The desert with great opportunities

The workshop was where the mechanist would conduct experiments and tests with new inventions and prototypes.

Zuko had spent the last days brainstorming and conducting experiments alongside the mechanist in his workshop, about every invention he was capable of explaining with his almost superficial knowledge about his past life technologies.

His empire had the resources, and eventually metal and lightning benders.

And perhaps some lava benders, depending on his luck.

He still wanted to check if there was a feasible way of integrating omashu's delivery system.

Potential energy from gravity was even more desirable for those simple matters than electricity or combustible.

When he got his hands on some water benders, he could reproduce many complex hydraulics-based structures that the Northern water tribe had in their city.

Not to mention water bending-powered submarines.

But just by having the machinist listen to his "ideas", Zuko was confident that with time nothing was beyond his reach.

The man was basically the original Varric.

With the man's blueprints and flying prototypes, Zuko had requested a wingsuit adaptation to his armor.

His apparatus to keep track of time was a welcome addition that wouldn't take time nor resources to integrate to his empire.

Currently, the primary form of long-distance communication was by sending a messenger bird carrying notes to and from the point of interest.

Many people had personal messenger birds that could send messages to faraway locations at a relatively fast pace.

However, this form of communication was not failproof, as the birds did not always reach their destination.

Zuko had been desiring to lead advances in technology to introduce telegraphy, which would revolutionized long-distance communication.

People living miles away from the broadcaster could receive messages instantaneously and partake in a conversation.

When technology became accessible to many people as a personal radio, this type of broadcasting would make it easy for small groups of people to communicate a message to a larger number of people in a region.

Aside from telegraphy, other innovative inventions would be made in communication, such as the microphone and megaphone.

Or motion picture projectors and cameras.

Perhaps he might even consider introducing telephones.

But that was still a maybe for now.

Just like an automated printing press, Zuko was seriously considering making it top classified technology for his empire.

By the way…

Since steam-powered machines had already been introduced, in the form of steam-powered trains, it wouldn't be a stretch to push it to make his own automobile.

All of that would allow a faster way to move from place to place, traffic goods or supplies, and combat crime.

However, his ultimate goal was to copy Varrick's invention, the magnetic rail line. It would increase the traveling speed of trains exponentially, allowing for expedient cross-continental travel.

"Fascinating ideas my emperor!" Remarked the mechanist in a deep tone of respect and admiration. "I certainly wouldn't have thought about so many possibilities!"

"I'm thankful for the compliment, but interesting ideas on paper aren't the same as successful applications." Zuko pondered deep in thought.

"You have my word that if they are possible, I will deliver to you functional prototypes as soon as possible." The man stated with complete confidence. "I'm just about done with the war balloons, with the position you've assigned me, I will dedicate myself wholeheartedly to turn your ideas into reality."

Zuko nodded. "That's all I ask." He placed a hand over the man's shoulder. "But for now, spend some time with your son during your journey to the capital."

The mechanist bowed as Zuko left his work shop.

During those past days, several units of his soldiers had arrived to settle the necessary machinery to extract the natural gas.

June's Shirshu was extremely helpful in locating every single leak around the mountain without having to use the "rotten egg idea".

Speaking of his newest concubine.

Zuko entered his bedchamber and found a bowing Suki and a brooding June facing the window, probably contemplating the great view that such altitude provided.

"Welcome back." Said Suki while June scowled.

Zuko raised Suki with a finger under her chin and kissed her forehead. "It's so nice to see that my beloved wives have behaved during my absence."

Suki was still incapable of not blushing whenever he praised her, but he loved that in her.

As Zuko walked past Suki towards his bath, June's metallic shackles forced her to approach him.

Ignoring June's resistance, the metal pieces around her wrists and ankles brought her to her knees close to the bath tube.

While Zuko removed his clothes, the room's temperature began rising slightly. "My dear June, I would love it if you washed my back for me. Honestly, the past few days have been more taxing than I had anticipated."

