Chương 41: Thunderous Resound
The sky is a blue-grey color, and it is early in the morning. A cool breeze flows across the air and the sun has hardly risen. A pair of Earth Kingdom troopers patrol their site as they stand watch for new supplies to be shipped into their facility. The troopers are stationed at Colonel Ranham's Contrum Temple. The Contrum Temple is located within the North-Eastern border of the Earth Kingdom, which is an important shipping location.
The temple is surrounded by a massive circular wall. Most of the wall is ninety feet tall and ten feet wide; however, four central parts of the wall are forty-five feet tall. These center points are open and allow room for archers to keep an eye on enemy movements. Within the taller enclosed portions of the perimeter are several supplies, military offices, training chambers, dining halls, restrooms, and planning rooms for the garrisoned forces.
The temple itself is a tall yet thin cone-shaped structure. The walls have beige paint with light-green markings while the temple is made of light-yellow stone with light-green paint at its tip. The temple is a historical landmark, and it is known for having its religious significance. Several Earth Kingdom leaders would travel there to pay homage to their Earth god and several Avatars had traveled to the facility in the past.
The area around the temple is barren and covered with dark-yellow sand. However, the temperature is relatively moderate. It is only 17.7 Celsius (64 Degrees). The entire area is called the Contrum Complex. The two earth kingdom troopers on patrol are located near the left flank of the Northern entrance. The only two ways to enter the facility are from the Northern and Southern positions which are both heavily guarded on their direct routes.
At the main route, over a dozen Earth Kingdom troopers stand at guard as they analyze each cargo carriage that comes forward. The troopers can see an incoming carriage move to be analyzed by the main inspection team, which is about ten meters ahead of their position. Earth Kingdom trooper (Left): "Man, I sure could go for some grub right now. I'm starving."
Earth Kingdom trooper (Right): "Come on man, you just ate two hours ago."
Earth Kingdom trooper (Left): "I know, but it wasn't much of a meal. You know small portions don't cut it for me and that meal was vegetarian."
Earth Kingdom trooper (Right): "Well, suck it up. You'll get to eat when our shift is done."
The other Earth Kingdom guard moans, "We still have another THREE HOURS before we get off. Why can't we get a fifteen-minute break?" Ahead of their position a corporal waits as two of his troopers move up to inspect the carriage. A thin elderly man with a long white beard, brown eyes, copper skin, and thin face is the driver.
Earth Kingdom corporal (to the driver): "Alright, I'm going to ask you a few procedural questions before we search your cargo. Do you have any suspicious items in your carriage?"
The man shakes his head, "No sir, I know better than that."
Earth Kingdom corporal: "Sir, I didn't ask you that. Just give me a yes or no answer."
Elderly driver: "Well very."
Earth Kingdom corporal: "About how many pounds of cargo are you delivering?"
Elderly driver: "About three thousand pounds."
Earth Kingdom corporal: "Well, we have a three thousand five-hundred-pound weight limit. We're going to have a couple of benders look at it to see if it holds up to standards." There is a unique technique called earth measurement where earth bending professionals can tell how heavy something is by touching it. It takes concentration and a lot of practice to master the technique.
The Earthbenders move beside the carriage. The officer gives the signal and they lift up the veil that covers the material within it. The crate reveals Kanna on the right side of it and Rosh on the left. Kanna immediately extends her right leg and kicks a dark orange explosive flame into the bender across her. The man flies several feet back and the corporal's eyes widen.
Rosh shifts his hands and blasts the bender across him away with a red-orange fireball. Earthbender: "Oof."
The corporal shouts, "Battle stations!" Macai is a few feet behind his friends and immediately flips on top of the carriage. The corporal briefly gazes at Macai and two Earth Kingdom swordsmen do the same. Another two Earth spearman point their weapons in the commander's direction. In an instant, Macai slaps his hands together and creates a white flare that blinds the corporal and most of his troopers.
