Avatar - Conquering the Elements-Chapter 167. Revelation

Tienhai City. One month later.

"Are you tired of living under the oppression of mages?! Join the Equalists! The 'elite' of our world have thrived at the expense of ordinary citizens and oppressed us for too long! Join Amon—we will overthrow the magical government!" Standing on a small hill, a middle-aged man shouted passionately into a megaphone, actively recruiting people into a dubious organization. Behind him hung posters with short but catchy slogans. There was also a massive portrait of the organization's leader.

"Magic isn't bad!" one of the bystanders, moved by his speech, shouted back. If someone with bloodbending abilities were present, they would instantly recognize that this person, seemingly stirred to the core, wasn't the least bit agitated. On the contrary, his heart was completely calm. In short, it was a pre-planned performance—a well-executed spectacle, and the crowd was clearly buying it.

"You're a mage, aren't you?" the agitator leaned forward, almost taunting.

"That's right, I'm an earthbender!" the second actor replied, puffing out his broad shoulders, clearly proud of his abilities.

"And my words clearly didn't sit well with you, did they? Maybe you're ready to use your magic to teach me a 'lesson'?"

"Great idea!" the earthbender laughed loudly.

"That's the problem with our world! People like him use their power to intimidate us! We need to level the playing field, not just in words!" Along with his outcry, the people around him began to echo his ideas, nodding and murmuring in approval.

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"We're not intimidating anyone! You're intimidating yourselves!" another earthbender, who had been listening with a puzzled expression, protested.

"There are too many of them! These 'enlightened ones' are popping up like weeds after rain!" a plainclothes police officer growled. He and his partner were responsible for this district today. "Why can't we just arrest these liars?!"

"The boss knows what he's doing. Sure, we could take these 'rookies,' but they probably don't know much about the organization. We won't reach the top," the more experienced officer shook his head. They had tried arresting such vocal individuals before—it yielded no results. Most were just hired hands, and others had never even seen Amon.

"Hmm, that first earthbender looks familiar... I remember now! He's a member of the 'Crawling Crystals' triad! Let's take him in!"

"It seems that along with this mysterious organization, criminals are coming out of the woodwork," the senior officer mused.

Other encounters weren't as smooth. Among the well-disguised figures supporting the agitators were their own colleagues. Yes, there were only a few, but the fact itself was unsettling. The most zealous supporters of "equality" were quickly noted. No normal person would openly declare they were ready to burn benders at the stake...

The organization's activities in other countries had been swiftly and harshly suppressed. Neither Yo nor anyone else wanted these "infection hotspots" to spread to other regions. The Equalists were subtly confined to their boundaries, so the entire organization could be eradicated in one sweep. Already, soldiers from all nations were arriving in the city disguised as traders and civilians.

The people of Tienhai would have to become pioneers, facing a rapidly changing reality head-on. They were the ones who had to believe in Amon's ideas, feeling like full-fledged humans even without magic. And when the organization was gone, they would have to take control of their lives. Experts in psychology, sociology, and related fields had already developed a theoretical model of mass behavior, calling it "Consciousness Expansion." The city's citizens would experience emotional "rollercoasters," repeatedly shattering their familiar patterns. Tienhai had already become a global center; any change here would immediately be adopted by other countries.

*

One week later. Industrial district. Warehouses and factories. Night. Yo.

"I've long dreamed of seeing Amon, the leader! Finally, my dream will come true!" The muffled voices of others walking through the dark streets reached my ears without trouble. One thing was clear—this gathering was for the most zealous followers of the Equalists' ideology.

"They say there will be a 'Revelation' today! The leader will share his own thoughts! I missed the chance last week, but this time I asked for time off work in advance!" They had done a great job creating a cult of personality; everywhere, there was nothing but praise for him.

"Invitation," a burly man extended his hand to me.

"Here you go," I calmly pulled out my honestly stolen flyer. My current disguise was no different from the others. My face showed a hint of excitement, a bit of determination, and anticipation.

"We're in for a Great Revelation, brother," he bowed, letting me pass.

"Can't wait for it, brother," I reciprocated, shaking my head inwardly.

Inside, I was greeted by rusty metal walls and outdated equipment. Walking down the corridor, I emerged into an open space.

"..." I knew many hated mages, but several thousand people had gathered here!

Five minutes later, spotlights illuminated the stage. The organization's two main figures—Amon himself and his right-hand man, the Lieutenant—appeared.

"Behold! Our hero and your savior—Amo-o-o-n!" a loud voice boomed from speakers positioned at the edges of the stage.

The crowd immediately erupted into applause and cheers. It felt like they were welcoming a famous singer. With a wave of Amon's hand, the noise ceased, and the crowd focused on his words.

