Zerrel

### Abilities

Fire blasts, Fire beams, Fire whips, Fire bombs, Jet propulsion, Fire flare, Fire daggers, Fire sword, Fire wall, Blocking, Kickboxing, Basic Grappling, Lightning blast

### Age

72

Zerrel is the primary villain in book 4 of Avatar: Macai's Journey.

Zerrel was the leader of the Disciples of Justice terrorist and cult organization; the main antagonist of book 4 of Avatar: Macai's Journey; and Macai's nemesis.

## Origin

Zerrel was a gifted firebender who performed well in several tournaments before he graduated from the Royal Boys Fire Nation Academy. He fought for his nation's army for 20 years and gradually became weary of his nation's war crimes. Zerrel noticed several Earth Kingdom commit similar heinous actions as an attempt to keep up with the Fire Nation. Zerrel would eventually become a colonel and his loyal friend Haresh of non-noble origin worked his way up into becoming a major. After years of serving, the colonel never married and seemingly never had any children.

Zerrel and Haresh had a similar disdain with the politics of the Fire Nation and they both hated Azulon and Ozai. One day he was sent to lay siege on an important Earth Kingdom fort. Zerrel's forces took massive losses during the attack, then Zerrel and several of his units decided to desert rather than sacrifice losses in a pointless fight. A good portion of Zerrel's forces returned to the Fire Nation while others left with his on a quest to leave everything they knew behind.

The warrior and his forces later renamed themselves as the Disciples of Justice. The DOJ snuck into a jungle located between the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation. Zerrel and his allies eventually discovered an ancient temple called the temple of Bodamnion that contained ancient spiritual knowledge of dark spirits. Zerrel contacted the spirits and made a pact with them. The spirits convinced Zerrel that he needed to destroy all governments to truly free humans from their oppression and this needed to be done before the governments became too powerful from technology to be overthrown.

Together, Zerrel and his new guides began mapping out a vision of how to bring down the nations when the time was right. Zerrel believed that the civilizations needed to run a cycle where they would eventually be brought down and everything would be forced to reset until the time was right for a new beginning.

## Personality

Zerrel had an element of charisma and mysteriousness that could either inspire or turn someone off. Macai saw Zerrel as someone who wanted to play god and believed that the spirits that Zerrel was working with were really controlling him. Zerrel didn't see the dark forces as bad, he just believed they were allies that were going to help him accomplish his destiny.

## Beliefs

Zerrel hated governments and viewed every government as a coercive force that violates the liberties of "the common people" (non-noble born civilians). Zerrel's Disciples of Justice (DOJ) consisted of a group of people who felt they were wronged by the governments they lived in. Members of the DOJ included former prisoners of war, criminals, and past freedom fighters. Zerrel took people from all nations and he had reasons to bring people in from all of those places.

Zerrel drew off the inequality that existed within the Fire Nation (nobles vs commoners), between the separation of the Northern and Southern Water Tribes, and with the wealthy inequality that existed in the Earth Kingdom (including a lack of opportunities to move up to a higher class). Zerrel pointed out the corruption within the Earth Kingdom and nepotism in the Fire Nation as means to get new recruits. The former colonel also had a keen knowledge of the war crimes that the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom committed during the Hundred Year War.

Zerrel punished any of his members who committed certain war crimes such as killing hostages and often tried to recruit captured foes. While Zerrel's measures were extreme, he never lied to his enemies and championed himself as a man of his word. While Zerrel himself was born a moderate noble, he had a deep disdain for the privilege nobles got over commoners. While these actions seemed noble, Zerrel saw the deaths of civilians and commoners as necessary losses in order to create a better future for all of humanity.

Early on during his time as a leader, he meet up with Beruto who left the Earth Kingdom after he discovered appalling corruption within it's administration. Beruto slaughtered several Earth Kingdom officials in rage and was ran out of his home for his actions. Zerrel welcomed him with open arms and used him to help recruit members from that nation. Zerrel did his research and later took in Tufen from the Water Tribe, Karanga the assassin, Demarius the inventor, a former bounty hunter named Voren who was obsessed with aerial combat, and a former mercenary named Solven who agreed with Zerrel's cause.

Zerrel read a lot of history and learned about timelines that was hidden from the Fire Nation. Zerrel indirectly used his past wealth to gather resources to fight his foes. Zerrel's emergence and forthcoming war was planned for decades.

