Three years passed in the blink of an eye. The world, once scarred by endless war and imbalance, had found itself reshaped in ways no one could have foreseen. At the heart of this new era rose a nation unlike any other, the Nation of Peace, born from the vision of a single warrior.
The settlements that had once dotted the western lands of the Earth Kingdom had grown and shifted, migrating steadily toward the towering mountain range where the Jade Palace had been built. At the base of that mountain sprawled a vast, thriving valley, a place of farms, villages, and markets, its people bound not by nation, tribe, or bending. Tai Lung had given it the name 'the Valley of Peace'
And high at the peak of the mountain, gleaming beneath the sun like a crown of jade and gold, stood the palace that had become the new heart of the world.
The Jade Palace was more than a place or a building. It was an idea, a promise that mastery and enlightenment could exist beyond borders, bloodlines or teaching of the past. People from every corner of the world journeyed there: Firebenders and Waterbenders, Earthbenders and non-benders alike. Some came chasing greatness, drawn by the irresistible rumor that Tai Lung, the legendary warrior who had fought and defeated the Avataro in a legendary battle, now taught within those halls. Others came for something quieter, to be part of something greater than the separated nations of the world.
To the astonishment of the world, one of those who joined the Jade Palance was Aang, the last Airbender, and, as many now called him, the last Avatar.
Tales of his defeat had long since spread, that the spirit of the Avatar had been stripped from him, leaving him a bender like any other. But even more shocking than his fall was what came after: Aang had chosen to join the Jade Palace, to study under the very man who took everything from him.
Whispers of this spread like wildfire. Some called it betrayal to the world that suffered under the Fire Nation. Others called it wisdom of peace and forgiveness. But Aang seemed unbothered by what the world thought. For the first time, he appeared at peace, living and learning quietly beneath the mountain, side by side with Katara, who had decided to stay there with him.
The Jade Palace grew not only in power but in spirit. To everyone's surprise, the Kyoshi Warriors arrived one spring morning. The proud women who had once sworn to protect their tiny island announced that they had left Kyoshi behind. They sought a new purpose and Tai Lung's teaching offered it. To see the Kyoshi Warriors training in the same courtyards as the rest of the people of the world became one of the many wonders of this strange new age.
But while the world gathered under the shadow of the Jade Palace, the old Team Avatar had quietly drifted apart, their bond stretched thin by time and the change of the world order.
With the end of the war and the end of the Avatar's era, they each followed their own path. Sokka journeyed north, to the frozen lands where the love of his life, Princess Yue, awaited him among the Northern Tribe's city of ice. Katara, bound by love and loyalty, remained with Aang.
Toph took to wandering. The battle between Tai Lung and Aang had changed her deeply, opened her mind to how limitless bending could become. She swore to grow stronger, to find her own path, but refused to join the Jade Palace and take Tai Lung as her teacher.
Mai, too, found herself unable to return to her boring home. Her brief time traveling with Azula and Tai Lung had left a mark she couldn't erase. So she took to the road, quiet and alone, searching for a new future.
Meanwhile, Azula had continued to rule the Fire Nation and it didn't take long for the world to learn that her rule was completely different from her predecessors, it was not a rule of fear but of ruthless efficiency and extreme intellect. In the months following the war's end, she had transformed her nation with an iron will and a brilliance that outshone all the previous fire lords. Her reign, young as it was, had already earned whispers that she might become the greatest Fire Lord in history.
Her father, Ozai, had not taken kindly to his fall from power. When Tai Lung had released him from his control, the once-mighty ruler awoke to a world he could scarcely recognize: a world without war, without his influence, and without fear of his name. His rage was boundless.
Before the eyes of the Fire Nation people, he had challenged his daughter to an Agni Kai, claiming that she had stolen the throne from its rightful master. Azula accepted.
Witnessed by hundreds, the duel didn't last long. Ozai's flames, wild and furious, were met with Azula's calm and graceful movement, her blue fire over powering Ozai's flame. She toyed with him, letting him strike and miss, until, with one blinding arc of lightning, she cast him to the ground. When it ended, the ex-Fire Lord was defeated, disgraced, and placed under house arrest, his name fading swiftly into irrelevance.