"My fight for equality began many years ago. When I was a child, my family lived on a small farm. We weren't wealthy, and none of us had magic, so we became easy prey for a firebender who robbed my father. One day, my father resisted, and the firebender took my parents' lives... and my face. Since then, I've been forced to wear a mask," Amon's serious voice struck the right emotional chords in the audience.

"Enough with the sob story!" I muttered to myself. Though... in a way, he wasn't lying. Only recently, I learned that when Yakon lived at the North Pole, the treatment he received from classmates and teachers couldn't be called pleasant—it was more like animalistic. Teachers were afraid to tell the truth because by then, Yakon had already demonstrated his bending talents. "So, I missed the rise of the chief Equalist myself," I thought, or perhaps he truly is a product of his time, an era when people no longer want to be beneath benders.

The key thing is that Aang and I managed to identify everyone affected by the particles of Vaatu. Once the need for reformers disappears, a purge will take place, which I hope will finally rid the world of dark energy. The books on life energy knowledge, given to me by the Lion Turtle, are already being printed. A group of talented individuals in this field has been selected, and I've taken their training into my own hands. In the near future, they will guide all those interested in the path of the mysterious green energy.

"Throughout history, mages have brought only suffering! Every war was started by mages who profited at the expense of ordinary people!" Amon continued, slightly calmer. "I know you're all curious about what this 'revelation' is. And now, you'll get your answer. The great spirits have spoken to me! They've given me a mission to proclaim the Era of Balance! I've been granted the power to make equality a reality! The power to end human bending... forever."

"Let's move to the demonstration. Behold, members of the 'Agni Kai' triad—chances are, some of you have fallen victim to their attacks," he said as shackled criminals were brought onto the stage. Thick cloth prevented them from speaking, but their eyes made it clear—they desperately wanted to.

"Damn! I knew they'd get rid of us eventually! Should've left when we had the chance!" the triad's leader thought to himself. He and his men had been recruited by Amon and carried out numerous missions, hoping to advance within the organization.

"They built their wealth by robbing and tormenting ordinary people, but their terror ends now! Let truth be on the side of the victor—I'll graciously give him a chance at redemption!" The leader's handcuffs were swiftly removed.

With a fierce glint in his eyes, the firebender unleashed a barrage of techniques, though to no avail. Amon effortlessly dodged the attacks, closing in step by step. After a brief pause, the triad leader launched a massive, branching lightning bolt into the air. Unfortunately, it gave Amon just enough time to get close. A few swift movements, and the bender's hands went limp. In the next moment, Amon appeared behind the mage, pressing his palm to his forehead.

"What can you do now?" Amon asked, pushing the once-gifted mage forward.

"W-what... What's happening?! Where's my magic?!" the bender screamed hysterically, unable to connect with his source.

"Your firebending is gone. Forever. The era of magic is over, but a new era of equality has begun!" Amon declared loudly, raising his fist. The crowd erupted into cheers. How could they not? They had just witnessed a genuine miracle!

The same procedure was then performed on each member of the triad, cementing Amon's uniqueness and the path he had chosen. Sadly, these people would be disappointed to learn that anyone could become an "Amon," provided they were a waterbender and dedicated themselves to studying life energy and bloodbending.

The aftermath of these so-called "revelations" became evident within days. People took to the streets, demanding the government's resignation and the creation of centers where Amon could remove magic. As the rallies continued, the demands grew more absurd. Fortunately, the streets never gathered more than ten thousand people, which, in Tienhai's million-strong population, wasn't as significant. Perhaps some wanted to join, but prudence prevailed.

If they hadn't fallen for the Equalists' sweet talk and had used even a shred of common sense, they would realize they were demanding the impossible. Who would provide electricity if there were no firebenders? Who would heal their illnesses and injuries if there were no waterbenders? Who would build their homes if there were no earthbenders? And that's just the tip of the iceberg—the list of benefits goes on. Removing benders would plunge the world into economic collapse, ruin, famine, and set civilization back by years. Because Amon's followers are so active, an outsider might think the entire world supports him. But the reality is that such aggressive actions and slogans repel normal people. I think once Amon is disappointed in these people, he'll act even more harshly. That, I believe, is what the particle of Vaatu aims for. Clashes of ideas always breed chaos and anarchy.

Over these days, there were countless instances of police arresting benders who tried to disperse the crowd with their magic. It wasn't hard to figure out who was behind such people. So, the rallies looked odd—people marched peacefully along main roads, shouting about their importance and equality, while wary police officers patrolled around them, vigilantly scanning the surroundings, as if protecting the crowd. And that's exactly what they were doing. The brave officers had to literally fend off suspicious mages from the crowd to prevent the "spark" from becoming a wildfire.

It seems this was exactly what the Equalists wanted, as during the march, attacks were launched on weapon depots and police stations. But thanks to knowledge of their plans, the attackers were repelled.

The tension in the air was growing, and I didn't like it. That meant we needed to accelerate our plans. Plus, my intuition was faintly signaling future troubles...