One spearman looks down to avoid being blinded, but panics from the commotion and freezes. Macai rotates his right hand and fires a white flame into the corporal's stomach. The Marquess looks up and notices two archers (one from the far left and another right center points of the Contrum perimeter) aiming at him. Macai immediately leaps from his exposed position and lands between his enemies.
As the firebender lands, he ignites his legs with white fire and slams them into the ground on impact. The resulting eruption of fire blasts the surrounding troopers away from him. As Macai does this, Kanna sprints across the left side of the area while Rosh moves on the right. The two guards notice Kanna moving toward them.
The left guard draws his sword, "Oh no, it's that girl! What's her name again?"
The right guard enters his battle stance, "Shut up, you fool, get ready to fight." As Kanna moves toward her opponents, she notices a female earthbender move across her far-right. The woman extends her hands and fires a volley of rocks at Kanna. Kanna flips between the earthbender's position and that of the distant guards.
The guards are forced to readjust their focus in order to keep up with Kanna's movements. Kanna shifts her body and launches a brick of dark orange fire into the female earthbender. The woman's body flies into the carriage behind her and the earthbender guard raises his hands. A stream of sand rises around Kanna, to engulf her.
The 31st scout leaps out of the trap and lands behind the guards. Kanna immediately moves her right leg and kicks an explosive flame into the earthbender's back. The swordsman charges at Kanna but he moves so predictably for her. Kanna rotates her body and kicks a flame into his face from a diagonal angle.
The two archers from the left-center point turn to aim their bows at Kanna. By the time an archer points it in Kanna's position, she has already left and sprinted in their direction. The other archer looks down to keep a lock on her, "Wow, she is so fast!"
Meanwhile, Rosh notices three Earth Kingdom troopers moving on his right flank. One has a sword, the one in the center is an earthbender sergeant, and the other is armed with an ax. Rosh sways right and fires a red-orange flame into the swordsman. The earthbender slaps his hands together and causes an earthquake in the young captain's direction.
Rosh jumps over the attack and toward his enemies. Rosh lengthens his right leg and pounds a red-orange rod of fire into the sergeant. Before he lands, Rosh pulls both of his hands back, generating a fireball. Rosh points his arms and pushes a stream of red-orange fire into the axman before he lands.
Rosh glances up and notices two archers aiming at his position. One archer immediately shoots at Rosh's neck and Rosh slides forward. Rosh immediately jumps back on his feet and sprints toward the entrance wall. While Rosh makes his push toward the right side of the facility, Macai looks ahead at the center of the facility and notices the front entrance wall open.
Twelve Earth Kingdom troopers arrive. The three in front are swordsmen, the next three are earthbenders, the next three are spearmen, and the last three are archers. Macai smirks and enters his battle stance. One captain moves behind the Earth Kingdom team and shouts, "Take him down, now!"
Macai brings down his right hand and shoots a volatile white flame into the swordsman on the right. The swordsman flies into the earthbender behind him, dropping knocking his companion out. The earthbender directly across Macai launches a wide stream of earth at the 31st leader. Macai kicks his right leg up and pounds a storm of white fire into the attack. The elements collide and create a spurt of smoke between them.
Macai glides his right hand and creates a quick whip of white fire then yanks his arm to the left. The white whip tears through the two earthbenders across him. Two spearmen immediately throw their weapons at Macai. The commander rolls forward then leaps directly at the spearman across him. Macai hits the trooper across him with a leaping kick and the man flies toward an archer behind him.
The archer dives right but falls another archer in the process, knocking both of the men down. Macai turns left and sways his hands; blowing away the other spearman with a burst of white fire. Macai turns his body and shoots the other standing archer down with a white fireball. The other two archers scramble to their feet and are immediately shot down by white flames.
The captain winces and backpedals as the young prodigy moves toward him. A loud scream is heard as two archers struggle to get an aim at Kanna. Unfortunately for her, she doesn't know how to use jet propulsion. Kanna darts left and tosses a hook across the wall. The left archer looks at the hook and the right archer moves up to get a shot at Kanna.
