章 88: Chapter 88 - The wall falls
Morning came way too late for Seras' liking. Normally she hates daytime, but in the case of not sleeping for over three days, she just wants it to be over quickly. On her seat, she can see the vestiges of dawn appearing, which made her very giddy inside.
'Finally! During winter, it should be around 7:45 for dawn at the moment. The gang should be at my room and Zuko should be there to kidnap Aang as well.' She grins as the war is finally coming to a close.
At 8 Exactly, Seras phases to her room only to find a distraught Katara and Sokka. She prevents the smile from forming as she asks what's wrong.
"Zuko took Aang and knocked him out! He left out of the window!" Katara pointed to the broken wall with tears in her eyes.
"I couldn't do a damn thing!" Sokka was pissed at his powerlessness.
"Calm down. When did this happen?"
"Calm down!? That damn fire bender took Aang! How can you be so cold!?" Sokka yelled.
"Yelling won't do anything. Now, answer my question." Seras' eyes glowed in anger which cowed the boy.
"It just happened. Not even a minute has passed."
"Ok. Then I think I know where he's going."
"Great! Then we can-" before Katara can finish, seras interrupts.
"I can't go."
"What do you mean?" The southern water tribe warrior questioned.
"I need to stay so that my trap can succeed. I made a plan with the Chief to end the invasion by the end of the day. I also need to protect the palace from attacks."
"Nothing has happened to the palace! We have to save Aang now!" Sokka grabbed her shirt.
Seras was truly annoyed now as she grabs his wrist and pulls him off. Sokka flinched from the pain as she tossed him to the ground. She waves her hand to the side and 23 Boulders appear out of thin air. All of them still felt hot and had a smell of oil.
"W-What is this?" he asked with trepidation.
"These....are some the boulders that would have hit the palaces in the last three days. I've been protecting the water tribe from them. Would you rather I leave the women and children without the protection I have provided so far?"
"....but....it's Aang..."
"I know. However, I believe you two can save him. Now get Appa and search the eastern ice cliff. Zuko should be heading that way."
"What makes you say that?" Katara calmed down and asks in confusion.
"Because....I saw a small vessel take off to that area with a single soldier on board. I believe Zuko used this chance to take Aang to his father to regain his 'honor'." She used air quotes making the two teens confused.
"Just go and get him back. We need him to defeat the fire lord and return peace to this world." Seras continued despite their confusion.
Katara took Sokka by the arm and dragged him out of the room. She gave Seras a look of encouragement before closing the door.
"....it sucks that I had to let Zuko do this, but he needs it to build his character." She gives a sigh of defeat before returning to the roof of the palace.
As this was happening, Arnook was in the throne room with Kahn and Master Pakku going over the new plans.
"Are you sure about this, Chief?" The water bending master asks.
"Are you asking about the plan itself or the reliance of our new friend?"
"You know which. It seems like we're placing too much trust in someone who is essentially a stranger."
"I know, Pakku. However, you and I both know that the wall won't hold. So it's either relying on Miss Victoria or fighting against 10,000 fire benders with only a 800 soldiers and 200 water benders."
"I still think we could have held out." Kahn comments from The other side in indignation.
"Yes, we might have. But for how long and with how many sacrifices? Would you really want to fight to the last man when we have a better alternative?" At this the general lowered his eyes in defeat.
"I will choose to fight to the death, but only as a last resort. If we can save the lives of hundreds of men just by accepting help, only an idiot would say no."
"Very well, but I still don't like it!" Kahn storms away making both the Chief and Pakku sigh.
"He's always been reluctant to ask for help. Let alone accept it from the very person who made his son act recklessly."
"I know, but I will not sacrifice the lives of our men for his pride."
"I understand Chief. Just know that we will act when the signal occurs...." Arnook nods along when he gives a long pause before continuing.
"Speaking of."
"Hmm?"
"You said Miss Victoria will Fire bend a large ball of fire, but didn't you also say that her trap is water bending based?" At this, the Chief grinned.
