Temp home

The two guys had led us to where we would be staying. Hio's explanation of the two men were helpful, but not really all descriptive. He told me basically if they were executioners like I had guess they were part of a really secretive sector of the fire nation military made up of mostly criminals. Each of the criminals are basically pardoned for their crimes as long as they serve the time they would've spent in jail. The only real negative of that deal is the secret ritual that they take part in to learn a special fire bending.

The ritual wasn't really documented and what Hio knew it was basically describe as torture. The Fire priest that Hio learned from told him that the executioner's were untrustworthy. I figured this was because the fire priest had become loyal to the fire lord over the course of the war, while the executioners possibly aren't. Though that didn't make much since because who would they be loyal to then? The Avatar? That wouldn't make sense, maybe they were a little like the Dai Lee? I just had no idea. It could be that the executioners and fire priests just weren't on good terms or something.

I sat down on a long chair bench thing. It was one of those chairs that had pillows, but no rear guard. It seemed I was sharing a room with both Hio and the other guy. Alexia and the other girl had a different room. Lime had been sort of brought along, but they didn't allow me to bring him into the room with the beds so he had stayed with me on next to the couch thing.

"Is he just gonna sleep out here?"

"Yeah I am, and he can hear you mister extra."

"My name is Tamlin."

"OooOoOO Look at you! I'm tired now fuck off."

"Night Orin, Tamlin there's just more blankets and pillows for you in the other room then."

"Yeah...goodnight."

Hio and the other guy Tamlin entered the bedroom to sleep. Lime was brought over to this building before we would escorted here. So Lime was already more or less curled up. Which meant I was free to get up once everything was quiet.

Sneaking out would be simple enough. I was a little rude to Tamlin, but getting him out of the way faster was important for this. I took only a few minutes until I got up and walked out the front door. It was time for some late night adventuring.

Taking a few steps from the door I nearly jumped out of my clothes as someone grabbed my shoulder. I turned to see well the mute executioner. He passed a note to me and started walking.

The note read: Follow me, let's talk.

So I followed, "I gotta ask how are we gonna talk if you are mute?" He took out another note, reading it I got my answer it seemed he had a few notes prepared for certain questions. While having a note pad to write new answer.

"So where are we going?"

With another note he answered: A small restaurant, I'm hungry.

"Can you taste without a tongue." He shrugged and shook his head negative. "So then..."

He gave another note: We are executioner's yes, and I have a few questions for you. So let's trade some information.

"Oh sure..." With some silent walking we ended up at a small sit down tea cafe.

A woman walked over and set down some cups. "Would you like your regular Shai?" He nodded and the woman left to grab a tea kettle. He took out the note pad and wrote his first question to me.

"You want to know my plans?" He nodded, he motioned a hand while the women poured us two cups of tea and put down to bowls of roasted duck. He stopped and wrote another note: your plans relating the royal family.

"You aren't gonna kill me are you?"

He rolled his eyes and made another note: pass me the notes you currently have so I can burn them and I'll explain.

So I did passing the notes back, and he burned them away with a seemingly light-less fire. He wrote a long note: First the executioner's learn a type of fire bending that excludes the senses. The idea came from the founder of the Inquisition. The man was badly burned and due to his injuries he had become Blind, Deaf and Mute.

I could only imagine the disfigurement the guy must've had... continue with his note it went on. The firebending he taught others later became known as Black Sun Fire bending. Its kept a long secret that on a day of an eclipse fire bender's lose their fire bending. Thus our founder who learned to see the world through fire had only one day he was ever blind to the world. The day of the Black Sun, so in twist he named the firebending art in such a way.

I was a little mind boggled as I remember that I had that inside my list of bending styles. It had only question mark, but I was start to get why. He burned the note when I finished and took a sip of his tea and ate some duck. After that he wrote more.

The Inquisition had taken notice that you have the aptitude to learn this bending style. Before you ask, I am considered the most normal of our group hence why I am your contact for this. Second you don't need to lose one of your senses to learn it its just a part of the inquisitions specific style too. It won't be as effective for you compared to us, but you will likely do fine. Final one is that we will only teach you this if you join us.

Looking up at him i was a little, Stunned? No flabbergasted? Either I had insane luck or I was going insane. I went with lucky though since I had no idea that this would have even happened if not for a string of fucking coincidences. I mean I only acquired the bending style within my status due to reading the scrolls Zhao had taken from spirit library. Which was in itself like some other form of luck.

"What do you mean join you?"

He burned the note and wrote a new one: The current fire lord ascended through dirty methods. The Inquisition failed our duty as well because of this. This means all current members are unable to ever achieve full pardon now. Unless a new fire lord were to ascend one that does not murder their father, banish their child, and kill the rightful heir's only son..

I looked at him as I had just learned Iroh's son was killed by Ozai or at least someone who worked for him. Which was even more fucked up then the shit I already knew he had done to take the throne. Since Iroh a man who already didn't really care for the throne had one of the few things he truly loved taken from him. "U-Understandable..."

He wrote more...Now it due to circumstances the heir of the fire lord is up in the air. Many believe the Crown Princess is the right one, but as observed she is unstable and very sociopathic. So one might assume we would want The Banished Prince as the heir. Except he is equally unfit, He is far more stable and compassionate which would be great. Though he is headstrong and set on a terrible path. The Inquisition though doesn't really mind that for now...

"Because Iroh's with him?" Shai nodded, writing: Indeed, Zuko might be able to become a fit ruler if he follows Iroh's influence. That only leaves the princess, we have noticed your interesting degree of friendship with her.

"So you want me to what correct her behavior? For exchange of learning this Black Sun bending style?" He burned the note and wrote a new one: From observation it is clear you wish to learn everything you can, we have a bending style you have aptitude for. Ultimately it was decided you might be useful for achieving the right path.

"So you figure my uh...Greed? Is a good motivation for me to help you in reforming Azula?" He nodded and I sighed, "Well fortunately I already kind of planned something like this, one catch here though. Azula gets the throne and not Zuko. Its a little complicated why I want this, but its a whole thing." He wrote, That works more or less. The Inquisition is just opposed to Ozai being on the throne. We also oppose the war, but that is mostly due to warped goals of Ozai.

He burned the note and begun to eat more and drink his tea. I tried my own tea and duck, thinking about this new set of possible allies. "Yeah okay so i have to ask when can I be taught the style?"

He wrote one last note: We will send you scrolls with pictures, make progress and you can learn it in your free time. Just so you know this is the address of the princess, why don't you pay her a early visit before you are assigned as her personal guard.

I could only accept, their quest for me overlapped with my own goals and it meant I could move on getting Azula betraying her father faster. Visiting Azula early would certainly make her more cooperative since she would essentially be in a damseling situation. Which was exactly what it seem the these new allies wanted.

Ah, who would've suspect the Fire Nation Inquistion. How insane...

----More chapters should be scheduled....-----