The Fire Nation fleet had retreated a safe distance from the Northern Water Tribe, their ships cutting across dark waters under the pale moon. Despite their retreat, the mood aboard the ships was nothing like defeat. The decks rang with laughter, cheers, and the pounding of fists against armor. Morale was soaring, soldiers burning with excitement as though they had claimed victory itself.
Some of the younger troops begged their captains to turn the fleet around and resume the war. Others spoke with fiery eyes, claiming they could storm the ice walls a second time and win. The reason for this boundless spirit was the same across every ship, Tai Lung.
They had seen him. One of their own, standing against the godly power of the Avatar. The ocean itself had risen, the Avatar fused with it somehow, and Tai Lung had met it blow for blow. He had soared like a comet of flame and lightning, shaking the sky with his strikes. And in the end, he had emerged victorious, carrying the Avatar's limp body as the titan collapsed.
No longer was the Avatar the untouchable symbol of power. The soldiers spoke it as fact now: Tai Lung was the most powerful bender in the world.
Some men even grumbled in frustration, confused why their champion had not pressed the advantage. With such strength, what force could possibly resist him? If the legendary Avatar could not stop him, then surely the Water Tribe could be crushed with ease.
But their voices were born of ignorance. None of them saw the truth.
Behind the strong front, Tai Lung was shattered. The fight had drained him. By the time he returned to the flagship, he had only enough strength to order the high ranking officers to pull back the fleet. After that, he vanished into his quarters without another word.
There, away from the cheers of the soldiers, he collapsed into meditation, trying to rest and recover.
——————
Early the next morning, General Iroh entered Tai Lung's quarters. He found the great warrior sitting cross-legged on the bed, his eyes closed, breath steady in disciplined rhythm. When Tai Lung finally opened them.
"What brings you here so early, General?" Tai Lung asked quietly.
Iroh smiled warmly, his hands folded behind his back. "I came to check on you after last night's battle. You defeated the Avatar and the Ocean Spirit. You may very well be the strongest bender alive, perhaps even greater than the spirits."
Tai Lung shook his head. "The Avatar was nothing but a vessel. And the Ocean Spirit…" He narrowed his eyes. "It didn't know how to fight. If a beginner bender had been given its power, I would have been doomed. All of us would. The ocean is something else, its raw power is beyond me."
Iroh gave a soft chuckle, though his eyes were serious. "The ocean is a force of nature. In raw power, few things can match it." He paused then, his voice growing heavier, his gaze fixed on Tai Lung. "You are strong, Tai Lung. Stronger than anyone I have ever seen. If you had joined the siege, the Water Tribe would have fallen. Even Ba Sing Se will fall if you lead the charge. And yet you are well known to avoid battles and only steps in for rescue. Why? You could gain so much honor and glory."
For a long moment, Tai Lung said nothing. Then he looked into Iroh's eyes and replied firmly, "That is not my destiny or my path. I want the betterment of myself, I don't need to be anything more, I don't wish to seek a great and glorious destiny. And in respect to my father's wishes, I am willing to protect the Fire Nation's people. But that is the limit of it. Conquering lands, winning wars, it is just not for me."
Iroh studied him closely. "Then what do you want? Have you thought of bringing balance back? Of seeking peace?"
Tai Lung replied "I honestly don't know, but I know I am not worthy to be a bringer of peace or its guardian. And honestly, I don't see the war as entirely bad. Look at what it's brought us, our technology, our settlements, our riches. This doesn't mean I support war, it is just the world is living in a cycle, peace breeds war and war breeds peace, and me stopping it is just a temporary solution, the only thing I would be truly achieving is the betrayal of my parents and our people."
"Temorary… I suppose that is true. What do you think should be done to end this cycle?" Iroh asked.
Tai Lung gave a faint shrug. "I don't know. I'm good at training and fighting. That is all I am good for."
Iroh sighed softly. He turned to leave, but after a step, he stopped. His voice lowered as he asked one final question.
"You didn't kill the Avatar. Why? Do you think he could bring back peace and balance?"
Tai Lung's lips curved into a small smile. "No, I don't think he is the solution. I didn't kill him just like I didn't kill any water bender, because simply I have no enmity with them, I also admit I want to face him when he masters the four elements. He is the strongest bender after all. It would be a shame if I never had the chance to challenge him at his peak."
Iroh's smile returned "Then I shall leave you to your rest."