Kanna is immediately elevated and pulled up by the hook. The right archer flicks an arrow at Kanna, but misses. Kanna sprints across the left side of the wall to pull herself up faster as the grappling hook does most of the work for her. The right archer tries to get another shot at her as the other archer runs toward the hook, to throw it off the wall.
Kanna gets about twenty-six feet up toward the wall when she notices the archer moving toward her hook. Kanna swings her body left then pulls herself right. The girl rapidly soars past the right archer's viewpoint when the left archer knocks the hook off the platform. Kanna lets go of the hook and accelerates in the air. Kanna pumps a spurt of dark orange fire from her legs, elevating herself another ten feet high.
Kanna emerges about nine feet over the wall. As gravity pulls her down, Kanna realizes she is in for a rough landing and immediately braces herself as she ramps into the brick wall. Kanna hears a pop as she hits the pavement and nearly rolls off the platform. The left archer aims in her direction but the right sharpshooter completely turns around to get a shot at her.
A fatigued Kanna rolls right and lands a few feet past the archer on her right. But Kanna lands on her knees and is still a little winded from the landing. Kanna immediately turns and points her hands at the archer right of her. The archer nervously looks left as Kanna prepares to blast him but she notices the other archer is about to fire at her.
The left archer shoots an arrow at Kanna's back and Kanna hops toward the right archer to avoid being shot. Kanna tackles the right archer then pulls the man and herself up as the other archer looks to get another shot at her. Kanna warns, "Don't shoot or I'll take him out."
The archer left briefly freezes then the other archer winks at him. The left archer slightly nods and the restrained archer draws a knife to impale the 31st lieutenant. Kanna senses the plot and tosses the right archer off the platform. Archer: "Waaaaahhh!"
The left archer hisses at Kanna and darts an arrow at her neck. Kanna slides forward then raises her left leg, blasting the archer into a wall behind him. As this is happening, the other two archers on the right-center point aim at Rosh. The left archer pops an arrow directly at the teen captain. Rosh rolls right as the right archer aims in his direction.
Rosh pushes his arms and blasts himself thirty feet in the air. The archers are surprised by the action. Seconds later, Rosh flies further and lands between the archers. Both of the archers immediately shoot at Rosh and the noble pivots left at the last second. Both of the archers gun each other down. Rosh winks at the corpses and sprints left toward the enclosed part of the wall near his and Kanna's position.
He notices a steel door and kicks it open. Rosh advances into a long hallway with a light grey floor, light green walls, and a bronze ceiling. Rosh notices two earthbenders move from across his position. Earthbender: "Stand down boy!"
Rosh tigthens his arms and shifts them right, blasting the bender right of him away with a stream of red-orange fire. The other earthbender pumps his right leg and kicks a brick into Rosh's face. Rosh falls and hits the hard floor. Earthbender: "I'm not impressed." The earthbender pulls his hands down and pumps three bricks at Rosh.
Rosh rolls right and rises back on his feet. The earthbender launches a large brick at Rosh's chest. Rosh lifts his hands and fries the brick with a red-orange burst of fire. The captain rotates his left hand and fries the man with a stream of red-orange fire. Rosh advances further left until he notices three Earth Kingdom troopers running in the opposite direction.
One spearman scurries left but is blown away by a dark orange fireball. An earthbender (on the left) immediately shoves several objects directly at Kanna. Kanna skips left and lands on the wall across her. The earthbender readjusts his sight as another earthbender launches several objects at the young woman. Kanna flips off the wall and lands further right yet still between the position of the earthbenders.
Kanna kicks a flame into the right bender's chest and the other earthbender launches a series of stones at her. Kanna rotates her body and kicks a dark orange fire whip into the incoming objects. Then the scout extends her hands and blasts the man a wall. The back of the trooper's head smacks into the wall, and he falls unconscious.