## Agents in the Shadows

Zerrel recruited several senators, politicians, and military members to act as spies within in his ranks. They were all waiting in secret, for the ideal time to strike and reveal themselves. Zerrel hoped to take down the governments before Aang physically returned from the spiritual realm and to then used his combined resources to destroy him. The DOJ figurehead also had the plan to indirectly support factions that opposed his enemies. Zerrel supported the United Way, freedom fighters, Southern Water Tribe Separatists, and corrupt forces within the Earth Kingdom to accelerate the destabilization of those governments. Though he didn't specifically plan it, Zerrel was pleased to see the Coup of Ba Sing Se as it laid a future opportunity for him to strike their weakened state.

Zerrel's agents supported members of Ozai's re-empowerment regime as he looked to weaken Zuko's administration. But when the time was right, the strategist was looking to smash all of his divided foes if they stood in his way. However, due to the nature of Zerrel brutal methods, he quickly united several of his enemies against him.

## Combat Abilities

Zerrel is a firebending master with legendary defense and notable accuracy (second only to Azula's in firebending). The DOJ leader had bright yellow flames that were hotter than the typical orange flames. However, Azula and Macai both had hotter fire than Zerrel. After the Hundred Year War, Zuko's rainbow fire was equally hot to Zerrel's. Zerrel's yellow flames also had a blinding effect that was second to Macai's and could blind opponents for several minutes. Because Zerrel had this ability, he knew how to better defend against Macai's white fire than most benders.

Zerrel's flames were not as large as Zuko, Rosh, Macai, or even Kett's. They were about the same size of Azula's. However, Zerrel's flames traveled faster than all the other firebenders of his era, including Kett. The speed and brightness of his attacks made Zerrel incredibly difficult to defend against. He could dish it out and take it by blocking incoming shots. Zerrel's agility was moderate being over Macai and Kett's but below Azula, Ty Lee, and Kanna's. Zerrel's agility and reflexes were comparable to Mai's but his experience made him capable of predicting many attacks.

Like Ozai, Iroh, and Azula; Zerrel was capable of lightning bending. This was a rare ability that only a few firebenders possessed. Even Macai couldn't regularly lightning bend. Zerrel studied his lightning bending technique by reading old hidden scrolls and learned how to perform this technique faster than all but Ozai. His lightning was a touch slower than his. While Zerrel didn't regularly use jet propulsion, he was proficient at it but only knew how to launch himself in the sky for a short time before being drained.

Zerrel's conditioning and stamina was notable for someone his age. Zerrel could fight for three or more hours in combat. Zerrel was even better at sustaining his high tempo composure than Macai and could fight at a faster pace than Azula. Though Zerrel fought at a faster pace than her and maintained it better; Azula was better at setting up traps when she fought and breaking down the weaknesses of her opponents. Whereas Zerrel simply looked to attack quickly, accurately, and powerfully for an incredibly long time. This tactic was more than effective enough to push elite fighters such as Macai, Azula, and Zuko to their limits. With Ozai's firebending removed, Zerrel was one of if not the most firebender remaining.

## Spiritual Foresight

Zerrel could see into the future, but he could not foresee everything. Unlike most of Macai's opponents, Zerrel was capable of gathering support from dark spiritual forces that indirectly helped him in battle. Zerrel waged spiritual warfare against the Avatar while he fought Macai in the physical realm. Zerrel's knowledge allowed him to anticipate some incoming attacks and plots from opponents such as Macai and Zuko. His spiritual foresight helped him understand his opponent's motives and mental weaknesses. This ability also gave him more confidence.

## Bold Endeavors

Zerrel went on several destructive campaigns that he planned for years as he looked to destroy the Fire Nation, Earth Kingdom, Northern Water Tribe, and Eastern Water Tribe. Zerrel used a combination of attacks from within and externally to bring down these establishments. Zerrel did not prioritize the Southern or Western Water Tribes but he still looked to undermine their ability to take on new technology. Zerrel was known for causing mass destruction during these campaigns which put the world in fear for a year. Some people called this conflict the "Shadow War".

Zerrel had several bases that gathered resources and stole new developing technology to carry out their attacks but promised the DOJ he would destroy the technology he used after the war was won. Even if Zerrel lost the war, he knew he would inspire others to follow in his steps afterward. Zerrel was careful to plan his attack after Ozai fell from power and while the Avatar was on a spiritual journey to increase his chances of success.

## Legacy

While Zerrel was remembered by some as a hero and unconventional activist, many only saw his legacy as one of pointless bloodshed and violence. Zerrel would not be the last person to challenge governments, the Red Lotus would later have such a legacy but with a less violent and extreme approach.