章節 21: Ozai's Challenge Part 2
In the volcano base at Kecca, a man with black spikey hair and several piercings enters and walks down a hallway. He also has black tattoos throughout his arms, a dark red shirt, black shorts, dark yellow skin, hazel eyes, thin lips, long ears, and more tattoos that run down his legs. Katara sits in her cell as Ronin stands on the other side of it. Ronin: "You will now meet a special visitor, one of Ozai's favorite inquisitors. He specializes in torture."
Katara asks, "I'll never tell you anything!"
Ronin laughs, "Oh, he's not here to get any information from you. If he can, he will. But he's really just here to ensure your agony. Per Ozai's orders, he wanted to make sure that Aang could sense your terror."
The man steps beside Ronin, "This is Zendo."
The man leans against the cell and rubs his right fingers against it, "Ahhhhhhhhh..." He has a venomous voice. Zendo: "So, this is the girl. The one he loves."
Katara scowls at him, "You're only going to make it worse for the Remnant when Aang finds out."
Zendo: "I couldn't care my dear. You see, most people fear something like pain or retaliation. But I revel in conflict. If he wants to beat me, if he wants to harm me then I'll EMBRACE IT! Zendo peeps his eye through between the bars at her, "And I'll embrace my chance to get my hands on you. To feel that skin of the Avatar's prize, when I slash you piece by piece!"
Katara puts her right index finger on her cheek and generates water from her sweat. A second later, she extends it and hurls a knife of ice at him through the bar. Zendo swiftly draws a his own knife and slashes it.
Zendo: "You've got fight in you, good. Ronin, turn up the dehumidifier." A light grey metal device within the room suddenly turns red as it heats up causing Katara's body to heat in a way that isn't humid. Instead, it causes Katara's sweat to dry up.
Zendo explains, "You know Katara we must thank your friends from the 31st for destroying a base that belonged to the Disciples of Justice. We discovered something they left. A device that can be used to vaporize and drain water. Thus, stopping your ability to waterbend, but that's isn't all it does. I won't tell yet, I'll let you find out."
Zendo walks away and starts evilly laughing. Katara glares at him. Ronin looks back at her, "So you will be kept under great control. Now I must go."
Katara: "Why would you be stupid enough to announce your plans to me?"
Ronin: "Because I want everyone to know. I will take part in a great strike, where we will take the Fire Nation Capital from Zuko's control. It will be a great honor. And the invasion has already begun, you are too late to stop it. When step foot in that capital, it will be on a trail of blood."
Katara: "How can you be so evil? I thought you cared about your people about your nation. Now all Ozai has to do is snap your fingers and you want to slaughter members of your own country. The same people you pledged to defend!"
Ronin points at her, "SILENCE! You know nothing about what I've pledged! It is just as important to me that I deal with the traitors. Since I was a boy, I knew the price of loyalty. I knew that serving my country was something I prepared to DIE for! Do you, truly know what that's like?!"
Katara: "I know what that's like, that's war. The war is over."
Ronin shakes his head, "The war is never over." Suddenly Ronin has a flashback. He sees himself again at eight years old. He is sitting in his father's room. Ronin's father is tall with a long black beard, light yellow skin, and wavy hair. His name is Yurel and he is also heavyset.
Yurel stands over a Ronin's uncle who lays on the floor bleeding. They sit in a cabin with maple brown walls and a thick dark grey rub made of bear-wolf skin that is soaked in fresh blood. Ronin is crying intensely. Ronin asks, "Why did you do it father?"
Yurel: "Because son, Ronin was a traitor. Remember what I told you, when you were 5. It is the same thing I tell you every year. Your nation, is your pride! Your nation, is your purpose. Your nation, is your ultimate! NEVER FORGET THAT! Without this nation, we are but savages rooming without a purpose. If anyone stand against it, I don't care who they are, you must kill them. Even me!"
Ronin's flashback ends. Ronin: "We've been at war all my life. You might have thought it ended, but for me it never did. I've always been fighting. From my boy years, against my competitors in school, in the Hundred Year War, and now again. I've learned to keep fighting when I'm down, wounded, battered, and alienated. When I was eight my mother left the home, and she was imprisoned for abandoning her duty as a government clerk. She soon found herself in prison where she remains."