Rosh comments, "Not bad."
Kanna turns and smiles, "Hey, I learned from the best."
Rosh: "So now what?"
Kanna asks, "You don't remember?"
Rosh scratches his head, "No, I was just checking to see if you did."
Kanna shrugs her shoulders, "We get to the bottom of this facility and go out of the back door. After that, we push to the temple. There, we will capture Colonel Ranham."
Rosh nods, "Yeah, that's right."
The Great Push
While Rosh and Kanna have linked up, Macai is still below their position at the main entrance. The commander notices dozens of Earth Kingdom troopers heading his way with various weapons or abilities. Two earthbenders and a swordsmen advance toward the firebender. Macai swiftly faces the benders and fires a barrage of white flames at them.
The earthbender on the left is shot down but the bender on the right raises a wall of earth which intercepts two incoming shots. Chunks of the wall are blasted off from the incoming wall, but fragments of it still remain. The earthbender extends his right arm and the damaged wall is split into fragments; the fragments fly toward Macai.
Macai swivels right and the swordsman charges at him. The swordsman lunges at Macai and the 31st leader weaves backward. The swordsman closes the distance and swings vertically at the marine. Macai raises his right hand and latches onto the duelist's weapon. Macai tightens his grip, causing the man to drop his blade then Macai takes his weapon.
The commander rotates his commandeered weapon and inserts it into the man's stomach. Macai kicks him down. The earthbender glides his right hand and pushes several sharp projectiles at Macai. Macai raises his left hand, and a wall of fire intercepts the objects. The marine commander chucks the sword into the bender's chest.
A distant archer fires directly at Macai; the young man turns left and grabs the arrow. Macai tosses the arrow back into the archer as he notices more troopers advancing in his direction. A weary Macai looks right to locate his allies but still doesn't notice Kett or Kanna. Five Earth Kingdom troopers move toward him and one Earth Kingdom sergeant taunts, "You shouldn't have come here, now you're doomed."
Macai responds, "I've still got a few tricks under my sleeve." Macai shifts his hands and creates a powerful white explosion. The explosion vaporizes the sergeant and a swordsman beside him. Macai propels himself backward toward the enclosed wall right of his position. As Macai pulls back to buy himself some time, the other three Earth Kingdom troopers are temporarily confused by his actions.
One of the spearmen points when the smoke clears and Macai's new position is revealed. Spearman: "We need to get some of our troopers from that center point to flank him!" An arrow suddenly flies in the spearman's neck. Macai is releaved as three 31st archers emerge from both center flanks. Sonna is located in the center of the north-east center flank and Arret is located in the north-west flank.
Earth Kingdom archers immediately emerge from the south and east flank. Sonna raises her head and launches an arrow into the neck of an archer across her. Another archer returns fire and Sonna ducks behind cover. The archers get in a shootout with each other. The Earth Kingdom troopers around Macai readjust their focus on him.
Seconds later, Asad and several marines emerge from the main entrance beside Macai. Asad: "Charge!" Two firebenders launch orange flames into two earthbenders. Two swordsmen and spearmen emerge near the lieutenant's position. Asad looks at Macai, "Orders sir?"
Macai answers, "Hold this position and just keep them busy. We don't want to risk too many forces against the enemy. Ranham is a proud colonel but he will leave if he has a disadvantage. We can't risk hitting him at full strength. The easiest way to take him down is to keep a limited force. I'll see what is up with Kanna and Rosh, then we will push into that facility together."
Asad: "You all will be ridiculously outnumbered."
Macai: "It's a big risk, but Ranham is an important leader. Getting him will be invaluable to the Fire Nation and he can tell us more of the Earth Kingdom's secrets."
Asad: "Affirmative."
A marine swordsman shouts, "Sir, we hear movement from the east center point!"
Asad responds, "Be prepared for a counterattack!" A loud thud is heard as Rosh and Kanna emerge from the exit door. A relieved Asad takes a breath. Macai nods at him and meets with his friends.
