experienced and loyal soldier and friend who had served along him and under him for many years. The admiral trusted Han with his son's life, and he had instructed him to send regular reports about Tai Lung's condition, progress, and decisions.
And the letters… the letters had painted a portrait that surpassed even the admiral's lofty expectations.
Between the letters from Tai himself, Han's careful updates, and the formal reports from Fire Nation outposts, the picture was clear. Tai Lung was carrying himself not only with power but with dignity and honor. He punished lawbreakers among their ranks, spoke out against injustice even when it put him at odds with other officers, and never hesitated to help those in need, citizens and soldiers alike. Some on the Fire Lord's council scoffed at his conduct, calling it foolish idealism. But they were powerless to stop him. Because Tai Lung's actions upheld the honor of the Fire Nation, an ideal those same council members merely paid lip service to.
Admiral Lung's gaze drifted across the room toward the Fire Lord, seated a short distance away at the council table. Even now, Admiral Lung could not look at him without remembering that disgraceful Agni Kai. Since that day, the Fire Lord had lost much of his former prestige. His long, signature hair, once a symbol of strength and lineage, had been shorn as tradition dictated for the loser of an Agni Kai. Now, two years later, his dark hair has barely reached his shoulders. The humiliation was permanent. Were it not for General Iroh's firm refusal to claim the throne, Ozai's rule of the Fire Nation would have shattered under the weight of that shame.
Admiral Lung didn't gloat, but neither did he pity the man. He had brought it on himself.
Admiral Lung turned back toward the map, thoughts of Tai rising once more. The reports of his son's achievements had grown in number and significance. Though Tai had yet to see the front lines, his name carried weight now. He had defeated pirates, destroyed Southern Water Tribe raiders, dismantled rogue earthbender groups masquerading as freedom fighters, and protected Fire Nation merchants and colonies wherever he went. Wherever Tai Lung stepped, order followed. Peace was restored. Problems were solved.
And with each new tale of triumph, Admiral Lung saw the looks from the other officers and council members. Their pride was painted thinly over a layer of envy. They smiled and offered congratulations, but the gleam in their eyes told another story. Tai Lung was his son, and no one could take that from him.
He thought of Prince Zuko, who had only just begun attending these meetings, still fumbling through the formalities. In contrast, his son had already amassed more merit than captains who had served for decades. The difference was stark. And it was undeniable.
Admiral Lung let a small smile cross his usually stoic features. [Let them envy. Let the world watch. My son was coming, and greatness followed him like a shadow.]
As Admiral Lung was still savoring the thought of his son's soaring reputation, the heavy doors of the council chamber creaked open.
A messenger stepped forward, his armor stained with dust from travel, his breathing quick but controlled. "My Lords," he said, bowing low, "news from the Zaofu front."
Admiral Lung straightened slightly. Zaofu? That was the latest major maneuver, ten thousand Fire Nation soldiers had been sent through the treacherous Zaofu Mountain Range in a bold attempt to reach and strike Omashu from an unexpected angle. The plan had been daring, even brilliant, on paper. But something in the messenger's tone made the admiral 's stomach tighten.
The young man continued. "General Chen led the assault force into the mountains… but there he was ambushed by King Bumi and three thousand earthbenders. The mountains themselves were turned against us. The tops collapsed, entire cliffs brought down upon our men. Nearly half the army was either killed outright. The remaining five thousand, many of them wounded, are now trapped. Encircled. King Bumi decided… to take his time. He planned to slowly kill them out without risking his own forces."
Gasps and murmurs filled the room. Faces hardened, jaws clenched. This was a staggering loss.
Then, with a roar of flame, the fire curtain in front of the Fire Lord surged upward, roaring into the ceiling. His fury was palpable. "Speak," the Fire Lord ordered, voice razor-sharp. "There is more."
The messenger bowed lower. "Yes, my Lord. General Shinu believed King Bumi would not stop at that. He has requested reinforcements be sent to defend the coastal fortress. He believes Bumi will seize the opportunity and strike them once he eliminates General Chen."
Nods of agreement came from several council members. Admiral Lung remained silent as he thought about it. It was a calculated, cautious move. Reinforce the fortress. Abandon the soldiers. A cost-of-war decision. Strategic. Cold. Expected.
But the messenger's face twitched as he continued, and Admiral Lung felt a chill.
"Captain Tai Lung's ship arrived at the fortress during this time," the messenger said. "General Shinu ordered him to assist in defending the fortress." He hesitated, then added, "Captain Lung disagreed."
There was a pause.
"Disagreed?" someone murmured.
The messenger swallowed. "He refused the order… and attacked General Shinu. He imprisoned the general in a cell beneath the fortress."
Silence fell. Complete and deafening.
A captain attacking and imprisoning a general?
Admiral Lung's brow furrowed, a flicker of disbelief crossing even his face. It was unprecedented. Never in the Fire Nation's long, disciplined history had such a thing occurred.
The fire curtain exploded again, more violently this time, as several ministers stood in protest. "Treason!" one cried. "Mutiny!" said another. Outrage echoed across the room like thunder.
But Admiral Lung raised a hand, his voice calm but cold as steel. "Enough," he said. "Continue. What happened next?"
The messenger blinked but obeyed. "Captain Lung took five hundred soldiers and led a mission into the mountains. He moved quickly… decisively. And he succeeded. He saved most of the trapped troops, striking hard at the enemy forces. In the process, hundreds of earthbenders were killed and… Captain Tai Lung heavily injured King Bumi. He nearly killed him."
A hush swept across the room once again.
Eyes widened. Whispers started and died in the throats of generals and lords alike.
"Heavily injured King Bumi?" one minister breathed.
The messenger nodded. "Yes. But during the battle, Captain Lung struck a deal. To secure safe withdrawal and ensure the lives of our soldiers, he agreed to spare King Bumi's life and promised the enemy that he will never participate in another attack against Omashu personally."
The audience were stunned into silence.
Admiral Lung himself felt a complicated mix of awe and disbelief. A promise made in battle? Sparing the legendary king? And in the face of impossible odds, he had saved thousands.
After a moment of silence, General Iroh who had been listening spoke up with a warm yet commanding voice "Is there anything else?"
The messenger nodded. "Yes, General. Captain Lung is refusing to release General Shinu. He has requested the general be tried for treason."
A third wave of silence slammed into the chamber.
First, he struck a general. Then, he jailed him. Now, he wanted him tried.
A captain doing all this? The audacity alone was unbelievable. But then, one by one, the council members recalled another memory, one not so long ago, of a twelve-year-old boy humiliating the Fire Lord in Agni Kai, unshaken by status or consequence.
Suddenly, none of it felt out of place.
It was simply Tai Lung.