Katara gasps. Ronin: "I never visited her and I never plan to. Nor has my father. She is a traitor, therefore she is no longer a part of my family. And when he father laid dying from a heart attack, I stood there beside him. He told me to NEVER FORGET MY PURPOSE, which was my nation. The nation that now rules is not mine, it is that of usurpers! But a new strong nation will stand from its cinders."
Katara: "I know you have been hurt, but it's not too late to turn away from this and get help."
Ronin: "You cannot help me, the only thing that can and will be done between people like you and people like me is war. That is how it's always been and that is how it will end. You would be wise to prepare yourself for the destruction that's coming. For when it comes, it will be relentless."
Later at night, several Remnant ships float behind the main harbor that leads to the Fire Nation Island. The Remnant ships are painted black to stand out from the dark grey national vessels. A handful of ships sail from a different route toward the Northwest side of the Fire Nation Capital Island.
The capital is located several files south of this fleet while another massive fleet heads toward the Fire Nation Capital's main harbor which has multiple patrol boats, corvettes, merchant ships, and frigates sailing hundreds of miles ahead of the main harbor. It is chilly, a cold breeze flows across the air. It seems to be around 5.5 Celsius (42 Degrees). The sky is a dark blue color with a hint of purple.
Eyre waits in the naval vessel "The Sleeping Mammoth", led by Captain Kenko which is a heavy warship. Eyre stands gallantly with Kenko beside him with his navy cap on his head. Eyre wears black armor with red and dark yellow markings. Eyre glances at the captain, "Prepare the boats, we will siege soon."
Kenko nods, "How is the 727th?"
Eyre: "They are ready." A cool breeze flows through the sky as a female army captain sits in a chair with her male lieutenant sitting across her. The woman has dark brown hair wrapped in a ponytail, yellow skin, and light orange eyes. The man has straight black hair, pale skin, and yellow eyes. The female captain is in her early 30s and the young man is in his mid-twenties.
The duo sip tea and sit outside in chairs as they look across at two national ships sit outside. Army Female Captain: "I'm just glad times have changed. It's a lot safer than it used to be. The Hundred Year War was a mess, you're fortunate to have only seen the end of it."
Army Male Lieutenant (nods), "Yes but that was a particularly hectic year."
Army Female Captain: "Indeed it was, still we saw through it. With the threat of Zerrel stopped, things got even better. The Remnant is a minuscule threat in comparison. Now people can live in peace."
Army Male lieutenant: "Define peace? Global? There is no large-scale war like before, but local conflicts come here and there. To me, peace is a question of extent, there is no complete peace in this existence."
Army Female captain: "Good point, but most of us refer to a national war when we mean peace. Anything less than that or more minor like what has happened since the Hundred Year War doesn't compare."
Army Male lieutenant: "And to be a national war, it has to be a prolonged conflict as well. Otherwise, it's just defined as a raid or skirmish. Still, my only point is peace is often misunderstood as a concept."
Army Female captain: "Still, it's much better than what it was."
Army Male Lieutenant: "Well yes, there is no questioning that." A barrage of fire torpedoes are launched into the navy vessels that lay across them. Both ships are blown to pieces. Several men and women scream as they are blown to pieces. Some members leap off the ships into the water to avoid their incoming doom.
Army Male Lieutenant: "Well, perhaps we spoke too soon. National war or not, I'm not liking this."
Army Female Captain: "Men and women of the 63rd Defense Battalion, battle stations! You know the drill people!" The captain looks at the lieutenant, "Warn the troops in the barracks, send the scouts to alert other forces across the island. They might be heading for the capital and trying to ambush them from behind, but it could take several days for them to make it there if we mobilize a strong defense, we may even stop them in their tracks!"
Eyre meets in an armory with several of his troopers as they prepare to deploy. They all have black armor with red markings. Eyre has a platinum battle collar, which is different from the gold one he typically wears. Eyre's eyes don't look the normal gold hue they tend to be, instead they seem a pale red color which is uncommon for even firebenders.