June's cold stare ended as soon as he took off his pants.

The woman wasn't the type that blushed to situations like this, instead, she knew how to use her assets to manipulate others.

Unfortunately for her, Zuko was too much for her to handle.

Even without his bending, he had multiple times dominated her.

Some kind of cursed technique that paralyzed similar to a Shirshu's tongue.

She could still feel his fingerprints marked on her butt.

He really enjoyed having his way with her ass.

But the badass bounty hunter hasn't been broken yet. She will find a way to make him pay.

Him and his pathetic slave that insisted to befriend her.

For now, she had to wash her "husband's back".

Soon after taking her clothes off, Zuko turned to face her. "By Agni, you are very sexy June!"

The woman grinds her teeth but quickly recovers. "The master is very generous."

As she began to enter the bath tube, she flinched a little due to it being very warm.

"Don't worry, I'm heating it with my bending." Zuko smiled charismatically. "Come, seat on my lap. Let me wash your back first."

After subtly glimpsing at Suki, he noticed that the girl was just as red as the time he fucked Ursa in front of her.

But this time he won't be inviting her.

Zuko really wanted to appreciate June's pale skin and bubbly butt.

However, as soon as they heard a knock on the door, both girls flinched simultaneously.

"Suki, be a darling and answer the door for me." Zuko requested while pulling June back down on his chest.

Not daring to disobey, Suki rushed for the door.

This time, no one entered without being allowed. Instead, Suki met her friend Ty Lee.

"Ty Lee?" Suki Asked. "Is everything alright?"

The cheerful girl replied with a wide smile. "Of course Suki. I've just come to spend some time with Zuko. You know, I've heard that he was finally free from working."

"Eh… you see, as a matter of fact he has just returned." Suki stumbles at finding some way of explaining the situation. "But he's currently taking a bath."

"Oh! That's excellent! I've always wanted to take a peak." She giggled.

"Ah...I'm afraid…" Suki began only to be interrupted by a third voice.

"Move it slave girl."

It was Mai.

"It's okay." Ty Lee winked at Suki. "I'm sure Zuko won't mind us."

"But…" Suki tried to argue, but Mai pushed her to the side.

When both Mai and Ty Lee entered, they witnessed Zuko playing with June's tits while kissing her neck from behind as she groaned in pleasure.

That was exactly the situation that Suki had been fearing would eventually happen.

But instead of stopping his making out session on the bathtub out of embarrassment, Zuko simply turned his head without releasing June's nipples. "Hey girls! I'm a little busy at the moment." He removed one hand from June and gestured for them. "Are you interested in joining us? I'm sure June here won't mind."

He gently bit her shoulder, and she let out a shriek of pleasure.

"I can't believe you are actually fucking with the woman that had just recently attempted to kidnap and kill you." Mai facepalmed.

"For beautiful ladies I'm in favor of letting bygones be bygones." He chuckled and began whispering something in June's ear.

The goth woman's brain seemed to melt as she began making an ahegao face.

Ty Lee smiled and proceeded to strip her clothes off. "I don't really mind it, as long as I'm not left out."

Mai pondered for a moment before shrugging her shoulders. "I guess this is a way of not getting bored." She followed Ty Lee's example and approached Zuko after taking off her holster of weapons, only to grab his head and kiss him passionately.

"Hey Suki! Aren't you going to join us?" Ty Lee asked before entering the bathtub.

Before she had the chance to reply, Zuko teased her. "C'mon Suki! There are plenty of girls for you this time."

Ty Lee noticed his teasing tone and covered her mouth in fake surprise. "Don't tell me… so you really swing that way?"

"What were you expecting? I've heard that there were no men on her island." Mai said dismissively.

Thanks to Zuko's gentle lightning and his warm words, the only thing that June could do at the moment was moaning in ecstasy.

"I-I like master's dick!" Suki stated completely flustered before noticing her slip.