"I did." His tone is actually somewhat playful despite the situation they're in.
"Are you saying that she can bend both water and fire?"
"Yes, she can."
"But that's-"
"Impossible? Tell me Pakku. Isn't the fact that the Avatar, who disappeared a century ago, is still a twelve year old child, impossible?"
"It should be, but he's the avatar..." he replies unconvincingly.
"So? He might be the avatar, but isn't he just as human as you and I? The only difference between the avatar and normal people is that he can bend all 4 elements. Some might call it lucky, but in my eyes, it is a heaven burden."
"Chief?"
"The avatar is forever saddled as the bridge between worlds. Can you imagine being the avatar and told that you have to train your whole life when you might have wanted to do something else? I've always wanted to be the chief of the tribe since I was a child. Can you imagine my shock if I couldn't because I was the avatar?"
"...."
"Not only that, but Aang is just a twelve year old boy. Despite being gone for a century, he is still a child. Can you even imagine the weight on his shoulders to have to save the entire world? It must be agonizing."
"I see....what you say is true, Chief. It truly must be a heavy burden to bear."
Both men stay silent for the remainder of their conversation. At this point, the ships past the wall begin moving once again. The ship Housing Zhao was in the back safe from harm much to Iroh's annoyance.
'This man is a coward and a fool. He shouldn't be a lieutenant let alone an Admiral.' He sighs before drinking tea he made personally.
"Something you wish to add, General?" Zhao asks while in the middle of meeting the head captains.
"No, just thinking about Pai gow." He grins stupidly while fiddling with a lotus tile which makes the Admiral flare his nostrils in annoyance.
This caused the captains to almost laugh, but they held it in for fear of death.
"Fine. Then we shall continue the attack like before. The wall should fall today or tomorrow. As soon as it does, I want us to head in immediately with the ground troops."
"...sir." A captain asks after a few seconds.
"Yes?"
"What if it falls right before dusk?"
"Then we head in anyway."
"But...won't we be at a disadvantage during the full moon tomorrow?" The questioned cause Zhao to be even more angry.
"That won't matter with how much firepower we will use."
"But-" before the captain can continue to state his opinion, Zhao attacked him with his fire bending which instantly killed him.
"Anyone else have any questions? No? Then leave."
The others were shocked at this and said nothing as they left hurriedly. Iroh shook his head at the side but Zhao just ignored the old man.
'Tottering old fools! Scared of measly water benders. It's disgraceful!' He breathes out slowly and after hot air is dispelled he feels calmer.
"begin the attack." He orders a soldier who releases the signal.
At the wall, Kahn stood in the center with a glare. He's been thinking the whole time since he stormed out of the throne room about the tribe and his position in it.
'Have I grown complacent over the years? But why haven't they attacked us if they weren't afraid to?' At this, he thinks of a possibility which immediately shocks him.
"Unless....it's because they didn't care to? But..." he mumbles when the fire nation ships begin moving.
"Ok men! You know the plan and I want every single one of you to follow it to the letter! If we do this right, then we will protect our tribe!" He raises his arm and the soldiers follow along while cheering.
Seras sits down in her ice chair as she fights off the exhaustion she has gained. The only thing keeping her awake at this point is the reward she so rightfully deserves.
'I can't wait...however I shouldn't drink any until I give some to my master first. Blood form ancient spirits...I wonder how it will taste?' Drool forms in her mouth when her musings is interrupted by a giant fireball coming her way.
"No rest for me I guess..." she sighs before standing up.
When the boulder gets within 50 meters, she can feel a connection with earth bending and she raises her right arm. When it fully extends from her body, the boulder stops mid air like its floating.
Seras then puts her palm upward and flicks her wrist like she is taunting someone. The boulder then floats closer as she uses her other hand and closes it like she is making a fist. This cause the fire surrounding the dirt ball to snuff out.
"I don't care how many times I've done this...this smell of crude oil is disgusting.." she mumbles in annoyance as she stores the earth ball in her inventory.