Eyre announces, "Men and women of the 727th, we never quite expected things to turn out like this. We were so close to gaining the world but all of that was largely taken from us by a group of vile traitors who have turned much of the public against us. But there are still valiant members who revere us and wish to strike back. They hide and wait in the shadows. We are their hope! We are their voice!"
Eyre continues, "We will start our great path to the capital. We must fight our way across several plains, hills, and valleys. RISE MY BROTHERS, CLEANSE EVERYTHING IN YOUR PATH OF DISSIDENCE!" The warriors cheer. Several war boats sail from the Sleeping Mammoth toward the shoreline at night. Meanwhile multiple army troopers run toward catapults as they look to load their guns up and shoot down incoming vessels.
Eyre sits in a ship and puts an army helmet over his head which is an uncommon act for him. Eyre calms his troopers, "Steady." Ten boats sail ahead of Eyre's and another eight sail behind his with more on standby. Each boat is black, metal, and can carry up to 15 troopers. In this case, the boats only have 10 because each soldier has a rectangular shield to help them navigate the environment.
This is a contrast to the wooden boats many standard infantry use for deployment. The boats are wide and long in build. About ten cannons are launched in the air with a surge of orange light. One swirling flame pulverizes the boat directly ahead of Eyre's. 727th Male trooper: "Woh!"
727th Male sergeant: "Relax, trooper! Stay focused."
727th Female trooper: "It's time to shine, this is what you've all been waiting for." Two rods of fire glide in the water just a few feet from their boat. Water particles slash across the soldiers as the small ship shakes. A boat a few meets behind them is blasted and the troopers' screams can be heard as they burn and drown.
Dying 727th male: "Oooooooooh, my goodness! I lost MY LEG!! I ugh!" The boat right of their ship is blown to oblivion. Eyre briefly looks as their flesh is turned to ashes and their bones sink in the ocean. One man's body is blown in half before it flies back into the water.
Eyre: "This is what we came for! We knew the risk." One trooper in a ship behind them holds a Fire Nation Remnant flag. It looks like that national flag except it is half grey and half red with a picture of Ozai in the center.
Three boats hit the shoreline. Latches drop and a corporal shouts, "CHARGE!" A barrage silver of arrows liter the sky but are hardly visible in the dark night sky. The arrows come down like rain as a soldier is impaled within his boat and an arrow glides into the corporal's forehead. The man falls backward as blood flows across his face troopers behind trample his body as they rush onto the beachhead.
As two men exit their boat, they are immediately shot in their chests. Multiple soldiers Several boats land behind including Eyre's. As the latches drop Eyre yells, "Quickly, scatter! Extend your shields, wait until my command!" The warriors quickly run out as several soldiers block incoming arrows with their shields. Eyre simply picks up a shield from a fallen warrior to as he looks to cover himself.
Eyre feels two dents at that back of his shield as he repels incoming attacks. The naval vessels behind Eyre shoot a barrage of torpedoes across the sky that descend like meteors as they demolish catapults and troopers around them. Multiple tanks move up as they shoot heavy blasts from the distance at the ships. Three tanks shoot explosive blasts into a destroyer, sending it plunging.
Another destroyer returns fire and blows up three tanks.
Around 70 troopers gather as dozens of Remnant corpses lay in the sand. Eyre looks up and sees another wave of arrows flying at him and the troopers around him. The general shouts, "Shields!" The soldiers hold their shields up and block a barrage of shots. Only a couple are hit during the volley.
Eyre: "March!" The troopers march forward with their weapons drawn. After a few seconds of marching another round of arrows are fired. Eyre: "Shields!" The troops repeat the routine as they block arrows. Eyre warns, "Wait on my mark!" Eyre peeps past his shield and notices the positions of the Army defending forces which are held up in trenches around 30 meters ahead of them.
The archers are in trenches further behind the initial ones which seem to be an additional 20 meters back. Eyre: "Code 150, GO hit them now!"
727th swordsman: "Charge!" Multiple warriors with shields and swords, shields and maces, shields and short axes, and only shields (firebenders).