Far from the drama of the Fire Nation royal family, life in the Valley of Peace bloomed in quieter colors.
Tai Lung's parents moved to the valley to live near their son. His father, ex-Admiral Shulian, found himself partnering with his old friend ex-General Iroh, the two old veterans had once again stood shoulder by shoulder. Together they opened the first tea house in the valley of peace.
It was there, to Iroh's great joy, that his nephew Zuko and Zuko's wife, Jin, came to settle. Zuko lived simply with his Uncle, serving tea, sweeping floors, and helping his uncle greet travelers from across the world.
And above them all, at the very peak of the Jade Palace, Tai Lung continued his teaching. His students came from every nation, drawn to his unmatched skill and mysterious powers. Ty Lee had followed him from the moment the war ended, and under his guidance, she found a new calling away from the circus, a call to teach the art of movement, agility, and hand to hand combat.
Tai Lung had given a name to the art he taught: Kung Fu. A word that was strange to many at first, yet quickly became legend. For if the man who had reshaped the world wished to rename his mastery, who would dare to argue?
——————
In the courtyard behind the Jade Palace, Tai Lung and Ty Lee strolled from within the Jade Palace.
"So," Ty Lee asked, "what did you want to try?"
Tai Lung replied. "I have been looking into the records of the origin of bending I got from the Spirit Library," he said slowly, "and how the spirit Lion Turtles gave humans bending… and took it away."
Ty Lee just listened silently.
Tai Lung continued, "Why was each Lion Turtle giving a different element to humans, and taking it away? And if the Lion Turtle is the true source, then why do we still have bending even after there are no more Lion Turtles in the world?"
Ty Lee opened her mouth, paused, then scratched her cheek. "Ummm… does that matter with anything?"
"It does." Tai Lung nodded. "I believe the Lion Turtles did not give us elements… but partially unlocked the thought chakra and the air chakra. These two are the minimum required for bending."
Ty Lee's eyebrows shot up.
"As for the element," Tai Lung went on, "humans lived atop the turtles for centuries. I think living so closely to an ancient spirit left an imprint inside the humans that we carry to this day. If my assumption is correct, then maybe by unlocking the two chakras like the spirits did thousands of years ago, I will be able to make normal people into benders."
Ty Lee's eyes widened. "You want to try it on me?"
Tai Lung nodded once.
A spark of excitement burst across her face. "I can be a bender?!" She paused "Wait, is it safe?"
"Yes." Tai Lung's tone was calm, reassuring. "Worst case scenario, you will grow a little stronger."
Ty Lee grinned instantly. "Well, what are you waiting for? Let's try it!"
Tai Lung stepped closer, lifting one hand to her forehead and placing the other gently over her chest. Ty Lee shut her eyes instinctively. Tai Lung followed suit. Soon a soft golden light bloomed beneath his palms, spreading across Ty Lee's forehead and chest.
It lasted only seconds before he withdrew his hands, blinking his eyes open. "Do you feel anything has changed?"
Ty Lee stared at her hands, wiggled her fingers, then shook her head. "Nothing changed." She waved her hands experimentally, but nothing happened.
Tai Lung hummed "You might be unable to sense the difference. Try to make bigger movements and stress your muscles. Bending is not exactly the same as usual physical movement. "
Ty Lee nodded, then without warning punched forward in Tai Lung's direction with all her might.
The air itself exploded.
A powerful gust burst from her fist, slamming into Tai Lung and sending the unsuspecting warrior flying straight into the courtyard wall with a resounding thud.
Ty Lee gasped. "Are you okay? Wait!! did I just bend?!"
Tai Lung pushed himself upright, dusting off bits of stone. "Yes," he said simply. "That was airbending. You are an airbender, Ty Lee."
Her face lit up. "That's amazing!" she squealed, clapping her hands together. The moment she did, wind spiraled outward in all directions.
"Please calm down before you cause yourself harm," Tai Lung warned.
"Sorry!" Ty Lee said, though her voice was full of joy. "But I'm too excited!"
Tai Lung smiled, one more thing off his bucket list.
The end.