At this point, Seras has gained 107 balls of earth covered in oil. She doesn't care that there isn't much use for them, but since her inventory is infinite, it won't hurt to hold on to them just in case.
This goes on for over 5 hours and at that point, Zhao noticed that the the northern water tribe's wall is getting patched much slower than the first day. The frustration he's been holding in for days washes away when he finds out how close he is to victory.
"Captain!"
"Sir!" The ship captain immediately replies.
"I want you to inform the land troops to get ready. We will March in by tonight!"
"Yes!" The man does so without delay.
"Are you mad!? You'll be attacking water benders at night during a full moon! Even you should know how foolhardy that is!" Iroh yells for the first time making the others shocked.
"That would be a problem...if they have that many water benders when that wall falls." Zhao smirks.
"What?"
"The water tribe has been getting slower with their patchwork since this morning. This obviously means that they're getting low on water benders."
"...that doesn't necessarily mean they're dead."
"Not totally, but they've been working non-stop for days. I doubt that the remaining living water benders could lift a finger, let alone fight back."
"While that could be true, it would be prudent to wait until dawn. They will still be exhausted by then."
"I will not! This is the reason why you failed in your invasion of Ba Sing Se! It's also why your son paid the price!" When Zhao mentioned this, the room instantly tensed.
Iroh was angry. For the first time in years, he truly felt like killing someone. However, he has changed. He changed for his son and he won't go down that path again. so he calmed down.
"I see...." that's all he says before leaving the room.
"Heh...senile old man..." Zhao angrily states to no one but they all heard it.
At 5, the wall stopped being repaired and Zhao noticed that 30 minutes after and decides to send in the land Troops. He ordered all of the ships within attacking distance to aim for the center part of the wall.
Over 50 ships attacked the wall at the same time and it crumbled away almost instantly. Many of the soldiers who retreated, cried when this happened. Despite them being told of the plan, it still marked an era of their first loss.
"Don't cry! Men of the water tribe! Walls can be rebuilt! Buildings can be repaired! But every life lost is one we can't get back! So, take pride in knowing you have protected every single civilian! Take pride in having protected your family!" Arnook was in front with armor.
""""YEAH!!"""" They're morale was raised.
Kahn was by his side and smiled when his chief and friend said this. He has always agreed with Arnook since they were children. Even when they were both nominated to be Chief, he would have willingly gave his friend the position if he won. Of course, that situation never occurred due to Arnook being chosen without question.
The land troops of the Fire Nation first Set foot in the water tribe at dusk. The sun was fading as the full moon rose into the sky. Arnook saw what he believed to be the Fire Nation Admiral that Seras mentioned.
'What a gaudy look...' he smiled in derision on the inside at Zhao's attire.
He wore mostly gold and deep red cloth along with what looked like a crown on his helmet. To anyone else, it looked too much, but Zhao thinks it appropriate.
"Charge!!" The water tribe chief yells while running and the soldiers run behind him.
"Attack!" Zhao yells himself but he stays in place as the Fire Nations Troops run past him.
Large amounts of Fire was released by the fire benders but the water nation soldiers had shields that protected them. Almost immediately, the Fire evening couldn't be used as it turned into a melee fight.
From above the palace, Seras could see both red and blue smashing into each other. Her smirk widened as the finale is about to begin. However she needs to hold out until the very last moment.
She looks past the fire nation Troops to find even more coming through the hole. When that stagnates is when she will take action. Her smirk paused when she noticed a gray haired old man at the top of the leading ship.
'Hmm....Iroh. I'm doing better in fire bending, but I know nothing about Lightning bending. I believe this would be a great time to ask.' She phases away.
Iroh was frowning as, despite the obvious success in this invasion, it feels like something is wrong.
クリエイターの想い 
crazy1324
crazy1324 I don’t own Avatar or any of its characters. However what I do own is this version of seras and the Alternate reality she creates by being there. Yes, that’s all mine....ALL OF IT!
週次パワーステータス
-- 推薦
ランキング 
-- 推薦
チケット