727th soldiers: "Raahahahahahah!!!" Arrows fly across the sky as Eyre's warriors scatter across the battlefield. A third of them running north and left, another third advancing north and right, and the final third pressing forward. Eyre stays around the center of the mid advancing unit as his men collide with their enemies.
Blood at the End of the Blade
The following morning, Aang soars on his glider as he zooms down to meet Ozai at Yenchi. The sky is pale blue, and the temperature is moderate. As Aang glides lower, he notices the plains in this region consist of long lime green grass. He notices a circular platform that looks like one red swirl in the ground. As he soars down, he notices a firebender who is hearing a dark red hooded robe.
Aang is angered by the man's fierce appearance, "Where is Ozai? I won't ask twice."
Firebender cultist, "Don't worry, he is waiting for you. We have a vessel that waits, it will transport you to him. There you will be tested."
Aang looks ahead and notices a fierce small dark red ship waiting. It has eight elite Fire Nation troopers onboard. They have dark red armor and the captain has white armor with light red markings. All of them are firebenders but two also hold spears. Elite Trooper Captain: "Welcome Aang, we have been expecting you."
Aang enters the ship as he waits for Ozai. The ship sails across the waters as Sokka watches in the distance from the telescope on the Prompt Adjudicator. Gammal stands behind him with Dengo at his right side. Xido waits behind them with his arms crossed and Zuko stands right of Xido. Xido has slim black hair, a thin mustache, small ears, yellow skin, and thin dark grey eyes.
Sokka: "Welp, there he goes. They're heading north and east."
Gammal: "Then we better get a move on."
Punching A Hole
A frigate sails several miles north of the Capital harbor while a merchant ship rides next to it. A massive Remnant dreadnaught sails ahead called the Great Whaleshark led by Admiral Venki The vehicle has several battleships beside it. Further in front of the vessel is an assembly of destroyers and corvettes. Multiple corvettes open fire and blow the frigate apart.
Captain Ardo waits in one of the destroyers with his crew as he notices some other Remnant ships taking aim at the merchant ship. Ardo yells, "No, that is a civilian ship! Stand down!"
Lieutenant Tei, a trooper with light skin, dark brown eyes, thick dark brown hair, large ears, and a long nose pats Ardo on his back. Tei: "Forgot to tell you. Orders from Admiral Venki, we are to destroy the merchant ships as well as military."
Ardo raises an eyebrow, "Is he insane! We need to use those merchant ships, they are civilian!"
Tei: "He's said the merchants here have aligned with Zuko's administration and are greedy. The Remnant will recruit new merchants but the ones here are despised for their greed and willingness to enrich the Earth Kingdom and our enemies for personal profit. They also have proven to take more and more actions that are against the interest of nationals. Several are owned by corporations, Venki said destroy them!"
Ardo sighs, "I see." Ardo looks as one of the ships shoots a barrage of torpedoes into the merchant ship. Ardo's stomach begins to hurt as he is filled with grief and revulsion. Ardo realizes that he is beginning to hate war and the malice he has seen on both sides. As the storm of corvettes press forward eight incoming corvettes shoot a barrage of shots into an army frigate, a destroyer, and a patrol ship.
Two merchant ships put up white flags but are still blown to shreds as atrocious war crimes are committed. The ships sail closer and closer until the harbor is in view. Hundreds of soldiers scramble at the harbor as national corvettes and frigates sail into the sea. The battleships are being loaded but will take a bit longer to get into the water. The army pays important attention to make sure they are loaded up and properly armed before being sent out.
The enemy fleet can be viewed by citizens who immediately panic as they run in the streets. Several soldiers scatter as they look to manage the citizens within the city. Within the Fire Nation palace General Mak notices a trooper meet him, "Sir, we have a really big problem. A massive fleet is heading toward our city and they seem to have very destructive intent."
General Mak looks out of the palace mirror, "I can see that!"
Army Trooper: "They are indiscriminately destroying anything in their path, merchants included."
