Chapter 49.3- And so the Dragons Danced

“If only I could” I replied with a chuckle, leaning over to ruffle her hair. She slapped my hand away. Sadly, Toji had gotten to my little munchkin. For a blind kid, she cared about her appearance a bit too much.

“But you’re right Toph. There’s no use worrying about this now. We’ll cross all the bridges when we get there. Now, want to watch me toss lightning about?”

“Do I!?” She replied sarcastically, while failing to hide her enthusiasm.

I smiled and pushed myself off the ground.

I’d managed to concentrate lightning to my hand when I’d killed Iroh. That was more or less the same as the Raikiri. If I could use that kind of ability, then it would be a close combat ability, the equivalent of which I would struggle to find. A perfect sword to cut through any defence.

—

When the capital came into sight, we’d only spent about a week on the sea. Considering the distances involved, that was an impressive feat. The Fire Nation’s technological advantage was quickly becoming one of the things that would set us apart from the rest of the world. But the capital wasn’t what we were meeting to discuss now.

“And you have been assured that these ‘airships’ will function as advertised?” My Grandfather was skeptical. I could understand that. What I was suggesting was a massive change to how wars had been fought for centuries.

“Head Inventor Sato was glowing in his reports to Fire Lady Azula, and I doubt he would have dared lie to her. No, I think they will do exactly what we need them to do” I said to him.

The Fire Nation would be mine sooner or later, and the easiest way to cement that rule would be with a victory. I’d already conquered the Earth Kingdom. Any holdouts were small villages too inconsequential for me or anyone to bother with, so that couldn’t be where the victory came from. To be honest, there were only two major holdouts from Fire Nation rule— Kyoshi Island, and the Northern Water Tribe. Kyoshi Island was a neutral trading port and had been allowed to exist as such because the army had bigger priorities. That would change in time, either with surrender or conquest, but they weren’t the priority. The failure to conquer the Northern Water Tribe was the one black mark on Ozai’s reign. That meant the easiest way to cement mine would be by succeeding where hue had failed.

“So you intend for us to deploy these air ships and rain fire down from the skies?” Hyo asked.

“Precisely. The initial assault failed because Zhao fell prey to superstitions and silliness. He sought to destroy the moon of all stupid things to do. Instead, I shall conquer the Northern Water Tribe just like Sozin took the Air Nomads.”

“You mean to use the Comet?”

“It’s in a matter of weeks, so we’d have to hurry the plans along, but I do think there is a certain poetry to it. To bring the war to an end exactly a hundred years after it began” I said. They were still far from convinced, but I knew my plan would succeed.