And with that, the Dragon of the West stepped out, leaving Tai Lung alone with his thoughts, his eyes drifting closed once more.
——————
In stark contrast to the roaring morale of the Fire Nation fleet, the Northern Water Tribe found no comfort in their supposed victory. Though they had driven the invaders back, what lingered in their minds was not triumph, but dread. They had seen the impossible: the Avatar, in his divine fury, had faced a Fire Nation soldier and lost.
That soldier was no ordinary man. He was a monster.
The warriors of the tribe knew it in their bones. If that firebender, the one of burning blue flames, had stepped into the war from the beginning, they would have been doomed. No wall of ice, no group of benders, no prayers to Tui and La could have resisted such raw might. But he had not. For reasons unknown, the monster had only joined the fray at the end, to halt the Avatar and cover the retreat of his people. His motives were a mystery. Some whispered that perhaps attacking them was beneath him. Others prayed that whatever restraint held him away from battle would continue to bind him forever.
Yet none were more shaken by Tai Lung's power than Aang and his companions.
Even in the Avatar State and controlled by the Ocean Spirit's wrath, Aang had been aware of his surroundings. He remembered every clash, every strike and he remembered losing. The Ocean itself had not been enough. Tai Lung had torn him free from that divine union and cast the spirit back into the water.
Katara and Sokka had no less fear carved into them. They had attacked that monster with everything they had, and he had nearly ended their lives in an instant, only sparing them at Iroh's plea. They couldn't understand his words, his reasoning, or his strange decisions. But one truth was undeniable: Tai Lung was no ordinary enemy. He was the true monster among the Fire Nation's ranks.
What unsettled them most was his words after reviving the moon spirit. He had claimed it had cost him half of his strength. If that was true, then half of Tai Lung's power had already eclipsed the Avatar joined with the Ocean. How could anyone fight such a being?
The three now sat in silence in their chamber, each lost in thought. The weight of the night event crushed them until Aang finally broke the stillness.
"Bumi was right," he whispered, his voice full of fear. "Tai Lung is a monster that must be avoided. I… I don't know if I could ever beat him, even if I mastered all four elements."
Neither Katara nor Sokka replied at first. The silence stretched until, at last, Sokka muttered, "That thing has inhuman strength and speed. He can fly. He can unleash seas of blue fire, summon lightning, even bring spirits back to life. There's no way Tai Lung is a human."
Katara gave a faint nod, her lips trembling. "But why didn't he join the battle? He revived the moon, then fought Aang and spared him, and then he just… left. Why?"
"You heard him," Sokka answered grimly. "He sees the moon as something important for the world. And he… he likes challenges. Maybe he wants to fight Aang only after he's mastered all four elements."
Aang swallowed hard, his throat dry. He didn't want to believe it, the thought of facing Tai Lung in earnest made him shiver. He still saw flashes of the man in his mind.
"What should we do, then?" Katara asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Aang lowered his head. "I don't know. I think the only thing we can do is continue our journey. I have to learn the four elements… it's the only chance I'll ever have to bring balance back to the world."
Sokka lifted his gaze, then sighed. "I've been thinking… I might stay here. With Yue."
His words hit Katara and Aang like a blow.
"You can't be serious!" Katara snapped, her eyes wide. "Are you going to abandon Aang just like that?"
Sokka's expression hardened. "And maybe you should, too. We said we'd accompany Aang to the North, and we did. Our promise is fulfilled."
"He still has two elements to master!" Katara shot back.
Sokka shook his head. "And what happens if we encounter Tai Lung again? Aang might not be able to save himself, let alone us."
Katara fell silent at that, her chest tightening. She could still feel Tai Lung's burning grip around her throat, the cold gleam of his golden eyes.
Aang looked down at his hands. "Sokka's right. I don't want to put you in danger. If Tai Lung ever came after you because of me… I'd never forgive myself."
Katara's anger faded into sorrow. She looked between Aang and Sokka, her voice trembling but firm. "That's stupid. What if that monster comes back here? What if he attacks the Northern Water Tribe again? What if he went after Yue? With him around, nowhere in the world is safe. Unless you master all four elements, Aang… we'll always be at his mercy. Sokka, if you want to have a chance to live peacefully with Yue, Aang must master the four elements and defeat Tai Lung"
Aang raised his head. Slowly, he nodded, his eyes burning with a new determination. Sokka hesitated but nodded at last. No place is safe.