Zuko got up and picked June over his shoulder. "Then it's settled! This bathtub is too small for the five of us. Let's have our fun in my bed."

And so he conducted both Ty Lee and Mai to his large bed. "Come my dear, you've been such a good girl, you deserve a reward."

As he had Ty Lee and Mai trailed kisses over his neck and shoulders, Zuko sat at his bed's edge and displayed his dick for Suki. "C'mon Suki, I'm waiting for you."

At the beginning, the leader of the Kyoshi warriors almost fainted. When she thought that her master would get impatient, she noticed his attention was now in kissing Mai and Ty Lee.

Suki stared at his member for a few moments, watching as it got harder and harder.

The unagi bullied her with its size.

Strangely, ever since Zuko had taken June as his second concubine, Suki began feeling left out.

She knew she should be thankful for not having to be alone with Zuko during the nights. That someone else would be keeping him busy enough so he wouldn't need to have her.

But recently she began catching herself day dreaming about him.

About his muscular body, his handsome face… and his large package.

She was taken out of her thoughts when she noticed Zuko's dick pressing over her face.

It seems that without noticing, she had been slowly approaching Zuko's crotch.

Before she had the chance to back off, she felt his hands wrapping around her head.

The moment she opened her mouth to say something, he pulled her balls deep as she deepthroated him.

Her resistance only provided another chance for him to pull her head all the way back at his crotch.

Suki gagged loudly, but only after using all her strength did she manage to warn Zuko to release her head.

Not that it seemed to have disturbed his tongue kissing with Mei.

As Suki recovered her breath, she noticed that she had left a lipstick mark around Zuko's dick. What shocked her was that she hadn't reached as far as she thought she had.

"Wow, you really like his dick." Remarked Ty Lee besides her. "Let's see how far I can go."

Suddenly Ty Lee kissed Suki.

As the ex-leader of the Kyoshi Warriors recovered from the surprise, she noticed that Ty Lee only wanted to take a little of her lipstick directly from her mouth.

"Wish me luck." Said the acrobatic girl after confirming she had successfully taken some of Suki's lipstick.

And after that, she began sucking Zuko's cock, easily breaking Suki's record.

As the temperature of the room continued rising, the girls' awareness began fading.

Mai was becoming bolder, as she eventually sat over Zuko's lap and continued kissing him, not caring for the times that Ty Lee licked her pussy.

June finally joined them and began fighting with Mai for who would be kissing Zuko more passionately.

The night took a weird turn after that, Suki had a hard time remembering everything that had happened after that.

She remembered remarking how fit and flexible Ty Lee was, how similar Mai and June fought for Zuko's cock and how voracious Zuko fucked them.

And the following morning, she woke up with a strange taste in her mouth and feeling her ass terribly sore for some reason.

Not to mention that she woke up naked under Zuko's blankets, alongside June and Mai that were hugging one another and with Ty Lee upside down besides her.

Suki thought she had been the first to wake up, but she didn't find Zuko anywhere in the room.

She wanted to get up and clean herself for the day, but she noticed she had no strength to get out of bed.

—————————————————————

After a day of rest for his girls, Zuko informed them that he would be passing by somewhere before returning to the capital.

But they would be going ahead without him.

As for where Zuko would be heading...

The Si Wong Desert, an arid region located in the central Earth Kingdom.

It is the largest, driest, and hottest desert on Earth, and due to its extreme climate, the region is almost impossible to successfully cross.

The desert is sparsely populated by Si Wong tribes and beetle-headed merchants.

Otherwise known as the "Desert of the Dead", the Si Wong Desert consisted of miles of barren sand.

Only a select few are mentally and physically capable of surviving in this desert for an extended period of time, let alone navigating through it.

However, certain desert-dwelling peoples, such as the sandbenders and the beetle-headed merchants, have successfully adapted to the environment.

Nevertheless, even they can find themselves victims to common habitual afflictions such as starvation, dehydration, and skin cancer.