General Mak: "Those monsters! We have to stop them! Gather the defense forces be prepared to meet them head on. Our fleet is caught off guard and scattered throughout the Fire Nation islands. Still, we have enough to meet whatever they have head on. Just make sure you get those battleships out there as soon as possible before they get hit."
Army Trooper: "They also aren't 100 percent battle ready or prepped while it's obvious the Remnant has been planning this."
General Mak: "But the people know the capital, and everything is at stake, they will be motivated! And after Zerrel's sacking, we have practiced a few new drills. But not at this scale, his attack was by surprise and more terroristic. These clowns are just going guns blazing, they really are looking to test our military prowess."
Army Trooper: "They won't outlast us; it'll be a war of attrition."
General Mak: "True, but they definitely have a trick up their sleeve, and they know our morality limits us. We have a lot of citizens that need to be evacuated to avoid unnecessary deaths. They don't necessarily need to leave this island since it is huge, they just need to get out of this city! So, I want the army forces focused and ready. Get as many out as you can starting with the infants and children, then the elderly, and finally the women."
Army Trooper: "Yessir, I'll relay that order, we'll take them to the North Western countryside or one of the local villages around that area. We have some military outputs there. However, I wouldn't send them to the North Eastern or Central North path because I've gotten reports that General Eyre's 727th regiment has been leading an attack toward this capital."
The Army Trooper continues, "They have breached the beachhead, several open fields, and now they are in the center of Moki Valley. Our forces think they will make it here within nightfall."
General Mak gasps, "What?! Why wasn't I informed? When did they attack?"
Army Trooper: "A couple of days ago, but the military was caught off guard. It was completely unexpected, we faced a lapse in communication. Mail couldn't be sent out that fast, a couple of scouts ended up warning other forces but being locked in battle alongside them. A civilian messenger broke off on a deer-horse and rode until he reached the outskirts of the city. Because he wasn't military he was ignored the first day he was here."
General Mak moans, "Well, at least we know now. Nothing to do but move forward." To make matters worse, only about nine percent of the Fire Nation fleet is on the capital main harbor. This is actually less than during the war when it was more heavily protected and included a fifth of the fire nation fleet.
The rest of the navy is located around other parts of the island, around other Fire Nation islands, or is going on international projects assisting Earth Kingdom or Water Tribe lands that were previously harmed by it. This increases outrage and the belief that Zuko has prioritized the rights of outsiders more than those of his own nation.
INTO THE FURANCE
At midday, a fleet of Remnant ships trade fire with a fleet of national ships outside of the Capital's main harbor. Fire torpedoes fly dozens of feet in the air, several colliding while others hurl back down into the vessels below. Packs of people are blown apart and one national cruiser is blown in two as the fleets trade shots.
A national battleship presses forward and shoots a storm of scorching blasts into a Remnant frigate, obliterating it. National crewmen work diligently as firebenders shoot beams out of their ships and load catapults with explosive stones. Further behind the main fight, several artillery cannons on the beachhead shoot in the distance at incoming Remnant naval vehicles.
One captain is observing the battle with a younger lieutenant beside him as they stand on the top deck. The captain has light yellow skin, light brown hair, a thin yet long mustache, and caramel brown eyes (captain Sheklaki). Beside him is his lieutenant is relatively round, bald, and has brown eyes (lieutenant Basho).
Captain Skelaki: "Maintain fire, watch your angles!"
Basho points, "Look out!"
A spinning torpedo hits the top of the bridge tower behind them. Several debris fall and Basho bends down to brace himself as Skelaki creates a fire dome around them. The dome absorbs incoming objects and Skelaki suddenly dissolves the dom. Basho looks up in astonishment, "Thanks captain!"
As the battle continues, dozens of ships on both sides are sunken. The Great Whaleshark continues its onslaught as it bombards several national ships and blows them to pieces. It has durability, range, and firepower making it an outright monster. The vessel destroys dozens of ships during the fleet battle, targeting ships one at a time.
The national fleet, off-guard and scattered begins faltering. A national vehicle is blown to pieces as Captain Skelaki turns left, "Oh no, this isn't looking good." A volley of three cannons hits the middle of their ship and it shutters. Skelaki stumbles and nearly falls but Basho braces him. Shelaki: "Thanks Basho."
