The journey to the Fire Nation Capital was practically unremarkable. Practically, because during the trip, I discovered one curious fact about Prince Lu Ten: he suffered intensely from seasickness. It was severe. He was constantly nauseous. This made it clear why Lu Ten had previously preferred traveling on foot, like a commoner, rather than riding a Komodo Rhino, an Earth Kingdom Monitor, or even just a horse, as people of higher status usually do.
The moment Lu Ten climbed aboard the ship meant to ferry us from the colonies to the Fire Nation Capital itself, he immediately prayed to every spirit he knew, and even to the Avatar… The ship had barely left the shore when Lu Ten's face turned green and he emptied the contents of his stomach overboard…
The young man had agreed to continue my training. We had nothing else to do on the voyage, but he simply couldn't. He was genuinely miserable. Even all my experience couldn't cure Lu Ten's seasickness; I only managed to slightly ease his burden on board. This, in principle, was enough for the Prince to be eternally grateful to me. In those moments when he wasn't hanging over the railings, once again emptying his stomach…
Hmm, I'd never seen him in a tank before. Now I understood why. I also learned another amusing fact about Lu Ten: on trips, the Prince usually asked to be knocked unconscious so he'd only wake up at the end of the journey. At first, I thought one of the crew members was attempting an assassination when a man crept up behind the Prince with a determined look. It turned out to be just someone who had traveled with Lu Ten before and sincerely wanted to help him—in the same way he'd helped him countless times. Now it was clear where Prince Lu Ten got his slightly eccentric habit… He must travel quite often.
In any case, the trip to the Capital was extremely "fun" for some. I, however, was mostly preoccupied with meditation and controlling my breathing. I needed to ensure the Firebending breathing style was drilled into me permanently. Ideally, to such a degree that I would use it instead of regular inhalation and exhalation even in daily life.
According to Lu Ten, the effect of the breathing practice would be far more noticeable this way. Plus, I would constantly be battle-ready. However, body habits are very difficult to overcome, even for an experienced elder like myself. At least, I am currently unable to fall asleep and wake up with the "correct breathing." But I've been doing a great job of merely dozing for some time now…
If, by some miracle, the Earth Kingdom manages to reclaim its former territories, I don't believe it will attack the Fire Nation. That would be a completely lost cause. Firstly, the sea is patrolled by a multitude of Fire Navy warships, considered the best existing vessels in the world. Secondly, even if they manage to punch through the network of ships by some miracle, the Earth Kingdom army would face a very unpleasant surprise: the Fire Nation is a state situated on an archipelago—a network of closely grouped islands. While the enemy army is seizing one island, the Fire Nation soldiers will be retaking another.
Of course, they could certainly try to "decapitate the dragon" by stripping the Fire Nation of its Capital, but that is an even more lost cause than attempting to seize all the islands of the archipelago. The seaward approaches are guarded by the best crews, and there is a time-tested defense system that simply will not allow anyone into the port.
The port itself, which can only be accessed through a bay, is also well-protected and prepared for defense. If the port is somehow overcome, the enemy will then face the port city, where several garrisons are already stationed.
Intruders cannot hope to reach the heart of the Capital, the residence of the Fire Lord. They would have to ascend the volcano to its crater, where the palace is located, across highly exposed and easily-fireable terrain. And then they would face several more garrisons, but this time, the elite of the elite.
My paranoia, honed by countless reincarnations, told me that it's best not to venture into such protected places. Usually, if it's difficult to get in, it's no less difficult to get out. But I suppressed my paranoia with meditation. What could happen to me in the Capital? Lu Ten will die in the country's most protected place, and they'll blame me for his death? It sounds absurd. Although… this is Lu Ten. I've had some time to study the Prince. Absolutely anything can happen to him.
"There she is… the Capital of my country, Long!" Lu Ten exclaimed with admiration as we almost reached the port, then slumped over the railing and… "Bwueh!"
"Well… Prince, tastes can change over time. I understand."
I had to carry the Prince down the gangplank on my back. His legs completely failed him. The welcoming delegation of soldiers and Fire Sages, the spiritual elite of the Fire Nation, didn't even raise an eyebrow. It seemed they were all accustomed to this sight. Hmm, and there was no palanquin, which a person of such high standing as Prince Lu Ten ought to be using for transport.
"Is the Prince capable of thinking clearly right now?" one of the Sages asked as he approached me. I glanced at Lu Ten, who was foolishly drooling on my shoulder. The Sage sighed heavily and hunched over. "Then we wait until Prince Lu Ten recovers. We cannot allow the common people to see a member of the royal family… like this."
