18. War Room Meeting

Some time later.

Reports piled up on Zuko’s desk. They all detailed the winding path of the Avatar.

To the casual observer, Aang’s journey was a series of fortunate escapes and random encounters. To Zuko, however, it was a script being followed to the letter.

Out of everything he read, this one piece of news hit the hardest: Admiral Zhao was dead.

The Siege of the North had ended exactly as history demanded: with the moon spirit momentarily threatened, a giant fish monster destroying the fleet, and Zhao being dragged into the spirit world by the Ocean Spirit.

Zuko hadn’t lifted a finger to send any reinforcements. Zhao was a useful pawn, but pawns were meant to be sacrificed to advance the board.

More interesting was the intel Zuko received through his White Lotus connection. As a mid-ranked member—a position he’d secured through Iroh’s recommendation and his own “prodigious” insights into pai sho—he had access to a network that bypassed national borders.

He knew when king Bumi surrendered Omashu, he knew when Aang burned Katara from Jeong Jeong’s teachings, and he also knew where Aang was right now.

A scroll from Xin Fu confirmed the final piece to Team Avatar: the Blind Bandit had been recruited. That meant Aang’s next destination would eventually lead him to Ba Sing Se.

Zuko therefore stood up to sit on the throne. When he was there, he commanded a servant to relay this order: “Summon the royal council, and ensure my sister’s present.”

Not long, the war room became quite tense.

At the head of the table sat Zuko. Iroh sat to his right, looking weary. When Zuko announced his intention to take Ba Sing Se, the reaction was immediate.

“We have tried before,” Iroh said, remembering the painful memory. “As you know, the Earth Kingdom capital is impenetrable from the outside. To launch another siege now, while the Avatar is still at large, would be unwise.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Zuko said, standing up. “I don’t intend to besiege the city through the front.” Then he walked around the table to stand behind Azula’s chair. “The Avatar is most likely headed to Ba Sing Se to speak with the Earth king. But what he, or anyone here, knows is that the city is politically fractured. That king is nothing but a puppet. And the real power lies with their secret police, the Dai Li, which is led by the Grand Secretariat, a man named Long Feng.”

While everyone was stunned as to how their fire lord could possibly know this, Azula’s interest piqued.

What they also didn’t know was that Azula had stumbled upon the Kyoshi Warriors by chance and improvised the coup of Ba Sing Se in the original story. Zuko wasn’t going to leave it to chance, so he was going to give her the walkthrough early.

“Azula,” he continued. “I leave you to infiltrate Ba Sing Se. Take a trustworthy team with you and intercept a group of Earth Kingdom warriors known as the Kyoshi Warriors. They’re being led by a girl named Suki.”

“If I may ask, fire lord,” she wondered, “who are these ‘Kyoshi Warriors’?”

“Rebels… All you have to do is defeat them and take them into custody. But don’t kill any of them; they’re valuable leverage to use against the Avatar. Take their uniforms, their fans, and their makeup so you can enter Ba Sing Se as refugees and allies.”

Iroh looked disturbed. “Fire lord Zuko, this plan does not seem as though you thought of it on your own.”

Leave it to one of the smartest people to see right through things.

“You’re right, uncle. I didn’t.” Then he returned to the head seat. “But there’s more to it. Azula… once inside, you’ll make contact with Long Feng. Knowing him, he’ll try to use you to overthrow the Earth king. Can you understand why?”

Azula’s smile widened, knowing the answer. “He thinks he is the smartest man in the room.”

“Good to know you actually are my sister. Let him think you’re his pawn. Then when the moment’s right, convince the Dai Li that they’re following the wrong person. Long Feng rules through fear, but you, sister… you were born to rule through power. They’ll undoubtedly bow to you.”

Everyone except Iroh eyed the fire lord with genuine respect.

Azula had always thought him fortunate, or perhaps just naturally talented. But this? This was a level of machination she hadn’t credited him with. Because even when it seemed he was just reacting to the world, she knew deep down he was truly reading its mind.

“Consider it done,” she said, bowing lower than she ever had before. “I’ll bring you the city on a silver platter, my lord.”

✟

The plan soon unfolded with the inevitability of a clock ticking down.

Exactly as Zuko instructed, Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee intercepted Suki and her warriors in the forests of the Earth Kingdom. Suki had been formidable, but she was no match for a princess who had spent years training against a fire lord who knew every move before it was made.

Disguised in the green tunics and heavy makeup of the Kyoshi Warriors, Azula and her team infiltrated the Earth Palace with success.

And just as Zuko predicted, the political rot of Ba Sing Se was ripe for exploitation.

Reports came back to the Fire Nation capital via hawkgull, written in Azula’s handwriting: ‘We’ve made contact with Long Feng. He believes he’s using me to consolidate power against the Avatar’s influence.’

Zuko burned the letter with his flames. The smirk on his face signified that he was ready to put Ba Sing Sei in checkmate.

That same evening, as he was preparing for bed, Iroh came to his room.

“Zuko… your actions are very mysterious to me. I do not understand them.”

“Uncle, that same city is where my beloved cousin—your son—risked his life for.” He was lying through his teeth. “You and I both know that Azula has to succeed for us to help eventually end this war.”

“I see… But what will happen next?”

“The Avatar is still alive. He won’t have the manpower or the strength to take the city back. Neither has he perfected the Avatar State.” He closed his eyes to visualize the scene he knew would have to play out. “Trust me, uncle. If I were truly like my father, I would have killed Bumi. But I didn’t; he’s aware that all of my actions are for the greater good.”

Iroh truly could not comprehend Zuko’s decision-making. But there was one thing for certain: he loved him like his own son, and he believed in his cause.