"Your Majesty, we have intelligence!"
Somewhere, a Fire Nation general entered the Great Hall and presented Azula with the latest intelligence. →
Mai and Ty Lee were also beside Azula.
A year was neither long nor short, but it had brought all three girls into adolescence.
Compared to a year ago, aside from growing taller, their slightly childish features had gradually matured. Like newly opened flowers, they had begun to radiate their own unique charm.
Yet the Fire Nation general kneeling before Azula had neither the leisure nor the courage to look up and admire this beauty unique to the Fire Nation, because he knew what terror lay hidden beneath it.
In his eyes, Azula upon the dais was by no means a charming young girl in the bloom of youth, but a ruthless, resourceful sovereign without equal in the past or future.
Unaware of her subordinate's private thoughts, and unconcerned by them, Azula silently read the intelligence recorded on the scroll.
Mai and Ty Lee glanced toward her from the side, also somewhat curious about its contents.
But then, to everyone's surprise, blue light suddenly flared in Azula's hand, and blue fire burned the scroll to nothing.
Azula watched expressionlessly as the scroll turned to ash, the flickering firelight casting alternating light and shadow across her face.
Startled by Azula's actions, Ty Lee hurriedly asked:
"What's wrong? Has something gone wrong with our plan?"
"No, the plan is proceeding smoothly."
Azula rejected Ty Lee's guess. The scroll bearing the intelligence had already turned to drifting ash, yet she still stared fixedly into empty space, as though looking through it at someone far away.
Only after a long while did Azula slowly speak again:
"Kahn has appeared at the White Lotus Society."
The instant Kahn's name was spoken, the air