New tomorrow

Pov: Kai

I was in my tent writing a report for the Fire Nation about the last few weeks, concentrating on getting it done as quickly as possible, until I broke the brush in my hand.

- Fuck, again! - I hit the table and broke it in half with ease.

- So much for the third table of the week. - said Huzo cynically as he read through some files. - You should try to relax.

- I'm trying, but I can't even pick up a bloody paintbrush without breaking it every time I finish a paragraph. - I complained, letting a little fire out of my mouth. 

It had been over a month since we took over Fong's territory. As soon as the news reached the Fire Lord's ears, two full fleets were automatically dispatched to protect the newly conquered territory.

I won't deny that I needed more men to protect the borders, but the problem was the obvious tension in my army with the new soldiers who had arrived.

Nobody took it well that the reinforcements had only arrived after the last battle against General Fong. Including myself, because when I met with the two generals, they regarded everyone's efforts as mere luck.

- Our men have almost taken those generals' heads off. - Huzo said proudly of his soldiers.

- I told you not to talk about it with our soldiers. - I said, rubbing my eyelids.

- It was impossible, our men saw the look those generals threw at you. They don't respect you. - Huzo's face frowned. - Listen, you earned the respect and admiration of these soldiers by giving your sweat and blood to fight alongside them in every battle. They used to follow Dozo's orders out of hierarchy, but they follow you because they recognise you as their king.

- Don't talk rubbish... - I tried to speak, but I was interrupted.

- It's the truth! Our soldiers have fought for the glory of the Fire Nation, but they've never had the chance to fight for a real cause. You've given them a new glimpse of the future.

- You're wrong, I'm not someone who deserves that. - I replied, staring at the various consolation cards stacked on a table. - I followed the path of violence without thinking about the consequences. Many have died because of my decisions... I'm not worthy of such admiration.

Huzo observed the frustration in Kai's eyes, he seemed to have many confused things on his mind, as if he were incomplete.

***

1 month ago...

After killing General Fong, Kai let his mind calm down, feeling how his energy was more strange and powerful. 

A feeling of shame came over me when I realised what I had said about Azula, how strange it was. Part of me said it was wrong, but another part said it was natural.

I watched the destruction caused by my battle and the fires raging in distant areas. I had a headache and couldn't remember what had happened since I lost consciousness, only realising my situation when I had Fong in my hand.

- Someone's alive! - I shouted as I started looking for some of my soldiers who had been lucky enough to survive.

I spend several minutes lifting rubble with ease, surprising myself with my new strength. With my enhanced senses, I could hear a brief grunt, realising it was one of my soldiers without his two legs, one of the victims of Fong's attack.

- Hang on soldier, I'll take you home. - I said, trying to calm the dying man.

- General, you're alive... *Cof Cof Cof*. 

- You should be worrying about your life. - I concentrate on putting a tourniquet on his legs, tearing my shirt and part of my trousers to stop the bleeding. 

- That was fantastic, General... *Please give this to my mother. - The soldier whispered and handed Kai a letter covered in blood.

- Let's go! Don't give up! - I start massaging his heart, trying to revive him. - Come on, come on! You have to give this letter to your mother, not to me! Let's go...

I did this for a few minutes, I even gave up, I felt a heaviness in my heart, a strange emptiness that almost made me tear up.

- What the hell! - I hit the ground, making a crunching sound with the impact.

The feeling was heavy in my chest, I couldn't understand what was happening to me, I felt pain, anger, sadness and loneliness. 

I watched the destruction around me and closed my eyes to feel some spiritual energy, even if it was from an enemy. To my disappointment, I was the only one who had survived.

With the letter in my hands, I put it in my pocket and returned to my camp.

As the minutes passed, the sun rose over the horizon, a beautiful sight if it weren't for the fires raging in the forest. When the sunlight hits me, I feel a comfort in my soul, like I'm being hugged, it's a good feeling.

Some tanks from the tundra, accompanied by an escort of Fire Nation soldiers, were marching towards the old enemy barracks, looking anxious.

Hold on! - said a soldier from one of the tanks, bringing the whole battalion to a halt. - Identify yourselves! - shouted the soldier.

Some soldiers got into formation to attack, until they got close enough to see the albino's face.

- General! - said a frightened soldier, immediately lowering his arms. 

- Damn it, call a doctor! - shouted another soldier for the whole battalion to hear.

The soldiers surrounded their general, trying to protect him from any possible surprise attack. Kai remained oblivious to what was going on around him, as if he were still in a trance.

- General! Are you hurt? Do you feel any pain? - asked the doctor, examining his superior's body.

- No, sir. - I replied without any humour in my voice. - There are no survivors up there, I just want them to find the bodies of our men so they can be identified and cremated.

Kai advanced without looking at his soldiers, who made way so as not to disturb his superior, who was clearly not in a good mood.

When he arrived at the camp, accompanied by some soldiers, all those present surrounded their general, eager to hear the news of the operation.