Basho: "Sir! We can't take much more punishment!"
Skelaki: "You are correct! There are too many Remnant ships, our fleet can't stop them all!"
Basho: "We will have to wait until reinforcements arrive and attack their fleet from behind. This must be almost the entire Remnant fleet. They have dedicated everything including ships Ozai likely hid from the public on reserve. Even so, by doing this they trap themselves!"
Skelaki: "It's suicidal! As if all they wish to do, is kill as many people as possible! They have the entire area locked up, there is no way out from here for our fleet."
Basho looks at Skelaki, "Sir, what are your orders?"
Skelaki responds, "Tell all reserves and most of the personnel to abandon ship! They'll have to swim back to the shoreline and reinforce our forces there they'll need it."
Basho: "And you sir?"
Skelaki looks at his friend, "I'm going to give them a gift."
Basho looks back, "What?"
Skelaki: "It's been a pleasure serving with you. If I don't see you after this battle, then I will see you in heaven. Now go!"
Basho nods and hugs his friend, "I see, yes sir!" Basho turns and runs toward the edge of the ship but not before saluting him. Skelaki salutes back and Basho leaps down in the water. Most of the crew flee but a few brave souls stay onboard as several national vehicles around them are blown to shreds. The water is soon filled with blood, metal chunks, and corpses.
Skelaki: "Put the ship ahead full speed! Point it right at that battleship!" As the ship valiantly rides forward it takes several shots from a battleship ahead of it. The ship subsequently rams itself into the Remnant battleship across it. Both ships shake and several crew members onboard wait beside Skelaki as they face multiple Remnant troopers from the ship across them.
Remnant Captain: "Kill them all!" Three men swing from ropes from the Remnant ship toward theirs. Skelaki shoots a beam of orange fire into the gliding warrior across him. Another is cut down by a national swordsman. Another Remnant warrior leaps down and vertically impales one of Skelaki's shipmates. The naval captain launches himself in the air with a gust of orange and yellow flames as he swoops down toward the enemy ship.
Several Remnant firebenders, swordsmen, and spear warriors spread out as they look to surround the captain. Skelaki lands in the middle of them and spins around as he vanquishes them with a swirl of fire. A second later, the Remnant captain leaps behind him. Remnant Captain: "Traitor!"
Skelaki: "Traitor?! You have killed thousands of your own, including innocent merchants just to bully people into agreeing with you. And you call me a traitor."
Remnant Captain: "Well, a nation must be strong to stand. It cannot survive if it favors the interest of the weak strangers over their own. You hold us back, so we will destroy our chains!"
Skelaki: "You are a chain that hold back the progress of our people with your rigid thinking!" Skelaki turns and pumps two orange fireballs at the captain. The Remnant captain launches himself in the air with a dark red and dark orange spout of fire as he engulfs his right fist with great fire.
Remnant Captain: "Arrrrraaaaghhhhhaaaa!!!" Skelaki swiftly bends and extends his right hand as he pops a brick of fire into the captain's stomach, blowing him eight feet high and twelve feet back in the air into the deck of another ship. Skelaki shakes his head then raises his arms as he generates a massive swirl or orange fire.
The captain shoots him in the air with a flicker of fire and hurls his explosive fireball down into the center of the battle ship. As he throws it, the ball swirls so fast that it burns clean through the top deck and glides into the center of the ship before it explodes; immobilizing the entire vessel. He turns again and shoots a beam of flames into a destroyer right of him. killing five Remnant soldiers.
Several ships aim at him soon after, but Skelaki doses his flames and allows himself to descend thirty feet into the ocean. The officer swims back to the shoreline without being detected to regroup with his allies. Another three national ships are blown to scraps. Two are boarded and overtaken by Remnant forces.
Soon only a handful of national ships remain, and they lay outside of the beachhead. Hundreds of troopers are running from the naval battle to the shores, but this has given most of the young and elderly citizens to be evacuated. Now soldiers are looking to extract male and female citizens but several refuse to leave and instead ask for weapons.