*********
I was granted the honor of being housed in the Fire Lord's Palace—in a small storeroom in the very furthest corner of the structure, so as not to offend the eyes of the aristocracy, officials, Fire Sages, and other important individuals with my presence.
Once Lu Ten had recovered, he suddenly had no time for me. I couldn't even accompany the Prince as a personal bodyguard to his meetings with his grandfather, Azulon, the current Fire Lord. After all, besides me, Lu Ten had plenty of guards, elite royal guardsmen, and the best Firebenders in the entire nation right there in the palace. But I wasn't dying of boredom.
Azulon, having learned that I had saved his grandson from certain death several times, summoned me for a brief audience. During it, he asked what reward I would like for my exploits. I didn't let the opportunity pass and asked for knowledge about magic in general and Firebending in particular. Azulon immediately ordered one of the Sages present in the hall to write me a pass to the Royal Library. The reception ended there, and I was asked to leave, which I did, bowing and thanking the Fire Lord.
Unfortunately, my dreams of becoming an unrivaled Firebender by studying some ancient scroll were not meant to be. The Fire Sage who escorted me to the library informed me that I was only given access to the general sections. Knowledge accessible only to the highest military ranks, the elite aristocracy, the Royal Family, and the Fire Sages was unavailable to me.
This was disappointing. The Lightning I had been manifesting in the near future had somehow vanished from my visions. But I didn't complain about the fairness of it. With arrogant people, almost any aristocracy has a short conversation. I had no desire to test exactly how short it would be in my specific case.
In general, the library gave me far more than I initially expected. Thanks to my visits, I learned, for example, that the first teachers of fire magic were the Dragons. Unfortunately, it would be impossible to ask these creatures for a few lessons. Not so long ago, relative to the Fire Nation's entire history, one of the Fire Lords had instituted a sport of hunting and exterminating Dragons. The records in one of the scrolls claimed that the last dragon was killed by General Iroh.
I also received information that Lightning is not the only thing that true masters of Firebending are capable of at the peak of their development. Another kind of magic, Combustionbending, was fleetingly mentioned as incredibly powerful magic that could rival Lightning in destructive power. Just the prospect of mastering these kinds of bending made my inner flame grow stronger… The desire for life within me flared up.
It turned out that Firebenders are not the only ones capable of reaching heights in their element and thereby unlocking new sub-skills of their native element. I knew about Waterbenders. They quite freely play with the states of water. Though they mostly turn water into ice rather than steam. I suppose that's easier for them. I also knew enough about Earthbenders. The instructors told me a lot during my basic training course. A lot, but apparently not everything. I didn't know, for example, that Earthbending could evolve into the terrifying, according to ancient legends, art of Lavabending. I also didn't know that some Airbenders could fly through the sky without additional equipment.
But the most valuable information I obtained in the library, in my opinion, was a scroll containing nearly all the Firebending techniques, which described in considerable detail how to master one technique or another. And the most promising of all the techniques I found was Heat Redirection.
Long ago, Firebenders used it to extinguish volcanoes. It is this technique that makes life on the archipelago possible at all. If Firebenders hadn't mastered it, the islands would simply be uninhabitable due to constantly erupting volcanoes.
It seemed that this scroll was left in the general section purely by accident. That's how valuable it felt to me.
And yes. Chi-based practices that are not Bending as I had become accustomed to do exist in this world. This, too, became known thanks to the library.
*********
Though Lu Ten was extremely busy at the Fire Lord's command center, where the current situation on the front lines was being discussed—and where he spoke on behalf of his father, General Iroh—he still found a little time to dedicate to me.
For instance, he'd show me the Capital city or introduce me to his close friends and some relatives. His friends were mainly simple soldiers, not aristocrats, although he introduced me to them from time to time as well. And I wasn't particularly opposed. Useful connections for the future.
"You have to forgive me, Long," Lu Ten smiled awkwardly as he showed me the garden near the Fire Sages' Temple. "I know I invited you along to have fun, but instead you're sitting in the library, and I'm speaking before our army's Generals at the request of my father and my grand—the Fire Lord."
"It's nothing, Prince, I understand. Especially since I have plenty to keep myself busy," and that was true.
After a series of sparring matches with them, the local elite guardsmen allowed me to be present and train in the same group. I shouldn't miss the chance to train with some of the best Firebenders in the nation.
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