| By The Snowbold | Part of the The Journey of Tala continuity. |
| "The fate of the many rests in the hands of the few. That was, is, and always will be the way of the world." |
| — Rishu to Tala concerning leadership, in Chapter 13: Agni Kai |
Grand Marshal Rishu is a Fire Nation Noble descended from Azula, and cousin of the current Firelord. Rishu is Grand Marshal of the Fire Nation Air Force and new councilman of Republic City.
Rishu is a mysterious but likable person. He has become powerful, between his cousin having to rely on help after taking the mantle of Firelord at such a young age, and his own family's increasing influence in the Fire Nation military. Rishu has set up the events in Republic City, but no one knows for what purpose. People do know however that he effectively is co-ruler of the Fire Nation beside his cousin.
History
Rishu was born into the legendary but intimidating Dragon Family. As a descendant of Azula, expectations of both power and paranoia were expected of him since childhood. He mastered firebending under humans at ten but left for the Sun Warriors to learn from Dragons. He returned five years later a powerful and deadly master of firebending.
Dragons were key in shaping the man Risu would become.
Rishu used his detached understanding of youth to change culture in the Fire Nation. Promoting a reinvigorated sense of honor in the military and elite beauty through fashion, a business venture he made.
Rishu's experience and cunning were required when his uncle, the Firelord, passed away unexpectedly. His cousin, Ma-Tin has since requested his help to rule the Fire Nation.
While Regent of the Fire Nation, Rishu has also been appointed Grand Marshal of the Fire Nation's Air Force. As Grand Marshal, he is one of three overlords of the Fire Nation Military that answers only to the Firelord. Rishu commands the smallest, but fastest reaching and most elite branch of the Fire Nation Military. As Grand Marshal, he has instated a new Dragon corp to match those of the other branches, the Sky Dragons.
Rishu had sent a formal invitation to train the new Avatar in firebending, as he was already a legend among the public. However, the offer was turned down and a classmate of Rishu's who was inferior was chosen to teach the Avatar in Omashu. The insult was not suffered, Rishu banned the Order of the White Lotus entry into the Fire Nation until they learned their place, apologized and escorted that Avatar to his estate to train. It has been years since, and they are still banned from the nation, because they have yet to apologize.
Rishu has become a powerful and cunning ruler by the age of 28. He has now used this power to resign as Regent of the Fire Nation and become Councilman of Republic City on the Fire Nation's behalf. The world waits to see what happens when the massive metropolis collides with the staunch traditionalist.
Rishu has assumed the identity of the Black Dragon. Under this persona, he has orchestrated a massive conspiracy concerning Republic City. He has managed an alliance between the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom.
Under Rishu's command, the air force attacked the United Forces outposts and airbases. In these attacks, an Air Nomad escaped despite Rishu's best efforts to prevent news of the attack reaching Omashu. As Grand Marshal of the Air Force, Rishu commanded strikes all over the coast and inland, including the Western Air Temple, Northern Fortress, and Republic City.
Rishu led the attack and siege of Republic City and welcomed both the Earth King and Fire Lord upon their arrivals.
Because of the Avatar's location, Omashu became a critical point of strategy, and their defiance to follow the Earth Kingdom made them an enemy. Rishu personally reinforced Prince Kuir's siege of the city. He tried to advise Kuir against rushed strategies to no avail but had planned for the Solar Eclipse coming in the winter.
Rishu set out to fight on the solar eclipse despite the fact he would be powerless. He put on armor and wielded his Katana in order to compensate. The wolf warriors of the Southern Water Tribe came to take over the ship. Rishu along with his lieutenant, Liam, waited on the hull to fight.
Rishu easily cut down those who attacked him but met a match in the form of Chief Arkoda. The fight raged, but Arkoda eventually got the upperhand by changing styles. When the hijacking was successful, more warriors joined the chief to overpower the armored warrior. Rishu looked to the eclipse and made a gamble.
Rishu generated lightning and fired on the Chief. It succeeded but it also backfired, electrocuting him as well. Rishu recovered and attacked again, with the eclipse over, this lightning strike did not backfire and it disabled the airship. Rishu easily fought off attacks with firebending, he then flew off to another ship.
From here, he generated lightning and fired on an enemy airship, cleaving it in two and destroying it. Revealing his identity as the Black Dragon.