Male citizen: "No, I don't want to go. Give me a sword! Or I'll take a kitchen knife if I have to! I won't let these thugs take my home!" As this happens, Admiral Venki stares at the remaining national ships. Venki has dark orange eyes, cinnamon brown skin, black hair, somewhat pointy ears, and a thin nose.
Captain Zakhar steps behind him. Zakhar has dark brown wavy hair, olive skin, light brown eyes, a small nose, and attached ears. Zakhar: "Sir, only a few ships remain. Would you like us to offer them a chance to surrender."
Venki replies, "Surrender? We have a chance to wipe out nearly a tenth of the enemy fleet, that can greatly set them back and enhance us during our war effort. More will be coming soon anyway, to block us in and ambush us. We may need Ozai's help if we are to prevail, but we cannot afford to take prisoners."
Captain Zakhar looks in shock, "I see."
Venki: "Wipe them out!" The Remnant ships maintain aim at the remaining national crafts and open fire. General Mak watches out of his window as the remainder of the fleet is set ablaze. A humongous explosion implodes across the ocean waters and strong wind blows several grains of sand on the beach in the air.
A second payload of shots destroy the cannons on the beachhead and the troopers manning them. Hot twisted metal flops throughout the sand. Soldiers see the whirl as they salute their fallen. Admiral Venki commands, "Excellent, proceed with the invasion!" Thousands of boats sail forward and tens of thousands of troopers (the majority of the Remnant army) charge into the city. While thousands of scattered national warriors gather to mobilize against their fierce opponents.
While the Fire Nation army has at least hundreds of thousands of soldiers in service nationally and even more on reserve, they have nowhere near enough in the capital to be fairly matched against the full might of the Remnant and it would be almost impossible to mobilize them all or even a force of equal size any time soon.
The Remnant warriors charge with swords, spears, maces, axes, and firebenders. The national troopers stand guard with swords, spears, firebenders, and shield & sword warriors. Archers charge from the rear of the grand assault to reinforce incoming Remnant forces meanwhile national archers load up on rooftops as they prepare to flank and shoot the enemy from above.
A few Remnant warriors are dispatched by arrows as they advance but they keep charging. The national shield warriors stand in front formation within the city as they look to hold out the gigantic force back. One shield warrior notices a swordsman, spearwoman, and Remnant berserker with dual swords charging at him. The national warrior runs at the enemy swordsman and rams his shield against the man's nose.
The Remnant duelist falls on his back with blood running down his cracked nostrils. The spearwoman retaliates with a swift strike but the soldier pulls his blade left and parries. The berserker runs at his right flank to overwhelm him but the army trooper rotates his sword and hacks the man's head off.
Older Army Sergeant: "Soldiers, defend your home!" An army firebender leaps forward and kicks a rod of fire into a remnant swordsman, firebender, and brute with a battle hammer blowing them away. A national spearman leaps forward and slams his weapon into a Remnant firebender's stomach before tossing his body into a Remnant swordsman behind him.
A Remnant swordsman charges at an army duelist and swings at him with a right horizontal attack. The national warrior shifts his blade vertically as he blocks the strike then counters with a horizontal slice to the neck. National swordsman: "Stay sharp! We're not out of this fight yet!"
Four national archers emerge on two buildings and shoot down several Remnant warriors below them. They continue to rain down the fire as they shoot down multiple duelists and benders alike. An army firebender shoots his own beam of orange flames into a pair of Remnant soldiers then rotates his hands left as he continues to burn down another five Remnant raiders.
The men scream in agony as they burn to their deaths. Female Army Sergeant: "At the rate these fools are attacking us, their army will be depleted within hours."
Middle-aged Male Army Trooper: "They outnumber us at least ten to one."
Young Male Army Trooper: "That may be true, but we're killing at least four or five of them at a time."
Middle-aged Male Army Trooper: "Then that isn't enough."
Young Male Army Trooper: "We're not taking many casualties yet." At the moment, loads of Remnant forces charge but dozens are killed during each push while only a few national troopers fall. Although the Remnant troopers are tough, they fight with pure zeal and emotions rather than tactical sense making them easy to take down.