Rosh: "I'm ready when you are boss."
Macai points at the temple which is only about 30 meters from their position "Ok, we are going to push across the East flank then we'll make a right and cross into that temple. There are some Earth Kingdom troopers standing between us and that, so be ready to fight. If you need any last minute rest, now is the time. But you won't have much time to do so because we don't have a lot of relief here."
Rosh shakes his head, "No, I'm ready now. This has been enough of a rest for me."
Macai looks at Kanna, "What about you Kanna?"
Kanna shakes her head, "I'm ready sir."
Macai: "Good, let's go then." Macai advances with Kanna on his right and Rosh on his left. While they move across the right flank Asad and his marines stand their ground against incoming Earth Kingdom forces. The Earth team consists of three swordsmen, two spearmen, and three earthbenders. Asad extends his right hand and a long orange missile of fire flies into an incoming Earth Kingdom bender's chest, exploding on impact.
Youtube: Halo 4 OST- vol. 2 Mantis (music starts)
A spear is tossed into the chest of a marine firebender as the teams clash. As Macai's team advances, the trio notices two earthbenders move across their left. A swordsman and an earthbender move on their right. Two spearmen and a swordsman move across Macai's position. Rosh extends his hands and bolts a large red-orange beam of fire at an incoming earthbender.
The earthbender raises a wall of earth that intercepts the shot. On the right, Kanna kicks a rod of dark orange fire into an earthbender's neck. The explosion blows the man's head off then Kanna rotates her body and kicks another flame into an earth swordsman. Macai extends his hands and incinerates a spearman and swordsman with two simultaneous beams of white fire.
The other spearman chucks his weapon at the commander. Macai osciliates his body and catches the spear then Macai throws it into the earthbender's chest on Rosh's left. The remaining kicks a brick at Rosh's stomach. The viscount raises his left knee and breaks the brick in half. Rosh pumps his right hand and blows the bender away.
The trio sprint further as another five Earth Kingdom troopers advance toward them. The team consists of a spearman, two benders, and two swordsmen. Macai: "Cold yellow switch!" Macai shoves a stream of white fire from both of his hands then splits it in half and swivels his hands. The first beam of fire blows an earthbender away and the rotated shots take down the spearman and another earthbender.
The remaining earthbender and swordsman duck. Rosh extends his hand and surges a massive red-orange flame into the earthbender. Kanna stretched her arm and shoots an explosive flame into the swordsman. They close in toward the temple. Macai shouts, "Get in there!"
Rosh turns left and shoots a red-orange wave of fire into an earthbender and swordsman across him. Kanna kicks a dark orange rod of fire into an earthbender across her. Macai charges left and unleashes a barrage of white flames into two enemy swordsmen then shoots an explosive beam of fire into a bender across him.
Another earthbender shoots a barrage of bricks at Macai's face. Macai rolls forward and then rises and pops a white flame into his enemy. An archer from the Southeast center point readjusts his focus and shoots an arrow at Kanna. The archer barely misses her, and Sonna shoots the archer in the head. Macai blasts a massive blast of white fire into the right side of the temple, forging an opening.
Kanna nods back in her friend's direction then follows Macai and Rosh into the temple. Now Kanna moves on the left, Macai in the center, and Rosh on the right. The temple has sage green walls, a blue-grey floor, and a white ceiling. Macai orders, "Rosh watch our back!" Rosh moves behind Macai and Kanna. Macai is now on the right and Kanna on the left. Rosh notices an earthbender move through the opening and Rosh waves a stream of red-orange fire into him.
The team notices a spiral stairwell around them. An earthbender on the left side of the stairwell chucks a large boulder down at them. Macai: "Watch out!" Macai dives right and Kanna leaps left. Rosh dashes backward and the boulder slams into the ground, leaving a large dent. Macai: "Forget being together, break freely and meet at the top of the temple."
