"You're advancing remarkably quickly in your career," said two old acquaintances, once rivals in their military achievements, now in disproportionately different positions, as they stood on a flotilla of fire people riding the waves. Captain Masaru sat with his teeth clenched, literally enduring a look full of arrogance and haughtiness. His interlocutor was even worse...
It would have been difficult to find a more arrogant and ambitious person, even though Masaru had often heard that there were countless soldiers like him in the capital, and he had even heard rumours that General Airo himself was no less power-hungry. Capable of destroying anyone on his path to power, after all, every child had heard that it was Airo who had wiped out the firstborn fire mages — the majestic dragons. But seeing such a man standing before him was an even greater blow to his pride.
Yes, he hadn't killed a dragon. But at times it seemed that he could have secretly strangled one while it slept.
"To rise from Captain to Commander in just three years — you have unquestionable talent, Zhao," his interlocutor smiled, not shy about accepting the sycophantic compliment. Although, more likely, he was just showing his superiority.
"We served together in the southern sector of the Earth Kingdom, Captain," he emphasised the last word, making Masaru twitch his lip. "Headquarters must have watched our competition with interest, but in the end, everyone's successes put everything in its place. Now that you are serving under me, we can use the experience we gained in the competition to achieve the best results. I am confident that together we will be able to take down Shen Guan in a matter of days. "...
Masaru decided not to speak out against such arrogant statements, which cast doubt on all his experience and achievements. Deep down, he had long accepted this, knowing that Zhao was a brilliant strategist and tactician, without any embellishment. How else to explain that from being a simple lieutenant in the service of General Shu, when his experience was still limited and his achievements consisted of only a couple of battles and a fairly influential family, when his orders tended to lead the army to unnecessary expenses and loss of personnel, he had become so... cunning.
"Captain Masaru, did you know that about twenty years after the war began, the army managed to destroy the strongest defences of the Earth Mages with one simple trick? They used soldiers from the Flaming Clan, who possessed a branch of the fire element, namely explosions," Zhao took a meaningful sip from his mug, forcing his interlocutor to listen with the most serious expression on his face. "Under their unique technique, which could destroy any defence, the first serious lines of defence were completely wiped out. Not as serious as Ba Sing Se, but still significant. Shen Guan is easy to wipe out, you just need the right techniques.
Masaru swallowed hard. This man seemed to know every platoon that had ever existed. Nowadays, it was difficult to find anyone in the army who knew the history of their hundred-year campaigns better than Commander Zhao. History is cyclical, this tale has been around since the time of the Avatar, reborn in the same pattern for God knows how long, but who can remember all that? There weren't many historians among the soldiers, and big history books tended to take a lot of time to read, but Zhao... knew every detail about their army.
His journey through the Earth Kingdom changed him. Apparently, he gained tremendous experience, especially after visiting That Place. Now this story was spreading particularly quickly because of one mage who had defeated Masaru several times and ruined the Fire Nation's plans. Commander Zhao was in the desert, where the battle with the sand mages had apparently turned him into a monster in the flesh. It was after his stay in the great lifeless wasteland of Shi Wong that he began to rise through the ranks so quickly.
"And what can you say about a certain famous enemy who has become the biggest thorn in Shen Guan's side?
"I have experience in exterminating Sand Mages," he quickly understood what was being asked and immediately smiled. At that moment, there was a knock on the iron door of their cabin. Zhao looked up calmly, interrupting the conversation, and ordered the guard to enter. A sentry appeared in the doorway.
"Commander Zhao, we have intercepted someone's messenger hawk. It had a fake mark of the Fire People, apparently for the secret delivery of a letter," the man in iron uniform raised his hands, holding a fluttering bird. Masaru and Zhao's eyes widened immediately — catching a false hawk used by their enemies was considered almost impossible. They fly too fast, and the army doesn't have time to stop every delivery. If it happened, it was only by pure chance. Bad luck, and the hawk was too tired, or someone shot it down. There weren't that many cases.
"Did you open the letter?" Zhao stood up and took the bird.
"Yes, but there's a problem," the answer made the Commander frown. Pulling out a small scroll and sitting down at the table with it, a whole range of emotions flashed across Zhao's face in just a couple of seconds of reading. From incomprehension to shock, anger and joy.
"May I?" Masaru asked eagerly, seeing the steam coming out of his companion's nose, which spoke volumes.
"You won't understand anything anyway, it's in code," Zhao said calmly, handing over the letter, but it was impossible to make out what was written. However, it was clear from the Commander's face that he had managed to decipher the letter on the fly, a result that surprised both Masaru and the sentry, who was still waiting for orders. "Secret organisations used to pass information through personal channels like this. Because only a small circle of people could read the code, the information did not reach the enemy.
"And you...
"I learned all the codes while travelling with General Shu. It's obvious that the enemy will use them to transmit secret information. Heh... how unfortunate for them that the letter ended up in my hands," a cruel smile appeared on the bearded man's face. And with it, through his military composure, came a sense of apprehension. This information was a threat to the entire army... especially to his position," Urgent order... find the Sand Mage.
"We all knew that the library of Van Shin Tong existed. Our founders communicated with the great keeper of knowledge, and it was he who started the Lotus as an organisation ready to exchange information. But this connection was lost long ago... until today. Recently, a new member of the order was recruited who knows the secrets of the library. A warrior of the sand people who wants to serve knowledge and peace, named Dagoth. I ask every member of the Order to share information with him so that we can carry out our plan. To create a man who can change the world with his wisdom and experience. To unite the peoples and end the war. Let us make Dagoth a hero who will replace the Avatar.
***
"You bastard, I feel like I took out a microloan and now I have to pay off my debts for the rest of my life," - tears were almost in my eyes, my hand had gone numb five sentences ago, and Afka, standing behind me, was eagerly patting me on the back with her paw, urging me to hurry up and finish my latest work of art, about understanding tactics and using them on the battlefield.
"Talk less and work more," she made me regret the fact that I had learned to understand the language of spirits at all. Although, I can't say that it was all useless; rather, we both understood that it was the best strategy for development. Prepare in advance the work on which further training will be based; create a theoretical foundation and then transform it into practical experience. This applied to everything I was going to touch. Because of Afka, I literally had no free time — I wrote so many books that I could have become a famous author... but for the same reason, I always understood how to improve my magic.
"It's ready. Take it at last," snorting like Afka used to do, I looked out the window of my house built near the road with my hands down and focused on the full moon. The road to Kioshi Island was not close, but we had already covered a considerable distance, and the map said there was not much left. And there... that was where I would spend most of my time learning all the tricks.
"I can bring you a book about Kioshi," I sensed that Afka had not left yet and was sitting at my desk. She looked at me intently, sending shivers down my spine... as if she had learned to read my thoughts.
"Why?
"Kiochi was a person who also opened her Chakras while travelling, and the third and fourth came easiest to her. Willpower and Love — let it be easier for her, even because of the fact that she was an Avatar. But you're almost like her," her tone pierced my thoughts, "Only love will be a problem for you, because you believe that no one can love you.
"...
"Read it, and maybe you'll understand something. Agreed?
"…Thanks for the advice," I smiled and rubbed the satisfied head of the mustachioed advisor, who began to snort contentedly. It's time to head to the sharp Kioshi. Where else but there to read about one of the Avatars, right? But before that... let's make a stop in the neighbouring village.
End of Volume 1
***
Advanced chapters:
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