Fall of the White Lotus [Zutara/Taang]

5 | Nuclear

Music: Ancient Cities, Two Steps From Hell

                     A small procession moved slowly through the mountainous landscape towards the legendary city of Omashu, the dark red starkly contrasting the yellow hues of the sandstone surroundings of the Kolau Mountains in the southwestern region of the Earth Kingdom.

The procession was fronted by two soldiers on komodo rhinos. They wore terrifying spiked helmets, made all the more haunting by stark masks which completely concealed their faces but for two white holes for the eyes and a sharply cut space for the mouth. Next came an ornately decorated gold and red palanquin, carried by four large men. The palanquin, which rocked slightly in time with the men's heavy footsteps, was crowned with a golden dragon, which gleamed in the light of the rising sun. A group of servants accompanying the caravan with traveling bags and suitcases followed the palanquin. Two more masked soldiers formed the back of the procession.

His Majesty the Fire Lord was on his way to the city of Omashu.

From his seat in the palanquin, Zuko watched as Omashu rose into view from the lone stone bridge that led up to the gates. The buildings inside the city walls were bathed in the early morning sun.

Although he had heard about her splendor, Omashu was even more beautiful than he ever could have imagined. The city was built on a large mesa in the middle of a canyon. It followed a pyramidal form and was surrounded by mighty walls. Narrowing his eyes, Zuko's sharp eyes made out an ingenious transport system, consisting of an intricate structure of slides. Spectacular plants hung down from the numerous terraces, and formidable trees in blazing autumn colors completed the appearance of the golden city.

Zuko had wondered why his uncle would have him travel all the way to Omashu. But now, he was only grateful that he had been given the opportunity to see this beautiful city with his own eyes. He found that Omashu formed a sharp contrast to Ba Sing Se. Zuko knew that his uncle loved the Earth Kingdom capital, but Zuko had never gotten used to living there. He had felt like a prisoner between all those walls that contained a city as large as the entire Fire Nation mainland. To Zuko, Omashu, on its far more modest scale, was a much more pleasant sight to behold than Ba Sing Se.

Despite himself, Zuko began to feel a little excited. It had been far too long since he had been outside the Fire Nation, and he was looking forward to seeing his uncle again. And of course there was also the unparalleled King Bumi, member of the Order of the White Lotus and, as it had appeared, a childhood friend of Aang's.

Zuko shook his head. He still couldn't picture his playful friend as a now one-hundred-and-sixteen-year-old and the bearer of memories of the world as it was a hundred years ago. It was a time in which Aang had been living in blissful ignorance about the upcoming war and had had friends all over the world. His current friends had all had grown up in the shadow of this very war. 

Whenever he saw Aang again, he should remember to ask him about...what was his name again - Kuzon, Zuko mused. The name was awfully similar to his.

A komodo rhino stepped quietly next to his palanquin and the Lord Chamberlain's face appeared in Zuko's view.

"Your Majesty, we will be arriving before the Omashu gates shortly. Shall I give the men the order to remove their helmets?" the older man asked respectfully.

Zuko nodded in confirmation. Within the Fire Nation, the demonic masks constituted the highly respected sign of an Imperial Firebender devoted to serving the Royal Family, but they caused a lot of fear outside his nation. He had often noticed this on his travels through the Earth Kingdom. Out of consideration for the inhabitants of Omashu, he had given orders that his soldiers were to remove their helmets upon their arrival. With the brutal occupation of their city having been ended only three years ago, he did not need to inspire fear among the people of Omashu if it could be avoided.