The desert's ecosystem primarily consists of hallucinogenic cacti, a few scavenger species such as the gilacorn, and the predatory buzzard wasps.

It is also home to a large sand shark, which is known to attack people and their ships.

Some of its major locations are The Si Wong Rock. A gigantic geological formation that rises from the center of the rolling dunes of the Si Wong Desert, looming imposingly over the landscape.

Considering its flat, barren surroundings, the rock appeared supernaturally out of place for those that sighted it.

Ancient sandbender lore tells that the formation was dropped from the heavens by the gods as a demonstration of their great power and anger when human inhabitants had stopped abiding by the rules of their priests.

Regardless of its true origin, the rock is the only notable landscape feature of the barren desert, and is thus used as a guidepost by the sandbenders or any others who traverse through the region.

In addition to being a visual landmark, the rock is also composed of a metallic ore that gives it magnetic qualities, allowing the sandbenders to create compasses that work throughout the desert, giving them their location in relation to the rock.

The rock contains a large hive home to a colony of carnivorous buzzard wasps, who are known to immediately defend their home against anyone who disturbs it.

And that would be the perfect place to settle a stronghold.

Thankfully, the war balloon seemed to be much more fitting to traverse the desert than Aang's flying bison.

Not only did it never get tired, but by being equipped with a compass that pointed the shortest path towards the rock.

With many other war balloons bringing multiple units of his army, even without him being here, he was confident that his fire benders were capable of taking care of the buzzard wasps.

But his presence would save time and avoid unnecessary losses for him.

As his flying vehicle led ahead, Zuko was the first to sight the "rock".

When Zuko got close enough, he began charging his black flames for some instants. When he released it, his already large blast of fire increased by a hundredfold in size.

An inferno of black flames rained down over the colony.

Regardless if the desert was already considered the hottest of the world, after Zuko's wave of black flames engulfed the massive rock, the temperature of the environment rose significantly.

If not for his great control over his power, Zuko's brand new collection of war balloons would have fallen from the sky uncontrollably.

As of now, the only thing affected by it was the colony of giant carnivore insects.

They screeched in agony as the black flames quickly turned everything it touched into ashes.

The occasional flying beast that somehow managed to escape their deaths on the ground, got swiftly blown out of existence every time Zuko shot a combustion blast at them from one of his palms.

It was like killing flies with bazookas.

But with the precision of a sniper.

It almost made him feel pity for the giant bugs.

…

Almost.

Anyway, after witnessing the massive black inferno taking care of Si Wong Rock, Zuko only had to snap his fingers and it all vanished.

The soldiers sharing his war balloons, including Han'i, were staring at him in complete awe.

Not only did Zuko show a fire bending attack that only tales of Sozin's comet had ever come close to describing, but from what they could see, Zuko could simply order his own flames to extinguish itself.

Regardless if it had reached ludicrous proportions.

After a single snap of his fingers, the black inferno was no more.

When Zuko ordered for his soldiers to hold and fortify the position he had just secured, some were unsure of how they would maintain a stronghold surrounded by nothing but the world's most inhospitable desert.

But something they weren't counting on was the curious after effect of Zuko's black flames.

The soldiers had just finished setting camp when they heard rumble coming from above.

Some were about to believe in the tale that the rock was a warning from the spirits, when thunder crackled everywhere around them as they began noticing that rain was upon them.

Not to mention the strong winds that began blowing towards their direction, turning the previously clean skies into a storming agglomeration of clouds

This pluvial volume was definitely unusual for the desert.

As the soldiers worked to arrange ways to store water from the rare event, Zuko conjured up a considerable amount of blue flames that propelled him up in the air.

As he landed over the top of the rock, he manifested a wall of bright white flames that instantly froze all the water that fell into it.

Not much time later, as Zuko finally dismissed his fire, in its place stood a giant glacier in the shape of a massive blaze.

The soldiers were incapable of believing in what their eyes were telling them.

Fire that could freeze water?