- Kai! - shouted Huzo, running towards his friend. - You bastard! How are you... Wow, I like the new look. 

Without saying anything, Kai handed the bloodied letter to Huzo, who looked at the paper in surprise.

- Find his family. - I said, heading for my tent to spend the rest of the day buried in documents.

I spent the day in my tent, going over the latest events in my head. I didn't even have the stomach for food that day and it wasn't until dawn that I decided to go out and see how things had gone.

When I came out of my tent, I had a surprise that made my eyes widen. All my soldiers, without exception, were bowing to me.

- We're glad you're back. - said Huzo, with his eyes closed and his head down. 

***

- That's why they admire you. - Huzo put his hand on Kai's shoulder. - You're an idiot sometimes, but you've never stopped caring, believe that truth.

I stayed silent, not wanting to continue the conversation.

Huzo and I went to talk to the generals, but something caught our attention. Several soldiers were gathered in a circle, some shouting, others cursing. A soldier covered in bandages ran up to me with concern in his eyes.

- General, General, you have to stop this. - said the panting soldier, with clear signs of pain in his wounds.

- What's going on? - I asked worriedly and started walking towards the mess.

- It's an Agni Kai! One of us is challenging the two generals.

Hearing this, I instinctively felt a rush of adrenaline coursing through my body, making me run towards the duel with unusual speed. 

Taking advantage of my abnormal speed, I jumped high enough to avoid the circle of people and enter the middle of the duel. In the air, I saw my soldier on the ground with two generals ready to set him on fire without mercy.

I activated the propulsion in my feet to move forward at high speed, got in front of my wounded soldier, grabbed the two burning jets in time and launched them into the sky, avoiding an unnecessary tragedy.

- I thought the Agni Kai was a one-on-one duel, have you forgotten something so simple? - I warned angrily, to the applause of my soldiers.

- You should take care of your subordinates, let's teach a traitor like him a lesson. - said General Jizo.

General Jizo was an old man, with a small beard, long grey hair tied back in a ponytail and the normal attire of a general. His face was wrinkled, missing an eye and an ear on the right side.

- It's a serious statement, but I have reason to believe that your accusation is rather hasty. - I keep a straight face, ready to fire my fire in the faces of these cretins.

- General... they insulted you behind your back... - said the soldier, his skin badly burned.

Looking into my subordinate's eyes, I was sure enough to believe that his story against the generals was true. 

- You won't believe the words of a simple soldier? - said General Blazu with a certain debauchery in his voice.

General Blazu appeared to be in his forties, with long black hair tied up in a ponytail, and you could see that he had good muscles, but nothing compared to General Fong's. He was a good soldier.

- Take him to the infirmary. - I ordered my soldiers, my blood boiling.

De Kai's soldiers didn't waste a moment to remove their comrade who had fought for their leader's honour.

- I can accept that they despise me, but I will not allow them to humiliate my soldiers. - I threaten, releasing a wave of heat that begins to emanate from me, making my intentions clear.

- You're not serious, you think you can fight two generals? - said Blazu incredulously with a slight smile on his lips.

- Oh, yes! They both had the courage to fight an exhausted man, I want to see if they have the same luck against me.

Kai's eyes lit up, signalling the spectators to move away so as not to get caught in the crossfire.

- I'd love to teach you a lesson, you spoilt brat. - said Jizo. 

Huzo, who was watching, was annoyed with himself as he realised that he couldn't intervene in a fight of this calibre.

- You're both pathetic! Blazu and Jizo, you don't deserve to be called generals. - said an old, imposing voice.

The two older generals instinctively paled, their faces turning white as if their souls had left their bodies.

Hearing that voice made me smile like a child who has just been given a new toy.

- How's Rozo? - I asked, still looking at the two idiots. 

- Better than he'll be in a few minutes. - Rozo came over and stood next to Kai, his right hand covered in flames.

- That idiot Jizo is mine! - I speak as my flames turn blue.

- I'm glad you picked this one, I have business with Blazu. - Rozo smiled in a corner, but quickly closed his face.

- Someone has to warn the Fire Lord that he's lost two generals. - I comment causally. - Older people usually take on the responsibilities of younger people.

- Don't make me regret helping you. 

- You're intruding - I can't help but laugh.

In a single minute, Kai and Rozo completely destroyed the generals, resulting in Jizo's death and the amputation of Blazu's dominant arm by Rozo, who was still kind enough to let the former general live.

Rozo temporarily took control of the two former generals' troops and set up a defensive formation along the coast until they were 100 per cent ready for future operations.

As the night wore on, Rozo and Kai talked to each other, discussing all sorts of subjects.

Rozo felt eternally indebted to Kai for intervening and protecting his homeland, which only strengthened his conviction that Kai would make an excellent heir to the throne. But now he saw a young man going through personal issues that were too complex to put aside, and which could affect the future of the Fire Nation.