Loan army firebenders take out packs of Remnant warriors with calculated strikes. Soon mounds of Remnant bodies liter the Capital entrance as national warriors relentlessly hold them back.
RAISING THE STAKES
Admiral Venki sits and sips bitter tea at his observation deck as he watches the battle from afar. He sits on a black leather sofa in a room with white walls, a platinum ceiling, and a bright red carpet. Captain Zakhar steps behind him.
Venki: "Fendor, who has the attack been halted? I literally smashed the enemy's artillery to bits, our forces should have an easy time outmatching them."
Fendor: "It takes more than numbers to win sir. Our enemy are well dug in. But don't worry, we shall eventually break their lines."
Venki: "Our opponents are known for keeping tanks outside of their cities beyond limited uses such as parades due to their concern with reducing civilian casualties. If we want to win this war, we need to have great resolve. Deploy the tanks and bombard the city from behind the trooper positions."
Fendor nods, "Right away sir." A barrage of ranged tank blasts are shot into the city. Several buildings are hit and some soldiers are killed. Because the attacks are indiscriminate, some citizen homes and citizens that refused to flee the city are also wounded or kill by bombardment. As the battle rages on, the tanks seem to open fire every other hour sometimes in the midst of fights even with the risk of killing some of their own Remnant infantry.
Despite this, the national forces manage to hold the line. General Mak steps outside to assess the situation. He has two guards behind him as he notices a national captain standing guard with his squad. General Mak: "How goes it captain?"
Army Captain: "Sir, we've still managed to hold them back but losses went from minor to moderate. Our enemies still endure heavy casualties though. Some men have been hurt from falling debris from others while others were directly killed or maimed."
General Mak: "War is such an ugly sight, especially right here at home."
Army Captain: "You're telling me sir."
General Mak: "Do you have any idea how many enemies remain."
Army Captain: "Still thousands sir and they still have a bit of a numerically edge over us though not as immense as before. They got careless in the beginning and it has cost them a bit." An artillery shell hits a building a few feet right of their position. Army Captain: "Get down!"
General Mak takes cover and a couple troopers run as a large debris splits a female soldier in half. The captain dives and smoke flows in the air. As the smoke stops, he notices her mutilated remains. Army Captain: "Oh no, Sereba!"
General Mak looks in horror but turns his back and signals for his troopers to join him in the palace. General Mak informs his bodyguards, "Come on, we have some more planning to do. Thanks captain and I'm sorry. Our reinforcements should arrive by the end of the day to flank their enormous fleet, but it will take them a while to make a big dent in it. Until we are stuck against them, but we cannot let this capital fall."
Meanwhile Captain Zakhar steps back in Admiral Venki's room. Zakhar speaks, "Sir, I think I have an answer to your problem." Venki turns and the captain steps aside. Alev, Ronin, and Kedo step forward with several Remnant troopers standing behind them including Gendall.
Venki turns, "Ah, Alev. I'm curious to see if you are as deadly as you think you are."
Alev: "We will break their lines, no hassle. But afterwards, I expect a steep reward."
Venki: "You don't have to question that after how highly Ozai has spoken of you. If you succeed, then you have proven your worth to me major."
Alev: "That's COLONEL, Ozai promoted me a couple of days ago."
Venki: "This just get better and better."
Alev: "Someone had to step up after Hakon's passing."
Ronin: "And we will bring our own troops for this march. They are motivated, they have yearned for this moment. But more importantly, they are prepared. We all trained diligently for this moment because we knew it would come."
Venki: "Of course, I'll order the rest of the troops to make way for your forces. You can lead and hit the strike and the others will merely provide relief and covering archers or artillery. They will also fill any flanks that may fall empty. That should be more than enough to ensure success if your men are as effective as you think they are."
Ronin: "With all due respect sir, we KNOW they are."
Venki: "Then go, CRUSH them! And bring General Mak's head back to me along with whoever else may be an impediment to your progress." The Remnant icons exit the admiral's bridge as they prepare for their next strike.
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