Macai raises his hands and hurls himself further up the left side of the spiral staircase with a gust of white flames. Rosh gets up and turns around. He notices Kanna jumps one level up the left side of the staircase. Rosh turns and notices an earthbender on his north-right flank. Rosh extends his hands and shoots a ray of red-orange fire at the man.
The earthbender extends his left leg and a cone of earth emerges from the ground. The cone blocks the shot then the earthbender kicks his right leg, launching the cone at the captain. Rosh leaps right, enhancing his jump with red-orange fire and lands on the third level of the right side of the staircase. Rosh looks down at his opponent and pushes a beam of red-orange flames at the man.
The earthbender bobs backward but the explosion knocks him into the wall. The fall knocks the bender unconscious. Rosh hears a spearman sprinting behind him then turns and shoots a flame into the man's stomach. Kanna sprints across the stairway and a spearman chucks his weapon at her neck. Kanna slides forward then leaps back on her feet.
Before she lands, Kanna launches a stream of dark orange fire from both of her legs into the spearman. The man's body flies ten feet back into a distant wall then bounces off the staircase. An archer on the other side of the staircase darts an arrow at Kanna. The girl sprints past the shot and zaps an explosive flame at the man.
The archer runs left to avoid the shot, but the explosion knocks him off the staircase. As Macai charges further up the staircase he extends his hands and blasts a swordsman away from him. An earthbender launches a large rock at Macai and the commander zooms forward. The rock pounces into the wall then tumbles off the platform. Macai turns and shoots a white log of flames into his opponent.
(music stops)
The man tries to block the shot but is overwhelmed. Macai emerges in front of the last door. Rosh propels himself with a stream of fire and lands a few feet behind Macai. Kanna tosses a hook on the lower level and glides in front of the commander. Macai looks back down at the damage dealt throughout the temple.
Macai: "Well, we sure made an entrance."
Kanna: "What's on the other side?"
Macai: "Honestly, I don't know." Kanna looks at Rosh in surprise. Macai: "Now get back, I'm going to punch a hole in the wherever that leads. Soon we're going to be at the top of the temple. From there, we'll make a direct entrance at the colonel's location!"
Kanna looks at Rosh in confusion. Rosh: "I have no idea what he's planning." Macai blasts the door open and runs into the room. Kanna and Rosh follow him into the chamber. The walls, the floor, and the ceiling are all dark grey. There are several massive windows that and they stand at a viewpoint that reveals the entire complex.
A hooded man interrupts, "The door was open, you didn't have to blow a hole through it."
Macai points at the man, "Who are you?!" The man has brown robes, tan skin, and he appears to be in his late forties.
Hooded man: "I am the warden of this facility."
Macai gets in his battle stance, "So you're an earthbender that defends this facility."
Hooded man: "I don't fight with my hands, I leave that to the soldiers. I fight with my words."
Macai: "What are you getting at?"
Hooded man: "What do you think you're doing?! Tearing down this facility for what exactly? Pride? Legacy? Everything you believe is a lie."
Macai: "I didn't come for this."
Hooded man: "That is exactly what you came for."
Macai responds, "No, you misunderstand. I didn't come to argue with you, now get out of my way or I'll throw you out of that window."
The hooded man laughs, "Always thinking primitively... Like so many other young men. Thinking with your hands and not your mind. All you seek is vanity, it will not last."
Macai clinches his fists, "Nothing ever lasts."
Hooded man: "Knowledge does... The truth will never die young man. I challenge you to look deeper into life and the world around you. Live for yourself. I say this not meaning for you to be selfish. I say this as a lesson to not allow others to make your life decisions. Your destiny is yours. Not your countries, not your family's, but yours's and yours's alone."
Macai raises an eyebrow. Hooded man: "Though you should live for yourself in terms of the direction your life goes, I'd say it's also good to live for others in terms of impact. We all will be long gone one day, but our legacy will be remembered through the eyes of others. How do you want to be remembered? As a hated conqueror?"