- You've really grown up, no young man would be so thoughtful in your position, they'd just be reckless and make a rash move.

- I'm asking for advice, don't make my situation worse! - I complained, trying to keep my voice down so as not to shout.

- I admit I'm not the best person to discuss this with, but it's pretty obvious to me what you're going through. - Rozo picked up a cup of tea from the table. - You admit that you spend many of your days or weeks thinking about Princess Azula, and it's obvious that you have a good and friendly relationship.

- I've already said the obvious, every time I think about her I feel strange, it messes me up and... I said some strange things a few weeks ago. - I feel ashamed.

- They don't pay me enough for that. - mumbled Rozo to himself, drinking the rest of his glass. - Have you spoken to anyone else apart from me, or have you spoken to Huzo?

- I'd never tell him that! In a matter of hours the whole camp would know about it. He's a high-level snoop. - I answer him with conviction.

- OK, your problem is simple, you're in love. 

When I heard these words I choked, I felt like I'd lost all my breath.

- I guess I was right. - Rozo looked at Kai without surprise. - Listen, it's not the first time I've seen firebenders with emotional problems.

Kai covered his face with his hands, almost wanting to rip his own head off so he wouldn't have to listen to Rozo any longer.

- As you may already know, most firebenders feed their powers from their emotions and, in some special cases, some people are more susceptible to enormous emotional strain. From what you've described, it sounds like you have this condition. 

- Is there any way to control it? - I asked hopefully. - I can't have those feelings for Azula. My mother always insisted that I be careful with my first mate, she says it's sacred or something, I don't remember the details.

- I'm surprised you were so polite and are still in this situation, but there's no treatment, it can only get worse with time. - Rozo crossed his arms, finding himself only able to try to calm Kai's thoughts. - Maybe if you think about it calmly, it will solve the stress problems you've been suffering for the last few weeks. 

- I can't just accept that I'm sick with love, that sounds stupid. 

- I bet you can't stand being around her for 24 hours. - Rozo looked at Kai and found the situation amusing.

- Now you're betting on my love life? You think I'm an animal in heat! - I said angrily, slapping the table and breaking it in half, spilling papers everywhere.

- I take it back, you won't last 12 hours. 

- Stop playing games with me. - I whisper as I notice the spiritual energies of my soldiers approaching, along with one unknown to me.

One of my soldiers asks permission to enter the tense room.

- Generals, we found this man two kilometres from our camp, he claims to be a royal messenger. - informed the soldier, saluting.

- I said I'm the royal envoy, you idiots! Don't you know how thin this fabric is? - complained the messenger, anxiously adjusting his clothes. - These idiots.

The messenger addressed the two generals as if he were one of the most important people in the world and picked up the scroll as if it were a trophy.

- Dear General Kai, you are requested to return to the Capital of Fire to fulfil your duties, which have been ignored for almost two years. The soldiers under your command may accompany you and return to their homes until further notice. - The messenger carefully put down the parchment and turned to go back.

Kai and Rozo looked at each other, confused by the messenger's peculiar attitude, before deciding to return to their conversation.

- So it looks like we're splitting up again. - Rozo's voice sounded sad. - I really enjoy these conversations.

- Are you going to lead the takeover of Omashu? - I asked, crossing my arms.

- I've just been ordered to control General Fong's former territories for a while. Besides, let's plan the invasion of Omashu carefully, it would be a waste to be defeated by that old king again.

- Is King Bumi really that powerful? Isn't he over 100 years old?

- He's always compared to Fong, but there are rumours that he's even stronger. - Rozo said as if he wasn't surprised. - I know I can't take on Fong directly like you, but if the rumours are true, we need more firepower.

Rozo looked at Kai and smiled when he saw his friend's tense reaction. 

- Please, I couldn't take another round like that so soon. - I admit it, leaning back in my chair, picking up the consolation cards and ordering them to be distributed.

- Now that you've spoken, do you remember hearing any roars last month, which happened to be the day you launched your last attack? - Rozo approached Kai and examined him. - Your eyes are more menacing, your hair is now completely white and I couldn't help but notice that you have fangs in your teeth when you speak. 

- If I told you I didn't remember much, would you believe me? - I asked, still sorting out the cards, but with a straight face, not wanting to bring my physical problems into the conversation. - My soldiers had told me about a huge fiery creature that had appeared at the battle site that night. Believe me, I only remember strangling Fong with my bare hands and killing him. 

 - Since the incident, the power of firebenders has increased remarkably, and there are reports that some masters have difficulty controlling their own flames. - Rozo approached and put a hand on Kai's shoulder. - I'm not accusing you of anything, I'm just concerned for your well-being.

I gave him a grateful smile, got up with a parcel full of letters and headed for the exit of the tent.

- It's good to see you again, thank you. - I thanked him and set off in search of the strange messenger.

- These young people... I think I'd better find a successor. - Rozo whispered to himself.

NEXT CHAPTER: Round Two: Ozai vs Kai