Rishu's step into the battle as the Black Dragon brought a new fear into the city of Omashu. Rishu and Kuir made a new plan to attack Omashu, when Kuir was captured by the defenders of the city. With the Prince's capture, he now commands the siege. Rishu has sent a challenge of Agni Kai to Avatar Tala.
Tala answered the challenge. Tala was on the defensive, especially when Rishu employed a special ability during the Winter Solstice. Tala went on the attack, knowing she couldn't evade forever. The blast from two attacks forced them both off the airship they fought on. Rishu used his firebending to propel himself and catch the Avatar. They briefly fought on the Omashu Airship before Rishu overpowered her. He then began to bend her energy, giving her knowledge. Tala's Avatar State interrupted him. When the Crew of the ship emerged, Rishu and Tala agreed to end in a draw.
Abilities
Rishu was a master firebender unparalleled by any human alive.
Rishu is a master firebender. He trained under the Dragons with the Sun Warriors for years, learning techniques and powers untouched by firebenders at large for millennia. Rishu is also capable of incredible lightning generation, but has hinted at more. Upon the revelation that he was the Black Dragon, the Southern Water Tribe warriors saw for themselves that he could produce white flames. This also meant that the scout, Simi's wound came from him. These wounds melted flesh and hardened the skin afterward giving a dark coal look.
Rishu's skills in advanced firebending are incredibly refined. He can detect other firebenders by sensing the energy in them from their "inner fires". He was seen producing a lightning bolt that was pure white and destroyed an airship. Rishu was powerful enough to generate lightning during a solar eclipse, though it back fired and hit him as well as his target.
Unknown to most is that Rishu is a swordmaster. He is particularly skilled with the Katana. He was trained by his aunt, a Kyoshi Warrior. He has a red tinted Katana made specially for him as well as the mysterious Raven Rose. Rishu is also physically strong, strong enough to break someone's neck with efficiency.
The most secretive and deadly ability Rishu has shown was his power to bend energy. He used it on Tala during their Agni Kai. It is unknown how much he can do, he stated he was giving her knowledge, one of the known functions of the ancient art. He also removed a Lotus Sentry's bending when they attacked Avatar Tala.
Rishu has begun dreaming of things from his past as well as that of others' implying some kind of vision power.
Personality
Rishu's personality is as enigmatic as he is. He seems to be a chameleon in that he acts as required for the situation and fool most. Those close to him see that he can be sarcastic when it amuses him but that he is otherwise emotionless, not caring for the nuances of life. His objectives and plans are all that matters and he doesn't deviate from them.
Ralyn once mentioned that he could just as soon make love to a woman as murder them in cold blood, implying a deep disconnect with people. Rishu seems to be repressed, as his childhood before Sozin's Comet was that of an ordinary kid. Despite his mastery of emotions and his ability to manipulate people, Rishu seems to consider human emotions interesting.
Rishu, in fact, has two split personalities. One retains his childish behavior and mindset from before the Comet, while the other is a copy of the Black Dragon's own personality. The personalities have great resentment for each other, blaming the other for emotional pain and trauma.
Appearance
Rishu in his armor, as he used during the solar eclipse.
Rishu is the male version of his ancestor, Azula. He is lean, tall and fair-skinned. His hair is black as night. An interesting trait of his family is the increasingly different eyes from most firebenders. Rishu has eyes black as night, giving him a visage of power and fear.
Rishu is known to dress well but always in the same colors. He wears black with gold lining to all his clothing.
Notes
- Rishu is heir to the Firelord, as Ma-Tin has no children at present.
- Rishu's ancestry to Azula, while publicly accessible is little known, even in the Fire Nation.
- Kuir once disrespected Rishu, challenging him to a duel after repeated insults. The fight ended in fifteen seconds with Kuir bearing a large scar across his back from Rishu, reminding him of humility and respect, very similar to his ancestor Ozai's treatment of Zuko.
- Despite intense training, Rishu has a deep dislike for the open seas.
- Rishu has a dark history concerning what happened to him when Sozin's Comet arrived.
- Rishu has an extensive network of spies throughout the world, but he seems to lack eyes in the Swamp.
- Rishu means 'to rise' in Hindi, which was completely coincidental, as I thought I made the name up.
- Rishu was a member of the Red Lotus though far more cunning.
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