They certainly were hallucinating thanks to how hars the desert environment was, even for fire benders.

But as the glacier continued to stand its ground, they were forced to acknowledge the strange reality.

It seems that it was one thing to witness their emperor shoot giant bugs out of the sky with explosions, but to comprehend that he had a fire that could freeze, Zuko must really be blessed by Agni.

And their stronghold had a symbol to signal their empire's might.

A glacier in the middle of the desert.

But despite having ensured that there wouldn't be shortage of water resources, given the rocky nature of the ground, natural resources would've been scarce.

That's where his lava bending came in handy, since using his black flames would've killed any form of life it came in contact.

By projecting large pools of lava and mixing it with basic water bending motions, Zuko had made rock solid areas turn into fertile and productive soil after cooling down its temperature.

As war ships would continue to stack the stronghold, it wouldn't take long before the base had its own functional crop and fully supplied storehouse.

This post would make exploring and conquering the desert much easier.

—————————————————————

While his soldiers proceeded to make camp on the rock, Zuko rode his personal war balloons towards the Misty Palms Oasis, a small town on the southwest edge of the desert.

The oasis just before the Hundred Year War, at the time, had a giant mass of ice situated in the center of the cantina, and it was a natural wonder.

However, after one hundred years, the wonder ended up as a small, melting chunk of ice, and the entire place around the ice was falling apart.

Now he was sure that his stronghold was the largest ice spring of the whole desert.

But he still had plans for the Oasis.

Under Zuko's rule, the oasis would blossom into a trading center, much greater than what it became during the time of Korra.

But for now, his main reason for coming to this location was to make a deal with the locals.

And to hire the swordsman known for his expertly prepared mango beverages to his stronghold.

Anyway, from what he had studied, the beetle-headed merchants were the first people to inhabit the Si Wong Desert.

According to some documents, the beetle-like headpieces they don date back to a tradition of their ancestors, who disguised themselves as sour beetles in order to avoid being hunted by giant gilacorns which found the beetles unpalatable.

Their opportunistic streak and flexibility had made them skillful traders with easygoing personalities, and are able to see potential worth in almost anything.

So his offer was bound to peak their interest.

From his flight he noticed that their camps were spread throughout the desert, and that the Misty Palms Oasis served as their main base for trade affairs.

Through their means of transportation, the giant rhinoceros beetles, they fly their red and black flag proudly.

As for the sand benders…

The Si Wong tribes had settled in the Si Wong Desert some time after the beetle-headed merchants, though they have now become the predominant ethnic group of the region.

Thanks to the desert's inaccessibility, the Earth Kingdom's government never managed to fully subdue these tribes.

Also known as the Si Wong people, were divided into several loosely-organized tribes such as the Hami Tribe.

The tribes are notable for their special style of earthbending that involves bending loose sand instead of solid earth, and have adapted to their hostile and barren homeland by becoming nomads, raiders, and scavengers.

Due to their living in the sun-drenched Si Wong Desert, skin cancer was a common ailment among the Si Wong tribes.

As a result, they are traditionally clad in multiple layers of clothing and used special goggles to protect themselves from the sun.

They use boat-like vehicles known as sand-sailers to travel across the land, which they powered by earthbending a sand tornado to blow wind into the sails.

The people of the Si Wong tribes are distrustful of any strangers, and make a habit of stealing from them, most notably that guy Ghashiun who had stolen Appa during canon alongside his allies.

However, they weren't completely clueless to manners, if a sandbender has wronged a foreigner, he or she must show the victim hospitality.

They bear a distinct resemblance in dress and culture to the real-life Tuareg people, who inhabit the Saharan interior of North Africa.

Or, for those familiarized, to the Tusken Raiders from Star Wars, who are less formally referred to as "Sand People".

Expectedly, Zuko's revolutionary vehicle had grabbed everyone's attention as he descended from the skies and landed at the oasis's border.