Macai replies, "History is written by the victors. I will be praised when our nation wins this war."
The hooded man raises his right finger, "IF, your men win this war."
Macai responds, "When.."
Hooded man: "You are but one man. Not you, nor the Firelord, nor Azula, nor anyone else determines the fate of destiny. It is not your plan, the broad spiritual plan is so much greater than what men or societies could envision. Even if your team emerges victoriously, your empire would not be destined to last. And if it were to fall, the false legacies you fight for would be lost."
Macai tightens his right hand, "The Avatar is dead, no one can stop us!"
Hooded man: "So sure of something that is uncertain. Life is so unpredictable. Every person, faction, and element has its limitations. All are part of a greater purpose that is for the good. Those who stand on the side of evil will not withstand in the long run. One day you will see this, that all things work out for the greater good of the universe."
Macai laughs, "You are mad. I don't have time for this." Macai blasts a fireball at the man, but he disappears. Macai looks back at Kanna and Rosh, "Did you see that?"
Kanna asks, "See what?"
Rosh responds, "Yeah, what are you talking about Macai?"
Macai mutters, "Nevermind, just get back." Rosh and Kanna move behind their commander. Macai blows a swirl of white fire into the wall and blows a hole through it. Macai steps toward the forged entrance, "Ok, Colonel Ranham is most either in that lower left or right enclosed wall. He will be waiting for us but won't expect this."
Rosh asks, "What are we doing? Are we going to try to blast those walls away and just kill him?"
Macai: "No, I said we were going to capture him. That is the most valuable option. We are going to jump from this wall and land on the south west entrance. Colonel Ranham will most likely be in one of the room directly below the South East or West ceiling. He won't expect it."
Rosh exclaims, "Are you crazy?!"
Macai responds, "Maybe a little, but this will most likely work."
Kanna says, "But we don't even know which side he is on."
Macai: "I've read reports that Ranham usually prefers to be on the right side whenever he is preparing for enemies. There is something about the left that he just doesn't like. I also hear Ranham rarely changes up that practice because he is so stubborn about it and no one would expect us to attack like this."
Rosh: "What if you're wrong and he's on the other side."
Macai: "Then we'll flee the entrance and meet back with our team. Then we'll fall back and get reinforcements for a second push. Ranham is stubborn and will try to beat us. We would still have time to finish him, but it would be a risk. It looks like our archers have picked off the enemy archers, so an escape is possible."
Rosh takes a deep breath, "Kanna isn't capable of rocket propulsion or at least not in the way that we are."
Macai responds, "That doesn't matter. All Kanna has to do is push a well placed stream of fire into the ground below her to break her fall before she lands. We are not asking her to launch herself off the ground."
Kanna: "I have never done that from a height like this commander."
Macai reassures her, "But you have all the talent to do it. You are great at making difficult landings. Your timing and firebending feats are more than good enough to pull this off. If you fail, it will be because you didn't believe in yourself."
Kanna: "Ok Macai, I don't have much of a choice do I?"
Macai: "No, unless you want to stay here and wait for reinforcements which will be coming any minute now."
Rosh sighs, "Ok, you go first."
Macai smirks, "With pleasure." Macai sprints and dives out of the widow. Macai launches white fire from his legs to further propel himself toward the structure.
Rosh looks at Kanna, "That's not fair, you don't know how to do that."
Kanna replies, "No but I can run faster and jump further than both of you." Kanna takes a few steps back then gallops forward. At the last minute, Kanna leaps off the platform and soars toward the wall. Rosh takes a breath then runs and launches himself toward the wall with a burst of red-orange fire.
Radical Maneuvers
As Macai soars down, he ignites his legs then rotates them and hurls a stream of white fire into the ceiling. A loud explosion is heard as part of the ceiling caves in on his enemies. Macai slows down his landing with controlled white flames. Macai glides down into the building, landing with a boom of white fire that kills several earthbenders around him.
Kanna glides toward the entrance but tilts her body right of the opening. Kanna shoots a ray of dark orange fire into the ceiling below her, but doesn't fire at full strength. It's not her goal to knock another hole in the ceiling, instead, she uses the fire that bounces back from the ceiling to propel her while also breaking her fall. Still, Kanna falls from about ten feet in the air.
Kanna shoots a weaker shot of dark orange fire into the ground, this time propelling her from just five feet in the air. Kanna lands on the ceiling as Rosh glides down beside her with red-orange flames. Rosh and Kanna hear thumping from below. Rosh: "Good job and I guess we should join Macai. And come to think of it, I could have just given you a ride."
Kanna: "At least I'm self-sufficient now."
Kanna nods and flips down Macai's forged entrance. Rosh does the same. They both land and see several charred Earth Kingdom trooper corpses. Macai is a few feet past them. Macai shouts, "Come on, we still have time to catch him! I think he's in a strategic chamber room that's only about ten feet ahead of us. His forces haven't had much time to react to our maneuver."
Kanna and Rosh sprint behind Macai. The trio moves across a hallway toward the chamber door. Three earthbenders, a spearman, and a swordsman rush from behind their position. Macai directs, "Code Purple Leaf!" Kanna pounces right and pounds a dark orange flame into the earthbender Rosh shoots a red-orange flame into another earthbender.
The remaining earthbender directs a stream of objects at Macai, Rosh knocks a red-orange stream of fire into the shot. The spearman throws his weapon at Kanna. Kanna rolls forward and extends her hands, shooting a stream of fire into the man's gut. The spearman flies backward then Kanna rotates her right leg horizontally and kicks a flame into the remaining earthbender. The swordman charges at Rosh but is shot down by a red-orange flame.
Macai: "This door is fire-resistant. I've heard the stories of how it has blocked some impressive flames."
Kanna: "Then what are we going to do?"
Macai: "My theory, is that a series of well placed and timed flames from top benders can still overpower the door."
Rosh puts his hand on his chin, "You might be on to something."
Macai looks at his friends, "Now, let's give Ranham a welcoming gift!" Kanna and Rosh move behind Macai. Macai raises his hands and generates a ball of white fire. Macai steps back and swirls his arms. A wave of white fire is generated. Macai: "Can I get some help?"
Rosh rotates his hands and creates his own stream of red-orange fire. Kanna swirls her hands and produces a stream of dark orange and gold flames. Macai: "On the count of three, we all attack together. One, two,..." Macai sways his hands and releases his stream of white fire. Rosh and Kanna circle their hands and the fire swirls together. A luminous wave of white, red, orange, and dark orange fire flows into the fortified door.
Colonel Ranham waits at a table with several Earth Kingdom troopers around him. The door is melted like butter and the beam flows from the door into the table. The table explodes and the Earth Kingdom troopers around it are incapacitated. Ranham falls backward as two of his officers rise of meet their foes. A dark orange flame nails the earthbender right of Ranham in his chest and into the wall.
The earthbender on Ranham's left rises but is shot down by a red-orange flame. Macai stands directly across Ranham as Kanna and Rosh point their fists at the colonel. Macai points, "End of the line Ranham!"
Colonel Ranham: "How dare you? Do you know who I am?! I am Colonel Ranham." Macai flips beside Ranham.
Macai: "Who are you?! Do you know who I am?! I am Macai! Son of General Eyre and I have come to bear the Fire Nation's wrath on all its enemies." Macai backhands Ranham and grabs him by the neck, "You are coming with us!" A team of twenty Earth Kingdom troopers marches into the room.
Earth Kingdom trooper: "Unhand the colonel!"
Macai: "The rest of my army waits and has yet to unleash its power on this facility. Surrender now and your colonel lives. Even at this moment, with all your numbers, you are no match for the three of us." The will of the garrisoned Earth Kingdom forces is broken. The trooper nods his head, and the non-benders drop their weapons. The benders kneel and the complex is taken.
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