He ordered Han'i and the other soldiers to guard his balloon and began making his way towards the oasis while seeing the small chunk of ice marking the center of the town.

Zuko wanted to make some deals before heading to Gaoling, where he had received information of Zhao's capture.

Inspecting the area, he noticed multiple men fully covered in cloths and a couple of men wearing beetle-like headpieces.

They all watched as Zuko made his was into the center of the town.

"Hey young master." On of the merchants approached him. "That's quite the marvelous transportation method you have for yourself. My associate and I are very interested to see if you are open to trade it."

"Curious." Zuko turned to face both men with a smile and said. "As a matter of fact, I've come to make a deal with your people."

Both men raised their eyebrows in curiosity. "And what sort of deal have you come to propose?"

"The profitable one." He pointed with a smirk.

"Please, let's make business inside." The other merchant suggested while gesturing with his arm towards the close building.

Zuko simply nodded and followed them.

After making his way inside, he requested a cold beverage and payed for it.

"Eh, sir! I believe you paid extra." The bartender stated, showing some level of integrity.

"I'm well aware." Zuko said without turning to look back.

As the other merchants noticed that Zuko had no shortage of money, they shifted their way of looking at the young emperor.

Either he was just a rich kid spending without much care, or someone with an unordinary background that had great ambitions.

"Well, so mister…" One of the merchants began saying but noticed he didn't know how to address him.

"Oh, you can call me Zuko." He started before sipping at his drink. "And I've come to hire your kind to work for me."

"Work for you?" The other man asked unsure. "Mister Zuko, are you aware that my people are actually merchants?"

"Of course I am." He stated not really caring if the man was doubting him. "You see, my empire is on the verge of expanding its size. I've decided that this desert is a worthy section of land that requires my attention if I desire to take the rest of the earth kingdom."

"You mean…" The first merchant said. "You are an emperor?"

"Precisely." Zuko nodded. "And I've just recently taken The Rock as my first property in the region."

"You can't possibly be referring to those vicious buzzard hornets' nests. What value a place infested with those giants insects would have to you?" The second merchant questioned.

"Well, it's well positioned and provides decent elevated ground for the construction of a stronghold." Zuko pointed. "Besides, with multiple vehicles just like you saw me arriving in this town, I've cleansed The Rock from its undesirable guests."

"I will only believe after seeing it with my eyes." The second merchant stated incredulously.

"Excellent, I was counting on that." Zuko smiled after finishing his drink. "I want to hire your people to aid my soldiers with setting trade routes around the desert."

"I see, if that's really the case, then I believe we would be glad to accept your offer." The first merchant pointed. "If what you say proves to be true."

"Glad that it's settled." Zuko stated before placing a heavy bag of coins over the bed. "Consider this your payment in advance."

"We are grateful for your trust in us." Stated both merchants.

"Of course, if you follow your end of the deal, there's plenty more of this for your kind. You will find that my empire will even be capable of providing consumable goods of high quality." The young emperor announced as he got up and gestured to leave. "Perhaps we might even negotiate some of my balloons. I'm sure there are some hidden treasures lost in this desert that only I will be inclined to pay a generous price for."

He didn't need to negotiate any longer, both merchants' wide eyes and surprised expressions were proof enough that they would do as he had requested.

Before leaving the building, he made an irrefutable offer to the bartender as he complimented the drink.

After that he had to make a deal with the sand benders.

But he didn't need them for trade purposes.

When the adequate time comes, he will begin recruiting every sand bender inhabiting this desert.

—————————————————————

(25/12/2020)

*Hope this chapter is of your liking. Anything you wish to ask, feel free to do so.

Thanks as always for your attention and please be safe.

Any problems with my writing, just point them out and I will correct them as soon as possible.

** Please don't hesitate to tell me if the quality is dropping. I really wish to continue trying to update fast, but I don't want to make it reflect badly on my writing.

*** Apologies for the delay, the preparation for coming festivities are taking a toll on my time schedule.

**** Merry Christmas!!!!